Aircraft Fuel Tank Pressure Difference Anti-Bubble Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft fuel tank designs face challenges in minimizing dead fuel weight and preventing bubble formation, with current solutions like ejector vacuum pumps being complex and heavy, and soft fuel tanks offering poor safety and designability.

Innovation Solution

A negative pressure type fuel tank device utilizing a pressure difference between internal spaces and a bevel surface to automatically direct fuel flow, eliminating the need for additional equipment and weight, while ensuring safety and designability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If an ejector vacuum pump is used to reduce dead fuel capacity and prevent bubbles, then the effectiveness of fuel utilization is improved, but the device complexity and additional weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedead fuel capacityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the need for complex vacuum pump equipment by using a simple communication port structure. The fuel tank is divided into first and second communication ports, where the first port communicates with the external environment and the second port communicates with the fuel outlet, creating a simple pressure balance system that prevents bubble formation without requiring additional active equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The fuel tank system performs self-regulation of pressure and fuel flow through the communication ports. The structure allows the tank to automatically balance internal pressure with external atmospheric pressure, enabling fuel to flow smoothly to the engine without requiring external vacuum pumps or active control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Quantity of substance

If an ejector vacuum pump is used to reduce dead fuel capacity and prevent bubbles, then the effectiveness of fuel utilization is improved, but the additional weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedead fuel capacityVSAvoidadditional weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the need for heavy vacuum pump equipment by using a lightweight communication port structure. The fuel tank utilizes simple openings that allow pressure equalization, eliminating the weight penalty associated with mechanical vacuum pumping systems while maintaining effective fuel utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If a soft fuel tank is used to reduce dead fuel and prevent bubbles, then the dead fuel capacity is reduced, but the structural strength and safety decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedead fuel capacityVSAvoidstructural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the fuel tank internal space into distinct regions through the communication port structure. The first communication port region communicates with the external environment while the second communication port region supplies fuel to the engine, creating functional zones that maintain structural integrity while reducing dead fuel capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Quantity of substance

If a soft fuel tank is used to reduce dead fuel and prevent bubbles, then the dead fuel capacity is reduced, but the designability and optimization capability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedead fuel capacityVSAvoiddesignability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The communication port structure divides the fuel tank into functional segments that can be independently optimized. The first communication port for environmental communication and the second communication port for fuel supply allow flexible design adjustments based on specific aircraft requirements, maintaining high designability while reducing dead fuel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively reduces dead fuel weight and prevents bubble formation, enhancing fuel utilization and safety without increasing complexity or weight, making it suitable for lightweight aircraft and UAVs.

Implementation Method 1

utilizes the pressure difference between different spaces in the fuel tank to suck the fuel outside the cavity to flow into the cavity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure difference: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

utilizes a bevel surface inside the aircraft fuel tank device to make the fuel flow towards the lower side automatically under the gravity action

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3604138B1Negative pressure low dead oil Anti-bubble aeroplane fuel tank apparatus
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 BEIJING AERONAUTIC SCI & TECH RES INST OF COMAC
  • EP3604138B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3604138B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention mainly belongs to the technical field of oil tank design and relates to a negative pressure type low-dead-oil anti-bubble aircraft oil tank device. The negative pressure type low-dead-oil anti-bubble aircraft oil tank device comprises an oil tank shell, an oil suction hose arranged inside the oil tank shell, an oil filler and an oil outlet that are arranged on the oil tank shell. The negative pressure type low-dead-oil anti-bubble aircraft oil tank device further comprises a wave-resistant baffle; the wave-resistant baffle consists of at least one wave-resistant baffle; the wave-resistant baffle divides the internal space of the aircraft oil tank device into at least two spaces; every two adjacent spaces communicate with each other through a communication port in the bottom of the corresponding wave-resistant baffle; and the negative pressure type low-dead-oil anti-bubble aircraft oil tank device introduces the oil in the high pressure space into the low pressure oil supply space by means of the pressure difference between the adjacent spaces. The negative pressure type low-dead-oil anti-bubble aircraft oil tank device provided in the present invention sucks the oil to flow towards the low pressure area by means of the pressure difference between different spaces inside the oil tank, and the oil can automatically flow towards the lower side under the gravity action along an internal slope of the aircraft oil tank device.