Rigid Electrical Raft for Gas Turbine Engine Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical harnesses in gas turbine engines are bulky, heavy, complex, and prone to mechanical damage, contributing significantly to the weight, complexity, and cost of the engine, while separate heating systems add additional weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A rigid electrical raft with embedded electrical conductors and heating elements that provide both electrical signal transmission and heating, reducing the need for separate heating systems and enhancing protection against mechanical damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wiring harnesses are used for electrical signal transmission, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but the system becomes bulky, heavy, and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines electrical conductors, protective rigid material, and heating elements into a single integrated raft structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate wiring harnesses and dedicated heating components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining electrical connectivity and adding heating functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid electrical raft serves multiple functions simultaneously: it transmits electrical signals through embedded conductors, provides mechanical protection through the rigid material, and delivers heating through integrated heating elements. This multi-functionality replaces what would traditionally require separate components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional wiring harnesses with protective sleeves are used, then mechanical protection is provided, but weight and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function is merged into the rigid material that forms the raft structure itself, rather than being a separate sleeve or covering. This integration provides mechanical protection without the additional weight and bulk of conventional protective layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid material used in the raft is likely a composite material that provides both structural integrity and mechanical protection. This composite structure offers superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to conventional protective sleeves, reducing overall weight while maintaining protection.
3Temperature
If separate heating components are added to prevent ice and condensation buildup, then heating functionality is achieved, but weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Heating elements are merged into the rigid electrical raft structure, combining the electrical system and heating system into a single component. This eliminates the need for separate heating components and their associated mounting, wiring, and control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid electrical raft becomes a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides electrical signal transmission and thermal heating. This universality reduces the total number of components needed in the system.
4Reliability
If conventional harnesses with multiple components are used, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but assembly and maintenance time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple components (conductors, protection, heating) are merged into a single pre-assembled raft unit. This reduces assembly operations from installing multiple separate components to installing one integrated unit, significantly reducing assembly and maintenance time.
Solution Approach 2:
The raft is pre-assembled with all electrical conductors, protective material, and heating elements integrated before installation. This preliminary assembly eliminates the need for on-site assembly of multiple components, reducing installation time and potential assembly errors.
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
The rigid electrical raft is more compact, lighter, and less complex, reducing assembly and maintenance times, improving reliability, and minimizing the risk of damage, while providing effective heating to prevent ice and condensation buildup.
Implementation Method 1
WO2011/127996 discloses a blade for a wind turbine that comprises a heating mat for generating heat by resistive heating.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A rigid electrical raft has electrical conductors embedded in a rigid material. The electrical conductors transmit electrical signals through the rigid electrical raft, which may form part of an electrical system of a gas turbine engine. The rigid electrical raft also has electrical heating elements embedded therein. The electrical heating elements provide heat which may be used, for example, to prevent condensation and/or ice build-up and/or to raise the temperature of electrical components to be within a desired range.