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At least 919 records · Page 51

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NASA NTRS1993

The infeasibility of quantifying the reliability of life-critical real-time software

This paper affirms that the quantification of life-critical software reliability is infeasible using statistical methods, whether these methods are applied to standard software or fault-tolerant software. The classical methods of estimating reliability are shown to lead to exorbitant amounts of testing when applied to life-critical software. Reliability growth models are examined and also shown to be incapable of overcoming the need for excessive amounts of testing. The key assumption of software fault tolerance - separately programmed versions fail independently - is shown to be problematic. This assumption cannot be justified by experimentation in the ultrareliability region, and subjective arguments in its favor are not sufficiently strong to justify it as an axiom. Also, the implications of the recent multiversion software experiments support this affirmation.

Butler, Ricky W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The Infeasibility of Quantifying the Reliability of Life-Critical Real-Time Software

This paper affirms that the quantification of life-critical software reliability is infeasible using statistical methods whether applied to standard software or fault-tolerant software. The classical methods of estimating reliability are shown to lead to exhorbitant amounts of testing when applied to life-critical software. Reliability growth models are examined and also shown to be incapable of overcoming the need for excessive amounts of testing. The key assumption of software fault tolerance separately programmed versions fail independently is shown to be problematic. This assumption cannot be justified by experimentation in the ultrareliability region and subjective arguments in its favor are not sufficiently strong to justify it as an axiom. Also, the implications of the recent multiversion software experiments support this affirmation.

Butler, Ricky W.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Photomultiplier tube reliability study for the HEAO program

Results concerning the research on photomultiplier tubes required for the HEAO program are reported. The general specifications are discussed for providing a series of tests for helping the operational reliability of its application, and for permitting comparison of performance of similar types, from various manufacturers.

Richardson, C.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Rocketdyne PSAM: In-house enhancement/application

The development was initiated of the Probabilistic Design Analysis (PDA) Process for rocket engines. This will enable engineers a quantitative assessment of calculated reliability during the design process. The PDA will help choose better designs, make them more robust, and help decide on critical tests to help demonstrate key reliability issues to aid in improving the confidence of the engine capabilities. Rockedyne's involvement with the Composite Loads Spectra (CLS) and Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methodology (PSAM) contracts started this effort and are key elements in the on-going developments. Internal development efforts and hardware applications complement and extend the CLS and PSAM efforts. The completion of the CLS option work and the follow-on PSAM developments will also be integral parts of this methodology. A brief summary of these efforts is presented.

Newell, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Large Engine Technology Program. Task 22: Variable Geometry Concepts for Rich-Quench-Lean Combustors

The objective of the task reported herein was to define, evaluate, and optimize variable geometry concepts suitable for use with a Rich-Quench-Lean (RQL) combustor. The specific intent was to identify approaches that would satisfy High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) cycle operational requirements with regard to fuel-air ratio turndown capability, ignition, and stability margin without compromising the stringent emissions, performance, and reliability goals that this combustor would have to achieve. Four potential configurations were identified and three of these were refined and tested in a high-pressure modular RQL combustor rig. The tools used in the evolution of these concepts included models built with rapid fabrication techniques that were tested for airflow characteristics to confirm sizing and airflow management capability, spray patternation, and atomization characterization tests of these models and studies that were supported by Computational Fluid Dynamics analyses. Combustion tests were performed with each of the concepts at supersonic cruise conditions and at other critical conditions in the flight envelope, including the transition points of the variable geometry system, to identify performance, emissions, and operability impacts. Based upon the cold flow characterization, emissions results, acoustic behavior observed during the tests and consideration of mechanical, reliability, and implementation issues, the tri-swirler configuration was selected as the best variable geometry concept for incorporation in the RQL combustor evolution efforts for the HSCT.

Tacina, Robert R.↗

NASA NTRS2005

High-Temperature Structures, Adhesives, and Advanced Thermal Protection Materials for Next-Generation Aeroshell Design

The next generation of planetary exploration vehicles will rely heavily on robust aero-assist technologies, especially those that include aerocapture. This paper provides an overview of an ongoing development program, led by NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and aimed at introducing high-temperature structures, adhesives, and advanced thermal protection system (TPS) materials into the aeroshell design process. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate TPS materials that can withstand the higher heating rates of NASA's next generation planetary missions, and to validate high-temperature structures and adhesives that can reduce required TPS thickness and total aeroshell mass, thus allowing for larger science payloads. The effort described consists of parallel work in several advanced aeroshell technology areas. The areas of work include high-temperature adhesives, high-temperature composite materials, advanced ablator (TPS) materials, sub-scale demonstration test articles, and aeroshell modeling and analysis. The status of screening test results for a broad selection of available higher-temperature adhesives is presented. It appears that at least one (and perhaps a few) adhesives have working temperatures ranging from 315-400 C (600-750 F), and are suitable for TPS-to-structure bondline temperatures that are significantly above the traditional allowable of 250 C (482 F). The status of mechanical testing of advanced high-temperature composite materials is also summarized. To date, these tests indicate the potential for good material performance at temperatures of at least 600 F. Application of these materials and adhesives to aeroshell systems that incorporate advanced TPS materials may reduce aeroshell TPS mass by 15% - 30%. A brief outline is given of work scheduled for completion in 2006 that will include fabrication and testing of large panels and subscale aeroshell test articles at the Solar-Tower Test Facility located at Kirtland AFB and operated by Sandia National Laboratories. These tests are designed to validate aeroshell manufacturability using advanced material systems, and to demonstrate the maintenance of bondline integrity at realistically high temperatures and heating rates. Finally, a status is given of ongoing aeroshell modeling and analysis efforts which will be used to correlate with experimental testing, and to provide a reliable means of extrapolating to performance under actual flight conditions. The modeling and analysis effort includes a parallel series of experimental tests to determine TSP thermal expansion and other mechanical properties which are required for input to the analysis models.

Collins, Timothy J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Multiversion software reliability through fault-avoidance and fault-tolerance

In this project we have proposed to investigate a number of experimental and theoretical issues associated with the practical use of multi-version software in providing dependable software through fault-avoidance and fault-elimination, as well as run-time tolerance of software faults. In the period reported here we have working on the following: We have continued collection of data on the relationships between software faults and reliability, and the coverage provided by the testing process as measured by different metrics (including data flow metrics). We continued work on software reliability estimation methods based on non-random sampling, and the relationship between software reliability and code coverage provided through testing. We have continued studying back-to-back testing as an efficient mechanism for removal of uncorrelated faults, and common-cause faults of variable span. We have also been studying back-to-back testing as a tool for improvement of the software change process, including regression testing. We continued investigating existing, and worked on formulation of new fault-tolerance models. In particular, we have partly finished evaluation of Consensus Voting in the presence of correlated failures, and are in the process of finishing evaluation of Consensus Recovery Block (CRB) under failure correlation. We find both approaches far superior to commonly employed fixed agreement number voting (usually majority voting). We have also finished a cost analysis of the CRB approach.

Vouk, Mladen A.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Four Problematic Methods in Reliability Analysis

Some basic methods used in reliability analysis are problematic because they produce incorrect and overoptimistic predictions. Initially gratifying forecasts are often invalidated by testing and operational experience. The problematic methods in reliability analysis include estimating the system failure rate as the sum of component failure rates, assuming that reliability growth continues indefinitely during testing, overestimating the benefits of redundancy, and using the fault tolerance count instead of a detailed reliability analysis. Reliability analysis can produce more optimism than accuracy. This bug may now be a feature. The optimistic bias inevitable in project planning should be corrected by realistic reliability analysis that reflects relevant experience. That the repeated poor performance of reliability analysis is found to be surprising suggests willful blindness. Rigorous methods and impartial critical review are necessary to improve reliability analysis.

Reliability analysis↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Four Problematic Methods in Reliability Analysis

Reliability analysis↗

NASA NTRS1977

Report on phase 1 of the Microprocessor Seminar

Proceedings of a seminar on microprocessors and associated large scale integrated (LSI) circuits are presented. The potential for commonality of device requirements, candidate processes and mechanisms for qualifying candidate LSI technologies for high reliability applications, and specifications for testing and testability were among the topics discussed. Various programs and tentative plans of the participating organizations in the development of high reliability LSI circuits are given.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1997

Reliability Investigation of Ball Grid Array Assemblies for Space Flight Applications

JPL, in a partnership with an industrial consortium, is currently engaged in the investigation of reliability and quality issues if ball grid array (BGA) packages as they may be applied to space flight electronics. Performing tests to determine the solder joint reliability of assemblies using BGAs under temperature cycling has proved to be a real challenge for test engineers.

Ball grid array printed wiring assemblies reliabil↗

NASA NTRS2014

Reliability of CGA/LGA/HDI Package Board/Assembly (Final Report)

Package manufacturers are now offering commercial-off-the-shelf column grid array (COTS CGA) packaging technologies in high-reliability versions. Understanding the process and quality assurance (QA) indicators for reliability are important for low-risk insertion of these advanced electronics packages. The previous reports, released in January of 2012 and January of 2013, presented package test data, assembly information, and reliability evaluation by thermal cycling for CGA packages with 1752, 1517, 1509, and 1272 inputs/outputs (I/Os) and 1-mm pitch. It presented the thermal cycling (-55C either 100C or 125C) test results for up to 200 cycles. This report presents up to 500 thermal cycles with quality assurance and failure analysis evaluation represented by optical photomicrographs, 2D real time X-ray images, dye-and-pry photomicrographs, and optical/scanning electron Microscopy (SEM) cross-sectional images. The report also presents assembly challenge using reflowing by either vapor phase or rework station of CGA and land grid array (LGA) versions of three high I/O packages both ceramic and plastic configuration. A new test vehicle was designed having high density interconnect (HDI) printed circuit board (PCB) with microvia-in-pad to accommodate both LGA packages as well as a large number of fine pitch ball grid arrays (BGAs). The LGAs either were assembled onto HDI PCB as an LGA or were solder paste print and reflow first to form solder dome on pads before assembly. Both plastic BGAs with 1156 I/O and ceramic LGAs were assembled. It also presented the X-ray inspection results as well as failures due to 200 thermal cycles. Lessons learned on assembly of ceramic LGAs are also presented.

Ghaffaroam. Reza↗

NASA NTRS1994

Space-Hardware Design for Long Life With High Reliability

In 1991, the Cassini Project, NASA's planetary project to place a spacecraft in orbit about Saturn, funded a study at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to identify rules for design and test of hardware required to function reliably in space for very long lifetimes. Twenty-nine subjects were considered comprising 130 specific rules related to long-life issues such as accelerated life testing, cycling of mechanical devices, selection and application of parts, semiconductor junction temperatures, and worst-case analysis for long life. The study was subsequently published as a JPL document. One major conclusion of the workshop was that unattended space missions extending out to 25 years or more are feasible.

design↗

NASA NTRS1999

International Low-Earth-Orbit Spacecraft Materials Test Program Initiated for Better Prediction of Durability and Performance

Spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) are subjected to many components of the environment, which can cause them to degrade much more rapidly than intended and greatly shorten their functional life. The atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, and cross contamination present in LEO can affect sensitive surfaces such as thermal control paints, multilayer insulation, solar array surfaces, and optical surfaces. The LEO Spacecraft Materials Test (LEO-SMT) program is being conducted to assess the effects of simulated LEO exposure on current spacecraft materials to increase understanding of LEO degradation processes as well as to enable the prediction of in-space performance and durability. Using ground-based simulation facilities to test the durability of materials currently flying in LEO will allow researchers to compare the degradation evidenced in the ground-based facilities with that evidenced on orbit. This will allow refinement of ground laboratory test systems and the development of algorithms to predict the durability and performance of new materials in LEO from ground test results. Accurate predictions based on ground tests could reduce development costs and increase reliability. The wide variety of national and international materials being tested represent materials being functionally used on spacecraft in LEO. The more varied the types of materials tested, the greater the probability that researchers will develop and validate predictive models for spacecraft long-term performance and durability. Organizations that are currently participating in the program are ITT Research Institute (USA), Lockheed Martin (USA), MAP (France), SOREQ Nuclear Research Center (Israel), TNO Institute of Applied Physics (The Netherlands), and UBE Industries, Ltd. (Japan). These represent some of the major suppliers of thermal control and sensor materials currently flying in LEO. The participants provide materials that are exposed to selected levels of atomic oxygen, vacuum ultraviolet radiation, contamination, or synergistic combined environments at the NASA Lewis Research Center. Changes in characteristics that could affect mission performance or lifetime are then measured. These characteristics include changes in mass, solar absorptance, and thermal emittance. The durability of spacecraft materials from U.S. suppliers is then compared with those of materials from other participating countries. Lewis will develop and validate performance and durability prediction models using this ground data and available space data. NASA welcomes the opportunity to consider additional international participants in this program, which should greatly aid future spacecraft designers as they select materials for LEO missions.

Rutledge, Sharon K.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Dispenser Reliability: Materials R&D. A Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Research and Station Technology (H2FIRST) Report

Dispensers are the top cause of maintenance events and down-time at hydrogen fueling stations. In an effort to help characterize and enable improvements in dispenser reliability, an extensive accelerated lifetime testing set-up was designed and built at NREL involving components typically part of dispensing operations at fueling stations. Device Under Test (DUTs) included different components such as normally open valves, normally closed valves, fueling nozzles, breakaways devices and filters. Conditions of testing included pressures, and flow rates similar to light duty fuel cell electric vehicles fueling at -40°C, and -20°C for thousands of cycles in hydrogen. Tested components (failed and non-failed) were disassembled at SNL and polymeric O-rings were carefully retrieved and cataloged for chemical and physical characterization. Data collected was compared to similar O-rings from unexposed or non-tested components for hydrogen effects, and failure modes. Degradation analyses, based on select polymer chemistries common across all component types, their location within components, visual assessment of damage coupled with strong hydrogen effects from chemical characterization, was completed and presented to NREL and DOE. Overall, the failure rate amongst the components was not as high as expected for the test conditions. Among the component types tested, breakaways were the most susceptible to damage under these test conditions, with fueling nozzles a close second. The proper combination of selection of the right polymer and optimum component design was found to make a strong difference in component reliability under severe dispenser operating conditions. Physical degradation of polymers, rather than chemical changes due to low temperature hydrogen exposure, is more prevalent as failure mode for these test conditions. The nature and the extent of the degradation was much less at -20°C as compared to -40°C. The damage and failure rates were higher at lower temperatures than at higher test temperatures. As expected, increasing the number of cycles at the lowest test temperature (-40°C) increased damage. This indicates that cycling at the low temperature of -40°C required by SAE J2601 can reduce component life in fuel dispensing operations

08 HYDROGEN↗

NASA NTRS1972

Experimental investigation of an astronaut maneuvering scheme.

A new concept for astronaut maneuvering in space is proposed, and an experimental study undertaken to test this concept is described. The series of experiments performed appear to promise advantages over previously proposed schemes in terms of propellant economy, system weight, reliability, and safety. The simulation tests established the feasibility of the proposed maneuvering concept by showing that test subjects were able to place their bodies sufficiently near the reference position to avoid excessive angular momentum build-up; no difficulties were encountered in selecting self-rotation maneuvers suitable for effecting desired changes in orientation; and the execution of these maneuvers produced predicted reorientations without tiring the test subject significantly.

Kane, T. R.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Operational Experience and Development of a Reliability Model for the ATR Demineralizer System (Slides)

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a light water reactor with aluminum clad driver fuel. Strict limits are implemented on pH, conductivity, and filterable solids to assure the performance of the driver fuel limit corrosion of the primary coolant system (PCS) pressure boundary components. A bypass demineralizer system is used to maintain PCS coolant within allowable bands for each of the aforementioned variables. Unlike many other reactors, the ATR does not have a filtration system. As such, failure of ion exchange resin in the bypass demineralizer can defeat the purpose of the system and result in high filterable solids in the PCS. Power operations with high filterable solids is prohibited by a technical safety requirement. This paper discusses recent failures of the ATR bypass demineralizer system. The testing and analysis done to deduce the cause of the failures is covered, as well as short term mitigative steps that were taken. To prevent the likelihood of future issues, historical data from the ATR and industry is used to develop a reliability model of the ATR bypass demineralizer system. Evidence of radiolytic decomposition of ion exchange resin was found in the cause investigation. As such, special attention is given to ion exchange resin failure due to high radiation environments. The reliability model is used to develop the ATR testing and maintenance program. Specifically, limits on resin service life are discussed.

21 - SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLAN↗

NASA NTRS1993

Lifetime Reliability Evaluation of Structural Ceramic Parts with the CARES/LIFE Computer Program

The computer program CARES/LIFE calculates the time-dependent reliability of monolithic ceramic components subjected to thermomechanical and/or proof test loading. This program is an extension of the CARES (Ceramics Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures) computer program. CARES/LIFE accounts for the phenomenon of subcritical crack growth (SCG) by utilizing the power law, Paris law, or Walker equation. The two-parameter Weibull cumulative distribution function is used to characterize the variation in component strength. The effects of multiaxial stresses are modeled using either the principle of independent action (PIA), Weibull's normal stress averaging method (NSA), or Batdorf's theory. Inert strength and fatigue parameters are estimated from rupture strength data of naturally flawed specimens loaded in static, dynamic, or cyclic fatigue. Two example problems demonstrating cyclic fatigue parameter estimation and component reliability analysis with proof testing are included.

Nemeth, Noel N.↗