Aircraft Internal Shield Using Liquid Containers for Fragment Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft equipped with composite material fuselages face challenges in impact resistance and damage tolerance, particularly when exposed to detached engine parts during failure events, leading to potential catastrophic failures, and existing protective solutions increase aircraft weight.
Innovation Solution
An internal shield comprising liquid containers, such as potable water and waste water systems, strategically positioned to absorb the energy of detached fragments, utilizing existing aircraft subsystems to minimize weight increase, with optional Kevlar reinforcement for enhanced protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an internal shield is added to protect the engine from detached parts, then the protection capability is improved, but the aircraft weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The internal shield is merged with existing aircraft subsystems, specifically the potable water and waste water systems. The shield utilizes containers from these existing systems to provide protective functionality, thereby avoiding the need for separate dedicated protective structures and minimizing additional weight
Solution Approach 2:
The existing water containers are given a dual function: their original purpose for water storage and a new protective function as part of the internal shield. This multi-functionality allows the same components to serve both operational and safety roles, eliminating the need for separate protective structures
2Weight of moving object
If composite materials are used for the fuselage to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the impact resistance and damage tolerance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The internal shield provides beforehand cushioning by positioning energy-absorbing liquid containers in the potential impact paths of detached engine parts. This pre-positioned protective measure cushions the composite fuselage against high-velocity impacts that would otherwise cause catastrophic damage
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid-filled containers act as an intermediary between the detached engine parts and the composite fuselage. This intermediary layer absorbs impact energy through liquid sloshing and container deformation, protecting the vulnerable composite structure from direct high-velocity impacts
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
Effectively stops detached engine fragments without significant weight increase, ensuring safety and compliance with certification requirements by providing the necessary energy absorption capability while leveraging existing aircraft systems.
Implementation Method 1
The internal shield comprises an ensemble of liquid containers located in said possible trajectories such that the total volume of liquid contained in the ensemble is sufficient to provide the energy absorption capability required for stopping said fragments
Data Source
Figure 1a~2b
Figure 3~5
Figure 6a~8
AI summary
The invention provides an internal shield (31) inside the rear fuselage (11) of an aircraft having a propulsion system formed by two engines (13) mounted on each side of it. The internal shield (31) is located in a suitable place inside the rear fuselage (11) for covering the possible trajectories of fragments detached from one of said engines (13) in a failure event that would impact critical elements of the opposite engine. The internal shield (31) comprises an ensemble of fluid containers belonging to aircraft sub-systems, such us particularly the potable water and waste water sub-systems, with enough fluid for providing the energy absorption capability required for stopping said fragments. The invention also refers to an aircraft having said internal shield (31).