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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 73 records · Page 4

Use of Hardware-in-the-Loop to De-Risk Field Deployment of Hydrogen Assets

Grid-forming assets are required in microgrids to act as voltage-frequency masters. These grid-forming assets can operate in two modes of operation: grid-following mode and grid-forming mode. In grid-following mode of operation, these assets will follow real power and reactive power setpoints and in grid-forming mode of operation these assets will follow voltage and frequency setpoints. Traditionally, diesel generators or natural gas-based generators are widely used to act as a voltage-frequency master. However, many utilities are aiming to replace generators with grid forming-inverters supplied by solar photovoltaics (PV), batteries or fuel cells. Since grid-forming assets need a long-term reliable energy source, fuel cells are a reasonable and viable choice to supply the grid-forming inverters, but some of the challenges facing the wide deployment of grid-forming fuel cell inverters need to be addressed. Specifically, in our proposed work, we aim to focus on the interconnection and interoperability requirements of grid-forming fuel cell inverters. Currently, state-of-the-art fuel cell inverters follow the general interconnection requirements of distributed energy resources (DERs) and general interoperability requirements of DERs, but these requirements were built with PV and battery systems in mind. Fuel cells have different operational requirements, and therefore these requirements need to be appropriately modified for the grid operators to use. These additional steps add to the investment and operational cost to the grid operators. Through the ARIES platform, this proposed project aims to bridge this gap and use power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) and controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) experiments to inform the creation of open-source interconnection and interoperability information that can aid in faster and cheaper installation and operation of grid-forming fuel cell inverters.

08 HYDROGEN↗

OpenFacadeControl: enabling integration of automated facades with other building systems

Automated facades are, for the most part, still considered as separate from other building systems throughout the design, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance cycle. This takes place despite the fact that their energy and comfort performance are deeply interlinked with the operation of lighting and HVAC systems. Over the last two decades, research has shown that there are significant advantages from operating facades as an integrated system with the rest of the building. Nevertheless, significant barriers prevent this type of integration becoming more common. One of them is the lack of a platform that is inexpensive to implement and that easily allows the practical implementation of integrated control algorithms across fenestration and other building systems, using a variety of communications protocols. This is particularly challenging when automated facades are installed in existing buildings, where interaction with legacy building systems that were installed over the past lifetime of the building can require a high degree of interoperability. OpenFacadeControl (OFC) is an open-source controls framework aimed at unified control of facades and other building systems, including the sharing of third-party sensor information. Through leveraging the Volttron controls platform, it allows the integration of systems and sensors that are manufactured by different companies and that use different communications protocols into an ensemble that functions as a single system. OFC is designed to enable integrated control algorithms of varying degrees of complexity, ranging from simple, heuristic controls to more sophisticated approaches like model-predictive control. Use of a research version to test advanced lighting and shading strategies in a full-scale experimental testbed has demonstrated the ease of deploying advanced control solutions using OpenFacadeControl. This paper presents the structure of OpenFacadeControl and a demonstration case showing the use of OFC in laboratory tests of advanced lighting and fenestration controls that coordinated motorized shades communicating via the BACnet building communications standard and lights communicating via internet-protocol-based application programming interface (API), based on the readings of a shared light level sensor communicating via a different API.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Integration of multi-discipline data processing for earth observing systems

The first steps taken to ensure the controlled evolution of existing facilities toward greater interoperability and sharing of resources among NASA-supported earth science and applications data systems (ESADS) are described. Recommendations made by the various panels during the 1987 ESADS Workshop are presented. The panels were concerned with directories and catalogs, data archives, data manipulation software, computational facilities, data storage media, database management, and networking. Consideration was also given to the tracking and tuning of overall development and management coordination issues.

Kahn, Ralph↗

Prototype Interoperability Document between NASA-JSC and DLR-GSOC Describing the CCSDS SM and C Mission Operations Prototype

The purpose of the PROTOTYPE INTEROPERABILITY DOCUMENT is to document the design and interfaces for the service providers and consumers of a Mission Operations prototype between JSC-OTF and DLR-GSOC. The primary goal is to test the interoperability sections of the CCSDS Spacecraft Monitor & Control (SM&C) Mission Operations (MO) specifications between both control centers. An additional goal is to provide feedback to the Spacecraft Monitor and Control (SM&C) working group through the Review Item Disposition (RID) process. This Prototype is considered a proof of concept and should increase the knowledge base of the CCSDS SM&C Mission Operations standards. No operational capabilities will be provided. The CCSDS Mission Operations (MO) initiative was previously called Spacecraft Monitor and Control (SM&C). The specifications have been renamed to better reflect the scope and overall objectives. The working group retains the name Spacecraft Monitor and Control working group and is under the Mission Operations and Information Services Area (MOIMS) of CCSDS. This document will refer to the specifications as SM&C Mission Operations, Mission Operations or just MO.

Lucord, Steve A.↗

International Systems Integration on the International Space Station

Over the next few months, the International Space Station (ISS), and human spaceflight in general, will undergo momentous change. The European Columbus and Japanese Kibo Laboratories will be added to the station joining U.S. and Russian elements already on orbit. Columbus, Jules Vernes Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and Kibo Control Centers will soon be joining control centers in the US and Russia in coordinating ISS operations and research. The Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) will be performing extra vehicular activities that previously only astronauts on EVA could do, but remotely and with increased safety. This paper will address the integration of these international elements and operations into the ISS, both from hardware and human perspectives. Interoperability of on-orbit systems and ground control centers and their human operators from Europe, Japan, Canada, Russia and the U.S. pose significant and unique challenges. Coordination of logistical support and transportation of crews and cargo is also a major challenge. As we venture out into the cosmos and inhabit the Moon and other planets, it's the systems and operational experience and partnership development on ISS, humanity's orbiting outpost that is making these journeys possible.

Gerstenmaier, William H.↗

Universal Passive Synchronization Method for Grid-Forming Inverters Without Mode Transition

Power systems are transforming with increasing levels of inverter-based resources (IBRs). This transformation requires critical roles of grid-forming (GFM) inverters replacing synchronous generators for bulk power system stabilization and ancillary services, also allowing flexible power system operation, such as microgrid that is operated by multiple GFM IBRs to achieve system resilience against contingencies. To realize the resilient power systems allowing flexible in-and-out operation of GFM IBRs potentially programmed with different primary controls, a synchronization method universally applicable, i.e., independent of control types, would be beneficial to ease the integration process, but it has not been actively studied. To fill the gap, this paper proposes a universal synchronization method that achieves a passive synchronization to enable a smooth transition in a grid with off-nominal system parameters, i.e., voltage and frequency. The logic proposed requires no modification on the primary control, thus applicable to any type of GFMs with a voltage reference input. To validate the concept, a simulation of an IEEE 13-bus benchmark system modified with 3 GFM inverters is presented. It simulates an inverter-driven black start scenario in which GFM inverters autonomously turn on and connect to the grid under heavy loading, using the synchronization logic. The case study demonstrates that GFM inverters can tune their voltage reference to smoothly synchronize without severe transients, and contribute to a seamless black start of the grid under unbalanced load conditions. Two GFM methods - Droop and dispatchable virtual oscillator control - are used for the demo to validate feasibility and interoperability of the passive synchronization.

black start↗

Compliance and Functional Testing of IEEE 1451.1 for NCAP-to-NCAP Communications in a Sensor Network

Distributed control in a networked environment is an irreplaceable feature in systems with remote sensors and actuators. Although distributed control was not originally designed to be networked, usage of off-the-shelf networking technologies has become so prevalent that control systems are desired to have access mechanisms similar to computer networks. However, proprietary transducer interfaces for network communications and distributed control overwhelmingly dominate this industry. Unless the lack of compatibility and interoperability among transducers is resolved, the mature level of access (that computer networking can deliver) will not be achieved in such networked distributed control systems. Standardization of networked transducer interfaces will enable devices from different manufacturers to talk to each other and ensure their plug-and-play capability. One such standard is the suite of IEEE 1451 for sensor network communication and transducer interfaces. The suite not only provides a standard interface for smart transducers, but also outlines the connection of an NCAP (network capable application processor) and transducers (through a transducer interface module TIM). This paper presents the design of the compliance testing of IEEE 1451.1 (referred to as Dot1) compatible NCAP-to-NCAP communications on a link-layer independent medium. The paper also represents the first demonstration of NCAP-to-NCAP communications with Dot1 compatibility: a tester NCAP and an NCAP under test (NUT).

Figueroa, Jorge↗

High-Power Electric Vehicle Charging Hub Integration Platform (eCHIP): Design Guidelines and Specifications for DC Distribution-Based Charging Hub

Managed under U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-funded EVs@Scale Consortium, High-Power Electric Vehicle Charging Hub Integration Platform (eCHIP) project aims to design and develop a high-power, interoperable charging experimental platform to research, develop, and demonstrate the integration and control approaches for a DC distribution-based high-power charging (HPC) system. The eCHIP project addresses the crucial need to design and validate efficient, low-cost, reliable, and interoperable solutions for DC-coupled charging hub ('DC hub' for short). This report explains the design, development, and implementation process of the experimental platform for the DC hub. The utilization of DC distribution holds significant potential for enhancing the operation of an HPC station architecture. However, there are challenges establishing the DC hub, including interoperability, commoditization, distributed energy resource integration, stability, DC protection, and lack of common system level controllers. To address these challenges, a testing setup is required that accommodates commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products as well as novel, in-house designed solutions to evaluate different use cases at rated power and voltage levels.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Initial Validation of a Simulation System for Studying Interoperability in Future Air Traffic Management Systems

Future air traffic management systems will need to accommodate large numbers of increasingly diverse air vehicles with different operating paradigms. To support this trend, they will digitally share copious amounts of information via a common communication architecture. Operators will deploy programs that create and negotiate flight plans via the architecture’s communication protocols. These programs will autonomously make decisions that must be arbitrated by the architecture and robust to uncertainty. To study interoperability in air traffic management, a new airspace simulation system was composed by integrating a legacy airspace simulation, an air traffic control model, and a new research communication architecture. It was used to evaluate air traffic management concepts by adapting it to handle congested arrival traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport and executing simulations. Results demonstrated the ability of the simulation system to model in detail strategic traffic flow management, predeparture flight planning, and air traffic control working in concert. Subsequent studies can use the simulation system to study interoperability, autonomy, digital communication, and uncertainty in future air traffic management systems.

air traffic control↗

Initial Validation of a Simulation System for Studying Interoperability in Future Air Traffic Management Systems

Future air traffic management systems will need to accommodate large numbers of increasingly diverse air vehicles with different operating paradigms. To support this trend, they will digitally share copious amounts of information via a common communication architecture. Operators will deploy programs that create and negotiate flight plans via the architecture’s communication protocols. These programs will autonomously make decisions that must be arbitrated by the architecture and robust to uncertainty. To study interoperability in air traffic management, a new airspace simulation system was composed by integrating a legacy airspace simulation, an air traffic control model, and a new research communication architecture. It was used to evaluate air traffic management concepts by adapting it to handle congested arrival traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport and executing simulations. Results demonstrated the ability of the simulation system to model in detail strategic traffic flow management, predeparture flight planning, and air traffic control working in concert. Subsequent studies can use the simulation system to study interoperability, autonomy, digital communication, and uncertainty in future air traffic management systems.

air traffic control↗

NSI customer service representatives and user support office: NASA Science Internet

The NASA Science Internet, (NSI) was established in 1987 to provide NASA's Offices of Space Science and Applications (OSSA) missions with transparent wide-area data connectivity to NASA's researchers, computational resources, and databases. The NSI Office at NASA/Ames Research Center has the lead responsibility for implementing a total, open networking program to serve the OSSA community. NSI is a full-service communications provider whose services include science network planning, network engineering, applications development, network operations, and network information center/user support services. NSI's mission is to provide reliable high-speed communications to the NASA science community. To this end, the NSI Office manages and operates the NASA Science Internet, a multiprotocol network currently supporting both DECnet and TCP/IP protocols. NSI utilizes state-of-the-art network technology to meet its customers' requirements. THe NASA Science Internet interconnects with other national networks including the National Science Foundation's NSFNET, the Department of Energy's ESnet, and the Department of Defense's MILNET. NSI also has international connections to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and several European countries. NSI cooperates with other government agencies as well as academic and commercial organizations to implement networking technologies which foster interoperability, improve reliability and performance, increase security and control, and expedite migration to the OSI protocols.

Source record↗

Advances Made in the Next Generation of Satellite Networks

Because of the unique networking characteristics of communications satellites, global satellite networks are moving to the forefront in enhancing national and global information infrastructures. Simultaneously, broadband data services, which are emerging as the major market driver for future satellite and terrestrial networks, are being widely acknowledged as the foundation for an efficient global information infrastructure. In the past 2 years, various task forces and working groups around the globe have identified pivotal topics and key issues to address if we are to realize such networks in a timely fashion. In response, industry, government, and academia undertook efforts to address these topics and issues. A workshop was organized to provide a forum to assess the current state-of-the-art, identify key issues, and highlight the emerging trends in the next-generation architectures, data protocol development, communication interoperability, and applications. The Satellite Networks: Architectures, Applications, and Technologies Workshop was hosted by the Space Communication Program at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Nearly 300 executives and technical experts from academia, industry, and government, representing the United States and eight other countries, attended the event (June 2 to 4, 1998). The program included seven panels and invited sessions and nine breakout sessions in which 42 speakers presented on technical topics. The proceedings covers a wide range of topics: access technology and protocols, architectures and network simulations, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) over satellite networks, Internet over satellite networks, interoperability experiments and applications, multicasting, NASA interoperability experiment programs, NASA mission applications, and Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) over satellite: issues, relevance, and experience.

Bhasin, Kul B.↗

Initial Validation of a Simulation System for Studying Interoperability in Future Air Traffic Management Systems

Future air traffic management systems will need to accommodate large numbers of increasingly diverse air vehicles with different operating paradigms. To support this trend, they will digitally share copious amounts of information via a common communication architecture. Operators will deploy programs that create and negotiate flight plans via the architecture’s communication protocols. These programs will autonomously make decisions that must be arbitrated by the architecture and robust to uncertainty. To study interoperability in air traffic management, a new airspace simulation system was composed by integrating a legacy airspace simulation, an air traffic control model, and a new research communication architecture. It was used to evaluate air traffic management concepts by adapting it to handle congested arrival traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport and executing simulations. Results demonstrated the ability of the simulation system to model in detail strategic traffic flow management, predeparture flight planning, and air traffic control working in concert. Subsequent studies can use the simulation system to study interoperability, autonomy, digital communication, and uncertainty in future air traffic management systems.

aircraft scheduling,traffic flow management,autono↗

Digital Motion Imagery, Interoperability Challenges for Space Operations

With advances in available bandwidth from spacecraft and between terrestrial control centers, digital motion imagery and video is becoming more practical as a data gathering tool for science and engineering, as well as for sharing missions with the public. The digital motion imagery and video industry has done a good job of creating standards for compression, distribution, and physical interfaces. Compressed data streams can easily be transmitted or distributed over radio frequency, internet protocol, and other data networks. All of these standards, however, can make sharing video between spacecraft and terrestrial control centers a frustrating and complicated task when different standards and protocols are used by different agencies. This paper will explore the challenges presented by the abundance of motion imagery and video standards, interfaces and protocols with suggestions for common formats that could simplify interoperability between spacecraft and ground support systems. Real-world examples from the International Space Station will be examined. The paper will also discuss recent trends in the development of new video compression algorithms, as well likely expanded use of Delay (or Disruption) Tolerant Networking nodes.

Grubbs, Rodney↗

Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Used for Inclined Orbit Operations

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) is operated by the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. ACTS, which was launched in September 1993, is in its 7th year of operations, far exceeding the system s planned 2 years of operations and 4 years of designed mission life. After 5 successful years of operating as a geostationary satellite, the spacecraft s North-South stationkeeping was discontinued in August 1998. The system is now operating in an inclined orbit that increases at a rate of 0.8 /yr. With only scarce fuel remaining, operating in this mode extends the usage of the still totally functional payload. Although tracking systems are now needed on the experimenter Earth stations, experiment operations have continued with very little disruption. This is the only known geosynchronous Ka-band (30/20 GHz) spot-beam satellite operating in an inclined orbit. The project began its transition from geostationary operations to inclined operations in August 1998. This did not interrupt operations and was transparent to the experimenters on the system. For the space segment, new daily procedures were implemented to maintain the pointing of the system s narrow 0.3 spot beams while the spacecraft drifts in the North-South direction. For the ground segment, modifications were designed, developed, and fielded for the three classes of experimenter Earth stations. With the next generation of commercial satellite systems still being developed, ACTS remains the only operational testbed for Ka-band geosynchronous satellite communications over the Western hemisphere. Since inclined orbit operations began, the ACTS experiments program has supported 43 investigations by industry, Government, and academic organizations, as well as four demonstrations. The project s goals for inclined-orbit operations now reflect a narrower focus in the types of experiments that will be done. In these days of "faster, better, cheaper," NASA is seeking to gain greater relevance to the agency s mission from these experiments. One area that is of much interest both to NASA and the commercial world is the investigation of protocol issues related to the interoperability of satellites with terrestrial networks, such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) over wideband satellites. Other experiment areas of interest are supporting the U.S. Government and NASA as they begin using commercial space assets to meet their communications needs, evaluating issues related to operating a spot-beam satellite in inclined orbit, and evaluating new Ka-band hardware that requires a satellite link. ACTS is now in its last year of operations. Operations are planned through June 2000, when after 81 months of operations, this very successful spacecraft will be superorbited and made inert.

Bauer, Robert A.↗

Validation of Interconnection and Interoperability of Grid-Forming Inverters Sourced by Hydrogen Technologies in View of 100% Renewable Microgrids

Grid-forming assets are required in microgrids to act as voltage-frequency masters. These grid-forming assets can operate in two modes of operation: grid-following mode and grid-forming mode. In grid-following mode of operation, these assets will follow real power and reactive power setpoints and in grid-forming mode of operation these assets will follow voltage and frequency setpoints. Traditionally, diesel generators or natural gas-based generators are widely used to act as a voltage-frequency master. However, many utilities are aiming to replace generators with grid forming-inverters supplied by solar photovoltaics (PV), batteries or fuel cells. Since grid-forming assets need a long-term reliable energy source, fuel cells are a reasonable and viable choice to supply the grid-forming inverters, but some of the challenges facing the wide deployment of grid-forming fuel cell inverters need to be addressed. Specifically, in our proposed work, we aim to focus on the interconnection and interoperability requirements of grid-forming fuel cell inverters. Currently, state-of-the-art fuel cell inverters follow the general interconnection requirements of distributed energy resources (DERs) and general interoperability requirements of DERs, but these requirements were built with PV and battery systems in mind. Fuel cells have different operational requirements, and therefore these requirements need to be appropriately modified for the grid operators to use. These additional steps add to the investment and operational cost to the grid operators. Through the ARIES platform, this proposed project aims to bridge this gap and use power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) and controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) experiments to inform the creation of open-source interconnection and interoperability information that can aid in faster and cheaper installation and operation of grid-forming fuel cell inverters.

controller hardware-in-the-loop↗

Advanced Communications Technology Satellite Now Operating in an Inclined Orbit

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) system has been modified to support operation in an inclined orbit that is virtually transparent to users, and plans are to continue this final phase of its operation through September 2000. The next 2 years of ACTS will provide a new opportunity for using the technologies that this system brought online over 5 years ago and that are still being used to resolve the technical issues that face NASA and the satellite industry in the area of seamless networking and interoperability with terrestrial systems. New goals for ACTS have been defined that align the program with recent changes in NASA and industry. ACTS will be used as a testbed to: Show how NASA and other Government agencies can use commercial systems for 1. future support of their operations Test, characterize, and resolve technical issues in using advanced communications 2. protocols such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) over long latency links as found when interoperating satellites with terrestrial systems Evaluate narrow-spot-beam Ka-band satellite operation in an inclined orbit 3. Verify Ka-band satellite technologies since no other Ka-band system is yet 4. available in the United States

Bauer, Robert A.↗

A Multi-Site Networked Hardware-in-Loop Platform for Evaluation of Interoperability and Distributed Intelligence at Grid-Edge

Electric power systems have experienced large increases in the number of intelligent, connected and controllable devices being deployed, leading to a high degree of distributed intelligence at the grid-edge. These devices, both utility-owned and consumer-owned, include but are not limited to: renewable generation sources, energy storage, remote switches, voltage regulators, and smart controllable loads such as electric vehicles. These new devices provide significant potential for increased operational flexibility that can be leveraged to achieve system reconfiguration, resiliency improvements, power quality improvements, and distribution system automation. However, there are two significant challenges that must be addressed before these assets can be leveraged for operations: interoperability and system level validation prior to deployment. Because of the complexity of distributed control systems, and their interactions with legacy centralized controls, a purely simulations-based approach for pre-deployment validation is not sufficient. It requires hardware-in-loop testing to emulate the operational hardware devices and evaluate their performance. Additionally, securely integrating multiple test facilities at utility operators and vendors might enable rapid scale-up of evaluation platforms, and remove the need for multiple expensive standalone installations. Presented in this paper, is the development of a multi-site evaluation platform that employs Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS), distributed control devices, real-time hardware-in-loop assets, secure communication links, and protocol adapters. This platform uses standards-based approaches and open-source tools, and hence can serve as a template for other researchers and institutions to implement their multi-site evaluation frameworks for pre-deployment testing.

Essakiappan, Somasundaram↗