Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “performance monitoring”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 487 records · Page 27

Fiberboard Properties and Degradation Rates for Storage of 9975 Shipping Package in KAC (2020 Status Report)

Savannah River Site (SRS) stores plutonium materials within model 9975 shipping packages in the K-Area Complex (KAC). The 9975 shipping package consists of a 35 gallon stainless steel drum, Celotex fiberboard insulation, lead shield, and primary and secondary containment vessels. The 9975 shipping package design, performance, and analysis for safe transport of radioactive material are described in the Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP). Celotex fiberboard provides three safety functions: thermal insulation to limit internal temperature during a fire, criticality control, and resistance to package crushing. The fiberboard material must retain its dimensions and density within certain ranges to provide the required impact resistance, criticality control, and fire resistance. The SRS Surveillance Program monitors material performance to establish a basis for service life and ensures the continued integrity of 9975 packages. Fiberboard samples, taken from multiple fiberboard assemblies fabricated from cane and softwood fiberboard, have been conditioning in elevated temperature environments since 2005. The samples are periodically examined to monitor thermal, mechanical, and physical properties, and assess degradation trends. Fiberboard properties of interest that are evaluated to demonstrate acceptable long-term performance include dimensional stability, density, compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity. Duplicate samples from multiple package sources have been tested to identify the range of variability in fiberboard properties and degradation rates. Baseline and long-term testing of fiberboard material properties have been reported previously; reference 6 summarized experimental results of cane and softwood fiberboard through May 2019 and presented degradation models for the measured properties. This report presents the cumulative data collected through June 2020 and the corresponding updated aging models.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Usage of NASA's Near Real-Time Solar and Meteorological Data for Monitoring Building Energy Systems Using RETScreen International's Performance Analysis Module

This paper describes building energy system production and usage monitoring using examples from the new RETScreen Performance Analysis Module, called RETScreen Plus. The module uses daily meteorological (i.e., temperature, humidity, wind and solar, etc.) over a period of time to derive a building system function that is used to monitor building performance. The new module can also be used to target building systems with enhanced technologies. If daily ambient meteorological and solar information are not available, these are obtained over the internet from NASA's near-term data products that provide global meteorological and solar information within 3-6 days of real-time. The accuracy of the NASA data are shown to be excellent for this purpose enabling RETScreen Plus to easily detect changes in the system function and efficiency. This is shown by several examples, one of which is a new building at the NASA Langley Research Center that uses solar panels to provide electrical energy for building energy and excess energy for other uses. The system shows steady performance within the uncertainties of the input data. The other example involves assessing the reduction in energy usage by an apartment building in Sweden before and after an energy efficiency upgrade. In this case, savings up to 16% are shown.

Paul W Stackhouse, Jr.↗

In-Flight Performance of the Water Vapor Monitor Onboard the Sofia Observatory

NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) airborne observatory flies in a modified B747-SP aircraft in the lower stratosphere above more than 99.9% of the Earth's water vapor. As low as this residual water vapor is, it will still affect SOFIA's infrared and sub-millimeter astronomical observations. As a result, a heterodyne instrument has been developed to observe the strength and shape of the 1830Hz rotational line of water, allowing measurements of the integrated water vapor overburden in flight. In order to be useful in correcting the astronomical signals, the required measured precipitable water vapor accuracy must be 2 microns or better, 3 sigma, and measured at least once a minute. The Water Vapor Monitor has flown 22 times during the SOFIA Early Science shared-risk period. The instrument water vapor overburden data obtained were then compared with concurrent data from GOES-V satellites to perform a preliminary calibration of the measurements. This presentation will cover the.results of these flights. The final flight calibration necessary to reach the required accuracy will await subsequent flights following the SOFIA observatory upgrade that is taking place during the spring and summer of 2012.

Roellig, Thomas L.↗

Space radiation studies

Two Active Radiation Dosimeters (ARD's) flown on Spacelab 1, performed without fault and were returned to Space Science Laboratory, MSFC for recalibration. During the flight, performance was monitored at the Huntsville Operations Center (HOSC). Despite some problems with the Shuttle data system handling the verification flight instrumentation (VFI), it was established that the ARD's were operating normally. Postflight calibrations of both units determined that sensitivities were essentially unchanged from preflight values. Flight tapes were received for approx. 60 percent of the flight and it appears that this is the total available. The data was analyzed in collaboration with Space Science Laboratory, MSFC. Also, the Nuclear Radiation Monitor (NRM) was assembled and tested at MSFC. Support was rendered in the areas of materials control and parts were supplied for the supplementary heaters, dome gas-venting device and photomultiplier tube housing. Performance characteristics of some flight-space photomultipliers were measured. The NRM was flown on a balloon-borne test flight and subsequently performed without fault on Spacelab-2. This data was analyzed and published.

Source record↗

Control Oriented Modeling and Validation of Aeroservoelastic Systems

Lightweight aircraft design emphasizes the reduction of structural weight to maximize aircraft efficiency and agility at the cost of increasing the likelihood of structural dynamic instabilities. To ensure flight safety, extensive flight testing and active structural servo control strategies are required to explore and expand the boundary of the flight envelope. Aeroservoelastic (ASE) models can provide online flight monitoring of dynamic instabilities to reduce flight time testing and increase flight safety. The success of ASE models is determined by the ability to take into account varying flight conditions and the possibility to perform flight monitoring under the presence of active structural servo control strategies. In this continued study, these aspects are addressed by developing specific methodologies and algorithms for control relevant robust identification and model validation of aeroservoelastic structures. The closed-loop model robust identification and model validation are based on a fractional model approach where the model uncertainties are characterized in a closed-loop relevant way.

Crowder, Marianne↗

Morpheus Test Area SWMU #119 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Site Assessment Work Plan

This Work Plan documents the proposed field sampling activities for a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Site Assessment at the Morpheus Test Area (MTA) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The Work Plan provides a background of the historical activities that occurred at the MTA, and the limited environmental investigations performed at the MTA. The proposed Site Assessment activities at MTA includes the collection of soil samples from seven locations, the installation of a staff gauge in site surface water, the installation of four monitoring wells, perform direct push groundwater sampling at ten locations, and collect one surface water sample. Sampling details, depths, and locations are presented in the Work Plan. The Work Plan was presented to the KSC Remediation Team in the form of an Advance Data Package in February 2023. Following STRIVES approval, the SLF FRB PFAS Site Assessment Work Plan will be formally submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Howard Franklin Fowler↗

Space radiation studies for the reporting period, June 1983 - July 1984

Two Active Radiation Dosimeters (ARD's) flown on Spacelab 1, performed without fault and were returned to Space Science Laboratory, MSFC for recalibration. During the flight in December 1983, performance was monitored at the Huntsville Operations Center (HOSC). Despite some problems with the Shuttle data system handling the VFI, it could be established that the ARD's were operating normally. Postflight calibrations of both units determined that sensitivities were essentially unchanged from preflight values. Flight tapes were received for approximately 60% of the flight and it appears that this is the total available. The next phase of effort will involve close collaboration with Space Science Laboratory, MSFC, in the analysis of this data. The Nuclear Radiation Monitor (NRM) was under assembly and testing at MSFC. Support was rendered in the areas of materials control and parts were supplied for the supplementary heaters, dome gas-venting device and photomultiplier tube housing. Performance characteristics of some flight-space photomultipliers were measured.

Source record↗

ESTIMATION OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE ROLLOUT FORCING FUNCTION

The Space Shuttle Vehicle is assembled in the Vertical Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Flight Center in Florida. The Vehicle is stacked on a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) that weighs eight million pounds. A Crawler Transporter (CT) then carries the MLP and the stacked vehicle (12 million pounds total weight) to the launch complex located 5 miles away. This operation is performed at 0.9 mph resulting in a 4.5-hour transport. A recent test was performed to monitor the dynamic environment that was produced during rollout. It was found that the rollout is a harmonic-rich dynamic environment that was previously not understood. This paper will describe work that has been performed to estimate the forcing function that is produced in the transportation process. The rollout analysis team has determined that there are two families of harmonics of the drive train, which excite the system as a function of CT speed. There are also excitation sources, which are random or narrow-band in frequency and are not a function of CT speed. This presentation will discuss the application of the Sum of Weighted Accelerations Technique (SWAT) to further refine this understanding by estimating the forces and moments at the center-of-mass.

James, George H., III↗

Apollo/Saturn 5 consolidated instrumentation plan for AS-511 (Apollo 16)

The consolidated instrumentation plan, for employing optical and electronic data acquisition systems to monitor the performance and trajectory of Apollo Saturn 5 vehicle 511 during the launch phase of the mission (prelaunch, liftoff to insertion), is presented. Telemetry, optical, and electronic tracking equipment on board the vehicle and data acquisition systems monitoring the flight are discussed. Flight safety instrumentation, vehicle data transmission systems, and geophysical instrumentation are also described.

Clark, D. E.↗

Benchmarking the Suitability of Novec$^{\mathrm{TM}}$ 4710 for Application in Flux Compression Generators

Here, an experimental study evaluated the feasibility of replacing traditional insulating gases such as SF 6 with C 4 F 7 N (3M TM , Novec 4710) in flux compression generator (FCG) applications. Currently available data indicate that Novec 4710 could offer certain performance benefits over SF 6 . However, the available literature is focused on low frequency (50–60 Hz) and dc at static pressures. To evaluate the performance of Novec 4710 under the pulsed dynamic pressure and temperature conditions found in an FCG, we report a performance comparison between three sets of identical FCGs using air, SF 6 , and Novec 4710 as the insulating gas. The generators used in this study had a single stage, directly seeded design with an armature diameter of 25 mm and a stator diameter of 46 mm. To highlight the performance of the different gases rather than any wire insulation, the stator was constructed with uninsulated wire. Furthermore, the generators were seeded aggressively, making the performance difference between the different gases more apparent. The performance was monitored with a pair of differential Rogowski coils that captured the generators’ di / dt while also using high-speed videography to capture possible gaseous breakdown signatures. The data gathered during this study indicate that Novec 4710 performs at least as well as SF 6 in FCG applications, if not significantly better.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Numerical Investigation of Butterfly Valve Performance in Variable Valve Sizes, Positions and Flow Regimes

Reliability and efficiency of valves are necessary for precise control and sufficient heat-flow to heat application plants for the integrated energy systems of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Strategic Management Analysis Requirement and Technology (SMART) valves’ ability to control flow and assess environmental parameters stands out for these requirements. Their ability to sustain the downstream flow rate, prevent reverse flow, and maintain pressure in the heat transport loop is much more efficient with the integration of sensors and intelligent algorithms. For assessing valve performance and monitoring, mechanical design and operating conditions are two important parameters. In this study, the butterfly valves of three different sizes are simulated with water and steam using STAR-CCM+ in various flow regimes and positions to analyze performance parameters to strategize an automated control system for efficiently balancing the heat–transport network. Also, flow behavior is studied using velocity and pressure fields for valve–body geometry optimization. It can be observed, through performance parameters, that the valves are suitable for operation between 30° and 90° positions with significantly low loss coefficients and high flow coefficients, and the performance parameters follow a certain pattern in both water and steam flow in each scenario.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Performance Qualification Test of the ISS Water Processor Assembly (WPA) Expendables

The Water Processor Assembly (WPA) for use on the International Space Station (ISS) includes various technologies for the treatment of waste water. These technologies include filtration, ion exchange, adsorption, catalytic oxidation, and iodination. The WPA hardware implementing portions of these technologies, including the Particulate Filter, Multifiltration Bed, Ion Exchange Bed, and Microbial Check Valve, was recently qualified for chemical performance at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Waste water representing the quality of that produced on the ISS was generated by test subjects and processed by the WPA. Water quality analysis and instrumentation data was acquired throughout the test to monitor hardware performance. This paper documents operation of the test and the assessment of the hardware performance.

Carter, Layne↗

Development of a Framework for Data Integration, Assimilation, and Learning for Geological Carbon Sequestration (DIAL-GCS) (Final Report)

This project aimed to develop and demonstrate a Data Integration, Assimilation, and Learning framework for geologic carbon sequestration projects (DIAL-GCS). DIAL-GCS is an intelligence monitoring system (IMS) for automating GCS closed-loop management by leveraging recent developments in machine learning technologies, complex event processing (CEP), and reduced-order modeling. The safe and efficient operation of GCS repositories requires integrated monitoring to track the injected CO¬2 as it moves within a storage reservoir. GCS projects are data intensive, as a result of proliferation of digital instrumentation and smart-sensing technologies. GCS projects are also resource intensive, often requiring multidisciplinary teams performing different monitoring, verification, accounting (MVA) tasks throughout the lifecycle of a project to ensure secure containment of injected CO2. The success of GCS thus depends in a large part on our ability to access, assimilate, and analyze heterogeneous data and information sources in a timely manner. This project included a number of meaningful and necessary tasks to transform the human domain knowledge into machine-interpretable rules for automating knowledge extraction and discovery in GCS. The specific technical objectives of the proposed DIAL-GCS project were to develop an ontology-driven GCS data management module for storing, querying, and exchanging GCS data (both historic and live sensor data) from multiple sources and in heterogeneous formats. Incorporate a CEP engine for detecting abnormal situations by seamlessly combining expert knowledge, rule-based reasoning, and machine learning. Enable uncertainty quantification and predictive analytics using a combination of coupled-process modeling, AI/ML methods, and reduced-order modeling, and integrate and demonstrate the system’s capabilities with both real and simulated data. As far as we know, this is one of the first projects aimed to develop intelligent monitoring systems (IMS) targeting the GCS. Under this project, the team had developed a large number of web applications and scientific algorithms that contribute the main theme of intelligent monitoring. The team has published more than a dozen peer reviewed papers and disseminated the research results at multiple technical meetings.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Early Radiometric Performance of Landsat-9 Thermal Infrared Sensor

Landsat-9, launched on September 27, 2021, carries the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). The Landsat-9 TIRS is a close copy of the Landsat-8 TIRS instrument; it is a two spectral-band, pushbroom sensor with three Sensor Chip Assemblies (SCAs) that cover the 15-degree field-of-view. The primary radiometric change between the instruments is the addition of baffling in the Landsat-9 TIRS telescope to mitigate the stray light issue that has impacted the radiometric quality of Landsat-8 TIRS. The on-orbit radiometric performance is monitored using the on-board variable temperature blackbody and views of deep space. Maneuvers to look at and around the moon have provided an assessment of the stray light. The absolute calibration is monitored by vicarious calibration techniques by teams at NASA/Jet Propulsion Lab and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Landsat-9 completed a three-month commissioning phase in January 2022 and has been operational since February 2022. The instrument has demonstrated excellent radiometric performance, as assessed from the on-orbit measurements. The TIRS instrument is radiometrically stable to 0.1% within a power cycle, and has noise levels below 0.1K. The lunar scans and the vicarious calibration data provide evidence that the stray light has been effectively mitigated.

Landsat-9↗

Establishing Isotopic Measurement Capabilities using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for the Molten Salt Reactor Campaign

Proof-of-principle H isotope ratios of aqueous aerosol systems and liquid droplets on filter paper have been measured using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with root mean square error of prediction values down to 1.9%. Molten salt reactors (MSRs) will consist of a complex chemical and radiological system consistently producing new fission products as the reactor operates. Some of these fission products and/or their daughter species will leave the salt in the reactor off-gas. Monitoring the composition of the off-gas, as well as the salt itself, is important for monitoring reactor performance, including burnup, corrosion, and the concentration of impurities. Tritium is of concern for MSRs because it will be produced from the irradiation of key salt constituents, including Li and Be. LIBS offers an avenue for in situ salt and off-gas monitoring by firing a laser onto or into the sample stream to generate a plasma. The plasma light can be monitored to measure an elemental fingerprint of the sample. Extending this analysis to include isotopic ratios offers a critical expansion of the in situ monitoring capabilities being developed. This study demonstrates the expansion of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s LIBS capabilities to monitor isotopes and shows how simple calibrations may provide rapid semiquantitative models.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Pumpchart v1.0.0

Pumpchart is a graphical tool that plots the state of a hydraulic system overlayed on a pump curve and system curve. It assists with determining the optimal performance of the system. One advantage of Pumpchart over other softwares is that it is integrated with the Grafana dashboarding software, so that data can be plotted in real-time for instant operator feedback. It is intended to be used at NERSC to monitor the performance of our cooling water pumps.

Venture, Nicholas [Lawrence Berkeley National Labo↗

Life sciences Spacelab Mission Development test 3 (SMD 3) data management report

Development of a permanent data system for SMD tests was studied that would simulate all elements of the shuttle onboard, telemetry, and ground data systems that are involved with spacelab operations. The onboard data system (ODS) and the ground data system (GDS) were utilized. The air-to-ground link was simulated by a hardwired computer-to-computer interface. A patch board system was used on board to select experiment inputs, and the downlink configuration from the ODS was changed by a crew keyboard entry to support each experiment. The ODS provided a CRT display of experiment parameters to enable the crew to monitor experiment performance. An onboard analog system, with recording capability, was installed to handle high rate data and to provide a backup to the digital system. The GDS accomplished engineering unit conversion and limit sensing, and provided realtime parameter display on CRT's in the science monitoring area and the test control area.

Moseley, E. C.↗

Real-time flutter identification

The techniques and a FORTRAN 77 MOdal Parameter IDentification (MOPID) computer program developed for identification of the frequencies and damping ratios of multiple flutter modes in real time are documented. Physically meaningful model parameterization was combined with state of the art recursive identification techniques and applied to the problem of real time flutter mode monitoring. The performance of the algorithm in terms of convergence speed and parameter estimation error is demonstrated for several simulated data cases, and the results of actual flight data analysis from two different vehicles are presented. It is indicated that the algorithm is capable of real time monitoring of aircraft flutter characteristics with a high degree of reliability.

Roy, R.↗