Flow Master Metering Plate for Aerospace Testing Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerospace component testing systems face issues with equipment wear, calibration drift, and malfunction, requiring frequent recalibration and the use of expensive, labor-intensive 'perfect' flow masters to evaluate testing equipment.
Innovation Solution
A flow master with a sealing surface, hollow body, and metering plate is used to evaluate airflow testing systems by matching the sealing surface of aerospace components, allowing for the determination of desired back pressure and sensing any discrepancies, which can be used to evaluate the testing system's accuracy without the need for multiple ideal workpieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional flow masters are constructed as perfect copies of target workpieces, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the workpiece that captures only the essential sealing interface geometry rather than replicating the entire complex internal flow path. The flow master contains a hollow body with sealing surfaces matching the workpiece platform, but uses a simplified internal passage with a metering plate instead of copying the actual complex cooling channels
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the critical sealing interface features from the complete workpiece geometry. The flow master includes sealing surfaces that match the workpiece platform geometry but omits the complex internal flow paths, retaining only the essential elements needed for calibration while removing unnecessary complexity
2Measurement precision
If separate masters are used for each flow path within each part, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and quantity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow master is designed with a universal hollow body that can accommodate multiple flow paths through the use of interchangeable metering plates. Each metering plate corresponds to a specific flow path configuration, allowing a single flow master body to serve multiple calibration functions rather than requiring separate masters for each path
3Measurement precision
If perfect master parts are used to evaluate testing equipment, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the workpiece that captures only the essential sealing interface geometry rather than replicating the entire complex internal flow path. The flow master contains a hollow body with sealing surfaces matching the workpiece platform, but uses a simplified internal passage with a metering plate instead of copying the actual complex cooling channels
Solution Approach 2:
The flow master is divided into separable components: a hollow body containing the sealing surfaces and an interchangeable metering plate. This segmentation allows the complex sealing interface to be manufactured separately and assembled with the simpler metering plate, improving ease of manufacture while maintaining measurement precision
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
This solution allows for the precise evaluation of airflow testing systems at a lower cost and with less labor, enabling the detection of faults and recalibration of testing equipment, reducing the complexity and expense of maintaining accurate airflow testing.
Implementation Method 1
The metering plate has a metering outlet selected to determine an overall flow loss and resulting back pressure across the flow master
Implementation Method 2
The sealing surface matches a first sealing surface shape of the aerospace component... The plate is attached to the hollow body in a fluid seal, the flow master is secured to a testing position in a fluid seal
Implementation Method 3
back pressure across the flow master is sensed while flowing air through the flow master
Data Source
AI summary
An airflow testing system for an aerospace component uses a flow master with a first sealing surface, a hollow body, and a metering plate. A desired back pressure across a flow path through the aerospace component is determined, and used to form a metering outlet through the metering plate. The plate is attached to the hollow body in a fluid seal, the flow master is secured to a testing position in a fluid seal, and back pressure across the flow master is sensed while flowing air through the flow master. The difference between desired and sensed back pressure is used to evaluate the airflow testing system.