System and method for assisting in rotor speed control
First Claim
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1. A system for assisting in rotor speed control in a rotorcraft, the system comprising:
- a sensor configured for measuring the rotor speed; and
a computer having a droop protection loop, the droop protection loop configured to detect a drop in rotor speed beyond a droop rotor limit speed, the droop protection loop operable to generate a decrease collective command to a collective actuator in response to a measured rotor speed decreasing below a lower droop limit, the droop protection loop operable to generate the decrease in collective command without the detection of an engine failure;
wherein the lower droop limit is below a normal lower rotor speed range; and
wherein the collective actuator is configured to cause a pitch change in a rotor blade as a function of the commanded decrease in collective to provide an initial increase in rotor speed.
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Abstract
A method of assisting in rotor speed control in a rotorcraft can include measuring a rotor speed with a sensor; detecting a droop in the rotor speed beyond a lower droop limit; and commanding a decrease in collective in response to the rotor speed drooping beyond the lower droop limit. A system of assisting in rotor speed control in a rotorcraft, the system can include: a computer having a control law, the control law operable to generate a decrease collective command to an actuator in response to a rotor speed decreasing below a lower droop limit; wherein the lower droop limit is below a normal lower rotor speed range.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for assisting in rotor speed control in a rotorcraft, the system comprising:
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a sensor configured for measuring the rotor speed; and a computer having a droop protection loop, the droop protection loop configured to detect a drop in rotor speed beyond a droop rotor limit speed, the droop protection loop operable to generate a decrease collective command to a collective actuator in response to a measured rotor speed decreasing below a lower droop limit, the droop protection loop operable to generate the decrease in collective command without the detection of an engine failure; wherein the lower droop limit is below a normal lower rotor speed range; and wherein the collective actuator is configured to cause a pitch change in a rotor blade as a function of the commanded decrease in collective to provide an initial increase in rotor speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An aircraft, comprising:
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a rotor blade; a collective actuator for controlling the pitch of the rotor blade; and a flight control computer operably associated with the collective actuator, the flight control computer having a droop protection loop operable to generate a decrease collective command to the collective actuator in response to a rotor speed decreasing below a lower droop limit, the droop protection loop operable to generate the decrease in collective command without the detection of an engine failure; wherein the lower droop limit is below a normal lower rotor speed range; and wherein the collective actuator is configured to cause a pitch change in the rotor blade as a function of the commanded decrease in collective to provide an initial increase in rotor speed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification