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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Solar array cost reductions.

There is great interest in reducing the cost of solar arrays, which will continue to be the prime power source for unmanned spacecraft for some time. The cost of solar power systems over the last decade, and means by which cost reductions may be achieved in the future are discussed. It is shown that the total system cost index is a function of solar array area, and that cost decreases as production of solar arrays goes up. This effect can be exploited more than has been done in the past by making common building blocks from which a variety of arrays can be assembled.

Bernatowicz, D. T.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Stochastic Adaptive Droop Control in Frequency Regulation of Power Systems With Intermittent Generators

Modern power systems (MPSs), including microgrids (MGs), are increasingly incorporating multiple renewable energy sources (RESs) such as wind and solar power, as well as battery storage and controllable loads. While environmentally beneficial, these sources pose challenges for control and management due to their intermittent and stochastic nature, especially in maintaining frequency stability with multiple interconnected generators of varying capacities. Traditional droop control methods are effective in systems with generators that are dispatchable and have fixed generation capacities, but they fall short when applied to systems with RESs, where generation capacities are dynamic and affected by unpredictable environmental conditions. To address these challenges, this paper introduces a novel stochastic adaptive droop control (SADC) method for load frequency control (LFC). The proposed method adapts droop coefficients in real time, based on the measured stochastic data of power generation capacities, enabling more effective frequency regulation in systems with variable and intermittent power generation. Unlike traditional adaptive control methods, which assume constant or slowly-varying system parameters, this approach accounts for stochastic processes by modeling them as Markov chains, enabling robust performance under highly dynamic and unpredictable conditions. The key contributions of this work include the development of real-time droop coefficient adaptation algorithms, derivation of their stability and convergence properties, and the demonstration of the advantages of the method through simulations. Case studies highlight the improved performance of frequency regulation, particularly in addressing the impact of stochastic weather conditions and the benefits of reducing dependence on battery reserves in dealing with intermittency of RESs. Finally, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical foundations of the method, as well as practical implementation insights for future power systems with high penetration of RESs.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS2017

Milli-Watt Radioisotope Power to Enable Small, Long-Term Robotic “Probe” Space Exploration

Milli-watt Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) based on Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) could be an ideal power source for certain spacecraft that cannot use solar power due to large distances from the sun, or other environmental constraints, and where they enable or significantly enhance the ability of a mission to meet its scientific or operational goals. Various modular, compact RHU-based thermoelectric (TE) generator concepts developed or derived from current NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects satisfying this need have been investigated. These modular, compact and low mass power systems could support small, highly-mobile robotic exploration packages, and could be incorporated into different robotic package concepts, spacecraft or satellites. Current modular RPS design concepts with 40mW, 80mW and 120mW power levels use RHUs and Bi2Te3 TE converters. Skutterudites materials could be used in the future if new higher thermal energy output and higher temperature miniature heat sources were developed, for example, using technologies currently in the General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) used in higher electric power output RTGs. Small (a.k.a., “mice-like”) robotic packages could effectively utilize these RHU-driven power levels to accommodate crawling, climbing, monitoring, taking measurements, and communicating during long-term planetary missions aimed at gathering environmental and geologic data (i.e., over multiple decades). Waste heat from the cold side of the TE converter could also be directed toward the electronics and / or energy storage (e.g. batteries) to keep them within design temperature ranges. In addition to power generation and electronics / battery heating, the RHU / TE configuration could be designed to survive an external 500°C bake out procedure for critical spacecraft sterilization, environmental certification and planetary protection. Analytical studies have been performed to optimize various design configurations for power, mass, volume and robotic mobility. Specific power (mW/kg) and volumetric specific power (mW/cm3) characteristics of various design configurations will be presented and key conceptual design tradeoffs will be discussed. Hot- and cold-side thermal interfaces required to meet power and mass goals and associated design sensitivities will also be discussed. RHU / TE systems must overcome critical design challenges to survive high-g loadings in some robotic applications and we will examine the mass impacts required to satisfy various dynamic loading environments up to 10,000 g’s. Power can be generated for a minimum of 30 years or more using plutonium-238 dioxide heat sources (given that Pu-238 has an 87.7 year half-life) with some reduction in power as the heat source naturally degrades.

Bahrami, Poyan↗
NASA NTRS1979

Energy: An annotated selected bibliography

This updated bibliography contains approximately 7,000 selected references on energy and energy related topics from bibliographic and other data sources from June 1977. Under each subject heading the entries are arranged by the date, with the latest works first. Geothermal, solar, wind, and ocean/water power sources are included. Magnetohydrodynamics and electrohydrodynamics, electric power engineering, automotive power plants, and energy storage are also covered.

Blow, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The application of solar thermoelectric generators in near-sun missions

Future planetary near-sun missions, such as those studied for low-altitude Mercury Orbiters, introduce challenges in the selection of appropriate power sources. Study results have shown that conventional silicon solar array technology is not adequate to produce power because of expected temperatures which range from -90 C to +285 C in about 40 to 50 minutes for 16 sun eclipses/day. The solar thermoelectric generator (STG), which requires relatively high temperatures, is being considered as a replacement power source. The complete STG consists of a solar concentrator and multiple thermopiles, each containing numerous thermocouples and thermal insulation material. Articulation of the STG design configurations is required at 0.45 AU to acquire maximum incident radiation and at 0.3 AU to reduce the higher incident radiation. STG thermal input to the spacecraft as it orbits Mercury (including sun eclipses) is insignificant.

Raag, V.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Introductory assessment of orbiting reflections for terrestrial power generation

The use of orbiting mirrors for providing energy to ground conversion stations to produce electrical power is shown to be a viable, cost effective and environmentally sound alternative to satellite solar power stations and conventional power sources. This is accomplished with the use of very light weight metal coated polymeric films as mirrors which, after deployment at 800 km, are placed in operational orbit and controlled by solar radiation pressure. Relations are developed showing the influence of a number of parameters (mirror altitude, orbit inclination, period, mirror size and number, and atmospheric effects) on the reflected insolation that may be received by a ground spot as a function of location. Some attractive alternative uses of the reflection are briefly discussed as a beneficial adjuncts to the system.

Billman, K. W.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Inflatable Solar Thermal Concentrator Delivered

Space-based solar thermal power systems are very appealing as a space power source because they generate power efficiently. However, solar thermal (dynamic) systems currently incorporate rigid concentrators that are relatively heavy and require significant packaging volume and robust deployment schemes. In many ways, these requirements make these systems less appealing than photovoltaic systems. As an alternative to solar thermal power systems with rigid concentrators, solar thermal power systems with thin film inflation-deployed concentrators have low cost, are lightweight, and are efficiently packaged and deployed. Not only are inflatable concentrators suitable for low Earth orbit and geosynchronous orbit applications, but they can be utilized in deep space missions to concentrate solar energy to high-efficiency solar cells.

Tolbert, Carol M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A quiescent magnetosphere for Neptune

It is argued that, if Neptune has a large magnetic moment, a weak supply of plasma for its magnetosphere, and a magnetic moment that is in near alignment with the planetary spin axis, the Neptunian magnetosphere is almost completely quiescent except for a region near the magnetopause. There are two magnetic power sources: the flowing, magnetized solar wind, and the kinetic energy of planetery spin. It is predicted that Neptune has a magnetic moment of at least 1 G-RN to the 3rd, the sum of ionospheric and Triton injections of plasma into Neptune's magnetosphere is less than 1 kg/sec, and Neptune's dipole is aligned with the spin axis and located close to the center of the planet. The criterion for Neptune to be a quiescent magnetosphere is defined by the expenditure of less than 10 to the 9th Watts from all power sources.

Dessler, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Space Qualification Test of a-Silicon Solar Cell Modules

The basic requirements of solar cell modules for space applications are generally described in MIL-S-83576 for the specific needs of the USAF. However, the specifications of solar cells intended for use on space terrestrial applications are not well defined. Therefore, this qualifications test effort was concentrated on critical areas specific to the microseismometer probe which is intended to be included in the Mars microprobe programs. Parameters that were evaluated included performance dependence on: illuminating angles, terrestrial temperatures, lifetime, as well as impact landing conditions. Our qualification efforts were limited to these most critical areas of concern. Most of the tested solar cell modules have met the requirements of the program except the impact tests. Surprisingly, one of the two single PIN 2 x 1 amorphous solar cell modules continued to function even after the 80000G impact tests. The output power parameters, Pout, FF, Isc and Voc, of the single PIN amorphous solar cell module were found to be 3.14 mW, 0.40, 9.98 mA and 0.78 V, respectively. These parameters are good enough to consider the solar module as a possible power source for the microprobe seismometer. Some recommendations were made to improve the usefulness of the amorphous silicon solar cell modules in space terrestrial applications, based on the results obtained from the intensive short term lab test effort.

Kim, Q.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Application Guide for the Cyber-Resilient Design Framework for Hybrid Systems

As the energy landscape evolves, hybrid power plants—integrating multiple renewable energy sources (e.g., solar, wind, and battery storage) with the bulk power electric system—play a crucial role in meeting growing energy demands. However, with a hybrid power plant’s increased number of components, complex network connectivity and digitization of controls, these systems face growing cybersecurity risks. To help mitigate these risks, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) presents this application guide specifically designed for operators and systems engineers to evaluate the cybersecurity resilience of their hybrid power plant’s design.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Use of the BSRN Data as A Benchmark for the POWER Hourly DHI and DNI and In Validating Derived Hourly GTI

The satellite-based CERES SYN1deg hourly data is the source data of the POWER GIS solar data that covers 2001 to near present. The SYN1deg(Ed4.1) hourly GHI agrees well with the BSRN data, but the hourly DHI and DirHI (Direct Horizontal Irradiance) are positively and negatively, respectively, biased with appreciable magnitudes. The hourly DNI, derived by dividing the DirHI by cos(SZA), or the cosine of the solar zenith angle, is therefore negatively biased. Based on the statistics of comparisons with the BSRN data, we performed bias corrections on the hourly DHI and DNI. The corrections were executed in the 3-D phase space of latitude, cos(SZA), and cloud fraction (CLFR). The isotropic model is then used to derive the hourly global tilted irradiance (GTI). For validation purpose, we applied the isotropic model to the BSRN data at the original 1-, 2-, 3- or 5-minute interval. The satellite-based hourly GTI shows good agreement with their BSRN counterpart. We also examined two monthly-mean-based methods that empirically derive monthly mean GTI and DNI from monthly mean GHI and from both monthly mean GHI and DHI. The monthly-mean-based results compare favorably with the hourly-mean-based results. The GEWEX SRB (V4-IP) provides POWER with daily mean GHI for the years before the CERES era, and the data were corrected using quantile mapping by referencing the CERES SYN1deg data. We used the Kolmogorov -Smirnov test (K-S test) and Cramer-von Mises test to examine how well the results agree with the BSRN data. We found that if we set the lower limit for the daily mean GHI to 30 W m-2, the data can pass the K-S test at 0.01 significance level and the Cramer-von Mises test at 0.001 significance level. If no lower limit is set on the daily means, the data fail both tests. The satellite-based CERES SYN1deg hourly data is the source data of the POWER GIS solar data that covers 2001 to near present. The SYN1deg(Ed4.1) hourly GHI agrees well with the BSRN data, but the hourly DHI and DirHI (Direct Horizontal Irradiance) are positively and negatively, respectively, biased with appreciable magnitudes. The hourly DNI, derived by dividing the DirHI by cos(SZA), or the cosine of the solar zenith angle, is therefore negatively biased. Based on the statistics of comparisons with the BSRN data, we performed bias corrections on the hourly DHI and DNI. The corrections were executed in the 3-D phase space of latitude, cos(SZA), and cloud fraction (CLFR). The isotropic model is then used to derive the hourly global tilted irradiance (GTI). For validation purpose, we applied the isotropic model to the BSRN data at the original 1-, 2-, 3- or 5-minute interval. The satellite-based hourly GTI shows good agreement with their BSRN counterpart. We also examined two monthly-mean-based methods that empirically derive monthly mean GTI and DNI from monthly mean GHI and from both monthly mean GHI and DHI. The monthly-mean-based results compare favorably with the hourly-mean-based results. The GEWEX SRB (V4-IP) provides POWER with daily mean GHI for the years before the CERES era, and the data were corrected using quantile mapping by referencing the CERES SYN1deg data. We used the Kolmogorov -Smirnov test (K-S test) and Cramer-von Mises test to examine how well the results agree with the BSRN data. We found that if we set the lower limit for the daily mean GHI to 30 W m-2, the data can pass the K-S test at 0.01 significance level and the Cramer-von Mises test at 0.001 significance level. If no lower limit is set on the daily means, the data fail both tests.

Taiping Zhang↗
NASA NTRS2017

Orbital Space Solar Power Option for a Lunar Village

The international community is increasingly interested in returning humans to the Moon and this time establishing a permanent lunar base. There are several system level constraints that will drive the location for the base, chief among which are the need for continuous power and communications with the Earth. The NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) performed a study of placing an operational space based solar power station in lunar orbit to beam energy to the lunar base, or village, eliminating the need for the base to be located at the south pole or for it to be equipped with a fission power source.

Moon Exploration↗
NASA NTRS1994

Properties of acoustic sources in the Sun

The power spectrum of solar acoustic oscillations shows peaks extending out to frequencies much greater than the acoustic cutoff frequency of approximately 5.3 mHz, where waves are no longer trapped. Kumar & Lu (1991) proposed that these peaks arise from the interference of traveling waves which are generated by turbulent convection. According to this model, the frequencies of the peaks in the power spectrum depend on the static structure of the Sun as well as the radial location of the sources. Kumar & Lu used this idea to determine the depth of the acoustic sources. However, they ignored dissipative effects and found that the theoretically computed power spectrum was falling off much more rapidly than the observed spectrum. In this paper, we include the interaction of radiation with acoustic waves in the computation of the power spectrum. We find that the theoretically calculated power spectra, when radiative damping is included are in excellent agreement with the observed power spectra over the entire observed frequency range of 5.3 to 7.5 mHz above the acoustic cutoff frequency. Moreover, by matching the peak frequencies in the observed and theoretical spectra we find the mean depth of acoustic sources to be 140 +/- 60 km below the photosphere. We show that the spectrum of solar turbulence near the top of the solar convection zone is consistent with the Kolmogorov spectrum, and that the observed high frequency power spectrum provides strong evidence that the acoustic sources in the Sun are quadrupolar. The data, in fact, rules out dipole sources as significant contributors to acoustic wave generation in the Sun. The radial extent of the sources is poorly determined and is estimated to be less than about 550 km.

Kumar, Pawan↗
NASA NTRS1978

A mechanical, thermal and electrical packaging design for a prototype power management and control system for the 30 cm mercury ion thruster

A prototype electric power management and thruster control system for a 30 cm ion thruster is described. The system meets all of the requirements necessary to operate a thruster in a fully automatic mode. Power input to the system can vary over a full two to one dynamic range (200 to 400 V) for the solar array or other power source. The power management and control system is designed to protect the thruster, the flight system and itself from arcs and is fully compatible with standard spacecraft electronics. The system is easily integrated into flight systems which can operate over a thermal environment ranging from 0.3 to 5 AU. The complete power management and control system measures 45.7 cm (18 in.) x 15.2 cm (6 in.) x 114.8 cm (45.2 in.) and weighs 36.2 kg (79.7 lb). At full power the overall efficiency of the system is estimated to be 87.4 percent. Three systems are currently being built and a full schedule of environmental and electrical testing is planned.

Sharp, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A mechanical, thermal and electrical packaging design for a prototype power management and control system for the 30 cm mercury ion thruster

A prototype Electric Power Management and Thruster Control System for a 30 cm ion thruster has been built and is ready to support a first mission application. The system meets all of the requirements necessary to operate a thruster in a fully automatic mode. Power input to the system can vary over a full two to one dynamic range (200 to 400 V) for the solar array or other power source. The Power Management and Control system is designed to protect the thruster, the flight system and itself from arcs and is fully compatible with standard spacecraft electronics. The system is designed to be easily integrated into flight systems which can operate over a thermal environment ranging from 0.3 to 5 AU. The complete Power Management and Control system measures 45.7 cm x 15.2 cm x 114.8 cm and weighs 36.2 kg. At full power the overall efficiency of the system is estimated to be 87.4 percent. Three systems are currently being built and a full schedule of environmental and electrical testing is planned.

Sharp, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Interplanetary exploration-A challenge for photovoltaics

Future U.S. interplanetary missions will be less complex and costly than past missions such as Voyager and the soon to be launched, Galileo. This is required to achieve a balanced exploration program that can be sustained within the context of a limited budget. Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) have served as the power source for missions beyond the orbit of Mars. It is indicated that the cost to the user of these power sources will significantly increase. Solar arrays can provide a low cost alternative for a number of missions. Potential missions are identified along with concerns for implementation, and some array configurations under present investigation are reviewed.

Stella, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Some aspects of space propulsion with extraterrestrial resources

Extraterrestrial resources for space processing of chemicals, in general, and propellants, in particular, are explored quantitatively. It is seen that, for several candidate space mission scenarios, space processing of both space resources and earth-carried resources can make decisive differences in the mission success for a given payload. To fix ideas and demonstrate trends, the specific case of water splitting to extract oxygen, discard (or use without storage) the resulting hydrogen, and burn earth-carried noncryogenic liquid fuel(s) in a simple rocket motor, designed for periodic thrusting, is treated in some detail. Experimental hardware is assembled and demonstrated to perform adequately, besides showing compactness of the space-packaged 'capsule' module that is self-contained. Building upon previous studies, the concept of in situ propellant production (ISPP) is reexamined in light of more recent energy and materials technologies. Missions to comets and Mars Sample Return are mentioned as candidate scenarios. The mission duration, reliability-repairability of hardware, resource availability in low earth orbit (LEO), and the thrust requirements are considered in turn. It is seen that space storage of hydrogen for extended durations (5-10 years) involves problems that require detailed studies, besides involving many presently unanswered issues. A study of the energy option in LEO and in deep space is developed in simple terms. The different solar, radioisotope, and nuclear power sources are mentioned. Storage and handling of raw and processed chemicals are considered.

Ramohalli, Kumar↗