• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2007

Closed-loop active twist control of integral helicopter rotor blades is investigated in this paper for reducing hub vibration induced in forward flight. A four-bladed fully articulated integral twist-actuated rotor system has been designed and tested successfully in wind tunnel in open-loop actuation. The integral twist deformation of the blades is generated using active fiber composite actuators embedded in the composite blade construction. An analytical framework is developed to examine integrally twisted helicopter blades and their aeroelastic behavior during different flight conditions. This aeroelastic model stems from a three-dimensional electroelastic beam formulation with geometrical-exactness, and is coupled with finite-state dynamic inflow aerodynamics. A system identification methodology that assumes a linear periodic system is adopted to estimate the harmonic transfer function of the rotor system. A vibration minimizing controller is designed based on this result, which implements a classical disturbance rejection algorithm with some modifications. Using the established analytical framework, the closed-loop controller is numerically simulated and the hub vibratory load reduction capability is demonstrated.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.18-33
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• 2008

This paper presents design optimization of a new Active Twist Rotor (ATR) blade and conducts its aeroelastic analysis in forward flight condition. In order to improve a twist actuation performance, the present ATR blade utilizes a single crystal piezoelectric fiber composite actuator and the blade cross-sectional layout is designed through an optimization procedure. The single crystal piezoelectric fiber composite actuator has excellent piezoelectric strain performance when compared with the previous piezoelectric fiber composites such as Active Fiber Composites (AFC) and Macro Fiber Composites (MFC). Further design optimization gives a cross-sectional layout that maximizes the static twist actuation while satisfying various blade design requirements. After the design optimization is completed successfully, an aeroelastic analysis of the present ATR blade in forward flight is conducted to confirm the efficiency in reducing the vibratory loads at both fixed- and rotating-systems. Numerical simulation shows that the present ATR blade utilizing single crystal piezoelectric fiber composites may reduce the vibratory loads significantly even with much lower input-voltage when compared with that used in the previous ATR blade. However, for an application of the present single crystal piezoelectric actuator to a full scaled rotor blade, several issues exist. Difficulty of manufacturing in a large size and severe brittleness in its material characteristics will need to be examined.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.85-92
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• 2007

This paper presents a design optimization of a new Advanced Active Blade Twist (AATR-II) blade incorporating single crystal Macro Fiber Composites (MFC) and conducts vibratory loads reduction analysis using an obtained optimal blade configuration. Due to the high actuation performance of the single crystal MFC, the AATR blade may reduce the helicopter vibration more efficiently even with a lower input-voltage as compared with the previous ATR blades. The design optimization provides the optimal cross-sectional configuration to maximize the tip twist actuation when a certain input-voltage is given. In order to maintain the properties of the original ATR blade, various constraints and bounds are considered for the design variables selected. After the design optimization is completed successfully, vibratory load reduction analysis of the optimized AATR-II blade in forward flight condition is conducted. The numerical result shows that the hub vibratory loads are reduced significantly although 20% input-voltage of the original ATR blade is used.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2009

In this study, an assessment is made for the helicopter vibration reduction of composite rotor blades using an active twist control concept. The piezoceramic shear actuation mechanism along with elastic couplings of composite blades is used for vibration reduction. The rotor blades are modeled as composite box-beams with actuator layers bonded on the outer surfaces of the thin-walled section. The governing equations of motion for helicopter blades are obtained using Hamilton's principle. A time domain unsteady aerodynamic theory with free wake model is used to obtain the airloads. Various rotor configurations with different elastic couplings with appropriate actuator placement are used to investigate the hub vibration characteristics. Numerical results show that a substantial reduction of $N_b$/rev hub vibration can be achieved using the optimal control algorithm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.326-331
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• 2007

This paper conducts a vibratory loads reduction analysis of an Advanced Active Trailing-edge Flap (AATF) blade utilizing single crystal piezoelectric actuators. For an AATF blade, a new L-L piezostack actuator using single crystal PMN-PT materials is designed. The AATF blade is designed to have similar characteristics to the Advanced Active Twist Rotor (AATR) blade. The active trailingedge flap is assumed to be 20% of the blade span and 15% of the chord, located at 75% of the blade radius. In order to conduct the vibratory loads reduction analysis of the AATF blade in forward flight, DYMORE, a multi-body dynamics analysis code, is used. The simulation result shows that the hub vibratory loads may be reduced by approximately 89% even with a much lower input-voltage when comparing with the other active rotor systems.