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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 145 records · Page 8

Equatorial Density Irregularity Structures at Intermediate Scales and Their Temporal Evolution

We examine high resolution measurements of ion density in the equatorial ionosphere from the AE-E satellite during the years 1977-1981. Structure over spatial scales from 18 km to 200 m is characterized by the spectrum of irregularities at larger and smaller scales and at altitudes above 350 km and below 300 km. In the low-altitude region, only small amplitude large-scale (lambda greater than 5 km) density modulations are often observed, and thus the power spectrum of these density structures exhibits a steep spectral slope at kilometer scales. In the high-altitude region, sinusoidal density fluctuations, characterized by enhanced power near 1-km scale, are frequently observed during 2000-0200 LT. However, such fluctuations are confined to regions at the edges of larger bubble structures where the average background density is high. Small amplitude irregularity structures, observed at early local time hours, grow rapidly to high-intensity structures in about 90 min. Fully developed structures, which are observed at late local time hours, decay very slowly producing only-small differences in spectral characteristics even 4 hours later. The local time evolution of irregularity structure is investigated by using average statistics for low-(1% less than sigma less than 5%) and high-intensity (sigma greater than 10%) structures. At lower altitudes, little chance in the spectral slope is seen as a function of local time, while at higher attitudes the growth and maintenance of structures near 1 km scales dramatically affects the spectral slope.

Kil, Hyosub↗

“Green” Fabrication of High-performance Transparent Conducting Electrodes by Blade Coating and Photonic Curing on PET for Perovskite Solar Cells

This study presents an innovative material processing approach to fabricate transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates using blade coating and photonic curing. The hybrid TCEs consist of a multiscale Ag network, combining silver metal bus lines and nanowires, overcoated by an indium zinc oxide layer, and then photonically cured. Blade coating ensures film uniformity and thickness control over large areas. Photonic curing, a non-thermal processing method with significantly lower carbon emissions, enhances the conductivity and transparency of the coated layers. Our hybrid TCEs achieve an average transmittance of (81 ± 0.4)% referenced to air ((90 ± 0.4)% referenced to the PET substrate) in the visible range, an average sheet resistance of (11 ± 0.5) Ω sq−1, and an average surface roughness of (4.3 ± 0.4) nm. We benchmark these values against commercial PET/TCE substrates. Mechanical durability tests demonstrate <3% change in resistance after 2000 bending cycles at a 1 in radius. The scalable potential of the hybrid TCE fabrication method is demonstrated by high uniformity and excellent properties in 7 in × 8 in large-area samples and by performing the photonic curing process at 11 m min−1. Furthermore, halide perovskite solar cells fabricated on these hybrid TCEs achieve average and champion power conversion efficiencies of (10.5 ± 1.0) % and 12.2%, respectively, and significantly outperform devices made on commercial PET/TCEs. This work showcases our approach as a viable pathway for high-speed “green” manufacturing of high-performance TCEs on PET substrates for flexible optoelectronic devices.

Bonner, Justin C↗

Impact of Heat Input and Step Over Distance on Part Geometry for Multi-Bead WAAM Components

Abstract This study investigates the impact of heat input and overlap ratio or stepover distance on part geometry in wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). In this work, an experimental approach was taken to quantify the variation in height and aspect ratio of walls at different combinations of overlap and heat input. Multi-bead walls were deposited with the overlap ratio varying from ½, ⅔, and 1 at a low, medium, and high-power set point on the welding power supply. A relationship between heat input, overlap ratio, and the resultant part geometry is established. Trials with an overlap ratio of one and low to medium heat input exhibited greater lack of fusion defects than the high heat input trials. At higher heat input levels, the as-deposited geometry was found to have less variation in height and an increase in aspect ratio compared to lower heat input trials. The aspect ratio of deposited walls ranged from approximately 1, for the low-power trial with an overlap ratio of ½, to approximately 7, for the high-power trial with an overlap ratio of 1. Additionally, the low and medium power trials with an overlap ratio of ⅔ exhibited the least height variation in the top surface for those heat input levels with an average range of 2.9 mm and 1.8 mm respectively. For the high heat input trials, an overlap ratio of 1 was observed to have the least variation in height with a standard deviation of 0.42 mm and an average range of 1.7 mm; however, lack of fusion defects were present in the top surface and the part cross section.

Hussein, Zaky↗

The development, performance, and potential application of the copper halide laser

The copper halide laser (CHL) is an efficient gas discharge laser that emits short pulses at two discrete wavelengths in the yellow and green spectral region. The laser pulse results from transitions in excited copper atoms. The CHL has produced pulses of up to 10 mJ in a double-pulsed mode at low repetition rates and has been operated at very high repetition rates (8 to over 35 kHz) in a continuously pulsed mode with a maximum average-power of 15 watts. In this paper, the development of the copper halide laser is reviewed along with a brief description of the copper laser operating principles. In the final section, a number of applications of the CHL are identified.

Pivirotto, T. J.↗

Charge efficiency of Ni/H2 cells during transfer orbit of Telstar 4 satellites

The TELSTAR 4 communication satellites being manufactured by Martin Marietta Astro Space (Astro Space) for AT&T are three axis stabilized spacecraft scheduled to be launched on expendable vehicles such as the Atlas or Ariane rockets. Typically, these spacecraft consist of a box that holds the electronics and supports the antenna reflectors and the solar array wings. The wings and reflectors are folded against the sides of the box during launch and the spacecraft is spun for attitude control in that phase; they are then deployed after achieving the final orbit. The launch phase and transfer orbits required to achieve the final geosynchronous orbit typically take 4 to 5 days during which time the power required for command, telemetry, attitude control, heaters, etc., is provided by two 50 AH nickel hydrogen batteries augmented by the exposed outboard solar panels. In the past, this situation has presented no problem since there was a considerable excess of power available from the array. In the case of large high powered spacecraft such as TELSTAR 4, however, the design power levels in transfer orbit approach the time-averaged power available from the exposed surface area of the solar arrays, resulting in a very tight power margin. To compound the difficulty, the array output of the spinning spacecraft in transfer orbit is shaped like a full wave rectified sine function and provides very low charging rates to the batteries during portions of the rotation. In view of the typically low charging efficiency of alkaline nickel batteries at low rates, it was decided to measure the efficiency during a simulation of the TELSTAR 4 conditions at the expected power levels and temperatures on three nickel hydrogen cells of similar design. The unique feature of nickel hydrogen cells that makes the continuous measurement of efficiency possible is that hydrogen is one of the active materials and thus, cell pressure is a direct measure of the state of charge or available capacity. The pressure is measured with a calibrated strain gage mounted on the outside of the pressurized cell.

Fang, W. C.↗

Integration and Test Flight Validation Plans for the Pulsed Plasma Thruster Experiment on EO- 1

The Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) Experiment on the Earth Observing One (EO-1) spacecraft has been designed to demonstrate the capability of a new generation PPT to perform spacecraft attitude control. The PPT is a small, self-contained pulsed electromagnetic propulsion system capable of delivering high specific impulse (900-1200 s), very small impulse bits (10-1000 uN-s) at low average power (less than 1 to 100 W). Teflon fuel is ablated and slightly ionized by means of a capacitative discharge. The discharge also generates electromagnetic fields that accelerate the plasma by means of the Lorentz Force. EO-1 has a single PPT that can produce thrust in either the positive or negative pitch direction. The flight validation has been designed to demonstrate of the ability of the PPT to provide precision pointing accuracy, response and stability, and confirmation of benign plume and EMI effects. This paper will document the success of the flight validation.

Zakrzwski, Charles↗

Paramagnetic Attraction of Impurity-Helium Solids

Impurity-helium solids are formed when a mixture of impurity and helium gases enters a volume of superfluid helium. Typical choices of impurity gas are hydrogen deuteride, deuterium, nitrogen, neon and argon, or a mixture of these. These solids consist of individual impurity atoms and molecules as well as clusters of impurity atoms and molecules covered with layers of solidified helium. The clusters have an imperfect crystalline structure and diameters ranging up to 90 angstroms, depending somewhat on the choice of impurity. Immediately following formation the clusters aggregate into loosely connected porous solids that are submerged in and completely permeated by the liquid helium. Im-He solids are extremely effective at stabilizing high concentrations of free radicals, which can be introduced by applying a high power RF dis- charge to the impurity gas mixture just before it strikes the super fluid helium. Average concentrations of 10(exp 19) nitrogen atoms/cc and 5 x 10(exp 18) deuterium atoms/cc can be achieved this way. It shows a typical sample formed from a mixture of atomic and molecular hydrogen and deuterium. It shows typical sample formed from atomic and molecular nitrogen. Much of the stability of Im-He solids is attributed to their very large surface area to volume ratio and their permeation by super fluid helium. Heat resulting from a chance meeting and recombination of free radicals is quickly dissipated by the super fluid helium instead of thermally promoting the diffusion of other nearby free radicals.

Bernard, E. P.↗

Mars vertical axis wind machines: The design of a tornado vortex machine for use on Mars

Ever since Viking 1 and 2 landed on the surface of Mars in the summer of 1976, man has yearned to go back. But before man steps foot upon the surface of Mars, unmanned missions such as the Martian Soft Lander and Martian Subsurface Penetrator will precede him. Alternative renewable power sources must be developed to supply the next generation of surface exploratory spacecraft, since RTG's, solar cells, and long-life batteries all have their significant drawbacks. One such alternative is to take advantage of the unique Martian atmospheric conditions by designing a small scale, Martian wind power generator, capable of surviving impact and fulfilling the long term (2-5 years), low-level power requirements (1-2 Watts) of an unmanned surface probe. After investigation of several wind machines, a tornado vortex generator was chosen based upon its capability of theoretically augmenting and increasing the available power that may be extracted from average Martian wind speeds of approximately 7.5 m/s. The Martian Tornado Vortex Wind Generator stands 1 meter high and has a diameter of 0.5 m. Martian winds enter the base and shroud of the Tornado Vortex Generator at 7.5 m/s and are increased to an exit velocity of 13.657 m/s due to the vortex that is created. This results in a rapid pressure drop of 4.56 kg/s(exp 2) m across the vortex core which aids in producing a net power output of 1.1765 Watts. The report contains the necessary analysis and requirements needed to feasibly operate a low-level powered, unmanned, Martian surface probe.

Carlin, Daun↗

Lunar South Pole Illumination: Review, Reassessment, and Power System Implications

This paper reviews past analyses and research related to lunar south pole illumination and presents results of independent illumination analyses using an analytical tool and a radar digital elevation model. The analysis tool enables assessment at most locations near the lunar poles for any time and any year. Average illumination fraction, energy storage duration, solar/horizon terrain elevation profiles and illumination fraction profiles are presented for various highly illuminated sites which have been identified for manned or unmanned operations. The format of the data can be used by power system designers to develop mass optimized solar and energy storage systems. Data are presented for the worse case lunar day (a critical power planning bottleneck) as well as three lunar days during lunar south pole winter. The main site under consideration by present lunar mission planners (on the Crater Shackleton rim) is shown to have, for the worse case lunar day, a 0.71 average illumination fraction and 73 to 117 hours required for energy storage (depending on power system type). Linking other sites and including towers at either site are shown to not completely eliminate the need for energy storage.

Fincannon, James↗

A study on the impact of using a subchannel resolution for modeling of large break loss of coolant accidents

The nuclear industry is investigating the feasibility of transitioning from 18- to 24-month fuel cycles because of the positive impact it would have on the operational costs for the current fleet of light-water reactors. A challenge to making this change is the increased risk of fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal (FFRD) due to the known potential for ceramic fuel to pulverize into fine particles at the higher discharge burnups. Previous work has been performed by the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation program to assess FFRD risk in high-burnup cores using the BISON fuel performance code and a coarse mesh thermal hydraulics (T/H) solution for a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) using the TRACE system T/H code. Because of the importance of the T/H solution for FFRD assessment, this study seeks to investigate the impact of using higher-fidelity subchannel techniques for modeling of the LOCA transient. CTF was used to model a subregion of a high-burnup core that was depleted by the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) multiphysics core simulator. Both coarse-mesh and pin-resolved models were created in CTF, and a consistent coarse-mesh TRACE model was also developed to allow for benchmarking the code results. Further, a large-break loss-of-coolant accident (LBLOCA) reflood transient was simulated using these three models, and results were compared. Results showed some consistent differences between the CTF and TRACE coarse models, including a higher peak cladding temperature (PCT) prediction in CTF and later quenching in CTF; however, the transient clad temperature behavior was similar, and these differences are likely due to post-critical heat flux heat transfer modeling differences and minimum film boiling temperature model differences. The pin-resolved results indicate that the PCT in the lumped model is often under-predicted by as much as 70 °C and that PCT occurs at a different location than the high-power pin in the assembly. The lumped model predicts a difference of 10 °C or less between the average and hot pins in the assembly, whereas the pin-resolved model predicts a range of over 100 °C. These results indicate that higher-fidelity T/H results may have an impact on predicted core behavior during LOCA, which may be important to consider when assessing FFRD risk.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Remote sensing of turbulence in the clear atmosphere with 2-micron lidars

The development of an eye-safe, airborne LIDAR that exploits the decorrelation of the heterodyne signal to detect clear air turbulence is reported. A one watt average power transmitter is capable of detecting clear air turbulence to over 20 km is subvisual cirrus (an environment highly correlated with instabilities of sratified shear layers). In the absence of subvisual cirrus, a 4 km detection range is maintained. A table depicting the warning time in seconds with respect to the aircraft speed and instrument range (in kilometers) is presented.

Martinson, Robert J.↗

On-Orbit Testing of the EO-1 Pulsed Plasma Thruster

The Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) Experiment on the Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) spacecraft has demonstrated the capability of a new generation PPT to perform spacecraft attitude control. The PPT is a small, self-contained pulsed electromagnetic propulsion system capable of delivering high specific impulse (900-1200 s) and very small impulse bits (10-1000 microN-s) at low average power (4 to 100 W). EO-1 has a single PPT that can produce torque in the positive or negative pitch direction and replace the function of the spacecraft s pitch reaction wheel. The flight validation experiment was designed to demonstrate the ability of the PPT to provide precision pointing accuracy, response and stability, and to confirm that the thruster plume and EMI effects on the spacecraft and instruments were benign. The PPT has been successfully used for pitch attitude control accumulating over 26 hours of operational time with over 96,000 pulses. Thruster performance has been nominal and all spacecraft subsystems and instruments continue to show no detrimental effects from PPT operation.

Zakrzwski, Charles↗

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Spacecraft Power System Design and Orbital Performance

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) spacecraft was jointly developed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) spacecraft launched on February 27, 2014. The spacecraft is in a circular 400 Km altitude, 65 degrees inclination nadir pointing orbit with a three year basic mission life. The solar array consists of two sun tracking wings with cable wraps. The panels are populated with triple junction cells of nominal 29.5% efficiency. One axis is canted by 52 degrees to provide power to the spacecraft at high beta angles. The power system is a Direct Energy Transfer (DET) system designed to support 1950 Watts orbit average power. The batteries use SONY 18650HC cells and consist of three 8s x 84p batteries operated in parallel as a single battery. The paper describes the power system design details, its performance to date and the lithium ion battery model that was developed for use in the energy balance analysis and is being used to predict the on-orbit health of the battery.

Power System Design and Orbital Performance↗

Power Spectrum of Atmospheric Scintillation for the Deep Space Network Goldstone Ka-Band Downlink

Dynamic signal fluctuations due to atmospheric scintillations may impair the Ka-band (around 32-GHz) link sensitivities for a low-margin Deep Space Network (DSN) receiving system. The ranges of frequency and power of the fast fluctuating signals (time scale less than 1 min) are theoretically investigated using the spatial covariance and turbulence theory. Scintillation power spectrum solutions are derived for both a point receiver and a finite-aperture receiver. The aperture-smoothing frequency ((omega(sub s)), corner frequency ((omega(sub c)), and damping rate are introduced to define the shape of the spectrum for a finite-aperture antenna. The emphasis is put on quantitatively describing the aperture-smoothing effects and graphically estimating the corner frequency for a large aperture receiver. Power spectral shapes are analyzed parametrically in detail through both low- and high-frequency approximations. It is found that aperture-averaging effects become significant when the transverse correlation length of the scintillation is smaller than the antenna radius. The upper frequency or corner frequency for a finite-aperture receiver is controlled by both the Fresnel frequency and aperture-smoothing frequency. Above the aperture-smoothing frequency, the spectrum rolls off at a much faster rate of exp (-omega(sup 2)/omega(sup 2, sub s), rather than omega(sup -8/3), which is customary for a point receiver. However, a relatively higher receiver noise level can mask the fast falling-off shape and make it hard to be identified. We also predict that when the effective antenna radius a(sub r) less than or = 6 m, the corner frequency of its power spectrum becomes the same as that for a point receiver. The aperture-smoothing effects are not obvious. We have applied these solutions to the scenario of a DSN Goldstone 34-m-diameter antenna and predicted the power spectrum shape for the receiving station. The maximum corner frequency for the receiver (with omega(sub s) = 0.79 omega(sub 0) is found to be 0.44 Hz (or 1.0 omega(sub 0), while the fading rate (or fading slope) is about 0.06 dB/s.

Ho, C.↗

Fuel Behavior Implications of Reactor Design Choices in Pressurized Water SMRs

Small pressurized water reactors (PWRs) can feature boron free operation, natural circulation mode, reduced height assemblies and/or long refueling cycles. This paper attempts to explore core design optimization for each of these design evolutions. In consequence, five core design layouts are developed incorporating boron free operation with continuous control rods insertion, natural circulation with low burnup/low power density design, natural circulation with high burnup/low power density design, forced circulation with standard core power density design, and forced circulation with high power density design. These cores’ performance is compared to a standard 4-loop PWR. The design process aims to improve the fuel cycle cost under safety constraints through core design optimization using CASMO4E/SIMULATE3 reactor physics codes and FRAPCON4.1 fuel performance assessment tool. Core modeling assumes standard 17x17 PWR fuel assemblies loaded with low enriched uranium (LEU) up to 5wt% or LEU+ (i.e., below 10wt% enrichment) pellets with gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) as the burnable poison. Satisfactory core and fuel performances are obtained for all the designed cores under steady state and considered overpower transients. For low power density operation, long cycle lengths are achieved reaching a 2.5- and a 5-year cycles and peak rod-average burnup is pushed to 83 MWd/kgU. Other cycle lengths are maintained at 18 months. Boron free operation exhibits the ability to achieve longer cycle lengths at the cost of higher peaking factors leading to high local power and fuel temperatures which prevents sizable power uprates and is deemed uneconomical. Fuel assembly height reduction allows coolant velocity retrofit which enables higher core power density without violating structural integrity of the fuel assembly. As a result, a core power density of 123 kW/l is reached where total cladding hoop strain becomes the limiting parameter.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Benchmarking of three DWM-based wake models at below-rated wind speeds

Wind turbine wake models are essential tools for predicting power losses and structural loads in wind farms. Among these, the dynamic wake meandering (DWM) model, included as a recommended approach in the International Electrotechnical Commission design standard, is a widely used engineering-fidelity method that balances accuracy and computational cost. This study compares the performance of three DWM-based wake model implementations (from the Technical University of Denmark, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the Institute for Energy Technology) under below-rated wind speed conditions. Model predictions of wake flow, power output, and structural loads for a four-turbine row are evaluated across different ambient turbulence levels and wind-direction misalignments and compared against high-fidelity large-eddy simulation results. All three models captured the overall wake evolution and mean turbine performance with reasonable accuracy; their predicted time-averaged thrust and power were typically within 5 %–10 % of the large-eddy simulation benchmark. However, notable differences emerged in wake structure and unsteady load predictions, with discrepancies increasing for turbines further downstream. These differences highlight the importance of modelling choices such as wake summation and turbulence treatment, which strongly influence power-deficit and fatigue-load predictions. Comparison with large-eddy simulations reveals each approach's strengths and weaknesses, indicating where improvements are needed. Overall, the findings point to specific refinements for DWM models to improve their fidelity, ultimately enabling more robust wake predictions for wind farm design and operation.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Measurement Capabilities of Single-Pulse Planar Doppler Velocimetry

Preliminary investigations are described of a method that is capable of measuring instantaneous, 3-D, velocity vectors everywhere in a light sheet generated by a pulsed laser. The technique, here called Planar Doppler Velocimetry (PDV), is a variation of a new concept for velocity measurements that was called Doppler Global Velocimetry (DGV) in its original disclosure. The concept relies on the use of a narrowband laser and measurements of the Doppler shift of scattered light from particles moving with a flow. The Doppler shift is recorded as a variation in transmission through a sharp-edged spectral filter provided by iodine vapor in a cell. Entire fields of velocity can be determined by using a solid-state camera to record the intensity variations throughout the field of view. However, the implementation of DGV has been centered principally on the use of high power, continuous-wave, ion lasers and measurement times that are determined by the 30-ms framing times of standard video cameras. Hence, they provide velocity fields that are averaged in time at least over that period. On the other hand, the PDV concept described in this presentation incorporates a high energy, repetitively pulsed, Nd-YAG laser that is injection-seeded to make it narrowband and then frequency-doubled to provide light at frequencies absorbed by the iodine vapor. The duration of each pulse is less than 10 nanoseconds. When used in combination with nonstandard, scientific quality, solid state cameras, a sequence of images can be obtained that provides instantaneous velocity vectors everywhere in the field of view. The investigations described in this paper include an accurate characterization of the iodine cell spectral behavior and its influence on the PDV measurements, a derivation of the PDV signal analysis requirements, and the unique aspects of the pulsed laser behavior related to this application. In addition, PDV measurements are to be demonstrated using data from a rotating wheel target and from the flow of a subsonic jet. Initially, single optical fiber light collection and photomultiplier detectors will be substituted for solid state cameras. Those results will allow the determination of the fundamental limitations of the PDV technique without the complications of image acquisition and processing. They will then be used to provide an analysis of the measurement capabilities of PDV both in small aerodynamic research wind tunnels and in large wind tunnels designed for production airframe and propulsion testing. Future plans include the implementation of solid state cameras and the development of the required image acquisition and processing software. Eventually, the PDV technique will be applied to an aerodynamic research program related to transonic wing flutter.

McKenzie, Robert L.↗

Operational space for lower hybrid heating scenarios in the full tungsten environment of WEST

In tungsten—W—Environment in Steady-state Tokamak (WEST), the lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) system is key for achieving long pulse operation by providing most of the non-inductive plasma current, as well as a crucial source of electron heating. Therefore, determining the operational space for its application is fundamental. In the present study, the LHCD operational space is deeply analyzed for 0.5 MA pulses. This space is bounded by three limits: (i) the ratio of the LHCD power over density must be above a threshold to compensate tungsten radiation with enough core heating, (ii) the line-averaged density must be high enough to allow good coupling of the hybrid wave with the plasma, and (iii) fast electron ripple losses must be below a limit to avoid reaching a thermal threshold on plasma-facing components. If the tungsten radiation peak or burn-through phase is not safely overcome, a maximum electron temperature of 1.5 keV is obtained, confinement is degraded, and magnetohydrodynamic activity is frequently triggered, potentially causing a disruption. From experimental measurements and interpretative simulations, we highlight the main mechanisms that prevent the plasma from heating up during LHCD power ramp-up. Three parameters play a major role: plasma density, tungsten concentration and LHCD power deposition. A strategy to overcome this limitation is found: a precise density ramp-up performed simultaneously with the increase in LHCD power. Additionally, we show that boronization greatly facilitates the burn-through of tungsten by lowering its content during the heating phase. Finally, taking into account the three constraints given above, the LHCD operational space is determined at power ramp-up and during constant heating phases.

lower hybrid heating and current drive↗