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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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

The (RH+t) aging correlation. Electrical resistivity of PVB at various temperatures and relative humidities

Electrical products having organic materials functioning as pottants, encapsulants, and insulation coatings are commonly exposed to elevated conditions of temperature and humidity. In order to assess service life potential from this method of accelerated aging, it was empirically observed that service life seems proportional to an aging correlation which is the sum of temperature in degrees Celsius (t), and the relative humidity (RH) expressed in percent. Specifically, the correlation involves a plot of time-to-failure on a log scale versus the variable RH + T plotted on a linear scale. A theoretical foundation is provided for this empirically observed correlation by pointing out that the correlation actually involves a relationship between the electrical resistivity (or conductivity) of the organic material, and the variable RH + t. If time-to-failure is a result of total number of coulombs conducted through the organic material, then the correlation of resistivity versus RH + t is synonymous with the empirical correlation of time-to-failure versus RH + t.

Cuddihy, E. F.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV) Stress Rupture Test: Part 2

One of the major concerns for the aging Space Shuttle fleet is the stress rupture life of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs). Stress rupture life of a COPY has been defined as the minimum time during which the composite maintains structural integrity considering the combined effects of stress levels and time. To assist in the evaluation of the aging COPVs in the Orbiter fleet an analytical reliability model was developed. The actual data used to construct this model was from testing of COPVs constructed of similar, but not exactly same materials and pressure cycles as used on Orbiter vessels. Since no actual Orbiter COPV stress rupture data exists the Space Shuttle Program decided to run a stress rupture test to compare to model predictions. Due to availability of spares, the testing was unfortunately limited to one 40" vessel. The stress rupture test was performed at maximum operating pressure at an elevated temperature to accelerate aging. The test was performed in two phases. The first phase, 130 F, a moderately accelerated test designed to achieve the midpoint of the model predicted point reliability. A more aggressive second phase, performed at 160 F, was designed to determine if the test article will exceed the 95% confidence interval ofthe model. In phase 3, the vessel pressure was increased to above maximum operating pressure while maintaining the phase 2 temperature. After reaching enough effectives hours to reach the 99.99% confidence level of the model phase 4 testing began when the temperature was increased to greater than 170 F. The vessel was maintained at phase 4 conditions until it failed after over 3 million effect hours. This paper will discuss the results of this test, it's implications and possible follow-on testing.

Russell, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2009

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV) Stress Rupture Test

One of the major concerns for the aging Space Shuttle fleet is the stress rupture life of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs). Stress rupture life of a COPV has been defined as the minimum time during which the composite maintains structural integrity considering the combined effects of stress levels and time. To assist in the evaluation of the aging COPVs in the Orbiter fleet an analytical reliability model was developed. The actual data used to construct this model was from testing of COPVs constructed of similar, but not exactly same materials and pressure cycles as used on Orbiter vessels. Since no actual Orbiter COPV stress rupture data exists the Space Shuttle Program decided to run a stress rupture test to compare to model predictions. Due to availability of spares, the testing was unfortunately limited to one 40" vessel. The stress rupture test was performed at maximum operating pressure at an elevated temperature to accelerate aging. The test was performed in two phases. The first phase, 130 F, a moderately accelerated test designed to achieve the midpoint of the model predicted point reliability. The more aggressive second phase, performed at 160 F was designed to determine if the test article will exceed the 95% confidence interval of the model. This paper will discuss the results of this test, it's implications and possible follow-on testing.

Russell, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1996

Age Life Evaluation of Space Shuttle Crew Escape System Pyrotechnic Components Loaded with Hexanitrostilbene (HNS)

Determining deterioration characteristics of the Space Shuttle crew escape system pyrotechnic components loaded with hexanitrostilbene would enable us to establish a hardware life-limit for these items, so we could better plan our equipment use and, possibly, extend the useful life of the hardware. We subjected components to accelerated-age environments to determine degradation characteristics and established a hardware life-limit based upon observed and calculated trends. We extracted samples using manufacturing lots currently installed in the Space Shuttle crew escape system and from other NASA programs. Hardware included in the study consisted of various forms and ages of mild detonating fuse, linear shaped charge, and flexible confined detonating cord. The hardware types were segregated into 5 groups. One was subjected to detonation velocity testing for a baseline. Two were first subjected to prolonged 155 F heat exposure, and the other two were first subjected to 255 F, before undergoing detonation velocity testing and/or chromatography analysis. Test results showed no measurable changes in performance to allow a prediction of an end of life given the storage and elevated temperature environments the hardware experiences. Given the lack of a definitive performance trend, coupled with previous tests on post-flight Space Shuttle hardware showing no significant changes in chemical purity or detonation velocity, we recommend a safe increase in the useful life of the hardware to 20 years, from the current maximum limits of 10 and 15 years, depending on the hardware.

Hoffman, William C., III↗
NASA NTRS2015

Accelerated Testing of UH-60 Viscous Bearings for Degraded Grease Fault

An accelerated aging investigation of critical aviation bearings lubricated with MIL-PRF- 81322 grease was conducted to derive an understanding of the mechanisms of grease degradation and loss of lubrication over time. The current study focuses on UH-60 Black Hawk viscous damper bearings supporting the tail rotor driveshaft, which were subjected to more than 5800 hours of testing in a heated environment to accelerate the deterioration of the grease. The mechanism of grease degradation is a reduction in the oil/thickener ratio rather than the expected chemical degradation of grease constituents. Over the course of testing, vibration and temperature monitoring of bearings was conducted and trends for failing bearings are presented.

bearing↗
NASA NTRS1982

Comparison between the weightlessness syndrome and aging

The similarity of detrimental effects of normal aging and of exposure to space weightlessness is discussed. The effects include: the reduction in cardiac output, increase in blood pressure, decrease in respiratory vital capacity, decrease in lean body weight and muscle mass, collagen and fat infiltration of muscle, bone demineralization, and a decrease in urinary excretion of total 17-hydroxicorticosteroids. It is also noted that dispite the accelerated aging of organisms, if animals or human subjects were to spend their entire lives in weightlessness, their lifespans might be significantly increased because of a reduction in metabolic rate. Experimental results are cited.

Miquel, J.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Flying Through the Ages: Rodent Research for Human Health

As humans, we evolved, developed, grew, and now function in a continuous 1-gravity environment. Habitation in space poses unique challenges to human cells and organ systems. Biomedical research with rodents (primarily mice and rats) can help to both unravel molecular, cellular and physiologic mechanisms relevant to humans and test candidate interventions that mitigate adverse effects of space on humans, such as muscle atrophy, bone loss and cardiovascular deconditioning. One favored hypothesis that may explain the detrimental effects of spaceflight on humans is that reduced mechanical loading in microgravity accelerates aging. Rodents provide a relevant model system to study this problem as they age 40 times faster than humans. Now scientists from both public and commercial sectors conduct rodent experiments on the ISS using a new capability developed primarily at ARC. Results from the maiden voyage of the Rodent Research Project on the ISS reveal that long duration effects of spaceflight appear far different than short duration effects. Thus, Rodent Research missions on the ISS usher in a new era for exploration and biological discovery in space.

Globus, Ruth↗
NASA NTRS1983

Role of metabolic rate and DNA-repair in Drosophila aging Implications for the mitochondrial mutation theory of aging

The notion that injury to mitochondrial DNA is a cause of intrinsic aging was tested by correlating the different respiration rates of several wild strains of Drosophila melanogaster with the life-spans. Respiration rate and aging in a mutant of D. melanogaster deficient in postreplication repair were also investigated. In agreement with the rate of living theory, there was an inverse relation between oxygen consumption and median life-span in flies having normal DNA repair. The mutant showed an abnormally low life-span as compared to the controls and also exhibited significant deficiency in mating fitness and a depressed metabolic rate. Therefore, the short life-span of the mutant may be due to the congenital condition rather than to accelerated aging.

Miquel, J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Bone and Cartilage Degeneration in Mice Following Long-Duration Spaceflight: The Role of Bone Marrow Stem Cells

The detrimental effects of mechanical unloading in microgravity, including the musculo-skeletal system, are well documented. However, the effects of mechanical unloading on joint health and the interaction between bone and cartilage specifically, are less well known. Our ongoing studies with the mouse bone model have identified the failure of normal stem cell-based tissue regeneration, in addition to tissue degeneration, as a significant concern for long-duration spaceflight, especially in the mesenchymal and hematopoietic tissue lineages. Furthermore, we have identified the cell cycle arrest molecule, CDKN1ap21, as specifically up-regulated during spaceflight exposure and localized to osteoprecursors on the bone surface and chondroprogenitors in articular cartilage that are both required for normal tissue regeneration. The 30-day BionM1 and 37-day Rodent Research 1 (RR1) missions enabled the possibility of studying these effects in long-duration microgravity experiments. We hypothesized that the inhibition of stem cell-based tissue regeneration in short-duration spaceflight would continue during long-duration spaceflight resulting in significant tissue alterations and we specifically studied the hip joint (pelvis and proximal femur) to elucidate these effects. To test this hypothesis we analyzed bone and bone marrow stem cells using techniques including high-resolution Microcomputed Tomography (MicroCT), in-vivo differentiation and migration assays, and whole transcriptome expression profiling. We found that exposure to spaceflight for 30 days results in a significant decrease in bone volume fraction (-31), trabecular thickness (-14) and trabecular number (-20). Similar decrements in bone volume fraction (-27), trabecular number (-13) and trabecular thickness (-17) were found in female mice exposed to 37 days spaceflight. Furthermore, high-resolution MicroCT and immunohistochemical analysis of spaceflight tissues revealed a severe disruption of the epiphyseal boundary, resulting in endochondral ossification of the femoral head and perforation of articular cartilage by bone. This suggests that spaceflight in microgravity may cause rapid induction of an aging-like phenotype with signs of osteoarthritic disease in the hip joint. Microarray analysis also revealed that the top pathways altered during spaceflight include activation of matrix metalloproteinases, oxidative stress signaling and inflammation in both whole bone tissue and isolated bone marrow stem cells. In conclusion, the observed inhibition of stem cell-based tissue regeneration persists during long-duration spaceflight. Furthermore, spaceflight mice exhibit disruption of the epiphyseal boundary and endochondral ossification of the femoral head, and an inhibition of stem cell based tissue regeneration, which, taken together, may indicate onset of an accelerated aging phenotype with signs of osteoarthritic disease.

Cartilage↗
NASA NTRS1972

Accelerated life testing of spacecraft subsystems

The rationale and requirements for conducting accelerated life tests on electronic subsystems of spacecraft are presented. A method for applying data on the reliability and temperature sensitivity of the parts contained in a sybsystem to the selection of accelerated life test parameters is described. Additional considerations affecting the formulation of test requirements are identified, and practical limitations of accelerated aging are described.

Wiksten, D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Long Life Technology Work at Rockwell International Space Division

This paper presents highlights of long-life technology oriented work performed at the Space Division of Rockwell International Corporation under contract to NASA. This effort included evaluation of Saturn V launch vehicle mechanical and electromechanical components for potential extended life capabilities, endurance tests, and accelerated aging experiments. A major aspect was evaluation of the components at the subassembly level (i.e., at the interface between moving surfaces) through in-depth wear analyses and assessments. Although some of this work is still in progress, preliminary conclusions are drawn and presented, together with the rationale for each. The paper concludes with a summary of the effort still remaining.

D K Huzel↗
NASA NTRS1977

Investigation of test methods, material properties and processes for solar cell encapsulants

The potentially useful encapsulating materials for Task 3 of the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array project were studied to identify, evaluate, and recommend encapsulant materials and processes for the production of cost-effective, long-life solar cell modules. Materials for study were chosen on the basis of existing knowledge of generic chemical types having high resistance to environmental weathering. The materials varied from rubbers to thermoplastics and presented a broad range of mechanical properties and processing requirements. Basic physical and optical properties were measured on the polymers and were redetermined after exposure to indoor artificial accelerated aging conditions covering four time periods. Strengths and weaknesses of the various materials were revealed and data was accumulated for the development of predictive methodologies. To date, silicone rubbers, fluorocarbons, and acrylic polymers appear to have the most promising combination of characteristics. The fluorocarbons may be used only as films, however, because of their high cost.

Willis, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Silicon materials task of the low-cost solar array project. Phase 4: Effects of impurities and processing on silicon solar cells

The results of the study form a basis for silicon producers, wafer manufacturers, and cell fabricators to develop appropriate cost-benefit relationships for the use of less pure, less costly solar grade silicon. Cr is highly mobile in silicon even at temperatures as low as 600 C. Contrasting with earlier data for Mo, Ti, and V, Cr concentrations vary from place to place in polycrystalline silicon wafers and the electrically-active Cr concentration in the polysilicon is more than an order of magnitude smaller than would be projected from single crystal impurity data. We hypothesize that Cr diffuses during ingot cooldown after growth, preferentially segregates to grain and becomes electrically deactivated. Accelerated aging data from Ni-contaminated silicon imply that no significant impurity-induced cell performance reduction should be expected over a twenty year device lifetime.

Hopkins, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants

Encapsulant materials and processes for the production of cost-effective, long-life solar cell modules were investigated. The following areas were explored: (1) soil resistant surface treatment; (2) corrosion protecting coatings from mild steel substrates; (3) primers for bonding module interfaces; and (4) RS/4 accelerated aging of candidate encapsulation compounds

Willis, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants

Technical investigations concerned the development of advanced cure chemistries for lamination type pottants; the continued evaluation of soil resistant surface treatments, and the results of an accelerated aging test program for the comparison of material stabilities. New compounds were evaluated for efficiency in curing both ethylene/vinyl acetate and ethylene/methyl acrylate pottants intended for vacuum bag lamination of solar cells. One compound in particular, designated Lupersol - TBEC (Lucidol Division of Pennwalt Corp.) was found to be unusually effective in promoting the rapid cure of both these materials. Formulation of these resins with TBEC resulted in compositions of very high gel content, lower temperatures of activation, and much lower cure times, even in the ethylene/methyl acrylate polymer that is more difficult to cure. It is expected that TBEC modified pottant formulations may permit the lamination/encapsulation step to be operated at lower temperatures, higher speed, higher throughput and a much wider tolerance for intentional or accidental variations in the cure schedule. An experimental program continued to determine the effectiveness of soil resistant coatings.

Willis, P. B.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Investigation of Test Methods, Material Properties and Processes for Solar Cell Encapsulants

The evaluation of potentially useful low cost encapsulation materials is discussed. The goal is to identify, evaluate, test and recommend encapsulant materials and processes for the production of cost effective, long life solar cell modules. Technical investigations concerned the development of advanced cure chemistries for lamination type pottants; the continued evaluation of soil resistant surface treatment, and the results of an accelerated aging test program for the comparison of material stabilities. New compounds were evaluated for efficiency in curing both ethylene/vinyl acetate and ethylene/methyl acrylate pottants intended for vacuum bag lamination of solar cells. Two component aliphatic urethane casting syrups were evaluated for suitability as solar module pottants on the basis of optical, physical and fabrication characteristics.

Willis, P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Reliability of constricted double-heterojunction AlGaAs diode lasers

Constricted double-heterojunction diode lasers have been life tested at 70 C heatsink temperature and 3-4 mW/facet in CW operation. A median life of 7800 h is obtained at 70 C, which extrapolates to 400,000 h median life at room temperature. The extrapolated mean time to failure at room temperature is in excess of 1,000,000 h. Single-longitudinal-mode CW operation is maintained after 10,000 h of accelerated aging at 70 C.

Botez, D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Decontaminating Aluminum/Ammonia Heat Pipes

Internal gas slugs reduced or eliminated. Manufacturing method increases efficiency of aluminum heat pipes in which ammonia is working fluid by insuring pipe filled with nearly pure charge of ammonia. In new process heat pipe initially closed with stainless-steel valve instead of weld so pipe put through several cycles of filling, purging, and accelerated aging.

Jones, J. A.↗