Structural health monitoring sensory system integrated to a self-adapting morphing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10149631-B2
Application number	US-201514808142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2015
Priority date	Jul 24, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for damage detection and for evaluating the real operation conditions for structural platforms using structural health monitoring is integrated to a system and method that permits for the platform to provide a flexible geometric control considering a self-adapting morphing which is capable of providing better operating structural platform performance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method to assess the condition and self-adapting morphing of a structural platform, comprising:
automatically by computer, detecting damage to a structure;
automatically by computer, performing analysis to determine localization and sizing or/and intensity quantification of the detected damage;
automatically by computer, calculating operational loads of the structure;
automatically by computer, determining at least one of loading mission profiles and extreme operational events including hard-landings and over-speeds sustained by the structure;
automatically by computer, determining a self-adapting morphed geometric configuration for the structure to adapt the structure to (a) a mission, (b) the determined localization and sizing or/and intensity quantification of the detected damage, (c) calculated operational loads, and (d) at least one of determined loading mission profiles and extreme operational events during operation of the structure, and
automatically adaptively morphing the geometric configuration of the structure based on the determined morphed external shape to dynamically reconfigure the external shape and geometric configuration of the structure in response to changing operational flight conditions and the determined localization and sizing or/and intensity quantification of the detected damage.

2. An integrated system for assessing the condition of and self-adapting morphing of a structural platform comprising:
a Structural Health Monitoring System (SHM) comprising a plurality of transducers, including a plurality of sensors or pairs of actuators and sensors, a device to interrogate at least one of said sensors to produce signals, and a processor device to receive the signals and perform analyses for damage identification, the Structural Health Monitoring System being configured to automatically determine localization and sizing or/and intensity quantification of the detected damage;
an Operational loads Monitoring System (OLM) comprising parametric models using parameter data capable of providing an estimation of the real usage of the vehicle's structural components and identifying extreme operational events;
a Self-Adapting Morphing System (SAM) comprising mechanical or electrical devices with or without the use of smart materials with the ability to realize a flexible control of the geometry of the structural platform, the Self-Adapting Morphing System comprising at least one processor that dynamically reconfigures the structural geometry of the structural platform in response to changing operational flight conditions and the determined localization and sizing or/and intensity quantification of the detected damage; and
connections to integrate the SHM system and the SAM system with a unique or distinct network of sensors/actuators, wherein:
the integrated system (SHM+SAM) is exclusively one box control; or
the integrated system (SHM+SAM) has box control separated for SHM and SAM.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the sensors comprise fiber optics sensors or piezoelectric sensors or polymer sensors.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the structural health monitoring uses Lamb waves or electromechanical impedance or fiber Bragg gratings or acoustic emission or vacuum.

5. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the sensors are embedded in the structure.

6. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the Self-Adapting Morphing system uses at least one of shape memory alloy, piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, and magneto fluids.

7. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the Operational Loads Monitoring System uses parameter data including at least one of acceleration, strain, stress, load, position, and temperature.

8. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the sensors are not embedded in the structure.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer determines loading mission profiles.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer determines extreme operational events including hard-landings and over-speeds sustained by the structure.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the structure includes a wing having a wingtip, and the computer morphs wing geometries to reduce the aerodynamics effects on the wing and increase flight performance.

12. The system of claim 2 wherein the structural platform includes a wing having a wingtip, and the Self-Adapting Morphing System triggers morphing change of the wingtip in order to modify wing geometries in response to detected damage, reducing the aerodynamics effects on the wing and increasing flight performance.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer self-adapts the structure to an ideal or more optimal form and position for a phase of flight including at least one of take off, cruising and landing.

14. The system of claim 2 wherein the Self-Adapting Morphing System self-adapts the structural platform to an ideal or more optimal form and position for the phase of flight including at least one of take off, cruising and landing.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the structure includes a winglet and the computer self-adapts the angle of the winglet to an ideal form and position considering a phase of flight.

16. The system of claim 2 wherein the structural platform includes a winglet and the Self-Adapting Morphing System self-adapts the angle of the winglet to an ideal form and position considering the phase of flight.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer performs a reassessment of the structure after morphing certifying if the morphed structure is safe for operation.

18. The system of claim 2 wherein the Self-Adapting Morphing System performs a reassessment of the structural platform after morphing certifying if the morphed structural platform is safe for operation.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the adaptive morphing includes at least one of deforming certain parts of a fuselage, shifting mass or weight using hydraulic or other automatic mechanisms, and operating multiple control surfaces.

20. An aircraft having an airfoil and comprising:
sensors disposed on the aircraft;
at least one processor operatively coupled to the sensors, the at least one processor determining changed operational conditions of the aircraft including localization and sizing or/and intensity quantification of structural damage and extreme operational events, the at least one processor being programmed to track current flight phase; and
an arrangement operatively coupled to the at least one processor and the airfoil, the arrangement comprising:
at least one of mechanical and electrical devices connected to or part of the airfoil, the at least one of mechanical and electrical devices being structured to morph the shape and geometry of the airfoil to thereby change its performance; and
the same or different at least one processor operatively connected to the at least one of mechanical and electrical devices, the same or different at least one processor being configured to control the at least one of mechanical and electrical devices to dynamically and controllably morph the geometric configuration of the airfoil in response to the determined changed operational conditions and current flight phase and the determined localization and sizing or/and intensity quantification of the detected damage to thereby dynamically reconfigure and adapt the geometric configuration of the airfoil to changing operational flight conditions and the determined localization and sizing or/and intensity quantification of the detected dam

Assignees

• Embraer Sa

Inventors

• Da Silva Paulo Anchieta
• Lazanha Tomaz
• Rulli Ricardo Pinheiro
• Dotta Fernando

Classifications

• F03D7/022

  Adjusting aerodynamic properties of the blades · CPC title

• A61B5/053 Primary

  Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body · CPC title

• G01M5/0041

  by determining deflection or stress · CPC title

• B64C23/072 Primary

  the wing tip airfoil devices being moveable in their entirety · CPC title

• B64F5/60

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title