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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 1,495 records · Page 83
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Average power constraints in AlGaAs semiconductor lasers under pulse-position-modulation conditions

In some optical communications systems there are advantages to using low duty-cycle pulsed modulation formats such as pulse-position-modulation. However, because of intrinsic limitations of AlGaAs semiconductor lasers, the average power that they can deliver in a pulsed mode of operation is lower than in a CW mode. The magnitude of this problem and its implications are analyzed in this letter, and one possible solution is mentioned.

Katz, J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A bi-directional two-phase/two-phase heat exchanger

This paper describes the design and test of a heat exchanger that transfers heat from one two-phase thermal loop to another with very small drops in temperature and pressure. The heat exchanger condenses the vapor in one loop while evaporating the liquid in the other without mixing of the condensing and evaporating fluids. The heat exchanger is bidirectional in that it can transfer heat in reverse, condensing on the normally evaporating side and vice versa. It is fully compatible with capillary pumped loops and mechanically pumped loops. Test results verified that performance of the heat exchanger met the design requirements. It demonstrated a heat transfer rate of 6800 watts in the normal mode of operation and 1000 watts in the reverse mode with temperature drops of less than 5 C between two thermal loops.

Ku, Jentung↗
NASA NTRS2004

Improving Control of Two Motor Controllers

A computer program controls motors that drive translation stages in a metrology system that consists of a pair of two-axis cathetometers. This program is specific to Compumotor Gemini (or equivalent) motors and the Compumotor 6K-series (or equivalent) motor controller. Relative to the software supplied with the controller, this program affords more capabilities and is easier to use. Written as a Virtual Instrument in the LabVIEW software system, the program presents an imitation control panel that the user can manipulate by use of a keyboard and mouse. There are three modes of operation: command, movement, and joystick. In command mode, single commands are sent to the controller for troubleshooting. In movement mode, distance, speed, and/or acceleration commands are sent to the controller. Position readouts from the motors and from position encoders on the translation stages are displayed in marked fields. At any time, the position readouts can be recorded in a file named by the user. In joystick mode, the program yields control of the motors to a joystick. The program sends commands to, and receives data from, the controller via a serial cable connection, using the serial-communication portion of the software supplied with the controller.

Toland, Ronald W.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Validation of Real-Time Data Processing for the Ground and Air-MSPI Systems

JPL is currently developing the multi-angle spectro-polarimetric imager (MSPI), targeted for the Aerosol-Cloud-Ecosystems (ACE) mission, as defined in the National Academies 2007 Decadal Survey. In preparation for the space instrument, the MSPI team has built two incremental camera systems (Ground- and Air-MSPI) to improve understanding of the proposed architecture. Ground-MSPI is a gimballed instrument used primarily for stationary observation and characterization of the imager and optics. The ER-2 based Air-MSPI operates in a step-and-stare mode, providing multi-angle imaging of a static target. This mode-of-operation simulates the observation scenario of the space instrument. Physically, MSPI is a pushbroom camera with a specialized frontend. Before imaging, light entering the camera passes through a pair of photoelastic modulators and a set of pattern polarizers. These optical elements act on the light to make polarimetric extraction computationally feasible. Calculating polarimetric parameters from the imager's data stream requires a real-time least-squares computation that produces coefficients of a truncated time-series expansion of the image. As reported in, the data processing algorithm can operate in real-time on a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA. Moving beyond verification with an onboard data source, the algorithm has been validated on a commercial development board interfaced with the ground camera. In addition, the algorithm has been instantiated within the Air-MSPI electronics board's FPGA, and in situ first-light has been achieved.

real-time data processing↗
NASA NTRS2017

Performance of a Space-Based Wavelet Compressor for Plasma Count Data on the MMS Fast Plasma Investigation

Data compression has been a staple of imaging instruments for years. Recently, plasma measurements have utilized compression with relatively low compression ratios. The Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) on board the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission generates data roughly 100 times faster than previous plasma instruments, requiring a higher compression ratio to fit within the telemetry allocation. This study investigates the performance of a space-based compression standard employing a Discrete Wavelet Transform and a Bit Plane Encoder (DWT/BPE) in compressing FPI plasma count data. Data from the first 6 months of FPI operation are analyzed to explore the error modes evident in the data and how to adapt to them. While approximately half of the Dual Electron Spectrometer (DES) maps had some level of loss, it was found that there is little effect on the plasma moments and that errors present in individual sky maps are typically minor. The majority of Dual Ion Spectrometer burst sky maps compressed in a lossless fashion, with no error introduced during compression. Because of induced compression error, the size limit for DES burst images has been increased for Phase 1B. Additionally, it was found that the floating point compression mode yielded better results when images have significant compression error, leading to floating point mode being used for the fast survey mode of operation for Phase 1B. Despite the suggested tweaks, it was found that wavelet-based compression, and a DWT/BPE algorithm in particular, is highly suitable to data compression for plasma measurement instruments and can be recommended for future missions.

plasma↗
DOE OSTI2017

Control strategies for coupling thermal energy storage systems with small modular reactors - 188

The contribution of intermittent (renewable) energy sources such as wind and solar continues to increase as renewables improve in both efficiency and price-point. However, the variability of renewables generates additional challenges for the electric grid in the form of rapidly varying electric loads. Proposed options for accommodating this load have included operating nuclear reactors in a load follow mode, or operating the reactor at or near steady state and bypassing steam directly to the condenser. Both of these strategies result in lost energy potential. In addition to lost energy potential, load follow operation can result in increased stress on the fuel and other mechanical components. A more attractive approach is to operate the reactor at or near steady state and bypass excess steam to a thermal energy storage system. The thermal energy can then be recovered, either for electric generation during periods of peak electric demand, or for use in ancillary applications such as desalination and hydrogen production. Sensible Heat Thermal Energy Storage is a mature technology currently used in solar energy systems. This research focuses on the design and coupling of such a system to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), typical of Integral Pressurized Water Reactor (IPWR) designs currently under development. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Principles of Ion Selection, Alignment, and Focusing in Tandem Ion Mobility Implemented Using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM)

Tandem ion mobility (IM) enables the characterization of subpopulations of ions from larger ensembles, including differences that cannot be resolved in a single dimension of IM. Tandem IM consists of at least two IM regions that are each separated by an ion selection region. In many implementations of tandem IM, ions eluting from a dimension of separation are filtered and immediately transferred to the subsequent dimension of separation (selection-only experiments). We recently reported a mode of operation in which ions eluting from a dimension are trapped prior to the subsequent dimension (selection-trapping experiments), which was implemented on an instrument constructed using the structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM) architecture. Here, we use a combination of experiments and trajectory simulations to characterize aspects of the selection, trapping, and separation processes underlying these modes of operation. For example, the actual temporal profile of filtered ions can be very similar to the width of the waveforms used for selection, but depending on experimental parameters, can differ by up to ± 500 μs. Experiments and simulations indicate that ions in selection-trapping experiments can be spatially focused between dimensions, which removes the broadening that occurred during the preceding dimension. During focusing, individual ions are thermalized, which aligns and establishes common initial conditions for the subsequent dimension. Therefore, selection-trapping experiments appear to offer significant advantages relative to selection-only experiments, which we anticipate will become more pronounced in future experiments that make use of longer IM separations, additional dimensions of analysis, and the outcomes of this study. .

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2007

Runtime and Pressurization Analyses of Propellant Tanks

Multi-element unstructured CFD has been utilized at NASA SSC to carry out analyses of propellant tank systems in different modes of operation. The three regimes of interest at SSC include (a) tank chill down (b) tank pressurization and (c) runtime propellant draw-down and purge. While tank chill down is an important event that is best addressed with long time-scale heat transfer calculations, CFD can play a critical role in the tank pressurization and runtime modes of operation. In these situations, problems with contamination of the propellant by inclusion of the pressurant gas from the ullage causes a deterioration of the quality of the propellant delivered to the test article. CFD can be used to help quantify the mixing and propellant degradation. During tank pressurization under some circumstances, rapid mixing of relatively warm pressurant gas with cryogenic propellant can lead to rapid densification of the gas and loss of pressure in the tank. This phenomenon can cause serious problems during testing because of the resulting decrease in propellant flow rate. With proper physical models implemented, CFD can model the coupling between the propellant and pressurant including heat transfer and phase change effects and accurately capture the complex physics in the evolving flowfields. This holds the promise of allowing the specification of operational conditions and procedures that could minimize the undesirable mixing and heat transfer inherent in propellant tank operation. It should be noted that traditional CFD modeling is inadequate for such simulations because the fluids in the tank are in a range of different sub-critical and supercritical states and elaborate phase change and mixing rules have to be developed to accurately model the interaction between the ullage gas and the propellant. We show a typical run-time simulation of a spherical propellant tank, containing RP-1 in this case, being pressurized with room-temperature nitrogen at 540 R. Nitrogen, shown in blue on the right-hand side of the figures, enters the tank from the diffuser at the top of the figures and impinges on the RP-1, shown in red, while the propellant is being continuously drained at the rate of 1050 lbs/sec through a pipe at the bottom of the tank. The sequence of frames in Figure 1 shows the resultant velocity fields and mixing between nitrogen and RP-1 in a cross-section of the tank at different times. A vortex is seen to form in the incoming nitrogen stream that tends to entrain propellant, mixing it with the pressurant gas. The RP-1 mass fraction contours in Figure 1 are also indicative of the level of mixing and contamination of the propellant. The simulation is used to track the propagation of the pure propellant front as it is drawn toward the exit with the evolution of the mixing processes in the tank. The CFD simulation modeled a total of 10 seconds of run time. As is seen from Figure 1d, after 5.65 seconds the propellant front is nearing the drain pipe, especially near the center of the tank. Behind this pure propellant front is a mixed fluid of compromised quality that would require the test to end when it reaches the exit pipe. Such unsteady simulations provide an estimate of the time that a high-quality propellant supply to the test article can be guaranteed at the modeled mass flow rate. In the final paper, we will discuss simulations of the LOX and propellant tanks at NASA SSC being pressurized by an inert ullage. Detailed comparisons will be made between the CFD simulations and lower order models as well as with test data. Conditions leading to cryo collapse in the tank will also be identified.

Field, Robert E.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Hierarchical electrode design of highly efficient and stable unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs) for long-term energy storage

The unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC) is a promising electrochemical device for intermittent renewable energy storage in chemical bonds. However, widespread application has been hindered due to low round-trip efficiencies (RTEs) and disappointing durability, in particular at high rates. In this study, we break through that barrier by demonstrating highly efficient, flexible, and stable URFCs via hierarchical design of the multiscale catalyst-layer structures. A more porous and less tortuous Pt and Ir catalyst layer is realized using a doctor blade fabrication method that significantly improves URFC performance. We demonstrate RTEs of 56% and 53% under constant-electrode and constant-gas mode, respectively, while operating at 1000 mA cm –2 , and significantly, a RTE of 45% at 2000 mA cm –2 , achievements that were previously viewed as unfeasible under the onerous demands of URFC operation. At the same time we demonstrate URFCs under both constant-electrode and constant-gas mode operated continuously for over 500 h with negligible degradation. These results demonstrate the viability of applying URFCs for long-term energy storage at previously unattainable efficiencies and cast new light on electrode design and optimization of URFCs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2011

An Augmentation of G-Guidance Algorithms

The original G-Guidance algorithm provided an autonomous guidance and control policy for small-body proximity operations that took into account uncertainty and dynamics disturbances. However, there was a lack of robustness in regards to object proximity while in autonomous mode. The modified GGuidance algorithm was augmented with a second operational mode that allows switching into a safety hover mode. This will cause a spacecraft to hover in place until a mission-planning algorithm can compute a safe new trajectory. No state or control constraints are violated. When a new, feasible state trajectory is calculated, the spacecraft will return to standard mode and maneuver toward the target. The main goal of this augmentation is to protect the spacecraft in the event that a landing surface or obstacle is closer or further than anticipated. The algorithm can be used for the mitigation of any unexpected trajectory or state changes that occur during standard mode operations

Carson, John M. III↗
NASA NTRS1996

Validation of NASA Thermal Ice Protection Computer Codes: Program Overview - Part 1

The Icing Technology Branch at NASA Lewis has been involved in an effort to validate two thermal ice protection codes developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. LEWICE/Thermal (electrothermal deicing & anti-icing), and ANTICE (hot-gas & electrothermal anti-icing). The Thermal Code Validation effort was designated as a priority during a 1994 'peer review' of the NASA Lewis Icing program, and was implemented as a cooperative effort with industry. During April 1996, the first of a series of experimental validation tests was conducted in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel(IRT). The purpose of the April 96 test was to validate the electrothermal predictive capabilities of both LEWICE/Thermal, and ANTICE. A heavily instrumented test article was designed and fabricated for this test, with the capability of simulating electrothermal de-icing and anti-icing modes of operation. Thermal measurements were then obtained over a range of test conditions, for comparison with analytical predictions. This paper will present an overview of the test, including a detailed description of: (1) the validation process; (2) test article design; (3) test matrix development; and (4) test procedures. Selected experimental results will be presented for de-icing and anti-icing modes of operation. Finally, the status of the validation effort at this point will be summarized. Detailed comparisons between analytical predictions and experimental results are contained in the following two papers: 'Validation of NASA Thermal Ice Protection Computer Codes: Part 2- The Validation of LEWICE/Thermal' and 'Validation of NASA Thermal Ice Protection Computer Codes: Part 3-The Validation of ANTICE'

Miller, Dean↗
NASA NTRS1995

Visualization of Computational Fluid Dynamics

Scientific visualization serves the dual purpose of exploration and exposition of the results of numerical simulations of fluid flow. Along with the basic visualization process which transforms source data into images, there are four additional components to a complete visualization system: Source Data Processing, User Interface and Control, Presentation, and Information Management. The requirements imposed by the desired mode of operation (i.e. real-time, interactive, or batch) and the source data have their effect on each of these visualization system components. The special requirements imposed by the wide variety and size of the source data provided by the numerical simulation of fluid flow presents an enormous challenge to the visualization system designer. We describe the visualization system components including specific visualization techniques and how the mode of operation and source data requirements effect the construction of computational fluid dynamics visualization systems.

Gerald-Yamasaki, Michael↗
DOE OSTI2024

Overview and Status of the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility Far Detectors Cryogenics System

The Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) will host the Far Detectors of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), an international multi-kiloton Long-Baseline neutrino experiment that will be installed about a mile underground in Lead, SD. Detectors will be located inside four cryostats filled with almost 70,000 metric tons of ultrapure liquid argon, with a level of impurities lower than 100 parts per trillion of oxygen equivalent. The cryogenics infrastructure supporting this experiment is provided by the Long- Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF). This contribution presents modes of operation, layout and main features of the LBNF Far Detectors cryogenics system, which is composed of the following subsystems: argon receiving facilities, nitrogen system, argon distribution system, argon purification and regeneration systems, argon circulation system, argon condensers system, internal cryogenics, miscellaneous items, and process controls. An international engin eering tea m is designing these systems and will manufacture, install, test, commission, and qualify them. This contribution describes the main features, performance, functional requirements, and modes of operation of the LBNF Far Detectors cryogenics system. It also presents the status of the design, along with present and future needs to support the DUNE experiment.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Quiet High Speed Fan II (22-inch) Duct Mode Characteristics as Measured by the Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System while Operated in the NASA Glenn 9x15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel

Wind Tunnel at a tunnel Mach number of 0.10. This was an entry to investigate the effect of “stator clocking” on noise. The fan consisted of a moderately aft swept rotor and an aft swept set of stator vanes. The fan stage consisted of 22 rotor blades, 50 stator vanes, and 10 downstream support struts. A set of stator vanes designed for lower noise was tested as well as a baseline stator vane set. The stator assembly could be rotated several degrees to adjust the clocking angle between the stator vane pack and the strut assembly. All configurations were with a hard wall duct (no acoustic treatment). The NASA Glenn Research Center’s Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System was utilized to obtain a complete map of the acoustic duct modes present in the ducted fan. The system is a radial rake emersed into the duct that continuously rotates about the duct centerline. For the two stator configurations, data were acquired at several different fan speeds which included nominal, approach, cutback, and takeoff conditions. Analysis of the mode power level results at the fan fundamentals showed the improved designed set resulted in lower rotor-stator and rotor-strut interaction acoustic levels for the interaction modes. Varying the angle between the stators and struts was shown to be a viable method to achieve a minimum in rotor-strut interaction mode power level. Multiple-pure-tones generated by the Quiet High Speed Fan II in the inlet were also measured.

Turbofan, Duct Modes↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Quiet High Speed Fan II (22-inch) Duct Mode Characteristics as Measured by the Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System while Operated in the NASA Glenn 9x15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel

Wind Tunnel test at a tunnel Mach number of 0.10. This was an entry to investigate the effect of “stator clocking” on noise. The fan consisted of a moderately aft swept rotor and an aft swept set of stator vanes. The fan stage consisted of 22 rotor blades, 50 stator vanes, and 10 downstream support struts. A set of stator vanes designed for lower noise was tested as well as a baseline stator vane set. The stator assembly could be rotated several degrees to adjust the clocking angle between the stator vane pack and the strut assembly. All configurations were with a hard wall duct (no acoustic treatment). The NASA Glenn Research Center’s Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System was utilized to obtain a complete map of the acoustic duct modes present in the ducted fan. The system is a radial rake emersed into the duct that continuously rotates about the duct centerline. For the two stator configurations, data were acquired at several different fan speeds which included nominal, approach, cutback, and takeoff conditions. Analysis of the mode power level results at the fan fundamentals showed the improved designed set resulted in lower rotor-stator and rotor-strut interaction acoustic levels for the interaction modes. Varying the angle between the stators and struts was shown to be a viable method to achieve a minimum in rotor-strut interaction mode power level. Multiple-pure-tones generated by the Quiet High Speed Fan II in the inlet were also measured.

Turbofan, Duct Modes↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Source Diagnostic Fan II (22-inch) Duct Mode Characteristics as Measured by the Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System while Operated in the NASA Glenn 9x15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel

The second entry of the Source Diagnostic Test (SDT2) was a continuation of the first SDT entry with additional parameters tested. The rotor, stators, and general flow path hardware used in SDT2 were the same as those for SDT1. This included a radial baseline set of stator vanes, which had a vane count such that the rotor-stator interaction at the fan blade passing fundamental was cut-off, as is typical for modern turbofans. Two sets of stator vanes were designed and tested with a count generating a cut-on rotor-stator interaction at the fan blade passing fundamental. One of the sets maintained the no aerodynamic sweep as the radial baseline, the other was designed with leading edge sweep with the intent to generate lower noise. The NASA Glenn Research Center’s Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System was utilized to obtain a complete map of the acoustic duct modes present. The system is a radial rake immersed into the duct that continuously rotates about the duct centerline. For each of the three stator vane configurations, data were acquired at several different fan speeds which included nominal, approach, cutback, and takeoff conditions. Analysis of the mode power level results at the fan fundamentals showed the improved designed set resulted in lower rotor-stator interaction mode acoustic levels. Multiple-pure tones generated by the M5 rotor in the inlet were also measured.

Turbofan, Duct Modes↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Source Diagnostic Fan II (22-inch) Duct Mode Characteristics as Measured by the Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System while Operated in the NASA Glenn 9x15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel

The second entry of the Source Diagnostic Test (SDT2) was a continuation of the first SDT entry with additional parameters tested. The rotor, stators, and general flow path hardware used in SDT2 were the same as those for SDT1. This included a radial baseline set of stator vanes, which had a vane count such that the rotor-stator interaction at the fan blade passing fundamental was cut-off, as is typical for modern turbofans. Two sets of stator vanes were designed and tested with a count generating a cut-on rotor-stator interaction at the fan blade passing fundamental. One of the sets maintained the no aerodynamic sweep as the radial baseline, the other was designed with leading edge sweep with the intent to generate lower noise. The NASA Glenn Research Center’s Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System was utilized to obtain a complete map of the acoustic duct modes present. The system is a radial rake emersed into the duct that continuously rotates about the duct centerline. For each of the three stator vane configurations, data were acquired at several different fan speeds which included nominal, approach, cutback, and takeoff conditions. Analysis of the mode power level results at the fan fundamentals showed the improved designed set resulted in lower rotor-stator interaction mode acoustic levels. Multiple-pure tones generated by the M5 rotor in the inlet were also measured.

Turbofan↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Source Diagnostic Fan II (22-Inch) Duct Mode Characteristics as Measured by the Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System while Operated in the NASA Glenn 9x15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel

A 22-inch scale model of the Honeywell Quiet High Speed Fan II was tested in the NASA Glenn 9- by 15-foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel at a tunnel Mach number of 0.10. This was an entry to investigate the effect of “stator clocking” on noise. The fan consisted of a moderately aft swept rotor, and an aft swept set of stator vanes. The fan stage consisted of 22 rotor blades, 50 stator vanes, and 10 downstream support struts. A set of stator vanes designed for lower noise was tested as well as a baseline stator vane set. The stator assembly could be rotated several degrees to adjust the clocking angle between the stator vane pack and the strut assembly. All configurations were with a hard wall duct (no acoustic treatment). The NASA Glenn Research Center’s Rotating Rake Mode Measurement System was utilized to obtain a complete map of the acoustic duct modes present in the ducted fan. The system is a radial rake emersed into the duct that continuously rotates about the duct centerline. For the two stator configurations, data were acquired at several different fan speeds which included nominal, approach, cutback, and takeoff conditions. Analysis of the mode power level results at the fan fundamentals showed the improved designed set resulted in lower rotor-stator and rotor-strut interaction acoustic levels for the interaction modes. Varying the angle between the stators and struts was shown to be a viable method to achieve a minimum in rotor-strut interaction mode power level. Multiple-pure-tones generated by the Quiet High Speed Fan II in the inlet were also measured.

Fan Noise↗