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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 NTRS1990

Lunar orbiting microwave beam power system

A microwave-beam power system using lunar orbiting solar-powered satellite(s) and surface rectenna(s) is investigated as a possible energy source for the moon's surface. The concept has the potential of achieving reduced system mass by placing the power source in orbit. This can greatly reduce and/or eliminate the 14-d energy storage requirement of a lunar surface solar system. Also, propellants required to de-orbit to the surface are greatly reduced. To determine the practicality of the concept and the most important factors, a zeroth-order feasibility analysis is performed. Three different operation scenarios employing state of the art technology and forecasts for two different sets of advanced technologies are investigated. To reduce the complexity of the problem, satellite(s) are assumed to be in circular equatorial orbits around the moon, supplying continuous power to a single equatorial base through a fixed horizontal rectenna on the surface. State of the art technology yields specific masses greater than 2500 kg/kw, well above projections for surface systems. The specific masses are on the order of 100 kg/kW using advanced technologies, which is within the range of projections for surface nuclear (20 kg/kW) and solar systems (500 kg/kW). Further studies examining optimization of the scenarios, other technologies, such as laser transmitters and nuclear sources, and operational issues, such as logistics, maintenance, and support, are being carried out to support the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) to the moon and Mars.

Fay, Edgar H.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Modeling of high efficiency solar cells under laser pulse for power beaming applications

Solar cells have been used to convert sunlight to electrical energy for many years and also offer great potential for non-solar energy conversion applications. Their greatly improved performance under monochromatic light compared to sunlight, makes them suitable as photovoltaic (PV) receivers in laser power beaming applications. Laser beamed power to a PV array receiver could provide power to satellites, an orbital transfer vehicle, or a lunar base. Gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP) solar cells have calculated efficiencies of more than 50 percent under continuous illumination at the optimum wavelength. Currently high power free-electron lasers are being developed which operate in pulsed conditions. Understanding cell behavior under a laser pulse is important in the selection of the solar cell material and the laser. An experiment by NAsA lewis and JPL at the AVLIS laser facility in Livermore, CA presented experimental data on cell performance under pulsed laser illumination. Reference 5 contains an overview of technical issues concerning the use of solar cells for laser power conversion, written before the experiments were performed. As the experimental results showed, the actual effects of pulsed operation are more complicated. Reference 6 discusses simulations of the output of GaAs concentrator solar cells under pulsed laser illumination. The present paper continues this work, and compares the output of Si and GaAs solar cells.

Jain, Raj K.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Advantages of ground-to-space laser power beaming

NASA's current research activities to evaluate laser power beaming systems are reviewed. Applications of such systems are considered, including communications satellites, radar and direct broadcast satellites, space transfer vehicles lunar base operations and exploration, and optical technologies. The current laser power beaming program within the NASA Headquarters Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology is addressed.

Rather, John D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A mass sensitivity analysis of lunar orbiting beam power systems

At NASA Lewis Research Center, the feasibility of beaming power from orbiting satellites to the surface of the moon was studied. Reference microwave and laser beam power concepts were found to be 1/3 to 1/6 the mass of surface solar systems. Further analysis was performed to determine the sensitivity of the reference concepts to technology performance levels and mission architecture scenarios, such as beaming to multiple surface sites and lunar rovers. Previous studies concluded that frequencies above 35 GHz for the microwave systems were not critical for reducing the main base mass; however, when multiple sites and rovers are considered, this may become necessary. In addition, for the laser system, the pointing accuracy of the satellites becomes a critical factor for rover applications. These issues and other important results of the parametric studies, are discussed.

Stavnes, Mark W.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Photovoltaic receivers for laser beamed power in space

There has recently been a resurgence of interest in the use of beamed power to support space exploration activities. One of the most promising beamed power concepts uses a laser beam to transmit power to a remote photovoltaic array. Large lasers can be located on cloud-free sites at one or more ground locations and illuminate solar arrays to a level sufficient to provide operating power. Issues involved in providing photovoltaic receivers for such applications are discussed.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Photovoltaic receivers for laser beamed power in space

There has recently been a resurgence of interest in the use of beamed power to support space exploration activities. One of the most promising beamed power concepts uses a laser beam to transmit power to a remote photovoltaic array. Large lasers can be located on cloud-free sites at one or more ground locations and illuminate solar arrays to a level sufficient to provide operating power. Issues involved in providing photovoltaic receivers for such applications are discussed.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

An analysis of power beaming for the Moon and Mars

Operations on the surface of the Moon and Mars will depend on a reliable source of electrical power. At NASA Lewis Research Center, the feasibility of powering lunar and Martian surface sites by power beaming was studied. Constellations of nuclear or solar powered satellites using microwave or laser transmitters were designed to power an equatorial surface base. Additional surface assets, such as rovers, can also be powered from the same orbiting satellites, requiring only the additional mass of a receiver. However, the actual mass and power capabilities of the system are dependent on the location of the surface receiver. The masses of the beam power systems can be reduced by up to 50 percent, by using the power source of an electric propulsion vehicle to power the beam system. The important analyses results and any additional issues that remain unresolved are discussed.

Stavnes, Mark W.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Beam power scale-up in micro-electromechanical systems based multi-beam ion accelerators

We report on the development of multi-beam RF linear ion accelerators that are formed from stacks of low cost wafers and describe the status of beam power scale-up using an array of 120 beams. The total argon ion current extracted from the 120-beamlet extraction column was 0.5 mA. The measured energy gain in each RF gap reached as high as 7.25 keV. We present a path of using this technology to achieve ion currents >1 mA and ion energies >100 keV for applications in materials processing.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1989

History and status of beamed power technology and applications at 2.45 Gigahertz

Various applications of beamed power technology are discussed. An experimental microwave powered helicopter, rectenna technology, the use of the Solar Power Satellite to beam energy to Earth via microwaves, the use of cyclotron resonance devices, microwave powered airships, and electric propulsion are discussed.

Brown, William C.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Proton beam power limits for stationary water-cooled tungsten target with different cladding materials

The proton beam power limit for a solid-tungsten spallation target is largely determined by beam induced thermomechanical structural loads and decay heat power deposition, while its lifetime is limited by radiation damage and fatigue life of the target materials. In this paper, we studied the power limits of a stationary water-cooled solid tungsten target concept. Tantalum clad tungsten was considered as a reference case. Being a low activation material, zircaloy 2 cladding option was studied and its decay heat driven power limit was compared with the reference case. Zirconium alloys have proven operations records in spallation target and nuclear fission environments, supported by materials data obtained from post irradiation examinations. Recent study also demonstrated feasibility of diffusion bonding zirconium to tungsten using vanadium foil inter layer. Particle transport simulations code FLUKA was used to calculate energy deposition and decay heat power deposition in the target, based on the beam parameters technically feasible at the Second Target Station of the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The energy deposition data were used for flow, thermal, and structural analyses to determine the beam intensity limit on the target concept studied. The decay heat deposition data were used to calculate the transient temperature evolution in the tungsten volumes in a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) scenario to determine its beam power limit. For a 1.3 GeV proton beam, the power limit on a stationary target was 400 kW for a tantalum clad target model and 800 kW for a zircaloy 2 clad target model.

Lee, Yong Joong↗
NASA NTRS1995

Ground-Based and Space-Based Laser Beam Power Applications

A space power system based on laser beam power is sized to reduce mass, increase operational capabilities, and reduce complexity. The advantages of laser systems over solar-based systems are compared as a function of application. Power produced from the conversion of a laser beam that has been generated on the Earth's surface and beamed into cislunar space resulted in decreased round-trip time for Earth satellite electric propulsion tugs and a substantial landed mass savings for a lunar surface mission. The mass of a space-based laser system (generator in space and receiver near user) that beams down to an extraterrestrial airplane, orbiting spacecraft, surface outpost, or rover is calculated and compared to a solar system. In general, the advantage of low mass for these space-based laser systems is limited to high solar eclipse time missions at distances inside Jupiter. The power system mass is less in a continuously moving Mars rover or surface outpost using space-based laser technology than in a comparable solar-based power system, but only during dust storm conditions. Even at large distances for the Sun, the user-site portion of a space-based laser power system (e.g., the laser receiver component) is substantially less massive than a solar-based system with requisite on-board electrochemical energy storage.

Bozek, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Ionospheric power beam studies

A power density level of 23 mW/sq cm is presented as a design specification based on theoretical calculations of a threshold for microwave ionosphere nonlinear interaction (thermal runaway). For comparable power densities, enhanced electron heating is observed to change the electron temperature by a factor of two or three, but not by an order of magnitude.

Duncan, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Comparisons of selected laser beam power missions to conventionally powered missions

Earth-based laser sites beaming laser power to space assets have shown benefits over competing power system concepts for specific missions. Missions analyzed in this report that show benefits of laser beam power are low Earth orbit (LEO) to geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) transfer, LEO to low lunar orbit (LLO) cargo missions, and lunar-base power. Both laser- and solar-powered orbit-transfer vehicles (OTV's) make a 'tug' concept viable, which substantially reduces cumulative initial mass to LEO in comparison to chemical propulsion concepts. Lunar cargo missions utilizing laser electric propulsion from Earth-orbit to LLO show substantial mass saving to LEO over chemical propulsion systems. Lunar-base power system options were compared on a landed-mass basis. Photovoltaics with regenerative fuel cells, reactor-based systems, and laser-based systems were sized to meet a generic lunar-base power profile. A laser-based system begins to show landed mass benefits over reactor-based systems when proposed production facilities on the Moon require power levels greater than approximately 300 kWe. Benefit/cost ratios of laser power systems for an OTV, both to GEO and LLO, and for a lunar base were calculated to be greater than 1.

Bozek, John M.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Calibration of the analog beam-signal hardware for the credited engineered beam power limit system at the Proton Power Upgrade Project at the Spallation Neutron Source

A programmable signal processor-based credited safety control that calculates pulsed beam power based on beam kinetic energy and charge was designed as part of the Proton Power Upgrade (PPU) project at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). The system must reliably shut off the beam if the average power exceeds 2.145 MW averaging over 60 seconds. System calibration requires pedigree in measurements, calibration setup, and calculations. This paper discusses the calibration of the analog beam signal components up to and including the Analog Digital Convertors (ADCs) for implementation into the Safety Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs).

Bobrek, Miljko↗
NASA NTRS1980

Laser power beaming for rocket propulsion and airbreathing propulsion

The developing technology of laser power beaming is introduced, and two systems are used as examples of the capabilities of the laser for beamed energy. In the first system, the potential of the laser to power flight systems ranging from hypersonic air-breathing launch vehicles to commercial jet transports is examined. Attention is given to the possibility of an air-breathing propulsion which offers the promise of a global air transportation network independent of kerosene and powered by solar energy. In addition, consideration is given to a new type of rocket propulsion based on the laser's ability to concentrate coherent laser energy to high power densities. Focused laser beams would heat the propellants directly to produce specific impulses approaching ion and MHD rocket levels, and would do so without the burden of a heavy electrical power supply.

Hertzberg, A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

GaAs solar cells for laser power beaming

Efforts to develop GaAs solar cells for coupling to laser beams in the wavelength range of 800 to 840 nm are described. This work was motivated primarily by interests in space-tp-space power beaming applications. In particular, the Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories is conducting studies of the utilization of power beaming for several future space missions. Modeling calculations of GaAs cell performance were carried out using PC-1D to determine an appropriate design for a p/n cell structure. Epitaxial wafers were grown by MOCVD and cells fabricated at WSU Tri-Cities. Under simulated conditions, an efficiency of 53 percent was achieved for a cell coupled to 806 nm light at 400 mW/sq cm.

Olsen, Larry C.↗
NASA NTRS2011

High Intensity Laser Power Beaming Architecture for Space and Terrestrial Missions

High Intensity Laser Power Beaming (HILPB) has been developed as a technique to achieve Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) for both space and terrestrial applications. In this paper, the system architecture and hardware results for a terrestrial application of HILPB are presented. These results demonstrate continuous conversion of high intensity optical energy at near-IR wavelengths directly to electrical energy at output power levels as high as 6.24 W from the single cell 0.8 cm2 aperture receiver. These results are scalable, and may be realized by implementing receiver arraying and utilizing higher power source lasers. This type of system would enable long range optical refueling of electric platforms, such as MUAV s, airships, robotic exploration missions and provide power to spacecraft platforms which may utilize it to drive electric means of propulsion.

Nayfeh, Taysir↗