Personal Statement
“I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky”. Such a wonderful song by R Kelly brought back to memories of my childhood. When I was still a little boy, my mother gave me a telecontrol plane as a present. Apparently different from other children just playing, I got great interest in every accessory of the model and the way how they were combined. (how my plane could fly higher and longer than others’) After looking up so many books, I decided to dismantle the plane and reassemble it independently. From the time when a remade plane was flying more high and long than before in the sky, I made a vow that I could make a real plane and have it fly in the sky one day. With time went by, I never forget my dream. After completing B.E. in Automation, I am working in Shenzhen Energy Group Co. Ltd. I exactly know that I want a career as a leading researcher. Therefore, I would like to scale higher intellectual heights by pursuing studies in Mechanical Engineering program at your university. Your program particularly interests me because it can give me the chance to fulfill my will.
My strong interest in research was born during the undergraduate years at Northwestern Polytechnical University. Upon entering this most prestigious university in 2000, in my usual spirit of dedication and perseverance, I once again embarked on my journey of industrious study in the Department of Automation. My exceptionally solid foundation in mathematics provided me with a stepping-stone with which I proceeded onto the exploration of other sophisticated and erudite subjects. My performance in all the specialty-related coursework not only enabled me to secure good GPA ranking in my class but also furnished me with a powerful instrument whereby to materialize my dreams in the research, especially when I took part in the Mathematical Contest in Modeling in 2003. Mathematical modeling is a complicated activity, which covers numerous of topics in different fields. With my partners of group, I established the abstract mathematical equation by negative feedback and fminsearch function of MATLAB. That algorithm was the system dynamic modeling of power system modeling. Before the competition, we looked up many materials and periodicals and tried to finish various topics of projects. With these efforts, we succeeded in the final round of the competition. The special experience makes it very helpful for my further study. Firstly, I find the connection between theory and practice. Textbooks could hardly cover everything. If we want to learn more, we should pursue every opportunity to have practices. Meanwhile, I experienced the importance and mightiness of cooperation. We divided ourselves into several parts, not only doing one’s own work well, but also cooperating with each other harmoniously. All above are very important for research work.
During my undergraduate study in my university, I felt so pleased that I was recommended to be a member of Gas Turbine Laboratory. One of the research interests has been on advanced and sophisticated condition monitoring systems and fault diagnostic systems of Gas Turbine engines. My main research task is to explore the theory of fault detection filter in detail. Considering sensor and actuator’s hard and soft failures, I have design a fault diagnostic system for FWP-13 aero-engine, which is robust to the model error. My main works were given as follows: (1) Establishing the two-variable mathematic model for FWP-13 engine, and make it discretization. (2) Improving on model algorithm, make initial value prognostication for press ration of both high-pressure compressor and low-pressure compressor. (3) Lucubrating the principle and common design scheme of fault detection filter. (4) Deducing the pre-requisite formulas, which are used to construct fault detection filter by direct eigenstructure assignment, meanwhile provide the algorithm to design the FDF. (5)Realizing disturbance de-coupled with model error by using a combination of full-order nonlinear unknown input observer and fault detection filter. Simulation results show that the initial value prognosticated method not only improves real-time and convergence ability of engine model but also expands its applying area in the full-envelope. The fault detection filter with disturbance de-coupled can easily detect and isolate sensor and actuator’s hard and soft failures, enhanced its robustness to model error.
After graduation, I began to work in the technical department of Shenzhen Energy Group Co. Ltd. I congratulated my luck to have the opportunity to take part in a project of GTCC as my first responsibility. The working-mode of the GTCC is mainly heating-recycle-boiler mode. This mode works simply and safely, and that its heat efficiency is very high.We calculated the mathematical model for the thermodynamic system of the Gas Turbine Combined Cycle (GTCC) based on the model and optimized the parameters of GTCC to find the best parameter’s makeup for GTCC. In this project, my main work is to calculate the mathematical model for the thermodynamic system of the Gas Turbine Combined Cycle (GTCC). In another project, we have designed an on-line condition monitoring and fault diagnosis system for single shaft gas turbine and realized it in PC with Visual Basic 6.0 for windows2000 as software developing system. The integration of the diagnosis system based on knowledge and the diagnosis system based on fault neural network makes the presented system more powerful to explain the conclusion of diagnosis and to accept knowledge and data from different sources.
From this precious working experience, I not only have the conviction that the world needs more advanced technology but also follow that through with the ambition and daring to undertake high quality, cutting-edge research, research that will undoubtedly make a bountiful contribution both to your school and to my country. The development of modern science and technology, especially the achievement of information technology and computer science, provides great opportunities to improve the design and construction of fault diagnostic system for gas turbine engines in order to guarantee the reliabilities of operation of engines. However, there are still a great deal of difficulties needed to solve in research and design, such as, the lack of experiences in the integration of IT and computer science with gas turbine systems, the insufficient accumulation of IT and computer science with gas turbine systems, the insufficient accumulation of operational data of gas turbines in China, the complexity of mechanism of the development of faults in gas turbine engines and its affection of thermodynamic parameters and the difficulties related with interdisciplinal knowledge for such kind of study. My burning ambition is to ensure that, with my assistance, China continues to make steady progress into the advanced world. Therefore, upon completion of my studies I plan to return to my homeland and turn this dream into a reality.
A careful investigation has informed me that your university is a leading university, featuring an educational system and research atmosphere and boasting a number of accomplished professors whose academic attainments are also better. It is my belief that I will acquire the most advanced knowledge in the field of in your department, the kind of knowledge that I exploit to promote the development of China's own expertise. I am soberly aware that no one can accomplish tremendous achievements in all fields, but as long as I orientate myself to one field for which I have accumulated considerable expertise and constructed a solid groundwork, I believe I can make great contribution and success in the future.
