Aircraft Landing Gear Hydraulic Backup Valve Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional hydraulic systems for aircraft main landing gear require significant weight and space while providing redundancy, which is inefficient and not optimized for modern aircraft needs.
Innovation Solution
A distributed hydraulic power system with two smaller hydraulic power packs, each sized to service one main landing gear, and a backup valve arrangement that connects high and low pressure lines to allow one power pack to service both landing gears in case of failure, reducing weight and space requirements while maintaining redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional hydraulic system includes a reservoir, pump, and other components sized to power both the left and right main landing gears with a second hydraulic system for redundancy, then redundancy is provided, but weight and space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the hydraulic power provision into separate segments: two smaller power packs (each capable of servicing one landing gear) replace one large power pack. The backup valve arrangement segments the redundancy function, allowing selective activation. This segmentation reduces overall weight while maintaining redundancy capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each power pack is designed with multi-functionality to service either the left or right landing gear independently. The backup valve arrangement provides universal backup capability, allowing either power pack to service both landing gears if needed. This universality enables smaller individual components while maintaining system-wide redundancy.
2Reliability
If a traditional hydraulic system includes a reservoir, pump, and other components sized to power both the left and right main landing gears with a second hydraulic system for redundancy, then redundancy is provided, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the hydraulic power provision into two smaller power packs instead of one large power pack. Each power pack occupies less space individually, and their combined footprint is reduced. The backup valve arrangement compactly integrates the redundancy function without requiring additional space-prohibitive components.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup valve arrangement merges the backup function into an integrated component that connects to existing power packs. This merging eliminates the need for separate, space-consuming backup systems while maintaining redundancy capability within the existing hydraulic architecture.
3Weight of stationary object
If two smaller hydraulic power packs are used instead of one large power pack, then weight and space requirements are reduced, but system complexity increases due to backup valve arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The backup valve arrangement acts as an intermediary component that simplifies the interaction between two power packs and two landing gears. Rather than requiring complex control systems, the passive valve arrangement automatically routes hydraulic flow based on pressure differentials, reducing control complexity while enabling the weight-reduced architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup valve arrangement operates passively using pressure differential activation. When one power pack fails, the pressure imbalance automatically activates the backup valves without requiring active sensing or control system intervention. This self-service mechanism reduces complexity compared to actively controlled backup systems.
4Area of stationary object
If two smaller hydraulic power packs are used instead of one large power pack, then space requirements are reduced, but system complexity increases due to backup valve arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The backup valve arrangement serves as a compact intermediary that enables the space-reduced two-power-pack architecture. The valve arrangement integrates into the existing hydraulic lines without requiring additional space-prohibitive structures, while its passive operation keeps control complexity low.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive, pressure-activated operation of the backup valve arrangement eliminates the need for complex electronic controls or active sensing systems. This self-service mechanism achieves the space-reduced design goal without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the valves automatically respond to failure conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The left and right main landing gears on an aircraft are normally controlled by separate hydraulic power packs (HPP). Each HPP (110A, 110B) is sized for the load of the respective main landing gear actuator (102, 104). During failure of one of the HPP, a backup valve arrangement (140) actuates to allow the other HPP to operate both main landing gears. With the backup valve arrangement actuated, the pump (120) of the functioning HPP is coupled to the reservoirs (118) and to the load interfaces (112) of both HPPs, to actuate both main landing gear actuators.