January 8 – April 28, 2018
NASA Ames Research Center
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED TO DATE IN YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT?
I have nearly finalized a paper on scaled down wind tunnel tests in regard to the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) and this will be published in the very near future. This consisted of analyzing various testing done on the 1/50th scale 80- by 120- Foot portion of the NFAC. This test was examining the turbulence intensity at various locations across the inlet due to upstream blockages. I have programmed in arduinos a code for controlling a 1/144th scale Large Civil Tilt Rotor (LCTR2) in the yaw and pitch area currently. I am designing and conceptualizing a 1/600th scale wind tunnel modeled after the 80- by 120- foot portion of the NFAC, currently in CAD and still designing the diffuser. Scale was selected based on geometric limitations.
WHAT GOALS REMAIN FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE INTERNSHIP?
To make the LCTR2 fully robust and capable of switching between airplane and hover mode as well as having the rotors spin with the yaw and pitch already incorporated. Also making the model bigger to support all these features since it is currently too small to perform all these functionalities. Will be publishing this inlet test report from a previous intern and finalizing these last touches. Will construct a 600th scale wind tunnel of the 80×120 and run all tests on the wind tunnel for various blockage conditions as well as upstream wind behind blockage. This will prove and validate the 1.50th scale model for it’s testing capabilities which the Air Force currently wants. Also in making this wind tunnel we’re designing accurate to the as-built structure and to not choke from any mis-design since it’s a long process. Will run tests on the Mars helicopter in the vacuum chamber here at Ames Research Center. Will be conducting a prop hover test and performing acoustic testing on the TTR model in the 40×80 portion of the NFAC.