SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “module temperature”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,045 records · Page 58

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1987

High temperature electrolyzer/fuel cell power cycle: Preliminary design considerations

A model of a high temperature electrolyzer/fuel cell, hydrogen/oxygen, thermally regenerative power cycle is developed and used to simulate system performance for varying system parameters. Initial estimates of system efficiency, weight, and volume are provided for a one KWe module assuming specific electrolyzer and fuel cell characteristics, both current and future. Specific interest is placed on examining the system responses to changes in device voltage versus current density operating curves, and the associated optimum operating ranges. The performance of a solar-powered, space based system in low earth orbit is examined in terms of the light-dark periods requiring storage. The storage design tradeoffs between thermal energy, electrical energy, and hydrogen/oxygen mass storage are examined. The current technology module is based on the 1000 C solid oxide electrolyzer cell and the alkaline fuel cell. The Future Technology system examines benefits involved with developing a 1800K electrolyzer operating with an advanced fuel cell.

Morehouse, Jeffrey H.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Healing of voids in the aluminum metallization of integrated circuit chips

The thermal stability of GaAs modulation-doped field effect transistors (MODFETs) is evaluated in order to identify failure mechanisms and validate the reliability of these devices. The transistors were exposed to thermal step-stress and characterized at ambient temperatures to indicate device reliability, especially that of the transistor ohmic contacts with and without molybdenum diffusion barriers. The devices without molybdenum exhibited important transconductance deterioration. MODFETs with molybdenum diffusion barriers were tolerant to temperatures above 300 C. This tolerance indicates that thermally activated failure mechanisms are slow at operational temperatures. Therefore, high-reliability MODFET-based circuits are possible.

Cuddihy, Edward F.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Observations of the Ca II infrared triplet in chromospherically active single and binary stars

Spectroscopic observations of the Ca II infrared triplet (8498, 8542, 8662 A) have been obtained for 45 stars which are known or suspected to be chromospherically active. The sample includes both single and binary stars of spectral types from F2 to M5 spanning luminosity classes III, IV, and V. Several different types of activity diagnostics were measured, and their relative merits are discussed. Dependence of chromospheric emission upon rotation period, luminosity, temperature, and duplicity are analyzed. Synchronous binaries show a slight trend of increased emission with decreasing period while the asynchronous binaries show abnormally high activity levels for their rotation periods. Several stars exhibit rotationally modulated emission which is anticorrelated with the stellar brightness. Finally, estimates of chromospheric energy losses are presented with the result that the total loss in the infrared triplet is about twice that of the H and K lines.

Dempsey, Robert C.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Optical Amplifier Based Space Solar Power

The objective was to design a safe optical power beaming system for use in space. Research was focused on identification of strategies and structures that would enable achievement near diffraction limited optical beam quality, highly efficient electrical to optical conversion, and high average power in combination in a single system. Efforts centered on producing high efficiency, low mass of the overall system, low operating temperature, precision pointing and tracking capability, compatibility with useful satellite orbits, component and system reliability, and long component and system life in space. A system based on increasing the power handled by each individual module to an optimum and the number of modules in the complete structure was planned. We were concerned with identifying the most economical and rapid path to commercially viable safe space solar power.

Fork, Richard L.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Capillary-Driven Heat Transfer Experiment: Keeping It Cool in Space

Capillary-pumped loops (CPL's) are devices that are used to transport heat from one location to another--specifically to transfer heat away from something. In low-gravity applications, such as satellites (and possibly the International Space Station), CPL's are used to transfer heat from electrical devices to space radiators. This is accomplished by evaporating one liquid surface on the hot side of the CPL and condensing the vapor produced onto another liquid surface on the cold side. Capillary action, the phenomenon that causes paper towels to absorb spilled liquids, is used to "pump" the liquid back to the evaporating liquid surface (hot side) to complete the "loop." CPL's require no power to operate and can transfer heat over distances as large as 30 ft or more. Their reliance upon evaporation and condensation to transfer heat makes them much more economical in terms of weight than conventional heat transfer systems. Unfortunately, they have proven to be unreliable in space operations, and the explanation for this unreliability has been elusive. The Capillary-Driven Heat Transfer (CHT) experiment is investigating the fundamental fluid physics phenomena thought to be responsible for the failure of CPL's in low-gravity operations. If the failure mechanism can be identified, then appropriate design modifications can be developed to make capillary phase-change heat-transport devices a more viable option in space applications. CHT was conducted onboard the Space Shuttle Columbia during the first Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) mission, STS-94, which flew from July 1 to 17, 1997. The CHT glovebox investigation, which was conceived by Dr. Kevin Hallinan and Jeffrey Allen of the University of Dayton, focused on studying the dynamics associated with the heating and cooling at the evaporating meniscus within a capillary phase-change device in a low-gravity environment. The CHT experimental hardware was designed by a small team of engineers from Aerospace Design & Fabrication (ADF), the NASA Lewis Research Center, and the University of Dayton. The hardware consisted of two experiment modules that each contained an instrumented test loop (idealized capillary-pumped loop), a base unit for power conversion and backlighting, a display unit with 15 LED's (light-emitting diodes) to display temperatures, pressure, heater power, and time, a control unit to select heaters and heater settings, a cooling fan, and associated cables.

Lekan, Jack F.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Cryogenic Thermal Distortion Performance Characterization for the JWST ISIM Structure

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) Structure is a precision optical metering structure for the JWST science instruments. Optomechanical performance requirements place stringent limits on the allowable thermal distortion of the metering structure between ambient and cryogenic operating temperature (~35 K). This paper focuses on thermal distortion testing and successful verification of performance requirements for the flight ISIM Structure. The ISIM Structure Cryoset Test was completed in Spring 2010 at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the Space Environment Simulator Chamber. During the test, the ISIM Structure was thermal cycled twice between ambient and cryogenic (~35 K) temperatures. Photogrammetry was used to measure the Structure in the ambient and cryogenic states for each cycle to assess both cooldown thermal distortion and repeatability. This paper will provide details on the post-processing of the metrology datasets completed to compare measurements with performance requirements.

Johnston, John D.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Sector Tests of a Low-NO(sub x), Lean, Direct- Injection, Multipoint Integrated Module Combustor Concept Conducted

The low-emissions combustor development described is directed toward advanced high pressure aircraft gas-turbine applications. The emphasis of this research is to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) at high-power conditions and to maintain carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons at their current low levels at low power conditions. Low-NOx combustors can be classified into rich-burn and lean-burn concepts. Lean-burn combustors can be further classified into lean-premixed-prevaporized (LPP) and lean direct injection (LDI) concepts. In both concepts, all the combustor air, except for liner cooling flow, enters through the combustor dome so that the combustion occurs at the lowest possible flame temperature. The LPP concept has been shown to have the lowest NOx emissions, but for advanced high-pressure-ratio engines, the possibility of autoignition or flashback precludes its use. LDI differs from LPP in that the fuel is injected directly into the flame zone, and thus, it does not have the potential for autoignition or flashback and should have greater stability. However, since it is not premixed and prevaporized, good atomization is necessary and the fuel must be mixed quickly and uniformly so that flame temperatures are low and NOx formation levels are comparable to those of LPP. The LDI concept described is a multipoint fuel injection/multiburning zone concept. Each of the multiple fuel injectors has an air swirler associated with it to provide quick mixing and a small recirculation zone for burning. The multipoint fuel injection provides quick, uniform mixing and the small multiburning zones provide for reduced burning residence time, resulting in low NOx formation. An integrated-module approach was used for the construction where chemically etched laminates, diffusion bonded together, combine the fuel injectors, air swirlers, and fuel manifold into a single element. The multipoint concept combustor was demonstrated in a 15 sector test. The configuration tested had 36 fuel injectors and fuel-air mixers that replaced two fuel injectors in a conventional dual-annular combustor. During tests, inlet temperatures were up to 870 K and inlet pressures were up to 5400 kPa. A correlation was developed that related the NOx emissions with the inlet temperature, inlet pressure, fuel-air ratio, and pressure drop. At low-power conditions, fuel staging was used so that high combustion efficiency was obtained with only one-fourth of the fuel injectors flowing. The test facility had optical access, and visual images showed the flame to be very short, approximately 25 mm long.

Tacina, Robert R.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Radar Waveform Pulse Analysis Measurement System for High-Power GaN Amplifiers

This work presents a measurement system to characterize the pulsed response of high-power GaN amplifiers for use in space-based SAR platforms that require very strict amplitude and phase stability. The measurement system is able to record and analyze data on three different time scales: fast, slow, and long, which allows for greater detail of the mechanisms that impact amplitude and phase stability. The system is fully automated through MATLAB, which offers both instrument control capability and in-situ data processing. To validate this system, a high-power GaN HEMT amplifier operated in saturation was characterized. The fast time results show that variations to the amplitude and phase are correlated to DC supply transients, while long time characteristics are correlated to temperature changes.

high-power amplifier (HPA)↗

NASA NTRS2008

Experimental Measurement of RCS Jet Interaction Effects on a Capsule Entry Vehicle

An investigation was made in NASA Langley Research Center s 31-Inch Mach 10 Tunnel to determine the effects of reaction-control system (RCS) jet interactions on the aft-body of a capsule entry vehicle. The test focused on demonstrating and improving advanced measurement techniques that would aid in the rapid measurement and visualization of jet interaction effects for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle while providing data useful for developing engineering models or validation of computational tools used to assess actual flight environments. Measurements included global surface imaging with pressure and temperature sensitive paints and three-dimensional flow visualization with a scanning planar laser induced fluorescence technique. The wind tunnel model was fabricated with interchangeable parts for two different aft-body configurations. The first, an Apollo-like configuration, was used to focus primarily on the forward facing roll and yaw jet interactions which are known to have significant aft-body heating augmentation. The second, an early Orion Crew Module configuration (4-cluster jets), was tested blowing only out of the most windward yaw jet, which was expected to have the maximum heating augmentation for that configuration. Jet chamber pressures and tunnel flow conditions were chosen to approximate early Apollo wind tunnel test conditions. Maximum heating augmentation values measured for the Apollo-like configuration (>10 for forward facing roll jet and 4 for yaw jet) using temperature sensitive paint were shown to be similar to earlier experimental results (Jones and Hunt, 1965) using a phase change paint technique, but were acquired with much higher surface resolution. Heating results for the windward yaw jet on the Orion configuration had similar augmentation levels, but affected much less surface area. Numerical modeling for the Apollo-like yaw jet configuration with laminar flow and uniform jet outflow conditions showed similar heating patterns, qualitatively, but also showed significant variation with jet exit divergence angle, with as much as 25 percent variation in heat flux intensity for a 10 degree divergence angle versus parallel outflow. These results along with the fabrication methods and advanced measurement techniques developed will be used in the next phase of testing and evaluation for the updated Orion RCS configuration.

Buck, Gregory M.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Thermal Cycling of Mir Cooperative Solar Array (MCSA) Test Panels

The Mir Cooperative Solar Array (MCSA) project was a joint US/Russian effort to build a photovoltaic (PV) solar array and deliver it to the Russian space station Mir. The MCSA is currently being used to increase the electrical power on Mir and provide PV array performance data in support of Phase 1 of the International Space Station (ISS), which will use arrays based on the same solar cells used in the MCSA. The US supplied the photovoltaic power modules (PPMs) and provided technical and programmatic oversight while Russia provided the array support structures and deployment mechanism and built and tested the array. In order to ensure that there would be no problems with the interface between US and Russian hardware, an accelerated thermal life cycle test was performed at NASA Lewis Research Center on two representative samples of the MCSA. Over an eight-month period (August 1994 - March 1995), two 15-cell MCSA solar array 'mini' panel test articles were simultaneously put through 24,000 thermal cycles (+80 C to -100 C), equivalent to four years on-orbit. The test objectives, facility, procedure and results are described in this paper. Post-test inspection and evaluation revealed no significant degradation in the structural integrity of the test articles and no electrical degradation, not including one cell damaged early as an artifact of the test and removed from consideration. The interesting nature of the performance degradation caused by this one cell, which only occurred at elevated temperatures, is discussed. As a result of this test, changes were made to improve some aspects of the solar cell coupon-to-support frame interface on the flight unit. It was concluded from the results that the integration of the US solar cell modules with the Russian support structure would be able to withstand at least 24,000 thermal cycles (4 years on-orbit).

Hoffman, David J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Phase-locked telemetry system for rotary instrumentation of turbomachinery, phase 1

A telemetry system for use in making strain and temperature measurements on the rotating components of high speed turbomachines employs phase locked transmitters, which offer greater measurement channel capacity and reliability than existing systems which employ L-C carrier oscillators. A prototype transmitter module was tested at 175 C combined with 40,000 g's acceleration.

Adler, A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Characterization of the LANDSAT sensors' spatial responses

The characteristics of the thematic mapper (TM) and multispectral scanner (MSS) sensors on LANDSATs 4 and 5 affecting their spatial responses are described, and functions defining the response of the system to an arbitrary input spatial pattern are derived, i.e., transfer functions (TF) and line spread functions (LSF). These design LSF's and TF's were modified based on prelaunch component and system measurements to provide improved estimates. Prelaunch estimates of LSF/FT's are compared to in-orbit estimates. For the MSS instruments, only limited prelaunch scan direction square-wave response (SWR) data were available. Design estimates were modified by convolving in Gaussian blur till the derived LSF/TF's produced SWR's comparable to the measurements. The two MSS instruments were comparable at their temperatures of best focus; separate calculations were performed for bands 1 and 3, band 2 and band 4. The pre-sample nadir effective instantaneous field's of view (EIFOV's) based on the .5 modulation transfer function (MTF) criteria vary from 70 to 75 meters in the track direction and 79 to 82 meters in the scan direction. For the TM instruments more extensive prelaunch measurements were available. Bands 1 to 4, 5 and 7, and 6 were handled separately as were the two instruments. Derived MTF's indicate nadir pre-sample EIFOV's of 32 to 33 meter track (bands 1 to 5, 7) and 36 meter scan (bands 1 to 5, 7) and 1245 meter track (band 6) and 141 meter scan (band 6) for both TM's.

Markham, B. L.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Hyperfiltration wash water recovery subsystem - Design and test results

The Hyperfiltration Wash Water Recovery (HWWR) subsystem, designed to offer low-power high-volume wash water purification for extended mission spacecraft, is discussed in terms of preprototype design and configuration. Heated wash water collected from the shower, hand wash, and laundry flows into a temperature-controlled (374 K) waste storage tank. Two parallel 25 micron absolute filters at the tank outlet remove large particles from the feed stream. A positive displacement feed pump delivers wash water to the hyperfiltration module at a constant flow rate of 0.20 lpm with discharge pressure variations from 4181-7239 Kpa. The hyperfiltration membrane module is a single-pass design including 36 porous stainless steel tubes, and is designed to provide an approximate water recovery rate of 90 percent. Permeate and brine water flows are monitored by flow meters, and removal of urea and ammonia is achieved by adding 15 percent NaOCl solution to the permeate fluid stream. An alternate module design using two diameters of tubing (allowing a smaller pressure drop and a larger membrane area) gave a superior predicted performance over the first module with larger tubing throughout.

Reysa, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Fiber optic and laser sensors IV; Proceedings of the Meeting, Cambridge, MA, Sept. 22-24, 1986

The conference presents papers on industrial uses of fiber optic sensors, point and distributed polarimetric optical fiber sensors, fiber optic electric field sensor technology, micromachined resonant structures, single-mode fibers for sensing applications, and measurement techniques for magnetic field gradient detection. Consideration is also given to electric field meter and temperature measurement techniques for the power industry, the calibration of high-temperature fiber-optic microbend pressure transducers, and interferometric sensors for dc measurands. Other topics include the recognition of colors and collision avoidance in robotics using optical fiber sensors, the loss compensation of intensity-modulating fiber-optic sensors, and an embedded optical fiber strain tensor for composite structure applications.

De Paula, Ramon P.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Automated Heat-Flux-Calibration Facility

Computer control speeds operation of equipment and processing of measurements. New heat-flux-calibration facility developed at Lewis Research Center. Used for fast-transient heat-transfer testing, durability testing, and calibration of heat-flux gauges. Calibrations performed at constant or transient heat fluxes ranging from 1 to 6 MW/m2 and at temperatures ranging from 80 K to melting temperatures of most materials. Facility developed because there is need to build and calibrate very-small heat-flux gauges for Space Shuttle main engine (SSME).Includes lamp head attached to side of service module, an argon-gas-recirculation module, reflector, heat exchanger, and high-speed positioning system. This type of automated heat-flux calibration facility installed in industrial plants for onsite calibration of heat-flux gauges measuring fluxes of heat in advanced gas-turbine and rocket engines.

Liebert, Curt H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Passive remote sensing of stratospheric and mesospheric winds

A passive infrared sensor is described for remote sounding of the wind field in the stratosphere and mesosphere from near Earth orbital spacecraft. The instrument uses gas correlation spectroscopy together with electro-optic phase modulation techniques to measure winds in the 20- to 120-km altitude range globally, both in the day and at night, and with a vertical resolution of better than the atmospheric scale height. Measurement of temperature and the amounts of key atmospheric species may also be made simultaneously and in coincident fields of view with the wind observations. The sensor is currently being developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a candidate for the upcoming NASA Earth Observation System.

Mccleese, Daniel J.↗

NASA NTRS1995

A multiwavelength campaign of active stars with intermediate rotation rates

Near-to-simultaneous ultraviolet and visual spectroscopy of two moderate nu(sin i) RS CVn systems, V815 Herculis (nu(sin i) = 27 km s(exp -1)) and LM Pegasi (nu(sin i) = 24 km s(exp -1)), are presented along with contemporaneous UBV (RI)(sub c) - band photometry. These data were used to probe inhomogeneities in the chromospheres and photospheres, and the possible relationship between them. Both systems show evidence for rotationally modulated chromospheric emission, generally varying in antiphase to the photospheric brightness. A weak flare was observed at Mg II for V815 Her. In the case of IM Peg, we use photometry and spectra to estimate temperatures, sizes, and locations of photospheric spots. Further constraints on the spot temperature is provided by TiO observations. For IM Peg, the anticorrelation between chromospheric emission and brightness is discussed in the context of a possible solar-like spot cycle.

Dempsey, Robert C.↗

NASA NTRS2001

A Time-Frequency Analysis of the Effects of Solar Activities on Tropospheric Thermodynamics

Whether the Sun has significantly influenced the climate during the last century has been under extensive debates for almost two decades. Since the solar irradiance varies very little in a solar cycle, it is puzzling that some geophysical parameters show proportionally large variations which appear to be responding to the solar cycles. For example, variation in low altitude clouds is shown correlated with solar cycle, and the onset of Forbush decrease is shown correlated with the reduction of the vorticity area index. A possible sun-climate connection is that galactic cosmic rays modulated by solar activities influence cloud formation. In this paper, we apply wavelet transform to satellite and surface data to examine this hypothesis. Data analyzed include the time series for solar irradiance, sunspots, UV index, temperature, cloud coverage, and neutron counter measurements. The interactions among the elements in the Earth System under the external and internal forcings give out very complex signals.The periodicity of the forcings or signals could range widely. Since wavelet transforms can analyze multi-scale phenomena that are both localized in frequency and time, it is a very useful technique for detecting, understanding and monitoring climate changes.

Kiang, Richard K.↗