1. A fueling device for fueling the thrusters of a launcher, the device being characterized in that it comprises:
a ground module comprising at least: a ground pipe for connection upstream to a source of fluid; a ground valve connected downstream to the ground pipe; and a ground plate including a ground passage connected to said ground valve;
an on-board module comprising at least: an on-board pipe for connecting downstream to the tanks of the thrusters; an on-board valve connected upstream to the on-board pipe; and an on board plate including an on-board passage connected to said on board valve; and
a hydraulic coupling system between the on-board module and the ground module enabling fluid communication to be established between the ground passage and the on-board passage, and a first annular enclosure situated between the on-board plate and the ground plate around the hydraulic coupling system so that, when connected to suction, it enables the on-board plate and the ground plate to be held in a connected-together position.
2. The fueling device according to claim 1, wherein said first enclosure is defined by a first annular bellows surrounding the hydraulic coupling system and having its ends bearing against the on-board plate and the ground plate.
3. The fueling device according to claim 1, wherein the ground plate includes an opening leading into said first enclosure and suitable for being connected to suction means.
4. The fueling device according to claim 1, further including a second annular enclosure suitable for being connected to high pressure, and situated between the on-board plate and the ground plate around the hydraulic coupling system with the first annular enclosure being situated around the second annular enclosure.
5. The fueling device according to claim 1, wherein a command to open the ground valve gives rise to a command to open the on-board valve, and a command to close the ground valve gives rise to a command to close the on-board valve.
6. The fueling device according to claim 1, wherein a command to open the on-board valve gives rise to a command to open the ground valve, and a command to close the on-board valve gives rise to a command to close the ground valve.
7. The fueling device according to claim 1, further including between the on-board plate and the ground plate, a mechanical locking system suitable for opening while the launcher is lifting off, or prior thereto.
8. The fueling device according to claim 7, wherein the mechanical locking system includes, on either side of the first annular enclosure, a release fork having a bottom end bearing against the on board plate in the connected position while the top end of the release fork is mounted to pivot about a ground pin secured to the ground plate in such a manner that pivoting of the release fork about the ground pin gives rise to the ground plate and the on-board plate being moved apart, and vice versa.
9. The fueling device according to claim 8, wherein the mechanical locking system further includes, on either side of the first annular enclosure, a locking finger movable in pivoting about the ground pin between an open position that does not hold together the ground plate and the on-board plate, and a closed position in which the ground plate and the on-board plate are held together by the fact that the housing defined by the top end of the locking finger receives an on board pin secured to the on-board plate.
10. The fueling device according to claim 9, wherein the mechanical locking system further includes a connection shaft connecting together the bottom ends of the locking fingers and having the free end of the piston rod of the piston of a control actuator mounted thereon.
11. The fueling device according to claim 1, wherein:
the ground module includes a first ground pipe for connecting upstream to a first fluid source, a first ground valve connected downstream to the first ground pipe, a second ground pipe for connecting upstream to a second fluid source, and a second ground valve connected downstream to the second ground pipe, the ground plate being provided with a first ground passage connected to said first ground valve and with a second ground passage connected to the second ground valve;
the on-board module includes a first on-board pipe for connecting downstream to a first tank, a first on-board valve connected upstream to the first on-board pipe, a second on-board pipe for connecting downstream to a second tank, and a second on-board valve connected upstream to the second on-board pipe, the on-board plate being provided with a first on-board passage connected to said first on-board valve and with a second on-board passage connected to the second on-board valve; and
the hydraulic coupling system serves to establish fluid communication firstly between the first ground passage and the first on-board passage, and secondly between the second ground passage and the second on-board passage.
12. The fueling device according to claim 11, wherein the first ground passage and the second ground passage are coaxial relative to each other, as are the first on-board passage and the second on-board passage, over at least a segment of said passages.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A protective casing, comprising:
a multi-layered sandwich element forming a casing wall, said sandwich element including two outer, spaced-apart GRP exterior walls formed of glass-fiber plastic material, and a core of mineral wool disposed in an intermediate space between said spaced-apart GRP exterior walls and forming a mineral wool intermediate layer; and
a flame retardant layer disposed between at least one of said GRP exterior walls and said mineral wool intermediate layer.
2. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said mineral wool intermediate layer is coated with a flame retardant layer on at least one side thereof facing said GRP exterior walls.
3. The casing according to claim 1, configured with an interior space forming a protective instrument casing with at least one component to be protected accommodated therein.
4. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said at least one flame retardant layer is configured such that said casing wall formed by said GRP exterior walls, said at least one flame retardant layer and said mineral wool intermediate layer, has a fire resistance rating against fire penetration through said casing wall of at least 60 minutes under the following test conditions:
hydrocarbon fire;
heat flow between 200 to 230 kWm2;
a substantially constant temperature of 1100\xb1200\xb0 C. reached after about 2 to 8 minutes.
5. The casing according to claim 4, wherein the fire resistance rating of said casing wall is at least 90 minutes, and the constant temperature of the test conditions is reached after about 4 to 6 minutes.
6. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said flame retardant layer is formed to act as an endothermic flame retardant layer in the event of a fire.
7. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the mineral wool of the intermediate layer, according to DIN 4102-17, have has a flash point of 1000\xb0 C. to 1200\xb0 C. andor wherein said GRP exterior walls according to DIN 4102-17 have a flash point of 350\xb0 C. to 400\xb0 C.
8. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said mineral wool intermediate layer comprises mineral wool formed of rock wool.
9. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said mineral wool intermediate layer comprises mineral wool having a fiber structure in which at least some of said fibers are oriented substantially perpendicularly to said GRP exterior walls.
10. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said GRP exterior walls are adhesively bonded to said mineral wool intermediate layer.
11. The casing according to claim 10, wherein the flame retardant layer, which has been applied to both sides of the mineral wool intermediate layer, acts as adhesive, and the GRP exterior walls are adhesively bonded to the mineral wool intermediate layer.
12. The casing according to claim 10, which comprises a separate adhesive layer disposed to adhesively bond said GRP exterior walls to said mineral wool intermediate layer or to said flame retardant layer.
13. The casing according to claim 1, wherein said mineral wool intermediate layer is one of a plurality of mineral wool intermediate layers separated from one another by intermediate walls and disposed and accommodated between said two GRP exterior walls.
14. The casing according to claim 13, wherein said intermediate walls are GRP intermediate walls made of a glass-fiber plastic material.
15. The casing according to claim 13, which comprises a further flame retardant layer disposed between at least one of said intermediate walls and said mineral wool intermediate layer.
16. The casing according to claim 15, wherein said mineral wool intermediate layer is coated on a side thereof facing said intermediate wall with said further flame retardant layer.
17. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the casing is arranged on a media-carrying process line and encases at least one component which is in an operational connection to the process line, the component leading out of the casing by way of a connecting element and being coupled to the process line.
18. The casing according to claim 17, wherein at least one component is a measuring instrument andor an actuator for actuating a positioning element of the process line, and the component leads out of the casing in a sealed manner.
19. In combination, a casing according to claim 1 on a process line for encasing at least one component which is in operational connection with the process line.