Ducted fan air data system
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsEmray R. Goossen, Jonathan Lee Fleming
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air data system and method for a ducted fan air-vehicle is described. The air data system includes a plurality of air pressure sensors placed around a lip of an air duct of the ducted fan air-vehicle. The air data system calculates the speed and direction of airflow surrounding the ducted fan air-vehicle based on pressure data measured across the lip of the air duct. Additionally, the air data system may estimate forces generated by airflow surrounding the air-vehicle.
Claims20
A system for an air-vehicle, the system comprising:
- an air duct comprising a lip;
- a fan located within the air duct;
- a plurality of air pressure sensors placed around and within the lip of the air duct operable to measure air pressure data;
- and
- a processor that receives the air pressure data from the plurality of air pressure sensors and calculates speed and direction of airflow surrounding the air-vehicle based on a plurality of pressure differentials across the lip of the air duct determined from the air pressure data measured by the plurality of air pressure sensors.
A method of measuring air data for a ducted fan air-vehicle, the method comprising:
- placing a plurality of air pressure sensors within a lip of an air duct of the air-vehicle such that the plurality of air pressure sensors includes at least one pair of air pressure sensors comprising a first air pressure sensor that measures pressure at a first point on the lip of the air duct and a second air pressure sensor that measures pressure at a second point on the lip of the air duct substantially 180 degrees away from the first point;
- and
- connecting a processor to the plurality of air pressure sensors, wherein the processor calculates speed and direction of airflow surrounding the air-vehicle based on a differential between pressure inputs received from each of the first and second air pressure sensors of the at least one pair of air pressure sensors.
A method for calculating speed and direction of airflow surrounding a ducted fan air-vehicle, the method comprising:
- obtaining a plurality of pressure measurements within a lip of an air duct of the air-vehicle via a plurality of air pressure sensors;
- compensating the plurality of pressure measurements for vehicle attitude;
- determining a plurality of pressure differentials across the lip of the air duct via a plurality of pairs of the air pressure sensors, wherein at least one pair of air pressure sensors comprises a first air pressure sensor that measures pressure at a first point on the lip of the air duct and a second air pressure sensor that measures pressure at a second point on the lip of the air duct substantially 180 degrees away from the first point;
- compensating the plurality of pressure differentials for a fan speed of the fan of the air-vehicle and air density to arrive at a plurality of compensated pressure differentials;
- applying a linear velocity curve lit for the compensated pressure differentials;
- generating a plurality of individual velocity vectors across the lip of the air duct based on the linear velocity curve fit for the compensated pressure differentials;
- and
- generating a total velocity vector of the airflow based on the plurality of individual velocity vectors across the lip of the air duct.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.