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At least 433 records · Page 24

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NASA NTRS1983

Prosthetic occlusive device for an internal passageway

An occlusive device is disclosed for surgical implant to occlude the lumen of an internal organ. The device includes a cuff having a backing collar and two isolated cuff chambers. The fluid pressure of one chamber is regulated by a pump/valve reservoir unit. The other chamber is unregulated in pressure but its fluid volume is adjusted by removing or adding fluid to a septum/reservoir by means of a hypodermic needle. Pressure changes are transmitted between the two cuff chambers via faying surfaces which are sufficiently large in contact area and thin as to transmit pressure generally without attenuation. By adjusting the fluid volume of the septum, the operating pressure of the device may be adjusted to accommodate tubular organs of different diameter sizes as well as to compensate for changes in the organ following implant without reoperation.

Tenney, J. B., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Effect of barrier height on friction behavior of the semiconductors silicon and gallium arsenide in contact with pure metals

Friction experiments were conducted for the semiconductors silicon and gallium arsenide in contact with pure metals. Polycrystalline titanium, tantalum, nickel, palladium, and platinum were made to contact a single crystal silicon (111) surface. Indium, nickel, copper, and silver were made to contact a single crystal gallium arsenide (100) surface. Sliding was conducted both in room air and in a vacuum of 10 to the minus 9th power torr. The friction of semiconductors in contact with metals depended on a Schottky barrier height formed at the metal semiconductor interface. Metals with a higher barrier height on semiconductors gave lower friction. The effect of the barrier height on friction behavior for argon sputtered cleaned surfaces in vacuum was more specific than that for the surfaces containing films in room air. With a silicon surface sliding on titanium, many silicon particles back transferred. In contrast, a large quantity of indium transferred to the gallium arsenide surface.

Mishina, H.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Flow-based anode for the electrocatalytic oxidation of a fuel or other reductant

Anode half-cells for the electrocatalytic oxidation of a liquid or gaseous fuel or other reductant are disclosed, along with electrochemical cells that include such half-cells. The anode half-cells include redox mediator/heterogeneous redox catalyst pairs within an electrolyte solution that is also in contact with an electrode. The electrode is not in direct contact with the heterogeneous catalyst. The redox mediator must include at least one carbon atom and be capable of transferring or accepting electrons and protons while undergoing reduction or oxidation.In operation, the fuel or other reductant is oxidized and the redox mediator is reduced at the heterogeneous catalyst. The reduced form of the redox mediator can then migrate to the electrode, where it is converted back to its oxidized form, which can then migrate back to the heterogeneous catalyst, where the cycle is repeated. The disclosed anode half-cells can be used in electrochemical cells, such as in fuel cells that produce electricity, or in electrosynthetic cells that produce one or more desired chemical products.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

NASA NTRS1979

Array Automated Assembly Task for the Low Cost Solar Array Project, Phase 2

Using silk screened evaporated and sputtered Al as the metal source, the formation of Al back surface fields was studied. The most satisfactory results were those obtained with the sputtered A1 and in which open circuit voltages (V sub oc) of 0.585 v (12 ohm cm FZ silicon) were achieved. The ultrasonic interconnect process is discussed. The process is shown to be satisfactory, but increased pull-strength may be obtained if some form of sintering is carried out on the metallized contacts. Plasma etching is shown to be feasible as a replacement for wet chemical cleaning prior to diffusion. Initial results on cells prepared by using electroless Pd/Ni plus either electroplated Ag or Cu show slightly poor performance than cells with the baseline evaporated Ti/Pd/Ag system. A mask designed for the 1.6 x 7.0 cm and 2.0 x 7.0 cm cells is described. This mask has a lower area coverage and total lower resistive loss than the previous mask design. It is also shown that the cell width should not exceed 2.0 - 3.0 cm for optimum efficiency.

Campbell, R. B.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Characteristics of Pool Boiling on Graphite-Copper Composite Surfaces

Nucleate pool boiling performance of different liquids on graphite-copper composite (Gr-Cu) surfaces has been experimentally studied and modeled. Both highly wetting fluids, such as freon-113 and pentane, and a moderately wetting fluid (water) were tested on the Gr-Cu surfaces with different graphite-fiber volume fractions to reveal the enhancement effects of the composite surfaces on the nucleate pool boiling. Results of the experiments show that the graphite-fiber volume fraction has an optimum value. The Gr-Cu composite surface with 25 percent graphite-fiber volume (f=0.25) has a maximum enhancement effect on the nucleate boiling heat transfer comparing to the pure copper surface. For the highly wetting fluid, the nucleate boiling heat transfer is generally enhanced on the Gr- Cu composite surfaces by 3 to 6 times shown. In the low heat flux region, the enhancement is over 6 times, but in the high heat flux region, the enhancement is reduced to about 40%. For the moderately wetting fluid (water), stronger enhancement of nucleate boiling heat transfer is achieved on the composite surface. It shown the experimental results in which one observes the nucleate boiling heat transfer enhancement of 5 to 10 times in the low heat flux region and an enhancement of 3 to 5 times in the high heat flux region. Photographs of bubble departure during the initial stage of nucleate boiling indicate that the bubbles detached from the composite surface are much smaller in diameter than those detached from the pure copper surface. Typical photographs are presented.It shows that the bubbles departed from the composite surface have diameters of only O(0.1) mm, while those departed from the pure copper surface have diameters of O(1) mm. It is also found that the bubbles depart from the composite surface at a much higher frequency, thus forming vapor columns. These two phenomena combined with high thermal conductivity of the graphite fiber are considered the mechanisms for such a significant augmentation in nucleate boiling heat transfer on the composite surfaces. A physical model is developed to describe the phenomenon of bubble departure from the composite surface: The preferred site of bubble nucleation is the fiber tip because of higher tip temperature than the surrounding copper base and poor wettability of the graphite tip compared with that of the base material (copper). The high evaporation rate near the contact line produces the vapor cutback due to the vapor recoil pushing the three-phase line outwards from the fiber tip, and so a neck of the bubble is formed near the bubble bottom. Evaporation and surface tension accelerate the necking process and finally result in the bubble departure while a new small bubble is formed at the tip when the surface tension pushes the three-phase line back to the tip. The process is schematically shown. The proposed model is based on and confirmed by experimental results.

Zhang, Nengli↗

NASA NTRS2009

Microwave Sterilization and Depyrogenation System

A fully functional, microgravity-compatible microwave sterilization and depyrogenation system (MSDS) prototype was developed that is capable of producing medical-grade water (MGW) without expendable supplies, using NASA potable water that currently is available aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and will be available for Lunar and planetary missions in the future. The microwave- based, continuous MSDS efficiently couples microwaves to a single-phase, pressurized, flowing water stream that is rapidly heated above 150 C. Under these conditions, water is rapidly sterilized. Endotoxins, significant biological toxins that originate from the cell walls of gram-negative bacteria and which represent another defining MGW requirement, are also deactivated (i.e., depyrogenated) albeit more slowly, with such deactivation representing a more difficult challenge than sterilization. Several innovations culminated in the successful MSDS prototype design. The most significant is the antenna-directed microwave heating of a water stream flowing through a microwave sterilization chamber (MSC). Novel antenna designs were developed to increase microwave transmission efficiency. These improvements resulted in greater than 95-percent absorption of incident microwaves. In addition, incorporation of recuperative heat exchangers (RHxs) in the design reduced the microwave power required to heat a water stream flowing at 15 mL/min to 170 C to only 50 W. Further improvements in energy efficiency involved the employment of a second antenna to redirect reflected microwaves back into the MSC, eliminating the need for a water load and simplifying MSDS design. A quick connect (QC) is another innovation that can be sterilized and depyrogenated at temperature, and then cooled using a unique flow design, allowing collection of MGW at atmospheric pressure and 80 C. The final innovation was the use of in-line mixers incorporated in the flow path to disrupt laminar flow and increase contact time at a given flow rate. These technologies can be employed in small-scale systems for efficient production of MGW in the laboratory or in a range of larger systems that meet various industrial requirements. The microwave antennas can also be adapted to selectively sterilize vulnerable connections to ultra-pure water production facilities or biologically vulnerable systems where microorganisms may intrude.

Akse, James R.↗

NASA NTRS2018

A Technology Architecture for Accessing the Oceans of Icy Worlds

The icy moon oceans beckon with ingredients that potentially may harbour extant life. Beginning with the Galileo and Cassini missions, measurements have revealed the presence of global oceans under the icy crust of several moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Among those moons, Europa and Enceladus have their ocean in contact with the rocky core, providing an environment similar to the conditions existing on the terrestrial sea-floor where life has developed at hydrothermal vents Accessing these oceans presents considerable difficulty due to a number of issues including the depth and composition of the icy crust, the time needed to travel through the crust, the power needed to propel a probe, communication of scientific and engineering data though the ice and back to Earth, entry and mobility in the ocean and autonomous operations for the life of the mission. A detailed trade space study was conducted to develop a technology architecture defining a system that would access an icy moon’s ocean. To specifically bound the architecture, Jupiter’s moon Europa was chosen as the target body though the work can apply to other bodies. The current understanding of the scientific properties of the ice crust and ocean was used to guide the development. A strawman scientific payload was devised to further develop a baseline set of requirements. Beginning with a launch and trajectory that can bring a system to Europa’s orbit, a complete trade space was developed outlining the engineering systems needed to access the ocean. The architecture was divided into specific phases for i) deorbit, descent and landing, ii) surface operations, iii) ice descent and iv) ocean access. The technical maturity of each of sub-system for the phases was assessed for systems that could be developed to a maturity ready for a preliminary design in less than ten years. Integrated system parameters on power, communication capacity, and mass were developed to further define the overall system. To constrain the design, a total time in the ice, from the ice crust surface to accessing the ocean was limited to three years, and 15Km of ice was baselined with a temperature profile through the ice estimated from the scientific literature.

Sengupta, Anita↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Anti-Fog Coatings For Spacesuit Helmets

A permanent and robust anti-fog coating was developed that is applied to the interior of polycarbonate spacesuit helmets. The coating is a mechanically resilient and permanent superhydrophilic (SHPL) layer produced by a two-step process consisting of a plasma processing pre-etch followed by the deposition of an optically transparent Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating to achieve an anti-fog, SHPL-DLC layer with Water Contact Angle (WCA) < 10°. The all-dry vacuum process consists of an oxygen plasma etching to engineer the surface of the polycarbonate, creating a well-controlled nanotextured morphology, which is key to the superhydrophilic properties, followed by vacuum deposited Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) DLC coating with high surface energy. The process is carried out at low temperatures compatible with polycarbonate materials and the two steps are performed back-to-back without breaking vacuum between steps. The process is readily scalable and compatible with large scale production volumes. The SHPL-DLC coating was tested for > 200 hours exposure using a breath simulator with no detrimental effect on the coating performance. The coating was also tested for exposure to cleaning fluids, IPA chemical exposure, adhesion testing per ASTM D3359, and abrasion resistance per MIL-E-12397 with no detrimental effects.

Spacesuit↗

DOE OSTI2022

Restored Passivation after Complete Removal of Front Poly-Si Between the Grid in Poly-Si/SiO2 Front/Back Cells

This work explores the use of wet chemical etching to completely remove the front poly-Si layer between grid lines of a front/back poly-Si/SiO2 passivated contact device. The purpose of the work is to provide excellent passivation under the metal grid, but to also maximize Jsc by eliminating optical absorption in the front poly-Si. We show that after a high temperature anneal to distribute carriers in the poly-Si/SiO2/c-Si interface all of the poly-Si can be removed selectively with TMAH, using the SiO2 as an etch-stop layer. The etched surface can be repassivated back to its original level with the addition of a SiNx/Al2O3 stack grown on the preserved tunnelling oxide layer followed by a short forming gas anneal. Using symmetric 100 - 200 nm intrinsically doped poly-Si/SiO2 on textured n-type wafer templates we show absolute device efficiency enhancement from 15% to 21% by increasing the Jsc by 12 mA/cm2 after removing the front poly-Si and repassivating while effectively preserving the Voc, and FF of the device. IQE values are similar to PERC devices in the short wavelength range.

etching↗

NASA NTRS2011

Operations Concept for a Solar System Internetwork

Space communications to date has been largely managed at the link layer, with simple point-to-point links between a spacecraft at Earth. However, future space exploration scenarios involve much richer communications scenarios, with complex network scenarios involving space assets communicating back to Earth via multiple intermediate relay service providers. To support these more complex network scenarios, the Space Internetworking Strategy Group has developed an operations concept for a Solar System Internetwork (SSI). The operations concept draws on the successes of the terrestrial Internet while addressing unique aspects of space communications. Key elements of the operations concept include a standardized network layer across the end-to-end SSI and the underlying processes for development of a contact plan that captures the link layer connectivity among SSI network nodes.

Edwards, Charles D., Jr.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Parallax-corrected VISST-derived pixel-level products from satellite GOES-16

The NASA Langley group led by William Smith produced GOES-16 satellite cloud retrievals over an approximate 10 by 10 degree region over the CACTI field campaign location. These retrievals are described here: https://www.arm.gov/capabilities/vaps/visst and are available for download here . They use algorithms historically called VISST that are now referred to as SatCORPS. More information can be found in Trepte et al. (2019), Minnis et al. (2021), and Yost et al. (2021). If using this dataset, please cite these references, the CACTI VISST dataset DOI found at the download link above, and this dataset’s DOI. The CACTI VISST pixel-level retrievals are on a 2 km spatial grid and available every 15 minutes (every 10 minutes late in the campaign), producing 21,765 files for the entire field campaign between October 2018 and April 2019. They are not corrected for parallax error, which is an offset in the actual geographical location of a cloud above the surface due to the satellite viewing the cloud partly from the side off nadir. This dataset applies a correction for parallax using the location relative to the satellite and the retrieved cloud top height above the surface, which allows the dataset to be geo-located with surface-based observations. The parallax correction for each location depends on the longitude, latitude and cloud top height above ground level (AGL) for that longitude and latitude in the original VISST files. The cloud top height AGL requires first computing the surface elevation at each VISST grid point. Data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Map Version 3 at 30-m resolution is projected onto the VISST grid using conservative coarsening (conserving surface elevation) in the xESMF Python package. The surface elevation is then subtracted from the VISST-retrieved cloud top height above mean sea level. These cloud top heights AGL are then combined with longitude and latitude to estimate the latitude and longitude corrections. Due to variability in cloud top height, the parallax shifts produce an irregular grid of values since higher cloud tops are shifted further than lower cloud tops. A ball tree-based neighbor search with Haversine distance is performed using the Python-based scikit-learn library to find the nearest VISST grid point to each parallax correction-shifted point. The data value of the shifted point is then assigned to that VISST grid point. In this manner, the irregular geographical shifts to correct for parallax are projected back to the rectilinear VISST grid. Because relatively higher clouds should obscure lower clouds, the variable values for the highest cloud top are preferentially chosen if two or more values are assigned to a grid point. The parallax correction should be viewed as an improved but still imperfect estimation of the cloud top locations, largely because the cloud top height is an imperfect retrieval. Please see the attached README document for further information. Users are encouraged to contact the authors with any additional questions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS2004

Deep-Sea Video Cameras Without Pressure Housings

Underwater video cameras of a proposed type (and, optionally, their light sources) would not be housed in pressure vessels. Conventional underwater cameras and their light sources are housed in pods that keep the contents dry and maintain interior pressures of about 1 atmosphere (.0.1 MPa). Pods strong enough to withstand the pressures at great ocean depths are bulky, heavy, and expensive. Elimination of the pods would make it possible to build camera/light-source units that would be significantly smaller, lighter, and less expensive. The depth ratings of the proposed camera/light source units would be essentially unlimited because the strengths of their housings would no longer be an issue. A camera according to the proposal would contain an active-pixel image sensor and readout circuits, all in the form of a single silicon-based complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) integrated- circuit chip. As long as none of the circuitry and none of the electrical leads were exposed to seawater, which is electrically conductive, silicon integrated- circuit chips could withstand the hydrostatic pressure of even the deepest ocean. The pressure would change the semiconductor band gap by only a slight amount . not enough to degrade imaging performance significantly. Electrical contact with seawater would be prevented by potting the integrated-circuit chip in a transparent plastic case. The electrical leads for supplying power to the chip and extracting the video signal would also be potted, though not necessarily in the same transparent plastic. The hydrostatic pressure would tend to compress the plastic case and the chip equally on all sides; there would be no need for great strength because there would be no need to hold back high pressure on one side against low pressure on the other side. A light source suitable for use with the camera could consist of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Like integrated- circuit chips, LEDs can withstand very large hydrostatic pressures. If power-supply regulators or filter capacitors were needed, these could be attached in chip form directly onto the back of, and potted with, the imager chip. Because CMOS imagers dissipate little power, the potting would not result in overheating. To minimize the cost of the camera, a fixed lens could be fabricated as part of the plastic case. For improved optical performance at greater cost, an adjustable glass achromatic lens would be mounted in a reservoir that would be filled with transparent oil and subject to the full hydrostatic pressure, and the reservoir would be mounted on the case to position the lens in front of the image sensor. The lens would by adjusted for focus by use of a motor inside the reservoir (oil-filled motors already exist).

Cunningham, Thomas↗

NASA NTRS1980

Development of a high efficiency thin silicon solar cell

Significant improvements in open-circuit voltage and conversion efficiency, even on relatively high bulk resistivity silicon, were achieved by using a screen-printed aluminum paste back surface field. A 4 sq cm 50 micron m thick cell was fabricated from textured 10 omega-cm silicon which had an open-circuit voltage of 595 mV and AMO conversion efficiency at 25 C of 14.3%. The best 4 sq cm 50 micron thick cell (2 omega-cm silicon) produced had an open-circuit voltage of 607 mV and an AMO conversion efficiency of 15%. Processing modifications are described which resulted in better front contact integrity and reduced breakage. These modifications were utilized in the thin cell pilot line to fabricate 4 sq cm cells with an average AMO conversion efficiency at 25 C of better than 12.5% and with lot yields as great as 51% of starts; a production rate of 10,000 cells per month was demonstrated. A pilot line was operated which produced large area (25 cm) ultra-thin cells with an average AMO conversion efficiency at 25 deg of better than 11.5% and a lot yield as high as 17%.

Storti, G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Investigation of surface water behavior during glaze ice accretion

A series of experimental investigations that focused on isolating the primary factors that control the behavior of unfrozen surface water during glaze ice accretion were conducted. Detailed microvideo observations were made of glaze ice accretions on 2.54 cm diam cylinders in a closed-loop refrigerated wind tunnel. Distinct zones of surface water behavior were observed; a smooth wet zone in the stagnation region with a uniform water film, a rough zone where surface tension effects caused coalescence of surface water into stationary beads, and a zone where surface water ran back as rivulets. The location of the transition from the smooth to the rough zone was found to migrate towards the stagnation point with time. Comparative tests were conducted to study the effect of the substrate thermal and roughness properties on ice accretion. The importance of surface water behavior was evaluated by the addition of a surface tension reducing agent to the icing tunnel water supply, which significantly altered the accreted glaze ice shape. Measurements were made to determine the contact angle behavior of water droplets on ice. A simple multizone modification to current glaze ice accretion models was proposed to include the observed surface roughness behavior.

Hansman, R. John, Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Radiation tolerant back biased CMOS VLSI

A CMOS circuit formed in a semiconductor substrate having improved immunity to total ionizing dose radiation, improved immunity to radiation induced latch up, and improved immunity to a single event upset. The architecture of the present invention can be utilized with the n-well, p-well, or dual-well processes. For example, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described relative to a p-well process wherein the p-well is formed in an n-type substrate. A network of NMOS transistors is formed in the p-well, and a network of PMOS transistors is formed in the n-type substrate. A contact is electrically coupled to the p-well region and is coupled to first means for independently controlling the voltage in the p-well region. Another contact is electrically coupled to the n-type substrate and is coupled to second means for independently controlling the voltage in the n-type substrate. By controlling the p-well voltage, the effective threshold voltages of the n-channel transistors both drawn and parasitic can be dynamically tuned. Likewise, by controlling the n-type substrate, the effective threshold voltages of the p-channel transistors both drawn and parasitic can also be dynamically tuned. Preferably, by optimizing the threshold voltages of the n-channel and p-channel transistors, the total ionizing dose radiation effect will be neutralized and lower supply voltages can be utilized for the circuit which would result in the circuit requiring less power.

Maki, Gary K.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Investigation of Off-Stoichiometry in Ternary Nitrides by EDS and HRTEM

We demonstrate an inverted metamorphic multijunction (IMM) photovoltaic cell comprising lattice-mismatched 1.2 eV AlGaInAs and 1.0 eV GaInAs junctions optimized for high-temperature thermophotovoltaic (TPV) applications. This device differs from traditional IMM solar cells because the mismatched junctions are grown at a single lattice constant. This architecture enables removal of the compositionally graded buffer which otherwise filters light from the junctions below and absorbs sub-bandgap light via free-carrier absorption. Sub-bandgap absorption dramatically reduces the efficiency of TPV systems using high reflectivity cells to enable bandedge spectrum filtering. Three components required development to enable this device: 1) a lattice-mismatched 1.2 eV AlGaInAs junction, 2) a metamorphic contact layer grown after the graded buffer, and 3) a transparent tunnel junction that sits in front of the 1.0 eV GaInAs junction. Growth conditions that minimize oxygen defect incorporation maximize AlGaInAs cell quality, enabling a 0.41 V bandgap open circuit voltage offset at 22 mA/cm2 under AM1.5D. A mismatched GaInAs:Se layer is developed as a low resistance contact. Lastly we develop a GaAsSb:C/GaInP:Se tunnel junction suitable for high-power densities with more transparency than the GaAsSb:C/GaInP:Se structure used in past IMM cells. We characterize the tandem device under a high-intensity spectrum that approximates the emission from a 2150 °C blackbody radiator and deduce a projected ideal TPV efficiency of 39.9% at ~30% of the blackbody irradiance, and 36% ideal TPV efficiency under the full 118 W/cm2 irradiance. Improvements to the back-surface reflectivity and series resistance are expected to increase the ideal TPV efficiency well above 40%.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2020

Inverted Metamorphic AlGaInAs/GaInAs Tandem Thermophotovoltaic Cell Designed for Thermal Energy Grid Storage Application

We demonstrate an inverted metamorphic multijunction (IMM) photovoltaic cell comprising lattice-mismatched 1.2 eV AlGaInAs and 1.0 eV GaInAs junctions optimized for high-temperature thermophotovoltaic (TPV) applications. This device differs from traditional IMM solar cells because the mismatched junctions are grown at a single lattice constant. This architecture enables removal of the compositionally graded buffer that otherwise filters light from the junctions below and absorbs sub-bandgap light via free-carrier absorption. Sub-bandgap absorption dramatically reduces the efficiency of TPV systems using high reflectivity cells to enable band edge spectrum filtering. Three components required development to enable this device: (1) a lattice-mismatched 1.2 eV AlGaInAs junction, (2) a metamorphic contact layer grown after the graded buffer, and (3) a transparent tunnel junction that sits in front of the 1.0 eV GaInAs junction. Growth conditions that minimize oxygen defect incorporation maximize AlGaInAs cell quality, enabling a 0.41 V bandgap open circuit voltage offset at 22 mA/cm2 under AM1.5D. A mismatched GaInAs:Se layer is developed as a low resistance contact. Lastly, we develop a GaAsSb:C/GaInP:Se tunnel junction suitable for high-power densities with more transparency than the GaAsSb:C/GaInAs:Se structure used in past IMM cells. We characterize the tandem device under a high-intensity spectrum that approximates the emission from a 2150°C blackbody radiator and deduce a projected ideal TPV efficiency of 39.9% at ~30% of the blackbody irradiance and 36% ideal TPV efficiency under the full 118 W/cm2 irradiance. Improvements to the back-surface reflectivity and series resistance are expected to increase the ideal TPV efficiency well above 40%.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

NASA NTRS1992

Maximum life spiral bevel reduction design

Optimization is applied to the design of a spiral bevel gear reduction for maximum life at a given size. A modified feasible directions search algorithm permits a wide variety of inequality constraints and exact design requirements to be met with low sensitivity to initial values. Gear tooth bending strength and minimum contact ratio under load are included in the active constraints. The optimal design of the spiral bevel gear reduction includes the selection of bearing and shaft proportions in addition to gear mesh parameters. System life is maximized subject to a fixed backcone distance of the spiral bevel gear set for a specified speed reduction, shaft angle, input torque, and power. Design examples show the influence of the bearing lives on the gear parameters in the optimal configurations. For a fixed back-cone distance, optimal designs with larger shaft angles have larger service lives.

Savage, M.↗