Hydrodynamic Effects in Wing Fuel Tank Caused by Debris Impact

Abstract

When tire burst debris impacts a wing fuel tank, the momentum and kinetic energy are transferred to the fluid and the surrounding structure, which increases the risk to the aircraft. In this paper, two types of hydrodynamic effects, defined as the pressure wave mode and the fluid displacement mode, were investigated in the process of tire burst debris impacting a wing tank, and an accurate numerical model was established. A fluid–solid interaction (FSI) model with the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) method is proposed to reproduce the hydrodynamic effects; the model fully considers the interaction between the tank and the fuel, and the accuracy of the numerical model was verified by experiments that met the airworthiness conditions. Analysis of the pressure wave propagation, fuel pressure, fuel displacement, and cavity evolution showed that the pressure wave first affects the structure, then the fluid gradually evolves a cavity near the impact point, and finally the fluid displacement significantly increases the impact on the structure. The numerical analysis method for simulating the hydrodynamic effects of tire burst debris impacting a wing tank is presented and was evaluated. It can provide a reference for airworthiness certification and structural design of aircraft.