Aerospace Engineering Commons^™

Timeline - Space Race, Jesse Lackey

Cold War & Space Race

The infographic attached along with this note is a timeline of several historical events that took place primarily in the 20th century. This timeline will serve as a useful piece in the classroom when one is teaching the reading, Hidden Figures, and looking to pinpoint it and the events related to it within a historical context. The timeline chronologically compares groundbreaking historical events such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the creation of NASA alongside the historical presence of the three women, Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson, and Mary Jackson, that the reading is focused around.

Development And Implementation Of Star Tracker Based Attitude Determination, Casey Grant Smith

Masters Theses

"As interest in nanosatellites grows within the university community, the demand for inexpensive, space-grade hardware grows as well. Star trackers can be a luxury item for some spacecraft and therefore are often not considered due to their cost. Ideally, a star tracker could be built using inexpensive parts so long as the software is available. Unlike many other attitude determination instruments, star trackers are renowned for their high accuracy, yielding accurate and precise attitude estimates. However, development of this software can be overwhelming for the university settling, especially when multiple missions are on hand. If these instruments were readily available …

Liquid Pulsed Plasma Thruster Plasma Plume Investigation And Mr-Sat Cold Gas Propulsion System Performance Analysis, Jeremiah Daniel Hanna

Masters Theses

"The plasma plume produced by a liquid pulsed plasma thruster is investigated using a Langmuir triple probe and a nude Faraday probe. The Langmuir triple probe failed to produce results which are suspected caused by the presence of ionic liquid in the plume resulting in shorting of the probe. The nude Faraday probe is able to record the ion current density which revealed a high level of inconsistency in the plasma plume. Ion current density recorded by the nude Faraday probe had a relative standard deviation of upwards of 100% of the mean value. Controlling the amount of propellant used …

Entropy-Based Performance Analysis Of Jet Engines; Methodology And Application To A Generic Single-Spool Turbojet, Mohammad Abbas

Masters Theses

"Recently developed methodology that provides the direct assessment of traditional thrust-based performance of aerospace vehicles in terms of entropy generation (i.e., exergy destruction) is modified for stand-alone jet engines. This methodology is applied to a specific single-spool turbojet engine configuration. A generic compressor performance map along with modeled engine component performance characterizations are utilized in order to provide comprehensive traditional engine performance results (engine thrust, mass capture, and RPM), for on and off-design engine operation. Details of exergy losses in engine components, across the entire engine, and in the engine wake are provided and the engine performance losses associated with …

A Flexible Physics-Based Lifing Method For Metals Under Creep And Thermomechanical Fatigue, Firat Irmak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the development of a flexible, physics-based life prediction approach for steels under complex conditions. Low alloy steels continue to be the materials of choice for large turbomachinery structures experiencing high temperatures for long durations. There has been significant advancement in the research of modern alloys; furthermore, these materials are continue to be utilized in boilers, heat exchanger tubes, and throttle valve bodies in both turbomachinery and pressure-vessel/piping applications. The material 2.25Cr-1Mo is studied in the present work. The resistance of this alloy to deformation and damage under creep and/or fatigue at elevated temperatures make it appropriate …

Combustion Of 1,3-Butadiene Behind Reflected Shocks, Joseph Lopez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The chemical kinetics of 1,3-butadiene (1,3-C4H6) are important because 1,3-butadiene is a major intermediate during the combustion of real fuels. However, there is only limited information on the chemical kinetics of 1,3-butadiene combustion, which has applications in several combustion schemes that are currently being developed, including spark-assisted homogeneous charge compression ignition and fuel reformate exhaust gas recirculation. In the present work, the ignition delay times of 1,3-butadiene mixtures has been investigated using pressure data. Oxidation of 1,3-butadiene/oxygen mixtures diluted in argon or nitrogen at equivalence ratios (Φ) of 0.3 behind reflected shock waves has been studied at temperatures ranging from …

Simultaneous Imaging Of The Diatomic Carbon And Methylidyne Species Radicals For The Quantification Of The Fuel To Air Ratio From Low To High Pressure Combustion, Jonathan Reyes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The radical intensity ratio of the diatomic carbon to methylidyne was characterized at initial pressures up to 10 bar using certified gasoline of 93% octane. This gasoline was selected due to its availability as a common fuel. The characterization of the radical intensity ratio of gasoline at elevated pressures enabled the creation of a calibration map of the equivalence ratio at engine relevant conditions. The proposed calibration map acts as a feedback loop for a combustor. It allows for the location of local rich and lean zones. The local information acquired can be used as an optimization parameter for injection …

Atmospheric Entry, Dillon A. Martin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The development of atmospheric entry guidance methods is crucial to achieving the requirements for future missions to Mars; however, many missions implement a unique controller which are spacecraft specific. Here we look at the implementation of neural networks as a baseline controller that will work for a variety of different spacecraft. To accomplish this, a simulation is developed and validated with the Apollo controller. A feedforward neural network controller is then analyzed and compared to the Apollo case.

Timoshenko Beam Viscous Damping Model For Spacecraft Cabling Dynamics, Brandi Mcpherson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing data handling and power requirements of today's spacecraft, accurately modeling the effects of cabling on spacecraft structural dynamics has become an increasingly important part of the design process. During testing, spacecraft cabling produces a damping effect on the system dynamics; however, current models often overpredict this response in higher frequency modes and produce unrealistic damping values. Previous models incorporated structural and viscous damping terms into Euler-Bernoulli and shear beams; this thesis presents a viscous damping model for Timoshenko beams that can accurately capture the effects of both spacecraft wiring and harnesses during the design phase. Damping in …

Analytical Strip Method For Thin Cylindrical Shells, John T. Perkins

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The Analytical Strip Method (ASM) for the analysis of thin cylindrical shells is presented in this dissertation. The system of three governing differential equations for the cylindrical shell are reduced to a single eighth order partial differential equation (PDE) in terms of a potential function. The PDE is solved as a single series form of the potential function, from which the displacement and force quantities are determined. The solution is applicable to isotropic, generally orthotropic, and laminated shells. Cylinders may have simply supported edges, clamped edges, free edges, or edges supported by isotropic beams. The cylindrical shell can be stiffened …

Data-Driven Adaptive Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes K - Ω Models For Turbulent Flow-Field Simulations, Zhiyong Li

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

The data-driven adaptive algorithms are explored as a means of increasing the accuracy of Reynolds-averaged turbulence models. This dissertation presents two new data-driven adaptive computational models for simulating turbulent flow, where partial-but-incomplete measurement data is available. These models automatically adjust (i.e., adapts) the closure coefficients of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) k-ω turbulence equations to improve agreement between the simulated flow and a set of prescribed measurement data.

The first approach is the data-driven adaptive RANS k-ω (D-DARK) model. It is validated with three canonical flow geometries: pipe flow, the backward-facing step, and flow around an airfoil. For all 3 test …

Autonomous Quadrotor Collision Avoidance And Destination Seeking In A Gps-Denied Environment, Thomas C. Kirven

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

This thesis presents a real-time autonomous guidance and control method for a quadrotor in a GPS-denied environment. The quadrotor autonomously seeks a destination while it avoids obstacles whose shape and position are initially unknown. We implement the obstacle avoidance and destination seeking methods using off-the-shelf sensors, including a vision-sensing camera. The vision-sensing camera detects the positions of points on the surface of obstacles. We use this obstacle position data and a potential-field method to generate velocity commands. We present a backstepping controller that uses the velocity commands to generate the quadrotor's control inputs. In indoor experiments, we demonstrate that the …

Characterization Of Mechanical Properties In Nanoparticle Reinforced Hybrid Carbon Fiber Composites Using Photoluminescence Piezospectroscopy, Sanjida Jahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Carbon fiber composites have become popular in aerospace structures and applications due to their light weight, high strength, and high performance. Hybrid carbon fiber reinforced polymer (HCFRP) composites with alumina nanoparticles reinforcement display improved material properties such as fracture toughness, resistance to crack propagation and improved fatigue life. However, homogeneous dispersion of nanoscale materials in the matrix is important for even distribution of the improved properties. Implementing silane coupling agents (SCAs) improves dispersion by acting as a bridge between organic and inorganic materials, which increases interfacial strength and decreases sedimentation by bonding the particulate filler to the fiber reinforcement. This …

Development And Implementation Of A Streamlined Process For The Creation And Mechanization Of Negative Poisson's Ratio Meso-Scale Patterns, Matthew Shuler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the development a streamlined process used to create novel meso-scale pattern used to induce negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) behavior at the bulk scale. This process includes, the development, optimization, and implementation of a candidate pattern. Currently, the majority of NPR structures are too porous to be utilized in conventional applications. For others, manufacturing methods have yet to realize the meso-scale pattern. Consequently, new NPR meta-materials must be developed in order to confer transformative thermomechanical responses to structures where transverse expansion is more desirable than contraction. For example, materials at high temperature. Additionally, patterns that take into …

Modeling Of Flow Generated Sound In A Constricted Duct At Low Mach Number Flow, Peshala Thibbotuwawa Gamage

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Modelling flow and acoustics in a constricted duct at low Mach numbers is important for investigating many physiological phenomena such as phonation, generation of arterial murmurs, and pulmonary conditions involving airway obstruction. The objective of this study is to validate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational aero-acoustics (CAA) simulations in a constricted tube at low Mach numbers. Different turbulence models were employed to simulate the flow field. Models included Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS), Detached eddy simulation (DES) and Large eddy simulation (LES). The models were validated by comparing study results with laser doppler anemometry (LDA) velocity measurements. The comparison showed …

Aerodynamic Design Of A Rectangular Wing In Subsonic Inviscid Flow By Surrogate-Based Optimization, Xiaosong Du, Anand Amrit, Andrew Thelen, Leifur Leifsson, Yu Zhang, Zhong Hua Han, Slawomir Koziel

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The paper presents results of aerodynamic design of a rectangular wing in subsonic inviscid flow using surrogate-based local and global search algorithms. The aerodynamic design problem is formulated in Benchmark Cases 3 and 6 developed by the AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Discussion Group. Both involve lift-constrained drag minimization at a Mach number of 0.5 with relatively low lift coefficients (0.2625 and 0.375) with several nonlinear constraints and a small number design variables (up to 15). In this work, the local search is performed using variable-fidelity modelling and output space mapping, whereas the global search is performed using approximation-based surrogates. The paper …

Aerodynamic Design Of The Rae 2822 In Transonic Viscous Flow: Single- And Multi-Objective Optimization Studies, Anand Amrit, Xiaosong Du, Andrew Thelen, Leifur Leifsson, Slawomir Koziel

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper addresses a benchmark aerodynamic design problem proposed by the AIAA Aerodynamic Design Optimization Discussion Group: Drag minimization of the RAE 2822 in transonic viscous flow at a fixed lift coefficient with constraints on the pitching moment coefficient and the cross-sectional area. The single-objective optimization (SOO) problem is solved using surrogate-based optimization (SBO) with the surrogates constructed through output space mapping and variable-resolution Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics models. Improving the implementation of our search algorithms enabled us to obtain the SOO optimal design four times faster than in our prior work in terms of CPU time. To explore …

Airfoil Design Under Uncertainty Using Non-Intrusive Polynomial Chaos Theory And Utility Functions, Xiaosong Du, Leifur Leifsson, Slawomir Koziel, Adrian Bekasiewicz

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fast and accurate airfoil design under uncertainty using non-intrusive polynomial chaos (NIPC) expansions and utility functions is proposed. The NIPC expansions provide a means to efficiently and accurately compute statistical information for a given set of input variables with associated probability distribution. Utility functions provide a way to rigorously formulate the design problem. In this work, these two methods are integrated for the design of airfoil shapes under uncertainty. The proposed approach is illustrated on a numerical example of lift-constrained airfoil drag minimization in transonic viscous flow using the Mach number as an uncertain variable. The results show that compared …

Molecular Simulation Of Steady-State Evaporation And Condensation: Validity Of The Schrage Relationships, Zhi Liang, Thierry Biben, Pawel Keblinski

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Accuracy, or Even the Validity, of the Schrage Relationships Expressing the Rate of Evaporation and Condensation in Terms of Local Interfacial Thermodynamics Properties and the Mass Accommodation Coefficient is a Subject of Significant Discussion. in This Work, We Carry Out Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations of Evaporation and Condensation of Fluid Ar in a Nanochannel. by Adjusting the Temperature Difference, ΔT, between the Evaporating and Condensing Surfaces, We Control the Steady-State Evaporation and Condensation Fluxes (JMD). We Find that Across a Wide ΔT Range Studied, JMD is Always in Excellent Agreement with the Prediction from the Exact Schrage Relationships. Furthermore, …

Probabilistic Analysis And Verification Framework For Adaptive Flight Control, Mario Luca Fravolini, Tansel Yucelen, Marcello Napolitano

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A crucial aspect that could facilitate the applications of adaptive control systems in aerospace applications is the development of effective validation and verification procedures. Most of the existing analysis and design frameworks for adaptive controllers are based on the Lyapunov direct method. One well-known drawback of this approach is the conservatism in the estimation of the uniform ultimate boundedness region with little practical utility. To overcome this limitation, a probabilistic framework for the design of uniform ultimate boundedness regions is proposed where uncertain parameters and adaptive controls are considered as random variables. In this framework, the design is translated into …