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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 1,693 records · Page 94
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Quad aperture RF definition

A single STS package 118 m diameter hoop/column antenna is capable of providing service for appr. 250,000 mobile users. The selected quad aperture configuration is able to provide at least 25 db C/I without cable blockage, column scatter, coupling between quad apertures, and tolerance effects. A feed can be designed which uses single polarized radiating elements while the overall system employs dual polarization. The quad aperture concept can eliminate the use of diplexers and their associated losses. The critical technology issues in the RF area include the design of the radiating elements, BFN, monolithic power amplifiers and receiver front end, tolerance control and packaging of the feed.

Foldes, P.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Summary of activities

Four space projects' activities are summarized. Design work on the Mars Penetrator Project, in cooperation with the NASA Ames Research Center, is being continued. Efforts are focused on the drilling mechanism which must penetrate the martian subsurface soil to collect and retrieve an uncontaminated sample. The new design consists of a rotary-percussive drill mechanism. This mechanism is optimum for dry drilling, necessary to avoid contamination of the soil sample, in many different soil types. The need for a small, relatively inexpensive device to study the chemical structure of this martian soil was also established. The egg design was chosen for its low cost compared to other systems and potential for a large number of eggs to be deployed on the martian surface. The design process included analysis of the dynamics of reentry, dissipation of heat during reentry, impact with the surface, access to undisturbed soil samples, and ability to gather samples from the soil at three depths. The egg consists of the reentry systems, soil probe lifting system, soil probe package, gas chromatograph, transmitter, and battery power supply. The egg must function only once, but is designed to withstand one martian year. The Mars Mole is designed as a rover-based device which penetrates the martian soil to a depth of up to 10 m, obtains a sample of soil, and returns it to the surface for analysis. The mole was designed to meet the following specifications: (1) weight less than 10 kg; (2) size less than 20 x 20 x 30 cm; (3) power less than 100 W; (4) ability to obtain a sample of at least 5 cc; (5) ability to penetrate fine, loose sand; and (6) need to obtain at least one sample. The space station umbilical connector project is a device which provides the translational motion of the connectors on the Space Station Freedom to allow engagement for power and data transfer. The design is capable of delivering a 20 lb force within the necessary tolerances and will operate reliably in the space environment.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2009

Development of the Second Generation International Space Station (ISS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA)

The second generation International Space Station (ISS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer s (TOCA) function is to monitor concentrations of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in ISS water samples. TOC is one measurement that provides a general indication of overall water quality by indicating the potential presence of hazardous chemicals. The data generated from the TOCA is used as a hazard control to assess the quality of the reclaimed and stored water supplies on-orbit and their suitability for crew consumption. This paper details the unique ISS Program requirements, the design of the ISS TOCA, and a brief description of the on-orbit concept-of-operations. The TOCA schematic will be discussed in detail along with specific information regarding key components. The ISS TOCA was designed as a non-toxic TOC analyzer that could be deployed in a flight ready package. This basic concept was developed through laboratory component level testing, two moderate fidelity integrated system breadboard prototypes, a flight-like full scale prototype, as well as lessons learned from the inadequacies of the first unit. The result: a new TOCA unit that is robust in design and includes special considerations to microgravity and the on-orbit ISS environment. TOCA meets the accuracy needs of the ISS Program with a 1,000 to 25,000 g/L range, accurate to within +/-25%.

Clements, Anna L.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Generating MCNP Input Files for Unstructured Mesh Geometries

The Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP)1 transport code version 6.3 (also known as MCNP6.3) has the capability for tracking particles on unstructured mesh (UM) geometry models embedded into constructive solid geometry (CSG) cells. This feature has been developed for performing calculations of complex geometry models because manually creating CSG models is time-consuming and error-prone as the complexities of geometries increase. A UM geometry model is a collection of finite elements representing a solid geometry. The first step of the MCNP UM calculation is using other software packages to create a finite element mesh representation of a solid 3D geometry because the MCNP code cannot be used to generate a UM model. Computer-aided design (CAD) software is typically used to create a solid geometry model, which is later imported into mesh generation software to create a UM model. Some mesh generation software packages may also be used to create solid geometries and thus CAD files are not needed. The MCNP UM feature was originally designed for models generated by the Abaqus/CAE software suite. The MCNP code version 6.0 and later can process UM models formatted as Abaqus input files. Starting with a 6.3 version, the MCNP code can process HDF5 mesh input files. We only focus on the UM models formatted as Abaqus input files in this report since currently no external software can be used to generate HDF5 mesh input files for MCNP UM calculations. The MCNP code version 6.3 can be used to convert the Abaqus mesh input files into the HDF5 mesh input files, but this option is typically used by the MCNP code development team to test the HDF5 mesh input file feature. Several software packages (such as Abaqus, Attila4MC, or Cubit) can be used to create the Abaqus input files for MCNP UM calculations. An MCNP UM calculation using an Abaqus model requires two input file types: MCNP and Abaqus input files. The Abaqus input files needed for MCNP UM calcu lations must have the correct Abaqus syntax and meet the additional requirements by the MCNP code. The MCNP code can process only Abaqus input files that make use of part and assembly definitions, where elements in each part must be grouped into one or more element sets (i.e., elset) using *Elset keyword lines with specified naming formats. The MCNP and Abaqus input files required for MCNP UM simulations must be related; pseudo-cells in an MCNP input file must be constructed from mesh model data from an Abaqus input file. For large complex UM models, it is tedious to manually create MCNP UM input files. The um pre op (unstructured mesh pre operations) program with the -m option can be used to create a skeleton MCNP input file from an Abaqus input file [6]. Since the um pre op program was written in Fortran and was not written for optimized performance, this program is a deprecated feature in the MCNP code version 6.3 and may be removed in the next release of the code. To improve calculation flow of multiphysics calculations, a Python3 code called write mcnp um input has been developed to generate an MCNP input file instead of using the um_pre_op -m option. This Python code was initially released to the public in 2020. We have updated this Python code for MCNP6.3 and it was used to generate the MCNP input files used to verify the MCNP6.3 code. The write_mcnp_um_input code is included with the MCNP6.3 code package which will be released to the public through the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This report is a revision of LA-UR-20-27139 report.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2013

Development of a Universal Waste Management System

A concept for a Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) has been developed based on the knowledge gained from over 50 years of space travel. It is being designed for Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) and Multi ]Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and is based upon the Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) commode. The UMWS was modified to enhance crew interface and reduce volume and cost. The UWMS will stow waste in fecal canisters, similar to the EDO, and urine will be stowed in bags for in orbit change out. This allows the pretreated urine to be subsequently processed and recovered as drinking water. The new design combines two fans and a rotary phase separator on a common shaft to allow operation by a single motor. This change enhances packaging by reducing the volume associated with an extra motor, associated controller, harness, and supporting structure. The separator pumps urine to either a dual bag design for COTS vehicles or directly into a water reclamation system. The commode is supported by a concentric frame, enhancing its structural integrity while further reducing the volume from the previous design. The UWMS flight concept development effort is underway and an early output of the development will be a ground based UMWS prototype for manned testing. Referred to as the Gen 3 unit, this prototype will emulate the crew interface included in the UWMS and will offer a great deal of knowledge regarding the usability of the new design, allowing the design team the opportunity to modify the UWMS flight concept based on the manned testing.

Baccus, Shelley↗
DOE OSTI2022

Multiphysics analysis system for heat pipe cooled micro-reactors employing PRAGMA-OpenFOAM-ANLHTP

A multiphysics analysis system for neutronics/thermo-mechanical/heat-pipe analysis of heat pipe cooled micro-reactors was developed using the PRAGMA code as the neutronics engine. PRAGMA, which used to be a GPU-based continuous-energy MC code for power reactor applications, now has an extended geometry package to handle geometries with unstructured meshes generated by the ANSYS Design-Modeler and Meshing. The NVIDIA ray tracing engine OptiX was exploited for efficient neutron transport on unstructured geometry. On the multiphysics side, the open-source CFD tool OpenFOAM and one-dimensional heat pipe analysis code ANLHTP were adopted. The manager-worker system based on the MPI dynamic process management (DPM) model enables efficient coupling of codes employing different parallelization schemes. With all the features, the multiphysics analysis of the one-sixth symmetrical MegaPower 2D core was performed and it demonstrated the benefit of the tight integration of the three-way coupling system and one-to-one geometry coupling strategy. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Face Recognition Oak Ridge (FaRO): A Framework for Distributed and Scalable Biometrics Applications

The facial biometrics community has seen a recent abundance of high-accuracy facial analytic models become freely available. Although these models' capabilities in facial detection, landmark detection, attribute analysis, and recognition are ever-increasing, they aren't always straightforward to deploy in a real-world environment. In reality, the use of the field's ever growing collection of models is becoming exceedingly difficult as library dependencies update and deprecate. Researchers often encounter headaches when attempting to utilize multiple models requiring different or conflicting software packages. Face Recognition Oak Ridge (FaRO) is an open-source project designed to provide a highly modular, flexible framework for unifying facial analytic models through a compartmentalized plug-and-play paradigm built on top of the gRPC (Google Remote Procedure Call) protocol. FaRO's server-client architecture and flexible portability allows easy construction of modularized and heterogeneous face analysis pipelines, distributed over many machines with differing hardware and software resources. This paper outlines FaRO's architecture and current capabilities, along with some experiments in model testing and distributed scaling through FaRO.

Bolme, David↗
DOE OSTI2019

Application of Electronics Packaging Fundamentals to Photovoltaic Interconnects and Packaging

The energy capacity of photovoltaic (PV) installations worldwide has increased significantly in the last decade, increasing the demand for rigorous investigation of the physical phenomena causing degradation and failures in PV modules. As PV reliability science develops, established methods and approaches from longer-standing industries can inform and expedite PV reliability advances. This work demonstrates how thermomechanical solder bond fatigue models derived for electronics packaging applications can be applied to both standard and emerging PV interconnect designs. This expertise cannot be directly translated to PV however, as target PV module lifetimes are significantly longer than most electronics and the modules must withstand the natural climate wherever they are deployed. Verification of analytical reliability models is then an additional challenge, due to model size, test time, and climate variability. Furthermore, unconventional materials, such as low-temperature solders, are now being integrated into PV designs, for which appropriate material models must be selected and material parameters derived. In this paper, the current state of PV interconnect research is explored, with an emphasis on the experimental and simulation approaches and models being used for this work. Recent results for standard module architectures as well as emerging interconnect schemes are discussed.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Target Optimization Study: Tolerance Sensitivity

A Work Package was initiated to investigate the potential for target optimization. The current design is made up of 82 disks 0.5 mm thick spaced 0.25 mm apart for helium coolant flow. This disk thickness and gap width are a result of continual increases is beam power and hence volumetric heating rate. Thickening the disks would mean higher disk temperatures, but this would be weighed against the prospect of fewer, thicker disks and wider coolant gap spaces, and the relaxed tolerances that would result. Fabrication of the target holder would be easier and less expensive, and target assembly would also be easier.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1971

Study of a heat rejection system using capillary pumping

Results of an analytical study investigating the application of capillary pumping to the heat rejection loop of an advanced Rankine cycle power conversion system are presented. The feasibility of the concept of capillary pumping as an alternate to electromagnetic pumping is analytically demonstrated. Capillary pumping is shown to provide a potential for weight and electrical power saving and reliability through the use of redundant systems. A screen wick pump design with arterial feed lines was analytically developed. Advantages of this design are high thermodynamic and hydrodynamic efficiency, which provide a lightweight easily packaged system. Operational problems were identified which must be solved for successful application of capillary pumping. The most important are the development of start up and shutdown procedures, and development of a means of keeping noncondensibles from the system and of earth-bound testing procedures.

Neal, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

SIRU development. Volume 3: Software description and program documentation

The development and initial evaluation of a strapdown inertial reference unit (SIRU) system are discussed. The SIRU configuration is a modular inertial subsystem with hardware and software features that achieve fault tolerant operational capabilities. The SIRU redundant hardware design is formulated about a six gyro and six accelerometer instrument module package. The six axes array provides redundant independent sensing and the symmetry enables the formulation of an optimal software redundant data processing structure with self-contained fault detection and isolation (FDI) capabilities. The basic SIRU software coding system used in the DDP-516 computer is documented.

Oehrle, J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

SIRU utilization. Volume 2: Software description and program documentation

A complete description of the additional analysis, development and evaluation provided for the SIRU system as identified in the requirements for the SIRU utilization program is presented. The SIRU configuration is a modular inertial subsystem with hardware and software features that achieve fault tolerant operational capabilities. The SIRU redundant hardware design is formulated about a six gyro and six accelerometer instrument module package. The modules are mounted in this package so that their measurement input axes form a unique symmetrical pattern that corresponds to the array of perpendiculars to the faces of a regular dodecahedron. This six axes array provides redundant independent sensing and the symmetry enables the formulation of an optimal software redundant data processing structure with self-contained fault detection and isolation (FDI) capabilities. Documentation of the additional software and software modifications required to implement the utilization capabilities includes assembly listings and flow charts

Oehrle, J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Advanced general-purpose computer

Computer uses custom-designed complementary metal-oxide semiconductor/silicon-on-sapphire LSI arrays with critical computer paths packages on thick-film hybrids.

Clapp, W. A.↗