Trade-Off Conceptual Design of a Camber Morphing Flap for the Next Generation Hybrid Electrical Aircraft Across the HERWINGT Project

Compliant wing morphing devices deal with controlled and smooth adaptation of the subcomponents’ shape to external conditions. Their structural stiffness distribution, typically resulting from an optimization design process, is tailored to ensure large deformations and sufficient robustness while preserving a given form under the action of the aerodynamic loads and the internal force system. Within the European project HERWINGT (Hybrid Electric Regional Wing Integration Novel Green Technologies), supported by the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU), a compliant morphing flap (MF) concept has been developed by CIRA to implement adaptive capability for a strut-braced wing of the next generation Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft. Its aim is to achieve remarkable high-lift performance improvement and related reduction of fuel consumption per flight. Specifically, the work focuses on the evolution of the conceptual architecture of the MF developed across the HERWINGT project, which was investigated in terms of preliminary design and has always accounted for actuation system integration aspects. A step-by-step design approach involving sensitivity finite elements analyses has been then carried out on two MF configurations; the technical outcomes resulting from the development of each of them have been critically analyzed and herein reported. Finally, justifications are provided for all the future adoptable engineering solutions.