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The Systems and Control division’s research and development activities include:
• MEMS and robotics
• mechanical system design, control and simulation
• active and semi–active control of vibration
• magnetic bearings and microgravity control
• rotordynamic vibration and control
• high temperature magnetic bearing and motor development
• rotating machinery seal, bearing and damper test and development
• smart sensors and actuators
• nano–precision motion control
• sensor fusion
• control theory and network analysis
• frequency domain robust control design methodologies
• aggregation in large scale systems
• output feedback controller synthesis
• internet traffic flow modeling and control
• control of computer networks and distributed software systems
• micro-turbines and nano-lubrication
• blade loss in turbomachinery
• autonomous vehicles
• non-intrusive health monitoring of electrical machinery
• braking systems for trucks and buses
The Dynamic Systems and Controls Laboratory is equipped with state–of–the–art computer systems, a micro–controller development platform, shakers, assorted sensors, DSP–based control boards and a real time workshop for interfacing DSP boards to various components. The Vibration Control and Electromechanics Laboratory is a 1,500 square foot facility equipped with a 5,000 watt-hr containment vessel for spinning rotor tests. The Networked Intelligent Machines Laboratory is used to test fault diagnosis technologies of electromechanical and mechanical systems. The lab is equipped with fast computer network and several servers, clients, etc. The experimental test bench in the Air Brake System Laboratory consists of an E-7 dual circuit treadle valve, a tractor front axle, service relay valves and Type -30 brake chambers, and pressure sensors. The experimental test bench is fully instrumented to enable experimental corroboration of the mathematical models of the brake system and the effifacy of a variety of automatic leak detections, pushrod stroke estimation and pressure control algorithms in air brakes.
The Turbomachinery Laboratory seeks to aid the development of ultra–high efficiency, environmentally superior, and cost effective gas turbines and centrifugal compressors and pumps. The Laboratory researches for both industry and government in the areas of advanced turbine heat transfer and cooling technologies, aero-dynamic performance and efficiency of turbomachinery, dynamics and structures of turbomachinery, controls and materials. Grants and contracts from NASA, ARO, AFOSR, DOD, NSF, GRI, the State of Texas and various companies provide funding for graduate research and education related to performance, rotordynamics, seals, tribology, couplings, computational and experimental fluid dynamics, heat transfer, torsional vibrations, materials, and finite element analysis. The current Laboratory was built in 1993 and includes 35,000 square feet of research space with 12 test cell suites that are sound and seismically isolated. It is equipped with a variety of compressors to provide air for test rigs.
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