Composite Tube Knitted Pattern for Fluid Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite fuel lines in aircraft and vehicles face challenges in accommodating wide electrical performance requirements, particularly in preventing static charge buildup and lightning strikes, while also being economical to manufacture and adaptable to complex shapes, and they often suffer from delamination issues due to mechanical constraints.
Innovation Solution
A composite tube system featuring a knitted fibrous pattern with adjustable density and conductivity, manufactured using a vacuum bag molding process with an inflatable bladder and modular fixturing, allowing for continuous integration and avoidance of laminated seams, enabling variable shapes and electronic integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If composite fuel lines use overlapping abutting edges to join sections, then ease of manufacture is improved, but structural reliability deteriorates due to delamination
Solution Approach 1:
The knitting pattern is designed in advance to create interlocking loops at the joints between tube sections. This preliminary structural design ensures that when sections are joined, the knitted fibers inherently interlock and bond the sections together, preventing delamination before service conditions are applied.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel line system is divided into multiple tube sections that can be manufactured separately and then joined. The knitted construction allows these segmented sections to be connected with reliable interlocking joints that maintain structural integrity, enabling modular manufacturing while ensuring overall system reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If fixed-density fiber construction is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different electrical specifications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The knitting machine is configured to dynamically adjust fiber density during the manufacturing process. This allows the fiber packing density to be varied along the length of the tube or at different radial positions, enabling precise control of electrical conductivity properties while maintaining a continuous knitted structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process allows changing of physical parameters such as fiber density, fiber orientation, and knit pattern characteristics to achieve different electrical performance specifications. By adjusting these parameters during knitting, the same basic manufacturing process can produce fuel lines with tailored electrical properties for different applications.
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 solution provides a seamless, tunable composite tube with controlled electrical and mechanical properties, preventing delamination and accommodating complex geometries, thus enhancing electrical protection and reducing manufacturing costs while being adaptable to various applications.
Implementation Method 1
the resistivity of the outer portion of the composite pipe is preferably set between 50 K-ohms per meter length and 4 M-ohms per meter length
Implementation Method 2
A vacuum bag molding process is used to form the composite tube
Data Source
AI summary
The composite tube comprises a tubular arrangement of knitted fiber characterized by a plurality of interlocking loops. Selected knitted patterns provide desired density or spacing between fibers. Selected fibers may include materials such as Kevlar®, carbon fiber, and combinations thereof. The tubular knitted pattern allows for variable electrical, mechanical and geometrical options. A matrix material is applied over the knitted fiber pattern and is allowed to cure. The matrix material may include a combination of resin and epoxy constituents. The matrix material may be applied by a vacuum bag molding process. Electrical and mechanical properties can also be controlled by selecting desired resin and epoxy constituents. The flexible knitted reinforcing layer allows use of an inflatable bladder to hold the reinforcing layer in the desired shape, thereby facilitating tube constructions of varying shapes and diameters. Continuous application of the matrix material avoids overlapping seams that are prone to delamination.