SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “voltage estimation”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2010

Estimating the Probability of Electrical Short Circuits from Tin Whiskers

To comply with lead-free legislation, many manufacturers have converted from tin-lead to pure tin finishes of electronic components. However, pure tin finishes have a greater propensity to grow tin whiskers than tin-lead finishes. Since tin whiskers present an electrical short circuit hazard in electronic components, simulations have been developed to quantify the risk of said short circuits occurring. Existing risk simulations make the assumption that when a free tin whisker has bridged two adjacent exposed electrical conductors, the result is an electrical short circuit. This conservative assumption is made because shorting is a random event that had an unknown probability associated with it. Note however that due to contact resistance electrical shorts may not occur at lower voltage levels. In our first article we developed an empirical probability model for tin whisker shorting. In this paper, we develop a more comprehensive empirical model using a refined experiment with a larger sample size, in which we studied the effect of varying voltage on the breakdown of the contact resistance which leads to a short circuit. From the resulting data we estimated the probability distribution of an electrical short, as a function of voltage. In addition, the unexpected polycrystalline structure seen in the focused ion beam (FIB) cross section in the first experiment was confirmed in this experiment using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The FIB was also used to cross section two card guides to facilitate the measurement of the grain size of each card guide's tin plating to determine its finish .

Courey, Karim J.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Estimating the Probability of Electrical Short Circuits from Tin Whiskers

Courey, Karim J.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Developing an Empirical Model for Estimating the Probability of Electrical Short Circuits from Tin Whiskers

Courey, Karim J.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Dynamic Matrix Completion Based State Estimation in Distribution Grids

The power distribution network is undergoing tremendous transformation due to an increase in the penetration of renewable energy resources and electric vehicles. These changes have resulted in greater uncertainty and dynamics in the distribution grid states. Therefore, the ability to track and monitor system states has become a critical need for accurate and timely control actions. In this paper, we propose two dynamic sparsity-based state estimation approaches for distribution systems: (1) locally weighted matrix completion (LW-MC) and (2) Bayesian matrix completion with Kalman filter prediction (BMC-KF). The performance of the proposed dynamic state estimation strategies is compared with the classic/static matrix completion (static-MC) approach using the IEEE 37 and IEEE 123 bus test systems. Finally, results indicate that BMC-KF approach outperforms both LW-MC as well as static-MC even when 30% of the measurement data is available. Computational complexity associated with both approaches is quantified.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2021

AlGaN/GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MISHEMTs) using plasma deposited BN as gate dielectric

AlGaN/GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MISHEMTs) were fabricated on Si substrates with a 10 nm boron nitride (BN) layer as a gate dielectric deposited by electron cyclotron resonance microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. The material characterization of the BN/GaN interface was investigated by X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy (XPS) and UV photoelectron spectroscopy. The BN bandgap from the B1s XPS energy loss is ~5 eV consistent with sp2 bonding. The MISHEMTs exhibit a low off-state current of 1 × 10 –8 mA/mm, a high on/off current ratio of 10 9 , a threshold voltage of –2.76 V, a maximum transconductance of 32 mS/mm at a gate voltage of –2.1 V and a drain voltage of 1 V, a subthreshold swing of 69.1 mV/dec, and an on-resistance of 12.75 Ω·mm. The interface state density (D it ) is estimated to be less than 8.49 × 10 11 cm –2 eV –1 . Gate leakage current mechanisms were investigated by temperature-dependent current–voltage measurements from 300 K to 500 K. The maximum breakdown electric field is no less than 8.4 MV/cm. Poole–Frenkel emission and Fowler–Nordheim tunneling are indicated as the dominant mechanisms of the gate leakage through the BN gate dielectric at low and high electric fields, respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2007

Cloverleaf microgyroscope with electrostatic alignment and tuning

A micro-gyroscope (10) having closed loop output operation by a control voltage (V.sub.ty), that is demodulated by a drive axis (x-axis) signal V.sub.thx of the sense electrodes (S1, S2), providing Coriolis torque rebalance to prevent displacement of the micro-gyroscope (10) on the output axis (y-axis) V.sub.thy.about.0. Closed loop drive axis torque, V.sub.tx maintains a constant drive axis amplitude signal, V.sub.thx. The present invention provides independent alignment and tuning of the micro-gyroscope by using separate electrodes and electrostatic bias voltages to adjust alignment and tuning. A quadrature amplitude signal, or cross-axis transfer function peak amplitude is used to detect misalignment that is corrected to zero by an electrostatic bias voltage adjustment. The cross-axis transfer function is either V.sub.thy/V.sub.ty or V.sub.tnx/V.sub.tx. A quadrature signal noise level, or difference in natural frequencies estimated from measurements of the transfer functions is used to detect residual mistuning, that is corrected to zero by a second electrostatic bias voltage adjustment.

Challoner, A. Dorian↗

DOE OSTI2022

Performance Evaluation of an Advanced Distributed Energy Resource Management Algorithm

This paper presents performance evaluation of a new distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) algorithm via an advanced hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platform. The HIL platform provides realistic testing in a laboratory environment, including the accurate modeling of sub-transmission and distribution networks, the DERMS software controller, and 84 power hardware solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters, standard communication protocols, and a capacitor bank controller. The DERMS algorithm is also called, Grid-Optimization of Solar (GO-Solar) platform which includes predictive state estimation (PSE) and online multiple objective optimization (OMOO) to dispatch the legacy devices and distributed energy resources (e.g., PV). The voltage regulation performance is evaluated under three scenarios, volt-var smart inverter (baseline), and DERMS control for 100% and 30% of PV. The results show that controlling 30% of PV systems with the GO-Solar platform may provide the best balance of control performance and implementation cost.

distributed energy resource management system (DER↗

DOE OSTI2023

Protection Against Graph-Based False Data Injection Attacks on Power Systems

Graph signal processing (GSP) has emerged as a powerful tool for practical network applications, including power system monitoring. By representing power system voltages as smooth graph signals, recent research has focused on developing GSP-based methods for state estimation, attack detection, and topology identification. Included, efficient methods have been developed for detecting false data injection (FDI) attacks, which until now were perceived as non-smooth with respect to the graph Laplacian matrix. Consequently, these methods may not be effective against smooth FDI attacks. In this paper, we propose a graph FDI (GFDI) attack that minimizes the Laplacian-based graph total variation (TV) under practical constraints. In addition, we develop a low-complexity algorithm that solves the non-convex GDFI attack optimization problem using ell_1-norm relaxation, the projected gradient descent (PGD) algorithm, and the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). We then propose a protection scheme that identifies the minimal set of measurements necessary to constrain the GFDI output to high graph TV, thereby enabling its detection by existing GSP-based detectors. Our numerical simulations on the IEEE-57 bus test case reveal the potential threat posed by well-designed GSP-based FDI attacks. Moreover, we demonstrate that integrating the proposed protection design with GSP-based detection can lead to significant hardware cost savings compared to previous designs of protection methods against FDI attacks.

Morgenstern, Gal↗

DOE OSTI2026

CO2 Handling & Electrolyzer Efficiency Scaling Evaluator

CHEESE is an interactive dashboard tool for estimating the performance and material requirements of carbon dioxide electrolysis systems. It helps users evaluate how electrode area, current density, product selectivity, gas flow, cell voltage, and the number of cells in a stack affect system operation. The dashboard provides simple and advanced modes so it can be used for both quick estimates and more detailed engineering analysis. Users can estimate product output, carbon dioxide use, electrical power, electrode area, gas and liquid flow rates, energy efficiency, material cost per test, and the effect of scaling from a single cell to a multi cell stack. It also includes tools for examining carbon balance, equipment durability, component replacement, and changes in performance over time. This is intended to help both academia and industry researchers who are either getting into CO2 electrolysis on lab-scale or are trying to establish a larger footprint. CHEESE presents results through tables, charts, and simplified cell and stack diagrams. It is intended to support research planning, experimental design, comparison of operating conditions, and early stage scale up studies.

Prajapati, Aditya [Lawrence Livermore National Lab↗

DOE OSTI2021

LGAD Single Event Burnout Studies

We report on simulation of single event burnout of low gain avalanche diodes during high voltage operation after irradiation. A model is described which can be used to estimate energy deposition needed for single event burnout and the dependence of burnout on thermal conductivity and thermal resistance to heat sinks.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1978

A two dimensional analysis of sheet resistance and contact resistance effects in solar cells

A computer model is developed to study the two-dimensional nature of the sheet resistance and contact resistance effects in solar cells. A major result is the demonstration that the distributed nature of the semiconductor sheet resistance causes the terminal dark I-V characteristics to exhibit an exp(qV/2kT) type dependence even when the one-dimensional characteristics of the cell exhibit an exp(qV/kT) type voltage dependence. The analytical model which is developed provides an easy method for estimating the sheet resistance of a solar cell from the terminal I-V data.

Fang, C. R.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Low Energy Sputtering Experiments for Ion Engine Lifetime Assessment

The sputtering yield of molybdenum under xenon ion bombardment was measured using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance. The measurements were made for ion kinetic energies in the range 100-1keV on molybdenum films deposited by magnetron sputtering in conditions optimized to reproduce or approach bulk-like properties. SEM micrographs for different anode bias voltages during the deposition are compared, and four different methods were implemented to estimate the density of the molybdenum films. A careful discussion of the Quartz Crystal Microbalance is proposed and it is shown that this method can be used to measure mass changes that are distributed unevenly on the crystal electrode surface, if an analytical expression is known for the differential mass-sensitivity of the crystal and the erosion profile. Finally, results are presented that are in good agreement with previously published data, and it is concluded that this method holds the promise of enabling sputtering yield measurements at energies closer to the threshold energy in the very short term.

Duchemin Olivier B.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Modular, Reconfigurable, High-Energy Technology Development

The Modular, Reconfigurable High-Energy (MRHE) Technology Demonstrator project was to have been a series of ground-based demonstrations to mature critical technologies needed for in-space assembly of a highpower high-voltage modular spacecraft in low Earth orbit, enabling the development of future modular solar-powered exploration cargo-transport vehicles and infrastructure. MRHE was a project in the High Energy Space Systems (HESS) Program, within NASA's Exploration Systems Research and Technology (ESR&T) Program. NASA participants included Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Glenn Research Center (GRC). Contractor participants were the Boeing Phantom Works in Huntsville, AL, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, CA, ENTECH, Inc. in Keller, TX, and the University of AL Huntsville (UAH). MRHE's technical objectives were to mature: (a) lightweight, efficient, high-voltage, radiation-resistant solar power generation (SPG) technologies; (b) innovative, lightweight, efficient thermal management systems; (c) efficient, 100kW-class, high-voltage power delivery systems from an SPG to an electric thruster system; (d) autonomous rendezvous and docking technology for in-space assembly of modular, reconfigurable spacecraft; (e) robotic assembly of modular space systems; and (f) modular, reconfigurable distributed avionics technologies. Maturation of these technologies was to be implemented through a series of increasingly-inclusive laboratory demonstrations that would have integrated and demonstrated two systems-of-systems: (a) the autonomous rendezvous and docking of modular spacecraft with deployable structures, robotic assembly, reconfiguration both during assembly and (b) the development and integration of an advanced thermal heat pipe and a high-voltage power delivery system with a representative lightweight high-voltage SPG array. In addition, an integrated simulation testbed would have been developed containing software models representing the technologies being matured in the laboratory demos. The testbed would have also included models for non-MRHE developed subsystems such as electric propulsion, so that end-to-end performance could have been assessed. This paper presents an overview of the MRHE Phase I activities at MSFC and its contractor partners. One of the major Phase I accomplishments is the assembly demonstration in the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (LMATC) Robot-Satellite facility, in which three robot-satellites successfully demonstrated rendezvous & docking, self-assembly, reconfiguration, adaptable GN&C, deployment, and interfaces between modules. Phase I technology maturation results from ENTECH include material recommendations for radiation hardened Stretched Lens Array (SLA) concentrator lenses, and a design concept and test results for a hi-voltage PV receiver. UAH's accomplishments include Supertube heatpipe test results, which support estimates of thermal conductivities at 30,000 times that of an equivalent silver rod. MSFC performed systems trades and developed a preliminary concept design for a 100kW-class modular reconfigurable solar electric propulsion transport vehicle, and Boeing Phantom Works in Huntsville performed assembly and rendezvous and docking trades. A concept animation video was produced by SAIC, wllich showed rendezvous and docking and SLA-square-rigger deployment in LEO.

Carrington, Connie↗

DOE OSTI2023

Ensemble models for circuit topology estimation, fault detection and classification in distribution systems

This paper presents a methodology for simultaneous fault detection, classification, and topology estimation for adaptive protection of distribution systems. The methodology estimates the probability of the occurrence of each one of these events by using a hybrid structure that combines three sub-systems, a convolutional neural network for topology estimation, a fault detection based on predictive residual analysis, and a standard support vector machine with probabilistic output for fault classification. The input to all these sub-systems is the local voltage and current measurements. A convolutional neural network uses these local measurements in the form of sequential data to extract features and estimate the topology conditions. The fault detector is constructed with a Bayesian stage (a multitask Gaussian process) that computes a predictive distribution (assumed to be Gaussian) of the residuals using the input. Since the distribution is known, these residuals can be transformed into a Standard distribution, whose values are then introduced into a one-class support vector machine. The structure allows using a one-class support vector machine without parameter cross-validation, so the fault detector is fully unsupervised. Finally, a support vector machine uses the input to perform the classification of the fault types. All three sub-systems can work in a parallel setup for both performance and computation efficiency. In conclusion, we test all three sub-systems included in the structure on a modified IEEE123 bus system, and we compare and evaluate the results with standard approaches.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NASA NTRS2009

Modular Battery Charge Controller

A new approach to masterless, distributed, digital-charge control for batteries requiring charge control has been developed and implemented. This approach is required in battery chemistries that need cell-level charge control for safety and is characterized by the use of one controller per cell, resulting in redundant sensors for critical components, such as voltage, temperature, and current. The charge controllers in a given battery interact in a masterless fashion for the purpose of cell balancing, charge control, and state-of-charge estimation. This makes the battery system invariably fault-tolerant. The solution to the single-fault failure, due to the use of a single charge controller (CC), was solved by implementing one CC per cell and linking them via an isolated communication bus [e.g., controller area network (CAN)] in a masterless fashion so that the failure of one or more CCs will not impact the remaining functional CCs. Each micro-controller-based CC digitizes the cell voltage (V(sub cell)), two cell temperatures, and the voltage across the switch (V); the latter variable is used in conjunction with V(sub cell) to estimate the bypass current for a given bypass resistor. Furthermore, CC1 digitizes the battery current (I1) and battery voltage (V(sub batt) and CC5 digitizes a second battery current (I2). As a result, redundant readings are taken for temperature, battery current, and battery voltage through the summation of the individual cell voltages given that each CC knows the voltage of the other cells. For the purpose of cell balancing, each CC periodically and independently transmits its cell voltage and stores the received cell voltage of the other cells in an array. The position in the array depends on the identifier (ID) of the transmitting CC. After eight cell voltage receptions, the array is checked to see if one or more cells did not transmit. If one or more transmissions are missing, the missing cell(s) is (are) eliminated from cell-balancing calculations. The cell-balancing algorithm is based on the error between the cell s voltage and the other cells and is categorized into four zones of operation. The algorithm is executed every second and, if cell balancing is activated, the error variable is set to a negative low value. The largest error between the cell and the other cells is found and the zone of operation determined. If the error is zero or negative, then the cell is at the lowest voltage and no balancing action is needed. If the error is less than a predetermined negative value, a Cell Bad Flag is set. If the error is positive, then cell balancing is needed, but a hysteretic zone is added to prevent the bypass circuit from triggering repeatedly near zero error. This approach keeps the cells within a predetermined voltage range.

Button, Robert↗

NASA NTRS2005

Performance test results of a skutterudite-based unicouple with a metallic coating

A performance test of a Skutterudite-based unicouple (MAY-04) with a metallic coating to suppress the sublimation of antimony from the legs near the hot junction is performed in vacuum (~ 9 x10-7 torr) for ~ 2,000 hours at hot and cold junction temperatures of 892.1 + 11.9 K and 316.1 + 5.5 K, respectively. The p-leg is made of CeFe3.5Co0.5Sb12 and the n-leg is made of CoSb3. Presented are the measured voltage-current characteristics, electrical power, open-circuit voltage, and Seebeck coefficients of the legs as functions of cumulative test time. Also presented is the estimate of the conversion efficiency, shortly (~ 96 hrs) after the start of test. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the metallic coating, the measurements for MAY-04 are compared with those of two uncoated unicouples of the same leg materials (MAR-03 and JUN-03), which had been tested earlier. The cross-sectional areas of the legs in MAY-04 are larger than those in MAR-03 and JUN-03, tested in argon cover gas at ~ 0.051-0.068 MPa for 450 and 1200 hours, respectively. The open circuit voltage, Voc (204 mV) of MAY-04 at Beginning-Of-Test (BOT) is almost the same as that of MAR-03, but higher than that of JUN-03 (~180 mV). Although the argon gas effectively decreased antimony loss from legs of MAR-03 and JUN-03, marked degradations in performance occurred with time in these tests. Conversely, the metallic coating in MAY-04 effectively reduced the performance degradation with cumulative test time. The estimated peak efficiency of MAY-04, shortly after BOT (10.65%) is only ~ 0.37 percentage point lower than the theoretical value, assuming zero side heat losses and zero contact resistance per leg. The peak power of MAY- 04 decreased by only ~12%, from its BOT value of ~1.6 We to ~ 1.4 We after ~ 2,000 of cumulative testing

Caillat, Thierry↗

NASA NTRS1978

Voltage tunable differential heterodyne spectroscopy in the far-infrared with Josephson junctions

The basic methods of differential heterodyne spectroscopy with Josephson junctions are described. A technique is outlined for bridging the gap between a local oscillator frequency and a signal frequency through the use of a voltage-tunable internal oscillation frequency in a Josephson junction structure. It is shown that an intermediate frequency can be converted to a conveniently low frequency by double frequency conversion carried out directly in a Josephson junction. The expected conversion efficiency is estimated qualitatively. Experiments are discussed in which the differential heterodyne frequency-conversion technique was demonstrated at a wavelength of 0.4 mm and a voltage-tunable oscillation in a double Josephson junction structure was observed, with oscillation line widths as narrow as 0.5 Hz, for a resistance of 3.3 nanohms and an estimated inductance of the order of 1 nH.

Ulrich, B. T.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Intrinsic Photoconductivity of few-layered ZrS 2 Phototransistors via Multiterminal Measurements

We report intrinsic photoconductivity studies on one of the least examined layered compounds, ZrS 2 .Few-atomic layer ZrS 2 field-effect transistors were fabricated on the Si/SiO 2 substrate and photoconductivity measurements were performed using both two- and four-terminal configurations under the illumination of 532 nm laser source. We measured photocurrent as a function of the incident optical power at several source-drain (bias) voltages. We observe a significantly large photoconductivity when measured in the multiterminal (four-terminal) configuration compared to that in the two-terminal configuration. For an incident optical power of 90 nW, the estimated photosensitivity and the external quantum efficiency (EQE) measured in two-terminal configuration are 0.5 A/W and 120%, respectively, under a bias voltage of 650 mV. Under the same conditions, the four-terminal measurements result in much higher values for both the photoresponsivity (R) and EQE to 6 A/W and 1400%, respectively. This significant improvement in photoresponsivity and EQE in the four-terminal configuration may have been influenced by the reduction of contact resistance at the metal-semiconductor interface, which greatly impacts the carrier mobility of low conducting materials. This suggests that photoconductivity measurements performed through the two-terminal configuration in previous studies on ZrS 2 and other 2D materials have severely underestimated the true intrinsic properties of transition metal dichalcogenides and their remarkable potential for optoelectronic applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗