Digital Hydraulic Actuator for Flight Control

Purpose and goal

The project made it possible to increase the research collaboration between Saab, LiU and Brazilian partners on energy efficient actuation system. The bilateral project has involved more researchers on both sides and also financed a dual research industry-academy position at LiU. This is an efficient way to increase the collaboration. A continuation project has been defined. The project has given a good understanding of how Digital hydraulics should be utilized to develop energy efficient actuation systems for airborne vehicles.

Expected results and effects

The project has studied several system architectures where Digital hydraulics is utilized on aircraft in order to increase the energy efficiency of the actuation system. The results has given a good understanding on how to best utilize the technology and new challenges has been defined. Three Master theses has been conducted by LiU students. Two at Saab on system design and one in Brazil on system safety methodology. The research has been summarized in three articles from the Swedish side. The results show an increase in energy efficiency up to three times.

Planned approach and implementation

The project was based on an existing collaboration between Saab, LiU and Brazilian partners. In this way the collaboration is well functioning. The progression has been monitored through regular web meetings. Physical meetings has been taking place in Sweden and Brazil during other activities. These were important in order to strengthen the collaboration. The collaboration was facilitated by the fact that different aspects were studied in Sweden and in Brazil. In this way a direct dependence was avoided. A regular exchange of ideas has helped to further develop the technology.