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Hughes, Scott

Publications and source records attributed to Hughes, Scott.

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Design and Testing of a Scaled Demonstrator Turbine at the National Wind Technology Center: Preprint

This paper discusses the design, manufacturing, and planned testing of a scaled demonstrator turbine as part of the Segmented Ultralight Morphing Rotor (SUMR) project funded by the Advanced Project Research Agency - Energy (ARPA-E). The scaled demonstrator (SUMR-D) is based off of a downwind, 13.2 MW SUMR design. This scaled rotor will be tested on the CART2 turbine at the National Wind Technology Center to verify the scaling methodology and planned control scheme. The design was done in an iterative fashion among six teams focused on aerodynamics, structures, and controls. This process included extensive load analysis, modification for manufacturability, adaptations required for testing on the CART2, and ground proof loading. The details of this process are presented here, concluding with planned testing and expectations of performance.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2017

Extravehicular Activity Operations Concepts Under Communication Latency and Bandwidth Constraints

The Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains (BASALT) project is a multi-year program dedicated to iteratively develop, implement, and evaluate concepts of operations (ConOps) and supporting capabilities intended to enable and enhance human scientific exploration of Mars. This pa-per describes the planning, execution, and initial results from the first field deployment, referred to as BASALT-1, which consisted of a series of 10 simulated extravehicular activities (EVAs) on volcanic flows in Idaho's Craters of the Moon (COTM) National Monument. The ConOps and capabilities deployed and tested during BASALT-1 were based on previous NASA trade studies and analog testing. Our primary research question was whether those ConOps and capabilities work acceptably when performing real (non-simulated) biological and geological scientific exploration under 4 different Mars-to-Earth communication conditions: 5 and 15 min one-way light time (OWLT) communication latencies and low (0.512 Mb/s uplink, 1.54 Mb/s downlink) and high (5.0 Mb/s uplink, 10.0 Mb/s downlink) bandwidth conditions representing the lower and higher limits of technical communication capabilities currently proposed for future human exploration missions. The synthesized results of BASALT-1 with respect to the ConOps and capabilities assessment were derived from a variety of sources, including EVA task timing data, network analytic data, and subjective ratings and comments regarding the scientific and operational acceptability of the ConOp and the extent to which specific capabilities were enabling and enhancing, and are presented here. BASALT-1 established preliminary findings that baseline ConOp, software systems, and communication protocols were scientifically and operationally acceptable with minor improvements desired by the "Mars" extravehicular (EV) and intravehicular (IV) crewmembers, but unacceptable with improvements required by the "Earth" Mission Support Center. These data will provide a basis for guiding and prioritizing capability development for future BASALT deployments and, ultimately, future human exploration missions.

Beaton, Kara H.↗
DOE OSTI2016

Static Proof Load Testing of the Sandia SWiFT 13m Blades

Pre-flown Vestas V-27 wind turbine blades will be used at the new Sandia SWiFT test facility near Lubbock,Texas. Proof load testing the blades in the flapwise direction was needed to verify the blades are still fit for service after 20 years offield operation. Testing was conducted in Building 252(A60)at the NWTC near Boulder,Colorado, between Oct 28(arrival of blades)to Dec 4,2015(completion of testing), under NREL subtasks WE141A50 and WE161A50. Single-point, quasi-static loads were applied to the blade at three independent load stations of 5.92 m, 8.69 m, and 11.62 m, using the facility gantry crane to apply the test load in the positive flapwise direction (low pressure surface in compression). Following the flapwise load cases, a single point load was applied at the 8.69 m station in the negative edgewise direction (leading edge in compression). No damage was observed due to the introduction of the proof loads. Several small pops were heard during testing on each blade, primarily during loading at the 8.69 m station. Compliance (deflection per load) varied less than 7% between all blades for all load cases. Table 3-1 summarizes the applied loads, deflections, and compliance for each blade for the flapwise test cases. Applied test loads are the raw load cell reading minus the total tare load (combined tare load of saddle and tare load for blade self weight). Deflection here is average deflection from both LE and TE string pot data.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Wind turbine blade testing system using base excitation

An apparatus (500) for fatigue testing elongate test articles (404) including wind turbine blades through forced or resonant excitation of the base (406) of the test articles (404). The apparatus (500) includes a testing platform or foundation (402). A blade support (410) is provided for retaining or supporting a base (406) of an elongate test article (404), and the blade support (410) is pivotally mounted on the testing platform (402) with at least two degrees of freedom of motion relative to the testing platform (402). An excitation input assembly (540) is interconnected with the blade support (410) and includes first and second actuators (444, 446, 541) that act to concurrently apply forces or loads to the blade support (410). The actuator forces are cyclically applied in first and second transverse directions. The test article (404) responds to shaking of its base (406) by oscillating in two, transverse directions (505, 507).

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2014

Dual-axis resonance testing of wind turbine blades

An apparatus (100) for fatigue testing test articles (104) including wind turbine blades. The apparatus (100) includes a test stand (110) that rigidly supports an end (106) of the test article (104). An actuator assembly (120) is attached to the test article (104) and is adapted for substantially concurrently imparting first and second forcing functions in first and second directions on the test article (104), with the first and second directions being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis. A controller (130) transmits first and second sets of displacement signals (160, 164) to the actuator assembly (120) at two resonant frequencies of the test system (104). The displacement signals (160, 164) initiate the actuator assembly (120) to impart the forcing loads to concurrently oscillate the test article (104) in the first and second directions. With turbine blades, the blades (104) are resonant tested concurrently for fatigue in the flapwise and edgewise directions.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2013

Base excitation testing system using spring elements to pivotally mount wind turbine blades

A system (1100) for fatigue testing wind turbine blades (1102) through forced or resonant excitation of the base (1104) of a blade (1102). The system (1100) includes a test stand (1112) and a restoring spring assembly (1120) mounted on the test stand (1112). The restoring spring assembly (1120) includes a primary spring element (1124) that extends outward from the test stand (1112) to a blade mounting plate (1130) configured to receive a base (1104) of blade (1102). During fatigue testing, a supported base (1104) of a blad (1102) may be pivotally mounted to the test stand (1112) via the restoring spring assembly (1120). The system (1100) may include an excitation input assembly (1140) that is interconnected with the blade mouting plate (1130) to selectively apply flapwise, edgewise, and/or pitch excitation forces. The restoring spring assemply (1120) may include at least one tuning spring member (1127) positioned adjacent to the primary spring element (1124) used to tune the spring constant or stiffness of the primary spring element (1124) in one of the excitation directions.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2013

Terrestrial Analog Field Investigations to Enable Science and Exploration Studies of Impacts and Volcanism on the Moon, NEAs, and Moons of Mars

Terrestrial analog studies are a critical component for furthering our understanding of geologic processes on the Moon, near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), and the moons of Mars. Carefully chosen analog sites provide a unique natural laboratory with high relevance to the associated science on these solar system target bodies. Volcanism and impact cratering are fundamental processes on the Moon, NEAs, and Phobos and Deimos. The terrestrial volcanic and impact records remain invaluable for our understanding of these processes throughout our solar system, since these are our primary source of firsthand knowledge on volcanic landform formation and modification as well as the three-dimensional structural and lithological character of impact craters. Regarding impact cratering, terrestrial fieldwork can help us to understand the origin and emplacement of impactites, the history of impact bombardment in the inner Solar System, the formation of complex impact craters, and the effects of shock on planetary materials. Volcanism is another dominant geologic process that has significantly shaped the surface of planetary bodies and many asteroids. Through terrestrial field investigations we can study the processes, geomorphic features and rock types related to fissure eruptions, volcanic constructs, lava tubes, flows and pyroclastic deposits. Also, terrestrial analog studies have the advantage of enabling simultaneous robotic and/or human exploration testing in a low cost, low risk, high fidelity environment to test technologies and concepts of operations for future missions to the target bodies. Of particular interest is the importance and role of robotic precursor missions prior to human operations for which there is little to no actual mission experience to draw upon. Also critical to understanding new worlds is sample return, and analog studies enable us to develop the appropriate procedures for collecting samples in a manner that will best achieve the science objectives.

complex impact craters↗
DOE OSTI2013

Blade Testing Equipment Development and Commercialization: Cooperative Research and Development (Final Report)

Blade testing is required to meet wind turbine design standards, reduce machine cost, and reduce the technical and financial risk of deploying mass-produced wind turbine models. NREL's National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) in Colorado is the only blade test facility in the U.S. capable of performing full-scale static and fatigue testing of multi-megawatt-scale wind turbine blades. Rapid growth in wind turbine size over the past two decades has outstripped the size capacity of the NWTC blade test facility leaving the U.S. wind industry without a suitable means of testing blades for large land-based and offshore turbines. This CRADA will develop and commercialize testing technologies and test equipment, including scaling up, value engineering, and testing of equipment to be used at blade testing facilities in the U.S. and around the world.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Effect of Manufacturing-Induced Defects on Reliability of Composite Wind Turbine Blades

In support of DOE's efforts on developing affordable, reliable domestic wind power, this ARRA project brought together a strong, complementary team from academia (University of Massachusetts Lowell), two DOE laboratories (NREL and Sandia), and a major wind turbine blade manufacturer (TPI) to address one of the key issues affecting wind power cost and reliability manufacturing-induced defects in the blades. The complexity of this problem required the assembled team's expertise in materials specifically textile and composite structures finite element modeling, composites manufacturing, mechanical characterization, structural dynamics, nondestructive inspection (NDI) and structural health monitoring (SHM), sensors, and wind turbine blade testing. This final report summarizes the results of this project.

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