Department of Defense Phase II Contract : W911QX-05-0039
Anticipated Completion: Q1 2008

A Macro-Fiber Composite (MFC) actuator developed by NASA Langley Research Center, uses piezo-composites to apply strain to a flexible airfoil and change its shape. For MFC actuators to succeed in practical flight vehicles, their amplifiers need to be efficient, small, light, and produce high voltages (-500 V to +1500 V) from a relatively low voltage input (12 VDC or 28 VDC).

In a Phase I Army SBIR, DTI built and demonstrated an efficient high power prototype power amplifier with excellent electrical performance. The MFC power module is based on a unique, twenty-gram Pulse Power Transistor (PPT) capable of switching voltages as high as 4500 V at 50 A continuously. Its Quality Factor (Q), defined as the ratio of output reactive power to input dissipated power, is over an order of magnitude greater than conventional linear MFC power converters.

The work is continuing in Phase II toward a miniature low weight and highly efficient version. The development of a compact, lightweight, and cost effective MFC power amplifier is of great interest to manufacturers of piezocomposite actuators because it enables a much broader range of applications in commercial markets.

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Prototype MFC Power Amplifier

Flexible, Macro-Fiber Composite Actuator