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At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

Hemodynamic and thermal responses to head and neck cooling in men and women

Personal cooling systems are used to alleviate symptoms of multiple sclerosis and to prevent increased core temperature during daily activities. The objective of this study was to determine the operating characteristics and the physiologic changes produced by short term use of one commercially available thermal control system. A Life Support Systems, Inc. Mark VII portable cooling system and a liquid cooling helmet were used to cool the head and neck regions of 12 female and 12 male subjects (25-55 yr) in this study. The healthy subjects, seated in an upright position at normal room temperature (approximately 21 degrees C), were tested for 30 min with the liquid cooling garment operated at its maximum cooling capacity. Electrocardiograms and scalp and intracranial blood flows were recorded periodically during each test sequence. Scalp, right and left ear, and oral temperatures and cooling system parameters were logged every 5 min. Scalp, right and left ear canal, and oral temperatures were all significantly (P <0.05) reduced by 30 min of head and neck cooling. Oral temperatures decreased approximately 0.2-0.6 degrees C after 30 min and continued to decrease further (approximately 0.1-0.2 degrees C) for a period of approximately 10 min after removal of the cooling helmet. Intracranial blood flow decreased significantly (P < 0.05) during the first 10 min of the cooling period. Both right and left ear temperatures in the women were significantly lower than those of the men during the cooling period. These data indicate that head and neck cooling may be used to reduce core temperature to that needed for symptomatic relief of both male and female multiple sclerosis patients. This study quantifies the operating characteristics of one liquid cooling garment as an example of the information needed to compare the efficiency of other garments operated under different test conditions.

NASA Center ARC↗
NASA NTRS2013

Communications Dashboard (Control Rooms Take a Cue from Facebook), Chapter 1

Papers published via IEEE and AIAA conferences have presented an overview of how social media could benefit NASA working environments in general and proposed three specific social applications to benefit space flight control operations. One of them, Communications Dashboard, would help a real time flight controller keep up with both the "big picture" and significant details of operations via a cohesive interface similar to those of social networking services (SNS). Instead of recreational social features, "CommDash" would support functions like console logging, categorized and threaded text chat streams with enhanced accountability and graphics display features, high-level status displays driven by telemetry or other events, and an on-screen hailing function for requesting voice or text stream conversation. Moving certain voice conversations to text streams would reduce confusion and stress in two ways. Within text conversations, there would be far less repetition of content since text conversations have visual persistence and are reviewable instantly, e.g., there s no need to brief new participants to a discussion -- they just read what s already there. Remaining voice traffic would stand out more clearly, and quieter voice loops means fewer "say again" calls and less distraction from visual and mental tasks, thus less stress. (Most flight controllers monitor 4 or 5 voice loops at once.) Links could be created from console log entries to chat selections so that underlying details are readily available yet unobtrusive. This would reduce the confusion that rises from having multiple and sometimes divergent copies of the same information due to cut/copy and paste operations, attachments, and asynchronous editing. This concept could apply to a plethora of real time control environments and to other settings with lots of information juggling. This paper explores the dashboard concept in further detail and chronicles the first phase of a NASA IT Labs (Information Technology) project that could lead to a working system

Scott, David w.↗
DOE OSTI1992

Nuclear Safety [Vol. 33, No. 4, October-December 1992]

Nuclear Safety is a review journal that covers significant developments in the field of nuclear safety. Its scope includes the analysis and control of hazards associated with nuclear energy, operations involving fissionable materials, and the products of nuclear fission and their effects on the environment. Primary emphasis is on safety in reactor design, construction, and operation; however, the safety aspects of the entire fuel cycle, including fuel fabrication, spent-fuel processing, nuclear waste disposal, handling of radioisotopes, and environmental effects of these operations, are also treated. Table of Contents for this issue follows. GENERAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: 499 Technical Note: Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Examination Question Bank System, C. L Jensen and N. L. Skinner; 506 Report on the Specialists’ Meeting on Passive and Active Safety Features of Liquid-Metal Fast Breeder Reactors Organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency at Oarai Engineering Centre of Power Reactor and Nuclear Development Corporation, Japan, November 5-7,1991, S. R. Paranjpe; ACCIDENT ANALYSIS: 514 A Review of Hydrogen Production During Melt/Water Interaction in LWRs, D. F. Fletcher, B. D. Turland, and S. P. A. Lawrence; 535 A Review of the U 3 0 8 -Al Reaction as a Potential Heat Source in Research and Test Reactor Accidents, J. L. Snelgrove; CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION: 543 Multilevel Interfaces for Power Plant Control Rooms II: A Preliminary Design Space, K. J. Vicente; DESIGN FEATURES: 549 Twenty-Second DOE/NRC Nuclear Air Cleaning and Treatment Conference, R. R. Bellamy, D. W. Moeller, and M. W. First; 562 Book Review: Safety Assessment of Unit 5 (WWER-440/W-213) of the Greifswald Nuclear Power Station, M. H. Fontana; WASTE AND SPENT FUEL MANAGEMENT: 576 Activities Related to Waste and Spent Fuel Management, M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; OPERATING EXPERIENCES: 586 Analysis of Corrective Actions Applied to Nuclear Power Plant Operations, A. E. Cross; 593 Reactor Shutdown Experience, Compiled by J. W. Cletcher; 596 Operating U.S. Power Reactors, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; 609 Non-Commercial Power Operating Experience; 614 World Nuclear Performance, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim; RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: 623 General Administrative Activities, Compiled by M. D. Muhlheim and E. G. Silver; 635 Reports, Standards, and Safety Guides, D. S. Queener; 639 Proposed Rule Changes as of June 30, 1992; ANNOUNCEMENTS: 513 Fourth International Conference on Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and Waste Management RECOD '94; 585 International Topical Meeting on Advanced Reactors Safety; 622 International Workshop on Implementation of ALARA at Nuclear Power Plants; 648 Short Course on Nuclear Criticality Safety; 648 8th Topical Meeting on Problems in Reactor Physics MEPhi-VOLGA-93; 643 The Authors; 646 Reviewers of Nuclear Safety, Vol. 33

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS1980

Alignment and evaluation of the cryogenic corrected infrared astronomical satellite /IRAS/ telescope

Room temperature alignment and evaluation techniques for the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) telescope, which has a primary mirror figured to correct for surface distortions and the 2 K operating temperature are discussed. Interferometric cryogenic testing of the 0.6 m, f/1.5 lightweighted beryllium primary mirror at its intended operating temperature reveals surface distortions that can be modeled with Zernike polynomials. With this model, it becomes possible to derive the 'inverse' of the cryowavefront error (ideal cryo mirror) and to figure the cryo correction into the primary mirror using Perkin-Elmer's Computer Controlled Polisher. It is recognized that during room temperature assembly of the system, misalignment of the secondary mirror can introduce additional unwanted aberrations that may cancel or distort the wavefront errors purposely introduced by the cryo figuring. To avoid this possible degradation and to ensure optimum telescope performance, the system Zernike polynomial coefficients and wavefront maps generated from the in-process alignment interferograms are monitored and compared to Zernike coefficients and wavefront maps for the cryo corrected primary mirror.

Harned, N.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Upgrades at the Propulsion Systems Lab (PSL)

The Propulsion Systems Lab (PSL) does ground testing on full size air breathing engines. These engines range from those on commercial airplanes to fighter jets. At the PSL, engineers receive test requirements from customers and put together the necessary instrumentation, data systems, power requirements, electrical control valves, and engine controls. The engineers are also responsible for facility maintenance, repairs and upgrades. There are four major sections at the PSL; the Test floor, the Data room, the Control room and, the WDPF room. On the test floor are two test cells, cell #3 and cell #4. It is within these cells that the actual engine resides for ground testing. The cells, once sealed and taken up to altitude, are capable of reaching engine inlet temperatures of 1000 F to -90 F, and various atmospheric pressures. The engine, when operational, takes in air and gives out exhaust of up to 2000 F. The exhaust is led to another section of the cell where it is cooled to 150 F before finally redirected to the appropriate disposer. Temperature and pressure transducers detect the conditions within the cell and transmit them to the data room where the results are captured, processed, analyzed, and translated to a more comprehensive language. This is made possible with the aid of several programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and instrumentation and control systems. The translated data is then sent, via the LAN, to the control room where the results can be viewed on monitors by the engineers and customers. From the control room, the test cell conditions can be changed whenever desired. During tests, a lot takes place in the facility. The WDPF control system monitors and controls all facility parameters. This summer, I will assist the engineers; on an upgrade to the facility's distributed control and dynamic data system, in preparation for an engine test that will begin in September, the installation of control systems and various miscellaneous projects around the PSL.

Audu, Abdullahi M.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Procedure Parsing: A Method for Parsing Handwritten Documents into Computer-Based Procedures

The nuclear industry is heavily procedure driven, where almost everything has a step-by-step instruction that is expected to be followed in detail. Historically, these procedures were printed on paper copies. Recently, the industry transitioned towards electronic copies (i.e., PDFs on tablets). One major drive for this transition is the introduction of human error and loss of situation awareness when using paper copies. However, electronic copies of documents inherently have the same error traps as their paper cousins. Therefore, there is an increased interest in a way to utilize the information in the step-by-step guidance, but to present it in a dynamic manner that guides the user and adapts to any encountered conditions. Researchers at Idaho National Laboratory propose a flexible, automated method based on document parsing and augmented by natural language processing (NLP) techniques, to address these shortcomings and capitalize on these recent advancements in machine learning. The proposed method provides a cost-effective solution for computer-assisted procedure parsing of hand-written control room procedures, originally authored in Word or PDF formats, into instructions that can be displayed as computer-based procedures (CBP) in a modern graphical user interface. The researchers devised, implemented and demonstrated the Operating Procedure Extender for Novel Systems (OPENS) method in 2020. The key to OPENS is to map the original procedure text into a context-free grammar, tying content to equipment, locations, and other steps, actions, etc. This formal grammar is then used to isolate and define keywords and actions verbs, such as “measure” or “evaluate” and tie them to specific equipment referenced within that step or located in other steps, substeps, actions, subactions and tables throughout the procedure. OPENS generates an abstract syntax tree from the document which it uses to store a copy of this information in the open-standard, machine-readable and human-readable file formats XML and JSON. The XML is useful to preserve the relational aspects of the procedure for referencing tables and branching information so the user can be directed to the next appropriate active step based on the values entered for that step and previous steps. The JSON is useful for storing and exchanging data objects used to track responses to previous steps and state changes in simulated environments. In future iterations, these formats can also be used for storing more detailed information about input during plant operation or simulation. The techniques the researcher developed could further be improved by integration of recent advancements in machine learning. NLP methods could standardize documents, correct for grammatical error, and provide automated semantic validation. The researcher expects that self-supervised techniques applied to collections of natural language instructions could strengthen the model with broader context. All these methods together give us a practical way to automatically extract protocols from documents and user interactions, empowering researchers, procedure writers and nuclear operators while moving the industry forward.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
NASA NTRS2001

Collaboration Between NASA Centers of Excellence on Autonomous System Software Development

Software for space systems flight operations has its roots in the early days of the space program when computer systems were incapable of supporting highly complex and flexible control logic. Control systems relied on fast data acquisition and supervisory control from a roomful of systems engineers on the ground. Even though computer hardware and software has become many orders of magnitude more capable, space systems have largely adhered to this original paradigm In an effort to break this mold, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has invested in the development of model-based diagnosis and control applications for ten years having broad experience in both ground and spacecraft systems and software. KSC has now partnered with Ames Research Center (ARC), NASA's Center of Excellence in Information Technology, to create a new paradigm for the control of dynamic space systems. ARC has developed model-based diagnosis and intelligent planning software that enables spacecraft to handle most routine problems automatically and allocate resources in a flexible way to realize mission objectives. ARC demonstrated the utility of onboard diagnosis and planning with an experiment aboard Deep Space I in 1999. This paper highlights the software control system collaboration between KSC and ARC. KSC has developed a Mars In-situ Resource Utilization testbed based on the Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) reaction. This plant, built in KSC's Applied Chemistry Laboratory, is capable of producing the large amount of Oxygen that would be needed to support a Human Mars Mission. KSC and ARC are cooperating to develop an autonomous, fault-tolerant control system for RWGS to meet the need for autonomy on deep space missions. The paper will also describe how the new system software paradigm will be applied to Vehicle Health Monitoring, tested on the new X vehicles and integrated into future launch processing systems.

Goodrich, Charles H.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Artemis Internal Science Team Update: Artemis Science Flight Operations

The Artemis Internal Science Team (AIST) is positioned across NASA to provide crossmission Science leadership across the Agency and Artemis. To prepare for the next generation of planetary surface exploration-based extravehicular activities (EVAs), we draw heavily from experience with Apollo, SkyLab, Space Shuttle, International Space Station (ISS), and analog tests to design the structure by which science will be integrated in the Plan, Train, and Fly phases of Artemis missions. AIST members have been working for years to integrate science into the Artemis flight operations structure, most notably through a tight collaboration with the NASA JSC Flight Operations Directorate (FOD). This abstract describes several examples of this integration, including Structure of RealTime Science Integration, the development of the EVA Science Officer Flight Controller Position, the development and testing of the Science Evaluation Room, and the development of Training for Artemis Science Teams.

K E Young↗
NASA NTRS1992

Silicon device performance measurements to support temperature range enhancement

Testing of the metal oxide semiconductor (MOS)-controlled thyristor (MCT) has uncovered a failure mechanism at elevated temperature. The failure appears to be due to breakdown of the gate oxide. Further testing is underway to verify the failure mode. Higher current level inverters were built to demonstrate 200 C operation of the N-MOSFET's and insulated-gate-bipolar transistors (IGBT's) and for life testing. One MOSFET failed early in testing. The origin of this failure is being studied. No IGBT's have failed. A prototype 28-to-42 V converter was built and is being tested at room temperature. The control loop is being finalized. Temperature stable, high value (10 micro-F) capacitors appear to be the limiting factor in the design at this time. In this application, the efficiency will be lower for the IGBT version due to the large V sub(cesat) (3.5-4 V) compared to the input voltage of 28 V. The MOSFET version should have higher efficiency; however, the MOSFET does not appear to be as robust at 200 C. Both versions are built for comparison.

Bromstead, James↗
DOE OSTI2023

3D Modeling of Safety-Related Upgrade Pilot Project

Constellation Energy and the United States Department of Energy (DOE) have established a public/private partnership to implement a pilot digital upgrade to replace legacy analog, safety-related reactor protection and emergency safety feature actuation systems (RPS/ESFAS) with modern digital systems. This effort is occurring at Constellation’s Limerick Generating Station. This project is being performed in accordance with industry processes that have been adapted to better support digital upgrades. These processes include IP-ENG-001, Standard Design Process, NISP-EN-04, Standard Digital Engineering Process and Electric Power Research Institute Report 3002011816, Digital Engineering Guide. The Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has been supporting this effort. Latest INL HFE efforts in support of this project have focused on definition and implementation of the Human Factors Engineering (HFE) Program in support of Constellation design and related licensing efforts. This paper will present the development of the HFE 3D modeling execution of the Main Control Room safety upgrades. New equipment and modifications are planned for upgrading the new safety systems. 3D modeling allows for visualization of the new equipment and modifications to be shared with engineering and design teams for evaluation and review. Anthropometric considerations such as sight lines and functional reach can be evaluated directly using the 3D model. This effort has helped to provide visualizations for additional review with operations personnel and project stakeholders.

3D Modeling↗
NASA NTRS2010

Qualification and Selection of Flight Diode Lasers for Space Applications

The reliability and lifetime of laser diodes is critical to space missions. The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission includes a metrology system that is based upon laser diodes. An operational test facility has been developed to qualify and select, by mission standards, laser diodes that will survive the intended space environment and mission lifetime. The facility is situated in an electrostatic discharge (ESD) certified clean-room and consist of an enclosed temperature-controlled stage that can accommodate up to 20 laser diodes. The facility is designed to characterize a single laser diode, in addition to conducting laser lifetime testing on up to 20 laser diodes simultaneously. A standard laser current driver is used to drive a single laser diode. Laser diode current, voltage, power, and wavelength are measured for each laser diode, and a method of selecting the most adequate laser diodes for space deployment is implemented. The method consists of creating histograms of laser threshold currents, powers at a designated current, and wavelengths at designated power. From these histograms, the laser diodes that illustrate a performance that is outside the normal are rejected and the remaining lasers are considered spaceborne candidates. To perform laser lifetime testing, the facility is equipped with 20 custom laser drivers that were designed and built by California Institute of Technology specifically to drive NuSTAR metrology lasers. The laser drivers can be operated in constant-current mode or alternating-current mode. Situated inside the enclosure, in front of the laser diodes, are 20 power-meter heads to record laser power throughout the duration of lifetime testing. Prior to connecting a laser diode to the current source for characterization and lifetime testing, a background program is initiated to collect current, voltage, and resistance. This backstage data collection enables the operational test facility to have full laser diode traceablity.

Liebe, Carl C.↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Influence of Communication on the Complexity of Connected Lighting Systems

Experience in the Next Generation Lighting Systems (NGLS) ”Living Lab” at the Parsons School of Design, has clearly shown the impacts of communication on the configuration complexity of the connected lighting systems installed there. Since 2017, NGLS has invited manufacturers to submit connected lighting systems for assessment against a set of specifications. To date, 14 systems of wirelessly connected LED luminaires and controls have been installed in classrooms with existing lighting. In nine of the rooms, new LED linear pendants or recessed troffers replaced existing luminaires; in the other rooms, LED “kits” were retrofitted into the existing troffers. Eleven of the installations featured sensors integrated in the luminaires or retrofit kits; the others used ceiling mounted sensors. All systems provided wall control devices for manual operation. For half of the installations, the complete systems were furnished by single companies; for the other half, luminaires and controls were furnished by separate companies. A total of 18 different companies provided products, with four of these located outside the United States including, Korea, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands. In addition, two different electrical contractors in New York City provided multiple installation teams totaling 10 individuals, none of whom were familiar with any of the systems.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2026

In Situ High-Temperature Ultrafast Electron Diffraction through Integrated Furnace and MEMS Platforms

Temperature fundamentally governs phase stability, defect evolution, and transport behavior in materials. Despite its central role, direct measurements of structural evolution at elevated temperatures on ultrafast timescales have remained limited. Here, we report the design, integration, and validation of 2 complementary in situ heating platforms that substantially extend the thermal operating range of ultrafast electron diffraction (UED). A compact furnace-type heating stage enables stable diffraction measurements from room temperature to 800 K with ±0.1 K stability under ultrahigh vacuum, achieved through multi-sensor feedback control, dual air-cooling channels, and a thermally isolated motion stage. In parallel, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based heating platform provides rapid thermal response and access to extreme temperatures ≥1,373 K with ±0.1 K stability over hundreds-micrometer regions while supporting simultaneous electrical biasing for electrothermal coupling studies. Absolute temperature calibration is established using diffraction-based thermometry via aluminum lattice expansion and independently validated through in situ melting of bismuth thin films. UED measurements further reveal pronounced temperature-dependent nonequilibrium lattice dynamics in bismuth, including modifications to electron–phonon coupling and Debye–Waller behavior, as well as enhanced ultrafast diffuse scattering in aluminum at elevated temperatures. Together, these developments establish a practical framework for quantitative, time-resolved studies of temperature-driven kinetics and nonequilibrium structural dynamics under extreme thermal environments.

Bai, Qianqian [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), ↗
NASA NTRS1981

Cordless Instruments

Black & Decker's new cordless lightweight battery powered precision instruments, adapted from NASA's Apollo Lunar Landing program, have been designed to give surgeons optimum freedom and versatility in the operating room. Orthopedic instrument line includes a drill, a driver/reamer and a sagittal saw. All provide up to 20 minutes on a single charge. Power pack is the instrument's handle which is removable for recharging. Microprocessor controlled recharging unit can recharge two power packs together in 30 minutes. Instruments can be gas sterilized, steam-sterilized in an autoclave or immersed for easy cleaning.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2023

Smarter building start – A distributed solution

A significant focus of research and new technologies for reducing energy use in buildings is on operating the systems more efficiently during the times when the systems are active. However, there is a large potential for energy savings in determining the periods when the systems should or should not be active. This scheduling aspect of operation is often overlooked even though relatively simple solutions can unlock substantial energy savings. In this paper we describe a smart building start (SBS) algorithm that considers multiple zones in a building to determine individual schedules for room controllers as well as the central systems based on solving a simple optimization problem. Application of the SBS algorithm to multiple interconnected systems enables a staggered start-up that minimizes peak loads and also ensures comfort is within a target range with minimal system run time. The SBS algorithm extends the capability of traditional optimal start and is designed to be simple to deploy and robust. Simulation results as well as results from tests in a real building with a VAV system are presented. The presented algorithm is applicable to any type of building with a zonal or multi-zone HVAC system. To function, it needs to be able to change setpoints in rooms and monitor room temperatures, as well as, if desired, turn the central system on or off.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dual-polarization O-band silicon photonics transmitter with an integrated tunable laser, Mach-Zehnder modulators, and SOAs

Presented is an O-band silicon photonics dual-polarization coherent/IMDD modulator integrated with semiconductor optical amplifiers and tunable laser to enhance the short-reach link budget. The laser demonstrated output power >6 dBm and a <250 kHz linewidth over a 14 nm tuning range. Modulators paired with custom 64 Gbaud QPSK drivers exhibited improved analog link sensitivity compared to similar devices without integrated gain sections. They also demonstrated 53 Gbaud dual-polarization PAM4 operation when characterized with a linear driver and MaxLinear 100G/lane DSP board. Both optical links achieved BERs at the KP4-FEC threshold and overall transmitter assembly energy consumption <6.9 pJ/bit without any thermal control when at steady room temperatures.

Liu, Junqian (ORCID:0000000167337650)↗
NASA NTRS1982

Thermal monitoring, measurement, and control system for a Volatile Condensable Materials (VCM) test apparatus

A thermal monitoring and control concept is described for a volatile condensable materials (VCM) test apparatus where electric resistance heaters are employed. The technique is computer based, but requires only proportioning ON/OFF relay control signals supplied through a programmable scanner and simple quadrac power controllers. System uniqueness is derived from automatic temperature measurements and the averaging of these measurements in discrete overlapping temperature zones. Overall control tolerance proves to be better than + or - 0.5 C from room ambient temperature to 150 C. Using precisely calibrated thermocouples, the method provides excellent temperature control of a small copper VCM heating plate at 125 + or - 0.2 C over a 24 hr test period. For purposes of unattended operation, the programmable computer/controller provides a continual data printout of system operation. Real time operator command is also provided for, as is automatic shutdown of the system and operator alarm in the event of malfunction.

Ives, R. E.↗