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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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

Real-Time Sensor Validation System Developed

Real-time sensor validation improves process monitoring and control system dependability by ensuring data integrity through automated detection of sensor data failures. The NASA Lewis Research Center, Expert Microsystems, and Intelligent Software Associates have developed an innovative sensor validation system that can automatically detect automated sensor failures in real-time for all types of mission-critical systems. This system consists of a sensor validation network development system and a real-time kernel. The network development system provides tools that enable systems engineers to automatically generate software that can be embedded within an application. The sensor validation methodology captured by these tools can be scaled to validate any number of sensors, and permits users to specify system sensitivity. The resulting software reliably detects all types of sensor data failures.

Zakrajsek, June F.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Space Shuttle telemetry analysis by a real time expert system

During early manned spacecraft operations, the primary role of ground telemetry systems was data display to flight controllers. As manned spaceflights have increased in complexity, greater demands have been placed on flight controllers to simultaneously monitor systems and replan systems operations. This has led to interest in automated telemetry monitoring systems to decrease the workload on flight controllers. The Mission Operations Directorate at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center has developed a five layer model to integrate various monitoring and analysis technologies such as digital filtering, fault detection algorithms, and expert systems. The paper describes the five layer model and explains how it has been used to guide prototyping efforts at Mission Control. Results from some initial expert systems are presented. The paper also describes the integrated prototype currently under development which implements a real time expert system to assist flight controllers in the Mission Control Center in monitoring Space Shuttle communications systems.

Muratore, John F.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Unalakleet Microgrid Optimization for Tribal Community Resilience

The Unalakleet Microgrid Optimization Project aimed to strengthen the reliability and efficiency of the isolated electric power system that serves the Tribal community of Unalakleet, Alaska. The community relies entirely on a local wind-diesel microgrid, consisting of four 475 kW diesel generators and six 100 kW wind turbines, to provide electricity to approximately 745 residents and Tribal facilities. Because Unalakleet is not on a road system and is located nearly 400 miles from the nearest major power grid, maintaining a resilient and efficient local energy system is critical. The scope of this project included upgrading a portion of the transmission line between the wind farm and the power plant to increase voltage and reduce line losses, along with modernizing the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to improve monitoring, control, and data management of the power system. These upgrades were designed to increase wind energy utilization, reduce diesel fuel consumption by tens of thousands of gallons annually, and improve overall grid stability. By allowing more of the community’s electricity to be supplied by local renewable wind resources, the project was designed to lower operating costs, reduce dependence on imported fuel, and strengthen the long-term resilience of the power system. These improvements represent an important step toward the community’s long-term energy vision of expanding renewable generation, incorporating energy storage, and eventually achieving “diesels-off” operation, where essential Tribal loads are powered primarily by local renewable resources.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Integration and Assessment of Component Health Prognostics in Supervisory Control Systems

Enhanced risk monitors (ERMs) for active components in advanced reactor concepts use predictive estimates of component failure to update, in real time, predictive safety and economic risk metrics. These metrics have been shown to be capable of use in optimizing maintenance scheduling and managing plant maintenance costs. Integrating this information with plant supervisory control systems increases the potential for making control decisions that utilize real-time information on component conditions. Such decision making would limit the possibility of plant operations that increase the likelihood of degrading the functionality of one or more components while maintaining the overall functionality of the plant. ERM uses sensor data for providing real-time information about equipment condition for deriving risk monitors. This information is used to estimate the remaining useful life and probability of failure of these components. By combining this information with plant probabilistic risk assessment models, predictive estimates of risk posed by continued plant operation in the presence of detected degradation may be estimated. In this paper, we describe this methodology in greater detail, and discuss its integration with a prototypic software-based plant supervisory control platform. In order to integrate these two technologies and evaluate the integrated system, software to simulate the sensor data was developed, prognostic models for feedwater valves were developed, and several use cases defined. The full paper will describe these use cases, and the results of the initial evaluation.

Ramuhalli, Pradeep↗
NASA NTRS1985

Automation study for space station subsystems and mission ground support

An automation concept for the autonomous operation of space station subsystems, i.e., electric power, thermal control, and communications and tracking are discussed. To assure that functions essential for autonomous operations are not neglected, an operations function (systems monitoring and control) is included in the discussion. It is recommended that automated speech recognition and synthesis be considered a basic mode of man/machine interaction for space station command and control, and that the data management system (DMS) and other systems on the space station be designed to accommodate fully automated fault detection, isolation, and recovery within the system monitoring function of the DMS.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2017

Towards a Cyber Defense Framework for SCADA Systems Based on Power Consumption Monitoring

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is an industrial automation system that remotely monitor, and control critical infrastructures. SCADA systems are major targets for espionage and sabotage attackers. According to the 2015 Dell security annual threat report, the number of cyber-attacks against SCADA systems has doubled in the past year. Cyber-attacks (i.e., buffer overflow, rootkits and code injection) could cause serious financial losses and physical infrastructure damages. Moreover, some specific cyber-attacks against SCADA systems could become a threat to human life. Current commercial off-the-shelf security solutions are insufficient in protecting SCADA systems against sophisticated cyber-attacks. In 2014 a report by Mandiant stated that only 69% of organizations learned about their breaches from third entities, meaning that these companies lack of their own detection system. Furthermore, these breaches are not detected in real-time or fast enough to prevent further damages. The average time between compromise and detection (for those intrusions that were detected) was 205 days. To address this challenge, we propose an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) that detects SCADA-specific cyber-attacks by analyzing the power consumption of a SCADA device. Specifically, to validate the proposed approach, we chose to monitor in real-time the power usage of a a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). To this end, we configured the hardware of the tetsbed by installing the required sensors to monitor and collect its power consumption. After that two SCADA-specific cyber-attacks were simulated and TracerDAQ Pro was used to collect the power consumption of the PLC under normal and anomalous scenarios. Results showed that is possible to distinguish between the regular power usage of the PLC and when the PLC was under specific cyber-attacks.

Hernandez Jimenez, Jarilyn M↗
NASA NTRS2013

SMC Message Browser Projects

I work directly with the System Monitoring and Control (SMC) software engineers who develop, test and release custom and commercial software in support of the Kennedy Space Center Spaceport Command and Control System. (SCCS). SMC uses Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Enterprise Management Systems (EMS) software which provides a centralized subsystem for configuring, monitoring, and controlling SCCS hardware and software used in the Control Rooms. There are multiple projects being worked on using the COTS EMS software. I am currently working with the HP Operations Manager for UNIX (OMU) software which allows Master Console Operators (MCO) to access, view and interpret messages regarding the status of the SCCS hardware and software. The OMU message browser gets cluttered with messages which can make it difficult for the MCO to manage. My main project involves determining ways to reduce the number of messages being displayed in the OMU message browser. I plan to accomplish this task in two different ways: (1) by correlating multiple messages into one single message being displayed and (2) to create policies that will determine the significance of each message and whether or not it needs to be displayed to the MCO. The core idea is to lessen the number of messages being sent to the OMU message browser so the MCO can more effectively use it.

OMU↗
DOE OSTI2014

Wood Pellet-Fired Biomass Boiler Project at the Ketchikan Federal Building

Biomass boiler systems have existed for many years, but the technology has advanced in recent decades and can now provide automated and efficient operation for a relatively modest investment. Key advances in system monitoring and control allow for lower operating costs, since the control systems run all aspects of the boiler, including feed, load reduction and even tube cleaning. These advances have made such systems economical on a small scale in situations where inexpensive fuels like natural gas are not available. This creates an opportunity for building operators in remote, cold-climate locations to reduce the use of expensive fuels for heating buildings. GSA Region 10 installed the system at the federal building in Ketchikan, Alaska and submitted the project to the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program. GSA's GPG program contracted with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to assess the installation and the technology. The system serves as a demonstration to assess actual system efficiencies, as well as operating characteristics and financial benefits. In addition to installation and operational issues, the project team/researchers examined other issues, including fuel transportation costs, building energy savings, and overall economics.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1987

Manned spacecraft automation and robotics

The Space Station holds promise of being a showcase user and driver of advanced automation and robotics technology. The author addresses the advances in automation and robotics from the Space Shuttle - with its high-reliability redundancy management and fault tolerance design and its remote manipulator system - to the projected knowledge-based systems for monitoring, control, fault diagnosis, planning, and scheduling, and the telerobotic systems of the future Space Station.

Erickson, Jon D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Control - Demands mushroom as station grows

The NASA space station, which is presently in the planning stage, is to be composed of both rigid and nonrigid modules, rotating elements, and flexible appendages subjected to environmental disturbances from the earth's atmospheric gravity gradient, and magnetic field, as well as solar radiation and self-generated disturbances. Control functions, which will originally include attitude control, docking and berthing control, and system monitoring and management, will with evolving mission objectives come to encompass such control functions as articulation control, autonomous navigation, space traffic control, and large space structure control. Attention is given to the advancements in modular, distributed, and adaptive control methods, as well as system identification and hardware fault tolerance techniques, which will be required.

Szirmay, S. Z.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Space Station crew workload - Station operations and customer accommodations

The features of the Space Station which permit crew members to utilize work time for payload operations are discussed. The user orientation, modular design, nonstressful flight regime, in space construction, on board control, automation and robotics, and maintenance and servicing of the Space Station are examined. The proposed crew size, skills, and functions as station operator and mission specialists are described. Mission objectives and crew functions, which include performing material processing, life science and astronomy experiments, satellite and payload equipment servicing, systems monitoring and control, maintenance and repair, Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle and Mobile Remote Manipulator System operations, on board planning, housekeeping, and health maintenance and recreation, are studied.

Shinkle, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

From Lift-Off to Light-Off

Shuttle's propellant measurement system is produced by Simmonds Precision. Company has extensive experience in fuel management systems and other equipment for military and commercial aircraft. A separate corporate entity, Industrial Controls Division was formed due to a number of non-aerospace spinoffs. One example is a "custody transfer" system for measuring and monitoring liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG is transported aboard large tankers at minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit. Value of a single shipload may reach $15 million. Precision's LNG measurement and monitoring system aids accurate financial accounting and enhances crew safety. Custody transfer systems have been provided for 10 LNG tankers, built by Owing Shipbuilding. Simmonds also provided measurement systems for several liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production and storage installations. Another spinoff developed by Simmonds Precision is an advanced ignition system for industrial boilers that offers savings of millions of gallons of fuel, and a computer based monitoring and control system for improving safety and reliability in electrical utility applications. Simmonds produces a line of safety systems for nuclear and non-nuclear electrical power plants.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1982

Programable Plasma-Spray System

NASA-funded research led to development of automated plasma-spray system programable and reproducible. System utilizes standard plasma-spray equipment with noncoherent light-measuring system and microprocessor. System monitors and controls surface contours and coating thickness. Other advantages of system are consistant coating reproducibility, exact blending and feathering operations, ability to handle complex shapes and ease of changing spray parameters.

Fetheroff, C. W.↗
NASA NTRS2001

NASA Ames Research Center 60 MW Power Supply Modernization

The NASA Ames Research Center 60 MW DC Power Supply was built in 1974 to provide controlled DC power for the Thermophysics Facility Arc Jet Laboratory. The Power Supply has gradually losing reliability due to outdated technology and component life limitation. NASA has decided to upgrade the existing rectifier modules with contemporary high-power electronics and control equipment. NASA plans to complete this project in 2001. This project includes a complete replacement of obsolete thyristor stacks in all six rectifier modules and rectifier bridge control system. High power water-cooled thyristors and freewheeling diodes will be used. The rating of each of the six modules will be 4000 A at 5500 V. The control firing angle signal will be sent from the Facility Control System to six modules via fiberoptic cable. The Power Supply control and monitoring system will include a Master PLC in the Facility building and a Slave PLC in each rectifier module. This system will also monitor each thyristor level in each stack and the auxiliary equipment.

Choy, Yuen Ching↗
DOE OSTI2017

Foundational Report Series: Advanced Distribution Management Systems for Grid Modernization, DMS Integration of Distributed Energy Resources and Microgrids

Deregulation of the electric utility industry, environmental concerns associated with traditional fossil fuel-based power plants, volatility of electric energy costs, Federal and State regulatory support of “green” energy, and rapid technological developments all support the growth of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) in electric utility systems and ensure an important role for DERs in the smart grid and other aspects of modern utilities. DERs include distributed generation (DG) systems, such as renewables; controllable loads (also known as demand response); and energy storage systems. This report describes the role of aggregators of DERs in providing optimal services to distribution networks, through DER monitoring and control systems—collectively referred to as a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS)—and microgrids in various configurations.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗