Aeroengine Casing Support Structure with Dissociated Skeleton and Fairings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current support structures in aeroengines are heavy due to their metal construction, which obstructs maintenance access and disrupts airflow, necessitating a solution that reduces weight and improves accessibility while maintaining structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A support structure with a dissociated structural and aerodynamic portion, featuring a metal frame skeleton and non-structural fairings made of thin metal sheets or composite materials, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and using captive screws for secure fastening to ensure structural force transmission and aerodynamic continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metal fairing structure is used to provide mechanical strength and aerodynamic skin, then structural strength is improved, but weight increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into two distinct parts: a metal skeleton frame that provides structural strength, and separate non-structural fairings made of lightweight materials (stamped thin metal sheets or composite materials) that provide aerodynamic skin. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without the weight penalty of a fully metal construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The fairings are constructed from composite materials or stamped thin metal sheets instead of solid metal castings. This use of lighter materials for the aerodynamic portions while maintaining the metal skeleton for structural integrity achieves weight reduction while preserving necessary mechanical strength.
2Strength
If a solid frame structure is used to provide mechanical support, then structural integrity is improved, but accessibility to equipment for maintenance is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into a skeleton structure with open spaces, and the fairings are separate removable components. This allows maintenance personnel to access equipment through the open skeleton structure without disassembling the entire frame, while the fairings can be removed to provide additional access when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The fairings are extracted from the structural function and made into separate, non-structural components. This allows them to be easily removed or opened to provide access to equipment for maintenance, while the skeleton frame remains to provide structural support.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a metal fairing structure is used to reconstitute airflow passage, then aerodynamic continuity is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fairings that reconstitute the airflow passage are made from lightweight composite materials or thin metal sheets rather than solid metal. This maintains the aerodynamic continuity needed to reduce airflow disturbances while minimizing the weight added by the aerodynamic skin.
Solution Approach 2:
The fairings are constructed as thin-shell structures using stamped thin metal sheets or composite material panels. These thin-walled structures are sufficient to maintain aerodynamic continuity and smooth airflow passages without the weight of thick metal construction.
4Strength
If a solid frame structure is used to provide mechanical support, then structural strength is improved, but maintenance time increases due to disassembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The structure is segmented into a permanent skeleton frame and removable fairings. The skeleton frame remains assembled to maintain structural strength, while only the fairings need to be accessed or removed for maintenance, significantly reducing maintenance time compared to disassembling a solid frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fairings are extracted as separate, easily removable components from the structural system. This allows maintenance personnel to access equipment without disassembling the load-bearing skeleton frame, reducing maintenance time while preserving structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A support structure suitable for interposing between the engine and the nacelle of an aeroengine and suitable for being fastened on an intermediate casing is provided. The structure includes a shroud having a plurality of sectors, a plurality of radial arms each installed between two adjacent shroud sectors, and a plurality of fasteners for fastening the plurality of shroud sectors to the plurality of radial arms. The shroud sectors and radial arms form a skeleton for transmitting structural forces within the intermediate casing. The structure includes non-structural fairings mounted on the skeleton and suitable for reconstituting the airflow passage. Each of the shroud sectors and radial arms is formed by a metal frame without mechanical discontinuity, each shroud sector metal frame defining at least one opening that is closed by a cover and each radial arm metal frame defining at least one orifice for receiving a closure plate.