An automated stall-speed warning system

The development and testing of a stall-speed warning system for the OV-1C was examined. NASA designed and built an automated stall-speed warning system which presents both airspeed and stall speed to the pilot. The airspeed and stall speed are computed in real time by monitoring the basic aerodynamic parameters (dynamic pressure, horizontal and vertical accelerations, and pressure altitude) and other parameters (elevator and flap positions, engine torques, and fuel flow). In addition, an aural warning at predetermined stall margins is presented to the pilot through a voice synthesizer. Once the system was designed and installed in the aircraft, a flight-test program of less than 20 hrs was anticipated to determine the stall-speed software coefficients. These coefficients would then be inserted in the system's software and then test flown over a period of about 10 hr for the purpose of evaluation

Real-time swath width sensing for grain combines

The practice of precision agriculture is utilized in grain production to make decisions to lower costs and increase profits. To make these decisions, an accurate determination of yield is required at each position within the field. Current yield measurement incorporates yield monitors and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to calculate yield from grain flow and position. The primary problem encountered is a varying width of cut due to operator error or when cutting point rows near ends and edges of a field. To more accurately measure yield, a method for measuring harvest cutting width has been developed. The non-intrusive sensing system consists of infrared emitter-detector pairs mounted along the length of the combine header reel. Each sensor element emits a beam of light into the crop canopy and detects the signal as it is reflected by plants. The emitted signal modulated pulses of light that are detected when a crop is present. Zero pulses from a detector indicate no plants were present; a higher number indicates plants were in the field of view. The sensors are active once each reel revolution. Software analysis was developed and performed to assemble the recorded numbers of pulses counted into a data matrix and to use this information to predict other locations that should have detected plants. The software then determined the measured swath width. The sensing system was tested on a combine harvesting with a 12 ft header. Field testing was then performed in production soybeans. Actual detection by the sensors occurred at only 16% of the locations in the harvest area where plants were present. However, the software analysis routines increased the locations plants were present to 62%. Data analysis routines based on knowledge of the crop canopy increased accuracy significantly. Refinements are necessary in the sensor elements to increase their sensing range and to improve the location at which sensors are sampled. Increasing the detection by the sensors allows the software to more accurately determine the harvested width. Future testing should focus on maximizing the efficiency and detection rate of the sensors under varying crop conditions

Sistema fotovoltaico autónomo para sistemas de iluminação utilizando células reutilizadas de lítio

Dupla diplomação com a Universidade Tecnológica Federal do ParanáA energia elétrica é um bem essencial nas vidas das pessoas. No entanto, ainda existem lugares afastados das cidades que não têm disponível a rede pública de distribuição de energia elétrica. Desta forma, surgiu a proposta de implementar um sistema capaz de garantir o fornecimento de duas horas de iluminação para carriças e estábulos, e lugares afastados dos centros urbanos, garantindo a gestão correta da carga/descarga controlada das baterias. Assim, o sistema é constituído por dispositivos de baixo custo encontrados no mercado, são eles: módulo fotovoltaico; SPPM (Seguimento do Ponto de Potência Máxima); sensores de corrente, tensão e temperatura; células de lítio reutilizadas; um display e um microcontrolador. O projeto foi realizado por meio do condicionamento de sinal, da programação do microcontrolador para o controlo das cargas e descargas das células de lítio e da parametrização inicial do microcontrolador por meio de uma plataforma gráfica desenvolvida. Para tal, foi utilizado o sensor de corrente que por meio de medidas das correntes nas células de lítio estima o seu estado de carga. Desta forma, o dispositivo informa o consumidor sobre a autonomia da bateria em horas. Além disso, o sistema grava os dados na memória interna do microcontrolador referentes às descargas, numa base diária, a fim de informar o técnico responsável, para que este possa adotar medidas preventivas. Com os resultados obtidos por meio de testes realizados ao sistema, foi possível verificar que é possível o uso de células de lítio reutilizadas para um sistema fotovoltaico autônomo para iluminação, além de que este sistema permite a avaliação da carga/descarga destas células através dos dados gravados na memória interna do microcontrolador.The electric energy is an essential good in people's lives. However, there are still places far away from cities that don't have availability for the public electric power network. Therefore, it was proposed to implement a system that guarantees the supply of electricity for two hours in of lighting for corridors and stables, and places away from urban centers, ensuring the correct management of controlled charge/discharge of batteries. Thus, the system consists of low cost devices that are found in the market, they are: photovoltaic module; MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking); current, voltage and temperature sensors; reused lithium cells; a display and a microcontroller. The project's functionality is done through the signal conditioning, programming a microcontroller to control the lithium cells's charge and discharge, and the initial parameterization of the microcontroller by means of a developed graphical platform. Thus, the device informs the user about the battery life in hours. ln addition, the system allows to record discharges's data in the internal memory of microcontroller on a daily basis, so that the responsible technician can collect the data, evaluate it and adopt preventive measures. With the results obtained through tests carried out on the system, it was possible to verify that it is possible to use lithium cells reused for an autonomous photovoltaic system for illumination. ln addition, this system allows the evaluation of the charge/discharge of these cells through stored in the microcontroller's internal memory

NG-Torque/Tension Testing of Bolts with Epoxy Primer

This capstone project is in conjunction with Northrop Grumman (NG). The goal of the project is for NG to apply an epoxy in the future to aerospace structures that they produce. This epoxy is meant to prevent corrosion of threaded joints in the structures. Although NG has the epoxy and has no issues procuring it, NG does not know the properties of the epoxy; it cannot be used until the epoxy’s nut factor is experimentally determined. The epoxy nut factor will be used for design and drawing purposes on various projects. To determine the nut factor, the Aggiepoxy team created a plate design that allowed for the testing of 20 bolts at a given time. The team utilized a Wheatstone bridge setup, connected to an amplifier, to measure preload and torque on the bolts