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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

RHETT/EPDM Flight Hollow Cathode

Under the sponsorship of the BMDO Russian Hall Electric Thruster Technology program two xenon hollow cathodes, a flight unit and a flight spare were fabricated, acceptance tested and delivered to the Naval Research Laboratory for use on the Electric Propulsion Demonstration Module. These hollow cathodes, based on the International Space Station plasma contactor design, were fabricated at the NASA Lewis Research Center for use with a D-55 anode layer thruster in the first on-orbit operational application of this technology. The 2.2 Ampere nominal emission current of this device was obtained with a xenon flow rate of 0.6 mg/s. Ignition of the cathode discharge was accomplished through preheating the active electron emitter with a resistive heating element before application of a 650 volt ignition pulse between the emitter and an external starting electrode. The successful acceptance testing of the Electric Propulsion Demonstration Module utilizing these cathodes demonstrated the suitability of cathodes based on barium impregnated inserts in an enclosed keeper configuration for use with Hall thruster propulsion systems.

Manzella, David↗
NASA NTRS1976

Mini-cavity plasma core reactors for dual-mode space nuclear power/propulsion systems

A mini-cavity plasma core reactor is investigated for potential use in a dual-mode space power and propulsion system. In the propulsive mode, hydrogen propellant is injected radially inward through the reactor solid regions and into the cavity. The propellant is heated by both solid driver fuel elements surrounding the cavity and uranium plasma before it is exhausted out the nozzle. The propellant only removes a fraction of the driver power, the remainder is transferred by a coolant fluid to a power conversion system, which incorporates a radiator for heat rejection. Neutronic feasibility of dual mode operation and smaller reactor sizes than those previously investigated are shown to be possible. A heat transfer analysis of one such reactor shows that the dual-mode concept is applicable when power generation mode thermal power levels are within the same order of magnitude as direct thrust mode thermal power levels.

Chow, S.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Functional Testing of the Space Station Plasma Contactor

A plasma contactor system has been baselined for the International Space Station Alpha (ISSA) to control the electrical potentials of surfaces to eliminate/mitigate damaging interactions with the space environment. The system represents a dual-use technology which is a direct outgrowth of the NASA electric propulsion program and, in particular, the technology development effort on ion thruster systems. The plasma contactor subsystems include a hollow cathode assembly, a power electronics unit, and an expellant management unit. Under a pre-flight development program these subsystems are being developed to the level of maturity appropriate for transfer to U.S. industry for final development. Development efforts for the hollow cathode assembly include design selection and refinement, validating its required lifetime, and quantifying the cathode performance and interface specifications. To date, cathode components have demonstrated over 10,000 hours lifetime, and a hollow cathode assembly has demonstrated over 3,000 ignitions. Additionally, preliminary integration testing of a hollow cathode assembly with a breadboard power electronics unit has been completed. This paper discusses test results and the development status of the plasma contactor subsystems for ISSA, and in particular, the hollow cathode assembly.

Patterson, Michael J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Small Satellite Propulsion Options

Advanced chemical and low power electric propulsion offer attractive options for small satellite propulsion. Applications include orbit raising, orbit maintenance, attitude control, repositioning, and deorbit of both Earth-space and planetary spacecraft. Potential propulsion technologies for these functions include high pressure Ir/Re bipropellant engines, very low power arcjets, Hall thrusters, and pulsed plasma thrusters, all of which have been shown to operate in manners consistent with currently planned small satellites. Mission analyses show that insertion of advanced propulsion technologies enables and/or greatly enhances many planned small satellite missions. Examples of commercial, DoD, and NASA missions are provided to illustrate the potential benefits of using advanced propulsion options on small satellites.

Myers, Roger M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Overview on NASA's Advanced Electric Propulsion Concepts Activities

Advanced electric propulsion research activities are currently underway that seek to addresses feasibility issues of a wide range of advanced concepts, and may result in the development of technologies that will enable exciting new missions within our solar system and beyond. Each research activity is described in terms of the present focus and potential future applications. Topics include micro-electric thrusters, electrodynamic tethers, high power plasma thrusters and related applications in materials processing, variable specific impulse plasma thrusters, pulsed inductive thrusters, computational techniques for thruster modeling, and advanced electric propulsion missions and systems studies.

Frisbee, Robert H.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Electrodynamic Tethers for Reboost of the International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) will require periodic reboost due to atmospheric aerodynamic drag. This is nominally achieved through the use of thruster firings by the attached Progress M spacecraft. Many Progress flights to the ISS are required annually. Electrodynamic tethers provide an attractive alternative in that they can provide periodic reboost or continuous drag cancellation using no consumables, propellant nor conventional propulsion elements. The system could also serve as an emergency backup reboost system used only in the event resupply and reboost are delayed for some reason. The system also has direct application to spacecraft and upper stage propulsion. Electrodynamic tethers have been demonstrated in space previously with the Plasma Motor Generator (PMG) experiment and the Tethered Satellite System (TSS-IR). The advanced electrodynamic tether proposed for ISS reboost has significant advantages over previous systems in that hi-her thrust is achievable with significantly shorter tethers and without the need for an active current collection device, hence making the system simpler and much less expensive.

Johnson, Les↗
NASA NTRS2001

Flux Compression Magnetic Nozzle

In pulsed fusion propulsion schemes in which the fusion energy creates a radially expanding plasma, a magnetic nozzle is required to redirect the radially diverging flow of the expanding fusion plasma into a rearward axial flow, thereby producing a forward axial impulse to the vehicle. In a highly electrically conducting plasma, the presence of a magnetic field B in the plasma creates a pressure B(exp 2)/2(mu) in the plasma, the magnetic pressure. A gradient in the magnetic pressure can be used to decelerate the plasma traveling in the direction of increasing magnetic field, or to accelerate a plasma from rest in the direction of decreasing magnetic pressure. In principle, ignoring dissipative processes, it is possible to design magnetic configurations to produce an 'elastic' deflection of a plasma beam. In particular, it is conceivable that, by an appropriate arrangement of a set of coils, a good approximation to a parabolic 'magnetic mirror' may be formed, such that a beam of charged particles emanating from the focal point of the parabolic mirror would be reflected by the mirror to travel axially away from the mirror. The degree to which this may be accomplished depends on the degree of control one has over the flux surface of the magnetic field, which changes as a result of its interaction with a moving plasma.

Thio, Y. C. Francis↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Plasmoid Thruster Experiment (PTX)

This viewgraph presentation describes the overall Plasma Thruster Experiment (PTX), it's purpose and design, compact toroid propulsion, advantages and requirements of a plasmoid thruster, the projected efficiency, theta-pinch formation, a simulation of the PTX Coil/Bank Circuit using SPICE, the test firing of the PTX Capacitor Bank, PTX diagnostics, the excluded flux array, thruster simulations using MOQUI, and future work on the PTX.

Eskridge, R.↗
NASA NTRS2003

High Temperature Fusion Reactor Cooling Using Brayton Cycle Based Partial Energy Conversion

For some future space power systems using high temperature nuclear heat sources most of the output energy will be used in other than electrical form, and only a fraction of the total thermal energy generated will need to be converted to electrical work. The paper describes the conceptual design of such a partial energy conversion system, consisting of a high temperature fusion reactor operating in series with a high temperature radiator and in parallel with dual closed cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power systems, also referred to as closed Brayton cycle (CBC) systems, which are supplied with a fraction of the reactor thermal energy for conversion to electric power. Most of the fusion reactor's output is in the form of charged plasma which is expanded through a magnetic nozzle of the interplanetary propulsion system. Reactor heat energy is ducted to the high temperature series radiator utilizing the electric power generated to drive a helium gas circulation fan. In addition to discussing the thermodynamic aspects of the system design the authors include a brief overview of the gas turbine and fan rotor-dynamics and proposed bearing support technology along with performance characteristics of the three phase AC electric power generator and fan drive motor.

Juhasz, Albert J.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Investigating the Response and Expansion of Plasma Plumes in a Mesosonic Plasma Using the Situational Awareness Sensor Suite for the ISS (SASSI)

To study the complex interactions between the space environment surrounding the International Space Station (ISS) and the ISS space vehicle, we are exploring a specialized suite of plasma sensors, manipulated by the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to probe the near‐ISS mesosonic plasma ionosphere moving past the ISS. It is proposed that SASSI consists of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) Thermal Ion Capped Hemispherical Spectrometer (TICHS), Thermal Electron Capped Hemispherical Spectrometer (TECHS), Charge Analyzer Responsive to Local Oscillations (CARLO), the Collimated PhotoElectron Gun (CPEG), and the University of Michigan Advanced Langmuir Probe (ALP). There are multiple expected applications for SASSI. Here, we will discuss the study of fundamental plasma physics questions associated with how an emitted plasma plume (such as from the ISS Plasma Contactor Unit (PCU)) responds and expands in a mesosonic magnetoplasma as well as emit and collect current. The ISS PCU Xe plasma plume drifts through the ionosphere and across the Earth's magnetic field, resulting in complex dynamics. This is of practical and theoretical interest pertaining to contamination concerns (e.g. energetic ion scattering) and the ability to collect and emit current between the spacecraft and the ambient plasma ionosphere. This impacts, for example, predictions of electrodynamic tether current performance using plasma contactors as well as decisions about placing high‐energy electric propulsion thrusters on ISS. We will discuss the required measurements and connection to proposed instruments for this study.

Gilchrist, Brian E.↗
NASA NTRS2016

The Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS) Design, Trades, and Analyses Performed in the First Year of a Two Year Investigation

The Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS)1 was one of the seven total Phase II NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) that was down-selected in 2015 for continued funding and research. In Phase I we learned that a spacecraft propelled by an Electric Sail (E-Sail) can travel great astronomical distances, such as to the Heliopause region of the solar system (approx.100 to 120 AU) in approximately one quarter of the time (10 years) versus the time it took the Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977 (36 years). The current work within the Phase II NIAC effort builds upon the work that was done in the Phase I NIAC and is focused on: 1) Testing of plasma interaction with a charged wire in a unique MSFC test chamber, 2) Development of a Particle-in-Cell (PIC) models that are validated in the plasma testing and used to extrapolate to the E-Sail propulsion system design. 3) Further down select of a wire deployment and control approach from those narrowed down in the Phase I effort. This paper will document the findings to date (June, 2016) of the above focused areas.

Wiegmann, Bruce M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Participation in NASA TROPIX Science Team

TROPIX (Transfer Orbit Plasma Interaction Experiment) is both a scientific experiment and a flight demonstration of a solar electric propulsion space vehicle. The research supported by this grant resulted in the specific definition of magnetospheric and planetary science missions that can be uniquely implemented with SEP within the resources available in the MIDEX program. A plasma instrument suitable for inclusion on TROPIX was defined.

Burch, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Potentials in a plasma over a biased pinhole

The NASCAP/LEO code is used to simulate measurements taken at Jet Propulsion Laboratory of potentials near a simulated pinhole. The insulator near the high-voltage pinhole obeys an electric field boundary condition resulting from secondary electron hopping conductivity. The code predictions are in good agreement with the measurements.

Mandell, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Gasdynamic Mirror Fusion Propulsion Experiment

Nuclear fusion appears to be the most promising concept for producing extremely high specific impulse rocket engines. One particular fusion concept which seems to be particularly well suited for fusion propulsion applications is the gasdynamic mirror (GDM). This device would operate at much higher plasma densities and with much larger LD ratios than previous mirror machines. Several advantages accrue from such a design. First, the high LA:) ratio minimizes to a large extent certain magnetic curvature effects which lead to plasma instabilities causing a loss of plasma confinement. Second, the high plasma density will result in the plasma behaving much more Re a conventional fluid with a mean free path shorter than the length of the device. This characteristic helps reduce problems associated with "loss cone" microinstabilities. An experimental GDM device is currently being constructed at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center to provide an initial assessment of the feasibility of this type of propulsion system. Initial experiments are expected to commence in the late fall of 2000.

Emrich, William J., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Numerical modeling of plasma assisted deflagration to detonation transition in a microscale channel

Here, this work numerically studies the plasma assisted deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) of H 2 /O 2 mixtures in a microscale channel with detailed chemistry and transport. The results show that the DDT onset time is non-monotonically dependent on the discharge pulse number. The DDT is accelerated with small pulse numbers, whereas retarded with large ones. Two different DDT regimes, respectively at a small and large plasma discharge number, via acoustic choking of the burned gas and plasma-enhanced reactivity gradient without acoustic choking, are observed. Without plasma discharge, pronounced pressure and temperature gradients in front of the flame are generated by acoustic compression after the choking of the burned gas, triggering DDT via autoignition. With small plasma pulse numbers, the plasma-generated species enhance the ignition kinetics and lead to an increased reactivity in the boundary layer. After the choking of the burned gas, the plasma-enhanced reactivity advances the sequence of autoignition near the wall, strengthens ignition-shock wave coupling, and accelerates DDT. However, with a large discharge pulse number, a direct autoignition initiating DDT can occur without the acoustic choking of the burned gas due to the strongly accelerated reactivity and elevated temperature. In this case, DDT onset is retarded because the elevated temperature increases sonic velocity and the increased reactivity accelerates fuel oxidation in front of the flame, decelerating the formation of a leading shock and subsequent pressure buildup ahead of the flame. The present modeling reveals that no matter with or without plasma discharge, DDT is initiated by autoignition in thermal, pressure, and reactivity gradient fields via the Zel'dovich gradient mechanism. The acoustic choking of the burned gas may not be the necessary condition of DDT with strong plasma-enhanced reactivity gradient. This work provides an answer to the experimentally observed non-monotonic DDT onset time by plasma, which provides guidance to control DDT in advanced detonation engines and fire safety of hydrogen-fueled catalytic reactors in microchannels by non-equilibrium plasma discharge.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
NASA NTRS1991

Experimental investigation of a unique airbreathing pulsed laser propulsion concept

Investigations were conducted into unique methods of converting pulsed laser energy into propulsive thrust across a flat impulse surface under atmospheric conditions. The propulsion experiments were performed with a 1-micron neodymium-glass laser at the Space Plasma Branch of the Naval Research Laboratory. Laser-induced impulse was measured dynamically by ballistic pendulums and statically using piezoelectric pressure transducers on a stationary impulse surface. The principal goal was to explore methods for increasing the impulse coupling performance of airbreathing laser-propulsion engines. A magnetohydrodynamic thrust augmentation effect was discovered when a tesla-level magnetic field was applied perpendicular to the impulse surface. The impulse coupling coefficient performance doubled and continued to improve with increasing laser-pulse energies. The resultant performance of 180 to 200 N-s/MJ was found to be comparable to that of the earliest afterburning turbojets.

Myrabo, L. N.↗