AIRCRAFT ENGINE NACELLE BULKHEADS AND METHODS OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME

• US 20150314882A1
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Lumbab, Alex C., Leisten, Bradley Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,708,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/00 Power-plant nacelles, fairings, or cowlings nacelles not otherwise provided for B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/06 Attaching of nacelles, fairings or cowlings
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/005 Selecting particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/02 De-icing means for engines having icing phenomena
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/20 Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/96 Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work

Abstract

An engine nacelle includes an exterior wall and an interior wall. A forward bulkhead is coupled between the interior wall and the exterior wall, wherein the forward bulkhead comprises a curvilinear body portion that extends between the interior wall and the exterior wall. The engine nacelle also includes an aft bulkhead coupled between the interior wall and the exterior wall, wherein the aft bulkhead comprises a curvilinear body portion that extends between the interior wall and the exterior wall.

Claims

1. An engine nacelle comprising:

an exterior wall;

an interior wall;

a forward bulkhead coupled between said interior wall and said exterior wall wherein said forward bulkhead comprises a curvilinear body portion that extends between said interior wall and said exterior wall; and

an aft bulkhead coupled between said interior wall and said exterior wall, wherein said aft bulkhead comprises a curvilinear body portion that extends between said interior wall and said exterior wall.

2. The engine nacelle in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a lipskin assembly comprising a first segment and a second segment wherein said first segment is operable as a first portion of said interior wall and said second segment is operable as said exterior wall; and

a structural inner barrel operable as a second portion of said interior wall.

3. The engine nacelle in accordance with claim 2, wherein said forward bulkhead is coupled between said second segment and one of said first segment or said inner barrel.

4. The engine nacelle in accordance with claim 2, wherein said aft bulkhead is coupled between said second segment and said inner barrel.

5. The engine nacelle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said forward bulkhead body portion and said aft bulkhead body portion each protrude in an upstream direction opposite a direction of airflow through said engine nacelle.

6. The engine nacelle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said forward bulkhead further comprises an inner flange coupled between said body portion and said interior wall and an outer flange coupled between said body portion and said exterior wall, and wherein said aft bulkhead further comprises an inner flange coupled between said body portion and said interior wall and an outer flange coupled between said body portion and said exterior wall.

7. The engine nacelle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said aft bulkhead body portion comprises a forward wall, an aft wall, and strengthening structure extending therebetween.

8. The engine nacelle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said forward bulkhead is formed from a ceramic matric composite.

9. The engine nacelle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said aft bulkhead is formed from a super-plastic formed diffusion-bonded titanium.

10. An aircraft comprising:

an engine nacelle comprising;

a lipskin comprising a first segment and a second segment;

a structural inner barrel;

a forward bulkhead comprising a curvilinear body portion that extends between one of said first segment or said inner barrel and said second segment; and

an aft bulkhead axially-spaced from said forward bulkhead, said aft bulkhead comprising a curvilinear body portion that extends between said structural inner barrel and said second segment.

11. The aircraft in accordance with claim 10, wherein said forward bulkhead body portion and said aft bulkhead body portion each protrude in an upstream direction opposite a direction of airflow through said engine nacelle.

12. The aircraft in accordance with claim 10, wherein said forward bulkhead further comprises an inner flange coupled between said body portion and one of said first segment or said structural inner barrel and an outer flange coupled between said body portion and said second segment, and wherein said aft bulkhead further comprises an inner flange coupled between said body portion and said structural inner barrel and an outer flange coupled between said body portion and said second segment.

13. The aircraft in accordance with claim 12, wherein said forward bulkhead further comprises a reinforcing wall coupled between said inner and said outer flanges.

14. The aircraft in accordance with claim 10, wherein said aft bulkhead body portion comprises a forward wall, an aft wall, and strengthening structure extending therebetween.

15. A method of assembling an engine nacelle having an interior wall and an exterior wall, said method comprising:

coupling a forward bulkhead between the interior wall and the exterior wall, wherein the forward bulkhead includes a curvilinear body portion that extends between the interior wall and the exterior wall; and

coupling an aft bulkhead between the interior wall and the exterior wall, wherein the aft bulkhead includes a curvilinear body portion that extends between the interior wall and the exterior wall.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein coupling a forward bulkhead between the interior wall and the exterior wall further comprises coupling the forward bulkhead between one of a first segment of a lipskin assembly or a structural inner barrel and a second segment of the lipskin assembly.

17. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein coupling an aft bulkhead between the interior wall and the exterior wall further comprises coupling the aft bulkhead between a structural inner barrel and a lipskin assembly.

18. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein coupling a forward bulkhead between the interior wall and the exterior wall further comprises coupling the forward bulkhead between the interior wall and the exterior wall such that the body portion protrudes in an upstream direction opposite a direction of airflow through the engine nacelle.

19. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein coupling an aft bulkhead between the interior wall and the exterior wall further comprises coupling the aft bulkhead between the interior wall and the exterior wall such that the body portion protrudes in an upstream direction opposite a direction of airflow through the engine nacelle.

20. The method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising:

coupling a forward reinforcement wall between the interior and exterior walls aft of the forward bulkhead body portion; and

coupling an aft reinforcement wall between the interior and exterior walls aft of the aft bulkhead body portion.