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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 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Tank Pressure Control Experiment/thermal Phenomena (TPCE/TP)

The 'Tank Pressure Control Experiment/Thermal Phenomena (TPCE/TP)' is a reflight of the tank pressure control experiment (TPCE), flown on STS-43 in a standard Get-Away Special (GAS) container in August 1991. The TPCE obtained extensive video and digital data of the jet induced mixing process in a partially filled tank in low gravity environments. It also provided limited data on the thermal processes involved. The primary objective of the reflight of TPCE is to investigate experimentally the phenomena of liquid superheating and pool nucleate boiling at very low heat fluxes in a long duration low gravity environment. The findings of this experiment will be of direct relevance to space based subcritical cryogenic fluid system design and operation. Experiment hardware and results from the first TPCE are described in outline and graphic form.

Hasan, M. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Modeling and analysis of selected space station communications and tracking subsystems

The Communications and Tracking System on board Space Station Freedom (SSF) provides space-to-ground, space-to-space, audio, and video communications, as well as tracking data reception and processing services. Each major category of service is provided by a communications subsystem which is controlled and monitored by software. Among these subsystems, the Assembly/Contingency Subsystem (ACS) and the Space-to-Ground Subsystem (SGS) provide communications with the ground via the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System. The ACS is effectively SSF's command link, while the SGS is primarily intended as the data link for SSF payloads. The research activities of this project focused on the ACS and SGS antenna management algorithms identified in the Flight System Software Requirements (FSSR) documentation, including: (1) software modeling and evaluation of antenna management (positioning) algorithms; and (2) analysis and investigation of selected variables and parameters of these antenna management algorithms i.e., descriptions and definitions of ranges, scopes, and dimensions. In a related activity, to assist those responsible for monitoring the development of this flight system software, a brief summary of software metrics concepts, terms, measures, and uses was prepared.

Richmond, Elmer Raydean↗
NASA NTRS1996

Concentration Measurements in a Cold Flow Model Annular Combustor Using Laser Induced Fluorescence

A nonintrusive concentration measurement method is developed for determining the concentration distribution in a complex flow field. The measurement method consists of marking a liquid flow with a water soluble fluorescent dye. The dye is excited by a two dimensional sheet of laser light. The fluorescent intensity is shown to be proportional to the relative concentration level. The fluorescent field is recorded on a video cassette recorder through a video camera. The recorded images are analyzed with image processing hardware and software to obtain intensity levels. Mean and root mean square (rms) values are calculated from these intensity levels. The method is tested on a single round turbulent jet because previous concentration measurements have been made on this configuration by other investigators. The previous results were used to comparison to qualify the current method. These comparisons showed that this method provides satisfactory results. 'Me concentration measurement system was used to measure the concentrations in the complex flow field of a model gas turbine annular combustor. The model annular combustor consists of opposing primary jets and an annular jet which discharges perpendicular to the primary jets. The mixing between the different jet flows can be visualized from the calculated mean and rms profiles. Concentration field visualization images obtained from the processing provide further qualitative information about the flow field.

Morgan, Douglas C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Motion Magnification to Visualize the Modes of Space Structures

Traditional structural testing involves using accelerometers and strain gages to measure the motion. While this traditional instrumentation suite has proven accurate, it is limited to capture data only in the discrete locations where the transducers are placed. Additionally, applying the instrumentation can be a difficult and labor intensive task. By using video cameras, the motion of the test article – such as a launch vehicle or launch vehicle payload – can be easily captured at any location in the field of view and easily visualized using a post-processing technique called Motion Magnification. It is also much easier to place video cameras to measure motion rather than having to place contact sensors, especially when placement locations can be limited on final flight hardware. Recently, a team of MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MITLL) and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have been collaborating to use Motion Magnification to measure the dynamics of large space structures. This presentation will detail some of the results of this collaboration.

Eric Colby Stewart↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Motion Magnification to Visualize the Modes of Space Structures

Traditional structural testing involves using accelerometers and strain gages to measure the motion. While this traditional instrumentation suite has proven accurate, it is limited to capture data only in the discrete locations where the transducers are placed. Additionally, applying the instrumentation can be a difficult and labor intensive task. By using video cameras, the motion of the test article – such as a launch vehicle or launch vehicle payload – can be easily captured at any location in the field of view and easily visualized using a post-processing technique called Motion Magnification. It is also much easier to place video cameras to measure motion rather than having to place contact sensors, especially when placement locations can be limited on final flight hardware. Recently, a team of MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MITLL) and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have been collaborating to use Motion Magnification to measure the dynamics of large space structures. This presentation will detail some of the results of this collaboration.

Eric Colby Stewart↗
NASA NTRS2010

Single sensor processing to obtain high resolution color component signals

A method for generating color video signals representative of color images of a scene includes the following steps: focusing light from the scene on an electronic image sensor via a filter having a tri-color filter pattern; producing, from outputs of the sensor, first and second relatively low resolution luminance signals; producing, from outputs of the sensor, a relatively high resolution luminance signal; producing, from a ratio of the relatively high resolution luminance signal to the first relatively low resolution luminance signal, a high band luminance component signal; producing, from outputs of the sensor, relatively low resolution color component signals; and combining each of the relatively low resolution color component signals with the high band luminance component signal to obtain relatively high resolution color component signals.

Glenn, William E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Flywheel Technology

Throughout the summer of 2004, I am working on a number of different projects. While located in the Space Power and Propulsion Test Engineering branch, my main area of study is flywheel technology. I have been exposed to flywheels, their components, and their uses in today's society. I have been able to experience numerous flywheels here in the flywheel lab at NASA Glenn. My first main project was to explore the attributes and physical characteristics of a flywheel. Our branch was constructing a flywheel demonstration to be presented at the public open house taking place in June. Our Flywheel Interactive Demo, or FIDO, represents a real life multi-flywheel system here at NASA. I was given the opportunity to learn about how these flywheels store energy and are able to position a satellite. With all of this new knowledge, I was able to create the posters that explained how our demonstration worked. I also composed a step-by-step process made up of four experiments that any visitor could follow and perform on FIDO. By stepping through these experiments, the individual learns how a flywheel works. They not only read the explanation of what is happening, but they are also able to see it happen. Creating these two posters not only taught me, but also helped teach the general public during the open house, how flywheel technology is a very important part of our future. Through my research, I have learned that flywheels are able to store massive amounts of energy. They can be described as an electro-mechanical battery that stores kinetic energy while rotating. The faster it rotates, the more energy it stores. Their lifetime is about triple that of an ordinary battery. Flywheels also have the ability to combine energy storage with attitude control all in a single system. Attitude control is the ability to position a satellite as required. FIDO helps us to understand the rotational force (torque) that is applied upon a turn-table or satellite during wheel acceleration/deceleration. My other main project that I have just begun is to create a flywheel presentation, brochure, and video all explaining the history, applications, early attempts, and working processes of modem flywheels. These items are all usefull tools for educating school children and even adults about flywheels. This task will require a large amount of research and skills in the use of multiple applications. My goal this summer is to learn the dynamics and uses of a flywheel in today s society, and then inform and encourage the public about flywheels. I am able to express my knowledge by creating some effective as well as attractive posters, presentations, brochures, videos, etc. that are able to explain how a flywheel works along with how our FIDO demonstration simulates a real flywheel. My goal is underway, and should be successfully reached with the help of my mentor, other coworkers, and fellow interns.

Ritchie, Lisa M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Low-sensitivity, frequency-selective amplifier circuits for hybrid and bipolar fabrication.

A network is described which is suitable for realizing a low-sensitivity high-Q second-order frequency-selective amplifier for high-frequency operation. Circuits are obtained from this network which are well suited for realizing monolithic integrated circuits and which do not require any process steps more critical than those used for conventional monolithic operational and video amplifiers. A single chip version using compatible thin-film techniques for the frequency determination elements is then feasible. Center frequency and bandwidth can be set independently by trimming two resistors. The frequency selective circuits have a low sensitivity to the process variables, and the sensitivity of the center frequency and bandwidth to changes in temperature is very low.

Pi, C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Picture processing analysis of the optical structure of NGC 5128 /Centaurus A/

Results are presented for a detailed study of the peculiar elliptical galaxy NGC 5128 (Cen A), based on computer video analysis of several photographic plates of exceptional quality reduced to the standard UBV system. The picture-processing results and the measured properties of the elliptical and gaseous-disk components of NGC 5128 are examined, along with the distribution, spectral characteristics, and chemical composition of the H II regions in the disk. The data show that NGC 5128 consists of a giant E2 galaxy containing a significant amount of gas and dust situated predominantly in an equatorial disk where vigorous star formation is occurring. Reasons why NGC 5128 is so different from giant ellipticals in clusters are considered.

Dufour, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Convective Melting of Particles in Flow Under Microgravity Conditions

Study of melting of dispersed or packed solid particles in a fluid under gravity and microgravity conditions provides benchmark information for many engineering applications such as material processing, environmental assessment and protection and space fire protection. During such processes, packed or dispersed solid particles are interacting with fluid flow at above-melting temperatures. By unmasking the buoyancy effects in coupled flow, phase change and heat transport phenomena, a better understanding of melting rate in non-thermal equilibrium, convective conditions can be studied. A series of flight experiments were conducted onboard the NASA KC-135 Microgravity Research Airplane. The Particle Melting in Plow (PMF) module was designed to allow flow through the initially packed ice particles at controlled temperature and velocity. To achieve this, a close-loop flow system was designed. Video images were taken to record the visualization of the melting process, from which a time variation of packed particle thickness distribution at different times can be obtained by the image analysis method. The fluid temperature distribution within the melting zone is measured by thermocouples. An infrared camera was mounted from the top of the test section to record the ice-water thermal images at a given location. The results from thermal images yield local temperature variation between melting solid and liquid and local Stephan number. Typical results for a number of cases are presented. The mathematical model, describing mass, energy, and momentum balance equations for the liquid and solid phases, is presented. It is found that melting rate is influenced mainly by the ratio of Reynolds number (based on the initial particle diameter) to the Froud number, and Stephan number. At the absence of gravity, Froud number approaches zero, Reynolds number and Stephan number become dominant factors governing the melting rate. The numerically determined results are compared with the experimental ones. It is found that the discrepancy between the predicted and measured melting rate is largely due to the inaccuracy in the constitutive equations for effective thermal physical properties, such as effective thermal conductivity and diffusivity, and transport properties, such as particle interaction coefficient, and local heat transfer coefficient of particles.

Stewart, C.↗
NASA NTRS1997

In-Flight Flow Visualization Using Infrared Thermography

The feasibility of remote infrared thermography of aircraft surfaces during flight to visualize the extent of laminar flow on a target aircraft has been examined. In general, it was determined that such thermograms can be taken successfully using an existing airplane/thermography system (NASA Dryden's F-18 with infrared imaging pod) and that the transition pattern and, thus, the extent of laminar flow can be extracted from these thermograms. Depending on the in-flight distance between the F-18 and the target aircraft, the thermograms can have a spatial resolution of as little as 0.1 inches. The field of view provided by the present remote system is superior to that of prior stationary infrared thermography systems mounted in the fuselage or vertical tail of a subject aircraft. An additional advantage of the present experimental technique is that the target aircraft requires no or minimal modifications. An image processing procedure was developed which improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the thermograms. Problems encountered during the analog recording of the thermograms (banding of video images) made it impossible to evaluate the adequacy of the present imaging system and image processing procedure to detect transition on untreated metal surfaces. The high reflectance, high thermal difussivity, and low emittance of metal surfaces tend to degrade the images to an extent that it is very difficult to extract transition information from them. The application of a thin (0.005 inches) self-adhesive insulating film to the surface is shown to solve this problem satisfactorily. In addition to the problem of infrared based transition detection on untreated metal surfaces, future flight tests will also concentrate on the visualization of other flow phenomena such as flow separation and reattachment.

vanDam, C. P.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Crew Activity Analyzer

The crew activity analyzer (CAA) is a system of electronic hardware and software for automatically identifying patterns of group activity among crew members working together in an office, cockpit, workshop, laboratory, or other enclosed space. The CAA synchronously records multiple streams of data from digital video cameras, wireless microphones, and position sensors, then plays back and processes the data to identify activity patterns specified by human analysts. The processing greatly reduces the amount of time that the analysts must spend in examining large amounts of data, enabling the analysts to concentrate on subsets of data that represent activities of interest. The CAA has potential for use in a variety of governmental and commercial applications, including planning for crews for future long space flights, designing facilities wherein humans must work in proximity for long times, improving crew training and measuring crew performance in military settings, human-factors and safety assessment, development of team procedures, and behavioral and ethnographic research. The data-acquisition hardware of the CAA (see figure) includes two video cameras: an overhead one aimed upward at a paraboloidal mirror on the ceiling and one mounted on a wall aimed in a downward slant toward the crew area. As many as four wireless microphones can be worn by crew members. The audio signals received from the microphones are digitized, then compressed in preparation for storage. Approximate locations of as many as four crew members are measured by use of a Cricket indoor location system. [The Cricket indoor location system includes ultrasonic/radio beacon and listener units. A Cricket beacon (in this case, worn by a crew member) simultaneously transmits a pulse of ultrasound and a radio signal that contains identifying information. Each Cricket listener unit measures the difference between the times of reception of the ultrasound and radio signals from an identified beacon. Assuming essentially instantaneous propagation of the radio signal, the distance between that beacon and the listener unit is estimated from this time difference and the speed of sound in air.] In this system, six Cricket listener units are mounted in various positions on the ceiling, and as many as four Cricket beacons are attached to crew members. The three-dimensional position of each Cricket beacon can be estimated from the time-difference readings of that beacon from at least three Cricket listener units

Murray, James↗
NASA NTRS1974

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 3: Design/cost tradeoff studies. Appendix E: EOS program supporting system trade data. Part 2: System trade studies no. 9 - 19

The relative merits of several international data acquisition (IDA) alternatives for the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) are established and rated on a cost effectiveness basis. The primary alternatives under consideration are: (1) direct transmission to foreign ground stations, (2) a wideband video tape recorder system for collection of foreign data and processing and distribution from the United States, and (3) a tracking and data relay satellite (TDRS) system for the relay of foreign data to the United States for processing and distribution. A requirements model is established for the analysis on the basis of the heaviest concentration of agricultural areas around the world. The model, the orbit path and the constraints of EOS and data volume summaries are presented. Alternative system descriptions and costs are given in addition to cost-performance summaries.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1977

Video simulator with electronic ranging

Gimbal orientation, raster shrinkage and deflection, and track movement are used to simulate attitude and range. Key component in system is video digitizer that converts vidicon camera signal to digital form, processes it to reduce image size, and reconverts processed data to analog signal for display on cathode ray tube.

Kraemer, W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Applications of artificial intelligence to space station: General purpose intelligent sensor interface

This final report describes the accomplishments of the General Purpose Intelligent Sensor Interface task of the Applications of Artificial Intelligence to Space Station grant for the period from October 1, 1987 through September 30, 1988. Portions of the First Biannual Report not revised will not be included but only referenced. The goal is to develop an intelligent sensor system that will simplify the design and development of expert systems using sensors of the physical phenomena as a source of data. This research will concentrate on the integration of image processing sensors and voice processing sensors with a computer designed for expert system development. The result of this research will be the design and documentation of a system in which the user will not need to be an expert in such areas as image processing algorithms, local area networks, image processor hardware selection or interfacing, television camera selection, voice recognition hardware selection, or analog signal processing. The user will be able to access data from video or voice sensors through standard LISP statements without any need to know about the sensor hardware or software.

Mckee, James W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Simple technique for optical flow estimation

The theoretical principles, design, and implementation of an image-motion detection system with possible robotics and autonomous-navigation applications are discussed. The operation of a simple one-dimensional second-derivative edge-motion detector is explained; its extension to a two-dimensional motion sensor based on the Laplacian of a Gaussian (Marr and Hildreth, 1980) is outlined; a center-surround array of 13 of these sensors (12 in a circle around a central sensor) is proposed; and processing techniques to overcome the aperture problem are examined. Simple video images involving unidirectional motion are then analyzed using a prototype version of this design; the sensors employed are based on a 15 x 15-pixel mask made up of 13 7 x 7-pixel kernels. Accurate measurements of image velocity are obtained, as required for navigation through complex environments. It is pointed out that the procedure is noniterative and well suited to implementation as a parallel network.

Perrone, John A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Video Recording Of Images In Laser Remote Sensing

Timing technique enables recording of images in laser remote sensing of environment. Timings of laser pulse, shutter, and video frame synchronized. Technique also used in industrial or commercial processes requiring clear sighting of laser beams relative to their surroundings.

Kalshoven, James E., Jr.↗