Aircraft Skin Cooling Channels for Low-Drag Fluid Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft cooling systems for fluid supply and drainage devices are inefficient due to significant aerodynamic drag and weight increase, which raises energy consumption and is not optimal for airborne applications.
Innovation Solution
Integration of hollow carbon fibers within the polar plates and skin components of aircraft fuel cell devices, acting as both structural reinforcement and cooling channels, utilizing additive manufacturing for efficient liquid coolant circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional heat exchangers or radiators are installed on the aircraft to cool the fluid, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but aerodynamic drag increases and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling function with the aircraft skin structure by integrating hollow fibers directly into the skin layers. This merging eliminates the need for separate heat exchanger components, thereby reducing aerodynamic drag while maintaining cooling effectiveness through direct thermal coupling between the hollow fibers and the aircraft structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow fiber structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural reinforcement to the aircraft skin, acts as a cooling channel for fluid circulation, and enables thermal management. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated cooling components that would increase drag, while the skin itself becomes the cooling device.
2Temperature
If traditional heat exchangers or radiators are installed on the aircraft to cool the fluid, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is merged with the aircraft skin structure, eliminating the need for separate heavy heat exchanger components. The hollow fibers are embedded within the skin layers, making the skin itself the cooling device and significantly reducing overall system weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow fiber structure performs multiple functions: structural reinforcement and cooling channel. This eliminates the need for separate cooling components and reduces weight by combining functions into a single integrated structure that is already part of the aircraft airframe.
3Weight of moving object
If hollow fibers are integrated into the skin component for cooling, then weight is reduced and aerodynamic drag is minimized, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs additive manufacturing technology to create the hollow fiber structures with varying parameters such as fiber diameter, wall thickness, and distribution density. This enables optimization of cooling performance and structural properties while managing manufacturing complexity through digital design and automated fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The integration of hollow fibers into the skin component creates a composite structure that combines the structural properties of the skin material with the cooling functionality of the hollow fibers. This composite approach allows for tailored material properties and can be manufactured using advanced composite fabrication techniques including additive manufacturing.
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 approach reduces weight and size while maintaining effective cooling, minimizing aerodynamic drag, and enabling efficient liquid cooling closer to the heat source, thus optimizing fuel cell performance in aircraft.
Implementation Method 1
each hollow fiber being configured for conducting a fluid from one end portion to another end portion of the hollow fiber such that the fluid can be pumped through the one or more hollow fibers
Implementation Method 2
an aircraft cooling device for cooling a fluid in a fluid supply and/or drainage device of an aircraft in flight
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides an aircraft cooling device (84) for cooling a fluid (46) in a fluid supply and/or drainage device (70) of an aircraft (88) in flight, the aircraft cooling device (84) being configured as a skin component (104) for the aircraft (88), the skin component (104) including an integrated ply (106) of one or more hollow fibers (54), each hollow fiber (54) being configured for conducting the fluid (46) from one end portion (56) to another end portion (56) of the hollow fiber (54) such that the fluid supply and/or drainage device (70) is enabled to pump the fluid (46) through the one or more hollow fibers (54) when in fluid connection with ply (106).