Development and Testing of MEMS Control Surfaces for High Speed Projectiles

An investigation into whether or not MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) would be a viable alternative to provide directional control of high-speed projectiles has been conducted. Where as conventional control systems make use of actuators to rotate canards or fins, these systems require larger, higher drag fins to counteract their aerodynamic effect, which could result in a significant loss in range, accuracy, and performance. Computational Fluid Dynamic analyses were conducted to verify that small perturbations in the flow can create macro-level forces capable of providing directional control to these projectiles. Presented herein are the results of these simulations as well as wind tunnel data validating the computational experiments. Additionally, a factorial experiment taking into account four different geometric variables defining the ramp was conducted in order to determine the key parameters affecting lift. The tests indicated that the ramp height and the distance of said ramp from the canard leading edge are the more influential parameters. With these results, an optimized configuration was developed which increased the lift coefficient by at least 36 percent.