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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 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1950

Preliminary Performance Data on Westinghouse Electronic Power Regulator Operating on J34-WE-32 Turbojet Engine in Altitude Wind Tunnel

The behavior of the Westinghouse electronic power regulator operating on a J34-WE-32 turbojet engine was investigated in the NACA Lewis altitude wind tunnel at the request of the Bureau of Aeronautics, Department of the Navy. The object of the program was to determine the, steady-state stability and transient characteristics of the engine under control at various altitudes and ram pressure ratios, without afterburning. Recordings of the response of the following parameters to step changes in power lever position throughout the available operating range of the engine were obtained; ram pressure ratio, compressor-discharge pressure, exhaust-nozzle area, engine speed, turbine-outlet temperature, fuel-valve position, jet thrust, air flow, turbine-discharge pressure, fuel flow, throttle position, and boost-pump pressure. Representative preliminary data showing the actual time response of these variables are presented. These data are presented in the form of reproductions of oscillographic traces.

Ketchum, James R.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Power Electronics Materials and Bonded Interfaces - Reliability and Lifetime

Advanced packaging technologies are currently being designed and developed by the power electronics industry however, the maximum operating temperature is still limited to 175 degrees Celsius for the silicon carbide devices. Bonded materials such as sintered copper and polymeric materials are potential candidates for high temperature operation, but it is critical to characterize and evaluate its reliability under harsh operating conditions. In this project, we discuss the results of the accelerated experiments conducted on sintered copper and polymeric materials. Additionally, a novel framework to develop the lifetime prediction model of bonded interfaces through employing statistical and machine learning models are described. In this task, scanning acoustic microscope images of bonded interfaces obtained under thermal cycling experiments are used as the data.

ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1990

Power electronic applications for Space Station Freedom

NASA plans to orbit a permanently manned space station in the late 1990s, which requires development and assembly of a photovoltaic (PV) power source system to supply up to 75 kW of electrical power average during the orbital period. The electrical power requirements are to be met by a combination of PV source, storage, and control elements for the sun and eclipse periods. The authors discuss the application of power electronics and controls to manage the generation, storage, and distribution of power to meet the station loads, as well as the computer models used for analysis and simulation of the PV power system. The requirements for power source integrated controls to adjust storage charge power during the insolation period current limiting, breaker interrupt current values, and the electrical fault protection approach are defined. Based on these requirements, operating concepts have been defined which then become drivers for specific system and element design.

Pickrell, Roy L.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Electron energy distributions and electron impact source functions in Ar/N{sub 2} inductively coupled plasmas using pulsed power

In plasma materials processing, such as plasma etching, control of the time-averaged electron energy distributions (EEDs) in the plasma allows for control of the time-averaged electron impact source functions of reactive species in the plasma and their fluxes to surfaces. One potential method for refining the control of EEDs is through the use of pulsed power. Inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) are attractive for using pulsed power in this manner because the EEDs are dominantly controlled by the ICP power as opposed to the bias power applied to the substrate. In this paper, we discuss results from a computational investigation of EEDs and electron impact source functions in low pressure (5–50 mTorr) ICPs sustained in Ar/N{sub 2} for various duty cycles. We find there is an ability to control EEDs, and thus source functions, by pulsing the ICP power, with the greatest variability of the EEDs located within the skin depth of the electromagnetic field. The transit time of hot electrons produced in the skin depth at the onset of pulse power produces a delay in the response of the EEDs as a function of distance from the coils. The choice of ICP pressure has a large impact on the dynamics of the EEDs, whereas duty cycle has a small influence on time-averaged EEDs and source functions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Advanced Power Electronics Designs - Reliability and Prognostics

The electrical interconnection and isolation design aspects within an inverter must also provide high thermal performance and thermomechanical reliability. In collaboration with ORNL, DuPont, and Indiana Integrated Circuits (IIC), NREL is evaluating new packaging materials and manufacturing techniques for wide-bandgap-based traction inverters. Thermal modeling and experimental evaluation revealed that an organic direct-bond-copper (ODBC) substrate has similar thermal resistance to traditional ceramic substrates. High-temperature thermal cycling has shown the ODBC substrates to have greater reliability than ceramic substrates which is a significant finding in the quest for low-cost, power-dense, high-temperature power electronics. IIC's direct chip-to-chip topside electrical connection will be attached to ODBC substrates and reliability evaluation for both technologies will be performed at NREL in Q4.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2017

A Manufacturing Cost and Supply Chain Analysis of SiC Power Electronics Applicable to Medium-Voltage Motor Drives

Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices are increasingly being considered for use in certain power electronics applications, where they can improve efficiency, performance, footprint, and, potentially, total system cost compared to systems using traditional silicon (Si) devices. Silicon carbide (SiC) devices in particular -- which are currently more mature than other WBG devices -- are poised for growth in the coming years. Today, the manufacturing of SiC wafers is concentrated in the United States, and chip production is split roughly equally between the United States, Japan, and Europe. Established contract manufacturers located throughout Asia typically carry out manufacturing of WBG power modules. We seek to understand how global manufacturing of SiC components may evolve over time by illustrating the regional cost drivers along the supply chain and providing an overview of other factors that influence where manufacturing is sited. We conduct this analysis for a particular case study where SiC devices are used in a medium-voltage motor drive.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Vulnerability Assessments for Power-Electronics-Based Smart Grids

Here, in this paper, a novel method is proposed to evaluate the cyber security of the power-electronics-based smart grids (PESG). The proposed method considers the performance and stability of both the individual inverter and the grid. To our knowledge, this is a first attempt to evaluate the performance and stability of PESG due to cyber attacks. We first develop impedance-based modeling and cyber-attack modeling for PESG. Then we propose innovative two security criteria to evaluate the security of PESG, including stability-based and metrics-based. For metrics-based criteria, we propose to use both total harmonic distortion (THD) and space phasor model (SPM) to evaluate the inverter performance. The simulation results with a two-inverter-based power grid verify the validity and accuracy of the proposed security evaluation method. Results have shown that the performance and stability of PESG are significantly affected by cyber attacks, and thus there is indeed a need to further study cyber security issues of PESG.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS2019

Body of Knowledge (BOK): Gallium Nitride (GaN) Power Electronics for Space Applications

Gallium nitride (GaN), a wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor, has emerged as a very promising material for electronic components due to the tremendous advantages it offers compared to silicon (Si), such as power capability, extreme temperature tolerance, and high frequency operation. This presentation summarizes a body of knowledge (BOK) document in reference to the development and current status of GaN technology obtained via literature and industry surveys. It provides a listing of the major manufacturers and their capabilities, as well as government, industry, and academic parties interested in the technology. The presentation also discusses GaN's applications in the area of power electronics, in particular those geared for space missions. Finally, issues relevant to the reliability of GaN-based electronic parts are addressed and limitations affecting the full utilization of this technology are identified.

Boomer, Kristen↗
NASA NTRS1982

Simplification of power electronics for ion thruster neutralizers

A need exists for less complex and lower cost ion thruster systems. Design approaches and the demonstration of neutralizer power electronics for relaxed neutralizer keeper, tip heater, and vaporizer requirements are discussed. The neutralizer circuitry is operated from a 200 to 400 V bus and demonstrates an order of magnitude reduction in parts count. Furthermore, a new technique is described for regulating tip heater power and automatically switching over to provide keeper power with only four additional components. A new design to control the flow rate of the neutralizer with one integrated circuit is also presented.

Gruber, R. P.↗
DOE OSTI2018

SiC Power Electronics in Medium Voltage Motor Drives: Trade and Manufacturing Analysis

Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices are increasingly being considered for use in certain power electronics applications, where they can improve efficiency, performance, footprint, and, potentially, total system cost compared to systems using traditional silicon (Si) devices. Silicon carbide (SiC) devices in particular -- which are currently more mature than other WBG devices -- are poised for growth in the coming years. Today, the manufacturing of SiC wafers is concentrated in the United States, and chip production is split roughly equally between the United States, Japan, and Europe. Established contract manufacturers located throughout Asia typically carry out manufacturing of WBG power modules. We seek to understand how global manufacturing of SiC components may evolve over time by illustrating the regional cost drivers along the supply chain and providing an overview of other factors that influence where manufacturing is sited. We conduct this analysis for a particular case study where SiC devices are used in a medium-voltage motor drive.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Power Electronics Materials and Bonded Interfaces - Reliability and Lifetime

Wide-bandgap devices have pushed the operational limit of semiconductor devices in automotive power electronics packages to higher temperatures (>200 C). While a higher efficiency can be achieved through the use of wide-bandgap devices, the entire package must be re-designed with components that can withstand the higher temperature limits. Sintered silver and transient liquid phase bonds are potential candidates as bonded materials for use in higher temperatures however, the underlying mechanics of deformation under thermal loads and the resulting failure mechanisms in these materials are not well understood. Accelerated experiments conducted at NREL reveal that high-lead solder joints have better reliability than sintered silver under extreme thermal cycling conditions. Furthermore, efforts to develop a crack propagation model for the high-temperature materials are described.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Characterization of a Power Electronic Grid Simulator for Wind Turbine Generator Compliance Testing

This paper presents the commissioning results and testing capabilities of a multi-megawatt power electronic grid simulator situated in National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) new testing facility. The commissioning is done using a commercial type 4 multi-megawatt sized wind turbine generator (WTG) installed in NREL's new 5 MW dynamometer and a kilowatt sized type 1 WTG connected to the existing 2.5 MW dynamometer at NREL. The paper demonstrates the outstanding testing capability of the grid simulator and its application in the grid code compliance evaluation of WTGs including balanced and unbalanced voltage low and high fault ride-through. Furthermore, the paper provides insight into the performance of commercial WTGs during both normal and abnormal operating conditions.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1994

Overview of space power electronic's technology under the CSTI High Capacity Power Program

The Civilian Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) is a NASA Program targeted at the development of specific technologies in the areas of transportation, operations and science. Each of these three areas consists of major elements and one of the operation's elements is the High Capacity Power element. The goal of this element is to develop the technology base needed to meet the long duration, high capacity power requirements for future NASA initiatives. The High Capacity Power element is broken down into several subelements that includes energy conversion in the areas of the free piston Stirling power converter and thermoelectrics, thermal management, power management, system diagnostics, and environmental compatibility and system's lifetime. A recent overview of the CSTI High capacity Power element and a description of each of the program's subelements is given by Winter (1989). The goals of the Power Management subelement are twofold. The first is to develop, test, and demonstrate high temperature, radiation-resistant power and control components and circuits that will be needed in the Power Conditioning, Control and Transmission (PCCT) subsystem of a space nuclear power system. The results obtained under this goal will also be applicable to the instrumentation and control subsystem of a space nuclear reactor. These components and circuits must perform reliably for lifetimes of 7-10 years. The second goal is to develop analytical models for use in computer simulations of candidate PCCT subsystems. Circuits which will be required for a specific PCCT subsystem will be designed and built to demonstrate their performance and, also, to validate the analytical models and simulations. The tasks under the Power Management subelement will now be described in terms of objectives, approach and present status of work.

Schwarze, Gene E.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Guest Editorial Special Issue on Emerging Topics of Power Electronics Interfaced Battery Energy Storage System

No doubt, battery energy storage systems have been the enabling solution to balance generation and consumption of power systems with high-penetration renewable energy resources, long-range electric vehicles, and various smart devices. Upon the battery has been manufactured, the rest of implementation issues become how to interface battery and related systems, how to regulate the charging/discharging power, and how to keep battery energy storage systems (BESSs) safe, reliable, and long-term service. In this editorial, we discuss how power electronic converters and associated control and optimization, which can maximize the value of BESSs, are devoted to provide cost-effective, efficient, and even revolutionary technologies.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Waste heat recovery power electronics cooling

A cooling system for an electrified vehicle includes a first cooling loop for circulating coolant for cooling at least one of power electronics and a motor/generator of the vehicle. The first coolant loop includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the coolant in the first cooling loop. A second cooling loop is provided for circulating coolant for cooling a battery of the vehicle. The second cooling loop includes a coolant chiller connected to a refrigeration system of the vehicle for exchanging heat in the coolant received from the battery with the refrigeration system of the vehicle.

Ernst, Timothy C.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Electrochemical Solution Growth of Bulk GaN for Power Electronics Substrates, Final Report

This project focused on developing a novel, scalable, and economic growth technique for bulk gallium nitride (GaN), a critical material for next-generation high-temperature power electronics. Large area, high-quality bulk GaN is required as a substrate material in order to grow highly efficient bipolar transistors for inverters and power conditioning. Attempting to grow GaN in bulk by traditional precipitation methods forces extreme thermodynamic and kinetic conditions, putting these techniques at the extremes of experimental science, which is unsuitable for large-area, cost-effective substrate growth. The Electrochemical Solution Growth (ESG) technique is a novel concept that addresses these issues in a unique way, and was developed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), in part under this program. The crucial step in demonstrating the technique’s feasibility was to deposit high-quality GaN on a seed crystal. The bulk of SNL’s activities were focused on developing conditions for deposition of GaN on a seed crystal (a thin film of GaN grown by metal organic chemical vapor phase deposition (MOCVD) on c-axis oriented sapphire) in a molten salt electrolyte solution using a rotating disk reactor (RDR) ESG apparatus. This project was actively funded from FY08 to FY12 by the Energy Storage Program and GaN Initiative for Grid Applications (GIGA) program of the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Some activities focused on silicon doping of GaN occurred in FY13 but only through the use of carryover funds.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗