Space Transportation System Technology Symposium. Volume 6 - Integrated Electronics /including Electric Power/
Research and development of electronic equipment for space shuttle vehicles
Source record↗
SEARCH · Search NASA
Results for “Power System Electronics”
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.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Nuclear Science Symposium, 17th, and Nuclear Power Systems Symposium, 2nd, New York, N.Y., November 4-6, 1970, Proceedings
Nuclear science and power systems - IEEE Conference, New York, November 1970
Source record↗
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Nuclear Science Symposium, 18th, and Nuclear Power Systems Symposium, 3rd, San Francisco, Calif., November 3-5, 1971, Proceedings.
Potential advantages of fusion power reactors are discussed together with the protection of the public from radioactivity produced in nuclear power reactors, and the significance of tritium releases to the environment. Other subjects considered are biomedical instrumentation, radiation damage problems, low level environmental radionuclide analysis systems, nuclear techniques in environmental research, nuclear instrumentation, and space and plasma instrumentation. Individual items are abstracted in this issue.
Source record↗
Wide-Temperature Electronics for Thermal Control of Nanosats
This document represents a presentation which examines the wide and low-temperature electronics required for NanoSatellites. In the past, larger spacecraft used Radioisotope Heating Units (RHU's). The advantage of the use of these electronics is that they could eliminate or reduce the requirement for RHU's, reduce system weight and simplify spacecraft design by eliminating containment/support structures for RHU's. The Glenn Research Center's Wide/Low Temperature Power Electronics Program supports the development of power systems capable of reliable, efficient operation over wide and low temperature ranges. Included charts review the successes and failures of various electronic devices, the IRF541 HEXFET, The NE76118n-Channel GaAS MESFET, the Lithium Carbon Monofluoride Primary Battery, and a COTS DC-DC converter. The preliminary result of wide/low temperature testing of CTS and custom parts and power circuit indicate that through careful selection of components and technologies it is possible to design and build power circuits which operate from room temperature to near 100K.
Dickman, John Ellis↗
Electronic Components for use in Extreme Temperature Aerospace Applications
Electrical power management and control systems designed for use in planetary exploration missions and deep space probes require electronics that are capable of efficient and reliable operation under extreme temperature conditions. Space-based infra-red satellites, all-electric ships, jet engines, electromagnetic launchers, magnetic levitation transport systems, and power facilities are also typical examples where the electronics are expected to be exposed to harsh temperatures and to operate under severe thermal swings. Most commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices are not designed to function under such extreme conditions and, therefore, new parts must be developed or the conventional devices need to be modified. For example, spacecraft operating in the cold environment of deep space carry a large number of radioisotope heating units in order to maintain the surrounding temperature of the on-board electronics at approximately 20 C. At the other end, built-in radiators and coolers render the operation of electronics possible under hot conditions. These thermal measures lead to design complexity, affect development costs, and increase size and weight. Electronics capable of operation at extreme temperatures, thus, will not only tolerate the hostile operational environment, but also make the overall system efficient, more reliable, and less expensive. The Extreme Temperature Electronics Program at the NASA Glenn Research Center focuses on research and development of electronics suitable for applications in the aerospace environment and deep space exploration missions. Research is being conducted on devices, including COTS parts, for potential use under extreme temperatures. These components include semiconductor switching devices, passive devices, DC/DC converters, operational amplifiers, and oscillators. An overview of the program will be presented along with some experimental findings.
Patterson, Richard L.↗
Adiabatic diesel engine component development: Reference engine for on-highway applications
The main objectives were to select an advanced low heat rejection diesel reference engine (ADRE) and to carry out systems analysis and design. The ADRE concept selection consisted of: (1) rated point performance optimization; (2) study of various exhaust energy recovery scenarios; (3) components, systems and engine configuration studies; and (4) life cycle cost estimates of the ADRE economic worth. The resulting ADRE design proposed a reciprocator with many advanced features for the 1995 technology demonstration time frame. These included ceramic air gap insulated hot section structural components, high temperature tribology treatments, nonmechanical (camless) valve actuation systems, and elimination of the cylinder head gasket. ADRE system analysis and design resulted in more definition of the engine systems. These systems include: (1) electro-hydraulic valve actuation, (2) electronic common rail injection system; (3) engine electronic control; (4) power transfer for accessory drives and exhaust energy recovery systems; and (5) truck installation. Tribology and performance assessments were also carried out. Finite element and probability of survival analyses were undertaken for the ceramic low heat rejection component.
Hakim, Nabil S.↗
Advanced Controller Developed for the Free-Piston Stirling Convertor
A free-piston Stirling power convertor is being considered as an advanced power-conversion technology for future NASA deep-space missions requiring long-life radioisotope power systems. The NASA Glenn Research Center has identified key areas where advanced technologies can enhance the capability of Stirling energy-conversion systems. One of these is power electronic controls. Current power-conversion technology for Glenn-tested Stirling systems consists of an engine-driven linear alternator generating an alternating-current voltage controlled by a tuning-capacitor-based alternating-current peak voltage load controller. The tuning capacitor keeps the internal alternator electromotive force (EMF) in phase with its respective current (i.e., passive power factor correction). The alternator EMF is related to the piston velocity, which must be kept in phase with the alternator current in order to achieve stable operation. This tuning capacitor, which adds volume and mass to the overall Stirling convertor, can be eliminated if the controller can actively drive the magnitude and phase of the alternator current.
Gerber, Scott S.↗
Electronic Components and Systems for Cryogenic Space Applications
Electronic components and systems capable of operation at cryogenic temperatures are anticipated in many future NASA space missions such as deep space probes and planetary surface exploration. For example, an unheated interplanetary probe launched to explore the rings of Saturn would reach an average temperature near Saturn of about - 183 C. In addition to surviving the deep space harsh environment, electronics capable of low temperature operation would contribute to improving circuit performance, increasing system efficiency, and reducing payload development and launch costs. Terrestrial applications where components and systems must operate in low temperature environments include cryogenic instrumentation, superconducting magnetic energy storage, magnetic levitation transportation system, and arctic exploration. An on-going research and development program at the NASA Glenn Research Center focuses on the development of reliable electronic devices and efficient power systems capable of surviving in low temperature environments. An overview of the program will be presented in this paper. A description of the low temperature test facilities along with selected data obtained from in-house component testing will also be discussed. Ongoing research activities that are being performed in collaboration with various organizations will also be presented.
Patterson, R. L.↗
Low-Temperature Power Electronics Program
Many space and some terrestrial applications would benefit from the availability of low-temperature electronics. Exploration missions to the outer planets, Earth-orbiting and deep-space probes, and communications satellites are examples of space applications which operate in low-temperature environments. Space probes deployed near Pluto must operate in temperatures as low as -229 C. Figure 1 depicts the average temperature of a space probe warmed by the sun for various locations throughout the solar system. Terrestrial applications where components and systems must operate in low-temperature environments include cryogenic instrumentation, superconducting magnetic energy storage, magnetic levitation transportation system, and arctic exploration. The development of electrical power systems capable of extremely low-temperature operation represents a key element of some advanced space power systems. The Low-Temperature Power Electronics Program at NASA Lewis Research Center focuses on the design, fabrication, and characterization of low-temperature power systems and the development of supporting technologies for low-temperature operations such as dielectric and insulating materials, power components, optoelectronic components, and packaging and integration of devices, components, and systems.
Patterson, Richard L.↗
Power conditioning electronics for a 500 Wh inertial energy storage system
A description is given of a pulse-width-modulated buck-boost converter designed to interface a 500 Wh inertial energy storage system operating from 70 to 140 VDC to a constant bus of 150 VDC. Implementation of hysteresis feedback control provides excellent voltage regulation. The design is based on a 300-Wh, 94 percent Wh efficient prototype and is currently being optimized to yield 97 percent overall watt-hour efficiency.
Eakin, Vickie J.↗
Multichannel Phase and Power Detector
An electronic signal-processing system determines the phases of input signals arriving in multiple channels, relative to the phase of a reference signal with which the input signals are known to be coherent in both phase and frequency. The system also gives an estimate of the power levels of the input signals. A prototype of the system has four input channels that handle signals at a frequency of 9.5 MHz, but the basic principles of design and operation are extensible to other signal frequencies and greater numbers of channels. The prototype system consists mostly of three parts: An analog-to-digital-converter (ADC) board, which coherently digitizes the input signals in synchronism with the reference signal and performs some simple processing; A digital signal processor (DSP) in the form of a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) board, which performs most of the phase- and power-measurement computations on the digital samples generated by the ADC board; and A carrier board, which allows a personal computer to retrieve the phase and power data. The DSP contains four independent phase-only tracking loops, each of which tracks the phase of one of the preprocessed input signals relative to that of the reference signal (see figure). The phase values computed by these loops are averaged over intervals, the length of which is chosen to obtain output from the DSP at a desired rate. In addition, a simple sum of squares is computed for each channel as an estimate of the power of the signal in that channel. The relative phases and the power level estimates computed by the DSP could be used for diverse purposes in different settings. For example, if the input signals come from different elements of a phased-array antenna, the phases could be used as indications of the direction of arrival of a received signal and/or as feedback for electronic or mechanical beam steering. The power levels could be used as feedback for automatic gain control in preprocessing of incoming signals. For another example, the system could be used to measure the phases and power levels of outputs of multiple power amplifiers to enable adjustment of the amplifiers for optimal power combining.
Li, Samuel↗
Exploring Venus
With a temperature higher than the inside of your oven and atmospheric pressure equal to that a kilometer under the ocean, the surface of Venus is one of the most hostile environments in the solar system, and Venus exploration presents a challenge to technology. This lecture presents mission trade-offs and discusses a proposed mission concept for rover and aircraft based exploration of the surface and atmosphere of Venus. Several approaches to the technology, electronics, mechanical parts, and power systems, are discussed.
Landis, Geoffrey A.↗
Exploring Venus
With a temperature higher than the inside of your oven and atmospheric pressure equal to that a kilometer under the ocean, the surface of Venus is one of the most hostile environments in the solar system, and Venus exploration presents a challenge to technology. This lecture presents mission trade-offs and discusses a proposed mission concept for rover and aircraft based exploration of the surface and atmosphere of Venus. Several approaches to the technology, electronics, mechanical parts, and power systems, are discussed.
Landis, Geoffrey A.↗
Technology for Large Space Systems: A Special Bibliography with Indexes (Supplement 2)
This bibliography lists 258 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between July 1, 1979 and December 31, 1979. Its purpose is to provide helpful information to the researcher, manager, and designer in technology development and mission design in the area of the Large Space Systems Technology (LSST) Program. Subject matter is grouped according to systems, interactive analysis and design, structural concepts, control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, solar power satellite systems, and flight experiments.
Source record↗
Technology for large space systems: A special bibliography with indexes (supplement 03)
A bibliography containing 217 abstracts addressing the technology for large space systems is presented. State of the art and advanced concepts concerning interactive analysis and design, structural concepts, control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, solar power satellite systems, and flight experiments are represented.
Source record↗
Technology for large space systems: A special bibliography with indexes (supplement 04)
This bibliography lists 259 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between July 1, 1980 and December 31, 1980. Its purpose is to provide information to the researcher, manager, and designer in technology development and mission design in the area of the Large Space Systems Technology Program. Subject matter is grouped according to systems, interactive analysis and design. Structural concepts, control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, solar power satellite systems, and flight experiments.
Source record↗
Technology for large space systems: A special bibliography with indexes (supplement 05)
This bibliography lists 298 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between January 1, 1981 and June 30, 1981. Its purpose is to provide helpful, information to the researcher, manager, and designer in technology development and mission design in the area of the Large Space Systems Technology (LSST) Program. Subject matter is grouped according to systems, interactive analysis and design, structural concepts, control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, solar power satellite systems, and flight experiments.
Source record↗
Technology for large space systems: A special bibliography with indexes (supplement 06)
This bibliography lists 220 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between July 1, 1981 and December 31, 1981. Its purpose is to provide helpful information to the researcher, manager, and designer in technology development and mission design in the area of the Large Space Systems Technology (LSST) Program. Subject matter is grouped according to systems, interactive analysis and design, structural concepts, control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, solar power satellite systems, and flight experiments.
Source record↗