Underwing Heat Exchanger Mounting for Wing Bending Resilience
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft propulsion system heat exchanger cooling assemblies lack efficient and resilient mounting solutions that accommodate wing bending during flight and potential disruptions, such as bird strikes, while maintaining effective thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A mounting assembly for underwing heat exchangers featuring pivotably mounted heat exchanger brackets to support brackets, allowing flexibility and resilience, with brackets fixedly attached to the wing body, and optionally incorporating an underwing fairing for airflow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If heat exchanger brackets are rigidly fixed to the wing body, then thermal management efficiency is maintained, but the system cannot accommodate wing bending during flight
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger brackets are made pivotable relative to the support brackets, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position to accommodate wing bending during flight while maintaining secure mounting through the pivot mechanism that preserves structural integrity during disruptions
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat exchangers are arranged along the wing body, then thermal management coverage is improved, but the complexity of the mounting assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support brackets serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for multiple heat exchangers, accommodate wing bending through the pivot mechanism, and maintain secure mounting. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity compared to having separate mounting solutions for each heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for an aircraft includes a wing assembly, a plurality of underwing heat exchangers, and a mounting assembly. The wing assembly includes a wing body. The plurality of underwing heat exchangers are arranged along the wing body in a longitudinal direction. The plurality of underwing heat exchangers includes a first underwing heat exchanger and a second underwing heat exchanger. The first underwing heat exchanger is longitudinally adjacent the second underwing heat exchanger. The mounting assembly includes a first heat exchanger bracket, a second heat exchanger bracket, and a first support bracket. The first heat exchanger bracket is fixedly mounted to the first underwing heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger bracket is fixedly mounted to the second underwing heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger bracket and the second heat exchanger bracket are pivotably mounted to the first support bracket. The first support bracket is fixedly mounted to the wing body.