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NASA NTRS2010

Advanced Space Fission Propulsion Systems

Fission has been considered for in-space propulsion since the 1940s. Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) systems underwent extensive development from 1955-1973, completing 20 full power ground tests and achieving specific impulses nearly twice that of the best chemical propulsion systems. Space fission power systems (which may eventually enable Nuclear Electric Propulsion) have been flown in space by both the United States and the Former Soviet Union. Fission is the most developed and understood of the nuclear propulsion options (e.g. fission, fusion, antimatter, etc.), and fission has enjoyed tremendous terrestrial success for nearly 7 decades. Current space nuclear research and technology efforts are focused on devising and developing first generation systems that are safe, reliable and affordable. For propulsion, the focus is on nuclear thermal rockets that build on technologies and systems developed and tested under the Rover/NERVA and related programs from the Apollo era. NTP Affordability is achieved through use of previously developed fuels and materials, modern analytical techniques and test strategies, and development of a small engine for ground and flight technology demonstration. Initial NTP systems will be capable of achieving an Isp of ~900 s at a relatively high thrust-to-weight ratio. The development and use of first generation space fission power and propulsion systems will provide new, game changing capabilities for NASA. In addition, development and use of these systems will provide the foundation for developing extremely advanced power and propulsion systems capable of routinely and affordably accessing any point in the solar system. The energy density of fissile fuel (8 x 10(exp 13) Joules/kg) is more than adequate for enabling extensive exploration and utilization of the solar system. For space fission propulsion systems, the key is converting the virtually unlimited energy of fission into thrust at the desired specific impulse and thrust-to-weight ratio. This presentation will discuss potential space fission propulsion options ranging from first generation systems to highly advanced systems. Ongoing research that shows promise for enabling second generation NTP systems with Isp greater than 1000 s will be discussed, as will the potential for liquid, gas, or plasma core systems. Space fission propulsion systems could also be used in conjunction with simple (water-based) propellant depots to enable routine, affordable missions to various destinations (e.g. moon, Mars, asteroids) once in-space infrastructure is sufficiently developed. As fuel and material technologies advance, very high performance Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) systems may also become viable. These systems could enable sophisticated science missions, highly efficient cargo delivery, and human missions to numerous destinations. Commonalities between NTP, fission power systems, and NEP will be discussed.

Houts, Michael G.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Discovery of a Similar to 5 Day Characteristic Timescale in the Kepler Power Spectrum of Zw 229-15

We present time series analyses of the full Kepler dataset of Zw 229− 15. This Kepler light curve- with a baseline greater than three years, composed of virtually continuous, evenly sampled 30-minute measurements - is unprecedented in its quality and precision. We utilize two methods of power spectral analysis to investigate the optical variability and search for evidence of a bend frequency associated with a characteristic optical variability timescale. Each method yields similar results. The first interpolates across data gaps to use the standard Fourier periodogram. The second, using the CARMA-based time-domain modeling technique of Kelly et al., does not need evenly-sampled data. Both methods find excess power at high frequencies that may be due to Kepler instrumental effects. More importantly both also show strong bends (delta alpha is approx. 2) at timescales of approx. 5 days, a feature similar to those seen in the X-ray PSDs of AGN but never before in the optical. This observed approx. 5 day timescale may be associated with one of several physical processes potentially responsible for the variability. A plausible association could be made with light -crossing, dynamical or thermal timescales, depending on the assumed value of the accretion disk size and on unobserved disk parameters such as alpha and H¬R. This timescale is not consistent with the viscous timescale, which would be years in a approx. 10(exp7) solar mass AGN such as Zw 229− 15. However there must be a second bend on long (& 1 year) timescales, and that feature could be associated with the viscous timescale.

timescale↗

NASA NTRS2016

Direction and Integration of Experimental Ground Test Capabilities and Computational Methods

This paper groups and summarizes the salient points and findings from two AIAA conference panels targeted at defining the direction, with associated key issues and recommendations, for the integration of experimental ground testing and computational methods. Each panel session utilized rapporteurs to capture comments from both the panel members and the audience. Additionally, a virtual panel of several experts were consulted between the two sessions and their comments were also captured. The information is organized into three time-based groupings, as well as by subject area. These panel sessions were designed to provide guidance to both researchers/developers and experimental/computational service providers in defining the future of ground testing, which will be inextricably integrated with the advancement of computational tools.

Dunn, Steven C.↗

DOE OSTI2020

NREL Supply Chain & Circular Economy Capabilities

NREL and JISEA have many supply chain competencies and capabilities. Utilizing these tools and with funding by the DOE Office of Science through the National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, a consortium of DOE national laboratories focused on response to COVID-19, provided by the Coronavirus CARES Act, an NREL team prepared case studies regarding necessary PPE to combat COVID.

analysis↗

NASA NTRS2017

To Meet or Not To Meet Physical vs. Virtual Configuration Control Board

This presentation will define the CCB, discuss its functions and members. We will look into traditional processes of managing change control via the CCB meeting and advanced practices utilizing enhanced product tools and technologies. Well step through a summary of the feedback from the community of CM professionals at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center of best practices as well as pros and cons for facilitating both a physical CCB and managing stakeholder approvals in a virtual environment. Attendees will come away with current industry strategies to determine if process for managing change control and approvals can be streamlined within their local work environments.

tools↗

DOE OSTI2023

Release of a High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) Steady-State Multiphysics Model to the Virtual Test Bed

The National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) accelerates the demonstration and deployment of advanced nuclear energy through inspiring stakeholders and the public, empowering innovators, and delivering successful outcomes. The Virtual Test Bed (VTB) supports this mission by providing an open-source repository of advanced test reactor models for industry, academia, and the public to utilize. During my time at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), I: • Verified the input files of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor • Generated computational results • Created user documentation for the HTTR • Uploaded a steady-state HTTR model to the Virtual Test Bed • Authored a conference publication on the model

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

NASA NTRS1979

Spinoff 1979

Technology is knowledge, the technical "know-how" employed by a society to produce things that improve the quality of human life. Like other forms of knowledge, it is transferable; once developed, technology can be applied to uses different-and often remote-from the original application. Thus, the technology that NASA has developed in more than two decades of space and aeronautical research constitutes a valuable national resource, a bank of knowledge available for secondary utilization, or "spinoff." NASA mainline programs, by their challenging nature, are particularly demanding of technological advance; meeting their goals has forced extraordinary advancements in virtually every scientific and technological discipline. For that reason, the wealth of aerospace-generated knowledge available for transfer is exceptionally diverse, and much of it is readily applicable to secondary use over a broad spectrum of public needs and conveniences. Through its Congressionally mandated Technology Utilization Program, NASA seeks to promote wider use of this technological resource. The program provides a link between the technology bank and those in either the private or public sectors who might be able to re-use the technology productively. Its aim is to accelerate the transfer process, to bring to the marketplace sooner those spinoffs which might eventually occur in the normal course of events, and to gain thereby more immediate economic benefit in terms of new products and new jobs. The program has been remarkably successful. Since its inception 17 years ago, thousands of spinoff products and processes have emerged. Some of these innovations bring only moderate increments of economic gain or lifestyle improvement, but many others amount to significant public benefits, with economic values often running to millions of dollars. Collectively, spinoffs provide a substantial bonus return on the funds invested in aerospace research. This publication is intended to increase public awareness of the resource that is NASA's technology bank and its potential for further public benefit. It is devoted primarily to the NASA technology transfer process, but in the interests of perspective it also describes related areas of NASA endeavor. Section 1 consists of a resume of NASA's current mainline programs. These programs are producing direct public benefit through direct application of technology; at the same time, they are contributing to indirect benefit-spinoff-by generating new technology which may find secondary application in the future. Section 2 is the focal point of this volume. It contains a representative sampling of spinoff products and processes employed in various avenues of everyday life, and it describes briefly the NASA technology from which these transfers derived. Section 3 details the mechanisms of the technology transfer process, including the means by which NASA seeks to stimulate technology utilization. Also described are NASA's activities in a related area of technology transfer: provision of assistance to agencies interested in exploiting the benefit potential of satellite remote sensing technology.

Haggerty, James J.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Performance assessment of a real water source heat pump within a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing environment

Over the last decade, the global fight against climate change through electrification has led to an increase in research on building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that utilize intelligent control algorithms to provide demand-side grid service while also maintaining the thermal comfort of building occupants. As the pivotal point between building electricity consumption and indoor thermal comfort, high-efficiency electrical vapor-compression heat pumps are at the center of these emerging studies, and various grid-interactive and occupant-comfort control algorithms have been developed for them. The impact of these algorithms on heat pump operation and performance when subjected to different weather conditions, building loads, and grid requests calls for investigation and verification via experimental testing with actual heat pumps integrated with real-time building and grid responses. This study introduces a Water-Source Heat Pump (WSHP) Hardware-in-The-Loop (HIL) Test Facility that is the first of its kind. This testbed utilizes a 2-ton variable speed water-to-air heat pump that is capable of interacting with a virtual environment currently comprised of an EnergyPlus (E+) building simulation, an agent-based occupant behavioral model, and a single U-tube ground-loop heat exchanger (GLHE) model. Detailed descriptions of the testbed’s physical design and operation, virtual environment, as well as their mutual communication is provided. An uncertainty analysis is also performed under manufacturer specified heating and cooling design conditions. This analysis shows that the total load across the WSHP’s demand side heat exchanger, i.e., the sum of its latent and sensible components, can be measured with a relative uncertainty of ± 10.4% and ± 3.6% in cooling and heating mode respectively. The WSHP’s coefficient of performance (COP) can be measured with relative uncertainties of ± 10.4% in cooling mode, and ± 3.7% in heating mode. A preliminary 24-h experimental demonstration is then performed utilizing the DOE prototype small commercial office building model in E+. The simulation takes place in Atlanta, GA on the date of 08/26/15 from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM using TMY3 weather data. Here, the results from this demonstration show that over the course of this experiment the simulated outputs of zone dry-bulb temperature, zone humidity ratio, and WSHP inlet water temperature can be tracked by testbed emulators up to a root mean squared error (RMSE) of ± 0.27 °C, ± 0.376 g/kg, and ± 0.85 °C respectively. The WSHP’s dynamic behavioral characteristics and performance are also captured, and correspond well with the authors’ previous understanding of heat pump efficiency as a function of evaporator and condenser fluid inlet conditions respectively.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS2008

System and technique for retrieving depth information about a surface by projecting a composite image of modulated light patterns

A technique, associated system and program code, for retrieving depth information about at least one surface of an object. Core features include: projecting a composite image comprising a plurality of modulated structured light patterns, at the object; capturing an image reflected from the surface; and recovering pattern information from the reflected image, for each of the modulated structured light patterns. Pattern information is preferably recovered for each modulated structured light pattern used to create the composite, by performing a demodulation of the reflected image. Reconstruction of the surface can be accomplished by using depth information from the recovered patterns to produce a depth map/mapping thereof. Each signal waveform used for the modulation of a respective structured light pattern, is distinct from each of the other signal waveforms used for the modulation of other structured light patterns of a composite image; these signal waveforms may be selected from suitable types in any combination of distinct signal waveforms, provided the waveforms used are uncorrelated with respect to each other. The depth map/mapping to be utilized in a host of applications, for example: displaying a 3-D view of the object; virtual reality user-interaction interface with a computerized device; face--or other animal feature or inanimate object--recognition and comparison techniques for security or identification purposes; and 3-D video teleconferencing/telecollaboration.

Hassebrook, Laurence G.↗

NASA NTRS2010

System and technique for retrieving depth information about a surface by projecting a composite image of modulated light patterns

A technique, associated system and program code, for retrieving depth information about at least one surface of an object, such as an anatomical feature. Core features include: projecting a composite image comprising a plurality of modulated structured light patterns, at the anatomical feature; capturing an image reflected from the surface; and recovering pattern information from the reflected image, for each of the modulated structured light patterns. Pattern information is preferably recovered for each modulated structured light pattern used to create the composite, by performing a demodulation of the reflected image. Reconstruction of the surface can be accomplished by using depth information from the recovered patterns to produce a depth map/mapping thereof. Each signal waveform used for the modulation of a respective structured light pattern, is distinct from each of the other signal waveforms used for the modulation of other structured light patterns of a composite image; these signal waveforms may be selected from suitable types in any combination of distinct signal waveforms, provided the waveforms used are uncorrelated with respect to each other. The depth map/mapping to be utilized in a host of applications, for example: displaying a 3-D view of the object; virtual reality user-interaction interface with a computerized device; face--or other animal feature or inanimate object--recognition and comparison techniques for security or identification purposes; and 3-D video teleconferencing/telecollaboration.

Hassebrook, Laurence G.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Virtual reality as a human factors design analysis tool: Macro-ergonomic application validation and assessment of the Space Station Freedom payload control area

A virtual reality (VR) Applications Program has been under development at MSFC since 1989. Its objectives are to develop, assess, validate, and utilize VR in hardware development, operations development and support, missions operations training, and science training. A variety of activities are under way within many of these areas. One ongoing macro-ergonomic application of VR relates to the design of the Space Station Freedom Payload Control Area (PCA), the control room from which onboard payload operations are managed. Several preliminary conceptual PCA layouts have been developed and modeled in VR. Various managers and potential end users have virtually 'entered' these rooms and provided valuable feedback. Before VR can be used with confidence in a particular application, it must be validated, or calibrated, for that class of applications. Two associated validation studies for macro-ergonomic applications are under way to help characterize possible distortions of filtering of relevant perceptions in a virtual world. In both studies, existing control rooms and their 'virtual counterparts will be empirically compared using distance and heading estimations to objects and subjective assessments. Approaches and findings of the PCA activities and details of the studies are presented.

Hale, Joseph P.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Modified Virtual Oscillator-Based Operation of Grid-Forming Converters with Single Voltage Sensor: Preprint

This paper proposes a virtual oscillator-based control architecture for a grid-forming converter with an inner current control loop. In general, the virtual oscillator is based on a Lienard type of oscillator equation with a cubic nonlinearity. A virtual oscillator alone cannot accommodate unbalanced or harmonic mitigation while operating converters in grid-forming mode. Therefore, to accomplish better tracking performance, incorporating the provision for nonlinear and/or unbalanced loads, an inner current control loop is utilized that is based on the Lyapunov energy function type control architecture. To reduce the overall cost of implementation and ensure proper phase difference in the generated voltages, the implemented virtual oscillator operates with only one voltage feedback from the point of common coupling. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach, the overall system has been modeled in MATTLAB/Simulink and PLECS domain. This paper also presents case studies showing the successful production of low harmonic load voltages under nonideal loading conditions, along with other important results.

dual second order generalized integrator↗

DOE OSTI2024

Distributed Energy, Utility Scale: 30 Proven Strategies to Increase VPP Enrollment [Slides]

After decades of low or declining growth in electricity demand, the U.S. now faces a significant near-term need for new generation capacity and transmission and distribution infrastructure. Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) can meet a large portion of the gap between electricity supply and growing demand, but only if deployed at an increased scale. This study provides 30 proven strategies for scaling VPPs through increased enrollment based on in-depth interviews with utilities and VPP solutions providers that have achieved considerable scale or rapid growth in program deployment. The study includes specific actions for regulators, utilities, and VPP solutions providers to increase VPP enrollment and deliver important customer and utility benefits.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2021

AMO Fall 2020 Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Virtual Workshop

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Manufacturing Office held the Fall 2020 Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Virtual Workshop in September 2020. The workshop brought together more than 90 individuals representing manufacturers, end users, utilities, academia, government, and other stakeholders to discuss the potential role that energy-efficient combined heat and power (CHP) technologies can play in enhancing the energy flexibility and resilience of manufacturing facilities, as well as the advancements needed to bolster technology adoption. This workshop report summarizes the presentations, panel discussions, and breakout group discussions that took place at this event.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS1990

AIRNET: A real-time comunications network for aircraft

A real-time local area network was developed for use on aircraft and space vehicles. It uses token ring technology to provide high throughput, low latency, and high reliability. The system was implemented on PCs and PC/ATs operating on PCbus, and on Intel 8086/186/286/386s operating on Multibus. A standard IEEE 802.2 logical link control interface was provided to (optional) upper layer software; this permits the controls designer to utilize standard communications protocols (e.g., ISO, TCP/IP) if time permits, or to utilize a very fast link level protocol directly if speed is critical. Both unacknowledged datagram and reliable virtual circuit services are supported. A station operating an 8 MHz Intel 286 as a host can generate a sustained load of 1.8 megabits per second per station, and a 100-byte message can be delivered from the transmitter's user memory to the receiver's user memory, including all operating system and network overhead, in under 4 milliseconds.

Weaver, Alfred C.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Robe Development for Electrical Conductivity Analysis in an Electron Gun Produced Helium Plasma

The use of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power conversion systems, potentially coupled with a fission power source, is currently being investigated as a driver for an advanced propulsion system, such as a plasma thruster. The efficiency of a MHD generator is strongly dependent on the electrical conductivity of the fluid that passes through the generator; power density increases as fluid conductivity increases. Although traditional MHD flows depend on thermal ionization to enhance the electrical conductivity, ionization due to nuclear interactions may achieve a comparable or improved conductivity enhancement while avoiding many of the limitations inherent to thermal ionization. Calculations suggest that nuclear-enhanced electrical conductivity increases as the neutron flux increases; conductivity of pure He-3 greater than 10 mho/m may be achievable if exposed to a flux greater than 10(exp 12) neutrons/cm2/s.) However, this remains to be demonstrated experimentally. An experimental facility has been constructed at the Propulsion Research Center at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, using helium as the test fluid. High energy electrons will be used to simulate the effects of neutron-induced ionization of helium gas to produce a plasma. These experiments will be focused on diagnosis of the plasma in a virtually static system; results will be applied to future tests with a MHD system. Initial experiments will utilize a 50 keV electron gun that can operate at up to a current of 200 micro A. Spreading the electron beam over a four inch diameter window results in an electron flux of 1.5x 10(exp 13) e/sq cm/s. The equivalent neutron flux that would produce the same ionization fraction in helium is 1x10(exp 12) n/sq cm/s. Experiments will simulate the neutron generated plasma modeled by Bitteker, which takes into account the products of thermal neutron absorption in He-3, and includes various ion species in estimating the conductivity of the resulting plasma. Several different probes will be designed and implemented to verify the plasma kinetics model. System parameters and estimated operating ranges are summarized. The predicted ionization fraction, electron density, and conductivity levels are provided in for an equivalent neutron flux of 1x10(exp 12) n/cm2/s. Understanding the complex plasma kinetics throughout a MHD channel is necessary to design an optimal power conversion system for space propulsion applications. The proposed experiments seek to fully characterize the helium plasma and to determine the reliability of each measurement technique, such that they may be applied to more advanced MHD studies. The expected value of each plasma parameter determined from theoretical models will be verified experimentally by several independent techniques to determine the most reliable method of obtaining each parameter. The results of these experiments will be presented in the final paper.

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

AstroAmpSeq: Microbial Bioinformatics Education with NASA GeneLab’s Amplicon Pipeline

The prevalence and importance of large sequencing datasets in microbiology has led to a movement to share microbial ecology experimental data through open-access databases. This is particularly true of experiments that are difficult to replicate, such as those conducted in the spaceflight environment and shared via NASA GeneLab. It is now possible and indeed valuable for students to access and re-analyze these shared datasets for educational and research purposes. To provide students with experience utilizing microbial bioinformatics tools, GeneLab for Colleges and Universities (GL4U) has designed AstroAmpSeq, a week-long, virtually implemented project-based learning (PBL) minicourse to instruct undergraduate students on 16S amplicon sequencing. AstroAmpSeq was created to be accessible to students without prior bioinformatics or microbial ecology experience. During the minicourse students work in teams to process, analyze, and visualize a subsample of GeneLab dataset GLDS-280 using GeneLab’s standard amplicon processing pipeline, which is based in R. Students develop a hypothesis related to the dataset then generate and analyze figures to evaluate their hypothesis. Formative assessment of student learning is determined via pre- and post-evaluations, peer feedback, and self-reflection. Project and presentation rubrics serve as a summative assessment of student learning. GL4U AstroAmpSeq not only meets American Society for Microbiology Curriculum Guidelines, but also incites student interest in research by an inquiry-based approach and can be made part of a larger semester-long curriculum. GL4U AstroAmpSeq raises awareness of space microbiology and bioinformatics as a field and career path among undergraduates. Further, by using a GeneLab dataset and nesting microbiology techniques into the real-world application of space biology, AstroAmpSeq enforces deeper and longer-lasting student learning.

microbiology↗

DOE OSTI2025

Utility-Scale Operational Consequences for Solar Grid Services

This report delves into the critical aspects of grid services provided by solar inverter-based resources (IBRs), with an emphasis on the evolving landscape of microgrids, virtual power plants (VPPs), aggregators, and distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS). As the energy sector undergoes a transformative shift towards more decentralized and resilient grid architectures, understanding the multifaceted risks associated with these technologies becomes paramount. The report categorizes these risks into organizational, technical, and procedural domains, providing a thorough risk assessment framework that stakeholders can utilize to anticipate and mitigate potential issues. In addressing the increasing complexity of grid interconnections, the report highlights the importance of Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE). By embedding engineering controls and cybersecurity measures into the early stages of system design, this approach aims to fortify grid infrastructure against emerging cyber threats. The analysis includes an exploration of best practices and strategies for integrating CIE principles to enhance grid security and resilience. To provide practical insights, the report conducts a detailed consequence analysis of various grid services and cyber mitigations that can be applied through the interconnection process. This analysis evaluates the potential impacts of different failure modes and vulnerabilities, offering a clear understanding of the consequences that could arise from disruptions within the energy grid. The findings are further enriched by a series of case studies that illustrate real-world scenarios and lessons learned from past incidents. Through this comprehensive examination of grid services and their criticality, the report aims to prepare industry professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of modern energy systems. By providing a comprehensive approach that includes risk assessment, cybersecurity, and consequence analysis, solar stakeholders can more effectively guarantee the reliability, efficiency, and security of the energy grid.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗