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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 955 records · Page 53
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Thermophysical property measurements in electromagnetic levitators

Proper measurements of thermophysical properties of hot levitated liquid drops require the following: accurate temperature measurement (brightness measurement, emissivity measurement); precise drop shape measurements with submillisecond time resolution (density determination, rotational and vibrational shape information); precise control of drop shape (high symmetry variable gap levitators); accurate energy transfer measurements (direct measurements of energy transfer rates for defined gas flows over samples with quantitative measurements of energy transfer rates for defined flows over samples with known shapes); and precise measurements of repetitive sample motions (rapid repetitive shape measurements, frequency measurements with reflected laser light, measurements in the levitator and as a freely falling drop). Recent advances in coil design and control of sample rotation in an electromagnetic levitator are discussed with respect to the above requirements.

Hauge, Robert H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

TEMPUS: First results

The electromagnetic levitation facility, TEMPUS, developed by Dornier is designed to operate under microgravity conditions. Compared to terrestrial levitation, microgravity offers the possibility to melt and undercool in ultra high vacuum, thereby, providing an ultra clean environment. The technical concept of the TEMPUS facility was tested on two KC 135 flights and in the Texus 22 mission. Preparative investigations concerning the coil system and the heating and positioning efficiencies were carried out in the TEMPUS laboratory version. Furthermore, temperature-time profiles were determined under various boundary conditions. As a consequence of processing liquid metals under UHV, correct temperature measurement arises as the most critical problem. Experiences with experiments in the TEMPUS laboratory module show that due to the evaporation losses of the sample, the transmission of the CaF2 shielding windows changes drastically during the processing time. The investigation of the effect of contamination on pyrometry and the development of alternative evaporation shielding methods were initiated. During the second KC 135 flight, it was possible to heat up and melt an FeNi sample under He atmosphere. Oscillations of the molten sample, which were excited by switching out the magnetic heating field, could be detected and afterwards analyzed. From the frequency of these oscillations the surface tension of the sample material could be derived. The measurement of the surface tension and viscosity of an undercooled metal is proposed for TEMPUS on IML-2. This document is presented in view graph form.

Neuhaus, P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

High reliability megawatt transformer/rectifier

The goal of the two phase program is to develop the technology and design and fabricate ultralightweight high reliability DC to DC converters for space power applications. The converters will operate from a 5000 V dc source and deliver 1 MW of power at 100 kV dc. The power weight density goal is 0.1 kg/kW. The cycle to cycle voltage stability goals was + or - 1 percent RMS. The converter is to operate at an ambient temperature of -40 C with 16 minute power pulses and one hour off time. The uniqueness of the design in Phase 1 resided in the dc switching array which operates the converter at 20 kHz using Hollotron plasma switches along with a specially designed low loss, low leakage inductance and a light weight high voltage transformer. This approach reduced considerably the number of components in the converter thereby increasing the system reliability. To achieve an optimum transformer for this application, the design uses four 25 kV secondary windings to produce the 100 kV dc output, thus reducing the transformer leakage inductance, and the ac voltage stresses. A specially designed insulation system improves the high voltage dielectric withstanding ability and reduces the insulation path thickness thereby reducing the component weight. Tradeoff studies and tests conducted on scaled-down model circuits and using representative coil insulation paths have verified the calculated transformer wave shape parameters and the insulation system safety. In Phase 1 of the program a converter design approach was developed and a preliminary transformer design was completed. A fault control circuit was designed and a thermal profile of the converter was also developed.

Zwass, Samuel↗
NASA NTRS1990

MIT ASTROMAG 1.7 meter disk magnet design report

MIT has proposed a magnet design for ASTROMAG, which has demonstrated substantial improvement in performance as compared with the present HEAO baseline design. Several advantages of the MIT disk design are listed along with design characteristics. Details of field contours and active field regions are shown along with comparisons with other designs. Three alternative design configurations for the ASTROMAG disk coils are summarized. The parameters of the conductors are listed and basic parameters for each of the complete systems are shown.

Marston, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Makeup and uses of a basic magnet laboratory for characterizing high-temperature permanent magnets

A set of instrumentation for making basic magnetic measurements was assembled in order to characterize high intrinsic coercivity, rare earth permanent magnets with respect to short term demagnetization resistance and long term aging at temperatures up to 300 C. The major specialized components of this set consist of a 13 T peak field, capacitor discharge pulse magnetizer; a 10 in. pole size, variable gap electromagnet; a temperature controlled oven equipped with iron cobalt pole piece extensions and a removable paddle that carries the magnetization and field sensing coils; associated electronic integrators; and sensor standards for field intensity H and magnetic moment M calibration. A 1 cm cubic magnet sample, carried by the paddle, fits snugly between the pole piece extensions within the electrically heated aluminum oven, where fields up to 3.2 T can be applied by the electromagnet at temperatures up to 300 C. A sample set of demagnetization data for the high energy Sm2Co17 type of magnet is given for temperatures up to 300 C. These data are reduced to the temperature dependence of the M-H knee field and of the field for a given magnetic induction swing, and they are interpreted to show the limits of safe operation.

Niedra, Janis M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Fiber optic gyroscope using an eight-component LiNbO3 integrated optic circuit

A LiNbO3 integrated optic circuit (IOC) containing eight optical functions has been successfully incorporated into an interferometric fiber optic gyroscope. The IOC has the minimum configuration optical functions (a phase modulator, a polarizer, and two beam splitters) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory's novel beat detection circuit (a phase modulator, two optical taps, and a beam splitter) which provides a means of directly reading angular position and rotation rate. The optical subsystem consisting of the fiber-pigtailed IOC and a sensing coil of 945 meters of polarization-maintaining fiber has a loss of 18.7dB, which includes 9dB due to the architecture and unpolarized source. A random walk coefficient was measured using an edge-emitting LED as the source.

Minford, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Cable delay compensator for microwave signal distribution over optical fibers

The basic principles of microwave fiber-optic systems are outlined with emphasis on fiber-optic cable delay compensators (CDC). Degradation of frequency and phase stability is considered, and it is pointed out that the long-term stability of a fiber-optic link is degraded by group delay variations due to temperature fluctuations in the optical fiber and low-frequency noise characteristics of the laser. A CDC employing a voltage-controlled oscillator to correct for phase variations in the optical fiber is presented, and the static as well as dynamic closed-loop analyses of the fiber-optic CDC are discussed. A constructed narrow-band fiber-optic CDC is shown to reduce phase variations caused by temperature fluctuations by a factor of 400. A wide-band CDC utilizing a temperature-controlled coil of fiber to compensate for phase delay is also proposed.

Primas, Lori E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A fiber-optic current sensor for aerospace applications

A robust, accurate, broadband, alternating current sensor using fiber optics is being developed for space applications at power frequencies as high as 20 kHz. It can also be used in low and high voltage 60-Hz terrestrial power systems and in 400-Hz aircraft systems. It is intrinsically electromagnetic interference (EMI) immune and has the added benefit of excellent isolation. The sensor uses the Faraday effect in optical fiber and standard polarimetric measurements to sense electrical current. The primary component of the sensor is a specially treated coil of single-mode optical fiber, through which the current carrying conductor passes. Improved precision is accomplished by temperature compensation by means of signals from a novel fiber-optic temperature sensor embedded in the sensing head. The technology used in the sensor is examined and the results of precision tests conducted at various temperatures within the wide operating range are given. The results of early EMI tests are also given.

Patterson, Richard L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Frequency and velocity of rotational head perturbations during locomotion

The magnetic searth coil technique was used to record horizontal (yaw) and vertical (pitch) head rotations of 20 normal subjects during walking in place, running in place, vigorous voluntary horizontal head rotation, and vigorous voluntary vertical head rotation. Data are presented to show that (1) during locomotion, the head is stabilized in space incompletely but adequately so that the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) is not saturated; (2) durign vigorous, voluntary head rotations, the maximum head velocity exceeds the range where the VOR can stabilize gaze; and (3) the frequencies of head rotations that occur during locomotion greatly exceed frequencies conventionally used in the laboratory for testing the VOR.

Grossman, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A fiber-optic current sensor for aerospace applications

A robust, accurate, broadband, alternating current sensor using fiber optics is being developed for space applications at power frequencies as high as 20 kHz. It can also be used in low- and high-voltage 60-Hz terrestrial power systems and in 400-Hz aircraft systems. It is intrinsically EMI (electromagnetic interference) immune and has the added benefit of excellent isolation. The sensor uses the Faraday effect in optical fiber and standard polarimetric measurements to sense electrical current. The primary component of the sensor is a specially treated coil of single-mode optical fiber, through which the current carrying conductor passes. Improved precision is accomplished by temperature compensation by means of signals from a fiber-optic temperature sensor embedded in the sensing head. The authors report on the technology contained in the sensor and also relate the results of precision tests conducted at various temperatures within the wide operating range. The results of early EMI tests are shown.

Patterson, Richard L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

High pressure superconducting radial magnetic bearing

In a conventional radial magnetic bearing, the rotor (soft magnetic material) can only have attraction force from one of the electromagnets in the stator. The stator electromagnets consist of small copper windings with a soft magnetic material iron yoke. The maximum pressure obtainable is about 200 N/sq cm. It is shown that replacing the stator copper winding by a superconducting winding in the above configuration can increase the pressure to about 1000 N/sq cm. It is also shown that replacing the iron in the rotor by a group of superconducting windings in persistent mode and using a group of saddle coils in the stator can produce a pressure in excess of 2000 N/sq cm.

Eyssa, Y. M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Precision segmented reflectors for space applications

A project to develop precision segmented reflectors (PSRs) which operate at submillimeter wavelengths is described. The development of a light efficient means for the construction of large-aperture segmented reflecting space-based telescopes is the primary aim of the project. The 20-m Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) telescope is being developed for a survey mission, and it will make use of the reflector panels and materials, structures, and figure control being elaborated for the PSR. The surface accuracy of a 0.9-m PSR panel is shown to be 1.74-micron RMS, the goal of 100-micron RMS positioning accuracy has been achieved for a 4-m erectable structure. A voice-coil actuator for the figure control system architecture demonstrated 1-micron panel control accuracy in a 3-axis evaluation. The PSR technology is demonstrated to be of value for several NASA projects involving optical communications and interferometers as well as missions which make use of large-diameter segmented reflectors.

Lehman, David H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Removing Solids From Supercritical Water

Apparatus removes precipitated inorganic salts and other solids in water-recycling process. Designed for use with oxidation in supercritical water which treats wastes and yields nearly pure water. Heating coils and insulation around vessel keep it hot. Locking bracket seals vessel but allows it to be easily opened for replacement of filled canisters.

Hong, Glenn T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Evaluation Of Potting Materials For Use In Extreme Cold

Tests help identify noncracking combinations of materials. Aid evaluation of potting materials for copper coils used at low temperatures to measure magnetic fields. Also determine effects of distribution of microballoons, voids, and porosity. Materials also evaluated for ease of use.

Acosta, Ernesto↗
NASA NTRS1992

Preformed Superconductive Devices

Process forms high-temperature superconductors into electrical components as connectors, coils, and conductors. Brittleness no obstacle because material preformed before heated to turn it into ceramic. Substrates made of glass-fiber-reinforced circuit-board material, reduce leakage of heat into ceramic, unlike silver or copper substrates used in making sintered-in-place superconducting ceramics.

Haertling, Gene H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

CRN5EXP: Expert system for statistical quality control

The purpose of the Expert System CRN5EXP is to assist in checking the quality of the coils at two very important mills: Hot Rolling and Cold Rolling in a steel plant. The system interprets the statistical quality control charts, diagnoses and predicts the quality of the steel. Measurements of process control variables are recorded in a database and sample statistics such as the mean and the range are computed and plotted on a control chart. The chart is analyzed through patterns using the C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) and a forward chaining technique to reach a conclusion about the causes of defects and to take management measures for the improvement of the quality control techniques. The Expert System combines the certainty factors associated with the process control variables to predict the quality of the steel. The paper presents the approach to extract data from the database, the reason to combine certainty factors, the architecture and the use of the Expert System. However, the interpretation of control charts patterns requires the human expert's knowledge and lends to Expert Systems rules.

Hentea, Mariana↗
NASA NTRS1991

A YBCO RF-squid variable temperature susceptometer and its applications

The Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) susceptibility using a high-temperature radio-frequency (rf) SQUID and a normal metal pick-up coil is employed in testing weak magnetization of the sample. The magnetic moment resolution of the device is 1 x 10(exp -6) emu, and that of the susceptibility is 5 x 10(exp -6) emu/cu cm.

Zhou, Luwei↗
NASA NTRS1992

Development of a resettable, flexible aperture cover

A flexible aperture cover and latch were developed for the Thermal Ion Detection Experiment (TIDE). The latch utilized a high-output paraffin (HOP) linear motor to supply the force to operate the latch. The initial approach for the cover was to use a heat-treated, coiled strip of 0.05 mm (.002-inch)-thick beryllium-copper as the cover. Development test results showed that one end of the cover developed a trajectory during release that threatened to impact against adjacent instruments. An alternative design utilizing constant force springs and a flexible, metallized Kapton cover was then tested. Results from development tests, microgravity tests, and lessons learned during the development of the aperture cover are discussed.

Christiansen, Scott↗