Aircraft Engine Assembly Mounted to Wheel Well Walls
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft engine assemblies face challenges in efficiently supporting the engine and propeller system, particularly when a retractable landing gear is integrated, as they require a robust mounting system that balances structural support and cooling air flow while minimizing drag and maintaining efficient power transmission.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves an engine assembly with a mount assembly connected to the wheel well walls, incorporating a gearbox and heat exchangers for cooling, and a mount assembly that interconnects the engine casing to the aircraft structure, ensuring stable support and efficient cooling airflow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the engine assembly is mounted on the bulkhead at the structural interface between the engine compartment and the airframe structure, then the engine assembly is supported, but the mounting structure becomes complex and occupies space that could be used for other components
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel well structure is designed to serve multiple functions: it houses the retracted landing gear and simultaneously supports the engine assembly through integrated mounting brackets. This eliminates the need for a separate bulkhead mounting structure, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining engine support capability.
2Strength
If the engine assembly is mounted in front of the landing gear compartment, then the engine is supported, but the cooling air flow path becomes obstructed and drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel well is divided into functionally distinct zones: an upper region for engine assembly mounting and a lower region for landing gear retraction. This spatial segmentation allows cooling air to flow uninterrupted beneath the engine assembly and around the landing gear, preventing flow obstruction and reducing aerodynamic drag while maintaining structural support.
3Strength
If the wheel well bottom opening is closed to support the engine assembly, then structural support is improved, but the landing gear cannot be deployed
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel well bottom opening is designed as a dynamic structure with movable closing panels that can be opened or closed based on operational requirements. When the landing gear needs deployment, the panels open to allow gear extraction; when the gear is retracted, the panels close to provide structural support for the engine assembly, thus adapting the structure's rigidity to different operational states.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An assembly (50) for an aircraft having a propeller (20), including a wheel well (54) configured for receiving a retracted landing gear (56), the wheel well (54) including walls and a closable bottom opening for deploying the landing gear (56) therethrough, an engine assembly (10) having an engine shaft (14) configured for driving engagement with the propeller (20), and a mount assembly (70) for supporting the engine assembly (10), the mount assembly (70) connected to at least one of the walls of the wheel well (54). A method of supporting an engine assembly (10) in an aircraft having a retractable landing gear (56) and a propeller (20) driven by the engine assembly (10) is also discussed.