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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 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

Evaluation of Multiple Flow Constrained Area Capacity Setting Methods for Collaborative Trajectory Options Program

The purpose of this study was to compare flow constrained area (FCA) capacity setting methods for Collaborative Trajectory Options Program (CTOP) as they pertain to the Integrated Demand Management (IDM) concept. IDM uses flow balancing to manage air traffic across multiple FCAs with a common downstream constraint, as well as constraints at the respective FCA locations. FCA capacity rates can be set manually, but generating capacities for multiple, interdependent FCAs could potentially over-burden a user. A new enhancement to CTOP called the FCA Balance Algorithm (FBA) was developed at NASA Ames Research Center to improve the process of allocating capacity across multiple flow constrained segments in the airspace. The FBA evaluates the predicted demand and capacity across multiple FCAs and dynamically generates capacity settings for the FCAs that best meet capacity limits for all identified constraints. In a human-in-the-loop simulation study, both manual and automated capacity setting methods were evaluated in terms of their overall feasibility using measures of system performance, human performance, and qualitative feedback. Subject matter experts were asked to use three different methods to allocate capacity to three FCAs, either (1) by manually setting capacity for every 60-minute time window, (2) by manually setting capacity for every 15-minute time window, or (3) by using the FBA capability to automatically generate capacity settings. Results showed no significant differences in terms of overall system performance, indicated by similar ground delay and airport throughput numbers between methods. However, differences in individual strategies afforded by the manual methods allowed some participants to achieve system-wide delay that was much lower than the average. The FBA was the fastest method of capacity setting, and it received the lowest subjective rating scores on physical task load, mental task load, task difficulty and task complexity out of the three methods. Finally, participants explained through qualitative feedback that there were many benefits to using the FBA, such as ease of use, accuracy, and low risk of human input error. Participants did not experience the same limitations with the FBA that they did with the manual methods, such as reduced accuracy in the 60-minute manual condition, or high complexity in the 15-minute/manual condition. These results suggest that the FBA automation enhancement to CTOP maintains system performance while improving human performance. Therefore, the FBA could be introduced as a way to mitigate operator workload while planning a CTOP.

NextGen↗
NASA NTRS2018

Evaluation of Multiple Flow Constrained Area Capacity Setting Methods for Collaborative Trajectory Options Program

The purpose of this study was to compare flow constrained area (FCA) capacity setting methods for Collaborative Trajectory Options Program (CTOP) as they pertain to the Integrated Demand Management (IDM) concept. IDM uses flow balancing to manage air traffic across multiple FCAs with a common downstream constraint, as well as constraints at the respective FCA locations. FCA capacity rates can be set manually, but generating capacities for multiple, interdependent FCAs could potentially over-burden a user. A new enhancement to CTOP called the FCA Balance Algorithm (FBA) was developed at NASA Ames Research Center to improve the process of allocating capacity across multiple flow constrained segments in the airspace. The FBA evaluates the predicted demand and capacity across multiple FCAs and dynamically generates capacity settings for the FCAs that best meet capacity limits for all identified constraints. In a human-in-the-loop simulation study, both manual and automated capacity setting methods were evaluated in terms of their overall feasibility using measures of system performance, human performance, and qualitative feedback. Subject matter experts were asked to use three different methods to allocate capacity to three FCAs, either (1) by manually setting capacity for every 60-minute time window, (2) by manually setting capacity for every 15-minute time window, or (3) by using the FBA capability to automatically generate capacity settings. Results showed no significant differences in terms of overall system performance, indicated by similar ground delay and airport throughput numbers between methods. However, differences in individual strategies afforded by the manual methods allowed some participants to achieve system-wide delay that was much lower than the average. The FBA was the fastest method of capacity setting, and it received the lowest subjective rating scores on physical task load, mental task load, task difficulty and task complexity out of the three methods. Finally, participants explained through qualitative feedback that there were many benefits to using the FBA, such as ease of use, accuracy, and low risk of human input error. Participants did not experience the same limitations with the FBA that they did with the manual methods, such as reduced accuracy in the 60-minute manual condition, or high complexity in the 15-minute/manual condition. These results suggest that the FBA automation enhancement to CTOP maintains system performance while improving human performance. Therefore, the FBA could be introduced as a way to mitigate operator workload while planning a CTOP.

NextGen↗
NASA NTRS1989

Time-dependent computational studies of flames in microgravity

The research performed at the Center for Reactive Flow and Dynamical Systems in the Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics, at the Naval Research Laboratory, in support of the NASA Microgravity Science and Applications Program is described. The primary focus was on investigating fundamental questions concerning the propagation and extinction of premixed flames in Earth gravity and in microgravity environments. The approach was to use detailed time-dependent, multispecies, numerical models as tools to simulate flames in different gravity environments. The models include a detailed chemical kinetics mechanism consisting of elementary reactions among the eight reactive species involved in hydrogen combustion, coupled to algorithms for convection, thermal conduction, viscosity, molecular and thermal diffusion, and external forces. The external force, gravity, can be put in any direction relative to flame propagation and can have a range of values. A combination of one-dimensional and two-dimensional simulations was used to investigate the effects of curvature and dilution on ignition and propagation of flames, to help resolve fundamental questions on the existence of flammability limits when there are no external losses or buoyancy forces in the system, to understand the mechanism leading to cellular instability, and to study the effects of gravity on the transition to cellular structure. A flame in a microgravity environment can be extinguished without external losses, and the mechanism leading to cellular structure is not preferential diffusion but a thermo-diffusive instability. The simulations have also lead to a better understanding of the interactions between buoyancy forces and the processes leading to thermo-diffusive instability.

Oran, Elaine S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Numerical analysis of nonminimum phase zero for nonuniform link design

As the demand for light-weight robots that can operate in a large workspace increases, the structural flexibility of the links becomes more of an issue in control. When the objective is to accurately position the tip while the robot is actuated at the base, the system is nonminimum phase. One important characteristic of nonminimum phase systems is system zeros in the right half of the Laplace plane. The ability to pick the location of these nonminimum phase zeros would give the designer a new freedom similar to pole placement. This research targets a single-link manipulator operating in the horizontal plane and modeled as a Euler-Bernoulli beam with pinned-free end conditions. Using transfer matrix theory, one can consider link designs that have variable cross-sections along the length of the beam. A FORTRAN program was developed to determine the location of poles and zeros given the system model. The program was used to confirm previous research on nonminimum phase systems, and develop a relationship for designing linearly tapered links. The method allows the designer to choose the location of the first pole and zero and then defines the appropriate taper to match the desired locations. With the pole and zero location fixed, the designer can independently change the link's moment of inertia about its axis of rotation by adjusting the height of the beam. These results can be applied to the inverse dynamic algorithms that are currently under development.

Girvin, Douglas L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Real-Time Principal-Component Analysis

A recently written computer program implements dominant-element-based gradient descent and dynamic initial learning rate (DOGEDYN), which was described in Method of Real-Time Principal-Component Analysis (NPO-40034) NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 1 (January 2005), page 59. To recapitulate: DOGEDYN is a method of sequential principal-component analysis (PCA) suitable for such applications as data compression and extraction of features from sets of data. In DOGEDYN, input data are represented as a sequence of vectors acquired at sampling times. The learning algorithm in DOGEDYN involves sequential extraction of principal vectors by means of a gradient descent in which only the dominant element is used at each iteration. Each iteration includes updating of elements of a weight matrix by amounts proportional to a dynamic initial learning rate chosen to increase the rate of convergence by compensating for the energy lost through the previous extraction of principal components. In comparison with a prior method of gradient-descent-based sequential PCA, DOGEDYN involves less computation and offers a greater rate of learning convergence. The sequential DOGEDYN computations require less memory than would parallel computations for the same purpose. The DOGEDYN software can be executed on a personal computer.

Duong, Vu↗
NASA NTRS1987

The pEst version 2.1 user's manual

This report is a user's manual for version 2.1 of pEst, a FORTRAN 77 computer program for interactive parameter estimation in nonlinear dynamic systems. The pEst program allows the user complete generality in definig the nonlinear equations of motion used in the analysis. The equations of motion are specified by a set of FORTRAN subroutines; a set of routines for a general aircraft model is supplied with the program and is described in the report. The report also briefly discusses the scope of the parameter estimation problem the program addresses. The report gives detailed explanations of the purpose and usage of all available program commands and a description of the computational algorithms used in the program.

Murray, James E.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Addressing Load Imbalance in Bioinformatics and Biomedical Applications: Efficient Scheduling across Multiple GPUs

Computational bioinformatics and biomedical applications frequently contain heterogeneously sized units of work or tasks, for instance due to variability in the sizes of biological sequences and molecules. Variable-sized workloads lead to load imbalances in parallel implementations which detract from efficiency and performance. Many modern computing resources now have multiple graphics processing units(GPUs) per computer for acceleration. These multiple GPU resources need to be used efficiently through balancing of workloads across the GPUs. OpenMP is a portable directive-based parallel programming API used ubiquitously in bioscience applications to program CPUs; recently, the use of OpenMP directives for GPU acceleration has become possible. Here, motivated by experiences with imbalanced loads in GPU-accelerated bioinformatics applications, we address the load balancing problem using OpenMP task-to-GPU scheduling combined with OpenMP GPU offloading for multiply heterogeneous workloads – loads with both variable input sizes, and simultaneously, variable convergence rates for algorithms with a stochastic component – scheduled across multiple GPUs. We aim to develop strategies which are both easy to use and have lower overheads, and may be incorporated incrementally in existing programs which already make use of OpenMP for CPU-based threading in order to make use of multi-GPU computers. We test different combinations of input size variability and convergence rate variability, and characterize the effects of these different scenarios on the performance of scheduling strategies across multiple GPUs with OpenMP. We present several dynamic scheduling solutions for different parallel patterns, explore optimizations, and provide publicly available example computational kernels to make these strategies easy to use in programs. This work will enable application developers to efficiently and easily use multiple GPUs for imbalanced workloads found in bioinformatics and biomedical applications.

Thavappiragasam, Mathialakan↗
NASA NTRS1989

Steady and unsteady transonic small disturbance analysis of realistic aircraft configurations

A transonic unsteady aerodynamic and aeroelastic code called CAP-TSD (Computational Aeroelasticity Program - Transonic Small Disturbance) was developed for application to realistic aircraft configurations. It permits the calculation of steady and unsteady flows about complete aircraft configurations for aeroelastic analysis of the flutter critical transonic speed range. The CAP-TSD code uses a time accurate approximate factorization algorithm for solution of the unsteady transonic small disturbance potential equation. An overview is given of the CAP-TSD code development effort along with recent algorithm modifications which are listed and discussed. Calculations are presented for several configurations including the General Dynamics 1/9th scale F-16C aircraft model to evaluate the algorithm and hence the reliability of the CAP-TSD code in general. Calculations are also presented for a flutter analysis of a 45 deg sweptback wing which agree well with the experimental data. Descriptions are presented of the CAP-TSD code and algorithm details along with results and comparisons which demonstrate the stability, accuracy, efficiency, and utility of CAP-TSD.

Batina, John T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Power spectral estimation algorithms

Algorithms to estimate the power spectrum using Maximum Entropy Methods were developed. These algorithms were coded in FORTRAN 77 and were implemented on the VAX 780. The important considerations in this analysis are: (1) resolution, i.e., how close in frequency two spectral components can be spaced and still be identified; (2) dynamic range, i.e., how small a spectral peak can be, relative to the largest, and still be observed in the spectra; and (3) variance, i.e., how accurate the estimate of the spectra is to the actual spectra. The application of the algorithms based on Maximum Entropy Methods to a variety of data shows that these criteria are met quite well. Additional work in this direction would help confirm the findings. All of the software developed was turned over to the technical monitor. A copy of a typical program is included. Some of the actual data and graphs used on this data are also included.

Bhatia, Manjit S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A fuzzy logic controller for an autonomous mobile robot

The ability of a mobile robot system to plan and move intelligently in a dynamic system is needed if robots are to be useful in areas other than controlled environments. An example of a use for this system is to control an autonomous mobile robot in a space station, or other isolated area where it is hard or impossible for human life to exist for long periods of time (e.g., Mars). The system would allow the robot to be programmed to carry out the duties normally accomplished by a human being. Some of the duties that could be accomplished include operating instruments, transporting objects, and maintenance of the environment. The main focus of our early work has been on developing a fuzzy controller that takes a path and adapts it to a given environment. The robot only uses information gathered from the sensors, but retains the ability to avoid dynamically placed obstacles near and along the path. Our fuzzy logic controller is based on the following algorithm: (1) determine the desired direction of travel; (2) determine the allowed direction of travel; and (3) combine the desired and allowed directions in order to determine a direciton that is both desired and allowed. The desired direction of travel is determined by projecting ahead to a point along the path that is closer to the goal. This gives a local direction of travel for the robot and helps to avoid obstacles.

Yen, John↗
NASA NTRS1994

Eigensystem realization algorithm user's guide forVAX/VMS computers: Version 931216

The eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) is a multiple-input, multiple-output, time domain technique for structural modal identification and minimum-order system realization. Modal identification is the process of calculating structural eigenvalues and eigenvectors (natural vibration frequencies, damping, mode shapes, and modal masses) from experimental data. System realization is the process of constructing state-space dynamic models for modern control design. This user's guide documents VAX/VMS-based FORTRAN software developed by the author since 1984 in conjunction with many applications. It consists of a main ERA program and 66 pre- and post-processors. The software provides complete modal identification capabilities and most system realization capabilities.

Pappa, Richard S.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling Approach for the Aluminum-clad Dry Storage Pilot using HFIR Fuel

To confirm that the dry storage of aluminum-clad research reactor spent nuclear fuel (ASNF) will remain within the safety envelope after applied drying schemes and that the resulting evolution of the gas space composition, temperature, and pressure conditions are understood, a dry storage pilot project is being established. The pilot will incorporate an instrumented lid for discrete interval or for on-demand gas composition and temperature monitoring of two DOE Standard Canisters (DSCs) loaded with three High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) inner cores per DSC. Each DSC would be subjected to a separate alternative candidate drying scheme. Canisters will undergo 1 to 5 years of monitoring, including internal temperature and gas sampling to track pressure and composition changes. This report outlines the approach for modeling the ASNF-in-canister behavior in terms of evolving gas space conditions for the ASNF dry storage pilot using HFIR fuel. The ASNF has an adherent surface oxyhydroxide layer comprised of boehmite/bayerite that generates hydrogen when subjected to irradiation. Three-dimensional multi-physics computational fluid dynamics simulations will be executed to compute the thermal field within the DSC and provide inputs to a chemical model employed to compute pressure buildup as hydrogen is generated in the system. Implemented in Cantera, the chemical model solves gas phase and aluminum oxyhydroxide surface-mediated radiolysis reactions. Gas phase reactions are sourced from Wittman and Hanson (2015), whereas surface-mediated reactions are incorporated by fitting experimental data using an optimization algorithm (Abboud, 2023). Water radiolysis reactions from Wren and Ball (2001) are adopted with modifications as described in Abboud (2023c). Understanding the effect of the hydrogen buildup over time is important for long-term storage safety considerations. Modeling results will include the canister pressure, temperature, and composition evolution from the initial helium backfill with the addition of radiolytically-evolved chemical species (e.g., hydrogen and oxygen). The specific HFIR cores for the pilot program have not yet been selected, and the overall design is still in development. The CFD-chemical model used for this work will be based on prior models with necessary updates to allow for improved accuracy and efficiency. The experimental data obtained from the HFIR demonstration will be used to improve and validate the computational models to predict the ASNF-in-canister behavior.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Occupancy-Driven Stochastic Decision Framework for Ranking Commercial Building Loads

For effective integration of building operations into the evolving demand response programs of the power grid, real-time decisions concerning the use of building appliances for grid services must excel on multiple criteria, ranging from the added value to occupants' comfort to the quality of the grid services. In this paper, we present a data-driven stochastic decision-support framework to dynamically rank load control alternatives in a commercial building, addressing the needs of multiple decision criteria (e.g. occupant comfort, grid service quality) under uncertainties in occupancy patterns. We adopt a stochastic multi-criteria decision algorithm recently applied to prioritize residential on/off loads, and extend it to i) consider complex load control decisions (e.g. dimming of lights, changing zone temperature set-points) in a commercial building; and ii) systematically integrate zonal occupancy patterns to better identify short-term (and time-varying) opportunities for grid service participation. We evaluate the performance of the proposed framework for curtailment of air-conditioning, lighting, and plug-loads in a multi-zone commercial office building for a range of design choices. With the help of a prototype system that integrates an interactive \textit{Data Analytics and Visualization} frontend we demonstrate a way for the building operators to monitor and change in real-time the available flexibility in energy consumption and to develop trust in the decision recommendations by interpreting the rationale behind the ranking.

Jain, Milan↗
DOE OSTI2023

0BGRaman: Graph Network based Simulator for Forecasting Molecular Polarizability

This report presents the work performed under the GRaman project, sponsored by the PCSD LDRD Seed program. The project aimed at accelerating ab initio molecular dynamics simulation using Graph Networks. The Graph Network framework is a ML framework that has been successfully employed to simulate the dynamics of several physical systems: including water splashing in a container and flags moving with the wind. In this effort, we performed a data collection campaign for 3 different molecules of interest. We have built tools for preprocessing the trajectories obtained by simulating Raman Spectroscopy with NWChem and translating them into a suitable format for training. We have developed a training algorithm to train the Graph Network based simulators based on our data and developed a simulator that produces trajectories in the same NWChem format. While the tool has improved with each iteration of development and subsequent experiments, the current state of the tool does not allow to directly incorporate the technology within the NWChem framework because the trajectories produced by the tool are not yet accurate enough. However, the technology has proved to have good potential and it is certainly worth further research and development.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1989

OPTICON: Pro-Matlab software for large order controlled structure design

A software package for large order controlled structure design is described and demonstrated. The primary program, called OPTICAN, uses both Pro-Matlab M-file routines and selected compiled FORTRAN routines linked into the Pro-Matlab structure. The program accepts structural model information in the form of state-space matrices and performs three basic design functions on the model: (1) open loop analyses; (2) closed loop reduced order controller synthesis; and (3) closed loop stability and performance assessment. The current controller synthesis methods which were implemented in this software are based on the Generalized Linear Quadratic Gaussian theory of Bernstein. In particular, a reduced order Optimal Projection synthesis algorithm based on a homotopy solution method was successfully applied to an experimental truss structure using a 58-state dynamic model. These results are presented and discussed. Current plans to expand the practical size of the design model to several hundred states and the intention to interface Pro-Matlab to a supercomputing environment are discussed.

Peterson, Lee D.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Advance Information Systems Technology (AIST) Program

NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) develops early-stage technologies to enhance scientific understanding. ESTO’s technologies can be reliably and confidently applied to a broad range of science measurements and missions, as well as facilitate practical applications to benefit society at large. As the lead technology office within the Earth Science Division of the NASA Science Mission Directorate, ESTO is focused on the technological challenges inherent to space-based investigations of our planet's dynamic, interrelated systems. Through flexible, science-driven technology strategies and a competitive selection process, ESTO-funded technologies have supported numerous Earth science missions as well as commercial applications. From next generation sensors and instruments to communication and information systems, ESTO technologies enable many NASA missions and data services. The Advanced Information Systems Technology (AIST) Program is one focal area of ESTO. AIST innovates information system technologies that enable the development of new observing systems as well as agile science investigations through data analytics and artificial intelligence tools and algorithms. AIST utilizes an end-to-end development approach with the goal of infusing mature technologies into future missions, measurements, and analysis. One thrust of AIST is data exploitation and analysis using an analytic center framework to make observational data and model output more accessible and usable to scientists conducting specific investigations as well as to extract higher-level science content and information from the data. The framework accelerates scientific discovery by harmonizing the data, tools, and computational resources. NASA’s upcoming Surface, Biology and Geology (SBG) mission is one such mission whose data architecture will leverage many of the technologies developed through the AIST program. This talk will highlight current and future program development goals.

Laura Rogers↗
DOE OSTI2022

Nonlinear burn control in ITER using adaptive allocation of actuators with uncertain dynamics

Abstract ITER will be the first tokamak to sustain a fusion-producing, or burning, plasma. If the plasma temperature were to inadvertently rise in this burning regime, the positive correlation between temperature and the fusion reaction rate would establish a destabilizing positive feedback loop. Careful regulation of the plasma’s temperature and density, or burn control, is required to prevent these potentially reactor-damaging thermal excursions, neutralize disturbances and improve performance. In this work, a Lyapunov-based burn controller is designed using a full zero-dimensional nonlinear model. An adaptive estimator manages destabilizing uncertainties in the plasma confinement properties and the particle recycling conditions (caused by plasma–wall interactions). The controller regulates the plasma density with requests for deuterium and tritium particle injections. In ITER-like plasmas, the fusion-born alpha particles will primarily heat the plasma electrons, resulting in different electron and ion temperatures in the core. By considering separate response models for the electron and ion energies, the proposed controller can independently regulate the electron and ion temperatures by requesting that different amounts of auxiliary power be delivered to the electrons and ions. These two commands for a specific control effort (electron and ion heating) are sent to an actuator allocation module that optimally maps them to the heating actuators available to ITER: an electron cyclotron heating system (20 MW), an ion cyclotron heating system (20 MW), and two neutral beam injectors (16.5 MW each). Two different actuator allocators are presented in this work. The first actuator allocator finds the optimal mapping by solving a convex quadratic program that includes actuator saturation and rate limits. It is nonadaptive and assumes that the mapping between the commanded control efforts and the allocated actuators (i.e. the effector model) contains no uncertainties. The second actuator allocation module has an adaptive estimator to handle uncertainties in the effector model. This uncertainty includes actuator efficiencies, the fractions of neutral beam heating that are deposited into the plasma electrons and ions, and the tritium concentration of the fueling pellets. Furthermore, the adaptive allocator considers actuator dynamics (actuation lag) that contain uncertainty. This adaptive allocation algorithm is more computationally efficient than the aforementioned nonadaptive allocator because it is computed using dynamic update laws so that finding the solution to a static optimization problem is not required at every time step. A simulation study assesses the performance of the proposed adaptive burn controller augmented with each of the actuator allocation modules.

Physics↗
NASA NTRS1989

NASA/MSFC FY88 Global Scale Atmospheric Processes Research Program Review

Interest in environmental issues and the magnitude of the environmental changes continues. One way to gain more understanding of the atmosphere is to make measurements on a global scale from space. The Earth Observation System is a series of new sensors to measure globally atmospheric parameters. Analysis of satellite data by developing algorithms to interpret the radiance information improves the understanding and also defines requirements for these sensors. One measure of knowledge of the atmosphere lies in the ability to predict its behavior. Use of numerical and experimental models provides a better understanding of these processes. These efforts are described in the context of satellite data analysis and fundamental studies of atmospheric dynamics which examine selected processes important to the global circulation.

Wilson, Greg S.↗