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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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NASA NTRS1975

Civil mini-RPA's for the 1980's: Avionics design considerations

A number of remote sensing or surveillance tasks (e.g., fire fighting, crop monitoring) in the civilian sector of our society may be performed in a cost effective manner by use of small remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). This study was conducted to determine equipment (and the associated technology) that is available, and that could be applied to the mini-RPA and to examine the potential applications of the mini-RPA with special emphasis on the wild fire surveillance mission. The operational considerations of using the mini-RPA as affected by government regulatory agencies were investigated. These led to equipment requirements (e.g., infra-red sensors) over and above those for the performance of the mission. A computer technology survey and forecast was performed. Key subsystems were identified, and a distributed microcomputer configuration, that was functionally modular, was recommended. Areas for further NASA research and development activity were also identified.

Karmarkar, J. S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The Introduction of New Cockpit Technology: A Human Factors Study

A joint Airline/NASA field study of B-767 training and operations was conducted during the period this aircraft was being introduced into line service. The objectives of the study were: (1) to identify any adverse reactions to the new technology; (2) to provide a clearing house of information for the airlines and pilots during the introductory period; (3) to provide feedback on airline training programs for the new aircraft; and (4) to provide field data to NASA and other researchers to help them develop principles of human interaction with automated systems. It is concluded that: (1) a large majority of pilots enjoy flying the B-767 more than the older aircraft; (2) pilots accept new cockpit technology and find it useful; (3) pilots are aware of the potential loss of flying skills because of automation, and take steps to prevent this from happening; (4) autopilot/autothrottle interactions and FMS operations were sometimes confusing or surprising to pilots, and they desired more training in this area; and (5) highly automated cockpits can result in a loss of effective monitoring performance.

Curry, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Contamination of liquid oxygen by pressurized gaseous nitrogen

The penetration of pressurized gaseous nitrogen (GN2) into liquid oxygen (LOX) was investigated experimentally in the 7-inch High Temperature Tunnel, the pilot tunnel for the 8-foot High Temperature Tunnel (8'HTT) at Langley Research Center. A preliminary test using a nuclear monitor revealed the extent of the liquid nitrogen (LN2) build-up at the LOX interface as a function of GN2 pressure. Then an adaptation of the differential flash vaporization technique was used to determine the binary diffusivity of the LOX-LN2 system at a temperature of 90.2 K. The measured value D equals 0.000086 sq cm/s + or - 25 percent together with two prior measurements at lower temperatures revealed an excellent fit to the Arrhenius equation, yielding a pre-exponential factor D sub 0 equals 0.0452 sq cm/s and an activation enthalpy H equals 1.08 kcal/mol. At a pressure of 1700 psi and holding time of 15 min, the penetration of LN2 into LOX (to a 1 percent contamination level) was found to be 0.9 cm, indicating but minimal impact upon 8'HTT operations.

Zuckerwar, Allan J.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Managing Approach Plate Information Study (MAPLIST): An Information Requirements Analysis of Approach Chart Use

Adequately presenting all necessary information on an approach chart represents a challenge for cartographers. Since many tasks associated with using approach charts are cognitive (e.g., planning the approach and monitoring its progress), and since the characteristic of a successful interface is one that conforms to the users' mental models, understanding pilots' underlying models of approach chart information would greatly assist cartographers. To provide such information, a new methodology was developed for this study that enhances traditional information requirements analyses by combining psychometric scaling techniques with a simulation task to provide quantifiable links between pilots' cognitive representations of approach information and their use of approach information. Results of this study should augment previous information requirements analyses by identifying what information is acquired, when it is acquired, and what presentation concepts might facilitate its efficient use by better matching the pilots' cognitive model of the information. The primary finding in this study indicated that pilots mentally organize approach chart information into ten primary categories: communications, geography, validation, obstructions, navigation, missed approach, final items, other runways, visibility requirement, and navigation aids. These similarity categories were found to underlie the pilots' information acquisitions, other mental models, and higher level cognitive processes that are used to accomplish their approach and landing tasks.

Ricks, Wendell R.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Aircraft Detection System Ensures Free-Space Laser Safety

As scientists continue to explore our solar system, there are increasing demands to return greater volumes of data from smaller deep-space probes. Accordingly, NASA is studying advanced strategies based on free-space laser transmissions, which offer secure, high-bandwidth communications using smaller subsystems of much lower power and mass than existing ones. These approaches, however, can pose a danger to pilots in the beam path because the lasers may illuminate aircraft and blind them. Researchers thus are investigating systems that will monitor the surrounding airspace for aircraft that could be affected. This paper presents current methods for safe free space laser propagation.

Smithgall, Brian↗

DOE OSTI2020

Brine Availability Test in Salt: Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical-Chemical Simulations of a Heated Borehole in Salt - 20239

The Brine Availability Test in Salt (BATS) is a collaboration between Los Alamos, Sandia, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories that is being conducted to reduce the uncertainties associated with disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in a hypothetical bedded salt repository. Bedded salt formations may be an acceptable host rock for disposal of nuclear waste due to salt's high thermal conductivity, extremely low permeability, and self-healing capability. In this paper, we report on the first round of the BATS project, a 'shakedown test' known as Phase 1s, with an emphasis on the supporting numerical modeling. The experiment was conducted at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) using previously drilled horizontal boreholes. The test included a heater borehole in which temperature, pressure, and moisture was monitored, and two nearby temperature monitoring boreholes. Numerical simulations that reflect the 36-year-long history of activity at the WIPP site are necessary to develop the appropriate initial conditions. Testing with different heater designs reveals that a 750 W radiative heater within a borehole can achieve the 120 deg. C borehole wall temperature goal. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Flight Deck Design of a Hybrid Turbine/Electric Aircraft

The SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) program is being developed as a sustainable subsonic regional aircraft. NASA is conducting trade studies for this future hybrid single aisle passenger aircraft. The goal of reducing emission levels by 50% will be enabled through an advanced design. An aft mounted single turbine engine provides thrust and electric power to drive 16 wing mounted electric engines. Using the 16 counter-rotating electric fans will create an efficient, very high bypass ratio, engine. Electric engines allow for distributed thrust, reducing control surfaces and provide a greater dynamic response. Batteries provide boost for takeoff and climb, allowing a smaller, more efficient, turbine engine. As part of the SUSAN effort, two pilot-in-the-loop studies were conducted at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia to explore flight deck design issues. In particular: how many throttles are required/desired for a 17-engine aircraft, does the hybrid electric design change the answer, what are the requirements for electric engine displays, what system pages are required, and what information is required to monitor the batteries. Objective and subjective data were collected after each scenario and at the end of the day with a guided set of questionnaires from sixteen crews paired by airline. Data along with pilot comments were used to improve the throttle and engine displays between the studies and used to make the final recommendations on flight deck configurations. This paper provides final design recommendations for the SUSAN flight deck and justification for each recommendation.

PAI↗

DOE OSTI2026

In-line measurements of below-the-surface food deformation during drying with an interference-based optical fiber strain sensor

Real-time measurements of food deformation are important for quality control in drying, yet they pose significant challenges. In this study, we developed an interference-based optical fiber strain sensor to enable in-line, continuous, below-the-surface strain measurements in drying of soft food samples. Compared to a strain resolution of 8 × 10 -4 at zero strain and 7.2 × 10 -3 at 0.20 strain reported in our previously published work, the present study achieves markedly improved resolutions of 1.3 × 10 -4 at zero strain and 7.8 × 10 -4 at 0.25 strain, which strains are the lower and higher boundaries of the dynamic range, respectively. This nearly order-of-magnitude improvement is attributed to the unique interference-based sensing mechanism, no need for calibration to convert optical signals to strain, and the system-design-enabled immunity to fiber-disk misalignments and light source intensity fluctuations. To demonstrate the in-line process monitoring, deformation measurements of fresh banana slices and sugar cookie doughs were carried out in a benchtop oven and an industrial-scale hot-air pilot dryer, respectively. In both dryers, strain measurements were continuously measured during the whole drying process at various depths and radii below the sample surfaces, with the strains up to 25%. Computer vision was used only in the benchtop drying to confirm the faithfulness of the fiber sensor measurements and cannot provide below-the-surface measurements. The measured spatiotemporal deformation allowed us to confirm the shell-hardening effect and to determine the speed and location of large deformation changes in the whole drying process, the latter of which is related to the sample cracking. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to report on an interferometry-based fiber sensor to measure food deformation. This sensor and the sensing mechanism have high potential for real-time process monitoring and control to prevent over-drying or cracking during drying processes.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2020

Non-invasive (non-contact) measurements of human thermal physiology signals and thermal comfort/discomfort poses -A review

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems have been adopted to create comfortable, healthy and safe indoor environments. In the control loop, the technical feature of the human demand-oriented supply can help operate HVAC effectively. Among many technical options, real time monitoring based on feedback signals from end users has been frequently reported as a critical technology to confirm optimizing building performance. Recent studies have incorporated human thermal physiology signals and thermal comfort/discomfort status as real-time feedback signals. A series of human subject experiments used to be conducted by primarily adopting subjective questionnaire surveys in a lab-setting study, which is limited in the application for reality. With the help of advanced technologies, physiological signals have been detected, measured and processed by using multiple technical formats, such as wearable sensors. Nevertheless, they mostly require physical contacts with the skin surface in spite of the small physical dimension and compatibility with other wearable accessories, such as goggles, and intelligent bracelets. Most recently, a low cost small infrared camera has been adopted for monitoring human facial images, which could detect the facial skin temperature and blood perfusion in a contactless way. Also, according to latest pilot studies, a conventional digital camera can generate infrared images with the help of new methods, such as the Euler video magnification technology. Human thermal comfort/discomfort poses can also be detected by video methods without contacting human bodies and be analyzed by the skeleton keypoints model. Here, new sensing technologies were summarized, their cons and pros were discussed, and extended applications for the demand-oriented ventilation were also reviewed as potential development and applications.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS2007

Artificial Gravity as a Multi-System Countermeasure to Bed Rest Deconditioning: Pilot Study Overview

Efficient, effective, multi-system countermeasures will likely be required to protect the health, safety, and performance of crews aboard planned exploration-class space flight missions to Mars and beyond. To that end, NASA, DLR, and IMBP initiated a multi-center international project to begin systematically exploring the utility of artificial gravity (AG) as a multi-system countermeasure in ground based venues using test subjects deconditioned by bed rest. The goal of this project is to explore the efficacy of short-radius, intermittent AG as a countermeasure to bone, muscle, cardiovascular, and sensory-motor adaptations to hypogravity. This session reports the results from a pilot study commissioned to validate a standardized protocol to be used by all centers involved in the project. Subject selection criteria, medical monitoring requirements, medical care procedures, experiment control procedures, and standardized dependent measures were established jointly. Testing was performed on 15 rigorously screened male volunteers subjected to 21 days of 6deg HDT bed rest. (All provided written consent to volunteer after the nature of the study and its hazards were clearly explained to them.) Eight were treated with daily 1hr AG exposures (2.5g at the feet decreasing to 1.0g at the heart) aboard a short radius (3m) centrifuge, while the other seven served as controls. Multiple tests of multiple dependent measures were made in each of the primary physiological systems of interest during a 10 day acclimatization period prior to HDT bed rest and again during an 8 day recovery period after the bed rest period was complete. Analyses of these data (presented in other papers in this session) suggest the AG prescription had salutary effects on aspects of the bone, muscle, and cardiovascular systems, with no untoward effects on the vestibular system, the immune system, or cognitive function. Furthermore, treatment subjects were able to tolerate 153/160 centrifuge sessions over the 21 day deconditioning protocol, suggesting that tolerance was unaffected by deconditioning. These positive results set the stage for full implementation of the planned multi-center international AG project. Future work will be devoted to developing optimization techniques for AG prescriptions (likely supplemented by exercise) to provide maximum physiological protection across all systems subject to space flight deconditioning in both men and women with minimum time and/or side effects. While a continuous AG solution (rotating vehicle) would likely be more efficient, this study suggests that intermittent AG could be an effective multi-system countermeasure.

Paloski, William H.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Continuous Fiber Bath Treatments at Pilot Scale: A Novel Testbed System

The technical demands on high performance textiles continues to expand, and the research community has answered the call with innovative fiber bath treatments for enhanced properties and sizings for improved composites. However, little translation to greater scale has been demonstrated. To fill this gap, a novel, multifunctional system has been developed to explore polymer fiber treatment methods, the deployment of nanoadditive coatings and other sizings, and smart processing methods at the pilot scale. Continuous tows of fibers can be passed through a temperature-controlled, crossflow bath with an immersion residence time exceeding 2 hours. The modular system is resistant to corrosive solutions, includes additional inline stations for washing and drying after processing, is equipped with a bevy of sensors, pumps, and valves monitored and controlled by a LabView program, and can be fully contained in a standard lab fume hood. This new testbed system, when coupled with high fidelity materials characterization methods, will enable rapid evaluation of new fiber treatment methods at pilot-scale.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

SMART Subsea Cables for Observing the Earth and Ocean, Mitigating Environmental Hazards, and Supporting the Blue Economy

The Joint Task Force, Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications (JTF SMART) Subsea Cables, is working to integrate environmental sensors for ocean bottom temperature, pressure, and seismic acceleration into submarine telecommunications cables. The purpose of SMART Cables is to support climate and ocean observation, sea level monitoring, observations of Earth structure, and tsunami and earthquake early warning and disaster risk reduction, including hazard quantification. Recent advances include regional SMART pilot systems that are the first steps to trans-ocean and global implementation. Examples of pilots include: InSEA wet demonstration project off Sicily at the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory Western Ionian Facility; New Caledonia and Vanuatu; French Polynesia Natitua South system connecting Tahiti to Tubaui to the south; Indonesia starting with short pilot systems working toward systems for the Sumatra-Java megathrust zone; and the CAM-2 ring system connecting Lisbon, Azores, and Madeira. This paper describes observing system simulations for these and other regions. Funding reflects a blend of government, development bank, philanthropic foundation, and commercial contributions. In addition to notable scientific and societal benefits, the telecommunications enterprise’s mission of global connectivity will benefit directly, as environmental awareness improves both the integrity of individual cable systems as well as the resilience of the overall global communications network. SMART cables support the outcomes of a predicted, safe, and transparent ocean as envisioned by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the Blue Economy. As a continuation of the OceanObs’19 conference and community white paper (Howe et al., 2019, 10.3389/fmars.2019.00424), an overview of the SMART programme and a description of the status of ongoing projects are given.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1996

STS-80 Flight Day 15

On this fifteenth day of the STS-80 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Kenneth D. Cockrell, Pilot Kent V. Rominger, Mission Specialists, Tamara E. Jernigan, Thomas D. Jones, and F. Story Musgrave, are seen performing routine mission operations including monitoring experiments and discussing their mission during a news conference. The crewmembers again conduct small engine firings to maintain that distance prior to the retrieval of the satellite.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2000

Clinical Space Medicine Panel

The practice of space medicine is diverse. It includes routine preventive medical care of astronauts and pilots, the development of inflight medical capability and training of flight crews as well as the preflight, inflight, and postflight medical assessment and monitoring. The Johnson Space Center Medical Operations Branch is a leader in the practice of space medicine. The papers presented in this panel will demonstrate some of the unique aspects of space medicine.

Baisden, Denise L.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Development and Flight Demonstration of a HUMS-Based Helicopter Limit Cueing (HLC) System

A prototype helicopter limit cueing (HLC) system was designed, installed, and evaluated in flight test in early 2002. This paper describes the design, cueing methodology, and interim flight test results of this project. The system described in this paper used available Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) parameters and a simple and cost-effective mechanical spring/electric motor combination to achieve a tactile cue that warned the pilot of impending exceedences of the transmission torque limit. Three high-workload maneuvers were used to evaluate the prototype HLC system. Results indicate that with an appropriate design, inadvertent over-torque events could be eliminated with a HLC system while reducing pilot workload.

Augustin, M.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Heavy Oil Polymer EOR in the Challenging Alaskan Arctic - It Works!

Under co-sponsorship of the US Department of Energy and Hilcorp Alaska LLC the first ever polymer field pilot commenced on 8/28/2018 in the Schrader Bluff heavy oil reservoir at the Milne Point Field on Alaska North Slope (ANS). The primary objective of the pilot is to prove the efficacy of polymer Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) to unlock the vast heavy oil resources on ANS. More than two and half years after startup, the polymer injection, supporting laboratory experiments and simulation studies steadily continue. The pilot started injecting hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), at a concentration of 1,750 ppm to achieve a target viscosity of 45 cP, into the two horizontal injectors in the flood pattern. Production is monitored in the two horizontal producers. Based on laboratory measurements of polymer viscosity at reservoir conditions, the team decided to reduce polymer concentration to 1,200 ppm since July 2020 in an effort to control injection pressure and optimize polymer utilization. Quality control (QC) on the field ensures uniform polymer solution properties. Representative rock and fluid systems and test conditions are utilized in the corefloods on polymer retention, effect of injection water salinity, polymer loading, and their combinations on oil recovery. A history matched reservoir simulation model for forecasting oil recovery was developed on the basis of all the available field data. Field concerns related to the post-polymer breakthrough impact on flow assurance is addressed via specialized laboratory tests. Notwithstanding early operational disruptions and hydration issues, continuous polymer injection in both injectors has been achieved. To date, 950,000 lbs of polymer or 2 million barrels of polymer solution, equating to 13% of total pore volume (PV), has been placed in the flood pattern, serving as an effective indicator of adequate polymer injectivity. So far, the success of polymer EOR is evident from drastically reduced water cut in the producers, an estimated incremental 1,000 bopd over waterflood, and a favorable polymer utilization of 1.7 lbs/barrel of incremental oil. Polymer breakthrough was observed 26 months after the start of polymer injection. Main observations from corefloods are unusually high polymer retention values in some cases and a positive response to low salinity water. Although the heterogeneity in the flood pattern and exceptionally low water cut pose some challenges, persistent novel and justifiable simulation approaches have resulted in a robust history matched model. Experimental results on produced fluids treatment provide operational guidance for improved oil-water separation and mitigation of heater tube fouling. The ongoing success of the pilot is a key indicator of bringing the team ever closer to meeting the project’s primary objective. The encouraging results of the pilot is one of the drivers that has provided the impetus to apply polymer EOR throughout the Milne Point Field, which would increase oil recovery and extend the economic life of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. The scientific knowledge, including the many lessons learned from this pilot also has referential value for other potential heavy oil EOR projects throughout the world. The collected data, operational lessons learned, and the overall success of the pilot are summarized in the paper.

None, None↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Contribution of Pilots to Resilience in Normal Operations: A Survey Approach

Much of our knowledge about human performance in flight safety has come from the analysis of undesired events, whether accidents, incidents, or crew behaviors identified via flight exceedance monitoring or observational techniques. In recent years, there has been an acknowledgement that operational personnel are not merely sources of “human error”, but also make a unique human contribution to safe outcomes. In a few celebrated cases, this takes the form of “heroic saves”, but on many more occasions, operational personnel contribute to safety through everyday, often-unnoticed actions that turn potentially hazardous situations into non-events. An emerging approach to safety, frequently referred to as “Safety II,” proposes that the positive human contribution is an important and largely untapped source of safety information. Some airlines have successfully trained observers to identify and record the positive behaviors exhibited by the crew over the course of a flight. In other cases, flight crew are interviewed about good practices or positive behaviors. However, each of these methods are relatively limited in scale and resource intensive. A survey could provide a relatively low-cost approach to systematically gather this information on a larger scale. The primary purpose of the research was to develop and assess a surveys methodology for assessing crews' activities in normal flights and the operational perturbations encountered during normal operations. We hope that such a survey could be both a research tool as well as a safety management aid for the aviation industry. We collected responses concerning revenue flights from two groups of airline pilots (N = 25 & N= 65). The results indicated that relatively few flights proceeded exactly as in the original flight plan. Pilots routinely anticipated and adapted to changing circumstances. We will review the challenges encountered in developing the survey and summarize preliminary findings from two administrations of the survey to airline pilots.

human contribution safety↗

NASA NTRS2016

Fatigue Monitoring in Scheduled Airline Operations

Reporting and monitoring are important facets of a comprehensive Fatigue Risk Management System. As part of efforts to reduce fatigue risks, we partnered with an international airline to study 44 (4 Female) volunteer pilots over a 4 week period that included baseline earlymiddaylate flight days and rest days off. All study procedures were approved by an IRB and participants provided written informed consent prior to beginning the study. Reduced sleep duration was associated with both early and late duties. Performance was influenced by duty timing, time of day and time awake. TLX ratings were highest for mental and effort demands, while ATC and weather were the most identified hassle factors. Melatonin analysis revealed individual variations in circadian shift over the study period. The study results highlight the value of FRMS monitoring in airline operations. Ongoing crew education should emphasize individual variation and effective mitigation strategies. Further study could focus on workload and time of day scheduling factors.

sleep loss↗