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NASA NTRS2003

Leak and Pipe Detection Method and System

A method and system for locating leaks of conductive fluids from non-conductive pipes and other structures or for locat- ing non-conductive pipes or structures having conductive fluid contained therein, employ a charge generator to apply a time varying charge to the conductive fluid, and a capaci- tive type detector that can detect the variable charge that is induced in the fluid. The capacitive detector, which prefer- ably includes a handheld housing, employs a large conduc- tive pickup plate that is used to locate the pipe or leak by scanning the plate over the ground and detecting the induced charge that is generated when the plate comes in close proximity to the pipe or leak. If a leak is encountered, the resulting signal will appear over an area larger than expected for a buried pipe, assuming the leak provides an electrically conductive path between the flow and the wet surrounding ground. The detector uses any suitable type of indicator device, such as a pair of headphones that enable an operator to hear the detected signal as a chirping sound, for example.

Robert C Youngquist↗

NASA NTRS1976

Thermal analysis of PMR-polyimides by dielectrometry

A preliminary study was conducted to determine the dielectric properties of glass fabric reinforced composites as influenced by the reactions occurring during the preparation of crosslinked polyimides by the PMR process. The variables studied included: formulated molecular weight, staging temperature and time; rate of temperature increase to cure temperature; and cure temperature and time. The changes of capacitance and, particularly, of dissipation factor were found to be strongly dependent on each of the variables studied.

Gluyas, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Wirelessly Interrogated Position or Displacement Sensors

Two simple position or displacement sensors based on inductance-capacitance resonant circuits have been conceived. These sensors are both powered and interrogated without use of wires and without making contact with other objects. Instead, excitation and interrogation are accomplished by means of a magnetic-field-response recorder. Both of the present position or displacement sensors consist essentially of variable rectangular parallel-plate capacitors electrically connected in series with fixed inductors. Simple inductance-capacitance circuits of the type used in these sensors are inherently robust; their basic mode of operation does not depend on maintenance of specific environmental conditions. Hence, these sensors can be used under such harsh conditions as cryogenic temperatures, high pressures, and radioactivity.

Woodard, Stanley E.↗

NASA NTRS2007

System and Method for Detecting Cracks and their Location

A system and method are provided for detecting cracks and their location in a structure. A circuit coupled to a structure has capacitive strain sensors coupled sequentially and in parallel to one another. When excited by a variable magnetic field, the circuit has a resonant frequency that is different for unstrained and strained states. In terms of strained states, the resonant frequency is indicative of a region of the circuit that is experiencing strain induced by strain in a region of the structure in proximity to the region of the circuit. An inductor is electrically coupled to one end of each circuit. A magnetic field response recorder wirelessly transmits the variable magnetic field to the inductor and senses the resonant frequency of the circuit so-excited by the variable magnetic field.

Woodward, Stanley E.↗

NASA NTRS1984

GaAs dual-gate FET for operation up to K-band

A high-frequency equivalent-circuit model of a GaAs dual-gate FET and analytical expressions for the input/output impedances, transconductance, unilateral gain, and stability factor are presented. It is found that the gain of a dual-gate FET is higher than of a single-gate FET at low frequency but decreases faster as frequency increases because of the capacitive shunting effect of the second gate. A dual-gate power FET suitable for variable-gain-amplifier applications up to K-band has been developed. At 10 GHz, a 1.2-mm-gatewidth device has achieved an output power of 1.1 W with 10.5-dB gain and 31-percent power-added efficiency. At 20 GHz, the same device delivered an output power of 340 mW with 5.3-dB gain. At K-band, a dynamic-gain control range of up to 45 dB was obtained with an insertion phase change of no more than + or 2 degrees for the first 10 dB of gain control.

Kim, B.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Electrical capacitance clearanceometer

A hot gas turbine engine capacitive probe clearanceometer is employed to measure the clearance gap or distance between blade tips on a rotor wheel and its confining casing under operating conditions. A braze sealed tip of the probe carries a capacitor electrode which is electrically connected to an electrical inductor within the probe which is inserted into a turbine casing to position its electrode at the inner surface of the casing. Electrical power is supplied through a voltage controlled variable frequency oscillator having a tuned circuit in which the probe is a component. The oscillator signal is modulated by a change in electrical capacitance between the probe electrode and a passing blade tip surface while an automatic feedback correction circuit corrects oscillator signal drift. A change in distance between a blade tip and the probe electrode is a change in capacitance therebetween which frequency modulates the oscillator signal. The modulated oscillator signal which is then processed through a phase detector and related circuitry to provide an electrical signal is proportional to the clearance gap.

Hester, Norbert J.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Electrically Variable or Programmable Nonvolatile Capacitors

Electrically variable or programmable capacitors based on the unique properties of thin perovskite films are undergoing development. These capacitors show promise of overcoming two important deficiencies of prior electrically programmable capacitors: Unlike in the case of varactors, it is not necessary to supply power continuously to make these capacitors retain their capacitance values. Hence, these capacitors may prove useful as components of nonvolatile analog and digital electronic memories. Unlike in the case of ferroelectric capacitors, it is possible to measure the capacitance values of these capacitors without changing the values. In other words, whereas readout of ferroelectric capacitors is destructive, readout of these capacitors can be nondestructive. A capacitor of this type is a simple two terminal device. It includes a thin film of a suitable perovskite as the dielectric layer, sandwiched between two metal or metal oxide electrodes (for example, see Figure 1). The utility of this device as a variable capacitor is based on a phenomenon, known as electrical-pulse-induced capacitance (EPIC), that is observed in thin perovskite films and especially in those thin perovskite films that exhibit the colossal magnetoresistive (CMR) effect. In EPIC, the application of one or more electrical pulses that exceed a threshold magnitude (typically somewhat less than 1 V) gives rise to a nonvolatile change in capacitance. The change in capacitance depends on the magnitude duration, polarity, and number of pulses. It is not necessary to apply a magnetic field or to cool the device below (or heat it above) room temperature to obtain EPIC. Examples of suitable CMR perovskites include Pr(1-x)Ca(x)MnO3, La(1-x)S-r(x)MnO3,and Nb(1-x)Ca(x)MnO3. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an EPIC capacitor connected to a circuit that can vary the capacitance, measure the capacitance, and/or measure the resistance of the capacitor.

Shangqing, Liu↗

NASA NTRS2002

Electronic Dimmable Ballasts for High-Intensity Discharge Sodium Vapor and Metal Halide Lamps

Two types of high-intensity discharge lamps were tested using dimmable ballasts. The main purpose for evaluating this lighting system was to determine its efficacy for saving power. Whereas previous variable level lighting systems for HID lamps in Advanced Life Support applications were adjustable in two or three steps using capacitive switching, this system allows for continuously adjustable lamp output. This type of lighting system when used as part of an Advanced Life Support biomass production system would provide only the amount of light energy a crop needed at any particular point in its growth cycle. Since most of the equivalent system mass in an ALS system is from the light energy required to grow the crops, controlling that light energy dynamically over a continuous range of operation would dramatically reduce the power consumption and reduce system mass.

Boulanger, Richard↗

NASA NTRS2005

Characterization of an Electroanalytical Instrument Suite Searching for Water and Life on Mars

Seeking the existence of life on other planets is an essential part of NASA's research. Our terrestrial experience suggests that water is a mandatory resource for life to exist and thrive. However, instruments capable of detecting water at the levels likely to be present on Mars are lacking. This project tests the possibility of using electrical measurements of soils, at variable frequencies, as a water detector. Generally, the electrical resistance of soils can be described as a combination of resistance and capacitance, which can be described by a vector including a magnitude and (phase) angle. By specifically studying the impedance measurements and phase angles of different types of soil, spiked with varying concentrations of dissolved ions, measurements can be taken to provide an idea of the behavior of dry Martian soils. The presentation will describe the experimental technique, apparatus and procedures, as well as results conducted to calibrate the instrument and to establish sample preparation protocols.

Bostic, Heidi E.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Dynamic dielectric characterization of thermosets and thermoplastics using intrinsic variables

Dynamic dielectric analysis has been used to study curing polymer systems and thermoplastics. Measurements have been made over a frequency range of six decades. The data are analyzed in terms of capacitance, conductance, dissipation, complex permittivity, and conductivity (sigma). Complex permittivity and sigma are properties which are characteristic of the cure state of the material and independent of the size of the sample. LARC-160, PMR-15, NARMCO 5208, Epon and UDEL-P1700 have been studied. The experimental results suggest that when ionic processes dominate the dielectric response, the intensive property sigma is a good monitor of the resin's viscosity.

Kranbuehl, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Capacitively Stabilized Etalon Technology for Spaceborne Wind Lidar Application

Global monitoring by satellites is important for many types of environmental studies. Among these, the wind field is the single most important atmospheric state variable required for understanding atmospheric motion and predicting weather. Studies indicate that a global determination of the tropospheric wind field to an accuracy of 1-5 m/sec is critical for improved numerical weather forecasting. This measurement could be carried out with a spaceborne lidar system sensing the Doppler shift of a laser signal backscattered from the atmosphere. Over the past four years we have developed a ground-based Edge Technique lidar system and demonstrated wind measurements through the troposphere with high accuracy (1-6 m/s) and high spatial resolution. Recently, we began the design of a shuttle based wind measurement system for technology demonstration as part of the Zephyr program. In this paper, we present the characteristics of the high spectral resolution etalon filter technology for lidar wind measurement with the Edge Technique. In conclusion, a spacecraft motion compensation method has been discussed. We demonstrated experimentally that the etalon can be tuned to compensate for any satellite induced Doppler shift to an accuracy of better than 0.6 m/s over a time period of 2.5 ms.

Li, Steven X.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Bipolar junction transistor models for circuit simulation of cosmic-ray-induced soft errors

This paper examines bipolar junction transistor models suitable for calculating the effects of large excursions of some of the variables determining the operation of a transistor. Both the Ebers-Moll and Gummel-Poon models are studied, and the junction and diffusion capacitances are evaluated on the basis of the latter model. The most interesting result of this analysis is that a bipolar junction transistor when struck by a cosmic particle may cause a single event upset in an electronic circuit if the transistor is operated at a low forward base-emitter bias.

Benumof, R.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Advanced Components for Spaceborne Infrared Astronomy

Basic improvements in the technology of low noise read-out systems for low background detectors were demonstrated. Using discrete JFET integrating amplifiers at their optimum temperature of 55 K, read noise less than 7.5 electrons in 128 seconds of integration was obtained. Two models of single channel integrators are now available, the JF-77 for use between 50 and 80 K and the JF-4 for lower temperatures. A 1 x 15 linear array of complete integrators on a single integrated circuit was developed and will be made available in the near future. The successful operation of a superconducting stepper motor was demonstrated. The motor shows a three fold increase in torque over conventional motors operating at room temperature. The success of the motor stems from the use of superconducting coils in conjunction with developments in bearings for cryogenic use, rare-earth rotors, and motor cooling techniques. The current state of development will allow the rapid development of motors optimized for specific applications. An electronic switch capable of resetting cooled JFET integrating amplifiers was developed. The JFET integrating amplifiers that use this switch have demonstrated read noise of less than 10 electrons. The JFET reset device exhibits an extremely high open impedance and low leakage current. Capacitance is sufficiently low so as not to impair amplifier sensitivity. The effects of transient switching charges are minimized by a compensation technique and variable transient current problems inherent to devices of this type are overcome by external circuity.

Davidson, Arnold W.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Steering capaciflector sensor

A capacitive type proximity sensor having substantial range and sensitivity between a machine and an intruding object in the immediate vicinity of the machine and having a steerable sensing field has an outer electrical conductor on the machine forming one electrode of a sensor capacitor, the other electrode is the object. The outer conductor is a thin sheet of conductive material with a pair (or more) of intermediate electrical conductors located between the outer conductor and the machine. The pair of intermediate electrical conductors are in close proximity to each other and together form a surface having a size substantially larger than the outer conductor to act as a shield for reducing the parasitic capacitance between the outer conductor and the machine and to steer the sensor field. The pair of intermediate conductors are thin sheets of conductive material substantially wider than the first conductor. The outer and pair of intermediate conductors are attached to a surface on the machine in electrical isolation and with no gaps between the conductors and no gap between the surface and the pair of intermediate conductors. The outer and pair of intermediate conductors are also in conformance with each other and the surface of the machine, and the surface of the machine acts as a ground plane. Variable gain voltage follower circuits are used for coupling, in phase, the instantaneous voltage at the outer electrical conductor to the pair of intermediate electrical conductors and a signal generator is coupled to the outer conductor and is responsive to the capacitance of the sensor capacitor for generating a control signal to the machine.

Jenstrom, Del T.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Erosive burning research

A status report is given on the results for the completed tests in a series of motor firings being carried out to measure the effects of the parameters that are considered to most strongly influence the scaling to larger rocket motor sizes of the transition to/or threshold conditions for erosive burning rate augmentation. Propellant burning rates at locations along the axis of the test motors are measured with a newly developed plasma capacitance gauge technique. The measured results are compared with erosive-burning predictions from a supporting ballistics analysis. The completed motor firings have successfully demonstrated response to the designed test variables. The trends with varying propellant burning rate, chamber pressure, and mass flow rate are consistent with existing results, but no pronounced effect of surface roughness has been observed. Rather, the influence of propellant oxidizer particle size on erosive burning is through its effect on the base, no-corssflow burning rate.

Strand, L.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A comparative assessment of R. M. Young and tipping bucket rain gauges

Rain rates as derived from standard tipping bucket rain gauges have variable integration times corresponding to the interval between bucket tips. For example, the integration time for the Weathertronics rain gauge is given by delta(T) = 15.24/R (min), where R is the rain rate expressed in mm/h and delta(T) is the time between tips expressed in minutes. It is apparent that a rain rate of 1 mm/h has an integration time in excess of 15 minutes. Rain rates larger than 15.24 mm/h will have integration times smaller than 1 minute. The integration time is dictated by the time it takes to fill a small tipping bucket where each tip gives rise to 0.254 mm of rainfall. Hence, a uniform rain rate of 1 mm/h over a 15 minute period will give rise to the same rain rate as 0 mm/h rainfall over the first 14 minutes and 15 mm/h between 14 to 15 minutes from the reference tip. Hence, the rain intensity fluctuations may not be captured with the tipping bucket rain gauge for highly variable rates encompassing lower and higher values over a given integration time. The objective of this effort is to provide an assessment of the features of the R. M. Young capacitive gauge and to compare these features with those of the standard tipping bucket rain gauge. A number of rain rate-time series derived from measurements with approximately co-located gauges are examined.

Goldhirsh, Julius↗

NASA NTRS1981

High-frequency measurements of multilayer ceramic capacitors

A resonant coaxial transmission line, short circuited at one end and open circuited at the other, whose fundamental resonant frequency and Q factor are known, is perturbed with a test capacitor connected either in series at the shorted end of the line, or in shunt at the open end. Measuring the Q factor of the system with the delta f technique yields the effective series resistance, capacitance, and the Q factor of the test specimen. This method of measurement has the advantage that there are no adjustable elements to alter circuit conditions in an unprescribed way, the only variable is the frequency which can be measured with an uncertainty of less than 1 ppm, the loss of the line as a function of frequency is quite predictable, and the Q factor of the line can be made sufficiently high to support accurate measurements of low loss capacitors.

Lafferty, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Lunar Seismic Detector to Advance the Search for Strange Quark Matter

Detection of small seismic signals on the Moon are needed to study lunar internal structure and to detect possible signals from Strange Quark m&er transit events. The immediate objective is to create a prototype seismic detector using a tunnel diode oscillator with a variable capacitor attached to a proof mass. The device is designed to operate effectively on the Moon, which requires a low power consumption to operate through lunar night, while preserving sensitivity. The goal is capacitance resolution of better than 1 part in 10' and power consumption of less than 1 watt.

Galitzki, Nicholas B.↗