INVESTIGATION OF FLIGHT DYNAMICS OF THRUST VECTORING AIRCRAFT USING EXTENDED CONTINUATION METHODS

This paper presents the flight dynamical behavior of the thrust vectoring aircraft with extended bifurcation and continuation methods. In contrast to the standard bifurcation and continuation methods, the extended methods are capable of calculating the continuation curves of the equilibrium points for the particular type of trimming flight. Therefore, these methods can not only give the performance measures of aircraft, but also determine the stability of trimming points. In this paper, the methods are used to verify the effectiveness of the thrust vectoring control law, to define the flight envelope boundary, to analyze the stability and controllability of trimming flight, and to predict the departures of the instable flight. The result shows that the extended methods provide more flight dynamic information and are useful in preliminary design of the thrust vectoring aircraft.

Numerical investigation of dynamic characteristics of dual throat nozzle and bypass dual throat nozzle in thrust vectoring starting process

The Bypass Dual Throat Nozzle(BDTN)is a novel fluidic Thrust Vectoring(TV)nozzle,it switches to TV state by opening the valve in the bypass.To greatly manipulate the BDTN,the dynamic characteristics in the TV starting process should be analyzed.This paper conducts numerical simulations to grasp the variation processes of performances and the flow field evolution of BDTN and Dual Throat Nozzle(DTN).The dynamic responses of TV starting in typical DTN models are investigated at first.Then,the TV starting processes of BDTN in different Nozzle Pressure Ratio(NPR)conditions are simulated,and the valve opening durations(T)are also considered.Before the expected TV direction is achieved in the DTN,the jet is deflected to the opposite direction at the beginning of the dynamic process,which is called the reverse TV phenomenon.However,this phenomenon disappears in the BDTN.The larger injection width of DTN intensifies unsteady oscillations,and the reverse TV phenomenon is strengthened.In the BDTN,T determines the delay degree of performance variations compared to the static results,which is called hysteresis effect.At NPR=10,the hysteresis affects the final stable performance of BDTN.This study analyses the dynamic characteristics in DTN and BDTN,laying a foundation for further design of nozzles and control strategies.

Review of the Debate and the Development of Thrust Vectoring Technology

In this paper, the interesting development of the very important innovation of thrust vectoring tech-nology in applied aerodynamics is described.

A Computational Study of Thrust Vectoring Control Using Dual Throat Nozzle

Dual throat nozzle (DTN) is fast becoming a popular technique for thrust vectoring. The DTN is designed with two throats, an upstream minimum and a downstream minimum at the nozzle exit, with a cavity in between the upstream throat and exit. In the present study, a computational work has been carried out to analyze the performance of a dual throat nozzle at various mass flow rates of secondary flow and nozzle pressure ratios (NPR). Two-dimensional, steady, compressible Navier-Stokes equations were solved using a fully implicit finite volume scheme. The present computational results were validated with available experimental data. Based on the present results, the control effectiveness of thrust-vectoring is discussed in terms of the thrust coefficient and the coefficient of discharge.

Study of beam divergence and thrust vector eccentricity characteristics of the Hall thruster based on dual Faraday probe array planes and its applications

The accurate knowledge of the thrust vector eccentricity and beam divergence characteristics of Hall thrusters are of significant engineering value for the beneficial integration and successful application of Hall thrusters on spacecraft.For the characteristics of the plume bipolar diffusion due to the annular discharge channel of the Hall thruster,a Gaussian-fitted method for thrust vector deviation angle and beam divergence of Hall thrusters based on dual Faraday probe array planes was proposed in respect of the Hall thruster beam characteristics.The results show that the ratios of the deviation between the maximum and minimum values of the beam divergence angle and the thrust vector eccentricity angle using a Gaussian fit to the optimized Faraday probe dual plane to the mean value are 1.4%and 11.5%,respectively.The optimized thrust vector eccentricity angle obtained has been substantially improved,by approximately 20%.The beam divergence angle calculated using a Gaussian fitting to the optimized Faraday probe dual plane is approximately identical to the non-optimized one.The beam divergence and thrust vector eccentricity angles for different anode mass flow rates were obtained by averaging the beam divergence and thrust vector eccentricity angles calculated by the dual-plane,Gaussian-fitted ion current density method for different cross-sections.The study not only allows for an immediate and effective tool for determining the design of thrust vector adjustment mechanisms of spacecraft with different power Hall thrusters but also for characterizing the 3D spatial distribution of the Hall thruster plume.

IMPROVEMENT OF AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE OF SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT USING CANARD SURFACE WITH TVFC

The purpose of increasing the aerodynamic efficiency and enhancing the supermaneuverability for the selected supersonic aircraft is presented. Aerodynamic characteristics, the surface pressure distribution and the maximum lift are estimated for the baseline configuration for different Mach numbers and attack angles in subson- ic and supersonic potential flows, using a low-order three-dimensional panel method supported with the semi-empirical formulas of the data compendium （DATCOM）. Total nose-up and nose-down pitching moments about the center of gravity of the complete aircraft in the subsonic region depending on flight conditions and aircraft performance limitations are estimated. A software package is developed to implement the two-dimensional thrust vectoring flight control technique （pitch vectoring up and down） controlled by the advanced aerodynamic and control surface （the foreplane or the canard）. Results show that the canard with the thrust vectoring produces enough nose-down moment and can support the stabilizer at high maneuvers. The suggested surface can increase the aerodynamic efficiency （lift-to-drag ratio） of the baseline configuration by 5%-6% in subsonic and supersonic flight regimes.

MULTI-CONTROLLER STRUCTURE OF SUPERMANEUVERABLE AIRCRAFT

This paper proposes a method of using multi controllers to control supermaneuverable aircraft. A nonlinear dynamic inversion controller is used for supermaneuver. A gain scheduled controller is used for routine maneuver. A switch algorithm is designed to switch the controllers. The flight envelopes of the controllers are different but have a common area in which the controllers are switched from one to the other. In the common area, some special boundaries are selected to decide switch conditions. The controllers all use vector thrust for lower velocity maneuver control. Unlike the variation structure theory to use a single boundary, this paper uses two boundaries for switching between the two controllers. One boundary is used for switching from dynamic inversion to gain scheduling, while the other is used for switching from gain scheduling to dynamic inversion. This can effectively avoid the system vibration caused by switching repeatedly at a single boundary. The method is very easy for engineering. It can reduce the risk of design of the supermaneuverable aircraft.

PTVC-M for Ultra-Agile VTOL and 300+ km·h-1 Cruising

There remains a need to develop improved VTOL techniques that are cost-effective and with minimum compromise on cruising flight performance for fixed-wing aircraft. This work proposes an elegant VTOL control method known as PTVC-M (pitch-axis thrust vector control with moment arms) for tailsitters. The hallmark of the approach is the complete elimination of control surfaces such as elevators and rudder. Computer simulations with a 1580 mm wing span airplane reveal that the proposed technique results in authoritative control and unique maneuverability such as inverted vertical hover and stall-spin with positive climb rate. Zero-surface requirement of the PTVC-M virtually eliminates performance tradeoffs between VTOL and high-speed flight. In this proof-of-concept study, the VTOL-capable aircraft achieves a VH of 360 km·h-1 at near sea-level. The proposed technique will benefit a broad range of applications including high-performance spinsonde that can directly measure 10-m surface wind, tropical cyclone research, and possibly serving as the cornerstone for the next-generation sport aerobatics.

Numerical and experimental investigation of plasma plume deflection with MHD flow control

This paper presents a composite magneto hydrodynamics（MHD） method to control the lowtemperature micro-ionized plasma flow generated by injecting alkali salt into the combustion gas to realize the thrust vector of an aeroengine.The principle of plasma flow with MHD control is analyzed.The feasibility of plasma jet deflection is investigated using numerical simulation with MHD control by loading the User-Defined Function model.A test rig with plasma flow controlled by MHD is established.An alkali salt compound with a low ionization energy is injected into combustion gas to obtain the low-temperature plasma flow.Finally,plasma plume deflection is obtained in different working conditions.The results demonstrate that plasma plume deflection with MHD control can be realized via numerical simulation.A low-temperature plasma flow can be obtained by injecting an alkali metal salt compound with low ionization energy into a combustion gas at 1800–2500 K.The vector angle of plasma plume deflection increases with the increase of gas temperature and the magnetic field intensity.It is feasible to realize the aim of the thrust vector of aeroengine by using MHD to control plasma flow deflection.

RESEARCH ON SCHEME OF HIGH-SPEED ROTOR／WING TRANSITION HELICOPTER RD15

To analyze the existing schemes of high-speed rotorcrafts and some new technologies, a new conceptual sketch of the high-speed rotor/wing transition helicopter RD15 is proposed. The overall layout of the RD15 is given out and the transition process from the helicopter mode to the airplane mode is designed. The lift system consists of a circular disk-wing with four retractable blades. The technology of individual blade control is adopted for flight control in hover and low speed flight. The tail is a vectored thrust duct propeller. It can provide the anti-torque in hover, and offer the multi-directional controls and propulsion drive for the airplane mode flight. The aerodynamic characteristics and key technologies in the transition process for this layout, including the nose up angle of disk-wing, the length of the blade, rotation speed, pitch angle and other parameters, are theoretically ana lyzed and experimentally tested. Calculation and experiments show that the shift process of the lift, the power and controls are smooth, and the designed scheme is feasible.

SIMULATION RESEARCH OF ACTIVE VIBRATION CONTROL FOR ELASTIC MISSILE WITH SWING NOZZLE THRUST VECTOR CONTROL

Aiming at the deficiencies of notch filters on the aspect of vibration suppression for elastic missile with swing nozzle thrust vector control(SNTVC),an active vibration controller(AVC)is proposed.It is composed of an optimal state feedback controller(OSFC)and an optimal minimal order state observer(OMOSO),which can be respectively designed based on the separation principle.The design rules of these two elements are successively given.Computer simulation results present that AVC can realize strong vibration suppression and good convergence property after disturbing.Moreover,it has simple design and then it is easily implemented in engineering.In addition,the AVC scheme can also resolve the poor system stability to a great extent,which is resulted from the bad static stability of missile body.

Numerical study of a trapezoidal bypass dual throat nozzle

Bypass Dual Throat Nozzle(BDTN)is a novel type of fluidic thrust vectoring nozzle.To improve the infrared stealth performance of BDTN,a nozzle based on BDTN is proposed and numerically simulated.Each cross-section along the x-axis of the novel nozzle becomes a trapezoid,which is named“BDTN-TRA.”The main numerical simulation results show that BDTN-TRA can produce a thrust vectoring angle when the upper or lower bypass valve is open.The angle difference between the two conditions mentioned above is usually approximately 1°-2°.Even if the two bypasses are closed,BDTN-TRA can produce a small thrust vectoring angle at around 3°-5°.When the sidewall angle increases from 60°to 90°,the thrust coefficient and thrust vectoring angle under each work condition usually decrease.A larger aspect ratio indicates better performance.As the aspect ratio increases over 7.2,the performance of BDTN-TRA is quite close to that of BDTN with rectangular cross-sections at the same aspect ratio.These features will benefit the control and trimming for future aircraft design,especially for the flying wing layout aircraft.Last but not least,BDTN-TRA has a more extraordinary mixing performance compared with BDTN.The distributions of static temperature and axial velocity along the x-axis of BDTN-TRA with sidewall angle of 60°decrease faster than those of BDTN.When the total temperature of the inlet equals 1600 K,the static temperature difference between BDTN-TRA with sidewall angles of 60°and 90°is over 360 K at twice the length of the nozzle downstream of the nozzle exit,which is the reflection for excellent infrared stealth for the fighter.

Coordination control strategy based on characteristic model for 3-bearing swivel duct nozzles

A coordination control strategy is developed for 3-bearing swivel duct （3BSD） nozzles. A 3BSD nozzle＇s deflection angle and direction are changed through rotations of three revolute pairs. There is a nonlinear relationship between the deflection an- gle/direction and the rotation angles. The rotation speed of a revolute pair is limited by the power of the actuator. The moment of inertia and the aerodynamic load for each revolute pair are different and time-varying. A high-precision control system of 3BSD nozzles is required for applications on vertical and/or short take-off and landing （V/STOL） aircrafts. Difficulties of co- ordination control of 3BSD nozzles are distinct travel ranges, speed constraints, time^xarying dynamic models, and disturb- ances. The proposed control strategy is a combination of the characteristic model and tlF e dynamic control allocation method. A dynamic control allocation module is used as the coordination supervisor, which is aware of the kinematic model, the con- straints, and the dynamic models of the revolute pairs. Second-order characteristic models are used to represent the dynamic behavior of the revolute pairs. The gradient projection algorithm is modified for parameter estimation. A modified all-coefficient adaptive controller is developed to reject the disturbances. Experimental results of a scaled 3BSD nozzle indi- cate that the coordination control strategy is effective.

Turning mechanism and composite control of stratospheric airships

The parametric model of stratospheric airships is established in the body axes coordinate system. In this paper we study the turning mechanism of stratospheric airships including the generated forces and the key parameters for steady turning. We compare and analyze the different driven-characteristics between aerodynamic control surfaces and vectored thrust in turning. We design a composite control combining aerodynamic control surfaces and vectored thrust according to different dynamic pressure conditions, to achieve coordinated turning under high or low airspeed situations.

Numerical analysis of deflection control of a gas plasma jet based on magnetohydrodynamic staggered electrode configuration

To control the deflection of the gas plasma jet, a new analytical method is proposed based on the Magnetohydrodynamic(MHD) technique. Based on the typical MHD power generation model, the applied voltage is applied to the staggered electrodes, that is, a pair of electrodes on the same side wall are connected to generate an axial current in the channel. Under the action of the magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of the flow, the plasma is subjected to electromagnetic forces perpendicular to these two directions, and the jet is deflected. The computational model including the Navier-Stokes equations coupled with electromagnetic source terms, the electric potential equation and Ohm’s law is solved. The deflection of the gas jet under the action of an electromagnetic field is observed, and the maximum deflection angle is about 14.8°. The influences of the electric field, magnetic field, and conductivity on the jet deflection are studied. Results show that although the influences of these three factors on the deflection are similar, and the effect of increasing the electric field strength is slightly greater, priority should be given to increasing the magnetic field strength from the perspective of reducing energy consumption. The Stuart number is introduced to assess the ability of electromagnetic force to control jet deflection. When the electromagnetic parameters are constant, this solution provides better control of low-density and low-speed fluid flows. The calculation results show that using the staggered electrode method configuration is feasible in terms of controlling the deflection of a plasma jet deflection.

A conceptual design for deflection device in VTDP system

The effectiveness of the Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller(VTDP)system is not high currently,especially the lateral force is not large enough.Thus,a conceptual design for a deflection device of a VTDP system was proposed to achieve effective hovering control.The magnitude of the lateral force that was applied to maintain balance while hovering was examined.A comparison between the experimental and numerical results for the 16H-1 was made to verify the numerical simulation approach.The deflection devices of the X-49 and the proposed design were analyzed using numerical simulations.The results indicated that a larger lateral force and lower power consumption were presented in the proposed design.The results of this article provide a new idea for the design of the VTDP system.