# US 2014/0193236 A1 · Power producing device with control mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193236 A1 - Document ID: US20140193236A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/734,236 - Filed: 2013-01-04 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: Raytheon Company - Applicants: Raytheon Company - Inventors: Brendan H. Robinson; John K. Yook; John H. Steele - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193236A1 ## CPC - F01D 17/02: Arrangement of sensing elements - B64D 41/007: {Ram air turbines} - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT ## Abstract A power-producing device, such as a ram air turbine, includes a controller that is used to control operation of a turbine of the power-producing device. The controller uses an input based on an airspeed of the aircraft as part of a control mechanism in the controller for controlling the turbine. For example controller may be used to control backpressure of the turbine, for example by controlling the angle of doors of that are used to adjust backpressure of the turbine. The control mechanism may include a PID controller, with the gain of one or more of the values of the PID controller being a function of the airspeed of the aircraft. In addition the control mechanism may include manipulating a setpoint as a function of load on the power-producing device. The power-producing device may be part of a detachable pod that is installed on the aircraft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power-producing ram air device that is part of an aircraft, the power-producing device comprising: a turbine; and a controller operatively coupled to the turbine for controlling operation of the turbine; wherein the controller controls the turbine using a control mechanism based at least in part on an input based on an airspeed of the aircraft and an altitude. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the power-producing device is a detachable pod that is coupled to other parts of the aircraft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the pod receives the input based on the airspeed from other parts of the aircraft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller controls backpressure in the turbine, based in part on the input that is based on the airspeed and the altitude of the aircraft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, further comprising backpressure doors operatively coupled the controller; wherein the controller controls an angle at which the backpressure doors are open, based in part on the input that is based on the airspeed and the altitude of the aircraft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism of the controller includes a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller mechanism that controls the turbine; wherein the PID controller mechanism includes application of a proportional value, an integral value, and a derivative value; and wherein a gain on at least one of the values is a function of the input that is based on the airspeed and the altitude of the aircraft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the gains on at least two of the values are a function of the input that is based on the airspeed and the altitude of the aircraft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the gain of the least one of the values is inversely proportional to a dynamic pressure Q. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the turbine by manipulating a setpoint of the control mechanism, as a function of load on the power-producing device. ### Claim 10 A method of controlling a power-producing device that is part of an aircraft, the method comprising: controlling operation of a turbine that is part of the power-producing device; wherein controlling the controller includes using a control mechanism of the controller to control operation of the turbine, wherein the control mechanism is based at least in part on an input based on an airspeed of the aircraft and an altitude. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the power-producing device is a detachable pod that is coupled to other parts of the aircraft; and wherein the controlling includes the pod receiving the input based on the airspeed from other parts of the aircraft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the controlling includes controlling backpressure in the turbine using the controller, based in part on the input that is based on the airspeed of the aircraft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the controlling the backpressure including using the controller to control an angle at which the backpressure doors are open, based in part on the input that is based on the airspeed and the altitude of the aircraft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the control mechanism of the controller includes a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller mechanism that controls the turbine; wherein the PID controller mechanism includes combination of a proportional value, an integral value, and a derivative value; and wherein the controlling includes varying a gain on at least one of the values as a function of the input that is based on the airspeed and the altitude of the aircraft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the varying the gain includes varying the gain inversely proportional to dynamic pressure Q. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the controlling includes the controller controlling the turbine by manipulating a setpoint of the control mechanism, as a function of load on the power-producing device. ### Claim 17 A method of controlling a power-producing device that is part of an aircraft, the method comprising: using a controller of the aircraft to control backpressure for a turbine that is part of the power-producing device; wherein the using the controller includes manipulating a setpoint of a control mechanism of the controller, as a function of load on the power-producing device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the power-producing device includes backpressure doors that are used to change the backpressure for the turbine; and wherein the controlling includes the controller controlling an angle at which the backpressure doors are open, based in part on the input that is based on the airspeed of the aircraft and the altitude of the aircraft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the controlling includes the controller includes using a control mechanism of the controller to control operation of the turbine, wherein the control mechanism is based at least in part on an input based on the airspeed and the altitude of the aircraft.