Drainage Mast Retaining Cavity for Propulsion Fluid Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current propulsion assembly designs face challenges in retaining drained liquids such as oil, water, and fuel, as the liquids are discharged when the nacelle cowl is moved, leading to potential leakage and loss, especially when the drainage mast is not equipped with a retaining box, and existing solutions do not effectively address the issue for both turbine engines.
Innovation Solution
A device with a body defining a cavity that includes two adjustable walls to accommodate liquid storage at various angles, ensuring that the liquids are retained regardless of the cowl's position, with the walls positioned to define volumes that are at least equal to the cavity's volume, allowing for effective liquid retention during cowl movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drainage mast is equipped with a retaining box to store drained liquids, then liquid retention capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining box is integrated within the drainage mast structure, with the cavity nested inside the mast body. The walls form an internal containment structure that utilizes the existing mast space, eliminating the need for a separate external retaining box and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining liquid retention capability.
2Ease of operation
If the cowl is moved to open position for maintenance, then ease of operation is improved, but liquid discharge to ground occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining box with its containment walls is installed before any liquid discharge can occur during cowl movement. The walls create a physical barrier that prevents liquid from escaping the cavity regardless of the mast's orientation, counteracting the harmful effect of liquid discharge that would normally occur when the cowl is opened for maintenance operations.
3Volume of moving object
If the retaining box is integrated in the drainage mast, then space utilization is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining box is formed with specific local structural features including walls with defined thicknesses and configurations at critical locations. The walls are designed with appropriate thickness and positioning to ensure liquid retention while accommodating manufacturing tolerances, applying higher precision requirements only where necessary for functional performance rather than throughout the entire structure.
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 device effectively retains all drained liquids within the storage cavity, preventing discharge during cowl opening and closing operations, ensuring reliable liquid management and control, regardless of the cowl's orientation, thus addressing the leakage issues in existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
The retained liquids flow into the conveying means and into the storage cavity as a result of gravity
Data Source
AI summary
A device for retaining drained fluids for a propulsive assembly includes a cavity for storing the drained fluids and two walls mounted at the opening of said cavity. The cavity has a fluid storage volume V1 when the device is in a substantially vertical position, and each wall is configured such as to define a fluid storage volume (V2 and V3 respectively) in the cavity when the device is in a substantially horizontal position, each of the volumes V2 and V3 being at least equal to the volume V1.