Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “performance contracting”

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 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

OMC Compressor Case

This report summarizes efforts expended in the development of an all-composite compressor case. Two pre-production units have been built, one utilizing V-CAP and one utilizing AFR-700B resin systems. Both units have been rig tested at elevated temperatures well above design limit loads. This report discusses the manufacturing processes, test results, and Finite Element Analysis performed. The V-CAP unit was funded by NASA-Lewis Research Center in 1994 under contract number NAS3- 27442 for Development of an All-Composite OMC Compressor Case. This contract was followed by an Air Force study in 1996 to build and identical unit using the AFR-700B resin system in place of the V-CAP system. The second compressor case was funded under U.S. Air Force contract F33615-93-D-5326, Advanced Materials for Aerospace Structures Special Studies (AMAS3), Delivery Order 0021 entitled "Advanced Polymeric Composite Materials and Structures Technology for Advanced High Temperature Gas Turbine Engines.' Initial studies using the V-CAP resin system were undertaken in 1993 under a NASA Lewis contract (NAS3-26829). A first prototype unit was developed in a joint program between Textron-Lycoming (now Allied Signal) and Brunswick (now Lincoln Composites). This unit included composite end closures using low density, high temperature molded end closures. The units was similar in size and shape to a titanium case currently used on the PT-21 0 engine and was funded as part of the integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology (EHPTET) initiative of DOD and NASA.

Humphrey, W. Donald↗
NASA NTRS1995

Results of Tests Performed on the Acoustic Quiet Flow Facility Three-Dimensional Model Tunnel

The test results briefly described in this report were obtained on the three-dimensional 1:48 scale tunnel modeled on the design proposed by Messrs. D.S.M.A. Corporation. More particularly, while the test chamber dimensions were indeed scaled down in the ration of 1:48, including the contraction and the collector as well, the duct system itself leading to and from the chamber was adapted to suit laboratory conditions and space limitations. Earlier tests with the two-dimensional model showed that blowing mode was preferred as against the suction mode, hence all tests were performed with blowing only. At the exit of the contraction the maximum airspeed attained with the 1 HP blower unit was about 200 ft/sec. This airspeed may be increased in future if desired. The test results show that pressure recovery in the diffuser was about 34 percent due to the large blockage at its entrance. Velocity traverses taken across the diffuser entrance explain the reason for this blockage. Recirculation, studied with both, hot-wire anemometry and flow-visualization techniques, was largely affected by the design of the test chamber itself and the amount of vent-air admitted to the chamber. Vent-air helped to decrease the level of turbulence.

Barna, P. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Design of a high-performance rotary stratified-charge research aircraft engine

The power section for an advanced rotary stratified-charge general aviation engine has been designed under contract to NASA. The single-rotor research engine of 40 cubic-inches displacement (RCI-40), now being procured for test initiation this summer, is targeted for 320 T.O. horse-power in a two-rotor production engine. The research engine is designed for operating on jet-fuel, gasoline or diesel fuel and will be used to explore applicable advanced technologies and to optimize high output performance variables. Design of major components of the engine is described in this paper.

Jones, C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Brayton advanced heat receiver development program

NASA Lewis Research Center is managing an advanced solar dynamic (ASD) space power program. The objective of the ASD program is to develop small and lightweight solar dynamic systems which show significant improvement in efficiency and specific mass over the baseline design derived from the Space Station Freedom technology. The advanced heat receiver development program is a phased program to design, fabricate and test elements of a 7-kWe heat-receiver/thermal-energy-storage subsystem. Receivers for both Brayton and Stirling heat engines are being developed under separate contracts. Phase I, described here, is the current eighteen month effort to design and perform critical technology experiments on innovative concepts designed to reduce mass without compromising thermal efficiency and reliability.

Heidenreich, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Photovoltaic system criteria documents. Volume 4: Review criteria for photovoltaic applications

Guidelines are provided for the organization, preparation and conduct of program reviews for photovoltaic applications. These criteria apply to all photovoltaic applications. They include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Conceptual design review; (2) Preliminary design review; (3) Critical design review; and (4) Operational readiness review. Contract goal's and objectives are met through program monitoring for cost, schedule, and performance for both managerial and technical elements for all PV applications activities.

Koenig, John C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Aircraft IR/acoustic detection evaluation. Volume 2: Development of a ground-based acoustic sensor system for the detection of subsonic jet-powered aircraft

The design and performance of a ground-based acoustic sensor system for the detection of subsonic jet-powered aircraft is described and specified. The acoustic detection system performance criteria will subsequently be used to determine target detection ranges for the subject contract. Although the defined system has never been built and demonstrated in the field, the design parameters were chosen on the basis of achievable technology and overall system practicality. Areas where additional information is needed to substantiate the design are identified.

Kraft, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Advanced solar panel designs

This paper describes solar cell panel designs that utilize new hgih efficiency solar cells along with lightweight rigid panel technology. The resulting designs push the W/kg and W/sq m parameters to new high levels. These new designs are well suited to meet the demand for higher performance small satellites. This paper reports on progress made on two SBIR Phase 1 contracts. One panel design involved the use of large area (5.5 cm x 6.5 cm) GaAs/Ge solar cells of 19% efficiency combined with a lightweight rigid graphite fiber epoxy isogrid substrate configuration. A coupon (38 cm x 38 cm) was fabricated and tested which demonstrated an array specific power level of 60 W/kg with a potential of reaching 80 W/kg. The second panel design involved the use of newly developed high efficiency (22%) dual junction GaInP2/GaAs/Ge solar cells combined with an advanced lightweight rigid substrate using aluminum honeycomb core with high strength graphite fiber mesh facesheets. A coupon (38 cm x 38 cm) was fabricated and tested which demonstrated an array specific power of 105 W/kg and 230 W/sq m. This paper will address the construction details of the panels and an a analysis of the component weights. A strawman array design suitable for a typical small-sat mission is described for each of the two panel design technologies being studied. Benefits in respect to weight reduction, area reduction, and system cost reduction are analyzed and compared to conventional arrays.

Ralph, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1996

40 HP Electro-Mechanical Actuator

This report summarizes the work performed on the 40 BP electro-mechanical actuator (EMA) system developed on NASA contract NAS3-25799 for the NASA National Launch System and Electrical Actuation (ELA) Technology Bridging Programs. The system was designed to demonstrate the capability of large, high power linear ELA's for applications such as Thrust Vector Control (TVC) on rocket engines. It consists of a motor controller, high frequency power source, drive electronics and a linear actuator. The power source is a 25kVA 20 kHz Mapham inverter. The drive electronics are based on the pulse population modulation concept and operate at a nominal frequency of 40 kHz. The induction motor is a specially designed high speed, low inertia motor capable of a 68 peak HP. The actuator was originally designed by MOOG Aerospace under an internal R & D program to meet Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) TVC requirements. The design was modified to meet this programs linear rate specification of 7.4 inches/second. The motor and driver were tested on a dynamometer at the Martin Marietta Space Systems facility. System frequency response and step response tests were conducted at the Marshall Space Flight Center facility. A complete description of the system and all test results can be found in the body of the report.

Fulmer, Chris↗
NASA NTRS1996

Electro-Mechanical Actuator. DC Resonant Link Controller

This report summarizes the work performed on the 68 HP electro-mechanical actuator (EMA) system developed on NASA contract for the Electrical Actuation (ELA) Technology Bridging Program. The system was designed to demonstrate the capability of large, high power linear ELAs for applications such as Thrust Vector Control (TVC) on rocket engines. It consists of a motor controller, drive electronics and a linear actuator capable of up to 32,00 lbs loading at 7.4 inches/second. The drive electronics are based on the Resonant DC link concept and operate at a nominal frequency of 55 kHz. The induction motor is a specially designed high speed, low inertia motor capable of a 68 peak HP. The actuator was originally designed by MOOG Aerospace under an internal R & D program to meet Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) TVC requirements. The design was modified to meet this programs linear rate specification of 7.4 inches/second. The motor and driver were tested on a dynamometer at the Martin Marietta Space Systems facility. System frequency response, step response and force-velocity tests were conducted at the MOOG Aerospace facility. A complete description of the system and all test results can be found in the body of the report.

Schreiner, Kenneth E.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Model Assessment of the Impact on Ozone of Subsonic and Supersonic Aircraft

This is the final report for work performed between June 1999 through May 2000. The work represents continuation of the previous contract which encompasses five areas: (1) continued refinements and applications of the 2-D chemistry-transport model (CTM) to assess the ozone effects from aircraft operation in the stratosphere; (2) studying the mechanisms that determine the evolution of the sulfur species in the aircraft plume and how such mechanisms affect the way aircraft sulfur emissions should be introduced into global models; (3) the development of diagnostics in the AER 3-wave interactive model to assess the importance of the dynamics feedback and zonal asymmetry in model prediction of ozone response to aircraft operation; (4) the development of a chemistry parameterization scheme in support of the global modeling initiative (GMI); and (5) providing assessment results for preparation of national and international reports which include the "Aviation and the Global Atmosphere" prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, "Assessment of the effects of high-speed aircraft in the stratosphere: 1998" by NASA, and the "Model and Measurements Intercomparison II" by NASA. Part of the work was reported in the final report. We participated in the SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE) campaign and we continue with our analyses of the data.

Ko, Malcolm↗
NASA NTRS2000

Laboratory Astrophysics Using a Spare XRS Microcalorimeter

The XRS instrument on Astro-E is a fully self-contained microcalorimeter x-ray instrument capable of acquiring optimally filtering, and characterizing events for 32 independent pixels. With the launch of the Astro-E spacecraft, a full flight spare detector system has been integrated into a laboratory cryostat for use on the electron beam ion trap (EBIT) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The detector system contains a microcalorimeter array with 32 instrumented pixels heat sunk to 60 mK using an adiabatic demagnetization refrio,erator. The instrument has a composite resolution of 8eV at 1 keV and 12eV at 6 keV with a minimum of 95% quantum efficiency. This will allow high spectral resolution, broadband observations of collisionally excited plasmas which are produced in the EBIT experiment. Unique to our instrument are exceptionally well characterized 1000 Angstrom thick aluminum on polyimide infrared blocking filters. The detailed transmission function including the edc,e fine structure of these filters has been measured in our laboratory using an erect field grating spectrometer. This will allow the instrument to perform the first broadband absolute flux measurements with the EBIT instrument. The instrument performance as well as the results of preliminary measurements will be discussed. Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. D.o.E. by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract W-7405-ENG-48 and was supported by the NASA High Energy Astrophysics Supporting Research and Technology Program.

Audley, M. Damian↗
NASA NTRS2000

Assessment and Assurance of Microelectronics Packaging Technology of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have shown a significant promise in the last decade for a variety of applications such as air-bag, pressure sensors, accelerometer, microgyro, etc. Standard semiconductor microelectronics packaging needs the integrated circuits to be protected from the harsh environment, and provide electrical communication with the other parts of the circuit, facilitate thermal dissipation efficiently, and impart mechanical strength to the silicon die. Microelectronics packaging involves wafer dicing, bonding, lead attachment, encapsulation to protect from the environment, electrical integrity, and package leak tests to assure the packaging technology. In the case of MEMS the microstructures (active elements) often interfaces with the hostile environment where packaging leak tests and testing of such devices using chemical and mechanical parameters will be very difficult and expensive. Packaging of MEMS is significantly complex as they serve to protect from the environment and microstructures interact with the same environment to measure or affect the desired physical or chemical parameters. The most of the silicon circuitry is sensitive to temperature, moisture, magnetic field, light, and electromagnetic interference. The package must then protect the on-board silicon circuitry while simultaneously exposing the microsensor to the effect it 'measures to assure the MEMS technology by lowering the risk to zero. MEMS technology has a major application in developing a microspacecraft for space systems provided assurance of MEMS technology is sufficiently addressed nondestructively. This technology would eventually miniaturize many of the components of the spacecraft to reach the NASA's safety and mission assurance goal by building faster, cheaper, better, smaller spacecraft to explore the space more effectively by teaming-up with the other NASA centers using the limited resources available. This paper discusses the latest developments in the MEMS technology and challenging issues in the packaging of hermetically sealed and non-hermetically sealed MEMS sensor devices based on silicon, poly-silicon, and other materials for microspacecraft applications considering the space environment and reliability assurance qualification guidelines in perspective. Acknowledgments: The above research work is supported by the NASA Electronics Parts and Packaging Program (NEPP) and performed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA under a contract with the NASA - Code Q for the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance Program 323-79.

Ramesham, Rajeshuni↗
NASA NTRS2000

AST Critical Propulsion and Noise Reduction Technologies for Future Commercial Subsonic Engines: Separate-Flow Exhaust System Noise Reduction Concept Evaluation

This report describes the work performed by General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE) and Allison Engine Company (AEC) on NASA Contract NAS3-27720 AoI 14.3. The objective of this contract was to generate quality jet noise acoustic data for separate-flow nozzle models and to design and verify new jet-noise-reduction concepts over a range of simulated engine cycles and flight conditions. Five baseline axisymmetric separate-flow nozzle models having bypass ratios of five and eight with internal and external plugs and 11 different mixing-enhancer model nozzles (including chevrons, vortex-generator doublets, and a tongue mixer) were designed and tested in model scale. Using available core and fan nozzle hardware in various combinations, 28 GEAE/AEC separate-flow nozzle/mixing-enhancer configurations were acoustically evaluated in the NASA Glenn Research Center Aeroacoustic and Propulsion Laboratory. This report describes model nozzle features, facility and data acquisition/reduction procedures, the test matrix, and measured acoustic data analyses. A number of tested core and fan mixing enhancer devices and combinations of devices gave significant jet noise reduction relative to separate-flow baseline nozzles. Inward-flip and alternating-flip core chevrons combined with a straight-chevron fan nozzle exceeded the NASA stretch goal of 3 EPNdB jet noise reduction at typical sideline certification conditions.

Janardan, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Mining Marketing Data

MarketMiner(R) Products, a line of automated marketing analysis tools manufactured by MarketMiner, Inc., can benefit organizations that perform significant amounts of direct marketing. MarketMiner received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from NASA's Johnson Space Center to develop the software as a data modeling tool for space mission applications. The technology was then built into the company current products to provide decision support for business and marketing applications. With the tool, users gain valuable information about customers and prospects from existing data in order to increase sales and profitability. MarketMiner(R) is a registered trademark of MarketMiner, Inc.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1998

Conceptual Design Method Developed for Advanced Propulsion Nozzles

As part of a contract with the NASA Lewis Research Center, a simple, accurate method of predicting the performance characteristics of a nozzle design has been developed for use in conceptual design studies. The Nozzle Performance Analysis Code (NPAC) can predict the on- and off-design performance of axisymmetric or two-dimensional convergent and convergent-divergent nozzle geometries. NPAC accounts for the effects of overexpansion or underexpansion, flow divergence, wall friction, heat transfer, and small mass addition or loss across surfaces when the nozzle gross thrust and gross thrust coefficient are being computed. NPAC can be used to predict the performance of a given nozzle design or to develop a preliminary nozzle system design for subsequent analysis. The input required by NPAC consists of a simple geometry definition of the nozzle surfaces, the location of key nozzle stations (entrance, throat, exit), and the nozzle entrance flow properties. NPAC performs three analysis "passes" on the nozzle geometry. First, an isentropic control volume analysis is performed to determine the gross thrust and gross thrust coefficient of the nozzle. During the second analysis pass, the skin friction and heat transfer losses are computed. The third analysis pass couples the effects of wall shear and heat transfer with the initial internal nozzle flow solutions to produce a system of equations that is solved at steps along the nozzle geometry. Small mass additions or losses, such as those resulting from leakage or bleed flow, can be included in the model at specified geometric sections. A final correction is made to account for divergence losses that are incurred if the nozzle exit flow is not purely axial.

Nadell, Shari-Beth↗
NASA NTRS2007

Micro Machining Enhances Precision Fabrication

Advanced thermal systems developed for the Space Station Freedom project are now in use on the International Space Station. These thermal systems employ evaporative ammonia as their coolant, and though they employ the same series of chemical reactions as terrestrial refrigerators, the space-bound coolers are significantly smaller. Two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts between Creare Inc. of Hanover, NH and Johnson Space Center developed an ammonia evaporator for thermal management systems aboard Freedom. The principal investigator for Creare Inc., formed Mikros Technologies Inc. to commercialize the work. Mikros Technologies then developed an advanced form of micro-electrical discharge machining (micro-EDM) to make tiny holes in the ammonia evaporator. Mikros Technologies has had great success applying this method to the fabrication of micro-nozzle array systems for industrial ink jet printing systems. The company is currently the world leader in fabrication of stainless steel micro-nozzles for this market, and in 2001 the company was awarded two SBIR research contracts from Goddard Space Flight Center to advance micro-fabrication and high-performance thermal management technologies.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2009

Thoughts on Earned Value Assessments

This slide presentation reviews the concepts of Earned Value reporting and Earned Value Metrics (EVM) and the implementation for the Constellation Program. EVM is used to manage both the contract and civil service workforce, and used as a measure of contractor costs and performance. The Program EVM is not as useful for Level of Effort tasking, for either contractor, or civil service employees. Some issues and concerns in reference to EVM and the process for the use of EVM for Mission assurance are reviewed,

Pido, Kelle↗
NASA NTRS2010

Q46 Technology Refreshment Assessment

This document reviews the accomplishments of the author during an internship. During this internship, the author was assigned to the End User Services Office, which coordinates and oversees a wide selection of information technologies that enhance the productivity of the workforce at NASA Kennedy Space Center. During the internship the author performed an assessment of the work of the Outsourcing Desktop Initiative for NASA (ODIN) contract.

Garcia-Burgos, Axel A.↗