scholarly journals Design and Evaluation of Sensor Housing for Boundary Layer Profiling Using Multirotors

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 2481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashraful Islam ◽  
Adam L. Houston ◽  
Ajay Shankar ◽  
Carrick Detweiler
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Radiation Shielding ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Heat Sources ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Artificial Heat ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Airborne Sensors

Traditional configurations for mounting Temperature–Humidity (TH) sensors on multirotor Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) often suffer from insufficient radiation shielding, exposure to mixed and turbulent air from propellers, and inconsistent aspiration while situated in the wake of the UAS. Descent profiles using traditional methods are unreliable (when compared to an ascent profile) due to the turbulent mixing of air by the UAS while descending into that flow field. Consequently, atmospheric boundary layer profiles that rely on such configurations are bias-prone and unreliable in certain flight patterns (such as descent). This article describes and evaluates a novel sensor housing designed to shield airborne sensors from artificial heat sources and artificial wet-bulbing while pulling air from outside the rotor wash influence. The housing is mounted above the propellers to exploit the rotor-induced pressure deficits that passively induce a high-speed laminar airflow to aspirate the sensor consistently. Our design is modular, accommodates a variety of other sensors, and would be compatible with a wide range of commercially available multirotors. Extensive flight tests conducted at altitudes up to 500 m Above Ground Level (AGL) show that the housing facilitates reliable measurements of the boundary layer phenomena and is invariant in orientation to the ambient wind, even at high vertical/horizontal speeds (up to 5 m/s) for the UAS. A low standard deviation of errors shows a good agreement between the ascent and descent profiles and proves our unique design is reliable for various UAS missions.

scholarly journals On-flight intercomparison of three miniature aerosol absorption sensors using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Pikridas ◽  
Spiros Bezantakos ◽  
Grisa Močnik ◽  
Christos Keleshis ◽  
Fred Brechtel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Absorption Coefficient ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Measured Signal ◽  
Aerosol Absorption ◽  
Fast Development ◽  
Aerial Systems

Abstract. The present study investigates for the first time, the ground and flight performances of three miniaturized aerosol absorption sensors integrated on-board of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). These sensors were evaluated during two contrasted field campaigns performed respectively at an urban site (Athens, Greece) impacted mainly by local traffic and domestic wood burning sources and at a remote regional background site (Agia Marina, Cyprus) impacted by long-range transported sources including dust. The three sensors were intercompared at the ground level against two commercially available instruments (MAAP and AE33) used as a reference. The measured signal of the three sensors was converted into absorption coefficient, equivalent black carbon concentration (eBC) and, when applicable, to signal saturation corrections following the suggestions of the manufacturers. Despite the diversity of the aerosol origin, chemical composition, sources and concentration levels during the two campaigns, the aerosol absorption sensors exhibited similar behavior against the reference instruments. The deviation from the reference during both campaigns concerning (eBC) mass was less than 8 %, suggesting that those miniature sensors that report BC mass are tuned/corrected to measure more accurately eBC rather than the absorption coefficient which deviated at least 15 %. The overall potential use of miniature aerosol absorption sensor on-board UAS is also illustrated here. UAS-based absorption measurements were used to investigate the vertical distribution of eBC over Athens up to 1 km above sea level during January 2016, reaching the top of the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Our results highlighted a heterogeneous boundary layer concentration of absorbing aerosol, especially in the early morning hours with the concurrent peak traffic emissions at ground-level and fast development of the boundary layer. Vertical homogeneity was achieved when the boundary layer depth became stable.

scholarly journals On-flight intercomparison of three miniature aerosol absorption sensors using unmanned aerial systems (UASs)

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 6425-6447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Pikridas ◽  
Spiros Bezantakos ◽  
Griša Močnik ◽  
Christos Keleshis ◽  
Fred Brechtel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Absorption Coefficient ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Measured Signal ◽  
Aerosol Absorption ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Miniaturized Sensors

Abstract. The present study investigates and compares the ground and in-flight performance of three miniaturized aerosol absorption sensors integrated on board small-sized Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs). These sensors were evaluated during two contrasted field campaigns performed at an urban site, impacted mainly by local traffic and domestic wood burning sources (Athens, Greece), and at a remote regional background site, impacted by long-range transported sources including dust (Cyprus Atmospheric Observatory, Agia Marina Xyliatou, Cyprus). The miniaturized sensors were first intercompared at the ground-level against two commercially available instruments used as a reference. The measured signal of the miniaturized sensors was converted into the absorption coefficient and equivalent black carbon concentration (eBC). When applicable, signal saturation corrections were applied, following the suggestions of the manufacturers. The aerosol absorption sensors exhibited similar behavior against the reference instruments during the two campaigns, despite the diversity of the aerosol origin, chemical composition, sources, and concentration levels. The deviation from the reference during both campaigns concerning (eBC) mass was less than 8 %, while for the absorption coefficient it was at least 15 %. This indicates that those sensors that report black carbon mass are tuned and corrected to measure eBC more accurately than the absorption coefficient. The overall potential use of miniature aerosol absorption sensors on board small UASs is also illustrated. UAS-based absorption measurements were used to investigate the vertical distribution of eBC over Athens up to 1 km above sea level during January 2016, exceeding the top of the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Our results reveal a heterogeneous boundary layer concentration of absorbing aerosol within the PBL intensified in the early morning hours due to the concurrent peak traffic emissions at ground-level and the fast development of the boundary layer. After the full development of the PBL, homogenous concentrations are observed from 100 m a.g.l. to the PBL top.

Boundary Layer Flashback Limits of Hydrogen-Methane-Air Flames in a Generic Swirl Burner at Gas Turbine Relevant Conditions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Ebi ◽  
Peter Jansohn
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Wall Temperature ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Preheat Temperature ◽  
Swirl Burner ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Operating stationary gas turbines on hydrogen-rich fuels offers a pathway to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the power generation sector. A key challenge in the design of lean-premixed burners, which are flexible in terms of the amount of hydrogen in the fuel across a wide range and still adhere to the required emissions levels, is to prevent flame flashback. However, systematic investigations on flashback at gas turbine relevant conditions to support combustor development are sparse. The current work addresses the need for an improved understanding with an experimental study on boundary layer flashback in a generic swirl burner up to 7.5 bar and 300° C preheat temperature. Methane-hydrogen-air flames with 50 to 85% hydrogen by volume were investigated. High-speed imaging was applied to reveal the flame propagation pathway during flashback events. Flashback limits are reported in terms of the equivalence ratio for a given pressure, preheat temperature, bulk flow velocity and hydrogen content. The wall temperature of the center body along which the flame propagated during flashback events has been controlled by an oil heating/cooling system. This way, the effect any of the control parameters, e.g. pressure, had on the flashback limit was de-coupled from the otherwise inherently associated change in heat load on the wall and thus change in wall temperature. The results show that the preheat temperature has a weaker effect on the flashback propensity than expected. Increasing the pressure from atmospheric conditions to 2.5 bar strongly increases the flashback risk, but hardly affects the flashback limit beyond 2.5 bar.

scholarly journals Unmanned Aerial Systems for Investigating the Polar Atmospheric Boundary Layer—Technical Challenges and Examples of Applications

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Lampert ◽  
Barbara Altstädter ◽  
Konrad Bärfuss ◽  
Lutz Bretschneider ◽  
Jesper Sandgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
The Impact

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) fill a gap in high-resolution observations of meteorological parameters on small scales in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Especially in the remote polar areas, there is a strong need for such detailed observations with different research foci. In this study, three systems are presented which have been adapted to the particular needs for operating in harsh polar environments: The fixed-wing aircraft M 2 AV with a mass of 6 kg, the quadrocopter ALICE with a mass of 19 kg, and the fixed-wing aircraft ALADINA with a mass of almost 25 kg. For all three systems, their particular modifications for polar operations are documented, in particular the insulation and heating requirements for low temperatures. Each system has completed meteorological observations under challenging conditions, including take-off and landing on the ice surface, low temperatures (down to −28 ∘ C), icing, and, for the quadrocopter, under the impact of the rotor downwash. The influence on the measured parameters is addressed here in the form of numerical simulations and spectral data analysis. Furthermore, results from several case studies are discussed: With the M 2 AV, low-level flights above leads in Antarctic sea ice were performed to study the impact of areas of open water within ice surfaces on the ABL, and a comparison with simulations was performed. ALICE was used to study the small-scale structure and short-term variability of the ABL during a cruise of RV Polarstern to the 79 ∘ N glacier in Greenland. With ALADINA, aerosol measurements of different size classes were performed in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in highly complex terrain. In particular, very small, freshly formed particles are difficult to monitor and require the active control of temperature inside the instruments. The main aim of the article is to demonstrate the potential of UAS for ABL studies in polar environments, and to provide practical advice for future research activities with similar systems.

scholarly journals Unmanned Aerial Systems for Monitoring Trace Tropospheric Gases

Atmosphere ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis Schuyler ◽  
Marcelo Guzman
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Cavity Surface ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Spatiotemporal Resolution ◽  
Atmospheric Trace Gases ◽  
Aerial Systems

The emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) has changed the composition of the atmosphere during the Anthropocene. Accurately documenting the sources and magnitude of GHGs emission is an important undertaking for discriminating the contributions of different processes to radiative forcing. Currently there is no mobile platform that is able to quantify trace gases at altitudes <100 m above ground level that can achieve spatiotemporal resolution on the order of meters and seconds. Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) can be deployed on-site in minutes and can support the payloads necessary to quantify trace gases. Therefore, current efforts combine the use of UASs available on the civilian market with inexpensively designed analytical systems for monitoring atmospheric trace gases. In this context, this perspective introduces the most relevant classes of UASs available and evaluates their suitability to operate three kinds of detectors for atmospheric trace gases. The three subsets of UASs discussed are: (1) micro aerial vehicles (MAVs); (2) vertical take-off and landing (VTOL); and, (3) low-altitude short endurance (LASE) systems. The trace gas detectors evaluated are first the vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), which is an infrared laser-absorption technique; second two types of metal-oxide semiconductor sensors; and, third a modified catalytic type sensor. UASs with wingspans under 3 m that can carry up to 5 kg a few hundred meters high for at least 30 min provide the best cost and convenience compromise for sensors deployment. Future efforts should be focused on the calibration and validation of lightweight analytical systems mounted on UASs for quantifying trace atmospheric gases. In conclusion, UASs offer new and exciting opportunities to study atmospheric composition and its effect on weather patterns and climate change.

Aerodynamic Investigations of a Variable Inlet Guide Vane With Symmetric Profile

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Händel ◽  
Reinhard Niehuis ◽  
Uwe Rockstroh
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Boundary Layer Transition ◽  
Inlet Guide Vane ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Variable Inlet Guide Vane ◽  
Symmetric Profile

In order to determine the aerodynamic behavior of a Variable Inlet Guide Vane as used in multishaft compressors, extensive experimental investigations with a 2D linear cascade have been conducted. All the experiments were performed at the High-Speed Cascade Wind Tunnel at the Institute of Jet Propulsion. They covered a wide range of Reynolds numbers and stagger angles as they occur in realistic turbomachines. Within this work at first the observed basic flow phenomena (loss development, overturning) will be explained. For the present special case of a symmetric profile and a constant decreasing chord length along the vane height, statements about different spanwise position can be made by investigating different Reynolds numbers. The focus of this paper is on the outflow of the VIGV along the vane height. Results for an open flow separation on the suction side are presented, too. Stall condition can be delayed by boundary layer control. This is done using a wire to trigger an early boundary layer transition. The outcomes of the trip wire measurement are finally discussed. The objective of this work is to evaluate the influence of the stagger angle and Reynolds number on the total pressure losses and the deviation angle. The results of the work presented here, gives a better insight of the efficient use of a VIGV.

scholarly journals Quality Assessment of Photogrammetric Methods—A Workflow for Reproducible UAS Orthomosaics

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 3831
Author(s):  
Marvin Ludwig ◽  
Christian M. Runge ◽  
Nicolas Friess ◽  
Tiziana L. Koch ◽  
Sebastian Richter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Sensors ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Temporal Analysis ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Very High Spatial Resolution ◽  
Multi Temporal ◽  
Aerial Systems

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are cost-effective, flexible and offer a wide range of applications. If equipped with optical sensors, orthophotos with very high spatial resolution can be retrieved using photogrammetric processing. The use of these images in multi-temporal analysis and the combination with spatial data imposes high demands on their spatial accuracy. This georeferencing accuracy of UAS orthomosaics is generally expressed as the checkpoint error. However, the checkpoint error alone gives no information about the reproducibility of the photogrammetrical compilation of orthomosaics. This study optimizes the geolocation of UAS orthomosaics time series and evaluates their reproducibility. A correlation analysis of repeatedly computed orthomosaics with identical parameters revealed a reproducibility of 99% in a grassland and 75% in a forest area. Between time steps, the corresponding positional errors of digitized objects lie between 0.07 m in the grassland and 0.3 m in the forest canopy. The novel methods were integrated into a processing workflow to enhance the traceability and increase the quality of UAS remote sensing.

Measurement of Wet cornering Traction of Tires

1971 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 962-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Veith
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication ◽  
Speed Test ◽  
High Speeds ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Low Speeds ◽  
Test Variability ◽  
Traction Testing ◽  
Tread Rubber

Abstract We have shown that the cornering wet traction performance of tires, as measured with a special cornering trailer, is influenced by a number of factors and their interaction with each other. Unlike conventional low speed “spin-out” wet cornering traction testing, we have evaluated tire traction over the range 30–60 mph. Over this range there is a marked speed dependence in the rating of various tread rubbers and tread patterns. In general, tread rubbers show a wide range of performance ratings at the lower speeds (30–35 mph) and a narrower range at high speeds (55–60 mph). Various tread patterns on the contrary show similar behavior at low speeds but a wide divergence in traction level at high speeds. Higher durometer tread compounds show improved high speed traction for any given rubber. Tread hardness cannot be used as an omnibus indicator of wet traction performance, however, as each rubber has its own separate correlation line. Low coefficient pavement can have either low or high degrees of macrotexture, but the lack of microtexture or harshness (asperities in the fraction of a millimeter range) produces this type of pavement. Tires must perform safely on such pavement sections of public highways and the testing reported here was done on such test surfaces. Evaluations of four types of tread rubber show that they rank from high to low traction level in the order: SBR, Butyl, NR and BR (solution type) on smooth, low microtexture surfaces. Although BR gives low traction when used alone it is not so used in commercial tread compounds. When properly blended with SBR or NR, tread compounds containing BR give satisfactory traction performance and improved wear performance. The overall behavior of tires can be explained in terms of the concepts of hydrodynamic and boundary layer lubrication. At low speeds boundary layer lubrication predominates on all but the smoothest pavements. This accounts for the marked influence of tread rubber at low speeds. At high speeds both thick and thin film elastohydrodynamic lubrication predominate. In this speed range tread materials play a lesser role and tread pattern or geometry plays a larger role. The relative softness and deformability of tread compound, compared to pavement aggregate, accounts for the importance of elastohydrodynamic lubrication. Drawing on the work of many previous investigators and the data of this work it is postulated that the fraction of the tire contact area of a cornering tire that is in the elastohydrodynamic mode of lubrication is a linear function of speed. This accounts for the good linearity of the plots of traction as a function of speed. Test variability is discussed and steps taken to measure and control such relevant factors as water depth are outlined. The use of statistically designed testing programs with their inherent averaging character are advocated for those doing this work. In addition to their power at averaging test results, such designs uncover the strong interaction between tire and test variables that underlie all wet traction testing.

scholarly journals R2U2: Tool Overview

10.29007/5pch ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Yvonne Rozier ◽  
Johann Schumann
Keyword(s):  
Health Management ◽  
Autonomous Systems ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Critical System ◽  
Safety Critical System ◽  
Target Architecture ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Temporal Formula

R2U2 (Realizable, Responsive, Unobtrusive Unit) is an extensible framework for runtime System Health Management (SHM) of cyber-physical systems. R2U2 can be run in hardware (e.g., FPGAs), or software; can monitor hardware, software, or a combination of the two; and can analyze a range of different types of system requirements during runtime. An R2U2 requirement is specified utilizing a hierarchical combination of building blocks: temporal formula runtime observers (in LTL or MTL), Bayesian networks, sensor filters, and Boolean testers. Importantly, the framework is extensible; it is designed to enable definitions of new building blocks in combination with the core structure. Originally deployed on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), R2U2 is designed to run on a wide range of embedded platforms, from autonomous systems like rovers, satellites, and robots, to human-assistive ground systems and cockpits.R2U2 is named after the requirements it satisfies; while the exact requirements vary by platform and mission, the ability to formally reason about Realizability, Responsiveness, and Unobtrusiveness is necessary for flight certifiability, safety-critical system assurance, and achievement of technology readiness levels for target systems. Realizability ensures that R2U2 is sufficiently expressive to encapsulate meaningful runtime requirements while maintaining adaptability to run on different platforms, transition be- tween different mission stages, and update quickly between missions. Responsiveness entails continuously monitoring the system under test, real-time reasoning, reporting intermediate status, and as-early-as-possible requirements evaluations. Unobtrusiveness ensures compliance with the crucial properties of the target architecture: functionality, certifiability, timing, tolerances, cost, or other constraints.

scholarly journals An Evaluation of the Effects of UAS Flight Parameters on Digital Aerial Photogrammetry Processing and Dense-Cloud Production Quality in a Scots Pine Forest

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1121
Author(s):  
Raul Sampaio de Lima ◽  
Mait Lang ◽  
Niall G. Burnside ◽  
Miguel Villoslada Peciña ◽  
Tauri Arumäe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Acquisition ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Model Fitting ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Production Quality ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Aerial Photogrammetry ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Scots Pine Forest

The application of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in forest research includes a wide range of equipment, systems, and flight settings, creating a need for enhancing data acquisition efficiency and quality. Thus, we assessed the effects of flying altitude and lateral and longitudinal overlaps on digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP) processing and the ability of its products to provide point clouds for forestry inventory. For this, we used 18 combinations of flight settings for data acquisition, and a nationwide airborne laser scanning (ALS) dataset as reference data. Linear regression was applied for modeling DAP quality indicators and model fitting quality as the function of flight settings; equivalence tests compared DAP- and ALS-products. Most of DAP-Digital Terrain Models (DTM) showed a moderate to high agreement (R2 > 0.70) when fitted to ALS-based models; nine models had a regression slope within the 1% region of equivalence. The best DAP-Canopy Height Model (CHM) was generated using ALS-DTM with an R2 = 0.42 when compared with ALS-CHM, indicating reduced similarity. Altogether, our results suggest that the optimal combination of flight settings should include a 90% lateral overlap, a 70% longitudinal overlap, and a minimum altitude of 120 m above ground level, independent of the availability of an ALS-derived DTM for height normalization. We also provided insights into the effects of flight settings on DAP outputs for future applications in similar forest stands, emphasizing the benefits of overlaps for comprehensive scene reconstruction and altitude for canopy surface detection.

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