Truss-Braced Wing Engine Mounting for Lower Transonic Drag
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transonic aircraft face challenges in managing airflow and drag on wings due to structural limitations imposed by engine placements and control surfaces, which constrain wing designs and reduce aerodynamic performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a truss-braced wing design that supports the wing with a pylon and strut system, allowing the engine to be mounted on the truss instead of the wing, reducing structural loads and enabling a smaller wing chord length and increased wingspan, thus optimizing aerodynamic performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the engine is mounted on the wing, then the wing structure must support additional loads, but this increases the wing chord length and reduces aerodynamic performance
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure is segmented into a pylon and strut system that separates the engine support function from the wing structure. The pylon extends from the fuselage and supports the engine, while the strut connects the pylon to the wing, dividing the load path into distinct structural elements rather than requiring the wing to directly support the engine.
Solution Approach 2:
The pylon acts as an intermediary structure between the fuselage and the engine, transferring engine loads to the fuselage rather than requiring the wing to support the engine directly. This intermediary element allows the wing to be optimized for aerodynamic performance without bearing the additional weight and structural requirements of engine mounting.
2Length of moving object
If the wing span is increased to improve aerodynamic performance, then the aircraft can achieve better transonic efficiency, but the structural requirements and control surface placements become more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The engine mounting is moved from the wing plane to a three-dimensional configuration using the pylon and strut system, allowing the engine to be positioned above or below the wing rather than on the wing surface. This dimensional relocation enables longer wing spans without increasing structural complexity, as the engine support structure operates in a different spatial plane.
3Length of moving object
If the wing chord length is reduced to improve aerodynamic performance, then the aspect ratio increases, but the structural strength requirements become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The engine support function is extracted from the wing structure and relocated to a separate pylon system connected to the fuselage. This extraction removes the engine mounting requirements from the wing design, allowing the wing chord length to be reduced for improved aerodynamic performance without compromising structural strength, as the wing no longer needs to accommodate engine mounts and associated structural reinforcements.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for transonic truss-braced wing aircraft are disclosed herein. An example aircraft disclosed herein includes a fuselage and a wing supported by a truss. The truss includes a pylon coupled to and extending from the fuselage and a strut attached to the wing. An engine is coupled to the pylon.