Spanwise morphing trailing edge on a finite wing

Alexander M. Pankonien; Daniel J. Inman

doi:10.1117/12.2083945

2 April 2015 Spanwise morphing trailing edge on a finite wing

Proceedings Volume 9431, Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2015; 94310T (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2083945
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2015, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are prime targets for morphing implementation as they must adapt to large changes in flight conditions associated with locally varying wind or large changes in mass associated with payload delivery. The Spanwise Morphing Trailing Edge concept locally varies the trailing edge camber of a wing or control surface, functioning as a modular replacement for conventional ailerons without altering the spar box. Utilizing alternating active sections of Macro Fiber Composites (MFCs) driving internal compliant mechanisms and inactive sections of elastomeric honeycombs, the SMTE concept eliminates geometric discontinuities associated with shape change, increasing aerodynamic performance. Previous work investigated a representative section of the SMTE concept and investigated the effect of various skin designs on actuation authority. The current work experimentally evaluates the aerodynamic gains for the SMTE concept for a representative finite wing as compared with a conventional, articulated wing. The comparative performance for both wings is evaluated by measuring the drag penalty associated with achieving a design lift coefficient from an off-design angle of attack. To reduce experimental complexity, optimal control configurations are predicted with lifting line theory and experimentally measured control derivatives. Evaluated over a range of off-design flight conditions, this metric captures the comparative capability of both concepts to adapt or “morph” to changes in flight conditions. Even with this simplistic model, the SMTE concept is shown to reduce the drag penalty due to adaptation up to 20% at off-design conditions, justifying the increase in mass and complexity and motivating concepts capable of larger displacement ranges, higher fidelity modelling, and condition-sensing control.

Citation Download Citation

Alexander M. Pankonien and Daniel J. Inman "Spanwise morphing trailing edge on a finite wing", Proc. SPIE 9431, Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2015, 94310T (2 April 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2083945

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available