Crash-Load Absorbing Tank Fitting With Breakaway Energy Dissipation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies lack an effective solution for protecting hydrogen tanks in aircraft or spacecraft from significant damage during crash scenarios, such as crash landings, while also minimizing damage to other components.
Innovation Solution
A crash-load absorbing attachment fitting is proposed, comprising a joint that breaks at a pre-determined load-absorption activation threshold, activating a destroyer device to destructively act on the attachment fitting parts, effectively absorbing crash loads and protecting the hydrogen tank.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid attachment fitting is used to securely mount a hydrogen tank, then the tank is well protected during normal operation, but the tank and components suffer significant damage during crash scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment fitting is divided into multiple load-bearing parts connected by joints that can break at predetermined thresholds. This segmentation allows the structure to progressively fail in controlled ways, separating the protective function during normal operation from the crash load management function.
Solution Approach 2:
Destroyer devices are pre-installed on the load-bearing parts, positioned to actively destroy remaining structural elements when joints break during a crash. This beforehand preparation ensures that crash loads are actively managed to protect the tank, rather than relying on passive structural integrity alone.
2Reliability
If heavier protective structures are added to protect the hydrogen tank during crashes, then tank integrity is improved, but the overall weight of the aircraft or spacecraft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing parts are made from fibre-reinforced composite materials, which provide high strength-to-weight ratio. This allows the attachment fitting to offer adequate crash protection while minimizing the added weight compared to traditional metallic protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint breaking load-absorption activation threshold is carefully designed and tuned to match expected crash scenarios. This parameter optimization ensures that the protective structure activates at the right moment without requiring excessive structural mass, balancing protection effectiveness with weight constraints.
3Strength
If stronger attachment fittings are used to secure the hydrogen tank, then normal operation safety is improved, but crash loads are not effectively absorbed
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment fitting transitions from a static strong structure to a dynamic system with predetermined failure points. The joints are designed to break at specific load thresholds, transforming the structure from rigid to progressively collapsible during crashes, enabling effective energy absorption through controlled deformation and destruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The destroyer devices are designed to actively destroy parts of the attachment fitting during crashes, converting the harmful crash energy into beneficial controlled destruction. This deliberate destruction of non-critical components absorbs crash loads that would otherwise be transmitted to the hydrogen tank, turning a negative outcome into a protective mechanism.
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 limits loads on the hydrogen tank and other components during crashes, ensuring the tank's integrity and preventing damage, while also enabling weight and cost reductions through the use of fibre-reinforced composite materials.
Implementation Method 1
the joint is configured such that the joint breaks when the load reaches or exceeds the pre-determined load-absorption activation threshold value
Implementation Method 2
the destroyer device is arranged so as to be capable of destructively acting on the other one of the first and second parts after breaking of the joint
Implementation Method 3
both the first and second parts are each made with a fibre-reinforced composite material... capable of consuming considerable amounts of kinetic energy during destruction thereof
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a crash-load absorbing attachment fitting (1; 101; 201; 301; 401), comprising a first and second part (3, 6; 103, 106; 203, 206; 303, 306; 403, 406) that are joined to each other at a joint (10; 110; 210; 310; 410), the first and second parts being load-bearing parts. The joint is configured such that the joint is capable of transferring, during normal use of the crash-load absorbing attachment fitting, a load (F) which is below a pre-determined load-absorption activation threshold value between the first and second parts, and such that the joint breaks when the load reaches or exceeds the pre-determined load-absorption activation threshold value. The crash-load absorbing attachment fitting further comprises a destroyer device (15; 115; 215; 315; 415), wherein the destroyer device is rigidly connected to and/or rigidly supported by one of the first and second parts and wherein the destroyer device is arranged so as to be capable of destructively acting on the other one of the first and second parts after breaking of the joint. Moreover, the invention proposes an aircraft or spacecraft (91) comprising a tank for storing hydrogen, in particular liquefied hydrogen, and at least one such crash-load absorbing attachment fitting (1; 101; 201; 301; 401), the tank being attached to a structural member (78) of the aircraft or spacecraft using the crash-load absorbing attachment fitting.