Fuel System Vapour Trail Detection Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods to suppress vapour trail formation from aircraft and ship engines incur weight, fuel-burn, or environmental penalties, and are not effective in optimizing the use of more expensive biofuels, which are needed to reduce climate-warming impacts.
Innovation Solution
A fuel system with a vapour trail detection sensor and control unit that selectively blends conventional and biofuels to achieve a desired soot emission index, reducing vapour trail optical depth and climate warming impact, while minimizing weight and power requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If heat exchanger and condenser arrangement are used to suppress vapour trail formation, then vapour trail formation is reduced, but significant weight is introduced into the engine
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful function of the exhaust system (vapour trail formation) is extracted and addressed separately from the main engine through a dedicated exhaust gas treatment system. The heat exchanger and condenser are integrated into the exhaust pathway rather than the core engine, allowing weight to be added only where necessary for vapour trail suppression without compromising engine performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust gas treatment system operates dynamically based on flight conditions. The heat exchanger and condenser are activated only when vapour trail suppression is required, rather than being continuously operational, thereby reducing the effective weight penalty during portions of flight when contrail suppression is not needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If directed electromagnetic energy is used to suppress vapour trail formation, then vapour trail formation is reduced, but weight penalty and significant fuel-burn penalty are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electromagnetic energy systems with a thermodynamic approach using heat exchangers and condensers. This mechanical/thermal system achieves vapour trail suppression through phase change and heat transfer rather than electromagnetic radiation, resulting in lower energy consumption and reduced fuel burn penalty.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If ultrasound is directed into the engine exhaust plume to suppress vapour trail formation, then vapour trail formation is reduced, but material weight penalty is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasound generation equipment and its associated weight are extracted from the aircraft system and replaced with a passive thermal management system using heat exchangers and condensers. This eliminates the need for heavy active ultrasound generation equipment while achieving the same vapour trail suppression effect through thermodynamic processes.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If chemicals are injected into the engine or exhaust plume to modify vapour trails, then vapour trail formation is suppressed, but additional pollution and weight penalty are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the naturally occurring exhaust water vapour, which causes vapour trails, into a beneficial effect by condensing it into liquid form. This phase change process removes the harmful vapour trail formation without introducing additional pollutants, as the water is simply changed from gas to liquid phase and condensed out of the exhaust plume.
5Object-affected harmful factors
If black carbon is introduced into the aircraft engine effluent to hide vapour trails, then vapour trail visibility is reduced, but additional environmental warming impact is created
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding black carbon particles to hide vapour trails (which increases warming impact), the system inverts the approach by condensing and removing water vapour itself. This eliminates the vapour trail through phase change rather than obscuration, achieving the same visibility reduction without the harmful environmental side effects of black carbon emissions.
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
The system effectively controls vapour trail optical depth, reducing climate warming impact and optimizing biofuel use, with minimal weight and power penalties, allowing aircraft to maintain optimal flight trajectories and reduce environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a vapour trail detection sensor configured to generate a first signal which indicates an optical depth of a vapour trail
Implementation Method 2
products of combustion from at least one engine of the aircraft
Implementation Method 3
arise from the precipitation of microscopic water droplets or, if the air is cold enough, tiny ice crystals
Implementation Method 4
an aircraft vapour trail, once formed, will persist in ambient air which is supersaturated with respect to ice
Data Source
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AI summary
A fuel system (12) comprising a vapour trail detection sensor (20) configured to generate a first signal (28) which indicates the optical depth of a vapour trail (35). A control unit (40) is provided responsive to the first signal (28) and configured to generate a second signal (80) in dependence upon the first signal (28). The second signal (80) defines a percentage of at least one of a first fuel composition and second fuel composition required to produce a resultant fuel composition. At least one regulator (42) is provided configured to receive and be responsive to the second signal (80) and regulate the percentage of first and second fuel composition required to produce the resultant fuel composition.