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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 109 records · Page 6

Power conditioning equipment for a thermoelectric outer planet spacecraft, volume 1, book 1

Equipment was designed to receive power from a radioisotope thermoelectric generator source, condition, distribute, and control this power for the spacecraft loads. The TOPS mission, aimed at a representative tour of the outer planets, would operate for an estimated 12 year period. Unique design characteristics required for the power conditioning equipment results from the long mission time and the need for autonomous on-board operations due to large communications distances and the associated time delays of ground initiated actions. The salient features of the selected power subsystem configuration are: (1) The PCE regulates the power from the radioisotope thermoelectric generator power source at 30 vdc by means of a quad-redundant shunt regulator; (2) 30 vdc power is used by certain loads, but is more generally inverted and distributed as square-wave ac power; (3) a protected bus is used to assure that power is always available to the control computer subsystem to permit corrective action to be initiated in response to fault conditions; and (4) various levels of redundancy are employed to provide high subsystem reliability.

Andrews, R. E.↗

Power conditioning equipment for a thermoelectric outer planet spacecraft, volume 1, book 2

The design and development of power conditioning equipment for the thermoelectric outer planet spacecraft program are considered. One major aspect of the program included the design, assembly and test of various breadboard power conditioning elements. Among others these included a quad-redundant shunt regulator, a high voltage traveling wave tube dc-to-dc converter, two-phase gyro inverters and numerous solid state switching circuits. Many of these elements were arranged in a typical subsystem configuration and tests were conducted which demonstrated basic element compatibility. In parallel with the development of the basic power conditioning elements, system studies were continued. The salient features of the selected power subsystem configuration are presented.

Andrews, R. E.↗

Level 12 NASTRAN experiences at General Dynamics, Convair Aerospace Division, Fort Worth Operations

The level 12 NASTRAN was used to support the NASA/LaRC advanced transport technology study, a predesign, short response time effort. Aeroelastic analyses were performed. NASTRAN calculated the vibration modes for the supported airfoil components and the entire unsupported vehicle. Other procedures were then used for the aeroelastic analysis, with procedure interfacing accomplished through use of the NASTRAN-produced restart tape. Stiffness matrices were used in static aeroelastic analyses; natural vibration modes were used for flutter and flight control system definition. Various level 12 NASTRAN characteristics were discovered and are discussed; e.g., the ability to solve singular matrices in rigid format 1, run times using multipoint constraints, restart tape problems, and the inaccurate stresses from the quad membrane when used with anisotropic materials.

Allen, M.↗

Simultaneous processing of vibration test data

Data from record tracks of all accelerometers is injected simultaneously into electronic circuits which convert inputs into single, composite graphical representation. Three adequate methods of processing data: peak acceleration at a frequency, average of all channels, and quad-mean of all channels.

Reddeman, E. E.↗

Spacecraft systems design trade-offs for the Earth Resources Technology Satellite.

The Earth Resources Technology Satellite Program's use of flight proven hardware in the design of a satellite for earth sensor payload support and data handling is discussed. The use of an existing satellite as the building block around which additional support systems such as the orbit adjust system, the redundant wideband telemetry systems, the second regulated power system, and the quad redundant command system is analyzed. System performance seen in orbit vs design objectives are discussed to point up the success of the design approach chosen. Also discussed are the schedule and cost benefits derived from the use of previously developed hardware with additional subsystems as required to meet program requirements.

Branchflower, G. A.↗

Analysis and Preliminary Design of an Advanced Technology Transport Flight Control System

The analysis and preliminary design of an advanced technology transport aircraft flight control system using avionics and flight control concepts appropriate to the 1980-1985 time period are discussed. Specifically, the techniques and requirements of the flight control system were established, a number of candidate configurations were defined, and an evaluation of these configurations was performed to establish a recommended approach. Candidate configurations based on redundant integration of various sensor types, computational methods, servo actuator arrangements and data-transfer techniques were defined to the functional module and piece-part level. Life-cycle costs, for the flight control configurations, as determined in an operational environment model for 200 aircraft over a 15-year service life, were the basis of the optimum configuration selection tradeoff. The recommended system concept is a quad digital computer configuration utilizing a small microprocessor for input/output control, a hexad skewed set of conventional sensors for body rate and body acceleration, and triple integrated actuators.

Frazzini, R.↗

Multifrequency, broadband, dual-polarized antenna

Corrugated, conical horn, ring-loaded antenna can be fed through vertex of cone with wideband waveguides, such as double-ridged rectangular or quad-ridged circular, or simply ring-loaded, corrugated waveguides. Antenna is also fed through coupling apertures in side of cone at appropriate diameters.

Green, K. A.↗

Ohio's statewide land use inventory: An operational approach for applying LANDSAT data to state, regional and local planning programs

The programmatic, technical, user application, and cost factors associated with the development of an operational, statewide land use inventory from LANDSAT data are described. The LANDSAT multispectral data are subjected to geometrical and categorical processing to produce map files for each of the 200 fifteen (15) minute quads covering Ohio. Computer compatible tapes are rescanned to produce inventory tapes which identify eight (8) Level I land use categories and a variety of Level II categories. The inventory tapes are processed through a series of ten (10) software programs developed by the State of Ohio. The net result is a computerized inventory which can be displayed in map or tabular form for various geographic units, at a variety of scales and for selected categories of usage. The computerized inventory data files are applied to technical programs developed by the various state agencies to be used in state, regional, and local planning programs.

Baldridge, P. E.↗

National energy conservation

A set of energy conservation actions that cut across all sectors of the economy were analyzed so that all actions under consideration be analyzed systematically and as a whole. The actions considered were as follows: (1) roll back the price of newly discovered oil, (2) freeze gasoline production for 3 years at 1972 levels, (3) mandate automobile mileage improvements, (4) require industry to improve energy efficiency, (5) require manufacture of household appliances with greater efficiency, (6) force conversion of many power plants from gas and oil to coal. The results showed that considerable gas and oil would be saved by forcing switches to coal. However, the large scale switch to coal was shown to require greatly increased outputs from many other industries that in turn require more energy. It was estimated that nearly 2.5 quads of additional coal were needed to produce these additional requirements. Also, the indirect requirements would create more jobs.

Source record↗

Shuttle orbiter C-band beacon antenna location study

A recommendation for the location of the Space Shuttle C-Band Beacon Antenna(s) to be used during Approach and Landing Tests was made. The study has included an Orbiter-to-ground radar look angle evaluation, a vehicle shadowing evaluation and extensive 1/10-scale antenna pattern measurements. Locations were limited to the cutouts for the S-Band Quads and Hemis to minimize skin perturbation. The results show that a single C-Band Antenna located in the lower Hemi cutout will provide optimum coverage and eliminate the need for switching and the undesirable interferometer effects of two antennas.

Lindsey, J. F.↗

Simple constant-current-regulated power supply

Supply incorporates soft-start circuit that slowly ramps current up to set point at turn-on. Supply consists of full-wave rectifier, regulating pass transistor, current feedback circuit, and quad single-supply operational-amplifier circuit providing control. Technique is applicable to any system requiring constant dc current, such as vacuum tube equipment, heaters, or battery charges; it has been used to supply constant current for instrument calibration.

Priebe, D. H. E.↗

Model for redundant-sensor signal errors

Report describes application of order statistics to analysis of failure modes in redundant systems. Report provides detailed mathematical discussion of approach, accompanied by graphs and equations. Techniques are relevant to process that demand high reliability, such as manufacture of dangerous chemicals. It also includes discussion of quad-redundant system.

Sowada, D. J.↗

Agricultural and industrial process heat

The application of solar energy to agricultural and industrial process heat requirements is discussed. This energy end use sector has been the largest and it appears that solar energy can, when fully developed and commercialized, displace from three to eight or more quads of oil and natural gas in U.S. industry. This potential for fossil fuel displacement in the agricultural and industrial process heat area sector represents a possible savings of 1.4 to 3.8 million barrels of oil daily.

Dollard, J.↗

Gimbal bearing design considerations and friction control

The design considerations of bearing selection, bearing fits, bearing installation, and thermal control are discussed for a gimbal with a high stiffness, low friction torque requirement. Tradeoffs between a quad set of small diameter spread apart or a large diameter bearing pair resulted in a cleaner, lighter, stiffer unit with the latter selection. Bearing fits were designed to eliminate clearances with tolerances of .00127 mm 00005 in) on the bearing shafts and housings. The problems in metrology are discussed and a perferred technique for measurement of small cross-section bearings described. A technique for installation to assure proper seating of the bearing is offered. Where transient thermal conditions are involved, a method of controlling bearing friction by active control of bearing temperature gradients including the use of bearing unload test curves is described.

Kramer, N. R.↗

Testing of reciprocating seals for application in a Stirling cycle engine

Six single stage reciprocating seal configurations to the requirements of the Stirling cycle engine were evaluated. The seals tested were: the Boeing Footseal, NASA Chevron polyimide seal, Bell seal, Quad seal, Tetraseal, and Dynabak seal. None of these seal configurations met the leakage goals of .002 cc/sec at helium gas pressure of 1.22 x 10 to the 7th power PA, rod speed of 7.19 m/sec peak, and seal environmental temperature of 408 K for 1500 hours. Most seals failed due to high temperatures. Catastrophic failures were observed for a minimum number of test runs characterized by extremely high leakage rates and large temperature rises. The Bell seal attained 63 hours of run time at significantly lowered test conditions.

Curulla, J. F.↗

Large wind turbines: A utility option for the generation of electricity

The wind resource is such that wind energy generation has the potential to save 6-7 quads of energy nationally. Thus, the Federal Government is sponsoring and encouraging the development of cost effective and reliable wind turbines. One element of the Federal Wind Energy Programs, Large Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Development, is managed by the NASA Lewis Research Center for the Department of Energy. There are several ongoing wind system development projects oriented primarily toward utility application within this program element. In addition, a comprehensive technology program supporting the wind turbine development projects is being conducted. An overview is presented of the NASA activities with emphasis on application of large wind turbines for generation of electricity by utility systems.

Robbins, W. H.↗

New Algorithms Manage Fourfold Redundancy

Redundant sensors, actuators, and computers improve reliability of complex control systems, such as those in nuclear powerplants and aircraft. If one or more redundant elements fail, another takes over so that normal operation is not interrupted. Quad selection filter rejects data from null-failed and hardover-failed and hardover-failed units.

Gelderloos, H. C.↗