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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 NTRS1991

Perspectives on high temperature superconducting electronics

The major challenges in making high temperature superconducting (HTSC) electronics viable are predominantly materials problems. Unlike their predecessors, the metal oxide-based superconductors are integratable with other advanced technologies such as opto-electronics and micro-electronics. The materials problems to be addressed relate to the epitaxial growth of high quality films, highly oriented films on non-lattice matched substrates, heterostructures with atomically sharp interfaces of junctions and other novel devices, and the processing of these films with negligible deterioration of the superconducting properties. These issues are illustrated with results based on films prepared in-situ by a pulsed laser deposition process. Films with zero-transition temperatures of 90 K and critical current densities of 5 x 10(exp 6) A/sq cm at 77 K have been prepared by this technique. Ultra-thin films, less than 100 A show T(sub c) is greater than 80 K, supporting the idea of two-dimensional transport in these materials. By the use of appropriate buffer layers, films with T(sub c) of 87 K and J(sub c) of 6 x 10(exp 4) A/sq cm were fabricated on silicon substrates. Submicron structures with J(sub c) is greater than 2 x 10(exp 7) at 10 K were fabricated. Results on nonlinear switching elements, IR detectors, and microwave studies will be briefly summarized.

Venkatesan, T.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Air Cooling for High Temperature Power Electronics (Presentation)

Current emphasis on developing high-temperature power electronics, including wide-bandgap materials such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride, increases the opportunity for a completely air-cooled inverter at higher powers. This removes the liquid cooling system for the inverter, saving weight and volume on the liquid-to-air heat exchanger, coolant lines, pumps, and coolant, replacing them with just a fan and air supply ducting. We investigate the potential for an air-cooled heat exchanger from a component and systems-level approach to meet specific power and power density targets. A proposed baseline air-cooled heat exchanger design that does not meet those targets was optimized using a parametric computational fluid dynamics analysis, examining the effects of heat exchanger geometry and device location, fixing the device heat dissipation and maximum junction temperature. The CFD results were extrapolated to a full inverter, including casing, capacitor, bus bar, gate driver, and control board component weights and volumes. Surrogate ducting was tested to understand the pressure drop and subsequent system parasitic load. Geometries that met targets with acceptable loads on the system were down-selected for experimentation. Nine baseline configuration modules dissipated the target heat dissipation, but fell below specific power and power density targets. Six optimized configuration modules dissipated the target heat load, exceeding the specific power and power density targets. By maintaining the same 175 degrees C maximum junction temperature, an optimized heat exchanger design and higher device heat fluxes allowed a reduction in the number of modules required, increasing specific power and power density while still maintaining the inverter power.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
NASA NTRS1993

Power management and distribution technology

Power management and distribution (PMAD) technology is discussed in the context of developing working systems for a piloted Mars nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle. The discussion is presented in vugraph form. The following topics are covered: applications and systems definitions; high performance components; the Civilian Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) high capacity power program; fiber optic sensors for power diagnostics; high temperature power electronics; 200 C baseplate electronics; high temperature component characterization; a high temperature coaxial transformer; and a silicon carbide mosfet.

Dickman, John Ellis↗
DOE OSTI2019

Assessment of SiC-CMC compatibility with components of actinide fuel systems

Silicon carbide (SiC) fiber reinforced SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMC) represent an alternative cladding material for accident tolerant fuel light water reactor (LWR) applications, however, data and technology gaps exist that need to be understood before SiC-CMCs can be considered. One technology gap is the understanding of fuel-clad chemical interactions (FCCI) in SiC-CMC clad LWR systems. A review of SiC interactions with relevant elements to the LWR fuel system is discussed. Insights are drawn from research focusing on the use of SiC for high temperature electronics applications and high temperature structural materials applications as well as insights from tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel development, where SiC is a critical component of the TRISO design. The interactions discussed in this review are framed relative to the expected conditions for SiC-CMC cladding application. Furthermore, the general observation is that limited risk of FCCI exists under normal operating conditions for SiC-CMC cladding systems in LWR applications.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2015

InAlN high electron mobility transistor Ti/Al/Ni/Au Ohmic contact optimisation assisted by in-situ high temperature transmission electron microscopy

This paper correlates the micro-structural and electrical characteristics associated with annealing of metallic multi-layers typically used in the formation of Ohmic contacts to InAlN high electron mobility transistors. The multi-layers comprised Ti/Al/Ni/Au and were annealed via rapid thermal processing at temperatures up to 925 °C with electrical current-voltage analysis establishing the onset of Ohmic (linear IV) behaviour at 750–800 °C. In-situ temperature dependent transmission electron microscopy established that metallic diffusion and inter-mixing were initiated near a temperature of 500 °C. Around 800 °C, inter-diffusion of the metal and semiconductor (nitride) was observed, correlating with the onset of Ohmic electrical behaviour. The sheet resistance associated with the InAlN/AlN/GaN interface is highly sensitive to the anneal temperature, with the range depending on the Ti layer thickness. The relationship between contact resistivity and measurement temperature follow that predicted by thermionic field emission for contacts annealed below 850 °C, but deviated above this due to excessive metal-semiconductor inter-diffusion.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger for High-Temperature Power Electronics: Preprint

This work demonstrates a direct air-cooled heat exchanger strategy for high-temperature power electronic devices with an application specific to automotive traction drive inverters. We present experimental heat dissipation and system pressure curves versus flow rate for baseline and optimized sub-module assemblies containing two ceramic resistance heaters that provide device heat fluxes. The maximum allowable junction temperature was set to 175 deg.C. Results were extrapolated to the inverter scale and combined with balance-of-inverter components to estimate inverter power density and specific power. The results exceeded the goal of 12 kW/L and 12 kW/kg for power density and specific power, respectively.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2022

A MEMS Gyroscope for Reliable Long Duration Measurement While Drilling at 300°C

The 300°C Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope project aims to contribute to DOE’s goal of increased geothermal drilling efficiency by 2025 through the development of a 300°C MEMS gyroscope for Measurement While Drilling (MWD). At the conclusion of the 2-year project, the team will develop a 300°C capable MEMS gyroscope containing GE’s patented Multi-Ring Gyroscope Transducer (MRGT) design, custom Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) based frontend and feedback control electronics, and with demonstrated functionality and lifetime beyond 1000 hours. The project is divided into two budget periods with Go/No-Go decision at the end of the first budget period. The goal for the first budget period is to establish the feasibility of the MRGT and electronics design for meeting the 300°C performance requirements. The goal for the second budget period is to integrate the MRGT with the SOI-based application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and demonstrate capability to operate at 300°C for 1000 hours. In Budget Period 1 we met the phase 1 goal. We successfully validated the combined MRG, electronics and packaging capability entitlement to achieving 0.5 degrees azimuth uncertainty while enabling operation at significantly higher temperatures than the state-of-the-art. In Budget Period 2, we successfully completed the integration of the MRGT and ASIC with associated high temperature, high reliability packaging to demonstrate the performance and functionality of the integrated gyroscope across the temperature range from room temperature to at 300°C. Furthermore, the team demonstrated operating life of >1,000 hours at 300°C, thus providing a validation of application-relevant lifetime capability.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1987

Properties of low-energy electron precipitation in the cleft during periods of unusually high ambient electron temperatures

A recently developed automated fitting procedure for Dynamics Explorer 2 electron energy spectra represents each auroral electron spectrum as a superposition of several Maxwellian and several Gaussian components. The fitting parameters give a digital representation which uniquely describes each spectrum. It is shown that unusually high ambient electron temperatures (of the order of 10,000 K) in the cleft are strongly correlated with the intensity parameters of the lowest-temperature Maxwellian components of the precipitation. The collisional heat input into the ambient electrons by these Maxwellian components of the precipitation fluxes is shown to be more than an order of magnitude higher in the high-temperature storm time cases than it is in a control set of 'normal temperature' quiet time cases. The heating effect of the solar flux is shown to be nearly the same for both sets of cases. As a result it is concluded that electron precipitation is the chief mechanism responsible for those high ambient temperatures.

Fontheim, Ernest G.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Analysis based on global model of nitrogen plasma produced by pulsed microwave at low pressure

This paper analyzes certain evolution processes in nitrogen plasmas discharged using pulsed microwaves at low pressure. Comparing the results obtained from the global model incorporating diffusion and the microwave transmission method, the temporal variation of the electron density is analyzed. With a discharge pressure of 300 Pa, the results obtained from experiments and the global model calculation show that when the discharge begins the electron density in the plasma rises quickly, to a level above the critical density corresponding to the discharge microwave frequency, but falls slowly when the discharge microwave pulse is turned off. The results from the global model also show that the electron temperature increases rapidly to a peak, then decays after the electron density reaches the critical density, and finally decreases quickly to room temperature when the discharge microwave pulse is turned off. In the global model, the electron density increases because the high electron temperature induces a high ionization rate. The decay of the electron density mainly comes from diffusion effect.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sub-Degree-Per-Hour MEMS Gyroscope for Measurement While Drilling at 300°C

The orientation module of MWD tool offers the critical drill bit orientation information, including azimuth, inclination and toolface in order to control the path of wellbore. Although high end navigation grade gyroscope can meet the accuracy requirement for azimuth finding, the requirements of cost, size and reliability under harsh environment have largely limited the deployment of gyroscopes in MWD tools. To overcome these constraints, GE Research has developed a low cost, MEMS based Multi-Ring Gyroscope (MRG) capable of azimuth-seeking in MWD applications at 300°C. The MRG prototype has been demonstrated to achieve angular random walk (ARW) better than 0.003 deg/rt(hr) and bias instability of 0.01 deg/hr, capable of meeting azimuth finding accuracy better than 0.25 deg. It has further been tested to remain fully operational at 300 °C.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2023

SMD Technology Highlights

Three technology highlights from the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics Division, Biological and Physical Sciences Division, and Planetary Science Division are featured: a) A new class of X-ray detector with unprecedented energy resolution and array size could help transform our understanding of the cosmos through unparalleled vision into the otherwise invisible universe. b) An autonomous microfluidic culturing system with CubeSat heritage is teaming up with two state-of-the-art radiation detectors to measure how biology responds to the radiation and reduced gravity environment on the lunar surface. c) Several core technologies developed via the Hot Operating Temperature Technology (HOTTech) Program were recently tested in the Glenn Extreme Environment Rig (GEER), which simulates the conditions on the surface of Venus.

yeast↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electron Correlation and High-Temperature Superconductivity

Strong electron correlation plays a central role in the high-temperature superconductivity (HTSC) of cuprates. However, to date, research has focused only on its role in spin dynamics and related effects, even though it is becoming increasingly clear that spin alone may not be sufficient to create HTSC. Here, we discuss a possible role of electron correlation in the Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) of Cooper pairs. Recently, we succeeded in observing dynamic electron correlation via inelastic X-ray scattering through results presented in real space. We discovered that electron correlations are strongly modified in the plasmon, proving that electron dynamics significantly affect electron correlation. Earlier, we found that in 4 He, the atom–atom distance in the BE condensate is 10% longer than that in the non-condensate. These results suggest the possibility that the reduction in electron-repulsion energy upon BEC is driving T c to high values. Thus, electron correlation itself could be the origin of the HTSC phenomenon.

Bose–Einstein condensation↗
DOE OSTI2023

Gallium Oxide Heterojunction Diodes for 400 °C High‐Temperature Applications

β ‐Ga 2 O 3 ‐based semiconductor devices are expected to have significantly improved high‐power and high‐temperature performance due to its ultrawide bandgap of close to 5 eV. However, the high‐temperature operation of these ultrawide‐bandgap devices is usually limited by the relatively low 1–2 eV built‐in potential at the Schottky barrier with most high‐work‐function metals. Herein, heterojunction p ‐NiO/n‐ β ‐Ga 2 O 3 diodes fabrication and optimization for high‐temperature device applications are reported, demonstrating a current rectification ratio ( I ON / I OFF ) of more than 10 6 at 410 °C. The NiO heterojunction diode can achieve higher turn‐on ( V ON ) voltage and lower reverse leakage current compared to the Ni‐based Schottky diode fabricated on the same single‐crystal β ‐Ga 2 O 3 substrate, despite charge transport dominated by interfacial recombination. Electrical characterization and device modeling show that these advantages are due to a higher built‐in potential and additional band offset. These results suggest that heterojunction p–n diodes based on β ‐Ga 2 O 3 can significantly improve high‐temperature electronic device and sensor performance.

Sohel, Shahadat H.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Mid-Latitude Ionospheric Disturbances Due to Geomagnetic Storms at ISS Altitudes

Spacecraft charging of the International Space Station (ISS) is dominated by interaction of the US high voltage solar arrays with the F2-region ionosphere plasma environment. ISS solar array charging is enhanced in a high electron density environment due to the increased thermal electron currents to the edges of the solar cells. High electron temperature environments suppress charging due to formation of barrier potentials on the charged solar cell cover glass that restrict the charging currents to the cell edge [Mandell et al., 2003]. Environments responsible for strong solar array charging are therefore characterized by high electron densities and low electron temperatures. In support of the ISS space environmental effects engineering community, we are working to understand a number of features of solar array charging and to determine how well future charging behavior can be predicted from in-situ plasma density and temperature measurements. One aspect of this work is a need to characterize the magnitude of electron density and temperature variations that occur at ISS orbital altitudes (approximately 400 km) over time scales of days, the latitudes over which significant variations occur, and the time periods over which the disturbances persist once they start. This presentation provides examples of mid-latitude electron density and temperature disturbances at altitudes relevant to ISS using data sets and tools developed for our ISS plasma environment study. "Mid-latitude" is defined as the extra-tropical region between approx. 30 degrees to approx. 60 degrees magnetic latitude sampled by ISS over its 51.6 degree inclination orbit. We focus on geomagnetic storm periods because storms are well known drivers for disturbances in the ionospheric plasma environment.

Minow, Joseph I.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Distributed Control Architecture for Gas Turbine Engine

The transformation of engine control systems from centralized to distributed architecture is both necessary and enabling for future aeropropulsion applications. The continued growth of adaptive control applications and the trend to smaller, light weight cores is a counter influence on the weight and volume of control system hardware. A distributed engine control system using high temperature electronics and open systems communications will reverse the growing trend of control system weight ratio to total engine weight and also be a major factor in decreasing overall cost of ownership for aeropropulsion systems. The implementation of distributed engine control is not without significant challenges. There are the needs for high temperature electronics, development of simple, robust communications, and power supply for the on-board electronics.

Dennis Culley↗