Distributed Actuation and Control of a Morphing Wing Trailing Edge

In a morphing wing trailing edge device, the actuated system stiffness, load capacity, and integral volumetric requirements drive flutter, actuation strength, and aerodynamic performance. Design studies concerning aerodynamic loads, structural properties, and actuator response provide sensitivities to aeroelastic performance, actuation authority, and overall weight. Based on these considerations, actuation mechanism constitutes a very crucial aspect for morphing structure design because the main requirement is to accomplish variable shapes for a given trailing edge structural mechanism within the limits of the maximum actuation torque, consumed power, and allowable size and weight. In this work, a lightweight and compact lever driven by electromechanical actuators is investigated to actuate the morphing trailing edge device. An unshafted distributed servoelectromechanical actuation arrangement driven by a dedicated control system is deployed to realize the transition from the baseline configuration to a set of design target ones and, at the same time, to withstand the external loads. Numerical and experimental investigations are detailed to demonstrate system effectiveness and reliability using a feedback sensing data from integrated FBG sensors.