8,282 research outputs found
Application of Calspan pitch rate control system to the Space Shuttle for approach and landing
A pitch rate control system designed for use in the shuttle during approach and landing was analyzed and compared with a revised control system developed by NASA and the existing OFT control system. The design concept control system uses filtered pitch rate feedback with proportional plus integral paths in the forward loop. Control system parameters were designed as a function of flight configuration. Analysis included time and frequency domain techniques. Results indicate that both the Calspan and NASA systems significantly improve the flying qualities of the shuttle over the OFT. Better attitude and flight path control and less time delay are the primary reasons. The Calspan system is preferred because of reduced time delay and simpler mechanization. Further testing of the improved flight control systems in an in-flight simulator is recommended
Modeling and control design of a wind tunnel model support
The 12-Foot Pressure Wind Tunnel at Ames Research Center is being restored. A major part of the restoration is the complete redesign of the aircraft model supports and their associated control systems. An accurate trajectory control servo system capable of positioning a model (with no measurable overshoot) is needed. Extremely small errors in scaled-model pitch angle can increase airline fuel costs for the final aircraft configuration by millions of dollars. In order to make a mechanism sufficiently accurate in pitch, a detailed structural and control-system model must be created and then simulated on a digital computer. The model must contain linear representations of the mechanical system, including masses, springs, and damping in order to determine system modes. Electrical components, both analog and digital, linear and nonlinear must also be simulated. The model of the entire closed-loop system must then be tuned to control the modes of the flexible model-support structure. The development of a system model, the control modal analysis, and the control-system design are discussed
PID Tuning of Plants With Time Delay Using Root Locus
This thesis research uses closed-loop pole analysis to study the dynamic behavior of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controlled feedback systems with time delay. A conventional tool for drawing root loci, the MATLAB function rlocus() cannot draw root loci for systems with time delay, and so another numerical method was devised to examine the appearance and behavior of root loci in systems with time delay.
Approximating the transfer function of time delay can lead to a mismatch between a predicted and actual response. Such a mismatch is avoided with the numerical method developed here. The method looks at the angle and magnitude conditions of the closed-loop characteristic equation to identify the true positions of closed-loop poles, their associated compensation gains, and the gain that makes a time-delayed system become marginally stable. Predictions for system response made with the numerical method are verified with a mathematical analysis and cross-checked against known results.
This research generates tuning coefficients for proportional-integral (PI) control of a first-order plant with time delay and PID control of a second-order plant with time delay. The research has applications to industrial processes, such as temperature-control loops
Application of digital control to a magnetic model suspension and balance model
The feasibility of using a digital computer for performing the automatic control functions for a magnetic suspension and balance system (MSBS) for use with wind tunnel models was investigated. Modeling was done using both a prototype MSBS and a one dimensional magnetic balance. A microcomputer using the Intel 8080 microprocessor is described and results are given using this microprocessor to control the one dimensional balance. Hybrid simulations for one degree of freedom of the MSBS were also performed and are reported. It is concluded that use of a digital computer to control the MSBS is eminently feasible and should extend both the accuracy and utility of the system
Some data processing requirements for precision Nap-Of-the-Earth (NOE) guidance and control of rotorcraft
Nap-Of-the-Earth (NOE) flight in a conventional helicopter is extremely taxing for two pilots under visual conditions. Developing a single pilot all-weather NOE capability will require a fully automatic NOE navigation and flight control capability for which innovative guidance and control concepts were examined. Constrained time-optimality provides a validated criterion for automatically controlled NOE maneuvers if the pilot is to have confidence in the automated maneuvering technique. A second focus was to organize the storage and real-time updating of NOE terrain profiles and obstacles in course-oriented coordinates indexed to the mission flight plan. A method is presented for using pre-flight geodetic parameter identification to establish guidance commands for planned flight profiles and alternates. A method is then suggested for interpolating this guidance command information with the aid of forward and side looking sensors within the resolution of the stored data base, enriching the data content with real-time display, guidance, and control purposes. A third focus defined a class of automatic anticipative guidance algorithms and necessary data preview requirements to follow the vertical, lateral, and longitudinal guidance commands dictated by the updated flight profiles and to address the effects of processing delays in digital guidance and control system candidates. The results of this three-fold research effort offer promising alternatives designed to gain pilot acceptance for automatic guidance and control of rotorcraft in NOE operations
Full- and Reduced-order Model of Hydraulic Cylinder for Motion Control
This paper describes the full- and reduced-order models of an actuated
hydraulic cylinder suitable for system dynamics analysis and motion control
design. The full-order model incorporates the valve spool dynamics with
combined dead-zone and saturation nonlinearities - inherent for the orifice
flow. It includes the continuity equations of hydraulic circuits coupled with
the dynamics of mechanical part of cylinder drive. The resulted model is the
fifth-order and nonlinear in states. The reduced model neglects the fast valve
spool dynamics, simplifies both the orifice and continuity equations through an
aggregation, and considers the cylinder rod velocity as output of interest. The
reduced model is second-order that facilitates studying the system behavior and
allows for direct phase plane analysis. Dynamics properties are addressed in
details, for both models, with focus on the frequency response, system damping,
and state trajectories related to the load pressure and relative velocity.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, IEEE conferenc
Aircraft digital control design methods
Variations in design methods for aircraft digital flight control are evaluated and compared. The methods fall into two categories; those where the design is done in the continuous domain (or s plane) and those where the design is done in the discrete domain (or z plane). Design method fidelity is evaluated by examining closed loop root movement and the frequency response of the discretely controlled continuous aircraft. It was found that all methods provided acceptable performance for sample rates greater than 10 cps except the uncompensated s plane design method which was acceptable above 20 cps. A design procedure based on optimal control methods was proposed that provided the best fidelity at very slow sample rates and required no design iterations for changing sample rates
Fixed-base simulation evaluation of various low-visibility landing systems for helicopters
Fixed base simulation evaluation of one fully automatic and six manual low visibility landing systems for helicopter
Effect of State Feedback Coupling on the Design of Voltage Source Inverters for Standalone Applications
This Ph.D. thesis aims at investigating the effect of state feedback cross‐coupling decoupling of the capacitor voltage on the dynamics performance of Voltage Source Inverters for standalone microgrids/Uninterruptible Power Supply systems. Computation and PWM delays are the main factors which limit the achievable bandwidth of current regulators in digital implementations. In particular, the performance of state feedback decoupling is degraded because of these delays.
Two decoupling techniques aimed at improving the transient response of voltage and current regulators are investigated, named nonideal and ideal capacitor voltage decoupling respectively. In particular, the latter solution consists in leading the capacitor voltage on the state feedback decoupling path in order to compensate for system delays. Practical implementation issues are discussed with reference to both the decoupling techniques. Moreover, different resonant regulators structures for the inner current loop are analysed and compared to investigate which is the most suitable for standalone microgrid applications.
A design methodology for the voltage loop, which considers the closed loop transfer functions developed for the inner current loop, is also provided. Proportional resonant voltage controllers tuned at specific harmonic frequencies are designed according to the Nyquist criterion taking into account application requirements. For this purpose, a mathematical expression based on root locus analysis is proposed to find the minimum value of the resonant gain at the fundamental frequency.
The exact model of the output LC filter of a three‐phase inverter is derived in the z‐domain. The devised formulation allows the comparison of two techniques based on a lead compensator and Smith predictor structure. These solutions permit the bandwidth of the current regulator to be widened while still achieving good dynamic performance. As a consequence, the voltage regulator can be designed for a wide bandwidth and even mitigates odd harmonics arising with unbalance loads supply. Discrete‐time domain implementation issues of an anti‐wind up scheme are discussed as well, highlighting the limitations of some discretization methods.
Experimental tests performed in accordance to Uninterruptible Power Supply standards verify the theoretical analysis
Compensation requirements for an automatic tensioning device used in winding superconducting coils/
This thesis investigates the applicability of a commercial controller for stabilizing an automatic tensioning device used in winding operations for large superconducting coils. Unsuccessful results with the commercial unit leads to the design of a compensation network. Root locus techniques are utilized in arriving at a suitable compensation network to stabilize the tension machine control system. Simulated tests of the system\u27s response to a step input and to a pulse disturbance are performed using IBM\u27s Continuous System Modeling Program
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