Piezoelectric synthetic jets for aircraft control surfaces

Robert G. Bryant; Robert Lee Fox; Jason T. Lachowicz; Fang-Jenq Chen

doi:10.1117/12.351560

9 July 1999 Piezoelectric synthetic jets for aircraft control surfaces

Robert G. Bryant, Robert Lee Fox, Jason T. Lachowicz, Fang-Jenq Chen

Proceedings Volume 3674, Smart Structures and Materials 1999: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.351560
Event: 1999 Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 1999, Newport Beach, CA, United States

Abstract

The concept of using piezoelectric actuators in devices that alter the way in which an airfoil interacts with its environment is not new. In fact, several notable research institutions, federal laboratories and industrial partners are actively pursuing this type of research. The main driving force for this activity is increased fuel economy, lighter aircraft and the elimination of hydraulically actuated control surfaces. Several years ago, researchers at NASA developed a process that uniformly prestressed the piezoelectric actuators resulting increased movement at low frequencies. The key to this increased motion was the ability to develop an evenly prestressed actuator that behaved like a leaf spring. In order to take full advantage of this piezoelectric wafer, the fixturing and drive electronics had to be developed. This is a critical issue for all piezoelectric systems. This paper describes the characteristics and performances of these high displacement actuators and the devices that incorporate these actuators to create the synthetic jets. It is envisioned that these devices will play a critical role in the future of aeronautics.

Citation Download Citation

Robert G. Bryant, Robert Lee Fox, Jason T. Lachowicz, and Fang-Jenq Chen "Piezoelectric synthetic jets for aircraft control surfaces", Proc. SPIE 3674, Smart Structures and Materials 1999: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, (9 July 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.351560

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