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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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Case study showing project and performance data and energy-efficiency measures of a winning entry in the Housing Innovation Awards of DOE's Building Technologies Office.
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The goal of this project is to develop packaging technologies for making high-temperature, high-density, and low-profile wide-bandgap (WBG) power electronics modules for electric drives. These modules are aimed at enabling the DOE’s University Consortium to reach its 2025 inverter targets of ≥ 100 kW/L and ≤ 2.7 $/kW. The specific objectives are to: design and fabricate SiC half-bridge power modules with double-sided cooling and parasitic inductances < 5 nH, heat flux density > 400 W/cm 2 , and working junction temperature of 200 o C; design, fabricate, and deliver a gate driver with double-sided cooled modules for the construction of a 100 kW/L inverter at Oak Ridge National Lab; and design and prototype intelligent gate drivers with integrated current sensor and a low-profile DC-DC power supply with air-core transformer for testing power modules at 200 o C junction temperature. We followed an iterative technical approach of design, simulation, fabrication, and testing of various versions of modules, current sensors, and power supply. The state-of-the-art silicon carbide devices rated at 1.2 kV and 149 A were packaged by sintered-silver bonding on an aluminum nitride direct-bond-copper substrate for high thermal conductivity, high working temperature, and high joint reliability. Porous silver posts were used to interconnect the device’s source pads to the other direct-bond-copper substrate for low mechanical stresses, ease of manufacturing, and double-sided cooling. A current sensor based on package parasitic inductance was developed to measure switching current. A dynamic feedback scheme was developed to compensate the effect of parasitic resistance and temperature variation. A constant-current class-E dc-dc converter with air-core transformer was developed. Air-core transformer was used due to the unavailability of magnetic core at high temperatures. Gate driver and power supply were integrated with the double-side cooled, high temperature SiC power modules for testing the modules at 200 o C junction temperature. Double-pulse and continuous testing of the integrated technologies validated the design and fabrication of the three component technologies. Throughout the project, we overcame the challenge for design verification caused by low prototyping yield, which then helped train the graduate students, the future workforce, to learn the engineering know-how for low-cost manufacturing of reliable products. Below is a summary of the major accomplishments of this project: development of a prototyping process for fabricating double-side cooled (1200 V, 149 A) SiC phase-leg modules capable of working to 200 o C Tj; simulation and experimental verification of the improvement of thermo-mechanical reliability of the double-side cooled SiC phase-leg module by using rigid encapsulant; design and experimental validation of a current sensor based on package parasitic inductance and a compensation solution for eliminating the effect of parasitic resistance; design and experimental validation of a low-profile power supply with six-output air-core transformer for gate driver; functional demonstration of a SiC phase-leg module integrated with its gate driver, current sensor, and an air-core power supply at 200 o C Tj in a double-pulse switching test setup and Buck converter continuous test setup; successful completion of six PhD and two MS students who are or will work at Apple Inc., Tesla Inc., Wolfspeed Inc., Microchip Inc., Monolithic Power Systems Inc., and LG Magna Inc.
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This award provides support for the development and initial implementation of an interdisciplinary Master's Program with a concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology. This program is a collaboration between the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama A and M University, Northwest Shoals Community College, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Army Missile Command, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the National Institute for Standards and Technology, Advanced Optical Systems Inc., Dynetics, Inc., Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc., Nichols Research Corp., SCI Inc., and Speedring Inc. These organizations have been participating fully in the design, development and implementation of the program. This program is directed at both traditional students as well as government and defense workers who desire specialty education in practical optics and optical systems design and manufacturing. It is intended to produce highly trained graduates who can solve practical problems, and includes an on-site practicum at a manufacturing location. The broad curriculum of this program emphasizes the fundamentals of optics, optical systems manufacturing and testing, and the principles of design and manufacturing-to-cost for commercial optical products. The degrees offered are the MS in Physics and the MSE in Electrical Engineering with concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology through the Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments of UAH with support from and in consultation with the Steering Committee composed of representatives from each of the participating organizations plus a student representative.
This award provides support for the development and initial implementation of an interdisciplinary Master's Program with a concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology. This program is a collaboration between the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama A&M University, Northwest Shoals Community College, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the U. S. Army Missile Command, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the National Institute for Standards and Technology, Advanced Optical Systems Inc., Dynetics, Inc., Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc., Nichols Research Corp., SCI Inc., and Speedring Inc. These organizations have been participating fully in the design, development and implementation of the program. This program is directed at both traditional students as well as government and defense workers who desire specialty education in practical optics and optical systems design and manufacturing. It is intended to produce highly trained graduates who can solve practical problems, and includes an on-site practicum at a manufacturing location. The broad curriculum of this program emphasizes the fundamentals of optics, optical systems manufacturing and testing, and the principles of design and manufacturing-to-cost for commercial optical products. The degrees offered are the MS in Physics and the MSE in Electrical Engineering with concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology through the Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments of UAH with support from and in consultation with the Steering Committee composed of representatives from each of the participating organizations plus a student representative.
The development of an interdisciplinary Masters Program with a concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology has been is described. This program was developed under the U.S. Manufacturing Education and Training Activity of the Technology Reinvestment Project. This development was a collaboration between the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), Alabama A&M University, Northwest Shoals Community College, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the U.S. Army Missile Command, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Advanced Optical Systems Inc., Dynetics, Inc., Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc., Nichols Research and Speedring Inc. These organizations as well as the National Institute for Standards and Technology and SCI, Inc. have been participating fully in the design, development and implementation of this program. This goal of the program is to produce highly trained graduates who can also solve practical problems. To this end, the program includes an on-site practicum at a manufacturing location. The broad curriculum of this program emphasizes the fundamentals of optics, optical systems manufacturing and testing, and the principles of design and manufacturing to cost for commercial products. The Master's of Science (MS) in Physics and Master's of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Electrical Engineering Degrees with concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology are offered by the respective UAH academic departments with support from and in consultation with a Steering Committee composed of representatives from each of the participating organizations, and a student representative from UAH. The origins of the programs are described. The curricula of the programs is described. The course outlines of the new courses which were developed for the new curriculum are included. Also included are samples of on-site practicums which the students have been involved in. Also included as attachments are samples of the advertisements, which includes flyers, and the program description given to prospective students. The expenditures in the development and information about the cost sharing among the participating organizations is also included. Finally a listing membership of the steering committee is attached.
Calabazas Creek Research, Inc, (CCR), in collaboration with Microwave Power Products, Inc. (MPP), formerly Communications & Power Industries, LLC (CPI,) and JP Accelerator Works, Inc. (JPAW), embarked on a program to develop multiple beam triodes to produce RF power from 350 – 800 MHz with an average power exceeding 200 kW. The effort was motivated by the performance of a triode-based RF source which produces 25 kW of UHF power at 90% efficiency. The CCR effort focused on implementing this technology into a multiple beam device to increase the output power while retaining the low cost, compact size, and high efficiency. The program performed extensive simulations indicating that the goals could be achieved, and a prototype multiple beam triode was built, baked, and tested. Unfortunately, a grid to cathode short terminated the testing before the tube could generate RF power. Nevertheless, the effort demonstrated that a multiple beam triode could be designed, built, baked, and energized to high voltage. The multiple beam triode used oxide cathodes, which are only capable of pulsed operation. The multiple beam triode will be rebuilt using dispenser cathodes, which will allow high duty or continuous operation. The grids were also modified to be more robust to avoid previous issues. The MB triode will provide the beam power for RF generation. The RF is generated by surrounding the triode with input and output cavities to convert beam power to RF power. RF cavities to generate 200 kW CW at 350-450 MHz using the MB triode with dispenser cathodes was assembled during the program. The next Phase of this effort is to assemble the multiple beam triode using the subassemblies built in the Phase I program and test with the RF cavities. The Phase I program also initiated design of a higher frequency, higher power multiple beam triode. That design is forecast to produce approximately 500 kW CW from 350 - 500 MHz.
During the measurement period, precipitation was sampled on daily to sub-daily basis with a sampling kit consiting of a clear plastic box (60x40x40 cm) mounted to a ground structure. Daily sampling lasted from 22 Feb to 24 Mar 2020. At a fixed time of day (10 UTC), samples were collected and the sampling box cleaned for the next sample. Additionally, during intense observations periods (IOPs) announced by ISLAS, ARMS scientists increased sampling frequency to sub-daily sampling. During the campaign period, 2 IOPs were conducted, with in total 12 samples taken. IOP1 lasted from 27 Feb 10 to 02 Mar 2020, and IOP2 lasted from 12 Mar to 14 Mar 2020. Solid precipitation in the box was then melted, transferred to an 8 ml glass vial, sealed and shipped to FARLAB (University of Bergen, Norway) for stable water isotope analysis. Measured stable isotope composition of precipitation samples will be related to conditions at other sampling locations, and at the evaporation site to inform about conservation of water isotope quantities. In the period from 22 Feb to 24 Mar, 23 daily samples were collected at 10 UTC for stable water isotope analysis. During the entire sampling period, a high variability of precipitation phase was encountered. Most samples were recovered in the form of graupel/snow (12 samples), as rain (7 samples), and the remaining samples fell as graupel, snow, rain or frozen rain. Precipitation amounts varied between <1 mm (26 Feb) and 140 mm (25 Feb) within the sampling box. Furthermore, higher-resolution sampling was conducted during 2 intense observation periods (IOPs). During IOP1, lasting from 27 Feb 10 UTC to 02 Mar 10 UTC, 7 samples were collected, all of them as solid phase precipitation. IOP2 lasted from 12 Mar 10 UTC to 14 Mar 09 UTC, and 5 samples (all as graupel/snow) were collected. Samples were processed according to FARLAB standard measurement procedures. In short, samples were transferred to 1.5 ml glass vials with rubber/PTFE septa (part #548-0907, VWR, USA). An autosampler (A0325, Picarro Inc) transferred ca. 2µl per injection into a high-precision vapourizer (A0211, Picarro Inc, USA) heated to 110°C. After blending with dry N2 (< 5 ppm H2O) the gas mixture was directed into the measurement cavity of a Cavity-Ring Down Spectrometer (L2140-i, Picarro Inc) for about 7 min with a typical water concentration of 20 000 ppm. Memory effects were reduced by two times measuring a vapour mixture at a mixing ratio of 50 000 ppm, obtained from 2 injections of 2 µl for 5 min at the beginning of each new sample vial. Thereafter, another 6 injections of 2 µl per sample were measured individually as described above, and averages of the last 5 injections were used for further processing. Three standards were measured at the beginning and end of each batch, including a drift standard DI2 (δD: -50.72±0.73 permil, δ18O: -7.63±0.10 permil), and for calibration the laboratory standards GLW (δD: -307.79±0.75 permil, δ18O: -40.02±0.07 permil) and EVAP2 (δD: 9.52±0.65 permil, δ18O: 1.81±0.13 permil). A detailed calibration report is included with the final uploaded data set.
Abstract Clostridium tyrobutyricumis an anaerobe known for its ability to produce short‐chain fatty acids, alcohols, and esters. We aimed to develop inducible promoters for fine‐tuning gene expression inC. tyrobutyricum. Synthetic inducible promoters were created by employing anEscherichia coli lacoperator to regulate the thiolase promoter (PCathl) fromClostridium acetobutylicum, with the best one (LacI‐Pto4s) showing a 5.86‐fold dynamic range with isopropyl β‐d‐thiogalactoside (IPTG) induction. A LT‐Pt7 system with a dynamic range of 11.6‐fold was then created by combining LacI‐Pto4s with a T7 expression system composing of RNA polymerase (T7RNAP) and Pt7lacpromoter. Furthermore, two inducible expression systems BgaR‐PbgaLA and BgaR‐PbgaLB with a dynamic range of ~40‐fold were developed by optimizing a lactose‐inducible expression system fromClostridium perfringenswith modified 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR) and ribosome‐binding site (RBS). BgaR‐PbgaLB was then used to regulate the expressions of a bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase encoded byadhE2 and butyryl‐CoA/acetate Co‐A transferase encoded bycat1 inC. tyrobutyricumwild type and Δcat1::adhE2, respectively, demonstrating its efficient inducible gene regulation. The regulatedcat1 expression also confirmed that the Cat1‐catalyzed reaction was responsible for acetate assimilation inC. tyrobutyricum. The inducible promoters offer new tools for tuning gene expression inC. tyrobutyricumfor industrial applications.
In recent years we have witnessed the rise of commercialization efforts for soft robotic technology, including soft grippers (Soft Robotics, Inc.), stretchable sensors (StretchSense, Inc. and Lightlace, Inc.), and platforms for human-robot interaction (Festo Inc., Meta Reality Labs, Toyota Research Institute, and Disney Research). However, commercialization as a whole lags the trends enjoyed by other robotic technology at equivalent points in their respective lifecycles.
In May 2022, Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., completed a historic architectural resource survey of buildings associated with the Dosimetry Applications Research Facility at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The laboratory is one of three Department of Energy facilities located on the Oak Ridge Reservation in Roane and Anderson Counties, Tennessee. The Dosimetry Applications Research Facility is located approximately 2 mi southeast of the main Oak Ridge National Laboratory campus. The survey included Buildings 7709, 7710, and 7712, which date to the 1960s. An additional DOSAR building (Building 7735) dates to the late 1980s and was not surveyed since it is outside the period of significance. The survey was conducted at the request of UT-Battelle, LLC, on behalf of the Department of Energy. As stipulated by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, the Department of Energy is required to identify any properties under its jurisdiction that are included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. In order to identify historic properties at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in 2017–2018 Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., conducted a survey of the main campus as well as outlying facilities, publishing the findings in a 2018 report entitled Oak Ridge National Laboratory Historic Architectural Resource Survey. At the time of the 2017–2018 survey, buildings associated with the Dosimetry Applications Research Facility were not accessible for security reasons and the current report serves as an addendum to the 2018 report. In addition, the current survey incorporates information included in a documentation report on Building 7709 completed in 2019. The properties included in the current survey were also evaluated for their collective potential as a historic district. The identification of archaeological properties that are eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places is beyond the scope of this report. Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., recommends that none of the buildings surveyed for the current report are individually eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. However, the collective of buildings represents a facility that made notable contributions to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s scientific research endeavors from the 1960s to the 1980s, specifically in the field of Health Physics. The buildings and their associated features have also maintained their integrity of setting, materials, design, location, and association. Therefore, Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., proposes the Dosimetry Applications Research Facility Historic District, which is recommended eligible for listing under Criterion A. The three buildings addressed in the current survey (Buildings 7709, 7710, and 7712) are recommended eligible as contributing resources of the historic district. The district boundary is scribed to incorporate the environs of these three facilities, as well as additional relevant features.
In 2023, Metatomic® Inc., a South Carolina based company, was awarded a Gateway for Advanced Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) research voucher for a proposed series of experiments aimed at demonstrating the viability of a spent nuclear fuel (SNF) recycling process patented by Metatomic Inc. For the GAIN voucher, Metatomic Inc. selected Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) as a partner in executing the proposed proof-of-concept experiments. This report outlines the proof-of-concept experiments performed by SRNL for Metatomic Inc. during Phase 2 (of 2) experimentation. Though Phase 1 provided evidence of successful hydrochlorination, Phase 2 highlighted the nuances and challenges associated with scaling the reaction. The target UCl 4 species generated by the hydrochlorination of UO 2 generates water, which consumes UCl 4 . Compared to the single datapoint obtained at the end of the Phase 1 experiments, data collected at multiple timepoints during Phase 2 experiments indicated a presumed maximum percent conversion of 23% for this system that is likely influenced by water generation. Engineering improvements might be able to increase the percent conversion, but not likely to the degree needed for successful implementation of the technology. Moisture also presents an issue for the Hastelloy C276 reaction vessel. Eventually, corrosion will compromise the integrity of the reaction vessel, and the corrosion products could potentially affect the hydrochlorination chemistry. The presence of corrosion products, which were not produced in the Phase 1 alumina crucible, can and have created challenges when analyzing samples.
In an effort to maintain employee health and welfare, ensure customer satisfaction, and to deliver high quality emergency medical care when necessary to employees located overseas, NASA has instituted a new contract with International SOS Assistance INC. International SOS Assistance INC. will provide civil servants and contractors engaged in official NASA business with many services upon request during a medical or personal emergency. Through the years, International SOS Assistance INC. has developed the expertise necessary to provide medical service in all remote areas of the world. One phone call connects you to the SOS network of multilingual staff trained to help resolve travel, medical, legal, and security problems. The SOS network of critical care and aeromedical specialists operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from SOS Alarm Centers around the world. This exhibit illustrates the details of the NASA-International SOS Assistance INC. agreement.
The Bio- Visualization, Imaging and Simulation (BioVIS) Technology Center at NASA's Ames Research Center is dedicated to developing and applying advanced visualization, computation and simulation technologies to support NASA Space Life Sciences research and the objectives of the Fundamental Biology Program. Research ranges from high resolution 3D cell imaging and structure analysis, virtual environment simulation of fine sensory-motor tasks, computational neuroscience and biophysics to biomedical/clinical applications. Computer simulation research focuses on the development of advanced computational tools for astronaut training and education. Virtual Reality (VR) and Virtual Environment (VE) simulation systems have become important training tools in many fields from flight simulation to, more recently, surgical simulation. The type and quality of training provided by these computer-based tools ranges widely, but the value of real-time VE computer simulation as a method of preparing individuals for real-world tasks is well established. Astronauts routinely use VE systems for various training tasks, including Space Shuttle landings, robot arm manipulations and extravehicular activities (space walks). Currently, there are no VE systems to train astronauts for basic and applied research experiments which are an important part of many missions. The Virtual Glovebox (VGX) is a prototype VE system for real-time physically-based simulation of the Life Sciences Glovebox where astronauts will perform many complex tasks supporting research experiments aboard the International Space Station. The VGX consists of a physical display system utilizing duel LCD projectors and circular polarization to produce a desktop-sized 3D virtual workspace. Physically-based modeling tools (Arachi Inc.) provide real-time collision detection, rigid body dynamics, physical properties and force-based controls for objects. The human-computer interface consists of two magnetic tracking devices (Ascention Inc.) attached to instrumented gloves (Immersion Inc.) which co-locate the user's hands with hand/forearm representations in the virtual workspace. Force-feedback is possible in a work volume defined by a Phantom Desktop device (SensAble inc.). Graphics are written in OpenGL. The system runs on a 2.2 GHz Pentium 4 PC. The prototype VGX provides astronauts and support personnel with a real-time physically-based VE system to simulate basic research tasks both on Earth and in the microgravity of Space. The immersive virtual environment of the VGX also makes it a useful tool for virtual engineering applications including CAD development, procedure design and simulation of human-system systems in a desktop-sized work volume.