Vibration attenuation in helicopter blades using semi-passive piezoelectric circuit

Author(s)

Marcela de Melo Anicézio

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD)
• Defense date: 2015-03-02

Examining board members

Carlos De Marqui Junior; Ricardo Afonso Angélico; Rui Marcos Grombone de Vasconcellos

• Advisor: Carlos De Marqui Junior

Abstract

The use of smart materials in vibration control problems has been investigated in several researches over the last years. Although dierent smart materials are available, the piezoelectric one has received great attention due to ease of use as sensors, actuators, or both. The main control techniques using piezoelectric materials are the active and passive ones. Passive piezoelectric networks are adjusted for specic target frequencies and, therefore, the eective bandwidth of such systems is small. Although active systems can achieve good vibration control performance, the amount of external power and added hardware are important issues. The synchronized switch damping (SSD) technique was developed in order to address the issues of passive damping methodologies as well as the issues of active control systems. The SSD can be classied as semi-passive technique or semi-active technique that introduce the nonlinear treatment of the piezoelectric element voltage output and induce an increase in mechanical to electrical energy conversion and, consequently, the shunt damping eect. In this work, the semi-passive piezoelectric control of a rotating cantilever beam response is presented and compared with other controllers. The nonlinear electromechanical model of a rotating beam with embedded piezoceramics is derived based on the variational-asymptotic method (VAM). The coupled non-linear rotary system is solved in the time-domain by using a generalized-alpha integration method in order to guarantee numerical stability. The simulations are performed for a wide range of rotating speeds. First, a set of load resistances (ranging from short circuit condition to open circuit condition) is considered. The eect of optimum load resistance (for maximum damping) on the elastic behavior of the beam is investigated for increasing rotating speed. Later, the synchronized switch damping on short (SSDS) technique is employed to damp the nonlinear oscillations of the rotating beam with increasing rotating speed. Results show that the SSDS technique can be a useful method of control for nonlinear rotating beams such as helicopter blades. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/06953-0 - Semi-passive piezoelectric circuits for vibration attenuation of helicopter blades
• Grantee: Marcela de Melo Anicézio
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master