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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

NASA Tech Briefs, November 2004

Topics include: Multifunction Imaging and Spectroscopic Instrument; Position-Finding Instrument Built Around a Magnetometer; Improved Measurement of Dispersion in an Optical Fiber; Probe for Sampling of Interstitial Fluid From Bone; Neuropsychological Testing of Astronauts; Method of Calibration for a Large Cathetometer System; Four-Channel PC/104 MIL-STD-1553 Circuit Board; Improved Method of Locating Defects in Wiring Insulation; Strobe Traffic Lights Warn of Approaching Emergency Vehicles; Improved Timing Scheme for Spaceborne Precipitation Radar; Concept for Multiple-Access Free-Space Laser Communications; Variable Shadow Screens for Imaging Optical Devices; Verifying Diagnostic Software; Initial Processing of Infrared Spectral Data; Activity-Centric Approach to Distributed Programming; Controlling Distributed Planning; New Material for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy; Treated Carbon Nanofibers for Storing Energy in Aqueous KOH; Advanced Infant Car Seat Would Increase Highway Safety; Development of Biomorphic Flyers; Second-Generation Six-Limbed Experimental Robot; Miniature Linear Actuator for Small Spacecraft; Process for Making Single-Domain Magnetite Crystals; A New Process for Fabricating Random Silicon Nanotips; Resin-Transfer-Molding of a Tool Face; Improved Phase-Mask Fabrication of Fiber Bragg Gratings; Tool for Insertion of a Fiber-Optic Terminus in a Connector; Nanofluidic Size-Exclusion Chromatograph; Lightweight, Low-CTE Tubes Made From Biaxially Oriented LCPs; Using Redundancy To Reduce Errors in Magnetometer Readings; Compact Instrument for Measuring Profile of a Light Beam; Multilayer Dielectric Transmissive Optical Phase Modulator; Second-Generation Multi-Angle Imaging Spectroradiometer; Real-Time Adaptive Color Segmentation by Neural Networks; Research and Development in Optical Communications; Tests of Multibeam Scintillation Mitigation on Laser Uplinks; and Spaceborne Infrared Atmospheric Sounder.

Source record↗

The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska: Advancing Clean, Resilient, and Sovereign Energy

The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska (ITKN) is a federally recognized Native American Tribe located along the Missouri River on the border of northeast Kansas and southeastern Nebraska. There are over 800 residents (Tribal citizens and non-Tribal) who live on the reservation, as well as more than 500 people who visit or work on the reservation on a daily basis. The ITKN faces many energy challenges, including rising service costs and dozens of power outages annually that impact resident well-being and business activities on Tribal lands. Power service issues are made more challenging by the remoteness of the reservation, which is 20 miles from the nearest town. Despite this, the ITKN has a long history of cultural and economic resilience: Local self-reliance, environmental stewardship, respecting the carrying capacity of the land, and strengthening the community are Tribal communities' traditional strengths. Long-term energy goals for the ITKN are centered around achieving energy sovereignty. Priority actions include: (1) Establishing a Tribal Utility Authority (TUA) to promote social welfare and community development.; (2) Deploying renewable community microgrids with ground-mount solar arrays and sustainable energy storage systems to advance energy sovereignty, resilience, and reliability. To advance these goals, the ITKN partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Communities LEAP (Local Energy Action Program) pilot. From August 2022 to March 2024, the ITKN community coalition collaborated with technical assistance providers at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories to evaluate TUA planning needs and microgrid deployment scenarios. This fact sheet provides an overview of the results and outcomes from the Communities LEAP technical assistance process.

Communities Leap↗

Optimizing Distributed Photovoltaic System Set Points Under Uncertainty

We explore the potential for using dynamic programming (DP) and approximate dynamic programming (ADP) techniques to optimize the set points of distributed photovoltaic (DGPV) inverters under uncertainty about future DGPV deployment. We consider a case where a large (=1MW) system is installed first, and growth in deployment of small rooftop systems is anticipated, but uncertain. We find that for a real feeder (EPRI's J1 feeder), a significant reduction in the number and severity of voltage violations can be expected when DP or ADP is used compared to selecting set points based on the current conditions (the traditional myopic approach). Additionally, we find that using a simple ADP algorithm, sampled backward induction, is more than twice as fast as DP with similar outcomes.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Advanced Sensor Deployment for Distribution System State Estimation and Fault Identification

Distribution systems are currently facing steep operational challenges as a result of the rapidly increasing integration of renewables and other distributed energy resources (DERs) at both the primary and secondary circuit levels. Distribution utilities and system operators have traditionally had some visibility of their primary circuits using low-frequency supervisory control and data acquisition systems, and they have had very poor if not zero visibility of the secondary circuits where the presence of DERs is constantly increasing. Therefore, this paper presents simulation studies to demonstrate the benefits of an advanced, high-fidelity sensor technology, called as the Meta-Alert System (MAS), developed by Electrical Grid Monitoring, Ltd. (EGM), on the distribution grid. First, a reliable model of the EGM sensors is developed, and then two use cases, distribution system state estimation (DSSE) and fault identification are simulated to evaluate the performance of the MAS technology. Simulation results on the Electric Power Research Institute J1 feeder demonstrate that the MAS can effectively participate in system-level DSSE programs and can detect and locate faults faster than traditional distribution protection schemes.

distribution system↗

New Measurements of the Deuteron-to-Proton 𝐹 2 Structure-Function Ratio

Nucleon structure functions, as measured in lepton-nucleon scattering, have historically provided a critical observable in the study of partonic dynamics within the nucleon. However, at very large parton momenta, it is both experimentally and theoretically challenging to extract parton distributions due to the probable onset of nonperturbative contributions and the unavailability of high-precision data at critical kinematics. Extraction of the neutron structure and the d quark distribution have been further challenging because of the necessity of applying nuclear corrections when utilizing scattering data from a deuteron target to extract the free neutron structure. However, a program of experiments has been carried out recently at the energy-upgraded Jefferson Lab electron accelerator aimed at significantly reducing the nuclear correction uncertainties on the d quark distribution function at large partonic momentum. This allows leveraging the vast body of deuterium data covering a large kinematic range to be utilized for d quark parton distribution function extraction. In this Letter, we present new data from experiment E12-10-002, carried out in Jefferson Lab Experimental Hall C, on the deuteron to proton cross section ratio at large Bjorken 𝑥. These results significantly improve the precision of existing data and provide a first look at the expected impact on quark distributions extracted from parton distribution function fits.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

NNSA Minority Serving Institute Partnership Program (MSIPP)— Advanced Synergistic Program for Indigenous Research in Engineering (ASPIRE) (FY22 Q1 Progress Report)

In 2016, the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) initiated the Minority Serving Institution Partnership Plan (MSIPP) targeting Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to offer programs that will prepare students for technical careers in NNSA’s laboratories and production plants. The MSIPP consortium’s approach is as follows: 1) align investments at the college and university level to develop a curriculum and workforce needed to support NNSA’s nuclear weapon enterprise mission, and 2) to enhance research and education at under-represented colleges and universities. The first TCU consortium that MSIPP launched was known as the Advanced Manufacturing Network Initiative (AMNI) whose purpose was to develop additive manufacturing (AM) learning opportunities. The AMNI consortium consisted of Bay Mills Community College, Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Navajo Tech University, Salish Kootenai Community College, Turtle Mountain Community College, and United Tribes Technical College. In 2016, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), the AMNI consortium and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI), in collaboration with Sandia National Labs, using a grant by NNSA hosted the first TCU Advanced Manufacturing Technology Summer Institute (TCU AMTSI). The AMNI consortium will officially end Sept. 2022. However, building on the successes of AMNI, in FY22 NNSA’s MSIPP launched three additional consortiums: (1) the Indigenous Mutual Partnership to Advanced Cybersecurity Technology (IMPACT), which focuses on STEM and cybersecurity, (2) the Advanced Synergistic Program for Indigenous Research in Engineering (ASPIRE), which focuses on STEM and the electrical and mechanical engineering skills set needed for renewable and distributed energy systems, and (3) the Partnership for Advanced Manufacturing Education and Research (PAMER), which focuses on developing and maintaining a sustainable pathway for a highly trained, next-generation additive manufacturing workforce and a corresponding community of subject matter experts for NNSA enterprises. The following report summarizes the status update during this quarter for the ASPIRE program.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Application of remote thermal scanning to the NASA energy conservation program

Airborne thermal scans of all NASA centers were made during 1975 and 1976. The remotely sensed data were used to identify a variety of heat losses, including those from building roofs and central heating system distribution lines. Thermal imagery from several NASA centers is presented to demonstrate the capability of detecting these heat losses remotely. Many heat loss areas located by the scan data were verified by ground surveys. At this point, at least for such energy-intensive areas, thermal scanning is an excellent means of detecting many possible energy losses.

Bowman, R. L.↗

Controlled Islanding Strategy Considering Uncertainty of Renewable Energy Sources Based on Chance-constrained Model

Controlled islanding plays an essential role in preventing the blackout of power systems. Although there are several studies on this topic in the past, not enough attention is paid to the uncertainty brought by renewable energy sources (RESs) that may cause unpredictable unbalanced power and the observability of power systems after islanding that is essential for back-up black-start measures. Therefore, a novel controlled islanding model based on mixed-integer second-order cone and chance-constrained programming (MISOCCP) is proposed to address these issues. First, the uncertainty of RESs is characterized by their possibility distribution models with chance constraints, and the requirements, e. g., system observ-ability, for rapid back-up black-start measures are also considered. Then, a law of large numbers (LLN) based method is employed for converting the chance constraints into deterministic ones and reformulating the non-convex model into convex one. Finally, case studies on the revised IEEE 39-bus and 118-bus power systems as well as the comparisons among different models are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. The results show that the proposed model can result in less unbalanced power and better observability after islanding compared with other models.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Thermodynamic analysis of journal bearings operating under steady state loading in laminar regime

Thermohydrodynamic effects in journal bearings operating under steady load in laminar regime are investigated. An analytical model for the finite and infinitely long journal bearings is formulated. The model includes correction factors for the cavitation effects in the unloaded region of the bearing and the mixing of the recirculating oil and supply oil at the oil inlet. A finite difference computer program is developed to numerically solve the governing equations of the continuity, Reynolds, energy, Laplace heat conduction, and a viscosity-temperature relation simultaneously. The program includes a numerical technique for obtaining an isothermal shaft temperature. The numerical results of temperature distribution and the heat effects on the bearing load carrying capacity agree closely with those of experimental findings. Several different sets of simpler boundary conditions for the energy equation are studied.

Khonsari, M. M.↗

DERMS Online: A New Voltage Sensitivity-Enabled Feedback Optimization Framework: Preprint

This paper proposes a distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) solution by developing a new voltage sensitivity enabled feedback optimization framework. The key idea is to adopt a measurement feedback scheme to reformulate the original nonlinear optimization into a linear programming (LP) problem via perturb and observe-based voltage sensitivity analysis. The proposed solution eliminates the dependence on load knowledge and can be implemented online thanks to an efficient open-source solver for LP problems. The proposed DERMS online platform is generalizable to deal with various types of distributed energy resources (DERs), including distributed photovoltaics (PVs), energy storage, electric vehicles, demand response, etc. Comparison results with other control methods on a realistic distribution feeder in Southern California highlight the feasibility as well as benefits for the proposed framework.

distributed energy resources management↗

Solving the duck curve in a smart grid environment using a non-cooperative game theory and dynamic pricing profiles

With the intermittency that comes with electricity generation from renewables, utilizing dynamic pricing will encourage the demand-side to respond in a smart way that would minimize the electricity costs and flatten the net electricity demand curve. Determining the optimal dynamic pricing profile that would leverage distributed storage to flatten the curve is a novel idea that needs to be studied. Moreover, the economic feasibility of utilizing distributed electrical energy storage is still not given in the literature. Therefore, in this paper, a novel way of solving a citywide dynamic model using a bilevel programming algorithm is introduced. The problem is developed as a novel non-cooperative Stackelberg game that utilizes air-conditioning systems and electrical storage through the end-users to determine the optimal dynamic pricing profile. The results show that the combined effect of utilizing demand-side air-conditioning systems and distributed storage together can flatten the curve while employing the optimal dynamic pricing profile. An economic study is performed to determine the economic feasibility of 20 different cases with different battery designs and the level of solar penetration. Three metrics were used to evaluate the economic performance of each case: the levelized cost of storage, the levelized cost of energy, and the simple payback period. Most cases had levelized cost of storage values lower than 0.457 $/kWh, which is the lower bound available in the literature. Seven out of 16 cases have a simple payback period shorter than the lifetime of the system (25 years). The case with a 100 MW PV power plant and a battery storage of size 597 MWh, was found to be the most promising case with a simple payback period of 12.71 years for the photovoltaic plant and 19.86 years for the demand-side investments.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Power management

The multihundred kW power system management and a distribution program aims to develop critical components, circuits, and subsystems required to manage the generation, storage, and distribution of energy in large, orbital space systems. To accomplish this objective, a reference system including subsystems for the generation and storage of energy and management of electrical and thermal energy was designed and is being used to assess at the system level the impact of changing various subsystem parameters. A power management subsystem will then be designed. The subsystem is autonomous and based on ground utility systems concepts to the maximum extent possible. An agency power system breadboard is under development for characterizing and verifying the various component and subsystem technology developments.

Graves, J.↗

Manual of phosphoric acid fuel cell stack three-dimensional model and computer program

A detailed distributed mathematical model of phosphoric acid fuel cell stack have been developed, with the FORTRAN computer program, for analyzing the temperature distribution in the stack and the associated current density distribution on the cell plates. Energy, mass, and electrochemical analyses in the stack were combined to develop the model. Several reasonable assumptions were made to solve this mathematical model by means of the finite differences numerical method.

Lu, C. Y.↗

Advanced Stirling conversion systems for terrestrial applications

Under the Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Thermal Technology Program, Sandia National Laboratories (SNLA) is developing heat engines for terrestrial Solar Distributed Heat Receivers. SNLA has identified the Stirling to be one of the most promising candidates for the terrestrial applications. The free-piston Stirling engine (FPSE) has the potential to meet the DOE goals for both performance and cost. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center (LeRC) is conducting free-piston Stirling activities which are directed toward a dynamic power source for space applications. Space power system requirements include high efficiency, very long life, high reliability and low vibration. The FPSE has the potential for future high power space conversion systems, either solar or nuclear. Generic free-piston technology is currently being developed by LeRC for DOE/ORNL for use with a residential heat pump under an Interagency Agreement. Since 1983, the SP-100 Program (DOD/NASA/DOE) is developing dynamic power sources for space. Although both applications (heat pump and space power) appear to be quite different, their requirements complement each other. A cooperative Interagency Agreement (IAA) was signed in 1985 with NASA Lewis to provide technical management for an Advanced Stirling Conversion System (ASCS) for SNLA. Conceptual design(s) using a free-piston Stirling (FPSE), and a heat pipe will be discussed. The ASCS will be designed using technology which can reasonably be expected to be available in the 1980's.

Shaltens, R. K.↗

Spacecraft Power Systems Engineering: Solutions for NASA's Manned Space Program

An overview of spacecraft power systems is presented, with a focus on applications in the manned space program. The topics include: 1) History; 2) State-of-the-art; 3) Development directions; 4) Focus on applications in the manned space program led from JSC; 5) Power Systems Engineering Trade Space; 6) Power Generation and Energy Storage; 7) Power Distribution and Control; and 8) Actuation

Scott, John H.↗

Carbon-Based Quantum Information Science with Symmetry Protected Topological States (Final Report, DOE-BES award DE-SC0023105)

This research program established the scientific foundation for the rational, bottom-up design, synthesis, isolation, and investigation of symmetry-protected topological (SPT) electron spin qubits embedded in graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). The work focused on integrating atomically precise low-dimensional carbon nanostructures with emerging quantum logic architectures, providing a pathway toward scalable quantum materials for next-generation computing and sensing technologies. A central component of the program was the elucidation of fundamental relationships between real-space molecular architecture, local spin density distributions, electronic band dispersion, and energy level alignment in atomically precise GNR systems. These correlations define key operational parameters of SPT qubits and were systematically investigated to establish quantitative benchmarks against established molecular and solid-state spin qubit platforms. Attention was given to properties critical for quantum device performance, e.g. decoherence times, spectral sharpness of energy transitions, and tunable exchange interactions between spin states. The research demonstrated that these parameters can be engineered with atomic precision through scalable bottom-up synthetic strategies. Theory-guided design played a central role in identifying candidate structures hosting topologically protected spin states. Experimental validation was performed using both ensemble measurements and single-molecule characterization. In addition to advances in quantum materials synthesis, the program developed and applied spin-sensitive scanning probe microscopy techniques capable of directly probing quantum states and dynamic processes with atomic-scale spatial resolution. These capabilities enabled direct observation and characterization of quantum structures at the single-atom level. While the research activities were primarily hypothesis-driven fundamental investigations, the program adopted a comprehensive materials-by-design framework aimed at translating scientific discoveries into technological concepts compatible with scalable and intelligent manufacturing approaches.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Results of the Collaborative Energy and Water Cycle Information Services (CEWIS) Workshop on Heterogeneous Dataset Analysis Preparation

In support of the NASA Energy and Water Cycle Study (NEWS), the Collaborative Energy and Water Cycle Information Services (CEWIS), sponsored by NEWS Program Manager Jared Entin, was initiated to develop an evolving set of community-based data and information services that would facilitate users to locate, access, and bring together multiple distributed heterogeneous energy and water cycle datasets. The CEWIS workshop, June 15-16, 2010, at NASA/GSFC, was the initial step of the process, starting with identifying and scoping the issues, as defined by the community.

Kempler, Steven↗

A Power-Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) Evaluation of Service Restoration With Networked Microgrids

This paper describes the power-hardware-in-the- loop (PHIL) evaluation of the feasibility of service restoration solutions determined by the PowerModelsONM.jl tool. This tool incorporates microgrids and the networking of microgrids into its determination of an optimal service restoration solution. The paper presents PHIL simulation results for a case study based on a real distribution feeder with multiple microgrids, showcas- ing the effectiveness of networked microgrids in aiding system restoration after an outage. The study leverages high-fidelity, real- time electromagnetic transient models to ensure accuracy in the simulation results. This work is the final output from the Resilient Operation of Networked Microgrids (RONM) project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity Microgrid Program and led by Los Alamos National Laboratory. RONM focused on the application of PowerModelsONM.jl to enhance the resilience of distribution systems.

fault location isolation and service restoration (↗