Fuel Tank Coupling Protective Barrier for Marine Fire Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel tank coupling apparatuses in marine vehicles are prone to damage during shipment and often do not comply with fire safety standards due to their thermoplastic composition, which lacks sufficient temperature resistance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a protective barrier apparatus around fuel tank coupling components, such as grade valves, composed of thermoplastic materials that provide a sacrificial layer to protect against damage during shipment and comply with fire safety standards by withstanding flames for at least two and a half minutes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If coupling apparatus is made from thermoplastic material, then ease of manufacture is improved, but temperature resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining thermoplastic material (for ease of manufacture) with a protective coating or sacrificial layer (for temperature resistance). The coupling apparatus consists of multiple material layers where the thermoplastic provides structural integrity and manufacturability, while the additional protective layer withstands fire exposure, creating a composite structure that satisfies both manufacturing ease and temperature resistance requirements.
2Reliability
If coupling apparatus is protected during shipment, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating a protective barrier or sacrificial layer during the manufacturing process itself, rather than adding separate protective measures later. This preliminary protective layer is integrated into the coupling apparatus structure, providing damage resistance during shipment without requiring additional complex external protective devices or assembly steps.
3Temperature
If protective barrier is added to coupling apparatus, then temperature resistance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating the protective barrier function directly into the coupling apparatus structure. The sacrificial layer or protective coating is combined with the thermoplastic body in a unified component design, allowing the same structure to serve both structural and fire-protection functions simultaneously, thereby improving temperature resistance without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to provide a protective barrier to fuel tank coupling apparatus are described. An example method includes coupling a barrier to an outer surface of the fuel tank, where the barrier includes a support surface and a wall protruding from the support surface to define a cavity; providing a weld pad within the cavity such that a first side of the weld pad engages the support surface; disposing a valve within the cavity of the barrier after the barrier is coupled to the outer surface such that a flange portion of the valve engages the weld pad and at least a portion of the valve is positioned in the fuel tank; and heating the weld pad and the flange portion of the valve to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of a material of the flange portion and the weld pad.