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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

The use of automatic programming techniques for fault tolerant computing systems

It is conjectured that the production of software for ultra-reliable computing systems such as required by Space Station, aircraft, nuclear power plants and the like will require a high degree of automation as well as fault tolerance. In this paper, the relationship between automatic programming techniques and fault tolerant computing systems is explored. Initial efforts in the automatic synthesis of code from assertions to be used for error detection as well as the automatic generation of assertions and test cases from abstract data type specifications is outlined. Speculation on the ability to generate truly diverse designs capable of recovery from errors by exploring alternate paths in the program synthesis tree is discussed. Some initial thoughts on the use of knowledge based systems for the global detection of abnormal behavior using expectations and the goal-directed reconfiguration of resources to meet critical mission objectives are given. One of the sources of information for these systems would be the knowledge captured during the automatic programming process.

Wild, C.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Toward Right-Fidelity Rotorcraft Conceptual Design

The aviation Advanced Design Office (ADO) of the US Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate (AMRDEC) performs conceptual design of advanced Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) concepts in support of the Army's development and acquisition of new aviation systems. In particular, ADO engages in system synthesis to assess the impact of new technologies and their application to satisfy emerging warfighter needs and requirements. Fundamental to ADO being successful in accomplishing its role; is the ability to evaluate a wide array of proposed air vehicle concepts, and independently synthesize new concepts to inform Army and DoD decision makers about the tradespace in which decisions will be made (Figure 1). ADO utilizes a conceptual design (CD) process in the execution of its role. Benefiting from colocation with NASA rotorcraft researchers at the Ames Research Center, ADO and NASA have engaged in a survey of the current rotorcraft PD practices and begun the process of improving those capabilities to enable effective design and development of the next generation of VTOL systems. A unique aspect of CD in ADO is the fact that actual designs developed in-house are not intended to move forward in the development process. Rather, they are used as reference points in discussions about requirements development and technology impact. The ultimate products of ADO CD efforts are technology impact assessments and specifications which guide industry design activity. The fact that both the requirement and design are variables in the tradespace adds to the complexity of the CD process. A frequent need is ability to assess the relative "cost" of variations in requirement for a diverse set of VTOL configurations. Each of these configurations may have fundamentally different response characteristics to this requirement variation, and such insight into how different requirements drive different designs is a critical insight ADO attempts to provide decision makers. The processes and tools utilized are driven by the timeline in which questions must be answered. This can range from quick "back-of-the-envelope" assessments of a configuration made in an afternoon, to more detailed tradespace explorations that can take upwards of a year to complete. A variety of spreadsheet based tools and conceptual design codes are currently in use. The in-house developed conceptual sizing code RC (Rotorcraft) has been the preferred tool of choice for CD activity for a number of years. Figure 2 illustrates the long standing coupling between RC and solid modeling tools for layout, as well as a number of ad-hoc interfaces with external analyses. RC contains a sizing routine that is built around the use of momentum theory for rotors, classic finite wing theory, a referred parameter engine model, and semi-emperical weight estimation techniques. These methods lend themselves to rapid solutions, measured in seconds and minutes. The successful use of RC, however requires careful consideration of model input parameters and judicious comparison with existing aircraft to avoid unjustified extrapolation of results. RC is in fact a legacy of a series of codes whose development started in the early 1970s, and is best suited to the study of conventional helicopters and XV-15 style tiltrotors. Other concepts have been analyzed with RC, but typically it became necessary to modify the source code and methods for each unique configuration. Recent activity has lead to the development of a new code, NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft (NDARC). NDARC uses a similar level of analytical fidelity as RC, but is built on a new framework intended to improve modularity and ability to rapidly model a wider array of concepts. Critical to achieving this capability is the decomposition of the aircraft system into a series of fundamental components which can then be assembled to form a wide-array of configurations. The paper will provide an overview of NDARC and its capabilities.

Sinsay, Jeffrey D.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Prediction-Based Auralization of a Multirotor Urban Air Mobility Vehicle

Recent advances in auralization methods applicable to rotary wing vehicles have made it possible to undertake a prediction-based auralization of a representative multirotor urban air mobility vehicle. These advances include a new capability for synthesizing loading and thickness noise directly from the prediction method and a new capability for predicting and synthesizing modulating broadband self noise within a unified system noise prediction-auralization framework. These capabilities are demonstrated for a six passenger quadrotor reference vehicle design using collective-pitch control. Propagation of the source noise to a ground observer completes the auralization process. The demonstrated capability serves as the basis for future work directed at perception-influenced design of low noise urban air mobility vehicles.

Auralization↗
NASA NTRS1982

Combining analysis with optimization at Langley Research Center - An evolutionary process

Analytical and computational advances, at Langely Research Center (La RC), contributing to the evolution of computer programs combining analysis and optimization are presented, namely, strength sizing, concurrent strength and flutter sizing, and general optimization. Current work on a software system which executes the analysis and optimization in a sequential rather than concurrent mode is then described, as a step toward the long-term goal at La RC of developing the methodology for such systems. The software system is designated Enginering Analysis Language (EAL)/Programming Structural Synthesis System (PR)SSS), and work is being done on the incorporation of PROSSS into EAL. EAL language can perform most FORTRAN operations, including testing, branching, and looping, and its data base system can easily be accessed by any processor using FORTRAN callable utility subroutines. Some numerical results showing the accuracy of EAL/PROSSS are given.

Rogers, J. L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Performance and Reliability Optimization for Aerospace Systems subject to Uncertainty and Degradation

This report summarizes work performed by the Space Systems Laboratory (SSL) for NASA Langley Research Center in the field of performance optimization for systems subject to uncertainty. The objective of the research is to develop design methods and tools to the aerospace vehicle design process which take into account lifecycle uncertainties. It recognizes that uncertainty between the predictions of integrated models and data collected from the system in its operational environment is unavoidable. Given the presence of uncertainty, the goal of this work is to develop means of identifying critical sources of uncertainty, and to combine these with the analytical tools used with integrated modeling. In this manner, system uncertainty analysis becomes part of the design process, and can motivate redesign. The specific program objectives were: 1. To incorporate uncertainty modeling, propagation and analysis into the integrated (controls, structures, payloads, disturbances, etc.) design process to derive the error bars associated with performance predictions. 2. To apply modern optimization tools to guide in the expenditure of funds in a way that most cost-effectively improves the lifecycle productivity of the system by enhancing the subsystem reliability and redundancy. The results from the second program objective are described. This report describes the work and results for the first objective: uncertainty modeling, propagation, and synthesis with integrated modeling.

Miller, David W.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Geostar – a ‘Shovel Ready’ Geostationary Microwave Sounder

A geostationary microwave sounder, capable of providing temperature, water vapor, clouds, precipitation, and wind in the presence of clouds, convection and precipitation, will add tremendously to our ability to observe dynamic atmospheric phenomena, such as hurricanes and severe storms, monsoonal moisture flow, atmospheric rivers, etc. Such a sensor is now feasible, enabled by technology that has been developed under NASA’s Instrument Incubator Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Geostationary Synthetic Thinned Aperture Radiometer (GeoSTAR) is essentially an “AMSU in GEO”, i.e. it has similar capabilities as AMSU would have if it were operating on a geostationary satellite, but with similar spatial resolution. GEO orbits are almost 50 times higher than the LEO orbits that current AMSUs operate from, and the corresponding scaling of aperture size required to maintain spatial resolution has stymied the development of such a sensor for many decades. The aperture synthesis approach implemented with GeoSTAR finally overcomes that obstacle, and the large number of microwave receivers and associated electronics required is made possible with new technology that has now been developed. A low-cost mission operating as a hosted payload on a commercial communications satellite has been designed and is “shovel-ready”. The objectives of such a mission could be to advance our understanding and modeling of storm processes that control rapid or explosive intensification of hurricanes, mesoscale convective systems, and extratropical cyclones, or it could be to support operational weather forecasting and nowcasting. Retrieval of temperature and water vapor profiles is possible even in the presence of moderate precipitation, and with the ability to derive horizontal wind vectors by tracking water vapor features, a rich set of parameters measuring the thermodynamics, dynamics and convection and sampled every 15 minutes, will enable significant progress in storm science and forecasting.

Lambrigtsen, Bjorn H↗
DOE OSTI2025

Autonomous Synthesis of Metastable Materials Using a Modular Mixed-Flow Reactor

Understanding and controlling atomic-level processes at solid-liquid interfaces is key to advancing technologies in energy storage, carbon capture, critical element recovery, and materials synthesis. Many of these processes are dominated by the formation of short-lived intermediate precipitates that determine the final properties of synthesized materials. However, studying these intermediates is challenging due to their sensitivity and the reliance on trial-and-error methods. To address this, we developed an automated variable-volume mixed-flow reactor (MFR) to optimize metastable material synthesis and investigate rapid kinetic processes. This state-of-the-art MFR system, paired with an automated modeling framework, enables efficient synthesis and real-time analysis of transient phases. Benchmarking with advanced capabilities, such as wide-/small-angle X-ray scattering, allows us to resolve fast nucleation and growth dynamics that were previously inaccessible. By combining automation, ML-guided optimization, and tailored kinetic modeling, this approach provides a robust platform for improving material design and achieving precise control over solid-liquid reactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1995

Growth of single crystals of organic salts with large second-order optical nonlinearities by solution processes for devices

Data obtained from the electric field induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) and Kurtz Powder Methods will be provided to MSFC for further refinement of their method. A theoretical model for predicting the second-order nonlinearities of organic salts is being worked on. Another task is the synthesis of a number of salts with various counterions. Several salts with promising SHG activities and new salts will be tested for the presence of two crystalline forms. The materials will be recrystallized from dry and wet solvents and compared for SHG efficiency. Salts that have a high SHG efficiency and no tendency to form hydrates will be documented. The synthesis of these materials are included in this report. A third task involves method to aid in the growth of large, high quality single crystals by solution processes. These crystals will be characterized for their applicability in the fabrication of devices that will be incorporated into optical computers in future programs. Single crystals of optimum quality may be obtained by crystal growth in low-gravity. The final task is the design of a temperature lowering single crystal growth apparatus for ground based work. At least one prototype will be built.

Leslie, Thomas M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Multiprocessor architecture: Synthesis and evaluation

The goal is to remove the influence of the choice of algorithm used for a particular application and to remove the effects of the high-level language and the efficiency of the program. The study concentrates on only those characteristics of the structure of the architecture. The structure of the architecture is defined to include those parameters that distinguish an architectural design at the diagram level. For example, the interconnection network plays an integral part in such a description while the capabilities of the individual processing elements, while crucial to the execution of the program, are not represented in the diagram.

Standley, Hilda M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Pressure-Swing Process for Reactive CO2 Capture and Conversion to Methanol through Precise Control of Co-Located Active Sites in Dual Functional Materials

The goals of this project are to design and develop tailored dual-functional materials (DFMs) and the accompanying pressure-swing process for the reactive capture and conversion (RCC) of CO 2 to methanol, a vital product in the chemical market and a versatile precursor to fuels. Throughout this project, NREL researcher team has successfully developed 2 groups of DFM and associated cyclic RCC procedure to selectivity produce either methanol or CO, which is a major intermediate for methanol synthesis with commercially available technologies.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
NASA NTRS1996

Smart Material Demonstrators Based on Shape Memory Alloys and Electroceramics

This paper describes the development and characterization of two technology demonstrators that were produced under the auspices of an ARPA sponsored smart materials synthesis and processing effort. The ARPA Smart Materials and Synthesis (SMS) Program was a 2 year, $10M partnership led by Martin Marietta Laboratories - Baltimore and included Lockheed Missiles & Space Co., NRL, AVX Corp., Martin Marietta Astronautics Groups, BDM Federal, Inc., Virginia Tech, Clemson, University of Maryland, Denver University, and The Johns Hopkins University. In order to demonstrate the usefulness of magnetron sputtered shape memory foil and the manufacturability of reliable, reproducible electrostrictive actuators, the team designed a broadband active vibration cancellation device for suppressing the vibration load on delicate instruments and precision pointing devices mounted on orbiting satellites and spacecraft. The results of extensive device characterization and bench testing are discussed. Initial simulation results show excellent control authority and amplitude attenuation over the range of anticipated disturbance frequencies. The SMS Team has also developed an active 1-3 composite comprising micro-electrostrictive actuators embedded in a polymeric matrix suitable for underwater applications such as sonar quieting and listening arrays, and for medical imaging. Follow-on programs employing these technologies are also described.

Cooke, Arther V.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Precise Synthesis of 4.75 V-Tolerant LiCoO 2 with Homogeneous Delithiation and Reduced Internal Strain

The rapid advancements in 3C electronic devices necessitate an increase in the charge cutoff voltage of LiCoO 2 to unlock a higher energy density that surpasses the currently available levels. However, the structural devastation and electrochemical decay of LiCoO 2 are significantly exacerbated, particularly at ≥4.5 V, due to the stress concentration caused by more severe lattice expansion and shrinkage, coupled with heterogeneous Li + intercalation/deintercalation reactions. Herein, employing the molten-salt synthesis technique, we propose a universal morphology-shaping strategy to attain bulk reaction homogeneity and reduce internal strains, even at extremely high charge voltages. The newly designed flattened polygon prismlike LiCoO 2 (P-LCO) particle, featuring a regular symmetrical arrangement along the c-axis, demonstrates a more homogeneous Li + extraction/insertion reaction, which results in a restrained transformation to detrimental O1 phase and reduced variation in lattice volume throughout the (de)lithiation processes. This benefits the mitigation of the local stress accumulation misfit dislocations and particle cracking, ultimately maintaining the mechanical stability of the cathode. Consequently, P-LCO is capable of breaking the voltage ceiling and exhibits exceptional long-term cycling capability at an ultrahigh voltage of 4.75 V. In conclusion, this work offers a brand-new perspective for the rational design of cathode morphology to address capacity deterioration caused by inhomogeneous delithiation and internal strain, thus inspiring the development of high-energy-density cathodes with improved durability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1989

A novel implementation of method of optimality criterion in synthesizing spacecraft structures with natural frequency constraints

In the design of spacecraft structures, fine tuning the structure to achieve minimum weight with natural frequency constraints is a time consuming process. Here, a novel implementation of the method of optimality criterion (OC) is developed. In this new implementation of OC, the free vibration analysis results are used to compute the eigenvalue sensitivity data required for the formulation. Specifically, the modal elemental strain and kinetic energies are used. Additionally, normalized design parameters are introduced as a second level linking that allows design variables of different values to be linked together. With the use of this novel formulation, synthesis of structures with natural frequency constraint can be carried out manually using modal analysis results. Design examples are presented to illustrate this novel implementation of the optimality criterion method.

Wang, Bo Ping↗
DOE OSTI2025

From bench to biofactory: high-throughput technologies and automated workflows to accelerate biomanufacturing

Microbial production of target molecules has advanced significantly in recent years driven by innovations in enzyme engineering, DNA synthesis, and genomic editing. However, to access the massive potential of microbial production, a vast parametric space remains to be investigated to optimize these biobased processes for a robust bioeconomy. Here, we review the current state of the art, some key challenges and possible solutions. We see a critical role of automation, high-throughput technologies, self-driving and cloud labs, and data management to enable Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning and mechanistic models to overcome the design space challenges and accelerate the development of novel bio-based solutions. Accurate models will expedite the development and scale-up of engineered microbes for a range of final products from many starting materials.

Petzold, Christopher J↗
NASA NTRS2024

Global Optimization via Quadratic Disjunctive Programming for Water Networks Design with Energy Recovery

Generalized disjunctive programming (GDP) models with bilinear and concave constraints, often seen in water network design, are challenging optimization problems. This work proposes quadratic and piecewise linear approximations for nonlinear terms to reformulate GDP models into quadratic GDP (QGDP) models that suitable solvers may solve more efficiently. We illustrate the benefits of the quadratic reformulation with a water treatment network design problem in which nonconvexities arise from bilinear terms in the mixers’ mass balances and concave investment cost functions of treatment units. Given the similarities with water network design problems, we suggest quadratic approximation for the GDP model for the optimal design of a large-scale reverse electrodialysis (RED) process. This power technology can recover energy from salinity differences between by-product streams of the water sector, such as desalination brine mixed with regenerated wastewater effluents. The solver Gurobi excels in handling QGDP problems, but weighing the problem’s precision and tractability balance is crucial. The piecewise linear approximation yields more accurate, yet larger QGDP models that may require longer optimization times in large-scale process synthesis problems.

Water Networks↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electrocatalytic CN Coupling: Advances in Urea Synthesis and Opportunities for Alternative Products

Urea is an essential fertilizer produced through the industrial synthesis of ammonia (NH 3 ) via the Haber–Bosch process, which contributes ≈1.2% of global annual CO 2 emissions. Electrocatalytic urea synthesis under ambient conditions via CN coupling from CO 2 and nitrogen species such as nitrate (NO 3 − ), nitrite (NO 2 − ), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen gas (N 2 ) has gained interest as a more sustainable route. However, challenges remain due to the unclear reaction pathways for urea formation, competing reactions, and the complexity of the resulting product matrix. This review highlights recent advances in catalyst design, urea quantification, and intermediate identification in the CN coupling reaction for electrocatalytic urea synthesis. Furthermore, this review explores future prospects for industrial CN coupling, considering potential nitrogen and carbon sources and examining alternative CN coupling products, such as amides and amines.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2025

Interconnected nanoconfining pore networks enhance catalyst CO 2 interaction in electrified reactive capture

Systems that sequentially capture and upgrade CO 2 from air to fuels/fuel-intermediates, such as syngas and ethylene, rely on an energy-intensive CO 2 release process. Electrified reactive capture systems transform CO 2 obtained directly from carbonate capture liquid into products. Previous reactive capture systems show a decline in Faradaic efficiencies (FE) at current densities above 200 mA/cm 2 . Here we show the chemical origins of this problem, finding that prior electrocatalyst designs failed to arrest, activate, and reduce in situ-generated CO 2 (i-CO 2 ) before it traversed the catalyst layer and entered the tailgas stream. We develop a templated synthesis to define pore structures and the sites of Ni single atoms, and find that carbon-nitrogen-based nanopores are effective in accumulating i-CO 2 via short-range, non-electrostatic interactions between CO 2 molecules and the nanochannel walls. These interactions confine and enrich i-CO 2 within the pores, enhancing its binding and activation. We report as a result carbonate electrolysis at 300 mA/cm 2 with FE to CO of 50% ± 3%, and with <1% CO 2 in the tailgas outlet stream. This corresponds to a projected energy efficiency (EE) to 2:1 syngas of 46% at 300 mA/cm 2 when H 2 is added using a water electrolyzer.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗