Computer system and program product for controlling vibrations

• US 8,480,364 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lord Corporation (Parker-Hannifin Corporation)
• Inventors: Altieri, Russell E., Jolly, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kershteyn, Igor
• Application Number:
  US12/767,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20100221096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 415/119, 416/1, 416/24, 416/98
• US Class Current: 416/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2027/003 mounted on rotor hub, e.g. a rotary force generator
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/001 Vibration damping devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/22 Compensation of inertia forces suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by favourable grouping or relative arrangements of the moving members of the system or systems F16F15/20, counterweights F16F15/28; correcting-weights for balancing rotating bodies F16F15/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/22 and converting vibrations due to imbalance into electric variables

Abstract

The computer programmable system and program product include first program instructions for actively driving a first imbalance mass concentration rotor and a second imbalance mass concentration rotor at a vibration canceling rotation frequency while controlling the rotational position of the first imbalance mass concentration and the second imbalance mass concentration to produce a rotating net force vector to inhibit periodic vibrations. The program product includes second program instructions to opposingly orient the first imbalance mass concentration relative to the second imbalance mass concentration during a starting stopping rotation speed less than the vibration canceling rotation frequency. The system includes a fault mode control protocol for controlling a rotation of the rotors during a sensed failure of the rotating assembly vibration control system.

Claims

1. A rotating assembly vibration control system for a rotating assembly having a periodic vibration while rotating at an operational rotation frequency,

said rotating assembly vibration control system including a first imbalance mass concentration rotor and a second imbalance mass concentration rotor, wherein said first imbalance mass concentration rotor and said second imbalance mass concentration rotor are rotated at a whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than said rotating assembly operational rotation frequency while controlling the rotational position of said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration to produce a rotating net force vector to inhibit said periodic vibration,

and said first imbalance mass concentration is opposingly oriented relative to said second imbalance mass concentration during a starting stopping rotation speed less than said whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency.

2. A rotating assembly vibration control system as claimed in claim 1, said rotating assembly vibration control system including a fault mode control protocol for controlling a rotation of said rotors during a sensed failure of the rotating assembly vibration control system.

3. A rotating assembly vibration control system as claimed in claim 2, said rotating assembly vibration control system including motor control servo subsystem to position said first rotor to track a first rotor command (R1_phi) and to position said second rotor to track a second rotor command (R2_phi).

4. A rotating assembly vibration control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fault mode control protocol includes a failure detecting sensor for detecting a first rotor failure.

5. A rotating assembly vibration control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fault mode control protocol includes a failure detecting sensor for detecting a second rotor failure.

6. A rotating assembly vibration control system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first rotor is commanded to a prefailure first rotor (R1_phi) command angular position and said second rotor is commanded to a prefailure second rotor (R2_phi) command angular position prior to said first rotor failure, and upon detecting said first rotor failure said second rotor is commanded to a resultant phase (F_phase) position.

7. A rotating assembly vibration control system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first rotor is commanded to a prefailure first rotor (R1_phi) command angular position and said second rotor is commanded to a prefailure second rotor (R2_phi) command angular position prior to said second rotor failure, and upon detecting said second rotor failure said first rotor is commanded to a resultant phase (F_phase) position.

8. A rotating assembly vibration control system as claimed in claim 1, said system including a failure detecting sensor for detecting a rotor failure.

9. A method of controlling aircraft vibrations, said method including providing a rotating assembly vibration control system for a rotating assembly having a periodic vibration while rotating at an operational rotation frequency, said rotating vibration control system including a first imbalance mass concentration rotor and a second imbalance mass concentration rotor,

driving said first imbalance mass concentration rotor and said second imbalance mass concentration rotor at a vibration canceling rotation frequency while controlling the rotational position of said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration to produce a net force vector to inhibit a vibration,

opposingly orienting said first imbalance mass concentration relative to said second imbalance mass concentration during a transitioning rotation speed.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, said method including monitoring a tachometer input signal and maintaining an opposing orientation of said first imbalance mass concentration and said second imbalance mass concentration unless said rotors are driving in sync with said tachometer input signal.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, said method including controlling a rotation of said rotors during a sensed failure of the rotating vibration control system.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, said method including positioning said first rotor to track a first rotor command (R1_phi) and positioning said second rotor to track a second rotor command (R2_phi).

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, said method including monitoring a sensor signal and detecting a first rotor failure.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, said method including monitoring a sensor signal and detecting a second rotor failure.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13, said method including commanding said first rotor to a prefailure first rotor (R1_phi) command angular position and commanding said second rotor to a prefailure second rotor (R2_phi) command angular position prior to said first rotor failure, and upon detecting said first rotor failure commanding said second rotor to a resultant phase (F_phase) position.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, said method including commanding said first rotor to a prefailure first rotor (R1_phi) command angular position and commanding said second rotor to a prefailure second rotor (R2_phi) command angular position prior to said second rotor failure, and upon detecting said second rotor failure commanding said first rotor to a resultant phase (F_phase) position.

17. A method as claimed in claim 9, said method including monitoring a sensor signal and detecting a failure.

18. An aircraft rotating vibration control system for an aircraft assembly having an operational vibration, said aircraft vibration control system including:

a first motor having a first rotor with a first imbalance mass concentration, said first motor driving a rotation of said first rotor,

a second motor having a second rotor with a second imbalance mass concentration, said second motor driving a rotation of said second rotor,

a first vibration sensor for producing a first vibration sensor signal,

a second vibration sensor for producing a second vibration sensor signal,

a first rotor rotational position sensor for producing a first rotor rotational position signal,

a second rotor rotational position sensor for producing a second rotor rotational position signal,

a motor control loop for controlling the rotation of said first rotor and the rotation of said second rotor with an input from said first rotor rotational position signal and with an input from said second rotor rotational position signal,

a vibration control loop for providing commands to the motor control loop to minimize an input from said first vibration sensor signal and an input from said second vibration sensor signal, and a soft start stop control subsystem, said soft start stop control subsystem opposingly orienting said first imbalance mass concentration relative to said second imbalance mass concentration.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said soft start stop control subsystem opposingly orients said first imbalance mass concentration relative to said second imbalance mass concentration during a rotation speed ramp up.

20. A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said soft start stop control subsystem opposingly orients said first imbalance mass concentration relative to said second imbalance mass concentration during a rotation speed ramp down.

21. A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said vibration control system rotates said first rotor and said second rotor at a whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency greater than an operational rotation frequency of said assembly producing said operational vibration.

22. A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said soft start stop control subsystem opposingly orients said first imbalance mass concentration relative to said second imbalance mass concentration during a starting stopping rotation speed less than said whole number multiple vibration canceling rotation frequency.