Consequences of the application of the streamer fluid model to the study of the sprite inception mechanism

We present the results of a streamer-fluid model used to investigate the electrodynamical coupling between the troposphere and upper atmosphere due to the penetration of lightning electric fields into the mesosphere and the lower ionosphere, generating sprites. The model solves the continuity equation for electrons and ions coupled to Poisson equation. The dominant physical response of the atmosphere is the formation of a screening-ionization wave. The wave shields the atmosphere above it from the action of the lightning field and, together with the conductivity reduction below it due to attachment, the wave amplifies the total field below it, allowing for the penetration of intense electric fields in the mesosphere as it propagates downwards into regions of higher density that compress the wave. This is the key physical mechanism for sprite inception. We evaluated the effects of the thundercloud charge geometry, lightning current waveshape, atmospheric conductivity, via different electron density profiles, and the effect of ionization, attachment and electron mobility coefficients in the electrical breakdown process, related to halo production, and sprite streamer initiation. The results showed that electrons with higher mobility are more efficient in shielding the lightning electric field before breakdown, causing delay, and they contribute to the formation of the streamer seed after breakdown, anticipating the sprite streamer inception. Similarly, a higher effective ionization rate, produced by modifications in the attachment and ionization coefficients, anticipates sprite inception. The simulations with 6 different electron density profiles, and therefore conductivities, spanning 4 orders of magnitude, showed that the altitude of breakdown and sprite initiation, as well as their time delays from the lightning discharge are directly related to atmospheric conductivity: higher conductivities produce halo and sprite inception at lower altitudes with longer delays and may hinder sprite formation. We document that variations of 30 times in the lightning current leads to sprite initiation altitudes in the range 66.0–73.5 km, with delays between 1.550 and 34.500 ms, while variations of 4 orders of magnitude in the conductivity profile lead to initiation altitudes 61.0–70.6 km, with delays in the range 3.825–9.825 ms. Consequently, we suggest that lightning characteristics dominate over atmospheric parameters in determining sprites’ initiation altitude and delay. The simulation of a −CG, with a constant current of 30 kA, did not produce a sprite seed, confirming an asymmetry in the response of the atmosphere to positive and negative lightning. This is due to the free electron drift direction that is away from the screening ionization wave, preventing the formation of the streamer seed for the great majority of −CGs. The same does not apply to halos, which depend on the occurrence of breakdown and can be produced by discharges of both polarities.     

Adaptive flow control of low-Reynolds number aerodynamics using dielectric barrier discharge actuator

Aerodynamic performance of low-Reynolds number flyers, for a chord-based Reynolds number of 10⁵ or below, is sensitive to wind gusts and flow separation. Active flow control offers insight into fluid physics as well as possible improvements in vehicle performance. While facilitating flow control by introducing feedback control and fluidic devices, major challenges of achieving a target aerodynamic performance under unsteady flow conditions lie on the high-dimensional nonlinear dynamics of the flow system. Therefore, a successful flow control framework requires a viable as well as accessible control scheme and understanding of underlying flow dynamics as key information of the flow system. On the other hand, promising devices have been developed recently to facilitate flow control in this flow regime. The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) actuator is such an example; it does not have moving parts and provides fast impact on the flow field locally. In this paper, recent feedback flow control studies, especially those focusing on unsteady low-Reynolds number aerodynamics, are reviewed. As an example of an effective flow control framework, it is demonstrated that aerodynamic lift of a high angle-of-attack wing under fluctuating free-stream conditions can be stabilized using the DBD actuator and an adaptive algorithm based on general input–output models. System nonlinearities and control challenges are discussed by assessing control performance and the variation of the system parameters under various flow and actuation conditions. Other fundamental issues from the flow dynamics view point, such as the lift stabilization mechanism and the influence on drag fluctuation are also explored. Both potentiality and limitation of the linear modeling approach are discussed. In addition, guidelines on system identification and the controller and actuator setups are suggested.     

Satellite formation reconfiguration and station-keeping using state-dependent Riccati equation technique

The current paper presents optimal reconfigurations and formation-keeping for formation flying satellites. The state-dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) technique is utilized as a non-linear controller for both the reconfiguration problem and formation-keeping problem. For the SDRE controller, a state-dependent coefficient (SDC) form is formulated to include non-linearities in the relative dynamics and J₂ orbital perturbation. The Taylor series and a transformation matrix are used to establish the SDC form. Optimal reconfiguration trajectories that minimize energy in satellite formation flying are obtained by the SDRE controller and compared with those obtained from a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and a linear parameter varying (LPV) control method. It is illustrated that the SDRE non-linear controller of the current study obtains relocation accuracy of less than 0.1% of formation base-line length, while the LQR controller and LPV controller yield relatively large relocation errors. The formation-keeping controller developed using the SDRE technique in the current study also provides robustness under severe orbital perturbations.     

基于节点电压增量方程的电路故障子网络诊断

基于节点电压增量方程的电路故障诊断方法通常用来诊断线性电路中的元器件级的故障情况.本文将其推广应用于诊断大规模线性模拟电路中子网络级故障以简化测前仿真,提高诊断效率.     

基于兰彻斯特方程的战斗机超视距空战隐身效能分析

随着军事科技的进步,超视距空战逐步成为了现代与未来空战的主要战斗方式.而隐身技术作为提高战斗机空战能力的主要手段之一,正被各国所关注.本文通过分析基于影响图的兰彻斯特微分方程,对战斗机在超视距空战中的隐身效能进行了分析.最后给出算例,计算了不同RCS下的战斗机超视距空战交换比,从而分析了战斗机RCS对战场走势的影响.     

基于N-S方程的直升机旋翼翼型反设计方法

为了在实际旋翼翼型设计中考虑粘性影响,采用N-S方程为主控方程,建立了旋翼翼型流场求解方法。使用以Poisson方程为控制方程的网格生成程序生成围绕旋翼翼型的N-S粘性贴体网格,该网格生成程序能在反设计迭代过程中自动更新过渡翼型的粘性网格。在翼型流场计算及网格生成基础上,采用了MGM方程作为翼型反设计方程,建立了一套能够考虑粘性影响的直升机旋翼翼型的反设计方法。应用该方法,分别对二维NACA系列翼型、OA系列翼型、超临界翼型进行了反设计分析,获得了满足要求的二维旋翼翼型,并与目标值(压力分布、升力系数、阻力系数、力矩系数)吻合良好。     

Fundamentals of Design and Technology of Rolling Element Bearings

This article presents an overview of fundamentals of rolling element bearing designs and technologies. The aim is to outline the complex interrelation of all fundamentals with the rolling contact fatigue and the attainable bearing life. Such fundamentals include, amongst others, bearing stressing and life capability. The article shows the different types of rolling bearing stressing and the analysis of the stress distribution (principal stresses and equivalent stresses) in the material under the rolling contact area. It becomes obvious that the contamination of the bearing with foreign particles leads to a drastic reduction in bearing life. Furthermore, it demonstrates the impact of the bearing lubrication and coating as well as the effect of additives on the attainable life and wear. Further fundamentals of rolling element bearing design are the materials, the material cleanliness and the heat treatment. The article reveals the importance of the cleanliness of bearing steels as well as different types of inclusions and their effect on rolling contact fatigue. Additionally the article describes how to optimize the material properties (strength, toughness and residual stress) by the heat treatment processes. The outcome of these investigations is that endurance life of a rolling element bearing can be achieved if specific operating conditions, an adequate lubrication, good system cleanliness and specific bearing stressing are met. The article provides a guideline for bearing engineers on how designs and technologies can be applied to optimizing a bearing for a particular industry or aerospace application.     

Excitation of electrostatic plasma waves by a moving charged source in a quantum plasma

Within a quantum hydrodynamic model and using the reductive perturbation technique, the nonlinear ion-acoustic wave (IAW) excitations due to a moving charged object in an electron-pair-ion quantum plasma are studied both analytically and numerically. In such quantum plasmas we have derived forced Korteweg-de Vries (fKdV) type equation for finite amplitude nonlinear IAWs. The effect of relevant plasma parameters on solitonic excitations is investigated. Numerical simulation shows the generation of advancing solitons ahead of the forcing term traveling at a faster rate with trailing wakes behind the forcing disturbance. It is found that propagation characteristics of nonlinear excitations are significantly affected by quantum parameter. Additionally, we have pursued our analysis by extending it to account for arbitrary amplitude IA solitons, and derived a system of nonlinear differential equations which are analyzed numerically to study the dynamics. Nonlinear analysis predicts the existence of periodic and quasiperiodic nature of the nonlinear system and reveals that the transition from quasiperiodic to periodic behavior occurs due to the variation of quantum diffraction.     

纤维增强复合材料币状I型裂纹桥联问题

利用平面等效方法，将轴对称币状裂纹问题转化平面裂纹问题，由此给出复合材料内币状Ⅰ型裂纹的桥联积分控制方程。对权函数法应用于求解币状裂纹问题的可行性提出质疑，并给出修正的建议。然后对币状Ⅰ型裂纹桥联问题给予了断裂力学分析。利用一种新的分段插值方法求解了桥联积分控制方程。针对该积分程提出了一种近似分析解法，其结果与数值结果符合得相当好。     

用微分法推导拉压静不定变形谐调方程

材料力学中，解决桥架拉压静不定问题时，推导变形谐调方程是其关键，以往都是用图解法近似导出变形谐调方程，本文作者提出用微分法导出普遍适用的变形谐调方程：△ｌ１＋△ｌ２＝２△３ｃｏｓα。