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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 307 records · Page 17

Analysis of New Data of Electro-static Assisted Air Dehumidification Processes

The removal of water vapor from the air to reduce relative humidity is a well-known indoor environmental comfort requirement. Common dehumidification approaches require a substantial amount of energy and usually involve the cooling of atmospheric humid air below its dew point or the use of absorbent/adsorbent materials to extract water vapor out of the air. More recently, researchers investigated the effect of electrostatic forces for enhancing water vapor condensation. However, the studies are limited, and there is a lack of correlations that can predict the dehumidification rate. Also, the findings from the literature focused mainly on small flow rates on the order of one to two cfm. Electrically-enhanced condensation consists of the use of highly charged particles, preferably highly charged water droplets, that attract polar water vapor molecules to their surfaces and promote condensation, a phenomenon known as dielectrophoresis. An effect of the electric charge is the reduction of the vapor pressure on the droplets' surface with respect to the saturated pressure predicted by the Kelvin equation. Consequently, the equilibrium between evaporation and condensation is shifted towards condensation. Following the application of the modified Kelvin-Thomson theory, we developed a preliminary physics-based model to predict an effective size range of the charged droplets for optimal dehumidification. The range resulted in about 2 to 4 m in diameter, under few simplifying assumptions. The effect of the size and the charge of the electrosprayed droplets on the overall dehumidification rate was briefly discussed. The use of electrosprays to produce small but highly charged droplets was broadly discussed in this paper. The cone-jet mode was identified as the most suitable electrospray operational mode, and it generated droplets of small size and high electrical charge. The cone-jet stability was also analyzed in detail. The preliminary data of the present work and the model results indicated that several electrospray heads were required to achieve a 5% dehumidification rate for airflow rates of about 5 cfm.

Morcelli, Stefano↗

22 N HPGP Thruster Life Testing

In the ever-changing paradigm of efficient and capable spacecraft design, scientific missions continue pushing the envelope enabling spacecraft subsystems to deliver effective solutions to meet challenging new mission/spacecraft needs. From an in-space storable liquid chemical propulsion perspective, monopropellant hydrazine has been, and continues to be, a dependable propellant with considerable flight heritage, a variety of engine thrust classes available from multiple vendors, with repeatable and reliable performance. Additionally, the space propulsion industry has learned to successfully handle hydrazine, its regulations, the safety protocols, the personnel protective equipment, and the unique training standards–all requisite for loading spacecraft propulsion systems with toxic hypergolic hydrazine. The question now arises as to “what is next for in-space chemical propulsion?” Further, with the evolution and concrete advancements in innovative in-space green propellant technologies, capable of providing realizable benefits to scientific missions, concern over the reliability and availability of this higher performing and safer to handle class of propellants is waning. As science missions move forward with the potential flight in fusion of High Performance Green Propulsion (HPGP), NASA and its industry partners are working to address any gaps in system reliability, performance, or unique operational considerations. Propellant technology that offers both higher performance and significant reduction in personnel hazards compared to hydrazine presents an attractive propulsion subsystem design opportunity. Increased propulsion subsystem performance can result in lower spacecraft launch mass, larger scientific payloads, or extended on-orbit lifetimes. Mission trades using green propulsion technologies have been documented on multiple NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) mission classes, examining various parameters and requirements to support mission architectures in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), High Earth Orbit (HEO), geostationary, lunar, planetary, and Quasi-halo orbit around Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L2). The results of these trade studies show promising, attainable benefits. The perceived programmatic risk of flying a newer propulsion technology has, unfortunately, not outweighed the benefits to date. To take advantage of the improved performance and mitigate programmatic risk, HPGP engines must demonstrate life testing at higher propellant throughputs than have currently been demonstrated. In an effort to proactively address the challenges with technology infusion into a risk-averse community, NASA and the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA) outlined a collaborative Implementing Arrangement (IA) for the respective agencies to pursue increased HPGP technology maturation. This initial IA effort began in 2013, fresh off the heels of the successful PRISMA HPGP technology demonstration mission. The IA targeted objective is to reduce risk to potential future HPGP missions and fully characterize the LMP-103S propellant and associated engine performance. Over the past eight years, HPGP has flown in propulsion systems on twenty-five(25) spacecraft from seven(7) different Launch Ranges around the globe and on seven (7) different Launch Vehicles. Six(6) of these launches involved multiple loading operations for multiple spacecraft. For U.S. Range operations, nine (9) HPGP systems have been processed at Vandenberg Space Force Base(VSFB):six(6) in 2017, and three (3) in 2018. Six (6) more have been processed at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS)in May 2020, with three (3) systems launched in June 2020 and the remaining three (3) system were left loaded and ready until their launch in August of 2020. Three (3) more systems have been processed at Wallops Flight Facility(WFF)and launched in June 2021. In addition, these propulsion subsystems employed heritage propulsion subsystem component such as valves, filters, and pressure transducers, and have further demonstrated nominal functionality in both diaphragm and Propellant Management Device (PDM) propellant tanks. Based on these successes, HPGP technology continues to be considered for NASA Science Mission Directorate missions at GSFC. The work presented herein represents many years of development and collaborative efforts to successfully align higher performance, low toxicity hydrazine alternatives into scientific missions. NASA GSFC Propulsion Engineering, in collaboration with Bradford ECAPS, has developed mission specific thruster design and testing requirements to establish GSFC’s desired test conditions and firing sequences.In2017, the first flight-like 22N HPGP thruster Engineering Qualification Model (EQM-1)was designed and built by Bradford ECAPS to prove out the thruster design, materials, build process, and test campaign with respect to NASA GSFC critical component and mission requirements. This test program was developed to comprehensively test the thruster, the technology, and ultimately increase the 22N HPGP Technology Readiness Level(TRL). EQM-1was tested to environmental qualification levels prior to hot fire performance testing to represent the relevant end-to-end environment (launch to on-orbit operation)with required margin. This thruster demonstrated steady-state and pulse mode operational capability with propellant thruster throughput up to~53kg.At this throughput level, the EQM-1 engine began to present off-nominal performance and the test campaign was halted to allow for non-destructive testing and identify the root cause for the an omalous performance. Capitalizing on the successful elements of the EQM-1 campaign, an upgraded 22N HPGP EQM-2 has been manufactured by Bradford ECAPS to meet the complete GSFC requirements. The EQM-2 thruster’s test campaign has further demonstrated the robustness of the HPGP propulsion technology and increased the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) by undergoing a full acceptance test program, then proceeding into qualification, including environmental testing (vibration and shock to qualification levels),as well as hot-fire life testing, operating at steady-state and pulse modes with increased propellant thruster throughput to~150kg. The HPGP thruster performance testing enables effective HPGP thruster readiness evaluation to meet NASA candidate mission requirements in the future.

High↗

CloudSat Bias on Falling Snow Estimates Over the Daylight Only Operational Period (2012-2019)

Falling snow is a key component for the global atmospheric, hydrological and energy cycles, and its retrieval from space-based observations represents the best current capability to evaluate it globally. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission Core Observatory, launched in 2014, together with its constellation sensors, can provide quasi-global precipitation estimates every 30 minutes (for level 3 products). Evaluation and validation efforts for such products are crucial, and for global evaluations, one of the most suitable instruments is the Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) on board CloudSat, which is sensitive to light rain and falling snow. However, due to a battery anomaly in 2011, during its period of overlapping observations with GPM the CPR has operated in a Daylight Only Operations mode (DO-Op) in which it makes measurements primarily during only the daylit portion of its orbit. The goal of this work is to estimate biases inherent in global snowfall amounts derived from CPR measurements due to this shift to DO-Op mode. We use CloudSat's snowfall measurements during its Full Operations (Full-Op) period from 2006 to 2010 to evaluate the impact DO-Op mode would have had during this period. Results indicate that omitting the nocturnal component of the diurnal cycle of snowfall has nonnegligible impact on snowfall amounts in some regions. The lack of nighttime data during DO-Op biases the latitudinally averaged mean snowfall rates as well as some regional values. Hemispheric differences in bias may be due to more pronounced diurnal variability in the northern hemisphere owing to more prevalent land surface versus the southern hemisphere. The results highlight the need to sample consistently with the CloudSat observations or to adjust snowfall estimates derived from CloudSat when using DO-Op data to evaluate other precipitation products.

Milani, Lisa↗

Experimental Evaluation of the Fast-Neutron Passive Collar (FNPC) Performance and Comparison with Scintillation Based Collars

This report describes a new method for the verification of fresh low enrichment uranium (LEU) fuel assemblies that can reduce International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection time in the field and be completely independent of operator declared burnable poison content. The passive measurement makes unattended mode operation practical, and thus provides the potential for reducing inspector time in the field for future applications. The new simplified passive neutron measurement uses the 238 U spontaneous fission in LEU fresh fuel rods to self-interrogate the 235 U mass in the neighboring rods. The measured response increases linearly with the increase in the linear density (LD) of 235 U. The relatively high efficiency of the passive neutron detector (24%) provides good statistical precision (~ 2%) for the singles, doubles, and triples counting rates in the thermal-neutron mode. The three observables makes possible multiplicity analysis so that both the 235 U LD and the effective burnable poison content can be determined independent of the operator declarations. This closes the potential diversion path of miss-declaration the burnable poison content. This report presents the detector design, the as-built system, the detector parameter measurements, the calibration, and the assay uncertainty estimates. The calibration measurements were performed using the Los Alamos Laboratory mockup PWR fuel assembly. The measurements were made in both the fastneutron mode (with Cd/Gd metal liners) and the thermal-neutron mode (no Cd/Gd liners).

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Mode Tracker for Mode-Hop-Free Operation of a Laser

A mode-tracking system that includes a mode-controlling subsystem has been incorporated into an external-cavity (EC) quantum cascade laser that operates in a mid-infrared wavelength range. The mode-tracking system makes it possible to perform mode-hop-free wavelength scans, as needed for high-resolution spectroscopy and detection of trace gases. The laser includes a gain chip, a beam-collimating lens, and a diffraction grating. The grating is mounted on a platform, the position of which can be varied to effect independent control of the EC length and the grating angle. The position actuators include a piezoelectric stage for translation control and a motorized stage for coarse rotation control equipped with a piezoelectric actuator for fine rotation control. Together, these actuators enable control of the EC length over a range of about 90 m with a resolution of 0.9 nm, and control of the grating angle over a coarse-tuning range of +/-6.3deg and a fine-tuning range of +/-520 microrad with a resolution of 10 nrad. A mirror mounted on the platform with the grating assures always the same direction of the output laser beam.

Wysocki, Gerard↗

Tri-Level Linear Programming Model for Automatic Load Shedding Using Spectral Clustering

Traditional load shedding schemes can be inadequate in grids with high renewable penetration, leading to unstable events and unnecessary grid islanding. Although for both manual and automatic operating modes load shedding areas have been predefined by grid operators, they have remained fixed, and may be sub-optimal due to dynamic operating conditions. In this work, a distributed tri-level linear programming model for automatic load shedding to avoid system islanding is presented. Preventing islanding is preferred because it reduces the need for additional load shedding besides the disconnection of transmission lines between islands. This is crucial as maintaining the local generation-demand balance is necessary to preserve frequency stability. Furthermore, uneven distribution of generation resources among islands can lead to increased load shedding, causing economic and reliability challenges. This issue is further compounded in modern power systems heavily dependent on non-dispatchable resources like wind and solar. The upper-level model uses complex power flow measurements to determine the system areas to shed load depending on actual operating conditions using a spectral clustering approach. The mid-level model estimates the area system state, while the lower-level model determines the locations and load values to be shed. The solution is practical and promising for real-world applications.

Baquedano-Aguilar, Mario D.↗

Pioneer F/G feed movement mechanism

The Pioneer F/G spacecraft achieves the desired earth-pointing direction through a system requiring the shifting of the main antenna feed 1 in. off axis. The feed is pivoted to this position by an electrically heated thermal actuator consisting of an electroless nickel bellows in a copper housing and filled with Freon 21. The actuator overtravels and maintains the feed in the offset position in a thermostatic limit cycle operation mode until commanded off. The mechanism is expected to operate in a -240 F environment near Jupiter and was successfully tested at such temperatures.

R. M. Acker↗

Demonstrating the Need for Adaptive Droop Control for Grid-Forming Inverters in Islanded and Grid-Connected Modes

This paper demonstrates the need of adaptive droop of grid-forming (GFM) inverters operating in different operation modes (grid-connected and islanded). A pure hardware microgrid comprising multiple grid-forming (GFM) inverters from different vendors, multiple grid-following inverters, and a diesel generator is used for the demonstration. The key findings are summarized as follows: Tighter droop slope should be used in the islanded mode, and looser droop slope should be used in the grid-connected mode to ensure stability. It is important to have adaptive droop control in GFM inverters to ensure stable and reliable microgrid operation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Linear aerospike engine study

Parametric data on split-combustor linear engine propulsion systems are presented for use in mixed-mode single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle studies. Preliminary design data for two selected engine systems are included. The split combustor was investigated for mixed-mode operations with oxygen/hydrogen propellants used in the inner combustor in Mode 2, and in conjunction with either oxygen/RP-1, oxygen/RJ-5, O2/CH4, or O2/H2 propellants in the outer combustor for Mode 1. Both gas generator and staged combustion power cycles were analyzed for providing power to the turbopumps of the inner and outer combustors. Numerous cooling circuits and cooling fluids (propellants) were analyzed and hydrogen was selected as the preferred coolant for both combustors and the linear aerospike nozzle. The maximum operating chamber pressure was determined to be limited by the availability of hydrogen coolant pressure drop in the coolant circuit.

Diem, H. G.↗

Precision navigation for approach and landing operations.

This paper summarizes some of the practical considerations and implementation techniques used in the development of the onboard software for an experimental navigation system. This software includes (1) a Kalman filter implementation in square-root form with gyro and accelerometer noises modeled as random forcing functions in the filter; (2) operational modes for inflight alignment, ground alignment, normal aided inertial navigation operation, and postflight analysis; (3) a sophisticated time-sharing system for obtaining a very flexible input-output capability during real-time operations; and (4) a problem formulation and scaling for complete operation in single-precision arithmetic using a 24-bit word. The paper emphasizes the procedures used in formulation, scaling, and time-sharing for the real-time Kalman filter application. Some flight results are presented to illustrate the performance of the filter during real-time operation.

Schmidt, S. F.↗

Designing for a new era of launch vehicle operational efficiency

It is pointed out that early recognition of operational requirements and assessment of their effects provides the best chance of designing an economically viable future space transportation system (FSTS). Operational factors which may influence configuration design include fleet size, operation mode, refurbishment, and the resource requirements. FTST has a simplified operational role compared to the Space Shuttle, which, in addition to transportation, must perform experiments, support payloads, and stay long on orbit. In the future a space station will perform many of these tasks. The FSTS comprises a two-stage fully reusable launch vehicle designed to carry 150,000 lb to a space station, off-load, and return. It would always be launched fully loaded, and its cargo would be processed and redistributed at the space station. Attention is given to ground servicing, flight operations, rendezvous-compatible orbits, launch windows, standard trajectories, entry windows, operational costs, the mission model, and resource requirements.

Talay, T. A.↗

Operational development of small plant growth systems

The results of a study undertaken on the first phase of an empricial effort in the development of small plant growth chambers for production of salad type vegetables on space shuttle or space station are discussed. The overall effort is visualized as providing the underpinning of practical experience in handling of plant systems in space which will provide major support for future efforts in planning, design, and construction of plant-based (phytomechanical) systems for support of human habitation in space. The assumptions underlying the effort hold that large scale phytomechanical habitability support systems for future space stations must evolve from the simple to the complex. The highly complex final systems will be developed from the accumulated experience and data gathered from repetitive tests and trials of fragments or subsystems of the whole in an operational mode. These developing system components will, meanwhile, serve a useful operational function in providing psychological support and diversion for the crews.

Scheld, H. W.↗

Remotely manipulated and autonomous robotic welding fabrication in space

The results of a NASA sponsored study, performed in order to establish the feasibility of remotely manipulated or unmanned welding fabrication systems for space construction, are presented. Possible space welding fabrication tasks and operational modes are classified and the capabilities and limitations of human operators and machines are outlined. Human performance in remote welding tasks was experimentally tested under the sensing and actuation constraints imposed by remote manipulation in outer space environments. Proposals for the development of space welding technology are made and necessary future R&D efforts are identified. The development of improved visual sensing strategies and computer encoding of the human welding engineering expertise are identified as essential, both for human operator assistance and for autonomous operation in all phases of welding fabrication. Novel uses of machine vision for the determination of the weld joint and bead geometry are proposed, and a prototype of a rule-based expert system is described for the interpretation of the visually detected weld features and defects.

Agapakis, J. E.↗

An innovative design for autonomous backup attitude control of the Gamma Ray Observatory

The Gamma Ray Observatory is a NASA funded three-axis stabilized spacecraft which will carry four scientific instruments to observe gamma ray phenomena. The requirement to protect the scientific mission from system failures led to the attitude control and determination system design described in this paper. The design employs nine control modes with error detection, hardware substitution, and autonomous mode switching. The system architecture evolved to eliminate cross-dependence between the primary on-board computer (OBC) and the backup control processor electronics. Cross strapping of sensors and actuators and separation of the input/output electronics ensure that a reliable set of sensors and actuators will be available for backup mode operation. The OBC software includes failure detection, hardware reconfiguration, and mode switching logic which provide the ability to autonomously transfer, upon anomaly, to a reliable backup mode. Verification of this mode transition design is done in four test programs: at the unit level, by analytical simulation, by a hybrid breadboard electronics-simulation setup, and by a flight hardware-simulation test.

Tai, F.↗

Attitude determination and control subsystem for the TOPEX satellite

The Ocean Topography Experiment satellite will carry a modular Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem (ADCS) which contains all equipment required for attitude determination, stabilization, and control, as well as hydrazine thruster firing control, during all mission phases. Attention is presently given to the ADCS's architecture, constituent hardware components, performance requirements, and predicted on-orbit performance compliance, with emphasis on the design and analysis of the Normal Mission Mode control algorithm furnishing the primary scientific data-acquisition operational mode. This mode's attitude determination and control of on-orbit performance is predicted to better than 43 arcsec.

Dennehy, C. J.↗

Injection seeded single mode alexandrite ring laser for lidar applications

Along with many spectroscopic applications, atmospheric lidar measurements require a tunable, narrow band laser with a very high degree of spectral purity. A standing wave pulsed alexandrite laser tuned by injection seeding with an AlGaAs laser diode has demonstrated high stability. The standing wave cavity, however, poses several difficulties in light of the single mode operation and efficient seeding beam into the cavity. In order to overcome these problems and to operate the high power alexandrite laser in a single axial mode with a high spectral purity, a new ring laser system is being developed. The design features of the ring laser and some measurements of the laser characteristics are presented.

Lee, H. Sang↗

Ultrafast Narrow Band Modulation of VCSELs

Multimode beating was greatly enhanced by taking output from part (e.g., half) of the output facet. Simpler sources of microwaves and millimeter waves of various frequencies were generated by varying the VCSEL diameter in a single multimode VCSEL our coupling of a few VCSELs. Breathing frequency in multi-mode operations affects modulation response and bandwidth. Optimizing RO frequency and mode beating frequency could potentially expand bandwidths suitable for wide band digital communications.

Ning, Cun-Zheng↗

Current-Produced Magnetic Field Effects on Current Collection

Current collection by an infinitely long, conducting cylinder in a magnetized plasma, taking into account the magnetic field of the collected current, is discussed. A region of closed magnetic surfaces disconnects the cylinder from infinity. Due to this, the collected current depends on the ratio between this region and the plasma sheath region and, under some conditions, current reduction arises. The current collection along a realistic "bare wire" space tether is considered. A number of factors are taken into account, including the resistance of the wire and shielding resulting from the current-induced magnetic field produced by current flow in the tether. The plasma density, tether length and radius, the geomagnetic field strength and angle to the orbital velocity vector were all used as parameters in the study. It is shown that magnetic shielding for certain tether system configurations, when combined with particular values of the governing parameters, significantly reduces the collected current. Specifically, it is shown that an electrodynamic tether in the "thruster" mode suffers greater reduction from magnetic shielding than a tether with the same characteristics deployed in the "generator" mode. We find that, for both modes, current-induced magnetic shielding becomes more significant as plasma density and wire radius increase. The same is true for the dependence on the angle of the geomagnetic field to the orbital velocity vector and the motion-induced electric field for the generator mode For the thruster mode, the effect is larger for smaller angles. In both operating modes, the shielding is more important for smaller angles between the tether and magnetic field. In addition to the above dependencies, the effect for the thruster mode essentially depends on the tether length. In general, any parametric change that increases tether current, relative to the strength of the electric field between the tether and the ambient plasma, will increase the shielding effect (thereby reducing overall tether current compared to the case without considering these effects). The effect of the induced magnetic shielding can be significant in some cases.

Khazanov, George V.↗