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At least 523 records · Page 29

The effect of circumferential aerodynamic detuning on coupled bending-torsion unstalled supersonic flutter

A mathematical model developed to predict the enhanced coupled bending-torsion unstalled supersonic flutter stability due to alternate circumferential spacing aerodynamic detuning of a turbomachine rotor. The translational and torsional unsteady aerodynamic coefficients are developed in terms of influence coefficients, with the coupled bending-torsion stability analysis developed by considering the coupled equations of this aerodynamic detuning on coupled bending-torsion unstalled supersonic flutter as well as the verification of the modeling are then demonstrated by considering an unstable 12 bladed rotor, with Verdon's uniformly spaced Cascade B flow geometry as a baseline. However, with the elastic axis and center of gravity at 60 percent of the chord, this type of aerodynamic detuning has a minimal effect on stability. For both uniform and nonuniform circumferentially space rotors, a single degree of freedom torsion mode analysis was shown to be appropriate for values of the bending-torsion natural frequency ratio lower than 0.6 and higher 1.2. When the elastic axis and center of gravity are not coincident, the effect of detuning on cascade stability was found to be very sensitive to the location of the center of gravity with respect to the elastic axis. In addition, it was determined that when the center of gravity was forward of an elastic axis located at midchord, a single degree of freedom torsion model did not accurately predict cascade stability.

Hoyniak, D.↗

Analytical flutter investigation of a composite propfan model

A theoretical model and an associated computer program for predicting subsonic bending-torsion flutter in propfans are presented. The model is based on two-dimensional unsteady cascade strip theory and three-dimensional steady and unsteady lifting surface aerodynamic theory in conjunction with a finite element structural model for the blade. The analytical results compare well with published experimental data. Additional parametric studies are also presented illustrating the effects on flutter speed of steady aeroelastic deformations, blade setting angle, rotational speed, number of blades, structural damping, and number of modes.

Kaza, K. R. V.↗

Investigation of control law for active flutter suppression

Discussed is the technology of active flutter suppression research by the use of the wind-tunnel model of a delta wing with low aspect ratio. The research includes the establishment of a mathematical model for the servo-aeroelastic system, and the synthesis and analysis of sub-optimal output feedback control laws for active flutter suppression.

Wang, Weipeng↗

An application of eigenspace methods to symmetric flutter suppression

An eigenspace assignment approach to the design of parameter insensitive control laws for linear multivariable systems is presented. The control design scheme utilizes flexibility in eigenvector assignments to reduce control system sensitivity to changes in system parameters. The methods involve use of the singular value decomposition to provide an exact description of allowable eigenvectors in terms of a minimum number of design parameters. In a design example, the methods are applied to the problem of symmetric flutter suppression in an aeroelastic vehicle. In this example the flutter mode is sensitive to changes in dynamic pressure and eigenspace methods are used to enhance the performance of a stabilizing minimum energy/linear quadratic regulator controller and associated observer. Results indicate that the methods provide feedback control laws that make stability of the nominal closed loop systems insensitive to changes in dynamic pressure.

Fennell, Robert E.↗

Parametric flutter studies of an arrow-wing configuration: Some early results

Some early experimental results from a combined experimental and analytical study being conducted at NASA-Langley of the transonic flutter characterisitics of a generic arrow wing configuration are presented. The planned study includes the parametric variation of a variety of structural and geometric characteristics. Presented here are flutter results of the basic arrow wing, for the basic wing with the addition of two simulated lower-surface-mounted engine nacelles, and for the basic wing with the addition of both the fin and the engine nacelles.

Durham, Michael H.↗

Recent developments in flutter suppression techniques for turbomachinery rotors

Recent research on passive flutter control techniques for rotors and cascades is reviewed. The proposed methods include the use of periodicity-breaking inperfections, aeroelastic tailoring, dry friction damping, and mode shape control. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of each method in controlling various types of flutter, and to evaluate the feasibility of incorporating the techniques in current and future technology rotors. Mistuning may be the only feasible approach for existing engines, but aeroelastic tailoring offers promising advantages for future engines.

Bendiksen, O. O.↗

An application of eigenspace methods to symmetric flutter suppression

An eigenspace assignment approach to the design of parameter insensitive control laws for linear multivariable systems is presented. The control design scheme utilizes constrained optimization techniques to exploit the flexibility in eigenvector assignments to reduce control system sensitivity to changes in system parameters while maintaining performance requirements; it thus provides a systematic approach for choosing values for eigensystem design variables. The methods involve use of the singular value decomposition to provide an exact description of allowable eigenvectors in terms of a minimum number of design parameters. In a design example, the methods are applied to the problem of symmetric flutter suppression in an aeroelastic vehicle. In this example the flutter mode is sensitive to changes in dynamic pressure and eigenspace methods are used to enhance the performance of a stabilizing minimum energy/linear quadratic regulator controller and associated observer. Numerical results indicate that the methods provide feedback control laws that make the stability of the nominal closed loop systems less sensitive to changes in dynamic pressure, while maintaining acceptable control power and robustness constraints.

Fennell, Robert E.↗

Predicting Flutter Of A Propfan

Report discusses theoretical model and associated computer program for prediction of subsonic bending-torsion cascade flutter in propfans. Predictions of model compared with results of experiments. Additional parametric studies illustrate effects upon flutter speed of steady aeroelastic deformations, angle at which blade set, speed of rotation, structural damping, and number of vibrational modes. Calculations performed by parts of ASTROP computer code: ASTROP 2, based on two-dimensional, subsonic, unsteady aerodynamics; and ASTROP 3, based on three-dimensional, subsonic, steady and unsteady aerodynamics.

Kaza, K. R. V.↗

Vibration, performance, flutter and forced response characteristics of a large-scale propfan and its aeroelastic model

An investigation of the vibration, performance, flutter, and forced response of the large-scale propfan, SR7L, and its aeroelastic model, SR7A, has been performed by applying available structural and aeroelastic analytical codes and then correlating measured and calculated results. Finite element models of the blades were used to obtain modal frequencies, displacements, stresses and strains. These values were then used in conjunction with a 3-D, unsteady, lifting surface aerodynamic theory for the subsequent aeroelastic analyses of the blades. The agreement between measured and calculated frequencies and mode shapes for both models is very good. Calculated power coefficients correlate well with those measured for low advance ratios. Flutter results show that both propfans are stable at their respective design points. There is also good agreement between calculated and measured blade vibratory strains due to excitation resulting from yawed flow for the SR7A propfan. The similarity of structural and aeroelastic results show that the SR7A propfan simulates the SR7L characteristics.

August, Richard↗

Control surface spanwise placement in active flutter suppression systems

A method is developed that determines the placement of an active control surface for maximum effectiveness in suppressing flutter. No specific control law is required by this method which is based on the aerodynamic energy concept. It is argued that the spanwise placement of the active controls should coincide with the locations where maximum energy per unit span is fed into the system. The method enables one to determine the distribution, over the different surfaces of the aircraft, of the energy input into the system as a result of the unstable fluttering mode. The method is illustrated using three numerical examples.

Nissim, E.↗

Initial application of CAP-TSD to wing flutter

The initial application of the CAP-TSD computer program for wing flutter analysis is presented. Computational Aeroelasticity Program - Transonic Small Disturbance (CAP-TSD) is based on an approximate factorization (AF) algorithm that is stable and efficient on supercomputers with vector arithmetic. CAP-TSD was used to calculate steady and unsteady pressures on wings and configurations at subsonic, transonic, and supersonic Mach numbers. However, the CAP-TSD code has been developed primarily for aeroelastic analysis. The initial efforts for validation of the aeroelastic analysis capability is presented. The initial applications include two series of symmetric, planar wing planforms. Well defined modal properties are available for these wings. In addition, transonic flutter boundaries are available for evaluation of the transonic capabilities of CAP-TSD.

Cunningham, Herbert J.↗

Transonic flutter calculations using the Euler equations

In transonic flutter problems where shock motion plays an important part, it is believed that accurate predictions of the flutter boundaries will require the use of codes based on the Euler equations. Only Euler codes can obtain the correct shock location and shock strength, and the crucially important shock excursion amplitude and phase lag. The present study is based on the finite volume scheme developed by Jameson and Venkatakrishnan for the 2-D unsteady Euler equations. The equations are solved in integral form on a moving grid. The variable are pressure, density, Cartesian velocity components, and total energy.

Bendiksen, Oddvar O.↗

Flutter suppression using eigenspace freedoms to meet requirements

A constrained optimization methodology has been developed which allows specific use of eigensystem freedoms to meet design requirements. A subset of the available eigenvector freedoms was employed. The eigenvector freedoms associated with a particular closed-loop eigenvalue are coefficients of basis vectors which span the subspace in which that closed-loop vector must lie. Design requirements are included as a vector of inequality constraints. The procedure was successfully applied to develop an unscheduled controller which stabilizes symmetric flutter of an aeroelastic vehicle to a dynamic pressure 44 percent above the open-loop flutter point. The design process proceeded from full-state feedback to the inclusion of a full-order observer to the selection of an eighth-order controller which preserved the full-state sensitivity characteristics. Only a subset of the design freedoms was utilized (i.e., assuming full-state feedback only four out of 26 eigenvectors were used, and no variations were made in the closed-loop eigenvalues). Utilization of additional eigensystem freedoms could further improve the controller.

Adams, William M., Jr.↗

Vibration, performance, flutter and forced response characteristics of a large-scale propfan and its aeroelastic model

An investigation of the vibration, performance, flutter, and forced response of the large-scale propfan, SR7L, and its aeroelastic model, SR7A, has been performed by applying available structural and aeroelastic analytical codes and then correlating measured and calculated results. Finite element models of the blades were used to obtain modal frequencies, displacements, stresses and strains. These values were then used in conjunction with a 3-D, unsteady, lifting surface aerodynamic theory for the subsequent aeroelastic analyses of the blades. The agreement between measured and calculated frequencies and mode shapes for both models is very good. Calculated power coefficients correlate well with those measured for low advance ratios. Flutter results show that both propfans are stable at their respective design points. There is also good agreement between calculated and measured blade vibratory strains due to excitation resulting from yawed flow for the SR7A propfan. The similarity of structural and aeroelastic results show that the SR7A propfan simulates the SR7L characteristics.

August, Richard↗

A finite-element method for large-amplitude, two-dimensional panel flutter at hypersonic speeds

The nonlinear flutter behavior of a two-dimensional panel in hypersonic flow is investigated analytically. An FEM formulation based unsteady third-order piston theory (Ashley and Zartarian, 1956; McIntosh, 1970) and taking nonlinear structural and aerodynamic phenomena into account is derived; the solution procedure is outlined; and typical results are presented in extensive tables and graphs. A 12-element finite-element solution obtained using an alternative method for linearizing the assumed limit-cycle time function is shown to give predictions in good agreement with classical analytical results for large-amplitude vibration in a vacuum and large-amplitude panel flutter, using linear aerodynamics.

Mei, Chuh↗

Shape sensitivity analysis of flutter response of a laminated wing

A method is presented for calculating the shape sensitivity of a wing aeroelastic response with respect to changes in geometric shape. Yates' modified strip method is used in conjunction with Giles' equivalent plate analysis to predict the flutter speed, frequency, and reduced frequency of the wing. Three methods are used to calculate the sensitivity of the eigenvalue. The first method is purely a finite difference calculation of the eigenvalue derivative directly from the solution of the flutter problem corresponding to the two different values of the shape parameters. The second method uses an analytic expression for the eigenvalue sensitivities of a general complex matrix, where the derivatives of the aerodynamic, mass, and stiffness matrices are computed using a finite difference approximation. The third method also uses an analytic expression for the eigenvalue sensitivities, but the aerodynamic matrix is computed analytically. All three methods are found to be in good agreement with each other.

Kapania, Rakesh K.↗

A multiloop, digital flutter suppression control law synthesis case study

A methodology for obtaining a digital low-order, multiloop, robust control law for aeroelastic application from a full-state Linear Quadratic Gaussian design is presented. As part of the design methodology, the multivariable system robustness at the plant input and output is evaluated using singular value properties and improved using constrained optimization procedures. To validate the methodology, a digital flutter suppression system has been designed for the full-span Active Flexible Wing (AFW) wind-tunnel model as part of a collaborative effort between the NASA Langley Research Center and Rockwell International. Preliminary results for a low-order discrete, symmetric flutter suppression system design that significantly improved the AFW model stability are provided and the experiences gained during the design process are discussed.

Mukhopadhyay, Vivek↗

Active flutter suppression using invariant zeros/eigensystem assignment

An active control law is synthesized to raise the flutter dynamic pressure boundary of an active flexible wing wind tunnel model. The multi-input/multi-output controller has a two-degree-of-freedom structure consisting of: (1) an output dynamic compensator selected to assign system invariant zeros to shape the multivariable root loci, and (2) an output gain feedback controller, based on eigensystem assignment theory, using the compensator augmented system to stabilize the flutter mode and optimize a specified performance index. Evaluation of a digital implementation of a constant gain controller in a general batch simulation of the system reveals that the feedback system is stable over a dynamic pressure range of 50-400 psf, indicating robustness of design to dynamic pressure variations.

Srinathkumar, S.↗