Development of a full-size morphing winglet with space and weight constraints

变形机翼的研制是世界范围内航天工业的战略研究。其目的是通过在飞行中改变飞机机翼的形状来改善飞机的气动性能，并将燃油消耗降至最低。在过去的三年里，赖尔森与庞巴迪航空航天公司合作开发了一款概念变形机翼原型。研制了一种基于变几何桁架机构原理的变几何翼盒，建立了双模块系统并进行了试验。在这个项目中，我们建议应用这一技术来开发全尺寸变形小翼。为了将变形小翼安装到机翼上，第一个模块必须安装在机翼的一个狭窄的干燥部分，这施加了严格的空间限制。这个模块驱动第二个模块，即小翼，需要具有高机械优势的驱动系统，因此施加了重量限制。实际考虑包括：i)不同的变形选项，包括组合斜面和脚趾，单独的斜面，各种运动范围，组合成斜面的小翼的灵活后缘，灵活的后缘，以权衡重量和复杂性与空气动力学方面的好处；ii)确保拟议的系统从机械角度是可行的；iii)定义变形小翼的重量惩罚；以及iv)提供一个全尺寸原型，其执行器的尺寸适合实际负载。拟议的方法将通过三个研究支柱来发展：设计、分析和原型。设计支柱的目标是通过使用欠驱动、静态平衡和灵活的后缘等技术来克服空间和重量限制。分析支柱的目标是开发一种运动-结构-空气动力学分析方法，着眼于各种变形场景，根据空气动力学效益评估重量和复杂性，并帮助找到最佳设计。原型柱的目标是建造和测试一个全尺寸变形小翼，以演示变形小翼技术。通过这个项目，将培训一批从PDF、博士、硕士到本科生的HQP。通过该项目取得的研究成果将使加拿大在变形研究方面处于领先地位。

Development of morphing wings is a strategic research for aerospace industry worldwide. The goal is to improve the aerodynamic performance and minimize the fuel consumption by changing the shape of the aircraft wing on-the-fly. For the last three years, Ryerson had worked on a conceptual morphing wing prototype in collaboration with Bombardier Aerospace. A variable geometry wingbox (VGWB) based on the principle of variable geometry truss mechanism (VGTM) was developed and a two-module system was built and tested. In this project, we propose applying this technology to develop a full-size morphing winglet. To attach a morphing winglet to the wing, the first module will have to fit into a narrow dry section of the wing, imposing a tight space constraint. This module drives the second module, i.e. winglet, requiring an actuation system with high mechanical advantage, thus imposing a weight constraint. The practical considerations include: i) different morphing options including cant and toe combined, cant alone, various ranges of motion, flexible trailing edge at the winglet combined to cant, flexible trailing edge, to trade weight and complexity against aerodynamics benefit; ii) ensure that the proposed system is feasible from a mechanical perspective; iii) define the weight penalty of the morphing winglet; and iv) deliver a full scale prototype with actuators sized for the real loads. The proposed methodology will be developed through three research pillars: design, analysis and prototyping. The goal of the design pillar is to overcome the space and weight constraints through utilization of technologies including under-actuation, static balancing and flexible trailing edge. The goal of the analysis pillar is to develop a kineto-structural-aerodynamics analysis method looking at various morphing scenarios to evaluate weight and complexity against aerodynamics benefit and help find an optimal design. The goal of the prototyping pillar is to construct and test a full-size morphing winglet to demonstrate the morphing winglet technology. Through this project a number of HQP from PDF, PhD, Master's to undergraduate will be trained. Research results achieved through this project would put Canada in a leading position of morphing research.