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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 NTRS2017

Microstructure Based Material-Sand Particulate Interactions and Assessment of Coatings for High Temperature Turbine Blades

Gas turbine engines for military/commercial fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft use thermal barrier coatings in the high-temperature sections of the engine for improved efficiency and power. The desire to further make improvements in gas turbine engine efficiency and high power-density is driving the research and development of thermal barrier coatings and the effort of improving their tolerance to fine foreign particulates that may be contained in the intake air. Both commercial and military aircraft engines often are required to operate over sandy regions such as in the Middle-East nations, as well as over volcanic zones. For rotorcraft gas turbine engines, the sand ingestion is adverse during take-off, hovering near ground, and landing conditions. Although, most of the rotorcraft gas turbine engines are fitted with inlet particle separators, they are not 100 percent efficient in filtering fine sand particles of size 75 microns or below. The presence of these fine solid particles in the working fluid medium has an adverse effect on the durability of turbine blade thermal barrier coatings and overall performance of the engine. Typical turbine blade damages include blade coating wear, sand glazing, Calcia-Magnesia-Alumina-Silicate (CMAS) attack, oxidation, plugged cooling holes, all of which can cause rapid performance deterioration including loss of aircraft. The objective of this research is to understand the fine particle interactions with typical ceramic coatings of turbine blades at the microstructure level. A finite-element based microstructure modeling and analysis has been performed to investigate particle-surface interactions, and restitution characteristics. Experimentally, a set of tailored thermal barrier coatings and surface treatments were down-selected through hot burner rig tests and then applied to first stage nozzle vanes of the Gas Generator Turbine of a typical rotorcraft gas turbine engine. Laser Doppler velocity measurements were performed during hot burner rig testing to determine sand particle incoming velocities and their rebound characteristics upon impact on coated material targets. Further, engine sand ingestion tests were carried out to test the CMAS tolerance of the coated nozzle vanes. The findings from this on-going collaborative research to develop the next-gen sand tolerant coatings for turbine blades are presented in this paper.

Engine Tests↗
NASA NTRS2019

Collaborative Seamless Manager for Airspace Resources and Traffic

In today's NAS, airlines conduct pre-departure flight planning with limited information about traffic congestion. Then, as events evolve (pre-departure, on the surface, or inflight) and are impacted by congestion, limited options for changing flight plans are offered to the airlines, and, in some cases, flight plans are changed by air traffic managers on behalf of the airlines. For the airlines, this produces flight plan uncertainty and possible disruption to their business plans. The Collaborative Seamless Manager of Airspace Resources and Traffic (CSMART) is a tool being developed for the 2045 Next Gen System that will enhance the airlines' ability to flight plan, both pre-departure and during flight. CSMART achieves this, using the UTM architecture approach, by connecting via the internet airlines with other airlines and airlines with FAA agents. Flight plans, including digital, discrete planned trajectories with tolerances, are passed through the connection. Planned trajectories are used to create probabilistic predictions of when and where congestion will occur. Pre-departure, airline agents will use the predictions to collaboratively and seamlessly create flight plans that avoid congestion or go through it, depending on business objectives. In cases, where demand exceeds capacity and priorities need to be set, airline agents will have the ability to negotiate with each other to set them. Moreover, if flights are impacted by congestion during flight, CSMART will allow airlines more real-time decision making options for changing flight plans. This seminar presents the general CSMART concept and tool and research needed to develop it.

Windhorst, Robert D.↗
NASA NTRS2019

NASA Astrophysics Technology Gaps, Prioritization, and Development

Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) X-ray astrophysics: grazing-angle mirrors, optical blocking filters, fast event ID, gratings, micro-calorimeters, radiation-tolerant detectorsGravitational-wave astrophysics: phase measurement system, micro-Newton thrusters, non-contact charge-management system, stable laser system, low-stray-light telescope Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB): superconducting FPAs and optical elements (cryo filters and coatings)Cosmic Origins (COR)UV/Optical/IR: Next-gen detectors, ultra-stable high-precision telescope systems (including mirrors, thermal control, structures, metrology, etc.), and advanced UV coatingsFar-IR: Heterodyne detectors, advanced cooling systems, ultra-sensitive detectors and large arraysLarge Space Optics: As discussed earlier by Mario Perez, the Program Office supports HQ in monitoring/tracking the Segmented Mirror Technology Program (SMTP) and other technology development projects targeting large space telescopes

Ganel, Opher↗
NASA NTRS2024

Considerations in Range of Motion Testing for Characterizing Spacesuit Mobility Capabilities

Mobility is a critical aspect for spacesuits as it directly influences how astronauts can perform tasks safely and efficiently, while wearing the pressurized suit. Spacesuit motion is dissimilar to human movement and consists of unique movement patterns as result of pressurization and the complex mechanical joint configurations. Thus, it is important to quantify the variations in suited movement patterns and the resulting performance of the wearer for the evaluation of the spacesuit itself and hardware interfaces such as payloads and tools. Traditionally, an individual body joint is assessed for the segment-wise range of motion. For example, the knee is measured through an isolated maneuvering of the joint between the max-to-max positions (e.g., flexion/extension), and the outcome represents the mobility capabilities. These measurements are often conducted using optical motion capture system with respect to anatomical planes. However, there are several considerations for range of motion assessments that are unique to the spacesuit. The purpose of this paper is to describe and provide examples of these additional challenges in representing spacesuit mobility capabilities. Specifically, joint mobility and the variations in suit movement patterns were investigated and compared between functional tasks and isolated range of motion measurements. Motion capture data from the next-gen spacesuit design verification testing was evaluated to compare isolated range of motion tasks to functional tasks, such as one-knee kneeling and squatting. The trajectories from the upper and lower body joint centers with respect to the spacesuit hardware were also calculated. Additionally, the joint trajectories for various functional tasks are presented and compared against the isolated range of motion measurements. In general, range of motion differs between isolated and functional tasks, where functional tasks may even induce greater joint angle excursions. Additionally, there is a large variation in joint range of motion across functional tasks. Combined with several relevant factors (spacesuit fit, physical strength, simulation facility, etc.), spacesuit mobility characterization efforts will need to incorporate the specific contexts, such as task demands and movement mechanisms, when evaluating range of motion assessments.

Linh Q Vu↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Considerations for Range of Motion Testing During Spacesuit Mobility Characterization

Mobility is a critical aspect for spacesuits as it directly influences how astronauts can perform tasks safely and efficiently, while wearing the pressurized suit. Spacesuit motion is dissimilar to human movement and consists of unique movement patterns as result of pressurization and the complex mechanical joint configurations. Thus, it is important to quantify the variations in suited movement patterns and the resulting performance of the wearer for the evaluation of the spacesuit itself and hardware interfaces such as payloads and tools. Traditionally, an individual body joint is assessed for the segment-wise range of motion. For example, the knee is measured through an isolated maneuvering of the joint between the max-to-max positions (e.g., flexion/extension), and the outcome represents the mobility capabilities. These measurements are often conducted using optical motion capture system with respect to anatomical planes. However, there are several considerations for range of motion assessments that are unique to the spacesuit. The purpose of this paper is to describe and provide examples of these additional challenges in representing spacesuit mobility capabilities. Specifically, joint mobility and the variations in suit movement patterns were investigated and compared between functional tasks and isolated range of motion measurements. Motion capture data from the next-gen spacesuit design verification testing was evaluated to compare isolated range of motion tasks to functional tasks, such as one-knee kneeling and squatting. The trajectories from the upper and lower body joint centers with respect to the spacesuit hardware were also calculated. Additionally, the joint trajectories for various functional tasks are presented and compared against the isolated range of motion measurements. In general, range of motion differs between isolated and functional tasks, where functional tasks may even induce greater joint angle excursions. Additionally, there is a large variation in joint range of motion across functional tasks. Combined with several relevant factors (spacesuit fit, physical strength, simulation facility, etc.), spacesuit mobility characterization efforts will need to incorporate the specific contexts, such as task demands and movement mechanisms, when evaluating range of motion assessments.

Linh Q Vu↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Role of PHM in Autonomous Decision-Making: Aerospace applications

There is an increased need for onboard decision-making capabilities in cyber-physical systems be it in energy, automotive, aviation, space, or other industries as they aim for increased efficiency, resiliency, and mission assurance capabilities. Emerging next-gen technologies such as multi-rover planetary missions, distributed satellites, unmanned ground and aerial vehicle operations and smart grid systems rely on in-time risk assessment and autonomous decision-making. One critical piece of the autonomy puzzle is reliable prediction of system behavior under time-varying and potentially uncertain environmental conditions. Further, if agent states change during operation such as initiation of faults or degradation, reliable diagnostic tools need to be investigated. In this tutorial, we will revise approaches that integrates existing physics-based and data-driven models of agents interacting with probability models of the environment and component operation state. Role of existing PHM methodologies as they feed into decision-making under uncertainty will be studied. Balancing critical trade-offs between high-fidelity prognostic models, prediction time-horizons and the computational requirements for in-time cost-effective decision-making will be discussed through the implementation of surrogate models. Finally, the audience will be introduced to a real-time application of in-time trajectory planning of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) based on its PHM assessments under uncertain and varying wind conditions.

decision-making↗
NASA NTRS2026

Uranus Orbiter and Probe: Mission Challenges and Concept Updates Since the Origins, Worlds, and Life Decadal Survey

Origins, Worlds, and Life: Planetary Science and Astrobiology in the Next Decade identified a Uranus Orbiter and Probe as the highest-priority strategic mission for the decade 2023–2032, as it enables broad cross-disciplinary science in the largely unexplored Uranian system. The mission architecture evaluated by the Decadal Survey was a singular proof of concept demonstrating that a moderately instrumented mission could deliver Decadal-priority science with a reduced cost and risk posture by leveraging existing technologies to the maximum extent possible. With revised assumptions since the Decadal, we have explored a large trade space including launch vehicles, propulsion options, cruise trajectories, available power sources, viable concept of operations, and science data return for later launch dates without a Jupiter gravity assist. The most repeatable trajectory solutions employ either a commercially derived solar electric propulsion (SEP) transfer stage or the availability of a more capable launch vehicle under development, such as the SpaceX Starship. Orbit insertion has been moved farther from Uranus to acknowledge the remaining uncertainty in Uranian ring structure. A streamlined, SEP-adaptable, orbiter design was developed using two Next Gen Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators, and the probe design was matured, reducing the entry gravitational acceleration, and assuming the largest Decadal-recommended payload to provide margin for future instrument selections. With this updated design, we also constructed a detailed concept of operations for three representative science cases, returning 13–15 Gbit of science data and spacecraft telemetry per ∼34 day orbit.

Amy A Simon↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nov. 2024 EVs@Scale High-Power Charging Deep Dive Technical Meeting

EVs@Scale Lab Consortium is addressing challenges, developing solutions, and enabling technologies for transportation electrification ecosystem. The consortium has five research pillars one of which focuses on high power charging (HPC). HPC pillar brings together hardware and software expertise, capabilities, and facilities related to high power EV charging, charge management, and grid integration. Deep-dive technical meetings are organized twice a year and provides an opportunity for more industry engagement and technical feedback for the national labs throughout the project lifecycle. High-Power Charging pillar has two active projects: (i) Next-Gen Profiles (NGP) and (ii) High-Power Electric Vehicle Charging Hub Integration Platform (eCHIP). This presentation summarizes the progress made in both projects during the past six months focusing on specific topics. There will be two deep-dive technical meetings twice a year. Every deep-dive meeting will focus on different aspects of the project progress.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Fermilab PIP-II CDS and CM Cryogenic Controls System

Details on Final design for Cryogenic Electrical & Controls System for Fermilab' s next-gen particle accelerator PIP-II. Electrical Controls System includes instrumentation and controls of Cryogenics Distribution System and Cryomodules. Design includes Siemens PCS7 Controls System with 26 Remote IO Rittal Cabinets and 48 Relay Racks for Temperature Readouts, Valve Positioners, Level, Heater Controls etc. Electrical Drawings and Design have been completed with focus now on fabrication of the 26 Rittal Cabinets and 48 Relay Racks. All materials have been procured. EPICS will be used as a SCADA system communicating to S7 Controllers via OPC UA.

Patel, Pratik [Fermilab]↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Experimental Verification of the Parabolic Deformable Mirror for the ExoSpec Project

For the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), it is essential to broaden the controllable wavelength bandwidth for high-contrast imaging and spectroscopy to increase the exoEarth yield and characterization. The Parabolic Deformable Mirrors (PDM) subpackage, under the NASA Headquarters-directed Exoplanet Spectroscopy (ExoSpec) Work Package, is specifically tailored to do so. We have successfully procured a first-generation (Gen 1) PDM device and completed in-depth characterization of the device. This robust evaluation has become instrumental in informing subsequent stages of development, particularly in shaping the design and specifying requirements for the next generation, Gen 2, PDM device. We have built a testbed in an environmentally controlled cleanroom to experimentally demonstrate the use of a PDM in a coronagraph instrument with an integral field spectrograph (IFS). This versatile testbed is designed to test different DM architectures, low-order wavefront sensing schemes, and a lenslet-based IFS. This provides us with a basis for comparison with different DM configurations: 1) flat DM, 2) PDMs, and 3) a flat DM and PDMs. In this communication, we will discuss the testbed design and updates, PDM characterization, and Gen 2 requirement definitions.

Hari B. Subedi↗
DOE OSTI2026

Enhanced pool boiling heat transfer with metal foam tubes in inline tube bundle configuration

Flooded evaporators, commonly known as shell-and-tube heat exchangers, are widely used in large-scale industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning systems due to their high pool boiling heat transfer efficiency. However, their bulky configuration requires a large refrigerant inventory, which poses safety challenges—particularly when employing next-generation A2L refrigerants that are mildly flammable. Here, to address this issue, the development of compact heat exchangers with enhanced heat transfer performance is essential. In this study, a novel metal foam tube design is proposed to augment pool boiling heat transfer. Experiments were conducted at a saturation temperature of 20 °C and across a heat flux range of 7–60 kW m −2 . The tests were conducted for both smooth and metal foam tubes with an inline tube bundle configuration and for a pitch–to–diameter (P/D) ratios of 1.3 and 1.5. Pool boiling performance was evaluated for next-generation hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants, R1234yf and R1234ze(E), with R134a serving as the baseline fluid. The results indicate that the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) of R1234yf is comparable to R134a, while R1234ze(E) shows slightly lower performance. Importantly, the metal foam tubes achieved up to a 217% enhancement in HTC compared to smooth tubes.

Metal foam tubes↗
NASA NTRS2011

Statistical Models of Fracture Relevant to Nuclear-Grade Graphite: Review and Recommendations

The nuclear-grade (low-impurity) graphite needed for the fuel element and moderator material for next-generation (Gen IV) reactors displays large scatter in strength and a nonlinear stress-strain response from damage accumulation. This response can be characterized as quasi-brittle. In this expanded review, relevant statistical failure models for various brittle and quasi-brittle material systems are discussed with regard to strength distribution, size effect, multiaxial strength, and damage accumulation. This includes descriptions of the Weibull, Batdorf, and Burchell models as well as models that describe the strength response of composite materials, which involves distributed damage. Results from lattice simulations are included for a physics-based description of material breakdown. Consideration is given to the predicted transition between brittle and quasi-brittle damage behavior versus the density of damage (level of disorder) within the material system. The literature indicates that weakest-link-based failure modeling approaches appear to be reasonably robust in that they can be applied to materials that display distributed damage, provided that the level of disorder in the material is not too large. The Weibull distribution is argued to be the most appropriate statistical distribution to model the stochastic-strength response of graphite.

Nemeth, Noel N.↗
NASA NTRS2012

NextGen-Airportal Project Technologies: Systems Analysis, Integration, and Evaluation (SAIE)

NASA has been conducting Concept & Technology (C&T) research to enable capacity, efficiency, and safety improvements under the Airspace Systems Program, Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD). These C&Ts provide various benefits (e.g., improved airport departure/arrival throughputs, fuel saving, and taxi efficiency) with costs and benefits apportioned among various Air Traffic Management (ATM) system stakeholders (e.g., FAA, aircraft operators, or public).

SAIE↗
NASA NTRS2014

Better Tracking and Management

The global airline industry continued to grow in 2014, with profits projected to expand from $12.9 billion in 2013 to $18.7 billion by the end of this year. Key factors driving this increase include continued improvement in overall economic conditions, greater air cargo volumes and stable fuel prices. However, the razor-thin profit margin of 2.5 percent is susceptible to various risks, including the possibility of higher fuel prices due to political crises around the world. In addition, new orders for Airbus and Boeing aircraft are expected to be half of the nearly 3,000 ordered in 2013.

UAS↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Radioisotope Power Systems Program: Status Update

Radioisotope power systems (RPS) have safely been in use in the United States for over 60 years. RPS-enabled NASA missions have utilized space nuclear power to explore planets, moons, and interstellar space. This exploration resulted in changes to our understanding of our Solar System and our place within it. In 2010, NASA HQ established a NASA program to invest in RPS technologies and systems that could enable future missions. The RPS Program ensures the availability of RPS for the exploration of the solar system in environments where conventional solar or chemical power generation is impractical or impossible. The RPS Program, in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy continues to operate as an interagency partnership to provide robust power system solutions to spacecrafts that conduct missions for exploration and science that otherwise would not be feasible. This paper provides a synopsis of current activities after well over a decade of formal interagency partnering.

Radioisotope↗
NASA NTRS2011

Cassini Mission Sequence Subsystem (MSS)

This paper describes my work with the Cassini Mission Sequence Subsystem (MSS) team during the summer of 2011. It gives some background on the motivation for this project and describes the expected benefit to the Cassini program. It then introduces the two tasks that I worked on - an automatic system auditing tool and a series of corrections to the Cassini Sequence Generator (SEQ_GEN) - and the specific objectives these tasks were to accomplish. Next, it details the approach I took to meet these objectives and the results of this approach, followed by a discussion of how the outcome of the project compares with my initial expectations. The paper concludes with a summary of my experience working on this project, lists what the next steps are, and acknowledges the help of my Cassini colleagues.

solstice mission↗
NASA NTRS2008

Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Generation 1 and Next Steps

The Multidisciplinary Analysis & Optimization Working Group (MDAO WG) of the Systems Analysis Design & Optimization (SAD&O) discipline in the Fundamental Aeronautics Program s Subsonic Fixed Wing (SFW) project completed three major milestones during Fiscal Year (FY)08: "Requirements Definition" Milestone (1/31/08); "GEN 1 Integrated Multi-disciplinary Toolset" (Annual Performance Goal) (6/30/08); and "Define Architecture & Interfaces for Next Generation Open Source MDAO Framework" Milestone (9/30/08). Details of all three milestones are explained including documentation available, potential partner collaborations, and next steps in FY09.

Naiman, Cynthia Gutierrez↗
NASA NTRS2007

Unleashing Gen Y: Marketing Mars to Millennials

Space advocates need to engage Generation Y (born 1977-1999).This outreach is necessary to recruit the next generation of scientists and engineers to explore Mars. Space advocates in the non-profit, private, and government sectors need to use a combination of technical communication, marketing, and politics, to develop messages that resonate with Gen Y. Until now, space messages have been generated by and for college-educated white males; Gen Y is much more diverse, including as much as one third minorities. Young women, too, need to be reached. My research has shown that messages emphasizing technology, fun, humor, and opportunity are the best means of reaching the Gen Y audience of 60 million (US population is 300 million). The important things space advocates must avoid are talking down to this generation, making false promises, or expecting them to "wait their turn" before they can participate. This is the MTV generation! We need to find ways of engaging Gen Y now to build a future where human beings can live and work on the planet Mars. In addition to the messages themselves, advocates need to keep up with Gen Y' s social networking and use of iPods, cell phones, and the Internet. NASA and space advocacy groups can use these tools for "viral marketing," where young people share targeted space-related information via cell phones or the Internet because they like it. Overall, Gen Y is a socially dynamic and media-savvy group; advocates' space messages need to be sincere, creative, and placed in locations where Gen Y lives. Mars messages must be memorable!

Leahy, Bart D.↗