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Hybrid Projectile Body Angle Estimation For Selectable Range Increase, Christopher J. Gioia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A Hybrid Projectile (HP) is a tube launched munition that transforms into a gliding UAV, and is currently being researched at West Virginia University. A simple launch timer was first envisioned to control the transformation point in order to achieve maximum distance. However, this timer would need to be reprogrammed for any distance less than maximum range due to the nominal time to deployment varying with launch angle. A method was sought for automatic wing deployment that would not require reprogramming the round. A body angle estimation system was used to estimate the pitch of the HP relative to the …

Tuning The Electrical And Thermal Conductivities Of Thermoelectric Oxides Through Impurity Doping, Maria A. Torres Arango

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Waste heat and thermal gradients available at power plants can be harvested to power wireless networks and sensors by using thermoelectric (TE) generators that directly transform temperature differentials into electrical power. Oxide materials are promising for TE applications in harsh industrial environments for waste heat recovery at high temperatures in air, because they are lightweight, cheaply produced, highly efficient, and stable at high temperatures in air. Ca3Co4O9(CCO) with layered structure is a promising p-type thermoelectric oxide with extrapolated ZT value of 0.87 in single crystal form [1]. However the ZT values for the polycrystalline ceramics remain low of ∼0.1-0.3. In …

The Effect Of Sensor Mass, Sensor Location, And Delamination Location Of Different Composite Structures Under Dynamic Loading, Albert Darien Liu

Master's Theses

This study investigated the effect of sensor mass, sensor location, and delamination location of different composite structures under dynamic loading. The study pertains to research of the use of accelerometers and dynamic response as a cost-effective and reliable method of structural health monitoring in composite structures. The composite structures in this research included carbon fiber plates, carbon fiber-foam sandwich panels, and carbon-fiber honeycomb sandwich panels. The composite structures were manufactured with the use of a Tetrahedron MTP-8 heat press. All work was conducted in the Cal Poly Aerospace Structures/Composites Laboratory. Initial delaminations were placed at several locations along the specimen, …

Novel Engineered Nanostructured Complex Oxide For High Temperature Thermoelectric Power Generation, Diego F. Palacio

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Thermoelectric power generators are a promising technology that can produce electrical power directly from waste heat emitted in energy production and consumption systems. The essential component of thermoelectric generators is the thermoelectric material which performs the energy conversion process. In order to make thermoelectric devices to be considered a significant contributor to US energy infrastructure, it is essential first to foster improvements in high performance thermoelectric materials. They must possess not only a high conversion efficiency, but also need be composed of nontoxic and abundantly available elemental materials having high chemical stability in air up to 800-1000 K. In comparison …

Augmented Propeller Design With The Use Of A Passive Circulation Control Pressurization System, Jonathan Kweder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Circulation control is a high-lift device used on the main wing of an aircraft. This technology has been in the research and development phase for over sixty years primarily for fixed-wing aircraft when the early models were referred to as "blown flaps." Circulation control works by increasing the near surface velocity of the airflow over the leading edge and/or trailing edge of a specially designed aircraft wing using a series of blowing slots that eject high velocity jets of air. The wing has a rounded trailing edge, and ejects the air tangentially, through these slots inducing the Coanda Effect. This …

Onboard Parameter Identification For A Small Uav, Amanda K. Mcgrail

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

One of the main research focus areas of the WVU Flight Control Systems Laboratory (FCSL) is the increase of flight safety through the implementation of fault tolerant control laws. For some fault tolerant flight control approaches with adaptive control laws, the availability of accurate post failure aircraft models improves performance. While look-up tables of aircraft models can be created for failure conditions, they may fail to account for all possible failure scenarios. Thus, a real-time parameter identification program eliminates the need to have predefined models for all potential failure scenarios. The goal of this research was to identify the dimensional …

Effect Of Seat Orientation On Ingress/Egress Joint Kinematics And Reach Envelope, Christopher W. Moore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Crew modules use recumbent seats to sustain increased acceleration in the upright direction. Entry (ingress) and exit (egress) of such seats require different techniques. Most of the existing research on ingress and egress biomechanics was done using vertically mounted automobile seats. In this study, ingress and egress and planar reach motions performed using seats mounted in vertical and horizontal orientations were evaluated. An eight camera (MX-13 series) optical motion analysis system (Vicon, Nexus, UK) was used to record the 3D kinematic data. Ten healthy male participants performed ingress and egress motions using the following three seat orientations, while reach tasks …

Comparison Of Three Machine Vision Pose Estimation Systems Based On Corner, Line, And Ellipse Extraction For Satellite Grasping, Jeremy A. Luckett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The primary objective of this research was to use three different types of features (corners, lines, and ellipses) for the purpose of satellite grasping with a machine vision-based pose estimation system. The corner system is used to track sharp corners or small features (holes or bolt) in the satellite; the lines system tracks sharp edges while the ellipse system tracks circular features in the satellite. The corner and line system provided 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) pose (rotation matrix and translation vector) of the satellite with respect to the camera frame, while the ellipse system provided 5 DOF pose (normal …

Investigation Into Modeling And Control Methods To Optimize The Power Output Of Wind Turbines, Robert Liebschutz

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Wind turbine power output is a function of not only wind speed but many other constraints such as attitude with respect to the wind and blade pitch settings. Optimizing power output with respect to these parameters is accomplished by optimizing the rotary system's power coefficient. A primary objective of this research is to optimize the power coefficient in a design space that includes collective and cyclic pitch in the presence of axial or yawed wind inflow. The model developed to perform this analysis uses blade element theory and a nonlinear version of the Pitt Peters dynamic inflow model. The model …

Propulsion By Sinusoidal Locomotion: A Motion Inspired By Caenorhabditis Elegans, Xialing Ulrich

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Sinusoidal locomotion is commonly seen in snakes, fish, nematodes, or even the wings of some birds and insects. This doctoral thesis presents the study of sinusoidal locomotion of the nematode C. elegansin experiments and the application of the state-space airloads theory to the theoretical forces of sinusoidal motion. An original MATLAB program has been developed to analyze the video records of C. elegans' movement in different fluids, including Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. The experimental and numerical studies of swimming C. elegans has revealed three conclusions. First, though the amplitude and wavelength are varying with time, the motion of swimming C. …

Experimental Investigation Of Particulate Deposition On A Simulated Film-Cooled Turbine Vane Pressure Surface In A High Pressure Combustion Facility, Robert G. Murphy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Use of coal syngas for Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) industrial gas turbines introduces contaminants into the flow that can deposit onto the components of the first stage of the turbine. These deposit structures may create alterations in the cooling scheme and can erode or react with thermal barrier coatings (TBC). A study was performed to examine the evolution and contributing factors to the growth of deposit structures in a simulated gas turbine environment. Tests were performed in the high pressure/temperature aerothermal facility at the Department of Energy's (DoE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in Morgantown, WV. The facility was …

A Simplified Icing Model For Simulation And Analysis Of Dynamic Effects, Matthew A. Cunningham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Ice accretions on aerodynamic surfaces are a major concern during flight. In this research effort, glaze ice is being modeled and its effects on aircraft dynamics analyzed. This type of ice builds up as a clear layer on aerodynamic surfaces and other components such as antennas and intakes. Glaze icing is dangerous because as the amount of ice increases, it alters the shape and properties of the aerodynamic surface. Wind tunnel tests of this type of icing and data analysis have shown that the main effects of icing consist of decrease of lift coefficient, reduction of stall angle of attack, …

Uav Simulation Environment For Autonomous Flight Control Algorithms, Ondrej Karas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This thesis presents the development of a UAV simulation environment for the design, analysis, and comparison of autonomous flight control laws. The simulation environment was developed in MATLAB/Simulink, with custom map generation software and FlightGear 3-D visualization. Graphical user interface of the simulation environment is user-friendly and all available options are discussed in detail. Aircraft dynamic models are presented, with emphasis on newly designed UAV models. Five different aircraft models are available, with several path planning and trajectory tracking algorithms implemented. Emphasis is given to simulation of failures and other abnormal conditions, so that appropriate tools for failure detection, evaluation, …

Initiation And Evolution Of Matrix Cracking In Non-Symmetric Laminates Under In-Plane And Flexural Loading, Adi Adumitroaie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A constitutive model of progressive matrix cracking in fibers reinforced laminated composite is developed for the case of both membrane and flexural deformation. The progressive damage model makes use of the following key ingredients i) an appropriate material model for calculating the reduced thermo--elastic properties of the laminate containing individual plies affected by matrix cracking, ii) an energy based damage evolution criterion inspired by Fracture Mechanics, iii) an homogenization technique inspired by Continuum Damage Mechanics, iv) an iterative procedure in order to detect the conditions for damage growth in individual plies of the laminate, and to increase the damage level …

Thermal Modeling Of Nanosat, Dai Dinh

Master's Theses

Miniaturization of electronic components enabled small scale satellite projects, such as the CubeSat, to be used for scientific research in space. Recently a team of undergraduate and graduate students at San Jose State University (SJSU) had the opportunity to collaborate on designing and building a miniature size CubeSat with the dimensions of 10x10x10 cm3. Although the integration of compact electronics allowed sophisticated scientific experiments and missions to be carried out in space, the thermal control options for such small spacecraft were limited. For example, due to the CubeSat's small size there was no room for dedicated a radiator or insulation …

Some Tracking Problems For Aerospace Models With Input Constraints, Aleksandra Gruszka

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

We study tracking controller design problems for key models of planar vertical takeoff and landing (PVTOL) aircraft and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). The novelty of our PVTOL work is the global boundedness of our controllers in the decoupled coordinates, the positive uniform lower bound on the thrust controller, the applicability of our work to cases where the velocity measurements may not be available, the uniform global asymptotic stability and uniform local exponential stability of our closed loop tracking dynamics, the generality of our class of trackable reference trajectories, and the input-to-state stability of the controller performance under actuator errors of …

Design Of A 4-Seat, General Aviation, Electric Aircraft, Arvindhakshan Rajagopalan Srilatha

Master's Theses

Range and payload of current electric aircraft is limited primarily due to low energy density of batteries. However, recent advances in battery technology promise storage of more than 1 kWh of energy per kilogram of weight in the near future. This kind of energy storage makes possible the design of an electric aircraft comparable to, if not better than existing state-of-the art general aviation aircraft powered by internal combustion engines. This thesis explores through parametric studies the effect of lift-to-drag ratio, flight speed, and cruise altitude on required thrust power and battery energy and presents the conceptual and preliminary design …

Planform Characterization Of A High Lift, Low Speed, Ground Effect Glider, Meagan L. Hubbell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The main objective of this research was to design and develop a planform shape for a single passenger, unpowered, subsonic glider that relies on gravitational forces for momentum. The wing structure and aerodynamic shape optimized the benefits of near-ground flight (i.e. the increased lift and decreased induced drag), and as a result reduced the overall aircraft weight and wingspan, and enhanced the maneuverability of the craft.;The design faced many challenges as a result of flight in the ground effect regime. There were natural instabilities, primarily in the longitudinal direction that caused the glider to pitch up. In addition, the wing …

Numerical Flight Testing Of A Tube-Launched Transformable Micro Air Vehicle, William L. Vogel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The micro air vehicle (MAV) is a relatively new class of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and has drawn much interest in recent years within the aerospace industry, especially for military surveillance applications. The aerodynamic characteristics of existing MAV designs have been documented in aeronautics literature; however, the MAV presented in this research had unusual design specifications in which the overall mass and cruise speed were greater in comparison to the existing designs. Additionally, the MAV was designed to transform from ballistic flight to aircraft flight for the purpose of gaining performance improvements in both range and accuracy. This new MAV …

Utilization Of Igs Information For Improved Real-Time Gps Positioning, Francis James Barchesky

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The estimation of a precise user's position is a difficult and complex problem. In addition, the use of geodetic grade position instruments is often not possible for Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (SUAV) systems. However, the availability of the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and International GNSS Service (IGS) predicted product data allows an attempt to increase the precision of a navigation algorithm, which is the aim in this thesis.;The utilization of this information within an algorithm work environment is a complex problem, requiring the development of multiple tools in order to use and access the IGS raw and product data. …

Modeling And Analysis Of Multiple Engine Aircraft Configurations For Fault Tolerant Control, Frederick M. Beamer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A formal framework is presented that allows for the analysis of the potential for using engine thrust control for aircraft actuator failure accommodation. Three sets of parameters have been identified as critical: number of engines and their position, engine thrust and throttle dynamics, and type and severity of the actuator failure. A mathematical model was developed that allows for the determination of the values of some of the parameters when the others are imposed such as determining the thrust control authority when the engine locations and Euler angles are known. Additionally, the engine locations can be determined when the thrust …

Modeling And Flight Testing Of Differential Thrust And Thrust Vectoring On A Small Uav, Zachary J. Merceruio

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The primary objectives of this research are to mathematically model the propulsion forces applied to the aircraft during nominal, differential thrust, and thrust vectored flight configurations, and verify this modeling through simulation and flight testing experiments. This thesis outlines the modeling process, simulator development, design, and implementation of a propulsion assisted control system for the WVU Flight Control Systems Lab (FCSL) research aircraft. Differential thrust and thrust vectoring introduce additional propulsive terms in the aircraft force equations that are not present when the thrust line passes through the center of gravity. These additional forces were modeled and incorporated into a …

Sensor Fusion Based Fault-Tolerant Attitude Estimation Solutions For Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Jason Nicholas Gross

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Navigation-grade inertial sensors are often too expensive and too heavy for use in most Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (SUAV) systems. Low-cost Micro-Electrical-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) inertial sensors provide an attractive alternative, but currently do not provide an adequate navigation solution alone due to the presence of sensor bias. Toward addressing this problem, this research focuses on the development and experimental evaluation of sensor fusion algorithms to combine partially redundant information from low-cost sensor to achieve accurate SUAV attitude estimation. To conduct this research, several sets of SUAVs flight data that include measurements from a low-cost MEMS based Inertial Measurement Unit, a Global …

Parameter Estimation Analysis For Hybrid Adaptive Fault Tolerant Control, Peter B. Eshak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Research efforts have increased in recent years toward the development of intelligent fault tolerant control laws, which are capable of helping the pilot to safely maintain aircraft control at post failure conditions. Researchers at West Virginia University (WVU) have been actively involved in the development of fault tolerant adaptive control laws in all three major categories: direct, indirect, and hybrid. The first implemented design to provide adaptation was a direct adaptive controller, which used artificial neural networks to generate augmentation commands in order to reduce the modeling error. Indirect adaptive laws were implemented in another controller, which utilized online PID …

Design Of Fault Tolerant Control System For Individual Blade Control Helicopters, Sergio Tamayo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation presents the development of a fault tolerant control scheme for helicopters fitted with individually controlled blades. This novel approach attempts to improve fault tolerant capabilities of helicopter control system by increasing control redundancy using additional actuators for individual blade input and software re-mixing to obtain nominal or close to nominal conditions under failure. An advanced interactive simulation environment has been developed including modeling of sensor failure, swashplate actuator failure, individual blade actuator failure, and blade delamination to support the design, testing, and evaluation of the control laws. This simulation environment is based on the blade element theory for …

Aircraft Parameter Identification For Application Within A Fault-Tolerant Flight Control System, Kerri B. Phillips

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A parameter identification study was conducted to identify a detailed aircraft mathematical model for application within a fault-tolerant flight control system that aims to detect, identify, and accommodate for sensor and actuator failures. Specifically, a mathematical model was identified under nominal conditions for two aircraft platforms, and a model was developed for one platform under actuator failure conditions. These models are to be used in flight control law design and to account for actuator failures on the primary control surfaces for one of the research platforms. In order to accurately model the aircraft behavior following a control surface failure, the …

Implementation Of A Helicopter Flight Simulator With Individual Blade Control, Andrew G. Zinchiak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Nearly all modern helicopters are designed with a swashplate-based system for control of the main rotor blades. However, the swashplate-based approach does not provide the level of redundancy necessary to cope with abnormal actuator conditions. For example, if an actuator fails (becomes locked) on the main rotor, the cyclic inputs are consequently fixed and the helicopter may become stuck in a flight maneuver. This can obviously be seen as a catastrophic failure, and would likely lead to a crash.;These types of failures can be overcome with the application of individual blade control (IBC). IBC is achieved using the blade pitch …

Non-Homogeneous Hybrid Rocket Fuel For Enhanced Regression Rates Utilizing Partial Entrainment, Kenny Michael Boronowsky

Master's Theses

A concept was developed and tested to enhance the performance and regression rate of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), a commonly used hybrid rocket fuel. By adding small nodules of paraffin into the HTPB fuel, a non-homogeneous mixture was created resulting in increased regression rates. The goal was to develop a fuel with a simplified single core geometry and a tailorable regression rate. The new fuel would benefit from the structural stability of HTPB yet not suffer from the large void fraction representative of typical HTPB core geometries.

Regression rates were compared between traditional HTPB single core grains, 85% HTPB mixed …

Numerical Investigation Of Fundamental Physics For Flows Over Expansion And Compression Corners, Freddy Ngo

Master's Theses

Oblique shocks and expansion waves are commonly found in aerospace applications such as wings and nozzles. These types of shocks change the properties of the flow, thus causing changes in the lift, drag, and/or heat transfer. Hypersonic flow is important to study as its impacts are significant. In this thesis, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is utilized to characterize the physics of the flow. Parametric studies of the Mach number and turning angle were conducted. Simulations included both inviscid and viscous flows to demonstrate the effects of boundary layer on flow properties. The majority of the viscous flows were focused on …

The Manual Flight Skill Of Airline Pilots, Antonio Puentes

Master's Theses

The manual flight ability of commercial airline pilots has been scrutinized

after several aviation disasters in the first decade of the 21st century where pilot error has been a contributing cause. Voluntary pilot incident reports from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) were examined as one method to determine the prevalence of manual flight skill decline among airline pilots. The investigation studied reports from unstabilized approach to landings where the pilots manually controlled the aircraft during descent. An analysis of the ASRS reports from pilots flying traditional flight deck aircraft compared with pilots flying aircraft …