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Taylor, R. B.

Publications and source records attributed to Taylor, R. B..

Helicopter rotor blade design for minimum vibration

The importance of blade design parameters in rotor vibratory response and the design of a minimum vibration blade based upon this understanding are examined. Various design approaches are examined for a 4 bladed articulated rotor operating at a high speed flight condition. Blade modal shaping, frequency placement, structural and aerodynamic coupling, and intermodal cancellation are investigated to systematically identify and evaluate blade design parameters that influence blade airloads, blade modal response, hub loads, and fuselage vibration. The relative contributions of the various components of blade force excitation and response to the vibratory hub loads transmitted to the fuselage are determined in order to isolate primary candidates for vibration alleviation. A blade design is achieved which reduces the predicted fuselage vibration from the baseline blade by approximately one half. Blade designs are developed that offer significant reductions in vibration (and fatigue stresses) without resorting to special vibration alleviation devices, radical blade geometries, or weight penalties.

Taylor, R. B.↗

Analytical design and evaluation of an active control system for helicopter vibration reduction and gust response alleviation

An analytical study was conducted to define the basic configuration of an active control system for helicopter vibration and gust response alleviation. The study culminated in a control system design which has two separate systems: narrow band loop for vibration reduction and wider band loop for gust response alleviation. The narrow band vibration loop utilizes the standard swashplate control configuration to input controller for the vibration loop is based on adaptive optimal control theory and is designed to adapt to any flight condition including maneuvers and transients. The prime characteristics of the vibration control system is its real time capability. The gust alleviation control system studied consists of optimal sampled data feedback gains together with an optimal one-step-ahead prediction. The prediction permits the estimation of the gust disturbance which can then be used to minimize the gust effects on the helicopter.

Taylor, R. B.↗

An active control system for helicopter vibration reduction by higher harmonic pitch

An analytical study defining the basic configuration of an active control system to reduce helicopter vibrations is presented. Theoretical results for a nonlinear four-bladed single rotor helicopter simulation are discussed, showing that vibration reductions on the order of 80-90% for airspeeds up to 150 kn can be expected when using a higher harmonic pitch in an active feedback control system. The rotor performance penalty associated with this level of vibration reduction is about 1-3% and the increase in rotor blade stresses is considered to be low. The location of sensor accelerometers proved to be significant for vibration reductions, and it is noted that the RTSA controller is tolerant of sensor signal noise.

Taylor, R. B.↗

Vibratory hub load data reduction and analysis from the reverse velocity rotor wind tunnel test, phase 2B

The vibratory hub loads data analysis from the reverse velocity rotor wind tunnel test is reported. Vibratory loads were obtained from the rotating hub balance and also by synthesis of generalized coordinates from the blade flap bending moments. Load trends were defined as a function of speed, rotor thrust and 2 per rev cyclic from each of the data methods. These trends were compared to determine the degree of agreement between each method and provide substantiation for the generalized coordinate approach.

Taylor, R. B.↗