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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 127 records · Page 7

Spinoff 2009

Topics covered include: Image-Capture Devices Extend Medicine's Reach; Medical Devices Assess, Treat Balance Disorders; NASA Bioreactors Advance Disease Treatments; Robotics Algorithms Provide Nutritional Guidelines; "Anti-Gravity" Treadmills Speed Rehabilitation; Crew Management Processes Revitalize Patient Care; Hubble Systems Optimize Hospital Schedules; Web-based Programs Assess Cognitive Fitness; Electrolyte Concentrates Treat Dehydration; Tools Lighten Designs, Maintain Structural Integrity; Insulating Foams Save Money, Increase Safety; Polyimide Resins Resist Extreme Temperatures; Sensors Locate Radio Interference; Surface Operations Systems Improve Airport Efficiency; Nontoxic Resins Advance Aerospace Manufacturing; Sensors Provide Early Warning of Biological Threats; Robot Saves Soldier's Lives Overseas (MarcBot); Apollo-Era Life Raft Saves Hundreds of Sailors; Circuits Enhance Scientific Instruments and Safety Devices; Tough Textiles Protect Payloads and Public Safety Officers; Forecasting Tools Point to Fishing Hotspots; Air Purifiers Eliminate Pathogens, Preserve Food; Fabrics Protect Sensitive Skin from UV Rays; Phase Change Fabrics Control Temperature; Tiny Devices Project Sharp, Colorful Images; Star-Mapping Tools Enable Tracking of Endangered Animals; Nanofiber Filters Eliminate Contaminants; Modeling Innovations Advance Wind Energy Industry; Thermal Insulation Strips Conserve Energy; Satellite Respondent Buoys Identify Ocean Debris; Mobile Instruments Measure Atmospheric Pollutants; Cloud Imagers Offer New Details on Earth's Health; Antennas Lower Cost of Satellite Access; Feature Detection Systems Enhance Satellite Imagery; Chlorophyll Meters Aid Plant Nutrient Management; Telemetry Boards Interpret Rocket, Airplane Engine Data; Programs Automate Complex Operations Monitoring; Software Tools Streamline Project Management; Modeling Languages Refine Vehicle Design; Radio Relays Improve Wireless Products; Advanced Sensors Boost Optical Communication, Imaging; Tensile Fabrics Enhance Architecture Around the World; Robust Light Filters Support Powerful Imaging Devices; Thermoelectric Devices Cool, Power Electronics; Innovative Tools Advance Revolutionary Weld Technique; Methods Reduce Cost, Enhance Quality of Nanotubes; Gauging Systems Monitor Cryogenic Liquids; Voltage Sensors Monitor Harmful Static; and Compact Instruments Measure Heat Potential.

Source record↗

Advanced Rigid Ablative TPS

NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate s (ESMD) Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) Technology Development Project (TDP) and the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate s (ARMD) Hypersonics Project are developing new advanced rigid ablators in an effort to substantially increase reliability, decrease mass, and reduce life cycle cost of rigid aeroshell-based entry systems for multiple missions. Advanced Rigid Ablators combine ablation resistant top layers capable of high heat flux entry and enable high-speed EDL with insulating mass-efficient bottom that, insulate the structure and lower the areal weight. These materials may benefit Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) vendors and may potentially enable new NASA missions for higher velocity returns (e.g. asteroid, Mars). The materials have been thermally tested to 400-450 W/sq cm at the Laser Hardened Materials Evaluation Lab (LHMEL), Hypersonics Materials Evaluation Test System (HyMETS) and in arcjet facilities. Tested materials exhibit much lower backface temperatures and reduced recession over the baseline materials (PICA). Although the EDL project is ending in FY11, NASA in-house development of advanced ablators will continue with a focus on varying resin systems and fiber/resin interactions.

Gasch, Matthew J.↗

Electric Motors for Non-Cryogenic Hybrid Electric and Turboelectric Propulsion

NASA Glenn Research Center is investigating hybrid electric and turboelectric propulsion concepts for future aircraft to reduce fuel burn, emissions, and noise. Systems studies show that the weight and efficiency of the electric system components need to be improved for this concept to be feasible. However, advances in motor component materials such as soft magnetic materials, hard magnetic materials, conductors, thermal insulation, and structural materials are expected in the coming years, and should improve motor performance. This study investigates several motor types for a one megawatt application, and projects the motor performance benefits of new component materials that might be available in the coming decades.

Hybrid propulsion↗

Electric Motor Considerations for Non-Cryogenic Hybrid Electric and Turboelectric Propulsion

NASA Glenn Research Center is investigating hybrid electric and turboelectric propulsion concepts for future aircraft to reduce fuel burn, emissions, and noise. Systems studies show that the weight and efficiency of the electric system components need to be improved for this concept to be feasible. However, advances in motor component materials such as soft magnetic materials, hard magnetic materials, conductors, thermal insulation, and structural materials are expected in the coming years, and should improve motor performance. This study investigates several motor types for a one megawatt application, and projects the motor performance benefits of new component materials that might be available in the coming decades.

Hybrid propulsion↗

Testing Tensile and Shear Epoxy Strength at Cryogenic Temperatures

This paper covers cryogenic, tensile testing and research completed on a number of epoxies used in cryogenic applications. Epoxies are used in many different applications; however, this research focused on the use of epoxy used to bond MLI standoffs to cryogenic storage tanks and the loads imparted to the tank through the MLI. To conduct testing, samples were made from bare stainless steel, aluminum and primed aluminum. Testing involved slowly cooling test samples with liquid nitrogen then applying gradually increasing tensile loads to the epoxy. The testing evaluated the strength and durability of epoxies at cryogenic temperatures and serves as a base for future testing. The results of the tests showed that some epoxies withstood the harsh conditions while others failed. The two epoxies yielding the best results were Masterbond EP29LPSP and Scotch Weld 2216. For all metal surfaces tested, both epoxies had zero failures for up to 11.81 kg of mass.

multilayer insulation↗

Heat Loads Due to Small Penetrations in Multilayer Insulation Blankets

Abstract: This paper covers cryogenic, tensile testing and research completed on a number of epoxies used in cryogenic applications. Epoxies are used in many different applications; however, this research focused on the use of epoxy used to bond MLI standoffs to cryogenic storage tanks and the loads imparted to the tank through the MLI. To conduct testing, samples were made from bare stainless steel, aluminum and primed aluminum. Testing involved slowly cooling test samples with liquid nitrogen then applying gradually increasing tensile loads to the epoxy. The testing evaluated the strength and durability of epoxies at cryogenic temperatures and serves as a base for future testing. The results of the tests showed that some epoxies withstood the harsh conditions while others failed. The two epoxies yielding the best results were Masterbond EP29LPSP and Scotch Weld 2216. For all metal surfaces tested, both epoxies had zero failures for up to 11.81 kg of mass.

multilayer insulation↗

Testing Tensile and Shear Epoxy Strength at Cryogenic Temperatures

This paper covers cryogenic, tensile testing and research completed on a number of epoxies used in cryogenic applications. Epoxies are used in many different applications; however, this research focused on the use of epoxy used to bond MLI standoffs to cryogenic storage tanks and the loads imparted to the tank through the MLI. To conduct testing, samples were made from bare stainless steel, aluminum and primed aluminum. Testing involved slowly cooling test samples with liquid nitrogen then applying gradually increasing tensile loads to the epoxy. The testing evaluated the strength and durability of epoxies at cryogenic temperatures and serves as a base for future testing. The results of the tests showed that some epoxies withstood the harsh conditions while others failed. The two epoxies yielding the best results were Masterbond EP29LPSP and Scotch Weld 2216. For all metal surfaces tested, both epoxies had zero failures for up to 11.81 kg of mass..

epoxy↗

Radiation Effects in Photonic Modulator Structures

%T Radiation Effects in Photonic Modulator Structures%A Charles Barnes%A Roger Greenwell%J SPIE, Photonics for Space Environments%C Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.%D April 18-20, 1995%K Radiation%K Photonic Modulator Structures%U http://techreports.jpl.nasa.gov/1995/95-1057.pdfA review is given of the effects of radiation on various photonic modulator materials and devices including polymer-based structures, insulator-based devices, semiconductor-based devices and spatial light modulators. We conclude by providing recommendations for further work in the area of radiation effects in photonic modulators.!

Photonic↗

Methods for Determining the Optimum Design of Structures Protected from Aerodynamic Heating and Application to Typical Boost-Glide or Reentry Flight Paths

General equations are developed for the design of efficient structures protected from thermal environments typical of those encountered in boost-glide or atmospheric-reentry conditions. The method is applied to insulated heat-sink stressed-skin structures and to internally cooled insulated structures. Plates loaded in compression are treated in detail. Under limited conditions of plate buckling, high loading, and short flight periods, and for aluminum structures only, the weights of both configurations are nearly equal. Load parameters are found and are similar to those derived in previous investigations for the restricted case of a constant equilibrium temperature at the outside surface of the insulation.

Harris, Robert S., Jr.↗

Cryogenic Insulation System

This invention relates to reusable, low density, high temperature cryogenic foam insulation systems and the process for their manufacture. A pacing technology for liquid hydrogen fueled, high speed aircraft is the development of a fully reusable, flight weight cryogenic insulation system for propellant tank structures. In the invention cryogenic foam insulation is adhesively bonded to the outer wall of the fuel tank structure. The cryogenic insulation consists of square sheets fabricated from an array of abutting square blocks. Each block consists of a sheet of glass cloth adhesively bonded between two layers of polymethacrylimide foam. Each block is wrapped in a vapor impermeable membrane, such as Kapton(R) aluminum Kapton(R), to provide a vapor barrier. Very beneficial results can be obtained by employing the present invention in conjunction with fibrous insulation and an outer aeroshell, a hot fuselage structure with an internal thermal protection system.

Davis, Randall C.↗

Thermal insulation attaching means

An improved isolation system is provided for attaching ceramic tiles of insulating material to the surface of a structure to be protected against extreme temperatures of the nature expected to be encountered by the space shuttle orbiter. This system isolates the fragile ceramic tiles from thermally and mechanically induced vehicle structural strains. The insulating tiles are affixed to a felt isolation pad formed of closely arranged and randomly oriented fibers by means of a flexible adhesive and in turn the felt pad is affixed to the metallic vehicle structure by an additional layer of flexible adhesive.

Leger, L. J.↗

Polyimide Aerogels with Three-Dimensional Cross-Linked Structure

Polyimide aerogels with three-dimensional cross-linked structure are made using linear oligomeric segments of polyimide, and linked with one of the following into a 3D structure: trifunctional aliphatic or aromatic amines, latent reactive end caps such as nadic anhydride or phenylethynylphenyl amine, and silica or silsesquioxane cage structures decorated with amine. Drying the gels supercritically maintains the solid structure of the gel, creating a polyimide aerogel with improved mechanical properties over linear polyimide aerogels. Lightweight, low-density structures are desired for acoustic and thermal insulation for aerospace structures, habitats, astronaut equipment, and aeronautic applications. Aerogels are a unique material for providing such properties because of their extremely low density and small pore sizes. However, plain silica aerogels are brittle. Reinforcing the aerogel structure with a polymer (X-Aerogel) provides vast improvements in strength while maintaining low density and pore structure. However, degradation of polymers used in cross-linking tends to limit use temperatures to below 150 C. Organic aerogels made from linear polyimide have been demonstrated, but gels shrink substantially during supercritical fluid extraction and may have lower use temperature due to lower glass transition temperatures. The purpose of this innovation is to raise the glass transition temperature of all organic polyimide aerogel by use of tri-, tetra-, or poly-functional units in the structure to create a 3D covalently bonded network. Such cross-linked polyimides typically have higher glass transition temperatures in excess of 300 400 C. In addition, the reinforcement provided by a 3D network should improve mechanical stability, and prevent shrinkage on supercritical fluid extraction. The use of tri-functional aromatic or aliphatic amine groups in the polyimide backbone will provide such a 3D structure.

Panek, John↗

Self-Healing Polymer Materials for Wire Insulation, Polyimides, Flat Surfaces, and Inflatable Structures

Materials based on low melt polyimide, polyurea, or polyurethane chemistry have been developed which exhibit self-healing properties. These high performance polymers can be utilized either by themselves or in combination with microcapsule technology to deliver self-healing properties to electrical wire insulation or in other high performance, thin wall technologies such as inflatable structures.

Jolley, Scott T.↗

Ceramic fiber insulation impregnated with an infra-red retardant coating and method for production thereof

The invented insulation is a ceramic fiber insulation wherein the ceramic fibers are treated with a coating which contains transition metal oxides. The invented process for coating the insulation is a process of applying the transition metal oxide coating to the fibers of the insulation after the fibers have been formed into a tile or other porous body. The coating of transition metal oxide lowers the transmittance of radiation through the insulation thereby lowering the temperature of the backface of the insulation and better protecting the structure that underlies the insulation.

Zinn, Alfred A.↗

Elevated-Temperature Tests Under Static and Aerodynamic Conditions on Corrugated-Stiffened Panels

Thermal-insulating panels made of 0.005-inch-thick corrugated-stiffened sheets of Inconel X, backed by either bulk or reflective insulation, were tested under static and aerodynamic conditions at elevated temperatures up to 1,8000 F in front of a quartz-tube radiant heater and in a blowdown wind tunnel at a Mach number of 1.4. The tests were performed to provide information on the structural integrity and insulating effectiveness of thermal-insulating panels under the effects of aerodynamic heating. Static radiant-heating tests showed that the bulk insulation protected a load-carrying structure better than did the reflective insulation; however, the bulk insulation was much heavier than the reflective insulation and made the panel assemblies about three times as thick. Three of the four panels tested in the heated supersonic wind tunnel fluttered and failed dynamically. However, one panel demonstrated that flutter can be alleviated considerably with proper edge support. The panels deflected toward the heater (or into the airstream) at a rate which was primarily dependent on the temperature difference through the panel thickness.

Groen, Joseph M.↗

Characterization and modeling of an advanced flexible thermal protection material for space applications

This paper describes experimental and analytical characterization of a new flexible thermal protection material known as Tailorable Advanced Blanket Insulation (TABI). This material utilizes a three-dimensional ceramic fabric core structure and an insulation filler. TABI is the leading candidate for use in deployable aeroassisted vehicle designs. Such designs require extensive structural modeling, and the most significant in-plane material properties necessary for model development are measured and analytically verified in this study. Unique test methods are developed for damping measurements. Mathematical models are developed for verification of the experimental modulus and damping data, and finally, transverse properties are described in terms of the inplane properties through use of a 12-dof finite difference model of a simple TABI configuration.

Clayton, Joseph P.↗