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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 1,585 records · Page 88
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

FRAPCON analysis of cladding performance during dry storage operations

There is an increasing need in the U.S. and around the world to move used nuclear fuel from wet storage in fuel pools to dry storage in casks stored at independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSI) or interim storage sites. The NRC limits cladding temperature to 400°C while maintaining cladding hoop stress below 90 MPa in an effort to avoid radial hydride reorientation. An analysis was conducted with FRAPCON-4.0 on three modern fuel designs with three representative used nuclear fuel storage temperature profiles that peaked at 400 °C. Results were representative of the majority of U.S. LWR fuel. They conservatively showed that hoop stress remains below 90 MPa at the licensing temperature limit. Results also show that the limiting case for hoop stress may not be at the highest rod internal pressure in all cases but will be related to the axial temperature and oxidation profiles of the rods at the end of life and in storage.

Dry Storage↗
DOE OSTI2010

Direct Evaporative Precooling Model and Analysis: Development and Simulations of an Improved Algorithm for Import into EnergyPlus and Applications to Commercial Buildings in the United States

Evaporative condenser pre-cooling expands the availability of energy saving, cost effective technology options (market engagement) and serves to broaden the range of options in upcoming codes and equipment standards (impacting regulation). Commercially available evaporative pre-coolers provide a low cost retrofit for existing packaged rooftop units, commercial unitary split systems, and air cooled chillers. We map the impact on energy savings and peak energy reduction in three building types (medium office, secondary school, and supermarket) in 16 locations with four levels of pad effectiveness and show the effect for HVAC systems using either refrigerants R22 or R410A (See Section 5.4). EnergyPlus simulations are conducted with an improved algorithm for estimating the condenser pre-cooling wet bulb efficiency. EnergyPlus version 5.0.0 provides an option for a curve-fit form of calculating evaporative cooling efficiency (currently available only for evaporative pads used for space cooling, not condenser precooling). This option requires a large body of empirical data to obtain the 11 parameters required in the polynomial equation and, being a general curve fit, it is also not physically meaningful. Our study departs from this approach by presenting an alternative mathematical model that is physically intuitive, simpler in form, and provides better agreement with manufacturer’s data. In this report, we describe the simpler algorithm and provide the metrics that show how it is an improvement over the algorithm used in EnergyPlus version 5.0.0. We then generate performance values that can be directly input into EnergyPlus for simulations. By this process, we examine the annual and peak energy reductions of three building types (medium office, secondary school and supermarket) in 16 locations within the U.S. These three building types were chosen because they have distinctive loads, zones, and equipment. In addition to performing the requisite calculations, computer algorithms were developed for use with EnergyPlus to simulate the performance of commercial units under a variety of operating parameters. Performance maps were generated and estimated energy savings and peak demand reductions were calculated. Performance curves that were used in these EnergyPlus simulations were shared with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and with the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) for possible inclusion in the next update to EnergyPlus.

air conditioner↗
NASA NTRS1971

The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center's 14 by 14 Inch Trisonic Wind Tunnel Technical Handbook

This report is a description of the 14 x l4-Inch Trisonic Wind Tunnel facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center and is published as a handbook for the potential user of the facility who is not otherwise familiar with its operation. The following items are presented to illustrate the capabilities and operation of the tunnel: (1) facility description, (2) performance and operational characteristics, (3) model design, (4) instrumentation and data recording equipment, (5) data processing and presentation, and (6) preliminary test information required.

Simon, Erwin↗
NASA NTRS1978

The 200-kilowatt wind turbine project

The three 200 kilowatt wind turbines described, compose the first of three separate systems. Proposed wind turbines of the two other systems, although similar in design, are larger in both physical size and rated power generation. The overall objective of the project is to obtain early operation and performance data while gaining initial experience in the operation of large, horizontal-axis wind turbines in typical utility environments. Several of the key issues addressed include the following: (1) impact of the variable power output (due to varying wind speeds) on the utility grid (2) compatibility with utility requirements (voltage and frequency control of generated power) (3) demonstration of unattended, fail-safe operation (4) reliability of the wind turbine system (5) required maintenance and (6) initial public reaction and acceptance.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1979

Lean, premixed, prevaporized fuel combustor conceptual design study

Four combustor concepts, designed for the energy efficient engine, utilize variable geometry or other flow modulation techniques to control the equivalence ratio of the initial burning zone. Lean conditions are maintained at high power to control oxides of nitrogen while near stoichometric conditions are maintained at low power for low CO and THC emissions. Each concept was analyzed and ranked for its potential in meeting the goals of the program. Although the primary goal of the program is a low level of nitric oxide emissions at stratospheric cruise conditions, both the ground level EPA emission standards and combustor performance and operational requirements typical of advanced subsonic aircraft engines are retained as goals as well. Based on the analytical projections made, two of the concepts offer the potential of achieving the emission goals; however, the projected operational characteristics and reliability of any concept to perform satisfactorily over an entire aircraft flight envelope would require extensive experimental substantiation before engine adaptation can be considered.

Fiorentino, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Utility operational experience on the NASA/DOE Mod-OA 200 kW Wind Turbine

The Mod-OA 200 kW Wind Turbine was designed and fabricated by the Lewis Research Center of the NASA under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy. The project is a part of the Federal Wind Energy Program and is designed to obtain early wind turbine operation and performance data while gaining initial experience in the operation of large, horizontal axis wind turbines in typical utility environments. On March 6, 1978, the Mod-OA wind turbine was turned over to the Town of Clayton Light and Water Plant, Clayton, NM, for utility operation and on December 31, 1978 the machine had completed ten months of utility operation. This paper describes the machine and documents the recent operational experience at Clayton, NM.

Glasgow, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Nozzle performance calibration and turbomachinery operational analysis of Turbo-Powered Simulators (TPS) for the NASA-Langley EET propulsion airframe integration investigation

The Boeing flight simulator chamber facility energy efficient transport (EET) propulsion/airframe integration investigation was tested. Two turbopowered simulators (TPS) were calibrated with four different nacelle configurations. Two nacelle configurations were calibrated on each TPS, each calibration simulating the full nozzle pressure ratio range encountered in a one atmosphere total pressure wind tunnel operating over a Mach number range from 0.70 to 0.90 Mach. The results of the calibration test are in the form of velocity and discharge coefficient which is used in determining the simulator thrust while the TPS is operating in the wind tunnel.

Rowe, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Quality Issues in Propulsion

Propulsion system quality is defined in this paper as having high reliability, that is, quality is a high probability of within-tolerance performance or operation. Since failures are out-of-tolerance performance, the probability of failures and their occurrence is the difference between high and low quality systems. Failures can be described at 3 levels: the system failure (which is the detectable end of a failure), the failure mode (which is the failure process), and the failure cause (which is the start). Failure causes can be evaluated & classified by type. The results of typing flight history failures shows that most failures are in unrecognized modes and result from human error or noise, i.e. failures are when engineers learn how things really work. Although the study based on US launch vehicles, a sampling of failures from other countries indicates the finding has broad application. The parameters of the design of a propulsion system are not single valued, but have dispersions associated with the manufacturing of parts. Many tests are needed to find failures, if the dispersions are large relative to tolerances, which could contribute to the large number of failures in unrecognized modes.

McCarty, John P.↗
NASA NTRS2013

High-Performance, Low-Temperature-Operating, Long-Lifetime Aerospace Lubricants

The synthesis and characterization of six new ionic liquids, with fluoroether moeties on the imidazolium ring, each with vapor pressures shown to be <10(exp -7 Torr at 25 C, have been demonstrated. Thermal stability of the ionic liquids up to 250 C was demonstrated. The ionic liquids had no measurable influence upon viscosity upon addition to perfluoropolyether (PFPE) base fluids. They also had no measureable influence upon corrosion on steel substrates upon addition to base fluids. In general, 13 to 34% lower COFs (coefficients of friction), and 30 to 80% higher OK load of base fluids upon addition of the ionic liquids was shown. The compound consists of a 1,3-disubstituted imidazolium cation. The substituents comprise perfluoroether groups. A bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide anion counterbalances the charge. The fluorinated groups are intended to enhance dispersion of the ionic liquid in the PFPE base fluid. The presence of weak Van der Waals forces associated with fluorine atoms will limit interaction of the substituents on adjacent ions. The longer interionic distances will reduce the heat of melting and viscosity, and will increase dispersion capabilities.

Bergeron, Bryan↗
NASA NTRS2014

Performance Evaluation of the Operational Air Quality Monitor for Water Testing Aboard the International Space Station

In the history of manned spaceflight, environmental monitoring has relied heavily on archival sampling. For short missions, this type of sample collection was sufficient; returned samples provided a snapshot of the presence of chemical and biological contaminants in the spacecraft air and water. However, with the construction of the International Space Station (ISS) and the subsequent extension of mission durations, soon to be up to one year, the need for enhanced, real-time environmental monitoring became more pressing. The past several years have seen the implementation of several real-time monitors aboard the ISS, complemented with reduced archival sampling. The station air is currently monitored for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using gas chromatography-differential mobility spectrometry (Air Quality Monitor [AQM]). The water on ISS is analyzed to measure total organic carbon and biocide concentrations using the Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) and the Colorimetric Water Quality Monitoring Kit (CWQMK), respectively. The current air and water monitors provide important data, but the number and size of the different instruments makes them impractical for future exploration missions. It is apparent that there is still a need for improvements in environmental monitoring capabilities. One such improvement could be realized by modifying a single instrument to analyze both air and water. As the AQM currently provides quantitative, compound-specific information for target compounds present in air samples, and many of the compounds are also targets for water quality monitoring, this instrument provides a logical starting point to evaluate the feasibility of this approach. In this presentation, we will discuss our recent studies aimed at determining an appropriate method for introducing VOCs from water samples into the gas phase and our current work, in which an electro-thermal vaporization unit has been interfaced with the AQM to analyze target analytes at the relevant concentrations at which they are routinely detected in archival water samples from the ISS.

Wallace, William T.↗