Aircraft Hydraulic Leak Testing Using Onboard Pressurization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ground maintenance of aircraft hydraulic systems relies on external ground support equipment, leading to delays and increased costs due to the need for manual operation and availability of ground carts, which are not always accessible.
Innovation Solution
An automated method using a control and monitoring unit onboard the aircraft to pressurize and monitor the hydraulic system, detect external leakage, and isolate the leakage source, eliminating the need for external ground carts by integrating ground cart functionality into the aircraft's hydraulic system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external ground support equipment (ground carts) is used for hydraulic system maintenance, then the hydraulic system can be tested and maintained, but maintenance time increases and costs increase due to the need for manual operation and availability of ground carts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the ground cart functionality with the aircraft's onboard hydraulic system by integrating a ground maintenance mode into the existing hydraulic architecture. The control unit enables the aircraft's own hydraulic pump to serve dual purposes: normal flight operations and ground maintenance testing, eliminating the need for separate external ground carts and reducing maintenance time.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic system's pump and control unit are designed to perform multiple functions: they operate during normal flight conditions and also serve as the testing mechanism during ground maintenance. This multi-functionality allows the system to self-test without requiring external specialized equipment, thereby reducing maintenance time and costs.
2Reliability
If external ground support equipment (ground carts) is used for hydraulic system maintenance, then the hydraulic system can be tested and maintained, but costs increase due to procurement, logistics and manual operation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The aircraft's hydraulic system performs self-testing during ground maintenance by utilizing its own onboard pump and control unit. The system automatically monitors parameters such as reservoir fluid level, system pressure, and pump power consumption to detect external leakage, eliminating the need for external ground carts and associated procurement, logistics, and manual operation costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential ground cart functionality (pressurization and leakage detection) and integrates it directly into the aircraft's onboard hydraulic system. By removing the dependency on external ground carts, the system eliminates the costs associated with their procurement, logistics, and manual operation while maintaining the necessary test capability.
3Reliability
If visual inspections are required for leakage detection, then external leakage can be detected, but maintenance time increases and operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated electronic monitoring system. Sensors continuously measure parameters such as reservoir fluid level, system pressure, and pump power consumption, and the control unit automatically analyzes this data to detect external leakage. This substitution eliminates the need for manual visual inspections, reducing both maintenance time and operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback monitoring where sensors provide real-time data on hydraulic system parameters (reservoir fluid level, pressure, pump power) to the control unit. The control unit automatically compares measured values against expected ranges and triggers leakage detection alerts, enabling automated leakage detection without manual visual inspection and simplifying the maintenance operation.
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
This solution reduces maintenance time and costs, enhances flexibility, and increases safety by allowing autonomous external leakage testing and localization without the need for visual inspections or external equipment, reducing the reliance on ground carts and enabling maintenance at any location.
Implementation Method 1
a) pressurizing the hydraulic system by means of the hydraulic motor-pump unit
Implementation Method 2
b) monitoring at least one parameter indicative of an external leakage of the hydraulic system during the pressurisation
Implementation Method 3
the parameter to be monitored in step b) is chosen from the group of parameters consisting of the pressure in the hydraulic system, the output power of the pump, and the fluid level in the reservoir
Data Source
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AI summary
In order to reduce time and effort during maintenance, the invention proposes a method for automatically testing a hydraulic system (12) of an aircraft (10) during ground service, wherein the hydraulic system (12) includes, onboard of the aircraft (10), a hydraulic pump (14), a hydraulic reservoir (16), a hydraulic conduct system (18), a hydraulically driven unit (20), and a control and monitoring unit (22), the method comprising: a) pressurizing the hydraulic system (12) by means of the hydraulic pump (14), b) monitoring at least one parameter indicative of an external leakage of the hydraulic system (12) during the pressurisation of the hydraulic system (12), c) determining whether an external leakage of the hydraulic system (12) exists on basis of the at least one parameter.