Engineering topics

Merrill, Walter C.

Publications and source records attributed to Merrill, Walter C..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS1995

Controls concepts for next generation reuseable rocket engines

Three primary issues will drive the design and control used in next generation reuseable rocket engines. In addition to steady-state and dynamic performance, the requirements for increased durability, reliability and operability (with faults) will dictate which new controls and design technologies and features will be brought to bear. An array of concepts which have been brought forward will be tested against the measures of cost and benefit as reflected in the above 'ilities'. This paper examines some of the new concepts and looks for metrics to judge their value.

Lorenzo, Carl F.↗

NASA NTRS1994

An Object-Oriented Graphical User Interface for a Reusable Rocket Engine Intelligent Control System

An intelligent control system for reusable rocket engines under development at NASA Lewis Research Center requires a graphical user interface to allow observation of the closed-loop system in operation. The simulation testbed consists of a real-time engine simulation computer, a controls computer, and several auxiliary computers for diagnostics and coordination. The system is set up so that the simulation computer could be replaced by the real engine and the change would be transparent to the control system. Because of the hard real-time requirement of the control computer, putting a graphical user interface on it was not an option. Thus, a separate computer used strictly for the graphical user interface was warranted. An object-oriented LISP-based graphical user interface has been developed on a Texas Instruments Explorer 2+ to indicate the condition of the engine to the observer through plots, animation, interactive graphics, and text.

Litt, Jonathan S.↗

NASA NTRS1993

More About Detecting Sensor Failures In A Turbofan Engine

Advanced Detection, Isolation, and Accommodation (ADIA) algorithm helps digital electronic multivariable-control system of advanced turbofan engine cope with failures of sensors in real time. Algorithm includes four major elements: hard-sensor-failure detection-and-isolation logic, soft-sensor-failure detection-and-isolation logic, accommodation filter, and interface switch matrix.

Delaat, John C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Neuromorphic Learning From Noisy Data

Two reports present numerical study of performance of feedforward neural network trained by back-propagation algorithm in learning continuous-valued mappings from data corrupted by noise. Two types of noise considered: plant noise which affects dynamics of controlled process and data-processing noise, which occurs during analog processing and digital sampling of signals. Study performed with view toward use of neural networks as neurocontrollers to substitute for, or enhance, performances of human experts in controlling mechanical devices in presence of sensor and actuator noise and to enhance performances of more-conventional digital feedback electronic process controllers in noisy environments.

Merrill, Walter C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Screening studies of advanced control concepts for airbreathing engines

The application of advanced control concepts to airbreathing engines may yield significant improvements in aircraft/engine performance and operability. Accordingly, the NASA Lewis Research Center has conducted screening studies of advanced control concepts for airbreathing engines to determine their potential impact on turbine engine performance and operability. The purpose of the studies was to identify concepts which offered high potential yet may incur high research and development risk. A target suite of proposed concepts was formulated by NASA and industry. These concepts were evaluated in a two phase study to quantify each concept's impact on desired engine characteristics. To aid in the evaluation, three target aircraft/engine combinations were considered: a military high performance fighter mission, a high speed civil transport mission, and a civil tiltrotor mission. Each of the advanced control concepts considered in the study were defined and described. The concept's potential impact on engine performance was determined. Relevant figures of merit on which to evaluate the concepts were also determined. Finally, the concepts were ranked with respect to the target aircraft/engine missions.

Ouzts, Peter J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Screening studies of advanced control concepts for airbreathing engines

Ouzts, Peter J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A demonstration of an intelligent control system for a reusable rocket engine

An Intelligent Control System for reusable rocket engines is under development at NASA Lewis Research Center. The primary objective is to extend the useful life of a reusable rocket propulsion system while minimizing between flight maintenance and maximizing engine life and performance through improved control and monitoring algorithms and additional sensing and actuation. This paper describes current progress towards proof-of-concept of an Intelligent Control System for the Space Shuttle Main Engine. A subset of identifiable and accommodatable engine failure modes is selected for preliminary demonstration. Failure models are developed retaining only first order effects and included in a simplified nonlinear simulation of the rocket engine for analysis under closed loop control. The engine level coordinator acts as an interface between the diagnostic and control systems, and translates thrust and mixture ratio commands dictated by mission requirements, and engine status (health) into engine operational strategies carried out by a multivariable control. Control reconfiguration achieves fault tolerance if the nominal (healthy engine) control cannot. Each of the aforementioned functionalities is discussed in the context of an example to illustrate the operation of the system in the context of a representative failure. A graphical user interface allows the researcher to monitor the Intelligent Control System and engine performance under various failure modes selected for demonstration.

Musgrave, Jeffrey L.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Damage-mitigating control of aerospace systems for high performance and extended life

The concept of damage-mitigating control is to minimize fatigue (as well as creep and corrosion) damage of critical components of mechanical structures while simultaneously maximizing the system dynamic performance. Given a dynamic model of the plant and the specifications for performance and stability robustness, the task is to synthesize a control law that would meet the system requirements and, at the same time, satisfy the constraints that are imposed by the material and structural properties of the critical components. The authors present the concept of damage-mitigating control systems design with the following objectives: (1) to achieve high performance with a prolonged life span; and (2) to systematically update the controller as the new technology of advanced materials evolves. The major challenge is to extract the information from the material properties and then utilize this information in a mathematical form so that it can be directly applied to robust control synthesis for mechanical systems. The basic concept of damage-mitigating control is illustrated using a relatively simplified model of a space shuttle main engine.

Ray, Asok↗

NASA NTRS1991

State space representation of the open-loop dynamics of the Space Shuttle Main Engine

A parameter and structure estimation technique for multivariable systems is used to obtain state space representation of open loop dynamics of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). The parameterization being used is both minimal and unique. The simplified linear models may be used for fault detection studies and control system design and development.

Duyar, Ahmet↗

NASA NTRS1991

Life extending control: An interdisciplinary engineering thrust

The concept of Life Extending Control (LEC) is introduced. Possible extensions to the cyclic damage prediction approach are presented based on the identification of a model from elementary forms. Several candidate elementary forms are presented. These extensions will result in a continuous or differential form of the damage prediction model. Two possible approaches to the LEC based on the existing cyclic damage prediction method, the measured variables LEC and the estimated variables LEC, are defined. Here, damage estimates or measurements would be used directly in the LEC. A simple hydraulic actuator driven position control system example is used to illustrate the main ideas behind LEC. Results from a simple hydraulic actuator example demonstrate that overall system performance (dynamic plus life) can be maximized by accounting for component damage in the control design.

Lorenzo, Carl F.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Turbofan engine demonstration of sensor failure detection

In the paper, the results of a full-scale engine demonstration of a sensor failure detection algorithm are presented. The algorithm detects, isolates, and accommodates sensor failures using analytical redundancy. The experimental hardware, including the F100 engine, is described. Demonstration results were obtained over a large portion of a typical flight envelope for the F100 engine. They include both subsonic and supersonic conditions at both medium and full, nonafter burning, power. Estimated accuracy, minimum detectable levels of sensor failures, and failure accommodation performance for an F100 turbofan engine control system are discussed.

Merrill, Walter C.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Life extending control: A concept paper

The concept of Life Extending Control is defined. Life is defined in terms of mechanical fatigue life. A brief description is given of the current approach to life prediction using a local, cyclic, stress-strain approach for a critical system component. An alternative approach to life prediction based on a continuous functional relationship to component performance is proposed.Base on cyclic life prediction an approach to Life Extending Control, called the Life Management Approach is proposed. A second approach, also based on cyclic life prediction, called the Implicit Approach, is presented. Assuming the existence of the alternative functional life prediction approach, two additional concepts for Life Extending Control are presented.

Lorenzo, Carl F.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Alpha-canonical form representation of the open loop dynamics of the Space Shuttle main engine

A parameter and structure estimation technique for multivariable systems is used to obtain a state space representation of open loop dynamics of the space shuttle main engine in alpha-canonical form. The parameterization being used is both minimal and unique. The simplified linear model may be used for fault detection studies and control system design and development.

Duyar, Almet↗

NASA NTRS1991

Neural network application to aircraft control system design

The feasibility of using artificial neural networks as control systems for modern, complex aerospace vehicles is investigated via an example aircraft control design study. The problem considered is that of designing a controller for an integrated airframe/propulsion longitudinal dynamics model of a modern fighter aircraft to provide independent control of pitch rate and airspeed responses to pilot command inputs. An explicit model following controller using H infinity control design techniques is first designed to gain insight into the control problem as well as to provide a baseline for evaluation of the neurocontroller. Using the model of the desired dynamics as a command generator, a multilayer feedforward neural network is trained to control the vehicle model within the physical limitations of the actuator dynamics. This is achieved by minimizing an objective function which is a weighted sum of tracking errors and control input commands and rates. To gain insight in the neurocontrol, linearized representations of the nonlinear neurocontroller are analyzed along a commanded trajectory. Linear robustness analysis tools are then applied to the linearized neurocontroller models and to the baseline H infinity based controller. Future areas of research are identified to enhance the practical applicability of neural networks to flight control design.

Troudet, Terry↗

NASA NTRS1991

An intelligent control system for rocket engines - Need, vision, and issues

Several components of intelligence are defined. Within the context of these definitions an intelligent control system for rocket engines is described. The description includes a framework for development of an intelligent control system, including diagnostics, coordination, and direct control. Some current results and issues are presented.

Lorenzo, Carl F.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Neural network application to aircraft control system design

The feasibility of using artificial neural network as control systems for modern, complex aerospace vehicles is investigated via an example aircraft control design study. The problem considered is that of designing a controller for an integrated airframe/propulsion longitudinal dynamics model of a modern fighter aircraft to provide independent control of pitch rate and airspeed responses to pilot command inputs. An explicit model following controller using H infinity control design techniques is first designed to gain insight into the control problem as well as to provide a baseline for evaluation of the neurocontroller. Using the model of the desired dynamics as a command generator, a multilayer feedforward neural network is trained to control the vehicle model within the physical limitations of the actuator dynamics. This is achieved by minimizing an objective function which is a weighted sum of tracking errors and control input commands and rates. To gain insight in the neurocontrol, linearized representations of the nonlinear neurocontroller are analyzed along a commanded trajectory. Linear robustness analysis tools are then applied to the linearized neurocontroller models and to the baseline H infinity based controller. Future areas of research identified to enhance the practical applicability of neural networks to flight control design.

Troudet, Terry↗

NASA NTRS1991

Real-time fault diagnosis for propulsion systems

Current research toward real time fault diagnosis for propulsion systems at NASA-Lewis is described. The research is being applied to both air breathing and rocket propulsion systems. Topics include fault detection methods including neural networks, system modeling, and real time implementations.

Merrill, Walter C.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Life Extending Control

The concept of Life Extending Control is defined. Life is defined in terms of mechanical fatigue life. A brief description is given of the current approach to life prediction using a local, cyclic, stress-strain approach for a critical system component. An alternative approach to life prediction based on a continuous functional relationship to component performance is proposed. Based on cyclic life prediction, an approach to life extending control, called the Life Management Approach, is proposed. A second approach, also based on cyclic life prediction, called the implicit approach, is presented. Assuming the existence of the alternative functional life prediction approach, two additional concepts for Life Extending Control are presented.

Lorenzo, Carl F.↗