Improved Battery State Estimation Using Novel Sensing Techniques.

Lithium-ion batteries have been considered a great complement or substitute for gasoline engines due to their high energy and power density capabilities among other advantages. However, these types of energy storage devices are still yet not widespread, mainly because of their relatively high cost and safety issues, especially at elevated temperatures. This thesis extends existing methods of estimating critical battery states using model-based techniques augmented by real-time measurements from novel temperature and force sensors. Typically, temperature sensors are located near the edge of the battery, and away from the hottest core cell regions, which leads to slower response times and increased errors in the prediction of core temperatures. New sensor technology allows for flexible sensor placement at the cell surface between cells in a pack. This raises questions about the optimal locations of these sensors for best observability and temperature estimation. Using a validated model, which is developed and verified using experiments in laboratory fixtures that replicate vehicle pack conditions, it is shown that optimal sensor placement can lead to better and faster temperature estimation. Another equally important state is the state of health or the capacity fading of the cell. This thesis introduces a novel method of using force measurements for capacity fade estimation. Monitoring capacity is important for defining the range of electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Current capacity estimation techniques require a full discharge to monitor capacity. The proposed method can complement or replace current methods because it only requires a shallow discharge, which is especially useful in EVs and PHEVs. Using the accurate state estimation accomplished earlier, a method for downsizing a battery pack is shown to effectively reduce the number of cells in a pack without compromising safety. The influence on the battery performance (e.g. temperature, utilization, capacity fade, and cost) while downsizing and shifting the nominal operating SOC is demonstrated via simulations. The contributions in this thesis aim to make EVs, HEVs and PHEVs less costly while maintaining safety and reliability as more people are transitioning towards more environmentally friendly means of transportation.PhDMechanical EngineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/120815/1/nassimab_1.pd

Evolutionary Approach to Efficient Provisioning and Self-organization in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN)

Advances in low-power digital integration and microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS) have paved the way for micro-sensors. These sensors are equipped with data processing capabilities along with sensory circuits. Sensor data are processed on these individual sensors and transmitted to the target (sink). Lowcost integration and small sizes of these sensors have generated special interest in the area of disposable-sensors and large scale platform management. Queries to these sensors are addressed to nodes which have data satisfying the same condition. However, these sensors may be constrained in energy, bandwidth, storage, and processing capabilities. Large number of such sensors along with these constraints creates a sensor-management problem. At the network layer it amounts to setting up the efficient route that transmits the non-redundant data from source to the sink in order to maximize one or more sensor objectives (e.g. battery (and sensor's) life, Sensor-Data yield). This is done while adapting to changing connectivity due to failure of some nodes and new nodes powering up. First part of the thesis propose a reduced-complexity genetic algorithm (GA) for optimization of multi-hop battery-constrained sensor networks. The goal of the system is to generate optimal number of sensor-clusters with cluster-heads. It results in minimization of the power consumption of the sensor system while maximizing the sensor objectives (coverage and exposure). The genetic algorithm is used to adaptively create various components such as cluster-members, cluster-heads, and next-cluster. These components are then used to evaluate the average fitness of the system based on the sequence of communication links towards the sink. We then enhance the genetic algorithm (GA) approach for secure deployment of resource constrained multi-hop sensor networks. The goal in this case is to achieve secure coverage and improve battery life by dynamically optimizing security attributes (Like authentication and encryption). Further, we augment the GA approach for intrusion detection of resource constrained multi-hop sensor networks. Traditional intrusion detection mechanisms have limited applicability to the sensor networks due to scarce battery and processing resources. Therefore, we propose an effective scheme that would offer a power efficient and lightweight approach to identify malicious attacks. We evaluate sensor node attributes by measuring the perceived threat and its suitability to host local monitoring node (LMN) that acts as trusted proxy agent for the sink and capable of securely monitoring its neighbors. Security attributes in conjunction with genetic algorithm jointly optimizes the selection of monitoring nodes (i.e., LMN) by dynamically evaluating node fitness by profiling workloads patterns, packet statistics, utilization data, battery status, and quality-of-service compliance. Second part of the thesis delves into application of Information Technology (and Industrial) Systems and devices where the use of sensor networks can deliver non-intrusive and effective telemetry for group-based server management. These systems (Like Data Centers or Shipment tracking) face major challenges in seamless integration of telemetry and control data that is essential to various autonomic management functions related to power, thermal, reliability, predictability, survivability, locality and adaptability. Such systems that are supported by a dense network of sense-points operating in noisy environment (Metals, Cables) are required to deliver reliable trends, measurements and analysis in a timely fashion. The traditional approaches to provide distributed observability and control using wired solutions are static, expensive, and nonscalable. We apply the proposed GA approach for this unique environment that replaces static wired sensors with dynamically reconfigurable battery-powered wireless sensors. The proposed technique employs machine learning approach to optimize sensor node function assignment, clustering decisions, route establishment and data collection trees for improved throughput that results in effective controls

Design of Thermal Management Control Policies for Multiprocessors Systems on Chip

The contribution of this thesis is a thorough study of thermal aware policy design for MPSoCs. The study includes the modelling of their thermal behavior as well as the improvement and the definition of new thermal management and balancing policies. The work is structured on three main specific disciplines. The areas of contributions are: modeling, algorithms and system design. This thesis extends the field of modeling by proposing new techniques to represent the thermal behavior of MPSoCs using a mathematical formalization. Heat transfer and modelling of physical properties of MPSoCs have been extensively studied. Special emphasis is given to the way the system cools down (i.e. micro-cooling, natural heat dissipation etc.) and the heat propagates inside the MPSoC. The second contribution of this work is related to policies, which manage MPSoC working frequencies and micro-cooling pumps to satisfy user requirements in the most effective possible way, while consuming the lowest possible amount of resources. Several families of thermal policies algorithms have been studied and analyzed in this work for both 2D and 3D MPSoCs including liquid cooling technologies. The discipline of system design has also been extended during the development of this thesis. Thermal management policies have been implemented in real emulation platforms and contributions in this area are related to the design and implementation of proposed innovations in real MPSoC platforms

Technology for large space systems: A bibliography with indexes (supplement 07)

This bibliography lists 366 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between January 1, 1982 and June 30, 1982. Subject matter is grouped according to systems, interactive analysis and design, structural concepts, control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, solar power satellite systems, and flight experiments

Autonomous Vehicles

This edited volume, Autonomous Vehicles, is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of vehicle autonomy. The book comprises nine chapters authored by various researchers and edited by an expert active in the field of study. All chapters are complete in itself but united under a common research study topic. This publication aims to provide a thorough overview of the latest research efforts by international authors, open new possible research paths for further novel developments, and to inspire the younger generations into pursuing relevant academic studies and professional careers within the autonomous vehicle field

1999 Flight Mechanics Symposium

This conference publication includes papers and abstracts presented at the Flight Mechanics Symposium held on May 18-20, 1999. Sponsored by the Guidance, Navigation and Control Center of Goddard Space Flight Center, this symposium featured technical papers on a wide range of issues related to orbit-attitude prediction, determination, and control; attitude sensor calibration; attitude determination error analysis; attitude dynamics; and orbit decay and maneuver strategy. Government, industry, and the academic community participated in the preparation and presentation of these papers

International Symposium on Magnetic Suspension Technology, Part 1

The goal of the symposium was to examine the state of technology of all areas of magnetic suspension and to review related recent developments in sensors and controls approaches, superconducting magnet technology, and design/implementation practices. The symposium included 17 technical sessions in which 55 papers were presented. The technical session covered the areas of bearings, sensors and controls, microgravity and vibration isolation, superconductivity, manufacturing applications, wind tunnel magnetic suspension systems, magnetically levitated trains (MAGLEV), space applications, and large gap magnetic suspension systems

Design and verification of Guidance, Navigation and Control systems for space applications

In the last decades, systems have strongly increased their complexity in terms of number of functions that can be performed and quantity of relationships between functions and hardware as well as interactions of elements and disciplines concurring to the definition of the system. The growing complexity remarks the importance of defining methods and tools that improve the design, verification and validation of the system process: effectiveness and costs reduction without loss of confidence in the final product are the objectives that have to be pursued. Within the System Engineering context, the modern Model and Simulation based approach seems to be a promising strategy to meet the goals, because it reduces the wasted resources with respect to the traditional methods, saving money and tedious works. Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) starts from the idea that it is possible at any moment to verify, through simulation sessions and according to the phase of the life cycle, the feasibility, the capabilities and the performances of the system. Simulation is used during the engineering process and can be classified from fully numerical (i.e. all the equipment and conditions are reproduced as virtual model) to fully integrated hardware simulation (where the system is represented by real hardware and software modules in their operational environment). Within this range of simulations, a few important stages can be defined: algorithm in the loop (AIL), software in the loop (SIL), controller in the loop (CIL), hardware in the loop (HIL), and hybrid configurations among those. The research activity, in which this thesis is inserted, aims at defining and validating an iterative methodology (based on Model and Simulation approach) in support of engineering teams and devoted to improve the effectiveness of the design and verification of a space system with particular interest in Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) subsystem. The choice of focusing on GNC derives from the common interest and background of the groups involved in this research program (ASSET at Politecnico di Torino and AvioSpace, an EADS company). Moreover, GNC system is sufficiently complex (demanding both specialist knowledge and system engineer skills) and vital for whatever spacecraft and, last but not least the verification of its behavior is difficult on ground because strong limitations on dynamics and environment reproduction arise. Considering that the verification should be performed along the entire product life cycle, a tool and a facility, a simulator, independent from the complexity level of the test and the stage of the project, is needed. This thesis deals with the design of the simulator, called StarSim, which is the real heart of the proposed methodology. It has been entirely designed and developed from the requirements definition to the software implementation and hardware construction, up to the assembly, integration and verification of the first simulator release. In addition, the development of this technology met the modern standards on software development and project management. StarSim is a unique and self-contained platform: this feature allows to mitigate the risk of incompatibility, misunderstandings and loss of information that may arise using different software, simulation tools and facilities along the various phases. Modularity, flexibility, speed, connectivity, real time operation, fidelity with real world, ease of data management, effectiveness and congruence of the outputs with respect to the inputs are the sought-after features in the StarSim design. For every iteration of the methodology, StarSim guarantees the possibility to verify the behavior of the system under test thanks to the permanent availability of virtual models, that substitute all those elements not yet available and all the non-reproducible dynamics and environmental conditions. StarSim provides a furnished and user friendly database of models and interfaces that cover different levels of detail and fidelity, and supports the updating of the database allowing the user to create custom models (following few, simple rules). Progressively, pieces of the on board software and hardware can be introduced without stopping the process of design and verification, avoiding delays and loss of resources. StarSim has been used for the first time with the CubeSats belonging to the e-st@r program. It is an educational project carried out by students and researchers of the “CubeSat Team Polito” in which StarSim has been mainly used for the payload development, an Active Attitude Determination and Control System, but StarSim’s capabilities have also been updated to evaluate functionalities, operations and performances of the entire satellite. AIL, SIL, CIL, HIL simulations have been performed along all the phases of the project, successfully verifying a great number of functional and operational requirements. In particular, attitude determination algorithms, control laws, modes of operation have been selected and verified; software has been developed step by step and the bugs-free executable files have been loaded on the micro-controller. All the interfaces and protocols as well as data and commands handling have been verified. Actuators, logic and electrical circuits have been designed, built and tested and sensors calibration has been performed. Problems such as real time and synchronization have been solved and a complete hardware in the loop simulation test campaign both for A-ADCS standalone and for the entire satellite has been performed, verifying the satisfaction of a great number of CubeSat functional and operational requirements. The case study represents the first validation of the methodology with the first release of StarSim. It has been proven that the methodology is effective in demonstrating that improving the design and verification activities is a key point to increase the confidence level in the success of a space mission