Method & material for accomplishing ignition mitigation in tanks containing flammable liquid

Abstract

The use of flexible foam material to provide ignition mitigation in fuel tanks is described. In one example, a system for ignition mitigation includes a number of foam blocks, wherein each foam block is pre-cut from a flexible foam material. Each foam block can have a unique profile corresponding to inner surfaces of a fuel tank at a particular sector within a compartment of the fuel tank. In other aspects, one or more of the foam blocks can include one or more upper cutouts to provide clearance for upper stiffeners in the fuel tank, one or more lower cutouts to provide clearance for lower stiffeners in the fuel tank, and one or more arcuate cutouts to provide clearance for a tank fuel pump. The foam blocks can be arranged in a stack corresponding to a sequential installation at respective sectors within the compartment of the fuel tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for ignition mitigation, comprising:
 a first plurality of foam blocks, individual foam blocks among the first plurality of foam blocks being pre-cut to conform in shape with a contour of a first compartment of a fuel tank at a particular sector within the first compartment of the fuel tank; and   a second plurality of foam blocks, individual foam blocks among the second plurality of foam blocks being pre-cut to conform in shape with a contour of a second compartment of the fuel tank at a particular sector within the second compartment of the fuel tank.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each foam block among the first plurality of foam blocks has a unique profile corresponding to inner surfaces of the fuel tank at a specifically designated sector within at least one compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third plurality of foam blocks, individual foam blocks among the third plurality of foam blocks being pre-cut to conform in shape with a contour of a third compartment of the fuel tank at a particular sector within the third compartment of the fuel tank.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first compartment comprises a forward compartment of the fuel tank, the second compartment comprises a center compartment of the fuel tank, and the third compartment comprises an aft compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank comprises at least one of a center wing tank or an auxiliary fuel tank. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one foam block among the first plurality of foam blocks comprises at least one upper cutout to provide clearance for upper stiffeners in the fuel tank. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one foam block among the first plurality of foam blocks comprises at least one lower cutout to provide clearance for lower stiffeners in the fuel tank. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one foam block among the first plurality of foam blocks comprises at least one arcuate cutout to provide clearance for a tank fuel pump. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of foam blocks are arranged in a stack corresponding to a sequential installation at respective sectors within at least one compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one foam block among the first plurality of foam blocks comprises a directional indicator to indicate an installation orientation at a sector within at least one compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one foam block among the first plurality of foam blocks comprises an identifier to indicate an installation location at a sector within at least one compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the identifier further indicates a relative order of installation of the at least one foam block, in sequence, among the first plurality of foam blocks within the at least one compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one foam block among the first plurality of foam blocks comprises a specified color. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of foam blocks are formed from a flexible foam material. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible foam material comprises reticulated polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible foam material comprises polyether foam. 
     
     
         17 . A system for ignition mitigation, comprising:
 a plurality of foam blocks, wherein:
 each foam block among the plurality of foam blocks is pre-cut from a flexible foam material; and 
 each foam block among the plurality of foam blocks has a unique profile corresponding to inner surfaces of a fuel tank at a particular sector within a compartment of the fuel tank. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a second plurality of foam blocks, wherein each foam block among the second plurality of foam blocks has a unique profile corresponding to inner surfaces of the fuel tank at a particular sector within a second compartment of the fuel tank.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the compartment comprises at least one of a forward compartment of the fuel tank, a center compartment of the fuel tank, and an aft compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the fuel tank comprises at least one of a center wing tank or an auxiliary tank. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one foam block among the plurality of foam blocks comprises at least one upper cutout to provide clearance for upper stiffeners in the fuel tank. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one foam block among the plurality of foam blocks comprises at least one lower cutout to provide clearance for lower stiffeners in the fuel tank. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one foam block among the plurality of foam blocks comprises at least one arcuate cutout to provide clearance for a tank fuel pump. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of foam blocks are arranged in a stack corresponding to a sequential installation at respective sectors within the compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one foam block among the plurality of foam blocks comprises a directional indicator to indicate an installation orientation at a sector within the compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one foam block among the plurality of foam blocks comprises an identifier to indicate an installation location at a sector within the compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the identifier further indicates a relative order of installation of the at least one foam block, in sequence, among the plurality of foam blocks within the compartment of the fuel tank. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of foam blocks are formed from a flexible foam material. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the flexible foam material comprises reticulated polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the flexible foam material comprises polyether foam.