En-ComE: Energy Harvesting Powered Wireless Monitoring Systems Based on Integrated Smart Composite Structures and Energy-Aware Architecture

在EPSRC的支持下，BAE系统公司向大学发起了一项挑战，要求他们开发可应用于新的和有抱负的飞机项目的新技术。特别是，持久性绿色飞行器（PERGAVE）概念是一种未来的无人驾驶飞行器（UAV），还不是一种飞机设计，它可以维持至少几个月的任务，最终超过一年的持续时间。在这方面，PERGAVE是一种高度灵活的黑尔（高空长航时）飞机，具有针对每个PERGAVE设计概念的振动和气动弹性特性。NASA已经开发了预测黑尔飞机飞行动力学的方法。像这样的操作配置文件将需要极低的能源需求，从船上的系统，以满足耐力和环境的目标。它还要求对结构和系统进行全面的状态监测（例如振动和载荷）以及环境参数测量（例如温度、电离辐射水平和剂量），以便使运营商能够评估飞机在其使命的每个阶段的可行性。该项目将通过开发能量收集供电的无线数据链路和集成智能复合材料机身结构中的真实的时间条件和环境传感器节点来应对PERGAVE挑战。节点将以能量自主的方式运行，而不需要电源或电池，因此它是真正的能量自主。该研究有以下五个工作包：WP 1：系统设计规范和架构的需求捕获和研究WP 2：将能量收集元件集成到复合结构中WP 3：用于优化整个系统的多物理建模和仿真WP 4：低功耗无线传感器节点的开发WP 5：技术演示器的测试WP将专门针对可部署的真实的时间能量自主无线传感通信系统的设计和演示，该系统可用于结构健康监测和环境参数测量与BAE系统公司的下一代无人驾驶飞行器计划相一致。这项工作在英国是独一无二的，它将采用系统级规范和设计方法，将优化与新型能量收集技术相结合，旨在灵活部署在具有无线传感的制造复合材料结构中，所有这些都集成在新型能源和电源管理架构中。这提供了端到端的能力，不仅适用于PERGAVE车辆，也适用于其他需要在恶劣环境中进行远程资产状态监控的应用（例如海上风电场）。该项目的主要新奇之处在于实施了组合材料和结构设计，优化和制造工艺，我们增强的能量收集技术以及高效的能量感知和能量流控制机制，这有可能成为未来飞行器的自供电，重量轻和无线健康监测系统的原型。该研究将建立在克兰菲尔德大学的无线传感、传感器和航空航天监测、复合材料制造、兰开斯特大学的飞机和复合材料结构建模和优化以及中央兰开夏大学的电离辐射监测的研究者跟踪记录的基础上，以承担这一时间和挑战性项目。该项目的合作伙伴是BAE系统公司的军用航空和信息与先进技术中心，AgustaWestland有限公司，TRW，dstl，EPSRC国家创新制造中心的终身工程服务。这些合作伙伴代表航空航天、国防和汽车行业。有航空航天，航空和国防KTN和Zartech组织作为传播伙伴，以支持影响活动。

BAE Systems with the support of EPSRC have launched a challenge to universities to develop novel technologies that can be applied to new and aspirational aircraft programmes. In particular, the Persistent Green Air Vehicle (PERGAVE) concept is a future unmanned air vehicle (UAV), not yet an aircraft design, which can sustain missions of at least months' and ultimately more than a year's duration. In this respect, PERGAVE is a highly flexible HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) aircraft, with vibration and aeroelastic characteristics specific to each PERGAVE design concept. Methodologies have been developed by NASA to predict flight dynamics of HALE aircraft. An operational profile such as this will require extremely low energy demands from on-board systems to meet both the endurance and environmental targets. It will also require comprehensive condition monitoring of structures and systems (e.g. vibration and loading) as well as environmental parameter measurement (e.g. temperature, ionizing radiation levels and doses) to allow operators to assess the viability of the aircraft at every stage of its mission. This project will respond to the PERGAVE challenge by developing energy harvesting powered wireless data links and real time condition and environmental sensor nodes in an integrated smart composite airframe structure for monitoring. The nodes will operate in an energy autonomous manner, without the need for power supplies or batteries and therefore it is truly energy autonomous. The research has the following five work packages:WP1: Requirement capture and study of the system design specifications and architectureWP2: Integration of the energy harvesting element into the composite structureWP3: Multiphysical modelling and simulation for optimisation of the whole systemWP4: Development of low power consumption wireless sensor nodesWP5: Testing of the technology demonstratorThe WPs will specifically target design and demonstration of a deployable real time energy autonomous wireless sensing communication systems that can be used for structural health monitoring and environmental parameter measurement aligned to the next generation, unmanned air vehicle programme in BAE Systems. Uniquely in the UK, this work will take a system level specification and design approach combining optimisation with novel energy harvesting technology designed for flexible deployment in manufactured composite structures with wireless sensing, which are all integrated in a novel energy and power management architecture. This provides end-to-end capability that will be suitable not only for the PERGAVE vehicle but also for other applications requiring remote asset condition monitoring in harsh environments (e.g. off-shore wind farms). The principal novelty of the project lies in the implementation of combined materials and structures design, optimisation and manufacturing processes, our enhanced energy harvesting technology and efficient energy-aware and energy-flow control mechanism, which has the potential to be prototyped as a self-powered, light weight and wireless health monitoring system for future air vehicles. The research will build on investigator track records on energy harvesting with wireless sensing, sensors and aerospace monitoring, and composite manufacturing at Cranfield University, aircraft and composite structural modelling and optimization at Lancaster University, and ionizing radiation monitoring at the University of Central Lancashire to undertake this timing and challenging project. The project partners are BAE Systems in Military Air&Information and Advanced Technology Centre, AgustaWestland Ltd, TRW, dstl, EPSRC National Centres for Innovative Manufacturing in Through-life Engineering Services. These partners represents aerospace, defence and automotive sectors. There are Aerospace, Aviation & Defence KTN and Zartech organisations as dissemination partners to support the impact activities.