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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Development of Supervisory Control System for Thermal Energy Distribution System

The integrated energy system (IES) refers to the combination of nuclear energy generation with other energy sources to enable the efficiency and reliability of power generations. To create technologically viable and economically competitive systems, supervisory control strategies are critical for optimizing performance and ensuring stability across different energy generation, transportation, and utilization. This work focuses on the control strategies for the thermal energy distribution system (TEDS), which is a cornerstone of the Dynamic Energy Transport and Integration Laboratory at Idaho National Laboratory. TEDS currently relies on operators to coordinate across different components to manage energy storage and ensure efficiency. This work demonstrates the use of model predictive control (MPC) with surrogate models in determining optimal setpoints for major TEDS components. The capability of MPC-based supervisory control system is evaluated by autonomously matching the power outputs from a Dymola-based TEDS with target heat demands.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1989

Autonomous spacecraft attitude control using magnetic torquing only

Magnetic torquing of spacecraft has been an important mechanism for attitude control since the earliest satellites were launched. Typically a magnetic control system has been used for precession/nutation damping for gravity-gradient stabilized satellites, momentum dumping for systems equipped with reaction wheels, or momentum-axis pointing for spinning and momentum-biased spacecraft. Although within the small satellite community there has always been interest in expensive, light-weight, and low-power attitude control systems, completely magnetic control systems have not been used for autonomous three-axis stabilized spacecraft due to the large computational requirements involved. As increasingly more powerful microprocessors have become available, this has become less of an impediment. These facts have motivated consideration of the all-magnetic attitude control system presented here. The problem of controlling spacecraft attitude using only magnetic torquing is cast into the form of the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), resulting in a linear feedback control law. Since the geomagnetic field along a satellite trajectory is not constant, the system equations are time varying. As a result, the optimal feedback gains are time-varying. Orbit geometry is exploited to treat feedback gains as a function of position rather than time, making feasible the onboard solution of the optimal control problem. In simulations performed to date, the control laws have shown themselves to be fairly robust and a good candidate for an onboard attitude control system.

Musser, Keith L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Space power systems - 'Spacecraft 2000'

The program 'Spacecraft 2000' has the objective to identify critical, high-payoff, potential spacecraft technologies, taking into account the formulation, advocation, and the management of the requisite technology development programs. This program represents a joint NASA-industry program. The technology areas addressed by 'Spacecraft 2000' are related to spacecraft power/energy storage, thermal control/thermal management, power management and distribution, autonomous operation-control, on-board system integration, spacecraft environmental interactions, secondary propulsion, communications technologies, a total system response approach, and system-subsystem technology verification. The expected benefits of a development of advanced technologies include decreased spacecraft bus system weights, decreased mission costs, increased reliability/lifetimes, and increased operational flexibility.

Faymon, K. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Priority scheme planning for the robust SSM/PMAD testbed

Whenever mixing priorities of manually controlled resources with those of autonomously controlled resources, the space station module power management and distribution (SSM/PMAD) environment requires cooperating expert system interaction between the planning function and the priority manager. The elements and interactions of the SSM/PMAD planning and priority management functions are presented. Their adherence to cooperating for common achievement are described. In the SSM/PMAD testbed these actions are guided by having a system planning function, KANT, which has insight to the executing system and its automated database. First, the user must be given access to all information which may have an effect on the desired outcome. Second, the fault manager element, FRAMES, must be informed as to the change so that correct diagnoses and operations take place if and when faults occur. Third, some element must engage as mediator for selection of resources and actions to be added or removed at the user's request. This is performed by the priority manager, LPLMS. Lastly, the scheduling mechanism, MAESTRO, must provide future schedules adhering to the user modified resource base.

Elges, Michael R.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Adaptive Reinforcement Learning Control for Power Distribution in Multi-Output Resonant Converters

This paper presents an adaptive reinforcement learning (ARL)-based control framework for efficient power distribution in a multi-output resonant converter for UAV applications. The proposed system is based on a high-frequency isolated resonant architecture, where a single energy source supplies multiple propulsion loads through independently controlled output rectifiers, addressing the need for coordinated multi-motor power management. The ARL framework dynamically allocates output power by learning optimal phase-shift control actions under varying load demands and operating conditions. The agent autonomously determines control parameters that maximize conversion efficiency while ensuring accurate power sharing among multiple outputs. In addition, the proposed approach enables adaptive operation without requiring detailed system modeling or manual tuning. Experimental results demonstrate stable and efficient performance over a wide range of operating conditions, confirming the effectiveness and robustness of the learning-based control strategy for multi-output resonant converter system.

Asa, Erdem [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000190884812)↗
NASA NTRS1986

Electromechanical Turboprop-Pitch-Control Mechanism

Propeller-control system autonomous and tolerant of failure. Mounting electrical-power module and conditioning/control systems inboard rotating propeller hub eliminates failure-prone slipring devices and creates autonomous, failure-tolerant propeller-control system. Modular component design facilitates on-the-wing maintenance. System highly adaptive to various sizes and gearbox configurations. Features and capabilities described unmatched by any comparable PCM now in existence. These capabilities needed by large, fuel-efficient, commuter turboprop aircraft now being developed by aircraft industry.

Steinetz, B. M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Flight Computer Design for the Space Technology 5 (ST-5) Mission

As part of NASA's New Millennium Program, the Space Technology 5 mission will validate a variety of technologies for nano-satellite and constellation mission applications. Included are: a miniaturized and low power X-band transponder, a constellation communication and navigation transceiver, a cold gas micro-thruster, two different variable emittance (thermal) controllers, flex cables for solar array power collection, autonomous groundbased constellation management tools, and a new CMOS ultra low-power, radiation-tolerant, +0.5 volt logic technology. The ST-5 focus is on small and low-power. A single-processor, multi-function flight computer will implement direct digital and analog interfaces to all of the other spacecraft subsystems and components. There will not be a distributed data system that uses a standardized serial bus such as MIL-STD-1553 or MIL-STD-1773. The flight software running on the single processor will be responsible for all real-time processing associated with: guidance, navigation and control, command and data handling (C&DH) including uplink/downlink, power switching and battery charge management, science data analysis and storage, intra-constellation communications, and housekeeping data collection and logging. As a nanosatellite trail-blazer for future constellations of up to 100 separate space vehicles, ST-5 will demonstrate a compact (single board), low power (5.5 watts) solution to the data acquisition, control, communications, processing and storage requirements that have traditionally required an entire network of separate circuit boards and/or avionics boxes. In addition to the New Millennium technologies, other major spacecraft subsystems include the power system electronics, a lithium-ion battery, triple-junction solar cell arrays, a science-grade magnetometer, a miniature spinning sun sensor, and a propulsion system.

Speer, David↗
NASA NTRS1999

Design and Testing of a Breadboard Electrical Power Control Unit for the Fluid Combustion Facility Experiment

The Fluid Combustion Facility (FCF) Project and the Power Technology Division at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) at Lewis Field in Cleveland, OH along with the Sundstrand Corporation in Rockford, IL are jointly developing an Electrical Power Converter Unit (EPCU) for the Fluid Combustion Facility to be flown on the International Space Station (ISS). The FCF facility experiment contains three racks: A core rack, a combustion rack, and a fluids rack. The EPCU will be used as the power interface to the ISS 120V(sub dc) power distribution system by each FCF experiment rack which requires 28V(sub dc). The EPCU is a modular design which contains three 120V(sub dc)-to-28V(sub dc) full-bridge, power converters rated at 1 kW(sub e) each bus transferring input relays and solid-state, current-limiting input switches, 48 current-limiting, solid-state, output switches; and control and telemetry hardware. The EPCU has all controls required to autonomously share load demand between the power feeds and--if absolutely necessary--shed loads. The EPCU, which maximizes the usage of allocated ISS power and minimizes loss of power to loads, can be paralleled with other EPCUs. This paper overviews the electrical design and operating characteristics of the EPCU and presents test data from the breadboard design.

Kimnach, Greg L.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Evolution of the Hubble Space Telescope Safing Systems

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched on April 24 1990, with an expected lifespan of 15 years. Central to the spacecraft design was the concept of a series of on-orbit shuttle servicing missions permitting astronauts to replace failed equipment, update the scientific instruments and keep the HST at the forefront of astronomical discoveries. One key to the success of the Hubble mission has been the robust Safing systems designed to monitor the performance of the observatory and to react to keep the spacecraft safe in the event of equipment anomaly. The spacecraft Safing System consists of a range of software tests in the primary flight computer that evaluate the performance of mission critical hardware, safe modes that are activated when the primary control mode is deemed inadequate for protecting the vehicle, and special actions that the computer can take to autonomously reconfigure critical hardware. The HST Safing System was structured to autonomously detect electrical power system, data management system, and pointing control system malfunctions and to configure the vehicle to ensure safe operation without ground intervention for up to 72 hours. There is also a dedicated safe mode computer that constantly monitors a keep-alive signal from the primary computer. If this signal stops, the safe mode computer shuts down the primary computer and takes over control of the vehicle, putting it into a safe, low-power configuration. The HST Safing system has continued to evolve as equipment has aged, as new hardware has been installed on the vehicle, and as the operation modes have matured during the mission. Along with the continual refinement of the limits used in the safing tests, several new tests have been added to the monitoring system, and new safe modes have been added to the flight software. This paper will focus on the evolution of the HST Safing System and Safing tests, and the importance of this evolution to prolonging the science operations of the telescope.

Pepe, Joyce↗
NASA NTRS1992

Autonomous power system brassboard

The Autonomous Power System (APS) brassboard is a 20 kHz power distribution system which has been developed at NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio. The brassboard exists to provide a realistic hardware platform capable of testing artificially intelligent (AI) software. The brassboard's power circuit topology is based upon a Power Distribution Control Unit (PDCU), which is a subset of an advanced development 20 kHz electrical power system (EPS) testbed, originally designed for Space Station Freedom (SSF). The APS program is designed to demonstrate the application of intelligent software as a fault detection, isolation, and recovery methodology for space power systems. This report discusses both the hardware and software elements used to construct the present configuration of the brassboard. The brassboard power components are described. These include the solid-state switches (herein referred to as switchgear), transformers, sources, and loads. Closely linked to this power portion of the brassboard is the first level of embedded control. Hardware used to implement this control and its associated software is discussed. An Ada software program, developed by Lewis Research Center's Space Station Freedom Directorate for their 20 kHz testbed, is used to control the brassboard's switchgear, as well as monitor key brassboard parameters through sensors located within these switches. The Ada code is downloaded from a PC/AT, and is resident within the 8086 microprocessor-based embedded controllers. The PC/AT is also used for smart terminal emulation, capable of controlling the switchgear as well as displaying data from them. Intelligent control is provided through use of a T1 Explorer and the Autonomous Power Expert (APEX) LISP software. Real-time load scheduling is implemented through use of a 'C' program-based scheduling engine. The methods of communication between these computers and the brassboard are explored. In order to evaluate the features of both the brassboard hardware and intelligent controlling software, fault circuits have been developed and integrated as part of the brassboard. A description of these fault circuits and their function is included. The brassboard has become an extremely useful test facility, promoting artificial intelligence (AI) applications for power distribution systems. However, there are elements of the brassboard which could be enhanced, thus improving system performance. Modifications and enhancements to improve the brassboard's operation are discussed.

Merolla, Anthony↗
DOE OSTI2024

Towards Agentic AI on Particle Accelerators

As particle accelerators grow in complexity, traditional control methods face increasing challenges in achieving optimal performance. This paper envisions a paradigm shift: a decentralized multi-agent framework for accelerator control, powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) and distributed among autonomous agents. We present a proposition of a self-improving decentralized system where intelligent agents handle high-level tasks and communication and each agent is specialized control individual accelerator components. This approach raises some questions: What are the future applications of AI in particle accelerators? How can we implement an autonomous complex system such as a particle accelerator where agents gradually improve through experience and human feedback? What are the implications of integrating a human-in-the-loop component for labeling operational data and providing expert guidance? We show two examples, where we demonstrate viability of such architecture.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS2008

An Autonomous Sensor System Architecture for Active Flow and Noise Control Feedback

Multi-channel sensor fusion represents a powerful technique to simply and efficiently extract information from complex phenomena. While the technique has traditionally been used for military target tracking and situational awareness, a study has been successfully completed that demonstrates that sensor fusion can be applied equally well to aerodynamic applications. A prototype autonomous hardware processor was successfully designed and used to detect in real-time the two-dimensional flow reattachment location generated by a simple separated-flow wind tunnel model. The success of this demonstration illustrates the feasibility of using autonomous sensor processing architectures to enhance flow control feedback signal generation.

Humphreys, William M, Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Investigation and Feasibility Assessment of TOPAZ-2 Derivations for Space Power Applications

The ability to provide continuous power at significant levels is of utmost importance for many space missions, from simple satellite operations to manned Mars missions. One of the main problems faced in delivering solar or chemical space power in the tens of kW range, is the increasingly massive nature of the power source and the costs associated with its launch, operation and maintenance. A national program had been initiated to study the feasibility of using certain advanced technologies in developing an efficient lightweight space power source. The starting point for these studies has been the Russian TOPAZ-2 space reactor system, with the ultimate goal to aid in the development of a TOPAZ-2 derivative which will be ready for flight by the year 2000. The main objective of this project has been to perform feasibility assessment and trade studies which would allow the development of an advanced space nuclear power system based on the in-core thermionic fuel element technology currently used in the Russian TOPAZ-2 reactor. Two of the important considerations in developing the concept are: (1) compliance of the current TOPAZ-2 and of any advanced designs with U.S. nuclear safety expectations, and (2) compliance of the design with the seven years lifetime requirement. The project was composed of two major phases. The initial phase of the project has concentrated on understanding the TOPAZ-2 thermionic reactor in sufficient detail to allow several follow-on tasks. The primary interest during this first phase has been given on identifying the potential of the TOPAZ-2 design for further improvements. The second phase of the project has focused on the feasibility of a TOPAZ-2 system capable of delivering 30-50 kWe. Towards the elimination of single-point failures in the load voltage regulation system an active voltage regulator has been designed to be used in conjunction with the available shunt load voltage regulator. The possible use of a dual-loop, model-based adaptive control system for load-following in the TOPAZ-2 has also been investigated. The objective of this fault-tolerant, autonomous control system is to deliver the demanded electric power at the desired voltage level, by appropriately manipulating the neutron power through the control drums. As a result, sufficient thermal power is produced to meet the required demand in the presence of dynamically changing system operating conditions and potential sensor failures. The designed controller is proposed for use in combination with the currently available shunt regulators, or as a back-up controller when other means of power system control, including some of the sensors, fail.

Parlos, Alexander G.↗
NASA NTRS2015

On-Orbit Autonomous Assembly from Nanosatellites

The On-Orbit Autonomous Assembly from Nanosatellites (OAAN) project will demonstrate autonomous control algorithms for rendezvous and docking maneuvers; low-power reconfigurable magnetic docking technology; and compact, lightweight and inexpensive precision relative navigation using carrier-phase differential (CD) GPS with a three-degree of freedom ground demonstration. CDGPS is a specific relative position determination method that measures the phase of the GPS carrier wave to yield relative position data accurate to.4 inch (1 centimeter). CDGPS is a technology commonly found in the surveying industry. The development and demonstration of these technologies will fill a current gap in the availability of proven autonomous rendezvous and docking systems for small satellites.

Precision relative navigation↗
NASA NTRS1992

Scheduling lessons learned from the Autonomous Power System

The Autonomous Power System (APS) project at NASA LeRC is designed to demonstrate the applications of integrated intelligent diagnosis, control, and scheduling techniques to space power distribution systems. The project consists of three elements: the Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) for Fault Diagnosis, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR); the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler (AIPS) to efficiently assign activities start times and resources; and power hardware (Brassboard) to emulate a space-based power system. The AIPS scheduler was tested within the APS system. This scheduler is able to efficiently assign available power to the requesting activities and share this information with other software agents within the APS system in order to implement the generated schedule. The AIPS scheduler is also able to cooperatively recover from fault situations by rescheduling the affected loads on the Brassboard in conjunction with the APEX FDIR system. AIPS served as a learning tool and an initial scheduling testbed for the integration of FDIR and automated scheduling systems. Many lessons were learned from the AIPS scheduler and are now being integrated into a new scheduler called SCRAP (Scheduler for Continuous Resource Allocation and Planning). This paper will service three purposes: an overview of the AIPS implementation, lessons learned from the AIPS scheduler, and a brief section on how these lessons are being applied to the new SCRAP scheduler.

Ringer, Mark J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Preliminary Operational Results of the TDRSS Onboard Navigation System (TONS) for the Terra Mission

The Earth Observing System Terra spacecraft was launched on December 18, 1999, to provide data for the characterization of the terrestrial and oceanic surfaces, clouds, radiation, aerosols, and radiative balance. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Onboard Navigation System (ONS) (TONS) flying on Terra provides the spacecraft with an operational real-time navigation solution. TONS is a passive system that makes judicious use of Terra's communication and computer subsystems. An objective of the ONS developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Guidance, Navigation and Control Center is to provide autonomous navigation with minimal power, weight, and volume impact on the user spacecraft. TONS relies on extracting tracking measurements onboard from a TDRSS forward-link communication signal and processing these measurements in an onboard extended Kalman filter to estimate Terra's current state. Terra is the first NASA low Earth orbiting mission to fly autonomous navigation which produces accurate results. The science orbital accuracy requirements for Terra are 150 meters (m) (3sigma) per axis with a goal of 5m (1 sigma) RSS which TONS is expected to meet. The TONS solutions are telemetered in real-time to the mission scientists along with their science data for immediate processing. Once set in the operational mode, TONS eliminates the need for ground orbit determination and allows for a smooth flow from the spacecraft telemetry to planning products for the mission team. This paper will present the preliminary results of the operational TONS solution available from Terra.

Gramling, Cheryl↗
NASA NTRS2002

Bioinspired engineering of exploration systems for NASA and DoD

A new approach called bioinspired engineering of exploration systems (BEES) and its value for solving pressing NASA and DoD needs are described. Insects (for example honeybees and dragonflies) cope remarkably well with their world, despite possessing a brain containing less than 0.01% as many neurons as the human brain. Although most insects have immobile eyes with fixed focus optics and lack stereo vision, they use a number of ingenious, computationally simple strategies for perceiving their world in three dimensions and navigating successfully within it. We are distilling selected insect-inspired strategies to obtain novel solutions for navigation, hazard avoidance, altitude hold, stable flight, terrain following, and gentle deployment of payload. Such functionality provides potential solutions for future autonomous robotic space and planetary explorers. A BEES approach to developing lightweight low-power autonomous flight systems should be useful for flight control of such biomorphic flyers for both NASA and DoD needs. Recent biological studies of mammalian retinas confirm that representations of multiple features of the visual world are systematically parsed and processed in parallel. Features are mapped to a stack of cellular strata within the retina. Each of these representations can be efficiently modeled in semiconductor cellular nonlinear network (CNN) chips. We describe recent breakthroughs in exploring the feasibility of the unique blending of insect strategies of navigation with mammalian visual search, pattern recognition, and image understanding into hybrid biomorphic flyers for future planetary and terrestrial applications. We describe a few future mission scenarios for Mars exploration, uniquely enabled by these newly developed biomorphic flyers.

Space Flight↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lessons learned from the Autonomous Power System

The Autonomous Power System (APS) project at the NASA Lewis Research Center is designed to demonstrate the applications of integrated intelligent diagnosis, control and scheduling techniques to space power distribution systems. The project consists of three elements: the Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) for Fault Diagnosis, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR); the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler (AIPS) to efficiently assign activities start times and resources; and power hardware (Brassboard) to emulate a space-based power system. The APS project had been through one design iteration. Each of the three elements of the APS project has been designed, tested, and integrated into a complete working system. After these three portions were completed, an evaluation period was initiated. Each piece of the system was critiqued based on individual performance as well as the ability to interact with the other portions of the APS project. These critiques were then used to determine guidelines for new and improved components of the APS system.

Ringer, Mark J.↗