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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 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Optimization of Plug Nozzles Using CFD Informed Design Space Querying

This paper presents an axisymmetric CFD approach based on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) calculations for the shape optimization of plug nozzle contours for both supersonic cruise and landing/takeoff (LTO) conditions. Three key external plug design parameters were defined as independent variables in the optimization scheme, while nozzle performance was evaluated using thrust coefficient (Cfg) and discharge coefficient (Cd) as the primary dependent variables. By varying these parameters, a wide range of axisymmetric conic section plug profiles can be achieved, simplifying the problem. The paper also discusses the supersonic plug nozzle optimization approach, design space seeding, meshing, and CFD simulations for the optimization process. The results demonstrate that the approach is effective in exploring the parameter space and reducing computational expenses, making it a viable option for optimizing nozzle plug contours. Using this optimization toolchain, the study yielded preliminary designs for LTO, cruise, and LTO-cruise balanced plug nozzles.

CFD↗
NASA NTRS1991

Development of advanced control schemes for telerobot manipulators

To study space applications of telerobotics, Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA) has recently built a testbed composed mainly of a pair of redundant slave arms having seven degrees of freedom and a master hand controller system. The mathematical developments required for the computerized simulation study and motion control of the slave arms are presented. The slave arm forward kinematic transformation is presented which is derived using the D-H notation and is then reduced to its most simplified form suitable for real-time control applications. The vector cross product method is then applied to obtain the slave arm Jacobian matrix. Using the developed forward kinematic transformation and quaternions representation of the slave arm end-effector orientation, computer simulation is conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the Jacobian in converting joint velocities into Cartesian velocities and to investigate the accuracy of the Jacobian pseudo-inverse for various sampling times. In addition, the equivalence between Cartesian velocities and quaternion is also verified using computer simulation. The motion control of the slave arm is examined. Three control schemes, the joint-space adaptive control scheme, the Cartesian adaptive control scheme, and the hybrid position/force control scheme are proposed for controlling the motion of the slave arm end-effector. Development of the Cartesian adaptive control scheme is presented and some preliminary results of the remaining control schemes are presented and discussed.

Nguyen, Charles C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Simplified jet-A kinetic mechanism for combustor application

Successful modeling of combustion and emissions in gas turbine engine combustors requires an adequate description of the reaction mechanism. For hydrocarbon oxidation, detailed mechanisms are only available for the simplest types of hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, acetylene, and propane. These detailed mechanisms contain a large number of chemical species participating simultaneously in many elementary kinetic steps. Current computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models must include fuel vaporization, fuel-air mixing, chemical reactions, and complicated boundary geometries. To simulate these conditions a very sophisticated computer model is required, which requires large computer memory capacity and long run times. Therefore, gas turbine combustion modeling has frequently been simplified by using global reaction mechanisms, which can predict only the quantities of interest: heat release rates, flame temperature, and emissions. Jet fuels are wide-boiling-range hydrocarbons with ranges extending through those of gasoline and kerosene. These fuels are chemically complex, often containing more than 300 components. Jet fuel typically can be characterized as containing 70 vol pct paraffin compounds and 25 vol pct aromatic compounds. A five-step Jet-A fuel mechanism which involves pyrolysis and subsequent oxidation of paraffin and aromatic compounds is presented here. This mechanism is verified by comparing with Jet-A fuel ignition delay time experimental data, and species concentrations obtained from flametube experiments. This five-step mechanism appears to be better than the current one- and two-step mechanisms.

Lee, Chi-Ming↗
DOE OSTI2022

Real-World 20-Hz IBR Subsynchronous Oscillations: Signatures and Mechanism Analysis

This article provides analyses of subsynchronous oscillations associated with solar photovoltaics (PVs) observed in real world. All have oscillation frequencies at approximately 20 Hz in voltage and current magnitudes. On the other hand, in phase voltage and current, the oscillations show very different signatures. Through constructing simplified linear models and conducting sensitivity analysis, we are able to associate dynamic phenomena with the underlying mechanism and speculate the possible causes of the 20-Hz oscillations. The analysis results have all been validated via simulation results from electromagnetic transient (EMT) test beds constructed in MATLAB/Simscape.

inverter-based resources↗
NASA NTRS1995

Use of midlatitude soil moisture and meteorological observations to validate soil moisture simulations with biosphere and bucket models

Soil moisture observations in sites with natural vegetation were made for several decades in the former Soviet Union at hundreds of stations. In this paper, the authors use data from six of these stations from different climatic regimes, along with ancillary meteorological and actinometric data, to demonstrate a method to validate soil moisture simulations with biosphere and bucket models. Some early and current general circulation models (GCMs) use bucket models for soil hydrology calculations. More recently, the Simple Biosphere Model (SiB) was developed to incorporate the effects of vegetation on fluxes of moisture, momentum, and energy at the earth's surface into soil hydrology models. Until now, the bucket and SiB have been verified by comparison with actual soil moisture data only on a limited basis. In this study, a Simplified SiB (SSiB) soil hydrology model and a 15-cm bucket model are forced by observed meteorological and actinometric data every 3 h for 6-yr simulations at the six stations. The model calculations of soil moisture are compared to observations of soil moisture, literally 'ground truth,' snow cover, surface albedo, and net radiation, and with each other. For three of the stations, the SSiB and 15-cm bucket models produce good simulations of seasonal cycles and interannual variations of soil moisture. For the other three stations, there are large errors in the simulations by both models. Inconsistencies in specification of field capacity may be partly responsible. There is no evidence that the SSiB simulations are superior in simulating soil moisture variations. In fact, the models are quite similar since SSiB implicitly has a bucket embedded in it. One of the main differences between the models is in the treatment of runoff due to melting snow in the spring -- SSiB incorrectly puts all the snowmelt into runoff. While producing similar soil moisture simulations, the models produce very different surface latent and sensible heat fluxes, which would have large effects on GCM simulations.

Robock, Alan↗
NASA NTRS2012

Characterization and Analysis of Triaxially Braided Polymer Composites under Static and Impact Loads

In order to design impact resistant aerospace components made of triaxially-braided polymer matrix composite materials, a need exists to have reliable impact simulation methods and a detailed understanding of the material behavior. Traditional test methods and specimen designs have yielded unrealistic material property data due to material mechanisms such as edge damage. To overcome these deficiencies, various alternative testing geometries such as notched flat coupons have been examined to alleviate difficulties observed with standard test methods. The results from the coupon level tests have been used to characterize and validate a macro level finite element-based model which can be used to simulate the mechanical and impact response of the braided composites. In the analytical model, the triaxial braid unit cell is approximated by using four parallel laminated composites, each with a different fiber layup, which roughly simulates the braid architecture. In the analysis, each of these laminated composites is modeled as a shell element. Currently, each shell element is considered to be a smeared homogeneous material. Simplified micromechanics techniques and lamination theory are used to determine the equivalent stiffness properties of each shell element, and results from the coupon level tests on the braided composite are used to back out the strength properties of each shell element. Recent improvements to the model include the incorporation of strain rate effects into the model. Simulations of ballistic impact tests have been carried out to investigate and verify the analysis approach.

Goldberg, Robert K.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Anomalous transport in discrete arcs and simulation of double layers in a model auroral circuit

The evolution and long-time stability of a double layer in a discrete auroral arc requires that the parallel current in the arc, which may be considered uniform at the source, be diverted within the arc to charge the flanks of the U-shaped double-layer potential structure. A simple model is presented in which this current re-distribution is effected by anomalous transport based on electrostatic lower hybrid waves driven by the flank structure itself. This process provides the limiting constraint on the double-layer potential. The flank charging may be represented as that of a nonlinear transmission. A simplified model circuit, in which the transmission line is represented by a nonlinear impedance in parallel with a variable resistor, is incorporated in a 1-d simulation model to give the current density at the DL boundaries. Results are presented for the scaling of the DL potential as a function of the width of the arc and the saturation efficiency of the lower hybrid instability mechanism.

Smith, Robert A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

New Perspective On Slosh Dynamics in High-Gravity Regimes for Lunar Missions

Slosh dynamics particularly in high gravity regime is of high interest to the NASA Human Landing Systems program, which aims to return humans to the Moon. This paper reexamines the commonly accepted equivalence between pendulum and mass-spring-damper mechanical analogies, demonstrating the differences through simulations and their impact on design and analysis. This study re-derives equations of motion for these mechanical models including mass-spring-damper (MSD) and pendulum by relaxing simplifying assumptions that had been typically applied to large launch vehicles and may be violated for lunar and planetary landing applications. The newly derived equations uncovers potential modeling gaps when applying the pendulum and MSD models, and the need for additional considerations in their application. Finally, the newly derived equations are validated using MathWorks® Simscape™ Multibody™ dynamics toolbox simulation.

Slosh↗
NASA NTRS1974

Identification of aircraft stability and control derivatives in the presence of turbulence

A maximum likelihood estimator for a linear system with state and observation noise is developed to determine stability and control derivatives from flight data obtained in the presence of turbulence. The formulation for the longitudinal short-period mode is presented briefly, including a special case that greatly simplifies the problem if the measurement noise on one signal is negligible. The effectiveness and accuracy of the technique are assessed by applying it first to simulated flight data, in which the true parameter values and state noise are known, then to actual flight data obtained in turbulence. The results are compared with data obtained in smooth air and with wind-tunnel data. The complete maximum likelihood estimator, which accounts for both state and observation noise, is shown to give the most accurate estimate of the stability and control derivatives from flight data obtained in turbulence. It is superior to the techniques that ignores state noise and to the simplified method that neglects the measurement noise on the angle-of-attack signal.

Iliff, K. W.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Full time-dependent SOLPS-ITER simulation of the SPARC tokamak: actuator design for particle and divertor condition control *

Abstract This paper presents the application of full time-dependent SOLPS-ITER simulations for actuator design in the SPARC tokamak. This study employs both the EIRENE module, a neutral solver, and the B2.5 plasma module in a time-dependent mode. This is in contrast to most SOLPS simulations, which focus on steady-state solutions, where the neutral distribution is evolved without any time limit or for a time step of 1 ⋅ 10 − 3 second, which is several orders of magnitude larger than the fluid plasma time step. The time-dependent EIRENE was tested with a fixed B2.5 background and compared with a simple conductance based model in a simplified pump chamber geometry. This comparison aimed to verify the reliability of the neutral relaxation timescale derived from the time-dependent EIRENE. Subsequently, a full time-dependent simulation was performed in a realistic geometry, with the Monte-Carlo neutral time step synchronized with the plasma fluid time step. The numerical setup of the code, including relative time steps and the size of the census data used to store Monte-Carlo particle information is considered. The full-time dependent simulations are then applied to inform the design of the SPARC louver structure, which affects divertor plasma parameters by regulating the neutral conductance from the divertor to the pump. The response of the plasma and neutral parameters was captured on a timescale that enables the design of the actuator to consider time-dependent control capability. It was found that changing the louver opacity has an equivalent effect as varying the gas throughput via puff actuation. Therefore, equivalent divertor plasma conditions can be obtained from both actuators, while the neutral pressure distribution in the pump and divertor differs for each actuator.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2013

Implications of CO Bias for Ozone and Methane Lifetime in a CCM

A low bias in carbon monoxide compared to observations at high latitudes is a common feature of chemistry climate models. CO bias can both indicate and contribute to a bias in modeled OH and methane lifetime. This study examines possible causes of CO bias in the ACCMIP simulation of the GEOSCCM, and considers how attributing the CO bias to uncertainty in CO emissions versus biases in other constituents impacts the relationship between CO bias and methane lifetime. We use a simplified model of CO tagged by source with specified OH to quantify the sensitivity of the CO bias to changes in CO emissions or OH concentration, comparing the modeled CO to surface and MOPITT observations. The simplified model shows that decreasing OH in the northern hemisphere removes most of the global mean and inter-hemispheric bias in surface CO. We then use results from this analysis to explore how adjusting CO sources in the CCM impacts the concentrations of ozone, OH and methane. The CCM simulation also exhibits biases in ozone and water vapor compared to observations. We use a parameterized CO-OH-CH4 model that takes ozone and water vapor as inputs to the parameterization to examine whether correcting water and ozone biases can alter OH enough to remove the CO bias. Through this analysis, we aim to better quantify the relationship between CO bias and model biases in ozone concentrations and methane lifetime.

carbon monoxide↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effects of temperature and density evolution in MHD simulations of HIT-SI

The helicity injected torus-steady inductive (HIT-SI) experiment uses steady inductive helicity injection to form a spheromak equilibrium and sustain the structure against resistive decay. Helicity injection is performed using two half-tori “injectors” connected to the main plasma volume, whose fields are oscillated in an AC manner. The properties of the sustained spheromak equilibrium have been experimentally observed to vary with the frequency of the injector oscillation, producing higher current gains and more-symmetric and outwardly shifted current centroids with higher frequency. A computational scan of injector frequency using the 3D MHD code PSI-Tet, which models the entire HIT-SI plasma volume including the injectors, has been performed, including a comparison of the results using the full Hall MHD model to those obtained using a simplified “zero-beta” (constant temperature and density) model. The results of both PSI-Tet models are also compared with experimental data and with simulations using the NIMROD code, which does not model the injector regions. The results of the PSI-Tet simulations show that the average temperature and current gain increase with injector frequency, in agreement with experimental trends. The simulations also show qualitative changes in the dynamics of several quantities with increasing injector frequency, such as density oscillations and current evolution. However, the outward shift and symmetrizing of the current centroid, observed experimentally, are not observed in these MHD simulations, indicating that unresolved or excluded dynamics may be important.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Model predictive control for optimal dispatch of chillers and thermal energy storage tank in airports

Cost of energy consumption is one of the biggest operational cost for airports, and it is increasing from time to time as airports expand to support growing number of passengers. Various factors affect the energy consumption including efficiency of airport Heating Ventilation and Air conditioning (HVAC) systems, which in turn depends on the efficiency of individual subsystems. Here, in this paper, we present an optimal scheduling method for the central plant system at Dallas Fort Worth airport, involving chillers, pumps, and a thermal energy storage (TES) system. A model predictive control (MPC) problem is formulated to minimize both energy and demand charge costs while satisfying the cooling needs of the airport. The proposed Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) formulation includes performance curve based models for chillers and pumps and a simplified state of charge model for TES. The formulation also includes predictions of cooling load and chilled water return temperature. Simulation results for a month in summer show savings around 10% compared to the baseline. Initial recommendations based on insights from simulation results to the manual operation procedures resulted in significant savings. Field test results show a 7% chiller efficiency improvement.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2023

Investigating the Electronic Structure of Prospective Water-Splitting Oxide BaCe 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3-δ before and after Thermal Reduction

BaCe 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3-δ (BCM), a non-stoichiometric oxide with a layered perovskite-like crystal structure, has recently emerged as a prospective contender for application in renewable energy harvesting by solar thermochemical hydrogen generation. Using solar-thermal energy and a reducing environment, oxygen vacancies can be created in high-temperature BCM, and the reduced crystal so obtained can, in turn, produce H 2 by stripping oxygen from H 2 O. Therefore, a first step toward understanding the working mechanism and optimizing the performance of BCM is a thorough and comparative analysis of the electronic structure of the pristine and the reduced material. In this paper, we probe the electronic structure of BCM using the combined effort of first-principles calculations and experimental O K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The computed projected density of states (PDOS) and orbital plots are used to propose a simplified model for orbital mixing between the oxygen and metal atoms. With the help of state-of-the-art simulations, we are able to find the origins of the XAS peaks and categorize them on the basis of contribution from Ce and Mn. For the reduced crystal, the calculations show that the change in electron density resulting from the reduction is strongly localized around the oxygen vacancy. Experimental measurements reveal a marked lowering of the first O K-edge peak in the reduced crystal. Using theoretical analysis, this is shown to result from lifting of spin degeneracy in the absorption peaks as well as from a diminished O 2p contribution to the frontier unoccupied orbitals, in accordance with the tight binding scheme. The simulated results serve as a reference for the extent of spectral change as a function of the percentage of oxygen vacancies in the reduced crystal. Here, our study paves the way for the investigation of the working mechanism of BCM and for computational and experimental efforts aimed at design and discovery of efficient water-splitting oxides.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

KamNet: An integrated spatiotemporal deep neural network for rare event searches in KamLAND-Zen

Rare event searches allow us to search for new physics at energy scales inaccessible with other means by leveraging specialized large-mass detectors. Machine learning provides a new tool to maximize the information provided by these detectors. The information is sparse, which forces these algorithms to start from the lowest level data and exploit all symmetries in the detector to produce results. In this work we present KamNet, which harnesses breakthroughs in geometric deep learning and spatiotemporal data analysis to maximize the physics reach of KamLAND-Zen, a kiloton scale spherical liquid scintillator detector searching for 0⁢νβ⁢β. Using a simplified background model for KamLAND, we show that KamNet outperforms a conventional convolutional neural network (CNN) on benchmarking Monte Carlo simulations with an increasing level of robustness. Using simulated data, we then demonstrate KamNet's ability to increase KamLAND-Zen's sensitivity to 0ν⁢ββ and 2⁢ν⁢β⁢β decay to excited states. A key component of this work is the addition of an attention mechanism to elucidate the underlying physics KamNet is using for the background rejection.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Next-generation perovskite photovoltaics: improving, stabilizing, and lead-sealing of record-setting laboratory solar cells towards commercialization

Summary: In the proposed program we plan to improve perovskite photovoltaic performance by developing (1) orientational control of 3D/2D perovskite heterostructures to simplify device architectures, thus improving device efficiencies and stability; (2) high-throughput optical measurements and real-time device simulations for device optimization; (3) robust, dual-pronged lead-sealing and oxygen/moisture/UV barrier films for long-term stability. Specifically, we seek to develop an in-depth understanding of the perovskite film formation, interface passivation, device stability, and environmentally friendly encapsulation, which together will lead to perovskite devices with PCE of over 28%, stability of T80 at 85/85 (85% humidity at 85 degrees C) for 10,000, expected to be equivalent to T90 of 100 hours), and architectures that would satisfy the U.S. EPA and RoHS limits of lead-leaching. The knowledge generated with this project will be applicable to tandem devices with wider-bandgap perovskites.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Traveling Wave Energy Analysis of Faults on Power Distribution Systems

This paper explores the most important factors that define the Traveling Wave (TW) propagation on distribution systems. The factors considered in this work are: the distance to the fault location, the fault type, and the crossing of system elements (such as regulators, capacitor banks, laterals, and extra loads within the protection zones). This work uses a realistic, yet simplified, distribution system composed of two protection zones, in which, several combinations of the previously mentioned factors are considered. The simulated fault measurements undergo a signal processing stage in which, first, they are decomposed into independent modes using the Karrenbauer transform. Second, a time–frequency representation is obtained using the Stationary Wavelet Transform (SWT), dividing the signal into several frequency bands. Finally, the Parseval’s Energy (PE) theorem is applied to calculate the signal energy in each frequency band. A qualitative analysis is performed based on the previously calculated energies to outline which are the factors that most affect the TW energy during propagation. The results show that distance, the presence of regulators, either in the propagation path or upstream, and the type of fault are the main factors that affect TW propagation across the system, and therefore they should be considered for TW-based protection schemes for distribution systems.

Jiménez-Aparicio, Miguel (ORCID:000000016864461X)↗
NASA NTRS1964

A Study of the Effectiveness of Various Methods of Vibration Reduction on Simplified Scale Models of the Nimbus Spacecraft

The results of an experimental investigation of the effectiveness of various isolation and damping methods in reducing the dynamic response of simplified scaled models of the Nimbus spacecraft to vibratory inputs are presented. Experimental mode shapes and natural frequencies of the simulated solar panels were determined and found to compare well with calculated values. Appreciable reductions of structural responses to vibratory-input motions were measured for independent inputs along the roll, pitch, and yaw axes for the cases in which distributed damping and/or isolation was utilized. A comparison of the response of the model with the full-scale spacecraft for inputs along the pitch axis is presented. Also included are the effects of stiffness between the control and sensory sections on the response of the model to vibratory inputs.

NIMBUS SATELLITE↗