An aircraft wingbox assembly 5 has a wingbox with upper and lower covers 10,11, a pair of spars 12,13 and a number of ribs (fig.5,14b,14c). The ribs divide the inside of the wingbox into bays (fig.5,20a,21a,22a) and a fuel tank 21 is located in a first one of the bays 21a. One of the spars has a hole 16 which enables the fuel tank to be removed from the bay (fig.8,fig,11). The spar hole may be covered by a door 15b fastened to the spar. The fuel tank may have two lugs (fig.5,51a,51b) and two fasteners (fig.5,52) to attach a respective lug to a respective ribs. Preferably, the tank is for a cryogenic fuel such as hydrogen. The assembly may have a second tank in a second bay, each fuel tank coupled by a respective fuel line to a fuel cell (fig.3,32); the first fuel line (fig.3,41) is located behind the rear spar and the second fuel line (fig.3,42) is located in front of the front spar. Also claimed is a spar with a flange and a web with a hole sized to enable a fuel tank to be removed through it.
Wingbox with removable fuel tank
2022-08-31
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | B64C AEROPLANES , Flugzeuge / B64D Ausrüstung für Flugzeuge , EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT / B64F GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT , Boden- oder Flugzeugträgerdeckeinrichtungen besonders ausgebildet für die Verwendung in Verbindung mit Luftfahrzeugen |