Patent ID: 8851424

Claim:
An aircraft fuel tank system comprising: a series of multiple fuel tanks; and intercommunication conduit assemblies fluid-connecting pairs of adjacent fuel tanks in the series to establish a cascade mode of fuel flow serially from one tank to another tank in the series of multiple fuel tanks, wherein the intercommunication conduit assemblies comprise: (i) an external manifold conduit spanning a distance between an adjacent pair of the fuel tanks, (ii) an inlet conduit connected to one end of the manifold conduit and extending within an interior of a first tank of the adjacent pair, and (iii) a discharge conduit connected to an opposite end of the manifold conduit and extending within an interior of a second tank of the adjacent pair, and wherein the inlet conduit has an open end which is separated from a top wall of the first tank by a predetermined distance to establish ullage volume within the first tank.