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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 1,549 records · Page 86

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NASA NTRS1987

Intelligent robotic tracker

An intelligent tracker capable of robotic applications requiring guidance and control of platforms, robotic arms, and end effectors has been developed. This packaged system capable of supervised autonomous robotic functions is partitioned into a multiple processor/parallel processing configuration. The system currently interfaces to cameras but has the capability to also use three-dimensional inputs from scanning laser rangers. The inputs are fed into an image processing and tracking section where the camera inputs are conditioned for the multiple tracker algorithms. An executive section monitors the image processing and tracker outputs and performs all the control and decision processes. The present architecture of the system is presented with discussion of its evolutionary growth for space applications. An autonomous rendezvous demonstration of this system was performed last year. More realistic demonstrations in planning are discussed.

Otaguro, W. S.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Extremum-seeking control for an Ultrasonic/Sonic Driller/Corer (USDC) driven at high-power

Future NASA exploration missions will increasingly require sampling, in-situ analysis and possibly the return of material to Earth for further tests. One of the challenges to addressing this need is the ability to drill using for low axial loading while operating from light weight platforms (e.g., lander, rover, etc.) as well as operate at planets with low gravity. For this purpose, the authors developed the Ultrasonic/Sonic Driller/Corer (USDC) jointly with Cybersonics Inc. Studies of the operation of the USDC at high power have shown there is a critical need to self-tune to maintain the operation of the piezoelectric actuator at resonance. Performing such tuning is encountered with difficulties and to address them an extremum-seeking control algorithm is being investigated. This algorithm is designed to tune the driving frequency of a time-varying resonating actuator subjected to both random and high-power impulsive noise disturbances. Using this algorithm the performance of the actuator is monitored on a time-scale that is compatible with its slowly time-varying physical characteristics. The algorithm includes a parameter estimator, which estimates the coefficients of a function that characterizes the quality factor of the USDC. Since the parameter estimator converges sufficiently faster than the time-varying drift of the USDC's physical parameters, the proposed extremum-seeking estimation and control algorithm is potentially applicable for use as a closed-loop health monitoring system. Specifically, this system may be programmed to automatically adjust the duty-cycle of the sinusoidal driver signal to guarantee that the quality factor of the USDC does not fall below a user-defined set-point. Such fault-tolerant functionality is especially important in automated drilling applications where it is essential not to inadvertently drive the piezoelectric ceramic crystals of the USDC beyond their capacities. The details of the algorithm and experimental results will be described and discussed in this paper.

Peek-seeking estimation and control↗

NASA NTRS1994

Virtual Window Telepresence System for Telerobotics Inspection

Telerobotic inspection can be used in environments that are too hazardous, removed or expensive for direct human inspection. Telerobotic inspection is a complex task requiring an operator to control and coordinate a robot and sensors, while monitoring and interpreting sensor data to detect flaws. A virtual window telepresence system has been developed to aid the operator in performing these inspections.

telepresnece↗

NASA NTRS1994

Stand-alone digital data storage control system including user control interface

A storage control system includes an apparatus and method for user control of a storage interface to operate a storage medium to store data obtained by a real-time data acquisition system. Digital data received in serial format from the data acquisition system is first converted to a parallel format and then provided to the storage interface. The operation of the storage interface is controlled in accordance with instructions based on user control input from a user. Also, a user status output is displayed in accordance with storage data obtained from the storage interface. By allowing the user to control and monitor the operation of the storage interface, a stand-alone, user-controllable data storage system is provided for storing the digital data obtained by a real-time data acquisition system.

Wright, Kenneth D.↗

DOE OSTI2013

Proton beam therapy control system

A tiered communications architecture for managing network traffic in a distributed system. Communication between client or control computers and a plurality of hardware devices is administered by agent and monitor devices whose activities are coordinated to reduce the number of open channels or sockets. The communications architecture also improves the transparency and scalability of the distributed system by reducing network mapping dependence. The architecture is desirably implemented in a proton beam therapy system to provide flexible security policies which improve patent safety and facilitate system maintenance and development.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2013

Proton beam therapy control system

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2015

Artificial Neural Network-Based Monitoring of the Fuel Assembly Temperature Sensor and FPGA Implementation

Numerous methods have been developed around the world to model the dynamic behavior and detect a faulty operating mode of a temperature sensor. In this context, we present in this study a new method based on the dependence between the fuel assembly temperature profile on control rods positions, and the coolant flow rate in a nuclear reactor. This seems to be possible since the insertion of control rods at different axial positions and variations in flow rate of the reactor coolant results in different produced thermal power in the reactor. This is closely linked to the instant fuel rod temperature profile. In a first step, we selected parameters to be used and confirmed the adequate correlation between the chosen parameters and those to be estimated by the proposed monitoring system. In the next step, we acquired and de-noised the data of corresponding parameters, the qualified data is then used to design and train the artificial neural network. The effective data denoising was done by using the wavelet transform to remove a various kind of artifacts such as inherent noise. With the suitable choice of wavelet level and smoothing method, it was possible for us to remove all the non-required artifacts with a view to verify and analyze the considered signal. In our work, several potential mother wavelet functions (Haar, Daubechies, Bi-orthogonal, Reverse Bi-orthogonal, Discrete Meyer and Symlets) were investigated to find the most similar function with the being processed signals. To implement the proposed monitoring system for the fuel rod temperature sensor (03 wire RTD sensor), we used the Bayesian artificial neural network 'BNN' technique to model the dynamic behavior of the considered sensor, the system correlate the estimated values with the measured for the concretization of the proposed system we propose an FPGA (field programmable gate array) implementation. The monitoring system use the correlation. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

NASA NTRS1980

Performance seeking controls

A performance logic algorithm (PSL) was developed to optimize the performance of propulsion systems for component and sensor degradations by monitoring the performance of the engine system and minimizing thrust specific fuel consumption (TSFC) while retaining a constant engine net thrust. Engine constraints such as surge margin, speed, pressure, and temperature are observed. The PSL algorithm was applied to the quiet, clean, short haul experimental engine. Engine control set points were modified for component degradations in order to restore the nominal net thrust. Results show convergence to the optimum value can be obtained within 60 to 90 seconds, which makes the program acceptable to on line operation with present state of the art minicomputers. Tests indicate that in most cases the PSL algorithm offers some improvement in thrust specific fuel consumption over the manual throttle.

Seldner, K.↗

NASA NTRS1993

An optical motion measuring system for laterally oscillated fatigue tests

This paper describes an optical system developed for materials testing laboratories at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) for high resolution monitoring of the transverse displacement and angular rotation of a test specimen installed in an axial-tension bending machine (ATB) during fatigue tests. It consists of a small laser, optics, a motorized mirror, three photodiodes, electronic detection and counting circuits, a data acquisition system, and a personal computer. A 3-inch by 5-inch rectangular plate attached to the upper grip of the test machine serves as a target base for the optical system. The personal computer automates the fatigue test procedure, controls data acquisition, performs data reduction, and provides user displays. The data acquisition system also monitors signals from up to 16 strain gages mounted on the test specimen. The motion measuring system is designed to continuously monitor and correlate the amplitude of the oscillatory motion with the strain gage signals in order to detect the onset of failure of the composite test specimen. A prototype system has been developed and tested which exceeds the design specifications of +/- 0.01 inch displacement accuracy, and +/- 0.25 deg angular accuracy at a sampling rate of 100 samples per second.

Tripp, John S.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Sensor Integrated Pilot Mask for On-Board, Real-Time, Monitoring of Pilot Breathing Gas

A pilot's job is unique in the demands it places on the human body, and many conditions can seriously affect pilot performance, threatening mission completion and pilot safety. The gas in a flight mask contains key indicators of the pilot's physiological state, including oxygen inhaled and carbon dioxide exhaled, which can signal hypoxia, hyperoxia, hypocapnia, and hypercapnia. A fiber optic-based sensor system, integrated into the pilot mask, has been developed to monitor in real time, during flight, the pilot breathing gas levels. Monitoring the partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the pilot mask supports real-time closed loop control of the on-board oxygen generation system, based on a direct reading of what the pilot is actually breathing. The pilot Mask Sensor (MASES) system incorporates luminescence sensors for pO2, pCO2, relative humidity, pressure, and temperature in a compact probe in the pilot mask; it is based on sensor technology developed for gas monitoring in space suit systems, in work supported by NASA under the Small Business Innovation Research program. Relevant requirements for the MASES system include sensor operation while wet, operation at reduced pressure, ability to withstand rapid decompression, operation in a pure oxygen atmosphere, low power consumption, a compact readout unit, and flexible miniature sensors; many of these requirements are shared with gas monitors in space suits. Data are presented from tests conducted with human subjects in an altitude chamber and in a centrifuge.

Delgado Alonso, Jesus↗

NASA NTRS1990

NASA/MSFC Large Space Structures Ground Test Facility

The NASA/MFSC Large Space Structures Ground Test Facility (LSS GTF) is described in terms of the testing, evaluation, and implementation of control and system identification techniques for typical large space structures. The GTF comprises Control, Astrophysics, and Structures Experiment in Space (CASES) GTF which is being developed and the operational Single Structure Control (SSC) laboratory (an LSS flexible beam suspended vertically with sensor and actuator systems, a real-time computer system, a disturbance system, and an optical pointing system). The configuration of the laboratory and the systems used are set forth in terms of monitoring simulated disturbances. The Shuttle-based CASES experiment involves a 105-foot boom as part of an X-ray experiment, and the control of this structure will be tested at the CASES GTF. The actuation, measurement, sensor, and computer systems are described, and the configuration of the GTF is given.

Jones, Victoria L.↗

NASA NTRS1990

ECLSS development for future space missions

The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) for Space Station Freedom is presently under development. Three areas of concern for longer duration missions are recycling of mass, monitoring and controlling the ECLSS, and controlling trace contaminants and microorganisms. The goal is to 'close the loop' for water and oxygen much more than has been done on previous missions. Alternative technologies for performing each of the ECLSS functions are being developed and evaluated as part of the selection process for choosing the technologies to use on Freedom. Methods to automatically monitor and control the ECLSS are being investigated. The instrumentation needs are being determined in order to focus effort where most needed. Research is also underway to improve methods of monitoring and controlling trace contaminants and microorganisms.

Wieland, Paul O.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Task-level control for autonomous robots

Task-level control refers to the integration and coordination of planning, perception, and real-time control to achieve given high-level goals. Autonomous mobile robots need task-level control to effectively achieve complex tasks in uncertain, dynamic environments. This paper describes the Task Control Architecture (TCA), an implemented system that provides commonly needed constructs for task-level control. Facilities provided by TCA include distributed communication, task decomposition and sequencing, resource management, monitoring and exception handling. TCA supports a design methodology in which robot systems are developed incrementally, starting first with deliberative plans that work in nominal situations, and then layering them with reactive behaviors that monitor plan execution and handle exceptions. To further support this approach, design and analysis tools are under development to provide ways of graphically viewing the system and validating its behavior.

Simmons, Reid↗

DOE OSTI2021

JTAG-based PLC memory acquisition framework for industrial control systems

In industrial control systems (ICS), programmable logic controllers (PLC) are the embedded devices that directly control and monitor critical industrial infrastructure processes such as nuclear plants and power grid stations. Cyberattacks often target PLCs to sabotage a physical process. A memory forensic analysis of a suspect PLC can answer questions about an attack, including compromised firmware and manipulation of PLC control logic code and I/O devices. Given physical access to a PLC, collecting forensic information from the PLC memory at the hardware-level is risky and challenging. It may cause the PLC to crash or hang since PLCs have proprietary, legacy hardware with heterogeneous architecture. This paper addresses this research problem and proposes a novel JTAG (Joint Test Action Group)-based framework, Kyros, for reliable PLC memory acquisition. Kyros systematically creates a JTAG profile of a PLC through hardware assessment, JTAG pins identification, memory map creation, and optimizing acquisition parameters. It also facilitates the community of interest (such as ICS owners, operators, and vendors) to develop the JTAG profiles of PLCs. Further, we present a case study of Kyros implementation over Allen-Bradley 1756-A10/B to help understand the framework's application on a real-world PLC used in industry settings. The sample PLC memory dumps are shared with the research community to facilitate further research.

Rais, Muhammad Haris↗

DOE OSTI2017

UV-enhanced CO sensing using Ga 2 O 3 -based nanorod arrays at elevated temperature

Monitoring and control of gaseous combustion process are critically important in advanced energy systems such as power plants, gas turbines, and automotive engines. However, very limited gas sensing solutions are available in the market for such application due to the inherent high temperature of combustion gaseous atmosphere. In this study, we fabricated and demonstrated high-performance metal oxide based nanorod array sensors assisted with ultra-violet (UV) illumination for in situ and real-time high-temperature gas detection. Without UV-illumination, it was found surface decoration of either 5 nm LSFO or 1 nm Pt nanoparticles can enhance the sensitivity over CO at 500 °C by an order of magnitude. Under the 254 nm UV illumination, CO gas-sensing performance of Ga 2 O 3 -based nanorod array sensors was further enhanced with the sensitivity boosted by 125 %, and the response time reduced by 30 % for La 0.8 Sr 0.2 FeO 3 (LSFO)-decorated sample. The UV-enhanced detecting of CO might be due to the increased population of photo-induced electron-hole pairs. While for LSFO-decorated nanorod array sensor under UV illumination, the enhancement is through a combination of sensitizing effect and photocurrent effect.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2018

ProtoDESI: First On-Sky Technology Demonstration for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is under construction to measure the expansion history of the universe using the baryon acoustic oscillations technique. The spectra of 35 million galaxies and quasars over 14,000 square degrees will be measured during a 5-year survey. A new prime focus corrector for the Mayall telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory will deliver light to 5,000 individually targeted fiber-fed robotic positioners. The fibers in turn feed ten broadband multi-object spectrographs. We describe the ProtoDESI experiment, that was installed and commissioned on the 4-m Mayall telescope from 2016 August 14 to September 30. ProtoDESI was an on-sky technology demonstration with the goal to reduce technical risks associated with aligning optical fibers with targets using robotic fiber positioners and maintaining the stability required to operate DESI. The ProtoDESI prime focus instrument, consisting of three fiber positioners, illuminated fiducials, and a guide camera, was installed behind the existing Mosaic corrector on the Mayall telescope. A fiber view camera was mounted in the Cassegrain cage of the telescope and provided feedback metrology for positioning the fibers. ProtoDESI also provided a platform for early integration of hardware with the DESI Instrument Control System that controls the subsystems, provides communication with the Telescope Control System, and collects instrument telemetry data. In conclusion, lacking a spectrograph, ProtoDESI monitored the output of the fibers using a fiber photometry camera mounted on the prime focus instrument. ProtoDESI was successful in acquiring targets with the robotically positioned fibers and demonstrated that the DESI guiding requirements can be met.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-T-518: Development and Characterization of a Gated Treatment System Implemented with An In-House Optical Tracking System and the Elekta Response Interface

Purpose: To report the development and characterization of the first in-house gating system implemented with an optical tracking system (OTS) and the Elekta Response™ interface. Methods: The Response™ connects a patient tracking system with a linac, enabling the tracking system to control radiation delivery. The developed system uses an in-house OTS to monitor patient breathing. The OTS consists of two infrared-based cameras, tracking markers affixed on patient. It achieves gated or breath-held (BH) treatment by calling beam ON/OFF functions in the Response™ dynamic-link library (DLL). A 4D motion phantom was used to evaluate its dosimetric and time delay characteristics. Two FF- and two FFF-IMRT beams were delivered in non-gated, BH and gated mode. The sinusoidal gating signal had a 6 sec period and 15 mm amplitude. The duty cycle included 10%, 20%, 30% and 50%. The BH signal was adapted from the sinusoidal wave by inserting 15 sec BHs. Each delivery was measured with a 2D diode array (MapCHECK™) and compared with the non-gated delivery using gamma analysis (3%). The beam ON/OFF time was captured using the service graphing utility of the linac. Results: The gated treatments were successfully delivered except the 10% duty cycle. The BH delivery had perfect agreement (100%) with non-gated delivery; the agreement of gated delivery decreased from 99% to 88% as duty cycle reduced from 50% to 20%. The beam on/off delay was on average 0.25/0.06 sec. The delivery time for the 50%, 30% and 20% duty cycle increased by 29%, 71% and 139%, respectively. No dosimetric or time delay difference was noticed between FF- and FFF-IMRT beams. Conclusion: The in-house gating system was successfully developed with dosimetric and time delay characteristics in line with published results for commercial systems. It will be an important platform for further research and clinical development of gated treatment.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Securing Digital Energy Infrastructure: Procurement, Contracting, and Supply Chain Risk Management Guidance

Recognizing the scale of this industry challenge, the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO) and Cybersecurity Energy Security & Emergency Response office have launched a multi-year BESS supply chain security initiative to identify consequence-driven approaches to addressing BESS supply chain security and provide resources to support prioritization of supply chain security efforts associated with the procurement of BESS equipment and services. This guide is one element of the supporting resources to be provided and sets forth a framework and guidance for procurement bidding, selection, risk analysis, and agreements stakeholders can implement to mitigate cybersecurity risks across the entirety of battery system component ecosystem, including the interconnected software and hardware required for control and monitoring BESSs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗