Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Computer-Aided Process Planning”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

1,070 records · Page 39
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

NASA Microgravity Combustion Science Program

Combustion is a key element of many critical technologies used by contemporary society. For example, electric power production, home heating, surface and air transportation, space propulsion, and materials synthesis all utilize combustion as a source of energy. Yet, although combustion technology is vital to our standard of living, it poses great challenges to maintaining a habitable environment. For example, pollutants, atmospheric change and global warming, unwanted fires and explosions, and the incineration of hazardous wastes are major problem areas which would benefit from improved understanding of combustion. Effects of gravitational forces impede combustion studies more than most other areas of science since combustion involves production of high-temperature gases whose low density results in buoyant motion, vastly complicating the execution and interpretation of experiments. Effects of buoyancy are so ubiquitous that their enormous negative impact on the rational development of combustion science is generally not recognized. Buoyant motion also triggers the onset of turbulence, yielding complicating unsteady effects. Finally, gravity forces cause particles and drops to settle, inhibiting deconvoluted studies of heterogeneous flames important to furnace, incineration and power generation technologies. Thus, effects of buoyancy have seriously limited our capabilities to carry out 'clean' experiments needed for fundamental understanding of flame phenomena. Combustion scientists can use microgravity to simplify the study of many combustion processes, allowing fresh insights into important problems via a deeper understanding of elemental phenomena also found in Earth-based combustion processes and to additionally provide valuable information concerning how fires behave in microgravity and how fire safety on spacecraft can be enhanced.

Merrill K King↗
DOE OSTI2026

Activating magnetite ores for aqueous ironmaking at high current densities

Low-temperature electrochemical cells reducing iron oxides to metal in alkaline electrolytes can support fully electrified steelmaking processes. Previous studies on these cells have primarily focused on high-surface-area hematite, Fe 2 O 3 , reactants whereas attempts to reduce suspensions of magnetite, Fe 3 O 4 —one of the two feedstocks for existing ironmaking reactors—have generally been limited to low rates of reaction (<30 mA cm −2 ). Here, in this study, we control the crystalline domain size of Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 particles in 10 M NaOH electrolytes to study how the nanoscale morphology of oxides controls the rate of electrochemical ironmaking. Rotating-ring disk electrode measurements of Fe 2+ , in situ Raman spectroscopy of the electrode surface, and ex situ electron microscopy were consistent with a hypothesized passivation process at Fe 3 O 4 surfaces that may prevent the continuous formation of soluble intermediates. Sufficiently small (<100 nm diameter) oxide particles yielded Fe partial current densities >160 mA cm −2 , a fivefold increase relative to previously reported rates for Fe 3 O 4 suspensions and comparable to active Fe 2 O 3 . Electron microscopy revealed that electrodeposited films were composed of micron-scale crystalline Fe domains with a porous film of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and supports a model where Fe is grown primarily from soluble Fe 2+ intermediates. Based on these insights, inactive blast-furnace-grade iron-oxides were transformed into high surface area nanoparticles (1.6 to 229.2 m 2 g −1 ) via reprecipitation, leading to a ninefold enhancement in faradaic efficiency and an Fe partial current density of 120 mA cm −2 . When integrated with chlor-iron cells producing reagents for reprecipitation, this approach could lead to a cost-competitive process for electrochemical ironmaking from industrially relevant feedstocks.

TEM↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigating the Combustion Performance of Dual Fuel Combustion with Diesel and Port Injected Hydrogen in a Large Bore Locomotive Engine

The heavy-duty transportation sector has primarily relied on conventional diesel combustion engines given their reliability and high thermal efficiency relative to spark ignition engines, but increased focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions has led to investigation into alternative fuels. Gaseous hydrogen fuel has garnered a great deal of recent interest in the engine community given it has zero carbon, but hydrogen is not available at the scale and cost that petroleum fuels are currently available, and this is a barrier to adoption for industries that are looking to decarbonize their operations. Because of the fuel flexibility provided, dual fuel technology offers a pathway for some industries to adopt hydrogen as a fuel source while maintaining sufficient flexibility in times and locations where the new fuel is not yet available. This computational study investigates dual fuel combustion in a large bore locomotive engine architecture using direct injected diesel and port injected gaseous hydrogen fuel. With an optimal port fuel injection configuration from previous work, simulations of varying substitution ratio, compression ratio, manifold air temperature, diesel injection timing, and diesel injection pressure were performed to understand their effect on combustion performance. Results indicated that both increased substitution ratio and higher intake air temperature accelerates hydrogen flame propagation and can result in high peak cylinder pressures. Additionally, diesel injection timing and injection pressure were demonstrated as effective methods for controlling dual fuel combustion heat release rates.

ODonnell, Patrick Christopher↗
NASA NTRS2026

Fatigue Life of Flow-Formed Aluminum 2195 and 6061 Alloys

The successful design and fabrication of metallic cryotanks for commercial aviation applications require lightweight, durable materials capable of withstanding high pressures and cryogenic temperatures through tens of thousands of thermomechanical refueling cycles. Flow forming is an advanced manufacturing technique that offers high-rate production and scalability for fabricating integrally stiffened cylinders suitable for cryotank applications. This work establishes the durability of flow-formed aluminum alloys by characterizing their fatigue life performance under conditions that mimic cryotank refueling cycles. Residual stresses in flow-formed aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) 2195-T6 cylinders were assessed using the contour method and found to be minimal. Fatigue life testing was conducted on flow-formed Al-Li 2195-T6 at room temperature and cryogenic temperatures (-321°F [-196°C]), with wrought Al-Li 2195-T6 serving as a baseline for comparison. Results showed that flow-formed materials exhibited fatigue performance comparable to or better than wrought materials, with no statistically significant differences observed between different specimen orientations relative to processing directions. Fractography revealed reduced delaminations in the flow-formed Al-Li 2195 samples as compared to wrought, indicating potential improvement to the microstructure that could result in improved service properties. Texture analysis using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) indicated recrystallization during heat treatment, potentially contributing to reduced delamination susceptibility. These findings demonstrating flow-formed material durability coupled with the high manufacturing efficiency of flow forming, makes flow forming an attractive process to produce aircraft cryotanks.

EBF3↗
NASA NTRS2005

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI, Part 2

Topics covered include: Ringwoodite-olivine assemblages in Dhofar L6 melt veins; Amorphization of forsterite grains due to high energy heavy ion irradiation: Implications for grain processing in ISM; Validation of AUTODYN in replicating large-scale planetary impact events; A network of geophysical observatories for mars; Modelling catastrophic floods on the surface of mars; Impact into coarse grained spheres; The diderot meteorite: The second chassignite; Galileo global color mosaics of Io; Ganymede's sulci on global and regional scales; and The cold traps near the south pole of the moon.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2024

Synthesis and investigation into explosive sensitivity for a series of new picramide explosives

Tailoring the molecular properties that govern energetic material sensitivity is essential to improve safety and help develop new energetic materials. Despite this need, understanding the complex chemistry and physics of explosive initiation and propagation is still a challenge. Recent work by our group has reinforced the view that explosive sensitivity under sub-shock conditions is connected to the strength of the weakest covalent bond in the molecule, that is, its “trigger linkage.” These correlations have been observed with different classes of energetic molecules and indicate that “trigger linkage” bond breaking, and heat of explosion are good indicators for the sensitivity trends. Herein we report the synthesis of aliphatic energetic materials with ethane, propane and neopentane backbones. Experimental and computational studies show that the trigger linkage model, based on results from quantum molecular dynamics simulations, correctly predicts trends observed in the impact sensitivity of the molecules. However, while the model predicts the impact sensitivities of the ethane series, the neopentane series has higher impact sensitivities than predicted, which is presumably influenced by crystal packing effects.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS2005

Chapter 12 - Flight Envelope

The term "flight envelope" is used to refer to the boundaries of aircraft loading and flight conditions within which operation of the aircraft is satisfactory, and beyond which some aspect becomes unacceptable. This flight envelope represents, in fact, the limiting conditions arising from a matrix of inter-related flight envelopes covering the appropriate variables. Thus, for each loading (i.e., external stores configuration and its associated range of weight and center of gravity (c.g.) position) and aircraft configuration (i.e., position of undercarriage (u/c), flaps, slats, etc.), the envelopes of airspeed versus altitude, airspeed versus load factor, angle of attack versus angle of sideslip, etc., must be investigated to establish the limits within which all aspects such as handling qualities, engine behavior, structural loads, etc., remain acceptable. Flight testing of new or derivative aircraft models is carried out with the initial purpose of defining a flight envelope which is, first and foremost, safe and secondarily, which enables the effective use of the vehicle for its intended purpose. Flight testing occurs only after numerous reviews of the design and review of results from ground tests and predictions of flight characteristics in such areas as structures, aerodynamics, stability and control, flight controls (particularly fly-by-wire control systems, propulsion, etc.). Accordingly, opening and expanding the envelope is a task that must be approached cautiously, systematically, and with coordination and cooperation of the many disciplines involved in the design and test of an airplane. (Sections 8 and 10 cover test planning and safety of flight considerations, respectively). The fundamental tenet in establishing a flight envelope via flight test is risk reduction. This is reflected in the typical sequence of events leading to initial flight test - design reviews (both hardware and software), then ground test involving singular disciplines (windtunnel tests for aerodynamics, structurally loading the wing/fuselage/nacelle on a ground test article with loads anticipated to occur in flight, flight control system control law checkout, propulsion test cell runs and/or flying test bed tests, etc.), and then ground tests involving multi-disciplines (See Section 9). Only after these have been accomplished will an initial, limited, low-risk, flight envelope be established. The limited envelope will typically be in the middle of the projected final flight envelope. Subsequent flight tests will then be devoted to expanding the initial envelope by operating the airplane at increasing ranges - representing increasing risk - of engine operation, airspeeds both fast and slow, altitude, load factor both above and below 1g, centers of gravity (fore and aft), and with system/subsystem failures. Whether flight tests are to define a flight envelope on a new model airplane with the attendant new airframe, new engine(s), and new subsystems (hydraulics, pressurization, etc.), or on an airplane involving only a few of these areas such as new engines in an old airframe, the fundamental approach to establishing an envelope is the same.

H Walgemoed↗
DOE OSTI2026

Characterization of NBCMA—A DAPO Precursor

As part of our investigation into the process optimization of 2,6-diaminopyrazine-1-oxide (DAPO), small-scale sensitivity testing (impact, friction, and ESD) was conducted on the precursor, N-nitroso-bis(cyanomethyl)amine (NBCMA). NBCMA exhibited moderate sensitivity to friction, whereas no sensitivity to impact or spark was observed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Purpose, Design, and Analysis of the NSTX-U Centerstack Casing Lateral Support Shims

The National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) centerstack casing surrounds the central magnet core of NSTXU. It provides the inner vacuum boundary of the plasma chamber and supports the radially inboard plasma facing components lining the plasma chamber. The casing is supported like a cantilever, fixed at the lower flange by a connection to the TF Bundle through a G-10 ring. It is flexibly supported at the top by bellows, and insulated shims intended to react the largest part of the inventory of the disruption loads at the upper support, thereby protecting the upper and lower connections from excessive loads. A large part of the qualification of the casing and tiles requires addressing and quantifying disruption loads. These have been estimated based on extensions of the behavior of NSTX during its run period roughly 15 years ago. Structural qualification of the Upgrade used these estimates of the loading as input to calculations to demonstrate adequacy for a “most probable” disruption. The estimates are included in a requirements document to guide conservative design of all components loaded by disruptions. However, the changes made for the upgrade made the extrapolation of disruption behavior uncertain. Disruptions include axisymmetric loading from axisymmetric currents induced in the vessel shells. In addition, more complex currents called Halo currents are a result of plasma poloidal currents impinging on the casing. The halo currents add another layer of uncertain behavior and net lateral loading to the casing. As a result, NSTX-U is equipped with a number of instruments intended to assess the nature and severity of disruptions. The casing shims are required for lateral support of the casing, but these have also been converted to load cells to provide another measure of the magnitude of symmetric and asymmetric loading. Some of the logic in the development of the requirements document are presented. Electromagnetic analysis of axisymmetric and halo loading is described. Global simulations of the casing transient dynamic response, and local analysis and testing of the shim/load cell are included. The shim load cells and other instrumentation will be an important guide in planning NSTX-U experiments beyond its next run period expected in late 2026 or early 2027.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Characterizing and modeling the mechanical behavior of an anion exchange membrane for carbon capture applications

A new direct air capture (DAC) technology uses a moisture swing (MS) process with anion exchange membranes, potentially offering a more energy-efficient way to remove CO₂ from the air. In this MS process, the membrane absorbs CO₂ as it dries and releases it when water is added. Understanding the mechanical behavior of these membranes is essential for improving the design and efficiency of DAC systems and prolonging sorbent lifetime. This study tested one anion exchange membrane, Fumasep’s FAA-3, under mechanical loading and various temperature and humidity conditions to measure its swelling, stiffness, strength, plastic deformation, and stress relaxation. Experimental results were used to identify a mechanical model for FAA-3 that can be used to predict the material’s nonlinear viscous behavior under various loads and environments. Unlike prior studies that assumed linear elastic behavior, this work incorporates humidity-dependent swelling, thermal expansion, and nonlinear viscoelasticity of FAA-3 in both the experiments and the model.

Direct air capture↗
NASA NTRS2026

Hermal Evolution of Volatile-Rich Planetesimals: Implications for Lithological Diversity in Ryugu and CI Chondrites

Ryugu samples and CI chondrites record aqueous alteration processes in primitive, volatile-rich planetesimals and exhibit a wide range of lithologies defined by mineral assemblages and alteration degrees as proposed to be types I–VI in [4]. The similarity in lithological diversity and proportions between Ryugu and CIs suggests that they originated from parent bodies with comparable internal structures and thermal histories. However, the mechanism responsible for generating such lithological diversity within a single parent body remains unclear.

S Yamazaki↗
DOE OSTI2024

Probing room temperature indirect and minimum direct band gaps of h-BN

Abstract Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has attracted considerable interest as an ultrawide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor. Experimental studies focused on the detailed near band-edge structure of h-BN at room temperature are still lacking. We report a direct experimental measurement of the near band-edge structure performed on h-BN quasi-bulk wafers via photocurrent excitation spectroscopy (PES). PES resolved the band-to-band transitions near M- and K-points in the Brillion zone (BZ), from which the room temperature indirect band gap of E g M K ∼6.02 eV, minimum direct bandgap at M-point of E g M = 6.36 eV and next lowest direct energy bandgap at K-point of E g K = 6.56 eV , have been simultaneously determined for the first time experimentally. The measured energy differences between K- and M-points in the conduction band minimum (CBM) and valence band maximum (VBM) are Δ E C M K = 0.54 eV and Δ E V M K = 0.34 eV, respectively, in good agreement with the calculation results. Significantly differing from its III-nitride wurtzite counterparts, in which only electrons and holes in the conduction and valence band extremes at the Γ-point are predominantly involved in the optical and transport processes, the results highlighted that charge carriers associated with both M- and K-valleys control to the optical excitation, recombination and charge transport processes in h-BN.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Novel additive manufacturing for plasma facing materials ‐ creating a research pathway for minority students

This project addresses two critical and intertwined challenges in fusion energy, namely the shortage of a broadly trained scientific workforce and the lack of scalable manufacturing solutions for plasma-facing components (PFCs). Through a collaboration among Florida International University (FIU), Miami Dade College (MDC), and Purdue University, the project established structured, reproducible educational and research pathways that recruit and advance students from institutions historically outside the fusion energy enterprise, building the human capital that this field urgently needs. The project integrates the complementary research strengths of FIU and Purdue to investigate flash sintering as a transformative processing route for tungsten-based PFCs. Unlike conventional sintering approaches, flash sintering offers rapid densification at significantly reduced thermal budgets, making it a compelling candidate for fabricating complex tungsten geometries that must withstand extreme plasma-facing environments. Systematic experimental and modeling efforts will elucidate the fundamental mechanisms governing microstructure evolution, grain boundary chemistry, and thermomechanical response during flash sintering — knowledge that is presently lacking but essential for translating this technology into reliable manufacturing practice. The convergence of workforce development and cutting-edge manufacturing research positions this project to deliver measurable, durable impact: a pipeline of fusion-ready researchers cultivated through expanded institutional partnerships, and a validated materials processing framework that accelerates domestic readiness for next-generation fusion reactor construction.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Role of Amorphous Chains in Nanoplastic Formation from Semicrystalline Polymers

Semicrystalline polymers, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), release micro- (100 nm to 1 mm) and nanoplastics (up to 100 nm) [MNPL] when they are degraded under quiescent conditions. However, the exact molecular mechanisms leading to material fragmentation into MNPL are unknown. Here, we monitor the evolution of chain molecular weight and the MNPL production kinetics during hydrolysis of PET pellets. We find that only ~0.6% of the amorphous phase ester bonds are hydrolyzed at the onset of MNPL release. Then, by combining a random scission model with measured amorphous spacings, we estimate that only ~15% of the stress transmitters in the amorphous phase, namely, bridges and entangled loops, have failed by this point. Thus, spontaneous fragmentation of the semicrystalline nanostructure occurs despite significant intercrystalline connectivity. We resolve this apparent contradiction by proposing that fragmentation can only occur when progressive tie-chain scission causes the material to undergo the ductile/brittle transition. Mechanistically, we speculate that the internal stresses responsible for material fragmentation are caused by processing (i.e., residual stresses) and/or sample densification induced by chemi-crystallization. We discuss additional factors that may affect our analysis and thus require further investigation, such as skin-core effects, preferential degradation of stress transmitters and/or recrystallization processes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1997

NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program Update

The objectives of NASA's Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Program is to: develop, maintain and provide tools for the validation and assessment of aerospace battery technologies; accelerate the readiness of technology advances and provide infusion paths for emerging technologies; provide NASA projects with the required database and validation guidelines for technology selection of hardware and processes relating to aerospace batteries; disseminate validation and assessment tools, quality assurance, reliability, and availability information to the NASA and aerospace battery communities; and ensure that safe, reliable batteries are available for NASA's future missions.

Manzo, Michelle↗
DOE OSTI2025

Bi‐Continuous W‐Rich Refractory High Entropy Alloy‐Cu Composite: Toward Material Innovation of Nuclear Reactor Coolant System

Abstract Refractory high‐entropy alloys (RHEAs) are considered promising candidate materials for next‐generation nuclear reactors due to their superior mechanical strength, irradiation resistance, and thermal stability at high temperatures. However, the significant positive heat of mixing between refractory alloying elements and Cu, commonly used in cooling systems, poses challenges in forming composite structures. This study addresses the issue using a liquid metal dealloying (LMD) process. A precursor alloy (WTaVTi) with a directional dendrite‐interdendrite structure is fabricated and reacted with molten Cu at 1200 °C for 96 h. This approach produced a RHEA‐Cu composite with a stable interface between RHEA (W 31.5 Ta 30.9 V 21.4 Ti 14.3 ) and Cu, featuring a spontaneously formed W‐rich interlayer that enhances interfacial bonding. The composite showed excellent irradiation resistance, with 30% less swelling under α‐ion irradiation than pure W. It also exhibited low thermal conductivity at room temperature, but reached ≈120 W m −1 ·K −1 at ≈650 °C, surpassing pure W. This temperature‐dependent rise in κ, with a positive gradient of +0.075 W m −1 ·K − 2 , is attributed to decreasing diffuse mismatch at elevated temperatures. The large‐scale reaction and stable microstructure achieved through LMD process highlight its industrial potential. This work offers a strategy for developing high‐performance materials by combining RHEA's radiation resistance with Cu's thermal conductivity for extreme environments.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2026

Activation dynamics of a water-soluble human mu-opioid receptor

The mu-opioid receptor (MOR), a class A G protein-coupled receptor mediates opioid analgesia and remains a central target for pain therapeutics. While crystal structures of MOR exist, they provide limited insight into the receptor’s dynamic conformational landscape underlying function. Here, we engineered a thermostable water-soluble MOR variant (wsMOR) that retains native-like ligand-binding and activation dynamics. This variant enables high-yield production and detailed solution-phase structural studies that are challenging with membrane-embedded MOR, providing a valuable tool for studying receptor activation and aqueous-phase drug screening. Using a combined computational and experimental approach, we performed long-timescale all-atom molecular dynamics simulations together with neutron scattering and single-molecule FRET, revealing a structurally stable receptor with a diverse ensemble of conformations at different temporal resolutions. In the ligand-free state, wsMOR displayed high conformational flexibility, which decreased upon agonist binding, particularly in transmembrane helix 6, a hallmark of G protein-coupled receptor activation. Positive allosteric modulation and G protein binding further stabilized active-like states. These findings highlight wsMOR’s conformational plasticity across picosecond to millisecond timescales and provide a foundation for structure-guided development of next-generation opioid ligands with improved efficacy and safety.

E, Agyemang [University of Tennessee Knoxville]↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA POWER: Providing Analysis-Ready, Cloud-Optimized Data for AI /ML Training and Applications in Earth Science

As global demand for sustainable development grows, the integration of Earth Observation (EO) data into decision making frameworks has become a primary objective for the scientific community. The NASA Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) project serves as a bridge between NASA EO data and the specialized needs of the renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure and agroclimatology communities. In this poster presentation we will present an overview of POWER data products and services along with its use in diverse research to decision-making workflows. By providing over 40 years of high-resolution historical, hourly and daily solar and meteorological data, POWER transforms satellite observations and global model reanalysis into actionable, Analysis-Ready Dataset (ARD). Currently, the project delivers over 250 industry-friendly parameters to the users from different NASA datasets like CERES SYN1Deg, MERRA-2, and IMERG alongside downscaled CMIP6 climate model data, fulfilling over 16 million requests from 50,000 unique users monthly. To ensure data quality and traceability, these parameters are rigorously validated against the ground-based observations from the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) and the Global Surface Summary of the Day (GSOD) – these results will be discussed in the presentation. A newly introduced web-based PaRameter Uncertainty ViEwer (PRUVE) tool will be presented that provides an online validation platform to the users that benchmarks satellite-based and assimilation data products against these surface measurements. To reduce technical barriers to data adoption, POWER data is accessible through RESTful APIs, ESRI ArcGIS Image Services, a web-based Data Access Viewer tool, allowing users to visualize, validate and apply the dataset. For efficient data delivery POWER data is cloud-optimized into Zarr datastore accessible through NASA managed Amazon S3 ensures high-performance allowing users to integrate EO directly into operational pipelines. These customized services will be presented. Use cases from application will be presented from the energy sector - such as for design of generation systems, performance monitoring of solar power plants, in infrastructure sector- optimizing building energy efficiency and thermal comfort, in agriculture – such as driving crop simulation and yield forecasting models to enable climate resilient farming. Furthermore, the shift toward machine learning (ML) in EO research that has positioned POWER as a key provider for training datasets which will be discussed. Use-cases will be presented to showcase how NASA data is enabling the development of predictive tools for climate variability and resource management. The poster will present POWER’s future plans including technology development to enhance data traceability and reproducibility and improving I/O performance to support the rapid integration of new EO products, ensuring that POWER remains a robust scalable backend for the evolving landscape of AI-driven Earth Science. Additionally, POWER is developing an AI Agent and an MCP-Server to enable industry AI-Agentic workflows.

Neha Khadka↗