Markov Theory based Optimization of Reliable and Highly Efficient All-electric Aircrafts

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

NASA Kentucky SPACE Grant Proposal for REU for 2020/2021 University of Kentucky, Electrical and Computer Engineering Dept., SPARK Laboratory PI: Dan M. Ionel, Ph.D., FIEEE, ECE Professor REU: Donovin Lewis, BS and USP Electrical Engineering Student Markov Theory based Optimization of Reliable and Highly Efficient All-electric Aircrafts Abstract – Ver. 2020 0514 The proposed undergraduate student research from University of Kentucky (UK) will focus on the modelling and analysis for reliability optimization of electric aircrafts and other vehicles with emphasis on integrated energy storage and power electronic converters. The topics align with the on-going aviation electrification projects within the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), Advanced Air Vehicles Program Technology (AAVP), as well as with other NASA roadmap elements. A novel concept will be introduced for utilizing Markovian analysis to predict the reliability of interconnected electrical systems to determine the systems most susceptible to failure to assist in the design of redundant safety systems to sustain essential functions. A system considered for analysis is an electric aircraft, the X-57 Maxwell, using publicly and NASA released information regarding system composition, to determine the configuration of electrical systems most probable to sustain effective usage in the case of system failure. The proposal also includes an analysis of a physical solar electric vehicle in the form of the University of Kentucky Solar Car team’s most recent car whose reliability will also be analyzed via the Markovian model. The effectiveness of the Markovian model will be evaluated by comparing the failure rates relating the predicted reliability of the solar car’s electrical systems to the reality revealed through extensive testing. Computational design studies with simulations concerning the effectiveness of redundant systems will include the X-57 Maxwell and, for scalability, the UK Solar Car Team’s Gato VI solar electric vehicle. The undergraduate REU student will be academically mentored by an experienced professor, as well as by a PhD student with previous experience working with NASA, will use NASA accessible documentation and software regarding the X-57 Maxwell all-electric airplane, and employ in the SPARK Lab at UK similar power electronics and hardware-in-the-loop systems as those employed by the NASA Glenn Research Center.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date9/1/208/31/21

Funding

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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