DESIGN OF AEROSPACE STRUCTURES USING A DISTRIBUTED ENERGY APPROACH

摘要

The energy relations of a typical aeroelastic section with a conformal trailing edge control surface are investigated. Expressions are derived that show the relationship between the energy required to deflect the control surface in a steady flow field and the resulting aerodynamic performance using a new definition of (loaded and unloaded) energy efficiency. Structures that utilize an integrated network of actuators to efficiently change shape for improved aerodynamic performance must be designed with an understanding of the total system behavior. A parametric study is conducted to determine trends in the energy efficiency and actuation input energy of a conformal control surface of varying bending stiffness. A methodology is developed to identify regions of minimum energy required to deflect the conformal trailing edge control surface with respect to the flap-to-cord ratio, the elastic axis position, the dynamic pressure, and the control surface shape.