Aerial refueling hose
An in-flight refueling hose and method. The hose includes an inner braid including pseudoelastic shape memory alloy (e.g., nitinol) wires. These wires undergo a stress induced phase change absorbing energy to dampen oscillations of the hose in use.
1. An in-flight refueling hose comprising:
a rubber inner tube;
a compounded cover;
a helical wire between the inner tube and the compounded cover; and
a braid including pseudoelastic shape memory alloy wires undergoing a stress induced phase change absorbing energy that dampens oscillations of the hose in use.
2. The hose of claim 1 in which the braid is wholly made of said pseudoelastic shape memory alloy wires.
3. The hose of claim 1 in which the braid includes both pseudoelastic shape memory alloy wires and steel wires.
4. The hose of claim 1 in which the hose has a working temperature range and the pseudoelastic shape memory alloy is configured to have a phase transition temperature below or proximate the hose working temperature range.
5. The hose of claim 1 in which the pseudoelastic shape memory alloy wires in the braid are pre-strained.
6. The hose of claim 1 in which the braid includes wires at a braid angle which renders the hose hoop stress equivalent to or approximately equivalent to the hose axial stress.
7. The hose of claim 1 in which the pseudoelastic shape memory alloy wires in the braid are in bundles of individual wires, said bundles braided in the hose.
8. The hose of claim 1 in which the pseudoelastic shape memory alloy wires have a diameter of between 0.012″ and 0.017″.
9. The hose of claim 1 in which the hose further includes a breaker fabric.
10. The hose of claim 1 in which the braid is between the helical wire and the inside of the hose.
11. The hose of claim 1 in which the braid is between the helical wire and the outside of the hose.
12. The hose of claim 1 in which pseudoelastic shape memory alloy wires are made of nitinol.