INTEGRATED ACTUATION SYSTEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTROL OF HELICOPTER ROTOR BLADES

FUTURE ARMY ROTORCRAFT/AIR-VEHICLE SYSTEMS WILL REQUIRE ADVANCES IN SURVIVABILITY, OPERABILITY AND SUPPORTABILITY. SATCON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION PROPOSES TO DESIGN, FABRICATE, AND DEMONSTRATE AN INTEGRATED ACTUATION SYSTEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTROL OF HELICOPTER ROTOR BLADES WHICH WILL ALLOW IMPROVEMENTS IN ALL THREE AREAS. THIS SYSTEM WILL IMPROVE OPERABILITY BY IMPROVING MANEUVERABILITY, AGILITY, AND SPEED; IMPROVE SUPPORTABILITY BY INCREASING RELIABILITY; AND IMPROVE SURVIVABILITY BY DECREASING SIGNATURE (NOISE AND VIBRATION). IN CONVENTIONAL HELICOPTERS, CONTROL OF THE ROTOR IS ACHIEVED BY THE USE OF A SWASHPLATE. FOR A NUMBER OF ROTOR CONTROL PROBLEMS, HOWEVER, THE HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED SWASHPLATE IS INADEQUATE. BECAUSE A SWASHPLATE CAN COMMAND ONLY THREE DEGREES OF FREEDOM, INDIVIDUAL BLADE CONTROL (IBC) CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH A SWASHPLATE FOR FOUR (OR MORE) BLADED ROTORS. SWASHPLATES HAVE INSUFFICIENT BANDWIDTH TO PROVIDE ACTIVE CONTROL OF HELICOPTER ROTOR VIBRATION. FINALLY, IT IS DESIRABLE IN SOME APPLICATIONS TO CONTROL THE LIFT DISTRIBUTION ALONG THE SPAN OF EACH BLADE WHICH IS NOT POSSIBLE WITH SWASHPLATES. THE BLADE MOUNTED, INTEGRATED ACTUATION SYSTEM WILL OVERCOME ALL THESE DEFICIENCIES WHILE PROVIDING SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED RELIABILITY. PHASE I WILL CONSIST OF CONCEPT DEFINITION, INITIAL INVESTIGATION, AND DETAILED PLANNING FOR PHASE II. PHASE II WILL CONSIST OF DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND TESTING OF THE PROTOTYPE HARDWARE CONCEPT.