Arrangements for the de-icing, anti-icing and decontamination of aircraft or other vehicles

• US 6,820,841 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baker Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Baker Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Goston, John M., Mittereder, P. Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEMUNEGUS, LULIT
• Application Number:
  US10/126,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20030042365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 244/134.R, 244/134.C, 244/12, 366/151.2, 366/184, 169/16, 169/14, 238/131, 238/172
• US Class Current: 244/134.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/20 Ground installations for de-icing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/23 by liquid application; Spraying installations therefor, e.g. fitted on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Systems in which anti-icing fluids may be automatically mixed with water, and by which de-icing fluids may be heated and mixed with water, to provide variable temperatures and ratios of de-icing fluid-to-water to local aircraft de-icing fluid application devices in an instantaneous manner. Also contemplated herein are systems that additionally are configured for applying decontamination fluid and/or corrosion control fluid to military aircraft or other vehicles.

Claims

1. System for applying fluid to aircraft, said system comprising:

at least one arrangement for directing fluid towards aircraft;

an input arrangement for providing fluid to said at least one fluid directing arrangement;

said input arrangement comprising;

an arrangement for facilitating the mixing of at least two fluids; and

an arrangement for providing a mixture of at least two fluids to said at least one fluid directing arrangement;

a control arrangement for selectably controlling the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids, wherein said control arrangement is adapted to facilitate the selective provision of different fluid mixtures to different aircraft;

said control arrangement comprising a feedback arrangement for adjusting the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids substantially in realtime;

said feedback arrangement comprising a measuring arrangement for measuring the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids and at least one adjustment arrangement for changing the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids in response to measurements from said measuring arrangement.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least two fluids comprise at least two of:

water, de-icing fluid, anti-icing fluid, decontaminating fluid and cleaning fluid.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least two fluids comprise at least two of:

water, Type I fluid, Type IV fluid, decontaminating fluid and cleaning fluid.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said at least one fluid directing arrangement comprises at least one boom unit.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said at least one boom unit comprises at least two boom units.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein each of said boom units comprises a boom and an operator'"'"'s cab mounted on said boom.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein said control arrangement is separate from said at least one boom unit.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said control arrangement comprises a control tower separate from said at least one boom unit.

9. The system according to claim 2, further comprising an arrangement for supplying said at least two fluids to said input arrangement.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said supplying arrangement comprises a tank farm, said tank farm comprising a plurality of tanks each for containing a different fluid.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a containment pad for directing away used fluid.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a recovery unit for accepting used fluid from said containment pad.

29. The system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment arrangement comprises valving for changing the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein said valving comprises a first control valve for regulating the flow of one of said fluids and a second control valve for regulating the flow of another one of said fluids.

31. The system according to claim 1, wherein said measuring arrangement comprises at least one refractometer.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein said measuring arrangement comprises two refractometers, each corresponding to a different one of said fluids.

33. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least two fluids comprise water and at least one of:

de-icing fluid and anti-icing fluid.

34. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least two fluids comprise water and at least one of:

Type I fluid and Type IV fluid.

13. System for applying fluid to military vehicles, said system comprising:

at least one arrangement for directing fluid towards a military vehicle;

an input arrangement for providing fluid to said at least one fluid directing arrangement;

said input arrangement comprising;

an arrangement for facilitating the mixing of at least two fluids, one of said at least two fluids comprising decontaminating fluid or cleaning fluid; and

an arrangement for providing a mixture of at least two fluids to said at least one fluid directing arrangement;

a control arrangement for selectably controlling the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids, wherein said control arrangement is adapted to facilitate the selective provision of different fluid mixtures to different military vehicles;

said control arrangement comprising a feedback arrangement for adjusting the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids substantially in realtime;

said feedback arrangement comprising a measuring arrangement for measuring the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids and at least one adjustment arrangement for changing the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids in response to measurements from said measuring arrangement.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said at least two fluids comprise at least two of:

water, de-icing fluid, anti-icing fluid, decontaminating fluid and cleaning fluid.

35. The system according to claim 13, wherein said adjustment arrangement comprises valving for changing the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids.

15. Method of applying fluid to aircraft, said method comprising the steps of:

mixing at least two fluids;

directing the mixture of at least two fluids towards aircraft; and

selectably controlling the respective proportions of fluids in the mixture of at least two fluids, whereby the selective provision of different fluid mixtures to different aircraft is facilitated;

said controlling step comprising adjusting the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids substantially in realtime;

said adjusting step comprising measuring the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids and changing the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids in response to measurements taken from said measuring.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least two fluids comprise at least two of:

water, de-icing fluid, anti-icing fluid, decontaminating fluid and cleaning fluid.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said at least two fluids comprise at least two of:

water, Type I fluid, Type IV fluid, decontaminating fluid and cleaning fluid.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of providing at least one boom unit for performing said step of directing the mixture of fluids towards aircraft.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said step of providing at least one boom unit comprises providing at least two boom units.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein each of the boom units comprises a boom and an operator'"'"'s cab mounted on the boom.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of providing a control arrangement for performing said step of selectably controlling the respective proportions of fluids and disposing the control arrangement separately from said at least one boom unit.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said step of providing a control arrangement comprises providing a control tower separate from the at least one boom unit.

23. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

providing an arrangement for facilitating said step of mixing at least two fluids; and

providing an arrangement for supplying said at least two fluids to said input arrangement.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said step of providing a supplying arrangement comprises providing a tank farm, said tank farm comprising a plurality of tanks each for containing a different fluid.

25. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of directing away used fluid.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of providing a recovery unit for accepting used fluid from said containment pad.

36. The method according to claim 15, wherein said adjustment arrangement comprises valving for changing the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein said valving comprises a first control valve for regulating the flow of one of said fluids and a second control valve for regulating the flow of another one of said fluids.

38. The method according to claim 15, wherein said measuring arrangement comprises at least one refractometer.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein said measuring arrangement comprises two refractometers, each corresponding to a different one of said fluids.

40. The method according to claim 15, wherein said at least two fluids comprise water and at least one of:

de-icing fluid and anti-icing fluid.

41. The method according to claim 15, wherein said at least two fluids comprise water and at least one of:

Type I fluid and Type IV fluid.

27. Method of applying fluid to military vehicles, said method comprising the steps of:

mixing at least two fluids, one of said at least two fluids comprising decontaminating fluid or cleaning fluid;

directing the mixture of at least two fluids towards at least one military vehicle; and

selectably controlling the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids, whereby the selective provision of different fluid mixtures to different military vehicles is facilitated;

said controlling step comprising adjusting the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids substantially in realtime;

said adjusting step comprising measuring the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids and changing the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids in response to measurements taken from said measuring.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said at least two fluids comprise at least two of:

water, de-icing fluid, anti-icing fluid, decontaminating fluid and cleaning fluid.

42. The method according to claim 27, wherein said adjustment arrangement comprises valving for changing the respective proportions of fluids in a mixture of at least two fluids.