Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “controller development”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12

Development of control systems for space shuttle vehicles, volume 1

Control of winged two-stage space shuttle vehicles was investigated. Control requirements were determined and systems capable of meeting these requirements were synthesized. Control requirements unique to shuttles were identified. It is shown that these requirements can be satisfied by conventional control logics. Linear gain schedule controllers predominate. Actuator saturations require nonlinear compensation in some of the control systems.

Stone, C. R.↗

Shuttle active thermal control system development testing. Volume 3: Modular radiator system test data correlation with thermal model

Results are presented of an analysis which compares the performance predictions of a thermal model of a multi-panel modular radiator system with thermal vacuum test data. Comparisons between measured and predicted individual panel outlet temperatures and pressure drops and system outlet temperatures have been made over the full range of heat loads, environments and plumbing arrangements expected for the shuttle radiators. Both two sided and one sided radiation have been included. The model predictions show excellent agreement with the test data for the maximum design conditions of high load and hot environment. Predictions under minimum design conditions of low load-cold environments indicate good agreement with the measured data, but evaluation of low load predictions should consider the possibility of parallel flow instabilities due to main system freezing. Performance predictions under intermediate conditions in which the majority of the flow is not in either the main or prime system are adequate although model improvements in this area may be desired. The primary modeling objective of providing an analytical technique for performance predictions of a multi-panel radiator system under the design conditions has been met.

Phillips, M. A.↗

Shuttle active thermal control system development testing. Volume 6: Water ejector plume tests

Results are given of vacuum testing of nozzles designed to eject water vapor away from the space shuttle to prevent contamination of the spacecraft surfaces and payload. The water vapor is generated by an active cooling system which evaporates excess fuel cell water to supplement a modular radiator system (MRS). The complete heat rejection system including the MRS, flash evaporator or sublimator and nozzle were first tested to demonstrate the system operational characteristics. The plume tests were performed in two phases and the objectives of this test series were: (1) to determine the effectiveness of a supersonic nozzle and a plugged nozzle in minimizing impingement upon the spacecraft of water vapor exhausted by an active device (flash evaporator or sublimator); and (2) to obtain basic data on the flow fields of exhaust plumes generated by these active devices, both with and without nozzles installed.

Mcginnis, F. K.↗

Shuttle active thermal control system development testing. Volume 8: Tube anomaly investigation

A modular radiator system projected for use on the space shuttle has been tested. During thermal vacuum testing of the radiator panels leaks developed in the coolant fluid tubes containing the Freon 21 refrigerant. An analysis of thermal vacuum test conditions revealed that the test anomaly consisted of trapped Freon 21 fluid between frozen tube corners colder than the remainder of the panel. The trapped fluid expanded on further warming, causing high pressures to develop in the tubes. The pressure was sufficient to induce tube ruptures. Metallurgical analysis showed that concentric extrusion holes and heat treatment of the aluminum alloy to the -T6 condition would have prevented the ruptures. Thermal analysis indicates that attaching the tube corners to the radiator fin could eliminate the fluid trapping.

Reed, M. W.↗

Environmental control system development for manned spacecraft 1960-1973

This paper provides an overview of the development of environmental revitalization techniques from their beginnings in caisson and submarine habitats, up to the present time. The use of CO2 adsorbents, such as LiOH and their application to the first U.S. manned spaceflight is described, together with the beginnings of the regenerable CO2 sorber technology using molecular sieves and its ultimate application to Skylab. The concepts and hardware systems used for atmospheric revitalization on all major U.S. ground-based manned tests is detailed, including CO2 reduction and O2 generation processes. Current research and development efforts are also outlined. The paper concludes with a detailed description of the recently completed SSP, the most advanced and complete ECS that has been fabricated to date.

Popma, D. C.↗

Orbiter thermal control subsystem development

Selected major hardware components and subsystems of the shuttle orbiter are described. These include the hardware configurations, development problems and solutions, performance requirements and attainment, major hardware fabrication problems and solutions, development test objectives and implementation, and utilization of test results for hardware refinements. The subsystems selected for discussion are the space radiator, the ammonia boiler, the flash evaporator, and avionics cold plates.

Laubach, G. E.↗

Algorithms for software development version control and change detection

Simple computer algorithms for processing source program and text data files in order to extract change detection, version control, version history, and current status information are described. These algorithms presuppose that it is possible to attach to each record of the source files a 6-character code, placed within delimiters that will cause the compiler, or other using program, to ignore this code field. The code contains a 2-character code for a character-by-character position-sensitive checksum of the record, another for the record number in the file, and a third for the data on which the encoding took place. Once the source file has been thus encoded, it is possible to detect the following transactions on the file since the most recent version coding; (1) addition of new records (having no version code), (2) modification of existing records, (3) deletion of a number of records, (4) movement and/or duplication of existing records, and (5) modification and duplication of records. In addition, it is possible to extract a version history of the number of records created or modified by date. A special file listing program is described which prints the file records without showing the version codes, but places a "change bar" at the right margin whenever a change is detected. The program also provides a list of changed pages and a version history.

Tausworthe, R. C.↗

Other Challenges in the Development of the Orbiter Environmental Control Hardware

Development of the Space Shuttle orbiter environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) included the identification and resolution of several interesting problems in several systems. Some of these problems occurred late in the program, including the flight phase. Problems and solutions related to the ammonia boiler system (ABS), smoke detector, water/hydrogen separator, and waste collector system (WCS) are addressed.

Gibb, J. W.↗

The role of plant disease in the development of controlled ecological life support systems

Plant diseases could be important factors affecting growth of higher plants in Closed Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS). Disease control, therefore, will be needed to maintain healthy plants. The most important controls should be aimed at preventing the introduction, reproduction and spread of pathogens and preventing plant infection. An integrared ease control program will maximize that approach. In the design and operation of CELSS, plant disease should be considered an important aspect of plant growth. The effects of plant diseases are reviewed and several disease control measures are discussed.

Nelson, B.↗

Anticipatory Neurofuzzy Control

Technique of feedback control, called "anticipatory neurofuzzy control," developed for use in controlling flexible structures and other dynamic systems for which mathematical models of dynamics poorly known or unknown. Superior ability to act during operation to compensate for, and adapt to, errors in mathematical model of dynamics, changes in dynamics, and noise. Also offers advantage of reduced computing time. Hybrid of two older fuzzy-logic control techniques: standard fuzzy control and predictive fuzzy control.

Mccullough, Claire L.↗

Composite flight-control actuator development

The composite actuator is 'jam resistant', satisfying a survivability requirement for the Navy. Typically, the push-pull force needed to drive through the wound area of the composite actuator is 73 percent less than that of an all-metal actuator. In addition to improving the aircraft's combat survivability, significant weight savings were realized. The current design of the survivable, composite actuator cylinder is 36 percent lighter than that of the production steel cylinder, which equates to a 15 percent overall actuator weight savings.

Bott, Richard↗

Testing and Performance Analysis of the Multichannel Error Correction Code Decoder

This report provides the test results and performance analysis of the multichannel error correction code decoder (MED) system for a regenerative satellite with asynchronous, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) uplink channels. It discusses the system performance relative to various critical parameters: the coding length, data pattern, unique word value, unique word threshold, and adjacent-channel interference. Testing was performed under laboratory conditions and used a computer control interface with specifically developed control software to vary these parameters. Needed technologies - the high-speed Bose Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) codec from Harris Corporation and the TRW multichannel demultiplexer/demodulator (MCDD) - were fully integrated into the mesh very small aperture terminal (VSAT) onboard processing architecture and were demonstrated.

Soni, Nitin J.↗