Aircraft Shutter Valve Bypass Control for Clogged Air Filters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current aircraft air filter clogging detection systems fail to provide comprehensive performance monitoring, leading to premature maintenance and limited flight capabilities due to the inability to accurately assess overall system performance and clogging levels, resulting in compromised flight performance and potential overloading.

Innovation Solution

A control system for an aircraft shutter valve that allows pilots to manually or automatically open a bypass circuit around a clogged air filter, using differential pressure measurements and power usage data to calculate a clogging rate, with customizable threshold values and sensory alerts to manage flight performance and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the air filter is used to protect the engine from polluted air, then engine protection is improved, but flight performance deteriorates due to pressure drop and power reduction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine protectionVSAvoidflight performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The shutter valve dynamically switches between filter mode and bypass mode based on real-time clogging rate detection and pilot selection, allowing the system to adapt between protection and performance requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameter of the air supply path by opening or closing the shutter valve, transitioning from filtered air intake to bypass air intake based on clogging level and performance needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If a fixed threshold for filter clogging is set, then the system is simple to operate, but it compromises between flight performance and mission completion flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidpilot choice flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of a single threshold trigger, the system provides partial information (clogging rate) and allows progressive pilot decision-making, offering flexibility from early warning to critical alert stages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously provides feedback on clogging rate to the pilot, enabling informed decisions about whether to open the bypass circuit based on real-time filter condition data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Power

If the bypass circuit is opened to maintain flight performance, then power output is improved, but engine protection deteriorates due to unfiltered air intake

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflight performanceVSAvoidengine protection

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The shutter valve acts as an intermediary device that controls the transition between filtered and unfiltered air paths, allowing the pilot to select the appropriate mode based on operational needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables pilots to adapt flight performance based on environmental conditions, prioritizing payload capacity or engine protection by bypassing the air filter when clogged, ensuring safe and efficient operation by automatically opening the bypass circuit when critical clogging levels are reached.

Implementation Method 1

a first measuring member for carrying out a measurement of differential pressure between a reference pressure and a pressure measured downstream of the air filter in the air inlet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDifferential pressure measurement: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentEP3822172B1System for controlling a check valve of an aircraft, aircraft provided with such a control system and associated control method

Publication Date: 2022.04.06 EUROCOPTER FRANCE SA

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AI summary

The present invention relates to a control system (1) for controlling a shut-off valve (2) of an aircraft (3), said shut-off valve (2) being configured to open a bypass circuit (4) initially closed, said bypass circuit (4) allowing air to be supplied to at least one engine (5) of said aircraft (3) without passing through at least one air filter (6) fitted to an air inlet (7), said control system (1) comprising: • a manual control member (8) for controlling said shut-off valve (2), said manual control member (8) being manually actuable by a pilot of said aircraft (3) to control an opening of said bypass circuit (4), • at least one computer (10) configured to calculate a current value of a clogging rate TC of said at least one air filter (6).Said control system (1) includes at least one comparator (11) to compare said current value of said clogging rate TC with a first threshold value TC1 and with a second threshold value TC2 and at least one alarmer (12) to generate a first sensory signal and a second sensory signal.