Ballistic Parachute Fuel Discharge System for Emergency Landing Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current whole-aircraft ballistic parachute systems do not adequately address the safety of aircraft occupants during emergency landings, as they do not effectively reduce the descent rate or separate flammable aircraft fuel from occupants before impact, potentially leading to injuries and damage.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a fuel discharge system that rapidly empties the aircraft fuel tanks by creating a discharge passageway when the parachute is deployed, reducing the aircraft's weight and descent rate, and ensuring fuel separation from occupants and the impact zone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a whole-aircraft ballistic parachute system is deployed, then the aircraft can be lowered to the earth, but the descent rate cannot be sufficiently reduced and fuel cannot be separated from occupants before impact
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel discharge system is activated in advance of parachute deployment. The discharge passageway is created before the aircraft impacts the ground, allowing fuel to be emptied from the wings and separated from the occupants during the descent phase, rather than at the moment of impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the fuel discharge function from the parachute deployment function. The fuel discharge system operates independently through a separate discharge passageway created in the wing, while the parachute system operates independently for deceleration. This segmentation allows both functions to perform their respective safety roles without interfering with each other.
2Speed
If the aircraft weight is reduced by discharging fuel, then the descent rate is reduced, but the system requires additional complexity to create discharge passageways
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel discharge system utilizes the existing aerodynamic forces and weight distribution of the aircraft during parachute deployment to automatically create the discharge passageway. The system does not require separate actuators or complex mechanical devices - the natural movement and forces during emergency deployment are sufficient to open the discharge path and empty the fuel tanks.
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 significantly reduces the descent rate and separates flammable fuel from occupants, enhancing safety by decreasing the risk of injury and damage during emergency landings, while maintaining a minimal weight penalty and integrating seamlessly with existing parachute systems.
Implementation Method 1
rapidly empties the aircraft fuel tanks by creating a discharge passageway when the parachute is deployed, reducing the aircraft's weight and descent rate
Implementation Method 2
When the whole-aircraft parachute is deployed, a rocket fires through the cover 105 and extracts the whole-aircraft parachute from an opening under the cover. The rocket then tensions the parachute harness straps. Next, the whole-aircraft parachute partially inflates.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft, the aircraft including a whole-aircraft ballistic parachute that is coupled to the aircraft. The aircraft determines if a pre-activation action needs to be performed before activation of the whole-aircraft ballistic parachute. The aircraft also receives a whole-aircraft ballistic parachute activation request. The aircraft then issues a command to perform the pre-activation action and then activates the deployment of the whole-aircraft ballistic parachute. The aircraft then issues a command to perform a post-activation action.