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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 757 records · Page 42
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Recent progress in terrestrial photovoltaic collector technology

The U.S. Photovoltaic Research and Development Program has the objective to develop the technology necessary to foster widespread grid-competitive electric power generation by the late 1980s. The flat-plate and the concentrator collector activities form the nucleus of the program. The project is concerned with the refining of silicon, silicon sheet production, solar cell processing and fabrication, encapsulation materials development, and collector design and production. The Large-Area Silicon Sheet Task has the objective to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of several methods for producing large area silicon sheet material suitable for fabricating low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells. It is expected that a variety of economic flat-plate and concentrator collectors will become commercially available for grid-connected applications.

Ferber, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Point-Focusing Solar-Power Distributed Receivers

Two-volume annual report describes development work aimed at achieving large-scale production of modular, point-focusing distributed receivers (PFDR's) for solar-powered generation of electricity or thermal power for industrial use.

Lucas, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1983

MOD-2 wind turbine development

The development of the Mod-2 turbine, designed to achieve a cost of electricity for the 100th production unit that will be competitive with conventional electric power generation is discussed. The Mod-2 wind turbine system (WTS) background, project flow, and a chronology of events and problem areas leading to Mod-2 acceptance are addressed. The role of the participating utility during site preparation, turbine erection and testing, remote operation, and routine operation and maintenance activity is reviewed. The technical areas discussed pertain to system performance, loads, and controls. Research and technical development of multimegawatt turbines is summarized.

Gordon, L. H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Recent Advances in Design of Low Cost Film Concentrator and Low Pressure Free Piston Stirling Engines for Solar Power

The free piston Stirling-linear alternator was shown to be scalable to power levels of tens of kilowatts in a form which is simple, efficient, long lived and relatively inexpensive. It avoids entirely the vexing problem of high pressure shaft, and its control requirements are not severe nor do they represent a significant threat to durability. Linear alternators have demonstrated high efficiency and moderate weight, and are capable of delivering 3 phase power from single machines without great increases of cost or complexity. There remains no apparent impediments to the commercial exploitation of the free piston engine for solar electric power generation.

Kleinwaechter, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Saltless solar pond

A solar pond adapted for efficiently trapping and storing radiant solar energy without the use of a salt concentration gradient in the pond is disclosed. A body of water which may be fresh, saline, relatively clear or turbid, is substantially covered by a plurality of floating honeycomb panels. The honeycomb panels are made of a material such as glass which is pervious to short wave solar radiation but impervious to infrared radiation. Each honeycomb panel includes a multitude of honeycomb cells. The honeycomb panels are divided into the elongated honeycomb cells by a multitude of intermediate plates disposed between a bottom plate and top plate of the panel. The solar pond is well suited for providing hot water of approximately 85 to 90 C temperature for direct heating applications, and for electrical power generation.

Lin, E. I. H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Corotation anisotropies in Saturn's magnetosphere

Ion data from the Voyager 1 and 2 low-energy charged particle (LECP) experiment are fit to a second-order harmonic expansion to determine anisotropies within the Saturnian magnetosphere. Anisotropies from the low-energy channels (28-130 keV) are often consistent with those expected from corotation (generally with a small radial component on the dayside) but are at times distinctly different from corotation. On the dayside, near the noon meridian, first-order anisotropies often depart significantly from the corotation direction. On the nightside, amplitudes are consistent with full corotation but begin to drop below corotation values at a dipole L of approximately 27 Saturn radii (corresponding to a velocity of approximately 265 km/s). Second-order anisotropies are significant, even dominant at times, on the dayside where a relatively broad range of pitch angles is sampled by the instrument. In all cases there is a departure of approximately 180 deg from the first-order anisotropies expected due to corotation beginning outside the Rhea L shell and continuing through at least the orbit of Dione. This is the region where the cold and hot plasma tori have been observed. The anisotropies expected from rigid corotation of the observed flux distributions are computed, and it is concluded that parts of the Saturnian magnetosphere are not rigidly corotating. Calculations based on the combined effects of corotation plus solar wind generated convective electric fields appear to provide insights into the anisotropies along the dawn meridian. However, on the dayside near noon, turbulence and/or time variations seem necessary to explain the departure from simple convection models.

Carbary, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Electrohydrodynamics and other hydrodynamic phenomena in continuous flow electrophoresis

The process known as continuous flow electrophoresis employs an electric field to separate the constituents of particulate samples suspended in a liquid. Complications arise because the electric field generates temperature gradients due to Joule heating and derives an electrohydrodynamic crossflow. Several aspects of the flow are discussed including entrance effects, hydrodynamic stability and a flow restructuring due to the combined effects of buoyancy and the crossflow.

Saville, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Energetic closed-cycle gas core reactors for orbit raising

Closed-cycle gas core reactor power plants can be of two types. In the 'mixed flow' type, the gaseous nuclear fuel is intimately mixed with the working gas in the cavity. In the 'light bulb' type the fissioning plasma is enclosed in a transparent tube, and energy transfer to the separate working gas occurs by thermal radiation. The potentials of high temperature gas core reactors in terrestrial electric power generator applications have been considered, and a number of civilian power-beaming applications for gaseous fuel nuclear-MHD power plants in space have been suggested. Major conclusions of investigations related to the design of space power systems are discussed. Attention is given to options for conversion cycles, the power system specific mass, and research and technology issues.

Rosa, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Photovoltaic-Panel Laminator

Two-piece unit heats and presses protective layers to form laminate. Rubber diaphragm between upper and lower vacuum chambers alternates between neutral position and one that presses against solar-cell array, supplying distributed force necessary to press layers of laminate together. Encapsulation helps to protect cells from environment and to ensure long panel life while allowing efficient generation of electricity from Sunlight.

Keenan, R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Bonding Solar-Cell Modules

Status of research program on chemical bonding for solar-cell arrays subject of 57-page report. Program aimed at identifying, developing, and validating weather-stable chemical bonding promoters. Materials key to ensuring long life in encapsulated photovoltaic modules for electric-power generation. To be cost-effective, modules must hold together for at least 20 years, reliably resisting delamination and separation of component materials

Coulter, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Report of the Electrodynamic Interactions Panel

A wide range of opportunities is provided by the electrodynamic tether to more fully understand the generation of waves in plasmas, the behavior of field aligned currents, the behavior of large body-space plasma interactions, and for process simulation, using the electrodynamic tether to study processes and phenomena relevant to solar system and astrophysics plasma physics. The electrodynamic tether offers a means of study and experimentation in space which will provide a rich yield in new scientific results and will enhance the understanding of space plasma physics. It also has promising technological applications (e.g., the generation of electrical power and thrust) which may be highly significant to future space operations.

Stone, N. H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Electroacoustical imaging technique for encoding incoherent radiance fields as Gabor elementary signals

A technique is presented for directly encoding incoherent radiance fields as Gabor elementary signals. This technique uses an electro-acoustic sensor to modulate the electronic charges induced by the incident radiance field with the electric fields generated by Gaussian modulated sinusoidal acoustic waves. The resultant signal carries the amplitude and phase information required for localizing spatial frequencies of the radiance field. These localized spatial frequency representations provide a link between the either geometric or Fourier transform representations currently used in computer vision and pattern recognition.

Fales, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Operational performance of the photovoltaic-powered grain mill and water pump at Tangaye, Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta)

A photovoltaic (PV) system powering a grain mill and water pump was installed in the remote African village of Tangaye, Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) under the sponsorship of the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) and by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center (LeRC) in early 1979. The presence reports covers the second two years of operation from April 1981 through June 1983. During this time, the grain mill and water pump were operational 96 and 88 percent of the time respectively, and the PV system generated sufficient electricity to enable the grinding of about 111 metric tons of finely ground flow and the pumping of over 5000 cm sq of water from the 10 m deep well. The report includes a description of the current configuration of the system, a review of system performance, a discussion of the socioeconomic impact of the system on the villagers and a summary of results and conclusions covering the entire four-year period.

Martz, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Theoretical approach to evolution of solar magnetic field

Theoretical approaches to the evolution of solar atmosphere magnetic field are briefly reviewed from the standpoint of the physical significance. A new direction of analysis based on the possible manners of generation of electric current is considered, and its physical implications are discussed.

Nakagawa, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Flux transfer events at the Jovian magnetopause

Recent evidence indicates that magnetic reconnection at the earth's magnetopause may not be a steady process, but rather it is frequently impulsive and limited in spatial extent. These limited reconnection events are called flux transfer events (FTE's). A search has been conducted regarding the magnetic field observations at Jupiter from Pioneer 10 and 11 and Voyager 1 and 2 for evidence of FTE's and 14 possible events were found. The FTE's at Jupiter are associated with northward magnetosheath fields. The electric fields generated by Jovian FTE's are small in comparison with the corotation E field throughout much of the magnetosphere. Thus FTE's are probably not an important source of flow within the Jovian magnetosphere.

Walker, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Si3N4-Based Ceramic With Greater Hot Strength

Zyttrite-doped material outperforms MgO-doped material above 1,200 degrees C. New ceramic material produced by addition of 10 weight percent zyttrite (yttria-stabilized zirconia) to (silicon nitride) offers significantly-improved high-temperature properties (those of MgO-doped Si3N4 ceramic). Work also showed that controlled Si3N4 powder with 10 weight percent zyttrite, significant improvement in room-temperature strength achieved. Variety of high-temperature structural applications are silicon nitride and silicon carbide. Potential for use in aircraft and automobile engines and in electric-power generating systems. Improved properties strongly suggest that the 10-weight percent zyttrite/Si3N4 material has strong potential for high-temperature applications.

Dutta, S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Space Station Engineering and Technology Development. Proceedings of the Panel on Solar Thermodynamics Research and Technology Development, July 31, 1985

Solar thermodynamics research and technology is reported. Comments on current program activity and future plans with regard to satisfying potential space station electric power generation requirements are provided. The proceedings contain a brief synopsis of the presentations to the panel, including panel comments, and a summary of the panel's observations. Selected presentation material is appended. Onboard maintainability and repair in space research and technology plan, solar thermodynamic research, program performance, onboard U.S. ground based mission control, and technology development rad maps from 10 C to the growth station are addressed.

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