Force control of semi-active valve lag dampers for vibration reduction in helicopters

This study considers the design of a closed-loop force-tracking system for a semi-active damper, designed to be used to reduce in-plane vibrations caused by helicopter rotor blades during steady-state forward flight conditions. The study describes the development of the control law and includes details of (i) how the initial mathematical model of the system is adapted for controller design; (ii) how a non-linear dynamic inversion (NDI) control law is modified into a form suitable for implementation; and (iii) how the free parameters in the NDI controller can be optimised for various different operational modes. The success of the approach is demonstrated through both force-tracking simulations and also more comprehensive tests in which the controller is incorporated into a large-scale vibration simulation of the AgustaWestland 101 helicopter. The results show that the NDI-based controller can provide a satisfactory level of performance and hence greatly assist in the reduction of unwanted vibrations.