SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “distributed storage”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2021

Reliability and Safety Assessment of Urban Air Mobility Concept Vehicles

The following work was commissioned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to guide industry and future regulation related to urban air mobility (UAM). Prior studies compared the relative safety of NASA concept vehicles, Figure ES1, designed for UAM and provided recommendations for industry research, aircraft architectural improvements, and regulatory updates. After the prior study completed, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) released regulatory guidance in the form of a special condition (SC), SC-VTOL-01, for multirotors with distributed propulsion and flight controls (DPFC). The objective of the current work was to develop DPFC architectures that will comply with SC-VTOL-01. Vehicle designs, DPFC architectures, and stability & control (S&C) models were developed to find limitations and trends to guide industry. To guide this task, NASA developed quad, hex, and an octorotor to better define vehicle attributes and trade space. Aircraft for study included electric, hybrid-electric, and turboshaft powerplants and collective and RPM control schemes. Assessments are in terms of the safety level achieved, and/or aircraft component/features needed to meet SC-VTOL-01. The most challenging criteria being the catastrophic failure rate, ≤10-9 catastrophic failures per flight hour, and that no single failures may result in a catastrophic event. A disciplined process was followed, similar to that in Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) 4761. A preliminary system safety assessment (PSSA) leveraged prior work as a basis of creating failure rate budgets for system design teams. System designs were updated and iterated upon, working with reliability and safety subject matter experts to develop SC-VTOL-01 compliant designs. Design changes were reflected in updated PSSAs for initial verification of compliance. The DPFC architecture was broken into four system design teams, the (1) flight control system (FCS), (2) drive and power system, (3) thermal management system (TMS), and (4) electrical power and distribution system. The FCS including elements necessary to control the aircraft, drive and power including elements necessary to generate and transmit shaft power, the TMS including elements necessary to maintain temperature limits in all operating environments, and electrical pow-er and distribution including equipment necessary to store and transmit electrical energy. Results found that all aircraft evaluated may have paths to comply with SC-VTOL-01, Figure ES2. However, S&C models showed large power transients that must be addressed and PSSA results show that future work is needed in single load path structures, high voltage power storage and distribution, and in motor/rotor overspeed protection.

Boeing↗

DOE OSTI2021

Damage evolution in polymer due to exposure to high-pressure hydrogen gas

The use of hydrogen as a fuel is increasing exponentially, and the most economical way to store and transport hydrogen for fuel use is as a high-pressure gas. Polymers are widely used for hydrogen distribution and storage systems because they are chemically inert towards hydrogen. However, when exposed to high-pressure hydrogen, some hydrogen diffuses through polymers and occupies the preexisting cavities inside the material. Upon depressurization, the hydrogen trapped inside polymer cavities can cause blistering or cracking by expanding these cavities. A continuum mechanics--based deformation model was deployed to predict the stress distribution and damage propagation while the polymer undergoes depressurization after high-pressure hydrogen exposure. The effects of cavity size, cavity location, and pressure inside the cavity on damage initiation and evolution inside the polymer were studied. The stress and damage evolution in the presence of multiple cavities was also studied, because interaction among cavities alters the damage and stress field. It was found that all these factors significantly change the stress state in the polymer, resulting in different paths for damage propagation. The effect of adding carbon black filler particles and plasticizer on the damage was also studied. It was found that damage tolerance of the polymer increases drastically with the addition of carbon black fillers, but decreases with the addition of the plasticizer.

Kulkarni, Shank S.↗

DOE OSTI2025

A review of Geological Thermal Energy Storage for seasonal, grid-scale dispatching

Energy storage is essential for the decarbonization of the U.S. energy grid, especially with the increasing deployment of variable renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Geological thermal energy storage (GeoTES) has emerged as a promising long duration, grid scale solution, providing stability and security through flexible operations and valuable grid services. GeoTES utilizes subsurface reservoirs to store thermal energy for power generation and direct-use heating and cooling. This approach significantly enhances the use of low-temperature reservoirs, which would otherwise be unsuitable for geothermal power plants. It also aligns well with depleted oil and gas reservoirs, concentrating solar power, non-flexible renewables (photovoltaic and wind), and geothermal-related power cycles. Given the favorable marginal costs of GeoTES as storage duration increases, it becomes particularly competitive for seasonal, grid-scale dispatch, where few technologies are viable. This paper provides a comprehensive review of GeoTES systems and the research underpinning itsr development. This analysis begins by defining and categorizing the unique characteristics of thermal energy storage techniques, setting GeoTES apart from other technologies. The various components, configurations, subsurface characteristics, and modeling efforts that guide GeoTES development are then explored. Finally, challenges in GeoTES research, development, and deployment are discussed, along with mitigation strategies and lessons from related technologies. Beyond their economic benefits, GeoTES systems support grid resilience and decarbonize industrial processes. Their scalability, broad distribution, seasonal storage potential, and flexible dispatch capacity make GeoTES a valuable tool for expanding renewable energy deployment and addressing climate change.

15 - GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1996

RAID Unbound: Storage Fault Tolerance in a Distributed Environment

Mirroring, data replication, backup, and more recently, redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) are all technologies used to protect and ensure access to critical company data. A new set of problems has arisen as data becomes more and more geographically distributed. Each of the technologies listed above provides important benefits; but each has failed to adapt fully to the realities of distributed computing. The key to data high availability and protection is to take the technologies' strengths and 'virtualize' them across a distributed network. RAID and mirroring offer high data availability, which data replication and backup provide strong data protection. If we take these concepts at a very granular level (defining user, record, block, file, or directory types) and them liberate them from the physical subsystems with which they have traditionally been associated, we have the opportunity to create a highly scalable network wide storage fault tolerance. The network becomes the virtual storage space in which the traditional concepts of data high availability and protection are implemented without their corresponding physical constraints.

Ritchie, Brian↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Ground Segment Operations Concept for the Orion Artemis-2 Optical Communications System

The ACCESS Project (formerly Space Network) will implement an optical communications ground segment to support the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications (O2O) demonstration as part of the next manned human spaceflight mission to the moon, Artemis II. O2O implements laser communication (lasercomm) technology for operational use on the Orion series of spacecraft, as a development test objective (DTO), in order to demonstrate the feasibility and operational utility of lasercomm for human spaceflight missions. O2O consists of three segments: Space Segment, Ground Segment, and Operations Segment. The Space Segment consists of the Space Terminal Element and the Orion spacecraft. The Space Terminal Element effort is managed by the GSFC Laser-Enhanced Mission Communications Navigation and Operational Services (LEMNOS) project in collaboration with MIT Lincoln Laboratory. The Ground Segment consists of an optical ground terminal (GT) at the White Sands Complex (WSC), which is being developed in collaboration with MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the Ground Segment Operations and Analysis (GSOA) element and Ground Data Element (GDE), and a second optical GT in the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) at the JPL Table Mountain Facility. The Operations Segment consists of the Artemis II Mission Control Center (MCC), the Lasercomm Space Terminal Console (LSTC), and the Lasercomm Link Planning & Analysis Center (LPAC), all located at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). O2O utilizes pulse-position modulation (PPM) direct-to-earth services resulting in an 80 Mbps downlink data rate from lunar orbit. The O2O concept of operations is to provide optical services for a minimum of 1 hour per day for each day of the Artemis II mission. O2O will utilize a 10-20 Mbps uplink data rate and 40-260 Mbps downlink data rate, depending on the Artemis II mission phase. The ACCESS project will also provide a centralized mission data interface for user data distribution and storage to the MCC and perform planning and scheduling of services in coordination with the Operations Segment for the O2O Ground Segment. The O2O Ground Segment will support the following O2O mission phases: Pre-Mission Planning; Daily Operations Planning; Event Execution; and Post-Pass Reporting. O2O will be used to exchange data files between Orion and the MCC and to distribute real-time video through the optical downlink service to the MCC; which would not be possible without the high-bandwidth link that O2O will provide to Orion. In this paper, I will discuss the O2O Ground Segment development approach and how it will support these critical O2O functions: plan and schedule the contact; acquire and track the optical link; flow information bidirectionally; distribute information; and control and accommodate the system.

optical communications↗

DOE OSTI2024

Basin-scale study of CO 2 storage in stacked sequence of geological formations

Commercial scale decarbonization through carbon capture and storage may likely involve many CO 2 storage projects located in close proximity. The close proximity could raise concerns over caprock integrity associated with reservoir pressure buildup and interference among adjacent projects. Commercial-scale injection will also require large prospective CO 2 storage resource and high injectivity in the targeted storage formations. To accommodate the need for both large resource and high injectivity, project operators could consider injecting CO 2 into a stacked sequence of formations. This analysis investigates the benefits of injecting CO 2 into a vertically stacked sequence of saline formations, over injecting the same amount of CO 2 into a single saline formation, in addressing these challenges. Our analysis shows that injecting into the stacked sequence mitigates the extent of pressure buildup among the stacked formations, while still achieving the same or greater target CO 2 storage volumes. Among cases modeled, the resulting pressure buildup front is most reduced when each storage site distributes injection volumes over several wells, each of which injects a portion of the total CO 2 mass across the stacked sequence. This favorable case not only results in the smallest CO 2 aerial footprint, but also shows the largest reduction in the pressure buildup at the top of perforation at the injection wells (upwards of approximately 46% compared to the single-formation storage), the result of which is crucial to maintain caprock integrity. This analysis provides insights into required decision-making when considering multi-project deployment in a shared basin.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2020

Progress and Prospective of Nitrogen-Based Alternative Fuels

Alternative fuels are essential to enable the transition to a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy supply. Synthetic fuels derived from renewable energies can act as energy storage media, thus mitigating the effects of fossil fuels on environment and health. Their economic viability, environmental impact, and compatibility with current infrastructure and technologies are fuel and power source specific. Nitrogen-based fuels pose one possible synthetic fuel pathway. In this paper, we discuss the progress and current research on utilization of nitrogen-based fuels in power applications, covering the complete fuel cycle. We cover the production, distribution, and storage of nitrogen-based fuels. We assess much of the existing literature on the reactions involved in the ammonia to nitrogen atom pathway in nitrogen-based fuel combustion. Furthermore, we discuss nitrogen-based fuel applications ranging from combustion engines to gas turbines, as well as their exploitation by suggested end-uses. Thereby, we evaluate the potential opportunities and challenges of expanding the role of nitrogen-based molecules in the energy sector, outlining their use as energy carriers in relevant fields.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

Distributed Wind Hybrid Energy Systems for Rural Applications

Distributed-wind-based hybrid energy systems can smooth the power output from renewable energy resources. The number of these systems is growing because of their ability to contribute to local energy and resilience needs. Distributed wind hybrid systems offer major benefits for industrial loads, including enhanced energy reliability, cost efficiency, and sustainability. This fact sheet describes those benefits and considerations in detail.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1988

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the orbital maneuvering system FMEA/CIL, volume 1

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) hardware and Electrical Power Distribution and Control (EPD and C), generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the proposed Post 51-L NASA FMEA/CIL baseline. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter OMS hardware. The IOA analysis defined the OMS as being comprised of the following subsystems: helium pressurization, propellant storage and distribution, Orbital Maneuvering Engine, and EPD and C. The IOA product for the OMS analysis consisted of 284 hardware and 667 EPD and C failure mode worksheets that resulted in 160 hardware and 216 EPD and C potential critical items (PCIs) being identified. A comparison was made of the IOA product to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline which consisted of 101 hardware and 142 EPD and C CIL items.

Prust, Chet D.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Planning Amidst Uncertainty: Identifying Core CCS Infrastructure Robust to Storage Uncertainty

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a critical technology for reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions, but its large-scale deployment is complicated by uncertainties in geological storage performance. These uncertainties pose significant financial and operational risks, as underperforming storage sites can lead to costly infrastructure modifications, inefficient pipeline routing, and economic shortfalls. To address this challenge, we propose a novel optimization workflow that is based on mixed-integer linear programming and explicitly integrates probabilistic modeling of storage uncertainty into CCS infrastructure design. This workflow generates multiple infrastructure scenarios by sampling storage capacity distributions, optimally solving each scenario using a mixed-integer linear programming model, and aggregating results into a heatmap to identify core infrastructure components that have a low likelihood of underperforming. A risk index parameter is introduced to balance trade-offs between cost, CO2 processing capacity, and risk of underperformance, allowing stakeholders to quantify and mitigate uncertainty in CCS planning. Applying this workflow to a CCS dataset from the US Department of Energy’s Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership project reveals key insights into infrastructure resilience. Reducing the risk index from 15% to 0% is observed to lead to an 83.7% reduction in CO2 processing capacity and a 77.1% decrease in project profit, quantifying the trade-off between risk tolerance and project performance. Furthermore, our results highlight critical breakpoints, where small adjustments in the risk index produce disproportionate shifts in infrastructure performance, providing actionable guidance for decision-makers. Unlike prior approaches that aimed to cheaply repair underperforming infrastructure, our workflow constructs robust CCS networks from the ground up, ensuring cost-effective infrastructure under storage uncertainty. These findings demonstrate the practical relevance of incorporating uncertainty-aware optimization into CCS planning, equipping decision-makers with a tool to make informed project planning decisions.

Olson, Daniel↗

NASA NTRS2001

The Role of Advanced Information System Technology in Remote Sensing for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise in the 21st Century

Future NASA Earth observing satellites will carry high-precision instruments capable of producing large amounts of scientific data. The strategy will be to network these instrument-laden satellites into a web-like array of sensors to facilitate the collection, processing, transmission, storage, and distribution of data and data products - the essential elements of what we refer to as "Information Technology." Many of these Information Technologies will enable the satellite and ground information systems to function effectively in real-time, providing scientists with the capability of customizing data collection activities on a satellite or group of satellites directly from the ground. In future systems, extremely large quantities of data collected by scientific instruments will require the fastest processors, the highest communication channel transfer rates, and the largest data storage capacity to insure that data flows smoothly from the satellite-based instrument to the ground-based archive. Autonomous systems will control all essential processes and play a key role in coordinating the data flow through space-based communication networks. In this paper, we will discuss those critical information technologies for Earth observing satellites that will support the next generation of space-based scientific measurements of planet Earth, and insure that data and data products provided by these systems will be accessible to scientists and the user community in general.

Prescott, Glenn↗

NASA NTRS2009

Evaluation of an Interferometric Sensor for In-Space Detection of Gas Leaks

Space mission planning often involves long-term storage of volatile liquids or high-pressure gases. These may include cryogenic fuels and oxidizers, high-pressure gases, and life-support-critical consumables. The risk associated with the storage of fluids and gases in space systems has long been an issue and the ability to retain these fluids is often tied to mission success. A leak in the storage or distribution system can cause many different problems, including a simple, but mission endangering, loss of inventory or, in severe cases, unbalanced thrust loads on a flight vehicle. Cryogenic propellants are especially difficult to store, especially over a long duration. The propellant can boil off and be lost through the insulating walls of the tank or simple thermal cycling of the fittings, valves, and propellant feed lines may unseat seals allowing the fluid to escape. Current NASA missions call for long-duration in-space storage of propellants, oxidizers, and life support supplies. Leaks of a scale detectable through a pressure drop in the storage tank are often catastrophic and have long been the focus of ground-based mitigation efforts where redundant systems are often employed. However, there is presently no technology available for detecting and monitoring low-level, but still mission-endangering, gas leaks in space. Standard in-space gas detection methods either have a very limited pressure range over which they operate effectively or are limited to certain gases. Mass spectrometer systems are able to perform the detection tasks, but their size, mass and use of high voltage, which could potentially lead to an arc that ignites a combustible propellent, severely limit their usefulness in a space system. In this paper, we present results from testing of the light-based interferometric gas monitoring and leak detection sensor shown in Fig. 1. The output of the sensor is an interference fringe pattern that is a function of the gas density, and commensurate index of refraction, in the sample region. Changes in the density of gas cause the interference fringes to move across a photodiode detector, providing a temporal history of the leak. The sensor is fiber coupled and constructed from solid optics, allowing for placement almost anywhere on the spacecraft. It is also advantageous in that it consumes very little power and does not introduce an ignition source. Data are presented demonstrating the capability of the sensor to measure density variations in different gas species. In addition, the transient response of the sensor in vacuum is demonstrated. These data extend and improve upon the results previously presented by the authors in Ref. [1].

Polzin, Kurt A.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Oceanic Satellite Data Distribution System

The Satellite Data Distribution System (SDDS) serves to process satellite-derived ocean observations, generate ocean analysis and forecast products, and distribute the products to a limited set of commercial users. The SDDS functions in series with the U.S. Navy Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center (FNOC) to provide products on a near-real-time basis to commercial marine industries. Conventional meteorological and oceanographic observations provided to FNOC serve as the input set to the numerical analysis and forecast models. Large main-frame computers are used to analyze and forecast products on a routine, operational basis (at 6-hour and 12-hour synoptic times). The products, reformatted to meet commercial users needs, are transferred to a NASA-owned computer for storage and distribution. Access to the information is possible either by a commercial dial-up packet-switching network or by a direct computer-computer connection.

Montgomery, D. R.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Recovery of Lunar Surface Access Module Residual and Reserve Propellants

The Vision for Space Exploration calls for human exploration of the lunar surface in the 2020 timeframe. Sustained human exploration of the lunar surface will require supply, storage, and distribution of consumables for a variety of mission elements. These elements include propulsion systems for ascent and descent stages, life support for habitats and extra-vehicular activity, and reactants for power systems. NASA KSC has been tasked to develop technologies and strategies for consumables transfer for lunar exploration as part of the Exploration Technology Development Program. This paper will investigate details of operational concepts to scavenge residual propellants from the lunar descent propulsion system. Predictions on the mass of residuals and reserves are made. Estimates of heat transfer and boiloff rates are calculated and transient tank thermodynamic issues post-engine cutoff are modeled. Recovery and storage options including cryogenic liquid, vapor and water are discussed, and possible reuse of LSAM assets is presented.

Notardonato, William U.↗

NASA NTRS1988

An integrated and modular digital modeling approach for the space station electrical power system development

An electrical power system for the Space Station was designed, developed and built. This system provides for electrical power generation, conditioning, storage, and distribution. The initial configuration uses photovoltaic power generation. The power system control is based on a hierarchical architecture to support the requirements of automation. In the preliminary design and technology development phase of the program, various modeling techniques and software tools were evaluated for the purpose of meeting the Space Station power system modeling requirements. Rocketdyne and LeRC jointly selected the EASY5 simulation software, developed by Boeing Computer Services, as a system level modeling tool. The application of the selected analytical modeling approach to represent the entire power system is described. Typical results of model predictions are also summarized. The equipment modeled includes solar arrays, dc to ac converters, resonant inverters, battery storage system, alternator, transmission line, switch gear, and system level microprocessor controls. During the advanced development phase of this program, several models were developed using this approach.

Gombos, Frank J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

An integrated and modular digital modeling approach for the Space Station electrical power system development

Gombos, Frank J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Measurements over distributed high performance computing and storage systems

Requirements are carefully described in descriptions of systems to be acquired but often there is no requirement to provide measurements and performance monitoring to ensure that requirements are met over the long term after acceptance. A set of measurements for various UNIX-based systems will be available at the 1992 Goddard Conference on Mass Storage Systems and Technologies. The authors invite others to contribute to the set of measurements. The framework for presenting the measurements of supercomputers, workstations, file servers, mass storage systems, and the networks that interconnect them are given. Production control and database systems are also included. Though other applications and third party software systems are not addressed, it is important to measure them as well. The capability to integrate measurements from all these components from different vendors, and from the third party software systems was recognized and there are efforts to standardize a framework to do this. The measurement activity falls into the domain of management standards. Standards work is ongoing for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) systems management; AT&T, Digital, and Hewlett-Packard are developing management systems based on this architecture even though it is not finished. Another effort is in the UNIX International Performance Management Working Group. In addition, there are the Open Systems Foundation's Distributed Management Environment and the Object Management Group. A paper comparing the OSI systems management model and the Object Management Group model has been written. The IBM world has had a capability for measurement for various IBM systems since the 1970's and different vendors were able to develop tools for analyzing and viewing these measurements. Since IBM was the only vendor, the user groups were able to lobby IBM for the kinds of measurements needed. In the UNIX world of multiple vendors, a common set of measurements will not be as easy to get.

Williams, Elizabeth↗

DOE OSTI2020

Disposition of Newly Generated Transuranic Waste at ORNL - 20107

ORNL operates the High Flux Isotope Reactor, which provides a high neutron source for production of isotopes for medical, industrial, and nuclear research programs and is the US DoE's center for production, storage, and distribution for TRU isotopes (plutonium through californium). Operation of these facilities results in the generation of CH-TRU and RH-TRU waste for disposal at the WIPP. This paper describes the program ORNL is implementing in collaboration with the Carlsbad Field Office National TRU Program Difficult Waste Team to disposition newly generated TRU waste. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗