Active Damping System to Attenuate Structural Dynamic Effects in Wind Tunnel Tests

Physical Sciences Inc. proposes to develop an active damping system to attenuate structural dynamics in wind tunnel mounts. These structural oscillations are driven by aerodynamic loads, and can diminish the quality of wind tunnel data and limit the speeds at which tests can be conducted safely. We propose to develop an active damping system that can be integrated into a sting or similar mounting structure component. The complete closed-loop control system will including sensors, actuators, and an embedded microcontroller. In Phase I we will select commercially-available components suitable for our damping scheme, formulate from them a conceptual design, and show through simulation that it can damp aeroelastic instabilities. We will then build a subscale sting model and demonstrate experimentally that our approach is viable. We will end Phase I with a conceptual design of the active sting system to be developed, tested, and delivered to AEDC in Phase II.