Bung Plug Extractor for Pressurized Tank Fluid Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tank systems for fluid exchange, particularly in pressurized tanks like propellant and pressurant tanks, face challenges such as weight, cost, and reliability issues due to the need for dedicated high-pressure fill/drain and vent valves, which complicate fluid transfer without spillage or leakage, especially when dealing with toxic, volatile, or cryogenic fluids.
Innovation Solution
A bung plug extractor system that includes a bung extractor casing with a hose connector and a bung extractor tip to selectively uncouple the bung plug from the tank port, forming a sealed flow path for fluid exchange without requiring dedicated valve hardware, thus reducing weight and cost while preventing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated high-pressure fill/drain valves and vent valves are installed in the tank, then fluid transfer reliability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the valve function from the tank system by using a bung plug that can be removed and replaced with a valveless adapter. This allows fluid transfer without spillage to be achieved through the adapter's internal valve mechanism rather than through dedicated tank-mounted valves, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The bung plug serves multiple functions: it seals the tank port during storage, allows removal for fluid transfer operations, and can be replaced with a valveless adapter that provides both sealing and fluid transfer capabilities. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated valves for filling, draining, and venting operations
2Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated high-pressure fill/drain valves and vent valves are installed in the tank, then fluid transfer capability is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable or replaceable valveless adapter that attaches to the bung plug location. This adapter is simpler and lighter than permanent tank-mounted valves, and can be replaced as needed for different fluid transfer operations, reducing overall system weight and cost while maintaining full fluid transfer capability
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid transfer system is segmented into a permanent tank port with bung plug, and a removable valveless adapter. This segmentation allows the heavy, complex valve functions to be concentrated in a single removable component rather than distributed across multiple permanent tank-mounted valves, reducing overall system weight
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a bung plug is sealingly coupled to the tank port, then leakage prevention is improved, but fluid exchange operation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The bung plug is pre-installed and pre-sealed in the tank port before fluid transfer operations. This preliminary sealing action ensures leakage prevention is already in place, and the operator only needs to perform the simple action of removing the bung plug and attaching the valveless adapter to begin fluid exchange, rather than dealing with complex valve operations
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for exchanging fluid with a tank through a tank port includes a bung extractor casing that has a first end configured to removably couple to a tank port. The tank port is configured to be sealingly coupled to a bung plug. The bung extractor casing also includes a second end opposite the first end, a hose connector configured to removably couple to a hose, and a channel defined between the first end and the hose connector. The apparatus also includes a bung extractor coupled to the extractor casing second end. The bung extractor includes a tip portion configured to releasably engage the bung plug. The bung extractor is operable to selectively uncouple the bung plug from the tank port such that a sealed flow path is formed through the tank port and the channel.