Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Testing Standards”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

PACT Center: Perovskite PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies (Final Technical Report)

The Perovskite PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies (PACT) center was established in July 2021 as a national resource to accelerate the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaic (PV) technology in the United States. Since its inception, PACT has been led by Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), formerly known as NREL. From FY20-FY23, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), CFV Labs, Black & Veatch (B&V), and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) were part of the project team. LANL brought expertise in perovskite PV device designs and processing, CFV Labs (now GroundWork Renewables) provided initial indoor and outdoor measurement hardware technology, B&V led the initial effort on perovskite PV bankability, and EPRI worked on reviewing testing standards, identifying commercialization gaps, and helping to run PACT’s Industry Advisory Board, a group including representatives from commercial testing labs, independent engineering firms, insurance companies, state regulators, and electric utilities. To source perovskite PV module samples, PACT contracted with the University of North Carolina (UNC), the University of Toledo, the University of Washington, and SLAC/Stanford University to provide a steady stream of research-grade perovskite mini modules, enabling protocol development in advance of commercial module availability. The project period ran from July 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025, including a No Cost Extension. Starting in FY25, the project was continued as a Core Capability in the Lab Call portfolio and continues at a reduced budget with only Sandia and NLR as funded recipients. Notably, starting in FY25 PACT expanded its scope beyond MHP modules to accept all emerging PV mini module technologies for testing, including organic PV (OPV) and all-thin-film tandems, with the aim of supporting commercialization across the broader emerging PV ecosystem. With this change in scope the program was renamed the PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies, dropping perovskite from the name.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1977

Use of the short-beam shear test for quality control of graphite-polyimide laminates

The properties of laminated composite materials are strongly affected by many fabrication variables including temperature, time, and molding pressure. It is therefore necessary to have reliable quality control tests to check the properties of manufactured materials. The short-beam shear test is used widely by both manufacturers and researchers as a quality control test in the production of materials and development of new material systems. There are, however, several limitations to the standard test method. This paper presents the results of short-beam shear tests on graphite-polyimide laminates and reports on stiffness-strength relationships and nondestructive evaluation methods which aid in the interpretation of the test data.

Stinchcomb, W. W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Development of a fire test facility for graphite fiber-reinforced composites

A number of modifications were added to the Model 25 facility to make it specifically applicable for composite material screening tests. Most significant was the development of hardware for trapping fibers released during test and isolating them for quantitative measurement. Capability was added for increasing test section velocities and increasing the range of air/fuel ratios available from very rich to very lean. A provision was added for agitation of the test specimen and the combustion gases by a pulsating gas supply. A variety of specimen configurations was evaluated by an extensive series of tests on a graphite-epoxy reference composite which is representative of material currently used in advanced aircraft. A standard test technique and specimen configuration were established which was satisfactory for the reference composite. A test program was then performed on several alternate composite materials to verify the validity of the test method for relative evaluation of a variety of composite materials.

Alexander, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Laboratory simulations of the Viking Labeled Release experiment - Kinetics following second nutrient injection and the nature of the gaseous end product

Injection of (C-14)-labeled nutrient onto Mars soil produced an evolution of C-14 gas in the Viking Labeled Release (LR) experiment. However, a second injection of nutrient seven days later was followed by an abrupt diminution of the amount of radioactive gas in the test cell. Simulation experiments performed in the LR Test Standards Module (TSM) have yielded a plausible explanation for this diminution. Radioactive carbon gases were injected into the TSM test cell in the presence and absence of two Mars analog soils. After equilibration, water was injected and its effect observed. The results indicate that the flight data following second nutrient injection can be explained on a physico-chemical basis involving a carbon dioxide/water/soil equilibrium in the test cell. The results also suggest that the gaseous end product of the Labeled Release reaction on Mars is more likely carbon dioxide than carbon monoxide.

Levin, G. V.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Thermal Performance Testing Of Cryogenic Piping Systems

Thermal performance measurement of piping systems under actual field conditions is important for space launch development and commercial industry. Knowledge of the true insulating effectiveness is needed in system design, development, and research activities. A new 18-meter-long test apparatus for cryogenic pipelines has been developed. Three different pipelines, rigid or flexible, can be tested simultaneously. Critical factors in heat leak measurements include eliminating heat transfer at end connections and obtaining proper liquid saturation condition. Effects due to variations in the external ambient conditions like wind, humidity, and solar radiation must be minimized. The static method of liquid nitrogen evaporation has been demonstrated, but the apparatus can be adapted for dynamic testing with cryogens, chilled water, or other working fluids. This technology is suited for the development of an industry standard test apparatus and method. Examples of the heat transfer data from testing commercially available pipelines are given. Prototype pipelines are currently being tested and evaluated at the Cryogenics Test Laboratory of NASA Kennedy Space Center.

Fesmire, J. E.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Fabric properties and electric efficiency limits of mechanical moisture extraction from fabrics

Residential clothes drying consume about 650 TBtu of primary energy per year in the United States, equivalent to 3% of primary residential energy consumption. There is a strong impetus to reduce the energy consumption of clothes dryers by both improving existing technology and developing alternatives that use fundamentally different drying mechanisms. Clothes drying technologies are broadly classified into either evaporative or mechanical drying. The focus of this paper is on mechanical drying, including vibrational, centrifugal, and press-based methods. In this work, the physical processes involved in these mechanical fabric drying processes were analyzed to develop general theories of mechanical cloth drying energy efficiency. Quantitative evaluation of the theories requires measured fabric properties. To accomplish this, a set of experiments was conducted on samples of a standard test fabric. The fabric was a cotton-polyester blend specified by the US Department of Energy to evaluate the standardized efficiency of all residential clothes dryers in the US. Mercury porosimetry experiments were conducted to determine the fabric pore size distribution, apparent density, and porosity. Elasticity experiments were conducted to determine the fabric’s Young’s modulus. Isostatic press experiments were conducted to establish a relationship between compression force and fabric moisture content. The data resulting from these experiments were combined with mathematical models developed in this work to calculate the theoretical maximum performance limits for mechanical drying of the standard fabric. The results of the analysis are used to make recommendations for the most promising technologies that offer the greatest potential energy savings for residential clothes drying.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1976

Ten deg off-axis tensile test for intralaminar shear characterization of fiber composites

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation was conducted to assess the suitability of the 10 deg off-axis tensile test specimen for the intralaminar shear characterization of unidirectional composites. Composite mechanics, a combined-stress failure criterion, and a finite element analysis were used to determine theoretically the stress-strain variation across the specimen width and the relative stress and strain magnitudes at the 10 deg plane. Strain gages were used to measure the strain variation across the specimen width at specimen midlength and near the end tabs. Specimens from Mod-I/epoxy, T-300/epoxy, and S-glass/epoxy were used in the experimental program. It was found that the 10 deg off-axis tensile test specimen is suitable for intralaminar shear characterization and it is recommended that it should be considered as a possible standard test specimen for such a characterization.

Chamis, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Ten Deg Off-Axis Test for Shear Properties in Fiber Composites

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation was conducted to assess the suitability of the 10 deg off-axis tensile test specimen for the intralaminar shear characterization of unidirectional composites. Composite mechanics, a combined-stress failure criterion, and a finite variation across the specimen width and the relative stress and strain magnitudes at the 10 deg plane. Strain gages were used to measure the strain variation across the specimen width at specimen midlength and near the end tabs. Specimens from Mod-I/epoxy, T-300/epoxy, and S-glass/epoxy were used in the experimental program. It was found that the 10 deg off-axis tensile test specimen is suitable for intralaminar shear characterization, and it is recommended that it should be considered as a possible standard test specimen for such a characterization.

Chamis, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

10-deg off-axis test for shear properties in fiber composites

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation was conducted to assess the suitability of the 10-deg off-axis tensile test specimen for the intralaminar shear characterization of unidirectional composites. Composite mechanics, a combined-stress failure criterion, and a finite-element analysis were used to determine theoretically the stress-strain variation across the specimen width and the relative stress and strain magnitudes at the 10-deg plane. Strain gages were employed to measure the strain variation across the specimen width at specimen midlength and near the end tabs. Specimens from Mod-I/epoxy, T-300/epoxy, and S-glass/epoxy were used in the experimental program. It was found that the 10-deg off-axis tensile test specimen is suitable for intralaminar shear characterization, and it is recommended that it should be considered as a possible standard test specimen for such a characterization.

Chamis, C. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Automation of electromagnetic compatability (EMC) test facilities

Efforts to automate electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test facilities at Marshall Space Flight Center are discussed. The present facility is used to accomplish a battery of nine standard tests (with limited variations) deigned to certify EMC of Shuttle payload equipment. Prior to this project, some EMC tests were partially automated, but others were performed manually. Software was developed to integrate all testing by means of a desk-top computer-controller. Near real-time data reduction and onboard graphics capabilities permit immediate assessment of test results. Provisions for disk storage of test data permit computer production of the test engineer's certification report. Software flexibility permits variation in the tests procedure, the ability to examine more closely those frequency bands which indicate compatibility problems, and the capability to incorporate additional test procedures.

Harrison, C. A.↗
DOE OSTI2025

The development and application of the stirred‐reactor coupon analysis (SRCA) test method

A new technique, termed the stirred‐reactor coupon analysis (SRCA) method, has been developed to measure the rate of glass dissolution in forward‐rate conditions. Monolithic glass coupons are partially masked with an inert material before placement in a large volume of well‐mixed solution with known chemistry and temperature for a predetermined duration. After the test, the mask is removed, and the difference in step height between the protected area and the exposed corroded portions of the sample coupon is measured to determine the extent of glass dissolution. The step height is converted to a rate measurement using the test duration and glass density. Test parameters such as sample surface preparation and test duration were evaluated to determine their effects on the measured rates. Additionally, results from an interlaboratory study (ILS) consisting of 12 laboratories from 11 different institutions are presented, where each laboratory performed 12 independent tests. When removing experimental outlier data, the 95% reproducibility limits for the SRCA method has no statistical difference with previously published standardized test methods used to determine the forward rate of glass dissolution. Overall, this paper describes steps necessary to perform the test method and provides the statistical calculations to evaluate test accuracy.

chemical durability↗
NASA NTRS2011

Wire Test Grip Fixture

Wire-testing issues, such as the gripping strains imposed on the wire, play a critical role in obtaining clean data. In a standard test frame fitted with flat wedge grips, the gripping action alone creates stresses on the wire specimen that cause the wire to fail at the grip location. A new test frame, which is outfitted with a vacuum chamber, negated the use of any conventional commercially available wire test fixtures, as only 7 in. (17.8 cm) existed between the grip faces. An innovative grip fixture was designed to test thin gauge wire for a variety of applications in an existing Instron test frame outfitted with a vacuum chamber.

Burke, Christopher S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA's Ground Test Unit (GTU) Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) Conceptual Hand Controllers Studies

Over that past year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been preparing and developing a set of standardized testing protocols for the commercial LTV vendor selection. Two studies have been conducted on two possible hand controller concepts specifically designed for the operation of NASA’s Ground Test Unit (GTU) Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) that can be applied to the heretofore unknown designs developed by future LTV vendors. The objective for the two studies were to determine which hand controller enable acceptable operation of the LTV in a simulated lunar traverse. In the first evaluation a total of nine subjects in shirtsleeves with ungloved hands performed two simulated lunar driving courses in an engineering simulator with each hand controller. Controller concept one was the T-handle fashioned after the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle’s (LRV) T-Handle controller. The rational for using this design is it’s a proven design while in a pressurized suit. However, the LTV does have a driving mode the LRV did not consider. The mode of crabbing or strafing the vehicle at different angles; thus, the idea of a dual T-Handle controllers to accommodate this function without using a switch or display was introduced. The second concept controller is a new innovative controller call the Tri-Rotor [NASA patent review MSC-27385-1]. Inspired by Formula One race steering, the Tri-Rotor was designed to take advantage of the restricted movement and dexterity of a pressurized space suit. During testing, all subjects were able to successfully navigate through two test courses of varying lengths and complexity. Results indicated the dual Thandle had minimal recommendations for improvement while the Tri-Rotor had more extensive ones. It must be noted, the Tri-Rotor is a first-generation prototype and has some known mechanical concerns; thus, recommendations from this study will be incorporated into the second generation.

Human Factors↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electrical Energy Storage Data Submission Guidelines

Energy storage technologies are positioned to play a substantial role in power delivery systems. They are being touted as an effective new resource to maintain reliability and allow for increased penetration of renewable energy. However, due to their relative infancy, there is a lack of knowledge on how these resources truly operate over time. Data analysis can help ascertain the operational and performance characteristics of these emerging technologies. Rigorous testing and data analysis are important for all stakeholders to ensure a safe, reliable system that performs predictably on a macro level. Standardizing testing and analysis approaches to verifying the performance of energy storage devices, equipment, and systems when integrating them into the grid will improve the understanding and benefit of energy storage over time from technical and economic vantage points. Demonstrating the life-cycle value and capabilities of energy storage systems begins with the data the provider supplies for analysis. After review of energy storage data received from several providers, it has become clear that some of these data are inconsistent and incomplete, raising the question of their efficacy for robust analysis. This report reviews and proposes general guidelines such as sampling rates and data points that providers must supply for robust data analysis to take place. Consistent guidelines are the basis of the proper protocol and ensuing standards to (a) reduce the time it takes data to reach those who are providing analysis; (b) allow them to better understand the energy storage installations; and (c) enable them to provide high-quality analysis of the installations. This report is intended to serve as a starting point for what data points should be provided when monitoring. As battery technologies continue to advance and the industry expands, this report will be updated to remain current.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Test and Analysis Correlation of Standard and Hybrid Standard/Thin-ply Composite Notched Test Specimens

Hybrid composite laminates, a combination of standard-and thin-ply layers, are structurally efficient and can offer opportunities for weight savings over composite laminates composed of only standard-thickness plies. Three hybrid laminates and three standard laminates were tested and analyzed to provide a baseline comparison for not only weight savings and strength benefits of the hybrid stacking sequences, but also to provide fidelity for progressive failure modeling techniques using the two different laminate designs. The standard and hybrid composite specimens were designed to have the same thickness and in-plane stiffness properties, as closely as possible, and were loaded with axial tension and axial compression. Small notched specimens were tested under compression and tension loading, and larger intermediate specimens were tested under tension loading, only. The finite element modeling represented the as-designed panel dimensions as well as the real-life testing conditions through various boundary conditions. The progressive failure modeling and analysis technique described, exhibited very good correlation with the hybrid test specimens, and therefore is appropriate for use in future investigations into more appealing stacking sequences. The progressive failure modeling can also be used to determine the proper usage of thin-ply materials in order to determine the most ideal strength benefits over their standard-ply counterparts.

Alana Zahn↗
NASA NTRS2017

Analytical Round Robin for Elastic-Plastic Analysis of Surface Cracked Plates, Phase II Results

The second phase of an analytical round robin for the elastic-plastic analysis of surface cracks in flat plates was conducted under the auspices of ASTM Interlaboratory Study 732. The interlaboratory study (ILS) had 10 participants with a broad range of expertise and experience, and experimental results from a surface crack tension test in 4142 steel plate loaded well into the elastic-plastic regime provided the basis for the study. The participants were asked to evaluate a surface crack tension test according to the version of the surface crack initiation toughness testing standard published at the time of the ILS, E2899-13. Data were provided to each participant that represent the fundamental information that would be provided by a mechanical test laboratory prior to evaluating the test result. Overall, the participant’s test analysis results were in good agreement and constructive feedback was received that has resulted in an improved published version of the standard E2899-15.

Allen, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Full-field Strain Methods for Investigating Failure Mechanisms in Triaxial Braided Composites

Composite materials made with triaxial braid architecture and large tow size carbon fibers are beginning to be used in many applications, including composite aircraft and engine structures. Recent advancements in braiding technology have led to commercially viable manufacturing approaches for making large structures with complex shape. Although the large unit cell size of these materials is an advantage for manufacturing efficiency, the fiber architecture presents some challenges for materials characterization, design, and analysis. In some cases, the static load capability of structures made using these materials has been higher than expected based on material strength properties measured using standard coupon tests. A potential problem with using standard tests methods for these materials is that the unit cell size can be an unacceptably large fraction of the specimen dimensions. More detailed investigation of deformation and failure processes in large unit cell size triaxial braid composites is needed to evaluate the applicability of standard test methods for these materials and to develop alternative testing approaches. In recent years, commercial equipment has become available that enables digital image correlation to be used on a more routine basis for investigation of full field 3D deformation in materials and structures. In this paper, some new techniques that have been developed to investigate local deformation and failure using digital image correlation techniques are presented. The methods were used to measure both local and global strains during standard straight-sided coupon tensile tests on composite materials made with 12 and 24 k yarns and a 0/+60/-60 triaxial braid architecture. Local deformation and failure within fiber bundles was observed, and this local failure had a significant effect on global stiffness and strength. The matrix material had a large effect on local damage initiation for the two matrix materials used in this investigation. Premature failure in regions of the unit cell near the edge of the straight-sided specimens was observed for transverse tensile tests in which the braid axial fibers were perpendicular to the specimen axis and the bias fibers terminated on the cut edges in the specimen gage section. This edge effect is one factor that could contribute to a measured strength that is lower than the actual material strength in a structure without edge effects.

Littell, Justin D.↗