Integration of lessons from recent research for “Earth to Mars” life support systems

Development of reliable and robust strategies for long-term life support for planetary exploration must be built from real-time experimentation to verify and improve system components. Also critical is incorporating a range of viable options to handle potential short-term life system imbalances. This paper revisits some of the conceptual framework for a Mars base prototype which has been developed by the authors along with others previously advanced (“Mars on Earth^®”) in the light of three years of experimentation in the Laboratory Biosphere, further investigation of system alternatives and the advent of other innovative engineering and agri-ecosystem approaches. Several experiments with candidate space agriculture crops have demonstrated the higher productivity possible with elevated light levels and improved environmental controls. For example, crops of sweet potatoes exceeded original Mars base prototype projections by an average of 46% (53% for best crop) ultradwarf (Apogee) wheat by 9% (23% for best crop), pinto bean by 13% (31% for best crop). These production levels, although they may be increased with further optimization of lighting regimes, environmental parameters, crop density etc. offer evidence that a soil-based system can be as productive as the hydroponic systems which have dominated space life support scenarios and research. But soil also offers distinct advantages: the capability to be created on the Moon or Mars using in situ space resources, reduces long-term reliance on consumables and imported resources, and more readily recycling and incorporating crew and crop waste products. In addition, a living soil contains a complex microbial ecosystem which helps prevent the buildup of trace gases or compounds, and thus assist with air and water purification. The atmospheric dynamics of these crops were studied in the Laboratory Biosphere adding to the database necessary for managing the mixed stands of crops essential for supplying a nutritionally adequate diet in space. This paper explores some of the challenges of small bioregenerative life support: air-sealing and facility architecture/design, balance of short-term variations of carbon dioxide and oxygen through staggered plantings, options for additional atmospheric buffers and sinks, lighting/energy efficiency engineering, crop and waste product recycling approaches, and human factor considerations in the design and operation of a Mars base. An “Earth to Mars” project, forging the ability to live sustainably in space (as on Earth) requires continued research and testing of these components and integrated subsystems; and developing a step-by-step learning process.     

水平表面气流剪切作用下的水膜厚度

飞机结冰表面上的液态水受气流吹拂作用会发生向后溢流,从而影响结冰区域范围及防冰系统设计;为了获得水膜流动规律,对水平平板表面上气流剪切驱动的水膜流动进行了实验测量和建模分析。通过水膜流动风洞试验台产生高速气流驱动水膜的流动,使用色散共焦位移计测量同一位置的水膜在不同时刻的厚度变化,结果表明气-液界面由底层薄水膜和多种尺度的波动组成,具有变化速度快随机性强的特点。通过水膜厚度随气流速度及水膜雷诺数的变化规律,发现平均水膜厚度与两者均呈现出单调非线性的依赖关系。基于薄水膜流动理论和平均水膜厚度实验结果,提出了高速气流剪切作用下的气-液波动界面剪切因子计算式,适用于风速17.8~52.2m/s,水膜雷诺数26~128之间的平板水膜流动计算。     

一种尾流消散动态预测的改进算法

尾流间隔是增大跑道容量的主要限制因素之一，为了在保持安全水平的前提下有效地增大跑道容量，可以对尾流消散进行动态预测，并据此缩减尾流间隔。研究了一种尾涡消散动态预测算法，该算法考虑了真实大气的大气分层、湍流、侧风、迎面风、风切变以及地效影响，并用一阶后向差分对该算法进行了离散化改进；在改进算法的基础上，时进近阶段尾流的消散在Matlab中进行了仿真计算；计算结果复现了尾涡的下沉现象和侧风对尾涡传输的线性累积效应。     

A Structured Mesh Euler and Interactive Boundary Layer Method for Wing/Body Configurations

To compute transonic flows over a complex 3D aircraft configuration, a viscous/inviscid interaction method is developed by coupling an integral boundary-layer solver with an Eluer solver in a ＂semi-inverse＂ manner. For the turbulent boundary-layer, an integral method using Green＇s lag equation is coupled with the outer inviscid flow. A blowing velocity approach is used to simulate the displacement effects of the boundary layer. To predict the aerodynamic drag, it is developed a numerical technique called far-field method that is based on the momentum theorem, in which the total drag is divided into three component drags, i.e. viscous, induced and wave-formed. Consequently, it can provide more physical insight into the drag sources than the often-used surface integral technique. The drag decomposition can be achieved with help of the second law of thermodynamics, which implies that entropy increases and total pressure decreases only across shock wave along a streamline of an inviscid non-isentropic flow. This method has been applied to the DLR-F4 wing/body configuration showing results in good agreement with the wind tunnel data.     

区域运输规划模型系统

提出一种区域运输规划模型系统,以求从定量的角度,预测一个区域内的货物运输量,继而确定这些运输量对该区域内存在的多种运输方式的偏好结构,最后仿真这些运量在相应的各种运输网络上的分布情况,同时仿真模型还对运输网线路经过新建或扩建后所形成的新的运量分布进行模拟。根据运量分布情况,就可提出初步的规划建设方案。     

基于任务分析的飞行机组失误预测研究

在过去的20年内有多起严重事故由机组失误引起,采取措施防止或减少飞行机组失误成为降低航空事故率的关键.通过使用人误预测技术预测机组在执行飞行任务时的失误,寻找失误原因,进一步改进驾驶舱设计或增加培训来降低航空事故率是可行的方法.本研究以民航领域飞行安全需求为背景,在原有人误预测技术基础上,开发了基于任务分析的飞行机组失误预测模型,以某型飞机起飞任务为例,对飞行机组在操纵飞机起飞过程中可能发生的人误进行分析,实现了飞行机组失误的定性和定量预测.     

1Cr18Ni9Ti 对接管接头表面缺陷分析

对接管接头采用1Cr18Ni9Ti 棒材生产,经过机械加工后与相同牌号管材焊接,焊接后酸洗发现

零件表面存在缺陷。通过对失效件缺陷形貌观察、化学成分分析、金相分析及显微硬度测试,并结合酸洗试验。

结果表明:对接管接头材料内部存在沿变形流线的贫铬区,导致该区域的耐蚀性差,在机加工的过程中贫铬区

暴露在表面或近表面,在酸洗过程中该区域被优先腐蚀,形成了蚀孔类宏观缺陷,此贫铬现象为原材料缺陷。

     

高效离子电热水器的设计

描述一种由AT89C2051单片机控制的高效离子电热水器，该热水器使用安全，即开即热，转换效率高。     

高超声速边界层的转捩及预测

首先描述了边界层转捩的基本过程及研究内容。在此基础上,指出了高超声速边界层不同于不可压缩边界层的流动不稳定性特性,并介绍了边界层的转捩机理与感受性特征;给出了高超声速三维边界层中预测转捩的常用方法,并着重介绍了多用于工程实际的e N方法以及对e N方法的理性改进,同时列举了在高超声速三维边界层中应用e N方法实现转捩预测的多个实例。最后,分析并总结了高超声速边界层转捩预测所存在的困难及需要解决的问题。     

水系统装置扬程的计算及泵的选型分析

为了提高水系统中水泵的实际运行效率和扬程利用率,降低发动机试验成本,减少能量浪费,以某型发动机台架试验水系统为研究对象,综合考虑了装置静扬程、管路的各种局部损失和沿程损失开展装置扬程的计算。同时根据水系统所需的装置扬程、流量及其变化规律,从泵的参数及其特性曲线入手,进行泵的选型分析,确定合适的泵的类型、台数及连接方式。通过水系统装置扬程的计算和泵的选型分析,结合泵带来的能效利用、工程投入和运行费用等因素,可在满足发动机试验需要的同时实现经济利益最大化,为今后类似水系统工程的设计提供借鉴和指导。