@article{ThomessenThomaBraun2023, author = {Thomessen, Karolin and Thoma, Andreas and Braun, Carsten}, title = {Bio-inspired altitude changing extension to the 3DVFH* local obstacle avoidance algorithm}, series = {CEAS Aeronautical Journal}, journal = {CEAS Aeronautical Journal}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Wien}, issn = {1869-5590 (Online)}, doi = {10.1007/s13272-023-00691-w}, pages = {11 Seiten}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Obstacle avoidance is critical for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) operating autonomously. Obstacle avoidance algorithms either rely on global environment data or local sensor data. Local path planners react to unforeseen objects and plan purely on local sensor information. Similarly, animals need to find feasible paths based on local information about their surroundings. Therefore, their behavior is a valuable source of inspiration for path planning. Bumblebees tend to fly vertically over far-away obstacles and horizontally around close ones, implying two zones for different flight strategies depending on the distance to obstacles. This work enhances the local path planner 3DVFH* with this bio-inspired strategy. The algorithm alters the goal-driven function of the 3DVFH* to climb-preferring if obstacles are far away. Prior experiments with bumblebees led to two definitions of flight zone limits depending on the distance to obstacles, leading to two algorithm variants. Both variants reduce the probability of not reaching the goal of a 3DVFH* implementation in Matlab/Simulink. The best variant, 3DVFH*b-b, reduces this probability from 70.7 to 18.6\% in city-like worlds using a strong vertical evasion strategy. Energy consumption is higher, and flight paths are longer compared to the algorithm version with pronounced horizontal evasion tendency. A parameter study analyzes the effect of different weighting factors in the cost function. The best parameter combination shows a failure probability of 6.9\% in city-like worlds and reduces energy consumption by 28\%. Our findings demonstrate the potential of bio-inspired approaches for improving the performance of local path planning algorithms for UAV.}, language = {en} } @article{BaaderBoxbergChenetal.2023, author = {Baader, Fabian and Boxberg, Marc S. and Chen, Qian and F{\"o}rstner, Roger and Kowalski, Julia and Dachwald, Bernd}, title = {Field-test performance of an ice-melting probe in a terrestrial analogue environment}, series = {Icarus}, journal = {Icarus}, number = {409}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, doi = {10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115852}, pages = {Artikel 115852}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Melting probes are a proven tool for the exploration of thick ice layers and clean sampling of subglacial water on Earth. Their compact size and ease of operation also make them a key technology for the future exploration of icy moons in our Solar System, most prominently Europa and Enceladus. For both mission planning and hardware engineering, metrics such as efficiency and expected performance in terms of achievable speed, power requirements, and necessary heating power have to be known. Theoretical studies aim at describing thermal losses on the one hand, while laboratory experiments and field tests allow an empirical investigation of the true performance on the other hand. To investigate the practical value of a performance model for the operational performance in extraterrestrial environments, we first contrast measured data from terrestrial field tests on temperate and polythermal glaciers with results from basic heat loss models and a melt trajectory model. For this purpose, we propose conventions for the determination of two different efficiencies that can be applied to both measured data and models. One definition of efficiency is related to the melting head only, while the other definition considers the melting probe as a whole. We also present methods to combine several sources of heat loss for probes with a circular cross-section, and to translate the geometry of probes with a non-circular cross-section to analyse them in the same way. The models were selected in a way that minimizes the need to make assumptions about unknown parameters of the probe or the ice environment. The results indicate that currently used models do not yet reliably reproduce the performance of a probe under realistic conditions. Melting velocities and efficiencies are constantly overestimated by 15 to 50 \% in the models, but qualitatively agree with the field test data. Hence, losses are observed, that are not yet covered and quantified by the available loss models. We find that the deviation increases with decreasing ice temperature. We suspect that this mismatch is mainly due to the too restrictive idealization of the probe model and the fact that the probe was not operated in an efficiency-optimized manner during the field tests. With respect to space mission engineering, we find that performance and efficiency models must be used with caution in unknown ice environments, as various ice parameters have a significant effect on the melting process. Some of these are difficult to estimate from afar.}, language = {en} } @misc{FeldmannFranckeEspeetal.2022, author = {Feldmann, Marco and Francke, Gero and Espe, Clemes and Chen, Qian and Baader, Fabian and Boxberg, Marc S. and Sustrate, Anna-Marie and Kowalski, Julia and Dachwald, Bernd}, title = {Performance data of an ice-melting probe from field tests in two different ice environments}, doi = {10.5281/zenodo.6094866}, year = {2022}, abstract = {This dataset was acquired at field tests of the steerable ice-melting probe "EnEx-IceMole" (Dachwald et al., 2014). A field test in summer 2014 was used to test the melting probe's system, before the probe was shipped to Antarctica, where, in international cooperation with the MIDGE project, the objective of a sampling mission in the southern hemisphere summer 2014/2015 was to return a clean englacial sample from the subglacial brine reservoir supplying the Blood Falls at Taylor Glacier (Badgeley et al., 2017, German et al., 2021). The standardized log-files generated by the IceMole during melting operation include more than 100 operational parameters, housekeeping information, and error states, which are reported to the base station in intervals of 4 s. Occasional packet loss in data transmission resulted in a sparse number of increased sampling intervals, which where compensated for by linear interpolation during post processing. The presented dataset is based on a subset of this data: The penetration distance is calculated based on the ice screw drive encoder signal, providing the rate of rotation, and the screw's thread pitch. The melting speed is calculated from the same data, assuming the rate of rotation to be constant over one sampling interval. The contact force is calculated from the longitudinal screw force, which es measured by strain gauges. The used heating power is calculated from binary states of all heating elements, which can only be either switched on or off. Temperatures are measured at each heating element and averaged for three zones (melting head, side-wall heaters and back-plate heaters).}, language = {en} } @article{FunkeBeckmann2022, author = {Funke, Harald and Beckmann, Nils}, title = {Flexible fuel operation of a Dry-Low-NOx Micromix Combustor with Variable Hydrogen Methane Mixture}, series = {International Journal of Gas Turbine, Propulsion and Power Systems}, volume = {13}, journal = {International Journal of Gas Turbine, Propulsion and Power Systems}, number = {2}, issn = {1882-5079}, pages = {1 -- 7}, year = {2022}, abstract = {The role of hydrogen (H2) as a carbon-free energy carrier is discussed since decades for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As bridge technology towards a hydrogen-based energy supply, fuel mixtures of natural gas or methane (CH4) and hydrogen are possible. The paper presents the first test results of a low-emission Micromix combustor designed for flexible-fuel operation with variable H2/CH4 mixtures. The numerical and experimental approach for considering variable fuel mixtures instead of recently investigated pure hydrogen is described. In the experimental studies, a first generation FuelFlex Micromix combustor geometry is tested at atmospheric pressure at gas turbine operating conditions corresponding to part- and full-load. The H2/CH4 fuel mixture composition is varied between 57 and 100 vol.\% hydrogen content. Despite the challenges flexible-fuel operation poses onto the design of a combustion system, the evaluated FuelFlex Micromix prototype shows a significant low NOx performance}, language = {en} } @article{HammerQuitterMayntzetal.2023, author = {Hammer, Thorben and Quitter, Julius and Mayntz, Joscha and Bauschat, J.-Michael and Dahmann, Peter and G{\"o}tten, Falk and Hille, Sebastian and Stumpf, Eike}, title = {Free fall drag estimation of small-scale multirotor unmanned aircraft systems using computational fluid dynamics and wind tunnel experiments}, series = {CEAS Aeronautical Journal}, journal = {CEAS Aeronautical Journal}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Wien}, issn = {1869-5590 (Online)}, doi = {10.1007/s13272-023-00702-w}, pages = {14 Seiten}, year = {2023}, abstract = {New European Union (EU) regulations for UAS operations require an operational risk analysis, which includes an estimation of the potential danger of the UAS crashing. A key parameter for the potential ground risk is the kinetic impact energy of the UAS. The kinetic energy depends on the impact velocity of the UAS and, therefore, on the aerodynamic drag and the weight during free fall. Hence, estimating the impact energy of a UAS requires an accurate drag estimation of the UAS in that state. The paper at hand presents the aerodynamic drag estimation of small-scale multirotor UAS. Multirotor UAS of various sizes and configurations were analysed with a fully unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes approach. These simulations included different velocities and various fuselage pitch angles of the UAS. The results were compared against force measurements performed in a subsonic wind tunnel and provided good consistency. Furthermore, the influence of the UAS`s fuselage pitch angle as well as the influence of fixed and free spinning propellers on the aerodynamic drag was analysed. Free spinning propellers may increase the drag by up to 110\%, depending on the fuselage pitch angle. Increasing the fuselage pitch angle of the UAS lowers the drag by 40\% up to 85\%, depending on the UAS. The data presented in this paper allow for increased accuracy of ground risk assessments.}, language = {en} } @article{KochBoehnischVerdoncketal.2024, author = {Koch, Christopher and B{\"o}hnisch, Nils and Verdonck, Hendrik and Hach, Oliver and Braun, Carsten}, title = {Comparison of unsteady low- and mid-fidelity propeller aerodynamic methods for whirl flutter applications}, series = {Applied Sciences}, volume = {14}, journal = {Applied Sciences}, number = {2}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {2076-3417}, doi = {10.3390/app14020850}, pages = {1 -- 28}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Aircraft configurations with propellers have been drawing more attention in recent times, partly due to new propulsion concepts based on hydrogen fuel cells and electric motors. These configurations are prone to whirl flutter, which is an aeroelastic instability affecting airframes with elastically supported propellers. It commonly needs to be mitigated already during the design phase of such configurations, requiring, among other things, unsteady aerodynamic transfer functions for the propeller. However, no comprehensive assessment of unsteady propeller aerodynamics for aeroelastic analysis is available in the literature. This paper provides a detailed comparison of nine different low- to mid-fidelity aerodynamic methods, demonstrating their impact on linear, unsteady aerodynamics, as well as whirl flutter stability prediction. Quasi-steady and unsteady methods for blade lift with or without coupling to blade element momentum theory are evaluated and compared to mid-fidelity potential flow solvers (UPM and DUST) and classical, derivative-based methods. Time-domain identification of frequency-domain transfer functions for the unsteady propeller hub loads is used to compare the different methods. Predictions of the minimum required pylon stiffness for stability show good agreement among the mid-fidelity methods. The differences in the stability predictions for the low-fidelity methods are higher. Most methods studied yield a more unstable system than classical, derivative-based whirl flutter analysis, indicating that the use of more sophisticated aerodynamic modeling techniques might be required for accurate whirl flutter prediction.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{FunkeBeckmannStefanetal.2023, author = {Funke, Harald and Beckmann, Nils and Stefan, Lukas and Keinz, Jan}, title = {Hydrogen combustor integration study for a medium range aircraft engine using the dry-low NOx "Micromix" combustion principle}, series = {Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2023: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition. Volume 1: Aircraft Engine.}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2023: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition. Volume 1: Aircraft Engine.}, publisher = {ASME}, address = {New York}, isbn = {978-0-7918-8693-9}, doi = {10.1115/GT2023-102370}, pages = {12 Seiten}, year = {2023}, abstract = {The feasibility study presents results of a hydrogen combustor integration for a Medium-Range aircraft engine using the Dry-Low-NOₓ Micromix combustion principle. Based on a simplified Airbus A320-type flight mission, a thermodynamic performance model of a kerosene and a hydrogen-powered V2530-A5 engine is used to derive the thermodynamic combustor boundary conditions. A new combustor design using the Dry-Low NOx Micromix principle is investigated by slice model CFD simulations of a single Micromix injector for design and off-design operation of the engine. Combustion characteristics show typical Micromix flame shapes and good combustion efficiencies for all flight mission operating points. Nitric oxide emissions are significant below ICAO CAEP/8 limits. For comparison of the Emission Index (EI) for NOₓ emissions between kerosene and hydrogen operation, an energy (kerosene) equivalent Emission Index is used. A full 15° sector model CFD simulation of the combustion chamber with multiple Micromix injectors including inflow homogenization and dilution and cooling air flows investigates the combustor integration effects, resulting NOₓ emission and radial temperature distributions at the combustor outlet. The results show that the integration of a Micromix hydrogen combustor in actual aircraft engines is feasible and offers, besides CO₂ free combustion, a significant reduction of NOₓ emissions compared to kerosene operation.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{GehlerOberBloebaumDachwald2009, author = {Gehler, M. and Ober-Bl{\"o}baum, S. and Dachwald, Bernd}, title = {Application of discrete mechanics and optimal control to spacecraft in non-keplerian motion around small solar system bodies}, series = {Procceedings of the 60th International Astronautical Congress}, booktitle = {Procceedings of the 60th International Astronautical Congress}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, isbn = {978-161567908-9}, pages = {1360 -- 1371}, year = {2009}, abstract = {Prolonged operations close to small solar system bodies require a sophisticated control logic to minimize propellant mass and maximize operational efficiency. A control logic based on Discrete Mechanics and Optimal Control (DMOC) is proposed and applied to both conventionally propelled and solar sail spacecraft operating at an arbitrarily shaped asteroid in the class of Itokawa. As an example, stand-off inertial hovering is considered, recently identified as a challenging part of the Marco Polo mission. The approach is easily extended to stand-off orbits. We show that DMOC is applicable to spacecraft control at small objects, in particular with regard to the fact that the changes in gravity are exploited by the algorithm to optimally control the spacecraft position. Furthermore, we provide some remarks on promising developments.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{DachwaldWurm2009, author = {Dachwald, Bernd and Wurm, P.}, title = {Design concept and modeling of an advanced solar photon thruster}, series = {Advances in the Astronautical Sciences}, booktitle = {Advances in the Astronautical Sciences}, publisher = {American Astronautical Society}, address = {San Diego, Calif.}, isbn = {978-087703554-1}, issn = {00653438}, pages = {723 -- 740}, year = {2009}, abstract = {The so-called "compound solar sail", also known as "Solar Photon Thruster" (SPT), holds the potential of providing significant performance advantages over the flat solar sail. Previous SPT design concepts, however, do not consider shadowing effects and multiple reflections of highly concentrated solar radiation that would inevitably destroy the gossamer sail film. In this paper, we propose a novel advanced SPT (ASPT) design concept that does not suffer from these oversimplifications. We present the equations that describe the thrust force acting on such a sail system and compare its performance with respect to the conventional flat solar sail.}, language = {en} } @incollection{Dachwald2017, author = {Dachwald, Bernd}, title = {Light propulsion systems for spacecraft}, series = {Optical nano and micro actuator technology}, booktitle = {Optical nano and micro actuator technology}, editor = {Knopf, George K. and Otani, Yukitoshi}, publisher = {CRC Press}, address = {Boca Raton}, isbn = {9781315217628 (eBook)}, pages = {577 -- 598}, year = {2017}, language = {en} }