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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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Characterization of the LTC catalyst: Performance against common air pollutants

One of the important qualities of the Low-Temperature Catalyst (LTC) is the rapid oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide under a wide variety of conditions. The catalytic material is a palladium-copper activated complex which reacts with various contaminant molecules through a continuous oxidation/reduction cycle. The alumina substrate enhances LTC activity with its favorable surface chemistry and very high surface area. About 10 percent surface water is necessary to facilitate the oxidation of CO. This reaction shows a log-log dependence on contact time, suggesting a Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. In the tube tests, LTC removed 90 to 100 percent of contaminating carbon monoxide in the temperature region of 20 to 4000 C, and at ambient over a range of 25 to 65 percent relative humidity. In contrast, NO2 is chemisorbed by the LTC/alumina material--the amount strongly dependent on temperature increases but independent of humidity. The LTC catalyst has demonstrated excellent capability to remove an important variety of hazardous pollutant gases which are common factors to poor indoor air quality. The Instapure Air Filtration System incorporates the LTC catalyst in a 50:50 mixture with activated carbon to effectively remove particulate, odors, and hazardous gases at room temperature and humidities. The ability to remove hazardous gases is unique for the category of portable air filtration equipment. The wide variety of pollutant gases that LTC removes suggests that catalytic technology is adaptable to a considerable range of commercial and industrial applications.

Collins, Marcia F.↗

Performance and Abuse Testing of 5 Year Old Low Rate and Medium Rate Lithium Thionyl Chloride Cells

Most cells survived the 3 amp (A) over-discharge at room temperature for 2 hours. The cell that failed was the LTC-114 after high rate discharge of 500 mA similar to the results of the 1 A over-discharge test. Most cells opened during 0.05 Ohm short circuit test without incident but three LTC-111 cells exploded apparently due to a lack of a thermal cutoff switch. The LTC-114 cells exposed to a hard short of 0.05 Ohms recovered but the LTC-114 cells exposed to a soft short of 1 Ohm did not. This is probably due to the activation of a resetable fuse during a hard short. Fresh cells tend to survive exposure to higher temperatures than cells previously discharged at high rate (1 Amp). LTC-111 cells tend to vent at lower temperatures than the all LTC-114 cells and the LTC-115 cells that were previously discharged at rates exceeding 1 Amp.

Frerker, Rick↗

Characterization of low thermal conductivity PAN-based carbon fibers

The microstructure and surface chemistry of eight low thermal conductivity (LTC) PAN-based carbon fibers were determined and compared with PAN-based fibers heat treated to higher temperatures. Based on wide-angle x ray diffraction, the LTC PAN fibers all appear to have a similar turbostratic structure with large 002 d-spacings, small crystallite sizes, and moderate preferred orientation. Limited small-angle x ray scattering (SAXS) results indicate that, with the exception of LTC fibers made by BASF, the LTC fibers do not have well developed pores. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the texture of the two LTC PAN-based fibers studied (Amoco T350/23X and /25X) consists of multiple sets of parallel, wavy, bent layers that interweave with each other forming a complex three dimensional network oriented randomly around the fiber axis. X ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis finds correlations between heat treated temperatures and the surface composition chemistry of the carbon fiber samples.

Katzman, Howard A.↗

Control algorithms for aerobraking in the Martian atmosphere

The Analytic Predictor Corrector (APC) and Energy Controller (EC) atmospheric guidance concepts were adapted to control an interplanetary vehicle aerobraking in the Martian atmosphere. Changes are made to the APC to improve its robustness to density variations. These changes include adaptation of a new exit phase algorithm, an adaptive transition velocity to initiate the exit phase, refinement of the reference dynamic pressure calculation and two improved density estimation techniques. The modified controller with the hybrid density estimation technique is called the Mars Hybrid Predictor Corrector (MHPC), while the modified controller with a polynomial density estimator is called the Mars Predictor Corrector (MPC). A Lyapunov Steepest Descent Controller (LSDC) is adapted to control the vehicle. The LSDC lacked robustness, so a Lyapunov tracking exit phase algorithm is developed to guide the vehicle along a reference trajectory. This algorithm, when using the hybrid density estimation technique to define the reference path, is called the Lyapunov Hybrid Tracking Controller (LHTC). With the polynomial density estimator used to define the reference trajectory, the algorithm is called the Lyapunov Tracking Controller (LTC). These four new controllers are tested using a six degree of freedom computer simulation to evaluate their robustness. The MHPC, MPC, LHTC, and LTC show dramatic improvements in robustness over the APC and EC.

Ward, Donald T.↗

Development of SiC Large Tapered Crystal Growth

Research Focus Area: Power Electronics, Temperature Tolerant Devices. Demonstrate initial feasibility of totally new "Large Tapered Crystal" (LTC) process for growing vastly improved large-diameter wide-band gap wafers. Addresses Targets: The goal of this research is to experimentally investigate and demonstrate feasibility of the key unproven LTC growth processes in SiC. Laser-assisted growth of long SiC fiber seeds. Radial epitaxial growth enlargement of seeds into large SiC boules. Uniqueness and Impacts open a new technology path to large-diameter SiC and GaN wafers with 1000-fold defect density improvement at 2-4 fold lower cost. Leapfrog improvement in wide band gap power device capability and cost.

Neudeck, Phil↗

Tornadic Supercells on May 3, 1999 Viewed from Space During an Overpass of the NASA TRMM Observatory

The NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Observatory made an overpass during the Central Oklahoma tornado outbreak at approximately 04:00 LTC on 4 May, 1999 (23:00 CDT on 3 May). At the time of the TRMM snapshot there were 25 individual storms in Oklahoma that could be identified and cross-correlated between the TRMM measurements and the Twin Lakes (KTLX) NEXRAD radar. Of these, six were significant supercells that could be trended for 30-min prior and subsequent to (1 hr total) the TRMM overpass. Thus, we are able to provide a context for the TRMM snapshot with respect to each individual supercell's recent growth, decay, and severe weather producing history. The most vigorous and electrically active storm at the time of the overpass is the Stroud, OK supercell whose F3 tornado ended only about 10 minutes earlier. Another F3 tornado north of Crescent, OK (- 150 km west of Stroud) is on the ground and a supercell with a developing, yet still weak mesocyclone is just south of the Stroud storm. This latter storm produces an F1 tornado an hour later near Sapulpa, OK. The objective of this study is to provide additional insight into the characteristics of the supercell storms through the unique capabilities and vantagepoint of the TRMM science instruments.

Goodman, Steven J.↗