Magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) characterization, optimization and condition monitoring for aircraft flight control actuators

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The aerospace industry is facing political, social, and economic pressure to develop cleaner and lighter aircrafts made from environmentally friendly materials and using energy efficient technologies. One key technology is the development of Electro-Mechanical Actuators (EMA) to replace conventional hydraulic actuators for flight control surfaces. The main issue in developing practical EMAs for flight control is reliability as traditional gears and screw mechanisms can seize and lead to catastrophic failures. A first NSERC-CRIAQ project (ENV404) demonstrated that MagnetoRheological Fluid (MRF) rotary clutches for Continuous Slippage Actuation (CSA) can advantageously meet aerospace motion control requirements with their high control bandwidth, high power-to-weight ratios, and high reliability. The goal of this new NSERC-CRIAQ-CARIC project proposal (ENV709) is to provide the knowledge and understanding required to enable practical applications of MRF actuators for helicopter flight control applications. The most prominent remaining challenge is the durability of MRF and the design of optimal clutches. The proposed research will conduct an in-depth experimental characterization of the degradation of MRF. Fluids will be analyzed and the degradation process identified and quantified. Based on findings, improved MRF and clutch designs will be proposed and verified. Condition monitoring strategies will be proposed and a MRF condition monitoring sensor technology will be developed. Finally, a fully functional MRF actuator will be prototyped for a typical flight control application and the actuator will be tested on a full-scale endurance test bench replicating flight test conditions. The research will advance the field of aerospace and robotics by providing the knowledge necessary to complete the development of a new promising actuation technology, MRF rotary clutches used in CSA. The research will provide Canadian aerospace industry with proprietary new technology that will become a strategic asset for Canada's competitiveness in the aerospace sector.