Rotorcraft Dual Tail Rotor Anti-Torque Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional rotorcraft anti-torque systems are prone to failure due to hard landings, tail strikes, foreign objects, and wear and tear, necessitating an improved system for providing redundant anti-torque forces.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual anti-torque system comprising a primary and secondary tail rotor system, where the secondary system provides supplemental anti-torque force and operates independently or in conjunction with the primary system, utilizing different power sources and configurations such as variable pitch blades and hydraulic or electrical power systems, to ensure redundancy and efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional single tail rotor system is used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability is poor due to susceptibility to failure from hard landings, tail strikes, foreign objects, and wear and tear
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-torque system is segmented into a primary tail rotor system and a secondary tail rotor system. The primary system handles normal anti-torque requirements, while the secondary system provides redundancy and failsafe capability. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability through redundancy while managing complexity by dividing functions between two independent subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary tail rotor system acts as a pre-prepared backup that is ready to activate if the primary system fails. This beforehand cushioning ensures that anti-torque capability is maintained even after primary system failure from hard landings, tail strikes, foreign objects, or wear and tear, without requiring immediate complex repairs.
2Reliability
If a dual tail rotor system is implemented, then the reliability is improved through redundancy, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The primary and secondary tail rotor systems are merged into a unified anti-torque system that operates under common control. The control system automatically manages both systems, merging their outputs to provide the required anti-torque force. This merging approach maintains reliability through redundancy while reducing the operational complexity by providing automated system management.
Solution Approach 2:
Both the primary and secondary tail rotor systems are designed with universal functionality to provide anti-torque force. The secondary system can operate independently or in conjunction with the primary system, allowing flexible configuration adaptation. This multi-functionality enables the system to maintain anti-torque capability under various operational conditions while managing complexity through standardized design.
3Reliability
If the secondary tail rotor system operates independently, then the reliability is enhanced, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary tail rotor system is designed with dynamic operational characteristics, allowing it to be activated only when needed based on primary system performance or failure conditions. This dynamic operation reduces the effective weight impact during normal flight while maintaining the redundancy benefit, as the secondary system remains in standby rather than continuously operating at full capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a rotorcraft, including a body, including a front portion and a tail portion; a main rotor system coupled to the front portion of the body, the main rotor system operable to provide a lifting force on the body; and an anti-torque system coupled to the tail portion of the body, the anti-torque system including a primary tail rotor system and a secondary tail rotor system; wherein the primary tail rotor system and the secondary tail rotor system are operable to provide a first anti-torque force and a second anti-torque force. In other aspects, there are methods of providing anti-torque force in a rotorcraft.