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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 199 records · Page 11
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NASA NTRS1974

A spark gap switching system for gasdynamic facilities

A spark gap switching system has been developed to coordinate the discharge of a 300 kJ capacitor bank with the high speed flow of helium in a shock tube driver. The trigger system includes a flow transducer, a pulse forming circuit, a high voltage spark generator, and four heavy duty spark gaps that can carry total peak currents greater than 1.5 million A. A glow gauge flow transducer sensitive to small gas density changes was used whose input power and signal output can withstand high voltage fluctuations. This switching system is of use with gasdynamic discharge devices requiring a minimum number of switches.

Leibowitz, L. P.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra Spacecraft 120 Volt Power Subsystem: Requirements, Development and Implementation

Built by the Lockheed-Martin Corporation, the Earth Observing System (EOS) TERRA spacecraft represents the first orbiting application of a 120 Vdc high voltage spacecraft electrical power system implemented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The EOS TERRA spacecraft's launch provided a major contribution to the NASA Mission to Planet Earth program while incorporating many state of the art electrical power system technologies to achieve its mission goals. The EOS TERRA spacecraft was designed around five state-of-the-art scientific instrument packages designed to monitor key parameters associated with the earth's climate. The development focus of the TERRA electrical power system (EPS) resulted from a need for high power distribution to the EOS TERRA spacecraft subsystems and instruments and minimizing mass and parasitic losses. Also important as a design goal of the EPS was maintaining tight regulation on voltage and achieving low conducted bus noise characteristics. This paper outlines the major requirements for the EPS as well as the resulting hardware implementation approach adopted to meet the demands of the EOS TERRA low earth orbit mission. The selected orbit, based on scientific needs, to achieve the EOS TERRA mission goals is a sun-synchronous circular 98.2degree inclination Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with a near circular average altitude of 705 kilometers. The nominal spacecraft orbit is approximately 99 minutes with an average eclipse period of about 34 minutes. The scientific goal of the selected orbit is to maintain a repeated 10:30 a.m. +/- 15 minute descending equatorial crossing which provides a fairly clear view of the earth's surface and relatively low cloud interference for the instrument observation measurements. The major EOS TERRA EPS design requirements are single fault tolerant, average orbit power delivery of 2, 530 watts with a defined minimum lifetime of five years (EOL). To meet these mission requirements, while minimizing mass and parasitic power losses, the EOS TERRA project relies on 36, 096 high efficiency Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) on Germanium solar cells adhered to a deployable flexible solar array designed to provide over 5,000 watts of power at EOL. To meet the eclipse power demands of the spacecraft, EOS TERRA selected an application of two 54-cell series connected Individual Pressure Vessel (IPV) Nickel-Hydrogen (NiH2) 50 Ampere-Hour batteries. All of the spacecraft observatory electrical power is controlled via the TERRA Power Distribution Unit (PDU) which is designed to provide main bus regulation of 120 Vdc +/- -4% at all load interfaces through the implementation of majority voter control of both the spacecraft's solar array sequential shunt unit (SSU) and the two battery bi-directional charge and discharge regulators. This paper will review the major electrical power system requirement drivers for the EOS TERRA mission as well as some of the challenges encountered during the development, testing, and implementation of the power system. In addition, spacecraft test and early on orbit performance results will also be covered.

Keys, Denney J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA AREAL Testbed and UE Power Quality Testing

A large number of electrified aircraft propulsion systems currently in development consist of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power systems and utilization equipment (UE). There is a need for industry consensus standards and guidelines in order to support the development and verification of these rapidly maturing systems, user equipment, and associated technologies. To support the aforementioned need, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) Project is performing ongoing power quality testing on HVDC power systems and associated UE. The testing described in this paper describes the UE testing completed to date in the NASA Advanced Reconfigurable Electrified Aircraft Lab (AREAL).

electrified aircraft↗
NASA NTRS2007

The New NASA-STD-4005 and NASA-HDBK-4006, Essentials for Direct-Drive Solar Electric Propulsion

High voltage solar arrays are necessary for direct-drive solar electric propulsion, which has many advantages, including simplicity and high efficiency. Even when direct-drive is not used, the use of high voltage solar arrays leads to power transmission and conversion efficiencies in electric propulsion Power Management and Distribution. Nevertheless, high voltage solar arrays may lead to temporary power disruptions, through the so-called primary electrostatic discharges, and may permanently damage arrays, through the so-called permanent sustained discharges between array strings. Design guidance is needed to prevent these solar array discharges, and to prevent high power drains through coupling between the electric propulsion devices and the high voltage solar arrays. While most electric propulsion systems may operate outside of Low Earth Orbit, the plasmas produced by their thrusters may interact with the high voltage solar arrays in many ways similarly to Low Earth Orbit plasmas. A brief description of previous experiences with high voltage electric propulsion systems will be given in this paper. There are two new official NASA documents available free through the NASA Standards website to help in designing and testing high voltage solar arrays for electric propulsion. They are NASA-STD-4005, the Low Earth Orbit Spacecraft Charging Design Standard, and NASA-HDBK-4006, the Low Earth Orbit Spacecraft Charging Design Handbook. Taken together, they can both educate the high voltage array designer in the engineering and science of spacecraft charging in the presence of dense plasmas and provide techniques for designing and testing high voltage solar arrays to prevent electrical discharges and power drains.

Ferguson, Dale C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigation into High Power Converter Topologies

The NESC commissioned NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to perform a study of high-power DC-DC converter topologies Why perform the study? • Several past contractor-led converter development programs have been plagued with development delays and cost overruns due to: • Poor initial design decisions • Complex requirements driving designs • Better inform government engineers about strengths and weaknesses of various topologies, learn about new topologies/design strategies. • Allow NASA to be better prepared for upcoming high power/high voltage power conversion systems work, such as Lunar and Martian surface missions, high power electric propulsion, as well as terrestrial systems, such as electrified aircraft. • Contractors often do not have the option to restart poor decisions – allows NASA to be better informed at the start of programs.

Power Converter↗
NASA NTRS1973

Applications of cryogenics in electron microscopy

Description of research and development efforts which resulted in a high-voltage cryoelectron microscope system capable of consistent operation at 1.8 to 4.2 K. Attention is given to the design and operation of superconducting objective lenses providing enhanced resolution during longer exposure times at lower beam intensities (thus reducing radiation damage of specimens). A specific system described combines a closed-cycle superfluid helium refrigerator integrated with a modified 200 kV electron microscope. Consistent resolutions of 8 to 16 A are attained with significantly reduced radiation damage, contamination, and thermal noise in prolonged vibration-free examination of specimens at temperatures from 1.8 to 4.2 K. Applications in specific disciplines are discussed, including membrane ultrastructure, cryobiology, microelectronics, and general superconductivity research.

Fernandez-Moran, H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Further analysis of the results from a series of tethered rocket experiments

The data obtained in the most recent Japan-US tether rocket experiment CHARGE 2 have been further analyzed. The interaction of the moving tether system across the geomagnetic field with the ionospheric plasma can be explained by a simple model of the current through a plasma. The response of the tether system when a high voltage is applied is studied and 500 volts could be applied without any appreciable discharge. The detected signal of the wave excited by an application of high voltage between the mother and daughter rocket and by a pulse modulated electron beam is also studied.

Kawashima, N.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Plasma chamber testing of APSA coupons for the SAMPIE flight experiment

Among the solar cell technologies to be tested in space as part of the Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE) will be the Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array (APSA). Several prototype twelve cell coupons were built for NASA using different blanket materials and mounting techniques. The first conforms to the baseline design for APSA which calls for the cells to be mounted on a carbon loaded Kapton blanket to control charging in GEO. When deployed, this design has a flexible blanket supported around the edges. A second coupon was built with the cells mounted on Kapton-H, which was in turn cemented to a solid aluminum substrate. A final coupon was identical to the latter but used germanium coated Kapton to control atomic oxygen attack in LEO. Ground testing of these coupons in a plasma chamber showed considerable differences in plasma current collection. The Kapton-H coupon demonstrated current collection consistent with exposed interconnects and some degree of cell snapover. The other two coupons experienced anomalously large collection currents. This behavior is believed to a consequence of enhanced plasma sheaths supported by the weakly conducting carbon and germanium used in these coupons. The results reported here are the first experimental evidence that the use of such materials can result in power losses to high voltage space power systems.

Hillard, G. Barry↗
NASA NTRS1993

Enhanced plasma current collection from weakly conducting solar array blankets

Among the solar cell technologies to be tested in space as part of the Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE) will be the Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array (APSA). Several prototype twelve cell coupons were built for NASA using different blanket materials and mounting techniques. The first conforms to the baseline design for APSA which calls for the cells to be mounted on a carbon loaded Kapton blanket to control charging in GEO. When deployed, this design has a flexible blanket supported around the edges. A second coupon was built with the cells mounted on Kapton-H, which was in turn cemented to a solid aluminum substrate. A final coupon was identical to the latter but used germanium coated Kapton to control atomic oxygen attack in LEO. Ground testing of these coupons in a plasma chamber showed considerable differences in plasma current collection. The Kapton-H coupon demonstrated current collection consistent with exposed interconnects and some degree of cell snapover. The other two coupons experienced anomalously large collection currents. This behavior is believed to be a consequence of enhanced plasma sheaths supported by the weakly conducting carbon and germanium used in these coupons. The results reported here are the first experimental evidence that the use of such materials can result in power losses to high voltage space power systems.

Hillard, G. Barry↗
NASA NTRS1992

Solar Array Module Plasma Interaction Experiment (SAMPIE)

The objective of the Solar Array Module Plasma Interaction Experiment (SAMPIE) is to investigate, by means of a shuttle-based flight experiment and relevant ground-based testing, the arcing and current collection behavior of materials and geometries likely to be exposed to the LEO plasma on high-voltage space power systems, in order to minimize adverse environmental interactions. An overview of the SAMPIE program is presented in outline and graphical form.

Ferguson, Dale C.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Atmospheric Electron-induced X-Ray Spectrometer (AEXS) Instrument Development

Introduction: This paper describes the progress in data acquisition and establishing the observational capability of the AEXS instrument. The AEXS is a miniature instrument[1-4] based on the excitation of characteristic X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and luminescence spectra using a focused electron beam which enables nondestructive evaluation of sample surfaces in planetary ambient atmospheres. In situ operation is obtained through the use of a thin electron transmissive membrane to isolate the vacuum of the AEXS source from the outside ambient atmosphere. Thus eliminating the need for a vacuum pumped sample chamber as is common in all laboratory SEM s. The transmitted electrons impinge on the sample exciting XRF spectra from the irradiated spot on in-situ or collected samples with sub-mm to cm-scale spatial resolution at Mars atmospheric pressure. The AEXS system (Fig 1) consists of a high-energy (>10keV) electron gun encapsulated by the isolation membrane, an XRF detection and analyzer system, and a high voltage power supply. The XRF data are analyzed to determine the elemental abundance for the irradiated spots. The approach to demonstrating a proof of concept of the AEXS has been through 1) demonstrating the viability of microfabricated membranes, 2) assembling AEXS setups with increasingly integrated functional components, and 3) simulating the AEXS observational capabilities. The development of the instrument is described in detail in the poster paper[4] at this conference. This paper focuses on describing the progress of the AEXS instrument to acquire XRF data and using commercially available software to analyze the data streams and determine the accuracy, precision and resolution of the analysis compared to the certified elemental abundance.

Urgiles, E.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Atmospheric Electron-induced X-Ray Spectrometer (AEXS) Instrument Development

Instrument Development: The membrane properties were investigated in detail due to its critical role. A series of experiments determined that our designed membranes have high electron transmission, yet are capable of isolating high vacuum, are able to withstand differential pressure in excess of one atmosphere, survive vibrational shocks of a magnitude to be expected during a planetary mission. Our initial work has been with a 10 keV source and a 200 nm thick Silicon Nitride (SiN) encapsulation membrane micro-fabricated within a Si support frame (1.5 mm x 1.5 mm window openings. Fig 2 compares the spectra taken with the 10 keV source with spectra taken within SEM. Introduction: This paper describes the progress in the development of the AEXS instrument in our laboratory at JPL. The AEXS is a novel miniature instrument[1-3] based on the excitation of characteristic X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and luminescence spectra using a focused electron beam, for non-destructive evaluation of surfaces of samples in planetary ambient atmosphere. In situ operation is obtained through the use of a thin electron transmissive membrane to isolate the vacuum within the AEXS electron source from the outside ambient atmosphere. The impinging electrons excite XRF spectra from the irradiated spots on samples in external atmosphere with high-to-medium (sub-mm to cm-scale) spatial resolution at Mars atmospheric pressure. The XRF spectra are analyzed using an energy-dispersive detector to determine surface elemental composition, or in the case of electron-induced luminescence to identify unusual formations on surface that cathodo-luminescence (CL). The AEXS system (Fig 1) consists of a high-energy (>10keV) electron gun encapsulated by the isolation membrane, an EDX detection and analyzer system to determine the elemental abundance, an optional CL detection system, and a high voltage power supply. The approach to demonstrating a proof of concept of the AEXS has been through 1) demonstrating the viability of micro-fabricated membranes, 2) assembling AEXS setups with increasingly integrated functional components, and 3) simulating the AEXS observational capabilities. This paper will focus on description of the development of the instrument.

Wilcox, J. Z.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Rectenna for high-voltage applications

An energy transfer system is disclosed. The system includes patch elements, shielding layers, and energy rectifying circuits. The patch elements receive and couple radio frequency energy. The shielding layer includes at least one opening that allows radio frequency energy to pass through. The openings are formed and positioned to receive the radio frequency energy and to minimize any re-radiating back toward the source of energy. The energy rectifying circuit includes a circuit for rectifying the radio frequency energy into dc energy. A plurality of energy rectifying circuits is arranged in an array to provide a sum of dc energy generated by the energy rectifying circuit.

Epp, Larry W.↗
NASA NTRS2013

NASA Tech Briefs, October 2013

Topics include: A Short-Range Distance Sensor with Exceptional Linearity; Miniature Trace Gas Detector Based on Microfabricated Optical Resonators; Commercial Non-Dispersive Infrared Spectroscopy Sensors for Sub-Ambient Carbon Dioxide Detection; Fast, Large-Area, Wide-Bandgap UV Photodetector for Cherenkov Light Detection; Mission Data System Java Edition Version 7; Adaptive Distributed Environment for Procedure Training (ADEPT); LEGEND, a LEO-to-GEO Environment Debris Model; Electronics/Computers; Millimeter-Wave Localizers for Aircraft-to-Aircraft Approach Navigation; Impedance Discontinuity Reduction Between High-Speed Differential Connectors and PCB Interfaces; SpaceCube Version 1.5; High-Pressure Lightweight Thrusters; Non-Magnetic, Tough, Corrosion- and Wear-Resistant Knives From Bulk Metallic Glasses and Composites; Ambient Dried Aerogels; Applications for Gradient Metal Alloys Fabricated Using Additive Manufacturing; Passivation of Flexible YBCO Superconducting Current Lead With Amorphous SiO2 Layer; Propellant-Flow-Actuated Rocket Engine Igniter; Lightweight Liquid Helium Dewar for High-Altitude Balloon Payloads; Method to Increase Performance of Foil Bearings Through Passive Thermal Management; Unibody Composite Pressurized Structure; JWST Integrated Science Instrument Module Alignment Optimization Tool; Radar Range Sidelobe Reduction Using Adaptive Pulse Compression Technique; Digitally Calibrated TR Modules Enabling Real-Time Beamforming SweepSAR Architectures; Electro-Optic Time-to-Space Converter for Optical Detector Jitter Mitigation; Partially Transparent Petaled Mask/Occulter for Visible-Range Spectrum; Educational NASA Computational and Scientific Studies (enCOMPASS); Coarse-Grain Bandwidth Estimation Scheme for Large-Scale Network; Detection of Moving Targets Using Soliton Resonance Effect; High-Efficiency Nested Hall Thrusters for Robotic Solar System Exploration; High-Voltage Clock Driver for Photon-Counting CCD Characterization; Development of the Code RITRACKS; and Enabling Microliquid Chromatography by Microbead Packing of Microchannels.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2021

The Temporal and Spatial Development of dB/dt for Substorms

Ground induced currents (GICs) due to space weather are a threat to high voltage power transmission systems. However, knowledge of ground conductivity is the largest source of errors in the determination of GICs. A good proxy for GICs is dB/dt obtained from the Bx and By components of the magnetic field fluctuations. It is known that dB/dt values associated with magnetic storms can reach dangerous levels for power transmission systems. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for dB/dt values associated with substorms to exceed prior Pulkkinen and Molinski critical thresholds of 1.5 nT/s and 5 nT/s, respectively, and the temporal and spatial changes of the dB/dt associated with substorms, unlike storms, are not well understood. Using two dimensional maps of dB/dt over North America and Greenland derived from the spherical elementary currents, we investigate the temporal and spatial change of dB/dt for both a single substorm event and a two dimensional superposed epoch analysis of many substorms. Both the single event and the statistical analysis shows a sudden increase of dB/dt at substorm onset followed by an expansion poleward, westward, and eastward after the onset during the expansion phase. The area of dB/dt values exceeding the two critical thresholds from the initial onset dB/dt values showed little to no expansion equatorward. The temporal and spatial development of the dB/dt resembles the temporal and spatial change of the auroral emissions. Substorm values of dB/dt peak shortly after the auroral onset time and in at least one event exceeded 35 nT/s for a non-storm time substorm. In many of our 81 cases the area that exceeds the threshold of 1.5 nT/s is over several million square kilometers and after about 30 minutes the dB/dt values fall below the threshold level. These results address one of goals of the Space Weather Action Plan, which are to establish benchmarks for space weather events and improve modeling and prediction of their impacts on infrastructure. Plain language: The change in the ground magnetic field with respect to time (dB/dt) associated with magnetic storms (a large disturbance of the magnetic field of the earth) can reach dangerous levels for power transmission systems. On the other hand, substorms, which are a smaller more localized disturbance of the Earth’s magnetic field, are more common. It is not uncommon for substorm dB/dt values to also exceed dangerous levels and the temporal and spatial changes of the dB/dt associated with substorms, unlike storms, are not well understood. Our analysis shows a sudden increase of dB/dt at substorm onset, which peaks shortly after the start of the substorm, followed shortly after by an expansion northward, westward, and eastward after the onset.

ionospheric currents↗