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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 NTRS1986

Oil-Free Compressor

Compressor pistons moved by eccentric shaft need no lubricants. Compressor has shaft, middle section is eccentric in relation to end sections. Driven by brushless dc motor, shaft turns inner races of set of four cam bearings. Outer cam-bearing races in turn actuate four pistons spaced equally apart, around and along shaft. Each outer bearing race held in position by pressure exerted on it by piston. Because no frictional motion between piston and outer bearing race, lubricant between them unnecessary. Cam bearings themselves contain potted internal lubricant. Originally proposed for use in space, new compressor for refrigerators or freezers does not depend on pool of oil for lubricating its pistons. Operated in any orientation.

Fitzjerrell, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Design consideration for magnetically suspended flywheel systems

Consideration is given to the design, fabrication, and testing of a magnetically suspended flywheel system for energy storage applications in space. The device is the prototype of a system combining passive suspension of the flywheel plate by samarium cobalt magnets and active control in the radial direction using eight separate magnetic coils. The bearing assembly was machined from a nickel-iron alloy, and the machine parts are all hydrogen annealed. Slots in the magnetic plate allow four independent quadrants for control. The motor/generator component of the system is a brushless dc-permanent magnetic/ironless engine using electronic communication. The system has been tested at over 2500 rpm with satisfactory results. The system characteristics of the flywheel for application in low earth orbit (LEO) are given in a table.

Anand, D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Dovetail Rotor Construction For Permanent-Magnet Motors

New way of mounting magnets in permanent-magnet, electronically commutated, brushless dc motors. Magnets wedge shaped, tapering toward center of rotor. Oppositely tapered pole pieces, electron-beam welded to rotor hub, retain magnets against centrifugal force generated by spinning rotor. To avoid excessively long electron-beam welds, pole pieces assembled in segments rather than single long bars.

Kintz, Lawrence J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Noncontacting measurement technologies for space propulsion condition monitoring

This paper describes four noncontacting measurement technologies that can be used in a turbopump condition monitoring system. The isotope wear analyzer, fiberoptic deflectometer, brushless torque-meter, and fiberoptic pyrometer can be used to monitor component wear, bearing degradation, instantaneous shaft torque, and turbine blade cracking, respectively. A complete turbopump condition monitoring system including these four technologies could predict remaining component life, thus reducing engine operating costs and increasing reliability.

Randall, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Remote-Manipulator Hand With Data-Processing Ability

A "smart" hand for remote manipulator not only senses forces acting on it and detects presence of objects in immediate vicinity but also processes sensory data and controls its gripping claws. Hand reduces computational load on control computer of manipulator system. Includes wrist body and two opposing jaws with sets of claws that mesh with each other. Jaws of hand open as wide as 8.8 cm. Brushless dc motor operates claws through bevel-gear drive train and pair of ball screws. Maximum grip force 540 N, or about 120 lb.

Bejczy, Antal K.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Concept for a large master/slave-controlled robotic hand

A strategy is presented for the design and construction of a large master/slave-controlled, five-finger robotic hand. Each of the five fingers will possess four independent axes each driven by a brushless DC servomotor and, thus, four degrees-of-freedom. It is proposed that commercially available components be utilized as much as possible to fabricate a working laboratory model of the device with an anticipated overall length of two-to-four feet (0.6 to 1.2 m). The fingers are to be designed so that proximity, tactile, or force/torque sensors can be imbedded in their structure. In order to provide for the simultaneous control of the twenty independent hand joints, a multilevel master/slave control strategy is proposed in which the operator wears a specially instrumented glove which produces control signals corresponding to the finger configurations and which is capable of conveying sensor feedback signals to the operator. Two dexterous hand master devices are currently commercially available for this application with both undergoing continuing development. A third approach to be investigated for the master control mode is the use of real-time image processing of a specially patterned master glove to provide the respective control signals for positioning the multiple finger joints.

Grissom, William A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Design of a reconfigurable modular manipulator system

Using manipulators with a fixed configuration for specific tasks is appropriate when the task requirements are known beforehand. However, in less predictable situations, such as an outdoor construction site or aboard a space station, a manipulator system requires a wide range of capabilities, probably beyond the limitations of a single, fixed-configuration manipulator. To fulfill this need, researchers have been working on a Reconfigurable Modular Manipulator System (RMMS). Researchers have designed and are constructing a prototype RMMS. The prototype currently consists of two joint modules and four link modules. The joints utilize a conventional harmonic drive and torque motor actuator, with a small servo amplifier included in the assembly. A brushless resolver is used to sense the joint position and velocity. For coupling the modules together, a standard electrical connector and V-band clamps for mechanical connection are used, although more sophisticated designs are under way for future versions. The joint design yields an output torque to 50 ft-lbf at joint speeds up to 1 radian/second. The resolver and associated electronics have resolutions of 0.0001 radians, and absolute accuracies of plus or minus 0.001 radians. Manipulators configured from these prototype modules will have maximum reaches in the 0.5 to 2 meter range. The real-time RMMS controller consists of a Motorola 68020 single-board computer which will perform real time servo control and path planning of the manipulator. This single board computer communicates via shared memory with a SUN3 workstation, which serves as a software development system and robot programming environment. Researchers have designed a bus communication network to provide multiplexed communication between the joint modules and the computer controller. The bus supports identification of modules, sensing of joint states, and commands to the joint actuator. This network has sufficient bandwidth to allow servo sampling rates in excess of 500 Hz.

Schmitz, D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Power conditioning for large dc motors for space flight applications

The design and performance of a prototype power-conditioning system for use with large brushless dc motors on NASA space missions are discussed in detail and illustrated with extensive diagrams, drawings, and graphs. The 5-kW 8-phase parallel module evaluated here would be suitable for use in the Space Shuttle Orbiter cargo bay. A current-balancing magnetic assembly with low distributed inductance permits high-speed current switching from a low-voltage bus as well as current balancing between parallel MOSFETs.

Veatch, Martin S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Small Displacement, Long Life On-Orbit Compressor Design and Fabrication

The focus is the generation of technology and fabrication of prototype hardware applicable to seven Space Station compressor system applications. The compressors are of the single acting reciprocating piston type and, in general, may be termed miniature in size compared with normal commercially available equipment. The initial technology development is focused on improved valve designs, and the control of pulsations and heating effects in order to increase compressor efficiency and reduce cycle temperatures, thus permitting significantly increased stage pressure ratios. The initial test compressor was successfully operated at pressure ratios of up to 50:1, and this significant extension of allowable pressure ratio will result in a reduction of the number of required stages and, hence, total hardware thereby reducing system weight and volume. These experiments have also identified the need to employ low shaft speeds, on the order of 250 to 500 rpm, to enhance heat transfer and increase life. The prototype compressor currently being designed, is to be driven by a low-speed brushless dc motor sealed in a case common to the compressor drive mechanism case. The compressor and motor case will communicate with stage suction pressure so that any minor gas leakage past the piston rings will be returned to the suction. Emphasis in this prototype design is being placed on simplicity, durability, commonality of components, and high efficiency.

Gerlach, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Lunar hand tools

Tools useful for operations and maintenance tasks on the lunar surface were determined and designed. Primary constraints are the lunar environment, the astronaut's space suit and the strength limits of the astronaut on the moon. A multipurpose rotary motion tool and a collapsible tool carrier were designed. For the rotary tool, a brushless motor and controls were specified, a material for the housing was chosen, bearings and lubrication were recommended and a planetary reduction gear attachment was designed. The tool carrier was designed primarily for ease of access to the tools and fasteners. A material was selected and structural analysis was performed on the carrier. Recommendations were made about the limitations of human performance and about possible attachments to the torque driver.

Bentz, Karl F.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Lunar drill footplate and casing

To prevent hole collapse during lunar drilling operations, a casing has been devised of a graphite reinforced polyimide composite which will be able to withstand the lunar environment. Additionally, this casing will be inserted into the ground in segments two meters long which will penetrate the regolith simultaneously with the auger. The vertical action of the mobile platform will provide a downward force to the casing string through a special adaptor, giving the casing the needed impetus to sink the anticipated depth of ten meters. Casing segments will be connected with a simple snap arrangement. Excess casing will be cut off by a cylindrical cutting tool which will also transport the excess casing away from the hole. A footplate will be incorporated to grasp the auger rod string during rod segment additions or removals. The footplate grasping mechanism will consist of a set of vice-like arms, one end of each bearing threaded to a common power screw. The power screw will be threaded such that one end's thread pitch opposes that of the other end. The weight of the auger and rod string will be transmitted through the arms to the power screw and absorbed by a set of three ball bearing assemblies. The power screw will be driven by a one-half horsepower brushless motor actuated by radio control. The footplate will rest on four short legs and be anchored with pins that are an integral part of each leg.

Maassen, Erik C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A 17 degree of freedom anthropomorphic manipulator

A 17 axis anthropomorphic manipulator, providing coordinated control of two seven degree of freedom arms mounted on a three degree of freedom torso-waist assembly, is presented. This massively redundant telerobot, designated the Robotics Research K/B-2017 Dexterous Manipulator, employs a modular mechanism design with joint-mounted actuators based on brushless motors and harmonic drive gear reducers. Direct joint torque control at the servo level causes these high-output joint drives to behave like direct-drive actuators, facilitating the implementation of an effective impedance control scheme. The redundant, but conservative motion control system models the manipulator as a spring-loaded linkage with viscous damping and rotary inertia at each joint. This approach allows for real time, sensor-driven control of manipulator pose using a hierarchy of competing rules, or objective functions, to avoid unplanned collisions with objects in the workplace, to produce energy-efficient, graceful motion, to increase leverage, to control effective impedance at the tool or to favor overloaded joints.

Vold, Havard I.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Preliminary results on noncollocated torque control of space robot actuators

In the Space Station era, more operations will be performed robotically in space in the areas of servicing, assembly, and experiment tending among others. These robots may have various sets of requirements for accuracy, speed, and force generation, but there will be design constraints such as size, mass, and power dissipation limits. For actuation, a leading motor candidate is a dc brushless type, and there are numerous potential drive trains each with its own advantages and disadvantages. This experiment uses a harmonic drive and addresses some inherent limitations, namely its backdriveability and low frequency structural resonances. These effects are controlled and diminished by instrumenting the actuator system with a torque transducer on the output shaft. This noncollocated loop is closed to ensure that the commanded torque is accurately delivered to the manipulator link. The actuator system is modelled and its essential parameters identified. The nonlinear model for simulations will include inertias, gearing, stiction, flexibility, and the effects of output load variations. A linear model is extracted and used for designing the noncollocated torque and position feedback loops. These loops are simulated with the structural frequency encountered in the testbed system. Simulation results are given for various commands in position. The use of torque feedback is demonstrated to yield superior performance in settling time and positioning accuracy. An experimental setup being finished consists of a bench mounted motor and harmonic drive actuator system. A torque transducer and two position encoders, each with sufficient resolution and bandwidth, will provide sensory information. Parameters of the physical system are being identified and matched to analytical predictions. Initial feedback control laws will be incorporated in the bench test equipment and various experiments run to validate the designs. The status of these experiments is given.

Tilley, Scott W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

High accuracy motor controller for positioning optical filters in the CLAES Spectrometer

The Etalon Drive Motor (EDM), a precision etalon control system designed for accurate positioning of etalon filters in the IR spectrometer of the Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spectrometer (CLAES) experiment is described. The EDM includes a brushless dc torque motor, which has an infinite resolution for setting an etalon filter to any desired angle, a four-filter etalon wheel, and an electromechanical resolver for angle information. An 18-bit control loop provides high accuracy, resolution, and stability. Dynamic computer interaction allows the user to optimize the step response. A block diagram of the motor controller is presented along with a schematic of the digital/analog converter circuit.

Thatcher, John B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A high efficiency motor/generator for magnetically suspended flywheel energy storage system

The authors discuss the theory and design of a brushless direct current motor for use in a flywheel energy storage system. The motor design is optimized for a nominal 4.5-in outside diameter operating within a speed range of 33,000-66,000 revolutions per minute with a 140-V maximum supply voltage. The equations which govern the motor's operation are used to compute a series of acceptable design parameter combinations for ideal operation. Engineering tradeoffs are then performed to minimize the irrecoverable energy loss while remaining within the design constraint boundaries. A final integrated structural design whose features allow it to be incorporated with the 500-Wh magnetically suspended flywheel is presented.

Niemeyer, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Electromechanical propellant control system actuator

New control mechanism technologies are currently being sought to provide alternatives to hydraulic actuation systems. The Propulsion Laboratory at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is involved in the development of electromechanical actuators (EMA's) for this purpose. Through this effort, an in-house designed electromechanical propellant valve actuator has been assembled and is presently being evaluated. This evaluation will allow performance comparisons between EMA and hydraulics systems. The in-house design consists of the following hardware: a three-phase brushless motor, a harmonic drive, and an output spline which will mate with current Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) propellant control valves. A resolver and associated electronics supply position feedback for the EMA. System control is provided by a solid-state electronic controller and power supply. Frequency response testing has been performed with further testing planned as hardware and test facilities become available.

Myers, W. Neill↗
NASA NTRS1989

Servomotor-Linked Articulated Versatile End Effector (SLAVE2)

A strategy is presented for the design and construction of a large master/slave-controlled, five-finger robotic hand. Each of the five fingers will possess four independent axes each driven by a brushless DC servomotor and, thus, four degrees-of-freedom. It is proposed that commercially available components be utilized as much as possible to fabricate a working laboratory model of the device with an anticipated overall length of approximately three feet (0.9 m). The fingers are to be designed to accommodate proximity, tactile, or force/torque sensors imbedded in their structure. In order to provide for the simultaneous control of the operator wears a specially instrumented glove which produces control signals corresponding to the finger configuration and which is capable of conveying sensor feedback signals to the operator. Two dexterous hand master devices are currently commercially available for this application with both undergoing continuing development.

Ajayi-Majebi, Abayomi J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Design of high power electromechanical actuator for thrust vector control

NASA-Marshall has undertaken the development of electromechanical actuators (EMAs) for thrust vector control (TVC) augmentation system implementation. The TVC EMA presented has as its major components two three-phase brushless dc motors, a two-pass gear-reduction system, and a roller screw for rotary-to-linear motion conversion. System control is furnished by a solid-state electronic controller and power supply; a pair of resolvers deliver position feedback to the controller, such that precise positioning is achieved. Peformance comparisons have been conducted between the EMA and comparable-performance hydraulic systems applicable to TVCs.

Cowan, J. R.↗