System and method for distributed airflow sensing
AssigneeAurora Flight Sciences Corporation
InventorsRiley Griffin, Michael Lieu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a distributed pressure sensor system that quickly detects and counters changes in lift, onset of stall, and flutter. The distributed pressure sensor system may employ a plurality of integrated pressure ports distributed across the span of a wing's leading edge to gather differential pressure measurements. Based on the differential pressure measurements, the distributed pressure sensor system can estimate torque on the fuselage to provide a more efficient estimate for changes in lift, onset of stall, and/or flutter. These estimates may be applied as feedback to the aircraft's control system, thereby eliminating the latency in the existing platform dynamics.
Claims20
A distributed pressure sensor system for an aerial vehicle, the distributed pressure sensor system comprising:
- a first wing and a second wing, each of said first wing and said second wing having an upper surface, a lower surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge;
- and a first plurality of pressure sensor modules distributed along the leading edge of the first wing, and a second plurality of pressure sensor modules distributed along the leading edge of the second wing, wherein each of said first and second pluralities of pressure sensor modules comprises an upper surface pressure-sensing port, a lower surface pressure-sensing port, a leading edge pressure-sensing port, a first differential pressure transducer, and a second differential pressure transducer, wherein the upper surface pressure-sensing port is positioned on the upper surface adjacent the leading edge, wherein the leading edge pressure-sensing port is positioned at the leading edge, wherein the lower surface pressure-sensing port is positioned on the lower surface adjacent the leading edge, wherein the first differential pressure transducer is fluidly coupled to two of said upper surface pressure-sensing port, said lower surface pressure-sensing port, and said leading edge pressure-sensing port to determine a first differential pressure, and wherein the second differential pressure transducer is fluidly coupled to two of said upper surface pressure-sensing port, said lower surface pressure-sensing port, and said leading edge pressure-sensing port to determine a second differential pressure that is different from said first differential pressure.
A method for determining roll torque of an aircraft using a distributed pressure sensor system having a plurality of pressure sensor modules distributed along a leading edge of a wingset comprising a first wing and a second wing, the method comprising:
- measuring, via a first differential pressure transducer at a first pressure sensor module, a first differential pressure between a first set of pressure-sensing ports positioned on the first wing;
- measuring, via a second differential pressure transducer at the first pressure sensor module, a second differential pressure between a second set of pressure-sensing ports positioned on the first wing;
- determining lift, via a processor, on said first wing using said first differential pressure and said second differential pressure;
- measuring, via a third differential pressure transducer at a second pressure sensor module, a third differential pressure between a third set of pressure-sensing ports positioned on the second wing, the first wing and the second wing being positioned on opposite sides of a center of gravity of the aircraft;
- measuring, via a fourth differential pressure transducer at the second pressure sensor module, a fourth differential pressure between a fourth set of pressure-sensing ports positioned on the second wing;
- determining, via the processor, lift on said second wing using said third differential pressure and said fourth differential pressure;
- and calculating, via the processor, a roll torque of the aircraft as a function of a difference between lift on said first wing and lift on said second wing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.