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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 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Property of 316L Stainless Steel Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

The advanced non-light water reactor designs (Gen IV reactors), including molten salt/ very high temperature/ sodium-cooled and lead-cooled fast reactors, typically operate at higher temperatures and more extreme radiation conditions than light water reactors. An intrinsic part of the deployment and progress of Gen IV reactor designs is selecting the most suitable structural material for a specific application. Additive manufacturing (AM), a fairly new process of making physical, three-dimensional objects from a computer design file, is going to completely change the way of design, build and certify nuclear systems. It offers a range of opportunities to produce complex geometries from existing materials, offers new routes for processing of previously difficult to process materials, allows for design of new high-performance materials, and finally facilitates hybridization of dissimilar materials. This emerging technology has successfully produced cars, wind turbine blade molds and even live cells. It could also open up big opportunities for the nuclear industry to quickly deploy technologies at a fraction of the cost. So far, AM techniques have been preliminarily applied in the field of nuclear reactors, including the classical parts such as the pressure vessel of a small reactor with 508-III steel, the bottom nozzle of a fuel assembly with 304L steel, the fuel cladding with zirconium alloy and the integrated impeller of a pump and the multi-channel valve body with 316L steel [6,7]. The AM applications for operating nuclear reactors started in auxiliary plant components and have slowly migrated to metallic reactors and core components, but many of these are not safety critical components. Although many parts used for nuclear reactors have been fabricated by AM techniques, practical applications in engineering are still a long way off due to the uncertainty factors focused on the processing, material properties, analysis methods and application standards, which feeds the safety and life-cycle of the nuclear reactor. Due to rapid, repeated heating and cooling during production, a high dislocation density was present in the AM material. This microstructure feature is unstable at elevated temperature while high temperature is one of the typical operation environments for nuclear reactors. Thus, it is important to understand the thermal effect on the microstructure of AM material. The objectives of this study are to investigate the effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel produced by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing, and to determine an appropriate heat treatment practice that will be applied to the lightweight AM lattice-structured material with the same chemistry. The heat treatment study consisted of annealing the samples at a temperature range of 800 to 1200 oC with a 50 oC increment for different times (1-24 hours), followed by vacuum or air cooling. Microstructural characterization was carried out by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Grain size and crystallographic orientation were investigated by Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD). Vickers hardness tests with a 0.5 kg load were employed to determine the hardness of samples after different heat treatments. After heat treatment, the random crystallographic orientation was preserved, and the volume fraction of high-angle grain boundaries (grain boundary misorientation =15 oC) remained the same. The dislocation density decreased with annealing temperature due to recovery. The fine subgrain structures in the as-printed specimen were quite stable up to 1200 oC. Minimal recrystallization was observed up to 1200 oC. Recrystallization initiated only after 8.5 hours at 1200 oC. The SEM images did not show obvious dependence of microstructure on cooling rate. The hardness of the specimens decreased with increasing annealing temperature as a result of the decrease in dislocation density. It is interesting to note that the AM material showed very similar hardness to the wrought material when annealing at similar temperature, although the microstructures are very different. Annealing at 1050 oC for 1 hour followed by air cooling was selected as the heat treatment procedure for the lattice designed lightweight AM 316L material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Additive manufacturing of an ultrastrong, deformable Al alloy with nanoscale intermetallics

Abstract Light-weight, high-strength, aluminum (Al) alloys have widespread industrial applications. However, most commercially available high-strength Al alloys, like AA 7075, are not suitable for additive manufacturing due to their high susceptibility to solidification cracking. In this work, a custom Al alloy Al 92 Ti 2 Fe 2 Co 2 Ni 2 is fabricated by selective laser melting. Heterogeneous nanoscale medium-entropy intermetallic lamella form in the as-printed Al alloy. Macroscale compression tests reveal a combination of high strength, over 700 MPa, and prominent plastic deformability. Micropillar compression tests display significant back stress in all regions, and certain regions have flow stresses exceeding 900 MPa. Post-deformation analyses reveal that, in addition to abundant dislocation activities in Al matrix, complex dislocation structures and stacking faults form in monoclinic Al 9 Co 2 type brittle intermetallics. This study shows that proper introduction of heterogeneous microstructures and nanoscale medium entropy intermetallics offer an alternative solution to the design of ultrastrong, deformable Al alloys via additive manufacturing.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enhancing the Functionality of a Hollow Scaffold Solid State Bioreactor via Computer Aided Design Optimization

The concern over greenhouse gases, methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), is increasing rapidly. There have been strides to find solutions to this global issue but there is not a clear path to a successful end goal. The concentration of CH 4 and CO 2 in the atmosphere has increased significantly over the last 60 years, methane is a great source of concern due to its ability to trap a high amount of heat in the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases contribute to global warming which has caused changes in the environment, including the melting of ice caps, and altered weather patterns. Solutions for these pressing challenges have led to different avenues of methane mitigation one of which is the development of solid-state bioreactors. These reactors harness the power of biological species that have evolved to use methane as an energy source. The development and optimization of Hollow Scaffold Solid State Bioreactors (HS-SSBR) has become readily available due to the advancements in additive manufacturing technology and accessibility of computer aided design (CAD) software. With laboratory scale experiments, time and effort are of great importance. Enhancing the design of the HS-SSBR to create a more user-friendly interface, but also increase the functionality of the reactor. The reactor's design improvements focus on better dispersion of methane and circulation of media.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1976

Technical and Economic Assessment of Span-Loaded Cargo Aircraft Concepts

The benefits are assessed of span distributed loading concepts as applied to future commercial air cargo operations. A two phased program is used to perform this assessment. The first phase consists of selected parametric studies to define significant configuration, performance, and economic trends. The second phase consists of more detailed engineering design, analysis, and economic evaluations to define the technical and economic feasibility of a selected spanloader design. A conventional all-cargo aircraft of comparable technology and size is used as a comparator system. The technical feasibility is demonstrated of the spanloader concept with no new major technology efforts required to implement the system. However, certain high pay-off technologies such as winglets, airfoil design, and advanced structural materials and manufacturing techniques need refinement and definition prior to application. In addition, further structural design analysis could establish the techniques and criteria necessary to fully capitalize upon the high degree of structural commonality and simplicity inherent in the spanloader concept.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1994

An acoustic charge transport imager for high definition television applications

The primary goal of this research is to develop a solid-state high definition television (HDTV) imager chip operating at a frame rate of about 170 frames/sec at 2 Megapixels per frame. This imager offers an order of magnitude improvement in speed over CCD designs and will allow for monolithic imagers operating from the IR to the UV. The technical approach of the project focuses on the development of the three basic components of the imager and their integration. The imager chip can be divided into three distinct components: (1) image capture via an array of avalanche photodiodes (APD's), (2) charge collection, storage and overflow control via a charge transfer transistor device (CTD), and (3) charge readout via an array of acoustic charge transport (ACT) channels. The use of APD's allows for front end gain at low noise and low operating voltages while the ACT readout enables concomitant high speed and high charge transfer efficiency. Currently work is progressing towards the development of manufacturable designs for each of these component devices. In addition to the development of each of the three distinct components, work towards their integration is also progressing. The component designs are considered not only to meet individual specifications but to provide overall system level performance suitable for HDTV operation upon integration. The ultimate manufacturability and reliability of the chip constrains the design as well. The progress made during this period is described in detail in Sections 2-4.

Hunt, W. D.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Additive Manufacturing for Affordable Rocket Engines

Additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) technology has the potential to drastically reduce costs and lead times associated with the development of complex liquid rocket engine systems. NASA is using 3D printing to manufacture rocket engine components including augmented spark igniters, injectors, turbopumps, and valves. NASA is advancing the process to certify these components for flight. Success Story: MSFC has been developing rocket 3D-printing technology using the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process. Over the last several years, NASA has built and tested several injectors and combustion chambers. Recently, MSFC has 3D printed an augmented spark igniter for potential use the RS-25 engines that will be used on the Space Launch System. The new design is expected to reduce the cost of the igniter by a factor of four. MSFC has also 3D printed and tested a liquid hydrogen turbopump for potential use on an Upper Stage Engine. Additive manufacturing of the turbopump resulted in a 45% part count reduction. To understanding how the 3D printed parts perform and to certify them for flight, MSFC built a breadboard liquid rocket engine using additive manufactured components including injectors, turbomachinery, and valves. The liquid rocket engine was tested seven times in 2016 using liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. In addition to exposing the hardware to harsh environments, engineers learned to design for the new manufacturing technique, taking advantage of its capabilities and gaining awareness of its limitations. Benefit: The 3D-printing technology promises reduced cost and schedule for rocket engines. Cost is a function of complexity, and the most complicated features provide the largest opportunities for cost reductions. This is especially true where brazes or welds can be eliminated. The drastic reduction in part count achievable with 3D printing creates a waterfall effect that reduces the number of processes and drawings, decreases the amount of touch labor required, and increases reliability. When certification is achieved, NASA missions will be able to realize these benefits.

West, Brian↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Power and Propulsion: Small Core Advanced Thermal Management Project Overview

This presentation is intended to provide an overview of the various efforts under the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) project related to engine thermal management. Sustainable flight is the key motivator for all our efforts, and innovative thermal technologies play a crucial role in achieving this goal. The technologies described in this presentation can be applied to both traditional gas turbines and advanced cycles which utilize alternative fuels. Within our project, we utilize the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and additive manufacturing. This ranges from using AI to generate heat exchanger fin topologies, to using ML for a reduction in computational cost which allows for a more thorough design exploration. Many times, the resulting topologies can only be realized through additive manufacturing techniques. Most of what’s presented is currently low TRL, but the intent is to achieve TRL 4 by the end of the project.

Propulsion↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Discovering Digital Engineering Needs Through Human-Centered Approaches

Digital engineering has the power to transform organizations in profound ways, but digitizing legacy workflows and infusing new technologies into existing practices may not yield the intended results or address the underlying problems or bottlenecks. This paper describes the human-centered approaches used to understand stakeholder challenges and identify digital engineering needs during the design-build-test portion of the systems development lifecycle. Through a series of interactive stakeholder workshops and need-finding activities, key stakeholder needs were identified to help guide the integration of digital engineering technologies. The overarching need was for downstream system development steps to be considered further upstream in the project lifecycle in a manner that allows for proactive and interactive co-constructive idea exploration, problem resolution, and requirements considerations in a collective engagement with engineers and technicians from multiple disciplines to increase efficiency and reduce risks while offering opportunities to improve the final engineered system. Supporting this need was a wide-ranging desire from stakeholders for digital and non-digital support structures for efficient rapid iteration during system development. This work yielded several improvements for system development processes and for digital engineering infusion.

Design Science↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Frank Discussion on Lessons Learned From Adopting and Applying NASA-STD-6030 for Spaceflight Systems

With the advancement and adoption of Additive Manufacturing (AM) for spaceflight systems, numerous lessons have been learned during the qualification and certification of AM components. The lessons learned covered in this presentation will provide an overview of the challenges faced by NASA centers and commercial partners working to design AM hardware that complies with NASA-STD-6030 Additive Manufacturing Requirements (AMR). Topics of interest include tailoring of requirements for specific projects, documentation requirements, and addressing conservative approaches towards mechanical property development and analysis. In addition to that, this presentation aims to impress that these lessons learned will influence the future revisions of the NASA technical standard to facilitate and advance AM technology adoption on NASA projects.

Additive Manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2024

Novel Hot Gas Components for Gas Turbine Engines Enabled by Materials and Additive Manufacturing Process Development

Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, has emerged as a manufacturing method that enables new design freedom for gas turbine engine manufacturers. However, the material selection for AM processable high-temperature super alloys is currently limited. Additionally, the heat transfer performance of AM enabled micro-cooling architectures is not yet well understood. Accordingly, in support of advanced manufacturing and engine performance development, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)and Solar Turbines (Solar) conducted a multidisciplinary project to generate both AM super alloy material properties data and micro-channel performance data for two AM super alloys. The data supported the design and analysis of an internally cooled turbine hot section AM tip shoe component. This data was used to analytically predict the reduction in operating temperature of a gas turbine tip shoe. The work concluded that the cooling flow required to cool the tip shoe can be tuned to suit the efficiency improvements desired in an industrial gas turbine.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Future foundries: A convergent manufacturing platform

This article introduces the Future Foundries platform developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a first-generation research system designed to demonstrate convergent manufacturing. Convergent manufacturing brings together additive, subtractive, and transformative processes in a digitally interconnected environment to enable end-to-end production workflows. By linking traditionally discrete steps, convergent platforms accelerate production, improve repeatability, and support high-mix, low-volume manufacturing. The Future Foundries platform exemplifies this vision in practice by combining four modular, vendor-agnostic process cells that include robotic WAAM, induction heating, optical metrology, and machining, coordinated through an automated pallet handler and a ROS 2-based digital thread. This architecture provides the flexibility and scalability needed for agile production in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises and for field deployable manufacturing. Two case studies illustrate the platform’s capabilities. The first presents an integrated workflow for fabricating, transforming, and repairing critical replacement components, showing how consolidated thermal, additive, inspection, and machining operations reduce manual part handling and streamline process flow. The second case study highlights coordinated multi-part production enabled by automated pallet logistics and multi-cell scheduling. Together, these examples showcase convergent manufacturing as a practical and scalable strategy for strengthening domestic casting and forging capacity, improving supply-chain resilience, and enabling rapid, adaptable production of mission-critical components.

Convergent manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ultra-light antennas via charge programmed deposition additive manufacturing

Abstract The demand for lightweight antennas in 5 G/6 G communication, wearables, and aerospace applications is rapidly growing. However, standard manufacturing techniques are limited in structural complexity and easy integration of multiple material classes. Here we introduce charge programmed multi-material additive manufacturing platform, offering unparalleled flexibility in antenna design and the capability for rapid printing of intricate antenna structures that are unprecedented or necessitate a series of fabrication routes. Demonstrating its potential, we present a transmitarray antenna composed of an interconnected, multi-layered array of dielectric/conductive S-ring unit cells, reducing 94% mass of conventional antenna configurations. A fully printed circular polarized transmitarray system fed by a source and a Risley prism antenna system operating at 19 GHz both show close alignment between testing results and numerical simulations. This printing method establishes a universal platform, propelling discovery of new antenna designs and enabling data-driven design and optimizations where rapid production of antenna designs is crucial.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Chain entanglements enable regeneration of high-performance thermosets

Thermoset plastics underpin structural materials, electronics and transportation, yet the permanent covalent networks that prevent flow and provide dimensional stability also make them difficult to recycle without sacrificing performance. In this work we show that high-performance thermosets can be built around dense chain entanglements, the physical interlacing of long polymer strands, rather than dense permanent crosslinks, with only a small number of selectively cleavable junctions preserving connectivity. Long, rigid, entangled polyolefin backbones generated by frontal polymerization form glassy polymers with high stiffness, high toughness and excellent creep suppression yet can be fully deconstructed into soluble, linear oligomers. Varying oligomer length and end-group chemistry enables their reuse as re-entangling building blocks that regenerate thermosets with thermal and mechanical properties that remain unchanged across generations. The strategy further extends to high-temperature fibre-reinforced composite matrices and additively manufactured structures, establishing chain entanglement as a design principle for durable, regenerable thermosets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

CALPHAD-based Bayesian optimization to accelerate alloy discovery for high-temperature applications

Two crucial properties influencing the performance of high-temperature alloys are coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and phase constitution. It is desirable to have alloys with low CTE, which reduces CTE mismatch with the surface oxide and the likelihood of oxide spallation. Reducing the amount of brittle intermetallic phases such as Sigma (σ) enhances alloy ductility and processability. Here, we propose a multi-objective Bayesian Optimization (BO) model to simultaneously minimize CTE (at an operational temperature of 1150 °C) and T σ (temperature when the Sigma phase completely dissolves in the metal matrix), properties which are obtained from high-throughput CALculation of PHAse Diagrams (CALPHAD). The model successfully identifies several alloys with CTE ≤ 2 × 10 –5 /K and T σ ≤ 500 °C by exploring just 7% of the nickel–chromium–cobalt–aluminum–iron (Ni–Cr–Co–Al–Fe) composition space. Such multi-objective alloy design frameworks can be used to inform additive manufacturing experiments and accelerate alloy discovery for high-temperature energy applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1985

The case for Mars II

Among the topics discussed are: the political aspects of the exploration of Mars, preparatory mission scenarios in advance of manned Martian exploration, and scientific programs for a base on Mars. Consideration is also given to: mission strategies and spacecraft design for a Mars base program; concepts for the realization of a manned mission to Mars; dirigible airship applications to Martian surface exploration; and the power requirements of several Martian base designs. Additional topics include: the impact of propellant manufacturing on early manned exploration of the solar system; water supply issues for a manned Mars base; and psychological and interpersonal adaptation to life on Mars.

Mckay, C. P.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Fully Three-Dimensional Helical RF Field Effects on TWT Interaction

The phenomenal growth of the satellite communications industry has created a large demand for traveling wave-tubes (TWTs) operating with unprecedented specifications requiring design and production of many novel devices in record time. To achieve this, the TWT industry heavily relies upon computational modeling. However, there is a need for improvement in the TWT industry's computational modeling capabilities as there are often discrepancies between measured TWT data and that predicted by conventional two-dimensional helical TWT interaction codes. This severely limits the analysis and design of novel devices or TWTs with parameters differing from what is conventionally manufactured. In addition, the inaccuracy of current computational tools limits achievable TWT performance because optimized designs require highly accurate models. In particular, collector efficiency, which significantly affects overall TWT efficiency, is difficult to optimize unless extremely accurate spent beam data is predicted by the interaction code.

Kory, Carol L.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Summary of NDE of Additive Manufacturing Efforts in NASA

(1) General Rationale for Additive Manufacturing (AM): (a) Operate under a 'design-to-constraint' paradigm, make parts too complicated to fabricate otherwise, (b) Reduce weight by 20 percent with monolithic parts, (c) Reduce waste (green manufacturing), (e) Eliminate reliance on Original Equipment Manufacturers for critical spares, and (f) Extend life of in-service parts by innovative repair methods; (2) NASA OSMA NDE of AM State-of-the-Discipline Report; (3) Overview of NASA AM Efforts at Various Centers: (a) Analytical Tools, (b) Ground-Based Fabrication (c) Space-Based Fabrication; and (d) Center Activity Summaries; (4) Overview of NASA NDE data to date on AM parts; and (5) Gap Analysis/Recommendations for NDE of AM.

Waller, Jess↗
NASA NTRS2018

A Risk Analysis Tool for Estimating the Risk of Electrical Failures Due to Human Induced Defects

Aerospace electrical systems are required to withstand and adequately operate in extremely harsh environments that include, for example, high radiation exposure, temperature extremes, intense vibrational stress and drastic temperature cycling. The nature of aerospace electronics also demands high reliability since, with very few exceptions, there is no chance for hardware servicing or repairs. Common risk mitigation techniques for this type of situation are to perform a Reliability Analysis of the system throughout the development cycle, and to use electrical components that are regarded as “high reliability” because of additional controls and requirements applied in their design, manufacturing and testing. Unfortunately, studies have shown that even though these techniques are used, many systems fail to meet mission requirements well before the predicted lifetimes. This paper presents the analysis of failures of electrical parts, experienced during various stages of system development, at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD, between the years 2001 and 2013. These components were subjected to qualification, screening and testing in which the goal was to ensure that the components would survive the stresses of the mission. The analysis categorizes failures by part type and failure mechanisms. One of the results of the analysis was the realization that a surprising proportion of failures experienced during system integration and testing were caused by human error (i.e. human induced defect). Further analysis included the determination of root failure mechanisms and any influencing factors contributing to these failures. The major causes of these defects were attributed to electrostatic damage (ESD), electrical overstress (EOS), mechanical overstress (MOS), and thermal overstress (TOS). Finally, the study proposes a risk analysis tool which incorporates these major causes for the failures, termed error-producing conditions (EPCs), and a proportionality factor representing the number of each type of failure that has occurred at the facility under study. These factors are quantified and used to communicate the risk of human induced defects for the assembly, integration and testing of space hardware based on the system’s electrical parts list. The new risk identification can trigger risk-mitigating actions more effectively, based on the presence of component categories or other hazardous conditions that have a history of failure due to human error.

Majewicz, Peter J.↗