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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

Energy storage considerations for a robotic Mars surface sampler

A Mars Rover capable of obtaining surface samples will need a power system for motive power and to power scientific instrumentation. Several different power systems are considered along with a discussion of the location options. The weight and volume advantages of the different systems are described for a particular power profile. The conclusions are that a Mars Rover Sample Return Mission and Extended Mission can be accomplished utilizing photovoltaics and electrochemical storage.

Odonnell, Patricia M.↗

Energy storage considerations for a robotic Mars surface sampler

A Mars Rover capable of obtaining surface samples will need a power system for motive power and to power scientific instrumentation. Several different power systems are considered in this paper along with a discussion of the location options. The weight and volume advantages of the different systems are described for a particular power profile. The conclusions are that a Mars Rover Sample Return Mission and Extended Mission can be accomplished utilizing photovoltaics and electrochemical storage.

O'Donnell, Patricia M.↗

Exploring Propulsion System Requirements for More and All-Electric Helicopters

Helicopters offer unique capabilities that are important for certain missions. More and all-electric propulsion systems for helicopters offer the potential for improved efficiency, reliability, vehicle and mission capabilities as well as reduced harmful emissions. To achieve these propulsion system-based benefits, the relevant requirements must be understood and developed for the various component, sub-component and ancillary systems of the overall propulsion system. Three representative helicopters were used to explore propulsion and overall vehicle and mission requirements. These vehicles varied from light utility (one to three occupants) to highly capable (three crew members plus ten passengers and cargo). Assuming 15 and 30 year technology availability, analytical models for electric system components were developed to understand component and ancillary requirements. Overall propulsion system characteristics were developed and used for vehicle sizing and mission analyses to understand the tradeoffs of component performance and weight, with increase in vehicle size and mission capability. Study results indicate that only the light utility vehicle retained significant payload for an arbitrary 100 nautical mile range assuming 15 year technology. Thirty year technology assumptions for battery energy storage are sufficient to enable some range and payload capabilities, but further improvements in energy density are required to maintain or exceed payload and range capabilities versus present systems. Hydrocarbon-fueled range extenders can be prudently used to recover range and payload deficiencies resulting from battery energy density limitations. Thermal loads for electric systems are low heat quality, but seem manageable. To realize the benefits from more and all-electric systems, technology goals must be achieved, as well as vehicles, missions and systems identified that are best suited to take advantage of their unique characteristics.

mission analysis↗

Exploring Propulsion System Requirements for More and All-Electric Helicopters

Helicopters offer unique capabilities that are important for certain missions. More and all-electric propulsion systems for helicopters offer the potential for improved efficiency, reliability, vehicle and mission capabilities as well as reduced harmful emissions. To achieve these propulsion system-based benefits, the relevant requirements must be understood and developed for the various component, sub-component and ancillary systems of the overall propulsion system. Three representative helicopters were used to explore propulsion and overall vehicle and mission requirements. These vehicles varied from light utility (one to three occupants) to highly capable (three crew members plus ten passengers and cargo). Assuming 15 and 30 year technology availability, analytical models for electric system components were developed to understand component and ancillary requirements. Overall propulsion system characteristics were developed and used for vehicle sizing and mission analyses to understand the tradeoffs of component performance and weight, with increase in vehicle size and mission capability. Study results indicate that only the light utility vehicle retained significant payload for an arbitrary 100 nautical mile range assuming 15 year technology. Thirty year technology assumptions for battery energy storage are sufficient to enable some range and payload capabilities, but further improvements in energy density are required to maintain or exceed payload and range capabilities versus present systems. Hydrocarbon-fueled range extenders can be prudently used to recover range and payload deficiencies resulting from battery energy density limitations. Thermal loads for electric systems are low heat quality, but seem manageable. To realize the benefits from more and all-electric systems, technology goals must be achieved, as well as identify vehicles, missions and systems that are best suited to take advantage of their unique characteristics.

gearbox↗

Holographic storage of multicolor information.

Discussion of the merits of the use of holography for storing multicolor information. Holography is shown capable to provide in a compact, easily duplicated, inexpensive, and readily retrievable manner the storage capacity required for the ever growing amounts of alphanumeric, graphic, continuous tone, color, and black-and-white data generated. Following a definition of the holographic concept, the advantages of holography for multicolor information recording, indexing, registration, and reconstruction are reviewed. Special attention is given to display applications including a multicolor moving-map display, a NASA multifunction display, and an automatic-test-equipment information storage system.

Burton, G. T.↗

Flare models

The current status of solar flare modeling is reviewed. Primary and secondary observational features that a proposed flare model should be capable of explaining are discussed, including energy storage and release, particle acceleration, mass ejection, heating of the temperature minimum region, X-ray, EUV, UV, visible and radio emission and mass flow. Consideration is then given to the twisted flux tube paramagnetic recombination model of Gold and Hoyle (1960), the current model of Alfven and Carlqvist (1967), closed current-sheet models such as those of Syrovatskii (1966, 1969, 1977) and Uchida and Sakurai (1977), open-field models such as those of Carmichael (1964) and Barnes and Sturrock (1972), the emerging flux model of Heyvaerts and Priest (1974, 1977, 1978) and the loop-flare models of Spicer (1977) and Colgate (1978). It is noted that no one model can yet account for all the observational features, and that there may turn out to be several types of flare, each requiring its own explanation.

Sturrock, P. A.↗

Autonomous power expert system advanced development

The autonomous power expert (APEX) system is being developed at Lewis Research Center to function as a fault diagnosis advisor for a space power distribution test bed. APEX is a rule-based system capable of detecting faults and isolating the probable causes. APEX also has a justification facility to provide natural language explanations about conclusions reached during fault isolation. To help maintain the health of the power distribution system, additional capabilities were added to APEX. These capabilities allow detection and isolation of incipient faults and enable the expert system to recommend actions/procedure to correct the suspected fault conditions. New capabilities for incipient fault detection consist of storage and analysis of historical data and new user interface displays. After the cause of a fault is determined, appropriate recommended actions are selected by rule-based inferencing which provides corrective/extended test procedures. Color graphics displays and improved mouse-selectable menus were also added to provide a friendlier user interface. A discussion of APEX in general and a more detailed description of the incipient detection, recommended actions, and user interface developments during the last year are presented.

Quinn, Todd M.↗

Parallel-Vector Algorithm For Rapid Structural Anlysis

New algorithm developed to overcome deficiency of skyline storage scheme by use of variable-band storage scheme. Exploits both parallel and vector capabilities of modern high-performance computers. Gives engineers and designers opportunity to include more design variables and constraints during optimization of structures. Enables use of more refined finite-element meshes to obtain improved understanding of complex behaviors of aerospace structures leading to better, safer designs. Not only attractive for current supercomputers but also for next generation of shared-memory supercomputers.

Agarwal, Tarun R.↗

Telescience Resource Kit

The Telescience Resource Kit (TReK) is a PC based ground control system. It can be used by a single individual or in a group environment to monitor and control spacecraft systems and payloads. Capabilities include data receipt, data processing, data storage, data management, and data transmission. Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware and software have been employed to reduce development costs, operations and maintenance costs, and to effectively take advantage of new commercial products as they become available. The TReK system is currently being used to monitor and control payloads aboard the International Space Station. It is located at sites around the world.

Schneider, Michelle↗

Smart Buying

When it came time to buy the next-generation data storage system for the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center, we asked our contractor who provides Control Center support to come up with a solution that would consolidate three current storage systems, as well as provide additional capability and functionality - all without spending vast amounts of money. Eventually, the contractor's report arrived at my office. To my great disappointment, the proposed system came along with a multi-million dollar price tag. And, even more disappointing, the system relied on the same technology we already had in place and wouldn't deliver much additional functionality. It was clear that we needed to come up with a better solution-the best we could buy. But how do you buy the best technology, when you don't even know what technology is out there?

Gonzalez, Steven A.↗

Core Community Specifications for Electron Microprobe Operating Systems: Software, Quality Control, and Data Management Issues

Modem electron microprobe systems have become increasingly sophisticated. These systems utilize either UNIX or PC computer systems for measurement, automation, and data reduction. These systems have undergone major improvements in processing, storage, display, and communications, due to increased capabilities of hardware and software. Instrument specifications are typically utilized at the time of purchase and concentrate on hardware performance. The microanalysis community includes analysts, researchers, software developers, and manufacturers, who could benefit from exchange of ideas and the ultimate development of core community specifications (CCS) for hardware and software components of microprobe instrumentation and operating systems.

Fournelle, John↗

Simulation of Ground Winds Time Series

A simulation process has been developed for generation of the longitudinal and lateral components of ground wind atmospheric turbulence as a function of mean wind speed, elevation, temporal frequency range and distance between locations. The distance between locations influences the spectral coherence between the simulated series at adjacent locations. Short distances reduce correlation only at high frequencies; as distances increase correlation is reduced over a wider range of frequencies. The choice of values for the constants d1 and d3 in the PSD model is the subject of work in progress. An improved knowledge of the values for zO as a function of wind direction at the ARES-1 launch pads is necessary for definition of d1. Results of other studies at other locations may be helpful as summarized in Fichtl's recent correspondence. Ideally, further research is needed based on measurements of ground wind turbulence with high resolution anemometers at a number of altitudes at a new KSC tower located closer to the ARES-1 launch pad .The proposed research would be based on turbulence measurements that may be influenced by surface terrain roughness that may be significantly different from roughness prior to 1970 in Fichtl's measurements. Significant improvements in instrumentation, data storage end processing will greatly enhance the capability to model ground wind profiles and ground wind turbulence.

Adelfang, S. I.↗

Low Temperature Double-layer Capacitors with Improved Energy Density: An Overview of Recent Development Efforts

Electrochemical double-layer capacitors are finding increased use in a wide range of energy storage applications, particularly where high pulse power capabilities are required. Double-layer capacitors store charge at a liquid/solid interface, making them ideal for low temperature power applications, due to the facile kinetic processes associated with the rearrangement of the electrochemical double-layer at these temperatures. Potential low temperature applications include hybrid and electric vehicles, operations in polar regions, high altitude aircraft and aerospace avionics, and distributed environmental and structural health monitoring. State-of-the-art capacitors can typically operate to -40 C, with a subsequent degradation in power performance below room temperature. However, recent efforts focused on advanced electrolyte and electrode systems can enable operation to temperatures as low as -70 C, with capacities similar to room temperature values accompanied by reasonably low equivalent series resistances. This presentation will provide an overview of recent development efforts to extend and improve the wide temperature performance of these devices.

Supercapacitors↗

BioNutrients-2: Improvements to the BioNutrients-1 Nutrient Production System

The BioNutrients (BN) project aims to develop an on-demand nutrient production system capable of rapid and safe delivery of multiple nutrients in a single-use production pack for long-duration missions. The general concept of this system will be to develop an edible engineered microorganism capable of surviving during long-term storage, revival and growth of that microorganism for product production, and delivery of precise quantities of nutrients for human consumption. BN-1 is a five-year flight project currently on the International Space Station (ISS). It is testing the long-term storage of various microorganisms for the biomanufacturing of space relevant compounds and to validate the performance of the first generation (Gen-1) of production packs. The BN-2 project is a continuation of the BN-1 flight project and intends to expand the projects overall scope by introducing novel products, broadening the range of microbial food sources, and improving previously designed hardware from the BN-1 project. We are in the process of optimizing our platform biomanufacturing technology for in situ production of yogurt and kefir on the ISS. BN-2 will test the efficacy of this technology for future delivery of probiotic organisms which can be engineered to produce additional nutritional supplements (consumption by the crew is not planned in this project). Furthermore, to improve the feasibility of this technology for mission use we have transitioned from a hard-shell pack to a Gen-2, fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) bag. The single-use FEP bioreactor will facilitate growth of known organisms and ensure a contaminant free environment, while reducing mass and volume. These bioreactors will be employed for production of additional space relevant products in the BN-2 project. On-orbit testing of Gen-2 production packs will be necessary for future iterations, in order to optimize bag design and product production for eventual flight use by the crew.

BioNutrients↗

The development of a three-dimensional partially elliptic flow computer program for combustor research

A three dimensional, partially elliptic, computer program was developed. Without requiring three dimensional computer storage locations for all flow variables, the partially elliptic program is capable of predicting three dimensional combustor flow fields with large downstream effects. The program requires only slight increase of computer storage over the parabolic flow program from which it was developed. A finite difference formulation for a three dimensional, fully elliptic, turbulent, reacting, flow field was derived. Because of the negligible diffusion effects in the main flow direction in a supersonic combustor, the set of finite-difference equations can be reduced to a partially elliptic form. Only the pressure field was governed by an elliptic equation and requires three dimensional storage; all other dependent variables are governed by parabolic equations. A numerical procedure which combines a marching integration scheme with an iterative scheme for solving the elliptic pressure was adopted.

Pan, Y. S.↗

Shuttle Kit Freezer Refrigeration Unit Conceptual Design

The refrigerated food/medical sample storage compartment as a kit to the space shuttle orbiter is examined. To maintain the -10 F in the freezer kit, an active refrigeration unit is required, and an air cooled Stirling Cycle refrigerator was selected. The freezer kit contains two subsystems, the refrigeration unit, and the storage volume. The freezer must provide two basic capabilities in one unit. One requirement is to store 215 lbs of food which is consumed in a 30-day period by 7 people. The other requirement is to store 128.3 lbs of medical samples consisting of both urine and feces. The unit can be mounted on the lower deck of the shuttle cabin, and will occupy four standard payload module compartments on the forward bulkhead. The freezer contains four storage compartments.

Copeland, R. J.↗