Hydrodynamic Ram Compliant and Self-Sealing Fuel Cell Structures

In order to maximize range, a substantial portion of the interior volume of aircraft is allocated for fuel containment. To ensure the safety of aircrew and passengers, these systems must contain fuel and retain critical structural integrity in the event of a crash, self-seal and retain structural capability in the event of penetration, and suppress fire in the event of proximate ignition. Traditionally, light weight aircraft such as rotorcraft have accomplished these functions with heavy self-sealing bladder offset and isolated from primary structure. Boeing and the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center's Aviation Development Directorate (ADD), together with the Joint Aircraft Survivability Program Office, have developed and demonstrated a structurally integrated fuel containment system that efficiently tolerates crash, self-seals, and suppresses fire at a lower weight and volume than traditional systems, thus maximizing space and weight capacity for fuel and payload.