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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
DOE OSTI2026

A Simple Panel System to Overcome Interface Challenges for Retrofits: Preprint

Retrofitting buildings is usually an expensive and labor-intensive process. Weatherization measures can improve comfort and energy affordability to some extent, but deep energy retrofits are needed to optimize performance and comfort, and to achieve significant energy cost savings. Barriers to deep energy retrofits include a limited supply of skilled labor, different building types, planning complexity, split incentives, and a long or non-existent ROI horizon. The "Simple Panel System" (SPS) workflow developed and demonstrated in this effort streamlines deep energy retrofits by applying advanced site capture, machine learning, and mixed reality to panelized construction. The result is a one-stop, product-independent solution for rapidly scalable retrofits with the potential to reduce construction time and project costs by 50%. Soft costs are reduced by more than 66%, total costs by more than 50%, and field construction time by more than 50% - not to mention the reduction in construction waste, improvement in working conditions, and the ability to scale without an influx of skilled labor. This paper presents the SPS and the preliminary results and findings from the pilot project.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS1989

Detecting Impacts Of Particles On Spacecraft

Report describes proposed network of acoustical sensors, in effect, miniature seismographic system, to detect impacts of particles on external panels of spacecraft. Inexpensive thin-film vibration sensors placed on insides of panels and connected to relatively-simple data-collection system. Meteoroid shields already planned for Space Station serves as panels on spacecraft. Describes tests of concept in which small spheres impinged on aluminum panels. Tests showed sensor data used to determine locations and characteristics of impacts and panels provide suitable medium for detecting low-probability impacts of interest.

Lempriere, Brian M.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Large Volume Airborne Contamination Monitoring To Support Nuclear Processes' Deactivation and Decommissioning

Current D and D operations at Hanford have demonstrated a flaw in the current state of the art capability of defining airborne contamination boundaries - Airborne particulate emissions of Pu-239 from CM2H operations on the Hanford Pu Finishing Plant were detected well beyond areas controlled for airborne Pu, putting numerous workers at risk for radiological assimilations - Current air samplers and CAM systems were surveying insufficient volumes of air to accurately predict where respiratory protection was required - Hanford is located in a high radon environment, making air monitoring for alpha emitting actinides challenging in high alpha radon induced backgrounds. - Inexpensive HEPA based home and industrial air purifiers filter significantly higher volumes of air than commercially available continuous-air monitoring (CAM) systems. - Inexpensive models capable of filtered air volumes exceeding 1000 times that of a CAM. - Detector system can be built to detect x-rays generated from actinide decay. - Branching ratios of x-rays are 4 orders of magnitude more intense from Plutonium decay than its gamma emissions. - Detector system can be a low resolution systems, as x-ray region of interest is not terribly congested. - Detection systems evaluated will be designed based on slabs of NaI or pixelated NaI or CsI panels. - Simple graphical user interface software will be developed to operate the detection system. - Concept is to deploy some of these air-purifying systems in nonradiological areas around SRNL to confirm radon can be rejected with confidence. - Generate some filters contaminated with plutonium via electroplated Pu or lab generated simulated particles. - then deploy units in known airborne radiological environments to establish systems ability to accurately measure actinide based hot particles Lab analyses will follow up the system analyses to ensure hot particles were correctly identified. Analysis by Scintillation: - Application of scintillation media to the surface of the filters is being explored. - Evaluating slabs of ZnS(Ag), application of powdered ZnS(Cu) and spray on Perkin Elmer Enhance. - Scintillation events would then be digitized with a digital camera and quantified. - Comparing against sensitivity of a PMT or SiPD readout. - Currently evaluating a Thorlabs 8 Megapixel Monochrome Scientific CCD Camera, hermetically sealed cooled package with a wide angle lens. - Wide angle lens allows complete view of HEPA filter from 7 inches away. - Images taken of glow in the dark paint, as well as plutonium-induced fluorescence. - Plutonium was flamed mounted on a 1 inch diameter stainless steel planchet, covered with a layer of mylar and a section of scintillating ZnS obtained from Eljon. - Currently working on reducing signal-to-noise levels to boost sensitivity. - Dark box to hold contaminated or electroplated source covered filters under fabrication. Analysis by x-ray Spectroscopy: - Branching ratios for x-ray emissions from Plutonium isotopes are orders of magnitude more intense than gamma-ray emissions. - The nuclear databases are incomplete on the branching ratios of some of the isotopes. - Evaluating some custom built SrI2 x-ray spectrometers vs a conventional windowed NaI detector. - SrI2 detectors are carbon-composite-windowed 51 mm x 51 mm. - MCNP calculations to establish self absorbance of filter media on 17 keV x-ray. Radon Rejection: - Activated charcoal pre-filter acts as a Radon trap. - Adding a time lapse feature to camera to aid in radon rejection. SRS Plutonium Fuel Form D and D Operations: Currently deploying air sampler to D and D operation of Pu-238 facility at SRS to generate some field samples to analyze.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1982

Multiwall thermal protection system

Multiwall insulating sandwich panels are provided for thermal protection of hypervelocity vehicles and other enclosures. In one embodiment, the multiwall panels are formed of alternate layers of dimpled and flat metal (titanium alloy) foil sheets and beaded scarfed edge seals to provide enclosure thermal protection up to 1000 F. An additional embodiment employs an intermediate fibrous insulation for the sandwich panel to provide thermal protection up to 2000 F. A third embodiment employs a silicide coated columbium waffle as the outer panel skin and fibrous layered intermediate protection for thermal environment protection up to 2500 F. The use of multiple panels on an enclosure facilitate repair and refurbishment of the thermal protection system due to the simple support provided by the tab and clip attachment for the panels.

Jackson, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Two-dimensional computational analysis of a transport high-lift system and a comparison with flight-test results

Two currently available coupled inviscid/viscous multielement computational codes, including a relatively simple panel method and an Euler method, are used to analyze a high-lift system. The results are compared with two-dimensional wind-tunnel test results and then with the three-dimensional flight-test results obtained from the NASA Langley Transport Systems Research Vehicle five-element high-lift wing section. Comparisons were also made between the panel method, the Euler method, and flight data for two high-lift configurations, one representing a take-off configuration and the other an approach configuration. For the take-off configuration, both codes agreed reasonably well with experimental data, but both codes were found to overpredict the flap upper-surface pressures for the approach configuration.

Hardin, Jay D.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Working Group 11F Opening Comments NASA Planning for NASA's Future Ground Systems

These are simple charts for the introductory comments to be made at the start of a panel session at the Ground System Architecture Workshop (GSAW2016). It is not meant as a formal paper, but rather contains information to prompt further discussion of the panel members and audience. The panel topic is: Embracing Change via the Use of Service-Based Frameworks and Products in an Enterprise.

Commonality↗
NASA NTRS1992

Advanced stitching technology

In the design of textile composites, the selection of materials and constructional techniques must be matched with product performance, productivity, and cost requirements. Constructional techniques vary. A classification of various textile composite systems is given. In general, the chopped fiber system is not suitable for structural composite applications because of fiber discontinuity, uncontrolled fiber orientation and a lack of fiber integration or entanglement. Linear filament yarn systems are acceptable for structural components which are exposed to simple tension in their applications. To qualify for more general use as structural components, filament yarn systems must be multi-directionally positioned. With the most sophisticated filament winding and laying techniques, however, the Type 2 systems have limited potential for general load-bearing applications because of a lack of filament integration or entanglement, which means vulnerability to splitting and delamination among filament layers. The laminar systems (Type 3) represented by a variety of simple fabrics (woven, knitted, braided and nonwoven) are especially suitable for load-bearing panels in flat form and for beams in a roled up to wound form. The totally integrated, advanced fabric system (Type 4) are thought to be the most reliable for general load-bearing applications because of fiber continuity and because of controlled multiaxial fiber orientation and entanglement. Consequently, the risk of splitting and delamination is minimized and practically omitted. Type 4 systems can be woven, knitted, braided or stitched through with very special equipment. Multiaxial fabric technologies are discussed.

Scardino, Frank L.↗
DOE OSTI2023

A low-cost and realistic noisy light system for studying photosynthesis

Unlike the light conditions commonly used to grow photosynthetic organisms in the research laboratory, the light intensity in real environments is dynamic. A simple and low-cost system is described in which a commercial dimmable LED panel is controlled to simulate a sinusoidal function representing daylight hours and overlaid with stochastic shading events. The output closely resembles light intensity measurements on Earth’s surface on partly cloudy days or in lower levels of plant canopies. Here, this tool may be useful to researchers studying photosynthetic acclimation responses.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2008

Decentralized Control of Sound Radiation from an Aircraft-Style Panel Using Iterative Loop Recovery

A decentralized LQG-based control strategy is designed to reduce low-frequency sound transmission through periodically stiffened panels. While modern control strategies have been used to reduce sound radiation from relatively simple structural acoustic systems, significant implementation issues have to be addressed before these control strategies can be extended to large systems such as the fuselage of an aircraft. For instance, centralized approaches typically require a high level of connectivity and are computationally intensive, while decentralized strategies face stability problems caused by the unmodeled interaction between neighboring control units. Since accurate uncertainty bounds are not known a priori, it is difficult to ensure the decentralized control system will be robust without making the controller overly conservative. Therefore an iterative approach is suggested, which utilizes frequency-shaped loop recovery. The approach accounts for modeling error introduced by neighboring control loops, requires no communication between subsystems, and is relatively simple. The control strategy is validated using real-time control experiments performed on a built-up aluminum test structure representative of the fuselage of an aircraft. Experiments demonstrate that the iterative approach is capable of achieving 12 dB peak reductions and a 3.6 dB integrated reduction in radiated sound power from the stiffened panel.

Schiller, Noah H.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Advanced SiC/SiC Ceramic Composites For Gas-Turbine Engine Components

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is developing a variety of advanced SiC/SiC ceramic composite (ASC) systems that allow these materials to operate for hundreds of hours under stress in air at temperatures approaching 2700 F. These SiC/SiC composite systems are lightweight (approximately 30% metal density) and, in comparison to monolithic ceramics and carbon fiber-reinforced ceramic composites, are able to reliably retain their structural properties for long times under aggressive gas-turbine engine environments. The key for the ASC systems is related first to the NASA development of the Sylramic-iBN Sic fiber, which displays higher thermal stability than any other SiC- based ceramic fibers and possesses an in-situ grown BN surface layer for higher environmental durability. This fiber is simply derived from Sylramic Sic fiber type that is currently produced at ATK COI Ceramics (COIC). Further capability is then derived by using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) and/or polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) to form a Sic-based matrix with high creep and rupture resistance as well as high thermal conductivity. The objectives of this study were (1) to optimize the constituents and processing parameters for a Sylramic-iBN fiber reinforced ceramic composite system in which the Sic-based matrix is formed at COIC almost entirely by PIP (full PIP approach), (2) to evaluate the properties of this system in comparison to other 2700 F Sylramic-iBN systems in which the matrix is formed by full CVI and CVI + PIP, and (3) to examine the pros and cons of the full PIP approach for fabricating hot-section engine components. A key goal is the development of a composite system with low porosity, thereby providing high modulus, high matrix cracking strength, high interlaminar strength, and high thermal conductivity, a major property requirement for engine components that will experience high thermal gradients during service. Other key composite property goals are demonstration at high temperatures of high environmental resistance and high creep resistance, which in turn will result in long component life. Data are presented from a variety of laboratory tests on simple two-dimensional panels that examine these properties and compare the performance of the optimized full PIP system with those of the full CVI and CVI + PIP hybrid systems. Underlying mechanisms for performance differences in the various systems are discussed. Remaining issues for further property enhancement and for application of the full PIP approach for engine components are also discussed, as well as on-going approaches at NASA to solve these issues.

H. M. Yun↗
NASA NTRS2005

Satellite Validation: A Project to Create a Data-Logging System to Monitor Lake Tahoe

Flying aboard the satellite Terra, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is an imaging instrument used to acquire detailed maps of Earth's surface temperature, elevation, emissivity, and reflectance. An automated site consisting of four buoys was established 6 years ago at Lake Tahoe for the validation of ASTERS thermal infrared data. Using Campbell CR23X Dataloggers, a replacement system to be deployed on a buoy was designed and constructed for the measurement of the lake's temperature profile, surrounding air temperature, humidity, wind direction and speed, net radiation, and surface skin temperature. Each Campbell Datalogger has been programmed to control, power, and monitor 14 different temperature sensors, a JPL-built radiometer, and an RM Young 32500 meteorological station. The logger communicates with the radiometer and meteorological station through a Campbell SDM-SIO4 RS232 serial interface, sending polling commands, and receiving filtered data back from the sensors. This data is then cataloged and sent back across a cellular modem network every hour to JPL. Each instrument is wired via a panel constructed with 18 individual plugs that allow for simple installation and expansion. Data sent back from the system are analyzed at JPL, where they are used to calibrate ASTER data.

Roy, Rudy A.↗
NASA NTRS2018

The ISARA Mission – Flight Demonstration of a High Gain Ka-Band Antenna for 100Mbps Telecom

The NASA sponsored ISARA (Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna) mission successfully demonstrated a 100 Mbps Ka-band CubeSat communications capability. The enabling technology is a high gain reflectarray antenna integrated into a modified Pumpkin “Turkey Tail” solar array which wraps around the spacecraft body, essentially requiring near zero volume to accommodate. A simple low gain feed is used to distribute RF power to the reflectarray through free space. The 0.5kg ISARA antenna mass is compatible with the requirements of a 3U (10x10x10 cm3) spacecraft. The ISARA mission validated this approach in a flight technology demonstration. A unique on-orbit measurement system provided accurate measurement of the antenna gain from space. This system demonstrated 100Mbps downlink data rate capability using a relatively simple ground station with a 70cm parabolic reflector antenna. The spacecraft also verified ISARA solar panel output power and demonstrated the operational capability to accurately point the antenna to a Ka-band ground station, a key requirement for a telecom system. ISARA achieved a number of technological firsts. It is believed to be the first reflectarray antenna flown in space, first high gain antenna integrated with solar panels, first calibrated reflectarray antenna gain and pattern measurement performed from space and the first 3U CubeSat to demonstrate 100 Mbps using a small, low-cost ground station.

Martin, Jerami M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Operation of a Thin-Film Inflatable Concentrator System Demonstrated in a Solar Thermal Vacuum Environment

Thin-film inflatable solar concentrators offer significant advantages in comparison to stateof- the-art rigid panel concentrators, including low weight, low stowage volume, and simple gas deployment. From June 10 to 22, 2001, the ElectroMagnetic Radiation Control Experiment (EMRCE) Team used simulated solar energy to demonstrate the operation of an inflatable concentrator system at NASA Glenn Research Center's Tank 6 thermal vacuum facility. The joint Government/industry test team was composed of engineers and technicians from Glenn, the Air Force Research Laboratory, SRS Technologies, and ATK Thiokol Propulsion. The research hardware consisted of the following: 1) A thin-film inflatable concentrator; 2) The hexapod pointing and focus control system; 3) Two rigidized support struts using two candidate technologies - ultraviolet-rigidized glass and radiation-cured isographite.

Wong, Wayne A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Prediction of the thermal environment and thermal response of simple panels exposed to radiant heat

A method of predicting the radiant heat flux distribution produced by a bank of tubular quartz heaters was applied to a radiant system consisting of a single unreflected lamp irradiating a flat metallic incident surface. In this manner, the method was experimentally verified for various radiant system parameter settings and used as a source of input for a finite element thermal analysis. Two finite element thermal analyses were applied to a thermal system consisting of a thin metallic panel exposed to radiant surface heating. A two-dimensional steady-state finite element thermal analysis algorithm, based on Galerkin's Method of Weighted Residuals (GFE), was formulated specifically for this problem and was used in comparison to the thermal analyzers of the Engineering Analysis Language (EAL). Both analyses allow conduction, convection, and radiation boundary conditions. Differences in the respective finite element formulation are discussed in terms of their accuracy and resulting comparison discrepancies. The thermal analyses are shown to perform well for the comparisons presented here with some important precautions about the various boundary condition models. A description of the experiment, corresponding analytical modeling, and resulting comparisons are presented.

Turner, Travis L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Advanced Joining Technology: Simple, Strong, and Secure

The space-age materials that NASA employs in its spacecraft and satellites have different attributes than the building materials that can work for Earthly uses. These materials do not behave like the typical construction materials, and therefore, require new methods for construction. Work done at NASA s Langley Research Center in the realm of active solder joining has led to a new, self-bonding solder that enables high conductivity, as well as the metallic joining of carbon and ceramic materials to a wide range of metals. The original work involved evaluating high- and low-temperature joining technologies for joining carbon composite structures for use in thermal management and reusable launch vehicles. The initial plan for this innovation was to lower the weight of battery packs in satellites. It was a success. NASA scientists found use for this technology in fabricating a thermal management package for battery compartments in the Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites, but it is also being used by the Agency for space radiator panels. Because it is light, simple to use, and economical, NASA will likely find other uses for this solder, just as outside of the Space Agency, this unique bond is finding many practical applications.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1982

ACCESS computer program for the synthesis of large structural systems

The structural-synthesis computer code ACCESS-3, originally limited to the optimization of relatively simple problems involving truss, membrane, and shear panel elements, has been restructured to make it applicable to structures with a larger number of degrees-of-freedom, design variables, and constraints. The modifications made allow the use of six degrees-of-freedom per node and permit the out-of-core solution of large matrix equations encountered at the analysis stage. Also, finite elements which permit pure bending as well as combined bending and membrane (axial) behavior have been added to satisfy the need for a more comprehensive set of elements. Like its predecessor, the new version of the program combines the approximation concepts with primal or dual formulations to provide an efficient optimization tool.

Fleury, C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Space erectable radiator system development

The NASA Space Station's Space Erectable Radiator System features modular radiator panels with high-capacity tapered artery heat pipes bonded within their aluminum honeycomb structures. Simple, dry aluminum-to-aluminum thermal contact surfaces are used for the connections, thereby requiring no fluid joints; a uniformly distributed clamping force at the radiator panel-to-thermal transport loop interface heat exchange surface yields high thermal contact conductance as well as minimum area and weight for the requisite performance. The design has been optimized for weight and cost.

Oren, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Space shuttle heat pipe thermal control systems

Heat pipe (HP) thermal control systems designed for possible space shuttle applications were built and tested under this program. They are: (1) a HP augmented cold rail, (2) a HP/phase change material (PCM) modular heat sink and (3) a HP radiating panel for compartment temperature control. The HP augmented cold rail is similar to a standard two-passage fluid cold rail except that it contains an integral, centrally located HP throughout its length. The central HP core helps to increase the local power density capability by spreading concentrated heat inputs over the entire rail. The HP/PCM modular heat sink system consists of a diode HP connected in series to a standard HP that has a PCM canister attached to its mid-section. It is designed to connect a heat source to a structural heat sink during normal operation, and to automatically decouple from it and sink to the PCM whenever structural temperatures are too high. The HP radiating panel is designed to conductively couple the panel feeder HPs directly to a fluid line that serves as a source of waste heat. It is a simple strap-on type of system that requires no internal or external line modifications to distribute the heat to a large radiating area.

Alario, J.↗