Date of Award

12-1995

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering

Department

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

First Advisor

Milton Franke, PhD

Abstract

This study developed a variable area inlet and controller that regulated the temperature of an electrical component with ram air. The intent of the variable area inlet was to reduce vehicle drag by eliminating inefficiencies associated with component cooling and fixed area inlets. These inefficiencies arise from vehicles moving at varying speeds through varying air temperatures. The hardware model consisted of an electrical component mounted inside a right-circular cylindrical duct. The variable area inlet, mounted in the front of the duct, consisted of a butterfly valve that was actuated by a stepper controller acted on the feedback signal of a thermocouple that was mounted on the electrical component. The system was successful in regulating the component temperature. A nonlinear simulation model was built and the thermal plant in the simulation was based on the electrical components empirically derived Nusselt number. Proportional, Proportional-Derivative (PD), and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers were built and tested. The PD and PID controllers did not appear to need any gain scheduling for the varying speed and temperature conditions. Lastly, a general design process was detailed.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GAE-ENY-95D-15

DTIC Accession Number

ADA303215

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