The Boeing Company

Brian T Vaniman

Tony Di Carlo

John P Leuer

Kevin Swenson

Martin Edward Lozano

Henry Rodriguez, Jr

Stuart R Kobata

A method of fabricating a conduit comprises simultaneously corrugating three plies to form a bellows. The method also comprises simultaneously trimming a corrugated inboard ply and a first corrugated outboard ply of the bellows. The method further comprises locating a weld-through ring and a second weld-through ring between the corrugated inboard ply and the first corrugated outboard ply. The method additionally comprises forming a port and a second port through the weld-through ring and the second weld-through ring, respectively. The method also comprises communicatively coupling a sensor and a second sensor with an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard play and the first corrugated outboard ply, via the port and the second port, respectively.

Conduits for transporting fluids and methods of fabricating the same

A method of fabricating a conduit comprises steps of attaching a first tubular-outboard-ply end of a tubular outboard ply to a first inner collar portion of a first collar with a third weld and attaching a second tubular-outboard-ply end to a second inner collar portion of a second collar with a fifth weld. The method additionally comprises steps of interconnecting the first inner collar portion and a first outer collar portion of the first collar with a first weld and interconnecting the second inner collar portion and a second outer collar portion of the second collar with a sixth weld. The method also comprises attaching a trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end to the first outer collar portion with a second weld, attaching a trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end to the second outer collar portion with a fourth weld, and communicatively coupling a first sensor with an interstitial space.

A method of fabricating a conduit comprises steps of attaching a first first-tubular-outboard-ply-end of a first tubular outboard ply to a first inner collar portion of a first collar with a second weld and attaching a second first-tubular-outboard-ply end of the first tubular outboard ply to a second inner collar portion of a second collar with a fourth weld. The method also comprises steps of inserting a second tubular outboard ply into the first tubular outboard ply and inserting a tubular inboard ply into the second tubular outboard ply, so that the second tubular outboard ply is interposed between the tubular inboard ply and the first tubular outboard ply. The method further comprises steps of threadably interconnecting the first inner collar portion and a first outer collar portion of the first collar and threadably interconnecting the second inner collar portion and a second outer collar portion of the second collar.

Methods of fabricating conduits for transporting fluids

A method of fabricating a conduit comprises steps of attaching a first tubular-outboard-ply-end of a tubular outboard ply to a first inner collar portion of a first collar with a second weld and attaching a second tubular-outboard-ply end of the tubular outboard ply to a second inner collar portion of a second collar with a fourth weld. The method also comprises steps of inserting a tubular inboard ply into the tubular outboard ply, threadably interconnecting the first inner collar portion and a first outer collar portion of the first collar, and threadably interconnecting the second inner collar portion and a second outer collar portion of the second collar. The method further comprises steps of attaching a corrugated inboard ply to the first outer collar portion with a first weld and attaching a corrugated inboard ply to the second outer collar portion with a third weld.

A method of fabricating a conduit comprises steps of attaching a first tubular outboard ply to a first inner collar portion of a first collar with a third weld and attaching the first tubular outboard ply to a second inner collar portion of a second collar with a fifth weld. The method also comprises steps of interconnecting the first inner collar portion and a first outer collar portion of the first collar with a first weld, interconnecting the second inner collar portion and a second outer collar portion of the second collar with a sixth weld, attaching a trimmed first corrugated-inboard-ply end of a corrugated inboard ply to the first outer collar portion with a second weld, attaching a trimmed second corrugated-inboard-ply end of a corrugated inboard ply to the second outer collar portion with a fourth weld, and communicatively coupling a first sensor with an interstitial space.

Concurrent rocket engine pre-conditioning and tank filling is disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes an inlet valve to supply a rocket propellant tank that is associated with a rocket engine with rocket propellant, and a flow director to direct at least a portion of a flow of the rocket propellant from the inlet valve to a chill line of the rocket engine to thermally condition the rocket engine as the rocket propellant tank is being filled with the rocket propellant.

Concurrent rocket engine pre-conditioning and tank loading

A conduit for transporting a fluid comprises a first collar, a second collar, and a bellows. The bellows comprises a corrugated inboard ply, a corrugated outboard ply, and an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard ply and the corrugated outboard ply. The conduit additionally comprises a second weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply and a first outer collar portion, a third weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated outboard ply and a first inner collar portion, a fourth weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply and a second outer collar portion, a fifth weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated outboard ply and a second inner collar portion, and a first sensor, communicatively coupled with the interstitial space.

Conduits for transporting fluids

A conduit for transporting a fluid comprises a first collar, a second collar, and a bellows. The bellows comprises a first corrugated outboard ply, a corrugated inboard ply, an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard ply and the first corrugated outboard ply, and a second corrugated outboard ply within the interstitial space. The first corrugated outboard ply and the corrugated inboard ply are hermetically coupled to the first collar and the second collar. The conduit additionally comprises a first sensor, communicatively coupled with an interstitial space. The second corrugated outboard ply is not hermetically coupled to the first collar or the second collar.

A conduit for transporting a fluid comprises a first collar, a second collar, and a bellows. The bellows comprises a corrugated inboard ply, a corrugated outboard ply, and an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard ply and the corrugated outboard ply. The conduit additionally comprises a first weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply and a first outer collar portion, a second weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated outboard ply and a first inner collar portion, a third weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated inboard ply and a second outer collar portion, a fourth weld, hermetically coupling the corrugated outboard ply and a second inner collar portion, and a first sensor, communicatively coupled with the interstitial space.

A conduit for transporting a fluid comprises a first collar, a second collar, and a bellows. The bellows comprises a corrugated inboard ply , a first corrugated outboard ply, an interstitial space, interposed between the corrugated inboard ply and the first corrugated outboard ply, and a second corrugated outboard ply within the interstitial space. The first corrugated outboard ply and the corrugated inboard ply are hermetically coupled to the first collar and the second collar. The conduit additionally comprises a first sensor, communicatively coupled with an interstitial space. The second corrugated outboard ply is not hermetically coupled to the first inner collar portion or the second inner collar portion.

A conduit () for transporting a fluid comprises a first collar (), a second collar (), a bellows (), and a sensor (). The bellows () comprises a central axis (), a first corrugated outboard ply (), a corrugated inboard ply (), interposed between the first corrugated outboard ply () and the central axis (), an interstitial space (), interposed between the corrugated inboard ply () and the first corrugated outboard ply (), and a second corrugated outboard ply () within the interstitial space (). The corrugated inboard ply (), the first corrugated outboard ply (), and a weld-through ring () are welded to the first collar () and the second collar (). The second corrugated outboard ply () is not hermetically coupled to the first collar () or the second collar (). The sensor () is communicatively coupled with the interstitial space ().

A system for increasing the efficiency of heating cryogenic fluid flowing in a downstream direction through a fluid conduit includes a heating mechanism, an upstream valve, a downstream valve, and a controller. The heating mechanism heats the cryogenic fluid, resulting in conversion of a portion of the cryogenic fluid into a buoyant flow moving in an upstream direction. The upstream valve is located upstream of the heating mechanism and controls an upstream-valve mass flow rate of the cryogenic fluid. The downstream valve is located downstream of the heating mechanism and controls a downstream-valve mass flow rate of the cryogenic fluid. The controller adjusts the upstream valve to a choked position at which: an upstream-valve non-buoyant mass flow rate substantially matches the downstream-valve mass flow rate, and the upstream valve at least partially blocks the buoyant flow from flowing in the upstream direction past the upstream valve.

System and method for increasing the efficiency of heating a cryogenic fluid flowing through a conduit

A system and method for collecting test data from a unit under test (UUT) in a multi-gravity environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining a desired accelerative load profile for the UUT, determining the commanded flight profile of a flight vehicle at least in part from the desired accelerative load profile and a predicted dynamic response of the flight vehicle having the UUT mounted thereto to the commanded flight profile, commanding the flight vehicle having the UUT mounted thereto to fly the determined flight profile, and collecting the test data using a data acquisition system communicatively coupled to the UUT.

Growing community of inventors

Fountain Valley, CA, United States of America

Brian T Vaniman