Rotorcraft Swashplate Actuator Control via Distributed Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
As rotorcraft become larger and more complex, the differences between flying rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft become more pronounced, leading to tightly coupled flight parameters and controls, which can result in unstable flight characteristics and increased pilot workload, especially during transitions between flight modes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a distributed actuator control system (ACS) where swashplate actuators are connected to multiple channels, allowing for redundancy and reducing the impact of channel failures, thereby stabilizing the rotorcraft and reducing pilot workload by minimizing transient responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If swashplate actuators are connected to multiple channels with redundancy, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent channels, where each channel can independently control the swashplate actuators. This segmentation allows redundancy - if one channel fails, another channel can take over, improving reliability without requiring a complete system redesign
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements beforehand cushioning by pre-configuring multiple redundant channels before any failure occurs. This ensures that if a channel failure happens, the system already has backup capacity in place to handle the failure, maintaining stable operation without requiring emergency reconfiguration
2Stability of the object's composition
If distributed actuator control system is implemented, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator control is divided into multiple distributed channels that independently manage different aspects of swashplate control. This segmentation allows each channel to be optimized for specific control functions, improving overall system stability while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts control parameters across different channels based on flight conditions and actuator performance. By changing parameters such as control gains, response thresholds, and channel allocation, the system maintains stability across varying operational modes without requiring fundamental structural changes
3Reliability
If redundant channels are used to reduce impact of failures, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The distributed actuator control system implements self-service through automatic channel selection and failover mechanisms. When a channel failure is detected, the system automatically reconfigures to use remaining functional channels without requiring pilot intervention, maintaining ease of operation while ensuring reliability through redundancy
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A rotorcraft (101) includes a fight control computer (FCC) (205), a first rotor system (110), and a second rotor system (112). The first rotor system (110) includes a first swashplate (122) coupled to a first rotor (118) and a first plurality of actuators (231) configured to move the first swashplate (122). The second rotor system (112) includes a second swashplate (124) coupled to a second rotor (120) and a second plurality of actuators (233) configured to move the second swashplate (124). The rotorcraft also includes a first communications channel coupled between the FCC, a first actuator of the first multiple actuators (231), and a second actuator of the second multiple actuators (233). The rotorcraft also includes a second communications channel coupled between the FCC and a third actuator of the first multiple actuators.