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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10

Titan probe technology assessment and technology development plan study

The need for technology advances to accomplish the Titan probe mission was determined by defining mission conditions and requirements and evaluating the technology impact on the baseline probe configuration. Mission characteristics found to be technology drivers include (1) ten years dormant life in space vacuum; (2) unknown surface conditions, various sample materials, and a surface temperature; and (3) mission constraints of the Saturn Orbiter Dual Probe mission regarding weight allocation. The following areas were identified for further development: surface sample acquisition system; battery powered system; nonmetallic materials; magnetic bubble memory devices, and the landing system. Preentry science, reliability, and weight reduction and redundancy must also be considered.

Castro, A. J.↗

Acoustic/Magnetic Stress Sensor

High-resolution sensor fast, portable, does not require permanent bonding to structure. Sensor measures nondestructively type (compressive or tensile) and magnitude of stresses and stress gradients present in class of materials. Includes precise high-resolution acoustic interferometer, sending acoustic transducer, receiving acoustic transducer, electromagnet coil and core, power supply, and magnetic-field-measuring device such as Hall probe. This measurement especially important for construction and applications where steel is widely used. Sensor useful especially for nondestructive evaluation of stress in steel members because of portability, rapid testing, and nonpermanent installation.

Heyman, J. S.↗

A tandem mirror plasma source for a hybrid plume plasma propulsion concept

This paper describes a tandem mirror magnetic plasma confinement device to be considered as a hot plasma source for the hybrid plume rocket concept. The hot plasma from this device is injected into an exhaust duct, which will interact with an annular layer of hypersonic neutral gas. Such a device can be used to study the dynamics of the hybrid plume and to experimentally verify the numerical predictions obtained with computer codes. The basic system design is also geared toward being lightweight and compact, as well as having high power density (i.e., several kW/sq cm) at the exhaust. This feature is aimed toward the feasibility of 'space testing'. The plasma is heated by microwaves. A 50 percent heating efficiency can be obtained by using two half-circle antennas. The preliminary Monte Carlo modeling of test particles result reported here indicates that interaction does take place in the exhaust duct. Neutrals gain energy from the ion, which confirms the hybrid plume concept.

Yang, T. F.↗

Fast, Capacious Disk Memory Device

Device for recording digital data on, and playing back data from, memory disks has high recording or playback rate and utilizes available recording area more fully. Two disks, each with own reading/writing head, used to record data at same time. Head on disk A operates on one of tracks numbered from outside in; head on disk B operates on track of same number in sequence from inside out. Underlying concept of device applicable to magnetic or optical disks.

Muller, Ronald M.↗

Advanced computing

Advanced concepts in hardware, software and algorithms are being pursued for application in next generation space computers and for ground based analysis of space data. The research program focuses on massively parallel computation and neural networks, as well as optical processing and optical networking which are discussed under photonics. Also included are theoretical programs in neural and nonlinear science, and device development for magnetic and ferroelectric memories.

Source record↗

Verification of a Multiphysics Toolkit against the Magnetized Target Fusion Concept

In the spring of 2004 the Advanced Concepts team at MSFC embarked on an ambitious project to develop a suite of modeling routines that would interact with one another. The tools would each numerically model a portion of any advanced propulsion system. The tools were divided by physics categories, hence the name multiphysics toolset. Currently most of the anticipated modeling tools have been created and integrated. Results are given in this paper for both a quarter nozzle with chemically reacting flow and the interaction of two plasma jets representative of a Magnetized Target Fusion device. The results have not been calibrated against real data as of yet, but this paper demonstrates the current capability of the multiphysics tool and planned future enhancements

Thomas, Scott↗

High-Temperature Hybrid Rotor Support System Developed

The Army Research Laboratory Vehicle Technology Directorate and the NASA Glenn Research Center demonstrated a unique high-speed, high-temperature rotor support system in September 2003. Advanced turbomachinery is on its way to surpassing the capabilities of rolling-element bearings and conventional dampers. To meet these demands, gas turbine engines of the future will demand increased efficiency and thrust-to-weight ratio, and reduced specific fuel consumption and noise. The more-electric engine replaces oil-lubricated bearings, dampers, gears, and seals with electrical devices. One such device is the magnetic bearing. The Vehicle Technology Directorate and Glenn have demonstrated the operation of a radial magnetic bearing in combination with a hydrostatic bearing at 1000 F at 31,000 rpm (2.3 MDN1). This unique combination takes advantage of a high-temperature rub surface in the event of electrical power loss or sudden overloads. The hydrostatic bearings allow load sharing with the magnetic bearing. The magnetic-hydrostatic bearing combination eliminates wear and high contact stress from sudden acceleration of the rolling-element bearings and overheating. The magnetic bearing enables high damping, adaptive vibration control, and precise rotor positioning, diagnostics, and health monitoring. A model of the test facility used at Glenn for this technology demonstration is shown. A high-temperature heteropolar radial magnetic bearing is located at the center of gravity of the test rotor. There is a 0.022-in. radial air gap between the rotor and stator. Two rub surface hydrostatic bearings were placed on either side of the magnetic bearing. The rotor is supported by a 0.002-in. hydrostatic air film and the magnetic field. The prototype active magnetic bearing cost $24,000 to design and fabricate and a set of four high temperature, rub-surface, hydrostatic bearings cost $28,000. This work was funded by the Turbine-Based Combined Cycle program.

Montague, Gerald T.↗

Optimized Geometry for Superconducting Sensing Coils

An optimized geometry has been proposed for superconducting sensing coils that are used in conjunction with superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and related applications in which magnetic fields of small dipoles are detected. In designing a coil of this type, as in designing other sensing coils, one seeks to maximize the sensitivity of the detector of which the coil is a part, subject to geometric constraints arising from the proximity of other required equipment. In MRI or MEG, the main benefit of maximizing the sensitivity would be to enable minimization of measurement time. In general, to maximize the sensitivity of a detector based on a sensing coil coupled with a SQUID sensor, it is necessary to maximize the magnetic flux enclosed by the sensing coil while minimizing the self-inductance of this coil. Simply making the coil larger may increase its self-inductance and does not necessarily increase sensitivity because it also effectively increases the distance from the sample that contains the source of the signal that one seeks to detect. Additional constraints on the size and shape of the coil and on the distance from the sample arise from the fact that the sample is at room temperature but the coil and the SQUID sensor must be enclosed within a cryogenic shield to maintain superconductivity.

Eom, Byeong Ho↗

High-Fidelity Piezoelectric Audio Device

ModalMax is a very innovative means of harnessing the vibration of a piezoelectric actuator to produce an energy efficient low-profile device with high-bandwidth high-fidelity audio response. The piezoelectric audio device outperforms many commercially available speakers made using speaker cones. The piezoelectric device weighs substantially less (4 g) than the speaker cones which use magnets (10 g). ModalMax devices have extreme fabrication simplicity. The entire audio device is fabricated by lamination. The simplicity of the design lends itself to lower cost. The piezoelectric audio device can be used without its acoustic chambers and thereby resulting in a very low thickness of 0.023 in. (0.58 mm). The piezoelectric audio device can be completely encapsulated, which makes it very attractive for use in wet environments. Encapsulation does not significantly alter the audio response. Its small size (see Figure 1) is applicable to many consumer electronic products, such as pagers, portable radios, headphones, laptop computers, computer monitors, toys, and electronic games. The audio device can also be used in automobile or aircraft sound systems.

Woodward, Stanley E.↗

First-Principles Theory of the Rate of Magnetic Reconnection in Magnetospheric and Solar Plasmas

The rate of magnetic reconnection is of the utmost importance in a variety of processes because it controls, for example, the rate energy is released in solar flares, the speed of the Dungey convection cycle in Earth’s magnetosphere, and the energy release rate in harmful geomagnetic substorms. It is known from numerical simulations and satellite observations that the rate is approximately 0.1 in normalized units, but despite years of effort, a full theoretical prediction has not been obtained. Here, we present a first-principles theory for the reconnection rate in non-relativistic electron-ion collisionless plasmas, and show that the same prediction explains why Sweet-Parker reconnection is considerably slower. The key consideration of this analysis is the pressure at the reconnection site (i.e., the x-line). We show that the Hall electromagnetic fields in antiparallel reconnection cause an energy void, equivalently a pressure depletion, at the x-line, so the reconnection exhaust opens out, enabling the fast rate of 0.1. If the energy can reach the x-line to replenish the pressure, the exhaust does not open out. In addition to heliospheric applications, these results are expected to impact reconnection studies in planetary magnetospheres, magnetically confined fusion devices, and astrophysical plasmas.

Yi-Hsin Liu↗

Lightweight High Efficiency Electric Motors for Space Applications

Lightweight high efficiency electric motors are needed across a wide range of space applications from - thrust vector actuator control for launch and flight applications to - general vehicle, base camp habitat and experiment control for various mechanisms to - robotics for various stationary and mobile space exploration missions. QM Power?s Parallel Path Magnetic Technology Motors have slowly proven themselves to be a leading motor technology in this area; winning a NASA Phase II for "Lightweight High Efficiency Electric Motors and Actuators for Low Temperature Mobility and Robotics Applications" a US Army Phase II SBIR for "Improved Robot Actuator Motors for Medical Applications", an NSF Phase II SBIR for "Novel Low-Cost Electric Motors for Variable Speed Applications" and a DOE SBIR Phase I for "High Efficiency Commercial Refrigeration Motors" Parallel Path Magnetic Technology obtains the benefits of using permanent magnets while minimizing the historical trade-offs/limitations found in conventional permanent magnet designs. The resulting devices are smaller, lower weight, lower cost and have higher efficiency than competitive permanent magnet and non-permanent magnet designs. QM Power?s motors have been extensively tested and successfully validated by multiple commercial and aerospace customers and partners as Boeing Research and Technology. Prototypes have been made between 0.1 and 10 HP. They are also in the process of scaling motors to over 100kW with their development partners. In this paper, Parallel Path Magnetic Technology Motors will be discussed; specifically addressing their higher efficiency, higher power density, lighter weight, smaller physical size, higher low end torque, wider power zone, cooler temperatures, and greater reliability with lower cost and significant environment benefit for the same peak output power compared to typically motors. A further discussion on the inherent redundancy of these motors for space applications will be provided.

Robertson, Glen A.↗

Ferrite logic reliability study

Development and use of digital circuits called all-magnetic logic are reported. In these circuits the magnetic elements and their windings comprise the active circuit devices in the logic portion of a system. The ferrite logic device belongs to the all-magnetic class of logic circuits. The FLO device is novel in that it makes use of a dual or bimaterial ferrite composition in one physical ceramic body. This bimaterial feature, coupled with its potential for relatively high speed operation, makes it attractive for high reliability applications. (Maximum speed of operation approximately 50 kHz.)

Baer, J. A.↗

Electro-optically-indexed microwave switch

Mechanical parts used in conventional switches to index stepper motor that drives switch elements are replaced by optoelectronic indexing device that controls magnetic-detent motor. Unit eliminates major source of wear and maintains detent accuracy longer. Design of device achieves reduction of insertion loss, crosstalk, and wave guide reflections when receiving and transmitting.

Neff, D. E.↗

Multilayer thin film Hall effect device

A Hall effect device and a method of obtaining a magnetic field map of a magnetic body with the Hall effect device are presented. The device comprises: (1) a substrate, (2) a first layer having a first Hall coefficient deposited over the substrate, and (3) a second layer having a second Hall coefficient deposited over the first layer, the first and second layers cooperating to create, in the Hall effect device, a third Hall coefficient different from the first and second Hall coefficients. Creation of the third Hall coefficient by cooperation of the first and second layers allows use of materials for the first and second layers that were previously unavailable for Hall effect devices due to their relatively weak Hall coefficient.

Peters, Palmer N.↗

Low-Temperature Electronic Components Being Developed

In many future NASA missions, such as deep space planetary exploration and the Next Generation Space Telescope, electrical components and systems must operate reliably and efficiently in extremely low temperature environments. Most modern electronic components cannot operate below moderately low operating temperatures (-40 to -55 C). The low-temperature electronics program at the NASA Lewis Research Center is focusing on the development and characterization of low-temperature components and the integration of the developed devices into demonstrable very low-temperature (-200 C) power systems such as dc-dc converters. Such low-temperature electronics will not only tolerate hostile environments but also will reduce system size and weight by eliminating radioisotope heating units, thereby reducing launch cost, improving reliability and lifetime, and increasing energy densities. Low-temperature electronic components will also have a great influence on terrestrial applications such as medical instrumentation, magnetic levitation transportation systems, and arctic and antarctic exploration. Lewis researchers are now performing extensive evaluations of commercially available as well as custom-made devices. These include various types of energy storage and signal capacitors, power switching devices, magnetic and superconducting materials, and primary lithium batteries, to name a few.

Patterson, Richard L.↗

Structure of correlation tensors in homogeneous anisotropic turbulence

The theory of isotropic tensors, developed by Robertson (1940), Batchelor (1946), and Chandrasekhar (1951), is extended to cover the general case of turbulence with a pseudo-vector-preferred direction, without assuming mirror-reflection invariance. Attention is focused on two-point-correlation functions, and it is shown that the form of the decomposition into proper and pseudo-tensor contributions is restricted by the homogeneity requirement. The somewhat unexpected result that the vector- and pseudo-vector-preferred-direction cases yield different results is presented: A pseudo-vector-preferred direction allows the correlation matrix one more functional degree of freedom than does the proper vector case. An explicit form of the two-point-correlation tensor in the presence of a uniform mean magnetic field is presented which may be appropriate for use in analysis of magnetic fluctuations in plasma containment devices or the interplanetary medium. A procedure for determining the magnetic helicity from experimental data is presented.

Matthaeus, W. H.↗