Search results for "aerospace"
showing 10 items of 450 documents
Comparing past and present wage inequality in two globalisation periods
2013
Abstract This paper compares past and present globalisation with an aim to highlighting the different factors that drove wage inequality then and those which are doing so now. We have constructed a ratio of wage inequality for 15 countries in the first period of globalisation (1870–1913) and the subsequent period of deglobalisation (1914–1930) and then compare this pattern to wage inequality in the 1980s and 1990s. We propose that the difference in wage inequality trends for the two globalisation periods is due to migration and institutional factors (education and labour market institutions). These factors offset the increase in wage inequality produced by globalisation and technological ch…
Stochastic debt sustainability analysis for sovereigns and the scope for optimization modeling
2017
We argue that sovereign debt sustainability analysis must be augmented by stochastic correlated risk factors and a risk measure to capture tail effects. Crisis situations can thus be adequately specified and analyzed with sufficient accuracy to warrant the relevance of policy decisions. In this context there is significant scope for optimization modeling for both strategic planning and operational management. We discuss diverse aspects of the problem of debt sustainability and highlight modeling approaches that can be brought to bear on the problem. Results with the fictitious, but nor unrealistic, Kingdom of Atlantis, which is sinking under excessive debt, illustrate the proposed models.
WING FLUTTER SUPPRESSION ENHANCEMENT USING A WELL-SUITED ACTIVE CONTROL MODEL
2007
State-space theory is employed here to model a new active wing flutter suppression control. In this paper, the design of a flutter suppression control law, for the NASA Benchmark Active Control Technology wing, is proposed through a single input-single output controller and unsteady aerodynamics is modelled using the Theodorsen's theory. Wing dynamic model is obtained by combining the aeroelastic equations of motion with the actuator model presented. Open-loop dynamic behaviour is examined for a single feedback variable that combines pitch and plunge accelerations. Here, a new formulation of control law, based on classical control techniques and featuring two feedback closed-loops, is succ…
A COMPARISON BETWEEN COMBUSTION PHASE INDICATORS FOR OPTIMAL SPARK TIMING
2008
The closed-loop control of internal combustion engine spark timing may be accomplished by means of a combustion phase indicator, i.e., a parameter, derived from in-cylinder pressure analysis, whose variation is mainly referable to combustion phase shift and assumes a fixed reference value under optimal spark timing operation. The aim of the present work is a comparison between different combustion phase indicators, focusing on the performance attainable by a feedback spark timing control, which uses the indicator as pilot variable. An extensive experimental investigation has been carried out, verifying the relationship between indicators’ optimal values and the main engine running parameter…
Protection concepts from optical radiation used in places of danger from explosion of gases, vapour or cloud of particles
2005
Use of optical systems in hazardous locations can result in ignition of surrounding explosive atmosphere. The conducted research work allowed to propose three protection concepts. The primary protection concept - inherently safe optical radiation - consists in use of optical radiation with power, energy or irradiance incapable of causing ignition of surrounding explosive atmosphere. However, the arbitrary determination of values of these parameters is considered as excessively rigorous. The work presents the proposed protection concepts in relation to zone classification. The author describes his own method to determine safe values based on probability mathematics that can be used not only …
ATHENA X-IFU thermal filters development status toward the end of the instrument phase-A
2018
Copyright 2018 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited. The X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) is one of the two instruments of the Athena astrophysics space mission approved by ESA in the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 Science Programme. The X-IFU consists of a large array of transition edge sensor micro-calorimeters that will operate at 100 mK inside a sophisticated cryostat. A set of thin filters, highly transparent to X-rays, will be m…
Time Versus Energy in the Averaged Optimal Coplanar Kepler Transfer towards Circular Orbits
2015
International audience; The aim of this note is to compare the averaged optimal coplanar transfer towards circular orbits when the costs are the transfer time transfer and the energy consumption. While the energy case leads to analyze a 2D Riemannian metric using the standard tools of Riemannian geometry (curvature computations, geodesic convexity), the time minimal case is associated to a Finsler metric which is not smooth. Nevertheless a qualitative analysis of the geodesic flow is given in this article to describe the optimal transfers. In particular we prove geodesic convexity of the elliptic domain.
Minimum fuel control of the planar circular restricted three-body problem
2012
The circular restricted three-body problem is considered to model the dynamics of an artificial body submitted to the attraction of two planets. Minimization of the fuel consumption of the spacecraft during the transfer, e.g. from the Earth to the Moon, is considered. In the light of the controllability results of Caillau and Daoud (SIAM J Control Optim, 2012), existence for this optimal control problem is discussed under simplifying assumptions. Thanks to Pontryagin maximum principle, the properties of fuel minimizing controls is detailed, revealing a bang-bang structure which is typical of L1-minimization problems. Because of the resulting non-smoothness of the Hamiltonian two-point bound…
Solving chance constrained optimal control problems in aerospace via Kernel Density Estimation
2017
International audience; The goal of this paper is to show how non-parametric statistics can be used to solve some chance constrained optimization and optimal control problems. We use the Kernel Density Estimation method to approximate the probability density function of a random variable with unknown distribution , from a relatively small sample. We then show how this technique can be applied and implemented for a class of problems including the God-dard problem and the trajectory optimization of an Ariane 5-like launcher.
LOFT: the Large Observatory For X-ray Timing
2012
The LOFT mission concept is one of four candidates selected by ESA for the M3 launch opportunity as Medium Size missions of the Cosmic Vision programme. The launch window is currently planned for between 2022 and 2024. LOFT is designed to exploit the diagnostics of rapid X-ray flux and spectral variability that directly probe the motion of matter down to distances very close to black holes and neutron stars, as well as the physical state of ultra-dense matter. These primary science goals will be addressed by a payload composed of a Large Area Detector (LAD) and a Wide Field Monitor (WFM). The LAD is a collimated (<1 degree field of view) experiment operating in the energy range 2-50 keV,…