Semi-passive piezoelectric circuits for vibration attenuation of helicopter blades

Abstract

Many techniques of vibration control using piezoelectric materials have been presented in the literature. These techniques can be classified according to the use of external electrical sources to power piezoelectric materials. Thus, when external power is applied to the piezoelectric material active control is obtained. In passive control techniques consist the piezoelectric element is connected to a passive electrical network. More recently, piezoelectrics connected to switched circuits using or not external energy source resulting in semi-active and semi-passive control systems, respectively. This proposal will investigate the use of semi-active piezoelectric switched circuits to damp helicopter blades vibration. The nonlinear model of an electromechanically coupled blade obtained from the Variational Asymptotic Method (VAM) has been developed in the research group and will be modified and used for the simulations. Different configurations of piezoelectric distributed along the structure will be investigated. It is expected that the use of piezoelectric switched circuits will maximize the shunt damping effect and consequently vibrations attenuation.