REVIEW OF ASSIGNMENT #3

1. REVIEW OF ASSIGNMENT #3 ARES Channel Wing HPV (3/8 submitted on time)

2. ARES: GOAL AND OBJECTIVES • Project Goal: • Increase the performance characteristics and knowledge database of a wind energy system powered by aeroelastic flutter and vortex shedding through research, mathematical modeling, and experimentation. • Can you work Aeroelastic Energy Device (AED) into the objective? • Excellent project goal, when you put this into a presentation, shorten by getting rid of ‘the’ and extraneous words that you can say • Increase performance and knowledge database of a wind-belt energy system, known as Aeroelastic Energy Device (AED), through mathematical modeling and experimentation • Objectives: • Mathematically model the Aeroelastic Energy Device (AED) and its power generation • Design and build a functional model (prototype) of the AED • Test the AED in the wind tunnel to obtain voltage readings and thus power • Obtain data to generate a database of information on the AED that examines the power generated as a function of wind speed, belt tension, coil gap, etc.

3. ARES: PRIMARY SPECIFICATIONS • Device shall generate power that is conditioned to power small electronic devices such as LEDs, cell phones, and radios • The only purpose of the AED is to generate power for these types of devices, and therefore it should be able to satisfy that requirement • Obtain numerical data from wind tunnel testing to determine wind belt characteristics • Little is known about the current AED, the Windbelt ™, and thus it is important to generate a database of information • Optimize the relationship between wind speed and belt tension for various belts to tune the AED to an ideal balance that will generate maximum power • This will allow for the determination of which belt works best in which air flow and how to optimize a belt for a specific location • How are 2nd and 3rd bullets specifications?

4. ARES: SECONDARY SPECIFICATIONS • Device should withstand gusts of wind under normal working conditions • Since the AED will be subject to environmental conditions, and thus must be able to withstand high winds and gusts • Device should be tuned to operate at maximum efficiency under the most common wind speed for the present location • This is different from maximizing the power curve with respect to belt tension and wind speed because it is taking the location’s characteristics and tuning the belt to that specification rather than finding the specific frequency of the belt that will generate the most power • On 2nd bullet, consider this subtle difference of wording: • “Device should be tuned to operate at maximum efficiency…” • “Device should be tunable to operate at maximum efficiency…” • As you learn more about the power-electronics system, add more specifications

5. ARES: METRICS • Primary Specifications: • Device must produce 60 mW of power • This is corresponding to the estimated power produced by the Humdinger Windbelt™ • Device should work and generate power in a wind speed range of 4 ft/s to 16 ft/s • Data obtained from Melbourne wind speeds over a two week time period • Database of characteristics including the variation of power with respect to wind speed, belt tension, coil gap, etc. • How is the last one of these a metric? • Try not to mix units – best solution is to list both. Write report in metric, but put English in parenthesis, e.g., “The AED must produce 60 mW (8x10-5 HP) of power.” • Secondary Specifications • Manufacture belt to withstand a 16 ft/s constant wind • Data obtained from typical wind profile in Melbourne • Manufacture belt to withstand a 55 ft/s gust • Data obtained from typical wind gusts over a 7 day period in Melbourne • As you move ahead with the project, add more specifications related to power system

6. CHANNEL WING: GOAL AND OBJECTIVES • Project Goal • The goal of the project is to demonstrate the potential uses of a channel wing aircraft. Channel wing craft possess the potential to take over many, simple roles that would otherwise be filled by expensive and maintenance-intensive rotary-winged craft. It is our intent to prove that channel wings are a viable alternative to helicopters for many roles, primarily by demonstrating controlled VTOL capability. • Too many words – shorten this. Can write as much as you like in a report, but want objective as tight as possible • Project Objectives • Channel Wing Lift Validation (what does validation mean, is this a goal?) • Design Prototype Aircraft • Design and Construct Prototype Wing For Testing Purposes • Design and Construct Complete Working Prototype • Perform Flight Tests Using Prototype Model • Refine Prototype Through Wind Tunnel Tests and Construct Dedicated VTOL Aircraft • Add Payload for Distinct Missions

7. CHANNEL WING: SPECIFICATIONS • Effective Span • One of the greatest obstacles we discovered when trying to perform a simple analysis on a channel wing aircraft is that we had no idea what span to use. We have constructed a 9 in straight wing, a 14.15 in straight wing and a 9 in channel. We will put all three models into the wind tunnel and by comparing the data we will obtain a dimensionless scaling parameter. This will enable us to satisfactorily approximate a channel of a given diameter to a straight wing of a given span for the same chord. • Great plan, but where is the specification? • Is the specification that a channel wing with 9 inch channel must produce the same aero-forces as a 14.15 inch wing? • I actually like this better as a project objective: “approximate a channel of a given diameter to a straight wing of a given span for the same chord.”

8. CHANNEL WING: SPECIFICATIONS • Effective Span • Metric: • The curves for the 9 in and 14.15 in wings will be compared for consistency. Once we have determined that they can be trusted, we will measure the actual lift force of the channel itself. Since we will know every variable in the lift equation except the span, we can calculate its effective span. • Units: Dimensionless Parameter and Span (m) • What curves? • Weak writing… how will you determine if they can be trusted? Where does ‘trust’ fit in? • If you trust the curves – then measure lift force? • I know what you are trying to do here, but it needs to be articulated more clearly

9. CHANNEL WING: SPECIFICATIONS • VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) • This is the main focus of our project. The ability of a Channel Wing to perform VTOL was speculated upon in the 1950’s during the original Channel Wing tests. Since then, several research houses such as the Air Force and Georgia Tech have also suggested that Channel Wings are capable of VTOL. As of now, no one has ever performed this feat and documented the act. The potential of creating a fixed wing aircraft that can perform VTOL is what drew us to this project from the start. We plan to VTOL the aircraft in as light a wind as possible, preferably indoors. The first few trials will be tethered with the remaining trials un-tethered. The maximum altitude at which we will fly vertically and/or hover is dictated by what controller and transmitter we ultimately obtain. • Awesome history lesson – great motivation for your project! • Where is the specification? • Specification: The Florida Tech Channel Wing Prototype Airplane Shall be Capable of Vertical Takeoff

10. CHANNEL WING: SPECIFICATIONS • VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) • Metric: • Calculate Lift of channel and Thrust of Prop/Motor combo. Calculate angle between the two forces that makes the resultant of those forces equal to the weight of the aircraft. We are aiming for highest L0/T0 possible. • Units: Degrees (°) and Force (N) • Where do degrees fit into this metric? • Is the metric actually non-dimensional, L0/T0 = Force/Force

11. SPECIFICATIONS AS DELIVERABLES • Particularly true for research-type projects • ARES: • Specify how to operate a wind-belt system, once design is optimized • To generate ~ 50 mW of power, a frame that is 0.5 m in length can be employed with 2 cm wide belts • When operating in 3 m/s steady wind, use a belt that is 2 cm wide Mylar and adjust the tension to 5 N/m • Think about design specifications vs. operating specifications • Channel Wing: • Provide guidelines and specify how to design such aircraft in the future • The effective span of a channel wing is p/2 relative to a straight wing • The channel wing should be inclined to 15° for VTOL operation

12. MS WORD FEATURES • A few features to make report writing easier (shown using MS Word 2003, but also applicable to MS Word 2007) • Insert Caption • Figure captions • Placed under the figure • Succinctly state what the figure is about and reference • All capital 1st letters or sentence case – either way, just be consistent • Must refer to all figures, plots, graphs, in the text, and ‘say’ what the figure is showing • Table captions • Placed above the table • Succinctly state what the table is showing or summarizing • All capital 1st letters or sentence case – either way, just be consistent • Refer to and discuss the table in the text • Insert Cross-Reference • Best way to refer to figures and tables in the next • Very useful for references • Reference style: numerical order or alphabetical order • Automatically Generate: • Table of contents: use headings appropriately and set before hand • List of figures • List of tables • List of references

13. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #4: UPDATE • Homework Assignment #4: • Provide updated list of references (from completed literature review) and 1st page of each • With preliminary design in place list all calculations you believe you need to perform at this point • Organize list into order of importance • Organize list by order of perceived complexity • Develop 2-3 simplified analytical models for most ‘complex’ calculations • Addition to Assignment #4: • Include an automatically generated Table of Content using your final report outline • Insert a few concept figures and caption them • Insert a table and caption • Insert list of references at end of outline • Put the Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables on separate pages • Due: September 29