Fuel control for controlling helicopter rotor/turbine acceleration.

[Detailed Description of the Invention]

An engine control device is started, and more particularly acceleration of an engine free turbine and/or a helicopter rotor is controlled by the present invention. Therefore, a throttle control device which avoids overshooting of the revolving speed and torque is started. The level of the energy stored in the main rotor system since there is a tendency for inertia of the main rotor system to be made smaller, in a helicopter of the latest style is decreasing, a big change arises with the revolving speed of the main rotor during some flight operations, and it is easy intermediary To have. Revolving speed change of such a main rotor disturbs posture adjustment of the flight characteristic of other helicopters, and the union To intermediary body, and increases a pilot's burden, and makes it a body stability increase system saturated. good -- better or it is one example of To delaminate rotor revolving speed change at the rapid revolution and end time of autorotation operation like autorotation descent. The kinetic energy of the body is changed into the torque of the main rotor during autorotation operation, it is accelerated and clutch release of the main rotor is carried out from a rotor drive (engine). By carrying out clutch release of the main rotor from the engine, the engine should supply only torque more sufficient than a clutch to drive the Supplement machine connected to the Then engine at the engine side. Therefore, the engine can maintain the revolving speed of a standard in the state near zero torque. The revolving speed governor of a free turbine is in the state where Then was also substantially satisfied easily for the engine gas generator (turbo compression machine) by the idle state in the case of the free turbine gas engine. During recovery from autorotation operation, the revolving speed falls until the revolving speed becomes equal to engine it, and re-engaging of clutch of the main rotor is carried out to an engine by the Oba rank Latchch there. Shortly after re-engaging of clutch of the main rotor is carried out to an engine, the revolving speed of a free turbine and the main rotor falls remarkably by the torque demand. Since a gas generator is in an idle state until just before re-engaging of clutch of the main rotor is carried out to an engine, sufficient torque cannot be supplied to a free turbine that the fall of this revolving speed should be prevented. When an excessive change arises in the revolving speed of a free turbine, an engine throttle control device tends to recover engine revolving speed quickly, and, as a result, generating of very high torque produces it. However, when a free turbine reaches the revolving speed of a standard, the superfluous output of a gas generator makes the state of superfluous speed and superfluous torque cause. it can set in the direction opposite to the first revolving speed fall by this -- good -- better or To delaminate change arises. Differentiation-like proportionally or to combine complicated control structure mutually including using integration control structure have so far been tried variously that the fuel by a high flow required to recover the fall of revolving speed should be supplied, without producing such overshooting. When compared with it being very dangerous that the fall of big revolving speed and recovery from it are overdue after all, although it was unpleasant that revolving speed and torque overshoot, it was admitted as an unavoidable thing. however, such influence -- in a helicopter -- especially -- good -- Is it better? it is a To delaminate thing. It is because the posture adjustment will be disturbed in various modes if change of revolving speed and torque arises on the main rotor. In a helicopter, although it is just going to be Is acceptable(ed) that an intense speed fall and recovery [ this ] are overdue, the disorder of posture adjustment arises also as a result of overshooting which arises as a result of using recovery from the fall of revolving speed as a line bowl it not only being generated in the case of the fall of revolving speed, but. The publicly known throttle control device cannot perform recovery from the fall of revolving speed, without producing Over overshooting in the range of large flight operation, and is Oh until now. For the object of the present invention, Providing the engine control device of the helicopter which can make overshooting of torque or revolving speed the minimum, and can attain the rapid recovery from the state to which the revolving speed of the free turbine (therefore, the main rotor of a helicopter) fell too much, or the state which increased too much is included. According to the present invention, the flow of the fuel to the gas generator of the free turbine gas engine of a helicopter is operated so that the acceleration of an engine free turbine (simultaneous when [ Therefore ] the main rotor is connected with this the main rotor) may be controlled. According to the present invention, a desired turbine acceleration order signal is generated by the deviation from the desirable revolving speed at the revolving speed of a free turbine, This is compared with the acceleration of an actual turbine, the deviation finds the integral, and produces a gas generator revolving speed command signal, and this is used for measurement of the fuel style to an engine. In the present invention, since revolving speed of a free turbine is used as a control parameter to a fuel style to an engine, acceleration of nose dirt is used. Therefore, as far as it performs automatically asymptotic proximity to revolving speed of this intermediary request to recovery from all the revolving speed change and is related at engine control in any cases, it avoids producing overshooting certainly. The present invention is simply carried out in various modes including an analog, digital ones, or computer control. A more complicated control device can also be given by including the additional feature in it. In the present invention, various devices and art which are common knowledge are used in a field of this art. Therefore, it may carry out easily. The present invention will become clearer [ the other objects, the features, and advantages ] than the explanation about the example of the present invention given referring to the figure of attachment in the following. fuel control [ in / in the only attached figure / an engine ] -- the present invention -- therefore, it is the simplified solution figure block diagram in which showing the helicopter rotor driver system constituted so that a free turbine or the main rotor might be accelerated. The main rotor 10 is connected to gearbox 13 through axis 12 in Drawing 1, and it is the gearbox, Intermediary To have [ as ] which engages with output axis 18 of engine 20, and drives by this when engine revolving speed is equal to rotor revolving speed or exceeds it through axis 14 and Oba rank Latchch 16. Intermediary To have [ as ] which gearbox 13 also drives tail part rotor 22 through axis 24 again, and a tail part rotor drives by one 5 times the revolving speed of this from a certain fixed relation, for example, the main rotor, always mutually [ the main rotor 10 and tail part rotor 22 ]. Then of engine 20 is good as the typical form at a free turbine gas engine, Intermediary To have [ as ] which drives the output axis 18 from free turbine 40, and drives the free turbine by the gas from compression machine drive turbine 46, compression machine 42 connected to this by axis 44, and the gas generator containing burner section 47. Intermediary To have [ as ] by which fuel is supplied to burner section 47 from the amount valve 52 of fuel gauges of a throttle control device through fuel pipe 50. The amount valve 52 of fuel gauges of a throttle control device is supplied to fueling pipe 50 of the fuel (WF) of the right flow, The revolving speed (Like revolving speed in output axis 18) of free turbine 40 tends to be measured with revolving speed 54 [ a total of ], the signal which shows turbine speed tends to be supplied to addition terminal area 60 through line 56, and it is going to maintain desired engine revolving speed (NF). There is a variable signal by a pilot's will told from a pilot's engine revolving speed controller through the reference speed and line 64 which are the reference values which show the 100% standard speed pulled out from source 62 of a reference value as other inputs to addition terminal area 60. The output of addition terminal area 60 is a speed error signal supplied to line 65, and this is supplied to turbine governor 66 of a throttle control device. The output from turbine governor 66 supplied on line 67 is a signal which shows the desired revolving speed of a gas generator, and this is supplied to addition terminal area 68 at the entrance of gas generator control part 69. Addition terminal area 68 also answers the signal which shows the gas generator revolving speed (NG) told through revolving speed a total of 71 lines 70 which answer the revolving speed of the gas generator containing compression machine 42, axis 44, and turbine 46. Gas generator control device 69 gives the fuel-flow signal with which it was ordered on line 73, and this signal is supplied to measurement valve 52, and makes the fuel of the right quantity given as a function of the difference of desired gas generator revolving speed and actual gas generator revolving speed supply to fuel pipe 50 from fuel pump 74. This self is well-known control composition. the principle in which turbine governor 66 in a throttle control device is completely new according to the present invention -- therefore, it operates. That is, since not the revolving speed of a free turbine but the acceleration is given a desired gas generator revolving speed signal on line 67, it is used. More particularly, the turbine revolving speed error signal in line 65 is given to amplifier 80. As for this amplifier, it is preferred that a smaller input is a well-known variable gain amplifier in itself [ Like ] which is amplified by a bigger gay than a bigger input. A desired turbine acceleration signal is given by this on line 81 ("acceleration" [ this ] however, what should be minded here is that the becoming word contains also in a "slowdown"). The turbine acceleration signal of the request on line 81 is supplied to addition terminal area 82 in the input side of amplifier 83. Other inputs in this addition terminal area are inputs which show the actual turbine acceleration supplied through line 84, and this is given from differentiation machine 86 which answers the turbine revolving speed signal on line 56. The output of amplifier 83 is a turbine ballistic deflection signal, and this is given on line 87. This signal is led to switch 88 (as for this, Then is good with F.E.T or other transistor switches), and switch 88 is passed only when the signal which shows that the turbine revolving speed error is over 1/4% of predetermined revolving speed exists in line 89. When a turbine revolving speed error is very small, it can avoid that a noise and few revolving speed errors find the integral by opening switch 88. This is explained in detail below. The signal on line 89 is acquired from window comparator 90. The reference voltage which shows +1/4% of predetermined revolving speed and -1/4% is supplied to this window comparator (or other numerical values may be used arbitrarily). The ballistic deflection signal which passed switch 88 may be supplied to addition terminal area 93 through line 92, and various prediction signal inputs supplied through line 94 here from suitable circuit 96 may be added to it. Then of this prediction signal input circuit 96 is good with the device which predicts that the main rotor under autorotation currently indicated by the collective Pitch prediction device of a well-known model or Japanese Patent Application No. No. 066824 [ 58 to ] under simultaneous application re-engages with an engine. Anyway, inputting the prediction signal are passing line 94 is that it is unrelated to the present invention directly. Since these additional inputs have a form of desired turbine acceleration if this input is used, it becomes unnecessary to use the gas generator revolving speed control by collective Pitch. This is because a desired turbine acceleration signal is supplied to integration machine 100 through line 98 and it is given on line 67 as a desired revolving speed signal. The present invention generates the turbine acceleration signal of the request which should be compared with actual turbine acceleration using the revolving speed error signal on line 65, it integrates with a ballistic deflection signal and it gives a revolving speed error signal on line 67. Overshooting is automatically reduced at operation within the limits of an engine and a throttle control device by controlling a fuel flow that not desired revolving speed but desired roll acceleration should be attained. And a gain can be raised as enough to recover by replacing with revolving speed and controlling roll acceleration more quickly than reduction of revolving speed. although not shown here, the turbine revolving speed signal on line 56 is supplied to addition terminal area 60 or differentiation machine 86 -- point Stand up -- it may be filtered in order to make it the value which should reduce a noise and should permit the margin of closed loop stability from it again. Supposing it wishes, the function of amplifier 80 may further be complicated by giving suitable restriction or gain change so that it may be suitable for the engine in which the throttle control device incorporating the present invention is used, and the operational characteristic of A helicopter. Although the present invention was explained by the analog point above, these signal-processing functions may be performed by it when a digital computer can be used. In a digital throttle control device, the processing capability of the signal by the present invention will be attained by the obvious point at a person skilled in the art by a comparatively easy programming step similar to signal processing performed by the circuit shown here. Or the easy liquid pressure mechanical gas generator free turbine control device which can receive the gas generator revolving speed signal of the request on line 67 may be used for the helicopter which has a digital automatic control system, In this case, processing of the engine revolving speed signal which carries out the present invention will be attained by the easy programming step performed within an automatic-flight-control computer. These all are not directly related to the present invention, It is enough if attained by suitable methods with arbitrary the revolving speed signal of a request of a gas generator being given as integration of the difference between actual turbine roll acceleration and the turbine roll acceleration of the request given as a function of the error of turbine revolving speed. Although the present invention was explained about the helicopter, since disorder produces it into the posture by overshooting in a helicopter, control of overshooting in a free turbine engine is required according to it being very important in the case of a helicopter. However, it may be used for the free turbine which drives loads other than a helicopter rotor supposing it desires control by the present invention. it is that into which the present invention is not limited only to the example which requires the present invention although the example of illustration was described in detail, and various corrections or addition may be similarly made within the limits of the present invention -- a person skilled in the art -- an intermediary -- probably, it will be clear.

[Brief Description of the Drawings]

an attached figure -- the fuel control to an engine -- the present invention -- therefore, it is a figure shown by the solution figure block diagram which had the helicopter rotor driver system performed in the way which controls the acceleration of a free turbine or the main rotor simplified. 10 ...... The main rotor, 12 ...... An axis, 13 ...... A gearbox, 14 ...... An axis, 16 ...... The Oba rank Latchch, 18 ...... An engine output axis, 20 ...... An engine, 22 ...... A tail part rotor, 24 ...... An axis, 40 ...... A free turbine, 42 ...... A compression machine, 44 ...... An axis, 46 ...... A compression machine drive turbine, 50 ...... A fuel pipe, 52 ...... The amount valve of fuel gauges, 54 ...... A revolving speed meter, 60 ...... An addition terminal area, 62 ...... The source of a reference value, 66 ...... A turbine governor, 68 ...... An addition terminal area, 69 ...... A gas generator control part, 71 ...... A revolving speed meter, 74 ...... A fuel pump, 80 [ ...... A differentiation machine, 88 / ...... A switch 90 / ...... A window comparator, 96 / ...... A prediction signal input circuit, 100 / ...... Integration machine. ] ...... An amplifier, 82 ...... An addition terminal area, 83 ...... An amplifier, 86