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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 1,423 records · Page 79

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NASA NTRS1998

Determination of Particle Sources for a Geotail Distribution Function Observed on May 23, 1995

On May 23, 1995, the Comprehensive Plasma Instrumentation (CPI) onboard the Geotail spacecraft observed a complex and structured ion distribution function near the magnetotail midplane at x approximately -10 R(sub E). On the same day, the Wind spacecraft observed a very high density (approximately 40/cubic cm) solar wind and an interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) that was predominantly northward but had several southward turnings. We have inferred the sources of the ions in this distribution function by following approximately 90,000 ion trajectories backward in time using time-dependent electric and magnetic fields obtained from a global MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) simulation. Wind data were used as input for the MHD model. We found that three sources contributed to this distribution: the ionosphere, the plasma mantle which had near-Earth and distant tail components, and the low latitude boundary layer (LLBL). Moreover, distinct structures in the low energy part of the distribution function were found to be associated with individual sources. Structures near 0 deg pitch angle were made up of either ionospheric or plasma mantle ions, while structures near 90 deg pitch angle were dominated by ions from the LLBL source. Particles that underwent nonadiabatic acceleration were numerous in the higher energy part of the ion distribution function, whereas ionospheric and LLBL ions were mostly adiabatic. A large proportion of the near-Earth mantle ions underwent adiabatic acceleration, while most of the distant mantle ions experienced nonadiabatic acceleration.

Ashour-Abdalla, M.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Power Supply Options for the Marpi Landfill, Saipan: Addendum to 2023 Feasibility Study

The Marpi Landfill (Marpi or the landfill), located on the northern end of the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is powered by an on-site diesel generator that only operates when the landfill is open and staffed. The CNMI Office of Planning and Development (OPD) aspires to provide the Marpi Landfill with 24-hour power availability despite its remote location and to increase sustainable energy consumption within the CNMI. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) authored a feasibility study in 2023 that explores alternative power supply options for the landfill. This feasibility study (hereafter referred to as Phase I of this study) culminated in a report named “Power Supply Options for the Marpi Landfill, Saipan.” In Phase I, the project team investigated and prioritized seven different power supply scenarios (Table ES-1) for the landfill according to Solid Waste (SW) Taskforce priorities. The project team found that Scenario 4 (100 kW of solar photovoltaic [PV] generation, a 75 kW/300 kWh battery energy storage system [BESS], and 160 kW of diesel generation) ranked highest. Following the Phase I feasibility study, the SW Taskforce secured additional funding for PNNL to assess additional considerations regarding power supply options for Marpi. The purpose of Phase II of this study is to investigate these additional considerations, as compiled in this addendum. Some of the findings compiled here replace findings from the original report. The project team evaluated additional considerations regarding power supply options for the landfill, including modified operations to account for 24/7 power supply, electrified landfill equipment, new and replacement distribution line costs, and the social cost of carbon.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1989

Fast Laser Holographic Interferometry For Wind Tunnels

Proposed system makes holographic interferograms quickly in wind tunnels. Holograms reveal two-dimensional flows around airfoils and provide information on distributions of pressure, structures of wake and boundary layers, and density contours of flow fields. Holograms form quickly in thermoplastic plates in wind tunnel. Plates rigid and left in place so neither vibrations nor photgraphic-development process degrades accuracy of holograms. System processes and analyzes images quickly. Semiautomatic micro-computer-based desktop image-processing unit now undergoing development moves easily to wind tunnel, and its speed and memory adequate for flows about airfoils.

Lee, George↗

DOE OSTI2021

Dynamic P-Q Capability and Abnormal Operation Analysis of a Wind Turbine with Doubly-Fed Induction Generator

After several accidents occurred in wind farms in the United States and around the world, the subsynchronous oscillation (SSO) issues in grid-connected wind farms have gained serious attention. Particularly, these issues have caused significant challenges to wind turbines with a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) because it is connected to the grid via both its stator and rotor paths. Traditionally, a P-Q capability chart is utilized to assure the safe operation boundary for a synchronous generator. But the energy conversion characteristics of a DFIG wind turbine are completely different. A critical factor to affect the reliable operation of a DFIG wind turbine is the rated current and pulse-width modulation (PWM) saturation constraints of its power converters. These constraint conditions can be affected by the wind turbine rotating speed and grid conditions. However, a detailed study of DFIG P-Q capability from these perspectives has not been conducted, which has hindered adequate understanding of many abnormal wind turbine operations reported in the literature and the development of advanced control technologies to overcome the challenges. The proposed study in this paper considers vector control implementation to DFIG power electronic converters in the dq reference frame, and the models and algorithms developed for the P-Q capability study have addressed specific DFIG power converter constraints that are different from those of a traditional synchronous generator. The paper especially focuses on exploring the dynamic natures of DFIG P-Q capability under uncertain and variable conditions to explore the root causes of many abnormal operations of DFIG wind turbines reported in the literature. The proposed study is validated through an electromagnetic transient simulation model of a grid-connected DFIG wind turbine. The proposed study has the potential to lead to the development of new DFIG control technologies that can help overcome the challenges for many abnormal operations of DFIG wind turbines.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1988

Measurement of the steady surface pressure distribution on a single rotation large scale advanced prop-fan blade at Mach numbers from 0.03 to 0.78

The aerodynamic pressure distribution was determined on a rotating Prop-Fan blade at the S1-MA wind tunnel facility operated by the Office National D'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiale (ONERA) in Modane, France. The pressure distributions were measured at thirteen radial stations on a single rotation Large Scale Advanced Prop-Fan (LAP/SR7) blade, for a sequence of operating conditions including inflow Mach numbers ranging from 0.03 to 0.78. Pressure distributions for more than one power coefficient and/or advanced ratio setting were measured for most of the inflow Mach numbers investigated. Due to facility power limitations the Prop-Fan test installation was a two bladed version of the eight design configuration. The power coefficient range investigated was therefore selected to cover typical power loading per blade conditions which occur within the Prop-Fan operating envelope. The experimental results provide an extensive source of information on the aerodynamic behavior of the swept Prop-Fan blade, including details which were elusive to current computational models and do not appear in the two-dimensional airfoil data.

Bushnell, Peter↗

NASA NTRS1985

Potential Bedforms on Venus: Wind Tunnel Simulations

Wind tunnel studies involving mixtures of particle sizes (bimodal and multimodal distributions) indicate the microdunes and related ridge- and wave-like structures can occur over a wider range of conditions. The results indicate that the bedforms develop as a consequence of the effective sorting capability of the high-density Venusian atmosphere. Four mixtures of different particle-size distributions were investigated. The results of these experiments suggest that: (1) small-scale bedforms on Venus may be more common than previously anticipated from simulations involving only unimodal sands; (2) small particles are rapidly sorted on Venus if winds slightly above threshold are available; (3) coarse particles are transported in traction within the bedforms as well as rolled by saltating fines, suggesting that the capacity of wind on Venus to transport material is greater than anticipated from previous flux studies and (4) microdunes and related ridges and waves with coarse and fine layers can be produced during sorting.

Bougan, S. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

ISEE-1 and ISEE-2 fast plasma experiment and the ISEE-1 solar wind experiment

Identical fast plasma experiment (FPE) systems were placed on the ISEE-1 and ISEE-2 spacecraft. The FPE consists of three high efficiency 90 deg spherical section electrostatic analyzers using large secondary emitters and discrete dynode multipliers to detect analyzed particles. Two of them, viewing in opposite directions, produce complete 2D velocity distribution measurements of both protons and electrons every spacecraft revolution. A third FPE analyzer with a divided emitter measures 3D distributions at a slower rate. ISEE-1 also carries a solar-wind experiment (SWE) to measure solar-wind ions with high resolution. The SWE is composed of two 150 deg spherical section analyzers using the same set of plates. The two acceptance fans are tilted with respect to each other so that 3D characteristics of the ion distributions can be derived.

Bame, S. J.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA Langley FUN3D Analyses in Support of the 1st AIAA Stability and Control Prediction Workshop

This work summarizes the results of FUN3D analyses conducted for the 1st AIAA Stability and Control Workshop on behalf of participants from the NASA Langley Research Center. The workshop was created to establish best practices for the prediction of stability and control derivatives using computational fluid dynamics and assess the limitations of these methods when those best practices are applied. The inaugural workshop considered the ONERA version of the NASA/Boeing Common Research Model, which includes the wing, body, horizontal tail, and a vertical tail designed by ONERA. Wind tunnel data at small sideslip angles remain unpublished and served as ‘blind’ data for computational comparisons. The present research generated workshop test case data using the NASA FUN3D code, which is a parallelized, unstructured, node-based, finite-volume discretization, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solver. Steady- state numerical simulations were conducted for workshop test cases investigating the following: grid convergence, Mach number effect on static stability, wind tunnel sting increments, static stability-derivative calculations, and a sideslip angle sweep. Results were generated for two series of unstructured, mixed-element grids, one set provided by the workshop and another set created using the HeldenMesh grid generation software. The results provided include total- and component-level breakdowns of the force and moment coefficients, in addition to sectional pressure distributions for the wing and tail components for comparisons to wind tunnel data.

CFD↗

DOE OSTI2024

Influences of lidar scanning parameters on wind turbine wake retrievals in complex terrain

Abstract. Scanning lidars enable the collection of spatially distributed measurements of turbine wakes and the estimation of wake properties such as magnitude, extent, and trajectory. Lidar-based characterizations, however, may be subject to distortions due to the observational system. Distortions can arise from the resolution of the measurement points across the wake, the projection of the winds onto the beam, averaging along the beam probe volume, and intervening evolution of the flow over the scan duration. Using a large-eddy simulation and simulated measurements with a virtual lidar model, we assess how scanning lidar systems may influence the properties of the retrieved wake using a case study from the Perdigão campaign. We consider three lidars performing range-height indicator sweeps in complex terrain, based on the deployments of lidars from the Danish Technical University (DTU) and German Aerospace Center (DLR) at the Perdigão site. The unwaked flow, measured by the DTU lidar, is well-captured by the lidar, even without combining data into a multi-lidar retrieval. The two DLR lidars measure a waked transect from different downwind vantage points. In the region of the wake, the observation system reacts to the smaller spatial and temporal variations of the winds, allowing more significant observation distortions to arise. While the measurements largely capture the wake structure and trajectory over its 4–5 D extent, limited spatial resolution of measurement points and volume averaging lead to a quicker loss of the two lobes in the near wake, smearing of the vertical bounds of the wake (< 30 m), wake center displacements up to 10 m, and dampening of the maximum velocity deficit by up to a third. The virtual lidar tool, coupled with simulations, provides a means for assessing measurement capabilities in advance of measurement campaigns.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS2009

Small Deflection Energy Analyzer for Energy and Angular Distributions

The development of the Small Deflection Energy Analyzer (SDEA) charged-particle spectrometer for energy and angle distributions responds to a longstanding need to measure the wind velocity vector in Earth s thermosphere, and to obtain the ion-drift vector in the ionosphere. The air and ions above 120 km are endowed with bulk velocities and temperatures just like air near the ground, but with separate spatial and temporal variations. It is important to understand these not only for study of the physics and chemistry of the Sun-Earth connection, but also for spacecraft orbit predictions, and communications through the ionosphere. The SDEA consists of a pair of parallel conducting plates separated by a small distance, with an entrance slit on one end, and an exit slit on the other. A voltage applied to these plates develops an electric field between the plates, and this field deflects ions passing through it. If an ion has too little energy, it will strike one of the plates. If it has too much, it will strike the back wall. An ion with the amount of energy being searched for will have its trajectory bent just enough to exit the back slit. The SDEA units are compact, rectangular, and operate with low voltages. The units can be built up into small arrays. These arrays could be used either to widen the field of view or to sharpen an existing one. This approach can also be used to obtain angular distributions in two planes simultaneously, thus cutting down the ion source power requirements in half. This geometry has enabled a new mass-spectrometer concept that can provide miniaturized mass spectrometers for use in industrial plants, air-pollution monitoring, and noxious-gas detection.

Herrero, Federico A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Core plasma in the magnetosphere

The paper presents a review of new findings related to core plasma (which includes ions and electrons with energies less than 50 eV) identified in studies of magnetosphere during 1983-1986. These findings include the cleft ion fountain; the plasmaspheric heavy ion torus; core molecular ions; high core-plasma densities in the plasma-sheet boundary layer; intense transverse heating of core plasmas in the equatorial regions; the supersonic polar wind (H/+/ and He/+/); toroidal or ring heavy-ion distribution functions in the auroral region; conic-to-field-aligned ion signatures of inverted-V auroral events; and the large-scale electron density structure of the magnetosphere. The progress made on modeling core plasma includes simulation of thermal helium heating at the equator; kinetic models of the plasma transport from localized ionospheric regions; time-dependent hydrodynamic models of the polar wind and plasmasphere-ionosphere coupling; and kinetic models of plasmasphere refilling.

Horwitz, J. L.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Near Resonance between the Shelf Ocean and Semidiurnal Atmospheric Tidal Winds

This manuscript illustrates the resonance between continental shelf oceans and the semidiurnal atmospheric tidal wind, explaining O(10 −2 ) m semidiurnal sea surface height (SSH) variations in detided datasets. The resonance, similar to amplification of semidiurnal oceanic tides on the gentle and wide shelf, results in pronounced, offshore-attenuated standing waves on the shelf which is driven by the cross-shore pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, and the rotary wind stress. Observations and numerical results from the Texas–Louisiana shelf confirm this mechanism, where a significant presence of the semidiurnal tidal wind couples with O(10 −1 ) m s −1 ocean currents, influencing SSH distribution and sustaining the wave structure. The consistency of the interaction and momentum budgets with the analytical solution suggests the robustness of the semidiurnal atmospheric tidal wind interacting with the shelf ocean. Notably, these findings suggest that similar resonances could occur on other gentle shelves known for enhancing semidiurnal oceanic tides and contribute 3%–10% of the wind work.

Atmosphere-ocean interaction↗

NASA NTRS1993

A wind model for launch vehicle design

A new vector wind profile model is described based on the properties of the quadrivariate normal distribution which will help establish preliminary design ranges for angle of attack, angle of sideslip, aerodynamic pressure, and other launch vehicle flight variables. The model produces wind profiles that are a reasonable substitute for measured wind profile samples. The model wind profiles produce dispersion in aerodynamic load indicators that cover the dispersion range calculated from an extensive sample of Jimsphere wind profiles. This is accomplished with only 12 model wind profiles compared to 1800 Jimsphere profiles for a selected reference altitude. This represents an opportunity for a considerable reduction of computational effort during design phases that require many iterations to establish the merit of various design philosophies.

Adelfang, S. I.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The pick-up of cometary protons by the solar wind

The HERS detector of the Ion Mass Spectrometer on the Giotto spacecraft measured the 3 dimensional distribution of picked-up cometary protons over a distance of 6 million km upstream of the bow shock. The protons are elastically scattered out of their original cycloidal trajectories such that they are nonuniformly distributed over a spherical shell in velocity space. The shell thickness increases as the bow shock is approached. Inside the shock, the cometary protons are difficult to distinguish from the heated solar wind protons.

Neugebauer, M.↗

NASA NTRS1953

Effect of Diffuser Design, Diffuser-exit Velocity Profile and Fuel Distribution on Altitude Performance of Several Afterburner Configurations

An investigation was conducted in the NACA Lewis altitude wind tunnel to improve the altitude performance and operational characteristics of an afterburner primarily by modifying the diffuser-exit velocity profile by changes in diffuser design and by changing the fuel distribution and the flame holder. Twenty configurations, consisting of combinations of six diffuser geometries, six flame-holder types, and twelve fuel systems, were investigated. Data were obtained over a range of afterburner fuel-air ratios at diffuser-inlet total pressures from 2750 to 620 pounds per square foot. Changes in fuel distribution affected the fuel-air ratio at which peak combustion efficiency occurred as well as the efficiency level. Screeching combustion, which was most prevalent at low altitudes and medium-to-high fuel-air ratios, imposed a restriction on the operable range of a number of configurations.

Diffusers, Subsonic↗

NASA NTRS1985

Holographic interferometry applied to symmetric aerodynamic models in a wind tunnel

The technique of holographic interferometry provides a means for noninvasive measurement of the air density distribution in the flow field in the vicinity of an aerodynamic model. A test of the applicability of this technique was the objective of this investigation. A holographic interferometer was installed in the 2- by 2-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel at Ames Research Center. Several tests were conducted with this system on two axisymmetric models, one at subsonic and the other at supersonic speeds. Holograms were made of the flow field around the model for several test conditions. These holograms were reconstructed into interferograms in the laboratory. The fringe distribution (a measure of local densities) from a number of interferograms was digitized for subsequent data reduction. A computer program based on the Fourier transform technique was developed to convert the fringe distribution into a three-dimensional distribution of air density around the model. These results will be presented in this paper.

Perry, R. L.↗

DOE OSTI2025

The Quench Protection of Direct Wind Magnets

The direct wind magnets have several unique features. The conductor layout is characterized by thin single conductors wound over long lengths and separated from the other turns with thick layer of insulation. Moreover, there are several layers of winding. The strong non-uniformity in the magnetic field distribution results in different current and thermal margins for quenching in different regions. The quench protection modeling involves multi-physics coupling between electrical, thermal and magnetic transient. The material properties vary over time and location. This coupled with the complexity in the geometry adds to long computation times. The objective of this study is to understand the quench propagation in an EIC high inductance direct wind magnet which enables one to design appropriate quench protection strategies to protect the magnet. An advanced modeling program has been developed to simulate direct wind magnet quench. In conclusion, we validate theoretical simulations with experimental data.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

NASA NTRS1995

Momentum deposition on Wolf-Rayet winds: Nonisotropic diffusion with effective gray opacity

We derive the velocity and mass-loss rate of a steady state Wolf-Rayet (WR) wind, using a nonisotropic diffusion approximation applied to the transfer between strongly overlapping spectral lines. Following the approach of Friend & Castor (1983), the line list is assumed to approximate a statistically parameterized Poisson distribution in frequency, so that photon transport is controlled by an angle-dependent, effectively gray opacity. We show the nonisotropic diffusion approximation yields good agreement with more accurate numerical treatments of the radiative transfer, while providing analytic insight into wind driving by multiple scattering. We illustrate, in particular, that multiple radiative momentum deposition does not require that potons be repeatedly reflected across substantial distances within the spherical envelope, but indeed is greatest when photons undergo a nearly local diffusion, e.g., through scattering by many lines closely spaced in frequency. Our results reiterate the view that the so-called 'momentum problem' of Wolf-Rayet winds is better characterized as an 'opacity problem' of simply identfying enough lines. One way of increasing the number of thick lines in Wolf-Rayet winds is to transfer opacity from saturated to unsaturated lines, yielding a steeper opacity distribution than that found in OB winds. We discuss the implications of this perspective for extending our approach to W-R wind models that incorporate a more fundamental treatment of the ionization and excitation processes that determine the line opacity. In particular, we argue that developing statistical descriptions of the lines to allow an improved effective opacity for the line ensemble would offer several advantages for deriving such more fundamental W-R wind models.

Gayley, Kenneth G.↗