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At least 91 records · Page 5

Baseline Validation of Unstructured Grid Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Toward Flow Control

The value of the use of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes methodology for active flow control applications is assessed. An experimental flow control database exists for a NACA0015 airfoil modified at the leading edge to implement a fluidic actuator; hence, this configuration is used. Computational results are documented for the baseline wing configuration (no control) with the experimental results and assumes two-dimensional flow. The baseline wing configuration has discontinuities at the leading edge, trailing edge, and aft of midchord on the upper surface. A limited number of active flow control applications have been tested in the laboratory and in flight. These applications include dynamic stall control using a deformable leading edge, separation control for takeoff and landing flight conditions using piezoelectric devices, pulsed vortex generators, zero-net-mass oscillations, and thrust vectoring with zero-net-mass piezoelectric-driven oscillatory actuation. As yet, there is no definitive comparison with experimental data that indicates current computational capabilities can quantitatively predict the large aerodynamic performance gains achieved with active flow control in the laboratory. However, one study using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methodology has shown good quantitative agreement with experimental results for an isolated zero-net-mass actuator. In addition, some recent studies have used RANS to demonstrate qualitative performance gains compared with the experimental data for separation control on an airfoil. Those quantitative comparisons for both baseline and flow control cases indicated that computational results were in poor quantitative agreement with the experiments. The current research thrust will investigate the potential use of an unstructured grid RANS approach to predict aerodynamic performance for active flow control applications building on the early studies. First the computational results must quantitatively match experiments for the no-control case before proceeding to the time-dependent flow control case. This paper documents the baseline (no-control) case using an unswept airfoil configuration. The next section describes the configurations used for the computations and the experimentals. The computational approach is then described followed by results and concluding remarks.

Joslin, Ronald D.

The development of advanced automatic flare and decrab for powered lift short haul aircraft using a microwave landing system

Advanced automatic flare and decrab control laws were developed for future powered lift STOL aircraft using the NASA-C-8A augmentor wing vehicle as the aircraft model. The longitudinal control laws utilize the throttle for flight path control and use the direct lift augmentor flap chokes for flight path augmentation. The elevator is used to control airspeed during the approach phase and to enhance path control during the flare. The forward slip maneuver was selected over the flat decrab technique for runway alignment because it can effectively handle the large crab angles obtained at STOL approach speeds. Performance evaluation of selected system configurations were obtained over the total landing environment. Limitations were defined and critical failure modes assessed. Pilot display concepts are discussed.

Gevaert, G.

Control of aircraft landing approach in wind shear

Wind and wind shear components are estimated and used for controlling an externally-blown flap STOL aircraft and a B-727 during landing approach under the JAWS microburst profile. A combination of feedforward and feedback concepts is used. The objective is tracking of airspeed and glide slope. Both an asymptotic disturbance rejection scheme, which is equivalent to MIMO zero assignment, and a linear quadratic scheme prove to be successful. Higher angle-of-attack is used only after thrust saturation. Downdraft is found to be more difficult to counter for STOL aircraft than is horizontal wind shear. A third design formulation based on successive loop closure is also presented. A 'Wind Shear Penetration Index' is described, which offers a simple and quantitative evaluation of an aircraft's ability to safely penetrate a wind shear. This index is particularly useful if used with Doppler radars.

Chu, Peter Yaohwa

Western Aeronautical Test Range

NASA's Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR) is a network of facilities used to support aeronautical research, science missions, exploration system concepts, and space operations. The WATR resides at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center located at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The WATR is a part of NASA's Corporate Management of Aeronautical Facilities and funded by the Strategic Capability Asset Program (SCAP). It is managed by the Aeronautics Test Program (ATP) of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) to provide the right facility at the right time. NASA is a tenant on Edwards Air Force Base and has an agreement with the Air Force Flight Test Center to use the land and airspace controlled by the Department of Defense (DoD). The topics include: 1) The WATR supports a variety of vehicles; 2) Dryden shares airspace with the AFFTC; 3) Restricted airspace, corridors, and special use areas are available for experimental aircraft; 4) WATR Products and Services; 5) WATR Support Configuration; 6) Telemetry Tracking; 7) Time Space Positioning; 8) Video; 9) Voice Communication; 10) Mobile Operations Facilities; 11) Data Processing; 12) Mission Control Center; 13) Real-Time Data Analysis; and 14) Range Safety.

Sakahara, Robert D.

Evaluation of remote sensing in control of pink bollworm in cotton

The use of satellite data from the ERTS-1 satellite for mapping the cotton acreage in the southern deserts of California is discussed. The differences between a growing, a defoliated, and a plowed down field can be identified using an optical color combiner. The specific application of the land use maps is to control the spread of the pink bollworms by establishing planting and plowdown dates.

Coleman, V. B.

A control theoretic model for piloted approach to landing.

Using manned vehicle systems analysis, a model for manual approach to landing is developed. This model is developed and applied in the specific context of a problem of analytical evaluation of a pictorial display for longitudinal control of glide path errors. This makes it possible to discuss the model in concrete terms, and the availability of experimental data provides opportunities for checking the theoretical results obtained.

Kleinman, D. L.

Statistical evaluation of control inputs and eye movements in the use of instruments clusters during aircraft landing

Two different types of analyses were done on data from a study in which eye movements and other variables were recorded while four pilots executed landing sequences in a Boeing 737 simulation. Various conditions were manupulated, including changes in turbulence, starting position, and instrumentation. Control inputs were analyzed in the context of the various conditions and compared against ratings of workload obtained using the Cooper-Harper scale. A number of eye-scanning measures including mean dwell time and transition from one instrument to another were entered into a principal components factor analysis. The results show a differentiation between control inputs and eye-scanning behavior. This shows the need for improved definition of workload and experiments to uncover the important differences among control inputs, eye-scanning and cognitive processes of the pilot.

Dick, A. O.

Numerical simulation of a powered-lift landing, tracking flow features using overset grids, and simulation of high lift devices on a fighter-lift-and-control wing

Attached as appendices to this report are documents describing work performed on the simulation of a landing powered-lift delta wing, the tracking of flow features using overset grids, and the simulation of flaps on the Wright Patterson Lab's fighter-lift-and-control (FLAC) wing. Numerical simulation of a powered-lift landing includes the computation of flow about a delta wing at four fixed heights as well as a simulated landing, in which the delta wing descends toward the ground. Comparison of computed and experimental lift coefficients indicates that the simulations capture the qualitative trends in lift-loss encountered by thrust-vectoring aircraft operating in ground effect. Power spectra of temporal variations of pressure indicate computed vortex shedding frequencies close to the jet exit are in the experimentally observed frequency range; the power spectra of pressure also provide insights into the mechanisms of lift oscillations. Also, a method for using overset grids to track dynamic flow features is described and the method is validated by tracking a moving shock and vortices shed behind a circular cylinder. Finally, Chimera gridding strategies were used to develop pressure coefficient contours for the FLAC wing for a Mach no. of 0.18 and Reynolds no. of 2.5 million.

Chawla, Kalpana

Simulation comparison of a decoupled longitudinal control system and a velocity vector control wheel steering system during landings in wind shear

A simulator comparison of the velocity vector control wheel steering (VCWS) system and a decoupled longitudinal control system is presented. The piloting task was to use the electronic attitude direction indicator (EADI) to capture and maintain a 3 degree glide slope in the presence of wind shear and to complete the landing using the perspective runway included on the EADI. The decoupled control system used constant prefilter and feedback gains to provide steady state decoupling of flight path angle, pitch angle, and forward velocity. The decoupled control system improved the pilots' ability to control airspeed and flight path angle during the final stages of an approach made in severe wind shear. The system also improved their ability to complete safe landings. The pilots preferred the decoupled control system in severe winds and, on a pilot rating scale, rated the approach and landing task with the decoupled control system as much as 3 to 4 increments better than use of the VCWS system.

Kimball, G., Jr.

Design comparison of lunar return configurations

Parabolic manned re-entry design comparisons are made between two classes of slender and blunt configurations capable of conventional horizontal and vertical earth landings. Aerodynamic modulation using flaps and control augmentation requirements are discussed in terms of their effect upon re-entry trajectories and landing footprints. Within the environment defined by the re-entry trajectories, the convective and radiative modes of heat transfer are compared, their differences discussed, and the problems associated with the configurations for planetary return missions indicated. Thermal protection systems are discussed and the factors influencing the selection of a given system for the re-entry environment are indicated. Comparison between reflective and absorptive systems are made and the merits of each for a given flight time indicated. A thermo-structural analysis is presented which shows the trade-oft between structural operating temperature and heat protection system thickness requirements. Total heat shield and structural weights are compared for the landing footprints presented and their variation with range shown. Finally, the areas of uncertainty in the aero-thermo structural design analysis are indicated for each class of configuration studied, and the weight differences between conventional horizontal landing and vertical descent configurations are given.

Parabolic flight

Design, analysis, and control of large transport aircraft utilizing engine thrust as a backup system for the primary flight controls

A review of accidents that involved the loss of hydraulic flight control systems serves as an introduction to this project. In each of the accidents--involving transport aircraft such as the DC-10, the C-5A, the L-1011, and the Boeing 747--the flight crew attempted to control the aircraft by means of thrust control. Although these incidents had tragic endings, in the absence of control power due to primary control system failure, control power generated by selective application of engine thrust has proven to be a viable alternative. NASA Dryden has demonstrated the feasibility of controlling an aircraft during level flight, approach, and landing conditions using an augmented throttles-only control system. This system has been successfully flown in the flight test simulator for the B-720 passenger transport and the F-15 air superiority fighter and in actual flight tests for the F-15 aircraft. The Douglas Aircraft Company is developing a similar system for the MD-11 aircraft. The project's ultimate goal is to provide data for the development of thrust control systems for mega-transports (600+ passengers).

Gerren, Donna S.

Observations of the microclimate of a lake under cold air advective conditions

The moderating effects of Lake Apopka, Florida, on downwind surface temperatures were evaluated under cold air advective conditions. Point temperature measurements north and south of the lake and data obtained from the NOAA satellite and a thermal scanner flown at 1.6 km, indicate that, under conditions of moderate winds (approximately 4m/sec), surface temperatures directly downwind may be higher than surrounding surface temperatures by as much as 5 C. With surface wind speed less than 1m/sec, no substantial temperature effects were observed. Results of this study are being used in land use planning, lake level control and in agriculture for selecting planting sites.

Bill, R. G., Jr.

Simulation evaluation of flight controls and display concepts for VTOL shipboard operations

A ground-based evaluation of several control-system concepts and display formats for use in shipboard landing operations of a V/STOL aircraft (AV-8A Harrier) is reported. The study was conducted in the Vertical Motion Simulator at Ames Research Center. The control systems ranged from a rate-damping SAS to a translational-velocity command system; displays ranged from a head-down presentation of attitude and altitude to two different head-up formats that provided position and velocity information. Results of pilot evaluations of the aircraft's handling qualities, as well as measures of task performance and control power use during landing on a moving deck in visual meteorological condtions, are presented.

Farris, G. G.

Flight Investigation of the Stability and Control Characteristics of a 1/4-Scale Model of a Tilt-Wing Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing Aircraft

An experimental investigation has been conducted to determine the dynamic stability and control characteristics of a tilt-wing vertical-take-off-and-landing aircraft with the use of a remotely controlled 1/4-scale free-flight model. The model had two propellers with hinged (flapping) blades mounted on the wing which could be tilted up to an incidence angle of nearly 90 deg for vertical take-off and landing. The investigation consisted of hovering flights in still air, vertical take-offs and landings, and slow constant-altitude transitions from hovering to forward flight. The stability and control characteristics of the model were generally satisfactory except for the following characteristics. In hovering flight, the model had an unstable pitching oscillation of relatively long period which the pilots were able to control without artificial stabilization but which could not be considered entirely satisfactory. At very low speeds and angles of wing incidence on the order of 70 deg, the model experienced large nose-up pitching moments which severely limited the allowable center-of-gravity range.

Tosti, Louis P.

Entry, Descent, and Landing Guidance and Control Approaches to Satisfy Mars Human Mission Landing Criteria

Precision landing on Mars is a challenge. All Mars lander missions prior to the 2012 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) had landing location uncertainty ellipses on the order of hundreds of kilometers. Sending humans to the surface of Mars will likely require multiple landers delivered in close proximity, which will in turn require orders of magnitude improvement in landing accuracy. MSL was the first Mars mission to use an Apollo-derived bank angle guidance to reduce the size of the landing ellipse. It utilized commanded bank angle magnitude to control total range and bank angle reversals to control cross range. A shortcoming of this bank angle guidance is that the open loop phase of flight created by use of bank reversals increases targeting errors. This paper presents a comparison of entry, descent and landing performance for a vehicle with a low lift-to-drag ratio using both bank angle control and an alternative guidance called Direct Force Control (DFC). DFC eliminates the open loop flight errors by directly controlling two forces independently, lift and side force. This permits independent control of down range and cross range. Performance results, evaluated using the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST2), including propellant use and landing accuracy, are presented.

Dwyer Cianciolo, Alicia

Incorporating JULES into NASA's Land Information System (LIS) and Investigations of Land-Atmosphere Coupling

NASA's Land Information System (LIS; lis.gsfc.nasa.gov) is a flexible land surface modeling and data assimilation framework developed over the past decade with the goal of integrating satellite- and ground-based observational data products and advanced land surface modeling techniques to produce optimal fields of land surface states and fluxes. LIS features a high performance and flexible design, and operates on an ensemble of land surface models for extension over user-specified regional or global domains. The extensible interfaces of LIS allow the incorporation of new domains, land surface models (LSMs), land surface parameters, meteorological inputs, data assimilation and optimization algorithms. In addition, LIS has also been demonstrated for parameter estimation and uncertainty estimation, and has been coupled to the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model. A visiting fellowship is currently underway to implement JULES into LIS and to undertake some fundamental science on the feedbacks between the land surface and the atmosphere. An overview of the LIS system, features, and sample results will be presented in an effort to engage the community in the potential advantages of LIS-JULES for a range of applications. Ongoing efforts to develop a framework for diagnosing land-atmosphere coupling will also be presented using the suite of LSM and PBL schemes available in LIS and WRF along with observations from the U. S .. Southern Great Plains. This methodology provides a potential pathway to study factors controlling local land-atmosphere coupling (LoCo) using the LIS-WRF system, which will serve as a testbed for future experiments to evaluate coupling diagnostics within the community.

Santanello, Joseph

Sea ice motion measurements from Seasat SAR images

Data from the Seasat synthetic aperture radar (SAR) experiment are analyzed in order to determine the accuracy of this information for mapping the distribution of sea ice and its motion. Data from observations of sea ice in the Beaufort Sea from seven sequential orbits of the satellite were selected to study the capabilities and limitations of spaceborne radar application to sea-ice mapping. Results show that there is no difficulty in identifying homologue ice features on sequential radar images and the accuracy is entirely controlled by the accuracy of the orbit data and the geometric calibration of the sensor. Conventional radargrammetric methods are found to serve well for satellite radar ice mapping, while ground control points can be used to calibrate the ice location and motion measurements in the cases where orbit data and sensor calibration are lacking. The ice motion was determined to be approximately 6.4 + or - 0.5 km/day. In addition, the accuracy of pixel location was found over land areas. The use of one control point in 10,000 sq km produced an accuracy of about + or 150 m, while with a higher density of control points (7 in 1000 sq km) the location accuracy improves to the image resolution of + or - 25 m. This is found to be applicable for both optical and digital data.

Leberl, F.