Composite Vent Dam Barrier for Aircraft Fuel Stringers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of vent dams in aircraft fuel vent stringers is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process due to the need for surface preparation and the use of fasteners and seals, and it can be awkward to access the inner wall of the vent stringer through an outer opening, especially in channels with small or irregular openings.
Innovation Solution
A method of joining a composite interior wall with a composite channel by wrapping composite plies around mandrels and inserting them into the channel, creating a barrier to block fluid flow without using fasteners or sealants, and attaching a composite panel to close the passageway, which simplifies the installation process and eliminates the need for surface finishing and external access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vent dams are installed mechanically using fasteners and seals, then the vent dam can be securely attached to the internal channel, but the installation process becomes time consuming and labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The vent dam is merged with the internal channel by forming the dam structure as an integral part of the channel wall during the composite manufacturing process. The dam is created by positioning and bonding composite plies against the internal channel surface, eliminating the need for separate installation of fasteners and seals, thus achieving secure attachment while reducing installation time and labor
Solution Approach 2:
The vent dam structure is prepared and positioned within the internal channel before the composite channel is fully manufactured and cured. The dam is formed using composite plies that are bonded to the channel surface during the manufacturing process, so that the dam is already in place and secured when the channel is completed, eliminating the need for subsequent installation operations
2Manufacturing precision
If surface preparation is performed on the inner wall before installation, then the installation quality is improved, but the installation process becomes more time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The inner wall surface is prepared, cleaned, and primed during the manufacturing process of the composite channel itself, before the channel is delivered to the customer. This preliminary surface preparation ensures that the surface is ready for subsequent bonding operations, achieving high installation quality while eliminating the need for separate surface preparation time during final installation
Solution Approach 2:
The surface preparation operations (cleaning, priming) are merged with the composite channel manufacturing process rather than being performed as a separate subsequent operation. The inner wall surface is prepared during the channel fabrication, so that when the channel is installed, the surface is already ready for bonding, thus achieving high quality without additional time loss
3Ease of operation
If an opening is provided in the outer surface for accessing the inner wall, then installation can be performed, but the structural integrity of the vent stringer is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vent dam and its bonding interfaces are prepared and positioned within the internal channel before the channel is closed off and manufactured. All bonding operations are completed while the channel is still open for access, and then the channel is closed off during manufacturing. This ensures that no openings remain in the finished product, preserving structural integrity while still allowing installation access during the manufacturing process
4Reliability
If fasteners and seals are used to secure the vent dam, then the vent dam can be firmly attached, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vent dam structure is merged with the internal channel as an integral component, eliminating the need for separate fasteners and seals. The dam is formed by bonding composite plies directly to the channel surface, reducing the number of discrete components while maintaining secure attachment through the bonding process
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening function is extracted from the assembly of separate components (fasteners, seals, dam) and integrated into the bonding process itself. The bonding agent and composite plies work together to provide both the structural dam function and the fastening function, eliminating the need for separate mechanical fasteners and reducing overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method of joining an interior wall and a composite channel together is disclosed. The method includes wrapping one or more first composite plies around a first end portion of a first mandrel and wrapping one or more second composite plies around a second end portion of a second mandrel. The method includes positioning the one or more first composite plies located on the first end portion of the first mandrel against the one or more second composite plies located on the second end portion of the second mandrel to create the interior wall, and inserting the first mandrel and the second mandrel into a passageway of a composite channel. The interior wall created by the one or more first composite plies and the one or more second composite plies creates a barrier to block a flow of fluid within the passageway of the composite channel.