Implementation of a Hybrid Electro-Active Actuated Morphing Wing in Wind Tunnel

Abstract

OATAO is an open access repository that collects the work of Toulouse researchers and makes it freely available over the web where possible. This is an author-deposited version published in: http://oatao.univ-toulouse.fr/ Eprints ID: 19940 Abstract. Amongst current aircraft research topics, morphing wing is of great interest for improving the aerodynamic performance. A morphing wing prototype has been designed for wind tunnel experiments. The rear part of the wing -corresponding to the retracted flap -is actuated via a hybrid actuation system using both low frequency camber control and a high frequency vibrating trailing edge. The camber is modified via surface embedded shape memory alloys. The trailing edge vibrates thanks to piezoelectric macro-fiber composites. The actuated camber, amplitude and frequency ranges are characterized. To accurately control the camber, six independent shape memory alloy wires are controlled through nested closed-loops. A significant reduction in power consumption is possible thanks this control strategy. The effects on flow via morphing have been measured during wind tunnel experiments. This low scale mock-up aims to demonstrate the hybrid morphing concept, according to actuator capabilities point of view as well as aerodynamic performance.

Non-Conventional Deformations: Materials and Actuation

“…Electricity is relatively easily controllable independently of environmental conditions and can be exploited to actuate non-conventional deformation in various ways. It can power electromotors [9][10][11][12][13] as well as piezo- [14][15][16][17][18][19] and other electrosensitive materials. Due to this diversity, there is an extensive literature on electro-actuated systems.…”

“…These can be found by numerical optimization [17]. Jodin et al [18] investigated a hybrid system, where the camber of a wing was altered by shape memory alloys (SMAs), while trailing edge vibrations were controlled by piezo-actuators, providing some aerodynamic benefit over a static trailing edge. In complex morphing structures, piezo-materials are often complemented by other means of actuation for multifunctionality.…”

Optimized design of real-scale A320 morphing high-lift flap with shape memory alloys and innovative skin

“…Accurate control of SMA is well understood in the literature [14,15], including antagonistic configurations [16]. Example of antagonistic actuator configurations for morphing wings with bending beam deformation mechanisms is developed in [17,18].…”

On the multidisciplinary control and sensing of a smart hybrid morphing wing

“…2, vibrations of 0.7 mm can be reached at frequencies up to 100 Hz. (See [12] and [13] for more details on the design. )…”

“…SMAs are characterized by a strongly non-linear thermomechanical coupling, which has been modeled and understood during the last decades [14]. The actuator has been modeled in [12] and [13]; to sum up the principle, cold SMA are pseudo-plastic and can be easily stretched thanks to a low stress plateau. The SMAs are heated through Joule heating generating strong forces to recover their initial shapes.…”