Aramid Elastomer Barrier for Wingbox Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern aircraft face challenges in preventing the leakage of gases and fluids from wing tanks into the fuselage, particularly in high-wing designs, where existing solutions are either too complex, heavy, or unreliable, posing safety and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, flexible barrier system using a fabric with epichlorohydrin elastomer impregnation, reinforced with materials like Aramid fibers, is positioned around the wing box to create a hermetic seal, allowing for easy installation and adaptation to various aircraft types, with features like corrugations for drainage and adjustable connections to ensure sealing and tolerance compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing protective devices are used to prevent gas and fluid leakage from wing tanks, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible membrane made of elastomeric material that can be stretched and secured around the wing tank structure. This thin film approach provides effective sealing against gas and fluid leakage while maintaining minimal complexity and weight compared to rigid protective devices. The membrane's flexibility allows it to conform to the wing tank contours and accommodate structural movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective device utilizes composite construction combining an elastomeric base material with reinforcement layers. This composite structure enhances the sealing reliability and mechanical strength of the membrane while keeping the overall device simple and lightweight. The reinforcement provides structural integrity without significantly increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If existing protective devices are used to prevent gas and fluid leakage, then sealing effect is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane provides effective sealing against fuel and volatile substance leakage while maintaining minimal weight. The thin film construction ensures that the protective device does not significantly increase the overall aircraft weight, unlike heavier rigid protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material construction with elastomeric base and reinforcement layers achieves optimal strength-to-weight ratio, providing reliable sealing effect while minimizing weight addition to the aircraft structure.
3Strength
If a rigid barrier is used to prevent leakage, then mechanical strength is improved, but flexibility to compensate for movements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane provides both adequate mechanical strength to contain pressure differences and sufficient flexibility to accommodate relative movements between the wing box and fuselage cell during flight operations. The elastomeric material inherently combines strength and elasticity.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite construction with reinforcement layers enhances mechanical strength while the elastomeric base material maintains flexibility, achieving an optimal balance between structural integrity and adaptability to structural movements.
4Reliability
If complex protective devices are used, then sealing reliability is improved, but ease of installation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane can be easily stretched and secured around the wing tank structure, simplifying installation compared to complex rigid protective devices. The material's flexibility allows for straightforward adaptation to the wing tank geometry without requiring complex assembly procedures.
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 solution provides a reliable, lightweight, and easy-to-install barrier that effectively prevents gas and fluid leakage, maintains mechanical strength, and compensates for pressure differences and movements, ensuring safety and compliance with safety regulations.
Implementation Method 1
at least one fabric is arranged in the area of the surrounding border, wherein the fabric allows for easy and quick assembly and also has sufficient flexibility during operation to be able to compensate for any movements
Implementation Method 2
the fabric allows for easy and quick assembly and also has sufficient flexibility during operation to be able to compensate for any movements between a wing or the wing box and the wing tanks located therein and the fuselage cell located underneath during flight operations
Implementation Method 3
the elastomer or rubber material used has antistatic properties, so that an ignition of explosive gas mixtures in the area of the device is almost impossible
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for preventing the passage of gases and/or fluids exiting from a wingbox (2) of an aircraft into an aircraft fuselage located therebelow. According to the invention, the device comprises at least one sheet material (13) positioned above or below the wingbox (2). The sheet material (13) is preferably formed using a woven fabric reinforced with aramid fibers or the like, which woven fabric is impregnated or completely soaked with an epichlorohydrin elastomer mass or with another elastomer, such as a rubber mass or the like, in order to ensure the required leak tightness toward liquid and/or gaseous substances, in particular toward fuels. As a result of the ability of the sheet material (13) to move parallel to the fuselage longitudinal axis of the aircraft, which ability to move is provided by the design, a tolerance compensation in said direction is possible during the assembly. As a result of the regularly corrugated structure of the sheet material (13), alignment is also possible during the installation, and a compensation of movements during flight operation is also possible. The slightly corrugated surface geometry of the sheet material (13) also permits a quick and uniform diversion of liquids caught over the surface extension of the sheet material (13) using several draining connections, preferably each arranged in a corrugation trough (32), by means of a hose line system (51) connected thereto.