Aircraft Engine Drainage Segregation Box for Mass Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drainage systems for aircraft combustion engines are heavy, complex, and costly, reducing aircraft load, range, and flight performance, and are not optimized for efficient fluid evacuation and separation.
Innovation Solution
A drainage system featuring a segregation box with coaxial tubular portions to separate liquids and gases by gravity, using a hose for liquid collection and a pipe for gas evacuation, with a valve system that automatically opens and closes based on engine pressure, eliminating the need for pumps and reducing mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pumping means and monitoring means are used to drain fluids from the combustion chamber, then the drainage function is achieved, but the aircraft's mass increases and payload capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the pumping means and monitoring means from the drainage system, retaining only the essential segregation box and passive drainage components. This extraction achieves the drainage function through gravity-based separation without the added mass of active pumping and monitoring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage system is designed to operate autonomously using gravity-based separation in the segregation box. The system self-regulates fluid drainage without requiring external power sources, control systems, or monitoring devices, thereby eliminating the mass penalty associated with active components.
2Reliability
If pumping means and monitoring means are installed in the drainage system, then fluid drainage capability is provided, but the aircraft's range and flight performance are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the heavy pumping and monitoring systems from the design, the invention reduces overall system mass. This mass reduction directly improves aircraft range and flight performance while maintaining adequate fluid drainage capability through the simplified gravity-based system.
3Reliability
If a complex drainage system with multiple moving parts is used, then drainage functionality is achieved, but maintenance complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes all moving parts including pumps, valves, and monitoring devices from the drainage system. Only stationary gravity-based separation components remain, dramatically simplifying the system structure and eliminating maintenance requirements associated with moving components.
Solution Approach 2:
The segregation box and associated drainage components are designed as simple, non-mechanical elements that require no maintenance throughout their service life. The system accepts reduced component sophistication in exchange for eliminating complex maintenance regimes.
4Productivity
If pumping means are used to discharge fluids, then complete fluid evacuation is achieved, but system mass and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses gravity-based flow and buoyancy-driven separation to achieve complete fluid evacuation without mechanical pumps. The segregation box automatically separates and discharges fluids through passive physical processes, maintaining evacuation efficiency while eliminating mechanical complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively evacuates fluids without increasing aircraft mass, maintaining performance and reducing maintenance complexity, allowing for safe engine restarts and fluid recycling.
Implementation Method 1
a segregation box configured to separate at least one liquid and at least one gas, the segregation box having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet... a hose having a first end connected to the first outlet of the segregation box to collect by gravity only the at least one liquid
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a drainage system (2) for draining an aircraft combustion engine (1) (3), said drainage system (2) being configured to collect at least one fluid present within said combustion engine (1), said drainage system (2) comprising at least one discharge conduit (4) for channeling said at least one fluid out of said combustion engine (1), said at least one fluid comprising at least one liquid and at least one gas. Said drainage system (2) comprises a segregation box (5) configured to separate said at least one liquid and said at least one gas, said segregation box (5) comprising an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet.