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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.

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At least 253 records · Page 14

Evaluation of an F100 multivariable control using a real-time engine simulation

The control evaluated has been designed for the F100-PW-100 turbofan engine. The F100 engine represents the current state-of-the-art in aircraft gas turbine technology. The control makes use of a multivariable, linear quadratic regulator. The evaluation procedure employed utilized a real-time hybrid computer simulation of the F100 engine and an implementation of the control logic on the NASA LeRC digital computer/controller. The results of the evaluation indicated that the control logic and its implementation will be capable of controlling the engine throughout its operating range.

Szuch, J. R.↗

Payload/orbiter signal processing and data handling system evaluation presentation

It is recommended that standard digital and along interfaces be adopted. These include: (1) define interfaces compatible with NASA/DOD/industry-accepted design standards; (2) investigate costs of modifying orbiter sybsystem interfaces, (3) investigate cost of designing attached payload interface unit for NASA and commercial payloads and (4) investigate costs of designing interface circuits that can be incorporated into each payload design.

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Fault detection and accommodation testing on an F100 engine in an F-15 airplane

The fault detection and accommodation (FDA) methodology for digital engine-control systems may range from simple comparisons of redundant parameters to the more complex and sophisticated observer models of the entire engine system. Evaluations of the various FDA schemes are done using analytical methods, simulation, and limited-altitude-facility testing. Flight testing of the FDA logic has been minimal because of the difficulty of inducing realistic faults in flight. A flight program was conducted to evaluate the fault detection and accommodation capability of a digital electronic engine control in an F-15 aircraft. The objective of the flight program was to induce selected faults and evaluate the resulting actions of the digital engine controller. Comparisons were made between the flight results and predictions. Several anomalies were found in flight and during the ground test. Simulation results showed that the inducement of dual pressure failures was not feasible since the FDA logic was not designed to accommodate these types of failures.

Myers, L. P.↗

Phase-locked tracking loops for LORAN-C

Portable battery operated LORAN-C receivers were fabricated to evaluate simple envelope detector methods with hybrid analog to digital phase locked loop sensor processors. The receivers are used to evaluate LORAN-C in general aviation applications. Complete circuit details are given for the experimental sensor and readout system.

Burhans, R. W.↗

System design for the digitally implemented communications experiment /DICE/

Full-duplex digital television providing a teleconference capability is to be evaluated in an experimental program utilizing the Communications Technology Satellite. The digitally implemented communications experiment employs a QPSK modulator-demodulator capable of operation over a wide range of bit rates. In addition to simultaneous data transmission (used for digital high-speed facsimiles and remote computer terminals), voice transmission through four-to-one compression will be studied.

Gatfield, A. G.↗

Development and modification of a digital program for final approach to landing

The development and implementation of a dynamic digital computer simulator which may be used to evaluate aircraft performance when operating under the control and guidance of various navigation, landing, and flight control systems are discussed. The digital computer program may be used to simulate and evaluate the relationships and interactions between various factors such as the microwave landing system, avionics receivers and onboard processors, aircraft aerodynamics, aircraft automatic control systems, control surfaces, and wind and other external effects. The models used to represent aircraft aerodynamics, control system and control surfaces; weather and wind effects; and the microwave landing system are described. Example results are presented for a simulation of a Boeing 737 using two sample control systems while subjected to various atmospheric conditions and microwave landing system errors. The limitations and performance capabilities of these control systems are discussed in terms of their ability to utilize the microwave landing system signal.

Duff, W. G.↗

Competitive evaluation of failure detection algorithms for strapdown redundant inertial instruments.

Seven algorithms for failure detection, isolation, and correction of strapdown inertial instruments in the dodecahedron configuration are competitively evaluated by means of a digital computer simulation that provides them with identical inputs. Their performance is compared in terms of orientation errors and computer burden. The analytical foundations of the algorithms are presented. The features that are found to contribute to superior performance are use of a definite logical structure, elimination of interaction between failures, different thresholds for first and second failures, use of the 'parity' test signals, and avoidance of iteration loops.

Wilcox, J. C.↗

Quantitative measurement of surface contamination

Portable and highly sensitive system permits quantitative determinations on test surfaces. Device is used in normal room light and permits detection of significantly smaller samples. Digitation of output permits easy evaluation of contamination cleanup techniques.

Richmond, R. G.↗

Microprocessor realizations of range rate filters

The performance of five digital range rate filters is evaluated. A range rate filter receives an input of range data from a radar unit and produces an output of smoothed range data and its estimated derivative range rate. The filters are compared through simulation on an IBM 370. Two of the filter designs are implemented on a 6800 microprocessor-based system. Comparisons are made on the bases of noise variance reduction ratios and convergence times of the filters in response to simulated range signals.

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Determination of potential solar power sites in the United States based upon satellite cloud observations

The use of cloud images in the visual spectrum from the SMS/GOES geostationary satellites to determine the hourly distribution of sunshine on a mesoscale in the continental United States excluding Alaska is presented. Cloud coverage and density as a function of time of day and season are evaluated through the use of digital data processing techniques. Low density cirrus clouds are less detrimental to solar energy collection than other types; and clouds in the morning and evening are less detrimental than those during midday hours of maximum insolation. Seasonal geographic distributions of cloud cover/sunshine are converted to langleys of solar radiation received at the earth's surface through relationships developed from long term measurements at six widely distributed stations.

Hiser, H. W.↗

Mesoscale mapping of available solar energy at the earth's surface by use of satellites

A method is presented for use of cloud images in the visual spectrum from the SMS/GOES geostationary satellites to determine the hourly distribution of sunshine on the mesoscale. Cloud coverage and density as a function of time of day and season are evaluated through the use of digital data processing techniques. Seasonal geographic distributions of cloud cover/sunshine are converted to joules of solar radiation received at the earth's surface through relationships developed from long-term measurements of these two parameters at six widely distributed stations. The technique can be used to generate maps showing the geographic distribution of total solar radiation on the mesoscale which is received at the earth's surface.

Hiser, H. W.↗

Modular design attitude control system

Application of modular control techniques to the attitude control of a prototype flexible spacecraft and a prototype flexible space platform was further developed by determining numerical values for the physical parameters of a four body approximation of the MSFC/hybrid deployable truss incorporated in the space platform model, generating sensitivity coefficients for the model of the flexible spacecraft, evaluating the changes in the digital computer simulation of the flexible spacecraft resulting from the addition of another rigid body to the model and comparing attitude control effectiveness with actuators on more than one rigid body of the model with that for the case in which the actuators were restricted to one body.

Chichester, F. D.↗

Use of satellite data in a diagnostic parameterization of convective heating

Heating estimates derived from a diagnostic technique using observed rainfall and GOES IR digital imagery were completed and evaluated for accuracy. A sensitivity analysis was done to examine assumptions regarding shape of the normalized mass flux profile, cloud precipitation efficiency, and existence of convective scale downdrafts. The results, which were derived using what are felt to be bounding limits of the assumptions, indicate that the heating estimates are reliable for use in diagnostic available potential energy (APE) budgets. Comparison to heating estimates derived as residuals in the thermodynamic equation show the level of maximum heating (near 300 mb) to be the same on a time averaged basis. Heating estimates were used to study the response of the large scale environment to the cumulus scale thermodynamic forcing. An analysis of the thermally forced component of vertical motion through the omega equation showed that a significant fraction of the total grid scale upward motion results from the heating provided by the condensation and vertical eddy heat transport in the convective cells.

Robertson, F. R.↗

A hot-wire method for high-intensity turbulent flows

A measuring technique for determing instantaneous, three-dimensional velocity vectors in highly turbulent flows by means of a 4-sensor hot-wire probe is described. As is well known, the hot-wire signal received in reversing flows cannot uniquely be interpreted. This difficulty is circumvented by tracking the thermal wake of a heated wire. Whenever the approximate flow direction is indicated by a temperature-sensitive wake detector, all components of the instantaneous velocity vector are evaluated by means of a digital data reduction method. Uniqueness of the solution derived from the triple-hot-wire response equations is examined. A first application of the proposed measuring technique in the recirculating flow downstream of a backward-facing step is described.

Mueller, U. R.↗

Interpretation of Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanner data for forest surveys

Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Multispectral Scanner (MSS) data were evaluated by interpreting film and digital products and statistical data for selected forest cover types in California. Significant results were: (1) TM color image products should contain a spectral band in the visible (bands 1, 2, or 3), near infrared (band 4), and middle infrared (band 5) regions for maximizing the interpretability of vegetation types; (2) TM color composites should contain band 4 in all cases even at the expense of excluding band 5; and (3) MSS color composites were more interpretable than all TM color composites for certain cover types and for all cover types when band 4 was excluded from the TM composite.

Benson, A. S.↗

Advanced power system protection and incipient fault detection and protection of spaceborne power systems

This research concentrated on the application of advanced signal processing, expert system, and digital technologies for the detection and control of low grade, incipient faults on spaceborne power systems. The researchers have considerable experience in the application of advanced digital technologies and the protection of terrestrial power systems. This experience was used in the current contracts to develop new approaches for protecting the electrical distribution system in spaceborne applications. The project was divided into three distinct areas: (1) investigate the applicability of fault detection algorithms developed for terrestrial power systems to the detection of faults in spaceborne systems; (2) investigate the digital hardware and architectures required to monitor and control spaceborne power systems with full capability to implement new detection and diagnostic algorithms; and (3) develop a real-time expert operating system for implementing diagnostic and protection algorithms. Significant progress has been made in each of the above areas. Several terrestrial fault detection algorithms were modified to better adapt to spaceborne power system environments. Several digital architectures were developed and evaluated in light of the fault detection algorithms.

Russell, B. Don↗