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Multi-interface level sensors and new development in monitoring and control of oil separators
(2006)
In the oil industry, huge saving may be made if suitable multi-interface level measurement systems are employed for effectively monitoring crude oil separators and efficient control of their operation. A number of techniques, e.g. externally mounted displacers, differential pressure transmitters and capacitance rod devices, have been developed to measure the separation process with gas, oil, water and other components. Because of the unavailability of suitable multi-interface level measurement systems, oil separators are currently operated by the trial-and-error approach. In this paper some conventional techniques, which have been used for level measurement in industry, and new development are discussed.
Sensitivity of phase detection techniques in aerated chute flows to hydraulic design parameters
(2012)
The major advantage of labyrinth weirs over linear weirs is hydraulic efficiency. In hydraulic modeling efforts, this strength contrasts with limited pump capacity as well as limited computational power for CFD simulations. For the latter, reducing the number of investigated cycles can significantly reduce necessary computational time. In this study, a labyrinth weir with different cycle numbers was investigated. The simulations were conducted in FLOW-3D HYDRO as a Large Eddy Simulation. With a mean deviation of 1.75 % between simulated discharge coefficients and literature design equations, a reasonable agreement was found. For downstream conditions, overall consistent results were observed as well. However, the orientation of labyrinth weirs with a single cycle should be chosen carefully under consideration of the individual research purpose.
Optimization of the reaeration potential on embankment stepped spillways in skimming flow regime
(2008)
Application of the optical flow method to velocity determination in hydraulic structure models
(2016)
Fields of asymmetric tensors play an important role in many applications such as medical imaging (diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging), physics, and civil engineering (for example Cauchy-Green-deformation tensor, strain tensor with local rotations, etc.). However, such asymmetric tensors are usually symmetrized and then further processed. Using this procedure results in a loss of information. A new method for the processing of asymmetric tensor fields is proposed restricting our attention to tensors of second-order given by a 2x2 array or matrix with real entries. This is achieved by a transformation resulting in Hermitian matrices that have an eigendecomposition similar to symmetric matrices. With this new idea numerical results for real-world data arising from a deformation of an object by external forces are given. It is shown that the asymmetric part indeed contains valuable information.
Industrial facilities must be thoroughly designed to withstand seismic actions as they exhibit an increased loss potential due to the possibly wideranging damage consequences and the valuable process engineering equipment. Past earthquakes showed the social and political consequences of seismic damage to industrial facilities and sensitized the population and politicians worldwide for the possible hazard emanating from industrial facilities. However, a holistic approach for the seismic design of industrial facilities can presently neither be found in national nor in international standards. The introduction of EN 1998-4 of the new generation of Eurocode 8 will improve the normative situation with
specific seismic design rules for silos, tanks and pipelines and secondary process components. The article presents essential aspects of the seismic design of industrial facilities based on the new generation of Eurocode 8 using the example of tank structures and secondary process components. The interaction effects of the process components with the primary structure are illustrated by means of the experimental results of a shaking table test of a three story moment resisting steel frame with different process components. Finally, an integrated approach of
digital plant models based on building information modelling (BIM) and structural health monitoring (SHM) is presented, which provides not only a reliable decision-making basis for operation, maintenance and repair but also an excellent tool for rapid assessment of seismic damage.
Nowadays modern high-performance buildings and facilities are equipped with monitoring systems and sensors to control building characteristics like energy consumption, temperature pattern and structural safety. The visualization and interpretation of sensor data is typically based on simple spreadsheets and non-standardized user-oriented solutions, which makes it difficult for building owners, facility managers and decision-makers to evaluate and understand the data. The solution of this problem in the future are integrated BIM-Sensor approaches which allow the generation of BIM models incorporating all relevant information of monitoring systems. These approaches support both the dynamic visualization of key structural performance parameters, the effective long-term management of sensor data based on BIM and provide a user-friendly interface to communicate with various stakeholders. A major benefit for the end user is the use of the BIM software architecture, which is the future standard anyway. In the following, the application of the integrated BIM-Sensor approach is illustrated for a typical industrial facility as a part of an early warning and rapid response system for earthquake events currently developed in the research project “ROBUST” with financial support by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWI).
Past earthquakes demonstrated the high vulnerability of industrial facilities equipped with complex process technologies leading to serious damage of the process equipment and multiple and simultaneous release of hazardous substances in industrial facilities. Nevertheless, the design of industrial plants is inadequately described in recent codes and guidelines, as they do not consider the dynamic interaction between the structure and the installations and thus the effect of seismic response of the installations on the response of the structure and vice versa. The current code-based approach for the seismic design of industrial facilities is considered not enough for ensure proper safety conditions against exceptional event entailing loss of content and related consequences. Accordingly, SPIF project (Seismic Performance of Multi-Component Systems in Special Risk Industrial Facilities) was proposed within the framework of the European H2020 - SERA funding scheme (Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe). The objective of the SPIF project is the investigation of the seismic behaviour of a representative industrial structure equipped with complex process technology by means of shaking table tests. The test structure is a three-story moment resisting steel frame with vertical and horizontal vessels and cabinets, arranged on the three levels and connected by pipes. The dynamic behaviour of the test structure and of its relative several installations is investigated. Furthermore, both process components and primary structure interactions are considered and analyzed. Several PGA-scaled artificial ground motions are applied to study the seismic response at different levels. After each test, dynamic identification measurements are carried out to characterize the system condition. The contribution presents the experimental setup of the investigated structure and installations, selected measurement data and describes the obtained damage. Furthermore, important findings for the definition of performance limits, the effectiveness of floor response spectra in industrial facilities will be presented and discussed.
Reinforced concrete (RC) frames with masonry infills are frequently used in seismic regions all over the world. Generally masonry infills are considered as nonstructural elements and thus are typically neglected in the design process. However, the observations made after strong earthquakes have shown that masonry infills can modify the dynamic behavior of the structure significantly. The consequences were total collapses of buildings and loss of human lives. This paper presents the new system INODIS (Innovative Decoupled Infill System) developed within the European research project INSYSME (Innovative Systems for Earthquake Resistant Masonry Enclosures in RC Buildings). INODIS decouples the frame and the masonry infill by means of special U-shaped rubbers placed in between frame and infill. The effectiveness of the system was investigated by means of full scale tests on RC frames with masonry infills subjected to in-plane and out-of-plane loading. Furthermore small specimen tests were conducted to determine material characteristics of the components and the resistances of the connections. Finally, a micromodel was developed to simulate the in-plane behavior of RC frames infilled with AAC blocks with and without installation of the INODIS system.
Past earthquakes demonstrated the high vulnerability of industrial facilities equipped with complex process technologies leading to serious damage of the process equipment and multiple and simultaneous release of hazardous substances in industrial facilities. Nevertheless, the design of industrial plants is inadequately described in recent codes and guidelines, as they do not consider the dynamic interaction between the structure and the installations and thus the effect of seismic response of the installations on the response of the structure and vice versa. The current code-based approach for the seismic design of industrial facilities is considered not enough for ensure proper safety conditions against exceptional event entailing loss of content and related consequences. Accordingly, SPIF project (Seismic Performance of Multi- Component Systems in Special Risk Industrial Facilities) was proposed within the framework of the European H2020 - SERA funding scheme (Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research Infrastructure Alliance for Europe). The objective of the SPIF project is the investigation of the seismic behavior of a representative industrial structure equipped with complex process technology by means of shaking table tests. The test structure is a three-story moment resisting steel frame with vertical and horizontal vessels and cabinets, arranged on the three levels and connected by pipes. The dynamic behavior of the test structure and installations is investigated with and without base isolation. Furthermore, both firmly anchored and isolated components are taken into account to compare their dynamic behavior and interactions with each other. Artificial and synthetic ground motions are applied to study the seismic response at different PGA levels. After each test, dynamic identification measurements are carried out to characterize the system condition. The contribution presents the numerical simulations to calibrate the tests on the prototype, the experimental setup of the investigated structure and installations, selected measurement data and finally describes preliminary experimental results.
A New Class of Biosensors Based on Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Coat Proteins as Enzyme Nanocarrier
(2016)
This paper presents initial findings from aeroelastic studies conducted on a wing-propeller model, aimed at evaluating the impact of aerodynamic interactions on wing flutter mechanisms and overall aeroelastic performance. Utilizing a frequency domain method, the flutter onset within a specified flight speed range is assessed. Mid-fidelity tools with a time domain approach are then used to account for the complex aerodynamic interaction between the propeller and the wing. Specifically, open-source software DUST and MBDyn are leveraged for this purpose. This investigation covers both windmilling and thrusting conditions of the wing-propeller model. During the trim process, adjustments to the collective pitch of the blades are made to ensure consistency across operational points. Time histories are then analyzed to pinpoint flutter onset, and corresponding frequencies and damping ratios are meticulously identified. The results reveal a marginal destabilizing effect of aerodynamic interaction on flutter speed, approximately 5%. Notably, the thrusting condition demonstrates a greater destabilizing influence compared to windmilling. These comprehensive findings enhance the understanding of the aerodynamic behavior of such systems and offer valuable insights for early design predictions and the development of streamlined models for future endeavors.
Sensor positioning and thermal model for condition monitoring of pressure gas reservoirs in vehicles
(2018)
Messenger apps like WhatsApp or Telegram are an integral part of daily communication. Besides the various positive effects, those services extend the operating range of criminals. Open trading groups with many thousand participants emerged on Telegram. Law enforcement agencies monitor suspicious users in such chat rooms. This research shows that text analysis, based on natural language processing, facilitates this through a meaningful domain overview and detailed investigations. We crawled a corpus from such self-proclaimed black markets and annotated five attribute types products, money, payment methods, user names, and locations. Based on each message a user sends, we extract and group these attributes to build profiles. Then, we build features to cluster the profiles. Pretrained word vectors yield better unsupervised clustering results than current
state-of-the-art transformer models. The result is a semantically meaningful high-level overview of the user landscape of black market chatrooms. Additionally, the extracted structured information serves as a foundation for further data exploration, for example, the most active users or preferred payment methods.
Messenger apps like WhatsApp and Telegram are frequently used for everyday communication, but they can also be utilized as a platform for illegal activity. Telegram allows public groups with up to 200.000 participants. Criminals use these public groups for trading illegal commodities and services, which becomes a concern for law enforcement agencies, who manually monitor suspicious activity in these chat rooms. This research demonstrates how natural language processing (NLP) can assist in analyzing these chat rooms, providing an explorative overview of the domain and facilitating purposeful analyses of user behavior. We provide a publicly available corpus of annotated text messages with entities and relations from four self-proclaimed black market chat rooms. Our pipeline approach aggregates the extracted product attributes from user messages to profiles and uses these with their sold products as features for clustering. The extracted structured information is the foundation for further data exploration, such as identifying the top vendors or fine-granular price analyses. Our evaluation shows that pretrained word vectors perform better for unsupervised clustering than state-of-the-art transformer models, while the latter is still superior for sequence labeling.
A laser-enhanced solar sail is a solar sail that is not solely propelled by solar radiation but additionally by a laser beam that illuminates the sail. This way, the propulsive acceleration of the sail results from the combined action of the solar and the laser radiation pressure onto the sail. The potential source of the laser beam is a laser satellite that coverts solar power (in the inner solar system) or nuclear power (in the outer solar system) into laser power. Such a laser satellite (or many of them) can orbit anywhere in the solar system and its optimal orbit (or their optimal orbits) for a given mission is a subject for future research. This contribution provides the model for an ideal laser-enhanced solar sail and investigates how a laser can enhance the thrusting capability of such a sail. The term ”ideal” means that the solar sail is assumed to be perfectly reflecting and that the laser beam is assumed to have a constant areal power density over the whole sail area. Since a laser beam has a limited divergence, it can provide radiation pressure at much larger solar distances and increase the radiation pressure force into the desired direction. Therefore, laser-enhanced solar sails may make missions feasible, that would otherwise have prohibitively long flight times, e.g. rendezvous missions in the outer solar system. This contribution will also analyze exemplary mission scenarios and present optimial trajectories without laying too much emphasis on the design and operations of the laser satellites. If the mission studies conclude that laser-enhanced solar sails would have advantages with respect to ”traditional” solar sails, a detailed study of the laser satellites and the whole system architecture would be the second next step
A multi-sensor system is a chemical sensor system which quantitatively and qualitatively records gases with a combination of cross-sensitive gas sensor arrays and pattern recognition software. This paper addresses the issue of data analysis for identification of gases in a gas sensor array. We introduce a software tool for gas sensor array configuration and simulation. It concerns thereby about a modular software package for the acquisition of data of different sensors. A signal evaluation algorithm referred to as matrix method was used specifically for the software tool. This matrix method computes the gas concentrations from the signals of a sensor array. The software tool was used for the simulation of an array of five sensors to determine gas concentration of CH4, NH3, H2, CO and C2H5OH. The results of the present simulated sensor array indicate that the software tool is capable of the following: (a) identify a gas independently of its concentration; (b) estimate the concentration of the gas, even if the system was not previously exposed to this concentration; (c) tell when a gas concentration exceeds a certain value. A gas sensor data base was build for the configuration of the software. With the data base one can create, generate and manage scenarios and source files for the simulation. With the gas sensor data base and the simulation software an on-line Web-based version was developed, with which the user can configure and simulate sensor arrays on-line.
One central challenge for self-driving cars is a proper path-planning. Once a trajectory has been found, the next challenge is to accurately and safely follow the precalculated path. The model-predictive controller (MPC) is a common approach for the lateral control of autonomous vehicles. The MPC uses a vehicle dynamics model to predict the future states of the vehicle for a given prediction horizon. However, in order to achieve real-time path control, the computational load is usually large, which leads to short prediction horizons. To deal with the computational load, the control algorithm can be parallelized on the graphics processing unit (GPU). In contrast to the widely used stochastic methods, in this paper we propose a deterministic approach based on grid search. Our approach focuses on systematically discovering the search area with different levels of granularity. To achieve this, we split the optimization algorithm into multiple iterations. The best sequence of each iteration is then used as an initial solution to the next iteration. The granularity increases, resulting in smooth and predictable steering angle sequences. We present a novel GPU-based algorithm and show its accuracy and realtime abilities with a number of real-world experiments.
The development of protype applications with sensors and actuators in the automation industry requires tools that are independent of manufacturer, and are flexible enough to be modified or extended for any specific requirements. Currently, developing prototypes with industrial sensors and actuators is not straightforward. First of all, the exchange of information depends on the industrial protocol that these devices have. Second, a specific configuration and installation is done based on the hardware that is used, such as automation controllers or industrial gateways. This means that the development for a specific industrial protocol, highly depends on the hardware and the software that vendors provide. In this work we propose a rapid-prototyping framework based on Arduino to solve this problem. For this project we have focused to work with the IO-Link protocol. The framework consists of an Arduino shield that acts as the physical layer, and a software that implements the IO-Link Master protocol. The main advantage of such framework is that an application with industrial devices can be rapid-prototyped with ease as its vendor independent, open-source and can be ported easily to other Arduino compatible boards. In comparison, a typical approach requires proprietary hardware, is not easy to port to another system and is closed-source.
The recent amendment to the Ethernet physical layer known as the IEEE 802.3cg specification, allows to connect devices up to a distance of one kilometer and delivers a maximum of 60 watts of power over a twisted pair of wires. This new standard, also known as 10BASE-TIL, promises to overcome the limits of current physical layers used for field devices and bring them a step closer to Ethernet-based applications. The main advantage of 10BASE- TIL is that it can deliver power and data over the same line over a long distance, where traditional solutions (e.g., CAN, IO-Link, HART) fall short and cannot match its 10 Mbps bandwidth. Due to its recentness, IOBASE- TIL is still not integrated into field devices and it has been less than two years since silicon manufacturers released the first Ethernet-PHY chips. In this paper, we present a design proposal on how field devices could be integrated into a IOBASE-TIL smart switch that allows plug-and-play connectivity for sensors and actuators and is compliant with the Industry 4.0 vision. Instead of presenting a new field-level protocol for this work, we have decided to adopt the IO-Link specification which already includes a plug-and-play approach with features such as diagnosis and device configuration. The main objective of this work is to explore how field devices could be integrated into 10BASE-TIL Ethernet, its adaption with a well-known protocol, and its integration with Industry 4.0 technologies.
The implementation of IO-Link in the automation industry has increased over the years. Its main advantage is it offers a digital point-to-point plugand-play interface for any type of device or application. This simplifies the communication between devices and increases productivity with its different features like self-parametrization and maintenance. However, its complete potential is not always used.
The aim of this paper is to create an Arduino based framework for the development of generic IO-Link devices and increase its implementation for rapid prototyping. By generating the IO device description file (IODD) from a graphical user interface, and further customizable options for the device application, the end-user can intuitively develop generic IO-Link devices. The peculiarity of this framework relies on its simplicity and abstraction which allows to implement any sensor functionality and virtually connect any type of device to an IO-Link master. This work consists of the general overview of the framework, the technical background of its development and a proof of concept which demonstrates the workflow for its implementation.
The Solar-Institut Jülich (SIJ) and the companies Hilger GmbH and Heliokon GmbH from Germany have developed a small-scale cost-effective heliostat, called “micro heliostat”. Micro heliostats can be deployed in small-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) plants to concentrate the sun's radiation for electricity generation, space or domestic water heating or industrial process heat. In contrast to conventional heliostats, the special feature of a micro heliostat is that it consists of dozens of parallel-moving, interconnected, rotatable mirror facets. The mirror facets array is fixed inside a box-shaped module and is protected from weathering and wind forces by a transparent glass cover. The choice of the building materials for the box, tracking mechanism and mirrors is largely dependent on the selected production process and the intended application of the micro heliostat. Special attention was paid to the material of the tracking mechanism as this has a direct influence on the accuracy of the micro heliostat. The choice of materials for the mirror support structure and the tracking mechanism is made in favor of plastic molded parts. A qualification assessment method has been developed by the SIJ in which a 3D laser scanner is used in combination with a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). For the validation of this assessment method, a single mirror facet was scanned and the slope deviation was computed.
This paper describes the potential for developing a digital twin of society- a dynamic model that can be used to observe, analyze, and predict the evolution of various societal aspects. Such a digital twin can help governmental agencies and policy makers in interpreting trends, understanding challenges, and making decisions regarding investments or policies necessary to support societal development and ensure future prosperity. The paper reviews related work regarding the digital twin paradigm and its applications. The paper presents a motivating case study- an analysis of opportunities and challenges faced by the German federal employment agency, Bundesagentur f¨ur Arbeit (BA), proposes solutions using digital twins, and describes initial proofs of concept for such solutions.
Numerical models have become an essential part of snow avalanche engineering. Recent
advances in understanding the rheology of flowing snow and the mechanics of entrainment and
deposition have made numerical models more reliable. Coupled with field observations and historical
records, they are especially helpful in understanding avalanche flow in complex terrain. However, the
application of numerical models poses several new challenges to avalanche engineers. A detailed
understanding of the avalanche phenomena is required to specify initial conditions (release zone
dimensions and snowcover entrainment rates) as well as the friction parameters, which are no longer
based on empirical back-calculations, rather terrain roughness, vegetation and snow properties. In this
paper we discuss these problems by presenting the computer model RAMMS, which was specially
designed by the SLF as a practical tool for avalanche engineers. RAMMS solves the depth-averaged
equations governing avalanche flow with first and second-order numerical solution schemes. A
tremendous effort has been invested in the implementation of advanced input and output features.
Simulation results are therefore clearly and easily visualized to simplify their interpretation. More
importantly, RAMMS has been applied to a series of well-documented avalanches to gauge model
performance. In this paper we present the governing differential equations, highlight some of the input
and output features of RAMMS and then discuss the simulation of the Gatschiefer avalanche that
occurred in April 2008, near Klosters/Monbiel, Switzerland.
Textile reinforced concrete. Part I: Process model for collaborative research and development
(2003)
A methodology for assessment, seismic verification and strengthening of existing masonry buildings is presented in this paper. The verification is performed using a calculation model calibrated with the results from ambient vibration measurements. The calibrated model serves as an input for a deformation-based verification procedure based on the Capacity Spectrum Method (CSM). The bearing capacity of the building is calculated from experimental capacity curves of the individual walls idealized with bilinear elastic-perfectly plastic curves. The experimental capacity curves were obtained from in-plane cyclic loading tests on unreinforced and strengthened masonry walls with reinforced concrete jackets. The seismic action is compared with the load-bearing capacity of the building considering non-linear material behavior with its post-peak capacity. The application of the CSM to masonry buildings and the influence of a traditional strengthening method are demonstrated on the example of a public school building in Skopje, Macedonia.
Cure or blessing? The effect of (non-financial) signals on sustainable venture's funding success
(2022)
Industrial field devices exchange information through standardized communication interfaces and data models,
encompassing process data, communication properties, and vendor details. Despite enhancing interoperability within a specific
protocol, integrating these devices with diverse systems poses challenges due to data model fragmentation and custom
interfaces. The absence of a universal semantic model for categorizing field device process data independently of standards
necessitates engineers to repetitively devise custom exchange data models for different sensors and actuators, relying on
standards like OPC-UA. In response, this work proposes an ontology-based architecture to tackle information data model
fragmentation, aiming for seamless data interoperability across a universal interface. By focusing on two open-access field
device standards, IO-Link and CANOpen, we compare their information data models, identify existing limitations, and put
forth a semantic information model. The objective is to offer an interoperable interface for Industry 4.0 applications,
showcasing the potential of an ontology-based approach in streamlining data exchange and reducing heterogeneity among
field devices.
Non-intrusive measuring techniques have attained a lot of interest in relation to both hydraulic modeling and prototype applications. Complimenting acoustic techniques, significant progress has been made for the development of new optical methods. Computer vision techniques can help to extract new information, e. g. high-resolution velocity and depth data, from videos captured with relatively inexpensive, consumer-grade cameras. Depth cameras are sensors providing information on the distance between the camera and observed features. Currently, sensors with different working principles are available. Stereoscopic systems reference physical image features (passive system) from two perspectives; in order to enhance the number of features and improve the results, a sensor may also estimate the disparity from a detected light to its original projection (active stereo system). In the current study, the RGB-D camera Intel RealSense D435, working on such stereo vision principle, is used in different, typical hydraulic modeling applications. All tests have been conducted at the Utah Water Research Laboratory. This paper will demonstrate the performance and limitations of the RGB-D sensor, installed as a single camera and as camera arrays, applied to 1) detect the free surface for highly turbulent, aerated hydraulic jumps, for free-falling jets and for an energy dissipation basin downstream of a labyrinth weir and 2) to monitor local scours upstream and downstream of a Piano Key Weir. It is intended to share the authors’ experiences with respect to camera settings, calibration, lightning conditions and other requirements in order to promote this useful, easily accessible device. Results will be compared to data from classical instrumentation and the literature. It will be shown that even in difficult application, e. g. the detection of a highly turbulent, fluctuating free-surface, the RGB-D sensor may yield similar accuracy as classical, intrusive probes.
The telecommunications industry is currently going through a major transformation. In this context, the enhanced Telecom Operations Map (eTOM) is a domain-specific process reference model that is offered by the industry organization TM Forum. In practice, eTOM is well accepted and confirmed as de facto standard. It provides process definitions and process flows on different levels of detail. This article discusses the reference modeling of eTOM, i.e., the design, the resulting artifact, and its evaluation based on three project cases. The application of eTOM in three projects illustrates the design approach and concrete models on strategic and operational levels. The article follows the Design Science Research (DSR) paradigm. It contributes with concrete design artifacts to the transformational needs of the telecommunications industry and offers lessons-learned from a general DSR perspective.
How does the implementation of a next generation network influence a telecommunication company?
(2009)
As the potential of a Next Generation Network (NGN) is recognized, telecommunication companies consider switching to it. Although the implementation of an NGN seems to be merely a modification of the network infrastructure, it may trigger or require changes in the whole company and even influence the company strategy. To capture the effects of NGN we propose a framework based on concepts of business engineering and technical recommendations for the introduction of NGN technology. The specific design of solutions for the layers "Strategy", "Processes" and "Information Systems" as well as their interdependencies are an essential characteristic of the developed framework. We have per-formed a case study on NGN implementation and observed that all layers captured by our framework are influenced by the introduction of an NGN.
Market changes have forced telecommunication companies to transform their business. Increased competition, short innovation cycles, changed usage patterns, increased customer expectations and cost reduction are the main drivers. Our objective is to analyze to what extend transformation projects have improved the orientation towards the end-customers. Therefore, we selected 38 real-life case studies that are dealing with customer orientation. Our analysis is based on a telecommunication-specific framework that aligns strategy, business processes and information systems. The result of our analysis shows the following: transformation projects that aim to improve the customer orientation are combined with clear goals on costs and revenue of the enterprise. These projects are usually directly linked to the customer touch points, but also to the development and provisioning of products. Furthermore, the analysis shows that customer orientation is not the sole trigger for transformation. There is no one-fits-all solution; rather, improved customer orientation needs aligned changes of business processes as well as information systems related to different parts of the company.
Low-thrust space propulsion systems enable flexible high-energy deep space missions, but the design and optimization of the interplanetary transfer trajectory is usually difficult. It involves much experience and expert knowledge because the convergence behavior of traditional local trajectory optimization methods depends strongly on an adequate initial guess. Within this extended abstract, evolutionary neurocontrol, a method that fuses artificial neural networks and evolutionary algorithms, is proposed as a smart global method for low-thrust trajectory optimization. It does not require an initial guess. The implementation of evolutionary neurocontrol is detailed and its performance is shown for an exemplary mission.
Solar sails enable missions to the outer solar system and beyond, although the solar
radiation pressure decreases with the square of solar distance. For such missions, the solar sail may gain a large amount of energy by first making one or more close approaches to the sun. Within this paper, optimal trajectories for solar sail missions to the outer planets and into near interstellar space (200 AU) are presented. Thereby, it is shown that even near/medium-term solar sails with relatively moderate performance allow reasonable transfer times to the boundaries of the solar system.
Interplanetary trajectories for low-thrust spacecraft are often characterized by multiple revolutions around the sun. Unfortunately, the convergence of traditional trajectory optimizers that are based on numerical optimal control methods depends strongly on an adequate initial guess for the control function (if a direct method is used) or for the starting values of the adjoint vector (if an indirect method is used). Especially when many revolutions around the sun are re-
quired, trajectory optimization becomes a very difficult and time-consuming task that involves a lot of experience and expert knowledge in astrodynamics and optimal control theory, because an adequate initial guess is extremely hard to find. Evolutionary neurocontrol (ENC) was proposed as a smart method for low-thrust trajectory optimization that fuses artificial neural networks and evolutionary algorithms to so-called evolutionary neurocontrollers (ENCs) [1]. Inspired by natural archetypes, ENC attacks the trajectoryoptimization problem from the perspective of artificial intelligence and machine learning, a perspective that is quite different from that of optimal control theory. Within the context of ENC, a trajectory is regarded as the result of a spacecraft steering strategy that maps permanently the actual spacecraft state and the actual target state onto the actual spacecraft control vector. This way, the problem of searching the optimal spacecraft trajectory is equivalent to the problem of searching (or "learning") the optimal spacecraft steering strategy. An artificial neural network is used to implement such a spacecraft steering strategy. It can be regarded as a parameterized function (the network function) that is defined by the internal network parameters. Therefore, each distinct set of network parameters defines a different network function and thus a different steering strategy. The problem of searching the optimal steering strategy is now equivalent to the problem of searching the optimal set of network parameters. Evolutionary algorithms that work on a population of (artificial) chromosomes are used to find the optimal network parameters, because the parameters can be easily mapped onto a chromosome. The trajectory optimization problem is solved when the optimal chromosome is found. A comparison of solar sail trajectories that have been published by others [2, 3, 4, 5] with ENC-trajectories has shown that ENCs can be successfully applied for near-globally optimal spacecraft control [1, 6] and that they are able to find trajectories that are closer to the (unknown) global optimum, because they explore the trajectory search space more exhaustively than a human expert can do. The obtained trajectories are fairly accurate with respect to the terminal constraint. If a more accurate trajectory is required, the ENC-solution can be used as an initial guess for a local trajectory optimization method. Using ENC, low-thrust trajectories can be optimized without an initial guess and without expert attendance.
Here, new results for nuclear electric spacecraft and for solar sail spacecraft are presented and it will be shown that ENCs find very good trajectories even for very difficult problems. Trajectory optimization results are presented for 1. NASA's Solar Polar Imager Mission, a mission to attain a highly inclined close solar orbit with a solar sail [7] 2. a mission to de ect asteroid Apophis with a solar sail from a retrograde orbit with a very-high velocity impact [8, 9] 3. JPL's \2nd Global Trajectory Optimization Competition", a grand tour to visit four asteroids from different classes with a NEP spacecraft
The concept of a laser-enhanced solar sail is introduced and the radiation pressure force model for an ideal laser-enhanced solar sail is derived. A laser-enhanced solar sail is a “traditional” solar sail that is, however, not solely propelled by solar radiation, but additionally by a laser beam that illuminates the sail. The additional laser radiation pressure increases the sail's propulsive force and can give, depending on the location of the laser source, more control authority over the direction of the solar sail’s propulsive force vector. This way, laser-enhanced solar sails may augment already existing solar sail mission concepts and make novel mission concepts feasible.
The optical properties of the thin metalized polymer films that are projected for solar sails are assumed to be affected by the erosive effects of the space environment. Their degradation behavior in the real space environment, however, is to a considerable degree indefinite, because initial ground test results are controversial and relevant inspace tests have not been made so far. The standard optical solar sail models that are currently used for trajectory design do not take optical degradation into account, hence its potential effects on trajectory design have not been investigated so far. Nevertheless, optical degradation is important for high-fidelity solar sail mission design, because it decreases both the magnitude of the solar radiation pressure force acting on the sail and also the sail control authority. Therefore, we propose a simple parametric optical solar sail degradation model that describes the variation of the sail film’s optical coefficients with time, depending on the sail film’s environmental history, i.e., the radiation dose. The primary intention of our model is not to describe the exact behavior of specific film-coating combinations in the real space environment, but to provide a more general parametric framework for describing the general optical degradation behavior of solar sails. Using our model, the effects of different optical degradation behaviors on trajectory design are investigated for various exemplary missions.
Enceladus explorer - A maneuverable subsurface probe for autonomous navigation through deep ice
(2012)
Near-Earth asteroid 99942 Apophis provides a typical example for the evolution of asteroid orbits that lead to Earth-impacts after a close Earth-encounter that results in a resonant return. Apophis will have a close Earth-encounter in 2029 with potential very close subsequent Earth-encounters (or even an impact) in 2036 or later, depending on whether it passes through one of several so-called gravitational keyholes during its 2029-encounter. Several pre-2029-deflection scenarios to prevent Apophis from doing this have been investigated so far. Because the keyholes are less than 1 km in size, a pre-2029 kinetic impact is clearly the best option because it requires only a small change in Apophis' orbit to nudge it out of a keyhole. A single solar sail Kinetic Energy Impactor (KEI) spacecraft that impacts Apophis from a retrograde trajectory with a very high relative velocity (75-80 km/s) during one of its perihelion passages at about 0.75 AU would be a feasible option to do this. The spacecraft consists of a 160 m x 160 m, 168 kg solar sail assembly and a 150 kg impactor. Although conventional spacecraft can also achieve the required minimum deflection of 1 km for this approx. 320 m-sized object from a prograde trajectory, our solar sail KEI concept also allows the deflection of larger objects. In this paper, we also show that, even after Apophis has flown through one of the gravitational keyholes in 2029, solar sail Kinetic Energy Impactor (KEI) spacecraft are still a feasible option to prevent Apophis from impacting the Earth, but many KEIs would be required for consecutive impacts to increase the total Earth-miss distance to a safe value. In this paper, we elaborate potential pre- and post-2029 KEI impact scenarios for a launch in 2020, and investigate tradeoffs between different mission parameters.
Near-Earth asteroid (NEA) 99942 Apophis provides a typical example for the evolution of asteroid orbits that lead to Earth-impacts after a close Earth-encounter that results in a resonant return. Apophis will have a close Earth-encounter in 2029 with potential very close subsequent Earth-encounters (or even an impact) in 2036 or later, depending on whether it passes through one of several less than 1 km-sized gravitational keyholes during its 2029-encounter. A pre-2029 kinetic impact is a very favorable option to nudge the asteroid out of a keyhole. The highest impact velocity and thus deflection can be achieved from a trajectory that is retrograde to Apophis orbit. With a chemical or electric propulsion system, however, many gravity assists and thus a long time is required to achieve this. We show in this paper that the solar sail might be the better propulsion system for such a mission: a solar sail Kinetic Energy Impactor (KEI) spacecraft could impact Apophis from a retrograde trajectory with a very high relative velocity (75-80 km/s) during one of its perihelion passages. The spacecraft consists of a 160 m × 160 m, 168 kg solar sail assembly and a 150 kg impactor. Although conventional spacecraft can also achieve the required minimum deflection of 1 km for this approx. 320 m-sized object from a prograde trajectory, our solar sail KEI concept also allows the deflection of larger objects. For a launch in 2020, we also show that, even after Apophis has flown through one of the gravitational keyholes in 2029, the solar sail KEI concept is still feasible to prevent Apophis from impacting the Earth, but many KEIs would be required for consecutive impacts to increase the total Earth-miss distance to a safe value
We propose a simple parametric OSSD model that describes the variation of the sail film's optical coefficients with time, depending on the sail film's environmental history, i.e., the radiation dose. The primary intention of our model is not to describe the exact behavior of specific film-coating combinations in the real space environment, but to provide a more general parametric framework for describing the general optical degradation behavior of solar sails.
The ”IceMole“ is a novel maneuverable subsurface ice probe for clean in-situ analysis and sampling of subsurface ice and subglacial water/brine. It is developed and build at FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences’ Astronautical Laboratory. A first prototype was successfully tested on the Swiss Morteratsch glacier in 2010. Clean sampling is achieved with a hollow ice screw (as it is used in mountaineering) at the tip of the probe. Maneuverability is achieved with a differentially heated melting head. Funded by the German Space Agency (DLR), a consortium led by FH Aachen currently develops a much more advanced IceMole probe, which includes a sophisticated system for obstacle avoidance, target detection, and navigation in the ice. We intend to use this probe for taking clean samples of subglacial brine at the Blood Falls (McMurdo Dry Valleys, East Antarctica) for chemical and microbiological analysis. In our conference contribution, we 1) describe the IceMole design, 2) report the results of the field tests of the first prototype on the Morteratsch glacier, 3) discuss the probe’s potential for the clean in-situ analysis and sampling of subsurface ice and subglacial liquids, and 4) outline the way ahead in the development of this technology.
Within ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 plan, a mission to explore the Saturnian System, with special emphasis on its two moons Titan and Enceladus, was selected for study, termed TANDEM (Titan and Enceladus Mission). In this paper, we describe an optimized mission design for a TANDEM-derived solar electric propulsion (SEP) mission. We have chosen the SEP mission scenario for the interplanetary transfer of the TANDEM spacecraft because all feasible gravity assist sequences for a chemical transfer between 2015 and 2025 result in long flight times of about nine years. Our SEP system is based on the German RIT ion engine. For our optimized mission design, we have extensively explored the SEP parameter space (specific impulse, thrust level, power level) and have calculated an optimal interplanetary trajectory for each setting. In contrast to the original TANDEM mission concept, which intends to use two launch vehicles and an all-chemical transfer, our SEP mission design requires only a single Ariane 5 ECA launch for the same payload mass. Without gravity assist, it yields a faster and more flexible transfer with a fight time of less than seven years, and an increased payload ratio. Our mission design proves thereby the capability of SEP even for missions into the outer solar system.
Solar sailcraft provide a wide range of opportunities for high-energy low-cost missions. To date, most mission studies require a rather demanding performance that will not be realized by solar sailcraft of the first generation.
However, even with solar sailcraft of moderate performance, scientifically relevant missions are feasible. This is demonstrated with a Near Earth Asteroid sample return mission and various planetary rendezvous missions.
Innovative interplanetary deep space missions, like a main belt asteroid sample
return mission, require ever larger velocity increments (∆V s) and thus ever
more demanding propulsion capabilities. Providing much larger exhaust velocities than chemical high-thrust systems, electric low-thrust space-propulsion
systems can significantly enhance or even enable such high-energy missions. In
1995, a European-Russian Joint Study Group (JSG) presented a study report
on “Advanced Interplanetary Missions Using Nuclear-Electric Propulsion”
(NEP). One of the investigated reference missions was a sample return (SR)
from the main belt asteroid (19) Fortuna. The envisaged nuclear power plant,
Topaz-25, however, could not be realized and also the worldwide developments
in space reactor hardware stalled. In this paper, we investigate, whether such
a mission is also feasible using a solar electric propulsion (SEP) system and
compare our SEP results to corresponding NEP results.
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.