Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “In situ processing”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 541 records · Page 30
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

MISIP: a data standard for the reuse and reproducibility of any stable isotope probing-derived nucleic acid sequence and experiment

DNA/RNA-stable isotope probing (SIP) is a powerful tool to link in situ microbial activity to sequencing data. Every SIP dataset captures distinct information about microbial community metabolism, process rates, and population dynamics, offering valuable insights for a wide range of research questions. Data reuse maximizes the information derived from the labor and resource-intensive SIP approaches. Yet, a review of publicly available SIP sequencing metadata showed that critical information necessary for reproducibility and reuse was often missing. Here, we outline the Minimum Information for any Stable Isotope Probing Sequence (MISIP) according to the Minimum Information for any (x) Sequence (MIxS) framework and include examples of MISIP reporting for common SIP experiments. Our objectives are to expand the capacity of MIxS to accommodate SIP-specific metadata and guide SIP users in metadata collection when planning and reporting an experiment. The MISIP standard requires 5 metadata fields—isotope, isotopolog, isotopolog label, labeling approach, and gradient position—and recommends several fields that represent best practices in acquiring and reporting SIP sequencing data (e.g., gradient density and nucleic acid amount). The standard is intended to be used in concert with other MIxS checklists to comprehensively describe the origin of sequence data, such as for marker genes (MISIP-MIMARKS) or metagenomes (MISIP-MIMS), in combination with metadata required by an environmental extension (e.g., soil). The adoption of the proposed data standard will improve the reuse of any sequence derived from a SIP experiment and, by extension, deepen understanding of in situ biogeochemical processes and microbial ecology.

Simpson, Abigayle↗
DOE OSTI2020

DEM and MELT: A Modular and Compact In-Can Melting Technology Dedicated to D and D and Remediation Waste - 20033

The DEM and MELT In-Can vitrification process is designed to process intermediate and high level waste coming for D and D and remediation operations. It is developed to treat liquid and solid waste, to produce a small amount of secondary waste and to minimize investment and operating costs. This In-Can vitrification process is also developed with a compact and modular design and can be adapted regarding nuclear operators' needs and requirements. Furthermore, this robust and simple process is flexible enough to accommodate most uncertainties on waste composition. The DEM and MELT process is developed through the French consortium coordinated by CEA which gathers Orano, ECM technologies and Andra. In the frame of this project, Orano has designed a compact and modular layout of the process allowing an efficient in situ implementation, close to the waste to be treated. This paper presents the compact and modular design of the DEM and MELT process and the way it can be used for a short duration, as a decommissioning tool aimed to be dismantled just after the treatment operation. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS2000

In Situ Observations of PSCs Generated by Gravity Waves

During SOLVE, the bulk of the in-situ observations of PSCs are of large scale extended structures associated with synoptic scale cooling. The nature of these structures is also determined by layers of high relative NOy that have been stretched into thin layers by advective processes. Some of the in situ observations, however, are clearly correlated with gravity wave signatures. The first goal of this work is to examine these cases and evaluate gravity wave parameters. In particular, we are interested in the intrinsic periods of the waves and their temperature amplitude, which are key ingredients in the nucleation process. Secondly, we will examine some rudimentary properties of the particle size distributions and composition, comparing these with in situ observations of the more extended PSC features. Finally, we will attempt to ascertain the mechanism which generates the gravity waves.

Pfister, Leonhard↗
NASA NTRS1997

Hydrogen Transport to Mars Enables the Sabatier/Electrolysis Process

The Sabatier/Electrolysis (S/E) process is an attractive approach to in situ propellant production (ISPP), and a breadboard demonstration of this process at Lockheed Martin Astronautics funded by JPL performed very well, with high conversion efficiency, and reliable diurnal operation. There is a net usage of hydrogen in the S/E process, and this has been the principal problem for this approach to ISPP.

Mueller, P. J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

LTE-P-8 Gas permeability

A procedure for the measurement of gas permeability of an anion exchange membrane (AEM). During the course of the electrochemical reaction, low gas permeation of hydrogen and oxygen through the membrane is crucial to run the process efficiently. The gas permeation rate can be measured using (A) pressure permeation cell, (B) electrochemical monitoring cell, (C) microelectrode and (D) in-situ measurement in MEA. The process relies on a chronoamperometric technique to accurately measure the gas permeation rate across the membrane.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS2001

High-Pressure Synthesis of Metal-Ceramic Nano-Composites

The major problems in fabrication of nano-crystal line materials form nano-powders are: (1), coarsening of the initial nano-size grains, (2), insufficient densification (high concentration of pores), and, (3), conversion of diamond into graphite (for diamond-based ceramics). We have developed a novel technique of the synthesis of nano-composite materials applying very high (up to about 10 GPa) pressures. In this technique, one component is pre-compacted and placed next to another having a lower melting point temperature. The whole sample is pressed and the temperature raised above the melting point of the second component, what results in the melt getting pressed into the (nano-size) pores of the compact. Upon subsequent crystallization the melt forms the second nanophase. The process is fast, on the order of seconds, and the temperatures are relatively low what prevents, or at least significantly reduces coarsening of the starting nanophase grains. Also, conversion of diamond into graphite can be prevented. The technique allows for control of the final product properties through a proper selection of (1) the initial compact density and grain size, (2) chemical composition of the source, and (3) the temperature and pressure of the process. The application of the technique to the synthesis of SiC and diamond with Si, Ge, and different metals. Results of the in-situ investigation of the synthesis process by synchrotron X-ray diffraction technique will be presented.

Gierlotka, S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Defect Detection Model Development for Large Scale Thermoplastic Printing

Large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) offers several advantages, including high throughput, cost-effective pellet-fed extrusion, and the capability to produce large-scale structures. The main pain points of LFAM include start and stops during the printing process, warpage, long layer times that lead to bead freezing, and bead separation due to shrinkage. These issues can lead to overfill, underfill and buildup of material in different sections of a print. This can lead to hidden defects embedded within the printed layers, or even ultimate failure of the printed structure. This ensures these defects can only be identified through nondestructive testing (NDT) inspection methods after printing, which can be timely and costly. Aligned Vision work specializes in 2D projectors with visual inspection systems and machine learning. Traditionally system is used for composite layup and layup inspections. In this work we used the LFAM system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to create defect rich samples. The Aligned Vision inspection system then performed in-situ monitoring of the print process after each part was printed. This in-situ vision inspection system was used to develop a layer-by-layer inspection model that looks for overfill, underfill, and the buildup of defects using only a camera-based vision system. This leads to the assurance of high-quality production components.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1993

Textile composite processing science

A multi-dimensional model of the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process was developed for the prediction of the infiltration behavior of a resin into an anisotropic fiber preform. Frequency dependent electromagnetic sensing (FDEMS) was developed for in-situ monitoring of the RTM process. Flow visualization and mold filling experiments were conducted to verify sensor measurements and model predictions. Test results indicated good agreement between model predictions, sensor readings, and experimental data.

Loos, Alfred C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Analytical modeling and sensor monitoring for optimal processing of advanced textile structural composites by resin transfer molding

A two-dimensional model of the resin transfer molding (RTM) process was developed which can be used to simulate the infiltration of resin into an anisotropic fibrous preform. Frequency dependent electromagnetic sensing (FDEMS) has been developed for in situ monitoring of the RTM process. Flow visualization tests were performed to obtain data which can be used to verify the sensor measurements and the model predictions. Results of the tests showed that FDEMS can accurately detect the position of the resin flow-front during mold filling, and that the model predicted flow-front patterns agreed well with the measured flow-front patterns.

Loos, Alfred C.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Revealing melt flow instabilities in laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing of aluminum alloy via in-situ high-speed X-ray imaging

Laser metal additive manufacturing technologies enable the fabrication of geometrically and compositionally complex parts unachievable by conventional manufacturing methods. However, the certification and qualification of additively manufactured parts are greatly hindered by the stochastic melt flow instabilities intrinsic to the process, which has not been explicitly revealed by direct observation. Here, we report the mechanisms of the melt flow instabilities in laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing process revealed by in-situ high-speed high-resolution synchrotron X-ray imaging. Here we identified powder/droplet impact, significant keyhole oscillation, and melting-mode switching as three major mechanisms for causing melt flow instabilities. We demonstrated the detrimental consequences of these instabilities brought to the process, and presented new understanding on the melt flow evolution and keyhole oscillation. This work provides critical insights into process instabilities during laser metal additive manufacturing, which may guide the development of instability mitigation approaches. The results reported here are also important for the development and validation of high-fidelity computational models.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

An instrument for in situ characterization of powder spreading dynamics in powder-bed-based additive manufacturing processes

In powder-bed-based metal additive manufacturing (AM), the visualization and analysis of the powder spreading process are critical for understanding the powder spreading dynamics and mechanisms. Unfortunately, the high spreading speeds, the small size of the powder, and the opacity of the materials present a great challenge for directly observing the powder spreading behavior. In this study, we report a compact and flexible powder spreading system for in situ characterization of the dynamics of the powders during the spreading process by high-speed x-ray imaging. The system enables the tracing of individual powder movement within the narrow gap between the recoater and the substrate at variable spreading speeds from 17 to 322 mm/s. The instrument and method reported here provide a powerful tool for studying powder spreading physics in AM processes and for investigating the physics of granular material flow behavior in a confined environment.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Sample Processing Instrumentation to Enable Lab-like Analysis of Lipids, Hydrocarbons, and Kerogen in situ

Introduction: Over the last decade, our team based out of NASA Ames Research Center has made advances in fluidic technologies to enable laboratory-grade processes in space environments. More recently, we have designed and developed two instruments that utilize sample processing steps to extract and purify organic molecules that are key targets in the search for life. The first instrument targets soluble lipids and hydrocarbons that have been preserved in soil or rock material for millions to billions of years called ExCALiBR (Extractor for Chemical Analysis of Lipid Biomarkers in Regolith). The second instrument called KAMELOT (Kerogen and Macromolecule Extractor Liberating Organics Thermolytically) targets kerogen or insoluble macromolecular material that reside in the residue left behind after solvent extraction. Together, these instruments can be coupled to existing flight sample acquisition and analytical instrumentation (e.g., mass spectrometers) to achieve our overall science goal of identifying molecular patterns and features that are diagnostic of how the organic matter was synthesized, either through biological or non-biological processes.

Mary Beth Wilhelm↗
NASA NTRS1982

A comparison of HCMM surface temperatures with in situ temperature data

All HCMM required were processed. Calibrated and atmospherically corrected sea surface temperatures were developed for the Nantucket Shoals and Gulf of Mexico regions. These data were analyzed and the sea surface temperatures along the various transacts were compared with in situ data. The comparisons indicate that there is, on the average, a root mean square difference between the in situ data and the HCMM sea surface temperatures of + or - 1.0 C. The linear correlation coefficient was 0.97.

Vukovich, F. M.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Designing silicon carbide heterostructures for quantum information science: challenges and opportunities

Abstract Silicon carbide (SiC) can be synthesized in a number of different structural forms known as polytypes with a vast array of optically active point defects of interest for quantum information sciences. The ability to control and vary the polytypes during SiC synthesis may offer a powerful methodology for the formation of new material architectures that expand our ability to manipulate these defects, including extending coherence lifetimes and enhancing room temperature operation. Polytypic control during synthesis presents a significant challenge given the extreme conditions under which SiC is typically grown and the number of factors that can influence polytype selection. In situ monitoring of the synthesis process could significantly expand our ability to formulate novel polytype structures. In this perspective, we outline the state of the art and ongoing challenges for precision synthesis in SiC. We discuss available in situ x-ray characterization methods that will be instrumental in understanding the atomic scale growth of SiC and defect formation mechanisms. We highlight optimistic use cases for SiC heterostructures that will become possible with in situ polytypic control and end by discussing extended opportunities for integration of ultrahigh quality SiC materials with other semiconductor and quantum materials.

Harmon, K. J. (ORCID:0000000164277971)↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Advanced Metal Separation (AMS) via Marangoni Effect-driven Separation

For practical, economical, and sustainable human missions to the Moon, processing of lunar regolith and metal oxides is necessary for localized production of oxygen (O2) and metals that can be repurposed as rocket propellant, life support O2, and in-space manufactured parts. The primary candidates for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) regolith processing are carbothermic reductions and molten regolith electrolysis (MRE) which both produce oxygen and a reduced, deoxygenated metallic slag. A metal separation technique is still required to capture and purify metals from the deoxygenated slag for reuse in areas such as metallic part fabrication, structural or design frameworks, and metal catalyst production. The Marangoni Effect is best explained as mass transfer along an interface driven by surface tension gradients induced by temperature and concentration differences. Due to the temperature gradients, molten metal can be transported in this fashion to create thin films. This method can transport molten metal in the absence of gravity or mechanical motion and greatly increases the available surface area for a vacuum fractional separation process. In this study, a novel vacuum furnace induces the Marangoni Effect to fractionally decompose and separate valuable metals (e.g., aluminum) from thin films of molten metal via vacuum distillation. The proposed work will examine lunar regolith, metal-based recycling feedstocks, and metallic slags produced from the carbothermal reduction of regolith. Data and observations from this study could produce a simple yet effective method of refining lunar derived metals by taking advantage of the high vacuum environment present on the lunar surface.

ISRU↗
NASA NTRS2009

In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on the Moon: Moessbauer Spectroscopy as a Process Monitor for Oxygen Production

Essential consumables like oxygen must to be produced from materials on the lunar surface to enable a sustained, long-term presence of humans on the Moon. The Outpost Precursor for ISRU and Modular Architecture (OPTIMA) field test on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, facilitated by the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, was designed to test the implementation of three hardware concepts to extract oxygen from the lunar regolith: Precursor ISRU Lunar Oxygen Testbed (PILOT) developed by Lockheed Martin in Littleton, CO; Regolith & Environmental Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatiles Extraction (RESOLVE) developed at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL; and ROxygen developed at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. The three concepts differ in design, but all rely on the same general principle: hydrogen reduction of metal cations (primarily Fe2+) bonded to oxygen to metal (e.g., Fe0) with the production of water. The hydrogen source is residual hydrogen in the fuel tanks of lunar landers. Electrolysis of the water produces oxygen and hydrogen (which is recycled). We used the miniaturized M ssbauer spectrometer MIMOS II to quantify the yield of this process on the basis of the quantity of Fe0 produced. Iron M ssbauer spectroscopy identifies iron-bearing phases, determines iron oxidation states, and quantifies the distribution of iron between mineral phases and oxidation states. The oxygen yield can be calculated by quantitative measurements of the distribution of Fe among oxidation states in the regolith before and after hydrogen reduction. A M ssbauer spectrometer can also be used as a prospecting tool to select the optimum feedstock for the oxygen production plants (e.g., high total Fe content and easily reduced phases). As a demonstration, a MIMOS II backscatter spectrometer (SPESI, Germany) was mounted on the Cratos rover (NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH), which is one of several rover concepts designed to excavate and transfer regolith to the stationary hydrogen reduction plants. Spaceflight versions of the MIMOS II are part of the instrument payloads of NASA s Mars Exploration Rovers and still operating five years after landing on the surface of the planet. MIMOS II was also selected for Phobos-Grunt, a Russian sample return mission to the martian moon Phobos scheduled to launch in 2009, and ESA s ExoMars rover, an exobiology mission scheduled to launch in 2013. An advanced version of the instrument is currently under development. A new detector system with a higher energy resolution will not only reduce the necessary measurement time considerably, but also allow the simultaneous acquisition of an X-ray fluorescence spectrum to determine the elemental composition of samples.

Morris, R.V.↗