Modeling and control study of the NASA 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel for use with sulfur hexafluoride medium

The NASA Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel is to be modified to operate with sulfur hexafluoride gas while retaining its present capability to operate with nitrogen. The modified tunnel will provide high Reynolds number flow on aerodynamic models with two different test gases. The document details a study of the SF6 tunnel performance boundaries, thermodynamic modeling of the tunnel process, nonlinear dynamical simulation of math model to yield tunnel responses, the closed loop control requirements, control laws, and mechanization of the control laws on the microprocessor based controller

The NASA Langley Research Center 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel microcomputer controller source code

The 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT) microcomputer based controller has been operating for several thousand hours in a safe and efficient manner. A complete listing is provided of the source codes for the tunnel controller and tunnel simulator. Included also is a listing of all the variables used in these programs. Several changes made to the controller are described. These changes are to improve the controller ease of use and safety

The NASA Langley Research Center 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel T-P/Re-M controller manual

A new microcomputer based controller for the 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT) has been commissioned in 1988 and has reliably operated for more than a year. The tunnel stagnation pressure, gas stagnation temperature, tunnel wall structural temperature and flow Mach number are precisely controlled by the new controller in a stable manner. The tunnel control hardware, software, and the flow chart to assist in calibration of the sensors, actuators, and the controller real time functions are described. The software installation details are also presented. The report serves as the maintenance and trouble shooting manual for the 0.3-m TCT controller

Microcomputer based controller for the Langley 0.3-meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel

Flow control of the Langley 0.3-meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT) is a multivariable nonlinear control problem. Globally stable control laws were generated to hold tunnel conditions in the presence of geometrical disturbances in the test section and precisely control the tunnel states for small and large set point changes. The control laws are mechanized as four inner control loops for tunnel pressure, temperature, fan speed, and liquid nitrogen supply pressure, and two outer loops for Mach number and Reynolds number. These integrated control laws have been mechanized on a 16-bit microcomputer working on DOS. This document details the model of the 0.3-m TCT, control laws, microcomputer realization, and its performance. The tunnel closed loop responses to small and large set point changes were presented. The controller incorporates safe thermal management of the tunnel cooldown based on thermal restrictions. The controller was shown to provide control of temperature to + or - 0.2K, pressure to + or - 0.07 psia, and Mach number to + or - 0.002 of a given set point during aerodynamic data acquisition in the presence of intrusive geometrical changes like flexwall movement, angle-of-attack changes, and drag rake traverse. The controller also provides a new feature of Reynolds number control. The controller provides a safe, reliable, and economical control of the 0.3-m TCT

Subsonic sting interference on the aerodynamic characteristics of a family of slanted-base ogive-cylinders

Support interference free drag, lift, and pitching moment measurements on a range of slanted base ogive cylinders were made using the NASA Langley 13 inch magnetic suspension and balance system. Typical test Mach numbers were in the range 0.04 to 0.2. Drag results are shown to be in broad agreement with previous tests with this configuration. Measurements were repeated with a dummy sting support installed in the wind tunnel. Significant support interferences were found at all test conditions and are quantified. Further comparison is made between interference free base pressures, obtained using remote telemetry, and sting cavity pressures

Performance of the active sidewall boundary-layer removal system for the Langley 0.3-meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel

A performance evaluation of an active sidewall boundary-layer removal system for the Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT) was evaluated in 1988. This system uses a compressor and two throttling digital valves to control the boundary-layer mass flow removal from the tunnel. The compressor operates near the maximum pressure ratio for all conditions. The system uses a surge prevention and flow recirculation scheme. A microprocessor based controller is used to provide the necessary mass flow and compressor pressure ratio control. Initial tests on the system indicated problems in realizing smooth mass flow control while running the compressor at high speed and high pressure ratios. An alternate method has been conceived to realize boundary-layer mass flow control which avoids the recirculation of the compressor mass flow and operation near the compressor surge point. This scheme is based on varying the speed of the compressor for a sufficient pressure ratio to provide needed mass flow removal. The system has a mass flow removal capability of about 10 percent of test section flow at M = 0.3 and 4 percent at M = 0.8. The system performance has been evaluated in the form of the compressor map, and compressor tunnel interface characteristics covering most of the 0.3-m TCT operational envelope

A feasibility study of using Langley 0.3-m transonic cryogenic tunnel sidewall boundary-layer removal system for heavy gas testing

This report presents the results of a preliminary study for using the 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel sidewall boundary-layer removal system with heavy gas sulfur hexafluoride as the test medium. It is shown that the drive motor speed/power of the existing system and the additional heat load on the tunnel heat exchanger are the major problems limiting the boundary-layer removal system performance. Overcoming these problems can provide the capability to remove about 1.5 percent of the test section mass flow at Mach number M = 0.8 and about 5 percent at M = 0.25. Previous studies have shown that these boundary-layer mass flow removal rates can reduce the boundary-layer thickness by a factor of two at the model station. Also the effect of upstream boundary-layer removal on the airfoil test data is not likely to be significant under high lifting conditions. Near design conditions, corrections to the test Mach number may be necessary to account for sidewall boundary-layer effects

Development of a model protection and dynamic response monitoring system for the national transonic facility

A state-of-the-art, computerized mode protection and dynamic response monitoring system has been developed for the NASA Langley Research Center National Transonic Facility (NTF). This report describes the development of the model protection and shutdown system (MPSS). A technical description of the system is given along with discussions on operation and capabilities of the system. Applications of the system to vibration problems are presented to demonstrate the system capabilities, typical applications, versatility, and investment research return derived from the system to date. The system was custom designed for the NTF but can be used at other facilities or for other dynamic measurement/diagnostic applications. Potential commercial uses of the system are described. System capability has been demonstrated for forced response testing and for characterizing and quantifying bias errors for onboard inertial model attitude measurement devices. The system is installed in the NTF control room and has been used successfully for monitoring, recording and analyzing the dynamic response of several model systems tested in the NTF

Recent Enhancements to the National Transonic Facility (Mixed Mode Operations)

The U.S. National Transonic Facility continues to make enhancements to provide quality data in a safe, efficient and cost effective method for aerodynamic ground testing. Recent enhancements discussed in this paper include the development of a Mixed-mode of operations that combine Air-mode operations with Nitrogen-mode operations. This implementation and operational results of this new Mixed-mode expands the ambient temperature transonic region of testing beyond the Air-mode limitations at a significantly reduced cost over Nitrogen Mode operation

Effects of vibration on inertial wind-tunnel model attitude measurement devices

Results of an experimental study of a wind tunnel model inertial angle-of-attack sensor response to a simulated dynamic environment are presented. The inertial device cannot distinguish between the gravity vector and the centrifugal accelerations associated with wind tunnel model vibration, this situation results in a model attitude measurement bias error. Significant bias error in model attitude measurement was found for the model system tested. The model attitude bias error was found to be vibration mode and amplitude dependent. A first order correction model was developed and used for estimating attitude measurement bias error due to dynamic motion. A method for correcting the output of the model attitude inertial sensor in the presence of model dynamics during on-line wind tunnel operation is proposed