Determining Sources of Pitch Control Inaccuracies in Whirl Tower using Optical Methods

Institut

Lehrstuhl für Hubschraubertechnologie

Typ

Bachelorarbeit /

Inhalt

experimentell /  

Beschreibung

The MERIT test rig is a whirl tower featuring an 85kW motor and constant-rpm control, capable of monitoring rotor blade behaviour in a variety of extreme flight conditions, most notably deep dynamic stall in a two-blade configuration. Currently the blade pitch can be varied by shifting the position and angle of the swashplate, however, the pitch of the two blades is never quite the same – there is often an offset between the two blades. There are a few different sources where this inaccuracy may come from: the leeway in the blade holder connections; the flexibility in the tension-torsion straps that counteract the centrifugal force; the deformation of the pitch links due to centrifugal force; just to name a few examples. We have a few different methods we could employ to investigate this – for example optical methods have been used to determine the blade deformation, and have begun to be implemented measuring blade holder deformation as well. We also have access to high-speed cameras that could be used to film the rotor head or blades during operation, giving a more detailed insight. The work could either be accredited as a Bachelor thesis or as an Engineering Project.

 

Project Plan and Milestones (depends a little on whether this is a Bachelor Thesis or an Engineering Project)

-Familiarisation with the Test Rig hardware, and literature review on other Test Rigs, focusing on the problems they faced during development.

-MS1: Exposé outlining which factors are to be investigated, and how

-Put these investigations into practice, e.g. through optical methods

-MS2: Defining which components need modifications to improve pitch accuracy

-If time permits: develop concepts to improve pitch accuracy

-MS3: Engineering Drawings of newly designed parts

Voraussetzungen

Basic understanding of rotor dynamics

German language beneficial but not required

Möglicher Beginn

sofort

Kontakt

Matti Mitropoulos
Raum: MW2701
matti.mitropoulostum.de

Ausschreibung