Dual-Mode Flight Control Actuation for Power and Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The performance, power, and heat management limitations of flight vehicles, such as munitions and UAVs, due to constraints on power source size and electro-mechanical actuator heating, restrict their operational range and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dual-mode operation system for the flight control actuation system, where the flight vehicle operates in a performance mode for high-frequency activities and an economy mode for low-frequency activities, using a model reference pre-filter block to adjust bandwidth and conserve energy, thereby managing power and heat effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the power source size is reduced to meet volume constraints, then the weight and volume of the flight vehicle are reduced, but the power availability and operational duration are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic bandwidth adjustment of the control actuation system, switching between high bandwidth mode for high-frequency control activities and low bandwidth mode for low-frequency activities. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to match power consumption to actual control needs, extending operational duration while maintaining volume constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the control actuation system by adjusting the bandwidth based on control activity requirements. During low-frequency control phases, the bandwidth is reduced to lower power consumption, while during high-frequency phases, full bandwidth is restored. This parameter change enables extended operation with smaller power sources.
2Power
If the electro-mechanical actuators operate at high power continuously, then the control responsiveness and performance are improved, but excessive heating occurs that limits system reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic or intermittent high-power operation only when control activity requires it, rather than continuous operation. The control system monitors control activity frequency and activates high-power mode only during high-frequency control phases, allowing actuators to cool during low-activity periods, thus managing temperature while maintaining performance when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of power limitation into a benefit by using variable bandwidth operation. The limitation is not a constraint but a control mechanism that reduces heating during low-activity periods while preserving the ability to deliver full power when control performance is actually required, thereby improving overall system reliability.
3Measurement precision
If the control actuation system operates in high bandwidth mode continuously, then the control precision and responsiveness are maintained, but power consumption increases that reduces operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts bandwidth based on actual control needs. During low-frequency control activities, the bandwidth is reduced to lower power consumption while maintaining sufficient control precision for the current operational phase. When high-precision control is actually required, the bandwidth is restored to full capability, optimizing the trade-off between precision and energy use.
Solution Approach 2:
The operational bandwidth parameter is changed based on control activity analysis. The system transitions between high and low bandwidth modes to match the frequency requirements of control commands, ensuring adequate precision for each operational phase while minimizing overall power consumption to extend operational duration.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments relate to a method of controlling a flight of a flight vehicle according to a first mode of operation and changing the mode of operation to a second mode of operation having a different bandwidth than the first mode of operation. Other embodiments relate to a flight-control system for a flight vehicle configured to control a flight of a flight vehicle according to a first mode of operation and to control the flight of the flight vehicle according to a second mode of operation to use less energy than the first mode of operation. Other embodiments relate to a control actuation system configured to control positions of aerodynamic elements in a flight vehicle in response to commands from a guidance system according to a first mode of operation and to change the mode of operation to a second mode of operation having a different bandwidth than the first mode of operation.