Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “hybrid field test”

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 91 records · Page 5

Development of advanced fuel cell system

An experimental program was conducted continuing the development effort to improve the weight, life, and performance characteristics of hydrogen-oxygen alkaline fuel cells for advanced power systems. These advanced technology cells operate with passive water removal which contributes to a lower system weight and extended operating life. Endurance evaluation of two single cells and two, two-cell plaques was continued. Three new test articles were fabricated and tested. A single cell completed 7038 hours of endurance testing. This cell incorporated a Fybex matrix, hybrid-frame, PPF anode, and a 90 Au/10 Pt cathode. This configuration was developed to extend cell life. Two cell plaques with dedicated flow fields and manifolds for all fluids did not exhibit the cell-to-cell electrolyte transfer that limited the operating life of earlier multicell plaques.

Gitlow, B.↗

A fixed tuned broadband matching structure for submillimeter SIS receivers

We have designed, fabricated, and tested a quasi-optical spiral antenna mixer with a Nb/AlO(x)/Nb tunnel junction. This design incorporates a hybrid antenna fed by a planar logarithmic spiral antenna to couple to the radiation field, as previously done with Pb based devices, as well as a newly designed matching circuit. This matching circuit is a relatively complex structure requiring several layers of photolithographic processing on top of the actual tunneling device. Computer modeling of the device predicted the measured bandwidth to within 8 percent, making scale model measurements unnecessary. We have obtained a good match from 210 GHz to 460 GHz between the antenna and a relatively large area (1.25 by 1.25 sq microns) tunnel junction with omega R(sub N) C approx. = 2 - 4.4. This compares to simple inductive stubs that attain only a few percent of total bandwidth in the submillimeter band or inductively tuned SIS arrays with an upper limit of operating frequencies well below the submillimeter band. Noise temperatures were measured at 345 GHz, 426 GHz, and 492 GHz yielding double sideband noise temperatures at 200 K, 220 K, and 500 K, respectively.

Buettgenbach, Thomas H.↗

Planar Particle Imaging Doppler Velocimetry Developed

Two current techniques exist for the measurement of planar, three-component velocity fields. Both techniques require multiple views of the illumination plane in order to extract all three velocity components. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is a high-resolution, high accuracy, planar velocimetry technique that provides valuable instantaneous velocity information in aeropropulsion test facilities. PIV can provide three-component flow-field measurements using a two-camera, stereo viewing configuration. Doppler global velocimetry (DGV) is another planar velocimetry technique that can provide three component flow-field measurements; however, it requires three detector systems that must be located at oblique angles from the measurement plane. The three-dimensional configurations of either technique require multiple (DGV) or at least large (stereo PIV) optical access ports in the facility in which the measurements are being conducted. Optical access is extremely limited in aeropropulsion test facilities. In many cases, only one optical access port is available. A hybrid measurement technique has been developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center, planar particle image and Doppler velocimetry (PPIDV), which combines elements from both the PIV and DGV techniques into a single detection system that can measure all three components of velocity across a planar region of a flow field through a single optical access port. In the standard PIV technique, a pulsed laser is used to illuminate the flow field at two closely spaced instances in time, which are recorded on a "frame-straddling" camera, yielding a pair of single-exposure image frames. The PIV camera is oriented perpendicular to the light sheet, and the processed PIV data yield the two-component velocity field in the plane of the light sheet. In the standard DGV technique, an injection-seeded Nd:YAG pulsed laser light sheet illuminates the seeded flow field, and three receiver systems are used to measure three components of velocity. The receiver systems are oriented at oblique angles to the light sheet in order to accurately resolve the three-component velocity. Each DGV receiver system contains two cameras, which share a common view of the illuminated flow through a beam-splitting cube. One camera views the illuminated flow directly (reference camera) and the second camera images the illuminated flow through an iodine vapor cell (signal camera). The laser frequency (wavelength) is adjusted so that the Doppler-shifted light from particles in the flow falls on an iodine absorption feature, see the following graph. The iodine vapor cell acts as a frequency-to-velocity filter by modulating the intensity of the transmitted light as a function of the flow velocity (Doppler shift). The ratio of the signal and reference images yields the component of the flow velocity along the bisector of the laser sheet propagation direction and the receiver system observation direction. The hybrid system employs a single-component DGV receiver system configured to simultaneously acquire PIV image data, as shown in the following diagram. The cameras used in the DGV receiver are replaced with PIV frame-straddling cameras, and the receiver system views the illuminated light sheet plane at 90 (as in the standard PIV configuration).

Wernet, Mark P.↗

Topanga: A kinetic ion plasma code for large-scale ionospheric simulations on magnetohydrodynamic timescales

Topanga is a kinetic ion code developed for simulating large-scale plasma phenomena in the Earth's ionosphere on magnetohydrodynamic timescales. It is a domain-decomposed parallel code that runs on high-performance computing platforms. Features of Topanga include spherical geometry for simplified boundary conditions and computational efficiency; a hybrid plasma model with inertia-less fluid electrons, kinetic ions, and an electric field specified via an Ohm's law; a Maxwell-FDTD (finite difference time domain) plasma model which retains the displacement current in Maxwell's equations and models electron currents in the ionosphere with a tensor conductivity; sponge-layer boundary conditions for absorption of electromagnetic and plasma waves incident on the domain boundaries; and a novel mixed-implicit algorithm for evolving the EM fields inside the Maxwell-FDTD region that is stable over many orders of magnitude in the electron–ion collision frequency. We verify the numerical methods used in Topanga on a pair of test problems. The first test involves modeling a three-dimensional collisionless shock using the hybrid set of equations. The second test involves modeling a spherical TEM mode in vacuum using the Maxwell-FDTD set of equations. Finally, we demonstrate how using the combined set of hybrid and Maxwell-FDTD equations to model the Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear test recovers a “missing” EM signal on the ground that is not present when using only the hybrid set of equations. The magnitude of this signal in the simulation containing the Maxwell-FDTD region agrees well with the E3a portion of the magnetohydrodynamic electromagnetic pulse from Starfish Prime.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Porous potassium tantalate-reduced graphene oxide nano cube architecture for high performance hybrid supercapacitors

Energy storage has always been a major concern in the present-day situation. Advanced energy storage devices are batteries, supercapacitor and solar cells. However, advancements have been noteworthy in the field of high-performance hybrid supercapacitors. On this note, we have fabricated a hybrid supercapacitor electrode material Potassium tantalate nano cube (KT NCs) and its reduced graphene oxide composite (KT-rGO NCs) and tested its electrochemical performance. The materials showed high performances with specific capacitance of 565 F/g for KT NCs and 850 F/g for KT-rGO NCs respectively. Energy densities of both KT NCs & KT-rGO NCs are 28.24 Wh/Kg and 29.50 Wh/kg with good retention capacities. Further detailed study of both KT NCs and KT-rGO NCs are carried out with characterization techniques like XRD, FTIR, BET, Raman and HRTEM for structural analysis and electrochemical measurements to analyse various parameters pertaining to its charge storage capacity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Status of Axisymmetric CFD of an Eleven Inch Diameter Hybrid Rocket Motor

Current status of a steady state, axisymmetric analysis of an experimental 11 inch diameter hybrid rocket motor internal flow field is given. The objective of this effort is to develop a steady state axisymmetric model of the 11 inch hybrid rocket motor which can be used as a design and/or analytical tool. A test hardware description, modeling approach, and future plans are given. The analysis was performed with FDNS implementing several finite rate chemistry sets. A converged solution for a two equation and five species set on a 'fine' grid is shown.

Ruf, Joseph↗

A fixed tuned broadband matching structure for submillimeter SIS receivers

The authors have designed, fabricated, and tested a quasi-optical submillimeter wave receiver with an Nb/AlO(x)/Nb tunnel junction. This design incorporates a hybrid antenna fed by a planar logarithmic spiral structure in order to couple to the radiation field from the telescope. The novel matching circuit requires several layers of photolithographic processing on top of the actual tunneling device. Computer modeling of the device correctly predicted the measured bandwidth and the characteristic frequencies to within 8 percent. A good match has been obtained from 200 to 475 GHz between the antenna and a relatively large area (1 sq mm) tunnel junction with omega(R(n))C about 2-4. Noise measurements at 318 GHz, 395 GHz, 426 GHz, and 492 GHz yielded uncorrected double sideband receiver noise temperatures of 200 K, 230 K, 220 K, and 500 K, respectively. Using the same optics, coupling efficiencies between the receiver and the Caltech Submillimeter Telescope were found to have values approaching those achieved by the best waveguide-horn-based receiver systems.

Buttgenbach, Thomas H.↗

Fan Noise Predictions of the NASA Source Diagnostic Test Using Unsteady Simulations with LAVA Part I: Near-Field Aerodynamics and Turbulence

A sliding mesh technique within the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) computational framework is validated using the experimental dataset collected as part of the NASA Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) campaign. Two modeling approaches are explored: the unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) with Spalart-Allmaras (SA) turbulence model closure, and a hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes/Large Eddy Simulation (RANS/LES) paradigm employing a Zonal Detached Eddy Simulation (ZDES) closure with enhanced shielding protection. Fan stage performance metrics, aerodynamic quantities and turbulent flow structures are analyzed in this work. Initial studies focusing on grid and time-step sensitivity are presented. Sensitivity to different variants of the SA turbulence model is analyzed, supporting the use of the baseline SA model in the production runs. Two conditions are analyzed in detail using URANS and hybrid RANS/LES (HRLES). Mean flow quantities are well-captured by both methods in the low-speed (approach) regime. While URANS misses all the upstream-propagating noise in the inlet due to the rotor-locked tones being evanescent in nature at subsonic fan tip speeds, HRLES captures this broadband component in its pressure field. At the high-speed (sideline) condition, URANS shows better agreement with the SDT data than HRLES in the interstage flow-field. In this regime, URANS captures the tonal content propagating through the inlet, since the tones are now cut-on. Both methods are suitable to capture fan stage performance metrics and mean flow quantities, but only HRLES is able to resolve the fine turbulent structures responsible for broadband noise. The results support the use of the sliding mesh technique implemented in this work for future turbomachinery applications within the LAVA solver framework.

AATT↗

Fan Noise Predictions of the NASA Source Diagnostic Test Using Unsteady Simulations with LAVA Part I: Near-Field Aerodynamics and Turbulence

A sliding mesh technique within the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) computational framework is validated using the experimental dataset collected as part of the NASA Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) campaign. Two modeling approaches are explored: the unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) with Spalart-Allmaras (SA) turbulence model closure, and a hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes/Large Eddy Simulation (RANS/LES) paradigm employing a Zonal Detached Eddy Simulation (ZDES) closure with enhanced shielding protection. Fan stage performance metrics, aerodynamic quantities and turbulent flow structures are analyzed in this work. Initial studies focusing on grid and time-step sensitivity are presented. Sensitivity to different variants of the SA turbulence model is analyzed, supporting the use of the baseline SA model in the production runs. Two conditions are analyzed in detail using URANS and hybrid RANS/LES (HRLES). Mean flow quantities are well-captured by both methods in the low-speed (approach) regime. While URANS misses all the upstream-propagating noise in the inlet due to the rotor-locked tones being evanescent in nature at subsonic fan tip speeds, HRLES captures this broadband component in its pressure field. At the high-speed (sideline) condition, URANS shows better agreement with the SDT data than HRLES in the interstage flow-field. In this regime, URANS captures the tonal content propagating through the inlet, since the tones are now cut-on. Both methods are suitable to capture fan stage performance metrics and mean flow quantities, but only HRLES is able to resolve the fine turbulent structures responsible for broadband noise. The results support the use of the sliding mesh technique implemented in this work for future turbomachinery applications within the LAVA solver framework.

AATT↗

Genetic mapping and prediction of flowering time and plant height in a maize Stiff Stalk MAGIC population

Abstract The Stiff Stalk heterotic pool is a foundation of US maize seed parent germplasm and has been heavily utilized by both public and private maize breeders since its inception in the 1930s. Flowering time and plant height are critical characteristics for both inbred parents and their test crossed hybrid progeny. To study these traits, a 6-parent multiparent advanced generation intercross population was developed including maize inbred lines B73, B84, PHB47 (B37 type), LH145 (B14 type), PHJ40 (novel early Stiff Stalk), and NKH8431 (B73/B14 type). A set of 779 doubled haploid lines were evaluated for flowering time and plant height in 2 field replicates in 2016 and 2017, and a subset of 689 and 561 doubled haploid lines were crossed to 2 testers, respectively, and evaluated as hybrids in 2 locations in 2018 and 2019 using an incomplete block design. Markers were derived from a practical haplotype graph built from the founder whole genome assemblies and genotype-by-sequencing and exome capture-based sequencing of the population. Genetic mapping utilizing an update to R/qtl2 revealed differing profiles of significant loci for both traits between 635 of the DH lines and 2 sets of 570 and 471 derived hybrids. Genomic prediction was used to test the feasibility of predicting hybrid phenotypes based on the per se data. Predictive abilities were highest on direct models trained using the data they would predict (0.55–0.63), and indirect models trained using per se data to predict hybrid traits had slightly lower predictive abilities (0.49–0.55). Overall, this finding is consistent with the overlapping and nonoverlapping significant quantitative trait loci found within the per se and hybrid populations and suggests that selections for phenology traits can be made effectively on doubled haploid lines before hybrid data is available.

Genetics & Heredity↗

Indium Hybridization of Large Format TES Bolometer Arrays to Readout Multiplexers for Far-Infrared Astronomy

The advance of new detector technologies combined with enhanced fabrication methods has resulted in an increase in development of large format arrays. The next generation of scientific instruments will utilize detectors containing hundreds to thousands of elements providing a more efficient means to conduct large area sky surveys. Some notable detectors include a 32x32 x-ray microcalorimeter for Constellation-X, an infrared bolometer called SAFIRE to fly on the airborne observatory SOFIA, and the sub-millimeter bolometer SCUBA-2 to be deployed at the JCMT which will use more than 10,000 elements for two colors, each color using four 32x40 arrays. Of these detectors, SCUBA-2 is farthest along in development and uses indium hybridization to multiplexers for readout of the large number of elements, a technology that will be required to enable the next generation of large format arrays. Our current efforts in working toward large format arrays have produced GISMO, the Goddard IRAM Superconducting 2-Millimeter observer. GISMO is a far infrared instrument to be field tested later this year at the IRAM 30 meter telescope in Spain. GISMO utilizes transition edge sensor (TES) technology in an 8x16 filled array format that allows for typical fan-out wiring and wire-bonding to four 1x32 NIST multiplexers. GISMO'S electrical wiring is routed along the tops of 30 micron walls which also serve as the mechanical framework for the array. This architecture works well for the 128 element array, but is approaching the limit for routing the necessary wires along the surface while maintaining a high fill factor. Larger format arrays will benefit greatly from making electrical connections through the wafer to the backside, where they can be hybridized to a read-out substrate tailored to handling the wiring scheme. The next generation array we are developing is a 32x40 element array on a pitch of 1135 microns that conforms to the NIST multiplexer, already developed for the SCUBA-2 instrument This architecture will utilize electrical connections that route from the TES to the support frame and through the wafer. The detector chip will then be hybridized to the NIST multiplexer via indium bump bonding. In our development scheme we are using substrates that allow for diagnostic testing of electrical continuity across the entire array and we are testing our process to minimize or eliminate any contact resistance at metal interfaces. Our goal is hybridizing a fully functional 32x40 array of TES bolometers to a NIST multiplexer. The following work presents our current progress toward enabling this technology.

Miller, Timothy M.↗

Diagnostic development for parallel wave-number measurement of lower hybrid waves in EAST

An eight-channel magnetic probe diagnostic system has been designed and installed adjacent to the 4.6 GHz lower hybrid (LH) grill antenna in the low-field side of the EAST tokamak in order to study the n|| evolution of lower hybrid waves in the first pass from the launcher to the core plasma. The magnetic probes are separated by 6.6 mm, which allows measurement of the dominant parallel refractive index n|| up to n|| =5 for 4.6GHz LH waves. The magnetic probes are designed to be sensitive to the magnetic field component perpendicular to the background magnetic field with a slit on the casing that encloses the probe. The intermediate frequency (IF) stage, which consists of two mixing stages, down-coverts the frequency of the measured wave signals at 4.6 GHz to 20 MHz. A bench test demonstrates the phase stability of the magnetic probe diagnostic system. By evaluating the phase variation of the measured signals along the background magnetic field, the dominant n|| of the LH wave in the scrape-off layer (SOL) has been deduced during the 2019 experimental campaign. In the low density plasma, the measured dominant n|| of the lower hybrid waves is about 2.1, corresponding to the main peak 2.04 of the launched n|| spectrum. The n|| deduced by the least square linear fit method remains near this value in the low density plasma with a high spatial correlation magnitude of 0.9. With an eight-channel probe system a wave-number spectrum has also been deduced, which has a peak near to the measured dominant n||.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

A Comparison of High-Energy Electron and Cobalt-60 Gamma-Ray Radiation Testing

In this paper, a comparison between the effects of irradiating microelectronics with high energy electrons and Cobalt-60 gamma-rays is examined. Additionally, the effect of electron energy is also discussed. A variety of part types are investigated, including discrete bipolar transistors, hybrids, and junction field effect transistors

Boutte, Alvin J.↗

Higher Order Modeling In the BEM/FEM Hybrid Formulation

Hybrid formulations using low order curl-conforming bases to represent the total electric field within a finite element region and low order divergence-conforming bases to represent equivalent electric and magnetic currents on the boundary are well known. However, higher-order divergence and curl-conforming bases have been shown to provide significant benefits in convergence rates and accuracy when employed in strictly integral equation and strictly finite element formulations. In this paper, a hybrid electric field formulation employing higher order bases is presented. The paper addresses benefits and issues associated with using higher order divergence-and curl-conforming bases in the hybrid finite element/boundary element electric field formulation. The method of singularity subtraction may be used to compute the self terms of the boundary integral when the bases are of low order. But this method becomes laborious and requires great care when the divergence conforming bases are of higher order. In order to handle these singularities simply and accurately, a generalized Gaussian quadrature method is employed in which the expansion functions account for the singularity. In preliminary tests of the higher order hybrid formulation, the equivalent electric current induced by scattering of a plane wave from a square dielectric cylinder is examined. Accurate results are obtained using only a two-triangle mesh when the current basis is of order 4 or 5. Additional results are presented comparing the error obtained using higher order bases to that obtained using lower order bases when the number of unknowns is approximately equal. Also, convergence rates obtained with higher order bases are compared to those obtained with lower order bases for selected sample problems.

Fink, Patrick W.↗

Thermal infrared pushbroom imagery acquisition and processing

A 9-element focal plane detector array and signal processing electronics was developed and delivered in December 1977. It was integrated into a thermal infrared imaging system using LSI microprocessor image processing and CRT display. After three years of laboratory operation, the focal plane has demonstrated high reliability and performance. On the basis of the 9-channel breadboard, the 90-element Aircraft Pushbroom IR/CCD Focal Plane Development Program was funded in October 1977. A follow-on program was awarded in July 1979, for the construction of a field test instrument and image processing facility. The objective of this project was to demonstrate thermal infrared pushbroom hard-copy imagery. It is pointed out that the successful development of the 9-element and 90-element thermal infrared hybrid imaging systems using photoconductive (Hg,Cd)Te has verified the operational concept of 8 to 14 micrometer pushbroom scanners.

Brown, T. J.↗

Unstructured viscous flow solution using adaptive hybrid grids

A three dimensional finite volume scheme based on hybrid grids containing both tetrahedral and hexahedral cells is presented. The application to hybrid grids offers the possibility to combine the flexibility of tetrahedral meshes with the accuracy of hexahedral grids. An algorithm to compute a dual mesh for the entire computational domain was developed. The dual mesh technique guarantees conservation in the whole flow field even at interfaces between hexahedral and tetrahedral domains and enables the employment of an accurate upwind flow solver. The hybrid mesh can be adapted to the solution by dividing cells in areas of insufficient resolution. The method is tested on different viscous and inviscid cases for hypersonic, transonic and subsonic flows.

Galle, Martin↗

Cold Weather Wind Turbines: A Joint NASA/NSF/DOE Effort in Technology Transfer and Commercialization

Renewable energy sources and their integration with other power sources to support remote communities is of interest for Mars applications as well as Earth communities. The National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, and the Department of Energy (DOE) have been jointly supporting development of a 100 kW cold weather wind turbine through grants and SBIRs independently managed by each agency but coordinated by NASA. The NSF grant addressed issues associated with the South Pole application and a 3 kW direct drive unit is being tested there in anticipation of the 100 kW unit operation. The DOE-NREL contract focused on development of the 100 kW direct drive generator. The NASA SBIR focused on the development of the 100 kW direct drive wind turbine. The success of this effort has required coordination and team involvement of federal agencies and the industrial partners. Designs of the wind turbine and component performance testing results will be presented. Plans for field testing of wind turbines, based on this design, in village energy systems in Alaska and in energy production at the South Pole Station will be discussed. Also included will be a discussion of terrestrial and space use of hybrid energy systems, including renewable energy sources, such as the wind turbine, to support remote communities.

Flynn, Michael↗

Antenna Measurements: Test & Analysis of the Radiated Emissions/Immunity of the NASA/Orion Spacecraft Dart Parachute Simulator & Prototype Capsule - The Crew Exploration Vehicle

For future NASA Manned Space Exploration of the Moon and Mars, a blunt body capsule, called the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), composed of a Crew Module (CM) and a Service Module (SM), with a parachute decent assembly is planned for reentry back to Earth. A Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) is being developed for preliminary prototype parachute drop tests at the Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) to simulate high-speed reentry to Earth from beyond Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) and to provide measurements of position, velocity, acceleration, attitude, temperature, pressure, humidity, and parachute loads. The primary and secondary (backup) avionics systems on CPAS also provide mission critical firing events to deploy, reef, and release the parachutes in three stages (extraction, drogues, mains) using mortars and pressure cartridge assemblies. In addition, a Mid-Air Delivery System (MDS) is used to separate the capsule from the sled that is used to eject the capsule from the back of the drop plane. Also, high-speed and high-definition cameras in a Video Camera System (VCS) are used to film the drop plane extraction and parachute landing events. Intentional and unintentional radiation emitted from and received by antennas and electronic devices on/in the CEV capsule, the MDS sled, and the VCS system are being tested for radiated emissions/immunity (susceptibility) ~ (RE/RS). To verify Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) of the Orion capsule, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) measurements are being made inside a semi-anechoic chamber at NASA/JSC on the components of the CPAS system. Measurements are made at 1m from the components-under-test (CUT). In addition, EMI measurements of the integrated CEV system are being made inside a hanger at YPG. These measurements are made in a complete circle, at 30◦ angles or less, around the Orion Capsule, the spacecraft system under-test (SUT). Near-field B-Dot probe measurements on the surface of the Orion capsule are being extrapolated outward to the 1m standard distance for comparison to the MIL-STD radiated emissions limit, and far-field hybrid antenna measurements at 3m are being extrapolated inward to the 1m distance for similar comparisons.

Norgard, John D.↗