Wireless Energy Supply to Aircraft Structural Health Monitoring Nodes Using Ultrasonic Lamb Waves

This article is based on research done during the author’s PhD at Cardiff University, UK. A prototype of a novel wireless energy transmission system aimed at the use with wireless aircraft structural health monitoring (SHM) sensor nodes is described. The system uses ultrasonic guided plate waves (Lamb waves) to transmit energy along an aluminium plate, similar to those used in aircraft structures. Three types of piezoelectric transducers generating and receiving the ultrasonic vibration were compared. The Smart Material MFC M8528-P1 was found to achieve the best performance, allowing the transmission of 17 mW across a 54 cm distance, while being driven with a 20 V signal. Laser vibrometer imaging and LISA software simulation of the Lamb wave propagation in the experimental plate were also performed. Based on these, ideas for a further development of the system were proposed.