Engine Pylon Vortex Generator Integration for Drag Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft engine pylons cause aerodynamic disturbances, leading to increased drag and lift loss due to their structural design, which is exacerbated by the need for additional vortex generators installed post-manufacture, increasing aircraft mass and drag.
Innovation Solution
Integrating vortex generators into the engine pylon design during manufacturing to modify the pylon shape and reduce boundary layer thickness, allowing for increased boat tail angles and mass reduction without degrading aerodynamic performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vortex generators are mounted on the pylon box after manufacturing, then air flow separation is prevented and aerodynamic performance is improved, but the aircraft mass increases and additional drag is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The vortex generators are integrated into the pylon design during the initial manufacturing phase rather than being added later. This preliminary action allows the pylons to be manufactured with the vortex generator features already incorporated, eliminating the need for additional mass addition while maintaining the aerodynamic benefits of vortex generation for preventing flow separation.
2Strength
If the pylon has a bigger width with trailing edge close to the trailing edge of the wing structure, then structural requirements are met, but aerodynamic disturbances increase and drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pylon design incorporates vortex generators at specific locations on the box structure to locally modify the airflow characteristics. This allows the main structural body to maintain its required width and structural integrity while the localized vortex generators prevent harmful aerodynamic disturbances and flow separation at critical areas.
3Loss of energy
If the boat tail angle is increased to reduce drag, then aerodynamic performance improves, but the risk of air flow separation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vortex generators act as feedback mechanisms that continuously generate vortices to energize the boundary layer along the pylon surface. This feedback effect allows the pylon to operate at higher boat tail angles without experiencing flow separation, as the vortex generators actively prevent separation by mixing high-energy external air with the boundary layer air.
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 method reduces drag and mass by modifying the pylon shape, achieving improved aerodynamic performance with identical or reduced drag and mass compared to conventionally designed pylons, while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
These vortex generators 2 are fins laid out so as to project on to the box of the pylon 7 in order to modify the flow of air along said pylon. These vortex generators 2 mix air from the boundary layer with air from the external layer, thus making possible to increase the speed of the air in immediate proximity to the pylon, thus preventing air flow separations.
Implementation Method 2
The role of such a vortex generator is shown schematically in FIG. 3. This figure, by means of an arrow F1, shows the local air flow along a pylon 7. It also shows, by means of the arrows F2, the air vortices generated by the vortex generators 2, these vortices being the consequence of the air winding that occurs at the end of the fins 2 owing to the difference in pressure between the underface 2a and the upper face 2b of the fin.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an engine pylon (7) to be mounted between an engine (1) and an aircraft wing (6), said method comprising: mounting a pylon box (8) around a main structure (9), the box having a substantially oblong shape along which an air boundary layer (C) is formed while in flight; mounting at least one vortex generator (2) onto the pylon box such that a thickness (e) of the boundary layer is changed; and previously determining the shape of the pylon on the basis of the changed thickness of the boundary layer and the position of the vortex generators.