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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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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Energy Efficient Large-Scale Storage of Liquid Hydrogen

The world’s largest liquid hydrogen storage tanks were constructed in the mid-1960sat the NASA Kennedy Space Center. These two vacuum-jacketed, perlite powder insulated tanks, still in service today, have 3,200 m3 of useable capacity. In 2018, construction began on an additional storage tank at Launch Complex 39B. This new tank will give an additional storage capacity of 4,700 m3 for a total on-site storage capacity of roughly 8,000 m3. NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS) heavy lift rocket for the Artemis program includes an LH2tank that makes up the bulk of the vehicle, holding 2,033 m3 of LH2 in its 8.4-m diameter by40-m height. The new storage tank includes two new energy-efficient technologies: a glass bubbles insulation system in lieu of perlite, and an Integrated Refrigeration and Storage (IRAS)heat exchanger for controlled storage capability. The evacuated glass bubbles insulation system is based on the prior two decades of research to prove the thermal performance benefits as well as the mechanical and vacuum integrity; and has been shown to reduce LH2 boiloff by 46%versus perlite in field demonstrations. The IRAS capability is centered on a heat exchanger system that is built within the inner vessel to reject heat from the bulk liquid through the future implementation of an external helium refrigerator. Controlled storage via IRAS, when fully implemented, will provide full control of the ullage pressure, zero boiloff, and even production of densified LH2 pending its adoption on future launch vehicles. The design basics are described along with main construction and testing processes involved. The key features of the new technology items and implications on simplified operations and long-term energy savings are addressed

cryogenics↗
NASA NTRS1989

Characterization and cycle tests of lightweight nickel electrodes

Development of a high specific energy nickel electrode is the main goal of the lightweight nickel electrode program at NASA Lewis Research Center. The approach was to improve the nickel electrode by continuing combined in-house and contract efforts to develop a more efficient and lighter weight electrode for the nickel-hydrogen battery. High energy nickel electrodes suffer from having shorter lives than state-of-the-art electrode. However, these lightweight electrodes appear to be favorable for missions requiring moderate cycle lives and depth-of-discharge.

Britton, Doris L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Application of vascular aquatic plants for pollution removal, energy and food production in a biological system

Vascular aquatic plants such as water hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes) (Mart.) Solms and alligator weeds (Alternanthera philoxeroides) (Mart.) Griesb., when utilized in a controlled biological system (including a regular program of harvesting to achieve maximum growth and pollution removal efficiency), may represent a remarkably efficient and inexpensive filtration and disposal system for toxic materials and sewage released into waters near urban and industrial areas. The harvested and processed plant materials are sources of energy, fertilizer, animal feed, and human food. Such a system has industrial, municipal, and agricultural applications.

Wolverton, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS2016

An Overview of Power, Energy Storage, and Conversion Efforts for 2014 SBIR Phases I and II

Technological innovation is the overall focus of NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The program invests in the development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA's mission directorates address critical research and development needs for agency projects. NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program focuses on technological innovation by investing in development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA mission directorates address critical research needs for Agency programs. This report highlights 15 of the innovative SBIR 2014 Phase I and II projects that focus on one of NASA Glenn Research Center's six core competencies-Power, Energy Storage and Conversion. The technologies cover a wide spectrum of applications such as high-radiation-tolerant ceramic voltage isolators, development of hermetic sealing glasses for solid oxide fuel cells, rechargeable lithium metal cells, high-efficiency direct methane solid oxide fuel cell systems, Li metal protection for high-energy space batteries, isolated bidirectional direct current converters for distributed battery energy applications, and high-efficiency rad-hard ultrathin Si photovoltaic cell technology for space. Each article describes an innovation and technical objective and highlights NASA commercial and industrial applications. This report provides an opportunity for NASA engineers, researchers, and program managers to learn how NASA SBIR technologies could help their programs and projects, and lead to collaborations and partnerships between the small SBIR companies and NASA that would benefit both.

flywheels↗
NASA NTRS2017

Core/Combustor Noise - Research Overview

Contributions from the combustor to the overall propulsion noise of civilian transport aircraft are starting to become important due to turbofan design trends and advances in mitigation of other noise sources. Future propulsion systems for ultra-efficient commercial air vehicles are projected to be of increasingly higher bypass ratio from larger fans combined with much smaller cores, with ultra-clean burning fuel-flexible combustors. Unless effective noise-reduction strategies are developed, combustor noise is likely to become a prominent contributor to overall airport community noise in the future. This presentation gives a brief overview of the NASA outlook on pertinent issues and far-term research needs as well as current and planned research in the core/combustor-noise area. The research described herein is aligned with the NASA Ultra-Efficient Commercial Transport strategic thrust and is supported by the NASA Advanced Air Vehicle Program, Advanced Air Transport Technology Project, under the Aircraft Noise Reduction Subproject. The overarching goal of the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project is to explore and develop technologies and concepts to revolutionize the energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of fixed wing transport aircrafts. These technological solutions are critical in reducing the impact of aviation on the environment even as this industry and the corresponding global transportation system continue to grow.

Turbomachinery Noise↗
NASA NTRS2018

Core/Combustor-Noise Update

Future propulsion systems for ultra-efficient commercial air vehicles are projected to be of increasingly higher bypass ratios resulting from larger fans combined with much smaller cores, with ultra-clean burning fuel-flexible combustors. Unless effective noise-reduction strategies are developed, combustor noise is likely to become a prominent contributor to overall airport community noise in the future. This presentation gives a brief overview of the NASA outlook on pertinent issues and far-term research needs as well as current and planned research in the core/combustor-noise area. The research described herein is aligned with the NASA Ultra-Efficient Commercial Transport strategic thrust and is supported by the NASA Advanced Air Vehicle Program, Advanced Air Transport Technology Project, under the Aircraft Noise Reduction Subproject. The overarching goal of the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project is to explore and develop technologies and concepts to revolutionize the energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of fixed wing transport aircrafts. These technological solutions are critical in reducing the impact of aviation on the environment even as this industry and the corresponding global transportation system continue to grow.

Hultgren, Lennart S.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Bioregenerative life support: not a picnic

If humans are to live permanently in space, regenerative life support systems are an enabling technology and must replace the picnic approach of taking all supplies required for each mission. These systems are classified by technologies as either physical/chemical or bioregenerative. Both of these system-types can recycle water, remove carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, and recover essential elements from waste products. Bioregenerative can also produce food, thus, making it essential if humans are to exist in space independent of earth. A solely bioregenerative life support system includes plants as a biomass production module and microbial organisms in bioreactors as a resource recovery module. In the Advanced Life Support Program, bioregenerative life support systems are being investigated through a research and technology development project which includes large scale testing as part of the Breadboard Project and human tests conducted in the soon to be constructed BioPlex facility. Research and technology development efforts are directed toward optimizing biomass productivity in controlled chambers by developing light weight, energy efficient, and automated systems; recycling liquid and solid wastes; baselining the operation of bioreactors; determining system microbial stability; assessing chemical contamination; and building models required for long term system operations. The program will include space flight studies in the near future to determine if these life support technologies will function in microgravity. When a bioregenerative system is finally incorporated into a mission, the conversion from a picnic and resupply mentality to permanent recycling and independence from earth will be complete.

NASA Center KSC↗
NASA NTRS1974

The total flow concept for geothermal energy conversion

A geothermal development project has been initiated at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) to emphasize development of methods for recovery and conversion of the energy in geothermal deposits of hot brines. Temperatures of these waters vary from 150 C to more than 300 C with dissolved solids content ranging from less than 0.1% to over 25% by weight. Of particular interest are the deposits of high-temperature/high-salinity brines, as well as less saline brines, known to occur in the Salton Trough of California. Development of this resource will depend on resolution of the technical problems of brine handling, scale and precipitation control, and corrosion/erosion resistant systems for efficient conversion of thermal to electrical energy. Research experience to date has shown these problems to be severe. Hence, the LLL program emphasizes development of an entirely different approach called the Total Flow concept.

Austin, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Space solar cell research: Problems and potential

The value of a passive, maintenance-free, renewable energy source was apparent in the early days of the space program, and the silicon solar cell was pressed into service. Efficiencies of those early space solar arrays were low, and lifetimes shorter than hoped for, but within a decade significant advances had been made in both areas. Better performance was achieved through improvements in silicon single crystal material, better device designs, and a better understanding of the factors that affect the performance of a solar cell in space. Chief among the latter, particularly for the mid-to-high altitude (HEO) and geosynchronous (GEO) orbits, are the effects of the naturally occurring particulate radiation environment. Although not as broadly important to the photovoltaic community at large as increased efficiency, the topic of radiation damage is critically important to use of solar cells in space, and is a major component of the NASA research program in space photovoltaics. A brief overview of some of the opportunities and challenges for space photovoltaic applications is given, and some of the current research directed at achieving high efficiency and controlling radiation damage in space solar cells is discussed.

Flood, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Three-Dimensional High Fidelity Progressive Failure Damage Modeling of NCF Composites

Performance prediction of off-axis laminates is of significant interest in designing composite structures for energy absorption. Phenomenological models available in most of the commercial programs, where the fiber and resin properties are smeared, are very efficient for large scale structural analysis, but lack the ability to model the complex nonlinear behavior of the resin and fail to capture the complex load transfer mechanisms between the fiber and the resin matrix. On the other hand, high fidelity mesoscale models, where the fiber tows and matrix regions are explicitly modeled, have the ability to account for the complex behavior in each of the constituents of the composite. However, creating a finite element model of a larger scale composite component could be very time consuming and computationally very expensive. In the present study, a three-dimensional mesoscale model of non-crimp composite laminates was developed for various laminate schemes. The resin material was modeled as an elastic-plastic material with nonlinear hardening. The fiber tows were modeled with an orthotropic material model with brittle failure. In parallel, new stress based failure criteria combined with several damage evolution laws for matrix stresses were proposed for a phenomenological model. The results from both the mesoscale and phenomenological models were compared with the experiments for a variety of off-axis laminates.

Aitharaju, Venkat↗
NASA NTRS1981

Analysis of the performance of the drive system and diffuser of the Langley unitary plan wind tunnel

A broad program was initiated at the Langley Research Center in 1973 to reduce the energy consumption of the laboratory. As a part of this program, the performance characteristics of the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel were reexamined to determine if potential methods for incresing the operating efficiencies of the tunnel could be formulated. The results of that study are summarized. The performance characteristics of the drive system components and the variable-geometry diffuser system of the tunnel are documented and analyzed. Several potential methods for reducing the energy requirements of the facility are discussed.

Hasel, L. E.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Integration of Biological, Physical/Chemical and Energy Efficient Systems in the CELSS Antarctic Analog: Performance of Prototype Systems and Issues for Life Support

The Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Antarctic Analog Project (CAAP) is a joint endeavor between the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs (NSF-OPP), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The fundamental objective is to develop, deploy, and operate a testbed of advanced life support technologies at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station that enable the objectives of both the NSF and NASA. The functions of food production, water purification, and waste treatment, recycle, and reduction provided by CAAP will improve the quality of life for the South Pole inhabitants, reduce logistics dependence, enhance safety, and minimize environmental impacts associated with human presence on the polar plateau. Because of the analogous technical, scientific, and mission features with Planetary missions, such as a mission to Mars, CAAP provides NASA with a method for validating technologies and overall approaches to supporting humans. Prototype systems for waste treatment, water recycle, resource recovery and crop production are being evaluated in a testbed at Ames Research Center. The combined performance of these biological and physical/chemical systems as an integrated function in support of the human habitat will be discussed. Overall system performance will be emphasized. The effectiveness and efficiency of component technologies will be discussed in the context of energy and mass flow within the system and contribution to achieving a mass and energy conservative system. Critical to the discussion are interfaces with habitat functions outside of the closed-loop life support: the ability of the system to satisfy the life support requirements of the habitat and the ability to define input requirements. The significance of analog functions in relation to future Mars habitats will be discussed.

Bubenheim, David L.↗
NASA NTRS2010

ARMD Fundamental Aeronautics Program

This slide presentation focuses work of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) with particular interest on the work being done to address the environmental and energy efficiency challenges. Particular interest is on the Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) project, though there is discussion of the rotorcraft and the supersonics environmental challenges.

Dryer, Jay↗
NASA NTRS1991

Fusion energy for space missions in the 21st century: Executive summary

Future space missions were hypothesized and analyzed, and the energy source of their accomplishment investigated. The missions included manned Mars, scientific outposts to and robotic sample return missions from the outer planets and asteroids, as well as fly-by and rendezvous missions with the Oort Cloud and the nearest star, Alpha Centauri. Space system parametric requirements and operational features were established. The energy means for accomplishing missions where delta v requirements range from 90 km/sec to 30,000 km/sec (High Energy Space Mission) were investigated. The need to develop a power space of this magnitude is a key issue to address if the U.S. civil space program is to continue to advance as mandated by the National Space Policy. Potential energy options which could provide the propulsion and electrical power system and operational requirements were reviewed and evaluated. Fusion energy was considered to be the preferred option and was analyzed in depth. Candidate fusion fuels were evaluated based upon the energy output and neutron flux. Additionally, fusion energy can offer significant safety, environmental, economic, and operational advantages. Reactors exhibiting a highly efficient use of magnetic fields for space use while at the same time offering efficient coupling to an exhaust propellant or to a direct energy convertor for efficient electrical production were examined. Near term approaches were identified. A strategy that will produce fusion powered vehicles as part of the space transportation infrastructure was developed. Space program resources must be directed toward this issue as a matter of the top policy priority.

Schulze, Norman R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

NASA thermionic-conversion program

The NASA applied research and technology (ART) program for thermionic energy conversion (TEC) is progressing effectively. Current out-of-core emphases allow converter material and design freedoms previously prohibited by in-core nucleonic and geometric restrictions. As a result, potential improvements indicate possibilities for severalfold increases in efficiencies. The new TEC-ART program concentrated initially on low-work-function collectors and interelectrode-loss reduction and revealed much in a short time. For example, arc-drop studies verified the necessity of stable emitters that operate well with little or no adsorbed cesium. This new emission capability coupled with improved collectors that maintain performance with emitter-vapor deposit accumulations are requisites for efficient, enduring thermionic converters. The accomplishments and contributors in these areas are discussed.

Morris, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Combining total energy and energy industrial center concepts to increase utilization efficiency of geothermal energy

Integrating energy production and energy consumption to produce a total energy system within an energy industrial center which would result in more power production from a given energy source and less pollution of the environment is discussed. Strong governmental support would be required for the crash drilling program necessary to implement these concepts. Cooperation among the federal agencies, power producers, and private industry would be essential in avoiding redundant and fruitless projects, and in exploiting most efficiently our geothermal resources.

Bayliss, B. P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

NASA Flywheel Program

NASA Lewis Research Center's Electrical Systems Development Branch is leading a program to develop space flywheel energy storage with integrated attitude control systems. The objective of this effort is to develop a flywheel system that will reduce spacecraft infrastructure weight and improve power system efficiency. Additional potential benefits of these systems are their increased life and improved system operation. These potential advantages are due to a flywheel system's very large number of charge/recharge cycles and their known state of charge. Our multifaceted program consists of efforts to develop flywheels, and their components, as well as the facilities to test them.

Kaufman, Bradford A.↗