US-12617545-B2 - Aircraft liquid containment cell including self-sealing structure

Abstract

A liquid containment cell includes an inner layer configured to contain a liquid, an outer layer, and a multilayer self-sealing structure disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, where the multilayer self-sealing structure includes a plurality of sealing liner layers and further includes at least one slip layer disposed between adjacent sealing liner layers of the plurality of sealing liner layers. The at least one slip layer includes a polyethylene (PE) material, and the at least one slip layer is configured to permit at least one sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers to move at least partially into a hole created by a projectile.

Inventors

• David Allen Pettey

Assignees

• RESPONSE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20221205

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A liquid containment cell comprising: an inner layer configured to contain a liquid; an outer layer; and a multilayer self-sealing structure disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, wherein the multilayer self-sealing structure comprises a plurality of sealing liner layers and further comprises at least one slip layer disposed between adjacent sealing liner layers of the plurality of sealing liner layers, and wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises a liquid resistant material that is configured to be non-reactive with the liquid; wherein the at least one slip layer comprises a polyethylene (PE) material, and wherein the at least one slip layer is configured to permit at least one sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers to slide or slip in relation to another sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers and move at least partially into a hole created by a projectile by being pulled into the hole by the projectile to plug the hole.
2. 2 . The liquid containment cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one slip layer comprises at least one first slip layer that is a solid sheet of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).
3. 3 . The liquid containment cell of claim 2 , wherein the at least one slip layer further comprises at least one second slip layer that is a woven sheet of a high-performance polyethylene (HPPE).
4. 4 . The liquid containment cell of claim 3 , wherein the woven HPPE sheet has at least one surface with a non-stick coating disposed thereon.
5. 5 . The liquid containment cell of claim 1 , wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises a substantially elastomeric material.
6. 6 . The liquid containment cell of claim 5 , wherein each layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers has a thickness between about 70 mils and about 25 mils, and wherein the at least one slip layer has a thickness between about 15 mils and about 3 mils.
7. 7 . The liquid containment cell of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises at least 6 sealing liner layers, and wherein the at least one slip layer comprises a plurality of slip layers, wherein one or more slip layers of the plurality of slip layers is disposed between each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers and a next sealing liner layers of the plurality of sealing liner layers.
8. 8 . An aircraft comprising: a fuselage; a liquid containment cell configured to store a liquid, the liquid containment cell comprising: an inner layer configured to contact the liquid; an outer layer; and a self-sealing structure disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, the self-sealing structure comprising a plurality of sealing liner layers and further comprising a plurality of slip layers, wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises a liquid resistant material that is configured to be non-reactive with the liquid; wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers is separated from an immediately next sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers by at least one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers; and wherein each slip layer of the plurality of slip layers comprises a polyethylene (PE) material, wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises an elastomer material, wherein each slip layer of the plurality of slip layers is configured to permit at least one sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers to slide or slip in relation to another sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers and move at least partially into a hole created by a projectile by being pulled into the hole by the projectile to plug the hole.
9. 9 . The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein at least one first slip layer of the plurality of slip layers comprises a solid sheet of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).
10. 10 . The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein at least one second slip layer of the plurality of slip layers comprises a woven sheet of a high-performance polyethylene (HPPE).
11. 11 . The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein at least one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers is disposed between an outside surface of the self-sealing structure and the outer layer, and wherein a different slip layer of the plurality of slip layers is disposed between the inner layer and the self-sealing structure.
12. 12 . The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein the self-sealing structure comprises a plurality of second slip layers disposed on an outside surface of the self-sealing structure and disposed between the outer layer and the plurality of sealing liner layers.
13. 13 . The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein a first slip layer of the plurality of slip layers is attached to a first side of a first sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers, wherein a second slip layer of the plurality of slip layers is attached to a second side of a second sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers, wherein the first side faces the second side, and wherein the first slip layer is in direct contact with the second slip layer.
14. 14 . The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein each layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers has a thickness between about 70 mils and about 25 mils, and wherein each one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers has a thickness between about 15 mils and about 3 mils.
15. 15 . The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises at least 6 sealing liner layers.
16. 16 . The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein at least one of a number of sealing liner layers of the plurality of sealing liner layers or a number of slip layers of the plurality of slip layers in the self-sealing structure in different areas of the liquid containment cell is associated with anticipated threat levels associated with a region of the aircraft in which respective areas of the liquid containment cell are disposed.
17. 17 . A method for sealing a liquid containment cell, the method comprising: providing a liquid containment cell, the liquid containment cell comprising a multilayer self-sealing structure around an inner layer of the liquid containment cell, the multilayer self-sealing structure comprising a plurality of sealing liner layers and further comprising a plurality of slip layers, wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers is separated from an immediately next sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers by at least one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers, wherein each slip layer of the plurality of slip layers comprises a polyethylene (PE) material, and wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers is formed from a material comprising an elastomer, and wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises a liquid resistant material that is configured to be non-reactive with the liquid; receiving a projectile into at least the multilayer self-sealing structure, the projectile forming a hole through the plurality of sealing liner layers and through the inner layer; and sealing the hole by sliding at least one sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers, with respect to the inner layer and with respect to another sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers, the sliding causing the at least one sealing liner layers to fill at least a portion of the hole by being pulled into the hole by the projectile to plug the hole.
18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein at least one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers comprises a solid sheet of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), wherein at least one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers is a woven sheet of a high performance polyethylene (HPPE), and wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises rubber.
19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the woven HPPE sheet has at least one surface with a non-stick coating disposed thereon.
20. 20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers has a thickness between about 70 mils and about 25 mils, and wherein each slip layer of the plurality of slip layers has a thickness between about 15 mils and about 3 mils.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/578,081, titled “Aircraft Fuel Tanks Including Self-Sealing Fabric,” filed on Jan. 18, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to the containment of liquids, such as fuel, within an enclosure and, in particular, to self-sealing fuel tanks which include textile structures or fabrics, such as woven or non-woven textiles, synthetic sheet material, non-oriented strand mats or sheets, or the like, on, or within, one or more walls of an enclosure, such as a fuel tank, the textile structures being selected to self-seal in response to the enclosure being punctured by an object, such as a projectile, thereby reducing leakage of a liquid from the enclosure. BACKGROUND In military and civilian applications, the leakage of liquid from a container after the container has been punctured can lead to financial loss, inconvenience, or even loss of life. While the reach of this problem touches many fields of application, one area in which leak prevention is particularly critical is the storage of fuel in fuel tanks. The fuel tanks may include flexible fuel bladders, rigid fuel tanks, fuel cells, and the like. In military applications for both ground and airborne vehicles, fuel tanks are at risk of being pierced by projectiles and the like (e.g., incoming fire, such as bullet rounds and shrapnel). When such a puncture occurs, fuel may leak from the fuel tank, reducing the effective range of the vehicle and posing a fire hazard, among other detrimental effects. Fuel tanks that are tolerant to penetration by projectile have been in use since the World War II era. Previous fuel tanks have incorporated various formulations of rubber to counteract the impact of a projectile against the fuel tank. When a projectile pierces the fuel tank wall, fuel escapes from the resulting hole in the fuel tank wall. The rubber swells when exposed to the fuel, thereby closing and sealing the hole in the fuel tank wall. The use of rubber as a protective layer against leakage has several drawbacks. For example, rubber-based sealing liners have a slow response time, which becomes progressively worse over time as the fuel tank ages. Another drawback is that if fuel leaks from an inside liner of the tank, which may occur in the case of a compromised liner, the rubber in the rubber sealing liner becomes prematurely activated. Once activated, the fuel tank is decommissioned. Another drawback of rubber sealing liners is that the rubber requires exposure to fuel or other aromatic substances in order to be activated and to swell. Thus, rubber sealing liners cannot be used in non-fuel applications, such as water tanks or water hoses. In addition, rubber is a relatively heavy product and adds an undesirable weight penalty in weight-sensitive applications, such as aerospace applications. Accordingly, a need has arisen for liquid leakage barriers that have a reduced weight penalty and an enhanced operating lifespan, while avoiding other drawbacks of existing self-sealing liquid barriers, including rubber-based sealing liners. SUMMARY An embodiment liquid containment cell includes an inner layer configured to contain a liquid, an outer layer, and a multilayer self-sealing structure disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, where the multilayer self-sealing structure includes a plurality of sealing liner layers and further includes at least one slip layer disposed between adjacent sealing liner layers of the plurality of sealing liner layers. The at least one slip layer includes a polyethylene (PE) material, and the at least one slip layer is configured to permit at least one sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers to move at least partially into a hole created by a projectile. An embodiment aircraft includes a fuselage, a liquid containment cell configured to store a liquid, the liquid containment cell including an inner layer configured to contact the liquid, an outer layer, and a self-sealing structure disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, the self-sealing structure including a plurality of sealing liner layers and further comprising a plurality of slip layers, where each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers is separated from an immediately next sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers by at least one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers, where each slip layer of the plurality of slip layers includes a polyethylene (PE) material, and where each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers includes an elastomer material. An embodiment method for sealing a liquid containment cell includes providing a liquid containment cell, the liquid containment cell, comprising a multilayer self-sealing structure around an inner layer of the liquid containment cell, the