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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 739 records · Page 41
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Application of IPAD to missile design

The application of an integrated program for aerospace-vehicle design (IPAD) to the design of a tactical missile is examined. The feasibility of modifying a proposed IPAD system for aircraft design work for use in missile design is evaluated. The tasks, cost, and schedule for the modification are presented. The basic engineering design process is described, explaining how missile design is achieved through iteration of six logical problem solving functions throughout the system studies, preliminary design, and detailed design phases of a new product. Existing computer codes used in various engineering disciplines are evaluated for their applicability to IPAD in missile design.

Santa, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Using Collaborative Engineering to Inform Collaboration Engineering

Collaboration is a critical competency for modern organizations as they struggle to compete in an increasingly complex, global environment. A large body of research on collaboration in the workplace focuses both on teams, investigating how groups use teamwork to perform their task work, and on the use of information systems to support team processes ("collaboration engineering"). This research essay presents collaboration from an engineering perspective ("collaborative engineering"). It uses examples from professional and student engineering teams to illustrate key differences in collaborative versus collaboration engineering and investigates how challenges in the former can inform opportunities for the latter.

Collaboration Engineering↗
NASA NTRS1989

Approximate simulation model for analysis and optimization in engineering system design

Computational support of the engineering design process routinely requires mathematical models of behavior to inform designers of the system response to external stimuli. However, designers also need to know the effect of the changes in design variable values on the system behavior. For large engineering systems, the conventional way of evaluating these effects by repetitive simulation of behavior for perturbed variables is impractical because of excessive cost and inadequate accuracy. An alternative is described based on recently developed system sensitivity analysis that is combined with extrapolation to form a model of design. This design model is complementary to the model of behavior and capable of direct simulation of the effects of design variable changes.

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw↗
NASA NTRS2004

Method of depositing a coating on Si-based ceramic composites

A process of depositing a coating system suitable for use as an environmental barrier coating on various substrate materials, particularly those containing silicon and intended for high temperature applications such as the hostile thermal environment of a gas turbine engine. The process comprises depositing a first coating layer containing mullite, and preferably a second coating layer of an alkaline earth aluminosilicate, such as barium-strontium-aluminosilicate (BSAS), by thermal spraying while maintaining the substrate at a temperature of 800.degree. C. or less, preferably 500.degree. C. or less, by which a substantially crack-free coating system is produced with desirable mechanical integrity.

Wang, Hongyu↗
NASA NTRS2005

Doclet To Synthesize UML

The RoseDoclet computer program extends the capability of Java doclet software to automatically synthesize Unified Modeling Language (UML) content from Java language source code. [Doclets are Java-language programs that use the doclet application programming interface (API) to specify the content and format of the output of Javadoc. Javadoc is a program, originally designed to generate API documentation from Java source code, now also useful as an extensible engine for processing Java source code.] RoseDoclet takes advantage of Javadoc comments and tags already in the source code to produce a UML model of that code. RoseDoclet applies the doclet API to create a doclet passed to Javadoc. The Javadoc engine applies the doclet to the source code, emitting the output format specified by the doclet. RoseDoclet emits a Rose model file and populates it with fully documented packages, classes, methods, variables, and class diagrams identified in the source code. The way in which UML models are generated can be controlled by use of new Javadoc comment tags that RoseDoclet provides. The advantage of using RoseDoclet is that Javadoc documentation becomes leveraged for two purposes: documenting the as-built API and keeping the design documentation up to date.

Barry, Matthew R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Formation trajectories of solution-processed perovskite thin films from mixed solvents

The engineering of mixed-solvent formulations and their evaporation conditions are key to reproducible perovskite coatings for high-performance photovoltaics. Here, we report a lumped-parameter evaporation model to predict the evolution of a perovskite ink liquid film over time (solvent ratio, solute concentration, and film thickness). The drying-rate model is validated via in situ film-thickness measurements, and the predicted transient liquid film state is mapped as a process path. These methods allow for the prediction of process sensitivity to local environmental factors and the understanding and visualization of a broader processing parameter space enabled through the coupling of process and ink engineering. Process maps are applied to create a new framework for scalable perovskite coating development with a goal of improving the reproducibility and transferability of perovskite fabrication. This approach is demonstrated with blade-coated FA 0.83 Cs 0.17 PbI 3 photovoltaic devices, improving the photovoltaic conversion efficiency from 17.5% ± 1.7% to 20.3% ± 0.6%.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2009

Status of the Combined Cycle Engine Rig

Status for the past year is provided of the turbine-based Combined-Cycle Engine (CCE) Rig for the hypersonic project. As part of the first stage propulsion of a two-stage-to-orbit vehicle concept, this engine rig is designed with a common inlet that supplies flow to a turbine engine and a dual-mode ramjet / scramjet engine in an over/under configuration. At Mach 4 the inlet has variable geometry to switch the airflow from the turbine to the ramjet / scramjet engine. This process is known as inlet mode-transition. In addition to investigating inlet aspects of mode transition, the rig will allow testing of turbine and scramjet systems later in the test series. Fully closing the splitter cowl "cocoons" the turbine engine and increases airflow to the scramjet duct. The CCE Rig will be a testbed to investigate integrated propulsion system and controls technology objectives. Four phases of testing are planned to 1) characterize the dual inlet database, 2) collect inlet dynamics using system identification techniques, 3) implement an inlet control to demonstrate mode-transition scenarios and 4) demonstrate integrated inlet/turbine engine operation through mode-transition. Status of the test planning and preparation activities is summarized with background on the inlet design and small-scale testing, analytical CFD predictions and some details of the large-scale hardware. The final stages of fabrication are underway.

Saunders, Dave↗
NASA NTRS2013

Integrated Tools for Future Distributed Engine Control Technologies

Turbine engines are highly complex mechanical systems that are becoming increasingly dependent on control technologies to achieve system performance and safety metrics. However, the contribution of controls to these measurable system objectives is difficult to quantify due to a lack of tools capable of informing the decision makers. This shortcoming hinders technology insertion in the engine design process. NASA Glenn Research Center is developing a Hardware-inthe- Loop (HIL) platform and analysis tool set that will serve as a focal point for new control technologies, especially those related to the hardware development and integration of distributed engine control. The HIL platform is intended to enable rapid and detailed evaluation of new engine control applications, from conceptual design through hardware development, in order to quantify their impact on engine systems. This paper discusses the complex interactions of the control system, within the context of the larger engine system, and how new control technologies are changing that paradigm. The conceptual design of the new HIL platform is then described as a primary tool to address those interactions and how it will help feed the insertion of new technologies into future engine systems.

Culley, Dennis↗
DOE OSTI2020

Coupled Hydrothermal Extraction and Ligand-Associated Swellable Glass Media Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Coal Fly Ash (Final Report)

Wayne State University (WSU) researchers, in collaboration with the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), have successfully developed a new sorbent media used in a process that concentrated the rare earth content in a coal fly ash sample from southeast MI by >350×, resulting in >13 wt% REO powder. The project developed a new DTPA-associated media that was used to concentrate total REEs. This project demonstrated a coupled hydrothermal extraction and solid-liquid recovery process that produced REO powder from raw fly ash while nearly eliminating the use of organic solvents. The project successfully: 1) identified a commercially viable ash supply with >$2.5 M in REO value being deposited monthly, 2) hydrothermally extracted >77% of REEs in coal fly ash (20% more than acid alone), 3) developed a new sorbent media that was used to concentrate REEs, 4) and engineered a process that resulted in a >13 wt% REO powder. The media also demonstrates a selectivity for mid and heavy REEs over Ce and La and the potential for use in separating individual rare earth elements. An invention disclosure for the sorbent media has been filed with WSU and a patent application will be submitted in the near future. The project examined the potential to couple hydrothermal leaching of coal fly ash with the engineering of a custom ligand-associated media to provide an organic solvent-free method of extracting and recovering REEs. Fly ash feedstock was collected from Detroit area coal-fired power plants, characterized for REE content, and subjected to a bench-top batch hydrothermal leaching/dissolution process inside custom-build pressure reactors at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This process applied a dissolution technique previously developed to process spent nuclear fuel and other nuclear materials. The modified ash was acidified and the resulting leachate was enriched with REEs along with Ca, Al, and Si. Ligands known to be effective in lanthanide/actinide separation were evaluated based on a series of criteria such as selectivity and association to organosilica through hydrophobicity. Batch experiments were conducted to establish the best conditions (e.g., pH, eluent, etc.) and best ligand systems for the effective extraction of REEs from the alkaline feed solution obtained from the hydrothermal leaching process. Once the organosilica-ligand extraction media was developed for REE concentration, an acidic solution was used to back extract and concentrate the REEs into a heavily REE-laden strip solution. The REEs in the strip solution were precipitated with oxalate to produce rare earth oxides.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
NASA NTRS1979

Development of Integrated Programs for Aerospace-vehicle design (IPAD): Integrated information processing requirements

The engineering-specified requirements for integrated information processing by means of the Integrated Programs for Aerospace-Vehicle Design (IPAD) system are presented. A data model is described and is based on the design process of a typical aerospace vehicle. General data management requirements are specified for data storage, retrieval, generation, communication, and maintenance. Information management requirements are specified for a two-component data model. In the general portion, data sets are managed as entities, and in the specific portion, data elements and the relationships between elements are managed by the system, allowing user access to individual elements for the purpose of query. Computer program management requirements are specified for support of a computer program library, control of computer programs, and installation of computer programs into IPAD.

Southall, J. W.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Translator Plan: A Coordinated Vision for Fiscal Years 2023-2025

Translators serve a unique role in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility, offering scientific input through various leadership and service roles. The Translators direct the creation of value-added products (VAPs) and analysis tools that make ARM measurements more accessible to the scientific community. Translators also serve as liaisons between users and the ARM infrastructure, collecting information about priorities and communicating ARM data and services. A key group focus is supporting the DOE Atmospheric System Research (ASR) program scientists and ASR’s efforts towards a process-level understanding of cloud-aerosol interactions, and in reducing uncertainty in global climate model projections. The ARM Translator Group (Table 1) consists of the five Translators, a representative of software development, and one from the Data Quality Office (DQO). Additionally, the ARM Engineering and Process Manager participates in this group and provides input and direction from ARM and its programmatic priorities.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2015

Low Cost, Upper Stage-Class Propulsion

The low cost, upper stage-class propulsion (LCUSP) element will develop a high strength copper alloy additive manufacturing (AM) process as well as critical components for an upper stage-class propulsion system that will be demonstrated with testing. As manufacturing technologies have matured, it now appears possible to build all the major components and subsystems of an upper stage-class rocket engine for substantially less money and much faster than traditionally done. However, several enabling technologies must be developed before that can happen. This activity will address these technologies and demonstrate the concept by designing, manufacturing, and testing the critical components of a rocket engine. The processes developed and materials' property data will be transitioned to industry upon completion of the activity. Technologies to enable the concept are AM copper alloy process development, AM post-processing finishing to minimize surface roughness, AM material deposition on existing copper alloy substrate, and materials characterization.

Vickers, John↗
DOE OSTI2020

Process Control and Energy Efficiency

We review the impact of control systems and strategies on the energy efficiency of chemical processes. We show that, in many ways, good control performance is a necessary but not sufficient condition for energy efficiency. The direct effect of process control on energy efficiency is manyfold: Reducing output variability allows for operating chemical plants closer to their limits, where the energy/economic optima typically lie. Further, good control enables novel, transient operating strategies, such as conversion smoothing and demand response. Indirectly, control systems are key to the implementation and operation of more energy-efficient plant designs, as dictated by the process integration and intensification paradigms. Our conclusions are supported with references to numerous examples from the literature.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1992

HSCT high lift system aerodynamic requirements

The viewgraphs and discussion of high lift system aerodynamic requirements are provided. Low speed aerodynamics has been identified as critical to the successful development of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). The airplane must takeoff and land at a sufficient number of existing or projected airports to be economically viable. At the same time, community noise must be acceptable. Improvements in cruise drag, engine fuel consumption, and structural weight tend to decrease the wing size and thrust required of engines. Decreasing wing size increases the requirements for effective and efficient low speed characteristics. Current design concepts have already been compromised away from better cruise wings for low speed performance. Flap systems have been added to achieve better lift-to-drag ratios for climb and approach and for lower pitch attitudes for liftoff and touchdown. Research to achieve improvements in low speed aerodynamics needs to be focused on areas most likely to have the largest effect on the wing and engine sizing process. It would be desirable to provide enough lift to avoid sizing the airplane for field performance and to still meet the noise requirements. The airworthiness standards developed in 1971 will be the basis for performance requirements for an airplane that will not be critical to the airplane wing and engine size. The lift and drag levels that were required to meet the performance requirements of tentative airworthiness standards established in 1971 and that were important to community noise are identified. Research to improve the low speed aerodynamic characteristics of the HSCT needs to be focused in the areas of performance deficiency and where noise can be reduced. Otherwise, the wing planform, engine cycle, or other parameters for a superior cruising airplane would have to be changed.

Paulson, John A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Requirements Development for the NASA Advanced Engineering Environment (AEE)

The requirements development process for the Advanced Engineering Environment (AEE) is presented. This environment has been developed to allow NASA to perform independent analysis and design of space transportation architectures and technologies. Given the highly collaborative and distributed nature of AEE, a variety of organizations are involved in the development, operations and management of the system. Furthermore, there are additional organizations involved representing external customers and stakeholders. Thorough coordination and effective communication is essential to translate desired expectations of the system into requirements. Functional, verifiable requirements for this (and indeed any) system are necessary to fulfill several roles. Requirements serve as a contractual tool, configuration management tool, and as an engineering tool, sometimes simultaneously. The role of requirements as an engineering tool is particularly important because a stable set of requirements for a system provides a common framework of system scope and characterization among team members. Furthermore, the requirements provide the basis for checking completion of system elements and form the basis for system verification. Requirements are at the core of systems engineering. The AEE Project has undertaken a thorough process to translate the desires and expectations of external customers and stakeholders into functional system-level requirements that are captured with sufficient rigor to allow development planning, resource allocation and system-level design, development, implementation and verification. These requirements are maintained in an integrated, relational database that provides traceability to governing Program requirements and also to verification methods and subsystem-level requirements.

Rogers, Eric↗
NASA NTRS2011

CFD-Based Redesign of a Low-Boom Supersonic Demonstrator Concept

To design a more realistic low-boom supersonic demonstrator concept, theoretical engines were replaced with F-100 type engines. The original nacelle for the theoretical engine is replaced with a larger nacelle that is assumed adequate to house the F-100 engine. The process to redesign the configuration is then described and the rationales for design changes are given in some detail. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was used to compute the equivalent area (A(sub e)) of the configuration during the redesign process. The goal of redesigning the configuration to match the CFD Ae of the configuration to a low-boom target was accomplished. The ground signature for CFD A(sub e) of the redesigned configuration has similar low-boom characteristics as that of the original low-boom configuration with theoretical engines.

Shields, Elwood↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Multi-Dimensional Benefit Assessment of Automated Mobility Platforms (AMP) for Large Facilities

Automated Mobility Platform (AMP) is a general term for intelligently managed passenger mobility systems that leverage automation and electrification to improve system performance and sustainability through the integration of real-time data streams with advanced decision-making processes tailored for use in large facilities. Using airports as an example, the rapid growth in air travel demand has led to facility expansions and congested terminals, which directly impacts equity (e.g., increased challenges for passengers with reduced mobility [PRMs]) and sustainability - both of which are important metrics often neglected during the engineering design process. Therefore, to evaluate systems and inform critical decisions more effectively, a holistic evaluation framework is proposed that includes equity, sustainability, and infrastructure perspectives - referred to as a multidimensional benefit assessment. More specifically, the following analysis focuses on: (1) mobility, with emphasis on travel time and accessibility within an airport, contrasting existing systems with the proposed AMP system; (2) equity analysis, specifically to the PRM community, but with an eye to the whole of society; (3) energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with intra-airport mobility, comparing and contrasting modes as well as impacts on overall airport operations efficiency; and (4) fundamental changes in building design enabled by AMPs for larger and more flexible, functional, and energy-efficient structures.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electrolytically Assisted Surface Decontamination (EASD{sup TM}) for POCO Operations - 20282

NNL in collaboration with C-Tech Innovation Ltd and Sellafield Ltd has been exploring innovative technologies to enable a significant reduction of radiological hazards within facilities during the Post Operational Clean Out (POCO) phase of a nuclear plant's life cycle. Reducing the hazard by effectively decontaminating plants in-situ during POCO delivers huge cost reductions for future decommissioning operations. These cost reduction benefits are realized by reducing the number and complexity of remote operations as well as lowering the long-term waste disposal costs. Whilst chemical decontamination can achieve the desired level of decontamination, applying aggressive chemical reagents is hazardous, potentially difficult to control and requires there to be complimentary effluent treatment and waste routes. This work has aimed to develop flexible and controllable decontamination processes which could be operated without the additional complexity and issues associated with chemical decontamination. The processes needed to be relatively fast and effective to minimize the time operators would spend in an active area. In addition, there was a driver to produce decontamination methodologies which generated a secondary waste compatible with current routes and which takes advantage of current waste capacity. The strategy therefore was to come up with a solution that works with, rather than against, the science and engineering behind process plants at Sellafield. Electrolytically Assisted Surface Decontamination (EASD{sup TM}) is an innovative electrochemical decontamination process (developed by NNL and C-Tech Innovation Ltd) that can remove activity from contaminated metal in very short time periods. Application of the patented electric waveform to the surface when treating contaminated metal with nitric acid has been shown to significantly enhance the decontamination performance. When compared to proposed baseline washout procedures at Sellafield, the only change to the process is the applied electrical waveform which is temporary and controllable. The current causes dissolution of the metal surface being decontaminated which leads to activity transferring from the plant item into the nitric acid effluent stream. This innovation has the potential to transform the POCO process and allow a nitric acid based washout approach to deliver POCO quickly and cost effectively within the existing infrastructure. Several devices have now been designed that incorporate this EASD{sup TM} technology and enable the decontamination process to be applied to a range items commonly identified as being contaminated during nuclear decommissioning programmes such as pipework, tanks and hotspots of walls/floors. Inactive and active laboratory-scale testing has been completed using both simulated and 'real-life' contaminated (low level waste) metallic items retrieved from different nuclear sites. Active trials demonstrated that contaminated items could be treated to free release levels within minutes. Engineering scale tests are currently being performed, with guidance from Sellafield's system engineers and plant managers, to provide the necessary re-assurance the designed devices could be successfully deployed in an on-plant scenario. The final stage of this development work is to carry out an active demonstration of the decontamination technology on Thorp at Sellafield. This paper aims to highlight progress made to date with the EASD{sup TM} technology and, more specifically, the development of an in-situ decontamination device for deployment within radioactive pipework. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗