Ram Chute Assembly for Aircraft Wing Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hollow aircraft wings, used to accommodate batteries and power electronics, face heat management challenges due to heat-generating components, as traditional cooling methods like liquid cooling add weight and gaseous cooling requires ensuring airflow when the aircraft is stationary.
Innovation Solution
A ram chute assembly that directs propeller wash air into a hollow wing structure through an air inlet and discharges it towards an air intake opening, providing efficient cooling by utilizing the airflow generated by the propeller when the engine nacelle is rotating, regardless of its orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid cooling medium is used to cool heat-generating components, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but aircraft weight increases and leakage risk is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses gaseous cooling media (ambient air or propeller wash) instead of liquid cooling systems. The hollow wing structure serves as a thermal pathway, allowing cooling air to flow through and cool battery packs and power electronics without requiring liquid coolant, pumps, or reservoirs, thereby reducing weight and eliminating leakage risks while maintaining effective heat removal.
2Weight of moving object
If gaseous cooling media is used to cool heat-generating components, then aircraft weight is reduced, but airflow into wing interior cannot be ensured when aircraft is stationary
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system utilizes the propeller wash generated during normal operation to drive airflow through the hollow wing structure. The propeller's rotation creates a low-pressure zone that naturally draws cooling air through the wing interior, eliminating the need for separate fans or blowers. This self-service approach ensures reliable cooling during flight and takeoff/landing operations while maintaining system simplicity and weight efficiency.
3Temperature
If cooling air flow is increased to improve cooling effectiveness, then heat dissipation is improved, but system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the propeller wash, which is a byproduct of propulsion, into a useful cooling resource. By routing the propeller-generated airflow through the hollow wing structure containing heat-generating components, the system achieves effective cooling without requiring additional energy input for dedicated cooling fans or pumps, thereby improving heat dissipation while minimizing energy consumption.
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 ensures effective heat dissipation from heat-generating components within the wing by providing a consistent and concentrated flow of cooling air, preventing overheating and maintaining component performance during takeoff, landing, and flight operations.
Implementation Method 1
receive propeller wash air through the air inlet into the interior passage when a propeller of the engine nacelle is rotating
Implementation Method 2
passing gases or liquids over surfaces of these components to remove heat therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A ram chute assembly is provided for directing a flow of cooling air into a hollow wing structure of an aircraft. The ram chute assembly includes a ram chute body defining an interior passage, and an air inlet enabling an airflow from an exterior of the ram chute body into the interior passage. The assembly is structured to be attachable to an exterior of an engine nacelle so as to receive propeller wash air through the air inlet into the interior passage when a propeller of the engine nacelle is rotating. The ram chute assembly is also structured to discharge the propeller wash air in a direction toward an air intake opening formed in an upper surface of a hollow wing structure on which the engine nacelle is mounted.