Composite Aircraft Tubes for Lightweight Complex Waste Routing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current aerospace waste and water tubes made of corrosion-resistant steel or titanium are heavy, costly, and limited in complex geometry, making them unsuitable for lightweight, cost-effective solutions with varying diameters, lengths, and curvatures required for aircraft applications.

Innovation Solution

Manufacturing tubes from composite materials like thermoplastic or thermoset materials with reinforcing fibers, allowing for variable radius bends, splines, and complex geometries using methods such as vacuum bagging, SMART Tooling, and 3D printing, which reduces weight, cost, and complexity in tooling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional metal tubes (titanium or CRES) are used for waste and water transport, then structural strength and impact resistance are ensured, but weight increases and cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidtube weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials consisting of a metal substrate (titanium or CRES) with a coating layer (such as ceramic, polymer, or metallic coating) to create a tube structure that maintains the structural strength and impact resistance of metal while reducing weight and cost. The composite structure allows optimization of each layer's properties to meet specific performance requirements for aerospace waste and water transport systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If traditional metal tubes with standard geometries are used, then manufacturing reliability is maintained, but design flexibility and complex geometry capability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing reliabilityVSAvoiddesign flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs parameter changes in the tube geometry, including variable wall thickness, varying cross-sectional shapes, and complex curvature profiles, while maintaining manufacturing reliability through controlled fabrication processes. The composite material system allows for these geometric variations without compromising structural integrity, enabling customized routing solutions for different aircraft configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If corrosion-resistant steel or titanium tubes are used, then chemical resistance and temperature tolerance are achieved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechemical resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite material construction where a base metal tube provides structural strength and temperature tolerance, while a specialized coating layer provides chemical resistance. This approach reduces material costs compared to using solid titanium or CRES tubes throughout, while maintaining the required reliability for chemical exposure in waste and water transport applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Strength

If thick-walled metal tubes are used to reduce impact damage, then impact resistance improves, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact resistanceVSAvoidtube weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing enhanced protection (thicker wall or reinforced coating) only in specific high-impact zones such as bends, wyes, and connection points, while maintaining thinner walls in straight sections where impact risk is lower. This localized reinforcement approach maintains impact resistance where needed while minimizing overall weight increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

5Adaptability or versatility

If complex routing with multiple bends and wyes is implemented, then system adaptability improves, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple tube sections with different geometries (straights, bends, wyes) into integrated composite structures where the coating process unifies the manufacturing approach. This allows complex routed systems to be manufactured using consistent composite fabrication techniques rather than assembling multiple discrete metal components, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 composite tubes provide lightweight, cost-effective solutions with enhanced design flexibility, reduced impact energy, and improved thermal conductivity, enabling efficient routing and flow management in aircraft systems without the need for expensive tooling.

Implementation Method 1

Manufacturing tubes from composite materials like thermoplastic or thermoset materials with reinforcing fibers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectComposite materials: Composite Materials

Implementation Method 2

vacuum bagging

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum pressure: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentEP2874791B2Composite waste and water transport elements and methods of manufacture for use on aircraft

Publication Date: 2022.08.17 MAG AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LLC

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8

AI summary

The present invention provides composite waste and water transport elements (22) that can be designed having various unique shapes using a soluble mandrel.