Removable Aero-Acoustic Baffles for Aircraft Weapons Bay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft weapons bays experience severe aero-acoustic environments due to pressure fluctuations, which can damage stores and aircraft equipment, and existing solutions are generic and not tailored to specific configurations, offering only moderate benefits.

Innovation Solution

A removable structure is placed inside the weapons bay to directly influence the flowfield and reduce aero-acoustic effects, tailored to specific stores and configurations, and associated with the launcher for easy installation and removal, comprising lateral and longitudinal walls or baffles that restrict airflow and pressure fluctuations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If permanent modifications to the aircraft structure are made (e.g., control surfaces upstream or re-shaping boundaries), then the aero-acoustic environment is moderately improved, but the adaptability to different stores/configurations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaero-acoustic effectsVSAvoidadaptability to different stores

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The weapons bay is divided into multiple cavities with individual door assemblies, allowing each cavity to be independently configured and modified for different store types while maintaining overall system functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The door assemblies are designed to be movable and reconfigurable, enabling the weapons bay to dynamically adapt its configuration for different stores rather than being fixed in a single permanent arrangement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the weapons bay structure is permanently modified to reduce aero-acoustic effects, then the noise and vibration are moderately reduced, but the complexity of the aircraft structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise and vibrationVSAvoidaircraft structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Aero-acoustic treatment materials and flexible baffles are used within the weapons bay cavities to reduce noise and vibration without requiring complex permanent structural modifications to the aircraft airframe

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

Intermediary structures such as baffles and treatment materials are introduced within the weapons bay to mediate the aero-acoustic environment, separating the source of noise from the sensitive areas without modifying the primary aircraft structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If generic solutions are applied to the weapons bay, then the implementation is simple and quick, but the effectiveness in reducing aero-acoustic effects is only moderate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of implementationVSAvoidaero-acoustic effects

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different cavities and door assemblies are configured with specific aero-acoustic treatments and geometries tailored to the local requirements of different store types, rather than applying a uniform generic solution throughout the entire weapons bay

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 effectively mitigates aero-acoustic effects by directly influencing the flowfield within the cavity, reducing noise and vibration, and can be easily exchanged or tailored for different stores, enhancing the durability of stores and reducing launch trajectory disruptions.

Implementation Method 1

the pressure in the cavity can fluctuate significantly. The pressure fluctuations can give rise to significant aero-acoustic effects

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure fluctuations:

Implementation Method 2

the pressure fluctuations can give rise to significant aero-acoustic effects (e.g. audible noise, vibrations etc.)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAero-acoustic effects:

Data Source

PatentUS11220336B2Structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment in an aircraft weapons bay

Publication Date: 2022.01.11 MBDA UK

AI summary

An aircraft comprises a weapons bay, the weapons bay comprising a cavity having an opening through which stores may be deployed, and a door assembly for exposing/closing the opening of the cavity. A first store is held in the cavity via a launcher and a first structure is disposed inside the cavity, for controlling the aero-acoustic environment. The first structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment is removeably mounted in the weapons bay, such that if the first store is exchanged for a second, different, store, the structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment may be unmounted from the weapons bay and removed, to be exchanged for a second, different, structure for controlling the aero-acoustic environment.