Integrated Drive Generator Seal Plate Layout for Full Housing Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated drive generators in aircraft face challenges in maintaining a constant frequency of generated electric power due to varying input shaft speeds, requiring effective speed trimming mechanisms and full sealing of the generator to ensure reliable operation.
Innovation Solution
A seal plate with specific zones and configurations of bolt hole ears, oil passage ears, and alignment pin holes is designed to securely mount between housing portions of the generator, providing a sealed environment and facilitating the adjustment of input speed to maintain constant frequency generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal plate is mounted between two housing portions to ensure full sealing, then the reliability of the integrated drive generator is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for multiple bolt hole ears, oil passage ears, and alignment features
Solution Approach 1:
The seal plate is divided into multiple functional zones with distinct bolt hole ears and oil passage ears, allowing each section to be optimized for its specific function while collectively achieving full sealing of the generator housing
Solution Approach 2:
The seal plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides sealing surfaces, mounting locations for bolts, passages for oil flow, and alignment features, consolidating what could be multiple separate components into a single multi-functional element
2Adaptability or versatility
If the input shaft speed varies during gas turbine engine operation, then the adaptability to different operating conditions is improved, but the frequency stability of generated electric power deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a dynamic speed trimming mechanism that actively adjusts the differential gear ratio in response to varying input shaft speeds, allowing the generator to maintain constant output frequency despite changes in prime mover speed
Solution Approach 2:
The speed trimming mechanism uses feedback from the varying input speed to automatically adjust the gear differential, creating a closed-loop system that maintains stable output frequency by compensating for input variations in real-time
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 2D~3
AI summary
A seal plate body (103) has a first zone (Z1) including three bolt hole ears (106) and an oil passage ear (104A). A second zone (Z2) includes four bolt hole ears. A third zone (Z3) includes six bolt ears and one alignment pin ear (200). A fourth zone (Z4) has three bolt hole ears. A fifth zone (Z5) includes five bolt hole ears and one oil passage ear (104B). A sixth zone (Z6) includes three bolt hole ears and one alignment pin ear (200). Each of the bolt hole ears (106) includes a bolt hole, and each of the oil passage ears (104A, 104B) includes an oil passage hole. An integrated drive generator (20) and a method are also disclosed.