Wireless Aircraft Refueling Control via Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contemporary aircraft refueling systems require a robust and costly refueling control panel to withstand harsh environments, which adds weight and expense due to the need for physical and electronic protection, and is cumbersome to use in varying conditions.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication system between the aircraft and refueling apparatus allows for remote control of fuel tank filling, eliminating the need for an aircraft-mounted refueling control panel by using a first controller on the aircraft and a second controller on the refueling apparatus to manage fuel flow and quantity based on stored fuel profiles and real-time sensor data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a robust refueling control panel is used to withstand harsh environments, then reliability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel is completely removed from the aircraft structure and relocated to the ground-based refueling apparatus. This extraction eliminates the need for a robust, heavy control panel on the aircraft while maintaining all necessary control functions at the refueling location.
Solution Approach 2:
A wireless communication system serves as an intermediary between the aircraft's fuel system and the ground control. This mediator enables control functions to be performed remotely without requiring physical connection or heavy protective structures on the aircraft.
2Reliability
If a robust refueling control panel is used to withstand harsh environments, then reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel is extracted from the aircraft and placed in the refueling apparatus, eliminating the need for expensive, robust control panels on the aircraft. The aircraft's existing systems are leveraged instead, reducing overall cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The control functions are replicated in the ground-based refueling apparatus rather than requiring duplicate robust control panels on the aircraft. This copying approach allows the use of less expensive control systems since they don't need to withstand harsh environmental conditions.
3Ease of operation
If a refueling control panel is mounted on the aircraft for fuel monitoring, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control panel is extracted from the aircraft and relocated to the refueling apparatus. This simplifies the aircraft's systems by removing complex control panel hardware while maintaining ease of operation through wireless communication interfaces that are simpler and more versatile.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A system (10) for wirelessly refueling an aircraft (12) includes an aircraft (12) having a fuel tank (20), a control valve (26), a fuel sensor (22) outputting a fuel signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the at least one fuel tank (20), and a controller (28) controlling the control valve (26) in response to the fuel signal, a refueling apparatus (14) having a fuel supply (50), a pump (54) and a controller (56) in which is stored a fuel profile including fuel data indicative of the amount of fuel to be supplied to the at least one fuel tank (20), and wireless communication systems (16, 30, 60, 72) operably coupled to the controllers (28 and 56) within the aircraft (12) and refueling apparatus (14) to control the operation of the control valve (26) and the pump (54) to fill the at least one fuel tank (20) in accordance with the fuel profile and in response to the fuel signal.