team flying camels nawar chaker paul savage tim jacobs pete dokter adam swartley capstone project...
TRANSCRIPT
Team Flying Camels
Nawar Chaker
Paul Savage
Tim Jacobs
Pete Dokter
Adam Swartley
Capstone Project
January 22, 2005
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Driftsonde System Overview
The National Center for Atmospheric Research, NCAR, currently has a project involving a high altitude pressure balloon that periodically drops sensors from a payload
These sensors are used to measure pressure, temperature, humidity and wind speed from a height of 60,000 feet down to the surface
These sensors send data back to the payload, which then relays to an iridium satellite and then finally transferred to a ground station
The project currently is successful, with flight times of three days and twenty sensors
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Driftsonde System
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Zero-pressureB alloon
G ondola(24 sonde capacity)
6 hoursbetw eendrops
NORTHAMERICA
EUROPE
O rbC om mLEO S ate llite
Iridium
LEO Satellite
Gondola
(20-40 sonde capacity) ~16km
50-100 mb
© 2004 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
© 2004 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Driftsonde ComponentsFlight train
1. Low cost polyethylene zero-pressure balloon (365 m3 & 2,265 m3)2. Parachute3. Radar reflector4. Aircraft Transponder5. Gondola
• Embedded Computer• GPS Navigation System• Flight level PTH sensor• Ballast System• Lithium battery power system• Iridium, global coverage
2-way satellite system• Dropsondes
© 2004 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
© 2004 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
© 2004 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
NSF THORPEX Briefing, D. Parsons, 11/21/03© 2004 Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Excessive weight
Battery Weight
Heavy release mechanism
Battery life limits flight times to 3-5 days
Twenty sondes maximum per gondola
Current System limitations
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Driftsonde Main Goals
Extend flight time
Increase maximum number of sondes to fifty
Balloon size must remain the same
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Proposal
Increase the available power by utilizing renewable energy sources, possibly solar
Decrease the weight of the gondola by decreasing the weight of the power system, i.e. batteries
Implement a monitoring system for the battery health
Streamline a release mechanism to conserve weight
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Power SystemOptions:
Solar: Simplest
Generator: Heavy
Kinetic: Not enough energy
Non-rechargeable batteries: Limited life span
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Power System
Block diagram
SolarPanels
Power Conversion
Battery System
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Power SystemConstraints
1. Cost: $200 materials only2. Total weight 3Kg3. Environment
inside: -20C to +40Coutside: -60 to +40,60,80C
4. Duration Scale from 4 - 10 days operation5. Operate at 50,000 to 80,000 feet (look at from a pressure standpoint)6. System Electronics
a. IRIDIUM (5V) b. Transponder (12V) (only operates below 48,000 feet) High power device c. System electronics (5V) d. Peak current (during drop of sondes) approximately 1.7 A
7. System health monitoring (if something goes wrong tell us what happed) battery voltage solar power voltage charge current discharge current
8. Operate independent on ground for 24 hours (14 A-hrs battery capacity)
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Health Monitor System
Monitor battery voltage
Solar power voltage
Charge current
Discharge current
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Release MechanismOptions
Wireless RF : Expensive
Wireless Induction: Simple and feasible
Daisy Chain Bus: Simplest, but possibly heavy
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Release MechanismWireless Induction block diagram
Balloon Control TX Processor Driver TX Coil
RX Coil Envelope Detector RX Processor
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Release Mechanism
Daisy Chain block diagram
Balloon
Sonde 1 Sonde 2 Sonde 3
CANBUS (?)
Element Burn (?)
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Release MechanismConstraints
1. Control 50 Sondes!
2. Cost:
$5 per sonde maximum
$25 per Gondola maximum
3. Functions:
Capable to turn sondes on or off and during drop always on.Turn on for testing in the field then turn off.
4. Cut the sondes from package
5. Command only one sonde at a time - power it release it
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Project ConsiderationsEconomic Aspects
Environmental impact
Sustainability
Manufacturability
Safety
Impact on society
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Economic AspectsWill be used as a research item, so no real marketability
Ball park figure for complete full system: $475 (Parts only)
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Environmental ImpactGondola is reusable
Sondes are expendable and lost
Environmental impact of sonde electronics is considered negligible
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Sustainability and ManufacturabilitySystems will be implemented from common parts, insuring a good supply
Batteries may need to be replaced in gondola before flight
Expect system to be robust enough to overcome manufacturing tolerances
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Safety Concerns
Balloon release
Existing safety procedures are already in place
Our system does not introduce any new safety concerns
Low power devices
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Impact on SocietyInformation gathered from sondes assists weather predictions
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Division of LaborSonde Release Mechanism
Paul Savage
Pete Dokter
Power System and System Health Monitoring
Nawar Chaker
Tim Jacobs
Adam Swartley
All team members will be working on each aspect of the project, in order to have a firm understanding of all components
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Gantt Chart
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Project Risks and ContingenciesUnsure if entire system will work together
Unsure if we can interface our changes with their current system
Unsure of power system components, such as battery charging and solar panels
Unsure of temperature and pressure effects on the entire system
Unknown if system will exceed target weight
Unsure of total cost
Plan to have all prototyping done by Milestone II
Work harder and smarter
Team Flying CamelsCapstone Project
Questions/ Comments?