Systems and Methods for Electronic Measurement of Propeller Blade Angle

• US 20180306053A1
• Filed: 04/24/2017
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Chapman, Christopher Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,577,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/06 for variable-pitch blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/301 characterised by blade position indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/20 by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/241 by relative movement of capacitor electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/481 of pulse signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

Blade feedback systems and methods for determining a blade angle position and rotational speed of a plurality of propeller blades of a variable pitch propeller assembly are provided. Exemplary blade feedback system includes features for determining an axial position of a beta tube. Based at least in part on the axial position of the beta tube, the blade angle of the plurality of propeller blades can be determined. Exemplary blade feedback system can also include features for determining the rotational speed of the beta tube such that the rotational speed of the propeller blades can be determined.

Claims

1. A blade feedback system for an engine defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the blade feedback system comprising:

a propeller assembly rotatable about the axial direction and operatively coupled with the engine, the propeller assembly comprising a plurality of blades spaced apart in the circumferential direction and disposed about the axial direction, wherein the blades are configured to be rotated through a plurality of blade angles about their respective pitch axes each extending in the radial direction;

a housing comprising a sensor, the housing attached to or integral with the engine and in adjacent arrangement with the propeller assembly along the axial direction; and

a beta tube operatively coupled with the plurality of blades and extending at least partially into the housing and at least partially into the propeller assembly, the beta tube rotatable about the axial direction as the propeller assembly rotates and translatable along the axial direction when the plurality of blades are rotated about their respective pitch axes, and wherein the beta tube defines one or more grooves extending along the axial direction and positioned proximate the sensor of the housing such that the sensor can detect the one or more grooves.

2. The blade feedback system of claim 1, wherein the one or more grooves include a first groove and a second groove, wherein the first groove and the second groove are spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction and wherein the first groove varies in phase along the circumferential direction as the first groove extends along the axial direction.

3. The blade feedback system of claim 1, wherein the one or more grooves include a first groove and a second groove, wherein the first groove extends along the axial direction and along the circumferential direction to at least partially define a helix, and wherein the second groove extends in the axial direction.

4. The blade feedback system of claim 3, wherein the helix of the first groove corresponds to a rotatable range through all of the plurality of blade angles.

5. The blade feedback system of claim 3, wherein the second groove extends in the axial direction in a constant phase.

6. The blade feedback system of claim 3, wherein the helix of the first groove varies in phase about one hundred ten degrees (110°

) along the circumferential direction.

7. The blade feedback system of claim 3, wherein the beta tube defines a grooved portion defined by the axial length of the first and second grooves, the grooved portion having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first groove is phased forty-five degrees (45°

) from the second groove at the second end of the grooved portion and the first groove is phased about one hundred fifty-five degrees (155°

) from the second groove at the first end of the grooved portion.

8. The blade feedback system of claim 1, wherein the one or more grooves include a first groove and a second groove, and wherein:

the first groove extends at least partially in the circumferential direction and along the axial direction to at least partially define a helix, and wherein the helix of the first groove varies in phase about one hundred ten degrees (110°

) along the circumferential direction; and

the second groove extends in the axial direction in a constant phase.

9. The blade feedback system of claim 1, wherein the one or more grooves include a first groove extending along the axial direction, the first groove having a groove width varying along the axial direction, and wherein the sensor is configured to sense the groove width such that the axial position of the beta tube can be determined.

10. The blade feedback system of claim 9, wherein the groove width of the first groove gradually increases along the axial direction.

11. The blade feedback system of claim 1, wherein the engine further comprises:

an engine controller communicatively coupled with the sensor, wherein the engine controller is configured to receive one or more signals from the sensor indicative of at least one of the axial position and rotational speed of the beta tube.

12. The blade feedback system of claim 1, wherein the one or more grooves include a first groove and a second groove, and wherein the sensor is configured to sense a distance between the first and second grooves, and wherein the blade feedback system further comprises:

an engine controller communicatively coupled with the sensor, wherein the engine controller is configured to receive one or more signals from the sensor indicative of the axial position of the beta tube; and

wherein the one or more signals are indicative of a time between the first groove reaching radial proximity to the sensor and the second groove reaching radial proximity to the sensor as the beta tube rotates about the axial direction.

13. A blade feedback system for an engine defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the blade feedback system comprising:

a propeller assembly rotatable about the axial direction and operatively coupled with the engine, the propeller assembly comprising a plurality of blades spaced apart in the circumferential direction and disposed about the axial direction, wherein the blades are configured to be rotated through a plurality of blade angles about their respective pitch axes each extending in the radial direction;

a beta tube operatively coupled with the plurality of blades and rotatable about the axial direction as the propeller assembly rotates and translatable along the axial direction when the plurality of blades are rotated about their respective pitch axes, and wherein the beta tube defines one or more grooves extending along the axial direction;

a sensor positioned proximate the one or more grooves such that the sensor can detect the one or more grooves as the beta tube is rotated about the axial direction and translated along the axial direction; and

an engine controller communicatively coupled with the sensor, the engine controller configured to receive one or more signals indicative of an axial position of the beta tube such that the blade angle of the plurality of blades can be determined.

14. The blade feedback system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is at least one of a variable reluctance sensor, a capacitive sensor, a magnetic sensor, and an inductive proximity sensor.

15. The blade feedback system of claim 13, wherein the beta tube includes a body portion and an extension portion attached to or integral with the body portion, the extension portion coaxially aligned with the body portion along the axial direction, and wherein the extension portion has a smaller diameter than the body portion and includes the one or more grooves.

16. The blade feedback system of claim 13, wherein the one or more grooves include a first groove and a second groove, wherein the first groove extends in a variable phase along the circumferential direction as the first groove extends along the axial direction and the second groove extends in a constant phase along the circumferential direction as the second groove extends along the axial direction, and wherein the first groove is spaced apart from the second groove along the circumferential direction.

17. A method for determining a blade angle of propeller blades of a propeller assembly about their respective pitch axes, the propeller assembly operatively coupled with an engine defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the method comprising:

rotating a beta tube about the axial direction, the beta tube defining a first groove and a second groove, wherein the first groove extends in a variable phase along the circumferential direction as the first groove extends along the axial direction and the second groove extends in a constant phase along the circumferential direction as the second groove extends along the axial direction, the first groove spaced apart from the second groove along the circumferential direction;

sensing a spatial relationship between the first groove and the second groove; and

determining an axial position of the beta tube based at least in part on the spatial relationship between the first groove and the second groove.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the spatial relationship is a circumferential distance between the first groove and the second groove, and wherein the spatial relationship corresponds to the axial position of the beta tube.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving one or more signals indicative of the spatial relationship between the first groove and the second groove; and

determining the blade angle of the propeller blades based at least in part on the one or more signals.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the engine comprises a sensor, and wherein the sensor is positioned proximate the first and second grooves such that the sensor can detect the first and second grooves as the beta tube is rotated about the axial direction, and wherein during determining, the method further comprises:

comparing a time delay between a time when the first groove reaches a radial proximity to the sensor and a time when the second groove reaches a radial proximity to the sensor as the beta tube rotates about the axial direction such that the spatial relationship between the first and the second groove can be determined.