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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 559 records · Page 31
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2000

Effects of Prolonged Centrifugation on Orthostasis

A feasibility study conducted on the Ames 20-G Human Centrifuge examined how well humans can maintain orthostatic tolerance during and after prolonged exposures to hypergravity. Three adult males lived for periods of 22 hours in the centrifuge while it was at rest (1.00 G), and while it rotated at 9.38 RPM to provide 1.25 G-total at the mean radius of 7.62 m. Two participants also experienced 22-hour habitation sessions at 11.46 RPM, which provided 1.50 G-total. Both before and after each habitation session, the participants were given gradual onset rate (GOR) acceleration profiles at 0.067 G/sec to determine their Gz tolerance. In addition, cardiovascular responses were compared while subjects were supine, siting, and standing at various times during the habitation (stand test), and cardiovascular responsiveness was determined using a lower body negative pressure tilt table (LBNPTT) at the beginning of the experiment and after each session. Post-Pre changes in G tolerance were -0.33 (mean) +/- 0.11 (std. error) Gz for habitation at 1.00 G, -0.02 +/- 0.12 Gz for habitation at 1.25 G, and +0.41 +/- 0.13 Gz for habitation at 1.50 G. Performance on the stand test generally improved with duration of habitation in hypergravity. Our results suggest that habitation in a confined chamber at 1.00 G reduces G tolerance and leads to lowered LBNPTT tolerance. Exposure to increased G in the centrifuge leads to enhanced performance on the stand test, and to increased GOR acceleration tolerance, but only when fluid balance is maintained; when motion sickness and negative fluid balance were observed, G tolerance was reduced. The data indicate that enhanced G tolerance can result from prolonged exposure to hypergravity, but that these changes are complex and depend on multiple underlying physiological processes.

Cohen, Malcolm M..↗
NASA NTRS2004

Performance of Thermal Mass Flow Meters in a Variable Gravitational Environment

The performance of five thermal mass flow meters, MKS Instruments 179A and 258C, Unit Instruments UFM-8100, Sierra Instruments 830L, and Hastings Instruments HFM-200, were tested on the KC-135 Reduced Gravity Aircraft in orthogonal, coparallel, and counterparallel orientations relative to gravity. Data was taken throughout the parabolic trajectory where the g-level varied from 0.01 to 1.8 times normal gravity. Each meter was calibrated in normal gravity in the orthogonal position prior to flight followed by ground testing at seven different flow conditions to establish a baseline operation. During the tests, the actual flow rate was measured independently using choked-flow orifices. Gravitational acceleration and attitude had a unique effect on the performance of each meter. All meters operated within acceptable limits at all gravity levels in the calibrated orthogonal position. However, when operated in other orientations, the deviations from the reference flow became substantial for several of the flow meters. Data analysis indicated that the greatest source of error was the effect of orientation, followed by the gravity level. This work emphasized that when operating thermal flow meters in a variable gravity environment, it is critical to orient the meter in the same direction relative to gravity in which it was calibrated. Unfortunately, there was no test in normal gravity that could predict the performance of a meter in reduced gravity. When operating in reduced gravity, all meters indicated within 5 percent of the full scale reading at all flow conditions and orientations.

Brooker, John E.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV): Developing Flight Rationale for the Space Shuttle Program

Introducing composite vessels into the Space Shuttle Program represented a significant technical achievement. Each Orbiter vehicle contains 24 (nominally) Kevlar tanks for storage of pressurized helium (for propulsion) and nitrogen (for life support). The use of composite cylinders saved 752 pounds per Orbiter vehicle compared with all-metal tanks. The weight savings is significant considering each Shuttle flight can deliver 54,000 pounds of payload to the International Space Station. In the wake of the Columbia accident and the ensuing Return to Flight activities, the Space Shuttle Program, in 2005, re-examined COPV hardware certification. Incorporating COPV data that had been generated over the last 30 years and recognizing differences between initial Shuttle Program requirements and current operation, a new failure mode was identified, as composite stress rupture was deemed credible. The Orbiter Project undertook a comprehensive investigation to quantify and mitigate this risk. First, the engineering team considered and later deemed as unfeasible the option to replace existing all flight tanks. Second, operational improvements to flight procedures were instituted to reduce the flight risk and the danger to personnel. Third, an Orbiter reliability model was developed to quantify flight risk. Laser profilometry inspection of several flight COPVs identified deep (up to 20 mil) depressions on the tank interior. A comprehensive analysis was performed and it confirmed that these observed depressions were far less than the criterion which was established as necessary to lead to liner buckling. Existing fleet vessels were exonerated from this failure mechanism. Because full validation of the Orbiter Reliability Model was not possible given limited hardware resources, an Accelerated Stress Rupture Test of a flown flight vessel was performed to provide increased confidence. A Bayesian statistical approach was developed to evaluate possible test results with respect to the model credibility and thus flight rationale for continued operation of the Space Shuttle with existing flight hardware. A non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique utilizing Raman Spectroscopy was developed to directly measure the overwrap residual stress state. Preliminary results provide optimistic results that patterns of fluctuation in fiber elastic strains over the outside vessel surface could be directly correlated with increased fiber stress ratios and thus reduced reliability.

Kezirian, Michael T.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Propellant reorientation with off-axis accelerations

Reorientation of propellant within a tank is important to the design of many acquisition and vent systems. A drop tower test program was conducted to determine the influence of off-axis accelerations on the motion of the liquid. A series of 39 tests was performed with a spherical tank and a cylindrical tank with hemispherical end domes, varying tank orientation, liquid volume and the magnitude of the acceleration. It was shown that reorientation under the effect of a pure axial acceleration, which has been studied in prior test programs, is a special case. The lateral component of the acceleration caused the liquid to reorient along one side of the tank. The motion of the liquid appeared to be independent of the magnitude of the lateral acceleration for the range of values considered.

Tegart, J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Feasibility of an earth-to-space rail launcher system

The feasibility of earth-to-space electromagnetic (railgun) launchers (ESRL) is considered, in order to determine their technical practicality and economic viability. The potential applications of the launcher include nuclear waste disposal into space, deep space probe launches, and atmospheric research. Examples of performance requirements of the ESRL system are a maximum acceleration of 10,000 g's for nuclear waste disposal in space (NWDS) missions and 2,500 g's for earth orbital missions, a 20 km/sec launch velocity for NWDS missions, and a launch azimuth of 90 degrees E. A brief configuration description is given, and test results indicate that for the 2020-2050 time period, as much as 3.0 MT per day of bulk material could be launched, and about 0.5 MT per day of high-level nuclear waste could be launched. For earth orbital missions, a significant projectile mass was approximately 6.5 MT, and an integral distributed energy store launch system demonstrated a good potential performance. ESRL prove to be economically and environmentally feasible, but an operational ESRL of the proposed size is not considered achievable before the year 2020.

Rice, E. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Subsonic flight test evaluation of a performance seeking control algorithm on an F-15 airplane

The subsonic flight test evaluation phase of the NASA4 F-15 (powered by F100 engines) performance-seeking control program was completed for single-engine operation at part- and military-power settings. The subsonic performance-seeking control algorithm optimizes the quasi-steady-state performance of the propulsion system for three modes of operation: the minimum-fuel-flow mode, the minimum-temperature mode, and the maximum-thrust mode. Decreases in thrust-specific fuel consumption of 1 to 2 percent were measured in the minimum-fuel-flow mode; these fuel savings are significant especially for supersonic cruise aircraft. Decreases of up to approximately 100 R in fan turbine inlet temperature were measured in the minimum-temperature mode. Temperature reductions of this magnitude would more than double turbine life if inlet temperature was the only life factor. Measured thrust increases of up to approximately 15 percent in the maximum-thrust mode cause substantial increases in aircraft acceleration. The subsonic flight phase has validated the performance-seeking control technology which can significantly benefit the next generation of fighter and transport aircraft.

Gilyard, Glenn B.↗
NASA NTRS2018

C++ Resource Intelligent Compilation for GPU Enabled Applications

We are nearing the limits of Moore's Law with current computing technology. As industries push for more performance from smaller systems, alternate methods of computation such as Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) should be considered. Many of these systems utilize the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) to give programmers access to individual compute elements of the GPU for general purpose computing tasks. Direct access to the GPU's parallel multi-core architecture enables highly efficient computation and can drastically reduce the time required for complex algorithms or data analysis. Of course not all systems have a CUDA-enabled device to leverage, and so applications must consider optional support for users with these devices. Resource Intelligent Compilation (RIC) addresses this situation by enabling GPU-based acceleration of existing applications without affecting users without GPUs. Resource Intelligent Compilation (RIC) creates C/C++ modules that can be compiled to create a standard CPU version or GPU accelerated version of a program, depending on hardware availability. This is accomplished through a toolbox of programming strategies based on features of the CUDA API. Using this toolbox, existing applications can be modified with ease to support GPU acceleration, and new applications can be generated with just a few simple modifications. All of this culminates in an accelerated application for users with the appropriate hardware, with no performance impact to standard systems. This memorandum presents all the important features involved in supporting and implementing RIC and an example of using RIC to accelerate an existing mathematical model, without removing support for standard users. Through this memorandum, NASA engineers can acquire a set of guidelines to follow for RIC-compliant development, seamlessly accelerating C/C++ applications.

GPU↗
NASA NTRS1971

Performance of a neutralizer for electron bombardment thruster

Results of the SERT II flight indicate that the hollow cathode neutralizer not only represents a power and propellant weight penalty but can be a contributing cause to accelerator grid erosion. Tests with a 30-cm diameter thruster show that a neutralizer position of approximately 9 cm axially downstream of the accelerator grid and approximately 9 cm radially away from the outer edge of the accelerator grid and pointing parallel to the thruster axis provides the best overall performance. The estimated grid wear rate was less than 0.08 mm in 10,000 hours. The coupling voltage was approximately 17 volts at a neutralizer flow rate of 22 equivalent milliamperes of mercury and a beam current of 1.5 amperes. Neutralizer power was 31 watts and the effect of neutralizer flow on overall propellant utilization efficiency is a 1.2 percentage point reduction at a thruster utilization efficiency of 90 percent. The neutralizer position defined in tests with a 30 cm thruster was tested with a 15 cm SERT II thruster. When the neutralizer was relocated further downstream with this different orientation, accelerator impingement current due to neutralizer operation was reduced by approximately a factor of seven and was nearly independent of neutralizer operation.

Bechtel, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Performance Modeling of Urban Air Mobility Vehicles to Support Air Traffic Management Research

The recent emergence of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicles has resulted in a need for flight performance models that enable comprehensive simulation-based research on air traffic management topics such as route structure, scheduling, and separation standards. Successful performance modeling methods exist for a wide range of traditional aircraft designs. However, comparable modeling methods appropriate for UAM vehicles that combine fixed-wing and rotorcraft performance have not yet been established. One challenge to progress has been the lack of available data capturing the performance characteristics and unique flight profiles of these aircraft. This paper describes methods used to generate the required performance data and the development of performance models for UAM vehicles. Included is a review of the energy and power equations often used in developing performance models for traditional aircraft as well as a discussion of their applicability to UAM vehicles. The challenge of generating realistic performance data in over-actuated vehicles transitioning from hover to cruise flight is also addressed through an approach based on objective function optimization. A table-based performance model format adapted to UAM configurations is described, as well as parametric models intended to accompany the performance table to allow detailed modeling of power and fuel consumption during accelerated flight, turning flight, or flight at an arbitrary climb or descent rate. A discussion of future work is also provided, including the need for refinement of UAM performance modeling methods and formats, especially in conjunction with improvements to aerodynamic modeling of vehicles with complex designs where strong interaction effects may dominate important regions of the flight envelope.

Performance Modeling↗
NASA NTRS2023

Performance Modeling of Urban Air Mobility Vehicles to Support Air Traffic Management Research

The recent emergence of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicles has resulted in a need for flight performance models that enable comprehensive simulation-based research on air traffic management topics such as route structure, scheduling, and separation standards. Successful performance modeling methods exist for a wide range of traditional aircraft designs. However, comparable modeling methods appropriate for UAM vehicles that combine fixed-wing and rotorcraft performance have not yet been established. One challenge to progress has been the lack of available data capturing the performance characteristics and unique flight profiles of these aircraft. This paper describes methods used to generate the required performance data and the development of performance models for UAM vehicles. Included is a review of the energy and power equations often used in developing performance models for traditional aircraft as well as a discussion of their applicability to UAM vehicles. The challenge of generating realistic performance data in over-actuated vehicles transitioning from hover to cruise flight is also addressed through an approach based on objective function optimization. A table-based performance model format adapted to UAM configurations is described, as well as parametric models intended to accompany the performance table to allow detailed modeling of power and fuel consumption during accelerated flight, turning flight, or flight at an arbitrary climb or descent rate. A discussion of future work is also provided, including the need for refinement of UAM performance modeling methods and formats, especially in conjunction with improvements to aerodynamic modeling of vehicles with complex designs where strong interaction effects may dominate important regions of the flight envelope.

Performance Modeling↗
NASA NTRS1987

An analysis of a candidate control algorithm for a ride quality augmentation system

This paper presents a detailed analysis of a candidate algorithm for a ride quality augmentation system. The algorithm consists of a full-state feedback control law based on optimal control output weighting, estimators for angle of attack and sideslip, and a maneuvering algorithm. The control law is shown to perform well by both frequency and time domain analysis. The rms vertical acceleration is reduced by about 40 percent over the whole mission flight envelope. The estimators for the angle of attack and sideslip avoid the often inaccurate or costly direct measurement of those angles. The maneuvering algorithm will allow the augmented airplane to respond to pilot inputs. The design characteristics and performance are documented by the closed-loop eigenvalues; rms levels of vertical, lateral, and longitudinal acceleration; and representative time histories and frequency response.

Suikat, Reiner↗
NASA NTRS1984

Ion extraction capabilities of two-grid accelerator systems

An experimental investigation into the ion extraction capabilities of two-grid accelerator systems common to electrostatic ion thrusters is described. This work resulted in a large body of experimental data which facilitates the selection of the accelerator system geometries and operating parameters necessary to maximize the extracted ion current. Results suggest that the impingement-limited perveance is not dramatically affected by reductions in screen hole diameter to 0.5 mm. Impingement-limited performance is shown to depend most strongly on grid separation distance, accelerator hole diameter ratio, the discharge-to-total accelerating voltage ratio, and the net-to-total accelerating voltage ratio. Results obtained at small grid separation ratios suggest a new grid operating condition where high beam current per hole levels are achieved at a specified net accelerating voltage. It is shown that this operating condition is realized at an optimum ratio of net-to-total accelerating voltage ratio which is typically quite high. The apparatus developed for this study is also shown to be well suited measuring the electron backstreaming and electrical breakdown characteristics of two-grid accelerator systems.

Rovang, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Standard Practices for Usage of Inductive Magnetic Field Probes with Application to Electric Propulsion Testing

Inductive magnetic field probes (also known as B-dot probes and sometimes as B-probes or magnetic probes) are useful for performing measurements in electric space thrusters and various plasma accelerator applications where a time-varying magnetic field is present. Magnetic field probes have proven to be a mainstay in diagnosing plasma thrusters where changes occur rapidly with respect to time, providing the means to measure the magnetic fields produced by time-varying currents and even an indirect measure of the plasma current density through the application of Ampère's law. Examples of applications where this measurement technique has been employed include pulsed plasma thrusters and quasi-steady magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. The Electric Propulsion Technical Committee (EPTC) of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) was asked to assemble a Committee on Standards (CoS) for Electric Propulsion Testing. The assembled CoS was tasked with developing Standards and Recommended Practices for various diagnostic techniques used in the evaluation of plasma thrusters. These include measurements that can yield either global information related to a thruster and its performance or detailed, local data related to the specific physical processes occurring in the plasma. This paper presents a summary of the standard, describing the preferred methods for fabrication, calibration, and usage of inductive magnetic field probes for use in diagnosing plasma thrusters. Inductive magnetic field probes (also called B-dot probes throughout this document) are commonly used in electric propulsion (EP) research and testing to measure unsteady magnetic fields produced by time-varying currents. The B-dot probe is relatively simple in construction, and requires minimal cost, making it a low-cost technique that is readily accessible to most researchers. While relatively simple, the design of a B-dot probe is not trivial and there are many opportunities for errors in probe construction, calibration, and usage, and in the post-processing of data that is produced by the probe. There are typically several ways in which each of these steps can be approached, and different applications may require more or less vigorous attention to various issues.

Polzin, Kurt A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The effects of bed rest on crew performance during simulated shuttle reentry. Volume 1: Study overview and physiological results

A centrifuge study was carried out to measure physiological stress and control task performance during simulated space shuttle orbiter reentry. Jet pilots were tested with, and without, anti-g-suit protection. The pilots were exposed to simulated space shuttle reentry acceleration profiles before, and after, ten days of complete bed rest, which produced physiological deconditioning similar to that resulting from prolonged exposure to orbital zero g. Pilot performance in selected control tasks was determined during simulated reentry, and before and after each simulation. Physiological stress during reentry was determined by monitoring heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate. Study results indicate: (1) heart rate increased during the simulated reentry when no g protection was given, and remained at or below pre-bed rest values when g-suits were used; (2) pilots preferred the use of g-suits to muscular contraction for control of vision tunneling and grayout during reentry; (3) prolonged bed rest did not alter blood pressure or respiration rate during reentry, but the peak reentry acceleration level did; and (4) pilot performance was not affected by prolonged bed rest or simulated reentry.

Chambers, A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Applications of the massively parallel machine, the MasPar MP-1, to Earth sciences

The computational workload of upcoming NASA science missions, especially the ground data processing for the Earth Observing System, is projected to be quite large (in the 50 to 100 gigaFLOPS range) and corespondingly very expensive to perform using conventional supercomputer systems. High performance, general purpose massively parallel computer systems such as the MasPar MP-1 are being investigated by NASA as a more cost effective alternative. Massively parallel systems are targeted for accelerated development and maturation by NASA's upcoming five-year High Performance Computing and Communications Program. A summary of the broad range of applications currently running on the MP-1 at NASA/Goddard are presented in this paper along with descriptions of the parallel algorithmic techniques employed in five applications that have bearing on Earth sciences.

Fischer, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Performance of a neutralizer for electron bombardment thruster.

Results of the SERT II flight indicate that the hollow cathode neutralizer not only represents a power and propellant weight penalty but can be a contributing cause to accelerator grid erosion. Tests with a 30-cm diameter thruster have shown that a neutralizer position of approximately 9 cm axially downstream of the accelerator grid and approximately 9 cm radially away from the outer edge of the accelerator grid and pointing parallel to the thruster axis provides the best overall performance. The estimated grid wear rate was less than 0.08 mm in 10,000 hr. The coupling voltage (neutralizer to beam voltage) was approximately 17 volts at a neutralizer flow rate of 22 equivalent milliamperes of mercury and a beam current of 1.5 amperes. Neutralizer power (excluding heaters) was 31 watts and the effect of neutralizer flow on overall propellant utilization efficiency is a 1.2 percentage point reduction at a thruster utilization efficiency of 90 percent.

Bechtel, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Ion extraction capabilities of two-grid accelerator systems

An experimental investigation into the ion extraction capabilities of two-grid accelerator systems common to electrostatic ion thrusters is described. A large body of experimental data which facilitates the selection of the accelerator system geometries and operating parameters necessary to maximize the extracted ion current is presented. Results suggest that the impingement-limited perveance is not dramatically affected by reductions in screen hole diameter to 0.5 mm. Impingement-limited performance is shown to depend most strongly on grid separation distance, accelerator hole diameter ratio, the discharge-to-total accelerating voltage ratio, and the net-to-total accelerating voltage ratio. Results obtained at small grid separation ratios suggest a new grid operating condition where high beam current per hole levels are achieved at a specified net accelerating voltage. It is shown that this operating condition is realized at an optimum ratio of net-to-total accelerating voltage ratio which is typically quite high.

Rovang, D. C.↗