Aircraft Fuel Pressure Transducer Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft fuel systems lack a reliable method to measure fuel pressure accurately, leading to premature replacement of fuel pumps and increased maintenance costs due to the inability to assess wear and pressure changes over time.
Innovation Solution
The development of a transducer assembly that includes an electronic pressure transducer, an electronic pressure display, a power supply structure, and an attachment structure with a fitting and valve actuation structure, allowing for selective measurement and display of fuel pressure within the aircraft fuel supply system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a pressure switch is used to monitor fuel pump performance, then a threshold for minimum acceptable performance can be established, but no information regarding the level of wear or changes in pressure output over time can be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pressure switch with an electronic pressure transducer that provides continuous analog or digital pressure readings. This substitution enables precise measurement of fuel pressure over time, allowing monitoring of pressure degradation trends and wear levels without losing critical performance information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback system where pressure readings from the transducer are continuously monitored and displayed. This feedback mechanism allows operators to track pressure changes over time, identify wear trends, and make informed maintenance decisions based on actual performance data rather than simple threshold alerts.
2Reliability
If fuel pumps are proactively replaced during maintenance to ensure system reliability, then fuel supply system reliability is maintained, but maintenance time and costs increase due to unnecessary replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary detection of pressure degradation trends through continuous monitoring. By tracking pressure output over time, the system identifies pumps that are actually deteriorating before failure occurs, allowing maintenance to be scheduled based on real condition rather than fixed intervals, thus avoiding premature replacement of still-functional pumps.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system allows the fuel pump to effectively monitor its own performance through the transducer that tracks its pressure output. This self-diagnostic capability enables the system to identify which pumps need replacement and which are still performing adequately, reducing unnecessary maintenance interventions.
3Reliability
If fuel pumps are proactively replaced during maintenance to ensure system reliability, then fuel supply system reliability is maintained, but maintenance costs increase due to unnecessary replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system enables the fuel pump system to self-diagnose its own status through continuous pressure monitoring. By tracking actual performance data, the system identifies which pumps have degraded below acceptable thresholds and which are still functioning properly, allowing maintenance resources to be allocated only where needed and reducing unnecessary replacement costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback loops that continuously monitor pressure readings and compare them against performance thresholds. This feedback mechanism provides real-time information about pump health, enabling condition-based maintenance scheduling that replaces pumps only when actually needed, thereby optimizing maintenance costs while maintaining 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 solution enables real-time monitoring of fuel pressure, allowing for more informed maintenance decisions and reducing unnecessary fuel pump replacements, thereby lowering maintenance costs and improving operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an electronic pressure transducer, which is configured to measure the fuel pressure and to generate a fuel pressure signal indicative of the fuel pressure
Data Source
AI summary
Transducer assemblies that selectively measure a fuel pressure within a fuel supply system of an aircraft, aircraft that include the transducer assemblies, and methods of utilizing a transducer assembly. The transducer assemblies include an electronic pressure transducer, which is configured to measure the fuel pressure and to generate a fuel pressure signal indicative of the fuel pressure, and an electronic pressure display, which is configured to receive the fuel pressure signal and to display the fuel pressure responsive to receipt of the fuel pressure signal. The transducer assemblies also include a power supply structure and an attachment structure, which is configured to operatively interconnect the electronic pressure transducer to the aircraft. The attachment structure includes a fitting, which is configured to interface with a pressure switch receptacle of the aircraft, and a valve actuation structure, which is configured to selectively actuate a receptacle valve of the pressure switch receptacle.