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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 793 records · Page 44
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Propulsion Research at the Propulsion Research Center of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

The Propulsion Research Center of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is engaged in research activities aimed at providing the bases for fundamental advancement of a range of space propulsion technologies. There are four broad research themes. Advanced chemical propulsion studies focus on the detailed chemistry and transport processes for high-pressure combustion, and on the understanding and control of combustion stability. New high-energy propellant research ranges from theoretical prediction of new propellant properties through experimental characterization propellant performance, material interactions, aging properties, and ignition behavior. Another research area involves advanced nuclear electric propulsion with new robust and lightweight materials and with designs for advanced fuels. Nuclear electric propulsion systems are characterized using simulated nuclear systems, where the non-nuclear power source has the form and power input of a nuclear reactor. This permits detailed testing of nuclear propulsion systems in a non-nuclear environment. In-space propulsion research is focused primarily on high power plasma thruster work. New methods for achieving higher thrust in these devices are being studied theoretically and experimentally. Solar thermal propulsion research is also underway for in-space applications. The fourth of these research areas is advanced energetics. Specific research here includes the containment of ion clouds for extended periods. This is aimed at proving the concept of antimatter trapping and storage for use ultimately in propulsion applications. Another activity in this involves research into lightweight magnetic technology for space propulsion applications.

Blevins, John↗
NASA NTRS2004

Support for ISU's 2003 Summer Session Program and the Theme Day on "Upcoming Technologies for Space"

Electric propulsion, whether powered by solar generators or by nuclear reactors, offers a valuable solution to the problems posed by chemical in-space propulsion. It maybe argued that solar electric propulsion is more applicable to near-Earth missions or to missions to the nearer planets, whereas nuclear electric propulsion remains operational even in the vicinity of the far outer planets. Taking into account considerations such as cost and safety it can be concluded that both types of electric propulsion are complementary having their specific niches of application. A third technology based on non-chemical sources for high efficiency propulsion is solar thermal propulsion, which may find its own specific niche in near-Earth missions or missions to the inner planets.

Finarelli, Margaret G.↗
NASA NTRS2005

CFD Multiphysics Tool

The recent bold initiatives to expand the human presence in space require innovative approaches to the design of propulsion systems whose underlying technology is not yet mature. The space propulsion community has identified a number of candidate concepts. A short list includes solar sails, high-energy-density chemical propellants, electric and electromagnetic accelerators, solar-thermal and nuclear-thermal expanders. For each of these, the underlying physics are relatively well understood. One could easily cite authoritative texts, addressing both the governing equations, and practical solution methods for, e.g. electromagnetic fields, heat transfer, radiation, thermophysics, structural dynamics, particulate kinematics, nuclear energy, power conversion, and fluid dynamics. One could also easily cite scholarly works in which complete equation sets for any one of these physical processes have been accurately solved relative to complex engineered systems. The Advanced Concepts and Analysis Office (ACAO), Space Transportation Directorate, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, has recently released the first alpha version of a set of computer utilities for performing the applicable physical analyses relative to candidate deep-space propulsion systems such as those listed above. PARSEC, Preliminary Analysis of Revolutionary in-Space Engineering Concepts, enables rapid iterative calculations using several physics tools developed in-house. A complete cycle of the entire tool set takes about twenty minutes. PARSEC is a level-zero/level-one design tool. For PARSEC s proof-of-concept, and preliminary design decision-making, assumptions that significantly simplify the governing equation sets are necessary. To proceed to level-two, one wishes to retain modeling of the underlying physics as close as practical to known applicable first principles. This report describes results of collaboration between ACAO, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), to begin building a set of level-two design tools for PARSEC. The "CFD Multiphysics Tool" will be the propulsive element of the tool set. The name acknowledges that space propulsion performance assessment is primarily a fluid mechanics problem. At the core of the CFD Multiphysics Tool is an open-source CFD code, HYP, under development at ERAU. ERAU is renowned for its undergraduate degree program in Aerospace Engineering the largest in the nation. The strength of the program is its applications-oriented curriculum, which culminates in one of three two-course Engineering Design sequences: Aerospace Propulsion, Spacecraft, or Aircraft. This same philosophy applies to the HYP Project, albeit with fluid physics modeling commensurate with graduate research. HYP s purpose, like the Multiphysics Tool s, is to enable calculations of real (three-dimensional; geometrically complex; intended for hardware development) applications of high speed and propulsive fluid flows.

Perrell, Eric R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Cryogenic Pressure Control Modeling for Ellipsoidal Space Tanks in Reduced Gravity

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed to simulate pressure control of an ellipsoidal-shaped liquid hydrogen tank under external heating in low gravity. Pressure control is provided by an axial jet thermodynamic vent system (TVS) centered within the vessel that injects cooler liquid into the tank, mixing the contents and reducing tank pressure. The two-phase cryogenic tank model considers liquid hydrogen in its own vapor with liquid density varying with temperature only and a fully compressible ullage. The axisymmetric model is developed using a custom version of the commercially available FLOW-3D software and simulates low gravity extrapolations of engineering checkout tests performed at Marshall Space Flight Center in 1999 in support of the Solar Thermal Upper Stage Technology Demonstrator (STUSTD) program. Model results illustrate that stable low gravity liquid-gas interfaces are maintained during all phases of the pressure control cycle. Steady and relatively smooth ullage pressurization rates are predicted. This work advances current low gravity CFD modeling capabilities for cryogenic pressure control and aids the development of a low cost CFD-based design process for space hardware.

Hedayat, Ali↗
NASA NTRS2009

Johnson Space Center's Solar and Wind-Based Renewable Energy System

The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas has a Sustainability Partnership team that seeks ways for earth-based sustainability practices to also benefit space exploration research. A renewable energy gathering system was installed in 2007 at the JSC Child Care Center (CCC) which also offers a potential test bed for space exploration power generation and remote monitoring and control concepts. The system comprises: 1) several different types of photovoltaic panels (29 kW), 2) two wind-turbines (3.6 kW total), and 3) one roof-mounted solar thermal water heater and tank. A tie to the JSC local electrical grid was provided to accommodate excess power. The total first year electrical energy production was 53 megawatt-hours. A web-based real-time metering system collects and reports system performance and weather data. Improvements in areas of the CCC that were detected during subsequent energy analyses and some concepts for future efforts are also presented.

Vasquez, A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Cryogenic Pressure Control Modeling for Ellipsoidal Space Tanks

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed to simulate pressure control of an ellipsoidal-shaped liquid hydrogen tank under external heating in normal gravity. Pressure control is provided by an axial jet thermodynamic vent system (TVS) centered within the vessel that injects cooler liquid into the tank, mixing the contents and reducing tank pressure. The two-phase cryogenic tank model considers liquid hydrogen in its own vapor with liquid density varying with temperature only and a fully compressible ullage. The axisymmetric model is developed using a custom version of the commercially available FLOW-31) software. Quantitative model validation is ,provided by engineering checkout tests performed at Marshall Space Flight Center in 1999 in support of the Solar Thermal Upper Stage_ Technology Demonstrator (STUSTD) program. The engineering checkout tests provide cryogenic tank self-pressurization test data at various heat leaks and tank fill levels. The predicted self-pressurization rates, ullage and liquid temperatures at discrete locations within the STUSTD tank are in good agreement with test data. The work presented here advances current CFD modeling capabilities for cryogenic pressure control and helps develop a low cost CFD-based design process for space hardware.

Lopez, Alfredo↗
NASA NTRS2002

NASA Tech Briefs, April 2002

The contents include: 1) Application Briefs; 2) Sneak Preview of Sensors Expo; 3) The Complexity of the Diagnosis Problem; 4) Design Concepts for the ISS TransHab Module; 5) Characteristics of Supercritical Transitional Mixing Layers; 6) Electrometer for Triboelectric Evaluation of Materials; 7) Infrared CO2 Sensor With Built-In Calibration Chambers; 8) Solid-State Potentiometric CO Sensor; 9) Planetary Rover Absolute Heading Detection Using a Sun Sensor; 10) Concept for Utilizing Full Areas of STJ Photodetector Arrays; 11) Development of Cognitive Sensors; 12) Enabling Higher-Voltage Operation of SOl CMOS Transistors; 13) Estimating Antenna-Pointing Errors From Beam Squints; 14) Advanced-Fatigue-Crack-Growth and Fracture- Mechanics Program; 15) Software for Sequencing Spacecraft Actions; 16) Program Distributes and Tracks Organizational Memoranda; 16) Flat Membrane Device for Dehumidification of Air; 17) Inverted Hindle Mount Reduces Sag of a Large, Precise Mirror; 18) Heart-Pump-Outlet/Cannula Coupling; 19) Externally Triggered Microcapsules Release Drugs In Situ; 20) Combinatorial Drug Design Augmented by Information Theory; 21) Multiple-Path-Length Optical Absorbance Cell; 22) Model of a Fluidized Bed Containing a Mixture of Particles; 23) Refractive Secondary Concentrators for Solar Thermal Systems; 24) Cold Flow Calorimeter; 25) Methodology for Tracking Hazards and Predicting Failures; 26) Estimating Heterodyne-Interferometer Polarization Leakage; 27) An Efficient Algorithm for Propagation of Temporal- Constraint Networks; 28) Software for Continuous Replanning During Execution; 29) Surface-Launched Explorers for Reconnaissance/Scouting; 30) Firmware for a Small Motion-Control Processor; 31) Gear Bearings and Gear-Bearing Transmissions; and 32) Linear Dynamometer With Variable Stroke and Frequency.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2011

Pressure Shell Approach to Integrated Environmental Protection

The next generation of exploration mission human systems will require environmental protection such as radiation protection that is effective and efficient. In order to continue human exploration, habitat systems will require special shells to protect astronauts from hostile environments. The Pressure Shell Approach to integrated environmental (radiation) protection is a multi-layer shell that can be used for multifunctional environmental protection. Self-healing, self-repairing nano technologies and sensors are incorporated into the shell. This shell consists of multiple layers that can be tailored for specific environmental protection needs. Mainly, this innovation focuses on protecting crew from exposure to micrometeorites, thermal, solar flares, and galactic cosmic ray (GCR) radiation. The Pressure Shell Approach consists of a micrometeoroid and secondary ejecta protection layer; a thin, composite shell placed in between two layers that is non-structural; an open cavity layer that can be filled with water, regolith, or polyethylene foam; a thicker composite shell that is a structural load bearing that is placed between two layers; and a bladder coating on the interior composite shell. This multi-layer shell creates an effective radiation protection system. Most of its layers can be designed with the materials necessary for specific environments. In situ materials such as water or regolith can be added to the shell design for supplemental radiation protection.

Kennedy, Kriss J.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Dust Mitigation Vehicle

A document describes the development and demonstration of an apparatus, called a dust mitigation vehicle, for reducing the amount of free dust on the surface of the Moon. The dust mitigation vehicle would be used to pave surfaces on the Moon to prevent the dust from levitating or adhering to surfaces. The basic principle of operation of these apparatuses is to use a lens or a dish mirror to concentrate solar thermal radiation onto a small spot to heat lunar regolith. In the case of the prototype dust mitigation vehicle, a Fresnel lens was used to heat a surface layer of regolith sufficiently to sinter or melt dust grains into a solid mass. The prototype vehicle has demonstrated paving rates up to 1.8 square meters per day. The proposed flight design of the dust mitigation vehicle is also described.

Cardiff, Eric H.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Versatile Controller for Infrared Lamp and Heater Arrays

A paper describes a modular design for new controllers for infrared heating during cruise stage solar thermal vacuum test of the Mars Science Laboratory. The controllers had to be easy to use and maintain, used with a wide variety of different control schemes, and made using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components wherever possible.

McKee, Michael R.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Robotic Asteroid Prospector (RAP)

This report presents the results from the nine-month, Phase 1 investigation for the Robotic Asteroid Prospector (RAP). This project investigated several aspects of developing an asteroid mining mission. It conceived a Space Infrastructure Framework that would create a demand for in space-produced resources. The resources identified as potentially feasible in the near-term were water and platinum group metals. The project's mission design stages spacecraft from an Earth Moon Lagrange (EML) point and returns them to an EML. The spacecraft's distinguishing design feature is its solar thermal propulsion system (STP) that can provide for three functions:propulsive thrust, process heat for mining and mineral processing, and electricity. The preferred propellant is water since this would allow the spacecraft to refuel at an asteroid for its return voyage to Cis-Lunar space thus reducing the mass that must be staged out of the EML point.The spacecraft will rendezvous with an asteroid at its pole, match rotation rate, and attach to begin mining operations. The team conducted an experiment in extracting and distilling water from frozen regolith simulant.

Cohen, Marc↗
NASA NTRS2019

Oxygen Production System for Refueling Human Landing System Elements

Current NASA plans for lunar exploration include a human lunar landing system, comprised of separate descent andascent modules, with the eventual goal of reusability. Different oxygen production processes were studied to evaluatethe feasibility of producing 10 tons of oxygen per year assuming a high latitude landing location. The study includesconsideration of packaging the ISRU components on the descent module, methods to transfer the regolith from theexcavators to the processing plant which may be mounted well above the lunar surface, and general concept ofoperations for excavation, oxygen production, and liquefaction and storage. A solar-based power system was alsodesigned and packaged on the lander, including the use of direct solar thermal energy where appropriate.

Linne, Diane↗
NASA NTRS2019

The Value Proposition of Multi-Megawatt Electric Power/Propulsion for the Human Exploration of Mars

NASA and other space agencies have been offering stakeholders an architecture for the human exploration of Mars that has remained essentially unchanged since the 1960's. The mission duration and launch mass are the two first order figures of merit that drive the total cost of such an architecture. The options studied to date center on the "conjunction class" or "Long Stay" mission, in which surface infrastructure elements are sent ahead on uncrewed, slow trajectories requiring a minimum amount of propellant, and the crewed elements are sent at the synotic cycle's shortest trajectory, stay on Mars until the next close alignment, and then return to Earth. Total crewed mission durations for these architectures range from 900 to 1100 days, with variations driven primarily by trades between the amount of propellant launched and the effective specific mass of the propulsion technology assumed (e.g., chemical, nuclear thermal, solar electric, nuclear electric). Mars transit propulsion systems assumed in mission architectures studied to date have all resulted in architectural figures of merit that drive the cost to a level of "too much." However, nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) technology offers a "knob" that might be turned to enable a radically different Mars architecture, whose launch mass and mission duration may enable a value proposition more palatable to mission stakeholders. Mars architectures studied to date have assumed an NEP system providing 2.5 MWe at a specific mass of no less than 20 kg/kWe. This has often been seen as obtainable with a moderately high temperature fission reactor. An NEP system providing 15 MWe at specific mass of ~1 kg/kWe, though, could enable a short stay (30 days on surface) Mars mission, requiring only two or three SLS-class launch vehicles and a total mission duration of under one calendar year. However, turning this NEP "knob" would require a high risk development program driving innovation on the order of that delivered by the Manhattan Project, but for a fraction of the cost. Any technology option that might offer such a capability at such a development cost now stands at a low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3, would be based on a nuclear energy source (likely fusion), and would require an extremely high risk (and rapid) development effort. The aggressive, parallel path project management paradigm exemplified by the original Manhattan Project might have the best chance of success. An energy source developed in this manner may also have a major impact on the terrestrial power industry.

power↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Case Study for Lunar ISRU Systems Utilizing Polar Water

In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is key to long term presence at any extraterrestrial destination. Current NASA direction is to achieve a sustainable presence on the lunar surface by 2028. Mission plans currently target the lunar South Pole to leverage the extended periods of solar illumination and allows for potential access to water ice in the permanently shadowed areas around the poles. With water, it is possible to produce both fuel and oxidizer to fully refuel a vehicle. In order to address ISRU infusion into mission planning, a study of an end-to-end ISRU propellant production system was initiated to assess ISRU architectures and obtain mass and power estimates for each. The results of these case studies will be presented. For this study, The ISRU system architecture involved two sites; the mine site in a shadowed crater where water ice is excavated and extracted from the regolith and the propellant production site at an illuminated ridge where the water is processed into liquefied O2 and H2 propellants. Fixed hardware would be emplaced at each site, with two alternating water tankers to transport water between them. Notional lunar sites were identified for this architecture for baseline environmental parameters. Technology solutions for each subsystem were selected based on those with the highest fidelity models or those that have empirical laboratory data to anchor to. While power needs were identified for each location, a power solution was not prescribed, therefore the masses presented do not include surface power systems. The baseline case in this study assumed that 10 mT of oxygen, along with enough hydrogen to support a propulsion mixture ratio of 6, must be produced in 225 days. Therefore 15 mT of water would need to be collected and processed. The baseline solution resulted in a system mass of5 mT and a total required power of 68kW. The majority of the mass was split between the ridge site system and the two water tankers (2.6 mTand 1.8mTrespectively). The majority of the required power was with three subsystems at approximately 20 kW each: hydrogen liquefaction, electrolysis, and the water extractor subsystem. Trades for four key variables are also presented, namely production rate, water concentration, dry overburden depth, and number of water transport trips. This can be compared to a system that targets oxygen from the minerals in the surface regolith material. A carbothermal reduction reactor system was used for this comparison. The use of direct solar thermal energy to process the regolith and the ease of access of the resource resulted in significantly lower values for the oxygen case: approximately 2.7 mT and 11.8 kW. However, the mass trade would favor the water case over successive missions where the hydrogen up-mass of 2 mT per mission will accrue against the oxygen system.1Aerospace Research Engineer, Chemical and Thermal Propulsion Systems Branch, Senior Member.2Mechanical Engineer, Propulsion and Power Division/Energy Conversion Systems, 2101 Nasa Pkwy/Mailcode EP3 Houston, TX 77058, AIAA member.

Lunar↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of Space Technology developed during 1980s ~ present

Early 1980s, a science team of NASA Langley Research has developed various space power systems, especially directly solar-pumped iodine laser (DSPIL), wireless power transmission technology, concepts of solar thermal propulsion, pulse-power for direct-energy weapons (DEW) applications, soft X-ray lithography and to name a few. This presentation will briefly overview these NASA-Langley developed space technology for future applications.

plasma devices↗
DOE OSTI2021

Influence of Diffuse and Ground-Reflected Irradiance on the Spectral Modeling of Solar Reference Cells

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is a key component for solar thermal applications to bridge the gap between the demand for thermal energy and the supply of solar energy, whose availability depends on the time of day and season. Thus, cost-effective packed-bed thermal containers filled with a solid storage medium have been proposed for high-temperature sensible heat storage as materials are abundant and relatively cheap. Thus, it is necessary to investigate their performance and temperature profiles during the charge-discharge cycle. Several models are available for this purpose. Typically, the more detailed a model, the greater the computational effort required to solve it, and hence a time-efficient model is needed to prevent excessively long computation times for long-term analysis. At the more basic level, the common Hughes E-NTU model and the less realistic simplified Infinite-NTU model are very important for their less time and computational effort. In this paper, the appropriateness of employing the Infinite-NTU model was evaluated to investigate the performance of a typical and scalable rock-bed TES as a case study. The results presented provide a methodology to quickly test the validity of the model and predict the temperature profile for the case under study. Accordingly, such simple charge-discharge cycle thermal performance predictions are important to plan, design, and rapidly deploy a reliable and economical solar thermal system for the supply of valuable heat to high-temperature demanding applications of power generation and industrial processes as part of a rapid shift towards non-polluting renewable energy. Keywords: Solar Thermal, TES, Packed-bed, NTU model, Temperature profile

PV modeling↗
NASA NTRS1984

Dynamics and control of orbiting flexible beams and platforms under the influence of solar radiation and thermal effects

Expressions for thermal deflections of uniform thin beams and plates exposed to solar heating are obtained as a function of the properties of the material and the solar incidence angle. The major effect of the solar radiation pressure interacting with the thermally deformed structure is found to give rise to disturbance moments on the structure. The thermal deformations of the structures are assumed to be within 0.1 percent of the characteristic length of the structure. With the assumed thermal deformations, the resulting uncontrolled transient responses of these geosynchronous orbiting structures to the solar radiation pressure induced disturbances are simulated. The resulting rigid modal oscillations are found to be an order of magnitude larger than for those cases previously considered in which only the solar radiation pressure effect on vibrating structures was treated. Modifications of control laws and/or the feedback gain values are considered in order to improve the transient response characteristics under the thermally induced disturbances.

Krishna, R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Reduced order modeling of a fluidized bed particle receiver for concentrating solar power with thermal energy storage

Oxide particles can serve as both the heat transfer and thermal energy storage (TES) media for next-generation concentrating solar power (CSP) plants where high-temperature TES enables dispatchable electricity from efficient power cycles with firing temperatures above 600 °C. Transferring heat to flowing particles at such high temperatures in a MW-scale central tower receiver remains a challenge for the CSP community. For indirect receivers with external walls to contain the particles, maintaining wall temperatures below the limits of structural metal alloys requires high heat transfer coefficients between the wall and the moving particle stream. Bubbling fluidization of downward-flowing particles can sustain high bed-wall heat transfer coefficients (> 1000 W m -2 K -1 ). Using experimentally calibrated correlations for bed-wall heat transfer and vertical particle dispersion, this study implements an axially discretized zonal model of a counterflow fluidized bed receiver to explore how bubbling fluidization may enable indirect cavity particle receivers. High bed-wall heat transfer coefficients support solar fluxes on angled cavity walls > 200 kW m -2 at peak aperture fluxes of 980 kW m -2 while maintaining external wall temperatures < 950 °C. Lateral particle dispersion enables hotter particles near the receiver leading edge to mix with cooler particles further from the leading edge to lower maximum external wall temperatures. Parametric studies identify how mass fluxes, particle dispersion, and solar concentrations impact indirect receiver thermal efficiency and uniformity for a CSP plant. These studies provide a basis for the design of indirect fluidized-bed cavity receivers that can maintain particle outlet temperatures for TES above 750 °C.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗