Rotor wing anti-icing and de-icing structure for aircraft

Abstract

The utility model relates to a rotor wing anti-icing and de-icing structure for an aircraft, belongs to the technical field of aircrafts, and solves the problem that a heating wire is easy to fatigue and fracture in the prior art. The device comprises an electric slip ring, a transmission, an oil pump, a heating cavity and an oil pipe, wherein the anti-rotation rod is sleeved with the electric slip ring, the electric slip ring is located in the rotor wing driving shaft, one end of the electric slip ring is electrically connected with a power source of the aircraft, the other end of the electric slip ring is electrically connected with the heating cavity, and electric energy can be provided for the heating cavity to heat liquid; the transmission is arranged at the top end of the anti-rotation rod, the input end of the transmission is fixedly connected with the propeller hub, and the output end of the transmission is fixedly connected with the oil pump. The oil pump and the heating cavity are arranged above the transmission; an oil path is arranged in the paddle; the oil pipe communicates with the heating cavity and the oil way. The electric slip ring is adopted to introduce a power supply of the aircraft into the heating cavity to heat the liquid, the oil pump is driven by rotation of the propeller hub to feed the heated liquid into the oil duct in the propeller blade, and an oil pipe of an oil way is not prone to fatigue fracture.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of aircraft, in particular to a rotor anti-icing structure for aircraft. Background Art

[0002] Rotor de-icing plays a vital role in the aviation industry. In cold or humid environments, the accumulation of ice and snow on the rotors may pose a serious threat to flight safety. The ice layer will increase the weight of the rotors, change their aerodynamic characteristics, and may even damage the structural integrity of the rotors. This will not only affect the stability and controllability of the aircraft, but may also cause serious flight accidents.

[0003] Therefore, the research and development and application of rotor anti-icing technology is crucial. It can effectively remove ice and snow from the rotor and ensure that the rotor is in the best working condition during flight. This not only helps to improve the safety and reliability of the aircraft, but also prolongs the service life of the rotor and reduces maintenance costs.

[0004] Existing rotor deicing is usually achieved by supplying power to a heating wire bonded below the blade surface to generate heat. However, during helicopter flight, the blades frequently flap, vibrate, and change pitch, causing the blades to deform. During this high-frequency deformation process, the heating wire is prone to fatigue and breakage, thus losing its deicing function. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the above analysis, the purpose of the utility model is to provide a rotor anti-icing structure for an aircraft, so as to solve the problem that the heating wire in the existing rotor deicing structure is prone to fatigue fracture.

[0006] On the one hand, the utility model provides a rotor anti-icing structure for an aircraft, the aircraft comprising blades, a hub, an anti-rotation rod, and a rotor drive shaft, the hub being arranged on the top of the rotor drive shaft and being driven to rotate by the rotor drive shaft; the blades being arranged on the hub and being driven to rotate by the hub; the anti-rotation rod being coaxially arranged inside the rotor drive shaft, and the anti-rotation rod being fixedly connected to the fuselage of the aircraft; the rotor anti-icing structure comprising an electric slip ring, a transmission, an oil pump, a heating chamber and an oil pipe; wherein the electric slip ring A ring sleeve is arranged on the anti-rotation rod and is located inside the rotor drive shaft. One end of the electric slip ring is electrically connected to the power supply of the aircraft, and the other end is electrically connected to the heating chamber, so that electric energy can be provided to the heating chamber to heat the liquid; the transmission is arranged at the top of the anti-rotation rod, the input end of the transmission is fixedly connected to the hub, and the output end of the transmission is fixedly connected to the oil pump; the oil pump and the heating chamber are arranged above the transmission; an oil circuit is arranged in the blade; and the oil pipe connects the heating chamber and the oil circuit.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes a controller, which is fixedly arranged on the top of the oil pump and the heating chamber; the controller controls the heating element of the heating chamber to start or shut down.

[0008] Furthermore, the controller is provided with a first temperature sensor, and the first temperature sensor can sense the ambient temperature.

[0009] Furthermore, a second temperature sensor is provided in the blade, and the second temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the liquid in the oil circuit.

[0010] Furthermore, the controller controls the switching of the heating element in the heating chamber according to data fed back by the first temperature sensor and / or the second temperature sensor.

[0011] Furthermore, a rotation speed sensor is provided on the propeller hub, which can be used to sense the phase and rotation speed of the propeller hub; the rotation speed sensor is electrically connected to the slip ring.

[0012] Furthermore, the liquid in the heating chamber is heat conduction oil, water or alcohol.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a fixed bracket, one end of which is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the controller, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to the hub.

[0014] Furthermore, there are multiple fixing brackets, which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the anti-rotation rod.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve at least one of the following beneficial effects:

[0016] 1. The utility model adopts soft oil pipes and oil to achieve de-icing of the blades, thereby improving the fatigue and impact resistance of the de-icing structure. The principle is similar to the oil tank in the wing of an airliner.

[0017] 2. The deicing structure in the utility model is arranged on the top of the rotor system, which is convenient for disassembly, inspection and debugging. All the equipment is located on the rotor system, which is convenient for inspection and maintenance.

[0018] 3. The deicing structure of the utility model has strong environmental adaptability and can be used in high and low temperatures, rainy and snowy days. It can be used for deicing in low temperatures, rainy and snowy days, and for cooling in high temperatures.

[0019] 4. The oil pump in the utility model is driven by the propeller hub, and no additional motor is required, which simplifies the structure and reduces the cost.

[0020] In the present invention, the above-mentioned technical solutions can also be combined with each other to achieve more preferred combination solutions. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in the subsequent description, and some advantages can become obvious from the description, or can be understood by implementing the present invention. The purpose and other advantages of the present invention can be achieved and obtained through the contents specifically pointed out in the description and the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The accompanying drawings are only used for the purpose of illustrating specific embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the present invention. In the entire drawings, the same reference symbols represent the same components.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotor anti-icing structure for an aircraft according to the utility model (only one blade is shown);

[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Longitudinal section of

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of

[0025] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of fluid control according to the utility model.

[0026] Reference numerals:

[0027] 10-anti-rotation rod; 11-rotor drive shaft; 12-hub; 13-blade; 20-electric slip ring; 21-transmission; 211-transmission seat; 212-transmission housing (input end); 213-gear set; 214-transmission output end; 22-oil pump; 23-heating chamber; 24-oil pipe; 25-controller; 26-fixed bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the accompanying drawings constitute a part of the present invention and are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to illustrate the principles of the present invention, but are not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] A specific embodiment of the utility model is as follows Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a rotor deicing protection structure for an aircraft is disclosed.

[0031] The aircraft to which the utility model is applicable is a helicopter type, see Figure 1The aircraft (not shown in the figure) includes an anti-rotation rod 10, a rotor drive shaft 11, a hub 12 and blades 13. Among them, the anti-rotation rod 10 is fixedly connected to the fuselage of the aircraft and extends vertically upward from the fuselage of the aircraft. The rotor drive shaft 11 is transmission-connected to the power mechanism in the fuselage and can be driven to rotate by the power mechanism. The anti-rotation rod 10 is coaxially arranged with the rotor drive shaft 11, and the anti-rotation rod 10 is located inside the rotor drive shaft 11. The hub 12 is arranged on the top periphery of the rotor drive shaft 11 and can be driven to rotate by the rotor drive shaft 11. The blades 13 are arranged on the hub 12 and can be driven to rotate by the hub 12. There are usually more than two blades 13. Only one blade 13 is shown in the drawings of the present application, and the structures of the other blades 13 are the same as the one shown.

[0032] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the rotor anti-icing structure includes an electric slip ring 20 , a transmission 21 , an oil pump 22 , a heating chamber 23 and an oil pipe 24 .

[0033] The electric slip ring 20 is sleeved on the anti-rotation rod 10 and is located inside the rotor drive shaft 11. One end of the electric slip ring 20 is electrically connected to the power supply of the aircraft, and the other end is electrically connected to the heating chamber 23, so that electric energy can be provided to the heating chamber 23 to heat the liquid. The electrical connection is achieved through electric wires, and the electric wires are arranged inside the rotor drive shaft 11. The electric slip ring 20 is divided into an inner ring and an outer ring, and the inner ring and the outer ring can rotate relative to each other. The inner ring of the electric slip ring 20 is fixedly connected to the anti-rotation rod 10, and is electrically connected to the power supply of the aircraft through electric wires. Since the anti-rotation rod 10 does not rotate, the inner ring of the electric slip ring 20 does not rotate either, so that the electric wire connecting the inner ring and the power supply remains stationary, and no winding interference or the like is generated. The outer ring of the electric slip ring 20 is fixedly connected to the rotor drive shaft 11, and it can rotate with the rotation of the rotor drive shaft 11. The outer ring is electrically connected to the heating cavity 23 through the wire. Since the heating cavity 23 and the outer ring rotate synchronously with the rotor drive shaft 11, there is no relative rotation between the two, so the wire connecting the heating cavity 23 and the outer ring will also rotate synchronously without entanglement interference. Therefore, the electric slip ring 20 can introduce the power supply in the fuselage into the heating cavity 23 to heat the liquid therein.

[0034] See also Figure 3 The transmission 21 is arranged at the top of the anti-rotation rod 10, the input end of the transmission 21 is fixedly connected to the hub 12, and the output end of the transmission 21 is fixedly connected to the oil pump 22. The oil pump 22 and the heating chamber 23 are arranged above the transmission 21. An oil circuit is arranged in the blade 13, and the oil pipe 24 connects the heating chamber 23 and the oil circuit in the blade 13.

[0035] Specifically, the transmission 21 includes a transmission seat 211, a transmission housing 212, a gear set 213 and a transmission output end 214. The bottom of the transmission seat 211 is cylindrical and fixedly connected to the top of the anti-rotation rod 10. The top of the transmission seat 211 is provided with a gear set 213. The transmission housing 212 is sleeved outside the transmission seat 211 and the gear set 213. The bottom of the transmission housing 212 is connected to the transmission seat 211 through a rolling bearing. A fixed bracket 26 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the transmission housing 212. The fixed bracket 26 is fixedly connected to the hub 12, so that the transmission housing 212 constitutes the input end of the transmission 212. A gear ring is provided on the inner periphery of the transmission housing 212. The gear ring is meshed with one or more of the gear sets 213 to transmit power to the gear sets 213. The gear shaft of the central gear of the gear set 213 protrudes axially upward, constituting the output end of the transmission 21.

[0036] Furthermore, there are multiple fixing brackets 26 , which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the hub 12 .

[0037] The oil pump 22 and the heating chamber 23 are arranged above the transmission 21. The oil pump 22 is preferably a gear pump. Specifically, a gear is arranged at the output end of the transmission 21, and a gear meshing with the gear is also arranged in the oil pump 22. The liquid in the cavity of the oil pump 22 is pumped from the input end of the cavity to the output end of the cavity under the action of the two gears. Obviously, the oil pump 22 can also be other types of pumps such as a piston pump and a centrifugal pump.

[0038] The heating chamber 23 is arranged adjacent to the oil pump 22 and is a curved and spiral pipeline. The heating chamber 23 can be arranged upstream of the oil pump 22, or downstream of the oil pump 22, or both upstream and downstream of the oil pump. Conventional heating elements, such as heating wires, heating rods, etc., are arranged in the heating chamber 23, and these heating elements are electrically connected to the outer ring of the electric slip ring 20. The liquid can be heated in the heating chamber 23 first, and then pumped into the oil circuit in the blade 13 through the oil pump 22, or it can be pumped into the heating chamber 23 through the oil pump 22 first, and then heated, and finally enter the oil circuit in the blade 13 under the action of pressure.

[0039] An oil circuit is provided inside the blade 13, and the oil circuit has an oil supply end and an oil return end. The oil circuit can be arranged inside the blade 13 in various ways, such as U-shaped, S-shaped, serpentine, etc. The oil circuit is made of an elastic hose, preferably a rubber hose, which can adapt to the frequent swinging, shimmying, and pitch-changing movements of the blade, and is not prone to fatigue fracture.

[0040] Through the technical solution of this embodiment 1, it is possible to utilize the power supply of the aircraft fuselage to heat the liquid and utilize the rotation of the hub 12 to pump the heated liquid to the inside of the blade 13, thereby realizing the anti-icing of the blade 13. Moreover, since the oil circuit is an elastic hose, it is not prone to fatigue fracture. Therefore, the anti-icing structure of this embodiment has high safety, good reliability and long service life.

[0041] Further, see Figure 3 The anti-icing structure of this embodiment also includes a controller 25, which is fixedly arranged on the top of the oil pump 22 and the heating chamber 23; the controller 25 controls the heating element of the heating chamber 23 to start or stop, and further, the controller 25 can also control the power of the heating element.

[0042] The controller 25 is provided with a first temperature sensor, which can sense the ambient temperature. The blade 13 is provided with a second temperature sensor, which can sense the temperature of the liquid in the oil passage. The controller 25 controls the switch of the heating element in the heating chamber 23 according to the data fed back by the first temperature sensor and / or the second temperature sensor.

[0043] Through this configuration, the heating element in the heating chamber 23 can be turned on or off according to the ambient temperature, and the power of the heating element can be controlled according to the temperature of the liquid in the oil channel, so as to prevent ice from forming on the blades 13 when the ambient temperature is low, and to dissipate heat to the controller 25 and the transmission 21 when the temperature is high.

[0044] In other embodiments, Figure 4 As shown, two fluid circuits, an inner loop and an outer loop, are provided between the inlet and outlet of the oil pump 22, and the inner loop and the outer loop are connected in parallel. The outlet of the oil pump 22 is provided with a solenoid valve, which is controlled by a controller 25 and can selectively connect the inner loop or the outer loop.

[0045] A flow valve is provided on the inner loop, and the outlet of the inner loop is connected to the liquid inlet of the oil pump 22. The controller 25 can control the valve opening of the flow valve.

[0046] The outer loop passes through the heating chamber 23 , the blades 13 , the radar and other equipment in sequence, and finally connects to the liquid inlet of the oil pump 22 .

[0047] During normal flight, the controller 25 controls the electromagnetic valve to connect the inner loop and controls the valve opening of the flow valve to be maximum. At this time, the oil pump 22 runs idle to save energy.

[0048] When the rotor needs to brake, the controller 25 controls the solenoid valve to connect the inner loop and controls the opening of the small flow valve to increase the resistance to oil flow and the damping of oil flow, thereby achieving the effect of rotor braking.

[0049] When it is detected that the de-icing mode needs to be turned on, the controller 25 controls the solenoid valve to connect the outer loop, and controls the heating element to start, and can also determine the power of the heating element according to the pre-loaded judgment standard. At this time, the liquid pumped out by the oil pump 22 is heated by the heating element in the heating chamber 23 and flows into the blade 13, so that the temperature of the blade 13 is increased to prevent the blade 13 from freezing or melt the ice that has already formed on the surface of the blade 13. After that, the liquid flows through other equipment such as radars installed on the hub, which has the effect of preventing de-icing for these equipment.

[0050] When it is detected that the heat dissipation mode needs to be turned on, the controller 25 controls the solenoid valve to connect the outer loop and controls the heating element to be turned off. At this time, the liquid pumped out by the oil pump 22 is not heated when passing through the heating chamber 23, and flows into the blade 13 at room temperature, dissipates heat through the surface of the blade 13, and then flows through other equipment such as radars installed on the hub, playing a heat dissipation effect on these equipment.

[0051] In some embodiments, a Hall sensor is provided on the hub 12, which can be used to sense the phase and speed phase of the hub. The Hall sensor is electrically connected to the outer ring of the electric slip ring 20, and power can be supplied through the electric slip ring 20. The Hall sensor sends the detected data to the controller 25, and the controller 25 feeds it back to the flight control center of the aircraft.

[0052] Preferably, the liquid in the heating chamber is hydraulic oil, heat transfer oil, water or alcohol.

[0053] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, during the flight of the helicopter, the rotation speed of the rotor relative to the fuselage is usually a constant value, and the rotor has a large moment of inertia and a stable rotation speed with small fluctuations. The speed difference between the hub 12 and the anti-rotation rod 10 is used to drive the oil pump 22. The fuselage provides electrical energy to the heating chamber 23 through the electric slip ring 20 to heat the oil. The oil pump 22 pumps the heated oil into the blade 13 through the oil pipe 24. The blade 13 is designed with an oil channel, which is similar to the blood vessels of the human body, so as to heat the blade. The controller 25 is designed with a temperature sensor, which can intelligently control the switch of the heating element according to the current ambient temperature, thereby realizing the anti-deicing function.

[0054] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this embodiment are:

[0055] 1. The utility model adopts soft oil pipes and oil to achieve de-icing of the blades, thereby improving the fatigue and impact resistance of the de-icing structure. The principle is similar to the oil tank in the wing of an airliner.

[0056] 2. The deicing structure in the utility model is arranged on the top of the rotor system, which is convenient for disassembly, inspection and debugging. All the equipment is located on the rotor system, which is convenient for inspection and maintenance.

[0057] 3. The deicing structure of the utility model has strong environmental adaptability and can be used in high and low temperatures, rainy and snowy days. It can be used for deicing in low temperatures, rainy and snowy days, and for cooling in high temperatures.

[0058] 4. The oil pump in the utility model is driven by the propeller hub, and no additional motor is required, which simplifies the structure and reduces the cost.

[0059] Example 2

[0060] On the other hand, the utility model provides a rotor anti-icing method for an aircraft, which adopts the rotor anti-icing structure for an aircraft according to Example 1.

[0061] The method comprises the following steps:

[0062] S1: Get flight parameters;

[0063] S2: Determine the working mode according to the flight parameters obtained in step S1 and the pre-set judgment rules, wherein the working mode can be any one of normal flight, rotor braking, rotor deicing, and radar heat dissipation;

[0064] S3: If the working mode is normal flight, the controller 25 controls the solenoid valve to connect the inner loop, and at the same time controls the valve opening of the flow valve to be maximum; if the working mode is rotor braking, the controller 25 controls the solenoid valve to connect the inner loop, and at the same time controls the opening of the flow valve to be closed; if the working mode is rotor deicing, the controller 25 controls the solenoid valve to connect the outer loop, and at the same time controls the heating element to start; if the working mode is radar heat dissipation, the controller 25 controls the solenoid valve to connect the outer loop, and at the same time controls the heating element to be turned off.

[0065] In step S1, the flight parameters specifically include: ambient temperature, liquid temperature in the blade 13, radar temperature, weather, ambient humidity, real-time altitude, etc. The above flight parameters can be obtained by real-time sensing by sensors or by the flight control center.

[0066] In step S2, the controller 25 performs a judgment, and the judgment rule can be preset according to the actual flight situation.

[0067] When determining whether to turn on the rotor de-icing mode, the following factors should be considered:

[0068] Weather conditions: When the outside atmospheric temperature is below 5°C and accompanied by fog, rain, snow, sleet, ice crystals with visibility less than 1.5 km, or when there is water flow, slush, ice or snow on the runway, consider turning on the rotor de-icing mode.

[0069] When the outside atmospheric temperature is below 10°C and the outside temperature reaches or is close to the dew point, if frost, snow or ice appears or may appear on the aircraft body and control surfaces, the rotor de-icing mode should also be turned on.

[0070] Flight environment: When flying in special environments such as plateaus or severe cold, supercooled water droplets in the atmosphere will quickly gather at the leading edge of the high-speed rotating composite blades and condense into ice. At this time, the rotor de-icing mode needs to be turned on.

[0071] In high-latitude and high-altitude areas, due to lower temperatures and a greater possibility of icing, helicopters should turn on the rotor de-icing mode in advance.

[0072] The technicians can pre-set the rules for determining whether to activate the rotor de-icing mode according to the actual situation. Similarly, the rules for determining whether to activate the rotor brake or radar cooling mode can also be pre-set according to technical common sense and actual situation.

[0073] Furthermore, step S4 is also included: if the working mode is rotor deicing, the power of the heating element is adjusted according to the range of the ambient temperature; or the liquid temperature in the blade 13 is obtained, and the power of the heating element is adjusted according to the liquid temperature.

[0074] Through this embodiment, during normal flight, the oil pump 22 can be idle to reduce energy consumption; when the ambient temperature is low, the heating element can be started to prevent and de-ice the blades 13, and the power of the heating element can be adjusted according to the degree of low ambient temperature or the temperature of the liquid in the blades 13, so as to avoid energy waste or ice on the surface of the blades 13 due to insufficient heating power. When the ambient temperature is high, the outer loop can be connected without turning on the heating element to cool down the radar and other components. When it is necessary to brake the rotor, the inner loop can be connected and the opening of the flow valve can be reduced to achieve rotor braking.

[0075] The above description is only a preferred specific implementation manner of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by any technician familiar with the technical field within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rotor anti-icing structure for an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a blade, a hub, an anti-rotation rod and a rotor drive shaft, the hub being arranged on the top of the rotor drive shaft and being driven to rotate by the rotor drive shaft; the blade being arranged on the hub and being driven to rotate by the hub; the anti-rotation rod being coaxially arranged inside the rotor drive shaft, and being fixedly connected to the fuselage of the aircraft; characterized in that: The rotor anti-icing structure includes an electric slip ring, a transmission, an oil pump, a heating chamber and an oil pipe; wherein the electric slip ring is sleeved on the anti-rotation rod and is located inside the rotor drive shaft, one end of the electric slip ring is electrically connected to the power supply of the aircraft, and the other end is electrically connected to the heating chamber, and the electric slip ring can provide electric energy to the heating chamber to heat the liquid; the transmission is arranged at the top of the anti-rotation rod, the input end of the transmission is fixedly connected to the hub, and the output end of the transmission is fixedly connected to the oil pump; the oil pump and the heating chamber are arranged above the transmission; an oil circuit is arranged in the blade; and the oil pipe connects the heating chamber and the oil circuit.

2. The rotor deicing structure for an aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a controller, which is fixedly arranged on the top of the oil pump and the heating chamber; the controller controls the heating element of the heating chamber to start or shut down.

3. The rotor deicing structure for an aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controller is provided with a first temperature sensor, and the first temperature sensor can sense the ambient temperature.

4. The rotor deicing structure for an aircraft according to claim 3, characterized in that: A second temperature sensor is disposed in the blade, and the second temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the liquid in the oil circuit.

5. The rotor deicing structure for an aircraft according to claim 4, characterized in that: The controller controls the switching of the heating element in the heating chamber according to data fed back by the first temperature sensor and / or the second temperature sensor.

6. The rotor deicing structure for an aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hub is provided with a rotation speed sensor, which can be used to sense the phase and rotation speed of the hub; the rotation speed sensor is electrically connected to the slip ring.

7. The rotor deicing structure for an aircraft according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid in the heating chamber is heat conduction oil, water or alcohol.

8. The rotor deicing structure for an aircraft according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a fixed bracket, one end of which is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the controller, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to the hub.

9. The rotor deicing structure for an aircraft according to claim 8, characterized in that: There are multiple fixing brackets, which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the anti-rotation rod.

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