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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 1,135 records · Page 63
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Procedures for shape optimization of gas turbine disks

Two procedures, the feasible direction method and sequential linear programming, for shape optimization of gas turbine disks are presented. The objective of these procedures is to obtain optimal designs of turbine disks with geometric and stress constraints. The coordinates of the selected points on the disk contours are used as the design variables. Structural weight, stress and their derivatives with respect to the design variables are calculated by an efficient finite element method for design senitivity analysis. Numerical examples of the optimal designs of a disk subjected to thermo-mechanical loadings are presented to illustrate and compare the effectiveness of these two procedures.

Cheu, Tsu-Chien↗
NASA NTRS2015

The Role of Margin in Link Design and Optimization

Link analysis is a system engineering process in the design, development, and operation of communication systems and networks. Link models that are mathematical abstractions representing the useful signal power and the undesirable noise and attenuation effects (including weather effects if the signal path transverses through the atmosphere) that are integrated into the link budget calculation that provides the estimates of signal power and noise power at the receiver. Then the link margin is applied which attempts to counteract the fluctuations of the signal and noise power to ensure reliable data delivery from transmitter to receiver. (Link margin is dictated by the link margin policy or requirements.) A simple link budgeting approach assumes link parameters to be deterministic values typically adopted a rule-of-thumb policy of 3 dB link margin. This policy works for most S- and X-band links due to their insensitivity to weather effects. But for higher frequency links like Ka-band, Ku-band, and optical communication links, it is unclear if a 3 dB link margin would guarantee link closure. Statistical link analysis that adopted the 2-sigma or 3-sigma link margin incorporates link uncertainties in the sigma calculation. (The Deep Space Network (DSN) link margin policies are 2-sigma for downlink and 3-sigma for uplink.) The link reliability can therefore be quantified statistically even for higher frequency links. However in the current statistical link analysis approach, link reliability is only expressed as the likelihood of exceeding the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) threshold that corresponds to a given bit-error-rate (BER) or frame-error-rate (FER) requirement. The method does not provide the true BER or FER estimate of the link with margin, or the required signalto-noise ratio (SNR) that would meet the BER or FER requirement in the statistical sense. In this paper, we perform in-depth analysis on the relationship between BER/FER requirement, operating SNR, and coding performance curve, in the case when the channel coherence time of link fluctuation is comparable or larger than the time duration of a codeword. We compute the "true" SNR design point that would meet the BER/FER requirement by taking into account the fluctuation of signal power and noise power at the receiver, and the shape of the coding performance curve. This analysis yields a number of valuable insights on the design choices of coding scheme and link margin for the reliable data delivery of a communication system - space and ground. We illustrate the aforementioned analysis using a number of standard NASA error-correcting codes.

Cheung, K.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Optimizing the Design Tunes of the Electron Storage Ring of the Electron-Ion Collider

The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) presently under construction at Brookhaven National Laboratory will collide polarized high energy electron beams with hadron beams with luminosities up to 10^34cm^{-2}s^{-1} in the center mass energy range of 20-140 GeV. Preliminary beam-beam simulations resulted in an optimum working point of (.08, .06) in the Electron Storage Ring (ESR). However, during the ESR polarization simulation study this working point was found to be less than optimal for electron polarization. In this article, we present beam-beam simulation results in a wide range tune scan to search for optimal ESR design tunes that are acceptable for both beam-beam and polarization performances.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1972

Automated design and optimization of flexible booster autopilots via linear programming. Volume 2: User's manual

COEBRA, the Computerized Optimization of Elastic Booster Autopilots, is an autopilot design program. The bulk of the design criteria is presented in the form of minimum allowed gain/phase stability margins. COEBRA has two optimization phases: (1) a phase to maximize stability margins; and (2) a phase to optimize structural bending moment load relief capability in the presence of minimum requirements on gain/phase stability margins.

Hauser, F. D.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Extending ORNL HPDM Capabilities for Design and Optimization of New Refrigerant Blends – FY18 1st Quarterly Milestone: Perform literature review to collect heat transfer, pressure drop correlations and compressor mapping method for alternative refrigerants

Through a comprehensive literature survey, we identified heat transfer and pressure drop correlations for two-phase evaporation and condensation in fin-and-tube coils using microfin tubes and micro-channel heat exchangers. We also developed a compressor mapping method to convert the maps originally developed for R-22 or R-410A to be used by the alternative lower GWP refrigerants. The correlations and method will be implemented in HPDM for design and optimization of air conditioners and heat pumps using the new refrigerants/blends.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2002

Turbopump Performance Improved by Evolutionary Algorithms

The development of design optimization technology for turbomachinery has been initiated using the multiobjective evolutionary algorithm under NASA's Intelligent Synthesis Environment and Revolutionary Aeropropulsion Concepts programs. As an alternative to the traditional gradient-based methods, evolutionary algorithms (EA's) are emergent design-optimization algorithms modeled after the mechanisms found in natural evolution. EA's search from multiple points, instead of moving from a single point. In addition, they require no derivatives or gradients of the objective function, leading to robustness and simplicity in coupling any evaluation codes. Parallel efficiency also becomes very high by using a simple master-slave concept for function evaluations, since such evaluations often consume the most CPU time, such as computational fluid dynamics. Application of EA's to multiobjective design problems is also straightforward because EA's maintain a population of design candidates in parallel. Because of these advantages, EA's are a unique and attractive approach to real-world design optimization problems.

Oyama, Akira↗
NASA NTRS1988

Active cooling design for scramjet engines using optimization methods

A methodology for using optimization in designing metallic cooling jackets for scramjet engines is presented. The optimal design minimizes the required coolant flow rate subject to temperature, mechanical-stress, and thermal-fatigue-life constraints on the cooling-jacket panels, and Mach-number and pressure contraints on the coolant exiting the panel. The analytical basis for the methodology is presented, and results for the optimal design of panels are shown to demonstrate its utility.

Scotti, Stephen J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Active cooling design for scramjet engines using optimization methods

A methodology for using optimization in designing metallic cooling jackets for scramjet engines is presented. The optimal design minimizes the required coolant flow rate subject to temperature, mechanical-stress, and thermal-fatigue-life constraints on the cooling-jacket panels, and Mach-number and pressure constraints on the coolant exiting the panel. The analytical basis for the methodology is presented, and results for the optimal design of panels are shown to demonstrate its utility.

Scotti, Stephen J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modular Hydronic Room Conditioning System (CRADA NFE-24-10120 Final Report)

This project presents the development and validation of high-fidelity numerical models for fin-tube heat exchangers to enable accurate performance prediction and informed design optimization. The modeling framework integrates detailed geometric specifications, thermophysical property data, and system-level constraints to simulate the heat exchanger’s behavior under a range of operating conditions. The model is calibrated using real-world product specifications and validated against experimental data collected from controlled cooling and heating tests. In cooling mode, the model captures the overall trends in capacity and outlet air temperature but tends to underpredict latent effects, especially at lower air flow rates. In heating mode, the simulation consistently overestimates both the thermal capacity and outlet air temperature, indicating the need for refinement in air-side heat transfer assumptions. Despite these deviations, the model provides a solid foundation for optimization, allowing key design variables to be tuned within physical and performance-based constraints. This research advances the ability to simulate, validate, and optimize fin-tube heat exchanger designs with greater confidence and efficiency.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS1991

Design of optimal second-order state estimators

The present consideration of the design of online computation-saving second-order state estimators for second-order vector-matrix differential systems proposes a class of such estimators which is proven to possess guaranteed convergence. A class of optimal second-order estimators is then obtained, and the conditions required for optimality are identified. The estimator proposed offers high performance in conjunction with online computation reductions sufficiently great to allow the estimation of the large number of state variables associated with control of large, flexible space structures represented by high-dimensional second-order systems.

Joshi, Suresh M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electrolyte Design and Optimization for Alkali Metal‐Sulfur Batteries

Alkali metal-sulfur batteries, including lithium-sulfur (Li-S), sodium-sulfur (Na-S), and potassium-sulfur (K-S) systems, have garnered significant attention as promising electrochemical energy storage (EES) technologies. Among them, Li-S batteries stand out as strong contenders for next-generation energy storage, owing to their high energy density and the cost-effectiveness of sulfur-based cathodes. However, with the rapid technological advances and the escalating energy demand, lithium resources are becoming increasingly scarce, making it imperative to explore alternative metal anodes to replace lithium. Therefore, Na-S and K-S batteries, serving as counterparts to Li-S systems, are emerging as formidable contenders for next-generation energy storage technologies due to the abundant and cost-effective nature of sodium and potassium. Although Na-S and K-S batteries possess considerable potential in the energy sector, their development is still in its infancy, with performance constrained by the nascent state of electrolyte design and optimization. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements and developments in liquid electrolytes for alkali metal-sulfur batteries. Additionally, it identifies key challenges and proposes future research directions aimed at enhancing electrolyte stability, optimizing interfacial compatibility, and improving the overall performance of alkali metal-sulfur batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS1995

Pseudo-time method for optimal shape design using the Euler equations

We exploit a novel idea for the optimization of flows governed by the Euler equations. The algorithm consists of marching on the design hypersurface while improving the distance to the state and costate hypersurfaces. We consider the problem of matching the pressure distribution to a desired one, subject to the euler equations, both for subsonic and supersonic flows. The rate of convergence to the minimum for the cases considered is 3 to 4 times slower than that of the analysis problem. Results are given for Ringleb flow and a shockless recompression case.

Iollo, Angelo↗
NASA NTRS1997

The Microgravity Vibration Isolation Mount: A Dynamic Model for Optimal Controller Design

Vibration acceleration levels on large space platforms exceed the requirements of many space experiments. The Microgravity Vibration Isolation Mount (MIM) was built by the Canadian Space Agency to attenuate these disturbances to acceptable levels, and has been operational on the Russian Space Station Mir since May 1996. It has demonstrated good isolation performance and has supported several materials science experiments. The MIM uses Lorentz (voice-coil) magnetic actuators to levitate and isolate payloads at the individual experiment/sub-experiment (versus rack) level. Payload acceleration, relative position, and relative orientation (Euler-parameter) measurements are fed to a state-space controller. The controller, in turn, determines the actuator currents needed for effective experiment isolation. This paper presents the development of an algebraic, state-space model of the MIM, in a form suitable for optimal controller design.

Hampton, R. David↗
NASA NTRS2011

Object-Oriented Multi-Disciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization Tool

An Object-Oriented Optimization (O3) tool was developed that leverages existing tools and practices, and allows the easy integration and adoption of new state-of-the-art software. At the heart of the O3 tool is the Central Executive Module (CEM), which can integrate disparate software packages in a cross platform network environment so as to quickly perform optimization and design tasks in a cohesive, streamlined manner. This object-oriented framework can integrate the analysis codes for multiple disciplines instead of relying on one code to perform the analysis for all disciplines. The CEM was written in FORTRAN and the script commands for each performance index were submitted through the use of the FORTRAN Call System command. In this CEM, the user chooses an optimization methodology, defines objective and constraint functions from performance indices, and provides starting and side constraints for continuous as well as discrete design variables. The structural analysis modules such as computations of the structural weight, stress, deflection, buckling, and flutter and divergence speeds have been developed and incorporated into the O3 tool to build an object-oriented Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization (MDAO) tool.

Pak, Chan-gi↗
NASA NTRS1989

CONSOLE: A CAD tandem for optimization-based design interacting with user-supplied simulators

CONSOLE employs a recently developed design methodology (International Journal of Control 43:1693-1721) which provides the designer with a congenial environment to express his problem as a multiple ojective constrained optimization problem and allows him to refine his characterization of optimality when a suboptimal design is approached. To this end, in CONSOLE, the designed formulates the design problem using a high-level language and performs design task and explores tradeoff through a few short and clearly defined commands. The range of problems that can be solved efficiently using a CAD tools depends very much on the ability of this tool to be interfaced with user-supplied simulators. For instance, when designing a control system one makes use of the characteristics of the plant, and therefore, a model of the plant under study has to be made available to the CAD tool. CONSOLE allows for an easy interfacing of almost any simulator the user has available. To date CONSOLE has already been used successfully in many applications, including the design of controllers for a flexible arm and for a robotic manipulator and the solution of a parameter selection problem for a neural network.

Fan, Michael K. H.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Optimal PMU design based on sampling model and sensitivity analysis

The precise measurements of the synchrophasor and frequency from phasor measurement units (PMUs) are widely used in power grid applications. With the improvement of the technique, applications always require stable dynamic performance and higher accuracy for the synchrophasor and frequency measurements, which is challenging for PMU development. To evaluate the contribution of PMU hardware to measurement accuracy, this paper proposes a general-purpose sampling model to analyze the measurement error. In the proposed sampling model, a strict mathematical derivation is derived, where its error is purely determined by the parameters of the PMU hardware. The sensitivity analysis is carried out by three methods, including mathematical analysis, computer simulation, and variance-based sensitivity analysis. Through the sensitivity analysis, this paper establishes the systematic formulation and the inclusion of synchrophasor, frequency, and ROCOF. Experimental results based on the real-world testbench involving distribution-level PMUs match the mathematical analysis conclusion, which verifies the correctness of the general-purpose sampling model. Furthermore, a strategy for the optimal PMU design is proposed, which could guide PMU design in the future.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2005

Design Sensitivity for a Subsonic Aircraft Predicted by Neural Network and Regression Models

A preliminary methodology was obtained for the design optimization of a subsonic aircraft by coupling NASA Langley Research Center s Flight Optimization System (FLOPS) with NASA Glenn Research Center s design optimization testbed (COMETBOARDS with regression and neural network analysis approximators). The aircraft modeled can carry 200 passengers at a cruise speed of Mach 0.85 over a range of 2500 n mi and can operate on standard 6000-ft takeoff and landing runways. The design simulation was extended to evaluate the optimal airframe and engine parameters for the subsonic aircraft to operate on nonstandard runways. Regression and neural network approximators were used to examine aircraft operation on runways ranging in length from 4500 to 7500 ft.

Hopkins, Dale A.↗