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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 NTRS1980

Satellite power system operations

A projection of the electrical energy demands over the next 30 to 50 years, coupled with reasonable assessments of known or developable energy sources, indicates that a shortage of electrical energy will occur about the turn of the century. Recognizing the criticality of such a shortage, the Department of Energy is currently evaluating alternative power generation concepts. One of these candidate concepts is the Satellite Power System. The power levels considered during the evaluation of the various satellite systems have ranged from 5 to 10 GW. It is apparent that, with this power level, both the satellite and the rectenna must be very large and encompass a large number of complex operational system activities. Major elements of the Satellite Power System (SPS) consist of a power satellite placed in a geosynchronous equatorial orbit, and a dedicated ground receiving station (GRS) located at a selected site within the continental United States. The nominal power output of the SPS is established at 5 gigawatts (5 million kilowatts) although, because of various system constraints or losses, it may actually produce between 4 and 5 gigawatts.

Pugh, F. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Helium 10830 Angstrom Irradiance: 1975-1983

A fairly complete time series from late 1974 to mid-1983 is available of values of the equivalent width of the He I 10830A chromospheric spectrum line averaged over the visible solar disk. Variation from about 25 mA in 1975 to about 80 mA in late 1981 is the major component of the signal. The 10830 variation reaches minimum about a year before the sunspot minimum and reaches maximum about a year after sunspot maximum. Superposed on the solar cycle variation is a modulation of up to + or - 13 mAdu to the passage of active regions across the disk. Power spectral analysis of the time series shows a major peak at a synodic rotation period of 27.42 days and smaller peaks at 1/2, 1/4 and 1/6 of this period. The spectrum is well modeled by a basic fluctuating component with an exponentially decaying autocovariance function of scale time of 43 days. Analysis of the data indicates that the rotational modulation occurs in episodes that last from 4 to 10 rotations. These episodes arise when active regions tend to occur in a limited longitude range. The analysis also shows that the apparent rotation period increased from 1977 to 1981. The apparent rotation period since 1981 is markedly shorter.

Harvey, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Active Control by Conservation of Energy Concept

Three unrelated experiments are discussed; each was extremely sensitive to initial conditions. The initial conditions are the beginnings of the origins of the information that nonlinearity displays. Initial conditions make the phenomenon unstable and unpredictable. With the knowledge of the initial conditions, active control requires far less power than that present in the system response. The first experiment is on the control of shocks from an axisymmetric supersonic jet; the second, control of a nonlinear panel response forced by turbulent boundary layer and sound; the third, control of subharmonic and harmonics of a panel forced by sound. In all three experiments, control is achieved by redistribution of periodic energy response such that the energy is nearly preserved from a previous uncontrolled state. This type of active control improves the performance of the system being controlled.

Maestrello, Lucio↗
NASA NTRS1990

The infrared continuum spectrum of x ray illuminated molecular gas

In starburst galaxies, active galaxies, and the mysterious ultraluminous infrared galaxies, x rays are likely to interact with molecular gas and dust, thereby inducing infrared emission. X ray heated thermal dust will emit the IR continuum, and x ray photoelectrons will excite an IR emission-line spectrum. Here, researchers model the IR continuum emission characteristic of some selected x ray spectral fluxes, in particular the x ray bremsstrahlung characteristic of supernova and stellar wind bubble shocks in dense media and the power law spectra characteristic of active galactic nuclei. These models are part of a larger project to determine the complete IR spectra, lines plus continuum, of x ray sources embedded in molecular gas. They modeled the thermal emission from grains by calculating a grain temperature/size/composition distribution function, f(T,a,Comp.), which accounts for temperature fluctuations by averaging over all grain thermal histories. In determining the grain thermal distribution, researchers account for both direct grain heating (by x ray absorption and subsequent electron energy deposition) and indirect grain heating (by absorption of the UV emission stimulated by non-thermal photo- and Auger electrons in the gas phase). We let the grain size distribution be proportional to a(exp -3.5), and they consider two types of grain composition: graphites, which we assume to be pure carbon, and silicates, which contain all other depleted heavy elements. They derive the grain composition distribution function from solar abundances and interstellar depletion data.

Voit, G. Mark↗
DOE OSTI2020

Results from the Alfvén Eigenmode Active Diagnostic during the 2019-2020 JET deuterium campaign

This paper presents results of extensive analysis of mode excitation observed during the operation of the Alfvén Eigenmode Active Diagnostic (AEAD) in the JET tokamak during the 2019-2020 deuterium campaign. Here, six of eight toroidally spaced antennas, each with independent power and phasing, were successful in actively exciting stable MHD modes in 479 plasmas. In total, magnetic resonances were detected with up to fourteen fast magnetic probes. In this work, we present the calculations of resonant frequencies $f_0$, damping rates γ < 0, and toroidal mode numbers $\textit{n}$, spanning the parameter ranges $f_0$ ≈ 30–250 kHz, –γ ≈ 0–13 kHz, and $\vert n \vert \leq {30}$. In general, good agreement is seen between the resonant and the calculated toroidal Alfvén Eigenmode frequencies, and between the toroidal mode numbers applied by the AEAD and estimated of the excited resonances. We note several trends in the database: the probability of resonance detection decreases with plasma current and external heating power; the normalized damping rate increases with edge safety factor but decreases with external heating. These results provide key information to prepare future experimental campaigns and to better understand the physics of excitation and damping of Alfvén Eigenmodes in the presence of alpha particles during the upcoming DT campaign, thereby extrapolating with confidence to future tokamaks.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Large-Amplitude Motion Platform: A New Ocean Simulator Can Help Technologies Succeed

Offshore renewable energy technologies - like wave energy devices, wind turbines, floating solar panels, and hybrid systems - can help decarbonize our power grids as well as offshore activities like international shipping and seafood farming. But it's not always easy to build technologies hearty enough to operate in a powerful ocean environment. And subjecting promising prototypes to real ocean waves can be an expensive, time-consuming, and risky way to get these technologies ready for the high seas. Now, with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) new testing platform, called the large-amplitude motion platform (or LAMP for short), our experts can replicate powerful ocean waves in a low-risk laboratory setting. The LAMP, coupled with NREL's diverse array of testing instrumentation, can help technology developers rapidly hone their prototypes before embarking on a potentially costly and time-consuming ocean trial.

marine energy↗
NASA NTRS1984

Investigation of fast initialization of spacecraft bubble memory systems

Bubble domain technology offers significant improvement in reliability and functionality for spacecraft onboard memory applications. In considering potential memory systems organizations, minimization of power in high capacity bubble memory systems necessitates the activation of only the desired portions of the memory. In power strobing arbitrary memory segments, a capability of fast turn on is required. Bubble device architectures, which provide redundant loop coding in the bubble devices, limit the initialization speed. Alternate initialization techniques are investigated to overcome this design limitation. An initialization technique using a small amount of external storage is demonstrated.

Looney, K. T.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Modeling and analyzing parasitic parameters in high frequency converters

This research focuses on electromagnetic interference (EMI) / electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) design and analysis in power electronics systems. To limit the EMI under the standards, different methods and strategies are investigated. Parasitic parameters of high frequency (HF) transformer are analyzed using a novel analytical method, finite element method (FEM), and experimental measurements for different structures and windings arrangements. Also, the magnetic field, electric field, electric displacement, and electric potential distribution are simulated and analyzed. Moreover, a high voltage system is considered and analyzed to improve the EMC. The EMI propagation paths are analyzed. The EMI noise level of the system is obtained and compared to the IEC61800-3 standard. To improve the EMC, the parasitic parameters of the transformer, as the main path of EMI circulation, are analyzed and optimized to block the propagation. Furthermore, the geometry structure of the HF transformer is optimized to lower the parasitics in the system. Three pareto-optimal techniques are investigated for the optimization. The models and results are verified by 3D-FEM and experimental results for several given scenarios. Furthermore, the EMC modeling and conducted EMI analysis are developed for a system including an AC-DC-DC power supply (rectifier and dual active bridge (DAB) converter). Moreover, the common mode (CM) EMI noise propagation through the system is discussed and the noise sources and effect of components on the noise are analyzed. Additionally, the CM impedance of different parts of the system and the noise levels are discussed. Finally, EMI attenuation techniques were applied to the system.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS1978

Interaction of large, high power systems with operational orbit charged particle environments

Concepts are presently being advanced for space systems to be used for such activities as manufacturing, earth observations, scientific exploration, power generation and human habitation, in locations ranging from low earth orbit (300-500 km) to geosynchronous orbit and beyond. Many of these systems concepts envision large structures and high power levels, and consequently higher operating voltages than have been used in space to date. The potential impact of interactions of space systems with their operational orbit charged particle environments on the systems' performance must be accounted for in the design process. A potentially hazardous spacecraft-environment interaction is discussed, namely the interaction of large high voltage systems with low energy (less than 50 eV) plasmas which can result in loss of power, and/or arcing. The impact of this class of interactions on system operation is most severe at low orbits where the ambient plasmas are densest. Results of experimental work and predictions of simple analytical models are presented and their implications for design of space systems are discussed.

Purvis, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Personnel occupied woven envelope robot

The Personnel Occupied Woven Envelope Robot (POWER) provides an alternative to extravehicular activity (EVA) of space suited astronauts and/or use of long slender manipulator arms such as are used in the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System. POWER provides the capability for a shirt sleeved astronaut to perform such work by entering a control pod through air locks at both ends of an inflated flexible bellows (access tunnel). The exoskeleton of the tunnel is a series of six degrees of freedom (Six-DOF) articulated links compressible to 1/6 of their fully extended length. The operator can maneuver the control pod to almost any location within about 50 m of the base attachment to the space station. POWER can be envisioned as a series of hollow Six-DOF manipulator segments or arms wherein each arm grasps the shoulder of the next arm. Inside the hollow arms ia a bellow-type access tunnel. The control pod is the fist of the series of linked hollow arms. The fingers of the fist are conventional manipulator arms under direct visual control of the nearby operator in the pod. The applications and progress to date of the POWER system is given.

Wessling, Francis↗
NASA NTRS2000

Patch Network for Power Allocation and Distribution in Smart Materials

The power allocation and distribution (PAD) circuitry is capable of allocating and distributing a single or multiple sources of power over multi-elements of a power user grid system. The purpose of this invention is to allocate and distribute power that is collected by individual patch rectennas to a region of specific power-user devices, such as actuators. The patch rectenna converts microwave power into DC power. Then this DC power is used to drive actuator devices. However, the power from patch rectennas is not sufficient to drive actuators unless all the collected power is effectively used to drive another group by allocation and distribution. The power allocation and distribution (PAD) circuitry solves the shortfall of power for devices in a large array. The PAD concept is based on the networked power control in which power collected over the whole array of rectennas is allocated to a sub domain where a group of devices is required to be activated for operation. Then the allocated power is distributed to individual element of power-devices in the sub domain according to a selected run-mode.

Golembiewski, Walter T.↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Single-Stage Isolated Resonant SiC DC/AC Inverter for Efficient High-Power Applications

This paper presents a single-stage series-resonant dual active half bridge (SR-DAHB) inverter suitable for high power applications. The topology is an isolated dual half-bridge circuit with an unfolding bridge. A combined phase-shift and frequency modulation technique is utilized to generate AC power output. In high-power applications where the switching devices operate at relatively high current and voltage, the switching loss becomes the major portion of the converter’s total loss as the devices are turned on and off under hard switching condition. The primary merit of the proposed single-stage SR-DAHB inverter with the combined phase-shift and frequency modulation control is to significantly reduce the switching loss so that it is not a function of load current. A precise and comprehensive power loss model is developed for both the SR-DAHB and DAHB to optimize the operation of the inverters. The objective of the optimization is to minimize the inverter total loss while calculating the optimum combination of frequency and phase shift. A 1.5 kV, 50 kW prototype was built to demonstrate the performance of the SRDAHB versus DAHB inverters with the combined phase-shift and frequency modulation control, and validate the theoretical analysis.

Tayebi, S. Milad↗
DOE OSTI2021

Macroscopic weavable fibers of carbon nanotubes with giant thermoelectric power factor

Low-dimensional materials have recently attracted much interest as thermoelectric materials because of their charge carrier confinement leading to thermoelectric performance enhancement. Carbon nanotubes are promising candidates because of their one-dimensionality in addition to their unique advantages such as flexibility and light weight. However, preserving the large power factor of individual carbon nanotubes in macroscopic assemblies has been challenging, primarily due to poor sample morphology and a lack of proper Fermi energy tuning. Here, we report an ultrahigh value of power factor (14± 5 mW m -1 K -2 ) for macroscopic weavable fibers of aligned carbon nanotubes with ultrahigh electrical and thermal conductivity. The observed giant power factor originates from the ultrahigh electrical conductivity achieved through excellent sample morphology, combined with an enhanced Seebeck coefficient through Fermi energy tuning. We fabricate a textile thermoelectric generator based on these carbon nanotube fibers, which demonstrates high thermoelectric performance, weavability, and scalability. The giant power factor we observe make these fibers strong candidates for the emerging field of thermoelectric active cooling, which requires a large thermoelectric power factor and a large thermal conductivity at the same time.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Additively Manufactured Power Poles

The objective of this project was to explore the utility of native grown biomaterials for the portable production of power poles. In this Phase 1 project, activities were broken into two tasks: 1) baseline efforts to show feasibility of printed biomaterial power poles and 2) produce a conceptual design of portable pole production. The results were very promising, showing sufficient mechanical properties from printed biomaterials as well as conceptual designs for, and successful demonstration of, printed power poles.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2001

The effects of age and gender on sleep EEG power spectral density in the middle years of life (ages 20-60 years old)

The effects of age and gender on sleep EEG power spectral density were assessed in a group of 100 subjects aged 20 to 60 years. We propose a new statistical strategy (mixed-model using fixed-knot regression splines) to analyze quantitative EEG measures. The effect of gender varied according to frequency, but no interactions emerged between age and gender, suggesting that the aging process does not differentially influence men and women. Women had higher power density than men in delta, theta, low alpha, and high spindle frequency range. The effect of age varied according to frequency and across the night. The decrease in power with age was not restricted to slow-wave activity, but also included theta and sigma activity. With increasing age, the attenuation over the night in power density between 1.25 and 8.00 Hz diminished, and the rise in power between 12.25 and 14.00 Hz across the night decreased. Increasing age was associated with higher power in the beta range. These results suggest that increasing age may be related to an attenuation of homeostatic sleep pressure and to an increase in cortical activation during sleep.

NASA Discipline Regulatory Physiology↗
NASA NTRS1995

Insulation Requirements of High-Voltage Power Systems in Future Spacecraft

The scope, size, and capability of the nation's space-based activities are limited by the level of electrical power available. Long-term projections show that there will be an increasing demand for electrical power in future spacecraft programs. The level of power that can be generated, conditioned, transmitted, and used will have to be considerably increased to satisfy these needs, and increased power levels will require that transmission voltages also be increased to minimize weight and resistive losses. At these projected voltages, power systems will not operate satisfactorily without the proper electrical insulation. Open or encapsulated power supplies are currently used to keep the volume and weight of space power systems low and to protect them from natural and induced environmental hazards. Circuits with open packaging are free to attain the pressure of the outer environment, whereas encapsulated circuits are imbedded in insulating materials, which are usually solids, but could be liquids or gases. Up to now, solid insulation has usually been chosen for space power systems. If the use of solid insulation is continued, when voltages increase, the amount of insulation for encapsulation also will have to increase. This increased insulation will increase weight and reduce system reliability. Therefore, non-solid insulation media must be examined to satisfy future spacecraft power and voltage demands. In this report, we assess the suitability of liquid, space vacuum, and gas insulation for space power systems.

Qureshi, A. Haq↗
NASA NTRS1983

The law applicable to the use of space for commercial activities

The general principles of space law that have an impact on commercial space activities are discussed. The Outer Space Treaty guaranteed the right of private enterprise in space, with jurisdiction over the participating parties residing in the country of origin. The liability for damages caused to a third party is also assigned to the country of origin. Government consent is necessary in the U.S. before a private firm is permitted to launch an object into space, with the relevant statute sections being part of the Arms Export Control Act; launches are legally treated as exports. FAA regulations define the safe area and flight conditions that must be satisfied for a private launch, although NASA, in the 1958 act which formed the agency, potentialy has the power to regulate space launch activities. The DoD must be notified of any launches in order to notify the U.S.S.R., filings must be made with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and fees must be paid to the IRS. It is presently U.S. government policy to encourage and facilitate private sector development of commercial launch services.

Hosenball, S. N.↗