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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 595 records · Page 33

Identification of multivariable high-performance turbofan engine dynamics from closed loop data

A typical engine control design cycle consists of developing a dynamic engine simulation from steady-state component performance data, designing a control based upon this simulation, and then testing and modifying the control in an engine test cell to meet performance requirements. This design cycle was successful for state-of-the-art engines. However, for more advanced multivariable engines that exhibit strong variable interactions, this procedure will result in substantial trial and error modification of the control during the testing phase. One method to automate the design process and reduce control modification testing and development cost would be to identify accurate dynamic models directly from the closed-loop test data. These identified models would then be used in conjunction with a synthesis procedure to systematically refine the control. Recent advances in closed-loop identifiability present a methodology for this direct identification of engine model dynamics from closed-loop test data. The application of an identification method to simulated and actual closed-loop F100 engine data is described. This study was undertaken to determine if useful dynamic engine models could be identified directly from closed-loop engine test data.

Merrill, W. C.↗

Spectral control of an alexandrite laser for an airborne water-vapor differential absorption lidar system

A narrow-linewidth pulsed alexandrite laser has been greatly modified for improved spectral stability in an aircraft environment, and its operation has been evaluated in the laboratory for making water-vapor differential absorption lidar measurements. An alignment technique is described to achieve the optimum free spectral range ratio for the two etalons inserted in the alexandrite laser cavity, and the sensitivity of this ratio is analyzed. This technique drastically decreases the occurrence of mode hopping, which is commonly observed in a tunable, two-intracavity-etalon laser system. High spectral purity (greater than 99.85%) at 730 nm is demonstrated by the use of a water-vapor absorption line as a notch filter. The effective cross sections of 760-nm oxygen and 730-nm water-vapor absorption lines are measured at different pressures by using this laser, which has a finite linewidth of 0.02 cm(exp -1) (FWHM). It is found that for water-vapor absorption linewidths greater than 0.04 cm(exp -1) (HWHM), or for altitudes below 10 km, the laser line can be considered monochromatic because the measured effective absorption cross section is within 1% of the calculated monochromatic cross section. An analysis of the environmental sensitivity of the two intracavity etalons is presented, and a closed-loop computer control for active stabilization of the two intracavity etalons in the alexandrite laser is described. Using a water-vapor absorption line as a wavelength reference, we measure a long-term frequency drift (approximately 1.5 h) of less than 0.7 pm in the laboratory.

Ponsardin, Patrick↗

Control Demonstration of Multiple Doubly-Fed Induction Motors for Hybrid Electric Propulsion

The Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) High Voltage-Hybrid Electric Propulsion (HVHEP) task was formulated to support the move into future hybrid-electric aircraft. The goal of this project is to develop a new AC power architecture to support the needs of higher efficiency and lower emissions. This proposed architecture will adopt the use of the doubly-fed induction machine (DFIM) for propulsor drive motor application.The Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) High Voltage-Hybrid Electric Propulsion (HVHEP) task was formulated to support the move into future hybrid-electric aircraft. The goal of this project is to develop a new AC power architecture to support the needs of higher efficiency and lower emissions. This proposed architecture will adopt the use of the doubly-fed induction machine (DFIM) for propulsor drive motor application. DFIMs are attractive for several reasons, including but not limited to the ability to self-start, ability to operate sub- and super-synchronously, and requiring only fractionally rated power converters on a per-unit basis depending on the required range of operation. The focus of this paper is based specifically on the presentation and analysis of a novel strategy which allows for independent operation of each of the aforementioned doubly-fed induction motors. This strategy includes synchronization, soft-start, and closed loop speed control of each motor as a means of controlling output thrust; be it concurrently or differentially. The demonstration of this strategy has recently been proven out on a low power test bed using fractional horsepower machines. Simulation and hardware test results are presented in the paper.

CAS↗

Parallel derivative-free optimization for simulation-based design of behind-the-meter energy systems

In this work, the integrated design and dispatch of behind-the-meter or distributed resources (e.g. stationary battery storage and solar PV generation) is considered. A simulation-based framework is employed, generating high-fidelity results with closed-loop predictive control at a fine resolution, at the expense of high computational cost (several minutes to a few hours per design point). To address this challenge, parallel derivative-free design methods are considered. Four methods are compared, including state-of-the-art surrogate-based methods (Radial-Basis Functions and Gaussian processes) and sampling strategies, an evolutionary-based method, and a simple sequential grid refinement method. As a case study, two types of design problem with increasing complexity are considered, namely, the design of behind-the-meter resources (three design variables) and the inclusion of grid capacity (four design variables). The second yields a constrained design problem for which violations can only be determined after solving the computationally expensive simulation. For the three-dimensional case, all methods present a good performance, achieving a solution within 1% of the optimum after the first iteration, with the sequential grid refinement exhibiting the fastest convergence and achieving the best final objective value. This indicates that the parallel evaluation of multiple sampling points may be more important than the choice of method for small decision spaces. For the four-dimensional constrained case, the Genetic Algorithm presents the best tradeoff between performance and computational effort, while the rough objective function terrain generated by constraint violation penalties reduces the performance of surrogate-based methods. Contour plots with flat regions indicate flexibility in the optimal design and highlight the importance of characterizing the solution space.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

High-throughput single-cell sorting by stimulated Raman-activated cell ejection

Raman-activated cell sorting isolates single cells in a nondestructive and label-free manner, but its throughput is limited by small spontaneous Raman scattering cross section. Coherent Raman scattering integrated with microfluidics enables high-throughput cell analysis, but faces challenges with small cells (<3 μm) and tissue sections. Here, we report stimulated Raman-activated cell ejection (S-RACE) that enables high-throughput single-cell sorting by integrating stimulated Raman imaging, in situ image decomposition, and laser-induced cell ejection. S-RACE allows ejection of live bacteria or fungi guided by their Raman signatures. Furthermore, S-RACE successfully sorted lipid-richRhodotorula glutiniscells from a cell mixture with a throughput of ~13 cells per second, and the sorting results were confirmed by downstream quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Beyond single cells, S-RACE shows high compatibility with tissue sections. Incorporating a closed-loop feedback control circuit further enables real-time SRS imaging-identification-ejection. In summary, S-RACE opens exciting opportunities for diverse single-cell sorting applications.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

USPAS Digital Low-Level RF firmware and software suite (uspas_llrf) v1.0

The USPAS Digital Low-Level RF firmware and software suite was originally developed for the USPAS 2023 LLRF course, for demonstrating the close loop RF control on the BerkeleyLab Marble FPGA carrier and Zest digitizer platform in controlling the RF field for various accelerators. The suite features Register-transfer level (RTL) designs for the board-support layer, digital signal processing and verification test benches, system-on-chip architecture, and Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) support, utilizing a open-source tool chain.

Du, Qiang↗

Digital laser-beam deflection sensor

Sensor automatically and accurately measures the two-dimensional deflection angles of a laser beam to provide closed-loop servomechanism control of laser beam directivity.

Fowler, V. J.↗

Closed-loop Dynamics of In-core Thermionic Reactor Systems

Using a point model of an in-core thermionic converter, alternative schemes for providing closed loop reactor control were investigated. It was found that schemes based on variable gain power regulation buffers which use the reactor current as the control variable provide complete protection from thermionic burnout and also provide a virtually constant voltage to the user. A side benefit is that the emitter temperature transients are small-even for a complete electric load drop the emitter temperature transient is less than 100 deg K. The current regulation scheme was selected for further study with a distributed parameter model which was developed to account for variations in thermionic and heat transfer properties along the length of a cylindrical converter. It was found that even though the emitter temperature distribution is about 200 deg K along the converter length, the dynamic properties are unchanged when using the current control scheme.

Sawyer, C. D.↗

Closed loop dynamics of in-core thermionic reactor systems.

Use of a point model of an in-core thermionic converter to investigate alternative schemes for providing closed-loop reactor control. It was found that schemes based on variable-gain power regulation buffers which use the reactor current as the control variable provide complete protection from thermionic burnout and also provide a virtually constant voltage to the user. A side benefit is that the emitter temperature transients are small; even for a complete electric load drop the emitter temperature transient is less than 100 K. The current regulation scheme was selected for further study with a distributed parameter model which was developed to account for variations in thermionic and heat transfer properties along the length of a cylindrical converter. It was found that, even though the emitter temperature distribution is about 200 K along the converter length, the dynamic properties are unchanged when using the current control scheme.

Sawyer, C. D.↗

Initial results from flight testing a large, remotely piloted airplane model

The first four flights of a remotely piloted airplane model showed that a flight envelope can be expanded rapidly and that hazardous flight tests can be conducted safely with good results. The flights also showed that aerodynamic data can be obtained quickly and effectively over a wide range of flight conditions, clear and useful impressions of handling and controllability of configurations can be obtained, and present computer and electronic technology provide the capability to close flight control loops on the ground, thus providing a new method of design and flight test for advanced aircraft.

Holleman, E. C.↗

Imaging on ballistic missions to comet Encke

Imaging for navigation and science has been studied for a 1980 Encke flyby at 0.4 to 0.8 AU from the sun with spinning and three-axis spacecraft. Trajectory errors, maneuvers, encounter geometry, imaging performance, and data transmission were considered. Onboard comet sightings are needed for navigation. Recommended for a three-axis spacecraft are two vidicon cameras and a nucleus sensor for closed-loop pointing control. The cameras are essentially the Mariner 9 and Mariner 10 instruments; the nucleus sensor is an updated version of a sensor flown on Mariners 6 and 7. For a spinning spacecraft, a framing camera using a charge-coupled device and a spin-scan photometer are proposed. The framing camera would be a new design; it would not be despun, but the spin axis should point along the comet-centered velocity vector. The photometer is essentially that flown on Pioneer 10 and 11.-

Jaffe, L. D.↗

Error analysis of penetrator impacts on bodies without atmospheres

Penetrators are missile shaped objects designed to implant electronic instrumentation in various of surface materials with a nominal impact speed around 150 m/sec. An interest in the application of this concept to in situ subsurface studies of extra terrestrial bodies and planetary satellites exists. Since many of these objects do not have atmospheres, the feasibility of successfully guiding penetrators to the required near-zero angle-of-attack impact conditions in the absence of an atmosphere was analyzed. Two potential targets were included, i.e., the moon and Mercury and several different penetrator deployment modes were involved. Impact errors arising from open-loop and closed-loop deployment control systems were given particular attention. Successful penetrator implacement requires: (1) that the impact speed be controlled, nominally to 150 m/sec, (2) that the angle of attack be in range 0 deg - 11 deg at impact, and (3) that the impact flight path angle be with 15 deg of vertical.

Davis, D. R.↗

Transfer function tests of the Joy longwall shearer

A series of operational tests was performed on the Joy longwall shearer located at the Bureau of Mines in Bructon, Pennsylvania. The purpose of these tests was to determine the transfer function and operational characteristics of the system. These characteristics will be used to generate a simulation model of the longwall shearer used in the development of the closed-loop vertical control system.

Fisher, P. H., Jr.↗

Application of active control landing gear technology to the A-10 aircraft

Two concepts which reduce the A-10 aircraft's wing/gear interface forces as a result of applying active control technology to the main landing gear are described. In the first concept, referred to as the alternate concept a servovalve in a closed pressure control loop configuration effectively varies the size of the third stage spool valve orifice which is embedded in the strut. This action allows the internal energy in the strut to shunt hydraulic flow around the metering orifice. The command signal to the loop is reference strut pressure which is compared to the measured strut pressure, the difference being the loop error. Thus, the loop effectively varies the spool valve orifice size to maintain the strut pressure, and therefore minimizes the wing/gear interface force referenced.

Ross, I.↗

The development of a microprocessor-controlled linearly-actuated valve assembly

The development of a proportional fluid control valve assembly is presented. This electromechanical system is needed for space applications to replace the current proportional flow controllers. The flow is controlled by a microprocessor system that monitors the control parameters of upstream pressure and requested volumetric flow rate. The microprocessor achieves the proper valve stem displacement by means of a digital linear actuator. A linear displacement sensor is used to measure the valve stem position. This displacement is monitored by the microprocessor system as a feedback signal to close the control loop. With an upstream pressure between 15 and 47 psig, the developed system operates between 779 standard CU cm/sec (SCCS) and 1543 SCCS.

Wall, R. H.↗