Low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device and steering method for aircraft

Abstract

The application discloses a low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device and steering method for an aircraft and belongs to the technical field of the aircraft. The application optimizes a control valve in a traditional aircraft hydraulic circuit, changes an output flow by controlling a hydraulic pump rotating speed and direction, realizes actuator action, and thus greatly reduces high-speed throttling noise and switching start-stop hydraulic impact noise caused by the control valve. Meanwhile, on the basis of an original decentralized valve control steering system, high-pressure accumulators are used to stabilize oil pressure and supply oil to hydraulic cylinders, stabilize oil pressure, isolate output flow pulsation of the hydraulic pump, reduce system structure vibration noise level, and avoid problems of fluid-structure sound coupling, resonance and local damage of the thin-walled structure of the aircraft caused by vibration noise alternating load.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aircraft technology, and specifically relates to a low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device and steering method for aircraft. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional aircraft control systems often generate high levels of vibration and noise during flight, including hydraulic shock noise from hydraulic pump start-stop and control overshoot, high-speed throttling noise from control valves, and hydraulic shock noise from switching on and off. Especially when the aircraft is in a high dynamic pressure flight environment, the control system faces a complex multi-physics load coupling environment, which can induce changes in the load on the control system, rapidly increasing the vibration and noise level of the hydraulic system and severely affecting the aircraft's precise control. Under alternating vibration and noise loads, the thin-walled structure of the aircraft exhibits fluid-structure acoustic coupling, easily causing structural resonance and large-scale vibrations, leading to localized structural damage. Simultaneously, high-intensity noise penetrates the fuselage compartment structure, negatively impacting precision instruments inside (such as inertial navigation systems, infrared detectors, radio communication and electronic control components), causing malfunctions and failures in the electronic control system.

[0003] Therefore, developing low-noise electro-hydraulic steering devices can not only reduce the vibration and noise levels of aircraft control systems, but also ensure the safety of local structures and the stable and normal operation of the control system, thereby improving the handling performance and flight safety control level of aircraft. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device and steering method for aircraft, addressing the aforementioned problems and aiming to improve the issue of excessive noise in existing electro-hydraulic steering devices.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: a low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device for aircraft, the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device includes an electrical control system, an electro-hydraulic unit, and a pusher mechanism; the electro-hydraulic unit is hydraulically connected to the pusher mechanism, and the electrical control system is electrically connected to the electro-hydraulic unit to achieve control; The electro-hydraulic unit adopts an integrated and modular design, including a pump group, a multi-functional integrated valve group, a local control valve group, an accumulator group, an oil tank assembly, and a vibration isolation device. The pump group serves as the power source and includes a main pump, a pilot control unit, a make-up pump, a control pump, an electric motor, and a bell-shaped housing. The main pump is a swashplate axial piston pump with proportional control. An SDVB valve block is integrated on the main pump. The SDVB valve block includes a flushing valve, a check valve, and an overflow valve group. The make-up pump and the control pump are gear pumps, which are mounted on the main pump through a shaft and fixed to the electric motor through the bell-shaped housing.

[0006] It should be noted that the through-shaft installation involves directly mounting the SDVB valve block (including the flushing valve, check valve, overflow valve assembly, and gear pumps for the make-up pump and control pump) onto the main pump. The main pump passes through the central through hole of the SDVB valve block to achieve coaxial drive, braking, or connection.

[0007] Furthermore, the multi-functional integrated valve group adopts a cartridge design to realize the functions of controlling the hydraulic fluid, safety protection, and automatic isolation bypass. The machine-side control valve group is used to receive electrical signals from the servo control box, regulate the servo hydraulic fluid, and output to the main pump variable mechanism to realize the main pump variable control. The accumulator group is used to stabilize the oil pressure and isolate the output flow pulsation of the hydraulic pump.

[0008] Furthermore, the servo pump draws oil from the oil tank and outputs a fixed amount of servo oil to the machine-side control valve group, and the motor runs according to the power distribution signal and drives the main pump and auxiliary pump to operate.

[0009] Furthermore, the SDVB valve block is used to control the oil replenishment of the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device and to replace the hot oil in the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device with oil in the tank.

[0010] Furthermore, the electrical control system includes a servo control box, which contains a controller. The controller, together with the pump-controlled proportional valve, the rudder angle feedback mechanism, and the electrical limit switch, constitutes a follow-up closed-loop control system.

[0011] Furthermore, this invention proposes a low-noise electro-hydraulic steering method for aircraft, the method comprising the following steps: S100: The electrical control system receives the rudder angle command signal, and the controller of the servo control box collects the actual rudder angle signal fed back by the rudder angle feedback mechanism; S200: After comparing and processing the rudder angle command signal with the actual rudder angle signal, the controller outputs a control signal to the pump-controlled proportional valve to adjust the valve opening to output control oil to the main pump variable piston. S300: The main pump variable piston follows the proportional valve signal under the action of control oil, changes the swashplate tilt angle to achieve stepless adjustment of displacement, and the main pump outputs pressure oil to the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device. S400: The servo control box controls the operation of the multi-functional integrated valve group. The pressure oil output by the main pump enters one side cylinder of the pusher mechanism through the multi-functional integrated valve group, driving the rudder to rotate in the corresponding direction. The oil in the other side cylinder flows back to the main pump suction port through the multi-functional integrated valve group. S500: As the difference between the actual rudder angle and the commanded rudder angle decreases, the controller gradually reduces the oil pump displacement until the difference is zero. The main pump stops discharging oil, the main pump variable mechanism is at zero position, and steering is completed. During the process of the main pump supplying oil to the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device, the accumulator group continuously stabilizes the oil pressure and isolates the output flow pulsation of the main pump.

[0012] Furthermore, in step S100, the electrical control system also centrally monitors the operation of each component of the servo motor and the transmission of servo angle commands.

[0013] Furthermore, in step S300, the displacement adjustment range of the main pump is from zero to the maximum displacement, achieving stepless continuous adjustment.

[0014] Furthermore, in step S400, the action response speed of the steering mechanism is matched with the displacement adjustment speed of the main pump to achieve rapid steering.

[0015] Furthermore, the method also includes a self-protection mechanism for the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device, namely, when the system malfunctions, the multi-functional integrated valve group automatically isolates and bypasses to ensure system safety.

[0016] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This invention optimizes the control valves in the hydraulic circuit of traditional aircraft. By controlling the speed and direction of the hydraulic pump to change the output flow, the actuator can be activated. This significantly reduces the high-speed throttling noise and hydraulic shock noise caused by the control valves during switching on and off. At the same time, based on the original distributed valve control steering system, oil is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder after the oil pressure is stabilized by a high-pressure accumulator. This stabilizes the oil pressure, isolates the output flow pulsation of the hydraulic pump, reduces the system's structural vibration and noise level, and avoids problems such as fluid-structure acoustic coupling, resonance, and local damage to the thin-walled structure of the aircraft due to alternating loads of vibration and noise.

[0017] 2. The low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device of this invention adopts an integrated and modular design, integrating core components such as pump groups, multi-functional integrated valve groups, and aircraft-side control valve groups, simplifying the system structure, reducing installation space occupation, and adapting to the limited installation environment of aircraft; moreover, the oil replenishment pump and control pump in the pump group adopt gear pumps and are mounted on the main pump through shafts, and are fixed to the motor through bell-shaped covers, resulting in a compact overall structure, reducing system volume and weight, and reducing aircraft noise without affecting the aircraft's flight speed.

[0018] 3. This invention employs a follow-up closed-loop control logic. By comparing the rudder angle command signal with the actual rudder angle feedback signal through the controller, it dynamically adjusts the pump control proportional valve and the main pump displacement to achieve precise matching between the commanded rudder angle and the actual rudder angle, ensuring stable and accurate steering actions. The main pump achieves stepless displacement adjustment by changing the swashplate tilt angle. The action response speed of the pusher mechanism matches the main pump displacement adjustment speed, enabling rapid execution of rudder angle commands and improving the aircraft's handling stability and flight safety control level. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the device structure of the present invention; Figure 2This is a block diagram illustrating the principle of the follow-up closed-loop control of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the method of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0022] Example 1 like Figure 1 As shown, one embodiment of the present invention is a low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device for aircraft. The low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device includes an electrical control system, an electro-hydraulic unit, and a pusher mechanism. The electro-hydraulic unit is hydraulically connected to the pusher mechanism, and the electrical control system is electrically connected to the electro-hydraulic unit to achieve control. The electro-hydraulic unit adopts an integrated and modular design, including a pump group, a multi-functional integrated valve group, a local control valve group, an accumulator group, an oil tank assembly, and a vibration isolation device. The pump group serves as the power source and includes a main pump, a pilot control unit, a make-up pump, a control pump, an electric motor, and a bell-shaped housing. The main pump is a swashplate axial piston pump with proportional control. An SDVB valve block is integrated on the main pump. The SDVB valve block includes a flushing valve, a check valve, and an overflow valve group. The make-up pump and the control pump are gear pumps, which are mounted on the main pump through a shaft and fixed to the electric motor through the bell-shaped housing.

[0023] The multi-functional integrated valve group adopts a cartridge design to realize the functions of controlling hydraulic fluid, safety protection and automatic isolation bypass. The machine-side control valve group is used to receive electrical signals from the servo control box, regulate the servo hydraulic fluid, and output to the main pump variable mechanism to realize the main pump variable control. The accumulator group is used to stabilize the oil pressure and isolate the output flow pulsation of the hydraulic pump.

[0024] The servo pump draws oil from the oil tank and outputs a fixed amount of servo oil to the machine-side control valve group. The motor runs according to the power distribution signal and drives the main pump and auxiliary pump to operate.

[0025] The SDVB valve block is used to control the oil replenishment of the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering system and to replace the hot oil in the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering system with oil in the tank.

[0026] The electrical control system includes a servo control box, which contains a controller. The controller, together with the pump-controlled proportional valve, the rudder angle feedback mechanism, and the electrical limit switch, constitutes a follow-up closed-loop control system.

[0027] The low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device eliminates the control valves in the traditional hydraulic circuit, and changes the output flow by controlling the speed and direction of the hydraulic pump to achieve the actuator action.

[0028] The working principle of the electro-hydraulic unit is as follows: Figure 1 As shown; its working principle is as follows: The servo starter box controls the start and stop of the pump group, the servo control box receives the rudder command, drives the oil cylinder to push the rudder handle through the valve group logic and proportional valve, the rudder angle feedback forms a closed loop, and the electrical limit switch and isolation bypass provide safety protection.

[0029] The servo starter box contains the unit start / stop control mechanism; the servo control box contains components such as isolation bypass, rudder angle feedback, electrical limit switch, proportional valve control, and valve group control logic; the isolation bypass component is used to isolate a certain oil circuit in case of failure or maintenance, realizing the bypass function; the rudder angle feedback component is used to monitor the actual rudder angle and feed it back to the control system to form a closed loop; the electrical limit switch is used to limit the maximum rotation angle of the servo to prevent overload or mechanical damage; the proportional valve control component is used to control the opening of the proportional valve and adjust the action speed of the hydraulic cylinder; the valve group logic control component is used to control the valve group switching, on / off, and realize the forward and reverse rotation of the rudder.

[0030] The electric motor operates according to the power distribution signal and drives the main pump and auxiliary pump to run; the servo pump draws oil from the oil tank and outputs a fixed amount of servo oil to the local control valve group, which adjusts the servo oil according to the electrical signal from the servo control box; the local control valve group outputs the adjusted servo oil to the main pump variable mechanism to control the main pump variable, thereby causing the main pump to output a certain pressure oil to the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device; the servo control box controls the operation of the multi-functional integrated valve group, and the pressure oil output by the main pump enters the rudder mechanism cylinder after passing through the multi-functional integrated valve group to rotate the rudder, and multiple cylinders connected in parallel or series drive the rudder handle to rotate the rudder.

[0031] The electro-hydraulic unit adopts an integrated and modular design, integrating core components such as pump groups, multi-functional integrated valve groups, and on-site control valve groups, simplifying the system structure, reducing installation space occupation, and adapting to the limited installation environment of aircraft.

[0032] Example 2 like Figure 2 As shown, another embodiment of the present invention is a follow-up closed-loop control system. The main control components involved in the follow-up closed-loop control include the controller of the servo control box, the pump-controlled proportional valve, the main pump, the rudder angle feedback mechanism, and electrical limit switches, etc., and its control principle is as follows: Figure 2 As shown; During steering, the controller compares the acquired rudder angle feedback signal with the received rudder angle command signal. After processing, it outputs a control signal to the pump-controlled proportional valve, adjusting the valve opening and thus supplying a certain amount of control oil to the main pump variable piston. Under the action of the control oil, the main pump variable piston follows the proportional valve signal, thereby changing the swashplate tilt angle for stepless displacement adjustment. The main pump discharge port outputs pressurized oil to the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device. Simultaneously, the servo control box controls the multi-functional integrated valve group. The pressurized oil output from the main pump passes through the multi-functional integrated valve group and enters the pusher mechanism, causing the rudder to rotate to one side. Meanwhile, the oil in the other cylinder returns to the main pump suction port after passing through the multi-functional integrated valve group. As the difference between the actual rudder angle and the commanded rudder angle decreases, the oil pump's displacement gradually decreases under the control signal from the servo control box, eventually ceasing to discharge oil. The main pump variable mechanism reaches zero, completing the steering operation.

[0033] This embodiment employs a follow-up closed-loop control logic. By comparing the rudder angle command signal with the actual rudder angle feedback signal through the controller, it dynamically adjusts the pump control proportional valve and the main pump displacement to achieve precise matching between the commanded rudder angle and the actual rudder angle, ensuring stable and accurate steering actions. Furthermore, the main pump achieves stepless displacement adjustment by changing the swashplate tilt angle, and the action response speed of the pusher mechanism matches the main pump displacement adjustment speed, enabling rapid execution of rudder angle commands and improving the aircraft's handling stability and flight safety control level.

[0034] Example 3 like Figure 3 As shown, another embodiment of the present invention is a low-noise electro-hydraulic steering method for aircraft, the method comprising the following steps: S100: The electrical control system receives the rudder angle command signal, and the controller of the servo control box collects the actual rudder angle signal fed back by the rudder angle feedback mechanism; Among them, the electrical control system also centrally monitors the operation of each component of the servo motor and the transmission of servo angle commands; S200: After comparing and processing the rudder angle command signal with the actual rudder angle signal, the controller outputs a control signal to the pump-controlled proportional valve to adjust the valve opening to output control oil to the main pump variable piston. S300: The main pump variable piston follows the proportional valve signal under the action of control oil, changes the swashplate tilt angle to achieve stepless adjustment of displacement, and the main pump outputs pressure oil to the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device; the displacement adjustment range of the main pump is from zero to the maximum displacement, realizing stepless continuous adjustment. S400: The servo control box controls the operation of the multi-functional integrated valve group. The pressure oil output by the main pump enters one side cylinder of the pusher mechanism through the multi-functional integrated valve group, driving the rudder to rotate in the corresponding direction. The oil in the other side cylinder flows back to the main pump suction port through the multi-functional integrated valve group. S500: As the difference between the actual rudder angle and the commanded rudder angle decreases, the controller gradually reduces the oil pump displacement until the difference is zero. The main pump stops discharging oil, the main pump variable mechanism is at zero position, and steering is completed. S600: The low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device features self-protection. When the system malfunctions, the multi-functional integrated valve group automatically isolates and bypasses the system to ensure safety.

[0035] During the process of the main pump supplying oil to the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device, the accumulator group continuously stabilizes the oil pressure and isolates the output flow pulsation of the main pump.

[0036] The method in this embodiment controls the output flow by changing the speed and direction of the hydraulic pump, avoiding the noise generated by throttling in traditional valve control methods, and further reducing vibration noise during steering. Furthermore, the integrated and modular design of the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device prevents high-intensity noise from penetrating the fuselage compartments, reducing interference with precision instruments such as the inertial navigation system, infrared detectors, and radio communications, and preventing malfunctions of the electrical control system. The centralized monitoring and recording function of the electrical control system can track key parameters during steering in real time, providing data support for fault diagnosis and system optimization, further improving the reliability and maintainability of the system. Simultaneously, the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device is equipped with a self-protection mechanism; when the system malfunctions, the multi-functional integrated valve group can automatically achieve isolation and bypass, preventing fault propagation and ensuring flight safety of the aircraft under complex operating conditions. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device for aircraft, characterized in that, The low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device includes an electrical control system, an electro-hydraulic unit, and a steering mechanism; the electro-hydraulic unit is hydraulically connected to the steering mechanism, and the electrical control system is electrically connected to the electro-hydraulic unit to achieve control. The electro-hydraulic unit adopts an integrated and modular design, including a pump group, a multi-functional integrated valve group, a local control valve group, an accumulator group, an oil tank assembly, and a vibration isolation device. The pump group serves as the power source and includes a main pump, a pilot control unit, a make-up pump, a control pump, an electric motor, and a bell-shaped housing. The main pump is a swashplate axial piston pump with proportional control. An SDVB valve block is integrated on the main pump. The SDVB valve block includes a flushing valve, a check valve, and an overflow valve group. The make-up pump and the control pump are gear pumps, which are mounted on the main pump via a through shaft and fixed to the electric motor through the bell-shaped housing. The through-shaft mounting means that the SDVB valve block is directly fitted onto the main pump, and the main pump passes through the central through hole of the SDVB valve block to achieve coaxial drive, braking, or connection. The multi-functional integrated valve group adopts a cartridge design to realize the functions of controlling hydraulic fluid, safety protection, and automatic isolation bypass. The machine-side control valve group is used to receive electrical signals from the servo control box, regulate the servo hydraulic fluid, and output to the main pump variable mechanism to realize the main pump variable control. The accumulator group is used to stabilize the oil pressure and isolate the output flow pulsation of the hydraulic pump. The servo pump draws oil from the oil tank and outputs a fixed amount of servo oil to the local control valve group. The motor runs according to the power distribution signal and drives the main pump and auxiliary pump to operate. The SDVB valve block is used to control the oil replenishment of the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device and to replace the hot oil in the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device with oil in the tank. The electrical control system includes a servo control box, which contains a controller. The controller, together with the pump-controlled proportional valve, the rudder angle feedback mechanism, and the electrical limit switch, constitutes a follow-up closed-loop control system.

2. A low-noise electro-hydraulic steering method for aircraft, using the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device for aircraft as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: S100: The electrical control system receives the rudder angle command signal, and the controller of the servo control box collects the actual rudder angle signal fed back by the rudder angle feedback mechanism; S200: After comparing and processing the rudder angle command signal with the actual rudder angle signal, the controller outputs a control signal to the pump-controlled proportional valve to adjust the valve opening to output control oil to the main pump variable piston. S300: The main pump variable piston follows the proportional valve signal under the action of control oil, changes the swashplate tilt angle to achieve stepless adjustment of displacement, and the main pump outputs pressure oil to the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device. S400: The servo control box controls the operation of the multi-functional integrated valve group. The pressure oil output by the main pump enters one side cylinder of the pusher mechanism through the multi-functional integrated valve group, driving the rudder to rotate in the corresponding direction. The oil in the other side cylinder flows back to the main pump suction port through the multi-functional integrated valve group. S500: As the difference between the actual rudder angle and the commanded rudder angle decreases, the controller gradually reduces the oil pump displacement until the difference is zero. The main pump stops discharging oil, the main pump variable mechanism is at zero position, and steering is completed. During the process of the main pump supplying oil to the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device, the accumulator group continuously stabilizes the oil pressure and isolates the output flow pulsation of the main pump.

3. The low-noise electro-hydraulic steering method for aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that, In step S100, the electrical control system also centrally monitors the operation of each component of the servo motor and the transmission of servo angle commands.

4. A low-noise electro-hydraulic steering method for aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that, In step S300, the displacement adjustment range of the main pump is from zero to the maximum displacement, achieving stepless continuous adjustment.

5. A low-noise electro-hydraulic steering method for aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that, In step S400, the action response speed of the rudder mechanism is matched with the displacement adjustment speed of the main pump to achieve rapid rudder rotation.

6. A low-noise electro-hydraulic steering method for aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method also includes a self-protection mechanism for the low-noise electro-hydraulic steering device, namely, when the system malfunctions, the multi-functional integrated valve group automatically isolates and bypasses to ensure system safety.

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