Vane device for a dynamic flow angle measurement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9239338-B2
Application number	US-201414184248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2014
Priority date	Feb 19, 2014
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A vane for dynamic flow angle measurements may have improved performance for time lag responsiveness over a prior art delta-shaped vane. In various embodiments, a gust sensing vane may have a cropped-delta shape and configured to align to a fluid flow direction, where the gust sensing vane comprises a forward portion having a leading edge and an aft portion having a first trailing edge and a second trailing edge. A cross-sectional area of the forward portion may have a triangular shape. Furthermore, a cross-sectional area of the aft portion has two substantially parallel sides to form the cropped-delta shape of the gust sensing vane. The gust sensing vane may be coupled to, and extend away from, a rotary hub.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gust sensing vane having a cropped-delta shape and for being coupled to a rotary hub, wherein the gust sensing vane comprises:
a forward portion tapering to a straight leading edge that has a length along an axis perpendicular to the rotary hub, wherein a cross-sectional area of the forward portion has a triangular shape; and
an aft portion having a first trailing edge and a second trailing edge, wherein a cross-sectional area of the aft portion has two substantially parallel sides;
wherein the gust sensing vane is configured to be coupled to, and extend away from, the rotary hub;
wherein the leading edge of the forward portion is swept rearward and is symmetrical about a bisecting axis that extends away from the rotary hub; and
wherein the gust sensing vane aligns to a fluid flow direction.

2. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the leading edge is rounded.

3. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the first trailing edge and the second trailing edge are each sharp trailing edges of approximately ninety degrees (90°).

4. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the gust sensing vane is part of a wind measurement device, and wherein the rotary hub is coupled to an airplane chassis.

5. The gust sensing vane of claim 4 , wherein the leading edge is positioned substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to the fluid flow direction.

6. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , further comprising an aft notch angle between the gust sensing vane and the rotary hub.

7. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element located within the aft portion and extending along at least a portion of a length of the gust sensing vane.

8. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the gust sensing vane comprises at least one of copper or aluminum.

9. The gust sensing vane of claim 8 , further comprising a surface treatment for at least one of improved vane strength, improved de-icing characteristics, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance.

10. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the gust sensing vane comprises at least one of plastic, wood, or a composite material.

11. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein each of the forward portion and the aft portion of the gust sensing vane is at least 35% of the cross-sectional length.

12. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the forward portion to the aft portion is 1:1 within 15% variance, and wherein the value of the variance is dependent on an expected fluid flow velocity.

13. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the gust sensing vane aligns to the fluid flow direction with a time lag less than 10 milliseconds at 250 knots of wind speed.

14. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the gust sensing vane aligns to the fluid flow direction with a time lag less than 5 milliseconds at 350 knots of wind speed.

15. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the angle of the leading edge is between 10° to 30°.

16. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , wherein the angle of the leading edge is approximately 20°.

17. The gust sensing vane of claim 1 , further comprising a curved transition between the forward portion and the aft portion.

Assignees

• Rosemount Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Daup Michael Robert
• Naslund Brian Brent
• Sherman Andrew Edmund
• Li Richard Zhongmin

Classifications

• G01P13/02 Primary

  Indicating direction only, e.g. by weather vane · CPC title

• G01P13/025

  indicating air data, i.e. flight variables of an aircraft, e.g. angle of attack, side slip, shear, yaw · CPC title