Aircraft nacelle comprising sealed box structure and door opening box structure to outside

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nacelle (102) comprising: a fairing (202) having a window (204); a box structure (206) surrounding the window (204) and containing an adjustment device (20) to adjust the dihydros; a door (208) pivotally mounted on the cowl (202), the door (208) being pivotable between a closed position and an open position; a manipulation system (250) for moving the door (208) from a closed position to an open position; a detection device (52) for detecting the presence of dihydrogen in the cassette structure (206); and a control unit (54) which is designed to open the operating system (250) on the basis of the information provided by the detection device. In this arrangement, if dihydrogen is detected in the cassette structure, the door opens, allowing dihydrogen to exit the aircraft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aircraft nacelle, which comprises a sealed box structure and a door which opens to allow communication between the inside of the box structure and the outside of the aircraft, and also relates to an aircraft comprising such a nacelle. Background Art

[0002] In order to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from aircraft engines, it is known to use dihydrogen as a fuel. The aircraft then comprises a dihydrogen tank and at least one engine that is fueled by said dihydrogen via lines extending in the aircraft between the tank and each engine, pumps, heaters and valves being installed on these lines.

[0003] If an accident occurs in the supply line between the tank and the engine, safety must be ensured. To this end, it is known to establish various safety systems. For example, it is known to set up a ventilation system to ventilate the space that the leaked dihydrogen may enter.

[0004] While this arrangement performs well, providing such a ventilation system in the nacelle results in increased cost and mass of the nacelle. Summary of the invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a nacelle comprising a sealed box structure housed in the nacelle, wherein a fairing of the nacelle has a door opening between the inside and the outside of the box structure.

[0006] To this end, an aircraft is provided, which has:

[0007] -structure;

[0008] - a fairing mounted on the structure, having an inner face facing into the nacelle and having at least one window;

[0009] - a box structure sealed to the inner face around at least one window so as to delimit, together with the fairing, an internal volume intended to house a regulating device for regulating dihydrogen;

[0010] - a door for the or each window, the door being pivotably mounted on the cowl and pivotable between a closed position, in which the door obstructs the window, and an open position, in which the door does not obstruct the window;

[0011] - an operating system for each door, the operating system comprising means for moving the door from a closed position to an open position;

[0012] - a detection device for detecting the presence of dihydrogen in the box structure and providing information indicative of such presence; and

[0013] A control unit designed to activate the operating system based on the information provided by the detection device.

[0014] With this arrangement, if dihydrogen is detected in the box structure, the door opens, allowing the dihydrogen to exit the aircraft.

[0015] Advantageously, the fairing is pivotally mounted on the structure for pivoting between an open position and a closed position.

[0016] Advantageously, the fairing has a hatch which is pivotally mounted on the fairing and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position.

[0017] Advantageously, the box structure is rendered inert.

[0018] Advantageously, the operating system comprises a hinge arranged along the first edge of the door.

[0019] According to a specific embodiment, the first edge is parallel to the movement direction of the nacelle.

[0020] According to another specific embodiment, at least two doors are arranged one behind the other relative to the movement direction of the nacelle, the first edge of the frontmost door is at the rear of the door, and the first edge of the rearmost door is at the front of the door.

[0021] Advantageously, the nacelle comprises restraining means for preventing the door from opening.

[0022] The present invention also provides an aircraft comprising a dihydrogen storage tank, a nacelle according to one of the aforementioned variants, a regulating device arranged in a box structure, a pipeline fluidly connected between the tank and the regulating device, and a shut-off valve installed on the pipeline and opened and closed by a control unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, which description is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1 is a side view of an aircraft according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a nacelle according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a nacelle according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a nacelle according to a specific arrangement of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5is a cross-sectional view of a nacelle according to another specific arrangement of the present invention; and

[0029] Figure 6 An example of a control unit used in the present invention is schematically shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In the following description, position-related terms are considered with respect to the aircraft in its normal flight position, i.e. Figure 1 shown.

[0031] In the following description, by convention, the X direction is the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, the Y direction is the lateral direction, which is horizontal when the aircraft is on the ground, and the Z direction is the vertical direction, which is vertical when the aircraft is on the ground. These three directions X, Y and Z are orthogonal to each other.

[0032] Figure 1 An aircraft 100 is shown having a fuselage 103 to each side of which are fixed wings 104, the wings 104 carrying at least one engine 106 running on dihydrogen fuel. Figure 1 In the embodiment of the invention shown, the engine 106 is a propeller engine, but any other type of engine is also contemplated. Specifically, the engine 106 can be operated by directly burning dihydrogen, or an electric motor (electric motor) powered by a dihydrogen fuel cell.

[0033] An engine 106 is housed in the nacelle 102 .

[0034] Arrow F indicates the direction of motion of the aircraft 100, and therefore the nacelle 102, when the engine 106 is operating, which is the direction of forward travel.

[0035] Figure 2 and Figure 3 A cross-sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the nacelle 102 is shown according to two embodiments.

[0036] The aircraft 100 includes at least one tank 110 in which dihydrogen is preferably stored in liquid form. The tank 110 may be disposed in the fuselage 103 or the wing 104 .

[0037] The aircraft 100 comprises a conditioning device 20 for conditioning the dihydrogen before it is consumed by the engine 106. Such a conditioning device 20 is, for example, a valve, a heater, a pump, etc. The dihydrogen is supplied to each conditioning device 20 via a pipeline 112, which comes directly or indirectly from a tank 110, thus fluidly connecting the tank 110 and the conditioning device 20.

[0038] The nacelle 102 includes a structure 101 on which fairings 202 are mounted. Each fairing 202 constitutes a partition between the interior of the nacelle 102 and the exterior of the aircraft 100 and includes an inner face 202a facing the interior of the nacelle 102 and an outer face facing the exterior of the aircraft 100.

[0039] The nacelle 102 further comprises a box structure 206 sealingly fixed to the inner face 202a so as to delimit, together with the fairing 202, an internal volume 50 in which the regulating device 20 is arranged. The sealing fixing ensures that if dihydrogen is present in the internal volume 50, it does not diffuse through the wall of the box structure 206 into the nacelle 102. The pipeline 112 passes through the wall of the box structure 206 sealingly.

[0040] At least one window 204 is made in the fairing 202 , which ensures fluid communication between the internal volume 50 and the outside of the aircraft 100 . Thus, the box structure 206 opens to the outside of the aircraft 100 via the at least one window 204 .

[0041] The box structure 206 is fixed around the at least one window 204. The box structure 206 is fixed to the fairing 202 by any suitable means, such as screws, rivets, welding, etc.

[0042] For each window 204, the nacelle 102 comprises a door 208 pivotably mounted on the fairing 202, pivotable between a closed position, in which the door 208 blocks the window 204, and an open position, in which the door 208 does not block the window 204. In the closed position, the internal volume 50 is thus sealed from the outside of the aircraft 100, and in the open position, the internal volume 50 communicates with the outside of the aircraft 100, in particular in order to evacuate any dihydrogen present in the box structure 206.

[0043] To operate each door 208 , the nacelle 102 includes an operating system 250 including means for moving the door 208 from a closed position to an open position.

[0044] The condition for manipulating the door 208 to the open position is based on the presence of dihydrogen in the box structure 206. To this end, the nacelle 102 further includes a detection device 52, which is arranged in the box structure 206 and is used to detect whether dihydrogen exists in the box structure 206. The detection device 52 is also configured to provide information indicating the presence of dihydrogen in the box structure 206.

[0045] The nacelle 102 also includes a control unit 54 that communicates with the detection device 52 and the operating system 250. The control unit 54 is designed to open the operating system 250 based on the information provided by the detection device 52, that is, when the detection device 52 detects the presence of dihydrogen, the operating system 150 moves the door 208 from the closed position to the open position and provides a corresponding message to the control unit 54.

[0046] Therefore, with this nacelle 102, when dihydrogen is detected in the box structure 206, its leakage sealing relative to the rest of the nacelle 102 prevents the dihydrogen from flowing to the rest of the nacelle 102, and after detection by the detection device 52, the control unit 54 opens the corresponding door 208 to discharge the dihydrogen out of the aircraft 100.

[0047] Thus, this installation does not require an additional ventilation system that could make the nacelle 102 heavier.

[0048] The adjustment device 20 is fixed to a wall of the box structure 206 and / or to the door 208 .

[0049] According to a particular embodiment, means are also provided for the control system 250 to move the door 208 from the open position to the closed position, for example when the detection means 52 no longer detect the presence of dihydrogen in the box structure 206. This arrangement makes it possible to close the door 208 to limit drag in flight.

[0050] According to a specific embodiment, the box structure 206 is rendered inert by evacuating a vacuum or introducing an inert gas.

[0051] In order to stop the flow of dihydrogen in the pipeline 112 and no longer supply dihydrogen to the regulating device 20 in the box structure 206 where the dihydrogen leakage has been detected, the aircraft 100 includes a shut-off valve 114 installed on the pipeline 112, which is opened and closed by the control unit 54 based on the information sent by the detection device 52.

[0052] The shutoff valve 114 is disposed on the pipeline 112 outside and upstream of the box structure 206 to prevent the dihydrogen from continuously flowing into the box structure 206 .

[0053] As a result, when the detection device 52 detects dihydrogen in the box structure 206 , the control unit 54 preferably closes the shutoff valve 114 before opening the door 208 .

[0054] The detection device 52 may take various forms and may be composed of one or more pressure sensors disposed in the box structure 206. Therefore, if the pressure sensor detects a pressure change in the box structure 206 that is under vacuum or exhibits a known inert gas pressure, this means that there is a dihydrogen leak. The detection device 52 may be supplemented by detection sensors suitable for detecting dihydrogen, and analyzing the data sent by these detection sensors may tell whether there is a dihydrogen leak.

[0055] exist Figure 2 In the embodiment of the invention, the cowling 202 on which the box structure 206 and the door 208 are mounted is a cowling movably mounted on the structure 101. To this end, the nacelle 102 comprises a main hinge 260 that pivots the cowling 202 on the structure 101 and allows the cowling 202 to move between an open position and a closed position, and vice versa.

[0056] Conventionally, the fairing 202 is equipped with latches which lock said fairing 202 to the structure 101 in the closed position.

[0057] When the fairing 202 needs to be opened, for example during maintenance operations, it is necessary to stop the supply of dihydrogen to the regulating device 20 associated with the fairing 202 by closing the shut-off valve 114 and disconnecting the pipeline 112. To this end, the fairing 202 has a hatch 210, which is pivotably mounted on the fairing 202 and can be pivoted between an open position and a closed position to allow a technician to enter the interior of the nacelle 102.

[0058] Of course, the door 210 is positioned to allow a technician to access the shutoff valve 114 and the line 112 when the door 210 is in the open position.

[0059] Conventionally, according to a particular embodiment, the door 210 is equipped with hinges and latches, which allow the door 210 to be pivoted on the cowling 202 and lock said door 210 to said cowling 202 in the closed position.

[0060] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment of the invention, the fairing 202 is fixedly mounted on the structure 101. In this example, the nacelle 102 includes a movable fairing 302, which is pivotally mounted on the fairing 202. In this example, the movable fairing 302 is mounted via a secondary hinge 304, which enables the movable fairing to pivot between an open position and a closed position, and vice versa.

[0061] Conventionally, the movable cowl 302 is equipped with a latch that locks said movable cowl 302 to the cowl 202 in the closed position.

[0062] exist Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the operating system 250 includes a hinge 252 disposed along the first edge 208a of the door 208. In this example, the hinge 252 is in the form of a gooseneck fitting.

[0063] Figure 4 An embodiment of the present invention is shown in which each box structure 206 has only one door 208 .

[0064] In this embodiment, the first edge 208a is parallel to the direction of movement F.

[0065] exist Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the first edge 208 a is a lower edge of the door 208 , but in another embodiment not shown, the first edge 208 a may be an upper edge of the door 208 .

[0066] Depending on the position of the first edge 208a, the door 208 then opens about a hinge axis which is substantially horizontal and parallel to the longitudinal direction X.

[0067] Figure 5 An embodiment of the invention is shown in which each box structure 206 has two doors 508a-508b. The two doors 508a-508b are arranged one behind the other with respect to the direction of movement F of the nacelle 102, so there is a front door 508a and a rear door 508b.

[0068] The first edge 208a of the frontmost door 508a is located at the rear of the door 508a, while the first edge 208a of the rearmost door 508b is located at the front of the door 508b. Thus, each first edge 208a is substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement F.

[0069] As a result, when the doors 508a-508b are open, outside air flows into the interior volume 50 through the window 204a corresponding to the front door 508a and leaves the interior volume 50 through the window 204b corresponding to the rear door 508b.

[0070] The location of the front door 508a facilitates the entry of outside air into the interior volume 50 .

[0071] The handling system 250 also includes an active element for moving the door 208, 508a-508b. The active element controlled by the control unit 54 is, for example, a (hydraulic, pneumatic, electric) jack installed between the door 208, 508a-508b and the wall of the box structure 206, or, for example, an electric motor installed at the hinge 252.

[0072] In order to limit the doors 208 , 508 a - 508 b from opening beyond an opening angle, the nacelle 102 includes limiting devices 402 , 502 a - 502 b that prevent the doors 208 , 508 a - 508 b from opening.

[0073] The restraining device 402, 502a-502b may be a rod or a rope fixed between the door 208, 508a-508b and the wall of the box structure 206. The restraining device 402, 502a-502b may also be a jack of the operating system 250.

[0074] In order to ensure proper leak tightness (leak-proofness) of the interior volume 50, a seal 262 is provided along the edge of the door 208, 508a-508b.

[0075] The doors 208 , 508 a - 508 b may advantageously be equipped with latches 264 that lock the doors 208 , 508 a - 508 b to the cowling 202 in a closed position.

[0076] Figure 6 An example of a control unit 54 used in the present invention is schematically shown.

[0077] The control unit 54 includes the following components connected via a communication bus 600: a processor or CPU (central processing unit) 601; a random access memory (RAM) 602; a read-only memory (ROM) 603, such as an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), such as a flash memory; a storage unit such as a hard disk drive (HDD) 604 or a storage medium reader such as a secure digital (SD) card reader; and an interface (I / f) manager 605.

[0078] The interface (I / f) manager 605 allows the control unit 54 to interact with other components, such as the detection device 52, the shut-off valve 114, the operating system 250, etc.

[0079] The processor 401 can execute instructions loaded from the read-only memory 403, from an external memory, from a storage medium (such as an SD card), or from a communication network into the random access memory 402. When the control unit 220 is powered on, the processor 401 can read instructions from the random access memory 402 and execute them. These instructions form a computer program that enables the processor 401 to implement all or some of the steps, processes, and operations described herein.

[0080] Therefore, all or some of the steps, processes and operations described herein can be implemented in software form by causing a programmable machine such as a DSP (digital signal processor) or a microcontroller to execute a set of instructions, or can be implemented in hardware form by a machine such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) element or a dedicated electronic component (chip) or a dedicated electronic component (chip set). Typically, the control unit 220 includes electronic circuits designed and constructed to implement the operations, processes and steps described herein.

Claims

1. A nacelle (102) of an aircraft (100), comprising: - structure (101); a fairing (202) mounted on the structure (101), having an inner surface (202a) facing the nacelle (102) and having at least one window (204); a box structure (206) sealedly fixed to the inner face (202a) around the at least one window (204) so ​​as to define, together with the fairing (202), an internal volume (50) intended to house a regulating device (20) arranged to regulate dihydrogen; - a door (208, 508a-508b) for the or each window (204), the door being pivotably mounted on the cowl (202) and being pivotable between a closed position in which the door (208, 508a-508b) blocks the window (204) and an open position in which the door (208, 508a-508b) does not block the window (204); - a manipulation system (250) for each door (208, 508a-508b), said manipulation system (250) comprising means for moving said door (208, 508a-508b) from said closed position to said open position; - a detection device (52) arranged to detect the presence of dihydrogen in the box structure (206) and to provide information indicative of such presence; as well as - a control unit (54) designed to cause the actuation system (250) to open based on the information provided by the detection device (52).

2. The nacelle (102) of the aircraft (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fairing (202) is pivotally mounted on the structure (101) and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position.

3. The nacelle (102) of the aircraft (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fairing (202) has a door (210) which is pivotally mounted on the fairing (202) and can pivot between an open position and a closed position.

4. The nacelle (102) of the aircraft (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The box structure (206) behaves inertly.

5. The nacelle (102) of the aircraft (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The operating system (250) includes a hinge (252) disposed along a first edge (208a) of the door (208, 508a-508b).

6. The nacelle (102) of the aircraft (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first edge (208a) is parallel to a direction (F) of movement of the nacelle (102).

7. The nacelle (102) of the aircraft (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: At least two doors (508a-508b) are arranged one behind the other relative to the movement direction (F) of the nacelle (102), wherein the first edge (208a) of the frontmost door (508a) is located at the rear of the door (508a), and wherein the first edge (208a) of the rearmost door (508b) is located at the front of the door (508b).

8. The nacelle (102) of the aircraft (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nacelle includes a restraining device (402, 502a-502b) that prevents the door (208, 508a-508b) from opening.

9. An aircraft (100), comprising a dihydrogen storage tank (110), a nacelle (102) according to claim 1, a regulating device (20) arranged in the box structure (106), a pipeline (112) fluidly connected between the storage tank (110) and the regulating device (20), and a shut-off valve (114) installed on the pipeline (112) and configured to be opened and closed by the control unit (54).

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