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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Regulation of the central safety factor and normalized beta under low NBI torque in DIII-D

An algorithm has been designed to simultaneously control the central safety factor (q 0 ) and normalized beta (β N ) while ensuring near-zero torque from the neutral beam injection in DIII-D. Feedback control of q 0 and β N in tokamaks can be beneficial due to the close relationship that these variables have with plasma performance and magneto-hydrodynamic stability. In addition, low neutral-beam-torque conditions are of special interest in present devices because future burning-plasma tokamaks such as ITER will most likely operate at very low plasma rotation. The control synthesis of the algorithm presented in this work is based on a linearized, one-dimensional (1D) model of the current-profile dynamics coupled with a zero-dimensional (0D) plasma-energy balance. The actuators considered are neutral beam injection and electron-cyclotron heating and current drive, and discrete logic determines the neutral-beam injection powers that deliver near-zero torque. Here, the algorithm has been tested in nonlinear, 1D simulations using COTSIM (Control-Oriented Transport SIMulator) and in DIII-D experiments, demonstrating satisfactory performance.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Regional Algal Feedstock Testebed (RAFT) Final Report

The RAFT project completed detailed characterization of 12 twelve potential production strains and extensively tested 3 the three best strains in long term seasonal cultivation trials. A total of x 272 cultivation experiments were completed at the three outdoor testbed locations as part of long term cultivation trials conducted over a three year period. The cultivation experiments tested various harvest strategies, crop protection strategies, and seasonal effects along with strain rotation strategies. A sensor, that continuously monitors cell density, was developed and a patent application was submitted. Models were develop and validated for predicting strain performance, determining biomass productivity, evaluating cultivation system design and operations, and evaluating large scale production scenarios. A detailed data base was established for the long term cultivation trials with discrete data from the x 272 testbed cultivation experiments. This data base will be maintained at the University of Arizona https://raft.arizona.edu/cultivation-data/ for public access and continued academic evaluations.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1981

Dynamic stability of a rotor blade using finite element analysis

The aeroelastic stability of flap bending, lead-lag bending, and torsion of a helicopter rotor blade in hover is examined using a finite element formulation based on the principle of virtual work. Quasi-steady two-dimensional airfoil theory is used to obtain the aerodynamic loads. The rotor blade is discretized into beam elements, each with ten modal degrees of freedom. The resulting nonlinear equations of motion are solved for steady-state blade deflections through an iterative procedure. The flutter solution is calculated assuming blade motion to be a small perturbation about the steady solution. The normal mode method based on the coupled rotating natural modes about the steady deflections is used to reduce the number of equations in the flutter eigenanalysis. Results are presented for hingeless and articulated rotor blade configurations.

Sivaneri, N. T.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Two-Line Focused Laser Differential Interferometry of a Flat Plate Boundary Layer at Mach 6

Flat plate models are often used in wind tunnel testing to make measurements of the boundary layer, but preclude the use of conventional focused laser differential interferometry (FLDI) measurements, particularly for measurements at the surface of the model. By instead focusing light in only one direction using cylindrical optics, as opposed to two directions using only spherical optics, FLDI measurements can be made without truncating the beam at the model edges. Measurements at discrete points along a line can also be acquired, effectively acting as many individual FLDI instruments in a single measurement. Here, a two-line FLDI system has been constructed that allows for the measurement lines to be easily oriented at any azimuthal angle about the optical axis since the optics are housed in rotation mounts. Velocity measurements at points along a line or between two lines are also possible, since the beams are split similar to the two-point FLDI instrument. The system was first characterized in the laboratory using a laser-induced breakdown spark to provide a well-defined density fluctuation, along with high-speed schlieren measurements for comparison. The system was then installed at the NASA Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel to make measurements through the boundary layer of a flat plate model and in the tunnel freestream.

Joshua M Weisberger↗
DOE OSTI2021

Direct Prediction of Phonon Density of States With Euclidean Neural Networks

Abstract Machine learning has demonstrated great power in materials design, discovery, and property prediction. However, despite the success of machine learning in predicting discrete properties, challenges remain for continuous property prediction. The challenge is aggravated in crystalline solids due to crystallographic symmetry considerations and data scarcity. Here, the direct prediction of phonon density‐of‐states (DOS) is demonstrated using only atomic species and positions as input. Euclidean neural networks are applied, which by construction are equivariant to 3D rotations, translations, and inversion and thereby capture full crystal symmetry, and achieve high‐quality prediction using a small training set of examples with over 64 atom types. The predictive model reproduces key features of experimental data and even generalizes to materials with unseen elements, and is naturally suited to efficiently predict alloy systems without additional computational cost. The potential of the network is demonstrated by predicting a broad number of high phononic specific heat capacity materials. The work indicates an efficient approach to explore materials' phonon structure, and can further enable rapid screening for high‐performance thermal storage materials and phonon‐mediated superconductors.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Fully Arbitrary Control of Frequency-Bin Qubits

Accurate control of two-level systems is a longstanding problem in quantum mechanics. One such quantum system is the frequency-bin qubit: a single photon existing in superposition of two discrete frequency modes. In this Letter, we demonstrate fully arbitrary control of frequency-bin qubits in a quantum frequency processor for the first time. Furthermore, we numerically establish optimal settings for multiple configurations of electro-optic phase modulators and pulse shapers, experimentally confirming near-unity mode-transformation fidelity for all fundamental rotations. Performance at the single-photon level is validated through the rotation of a single frequency-bin qubit to 41 points spread over the entire Bloch sphere, as well as tracking of the state path followed by the output of a tunable frequency beam splitter, with Bayesian tomography confirming state fidelities Fρ>0.98 for all cases. Overall, such high-fidelity transformations expand the practical potential of frequency encoding in quantum communications, offering exceptional precision and low noise in general qubit manipulation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1981

Ion-neutral momentum coupling near discrete high-latitude ionospheric features

A two-dimensional numerical model is developed to study the momentum coupling between the ionosphere and neutral atmosphere in the vicinity of discrete high-latitude features, such as convection channels and plasma density troughs. Based on generalized magnetohydrodynamic equations the model takes account of global pressure gradients, viscous dissipation, ion drag, the Coriolis force, and electrodynamic drifts. Among the findings of an initial steady state investigation are the following: (1) in convection channels, significant shears and rotations of the thermospheric flow can occur below 200 km if a minimum in the electron density profile is present between the E and F regions; (2) in convection channels, the thermospheric wind decreases with height in the F region owing to the effects of horizontal viscosity; and (3) at low altitudes, the boundaries of convection channels may produce Ekman spirals.

St-Maurice, J.-P.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Direct drag and hot-wire measurements on thin-element riblet arrays

An experimental study of stream wise, near-wall, thin-element riblet arrays under a turbulent boundary layer has been conducted in low-speed air. Hot-wire data show that a single, isolated thin-element riblet causes formation of counter-rotating vortex-pairs with a spanwise wavelength of 130 viscous lengths. Abrupt shifts in turbulence intensity magnitude and peak location are observed for streamwise riblet arrays as spanwise riblet spacing is varied. Direct drag measurements show net drag reduction (up to 8.5 percent) over a wide range of riblet spacings along with behavior at discrete non-dimensional spacings indicative of vortex activity. Overall, the data suggest that more than one drag reduction mechanism may be involved.

Wilkinson, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Formulation of full state feedback for infinite order structural systems

The estimation of exact displacement and displacement rate feedback kernels from finite dimensional control solutions based on finite element structural models is discussed. These kernels are then transformed to equivalent curvature and curvature rate feedback kernels. These curvature kernels are augmented with single point displacement and rotation feedback to account for rigid body motions. A growing class of sensors known as area-averaging sensors is used to measure the curvature and curvature rate state functions. The output of area-averaging sensors equals the convolution of all structural curvature states with the spatial sensitivity function of the sensors. Transforming the discrete feedback gains into continuous feedback kernels and employing area-averaging sensors make it possible to implement full state feedback for infinite order structural systems.

Miller, David W.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Isomer spectroscopy of neutron-rich $^{165,167}$Tb

We present information on the excited states in the prolate-deformed, neutron-rich nuclei 165,167 Tb 100,102 . The nuclei of interest were synthesised following in-flight fission of a 345 MeV per nucleon 238 U primary beam on a 2 mm 9 Be target at the Radioactive Ion-Beam Factory (RIBF), RIKEN, Japan. The exotic nuclei were separated and identified event-by-event using the BigRIPS separator, with discrete energy gamma-ray decays from isomeric states with half-lives in the μs regime measured using the EURICA gamma-ray spectrometer. Metastable-state decays are identified in 165 Tb and 167 Tb and interpreted as arising from hindered E1 decay from the 72 – [523] single quasi-proton Nilsson configuration to rotational states built on the 32 – [411] single quasi-proton ground state. Lastly, these data correspond to the first spectroscopic information in the heaviest, odd-A terbium isotopes reported to date and provide information on proton Nilsson configurations which reside close to the Fermi surface as the 170 Dy doubly-midshell nucleus is approached.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1999

Origin, Bulk Chemical Composition and Physical Structure of the Galilean Satellites of Jupiter: A Post-Galileo Analysis

The origin of Jupiter and the Galilean satellite system is examined in the light of the new data that has been obtained by the NASA Galileo Project. In particular, special attention is given to a theory of satellite origin which was put forward at the start of the Galileo Mission and on the basis of which several predictions have now been proven successful. These predictions concern the chemical composition of Jupiter's atmosphere and the physical structure of the satellites. According to the proposed theory of satellite origin, each of the Galilean satellites formed by chemical condensation and gravitational accumulation of solid grains within a concentric family of orbiting gas rings. These rings were cast off equatorially by the rotating proto-Jovian cloud (PJC which contracted gravitationally to form Jupiter some 4 1/2 billion years ago. The PJC formed from the gas and grains left over from the gas ring that had been shed at Jupiter's orbit by the contracting proto-solar cloud (PSC Supersonic turbulent convection provides the means for shedding discrete gas rings. The temperatures T (sub n) of the system of gas rings shed by the PSC and PJC vary with their respective mean orbital radii R (sub n) (n = 0, 1,2,...) according as T (sub n) proportional to R (sub n) (exp -0.9). If the planet Mercury condenses at 1640 K, so accounting for the high density of that planet via a process of chemical fractionation between iron and silicates, then T (sub n) at Jupiter's orbit is 158 K. Only 35% of the water vapour condenses out. Thus fractionation between rock and ice, together with an enhancement in the abundance of solids relative to gas which takes place through gravitational sedimentation of solids onto the mean orbit of the gas ring, ensures nearly equal proportions of rock and ice in each of Ganymede and Callisto. Io and Europa condense above the H20 ice point and consist solely of hydrated rock (h-rock). The Ganymedan condensate consists of h-rock and H20 ice. For Callisto, NH3 ice makes up -5% of the condensate mass next to h-rock (approximately 50%) and H2O ice (approximately 45%). Detailed thermal and structural models for each of Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are constructed on the basis of the above initial bulk chemical compositions. For Europa (E), a predicted 2-zone model consisting of a dehydrated rock core of mass 0.912 M (sub E) and a 150 km thick frozen mantle of salty H2O yields a moment-of-inertia coefficient which matches the Galileo Orbiter gravity measurement. For Ganymede (G), a 3-zone model possessing an inner core of solid FeS and mass approximately 0.116 M (sub G), and an outer H2O ice mantle of mass approximately 0.502 M (sub G) is needed to explain the gravity data. Ganymede's native magnetic field was formed by thermoremanent magnetization of Fe3O4. A new Callisto (C) model is proposed consisting of a core of mass 0.826 M (sub C) containing a uniform mixture of h-rock (60% by mass) and H2O and NH3 ices, and capped by a mantle of pure ice. This model may have the capacity to yield a thin layer of liquid NH3 (raised dot) 2H2O at the core boundary, in line with Galileo's discovery of an induced magnetic field.

Prentice, A. J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Structured Overlapping Grid Simulations of Contra-rotating Open Rotor Noise

Computational simulations using structured overlapping grids with the Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) solver framework are presented for predicting tonal noise generated by a contra-rotating open rotor (CROR) propulsion system. A coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Computational AeroAcoustics (CAA) numerical approach is applied. Three-dimensional time-accurate hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes/Large Eddy Simulation (RANS/LES) CFD simulations are performed in the inertial frame, including dynamic moving grids, using a higher-order accurate finite difference discretization on structured overlapping grids. A higher-order accurate free-stream preserving metric discretization with discrete enforcement of the Geometric Conservation Law (GCL) on moving curvilinear grids is used to create an accurate, efficient, and stable numerical scheme. The aeroacoustic analysis is based on a permeable surface Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) approach, evaluated in the frequency domain. A time-step sensitivity study was performed using only the forward row of blades to determine an adequate time-step. The numerical approach is validated against existing wind tunnel measurements.

Grid↗
DOE OSTI2014

Using red clump stars to decompose the galactic magnetic field with distance

A new method for measuring the large-scale structure of the Galactic magnetic field is presented. The Galactic magnetic field has been probed through the Galactic disk with near-infrared starlight polarimetry; however, the distance to each background star is unknown. Using red clump stars as near-infrared standard candles, this work presents the first attempt to decompose the line-of-sight structure of the sky-projected Galactic magnetic field. Two example lines of sight are decomposed: toward a field with many red clump stars and toward a field with few red clump stars. A continuous estimate of magnetic field orientation over several kiloparsecs of distance is possible in the field with many red clump stars, while only discrete estimates are possible in the sparse example. Toward the outer Galaxy, there is a continuous field orientation with distance that shows evidence of perturbation by the Galactic warp. Toward the inner Galaxy, evidence for a large-scale change in the magnetic field geometry is consistent with models of magnetic field reversals, independently derived from Faraday rotation studies. A photo-polarimetric method for identifying candidate intrinsically polarized stars is also presented. The future application of this method to large regions of the sky will begin the process of mapping the Galactic magnetic field in a way never before possible.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2016

Trajectory Design Employing Convex Optimization for Landing on Irregularly Shaped Asteroids

Mission proposals that land on asteroids are becoming popular. However, in order to have a successful mission the spacecraft must reliably and softly land at the intended landing site. The problem under investigation is how to design a fuel-optimal powered descent trajectory that can be quickly computed on- board the spacecraft, without interaction from ground control. An optimal trajectory designed immediately prior to the descent burn has many advantages. These advantages include the ability to use the actual vehicle starting state as the initial condition in the trajectory design and the ease of updating the landing target site if the original landing site is no longer viable. For long trajectories, the trajectory can be updated periodically by a redesign of the optimal trajectory based on current vehicle conditions to improve the guidance performance. One of the key drivers for being completely autonomous is the infrequent and delayed communication between ground control and the vehicle. Challenges that arise from designing an asteroid powered descent trajectory include complicated nonlinear gravity fields, small rotating bodies and low thrust vehicles. There are two previous studies that form the background to the current investigation. The first set looked in-depth at applying convex optimization to a powered descent trajectory on Mars with promising results.1, 2 This showed that the powered descent equations of motion can be relaxed and formed into a convex optimization problem and that the optimal solution of the relaxed problem is indeed a feasible solution to the original problem. This analysis used a constant gravity field. The second area applied a successive solution process to formulate a second order cone program that designs rendezvous and proximity operations trajectories.3, 4 These trajectories included a Newtonian gravity model. The equivalence of the solutions between the relaxed and the original problem is theoretically established. The proposed solution for designing the asteroid powered descent trajectory is to use convex optimization, a gravity model with higher fidelity than Newtonian, and an iterative solution process to design the fuel optimal trajectory. The solution to the convex optimization problem is the thrust profile, magnitude and direction, that will yield the minimum fuel trajectory for a soft landing at the target site, subject to various mission and operational constraints. The equations of motion are formulated in a rotating coordinate system and includes a high fidelity gravity model. The vehicle's thrust magnitude can vary between maximum and minimum bounds during the burn. Also, constraints are included to ensure that the vehicle does not run out of propellant, or go below the asteroid's surface, and any vehicle pointing requirements. The equations of motion are discretized and propagated with the trapezoidal rule in order to produce equality constraints for the optimization problem. These equality constraints allow the optimization algorithm to solve the entire problem, without including a propagator inside the optimization algorithm.

Pinson, Robin M.↗
DOE OSTI2012

TOWARD A NEW KIND OF ASTEROSEISMIC GRID FITTING

Recent developments in instrumentation (e.g., in particular the Kepler and CoRoT satellites) provide a new opportunity to improve the models of stellar pulsations. Surface layers, rotation, and magnetic fields imprint erratic frequency shifts, trends, and other non-random behavior in the frequency spectra. As our observational uncertainties become smaller, these are increasingly important and difficult to deal with using standard fitting techniques. To improve the models, new ways to compare their predictions with observations need to be conceived. In this paper, we present a completely probabilistic (Bayesian) approach to asteroseismic model fitting. It allows for varying degrees of prior mode identification, corrections for the discrete nature of the grid, and most importantly implements a treatment of systematic errors, such as the 'surface effects'. It removes the need to apply semi-empirical corrections to the observations prior to fitting them to the models and results in a consistent set of probabilities with which the model physics can be probed and compared. As an example, we show a detailed asteroseismic analysis of the Sun. We find a most probable solar age, including a 35 {+-} 5 million year pre-main-sequence phase, of 4.591 billion years, and initial element mass fractions of X{sub 0} = 0.72, Y{sub 0} = 0.264, Z{sub 0} = 0.016, consistent with recent asteroseismic and non-asteroseismic studies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Charge transfer interactions in oligomer coated gold nanoclusters

Gold nanoclusters were synthesized by a bottom-up synergistic approach of in-situ oligomerization of the monomer, N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) and simultaneous weak reduction of Au-NVP complexes in the absence of any other external energy sources, thereby making these tiny gold clusters as the most elemental building blocks to construct further novel nano/microstructures with application potentials. It is well-known that metal clusters with less than 2 nm size do not show the usual surface plasmon band, because of the presence of a band-gap at the fermi level. Nevertheless, our present oligomer coated gold clusters show a discrete intense band at around 630 nm, which could very well be attributed to the charge transfer between the oligomer chain and the surface Au atoms. Such kind of sacrificial plasmon induced charge transfer interaction, observed for the very first time to the best of our knowledge, were also strongly corroborated through the enhancement / shifting of specific vibrational / rotational peaks as observed from the FTIR and Raman measurements as a function of the metal oxidation states, thus representing a new prototype for an efficient solar energy conversion probe.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1987

Space Station alpha joint bearing

Perhaps the most critical structural system aboard the Space Station is the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint which helps align the power generation system with the sun. The joint must provide structural support and controlled rotation to the outboard transverse booms as well as power and data transfer across the joint. The Solar Alpha Rotary Joint is composed of two transition sections and an integral, large diameter bearing. Alpha joint bearing design presents a particularly interesting problem because of its large size and need for high reliability, stiffness, and on orbit maintability. The discrete roller bearing developed is a novel refinement to cam follower technology. It offers thermal compensation and ease of on-orbit maintenance that are not found in conventional rolling element bearings. How the bearing design evolved is summarized. Driving requirements are reviewed, alternative concepts assessed, and the selected design is described.

Everman, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Fluctuations at the blue edge of saturated wind lines in IUE spectra of O-type stars

We examine basic issues involved in synthesizing resonance-line profiles from 1-D, dynamical models of highly structured hot-star winds. Although these models exhibit extensive variations in density as well as velocity, the density scale length is still typically much greater than the Sobolev length. The line transfer is thus treated using a Sobolev approach, as generalized by Rybicki & Hummer (1978) to take proper account of the multiple Sobolev resonances arising from the nonmonotonic velocity field. The resulting reduced-Lambda-matrix equation describing nonlocal coupling of the source function is solved by iteration, and line profiles and then derived from formal solution integration using this source function. The more appropriate methods that instead use either a stationary or a structured, local source function yield qualitatively similar line-profiles, but are found to violate photon conservation by 10 percent or more. The full results suggest that such models may indeed be able to reproduce naturally some of the qualitative properties long noted in observed UV line profiles, such as discrete absorption components in unsaturated lines, or the blue-edge variability in saturated lines. However, these particular models do not yet produce the black absorption troughs commonly observed in saturated lines, and it seems that this and other important discrepancies (e.g., in acceleration time scale of absorption components) may require development of more complete models that include rotation and other 2-D and/or 3-D effects.

Owocki, Stanley P.↗