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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 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Magnetogasdynamic Power Extraction and Flow Conditioning for a Gas Turbine

An extension of the Russian AJAX concept to a turbojet is being explored. This magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy bypass engine cycle incorporating conventional gas turbine technology has MHD flow conditioning at the inlet to electromagnetically extract part of the inlet air kinetic energy. The electrical power generated can be used for various on-board vehicle requirements including plasma flow control around the vehicle or it may be used for augmenting the expanding flow in the high speed nozzle by MHD forces to generate more thrust. In order to achieve this interaction, the air needs to be ionized by an external means even up to fairly high flight speeds, and the leading candidates may be classified as electrical discharge devices. The present kinetic modeling calculations suggest that the use of electron beams with characteristics close to the commercially available e-beam systems (electron energy approx. 60 keV, beam current approx. 0.2 mA/sq cm) to sustain ionization in intermediate pressure, low-temperature (P = 0.1 atm, T = 300 K) supersonic air flows allows considerable reduction of the flow kinetic energy (up to 10 to 20 percent in M = 3 flows). The calculations also suggest that this can be achieved at a reasonable electron beam efficiency (eta approx. 5), even if the e-beam window losses are taken into account. At these conditions, the exit NO and O atom concentrations due to e-beam initiated chemical reactions do not exceed 30 ppm. Increasing the beam current up to approx. 2 mA/sq cm, which corresponds to a maximum electrical conductivity of sigma(sub max) approx. 0.8 mho/m at the loading parameter of K = 0.5, would result in a much greater reduction of the flow kinetic energy (up to 30 to 40 percent). The MHD channel efficiency at these conditions would be greatly reduced (to eta approx. 1) due to increased electron recombination losses in the channel. At these conditions, partial energy conversion from kinetic energy to heat would result in a significant total pressure loss (P(sub 0)/P(sub 0i) approx. 0.3). The total pressure loss can be reduced operating at the loading parameter closer to unity, at the expense of the reduced electrical power output. Raising the beam current would also result in the increase of the exit O atom concentrations (up to 600 ppm) and NO (up to 150 ppm).

Adamovich, Igor V.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Real-Time Adaptive Control Allocation Applied to a High Performance Aircraft

Abstract This paper presents the development and application of one approach to the control of aircraft with large numbers of control effectors. This approach, referred to as real-time adaptive control allocation, combines a nonlinear method for control allocation with actuator failure detection and isolation. The control allocator maps moment (or angular acceleration) commands into physical control effector commands as functions of individual control effectiveness and availability. The actuator failure detection and isolation algorithm is a model-based approach that uses models of the actuators to predict actuator behavior and an adaptive decision threshold to achieve acceptable false alarm/missed detection rates. This integrated approach provides control reconfiguration when an aircraft is subjected to actuator failure, thereby improving maneuverability and survivability of the degraded aircraft. This method is demonstrated on a next generation military aircraft Lockheed-Martin Innovative Control Effector) simulation that has been modified to include a novel nonlinear fluid flow control control effector based on passive porosity. Desktop and real-time piloted simulation results demonstrate the performance of this integrated adaptive control allocation approach.

Davidson, John B.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Development of a fully integrated analysis system for ions based on ion-selective optodes and centrifugal microfluidics

A fully integrated, miniaturized analysis system for ions based on a centrifugal microfluidics platform and ion-selective optode membranes is described. The microfluidic architecture is composed of channels, five solution reservoirs, a measuring chamber, and a waste reservoir manufactured onto a disk-shaped substrate of poly(methyl methacrylate). Ion-selective optode membranes, composed of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) impregnated with an ionophore, a proton chromoionophore, and a lipophilic anionic additive, were cast, with a spin-on device, onto a support layer and then immobilized on the disk. Fluid propulsion is achieved by the centrifugal force that results from spinning the disk, while a system of valves is built onto the disk to control flow. These valves operate based on fluid properties and fluid/substrate interactions and are controlled by the angular frequency of rotation. With this system, we have been able to deliver calibrant solutions, washing buffers, or "test" solutions to the measuring chamber where the optode membrane is located. An analysis system based on a potassium-selective optode has been characterized. Results indicate that optodes immobilized on the platform demonstrate theoretical responses in an absorbance mode of measurement. Samples of unknown concentration can be quantified to within 3% error by fitting the response function for a given optode membrane using an acid (for measuring the signal for a fully protonated chromoionophore), a base (for fully deprotonated chromoionophore), and two standard solutions. Further, the ability to measure ion concentrations by employing one standard solution in conjunction with acid and base and with two standards alone were studied to delineate whether the current architecture could be simplified. Finally, the efficacy of incorporating washing steps into the calibration protocol was investigated.

NASA Discipline Life Sciences Technologies↗
NASA NTRS2013

Propellant-Flow-Actuated Rocket Engine Igniter

A rocket engine igniter has been created that uses a pneumatically driven hammer that, by specialized geometry, is induced into an oscillatory state that can be used to either repeatedly impact a piezoelectric crystal with sufficient force to generate a spark capable of initiating combustion, or can be used with any other system capable of generating a spark from direct oscillatory motion. This innovation uses the energy of flowing gaseous propellant, which by means of pressure differentials and kinetic motion, causes a hammer object to oscillate. The concept works by mass flows being induced through orifices on both sides of a cylindrical tube with one or more vent paths. As the mass flow enters the chamber, the pressure differential is caused because the hammer object is supplied with flow on one side and the other side is opened with access to the vent path. The object then crosses the vent opening and begins to slow because the pressure differential across the ball reverses due to the geometry in the tube. Eventually, the object stops because of the increasing pressure differential on the object until all of the kinetic energy has been transferred to the gas via compression. This is the point where the object reverses direction because of the pressure differential. This behavior excites a piezoelectric crystal via direct impact from the hammer object. The hammer strikes a piezoelectric crystal, then reverses direction, and the resultant high voltage created from the crystal is transferred via an electrode to a spark gap in the ignition zone, thereby providing a spark to ignite the engine. Magnets, or other retention methods, might be employed to favorably position the hammer object prior to start, but are not necessary to maintain the oscillatory behavior. Various manifestations of the igniter have been developed and tested to improve device efficiency, and some improved designs are capable of operation at gas flow rates of a fraction of a gram per second (0.001 lb/s) and pressure drops on the order of 30 to 50 kilopascal (a few psi). An analytical model has been created and tested in conjunction with a precisely calibrated reference model. The analytical model accurately captures the overall behavior of this innovation. The model is a simple "volume-orifice" concept, with each chamber considered a single temperature and pressure "node" connected to adjacent nodes, or to vent paths through flow control orifices. Mass and energy balances are applied to each node, with gas flow predicted using simple compressible flow equations.

Wollen, Mark↗
DOE OSTI2020

Thermal protection barrier for delaying access

A thermal protection barrier including a base layer having a plurality of baffles with perforated walls and a high melting temperature granular media disposed within the plurality of baffles. When the base layer is breached by a thermal threat, the granular media is operable to flow through the perforated walls of the plurality of baffles to provide a controlled flow of granular media to an area proximate the breach for thwarting the thermal threat.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Beam-water Interaction System for PFAS Treatment

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants that resist conventional water treatment due to the strength of their carbon fluorine bonds. Electron-beam irradiation has shown potential for PFAS degradation; however, its effectiveness is limited by shallow energy penetration, restricting treatment to the upper region of the water surface. This project addresses this limitation through the design of a compact mixing chamber and recirculation system to enhance surface renewal and improve treatment efficiency. The system, constrained to approximately 10 cm 20 cm 20 cm, was developed using computer-aided design, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and MATLAB-based hydraulic analysis to evaluate flow behavior, head loss, and pump compatibility. A perforated-baffle geometry and controlled flow range of 1 3 GPM were implemented to promote uniform mixing while maintaining a stable free surface for electron-beam exposure. Modeling results indicate improved flow distribution and reduced dead zones, supporting more consistent interaction between contaminated water and the beam. The final design enhances hydrodynamic performance within system constraints, contributing to scalable electron-beam water treatment technologies for improved PFAS degradation.

Ramos, Gerardo [Northern Illinois U.]↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Slat Noise Control Using a Slat Gap Filler

The leading edge slat of a high-lift system is one of the main noise contributors on many commercial aircraft during approach. This paper continues our previous studies on the gap filler for passive noise control on the 30P30N high-lift airfoil. An improved implementation of the gap filler was applied to minimize the effects of flow leakage encountered in the previous work, which resulted in spurious noise content in the far-field acoustic spectra. To evaluate the effect of passive flow control on the acoustics generated by the unsteady flow field, anechoic wind tunnel experiments are conducted on the two-dimensional, three-element high-lift airfoil with a gap filler mounted to the slat. The slat geometry modification associated with the gap filler alters the flow field in the cove region that dominates the generation of the acoustic field. A single angle of attack (훼푘=8◦) and three flow speeds corresponding to Reynolds numbersof푅푒푐=1.2푒6,1.5푒6, and1.71푒6are selected as the test conditions. Steady surface pressure measurements are conducted to assess the effect of the treatments on the overall lift. Acoustic array measurements are used to evaluate the influence of the gap filler on the radiated noise. Delay and Sum beamforming is applied to locate the noise sources on the model and to provide the integrated spectra. The gap filler is found to eliminate the narrowband peaks in the acoustic spectra and, also, to yield a 10 dB reduction in the broadband noise in comparison with the baseline case. Time-resolved Particle Image Velocimetry results show that the flow features are significantly altered with the presence of the gap filler, which leads to a more stable slat cove shear layer and, thus, to weaker pressure and velocity fluctuations.

Yang Zhang↗
NASA NTRS2004

Real-Time Adaptive Control of Flow-Induced Cavity Tones

An adaptive generalized predictive control (GPC) algorithm was formulated and applied to the cavity flow-tone problem. The algorithm employs gradient descent to update the GPC coefficients at each time step. The adaptive control algorithm demonstrated multiple Rossiter mode suppression at fixed Mach numbers ranging from 0.275 to 0.38. The algorithm was also able t o maintain suppression of multiple cavity tones as the freestream Mach number was varied over a modest range (0.275 to 0.29). Controller performance was evaluated with a measure of output disturbance rejection and an input sensitivity transfer function. The results suggest that disturbances entering the cavity flow are colocated with the control input at the cavity leading edge. In that case, only tonal components of the cavity wall-pressure fluctuations can be suppressed and arbitrary broadband pressure reduction is not possible. In the control-algorithm development, the cavity dynamics are treated as linear and time invariant (LTI) for a fixed Mach number. The experimental results lend support this treatment.

Kegerise, Michael A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Sweeping Jet Actuator in a Quiescent Environment

This study presents a detailed analysis of a sweeping jet (fluidic oscillator) actuator. The sweeping jet actuator promises to be a viable flow control actuator candidate due to its simple, no moving part structure and its high momentum, spatially oscillating flow output. Hot-wire anemometer and particle image velocimetry measurements were carried out with an emphasis on understanding the actuator flow field in a quiescent environment. The time averaged, fluctuating, and instantaneous velocity measurements are provided. A modified actuator concept that incorporates high-speed solenoid valves to control the frequency of oscillation enabled phase averaged measurements of the oscillating jet. These measurements reveal that in a given oscillation cycle, the oscillating jet spends more time on each of the Coanda surfaces. In addition, the modified actuator generates four different types of flow fields, namely: a non oscillating downward jet, a non oscillating upward jet, a non oscillating straight jet, and an oscillating jet. The switching from an upward jet to a downward jet is accomplished by providing a single pulse from the solenoid valve. Once the flow is switched, the flow stays there until another pulse is received. The oscillating jet is compared with a non oscillating straight jet, which is a typical planar turbulent jet. The results indicate that the oscillating jet has a higher (5 times) spreading rate, more flow entrainment, and higher velocity fluctuations (equal to the mean velocity).

Koklu, Mehti↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spectral proper orthogonal decomposition of active wake mixing dynamics in a stable atmospheric boundary layer

Recent advancements in the use of active wake mixing (AWM) to reduce wake effects on downstream turbines open new avenues for increasing power generation in wind farms. However, a better understanding of the fluid dynamics underlying AWM is still needed to make wake mixing a reliable strategy for wind farm flow control. In this work, a spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) is used to analyze the dynamics of coherent flow structures that are induced in the wake through blade pitch actuation. The data are generated using the ExaWind software suite to perform large eddy simulations of an NREL 2.8 MW turbine operating in a stable atmospheric boundary layer. SPOD tracks the modal behavior of flow structures from their generation in the turbine induction field through their growth in the near-wake region and to their subsequent evolution and energy transfers in the far wake. SPOD is shown to be a useful tool in the context of AWM because it translates the wavenumber and frequency inputs to the turbine controller to structures in the wake. A decomposition of the radial shear stress flux in the wake is also developed using SPOD to measure the contribution of coherent flow structures to mean flow turbulent entrainment and wake recovery. The effectiveness of AWM is connected to its ability to excite inherent structures in the wake of the turbine that arise using baseline controls. The effects of AWM on blade loading are also analyzed by connecting the axial force along the blade to the SPOD analysis of the turbine induction field. Lastly, the performance of different AWM strategies is demonstrated in a two-turbine array.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Demonstration of High-Temperature Calcium-Based Thermochemical Energy Storage System for use with Concentrating Solar Power Facilities

Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) systems offer several advantages over sensible heat storage via molten salts for concentrating solar power (CSP) including: energy density, cost, indefinite storage time, and no risk of freezing. SR’s TCES system utilizes a CaO-based carbonation reaction at high temperature in a fixed bed heat exchanger reactor. The SunShot APOLLO project focuses on the validation of the calcium oxide sorbent for capacity, durability, system economics, and demonstration of the system at a small pilot scale, including system control and operation in simulated on-sun conditions, discharging at 720°C. Under phase I SR completed evaluation of the sorbent loaded in a single-channel heat exchanger reactor. The major accomplishments of phase II are: Design, fabrication and commissioning of a 4 kWhth pilot plant (50x capacity increase from previous bench scale) with a closed-loop CO 2 system, and a commercially relevant heat exchange reactor. The heat exchange reactor has been designed with state-of-the-art modeling tools to ensure 1) sufficient lifetime of the Incoloy body and 2) performance of the packed bed reactor will be adequate to meet the milestones. The rest of the pilot system has been designed with off-the shelf components to maximize reliability and cost effectiveness. The system is highly instrumented and capable of time resolved, independent measurements of the heat and mass balances respectively. Major developments in the technoeconomic analysis (TEA) include 1) reduction of the cost of membrane gas storage for the near-term and future systems and 2) integration with liquid metal receivers and particle receivers for higher decarbonation temperatures and pressures which reduced the cost of gas compression and increased system efficiency. The result are three scenarios with costs bases of 21.9 dollars, 14.3 dollars, and 10.9 dollars/kWh th corresponding to a real LCOE of 59, 57, 56 dollars/MW he , respectively. The basic operations of the energy storage system were demonstrated for carbonation (discharging) and decarbonation (charging) over short time periods. Excellent control of the CO 2 mass balance across the reactor was achieved with mass flow controllers and the basic operation of the level control of the CO 2 gas bladder was achieved. The system was apparently free from leaks and operated continuously for 18 days with no mechanical failures, thus meeting milestone 2.5.5. The major shortcomings of the system had to do with the controls which prevented us from deep cycling and or reaching high cycles. We were unable to decarbonate (charge) the system for more than a few minutes at a time, which was much shorter than the design target of 10 hrs. This issue could not be resolved due to facility availability and contract closure. One major finding is that CaO-based TCES is most cost efficient when charged with HTF (heat transfer fluid) temperatures >850°C to reach the round-trip exergy efficiency and system cost targets which are higher temperatures than those considered for Gen 3 CSP. Many of the balance of plant components do not exist today, however we are encouraged by our findings that in general with more work we are able to reduce the capital cost, for example with the membrane gas storage, which is an innovative component in itself. The CaO-based TCES system has potential to meet the latest SunShot 2030 goals of LCOE at 50 $/MW he with capital costs of <11/kWh th .

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Demonstration of High-Temperature Calcium-Based Thermochemical Energy Storage System for use with Concentrating Solar Power Facilities

Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) systems offer several advantages over sensible heat storage via molten salts for concentrating solar power (CSP) including: energy density, cost, indefinite storage time, and no risk of freezing. SR’s TCES system utilizes a CaO-based carbonation reaction at high temperature in a fixed bed heat exchanger reactor. The SunShot APOLLO project focuses on the validation of the calcium oxide sorbent for capacity, durability, system economics, and demonstration of the system at a small pilot scale, including system control and operation in simulated on-sun conditions, discharging at 720°C. Under phase I SR completed evaluation of the sorbent loaded in a single-channel heat exchanger reactor. The major accomplishments of phase II are: Design, fabrication and commissioning of a 4 kWhth pilot plant (50x capacity increase from previous bench scale) with a closed-loop CO 2 system, and a commercially relevant heat exchange reactor. The heat exchange reactor has been designed with state-of-the-art modeling tools to ensure 1) sufficient lifetime of the Incoloy body and 2) performance of the packed bed reactor will be adequate to meet the milestones. The rest of the pilot system has been designed with off-the shelf components to maximize reliability and cost effectiveness. The system is highly instrumented and capable of time resolved, independent measurements of the heat and mass balances respectively. Major developments in the technoeconomic analysis (TEA) include 1) reduction of the cost of membrane gas storage for the near-term and future systems and 2) integration with liquid metal receivers and particle receivers for higher decarbonation temperatures and pressures which reduced the cost of gas compression and increased system efficiency. The result are three scenarios with costs bases of 21.9 dollars, 14.3 dollars, and 10.9 dollars/kWhth corresponding to a real LCOE of 59, 57, 56 dollars/MWhe, respectively. The basic operations of the energy storage system were demonstrated for carbonation (discharging) and decarbonation (charging) over short time periods. Excellent control of the CO 2 mass balance across the reactor was achieved with mass flow controllers and the basic operation of the level control of the CO 2 gas bladder was achieved. The system was apparently free from leaks and operated continuously for 18 days with no mechanical failures, thus meeting milestone 2.5.5. The major shortcomings of the system had to do with the controls which prevented us from deep cycling and or reaching high cycles. We were unable to decarbonate (charge) the system for more than a few minutes at a time, which was much shorter than the design target of 10 hrs. This issue could not be resolved due to facility availability and contract closure. One major finding is that CaO-based TCES is most cost efficient when charged with HTF (heat transfer fluid) temperatures >850°C to reach the round-trip exergy efficiency and system cost targets which are higher temperatures than those considered for Gen 3 CSP. Many of the balance of plant components do not exist today, however we are encouraged by our findings that in general with more work we are able to reduce the capital cost, for example with the membrane gas storage, which is an innovative component in itself. The CaO-based TCES system has potential to meet the latest SunShot 2030 goals of LCOE at 50 dollars/MWhe with capital costs of <11/kWhth.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Solid State Transformer Architecture and Control Compensation for Common Mode Currents

A high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) or similar geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) has the potential to impact the operation of large-scale electric power grids. By introducing low-frequency common-mode (CM) currents, these events can degrade the performance of critical system components, such as large power transformers by introducing CM currents which can lead to magnetic saturation of the transformer core. In this work, a solid-state transformer (SST) is developed to replace susceptible equipment and improve grid resiliency by safely absorbing these CM disturbances. This device will be referred to as a common-mode solid-state transformer (CM-SST). An SST architecture based on a four-legged AC/DC converter is developed. This architecture enables active control of CM signals without disturbing the AC voltages or the real and reactive power delivery capabilities. A system-level model of this architecture is created, and time-domain simulations are performed to evaluate the SST’s performance in response to simulated CM disturbances. A control strategy for mitigating CM current is also investigated. Hamiltonian surface shaping and power flow control (HSSPFC) is used to design a nonlinear controller for the SST’s output inverter. The objectives of the controller are to suppress CM-induced AC current offsets and regulate AC currents to desired setpoints. Nonlinear system analysis is applied to design and validate the controller. Two cases are tested: (a) the proposed four-leg inverter and (b) a standard three-leg inverter. The results show that the proposed controller rapidly mitigates CM disturbances while maintaining high-quality AC current waveforms in the four-leg configuration. Finally, the hardware performance of an SST prototype is evaluated. In particular, the ability of the SST to safely redirect and absorb CM currents is demonstrated, showing how it can protect neighboring conventional transformers in the system. The study confirms that appropriate control laws allow the SST to protect both itself and adjacent transformers during a HEMP or GMD event.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS1972

Gas-flow restrictor

Gas flow restrictor is described, consisting of predetermined length and size of capillary tubing to control flow rate of carrier gas into gas chromatograph of flow rate of sample gas into mass spectrometer inlet system. Length and inner diameter of capillary tubing was estimated with mathematical expressions for viscous flow.

Bastien, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Low-Contamination Vibrating Feeder for Silicon Chips

Vibratory feeding is method of controlling flow of small oddly shaped particles. Technique applied to other materials that require contamination control by feeding material through vibrating troughs topped by particular material.

Mackintosh, B. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Subsonic balance and pressure investigation of a 60 deg delta wing with leading edge devices

Low supersonic wave drag makes the thin highly swept delta wing the logical choice for use on aircraft designed for supersonic cruise. However, the high-lift maneuver capability of the aircraft is limited by severe induced-drag penalties attributed to loss of potential flow leading-edge suction. This drag increase may be alleviated through leading-edge flow control to recover lost aerodynamic thrust through either retention of attached leading-edge flow to higher angles of attack or exploitation of the increased suction potential of separation-induced vortex flow. A low-speed wind-tunnel investigation was undertaken to examine the high-lift devices such as fences, chordwise slots, pylon vortex generators, leading-edge vortex flaps, and sharp leading-edge extensions. The devices were tested individually and in combinations in an attempt to improve high-alpha drag performance with a minimum of low-alpha drag penalty. This report presents an analysis of the force, moment, and static pressure data obtained in angles of attack up to 23 deg, at Mach and Reynolds numbers of 0.16 and 3.85 x 10 to the 6th power per meter, respectively. The results indicate that all the devices produced drag and longitudinal/lateral stability improvements at high lift with, in most cases, minor drag penalties at low angles of attack.

Tingas, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A new design concept for indraft wind-tunnel inlets with application to the national full-scale aerodynamic complex

The present inlet design concept for an indraft wind tunnel, which is especially suited to applications for which a specific test section flow quality is required with minimum inlet size, employs a cascade or vaneset to control flow at the inlet plane, so that test section total pressure variation is minimized. Potential flow panel methods, together with empirical pressure loss predictions, are used to predict inlet cascade performance. This concept has been used to develop an alternative inlet design for the 80 x 120-ft wind tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center. Experimental results show that a short length/diameter ratio wind tunnel inlet furnishing atmospheric wind isolation and uniform test section flow can be designed.

Ross, James C.↗