Textile Cascade Assembly for Aircraft Thrust Reverser
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thrust reverser cascade assemblies in aircraft engines are heavy, increase aerodynamic drag, and are difficult to manufacture and install due to complex mounting structures, while also providing limited reverse thrust.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight textile cascade assembly that can collapse into a small volume when not in use, comprising vanes made of pliable material, which can fold, crease, or pack into a chamber, and includes features like biasing members and inflation systems to facilitate deployment and stowage, reducing the size and weight of the engine nacelle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional rigid cascade assemblies are used, then structural strength and flow redirection capability are improved, but weight and aerodynamic drag increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional rigid cascade vanes with flexible textile vanes made of woven or knitted fabric materials. These textile vanes maintain sufficient structural strength to redirect fan duct flow while being significantly lighter than conventional rigid structures. The flexibility of the textile material allows the vanes to collapse into a compact volume when not in use, reducing weight and aerodynamic drag on the aircraft.
Solution Approach 2:
The cascade assembly uses composite construction combining textile fabric with rigid support members and mounting structures. The textile vanes are attached to rigid support structures at their ends, creating a composite system that leverages the strength of rigid materials where needed while utilizing the lightweight properties of textile materials for the flow-redirection surfaces.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If traditional rigid cascade assemblies are used, then flow redirection capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cascade assembly transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure. The textile vanes can deform and adapt their shape during operation to optimize flow redirection, and can collapse into a compact configuration when not in use. This dynamic behavior reduces the complexity of mounting structures required compared to rigid assemblies that must maintain fixed geometric relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible textile vanes eliminate the need for complex rigid mounting structures, brackets, and fasteners required by traditional cascade assemblies. The textile material can be directly attached to simpler support structures, reducing device complexity and making the assembly easier to manufacture and install.
3Force
If traditional rigid cascade assemblies are used, then reverse thrust generation is improved, but aerodynamic drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible textile cascade assembly can dynamically adjust its configuration to optimize reverse thrust generation when deployed, while collapsing to a minimal cross-section when stowed to reduce aerodynamic drag. The ability of the textile vanes to deform under flow pressure enhances their effectiveness in redirecting exhaust gases to produce reverse thrust, while their collapsible nature minimizes drag during normal flight.
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 textile cascade assembly reduces the size and weight of the engine nacelle, decreases aerodynamic drag, and enhances reverse thrust efficiency while simplifying manufacturing and installation processes.
Implementation Method 1
The pliable textile material allows the vanes to fold, crease, roll, scrunch, twist, curl, compress, or pack into the open-ended chamber
Implementation Method 2
The biasing members may be leaf springs, coil springs, torsion springs, or the like. The biasing members urge the vanes to a distended position when the thrust reverser is deployed.
Implementation Method 3
The fan duct flow passes through the channels to distend the vanes. The distended vanes turn the fan duct flow to have a forward component
Data Source
AI summary
A cascade assembly for a thrust reverser of an aircraft engine. The cascade broadly comprises a number of vanes formed of a pliable material and shiftable between a collapsed position when the thrust reverser is in a stowed configuration and a distended position when the thrust reverser is in a deployed configuration to redirect fan duct flow in a reverse thrust flow opening created by the thrust reverser.