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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

The planar multijunction cell - A new solar cell for earth and space

A new family of high-voltage solar cells, called the planar multijunction (PMJ) cell is being developed. The new cells combine the attractive features of planar cells with conventional or interdigitated back contacts and the vertical multijunction (VMJ) solar cell. The PMJ solar cell is internally divided into many voltage-generating regions, called unit cells, which are internally connected in series. The key to obtaining reasonable performance from this device was the separation of top surface field regions over each active unit cell area. Using existing solar cell fabricating methods, output voltages in excess of 20 volts per linear centimeter are possible. Analysis of the new device is complex, and numerous geometries are being studied which should provide substantial benefits in both normal sunlight usage as well as with concentrators.

Evans, J. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1981

"Finite part" electric and magnetic stored energies for planar antennas

A pair of formulas representing the time-average "finite part" electric and magnetic stored energies for planar antennas are derived. It is also shown that the asymptotic reciprocal relationship between quality factor and relative bandwidth exists for planar antennas.

Cockrell, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Planar Rowland spectrometer for fiber-optic wavelength demultiplexing

A planar Rowland spectrometer was fabricated and characterized as a wavelength demultiplexer for multimode fiber-optic applications. The spectrometer consisted of a planar multimode glass waveguide with two curved end faces and a cylindrical concave attached to one of the end faces. Semiconductor lasers with wavelengths between 0.825 and 0.845 micron were used for the measurements. Cross-talk isolation between two adjacent fibers with center-to-center separation of 175 microns (100 A in wavelength difference) was measured to be 18 dB. The device's performance was limited by grating diffraction efficiency, optical aberration, waveguide dispersion, and waveguide losses.

Yen, H. W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Multi-100kW: Planar low cost solar array development

Seven low cost multi-100 kW planar solar array modules were fabricated and tested. Two different designs were used, demonstrating advanced solar array construction practices. Both module types utilized second generation gridded back cells featuring high efficiency and IR transparency. A silicon dioxide AR coating optimized for transmission at gamma = 1.7 microns was applied to the back surface. Two interconnect types, a single sheet printed circuit and a roll type, with alternate approaches to increasing transparency and reducing cost were designed and fabricated. Hinge stress and electrical power optimization were also examined. Two point designs were studied. The first design used a coilage longeron mast and is autonomously deployable. The second design used a Stac Beam for high natural frequency response and required astronaut assistance and assembly on orbit. It was conclusively demonstrated that planar arrays are the most cost effective design for use on the space station or other high power applications.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1983

Planar dynamics of a uniform beam with rigid bodies affixed to the ends

The planar dynamics of a uniform elastic beam subject to a variety of geometric and natural boundary conditions and external excitations were analyzed. The beams are inextensible and capable of small transverse bending deformations only. Classical beam vibration eigenvalue problems for a cantilever with tip mass, a cantilever with tip body and an unconstrained beam with rigid bodies at each are examined. The characteristic equations, eigenfunctions and orthogonality relations for each are derived. The forced vibration of a cantilever with tip body subject to base acceleration is analyzed. The exact solution of the governing nonhomogeneous partial differential equation with time dependent boundary conditions is presented and compared with a Rayleigh-Ritz approximate solution. The arbitrary planar motion of an elastic beam with rigid bodies at the ends is addressed. Equations of motion are derived for two modal expansions of the beam deflection. The motion equations are cast in a first order form suitable for numerical integration. Selected FORTRAN programs are provided.

Storch, J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Transition from a planar interface to cellular and dendritic structures during rapid solidification processing

The development of theoretical models which characterize the planar-cellular and cell-dendrite transitions is described. The transitions are analyzed in terms of the Chalmers number, the solute Peclet number, and the tip stability parameter, which correlate microstructural features and processing conditions. The planar-cellular transition is examined using the constitutional supercooling theory of Chalmers et al., (1953) and it is observed that the Chalmers number is between 0 and 1 during dendritic and cellular growth. Analysis of cell-dendrite transition data reveal that the transition occurs when the solute Peclet number goes through a minimum, the primary arm spacings go through a maximum, and the Chalmers number is equal to 1/2. The relation between the tip stability parameter and the solute Peclet number is investigated and it is noted that the tip stability parameter is useful for studying dendritic growth in alloys.

Laxmanan, V.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Experimental investigation of non-planar sheared outboard wing planforms

The outboard planforms of wings have been found to be of prime importance in studies of induced drag reduction. This conclusion is based on an experimental and theoretical study of the aerodynamic characteristics of planar and nonplanar outboard wing forms. Six different configurations; baseline rectangular, planar sheared, sheared with dihedral, sheared with anhedral, rising arc, and drooping arc were investigated for two different spans. Span efficiencies as much as 20 percent greater than baseline can be realized with nonplanar wing forms. Optimization studies show that this advantage can be achieved along with a bending moment benefit. Parasite drag and lateral stability estimations were not included in the analysis.

Naik, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Planar Antennas On Thick Dielectric Substrates

Features include ease of fabrication and wide range of operating frequencies. Planar antennas on thick dielectric substrates built for use at millimeter wavelengths from 40 to 400 GHZ. Antennas of this type quasi-optical structures, for which expensive, precisely machined waveguides not required. Made easily by standard photolithography and integrated with planar mixers or detectors to form arrays.

Lee, K. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

High-power AlGaAs channeled substrate planar diode lasers for spaceborne communications

A high power channeled substrate planar AlGaAs diode laser with an emission wavelength of 8600 to 8800 A was developed. The optoelectronic behavior (power current, single spatial and spectral behavior, far field characteristics, modulation, and astigmatism properties) and results of computer modeling studies on the performance of the laser are discussed. Lifetest data on these devices at high output power levels is also included. In addition, a new type of channeled substrate planar laser utilizing a Bragg grating to stabilize the longitudinal mode was demonstrated. The fabrication procedures and optoelectronic properties of this new diode laser are described.

Connolly, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Nonlinear interaction of near-planar TS waves and longitudinal vortices in boundary-layer transition

The nonlinear interactions that evolve between a planar or nearly planar Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) wave and the associated longitudinal vortices are considered theoretically for a boundary layer at high Reynolds number. The vortex flow is either induced by the TS nonlinear forcing or is input upstream, and similarly for the nonlinear wave development. Three major kinds of nonlinear spatial evolution, Types 1-3, are found. Each can start from secondary instability and then become nonlinear, Type 1 proving to be relatively benign but able to act as a pre-cursor to the Types 2, 3 which turn out to be very powerful nonlinear interactions. Type 2 involves faster stream-wise dependence and leads to a finite-distance blow-up in the amplitudes, which then triggers the full nonlinear 3-D triple-deck response, thus entirely altering the mean-flow profile locally. In contrast, Type 3 involves slower streamwise dependence but a faster spanwise response, with a small TS amplitude thereby causing an enhanced vortex effect which, again, is substantial enough to entirely alter the meanflow profile, on a more global scale. Streak-like formations in which there is localized concentration of streamwise vorticity and/or wave amplitude can appear, and certain of the nonlinear features also suggest by-pass processes for transition and significant changes in the flow structure downstream. The powerful nonlinear 3-D interactions 2, 3 are potentially very relevant to experimental findings in transition.

Smith, F. T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

High-power single spatial mode AlGaAs channeled-substrate-planar semiconductor diode lasers for spaceborne communications

A high power single spatial mode channeled substrate planar AlGaAs semiconductor diode laser was developed. The emission wavelength was optimized at 860 to 880 nm. The operating characteristics (power current, single spatial mode behavior, far field radiation patterns, and spectral behavior) and results of computer modeling studies on the performance of the laser are discussed. Reliability assessment at high output levels is included. Performance results on a new type of channeled substrate planar diode laser incorporating current blocking layers, grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, to more effectively focus the operational current to the lasing region was demonstrated. The optoelectronic behavior and fabrication procedures for this new diode laser are discussed. The highlights include single spatial mode devices with up to 160 mW output at 8600 A, and quantum efficiencies of 70 percent (1 W/amp) with demonstrated operating lifetimes of 10,000 h at 50 mW.

Connolly, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The impact of solar cell technology on planar solar array performance

The results of a study into the potential impact of advanced solar cell technologies on the characteristics (weight, cost, area) of typical planar solar arrays designed for low, medium and geosynchronous altitude earth orbits are discussed. The study considered planar solar array substrate designs of lightweight, rigid-panel graphite epoxy and ultra-lightweight Kapton. The study proposed to answer the following questions: Do improved cell characteristics translate into array-level weight, size and cost improvements; What is the relative importance of cell efficiency, weight and cost with respect to array-level performance; How does mission orbital environment affect array-level performance. Comparisons were made at the array level including all mechanisms, hinges, booms, and harnesses. Array designs were sized to provide 5kW of array power (not spacecraft bus power, which is system dependent but can be scaled from given values). The study used important grass roots issues such as use of the GaAs radiation damage coefficients as determined by Anspaugh. Detailed costing was prepared, including cell and cover costs, and manufacturing attrition rates for the various cell types.

Mills, Michael W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Location of planar targets in three space from monocular images

Many pieces of existing and proposed space hardware that would be targets of interest for a telerobot can be represented as planar or near-planar surfaces. Examples include the biostack modules on the Long Duration Exposure Facility, the panels on Solar Max, large diameter struts, and refueling receptacles. Robust and temporally efficient methods for locating such objects with sufficient accuracy are therefore worth developing. Two techniques that derive the orientation and location of an object from its monocular image are discussed and the results of experiments performed to determine translational and rotational accuracy are presented. Both the quadrangle projection and elastic matching techniques extract three-space information using a minimum of four identifiable target points and the principles of the perspective transformation. The selected points must describe a convex polygon whose geometric characteristics are prespecified in a data base. The rotational and translational accuracy of both techniques was tested at various ranges. This experiment is representative of the sensing requirements involved in a typical telerobot target acquisition task. Both techniques determined target location to an accuracy sufficient for consistent and efficient acquisition by the telerobot.

Cornils, Karin↗
NASA NTRS1989

Near-planar TS waves and longitudinal vortices in channel flow: Nonlinear interaction and focusing

The nonlinear interaction between planar or near-planar Tollmien-Schlichting waves and longitudinal vortices, induced or input, is considered theoretically for channel flows at high Reynolds numbers. Several kinds of nonlinear interaction, dependent on the input amplitudes and wavenumbers or on previously occurring interactions, are found and inter-related. The first, Type 1, is studied the most here and it usually produces spanwise focusing of both the wave and the vortex motion, within a finite scaled time, along with enhancement of both their amplitudes. This then points to the nonlinear interaction Type 2 where new interactive effects come into force to drive the wave and the vortex nonlinearly. Types 3, 4 correspond to still higher amplitudes, with 3 being related to 2, while 4 is connected with a larger-scale interaction 5 studied in an allied paper. Both 3, 4 are subsets of the full three-dimensional triple-deck-lie interaction, 6. The strongest nonlinear interactions are those of 4, 5, 6 since they alter the mean-flow profile substantially, i.e., by an 0(1) relative amount. All the types of nonlinear interaction however can result in the formation of focussed responses in the sense of spanwise concentrations and/or amplifications of vorticity and wave amplitude.

Hall, P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Analysis of stability of a planar solid-liquid interface in a dilute binary alloy

This paper reconsiders the question of stability of a planar solid-liquid interface in an undercooled alloy melt without making the restrictive assumption of no heat flow in the solid (i.e., Gs = 0). The results of this analysis indicate that, provided the thermal gradient on the solid side of the interface, Gs, is positive, stability can be achieved in an undercooled alloy melt for growth rates R greater than Ra (where Ra is the absolute stability limit of Mullins and Sekerka, 1964). Thus, the absolute stability criterion for steady-state planar growth in an undercooled alloy melt is the same as derived earlier by Mullins and Sekerka for directional solidification. Relaxing the restrictive assumption of Gs = 0 also reveals that there is a regime of stability for low growth rates and low supercoolings.

Laxmanan, V.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Near-planar TS waves and longitudinal vortices in channel flow - Nonlinear interaction and focussing

The nonlinear interaction between planar or near-planar Tollmien-Schlichting waves and longitudinal vortices, induced or input, is considered theoretically for channel flows at high Reynolds numbers. Several kinds of nonlinear interaction, dependent on the input amplitudes and wavenumbers or on previously occurring interactions, are found and inter-related. The first, Type 1, is studied the most here and it usually produces spanwise focusing of both the wave and the vortex motion, within a finite scaled time, along with enhancement of both their amplitudes. This then points to the nonlinear interaction Type 2 where new interactive effects come into force to drive the wave and the vortex nonlinearly. Types 3, 4 correspond to still higher amplitudes, with 3 being related to 2, while 4 is connected with a larger-scale interaction 5 studied in an allied paper. Both 3, 4 are subsets of the full three-dimensional triple-deck-lie interaction, 6. The strongest nonlinear interactions are those of 4, 5, 6 since they alter the mean-flow profile substantially, i.e., by an O(1) relative amount. All the types of nonlinear interaction, however, can result in the formation of focused responses in the sense of spanwise concentrations and/or amplifications of vorticity and wave amplitude.

Hall, Philip↗
NASA NTRS1992

A unified planar measurement technique for compressible flows using laser-induced iodine fluorescence

A unified laser-induced fluorescence technique for conducting planar measurements of temperature, pressure and velocity in nonreacting, highly compressible flows has been developed, validated and demonstrated. Planar fluorescence from iodine, seeded into air, was induced by an argon-ion laser and collected using a liquid-nitrogen cooled CCD camera. In the measurement technique, temperature is determined from the fluorescence induced with the laser operated broad band. Pressure and velocity are determined from the shape and position of the fluorescence excitation spectrum which is measured with the laser operated narrow band. The measurement approach described herein provides a means of obtaining accurate, spatially-complete maps of the primary flow field parameters in a wide variety of cold supersonic and transonic flows.

Hartfield, Roy J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Planar H2O masers in star-forming regions

The paper examines the planar geometry of shocked material, which is the key property in enabling the high brightness temperatures of H2O masers in star-forming regions. The brightness temperature, beaming angle, and the maser spot size are determined for thin, saturated planar masers under the assumption that the velocity change across the maser due to ordered motions is small compared with the thermal or microturbulent line width. For a given set of physical parameters, the brightness temperature is essentially fully determined by the length of the velocity-coherent region in the shocked plane along the line of sight. Effective aspect ratios (about 5-50) are found that are in agreement with values previously inferred from observed brightness temperatures.

Elitzur, Moshe↗