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Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

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Articles 871 - 900 of 1287

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Self-Tuned Projected Cross Point -- An Improved Current-Mode Control Technique, Kai-Tak Wan, Mehdi Ferdowsi Jul 2008

Self-Tuned Projected Cross Point -- An Improved Current-Mode Control Technique, Kai-Tak Wan, Mehdi Ferdowsi

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Self-tuned projected cross point control for power electronic converters is introduced. Projected cross point control (PCPC) combines the advantages of both analog and digital current-mode control techniques. Despite several advantages, accuracy of the PCPC method depends on the power stage inductor value. However, ferromagnetic characteristics of the inductor core material make the inductor measurement inaccurate. Furthermore, the inductor value is subject to change due to temperature variations or other environmental effects. To overcome the dependence of the PCPC method on the inductor value, self- tuned PCPC approach is introduced in this paper. Unlike the conventional PCPC scheme, self-tuned PCPC method …

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A New Contour Reconstruction Approach From Dexel Data In Virtual Sculpting, Kemal Yuksek, Weihan Zhang, Boryslaw Iwo Ridzalski, Ming-Chuan Leu Jul 2008

A New Contour Reconstruction Approach From Dexel Data In Virtual Sculpting, Kemal Yuksek, Weihan Zhang, Boryslaw Iwo Ridzalski, Ming-Chuan Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a novel method of contour reconstruction from dexel data solving the shape anomalies for the complex geometry in virtual sculpting. Grouping and traversing processes are developed to find connectivity between dexels along every two adjacent rays. After traveling through all the rays on one slice, sub-boundaries are connected into full boundaries which are desired contours. The complexity of the new method has been investigated and determined as O(n). We also demonstrate the ability of the described method for viewing a sculpted model from different directions.

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Sulphur-Tolerant Anode For Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, David J. Bayless, Jason P. Trembly Jun 2008

Sulphur-Tolerant Anode For Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, David J. Bayless, Jason P. Trembly

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An anode for a solid oxide fuel cell. The anode is not harmed by sulfur-containing compounds, nor is its resistance increased thereby. The anode has two layers, including a “protective” layer (A) and a layer (B) that oxidizes molecular hydrogen The protective layer has a diffusion rate for molecular hydrogen that exceeds its diffusion rate for sulfur-containing compounds, and has an oxidation rate for sulfur-containing compounds that exceeds its oxidation rate for molecular hydrogen. The first anode layer can be selected fro the group of Lanthanum Strontium Titanate (LST) and Lanthanum Strontium Vanadate (LSV), and the second anode layer is …

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Frequency Domain Analysis And Design Of Iterative Learning Control For Systems With Stochastic Disturbances, Douglas A. Bristow Jun 2008

Frequency Domain Analysis And Design Of Iterative Learning Control For Systems With Stochastic Disturbances, Douglas A. Bristow

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this work we examine the performance of iterative learning control (ILC) for systems with non-repeating disturbances and random noise. Single-input, single- output linear time-invariant systems and iteration-invariant learning filters are considered. We find that a tradeoff exists between the convergence rate and converged error spectrum. Optimal filter designs, which are dependant on the disturbance and noise spectra, are developed. We also present simple design guidelines for the case when explicit models of disturbance and noise spectra are not available. A numerical design example is presented.

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Formation Control Of Car-Like Mobile Robots: A Lyapunov Function Based Approach, S. A. Panimadai Ramaswamy, S. N. Balakrishnan Jun 2008

Formation Control Of Car-Like Mobile Robots: A Lyapunov Function Based Approach, S. A. Panimadai Ramaswamy, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In literature leader - follower strategy has been used extensively for formation control of car-like mobile robots with the control law being derived from the kinematics. This paper takes it a step further and a nonlinear control law is derived using Lyapunov analysis for formation control of car-like mobile robots using robot dynamics. Controller is split into two parts. The first part is the development of a velocity controller for the follower from the error kinematics (linear and angular). The second part involves the use of the dynamics of the robot in the development of a torque controller for both …

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Weighting Matrix Design For Robust Monotonic Convergence In Norm Optimal Iterative Learning Control, Douglas A. Bristow Jun 2008

Weighting Matrix Design For Robust Monotonic Convergence In Norm Optimal Iterative Learning Control, Douglas A. Bristow

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper we examine the robustness of norm optimal ILC with quadratic cost criterion for discrete-time, linear time-invariant, single-input single-output systems. A bounded multiplicative uncertainty model is used to describe the uncertain system and a sufficient condition for robust monotonic convergence is developed. We find that, for sufficiently large uncertainty, the performance weighting can not be selected arbitrarily large, and thus overall performance is limited. To maximize available performance, a time-frequency design methodology is presented to shape the weighting matrix based on the initial tracking error. The design is applied to a nanopositioning system and simulation results are presented.

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Optimal Neuro-Controller Synthesis For Variable-Time Impulse Driven Systems, Xiaohua Wang, S. N. Balakrishnan Jun 2008

Optimal Neuro-Controller Synthesis For Variable-Time Impulse Driven Systems, Xiaohua Wang, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper develops a systematic scheme to solve for the optimal controls of variable time impulsive systems. First, the optimality conditions for variable time impulse driven systems are derived using the calculus of variation. After wards, a neural network based adaptive critic method is proposed to numerically solve the two-point boundary value problems formulated based on the optimality conditions derived. Finally, two examples - one linear and one nonlinear - are presented to illustrate the conditions derived and to show the power of the neural network based adaptive critic method proposed.

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Design Of A Linear Time-Varying Cross-Coupled Iterative Learning Controller, K. L. Barton, Douglas A. Bristow, Andrew G. Alleyne Jun 2008

Design Of A Linear Time-Varying Cross-Coupled Iterative Learning Controller, K. L. Barton, Douglas A. Bristow, Andrew G. Alleyne

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In many manufacturing applications contour tracking is more important than individual axis tracking. Many control techniques, including iterative learning control (ILC), target individual axis error. Because individual axis error only indirectly relates to contour error, these approaches may not be very effective for contouring applications. Cross-coupled ILC (CCILC) is a variation on traditional ILC that targets the contour tracking directly. In contour trajectories with rapid changes, high frequency control is necessary in order to meet tracking requirements. This paper presents an improved CCILC that uses a linear time-varying (LTV) filter to provide high frequency control for short durations. The improved …

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Optimal Controller Synthesis Of Variable-Time Impulsive Problems Using Single Network Adaptive Critics, Xiaohua Wang, S. N. Balakrishnan Jun 2008

Optimal Controller Synthesis Of Variable-Time Impulsive Problems Using Single Network Adaptive Critics, Xiaohua Wang, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a systematic approach to solve for the optimal control of a variable-time impulsive system. First, optimality condition for a variable-time impulsive system is derived using the calculus of variations method. Next, a single network adaptive critic technique is proposed to numerically solve for the optimal control and the detailed algorithm is presented. Finally, two examples-one linear and one nonlinear-are solved applying the conditions derived and the algorithm proposed. Numerical results demonstrate the power of the neural network based adaptive critic method in solving this class of problems.

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Mixing Effectiveness Of Various Damper-Plenum Configurations, Harry J. Sauer, Pankaj Hande, Fathi Finaish Apr 2008

Mixing Effectiveness Of Various Damper-Plenum Configurations, Harry J. Sauer, Pankaj Hande, Fathi Finaish

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Improper mixing of outside air and return air streams in building air conditioning systems has been recognized for years. The problems may lead to nuisance cycling, frequent freeze-stat trips and serious consequences of a frozen or ruptured conditioning coil. It was thought that typical solutions for the problem usually consist of preferred placement of outside air and return air duct penetrations to the mixing box, manipulation of the inlet damper angles and velocity ratio between the outside air and return air streams and the insertion of static flow mixers in the mixing box to help improve the thermal stratification. This …

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Monotonic Convergence Of Iterative Learning Control For Uncertain Systems Using A Time-Varying Filter, Douglas A. Bristow, Andrew G. Alleyne Mar 2008

Monotonic Convergence Of Iterative Learning Control For Uncertain Systems Using A Time-Varying Filter, Douglas A. Bristow, Andrew G. Alleyne

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Iterative learning control (ILC) is a learning technique used to improve the performance of systems that execute the same task multiple times. Learning transient behavior has emerged as an important topic in the design and analysis of ILC systems. In practice, the learning control is often low-pass filtered with a ldquoQ-filterrdquo to prevent transient growth, at the cost of performance. In this note, we consider linear time-invariant, discrete-time, single-input single-output systems, and convert frequency-domain uncertainty models to a time-domain representation for analysis. We then develop robust monotonic convergence conditions, which depend directly on the choice of the Q-filter and are …

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Projected Cross Point -- A New Average Current-Mode Control Approach, Kai-Tak Wan, Mehdi Ferdowsi Feb 2008

Projected Cross Point -- A New Average Current-Mode Control Approach, Kai-Tak Wan, Mehdi Ferdowsi

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Projected cross point, a new current-mode control technique, is introduced and analyzed in this paper. Despite having an analog nature, the proposed method combines the advantages of both analog and digital control techniques. Unlike the conventional analog control methods, it accurately controls the average value of the inductor current with no need to a current compensator or an external ramp. In addition, while resembling the deadbeat characteristics of digital controllers, projected cross point control does not suffer from computational time delay, limit cycling, and quantization and truncation errors. Dynamic performance of the proposed approach is compared with the existing control …

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Efficient Uncertainty Quantification Applied To The Aeroelastic Analysis Of A Transonic Wing, Serhat Hosder, Robert W. Walters, Michael Balch Jan 2008

Efficient Uncertainty Quantification Applied To The Aeroelastic Analysis Of A Transonic Wing, Serhat Hosder, Robert W. Walters, Michael Balch

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The application of a Point-Collocation Non-Intrusive Polynomial Chaos method to the uncertainty quantification of a stochastic transonic aeroelastic wing problem has been demonstrated. The variation in the transient response of the first aeroelastic mode of a three-dimensional wing in transonic flow due to the uncertainty in free-stream Mach number and angle of attack was studied. A curve-fitting procedure was used to obtain time-independent parameterization of the transient aeroelastic responses. Among the uncertain parameters that characterize the time-dependent transients, the damping factor was chosen for uncertainty quantification, since this parameter can be thought as an indicator for flutter. Along with the …

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Nonlinear H(Infinity) Missile Longitudinal Autopilot Design With Theta-D Method, Ming Xin, S. N. Balakrishnan Jan 2008

Nonlinear H(Infinity) Missile Longitudinal Autopilot Design With Theta-D Method, Ming Xin, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, a new nonlinear H 1 control technique, called μ¡D H 1 method, is employed to design a missile longitudinal autopilot. The μ ¡D H 1 design has the same structure as that of linear H 1 , except that the two Riccati equations that are part of the solution process are state dependent. The μ ¡D technique yields suboptimal solutions to nonlinear optimal control problems in the sense that it provides an approximate solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation. It is also shown that this method can be used to provide an approximate closed-form solution to the …

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Discussion And Analysis Of Missile Igc Design, Michael W. Dancer, S. N. Balakrishnan, Ernest J. Ohlmeyer Jan 2008

Discussion And Analysis Of Missile Igc Design, Michael W. Dancer, S. N. Balakrishnan, Ernest J. Ohlmeyer

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Missile intercept systems used in the next generation missile defense system will require extremely accurate performance of all component systems. Such systems will need to guarantee successful intercept of highly maneuvering targets. as a result, such interceptor systems require much greater performance in its guidance, control, and estimation subsystems. in order to develop systems that meet the required accuracies, integrated guidance and control (IGC) systems are currently being studied. These IGC architectures infuse the guidance and control systems into a single framework thereby promoting natural synergy among the missile subsystems. Previous work in this area has relied on missile body-Based …

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Micromachined Nanoporous Membranes For Blood Oxygenation Systems, Vijayakrishnan Ambravaneswaran, Susheil Uttamaraj, Zeynep Çelik-Butler, Robert C. Eberhart, Charles J. Chuong, Richard E. Billo, Michael A. Savitt Jan 2008

Micromachined Nanoporous Membranes For Blood Oxygenation Systems, Vijayakrishnan Ambravaneswaran, Susheil Uttamaraj, Zeynep Çelik-Butler, Robert C. Eberhart, Charles J. Chuong, Richard E. Billo, Michael A. Savitt

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nanostructured membranes with precisely engineered nanopores were fabricated on a thin silicon nitride membrane, using a combination of bulk micromachining and focused-ion-beam drilling. These membranes are designed to preserve microscale blood channel dimensions, thereby permitting the red cell shape change that enhances gas exchange in the pulmonary capillary. The membranes were tested for their mechanical stability and the results were verified with finite element analysis. Initial studies have proven the membranes to be robust, and capable of withstanding pressures typically experienced in blood oxygenator channels. A novel MEMS-based blood oxygenation system employing the nanoporous membranes is also presented. The oxygenation …

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Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Inverters -- A Reexamination, Jingsheng Liao, Kai-Tak Wan, Mehdi Ferdowsi Sep 2007

Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Inverters -- A Reexamination, Jingsheng Liao, Kai-Tak Wan, Mehdi Ferdowsi

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Multilevel converters have gained popularity in high-power applications due to their low switch voltage stress and modularity. Cascaded H-bridge converters are a promising breed of multilevel converters which generally require several independent dc sources. Recently, existence of a redundant switching state has been utilized to replace the independent voltage sources with capacitors except for the one with the highest voltage level. Redundancy in the charge and discharge modes of the capacitors is assumed to be adequate for their voltage regulation. However, output current of the inverter as well as the time duration of the redundant switching states have been neglected. …

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Analysis Of One-Dimensional And Two-Dimensional Thin Film "Pull-In" Phenomena Under The Influence Of An Electrostatic Potential, Gang Duan, Kai-Tak Wan Sep 2007

Analysis Of One-Dimensional And Two-Dimensional Thin Film "Pull-In" Phenomena Under The Influence Of An Electrostatic Potential, Gang Duan, Kai-Tak Wan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A thin one-dimensional rectangular or two-dimensional axisymmetric film is clamped at the perimeter. an electrostatic potential (V*0) applied to a pad directly underneath the film leads to a "pull-in" phenomenon. the electromagnetic energy stored in the capacitive film-pad dielectric gap is decoupled from the mechanical deformation of the film using the Dugdale-Barenblatt-Maugis cohesive zone approximation. the ratio of film-pad gap (g) to film thickness (h), or γ=g/h, is found to play a crucial role in the electromechanical behavior of the film. Solution spanning a wide range of y is found such that V*0 ∝ γ3/2 for …

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Modeling And Simulation Of A Laser Deposition Process, Frank W. Liou, Zhiqiang Fan, Heng Pan, Kevin P. Slattery, Mary Kinsella, Joseph William Newkirk, Hsin-Nan Chou Aug 2007

Modeling And Simulation Of A Laser Deposition Process, Frank W. Liou, Zhiqiang Fan, Heng Pan, Kevin P. Slattery, Mary Kinsella, Joseph William Newkirk, Hsin-Nan Chou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A laser deposition process involves the supply of metallic powders into a laser-heated spot where the powder is melted and forms a melt puddle which quickly solidifies into a bead. In order to design an effective system, the laser beam, the powder beam, and their interactions need to be fully understood. In this paper, the laser-material interaction within the melt pool is reported using a multi-scale model: A macroscopic model to model mass, heat, and momentum transfer. Experiments were also conducted to validate the simulation model.

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Numerical Simulation Of The Evolution Of Solidification Microstructure In Laser Deposition, Zhiqiang Fan, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou, Anand Jambunathan, Yaxin Bao, Jianzhong Ruan, Joseph William Newkirk Aug 2007

Numerical Simulation Of The Evolution Of Solidification Microstructure In Laser Deposition, Zhiqiang Fan, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou, Anand Jambunathan, Yaxin Bao, Jianzhong Ruan, Joseph William Newkirk

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A predictive model is developed to simulate the evolution of the solidification microstructure during the laser deposition process. The microstructure model is coupled with a comprehensive macroscopic thermodynamic model. This model simulates dendritic grain structures and morphological evolution in solidification. Based on the cellular automata approach, this microstructure model takes into account the heterogeneous nucleation both within the melt pool and at the substrate/melt interface, the growth kinetics, and preferential growth directions of dendrites. Both diffusion and convection effects are included. This model enables prediction and visualization of grain structures during and after the deposition process. This model is applied …

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Aqueous-Based Extrusion Fabrication Of Ceramics On Demand, Michael S. Mason, Tieshu Huang, Robert G. Landers, Ming-Chuan Leu, Greg Hilmas, Michael W. Hayes Aug 2007

Aqueous-Based Extrusion Fabrication Of Ceramics On Demand, Michael S. Mason, Tieshu Huang, Robert G. Landers, Ming-Chuan Leu, Greg Hilmas, Michael W. Hayes

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Aqueous-Based Extrusion Fabrication is an additive manufacturing technique that extrudes ceramic slurries of high solids loading layer by layer for part fabrication. The material reservoir in a previously developed system has been modified to allow for starting and stopping of extrusion process on demand. Design pros and cons are examined and a comparison between two material reservoir designs is made. Tests were conducted to determine the optimal deposition parameters for starting and stopping of the extrudate on demand. The collected test data is used to create a process model that describes the relationship between ram velocity and material extrusion rate. …

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Design Of Embedded Resistance Heating Element Using Rapid Manufacturing Process, Ravi Philip, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou Aug 2007

Design Of Embedded Resistance Heating Element Using Rapid Manufacturing Process, Ravi Philip, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper discusses the design of heating element suitable for embedding in a rapid manufacturing process. A specific pattern is built using the laser deposition Process available at the University of Missouri--Rolla. A resistance heating element which is then cast into place using a castable refractory material, which acts as an electrical insulator. An application of this technology is for preheating the substrate before direct metal deposition.

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Modeling And Validation Of Temperature And Concentration For Rapid Freeze Prototyping, Frances D. Bryant, Ming-Chuan Leu Aug 2007

Modeling And Validation Of Temperature And Concentration For Rapid Freeze Prototyping, Frances D. Bryant, Ming-Chuan Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rapid Freeze Prototyping is a solid freeform fabrication process that uses water as the main build material in a cold environment to create three-dimensional parts. A eutectic sugar-water solution (C6H12O6 – H2O) has been used as a sacrificial material in order to create complex 3D parts with features such as overhangs. A study of the interaction of the build and support materials is presented in this paper. The temperature of both materials during deposition and subsequent cooling is modeled using a semi-empirical model and a theoretical model. A concentration model is used to …

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Variable Powder Flow Rate Control In Laser Metal Deposition Processes, Lie Tang, Jianzhong Ruan, Robert G. Landers, Frank W. Liou Aug 2007

Variable Powder Flow Rate Control In Laser Metal Deposition Processes, Lie Tang, Jianzhong Ruan, Robert G. Landers, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper proposes a novel technique, called Variable Powder Flow Rate Control (VPFRC), for the regulation of powder flow rate in laser metal deposition processes. The idea of VPFRC is to adjust the powder flow rate to maintain a uniform powder deposition per unit length even when disturbances occur (e.g., the motion system accelerates and decelerates). Dynamic models of the powder delivery system motor and the powder transport system (i.e., five-meter pipe, powder dispenser, and cladding head) are first constructed. A general tracking controller is then designed to track variable powder flow rate references. Since the powder flow rate at …

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Thermocouple Embedding For The Production Of A Substrate For Rapid Manufacturing, Rana Gunaratnam, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou Aug 2007

Thermocouple Embedding For The Production Of A Substrate For Rapid Manufacturing, Rana Gunaratnam, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper reports the results of a set of experiments testing methods to embed thermocouples during laser deposition. Various operating settings and shielding materials are explored. Temperature readings of the embedded thermocouples are compared with surface temperature readings taken by a non-contact digital pyrometer during the deposition process. Also, possibilities of using this information for system control are discussed.

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Response To "Comment On 'Adhesion-Delamination Mechanics Of A Presented Rectangular Film Adhered Onto A Rigid Substrate' [J. Appl. Phys. 101, 024903 (2007)]", Kai-Tak Wan, Gang Duan Aug 2007

Response To "Comment On 'Adhesion-Delamination Mechanics Of A Presented Rectangular Film Adhered Onto A Rigid Substrate' [J. Appl. Phys. 101, 024903 (2007)]", Kai-Tak Wan, Gang Duan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

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Experimental Investigation Of Effect Of Environment Temperature On Freeze-Form Extrusion Fabrication, Xiyue Zhao, Michael S. Mason, Tieshu Huang, Ming-Chuan Leu, Robert G. Landers, Greg Hilmas, Samuel J. Easley, Michael W. Hayes Aug 2007

Experimental Investigation Of Effect Of Environment Temperature On Freeze-Form Extrusion Fabrication, Xiyue Zhao, Michael S. Mason, Tieshu Huang, Ming-Chuan Leu, Robert G. Landers, Greg Hilmas, Samuel J. Easley, Michael W. Hayes

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Freeze-form Extrusion Fabrication (FEF) is an additive manufacturing technique that extrudes ceramic loaded aqueous pastes layer by layer below the paste freezing temperature for component fabrication. A computer controlled 3-D gantry system has been developed for the FEF process. The system includes a temperature control subsystem that allows for fabrication of components below the paste freezing temperature. The low temperature environment allows for larger component fabrication. Comparisons in terms of layer thickness, self-sustaining ability, and system response were performed between 0⁰C and -20⁰C for alumina sample fabrications. The minimum deposition angles without use of support material have been determined for …

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Laser Deposition Cladding On-Line Inspection Using 3-D Scanner, Yu Yang, Todd E. Sparks, Jianzhong Ruan, Lan Ren, Frank W. Liou Aug 2007

Laser Deposition Cladding On-Line Inspection Using 3-D Scanner, Yu Yang, Todd E. Sparks, Jianzhong Ruan, Lan Ren, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Laser deposition directly deposits metal cladding to fabricate and repair components. In order to finish the fabrication or repair, 3-D shape of the deposition needs to be inspected, and thus it can be determined if it has sufficient cladding to fabricate a part after deposition process. In the present hybrid system in the Laser Aided Manufacturing Lab (LAMP) at the University of Missouri - Rolla, a CMM system is used to do the inspection. A CMM requires point-by-point contact, which is time consuming and difficult to plan for an irregular deposition geometry. Also, the CMM is a separate device, which …

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Cooperative Uav Formation Flying With Obstacle/Collision Avoidance, Xiaohua Wang, Vivek Yadav, S. N. Balakrishnan Jul 2007

Cooperative Uav Formation Flying With Obstacle/Collision Avoidance, Xiaohua Wang, Vivek Yadav, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Navigation problems of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) flying in a formation in a free and an obstacle-laden environment are investigated in this brief. when static obstacles popup during the flight, the UAVs are required to steer around them and also avoid collisions between each other. In order to achieve these goals, a new dual-mode control strategy is proposed: a “safe mode” is defined as an operation in an obstacle-free environment and a “danger mode” is activated when there is a chance of collision or when there are obstacles in the path. Safe mode achieves global optimization because the dynamics of …

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Control Methods In Dc-Dc Power Conversion -- A Comparative Study, Kai-Tak Wan, Jingsheng Liao, Mehdi Ferdowsi Jun 2007

Control Methods In Dc-Dc Power Conversion -- A Comparative Study, Kai-Tak Wan, Jingsheng Liao, Mehdi Ferdowsi

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Several control techniques for dc-dc power conversion and regulation have been studied in this paper. Analog approaches have briefly been described since the focus is the newly developed digital techniques. Principles of operation, advantages, and disadvantages of each control method have been described. Simulation results have been used to compare the performance and accuracy of digital control techniques.

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