Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “monitoring system”

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.

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

At least 343 records · Page 19

Medusa Sea Floor Monitoring System

The objective of the research described in this poster presentation is to develop technologies to enable fundamental research into understanding the potential for and limits to chemolithoautotrophic life. The Medusa Isosampler (isobaric sampler), for sampling fluids eminating from deep sea hydrothermal vents and cold seep sites analogous to extraterrestrial environments, is described by the presentation. The following instruments are integrated with the isosampler, and also described: in situ flow-through chemical sensor, intrinsic fluorescent-based microbial detector, isotope ratio spectral detector.

Flynn, Michael↗

Medusa Sea Floor Monitoring System

This paper presents viewgraphs on the development of an instrument to enable fundamental research into understanding the potential for and limits to chemolithoautrophic life. The topics include: 1) Background; 2) Relevance to NASA Missions; 3) Technology Requirements; 4) Medusa System Description; 5) Medusa Components; 6) Medusa Science Capabilities; 7) Medusa Capabilities; and 8) Schedule

Flynn, Michael↗

A Global Rapid Integrated Monitoring System for Water Cycle and Water Resource Assessment (Global-RIMS)

The main focus of our work was to solidify underlying data sets, the data processing tools and the modeling environment needed to perform a series of long-term global and regional hydrological simulations leading eventually to routine hydrometeorological predictions. A water and energy budget synthesis was developed for the Mississippi River Basin (Roads et al. 2003), in order to understand better what kinds of errors exist in current hydrometeorological data sets. This study is now being extended globally with a larger number of observations and model based data sets under the new NASA NEWS program. A global comparison of a number of precipitation data sets was subsequently carried out (Fekete et al. 2004) in which it was further shown that reanalysis precipitation has substantial problems, which subsequently led us to the development of a precipitation assimilation effort (Nunes and Roads 2005). We believe that with current levels of model skill in predicting precipitation that precipitation assimilation is necessary to get the appropriate land surface forcing.

Roads, John↗

Optimal Sensor Selection for Health Monitoring Systems

Sensor data are the basis for performance and health assessment of most complex systems. Careful selection and implementation of sensors is critical to enable high fidelity system health assessment. A model-based procedure that systematically selects an optimal sensor suite for overall health assessment of a designated host system is described. This procedure, termed the Systematic Sensor Selection Strategy (S4), was developed at NASA John H. Glenn Research Center in order to enhance design phase planning and preparations for in-space propulsion health management systems (HMS). Information and capabilities required to utilize the S4 approach in support of design phase development of robust health diagnostics are outlined. A merit metric that quantifies diagnostic performance and overall risk reduction potential of individual sensor suites is introduced. The conceptual foundation for this merit metric is presented and the algorithmic organization of the S4 optimization process is described. Representative results from S4 analyses of a boost stage rocket engine previously under development as part of NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program are presented.

Santi, L. Michael↗

Valve-"Health"-Monitoring System

A system that includes sensors and data acquisition, wireless data-communication, and data-processing subsystems has been developed as a means of both real-time and historical tracking of information indicative of deterioration in the mechanical integrity and performance of a highgeared ball valve or a linearly actuated valve that operates at a temperature between cryogenic and ambient.

Jensen, Scott L.↗

Development of a Portable Oxygen Monitoring System for Operations in the International Space Station Airlock

NASA is currently engaged in an activity to facilitate effective operations on the International Space Station (ISS) after the Space Shuttle retires. Currently, the Space Shuttle delivers crew and cargo to and from ISS. The Space Shuttle provides the only large scale method of hardware return from ISS to the ground. Hardware that needs to be periodically repaired, refurbished, or recalibrated must come back from ISS on the Shuttle. One example of NASA flight hardware that is used on ISS and refurbished on the ground is the Compound Specific Analyzer for Oxygen (CSA-O2). The CSA-O2 is an electrochemical sensor that is used on orbit for about 12 months (depending on Shuttle launch schedules), then returned to the ground for sensor replacement. The shuttle is scheduled to retire in 2010, and the ISS is scheduled to operate until 2016. NASA needs a hand held sensor that measures oxygen in the ISS environment and has a 5-10 year service life. After conducting a survey of oxygen sensor systems, NASA selected a Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectrometer (TDLAS) as the method of measurement that best addresses the needs for ISS. These systems are compact, meet ISS accuracy requirements, and because they use spectroscopic techniques, the sensors are not consumed or altered after making a measurement. TDLAS systems have service life ratings of 5-10 years, based on the lifetime of the laser. NASA is engaged in modifying a commercially available sensor, the Vaisala OMT 355, for the ISS application. The Vaisala OMT 355 requires three significant modifications to meet ISS needs. The commercial sensor uses a wall mount power supply, and the ISS sensor needs to use a rechargeable battery as its source of power. The commercial sensor has a pressure correction setpoint: the sensor can be adjusted to operate at reduced pressure conditions, but the sensor does not self correct dynamically and automatically. The ISS sensor needs to operate in the airlock, and make accurate measurements in an environment that can change from 14.7 psia to 10.2 psia in 15 minutes. The commercial sensor needs to be repackaged into a configuration that is more compact, and better suited for ISS airlock operations. NASA has recently completed a prototype of the reconfigured system. The unit has been repackaged in a way that the optical path of the spectrometer is unchanged, but the electronics has been integrated into a case measuring 10.7 X 7.2 X 3.0 inches. Two flight qualified rechargeable batteries have been integrated into system. The batteries can power the sensor for 10 hours on a single charge. A pressure sensor has been added to the system. The modified unit automatically compensates for changes in pressure, and meets 0.2% accuracy requirements for oxygen measurements in an environment with 18 to 32% oxygen across a pressure range of 10.0 to 15.0 psia.

Graf, John↗

Evaluation of a Small-Crack Monitoring System

A new system has been developed to obtain fatigue crack growth rate data from a series of images acquired during fatigue testing of specimens containing small surface cracks that initiate at highly-polished notches. The primary benefit associated with replica-based crack growth rate data methods is preserving a record of the crack configuration during the life of the specimen. Additionally, this system has the benefits of both reducing time and labor, and not requiring introduction of surface replica media into the crack. Fatigue crack growth rate data obtained using this new system are found to be in good agreement with similar results obtained from surface replicas.

Newman, John A.↗

Programs for Testing an SSME-Monitoring System

A suite of computer programs has been developed for special test equipment (STE) that is used in verification testing of the Health Management Computer Integrated Rack Assembly (HMCIRA), a ground-based system of analog and digital electronic hardware and software for "flight-like" testing for development of components of an advanced health-management system for the space shuttle main engine (SSME). The STE software enables the STE to simulate the analog input and the data flow of an SSME test firing from start to finish.

Lang, Andre↗

In Situ Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring System

Aircraft engine rotating equipment operates at high temperatures and stresses. Noninvasive inspection of microcracks in those components poses a challenge for nondestructive evaluation. A low-cost, low-profile, high-temperature ultrasonic guided wave sensor was developed that detects cracks in situ. The transducer design provides nondestructive evaluation of structures and materials. A key feature of the sensor is that it withstands high temperatures and excites strong surface wave energy to inspect surface and subsurface cracks. The sol-gel bismuth titanate-based surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor can generate efficient SAWs for crack inspection. The sensor is very thin (submillimeter) and can generate surface waves up to 540 C. Finite element analysis of the SAW transducer design was performed to predict the sensor behavior, and experimental studies confirmed the results. The sensor can be implemented on structures of various shapes. With a spray-coating process, the sensor can be applied to the surface of large curvatures. It has minimal effect on airflow or rotating equipment imbalance, and provides good sensitivity.

Zhao, George↗

Portable Runway Intersection Display and Monitoring System

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which an apparatus located on an airfield provides information to pilots in aircraft on the ground and simultaneously gathers information on the motion and position of the aircraft for controllers.

Dabney, Richard W.↗

Regional Visualization and Monitoring System SERVIR: A Brief Overview, Water Resources Challenges and Approaches

SERVIR is a joint USAID -- NASA effort, which uses remotely sensed data and products for societal benefit. SERVIR currently has three hubs, in Mesoamerica, East Africa and Himalaya. Collaborations are key. SE RVIR is continuing to develop strong, working collaborations with government entities, such as KMD. Science Applications, IT infrastructure and capacity building is central to SERVIR efforts.

Limaye, Ashutosh↗

Real-Time Flight Envelope Monitoring System

The objective of this effort was to show that real-time aircraft control-surface hinge-moment information could be used to provide a robust and reliable prediction of vehicle performance and control authority degradation. For a given airfoil section with a control surface -- be it a wing with an aileron, rudder, or elevator -- the control-surface hinge moment is sensitive to the aerodynamic characteristics of the section. As a result, changes in the aerodynamics of the section due to angle-of-attack or environmental effects such as icing, heavy rain, surface contaminants, bird strikes, or battle damage will affect the control surface hinge moment. These changes include both the magnitude of the hinge moment and its sign in a time-averaged sense, and the variation of the hinge moment with time. The current program attempts to take the real-time hinge moment information from the aircraft control surfaces and develop a system to predict aircraft envelope boundaries across a range of conditions, alerting the flight crew to reductions in aircraft controllability and flight boundaries.

Kerho, Michael↗

SERVIR Regional Visualization and Monitoring System: A Brief Overview

SERVIR is a joint USAID NASA effort, which uses remotely sensed data and products for societal benefit. SERVIR currently has three hubs, in Central America, East Africa and Himalaya. Science Applications, IT infrastructure and capacity building is central to SERVIR efforts. Collaborations are key. SERVIR is continuing to develop strong, working collaborations with government entities in the region, such as KMD.

Limaye, Ashutosh↗

Tethered Satellites as Enabling Platforms for an Operational Space Weather Monitoring System

Space weather nowcasting and forecasting models require assimilation of near‐real time (NRT) space environment data to improve the precision and accuracy of operational products. Typically, these models begin with a climatological model to provide "most probable distributions" of environmental parameters as a function of time and space. The process of NRT data assimilation gently pulls the climate model closer toward the observed state (e.g. via Kalman smoothing) for nowcasting, and forecasting is achieved through a set of iterative physics‐based forward‐prediction calculations. The issue of required space weather observatories to meet the spatial and temporal requirements of these models is a complex one, and we do not address that with this poster. Instead, we present some examples of how tethered satellites can be used to address the shortfalls in our ability to measure critical environmental parameters necessary to drive these space weather models. Examples include very long baseline electric field measurements, magnetized ionospheric conductivity measurements, and the ability to separate temporal from spatial irregularities in environmental parameters. Tethered satellite functional requirements will be presented for each space weather parameter considered in this study.

Krause, L. Habash↗