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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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Assembly and Integration Process of the First High Density Detector Array for the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

The Advanced ACTPol (AdvACT) upgrade on the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) consists of multichroicTransition Edge Sensor (TES) detector arrays to measure the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization anisotropies in multiple frequency bands. The first AdvACT detector array, sensitive to both 150 and 230 GHz, is fabricated on a 150 mm diameter wafer and read out with a completely different scheme compared to ACTPol. Approximately 2000 TES bolometers are packed into the wafer leading to both a much denser detector density and readout circuitry. The demonstration of the assembly and integration of the AdvACT arrays is important for the next generation CMB experiments, which will continue to increase the pixel number and density. We present the detailed assembly process of the first AdvACT detector array.

Li, Yaqiong↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integrated Process for Direct Air Capture of CO 2 and Electrochemical Conversion to Ethanol

This Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between UT-Battelle, LLC and Reactwell, L.L.C. aimed to facilitate the development of an energy-efficient and cost-effective technology that captures carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from ambient air and converts it electrochemically to ethanol. Direct air capture (DAC) of CO 2 offers the prospect of permanently lowering the atmospheric CO 2 concentration, providing economic and energy-efficient technologies can be developed and deployed at a large scale. DAC has the potential for high-capacity atmospheric CO 2 capture, the flexibility of placement anywhere on earth, and the generation of high-purity CO 2 streams. The most significant technical challenge with DAC is the very low atmospheric concentration of CO 2 , thereby requiring sorbents that bind CO 2 quickly, strongly, and selectively against other components in the air. Integrating DAC with CO 2 conversion into useful chemicals, fuels, or materials can provide an economically feasible solution for mitigating climate change. As long as the carbon contained in these products is taken from the atmosphere and no additional carbon emissions result from their production, processing, and transportation, they can be considered carbon-neutral products. This CRADA facilitated the development of a new net-zero emission technology that closes the carbon cycle by combining DAC with the catalytic electrochemical conversion of CO 2 into ethanol.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1993

A perspective on the FAA approval process: Integrating rotorcraft displays, controls and workload

The FAA is responsible for making the determination that a helicopter is safe for IFR operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). This involves objective and subjective evaluations of cockpit displays, flying qualities, procedures and human factors as they affect performance and workload. After all of the objective evaluations are completed, and all Federal Regulations have been met, FAA pilots make the final subjective judgement as to suitability for use by civil pilots in the NAS. The paper uses the flying qualities and pilot workload characteristics of a small helicopter to help examine the FAA pilot's involvement in this process. The result highlights the strengths of the process and its importance to the approval of new aircraft and equipments for civil IFR helicopter applications. The paper also identifies opportunities for improvement.

Green, David L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Reactive Carbon Capture: Cooperative and Bifunctional Adsorbent-Catalyst Materials and Process Integration for a New Carbon Economy

To say the least, releasing CO 2 into the atmosphere is reaping undue environmental consequences given the ever-present increase in severe global weather events over the past five years. However, it can be argued that–at least in the confines of current technological capabilities–the atmospheric release of CO 2 is somewhat unavoidable given that even shifting toward clean energy sources–such as solar, nuclear, wind, battery, or H 2 power–incurs an initial carbon requirement by way of manufacturing the very production abilities through which “clean” energy is generated. Even years from now, experts agree that energy production will be diversified and–as the global population continues to drive the growth of global energy consumption–thermal power derived from carbon combustion is likely to remain one intrinsic energetic source, of which CO 2 will always be a byproduct. In this context, it is the responsibility of the scientific community to devise improved pathways of carbon management such that (i) the consequences of combustion on the global environment are reduced and (ii) carbon fuels can be leveraged in a sustainable fashion. In this Account, we discuss a pivotal perspective shift on CO 2 emissions derived from a considerable breakthrough in material science from our work on shape engineering of nanoporous adsorbents and catalysts. This account details the development of materials which no longer vilify CO 2 emissions as a valueless combustion byproduct, instead providing a path for them to become a potential feedstock. In more specific terms, this work details the development of structured, cooperative “bifunctional” materials (BFMs) comprised of (i) a high-temperature adsorbent and (ii) a heterogeneous catalyst that enable single-bed CO 2 capture and utilization in oxidative ethane dehydrogenation (ODHE), oxidative propane dehydrogenation (ODHP), and dry methane reforming (DMR) processes. This Account begins with the conceptual development of the BFMs in the powdered state, followed by detailing the first-ever reports of structuring the materials into facile honeycomb contactors by 3D printing. The Account then summarizes the impressive performance of the 3D-printed BFMs, specifically focusing on how their catalysts (metal oxides and perovskites) influence their reactive CO 2 capture performances in ODHE, ODHP, and DMR processes. Such promise of CO 2 -as-fuel offers a glimpse into the future of a diversified energy economy, in which CO 2 /fuel looping can play an important role. A major factor in achieving this future is, of course, developing an appropriately active catalyst; an account of whose first breakthroughs in material science are detailed herein.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Integrated Process Optimization for Biochemical Conversion

This research is motivated by the challenges faced during biomass processing in bioenergy plants. It has been observed that variations in biomass characteristics, such as moisture, ash, and carbohydrate contents cause variations in feeding of the system which led to underutilization of equipment and the reactor. The objective of this research is to ensure a continuous flow of biomass to the reactor in plants that use the biochemical conversion process to generate liquid fuels. The overall goal is to lower the cost of producing biofuels, which could lead to improving US’s energy independency and growing US’s rural economy. The research team developed analytical models, such as discrete element method (DEM) models and mathematical models. The DEM models are unit-level models that explicitly capture biomass characteristics and quantify the impacts of biomass characteristics on bulk material properties and the performance of specific equipment. The mathematical models are system-level models that capture the impacts of system infeed rate, equipment processing rate, storage location and capacity, and biomass characteristics on system throughput. The functional relations predicting the bulk material properties from DEM models are incorporated to the mathematical models. The models developed were validated and evaluated using data collected at Idaho National Laboratory’s biomass processing facility. Via these models, we identified process control strategies that ensure a continuous flow of biomass to the reactor, while meeting the requirements of biochemical conversion process. Our analysis indicates that sequencing of biomass bales based on moisture level, and carbohydrate contents could have a positive impact on reducing processing time and inventory level and increasing throughput rate. Short bale sequences that repeat frequently, seem to have the greatest impact on improving system’s performance. Based on our experiments, the total annual system operating costs reduced by 20-30%, and the maximum inventory level reduced by 3 to 4 times. The operating costs include the annual equipment amortization cost and processing cost. The implementation of the models developed requires the use of standardized bale format, Radio Frequency Identification technology, sensing and real time monitoring of material attributes, automated material handling equipment, and automated process control. The scope of the model proposed can be extended to include the whole supply chain. The supply chain models help identify how many bales of different biomass feedstock to purchase given biomass availability in the region, biomass price and quality, and the biomass processing capabilities of the biorefinery. Thus, the outcomes of supply chain models can be used to inform the design of long-term contracts among farmers and the biorefinery.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1981

An evaluation of the Intel 2920 digital signal processing integrated circuit

The circuit consists of a digital to analog converter, accumulator, read write memory and UV erasable read only memory. The circuit can convert an analog signal to a digital representation, perform mathematical operations on the digital signal and subsequently convert the digital signal to an analog output. Development software tailored for programming the 2920 is presented.

Heller, J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

In-situ integrated processing and characterization of thin films of high temperature superconductors, dielectrics and semiconductors by MOCVD

In this strategy of depositing the basic building blocks of superconductors, semiconductors, and dielectric having common elements, researchers deposited superconducting films of Y-Ba-Cu-O, semiconductor films of Cu2O, and dielectric films of BaF2 and Y2O3 by metal oxide chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). By switching source materials entering the chamber, and by using direct writting capability, complex device structures like three-terminal hybrid semiconductors/superconductors transistors can be fabricated. The Y-Ba-Cu-O superconducting thin films on BaF2/YSZ substrates show a T(sub c) of 80 K and are textured with most of the grains having their c-axis or a-axis perpendicular to the substrate. Electrical characteristics as well as structural characteristics of superconductors and related materials obtained by x-ray defraction, electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray analysis are discussed.

Singh, R.↗