Aircraft digital model simulation system

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of aviation technology simulation, in particular to an aircraft digital model simulation system, which comprises an instructor console in communication connection with an aircraft digital simulation model and used for inputting a fault instruction by a flight instructor; the airplane digital simulation model is provided with sub-models of a plurality of systems of an airplane, outputs alarm information based on a fault instruction input by a flight instructor or specific flight operation of a cockpit control device, and feeds back state information to the instructor console; the cockpit is provided with a control device, a display device and an alarm device; the operating device is used for inputting an instruction for operating the aircraft digital simulation model by a pilot; the display device is used for displaying the airplane state output by the airplane digital simulation model; the warning device triggers warning books of different levels based on warning information of the airplane digital simulation model, and airplane simulation design, flight simulation training and engineering application can be supported.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aviation technology simulation, and in particular to an aircraft digital model simulation system. Background Technology

[0002] Modern aircraft typically use flight training simulators to train pilots in procedures, flight operations, and emergency response simulations. Flight training simulators are typical human-in-the-loop ground simulation devices that provide a realistic training environment for flight trainees through real flight equipment, visuals, sound, and simulation computers (including simulation models). Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides an aircraft digital model simulation system, comprising:

[0004] The instructor control console communicates with the aircraft digital simulation model and is used by flight instructors to input fault commands.

[0005] The aircraft digital simulation model has sub-models of multiple aircraft systems. It outputs alarm information based on fault commands input by the flight instructor or specific flight operations of the cockpit control devices, and feeds back the status information to the instructor's console.

[0006] The cockpit is equipped with control devices, display devices, and alarm devices;

[0007] Control device, used by the pilot to input commands to control the digital simulation model of the aircraft;

[0008] Display device, used to display the aircraft status output by the aircraft digital simulation model;

[0009] The alarm device triggers alarms of different levels based on alarm information from the aircraft's digital simulation model.

[0010] Preferably, the alarms of the alarm device include: display alarms, light alarms and voice alarms; the alarm levels include system warning level and attention level alarms.

[0011] Preferably, the aircraft digital simulation model includes: an interface unit, a controller unit, and an actuation unit;

[0012] The interface unit is used to process hardwired control / display signals from the cockpit and supports fault injection and overdrive control.

[0013] The controller unit consists of a state machine and a control command calculation unit. The controller unit receives the current state of the system from the actuation unit and receives cockpit control commands from the interface unit. Based on the data sent by the simulation model of other aircraft systems, the controller unit performs state machine switching and control command calculation.

[0014] The actuation unit reflects the dynamic changes of the controlled device in the system, including but not limited to changes in position, pressure, temperature, and speed. The actuation unit may also include sensor components to collect the above parameters and send them to the controller unit or other system simulation models, supporting sensor fault simulation.

[0015] Preferably, the aircraft digital simulation model includes a flight simulation sub-model, an engine simulation sub-model, a flight control simulation sub-model, a fuel simulation sub-model, a hydraulic simulation sub-model, and an auxiliary power simulation sub-model.

[0016] Preferably, the aircraft digital simulation model includes an aircraft auxiliary power system digital simulation model, which receives control signals from the cockpit, processes them through the controller unit and actuator unit, and outputs APU status information and alarm information to the cockpit instruments. The aircraft auxiliary power system digital simulation model includes:

[0017] Controller unit: Used to receive cockpit control signals and perform control logic calculations;

[0018] Actuation unit: Used to simulate the dynamic working process of the APU itself.

[0019] Preferably, the status information output to the cockpit instruments includes at least APU speed, exhaust temperature, and bleed air pressure; the alarm information includes multiple attention-level alarms and alert-level alarms.

[0020] Preferably, the digital simulation model of the aircraft auxiliary power system supports fault injection via an instructor's station to trigger typical fault simulations of the system; the typical fault simulations include at least:

[0021] APU malfunction shutdown and APU failure to ignite and start;

[0022] APU lubricating oil level is low;

[0023] APU fuel pressure is low;

[0024] APU emergency shutdown;

[0025] APU automatic stop;

[0026] APU emergency stop switch not reset;

[0027] APU intake valve position indicator;

[0028] APU bleed air valve position indicator.

[0029] Preferably, the cockpit control device includes an APU main switch, an APU start switch, an emergency stop switch, and an oil heating switch; wherein the main switch and the start switch jointly control the APU start-up process, and the main switch alone controls the APU normal shutdown process.

[0030] Preferably, the controller unit is configured to manage six operating states of the APU, including shutdown state, fast start state, normal start state, available state, emergency stop state, and normal stop state.

[0031] Preferably, the rapid start-up state is triggered by an instructor's console command, enabling the APU to quickly reach a usable state within approximately 2 seconds;

[0032] The normal start-up state is triggered according to the cockpit control sequence, and completes an automatic program including throttle opening, ignition, and speed increase, with the entire process taking about 75 seconds.

[0033] In the available state, the APU can provide backup power to the aircraft and open the bleed air valve to provide air supply according to the instructions of the environmental control system;

[0034] The emergency stop state is triggered by the emergency stop button in the cockpit or by the fire extinguisher handle, and there is no cooling operation process.

[0035] The normal shutdown state is triggered by the main switch and includes a cooling operation program that lasts for about 1 minute.

[0036] Preferably, the APU body components dynamically simulated by the actuation unit include at least a damper, fuel valve, bleed air valve, starter, rotor, and exhaust nozzle, and the simulated dynamic parameter changes include the damper opening and closing process, the speed change process, the exhaust temperature change, and the lubricating oil quantity change.

[0037] This invention innovatively proposes focusing on pilot-perceptible dynamic processes in modeling, optimizing the allocation of modeling resources by ignoring non-explicit and unimportant processes. This focused approach significantly improves the efficiency of simulation model construction and avoids the resource waste caused by excessive pursuit of comprehensiveness in traditional methods. Particularly in the APU modeling example, by simplifying interface units and directly constructing controller and actuator units, the flexibility and practicality of modular design are demonstrated. This invention also focuses on streamlining the interface signals connecting the aircraft's six degrees of freedom motion, cockpit controls, displays, and audible alarms, establishing a highly integrated signal interaction system. This design ensures that the simulation model accurately reflects the operational feedback of the real aircraft, providing pilots with a realistic training environment. Figure 2 The interface diagram clearly illustrates this advantage. The fault simulation system of this invention encompasses a multi-level alarm mechanism (warning level, attention level, and alert level), simulating typical faults such as APU shutdown, ignition failure, and low lubricating oil level by injecting faults through the instructor's console. This design significantly enhances the effectiveness of emergency response training and ensures the comprehensiveness of the training subjects. Figure 4The flowchart shown illustrates the complete logic of fault triggering and response. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 An aircraft digital model simulation architecture according to the present invention is shown;

[0039] Figure 2 An interface diagram of an aircraft digital model according to the present invention is shown;

[0040] Figure 3 An aircraft digital model controller according to the present invention is shown;

[0041] Figure 4 The present invention illustrates the simulation process of an aircraft digital model according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. An aircraft digital model simulation design method focuses on the dynamic processes that pilots can perceive, ignoring the modeling of non-explicit and non-important processes;

[0043] The simulation models are divided according to the aircraft system. The focus is on sorting out the interface signals of the airborne system digital simulation model and the six degrees of freedom motion of the aircraft, cockpit control, cockpit display and cockpit sound alarm. The architecture and simulation design of the digital simulation model are established with the aim of reflecting the above interface characteristics.

[0044] Typical system fault simulations are required, including analyzing cockpit display alarms, light alarms, and voice alarms, and simulating the system alarm logic. This simulation must cover at least the triggering of warning-level and attention-level alarms. Faults or flight operations should be injected via the instructor's console to trigger alarms that are perceptible to the pilot in the cockpit.

[0045] Simulation models typically consist of interface units, controller units, and actuation units, and can be tailored to the specific characteristics of the system.

[0046] The interface unit is typically used to process cockpit hardwired control / display signals, supporting fault injection and overdrive control. For some simulation models, such as the simulation of intruding aircraft motion in airborne collision avoidance systems, the interface unit is also used for simulation.

[0047] The controller unit generally consists of a state machine and a control command calculation unit. The controller unit receives the current state of the system from the actuation unit and receives cockpit control commands from the interface unit. Based on the data sent by the simulation model of other aircraft systems, the controller unit performs state machine switching and control command calculation.

[0048] Actuation units typically represent the dynamic changes of the controlled devices in a system, including but not limited to changes in parameters such as position, pressure, temperature, and velocity. Actuation units may also include sensor components to collect these parameters and transmit them to the controller unit or other system simulation models, supporting sensor fault simulation.

[0049] Based on design / test / flight test data or pilot feedback, the fidelity of the digital model's performance can be improved, including but not limited to the operating envelope and dynamic characteristics of the actuators. For example... Figure 1 As shown,

[0050] The following describes the invention in further detail using the modeling process of an aircraft's auxiliary power unit (APU) as an example.

[0051] 1. To conduct cockpit flight training, an APU simulation model is established. This model can receive cockpit control signals, process them through computational logic, and output APU-related information to the cockpit instruments for display.

[0052] 2. The auxiliary power digital simulation model displays cockpit information including status indicators and alarms. The status indicators include APU speed, exhaust temperature, and bleed air pressure; the alarms include six warning levels and two alert levels.

[0053] 3. The development of its fault situation simulation model aims to trigger alarm information in the cockpit, sort out the logic of triggering fault alarms, and inject faults through the instructor's console to support the development of special situation training subjects.

[0054] APU Fault (Attention Level): There are many situations that can trigger APU fault alarms. When simulating faults, it's not necessary to exhaustively list them all; selecting a few typical faults and implementing their triggering is sufficient. This simulation model includes two special cases: APU fault shutdown and APU failure to ignite and start. Faults are injected from the instructor's console, and the model responds accordingly.

[0055] APU low lubricating oil level (caution level): When the lubricating oil level is low, a fault injection is performed from the instructor's station, and the model responds accordingly.

[0056] APU low fuel pressure (caution level): This fault is triggered by the fuel system.

[0057] APU Emergency Stop (Caution Level): When the APU is working normally, it is triggered when the "Emergency Stop" button in the cockpit is pressed or when the fire extinguisher handle issues an emergency stop command.

[0058] Automatic APU Shutdown (Caution Level): When the APU malfunctions, it will automatically shut down. At this time, the main switch will display "Fault", and the aircraft CAS will report "Automatic APU Shutdown".

[0059] APU emergency stop switch not reset (caution level): The APU is working normally, 10 seconds after the cockpit "emergency stop" button is pressed;

[0060] APU Intake Valve Position (Indication Level): Indicates the status of APU during normal operation;

[0061] APU bleed valve position (indicator level): Indicates the status of APU during normal operation.

[0062] 4. The cockpit control system of the APU simulation model includes the APU main switch, APU start switch, emergency stop switch, and lubricating oil heating switch. The main switch and start switch control the starting of the APU, and the main switch alone controls the normal shutdown of the APU.

[0063] 5. Since the APU simulation model does not perform fault simulation or over-control processing on the control device, and the status lights on the control device do not have complex calculation logic, the interface unit is removed. The simulation model consists of a controller unit and the APU body (actuator). The controller unit receives the control signals and the status feedback from the APU body, and performs control mode switching and sends control commands. The APU body includes the choke, fuel valve, bleed air valve, starter, rotor, exhaust nozzle, etc.

[0064] 6. The APU controller unit has: The APU has 6 states: fast start, normal start, available, emergency stop, normal stop and shutdown;

[0065] APU Quick Start: When the aircraft is on the ground or in the air, the APU is in the off state. The main APU switch in the cockpit is turned on. By clicking "APU Quick Start" on the instructor's console, the APU damper is opened quickly, the APU quickly reaches normal speed, and then the APU enters the usable state. The quick start time is about 2 seconds. This mode is used for the rapid and normal start of the system during flight training.

[0066] APU Normal Start-up: When the aircraft is on the ground or in the air, the APU is in the off state. The APU main switch in the cockpit is turned on. After about 15 seconds, the APU damper opens. Then, press the start switch for 1 second. The APU will rotate under the drive of the starter motor and execute the automatic start-up procedures such as starting and ignition. When the speed reaches 95% + 2 seconds, the "Start" light on the start switch goes out and the "Available" light comes on, and the APU enters the usable state. The normal start-up process takes about 75 seconds.

[0067] When available: Provides backup power to the aircraft; can be controlled by the APU bleed air switch of the environmental control system to open the bleed air valve to provide air supply to other aircraft systems;

[0068] Emergency Shutdown: APU emergency shutdown is achieved in two ways: first, by issuing an emergency shutdown command to the APU via the APU fire extinguisher handle on the fire suppression system control panel; and second, by issuing an emergency shutdown command to the APU via the APU emergency shutdown switch on the external power control board. Emergency shutdown does not involve cooling operation.

[0069] Normal shutdown: Press the cockpit main switch. The "ON" light on the main switch will turn off. After 1 minute of cooling operation, the "Available" light on the start switch will turn off. Upon receiving the normal shutdown command, if the APU is supplying air to the aircraft, the air supply valve will be disconnected first. When the engine speed is less than 5% of ground speed, the controller issues a command to close the APU air intake valve, and the air intake valve begins to close. After the air intake valve closes, the aircraft fuel valve circuit is cut off, and the APU shutdown procedure ends.

[0070] 7. The APU body contains actuation units controlled by the controller, including the opening / closing process of the damper, the process of increasing / decreasing the speed, the change of exhaust temperature with flight status, speed, and fuel supply, the change of oil level in the oil tank, the opening / closing of the bleed air valve, the opening / closing of the fuel valve, and the APU power supply interface, etc.

[0071] 8. Based on design / test / flight test data or pilot feedback, the APU model's performance fidelity can be improved. The controller unit incorporates APU ground / air start-up envelope data; if the start-up envelope is exceeded, normal start-up will fail. Components in the actuator unit exhibiting dynamic characteristics, such as changes in dampers, APU speed, exhaust temperature, and lubricating oil volume, can have their parameters corrected according to actual conditions (variations with load, flight altitude, Mach number, atmospheric temperature, and time). When the flight altitude exceeds the APU's permissible bleed air altitude, the APU controller will not open the bleed air valve even if a bleed air valve opening command is received.

[0072] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An aircraft digital model simulation system, characterized in that, include: The instructor control console communicates with the aircraft digital simulation model and is used by flight instructors to input fault commands. The aircraft digital simulation model has sub-models of multiple aircraft systems. It outputs alarm information based on fault commands input by the flight instructor or specific flight operations of the cockpit control device, and feeds back the status information to the instructor's console. The cockpit is equipped with control devices, display devices, and alarm devices; Control device, used by the pilot to input commands to control the digital simulation model of the aircraft; Display device, used to display the aircraft status output by the aircraft digital simulation model; The alarm device triggers alarms of different levels based on alarm information from the aircraft's digital simulation model.

2. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The alarms provided by the alarm device include: display alarms, light alarms, and voice alarms; the alarm levels include system warning level and attention level alarms.

3. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The aircraft digital simulation model includes: interface unit, controller unit, and actuation unit; The interface unit is used to process hardwired control / display signals from the cockpit and supports fault injection and overdrive control. The controller unit consists of a state machine and a control command calculation unit. The controller unit receives the current state of the system from the actuation unit and receives cockpit control commands from the interface unit. Based on the data sent by the simulation model of other aircraft systems, the controller unit performs state machine switching and control command calculation. The actuation unit reflects the dynamic changes of the controlled device in the system, including but not limited to changes in position, pressure, temperature, and speed. The actuation unit may also include sensor components to collect the above parameters and send them to the controller unit or other system simulation models, supporting sensor fault simulation.

4. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The aircraft digital simulation model includes flight simulation sub-model, engine simulation sub-model, flight control simulation sub-model, fuel simulation sub-model, hydraulic simulation sub-model, and auxiliary power simulation sub-model.

5. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The aircraft digital simulation model includes an aircraft auxiliary power system digital simulation model. It receives control signals from the cockpit, processes them through the controller unit and actuator unit, and outputs APU status information and alarm information to the cockpit instruments. The aircraft auxiliary power system digital simulation model includes: Controller unit: Used to receive cockpit control signals and perform control logic calculations; Actuation unit: Used to simulate the dynamic working process of the APU itself.

6. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The status information output to the cockpit instruments includes at least APU speed, exhaust temperature, and bleed air pressure; the alarm information includes multiple attention-level alarms and alert-level alarms.

7. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The digital simulation model of the aircraft auxiliary power system supports fault injection via an instructor's station to trigger typical fault simulations of the system; the typical fault simulations include at least: APU malfunction shutdown and APU failure to ignite and start; APU lubricating oil level is low; APU fuel pressure is low; APU emergency shutdown; APU automatic stop; APU emergency stop switch not reset; APU intake valve position indicator; APU bleed air valve position indicator.

8. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The cockpit control system includes an APU main switch, an APU start switch, an emergency stop switch, and an oil heating switch; wherein, the main switch and the start switch jointly control the APU start-up process, and the main switch alone controls the APU normal shutdown process.

9. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The controller unit is configured to manage six operating states of the APU, including shutdown, fast start, normal start, available, emergency stop, and normal stop.

10. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The rapid start-up state is triggered by the instructor's console command, enabling the APU to quickly reach a usable state within approximately 2 seconds; The normal start-up state is triggered according to the cockpit control sequence, and completes an automatic program including throttle opening, ignition, and speed increase, with the entire process taking about 75 seconds. In the available state, the APU can provide backup power to the aircraft and open the bleed air valve to provide air supply according to the instructions of the environmental control system; The emergency stop state is triggered by the emergency stop button in the cockpit or by the fire extinguisher handle, and there is no cooling operation process. The normal shutdown state is triggered by the main switch and includes a cooling operation program that lasts for about 1 minute.

11. The aircraft digital model simulation system as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The APU body components dynamically simulated by the actuation unit include at least a damper, fuel valve, bleed air valve, starter, rotor, and exhaust nozzle. The simulated dynamic parameter changes include the damper opening and closing process, speed change process, exhaust temperature change, and lubricating oil quantity change.

Images