Hydrophobic Membrane Fuel Tank Draining for Complete Water Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing water contamination from fuel tanks, such as manual draining and polishing, are inefficient, labor-intensive, and prone to errors, leading to fuel wastage and incomplete water removal, especially in applications like aircraft fuel tanks and fuel filter housings.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a hydrophobic membrane and a backpressure regulator that separates water from fuel by blocking water flow and opening a pressure relief valve when a predetermined pressure is reached, ensuring complete water removal with minimal fuel loss and operator intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual draining is used to remove water from fuel tanks, then the process is simple and low-cost, but it is labor-intensive and prone to errors leading to incomplete water removal or fuel wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a hydrophobic membrane that automatically allows fuel to pass through while blocking water based on the inherent properties of the membrane material. The backpressure regulator automatically opens to vent water when pressure reaches a predetermined level, eliminating the need for manual intervention or complex electronic controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrophobic membrane is a porous material with specific pore size and surface properties that allow selective passage of fuel molecules while repelling water. The porosity enables fuel permeation while the hydrophobic surface tension prevents water penetration, achieving automatic separation without external power or complex mechanisms.
2Device complexity
If visual inspection is used to determine when water has been completely drained, then no additional sensors are needed, but it is difficult to know when water is completely gone leading to potential fuel wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes the natural color difference between water and fuel during draining. Water is typically clear while fuel has characteristic coloration. The operator can visually detect when water has been completely removed by observing the color change in the effluent stream, providing accurate detection without electronic sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrophobic membrane acts as an intermediary that selectively allows fuel to pass through while blocking water. This creates a clear visual interface where the operator can see when water stops passing through the membrane, indicating complete water removal without needing additional detection devices.
3Measurement precision
If electronic sensors and valves are added to automate draining, then accuracy of water removal improves, but cost for purchasing, installing, and maintaining increases along with susceptibility to electrical malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces electronic sensors and valves with a purely mechanical/passive system. The hydrophobic membrane provides automatic separation based on material properties, and the backpressure regulator uses mechanical pressure feedback to open and close, eliminating all electronic components and their associated reliability issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The backpressure regulator automatically opens when water accumulates and pressure reaches the predetermined level, and closes when pressure equalizes. This self-regulating mechanism provides accurate water removal detection and control without electronic sensors, improving reliability while maintaining precision.
4Ease of manufacture
If settling is used to remove water contamination from fuel, then the method is simple and low-cost, but it requires significant time and space for water to pool at the bottom
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic membrane provides rapid selective separation by allowing fuel molecules to pass through its porous structure while blocking water. This eliminates the need for long settling periods, reducing water removal time from hours or days to minutes while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter from passive gravitational settling to active pressure-driven filtration through the hydrophobic membrane. By applying pressure differential across the membrane, fuel is rapidly pushed through while water is blocked, dramatically reducing separation time without adding complex equipment.
5Productivity
If centrifuges are used to accelerate water settling, then water removal speed improves, but the system becomes capital intensive and mechanically complex
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic membrane provides rapid water separation through its selective porous structure, achieving high productivity without mechanical moving parts. Fuel passes through the pores under pressure while water is blocked, providing centrifuge-like separation speed with simple static components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the complex mechanical centrifugal separation system with a simpler pressure-driven filtration system using hydrophobic membrane. This achieves comparable or superior water removal speed while eliminating mechanical complexity, capital costs, and maintenance requirements of centrifuges.
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 system effectively drains nearly all water from fuel tanks and filter housings without wasting fuel, provides a positive indication of completion, and is simple, cost-effective, and resistant to electrical malfunctions.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrophobic membrane upstream of the backpressure regulator and downstream of a first conduit, wherein the mixture comprises an organic phase liquid and an aqueous phase and wherein the predetermined setpoint is determined by at least a bubble point pressure of the hydrophobic membrane
Implementation Method 2
the predetermined setpoint is determined by at least a bubble point pressure of the hydrophobic membrane
Implementation Method 3
The backpressure regulator is configured to open when pressure of a mixture upstream of the backpressure regulator exceeds a predetermined setpoint
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems and methods for liquid phase separation for fuel tanks and other vessels. Particularly, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a backpressure regulator configured to open when pressure of a mixture upstream of the backpressure regulator exceeds a predetermined setpoint and a hydrophobic membrane upstream of the backpressure regulator and downstream of a first conduit. The predetermined setpoint may be determined by at least a bubble point pressure of the hydrophobic membrane. Additionally, the backpressure regulator may be fluidically connected to and downstream of the first conduit, and to at least one pump operably connected to and upstream of the first conduit and the hydrophobic membrane may be fluidically connected to and upstream of a second conduit. The backpressure regulator may be fluidically connected to and upstream of a third conduit and the third conduit may be downstream the first conduit.