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At least 415 records · Page 23

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2019

In-situ Data Acquisition and Tool Development for Additive Manufacturing Metal Powder Systems

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) is a processing technology which builds 3D components from the bottom-up by selectively melting metal precursors to build a component part in a layer by layer fashion. This advanced manufacturing process promises to initiate a digital renaissance in American manufacturing by decreasing costs, increasing energy efficiency, enabling new component designs, and providing a manufacturing pathway for novel materials which cannot be processed by traditional means. In particular, additively produced parts offer designs that are otherwise impossible to fabricate, custom designs for a single part at no additional cost, and considerable weight savings when compared to conventional production techniques.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Crossing the Finish Line: Integration of Data-Driven Process Control for Maximization of Energy and Resource Efficiency in Advanced Water Resource Recovery Facilities

Improvements in process monitoring and control at water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) could result in reductions in electricity consumption, chemical inputs, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as improved energy recovery. Many current WRRF data collection, monitoring, and control approaches use 20th century process monitoring and control systems, which require large design safety factors to ensure reliability in the absence of more advanced, precise controls. Implementation of more modern data-driven control tools could lead to more efficient operations that provide intrinsic reliability with better overall process performance at full-scale. This project (1) developed and demonstrated data-driven process controls at full-scale facilities for five promising WRRF process technologies that provide whole-plant approaches and offer substantial energy and resource recovery benefits, and (2) created a Machine Learning (ML) Toolkit and an implementation guide of new process control approaches that walks users through each step of the ML workflow and illustrates the steps through case study examples.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1983

The NASA MLA program

The NASA Multispectral Linear Array (MLA) program is structured to provide for the evolutionary development of advanced sensor concepts, technologies, and scientific basis for future remote sensing missions. Program elements include the development of multispectral visible and shortwave infrared (SWIR) detector arrays, optics and on-board signal processing technologies, sensor design studies, and supporting research. The research consists of advanced airborne sensor development with data acquisitions, field measurements, and supporting science studies. At the present time, two instrument concepts, including an imaging spectrometer, are in development as payloads for a series of Shuttle remote sensing research flights beginning as early as 1987. Progressively more advanced capability instruments suitable for extended duration Shuttle, free flyer, and space platform missions in the 1990's are also being studied.

Ando, K. J.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Strategies for Stabilizing Nitrogenous Compounds in ECLSS Wastewater: Top-Down System Design and Unit Operation Selection with Focus on Bio-Regenerative Processes for Short and Long Term Scenarios

Water recycling and eventual nutrient recovery is crucial for surviving in or past low earth orbit. New approaches and syste.m architecture considerations need to be addressed to meet current and future system requirements. This paper proposes a flexible system architecture that breaks down pretreatment , steps into discrete areas where multiple unit operations can be considered. An overview focusing on the urea and ammonia conversion steps allows an analysis on each process's strengths and weaknesses and synergy with upstream and downstream processing. Process technologies to be covered include chemical pretreatment, biological urea hydrolysis, chemical urea hydrolysis, combined nitrification-denitrification, nitrate nitrification, anammox denitrification, and regenerative ammonia absorption through struvite formation. Biological processes are considered mainly for their ability to both maximize water recovery and to produce nutrients for future plant systems. Unit operations can be considered for traditional equivalent system mass requirements in the near term or what they can provide downstream in the form of usable chemicals or nutrients for the long term closed-loop ecological control and life support system. Optimally this would allow a system to meet the former but to support the latter without major modification.

Lunn, Griffin M.↗

DOE OSTI2015

Surface studies of plasma processed Nb samples

Contaminants present at top surface of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities can act as field emitters and restrict the cavity accelerating gradient. A room temperature in-situ plasma processing technology for SRF cavities aiming to clean hydrocarbons from inner surface of cavities has been recently developed at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). Surface studies of the plasma-processed Nb samples by Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and Scanning Kelvin Probe (SKP) showed that the NeO 2 plasma processing is very effective to remove carbonaceous contaminants from top surface and improves the surface work function by 0.5 to 1.0 eV.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2015

Atomically Bonded Transparent Superhydrophobic Coatings

Maintaining clarity and avoiding the accumulation of water and dirt on optically transparent surfaces such as US military vehicle windshields, viewports, periscope optical head windows, and electronic equipment cover glasses are critical to providing a high level of visibility, improved survivability, and much-needed safety for warfighters in the field. Through a combination of physical vapor deposition techniques and the exploitation of metastable phase separation in low-alkali borosilicate, a novel technology was developed for the fabrication of optically transparent, porous nanostructured silica thin film coatings that are strongly bonded to glass platforms. The nanotextured films, initially structurally superhydrophilic, exhibit superior superhydrophobicity, hence antisoiling ability, following a simple but robust modification in surface chemistry. The surfaces yield water droplet contact angles as high as 172°. Moreover, the nanostructured nature of these coatings provides increased light scattering in the UV regime and reduced reflectivity (i.e., enhanced transmission) over a broad range of the visible spectrum. In addition to these functionalities, the coatings exhibit superior mechanical resistance to abrasion and are thermally stable to temperatures approaching 500°C. The overall process technology relies on industry standard equipment and inherently scalable manufacturing processes and demands only nontoxic, naturally abundant, and inexpensive base materials. Such coatings, applied to the optical components of current and future combat equipment and military vehicles will provide a significant strategic advantage for warfighters. The inherent self-cleaning properties of such superhydrophobic coatings will also mitigate biofouling of optical windows exposed to high-humidity conditions and can help decrease repair/replacement costs, reduce maintenance, and increase readiness by limiting equipment downtime.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Differential Property Prediction: A Machine Learning Approach to Experimental Design in Advanced Manufacturing

Advanced manufacturing techniques have enabled the production of materials with state-of-the-art properties. In many cases however, the development of physics-based models of these techniques lags behind their development in the lab. This means that material and process development proceeds largely via trial and error. This is sub-optimal since experiments are cost-, time-, and labor-intensive. In this work we propose a machine learning framework, differential property classification (DPC), which enables an experimenter to leverage machine learning's unparalleled pattern matching capability to pursue data-driven experimental design. DPC takes two possible experiment parameter sets and outputs a prediction of which will produce a material with a more desirable property specified by the operator. We demonstrate the success of DPC on AA7075 tube manufacturing process and mechanical property data using shear assisted processing and extrusion (ShAPE), an emerging solid phase processing technology. We show that by focusing on the experimenter's need to choose between multiple candidate experimental parameters, we can reframe the challenging regression task of predicting material properties from processing parameters, into a classification task on which machine learning models can achieve good performance.

advanced manufacturing, machine learning, ShAPE↗

NASA NTRS1992

Human life support during interplanetary travel and domicile. V - Mars expedition technology trade study for solid waste management

A model has been developed for NASA to quantitatively compare and select life support systems and technology options. The model consists of a modular, top-down hierarchical breakdown of the life support system into subsystems, and further breakdown of subsystems into functional elements representing individual processing technologies. This paper includes the technology trades for a Mars mission, using solid waste treatment technologies to recover water from selected liquid and solid waste streams. Technologies include freeze drying, thermal drying, wet oxidation, combustion, and supercritical-water oxidation. The use of these technologies does not have any significant advantages with respect to weight; however, significant power penalties are incurred. A benefit is the ability to convert hazardous waste into a useful resource, namely water.

Ferrall, Joe↗

NASA NTRS2013

Separation and Purification of Mineral Salts from Spacecraft Wastewater Processing via Electrostatic Beneficiation

Electrostatic separation is a class of material processing technologies commonly used for the sorting of coarse mixtures by means of electrical forces acting on charged or polarized particles. Most if not all of the existing tribo-electrostatic separators had been initially developed for mineral ores beneficiation. It is a well-known process that has been successfully used to separate coal from minerals. Potash (potassium) enrichment where underground salt mines containing large amounts of sodium is another use of this techno logy. Through modification this technology can be used for spacecraft wastewater brine beneficiation. This will add in closing the gap be~een traveling around Earth's Gravity well and long-term space explorations. Food has been brought on all man missions, which is why plant growth for food crops continues to be of interest to NASA. For long-term mission considerations food productions is one of the top priorities. Nutrient recovery is essential for surviving in or past low earth orbit. In our advance bio-regenerative process instead of nitrogen gas produced; soluble nitrate salts that can be recovered for plant fertilizer would be produced instead. The only part missing is the beneficiation of brine to separate the potassium from the sodium. The use of electrostatic beneficiation in this experiment utilizes the electrical charge differences between aluminum and dried brine by surface contact. The helixes within the aluminum tribocharger allows for more surface contact when being agitated. When two materials are in contact, the material with the highest affinity for electrons becomes negatively charged, while the other becomes positively charged. This contact exchange of charge may cause the particles to agglomerate depending on their residence time within the tribocharger, compromising the efficiency of separation. The aim of this experiment is to further the development in electrostatic beneficiation by optimizing the separation of ersatz and possibly real wastewater brine residues. In doing so, ideally it will yield a high potassium enrichment for use in spacecraft plant systems.

Miles, John D., II↗

NASA NTRS1990

Satellite image analysis using neural networks

The tremendous backlog of unanalyzed satellite data necessitates the development of improved methods for data cataloging and analysis. Ford Aerospace has developed an image analysis system, SIANN (Satellite Image Analysis using Neural Networks) that integrates the technologies necessary to satisfy NASA's science data analysis requirements for the next generation of satellites. SIANN will enable scientists to train a neural network to recognize image data containing scenes of interest and then rapidly search data archives for all such images. The approach combines conventional image processing technology with recent advances in neural networks to provide improved classification capabilities. SIANN allows users to proceed through a four step process of image classification: filtering and enhancement, creation of neural network training data via application of feature extraction algorithms, configuring and training a neural network model, and classification of images by application of the trained neural network. A prototype experimentation testbed was completed and applied to climatological data.

Sheldon, Roger A.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Support for the 65th International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technologies and Nanofabrication

This project aimed to enable student participation in the 65th International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technologies and Nanofabrication (EIPBN). EIPBN, affectionately known as “3-Beams,” is the premier gathering of scientists and engineers who are dedicated to electron, ion and photon lithography, imaging, and analysis; nanofabrication process technologies; atomically precise fabrication; related emerging technologies; and their applications in a broad spectrum of fields. It is where top researchers from academia, government laboratories, and industries from around the world meet to present and discuss recent trends and future innovations in these technologies. The goal of the conference is to advance knowledge by enabling the exchange of information concerning advanced and emerging nanofabrication and nanomanufacturing topics and how they enable traditional and novel applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Support for the 66th International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technologies and Nanofabrication (Final Report)

This project aimed to enable student participation in the 66th International Conference on Electron, Ion, and Photon Beam Technologies and Nanofabrication (EIPBN). EIPBN, affectionately known as “3-Beams,” is the premier gathering of scientists and engineers who are dedicated to electron, ion and photon lithography, imaging, and analysis; nanofabrication process technologies; atomically precise fabrication; related emerging technologies; and their applications in a broad spectrum of fields. It is where top researchers from academia, government laboratories, and industries from around the world meet to present and discuss recent trends and future innovations in these technologies. The goal of the conference is to advance knowledge by enabling the exchange of information concerning advanced and emerging nanofabrication and nanomanufacturing topics and how they enable traditional and novel applications.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS1980

NASA's activities in the conservation of strategic aerospace materials

The United States imports 50-100 percent of certain metals critical to the aerospace industry, namely, cobalt, columbium, chromium, and tantalum. In an effort to reduce this dependence on foreign sources, NASA is planning a program called Conservation of Strategic Aerospace Materials (COSAM), which will provide technology minimizing strategic metal content in the components of aerospace structures such as aircraft engines. With a proposed starting date of October 1981, the program will consist of strategic element substitution, process technology development, and alternate materials research. NASA's two-fold pre-COSAM studies center on, first, substitution research involving nickel-base and cobalt-base superalloys (Waspaloy, Udimet-700, MAE-M247, Rene 150, HA-188) used in turbine disks, low-pressure blades, turbine blades, and combustors; and, second, alternate materials research devoted initially to investigating possible structural applications of the intermetallic alloys nickel aluminide and iron aluminide.

Stephens, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Exploration Mission Benefits From Logistics Reduction Technologies

Technologies that reduce logistical mass, volume, and the crew time dedicated to logistics management become more important as exploration missions extend further from the Earth. Even modest reductions in logistical mass can have a significant impact because it also reduces the packaging burden. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems' Logistics Reduction Project is developing technologies that can directly reduce the mass and volume of crew clothing and metabolic waste collection. Also, cargo bags have been developed that can be reconfigured for crew outfitting, and trash processing technologies are under development to increase habitable volume and improve protection against solar storm events. Additionally, Mars class missions are sufficiently distant that even logistics management without resupply can be problematic due to the communication time delay with Earth. Although exploration vehicles are launched with all consumables and logistics in a defined configuration, the configuration continually changes as the mission progresses. Traditionally significant ground and crew time has been required to understand the evolving configuration and to help locate misplaced items. For key mission events and unplanned contingencies, the crew will not be able to rely on the ground for logistics localization assistance. NASA has been developing a radio-frequency-identification autonomous logistics management system to reduce crew time for general inventory and enable greater crew self-response to unplanned events when a wide range of items may need to be located in a very short time period. This paper provides a status of the technologies being developed and their mission benefits for exploration missions.

Broyan, James Lee, Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Exploration Mission Benefits From Logistics Reduction Technologies

Technologies that reduce logistical mass, volume, and the crew time dedicated to logistics management become more important as exploration missions extend further from the Earth. Even modest reductions in logical mass can have a significant impact because it also reduces the packing burden. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems' Logistics Reduction Project is developing technologies that can directly reduce the mass and volume of crew clothing and metabolic waste collection. Also, cargo bags have been developed that can be reconfigured for crew outfitting and trash processing technologies to increase habitable volume and improve protection against solar storm events are under development. Additionally, Mars class missions are sufficiently distant that even logistics management without resupply can be problematic due to the communication time delay with Earth. Although exploration vehicles are launched with all consumables and logistics in a defined configuration, the configuration continually changes as the mission progresses. Traditionally significant ground and crew time has been required to understand the evolving configuration and locate misplaced items. For key mission events and unplanned contingencies, the crew will not be able to rely on the ground for logistics localization assistance. NASA has been developing a radio frequency identification autonomous logistics management system to reduce crew time for general inventory and enable greater crew self-response to unplanned events when a wide range of items may need to be located in a very short time period. This paper provides a status of the technologies being developed and there mission benefits for exploration missions.

Broyan, James Lee, Jr.↗

DOE OSTI2017

Electrochemical and Thermodynamic Properties of U in LiCl-KCl-UCl{sub 3} salt system

Pyro-processing technology has been considered and examined by several countries as a promising method for the recovery and recycle of uranium and actinide elements from used nuclear fuel. One of the key processes in pyro-processing is an electro-refiner (ER) where the metallic fission products are loaded into an anode basket and dissolved into lithium-potassium chloride (LiCl-KCl) eutectic salt at 773 K. Many researchers have been exploring the fundamental characterizations of U in LiCl-KCl system by using various electrochemical methods, resulting in several reported values of diffusion coefficient, apparent standard potential, and activity coefficient of U in the salt system. In addition, several researchers measured kinetic parameter of U (exchange current density, i{sub 0}) by using Tafel and linear polarization (LP) methods. Despite available data sets on this ternary salt system, there are discrepancies due to different experimental conditions, design, size of the cell, and measurement techniques. In addition, the i{sub 0} for U/U{sup 3+} reaction has only been measured since 2009; therefore, only few data sets are available to date although the i{sub 0} is critical for the development of dynamic ER model. The value of i{sub 0} is a kinetic characteristic in an ideal equilibrium state; therefore, it is very challenging to be measured by experiments. The authors have estimated the values of i{sub 0} via Tafel and linear polarization methods (LP); however, these methods are lack of maintaining electrode surface area during the measurements. In addition, some data are not following the trends from other literature studies due to its difficulties of the measurement. Therefore, further experimental determinations have to be accomplished to understand the i{sub 0} kinetics and the database for the i{sub 0} of U/U{sup 3+} couple in LiCl-KCl eutectic salt needs to be established systematically. In the present study, an experimental setup was designed and used in a consistent manner to build a meaningful database for U in LiCl-KCl system. LiCl-KCl-UCl{sub 3} salt was prepared at different concentrations and temperatures ranging from 0.5 wt% to 4 wt% and 723 K to 798 K, respectively. Then, CV, open circuit potential (OCP), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed to understand the electrochemical, thermodynamic, and kinetic properties of U. Specially, i{sub 0} values have not been measured via EIS method; therefore, this study provides a good chance to confirm the i{sub 0} values with the new technique.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2018

Friction Stir Scribe Joining of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) to Aluminum

The purpose of this project was to develop the critical process technology, models, and tools necessary to advance the Friction Stir Scribe, FSS, joining method through experimentation, validation at the laboratory scale, and integration into a production-like robotic environment. Implementation of FSS technology for joining polymer composites to metals will enable greater use of lightweight materials by providing technology capable of joining linear configurations without the use of adhesives or other third-body fasteners by creating an in-situ joint from the parent materials. As FSS technology provides the capability to join multi-material structures on robotic platforms using linear configurations, the development of this technology for use on the BIW will impact a great diversity of CFRP joints within the vehicle; thus, allowing a greater reduction in vehicle mass through more specifically designed structures. The FSS process has been developed to include integration of the FSS tool with a stationary shoulder, which has been shown to be required to achieve the desired surface quality (i.e., crown flash level). However, the targeted joint strength has not been achieved because the resulting stirred CFRP microstructure does not provide similar performance as the as-molded composite leading to low fracture strengths despite our efforts investigating various unique alternative approaches. In support of the experimental work, a process-structure model was developed and validated for the FSS joining (FSSJ) process using surrogate materials (steel and Al). The cyclic corrosion testing of the FSS joints and self-piercing riveted (SPR) joints revealed different modes of galvanic corrosion in the two types of joints. The SPR samples exhibited a greater amount of corrosion on the external surfaces. The presence of steel rivets in these joints exacerbated the situation, with the rivets getting preferentially corroded. The FSSJ samples despite exhibiting less surface corrosion, exhibited severe corrosion under the joint overlap area.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1990

Characteristics of a semi-custom library development system

Standard cell and gate array macro libraries are in common use with workstation computer aided design (CAD) tools for application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) semi-custom application and have resulted in significant improvements in the overall design efficiencies as contrasted with custom design methodologies. Similar design methodology enhancements in providing for the efficient development of the library cells is an important factor in responding to the need for continuous technology improvement. The characteristics of a library development system that provides design flexibility and productivity enhancements for the library development engineer as he provides libraries in the state-of-the-art process technologies are presented. An overview of Gould's library development system ('Accolade') is also presented.

Yancey, M.↗