SBIR Phase I: A Ground-Based Sensor Array for Wake Vortex Detection

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在开发一种低成本、易于部署的传感器套件，能够提供机场附近飞机产生的尾迹涡的整个流动速度场。大型飞机在翼尖产生强烈的空气涡流，这对较小的后续飞机来说是一个重大危险。在没有观测到涡流的情况下，飞机在起飞和降落时必须保持较大的间距。目前用于机场尾涡测量的系统，如风速计、雷达声学探测传感器(RASS)和脉冲光探测和测距(LIDAR)，无法捕捉到涡流的详细流场，因此可能无法检测到对向旋转涡流等危险情况。这项新技术是基于使用位于跑道附近特定点的传感器套件来绘制涡流地图。这一第一阶段的工作包括利用现有的实验室数据(包括涡壁流动的二维图)对这一概念进行演示，以及贸易研究和传感器套件的设计。传感器概念将在机场环境下的第二阶段进行原型和测试。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是提高起飞和降落期间的安全性，特别是对小型飞机。目前的做法是，允许在特定机型之后留出固定数量的间隔，以使其产生的涡流消散，并增加安全裕度。直接观测旋涡的能力将允许根据实际情况进行后续距离，从而允许自适应间距，从而增强安全性。与竞争对手、更复杂、更精密的激光雷达和雷达系统相比，这种仪器的低成本将允许较小的机场，而不仅仅是最大的机场，配备这项技术。使用这种能力的较小机场可以增加它们的飞行能力，从而潜在地缓解较大的枢纽的压力，特别是在宣布紧急疏散的情况下。较大的机场可以使用该技术来提高整体安全，特别是对较小的飞机，使它们能够在较大的客机中自信地降落和起飞。这一努力还将增加我们对涡流壁流的了解，涡流壁流在多风条件下和崎岖的地形相结合时随处可见。这种设备的衍生版本将用于其他应用，例如需要在危险通道和多风条件下操作的应急小组。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop a low-cost, easily-deployable sensor suite capable of providing the entire flow velocity field of wake vortices produced by airplanes near airports. Large aircraft produce strong air vortices at their wingtips, a significant hazard for smaller following aircraft. Without observing the vortices, aircraft must be widely-spaced on takeoff and landing. Current systems for airport wake-vortex measurement, such as wind anemometers, Radar Acoustic Sounding Sensors (RASS) and pulsed Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), do not capture the detailed flow-field of the vortex, so hazardous situations like counter-rotating vortices may not be detected. The new technique is based on the use of a sensor suite located at specific points near the runway to map the vortical flow. This Phase I effort includes a demonstration of the concept using existing laboratory data (consisting of 2-D mappings of vortical wall flows), and trade studies and design of the sensor suite. The sensor concept will be prototyped and tested in Phase II in an airport setting. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be increased safety during take-off and landing, especially for small aircraft. Present practice is to allow a fixed amount of spacing after a particular aircraft type to allow the vortices it produces to dissipate, plus an added safety margin. The ability to directly observe the vortices will allow following distances to be based on actual conditions, allowing adaptive spacing, thus enhancing safety. In comparison with competing, more complex and more delicate LIDAR and radar-based systems, the low cost of this instrumentation will allow smaller airports, not just the largest ones, to be equipped with this technology. Such smaller airports using this capability can increase their flight capacity, thus potentially relieving larger hubs, especially if an emergency evacuation were to be declared. Larger airports can use the technology to increase overall safety, especially for smaller aircraft, allowing them to land and take off with confidence amongst the larger airliners. This effort will also increase our understanding of vortical wall flows, ubiquitous in windy conditions combined with rugged terrain. Derivative versions of this equipment will be useful for other applications, such as for emergency teams required to operate in hazardous-access, windy conditions.