HIGH STIFFNESS SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ACTUATED AEROSTRUCTURE

A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated aerostructure operable to dynamically change shape according to flight conditions is disclosed. Deformable structures are actuated by SMA actuators that are coupled to face sheets of the deformable structures. Actuating the SMA actuators produces complex shape cha...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors GRIMSHAW MATTHEW T, GRAVATT LYNN MARIE, MABE JAMES HENRY, CALKINS FREDERICK T, CROSSON-ELTURAN KAVA S, WIDDLE, JR. RICHARD D, SHOME MOUSHUMI
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 10.02.2011
Subjects
APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
ATOMISING APPARATUS
BLASTING
COMBUSTION ENGINES
HEATING
HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
LIGHTING
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
NOZZLES
PERFORMING OPERATIONS
SPRAYING APPARATUS
SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL
TRANSPORTING
WEAPONS
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Summary:A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated aerostructure operable to dynamically change shape according to flight conditions is disclosed. Deformable structures are actuated by SMA actuators that are coupled to face sheets of the deformable structures. Actuating the SMA actuators produces complex shape changes of the deformable structures by activating shape changes of the SMA actuators. The SMA actuators are actuated via an active or passive temperature change based on operating conditions. The SMA actuated aerostructure can be used for morphable nozzles such as a variable area fan nozzle and/or a variable geometry chevron of a jet engine to reduce engine noise during takeoff without degrading fuel burn during cruise.
Bibliography:Application Number: US20090537002