Method and avionics device for controlling the pitch angle of a fan or propeller of an aircraft powertrain
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorsLuc BRUNEL, David BOYER, Quentin-Alexandre FLAMANT-BATI, Nicolas PILON, Carlo NECCI, Laetitia MARRAST
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Abstract
A method for controlling a pitch angle of a fan or propeller of an aircraft powertrain with the intention of feathering said fan or propeller when an inconsistency of said pitch angle is detected. The invention furthermore relates to an avionics device configured to implement the method. Advantageously, it is thus possible to limit the risks of undesirable aerodynamic effects in the event of malfunctioning of the pitch angle control.
Claims11
A method for controlling a pitch angle of the blades of a fan or propeller of a powertrain of an aircraft, the method being carried out in an avionics device of said aircraft, the avionics device being housed on board the aircraft, independent of the powertrain and connected to a control device for controlling said powertrain driving said fan or said propeller, the control device being contained within the powertrain, the method comprising:
- obtaining first information representative of flight conditions of said aircraft in relation to its external environment, supplied by at least one avionics computer of the aircraft independent of the powertrain, this first information comprising at least an altitude and an airspeed of the aircraft,
- determining a threshold value for the pitch angle of the blades of said fan or propeller, based on said first information, so as to limit the risks of undesirable aerodynamic effects for the flight of the aircraft when the aircraft is flying at said altitude with said airspeed,
- obtaining information representative of a current pitch angle of the blades of said fan or propeller, and
- sending a control command for said powertrain when said information representative of said current pitch angle is less than said threshold value, said control command being intended to feather said fan or propeller of said powertrain of the aircraft.
An avionics control device for controlling a pitch angle of the blades of a fan or propeller of a powertrain of an aircraft, said avionics control device being designed to be housed on board the aircraft, independent of the powertrain and comprising:
- electronic circuitry configured to:
- obtain first information representative of flight conditions of said aircraft in relation to its external environment, supplied by at least one avionics computer of the aircraft independent of the powertrain, this first information comprising at least an altitude and an airspeed of the aircraft,
- determine a threshold value for the pitch angle of the blades of said fan or propeller, based on said first information, so as to limit the risks of undesirable aerodynamic effects for the flight of the aircraft when the aircraft is flying at said altitude with said airspeed, and
- obtain information representative of a current pitch angle of the blades of said fan or propeller, and then
- send a control command for said powertrain when said information representative of said current pitch angle is less than said threshold value, said control command being intended to feather said fan or propeller of said powertrain of the aircraft.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.