DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF AN ACTUATION SYSTEM FOR A MORPHING CONTROL SURFACE

Abstract

Climate-friendly technologies are at the forefront of current research topics. Consequently, the aircraft industry is undergoing significant changes. In addition to disruptive technologies, such as hydrogen propulsion or flyingwing concepts, technologies that reduce fuel consumption are still necessary to maintain the economic operation of aircraft. One of these technologies is the morphing control surface. Through continuous adaptation of the wing profile, shape-variable control surfaces on the wing have the potential to significantly enhance aerodynamic performance. In addition to the lower fuel consumption, the elimination of gaps on the wing can also reduce noise. To realize such an adaptive profile within the wing, technologies enabling structural deformation are required. The primary challenge in developing such technologies is to ensure both the flexibility for the shapevariable structure and the necessary stiffness. Various technologies are being explored and developed to use the benefits of such shape-variable structures. Both the integration into the wing and the certification of these novel technologies pose essential considerations regarding installation space, weight, and safety aspects. At the German Aerospace Center, a morphing technology has been developed that allows changing the wing profile. This technology is based on pressure cells actuated by a fluid. To implement this technology in the wing, a suitable system architecture must be developed. In this paper, the design, test environment, and experimental results of an actuation system for this morphing technology are presented. The focus was on demonstrating the functionality of the structural technology in conjunction with the system architecture. For this purpose, various tests were conducted in the areas of system control and dynamic behavior. © 2024, International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences. All rights reserved.