Lightning protection system for aircraft composite structure

• Main Authors: PORTER JOHN R, NGUYEN THU A, SMITH DANIEL, TOWNSEND HARRY E, STECKMYER STEVEN C, PATE KEVIN D, HANSEN DARRIN M, MORGAN JEFFREY D, WINTER DALE B, HEETER RUSSELL J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.06.2011
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSIONTRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TOTRANSPORTATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; COSMONAUTICS; ELECTRICITY; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS; EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLYING SUITS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERATION; PARACHUTES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRANSPORTING

A lightning-protected conductive composite fuel tank includes a conductive material arrayed on an outer surface to at least partially cover a fastener centerline. Through holes extend along the fastener centerline through the conductive material and the underlying fuel tank shell. These through holes are countersunk into the fuel tank shell to a depth such that a fastener in a through hole will avoid electrical continuity or communication with the conductive material on the fuel tank outer surface. The gap in the countersunk through holes, between the fastener heads and the coextensive outer surface of the fuel tank, is filled with a dielectric or nonconductive material.