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NASA Glenn Research Center
21000 Brookpark Road, MS 77-1
Cleveland, Ohio 44135
phone: 216.433.3743
fax: 216.433.8643
email: kevin.melcher@grc.nasa.gov
Current Research Interests
Integrated System Health Management - Software Methodologies for Space Propulsion & Power (Team Lead)
The constraints of future Exploration Missions will require unique Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) capabilities throughout the mission. An ambitious launch schedule, human-rating requirements, long quiescent periods, limited human access for repair or replacement, and long communication delays, all require an ISHM system that can span distinct, yet interdependent vehicle subsystems, anticipate failure states, provide autonomous remediation and support the Exploration Mission from beginning to end. NASA Glenn Research Center has developed and applied health management system technologies to aerospace propulsion systems for almost two decades.
Control and Dynamic Modeling Technologies for Aerospace Applications
Fast-acting Turbine Turbine Tip Clearance Control -- I am working with an interdisciplinary team to develop technology that will make CFD (computational fluid dynamics) a viable modeling alternative for the controls discipline.
Compressible Flow Toolbox -- The Compressible Flow Toolbox is a set of algorithms that solve classical compressible fluid flow equations. The novel approach solves the following linear and nonlinear equations to obtain relationships between relevant flow parameters.
- Isentropic Flow Equations
- Fanno Flow Equations
- Rayleigh Flow Equations
- Normal Shock Equations
- Oblique Shock Equations
- Prandtl-Meyer Expansion Equations
Implemented in the popular MATLAB® programming language, the compressible flow toolbox is available from the NASA Software Repository.
Other Experience/Research Interests
Publications
Journal Articles:
Melcher, K.J; and Ibrahim, M.B.: “Analysis of a Device for Generating Perturbations in Supersonic Wind Tunnels,” AIAA Journal of Propulsion and Power 2001 0748-4658 vol. 17 no. 2 (270-275).
Masters Thesis:
Melcher, K.J.: “A Method for Perturbing the Flow Field in Supersonic Wind Tunnels for Dynamic Analysis of High Speed Inlets,” Masters Thesis, Cleveland State University, June 1996.
Conference Papers:
Melcher, Kevin J. ; Sowers, T. Shane ; and Maul, William A.: “Meeting the Challenges of Exploration Systems: Health Management Technologies for Aerospace Systems with Emphasis on Propulsion,” NASA TM-2005-214026, Presented at the First International Forum on Integrated System Health Engineering and Management in Aerospace, November 7-10, 2005.
DeCastro, J.A.; and Melcher, K.J.: “System-Level Design of a Shape Memory Alloy Actuator for Active Clearance Control in the High-Pressure Turbine,” NASA TM 2005 213834, also AIAA-2005-3988, Presented at the 41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, July 10-13, 2005.
Steinetz Bruce M.; Lattime, Scott B.; Taylor, Shawn; DeCastro, Jonathan A.; Oswald, Jay; Melcher, Kevin J.: “Evaluation of an Active Clearance Control System Concept,” NASA TM-2005-213856, also AIAA 2005-3989, Presented at the 41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, July 10-13, 2005.
DeCastro, J.A.; and Melcher, K.J.: “A Study on the Requirements for Fast Active Turbine Tip Clearance Control Systems,” NASA TM-2004-213121, also AIAA-2004-4176, Presented at the 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, July 11-14, 2004.
Melcher, K.J.; and Kypuros, J.A.: “Toward a Fast-Response Active Turbine Tip Clearance Control,” NASA TM-2003-212627-REV1, also ISABE2003-1102, Presented at the XVI International Symposium on Air Breathing Engines, Cleveland, OH, August 31-September 5, 2003.
Giannola, P.; Hass, M.; Cole, G.; Melcher, K.: “Modeling the Dynamics of Supersonic Inlet/Gas-Turbine Engine Systems for Large-Amplitude High-Frequency Disturbances,” AIAA-2000-3594, Presented at the 36th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, July 16-19, 2000.
Ibrahim, M.B.; Chichernea, A.; and Melcher, K.J.: “Analytical Investigation of a New Gust Generator for a Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” Presented at the 35th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, June 20-24, 1999.
Melcher, K.J.; and Ibrahim, M.B.: “An Experimental Device for Generating High Frequency Freestream Perturbations in Supersonic Wind Tunnels,” Proceedings of the International Congress on Fluid Dynamics & Propulsion, Cairo, Egypt, December 1996 vol. III (806-817).
Chicatelli, A.C.; Hartley, T.T.; Cole, G.L.; and Melcher, K.J.: “Interdisciplinary Modeling Using Computational Fluid Dynamics and Control Theory,” Proceedings of the American Control Conference, Baltimore, MA, June 1994, pp. 3438-3442.
NASA Reports:
Melcher, Kevin J.: “User Guide for Compressible Flow Toolbox Version 2.1 for Use With MATLAB® Version 7,” TM-2006-214086, January 2006.
Chicatelli, A.K.; and Melcher, K.J.: “Two-Dimensional Bifurcated Variable-Ramp Inlet: Linear Models for Control Design,” NASA TM–2004-213358, December 2004.
Stueber, T.J.; and Melcher, K.J.: “J85-13 Turbojet Engine Model for Propulsion System Control Studies,” NASA TP-2004-212223, May 2004.
Parker, K.I.; and Melcher, K.J.: “The Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation (MAPSS) Users' Guide,” NASA TM-2004-212968, March 2004.
Kypuros, J.A; and Melcher, K.J.: “A Reduced Model for Prediction of Thermal and Rotational Effects on Turbine Tip Clearance,” NASA TM-2003-212226, March 2003.
Cole, G.L.; Melcher, K.J.; Chicatelli, A.K.; Hartley, T.T.; and Chung, J.K.: “Computational Methods for HSCT-Inlet Controls/CFD Interdisciplinary Research,” NASA TM 106618, May 1994.
Bright, M.M.; Melcher, K.J.; Qammar, H.K.; and Hartley, T.T.: “Desktop Chaotic Systems: Intuition and Visualization,” NASA TM 106258, July 1993.
Hartley, T.T.; Melcher, K.J.; and Bruton, W.M.: “Near Real-Time Large Perturbation Simulation of Internal Fluid Flows,” NASP TM 1062, June 1989.
Melcher, K.J.: “Small Perturbation Dynamic Inlet Model for Real-Time Simulation,” NASP TM 1037, November 1988.
Melcher, K.J.; Delaat, J.C.; Merrill, W.C.; Oberle, L.G.; Sadler, G.G.; and Shaefer, J.H.: “A Sensor Failure Simulator for Control System Reliability Studies,” NASA TM 87271, July 1986.
Sadler, G.G.; and Melcher, K.J.: “DEAN: A Program for Dynamic Engine Analysis,” NASA TM 87033, July 1985.
NASA Tech Briefs
"Sensor Failure Simulator,"
Kevin J. Melcher, John C. Delaat, Walter C. Merrill, Lawrence G.
Oberle, Gerald G. Sadler, and Joseph H. Schaefer, NASA Tech Briefs,
March 1988, Volume 12, Number 3, pg 33.
Miscellaneous Papers and Journal Articles
"A Method for Perturbing the Flow Field in Supersonic Wind Tunnels for
Dynamic Analysis of High Speed Inlets," Kevin J. Melcher, Masters Thesis,
Cleveland State University, June 1996.
"Interdiciplinary Modeling Using Computational Fluid Dynamics and
Control Theory,"
Amy K. Chicatelli, Tom T. Hartley, Gary L. Cole, Kevin J. Melcher,
Proceedings of the 1994 American Control Conference, Baltimore,
Maryland, June 29-July 1, 1994.
"Simulation of Time Dependent PDE's on the AD100 Computer,"
Tom T. Hartley and Kevin J. Melcher, Proceedings of the
Central/Northeastern ADIUS, October 20, 1987.
National Aerospace Plane (NASP) Papers
"Near Real-Time Large Perturbation Simulation of Internal Fluid Flows,"
Tom T. Hartley, Kevin J. Melcher and William M. Bruton, NASP TM-
1062, June 1989.
"Small Perturbation Dynamic Inlet Model for Real Time Simulation,"
Kevin J. Melcher, NASP TM-1037, November 1988.
Biography
Education
Work Experience
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