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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Heating of the corona and solar wind by switch-on shocks

The possibility is examined that the corona is heated by a train of weak switch-on shocks which are formed in the chromosphere from a train of Alfven waves, and which subsequently enter the corona from below. New results for the shock train propagation and dissipation and the resultant coronal heating are derived. It is shown that most of the energy in the shock train can be dissipated within one or two solar radii above the coronal base. A train of switch-on shocks therefore represents a viable coronal heating mechanism. The results are generalized to switch-on shocks in the solar wind. It is shown that such shocks can dissipate rapidly, but it is concluded that they are not the dominant factor governing the evolution of the solar wind turbulence.

Hollweg, J. V.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Electric Aircraft Thermal Management Using a Two-Phase Heat Transport System with Solid-State Thermal Switching Capability

Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) is collaborating with NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to develop a heat pipe-based thermal delivery system to efficiently manage the waste heat generated onboard an electric aircraft. The heat pipe system will interface with NASA GRC’s thermoacoustic heat pump in order to recycle waste heat by transporting thermal energy to various end users onboard the aircraft. This paper discusses the layout of theoretical heat pipe networks for a MW-class commercial electric aircraft. This is followed by a discussion of progress made on the development of a novel two-phase heat transport system with solid-state thermal switching and control capabilities.

Exergy↗
NASA NTRS2013

Development and Testing of a Variable Conductance Thermal Acquisition, Transport, and Switching System

This paper describes the development and testing of a scalable thermal control architecture for instruments, subsystems, or systems that must operate in severe space environments with wide variations in sink temperature. The architecture is comprised by linking one or more hot-side variable conductance heat pipes (VCHPs) in series with one or more cold-side loop heat pipes (LHPs). The VCHPs provide wide area heat acquisition, limited distance thermal transport, modest against gravity pumping, concentrated LHP startup heating, and high switching ratio variable conductance operation. The LHPs provide localized heat acquisition, long distance thermal transport, significant against gravity pumping, and high switching ratio variable conductance operation. Combining two variable conductance devices in series ensures very high switching ratio isolation from severe environments like the Earth's moon, where each lunar day spans 15 Earth days (270 K sink, with a surface-shielded/space viewing radiator) and each lunar night spans 15 Earth days (80-100 K radiative sink, depending on location). The single VCHP-single LHP system described herein was developed to maintain thermal control of International Lunar Network (ILN) anchor node lander electronics, but it is also applicable to other variable heat rejection space missions in severe environments. The LHPVCHP system utilizes a stainless steel wire mesh wick ammonia VCHP, a Teflon wick propylene LHP, a pair of one-third square meter high  radiators (one capillary-pumped horizontal radiator and a second gravity-fed vertical radiator), a half-meter of transport distance, and a wick-bearing co-located flow regulator (CLFR) to allow operation with a hot (deactivated) radiator. The VCHP was designed with a small reservoir formed by extending the length of its stainless steel heat pipe tubing. The system was able to provide end-to-end switching ratios of 300-500 during thermal vacuum testing at ATK, including 3-5 W/K ON conductance and 0.01 W/K OFF conductance. The test results described herein also include an in-depth analysis of VCHP condenser performance to explain VCHP switching operation in detail. Future multi-VCHP/multi-LHP thermal management system concepts that provide scalability to higher powers/longer transport lengths are also discussed in the paper.

Bugby, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Development and Testing of a Variable Conductance Thermal Acquisition, Transport, and Switching System

This paper describes the development and testing of a scalable thermal management architecture for instruments, subsystems, or systems that must operate in severe space environments with wide variations in sink temperature. The architecture involves a serial linkage of one or more hot-side variable conductance heat pipes (VCHPs) to one or more cold-side loop heat pipes (LHPs). The VCHPs provide wide area heat acquisition, limited distance thermal transport, modest against gravity pumping, concentrated LHP startup heating, and high switching ratio variable conductance operation. The LHPs provide localized heat acquisition, long distance thermal transport, significant against gravity pumping, and high switching ratio variable conductance operation. The single-VCHP, single-LHP system described herein was developed to maintain thermal control of a small robotic lunar lander throughout the lunar day-night thermal cycle. It is also applicable to other variable heat rejection space missions in severe environments. Operationally, despite a 60-70% gas blocked VCHP condenser during ON testing, the system was still able to provide 2-4 W/K ON conductance, 0.01 W/K OFF conductance, and an end-to-end switching ratio of 200-400. The paper provides a detailed analysis of VCHP condenser performance, which quantified the gas blockage situation. Future multi-VCHP/multi-LHP thermal management system concepts that provide power/transport length scalability are also discussed.

Bugby, David C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Infrared Measurement

A Jet Propulsion Laboratory Technical Support Package (TSP) describing a technique for processing data from an infrared radiometer assisted a manufacturer of laminates for printed circuit boards. To reduce emissions and lower the cost of producing prepreg (a continuous glass cloth, or web, impregnated with epoxy resin and partially cured by applying heat), Norplex Oak switched to infrared treating towers. The TSP confirmed the company's computer prediction of heat flux patterns, provided information that allowed the company to modify infrared treaters for consistency, and furnished a basis for development of optimal heater placements. The treaters are now successfully operating at increased speeds with improved product consistency.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1993

The electrodynamic and hydrodynamic phenomena in magnetically-levitated molten droplets. II - Transient behavior and heat transfer considerations

Computed results are presented describing the transient evolution of the velocity and the temperature fields in a levitation-melted, electromagnetically-positioned metallic sample under microgravity, for conditions, when the heating current is switched off. Thus the calculations trace the evolution from one steady state corresponding to the simultaneous operation of both the heating and the positioning coils to that corresponding to the operation of the positioning coils only. The calculations have shown that the velocity field will decay much more rapidly than the temperature field, so that the cooling and subsequent undercooling and recalescence of the samples should take place from an essentially stagnant melt, meeting the original objectives of the experiment. The computed results for the velocity decay appear to agree with asymptotic calculations and also appear to follow the scaling laws.

Zong, Jin-Ho↗
NASA NTRS1996

Lessons Learned From the Flight of the NASA In-Step Cryo System Experiment

The Cryo System Experiment was developed to validate in near zero-g space a 65 K cryogenic system for focal planes, optics, or other imaging instruments that require continuous cryogenic cooling. Two key cryogenic technologies, designed to improve performance of systems for scientific, commercial and defense applications in space, were successfully demonstrated on a February 1995 Shuttle mission. The two were a 2-watt 65 K long-life low- vibration Stirling cooler and a diode oxygen heat pipe thermal switch. Lessons learned are presented.

cryogenics↗
NASA NTRS1986

Thermal-Diode Sandwich Panel

Thermal diode sandwich panel transfers heat in one direction, but when heat load reversed, switches off and acts as thermal insulator. Proposed to control temperature in spacecraft and in supersonic missiles to protect internal electronics. In combination with conventional heat pipes, used in solar panels and other heat-sensitive systems.

Basiulis, A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

High voltage-high power components for large space power distribution systems

Space power components including a family of bipolar power switching transistors, fast switching power diodes, heat pipe cooled high frequency transformers and inductors, high frequency conduction cooled transformers, high power-high frequency capacitors, remote power controllers and rotary power transfer devices were developed. Many of these components such as the power switching transistors, power diodes and the high frequency capacitor are commercially available. All the other components were developed to the prototype level. The dc/dc series resonant converters were built to the 25 kW level.

Renz, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

High voltage-high power components for large space power distribution systems

Space power components including a family of bipolar power switching transistors, fast switching power diodes, heat pipe cooled high frequency transformers and inductors, high frequency conduction cooled transformers, high power-high frequency capacitors, remote power controllers and rotary power transfer devices were developed. Many of these components such as the power switching transistors, power diodes and the high frequency capacitor are commercially available. All the other components were developed to the prototype level. The dc/dc series resonant converters were built to the 25 kW level.

Renz, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Non-volatile, solid state bistable electrical switch

A bistable switching element is made of a material whose electrical resistance reversibly decreases in response to intercalation by positive ions. Flow of positive ions between the bistable switching element and a positive ion source is controlled by means of an electrical potential applied across a thermal switching element. The material of the thermal switching element generates heat in response to electrical current flow therethrough, which in turn causes the material to undergo a thermal phase transition from a high electrical resistance state to a low electrical resistance state as the temperature increases above a predetermined value. Application of the electrical potential in one direction renders the thermal switching element conductive to pass electron current out of the ion source. This causes positive ions to flow from the source into the bistable switching element and intercalate the same to produce a non-volatile, low resistance logic state. Application of the electrical potential in the opposite direction causes reverse current flow which de-intercalates the bistable logic switching element and produces a high resistance logic state.

Williams, Roger M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Normal mode projections of GCM response to tropical forcing

The transient response of a general circulation model (GCM) is examined for the first 10 days of integration after a tropical heating source is switched on. Model output from 10 control and 10 experiment GCM runs are projected onto the normal modes of an adiabatic primitive equation model linearized about a basic state at rest to quantify the contributions from different modes to the 200 mb wind response. The response in the vicinity of the source is similar to that predicted by models linearized about uniform basic states, with important contributions from the internal Rossby and Kelvin modes in the tropics. The heating also excites internal gravity modes with contributions to the 200 mb winds about 40 percent of those of the internal Rossby modes through the 10-day integration time. The response in the external Rossby modes in the extratropics becomes statistically significant after five days.

Zhong, Weili↗
NASA NTRS1968

High conductance vapor thermal switch

High conductance vapor thermal switch was produced to maintain heat dissipating component temperatures within acceptable limits. The switch is a self-actuating, automatic device that regulates the rate of heat flow to control.

Hyman, N. L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Passive PCB Mounted Thermal Switch

A printed circuit board (PCB) generates heat during operation. In a vacuum this heat can only be rejected by conduction and radiation. To reject heat effectively and avoid overheating, the PCB needs to be thermally conductive to the electronics enclosure. However, if the system rejects too much heat, or not enough heat, either can result in system failure. The thermal switch will be able to regulate the amount of heat the system rejects to stay within the operational temperature range.

Jarret Bone↗
NASA NTRS1990

Simple evaporation controller for thin-film deposition from a resistively heated boat

A simple, inexpensive circuit is described for switching the current through a resistively heated evaporation boat during thin-film deposition. The circuit uses a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) to switch the 0-15-A current in the primary of a 2-kV A step-down transformer that supplies the 0-200-A current to an evaporation boat. The circuit is controlled by a 0-10 V-dc signal similar to that furnished by an Inficon XTC deposition-rate controller. This circuit may be assembled from a handful of parts for a cost of about $400, nearly one-tenth the cost of similar commercial units. Minimum construction is required, since the circuit is built around an off-the-shelf, self-contained SCR unit.

Scofield, John H.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Automatic thermal switch

An automatic thermal switch to control heat flow includes a first thermally conductive plate, a second thermally conductive plate and a thermal transfer plate pivotally mounted between the first and second plates. A phase change power unit, including a plunger connected to the transfer plate, is in thermal contact with the first thermally conductive plate. A biasing element, connected to the transfer plate, biases the transfer plate in a predetermined position with respect to the first and second plates. When the phase change power unit is actuated by an increase in heat transmitted through the first plate, the plunger extends and pivots the transfer plate to vary the thermal conduction between the first and second plates through the transfer plate. The biasing element, transfer plate and piston can be arranged to provide either a normally closed or normally open thermally conductive path between the first and second plates.

Wing, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Miniature Loop Heat Pipe with Multiple Evaporators for Thermal Control of Small Spacecraft

This paper presents an advanced miniature heat transport system for thermal control of small spacecraft. The thermal system consists of a loop heat pipe (LHP) with multiple evaporators and multiple deployable radiators for heat transfer, and variable emittance coatings on the radiators for performance enhancement. Thermoelectric coolers are used to control the loop operating temperature. The thermal system combines the functions of variable conductance heat pipes, thermal switches, thermal diodes, and the state-of-the-art LHPs into a single integrated thermal system. It retains all the performance characteristics of state-of-the-art LHPs and offers additional advantages to enhance the functionality, performance, versatility, and reliability of the system. Steady state and transient analytical models have been developed, and scaling criteria have also been established. A breadboard unit has been built for functional testing in laboratory and thermal vacuum environments. Experimental results show excellent performance of the thermal system and correlate very well with theoretical predictions.

Ku, Jentung↗