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The development of aerospace science and technology largely relies on the education and academic contribution of students in universities covering aerospace science and technology. The School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University, with a history of eighty years since the set-up of its Department of Aeronautical Engineering in 1938, graduated 5273 undergraduate students, 1939 master students and 931 Ph.D. students. This paper provides an overview and analysis of the data related to undergraduate, master and Ph.D. students of this school. These data include the historical evolution of number of students and the actual status of students like their various interests and academic performance. The data and information shared in this paper may be useful for comparative study and for those who need primitive data to study relevant issues such as mental health of students, promotion of gender balance and educational improvement. Keywords: Academic output, Aerospace, Education, Favorite activity, Students

A control method for Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) non-Gaussian random vibration test with cross spectra consideration is proposed in the paper. The aim of the proposed control method is to replicate the specified references composed of auto spectral densities, cross spectral densities and kurtoses on the test article in the laboratory. It is found that the cross spectral densities will bring intractable coupling problems and induce difficulty for the control of the multi-output kurtoses. Hence, a sequential phase modification method is put forward to solve the coupling problems in multi-input multi-output non-Gaussian random vibration test. To achieve the specified responses, an improved zero memory nonlinear transformation is utilized first to modify the Fourier phases of the signals with sequential phase modification method to obtain one frame reference response signals which satisfy the reference spectra and reference kurtoses. Then, an inverse system method is used in frequency domain to obtain the continuous stationary drive signals. At the same time, the matrix power control algorithm is utilized to control the spectra and kurtoses of the response signals further. At the end of the paper, a simulation example with a cantilever beam and a vibration shaker test are implemented and the results support the proposed method very well. Keywords: Cross spectra, Kurtosis control, Multi-input multi-output, Non-Gaussian, Random vibration test

This paper studies an electronic counter-counter measures (ECCM) scheme combating against deceptive electronic counter measure (ECM) techniques. An adaptive detector exploiting generalized likelihood ratio test (GRLT) criterion is applied to detect the presence of deceptive jamming in fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) domain. First, the generating mechanism of spurious frequencies is analyzed based on the Volterra serial. The proposed nonlinear distortion model based on power amplifier behavior is robust in distortion analysis when the memory effect is considered. Second, a modified adaptive beamformer orthogonal rejection test (ABORT) like detector in closed form is built. The proposed detector can discriminate the echo and deceptive jamming adaptively by exploiting primary data and secondary data. This ECCM scheme is capable of guaranteeing the performance without the restriction of orthogonality, which is essential for the ABORT detectors. The expansion to radar network is discussed as a special case at the final part of this paper. Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Based on improved multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm with principal component analysis (PCA) methodology, an efficient high-dimension multi-objective optimization method is proposed, which, as the purpose of this paper, aims to improve the convergence of Pareto front in multi-objective optimization design. The mathematical efficiency, the physical reasonableness and the reliability in dealing with redundant objectives of PCA are verified by typical DTLZ5 test function and multi-objective correlation analysis of supercritical airfoil, and the proposed method is integrated into aircraft multi-disciplinary design (AMDEsign) platform, which contains aerodynamics, stealth and structure weight analysis and optimization module. Then the proposed method is used for the multi-point integrated aerodynamic optimization of a wide-body passenger aircraft, in which the redundant objectives identified by PCA are transformed to optimization constraints, and several design methods are compared. The design results illustrate that the strategy used in this paper is sufficient and multi-point design requirements of the passenger aircraft are reached. The visualization level of non-dominant Pareto set is improved by effectively reducing the dimension without losing the primary feature of the problem.

This paper proposes a fault-tolerant strategy for hypersonic reentry vehicles with mixed aerodynamic surfaces and reaction control systems (RCS) under external disturbances and subject to actuator faults. Aerodynamic surfaces are treated as the primary actuator in normal situations, and they are driven by a continuous quadratic programming (QP) allocator to generate torque commanded by a nonlinear adaptive feedback control law. When aerodynamic surfaces encounter faults, they may not be able to provide sufficient torque as commanded, and RCS jets are activated to augment the aerodynamic surfaces to compensate for insufficient torque. Partial loss of effectiveness and stuck faults are considered in this paper, and observers are designed to detect and identify the faults. Based on the fault identification results, an RCS control allocator using integer linear programming (ILP) techniques is designed to determine the optimal combination of activated RCS jets. By treating the RCS control allocator as a quantization element, closed-loop stability with both continuous and quantized inputs is analyzed. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The paper focuses on the design of a new automatic landing system (ALS) in longitudinal plane; the new ALS controls the aircraft trajectory and longitudinal velocity. Aircraft control is achieved by means of a proportional-integral (PI) controller and the instrumental landing system – the first phase of landing (the glide slope) and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller together with a radio-altimeter – the second phase of landing (the flare); both controllers modify the reference model associated with aircraft pitch angle. The control of the pitch angle and longitudinal velocity is performed by a neural network adaptive control system, based on the dynamic inversion concept, having the following as components: a linear dynamic compensator, a linear observer, reference models, and a Pseudo control hedging (PCH) block. The theoretical results are software implemented and validated by complex numerical simulations; compared with other ALSs having the same radio-technical subsystems but with conventional or fuzzy controllers for the control of aircraft pitch angle and longitudinal velocity, the architecture designed in this paper is characterized by much smaller overshoots and stationary errors.

This paper focuses on the stability of capillary forced flow. In space, open capillary channels are widely used as the liquid and gas separation devices to manage liquid positioning and transportation. Surface collapse happens when the flow rate exceeds the critical value, leading to a failure of propellant management. Knowledge of flow rate limitation is of great significance in design and optimization of propellant management devices (PMDs). However, the capillary flow rate limitation in an asymmetry channel has not been studied yet in the literature. In this paper, by introducing an equivalent angle to convert the asymmetry corner to a symmetry one, the one-dimensional theoretical model is developed. The flow rate limitation can then be investigated as a function of the channel geometry as well as liquid property based on the model. Comparisons between the asymmetry and symmetry channels bring forth the characteristics of the two kinds of channels, and demonstrate good accordance between the new advanced model and the existing one in the literature. This theoretical model can provide valuable reference for PMD designers.

This paper evaluates the performance of creep feed grinding γ-TiAl intermetallic (Ti-45Al-2Mn-2Nb) using electroplated diamond wheels. Firstly, a comparative analysis with the grinding results by using electroplated CBN wheels was conducted, mainly involving abrasive wheel wear behavior and maximum material removal rate below surface burn limit. It was found that the diamond wheel would produce much better grinding results including lower wheel wear rate and higher maximum material removal rate. Then the surface integrity obtained at different level of material removal rate was characterized with the utilization of the diamond wheel. The poor ductility of this γ-TiAl intermetallic material was found to have a marginal effect on the surface integrity, as no severe surface defects such as material pullout were generated during the stable wheel wear stage. For the involved operating parameters, a deformation layer was produced with ∼10 μm or more in thickness depending on the material removal rate used. Meanwhile, a work-hardened layer extending to more than 100 μm was produced with a maximum microhardness of above 520 HV0.05 (bulk value 360 HV0.05). The residual stress remained compressive, with a value of above −100 MPa and even up to −500 MPa for an elevated material removal rate. Shearing chip was the main chip type, indicating good wheel sharpness in the grinding process.

Hot compressive experiments of the laser solid formed (LSFed) TC4 titanium alloy were conducted at a wide temperature range of 650–950 °C and strain rate of 0.01–10 s−1. The Arrhenius-type constitutive models of the LSFed TC4 alloy were established at the temperature range of 800–950 °C and of 650–800 °C, respectively. The average relative error between the predicted stresses and experimental values in those two temperature ranges are 10.4% and 8.3%, respectively, indicating that the prediction models constructed in this paper are in a good agreement with experimental data. Processing maps were established by the principle of dynamic materials modeling on the basis of the data achieved from the hot compression experiments. The processing parameters corresponding to the stable and unstable regions of material deformation can be determined from the processing maps. The microstructure evolution of the stable and unstable regions of the samples after tests were observed. Finally, the effect of hot compressive parameters on the microstructure were investigated to research the dynamic recrystallization and the texture of the deformed LSFed TC4 alloy.

The friction is the considerable boundary condition in bulk metal forming. In this paper, the ring compression test was used to evaluate the friction coefficient and factor in Coulomb friction model and Tresca friction model for the plastic deformation of aluminum alloy AA5052. The micro-macro analysis method combining surface morphology and micro-texture was used to explore the friction behaviors in AA5052 cold forming process. In general, the magnitude (μ or m) of friction changes before and after a deformation threshold during ring compression. The maximum change rate of the magnitude (μ or m) before and after the deformation threshold is close to 18.5% under the present experimental conditions, and the change rate decreases with increasing loading speed. The lubrication using MoS2 is better than that using oil at lower speeds (0.15 mm/s, 1.5 mm/s), but the lubrications for MoS2 and oil are similar at higher speeds (15 mm/s). The surface roughness, three-dimensional topography, and surface texture of compressed ring have a sudden change around the deformation threshold, which deviate from the previous evolution trend. The increased friction after deformation threshold also promotes the formation of sufficient shear strain layer in the subsurface plane of the compressed ring, and then it hinders the formation of the typical deformation textures with β-oriented line and promotes the appearance of shear textures such as 001 110 , 111 uvw and hkl 110 textures.

Because of several advantages, such as no tool wear, independence on the mechanical properties of the material, and high machining efficiency, electrochemical machining (ECM) has become a viable method for machining components in numerous industrial applications, particularly in the manufacture of typical aero-engine components with complex structures fabricated from materials that are difficult to cut. This paper highlights the current developments, new trends, and technological advances of key factors of ECM, such as electrochemical dissolution characteristics of novel difficult to cut materials which are often used in aero-engine, numerical simulation of electrochemical process, design for the complex profile and structure of cathode tool, flow field simulation and design for uniform electrolyte flow, and innovation of electrochemical machining or hybrid methods which reflect the state of the art in academic and industrial research on electrochemical machining in aero-engine manufacturing.

The piston pump is the key power component in the civil aircraft hydraulic system, and the most common pump used in the aviation field is the pressure compensated variable displacement type. In this review paper, a basic introduction to the civil aircraft piston pump is presented, including the classification, structure, working principle, design features, and achievements by some research groups. Then, the future directions of the aircraft pump are reported from various perspectives. Further, the critical technologies are analyzed and summarized in detail from six thrust areas: friction couples, noise reduction, inlet boost, thermal management, fault diagnosis and health management, and mechanical seal. Finally, the challenges and limitations of the research on the aircraft pump are discussed to provide valuable insight for future scholars. Keywords: Civil aircraft, Engine driven pump, High pressure, Inlet boost, Intelligent control, Lubricating gaps, Piston pumps, Pulsation reduction

In order to fast analyze the aircraft Radar Cross Section (RCS) and accurately reduce it with Radar Absorbing Materials (RAM), a comprehensive analysis method based on Higher-Order Method of Moments (HOMOM), termed Locally Coating Method (LCM), is proposed in this paper. There are two steps to fast analyze coatings for RCS reduction in this method: analyze the RCS of various parts before coating the aircraft; model a coating over the aircraft and analyze the wave absorbing effect of it. The aircraft RCS is calculated as a whole but analyzed in various parts by LCM, and thus the RCS contribution of different parts can be compared without disturbing the current continuity. A model expansion algorithm is also presented in LCM to model absorption coatings on specified aircraft parts for later stage RCS calculation of the coated aircraft. Keywords: Coating modeling, Higher-Order Method of Moments (HOMOM), Radar Absorbing Materials (RAM), Radar Cross Section (RCS), Stealth technology

A tubular moving-magnet linear oscillating motor (TMMLOM) has merits of high efficiency and excellent dynamic capability. To enhance the thrust performance, quasi-Halbach permanent magnet (PM) arrays are arranged on its mover in the application of a linear electro-hydrostatic actuator in more electric aircraft. The arrays are assembled by several individual segments, which lead to gaps between them inevitably. To investigate the effects of the gaps on the radial magnetic flux density and the machine thrust in this paper, an analytical model is built considering both axial and radial gaps. The model is validated by finite element simulations and experimental results. Distributions of the magnetic flux are described in condition of different sizes of radial and axial gaps. Besides, the output force is also discussed in normal and end windings. Finally, the model has demonstrated that both kinds of gaps have a negative effect on the thrust, and the linear motor is more sensitive to radial ones. Keywords: Air-gap flux density, Linear motor, Mover gaps, Quasi-Halbach array, Thrust output, Tubular moving-magnet linear oscillating motor (TMMLOM)

GH4169 alloy is one of the most commonly used materials in aero engine turbine blades, but its machinability is poor because of its excellent strength at high temperatures. Electrochemical machining (ECM) has become a common method for machining this alloy and other difficult-to-machine materials. Electrochemical grinding (ECG) is a hybrid process combining ECM and conventional grinding. In this paper, investigations conducted on inner-jet ECG of GH4169 alloy are described. Two types of inner-jet ECG grinding wheels were used to machine a flat bottom surface. The machining process was simulated using COMSOL software, and machining gaps under different machining parameters were obtained. In addition, maximum feed rates and maximum material removal rates under different machining parameters were studied experimentally. The maximum sizes and the uniformity of the distributions of the gaps machined by the two grinding wheels were compared. The effects of different applied voltages on the machining results were also investigated. Keywords: Electrochemical grinding, GH4169 alloy, Inner-jet, Material removal rate, Maximum feed rate

Electrohydrostatic actuator (EHA) is a type of power-by-wire actuator that is widely implemented in the aerospace industry for flight control, landing gears, thrust reversers, thrust vector control, and space robots. This paper presents the development and evaluation of position-based impedance control (PBIC) for an EHA. Impedance control provides the actuator with compliance and facilitates the interaction with the environment. Most impedance control applications utilize electrical or valve-controlled hydraulic actuators, whereas this work realizes impedance control via a compact and efficient EHA. The structures of the EHA and PBIC are firstly introduced. A mathematical model of the actuation system is established, and values of its coefficients are identified by particle swarm optimization. This model facilitates the development of a position controller and the selection of target impedance parameters. A nonlinear proportional-integral position controller is developed for the EHA to achieve the accurate positioning requirement of PBIC. The controller compensates for the adverse effect of stiction, and a position accuracy of 0.08 mm is attained. Various experimental results are presented to verify the applicability of PBIC to the EHA. The compliance of the actuator is demonstrated in an impact test. Keywords: Actuation system, Aerospace, Electrohydrostatic actuator, Force control, Nonlinear dynamics, Particle swarm optimization, Position control

This paper examines robust optimization design and analysis of a conformal expansion nozzle of flying wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with the inverse-design idea. In view of flow features and stealth constraints, the inverse-design idea is described and the uncertainty-based robust design model is presented. A robust design system employs this model to combine deterministic optimization and robust optimization and is applied into design of a conformal expansion nozzle. The results indicate that design optimization can conform to the anticipation of the inverse-design idea and significantly improve the aerodynamic performance that meet the requirement of 6σ. The present method is a feasible nozzle design strategy that integrates robust optimization and inverse-design.

The measurement of position and attitude parameters for the isolated target from a high-speed aircraft is a great challenge in the field of wind tunnel simulation technology. This paper proposes a remote-controlled flexible pose measurement system in wind tunnel conditions for the separation of a target from an aircraft. The position and attitude parameters of a moving object are obtained by utilizing a single camera with a focal length and camera orientation that can be changed based on different measurement conditions. Using this proposed system and method, both the flexibility and efficiency of the pose measurement system can be enhanced in wind tunnel conditions to meet the measurement requirements of different objects and experiments, which is also useful for the development of an intelligent position and attitude measurement system. The position and the focal length of the camera also can be controlled remotely during measurements to enlarge both the vertical and horizontal measurement range of this system. Experiments are conducted in the laboratory to measure the position and attitude of moving objects with high flexibility and efficiency, and the measurement precision of the measurement system is also verified through experiments.

Electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA) pumps are usually characterized as high speed and small displacement. The tilting inertia moment on the cylinder block produced by the inertia forces of piston/slipper assemblies cannot be ignored when analyzing the cylinder block balance. A large tilting inertia moment will make the cylinder block tilt away from the valve plate, resulting in severe wear and significantly increased leakage. This paper presents an analytical expression for the tilting inertia moment on the cylinder block by means of vector analysis. In addition, a high-speed test rig was built up, and experiments on an EHA pump prototype were carried out at high speeds of up to 10,000 r/min. The predicted nature of the cylinder block tilt at high speeds corresponds closely to the witness marks on the dismantled EHA pump prototype. It is suggested that more attention should be given to the tilting inertia moment acting on the cylinder block of an EHA pump since both wear and leakage flow between the cylinder block and the valve plate are very much dependent on this tilting moment.

Titanium hollow blades are characterized with lightweight and high structural strength, which are widely used in advanced aircraft engines nowadays. Superplastic forming/diffusion bonding (SPF/DB) combined with numerical control (NC) milling is a major solution for manufacturing titanium hollow blades. Due to the shape deviation caused by multiple heat and pressure cycles in the SPF/DB process, it is hard to manufacture the leading and tailing edges by the milling process. This paper presents a new adaptive machining approach using free-form deformation to solve this problem. The actual SPF/DB shape of a hollow blade was firstly inspected by an on-machine measurement method. The measured point data were matched to the nominal SPF/DB shape with an improved ICP algorithm afterwards, by which the point-pairs between the measurement points and their corresponding points on the nominal SPF/DB shape were established, and the maximum modification amount of the final nominal shape was constrained. Based on the displacements between the point-pairs, an accurate FFD volume was iteratively calculated. By embedding the final nominal shape in the deformation space, a new final shape of the hollow blade was built. Finally, a series of measurement and machining tests was performed, the results of which validated the feasibility of the proposed adaptive machining approach.

At high altitudes, an Aviation Oxygen Supply System (AOSS) protects pilots from low pressure and hypoxia by continuously providing oxygen corresponding to the pilots’ dynamic respiratory properties. An AOSS mainly consists of oxygen supercharging machines which are used in a high-altitude flight cabin to supply pressurized oxygen to pilots. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the airflow dynamic characteristics of an AOSS for safe, continuous, and efficient oxygen supply. In this paper, an AOSS is firstly simplified and considered as a mechanical ventilation system. Then, its corresponding mathematical model is constructed. Next, to verify the mathematical model, a prototype AOSS with a lung simulator is proposed for an experimental study. Afterwards, to build a foundation for the optimization of the AOSS, the airflow dynamic characteristics of an aircraft are analyzed, and the effects of key parameters on the respiration system are researched. Through experimental and simulation studies, it can be concluded that the mathematical model is effective. Subsequently, for stability during the respiration process, we consider setting the equivalent throttling areas of the inspiration and expiration pipelines smaller within certain limits; additionally, an excessively high oxygen supply pressure will disturb smooth airflow, and in a low-pressure environment, the pressure can be 84 cmH2O lower than the standard atmospheric pressure. This research can be referred to in the design of an oxygen supply system and the study on optimization of airflow dynamic characteristics.

Omnidirectional dynamic space parameters of high-speed rotating helicopter blades are precise 3D vector description of the blades. In particular, the elevation difference is directly related to the aerodynamic performance and maneuverability of the helicopter. The state of the art detection techniques based on optics and common vision have several drawbacks, such as high demands on devices but poor extensibility, limited measurement range and fixed measurement position. In this paper, a novel approach of helicopter blades running elevation measurement is proposed based on omnidirectional vision. With the advantages of panoramic visual imaging integration, 360° field of view and rotation in-variance, high-resolution images of all rotating blades positions are obtained at one time. By studying the non-linear calibration and calculation model of omnidirectional vision system, aiming at solving the problem of inaccurate visual space mapping model, the omnidirectional and full-scale measurement of the elevation difference are finalized. Experiments are carried out on our multifunctional simulation blades test system and the practical blades test tower, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and show that the proposed method can considerably reduce the complexity of measurement. Keywords: Full-scale measurement, Helicopter blades elevation, Non-linear calibration, Omnidirectional vision, Unified sphere model

With the consideration of rotation between canopy and payload of parafoil system, a four-degree-of-freedom (4-DOF) longitudinal static model was used to solve parafoil state variables in straight steady flight. The aerodynamic solution of parafoil system was a combination of vortex lattice method (VLM) and engineering estimation method. Based on small disturbance assumption, a 6-DOF linear model that considers canopy additional mass was established with benchmark state calculated by 4-DOF static model. Modal analysis of a dynamic model was used to calculate the stability parameters. This method, which is based on a small disturbance linear model and modal analysis, is high-efficiency to the study of parafoil stability. It is well suited for rapid stability analysis in the preliminary stage of parafoil design. Using this method, this paper shows that longitudinal and lateral stability will both decrease when a steady climbing angle increases. This explains the wavy track of the parafoil observed during climbing.

Performance prediction in preliminary design stages of several turbomachinery components is a critical task in order to bring the design processes of these devices to a successful conclusion. In this paper, a review and analysis of the major loss mechanisms and loss models, used to determine the efficiency of a single stage centrifugal compressor, and a subsequent examination to determine an appropriate loss correlation set for estimating the isentropic efficiency in preliminary design stages of centrifugal compressors, were developed. Several semi-empirical correlations, commonly used to predict the efficiency of centrifugal compressors, were implemented in FORTRAN code and then were compared with experimental results in order to establish a loss correlation set to determine, with good approximation, the isentropic efficiency of single stage compressor. The aim of this study is to provide a suitable loss correlation set for determining the isentropic efficiency of a single stage centrifugal compressor, because, with a large amount of loss mechanisms and correlations available in the literature, it is difficult to ascertain how many and which correlations to employ for the correct prediction of the efficiency in the preliminary stage design of a centrifugal compressor. As a result of this study, a set of correlations composed by nine loss mechanisms for single stage centrifugal compressors, conformed by a rotor and a diffuser, are specified.

International audience; In this paper, a new method is developed to model dependent failure behaviors among failure mechanisms. Unlike existing methods, the developed method models the root cause of the dependency explicitly, so that a deterministic model, rather than a probabilistic one, can be established. Three steps comprise the developed method. First, physics-of-failure (PoF) models are utilized to model each failure mechanism. Then, interactions among failure mechanisms are modeled as a combination of three basic relations, competition, superposition and coupling. This is the reason why the method is referred to as " compositional method ". Finally, the PoF models and the interaction model are combined to develop a deterministic model of the dependent failure behaviors. As a demonstration, the method is applied on an actual spool and the developed failure behavior model is validated by a wear test. The result demonstrates that the compositional method is an effective way to model dependent failure behaviors.

In this paper, a Doppler scaling fast Fourier transform (Doppler-FFT) algorithm for filter bank multi-carrier (FBMC) is proposed, which can efficiently eliminate the impact of the Doppler scaling in satellite communications. By introducing a Doppler scaling factor into the butterfly structure of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm, the proposed algorithm eliminates the differences between the Doppler shifts of the received subcarriers, and maintains the same order of computational complexity compared to that of the traditional FFT. In the process of using the new method, the Doppler scaling should be estimated by calculating the orbital data in advance. Thus, the inter-symbol interference (ISI) and the inter-carrier interference (ICI) can be completely eliminated, and the signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) will not be affected. Simulation results also show that the proposed algorithm can achieve a 0.4 dB performance gain compared to the frequency domain equalization (FDE) algorithm in satellite communications.

The complex operating state of aeroengines has an impact on the performance of finger seals. However, little work has been focused on the issue and the dynamic performance of finger seals is also rarely studied. Therefore, a distributed mass equivalent model considering working conditions is proposed in this paper for solving the existing problems. The effects of the fiber bundle density and the preparation direction of the fiber bundle of a C/C composite on the dynamic performance of a finger seal are investigated in rotor tilt based on the proposed model. The difference between the C/C composite finger seal performances under the rotor precession and nutation tilt cases is also investigated. The results show that the fiber bundle density and the preparation direction of the fiber bundle have an influence on the dynamic performance of the finger seal as rotor tilt is considered, and the dynamic performance of the finger seal is different in the two kinds of tilting modes. In addition, a novel method for design of finger seals is presented based on the contact pressure between finger boots and the rotor. Finger seals with good leakage rates and low wear can be acquired in this method.

This paper investigates a cooperative strategy for protecting an aerial target. The problem is solved as a game among four players (a target, two defenders, and a missile). In this scenario, the target launches two defenders (defender-1 and defender-2) simultaneously, to establish a one-way cooperation system (OCS) against an attacking missile. A new optimal evasion strategy for the target is also derived. During the engagement, the target takes into account the reaction of the attacking missile, and guides defender-1 to the interception point by receiving information from defender-1. Depending on the control effort of the target, defender-2 can choose appropriate launch conditions and use very limited maneuvering capability to intercept the missile. For adversaries with first-order dynamics, simulation results show that the OCS allows two defenders to intercept the missile. During the engagement, even if one defender or communication channel is broken, the OCS still allows an interception to be made, thus increasing the target’s survivability.

For the performance issues of satellite transceivers suffering passive intermodulation interference, a novel and effective digital suppression algorithm is presented in this paper. In contrast to analog approaches, digital passive intermodulation (PIM) suppression approaches can be easily reconfigured and therefore are highly attractive for future satellite communication systems. A simplified model of nonlinear distortion from passive microwave devices is established in consideration of the memory effect. The multiple high-order PIM products falling into the receiving band can be described as a bilinear predictor function. A suppression algorithm based on a bilinear polynomial decorrelated adaptive filter is proposed for baseband digital signal processing. In consideration of the time-varying characteristics of passive intermodulation, this algorithm can achieve the rapidness of online interference estimation and low complexity with less consumption of resources. Numerical simulation results show that the algorithm can effectively compensate the passive intermodulation interference, and achieve a high signal-to-interference ratio gain.

Regarding the rapid compensation of the influence of the Earth’ s disturbing gravity field upon trajectory calculation, the key point lies in how to derive the analytical solutions to the partial derivatives of the state of burnout point with respect to the launch data. In view of this, this paper mainly expounds on two issues: one is based on the approximate analytical solution to the motion equation for the vacuum flight section of a long-range rocket, deriving the analytical solutions to the partial derivatives of the state of burnout point with respect to the changing rate of the final-stage pitch program; the other is based on the initial positioning and orientation error propagation mechanism, proposing the analytical calculation formula for the partial derivatives of the state of burnout point with respect to the launch azimuth. The calculation results of correction data are simulated and verified under different circumstances. The simulation results are as follows: (1) the accuracy of approximation between the analytical solutions and the results attained via the difference method is higher than 90%, and the ratio of calculation time between them is lower than 0.2%, thus demonstrating the accuracy of calculation of data corrections and advantages in calculation speed; (2) after the analytical solutions are compensated, the longitudinal landing deviation of the rocket is less than 20 m and the lateral landing deviation of the rocket is less than 10 m, demonstrating that the corrected data can meet the requirements for the hit accuracy of a long-range rocket.

Fan blade off (FBO) from a running turbofan rotor will introduce sudden unbalance into the dynamical system, which will lead to the rub-impact, the asymmetry of rotor and a series of interesting dynamic behavior. The paper first presents a theoretical study on the response excited by sudden unbalance. The results reveal that the reaction force of the bearing located near the fan could always reach a very high value which may lead to the crush of ball, journal sticking, high stress on the other components and some other failures to endanger the safety of engine in FBO event. Therefore, the dynamic influence of a safety design named “fusing” is investigated by mechanism analysis. Meantime, an explicit FBO model is established to simulate the FBO event, and evaluate the effectiveness and potential dynamic influence of fusing design. The results show that the fusing design could reduce the vibration amplitude of rotor, the reaction force on most bearings and loads on mounts, but the sudden change of support stiffness induced by fusing could produce an impact effect which will couple with the influence of sudden unbalance. Therefore, the implementation of the design should be considered carefully with optimized parameters in actual aero-engine.

In the interception engagement, if the target movement information is not accurate enough for the mid-course guidance of intercepting missiles, the interception mission may fail as a result of large handover errors. This paper proposes a novel cooperative mid-course guidance scheme for multiple missiles to intercept a target under the condition of large detection errors. Under this scheme, the launch and interception moments are staggered for different missiles. The earlier launched missiles can obtain a relatively accurate detection to the target during their terminal guidance, based on which the latter missiles are permitted to eliminate the handover error in the mid-course guidance. A significant merit of this scheme is that the available resources are fully exploited and less missiles are needed to achieve the interception mission. To this end, first, the design of cooperative handover parameters is formulated as an optimization problem. Then, an algorithm based on Monte Carlo sampling and stochastic approximation is proposed to solve this optimization problem, and the convergence of the algorithm is proved as well. Finally, simulation experiments are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative scheme and algorithm.

In this paper, attitude coordinated tracking control algorithms for multiple spacecraft formation are investigated with consideration of parametric uncertainties, external disturbances, communication delays and actuator saturation. Initially, a sliding mode delay-dependent attitude coordinated controller is proposed under bounded external disturbances. However, neither inertia uncertainty nor actuator constraint has been taken into account. Then, a robust saturated delay-dependent attitude coordinated control law is further derived, where uncertainties and external disturbances are handled by Chebyshev neural networks (CNN). In addition, command filter technique is introduced to facilitate the backstepping design procedure, through which actuator saturation problem is solved. Thus the spacecraft in the formation are able to track the reference attitude trajectory even in the presence of time-varying communication delays. Rigorous analysis is presented by using Lyapunov-Krasovskii approach to demonstrate the stability of the closed-loop system under both control algorithms. Finally, the numerical examples are carried out to illustrate the efficiency of the theoretical results. Published version

Design reliability and robustness are getting increasingly important for the general design of aerospace systems with many inherently uncertain design parameters. This paper presents a hybrid uncertainty-based design optimization (UDO) method developed from probability theory and interval theory. Most of the uncertain design parameters which have sufficient information or experimental data are classified as random variables using probability theory, while the others are defined as interval variables with interval theory. Then a hybrid uncertainty analysis method based on Monte Carlo simulation and Taylor series interval analysis is developed to obtain the uncertainty propagation from the design parameters to system responses. Three design optimization strategies, including deterministic design optimization (DDO), probabilistic UDO and hybrid UDO, are applied to the conceptual design of a hybrid rocket motor (HRM) used as the ascent propulsion system in Apollo lunar module. By comparison, the hybrid UDO is a feasible method and can be effectively applied to the general design of aerospace systems.

Stratospheric airship is a special near-space air vehicle, and has more advantages than other air vehicles, such as long endurance, strong survival ability, excellent resolution, low cost, and so on, which make it an ideal stratospheric platform. It is of great significance to choose a reasonable and effective way to launch a stratospheric airship to the space for both academic research and engineering applications. In this paper, the non-forming launch way is studied and the method of differential pressure gradient is used to study the change rules of the airship’s envelope shape during the ascent process. Numerical simulation results show that the head of the envelope will maintain the inflatable shape and the envelope under the zero-pressure level will be compressed into a wide range of wrinkles during the ascent process. The airship’s envelope will expand with the ascent of the airship and the position of the zero-pressure level will move downward constantly. At the same time, the envelope will gradually form a certain degree of stiffness under the action of the inner and external differential pressure. The experimental results agree well with the analytical results, which shows that the non-forming launch way is effective and reliable, and the analytical method has exactness and feasibility.

As a novel aero-engine concept, adaptive cycle aero-engines (ACEs) are attracting wide attention in the international aviation industry due to their potential superior task adaptability along a wide flight regime. However, this superior task adaptability can only be demonstrated through proper combined engine control schedule design. It has resulted in an urgent need to investigate the effect of each variable geometry modulation on engine performance and stability. Thus, the aim of this paper is to predict and discuss the effect of each variable geometry modulation on the matching relationship between engine components as well as the overall engine performance at different operating modes, on the basis of a newly developed nonlinear component-based ACE performance model. Results show that at all four working modes, turning down the high pressure compressor variable stator vane, the low pressure turbine variable nozzle, the nozzle throat area, and turning up the core-driven fan stage variable stator vane, the high pressure turbine variable nozzle can increase the thrust at the expense of a higher high pressure turbine inlet total temperature. However, the influences of these adjustments on the trends of various engine components’ working points and working lines as well as the ratio of the rotation speed difference are different from each other. The above results provide valuable guidance and advice for engine combined control schedule design.

The inner flow environment of turbomachinery presents strong three-dimensional, rotational, and unsteady characteristics. Consequently, a deep understanding of these flow phenomena will be the prerequisite to establish a state-of-the-art design system of turbomachinery. Currently the development of more accurate turbulence models and CFD tools is in urgent need for a high-quality database for validation, especially the advanced CFD tools, such as large eddy simulation (LES). Under this circumstance, this paper presents a detailed experimental investigation on the 3D unsteady flow field inside a laboratory-scale isolated-rotor with multiple advanced measurement techniques, including traditional aerodynamic probes, hotwire probes, unsteady endwall static pressure measurement, and stereo particle image velocimetry (SPIV). The inlet boundary layer profile is measured with both hotwire probe and aerodynamic probe. The steady and unsteady flow fields at the outlet of the rotor are measured with a mini five-hole probe and a single-slanted hotwire probe. The instantaneous flow field in the rotor tip region inside the passage is captured with SPIV, and then a statistical analysis of the spatial distribution of the instantaneous tip leakage vortex/flow is performed to understand its dynamic characteristics. Besides these, the uncertainty analysis of each measurement technique is described. This database is quite sufficient to validate the advanced numerical simulation with LES. The identification process of the tip leakage vortex core in the instantaneous frames obtained from SPIV is performed deliberately. It is concluded that the ensemble-averaged flow field could not represent the tip leakage vortex strength and the trajectory trace. The development of the tip leakage vortex could be clearly cataloged into three phases according to their statistical spatial distribution. The streamwise velocity loss induced by the tip leakage flow increases until the splitting process is weak and the turbulent mixing phase is dominant.

Recently, flutter active control using linear parameter varying (LPV) framework has attracted a lot of attention. LPV control synthesis usually generates controllers that are at least of the same order as the aeroelastic models. Therefore, the reduced-order model is required by synthesis for avoidance of large computation cost and high-order controller. This paper proposes a new procedure for generation of accurate reduced-order linear time-invariant (LTI) models by using system identification from flutter testing data. The proposed approach is in two steps. The well-known poly-reference least squares complex frequency (p-LSCF) algorithm is firstly employed for modal parameter identification from frequency response measurement. After parameter identification, the dominant physical modes are determined by clear stabilization diagrams and clustering technique. In the second step, with prior knowledge of physical poles, the improved frequency-domain maximum likelihood (ML) estimator is presented for building accurate reduced-order model. Before ML estimation, an improved subspace identification considering the poles constraint is also proposed for initializing the iterative procedure. Finally, the performance of the proposed procedure is validated by real flight flutter test data.

An active control technique utilizing piezoelectric actuators to alleviate gust-response loads of a large-aspect-ratio flexible wing is investigated. Piezoelectric materials have been extensively used for active vibration control of engineering structures. In this paper, piezoelectric materials further attempt to suppress the vibration of the aeroelastic wing caused by gust. The motion equation of the flexible wing with piezoelectric patches is obtained by Hamilton’s principle with the modal approach, and then numerical gust responses are analyzed, based on which a gust load alleviation (GLA) control system is proposed. The gust load alleviation system employs classic proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers which treat piezoelectric patches as control actuators and acceleration as the feedback signal. By a numerical method, the control mechanism that piezoelectric actuators can be used to alleviate gust-response loads is also analyzed qualitatively. Furthermore, through low-speed wind tunnel tests, the effectiveness of the gust load alleviation active control technology is validated. The test results agree well with the numerical results. Test results show that at a certain frequency range, the control scheme can effectively alleviate the z and x wingtip accelerations and the root bending moment of the wing to a certain extent. The control system gives satisfying gust load alleviation efficacy with the reduction rate being generally over 20%.

In this paper, we study relay selection under outdated channel state information (CSI) in a decode-and-forward (DF) cooperative system. Unlike previous researches on cooperative communication under outdated CSI, we consider that the channel varies continuously over time, i.e., the channel not only changes between relay selection and data transmission but also changes during data transmission. Thus the level of accuracy of the CSI used in relay selection degrades with data transmission. We first evaluate the packet error rate (PER) of the cooperative system under continuous time-varying fading channel, and find that the PER performance deteriorates more seriously under continuous time-varying fading channel than when the channel is assumed to be constant during data transmission. Then, we propose a repeated relay selection (RRS) strategy to improve the PER performance, in which the forwarded data is divided into multiple segments and relay is reselected before the transmission of each segment based on the updated CSI. Finally, we propose a combined relay selection (CRS) strategy which takes advantage of three different relay selection strategies to further mitigate the impact of outdated CSI.

In this paper, an ‘in-house’ genetic algorithm is described and applied to an optimization problem for improving the aerodynamic performances of an aircraft wing tip through upper surface morphing. The algorithm’s performances were studied from the convergence point of view, in accordance with design conditions. The algorithm was compared to two other optimization methods, namely the artificial bee colony and a gradient method, for two optimization objectives, and the results of the optimizations with each of the three methods were plotted on response surfaces obtained with the Monte Carlo method, to show that they were situated in the global optimum region. The optimization results for 16 wind tunnel test cases and 2 objective functions were presented. The 16 cases used for the optimizations were included in the experimental test plan for the morphing wing-tip demonstrator, and the results obtained using the displacements given by the optimizations were evaluated.

A coupling fluid-structure method with a combination of viscous wake model (VWM), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and comprehensive structural dynamics (CSD) modules is developed in this paper for rotor unsteady airload prediction. The hybrid VWM/CFD solver is employed to model the nonlinear aerodynamic phenomena and complicated rotor wake dynamics; the moderate deflection beam theory is implemented to predict the blade structural deformation; the loose coupling strategy based on the ‘delt method’ is used to couple the fluid and structure solvers. Several cases of Helishape 7A rotor are performed first to investigate the effect of elastic deformation on airloads. Then, two challenging forward flight conditions of UH-60A helicopter rotor are investigated, and the simulated results of wake geometry, chordwise pressure distribution and sectional normal force show excellent agreement with available test data; a comparison with traditional CFD/CSD method is also presented to illustrate the efficiency of the developed method.

Aerodynamic parameters obtained from separation experiments of internal stores in a wind tunnel are significant in aircraft designs. Accurate wind tunnel tests can help to improve the release stability of the stores and in-flight safety of the aircrafts in supersonic environments. A simulative system for free drop experiments of internal stores based on a practical project is provided in this paper. The system contains a store release mechanism, a control system and an attitude measurement system. The release mechanism adopts a six-bar linkage driven by a cylinder, which ensures the release stability. The structure and initial aerodynamic parameters of the stores are also designed and adjusted. A high speed vision measurement system for high speed rolling targets is utilized to measure the pose parameters of the internal store models and an optimizing method for the coordinates of markers is presented based on a priori model. The experimental results show excellent repeatability of the system, and indicate that the position measurement precision is less than 0.13 mm, and the attitude measurement precision for pitch and yaw angles is less than 0.126°, satisfying the requirements of practical wind tunnel tests. A separation experiment for the internal stores is also conducted in the FL-3 wind tunnel of China Aerodynamics Research Institute.

This paper presents a new non-linear formulation of the classical Vortex Lattice Method (VLM) approach for calculating the aerodynamic properties of lifting surfaces. The method accounts for the effects of viscosity, and due to its low computational cost, it represents a very good tool to perform rapid and accurate wing design and optimization procedures. The mathematical model is constructed by using two-dimensional viscous analyses of the wing span-wise sections, according to strip theory, and then coupling the strip viscous forces with the forces generated by the vortex rings distributed on the wing camber surface, calculated with a fully three-dimensional vortex lifting law. The numerical results obtained with the proposed method are validated with experimental data and show good agreement in predicting both the lift and pitching moment, as well as in predicting the wing drag. The method is applied to modifying the wing of an Unmanned Aerial System to increase its aerodynamic efficiency and to calculate the drag reductions obtained by an upper surface morphing technique for an adaptable regional aircraft wing.

Electrochemical machining (ECM) is an effective and economical manufacturing method for machining hard-to-cut metal materials that are often used in the aerospace field. Cathode design is very complicated in ECM and is a core problem influencing machining accuracy, especially for complex profiles such as compressor blades in aero engines. A new cathode design method based on iterative correction of predicted profile errors in blade ECM is proposed in this paper. A mathematical model is first built according to the ECM shaping law, and a simulation is then carried out using ANSYS software. A dynamic forming process is obtained and machining gap distributions at different stages are analyzed. Additionally, the simulation deviation between the prediction profile and model is improved by the new method through correcting the initial cathode profile. Furthermore, validation experiments are conducted using cathodes designed before and after the simulation correction. Machining accuracy for the optimal cathode is improved markedly compared with that for the initial cathode. The experimental results illustrate the suitability of the new method and that it can also be applied to other complex engine components such as diffusers.

Many control laws, such as optimal controller and classical controller, have seen their applications to suppressing the aeroelastic vibrations of the aeroelastic system. However, those control laws may not work effectively if the aeroelastic system involves actuator faults. In the current study for wing flutter of reentry vehicle, the effect of actuator faults on wing flutter system is rarely considered and few of the fault-tolerant control problems are taken into account. In this paper, we use the radial basis function neural network and the finite-time H∞ adaptive fault-tolerant control technique to deal with the flutter problem of wings, which is affected by actuator faults, actuator saturation, parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. The theory of this article includes the modeling of wing flutter and fault-tolerant controller design. The stability of the finite-time adaptive fault-tolerant controller is theoretically proved. Simulation results indicate that the designed fault-tolerant flutter controller can effectively deal with the faults in the flutter system and can promptly suppress the wing flutter as well.

This paper investigates the influence of forward-swept wing (FSW) positions on the aerodynamic characteristics of aircraft under supersonic condition (Ma = 1.5). The numerical method based on Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations, Spalart–Allmaras (S–A) turbulence model and implicit algorithm is utilized to simulate the flow field of the aircraft. The aerodynamic parameters and flow field structures of the horizontal tail and the whole aircraft are presented. The results demonstrate that the spanwise flow of FSW flows from the wingtip to the wing root, generating an upper wing surface vortex and a trailing edge vortex nearby the wing root. The vortexes generated by FSW have a strong downwash effect on the tail. The lower the vertical position of FSW, the stronger the downwash effect on tail. Therefore, the effective angle of attack of tail becomes smaller. In addition, the lift coefficient, drag coefficient and lift–drag ratio of tail decrease, and the center of pressure of tail moves backward gradually. For the whole aircraft, the lower the vertical position of FSW, the smaller lift, drag and center of pressure coefficients of aircraft. The closer the FSW moves towards tail, the bigger pitching moment and center of pressure coefficients of the whole aircraft, but the lift and drag characteristics of the horizontal tail and the whole aircraft are basically unchanged. The results have potential application for the design of new concept aircraft.

Agile satellites are of importance in modern aerospace applications, but high mobility of the satellites may cause them vulnerable to saturation during attitude maneuvers due to limited rating of actuators. This paper proposes a near minimum-time feedback control law for the agile satellite attitude control system. The feedback controller is formed by specially designed cascaded sub-units. The rapid dynamic response of the modified Bang–Bang control logic achieves the near optimal property and ensures the non-saturation properties on three-axis. To improve the dynamic performance, a model reference control strategy is proposed, in which the on-line near optimal attitude maneuver path is generated by the cascade controller and is then tracked by a nonlinear back-stepping controller. Furthermore, the accuracy and the robustness of the control system are achieved by momentum-based on-line inertial identification. The rapid attitude maneuvering can be applied for tasks including the move to move case. Numerical simulations are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy in terms of the saturation-free property and rapidness.

The precision forming of thin-walled components has been urgently needed in aviation and aerospace field. However, the wrinkling induced by the compressive instability is one of the major defects in thin-walled part forming. The initiation and growth of the wrinkles are interactively affected by many factors such as stress states, mechanical properties of the material, geometry of the workpiece and boundary conditions. Especially when the forming process involves complicated boundary conditions such as multi-dies constrains, the perturbation of clearances between workpiece and dies and the contact conditions changing in time and space, etc., the predication of the wrinkling is further complicated. In this paper, the current prediction methods were summarized including the static equilibrium method, the energy method, the initial imperfection method, the eigenvalue buckling analysis method, the static-implicit finite element method and the dynamic-explicit finite element method. Then, a systematical comparison and summary of these methods in terms of their advantages and limitations are presented. By using a combination of explicit FE method, initial imperfection and energy conservation, a hybrid method is recommended to predict plastic wrinkling in thin-walled part forming. Finally, considering the urgent requirements of complex thin-walled structures’ part in aviation and aerospace field, the trends and challenges in wrinkling prediction under complicated boundary conditions are presented.

Harmonic drives have various distinctive advantages and are widely used in space drive mechanisms. Accelerated life test (ALT) is commonly conducted to shorten test time and reduce associated costs. An appropriate ALT model is needed to predict the lifetime of harmonic drives with ALT data. However, harmonic drives which are used in space usually work under a segmental stress history, and traditional ALT models can hardly be used in this situation. This paper proposes a dedicated ALT model for harmonic drives applied in space systems. A comprehensive ALT model is established and genetic algorithm (GA) is adopted to obtain optimal parameters in the model using the Manson fatigue damage rule to describe the fatigue failure process and a cumulative damage method to calculate and accumulate the damage caused by each segment in the stress history. An ALT of harmonic drives was carried out and experimental results show that this model is acceptable and effective.