Aircraft Dihydrogen Module with Porous Bead Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft systems using dihydrogen as fuel face challenges in minimizing the volume of dihydrogen that escapes in the event of an incident on the supply line between the tank and the engine.

Innovation Solution

An aircraft module with a sealed housing filled with beads, which reduces the available space for dihydrogen in the event of a leak, thereby limiting the amount of dihydrogen present. The module includes a processing system, inlet and outlet ports with shut-off valves, and optionally a membrane and suction port to enhance filling and sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a dihydrogen processing system is installed in a sealed housing, then the system can be protected and controlled, but the volume of dihydrogen that can escape in the event of a leak cannot be limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem protection and controlVSAvoiddihydrogen escape volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is filled with porous beads that allow dihydrogen to be absorbed and stored within the bead structure. In the event of a leak, the porous nature of the beads limits the volume of dihydrogen that can escape by containing it within the bead matrix, thus resolving the contradiction between system protection and limiting substance loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The housing combines sealed structural walls with porous bead material to create a composite system. The sealed walls provide structural protection and containment, while the porous beads provide additional containment for dihydrogen in the event of leakage, achieving both system protection and loss limitation simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Loss of substance

If the housing is filled with beads to limit dihydrogen space, then the amount of dihydrogen present is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedihydrogen amount presentVSAvoidhousing filling structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is pre-filled with beads before the dihydrogen processing system is installed. This preliminary action simplifies the overall structure by eliminating the need for complex filling mechanisms during operation, while still achieving the goal of limiting dihydrogen volume and reducing substance loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The beads are introduced through simple inlet ports with shut-off valves that can be manually or automatically controlled. The system serves itself by using the beads to automatically limit dihydrogen volume without requiring complex active control mechanisms, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining substance loss limitation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250026484A1Module for aircraft comprising a dihydrogen processing system

Publication Date: 2025.01.23 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

AI summary

A module for an aircraft, the module comprising a sealed housing comprising walls delimiting an interior volume, a processing system to process dihydrogen and fixed on the inside of the housing, an inlet port connected to the interior volume and equipped with a first shut-off valve, an outlet port connected to the interior volume and equipped with a second shut-off valve and beads filling the interior volume.