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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 253 records · Page 14

Correlation of Canopy Distortion with Asymmetric Loading in Large Diameter Ringsail Parachutes

The second generation of the main parachutes for the Orion Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) were subjected to multiple flight tests. Three of the tests included were instrumented with the Tension Measuring System (TMS) to record main dispersion bridle loads. While these units were not able to resolve the individual suspension line loads, they were able to record a course representation of the asymmetric loading of the main parachutes during inflation. These tests were also equipped with upward looking cameras mounted on the test vehicles to collect detailed imagery of main deployment and inflation. When analyzed independently, both data sources exhibit similar features. These similarities provide evidence that the suspension line loads and the distortions in the canopy geometry are not independent. This paper will examine both data sources simultaneously to establish a correlation between asymmetric loading at the canopy skirt and the deformations of the canopy. This correlation will be used to build a model which can estimate individual suspension line loads from a measured riser load and detailed imagery.

Parachutes↗

String Potentiometers for Supersonic Split-Line Thrust Vector Amplification Factor Verification

The static fire of NASA’s Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) first stage Solid Rocket Motor (SRM1) Demonstration Motor-1 (DM-1) occurred at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) on April 7, 2023. Among other objectives, this test successfully demonstrated the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system, including the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the Supersonic Split-Line (SSSL) nozzle. An essential characteristic of the SSSL is the thrust vector amplification factor (TVAF) it exhibits; however, empirically quantifying this behavior is difficult due to the limitations of measuring the internal nozzle gas dynamics of a Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) during burn. Using four string potentiometers mounted inside the test chamber connected to the nozzle and motor case and a thrust measurement system (TMS), the TVAF can be derived from the known nozzle and motor geometry. Increasing the accuracy of the TVAF is essential for certain groups working on the MAV including the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) group, who prior to DM-1, solely relied on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) data in their Monte Carlo simulations for TVAF. The methodology shown in this paper can be generally applied to any test article implementing a SSSL nozzle, presuming string potentiometers are a viable option and the facility is conducive of their implementation.

Supersonic Split-Line↗

Simulated Lunar Gravity Testing of VIPER Loop Heat Pipe

NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission consists of a rover designed to explore the lunar south pole. One of the main challenges faced by the rover during the lunar polar exploration is the adverse thermal environment. Temperatures can fluctuate more than a 100°C between day and night; potentially dropping to −246°C in permanent shadow regions. To maintain the rover components within temperature limits, VIPER’s Thermal Management System (TMS) relies heavily on Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs). To assist the design of the thermal management system, an Engineering Design Unit (EDU) LHP has been tested in several opportunities under thermal vacuum (TVAC) environment. Of particular interest was the LHP performance in lunar gravity. To that end, the EDU LHP was tested at the nominal orientation within the rover assembly, vertical, and inclined such that the gravitational component acting on the LHP evaporator and condenser was 1/6g (lunar gravity is 1/6 of Earth gravity) when compared to the vertical configuration. This paper will examine the LHP conductance as one the key parameters to assess the effect of the gravity on the LHP performance.

Loop Heat Pipe↗

A Simplified Model of VIPER Thermal Management System. Part I: Loop Heat Pipe

NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) uses a combination of loop heat pipes (LHPs) and heaters as the primary hardware to modulate the temperature of the electronic boxes and payloads instruments. LHPs have been designed and instrumented to be capable of passive and active shutdown. The goal of the passive shutdown, using a thermal control valve (TCV) to limit the flow of the working fluid, is to preserve thermal energy and avoid unnecessary heat leaks during lunar night. The goal of the active shutdown on the other hand, is to forcefully increase the vehicle internal temperature to bakeout the payload instruments. Several numerical modeling tools are available to analyze LHP performance under the complex set of operational requirements and environments levied on the VIPER Thermal Management System (TMS). Yet, while those numerical modeling tools are capable of detailed performance analysis, they tend to take large computational resources and long computational time. In this paper, a model of a single LHP developed based on control volume approach is presented. By using the control volume approach, the complex geometry of the LHP, and the components attached to it, are reduced to thermal lump capacitances, thus reducing the computation effort. This paper also describes the effort to correlate the proposed LHP model using thermal vacuum (TVAC) test data.

Loop Heat Pipe↗

Use of Assistive Technology to Augment API Capabilities

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) allow for access to data and capabilities of computer applications by developers or users with experience in computer programming. Recent development with both Thermal Desktop and ESATAN-TMS have provided APIs to allow users to develop their own capabilities that interface with the Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) or manipulate the thermal model data. However, these APIs are only as good as the breadth of features in the native code accessible through the API. If a particular code’s feature is not accessible through the API, then users have very limited options besides waiting for updates to the API that expose the necessary functionality, particularly if model data access or user action, such as a button click, is required. However, Assistive Technology features that allow for users with a disability to more fully experience a software’s capabilities may be creatively utilized to gain further access to data and capabilities not yet exposed by the API. This paper describes the process to augment the features of the OpenTD API via assistive technology and describes how to identify the application instance, navigate GUI elements, updates values on forms, and execute actions such as selecting a listbox item or clicking a button. It concludes with identifying some of the pitfalls to avoid and describes methods to best implement this approach.

Application Programming Interface↗

A Simplified Model of VIPER Thermal Management System. Part I: Loop Heat Pipe

NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) uses a combination of loop heat pipes (LHPs) and heaters as the primary hardware to modulate the temperature of the electronic boxes and payloads instruments. LHPs have been designed and instrumented to be capable of passive and active shutdown. The goal of the passive shutdown, using a thermal control valve (TCV) to limit the flow of the working fluid, is to preserve thermal energy and avoid unnecessary heat leaks during lunar night. The goal of the active shutdown on the other hand, is to forcefully increase the vehicle internal temperature to bakeout the payload instruments. Several numerical modeling tools are available to analyze LHP performance under the complex set of operational requirements and environments levied on the VIPER Thermal Management System (TMS). Yet, while those numerical modeling tools are capable of detailed performance analysis, they tend to take large computational resources and long computational time. In this paper, a model of a single LHP developed based on control volume approach is presented. By using the control volume approach, the complex geometry of the LHP, and the components attached to it, are reduced to thermal lump capacitances, thus reducing the computation effort. This paper also describes the effort to correlate the proposed LHP model using thermal vacuum (TVAC) test data.

Loop Heat Pipe↗

Use of Assistive Technology to Augment API Capabilities

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) allow for access to data and capabilities of computer applications by developers or users with experience in computer programming. Recent development with both Thermal Desktop and ESATAN-TMS have provided APIs to allow users to develop their own capabilities that interface with the Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) or manipulate the thermal model data. However, these APIs are only as good as the breadth of features in the native code accessible through the API; if a particular code’s feature is not accessible through the API, then users have very limited options besides waiting for updates to the API that expose the necessary functionality, particularly if model data access or user action, such as a button click, is required. However, Assistive Technology features that allow for differently-abled users to more fully experience a software’s capabilities may be creatively utilized to gain further access to data and capabilities not yet exposed by the API. This paper describes the process to augment the features of the OpenTD API via assistive technology and describes how to identify the application instance, navigate GUI elements, updates values on forms, and execute actions such as selecting a listbox item or clicking a button. It concludes with identifying some of the pitfalls to avoid and describes methods to best implement this approach.

Application Programming Interface↗

Advanced cast aluminum alloys for automotive engine application with superior high-temperature properties

A high fatigue strength aluminum alloy comprises in weight percent copper 3.0-3.5%, iron 0-1.3%, magnesium 0.24-0.35%, manganese 0-0.8%, silicon 6.5-12.0%, strontium 0-0.025%, titanium 0.05-0.2%, vanadium 0.20-0.35%, zinc 0-3.0%, zirconium 0.2-0.4%, a maximum of 0.5% other elements and balance aluminum plus impurities. The alloy defines a microstructure having an aluminum matrix with the Zr and the V in solid solution after solidification. The matrix has solid solution Zr of at least 0.16% after heat treatment and solid solution V of at least 0.20% after heat treatment, and both Cu and Mg are dissolved into the aluminum matrix during the heat treatment and subsequently precipitated during the heat treatment. A process for heat treating an Al—Si—Cu—Mg—Fe—Zn—Mn—Sr-TMs alloy comprises heat treating the alloy to produce a microstructure having a matrix with Zr and V in solid solution after solidification.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗