Contoured Vent Dam for Aircraft Fuel Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vent dams in aircraft fuel systems cause turbulence and pressure drop due to their flat plate design, leading to decreased refuel rates and increased structural loads.
Innovation Solution
A vent dam configuration with a contoured guiding surface and side flanges that is curved or sloped to smoothly direct fuel flow, reducing turbulence and pressure drop, and allowing for easy installation and sealing within the vent stringer system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flat plate vent dam is used to block fuel flow, then fuel flow is blocked effectively, but turbulence and pressure drop increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vent dam replaces the flat plate configuration with a curved surface that is contoured to match the expected fuel flow pattern. This curvature allows the fuel to follow a smoother path around the dam, reducing turbulence and pressure drop while maintaining effective flow blocking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the vent dam from a flat plate to a curved surface with specific radii and angles. By optimizing these geometric parameters, the design achieves reduced flow separation and lower pressure drop while preserving the flow blocking function.
2Reliability
If a flat plate vent dam is used, then fuel flow is blocked, but turbulence increases causing decreased refuel rates
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surface design of the vent dam minimizes flow separation and turbulence by allowing fuel to follow a smoother trajectory. This reduces energy losses and maintains higher flow velocities, thereby increasing refuel rates while preserving effective flow blocking.
Solution Approach 2:
By optimizing the geometric parameters such as curvature radius and surface angles, the vent dam reduces turbulence intensity and maintains more laminar flow conditions, which directly improves refuel rate performance.
3Reliability
If a flat plate vent dam is used, then fuel flow is blocked, but structural loads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surface design distributes the fluid dynamic forces more evenly across the vent dam structure by reducing flow separation and vortex formation. This results in lower peak loads and more uniform stress distribution, decreasing overall structural loads while maintaining flow blocking effectiveness.
4Productivity
If a contoured vent dam is used to reduce turbulence, then refuel rate increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention achieves the contoured shape by modifying geometric parameters of a basic dam structure rather than introducing entirely new complex components. This approach balances performance improvement with manufacturing feasibility, reducing turbulence to increase refuel rate while keeping the design relatively simple.
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 effectively minimizes turbulence and pressure drop, increasing refuel rates and reducing structural loads by optimizing fluid flow through the vent stringer system.
Implementation Method 1
The vent dam comprises a contoured guiding surface for guiding fuel flow into and out of an interior of the vent stringer
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides in one embodiment for a vent dam for use in a vent stringer in a fuel vent system. The vent dam is configured to mount to and within the vent stringer The vent dam has a contoured guiding surface for guiding fuel flow into and out of an interior of the vent stringer, wherein the vent dam, the vent stringer, and a tube attached to the vent stringer are in fluid communication with one or more fuel tanks. The vent dam further has one or more side flanges extending from the contoured guiding surface for providing attachment of the vent dam to one or more interior portions of the vent stringer, wherein the contoured guiding surface and the one or more side flanges are formed as one piece.