An all-composite,all-electric,morphing trailing edge device for flight control on a blended-wing-body airliner

Abstract

For a significant improvement in the fuel efficiency of long-range transport aircraft, a transition to blended-wing-body (BWB) configurations will be required in the long term. Further efficiency improvements are expected from an all-composite primary structure, all-electric actuation, as well as from seamless control surfaces that provide reduced drag compared to conventional control surfaces. BWB configurations feature specific demands on the control system because of the high coupling between flap deflections and aircraft movements in all three axes. Thus, multi-objective control surfaces are required for flight control, as well as for active gust and manoeuvre load alleviation. A major challenge therefore is to provide sufficient yaw control and stability in the absence of a vertical tail. Generally, one engine inoperative poses an important sizing case for the control system design, especially for the control surfaces. In this article, the sizing of winglet flaps and crocodile flaps is performed for the preliminary design of an all-composite, all-electric BWB airliner. For further improvement in efficiency, a seamless morphing trailing edge device is designed that provides both crocodile flap and aileron modes at the same time. Based on these results, a composite morphing trailing edge demonstrator with an all-electric actuation system is investigated. Some open issues remain for investigation. Still, the proposed design provides a promising approach for further efficiency improvement on BWB aircraft configurations.