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

航空航天工业正面临着政治、社会和经济压力，要求开发由环保材料和节能技术制成的更清洁、更轻的飞机。其中一项关键技术是发展机电作动器（EMA），以取代传统的液压作动器的飞行控制表面。为飞行控制开发实用的电磁分析的主要问题是可靠性，因为传统的齿轮和螺旋机构可能卡住并导致灾难性的故障。第一个NSERC-CRIAQ项目（ENV 404）证明，用于连续滑移致动（CSA）的磁流变液（MRF）旋转离合器可以有利地满足航空航天运动控制要求，具有高控制带宽，高功率重量比和高可靠性。这个新的NSERC-CRIAQ-CARIC项目提案（ENV 709）的目标是提供所需的知识和理解，使MRF致动器的直升机飞行控制应用的实际应用。最突出的挑战是磁流变液的耐用性和最佳离合器的设计。拟议的研究将进行深入的实验表征MRF的降解。将对液体进行分析，并对降解过程进行识别和量化。根据研究结果，改进的磁流变液和离合器的设计将提出和验证。提出状态监测策略，发展磁流变状态监测传感器技术。最后，一个功能齐全的磁流变液作动器将原型的一个典型的飞行控制应用和作动器将在一个全尺寸的耐久性试验台复制飞行试验条件进行测试。这项研究将通过提供必要的知识来完成一种新的有前途的致动技术的开发，即CSA中使用的MRF旋转离合器，从而推动航空航天和机器人领域的发展。该研究将为加拿大航空航天工业提供专有的新技术，这将成为加拿大在航空航天领域竞争力的战略资产。

The aerospace industry is facing political, social, and economic pressure to develop cleaner and lighter aircraftsmade 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. Theresearch will provide Canadian aerospace industry with proprietary new technology that will become a strategicasset for Canada's competitiveness in the aerospace sector.