Composite Fan Cowl Tailored Core Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft fan cowls face weight-related issues that increase fuel costs and reduce payload capacity, and they deform under wind gusts, risking damage or collision with other components.
Innovation Solution
A composite fan cowl design featuring a core with tailored thickness, including a hinge zone, a body zone, and areas of increased thickness, which reduces weight while maintaining deformation control through localized stiffening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the fan cowl is made lighter to reduce weight, then fuel efficiency improves and payload capacity increases, but the fan cowl becomes more susceptible to deformation under wind gusts
Solution Approach 1:
The core thickness of the composite fan cowl is varied locally rather than uniformly. Specifically, the core has a first thickness in a first region and a second thickness greater than the first thickness in a second region. This local variation provides enhanced stiffness and strength in the second region to resist wind-induced deformation, while maintaining lighter weight in the first region, thus resolving the contradiction between overall weight reduction and localized strength requirements.
2Loss of energy
If the fan cowl is made lighter to decrease fuel costs, then operating costs reduce, but the fan cowl may permanently deform or strike other components due to wind gusts
Solution Approach 1:
The composite fan cowl employs a core with non-uniform thickness, having a first thickness in a first region and a second thickness greater than the first thickness in a second region. This localized thickness variation provides enhanced structural integrity and resistance to permanent deformation in the second region under wind gust loads, while maintaining overall weight reduction for decreased fuel costs, thus resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An engine nacelle comprised of a top portion with hinges and a composite fan cowl pivotally connected to the top portion by the hinges. The composite fan cowl comprises a core with a hinge zone having a first thickness and a body zone having a second thickness. The hinge zone includes the hinges. The body zone is distal from the hinge zone, and the first thickness is less than the second thickness.