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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
NASA NTRS1978

EFG solar modules

Six photovoltaic modules using solar cells fabricated from silicon ribbons were assembled and delivered to JPL. Each module was comprised of four separate submodules which were parallel connected. The submodules contained 45 EFG cells which were series interconnected by a shingle or overlapping design. The inherent rectangular shape of the cells allowed a high packing factor to be achieved. The average efficiency of the six modules, corrected to AM1 at 28 C was 8.7%, which indicates that the average encapsulated cell efficiency was 10.0%.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1985

The role of amplitude-to-phase conversion in the generation of oscillator flicker phase noise

The role of amplitude-to-phase conversion as a factor in feedback oscillator flicker phase noise is examined. A limiting stage consisting of parallel-connected opposite polarity diodes operating in a circuit environment contining reactance is shown to exhibit amplitude-to-phase conversion. This mechanism coupled with resistive upconversion provides an indirect route for very low frequency flicker noise to be transferred into the phase of an oscillator signal. It is concluded that this effect is more significant in the lower frequency regimes where the onlinear reactances associated with active devices are overwhelmed by linear reactive elements.

Hearn, C. P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Low-Inductance Wiring For Parallel Switching Transistors

Simple configuration for wiring of multiple parallel-connected switching transistors minimizes stray wiring inductance while providing for use of balancing transformers, which equalize currents in transistors. Currents balanced on twisted pairs of wires. Because twisted pairs carry both "hot-side" and return currents, this configuration has relatively low inductance.

Veatch, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Steady-state and dynamic characteristics of a 20-kHz spacecraft power system - Control of harmonic resonance

A detailed computer simulation was used to illustrate the steady-state and dynamic operating characteristics of a 20-kHz resonant spacecraft power system. The simulated system consists of a parallel-connected set of DC-inductor resonant inverters (drivers), a 440-V cable, a node transformer, a 220-V cable, and a transformer-rectifier-filter (TRF) AC-to-DC receiver load. Also included in the system are a 1-kW 0.8-pf RL load and a double-LC filter connected at the receiving end of the 20-kHz AC system. The detailed computer simulation was used to illustrate the normal steady-state operating characteristics and the dynamic system performance following, for example, TRF startup. It is shown that without any filtering the given system exhibits harmonic resonances due to an interaction between the switching of the source and/or load converters and the AC system. However, the double-LC filter at the receiving-end of the AC system and harmonic traps connected in series with each of the drivers significantly reduce the harmonic distortion of the 20-kHz bus voltage. Significant additional improvement in the waveform quality can be achieved by including a double-LC filter with each driver.

Wasynczuk, O.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Massively parallel computing for the simulation of unsteady flows in turbomachinery

This paper deals with evaluating the capabilities of the massively parallel Connection Machine CM2 in predicting unsteady flows in turbomachines. The implementation on the CM2 of an implicit, time-accurate, zonal algorithm for the Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions is described. Programming issues and modifications made to the original sequential algorithm to improve performance on the CM2 are briefly discussed. Performance is compared to a functionally equivalent code for the Cray YMP.

Madavan, Nateri K.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The Dynamics of Some Iterative Implicit Schemes

The global asymptotic nonlinear behavior of some standard iterative procedures in solving nonlinear systems of algebraic equations arising from four implicit linear multistep methods (LMMs) in discretizing 2 x 2 systems of first-order autonomous nonlinear ordinary differential equations is analyzed using the theory of dynamical systems. With the aid of parallel Connection Machines (CM-2 and CM-5), the associated bifurcation diagrams as a function of the time step, and the complex behavior of the associated 'numerical basins of attraction' of these iterative implicit schemes are revealed and compared. Studies showed that all of the four implicit LMMs exhibit a drastic distortion and segmentation but less shrinkage of the basin of attraction of the true solution than standard explicit methods. The numerical basins of attraction of a noniterative implicit procedure mimic more closely the basins of attraction of the differential equations than the iterative implicit procedures for the four implicit LMMs.

Yee, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Neural substrates linking balance control and anxiety

This communication provides an update of our understanding of the neurological bases for the close association between balance control and anxiety. New data suggest that a vestibulo-recipient region of the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) contains cells that respond to body rotation and position relative to gravity. The PBN, with its reciprocal relationships with the extended central amygdaloid nucleus, infralimbic cortex, and hypothalamus, appears to be an important node in a primary network that processes convergent vestibular, somatic, and visceral information processing to mediate avoidance conditioning, anxiety, and conditioned fear responses. Noradrenergic and serotonergic projections to the vestibular nuclei also have parallel connections with anxiety pathways. The coeruleo-vestibular pathway originates in caudal locus coeruleus (LC) and provides regionally specialized noradrenergic input to the vestibular nuclei, which likely mediate effects of alerting and vigilance on the sensitivity of vestibulo-motor circuits. Both serotonergic and nonserotonergic pathways from the dorsal raphe nucleus and the nucleus raphe obscurus also project differentially to the vestibular nuclei, and 5-HT(2A) receptors are expressed in amygdaloid and cortical targets of the PBN. It is proposed that the dorsal raphe nucleus pathway contributes to both (a) a tradeoff between motor and sensory (information gathering) aspects of responses to self-motion and (b) a calibration of the sensitivity of affective responses to aversive aspects of motion. This updated neurologic model continues to be a synthetic schema for investigating the neurological and neurochemical bases for comorbidity of balance disorders and anxiety disorders.

Review↗
NASA NTRS2007

String resistance detector

Method and system are disclosed for determining individual string resistance in a network of strings when the current through a parallel connected string is unknown and when the voltage across a series connected string is unknown. The method/system of the invention involves connecting one or more frequency-varying impedance components with known electrical characteristics to each string and applying a frequency-varying input signal to the network of strings. The frequency-varying impedance components may be one or more capacitors, inductors, or both, and are selected so that each string is uniquely identifiable in the output signal resulting from the frequency-varying input signal. Numerical methods, such as non-linear regression, may then be used to resolve the resistance associated with each string.

Hall, A. Daniel↗
NASA NTRS2013

LADEE Propulsion System Cold Flow Test

Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is a NASA mission that will orbit the Moon. Its main objective is to characterize the atmosphere and lunar dust environment. The spacecraft development is being led by NASA Ames Research Center and scheduled for launch in 2013. The LADEE spacecraft will be operated with a bi-propellant hypergolic propulsion system using MMH and NTO as the fuel and oxidizer, respectively. The propulsion system utilizes flight-proven hardware on major components. The propulsion layout is composed of one 100-lbf main thruster and four 5-lbf RCS thrusters. The propellants are stored in four tanks (two parallel-connected tanks per propellant component). The propellants will be pressurized by regulated helium. A simulated propulsion system has been built for conducting cold flow test series to characterize the transient fluid flow of the propulsion system feed lines and to verify the critical operation modes, such as system priming, waterhammer, and crucial mission duty cycles. Propellant drainage differential between propellant tanks will also be assessed. Since the oxidizer feed line system has a higher flow demand than the fuel system does, the cold flow test focuses on the oxidizer system. The objective of the cold flow test is to simulate the LADEE propulsion fluid flow operation through water cold flow test and to obtain data for anchoring analytical models. The models will be used to predict the transient and steady state flow behaviors in the actual flight operations. The test activities, including the simulated propulsion test article, cold flow test, and analytical modeling, are being performed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. At the time of the abstract submission, the test article checkout is being performed. The test series will be completed by November, 2012

Williams, Jonathan Hunter↗
NASA NTRS2017

Metallic Junction Thermoelectric Device Simulations

Thermoelectric junctions made of semiconductors have existed in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG) for deep space missions, but are currently being adapted for terrestrial energy harvesting. Unfortunately, these devices are inefficient, operating at only 7% efficiency. This low efficiency has driven efforts to make high-figure-of-merit thermoelectric devices, which require a high electrical conductivity but a low thermal conductivity, a combination that is difficult to achieve. Lowered thermal conductivity has increased efficiency, but at the cost of power output. An alternative setup is to use metallic junctions rather than semiconductors as thermoelectric devices. Metals have orders of magnitude more electrons and electronic conductivities higher than semiconductors, but thermal conductivity is higher as well. To evaluate the viability of metallic junction thermoelectrics, a two dimensional heat transfer MATLAB simulation was constructed to calculate efficiency and power output. High Seebeck coefficient alloys, Chromel (90%Ni-10%Cr) and Constantan (55%Cu-45%Ni), produced efficiencies of around 20-30%. Parameters such as the number of layers of junctions, lateral junction density, and junction sizes for both series- and parallel-connected junctions were explored.

Duzik, Adam J.↗
NASA NTRS1996

LTI Representations of Adaptive Systems with Tap Delay-Line Regressors under Sinusoidal Excitation

It is shown that and adaptive system whose regressor is formed by tap delay-line (TDL) filtering of a multitone sinusoidal signal is representable as a parallel connection of a linear time-invariant (LTI) block and a linear time-varying (LTV) block. Furthermore, a norm-bound (induced 2-norm) is computed explicity on the LTV block and is shown to decrease as N -1 where N is the number of taps.

adaptive↗
DOE OSTI2021

Dynamic Phasor Modeling of Multi-Converter Systems

Generalized form of Dynamic Phasor (DP)-based modeling of multi-converter systems containing high order harmonics has not been proposed in the literature yet due to the complexity and large number of variables that should be included in the model. In this work a generalized form of a system-level model comprising high number of single-phase converters is presented. The proposed method can be applied to any number of single-phase voltage source converters (VSIs). Test cases of this modeling method containing 5 to 100 parallel connected single-phase voltage source inverters are modeled and simulation times are recorded. The results of the proposed method are compared and validated with conventional average models as well as detailed switching models. A systematic approach for comparing the accuracy and timestep between dynamic phasor modeling method and detailed switching model is illustrated. Advantage of DP models over conventional average models for stability assessment are also discussed at the end of the paper.

Xue, Yaosuo↗
NASA NTRS2013

Stacked Transformer for Driver Gain and Receive Signal Splitting

In a high-speed signal transmission system that uses transformer coupling, there is a need to provide increased transmitted signal strength without adding active components. This invention uses additional transformers to achieve the needed gain. The prior art uses stronger drivers (which require an IC redesign and a higher power supply voltage), or the addition of another active component (which can decrease reliability, increase power consumption, reduce the beneficial effect of serializer/deserializer preemphasis or deemphasis, and/or interfere with fault containment mechanisms), or uses a different transformer winding ratio (which requires redesign of the transformer and may not be feasible with high-speed signals that require a 1:1 winding ratio). This invention achieves the required gain by connecting the secondaries of multiple transformers in series. The primaries of these transformers are currently either connected in parallel or are connected to multiple drivers. There is also a need to split a receive signal to multiple destinations with minimal signal loss. Additional transformers can achieve the split. The prior art uses impedance-matching series resistors that cause a loss of signal. Instead of causing a loss, most instantiations of this invention would actually provide gain. Multiple transformers are used instead of multiple windings on a single transformer because multiple windings on the same transformer would require a redesign of the transformer, and may not be feasible with high-speed transformers that usually require a bifilar winding with a 1:1 ratio. This invention creates the split by connecting the primaries of multiple transformers in series. The secondary of each transformer is connected to one of the intended destinations without the use of impedance-matching series resistors.

Driscoll, Kevin R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Impact of Different Thermal Gradients on the Dynamics of Cylindrical Lithium-ion Cells Subject to Accelerated Aging and on Module Performance

This study investigates the impacts of applying different thermal gradient patterns to cylindrical lithium-ion cells in a module on cell dynamics (temperatures, current flows, state of charge), module performance (evolution of resistance, capacity, and energy versus cycle number), and module lifetime. The thermal gradients were generated using cooling plates (CPs) with three different flow-field designs, namely, straight, perpendicular, and U-turn. The study uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the pseudo-two-dimensional (P2D) battery model, capacity loss and increased impedance due to the growth of a solid-electrolyte-interphase, and the electric current distribution from module terminals to cells that depends on the series-parallel electrical connections among the cells. The impact of the thermal gradient (resulting from the CP designs) on the variability in resistance, current, state of charge, and voltage among the cells was analyzed and linked to differences in the module's performance. Applying a thermal gradient to parallel-connected strings of series-connected cells led to variation in the current through each parallel string and an imbalance in the voltage of series-connected cells. Module performance is poorer when the thermal gradient causes a voltage imbalance than when it causes a current imbalance. Module performance becomes the worst when both current variation and voltage imbalance happen together. For instance, the module's lifetime (estimated as reaching 80% of its initial capacity) varied by 5% to 17.5%, depending on the magnitude and pattern of the imposed thermal gradient. As the relative orientation between thermal gradients and cells' electrical connectivity influences the module's performance, appropriate consideration should be given to the choice of the CP, especially if large thermal gradients are allowed.

Battery thermal management↗
NASA NTRS2005

Mechanically Biased, Hinged Pairs of Piezoelectric Benders

The upper part of the figure depicts an actuator that comprises two mechanically biased piezoelectric benders hinged together at their ends and equipped with tabs at their mid-length points for attachment to the relatively moving objects that are to be actuated. In the example of the figure, the attachment tabs are labeled to indicate that the actuator is used to drive a pump piston relative to a base plate. Actuators of this type could be used to drive low-power, small-volume pumps in consumer, medical, and aerospace applications, and to generate and measure linear displacements in such robotic applications as teleoperation and tactile feedback. Each bender is a bimorph a unitary plate that comprises an upper and a lower piezoelectric layer plus electrode layers. Benders may also be made of several layers arranged to produce the same effect at the lower operating voltages. As stated above, each bender is mechanically biased; it is fabricated to have a small permanent curvature (the bias curvature) in the absence of applied voltage. As on other bimorphs, the electrical connections on each bender are arranged so that an applied voltage of suitable polarity causes the upper layer to expand and the lower layer to contract. In this case, the net effect of applying the voltage is that the plate becomes more concave as viewed from below. Conversely, an applied voltage of the opposite polarity causes the plate to become less concave as viewed from below. The benders in a hinged pair are oriented with their bias curvatures concave inward, so that there is a bias distance between the attachment tabs. The two benders are connected electrically in parallel, with their connection polarities chosen so that an applied voltage of one polarity causes both benders to become more convex inward (more bent), while an applied voltage of the opposite polarity causes both benders to become less convex inward (less bent). An increase or decrease in bend is accompanied by an increase or decrease in distance between the attachment tabs; this increase or decrease is the linear displacement desired for actuation. Because the displacement can be either positive or negative relative to the bias distance, depending on the polarity of the applied voltage, the overall stroke achievable for a given magnitude of applied voltage is double the stroke achievable in the absence of mechanical bias. Each hinged pair can be regarded as a unit cell that can serve as a building block for a larger actuator: Multiple unit cells can be stacked (mechanically connected in series), as shown in the lower part of the figure, and electrically connected in parallel to multiply the overall stroke achievable at a given applied voltage.

Sager, Frank E.↗