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A fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control - A Parametric Sizing Model and the Design, Verification, Validation and Test with a Prototype on an Air Bearing
Active spacecraft attitude control by using a pumped fluid as the inertial mass has potential advantages over reaction wheels, including high torque, lower power consumption, reduced jitter and prolonged lifetime. Previous work addressed conceptual and mission-specific control aspects, and one fluid...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Electrical Engineering
2020
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| _version_ | 1867614052062068736 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Martens, Bas |
| author2 | Martinez, Peter |
| author_browse | Martens, Bas Martinez, Peter |
| author_facet | Martinez, Peter Martens, Bas |
| author_sort | Martens, Bas |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Active spacecraft attitude control by using a pumped fluid as the inertial mass has potential advantages over reaction wheels, including high torque, lower power consumption, reduced jitter and prolonged lifetime. Previous work addressed conceptual and mission-specific control aspects, and one fluid loop has flown on a demonstration mission. In this dissertation, a parametric sizing model is developed that can optimize a fluid loop for any mission, based on pump capabilities and customer requirements. The model can be applied to circular, square and helical fluid loops, and includes the power consumption due to viscous friction. A configurable prototype was developed to verify the model, as well as a spherical air bearing to verify the rotational aspects of the various fluid loop configurations. The model was applied to various hypothetical missions. In conclusion, the fluid loop has the fundamental potential to replace reaction wheels in a wide variety of satellites above approximately 20 kg, if mass is carefully optimized and efforts are made to develop a suitable pump. This is considered worthwhile, as the actuator comes with many potential advantages. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/31621 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:54.411Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Department of Electrical Engineering |
| publisherStr | Department of Electrical Engineering |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/31621 A fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control - A Parametric Sizing Model and the Design, Verification, Validation and Test with a Prototype on an Air Bearing Martens, Bas Martinez, Peter Space Studies Active spacecraft attitude control by using a pumped fluid as the inertial mass has potential advantages over reaction wheels, including high torque, lower power consumption, reduced jitter and prolonged lifetime. Previous work addressed conceptual and mission-specific control aspects, and one fluid loop has flown on a demonstration mission. In this dissertation, a parametric sizing model is developed that can optimize a fluid loop for any mission, based on pump capabilities and customer requirements. The model can be applied to circular, square and helical fluid loops, and includes the power consumption due to viscous friction. A configurable prototype was developed to verify the model, as well as a spherical air bearing to verify the rotational aspects of the various fluid loop configurations. The model was applied to various hypothetical missions. In conclusion, the fluid loop has the fundamental potential to replace reaction wheels in a wide variety of satellites above approximately 20 kg, if mass is carefully optimized and efforts are made to develop a suitable pump. This is considered worthwhile, as the actuator comes with many potential advantages. 2020-03-18T13:52:55Z 2020-03-18T13:52:55Z 2019 2020-03-17T13:07:56Z Master Thesis Masters MPhil https://hdl.handle.net/11427/31621 eng application/pdf Department of Electrical Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment |
| spellingShingle | Space Studies Martens, Bas A fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control - A Parametric Sizing Model and the Design, Verification, Validation and Test with a Prototype on an Air Bearing |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | A fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control - A Parametric Sizing Model and the Design, Verification,
Validation and Test with a Prototype on an Air Bearing |
| title_full | A fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control - A Parametric Sizing Model and the Design, Verification,
Validation and Test with a Prototype on an Air Bearing |
| title_fullStr | A fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control - A Parametric Sizing Model and the Design, Verification,
Validation and Test with a Prototype on an Air Bearing |
| title_full_unstemmed | A fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control - A Parametric Sizing Model and the Design, Verification,
Validation and Test with a Prototype on an Air Bearing |
| title_short | A fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control - A Parametric Sizing Model and the Design, Verification,
Validation and Test with a Prototype on an Air Bearing |
| title_sort | fluid loop actuator for active spacecraft attitude control a parametric sizing model and the design verification validation and test with a prototype on an air bearing |
| topic | Space Studies |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/11427/31621 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT martensbas afluidloopactuatorforactivespacecraftattitudecontrolaparametricsizingmodelandthedesignverificationvalidationandtestwithaprototypeonanairbearing AT martensbas fluidloopactuatorforactivespacecraftattitudecontrolaparametricsizingmodelandthedesignverificationvalidationandtestwithaprototypeonanairbearing |