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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 19 records

Study of a Simulation Tool to Determine Achievable Control Dynamics and Control Power Requirements with Perfect Tracking

This paper contains a study of two methods for use in a generic nonlinear simulation tool that could be used to determine achievable control dynamics and control power requirements while performing perfect tracking maneuvers over the entire flight envelope. The two methods are NDI (nonlinear dynamic inversion) and the SOFFT(Stochastic Optimal Feedforward and Feedback Technology) feedforward control structure. Equivalent discrete and continuous SOFFT feedforward controllers have been developed. These equivalent forms clearly show that the closed-loop plant model loop is a plant inversion and is the same as the NDI formulation. The main difference is that the NDI formulation has a closed-loop controller structure whereas SOFFT uses an open-loop command model. Continuous, discrete, and hybrid controller structures have been developed and integrated into the formulation. Linear simulation results show that seven different configurations all give essentially the same response, with the NDI hybrid being slightly different. The SOFFT controller gave better tracking performance compared to the NDI controller when a nonlinear saturation element was added. Future plans include evaluation using a nonlinear simulation.

Ostroff, Aaron J.↗

System and method for modeling and forecasting cyclical demand systems with dynamic controls and dynamic incentives

Systems and methods for modeling and forecasting cyclical demand systems in the presence of dynamic control or dynamic incentives. A method for modeling a cyclical demand system comprises obtaining historical data on one or more demand measurements over a plurality of demand cycles, obtaining historical data on incentive signals over the plurality of demand cycles, constructing a model using the obtained historical data on the one or more demand measurements and the incentive signals, wherein constructing the model comprises specifying a state-space model, specifying variance parameters in the model, and estimating unknown variance parameters.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Controlling Proton Delivery with Catalyst Structural Dynamics

The fastest synthetic molecular catalysts for production and oxidation of H2 emulate components of the active site of natural hydrogenases. The role of controlled structural dynamics is recognized as a critical component in the catalytic performance of many enzymes, including hydrogenases, but is largely neglected in the design of synthetic molecular cata-lysts. In this work, the impact of controlling structural dynamics on the rate of production of H2 was studied for a series of [Ni(PPh2NC6H4-R2)2]2+ catalysts including R = n-hexyl, n-decyl, n-tetradecyl, n-octadecyl, phenyl, or cyclohexyl. A strong correlation was observed between the ligand structural dynamics and the rates of electrocatalytic hydrogen production in acetonitrile, acetonitrile-water, and protic ionic liquid-water mixtures. Specifically, the turnover frequencies correlate inversely with the rates of ring inversion of the amine-containing ligand, as this dynamic process dictates the positioning of the proton relay in the second coordination sphere and therefore governs protonation at either catalytically productive or non-productive sites. This study demonstrates that the dynamic processes involved in proton delivery can be controlled through modifications of the outer coordination sphere of the catalyst, similar to the role of the protein architecture in many enzymes. The present work provides new mechanistic insight into the large rate enhancements observed in aqueous protic ionic liquid media for the [Ni(PPh2NR2)]2+ family of catalysts. The incorporation of controlled structural dynamics as a design parameter to modulate proton delivery in molecular catalysts has enabled H2 production rates that are up to three orders of magnitude faster than the [Ni(PPh2NPh2)]2+complex. The observed turnover frequencies are up to 106 s-1 in acetonitrile-water, and over 107 s-1 in protic ionic liquid-water mixtures, with a minimal increase in overpotential. This material is based upon work supported as part of the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, and was performed in part using the Molecular Science Computing Facility (MSCF) in the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE national scientific user facility located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). PNNL is operated by Battelle for DOE.

electrocatalysis, structural dynamics↗

Navigating through large display networks in dynamic control applications

Special display navigation challenges in computer-based display systems for monitoring and controlling dynamic processes are reviewed. Particular attention is given to trends in information technology, workspace design, and paradigmatic cognitive functions related to display navigation.

Woods, David D.↗

Dynamic control of metastable remanent states in mesoscale magnetic elements

The formation of the vortex-antivortex-vortex (v-av-v) metastable remanent states in elongated magnetic elements have been systematically investigated using micromagnetic modeling. It is demonstrated that the v-av-v magnetization pattern can be effectively stabilized by exciting the single vortex state with an external RF field. Furthermore, we show that a set of different polarity combinations of the vortex cores can be achieved by adjusting the frequency and amplitude of the excitation field. The corresponding dynamic response in time- and frequency-domain has also been presented. Owing to the diversity of the collective modes with different vortex-antivortex combinations, this system may open promising perspectives in the area of spin transfer torque oscillators.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Reversible Reactions, Mesh Size, and Segmental Dynamics Control Penetrant Diffusion in Ethylene Vitrimers

The diffusion of two aromatic dyes with nearly identical sizes was measured in ethylene vitrimers with precise linker lengths and borate ester cross-links using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). One dye possessed a reactive hydroxyl group, while the second was inert. The reaction of the hydroxyl group with the network is slow relative to the hopping times of the dye, resulting in a large slowdown by a factor of 50 for a reactive probe molecule. A kinetic model was fit to the fluorescence intensity data to determine rate constants for the reversible reaction of the dye from the network, which confirms the role of slow reaction kinetics. A second network cross-linker was also investigated with a substituted boronic ester showing ∼10,000 times faster exchange kinetics. In this system, the two dyes show the same diffusion coefficient, as the reaction is no longer the rate-limiting step. The role of dense meshes on small and large dyes is also discussed in the context of the existing theories. Finally, these results highlight the potential of dynamic networks to control penetrant transport through synergistic effects of the mesh size, dynamic bond kinetics, and penetrant–network interactions.

confinement↗

Dynamically controlled crystal growth system

Crystal growth can be initiated and controlled by dynamically controlled vapor diffusion or temperature change. In one aspect, the present invention uses a precisely controlled vapor diffusion approach to monitor and control protein crystal growth. The system utilizes a humidity sensor and various interfaces under computer control to effect virtually any evaporation rate from a number of different growth solutions simultaneously by means of an evaporative gas flow. A static laser light scattering sensor can be used to detect aggregation events and trigger a change in the evaporation rate for a growth solution. A control/follower configuration can be used to actively monitor one chamber and accurately control replicate chambers relative to the control chamber. In a second aspect, the invention exploits the varying solubility of proteins versus temperature to control the growth of protein crystals. This system contains miniature thermoelectric devices under microcomputer control that change temperature as needed to grow crystals of a given protein. Complex temperature ramps are possible using this approach. A static laser light scattering probe also can be used in this system as a non-invasive probe for detection of aggregation events. The automated dynamic control system provides systematic and predictable responses with regard to crystal size. These systems can be used for microgravity crystallization projects, for example in a space shuttle, and for crystallization work under terrestial conditions. The present invention is particularly useful for macromolecular crystallization, e.g. for proteins, polypeptides, nucleic acids, viruses and virus particles.

Bray, Terry L.↗

Dynamic Control of Plans with Temporal Uncertainty

Certain planning systems that deal with quantitative time constraints have used an underlying Simple Temporal Problem solver to ensure temporal consistency of plans. However, many applications involve processes of uncertain duration whose timing cannot be controlled by the execution agent. These cases require more complex notions of temporal feasibility. In previous work, various "controllability" properties such as Weak, Strong, and Dynamic Controllability have been defined. The most interesting and useful Controllability property, the Dynamic one, has ironically proved to be the most difficult to analyze. In this paper, we resolve the complexity issue for Dynamic Controllability. Unexpectedly, the problem turns out to be tractable. We also show how to efficiently execute networks whose status has been verified.

Morris, Paul↗

Dynamic control of photosynthetic photon flux for lettuce production in CELSS

A new dynamic control of photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) was tested using lettuce canopies growing in the Minitron II plant-growth/canopy gas-exchange system. Canopy photosynthetic rates (Pn) were measured in real time and fedback for further environment control. Pn can be manipulated by changing PPF, which is a good environmental parameter for dynamic control of crop production in a Controlled Ecological Life-Support Systems CELSS. Decision making that combines empirical mathematical models with rule sets developed from recent experimental data was tested. With comparable yield indices and potential for energy savings, dynamic control strategies will contribute greatly to the sustainability of space-deployed CELSS.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗

Control of mechanical systems with rolling constraints: Application to dynamic control of mobile robots

There are many examples of mechanical systems that require rolling contacts between two or more rigid bodies. Rolling contacts engender nonholonomic constraints in an otherwise holonomic system. In this article, we develop a unified approach to the control of mechanical systems subject to both holonomic and nonholonomic constraints. We first present a state space realization of a constrained system. We then discuss the input-output linearization and zero dynamics of the system. This approach is applied to the dynamic control of mobile robots. Two types of control algorithms for mobile robots are investigated: trajectory tracking and path following. In each case, a smooth nonlinear feedback is obtained to achieve asymptotic input-output stability and Lagrange stability of the overall system. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control algorithms and to compare the performane of trajectory-tracking and path-following algorithms.

Sarkar, Nilanjan↗

Nonlinear Dynamic Control Derivative Analysis for Aircraft with Application to Transonic Truss-Braced Wing

This paper presents the development of a nonlinear dynamic control derivative estimation method. A nonlinear aerodynamic model is developed to account for the effects of large control surface deflections on aircraft aerodynamic forces and moments. A series of unsteady RANS CFD simulations is performed to simulate the control surface oscillations at various reduced frequencies. The time-domain data are transformed into the frequency-domain data by a Fourier series analysis. Transfer functions of the dynamic control derivatives are then estimated by a frequency-domain regression. The method is applied to the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) to estimate the dynamic control derivatives for the elevator, aileron, and rudder.

Aircraft Control Derivatives↗