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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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At least 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2017

A Study of the Degradation of Electronic Speed Controllers for Brushless DC Motors

Brushless DC motors are frequently used in electric aircraft and other direct drive applications. As these motors are notactually direct current machines but synchronous alternating current machines; they are electronically commutated by a power inverter. The power inverter for brushless DC motors typically used in small scale UAVs is a semiconductor base delectronic commutator that is external to the motor and is referred to as an electronic speed control (ESC). This paper examines the performance changes of a UAV electric propulsion system resulting from ESC degradation. ESC performance is evaluated in simulation and on a new developed test bed featuring propulsion components from a reference UAV. An increase in the rise fall times of the switched voltages is expected to cause timing issues at high motor speeds. This study paves the way for further development of diagnostic and prognostic methods for inverter circuits which are part of the overall electric UAV system.

Gorospe, George E., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Roles of Dynamic State Estimation in Power System Modeling, Monitoring and Operation

—Power system dynamic state estimation (DSE) remains an active research area. This is driven by the absence of accurate models, the increasing availability of fast-sampled, time synchronized measurements, and the advances in the capability, scalability, and affordability of computing and communications. This paper discusses the advantages of DSE as compared to static state estimation, and the implementation differences between the two, including the measurement configuration, modeling framework and support software features. The important roles of DSE are discussed from modeling, monitoring and operation aspects for today’s synchronous machine dominated systems and the future power electronics-interfaced generation systems. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the benefits of DSE on enhancing the operational robustness and resilience of 21st century power system through time critical applications. Future research directions are identified and discussed, paving the way for developing the next generation of energy management systems.

Zhao, Junbo↗
DOE OSTI2020

Design of a 100 kW Surface Permanent Magnet Machine with Wide Constant Power Speed Ratio for Traction Applications

Surface permanent magnet (SPM) machines are considered to be strong candidates for traction applications due to their high power density and high efficiency. By adopting fractional-slot concentrated windings, SPM machines can achieve a wide constant power speed range. A carbon fiber sleeve is applied to ensure the retainment of the magnets at high speed operating conditions. The purpose of this paper is to present the design of a high speed SPM machine for traction applications with 25 kW/Liter active power density and a wide constant-power speed range that is consistent with guidelines and targets presented in the Electrical and Electronics Technical Team Roadmap published by the US Department of Energy. The predicted electromagnetic performance and structural characteristics are presented based on both analytical and FEA results.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of G-phase volume fraction and number density in duplex stainless steels using transmission electron microscopy

Duplex stainless steels (DSS) have a high toughness and strength due the presence of both austenitic and ferritic phases. These alloys have had limited use in power production applications due to thermal embrittlement caused by spinodal decomposition and development of G-phase precipitates in the ferrite. Lean grade DSS alloys (e.g., 2101, 2003) may offer improved thermal stability due to the reduction of Cr- and Ni-equivalent elements when compared to standard grade compositions (e.g., 2205, 2209). The abundance of the G-phase was measured in five duplex stainless steels, three wrought alloys (2101, 2003, 2205) and their matching filler metals (2101-w, 2209-w), after aging at 427 °C for 1000 h and 10,000 h. The G-phase volume fraction, number density, size, and precipitate spacing were found using quantitative analysis of transmission electron microscopy dark field images and the composition of G-phase precipitates on other clusters were characterized with atom probe tomography (APT). In the welded alloys, the G-phase was found to develop rapidly, relative to the wrought material. A positive correlation was found between the nickel equivalent composition of the alloy and the G-phase volume fraction. The alloys 2205, 2209, and 2101-w, which are higher in Cr and Ni, all showed significant G-phase precipitation, further strengthening the hypothesis that lean grade DSS alloys are more thermally stable against precipitation in the ferrite. Electron diffraction showed a secondary phase present in the 2101 wrought alloy at 10,000 h, but it was not crystallographically consistent with the G-phase; APT showed the presence of nanoclusters rich in both nickel and copper for this alloy. In conclusion, no secondary phases or clusters were found in 2003 after 10,000 h of aging, so it may be a candidate alloy for applications that require long-life times at high operating temperatures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Assessment and Commissioning of Electrical Substation Grid Testbed with a Real-Time Simulator and Protective Relays/Power Meters in the Loop

Electrical utility substations are wired with intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), such as protective relays, power meters, and communication switches. Substation engineers commission these IEDs to assess the appropriate measurements for monitoring, control, power system protection, and communication applications. Like real electrical utility substations, complex electrical substation grid testbeds (ESGTs) need to be assessed for measuring current and voltage signals in monitoring, power system protection, control (synchro check), and communication applications that are limited by small measurement percentage errors. In the process of setting an ESGT with real-time simulators and IEDs in the loop, protective relays, power meters, and communication devices must be commissioned before running experiments. In this study, an ESGT with IEDs and distributed ledger technology was developed. The ESGT with a real-time simulator and IEDs in the loop was satisfactorily assessed and commissioned. The commissioning and problem-solving tasks of the testbed are described to define a method with flowcharts to assess possible trouble-shooting in ESGTs. This method was based on comparing the simulations versus IED measurements for the phase current and voltage magnitudes, three-phase phasor diagrams, breaker states, protective relay times with selectivity coordination at electrical faults, communication data points, and time-stamp sources.

Piesciorovsky, Emilio↗
DOE OSTI2025

Simulation of 24,000 Electron Dynamics: Real-Time Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) with the Real-Space Multigrids (RMG)

Here, we present the theory, implementation, and benchmarking of a real-time time-dependent density functional theory (RT-TDDFT) module within the RMG code, designed to simulate the electronic response of molecular systems to external perturbations. Our method offers insights into nonequilibrium dynamics and excited states across a diverse range of systems, from small organic molecules to large metallic nanoparticles. Benchmarking results demonstrate excellent agreement with established TDDFT implementations and showcase the superior stability of our time integration algorithm, enabling long-term simulations with minimal energy drift. The scalability and efficiency of RMG on massively parallel architectures allow for simulations of complex systems, such as plasmonic nanoparticles with thousands of atoms. Future extensions, including nuclear and spin dynamics, will broaden the applicability of this RT-TDDFT implementation, providing a powerful toolset for studies of photoactive materials, nanoscale devices, and other systems where real-time electronic dynamics is essential.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1976

The NASA high power carbon dioxide laser: A versatile tool for laser applications

A closed-cycle, continuous wave, carbon dioxide high power laser has been designed and fabricated to support research for the identification and evaluation of possible high power laser applications. The device is designed to generate up to 70 kW of laser power in annular shape beams from 1 to 9 cm in diameter. Electric discharge, either self sustained or electron beam sustained, is used for excitation. This laser facility provides a versatile tool on which research can be performed to advance the state-of-the-art technology of high power CO2 lasers in such areas as electric excitation, laser chemistry, and quality of output beams. The facility provides a well defined, continuous wave beam for various application experiments, such as propulsion, power conversion, and materials processing.

Lancashire, R. B.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Tutorial on forming through-silicon vias

Through-silicon vias (TSVs) are a critical technology for three-dimensional integrated circuit technology. These through-substrate interconnects allow electronic devices to be stacked vertically for a broad range of applications and performance improvements such as increased bandwidth, reduced signal delay, improved power management, and smaller form-factors. There are many interdependent processing steps involved in the successful integration of TSVs. This article provides a tutorial style review of the following semiconductor fabrication process steps that are commonly used in forming TSVs: deep etching of silicon to form the via, thin film deposition to provide insulation, barrier, and seed layers, electroplating of copper for the conductive metal, and wafer thinning to reveal the TSVs. Recent work in copper electrochemical deposition is highlighted, analyzing the effect of accelerator and suppressor additives in the electrolyte to enable void-free bottom-up filling from a conformally lined seed metal.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Rotaxane rings promote oblique packing and extended lifetimes in DNA-templated molecular dye aggregates

Abstract Molecular excitons play a central role in natural and artificial light harvesting, organic electronics, and nanoscale computing. The structure and dynamics of molecular excitons, critical to each application, are sensitively governed by molecular packing. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) templating is a powerful approach that enables controlled aggregation via sub-nanometer positioning of molecular dyes. However, finer sub-Angstrom control of dye packing is needed to tailor excitonic properties for specific applications. Here, we show that adding rotaxane rings to squaraine dyes templated with DNA promotes an elusive oblique packing arrangement with highly desirable optical properties. Specifically, dimers of these squaraine:rotaxanes exhibit an absorption spectrum with near-equal intensity excitonically split absorption bands. Theoretical analysis indicates that the transitions are mostly electronic in nature and only have similar intensities over a narrow range of packing angles. Compared with squaraine dimers, squaraine:rotaxane dimers also exhibit extended excited-state lifetimes and less structural heterogeneity. The approach proposed here may be generally useful for optimizing excitonic materials for a variety of applications ranging from solar energy conversion to quantum information science.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Structural, chemical, and electronic control in Co–SiNx granular metals for high-pass filter applications

Granular metals, consisting of nanoscale conducting and insulating regions, have been studied for more than 50 years for fundamental and applied research. Granular metals exhibit non-linear conductivity vs frequency behavior, consistent with the universal power law response, and have recently been suggested for high-pass filter applications. Here, we report that cobalt–silicon nitride (Co–SiNx) granular metals with optimized sputter conditions and post-growth annealing exhibit an exceptional 109 increase in conductivity at 1 MHz compared to the DC conductivity. The improved frequency response is correlated with structural and chemical improvements examined via scanning transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. While we focus on improvements for high-pass filter applications, the structural, chemical, and electronic control demonstrated here will benefit a variety of granular metal and nanoparticle applications.

Annealing↗
NASA NTRS2009

Operation of SOI P-Channel Field Effect Transistors, CHT-PMOS30, under Extreme Temperatures

Electronic systems are required to operate under extreme temperatures in NASA planetary exploration and deep space missions. Electronics on-board spacecraft must also tolerate thermal cycling between extreme temperatures. Thermal management means are usually included in today s spacecraft systems to provide adequate temperature for proper operation of the electronics. These measures, which may include heating elements, heat pipes, radiators, etc., however add to the complexity in the design of the system, increases its cost and weight, and affects its performance and reliability. Electronic parts and circuits capable of withstanding and operating under extreme temperatures would reflect in improvement in system s efficiency, reducing cost, and improving overall reliability. Semiconductor chips based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology are designed mainly for high temperature applications and find extensive use in terrestrial well-logging fields. Their inherent design offers advantages over silicon devices in terms of reduced leakage currents, less power consumption, faster switching speeds, and good radiation tolerance. Little is known, however, about their performance at cryogenic temperatures and under wide thermal swings. Experimental investigation on the operation of SOI, N-channel field effect transistors under wide temperature range was reported earlier [1]. This work examines the performance of P-channel devices of these SOI transistors. The electronic part investigated in this work comprised of a Cissoid s CHT-PMOS30, high temperature P-channel MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) device [2]. This high voltage, medium-power transistor is designed for geothermal well logging applications, aerospace and avionics, and automotive industry, and is specified for operation in the temperature range of -55 C to +225 C. Table I shows some specifications of this transistor [2]. The CHT-PMOS30 device was characterized at various temperatures over the range of -190 C to +225 C in terms of its voltage/current characteristic curves. The test temperatures included +22, -50, -100, -150, -175, -190, +50, +100, +150, +175, +200, and +225 C. Limited thermal cycling testing was also performed on the device. These tests consisted of subjecting the transistor to a total of twelve thermal cycles between -190 C and +225 C. A temperature rate of change of 10 C/min and a soak time at the test temperature of 10 minutes were used throughout this work. Post-cycling measurements were also performed at selected temperatures. In addition, re-start capability at extreme temperatures, i.e. power switched on while the device was soaking for a period of 20 minutes at the test temperatures of -190 C and +225 C, was investigated.

Patterson, Richard↗
DOE OSTI2020

Wide Band Gap Chalcogenide Semiconductors

Wide band gap semiconductors are essential for today’s electronic devices and energy applications because of their high optical transparency, controllable carrier concentration, and tunable electrical conductivity. The most intensively investigated wide band gap semiconductors are transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), such as tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) and amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O (IGZO), used in displays and solar cells, carbides (e.g., SiC) and nitrides (e.g., GaN) used in power electronics, and emerging halides (e.g., γ-CuI) and 2D electronic materials (e.g., graphene) used in various optoelectronic devices. Compared to these prominent materials families, chalcogen-based (Ch = S, Se, Te) wide band gap semiconductors are less heavily investigated but stand out because of their propensity for p-type doping, high mobilities, high valence band positions (i.e., low ionization potentials), and broad applications in electronic devices such as CdTe solar cells. This manuscript provides a review of wide band gap chalcogenide semiconductors. First, we outline general materials design parameters of high performing transparent semiconductors, as well as the theoretical and experimental underpinnings of the corresponding research methods. We proceed to summarize progress in wide band gap (EG > 2 eV) chalcogenide materials—namely, II–VI MCh binaries, CuMCh 2 chalcopyrites, Cu 3 MCh 4 sulvanites, mixed-anion layered CuMCh(O,F), and 2D materials—and discuss computational predictions of potential new candidates in this family, highlighting their optical and electrical properties. Then, we finally review applications—for example, photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical solar cells, transistors, and light emitting diodes—that employ wide band gap chalcogenides as either an active or passive layer. Overall, by examining, categorizing, and discussing prospective directions in wide band gap chalcogenides, this Review aims to inspire continued research on this emerging class of transparent semiconductors and thereby enable future innovations for optoelectronic devices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Harvesting Subsea Water Motion to Provide Clean Electrical Power

This TEAMER project had three main objectives related to characterizing the performance of a vortex-induced vibration (VIV) marine energy harvesting device called the Whatever Input To Torsion (WITT). The first was to characterize the motion of the WITT device as it vibrates on top of a pipe in a natural tidal flow. The second was to measure how much electricity the WITT device generates when it is deployed on top of a pipe that is secured to the seabed with a lander. The third objective was to measure how much electricity the WITT device generates in the same configuration but with a longer pipe. This TEAMER project succeeded in satisfying the first objective by measuring the motion of the WITT device with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted in the WITT housing. The motion was described by examining changes in the acceleration, pitch, roll, and yaw, and displacement. The frequency of the motion was characterized using spectral analysis. The TEAMER project succeeded in reaching the second objective by measuring the power produced by the WITT. It is reported here as the average and maximum power in hourly intervals. WITT Energy decided to not have us pursue the third objective of testing a longer pipe because the first test was unexpectedly successful at having the system vibrate at the target frequency. A longer pipe would have resulted in a decreased frequency and therefore not have been a useful test. Based on these findings, the decision was made to keep the same pipe length for both tests and improve on other aspects of the test structure that had failed during the first test. The key finding of this TEAMER project is that the WITT is capable of generating electricity in moderate flow speeds when it is in a housing that is attached to a 2.5 m pipe and secured to the seabed by a lander. This report contains the first power values for a VIV instrument that generates electricity from a pendulum swinging at the top of a long pipe. The experiment demonstrated that the vibration frequency of the device varied with the tidal current speed, which changed throughout a given tidal cycle. This meant that the desired peak frequency was not sustained for more than one hour. The success of this TEAMER test provides evidence that continued research in the area of electricity generation from VIV holds promise as a source of marine energy for offshore applications. Future tests should focus on refining the pipe length equations and improving the power take off system of the WITT power electronics. In addition, experiments aimed at expanded testing and evaluation (e.g. longer than one month) are needed to measure the power production at higher tidal current speeds and test the system's durability.

Branch, Ruth A. (ORCID:0000000202356719)↗
NASA NTRS1971

Fabrication and evaluation of large-area ultrasoft X-ray detectors suitable for spacecraft application

The modifications to the Houston/MSC design of the gas proportional counter flight electronics system are discussed. The following modifications are described: charge amplifier bandwidth improvements, power converter redesign, serial data output buffer, second differentiator, and risetime discriminator. In addition, the redesign of the stellar aspect camera is discussed along with developments in thin film fabrication.

Bowyer, S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Electronics for a focal plane crystal spectrometer

The HEAO-B program forced the usual constraints upon the spacecraft experiment electronics: high reliability, low power consumption, and tight packaging at reasonable cost. The programmable high voltage power supplies were unique in both application and simplicity of manufacture. The hybridized measurement chain is a modification of that used on the SAS-C program; the charge amplifier design in particular shows definite improvement in performance over previous work.

Goeke, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Automated space fabrication of structural elements

A description is presented of an automated space fabrication technique for basic structural elements, taking into account as representative the design loads and requirements of the solar power satellite structure. Roll forming for continuous cap and brace members is applicable for all proposed metallic materials. Spot-welding, electron beam welding, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, cold welding, and various mechanical fastening techniques are applicable for the automated fabrication process. Termination of the formed cap and brace members can be accomplished by sawing, shearing, punching, and laser cutting. The most cost effective materials were found to be the aluminum alloys. Selected for further study were AL20224T3 and AL2219-T62. In the area of fiber composites, thermoplastic matrix materials with graphite fibers were selected for future studies.

Engler, E. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Solar driven lasers for power satellite applications

The technological feasibility of using multimagawatt lasers for space power transmission is discussed. Candidate lasers include electric discharge lasers, direct optically pumped lasers, and free electron lasers.

Taussio, R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Photovoltaic research and development in Japan

The status of the Japanese photovoltaic (PV) R&D activities was surveyed through literature searches, private communications, and site visits in 1982. The results show that the Japanese photovoltaic technology is maturing rapidly, consistent with the steady government funding under the Sunshine Project. Two main thrusts of the Project are: (1) completion of the solar panel production pilot plants using cast ingot and sheet silicon materials, and (2) development of large area amorphous silicon solar cells with acceptable efficiency (10 to 12%). An experimental automated solar panel production plant rated at 500 kW/yr is currently under construction for the Sunshine Project for completion in March 1983. Efficiencies demonstrated by experimental large are amorphous silicon solar cells are approaching 8%. Small area amorphous silicon solar cells are, however, currently being mass produced and marketed by several companies at an equivalent annual rate of 2 MW/yr for consumer electronic applications. There is no evidence of an immediate move by the Japanese PV industry to enter extensively into the photovoltaic power market, domestic or otherwise. However, the photovoltaic technology itself could become ready for such an entry in the very near future, especially by making use of advanced process automation technologies.

Shimada, K.↗