On-Blade Synthetic Active Control for Vibration and Acoustics Reduction

This proposal presents a new theory of piezoelectronic systems. This approach will for the first time enable semi-autonomous control with self-contained loss-free electronics. A completely new approach is presented which yields close to maximum actuator authority for a single device or array with independent control and (very) low net energy expenditure. Equally important, this new approach explains for the first time how many actuators are needed to meet a performance objective and where these devices should be located. This model will be the first truly practical semiautonomous system that can implement control via piezoelectric mechanisms, MEMS or active microcomposites and would appear to be the first realistic and practical method for designing control systems with arbitrary large active arrays, limited only by the materials issues and structural integrity issues. The theory underlying piezoelecctronics leads, for the first time, to a correct statement of the control law for actuator arrays. Second, this approach allows a clear cut formulation and solution of near optimal placement and independent control design. Third, piezoelectrics separates the low level implementation-synthetic circuitry and DSP microcontroller from the high-level neurocontrol chip that will simultaneously adaptively optimize the electronics and maximize the control authority.