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At least 1,117 records · Page 62

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Alternative Treatment of Crew Wastewater Using a Hybrid Membrane Technology

Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) of future long-duration, deep-space human exploration missions should treat all “waste” streams for recovery and ideally by near closed-loop. Onboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Water Recovery System (WRS) does not treat urine and gray water to recover elements beyond water and utilizes physical-chemical technologies that operate with single-use and hazardous consumables. Urine offers a renewable source of nitrogen and other trace elements that can support sustainable crop production. In response to the lack of flight ready technologies capable of treating urine and gray water for water and nutrient recovery, a Suspended Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (SAMBR) is under development between the University of South Florida and Kennedy Space Center. SAMBR is optimized for an early planetary base/partial gravity habitat and serves as a hybrid alternative to currently utilized urine treatment technologies and support closing the resource recovery loop. With its ECLSS minded form factor and modular design, SAMBR’s operation can be customized to suit the treatment objectives (i.e., nitrogen conversion) at that time. This proceeding presents preliminary research pertaining to: 1) design challenges in maximizing hydraulic throughput while minimizing mass and volume of the assembly; 2) capabilities for treating high nitrogen waste under steady and non-steady state conditions; and 3) measured performance parameters such chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen conversion, nutrients, turbidity, and system throughput. Future research and development pertaining to further optimization on system safety, reliability, and expanded treatment capabilities will also be presented.

Membrane Filtration↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Prototype Early Planetary Organic Processor Assembly (OPA) Based on Dual-Stage Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR) for Fecal and Food Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery

Long-duration, deep-space exploration and habitation missions demand robust and reliable technologies to ensure crew health, safety, and mission success. Local food production will be essential for crew nutrition and morale. However, at $10,000/lb, the payload costs and mass/volume limitations to transport and provide the necessary resources, including fertilizer, for an anticipated 30-month mission become challenging over time. For mission success and sustainability, the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) of the near future will need to recover resources from all “waste” sources and be near-closed loop. Organic wastes (e.g., fecal and food) offer a renewable source of C, N, P, water and other trace elements necessary to sustain crop production. However, these high solidwastes are often difficult to treatdue to factors includingheterogeneity, complexity, high organic strength, and the presence of pathogens. To date, there is no flight-ready technology capable of treating mixed organic wastes, creating a technology gap for future space missions. To address this need, a prototype Organic Processor Assembly (OPA) was developed through collaboration between the University of South Florida (USF) and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The OPA is based on the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR), a hybrid technology coupling high-rate anaerobic digestion with membrane filtration. The system is designed for an early planetary base (EPB) scenario to aid in closing the resource recovery loop and decreaseresupply dependence. This presentation discusses initial research pertaining to: 1) design challenges in maximizing hydraulic/organic throughputandReliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety(RAMS)while minimizingmass and volume; 2) create capabilities for treating simulated high solids waste under steady and non-steady state conditions; and 3) measuresolids performance parameter(s). Future research and development pertaining to further optimization on system operation, performance, and expanded treatment capabilities arepresented.

Bioreactor↗

DOE OSTI2021

Practical Challenges in Real-Time Demand Response

We report on a real-time demand response experiment with 100 controllable devices. The experiment reveals several key challenges in the deployment of a real-time demand response program, including time delays, uncertainties, characterization errors, multiple timescales, and nonlinearity, which have been largely ignored in previous studies. To resolve these practical issues, we develop and implement a two-level multi-loop control structure integrating feed-forward proportional-integral controllers and optimization solvers in closed loops, which eliminates steady-state errors and improves the dynamical performance of the overall building response. Furthermore, the proposed methods are validated by Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) tests.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NASA NTRS1990

Active control of aerothermoelastic effects for a conceptual hypersonic aircraft

Procedures for and results of aeroservothermoelastic studies are described. The objectives of these studies were to develop the necessary procedures for performing an aeroelastic analysis of an aerodynamically heated vehicle and to analyze a configuration in the classical cold state and in a hot state. Major tasks include the development of the structural and aerodynamic models, open loop analyses, design of active control laws for improving dynamic responses and analyses of the closed loop vehicles. The analyses performed focused on flutter speed calculations, short period eigenvalue trends and statistical analyses of the vehicle response to controls and turbulence. Improving the ride quality of the vehicle and raising the flutter boundary of the aerodynamically-heated vehicle up to that of the cold vehicle were the objectives of the control law design investigations.

Heeg, Jennifer↗

NASA NTRS1989

Single chip fixed frequency bit synchronizer

A single chip, fixed frequency suboptimum bit synchronizer design which was implemented utilizing a programmable logic device is described. The bit synchronizer is modeled after a digital transition tracking loop for symbol estimation and employs a first-order incremental phase modulator for closed-loop symbol synchronization. The BER and tracking performance is modeled and compared to optimum designs. The bit synchronizer was developed for the Space Shuttle.

Butler, Madeline J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Active control of aerothermoelastic effects for a conceptual hypersonic aircraft

This paper describes the procedures for an results of aeroservothermoelastic studies. The objectives of these studies were to develop the necessary procedures for performing an aeroelastic analysis of an aerodynamically heated vehicle and to analyze a configuration in the classical 'cold' state and in a 'hot' state. Major tasks include the development of the structural and aerodynamic models, open loop analyses, design of active control laws for improving dynamic responses and analyses of the closed loop vehicles. The analyses performed focused on flutter speed calculations, short period eigenvalue trends and statistical analyses of the vehicle response to controls and turbulence. Improving the ride quality of the vehicle and raising the flutter boundary of the aerodynamically-heated vehicle up to that of the cold vehicle were the objectives of the control law design investigations.

Heeg, Jennifer↗

DOE OSTI2026

Loop series expansions for tensor networks

Belief propagation (BP) can be a useful tool to approximately contract a tensor network, provided that the contributions from any closed loops in the network are sufficiently weak. In this article, we describe how a loop series expansion can be applied to systematically improve the accuracy of a BP approximation to a tensor network contraction, in principle converging arbitrarily close to the exact result. More generally, our result provides a framework for expanding a tensor network as a sum of component networks in a hierarchy of increasing complexity. We benchmark this proposal for the contraction of infinite projected entangled pair states, either representing the ground state of an Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki (AKLT) model or with randomly defined tensors, where it is shown to improve in accuracy over standard BP by several orders of magnitude while incurring only a minor increase in computational cost. These results indicate that the proposed series expansions could be a useful tool to accurately evaluate tensor networks in cases that otherwise exceed the limits of established contraction routines.

Evenbly, Glen [AWS Center for Quantum Computing, P↗

NASA NTRS1965

Collapsible truss structure is automatically expandable

Coil springs wound with maximum initial tension in a three-truss, closed loop structure form a collapsible truss structure. The truss automatically expands and provides excellent rigidity and close dimensional tolerance when expanded.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1971

Dynamic testing of a single-degree-of-freedom strapdown gyroscope

Test methods and results are presented for the equivalent average input rate of a single-degree-of-freedom gyroscope operated both open loop and with a ternary-logic pulse-torque-to-balance loop during multiaxis angular oscillation. For the open-loop tests, good agreement was obtained with theoretical results. Two-axis testing was performed for oscillations about the Input-Output axes, the Input-Spin axes, and the Spin-Output axes. These tests run in the torque-to-balance mode revealed significant departures from open-loop results in the induced drift rate. An analysis is developed explaining much of the closed-loop data presented. Test data for the gryoscope in a ternary torque-to-balance loop with constant input rates is presented. The tests demonstrate that the instrument rate linearity does not change with interrogation frequency from 3,600 to 14,400 Hz if the torque coil is tuned to offer a resistive load to the current switch. Analysis cited shows that gyroscope lag compensation eliminates multiple pulsing and other equivalent forms of degraded resolution in a wide variety of quantizing loops. This result is test verified for the ternary delta-modulator loop.

Lory, C. B.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Effects of display format on pilot describing function and remnant

As part of a program to develop a comprehensive theory of manual control displays, six display formats were used by three instrument-rated pilots to regulate against random disturbances with a controlled element under both foveal and 10 deg parafoveal viewing conditions. The six display formats were: CRT line, CRT thermometer bar, 14-bar quantized on a CRT, a rotary dial and pointer, and two variations of a moving scale tape-drive. All were scaled to equivalent movement and apparent brightness. Measures included overall performance, describing functions, error remnant power spectra, critical instability scores, and subjective display ratings. The results show that the main effect of display format is on the loop closure properties. Less desirable displays induce lower bandwidth closures with consequent effects on the closed-loop remnant and performance.

Jex, H. R.↗

NASA NTRS1982

A method for determining the flight readiness of the integrated Space Shuttle system

The Space Shuttle Dynamic Integrated Test (DIT) system is described. The DIT is an open-loop system which makes no attempt to simulate Shuttle sensors, and by which the Shuttle redundancy management system is left unmodified. Open-loop operation is shown to inherently require less computing capacity during a test than the closed-loop alternative. DIT tests have generated a high degree of confidence in the Shuttle hardware, allowing the identification of such problems as a sluggish main fuel valve, which caused a countdown hold seconds before the simulated T-zero, and Main Engine Controller software malfunctions. Attention is given to the combination and substitution of sensor data, the modification of nominal flight software, and the preparation of simulation data. It is noted that greater performance would have been achieved if the interface with DIT had been a design requirement from the outset of Space Shuttle development.

Bacon, I.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Robust Kalman filter design for active flutter suppression systems

Additional insight is provided into the use of the Doyle-Stein (1979, 1981) technique in aeroelastic control problems by examining the application of the method to a flutter control problem. The system to be controlled consists of a full-size wind tunnel model of a wing, plus an aileron, an actuator, and an accelerometer used to sense the motion of the wing. A full-state feedback controller was designed using linear optimal control theory, and a Kalman filter was used in the feedback loop for state estimation. The filter design procedure is explained along with that to improve closed-loop properties of the system. The locus of the poles of the filter is examined as a scalar design parameter is varied. The Doyle-Stein design procedure is shown to substantially improve the stability properties of an active flutter controller designed using the linear quadratic Gaussian control theory.

Garrard, W. L.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Piloted simulator evaluation of a relaxed static stability fighter at high angle-of-attack

A piloted simulator evaluation of the stability and control characteristics of a relaxed static stability fighter aircraft was conducted using a differential maneuvering simulator. The primary purpose of the simulation was to evaluate the effectiveness of the limiters in preventing departure from controlled flight. The simulation was conducted in two phases, the first consisting of open-loop point stability evaluations over a range of subsonic flight conditions, the second concentrating on closed-loop tracking of a preprogrammed target in low speed, high angle-of-attack air combat maneuvering. The command limiters were effective in preventing departure from controlled flight while permitting competent levels of sustained maneuvering. Parametric variations during the study included the effects of pitch control power and wing-body static margin. Stability and control issues were clearly shown to impact the configuration design.

Lapins, M.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Interaction of the Space Shuttle on-orbit autopilot with tether dynamics

The effect of Orbiter flight control on tether dynamics is studied by simulation. Open-loop effects of Orbiter jet firing on tether dynamics are shown, and the potential for closed-loop interaction between tether dynamics and Orbiter flight control is determined. The significance of these effects on Orbiter flight control and tether control is assessed.

Bergmann, Edward V.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Piloted simulator assessments of agility

NASA has utilized piloted simulators for nearly two decades to study high-angle-of-attack flying qualities, agility, and air-to-air combat. These studies have included assessments of an F-16XL aircraft equipped with thrust vectoring, an assessment of the F-18 HARV maneuvering requirements to assist in thrust vectoring control system design, and an agility assessment of the F-18. The F-18 agility assessment was compared with in-flight testing. Open-loop maneuvers such as 180-deg rolls to measure roll rate showed favorable simulator/in-flight comparison. Closed-loop maneuvers such as rolls to 90 deg with precision stops or certain maximum longitudinal pitching maneuvers showed poorer performance due to reduced aggressiveness of pilot inputs in flight to remain within flight envelope limits.

Schneider, Edward T.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Hybrid suboptimal control of multi-rate multi-loop sampled-data systems

A hybrid state-space controller is developed for suboptimal digital control of multirate multiloop multivariable continuous-time systems. First, an LQR is designed for a continuous-time subsystem which has a large bandwidth and is connnected in the inner loop of the overall system. The designed LQR would optimally place the eigenvalues of a closed-loop subsystem in the common region of an open sector bounded by sector angles + or - pi/2k for k = 2 or 3 from the negative real axis and the left-hand side of a vertical line on the negative real axis in the s-plane. Then, the developed continuous-time state-feedback gain is converted into an equivalent fast-rate discrete-time state-feedback gain via a digital redesign technique (Tsai et al. 1989, Shieh et al. 1990) reviewed here. A real state reconstructor is redeveloped utilizing the fast-rate input-output data of the system of interest. The design procedure of multiloop multivariable systems using multirate samplers is shown, and a terminal homing missile system example is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Shieh, Leang S.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Microwave ice accretion meter

A system for indicating ice thickness and rate of ice thickness growth on surfaces is disclosed. The region to be monitored for ice accretion is provided with a resonant surface waveguide which is mounted flush, below the surface being monitored. A controlled oscillator provides microwave energy via a feed point at a controllable frequency. A detector is coupled to the surface waveguide and is responsive to electrical energy. A measuring device indicates the frequency deviation of the controlled oscillator from a quiescent frequency. A control means is provided to control the frequency of oscillation of the controlled oscillator. In a first, open-loop embodiment, the control means is a shaft operated by an operator. In a second, closed-loop embodiment, the control means is a processor which effects automatic control.

Magenheim, Bertram↗

NASA NTRS1991

An analytical and experimental study to investigate flutter suppression via piezoelectric actuation

The objective was to analytically and experimentally study the capabilities of adaptive material plate actuators for suppressing flutter. The validity of analytical modeling techniques for piezoelectric materials was also investigated. Piezoelectrics are materials which are characterized by their ability to produce voltage when subjected to a mechanical strain. The converse piezoelectric effect can be utilized to actuate a structure by applying a voltage. For this investigation, a two degree of freedom wind tunnel model was designed, analyzed, and tested. The model consisted of a rigid airfoil and a flexible mount system which permitted a translational and a rotational degree of freedom. It was designed such that flutter was encounted within the testing envelope of the wind tunnel. Actuators, made of piezoelectric material were affixed to leaf springs of the mount system. Each degree of freedom was controlled by a separate leaf spring. Command signals, applied to the piezoelectric actuators, exerted control over the damping and stiffness properties. A mathematical aeroservoelastic model was constructed using finite element methods, laminated plate theory, and aeroelastic analysis tools. Plant characteristics were determined from this model and verified by open loop experimental tests. A flutter suppression control law was designed and implemented on a digital control computer. Closed loop flutter testing was conducted. The experimental results represent the first time that adaptive materials have been used to actively suppress flutter. It demonstrates that small, carefully placed actuating plates can be used effectively to control aeroelastic response.

Heeg, Jennifer↗