Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “FOCUS PROGRAMS”

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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Industrial Energy Training and Certification

Compressed air systems, ammonia refrigeration systems, chilled water systems, steam systems, process heating systems, combined heat and power systems, pump systems and fan systems are major industrial energy systems commonly found in manufacturing facilities. Efficiency of these systems contributes significantly to whole facilities' energy performance. On the national, even international level, well-structured training and highly recognized certification programs help develop a highly-skilled and qualified workforce to maintain and improve facilities' energy performance, particularly as technologies within these systems become more advanced. The purpose of this paper is to review currently available training and certification programs focusing on these systems and to identify the gap between market's needs and currently available programs. Three major conclusions are: first, most training programs focus on operations, maintenance, safety and design although some briefly touch the energy performance aspect; second, except CRES by RETA and PSA Certificate and PSAP Master Certification by HI, no other certifications had been found emphasizing on knowledge and skills for improving and maintaining these systems' energy performance; third, developing energy efficiency focused training and ANSI accredited certification programs on these energy systems will fill the gap between market's needs and currently available programs.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2017

Industrial Energy Training and Certification

We present compressed air systems, ammonia refrigeration systems, chilled water systems, steam systems, process heating systems, combined heat and power systems, pump systems and fan systems are major industrial energy systems commonly found in manufacturing facilities. Efficiency of these systems contributes significantly to whole facilities' energy performance. On the national, even international level, well-structured training and highly recognized certification programs help develop a highly-skilled and qualified workforce to maintain and improve facilities' energy performance, particularly as technologies within these systems become more advanced. The purpose of this paper is to review currently available training and certification programs focusing on these systems and to identify the gap between market's needs and currently available programs. Three major conclusions are: first, most training programs focus on operations, maintenance, safety and design although some briefly touch the energy performance aspect; second, except CRES by RETA and PSA Certificate and PSAP Master Certification by HI, no other certifications had been found emphasizing on knowledge and skills for improving and maintaining these systems' energy performance; third, developing energy efficiency focused training and ANSI accredited certification programs on these energy systems will fill the gap between market's needs and currently available programs.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS2011

Post Flight Reconditioning for US Astronauts Returning from the International Space Station

Prior to spaceflight, each astronaut undergoes medical requirement testing to establish a preflight baseline for physiologic functions. Astronauts returning from the International Space Station can experience deficits in all or some of the following areas: aerobic capacity, muscular strength, power, endurance, stamina, bone, balance, agility, coordination, orthostatic tolerances, proprioception, neurovestibular function and flexibility. These losses occur from living in microgravity and are consistent with deficits seen in terrestrial, de-conditioning individuals. Since 2001, the Astronaut Strength, Conditioning and Rehabilitation (ASCR) specialists have administered a reconditioning program, focusing on all deficits, which improves the physical condition of all returning astronauts. In most cases, astronauts have reached or surpassed their preflight physical condition. Purpose: This presentation will describe and explain the postflight reconditioning program for returning astronauts. Methods: The postflight reconditioning program is designed to stress the body systems that affect the following: aerobic capacity, muscular strength, power, endurance, stamina, bone, balance, agility, coordination, orthostatic tolerances, proprioception, neurovestibular function and flexibility. Postflight reconditioning begins on landing day, is scheduled for two hours per day, 7 days a week for 45 days and is tailored to the specific needs of the astronaut. Initially the program focuses on basic ambulation, cardiovascular endurance, strength, balance, flexibility and proprioception. The program advances through 45 days and specific attention is given to each astronaut s overall condition, testing results, medical status, and assigned duties after their mission. Conclusion: Astronauts will experience noticeable deficits in their physical condition after living in microgravity for an extended length of time. After completing postflight reconditioning, it is shown that astronauts have regained, and in most cases improved upon, their preflight baseline condition.

Nieschwitz, Bruce↗
NASA NTRS1980

Line-focus concentrating collector program

The Line-Focus Concentrating Collector Program has emphasized the development and dissemination of concentrating solar technology in which the reflected sunlight is focused onto a linear or line receiver. Although a number of different types of line-focus concentrators were developed, the parabolic trough has gained the widest acceptance and utilization within the industrial and applications sectors. The trough is best applied for application scenarios which require temperatures between 140 and 600 F. Another concept, the bowl, is investigated for applications which may require temperatures in the range between 600 and 1200 F. Current technology emphases are upon the reduction of system installation cost and the implementation of production oriented engineering.

Dugan, V. L.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Model-Based Characterization of Elevated Temperature and High Pressure Oxy-Coal Combustion Systems

Reaction Engineering International is leading a DOE-funded program focused on characterization of the impacts of high temperatures and pressures in oxy-coal combustion systems. A primary objective is to evaluate flame behavior, heat transfer, and ash chemistry at high pressure to facilitate the application of pressurized oxy-coal in full-scale systems. The University of Utah’s 300 kW pressurized entrained flow gasifier has been successfully modified and operated as a high pressure, slurry-fed, oxy-coal combustor at firing rates ranging from nearly 100 kW to over 180 kW with reactor pressures as high as 200 psi. This presentation will describe the modifications to the gasifier to allow it to operate as a high pressure, oxy-coal combustor; detail experimental data including measurements of radiant flux, wall surface temperatures, and ash aerosol characterization; and CFD modeling of the experimental conditions. In addition, an update will be provided for accomplishments achieved to date for the component of the program focused on modeling of high temperature oxy-coal combustion using undiluted directed oxygen with minimal flue gas recirculation at atmospheric pressure.

CFD modeling↗
NASA NTRS2005

Mars Science Laboratory Focused Technology Program Overview

This paper describes how the MSL-FT program functions to ensure that the needed technology is identified, developed, matured to TRL 6, and infused in the MSL mission, in a systematic fashion that will meet the mission's objectives innovatively and within budget. The paper describes the mission's technical and project challenges, and outlines the process, procedures, tools and people involved in meeting those challenges. The paper also discusses the technology certification process required to demonstrate that technology deliverables perform adequately and in a predictable fashion to successful infusion into the MSL Flight System.

program management↗
NASA NTRS1995

A fresh view of the fly-by-light/power-by-wire program

NASA has been funding a focused program to promote the development of optical signaling and electrical actuation for civil transports. This program is reviewed in the context of other government and private sector initiatives. It is concluded that significant resources have and continue to be expended to develop these technologies. A second goal of the program is to develop certification methods for aircraft that implement these new technologies. It is concluded that there is a significant need for this effort and that NASA in cooperation with the FAA are well suited to do satisfy the need. Electrical actuation is not new but has recently been made feasible for a broader array of high power applications than previously because of developments in power switching technologies, motors, and computers. This development has been well explored by the Air Force and the private sector and requires little more government attention. Light signal and sensor technology has been developing under public and private funding and has reached a level of maturity such that some companies are using optical signal carriers for flight control on private jets. Several issues remain unresolved but centrally focused government effort is not an effective way to pursue the variety of issues that persist. Certification of aircraft for flight is a government activity. The poor preparedness of the FAA to certify fault tolerant digital flight control systems against electromagnetic effects coupled with the increasing number of electromagnetic emitters constitutes an impediment for development of this technology. The complete lack of preparation to certify optical components is currently causing concern for a general aviation supplier who is having difficulty certify their system. NASA with the FAA should work to develop clear, reasonable, and cost effective ways of certifying the reliability of fault tolerant digital and optical flight control components and systems.

Wander, John↗
DOE OSTI2020

Peak Demand Savings from Efficiency: Opportunities and Practices [Slides]

Electricity systems are designed to meet peak demand - the maximum load during a specified period, typically in summer - even if that demand occurs only a few hours in a year. Yet most evaluations of electricity efficiency programs focus on reductions in annual energy use. However, these efficiency programs are also delivering peak demand savings at an affordable cost. A new study by the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) explores the program administrator (PA) cost - or the cost to implement an energy efficiency program to a utility or third party administrator - of saving peak demand through efficiency programs for electric utility customers. Berkeley Lab collected data on costs, annual energy savings, and peak demand savings for electricity efficiency programs for 52 utilities and other program administrators in 15 states between 2014 and 2018. The analysis focused on eight program types that represent 68% of the peak demand savings for the utilities and program administrators studied. The findings improve our understanding of which energy efficiency programs produce the most peak demand savings and their cost performance.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2017

Unlocking energy efficiency in small commercial buildings through mechanical contractors

Although buildings smaller than 4,645 m 2 account for nearly half of the energy used in U.S. commercial buildings, energy-efficiency programs to date have primarily focused on larger buildings. Stakeholder interviews conducted during a scoping study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) indicated interest in energy efficiency from the small commercial building sector, provided solutions are simple and of low cost. To address this need, an energy management package (EMP) was developed to deliver energy management to small commercial buildings via HVAC contractors, because they already serve these clients and the transaction cost to market would be reduced. This energy-management approach is unique from, but often complementary to, conventional quality maintenance or retrofit-focused programs targeting the small commercial segment. Furthermore, this paper presents an overview of the EMP, the business model to deliver it, and preliminary demonstration findings from a pilot use of the EMP. Results from the pilot validated that contractors could deliver the EMP in 4–8 h per building per year and that energy savings of 3–5% are feasible through this approach.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS1991

Telescope optical systems program overview

Telescope Optical Systems is a new focused program of technology development that will shape and enable the new 'telescope' missions being studied and planned by NASA. The program structure contains six major elements: systems, optics, materials, structures, controls, and integration and test. Activities in each element will address key technology issues that support a wide range of user needs. Program goals, technology needs, and technology performance objectives are summarized in outline form.

Hirschbein, Murray S.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Addressing Human Error in International Space Station Flight Control Teams: Advances in Ground Training for Science Operators

In flight control, as with any human in the loop system, operator error is an inevitable reality. On the International Space Station (ISS) where crew time and physical resources are precious and often irreplaceable, operator errors can result in significant, irreversible consequences. Flight controllers at the Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) located at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama know this reality well. At the POIC, operator errors can be caused by a variety of factors, from poor hardware or software design to environmental factors such as time pressure or fatigue. The most difficult errors to address, however, are those which result from ineffective teamwork.Academic research in teamwork has resulted in the identification of many factors which make cross-functional teaming difficult, including leadership, trust building, and communication challenges. These factors, especially when combined with the challenging environmental factors flight control teams must contend with daily, make the goal of minimizing operator errors in payload operations challenging to achieve. To address such teamwork errors, trainers at the POIC have drawn best practices from high reliability industries such as commercial aviation, healthcare, and nuclear power plants, as well as from our sister ISS control center in Houston, Texas, to develop and institute a new training program focused specifically on teamwork skills.This training program, called the Team Skills Curriculum, is based on the concept of Crew Resource Management (CRM) which was developed by NASA in the 1970s for the commercial aviation industry in response to a series of aviation disasters resulting from ineffective teamwork. CRM was later tailored by the Johnson Space Center (JSC) for use in astronaut and flight control training. The result, called Space Flight Resource Management (SFRM) was formally introduced into manned spaceflight training in the late 90s. SFRM has evolved over the years, but the focus has remained on helping operators develop the skills needed to work as part of an effective team. Using these concepts as well as the latest research in cross-functional teaming and data on specific errors occurring at the POIC, trainers in the integrated flight control training branch created a custom training program for both new and certified payload operations specialists.

Harris, Samantha S.↗
DOE OSTI2017

ARPA-E Impacts: A Sampling of Project Outcomes, Volume II

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is demonstrating that a collaborative model has the power to deliver real value. The Agency’s first compilation booklet of impact sheets, published in 2016, began to tell the story of how ARPA-E has already made an impact in just seven years—funding a diverse and sophisticated research portfolio on advanced energy technologies that enable the United States to tackle our most pressing energy challenges. One year later our research investments continue to pay off, with a number of current and alumni project teams successfully commercializing their technologies and advancing the state of the art in transformative areas of energy science and engineering. There is no single measure that can fully illustrate ARPA-E’s success to date, but several statistics viewed collectively begin to reveal the Agency’s impact. Since 2009, ARPA-E has provided more than $1.5 billion in funding for 36 focused programs and three open funding solicitations, totaling over 580 projects. Of those, 263 are now alumni projects. Many teams have successfully leveraged ARPA-E’s investment: 56 have formed new companies, 68 have partnered with other government agencies to continue their technology development, and 74 teams have together raised more than $1.8 billion in reported funding from the private sector to bring their technologies to market. However, even when viewed together, those measures do not capture ARPA-E’s full impact. To best understand the Agency’s success, the specific scientific and engineering challenges that ARPA-E project teams have overcome must be understood. This booklet provides concrete examples of those successes, ranging from innovations that will bear fruit in the future to ones that are beginning to penetrate the market as products today. Importantly, half of the projects highlighted in this volume stem from OPEN solicitations, which the agency has run in 2009, 2012, and 2015. ARPA-E’s OPEN programs are an extraordinary opportunity for the R&D community to challenge ARPA-E in areas of technology not covered by the agency’s focused technology programs.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Customer enrollment and participation in building demand management programs: A review of key factors

Increasing the efficiency and flexibility of electricity demand is necessary for ensuring a cost-effective and reliable transition to zero-carbon electricity systems. Such demand-side management (DSM) resources have been procured by utilities for decades via energy efficiency and demand response programs; however, the key drivers of program enrollment and customer participation levels remain poorly understood — even as governments and grid planners seek to scale up the deployment of DSM assets to meet climate targets. Here we systematically review the evidence on multiple factors that may influence customer enrollment and participation in building DSM programs, focusing primarily on residential and commercial buildings. We examine the contexts in which relationships between DSM factors and outcomes are most often explored and with which methods; we also score the strength, direction, and internal consistency of each factor's reported impact on the enrollment and participation outcomes. We find that studies most commonly assess the effects of economic incentives for load flexibility on program participation levels, often using simulation-based methods in lieu of measured data. Few studies focus on program enrollment outcomes or regulatory drivers of either enrollment or participation, and gaps are also evident in the coverage of emerging DSM opportunities like load electrification. Removal of structural barriers (e.g., the lack of controls infrastructure) and the use of third party services (e.g., load aggregators) are the factors with the largest positive impacts on DSM outcomes, but no single factor emerges as clearly most impactful. For a given factor, the range of reported impacts typically varies widely across the relevant studies reviewed. Our findings provide a snapshot of the state of knowledge about building DSM and customer decision-making, and they expose key gaps in understanding that must be filled if building DSM is to expand as a critical resource for operating clean power grids.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2019

Retrospective of the ARPA-E ALPHA Fusion Program

This paper provides a retrospective of the ALPHA (Accelerating Low-cost Plasma Heating and Assembly) fusion program of the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) of the U.S. Department of Energy. ALPHA’s objective was to catalyze research and development efforts to enable substantially lower-cost pathways to economical fusion power. To do this in a targeted, focused program, ALPHA focused on advancing the science and technology of pulsed, intermediate-density fusion approaches, including magneto-inertial fusion and Z-pinch variants, that have the potential to scale to commercially viable fusion power plants. Here, the paper includes a discussion of the origins and framing of the ALPHA program, a summary of project status and outcomes, a description of associated technology-transition activities, and thoughts on a potential follow-on ARPA-E fusion program.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1991

Space Propulsion Technology Program Overview

The topics presented are covered in viewgraph form. Focused program elements are: (1) transportation systems, which include earth-to-orbit propulsion, commercial vehicle propulsion, auxiliary propulsion, advanced cryogenic engines, cryogenic fluid systems, nuclear thermal propulsion, and nuclear electric propulsion; (2) space platforms, which include spacecraft on-board propulsion, and station keeping propulsion; and (3) technology flight experiments, which include cryogenic orbital N2 experiment (CONE), SEPS flight experiment, and cryogenic orbital H2 experiment (COHE).

Escher, William J. D.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Addressing Human Error in International Space Station Flight Control Teams: Advances in Ground Training for Science Operators

In flight control, as with any human in the loop system, operator error is an inevitable reality. On the International Space Station (ISS) where crew time and physical resources are precious and often irreplaceable, operator errors can result in significant, irreversible consequences. Flight controllers at the Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) located at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama know this reality well. At the POIC, operator errors can be caused by a variety of factors, from poor hardware or software design to environmental factors such as time pressure or fatigue. The most difficult errors to address, however, are those which result from ineffective teamwork. To address these teamwork errors, trainers at the POIC have drawn best practices from high reliability industries as well as from our sister ISS control center at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, to develop and implement a new training program focused specifically on teamwork skills. This training program, called Team Skills Training, is inspired by modern and historical training programs developed by NASA and is specifically tailored to the needs of the payload operations flight control team at the POIC. The program consists of training for both certified and trainee flight controllers, and covers team skills topics such as situational awareness, leadership, and communication skills. To maximize effectiveness, the program uses novel instructional techniques which extend beyond the classroom to encourage students to apply what they have learned to their day to day work. Minimizing operator errors in flight control is an endeavor which requires constant vigilance and continuous improvement. At the POIC, Team Skills Training is an important step in this journey.

Harris, Samantha S.↗