International Journal of Advancements in Technology
Open Access

Abstract

Wing of Aircraft Drag Optimization using Long Period Bragg Grating Sensor System

Alex Kazemi

There is great interest among aircraft manufactures to reduce fuel burn for new generation of airplanes. One important parameter to reduce fuel consumption is to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Numerous technologies have been investigated to address this potential. Recently, a new theme has emerged where wing flexibility is leveraged for shape optimization in order to reduce induced drag.  However, this requires precise and reliable measurements of wing bending and torsion in real-time.  Long Period Fiber Grating (LPFG) is one candidate technology that is able to address these requirements.

In normal fiber, the refractive indices of the core and cladding do not change along the length of the fiber; however, by inducing a periodic modulation of refractive index along the length in the core of the optical fiber, the optical fiber grating is produced. This exhibits very interesting spectral properties and for this reason we propose to develop and integrate a distributed sensor network based on long period fiber gratings (LPFGs) technology which has grating periods on the order of 100 µm to 1 mm to be embedded in the wing section of aircraft to measure bending and torsion in real-time in order to measure wing deformation of commercial airplanes resulting in substantial benefits such as reduced structural weight, mitigation of induced drag and lower fuel consumption which is fifty percent of total cost of operation for airline industry.

Fiber optic sensors measurement capabilities are as vital as they are for other sensing technologies, but optical measurements differ in important ways. In this paper we focus on the testing and aviation requirements for LPFG sensors. We discuss the bases of aviation standards for fiber optic sensor measurements, and the quantities that are measured.

Our main objective is to optimize the design for material, mechanical, optical and environmental requirements. We discuss the analysis and evaluation of extensive testing of LPFG sensor systems such as attenuation, environmental, humidity, fluid immersion, temperature cycling, aging, smoke, flammability, impact resistance, flexure endurance, tensile, vitiation and shock.

Published Date: 2020-07-23; Received Date: 2020-07-08