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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

NASA Glenn's Single-Stage Axial Compressor Facility Upgraded

NASA Glenn Research Center's Single-Stage Axial Compressor Facility was upgraded in fiscal year 2003 to expand and improve its research capabilities for testing high-speed fans and compressors. The old 3000-hp drive motor and gearbox were removed and replaced with a refurbished 7000-hp drive motor and gearbox, with a maximum output speed of 21,240 rpm. The higher horsepower rating permits testing of fans and compressors with higher pressure ratio or higher flow. A new inline torquemeter was installed to provide an alternate measurement of fan and compressor efficiency, along with the standard pressure and temperature measurements. A refurbished compressor bearing housing was also installed with bidirectional rotation capability, so that a variety of existing hardware could be tested. Four new lubrication modules with backup capability were installed for the motor, gearbox, torquemeter, and compressor bearing housing, so that in case the primary pump fails, the backup will prevent damage to the rotating hardware. The combustion air supply line for the facility inlet air system was activated to provide dry air for repeatable inlet conditions. New flow conditioning hardware was installed in the facility inlet plenum tank, which greatly reduced the inlet turbulence. The new inlet can also be easily modified to accommodate 20- or 22-in.-diameter fans and compressors, so a variety of existing hardware from other facilities (such as Glenn's 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel) can be tested in the Single-Stage Axial Compressor Facility. An exhaust line was also installed to provide bleed capability to remove the inlet boundary layer. To improve the operation and control of the facility, a new programmable logic controller (PLC) was installed to upgrade from hardwired relay logic to software logic. The PLC also enabled the usage of human-machine interface software to allow for easier operation of the facility and easier reconfiguration of the facility controls when necessary. Finally, a new health-monitoring system was installed to measure shaft speed, shaft movement, and machine vibration on all of the rotating equipment. The system also provides automatic alarms and shutdown of the equipment when required. An integrated systems test for checkout of the facility was completed on June 17, 2003. Research testing resumed on June 30 with data obtained in support of the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology Project's Compressor Casing Treatment Project.

Brokopp, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Ruggedizing a Commercial Depth Camera for Novel Lunar Exploration.

The novel contribution of this instrument is to take the first depth images on the moon. A commercial Kinect camera from Microsoft has been ruggedized for a CLPS mission to the Lunar South Pole. The 12-megapixel color camera is combined with a 1-megapixel color time-of-flight (ToF) depth sensor. The solid-state depth sensor/LIDAR provides greater resolution, a wider field of view, pixel binning, and reduced power consumption. The high-resolution data collected from the mission can be used to construct a near-field virtual environment of the lunar surface for scientific applications. The depth camera can provide a 360-degree view of the target area by combining ToF data with RGB imagery and rover turning. The unit was evaluated for space flight compliant materials and parts at NASA Ames. The microphone array, RF shield, front face, and outer body parts were removed to reduce mass. Plastic parts were replaced with vacuum-compatible materials; manufactured cables were added to properly interface with the host rover, built by Lunar Outpost. The environmental testing was performed on the Kinect with Random Vibration/Sine Testing (Fig 1a), per GEVS (NASA’s General Environmental Verification Standard for spaceflight launch survival). Thermal Vacuum testing cycled the instrument between expected hot (+ 85 C) and cold survival temperatures, as well as +50 C and -25 C operational temps (Fig 1b). The instrument functioned nominally at the conclusion of vibration and thermal cycling tests. The Azure Kinect is manifested on the Nova-C lander which flies on the Intuitive Machines mission IM-2, landing at the lunar south pole for a mission duration of 14 days (one lunar daylight cycle). The unit will be integrated to the MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform) rover at Lunar Outpost. The Azure Kinect with ToF feature will improve the resolution of lunar geology data near the south pole and enable ground-based VR experience of details of the lunar surface (Fig 1c).

V. Jha↗
NASA NTRS1984

Vibrations of twisted cantilevered plates - Experimental investigation

The experimental portion of a joint government/industry/university research study on the vibrational characteristics of twisted cantilevered plates is presented. The overall purpose of the research study was to assess the capabilities and limitations of existing analytical methods in predicting the vibratory characteristics of twisted plates. Thirty cantilevered plates were precision machined at the Air Force's Aero Propulsion Laboratory. These plates, having five different degrees of twist, two thicknesses, and three aspect ratios representative of turbine engine blade geometries, were tested for their vibration mode shapes and frequencies. The resulting nondimensional frequencies and selected mode shapes are presented as a function of plate tip twist. The trends of the natural frequencies as a function of the governing geometric parameters are discussed. The effect of support compliance on the plate natural frequency and its impact on numerically modeling twisted plates is also presented.

Macbain, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A magnetic damper for first mode vibration reduction in multimass flexible rotors

Many rotating machines such as compressors, turbines and pumps have long thin shafts with resulting vibration problems, and would benefit from additional damping near the center of the shaft. Magnetic dampers have the potential to be employed in these machines because they can operate in the working fluid environment unlike conventional bearings. An experimental test rig is described which was set up with a long thin shaft and several masses to represent a flexible shaft machine. An active magnetic damper was placed in three locations: near the midspan, near one end disk, and close to the bearing. With typical control parameter settings, the midspan location reduced the first mode vibration 82 percent, the disk location reduced it 75 percent and the bearing location attained a 74 percent reduction. Magnetic damper stiffness and damping values used to obtain these reductions were only a few percent of the bearing stiffness and damping values. A theoretical model of both the rotor and the damper was developed and compared to the measured results. The agreement was good.

Kasarda, M. E. F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Basic space payload fastener

A new basic space fastener has been developed and tested by the GSFC. The purposes of this fastener are to permit assembly and servicing in space by astronauts and/or robots and to facilitate qualification of payloads on Earth prior to launch by saving time and money during the systems integration and component testing and qualification processes. The space fastener is a rework of the basic machine screw such that crossthreading is impossible; it is self-locking and will not work its way out during launch (vibration proof); it will not wear out despite repeated use; it occupies a small foot print which is comparable to its machine screw equivalent, and it provides force and exhibits strength comparable to its machine screw equivalent. Construction is ultra-simple and cost effective and the principle is applicable across the full range of screw sizes ranging from a #10 screw to 2.5 cm (1 in) or more. In this paper, the fastener principles of operation will be discussed along with test results and construction details. The new fastener also has considerable potential in the commercial sector. A few promising applications will be presented.

Vranish, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Vibration damping characteristics of graphite/epoxy composites for large space structures

Limited data on extensional and flexural damping of small specimens of graphite/epoxy and unreinforced epoxy resin were obtained. Flexural damping was measured using a forced vibration technique based on resonant flexural vibration of shaker excited double cantilever specimens. Extensional damping was measured by subjecting similar specimens to low frequency sinusoidal oscillation in a servohydraulic tensile testing machine while plotting load versus extensional strain. Damping was found to vary slowly and continuously over the frequency range 0.01 - 1000 Hz, and no drastic transitions were observed. Composite damping was found to be less than neat resin damping. Comparison of small specimen damping values with assembled column damping values seems to indicate that, for those materials, material damping is more important than joint damping. The data reported was limited not by the test apparatus, but by signal conditioning and data acquisition. It is believed that filtering of the strain gage signals and the use of digital storage with slow playback will make it possible to extend the frequency and amplitude ranges significantly.

Gibson, R. F.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Use of Machine Learning for Signature Development in a Multi-Sensor Environment for Safeguard Applications of Solvent Extraction Processes

Idaho National Laboratory is constructing the Special Nuclear Material test bed (Beartooth) for research and development pertaining to nuclear fuel processing operations using centrifugal contactors. Beartooth will enable give researchers the opportunity to study the dissolution, separation, and conversion of special nuclear materials (e.g., plutonium, enriched uranium, and thorium). As a lead-in to Beartooth, this project constructed a test bed to study the process and equipment behavior with real time series data collection using a variety of non-traditional sensors, in order to identify process failures and label them as either accidental or purposeful, thus enhancing nuclear nonproliferation stewardship. The measurement sources in this test bed include vibration, acoustic, current, flow, colorimetric, and thermal data. These measurements vary in terms of magnitude, frequency, and location. This information will be combined and used within data-driven machine-learning methods to detect operation condition changes that are either intentional (i.e., changes in operating set points) or malicious (i.e., flow diversion) in nature. This presentation covers the data processing and signature development activities necessary for utilizing this heterogeneous dataset to classify process anomalies.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS1993

Machine Tests Optical Fibers In Flexure

Machine repeatedly flexes single optical fiber or cable or bundle of optical fibers at low temperature. Liquid nitrogen surrounds specimen as it is bent back and forth by motion of piston. Machine inexpensive to build and operate. Tests under repeatable conditions so candidate fibers, cables, and bundles evaluated for general robustness before subjected to expensive shock and vibration tests.

Darejeh, Hadi↗
NASA NTRS1993

Emerging technologies in microguidance and control

Employing recent advances in microfabrication, the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory has developed inertial guidance instruments of very small size and low cost. Microfabrication employs the batch processing techniques of solid state electronics, such as photolithography, diffusion, and etching, to carve mechanical parts. Within a few years, microfabricated gyroscopes should perform in the 10 to 100 deg/h range. Microfabricated accelerometers have demonstrated performance in the 50 to 500 microgravity range. These instruments will result in not only the redesign of conventional military products, but also new applications that could not exist without small, inexpensive sensors and computing. Draper's microfabricated accelerometers and gyroscopes will be described and test results summarized. Associated electronics and control issues will also be addressed. Gimballed, vibrating gyroscopes and force rebalance accelerometers constructed from bulk silicon, polysilicon surface-machined tuning fork gyroscopes, and quartz resonant accelerometers and gyroscopes are examined. Draper is pursuing several types of devices for the following reasons: to address wide ranges of performance, to realize construction in a flat pack, and to lessen the risks associated with emerging technologies.

Weinberg, Marc S.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Design and Evaluation of a New Boundary-Layer Rake for Flight Testing

A new boundary-layer rake has been designed and built for flight testing on the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center F-15B/Flight Test Fixture. A feature unique to this rake is its curved body, which allows pitot tubes to be more densely clustered in the near-wall region than conventional rakes allow. This curved rake design has a complex three-dimensional shape that requires innovative solid-modeling and machining techniques. Finite-element stress analysis of the new design shows high factors of safety. The rake has passed a ground test in which random vibration measuring 12 g rms was applied for 20 min in each of the three normal directions. Aerodynamic evaluation of the rake has been conducted in the NASA Glenn Research Center 8 x 6 Supersonic Wind Tunnel at Mach 0-2. The pitot pressures from the new rake agree with conventional rake data over the range of Mach numbers tested. The boundary-layer profiles computed from the rake data have been shown to have the standard logarithmic-law profile. Skin friction values computed from the rake data using the Clauser plot method agree with the Preston tube results and the van Driest II compressible skin friction correlation to approximately +/-5 percent.

Bui, Trong T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Analysis and modification of a single-mesh gear fatigue rig for use in diagnostic studies

A single-mesh gear fatigue rig was analyzed and modified for use in gear mesh diagnostic research. The fatigue rig allowed unwanted vibration to mask the test-gear vibration signal, making it difficult to perform diagnostic studies. Several possible sources and factors contributing to the unwanted components of the vibration signal were investigated. Sensor mounting location was found to have a major effect on the content of the vibration signal. In the presence of unwanted vibration sources, modal amplification made unwanted components strong. A sensor location was found that provided a flatter frequency response. This resulted in a more useful vibration signal. A major network was performed on the fatigue rig to reduce the influence of the most probable sources of the noise in the vibration signal. The slave gears were machined to reduce weight and increase tooth loading. The housing and the shafts were modified to reduce imbalance, looseness, and misalignment in the rotating components. These changes resulted in an improved vibration signal, with the test-gear mesh frequency now the dominant component in the signal. Also, with the unwanted sources eliminated, the sensor mounting location giving the most robust representation of the test-gear meshing energy was found to be at a point close to the test gears in the load zone of the bearings.

Zakrajsek, James J.↗
NASA NTRS1940

Creep Strength of Stabilized Wrought-aluminum Alloys

Rohn-type equipment has been mounted on rubber blocks, for the purpose of damping the vibrations of the ground and of rendering the plastic yielding of the test bars less subject to outside interferences. New equipment also included three shockproof creep-testing machines with the Martens mirror instruments for recording the strain curve of the fatigue-tested specimens.

Muller, W↗
NASA NTRS2000

Life and Reliability Characteristics of TurboBrayton Coolers

Wear and internal contaminants are two of the primary factors that influence reliable, long-life operation of turbo-Brayton cryocoolers. This paper describes tests that have been conducted and methods that have been developed for turbo-Brayton components and systems to assure reliable operation. The turbomachines used in these coolers employ self-acting gas bearings to support the miniature high-speed shafts, thus providing vibration-free operation. Because the bearings are self-acting, rubbing contact occurs during initial start-up and shutdown of the machines. Bearings and shafts are designed to endure multiple stop/start cycles without producing particles or surface features that would impair the proper operation of the machines. Test results are presented for a variety of turbomachines used in these systems. The tests document extended operating life and start/stop cycling behavior for machines over a range of time and temperature scales. Contaminants such as moisture and other residual gas impurities can be a source of degraded operation if they freeze out in sufficient quantities to block flow passages or if they mechanically affect the operation of the machines. A post-fabrication bakeout procedure has been successfully used to reduce residual internal contamination to acceptable levels in a closed cycle system. The process was developed during space qualification tests on the NICMOS cryocooler. Moisture levels were sampled over a six-month time interval confirming the effectiveness of the technique. A description of the bakeout procedure is presented.

Breedlove, Jeff J.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Design of a Long-Stroke Noncontact Electromagnetic Actuator for Active Vibration Isolation

A long-stroke moving coil Lorentz Actuator was designed for use in a microgravity vibration isolation experiment. The final design had a stroke of 5.08 cm (2 in) and enough force capability to isolate a mass of the order of 22.7-45.4 kg. A simple dynamic magnetic circuit analysis, using an electrical analog, was developed for the initial design of the actuator. A neodymium-iron-boron material with energy density of 278 T-kA/m (35 MGOe) was selected to supply the magnetic field. The effect of changes in the design parameters of core diameter, shell outer diameter, pole face length, and coil wire layers were investigated. An extensive three-dimensional finite element analysis was carried out to accurately determine linearity with regard to axial position of the coil and coil current levels. The actuator was constructed and tested on a universal testing machine. Example plots are shown, indicating good linearity over the stroke of approximately 5.08 cm (2 in) and a range of coil currents from -1.5 A to +1.5 A. The actuator was then used for the microgravity vibration isolation experiments, described elsewhere.

Banerjee, Bibhuti↗
NASA NTRS1992

Structural design and analysis for an ultra low CTE optical bench for the Hubble Space Telescope corrective optics

The stringent stability requirements of the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) necessitates a Deployable Optical Bench (DOB) with both a low CTE and high resonant frequency. The DOB design consists of a monocoque thin shell structure which marries metallic machined parts with graphite epoxy formed structure. Structural analysis of the DOB has been integrated into the laminate design and optimization process. Also, the structural analytical results are compared with vibration and thermal test data to assess the reliability of the analysis.

Neam, Douglas C.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Acoustic-based monitoring and machine learning of component status for microreactor applications

This report provides a description and assessment of recent efforts to couple acoustic-based experimental measurements and characterization with machine learning models in order to enhance structural health monitoring capabilities for nuclear microreactors. With resilient embedded sensors in development by others supported by programs funded by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, the work described herein builds upon ongoing efforts to improve non-destructive testing technology that relates measured acoustic signatures to component stresses and/or structural defects, using a combination of new experimental measurements and machine learning architectures. The experimental procedure remained similar to that developed for the previous year’s demonstration of damage detection by the authors, with the same damaged sample tested under similar applied stress conditions. Notably, a new mounting fixture was designed and implemented to improve measurement consistency and a more sophisticated laser Doppler vibrometer was employed to make high-fidelity vibration measurements. Two nominally identical sets of training data were collected for each experimental setup to better understand the repeatability of the experiment and to better test the generality of trained neural network models. Additionally, we obtained new high-quality 3D mode shapes of the damaged test article at various stress and excitation levels, providing greater insights into the physical response of the sample during testing. Previously, we demonstrated that a machine learning model based on a convolutional neural network can predict structural details of an artificially introduced interface (intact, rough cut, smooth cut), and the applied torque level. In this study, we have transitioned to graph-based neural network architectures to better develop and test a flexible framework that is more suitable to being transferred away from controlled benchtop experiments and into more applied settings where less-structured data inputs may be expected. In general, performance testing of a graph neural network on frequency-domain representations of the data indicates strong and consistent identification of test conditions for datasets recorded on damaged components. With goals of predicting damage location and other changing experimental conditions using limited datasets, predictive models using a graph neural network architecture correctly predicted the applied torque level with an accuracy of 85% using only a single measurement point and predicted within one torque level in 95% of test windows. Predictions of damage location had limited success due to the symmetry and minimal number of the damage scenarios presented during model training. Results were ambiguous as to whether the model could detect the location of the artificial damage, or if it was instead learning the location of a given measurement point on the part and subsequently detecting which points were closest to the location of the damage. This finding will be factored into upcoming planned work on damaged graphite components, where new experimental tests with a larger number and variety of damage scenarios are expected to provide improved validation of recent developments in monitoring methodology.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS2008

Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC) - From Technology Development to Future Flight Product

The Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC) is being developed by Sunpower, Inc. under contract to NASA s Glenn Research Center (GRC) with critical technology support tasks lead by GRC. The ASC development, funded by NASA s Science Mission Directorate, started in 2003 as one of 10 competitively awarded contracts that were to address future Radioisotope Power System (RPS) advanced power conversion needs. The ASC technology has since evolved through progressive convertor builds and successful testing to demonstrate high conversion efficiency (38 %), low mass (1.3 kg), hermetic sealing, launch vibration simulation, EMI characterization, and is undergoing extended operation. The GRC and Sunpower team recently delivered three ASC-E machines to the Department of Energy (DOE) and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, two units for integration onto the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator Engineering Unit (ASRG EU) plus one spare. The design has recently been initiated for the ASC-E2, an evolution from the ASC-E that substitutes higher temperature materials enabling improved performance and higher reliability margins. This paper summarizes the history and status of the ASC project and discusses plans for this technology which enables RPS specific power of 8 W/kg for future NASA missions.

Wong, Wayne A.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Additively Manufactured Plastic Plasma Spectrometer

We report results in development and testing of a low resource top hat electrostatic analyzer (ESA) for space plasma measurements. This device has been additively manufactured (3D-printed) using fused deposition modeling. The classic top hat design is composed of four plastic pieces, without any surface coatings. The three conducting electrodes are printed from carbon nanotube infused polyether ether ketone (CNT-PEEK). The fourth piece, an insulating electrode support, uses pure PEEK. This ESA is designed to detect electrons in space from 10eV up to 30 keV. We demonstrate that the printed CNT-PEEK is sufficiently electrically conductive to support the fast high voltage slewing often required for high time resolution measurements. The plastic ESA has been successfully vibrated beyond standard pre-flight levels, tested under keV electron beam illumination over a wide range of temperatures, and tested under UV illumination, simulating the solar Ly-α flux. In comparison with an identical machined aluminum ESA, our CNT-PEEK ESA provides nominal energy/angle band passes, closely matching simulation. These band passes imply minimal impact from surface charging at beam energies of 2-3 keV, although more investigation is needed. We also find that the CNT-PEEK ESA provides far superior out-of-band electron rejection and UV photon rejection compared to the machined aluminum ESA. We do not detect any problems with trapped gases or outgassing. This development offers potential for significant mass savings, implementation of otherwise unattainable geometric configurations, and dramatic simplification in manufacturing and assembly processes required for development of space plasma instruments.

Quetzal Larrick↗