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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

High Performance Low Cost Power Conditioning Subsystems Using Smart Power/ Power Integrated Circuits in Photovoltaic Power Systems

New technologies like Smart Power, and Power Integrated Circuits are the wave of the future in providing high performance low cost power conditioning subsystem (PCS)in small to large power applications. This paper discusses circuit designs using these devices that are suitable for PCS in photovoltaic and other industrial applications such as electrical appliances, instrumentation, AC motor drives, battery chargers, automobiles, telecommunications, UPS, and switch mode power supplies. It examines the cost of high volume production and current technological barriers asociated with the development of these technologies.

smart↗
NASA NTRS2012

Simple Cell Balance Circuit

A method has been developed for continuous cell voltage balancing for rechargeable batteries (e.g. lithium ion batteries). A resistor divider chain is provided that generates a set of voltages representing the ideal cell voltage (the voltage of each cell should be as if the cells were perfectly balanced). An operational amplifier circuit with an added current buffer stage generates the ideal voltage with a very high degree of accuracy, using the concept of negative feedback. The ideal voltages are each connected to the corresponding cell through a current- limiting resistance. Over time, having the cell connected to the ideal voltage provides a balancing current that moves the cell voltage very close to that ideal level. In effect, it adjusts the current of each cell during charging, discharging, and standby periods to force the cell voltages to be equal to the ideal voltages generated by the resistor divider. The device also includes solid-state switches that disconnect the circuit from the battery so that it will not discharge the battery during storage. This solution requires relatively few parts and is, therefore, of lower cost and of increased reliability due to the fewer failure modes. Additionally, this design uses very little power. A preliminary model predicts a power usage of 0.18 W for an 8-cell battery. This approach is applicable to a wide range of battery capacities and voltages.

Johnson, Steven D.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Hybrid Power Management-Based Vehicle Architecture

Hybrid Power Management (HPM) is the integration of diverse, state-of-the-art power devices in an optimal configuration for space and terrestrial applications (s ee figure). The appropriate application and control of the various power devices significantly improves overall system performance and efficiency. The basic vehicle architecture consists of a primary power source, and possibly other power sources, that provides all power to a common energy storage system that is used to power the drive motors and vehicle accessory systems. This architecture also provides power as an emergency power system. Each component is independent, permitting it to be optimized for its intended purpose. The key element of HPM is the energy storage system. All generated power is sent to the energy storage system, and all loads derive their power from that system. This can significantly reduce the power requirement of the primary power source, while increasing the vehicle reliability. Ultracapacitors are ideal for an HPM-based energy storage system due to their exceptionally long cycle life, high reliability, high efficiency, high power density, and excellent low-temperature performance. Multiple power sources and multiple loads are easily incorporated into an HPM-based vehicle. A gas turbine is a good primary power source because of its high efficiency, high power density, long life, high reliability, and ability to operate on a wide range of fuels. An HPM controller maintains optimal control over each vehicle component. This flexible operating system can be applied to all vehicles to considerably improve vehicle efficiency, reliability, safety, security, and performance. The HPM-based vehicle architecture has many advantages over conventional vehicle architectures. Ultracapacitors have a much longer cycle life than batteries, which greatly improves system reliability, reduces life-of-system costs, and reduces environmental impact as ultracapacitors will probably never need to be replaced and disposed of. The environmentally safe ultracapacitor components reduce disposal concerns, and their recyclable nature reduces the environmental impact. High ultracapacitor power density provides high power during surges, and the ability to absorb high power during recharging. Ultracapacitors are extremely efficient in capturing recharging energy, are rugged, reliable, maintenance-free, have excellent lowtemperature characteristic, provide consistent performance over time, and promote safety as they can be left indefinitely in a safe, discharged state whereas batteries cannot.

Eichenberg, Dennis J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Phase 1 of the near term hybrid passenger vehicle development program. Appendix B: Trade-off studies. Volume 2: Appendices

The SPEC '78 computer program which consists of mathematical simulations of any vehicle component and external environment is described as are configuration alternatives for the propulsion system. Preliminary assessments of the fundamental characteristics of the lead-acid and sodium-sulfur batteries are included and procedures are given for estimating the cost of a new vehicle in mass production.

Traversi, M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

An update on Lab Rover: A hospital material transporter

The development of a hospital material transporter, 'Lab Rover', is described. Conventional material transport now utilizes people power, push carts, pneumatic tubes and tracked vehicles. Hospitals are faced with enormous pressure to reduce operating costs. Cyberotics, Inc. developed an Autonomous Intelligent Vehicle (AIV). This battery operated service robot was designed specifically for health care institutions. Applications for the AIV include distribution of clinical lab samples, pharmacy drugs, administrative records, x-ray distribution, meal tray delivery, and certain emergency room applications. The first AIV was installed at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass. Lab Rover was beta tested for one year and has been 'on line' for an additional 2 years.

Mattaboni, Paul↗
NASA NTRS2014

A Novel Method for Characterizing Spacesuit Mobility through Metabolic Cost

Spacesuit mobility has historically been defined and characterized by a combination of range of motion and joint torque of the individual anatomical joints when performing isolated motions meant to drive that joint only in a given orthogonal plane. While this has been the standard approach for several decades, there are numerous shortcomings that suit designers and engineers would like to see rectified. First, the lack of a standardized method for collecting both range of motion and joint torque translates to many different test setups, procedures and methods of data analysis. Second, all of these previously used methods for data collection lack some degree of repeatability, even within the same test setup and the same conductor; in addition, attempts at higher fidelity data collection techniques require high overhead and cost with minimal improvement. Lastly, isolated motions in standard anatomical planes are not representative of real‐world tasks that a crewmember would be performing during an EVA, be it microgravity or surface exploration based. To address these shortcomings, options are being explored within the Space Suit and Crew Survival Systems Branch to ascertain the feasibility of an alternative approach to defining mobility - one that is more repeatable, lower overhead, and more tied to functional EVA tasks. This paper serves to document the first attempt at such an alternative option - one that looks at the metabolic energy‐cost of a spacesuit. In other words, can we objectively compare the mobility of a spacesuit by evaluating the metabolic cost of that suit to the wearer while performing a battery of functional EVA tasks?

McFarland, Shane↗
NASA NTRS1971

The 20 kW battery study program

Six battery configurations were selected for detailed study and these are described. A computer program was modified for use in estimation of the weights, costs, and reliabilities of each of the configurations, as a function of several important independent variables, such as system voltage, battery voltage ratio (battery voltage/bus voltage), and the number of parallel units into which each of the components of the power subsystem was divided. The computer program was used to develop the relationship between the independent variables alone and in combination, and the dependent variables: weight, cost, and availability. Parametric data, including power loss curves, are given.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1997

New Developments in Nickel-Hydrogen Dependent Pressure Vessel (DPV) Cell and Battery Design

THe Dependent Pressure Vessel (DPV) Nickel-Hydrogen (NiH2) design is being developed as an advanced battery for military and commercial, aerospace and terrestrial applications. The DPV cell design offers high specific energy and energy density as well as reduced cost, while retaining the established Individual Pressure Vessel (IPV) technology flight heritage and database. This advanced DPV design also offers a more efficient mechanical, electrical and thermal cell and battery configuration and a reduced part count. The DPV battery design promotes compact, minimum volume packaging and weight efficiency, and delivers cost and weight savings with minimal design risk.

Caldwell, Dwight B.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Power Hibernation for Low-Cost Solar Powered Lunar Missions

Because the surface of the Moon drops to cryogenic temperatures, no solar-powered lunar spacecraft have reliably operated beyond a single lunar day. Passive thermal control cannot keep a spacecraft sufficiently warm for the 354-hour lunar night, and active thermal control requires a dramatic increase in battery mass at the expense of payload mass. Extreme conditions seen on the lunar surface suggest a radioisotope solution is ideal, but mass, cost, and schedule are inconsistent with low-cost frequent flight intent of the commercial lunar payload services (CLPS) program. To solve the issue of lunar night survivability without radioisotope sources of power and heat, a lunar power hibernation approach is being developed at the Glenn Research Center, which exploits the ability of common 18650 Lithium-ion cells to passively survive cryogenic freeze-thaw cycles and recover without apparent performance degradation. A key aspect of this hibernation approach is the use of cryogenically operable electronics that safely manage the restoration of the battery thermal environment at lunar dawn. A spacecraft utilizing this strategy will operate into the lunar night on batteries until the state of charge or spacecraft temperature reaches a predetermined threshold. At this point, systems are shut down and the battery is isolated from the main bus to prevent charge or discharge during the freezing and thawing transitions. The system remains passive until lunar dawn, where temperatures can reach as low as 50 K. All electronics must be tolerant to these conditions. When the solar arrays are finally illuminated at lunar dawn, the main bus power electronics will initiate a “cold start” and begin regulating array power. The main bus electronics must be designed to operate at cryogenic temperatures. Array power is used to warm the battery and passive electronics back to operational temperatures. Once batteries are returned to normal temperatures, diagnostics and precharging is performed, as needed, and the battery is reconnected. The overall spacecraft system reboots and returns to nominal operations until lunar night returns. To assure that we can develop batteries suited for many hibernation freeze/thaw cycles, STMD Space Technology Research Grant Program (STRG) has selected two principal investigators that will thoroughly characterize of the Li-ion cell through the freeze-thaw process, investigate degradation mechanisms, and identify potential diagnostic techniques. STMD STRG is also funding an investigation of Gallium-Nitride semiconductors for cryogenic power applications. This work includes physics-informed modeling that considers cryogenic conductivity, carrier mobility, and quantum effects that govern semiconductor performance at cryogenic temperatures. These models can enable engineers to develop accurate cryogenic simulation models that assist in the design of power controls stable over the entire lunar surface temperature range. Meanwhile, Glenn is performing cryogenic testing of batteries and electronics, establishing design guidelines for power applications in extreme cold lunar environment, and potentially developing a hibernation technology demonstrator. The hibernation approach will enable low-cost lunar robotic missions to extend their operating lifetime to many months while minimizing development costs and impact on payload capacity. The need for cryogenically operable electronics is restricted to only main bus power and battery controls, as the majority of systems simply need to passively tolerate cryogenic temperatures. This allows developers to continue to exploit the cost savings of legacy and COTS hardware with minimum modification. For these reasons, lunar power hibernation is a viable near-term solution for lunar night survivability for solar powered commercial landers.

Space power↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Progress of Aluminum/Air Battery Development for SUSAN Electrofan Project

Safe and high-performance battery technologies are demanded by the Subsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Electrofan concept design project under National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) electrified aircraft development program. Aluminum (Al)-air battery with very high theoretical specific energy density, is considered as promising battery chemistry which has the potential to meet the targeted specific energy goal of primary battery energy technology for the SUSAN project. In addition to having the exceptional electrochemical properties, aluminum is light weight, rich abundance, low cost, environmentally friendly, and has a good electrical conductivity and recyclability, which is among the key characteristics of SUSAN project on battery energy needs. A non-flammable aqueous electrolyte is used to prevent the fire and thermal runaway hazard for the safety of this battery chemistry. However, there are challenges for Al-air battery in practical application, mainly due to self-corrosion of Al and slow kinetics of oxygen reduction in air-cathode to impact the high-rate performance. Progress on addressing these challenges was made and some of the results were reported in our previous paper. In this paper, the focus is on the investigation of various factors, including electrolyte concentrations, temperature, and air-cathode loadings on ionic transport properties and discharge performance at different current densities. The results are discussed, and the progress is reported.

James J Wu↗
NASA NTRS1996

Advanced Dependent Pressure Vessel (DPV) Nickel-Hydrogen Spacecraft Cell and Battery Design

The dependent pressure vessel (DPV) nickel-hydrogen (Ni-H2) battery is being developed as a potential spacecraft battery design for both military and commercial satellites. Individual pressure vessel (IPV) Ni-H2 batteries are currently flying on more than 70 Earth-orbiting satellites and have accumulated more that 140,000,000 cell-hours in actual spacecraft operation. The limitations of standard Ni-H2 IPV flight battery technology are primarily related to the internal cell design and the battery packaging issues associated with grouping multiple cylindrical cells. The DPV cell design offers higher specific energy and reduced cost, while retaining the established IPV Ni-H2 technology flight heritage and database. A design performance analysis is presented at both the cell and battery level. The DPV is capable of delivering up to 76 Watthours per kilogram (Wh/kg) at the cell level and 70 Wh/kg at the full battery level. This represents a 40 percent increase in specific energy at the cell level and a 60 percent increase in specific energy at the battery level compared to current IPV Ni-H2 technology.

Dwaine K Coates↗
NASA NTRS1992

Sealed aerospace metal-hydride batteries

Nickel metal hydride and silver metal hydride batteries are being developed for aerospace applications. There is a growing market for smaller, lower cost satellites which require higher energy density power sources than aerospace nickel-cadmium at a lower cost than space nickel-hydrogen. These include small LEO satellites, tactical military satellites and satellite constellation programs such as Iridium and Brilliant Pebbles. Small satellites typically do not have the spacecraft volume or the budget required for nickel-hydrogen batteries. NiCd's do not have adequate energy density as well as other problems such as overcharge capability and memory effort. Metal hydride batteries provide the ideal solution for these applications. Metal hydride batteries offer a number of advantages over other aerospace battery systems.

Coates, Dwaine↗
NASA NTRS1979

Phase 1 of the near team hybrid passenger vehicle development program. Appendix C: Preliminary design data package, volume 1

The methodology used for vehicle layout and component definition is described as well as techniques for system optimization and energy evaluation. The preliminary design is examined with particular attention given to body and structure; propulsion system; crash analysis and handling; internal combustion engine; DC motor separately excited; Ni-Zn battery; transmission; control system; vehicle auxiliarries; weight breakdown, and life cycle costs. Formulas are given for the quantification of energy consumption and results are compared with the reference vehicle.

Piccolo, R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Final design proposal: Beta Systems-El Toro. A proposal in response to a commercial air transportation study

El Toro is a remotely piloted airplane designed to operate as a commercial aircraft in a fictional 'Aeroworld' where the passengers are ping-pong balls and the distances between cities are on the order of thousands of feet. The present design for El Toro will profitably meet the requirements for operation in Aeroworld with a ticket price comparable the ticket prices of current transportation. The extended range of El Toro allows for numerous flights to be flown before the battery pack needs to be changed. This drastically reduces the operating costs to the airlines, allowing them to charge less for a ticket or else to realize a higher profit margin.

Muenzberg, Steve↗
NASA NTRS1984

Test Results of a Ten Cell Bipolar Nickel-hydrogen Battery

A study was initiated to design and evaluate a new design concept for nickel-hydrogen cells. This concept involved constructing a battery in a bipolar stack with cells consisting of a one plate for each nickel and hydrogen electrode. Preliminary designs at the system level of this concept promised improvements in both volumetric and gravimetric energy densities, thermal management, life extension, costs, and peak power capability over more conventional designs. Test results were most encouraging. This preprototype battery, built with less than ideal components and hardware, exceeded expectations. A total of 2000 LEO cycles at 80 percent depth of discharge were accrued. A cycle life goal of 30,000 cycles appears achievable with minor design changes. These improvements include advanced technology nickel electrodes, insulated bipolar plates and specifically designed frames to minimize shunt currents. The discharge rate capability of this design exceeds 25C. At the 10C discharge rate, 80% of the battery capacity can be withdrawn in six minutes. This data shows that the bipolar design is well suited for those applications requiring high peak power pulses.

Cataldo, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Small capacity, low cost (Ni-H2) design concept for commercial, military, and higher-volume aerospace applications

Nickel-Hydrogen (Ni-H2) batteries have become the technology of choice for both commercial and defense-related satellites in geosynchronous orbits. Their use for low-earth- orbit (LEO) applications is not as advanced, but seems just as inevitable because of their inherent advantages over nickel-cadmium batteries. These include superior energy density, longer cycle life, and better tolerance to over-charge and reversal. Ni-H2 cells have the added advantage in both construction and operation of not presenting the environmental possibility of cadmium pollution. Unfortunately, but necessarily, the design of these cells has been driven to high cost by the sophistication of the satellites and their uses. Now, using most of the same concepts but less costly materials and techniques, a low-cost, small cell design has been developed. Combined with the concept of the common pressure vessel, this new design promises to be ideal for the "small-sat" and commercial markets which, increasingly, are calling for large numbers of less-expensive satellites.

James R Wheeler↗
NASA NTRS1995

Progress towards computer simulation of NiH2 battery performance over life

The long-term performance of rechargeable battery cells has traditionally been verified through life-testing, a procedure that generally requires significant commitments of funding and test resources. In the situation of nickel hydrogen battery cells, which have the capability of providing extremely long cycle life, the time and cost required to conduct even accelerated testing has become a serious impediment to transitioning technology improvements into spacecraft applications. The utilization of computer simulations to indicate the changes in performance to be expected in response to design or operating changes in nickel hydrogen cells is therefore a particularly attractive tool in advanced battery development, as well as for verifying performance in different applications. Computer-based simulations of the long-term performance of rechargeable battery cells have typically had very limited success in the past. There are a number of reasons for the lack in progress in this area. First, and probably most important, all battery cells are relatively complex electrochemical systems, in which performance is dictated by a large number of interacting physical and chemical processes. While the complexity alone is a significant part of the problem, in many instances the fundamental chemical and physical processes underlying long-term degradation and its effects on performance have not even been understood. Second, while specific chemical and physical changes within cell components have been associated with degradation, there has been no generalized simulation architecture that enables the chemical and physical structure (and changes therein) to be translated into cell performance. For the nickel hydrogen battery cell, our knowledge of the underlying reactions that control the performance of this cell has progressed to where it clearly is possible to model them. The recent development of a relative generalized cell modelling approach provides the framework for translating the chemical and physical structure of the components inside a cell into its performance characteristics over its entire cycle life. This report describes our approach to this task in terms of defining those processes deemed critical in controlling performance over life, and the model architecture required to translate the fundamental cell processes into performance profiles.

Zimmerman, Albert H.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Mission Analysis and Aircraft Sizing of a Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft

The purpose of this study was to explore advanced airframe and propulsion technologies for a small regional transport aircraft concept (approximately 50 passengers), with the goal of creating a conceptual design that delivers significant cost and performance advantages over current aircraft in that class. In turn, this could encourage airlines to open up new markets, reestablish service at smaller airports, and increase mobility and connectivity for all passengers. To meet these study goals, hybrid-electric propulsion was analyzed as the primary enabling technology. The advanced regional aircraft is analyzed with four levels of electrification, 0 percent electric with 100 percent conventional, 25 percent electric with 75 percent conventional, 50 percent electric with 50 percent conventional, and 75 percent electric with 25 percent conventional for comparison purposes. Engine models were developed to represent projected future turboprop engine performance with advanced technology and estimates of the engine weights and flowpath dimensions were developed. A low-order multi-disciplinary optimization (MDO) environment was created that could capture the unique features of parallel hybrid-electric aircraft. It is determined that at the size and range of the advanced turboprop: The battery specific energy must be 750 watt-hours per kilogram or greater for the total energy to be less than for a conventional aircraft. A hybrid vehicle would likely not be economically feasible with a battery specific energy of 500 or 750 watt-hours per kilogram based on the higher gross weight, operating empty weight, and energy costs compared to a conventional turboprop. The battery specific energy would need to reach 1000 watt-hours per kilogram by 2030 to make the electrification of its propulsion an economically feasible option. A shorter range and/or an altered propulsion-airframe integration could provide more favorable results.

Antcliff, Kevin R.↗