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At least 577 records · Page 32

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NASA NTRS1987

Combination solar photovoltaic heat engine energy converter

A combination solar photovoltaic heat engine converter is proposed. Such a system is suitable for either terrestrial or space power applications. The combination system has a higher efficiency than either the photovoltaic array or the heat engine alone can attain. Advantages in concentrator and radiator area and receiver mass of the photovoltaic heat engine system over a heat-engine-only system are estimated. A mass and area comparison between the proposed space station organic Rankine power system and a combination PV-heat engine system is made. The critical problem for the proposed converter is the necessity for high temperature photovoltaic array operation. Estimates of the required photovoltaic temperature are presented.

Chubb, Donald L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Convertible Gas-Turbine Engines

Convertible engine aircraft gas-turbine is two engines in one. Produces turbofan thrust, turboshaft power, or any combined thrust and shaftpower continously while operating up to full speed. Used to power vertical/short-takeoff-and-landing (V/STOL) airplanes and advanced high-speed rotorcraft. Rotorcraft shows use of convertible engines rather than separate engines for rotor power and forward thrust affords advantages in installation and save 16 percent in fuel and 20 percent in direct operating costs. Engine used for propulsion of new high-speed rotorcraft that needs both thrust and shaft power. Also used to cross-couple fans of two-engine V/STOL aircraft.

Abdalla, K. L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The convertible engine: A dual-mode propulsion system

A variable inlet guide vane (VIGV) convertible engine that could be used to power future high-speed rotorcraft was tested on an outdoor stand. The engine ran stably and smoothly in the turbofan, turboshaft, and dual (combined fan and shaft) power modes. In the turbofan mode with the VIGV open, fuel consumption was comparable to that of a conventional turbofan engine. In the turboshaft mode with the VIGV closed, fuel consumption was higher than that of present turboshaft engines because power was wasted in churning fan-tip air flow. In dynamic performance tests with a specially built digital engine control and using a waterbrake dynamometer for shaft load, the engine responded effectively to large steps in thrust command and shaft torque. Previous mission analyses of a conceptual X-wing rotorcraft capable of 400-knot cruise speed were revised to account for more fan-tip churning power loss that was originally estimated. The calculations confirm that using convertible engines rather than separate life and cruise engines would result in a smaller, lighter craft with lower fuel use and direct operating cost.

Mcardle, Jack G.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Performance characteristics of a combination solar photovoltaic heat engine energy converter

Chubb, Donald L.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Fast simulation techniques for switching converters

Techniques for simulating a switching converter are examined. The state equations for the equivalent circuits, which represent the switching converter, are presented and explained. The uses of the Newton-Raphson iteration, low ripple approximation, half-cycle symmetry, and discrete time equations to compute the interval durations are described. An example is presented in which these methods are illustrated by applying them to a parallel-loaded resonant inverter with three equivalent circuits for its continuous mode of operation.

King, Roger J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Constant-frequency, clamped-mode resonant converters

Two novel clamped-mode resonant converters are proposed which operate at a constant frequency while retaining many desired features of conventional series- and parallel-resonant converters. State-plane analysis techniques are used to identify all possible operating modes and define their mode boundaries. Control-to-output characteristics are derived that specify the regions for natural and forced commutation. The predicted operating modes are verified using a prototype circuit.

Tsai, Fu-Sheng↗

NASA NTRS1988

A cascaded Schwarz converter for high frequency power distribution

It is shown that two Schwarz converters in cascade provide a very reliable 20-kHz source that features zero current commutation, constant frequency, and fault-tolerant operation, meeting requirements for spacecraft applications. A steady-state analysis of the converter is presented, and equations for the steady-state performance are derived. Fault-current limiting is discussed. Experimental results are presented for a 900-W version, which has been successfully tested under no-load, full-load, and short-circut conditions.

Ray, Biswajit↗

NASA NTRS1989

Electrodes For Alkali-Metal Thermoelectric Converters

Combination of thin, porous electrode and overlying collector grid reduces internal resistance of alkali-metal thermoelectric converter cell. Low resistance of new electrode and grid boosts power density nearly to 1 W/cm2 of electrode area at typical operating temperatures of 1,000 to 1,300 K. Conductive grid encircles electrode film on alumina tube. Bus wire runs along tube to collect electrical current from grid. Such converters used to transform solar, nuclear, and waste heat into electric power.

Williams, Roger M.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A versatile power converter for high-frequency link systems

A single-phase HF link appears to be an attractive alternative to the dc link commonly used in power conversion systems. Here, a power converter suitable for one-step conversion of the single-phase HF link voltage to the three-phase LF voltages typically required for interfacing with system sources and loads is proposed. The converter utilizes zero-voltage switching principles to minimize switching losses and an easy-to-implement technique of pulse-density modulation for the control of the amplitude, frequency, and waveshape of the synthesized LF signals. Adaptation of the proposed topology for power conversion to single-phase ac and dc voltage or current outputs is shown to be straightforward. The feasibility of the proposed power circuit and the control technique has been experimentally verified.

Sood, Pradeep K.↗

NASA NTRS1989

A 2.5 kW cascaded Schwarz converter for 20 kHz power distribution

Because it avoids the high currents in a parallel loaded capacitor, the cascaded Schwarz converter should offer better component utilization than converters with sinusoidal output voltages. The circuit is relatively easy to protect, and it provides a predictable trapezoidal voltage waveform that should be satisfactory for 20-kHz distribution systems. Analysis of the system is enhanced by plotting curves of normalized variables vs. gamma(1), where gamma(1) is proportional to the variable frequency of the first stage. Light-load operation is greatly improved by the addition of a power recycling rectifier bridge that is back biased at medium to heavy loads. Operation has been verified on a 2.5-kW circuit that uses input and output voltages in the same range as those anticipated for certain future spacecraft power systems.

Shetler, Russell E.↗

NASA NTRS1990

The selection of convertible engines with current gas generator technology for high speed rotorcraft

NASA-Lewis has sponsored two studies to determine the most promising convertible engine concepts for high speed rotorcraft. These studies projected year 2000 convertible technology limited to present gas generator technology. Propulsion systems for utilization on aircraft needing thrust only during cruise and those aircraft needing both power and thrust at cruise were investigated. Mission calculations for the two contractors involved were based upon the fold tilt rotor concept. Analysis and comparison of the General Electric concepts (geared UDF, clutched fan, and VIGV fan), and the Allison Gas Turbine concepts (clutched fan, VIGV fan, variable pitch fan, single rotation tractor propfan, and counter rotation tractor propfan) are presented.

Eisenberg, Joseph D.↗

NASA NTRS1990

The selection of convertible engines with current gas generator technology for high speed rotorcraft

NASA-Lewis sponsored two studies to determine the most promising convertible engine concepts for high speed rotorcraft. These studies projected year 2000 convertible technology limited to present gas generator technology. Propulsion systems for utilization on aircraft needing thrust only during cruise and those aircraft needing both power and thrust at cruise were investigated. Mission calculations for the two contractors involved were based upon the fold tilt rotor concept. Analysis and comparison of the General Electric concepts (geared UDF, clutched fan, and Variable Inlet Guide Vane (VIGV) fan), and the Allison Gas Turbine concepts (clutched fan, VIGV fan, variable pitch fan, single rotation tractor propfan, and counter rotation tractor propfan) are presented.

Eisenberg, Joseph D.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Component technology for stirling power converters

NASA Lewis Research Center has organized a component technology program as part of the efforts to develop Stirling converter technology for space power applications. The Stirling Space Power Program is part of the NASA High Capacity Power Project of the Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). NASA Lewis is also providing technical management for the DOE/Sandia program to develop Stirling converters for solar terrestrial power producing electricity for the utility grid. The primary contractors for the space power and solar terrestrial programs develop component technologies directly related to their goals. This Lewis component technology effort, while coordinated with the main programs, aims at longer term issues, advanced technologies, and independent assessments. An overview of work on linear alternators, engine/alternator/load interactions and controls, heat exchangers, materials, life and reliability, and bearings is presented.

Thieme, Lanny G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

High power density dc-to-dc converters for aerospace applications

Three dc-to-dc converter topologies aimed at high-power high-frequency applications are introduced. Major system parasitics, namely, the leakage inductance of the transformer and the device output capacitance are efficiently utilized. Of the three circuits, the single-phase and three-phase versions of the dual active bridge topology demonstrate minimal stresses, better utilization of the transformer, bidirectional, and buck-boost modes of operation. All circuits operate at a constant switching frequency, thus simplifying design of the reactive elements. The power transfer characteristics and soft-switching regions on the Vout-Iout plane are identified. Two coaxial transformers with different cross-sections were built for a rating of 50 kVA. Based on the single-phase dual active bridge topology, a 50 kW, 50 kHz converter operating at an input voltage of 200 Vdc and an output voltage of 1600 Vdc was fabricated. Characteristics of current-fed output make the dual active bridge topologies amenable to paralleling and hence extension to megawatt power levels. Projections to a 1 MW system operating from a 500 Vdc input, at an output voltage of 10 kVdc and a switching frequency of 50 kHz, using MOS-controlled thyristors, coaxially wound transformers operating at three times the present current density with cooling, and multilayer ceramic capacitors, suggests an overall power density of 0.075 to 0.08 kg/kW and an overall efficiency of 96 percent.

Divan, Deepakraj M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

High-power converters for space applications

Phase 1 was a concept definition effort to extend space-type dc/dc converter technology to the megawatt level with a weight of less than 0.1 kg/kW (220 lb./MW). Two system designs were evaluated in Phase 1. Each design operates from a 5 kV stacked fuel cell source and provides a voltage step-up to 100 kV at 10 A for charging capacitors (100 pps at a duty cycle of 17 min on, 17 min off). Both designs use an MCT-based, full-bridge inverter, gaseous hydrogen cooling, and crowbar fault protection. The GE-CRD system uses an advanced high-voltage transformer/rectifier filter is series with a resonant tank circuit, driven by an inverter operating at 20 to 50 kHz. Output voltage is controlled through frequency and phase shift control. Fast transient response and stability is ensured via optimal control. Super-resonant operation employing MCTs provides the advantages of lossless snubbing, no turn-on switching loss, use of medium-speed diodes, and intrinsic current limiting under load-fault conditions. Estimated weight of the GE-CRD system is 88 kg (1.5 cu ft.). Efficiency of 94.4 percent and total system loss is 55.711 kW operating at 1 MW load power. The Maxwell system is based on a resonance transformer approach using a cascade of five LC resonant sections at 100 kHz. The 5 kV bus is converted to a square wave, stepped-up to a 100 kV sine wave by the LC sections, rectified, and filtered. Output voltage is controlled with a special series regulator circuit. Estimated weight of the Maxwell system is 83.8 kg (4.0 cu ft.). Efficiency is 87.2 percent and total system loss is 146.411 kW operating at 1 MW load power.

Park, J. N.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Potential converter for laser-power beaming

Future space missions, such as those associated with the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), will require large amounts of power for operation of bases, rovers, and orbit transfer vehicles. One method for supplying this power is to beam power from a spaced based or Earth based laser power station to a receiver where laser photons can be converted to electricity. Previous research has described such laser power stations orbiting the Moon and beaming power to a receiver on the surface of the Moon by using arrays of diode lasers. Photovoltaic converters that can be efficiently used with these diode lasers are described.

Walker, Gilbert H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Status of NASA's Stirling Space Power Converter Program

An overview is presented of the NASA-Lewis Free-Piston Stirling Space Power Convertor Technology Program. The goal is to develop the technology base needed to meet the long duration, high capacity power requirements for future NASA space initiatives. Efforts are focused upon increasing system power output and system thermal and electric energy conversion efficiency at least fivefold over current SP-100 technology, and on achieving systems that are compatible with space nuclear reactors. Stirling experience in space and progress toward 1050 and 1300 K Stirling Space Power Converters is discussed. Fabrication is nearly completed for the 1050 K Component Test Power Converters (CTPC); results of motoring tests of cold end (525 K), are presented. The success of these and future designs is dependent upon supporting research and technology efforts including heat pipes, bearings, superalloy joining technologies, high efficiency alternators, life and reliability testing and predictive methodologies. An update is provided of progress in some of these technologies leading off with a discussion of free-piston Stirling experience in space.

Dudenhoefer, James E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Synthesizing a protocol converter from executable protocol traces

Communicating finite state machines (CFSM's) with FIFO (first in, first out) queues are used to model a protocol converter. A protocol conversion algorithm is developed and presented for the CSFM model of the protocols A and B. A converter H for protocols A = (A0, A1) and B = (B0, B1) is viewed as a black box such that H is between sender A0 and receiver B1. This gives a resulting protocol X = (A0, H, B1). The conversion algorithm requires a specification of the message relationships between the messages of protocols A and B. It is assumed that protocols A and B have the required progress properties. The algorithm includes a search for related messages from the two protocols in an FIFO from a composite space formed by a Cartesian cross-product of state spaces A1 and B0. The search produces finite-length traces which are combined to form a state machine H, which is examined for freedom from unspecified receptions, deadlocks, and livelocks. A protocol conversion example demonstrates the applicability of the algorithm.

Rajagopal, Murali↗