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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 451 records · Page 25

Satellite Observations and Chemistry Climate Models - A Meandering Path Towards Better Predictions

Knowledge of the chemical and dynamical processes that control the stratospheric ozone layer has grown rapidly since the 1970s, when ideas that depletion of the ozone layer due to human activity were put forth. The concept of ozone depletion due to anthropogenic chlorine increase is simple; quantification of the effect is much more difficult. The future of stratospheric ozone is complicated because ozone is expected to increase for two reasons: the slow decrease in anthropogenic chlorine due to the Montreal Protocol and its amendments and stratospheric cooling caused by increases in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Prediction of future ozone levels requires three-dimensional models that represent physical, photochemical and radiative processes, i.e., chemistry climate models (CCMs). While laboratory kinetic and photochemical data are necessary inputs for a CCM, atmospheric measurements are needed both to reveal physical and chemical processes and for comparison with simulations to test the conceptual model that CCMs represent. Global measurements are available from various satellites including but not limited to the LIMS and TOMS instruments on Nimbus 7 (1979 - 1993), and various instruments on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (1991 - 2005), Envisat (2002 - ongoing), Sci-Sat (2003 - ongoing) and Aura (2004 - ongoing). Every successful satellite instrument requires a physical concept for the measurement, knowledge of physical chemical properties of the molecules to be measured, and stellar engineering to design an instrument that will survive launch and operate for years with no opportunity for repair but providing enough information that trend information can be separated from any instrument change. The on-going challenge is to use observations to decrease uncertainty in prediction. This talk will focus on two applications. The first considers transport diagnostics and implications for prediction of the eventual demise of the Antarctic ozone hole. The second focuses on the upper stratosphere, where ozone is predicted to increase both due to chlorine decrease and due to temperature decrease expected as a result of increased concentrations Of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Both applications show how diagnostics developed from global observations are being used to explain why the ozone response varies among CCM predictions for stratospheric ozone in the 21st century.

Douglass, Anne R.↗

IBR Bulk System Protection Issues and Modeling Challenges

Issue to be Address: Difficulty in predicting Inverter (IBR) generation dynamic response characteristics. Main challenges are unavailability of proprietary control details for modeling and the aggregate mixed IBRs with different dynamic response characteristics all contributing during system faults. Framework for Discussion: Identifying issues by sharing experience Reviewing options to improve IBR modeling accuracy, computation speed, use of test results. Presenting related research by EPRI and PG&E (DOE project) Desired Outcomes: Provide technical update for participants Get feedback and suggestions for ongoing research Improve research collaboration

IBR, Protection Challenges, dynamic response, IBR ↗

Cabin Environment Physics Risk Model

This paper presents a Cabin Environment Physics Risk (CEPR) model that predicts the time for an initial failure of Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) functionality to propagate into a hazardous environment and trigger a loss-of-crew (LOC) event. This physics-of failure model allows a probabilistic risk assessment of a crewed spacecraft to account for the cabin environment, which can serve as a buffer to protect the crew during an abort from orbit and ultimately enable a safe return. The results of the CEPR model replace the assumption that failure of the crew critical ECLSS functionality causes LOC instantly, and provide a more accurate representation of the spacecraft's risk posture. The instant-LOC assumption is shown to be excessively conservative and, moreover, can impact the relative risk drivers identified for the spacecraft. This, in turn, could lead the design team to allocate mass for equipment to reduce overly conservative risk estimates in a suboptimal configuration, which inherently increases the overall risk to the crew. For example, available mass could be poorly used to add redundant ECLSS components that have a negligible benefit but appear to make the vehicle safer due to poor assumptions about the propagation time of ECLSS failures.

Risk↗

Advanced dc motor controller for battery-powered electric vehicles

A motor generation set is connected to run from the dc source and generate a voltage in the traction motor armature circuit that normally opposes the source voltage. The functional feasibility of the concept is demonstrated with tests on a Proof of Principle System. An analog computer simulation is developed, validated with the results of the tests, applied to predict the performance of a full scale Functional Model dc Controller. The results indicate high efficiencies over wide operating ranges and exceptional recovery of regenerated energy. The new machine integrates both motor and generator on a single two bearing shaft. The control strategy produces a controlled bidirectional plus or minus 48 volts dc output from the generator permitting full control of a 96 volt dc traction motor from a 48 volt battery, was designed to control a 20 hp traction motor. The controller weighs 63.5 kg (140 lb.) and has a peak efficiency of 90% in random driving modes and 96% during the SAE J 227a/D driving cycle.

Belsterling, C. A.↗

Return flux experiment

All spacecraft emit molecules via outgassing, thruster plumes, vents, etc. The return flux is the portion of those molecules that scatter from the ambient atmosphere and return to the spacecraft. Return flux allows critical spacecraft surfaces to become contaminated even when there is no direct line of sight between the contamination source and the critical surface. Data from the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) show that contamination of LDEF surfaces could not have come entirely from direct flux. The data suggest significant return flux. Several computer models have been developed to simulate return flux, but the predictions have never been verified in orbit. Large uncertainties in predictions lead to overly conservative spacecraft designs. The purpose of the REturn FLux EXperiment (REFLEX) is to fly a controlled experiment that can be directly compared with predictions from several models.

Tveekrem, June L.↗

Prediction of non-intuitive metabolic targets with bayesian metabolic control analysis to improve 3-hydroxypropionic acid production in Aspergillus niger

Development of efficient bioconversion processes is limited by the ability to predictably improve metabolic flux. Here we deployed Bayesian Metabolic Control Analysis as a platform to integrate multi-omics data with metabolic modeling and evaluated its ability to predict genetic interventions that improve metabolic flux. Global Metabolomics and proteomics data was collected from 17 Aspergillus niger strains engineered to produce the platform biochemical 3-hydroxypropionic acid from which seven actional genetic interventions were predicted from significant flux control coefficients. Of the suggested genetic interventions, two were present within the intuitively designed strains used for training (malonic semialdehyde dehydrogenase and pyruvate carboxylase) while five predicted targets were present within non-intuitive areas of the metabolic network including 5-formyltetrahydrofolate deformylase and four mitochondrial enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA ligase, aspartate aminotransferase, and malate dehydrogenase. Six of the targets were validated in the highest performing 3-HP strain used for multi-omics data generation which contained a prior disruption of the highest scoring target malonic semialdehyde dehydrogenase. Predicted directional perturbation of five of the six tested targets significantly improved titer and rate of 3-HP production and two significantly improved yield. The greatest improvements were observed following disruption of the non-intuitive target succinyl-CoA ligase which increased titer by 39% and yield by 29% (to 20.4 g/L 3-HP and 0.31 g 3-HP/g glucose) over the strains used for training. This study demonstrates the utility of Bayesian Metabolic Control Analysis and highlights the ability to predict meaningful genetic targets in unexpected areas of metabolism to improve engineered strains for bioconversion.

3-hydroxypropionic acid↗

Predicting the Operational Acceptance of Airborne Flight Reroute Requests Using Data Mining

For tools that generate more efficient flight routes or reroute advisories, it is important to ensure compatibility of automation and autonomy decisions with human objectives so as to ensure acceptability by the human operators. In this paper, the authors developed a proof of concept predictor of operational acceptability for route changes during a flight. Such a capability could have applications in automation tools that identify more efficient routes around airspace impacted by weather or congestion and that better meet airline preferences. The predictor is based on applying data mining techniques, including logistic regression, a decision tree, a support vector machine, a random forest and Adaptive Boost, to historical flight plan amendment data reported during operations and field experiments. Cross validation was used for model development, while nested cross validation was used to validate the models. The model found to have the best performance in predicting air traffic controller acceptance or rejection of a route change, using the available data from Fort Worth Air Traffic Control Center and its adjacent Centers, was the random forest, with an F-score of 0.77. This result indicates that the operational acceptance of reroute requests does indeed have some level of predictability, and that, with suitable data, models can be trained to predict the operational acceptability of reroute requests. Such models may ultimately be used to inform route selection by decision support tools, contributing to the development of increasingly autonomous systems that are capable of routing aircraft with less human input than is currently the case.

Operational Acceptability↗

Prediction of BVI Noise for an Active Twist Rotor Using a Loosely Coupled CFD/CSD Method and Comparison to Experimental Data

Numerical predictions of the acoustic characteristics of an Active Twist Rotor (ATR), using two methods to compute the rotor blade aerodynamics and elastic blade motion are compared to experimental data from a wind tunnel test in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) in 2000. The first method, a loosely coupled iterative method, utilizes the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code OVERFLOW 2 and the Computational Structural Dynamics (CSD) code CAMRAD II. The second method utilizes the CAMRAD II free-wake model only. The harmonic active-twist control to the main rotor blade system is identified with three parameters - harmonic actuation frequency, actuation amplitude, and control phase angle. The resulting aerodynamics and blade motion data from the two methods are then used in the acoustics code PSU-WOPWOP to predict acoustic pressure on a spherical array of equally spaced observers surrounding the rotor. This spherical distribution of pressure is used to compute the sound power level representing baseline and actuated conditions. Sound power levels for three categories of noise are defined as - blade-vortex interaction sound power level (BVIPWL), low frequency sound power level (LFPWL), and overall sound power level, OAPWL. Comparisons with measured data indicate the CFD/CSD analysis successfully captures the trends in sound power levels and the effects of active-twist control at advance ratios of 0.14 and 0.17. The free-wake model predictions show inconsistent sound power levels relative to the trends in the experimental and CFD data. This paper presents the first ever comparison between CFD/CSD acoustic predictions for an active-twist rotor and experimental measurements.

Fogarty, David E.↗

LDEF microenvironments, observed and predicted

A computer model for prediction of atomic oxygen exposure of spacecraft in low earth orbit, referred to as the primary atomic oxygen model, was originally described at the First Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) Post-Retrieval Symposium. The primary atomic oxygen model accounts for variations in orbit parameters, the condition of the atmosphere, and for the orientation of exposed surfaces relative to the direction of spacecraft motion. The use of the primary atomic oxygen model to define average atomic oxygen exposure conditions for a spacecraft is discussed and a second microenvironments computer model is described that accounts for shadowing and scattering of atomic oxygen by complex surface protrusions and indentations. Comparisons of observed and predicted erosion of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) thermal control blankets using the models are presented. Experimental and theoretical results are in excellent agreement. Work is in progress to expand modeling capability to include ultraviolet radiation exposure and to obtain more detailed information on reflecting and scattering characteristics of material surfaces.

Bourassa, R. J.↗

How Does Water Dissociation Work in Bipolar Membranes?

Bipolar membranes (BPMs) create counteracting spatial gradients of pH and electrostatic potential in electrochemical systems, enabling applications in pH regulation, electrocatalysis, and separations. At the polarized junction of a BPM the water dissociation (WD, 2H2O ⇌ H3O+ + OH-) reaction can be driven, but it remains poorly understood. In this Perspective, we integrate molecular insights from bulk-water autoionization and the associated field effects with continuum descriptions of BPM electrostatics and experimental WD kinetic analyses to describe possible mechanisms of voltage-driven WD. Pristine BPM junctions highlight both the limits of primarily electric-field-driven WD and the practical challenges of junction stability at extreme reverse bias. Introducing heterogeneous catalyst layers, commonly metal oxides and graphene oxides, accelerates WD by orders of magnitude through hypothesized coupled effects in which surface acid-base functionality and high-density hydroxyl sites mediate proton-transfer steps, and catalyst mobile electronic/ionic charges redistribute the junction electric potential drop to shape the local electric fields and reactive microenvironments. Kinetic analyses suggest two regimes of heterogeneous WD mechanism, including field-driven ordering of interfacial water and a Second-Wien-Effect dissociation-barrier lowering. We conclude by defining the key unknown variables (local pH, electrostatic potential, catalyst charge state and relationships among mechanisms) and outlining experimental and multiscale modeling strategies needed for predictive WD catalysis and for controlling related ion-transfer reactions.

Wu, Yifan↗

Secondary nondestructive instability in medium size liquid fuel rocket engines

Linearized mathematical models of feed-system-coupled combustion instability are summarized and discussed. Following the derivation of sufficient conditions for stability from the simplest bipropellant model, the complications that are imposed on the model by compressible fluids in the feed system, nonrigid feed system structures, and time-varying combustion processes are considered. A specific case of an instability associated with a nonrigid injector is described; it is shown that the instability was eliminated by the method predicted by the model to be most effective for control. A bibliography lists papers dealing with these kinds of stabilities.

R J Fontaine↗

OAO battery data analysis

Summary, consolidation and analysis of specifications, manufacturing process and test controls, and performance results for OAO-2 and OAO-3 lot 20 Amp-Hr sealed nickel cadmium cells and batteries are reported. Correlation of improvements in control requirements with performance is a key feature. Updates for a cell/battery computer model to improve performance prediction capability are included. Applicability of regression analysis computer techniques to relate process controls to performance is checked.

Gaston, S.↗

Analysis of visual estimation of system state from arbitrary displays

A method is presented for implementing the state estimator of the manual control model when the system output is a visual display of arbitrary form; that is, the display may be pictorial, including real world, or made up of dials and pointers. The method is used to provide error criteria for a look-point controller that appears to be capable of modeling human scanning behavior. This model, if combined with a model of the control process, should be useful in predicting effects of changes in displays on performance of flight tasks.

Gainer, P. A.↗

Mated vertical ground vibration test

The Mated Vertical Ground Vibration Test (MVGVT) was considered to provide an experimental base in the form of structural dynamic characteristics for the shuttle vehicle. This data base was used in developing high confidence analytical models for the prediction and design of loads, pogo controls, and flutter criteria under various payloads and operational missions. The MVGVT boost and launch program evolution, test configurations, and their suspensions are described. Test results are compared with predicted analytical results.

Ivey, E. W.↗

Visual Attention to Radar Displays

A model is described which predicts the allocation of attention to the features of a radar display. It uses the growth of uncertainty and the probability of near collision to call the eye to a feature of the display. The main source of uncertainty is forgetting following a fixation, which is modelled as a two dimensional diffusion process. The model was used to predict information overload in intercept controllers, and preliminary validation obtained by recording eye movements of intercept controllers in simulated and live (practice) interception.

Moray, N.↗

TASKILLAN - A simulation to predict the validity of multiple resource models of aviation workload

A study to establish the validity of five predictive models of workload in the context of a controlled helicopter mission, TASKILLAN, is presented. Ten subjects performed simulations involving combinations of a low level flight task with three cognitive side tasks pertaining to navigation, spatial awareness, and computation. It is found that the best predictors of subjective workload are relativly simple models that integrate the total demands of task over time.

Wickens, Christopher D.↗

Experimental and theoretical studies of rewetting of unheated/heated grooved plates

Theoretical experimental investigations of the rewetting characteristics of thin liquid films over unheated and heated grooved plates were performed. Studied factors which affected the rewetting characteristics of the plate were mass flow rate of the rewetting liquid on the plate, the orientation of the plate (face up, face down or inclined) and smooth/groove surface conditions. The initial plate temperature was also varied, with experiments being performed between room temperature and 150 C. It was found that the rewetting velocity increased with the initial plate temperature. But when the temperature was increased further above the Leidenfrost temperature (liquid front temperature), the rewetting velocity decreases with the initial plate temperature. Hydrodynamically controlled and conductively controlled rewetting models were presented to explain and to predict the rewetting characteristics in these two distinct regions. Also found was a higher rewetting velocity when the grooved plate was placed in the face up orientation than in the face down orientation.

Chan, Shih H.↗

Interannual Fluctuations in Atmospheric Angular Momentum Simulated by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Medium Range Forecast Model

An earlier study established the existence of globally coherent interannual fluctuations in atmospheric angular momentum (AAM), associated with the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. In this paper, we pursue the origin and the structure of these fluctuations using an ensemble of experiments generated by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, medium range forecast model version 9. In the control experiments, where the observed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were used as the lower boundary conditions, the model captures the characteristic V-like structure in time-latitude plots of zonally averaged AAM, while experiments with climatological SSTs and those with either perpetual warm or cold ENSO conditions superimposed on the climatological SSTs failed to reproduce this structure. The numerical results indicate that these AAM structures are related to SST variations associated with transitions between different phases of the ENSO cycle and have both propagating and standing components. The largest zonal wind contribution from the levels studied (850, 500, and 200 hPa) is at 200 hPa, where the tropical convective outflow is the strongest. Composites of zonal wind and geopotential height show a clear relationship between the stages of the global AAM oscillation and the ENSO cycle. The strong similarity between the simulated and observed AAM series attests to the model's ability to realistically simulate the interannual response of the atmosphere to ENSO SST anomalies.

Mo, Kingtse C.↗