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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 181 records · Page 10

Disk Alloy Development

The advanced powder metallurgy disk alloy ME3 was designed using statistical screening and optimization of composition and processing variables in the NASA HSR/EPM disk program to have extended durability at 1150 to 1250 "Fin large disks. Scaled-up disks of this alloy were produced at the conclusion of this program to demonstrate these properties in realistic disk shapes. The objective of the UEET disk program was to assess the mechanical properties of these ME3 disks as functions of temperature, in order to estimate the maximum temperature capabilities of this advanced alloy. Scaled-up disks processed in the HSR/EPM Compressor / Turbine Disk program were sectioned, machined into specimens, and tested in tensile, creep, fatigue, and fatigue crack growth tests by NASA Glenn Research Center, in cooperation with General Electric Engine Company and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engines. Additional sub-scale disks and blanks were processed and tested to explore the effects of several processing variations on mechanical properties. Scaled-up disks of an advanced regional disk alloy, Alloy 10, were used to evaluate dual microstructure heat treatments. This allowed demonstration of an improved balance of properties in disks with higher strength and fatigue resistance in the bores and higher creep and dwell fatigue crack growth resistance in the rims. Results indicate the baseline ME3 alloy and process has 1300 to 1350 O F temperature capabilities, dependent on detailed disk and engine design property requirements. Chemistry and process enhancements show promise for further increasing temperature capabilities.

Gabb, Tim↗

Method and apparatus for calibrating a tiled display

A display system that can be calibrated and re-calibrated with a minimal amount of manual intervention. To accomplish this, one or more cameras are provided to capture an image of the display screen. The resulting captured image is processed to identify any non-desirable characteristics, including visible artifacts such as seams, bands, rings, etc. Once the non-desirable characteristics are identified, an appropriate transformation function is determined. The transformation function is used to pre-warp the input video signal that is provided to the display such that the non-desirable characteristics are reduced or eliminated from the display. The transformation function preferably compensates for spatial non-uniformity, color non-uniformity, luminance non-uniformity, and other visible artifacts.

Johnson, Michael J.↗

Evaluation of Silicon Nitride for Brayton Turbine Wheel Application

Silicon nitride (Si3N4) is being evaluated as a risk-reduction alternative for a Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter Brayton turbine wheel in the event that the Prometheus program design requirements exceed the creep strength of the baseline metallic superalloys. Five Si3N4 ceramics, each processed by a different method, were screened based on the Weibull distribution of bend strength at 1700 F (927 C). Three of the Si3N4 ceramics, Honeywell AS800, Kyocera SN282, and Saint-Gobain NT154, had bend strengths in excess of 87 ksi (600 MPa) at 1700 F (927 C). These were chosen for further assessment and consideration for future subcomponent and component fabrication and testing.

Freedman, Marc R.↗

Long-Term Health Risk Quantification

Astronauts face hazards during spaceflight, including space radiation exposure, isolation and confinement, traveling far distances from Earth, reduced gravity levels, and closed and hostile environments. These hazards drive the definition of human health and performance risks associated with spaceflight. NASA’s Human System Risk Board maintains the human spaceflight risk posture for in-mission risks, as well as post-flight, Long-Term Health (LTH)risks potentially occurring later in the astronaut’s life. LTH risk encompasses the timeframe from immediately post-flight, through the rest of an astronaut’s career, through retirement, and until death. Possible LTH risk outcomes include the time and interventions needed for the astronaut to return to preflight physiological states after experiencing spaceflight hazards and recovery from any in-mission medical events that persist into the post-flight timeframe. It includes chronic complications that may arise due to experiencing in-flight medical conditions or injuries and medical conditions that occur later in life with a higher probability of occurrence or with more severity because of their spaceflight exposure. Finally, LTH risk outcomes can also include a reduction in life expectancy due to spaceflight exposures. There have been 144 medical conditions identified by NASA’s Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health team to be associated with LTH risk. Epidemiological studies have been performed for some of these conditions to determine if astronauts suffer from an increased prevalence or severity of the condition due to their spaceflight experience compared to a comparable cohort .Differences in astronaut mortality or morbidity due to spaceflight experience were not detected in several of these studies. There were two cases where a modest increase in the incidence rate of astronaut LTH outcomes was detected. The first suggested an increase in the incidence of melanoma cases in astronauts, where the number of cases in astronauts were similar to the elevated number of cases observed in airplane pilots. The second provided some evidence of elevated numbers of cardiovascular disease events in astronauts compared to an appropriate healthy comparator cohort, which may warrant additional investigation. The lack of detection of LTH risk outcomes should not ease concerns about astronaut LTH. The studies highlighted here constitute only a small portion of the potential LTH conditions that could occur. Once epidemiological studies are performed on all conditions, significant findings may be detected. The analysis of astronaut LTH also suffers from limited numbers of data points because of the limited numbers of astronauts overall and the even fewer who have reached an age where LTH outcomes may begin to manifest. As shuttle and ISS astronauts begin to age and increase the feasibility of analysis, LTH outcomes may be detected. An application of risk quantification is the use of risk metrics within trade studies for resource prioritization and decision making. Trade studies regarding countermeasures to LTH risk outcomes would benefit from a quantification of LTH risk. NASA has ground-based processes in place such as astronaut screening and access to continuous medical monitoring and care during and after their astronaut career which are the main methods for mitigating LTH risk. In-mission countermeasures, such as acceptable levels of medical care and available countermeasures to counter spaceflight related physiological decrements, can mitigate a poor health and performance status immediately post-flight. Identifying appropriate risk metrics, obtaining valid quantities for them, and tying them to LTH countermeasures are necessary steps for realizing their use in trade studies. This presentation will highlight the challenges associated with the identification, quantification, and utilization of LTH risk metrics

Beth Lewandowski↗

Predicting Char Yield of High-Temperature Resins

A simulation protocol is developed to predict the char yield of organic resins during high-temperature processing. Such in silico methods can help screen promising new formulations for advanced materials, but previously no chemistry-sensitive technique existed to predict the important experimental value of char yield. The method utilizes a reactive force field (ReaxFF) to model the chemical transformation of precursor monomers into carbonized structures during three processing stages: ramp-up to processing temperatures (~3000 K), pyrolysis, and quenching. Achieving good agreement with experimental char yields requires continuous removal of small byproduct molecules to mimic outgassing, and the application of high pressure to eliminate porosity and encourage graphitization. More than ten different resin chemistries are investigated, including arylacetylenes, cyanate esters, phthalonitriles, and polyimides, representing a diverse group of precursors with respect to initial cyclic content, heteroatoms and reactive groups. The protocol correctly predicts the relative char yield between the investigated chemistries and provides quantitative agreement with experimental values, especially for high char yield resins. The properties of the resins during processing are compared, including outgassing products, morphology of the final chemical configurations, cyclic content and mechanical properties.

polymer simulations, molecular dynamics↗

Screen-Printed YBa2Cu3O7-x Films On Alumina

Superconducting films made in relatively simple process. Thick films of YBa2Cu3O7-x superconductor deposited on highly-polished alumina substrates by screen printing. In addition to simplicity, screen-printing technique offers advantage that patterns for electronic and microwave circuits and devices printed directly, without additional etching steps.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗

X-ray sensitive oblique imaging device

Instrument employs light reflecting surface (evaporated aluminum coating or minor substrate) behind phosphor screen to improve effective quantum efficiency in dual process: fraction of incoming X-rays are converted to photoelectrons at photocathode; and X-rays that pass through photocathode and thin X-ray transparent membrane enter phosphor screen.

Hallam, K. L.↗

Variable Shadow Screens for Imaging Optical Devices

Variable shadow screens have been proposed for reducing the apparent brightnesses of very bright light sources relative to other sources within the fields of view of diverse imaging optical devices, including video and film cameras and optical devices for imaging directly into the human eye. In other words, variable shadow screens would increase the effective dynamic ranges of such devices. Traditionally, imaging sensors are protected against excessive brightness by use of dark filters and/or reduction of iris diameters. These traditional means do not increase dynamic range; they reduce the ability to view or image dimmer features of an image because they reduce the brightness of all parts of an image by the same factor. On the other hand, a variable shadow screen would darken only the excessively bright parts of an image. For example, dim objects in a field of view that included the setting Sun or bright headlights could be seen more readily in a picture taken through a variable shadow screen than in a picture of the same scene taken through a dark filter or a narrowed iris. The figure depicts one of many potential variations of the basic concept of the variable shadow screen. The shadow screen would be a normally transparent liquid-crystal matrix placed in front of a focal-plane array of photodetectors in a charge-coupled-device video camera. The shadow screen would be placed far enough from the focal plane so as not to disrupt the focal-plane image to an unacceptable degree, yet close enough so that the out-of-focus shadows cast by the screen would still be effective in darkening the brightest parts of the image. The image detected by the photodetector array itself would be used as feedback to drive the variable shadow screen: The video output of the camera would be processed by suitable analog and/or digital electronic circuitry to generate a negative partial version of the image to be impressed on the shadow screen. The parts of the shadow screen in front of those parts of the image with brightness below a specified threshold would be left transparent; the parts of the shadow screen in front of those parts of the image where the brightness exceeded the threshold would be darkened by an amount that would increase with the excess above the threshold.

Lu, Ed↗

Automated Array Assembly, Phase 2

The large scale production of silicon solar cell array panels is discussed. The cost and performance of three manufacturing sequences designed to convert silicon sheet and wafers into solar panels is analyzed. The production of ion implanted and furnace annealed solar cells made using solar grade n- and p-type wafers is examined. The performance of production size lots is examined with regard to the relationship between the ion implant and furnace anneal parameters and the ability to form consistently good thick film screen printed contacts. The spray on antireflection coating process is evaluated. The performance of several lots of cells before and after coating is measured. The structure and refractive index of the RCA I (TiO2) coating is compared with commercial solutions. Sensitivity of coated, screen printed cells to the post heat treatment required to cure the films is assessed.

Daiello, R. V.↗

Molybdenum-tin as a solar cell metallization system

The operations of solar cell manufacture are briefly examined. The formation of reliable, ohmic, low-loss, and low-cost metal contacts on solar cells is a critical process step in cell manufacturing. In a commonly used process, low-cost metallization is achieved by screen printing a metal powder-glass frit ink on the surface of the Si surface and the conductive metal powder. A technique utilizing a molybdenum-tin alloy for the metal contacts appears to lower the cost of materials and to reduce process complexity. The ink used in this system is formulated from MoO3 with Sn powder and a trace amount of titanium resonate. Resistive losses of the resulting contacts are low because the ink contains no frit. The MoO3 is finally melted and reduced in forming gas (N2+H2) to Mo metal. The resulting Mo is highly reactive which facilitates the Mo-Si bonding.

Boyd, D. W.↗

Predicting Char Yield of High-Temperature Resins

A simulation protocol is developed to predict the char yield of organic resins during high-temperature processing. Simulation protocol in silico methods can help screen promising new formulations for advanced materials, but previously no chemistry-sensitive technique existed to predict the important experimental value of char yield. The method utilizes a reactive force field (ReaxFF) to model the chemical transformation of precursor monomers into carbonized structures during three processing stages: ramp-up to processing temperatures (~3000 K), pyrolysis, and quenching. Achieving good agreement with experimental char yields requires continuous removal of small byproduct molecules to mimic outgassing, and the application of high pressure to eliminate porosity and encourage graphitization. More than ten different resin chemistries are investigated, including arylacetylenes, cyanate esters, phthalonitriles, and polyimides, representing a diverse group of precursors with respect to initial cyclic content, heteroatoms and reactive groups. The protocol correctly predicts the relative char yield between the investigated chemistries and provides quantitative agreement with experimental values, especially for high char yield resins. The properties of the resins during processing are compared, including outgassing products, morphology of the final chemical configurations, cyclic content and mechanical properties.

polymer simulations, molecular dynamics↗

Automated Fiber Placement of PEEK/IM7 Composites with Film Interleaf Layers

The incorporation of thin discrete layers of resin between plies (interleafing) has been shown to improve fatigue and impact properties of structural composite materials. Furthermore, interleafing could be used to increase the barrier properties of composites used as structural materials for cryogenic propellant storage. In this work, robotic heated-head tape placement of PEEK/IM7 composites containing a PEEK polymer film interleaf was investigated. These experiments were carried out at the NASA Langley Research Center automated fiber placement facility. Using the robotic equipment, an optimal fabrication process was developed for the composite without the interleaf. Preliminary interleaf processing trials indicated that a two-stage process was necessary; the film had to be tacked to the partially-placed laminate then fully melted in a separate operation. Screening experiments determined the relative influence of the various robotic process variables on the peel strength of the film-composite interface. Optimization studies were performed in which peel specimens were fabricated at various compaction loads and roller temperatures at each of three film melt processing rates. The resulting data were fitted with quadratic response surfaces. Additional specimens were fabricated at placement parameters predicted by the response surface models to yield high peel strength in an attempt to gage the accuracy of the predicted response and assess the repeatability of the process. The overall results indicate that quality PEEK/lM7 laminates having film interleaves can be successfully and repeatability fabricated by heated head automated fiber placement.

Hulcher, A. Bruce↗

Predicting Char Yield of High-Temperature Resins

A simulation technique has been developed for predicting the char yield of organic resins during high-temperature processing. In silico methods can aid in the screening of new advanced materials for a number of important properties, but no chemistry-sensitive protocol currently exists for predicting the important experimental value of char yield. The proposed method utilizes a reactive force field (ReaxFF) to model the chemical transformation of precursor monomers into carbonized structures during three processing stages: ramp-up to pyrolysis temperatures (~3000 K), pyrolysis, and quenching. Achieving good agreement with experimental char yields requires continuous removal of small by-product molecules to mimic outgassing, and the application of high pressure to encourage the formation of a dense, glassy network. Six different resin chemistries were investigated: an ethynyl, a phenylethynyl, a cyanate ester, a phthalonitrile, acrylonitrile, and adamantane. These candidates represent a diverse group of precursors with respect to initial cyclic content, presence of heteroatoms, and types of reactive groups. The protocol developed accurately predicts the relative char yield between the investigated chemistries and provides quantitative agreement with experimental values, especially for high char yield resins. Several simulated properties of the carbonized structures are compared with experimental results, including outgassing products, morphology of the final chemical configurations, cyclic content, and mechanical properties.

polymer simulations, molecular dynamics↗

Development of seal ring carbon-graphite materials (tasks 5, 6, and 7)

Carbon-graphite seal ring bodies for operation at air temperatures to 1300 F(704 C) were manufactured from three select formulations. Mechanical and thermal properties, porosities, and oxidation rates were measured. The results have shown that: (1) Major property improvements anticipated from the screening studies were not realized because of processing problems associated with the scale-up in material size and probable deterioration of a phenolic resin binder; (2) the mechanical properties of a phenolic resin-bonded, carbon-graphite material can be improved by applying high pressure during carbonization; and (3) the textile form of graphite fiber used as the minor filler component in a carbon-graphite material can beneficially affect mechanical properties.

Fechter, N. J.↗

Quasi-optimal decoding of linear block codes using soft decision detection

A simple but effective decoding procedure, applicable to any (n,k) linear block code with symbols from GF(q), is described. The technique involves a transformation of the parity check equations which focuses the code's correction power on the soft symbol set while still retaining the capability to correct one symbol error from outside this set. The soft symbol set is defined to be the n-k least reliably detected code symbol positions whose parity check row-spaces are linearly independent. The process generates a number of error vector screening candidates, each a solution to the parity check equations, and the maximum-likelihood candidate is accepted.

Greene, E. P.↗

Develop, demonstrate, and verify large area composite structural bonding with polyimide adhesives

The technology required to produce graphite-polyimide structural components with operational capability at 598 K (600 F) is considered. A series of polyimide adhesives was screened for mechanical and physical properties and processibility in fabricating large midplane bonded panels and honeycomb sandwich panels in an effort to fabricate a structural test component of the space shuttle aft body flap. From 41 formulations, LaRC-13, FM34B-18, and a modified LaRC-13 adhesive were selected for further evaluation. The LaRC-13 adhesive was rated as the best of the three adhesives in terms of availability, cost, processibility, properties, and ability to produce void fee large area (12" x 12") midplane bonds. Surface treatments and primers for the adhesives were evaluated and processes were developed for the fabrication of honeycomb sandwich panels of very good quality which was evidenced by rupture in the honeycomb core rather than in the facesheet bands on flatwise tensile strength testing. The fabrication of the adhesively bonded honeycomb sandwich cover panels, ribs, and leading edge covers of Celion graphite/LARC-160 polyimide laminates is described.

Bhombal, B. D.↗

MOD silver metallization for photovoltaics

The development of flat plate solar arrays is reported. Photovoltaic cells require back side metallization and a collector grid system on the front surface. Metallo-organic decomposition (MOD) silver films can eliminate most of the present problems with silver conductors. The objectives are to: (1) identify and characterize suitable MO compounds; (2) develop generic synthesis procedures for the MO compounds; (3) develop generic fabrication procedures to screen printable MOD silver inks; (4) optimize processing conditions to produce grid patterns and photovoltaic cells; and (5) develop a model which describes the adhesion between the fired silver film and the silicon surface.

Vest, G. M.↗

Program Facilitates Distributed Computing

KNET computer program facilitates distribution of computing between UNIX-compatible local host computer and remote host computer, which may or may not be UNIX-compatible. Capable of automatic remote log-in. User communicates interactively with remote host computer. Data output from remote host computer directed to local screen, to local file, and/or to local process. Conversely, data input from keyboard, local file, or local process directed to remote host computer. Written in ANSI standard C language.

Hui, Joseph↗