1-10 of 63 results

  • Novel Space Science Test via Adaptive Control and Integral Concurrent Learning Leveraging On-Orbit CubeSat Structural Identification

    PI Riccardo Bevilacqua

    The objective of this work is to create the basic science underpinning the structural testing and evaluation framework and control for deployable large spacecraft.

    The objective of this work is to create the basic science underpinning the structural testing and evaluation framework and control for deployable large spacecraft. Large space structures and those with high dimensional ratio between deployed and stowed configurations are extremely difficult to test on the ground. The AFRL’s Space Vehicle Directorate recently opened the new Deployable Structures Laboratory, or DeSeL, as evidence of a renewed interest towards these systems. DeSeL represents the state-of-the-art technology for on-the-ground experimentation of deployable systems. In particular, an active Gravity Off-Load Follower (GOLF) cart system is being currently developed, intended to have three degrees of freedom (attitude motion) which could foreseeably provide the capability for large low-frequency motions. The real capabilities of the GOLF system are yet to be determined, and this research effort will develop in parallel, assist, support and inform the development of this new facility at AFRL.

    New testing and evaluation science to identify these systems’ behavior and control them, that are robust to large uncertainties in the structural dynamics are then needed, and the first time they deploy on orbit is the ultimate test.

    We propose to obtain the objective by combining novel control and learning theory with ad-hoc experimental activities. The culmination of this effort will be a flight demonstration, where a CubeSat previously designed by the Advanced Autonomous Multiple Spacecraft (ADAMUS) laboratory will be modified in its design and perform autonomous on-orbit structural identification, control, and testing.

    The flight demonstration will be based on measuring the natural frequencies, damping ratios and vibration mode shapes via excitation of the spacecraft, using reaction wheels on the main hub and potentially distributed small thrusters on the flexible bodies, emulating the configuration of the AFRL’s Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research Project (SSPIDR).

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • GNC Efforts in Support of the University of Floridas Research for the NASA Instrument Incubator

    PI Riccardo Bevilacqua



    The following tasks will be performed by one Ph.D. student and Dr. Bevilacqua (PI at ERAU), in support of the University of Florida’s proposal for the NASA’s Instrument Incubator Program (IIP):

    Year 1:

    • Drag-compensation and test mass control design. Adaptive control combined with integral concurrent learning will be investigated to estimate, in real-time, the effects of drag on the spacecraft, to enable precise control of the test mass inside it. The PI has successfully used this technique for drag-based spacecraft formation flight, where online estimation of the ballistic coefficient of an unknown vehicle is critical.
    • Support for drag-compensation thruster mapping. Lyapunov-based thruster selection principles, previously developed by the PI, will be used to simplify the thruster mapping problem, and prevent the use of any numerical iterations, to ease online implementation. An additional step will involve exploring the possibility to use adaptive + ICL control to also estimate the thrust errors and their misalignment.

    Year 2:

    • Spacecraft acceleration estimation based on S-GRS outputs. The test mass position and orientation are measured inside the sensor and the applied forces and torques on the test mass are known. How to use this information to optimally estimate the spacecraft acceleration and angular acceleration due to atmospheric drag remains a challenge. An approach based on a bank of Kalman (or Extended Kalman) Filters will be explored, possibly in iterative form, as previously done for spacecraft relative motion estimation by Dr. Gurfil at Technion and by the PI and one of his former students.

    Year 3:

    • Support for hardware-in-the-loop testing of the control system at UF. The PI and the PhD student will support experimentation at UF, to implement the above algorithms in hardware systems. The PI has over a decade of experience in on-the-ground testing of spacecraft GNC systems.

    Year 1-3:

    • Support for numerical simulation of the closed-loop system. High-fidelity orbital and attitude propagators will be used to test the algorithms developed. STK and NASA’s Spice will also be candidates for comparison.

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • CubeSats Hosting Flexible Appendages for On-Orbit Testing of Advanced Control Algorithms

    PI Riccardo Bevilacqua

    ​The objective of this work is to start the assembly of a CubeSat hosting specialized flexible appendages, taking inspiration from a previously designed spacecraft developed by the Advanced Autonomous Multiple Spacecraft (ADAMUS).

    The objective of this work is to start the assembly of a CubeSat hosting specialized flexible appendages, taking inspiration from a previously designed spacecraft developed by the Advanced Autonomous Multiple Spacecraft (ADAMUS). This CubeSat will eventually enable testing of ADAMUS’ developed spacecraft control algorithms on-orbit.

    Relevance to NASA: The innovation proposed herein lies in the ability to autonomously characterize and control complex space structures. This project will directly support NASA’s TA 4: Robotics and Autonomous Systems

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • A Machine Learning Based Transfer to Predict Warhead In-Flight Behavior from Static Arena Test Data

    PI Riccardo Bevilacqua

    The objective of this work is to combine high-fidelity numerical models with unique/ad-hoc experimental activities to strengthen basic science underpinning the test and evaluation framework for warhead fragmentation and fragments fly-out.

    Warhead fragmentation predictions are based on either numerical simulations or static arena tests where detonations occur in unrealistic conditions (not flying). The first methodology presents many shortcomings: there is no agreement on the state of the art for simulations, and many tools ignore important aspects such as gravity, aerodynamic forces and moments, and rigid body motion of different shape fragments. Numerical simulations are also lengthy and cannot be used as online/on-the-battlefield tools. The experimental approach is also extremely limited, as it does not reproduce the real-world conditions of a moving warhead.

    The objective of this work is to combine high-fidelity numerical models with unique/ad-hoc experimental activities to strengthen basic science underpinning the test and evaluation framework for warhead fragmentation and fragments fly-out. In particular, we will aim at combining the most advanced simulation capabilities with static experimental data, to obtain a transfer function predicting lethality and collateral damage of a given warhead in real-life conditions. Artificial neural networks and/or other machine learning tools (e.g., Random Forests) will be used to capture the underlying physics governing fragments dispersion under dynamic conditions, coming from NAVAIR’s Spidy software, and eventually combine this knowledge with real warhead characteristics, coming from the static test. This proposal is of high impact because of the existing gap in analytical tools to define and validate warhead fragmentation testing.

    The broader impact (long term) of this work may be a software tool that the warfighter can use on the field to rapidly assess the effects of the arsenal at his disposal. This tool will be equally beneficial to designers and testers within the Air Force and the DoD in general.

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • Wind Powered Water Pump

    PI Jeff Brown

    CO-I Christopher Hays

    The vision of the Wind-Powered Water Pump project is to develop a template for the development of long-range water transportation in areas where no other external energy sources are available.

    In the developing world, the transportation of water from its source to an area of need can be troublesome. Many of the men and women in developing communities must exert strenuous amounts of effort to walk the miles to retrieve the few gallons of water that will be used over the following day(s). As representatives of the Honors Students Association, we propose a solution to this problem – a wind-powered water pump. This pump will eliminate the trek to get water, by efficiently and cheaply transporting the water to them.

    Due to the lack of infrastructure and no external source of energy, the water pump must be powered with energy acquired by its own means. The project team will be conducting research into the efficiency and feasibility of multiple designs to accomplish this goal. The project will be divided into teams, each with a unique task deemed necessary to the completion of the project. Each team will be comprised of at least one, possibly two upperclassmen as leads and then primarily first-year students within the Honors Students Association. The team leads will be put into contact with a willing faculty advisor who will serve as a guide through the more challenging aspects of the project. Through this structure, teams will be able to accomplish their respective tasks while making progress toward accomplishing the project’s goal. 

    Categories: Undergraduate

  • Project Haiti

    PI Marc Compere

    The goals of Project Haiti are to provide Haitians with clean drinking water, to expose our college students to another culture, and to give them a hands-on experience using their engineering skills to directly help people.



    ​

    Many Haitians living in the tent cities after the earthquake deal with chronic intestinal sickness from contaminated water. Our solar water purifier is designed to provide clean drinking water for 500 adults per day.The Summer 2014 purifier will be installed at the Dayspring Missions orphanage in Croix des Bouquets area, a suburb east of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. It will provide up to 6000 gallons of water a day with the water being used by the orphans, distributed to three local church communities, as well as being sold to the community to generate income and filter replacement costs.

    This project is an ideal intersection of humanitarian aid and engineering. Our students designed and built Embry-Riddle's solar powered water purifier for delivery to a Haitian tent camp. They learned how to use solar panels, batteries, pumps, and filters to construct a purifier that runs entirely from the sun. Now that it is completed, our students have become better engineers and they have learned a global perspective and the satisfaction of helping people in a developing country.

    More on Project Haiti

    Past Efforts

    Summer 2010

    In Summer 2010 Embry-Riddle students delivered a 1 gallon-per-minute (gpm) water purifier powered entirely from the sun. The 2010 trip report presentation is available here. It was a valuable success for over 150 college student volunteers who traveled to Haiti that summer to help the disaster relief effort. The Nehemiah Vision Ministries camp upgraded to a 10gpm unit for greater capacity.

    Summer 2011

    In Summer 2011, our team of students designed and installed a 4gpm unit powered entirely from the sun. We installed it at the Anne Clemande Children's Foundation in Chambellan, Haiti. They operate a children's home and school with approximately 600 children and staff. They had no access to clean drinking water. The 2011 trip report is downloadable here.

    Summer 2012

    In Summer 2012, our team of Embry-Riddle students delivered a community water system providing 14gpm of clean, safe water to an Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp named Onaville The purifier is in daily operation delivering roughly 15,000 gallons per day. Onaville was the largest tent city in Haiti during post-earthquake Haiti. This is our most successful trip from a partnership standpoint, a purifier standpoint, and also an academic standpoint. Students received credit during a summer course titled ME595 Practicum in Water Purification. The 2012 trip report is here.

    Summer 2013

    The Summer 2013 unit was installed in Michaud, Haiti, at the Ryan Epps Home for Children. Michaud is a suburb of Port-Au-Prince. This is a 14gpm unit powered entirely by the sun which means nearly zero recurring cost to operate the unit. This is ideal for starting a sustainable micro-business. This system combined with the micro-business provides clean, safe drinking water and also create jobs, generate recurring income, and improve community health. The 2013 trip report is available for download here.
     

    Academic Integration

    • Our 2012 EPA P3 Entry was a Portable Solar Water Purification Backpack for Disaster Releief. It won the $90k EPA Phase II award, the US Army's NetZero Water Award, and the Student's Choice Award at the 2012 National Sustainable Design Expo
    • Dr. Compere teaches two water courses:
      • ME595J, Practicum in Water Purification is a lab based, hands-on course that provides students with practical experience in testing for water-borne pathogens, water purification methods, and solar power systems
      • HON350, Emerging Trends in Global Water Supply and Demand is a humanities survey course raising awareness of water as the new high-value commodity. This course highlights the major issues in the water-energy nexus, water-food nexus, and water-climate nexus.
    • An American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) SouthEast Regional conference paper on the 2012 unit and trip is available here.

    Contact

    Donate

    Gifts at any level make a direct impact: Donate to Project Haiti.

    Categories: Undergraduate

  • Maritime RobotX Challenge

    PI Eric Coyle

    CO-I Patrick Currier

    CO-I Charles Reinholtz

    CO-I Brian Butka

    The Maritime RobotX Challenge entails the development and demonstration of an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV). Embry-Riddle is one of three U.S. schools selected to compete in the challenge, which is co-sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Foundation.



    ​The 2014 ERAU platform, named Minion, is a 16-foot fully-autonomous Wave Adaptive Modular Vessel (WAM-V) platform and is registered as an autonomous boat in the state of Florida. Minion's development currently focuses on autonomous tasks of buoy channel navigation, debris avoidance, docking, target identification and sonar localization. To accomplishing these tasks, the team has developed as set of system software nodes including state estimation, object classification, mapping and trajectory planning. These nodes run in parallel across a set of networked computers for distributed processing. Minion's propulsion system is centered around a set rim-driven hubless motors attached to articulated motor pods. This design reduces the risk of entanglement, and provides consistent thrust by maintaining motor depth in rough seas.

    The group is currently developing the 2016 platform for the competition

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

  • Development of Parking Space App

    PI Ilteris Demirkiran

    CO-I Diego Rincon

    The main purpose of this project is to reduce the wait and search time for an individual who is looking to park his or her vehicle at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach campus. This project is to help in reducing fuel consumption as well as making campus roads safer. An additional benefit is the ability to continuously monitor all parking lots on campus increasing overall campus safety.



    ​Many schools in the United States deal daily with complications associated with parking on campus. Commuters, students and faculty members, travel back and forth causing major traffic within the campus and in some cases, a logistic nightmare. For a university to accommodate all of the vehicles takes countless hours of planning and management. Schools have solved some of these problems by assigning specific parking lots to specific groups of individuals such as on-campus students, commuter students, and faculty. This research proposes a secondary solution to a growing problem. The main goal of this research effort is to reduce the wait and search time spent while looking for an available parking spot on campus. This solution will utilize cameras and advanced image processing algorithms to inform users of an available parking spot in the most efficient way.

    Categories: Undergraduate

  • Magnetically-Driven Ventricular Assist Device

    PI Eduardo Divo

    CO-I Christopher Adams

    The proposed project brings together multi-scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and mock circulatory loop (MCL) benchtop experiments to analyze the hemodynamics of a proposed Magnetically-Driven Ventricular Assist Device (MVAD).



    The multi-scale CFD model combines 0D RLC (Resistance-Inductance-Compliance) chambers to simulate the effects of arterial, capillary, and venous beds coupled with a 3DCFD model of the main arterial system where the MVAD will reside. In addition, a benchtop MCL will be calibrated using vascular resistance elements and compliance chambers to validate the multi-scale CFD predictions. The MCL will be driven by a Harvard Apparatus pulsatile pump that simulates the ventricular output and the test-selection centerpiece will be the MVAD prototype. The MCL fluid will be water loaded with magnetically-charged particles (such as ferrous particles embedded in silicon spheres). A dimensional analysis will be carried out by matching fluid dynamics parameters (such as Reynolds and Womersley numbers) between the Multi-Scale CFD and the benchtop MCL. This will allow the numerical and benchtop analyses to be analogous even though they operate on different fluids (blood and water). The results of this study will serve as validation of the hypothesis that a magnetically-driven pump with no moving parts can serve to assist in the cardiovascular circulation and thus reduce the risks associated with mechanical assist devices such as thrombus formation and stagnation. 

    Categories: Undergraduate

  • Composite Wind Turbine Blade

    PI Sathya Gangadharan

    The world's primary energy needs are projected to grow by 56% between 2005 and 2030, by an average annual rate of 1.8% per year (International Energy Agency, 2012). Energy policy has confirmed the improvement of the environment sustainability of energy as a primary objective also though increasing use of renewable sources (Increasing Wind Energy's contribution to U.S. Electricity supply, 2008).

    Wind energy research is being followed in the world as an alternative to fulfill increasing electricity power demand, United State Department of Energy is aiming to expand the wind power in the U.S. Currently, 15.4 GW of power are installed and operational, with an expected growth the U.S. wind capacity will be at 310 GW by 2030, representing 20% of the nation's power needs (Increasing Wind Energy's contribution to U.S. Electricity supply, 2008).

    Research on composite wind turbine blade carried out in Embry-Riddle is described below:

    FLUID-STRUCTURE INTERACTION AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY DESIGN ANALYSIS OPTIMIZATION OF COMPOSITE WIND TURBINE BLADE Mission:

    To maximize aerodynamic efficiency and structural robustness while reducing blade mass and total cost.A multidisciplinary design analysis optimization (MDAO) process is defined for a composite wind turbine blade to optimize its aerodynamic and structural performance by developing a fluid-structural interaction (FSI) system. MDAO process is defined in conjunction with structural and aerodynamic performance of the blade which is divided into three steps and the design variables considered are related to the shape parameters, twist distributions, pitch angle, material and the relative thickness based on number of composite layers at different blade sections. Maximum allowable tip deformations, modal frequencies and allowable stresses are set as design constraints. Airfoil performance is predicted with 2D airfoils analysis, while 3D CFD analysis is performed by ANSYS CFX software. A parameterized finite element model of the blade created in ANSYS ACP composite prepost and used to define the composite layups of the blade. The results of the CFD and the structural analysis are used for the optimization process accompanied by the cost estimation to obtain a compromised solution between aerodynamic performance and structural robustness. For the MDAO process number of design of experiments (DOEs) is defined by G optimality method and a response surface is created. Sensitivity analysis is performed to observe the impact of input parameter on each output parameters for enhanced control of the MDAO process. Further, to improve aerodynamic performance of the blade, new design approach with modified Tip (winglet) and rotor section is studied and substantial improvement in power generated over high quality baseline wind turbine blade is presented.

    A BASELINE STUDY AND CALIBRATION FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY DESIGN OPTIMIZATION OF HYBRID COMPOSITE WIND TURBINE BLADE

    Preliminary baseline finite element (FE) model calibrations and evaluations are developed to assist and guide multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) of a large-scale hybrid composite wind turbine blade. The weight, displacement, and failure index are compared and used for calibration purposes. In addition, a cost estimation model is calibrated for labor hour, as well as labor cost, material cost and total cost. Stability of baseline wind turbine blade against harmonic resonance due to rotor rotation is validated by finite element analysis (FEA). A MDO process is proposed using the calibrated FE and cost estimation models. The MDO optimizes multiple objectives such as blade length, weight, manufacturing cost, and power production. For this analysis, the turbine blade is divided into regions and the sequence of hybrid laminate layup for each region is considered as design variables. Extreme wind condition for rotor rotation and rotor stop condition is considered as the applied load on the blade. The designed structural strength and stiffness are demonstrated to withstand the loads due to harmonic excitation from rotor rotation. A process of design procedure for obtaining an optimum hybrid composite laminate layup and an optimum blade length of a wind turbine blade structure is developed in this research.

    Categories: Faculty-Staff

1-10 of 63 results