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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 1,567 records · Page 87
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Thin film block copolymer self-assembly for nanophotonics

The nanophotonic engineering of light–matter interactions has profoundly changed research behind the design and fabrication of optical materials and devices. Metasurfaces—arrays of subwavelength nanostructures that interact resonantly with electromagnetic radiation—have emerged as an integral nanophotonic platform for a new generation of ultrathin lenses, displays, polarizers and other devices. Their success hinges on advances in lithography and nanofabrication in recent decades. While existing nanolithography techniques are suitable for basic research and prototyping, issues of cost, throughput, scalability, and substrate compatibility may preclude their use for many metasurface applications. Patterning via spontaneous self-assembly of block copolymer thin films offers an enticing alternative for nanophotonic manufacturing that is rapid, inexpensive, and applicable to large areas and diverse substrates. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of block copolymer-based nanopatterning and highlights recent progress in their use for broadband antireflection, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and other nanophotonic applications. Here recent advances in diversification of self-assembled block copolymer nanopatterns and improved processes for enhanced scalability of self-assembled nanopatterning using block copolymers are also discussed, with a spotlight on directions for future research that would enable a wider array of nanophotonic applications.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Resource Aware Intelligent Network Services (RAINS) Final Technical Report

The Resource Aware Intelligent Network Services (RAINS) project conducted research and developed technologies in the area of cyber infrastructure resource modeling and computation. The goal of this work was to provide a foundation to enable intelligent, software defined services which spanned the network AND the resources which connect to the network. A Multi-Resource Service Plane (MRSP) was defined, which allows resource owners/managers to locate and place themselves from a topology and service availability perspective within the dynamic networked cyberinfrastructure ecosystem. The MRSP enables the presentation of integrated topology views and computation results which can include resources across the spectrum of compute, storage, and networks. The RAINS project developed MSRP includes the following key components: i) Multi-Resource Service (MRS) Ontology/Multi-Resource Markup Language (MRML), ii) Resource Computation Engine (RCE), iii) Modular Driver Framework (to allow integration of a variety of external resources). The MRS/MRML is a general and extensible modeling framework that allows for resource owners to model, or describe, a wide variety of resource types. All resources are described using three categories of elements: Resources, Services, and Relationships between the elements. This modeling framework defines a common method for the transformation of cyber infrastructure resources into data in the form of MRML models. In order to realize this infrastructure datification, the RAINS project developed a model based computation system, i.e. “RAINS Computation Engine (RCE)”. The RCE has the ability to ingest, process, integrate, and compute based on automatically generated MRML models. The RCE interacts with the resources thru system drivers which are specific to the type of external network or resource controller. The RAINS project developed a modular and pluggable driver system which facilities a variety of resource controllers to automatically generate, maintain, and distribute MRML based resource descriptions. Once all of the resource topologies are absorbed by the RCE, a connected graph of the full distributed system topology is constructed, which forms the basis for computation and workflow processing. The RCE includes a Modular Computation Element (MCE) framework which allows for tailoring of the computation process to the specific set of resources under control, and the services desired. The input and output of an MCE are both model data based on MRS/MRML ontology and schema. Some of the RAINS project accomplishments include: Development of general and extensible multi-resource modeling framework; Design of a Resource Computation Engine (RCE) system which includes the following key capabilities; Absorb a variety of multi-resource model types and build integrated models; Novel architecture which uses model based communications across the full stack for all Flexible provision of abstract or intent based user facing interfaces; Workflow processing based on model descriptions; Release of the RCE as an open source software; Deployment of RCE in the University of Maryland/Mid-Atlantic Crossroad ScienceDMZ in prototype mode with a plan under way to transition to production; Deployment at the Argonne National Laboratory DTN Facility in prototype mode; Selection of RCE by the DOE SENSE (SDN for End-to-end Networked Science at the Exascale) project as the basis for their orchestration service.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Evaluation of 1/100-Scale Mooring Systems for Wave Energy Converters

This study evaluates the feasibility, accuracy, and limitations of using 1/100th scale physical mooring systems to represent full-scale mooring behavior for wave energy converters (WECs) during small-scale tank testing. The work focuses on an RM3-style point absorber deployed in conditions representative of the PacWave South test site and examines whether small-scale physical testing can reliably inform numerical modeling, design decisions, and future prototype development. Overall, this study concludes that small-scale (1/100th) physical mooring models can provide valuable qualitative insights, including relative comparisons between mooring types and trends in device behavior, but cannot reliably replicate full-scale mooring loads or dynamic response without significant scaling distortion. Physical tests at this scale are most appropriate for motion characterization and model validation within known limitations, not for deriving absolute mooring loads or final engineering design values. Key lessons learned emphasize the importance of improved instrumentation strategies, iterative wave tank tuning, more precisely manufactured scaled mooring components, and enhanced anchoring systems to reduce experimental uncertainty.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2026

Heavy-Duty Nonroad Material Handler Electrification Part 2: Energy Efficiency and Performance Evaluation

Decarbonization efforts achieved through electrification in nonroad mobile machinery can realize a reduction in fuel consumption of more than 20%, thanks to concepts familiar to light-duty passenger vehicles. This case study compares the results of a hybrid-electric material handler to its conventional counterpart, utilizing machine-specific drive cycles presented in part one of this paper series. The hybrid prototype features an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrain that demonstrated substantial energy efficiency improvements. Specifically, there was a reduction in equivalent fuel consumption of 75% when operating in electric-only mode, and 33% when maintaining the battery by charging with an on-board generator. Together, the efficiency improvements can be extrapolated over a low-intensity, 8-h shift characterized by significant idle time and highly dynamic engine load for a 47% reduction in net energy consumption. Key technologies that led to this improvement included engine downsizing and decoupling, regenerative braking, and an electrohydraulic pump unit with advanced controls. Finally, his study explains details of the powertrain architecture and subsystems that were implemented on a demonstration vehicle, control strategies used to meet project goals, and an analysis of energy consumption from testing on a closed course. Also included in this study is a discourse on comparison metrics that can be used for quantifying the energy consumption differences between hybrid-electric and conventional diesel powertrains in nonroad mobile machinery.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2010

Environmental Controls and Life Support System (ECLSS) Design for a Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV)

Engineers at Johnson Space Center (JSC) are developing an Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) design for the Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV). The SEV will aid to expand the human exploration envelope for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GEO), Near Earth Object (NEO), or planetary missions by using pressurized surface exploration vehicles. The SEV, formerly known as the Lunar Electric Rover (LER), will be an evolutionary design starting as a ground test prototype where technologies for various systems will be tested and evolve into a flight vehicle. This paper will discuss the current SEV ECLSS design, any work contributed toward the development of the ECLSS design, and the plan to advance the ECLSS design based on the SEV vehicle and system needs.

Stambaugh, Imelda↗
NASA NTRS2012

Environmental Controls and Life Support System Design for a Space Exploration Vehicle

Engineers at Johnson Space Center (JSC) are developing an Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) design for the Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV). The SEV will aid to expand the human exploration envelope for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GEO), Near Earth Object (NEO), or planetary missions by using pressurized surface exploration vehicles. The SEV, formerly known as the Lunar Electric Rover (LER), will be an evolutionary design starting as a ground test prototype where technologies for various systems will be tested and evolve into a flight vehicle. This paper will discuss the current SEV ECLSS design, any work contributed toward the development of the ECLSS design, and the plan to advance the ECLSS design based on the SEV vehicle and system needs.

Stambaugh, Imelda C.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Impact Report: Quantum Systems Accelerator

The Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA) is a U.S. National Quantum Information Science Research Center established in August 2020 and funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. QSA is composed of 15 partner institutions— universities and national laboratories—bringing together pioneers of many of today’s unique quantum information science (QIS) and engineering capabilities. Led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), with Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia Labs) as the lead partner, 250+ QSA researchers are catalyzing U.S. leadership in a fast-growing field that seeks solutions to the Nation’s and the world’s most pressing problems by harnessing the laws of quantum mechanics.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Polymorphism in a high-entropy alloy

Polymorphism, which describes the occurrence of different lattice structures in a crystalline material, is a critical phenomenon in materials science and condensed matter physics. Recently, configuration disorder was compositionally engineered into single lattices, leading to the discovery of high-entropy alloys and high-entropy oxides. For these novel entropy-stabilized forms of crystalline matter with extremely high structural stability, is polymorphism still possible? Here by employing in situ high-pressure synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction, we reveal a polymorphic transition from face-centred-cubic (fcc) structure to hexagonal-close-packing (hcp) structure in the prototype CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy. The transition is irreversible, and our in situ high-temperature synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction experiments at different pressures of the retained hcp high-entropy alloy reveal that the fcc phase is a stable polymorph at high temperatures, while the hcp structure is more thermodynamically favourable at lower temperatures. Lastly, as pressure is increased, the critical temperature for the hcp-to-fcc transformation also rises.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Experimental Demonstration of a Latent Heat Storage System for Dispatchable Electricity

Modern electric grids that use intermittent renewables require energy storage to maintain reliability. Many potential solutions exist, but latent heat thermal energy storage shows particularly high potential for low cost grid scale energy storage. In this paper, we present the design and initial experimental results for a lab-scale prototype of a novel latent heat thermal storage system. This version of our prototype used 50 kg of aluminum-silicon alloy as a phase change material, and a novel valved thermosyphon concept to control heat flow from a thermal storage tank to thermoelectric generators for dispatchable electricity production. Our results validate the system: the thermal storage system was able to receive heat input, evenly distribute heat to and from the phase change material with small temperature gradients, and controllably dispatch heat to a heat engine for electricity generation on demand. With the basic principle of this technology demonstrated, our next step will be to evaluate and improve system efficiency.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integration of plant and microbial oil processing at oilcane biorefineries for more sustainable biofuel production

Oilcane—an oil-accumulating crop engineered from sugarcane—and microbial oil have the potential to improve renewable oil production and help meet the expected demand for bioderived oleochemicals and fuels. To assess the potential synergies of processing both plant and microbial oils, the economic and environmental implications of integrating microbial oil production at oilcane and sugarcane biorefineries were characterized. Due to decreased crop yields that lead to higher simulated feedstock prices and lower biorefinery capacities, current oilcane prototypes result in higher costs and carbon intensities than microbial oil from sugarcane. To inform oilcane feedstock development, we calculated the required biomass yields (as a function of oil content) for oilcane to achieve financial parity with sugarcane. At 10 dw% oil, oilcane can sustain up to 30% less yield than sugarcane and still be more profitable in all simulated scenarios. Assuming continued improvements in microbial oil production from cane juice, achieving this target results in a minimum biodiesel selling price of 1.34 [0.90, 1.85] USD∙L –1 (presented as median [5th, 95th] percentiles), a carbon intensity of 0.51 [0.47, 0.55] kg CO 2 e L –1 , and a total biodiesel yield of 2140 [1870, 2410] L ha –1 year –1 . Compared to biofuel production from soybean, this outcome is equivalent to 3.0–3.9 as much biofuel per hectare of land and a 57%–63% reduction in carbon intensity. While only 20% of simulated scenarios fell within the market price range of biodiesel (0.45–1.11 USD∙L –1 ), if the oilcane biomass yield would improve to 25.6 DMT∙ha –1 ∙y –1 (an equivalent yield to sugarcane) 87% of evaluated scenarios would have a minimum biodiesel selling price within or below the market price range.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1987

Tools and technologies for expert systems: A human factors perspective

It is widely recognized that technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI), especially expert systems, can make significant contributions to the productivity and effectiveness of operations of information and knowledge intensive organizations such as NASA. At the same time, these being relatively new technologies, there is the problem of transfering technology to key personnel of such organizations. The problems of examining the potential of expert systems and of technology transfer is addressed in the context of human factors applications. One of the topics of interest was the investigation of the potential use of expert system building tools, particularly NEXPERT as a technology transfer medium. Two basic conclusions were reached in this regard. First, NEXPERT is an excellent tool for rapid prototyping of experimental expert systems, but not ideal as a delivery vehicle. Therefore, it is not a substitute for general purpose system implementation languages such a LISP or C. This assertion probably holds for nearly all such tools on the market today. Second, an effective technology transfer mechanism is to formulate and implement expert systems for problems which members of the organization in question can relate to. For this purpose, the LIghting EnGineering Expert (LIEGE) was implemented using NEXPERT as the tool for technology transfer and to illustrate the value of expert systems to the activities of the Man-System Division.

Rajaram, Navaratna S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Pt/HTCC Alumina based Electronic Packaging System and Integration Processes for High Temperature Harsh Environment Applications

Electronic devices capable of operation at 500°C are required for long term Venus surface missions, as well as for in situ monitoring and control of next generation aeronautical engines. High temperature sensors and electronics can also find many applications in military, and energy and automobile industries. Various silicon carbide (SiC) sensors and electronic devices have been developed for operation at 500 °C, and a compatible packaging system is needed for long term test and deployment of these high temperature devices. High temperature co-fired ceramics (HTCC) alumina with platinum (Pt) conductor was proposed for high temperature electronic packaging. A prototype Pt/HTCC alumina packaging system including chip-level package and circuit board has been briefly reported previously for long-term electrical testing of SiC integrated circuits at 500 °C, and brief testing at much higher temperatures. HTCC alumina is an excellent dielectric material with acceptable dielectric constant and low dielectric loss over wide temperature and frequency ranges. Pt is chemically noble and can be co-fired with HTCC alumina in air ambient producing a viable electronic packaging material system for high temperature applications. This paper presents a more detailed description of this packaging system including prototype low power packages and circuit boards based on HTCC alumina and Pt metallization for 500°C and other harsh environment applications. The key technical considerations for chip-level packaging and circuit board assembly, including materials and processes for 500 °C durable wire-bonding and SiC die attach, and integration of multi-chip circuit boards, are presented. Experimental test results of this packaging approach applied to SiC integrated circuits at 500 °C and 700°C are discussed as well.

High temperature↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Pt/HTCC Alumina based Electronic Packaging System and Integration Processes for High Temperature Harsh Environment Applications

Electronic devices capable of operation at 500°C are required for long term Venus surface missions, as well as for in situ monitoring and control of next generation aeronautical engines. High temperature sensors and electronics can also find many applications in military, and energy and automobile industries. Various silicon carbide (SiC) sensors and electronic devices have been developed for operation at 500 °C, and a compatible packaging system is needed for long term test and deployment of these high temperature devices. High temperature co-fired ceramics (HTCC) alumina with platinum (Pt) conductor was proposed for high temperature electronic packaging. A prototype Pt/HTCC alumina packaging system including chip-level package and circuit board has been briefly reported previously for long-term electrical testing of SiC integrated circuits at 500 °C, and brief testing at much higher temperatures. HTCC alumina is an excellent dielectric material with acceptable dielectric constant and low dielectric loss over wide temperature and frequency ranges. Pt is chemically noble and can be co-fired with HTCC alumina in air ambient producing a viable electronic packaging material system for high temperature applications. This paper presents a more detailed description of this packaging system including prototype low power packages and circuit boards based on HTCC alumina and Pt metallization for 500°C and other harsh environment applications. The key technical considerations for chip-level packaging and circuit board assembly, including materials and processes for 500 °C durable wire-bonding and SiC die attach, and integration of multi-chip circuit boards, are presented. Experimental test results of this packaging approach applied to SiC integrated circuits at 500 °C and 700°C are discussed as well.

electronic packaging↗
DOE OSTI2017

Computed Axial Lithography (CAL):Toward Single Step 3D Printing of Arbitrary Geometries

Most additive manufacturing processes today operate by printing voxels (3D pixels) serially point-by-point to build up a 3D part. In some more recently-developed techniques, for example optical printing methods such as projection stereolithography [Zheng et al. 2012], [Tumbleston et al. 2015], parts are printed layer-by-layer by curing full 2d (very thin in one dimension) layers of the 3d part in each print step. There does not yet exist a technique which is able to print arbitrarily-defined 3D geometries in a single print step. If such a technique existed, it could be used to expand the range of printable geometries in additive manufacturing and relax constraints on factors such as overhangs in topology optimization. It could also vastly increase print speed for 3D parts. In this work, we develop the principles for an approach for single exposure 3D printing of arbitrarily defined geometries. Our approach, termed Computed Axial Lithgography (CAL), is based on tomographic reconstruction, with mathematical optimization to generate a set of projections to optically define an arbitrary dose distribution within a target volume. We demonstrate the potential ability of the technique to print 3D parts using a prototype CAL system based on sequential illumination from many angles. Finally, we propose new hardware designs which will help us to realize true single-shot arbitrary-geometry 3D CAL.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Experimental design and analysis for irradiation of SiC/SiC composite tubes under a prototypic high heat flux

The purpose of this work is to design an irradiation vehicle for testing silicon carbide (SiC) fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composite cladding materials under conditions representative of a light water reactor in order to validate thermo-mechanical models of stress states in these materials due to irradiation swelling and differential thermal expansion. The design allows for a constant tube outer surface temperature in the range of 300–350 °C under a representative high heat flux (~0.66 MW/m 2 ) during one cycle of irradiation in an un-instrumented “rabbit” capsule in the High Flux Isotope Reactor. An engineered aluminum foil was developed to absorb the expansion of the cladding tubes, due to irradiation swelling, without changing the thermal resistance of the gap between the cladding and irradiation capsule. Finite-element analyses of the capsule were performed, and the models used to calculate thermal contact resistance were validated by out-of-pile testing and post-irradiation examination of the foils and passive SiC thermometry. Six irradiated cladding tubes (both monoliths and composites) were irradiated and subsequently disassembled in a hot cell. The calculated temperatures of passive SiC thermometry inside the capsules showed good agreement with temperatures measured post-irradiation, with two calculated temperatures falling within 10 °C of experimental measurements. Furthermore, the success of this design could lead to new opportunities for irradiation applications with materials that suffer from irradiation swelling, creep, or other dimensional changes that can affect the specimen temperature during irradiation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS1998

Workstation-Based Simulation for Rapid Prototyping and Piloted Evaluation of Control System Designs

The development and optimization of flight control systems for modem fixed- and rotary-. wing aircraft consume a significant portion of the overall time and cost of aircraft development. Substantial savings can be achieved if the time required to develop and flight test the control system, and the cost, is reduced. To bring about such reductions, software tools such as Matlab/Simulink are being used to readily implement block diagrams and rapidly evaluate the expected responses of the completed system. Moreover, tools such as CONDUIT (CONtrol Designer's Unified InTerface) have been developed that enable the controls engineers to optimize their control laws and ensure that all the relevant quantitative criteria are satisfied, all within a fully interactive, user friendly, unified software environment.

Mansur, M. Hossein↗
DOE OSTI2020

Level set topology optimization in Firedrake

Lestofire is an academic software for the automated design of engineering components. It finds the optimal geometry of a system to minimize a given cost function while constrained by a given set of physics equations. Using a level set function to describe the geometry, lestofire uses shapes derivative to evolve the system until its optimal shape. It leverages the compilation of variational forms in Firedrake (https://www.firedrakeproject.org/) and the automated calculation of shape derivatives via pyadjoint (http://www.dolfin-adjoint.or/en/latest/) to allow fast prototyping of different physics, cost functions and design parametrizations.

Salazar De Troya, Miguel↗
NASA NTRS1999

Simultaneous Optical Measurements of Axial and Tangential Steady-State Blade Deflections

Currently, the majority of fiber-optic blade instrumentation is being designed and manufactured by aircraft-engine companies for their own use. The most commonly employed probe for optical blade deflection measurements is the spot probe. One of its characteristics is that the incident spot on a blade is not fixed relative to the blade, but changes depending on the blade deformation associated with centrifugal and aerodynamic loading. While there are geometrically more complicated optical probe designs in use by different engine companies, this paper offers an alternate solution derived from a probe-mount design feature that allows one to change the probe axial position until the incident spot contacts either a leading or a trailing edge. By tracing the axial position of either blade edge one is essentially extending the deflection measurement to two dimensions, axial and tangential. The blade deflection measurements were obtained during a wind tunnel test of a fan prototype.

Kurkov, Anatole P.↗