| Flutter is a rather spectacular phenomenon of aeroelastic instability that affects lifting and control surfaces, yet can also lead to catastrophic consequences for the aircraft. The idea of controlling flutter by using the same energy that causes it, namely airflow energy, through changing the aerodynamics in a controlled manner is not new. In the case of fixed wings, the use of trailing edge control surfaces (flaps) is an extremely effective method to alter the aerodynamics. This research presents the development of an actuation system for trailing edge control surfaces (flaps) used for aeroelastic flutter control of a typical section wing model. In order to be effective for aeroelastic control of flutter, flap deflection of ±5−6° with adequate bandwidth (up to 25–30 Hz) is required. Classical solutions for flap actuation do not have the capabilities required for this task. Therefore actuation systems using active materials became the focus of this investigation. A new piezoelectric actuator (V-Stack Piezoelectric Actuator) was developed. This actuator meets the requirements for trailing edge flap actuation in both stroke and force over the bandwidth of interest. It is compact, simple, sturdy, and leverages stroke geometrically with minimum force penalties, while displaying linearity over a wide range of stroke. Integration of the actuator inside an existing structure requires minimal modifications of the structure. The shape of the actuator makes it very suitable for trailing edge flap actuation, eliminating the need for a push rod. The actuation solution presented here stands out because of its simplicity, compactness, small mass (compared to that of the actuated structure) and high reliability. Although the actuator was designed for flap actuation, other applications can also benefit from its capabilities. In order to demonstrate the actuation concept, a typical section prototype was constructed and tested experimentally in the wind tunnel at Duke University. Operating in closed-loop, flutter was suppressed at the speed at which the flutter occurred open-loop; the flutter speed was increased by approximately 30%. |
