Periodic Report Summary - GREEN-WAKE (Demonstration of LIDAR based wake vortex detection system incorporating an atmospheric hazard map)
Project context and objectives:
Wake vortex and wind shear are causes of major accidents and injury to passengers and crew of all aircraft types. Historically, there has been little active protection with the main ways of mitigating accidents being through the mandatory separation times between aircraft with the consequential effect of limiting airport capacity.
The objective of GREENWAKE is to develop, validate and integrate innovative, state-of-the-art technologies into a sensor which can detect such hazards thus unlocking the potential to increase the capacity of existing airports and simultaneously improving passenger safety and comfort. This will represent a significant step beyond the current status quo as it will improve:
1. the understanding of wake vortex and wind shear detection
2. wake vortex and detection methods.
There is currently no commercially available, aircraft based sensor which can detect and report on wind shear and wake vortex events in real time. GREENWAKE will gain access to, and exploit technology being developed in other sectors or where none exists develop its own innovative technology particularly in detectors and scanning systems. Furthermore, it will develop a new concept in three-dimensional (3D) visualisation of atmospheric hazards, a vital first step to providing an efficient, integrated solution to the problem of wind shear and wake vortices.
GREENWAKE addresses and contributes to four objectives of the Aeronautics and Air Transport (AAT) 2007 call. Many of the developments and innovations have the potential to be used in other, on-aircraft and off-aircraft sensors for monitoring atmospheric hazards, engine emissions, volcanic ash and general air quality. The structured approach taken by the project allows the individual technologies to be independently evaluated and made available to industry for wider exploitation. Information dissemination is through a recently redesigned public website, close liaison with other associated Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) initiatives such as WakeNet3 and presentations at relevant conferences.
Project results:
Project activity in this second period has built on the work and advances reported in the first periodic report and covered:
1. completion of the wind tunnel trials
2. completion of the work package three (WP3) image system simulator
3. design of the lightweight laser scanning system
4. preparation of the 355 nm laser
4. agreement from Charleroi Airport authorities to host airfield trials.
In order for the wind tunnel trials to take place, equipment had to be designed and tested that would create the effect of wind shears and wake vortices in the working section of the tunnel. To create a wind shear, a horizontal guillotine was placed across the inlet of the working section. This guillotine could be motored up or allowed to fall under its own weight to move the location of the wind shear vertically within the tunnel. To create a vortex, a wing tip was mounted vertically up wind of the working section. For the wind tunnel trials, a non-scanning version of the light detection and ranging (Lidar) was used which was located to the side of the working section of the tunnel looking into the area of the tunnel where the wake vortices and wind shears were formed. The trials of the GREENWAKE sensor were successfully completed and early analysis of the data shows that the phenomena were detected and identified.
WP3, imaging system simulator, combines the simulation elements developed elsewhere in GREENWAKE and integrates them into a 3D visualisation of the air hazards. The work on this WP will form the deliverable D3000-1 which is a demonstration of the visualisation tool and is planned to be given to all partners at the January 2012 progress meeting.
WP4, 3D imaging ultraviolet (UV) Lidar system, has progressed well and is on schedule. The mechanical scanning system has been designed and built to operate at the frequency specified by WP2. The scanning mechanism uses two ultra lightweight mirrors approximately 190 mm times 250 mm and 280 mm times 350 mm, one to scan the laser in elevation at 20 Hz and the second to scan it in azimuth at 2.5 Hz. The mechanisms have been built and validated to work at the specified frequency using a dummy payload. The ultra lightweight, stiff mirrors have had to be built using highly innovative manufacturing processes developed by GREENWAKE. There is significant potential for this technology to be exploited for applications in the space and satellite market. A suitable 355 nm laser has been made available and should be ready for use in the airfield trials. An innovative, highly sensitive photon detector has been designed and built which will meet the performance requirements needed for GREENWAKE. Work is progressing well on the design and manufacture of the optical bench on which all the components will be accurately mounted. The integration of the components was planned to be commenced in January 2012.
In WP5, validation, agreement has been reached with the Charleroi airport authorities that the airfield trials can be done there. The airport is used by Ryan Air as its Brussels airport and has regular flights of medium range commercial airliners (e.g. Boeing 737). It was planned to conduct the trials in May 2012.
WP6, information and dissemination, has established close links with WakeNet3, has given presentations at its workshops and submitted an abstract for its fourth major workshop, planned to be held at Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS) Headquarters, Langen at the end of February 2012. During the period of this report, the GREENWAKE public website was redesigned to bring it up to date and include more information.
Potential impact:
The final results of the project will establish whether through the use of current state of the art technology it is feasible to detect and characterise wake vortices at short range (approximately 200 m). This will not only make air travel safer, but also allow existing airport infrastructure be more productive as this technology will allow the spacing between landing aircraft to be reduced. It will also be possible to reduce the spacing between aircraft taking off thus increasing the capacity of airports and reducing the need to build new runways or completely new facilities to cope with the ever increasing demand for air travel.
Project website: http://www.greenwake.org
Wake vortex and wind shear are causes of major accidents and injury to passengers and crew of all aircraft types. Historically, there has been little active protection with the main ways of mitigating accidents being through the mandatory separation times between aircraft with the consequential effect of limiting airport capacity.
The objective of GREENWAKE is to develop, validate and integrate innovative, state-of-the-art technologies into a sensor which can detect such hazards thus unlocking the potential to increase the capacity of existing airports and simultaneously improving passenger safety and comfort. This will represent a significant step beyond the current status quo as it will improve:
1. the understanding of wake vortex and wind shear detection
2. wake vortex and detection methods.
There is currently no commercially available, aircraft based sensor which can detect and report on wind shear and wake vortex events in real time. GREENWAKE will gain access to, and exploit technology being developed in other sectors or where none exists develop its own innovative technology particularly in detectors and scanning systems. Furthermore, it will develop a new concept in three-dimensional (3D) visualisation of atmospheric hazards, a vital first step to providing an efficient, integrated solution to the problem of wind shear and wake vortices.
GREENWAKE addresses and contributes to four objectives of the Aeronautics and Air Transport (AAT) 2007 call. Many of the developments and innovations have the potential to be used in other, on-aircraft and off-aircraft sensors for monitoring atmospheric hazards, engine emissions, volcanic ash and general air quality. The structured approach taken by the project allows the individual technologies to be independently evaluated and made available to industry for wider exploitation. Information dissemination is through a recently redesigned public website, close liaison with other associated Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) initiatives such as WakeNet3 and presentations at relevant conferences.
Project results:
Project activity in this second period has built on the work and advances reported in the first periodic report and covered:
1. completion of the wind tunnel trials
2. completion of the work package three (WP3) image system simulator
3. design of the lightweight laser scanning system
4. preparation of the 355 nm laser
4. agreement from Charleroi Airport authorities to host airfield trials.
In order for the wind tunnel trials to take place, equipment had to be designed and tested that would create the effect of wind shears and wake vortices in the working section of the tunnel. To create a wind shear, a horizontal guillotine was placed across the inlet of the working section. This guillotine could be motored up or allowed to fall under its own weight to move the location of the wind shear vertically within the tunnel. To create a vortex, a wing tip was mounted vertically up wind of the working section. For the wind tunnel trials, a non-scanning version of the light detection and ranging (Lidar) was used which was located to the side of the working section of the tunnel looking into the area of the tunnel where the wake vortices and wind shears were formed. The trials of the GREENWAKE sensor were successfully completed and early analysis of the data shows that the phenomena were detected and identified.
WP3, imaging system simulator, combines the simulation elements developed elsewhere in GREENWAKE and integrates them into a 3D visualisation of the air hazards. The work on this WP will form the deliverable D3000-1 which is a demonstration of the visualisation tool and is planned to be given to all partners at the January 2012 progress meeting.
WP4, 3D imaging ultraviolet (UV) Lidar system, has progressed well and is on schedule. The mechanical scanning system has been designed and built to operate at the frequency specified by WP2. The scanning mechanism uses two ultra lightweight mirrors approximately 190 mm times 250 mm and 280 mm times 350 mm, one to scan the laser in elevation at 20 Hz and the second to scan it in azimuth at 2.5 Hz. The mechanisms have been built and validated to work at the specified frequency using a dummy payload. The ultra lightweight, stiff mirrors have had to be built using highly innovative manufacturing processes developed by GREENWAKE. There is significant potential for this technology to be exploited for applications in the space and satellite market. A suitable 355 nm laser has been made available and should be ready for use in the airfield trials. An innovative, highly sensitive photon detector has been designed and built which will meet the performance requirements needed for GREENWAKE. Work is progressing well on the design and manufacture of the optical bench on which all the components will be accurately mounted. The integration of the components was planned to be commenced in January 2012.
In WP5, validation, agreement has been reached with the Charleroi airport authorities that the airfield trials can be done there. The airport is used by Ryan Air as its Brussels airport and has regular flights of medium range commercial airliners (e.g. Boeing 737). It was planned to conduct the trials in May 2012.
WP6, information and dissemination, has established close links with WakeNet3, has given presentations at its workshops and submitted an abstract for its fourth major workshop, planned to be held at Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS) Headquarters, Langen at the end of February 2012. During the period of this report, the GREENWAKE public website was redesigned to bring it up to date and include more information.
Potential impact:
The final results of the project will establish whether through the use of current state of the art technology it is feasible to detect and characterise wake vortices at short range (approximately 200 m). This will not only make air travel safer, but also allow existing airport infrastructure be more productive as this technology will allow the spacing between landing aircraft to be reduced. It will also be possible to reduce the spacing between aircraft taking off thus increasing the capacity of airports and reducing the need to build new runways or completely new facilities to cope with the ever increasing demand for air travel.
Project website: http://www.greenwake.org