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At least 487 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

Routine High-Resolution Forecasts/Analyses for the Pacific Disaster Center: User Manual

Enclosed herein is our HWCMO user manual. This manual constitutes the final report for our NASA/PDC grant, NASA NAG5-8730, "Routine High Resolution Forecasts/Analysis for the Pacific Disaster Center". Since the beginning of the grant, we have routinely provided experimental high resolution forecasts from the RSM/MSM for the Hawaii Islands, while working to upgrade the system to include: (1) a more robust input of NCEP analyses directly from NCEP; (2) higher vertical resolution, with increased forecast accuracy; (3) faster delivery of forecast products and extension of initial 1-day forecasts to 2 days; (4) augmentation of our basic meteorological and simplified fireweather forecasts to firedanger and drought forecasts; (5) additional meteorological forecasts with an alternate mesoscale model (MM5); and (6) the feasibility of using our modeling system to work in higher-resolution domains and other regions. In this user manual, we provide a general overview of the operational system and the mesoscale models as well as more detailed descriptions of the models. A detailed description of daily operations and a cost analysis is also provided. Evaluations of the models are included although it should be noted that model evaluation is a continuing process and as potential problems are identified, these can be used as the basis for making model improvements. Finally, we include our previously submitted answers to particular PDC questions (Appendix V). All of our initially proposed objectives have basically been met. In fact, a number of useful applications (VOG, air pollution transport) are already utilizing our experimental output and we believe there are a number of other applications that could make use of our routine forecast/analysis products. Still, work still remains to be done to further develop this experimental weather, climate, fire danger and drought prediction system. In short, we would like to be a part of a future PDC team, if at all possible, to further develop and apply the system for the Hawaiian and other Pacific Islands as well as the entire Pacific Basin.

Roads, John↗
NASA NTRS1980

Conceptual design of thermal energy storage systems for near-term electric utility applications

Promising thermal energy storage systems for midterm applications in conventional electric utilities for peaking power generation are evaluated. Conceptual designs of selected thermal energy storage systems integrated with conventional utilities are considered including characteristics of alternate systems for peaking power generation, viz gas turbines and coal fired cycling plants. Competitive benefit analysis of thermal energy storage systems with alternate systems for peaking power generation and recommendations for development and field test of thermal energy storage with a conventional utility are included. Results indicate that thermal energy storage is only marginally competitive with coal fired cycling power plants and gas turbines for peaking power generation.

Hall, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Combustion and Reacting Systems for Exploration

Contents include the foloving: 1. Spacecraft Fire Prevention, Detection, and Suppression. 2. Advanced Life Support. Air/water revitalization, waste management. 3. In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Fuel/consumables from regolith/atmosphere. 4. Extra vehicular Activity. Air revitalization, power systems (MEMS scale combustors). 5. In-situ Fabrication and Repair.Of these we have the lead responsibility in Fire Safety.

Urban, David L.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Mass Analyzers Facilitate Research on Addiction

The famous go/no go command for Space Shuttle launches comes from a place called the Firing Room. Located at Kennedy Space Center in the Launch Control Center (LCC), there are actually four Firing Rooms that take up most of the third floor of the LCC. These rooms comprise the nerve center for Space Shuttle launch and processing. Test engineers in the Firing Rooms operate the Launch Processing System (LPS), which is a highly automated, computer-controlled system for assembly, checkout, and launch of the Space Shuttle. LPS monitors thousands of measurements on the Space Shuttle and its ground support equipment, compares them to predefined tolerance levels, and then displays values that are out of tolerance. Firing Room operators view the data and send commands about everything from propellant levels inside the external tank to temperatures inside the crew compartment. In many cases, LPS will automatically react to abnormal conditions and perform related functions without test engineer intervention; however, firing room engineers continue to look at each and every happening to ensure a safe launch. Some of the systems monitored during launch operations include electrical, cooling, communications, and computers. One of the thousands of measurements derived from these systems is the amount of hydrogen and oxygen inside the shuttle during launch.

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NASA NTRS1993

The use of computer models to predict temperature and smoke movement in high bay spaces

The Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL) was given the opportunity to make measurements during fire calibration tests of the heat detection system in an aircraft hangar with a nominal 30.4 (100 ft) ceiling height near Dallas, TX. Fire gas temperatures resulting from an approximately 8250 kW isopropyl alcohol pool fire were measured above the fire and along the ceiling. The results of the experiments were then compared to predictions from the computer fire models DETACT-QS, FPETOOL, and LAVENT. In section A of the analysis conducted, DETACT-QS AND FPETOOL significantly underpredicted the gas temperature. LAVENT at the position below the ceiling corresponding to maximum temperature and velocity provided better agreement with the data. For large spaces, hot gas transport time and an improved fire plume dynamics model should be incorporated into the computer fire model activation routines. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, HARWELL FLOW3D, was then used to model the hot gas movement in the space. Reasonable agreement was found between the temperatures predicted from the CFD calculations and the temperatures measured in the aircraft hangar. In section B, an existing NASA high bay space was modeled using the CFD model. The NASA space was a clean room, 27.4 m (90 ft) high with forced horizontal laminar flow. The purpose of this analysis is to determine how the existing fire detection devices would respond to various size fires in the space. The analysis was conducted for 32 MW, 400 kW, and 40 kW fires.

Notarianni, Kathy A.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Performance and Safety Evaluations of Moli Spinel Lithium-Ion Cells

The current spike obtained during the hard external short test is small (8.2 A) compared to those obtained from a LiCoO2 system (60 to 80 A). The simulated internal short did not result in an explosion or fire as it does with the LiCoO2 systems. The temperatures obtained during the heat-to-vent test are not very high compared to the cobaltate cells. The cells do not retain capacity very well, but the capacity can be recovered with cycling. The spinel cells are much safer under abuse conditions than the lithium-ion cells with other transition metal oxides.

Jevarajan, Judith↗
NASA NTRS1988

Mobile satellite communications in the Forest Service

There are usually some places within a forest that do not have adequate communication coverage due to line-of-sight or other reasons. These areas are generally known by the foresters and radio technicians and allowances are made for that when working or traveling in those areas. However, when wildfire or other emergencies occur, communications are vital because wildfires can require hundreds of firefighters and cover thousands of acres. During these emergency operations, the existing communications are not adequate and complete radio systems are moved into the area for the conduct of fire communications. Incident command posts (ICPs) and fire camps are set up in remote locations and there is constant need for communications in the fire area and to agency headquarters and dispatch offices. Mobile satellite communications would be an ideal supplement to the Forest Service's current communications system in aiding forest fire control activities.

Warren, John R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

New Technology for the Fire Attire

Although little can be done to reduce the risks of firefighting, something can be done to curb the injuries and fatalities. This is the goal of Project FIRES, a program jointly sponsored by NASA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's U.S. Fire Administration with technical management provided by Marshall Space Flight Center. Project FIRES (Firefighter's Integrated Response Equipment System) involves applications of advanced materials and design concepts, derived from Apollo to update existing gear which does not adequately protect against many of the hazards encountered in fire suppression activities. A major focus of the effort involves application to the FIRES ensemble of lightweight, fire-resistant, heat-protective materials originally developed for use in astronauts' space suits or in spacecraft components which require thermal protection. Data from the fourteen municipal fire departments participating in the field evaluation will form a basis for development of new nationwide protective ensemble students.

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NASA NTRS1978

Assessment of industrial applications for fuel cell cogeneration systems

The fuel cell energy systems are designed with and without a utility connection for emergency back-up power. Sale of electricity to the utility during periods of low plant demand is not considered. For each of the three industrial applications, conceptual designs were also developed for conventional utility systems relying on purchased electric power and fossil-fired boilers for steam/hot water. The capital investment for each energy system is estimated. Annual operating costs are also determined for each system. These cost estimates are converted to levelized annual costs by applying appropriate economic factors. The breakeven electricity price that would make fuel cell systems competitive with the conventional systems is plotted as a function of naphtha price. The sensitivity of the breakeven point to capital investment and coal price is also evaluated.

Stickles, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Recent NASA Dryden COA Experience

This viewgraph presentation concerns the experience that Dryden has had with Certificate of Authorization (COA) in reference to unmanned aerial systems (UAS). It reviews recent Certificate of Authorization UAS's i.e., 2005 Altair NOAA Mission, 2006 Altair Western States Fire Mission, and 2007 Ikhana. The priorities for the safety process is reviewed, as are typical UAS hazards. Slides also review the common COA provisions, best practices and lessons learned, the 2005 NOAA/NASA Science Demonstration Flights and the use of the UAS systems during fire emergencies.

Cobleigh, Brent↗
NASA NTRS1976

Technical challenges of integrating the Space Shuttle

A review is presented of the technology involved in integrating the Space Shuttle system. A powered flight analysis of the Shuttle is presented, touching upon the following areas: ascent profile and abort mode integration, sizing and design, control of load factor by a stage thrust shaping, structural load constraints, flight performance reserve and trajectory design for the orbital flight test. A discussion is presented of aerothermodynamics including aerodynamic and plume heating. Flight control and separation is considered with attention paid to liftoff, ascent to booster staging, elevon load relief, booster tailoff thrust mismatch and gimbal limitations and booster separation. Structural analysis and dynamics is examined, considering: vehicle loads and modes and the pogo effect. Propulsion aspects (hydraulics, the LH2 recirculation system, the antigeyser system, the pressurization system, etc.), ground vibration tests, separation system verification and flight readiness firing are all described.

Martin, A. C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Preliminary burn and impact tests of hybrid polymeric composites

Free graphite fibers released into the environment from resin matrix composite components, as a result of fire and/or explosion, pose a potential hazard to electrical equipment. An approach to prevent the fibers from becoming airborne is to use hybrid composite materials which retain the fibers at the burn site. Test results are presented for three hybrid composites that were exposed to a simulation of an aircraft fire and explosion. The hybrid systems consisted of 16 plies of graphite-epoxy with two plies of Kevlar-, S-glass-, or boron-epoxy on each face. Two different test environments were used. In one environment, specimens were heated by convection only, and then impacted by a falling mass. In the other environment, specimens were heated by convection and by radiation, but were not impacted. The convective heat flux was about 100-120 kW/m in both environments and the radiative flux was about 110 kW/sq m.

Tompkins, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Baltimore applications project

An update is presented for the following projects: (1) asphalt pavement recycling; (2) data collection platform/water quality monitoring; (3) digital emergency traffic routing; (4) fire department communications and dispatch system; (5) health department management information system; (6) hazardous materials; (7) coal gasification; and (8) emergency vehicle proximity sensing.

Golden, T. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

An automatic locating system for cloud-to-ground lightning

Automatic locating systems which respond to cloud to ground lightning and which discriminate against cloud discharges and background noise are described. Subsystems of the locating system, which include the direction finder and the position analyzer, are discussed. The direction finder senses the electromagnetic fields radiated by lightning on two orthogonal magnetic loop antennas and on a flat plate electric antenna. The position analyzer is a preprogrammed microcomputer system which automatically computes, maps, and records lightning locations in real time using data inputs from the direction finder. The use of the locating systems for wildfire management and fire weather forecasting is discussed.

Krider, E. P.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A tactile-output paging communication system for the deaf-blind

A radio frequency paging communication system that has coded vibrotactile outputs suitable for use by deaf-blind people was developed. In concept, the system consists of a base station transmitting and receiving unit and many on-body transmitting and receiving units. The completed system has seven operating modes: fire alarm; time signal; repeated single character Morse code; manual Morse code; emergency aid request; operational status test; and message acknowledge. The on-body units can be addressed in three ways: all units; a group of units; or an individual unit. All the functions developed were integrated into a single package that can be worn on the user's wrist. The control portion of the on-body unit is implemented by a microcomputer. The microcomputer is packaged in a custom-designed hybrid circuit to reduce its physical size.

Baer, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Observations of optical emissions on STS-4

Following the discovery of intense vehicle glow of the Space Shuttle on the STS-3 mission, a new experiment to probe this phenomenon was developed and flown on the Shuttle STS-4 mission. A conventional camera was equipped with an objective transmission grating and several photographic exposures were taken of the Shuttle tail from the aft flight deck window. Vehicle glow surrounding Shuttle surfaces exposed to the ram direction was observed on a long (400 second) exposure. From analysis of the resulting spectral data it appears that the Shuttle glow has a diffuse spectral component in the region 6300 to 8000A. In addition, it has been possible to assess the spectral character of light emitted by the firing of a reaction control system thruster. Our data show that the light emitted from the thruster gases is confined to wavelengths shorter than 7200A.

Mende, S. B.↗