Pneumatic Decoupling Device for Electromechanical Actuator Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydraulic actuators in aircraft can continue to function despite faults, but electric actuators may fail to change length due to defects, potentially leading to loss of control and safety issues, especially when one actuator element is defective and the other is blocked.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic decoupling device is integrated into electromechanical actuators, featuring a pressure accumulator and tripping mechanism that allows controlled pressure release to decouple the drive elements, enabling continued length variation and movement of aerodynamically effective surfaces even when one actuator fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If electric actuators are used to replace hydraulic actuators, then ease of installation and electrical power supply are improved, but reliability deteriorates because electric actuators may fail to change length due to defects
Solution Approach 1:
A decoupling mechanism is pre-integrated into the actuator element, along with a pneumatic release system that is pre-charged with compressed air. When a fault occurs, the decoupling mechanism can be rapidly activated to separate the drive elements from the actuator element, allowing length variation to continue even when the drive unit is blocked. This preliminary preparation ensures that the actuator maintains functionality despite drive unit failures.
2Reliability
If redundancy is provided by arranging actuator elements in parallel, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator system is segmented into functionally independent components: drive elements, actuator elements, and decoupling mechanisms. Each actuator element can be independently decoupled from its drive elements through the pneumatic release system. This segmentation allows one actuator element to continue functioning even when another is blocked, providing redundancy without requiring complex interconnections between multiple actuators.
3Reliability
If a decoupling mechanism is integrated into the actuator element, then reliability is improved by allowing continued length variation, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A pneumatic release system using compressed air is integrated into the decoupling mechanism. The system includes a rupture disc that can be selectively burst by applying electrical energy, rapidly releasing the compressed air to actuate the decoupling. This pneumatic approach provides rapid, reliable decoupling with minimal mechanical complexity, as the compressed air serves both as the actuating medium and the force multiplier needed to overcome the locking mechanism.
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
The pneumatic decoupling device ensures that aerodynamically effective surfaces can still be controlled and adjusted, maintaining aircraft safety by allowing external force to be applied to maintain movement, even if one actuator element is defective, preventing complete loss of control.
Implementation Method 1
The pneumatic decoupling device comprises at least one pressure accumulator element with at least one outlet and at least one tripping mechanism, configured to release the pressure, stored in the pressure accumulator element, in a controlled fashion
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic decoupling device for an electromechanical actuator, in particular, for flight applications includes a pressure accumulator housing for storing a compressed gas, which can be released to a decoupling mechanism of an electromechanical actuator for separating the drive components, so that in the event of a decoupling the electromechanical actuator runs totally freely.