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At least 865 records · Page 48

Re-engineering the mission life cycle with ABC and IDEF

The theory behind re-engineering a business process is to remove the non-value added activities thereby lowering the process cost. In order to achieve this, one must be able to identify where the non-value added elements are located which is not a trivial task. This is because the non-value added elements are often hidden in the form of overhead and/or pooled resources. In order to be able to isolate these non-value added processes from among the other processes, one must first decompose the overall top level process into lower layers of sub-processes. In addition, costing data must be assigned to each sub-process along with the value the sub-process adds towards the final product. IDEF0 is a Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) process-modeling tool that allows for this functional decomposition through structured analysis. In addition, it illustrates the relationship of the process and the value added to the product or service. The value added portion is further defined in IDEF1X which is an entity relationship diagramming tool. The entity relationship model is the blueprint of the product as it moves along the 'assembly line' and therefore relates all of the parts to each other and the final product. It also relates the parts to the tools that produce the product and all of the paper work that is used in their acquisition. The use of IDEF therefore facilitates the use of Activity Based Costing (ABC). ABC is an essential method in a high variety, product-customizing environment, to facilitate rapid response to externally caused change. This paper describes the work being done in the Mission Operations Division to re-engineer the development and operation life cycle of Mission Operations Centers using these tools.

Mandl, Daniel↗

Determination of the Economic Viability & Technical Feasibility of Commercial Jatropha Curcas Production for Generation of Jatropha oil as Bio-Fuel Feedstock from Wasteland: Final Technical Report on Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Jatropha Cultivation

Ever since it was demonstrated that Jatropha seed oil could be converted into a world class biodiesel and could run in unmodified stationary and mobile diesel engines with simultaneous reduction in emissions, it caught the attention of the world. The capability to grow this crop on wastelands added to its attractiveness. However, the single biggest challenge came in the form of the availability of adequate feed stock in the form of the Jatropha fruit. Adequacy of feed stock can only be possible if large plantations are cultivated and produce enough fruit. The people, world over, jumped into Jatropha cultivation without heeding to the need to first ensure quality germplasm and understand the agronomic requirements of the plants. As a result many plantations failed to give the required yield. CSIR-CSMCRI had been researching Jatropha and had an end-to-end approach, i.e., it developed the best technology to prepare biodiesel and also worked towards the practical problems that it envisaged to be important for raising Jatropha productivity. It focused only on cultivation on wastelands as this was the only practical strategy, given the limited arable land India has and the risk of food security for the burgeoning population. While working in this direction, the Institute zeroed-in on a few germplasm, which gave consistently higher seed yield over several years. These germplasm were clonally propagated in large numbers to be raised in experimental plantations at different geographical locations in India. Many agronomic practices were developed as a part of these different projects. It was at this juncture that General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy joined hands with CSIR-CSMCRI to further the work on Jatropha. A center of expertise for Jatropha was established and work was initiated to further refine the understanding regarding the best practices. Efforts were to be made to generate primary data, hitherto unavailable for wastelands, on which life cycle assessment studies were to be performed as a part of the project.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

A Life Cycle Analysis Perspective of ROZ – CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery

This presentation was given at USAE ROZ Workshop in January 2016, and provided the background on the complexity of determining the greenhouse gas emissions from this type of complex interconnected energy system. It also showed results across the wide range of possible permutations of this type of system.

Climate Change↗

Power Generation Technology Comparison from a Life Cycle Perspective [Slides]

This analysis provides insight into key criteria for the feasibility of seven types of energy technologies. The seven types of technologies include electricity from natural gas, co-firing of coal and biomass, nuclear fuel, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and solar thermal resources. The key criteria for evaluating these technologies are defined.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

A Life Cycle Analysis Perspective of CCUS - Goal and Scope Definition

This presentation was given at an International Energy Agency Meeting in London in November 2015, and provided the background on the complexity of determining the greenhouse gas emissions from this type of complex interconnected energy system. It also showed results across the wide range of possible permutations of this type of system.

Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage↗

A Life Cycle Analysis Perspective of CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery

This presentation was given at North American Energy Ministers Trilateral Climate Change and Energy meeting on Advancing the Deployment of CCUS in Mexico City in April 2016, and provided the background on the complexity of determining the greenhouse gas emissions from this type of complex interconnected energy system. It also showed results across the wide range of possible permutations of this type of system.

Climate Change↗

Effect of impregnation method on cycle life of the nickel electrode

The nickel electrode has been identified as the life limiting component for individual pressure vessel (IPV) nickel-hydrogen cells when cycled under a low earth orbit (LEO) cycle regime at deep depths of discharge. As a part of an overall program to develop a long life nickel electrode for nickel-hydrogen cells, the effect of two different methods of electrochemical impregnation on the cycle life of the nickel electrode was investigated. One method was the Pickett (aqueous/ethanolic) process. The other was the modified Bell (aqueous) process. The plaques for both impregnation methods were made by sintering dry carbonyl nickel powder in a reducing atmosphere. The plaques contain a nickel screen substrate. Electrodes made from both processes were cycle tested in Air Force design IPV nickel-hydrogen cells. The only factor different for this test was the method of plaque impregnation; all other factors were the same. The cells were cycled to failure under a 90 min LEO cycle regime at a deep depth of discharge (80 percent DOD). Failure for this test was defined to occur when the cell voltage degraded to 1.0 V prior to the completion of the 35 min discharge.

Smithrick, J. J.↗

Effect of impregnation method on cycle life of the nickel electrode

The nickel electrode has been identified as the life limiting component for individual pressure vessel (IPV) nickel-hydrogen cells when cycled under a low earth orbit (LEO) cycle regime at deep depths of discharge. As a part of an overall program to develop a long life nickel electrode for nickel-hydrogen cells, the effect of two different methods of electrochemical impregnation on the cycle life of the nickel electrode was investigated. One method was the Pickett (aqueous/ethanolic) process. The other was the modified Bell (aqueous) process. The plaques for both impregnation methods were made by sintering dry carbonyl nickel powder in a reducing atmosphere. The plaques contain a nickel screen substrate. Electrodes made from both processes were cycle tested in Air Force design IPV nickel-hydrogen cells. The only factor different for this test was the method of plaque impregnation; all other factors were the same. The cells were cycled to failure under a 90 min LEO cycle regime at a deep depth of discharge (80 percent DOD). Failure for this test was defined to occur when the cell voltage degraded to 1.0 V prior to the completion of the 35 min discharge.

Smithrick, J. J.↗

Li-Ion polymer cells thermal property changes as a function of cycle-life

The impact of elevated temperature chargeedischarge cycling on thermal conductivity (K-value) of Lithium Ion Polymer (LIP) cells of various chemistries from three different manufacturers was investigated. These included high voltage (Graphite/LiCoO2:3.0e4.35 V), wide voltage (Si:C/LiCoO2:2.7e4.35 V) and conventional (Graphite/LiCoO2:3.0e4.2 V) chemistries. Investigation results show limited variability within the in-plane and through-plane K-values for the fresh cells with graphite-based anodes from all three suppliers. After 500 cycles at 45 C, in-plane and through-plane K-values of the high voltage cells reduced less vs. those for the wide voltage cells. Such results suggest that high temperature cycling could have a greater impact on thermal properties of Si:C cells than on the LIP cells with graphite (Gr) anode cells we tested. This difference is due to the excess swelling of Si:C-anode based cells vs. Gr-anode cells during cycling, especially at elevated temperatures. Thermal modeling is used to evaluate the impact of K-value changes, due to cycles at 45 C, on the cells internal heat propagation under internal short circuit condition that leads to localized meltdown of the separator.

High voltage Li-Ion polymer cells↗

Using Technology Readiness Level (TRL), Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and Other Metrics to Supplement Equivalent System Mass (ESM) in Advanced Life Support (ALS)

The ALS project plan goals are reducing cost, improving performance, and achieving flight readiness. ALS selects projects to advance the mission readiness of low cost, high performance technologies. The role of metrics is to help select good projects and report progress. The Equivalent Mass (EM) of a system is the sum of the estimated mass of the hardware, of its required materials and spares, and of the pressurized volume, power supply, and cooling system needed to support the hardware in space. EM is the total payload launch mass needed to provide and support a system. EM is directly proportional to the launch cost.

Jones, Harry↗

Life Cycle Testing of Viscoelastic Material for Hubble Space Telescope Solar Array 3 Damper

During the March 2002 Servicing Mission by Space Shuttle (STS 109), the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was refurbished with two new solar arrays that now provide all of its power. These arrays were built with viscoelastic/titanium dampers, integral to the supporting masts, which reduce the interaction of the wing bending modes with the Telescope. Damping of over 3% of critical was achieved. To assess the damper s ability to maintain nominal performance over the 10-year on-orbit design goal, material specimens were subjected to an accelerated life test. The test matrix consisted of scheduled events to expose the specimens to pre-determined combinations of temperatures, frequencies, displacement levels, and numbers of cycles. These exposure events were designed to replicate the life environment of the damper from fabrication through testing to launch and life on-orbit. To determine whether material degradation occurred during the exposure sequence, material performance was evaluated before and after the accelerated aging with complex stiffness measurements. Based on comparison of pre- and post-life-cycle measurements, the material is expected to maintain nominal performance through end of life on-orbit. Recent telemetry from the Telescope indicates that the dampers are performing nominally.

Maly, Joseph R.↗