High-pressure magnetostrictive pump development: a comparison of prototype and modeled performance

Current efforts to extend the mission profile of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have highlighted the need for scalable linear actuators. Typically, electrical power and control are specified for their high specific performance and ease of maintenance and replacement. Electro-Hydraulic Actuators (EHAs) provide the advantages of electrical power and control along with the proven reliability, robustness and graceful failure modes of hydraulic actuation. Current EHA technology, however, is not scalable to the degree required for projected UAVs and extension to other markets and applications. This paper will describe the measured and theoretical performance of a magnetostrictive hydraulic pump developed for one such EHA as part of the DARPA Compact Hybrid Actuator Program (CHAP). This work will focus on prototype pump designs utilizing a resonant magnetostrictive piston driver. The numerous design and operational parameters that have been tested and studied in an effort to produce an optimized pump design will be discussed. In particular, the measured and predicted performance of the resonant structure and fluidics will be compared and contrasted for several pump designs. The paper will also examine the interdependence of pump parameters and the balance required to produce a viable design with the required performance characteristics.