Esta dissertação aborda o desenvolvimento de um método numérico para a análise de forças e momentos aerodinâmicos em turbinas eólicas fixas e flutuantes no domínio do tempo, utilizando a teoria da quantidade de movimento do elemento de pá (Blade Element Momentum Theory, BEMT) em C++. As pás são divididas em segmentos menores, onde a influência da turbina no fluxo é realizada através do cálculo de fatores de indução. Cada segmento é considerado como um aerofólio bidimensional, sendo possível estimar forças e momentos através de coeficientes para asas infinitas. A teoria da quantidade de movimento do elemento de pá, embora conceitualmente simples, é usualmente empregada com algumas correções em suas equações para se ajustar aos resultados experimentais. A inclusão de turbinas flutuantes é realizada através do movimento de corpo rígido da plataforma, que tem um impacto direto no cálculo aerodinâmico. Por não ser o objetivo deste trabalho, as equações de movimento são calculadas através de uma fonte externa e posteriormente colocadas como dado de entrada do código, simplificando assim a análise e excluindo uma fonte potencial de erro na verificação. O caso de estudo é a turbina do projeto Offshore Code Comparison Collaboration Continuation (OC4), a qual é analisada como uma turbina fixa e flutuante, utilizando uma plataforma semi-submersível. Os resultados das forças e momentos aerodinâmicos do software FAST do Laboratório Nacional de Energias Renováveis (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL) são comparados ao código desenvolvido, mostrando excelente concordância para todos os casos analisados. / This dissertation addresses the development of a numerical method for the analysis of aerodynamic forces and moments of fixed and floating wind turbines in time domain, using the Blade Element Moment Theory (BEMT) written in C++. The blades are divided into smaller segments, where the influence of the turbine in the flow is performed through the calculation of induction factors. Each segment is considered as a two-dimensional airfoil, and it is possible to estimate forces and moments through coefficients for infinite wings. The Blade Element Moment Theory, though conceptually simple, is usually employed with some corrections in its equations to fit experimental results. The inclusion of floating turbines is performed through the rigid body motion of the platform, which has a direct impact on the aerodynamic calculation. Since it is not the objective of this work, the equations of movement are calculated through an external source and then placed as input data of the code, thus simplifying analysis and excluding a potential source of error in verification. The case of study is the turbine of the Offshore Code Comparison Collaboration Continuation (OC4) project, which is analyzed either as a fixed or a floating turbine, using a semi-submersible platform. The results of aerodynamic forces and moments from FAST software of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are compared to the developed code, showing excellent agreement for all cases analyzed.

Morphing aircraft combine both radical and subtle wing shape changes to improve vehicle performance relative to a rigid airframe. An aircraft wind tunnel model with considerable wing-shape freedom can serve as a tool in learning to model, control, and fully exploit the potential of such vehicles. This work describes the design, development, and initial analysis of a wind tunnel model that combines large and small wing shape variations for fundamental research in modeling and control of morphing air vehicles. The vehicle is designed for five primary purposes: quasi-steady aerodynamic modeling of an aircraft with large planform changes, optimization studies in achieving efficient flight configurations, transient aerodynamic modeling of high-rate planform changes, evaluating planform maneuvering as an control effector, and gimbaled flight control simulation of a morphing aircraft. The knowledge gained from the wind tunnel evaluations will be used to develop general stabilization and optimal control strategies that can be applied to other vehicles with large scale planform changes and morphing flight models. After a brief background on the development of the Morphing Aircraft Program, and previous research ventures, the first phase vehicle development is described. The vehicle function, subsystems, and control are all presented in addition to the results of first phase wind tunnel testing. Deficiencies in the phase one design motivated the phase two development which has led to the current vehicle model: MORPHEUS. The evolution towards the MORPHEUS configuration is presented in detail along with an elementary strength analysis. The new embedded control implementation to permit a rate controllable planform is included. A preliminary aerodynamic analysis is presented to contrast MORPHEUS against the phase one design and an industry morphing concept. In particular, it is shown how the redesigned model has enhanced performance characteristics and the additional degrees of freedom enable greater flexibility in optimizing a configuration, especially with respect to trim characteristics. An expansion of traditional analysis techniques is applied to derive a new optimal twist algorithm for the MORPHEUS model at each planform configuration. The analysis concludes with a hybrid continuous modeling method that combines first-order computational aerodynamic modeling with classic stability expressions and DATCOM enhancements. The elementary aerodynamic coefficients are computed over the range of possible planform configurations and combined with the optimal twist results for preliminary trim analysis. This work precedes phase two wind tunnel testing and transient modeling. Future work involves expansion into the five purposes detailed for the MORPHEUS model. / Master of Science

Harmonic oscillatory tests for a fighter aircraft using the Dynamic Plunge--Pitch--Roll model mount at Virginia Tech Stability Wind Tunnel are described. Corresponding data reduction methods are developed on the basis of multirate digital signal processing. Since the model is sting mounted, the frequencies associated with sting vibration are included in balance readings thus a linear filter must be used to extract out the aerodynamic responses. To achieve this, a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) is designed using the Remez exchange algorithm. Based on the reduced data, a state–space model is developed to describe the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft during roll oscillations. For this model, we chose to separate the aircraft into panels and model the local forces and moments. Included in this technique is the introduction of a new state variable, a separation state variable which characterizes the separation for each panel. This new variable is governed by a first order differential equation. Taylor series expansions in terms of the input variables were performed to obtain the aerodynamic coefficients of the model. These derivatives, a form of the stability derivative approach, are not constant but rather quadratic functions of the new state variable. Finally, the concept of the model was expanded to allow for the addition of longitudinal motions. Thus, pitching moments will be identified at the same time as rolling moments. The results show that the goal of modeling coupled longitudinal and lateral–directional characteristics at the same time using the same inputs is feasible. / Master of Science

This thesis describes the development of a nonlinear flight dynamics model for a small, fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Models developed for UAVs can be used for many applications including risk analysis, controls system design and flight simulators. Several challenges exist for system identification of small, low-cost aircraft including an increased sensitivity to atmospheric disturbances and decreased data quality from a cost-appropriate instrumentation system. These challenges result in difficulties in development of the model structure and parameter estimation. The small size may also limit the scope of flight test experiments and the consequent information content of the data from which the model is developed. Methods are presented to improve the accuracy of system identification which include data selection, data conditioning, incorporation of information from computational aerodynamics and synthesis of information from different flight test maneuvers. The final parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis was developed from the time domain formulation of the output-error method using the fully nonlinear aircraft equations of motion and a nonlinear aerodynamic model structure. The methods discussed increased the accuracy of parameter estimates and lowered the uncertainty in estimates compared to standard procedures for parameter estimation from flight test data. The significant contributions of this thesis are a detailed explanation of the entire system identification process tailored to the needs of a small UAV and incorporation of unique procedures to enhance identification results. This work may be used as a guide and list of recommendations for future system identification efforts of small, low-cost, minimally instrumented, fixed-wing UAVs. / MS / This thesis describes identification of a series of equations to model the flight motion of a small unmanned airplane. Model development for small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a challenging process because they are significantly affected by small amounts of wind and they usually contain inexpensive, lower quality sensors. This results in lower quality data measured from flying a small UAV, which is subsequently used in the process to develop a model for the aircraft. In this work, techniques are discussed to improve estimation of model parameters and increase confidence in the validity of the final model. The significant contributions of this thesis are a comprehensive explanation of the model development process specific to a small UAV and implementation of unique procedures to enhance the resulting model. This work as a whole may be used as a guide and list of recommendations for future model development efforts of small, low-cost, unmanned aircraft.

This study presents the theoretical analysis of an active flutter suppression methodology applied to a smart fin. The smart fin consists of a cantilever aluminum plate-like structure with surface bonded piezoelectric (PZT, Lead- Zirconate-Titanate) patches. A thermal analogy method for the purpose of modeling of piezoelectric actuators in MSC&reg / /NASTRAN based on the analogy between thermal strains and piezoelectric strains was presented. The results obtained by the thermal analogy were compared with the reference results and very good agreement was observed. The unsteady aerodynamic loads acting on the structure were calculated by using a linear two-dimensional Doublet-Lattice Method available in MSC&reg / /NASTRAN. These aerodynamic loads were approximated as rational functions of the Laplace variable by using one of the aerodynamic approximation schemes, Roger&amp / #8217 / s approximation, with least-squares method. These approximated aerodynamic loads together with the structural matrices obtained by the finite element method were used to develop the aeroelastic equations of motion of the smart fin in state-space form. The Hinf robust controllers were then designed for the state-space aeroelastic model of the smart fin by considering both SISO (Single-Input Single-Output) and MIMO (Multi-Input Multi-Output) system models. The verification studies of the controllers showed satisfactory flutter suppression performance around the flutter point and a significant improvement in the flutter speed of the smart fin was also observed.

With the proliferation of unmanned aircraft designed for national security and commercial purposes, opportunities exist to create high-fidelity aerodynamic models with flight test techniques developed specifically for remotely piloted aircraft. Then, highly maneuverable unmanned aircraft can be employed to their greatest potential in a safe manner using advanced control laws. In this dissertation, novel techniques are used to identify nonlinear, coupled, aerodynamic models for fixed-wing, unmanned aircraft from flight test data alone. Included are quasi-steady and unsteady nominal flight models, aero-propulsive models, and spinning flight models. A novel flight test technique for unmanned aircraft, excitation with remote uncorrelated pilot inputs, is developed for use in nominal and nonlinear flight regimes. Orthogonal phase-optimized multisine excitation signals are also used as inputs while collecting gliding, aero-propulsive, and spinning flight data. A novel vector decomposition of explanatory variables leads to an elegant model structure for stall spin flight data analysis and spin aerodynamic modeling. Results for each model developed show good agreement between model predictions and validation flight data. Two novel applications of aerodynamic modeling are discussed including energy-based nonlinear directional control and a spin flight path control law for use as a flight termination system. Experimental and simulation results from these applications demonstrate the utility of high-fidelity models developed from flight data. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation presents flight test experiments conducted using a small remotely controlled airplane to determine mathematical equations and parameter values, called models, to describe the airplane's motion. Then, the models are applied to control the path of the airplane. The process to develop the models and predict an airplane's motion using flight data is described. New techniques are presented for data collection and analysis for unusual flight conditions, including a spinning descent. Results show the techniques can predict the airplane's motion very well. Two experiments are presented demonstrating new applications and the usefulness of the mathematical models.

This work addressed aerodynamic modeling methods for prediction of post-stall flight dynamics of large transport aircraft. This was accomplished by applying historically successful modeling methods used on high-performance military aircraft to a transport configuration. The overall research approach involved integrating forced oscillation and rotary balance wind tunnel data into an aerodynamic model using several methods of blending these data. The complete aerodynamic model was integrated into a six degree-of-freedom simulation. Experimental data from free-spin wind tunnel testing was used to validate the aerodynamic modeling methods by comparing aerodynamic force and moment coefficients and also to validate the simulation performance by comparing spin mode characteristics and time histories. The aerodynamic model prediction of spin dynamics was generally very good using all of the blending methods studied. In addition, key spin mode characteristics were predicted with a high degree of accuracy. Overall, using the Hybrid Kalviste method of blending forced oscillation and rotary balance data produced the closest match to the free-spin data when comparing aerodynamic coefficients and spin mode characteristics. Several issues were encountered with the blending methods that were exacerbated by nonlinearities and asymmetries in the dynamic aerodynamic data. A new method of looking up dynamic aerodynamic data was proposed to address shortcomings in the blending methods and recommendations were provided on addressing issues with the dynamic aerodynamic data.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T12:09:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 7806866 bytes, checksum: e82d66eac19ff2b75d73191030617b92 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-01-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This research aimed to evaluate how four patterns of the urban use and occupation are interrelated in the wind flow comportment, relating to different settings which were considered in: the actual occupation pattern of the areas of Cabo Branco and Tambaú in Joao Pessoa, the capital city of Paraíba State, in the same area, where the three other types were suggested and carried out, the first one relating to the actual legislation considering heavy urban density and the second other two have investigated the possibility of vertical structure for such density. By applying reduced scale modeling experiments in aerodynamic tunnels and by using the erosion figure technique (of sand) (JANEIRO and SARAIVA, 1980), with the methodology developed by Silva (1999), analysis have reached the conclusion that the legal standard induced by the actual legislation may giving permission for irreversible loss in the urban improvement and environmental quality associated to buildings around the beach areas of the whole city in the near future. / O presente trabalho avalia de que forma o escoamento dos ventos se interrelaciona com os quatro padrões de ocupação do solo urbano estudados: o padrão de ocupação atual de parte dos bairros do Cabo Branco e Tambaú/João Pessoa PB, e outros três sugeridos para a mesma área. Entre os modelos expostos, um refere-se ao adensamento da área segundo a legislação vigente, e os outros dois são relativos a outras possibilidades de adensamento vertical. Os modelos em escala reduzida, foram avaliados com base em ensaios efetuados em túnel aerodinâmico, utilizando-se da técnica de figuras de erosão de areia (JANEIRO e SARAIVA, 1980), e metodologia desenvolvida por Silva (1999), concluindo-se que os padrões induzidos pela legislação vigente poderão causar danos irreversíveis à orla da cidade de João Pessoa num futuro próximo.

Ducted fan vehicles possess a superior ability to maximize payload capacity while minimizing vehicle size. Their ability to both hover and fly at high speed is a key advantage for information-gathering missions, particularly when close proximity to a target is essential. However, the ducted fan's aerodynamic characteristics pose difficulties for stable vehicle flight and therefore require complex control algorithms. In particular, they exhibit a large nose-up pitching moment during wind gusts and when transitioning from hover to forward flight. Understanding ducted fan aerodynamic behavior and how it can be altered through flow control techniques are the two prime objectives of this work. This dissertation provides a new paradigm for modeling the ducted fan's nonlinear behavior and new methods for changing the duct aerodynamics using active flow control. Steady and piezoelectric synthetic jet blowing are employed in the flow control concepts and are compared. The new aerodynamic model captures the nonlinear characteristics of the force, moment, and power data for a ducted fan, while representing these terms in a set of simple equations. The model attains excellent agreement with current and legacy experimental data using twelve non-dimensional constants. Synthetic jet actuators (SJA) have potential for use in flow control applications in UAVs with limited size, weight, and power budgets. Piezoelectric SJAs for a ducted fan vehicle were developed through two rounds of experimental designs. The final SJA design attained peak jet velocities in the range of 225 ft/sec (69 m/s) for a 0.03â x 0.80â rectangular slot. To reduce the magnitude of the nose-up pitching moment in cross-winds, two flow control concepts were explored: flow separation control at the duct lip, and flow turning at the duct trailing edge using a CoandÄ surface. Both concepts were experimentally proven to be successful. Synthetic jets and steady jets were capable of modifying the ducted fan flow to reduce pitching moment, but some cases required high values of steady blowing to create significant responses. Triggering leading edge separation on the duct lip was one application where synthetic jets showed comparable performance to steady jets operating at a blowing coefficient an order of magnitude higher. / Ph. D.

Au cours du siècle dernier, la communauté scientifique a traité le contrôle des véhicules aériens principalement par l'élaboration de stratégies ad hoc, mais aucune approche unifiée n'a été développé jusqu'à présent. Cette thèse participe à l'élaboration d'une approche unifiée pour le contrôle des véhicules aériens en prenant en compte les forces aérodynamiques dans la conception de la commande. Nous supposons les effets aérodynamiques de rotation et les effets non stationnaires négligeables. Les actionneurs du véhicule sont supposés être composés d'une force de poussé fixée au corps pour le mouvement en translation, et d'un couple de contrôle pour la régulation d'attitude. Cette thèse se concentre ensuite sur la boucle de guidage, traitant du contrôle de la vitesse linéaire. L'un des principaux objectifs a été de déterminer la façon de réguler la force de poussée et l'orientation du véhicule pour compenser les forces extérieures. Tout d'abord nous abordons la modélisation, l'analyse et le contrôle de la dynamique longitudinale de l'avion. Ensuite nous étendons certaines de ces études aux mouvements tridimensionnels d'avions au corps symétrique, tels que les missiles. Un résultat original de cette thèse est de préciser les conditions sur la force aérodynamique permettant de reformuler le problème du contrôle dans celui de la commande d'un corps sphérique, pour lequel des résultats de stabilité peuvent être démontrés. Les lois de commande proposées intègrent des termes intégraux et anti-wind up sans reposer sur une politique de commutation entre plusieurs lois de commande. / Over the last century, the scientific community has dealt with the control of flying machines by mainly developing different strategies in relation to different classes of aircraft, and no unified control approach has been developed so far. The present thesis contributes towards the development of a unified control approach for aerial vehicles by maintaining aerodynamic forces in the control design. It is assumed, however, that the aerodynamic effects of rotational and unsteady motions are negligible, and that the means of actuation for an aerial vehicle consist of a body-fixed thrust force for translational motion and a control torque for attitude monitoring. This thesis then focuses on the guidance loop of the control problem. One of the main objectives has been to determine how to regulate the thrust intensity and the vehicle orientation to compensate for the orientation-dependent external forces. In particular, the modeling, analysis, and control of the longitudinal aircraft dynamics is first addressed. Then, some of these studies are extended to three-dimensional motions of symmetric aircraft, such as missile-like bodies. An original outcome of this thesis is to state conditions on the aerodynamic force that allow the control problem to be recasted into that of controlling a spherical body. In this case, strong stability results can be shown. The proposed control laws incorporate integral and anti-wind up terms and do not rely on a switching policy between several control laws.