Flush-Mounted Optical and Pneumatic Air Data Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional air data systems for aircraft suffer from increased drag and reduced survivability due to externally mounted Pitot probes, and lack redundancy in sensing technologies, making them susceptible to failure under environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
The integration of low-profile pneumatic and optical sensors that are flush with the aircraft body, allowing for dissimilar redundant sensing technologies to minimize aerodynamic impact and enhance survivability by providing independent measurement capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional externally mounted Pitot probes are used, then air data sensing is achieved, but drag increases and survivability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing function from traditional protruding Pitot probes and relocates it to flush-mounted sensors integrated into the aircraft skin. This separates the sensing capability from the protruding structure, eliminating drag while maintaining measurement functionality through boundary layer penetration techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from protruding three-dimensional sensors to two-dimensional flush-mounted sensors that operate within the boundary layer. By changing the dimensional configuration from external protrusions to integrated surface-mounted elements, the system eliminates drag while preserving sensing capability through optical and pneumatic measurement techniques adapted for boundary layer operation.
2Reliability
If single-type sensors are used, then system complexity is reduced, but reliability decreases due to lack of redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple dissimilar sensing technologies (optical sensors and pneumatic sensors) into a unified air data measurement system. By merging different sensing modalities that operate through different physical principles, the system achieves functional redundancy where if one sensor type fails, the other can provide continued measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs sensors that measure different physical parameters using different physical principles - optical sensors measure flow properties through light interaction while pneumatic sensors measure pressure differentials. This parameter diversity provides inherent redundancy as environmental conditions affecting one measurement type may not affect the other, enhancing system reliability.
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 configuration reduces drag, improves survivability, and eliminates common mode failures by enabling the aircraft to continue air data sensing even if one type of sensor is affected, using a combination of pneumatic and optical sensors that do not protrude beyond the aircraft's boundary layer.
Implementation Method 1
at least one optical sensor configured to emit an optical signal through the boundary layer and sense a value external to the aircraft in response to the optical signal
Implementation Method 2
at least one pneumatic sensor configured to sense a value external to the aircraft through the boundary layer
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A system for an aircraft (10) includes a pneumatic sensor (12; 112; 212), an optical sensor (14; 114), and a computer system (16). The pneumatic sensor (12; 112; 212) is configured to sense a value external to the aircraft. The optical sensor (14; 114) is configured to emit an optical signal external to the aircraft (10) and receive an optical response. The computer system (16) is configured to receive the value and the optical response. The pneumatic sensor (12; 112; 212) and the optical sensor (14; 114) do not extend beyond a boundary layer of the aircraft (10).