The new system can monitor the structural
integrity of a plane in flight, detecting
pressure changes that could indicate
cracking.
Image: iStockphoto
A new technology has been developed to help ensure the structural safety of the next generation of more fuel efficient, less environmentally harmful civil airliners.
RMIT University PhD student Caleb White has been developing an Australian invention used to detect cracks in metal airliners for use in new, largely advanced carbon fibre structure jets.
Since 2005 much of this has been done with the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures (CRC-ACS) in Melbourne. CRC-ACS is a world leading research organisation in high-strength lightweight plastics.
The world’s two largest aircraft manufacturers, Boeing, with its Boeing 787 and Airbus Industrie with its Airbus A350, are pouring billions of dollars into the first generation of largely carbon fibre composite structure airliners.
With other innovations, financially stressed airlines are looking at these aircraft delivering increased fuel efficiency of more than 20 per cent.
The new structures are made by placing multiple layers of carbon fibre cloth over a forming tool to produce the required shape, impregnating it with a resin matrix and baking it in an autoclave at high temperature and under several atmospheres pressure.
The resulting lightweight, stronger than steel components produced for the new generation of airliners include the fuselage and cabin pressure vessel, wings and tailplane.
Caleb White and colleagues have developed and demonstrated a technique that they believe can work like a human nervous system and can monitor the structural health of the aircraft during flight. It is an extension of the successful comparative vacuum monitoring system invented in Western Australia that has captured the interest of many international airlines for their metal aircraft.
The system employs vacuum, and any detection of resultant differential pressures, for in-situ, real-time monitoring of crack initiation and/or propagation.
Mr White’s work is aimed at taking the system from use on today’s largely metal airliners to future carbon fibre-based jets.
“Continuous health monitoring is the next step for tomorrow’s aircraft. This has potential to make flying safer and cheaper,” he said.
He has applied his system to aircraft parts made from new composite materials and has developing guidelines for aircraft designers.
Interest in the system has been shown by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, EADS, which has civil airliner builder Airbus Industrie and a wide range of military manufacturers in its portfolio.
Caleb White’s research will be featured at the Pathfinders: the Innovators Conference at the National Convention Centre in Canberra, May 26–28.
Mr White is one of eight early career scientists invited to present their research results at the conference, organised by the Cooperative Research Centres Association. The CRCA represents Australia’s 50 CRCs operating under a federal government program to drive public/private sector research.
Editor's Note: Original news release can be found here.
|
