Macro-Fiber-Composite Power Module

Micro-Fiber Composite (MFC) actuators, developed by NASA Langley Research Center, represent an enabling technology capable of meeting the ever increasing performance requirements for highly maneuverable, agile, and survivable rotorcraft. With these piezoelectric actuators, the shape of airfoils can be dynamically reconfigured to enhance the airfoils aerodynamic performance. MFC actuators have been commercialized for small scale applications, however using this actuator for active blade control, requires significantly higher drive power than what is commercially available. The MFC power module proposed here will be scalable for capacitive loads up to several hundred microfarad and will be packaged to conform to the demanding constraints of the rotocraft application (high efficiency, small size, low weight, high-g environment). Solid State Switching Power devices are used to produce the high voltage (1500 V), high fidelity actuator drive power from a low voltage (28V) DC power source.