COOLING SYSTEM FOR A CENTER WING TANK OF AN AIRCRAFT

• Main Authors: JOJIC, IVANA, ADKINS II, DAVID A, BELIERES, JEAN-PHILIPPE A, MULVANEY, PATRICK J, THORNTON, MARK M, GRAHAM, RODNEY N, MORAVEC, BRADFORD A, OLSON, ERIC C, GRIM, ALAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 02.06.2016
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS INVEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OFTRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GASEXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS, IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSIONTRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS; EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLYING SUITS; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; PARACHUTES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

A cooling system for a fuel tank of an aircraft includes a temperature sensor, a cooling system, and a control module. The temperature sensor detects a fuel temperature within the fuel tank. The cooling system maintains the fuel temperature below a control temperature. The phase change cooling system includes a heat exchanger. A cooling fluid flows through the heat exchanger and is in thermal communication with a surface of the fuel tank. The control module is in signal communication with the temperature sensor and the cooling system. The control module includes control logic for monitoring the temperature sensor, determining if the fuel temperature is above the control temperature, and generating an activation signal.