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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Performance Risk Model (PRisM) Proof-of-Concept: An Operational Decision Support Tool to Predict Crew Performance in Space from Available Performance Tests

The Crew Health and Performance-Probabilistic Risk Assessment (CHP-PRA) team at NASA Glenn Research Center has developed a range of tools to evaluate astronaut health during spaceflight and to optimize the medical set required for missions. Among these, the Performance Risk Model (PRisM) represents a novel advancement, extending CHP-PRA’s focus beyond medical systems into the domain of human performance. Such tool could be pivotal in optimizing astronaut capabilities during space travel, thereby enhancing overall mission success. PRisM leverages data from well-established performance assessments conducted during previous crewed space missions and Earth analogs to strategically predict outcomes for planned tasks, even when direct performance testing has not been conducted for those specific tasks. To evaluate performance, PRisM references the various metrics outlined in NASA-STD-3001 and employs a methodology to integrate different performance scales. This framework analyzes the contribution of various human system task categories (HSTCs) to task execution and compares these contributions to the HSTCs’ involvement in other known tests. The model further employs a Monte Carlo simulation to sample performance scores from their distribution in operationally relevant tests such as those in Mulavara et al. (2018) and, by leveraging similarities in HSTC involvement, transfers this knowledge to actual mission tasks, such as those outlined in the "Human Exploration of Mars: Preliminary List of Crew Tasks”. The current PRisM proof-of-concept includes analyses of the impact of exercise and specific medications on astronauts’ performance, with provisions to incorporate additional countermeasures as data becomes available. Furthermore, the tool is customizable to include any system necessary to fully encompass the domain of human systems and can be adapted to evaluate performance for any spaceflight activities as requested by operational stakeholders. PRisM has the potential to assist the Human Research Program in exploring the capabilities trade space for optimized crew performance.

performance modeling↗
NASA NTRS1950

Investigation of Performance of Axial-Flow Compressor of XT-46 Turbine-Propeller Engine. II - Performance of Revised Compressor at Design Equivalent Speed: Performance of Revised Compressor at Design Equivalent Speed - II

The compressor from the XT-46 turbine-propeller engine was revised by removing the last two rows of stator blades and by eliminating the interstage leakage paths described in a previous report. With the revised compressor, the flow choking point shifted upstream into the last rotor-blade row but the maximum weight flow was not increased over that of the original compressor. The flow range of the revised compressor was reduced to about two-thirds that obtained with the original compressor. The later stages of the compressor did not produce the design static-pressure increase probably because of excessive boundary-layer build-up in this region. Measurements obtained in the ninth-stage stator showed that the performance up to this station was promising but that the last three stages of the compressor were limiting the useful operating range of the preceding stages. Some modifications in flow-passage geometry and blade settings are believed to be necessary, however, before any major improvements in over-all compressor performance can be obtained.

Creagh, John W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1948

Preliminary Results of British Nene II Engine Altitude-Chamber Performance Investigation. I - Altitude Performance Using Standard 18.75-Inch-Diameter Jet Nozzle: Altitude Performance Using Standard 18.75-Inch-Diameter Jet Nozzle - 1

An investigation is being conducted to determine the altitude performance characteristics of the British Nene II engine and its components. The present paper presents the preliminary results obtained using a standard jet nozzle. The test results presented are for conditions simulating altitudes from sea level to 60,000 feet and ram pressure ratios from 1.0 to 2.3. These ram pressure ratios correspond to flight Mach numbers between zero and 1.16 assuming a 100 percent ram recovery.

Barson, Zelmar↗
NASA NTRS1949

Performance of Axial-Flow Supersonic Compressor on XJ-55-FF-1 Turbojet Engine. I - Preliminary Performance of Compressor: Preliminary Performance of Compressor - 1

An investigation was conducted to determine the performance characteristics of the axial-flow supersonic compressor of the XJ-55-FF-1 turbo Jet engine. The test unit consisted of a row of inlet guide vanes and a supersonic rotor; the stator vanes after the rotor were omitted. The maximum pressure ratio produced in the single stage was 2.28 at an equivalent tip speed or 1814 feet per second with an adiabatic efficiency of approximately 0.61, equivalent weight flow of 13.4 pounds per second. The maximum efficiency of 0.79 was obtained at an equivalent tip speed of 801 feet per second.

Hartmann, Melvin J.↗
NASA NTRS1948

Simulated Altitude Performance of Combustors for the 24C Turbojet Engine. III - Performance of Rectangular-Slot Baskets: Performance of Rectangular-Slot Baskets - 3

The performance of an annular combustion chamber from a 24C turbojet engine was investigated over a range of simulated altitudes from 20,000 to 55,000 feet and corrected engine rotor speeds from 6000 to 13,000 rpm at a simulated ram-pressure ratio of 1.04. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the effects on the altitude operational limits, combustor-outlet gas temperature distribution, combustion efficiencies, and combustor inlet-to-outlet total-pressure drops of two changes in the 24C-4B basket air-passage arrangements that were designed to improve combustor-outlet temperature distribution. These changes were: (a) replacement of the downstream secondary air holes with large rectangular slots further upstream (rectangular-slot basket), and (b) enlargement of anticoking holes in the rectangular-slot basket (modified rectangular-slot basket). The results indicate that improved outlet-gas temperature distribution of each succeeding combustor basket investigated was attained at a sacrifice in the altitude limit of operation. The altitude limits of operation of the combustor with the original basket ranged from 34,000 feet at a corrected engine speed of 6000 rpm to a maximum of 52,000 feet at 12 ' 500 rpm. The altitude limits of the rectangular-slot basket were about 2000 feet lower throughout the engine speed range than those of the original basket. The altitude limits of the combustor with the modified rectangular-slot basket were about equivalent to those of the other baskets in the corrected-engine-speed range from 12,000 to 12,500 rpm but were about 10,000 feet lower than those of the original basket in the corrected-engine-speed range from 6000 to 9000 rpm. For the same inlet-air conditions, the combustion efficiencies were highest for the original basket and progressively lower for each of the other two baskets. The combustor inlet-to-outlet pressure drops of all three combustor baskets at the same operating conditions were within +/- 10 percent of the pressure drop of the original basket.

Tischler, Adelbert O.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Evaluation of the Trade Space Between UAS Maneuver Performance and SAA System Performance Requirements

A need exists to safely integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System. Replacing manned aircraft's see-and-avoid capability in the absence of an onboard pilot is one of the key challenges associated with safe integration. Sense-and-avoid (SAA) systems will have to achieve yet-to-be-determined required separation distances for a wide range of encounters. They will also need to account for the maneuver performance of the UAS they are paired with. The work described in this paper is aimed at developing an understanding of the trade space between UAS maneuver performance and SAA system performance requirements. An assessment of current manned and unmanned aircraft performance was used to establish potential UAS performance test matrix bounds. Then, nearterm UAS integration work was used to narrow down the scope. A simulator was developed with sufficient fidelity to assess SAA system performance requirements for a wide range of encounters. The simulator generates closest-point-of-approach (CPA) data from the wide range of UAS performance models maneuvering against a single intruder with various encounter geometries. The simulator is described herein and has both a graphical user interface and batch interface to support detailed analysis of individual UAS encounters and macro analysis of a very large set of UAS and encounter models, respectively. Results from the simulator using approximate performance data from a well-known manned aircraft is presented to provide insight into the problem and as verification and validation of the simulator. Analysis of climb, descent, and level turn maneuvers to avoid a collision is presented. Noting the diversity of backgrounds in the UAS community, a description of the UAS aerodynamic and propulsive design and performance parameters is included. Initial attempts to model the results made it clear that developing maneuver performance groups is required. Discussion of the performance groups developed and how to know in which group an aircraft belongs for a given flight condition and encounter is included. The groups are specific to airplane, flight condition, and encounter, rather than airplane-only specific. Results and methodology for developing UAS maneuver performance requirements are presented for each maneuver as well. Results for the vertical maneuver indicate that a minimum specific excess power value can assure a minimum CPA for a given time-to-go prediction. However, smaller values of specific excess power may achieve or exceed the same CPA if the UAS has sufficient speed to trade for altitude. Level turn results are less impacted by specific excess power and are presented as a function of turn rate. The effect of altitude is also discussed for the turns. Next steps and future work are discussed. Future studies will lead to better quantification of the preliminary results and cover the remainder of the proposed test matrix. It is anticipated that this will be done in conjunction with RTCA SC-228 over the next few months.

Jack, Devin P.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Exploration of the Trade Space Between Unmanned Aircraft Systems Descent Maneuver Performance and Sense-and-Avoid System Performance Requirements

A need exists to safely integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the United States' National Airspace System. Replacing manned aircraft's see-and-avoid capability in the absence of an onboard pilot is one of the key challenges associated with safe integration. Sense-and-avoid (SAA) systems will have to achieve yet-to-be-determined required separation distances for a wide range of encounters. They will also need to account for the maneuver performance of the UAS they are paired with. The work described in this paper is aimed at developing an understanding of the trade space between UAS maneuver performance and SAA system performance requirements, focusing on a descent avoidance maneuver. An assessment of current manned and unmanned aircraft performance was used to establish potential UAS performance test matrix bounds. Then, near-term UAS integration work was used to narrow down the scope. A simulator was developed with sufficient fidelity to assess SAA system performance requirements. The simulator generates closest-point-of-approach (CPA) data from the wide range of UAS performance models maneuvering against a single intruder with various encounter geometries. Initial attempts to model the results made it clear that developing maneuver performance groups is required. Discussion of the performance groups developed and how to know in which group an aircraft belongs for a given flight condition and encounter is included. The groups are airplane, flight condition, and encounter specific, rather than airplane-only specific. Results and methodology for developing UAS maneuver performance requirements are presented for a descent avoidance maneuver. Results for the descent maneuver indicate that a minimum specific excess power magnitude can assure a minimum CPA for a given time-to-go prediction. However, smaller amounts of specific excess power may achieve or exceed the same CPA if the UAS has sufficient speed to trade for altitude. The results of this study will support UAS maneuver performance requirements development for integrating UAS in the NAS. The methods described are being used to help RTCA Special Committee 228 develop requirements.

Jack, Devin P.↗
DOE OSTI2026

How nitrogen and oxygen shape SRF cavity performance

Nitrogen and oxygen-based surface treatments have revolutionized the performance of superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities, enabling them to reach higher gradients and lower losses. However, the exact mechanisms by which these treatments improve cavity performance remain largely unknown. This work provides new insights into the role of nitrogen and oxygen in SRF cavity performance by using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to precisely quantify the concentrations and depth profiles of these impurities within niobium cutouts. We correlate these impurity profiles with detailed cavity performance measurements, including surface resistance and quality factor, and compare our findings with predictions from BCS theory. The results demonstrate that while both nitrogen and oxygen enhance performance, ten times more oxygen is required to achieve the same reduction in BCS resistance as interstitial nitrogen. We present a potential model in which the observed variation arises from nitrogen's greater effectiveness in trapping hydrogen, thus reducing the formation of niobium hydrides and enhancing superconducting gap.

Hu, Hannah [Chicago U.]↗
NASA NTRS2008

Study of the Correlation between the Performances of Lunar Vehicle Wheels Predicted by the Nepean Wheeled Vehicle Performance Model and Test Data

This paper describes the results of a study of the correlation between the performances of wheels for lunar vehicles predicted using the Nepean wheeled vehicle performance model (NWVPM), developed under the auspices of Vehicle Systems Development Corporation, Ottawa, Canada, and the corresponding test data presented in Performance evaluation of wheels for lunar vehicles , Technical Report M-70-2, prepared for George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), USA, by the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES). The NWVPM was originally developed for design and performance evaluation of terrestrial off-road wheeled vehicles. The purpose of this study is to assess the potential of the NWVPM for evaluating wheel candidates for the new generation of extra-terrestrial vehicles. Two versions of a wire-mesh wheel and a hoop-spring wheel, which were considered as candidates for lunar roving vehicles for the NASA Apollo program in the late 1960s, together with a pneumatic wheel were examined in this study. The tractive performances of these wheels and of a 464 test vehicle with the pneumatic wheels on air-dry sand were predicted using the NWVPM and compared with the corresponding test data obtained under Earth s gravity and previously documented in the above-named report. While test data on wheel or vehicle performances obtained under Earth s gravity may not necessarily be representative of those on extra-terrestrial bodies, because of the differences in gravity and in environmental conditions, such as atmospheric pressure, it is still a valid approach to use test data obtained under Earth s gravity to evaluate the predictive capability of the NWVPM and its potential applications to predicting wheel or wheeled rover performances on extra-terrestrial bodies. Results of this study show that, using the ratio (P20/W) of the drawbar pull to normal load at 20 per cent slip as a performance indicator, there is a reasonable correlation between the predictions and experimental data. This indicates that the NWVPM has the potential as an engineering tool for evaluating wheel candidates for a future generation of extra-terrestrial vehicles, provided that appropriate input data are available.

Wong, J. Y.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Performance Data Report: Space Medicine Division, Human Research Program, Behavioural Health and Performance Research Element

This report is the result of a collaborative effort between NASA?s Behavioral Health & Performance (BHP) Research and Operations Group to investigate and determine the availability of data pertaining to behavioral performance (and other pertinent variables) that have been collected by the laboratories at NASA?s Johnson Space Center. BHP?s Operations and Research groups collaborated to systematically identify what types of performance data are needed in relevant BHP performance domains and also to conduct structured interviews with NASA personnel to identify which data do or do not exist currently (and for instances where such data exist, to evaluate the type, quality, accessibility, and confidentiality of those data). The authors defined outcome categories of performance that encapsulate BHP performance domains, mapped BHP Research Risks and Gaps onto those performance outcome categories, and identified and prioritized indicators for each outcome category. The team identified key points of contact (subject matter experts [SMEs]) as potential interviewees, created a template for structured interview questions about sources and accessibility of performance data, and coordinated and conducted structured interviews with the SMEs. The methodology, results, and implications of this effort, as well as forward work needed, are discussed in this report.

Shea, Camille↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Strategies for Quantifying Human Space Flight Performance in the Crew Health and Performance System

The Crew Health and Performance-Probabilistic Risk Assessment (CHP-PRA) team at NASA Glenn Research Center is planning a customized approach to quantify human spaceflight performance changes with respect to changes to the CHP system functions and capabilities. Using the Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG) initiated by NASA’s Human Systems Risk Board (HSRB) [1], the team is surveying potential candidate models and novel strategies that generate metrics suitable for supporting decision making related to how the CHP system may influence human system performance risk. One such investigation includes classic Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) models. Traditionally, HRA methods estimate the occurrence of human errors and their impact on the success of an activity when designing and operating a system. While humans perceive, interpret, decide on, and carry out a course of action, the factors affecting performance and error likelihood are commonly referred to as performance shaping factors (PSFs). Originally developed to alleviate safety concerns related to nuclear power plant operations, HRA methods such as THERP [2] and CREAM [3] dismantle an activity into tasks, requiring elemental steps to be executed, and assess their failure due to predefined PSFs. In this study, we compare generic HRA methods and those that incorporate some human spaceflight aspects, such as sleep conditions (SCREAM [4]), with respect to how they may be adopted to capture performance with an intention to mitigate detrimental outcomes elucidated by the HSRB DAGs. We suggest strategies to quantify astronaut performance specific to spaceflight activities and illustrate how such concepts may help in optimizing the CHP system capabilities with respect to Artemis missions.

dag↗
DOE OSTI2025

Refining seasonal performance metrics for room air-conditioning in emerging markets: Integrating building simulations with real-world equipment performance data

Buildings significantly impact worldwide energy consumption, emphasizing the need to reduce the cooling energy demand, especially in warm climates. Minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and seasonal performance metrics such as the Cooling Seasonal Performance Factor (CSPF) are crucial for improving room air conditioning (RAC) efficiency. However, challenges remain, particularly in emerging markets like Brazil, where seasonal performance metrics have recently been introduced. This study assesses the factors influencing country-level seasonal efficiency metrics and proposes a framework to refine these calculations by considering local climates and expected RAC usage in real-world households via building simulations. Key considerations include outdoor air temperature binning for different climates, RAC usage patterns (i.e., daytime and nighttime usages), envelope thermal performance of households, and urban heat island (UHI) effects. The results reveal that CSPF values can vary significantly based on climate conditions, with observed CSPF ranging from 4.10 to 11.59 Wh/Wh across 577 Brazilian climates. The inclusion of UHI effects led to a reduction in CSPF values by up to 29% during nighttime operations in hot urban areas. Additionally, building envelope efficiency showed contrasting impacts on RAC performance, with CSPFs reaching up to 15.35 Wh/Wh under specific optimized conditions. These findings highlight the need for transparent policymaking in RAC performance databases, facilitating the application of approaches like those proposed in this study and supporting diverse stakeholders in decision-making.

Bavaresco, Mateus↗
DOE OSTI2025

Performance Evaluation of Vertical Federated Machine Learning Against Adversarial Threats on Wide-Area Control System: Preprint

Federated machine learning (FL) is gaining significant popularity to develop cybersecurity solutions in power grids because of its advanced capability to support decentralized data handing at local devices, its privacy preservation, and its low-bandwidth requirement. However, the evolving adversarial machine learning (AML) threats raise significant concerns for the cybersecurity of FL architectures. The FL-based split neural network (SplitNN) achieves high performance through the decentralized training of local neural network models while preserving data privacy across multiple entities. In this paper, we propose a methodology for evaluating the performance of a vertical FLbased anomaly detector against different types of AML attacks, including denial-of-service attacks, adversarial data injection attacks, and replay attacks on the trained local models deployed in the grid network. For a case study, we consider the modified IEEE 13-bus system, and we develop SplitNN-based binary and multiclass classification models to detect, locate, and identify different types of data integrity attacks on the volt-watt control with two pooling layers: maximum pooling and AvgPool. Our experimental results, computed through performance metrics, reveal that the severity of these AML attacks varies with the integrated pooling mechanism, the type of classification model, and the nature of the cyberattack. Further, the AML attacks negatively impacted the prediction time per sample for the pretrained SplitNN during the online testing.

adversarial threats↗
DOE OSTI2024

JACC: Leveraging HPC Meta-Programming and Performance Portability with the Just-in-Time and LLVM-based Julia Language

We present JACC (Julia for Accelerators), the first high-level, and performance-portable model for the just-in-time and LLVM-based Julia language. JACC provides a unified and lightweight front end across different back ends available in Julia, enabling the same Julia code to run efficiently on many HPC CPU and GPU targets. We evaluated the performance of JACC for common HPC kernels as well as for the most computationally demanding kernels used in applications, HPCCG, a supercomputing benchmark test for sparse domains, and HARVEY, a blood flow simulator to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from vascular diseases. We carried out the performance analysis on the most advanced US DOE supercomputers: Aurora, Frontier, and Perlmutter. Overall, we show that JACC has a negligible overhead versus vendor-specific solutions, reporting GPU speedups with no extra cost to programmability.

Valero-Lara, Pedro↗
NASA NTRS1975

Flat-Plate Solar-Collector Performance Evaluation with a Solar Simulator as a Basis for Collector Selection and Performance Prediction

The use of a solar simulator for performance determination permits collector testing under standard conditions of wind, ambient temperature, flow rate and sun. The performance results determined with the simulator have been found to be in good agreement with outdoor performance results. The measured thermal efficiency and evaluation of 23 collectors are reported which differ according to absorber material (copper, aluminum, steel), absorber coating (nonselective black paint, selective copper oxide, selective black nickel, selective black chrome), type of glazing material (glass, Tedlar, Lexan, antireflection glass), the use of honeycomb material and the use of vacuum to prevent thermal convection losses. The collectors were given performance rankings based on noon-hour solar conditions and all-day solar conditions. The determination with the simulator of an all-day collector performance was made possible by tests at different incident angles. The solar performance rankings were made based on whether the collector is to be used for pool heating, hot water, absorption air conditioning, heating, or for a solar Rankine machine.

Simon, F. F.↗
NASA NTRS1956

Charts for estimating performance of high-performance helicopters

Theoretically derived charts showing the profile-drag-thrust ratio are presented for helicopter rotors operating in forward flight and having hinged rectangular blades with a linear twist of 0 degree, 8 degrees, and 16 degrees. The charts, showing the profile-drag characteristics of the rotor for various combinations of pitch angle, ratio of thrust coefficient to solidity, and a parameter representing shaft power input, are presented for tip-speed ratios ranging from 0.05 to 0.50. Also presented in chart form are the ratio of thrust coefficient to solidity as a function of angles of attack, as a function of inflow ratio and collective pitch, and as a function of power and thrust coefficients. The charts in this report are considered more accurate than previous ones for flight conditions involving high inflow velocities and large regions of reversed velocity that may be encountered by high-performance helicopters. The charts may be used to study the effects of design changes on rotor performance and to indicate optimum performance conditions, as well as to estimate quickly rotor performance in forward flight. They are also useful in obtaining inflow-ratio and pitch-angle values for use in calculating flapping coefficients and spanwise loadings. The method of applying the charts to performance estimation is illustrated through sample calculation of a typical rotor-performance problem.

Gessow, Alfred↗
NASA NTRS2010

Effects of Gas Turbine Component Performance on Engine and Rotary Wing Vehicle Size and Performance

In support of the Fundamental Aeronautics Program, Subsonic Rotary Wing Project, further gas turbine engine studies have been performed to quantify the effects of advanced gas turbine technologies on engine weight and fuel efficiency and the subsequent effects on a civilian rotary wing vehicle size and mission fuel. The Large Civil Tiltrotor (LCTR) vehicle and mission and a previous gas turbine engine study will be discussed as a starting point for this effort. Methodology used to assess effects of different compressor and turbine component performance on engine size, weight and fuel efficiency will be presented. A process to relate engine performance to overall LCTR vehicle size and fuel use will also be given. Technology assumptions and levels of performance used in this analysis for the compressor and turbine components performances will be discussed. Optimum cycles (in terms of power specific fuel consumption) will be determined with subsequent engine weight analysis. The combination of engine weight and specific fuel consumption will be used to estimate their effect on the overall LCTR vehicle size and mission fuel usage. All results will be summarized to help suggest which component performance areas have the most effect on the overall mission.

Snyder, Christopher A.↗