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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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304 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Helicopter</strong><br />

(a)<br />

(b)<br />

Fig. 7.41 (a) A fully powered actuator which is needed for large machines where <strong>the</strong> pilot could not operate<br />

<strong>the</strong> controls unaided. (b) For reliability, fully powered actuators are duplicated with separate sources <strong>of</strong> hydraulic<br />

power. Note ram bypass valves which open if hydraulic pressure is lost, allowing <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r system to move <strong>the</strong><br />

piston.<br />

<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r. This valve can be seen in <strong>the</strong> figure. When hydraulic pressure is available,<br />

<strong>the</strong> valve is forced shut, but if pressure is lost <strong>the</strong> valve opens so that <strong>the</strong> functioning<br />

actuator is not impeded.<br />

In Figure 7.41 it would be possible to replace <strong>the</strong> pushrod from <strong>the</strong> pilot with some<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r type <strong>of</strong> signalling. If electrical signalling is used, <strong>the</strong> control ram will contain an<br />

electro-hydraulic valve (EHV) so that electrical signals can control <strong>the</strong> hydraulic power<br />

source. Figure 7.42 shows how an electro-hydraulic valve works. <strong>The</strong> valve is pulled or<br />

pushed by mag<strong>net</strong>ic fields from <strong>the</strong> drive coils, and admits hydraulic fluid to <strong>the</strong> spool<br />

valve controlling <strong>the</strong> main ram. As fluid is allowed to flow, <strong>the</strong> resulting fluid pressure<br />

on <strong>the</strong> valve output is arranged to oppose <strong>the</strong> mag<strong>net</strong>ic force. This tends to close <strong>the</strong><br />

valve. Thus <strong>the</strong> fluid flow rate is made roughly proportional to <strong>the</strong> electrical current in<br />

<strong>the</strong> coil so <strong>the</strong> ram extends at a controlled speed.<br />

Ano<strong>the</strong>r possibility is for <strong>the</strong> mechanical pushrod input to an hydraulic actuator to<br />

be driven by a low powered electrically driven servo. This approach may be used in<br />

machines where stability augmentation or autopilots are optional. <strong>The</strong> electric servo<br />

makes it possible to input control signals to a conventional hydraulic actuator.

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