SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Resistance Temperature Detector”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 37 records · Page 2

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2002

Enthalpy By Energy Balance for Aerodynamic Heating Facility at NASA Ames Research Center Arc Jet Complex

The NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) Arc Jet Facilities' Aerodynamic Heating Facility (AHF) has been instrumented for the Enthalpy By Energy Balance (EB2) method. Diagnostic EB2 data is routinely taken for all AHF runs. This paper provides an overview of the EB2 method implemented in the AHF. The chief advantage of the AHF implementation over earlier versions is the non-intrusiveness of the instruments used. For example, to measure the change in cooling water temperature, thin film 1000 ohm Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs) are used with an Anderson Current Loop (ACL) as the signal conditioner. The ACL with 1000 ohm RTDs allows for very sensitive measurement of the increase in temperature (Delta T) of the cooling water to the arc heater, which is a critical element of the EB2 method. Cooling water flow rates are measured with non-intrusive ultrasonic flow meters.

Hightower, T. Mark↗

NASA NTRS2004

Prediction of STS-107 Hypervelocity Flow Fields about the Shuttle Orbiter with Various Wing Leading Edge Damage

Computations were performed for damaged configurations of the Shuttle Orbiter in support of the STS-107 Columbia accident investigation. Two configurations with missing wing leading-edge reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels were evaluated at conditions just prior to the peak heating trajectory point. The initial configuration modeled the Orbiter with an approximate missing RCC panel 6 to determine whether this damage could result in anomalous temperatures measured during the STS-107 reentry. This missing RCC panel 6 computation was found to produce heating augmentation factors of 5 times the nominal heating rates on the side fuselage with lesser heat increases on the front of the OMS pod. This is consistent with the thermocouple and resistance temperature detector sensors from the STS-107 re-entry which observed off nominal high early in the re-entry trajectory. A second damaged configuration modeled the Orbiter with missing RCC panel 9 and included ingestion of the flow into the outboard RCC channel. This computation lowered the level (only 2 times nominal) and moved the location of the heating augmentation on the leeside fuselage relative to the missing RCC panel 6 configuration. The lesser heating augmentation for missing RCC panel 9 was confined near the wing fuselage juncture. Near nominal heating was predicted on the remainder of the side fuselage with some lower than nominal heating on the front surface of the OMS pod. These results for missing RCC panel 9 are consistent with data from the STS-107 re-entry where the heating augmentation was observed to move off the side fuselage and OMS pod sensors at later times in the trajectory. As this solution requires supersonic mass ingestion into the RCC channel, it is probably not an appropriate model prior to penetration of the flow through the spar into the wing structure. It may, however, be representative of the conditions at later times and could account for the movement of the heating signature on the side fuselage.

Pulsonetti, Maria V.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Thin-Film Air-Mass-Flow Sensor of Improved Design Developed

Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center have developed a new air-mass-flow sensor to solve the problems of existing mass flow sensor designs. NASA's design consists of thin-film resistors in a Wheatstone bridge arrangement. The resistors are fabricated on a thin, constant-thickness airfoil to minimize disturbance to the airflow being measured. The following photograph shows one of NASA s prototype sensors. In comparison to other air-mass-flow sensor designs, NASA s thin-film sensor is much more robust than hot wires, causes less airflow disturbance than pitot tubes, is more accurate than vane anemometers, and is much simpler to operate than thermocouple rakes. NASA s thin-film air-mass-flow sensor works by converting the temperature difference seen at each leg of the thin-film Wheatstone bridge into a mass-flow rate. The following figure shows a schematic of this sensor with air flowing around it. The sensor operates as follows: current is applied to the bridge, which increases its temperature. If there is no flow, all the arms are heated equally, the bridge remains in balance, and there is no signal. If there is flow, the air passing over the upstream legs of the bridge reduces the temperature of the upstream legs and that leads to reduced electrical resistance for those legs. After the air has picked up heat from the upstream legs, it continues and passes over the downstream legs of the bridge. The heated air raises the temperature of these legs, increasing their electrical resistance. The resistance difference between the upstream and downstream legs unbalances the bridge, causing a voltage difference that can be amplified and calibrated to the airflow rate. Separate sensors mounted on the airfoil measure the temperature of the airflow, which is used to complete the calculation for the mass of air passing by the sensor. A current application for air-mass-flow sensors is as part of the intake system for an internal combustion engine. A mass-flow sensor is used to provide accurate information about the amount of air entering the engine so that the amount of fuel can be adjusted to give the most efficient combustion. The ideal mass-flow sensor would be a rugged design that minimizes the disturbance to the flow stream and provides an accurate reading of both smooth and turbulent flows; NASA's design satisfies these requirements better than any existing design. Most of the mass-flow sensors used today are the hot wire variety. Hot wires can be fragile and cannot accurately measure a turbulent or reversing flow, which is often encountered in an intake manifold. Other types of mass-flow sensors include pitot tubes, vane anemometers, and thermocouple rakes-all of which suffer from some type of performance problem. Because it solves these performance problems while maintaining a simple design that lends itself to low-cost manufacturing techniques, NASA s thin-film resistance temperature detector air-mass-flow sensor should lead to more widespread use of mass-flow sensors.

Fralick, Gustave C.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Microwave Temperature Profiler Mounted in a Standard Airborne Research Canister

Many atmospheric research aircraft use a standard canister design to mount instruments, as this significantly facilitates their electrical and mechanical integration and thereby reduces cost. Based on more than 30 years of airborne science experience with the Microwave Temperature Profiler (MTP), the MTP has been repackaged with state-of-the-art electronics and other design improvements to fly in one of these standard canisters. All of the controlling electronics are integrated on a single 4 ~5-in. (.10 ~13- cm) multi-layer PCB (printed circuit board) with surface-mount hardware. Improved circuit design, including a self-calibrating RTD (resistive temperature detector) multiplexer, was implemented in order to reduce the size and mass of the electronics while providing increased capability. A new microcontroller-based temperature controller board was designed, providing better control with fewer components. Five such boards are used to provide local control of the temperature in various areas of the instrument, improving radiometric performance. The new stepper motor has an embedded controller eliminating the need for a separate controller board. The reference target is heated to avoid possible emissivity (and hence calibration) changes due to moisture contamination in humid environments, as well as avoiding issues with ambient targets during ascent and descent. The radiometer is a double-sideband heterodyne receiver tuned sequentially to individual oxygen emission lines near 60 GHz, with the line selection and intermediate frequency bandwidths chosen to accommodate the altitude range of the aircraft and mission.

Mahoney, Michael J.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Development of a Deep-Penetrating, Compact Geothermal Heat Flow System for Robotic Lunar Geophysical Missions

Geothermal heat flow measurements are a high priority for the future lunar geophysical network missions recommended by the latest Decadal Survey of the National Academy. Geothermal heat flow is obtained as a product of two separate measurements of geothermal gradient and thermal conductivity of the regolith/soil interval penetrated by the instrument. The Apollo 15 and 17 astronauts deployed their heat flow probes down to 1.4-m and 2.3-m depths, respectively, using a rotary-percussive drill. However, recent studies show that the heat flow instrument for a lunar mission should be capable of excavating a ~3-m deep hole to avoid the effect of potential long-term changes of the surface thermal environment. For a future robotic geophysical mission, a system that utilizes a rotary/percussive drill would far exceed the limited payload and power capacities of the lander/rover. Therefore, we are currently developing a more compact heat flow system that is capable of 3-m penetration. Because the grains of lunar regolith are cohesive and densely packed, the previously proposed lightweight, internal hammering systems (the so-called moles ) are not likely to achieve the desired deep penetration. The excavation system for our new heat flow instrumentation utilizes a stem which winds out of a pneumatically driven reel and pushes its conical tip into the regolith. Simultaneously, gas jets, emitted from the cone tip, loosen and blow away the soil. Lab tests have demonstrated that this proboscis system has much greater excavation capability than a mole-based heat flow system, while it weighs about the same. Thermal sensors are attached along the stem and at the tip of the penetrating cone. Thermal conductivity is measured at the cone tip with a short (1- to 1.5-cm long) needle sensor containing a resistance temperature detector (RTD) and a heater wire. When it is inserted into the soil, the heater is activated. Thermal conductivity of the soil is obtained from the rate of temperature increase during the heating. By stopping during the excavation, it is possible to measure thermal conductivities at different depths. The gas jets are turned off when the penetrating cone reaches the target depth. Then, the stem pushes the needle sensor into the undisturbed soil at the bottom of the hole and carries out a thermal conductivity measurement. When the measurement is complete, the system resumes excavation. RTDs, placed along the stem at short (approx 30 cm) intervals, will monitor long-term temperature stability of the subsurface. Temperature in the shallow subsurface would fluctuate with the diurnal, annual, and precession cycles of the Moon. These thermal waves penetrate to different depths into the regolith. Longterm monitoring of the subsurface temperature would allow us to accurately delineate these cyclic signals and separate them from the signal associated with the outward flow of the Moon s endogenic heat. Further, temperature toward bottom of the 3-m hole should be fairly stable after the heat generated during the excavation dissipates into the surrounding soil. The geothermal gradient may be determined reliably from temperature measurements at the RTDs near the bottom. In order to minimize the heat conduction along the stem from affecting the geothermal gradient measurements, we plan to use low-conductive materials for the stem and develop a mechanism to achieve close coupling between the RTDs and the wall of the excavated hole.

Nagihara, Seiichi↗

NASA NTRS2012

Aero-Thermal Calibration of the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel (2012 Test)

A major modification of the refrigeration plant and heat exchanger at the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) occurred in autumn of 2011. It is standard practice at NASA Glenn to perform a full aero-thermal calibration of the test section of a wind tunnel facility upon completion of major modifications. This paper will discuss the tools and techniques used to complete an aero-thermal calibration of the IRT and the results that were acquired. The goal of this test entry was to complete a flow quality survey and aero-thermal calibration measurements in the test section of the IRT. Test hardware that was used includes the 2D Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD) array, 9-ft pressure survey rake, hot wire survey rake, and the quick check survey rake. This test hardware provides a map of the velocity, Mach number, total and static pressure, total temperature, flow angle and turbulence intensity. The data acquired were then reduced to examine pressure, temperature, velocity, flow angle, and turbulence intensity. Reduced data has been evaluated to assess how the facility meets flow quality goals. No icing conditions were tested as part of the aero-thermal calibration. However, the effects of the spray bar air injections on the flow quality and aero-thermal calibration measurements were examined as part of this calibration.

Pastor-Barsi, Christine↗

NASA NTRS2012

Aero-Thermal Calibration of the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel (2012 Test)

Pastor-Barsi, Christine M.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Thermal Modeling and Analysis of the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRad)

The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRad) is a payload carried by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at altitudes up to 60,000 ft with the purpose of measuring ocean surface wind speeds and near ocean surface rain rates in hurricanes. The payload includes several components that must maintain steady temperatures throughout the flight. Minimizing the temperature drift of these components allows for accurate data collection and conclusions to be drawn concerning the behavior of hurricanes. HIRad has flown on several different UAVs over the past two years during the fall hurricane season. Based on the data from the 2011 flight, a Thermal Desktop model was created to simulate the payload and reproduce the temperatures. Using this model, recommendations were made to reduce the temperature drift through the use of heaters controlled by resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensors. The suggestions made were implemented for the 2012 hurricane season and further data was collected. The implementation of the heaters reduced the temperature drift for a portion of the flight, but after a period of time, the temperatures rose. With this new flight data, the thermal model was updated and correlated. Detailed analysis was conducted to determine a more effective way to reduce the temperature drift. The final recommendations made were to adjust the set temperatures of the heaters for 2013 flights and implement hardware changes for flights beyond 2013.

Mauro, Stephanie↗

NASA NTRS2013

Modeling and Analysis of the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD)

Mauro, Stephanie↗

NASA NTRS2014

Development of Compact, Modular Lunar Heat Flow Probes

Geothermal heat flow measurements are a high priority for the future lunar geophysical network missions recommended by the latest Decadal Survey and previously the International Lunar Network. Because the lander for such a mission will be relatively small, the heat flow instrumentation must be a low-mass and low-power system. The instrument needs to measure both thermal gradient and thermal conductivity of the regolith penetrated. It also needs to be capable of excavating a deep enough hole (approx. 3 m) to avoid the effect of potential long-term changes of the surface thermal environment. The recently developed pneumatic excavation system can largely meet the low-power, low-mass, and the depth requirements. The system utilizes a stem which winds out of a pneumatically driven reel and pushes its conical tip into the regolith. Simultaneously, gas jets, emitted from the cone tip, loosen and blow away the soil. The thermal sensors consist of resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) embedded on the stem and an insitu thermal conductivity probe attached to the cone tip. The thermal conductivity probe consists of a short 'needle' (2.4-mm diam. and 15- to 20-mm length) that contains a platinum RTD wrapped in a coil of heater wire. During a deployment, when the penetrating cone reaches a desired depth, it stops blowing gas, and the stem pushes the needle into the yet-to-be excavated, undisturbed bottom soil. Then, it begins heating and monitors the temperature. Thermal conductivity of the soil can determined from the rate of temperature increase with time. When the measurement is complete, the system resumes excavation until it reaches the next targeted depth.

Lunar↗

NASA NTRS2014

Support of LAVA Integration and Testing

The Lunar Advanced Volatile Analysis (LAVA) subsystem is a part of the Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Analysis (RESOLVE) Payload that will fly to the lunar pole on the Resource Prospector Mission (RPM) in 2019. The purpose of the mission is to characterize the water on the surface and subsurface of the moon in various locations in order to map the distribution. This characterization of water will help to understand how feasible water is as a resource that can be used for drinking water, breathable air, and propellants in future missions. This paper describes the key support activities performed during a 10 week internship; specifically, troubleshooting the Near Infrared Spectrometer for the Surge Tank (NIRST) instrument count loss, contributing to a clamp to be used in the installation of Resistive Temperature Detectors (RTDs) to tubing, performing a failure analysis of the LAVA Fluid Subsystem (FSS), and finalizing trade studies for release.

Trade Study↗

NASA NTRS2014

Effects of Low Earth Orbit on Docking Seal Materials

Spacecraft docking seals are typically made of silicone elastomers. When such seals are exposed to low Earth orbit (LEO) conditions, they can suffer damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation and atomic oxygen (AO, or monoatomic oxygen, the predominant oxygen species in LEO). An experiment flew on the International Space Station (ISS) to measure the effects of LEO on seal materials S0383-70 and ELA-SA-401 and various mating counterface materials which included anodized aluminum. Samples flown in different orientations received different amounts of UV and AO. The hypotheses were that most of the damage would be from UV, and 10 days or more of exposure in LEO would badly damage the seals. Eighteen seals were exposed for 543 days in ram (windward), zenith (away from Earth), or wake (leeward) orientations, and 15 control samples (not flown) provided undamaged baseline leakage. To determine post-flight leak rates, each of the 33 seals were placed in an O-ring groove of a leak test fixture and pressure tested over time. Resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), pressure transducers, and LabVIEW (National Instruments) programs were used to measure and analyze the temperature and pressure and calculate leakage. Average leakage of control samples was 2.6 x 10(exp -7) lbs/day. LEO exposure did not considerably damage ELA-SA-401. The S0383-70 flight samples leaked at least 10 times more than ELA-SA-401 in all cases except one, demonstrating that ELA-SA-401 may be a more suitable sealing material in LEO. AO caused greater damage than UV; samples in ram orientation (receiving an AO fluence of 4.3 x 10(exp 21) atoms/(sq cm) and in wake (2.9x 10(exp 20) atoms/(sq cm)) leaked more than those in zenith orientation (1.58 x 10(exp 20) atoms/(sq cm)), whereas variations in UV exposure did not seem to affect the samples. Exposure to LEO did less damage to the seals than hypothesized, and the data did not support the conjecture that UV causes more damage than AO.

Leakage↗

NASA NTRS2021

Multi-Physics Based Thermo-Well Fatigue Design Tool

In this study, mathematical-based models for fatigue life were developed for Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs)/thermo-wells in high-pressure, cryogenic flow environments. A literature review that identified bench-scale stainless steel fatigue data at cryogenic temperatures that can be used to validate fatigue life mathematical models was pursued. Developing the ability to predict the fatigue life of RTDs/thermo-wells in high-pressure, cryogenic flow environments, especially liquid oxygen (LOX), will lead to a lower incidence of RTD damage and failure during propulsion test activities. During this performance period, the project was transitioned to a computational RTD/thermos-well fatigue modeling effort rather than the previously proposed experimental fatigue testing in FY19 since the computational modeling approach will provide a better fundamental understanding of fatigue behavior at cryogenic temperatures prior to pursuing potentially costly experimental tests. Due to COVID-19 issues impairing access to some needed university partnerships, tools and lab facilities, FY20efforts are continuing into FY21 and will be reported upon in greater detail in the FY21 report

Harry Ryan↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Icing Formation Strains on Airfoil Skin

Aircraft icing has long presented a safety hazard to the aerospace industry. One problem inherent to aircraft icing is predicting the adhesive properties of the ice-aircraft interface; values commonly reported span multiple orders of magnitude, making shedding prediction and surface evaluation difficult. An effort has been undertaken at the NASA Glenn Research Center to understand the cause of the scatter in the data. Geometry dependencies, variation in testing procedures, and residual stresses in ice samples have previously been identified as significant contributors to the problem. Residual stresses were singled out for this study, which investigated the strains at the leading edge of a Common Research Model (CRM) wind tunnel model in the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel. Sprays were conducted at a particle size median volumetric diameter (MVD) of 20 µm, with liquid water contents (LWC) spanning from 0.4 to 3.0 g/m3. Total temperatures were varied between 0 and -25 °C, and test section velocity between 51 and 118 m/s. The leading edge was instrumented with custom strain gages, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), optical fibers, and a pressure mat. Results indicate Δ strains, which were the difference between recorded strains and those predicted from isotropic thermal expansion of aluminum, below -400 µε with consistent patterns of strain across a wide variety of tunnel conditions. Isotropic, linear elastic finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted by varying the temperature of simplified airfoil and ice geometries, producing similar strains to those observed in testing. This allowed induced stresses to be predicted. Predicted stresses were above the expected tensile strength for ice, and suggest a source for previously observed cracking in tunnel ice.

Ice Adhesion↗

DOE OSTI2024

PV Modules Temperature Variation and Patterns in Medium and Utility-Scale Floating PV Systems

This paper presents the preliminary results and findings of the four operational Floating PV systems across the USA. At each site, temperature of five PV modules located at North-West, North-East, Middle, South-West, and, South-East have been monitored through the Resistant Temperature Detector (RTD) sensors. Three RTDs were attached to each PV module on the rear-side along the diagonal at top, middle and bottom cells. The preliminary results reveal wide temperature differences among the inter and intra PV modules. Besides this, wave pattern temperatures were observed in a few PV modules. The final results, findings, and, factors responsible will be investigated during the next few months. Index Terms - photovoltaic module, floating PV systems, string, array, temperature, mismatch, utility scale.

ENGINEERING,SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Assessment of Measurement Uncertainties in the Jupiter High-240 Experiment

The Jupiter High-240 experiment performed in May of 2019 was previously discussed as a variant of the original Jupiter experiment incorporating plutonium metal alloy fuel plates with higher 240Pu content and lead plates, using both a reference configuration and a second configuration where eight lead plates were replaced with aluminum to simulate voiding. Measurements were recorded for experiment period, the “pressure” of the Comet ram upon closure for each near-critical measurement, and temperature. The experiment reactor period is the time it would take to increase the neutron population by a factor of e. For this experiment, the copper reflectors and upper third of the fuel sits upon a support structure with the lower fuel arrays raised up into the center of the reflectors using a ram (see Fig. 1). The recorded logbook temperature for each measurement corresponds to a resistance temperature detector (RTD) located at the top center of the upper fuel array. This paper summarizes the evaluated uncertainties for the Jupiter High 240 experiment as contributed via the recorded measurements and nuclear data and their assessed impact upon the computation of system reactivity and eigenvalue.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2025

PID-Regulated Heating System for PIP-II Reference Line

The Proton Improvement Project-2 centers on building a new superconducting linear particle accelerator (Linac) at Fermilab. At the heart of the accelerator is the reference line, a critical system that defines the ideal path for the particle beam as it passes through magnets, RF cavities, and other beamline elements. Temperature stability is crucial for the reliable operation of RF components, such as mixers and filters. Fluctuations affect key performance parameters like conversion loss, isolation, and linearity. To mitigate any drift caused by ambient temperature changes, a heating plate assembly is utilized to maintain key components at a controlled temperature of 40°C. The system utilizes an aluminum 36”x36”x0.5” heat plate powered by a MOSFET-based control circuit, delivering approximately 460 W of thermal energy through a resistor array. Real-time temperature feedback is provided by a PT100 Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD), which interfaces with a Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) control algorithm to maintain closed-loop temperature regulation. The control signal actively modulates the gate voltage of an N channel MOSFET, dynamically adjusting power delivery in response to deviations from the temperature setpoint. Simulations and LTspice models validate the functionality and responsiveness of the circuit under varying conditions. The prototype has successfully demonstrated stable thermal control, paving the way for integration into the PIP-II infrastructure. The final design will feature an expanded resistor array, as well as communication with a PLC for continuous data acquisition and diagnostics. This work directly supports Fermilab’s broader mission by contributing to the stability and reliability of core accelerator systems, enhancing the precision of particle beam delivery for future physics experiments.

Mosher, Alexander [Fermilab]↗

NASA NTRS1986

Characterization of NTD germanium and ion-implanted Si bolometers at 0.3K and 0.1K

Bolometer elements were built and tested using NTD germanium and ion-implanted Si thermometer elements. The thermal links were made using aluminum wires and NbC(x)N(y) coated carbon fibers. The temperature dependence of the detector resistance, lead thermal conductivity, and heat capacity were measured. The dependence of the detector resistance on applied electric field was also measured. This, combined with the current-voltage curve for the detector, allowed the calculation of the detector responsivity. Known amounts of energy were deposited into the detector by allowing X-rays from the decay of Fe-55 to be thermalized in the detector. In the best-measured case, the predicted pulse height/measured height was 1.04 + or - .05. The noise at frequencies above 25 Hz in the NTD Ge was near that predicted by thermodynamics. The noise below 25 Hz has a 1/f character and may be in the carbon fiber/bolometer junction. The implanted detectors show some 1/f noise which depends on the total thermometer volume. Comparison between noise measurements and theory will be presented.

Moseley, H.↗