Electrofluidic devices
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New actuators for aircraft and space applications
7 January 2008
Actuators are key elements of air- and spacecrafts. In the recent years the concept of the more-electric aircraft pushed the development of electrical actuation systems to substitute hitherto used hydraulic actuators in a broad range of applications such as flight control, landing gear and brake actuation.
Ongoing progress in flow control actuators and required drive electronics
6 February 2020
In the frame of the Cleansky 2 projects SYNJET3C and FLOCOS, CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES (CTEC) and TRISITEC are collaborating with both FRAUNHOFER and ONERA institutes, two major European research leaders in the development of Synthetic Jet Actuators (SJA) for Aerospace applications. While SYNJET3C project is dedicated to SJA mechanical designs and optimisation, as well as testing including wind tunnel tests, FLOCOS project is dedicated to the design and manufacturing of a specific SJA drive Electronic called SADS (Synthetic Jet Actuator Drive System).
Pulsed air high performances valves improve aerodynamic flow over airplane wings
19 June 2023
The objective of the European Cleansky project is to develop new technologies for future aircraft enabling a 20-30% fuel burn reduction and related CO2 emissions and a similar reduction in noise levels compared to current aircraft. One of the ways to reach this goal is to improve the aerodynamic performances of current high lift devices. Active flow control is unanimously seen as the best mean to reach this objective. By suppressing flow separation and/or delaying stall, active flow control will increase wing aerodynamic performances. The partnership between CTEC and ONERA in the framework of the VIPER project has led to the design, manufacturing and test of an innovative pulsed jet actuator based on a CTEC amplified piezo-actuator (APA). Its aim is to provide a pulsed sonic jet up to 500Hz with a mass flow around 34 g/s through a slot 1mm wide and 80mm long. Coupled with CTEC SA75D switching power amplifier this actuator produces the expected sonic jet with an electrical consumption around 40W thanks to energy recovery. The results of the actuator characterisation (mechanical, fluidic) are presented in this paper.
Electro-fluidic components based on smart materials for aircraft electro-hydraulic
19 June 2023
In the context of a more electrical aircraft, in order to explore the feasibility of non usual solutions, electro-fluidic components based on smart materials and new Electro-Hydraulic-Actuators (EHA) concepts, based on active valves and magnetostrictive vibrating pump, have been studied. Active valves based on different magnetostrictive and piezoelectric actuators have been designed, realised, tested and compared. The magnetostrictive version uses a new Amplified Magnetostrictive Actuator (AMA) based on a stack of Giant Magnetostrictive Materials (GMM) and placed inside an elliptical amplification ring.
Wind-tunnel tests of a helicopter rotor with active flaps
19 June 2023
Within the frame of a project called DTP RPA (Développement Technique Probatoire Rotor à Pale Active), also known as Active Blade Concept, carried out in cooperation between ONERA, Eurocopter, DLR and Eurocopter Deutschland, a four-bladed Mach-scaled rotor was tested in December 2005 in ONERA S1 Modane wind-tunnel. The main objective of this test was to validate the concept of using active flaps located on the trailing edge of the blades of the main rotor of a helicopter to decrease the vibration level generated by this rotor.
Zero Boil Off Compressor Based on MICA Actuators
19 June 2023
A reed valve compressor technology for future science spacecraft application, is being developed by CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES
(CTEC), based on the very compact and high-power MICA300CM actuator (Moving Iron Controllable
Actuator). The present publication details the compressor breadboard design and test results, manufactured in the frame
of an ESA Technological Research Program (TRP), for the testing of a Zero Boil Off Hydrogen storage demonstrator.
The test results presented have been realized at compressor level with Helium gas at CTEC facilities, and the full 20K
Hydrogen storage demonstrator is soon to be tested.