Flow control method and rotary wing unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11718388-B2
Application number	US-202117508638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2021
Priority date	Apr 2, 2019
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A flow control method is a flow control method of controlling flow around a blade of a rotary wing, a plasma actuator being disposed at the blade. The flow control method includes: determining a characteristic frequency ratio that is a characteristic value among frequency ratios, each of the frequency ratios being a ratio between an actuator driving frequency and an angle of attack changing frequency, the actuator driving frequency being a frequency of an applied voltage applied to the plasma actuator, the angle of attack changing frequency being a frequency at which an angle of attack of the blade changes in accordance with a rotation angle of the blade; setting the actuator driving frequency such that the frequency ratio becomes the characteristic frequency ratio; and applying a voltage of the set actuator driving frequency to the plasma actuator to control the flow around the blade.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow control method of controlling flow around a blade of a rotary wing, a plasma actuator being disposed at the blade,
the flow control method comprising:
determining a characteristic frequency ratio that is a characteristic value among frequency ratios, each of the frequency ratios being a ratio between an actuator driving frequency and an angle of attack changing frequency, the actuator driving frequency being a frequency of an applied voltage applied to the plasma actuator, the angle of attack changing frequency being a frequency at which an angle of attack of the blade changes in accordance with a rotation angle of the blade;
setting the actuator driving frequency such that the frequency ratio becomes the characteristic frequency ratio; and
applying a voltage of the set actuator driving frequency to the plasma actuator to control the flow around the blade.

2. The flow control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
acquiring in advance a change property of a lift coefficient for each frequency ratio, the lift coefficient changing in accordance with the angle of attack of the blade; and
calculating an evaluation value regarding the lift coefficient for each frequency ratio based on the acquired change property of the lift coefficient, wherein
the characteristic frequency ratio is determined based on the evaluation value.

3. The flow control method according to claim 2 , wherein the evaluation value is a value obtained by using at least one of a value regarding an integrated value of the lift coefficient, a value regarding a maximum value of the lift coefficient, or a value regarding a minimum value of the lift coefficient after stall of the blade.

4. The flow control method according to claim 2 , wherein the evaluation value is a value obtained by using at least one of:
a first determination reference value that is a value regarding a ratio between an integrated value of the lift coefficient per one cycle of change of the angle of attack when the plasma actuator is driven and an integrated value of the lift coefficient per one cycle of the change of the angle of attack when the plasma actuator is not driven;
a second determination reference value that is a value regarding a ratio between a maximum value of the lift coefficient in one cycle of the change of the angle of attack when the plasma actuator is driven and a maximum value of the lift coefficient in one cycle of the change of the angle of attack when the plasma actuator is not driven; or
a third determination reference value that is a value regarding a ratio between a minimum value of the lift coefficient in a predetermined period of time from a point of time at which the lift coefficient becomes largest in one cycle of the change of the angle of attack when the plasma actuator is driven and a minimum value of the lift coefficient in a predetermined period of time from a point of time at which the lift coefficient becomes largest in one cycle of the change of the angle of attack when the plasma actuator is not driven.

5. The flow control method according to claim 4 , wherein the evaluation value is calculated based on a product of the first determination reference value, the second determination reference value, and the third determination reference value.

6. A rotary wing unit comprising:
a rotary wing including a blade;
a cyclic pitch controller that periodically changes an angle of attack of the blade at a predetermined angle of attack changing frequency in accordance with a rotation angle of the blade; and
a plasma actuator disposed at the blade, wherein
a voltage of an actuator driving frequency is applied to the plasma actuator, the actuator driving frequency being a frequency of an applied voltage applied to the plasma actuator, the actuator driving frequency being set such that a frequency ratio that is a ratio between the actuator driving frequency and the angle of attack changing frequency becomes a characteristic frequency ratio that is a characteristic value.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd
• Univ Tohoku

Inventors

• Yasuda Hidemasa
• Ochi Akio
• Hayama Kenji
• Tsujiuchi Tomoka
• Nakakita Kazuyuki
• Nonomura Taku
• Komuro Atsushi
• Takashima Keisuke

Classifications

• B64C23/04 Primary

  by generating shock waves · CPC title

• B64C23/005 Primary

  by other means not covered by groups B64C23/02 - B64C23/08, e.g. by electric charges, magnetic panels, piezoelectric elements, static charges or ultrasounds · CPC title

• B64C27/04 Primary

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64C2230/12

  by using electromagnetic tiles, fluid ionizers, static charges or plasma · CPC title

• B64C2230/28

  at propeller or rotor blades · CPC title