T.L. Grigorie, A.V. Popov, R.M. Botez, Y. Mébarki, and M. Mamou (Canada)
Morphing wing, Experimental testing, Data analysis, Open loop control
The paper presents the modeling and the experimental testing of a morphing wing aerodynamic performance in an open loop architecture. Shown are the method used to acquire the pressure data from the external surface of the flexible wing skin, using incorporated Kulite pressure sensors, and the instrumentation of the morphing controller. The acquired pressure data is analysed through Fast Fourier Transforms in order to detect the magnitude of the noise in the surface air flow. Subsequently, the data is filtered by means of high-pass filters and processed by calculating the Root Mean Square of the signal in order to obtain a plot diagram of the noise in the air flow. This signal processing is necessary to disparate the inherent electronically induced noise, by the Tollmien-Schlichting that are responsible for triggering transition from laminar flow to turbulent flow. The flexible skin is required to morph its shape through two actuation points in order to achieve an optimised airfoil shape according to the theoretical flow conditions similar to those tested in the wind tunnel. Two shape memory alloy actuators, having a non-linear behaviour, drive the displacement of the two control points of the flexible skin towards the optimised airfoil shape. Each of the shape memory actuators is activated by a power supply unit and controlled by Simulink/Matlab software through a self tuning fuzzy controller. The methodology and the results obtained during the wind tunnel test that proved the concept and validity of the system in real time are discussed in the present paper. The real time acquisitioning and signal processing of pressure data is necessary in further development of closed loop controller in order to obtain a fully automatic morphing wing system.
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