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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Long life coolant pump technology

Design concepts were investigated to improve space system coolant pump technology to be suitable for mission durations of two years and greater. These design concepts included an improved bearing system for the pump rotating elements, consisting of pressurized conical bearings. This design was satisfactorily endurance tested as was a new prototype pump built using various other improved design concepts. Based upon an overall assessment of the results of the program it is concluded that reliable coolant pumps can be designed for three year space missions.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1985

Cracked shaft detection on large vertical nuclear reactor coolant pump

Due to difficulty and radiation exposure associated with examination of the internals of large commercial nuclear reactor coolant pumps, it is necessary to be able to diagnose the cause of an excessive vibration problem quickly without resorting to extensive trial and error efforts. Consequently, it is necessary to make maximum use of all available data to develop a consistent theory which locates the problem area in the machine. This type of approach was taken at Three Mile Island, Unit #1, in February 1984 to identify and locate the cause of a continuously climbing vibration level of the pump shaft. The data gathered necessitated some in-depth knowledge of the pump internals to provide proper interpretation and avoid misleading conclusions. Therefore, the raw data included more than just the vibration characteristics. Pertinent details of the data gathered is shown and is necessary and sufficient to show that the cause of the observed vibration problem could logically only be a cracked pump shaft in the shaft overhang below the pump bearing.

Jenkins, L. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Vertical reactor coolant pump instabilities

The investigation conducted at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant to determine and correct increasing vibrations in the vertical reactor coolant pumps is described. Diagnostic procedures to determine the vibration causes and evaluate the corrective measures taken are also described.

Jones, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Design, manufacture, and test of coolant pump-motor assembly for Brayton power conversion system

The design, development, fabrication, and testing of seven coolant circulating pump-motor assemblies are discussed. The pump-motor assembly is driven by the nominal 44.4-volt, 400-Hz, 3-phase output of a nominal 56-volt dc input inverter. The pump-motor assembly will be used to circulate Dow Corning 200 liquid coolant for use in a Brayton cycle space power system. The pump-motor assembly develops a nominal head of 70 psi at 3.7 gpm with an over-all efficiency of 26 percent. The design description, drawings, photographs, reliability results, and developmental and acceptance test results are included.

Gabacz, L. E.↗
NASA NTRS2014

The International Space Station 2B Photovoltaic Thermal Control System (PVTCS) Leak: An Operational History

As early as 2004, the Photovoltaic Thermal Control System (PVTCS) for the International Space Station's 2B electrical power channel began slowly leaking ammonia overboard. Initially, the operations strategy was "feed the leak," a strategy successfully put into action via Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) during the STS-134 Space Shuttle mission. This recharge was to have allowed for continued power channel operation into 2014 or 2015, at which point another EVA would have been required. In mid-2012, the leak rate increased from 1.5lbm/year to approximately 5lbm/year. As a result, an EVA was planned and executed within a 5 week timeframe to drastically alter the architecture of the PVTCS via connection to an adjacent dormant thermal control system. This EVA, US EVA 20, was successfully executed on November 1, 2012 and left the 2B PVTCS in a configuration where the system was now being adequately cooled via a different radiator than what the system was designed to utilize. Data monitoring over the next several months showed that the isolated radiator had not been leaking, and the system itself continued to leak steadily until May 9th, 2013. It was on this day that the ISS crew noticed the visible presence of ammonia crystals escaping from the 2B channel's truss segment, signifying a rapid acceleration of the leak from 5lbm/year to 5lbm/day. Within 48 hours of the crew noticing the leak, US EVA 21 was in progress to replace the coolant pump - the only remaining replaceable leak source. This was successful, and telemetry monitoring has shown that indeed the coolant pump was the leak source and was thus isolated from the running 2B PVTCS. This paper will explore the management of the 2B PVTCS leak from the operations perspective.

Vareha, Anthony N.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Heat Radiators for Electromagnetic Pumps

Report proposes use of carbon/carbon composite radiators in electromagnetic coolant pumps of nuclear reactors on spacecraft. Carbon/carbon composite materials function well at temperatures in excess of 2,200 K. Aluminum has melting temperature of only 880 K.

Campana, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Auxiliary Payload Power System thermal control

The Auxiliary Payload Power System (APPS) provides supplementary power and cooling to Space Processing Application (SPA) experiments to be mounted in the APPS and the Spacelab in the Shuttle Payload Bay. SPA experiment operations are planned for early Shuttle flights. This paper presents thermal control study results for preliminary analysis and design definition of the APPS. A 100/sq m, three-wing, pumped-fluid, deployable radiator with separate APPS equipment and SPA experiments coolant loops was selected as the baseline. The system is capable of rejecting the heat (approximately 26 kw) associated with the production and consumption of approximately 16 kw of electrical power produced by the APPS fuel cells for a worst case radiator orientation. For the most favorable orientation, the heat rejection and power capability approach 38 and 24 kw, respectively. Alternate approaches were evaluated, such as heat pipes for the radiator and alternate fluids for the coolant loops. Emphasis was placed on using Shuttle developed hardware: coolant pumps, heat exchangers, fluids, and radiator technology.

Nagel, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A comparison of cooling methods for the airframe nozzle of a single-stage-to-orbit aircraft

A comparison is made between two different cooling schemes, including a complete system thermal analysis and weight accounting for each. A hydrogen-direct system operates at a higher pressure (34.5 Mpa) and greater temperature rise in the coolant. There is no temperature limit on the coolant itself and high injector temperatures may be achieved, but the pressure lines must be routed over great distances (10 m). The system is simple, and the coolant is almost weightless. In contrast, an indirect system operates at a lower pressure (3.8n MPa) and the liquid coolant has a much greater thermal capacity. The greater thermal capacity causes much less of a temperature rise in the coolant. The chosen coolant is Syltherm 800. This nontoxic fluid is compatible with any metal, including titanium. The loop requires a separate fuel/coolant heat exchanger and coolant pump. The indirect system offers some distinct safety advantages but is heavier than the direct hydrogen coolant system.

Jones, Stuart C.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Development of Passive Fuel Cell Thermal Management Technology

The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing advanced passive thermal management technology to reduce the mass and improve the reliability of space fuel cell systems for the NASA exploration program. The passive thermal management system relies on heat conduction within the cooling plate to move the heat from the central portion of the cell stack out to the edges of the fuel cell stack rather than using a pumped loop cooling system to convectively remove the heat. Using the passive approach eliminates the need for a coolant pump and other cooling loop components which reduces fuel cell system mass and improves overall system reliability. Previous analysis had identified that low density, ultra-high thermal conductivity materials would be needed for the cooling plates in order to achieve the desired reductions in mass and the highly uniform thermal heat sink for each cell within a fuel cell stack. A pyrolytic graphite material was identified and fabricated into a thin plate using different methods. Also a development project with Thermacore, Inc. resulted in a planar heat pipe. Thermal conductivity tests were done using these materials. The results indicated that lightweight passive fuel cell cooling is feasible.

Burke, Kenneth A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Thermionic technology infrastructure for space power

An assessment is made of the potential effectiveness, designs, and technological difficulties involved in the construction of space nuclear reactors coupled to thermionic energy converters (TEC). The TECs can be positioned either inside or outside of the reactor core. The out-of-core design lowers the reactor shielding requirements, as well as removing the need for mechanically pumped coolant for the reactor. R&D is still needed for the heat pipes for the reactor and the collectors, electrical insulation, and to reduce the potential losses in the interelectrode space. A cylindrical converter for the out-of-core configuration consists of a tungsten emitter heated by a tungsten-lithium heat pipe. The collector is a layer of tungsten oxide deposited on a Nb-1%Zr alloy, and has been tested at emitter temperatures of 1300-1850 K and a collector temperature range of 700-850 K. A design of a superheated thermionic converter is described, noting that a prototype has been operated at 1730 K for 12,000 hr.

Huffman, F.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Electrochemical carbon dioxide concentrator subsystem development

The fabrication of a one-person Electrochemical Depolarized Carbon Dioxide Concentrator subsystem incorporating advanced electrochemical, mechanical, and control and monitor instrumentation concepts is discussed. This subsystem included an advanced liquid cooled unitized core composite cell module and integrated electromechanical components. Over 1800 hours with the subsystem with removal efficiencies between 90%. and 100%; endurance tests with a Fluid Control Assembly which integrates 11 gas handling components of the subsystem; and endurance testing of a coolant control assembly which integrates a coolant pump, diverter valve and a liquid accumulator were completed.

Heppner, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Direct-Drive Gas-Cooled Reactor Power System: Concept and Preliminary Testing

This paper describes the concept and preliminary component testing of a gas-cooled, UN-fueled, pin-type reactor which uses He/Xe gas that goes directly into a recuperated Brayton system to produce electricity for nuclear electric propulsion. This Direct-Drive Gas-Cooled Reactor (DDG) is designed to be subcritical under water or wet- sand immersion in case of a launch accident. Because the gas-cooled reactor can directly drive the Brayton turbomachinery, it is possible to configure the system such that there are no external surfaces or pressure boundaries that are refractory metal, even though the gas delivered to the turbine is 1144 K. The He/Xe gas mixture is a good heat transport medium when flowing, and a good insulator when stagnant. Judicious use of stagnant cavities as insulating regions allows transport of the 1144-K gas while keeping all external surfaces below 900 K. At this temperature super-alloys (Hastelloy or Inconel) can be used instead of refractory metals. Super-alloys reduce the technology risk because they are easier to fabricate than refractory metals, we have a much more extensive knowledge base on their characteristics, and, because they have a greater resistance to oxidation, system testing is eased. The system is also relatively simple in its design: no additional coolant pumps, heat exchanger, or freeze-thaw systems are required. Key to success of this concept is a good knowledge of the heat transfer between the fuel pins and the gas, as well as the pressure drop through the system. This paper describes preliminary testing to obtain this key information, as well as experience in demonstrating electrically heated testing of simulated reactor components.

Wright, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Thermally Simulated Testing of a Direct-Drive Gas-Cooled Nuclear Reactor

This paper describes the concept and preliminary component testing of a gas-cooled, UN-fueled, pin-type reactor which uses He/Xe gas that goes directly into a recuperated Brayton system to produce electricity for nuclear electric propulsion. This Direct-Drive Gas-Cooled Reactor (DDG) is designed to be subcritical under water or wet-sand immersion in case of a launch accident. Because the gas-cooled reactor can directly drive the Brayton turbomachinery, it is possible to configure the system such that there are no external surfaces or pressure boundaries that are refractory metal, even though the gas delivered to the turbine is 1144 K. The He/Xe gas mixture is a good heat transport medium when flowing, and a good insulator when stagnant. Judicious use of stagnant cavities as insulating regions allows transport of the 1144-K gas while keeping all external surfaces below 900 K. At this temperature super-alloys (Hastelloy or Inconel) can be used instead of refractory metals. Super-alloys reduce the technology risk because they are easier to fabricate than refractory metals, we have a much more extensive knowledge base on their characteristics, and, because they have a greater resistance to oxidation, system testing is eased. The system is also relatively simple in its design: no additional coolant pumps, heat exchanger, or freeze-thaw systems are required. Key to success of this concept is a good knowledge of the heat transfer between the fuel pins and the gas, as well as the pressure drop through the system. This paper describes preliminary testing to obtain this key information, as well as experience in demonstrating electrical thermal simulation of reactor components and concepts.

Godfroy, Thomas↗