<title>High-voltage switching piezo drive amplifier</title>

Abstract

This paper describes the development and testing of a 4KVpp, 750 ma piezo drive switching amplifier. This amplifier is used to drive Piezo Fiber Composite material imbedded in a 1/6 scale CH-47 blade. This amplifier will allow higher harmonic control of the blade thus reducing rotor craft vibration and nose. The amplifier recycles reactive energy required to drive piezo material allowing for an efficient amplifier design. A multi level topology is used allowing solid sates switching devices with voltage rating of half the output drive voltage. The amplifier modular design allows easy migration to the power levels required to drive a full size CH-47 blade. This work was done in conjunction with the Smart Structures for Rotor Craft Control in support of DARPA/ONR.