The present paper describes the design of a hybrid actuation control concept, a fuzzy logic proportional-integral-derivative plus a conventional on-off controller, for a new morphing mechanism using smart materials as actuators, which were made from shape memory alloys (SMA). The research work described here was developed for the open loop phase of a morphing wing system, whose primary goal was to reduce the wing drag by delaying the transition (from laminar to fully turbulent flows) position toward the wing trailing edge. The designed controller drives the actuation system equipped with SMA actuators to modify the flexible upper wing skin surface. The designed controller was also included, as an internal loop, in the closed loop architecture of the morphing wing system, based on the pressure information received from the flexible skin mounted pressure sensors and on the estimation of the transition location.

The controller’s purposes were established following a comprehensive presentation of the morphing wing system architecture and requirements. The strong nonlinearities of the SMA actuators’ characteristics and the system requirements led to the choice of a hybrid controller architecture as a combination of a bi-positional on-off controller and a fuzzy logic controller (FLC). In the chosen architecture, the controller would behave as a switch between the SMA cooling and heating phases, situations where the output current is 0A or is controlled by the FLC.

In the design phase, a proportional-integral-derivative scheme was chosen for the FLC. The input-output mapping of the fuzzy model was designed, taking account of the system’s error and its change in error, and a final architecture for the hybrid controller was obtained. The shapes chosen for the inputs’ membership functions were s -function, π-function, and z -function, and product fuzzy inference and the center average defuzzifier were applied (Sugeno).

The paper presents the numerical and experimental validation of a hybrid actuation control concept – fuzzy logic proportional-integral-derivative (PID) plus conventional on-off – for a new morphing wing mechanism, using smart materials made of shape memory alloy (SMA) as actuators. After a presentation of the hybrid controller architecture that was adopted in the Part 1, this paper focuses on its implementation, simulation and validation.

The PID on-off controller was numerically and experimentally implemented using the Matlab/Simulink software. Following preliminary numerical simulations which were conducted to tune the controller, an experimental validation was performed. To implement the controller on the physical model, two programmable switching power supplies (AMREL SPS100-33) and a Quanser Q8 data acquisition card were used. The data acquisition inputs were two signals from linear variable differential transformer potentiometers, indicating the positions of the actuators, and six signals from thermocouples installed on the SMA wires. The acquisition board’s output channels were used to control power supplies in order to obtain the desired skin deflections. The experimental validation utilised an experimental bench test in laboratory conditions in the absence of aerodynamic forces, and a wind-tunnel test for different actuation commands. Simultaneously, the optimised aerofoils were experimentally validated with the theoretically-determined aerofoils obtained earlier. Both the transition point real time position detection and visualisation were realised in wind tunnel tests.

Flying a light aeroplane involves a combination of pilot and aeroplane performing a set task, within a specific environment. The pilot is continuously sampling and selecting available sensory cues, interpreting those cues, making decisions and manipulating the primary controls (stick and rudder) to safely achieve flying objectives. The ‘feel’ of an aeroplane (a flying quality) is directly associated with the stick and rudder forces and how the aeroplane responds to control inputs. Classical theory has been applied to estimate the apparent (as felt by the pilot) longitudinal stick-free static stability (change of stick force with airspeed) of a typical, two-seat, high-wing light aeroplane. The theory has been extended to consider the effects of tail downwash and flap deflection. The results are compared with actual flight tests and show that the method may be used for the initial assessment of longitudinal stick-free static stability and more importantly, tendencies towards neutral or negative stability affecting flight safety.

The introduction of the original time delay method of Beddoes, an engineering model for the unsteady response of an aerofoil section including dynamic stall, had a profound effect on the design and development of rotor systems in the UK. Over the years, the model expanded to include more and more features of the unsteady flow, with many contributors. It is now in use throughout the world as part of rotor analysis packages. Nevertheless, it retains its essential simplicity. Work to confirm the ability of the most recent version of the dynamic stall model from the University of Glasgow to replicate the complicated behaviour of an advanced rotor aerofoil section at full scale Reynolds and Mach numbers provides an opportunity to review the use of this new engineering model in the helicopter rotor design environment.

This note discusses the application of dynamic stall synthesis methods to the problem of classifying and comparing aerofoil sections when designing rotors for the retreating blade stall condition that determines the rotor blade area requirement of the helicopter. The development of the dynamic stall models employed in UK rotor designs is reviewed in this paper and their use in the design process explained, with emphasis on the assumptions that overcome the limitations of the models and exploit their simplicity, enabling accurate and conservative rotor designs. The paper shows how the model may be used to structure the analysis of complex sets of dynamic aerofoil data. It illustrates how structured comparison between the model and the data yields a concise appreciation of the behaviour of the aerofoil and an understanding of the physical processes involved. Some previously unappreciated effects are identified and the model is used to transfer experience of the aerofoil section behaviour from the non-rotating wind-tunnel environment to that of the rotor. Finally, the application of the new engineering model developed at Glasgow University in the rotor design process is outlined. Some remarks on the use of engineering models in comparison with CFD models in the design context are included.

Dynamic stall is a complex process encountered by an aerofoil in the unsteady flow environment such as a helicopter rotor in forward flight as well as a fixed wing aircraft in manoeuvres and in other unsteady situations. The onset of dynamic stall effectively determines the flight envelope of the helicopter. Significant effort are being made to develop CFD to capture the dynamic stall behaviour, however traditional engineering models based on lifting line theory still offer fast turn-round and broad understanding required for the rotor design process. This paper describes a new engineering model for dynamic stall, developed originally for wind turbine application at a typical Mach number of 0·12. The new dynamic stall model, with a better definition of stall onset, is based on improvements made to Beddoes’ original trailing edge stall model. This paper will describe and demonstrate the improvements in identifying both the stall-onset and the pitching moment break at high pitch rates, when being applied to a generic rotor aerofoil RAE 9651 at M = 0·3. Further validation against oscillatory tests and other Mach numbers are still required. However the study has provided sufficient confidence for it to be employed in a rotor analysis code.

Motion and airflow during a two-turn erect spin of an aerobatic light aeroplane have been analysed. An alternative method, based upon camera tracking, has been used to capture the spin motion. A CAD model of the Slingsby Firefly was created using laser scanning. Formation flights with a helicopter have been flown and high-quality video and still imagery obtained. Camera tracking has produced data and unique illustrations of the spinning Slingsby. To further investigate the aerodynamic flow of a spinning aeroplane, full-scale, flow visualisation flights have been flown using wool tufts on wing, fuselage and empennage. Tufts indicate that a large vortex forms on the outside wing. The spanwise motion of this vortex has been studied and related to the spin motion. Furthermore, tufts on the horizontal tail indicate the presence of a leading edge vortex with the flow mainly in a spanwise outwards direction. The effects observed are clearly three dimensional and time dependent. Finally, it is discussed how this new knowledge does not correspond with the spin theories of the past.