Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “electric machine”

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.

At least 73 records · Page 4

Thermal Design, Analysis, and Testing of a Conductively-Cooled, High Temperature Superconducting Rotor for a 1.4 MW Electric Machine for Aeronautics Applications

This presentation covers the second ever demonstration of a superconducting rotor cooled only via conductive connection to a cryocooler, i.e., without pumped or solid cryogens. The full-scale rotor was operated statically in its intended environment – about 1e-3 torr vacuum with only conductive cooling through mechanical connections to a cryocooler contained on the rotor. Stable operation of the rotor in a representative magnetic environment was demonstrated up to its rated direct current (57.2 A) and the designed temperature limit for the superconductor (62 K). In all but one case, the observed temperature gradient between the cold tip and superconducting coils satisfies the design but with little margin. Thermal modeling and correlation with test data is presented identifying the areas of largest discrepancy. Opportunities to reduce the temperature gradient are identified.

electrified aircraft propulsion↗

Monitor For Electrical-Discharge Machining

Circuit monitors electrical-discharge-machining (EDM) process to detect and prevent abnormal arcing, which can produce unacceptable "burn" marks on workpiece. When voltage between EDM electrode and workpiece behaves in manner indicative of abnormal arcing, relay made to switch off EDM power, which remains off until operator attends to EDM setup and resets monitor.

Burley, Richard K.↗

Wire electric-discharge machining and other fabrication techniques

Wire electric discharge machining and extrude honing were used to fabricate a two dimensional wing for cryogenic wind tunnel testing. Electric-discharge cutting is done with a moving wire electrode. The cut track is controlled by means of a punched-tape program and the cutting feed is regulated according to the progress of the work. Electric-discharge machining involves no contact with the work piece, and no mechanical force is exerted. Extrude hone is a process for honing finish-machined surfaces by the extrusion of an abrasive material (silly putty), which is forced through a restrictive fixture. The fabrication steps are described and production times are given.

Morgan, W. H.↗

Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch

The 2002 annual report of the Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch reflects the majority of the work performed by the branch staff during the 2002 calendar year. Its purpose is to give a brief review of the branch s technical accomplishments. The Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch develops innovative computational tools, benchmark experimental data, and solutions to long-term barrier problems in the areas of propulsion aeroelasticity, active and passive damping, engine vibration control, rotor dynamics, magnetic suspension, structural mechanics, probabilistics, smart structures, engine system dynamics, and engine containment. Furthermore, the branch is developing a compact, nonpolluting, bearingless electric machine with electric power supplied by fuel cells for future "more electric" aircraft. An ultra-high-power-density machine that can generate projected power densities of 50 hp/lb or more, in comparison to conventional electric machines, which generate usually 0.2 hp/lb, is under development for application to electric drives for propulsive fans or propellers. In the future, propulsion and power systems will need to be lighter, to operate at higher temperatures, and to be more reliable in order to achieve higher performance and economic viability. The Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch is working to achieve these complex, challenging goals.

Stefko, George↗

Electrical-Discharge Machining Of Curved Passages

Electrical-discharge machining (EDM) used to cut deep hole with bends. EDM process done with articulating segmented electrode. Originally straight, electrode curved as it penetrates part, forming long, smoothly curving hole. After hole cut, honed with slurry to remove thin layer of recast metal created by EDM. Breakage of tools, hand deburring, and drilling debris eliminated.

Guirguis, Kamal S.↗

Ultra-High-Power-Density Motor Being Developed for Future Aircraft

To support the Revolutionary Aeropropulsion Concept Program, NASA Glenn Research Center' s Structural Mechanics and Dynamics Branch is developing a compact, nonpolluting, bearingless electric machine with electric power supplied by fuel cells for future more-electric aircraft. The use of such electric drives for propulsive fans or propellers depends on the successful development of ultra-high-power-density machines that can generate power densities of 50 hp/lb or more, whereas conventional electric machines generate usually 0.2 hp/lb. One possible candidate for such ultra-high-power-density machines, a round-rotor synchronous machine with an engineering current density as high as 20 000 A/cm2 was selected to investigate how much torque and power can be produced. A simple synchronous machine model that consists of rotor and stator windings and back-irons was considered first. The model had a sinusoidally distributed winding that produces a sinusoidal distribution of flux P poles. Excitation of the rotor winding produced P poles of rotor flux, which interacted with the P stator poles to produce torque.

Choi, Benjamin B.↗

Rotating Drive for Electrical-Arc Machining

Rotating drive improves quality of holes made by electrical-arc machining. Mechanism (Uni-tek, rotary head, or equivalent) attached to electrical-arc system. Drive rotates electrode as though it were mechanical drill, while an arc disintegrates metal in workpiece, thereby creating hole. Rotating electrode method often used in electric-discharge machining. NASA innovation is application of technique to electrical-arc machining.

Fransen, C. D.↗

Spectral kernel machines with electrically tunable photodetectors

Spectral machine vision collects spectral and spatial information as three-dimensional hypercubes and digitally processes them, which causes a data bottleneck, limiting power efficiency, frame rate, and spectral-spatial resolution. This work introduces spectral kernel machines (SKMs) to overcome these bottlenecks. SKM directly compresses spectral analysis through the output photocurrent and learns from example objects to identify and classify new samples in a "sniff-and-seek" mode. We experimentally demonstrated SKMs with electrically tunable bipolar black phosphorus-molybdenum disulfide (bP-MoS2) photodiodes in the near- and mid-infrared band and silicon photoconductors in the visible band, performing versatile intelligent tasks from chemometrics to semiconductor metrology. This architecture consumed substantially less power and was more than an order of magnitude faster than existing solutions for hyperspectral image analysis, defining an intelligent imaging and sensing paradigm with intriguing possibilities.

Zhang, Dehui↗

Preset Electrodes for Electrical-Discharge Machining

New electrode holder for electrical-discharge machining (EDM) provides for repeatable loading and setting of many electrodes. New holder is rotating-index tool carrying six, eight, or more electrodes. Before use, all electrodes set with aid of ring surrounding tool, and locked in position with screws. When electrode replaced, EDM operator pulls spring-loaded pin on tool so it rotates about center pin. Fresh electrode then rotated into position against workpiece.

Coker, Bill E.↗

Contamination-Free Electrical-Discharge Machining

Contamination of parts by electrical-discharge machining (EDM) almost completely eliminated by reversing flow of coolant. Flow reversed from usual direction so coolant carries contaminants out through passage in electrode. Coolant for reverse flow is pressurized dichlorodifluoromethane vapor.

Schmidt, Mark G.↗

Electrical-Discharge Machining With Additional Axis

Proposed electrical-discharge-machining (EDM) apparatus uses moveable vertical wire as electrode. Wire positionable horizontally along one axis as it slides vertically past workpiece. Workpiece indexed in rotation about horizontal axis. Because of symmetry of parts, process used to make two such parts at a time by defining boundary between them. Advantages: cost of material reduced, imparts less residual stress to workpiece, and less time spent machining each part when parts produced in such symmetrical pairs.

Malinzak, Roger M.↗

Effect of electric discharge machining on the fatigue life of Inconel 718

The effect of electric discharge machining on the fatigue life of Inconel 718 alloy at room temperature was investigated. Data were generated in the uniaxial tension fatigue mode at ambient temperature using flat 3.175 mm thick specimens. The specimens were machined on a wire-cut electric discharge machine at cutting speeds ranging from 0.5 to 2 mm per minute. The specimens were fatigued at a selected stress, and the resulting fatigue lives compared with that of the virgin material. The surfaces of the fatigued specimens were examined under optical and scanning electron microscopes, and the roughness of the surfaces was measured using a standard profilometer. From the results of the investigation, it was concluded that the fatigue life of the specimens machined using EDM decreased slightly as compared with that of the virgin material, but remained unchanged as the cutting speed was changed. The results are explained using data produced employing microhardness measurements, profilometry, and optical and scanning microscopy.

Jeelani, S.↗

Selecting an Encapsulant for an Aerospace Superconducting Machine

Achieving larger benefits from electrified propulsion in single aisle aircraft (the largest commercial aircraft market segment) necessitates that a significant fraction of their 20 MW or greater propulsion system be electrified. 5 to possibly 20 of the MW-scale electric machines investigated by NASA would be required to meet this need. Approximately 10-20 of NASA’s MW-scale electric machines would be required to reach the necessary power levels. Therefore, electric machines of 5 MW or greater are of interest. However, conventionally cooled high power density MW-scale electric machines still produce a significant amount of waste heat, which makes obtaining these power levels problematic. Highly efficient fully superconducting electric machines (or those with a cryogenically cooled, high purity copper or aluminum stator) are a possible solution but have multiple barriers to be overcome. One such barrier is the durability of superconducting windings. Superconductors are typically brittle, and encapsulants used to hold windings in place are a significant source of stress because of the mismatches in coefficient of thermal expansion at temperatures between room temperature and operational temperatures (20 to 77 K). These encapsulants also form a thermal barrier that can be detrimental to cooling the superconductors. This paper describes an initial study of commercially available encapsulants as it relates to superconducting machine applications along with initial modeling of thermal stress in superconducting windings for a superconducting or cryogenically cooled stator in a 5 MW electric machine.

encapsulant↗