ACTUATION MECHANISM CONTROL IN A MORPHING APPLICATION WITH A FULL-SCALED PORTION OF AN AIRCRAFT WING

摘要

The paper exposes the design, implementation and experimental testing of the actuation mechanism control system for a morphing wing experimental model based on a full-scaled portion of an aircraft wing equipped with an aileron. An adaptive skin made from carbon fiber composite materials was mounted on the upper surface and positioned between 20% and 65% of the wing chord. Two actuation lines, each with two similar miniature electromechanical actuators, were installed inside the wing and used to deform the flexible upper surface in order to improve the flow quality on the upper surface by modifying the position of the transition point from laminar to turbulence. On each actuator was attached a Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) providing its position in mm. Three control loops (a torque and two for position) were designed and implemented. The feedback sensors for the first position control loop were the hall sensors, while the second position control loop used the signals from LVDT. The second position control loop has been imposed because of the plays inside the actuation mechanism. Each actuation motor has been connected to a power amplifier implementing the torque and the first position controllers; the second position control loop was independently programmed.