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Logic element switches flows of low pressure process control fluid in fluidics assemblies. Device operates both electrically and fluidically and is controlled by passing permanent magnet or electromagnet over elements, thus providing proximity switching functions.
The engineering development of the SEC vidicon as an astronomical sensor has continued in parallel with its operational use. One scientific application was the six hour exposure of the quasar PHL-957 at the Coude spectrograph of the 200-inch Hale telescope. The developmental effort includes both the enhancement of the basic attributes that make the SEC an appropriate sensor, namely, high quantum efficiency, low threshold, and long integration; as well as work to broaden its scientific usefulness, such as the development of a MgF2 photocathode window for vacuum ultraviolet sensitivity, and a permanent magnet focus design for thermal compatibility with proposed large space telescopes. Additional details on the characteristics of the SEC tube are discussed, as well as plans to make a larger and higher resolution version.
The purpose of the Apollo 16 lunar portable magnetometer (LPM) experiment is to measure the permanent magnetic field at different geological sites on the lunar surface. The LPM field measurements are a vector sum of the steady remanent field from the lunar crust and of the time-varying ambient fields. The remanent magnetic fields measured in the Descartes region are the largest extraterrestrial fields yet measured in situ. These measurements show for the first time that the Descartes highlands have a stronger remanent magnetization than do the mare regions of the previous Apollo landing sites. The experimental technique used in the LPM experiment is described and the preliminary results obtained are discussed.
Four iron-less armature torque motors, four Hall device position sensor assemblies, and two test fixtures were fabricated. The design approach utilized samarium cobalt permanent magnets, a large airgap, and a three-phase winding in a stationary ironless armature. Hall devices were employed to sense rotor position. An ironless armature torque motor having an outer diameter of 4.25 inches was developed to produce a torque constant of 65 ounce-inches per ampere with a resistance of 20.5 ohms. The total weight, including structural elements, was 1.58 pounds. Test results indicated that all specifications were met except for generated voltage waveform. It is recommended that investigations be made concerning the generated voltage waveform to determine if it may be improved.
An electron-proton spectrometer was designed to measure the geomagnetically trapped radiation in a geostationary orbit at 6.6 earth radii in the outer radiation belt. This instrument is to be flown on the Applications Technology Satellite-F (ATS-F). The electron-proton spectrometer consists of two permanent magnet surface barrier detector arrays and associated electronics capable of selecting and detecting electrons in three energy ranges: (1) 30-50 keV, (2) 150-200 keV, and (3) 500 keV and protons in three energy ranges. The electron-proton spectrometer has the capability of measuring the fluxes of electrons and protons in various directions with respect to the magnetic field lines running through the satellite. One magnet detector array system is implemented to scan between EME north and south through west, sampling the directional flux in 15 steps. The other magnet-detector array system is fixed looking toward EME east.
Relay consists of high voltage reed switch actuated by rotating permanent magnet mounted on stepper motor shaft, with actuation assembly isolated from high voltage circuit. Unit can be modified for use as double pole or double pole double throw latching relay and can be used in either air or vacuum.
Design and performance of a highly efficient experimental 200-watt traveling wave tube for space communications are described. The tube uses a coupled cavity slow wave structure with periodic permanent magnet focusing. A two-step velocity taper is incorporated in the slow wave structure for velocity resynchronization with the modulated beam. The spent beam is reconditioned in a refocusing section before it is collected in a novel multistage depressed collector. The collector is radiation cooled and heat insulated from the tube body. At saturation the tube provides peak output power of 240 watts with a 35-db gain and an overall maximum efficiency of 56 percent.
Only immiscible materials which involve a fluid phase have a potential advantage when considered for space processing. Processing of such systems at low gravity can lead to a material which is very homogeneous and contains a finely dispersed mixture of phases. Materials with such structures may exhibit potentially useful properties for such applications as superconductors, dispersion-strengthened materials, superplastic materials, permanent magnets, etc. These conclusions have resulted from review of past efforts in the field of low-g processing of materials containing a liquid phase miscibility gap and from present efforts dealing with such systems. These studies have concentrated on precipitation of liquid droplets in a host liquid during cooling through the miscibility gap. This effort has been to study the agglomeration of the droplets both experimentally and through computer simulation in order to understand the mechansism involved and to deduce the effect of gravity on the droplet distribution and resulting structure of the solidified material. The agglomeration mechanisms treated in detail are those due to diffusional growth and collision processes caused by Stokes on convection current-induced droplet migration.
A preliminary design study of flight-type dc conduction-permanent magnetic, ac helical induction, and ac linear induction pumps for circulating 883 K (1130 F) NaK at 9.1 kg/sec (20 lb/sec) is described. Various electromagnetic pump geometrics are evaluated against hydraulic performance, and the effects of multiple windings and numbers of pumps per assembly on overall reliability were determined. The methods used in the electrical-hydraulic, stress, and thermal analysis are discussed, and the high temperature electrical materials selected for the application are listed.
System integration methods for bubble domain flight records are investigated. Bubble memory module packaging and assembly, the control electronics design and construction, field coils, and permanent magnet bias structure design are studied. A small 60-k bit engineering model was built and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of the bubble recorder. Based on the various studies performed, a projection is made on a 50,000,000-bit prototype recorder. It is estimated that the recorder will occupy 190 cubic in., weigh 12 lb, and consume 12 w power when all of its four tracks are operated in parallel at 150 kHz data rate.
Device uses 12-pole samarium cobalt permanent-magnet rotor and three Hall-effect sensors for commutation. In prototype motor, torque constant (3-phase delta) is 65 oz-in/amp; electrical time constant (L/R) is 0.2 x 0.001 sec, and armature resistance is 20 ohms.
An analytical and experimental program to demonstrate the technical feasibility of a high efficiency coupled cavity traveling wave tube with periodic permanent magnetic focusing operating at 12.06 GHz, with 1 to 2 kilowatts CW power is described. Such a tube would ultimately be used for broadcasting power transmission from a satellite. The electron gun was designed to be demountable with a replaceable cathode, and the tube to be operable in a bakeable vacuum chamber with its collector replaced by a collector. Therefore, the high efficiency design was concerned with the slow wave structure only, utilizing velocity resynchronization. A special adapter was designed which incorporated an electromagnet refocusing section and a collector baseplate to facilitate testing the collector. CW output power of 1000 watts yielding 21.5% electronic efficiency was demonstrated, with a minimum output power of 525 watts across the specified 160 MHz bandwidth.
A one-twenty-fifth scale model of the key components of an automated parking garage system is described. The design of the model required transferring a vehicle from an entry level, vertically (+Z, -Z), to a storage location at any one of four storage positions (+X, -X, +Y, +Y, -Y) on the storage levels. There are three primary subsystems: (1) a screw jack to provide the vertical motion of the elevator, (2) a cam-driven track-switching device to provide X to Y motion, and (3) a transfer cart to provide horizontal travel and a small amount to vertical motion for transfer to the storage location. Motive power is provided by dc permanent magnet gear motors, one each for the elevator and track switching device and two for the transfer cart drive system (one driving the cart horizontally and the other providing the vertical transfer). The control system, through the use of a microprocessor, provides complete automation through a feedback system which utilizes sensing devices.
The testing of a standard iron and standard alnico permanent magnet two-phase, brushless dc spin motor for potential application to the space telescope has been concluded. The purpose of this study was to determine spin motor power losses, magnetic drag, efficiency and torque speed characteristics of a high torque dc motor. The motor was designed and built to fit an existing reaction wheel as a test vehicle and to use existing brass-board commutation and torque command electronics. The results of the tests are included in this report.
Trade studies were conducted to ensure the overall feasibility of the focal plane camera in a radial module. The primary variable in the trade studies was the location of the pickoff mirror, on axis versus off-axis. Two alternatives were: (1) the standard (electromagnetic focus) SECO submodule, and (2) the MOD 15 permanent magnet focus SECO submodule. The technical areas of concern were the packaging affected parameters of thermal dissipation, focal plane obscuration, and image quality.
A review is given of empirical and theoretical research into lunar induction excited by the solar wind. Transfer functions are discussed along with the bulk electrical-conductivity profile for the moon, limits on resolution and uniqueness, and comparisons of various conductivity models. Estimates of the lunar internal temperature profile are examined, sources for permanent magnetization of lunar rocks are considered, and the extreme frequency limit for detection of a lunar core is assessed. It is noted that there is no convincing evidence for a metallized lunar core with a radius of 500 km or larger.
Designs were formulated for four CW, millimeter wavelength traveling-wave tubes having high efficiency and long life. Three of these tubes, in the 42 to 44 GHz frequency region, develop power outputs of 100 to 300 watts with overall efficiencies of typically 45 percent. Another tube, which covers the frequency range of 84 to 86 GHz, provides a power output of 200 watts at 25 percent efficiency. The cathode current density in each design was 1A/sq cm. Each tube includes: metal-ceramic construction, periodic permanent magnet focusing, a two step velocity taper, an electron beam refocusing section, and a radiation cooled three-stage depressed collector. The electrical and mechanical design for each tube type is discussed in detail. The results of thermal and mechanical analyses are presented.
Plasma probe surveys were conducted in a 30-cm source to verify that the uniformity in the ion beam is the result of a corresponding uniformity in the discharge-chamber plasma. A 15 cm permanent magnet multipole ion source was designed, fabricated, and demonstrated. Procedures were investigated for texturing a variety of seed and surface materials for controlling secondary electron emission, increasing electron absorption of light, and improved attachment of biological tissue for medical implants using argon and tetrafluoromethane as the working gases. The cross section for argon-argon elastic collisions in the ion-beam energy range was calculated from interaction potentials and permits calculation of beam interaction effects that can determine system pumping requirements. The data also indicate that different optimizations of ion-beam machines will be advantageous for long and short runs, with 1 mA-hr/cm being the rough dividing line for run length. The capacity to simultaneously optimize components in an ion-beam machine for a single application, a capacity that is not evident in competitive approaches such as diode sputtering is emphasized.