EAGER: Towards Complete MAV Control Using Arrays of Synthetic Jets: Preliminary Study

该项目研究了在城市阵风环境中运行的固定翼微型飞行器(MAV)的流动/飞行控制系统的开发，该系统使用了精心分布的零净质量通量(ZNMF)合成喷气执行器阵列。提供了对目标情景的详细分析，作为拟议努力的主要动机。确定了MAV流动、飞行稳定性和推进MAV中的关键问题。提出了一种高保真数值方法，用于解决与以下几个基本问题有关的问题：(I)合成射流微流的精确模拟，包括尺度效应；(Ii)阐明合成射流在低雷诺数下控制高度分离的非定常MAV流动的有效性；以及(Iii)研究将合成射流的降阶模型用于未来多学科设计优化研究的可能性。此外，该项目的工作包括监督学生团队开发用于设计MAV受控飞行包线的MatLab Simulink环境，该环境使用具有定制的相位对准和频率的合成喷流阵列的低阶表示来产生足够的力和力矩。这项工作将为后续在MAV流动、飞行稳定性和推力控制建模、多学科设计优化、微制造以及最终测试飞行器原型方面的合作奠定基础。推进最先进的微型飞行器飞行控制技术，在相互作用的喷流微观流动和高度不稳定的、分离的放牧宏观流动水平上解决基本的流动控制问题，以及确保本科生和研究生强烈参与具有挑战性的设计任务，是拟议计划的主要智力优势。作为一种教育价值，计划中的活动将通过引入新的高级主题，重点放在微型飞行器系统的分析、设计和优化上，显著提高所提供的设计课程。在更广泛的影响下，综合计划将有助于在以教学为主的大学创造一个研究团队环境，将使大量本科生(包括女性和少数族裔)参与高级研究项目，并将为拟议的多大学合作努力铺平道路，涉及模拟和设计配备合成喷气式飞机阵列的MAV原型，以完全控制飞行器。

The project investigates the development of flow/flight control system for a fixed-wing micro air vehicle (MAV) operating in a gusty urban environment, by using a carefully distributed array of zero-net-mass-flux (ZNMF) synthetic-jet actuators. A detailed analysis of a target scenario is provided as the primary motivation for the proposed efforts. Critical issues in the MAV flow, flight stability and propulsion MAV are identified. A high-fidelity numerical approach is proposed for addressing a number of fundamental issues related to (i) accurate modeling of synthetic jet micro-flows including scaling effects, (ii) elucidating effectiveness of synthetic jets for control of highly separated unsteady MAV flows at low Reynolds numbers, and (iii) examining the possibility of using reduced-order models of synthetic jets for future multi-disciplinary design optimization studies. Additionally, the project efforts include supervision of student teams in developing a Matlab Simulink environment for design of controlled MAV flight envelope using low-order representation of arrays of synthetic jets with tailored phase alignment and frequencies to produce adequate forces and moments. This work will lay foundation for follow-up collaborative efforts on MAV flow, flight stability and thrust control modeling, multi-disciplinary design optimization, micro-manufacturing, and eventual testing of the vehicle prototype. Advancing the state-of-the-art of the micro air vehicle flight control technology, addressing fundamental flow control issues at the level of interacting jet micro flows and highly unsteady, separated grazing macro flows, and ensuring strong participation of undergraduate and graduate students in challenging design tasks constitute the primary intellectual merits of the proposed plan. As an educational merit, the planned activities will significantly enhance the offered design curriculum by introducing new advanced topics with focus on analysis, design, and optimization of micro air vehicle systems. In its broader impact, the integrated plan will contribute to creating a research team environment in the predominantly teaching university, will involve a significant number of undergraduate (including female and minority) students in advanced research projects, and will pave the way to the proposed multi-university collaboration effort involving simulations and design of a MAV prototype equipped with arrays of synthetic jets for complete control of the vehicle.