Aircraft Dynamic Load Minimization via Pre-control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dynamic structural loads induced by external excitations such as wind, turbulence, and pilot/flight control system demands can cause harmful oscillations and vibrations in aircraft structures, especially at natural frequencies, necessitating measures to reduce mass and mitigate these loads effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that generate signals indicative of external excitations, derive pre-controlling signals to actuate aircraft control elements, and optimize these rules using error signals and excitation signals to minimize dynamic structural loads, incorporating sensors for turbulence, wind, and pilot commands, and using actuators like electromechanical or piezoelectric systems to introduce load damping forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the mass of the aircraft structure is reduced at high aspect ratio of wing and fuselage, then the weight decreases and fuel efficiency improves, but the structure becomes more susceptible to excessive dynamic structural loads from external excitations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting external excitations (wind, turbulence, gusts) before they cause excessive structural loads, and actuating control surfaces in advance to counteract the incoming disturbances. The flight control system continuously monitors excitation signals and pre-positions control surfaces to minimize the impact of upcoming dynamic loads on the lightweight structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously measuring body rates and structural responses with sensors, feeding this information back to the flight controller, which adjusts control surface positions in real-time to minimize dynamic structural loads. The feedback loop enables the lightweight structure to be actively protected from excessive vibrations and oscillations.
2Strength
If control surfaces are actuated to minimize excited oscillations, then dynamic structural loads are reduced, but the complexity of the flight control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by using the existing flight control system and control surfaces for dual purposes: both for primary flight control functions and for minimizing dynamic structural loads. The same actuators and control surfaces that maneuver the aircraft are also employed to counteract turbulence and reduce structural vibrations, eliminating the need for separate dedicated load-reduction actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by utilizing the aircraft's own control surfaces and flight control system to protect its structure from dynamic loads, rather than requiring external or additional specialized systems. The flight control computer processes excitation signals and automatically commands appropriate control surface movements to minimize structural vibrations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly reduces dynamic structural loads and oscillations by optimizing control surface actuation based on real-time data, effectively mitigating the impact of external and pilot-induced excitations on aircraft structures.
Implementation Method 1
detecting signals indicating one or more of intensity and direction of turbulence, wind and gusts
Implementation Method 2
producing movements of control surfaces of the aircraft to minimize the excited oscillations
Implementation Method 3
generate a secondary sound field having approximately equal amplitude but opposite phase as said primary sound field to thereby effectively reduce the engine noise
Implementation Method 4
Acoustic driver means comprised of an array or piezoelectric driven panels are mounted within the fan inlet of the engine
Data Source
AI summary
Minimizing dynamic structural loads of an aircraft, introduced by an external excitation, which, includes generating a signal (x) indicative of the external excitation; deriving signals (y) of pre-controlling for actuating control elements of the aircraft from the excitation indicating signal (x) in accordance with a pre-controlling rule, so as to reduce the dynamic structural loads introduced to the aircraft; generating an error signal (e, e*) representing performance of said pre-controlling; optimizing the pre-controlling rule by the error signal (e, e*) and/or the excitation indicating signal (x) so as to minimize the dynamic structural loads.