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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

TASK 2: QUENCH ZONE SIMULATION

Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR) has developed an innovative gasifier concept incorporating advanced technologies in ultra-dense phase dry feed system, rapid mix injector, and advanced component cooling to significantly improve gasifier performance, life, and cost compared to commercially available state-of-the-art systems. A key feature of the AR gasifier design is the transition from the gasifier outlet into the quench zone, where the raw syngas is cooled to ~ 400°C by injection and vaporization of atomized water. Earlier pilot plant testing revealed a propensity for the original gasifier outlet design to accumulate slag in the outlet, leading to erratic syngas flow from the outlet. Subsequent design modifications successfully resolved this issue in the pilot plant gasifier. In order to gain greater insight into the physical phenomena occurring within this zone, AR developed a cold flow simulation apparatus with Coanda Research & Development with a high degree of similitude to hot fire conditions with the pilot scale gasifier design, and capable of accommodating a scaled-down quench zone for a demonstration-scale gasifier. The objective of this task was to validate similitude of the cold flow simulation model by comparison of pilot-scale outlet design performance, and to assess demonstration scale gasifier design feasibility from testing of a scaled-down outlet design. Test results did exhibit a strong correspondence with the two pilot scale outlet designs, indicating credible similitude for the cold flow simulation device. Testing of the scaled-down outlet revealed important considerations in the design and operation of the demonstration scale gasifier, in particular pertaining to the relative momentum between the downcoming raw syngas and the sprayed quench water and associated impacts on flow patterns within the quench zone. This report describes key findings from the test program, including assessment of pilot plant configuration simulations relative to actual results on the pilot plant gasifier and demonstration plant design recommendations, based on cold flow simulation results.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2019

First Ever Polymer Flood Field Pilot - A Game Changer to Enhance the Recovery of Heavy Oils on Alaska’s North Slope

The development pace of Alaska’s vast, 20-25 billion barrels, heavy oil resources has been very slow due to high development costs and low oil recovery using conventional waterflood, and the impracticality of deploying thermal methods due to the presence of continuous permafrost. Although, polymer flooding has attracted attention and has become a promising EOR technique in heavy oil reservoirs due to the extensive application of horizontal wells and advancement of polymer flooding technology, no field tests have been performed to date in Alaska’s underdeveloped heavy oil reservoirs. The overall objective of this research is to perform a field experiment to validate the use of polymer flooding for extracting heavy oil in Alaska’s challenging environment. Two pre-existing pairs of horizontal injection and production wells in an isolated fault block of the Schrader Bluff heavy oil reservoir at the Milne Point Field are currently being used for the field experiment. Hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) polymer injection started on August 28, 2018 at 600 ppm (4 cP viscosity) concentration ramping up to 1,800 ppm (45 cP viscosity) over a three week time period, and has been maintained at an average concentration of ~1,800 ppm. Current injection rates in the two horizontal injectors are ~2,200 and 600 bwpd. Laboratory experiments to determine the polymer retention, optimum water salinity, synergistic effects of water salinity and polymer, and handling of produced fluids, in support of the field experiment, are currently ongoing. Similarly, reservoir simulation of coreflood behavior and history match of previous waterfloods to predict polymer flood performance in the project area are also conducted in parallel. The field data and scientific knowledge that have been collected since the start of the injection indicates that the field pilot is performing as predicted. To date, no unexpected injectivity issues or polymer breakthrough have been encountered, and the two horizontal producers are showing positive response to the polymer injection, resulting in incremental increase in oil production rate. Since the research is still in its early stages, selected field, laboratory and simulation results are presented and discussed to highlight the integrative approach adopted in this first ever polymer flood field pilot in Alaska.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2021

Integration of a DER Management System in Riverside. Final report

The tasks in this project covered various aspects, including algorithm development, algorithm integration into a commercial Active Network Management (ANM) platform, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing in an industry-standard testing platform, pilot demonstration in Riverside, California, and also cost and benefit analysis. The DERMS platform in this project can host different algorithms developed on different platforms (e.g., MATLAB and Python) and it can interact with different hardware devices (e.g., different PV inverters, battery inverters, and different sensors). The DER control solution are based on an advanced model-free, layered, and clustered DER control paradigm. At the core of the DER control algorithms was the concept of Extremum Seeking (ES), which is a model-free probing-based control technique. The ES-based control algorithms were tested on major real-world inverters; both individually and in a cluster. It was shown that even legacy equipment (or when paired with a few additional advanced equipment) can support such advanced control. The monitoring algorithms utilize a heterogeneous set of legacy and advanced sensor measurements, such as behind-the-meter DER sensors, distribution-level Phase Measurement Units, distribution-substation Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), and line current sensors, with their limited availability; in order to infer practical network conditions. Sensor data are utilized to achieve resource forecasting, phase identification, and distribution system state estimation. The technology that was developed and demonstrated in this project could be transformational to utilities, including the smaller municipal utilities such as in Riverside, which may not have the resources to deploy advanced distribution system and DERMS solutions in order to support high penetration of solar power integration. This project created a real-world prototype to provide utilities with an assessment of smart grid monitoring and control technologies.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS1988

A piloted evaluation of an oblique-wing research aircraft motion simulation with decoupling control laws

The NASA Ames Research Center developed an oblique-wing research plane from NASA's digital fly-by-wire airplane. Oblique-wing airplanes show large cross-coupling in control and dynamic behavior which is not present on conventional symmetric airplanes and must be compensated for to obtain acceptable handling qualities. The large vertical motion simulator at NASA Ames-Moffett was used in the piloted evaluation of a proposed flight control system designed to provide decoupled handling qualities. Five discrete flight conditions were evaluated ranging from low altitude subsonic Mach numbers to moderate altitude supersonic Mach numbers. The flight control system was effective in generally decoupling the airplane. However, all participating pilots objected to the high levels of lateral acceleration encountered in pitch maneuvers. In addition, the pilots were more critical of left turns (in the direction of the trailing wingtip when skewed) than they were of right turns due to the tendency to be rolled into the left turns and out of the right turns. Asymmetric side force as a function of angle of attack was the primary cause of lateral acceleration in pitch. Along with the lateral acceleration in pitch, variation of rolling and yawing moments as functions of angle of attack caused the tendency to roll into left turns and out of right turns.

Kempel, Robert W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

An expert system for wind shear avoidance

The principal objectives are to develop methods for assessing the likelihood of wind shear encounter (based on real-time information in the cockpit), for deciding what flight path to pursue (e.g., takeoff abort, landing go-around, or normal climbout or glide slope), and for using the aircraft's full potential for combating wind shear. This study requires the definition of both deterministic and statistical techniques for fusing internal and external information, for making go/no-go decisions, and for generating commands to the aircraft's autopilot and flight directors for both automatic and manually controlled flight. The expert system for pilot aiding is based on the results of the FAA Windshear Training Aids Program, a two-volume manual that presents an overview, pilot guide, training program, and substantiating data that provides guidelines for this initial development. The Windshear Safety Advisor expert system currently contains over 140 rules and is coded in the LISP programming language for implementation on a Symbolics 3670 LISP Machine.

Stengel, Robert F.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Pilot Testing of a Modular Oxygen Production System Using Oxygen Binding Adsorbents (Final Report)

In this project, RTI and Air Liquide have focused on the development of innovative oxygen separation materials and technologies based on reversibly binding of oxygen to enable smaller and cheaper air separations. In alignment with that object the team has had multiple achievements to advance the technology including: Synthesized and characterized novel M-CoSalen (RTIO2Sorb-1) material which showed a dynamic oxygen adsorption capacity in excess of 1wt%. Developed synthesis routes for RTIO2Sorb-1 with commercially relevant techniques and produced batches of 0.25kg and over 4 kg of total synthesis. Synthesized and characterized extrudate forms of the RTIO2Sorb-1 with relevant crush strength and maintained dynamic oxygen adsorption capacity in near 1wt%. Developed techniques for forming structured beds in fiber shapes with conventional materials. Developed a model for O 2 sorption processes to analyze various bed configurations and cycle parameters. Studied classic O 2 solid sorbents reported in the literature to learn oxygen binding mechanisms. Design a 10 kg/day O 2 VPSA pilot system with 2 or 4-bed operation. Completed a techno-economic analysis based on the experimental results and modeling. The overall objective of the project was to design, fabricate, and test a modular O 2 production system and perform a techno-economic analysis (TEA) after testing to determine the cost-benefit of the advanced modular air separation system. The goals of this technology development project were to achieve a bed-size factor (BSF) of less than 600 lb-adsorbent/TPD O 2 (ton/day O 2 ) (as compared with the state-of-the-art BSF of 850), and O 2 -purity greater than 95% at a cost that is projected to be equivalent or lower than the current state of the art (SOTA), commercially available large-scale cryogenic air separation systems. To achieve these goals and objective, the project team executed on (1) oxygen binding adsorbent optimization and scale up, (2) adsorbent material formation process studies to form the adsorbent material into structured beds for rapid pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycles with low pressure drop, fast mass transfer, and low attrition, (3) cycle development studies to optimize the PSA process, and (4) develop simulation tools for rapid cycle modeling and numerical evaluation/optimization.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS1980

Backup flight control system for a highly maneuverable remotely piloted research vehicle

NASA is currently conducting flight tests of a remotely piloted subscale advanced fighter configuration as part of the Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology (HiMAT) program. This paper describes the initial development, user modification, and flight test experience of a back-up control system (BCS) contained within one of two onboard microprocessors. The development of the BCS proceeded in two distinct steps: the initial contractor development of control laws and logic to satisfy BCS design objectives, and user modifications required to satisfy operational requirements. A brief resume of flight qualification procedures and pilot comments is presented.

Hoyt, C. E.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Extraction, Separation, and Production of High Purity Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals from Coal-Based and Related Resources

The general objectives of this project are to develop concepts for rare earth metal and critical mineral production from coal-based and related (minerals associated with coal) resources and incorporate them into a Technical Research Plan with an associated overall flow sheet. The project team has extensive expertise in market evaluation, mineral separation, leaching, chemical separations, alternative metallothermic reaction technology, electrowinning, and electrorefining that was critical to the success of the proposed project. The project included critical industrial partners needed for project success. The project team has extensive expertise in market evaluation, mineral separation, leaching, chemical separations, alternative reduction technology, electrowinning, and electrorefining as well as appropriate pilot-scale facilities to enable this project. The project encompassed broader opportunities for developing domestic resources of REE/CM materials for a more resilient, diverse, and secure supply chain for REE/CM materials with built-in redundancies and appropriate resource stockpiles. The production of REE/CM materials will help to revitalize and rebuild world-class American manufacturing capacity and the related workforce through new jobs and infrastructure. Furthermore, due to the nature and location of the production sites, economic growth in diverse communities of color and economically distressed areas will be cultivated. Finally, this technology can be applied to reuse and remediate coal waste tailings for REE/CM production.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
NASA NTRS1980

SPS pilot signal design and power transponder analysis, volume 2, phase 3

The problem of pilot signal parameter optimization and the related problem of power transponder performance analysis for the Solar Power Satellite reference phase control system are addressed. Signal and interference models were established to enable specifications of the front end filters including both the notch filter and the antenna frequency response. A simulation program package was developed to be included in SOLARSIM to perform tradeoffs of system parameters based on minimizing the phase error for the pilot phase extraction. An analytical model that characterizes the overall power transponder operation was developed. From this model, the effects of different phase noise disturbance sources that contribute to phase variations at the output of the power transponders were studied and quantified. Results indicate that it is feasible to hold the antenna array phase error to less than one degree per power module for the type of disturbances modeled.

Lindsey, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A simulator study for the development and evaluation of operating procedures on a supersonic cruise research transport to minimize airport-community noise

Piloted-simulator studies were conducted to determine takeoff and landing operating procedures for a supersonic cruise research transport concept that result in predicted noise levels which meet current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification standards. With the use of standard FAA noise certification test procedures, the subject simulated aircraft did not meet the FAA traded-noise-level standards during takeoff and landing. However, with the use of advanced procedures, this aircraft meets the traded-noise-level standards for flight crews with average skills. The advanced takeoff procedures developed involved violating some of the current Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), but it was not necessary to violate any FAR noise-test conditions during landing approach. Noise contours were also determined for some of the simulated takeoffs and landings in order to indicate the noise-reduction advantages of using operational procedures other than standard.

Grantham, W. D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Beyond the cockpit: The visual world as a flight instrument

The use of cockpit instruments to guide flight control is not always an option (e.g., low level rotorcraft flight). Under such circumstances the pilot must use out-the-window information for control and navigation. Thus it is important to determine the basis of visually guided flight for several reasons: (1) to guide the design and construction of the visual displays used in training simulators; (2) to allow modeling of visibility restrictions brought about by weather, cockpit constraints, or distortions introduced by sensor systems; and (3) to aid in the development of displays that augment the cockpit window scene and are compatible with the pilot's visual extraction of information from the visual scene. The authors are actively pursuing these questions. We have on-going studies using both low-cost, lower fidelity flight simulators, and state-of-the-art helicopter simulation research facilities. Research results will be presented on: (1) the important visual scene information used in altitude and speed control; (2) the utility of monocular, stereo, and hyperstereo cues for the control of flight; (3) perceptual effects due to the differences between normal unaided daylight vision, and that made available by various night vision devices (e.g., light intensifying goggles and infra-red sensor displays); and (4) the utility of advanced contact displays in which instrument information is made part of the visual scene, as on a 'scene linked' head-up display (e.g., displaying altimeter information on a virtual billboard located on the ground).

Johnson, W. W.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Interim Measures Pilot Study Completion Report, South Repeater Building, Solid Waste Management Unit 121, Hydraulic Containment and Groundwater Treatment System for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

This Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Interim Measures Pilot Study Completion Report was prepared for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration by AECOM Technical Services, Inc. under Contract 80KSC019D0010, Task Order 80KSC021F0096. The purpose of this report is to document the pilot study activities at the South Repeater Building, Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 121. This report details the additional assessment activities completed from June 2023 through November 2023 and the subsequent pilot study completed at the South Repeater Building conducted in December 2023 through February 2024. Initial activities were conducted in accordance with the Pilot Study Work Plan (NASA 2023), submitted to the KSC Remediation Team and accepted by the team on October 26, 2023. The objectives of the pilot study were to: • Provide information on aquifer characteristics and to aid in future modeling and remedial design activities to mitigate off-KSC migration of PFAS compounds. • Develop information on characteristics of the surficial aquifer system, specifically transmissivity, storage coefficient, hydraulic conductivity, and vertical hydraulic conductivity. • Obtain data to support construction and calibration of a groundwater flow model. • Acquire design parameters necessary for future remedial design activities, specifically radius of influence, drawdown, flow rates, and pump settings. The following activities were completed to meet the pilot study objectives: • Groundwater and surface water sampling • Geophysical investigation via Hydraulic Profiling Tool (HPT) and soil sampling • Installation of observation and extraction wells via rotosonic techniques • Slug, step, and pump testing activities • Initial modeling efforts for a groundwater hydraulic containment system. Results of the pilot study and modeling activities are being used in the development of a groundwater containment and treatment system for the site.

PFAS↗
NASA NTRS1986

Flat-plate solar array project. Volume 2: Silicon material

The goal of the Silicon Material Task, a part of the Flat Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project, was to develop and demonstate the technology for the low cost production of silicon of suitable purity to be used as the basic material for the manufacture of terrestrial photovoltaic solar cells. Summarized are 11 different processes for the production of silicon that were investigated and developed to varying extent by industrial, university, and Government researchers. The silane production section of the Union Carbide Corp. (UCC) silane process was developed completely in this program. Coupled with Siemens-type chemical vapor deposition reactors, the process was carried through the pilot stage. The overall UCC process involves the conversion of metallurgical-grade silicon to silane followed by decomposition of the silane to purified silicon. The other process developments are described to varying extents. Studies are reported on the effects of impurities in silicon on both silicon-material properties and on solar cell performance. These studies on the effects of impurities yielded extensive information and models for relating specific elemental concentrations to levels of deleterious effects.

Lutwack, R.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Flow field and scalar measurements in a series of turbulent partially-premixed dimethyl ether/air jet flames

Here, we present a series of benchmark flames consisting of six partially-premixed piloted dimethyl ether (DME)/air jet flames. These flames provide an opportunity to understand turbulence-flame interactions for oxygenated fuels and to develop predictive models for these interactions using a canonical burner geometry. The development of accurate models for DME/air flames would establish a foundation for studies of more complex oxygenated fuels. The flames are stabilized on a piloted jet burner similar to that of the partially-premixed methane/air jet flames that have been studied extensively within the context of the TNF Workshop. This series of six jet flames spans jet exit Reynolds numbers, Re D , from 29,300 to 73,300 and stoichiometric mixture fractions, ξ st , from 0.35 to 0.60. Flame conditions range from very low probability of localized extinction to a high probability of localized extinction and subsequent re-ignition. Measurements in the flames are compared at downstream locations from 5 to 25 diameters above the nozzle exit. Mean and fluctuating velocity components are measured using stereo particle image velocimetry (SPIV). Simultaneous laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) imaging of OH and CH 2 O provides insights into the distribution of these intermediate species in partially-premixed DME/air flames. OH LIF imaging is also combined with SPIV to investigate the strain rate field across the reaction zone.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
NASA NTRS1987

Space shuttle flying qualities and criteria assessment

Work accomplished under a series of study tasks for the Flying Qualities and Flight Control Systems Design Criteria Experiment (OFQ) of the Shuttle Orbiter Experiments Program (OEX) is summarized. The tasks involved review of applicability of existing flying quality and flight control system specification and criteria for the Shuttle; identification of potentially crucial flying quality deficiencies; dynamic modeling of the Shuttle Orbiter pilot/vehicle system in the terminal flight phases; devising a nonintrusive experimental program for extraction and identification of vehicle dynamics, pilot control strategy, and approach and landing performance metrics, and preparation of an OEX approach to produce a data archive and optimize use of the data to develop flying qualities for future space shuttle craft in general. Analytic modeling of the Orbiter's unconventional closed-loop dynamics in landing, modeling pilot control strategies, verification of vehicle dynamics and pilot control strategy from flight data, review of various existent or proposed aircraft flying quality parameters and criteria in comparison with the unique dynamic characteristics and control aspects of the Shuttle in landing; and finally a summary of conclusions and recommendations for developing flying quality criteria and design guides for future Shuttle craft.

Myers, T. T.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Advancing the Standards for Unmanned Air System Communications, Navigation and Surveillance

Under NASA program NNA16BD84C, new architectures were identified and developed for supporting reliable and secure Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) needs for Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) operating in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace. An analysis of architectures for the two categories of airspace and an implementation technology readiness analysis were performed. These studies produced NASA reports that have been made available in the public domain and have been briefed in previous conferences. We now consider how the products of the study are influencing emerging directions in the aviation standards communities. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Communications Panel (CP), Working Group I (WG-I) is currently developing a communications network architecture known as the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network with Internet Protocol Services (ATN/IPS). The target use case for this service is secure and reliable Air Traffic Management (ATM) for manned aircraft operating in controlled airspace. However, the work is more and more also considering the emerging class of airspace users known as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), which refers to certain UAS classes. In addition, two Special Committees (SCs) in the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) are developing Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS) and Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for UAS. RTCA SC-223 is investigating an Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) and AeroMACS aviation data link for interoperable (INTEROP) UAS communications. Meanwhile, RTCA SC-228 is working to develop Detect And Avoid (DAA) equipment and a Command and Control (C2) Data Link MOPS establishing LBand and C-Band solutions. These RTCA Special Committees along with ICAO CP WG/I are therefore overlapping in terms of the Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) alternatives they are seeking to provide for an integrated manned- and unmanned air traffic management service as well as remote pilot command and control. This paper presents UAS CNS architecture concepts developed under the NASA program that apply to all three of the aforementioned committees. It discusses the similarities and differences in the problem spaces under consideration in each committee, and considers the application of a common set of CNS alternatives that can be widely applied. As the works of these committees progress, it is clear that the overlap will need to be addressed to ensure a consistent and safe framework for worldwide aviation. In this study, we discuss similarities and differences in the various operational models and show how the CNS architectures developed under the NASA program apply.

Ponchak, Denise S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Piloted Evaluation of an Integrated Methodology for Propulsion and Airframe Control Design

An integrated methodology for propulsion and airframe control has been developed and evaluated for a Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft using a fixed base flight simulator at NASA Lewis Research Center. For this evaluation the flight simulator is configured for transition flight using a STOVL aircraft model, a full nonlinear turbofan engine model, simulated cockpit and displays, and pilot effectors. The paper provides a brief description of the simulation models, the flight simulation environment, the displays and symbology, the integrated control design, and the piloted tasks used for control design evaluation. In the simulation, the pilots successfully completed typical transition phase tasks such as combined constant deceleration with flight path tracking, and constant acceleration wave-off maneuvers. The pilot comments of the integrated system performance and the display symbology are discussed and analyzed to identify potential areas of improvement.

Bright, Michelle M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Use of Dynamic Distortion to Predict and Alleviate Loss of Control

This research has developed and evaluated the specific concepts, termed Smart-Cue and Smart-Gain, to alleviate aircraft loss of control that results from unfavorable pilot/vehicle system interactions, including pilot-induced oscillations (PIOs). Unfavorable pilot/ vehicle-system interactions have long been an aviation safety problem. While the effective aircraft dynamic properties involved in these events have been extensively studied and understood, similar scrutiny has not been paid to the many aspects of the primary manual control system that converts the pilot control inputs to motions of the control surfaces. The purpose of the Smart-Cue and Smart-Gain developments is to redress this neglect, and to develop and validate remedial manual control systems.

Klyde, David↗