Self-monitoring electro-mechanical actuator for medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle flight controls

Rito, Gianpietro Di; Galatolo, Roberto; Schettini, Francesco

doi:10.1177/1687814016644576

Cited by 16 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The experimentally-validated model of the prototype was finally used to test a model-based condition-monitoring algorithm developed by the authors [40,[57][58][59][60][61], in order to assess the system applicability to SHM systems. In model-based condition-monitoring approaches, the detection of faults or anomalies is actually performed by evaluating the deviation of hardware responses from the predictions of a system model related to normal operating conditions.…”

Section: System Condition Monitoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic Modelling and Experimental Characterization of a Self-Powered Structural Health-Monitoring System with MFC Piezoelectric Patches

Rito

Chiarelli

Luciano³

2020

Sensors

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The paper deals with theoretical and experimental studies for the development of a self-powered structural health monitoring (SHM) system using macro-fiber composite (MFC) patches. The basic idea is to integrate the actuation, sensing, and energy harvesting capabilities of the MFC patches in a SHM system operating in different regimes. As an example, during flight, under the effects of normal structural vibrations, the patches can work as energy harvesters by maintaining or restoring the battery charge of the stand-by SHM electronic board; on the other hand, if relevant/abnormal loadings are applied, or if local faults produce a noticeable stiffness variation of the monitored component, the patches can act as sensors for the power-up SHM board. During maintenance, the patches can then work as actuators, to stress the structure with pre-defined load profiles, as well as sensors, to monitor the structural response. In this paper, the investigation, based on the electromechanical impedance technique, is carried out on a system prototype made of a cantilevered composite laminate with six MFC patches. A high-fidelity nonlinear model of the system, including the piezoelectric hysteresis of the patches and three vibration modes of the laminate beam, is presented and validated with experiments. The results support the potential feasibility of the system, pointing out that the energy storage can be used for recharging a 3V-65mAh Li-ion battery, suitable for low-power electronic boards. The model is finally used to characterize a condition-monitoring algorithm in terms of false alarms rejection and vulnerability to dormant faults, by simulating built-in tests to be performed during maintenance.

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Section: System Condition Monitoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic Modelling and Experimental Characterization of a Self-Powered Structural Health-Monitoring System with MFC Piezoelectric Patches

Rito

Chiarelli

Luciano³

2020

Sensors

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“…The EMAs follow the same path in the different domain. The first development in space applications stimulate the EMA's advance from the 1970s, 23,24 and it is also found their functionality on the Space Shuttle, X-38 Crew Return Vehicle, 25 and unmanned aerial vehicle 26 flight controls. This review places extra emphasis on their electrical actuation solutions for commercial aircrafts and helicopters.…”

Section: Development and Applicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of electromechanical actuators for More/All Electric aircraft systems

Qiao

Liu

Shi

et al. 2017

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C:

156

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Conventional hydraulic actuators in aircraft systems are high maintenance and more vulnerable to high temperatures and pressures. This usually leads to high operating costs and low efficiency. With the rapid development of More/All Electric technology, power-by-wire actuators are being broadly employed to improve the maintainability, reliability, and manoeuvrability of future aircraft. This paper reviews the published application and development of the airborne linear electromechanical actuator. First, the general configuration, merits, and limitations of the gear-drive electromechanical actuator and the direct-drive electromechanical actuator are analysed. Second, the development state of the electromechanical actuator testing systems is elaborated in three aspects, namely the performance testing based on room temperature, testing in a thermal vacuum environment, and iron bird. Common problems and tendencies of the testing systems are summarized. Key technologies and research challenges are revealed in terms of fault-tolerant motor, high-thrust mechanical transmission, multidisciplinary modelling, thermal management, and thermal analysis. Finally, the trend for future electromechanical actuators in More/All Electric Aircraft applications is summarized, and future research on the airborne linear electromechanical actuators is discussed.

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“…As the result of a specific reliability-oriented work by Di Rito et al, 16 the FDI functions for the EMAS are performed by the following set of health monitoring algorithms:…”

Section: Health Monitoring Algorithmsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…u aPTM ) are the predicted acceleration, speed and position, respectively. The ILM predictor is thus characterised by six parameters: the four ones of the OLM, the actuator acceleration saturation a aSAT and the quantity p v defined in equation (16). The MATLAB-Simulink implementation of the two PTM versions is presented in Figure 4.…”

Section: Predictors' Equationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…13,14 The basic idea underlying this work is that major faults in position-controlled flight controls can be detected by a position-tracking monitor (PTM), provided that an accurate predictor is used. 15,16 This would simplify the software complexity as well as the number of additional sensors needed for the health monitoring functions. In this article, starting from the architecture of a fault-tolerant electromechanical actuator for a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAS ( Figure 1), two model-based positiontracking algorithms are developed and compared in terms of performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Health monitoring of electromechanical flight actuators via position-tracking predictive models

Rito

Schettini

2018

Advances in Mechanical Engineering

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This article deals with the development and performance characterisation of model-based health monitoring algorithms for the detection of faults in an electromechanical actuator for unmanned aerial system flight controls. Two real-time executable position-tracking algorithms, based on predictors with different levels of complexity, are developed and compared in terms of false alarm rejection and fault detection capabilities, using a high-fidelity model of the actuator in which different types of faults are injected. The algorithms' performances are evaluated by simulating flight manoeuvres with the actuator in normal operation as well as with relevant faults (motor coil faults, motor magnet degradation, voltage supply decrease). The results demonstrate that an accurate position-tracking monitor allows to obtain a prompt fault detection and fail-safe mode engagement, while more detailed monitoring functions can be used for fault isolation only.

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Self-monitoring electro-mechanical actuator for medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle flight controls

Cited by 16 publications

References 12 publications

Dynamic Modelling and Experimental Characterization of a Self-Powered Structural Health-Monitoring System with MFC Piezoelectric Patches

Dynamic Modelling and Experimental Characterization of a Self-Powered Structural Health-Monitoring System with MFC Piezoelectric Patches

A review of electromechanical actuators for More/All Electric aircraft systems

Health monitoring of electromechanical flight actuators via position-tracking predictive models

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