Active Aeroelastic Control of Lifting Surfaces via Jet Reaction Limiter Control

In this paper we present, the design and modeling of the novel nonlinear limiter control feedback control plant [Myneni et al., 1999; Corron et al., 2000; Corron & Pethel, 2002], applied for the first time here in an aeroelastic system, and actuated as a jet reaction torquer control of a wing with potentially chaotic dynamics. This study will provide a better understanding of the nonlinear dynamics of the open/closed-loop aeroelasticity of flexible wings with either steady or unsteady aerodynamic loads. The limiter control can be applied to either the plunging or pitching characteristic of the wing or to both of them. We show that the control can effectively suppress Limit Cycle Oscillations (LCO) and chaos well beyond the nominal flutter speed. This could lead to a practical implementation of the control mechanism on actual and future generation aircraft wings via implementation of a combination of propulsive/jet type forces, micro surface effectors and fluidic devices. Analysis of this control produced favorable results in the suppression of LCO amplitude and increased flutter boundaries for plunging and pitching motion. The limiting control has asymptotically zero power, and is simply implemented, making it a feasible solution to the problem of the chaotic dynamics of the oscillating airfoil.