Vibration Control of Rotating Blades Using Root-Embedded Piezoelectric Materials

The problem of rotating blade vibrations has been recognized as one of the major causes of the system failure in many applications of engineering systems such as turbine blades of turbomachinery in petroleum and airline industries. Having motivated by the successful use of a piezoelectric sensor to capture vibrations of a rotating blade from its root (fixed end), this study aims at controlling the rotating blade vibrations through piezoelectric materials at the root. Vibrations of the rotating blade are sent back to the piezoelectric actuator placed at the bottom of its root via velocity feedback and proportional control schemes in order to act on the rotating blade for vibration attenuation. The case study on a smart rotor system shows the potential of root-embedded piezoelectric materials in controlling rotating blade vibrations at different shaft speeds.