Development of shape memory alloy (SMA) torsional actuators for variable twist tilt rotor (VTTR) blades.

摘要

This dissertation presents the development of a torsional actuator to alter the twist distributions of a tiltrotor blade between hover and forward flight. The actuator uses a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) tube as its active element.; The historical development of the tiltrotor aircraft is discussed, with emphasis on advanced tiltrotor concepts. The central theme in these concepts is to reduce the compromises for tiltrotor blade design, thereby improving performance of the aircraft in both hover and forward flight modes. A survey of research conducted in the application of smart structures to performance enhancement of aircraft is conducted. A review of other torsional actuators that are based on SMAs is presented. An assessment of the state-of-the-art in SMA modeling and characterization, both in mechanical tensile and torsional loading, is also discussed.; Shape Memory Alloys are “smart” actuation materials that are capable of providing high stroke and high force of actuation at relatively low bandwidth. However, their behavior is complex, and influenced by material non-linearities, thermo-mechanical conditions and history of loading. In addition, the behavior of torsional SMA actuators has not been investigated in detail.; In order to address these issues, the current research carries out a comprehensive characterization of SMAs. Experimental characteristics of SMA wires under extensional loading, and SMA rods and tubes in both extensional and torsional loading under a variety of thermo-mechanical conditions are presented in this dissertation. It is demonstrated that the uniaxial quasistatic SMA models show good overall agreement with the experimental behavior of an SMA wire under extensional loading. In addition, an approach that incorporates these models with radial non-uniformity due to torsional deflections is shown to provide good predictions of torsional characteristics of SMA rods and tubes. Several differences of the material response under non-quasistatic loading conditions are also shown. A modeling technique that predicts these effects by coupling the material phenomenology with an energy equilibrium analysis is proposed. In addition, a theoretical and experimental study involving composite laminates with embedded SMAs is also presented in this work. The concept of tuning the natural frequencies of a composite structure using embedded SMAs is demonstrated, and associated manufacturing issues discussed.; Using the concepts developed in the study on SMAs, a torsional actuator involving an SMA tube is developed for the proposed application. The design of the heat transfer and torque transfer assemblies for the actuator is described. Benchtop testing of the actuator shows the feasibility of this actuator in applications involving large recovery torques of actuation. It is demonstrated that using the current concept, one actuator is not sufficient to meet the twist actuation requirements for a full-scale tiltrotor blade. However, a modification in the blade torsional stiffness, in conjunction with the use of two discrete SMA actuators, may render the concept feasible for a full-scale tiltrotor.