This talk will present the current research element Adaptive Aeroelastic Shape Control being conducted under the NASA Fixed Wing project for the Aerodynamic Efficiency sub-project. The goal of this research is to develop a MDAO framework that would enable conceptual design and analysis of adaptive aeroelastic wing shaping control concepts for improved aerodynamic efficiency for future transport aircraft. The framework leverages multi-fidelity aerodynamic modeling capabilities and finite-element method to analyze these future concepts. Modeling approaches for aeroelasticity, flutter analysis, and aeroelastic coupling with rigid-body 6-dof aircraft flight dynamics will be discussed. An actuation concept called Variable Camber Continuous Trailing Edge Flap (VCCTEF) will be presented as an embodiment of the adaptive aeroelastic wing shaping control framework.
Biography
Nhan Nguyen is a senior research scientist with the Intelligent Systems Division at NASA Ames Research Center. He is the group lead of the Advanced Control and Evolvable Systems group. He is currently the associate technical lead of the Aerodynamic Efficiency sub-project for the Fixed Wing project. Previously, he was the Project Scientist for NASA ARMD Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control project from 2007 to 2010. Nhan Nguyen started his 28-year NASA career in 1986 in the Aerodynamics Division working at the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel and later joined in the Intelligent Systems Division in 2003. His technical background includes aircraft flight dynamics and control, structural dynamics and aeroelasticity, finite-element numerical method, turbomachinery aerodynamics, and applied aerodynamics. He received several distinguished NASA awards including NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal (2012), NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal (1997), NASA Space Act Award (2002), and two NASA Ames Honor Awards for Excellence in Engineer Category (2012 and 1999). He has one U.S. patent and two patents pending. He authored 135 publications including 20 journal articles and 3 book chapters. Nhan Nguyen earned a M.S. degree from Stanford University and Ph.D. degree from Santa Clara University in Mechanical Engineering. He is an AIAA associate fellow and chair-elect of the AIAA Intelligent Systems Technical Committee.
