Wing-Mounted Electric Thrust Control for Aircraft Gust Load Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Airplane structures and passengers experience significant material fatigue and reduced efficiency due to intense gust loads, which existing technologies partially address through aerodynamic control surfaces but with limitations in actuation speed and compensation effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an automated method using an electromotive thrust generating unit on an airplane's wing, controlled by an open-loop and closed-loop control system, to actively reduce root bending moments by modulating torque in response to gust loads, potentially eliminating the bending moment and damping structural oscillations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If aerodynamic control surfaces are used to reduce gust loads, then the root bending moment is reduced, but the actuation speed is limited by the actuation work required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical control surface actuation system with an electromotive thrust generating unit (electric motor). The motor directly generates thrust forces that can rapidly counteract gust loads without the mechanical constraints of control surface linkages, hinges, and aerodynamic actuation delays. This substitution enables much faster response speeds while maintaining effective load reduction.
2Force
If control surfaces are deflected to compensate for gust loads, then the additional moment is reduced, but the compensation effectiveness is limited by actuation limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The electromotive thrust generating unit provides direct force application to the wing structure, bypassing the indirect mechanical linkage system of control surfaces. This enables more precise and effective compensation of gust loads, as the motor can generate exactly the required counteracting force without being constrained by control surface geometry, hinge moments, or aerodynamic coupling limitations.
3Speed
If electric motors are used for thrust generation, then the system allows fast torque modulation for gust load reduction, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electric motor serves multiple functions: it generates the primary thrust for aircraft propulsion while simultaneously providing rapid torque modulation capability for gust load reduction. This multi-functionality means that the same actuator handles both cruise flight propulsion and active gust compensation, avoiding the need for separate dedicated control surfaces and reducing overall system complexity despite the advanced control algorithms required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs closed-loop feedback control where sensors detect wing bending moments or accelerations caused by gusts, and the control system rapidly adjusts motor torque in real-time to counteract the detected loads. This feedback mechanism enables precise torque modulation at high speeds, with the control algorithm optimizing the torque adjustments based on continuous measurement data.
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
This approach significantly reduces the number of vibration cycles, increases the service life of the structure, and enhances passenger comfort by rapidly and robustly controlling torque through closed-loop control, outperforming traditional control surface deflections in efficiency and speed.
Implementation Method 1
electromotive thrust generating unit that is used for generating propulsion
Implementation Method 2
the structural oscillation induced by the gust is actively damped
Data Source
AI summary
An automated method for influencing a gust load of an aircraft is provided. A torque at least of an electromotive thrust generating unit arranged on a wing of the aircraft is modified such that a root bending torque of the wing generated by the gust load is reduced. An associated apparatus, an aircraft, a computer program product, and a computer-readable medium for carrying out the method are also provided.