Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Membrane systems”

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.

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

At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2019

Planetary Water Recycling Systems Trade Study

Long-term planetary space missions present new and unique challenges in life-support systems. Water constitutes the majority of the mass required to sustain human life in space and it follows that efficient water recycling has the potential to lower mission costs. The effect of partial gravity in planetary missions mean that terrestrial systems could be applicable. This trade study evaluates terrestrial and NASA developed water recycling technologies on the basis of applicability as a planetary base water recycling systems. Various bioreactors, membrane reactors, filtration, and district water reclamation systems are investigated and rated based on several standardized parameters. A customer-oriented Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is utilized to analyze the ratings of the technologies for the tasks required. The trade study aims to rank the various systems based on their Equivalent System Mass (ESM), Technology Readiness Level (TRL), scalability, crew time, and overall logistics requirements, among others. The results of the study can serve as a basis for future inquiries and studies by NASA and other interested parties. The results of this study provide a down selection from 24 systems to 5 systems that trade very close to each other. The results provide a context and justification for a future comparative hardware test program to determine which of these systems offer the best solution.

Flynn, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2010

Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae (OMEGA: A System for Biofuel Production, Wastewater Treatment, and CO2 Sequestration

We are developing Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae (OMEGA). OMEGAs are closed photo-bioreactors constructed of flexible, inexpensive, and durable plastic with small sections of semi-permeable membranes for gas exchange and forward osmosis (FO). Each OMEGA modules is filled with municipal wastewater and provided with CO2 from coastal CO2 sources. The OMEGA modules float just below the surface, and the surrounding seawater provides structural support, temperature control, and mixing for the freshwater algae cultures inside. The salinit7 gradient from inside to outside drives forward osmosis through the patches of FO membranes. This concentrates nutrients in the wastewater, which enhances algal growth, and slowly dewaters the algae, which facilitates harvesting. Thy concentrated algal biomass is harvested for producing biofuels and fertilizer. OMEGA system cleans the wastewater released into the surrounding coastal waters and functions as a carbon sequestration system.

Trent, Jonathan↗
NASA NTRS1977

Anion exchange membranes for electrochemical oxidation-reduction energy storage system

Oxidation-reduction couples in concentrated solutions separated by appropriate ion selective membranes were considered as an attractive approach to bulk electrical energy storage. A key problem is the development of the membrane. Several promising types of anionic membranes are discussed which were developed and evaluated for redox energy storage systems. The copolymers of ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate with either 2-vinylpyridine or vinylbenzl chloride gave stable resistance values compared to the copolymer of vinylbenzlchloride and divinylbenzene which served as the baseline membrane. A polyvinylchloride film aminated with tetraethylenepentamine had a low resistance but a high ion transfer rate. A slurry coated vinylpyridine had the lowest ion transfer rate. All these membranes functioned well in laboratory cells at ambient temperatures with the acidic chloride oxidant/reductant system, Fe 3, Fe 2/Ti 3, Ti 4.

Odonnell, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Recent Advances in Heliogyro Solar Sail Structural Dynamics, Stability, and Control Research

Results from recent NASA sponsored research on the structural dynamics, stability, and control characteristics of heliogyro solar sails are summarized. Specific areas under investigation include coupled nonlinear finite element analysis of heliogyro membrane blade with solar radiation pressure effects, system identification of spinning membrane structures, and solarelastic stability analysis of heliogyro solar sails, including stability during blade deployment. Recent results from terrestrial 1-g blade dynamics and control experiments on "rope ladder" membrane blade analogs, and small-scale in vacuo system identification experiments with hanging and spinning high-aspect ratio membranes will also be presented. A low-cost, rideshare payload heliogyro technology demonstration mission concept is used as a mission context for these heliogyro structural dynamics and solarelasticity investigations, and is also described. Blade torsional dynamic response and control are also shown to be significantly improved through the use of edge stiffening structural features or inclusion of modest tip masses to increase centrifugal stiffening of the blade structure. An output-only system identification procedure suitable for on-orbit blade dynamics investigations is also developed and validated using ground tests of spinning sub-scale heliogyro blade models. Overall, analytical and experimental investigations to date indicate no intractable stability or control issues for the heliogyro solar sail concept.

Wilkie, W. Keats↗
NASA NTRS2013

Reduced Volume Prototype Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator; A Next-Generation Evaporative Cooling System for the Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit Portable Life Support System

Development of the Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AEMU) portable life support subsystem (PLSS) is currently under way at NASA Johnson Space Center. The AEMU PLSS features a new evaporative cooling system, the reduced volume prototype (RVP) spacesuit water membrane evaporator (SWME). The RVP SWME is the third generation of hollow fiber SWME hardware. Like its predecessors, RVP SWME provides nominal crew member and electronics cooling by flowing water through porous hollow fibers. Water vapor escapes through the hollow fiber pores, thereby cooling the liquid water that remains inside of the fibers. This cooled water is then recirculated to remove heat from the crew member and PLSS electronics. Major design improvements, including a 36% reduction in volume, reduced weight, and a more flight-like backpressure valve, facilitate the packaging of RVP SWME in the AEMU PLSS envelope. The development of these evaporative cooling systems will contribute to a more robust and comprehensive AEMU PLSS.

Makinen, Janice V.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Flavonoid accumulation patterns of transparent testa mutants of arabidopsis

Flavonoids have been implicated in the regulation of auxin movements in Arabidopsis. To understand when and where flavonoids may be acting to control auxin movement, the flavonoid accumulation pattern was examined in young seedlings and mature tissues of wild-type Arabidopsis. Using a variety of biochemical and visualization techniques, flavonoid accumulation in mature plants was localized in cauline leaves, pollen, stigmata, and floral primordia, and in the stems of young, actively growing inflorescences. In young Landsberg erecta seedlings, aglycone flavonols accumulated developmentally in three regions, the cotyledonary node, the hypocotyl-root transition zone, and the root tip. Aglycone flavonols accumulated at the hypocotyl-root transition zone in a developmental and tissue-specific manner with kaempferol in the epidermis and quercetin in the cortex. Quercetin localized subcellularly in the nuclear region, plasma membrane, and endomembrane system, whereas kaempferol localized in the nuclear region and plasma membrane. The flavonoid accumulation pattern was also examined in transparent testa mutants blocked at different steps in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. The transparent testa mutants were shown to have precursor accumulation patterns similar to those of end product flavonoids in wild-type Landsberg erecta, suggesting that synthesis and end product accumulation occur in the same cells.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2005

Dynamic and Static Shape Test/Analysis Correlation of a 10 Meter Quadrant Solar Sail

This paper describes finite element analyses and correlation studies to predict deformations and vibration modes/frequencies of a 10-meter quadrant solar sail system. Thin film membranes and booms were analyzed at the component and system-level. The objective was to verify the design and structural responses of the sail system and to mature solar sail technology to a TRL 5. The focus of this paper is in test/analysis correlation.

Taleghani, Barmac K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Model system studies with a phase separated membrane bioreactor

The operation and evaluation of a bioreactor designed for high intensity oxygen transfer in a microgravity environment is described. The reactor itself consists of a zero headspace liquid phase separated from the air supply by a long length of silicone rubber tubing through which the oxygen diffuses in and the carbon dioxide diffuses out. Mass transfer studies show that the oxygen is film diffusion controlled both externally and internally to the tubing and not by diffusion across the tube walls. Methods of upgrading the design to eliminate these resistances are proposed. Cell growth was obtained in the fermenter using Saccharomyces cerevisiae showing that this concept is capable of sustaining cell growth in the terrestial simulation.

Petersen, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

High-Precision Shape Control of In-Space Deployable Large Membrane/Thin-Shell Reflectors

This innovation has been developed to improve the resolutions of future spacebased active and passive microwave antennas for earth-science remote sensing missions by maintaining surface figure precisions of large membrane/thin-shell reflectors during orbiting. The intention is for these sensing instruments to be deployable at orbit altitudes one or two orders of magnitude higher than Low Earth Orbit (LEO), but still being able to acquire measurements at spatial resolution and sensitivity similar to those of LEO. Because active and passive microwave remote sensors are able to penetrate through clouds to acquire vertical profile measurements of geophysical parameters, it is desirable to elevate them to the higher orbits to obtain orbital geometries that offer large spatial coverage and more frequent observations. This capability is essential for monitoring and for detailed understanding of the life cycles of natural hazards, such as hurricanes, tropical storms, flash floods, and tsunamis. Major components of this high-precision antenna-surface-control system include a membrane/thin shell reflector, a metrology sensor, a controller, actuators, and corresponding power amplifier and signal conditioning electronics (see figure). Actuators are attached to the back of the reflector to produce contraction/ expansion forces to adjust the shape of the thin-material reflector. The wavefront-sensing metrology system continuously measures the surface figure of the reflector, converts the surface figure to digital data and feeds the data to the controller. The controller determines the control parameters and generates commands to the actuator system. The flexible, piezoelectric polymer actuators are thus activated, providing the control forces needed to correct any distortions that exist in the reflector surface. Piezoelectric polymer actuators are very thin and flexible. They can be implemented on the back of the membrane/thin-shell reflector without introducing significant amounts of mass or stiffness to the reflector. They can be rolled up or folded to accommodate the packaging needed for launch. An analytical model of the system, which includes the membrane reflector, actuator, and controller has been developed to investigate the functionality of this control system on a 35-meter-diameter membrane reflector. The performance of this system under external disturbances such as in space thermal loads and W-error due to inflation has been investigated. A subscale breadboard has been developed, and the functionality of this control concept has been demonstrated by this breadboard.

Watkins, Ronald↗
NASA NTRS2004

Integrity of Ceramic Parts Predicted When Loads and Temperatures Fluctuate Over Time

Brittle materials are being used, and being considered for use, for a wide variety of high performance applications that operate in harsh environments, including static and rotating turbine parts for unmanned aerial vehicles, auxiliary power units, and distributed power generation. Other applications include thermal protection systems, dental prosthetics, fuel cells, oxygen transport membranes, radomes, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). In order for these high-technology ceramics to be used successfully for structural applications that push the envelope of materials capabilities, design engineers must consider that brittle materials are designed and analyzed differently than metallic materials. Unlike ductile metals, brittle materials display a stochastic strength response because of the combination of low fracture toughness and the random nature of the size, orientation, and distribution of inherent microscopic flaws. This plus the fact that the strength of a component under load may degrade over time because of slow crack growth means that a probabilistic-based life-prediction methodology must be used when the tradeoffs of failure probability, performance, and useful life are being optimized. The CARES/Life code (which was developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center) predicts the probability of ceramic components failing from spontaneous catastrophic rupture when these components are subjected to multiaxial loading and slow crack growth conditions. Enhancements to CARES/Life now allow for the component survival probability to be calculated when loading and temperature vary over time.

Nemeth, Noel N.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Recent Progress in Heliogyro Solar Sail Structural Dynamics

Results from recent National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research on the structural dynamics and control characteristics of heliogyro solar sails are summarized. Specific areas under investigation include coupled nonlinear finite element analysis of heliogyro membrane blade with solar radiation pressure effects, system identification of spinning membrane structures, solarelastic stability analysis of heliogyro solar sails, including stability during blade deployment, and results from small-scale in vacuo dynamics experiments with spinning high-aspect ratio membranes. A low-cost, rideshare payload heliogyro technology demonstration mission concept, used as a mission context for these heliogyro structural dynamics and solarelasticity investigations, is also described.

Wilkie, William K.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Space Technology Game Changing Development: Synthetic Biological Membrane

The goal of this project is to use synthetic biology techniques to develop biomimetic FO membranes that can self-repair when exposed to chemical and physical damage, as well as radiation and fouling. The self-repair capability is derived from the regenerative characteristics of living systems. Ultimately, this living membrane will be used to extend the operating life and improve the performance of membrane-based life support systems currently being used by NASA.Biological membranes are primarily composed of lipid bilayers. Lipids are organic compounds that, due to their polar hydrophobic fatty acid tails per lipid molecule, are able to self-assemble spontaneously. The lipid bilayer acts as a selective barrier, letting only specific molecules cross the membrane. Recent research into membranes for Next Generation Life Support (NGLS) applications has identified a type of FO membrane that can function as a biomimetic structure.

Flynn, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2011

NASA Glenn Research Center Electrochemistry Branch Battery and Fuel Cell Development Overview

This presentation covers an overview of NASA Glenn s history and heritage in the development of electrochemical systems for aerospace applications. Current developments related to batteries and fuel cells are addressed. Specific areas of focus are Li-ion batteries and Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cells systems and their development for future Exploration missions.

Manzo, Michelle A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

NASA Glenn Research Center Electrochemistry Branch Overview

This presentation covers an overview of NASA Glenn's history and heritage in the development of electrochemical systems for aerospace applications. Current programs related to batteries and fuel cells are addressed. Specific areas of focus are Li-ion batteries and Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cells systems and their development for future Exploration missions. The presentation covers details of current component development efforts for high energy and ultra high energy Li-ion batteries and non-flow-through fuel cell stack and balance of plant development. Electrochemistry Branch capabilities and facilities are also addressed.

Manzo, Michelle A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Space power systems technology

Reported here is a series of studies which examine several potential catalysts and electrodes for some fuel cell systems, some materials for space applications, and mathematical modeling and performance predictions for some solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers. The fuel cell systems have a potential for terrestrial applications in addition to solar energy conversion in space applications. Catalysts and electrodes for phosphoric acid fuel cell systems and for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell and electrolyzer systems were examined.

Coulman, George A.↗