NASA advanced-aeronautics design solar-powered remotely piloted vehicle
Environmental problems such as the depletion of the ozone layer and air pollution demand a change in traditional means of propulsion that is sensitive to the ecology. Solar powered propulsion is a favorable alternative that is both ecologically harmless as well as cost effective. Integration of solar energy into designs ranging from futuristic vehicles to heating is beneficial to society. The design and construction of a Multi-Purpose Remotely Piloted Vehicle (MPRPV) seeks to verify the feasibility of utilizing solar propulsion as a primary fuel source. This task has been a year long effort by a group of ten students, divided into five teams, each dealing with different aspects of the design. The aircraft was designed to take-off, climb to the design altitude, fly in a sustained figure-eight flight path, and cruise for approximately one hour. This mission requires flight at Reynolds numbers between 150,000 and 200,000 and demands special considerations in the aerodynamic design in order to achieve flight in this regime. Optimal performance requires a light weight configuration with both structural integrity and maximum power availability. The structure design and choice of solar cells for the propulsion was governed by the weight, efficiency, and cost considerations. The final design is a MPRPV weighting 35 N which cruises 7 m/s at the design altitude of 50 m. The configuration includes a wing composed of balsa and foam NACA 6409 airfoil sections and carbon fiber spars, a tail of similar construction, and a truss structure fuselage. The propulsion system consists of 98 10 percent efficient solar cells donated by Mobil Solar, a NiCad battery for energy storage, and a folding propeller regulated by a lightweight and efficient control system. The airfoils and propeller chosen for the design were research and tested during the design process.
- Research Organization:
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5238543
- Report Number(s):
- N-92-20665; NASA-CR-190007; NAS-1.26:190007; CNN: NASW-4435
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
14 SOLAR ENERGY
AIRCRAFT
DESIGN
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SOLAR ELECTRIC PROPULSION
FLIGHT TESTING
NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERIES
PERFORMANCE
POLLUTION CONTROL
REMOTE CONTROL
SOLAR CELLS
CONTROL
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
EQUIPMENT
METAL-METAL OXIDE BATTERIES
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PROPULSION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TESTING
330300* - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Electric-Powered Systems
330600 - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Vehicle Design Factors
140501 - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion