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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 1,099 records · Page 61

The experimental clean combustor program - Description and status

The experimental clean combustor program is a contract effort with primary objectives including the generation and demonstration of technology for development of advanced commercial CTOL aircraft engines with lower exhaust emissions than current aircraft, and the demonstration of this technology in full scale engines in 1976. The program is being conducted in three phases. These consist of screening of low pollutant combustors, refinement of the best combustors, and engine demonstration of the best combustors. Pollution goals are emission index values of 20 and 4 for carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons respectively at engine idle conditions, and an oxides of nitrogen emission index level of 10 at engine takeoff conditions. Pollution reduction approaches which are being investigated include multiple burning zone combustors, investigations of improved fuel distribution, and preparation and the staging of combustor airflow.

Niedzwiecki, R. W.↗

The National Geothermal Energy Research Program

The continuous demand for energy and the concern for shortages of conventional energy resources have spurred the nation to consider alternate energy resources, such as geothermal. Although significant growth in the one natural steam field located in the United States has occurred, a major effort is now needed if geothermal energy, in its several forms, is to contribute to the nation's energy supplies. From the early informal efforts of an Interagency Panel for Geothermal Energy Research, a 5-year Federal program has evolved whose objective is the rapid development of a commercial industry for the utilization of geothermal resources for electric power production and other products. The Federal program seeks to evaluate the realistic potential of geothermal energy, to support the necessary research and technology needed to demonstrate the economic and environmental feasibility of the several types of geothermal resources, and to address the legal and institutional problems concerned in the stimulation and regulation of this new industry.

Green, R. J.↗

The experimental clean combustor program: Description and status to November 1975

The generation of technology was studied for the development of advanced commercial CTOL aircraft engines with lower exhaust emissions than current aircraft. The program is in three phases. Phase 1, already completed, consisted of screening tests of low pollution combustor concepts. Phase 2, currently in progress, consists of test rig refinement of the most promising combustor concepts. Phase 2 test results are reported. Phase 3, also currently in progress, consists of incorporating and evaluating the best combustors as part of a complete engine. Engine test plans and pollution sampling techniques are described in this report. Program pollution goals, specified at engine idle and take-off conditions, are idle emission index value of 20 and 4 for carbon monoxide (CO) and total unburned hydrocarbons (THC), respectively, and at take-off are an oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emission index level of 10 and a smoke number of 15. Pollution data were obtained at all engine operating conditions. Results are presented in terms of emission index and also in terms of the Environmental Protection Agency's 1979 Standards Parameter.

Niedzwiecki, R. W.↗

Low pollution combustor designs for CTOL engines - Results of the Experimental Clean Combustor Program

The NASA/Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Experimental Clean Combustor Program is a multi-year, major contract effort. Primary program objectives are the generation of combustor technology for development of advanced commercial CTOL engines with lower exhaust emissions than current aircraft and demonstration of this technology in a full-scale JT9D engine in 1976. This paper describes the pollution and performance goals, Phase I and II test results, and the Phase III combustor hardware, pollution sampling techniques, and test plans. Best results were obtained with the Vorbix concept which employs multiple burning zones and improved fuel preparation and distribution. Substantial reductions were achieved in all pollutant categories, meeting the 1979 EPA standards for NOx, THC, and smoke when extrapolated to JT9D cycle conditions. The Vorbix concept additionally demonstrated the capability for acceptable altitude relight and did not appear to have unsolvable durability or exit temperature distribution problems.

Roberts, R.↗

Hypersonic transport technology

The possibility of developing a hypersonic commercial transport (HST) for the early 21st century is explored in terms of potential performance characteristics and recent advances in propulsion and structures technology. Range-gross weight characteristics indicate that a 200 passenger, Mach 6 aircraft with a range of 9200 km (5000 n.mi.) would have a gross take-off weight not too different from that of current wide-body subsonic transports. The low cruise sonic boom overpressures generated by the HST opens the possibility of supersonic overland flight which, if permitted, would greatly increase the attractiveness of this type of aircraft. Recent advances in hypersonic propulsion systems and long-lived hypersonic aircraft structure are also discussed. The airframe-integrated scramjet and the actively-cooled airframe structure are identified as the most promising candidates for the HST and current approaches are described in some detail.

Kirkham, F. S.↗

Development and testing of 2-dimensional photon counter

The development of a commercially available two dimensional photon counter into an operational system for speckle imaging of astronomical objects is described. The system includes digital recording for field observations. The counter has a bialkali photocathode with a field size of 18 by 18 mm over which it resolves about 100 by 100 pixels. The system records photon positions as 16 bit words at rates up to 14,400 per second. Field tests at observatories verifying the operation of the system are described.

Source record↗

Study of noise reduction characteristics of composite fiber-reinforced panels, interior panel configurations, and the application of the tuned damper concept

The application of fiber reinforced composite materials, such as graphite epoxy and Kevlar, for secondary or primary structures developing in the commercial airplane industry was investigated. A composite panel program was initiated to study the effects of some of the parameters that affect noise reduction of these panels. The fiber materials and the ply orientation were chosen to be variables in the test program. It was found that increasing the damping characteristics of a structural panel will reduce the vibration amplitudes at resonant frequencies with attendant reductions in sound reduction. Test results for a dynamic absorber, a tuned damper, are presented and evaluated.

Lameris, J.↗

Develop and test fuel cell powered on-site integrated total energy systems: Phase 3: Full-scale power plant development

The development of a commercially viable and cost-effective phospheric acid fuel cell powered on-site integrated energy system (OS/IES) is described. The fuel cell offers energy efficients in the range of 35-40% of the higher heating value of available fuels in the form of electrical energy. In addition, by utilizing the thermal energy generated for heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC), a fuel cell OS/IES could provide total energy efficiencies in the neighborhood of 80%. Also, the Engelhard fuel cell OS/IES offers the important incentive of replacing imported oil with domestically produced methanol, including coal-derived methanol.

Source record↗

A study of space station needs, attributes and architectural options. Volume 2: Technical. Book 1: Mission requirements

The following types of space missions were evaluated to determine those that require, or will be benefited materially, by a manned space station: (1) science and applications, (2) commercial, (3) technology development, (4) space operations, and (5) national security. Integrated mission requirements for man-operated and man-tended free-flying missions were addressed. A manned space station will provide major performance and economic benefits to a wide range of missions planned for the 1990s.

Steinbronn, O.↗

NASA Space controls research and technology program

The NASA technological organization is outlined. The Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) is one of the four major technical offices that comprise NASA. The Office of Space Science and Applications administers programs directed towards using space-based or related techniques to further understanding of the total universe and to apply that understanding to practical applications in such areas as Astrophysics, Solar System exploration, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Communications and Information Systems. The Office of Space Flight administers the programs for all U.S. civil launch capability, plus Spacelab development and operations. The Office of Space Tracking & Data Systems administers the programs that operate and maintain a world-wide network of facilities for data acquisition, processing, and ground to spacecraft communications for all NASA missions. The OAST has primary responsibility within NASA for conducting space research and technology development to support commercial and military as well as NASA space interests.

Mciver, D. E.↗

CCD use at Lick Observatory

The CCD detector and data handling system in regular use at Lick Observatory are described. A grism system has been installed on the automated Cassegrain spectrograph at the Shane 3-meter telescope. A very compact CCD cooling system has been developed using a commercial gas expansion refrigerator; the dewar is a cylinder 15 cm in diameter and 6 cm high. The data acquisition computer, an LSI 11/23 with 256 kbyte RAM, 160 Mbyte Winchester disk, and color video display, provides for FITS format magnetic tape storage as well as preliminary analysis of images and spectra. The 3-meter telescope spectrographic system uses a 500 x 500 pixel thinned CCD. Design information and operational experience for these detector systems are presented along with some results to illustrate the quality of the data being obtained and the current limitations of the CCD detectors and data system.

Lauer, T. R.↗

Cost reductions in nickel-hydrogen battery

Significant progress was made toward the development of a commercially marketable hydrogen nickel oxide battery. The costs projected for this battery are remarkably low when one considers where the learning curve is for commercialization of this system. Further developmental efforts on this project are warranted as the H2/NiO battery is already cost competitive with other battery systems.

Beauchamp, Richard L.↗

Graphite/Thermoplastic-Pultrusion Die

Attachment to extruder produces thermoplastic-impregnated graphite tape. Consists of profile die, fiber/resin collimator, and crosshead die body. Die designed to be attached to commercially available extrusion machine capable of extruding high-performance thermoplastics. Simple attachment to commercial extruder enables developers of composites to begin experimenting with large numbers of proprietary resins, fibers, and hybrid composite structures. With device, almost any possible fiber/resin combination fabricated.

Wilson, Maywood L.↗

Framework for a space shuttle main engine health monitoring system

A framework developed for a health management system (HMS) which is directed at improving the safety of operation of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) is summarized. An emphasis was placed on near term technology through requirements to use existing SSME instrumentation and to demonstrate the HMS during SSME ground tests within five years. The HMS framework was developed through an analysis of SSME failure modes, fault detection algorithms, sensor technologies, and hardware architectures. A key feature of the HMS framework design is that a clear path from the ground test system to a flight HMS was maintained. Fault detection techniques based on time series, nonlinear regression, and clustering algorithms were developed and demonstrated on data from SSME ground test failures. The fault detection algorithms exhibited 100 percent detection of faults, had an extremely low false alarm rate, and were robust to sensor loss. These algorithms were incorporated into a hierarchical decision making strategy for overall assessment of SSME health. A preliminary design for a hardware architecture capable of supporting real time operation of the HMS functions was developed. Utilizing modular, commercial off-the-shelf components produced a reliable low cost design with the flexibility to incorporate advances in algorithm and sensor technology as they become available.

Hawman, Michael W.↗

Hyperswitch communication network

The Hyperswitch Communication Network (HCN) is a large scale parallel computer prototype being developed at JPL. Commercial versions of the HCN computer are planned. The HCN computer being designed is a message passing multiple instruction multiple data (MIMD) computer, and offers many advantages in price-performance ratio, reliability and availability, and manufacturing over traditional uniprocessors and bus based multiprocessors. The design of the HCN operating system is a uniquely flexible environment that combines both parallel processing and distributed processing. This programming paradigm can achieve a balance among the following competing factors: performance in processing and communications, user friendliness, and fault tolerance. The prototype is being designed to accommodate a maximum of 64 state of the art microprocessors. The HCN is classified as a distributed supercomputer. The HCN system is described, and the performance/cost analysis and other competing factors within the system design are reviewed.

Peterson, J.↗

Cost-efficient manufacturing of composite structures

The Advanced Composites Technology (ACT) program is seeking research breakthroughs that will allow structures made of graphite epoxy materials to replace metals in the wings and fuselages of future aircrafts. NASA's goals are to reduce acquisition cost by 20 to 25 percent, structural weight for a resized aircraft by 40 to 50 percent, and the number of parts by half compared to current production aluminum aircraft. The innovative structural concepts, materials, and fabrication techniques emerging from the ACT program are described, and the relationship between aerospace developments and industrial, commercial, and sporting goods applications are discussed.

Freeman, W. Tom↗