TY - GEN
T1 - Actuation of an active Gurney flap for rotorcraft applications
AU - Thiel, Michael R.
AU - Lesieutre, George A.
AU - Maughmer, Mark D.
AU - Koopmann, Gary H.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - The goal of this research is to design and test configurations for an actively-deployed Gurney flap with applications to rotorcraft. Previous research has shown that Gurney flaps can offer significant performance gains when correctly deployed, but actuation methods remain to be developed. Gurney flaps require less power to actuate than a standard flap due to smaller hinge moments, which should result in light weight actuation systems. High-frequency actuation methods have been investigated, and a concept employing a voice coil was developed. A mathematical model of this concept was developed to simulate dynamic performance and to ensure that the design could operate under the centrifugal (CF) loads experienced in a rotor blade. A prototype was built and preliminary bench testing was completed. This design met the required deflection and frequency requirements; however there were nonlinearities in the response that were not modeled. A new design involving the use of a piezoelectric bender augmented by CF loads is currently being developed and optimized. Preliminary results show that a CF-augmented bimorph may be a feasible actuation method for an active Gurney flap.
AB - The goal of this research is to design and test configurations for an actively-deployed Gurney flap with applications to rotorcraft. Previous research has shown that Gurney flaps can offer significant performance gains when correctly deployed, but actuation methods remain to be developed. Gurney flaps require less power to actuate than a standard flap due to smaller hinge moments, which should result in light weight actuation systems. High-frequency actuation methods have been investigated, and a concept employing a voice coil was developed. A mathematical model of this concept was developed to simulate dynamic performance and to ensure that the design could operate under the centrifugal (CF) loads experienced in a rotor blade. A prototype was built and preliminary bench testing was completed. This design met the required deflection and frequency requirements; however there were nonlinearities in the response that were not modeled. A new design involving the use of a piezoelectric bender augmented by CF loads is currently being developed and optimized. Preliminary results show that a CF-augmented bimorph may be a feasible actuation method for an active Gurney flap.
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:34247170450
SN - 1563478080
SN - 9781563478086
T3 - Collection of Technical Papers - AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference
SP - 7006
EP - 7016
BT - Collection of Technical Papers - 47th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference
T2 - 47th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference
Y2 - 1 May 2006 through 4 May 2006
ER -