Variable profile aerofoil

Variable profile aerofoil

Keywords Patents, Aerospace industry, Aircraft

In GB Patent 2327927 Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt e V describes the leading or trailing edge of an aerofoil (such as a helicopter rotor blade, aircraft aerofoil, turbine or compressor blade or wind-turbine blade) comprising multi-functional material (such as a piezoceramic,electrostrictive or magnetostrictive material) on its outside and/or trailing edges and may be activated to introduce controlled deformation into the aerofoil to vary its aerodynamic characteristics. Multi-functional material portions may simultaneously function as actuators and sensors (e.g. of the angle of attack of the aerofoil) to provide feedback to a regulation/control system.