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How can aircraft engine designs prioritise safety without compromises?
Articles- Sep 29,23
Designing a safe aircraft engine requires significant forethought, thinking of all the possible things that could go wrong or erode safety, and mitigating the effects, says Emily Newton.
Professionals involved in aircraft engine manufacturing must continually explore ways to keep their designs safe. Here are some actionable ways to do that.
Follow published guidance and insight for aircraft designs
Regulatory bodies — including the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency — create and uphold standards for an aircraft engine’s safety, performance, environmental impact and more. There are also separate specifications when a manufacturer wants to upgrade or repair an existing motor, ensuring the new version will function within the requirements.
Similarly, international bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization publish worldwide standards to achieve consistency across the aviation industry. Becoming familiar with them is a good starting point for people to design safe engines without overlooking something critical or making dangerous compromises.
Another best practice is working with leading engine manufacturers, like Boeing and Rolls-Royce. Design professionals from those companies can weigh in about whether specific choices might negatively impact safety.
Innovation still can and does happen in aviation engines. However, people must only proceed with cutting-edge changes if they ensure their plans are within safety standards and regulations.
Check the noise production of engine designs
Excessively noisy aircraft engines pose numerous safety hazards. They could prevent the aircraft crew from communicating smoothly or make it harder for pilots to hear audible signs that something’s wrong with the plane. Noise fatigue can also negatively affect a pilot’s concentration.
NASA runs a 65-foot-high test chamber that looks like a golf ball. The Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory has a more than 70-year history of assisting aircraft engine manufacturing professionals in finding the best noise-reduction strategies for their designs.
Before that facility was built, people tested aircraft engines outdoors, causing noise complaints. The indoor test chamber contains the noise. It also prevents distractions from weather or other exterior noises that might make it more challenging to run noise tests.
Sometimes, workers compare noise from scale-model components to the sounds produced during test flights. Then, they can identify and address any discrepancies.
Test potential engine designs with digital twins
Manufacturers regularly check the feasibility of planned products with digital twins. Doing so makes them aware of possible issues sooner, saving them time and money in the long run. They can also experiment to see the pros and cons of specific design decisions before implementing them in real life. This approach allows people to keep safety at the forefront while testing innovative options.
A recent example involved designing and validating a turbofan jet engine. The project — which involved input from 35 engineers — will initially aid aircraft engine manufacturing for defense planes. However, those involved also envision a broader commercial future.
Digital twins can also help if some decision-makers doubt certain design aspects. Running a simulation to show how they function could provide the necessary information and peace of mind to prompt approval of a particular option that affects the engine makeup.
Prepare for unexpected events
Even the best planning efforts can result in things going wrong once a plane is off the ground. Although pilots, maintenance crews, flight attendants and others control a lot, unexpected things can still happen. Aircraft engine manufacturing specialists must anticipate them.
One way they do that is by minimising the adverse effects of bird-related damage. Technicians must identify the number of impact sites and their measurements, then perform thorough engine inspections.
Some people have experimented with adding screens to keep birds from flying into internal plane parts. However, they’re not widely used since some people have pointed out that a wire screen may not be robust enough to survive a bird’s impact, so it could break apart and fall into the engine.
A more widely used option is to use containment systems, such as those for engine fan blades. Restricting broken pieces to one area decreases the chances of issues rapidly worsening. The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History has a special lab for analyzing the birds that hit airplanes — or even just their feathers. The facility handles about 9,000 cases annually. Some of the trends analyzed in that lab could influence future aircraft engine manufacturing improvements.
People also plan for emergencies by ensuring planes can fly with just one engine. If one fails, the craft can still move and land normally. However, it will lack the maximum thrust power required for takeoff. Some planes have four engines that provide even more safeguards during failures.
Emphasise safety in aircraft engine manufacturing
Designing a safe aircraft engine requires significant forethought, thinking of all the possible things that could go wrong or erode safety, and mitigating the effects.
Anyone involved in aircraft engine manufacturing should stay aware of technologies that could make their jobs easier, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR). High-tech solutions often enable better, faster planning and more durable, trustworthy designs.
About the author:
Emily Newton is a tech and industrial journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized Magazine. Subscribe to the Revolutionized newsletter for more content from Emily.
Aircraft engine
engine designs
digital twins
aircraft safety
Federal Aviation Administration
Emily Newton
European Union Aviation Safety Agency
Boeing
Rolls-Royce
NASA
Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory
International Civil Aviation Organization
artificial intelligence
AI
augmented reality
AR
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