Engineering topics

Choi, Sang H.

Publications and source records attributed to Choi, Sang H..

66 records · Page 4

NASA NTRS2001

A Study on a Microwave-Driven Smart Material Actuator

NASA s Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) has a large deployable, fragmented optical surface (greater than or = 2 8 m in diameter) that requires autonomous correction of deployment misalignments and thermal effects. Its high and stringent resolution requirement imposes a great deal of challenge for optical correction. The threshold value for optical correction is dictated by lambda/20 (30 nm for NGST optics). Control of an adaptive optics array consisting of a large number of optical elements and smart material actuators is so complex that power distribution for activation and control of actuators must be done by other than hard-wired circuitry. The concept of microwave-driven smart actuators is envisioned as the best option to alleviate the complexity associated with hard-wiring. A microwave-driven actuator was studied to realize such a concept for future applications. Piezoelectric material was used as an actuator that shows dimensional change with high electric field. The actuators were coupled with microwave rectenna and tested to correlate the coupling effect of electromagnetic wave. In experiments, a 3x3 rectenna patch array generated more than 50 volts which is a threshold voltage for 30-nm displacement of a single piezoelectric material. Overall, the test results indicate that the microwave-driven actuator concept can be adopted for NGST applications.

Choi, Sang H.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Networked Rectenna Array for Smart Material Actuators

The concept of microwave-driven smart material actuators is envisioned as the best option to alleviate the complexity associated with hard-wired control circuitry. Networked rectenna patch array receives and converts microwave power into a DC power for an array of smart actuators. To use microwave power effectively, the concept of a power allocation and distribution (PAD) circuit is adopted for networking a rectenna/actuator patch array. The PAD circuit is imbedded into a single embodiment of rectenna and actuator array. The thin-film microcircuit embodiment of PAD circuit adds insignificant amount of rigidity to membrane flexibility. Preliminary design and fabrication of PAD circuitry that consists of a few nodal elements were made for laboratory testing. The networked actuators were tested to correlate the network coupling effect, power allocation and distribution, and response time. The features of preliminary design are 16-channel computer control of actuators by a PCI board and the compensator for a power failure or leakage of one or more rectennas.

Choi, Sang H.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Transpiration Cooling Experiment

The transpiration cooling method was considered for a scram-jet engine to accommodate thermally the situation where a very high heat flux (200 Btu/sq. ft sec) from hydrogen fuel combustion process is imposed to the engine walls. In a scram-jet engine, a small portion of hydrogen fuel passes through the porous walls of the engine combustor to cool the engine walls and at the same time the rest passes along combustion chamber walls and is preheated. Such a regenerative system promises simultaneously cooling of engine combustor and preheating the cryogenic fuel. In the experiment, an optical heating method was used to provide a heat flux of 200 Btu/sq. ft sec to the cylindrical surface of a porous stainless steel specimen which carried helium gas. The cooling efficiencies by transpiration were studied for specimens with various porosity. The experiments of various test specimens under high heat flux have revealed a phenomenon that chokes the medium flow when passing through a porous structure. This research includes the analysis of the system and a scaling conversion study that interprets the results from helium into the case when hydrogen medium is used.

Song, Kyo D.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Transpiring Cooling of a Scram-Jet Engine Combustion Chamber

The peak cold-wall heating rate generated in a combustion chamber of a scram-jet engine can exceed 2000 Btu/sq ft sec (approx. 2344 W/sq cm). Therefore, a very effective heat dissipation mechanism is required to sustain such a high heating load. This research focused on the transpiration cooling mechanism that appears to be a promising approach to remove a large amount of heat from the engine wall. The transpiration cooling mechanism has two aspects. First, initial computations suggest that there is a reduction, as much as 75%, in the heat flux incident on the combustion chamber wall due to the transpirant modifying the combustor boundary layer. Secondly, the heat reaching the combustor wall is removed from the structure in a very effective manner by the transpirant. It is the second of these two mechanisms that is investigated experimentally in the subject paper. A transpiration cooling experiment using a radiant heating method, that provided a heat flux as high as 200 Btu/sq ft sec ( approx. 234 W/sq cm) on the surface of a specimen, was performed. The experiment utilized an arc-lamp facility (60-kW radiant power output) to provide a uniform heat flux to a test specimen. For safety reasons, helium gas was used as the transpirant in the experiments. The specimens were 1.9-cm diameter sintered, powdered-stainless-steel tubes of various porosities and a 2.54cm square tube with perforated multi-layered walls. A 15-cm portion of each specimen was heated. The cooling effectivenes and efficiencies by transpiration for each specimen were obtained using the experimental results. During the testing, various test specimens displayed a choking phenomenon in which the transpirant flow was limited as the heat flux was increased. The paper includes a preliminary analysis of the transpiration cooling mechanism and a scaling conversion study that translates the results from helium tests into the case when a hydrogen medium is used.

Choi, Sang H.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Megavolt, Multigigawatt Pulsed Plasma Switch

Plasma switch proposed for use in high-voltage, high-current pulse power system. Designed not only to out-perform conventional spark-gap switch but also relatively compact and lightweight. Features inverse-pinch configuration to prevent constriction of current sheets into filaments, plus multiple-ring-electrode structure to resist high-voltage breakdown.

Lee, Ja H.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Characteristics of switching plasma in an inverse-pinch switch

Characteristics of the plasma that switches on tens of giga volt-ampere in an inverse-pinch plasma switch (INPIStron) have been made. Through optical and spectroscopic diagnostics of the current carrying plasma, the current density, the motion of current paths, dominant ionic species have been determined in order to access their effects on circuit parameters and material erosion. Also the optimum operational condition of the plasma-puff triggering method required for azimuthally uniform conduction in the INPIStron has been determined.

Lee, Ja H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Design for megavolt inverse-pinch plasma switch

To meet the requirements for the output switch of an ultra-high-power (greater than 30 GW) pulser, an upgrading design for an inverse-pinch plasma switch (INPIS) is considered. The hold-off voltage of 1 MV is met by adopting multistage rim-fire electrodes and using SF6 as the dielectric gas of the switch. The inductance and capacitance of the switch, which are restricted by the short rise-time (less than 0.1 microsec) requirement, were met by adjusting the dimensions of the coaxial electrodes of the switch. The input/output transmission lines attached to the switch will be immersed in oil to meet the high voltage insulation and impedance-matching requirements. Since the forwarding current is relatively low with respect to the switch capability, the lifetime of the switch is expected to exceed the requirement of 10,000 shots.

Lee, Ja H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Development and simulation study of a new inverse-pinch high Coulomb transfer switch

The inverse-pinch plasma switch was studied using a computer simulation code. The code was based on a 2-D, 2-temperature magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. The application of this code was limited to the disk-type inverse-pinch plasma switch. The results of the computer analysis appear to be in agreement with the experimental results when the same parameters are used. An inverse-pinch plasma switch for closing has been designed and tested for high-power switching requirements. An azimuthally uniform initiation of breakdown is a key factor in achieving an inverse-pinch current path in the switch. Thus, various types of triggers, such as trigger pins, wire-brush, ring trigger, and hypocycloidal-pinch (HCP) devices have been tested for uniform breakdown. Recently, triggering was achieved by injection of a plasma-ring (plasma puff) that is produced separately with hypocycloidal-pinch electrodes placed under the cathode of the main gap. The current paths at switch closing, initiated by the injection of a plasma-ring from the HCP trigger are azimuthally uniform, and the local current density is significantly reduced, so that damage to the electrodes and the insulator surfaces is minimized. The test results indicate that electron bombardment on the electrodes and the insulator surfaces is minimized. The test results indicate that electron bombardment on the electrodes is four orders of magnitude less than that of a spark-gap switch for the same switching power. Indeed, a few thousand shots with peak current exceeding a mega-ampere and with hold-off voltage up to 20 kV have been conducted without showing measurable damage to the electrodes and insulators.

Choi, Sang H.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Development of response models for the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) sensors. Part 4: Preliminary nonscanner models and count conversion algorithms

Two count conversion algorithms and the associated dynamic sensor model for the M/WFOV nonscanner radiometers are defined. The sensor model provides and updates the constants necessary for the conversion algorithms, though the frequency with which these updates were needed was uncertain. This analysis therefore develops mathematical models for the conversion of irradiance at the sensor field of view (FOV) limiter into data counts, derives from this model two algorithms for the conversion of data counts to irradiance at the sensor FOV aperture and develops measurement models which account for a specific target source together with a sensor. The resulting algorithms are of the gain/offset and Kalman filter types. The gain/offset algorithm was chosen since it provided sufficient accuracy using simpler computations.

Halyo, Nesim↗

NASA NTRS1987

Development of response models for the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) sensors. Part 3: ERBE scanner measurement accuracy analysis due to reduced housekeeping data

The accuracy of scanner measurements was evaluated when the sampling frequency of sensor housekeeping (HK) data was reduced from once every scan to once every eight scans. The resulting increase in uncertainty was greatest for sources with rapid or extreme temperature changes. This analysis focused on the mirror attenuator mosaic (MAM) baffle and plate and scanner radiometer baffle due to their relatively high temperature changes during solar calibrations. Since only solar simulator data were available, the solar temperatures were approximated on these components and the radiative and thermal gradients in the MAM baffle due to reflected sunlight. Of the two cases considered for the MAM plate and baffle temperatures, one uses temperatures obtained from the ground calibration. The other attempt uses temperatures computed from the MAM baffle model. This analysis shows that the heat input variations due largely to the solar radiance and irradiance during a scan cycle are small. It also demonstrates that reasonable intervals longer than the current HK data acquisition interval should not significantly affect the estimation of a radiation field in the sensor field-of-view.

Choi, Sang H.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Development of response models for the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) sensors. Part 1: Dynamic models and computer simulations for the ERBE nonscanner, scanner and solar monitor sensors

Dynamic models and computer simulations were developed for the radiometric sensors utilized in the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE). The models were developed to understand performance, improve measurement accuracy by updating model parameters and provide the constants needed for the count conversion algorithms. Model simulations were compared with the sensor's actual responses demonstrated in the ground and inflight calibrations. The models consider thermal and radiative exchange effects, surface specularity, spectral dependence of a filter, radiative interactions among an enclosure's nodes, partial specular and diffuse enclosure surface characteristics and steady-state and transient sensor responses. Relatively few sensor nodes were chosen for the models since there is an accuracy tradeoff between increasing the number of nodes and approximating parameters such as the sensor's size, material properties, geometry, and enclosure surface characteristics. Given that the temperature gradients within a node and between nodes are small enough, approximating with only a few nodes does not jeopardize the accuracy required to perform the parameter estimates and error analyses.

Halyo, Nesim↗

NASA NTRS1987

A long life plasma switch for space applications

The use of a novel plasma switch based on the inverse-pinch mechanism can reduce local current density over spacecraft power system electrodes, thereby minimizing damage to the insulator. The current density involved is 2 orders of magnitude smaller than that of the z-pinched current in a spark-gap switch; local heating is therefore about 4 orders of magnitude less than that to the electrodes of the spark-gap switch. Over 2000 tests of the plasma switch have been conducted for a forward current of more than 1 MA and up to 20 kV holdoff voltage.

Choi, Sang H.↗