Advanced Modeling and Simulation of Electromechanical Actuator for Flight Control System Based on Two Degrees of Freedom (2-DoF) Bond-Graph Method

International audienceElectromechanical actuator (EMA) is a key element that is being developed for safe critical embedded application in next-generation electrical aircraft. Designers and manufacturers must carefully consider the parasitic effects in the frame of the model-based design and development of EMA. Thus, conducting accurate simulation analysis of natural dynamics, power losses, thermal behavior, reaction forces, and faults to failure performance is crucial and necessary before EMA operates in service. This communication proposes a two degree-of-freedom (2-DoF) modeling approach considering EMA translational and rotational motion. The key principle includes decomposing the EMA into to several generic subcomponents with mechanical “quadriport” model that can easily combine the 2-DoF motion. The proposed approach is developed by the intensive use of bond graph modeling. This approach enables the bearings, joints, and end-stops to be added for component-level performance analysis. This 2-DoF modeling approach is a useful support for EMA architecture selection, sizing, assessment of response to failure, health monitoring, and control design. The proposed 2-DoF lumped parameters models are helpful to evaluate EMA’s thermal balance and analyze energy losses through system-level thermal behavior modeling and simulation