Power Control Unit, Hydraulic - Sizing

As shown in the power control unit (PCU) description module, PCUs are a combination of
hydraulic components that are located within a single component and form a mini hydraulic
system. Sizing of a PCU starts with determining the stroke, load and rate. An approach to
obtaining stroke, load and rate data is outline below.

Determination of PCU Stroke

The stroke for a PCU is determined by the required range of aerodynamic surface travel and the
kinematics of the installation. Normally, stability and control specialists provide the required
range of surface travel. In general, surface deflections at any condition depend on combinations
of
• Max maneuvering capability as defined by the flight envelope
1. Pitch: Max normal acceleration (e.g. -0.5 to 4 g’s)
2. Roll: Max roll rate (e.g., 45 degrees in 2 seconds)
3. Yaw: Yaw authority (e.g., sufficient authority to hold 10 deg sideslip in 30 knot
crosswind)
• Necessary deflection to trim aircraft at a given condition
• Aircraft stabilization (such as yaw damping)
• Atmospheric disturbances (wind/gusts)
• Potential for failure modes in a flight control system, including a jam within a single
surface (single failures and combinations of failures ≥ 1.0E-09 need to be considered)
• Roll/yaw coupling effects
The above effects are additive leading to maximum range of aerodynamic surface travel. The
above items need to be assessed for all flight conditions including critical failure conditions (such
as jammed surface) to determine the worst case numbers.
As the preliminary design of a PCU takes shape within the volume constraints allowed on the
flight vehicle, the installation geometry can be defined and the minimum and maximum travel of
the PCU can be determined. In the early design phase of a vehicle, only estimates of actuator
travel are known. Actuator travel is refined as the design evolves. This is an iterative process
between PCU design constraints and installation geometry constraints.

Determination of PCU Loads

Using the maximum deflection, the aerodynamic load (called hinge moment) is computed using
surface deflection, hinge moment coefficient (obtained analytically or through wind tunnel testing)
and dynamic pressure. The hinge moment is converted to actuator load through the kinematic
gearing ratio of actuator linkage. The gearing ration and hinge moment will vary with actuator
stroke (or surface deflection).
Several flight conditions will need to be evaluated to determine the maximum load. At high speed
cruise conditions deflections are generally small and so loads are generally not large. At low
speed conditions (such as takeoff and landing) deflections are large, but dynamic pressure is
lower. Under normal operation, maximum load will likely occur at the maximum dynamic
pressure condition. However, failure conditions must also be considered and the load computed
for relevant failure scenarios – a jammed surface is usually the critical case. The maximum
actuator load becomes the maximum operating design load. Limit load may be defined as

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maximum operating load or there may be a 1.1 factor applied to the max operating load. Ultimate
load is usually 1.5 times limit load.
Hinge moment data is difficult to compute analytically. Also, wind tunnel data does not always
scale readily to a full size airplane. As a result, hinge moment data (and subsequent actuator
loads) are never firm during the early design stages of the PCU. Some conservatism in loads is
usually warranted to protect against a costly re-design of a PCU if the load value ends up too low.
Loads data is never final until flight test data becomes available.

Determination of PCU Rate

Actuator rates are driven by aerodynamic stability and control considerations. Actuator minimum
rates can be found from
• Data from existing similar aircraft
• Aircraft simulations at worst case flight conditions
• For example, minimum rate may be 60 deg/sec (30-60 deg/sec is a typical range)
• Closed loop stability requirements – generally lead to frequency response req’ts
(bandwidth and phase lag)
o For example, 4 Hz BW with phase lag < 100 degrees
Actuator maximum rates can be found from
• Handling qualities (a good reference is MIL-HDBK-1797)
• Time required for system to detect and arrest runaway, while still allowing pilot ample
time to control aircraft
o For example in roll axis, runaway failure must be caught and corrected allowing
for pilot recognition and response time before airplane rolls past 45 degrees)
Rates are validated in simulation models and in flight test.

General Sizing Approach & Considerations

Using load, stroke and rate data, PCU sizing is done through sizing of the individual components.
Additional requirements can affect PCU sizing. A more complete listing of requirements
necessary for sizing a PCU are defined in Power Control Unit, Hydraulic – Specification.
At the heart of PCU is a servovalve and actuator. Sizing of the servovalve and actuator is
described in Servovalve, Hydraulic – Sizing. This procedure ensures the servoactuator is sized
for loads, is capable of providing the required flow to the actuator (to meet rate requirements) and
has acceptable frequency response characteristics. The sizing procedure in Servovalve,
Hydraulic – Sizing also lists the data need to size the servoactuator. The primary design
parameters are actuator load and rate. The actuator requirements also drive sizing of the
servovalve.
Other components that are required for a PCU design can be sized using data from the overall
requirements for the PCU. Other components would include check valves, shut off valves, mode
control valves, small accumulators and filters. Sizing procedures for a given component can be
found in the sizing module for that component. The data needed to size other components is
defined in the component sizing module. Most valves are a spool valve design where the primary
design parameters are required flow rate and allowable pressure drop through the valve. For
shut off (on/off) and mode control valves, actuation time for the spool to move between positions
will likely be important. This will drive any spring(s) or solenoid(s) used to position the valve. In
normal operation, many of the other components contained within a power control unit do not

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affect basic performance levels. However, when building simulation models pressure drops
through check valves, mode valves, etc., and accumulator back pressure should be included.
For any type of accumulator (or reservoir) in a PCU, the primary design variable is leakage.
Generally the accumulator is sized to provide enough fluid to hold the actuator stationary (to
maintain actuator stiffness and prevent surface flutter) for a length of time assuming maximum
allowable leakage from the PCU. Hence the leakage rate times the maximum time that stiffness
must be maintained will lead to a volume requirement. For an airplane flying long over-water
routes the required time will be many hours. The accumulator must also maintain the required
fluid pressure (usually this is in the 100-200 psi range) over the range of volume to be held in the
accumulator.
In some PCUs, hydraulic filters are used to ensure the hydraulic fluid flowing through the PCU
meets desired cleanliness requirements. Since fluid is already filtered by power generation
system filters, PCU filters are then an added precaution against any unwanted contamination
which may affect performance or lead to undesired characteristics such as a jammed spool valve.
When a PCU filter is used, the filter should be able to provide the required flow with minimal
pressure drop through the filter. PCU performance with a partially clogged filter (or conditions
where pressure drop through the filter is high) should be analyzed.
Beyond sizing of the individual components within a PCU, a comprehensive system level analysis
should be completed. PCUs contain many components (see Power Control Unit, Hydraulic –
Description) which operate with each other to produce a nominal input/output response and also
operate to a specified (sometimes degraded) performance level after certain failures occur in the
system. In addition, PCUs inherently contain (or are associated with) feedback loops and
electronic control so stability and stability margins become important. Due to the number of
components, the nonlinear behavior associated with most components and the complex
interactions, a detailed analysis of PCU operation which includes a nonlinear simulation model is
mandatory.
Simulation models should assess the following (at a minimum):
• Rate characteristics (extend and retract movements under both load and no load
conditions, and temperature extremes)
• Sine wave response (extend and retract movements under both load and no load
conditions, and temperature extremes)
o Usually done at small actuator ram amplitudes only (±5% of full stroke, for
example)
• Step response characteristics (extend and retract movements under both load and no
load conditions, and temperature extremes)
• Mode switching transient effects and timing
• Performance under all operational modes
• Transients associated with critical failures
• Flutter
• Impact of part tolerances on performance
Frequency analysis is also required. Frequency analysis is computed using a linear model for the
PCU. Generally, only the servovalve and actuator portion of the PCU need to be included in the
linear model because the frequency analysis is done at a given operating point (and not during
mode changes or valve shut off). Linear models need to evaluate
• Frequency response characteristics (e.g., Bode diagrams or equivalent)
• Gain and phase margin

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 • Controllability/Observability of critical modes
The method to develop a linear model is shown in Servovalve, Hydraulic – Linear Model. Since
servovalves are associated with tight position control requirements, PCUs are combined with
electronic controllers. The controllers contain the necessary electronics and software to ensure
performance requirements are met while maintaining sufficient closed loop stability margins.
Hence frequency analysis includes the controller dynamics, servovalve dynamics, actuator
dynamics and any other dynamic characteristic that would be relevant (see Servovalve, Hydraulic
– Position Control).
When evaluating PCU performance, either through nonlinear simulations or linear analysis,
tolerance studies on critical parameters should be included. Critical dimensions are normally held
to tight tolerances on engineering drawings due to the sensitivity of the PCU to changes in these
parameters. Examples of a critical dimension would be a spool flow area or spool lapping width.
Servovalve performance is also sensitive to torque motor parameters. In addition in-service wear
and environmental effects (e.g., temperature) can also affect performance. Therefore, a
tolerance analysis that looks at part manufacture variation, in-service wear and environmental
aspects should be performed.

Principal Structural Element Aspects

Since a PCU connects a flight surface to aircraft primary structure, the PCU becomes a principal
structure element (primary structure) for an airplane. The implications of becoming primary
structure require the following areas be addressed in the design of a PCU:
• Design Load capability, including limit load and ultimate load values
• Flutter Protection
• Ability to withstand significant vibration levels
• Fatigue loads and damage tolerance capability
• Materials of load path elements must have well established and proven material
properties
• Interaction of the loads with structure (unsteady airflow over a surface can lead to flutter
activity at a surface, which could interact with the structure)

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