Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-zzh7m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T13:49:48.881Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A new hybrid control methodology for a morphing aircraft wing-tip actuation mechanism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2019

M. J. Tchatchueng Kammegne ,
R. M. Botez ,
L. T. Grigorie ,
M. Mamou  and
Y. Mébarki
M. J. Tchatchueng Kammegne*
Affiliation:
École de Technologie Supérieure Montréal, Québec, Canada
R. M. Botez
Affiliation:
École de Technologie Supérieure Montréal, Québec, Canada
L. T. Grigorie*
Affiliation:
École de Technologie Supérieure Montréal, Québec, Canada Military Technical Academy “Ferdinand I” Bucharest, Romania
M. Mamou
Affiliation:
Aerodynamics Laboratory National Research Council Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Y. Mébarki
Affiliation:
Aerodynamics Laboratory National Research Council Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
*
ruxandra@gpa.etsmtl.ca
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The focus of this paper is on the modelling of miniature electromechanical actuators used in a morphing wing application, on the development of a control concept for these actuators, and on the experimental validation of the designed control system integrated in the morphing wing-tip model for a real aircraft. The assembled actuator includes as its main component a brushless direct current motor coupled to a trapezoidal screw by using a gearing system. A Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) is attached on each actuator giving back the actuator position in millimetres for the control system, while an encoder placed inside the motor provides the position of the motor shaft. Two actuation lines, each with two actuators, are integrated inside the wing model to change its shape. For the experimental model, a full-scaled portion of an aircraft wing tip is used with the chord length of 1.5 meters and equipped on the upper surface with a flexible skin made of composite fibre materials. A controllable voltage provided by a power amplifier is used to drive the actuator system. In this way, three control loops are designed and implemented, one to control the torque and the other two to control the position in a parallel architecture. The parallel position control loops use feedback signals from different sources. For the first position control loop, the feedback signal is provided by the integrated encoder, while for the second one, the feedback signal comes from the LVDT. For the experimental model, the parameters for the torque control, but also for the position control-based encoder signal, are implemented in the power amplifier energising the electrical motor. On the other hand, a National Instruments real-time system is used to implement and test the position control-based LVDT signal. The experimental validation of the developed control system is realised in two independent steps: bench testing with no airflow and wind-tunnel testing. The pressure data provided by a number of Kulite sensors equipping the flexible skin upper surface and the infrared thermography camera visualisations are used to estimate the laminar-to-turbulent transition point position.

Keywords

Morphing wingActuators controlExperimental validationWind-tunnel testing
Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 123 , Issue 1269 , November 2019 , pp. 1757 - 1787
Copyright
© Royal Aeronautical Society 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Barbarino, S., Bilgen, O., Ajaj, R.M., Friswell, M.I., and Inman, D.J. A review of morphing aircraft, Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, June 2011, 22, (9), pp 823–877.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weisshaar, T.A. Morphing aircraft technology – new shapes for aircraft design [[Page2]], Multifunctional Structures / Integration of Sensors and Antennas (pp O1-1–O1-20). Meeting Proceedings RTO-MP-AVT-141, Overview 1. Neuilly-sur-Seine, France: RTO, 2006.Google Scholar
Zheng, M., Vu, K.K. and Liew, J.Y.R. Aircraft morphing wing concepts with radical geometry change, The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural Engineering, 2010, 3, (3), pp 188–195.Google Scholar
Sofla, A.Y.N., Meguid, S.A., Tan, T.K., and Yeo, W.K. Shape morphing of aircraft wing: status and challenges, Materials and Design, 2010, 31, pp 1284–1292.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Diodati, G. and Concilio, A. Actuation needs for an adaptive trailing edge device aimed at reducing fuel consumption on a regional aircraft, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8690, Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, 29 March 2013, doi:10.1117/12.2012132CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dimino, I., Concilio, A., Schueller, M. and Gratias, A. An adaptive control system for wing TE shape control, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8690, Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, 29 March 2013, doi:10.1117/12.2012187CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heryawan, Y., Park, H.C., Goo, N.S., Yoon, K.J. and Byun, Y.H. Design and demonstration of a small expandable morphing wing, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5764, Smart Structures and Materials: Smart Structures and Integrated Systems, 224, 23 May 2005, doi:10.1117/12.599287CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blondeau, J., Richeson, J. and Pines, D.J. Design, development and testing of a morphing aspect ratio wing using an inflatable telescopic spar, 44th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Norfolk, Virginia, 7–10 April 2003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joo, J.J., Sanders, B., Johnson, T. and Frecker, M.I. Optimal actuator location within a morphing wing scissor mechanism configuration, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6166, Smart Structures and Materials: Modeling, Signal Processing, and Control, 616603, 27 March 2006, doi:10.1117/12.658830CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magalhães da Costa Aleixo, P.M. Morphing Aircraft Structures. Design and Testing an Experimental UAV, Master Thesis, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, October 2007.Google Scholar
Gamboa, P., Aleixo, P., Vale, J., Lau, F. and Suleman, A. Design and testing of a morphing wing for an experimental UAV, In Platform Innovations and System Integration for Unmanned Air, Land and Sea Vehicles (AVT-SCI Joint Symposium) (pp 17-1–17-30). Meeting Proceedings RTO-MP-AVT-146, Paper 17. Neuilly-sur-Seine, France: RTO, 2007.Google Scholar
Perkins, D.A., Reed, J.L. Jr. and Havens, E. Adaptive wing structures, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5388, Smart Structures and Materials: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, 225, 29 July 2004, doi:10.1117/12.541650CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monner, H.P., Hanselka, H. and Breitbach, E.J. Development and design of flexible fowler flaps for an adaptive wing, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3326, Smart Structures and Materials: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, 60, 16 June 1998, doi:10.1117/12.310673CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bilgen, O., Friswell, M.I., Kochersberger, K.B. and Inman, D.J. Surface actuated variable-camber and variable-twist morphing wings using piezocomposites, 52nd AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference, Denver, Colorado, 4–7 April 2011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y. On–off and proportional–integral controller for a morphing wing. Part 1: Actuation mechanism and control design, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, February 2012, 226, (2), pp 131–145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y. On–off and proportional–integral controller for a morphing wing. Part 2: Control validation - numerical simulations and experimental tests, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, February 2012, 226, (2), pp 146–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y. “A morphing wing used shape memory alloy actuators new control technique with bi-positional and PI laws optimum combination. Part 1: design phase”. ICINCO 2010, 15–18 June Portugal, 2010.Google Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y. “A morphing wing used shape memory alloy actuators new control technique with bi-positional and PI laws optimum combination. Part 2: experimental validation”. ICINCO 2010, 15–18 June Portugal, 2010.Google Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y. A hybrid fuzzy logic proportional-integral-derivative and conventional on-off controller for morphing wing actuation using shape memory alloy. Part 1: Morphing system mechanisms and controller architecture design, The Aeronautical Journal, May 2012, 116, (1179), pp 433–450.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y. A hybrid fuzzy logic proportional-integral-derivative and conventional on-off controller for morphing wing actuation using shape memory alloy. Part 2: Controller implementation and validation, The Aeronautical Journal, May 2012, 116, (1179), pp 451–465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Botez, R.M. and Popov, A.V., Chapter 1 “Fuzzy logic control of a smart actuation system in a morphing wing” in the book “Fuzzy Controllers- Recent Advances in Theory and Applications”, ISBN 978-953-51-0759-0, published by InTech, 22 pp, 27 September 2012.Google Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y. An Intelligent Controller Based Fuzzy Logic Techniques for a Morphing Wing Actuation System Using Shape Memory Alloy, 52nd AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference, Denver, CO, US, 4–7 April 2011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V. and Botez, R.M., Control of Actuation System Based Smart Material Actuators in a Morphing Wing Experimental Model, AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics (AFM) Conference, Boston, MA, US, 19–22 August 2013.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Botez, R.M. and Popov, A.V., Design and experimental validation of a control system for a morphing wing, AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Minneapolis, MN, US, 13–16 August 2012.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Botez, R.M. and Popov, A.V., How the airfoil shape of a morphing wing is actuated and controlled in a smart way, Journal of Aerospace Engineering, January 2015, 28, (1), 04014043-1-13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L. and Botez, R.M., Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Controllers for Smart Material Actuators, 51st AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, 12–15 April, Orlando, FL, US, 2010.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L. and Botez, R.M., Neuro-Fuzzy Controller for SMAs for a Morphing Wing Application, 51st AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, 12–15 April, Orlando, FL, US, 2010.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y., A New Morphing Wing Mechanism Using Smart Actuators Controlled by a Self-Tuning Fuzzy Logic Controller, 11th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations (ATIO) Conference, 20–22 September, Virginia Beach, VA, US, 2011.Google Scholar
Popov, A.V., Grigorie, T.L., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y. Modeling and testing of a morphing wing in open-loop architecture. Journal of Aircraft, 2010, 47, (3), pp 917–923.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Popov, A.V. and Botez, R.M., Control Strategies for an Experimental Morphing Wing Model, AIAA Aviation 2014, AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics (AFM) Conference, Atlanta, GA, US, 16–18 June 2014.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Popov, A.V., Grigorie, T.L., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mébarki, Y., Real time morphing wing optimization validation using wind-tunnel tests, Journal of Aircraft, 2010, 47, (4), pp 1346–1355.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Popov, A.-V., Grigorie, T. L., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mebarki, Y., Closed-loop control validation of a morphing wing using wind tunnel tests, AIAA Journal of Aircraft, 2010, 47, (4), pp 1309–1317.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tchatchueng Kammegne, M.J., Grigorie, T.L., Botez, R.M. and Koreanschi, A. Design and wind tunnel experimental validation of a controlled new rotary actuation system for a morphing wing application, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, January 2016, 230, (1/2016), pp 132–145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ben Mosbah, A., Flores Salinas, M., Botez, R.M. and Dao, T., New methodology for wind tunnel calibration using neural networks - EGD approach, SAE International Journal of Aerospace, 2013, 6, (2), pp 761–766.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tchatchueng Kammegne, M.J., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M., Mebarki, Y., Koreanschi, A., Sugar Gabor, O. and Grigorie, T.L., “Experimental wind tunnel testing of a new multidisciplinary morphing wing model, 18th International Conference on Mathematical Methods, Computational Techniques and Intelligent Systems (MAMECTIS ’16), Venice, Italy, 29–31 January 2016.Google Scholar
Tchatchueng Kammegne, M.J., Botez, R.M. and Grigorie, T.L. “Actuation mechanism control in a morphing application with a full-scaled portion of an aircraft wing”, The 35th IASTED International Conference on Modelling, Identification and Control (MIC 2016), Innsbruck, Austria, 15–16 February 2016.Google Scholar
Michaud, F. Design and Optimization of a Composite Skin for an Adaptive Wing, MSc Thesis, ETS, Montreal, Canada, 2014.Google Scholar
Koreanschi, A., Sugar, O. and Botez, R.M. Numerical and experimental validation of a morphed wing geometry using Price-Padoussis wind-tunnel testing. The Aeronautical Journal, May 2016, 120, (1227), pp. 757–795.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tchatchueng Kammegne, M.J., Grigorie, T.L. and Botez, R.M. “Design, numerical simulation and experimental testing of a controlled electrical actuation system in a real aircraft morphing wing model, The Aeronautical Journal, September 2015, 119, (1219), pp 1047–1072.Google Scholar
Abe, Seiya, Zaitsu, Toshiyuki, Obata, Satoshi, Shoyama, Masahito and Ninomiya, Tamotsu (2011). “Pole-Zero Cancellation Technique for DC-DC Converter”, Advances in PID Control, Dr. Yurkevich, Valery D. (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-307-267-8, InTech, Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/advances-in-pid-control/polezero-cancellation-technique-for-dc-dc-converter.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L. and Botez, R.M., Chapter 14 “New Applications of Fuzzy Logic Methodologies in Aerospace Field” in the book “Fuzzy Controllers, Theory and Applications”, ISBN 978-953-307-543-3, published by InTech, 44 pp, 28 February, 2011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigorie, T.L., Botez, R.M. and Popov, A.V., Chapter 1 “Fuzzy logic control of a smart actuation system in a morphing wing“ in the book “Fuzzy Controllers- Recent Advances in Theory and Applications“, ISBN 978-953-51-0759-0, published by InTech, 22 pp, 27 September, 2012.Google Scholar
Kovacic, Z. and Bogdan, S., “Fuzzy Controller Design – Theory and Applications”, Taylor and Francis Group, 2006.Google Scholar
Mahfouf, M., Linkens, D.A. and Kandiah, S., “Fuzzy Takagi-Sugeno Kang model predictive control for process engineering”, Printed and published by the IEE, Savoy place, London WCPR OBL. UK, 4 pp, 1999.Google Scholar
Zadeh, L.A. Fuzzy sets, Information Control, 1965, 8, pp 339–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mebarki, Y., Mamou, M. and Genest, M. Infrared Measurements of the Transition Detection on the CRIAQ Project Morphing Wing Model, NRC LTR AL-2009-0075, 2009.Google Scholar
Sugar Gabor, O., Koreanschi, A., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M. and Mebarki, Y. Numerical simulation and wind tunnel tests investigation and validation of a morphing wing-tip demonstrator aerodynamic performance, Aerospace Science and Technology, June 2016, 53, pp 136–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koreanschi, A., Sugar Gabor, O., Acotto, J., Brianchon, G., Portier, G., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M., and Mebarki, Y. Optimization and design of an aircraft’s morphing wing-tip demonstrator for drag reduction at low speeds, part I – aerodynamic optimization using genetic, bee colony and gradient descent algorithms, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2017, 30, (1), pp 149–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koreanschi, A., Sugar Gabor, O., Acotto, J., Brianchon, G., Portier, G., Botez, R.M., Mamou, M., and Mebarki, Y. Optimization and design of an aircraft’s morphing wing-tip demonstrator for drag reduction at low speeds, part II – experimental validation using infra-red transition measurement from wind tunnel tests, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2017, 30, (1), pp 164–174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar