Engineering news
Engineers from Lancaster University are developing wings able to generate and store electricity from vibrations within them for use in other aircraft systems.
The research is part of a wider £1 million project led by BAE Systems called En-come, that aims to develop an aircraft able to stay in the air for long periods of time without having to re-fuel.
Principal Investigator Professor Jianqiao ye, of Lancaster University’s Engineering Department, said: “Our role is to look at saving the power used to support the monitoring system. There needs to be frequent communication between the aircraft and earth and power is needed to send huge constant quantities of data as well as receiving instructions from a communications centre.”
The researchers will use sensors made from macro fibre composites adhered to the surface of aircraft wing panels to collect vibrations in the wings. Initial research will focus on analysing the structure of the aircraft using simulations of various structural forms and vibration spectrums. They will then be able to estimate the amount of energy that can be “harvested” by looking at the location, geometry of the sensor and the distribution of the energy.
The consortium will also investigate how the process can be developed. This could include, for example, a design perspective and using wireless connections to reduce weight.
The ultimate aim is to develop energy harvesting systems for large aircraft with flexible wings, said Ye: “This is a very exciting project involving fundamental research and industrial impact national and internationally.
“There are many potential applications of this technology – not just for the aerospace industry but for others including offshore activity – and there is potential for a commercial development. It is the integration of different aspects of sensors, structure design, signals and software support – a full package of technology. We are very excited.”
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council funded project is a three-year collaboration led by Exeter University and including UCLAN in Preston, BAE Systems, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), Westland Helicopters, the Knowledge Transfer Network and several other companies.