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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 19 records

Comparison of advanced thermal and electrical storage for parabolic dish solar thermal power systems

Parabolic dish solar concentrator cluster concepts are explored, with attention given to thermal storage systems coupled to Stirling and Brayton cycle power conversion devices. Sensible heat storage involving molten salt (NaOH), liquid sodium, and solid cordierite bricks are considered for 1500 F thermal storage systems. Latent heat storage with NaF-MgF2 phase change materials are explored in terms of passive, active, and direct contact designs. Comparisons are made of the effectiveness of thermal storage relative to redox, Na-S, Zn-Cl, and Zn-Br battery storage systems. Molten lead trickling down through a phase change eutectic, the NaF-MgF2, formed the direct contact system. Heat transport in all systems is effected through Inconel pipes. Using a cost goal of 120-150 mills/kWh as the controlling parameter, sensible heat systems with molten salts transport with either Stirling or Brayton engines, or latent heat systems with Stirling engines, and latent heat-Brayton engine with direct contact were favored in the analyses. Battery storage systems, however, offered the most flexibility of applications.

Fujita, T.↗

Vidicon storage tube electrical input/output

Electrical data storage tube is assembled from standard vidicon tube using conventional amplification and control circuits. Vidicon storage tube is simple, inexpensive and has an erase and preparation time of less than 5 microseconds.

Lipoma, P.↗

Electrical Energy Storage Design Space Exploration for a Hybrid-Electric Six Passenger Quadrotor

Hybrid-electric architectures are a promising means to achieve clean and efficient aircraft propulsion needed for small, short-range electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) class vehicles. This paper explores the design space for a six-passenger quadrotor hybrid-electric propulsion system and shows that hybrid architectures that are more efficient than engine-only architectures can be built with near-term battery technology (~150 Wh/kg at the pack level). Data obtained shows that hybrid-electric propulsion systems can achieve 28 percent block fuel reduction and 27 percent total energy cost savings over a 120 nautical mile (nmi) mission compared to conventional turboshaft architectures. This work suggests that hybrids are likely the most efficient architectures that can be produced in the near term for this class of vehicle and motivates further development in this area.

Hybrid-electric↗

Nystagmus induced by electrical stimulation of the vestibular and prepositus hypoglossi nuclei in the monkey: evidence for site of induction of velocity storage

Electrical stimulation of the vestibular nuclei (VN) and prepositus hypoglossi nuclei (PPH) of alert cynomolgus monkeys evoked nystagmus and eye deviation while they were in darkness. At some sites in VN, nystagmus and after-nystagmus were induced with characteristics suggesting that velocity storage had been excited. We analyzed these responses and compared them to the slow component of optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) and to optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN). We then recorded unit activity in VN and determined which types of nystagmus would be evoked from the sites of recording. Nystagmus and eye deviations were also elicited by electrical stimulation of PPH, and we characterized the responses where unit activity was recorded in PPH. Horizontal slow phase velocity of the VN "storage" responses was contralateral to the side of stimulation. The rising time constants and peak steady-state velocities were similar to those of OKN, and the falling time constants of the after-nystagmus and of OKAN were approximately equal. Both the induced after-nystagmus and OKAN were habituated by stimulation of the VN. When horizontal after-nystagmus was evoked with animals on their sides, it developed yaw and pitch components that tended to shift the vector of the slow phase velocity toward the spatial vertical. Similar "cross-coupling" occurs for horizontal OKAN or for vestibular post-rotatory nystagmus elicited in tilted positions. Thus, the storage component of nystagmus induced by VN stimulation had the same characteristics as the slow component of OKN and the VOR. Positive stimulus sites for inducing nystagmus with typical storage components were located in rostral portions of VN. They lay in caudal ventral superior vestibular nucleus (SVN), dorsal portions of central medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) caudal to the abducens nuclei and in adjacent lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN). More complex stimulus responses, but with contralateral after-nystagmus, were induced from surrounding regions of ventral MVN and LVN, rostral descending vestibular nucleus and the marginal zone between MVN and PPH. Vestibular-only (VO), vestibular plus saccade (VPS) and tonic vestibular pause (TVP) units were identified by extracellular recording. Stimulation near type I lateral and vertical canal-related VO units elicited typical "storage" responses with after-nystagmus in 23 of 29 tracks (79%). Stimulus responses were more complex from the region of neurons with oculomotor-related signals, i.e., TVP or VPS cells, although after-nystagmus was also elicited from these sites. Effects of vestibular nerve and nucleus stimulation were compared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS).

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗

Electrical Energy Storage Design Space Exploration for a Hybrid-Electric Six-Passenger Quadrotor

Hybrid-electric architectures are a promising means to achieve clean and efficient aircraft propulsion needed for small, short-range electric vertical takeoff and landing class vehicles. This paper explores the design space for a six-passenger quadrotor hybrid-electric propulsion system and shows that hybrid architectures that are more efficient than engine-only architectures can be built with near-term battery technology (approximately 150 Wh/kg at the pack level). Data obtained shows that hybrid-electric propulsion systems can achieve 37 percent block fuel reduction and 35 percent total energy cost savings over a 120 nautical mile mission compared to conventional turboshaft architectures. This work suggests that hybrids are likely the most efficient architectures that can be produced in the near term for this class of vehicle and motivates further development in this area.

parallel hybrid electric aircraft↗

Solar power for the lunar night

Providing power over the 354 hour lunar night provides a considerable challenge to solar power concepts for a moonbase. Concepts are reviewed for providing night power for a solar powered moonbase. The categories of solutions considered are electrical storage, physical storage, transmitted power, and innovative concepts. Electrical storage is the most well-developed option. Less developed electrical storage options are capacitors and superconducting inductors. Physical storage options include storage of potential energy and storage of energy in flywheels. Thermal storage has potentially high energy/weight, but problems of conduction and radiation losses during the night need to be addressed. Transmitted power considers use of microwave or laser beams to transmit power either from orbit or directly from the Earth. Finally, innovative concepts proposed include reflecting light from orbital mirrors, locating the moonbase at a lunar pole, converting reflected Earthlight, or moving the moonbase to follow the sun.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗

Solar power for the lunar night

Providing power over the 354 hour lunar night provides a considerable challenge to solar power concepts for a moonbase. Concepts are reviewed for providing night power for a solar powered moonbase. The categories of solutions considered are electrical storage, physical storage, transmitted power, and innovative concepts. Electrical storage is the most well-developed option. Less developed electrical storage options are capacitors and superconducting inductors. Physical storage options include storage of potential energy and storage of energy in flywheels. Thermal storage has potentially high energy/weight, but problems of conduction and radiation losses during the night need to be addressed. Transmitted power considers use of microwave or laser beams to transmit power either from orbit or directly from the earth. Finally, innovative concepts proposed include reflecting light from orbital mirrors, locating the moonbase at a lunar pole, converting reflected earthlight, or moving the moonbase to follow the sun.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗

Thermal storage for electric utilities

Applications of the thermal energy storage (TES) principle (storage of sensible heat or latent heat, or heat storage in reversible chemical reactions) in power systems are evaluated. Load leveling behind the meter, load following at conventional thermal power plants, solar thermal power generation, and waste heat utilization are the principal TES applications considered. Specific TES examples discussed include: storage heaters for electric-resistance space heating, air conditioning TES in the form of chilled water or eutectic salt baths, hot water TES, and trans-seasonal storage in heated water in confined aquifers.

Swet, C. J.↗

Evaluation of the use of on-board spacecraft energy storage for electric propulsion missions

On-board spacecraft energy storage represents an under utilized resource for some types of missions that also benefit from using relatively high specific impulse capability of electric propulsion. This resource can provide an appreciable fraction of the power required for operating the electric propulsion subsystem in some missions. The most probable mission requirement for utilization of this energy is that of geostationary satellites which have secondary batteries for operating at high power levels during eclipse. The study summarized in this report selected four examples of missions that could benefit from use of electric propulsion and on-board energy storage. Engineering analyses were performed to evaluate the mass saved and economic benefit expected when electric propulsion and on-board batteries perform some propulsion maneuvers that would conventionally be provided by chemical propulsion. For a given payload mass in geosynchronous orbit, use of electric propulsion in this manner typically provides a 10% reduction in spacecraft mass.

Poeschel, R. L.↗

Low-Pressure Long-Term Xenon Storage for Electric Propulsion

This Phase 2 effort demonstrated an alternative Xe storage and regulation system using activated carbon (AC) as a secondary storage media (ACSFR). This regulator system is nonmechanical, simple, inexpensive, and lighter. The ACSFR system isolates the thruster from the compressed gas tank, and allows independent multiple setpoint thruster operation. The flow using an ACSFR can also be throttled by applying increments in electrical power. Primary storage of Xe by AC is not superior to compressed gas storage with regard to weight, but AC storage can provide volume reduction, lower pressures in space, and potentially in situ Xe purification. With partial fill designs, a primary AC storage vessel for Xe could also eliminate problems with two-phase storage and regulate pressure. AC could also be utilized in long-term large quantity storage of Xe serving as a compact capture site for boil-off. Several Xe delivery ACSFR protocols between 2 and 45 sccm, and 15 min to 7 hr, were tested with an average flow variance of 1.2 percent, average power requirements of 5 W, and repeatability s of about 0.4 percent. Power requirements are affected by ACSFR bed sizing and flow rate/ duration design points, and these flow variances can be reduced by optimizing PID controller parameters.

Back, Dwight D.↗

Analysis of the visible spectra of concentrated chromic chloride solutions

In the development of the Redox Energy Storage System, the electrical storage efficiency is low due to the complex chemical reaction of the chromium II and III species. Several studies dealing with the processes occurring at the catalyzed carbon electrode during the charging and discharging of the system are described.

Bunch, W. D.↗

Graphene-Based Ultra-Light Batteries for Aircraft

Develop a graphene‐based ultracapacitor prototype that is flexible, thin, lightweight, durable, low cost, and safe and that will demonstrate the feasibility for use in aircraft center dot These graphene‐based devices store charge on graphene sheets and take advantage of the large accessible surface area of graphene (2,600 m2/g) to increase the electrical energy that can be stored. center dot The proposed devices should have the electrical storage capacity of thin‐film‐ion batteries but with much shorter charge/discharge cycle times as well as longer lives center dot The proposed devices will be carbon‐based and so will not have the same issues with flammability or toxicity as the standard lithium‐based storage cells There are two main established methods for the storage and delivery of electrical energy: center dot Batteries - Store energy with electrochemical reactions - High energy densities - Slow charge/discharge cycles - Used in applications requiring large amounts of energy  aircraft center dot Electrochemical capacitors - Store energy in electrochemical double layers - Fast charge/discharge cycles - Low energy densities - Used in electronics devices - Large capacitors are used in truck engine cranking

Graphene↗

Mathematical Storage-Battery Models

Empirical formula represents performance of electrical storage batteries. Formula covers many battery types and includes numerous coefficients adjusted to fit peculiarities of each type. Battery and load parameters taken into account include power density in battery, discharge time, and electrolyte temperature. Applications include electric-vehicle "fuel" gages and powerline load leveling.

Chapman, C. P.↗

Evaluation of solar thermal power plants using economic and performance simulations

An energy cost analysis is presented for central receiver power plants with thermal storage and point focusing power plants with electrical storage. The present approach is based on optimizing the size of the plant to give the minimum energy cost (in mills/kWe hr) of an annual plant energy production. The optimization is done by considering the trade-off between the collector field size and the storage capacity for a given engine size. The energy cost is determined by the plant cost and performance. The performance is estimated by simulating the behavior of the plant under typical weather conditions. Plant capital and operational costs are estimated based on the size and performance of different components. This methodology is translated into computer programs for automatic and consistent evaluation.

El-Gabawali, N.↗

Design Reference Missions (DRM): Integrated ODM 'Air-Taxi' Mission Features

Design Reference Missions (DRM): Integrated ODM Air-Taxi Mission Features, Hybrid Electric Integrated System Testbed (HEIST) flight control. Structural Health, Energy Storage, Electric Components, Loss of Control, Degraded Systems, System Health, Real-Time IO Operator Geo-Fencing, Regional Noise Abatement and Trusted Autonomy Inter-operability.

Kloesel, Kurt↗

Technical Challenges and Barriers Affecting Turbo-Electric and Hybrid Electric Aircraft Propulsion

In order to meet aggressive aircraft performance goals set by NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, the Glenn Research Center (GRC) is leading research and development of electrified aircraft propulsion systems with electricity being generated from a gas turbine engine or combination of gas turbine engine and an alternate energy source. The presentation will provide an overview of technical challenges and barriers affecting the development and implementation of turboelectric and hybrid electric systems. Advances will be required in multiple areas, which include energy storage, electrical machines, power transmission, power electronics, control systems, materials, thermal management, and multi-scale modeling tools. The presentation will summarize current GRC activities in these areas. Challenges associated with integration and demonstration of multiple technologies at the system level will be presented.

Propulsion↗