A stealth aircraft ground full life cycle stealth performance maintenance system

Abstract

The application discloses a stealth aircraft ground full-life cycle stealth performance maintaining system, and relates to the technical field of aircraft coating detection and repair, which comprises an inflatable warehouse, a whole machine test defect detection device, a coating repair cabin, a coating performance evaluation system and a maintenance environment control system; the inflatable warehouse provides a sealed space for the stealth aircraft after being inflated and built; the whole machine test defect detection device is used for detecting whether the coating has defects; the coating performance evaluation system determines whether the collected coating defects will affect the stealth performance of the aircraft and the influence degree; the coating repair cabin repairs the coating defects of the aircraft; and the maintenance environment control system ensures constant temperature, constant humidity and ventilation circulation in the whole maintenance process; the application provides a constant temperature, constant humidity and ventilation space required by the ground parking, detection and maintenance of the stealth aircraft; and the aircraft stealth coating detection, maintenance and evaluation are completed in the airport and other basic level environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of aircraft coating detection and repair, and in particular to a stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft throughout its life cycle on the ground. Background Art

[0002] The integrity of an aircraft's stealth coating directly impacts its stealth and combat performance. With the increasing adoption of advanced stealth aircraft, maintenance and support during their operation remain insufficient. Maintaining stealth performance throughout the aircraft's lifecycle is crucial. When an aircraft returns to the ground after completing a mission, the stealth coating is susceptible to environmental damage and corrosion. Defects in the stealth coating make it difficult for maintenance personnel to assess changes in stealth performance and determine whether repairs are necessary.

[0003] At present, stealth coating repair requires returning to the factory for repair, which cannot be carried out in an airport environment. As a result, the aircraft has high stealth performance when it leaves the factory, but the stealth performance continues to decline during use, forcing it to be returned to the factory for repair, while the performance of other parts of the aircraft remains good, which consumes a lot of manpower and material resources. The existing hangar can only meet the needs of ground parking of aircraft and cannot provide a maintenance environment and conditions. At the same time, the existing method of observing stealth coating defects is mostly visual inspection, which cannot determine whether repair is needed or whether the defects do not affect performance; and the existing stealth coating repair measures are mostly located in overhaul plants, which require the stealth aircraft to be returned to the factory for repair and cannot be applied at the airport. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a stealth performance maintenance system for stealth aircraft throughout its entire life cycle on the ground, providing a constant temperature and humidity ventilated space required for ground parking, inspection, and maintenance of stealth aircraft; and completing aircraft stealth coating inspection, maintenance, and evaluation in grassroots environments such as airports.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft throughout its life cycle on the ground, comprising:

[0006] Inflatable warehouse, whole machine test defect detection device, coating repair cabin, coating performance evaluation system and maintenance environment control system;

[0007] The inflatable warehouse provides a closed space for the stealth aircraft after being inflated and constructed;

[0008] The whole machine test defect detection device is installed in the inflatable warehouse and is used to detect whether there are defects in the coating;

[0009] The coating performance evaluation system determines whether the collected coating defects will affect the aircraft's stealth performance and the extent of the impact;

[0010] The coating repair cabin repairs coating defects on aircraft, and the maintenance environment control system ensures constant temperature, humidity and ventilation circulation throughout the entire maintenance process.

[0011] Furthermore, the inflatable warehouse adopts a non-metallic design to provide a fully transparent low background noise testing environment. The inflatable warehouse adopts a high-strength weather-resistant airtight composite membrane material, including a central base material and an airtight layer and a weather-resistant layer sequentially arranged on the outside of the base material.

[0012] Furthermore, the whole machine test defect detection device consists of a multi-physics field defect detection system and a mobile scanning system;

[0013] The multi-physics field detection system is installed on a mobile scanning system and uses optical, infrared, radar, acoustic and other multi-physics fields to detect tiny defects in aircraft surface coatings.

[0014] The mobile scanning system includes track air columns, supporting air columns, carbon fiber connecting trusses, mobile tracks and lifting systems;

[0015] The mobile scanning system uses an inflatable structure as the load-bearing structure, and is equipped with a carbon fiber truss to provide support for the mobile track. It can achieve pitch adjustment within a 30° pitch angle. The mobile scanning system is also equipped with a lifting system and supporting air columns.

[0016] Furthermore, the coating repair cabin includes coating removal equipment, substrate grinding equipment, coating preparation equipment, coating spraying equipment, a ventilation system and a main control box.

[0017] Furthermore, the coating performance evaluation system is developed based on the .NET platform for measurement control and data processing software, adopts a multi-layer structure, and separates the interface from the implementation, and includes the following processes:

[0018] S1. Calculation and evaluation of stealth performance such as RCS and infrared radiation intensity based on aircraft defects;

[0019] S2, accurately and quickly calculate electromagnetic scattering of various types of targets such as aircraft and ground targets;

[0020] S3. Battlefield situation simulation and deduction: based on actual combat conditions and scenarios, construct offensive and defensive targets and scenarios, and study the breakthrough process.

[0021] Furthermore, the maintenance environment control system includes a main control box, an environmental control air intake end, a non-combustible tight fiber air duct, an environmental control exhaust end, and a temperature and humidity sensor. The main control box, the environmental control air intake end, and the environmental control exhaust end are integrated in the comprehensive environmental control cabin, which is located in the middle of both sides of the inflatable warehouse.

[0022] Furthermore, the environmental control air inlet end is composed of a salt spray purification section, a temperature and humidity control section, a fan section and an explosion-proof section.

[0023] Compared with the existing technology, the beneficial effects of the present invention are to realize the coating detection and repair of stealth aircraft at the grassroots level, to maintain the stealth performance throughout the life cycle of the aircraft, to ensure that the stealth performance of the aircraft is maintained within a certain range during the overhaul period, to ensure that the aircraft has good stealth performance during emergency combat missions, to avoid frequent returns to the factory, and to save manpower and material resources. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the material structure of the inflatable hangar in the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a mobile scanning system in the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the coating repair cabin;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a diagram of the coating performance evaluation system in the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the maintenance environment control system of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a system diagram of the environmental control air inlet end of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a system diagram of the temperature and humidity control section of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a system diagram of the environmental control exhaust end of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the recovery device at the environmental control exhaust end;

[0034] Figure 11 It is a structural schematic diagram of the non-combustible airtight fiber duct in the present invention.

[0035] In the figure: 1. Inflatable warehouse; 2. Whole machine test defect detection device; 3. Coating repair cabin; 4. Coating performance evaluation system; 5. Maintenance environment control system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] refer to Figure 1 , a stealth performance maintenance system for stealth aircraft throughout its life cycle on the ground, including:

[0038] Inflatable warehouse 1, whole machine test defect detection device 2, coating repair cabin 3, coating performance evaluation system 4 and maintenance environment control system 5;

[0039] The inflatable warehouse 1 provides a closed space for the stealth aircraft after being inflated. The inflatable warehouse 1 adopts a non-metallic design to provide a fully transparent low background noise test environment. Figure 2 The inflatable warehouse 1 adopts high-strength weather-resistant airtight composite membrane material, including a central base material and an airtight layer and a weather-resistant layer sequentially arranged on the outside of the base material. The inflatable warehouse 1 is used to mount the test system, with an internal width of ≥30m, a length of ≥23m, and a height of ≥9m, providing test conditions of no less than 40° circumferential angle and 30° pitch angle. The hangar adopts a non-metallic design to provide a fully transparent and low background noise test environment.

[0040] The whole machine test defect detection device 2 is installed in the inflatable warehouse 1 and is used to detect whether there are defects in the coating.

[0041] The whole machine test defect detection device 2 consists of a multi-physics field defect detection system and a mobile scanning system;

[0042] The multi-physics field detection system is installed on a mobile scanning system and uses optical, infrared, radar, acoustic and other multi-physics fields to detect minor defects in aircraft surface coatings. The multi-physics field comprehensive test can quickly identify defects such as blistering, cracks, scratches, and peeling on the coating surface and quickly mark the defective areas. The single position detection time does not exceed 2 minutes.

[0043] refer to Figure 3 The mobile scanning system includes track air columns, supporting air columns, carbon fiber connecting trusses, mobile tracks and lifting systems. The mobile scanning system uses an inflatable structure as the load-bearing structure, and is equipped with a carbon fiber truss to provide support for the mobile track. It can achieve pitch adjustment within a 30° pitch angle. The lifting system and supporting air columns ensure that the test operation is reliable and stable.

[0044] a) Track air column

[0045] The track column is a circular column centered on the aircraft under test, with a radius of at least 30 meters to meet test space requirements. It consists of a 1-meter diameter column and a 1.5-meter diameter column. The 1.5-meter diameter column primarily increases the structural rigidity of the track column, ensuring stability during testing. The 1-meter diameter column is used to mount the carbon fiber truss, providing track support for the test system.

[0046] b) Supporting air column

[0047] The supporting air columns use multiple independent vertical air columns to support the track air columns. After the track air columns are lifted, the supporting air columns are inflated to form and support the track air columns to improve structural stability.

[0048] The track air column adopts a modular design. Each air column contains multiple modules. The number of inflation modules varies according to the lifting pitch height. Different modules can be inflated according to the test pitch angles of 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, and 30°.

[0049] c) Carbon fiber connecting trusses

[0050] The carbon fiber connecting trusses are installed on the 1m diameter track air columns to provide a stable installation platform for the mobile track.

[0051] d) Moving track

[0052] The moving track uses high-precision brushed aluminum alloy as its base. The servo motor drives the ball screw to achieve translation of the slide on the guide rail. The peak straightness is better than 167μm and the maximum speed is not less than 50mm / s. It is also equipped with a protective cover to prevent dust and sand.

[0053] The moving track maintains stable motion throughout the scanning process, so the linear module's off-center load design and verification are performed while ignoring the effects of dynamic loads. The scanning rail is mounted horizontally. The left-right motion of the slide and antenna during scanning creates off-center loads, and finally, the rail deforms under its own gravity. Based on the above analysis, the antenna reaches its extreme left and right positions, reaching its ultimate stress state. This design utilizes an HK210 wide aluminum alloy base (7075T6). Due to its irregular cross-sectional shape, finite element analysis was employed for simulation.

[0054] The lifting system consists of a winch, a rotating mechanism, a sling, a lifting ring and other components. The lifting system is fixed to the inflatable hangar through the lifting ring. The winch tightens the sling to lift the track air column according to the preset pitch angle. The rotating mechanism is used to adjust the lifting and lowering direction of the sling to make lifting more convenient.

[0055] refer to Figure 4 The coating repair cabin 3 repairs coating defects on aircraft. The maintenance environment control system 5 ensures constant temperature, humidity, and ventilation throughout the entire maintenance process. Based on maintenance processes and a rational layout design, the coating repair cabin 3 features a rational layout of repair tools and materials, enabling convenient and rapid repair of stealth coatings. The coating repair cabin 3 includes coating removal equipment, substrate polishing equipment, coating preparation equipment, coating spraying equipment, a ventilation system, and a main control box. It can quickly repair coating damage up to 0.1 square meters.

[0056] refer to Figure 5 The coating performance evaluation system 4 determines whether the collected coating defects will affect the stealth performance of the aircraft and the degree of the impact. The coating performance evaluation system 4 is based on the .NET platform for measurement control and data processing software development, adopts a multi-layer structure and a design concept of separation of interface and implementation. The software has high horizontal and vertical expansion capabilities.

[0057] Information extraction and fault diagnosis, accurately identify fault characteristics using deep learning-based intelligent diagnostic technology, match fault type, area and location, shorten fault investigation time, improve diagnostic efficiency, build a performance repair technology solution system under different support systems and mission states, have the ability to quickly detect, diagnose, evaluate and repair stealth performance, and support stealth performance on-site rapid recovery solutions.

[0058] Specifically:

[0059] S1. Calculation and evaluation of stealth performance such as RCS and infrared radiation intensity based on aircraft defects;

[0060] S2, accurately and quickly calculate electromagnetic scattering of various types of targets such as aircraft and ground targets;

[0061] S3. Battlefield situation simulation and deduction: based on actual combat conditions and scenarios, construct offensive and defensive targets and scenarios, and study the breakthrough process.

[0062] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The maintenance environment control system 5 includes a main control box, an environmental control air inlet end, a non-flammable airtight fiber air duct, an environmental control exhaust end, and a temperature and humidity sensor. The main control box, the environmental control air inlet end, and the environmental control exhaust end are integrated in the comprehensive environmental control cabin, which is located in the middle of both sides of the inflatable warehouse 1.

[0063] The environmental control air inlet end is composed of a salt spray purification section, a temperature and humidity control section, a fan section and an explosion-proof section.

[0064] a) Environmental control air intake end

[0065] The salt spray purification section mainly uses anti-salt filters to remove salt from the hangar intake air, ensuring that the air inside the hangar is clean air without salt spray. The diameter of most salt spray particles is less than 5μm, and the number of particles with a diameter of 1 to 5μm accounts for more than 90% of the total. Figure 7 The salt mist removal filter element can achieve discrete separation of salt particles and is designed with a tightly pleated filter for optimized filtration, with an efficiency level of EN779 or higher. The anti-salt filter can remove 90% of salt mist particles larger than 1μm, achieving excellent salt mist removal effect.

[0066] refer to Figure 8The temperature and humidity control section primarily includes temperature control and dehumidification equipment, which control and dehumidify the air entering the hangar at the preset temperature. Wet air contains a large amount of moisture. As it passes through the refrigeration system's evaporator, the surface temperature of the evaporator is lower than the dew point of the wet air, causing the moisture to condense and dehumidify on the evaporator's fins. The cool, dry air then flows through the refrigeration system's condenser, where the surface temperature is higher. This high-temperature condenser heats the air to the preset temperature, creating dry air.

[0067] The fan section uses an axial-flow blower to blow salt-mist-free, low-humidity, temperature-controlled air into the hangar. The explosion-proof section connects the environmental control air intake to a non-flammable, airtight fiber duct and utilizes explosion-proof dust-removing fiber cloth to prevent dust and other gases generated by maintenance operations inside the hangar from entering the environmental control air intake and potentially causing explosions.

[0068] b) Environmental control exhaust end

[0069] refer to Figure 9 The environmental control exhaust section consists of an explosion-proof section, an air purification section, and a fan section. The explosion-proof section connects the environmental control air intake to the non-combustible, airtight fiber duct to prevent dust and other gases generated by maintenance operations within the hangar from entering the environmental control exhaust section and potentially causing explosions. The air purification section, located after the explosion-proof section, purifies the exhaust, eliminating any potential waste gas and preventing environmental pollution. The fan section, which uses an axial flow suction fan, is the power source for exhaust within the hangar.

[0070] The explosion-proof section uses explosion-proof fiber cloth for dust removal and adopts weight control design. When the weight of the explosion-proof fiber cloth reaches the set value, high-pressure dust removal is carried out. The small high-pressure fan installed above the explosion-proof fiber cloth is started and the particles accumulated on the fiber cloth are blown down to the recovery device below with high-pressure wind to ensure the long-term use of the explosion-proof section. The recovery device can refer to Figure 10 .

[0071] c) Non-combustible airtight fiber duct

[0072] The non-combustible, airtight fiber duct system consists of an inlet and outlet duct. It's constructed from a non-combustible, permeable fabric surface perforated to ensure effective air distribution over long distances and adequate mixing of air over a wide area. The inlet duct, installed at the hangar roof, consists of three 2000mm diameter, non-combustible, airtight fiber ducts, primarily serving as overhead air distribution. The outlet ducts, installed on both sides of the hangar floor, continuously exhaust gases and dust from the hangar through the continuous extraction of air from the environmentally controlled exhaust fans, achieving air circulation.

[0073] refer to Figure 11The non-combustible airtight fiber duct is based on a non-combustible, permeable fabric surface with a B1 fire rating. Its lightweight construction makes it suitable for use in mobile inflatable hangars. The perforated fabric surface ensures uniform, draft-free air distribution, resulting in laminar airflow.

[0074] d) Inlet and outlet air volume analysis

[0075] The internal clear span of the inflatable hangar is greater than 30m, the longitudinal length is greater than 40m, and the height is greater than 11m; the external height is less than 16m, and the internal space is greater than 8400m 3 According to the relevant provisions of GB50019-2003:

[0076] The factory should be equipped with a compensating exhaust system, maintain indoor downward pressure or ensure that each person is no less than 30m 3 The maximum value of fresh air volume / h is determined frequently;

[0077] For public buildings with larger spaces and tall factories with room temperature fluctuation range greater than or equal to ±0.1℃, nozzles or swirl vents can be used for air supply;

[0078] When the room height is greater than 6m, the circulating air volume can be designed as 6m3 / h·m2. The wind speed should not be greater than 0.5m / s.

[0079] According to the hangar size, the total volume is more than 8400m 3 , determine the circulating air volume setting value is 8400m 3 / h, the fresh air volume generally accounts for about 10% of the circulating air volume, and the final fresh air volume is set at 840m 3 / h. The adsorption component of the dehumidifier needs ventilation regeneration, and the air volume is calculated as one-third of the fresh air volume, so the regeneration air volume is 280m 3 / h.

Claims

1. A stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft throughout its life cycle on the ground, characterized in that: Used to complete aircraft stealth coating inspection, maintenance, and evaluation at the grassroots level, including: Inflatable warehouse (1), whole machine test defect detection device (2), coating repair cabin (3), coating performance evaluation system (4) and maintenance environment control system (5); The inflatable warehouse (1) provides a closed space for the stealth aircraft after being inflated and constructed, and is used to provide a fully wave-transparent low background noise test environment; The whole machine test defect detection device (2) is installed in the inflatable warehouse (1) and is used to detect whether there are defects in the coating; The coating performance evaluation system (4) determines whether the collected coating defects will affect the stealth performance of the aircraft and the extent of the impact; The coating repair cabin (3) repairs coating defects on the aircraft, and the maintenance environment control system (5) ensures constant temperature, humidity and ventilation circulation throughout the maintenance process; The whole machine test defect detection device (2) is composed of a multi-physics field defect detection system and a mobile scanning system; The mobile scanning system includes a track air column, a supporting air column, a carbon fiber connecting truss, a mobile track and a lifting system. The supporting air column adopts multiple independent vertical air columns to support the track air column. After the track air column is lifted, the supporting air column is inflated to form and support the track air column. The carbon fiber connecting truss is installed on the track air column to provide an installation platform for the mobile track. The lifting system is fixed to the inflatable warehouse (1). The hoist of the lifting system tightens the sling to lift the track air column according to a preset pitch angle.

2. The stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft during its entire life cycle on the ground according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inflatable warehouse (1) adopts a non-metallic design and adopts a high-strength weather-resistant airtight composite membrane material, comprising a central base material and an airtight layer and a weather-resistant layer sequentially arranged on the outside of the base material.

3. The stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft during its entire life cycle on the ground according to claim 2, characterized in that: The multi-physics field detection system is installed on a mobile scanning system and detects tiny defects in aircraft surface coatings through multiple physical fields such as optics, infrared, radar, and sound waves.

4. The stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft during its entire life cycle on the ground according to claim 3, characterized in that: The coating repair cabin (3) comprises coating removal equipment, substrate polishing equipment, coating preparation equipment, coating spraying equipment, a ventilation system and a main control box.

5. The stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft during its entire life cycle on the ground according to claim 4, characterized in that: The coating performance evaluation system (4) is developed based on the .NET platform for measurement control and data processing software, adopts a multi-layer structure, and separates the interface from the implementation, and includes the following processes: S1. Calculation and evaluation of stealth performance such as RCS and infrared radiation intensity based on aircraft defects; S2, accurately and quickly calculate electromagnetic scattering of various types of targets such as aircraft and ground targets; S3. Battlefield situation simulation and deduction: based on actual combat conditions and scenarios, construct offensive and defensive targets and scenarios, and study the breakthrough process.

6. The stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft during its entire life cycle on the ground according to claim 5, characterized in that: The maintenance environment control system (5) comprises a main control box, an environmental control air inlet, a non-flammable airtight fiber air duct, an environmental control exhaust, and a temperature and humidity sensor. The main control box, the environmental control air inlet, and the environmental control exhaust are integrated into a comprehensive environmental control cabin, which is located in the middle of both sides of the inflatable warehouse (1).

7. The stealth performance maintenance system for a stealth aircraft during its entire life cycle on the ground according to claim 6, characterized in that: The environmental control air inlet end is composed of a salt spray purification section, a temperature and humidity control section, a fan section and an explosion-proof section.

Images