DEVICE FOR ASSISTING WITH REGULATION OF PROPELLERS OF AERONAUTICAL TURBOMACHINERY
20250083798 ยท 2025-03-13
Assignee
Inventors
- Henri Yesilcimen (Moissy Cramayel, FR)
- Anthony Binder (Moissy Cramayel, FR)
- Panagiotis Giannakakis (Moissy Cramayel, FR)
Cpc classification
F05D2200/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F05D2270/44
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B64C11/301
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B64C11/30
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F05D2260/81
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01D7/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
Abstract
This control device for a propulsion system, comprising means for calculating a blade-pitch setpoint of at least one propeller of the propulsion system, the calculation means using a performance predictive model of the propeller taking account of at least one flight speed for adapting a blade-pitch angle setpoint, is characterised in that the performance predictive model of the propeller is configured to use polar charts implemented in the form of a mathematical law.
Claims
1. A control device for a propulsion system, comprising means for calculating a blade-pitch setpoint of at least one propeller of the propulsion system, the calculation means using a performance predictive model of the propeller taking account of at least one flight speed for adapting a blade-pitch angle setpoint, characterised in that the performance predictive model of the propeller is configured to use polar charts implemented in the form of a mathematical law.
2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion system comprises at least one element selected from among a rotor, a stator, an upstream rotor and a downstream rotor counter-rotating with respect to the upstream rotor, and a rotor and stator assembly, the rotor being located upstream of the stator.
3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the performance predictive model of the propeller takes account of a measurement of the rotational speed of the propeller and a measurement of the mechanical torque of the shaft of the propeller.
4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the performance predictive model of the propeller uses an optimisation mathematical law to define a blade-pitch setpointfor at least one stator.
5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation means comprise an iteration loop, a stop criterion of which is the convergence of a lift coefficient from a calculated value towards a value obtained by using the polar charts.
6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation means comprise an iteration loop having a stop criterion determined based on a convergence from a calculated value of the mechanical torque towards the measured mechanical torque.
7. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the polar charts are obtained by using a reset of the mathematical formulation with regards to target results obtained by three-dimensional numerical simulation or by wind tunnel tests.
8. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said device forms a module for a full-authority digital electronic controller.
9. A full-authority digital electronic controller comprising a device according to claim 1.
10. A turboprop engine comprising a control device according to claim 1.
11. An aircraft comprising a turboprop engine according to claim 10.
12. A method for controlling a propulsion system, comprising a step of calculating a blade-pitch setpoint of at least one propeller of the propulsion system, during which a step of predicting the performance of the propeller is performed taking account of at least one flight speed to adapt a blade-pitch angle setpoint, said prediction step being characterised by the use of the polar charts implemented in the form of a mathematical law.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] Other aims, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, given only as a non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:
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DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF AT LEAST ONE EMBODIMENT
[0044]
[0045] A setpoint 20 for the speed of the propeller 21 is given by the pilot or an automatic or servo-controlled piloting system. A propeller rotational speed sensor 22 allows calculating the difference 23 between the setpoint and the instantaneous speed.
[0046] This difference 23 is transmitted to the FADEC 24 (full-authority digital electronic controller) which calculates, using a measurement of the rotational speed 25 of the propeller and a measurement of the mechanical torque 26 of the propeller shaft, the power supplied to the propeller, as well as a blade-pitch setpoint 27. The FADEC 24 also takes account of a measurement of the flight speed of the aircraft 28. The FADEC 24 is configured and able to use for the calculation of the blade-pitch setpoint 27 a pre-programmed performance predictive model of the propeller 29 contained in its memory.
[0047] An angular blade-pitch angle sensor 30 allows calculating the difference 31 between the instantaneous blade-pitch angle value and the setpoint 27, which is transmitted to the actuator 32, consisting of a jack which acts on the blade-pitch angle of the propeller 21.
[0048] The performance predictive model of the propeller 29 is based on a lifting-line type one-dimension computation code, allowing estimating the aerodynamic performances of a rotor (applicable for a conventional propeller and for the CROR-type architecture) or of a stator (applicable in a USF-type configuration).
[0049]
[0050] Based on the computation code shown in
[0051] It should be noted that, to obtain the blade-pitch angles in the case of the pair of contra-rotating propellers as encountered in the CROR-type architectures, the computation code of
[0052] In the case of a USF architecture, the computation code of
[0053]
[0054] Thus, for given operating conditions 46 of the stator and for a given geometry 47 of the stator, it is possible to estimate, using a model 48 of the stator, the thrust 49 delivered by the stator, as well as the mechanical torque 50 generated by the stator for a given blade-pitch angle 51.
[0055] Based on the computation code shown in
[0056] Next, the flowchart of
[0057] The input values 61 consist of geometric parameters known for a given rotor, atmospheric parameters measured by probes, mechanical parameters measured by sensors present on the engine and calculated parameters specified hereinafter.
[0058] For example, the geometry of a given rotor is characterised by geometric parameters such as the diameter, the hub ratio, the number of blades, the activity factor and a reference height at the plane of the rotor. From these initial geometric parameters, other geometric parameters are calculated such as the outer radius (Rtip), the inner radius (Rhub120), the passage section of the rotor (Area120), the mean chord of the rotor or the chord/diameter ratio of the rotor.
[0059] For example, the atmospheric parameters measured by probes and representative of a given flight condition are the flight speed (V0), the speed of sound (Vson) and the ambient density (RhoAmb).
[0060] For example, the mechanical parameters measured by sensors and representative of a given operating point are the rotational speed of the rotor (Nmech120), the blade-pitch angle of the rotor (Calage120) and the mechanical torque on the shaft of the rotor (Trq120). From these initial mechanical parameters, other parameters such as the peripheral speed of the rotor (Utip120) and the ratio between the flight speed and the peripheral speed of the rotor (V0qUtip120) are calculated.
[0061] After determination of the input data of step 61 by measurement or calculation, the FADEC 24 proceeds with step 62 of calculating the speed field of the wake at infinity downstream of the rotor while making the assumption of the conservation of the flow rate and using the transposition of the reference height at the plane of the rotor at infinity downstream (RqRtipWake180), the induced axial speed of the wake of the rotor at infinity (VizWake180), the contraction of the fluid stream between the plane of the rotor and infinity downstream (Rtip180qRtip120) and the ratio between the axial speed and the tangential speed at infinity downstream (VzWake180qUtip180) as specified in the following formulae.
[0072] At this level, the FADEC 24 initialises the two iterative parameters VizWake180qV120 and Vz180qVz120, which will take on convergent values over the subsequent iterations (step 69).
[0073] Afterwards, the FADEC 24 performs step 63 of calculating the speed field at the plane of the rotor expressed by the following equations:
[0080] Afterwards, the FADEC 24 performs the step 64 of calculating the aerodynamic coefficients by the following equations:
[0085] At this level, the FADEC 24 uses pre-programmed calculation functions contained in its memory, called polar charts, which connect in the form of mathematical laws the drag and lift coefficients determined experimentally or by 3D calculation for different angles of incidence. The methods used for the step 65 of calculating a polar chart expressing the lift coefficient (Cl120AoA) as a function of the angle of incidence (AoA122) and for step 66 of calculating a polar chart expressing the drag coefficient (Cd120) as a function of the lift coefficient (Cl120AoA) will be explained later on using
[0086] Afterwards, the FADEC performs a comparison (step 67) between the value of the lift coefficient derived from the analytical calculation (Cl120) and the value of the lift coefficient derived from the polar chart (Cl120AoA).
[0087] If the two compared values are equal, the convergence has been reached and the FADEC 24 uses the determined speed field at the plane of the rotor and the obtained aerodynamic coefficients, to calculate the thrust delivered by the rotor and the mechanical torque consumed by the rotor (step 68), with the following equations:
[0091] If the two compared values are not equal, the FADEC 24 proceeds with a new step 69 of iterating the calculation of iterative parameters VizWake180qV120 (step 70) and Vz180qVz120 (step 71).
[0092] For the calculation of the iterative parameter Vz180qVz120 (step 71), the FADEC 24 first performs a step 72 of evaluating the dimensionless invariants representative of the performances of a rotor as expressed in the following equations:
[0097] After step 72 of evaluating the dimensionless invariants, the FADEC 24 performs the calculation of the iterative parameter Vz180qVz120 (step 71) with the following equations:
[0103] The computation code set out hereinabove is based on the direct path theory of a computation code associated with a rotor, as shown in
[0104] Conversely, according to the principle shown in
[0105] Next, the mathematical formulation of the polar chart of a rotor as well as the method for obtaining it is set out.
[0106] The mathematical formulation of the polar chart depends on its shape. To identify this shape, it is necessary beforehand to obtain target results in terms of performances to be achieved. These target results are derived from the three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations and/or physical wind tunnel tests for example.
[0107]
[0108]
[0109] The points represented in the graphs of
[0110] The mathematical formulation of the polar charts proposes to establish a mathematical model that minimises deviations from all points. To build this mathematical model, some dependency parameters are selected.
[0111] The polar chart (Cl120 vs AoA122) giving the lift coefficient as a function of the angle of incidence depends on the following parameters: the angle of incidence, the relative Mach number (Mn122) to take account of the compressibility effects, and the ratio between the flight speed and the peripheral speed of the propeller (V0qUtip120) to take account of the 3D effects of the variation of the distribution of the load over the height of the blading.
[0112] The polar chart (Cd120 vs Cl120) giving the drag coefficient as a function of the lift coefficient depends on the following parameters: the lift coefficient, the relative Mach number (Mn122) to take account of the compressibility effects, and the ratio between the flight speed and the peripheral speed of the propeller (V0qUtip120) to take account of the 3D effects of the variation of the distribution of the load over the height of the blading.
[0113] The ratio (V0qUtipQdes) between the parameter V0qUtip120 and the value of this parameter at the drawing point of the propeller (V0qUtip120des) is defined by the following equation:
[0114] This ratio allows modelling the 3D effects of the variation of the distribution of the load over the height of the blading.
[0115] Afterwards, the slope coefficient k1Cl of the polar chart (Cl120 vs AoA122) is defined by the following equation:
[0119] Afterwards, the angle of incidence is defined when the lift coefficient is zero, depending on the compressibility effects and the 3D load distribution effects, by the following equation:
[0124] The mathematical formulation of the polar chart (Cl120 vs AoA122) giving the lift coefficient as a function of the angle of incidence is defined by the following equation:
[0125] The equation (27) is used by the FADEC 24 during step 65 of calculating the polar chart expressing the lift coefficient (Cl120AoA) as a function of the angle of incidence (AoA122).
[0126]
[0127] For the mathematical formulation of the polar chart (Cd120 vs Cl120) giving the drag coefficient as a function of the lift coefficient, the upper limit of the 3D effects of load distribution over the height of the propeller is first defined, because it has been noticed that the 3D effect becomes negligible for high values of V0qUtipQdes. This limit is given by the following equation:
[0130] For the mathematical definition of the polar chart (Cd120 vs Cl120), support is made on a hyperbolic cosine bi-parabolic type curve as expressed by the following equations:
[0131]
[0132] Afterwards, corrections are defined on the different coefficients, in order to take account of the 3D effects of the distribution of the load over the height of the propeller, by the following equations:
[0146] Finally, the correction to be made to model the compressibility effect is defined by the following equations:
[0151] The mathematical formulation of the polar chart (Cd120 vs Cl120) giving the drag coefficient as a function of the lift coefficient is defined by the following equation:
[0152] The equation (41) is used by the FADEC 24 during step 66 of calculating the polar chart expressing the drag coefficient (Cd120) as a function of the lift coefficient derived from the polar chart (Cl120AoA).
[0153] The reset coefficients of the mathematical formulation of the polar chart Cl120 vs AoA122 and of the polar chart Cd120 vs Cl120 are specified in the tables of
[0154] Next, the flowchart of
[0155] The input values 81 consist of geometric parameters known for a given stator, atmospheric parameters measured by probes, a mechanical parameter measured by sensors present on the engine and calculated parameters specified hereinafter.
[0156] For example, the geometry of a given stator is characterised by geometric parameters such as the diameter, the hub ratio, the number of blades, the activity factor and a reference height at the propeller plane. From these initial geometric parameters, other geometric parameters such as the outer radius (Rtip125), the inner radius (Rhub125), the passage section of the stator (Area125), the mean chord of the stator or the elongation of the stator are calculated.
[0157] For example, the atmospheric parameters measured by probes and representative of a given flight condition are the flight speed (V0), the speed of sound (Vson) and the ambient density (RhoAmb).
[0158] For example, the mechanical parameter measured by sensors and representative of a given operating point is the blade-pitch angle of the stator (Calage125).
[0159] The FADEC 24 uses the computation code associated with the upstream rotor 60 to supplement the input parameters (step 81) with the hub ratio of the rotor (RhubQtip120), the reference height at the plane of the rotor for the calculations of the model (RqRtipCalc0d120), the axial speed induced at the plane of the rotor (Viz120), the axial speed at the plane of the rotor (Vz120) and the tangential speed at the immediate downstream of the rotor (Vu124). the speed Vu124 is calculated using the following equations:
[0163] Afterwards, the FADEC 24 performs a step 82 of calculating the speed field at the upstream of the stator. To transpose the magnitudes of the speed field at the immediate downstream of the rotor to the upstream of the stator, the FADEC 24 uses a coefficient (CoeffVz125) adjusting the induced axial speed of the current tube of the rotor at the upstream of the stator by the following equation:
[0164] According to the equation (42), if CoeffVz125 is zero, then the induced axial speed at the upstream of the rectifier (Viz125) is equal to the induced axial speed at the immediate downstream of the rotor and it is considered that the rectifier is located very close to the propeller.
[0165] According to the equation (42), if CoeffVz125 is equal to 1, then the induced axial speed at the upstream of the rectifier (Viz125) is equal to twice the induced axial speed at the immediate downstream of the rotor, and it is considered that the stator is located in the downstream infinite wake of the rotor.
[0166] To calculate the speed field at the upstream of the stator, the FADEC 24 uses the following equations:
[0174] The FADEC 24 calculates the blade-pitch angle of the absolute speed (Phi125) with the following equations:
[0175] It may be considered that the stator generates an induced speed perpendicular to the absolute speed upstream of the stator and in the direction opposite to the thrust generated by the stator. Taking account of this induced speed (Vi127) then allows determining the absolute speed involved in the calculation of the definition of the generated thrust and of the resistive torque of the stator.
[0176] Afterwards, the FADEC 24 performs a step 83 of calculating the speed field at the plane of the stator, corrected for the induced effects.
[0177] The axial (Viz127) and tangential (Viu127) induced speeds at the calculation plane of the stator are expressed by the following equations:
[0178] The equations 54 and 55 contain the iterative parameter that expresses the ratio between the speed induced at the plane of the stator and the absolute speed upstream of the stator. At this level, the FADEC 24 initialises the iterative parameter Vi127qV125, which will take on convergent values throughout the subsequent iterations (step 89).
[0179] The FADEC 24 calculates the speed field at the plane of the stator corrected for the induced effects. by the following equations:
[0185] The FADEC 24 calculates the blade-pitch angle at the absolute speed (Phi127) and the angle of incidence (AoA127) with the following equations:
[0186] Afterwards, the FADEC 24 performs the calculation 84 of the aerodynamic coefficient by the following equation:
[0187] The equation (63) contains a reset coefficient CoeffKJ125 which allows adapting the Kutta-Joukowski theorem to stator-type geometries located downstream of a rotor.
[0188] At this level, the FADEC 24 uses pre-programmed calculation functions contained in its memory, called polar charts, which relate, in the form of mathematical laws, the drag and lift coefficients determined experimentally or by 3D calculation for different angles of incidence. The methods used in the case of a stator for calculating a polar chart expressing the lift coefficient (Cl125AoA) as a function of the angle of incidence (AoA127) (step 85) and for calculating a polar chart expressing the drag coefficient (Cd125) as a function of the lift coefficient (Cl125AoA) (step 86) will be explained later on.
[0189] Afterwards, the FADEC 24 performs a step 87 of comparison between the value of the lift coefficient derived from the analytical calculation (Cl125) and the value of the lift coefficient derived from the polar chart (Cl125AoA).
[0190] If the two compared values are equal, the convergence has been reached and the FADEC 24 uses the determined speed field at the plane of the stator and the obtained aerodynamic coefficients, to perform the calculation of the thrust delivered by the propeller and the mechanical torque consumed by the propeller (step 88), with the following equations:
[0191] If the two compared values are not equal, the FADEC 24 proceeds with a new iteration (step 89) of the calculation of the iterative parameter Vi127qV125 (step 90).
[0192] The FADEC 24 performs the evaluation of the dimensionless invariants representative of the performances of the stator by the following equations:
[0197] It is necessary to associate a piloting objective with the computation code 80 in order to be able to use it to predict the variations in the blade-pitch angle of the associated stator. For the rotor, the measurement of the mechanical torque forms the piloting objective, but in the case of the stator it is necessary to find an alternative solution because this measurement type is not available.
[0198] The blade-pitch of the stator is determined so as to maximise the thrust generated by this stator in order to maximise the efficiency of the rotor/stator module thereby allowing minimising the fuel consumption.
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[0200]
[0201]
[0202] One could notice that the blade-pitch of the stator maximising the thrust of the stator is the same as that one which also maximises the overall efficiency.
[0203] Henceforth, it is proposed to define an analytical control equation which adjusts the blade-pitch of the stator automatically in order to maximise the thrust of this stator.
[0204] To this end, the FADEC 24 first calculates a series of derivatives bv the following equations:
[0205] The equation (69) expresses the derivative (dCl125QdVi127qV125) of the lift coefficient of Kutta-Joukowsky theorem;
[0206] The equation (70) gives the expression of the derivative (dVz127QdVi127qV125) of the axial component of the absolute speed of the stator;
[0207] The equation (71) expresses the derivative (dVu127QdVi127qV125) of the tangential component of the absolute speed of the stator;
[0208] The equation (72) expresses the derivative (dV125QdVi127qV125) of the absolute speed of the stator;
[0209] The equation (73) gives the value (dCosPhi127QdVi127qV125) of the derivative of the cosine of the blade-pitch angle of the absolute speed of the stator;
[0210] The equation (74) gives the value (dSinPhi127QdVi127qV125) of the derivative of the sine of the blade-pitch angle of the absolute speed of the stator;
[0211] The equation (75) expresses the derivative (dCd125QdCl125) of the drag coefficient relative to the lift coefficient using the parametric formulation of the polar chart. The function ceil( ) is a function which returns the smallest integer value greater than or equal to its argument; and
[0212] The equation (76) expresses the derivative (dCtMap125QdVi127qV125) of the thrust of the stator using the definition of the thrust coefficient Ct125.
[0213] The FADEC 24 obtains the piloting equation by imposing that the value of the derivative (dCtMap125QdVi127qV125) expressed by the equation (76) is zero, namely the following equation (77):
[0214] The equation (77) then allows defining the blade-pitch angle that the stator should have, thereby guiding the regulation system and corresponds to the mathematical law (56) of
[0215] Next, the mathematical formulation of the polar chart of a stator as well as the method for obtaining it is described.
[0216] The mathematical formulation of the polar chart of a stator is identical to the mathematical formulation of a rotor already set out, with the only difference that the appearance of the polar chart (Cl125 vs AoA127) expressing the lift coefficient as a function of angle of incidence no longer has a linear tendency, as is the case with a rotor, but a 3-order tendency.
[0217] Henceforth, the lift coefficient (Cl125) is expressed for a stator using the following equations:
[0218] The mathematical formulation of the polar chart (Cd125 vs Cl125) giving the drag coefficient as a function of the lift coefficient is defined by the following equation (82), identical to the equation 41 used in the case of a rotor:
[0219] The reset coefficients of the mathematical formulation of the polar chart Cl125 vs AoA127 and of the polar chart Cd125 vs Cl125 are specified in the tables of