Limit cycle oscillation behavior of transonic control surface buzz considering free-play nonlinearity

The limit cycle oscillation (LCO) behaviors of control surface buzz in transonic flow are studied. Euler equations are employed to obtain the unsteady aerodynamic forces for Type B and Type C buzz analyses, and an all-movable control surface model, a wing/control surface model and a three-dimensional wing with a full-span control surface are adopted in the study. Aerodynamic and structural describing functions are used to deal with aerodynamic and structural nonlinearities, respectively. Then the buzz speed and buzz frequency are obtained by V-g method. The LCO behavior of the transonic control surface buzz system with linear structure exhibits subcritical or supercritical bifurcation at different Mach numbers. For nonlinear structural model with a free-play nonlinearity in the control surface deflection stiffness, the double LCO phenomenon is observed in certain range of flutter speed. The free-play nonlinearity changes the stability of LCOs at small amplitudes and turns the unstable LCO into a stable one. The LCO behavior is dominated by the aerodynamic nonlinearity for the case with large control surface oscillation amplitude but by the structural nonlinearity for the case with small amplitude. Good agreements between LCO behaviors obtained by the present method and available experimental data show that our study may help to explain the experimental observation in wind tunnel tests and to understand the physical mechanism of transonic control surface buzz.     

跨音速极限环型颤振的高效数值分析方法

事先建立一个低阶的非线性、非定常气动力模型是开展非线性流场中气动弹性问题研究的一个捷径. 基于CFD方法, 通过计算结构在流场中自激振动的响应来获得系统的训练数据. 采用带输出反馈的循环RBF神经网络, 建立时域非线性气动力降阶模型.耦合结构运动方程和非线性气动力降阶模型, 采用杂交的线性多步方法计算结构在不同速度(动压)下的响应历程, 从而获得模型极限环随速度(动压)变化的特性. 两个典型的跨音速极限环型颤振算例表明, 基于气动力降阶模型方法的计算结果与直接CFD仿真结果吻合很好, 与后者相比其将计算效率提高了1~2个数量级.      

Unsteady aerodynamic reduced-order modeling of an aeroelastic wing using arbitrary mode shapes

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based unsteady aerodynamic reduced-order model (ROM) can offer significant improvements to the efficiency of transonic aeroelastic analysis. To construct a ROM based on mode shapes, one run of CFD solver is needed to compute aerodynamic responses corresponding to mode excitations. When mode shapes change with structure, another run of the CFD solver is required to construct the new ROM. The typically large computational cost associated with repeated runs of the CFD solver impedes the application of existing unsteady aerodynamic reduced-order modeling methods to transonic aeroelastic design optimization and aeroelastic uncertainty analysis. This paper demonstrates a method that can replace the CFD solver used in the process of existing unsteady aerodynamic reduced-order modeling. It can produce aerodynamic responses corresponding to mode excitations for arbitrary mode shapes within a few seconds. Computational cost can be reduced by two orders of magnitude using the mode excitations and the corresponding aerodynamic responses computed by the method to construct the ROMs used for flutter analyses in aeroelastic design optimization or aeroelastic uncertainty analysis in transonic regime compared with the existing unsteady aerodynamic reduced-order modeling methods. Results show that the method can accurately produce the aerodynamic responses corresponding to the mode excitations and predict the flutter characteristics of AGARD 445.6 wings root-attached in three different ways.     

基于气动力降阶模型的跨音速气动弹性稳定性分析

基于离散型输入输出差分模型,运用非定常CFD方法训练信号,然后运用最小二乘方法进行参数辨识,得到降阶的非定常气动力模型,再将该离散差分模型转换为连续时间域内的状态方程。耦合气动状态方程和结构状态方程,得到耦合系统的气动弹性状态方程。求解不同动压下状态矩阵的特征值,根据根轨迹图分析系统的稳定性特性。分析结果与直接耦合CFD/CSD方法结果相吻合,可以计算跨音速非线性气动弹性问题。其计算效率比直接耦合CFD/CSD方法提高1~2个数量级。针对Isogai wing在跨音速出现的S型颤振边界进行了较为细致的分析,阐述了该现象是由于系统诱发颤振的分支随着速度(来流动压)的提高而发生转移所导致的。     

An improved nonlinear reduced-order modeling for transonic aeroelastic systems

In this study, an improved nonlinear reduced-order model composed of a linear part and a nonlinear part is explored for transonic aeroelastic systems. The linear part is identified via the eigensystem realization algorithm and the nonlinear part is obtained via the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. The impulsive signal is chosen as the training signal for the linear part and the sinusoidal signal is used to determine the order of the linear part. The training signal for the nonlinear part is selected as the filtered white Gaussian noise with the maximal amplitude and frequency range to be designed via the aeroelastic responses. An NACA64A010 airfoil and an NACA0012 airfoil are taken as illustrative examples to demonstrate the performance of the presented reduced-order model in modeling transonic aerodynamic forces. The aeroelastic behaviors of the two airfoils are obtained via computational fluid dynamics to solve the Euler equation and the Navier–Stokes equation, respectively. The numerical results demonstrate that the presented reduced-order model can successfully predict the nonlinear aerodynamic forces with and without viscous flows. Moreover, the presented reduced-order model is capable of capturing the flutter velocity and modeling complex aeroelastic behaviors, including limit-cycle oscillations, beat phenomena and nodal-shaped oscillations at the transonic Mach numbers with high accuracy.     

Transonic limit cycle oscillation behavior of an aeroelastic airfoil with free-play

The limit cycle oscillation (LCO) behaviors of an aeroelastic airfoil with free-play for different Mach numbers are studied. Euler equations are adopted to obtain the unsteady aerodynamic forces. Aerodynamic and structural describing functions are employed to deal with aerodynamic and structural nonlinearities, respectively. Then the flutter speed and flutter frequency are obtained by V-g method. The LCO solutions for the aeroelastic airfoil obtained by using dynamically linear aerodynamics agree well with those obtained directly by using nonlinear aerodynamics. Subsequently, the dynamically linear aerodynamics is assumed, and results show that the LCOs behave variously in different Mach number ranges. A subcritical bifurcation, consisting of both stable and unstable branches, is firstly observed in subsonic and high subsonic regime. Then in a narrow Mach number range, the unstable LCOs with small amplitudes turn to be stable ones dominated by the single degree of freedom flutter. Meanwhile, these LCOs can persist down to very low flutter speeds. When the Mach number is increased further, the stable branch turns back to be unstable. To address the reason of the stability variation for different Mach numbers at small amplitude LCOs, we find that the Mach number freeze phenomenon provides a physics-based explanation and the phase reversal of the aerodynamic forces will trigger the single degree of freedom flutter in the narrow Mach number range between the low and high Mach numbers of the chimney region. The high Mach number can be predicted by the freeze Mach number, and the low one can be estimated by the Mach number at which the aerodynamic center of the airfoil lies near its elastic axis. Influence of angle of attack and viscous effects on the LCO behavior is also discussed.     

Nonlinear aeroservoelastic analysis of a controlled multiple-actuated-wing model with free-play

In this paper, the effects of structural nonlinearity due to free-play in both leading-edge and trailing-edge outboard control surfaces on the linear flutter control system are analyzed for an aeroelastic model of three-dimensional multiple-actuated-wing. The free-play nonlinearities in the control surfaces are modeled theoretically by using the fictitious mass approach. The nonlinear aeroelastic equations of the presented model can be divided into nine sub-linear modal-based aeroelastic equations according to the different combinations of deflections of the leading-edge and trailing-edge outboard control surfaces. The nonlinear aeroelastic responses can be computed based on these sub-linear aeroelastic systems. To demonstrate the effects of nonlinearity on the linear flutter control system, a single-input and single-output controller and a multi-input and multi-output controller are designed based on the unconstrained optimization techniques. The numerical results indicate that the free-play nonlinearity can lead to either limit cycle oscillations or divergent motions when the linear control system is implemented.     

Efficient unsteady aerodynamic loads prediction based on nonlinear system identification and proper orthogonal decomposition

In the present work, an efficient surrogate-based framework is developed for the prediction of motion-induced surface pressure fluctuations and integral force and moment coefficients. The model construction is realized by performing forced-motion computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, while the result is processed via the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) to obtain the predominant flow modes. Subsequently, a nonlinear system identification is carried out with respect to the applied excitation and the resulting POD coefficients. For the input/output model identification task, a recurrent local linear neuro-fuzzy approach is employed in order to capture the linear and nonlinear characteristics of the dynamic system. Once the reduced-order model (ROM) is trained, it can substitute the flow solver within unsteady aerodynamic or aeroelastic simulation frameworks for a given configuration at fixed freestream conditions. For demonstration purposes, the ROM approach is applied to the LANN wing in high subsonic and transonic flow. Due to the characteristic lambda-shock system, the unsteady aerodynamic surface pressure distribution is dominated by nonlinear effects. Numerical investigations show a good correlation between the results obtained by the ROM methodology in comparison to the full-order CFD solution. In addition, the surrogate approach yields a significant speed-up regarding unsteady aerodynamic calculations, which is beneficial for multidisciplinary computations.     

基于ROM技术的阵风响应分析方法

阵风响应分析是大型飞机设计过程中必不可少的环节. 现有的阵风响应分析主要采用基于线化升力面理论的气动力模型,不能考虑到各种非线性效应,不适合于跨音速气动弹性的分析. 基于CFD技术,采用系统辨识方法,在状态空间内建立了降阶的非定常气动力模型(reduced order model, ROM). 耦合结构运动方程、非定常气动力模型(结构运动)、外激阵风的气动力模型,建立了基于CFD技术的阵风响应分析模型.算例研究了某一典型机翼在方波激励下的阵风响应问题,对比了各阶模态位移的响应以及翼根弯矩的响应. 基于ROM技术的计算结果与CFD/CSD直接耦合仿真结果吻合,证明了该方法的正确性和精度.      

Active flutter suppression control law design method based on balanced proper orthogonal decomposition reduced order model

Active control for nonlinear aeroelastic structures is an attractive innovative technology. The design of classic active flutter controllers has often been based on low-fidelity and low-accuracy linear aerodynamic models. Multi-physics high-fidelity reduced order model (ROM) was used to design active control laws. In order to provide a lower-order model for controllers design, a balanced proper orthogonal decomposition ROM (POD-BT/ROM) was investigated. A state-space aeroservoelastic model and the active flutter suppression control law design method based on POD-BT/ROM were proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed method was then demonstrated by NACA 0012 airfoil, AGARD 445.6 wing and the Goland wing+ aeroelastic model.     

Response analysis of a pitch–plunge airfoil with structural and aerodynamic nonlinearities subjected to randomly fluctuating flows

This study focuses on numerically investigating the response dynamics of a pitch–plunge airfoil with structural nonlinearity under dynamic stall conditions. The aeroelastic responses are investigated for both deterministic and randomly time varying flow conditions. To that end, a pitch–plunge airfoil under dynamic stall condition is considered and the nonlinear aerodynamic loads are computed using a Leishman–Beddoes formulation. It is shown that the presence of structural nonlinearities can give rise to a variety of dynamical responses in the pre-flutter regime. Next, a response analysis under the presence of a randomly fluctuating wind is carried out. It is demonstrated that the route to flutter occurs via a regime of pre-flutter oscillations called intermittency. Finally, the manifestation of these stochastic responses is characterized by invoking stochastic bifurcation concepts. The route to flutter via intermittency is presented in terms of topological changes occurring in the joint-probability density function of the state variables.     

Amplification and amplitude limitation of heave/pitch limit-cycle oscillations close to the transonic dip

Recent results from flutter experiments of the supercritical airfoil NLR 7301 at flow conditions close to the transonic dip are presented. The airfoil was mounted with two degrees-of-freedom in an adaptive solid-wall wind tunnel, and boundary-layer transition was tripped. Flutter boundaries exhibiting a transonic dip were determined and limit-cycle oscillations (LCOs) were measured. The local energy exchange between the fluid and the structure during LCOs is examined and leads to the following findings: at supercritical Mach numbers below that of the transonic-dip minimum the presence of a shock-wave and its dynamics destabilizes the aeroelastic system such that the decreasing branch of the transonic dip develops. At higher Mach numbers the shock-wave motion has a stabilizing effect such that the flutter boundary increases to higher flutter-speed indices with increasing Mach number. Amplified oscillations near this branch of the flutter boundary obtain energy from the flow mainly due to the dynamics of a trailing-edge flow separation. A slight nonlinear amplitude dependency of the shock motion and a possibly occurring boundary-layer separation cause the amplitude limitation of the observed LCOs. The impact of the findings on the numerical simulation of these phenomena is discussed.     

Dimensionless modeling and nonlinear analysis of a coupled pitch–plunge–leadlag airfoil-based piezoaeroelastic energy harvesting system

In this paper, an airfoil-based piezoaeroelastic energy harvesting system is proposed with an additional supporting device to harvest the mechanical energy from the leadlag motion. A dimensionless dynamic model is built considering the large-effective-angle-of-attack vibrations causing (1) the nonlinear coupling between the pitch–plunge–leadlag motions, (2) the inertia nonlinearity, and (3) the aerodynamic nonlinearity modeled by the ONERA dynamic stall model. Cubic hardening stiffness is introduced in the pitch degree of freedom for persistent vibrations with acceptable amplitude beyond the flutter boundary. The nonlinear aeroelastic response and the average power output are numerically studied. Limit cycle oscillations are observed and, as the flow velocity exceeds a secondary critical speed, the system experiences complex vibrations. The power output from the leadlag motion is smaller than that from the plunge motion, whereas the gap is narrowed with increasing flow velocity. Case studies are performed toward the effects of several dimensionless system parameters, including the nonlinear torsional stiffness, airfoil mass eccentricity, airfoil radius of gyration, mass of the supporting devices, and load resistances in the external circuits. The optimal parameter values for the power outputs from the plunge and leadlag motions are, respectively, obtained. Beyond the secondary critical speed, it is shown that the variations of the power outputs with those parameters become irregular with fluctuations and multiple local maximums. The bifurcation analysis shows the mutual transitions between the limit cycle oscillations, multi-periodic vibrations, and possible chaos. The influences of these complex vibrations on the power outputs are discussed.     

两种湍流模型时域颤振计算方法研究

采用时域计算分析方法进行了机翼跨音速颤振特性研究。在结构运动网格的基础上,采用格点格式有限体积方法进行空间离散和双时间全隐式方法进行时间推进求解雷诺平均N-S方程。针对流动粘性分别应用了SST湍流模型和SSG雷诺应力模型,通过对跨音速标模算例AGARD445.6机翼的计算结果与实验值的对比分析,其中应用SST湍流模型得到的颤振速度与实验值最为接近,特别是在跨音速段平均相对误差在3%以内;并且计算结果整体上反映了跨音速颤振"凹坑"物理特性,验证了方法的有效性。     

Aeroelastic analysis of a rotating wind turbine blade using a geometrically exact formulation

In this paper, an aeroelastic analysis of a rotating wind turbine blade is performed by considering the effects of geometrical nonlinearities associated with large deflection of the blade produced during wind turbine operation. This source of nonlinearity has become more important in the dynamic analysis of flexible blades used in more recent multi-megawatt wind turbines. The structural modeling, involving the coupled edgewise, flapwise and torsional DOFs, has been performed by using a nonlinear geometrically exact beam formulation. The aerodynamic model is presented based on the strip theory, by applying the principles of quasi-steady and unsteady airfoil aerodynamics. Compared to the conventional steady aerodynamic model, the presented model offers a more realistic consideration of fluid–structure interactions. The resulting governing equation, expanded up to the third-order terms, is analyzed by using the reduced-order model (ROM). The ROM is developed by employing the coupled mode shapes of a cantilever blade under free loading condition. The specifications of the 5MW-NREL wind turbine are used in the simulation study. After verifying the ROM results by comparing them with those of the full FEM model, the model is used in additional static, modal and transient dynamics analyses. The results indicate the important effect of geometrical nonlinearity, especially for larger structural deformations. Moreover, nonlinear analyses reveal the important effects of torsion induced by lateral deformations. It is also found that the governing equation is more efficient, and sufficiently accurate, when it is developed by using the second-order kinetic terms, third-order potential terms and the second-order aerodynamic terms together with third-order damping. Finally, the effects of nonlinearities on the flutter characteristics of wind turbine blades are evaluated through frequency and dynamic analyses.     

Aeroelastic suppression of an airfoil with control surface using nonlinear energy sink

Aeroelasticity exists in airfoil with control surface freeplay, which may induce instability in an incompressible flow. In this paper, a nonlinear energy sink (NES) is used to suppress the aeroelasticity of an airfoil with a control surface. The freeplay and cubic nonlinearity in pitch are taken into account. The harmonic balance method is used to analytically determine the limit cycle oscillations (LCOs) amplitudes of the airfoil–NES system. Linear and nonlinear flutter speeds are detected from the airfoil with control surface freeplay. When NES is attached, both the linear flutter speed of airfoil without freeplay and the nonlinear flutter speed of airfoil with a freeplay are increased. Moreover, the LCO amplitude of airfoil is decreased due to NES. Then, the influences of NES parameters on the increase in flutter boundary of airfoil are carefully studied.     

Limit-cycle oscillations in unsteady flows dominated by intermittent leading-edge vortex shedding

High-frequency limit-cycle oscillations of an airfoil at low Reynolds number are studied numerically. This regime is characterized by large apparent-mass effects and intermittent shedding of leading-edge vortices. Under these conditions, leading-edge vortex shedding has been shown to result in favorable consequences such as high lift and efficiencies in propulsion/power extraction, thus motivating this study. The aerodynamic model used in the aeroelastic framework is a potential-flow-based discrete-vortex method, augmented with intermittent leading-edge vortex shedding based on a leading-edge suction parameter reaching a critical value. This model has been validated extensively in the regime under consideration and is computationally cheap in comparison with Navier–Stokes solvers. The structural model used has degrees of freedom in pitch and plunge, and allows for large amplitudes and cubic stiffening. The aeroelastic framework developed in this paper is employed to undertake parametric studies which evaluate the impact of different types of nonlinearity. Structural configurations with pitch-to-plunge frequency ratios close to unity are considered, where the flutter speeds are lowest (ideal for power generation) and reduced frequencies are highest. The range of reduced frequencies studied is two to three times higher than most airfoil studies, a virtually unexplored regime. Aerodynamic nonlinearity resulting from intermittent leading-edge vortex shedding always causes a supercritical Hopf bifurcation, where limit-cycle oscillations occur at freestream velocities greater than the linear flutter speed. The variations in amplitude and frequency of limit-cycle oscillations as functions of aerodynamic and structural parameters are presented through the parametric studies. The excellent accuracy/cost balance offered by the methodology presented in this paper suggests that it could be successfully employed to investigate optimum setups for power harvesting in the low-Reynolds-number regime.     

FLUTTER OF AN AIRFOIL WITH A CUBIC RESTORING FORCE

In this paper, the effect of a cubic structural restoring force on the flutter characteristics of a two-dimensional airfoil placed in an incompressible flow is investigated. The aeroelastic equations of motion are written as a system of eight first-order ordinary differential equations. Given the initial values of plunge and pitch displacements and their velocities, the system of equations is integrated numerically using a fourth order Runge-Kutta scheme. Results for soft and hard springs are presented for a pitch degree-of-freedom nonlinearity. The study shows the dependence of the divergence flutter boundary on initial conditions for a soft spring. For a hard spring, the nonlinear flutter boundary is independent of initial conditions for the spring constants considered. The flutter speed is identical to that for a linear spring. Divergent flutter is not encountered, but instead limit-cycle oscillation occurs for velocities greater than the flutter speed. The behaviour of the airfoil is also analysed using analytical techniques developed for nonlinear dynamical systems. The Hopf bifurcation point is determined analytically and the amplitude of the limit-cycle oscillation in post-Hopf bifurcation for a hard spring is predicted using an asymptotic theory. The frequency of the limit-cycle oscillation is estimated from an approximate method. Comparisons with numerical simulations are carried out and the accuracy of the approximate method is discussed. The analysis can readily be extended to study limit-cycle oscillation of airfoils with nonlinear polynomial spring forces in both plunge and pitch degrees of freedom.     

Effects of multiple structural nonlinearities on limit cycle oscillation of missile control fin

Aeroelastic analyses are performed for a 2-D typical section model with multiple nonlinearities. The differences between a system with multiple nonlinearities in its pitch and plunge spring and a system with a single nonlinearity in its pitch are thoroughly investigated. The unsteady supersonic aerodynamic forces are calculated by the doublet point method (DPM). The iterative V-g method is used for a multiple-nonlinear aeroelastic analysis in the frequency domain and the freeplay nonlinearity is linearized using a describing function method. In the time domain, the DPM unsteady aerodynamic forces, which are based on a function of the reduced frequency, are approximated by the minimum state approximation method. Consequently, multiple structural nonlinearities in the 2-D typical wing section model are influenced by the pitch to plunge frequency ratio. This result is important in that it demonstrates that the flutter speed is closely connected with the frequency ratio, considering that both pitch and plunge nonlinearities result in a higher flutter speed boundary than a conventional aeroelastic system with only one pitch nonlinearity. Furthermore, the gap size of the freeplay affects the amplitude of the limit cycle oscillation (LCO) to gap size ratio.     

Power extraction from aeroelastic limit cycle oscillations

Nonlinear limit cycle oscillations of an aeroelastic energy harvester are exploited for enhanced piezoelectric power generation from aerodynamic flows. Specifically, a flexible beam with piezoelectric laminates is excited by a uniform axial flow field in a manner analogous to a flapping flag such that the system delivers power to an electrical impedance load. Fluid–structure interaction is modeled by augmenting a system of nonlinear equations for an electroelastic beam with a discretized vortex-lattice potential flow model. Experimental results from a prototype aeroelastic energy harvester are also presented. Root mean square electrical power on the order of 2.5 mW was delivered below the flutter boundary of the test apparatus at a comparatively low wind speed of 27 m/s and a chord normalized limit cycle amplitude of 0.33. Moreover, subcritical limit cycles with chord normalized amplitudes of up to 0.46 were observed. Calculations indicate that the system tested here was able to access over 17% of the flow energy to which it was exposed. Methods for designing aeroelastic energy harvesters by exploiting nonlinear aeroelastic phenomena and potential improvements to existing relevant aerodynamic models are also discussed.