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The Laddermill - Design, Building & Testing

The Laddermill - Design, Building & Testing. Bas Lansdorp Richard Ruiterkamp. Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing. 1. 1. Agenda. Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Test plans.

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The Laddermill - Design, Building & Testing

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  1. The Laddermill - Design, Building & Testing Bas Lansdorp Richard Ruiterkamp Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 1 1

  2. Agenda Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Test plans Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 2 2

  3. Laddermill principle Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 3 3

  4. Laddermill principle Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 4 4

  5. Laddermill principle Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 5 5

  6. Kite control mechanism Types of wings Rigid/inflatable kites Surfkites Cloth kites Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 6 6

  7. Kite control mechanism Early concepts Drag flap control Wingtip AoA control Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 7 7

  8. Kite control mechanism Tow point control Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 8 8

  9. Kite control mechanism Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 9 9

  10. Kite control mechanism Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 10 10

  11. Kite control mechanism Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 11 11

  12. Kite control mechanism What can go wrong, will go wrong Lightweight Sand proof Strong Successful? Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 12 12

  13. Laddermill 2 kW groundstation Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 13 13

  14. Laddermill 2 kW groundstation Slipping occurs Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 14 14

  15. Laddermill 2 kW groundstation • Cable is on the drum under low tension, low stretch • Cable is pulled off under high tension, high stretch • This means that a larger length of cable leaves the drum, than is actually on the drum! • Slip occurs over a certain angle, about 1 revolution Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 15 15

  16. New laddermill 4 kW groundstation • Rotating platform: cable always straight • Traversing train: cable always in the middle of the platform • Very large drum: only a single layer of cable during energy generation (Drum 1 m wide) Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 16 16

  17. Who will help us? New laddermill 4 kW groundstation Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 17 17

  18. New laddermill 4 kW groundstation Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 18 18

  19. New laddermill 4 kW groundstation Instead of the rotating platform, the rotation can be placed on top of the traversing drum. Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 19 19

  20. New laddermill 4 kW groundstation • Testing: • 4 kW groundstation not tested yet • Force of the kite: ~1500 N Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 20 20

  21. New laddermill 4 kW groundstation Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 21 21

  22. Electronics Manual Input Main computer GUI Manual override Flight sensors Flight Computer Servo control Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 22 22

  23. Electronics Manual Input Main computer GUI • Main computer program • Allows manual input from joystick/keyboard • Control input directly send to flight computer • Logfile created for all input/output • GUI allows graphical representation of kite • in flight data such as apparent wind speed, position, • altitude, heading Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 23 23

  24. Electronics • Flight computer receives servo commands from ground computer • Sensor package: - altitude (abs. pressure) • - apparent wind speed (diff. pressure + pitot tube) • - Servo current consumption • - XYZ acceleration (accelerometers) • - Gravity vector direction (accelerometers) • - Position/heading (GPS module) • - Visual data (web-cam) Flight sensors Flight Computer Servo control Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 24 24

  25. Electronics • Servo signal (PWM) generated by slave u-processor • Pilot take over switch allows overruling flight electronics • in case of failure • Flight sensor data is polled and compressed before sending package • max. 20 km range (current version 5 km range) Manual override Flight sensors Flight Computer Servo control Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 25 25

  26. Electronics Altimeter and pitot diff. pressure sensors Ethernet and USB ports Embedded PC Running Linux XYZ accelerometer Transceiver unit Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 26 26

  27. Testing Load cell assembly for measuring line tension vector Load cell Low stiffness beam Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 27 27

  28. Testing • Setup for kite testing: • Line connected to load cell sensor • 2 lines to the kite, connected to control mechanism • Interesting tests: • cl and cd vs. AoA and wind speed • Static and dynamic stability • Response of the kite control mechanism • Flying patterns Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 28 28

  29. Testing • cl and cd vs. AoA and wind speed • Put kite at the zenith position • Keep kite steady by computer • Test various AoA at different wind speeds • Measure L and D to determine cl and cd Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 29 29

  30. Testing • Static and Dynamic stability • Put kite at the zenith position • Keep kite steady by computer • Give various types of input and look at the response • Measure position by the load cell Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 30 30

  31. Testing • Response of the kite control mechanism • Put kite at the zenith position • Keep kite steady by computer • Give various steering inputs and measure accelerations Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 31 31

  32. Testing • Check what happens during pattern flying • Put control at certain location • Measure the tension in the line • Compare with same tow point position and same wind speed at zenith • Tension the same, AoA the same? Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 32 32

  33. Questions? Background Kite control mechanism Groundstation Electronics Testing 33 33

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