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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI1991

Recommendations for Establishing Local Rural Electrification Programs Using Photovoltaic Systems [Recomendaciones Para la Implantacidn de Programas Locales de Electrificacidn Rural con Sistemas Fotovoltaicos]

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is becoming one the best options for supplying electricity to rural communities far from electrical networks and which have a small and disperse demand for electricity. As the cost of the technology goes down and its development advances, opportunities for applying it continue to grow. As a result, in the near future we will probably see an increase in massive application programs of this technology in rural Mexico. This document presents some of the most relevant problems needing immediate solution to increase the possibility of success in establishing photovoltaic programs for rural electrification in Mexico. These problems are influenced by economic, technological, engineering, infrastructural, social and political issues. The paper presents the requirements for an industrial center based on PV technology, the accessibility of replacement parts and maintenance service, development of financial solutions, training of the users and introducing norms and technical regulations. The document summarizes the issue of rural electrification in Mexico, emphasizing the low population density in these areas. A brief description is given of photovoltaics showing different configurations that can be utilized for supplying electricity to the rural areas. The issues involved and recommendations for introducing PV systems to the rural area are described.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Controls for Electrified Aircraft Propulsion

Advanced electrified aircraft propulsion (EAP) concepts with integrated power, propulsion, and thermal systems require the development of equally sophisticated controllers to fly safe and efficient missions. Hybrid electric aircraft utilize electric machines mechanically coupled to the engine shafts to extract and insert power for a variety of purposes. Additionally, electric machines may drive propulsive fans pulling from a combination of on-board energy storage devices and engine extracted power. NASA’s investment in hybrid electric aircraft hardware-in-the-loop testing enables controls research on representative engine models using a novel emulation and scaling methodology. High-voltage, high-power electrical powertrain presents several technical risks at altitude. High-power requires high efficiency to minimize losses. Superconducting electric machines and power distribution research at NASA has identified key challenges with potential controls solutions. These risks necessitate the development of controllers robust to model uncertainty, disturbances, and fault conditions. System health management and fault detection schemes play an important role in a multi-layer controls approach that utilizes a supervisor which oversees inner loops for the highly coupled power, propulsion, and thermal systems. Such a supervisory controller enables coordinates energy transfer between engines, energy storage devices, electric machines, propulsors, and heat exchangers. Existing methods have shown an improvement in engine operability using the hybrid electric powertrain.

Halle E Buescher↗
NASA NTRS1989

Spray Combustion Stability

The central purpose of this project is the improvement of liquid-fueled rocket motor design technology in order to assist the establishment of economical commercial access to space through the development of engines with enhanced performance and reliability. Specific research effort is focused on spray physics and associated combustion instability phenomena. Results concerning high pressure droplet gasification model, droplet turbulent dispersion model, and spray atomization model will contribute to the development of new computational tools for design of stable liquid propellant rocket engines.

Pak-Yan Liang↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Power and Propulsion Element Steerable High Gain Antenna Lunar Transit Thermal Analysis Tracking Methodology

The Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) is an ion thruster propulsion spacecraft developed as an element of Space Reactor (SR-1) Freedom to provide propulsion, communications and power for the spacecraft. PPE was originally being developed for the use with the lunar orbiting space station Gateway as one of the first two planned elements. PPE was to be launched with the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) element in a configuration called the Co-Manifested Vehicle (CMV) that would arrive at a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon via a lunar transit spiral trajectory phase. The PPE communication system is equipped with two Steerable High Gain Antennas (SHGA) each steered by a two-axis gimbal (TAG) mechanism. A thermal analysis was conducted during the near-Earth spiral phase of the mission using Thermal Desktop (TD). This analysis utilized multiple axis Earth tracking articulators in combination with SINDA system internal environmental heating symbols to produce accurate Earth ground station tracking communication system temperatures. This presentation provides an overview of the communication system thermal model and the analysis methodology.

Thermal Analysis↗
NASA NTRS1989

Marshall Space Flight Center CFD Overview

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) activities at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have been focused on hardware specific and research applications with strong emphasis upon benchmark validation. The purpose here is to provide insight into the MSFC CFD related goals, objectives, current hardware related CFD activities, propulsion CFD research efforts and validation program, future near-term CFD hardware related programs, and CFD expectations. The current hardware programs where CFD has been successfully applied are the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME), Alternate Turbopump Development (ATD), and Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE). For the future near-term CFD hardware related activities, plans are being developed that address the implementation of CFD into the early design stages of the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME), Space Transportation Booster Engine (STBE), and the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) for the Space Station. Finally, CFD expectations in the design environment will be delineated.

L A Schutzenhofer↗
DOE OSTI2026

Coalition for Community-Supported Affordable Geothermal Energy Systems (C2SAGES)

The C2SAGES project evaluated the feasibility of a community geothermal system for the planned Windy Ridge affordable housing development in Hinesburg, Vermont. Led by GTI Energy with Vermont Gas Systems, LN Consulting, NREL, and Frontier Energy, the work assessed technical design, energy performance, costs, business models, community engagement, maintenance, workforce development, and permitting. The proposed system was designed to serve 100% of the development’s heating, cooling, and domestic hot water loads. Compared with a baseline using air-source heat pumps and natural gas water heating, the geothermal system was estimated to reduce HVAC and domestic hot water energy use by about 45% to 48%, lower operating and maintenance costs, and reduce 30-year life-cycle costs by 37% for Phase 1 and 10% for Phase 2. Technical testing and modeling indicated that the Windy Ridge site is suitable for a community-scale geothermal system. The project also developed borehole field layouts, piping concepts, pump house designs, controls, maintenance plans, and supporting engineering drawings. The business model analysis found that first cost, ownership structure, and customer affordability remain major deployment challenges. Utility-led maintenance and operation were viewed favorably, but traditional utility cost-recovery models may require subsidy or revised financing structures to be practical for affordable housing. Community engagement highlighted the need for clear public education, transparent financing, reliable long-term maintenance, trained technicians, and the potential to pair geothermal systems with weatherization. Overall, the report concludes that community geothermal is technically feasible and offers meaningful energy, emissions, and life-cycle cost benefits, but broader deployment will depend on workable financing models and workforce readiness.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Fidelity Modeling Approach for Coupling Thermal, Fluid, and Neutronic Analysis in an NTP Engine

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP), with its increased efficiency compared to traditional rocket engines, is a potentially enabling technology for space missions of higher complexity, such as delivering heavy machinery or crew to the moon or other planets. Thus, exploring modeling approaches that can effectively couple the thermal, fluid, and neutronic behaviors of NTP reactors is essential to mitigate cost and schedule challenges with hardware development. This paper details one such approach which utilizes Cardinal to unify reactor physics analysis performed using OpenMC, heat transfer analysis performed using the MOOSE framework, and thermal hydraulic analysis performed using the MOOSE Thermal Hydraulic Module. This approach is demonstrated with a proof of concept that focuses on a legacy reactor geometry from the historic NERVA program. This preliminary model found an overprediction in, when compared to the reference data, axial power peaking and the temperatures of both solids and fluids by roughly 20%. It is clear, however, that the model conserved a number of broad trends, and a few model refinements should reduce the observed error. This approach has definite merit and should enable the production of informative results for more modern NTP systems. This work is a first step in creating a transient reactor model that can be updated across a sequence of time steps based on continually fluctuating, time-dependent boundary conditions.

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion↗
DOE OSTI2026

Microstructural Engineering of Cu-Rich Nanoprecipitate formation in NiCoFeCrCu0.12 High-Entropy Alloy via Severe Plastic Deformation for Enhanced Irradiation Tolerance

This study demonstrates a defect-engineering approach for controlling Cu-rich precipitates in FeNiCrCoCu0.2 high-entropy alloys (Cu-HEAs), delivering a novel pathway for next-generation nuclear reactor materials with superior irradiation resistance. This work establishes that severe plastic deformation (SPD) processing via Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) and Friction Stir Layer Deposition (FSLD) creates dense dislocation networks and subgrain boundaries that fundamentally alter precipitation behavior under identical thermal treatments. Atom probe tomography (APT) indicates that SPD produces a metastable, atomically homogeneous solid solution that, upon moderate heat treatment (500°C/10 hour), develops remarkedly stronger Cu clustering than the as-cast counterpart. High-temperature exposure (800°C/100 h) produces near-pure Cu precipitates (~90 at% Cu) with significantly enhanced defect-sink efficacy in SPD-processed alloys: precipitate sizes of 50-60 nm and number densities of 2.7-3.8 × 10¹7 m?³, compared to 89 nm and 0.44 × 10¹7 m?³ in as-cast materials. Collectively, the findings establish defect-mediated precipitation control as a scalable, high-impact route to tailor sink density and distribution in HEAs, enabling microstructures optimized for irradiation tolerance and mechanical robustness in nuclear reactor environments.

Meher, Subhashish↗
DOE OSTI2025

AUTOIGNITION DELAY TIMES FOR REFORMATE GAS MIXTURES FROM METHANE GAS ENGINES

Methane slip is a prominent issue in natural gas reciprocating engines that are used in transportation and marine applications. The incomplete combustion that results in methane slip can be resolved with the introduction of hydrogen within the combustion mixture to improve methane oxidation and further enable combustion within the engine crevices where methane has previously remained unreacted. Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a common method used to produce hydrogen and can be used to design an onboard device to reduce methane slip from reciprocating engines. The development of this reformer device requires the validation of high-fidelity chemical kinetic models at the low temperatures of the crevice volumes of these engines. In this work, auto-ignition data is obtained using a shock tube at lean (φ—0.714 or λ—1.4) and stoichiometric (φ, λ = 1) equivalence ratios spanning a temperature range of 1042–1234 K at the 80-bar operating pressure of the test engine. Blends of methane, hydrogen, and reformate products from the SMR reaction are shock-heated in synthetic air, with the ignition delay time measured using an OH* chemiluminescence detector at 310 nm and a CH* detector at 430 nm. The experimental results are compared to several state-of-the-art chemical kinetic mechanisms from the literature. In general, most of the mechanisms show very good agreement with experiments at higher temperatures, with simulation results showing little deviation from experiments at lower temperatures. A sensitivity analysis was conducted, and the results reveal that the reaction H2 + CH3O2 = H + CH3O2H has a very significant role in determining low-temperature ignition delay times (IDTs) of SMR mixtures. These findings provide valuable insights into the chemical kinetics governing methane reformate combustion and contribute to the optimization of onboard reformer designs aimed at mitigating methane slip in natural gas-fueled engines.

Fraze, Matthew↗
DOE OSTI2026

Integral Nuclear Data and Benchmarking Needs for Fusion Energy Systems

Fusion energy systems are currently being designed and optimized using radiation transport codes. To deal with the unique environment inside a fusion-based system, many of these designs incorporate novel materials able to withstand the high radiation fields, ensure adequate cooling and thermal protection, and produce tritium. Validation plays a vital role in building trust in the predictive power of these models and computational methods. Validation of a code consists of modeling documented real-world experiments and comparing the code-predicted response to the measured response. Adequate validation requires measured responses from real-world experiments, also known as integral data, that mimic the system being designed, including materials, impinging radiation, and temperature, among other variables. The most trusted integral data are experimental responses that have been through a rigorous benchmarking process that develops a recommended computational model and evaluates all experimental uncertainties. Finally, there are a few research groups around the world that have been producing integral data for fusion applications, but a substantial investment is needed to address the unique validation needs of the fusion community.

Fusion↗
NASA NTRS1993

Overview 1993: Chemical propulsion at CSTAR

Chemical Propulsion at CSTAR continues to expand its activities and areas of interest. Several new initiatives are being developed which are extensions of, or replacements for, earlier projects. One current focus is on reassessing promising engine cycles and the enabling technologies for implementing them. These engine cycles which include advanced hybrids, and staged combustion cycles have the use of oxygen as a working fluid and coolant in common. Oxygen is used as a turbine drive gas, tank pressurant and as a cooling medium for combustion devices. CSTAR has interest in the propellant feed systems for advanced rocket engines, including propellant conditioning and tank pressurization, gas generators, and turbomachinery. CSTAR's interests also include propellant injection into the main chamber. These aspects of rocket propulsion embody a diverse range of technical disciplines and technologies, critical to the pursuit of low cost space access. The chemical propulsion program at CSTAR includes active projects investigating hybrid rocket engine oxygen feed systems, hybrid rocket injectors, gas fed hybrid rocket combustion, elements of main injectors for staged combustion devices. CSTAR is actively seeking industrial partners interested in joint participation in one or more phases of the analyses, design, development and application of propulsion technologies and related technical disciplines.

William H. Knuth↗
DOE OSTI2026

Integrated Simulation of Weld Residual Stress Evolution and Crack Propagation Using XFEM

Nuclear power plant components operate in environments that promote multiple degradation mecha- nisms, several of which involve crack initiation and growth. An ongoing effort in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program is developing a general capability within the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework for simulating three-dimensional crack growth under a range of driving conditions, including fatigue, stress corrosion cracking (SCC), brittle fracture, and stress-relaxation cracking. This report demonstrates an end-to-end workflow that uses this capability to model weld-residual-stress-driven SCC in the J-groove weld of a pressurized-water reactor control rod drive mechanism penetration in the vessel head. The workflow consists of a thermomechanical welding simulation with temperature-dependent plasticity, followed by cooldown to ambient conditions, and a restart of the simulation using the MOOSE extended finite element method (XFEM) module to propagate a three-dimensional crack through the residual stress field. New welding capabilities were developed to properly initialize newly activated elements in the weld region, and robustness improvements were made to the mesh-based algorithm for defining cutting planes in the 3D XFEM algorithm, allowing it to handle complex crack fronts and stress fields. Together these advances allowed the simulated SCC crack to grow from an initial elliptical flaw in the weld, across the weld, through the tube wall, and almost to the triple point (where the weld, tube, and reactor pressure vessel head intersect) over roughly 36 years of simulated service. These results demonstrate a workflow that can be extended to fully three-dimensional welding simulations and more complex crack interaction problems.

42 - ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2026

Turbofan Engine Power Extraction Demonstration Final Report

As GE Aerospace advances toward a revolutionary step change in propulsion efficiency, the integration and demonstration of new engine architectures and technology systems are essential. The NASA Turbofan Engine Power Extraction Demonstration (PEx), conducted through the Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core (HyTEC) project, aims to develop and demonstrate megawatt-class hybrid electric capability on a modern commercial turbofan engine. The hybrid electric system is critical to meeting the needs of the U.S. aviation industry for next-generational propulsion systems with greater efficiency, durability, and range. This supports energy independence and helps ensure the security and resilience of one of America's largest export industries. The PEx project specifically targets three key objectives: mechanically integrating hybrid electric capability into a commercial turbofan engine, integrating electric machine control with turbofan control for advanced power management, and de-risking performance modeling of future hybrid electric architectures. To mature these technologies to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, a series of electric power system component tests and a baseline engine performance test campaign were conducted. These efforts culminated in an integrated hybrid electric turbofan test campaign demonstrating power extraction, power insertion, and power transfer between spools. Tests of the electric power system were completed at GE Aerospace’s Electrical Power Integrated Systems Center in Dayton, Ohio and engine tests were completed at Peebles Test Operation in Peebles, Ohio. Hybrid electric trade studies extended the demonstrated capability to altitude using the validated cycle model from the PEx test campaigns, allowing for comments on expanded mission benefits not demonstrated in the ground campaign. The knowledge gained from PEx also supports GE Aerospace’s Compact Core Demonstrator as part of HyTEC Phase 2 and ultimately informs the implementation of hybrid electric systems in the next generation of GE Aerospace commercial engine products. This report provides a summary of the program background, test campaigns, trade studies, and insights into the technical maturation required to support future commercial products.

Hybrid Electric↗
NASA NTRS2002

Research Reports: 2001 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program

For the thirty-seventh consecutive year, a NASA/ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education) Summer Faculty Fellowship Program was conducted at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The program was conducted by The University of Alabama in Huntsville and MSFC during the period May 29 - August 3, 2001. Operated under the auspices of the American Society for Engineering Education, the MSFC program, as well as those at other NASA Centers, was sponsored by the University Affairs Office, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. The basic objectives of the programs, which are in the thirty-seventh year of operation nationally, are (1) to further the professional knowledge of qualified engineering and science faculty members; (2) to stimulate an exchange of ideas between participants and NASA; (3) to enrich and refresh the research and teaching activities of the participants' institutions; and (4) to contribute to the research objectives of the NASA Centers. The Faculty Fellows spent ten weeks at MSFC engaged in a research project compatible with their interests and background and worked in collaboration with a NASA MSFC colleague. This document is a compilation of Fellows' reports on their research during the summer of 2001.

Avionics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Durability of ABC Team Wall Assemblies

This study evaluates the long-term hygrothermal durability of four advanced retrofit wall systems using a field test facility located in Hollywood, South Carolina, representative of a mixed-humid coastal climate (Zone 3). The research focuses on assessing the thermal and moisture performance of a baseline wall assembly retrofitted with (1) Tremco/Dryvit prefabricated panel systems (Revitalite and Fedderlite), (2) Reinforced Fiberglass Plastic (RFP) panels developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and (3) Vacuum Insulated Panels (VIP) integrated with EPS by Home Innovation Research Labs (HIRL) and ORNL. A baseline wall representing a typical uninsulated wood-frame construction was used for comparison.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2026

CIEPAT for Photovoltaic System Resilience

The Cyber-Informed Engineering Photovoltaic Analysis Tool (CIEPAT) was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER). This tool is an energy source subcomponent integrated into the CIEMAT ecosystem and is developed to enhance the security and resilience of Photovoltaic installations by incorporating Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) principles into the deployment of PV systems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1994

Combustor Technology for Future Small Gas Turbine Aircraft

To enhance fuel efficiency, future advanced small gas turbine engines will utilize engine cycles calling for overall engine pressure ratios, leading to higher combustor inlet pressures and temperatures. Further, the temperature rise through the combustor and the corresponding exit temperature are also expected to increase. This report describes future combustor technology needs for small gas turbine engines. New fuel injectors with large turndown ratios which produce uniform circumferential and radial temperature patterns will be required. Uniform burning will be of greater importance because hot gas temperatures will approach turbine material limits. The higher combustion temperatures and increased radiation at high pressures will put a greater heat load on the combustor liners. At the same time, less cooling air will be available as more of the air will be used for combustion. Thus, improved cooling concepts and/or materials requiring little or no direct cooling will be required. Although presently there are no requirements for emissions levels from small gas turbine engines, regulation is anticipated in the near future. This will require the development of low emission combustors. In particular, nitrogen oxides will increase substantially if new technologies limiting their formation are not evolved and implemented. For example, staged combustion employing lean, premixed/prevaporized, lean direct injection, or rich burn-quick quench-lean burn concepts could replace conventional single stage combustors. Due to combustor size considerations, staged combustion is more easily accommodated in large engines. The inclusion of staged combustion in small engines will pose greater combustor design challenges.

Valerie J Lyons↗
DOE OSTI2026

Equilibrium and non-equilibrium effects in high pressure phase transformations of carbon

The behavior of carbon in the range 1–100 GPa and 1–10 kK is central to problems in planetary interiors, inertial confinement fusion targets, and high-pressure synthesis of carbon-based materials, but experiments in this regime are difficult and often provide only indirect constraints on phase behavior. As a result, phase boundary loci, structure, and limits of metastability at high pressure remain uncertain. In this work, machine-learning enhanced atomistic simulations are used to address this knowledge gap. We determine the melt line up to 100 GPa, the graphite-diamond phase boundary up to the melt line, and analyze structure of the coexisting phases. We show that the coexisting liquid evolves smoothly with pressure without evidence for a first-order liquid–liquid transition. Orientation-resolved graphite melting simulations indicate that basal-plane interfaces develop a dewetting layer and undergo layer-by-layer melting, producing kinetic hysteresis and an apparent orientation dependence of the melt line. Non-equilibrium quenches from the melt are used to construct a kinetically limiting graphite–diamond phase boundary for rapid quenches from above the melt line, and show that graphite is metastable at pressures of up to ≈ 25 GPa. These results provide bounds on equilibrium and metastable behavior in carbon relevant for interpreting high-pressure experiments and for designing synthesis pathways to specific carbon microstructures.

Lyu, Yanjun [Department of Materials Science and E↗