Energy analysis of semi-passive control for an aeroelastic plate-like wing using shunted piezoelectric materials

The use of piezoelectric materials in vibration control problems has been widely investigated over the last years. The main control techniques using piezoelectric materials are the active and passive ones. In the particular case of aeroelastic control, passive piezoelectric networks have a weak capability of improving the flutter envelope. Although active systems can achieve good control performance, the potential large amount of power required for actuation is an important issue. The synchronized switch damping techniques were developed to overcome the drawbacks of passive and active control. These nonlinear techniques increase the electromechanical conversion and enhance the shunt damping. In this article, an energy flow analysis is employed to investigate the effects of two switch damping techniques on the aeroelastic behavior of a plate-like wing in two case studies. In the first one, the energy flow analysis is presented for the base excitation condition without aerodynamic influence. The working principle of switch damping techniques and the energy return phenomenon are discussed. In the second case, the energy flow analysis is employed to discuss the aeroelastic evolution and semi-passive control effects over a range of airflow speeds.