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AIRGREEN 2 - Morphing Wing Technology

Obiettivo

​Inspired by the birds that can adapt their wing to suit different flight conditions, the aeronautic designers have long been looking for a way to obtain a higher aerodynamic efficiency in all phases of flight from takeoff, to cruise till landing. Instead of changing the wing shape using conventional add-on such as flaps and ailerons, CIRA researchers are developing systems that should adjust the wing morphology continuously just like happens in nature in the flight of birds.

These wing adjustment technologies (in English "morphing wing technology") offer the potential advantage of allowing huge savings in fuel consumption with a positive impact both economically and environmentally. Therefore the Clean Sky 2, Europe's largest technology research program, has started a project specifically dedicated to the development of concepts and innovative methodologies to support the development of next-generation adaptive wings profile, whose name recalls the environmental outcome expectations: Airgreen 2.

Taking into account the experience already gained in national and European programs dedicated to this specific topic, CIRA is in charge of managing this challenging project as part of the Regional Aircraft platform under the guidance of Leonardo-Finmeccanica, along with a European consortium which includes universities, research centers, large enterprises and SMEs.

Attività nel progetto CIRA

Exploiting the skills of the different partners included in the project, CIRA will coordinate an engineering effort that will lead to the development of innovative use of composite materials design and production, of automatic systems for structural health diagnosis based on fiber optics. Also, the team will develop extremely innovative carbon fiber manufacturing techniques for the realization of a complete wing box and winglets which will also be adaptive in flight. The wing box will be representative of the wing of a regional transport aircraft, with the aim of demonstrating the superior aerodynamic performance through in -flight testing . Finally the team will also develop an innovative load alleviation systems to alleviate the aerodynamic load on the wing structure by allowing a reduction of the structural weight while ensuring a better aerodynamic efficiency reducing down its drag.

Programma

​H2020 Clean SKY 2 

  • data inizio: Thursday, October 15, 2015
  • durata: 84.00
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
80
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
AIR Green 2
Fluid Mechanics, Aeronautics - Technology Integration and Flight Demostrators, Structures and Materials, Adptive Structures
Development of technologies for in-flight wing adaptation to improve aerodynamic efficiency of new generation regional aircrafts.
Computational Fluid Dynamics, Wing Design, High Lift Devices, Wind Tunnel Testing Technology, Composite Materials & Basic Processes, Advanced Manufacturing Processes & Technologies, Smart Materials and Structures, Aircraft Performance Analysis
Scientific computing systems, Laboratorio Strutture Adattive (LASA), Pilot Tunnel (PT-1), Advanced Materials and Processes

 

 

AIRGREEN 2 - Morphing Wing Technology<img alt="" src="HTTP://WEBTEST.CIRA.IT/PUBLISHINGIMAGES/AG2-2.JPG" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />https://www.cira.it/en/aeronautics/fixed-wing-air-vehicle/air-green-2/AIRGREEN 2 - Morphing Wing TechnologyAIRGREEN 2 - Morphing Wing Technology<p>​Inspired by the birds that can adapt their wing to suit different flight conditions, the aeronautic designers have long been looking for a way to obtain a higher aerodynamic efficiency in all phases of flight from takeoff, to cruise till landing. Instead of changing the wing shape using conventional add-on such as flaps and ailerons, CIRA researchers are developing systems that should adjust the wing morphology continuously just like happens in nature in the flight of birds.<br></p><p>These wing adjustment technologies (in English "morphing wing technology") offer the potential advantage of allowing huge savings in fuel consumption with a positive impact both economically and environmentally. Therefore the Clean Sky 2, Europe's largest technology research program, has started a project specifically dedicated to the development of concepts and innovative methodologies to support the development of next-generation adaptive wings profile, whose name recalls the environmental outcome expectations: Airgreen 2.</p><p>Taking into account the experience already gained in national and European programs dedicated to this specific topic, CIRA is in charge of managing this challenging project as part of the Regional Aircraft platform under the guidance of Leonardo-Finmeccanica, along with a European consortium which includes universities, research centers, large enterprises and SMEs. </p><p>​H2020 Clean SKY 2 </p><p>Exploiting the skills of the different partners included in the project, CIRA will coordinate an engineering effort that will lead to the development of innovative use of composite materials design and production, of automatic systems for structural health diagnosis based on fiber optics. Also, the team will develop extremely innovative carbon fiber manufacturing techniques for the realization of a complete wing box and winglets which will also be adaptive in flight. The wing box will be representative of the wing of a regional transport aircraft, with the aim of demonstrating the superior aerodynamic performance through in -flight testing . Finally the team will also develop an innovative load alleviation systems to alleviate the aerodynamic load on the wing structure by allowing a reduction of the structural weight while ensuring a better aerodynamic efficiency reducing down its drag. </p>2015-10-14T22:00:00Z84.0000000000000

 Media gallery

 

 

AG2 Study Logichttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=95AG2 Study LogicImagehttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/AG2_1.jpg
Cassone Alare Esterno Innovativo con tecnologie LRI, SHM, Morphinghttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=96Cassone Alare Esterno Innovativo con tecnologie LRI, SHM, MorphingImagehttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/AG2_2.jpg
AMW- Adaptive Morphing Winglethttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=97AMW- Adaptive Morphing WingletImagehttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/AG2_3.jpg
Adaptive Morphing Winglet - Aerodynamic Design and Impact on Regional Configurationhttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=98Adaptive Morphing Winglet - Aerodynamic Design and Impact on Regional ConfigurationImagehttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/AG2_4.jpg
AG2 Study Logichttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/Forms/DispForm.aspx?ID=230AG2 Study LogicImagehttps://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/AG2-1.jpg

 Activities

 

 

Clean Sky 2 and future regional aircraft, successfully completed the experimental tests on the Morphing Winglet <img alt="" src="https://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/prove%20winglet%20Airgreen2.JPG" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />https://www.cira.it/en/aeronautics/fixed-wing-air-vehicle/air-green-2/clean-sky2-positive-le-prove-strutturali-della-winglet-dell’ala-del-futuro-aereo-regionale/Clean Sky 2 and future regional aircraft, successfully completed the experimental tests on the Morphing WingletClean Sky 2 and future regional aircraft, successfully completed the experimental tests on the Morphing Winglet As part of the Airgreen2 Project of Clean Sky 2 REG IADP, the experimental ground tests campaign for the structural validation of the Adaptive Winglet was successfully completed in July 2021.2021-09-05T22:00:00Z
AirGreen2, delivered the first components for the flight tests <img alt="" src="https://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/Adapter%20Plug%20per%20Leonardo.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />https://www.cira.it/en/aeronautics/fixed-wing-air-vehicle/air-green-2/airgreen2-pronti-i-primi-componenti-per-le-sperimentazioni-in-volo/AirGreen2, delivered the first components for the flight testsAirGreen2, delivered the first components for the flight tests As part of the AirGreen2 project the first components to be used for future flight tests planned on the C27J (FTB # 1) were made and released to Leonardo.2022-02-17T23:00:00Z
Clean Sky 2, an innovative wing for the future TP90 regional aircraft of Leonardo<img alt="" src="https://www.cira.it/PublishingImages/Prove%20ala%20Airgreen2.JPG" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />https://www.cira.it/en/aeronautics/fixed-wing-air-vehicle/air-green-2/un’ala-innovativa-per-il-futuro-velivolo-regionale-tp90-di-leonardo/Clean Sky 2, an innovative wing for the future TP90 regional aircraft of LeonardoClean Sky 2, an innovative wing for the future TP90 regional aircraft of LeonardoAs part of the CLEANSKY2 REG IADP program, the experimental tests campaign in the DNW wind tunnel for the aerodynamic and performance validation of the wing design for the future TP90 regional aircraft of Leonardo was successfully completed in December 2021.2022-01-12T23:00:00Z