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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

Li-Ion Electrolytes with Improved Safety and Tolerance to High-Voltage Systems

Given that lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology is the most viable rechargeable energy storage device for near-term applications, effort has been devoted to improving the safety characteristics of this system. Therefore, extensive effort has been devoted to developing nonflammable electrolytes to reduce the flammability of the cells/battery. A number of promising electrolytes have been developed incorporating flame-retardant additives, and have been shown to have good performance in a number of systems. However, these electrolyte formulations did not perform well when utilizing carbonaceous anodes with the high-voltage materials. Thus, further development was required to improve the compatibility. A number of Li-ion battery electrolyte formulations containing a flame-retardant additive [i.e., triphenyl phosphate (TPP)] were developed and demonstrated in high-voltage systems. These electrolytes include: (1) formulations that incorporate varying concentrations of the flame-retardant additive (from 5 to 15%), (2) the use of mono-fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) as a co-solvent, and (3) the use of LiBOB as an electrolyte additive intended to improve the compatibility with high-voltage systems. Thus, improved safety has been provided without loss of performance in the high-voltage, high-energy system.

Smart, Marshall C.↗

The interaction of high voltage systems with the environments of the Moon and Mars

High voltage systems designed for use on the lunar and Martian surfaces or in orbit will interact with environmental components such as electrically charged dust, low pressure atmospheres, ionospheric plasmas and neutrals, and chemically reactive species. As the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) advances from the realm of feasibility study to that of conceptual design, guidelines will be required to ensure that these effects are properly accounted for. A first step in providing such guidelines is the prioritization of interactions for each of the space or surface environments that will be encountered. For those issues that are identified as high priority, the state of environmental knowledge, emphasizing essential data, must be determined. This report describes possible means of obtaining such information, including ground tests, modeling and analysis, and flight experiments. The development of computational tools which will enable engineers to simulate and thereby quantify the interactions will be especially considered. Our analysis is drawn from various study and workshop activities undertaken within the last two years.

Hillard, G. Barry↗

High voltage system: Plasma interaction summary

The possible interactions that could exist between a high voltage system and the space plasma environment are reviewed. A solar array is used as an example of such a system. The emphasis in this review is on the discrepancies that exist in this technology in both flight and ground experiment data. It has been found that, in ground testing, there are facility effects, cell size effects and area scaling uncertainties. For space applications there are area scaling and discharge concerns for an array as well as the influence of the large space structures on the collection process. There are still considerable uncertainties in the high voltage-space plasma interaction technology even after several years of effort.

Stevens, N. John↗

High voltage systems (tube-type microwave)/low voltage system (solid-state microwave) power distribution

SPS satellite power distribution systems are described. The reference Satellite Power System (SPS) concept utilizes high-voltage klystrons to convert the onboard satellite power from dc to RF for transmission to the ground receiving station. The solar array generates this required high voltage and the power is delivered to the klystrons through a power distribution subsystem. An array switching of solar cell submodules is used to maintain bus voltage regulation. Individual klystron dc voltage conversion is performed by centralized converters. The on-board data processing system performs the necessary switching of submodules to maintain voltage regulation. Electrical power output from the solar panels is fed via switch gears into feeder buses and then into main distribution buses to the antenna. Power also is distributed to batteries so that critical functions can be provided through solar eclipses.

Nussberger, A. A.↗

The interaction of high voltage systems with the environments of the moon and Mars

An evaluation is made of the consequences of the interaction of high-voltage spacecraft systems designed for use in orbit or on the lunar and Martian surfaces with such environmental components as electrically charged dust, low pressure atmospheres, ionospheric plasmas and neutral gas species, and chemically reactive species. An account is given of plausible means for obtaining the requisite data and developing priorities for the study of each of the identified interactions. Attention is given to the computational tools whose development is required for the simulation and quantification of risk factors for the various likely interactions.

Hillard, G. B.↗

High voltage divider system Patent

High voltage divider system for attenuating high voltages to convenient levels suitable for introduction to measuring circuits

Mealy, G. E.↗

Lithium-Ion Electrolytes with Improved Safety Tolerance to High Voltage Systems

The invention discloses various embodiments of electrolytes for use in lithium-ion batteries, the electrolytes having improved safety and the ability to operate with high capacity anodes and high voltage cathodes. In one embodiment there is provided an electrolyte for use in a lithium-ion battery comprising an anode and a high voltage cathode. The electrolyte has a mixture of a cyclic carbonate of ethylene carbonate (EC) or mono-fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) co-solvent, ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), a flame retardant additive, a lithium salt, and an electrolyte additive that improves compatibility and performance of the lithium-ion battery with a high voltage cathode. The lithium-ion battery is charged to a voltage in a range of from about 2.0 V (Volts) to about 5.0 V (Volts).

Smart, Marshall C.↗

Progresses in Developing Micro-Multilayer Multifunctional Electrical Insulation (MMEI) System for High Voltage Applications

Development of the novel patented high voltage insulation system, namely micro-multilayer multifunctional electrical insulation (MMEI) was continued particularly for the future hybrid or all electric aircraft applications. Initially, the concept and feasibility of the MMEI system were successfully demonstrated with its exceptionally high dielectric breakdown voltage via optimizing the multilayer structures of the Kapton® PI films and binder layers such as PFA in terms of individual film thickness and layer configuration. Overall, MMEI structures outperformed most of the state-of-the-art (SOA) polymer insulation materials or structures. Since then, further optimizations and improvement of the system were pursued with specific emphasis on multifunctionalities such as moisture blocking, partial discharge (PD) resistance, durability, etc. Efforts have been also continued to identify the controlling mechanisms for the major improvement in dielectric strength of the MMEI structures via 3-dimensional dielectric failure mode analysis. At the same time, significant progress has been made in scaling up the MMEI structures and assessing their commercial applicability and manufacturability by developing full-scale prototypes of electrical components, such as power cable and bus bar. Overall progresses on the MMEI development to date will be presented in this paper.

Novel Electrical Insulation↗

Investigation of high voltage spacecraft system interactions with plasma environments

The exposure of high voltage spacecraft systems to the charged particle environment of space can produce interactions that will influence system operation. An experimental investigation of these interactions has been undertaken for insulator and conductor test surfaces biased up to plus or minus 1 kV in a simulated low earth orbit charged particle environment. It has been found that these interactions are controlled by the insulator surfaces surrounding the biased conductors. For positive applied voltages the electron current collection can be enhanced by the insulators. For negative applied voltages the insulator surface confines the voltage to the conductor region; this can cause arcing. Understanding these interactions and the technology to control their impact on system operation is essential to the design of solar cell arrays for ion drive propulsion applications that use direct drive power processing.

Stevens, N. J.↗

Space Weather, Geomagnetic Disturbances and Impact on the High-Voltage Transmission Systems

Geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) affecting the performance of high-voltage power transmission systems are one of the most significant hazards space weather poses on the operability of critical US infrastructure. The severity of the threat was emphasized, for example, in two recent reports: the National Research Council (NRC) report "Severe Space Weather Events--Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report" and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) report "HighImpact, Low-Frequency Event Risk to the North American Bulk Power System." The NRC and NERC reports demonstrated the important national security dimension of space weather and GIC and called for comprehensive actions to forecast and mitigate the hazard. In this paper we will give a brief overview of space weather storms and accompanying geomagnetic storm events that lead to GIC. We will also review the fundamental principles of how GIC can impact the power transmission systems. Space weather has been a subject of great scientific advances that have changed the wonder of the past to a quantitative field of physics with true predictive power of today. NASA's Solar Shield system aimed at forecasting of GIC in the North American high-voltage power transmission system can be considered as one of the ultimate fruits of those advances. We will review the fundamental principles of the Solar Shield system and provide our view of the way forward in the science of GIC.

Pullkkinen, A.↗

Safety management of complex research operators

Complex research and technology operations present varied potential hazards which are addressed in a disciplined, independent safety review and approval process. Potential hazards vary from high energy fuels to hydrocarbon fuels, high pressure systems to high voltage systems, toxic chemicals to radioactive materials and high speed rotating machinery to high powered lasers. A Safety Permit System presently covers about 600 potentially hazardous operations. The Safety Management Program described is believed to be a major factor in maintaining an excellent safety record.

Brown, W. J.↗

Safety management of complex research operations

Complex research and technology operations present many varied potential hazards which must be addressed in a disciplined independent safety review and approval process. The research and technology effort at the Lewis Research Center is divided into programmatic areas of aeronautics, space and energy. Potential hazards vary from high energy fuels to hydrocarbon fuels, high pressure systems to high voltage systems, toxic chemicals to radioactive materials and high speed rotating machinery to high powered lasers. A Safety Permit System presently covers about 600 potentially hazardous operations. The Safety Management Program described in this paper is believed to be a major factor in maintaining an excellent safety record at the Lewis Research Center.

Brown, W. J.↗

Detection of High-impedance Arcing Faults in Radial Distribution DC Systems

High voltage, low current arcing faults in DC power systems have been researched at the NASA Glenn Research Center in order to develop a method for detecting these 'hidden faults', in-situ, before damage to cables and components from localized heating can occur. A simple arc generator was built and high-speed and low-speed monitoring of the voltage and current waveforms, respectively, has shown that these high impedance faults produce a significant increase in high frequency content in the DC bus voltage and low frequency content in the DC system current. Based on these observations, an algorithm was developed using a high-speed data acquisition system that was able to accurately detect high impedance arcing events induced in a single-line system based on the frequency content of the DC bus voltage or the system current. Next, a multi-line, radial distribution system was researched to see if the arc location could be determined through the voltage information when multiple 'detectors' are present in the system. It was shown that a small, passive LC filter was sufficient to reliably isolate the fault to a single line in a multi-line distribution system. Of course, no modification is necessary if only the current information is used to locate the arc. However, data shows that it might be necessary to monitor both the system current and bus voltage to improve the chances of detecting and locating high impedance arcing faults

Gonzalez, Marcelo C.↗

Feasibility of Micro-Multilayer Multifunctional Electrical Insulation (MMEI) System for High Voltage Applications

The newly patented micro-multilayer multifunctional electrical insulation (MMEI) system was developed for future electric aircraft applications which critically require lightweight but high voltage (HV), high temperature, and corona or partial discharge (PD) resistant insulation. During the initial development stages, the concept and practicability of the MMEI system were successfully validated with its exceptionally high dielectric breakdown voltages. The multilayer structures were optimized in terms of material type, individual layer thickness, and overall layer configuration along with potential mechanisms identified for its superior performance. Subsequently, scalability, manufacturability, and commercial applicability of the MMEI system were demonstrated with the 1 meter long, 3-phase HV, high power (HP) bus bar prototypes. Two prototypes, one with the conventional SOA insulation system including Mica sheet and the other with an optimized MMEI, were designed, fabricated, and tested successfully. Both prototypes passed both HiPot and PD tests up to the highest test voltage available, 15 kVAC, although the latter showed a slight increase in PD activities at 12.5 kV. However, the prototype with MMEI was 15% lighter or 12% thinner than the other one. Current efforts to significantly enhance the PD resistance of the MMEI system by employing semiconductive shielding layers, which can be also multifunctional, e.g., electromagnetic interference shielding, moisture blocking, heat dissipation, for various HV applications are also discussed in this paper.

Novel Electrical Insulation↗