The Boeing Company

Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

Gary David Grayson

Christopher C Veto

Victor John Barackman

Edwin C Cady

Daniel A Watts

Mark W Henley

Martin Edward Lozano

Tab Hunter Crooks

D Anthony Galasso

Jon A Magnuson

Henry Rodriguez, Jr

Alfredo Lopez

Stephen Michael Addison

Daniel J Wallman

Michael Leslie Hand

Jeffrey C Craddock

Scott K Oechsle

Jon Allan Magnuson

Daniel Jered Wallman

Henry Rodriguez

Guide vane check valve assemblies and poppets for guide vane check valve assemblies are disclosed. A guide vane poppet includes an elongate central core configured to form a fluid seal with a valve body of the check valve assembly. The guide vane poppet additionally includes an elongate outer skirt and at least one guide vane radially extending between the elongate central core and the elongate outer skirt. A check valve assembly includes a valve body with a central cavity, an inlet to the central cavity, an outlet from the central cavity, and a spring seat, and further includes a spring and a poppet. The spring is oriented to press against the poppet and to urge a poppet-side sealing surface of the poppet into sealing engagement with a body-side sealing surface of the valve body.

Guide vane check valves

Example implementations relate to Additive Manufacturing (AM) pressurization diffusers. An example diffuser includes an integral component configurable for receiving and diffusing pressurant. Particularly, the integral component includes multiple elements manufactured as a single-piece structure, including an inner filter, outer shell, and flange. The inner filter includes micro-diamond holes that enable pressurant received at an opening of the inner filter to diffuse out of the inner filter and subsequently through holes positioned in a shell surface of the outer shell. The flange can position the diffuser such that the opening of the inner filter is in pressurant communication with a pressurant source (e.g., opening of a tank) enabling the diffuser to receive and diffuse pressurant in a predefined pattern. For example, when the diffuser is positioned inside a tank, the diffuser can have a frustum configuration that helps diffuse pressurant upwards towards inner sidewalls of a pressure vessel, tube or channel.

Additively manufactured pressurization diffusers

A grid stiffened structure which includes a wall which extends in a direction transverse relative to a plane and an elongated rib connected along an elongated dimension of the rib to the wall such that the elongated rib extends along the wall and forms an angle with an axis which extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane. The elongated rib defines a free sidewall which extends from the wall positioned on a first side of the elongated rib and extends in a direction about the elongated rib and transverse to the elongated dimension to the wall positioned on a second side of the elongated rib. The wall and the elongated rib are constructed of a plurality of layers of material which extend in a direction transverse to the axis.

Additively manufactured reinforced structure

Sealing structures and valve assemblies including the sealing structures. The sealing structures include a first body, which defines a first surface. The sealing structures also include a second body, which defines a second surface. The second body also defines a gland, which extends into the second body from the second surface, defines a gland opening on the second surface, and is free of both a tool entry point and a tool exit point. The second body further defines a retention structure projecting partially across the gland. The sealing structure also includes a resilient sealing body positioned within the gland. The retention structure retains the resilient sealing body within the gland, and the resilient sealing body forms a fluid seal between the first body and the second body when the resilient sealing body is brought into pressing engagement with both the first surface and the gland.

Sealing structures and valve assemblies including the sealing structures

Guide vane check valves, guide vane check valve assemblies, and poppets for guide vane check valve assemblies are disclosed. A guide vane poppet includes an elongate central core configured to form a fluid seal with a valve body of the check valve assembly. The guide vane poppet additionally includes an elongate outer skirt and at least one guide vane radially extending between the elongate central core and the elongate outer skirt. A check valve assembly includes a valve body with a central cavity, an inlet to the central cavity, an outlet from the central cavity, and a spring seat, and further includes a spring and a poppet. The spring is oriented to press against the poppet and to urge a poppet-side sealing surface of the poppet into sealing engagement with a body-side sealing surface of the valve body.

Fluid apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example fluid apparatus includes a housing defining a fluid flow passageway between an inlet and an outlet. The housing has a first valve seat and a second valve seat positioned in the fluid flow passageway. The first valve seat is spaced from the second valve seat. A flow control member is positioned in the fluid flow passageway. The flow control member has a first disk and a second disk. The first disk is to engage the first valve seat and the second disk to engage the second valve seat.

Stacked disk check valve

Fluid apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example fluid apparatus includes a valve body defining a fluid flow passageway and a plurality of valve seats. A flow control member is positioned in the fluid flow passageway of the valve body. The flow control member having a plurality of disks. A respective one of the disks moves relative to a respective one of the valve seats to control fluid flow through the valve body. The flow control member is adjustable relative to a longitudinal axis of the valve body to provide a preload to the disks. Each of the disks has a cracking pressure corresponding to the preload.

A diffuser is disclosed and includes a channel with an inner portion having an inlet and an outlet through which a gaseous substance enters and exits the diffuser, respectively. The inner portion includes a first conical section that has an increasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to a central axis, in a first direction. The inner portion also includes a second conical section that has a decreasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis, in the first direction. The second conical section is communicatively coupled with the first conical section. The outer portion includes a first annular section that has an increasing cross-sectional area, taken along a plane perpendicular to the central axis, in a second direction opposite the first direction. The diffuser further includes a plurality of orifices that communicatively couple the second conical section with the first annular section.

Diffusion horn

An antivortex device for use in suppressing formation of a vortex created by fluid flowing through multiple outlet ports defined in a sump is provided. The antivortex device includes a plurality of center plates extending through a central axis of the sump, an extension plate substantially aligned with one of the plurality of center plates and extending substantially radially outward from the central axis, and a top plate coupled to the plurality of center plates.

Antivortex device and method of assembling thereof

Technologies are described herein for conditioning fluids stored in an underwater cryogenic storage vessel designed for use in a fuel system of an underwater vehicle. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a fuel system includes a fuel cell and a storage vessel, which stores a first fluid that is supplied to the fuel cell and a second fluid that is produced by the fuel cell. The fuel system also includes a thermal conditioning module that receives the first fluid from the storage vessel and receives the second fluid from the fuel cell. The first fluid stored in the storage vessel is conditioned by absorbing heat from the second fluid, such that the fuel cell receives the conditioned first fluid. The second fluid received from the fuel cell is in gaseous state and is converted to a liquid. The liquid second fluid is stored in the storage vessel.

Thermal conditioning fluids for an underwater cryogenic storage vessel

A monolithic contactor for collecting target molecules, the monolithic contactor may include a monolithic body having an inlet end and a longitudinally opposed outlet end and a plurality of cells extending from proximate the inlet end to proximate the outlet end, wherein the target molecules are adsorbed to a surface of the body.

Monolithic contactor and associated system and method for collecting carbon dioxide

An method of controlling thermal transfer between a first structure and a second structure may include a signal at a thermal switch. In response to receiving the signal at the thermal switch, a rotating plate may be rotated into one or more positions adjacent to a fixed plate to facilitate radiative thermal transfer between the rotating plate and the fixed plate. The rotating plate and the fixed plate may be in thermally conductive contact with respective ones of the first structure and the second structure.

Rotary thermal switch

A fluid management system for a cryogenic tank may include a liquid acquisition device and a spray injection system. The cryogenic tank may include a tank wall and may contain bulk tank fluid. The liquid acquisition device may acquire and contain cryogenic fluid in substantially liquid phase. The liquid acquisition device may be mounted in spaced relation to the tank wall. The spray injection system may receive the liquid from the liquid acquisition device and may spray the liquid into the bulk tank fluid.

Thermally protected liquid acquisition device for cryogenic fluids

Technologies are described herein for storing fluid in an underwater cryogenic storage vessel designed for use in a fuel system of an underwater vehicle. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a storage vessel includes at least two concentrically arranged storage tanks, which includes a first storage tank and a second storage tank. The first storage tank surrounds the second storage tank, such that the first storage tank is configured to protect the second storage tank from external environmental conditions. The storage vessel also includes a storage compartment positioned adjacent to the two storage tanks. In one embodiment, the storage vessel may be an underwater cryogenic storage vessel that stores liquid oxygen used as a reactant in a fuel cell and liquid carbon dioxide, which is an effluent of the fuel cell.

Underwater cryogenic storage vessel and method of using the same

A liquid reservoir with a sump includes at least two outlet ports in fluid communication with a fluid conduit. An anti-vortex device includes a first plate extending across the at least two outlet ports and a second plate coupled to the first plate and extending substantially perpendicular to the first plate. The anti-vortex device is configured to disrupt formation of a vortex formed by liquid passing from the reservoir through said outlet ports.

Growing community of inventors

Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Gary David Grayson