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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

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NASA NTRS2005

Engineering Ultimate Self-Protection in Autonomic Agents for Space Exploration Missions

NASA's Exploration Initiative (EI) will push space exploration missions to the limit. Future missions will be required to be self-managing as well as self-directed, in order to meet the challenges of human and robotic space exploration. We discuss security and self protection in autonomic agent based-systems, and propose the ultimate self-protection mechanism for such systems-self-destruction. Like other metaphors in Autonomic Computing, this is inspired by biological systems, and is the analog of biological apoptosis. Finally, we discus the role it might play in future NASA space exploration missions.

Sterritt, Roy↗

NASA NTRS1974

Self-protecting solid state isolated switch

Solid state switch has following capabilities: (1) Hybrid or IC from compatible with direct mounting on solar array substrate; (2) Continuous signal is not required to hold it in either on or off state; (3) Separate signal lines for on and off control; (4) Electrically isolated from input signals; and (5) Current surges will not cause switch failure.

Hoffman, A. C.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Self-protected electrodes limit field-emission current

One cathode includes array of square-shaped conductor columns. Columns are electrically interconnected by conducting plate on bottom. Each column provides field-emission current. Another cathode includes array of rodlike conductors. Layer is covered by control film made of conducting material. Film is isolated from each conductor.

Lees, W. L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Self-Protecting Heat Exchanger

Double-wall heat-exchanger tube protects from overloads by changing thermal resistance automatically. When temperature at any location on tube increases above prescribed limit, thermal resistance through walls of tube increases at location. Prevents local excess heat load from overheating tube or boosting internal pressure and weakening tube, shortening life expectancy, or destroying it. When heat load falls to normal level, tube automatically lowers thermal resistance and resumes heat exhange at rated capacity.

Wagner, William R.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Effect of an oxygen plasma on uncoated thin aluminum reflecting films

Thin aluminum films were considered for use as a reflective surface for solar collectors on orbiting solar dynamic power systems. A matter of concern is the durability of such reflective coatings against oxidative attack by highly reactive neutral atomic oxygen, which is the predominate chemical specie in low Earth orbit. Research to date was aimed at evaluating the protective merit of thin dielectric coatings over the aluminum or other reflective metals. However, an uncoated aluminum reflector may self-protect by virtue of the oxide formed from its exposed surface, which constitutes a physical barrier to further oxidation. This possibility was investigated, and an attempt was made to characterize the effects of atomic oxygen on thin Al films using photomicrographs, scanning electron microscopy, spectrophotometry, Auger analysis, and mass measurements. Data collected in a parallel effort is discussed for its comparative value. The results of the investigation of uncoated aluminum supported the self-protection hypothesis, and importantly, it was found that long term specular reflectance for uncoated aluminum exceeded that of Al and Ag reflectors with dielectric coatings.

Parsons, Roger L.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Solar electric propulsion breadboard thrust subsystem test results.

Work providing a firm basis for building an engineering model thrust subsystem (TSS) is described. A 1500-hr functional demonstration test revealed the impact of each element on TSS integration, operation, and future development. The primary conclusions are: accurate and specific definition of interfaces is essential to a timely system integration program. In addition to normal operating requirements, this definition must include requirements for preflight checkout, self-protection of all interfaces, capability expansion, failure modes, maximum input power, interelement power losses, noise and transient sensitivity and production, packaging for vacuum, thermal control, electrical grounding, cabling, mounting, and handling. In any future design, each phase of the TSS operation (startup, throttling, switching, etc.) should be considered in detail to anticipate and account for possible in-flight variations in element characteristics and performance.

Masek, T. D.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Fretting of Secondary-Seal-Ring Candidate Materials in Air at Temperatures to 816 C

Superalloys containing chromium showed decreasing fretting damage with increasing temperature of 816 C. This trend was related to the ability of the alloys to generate self-protecting oxide films. The damage at 816 C was one-third to one-tenth of that at 23 C. Osmium, chromium, and chromium carbide platings were fretted at 23 and 450 C. Osmium was extremely protective at 23 C but oxidized excessively at 450 C. Chromium and chromium carbide gave about the same protection at 450 C as the oxide films that formed on the superalloys. High graphite and low graphite carbons were fretted at 23 and 327 C. High graphite carbon was superior at 327 C, but low graphite carbon was the best material examined at 23 C.

Bill, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1976

A high-pressure, high-temperature combustor and turbine-cooling test facility

NASA-Lewis Research Center is presently constructing a new test facility for developing turbine-cooling and combustor technology for future generation aircraft gas turbine engines. Prototype engine hardware will be investigated in this new facility at gas stream conditions up to 2480 K average turbine inlet temperature and 4,140,000 N per sq m turbine inlet pressure. The facility will have the unique feature of fully-automated control and data acquisition through the use of an integrated system of minicomputers and programmable controllers, which will result in more effective use of operating time, will limit the number of operators required, and will provide a built-in self-protection safety system. The paper describes the facility and the planning and design considerations involved.

Cochran, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1978

The NASA high pressure facility and turbine test rig

NASA Lewis Research Center is presently constructing a test facility for developing turbine-cooling and combustor technology for future-generation aircraft gas-turbine engines. Prototype engine hardware will be investigated in this facility at gas-stream conditions up to 2480 K average turbine inlet temperature and 4.14 million N/sq m turbine inlet pressure. The facility will have the unique features of fully automated control and data acquisition through the use of an integrated system of minicomputers and programmable controllers, which will result in more effective use of operating time and operators and will provide a built-in self-protection safety system. The facility, turbine rig, and turbine-cooling test program are described.

Stepka, F. S.↗

NASA NTRS1984

High temperature properties of equiatomic FeAl with ternary additions

The aluminide intermetallic compounds are considered potential structural materials for aerospace applications. The B2 binary aluminide FeAl has a melting point in excess of 1500 K, is of simple cubic structure, exits over a wide range of composition with solubility for third elements and is potentially self-protecting in extreme environments. The B2 FeAl compound has been alloyed with 1 to 5 at % ternary additions of Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, Cr, Ni, Co, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, and Re. The alloys were prepared by blending a third elemental powder with prealloyed binary FeAl powder. Consolidation was by hot extrusion at 1250 K. Annealing studies on the extruded rods showed that the third element addition can be classified into three categories based upon the amount of homogenization and the extent of solid solutioning. Constant strain rate compression tests were performed to determine the flow stress as a function of temperature and composition. The mechanical strength behavior was dependent upon the third element homogenization classification.

Titran, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

High temperature properties of equiatomic FeAl with ternary additions

The aluminide intermetallic compounds are considered potential structural materials for aerospace applications. The B2 binary aluminide FeAl has a melting point in excess of 1500 K, is of simple cubic structure, exists over a wide range of composition with solubility for third elements and is potentially self-protecting in extreme environments. The B2 FeAl compound has been alloyed with 1 to 5 at. pct ternary additions of Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, Cr, Ni, Co, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, and Re. The alloys were prepared by blending a third elemental powder with pre-alloyed binary FeAl powder. Consolidation was by hot extrusion at 1250 K. Annealing studies on the extruded rods showed that the third element addition can be classified into three categories based upon the amount of homogenization and the extent of solid solutioning. Constant strain rate compression tests were performed to determine the flow stress as a function of temperature and composition. The mechanical strength behavior was dependent upon the third element homogenization classification.

Titran, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Low earth orbital atomic oxygen simulation for materials durability evaluation

The erosion yields of numerous materials have been evaluated in low earth orbital space tests. There appears to be three classes of materials: materials of high erosion yield which include most of the hydrocarbon organic materials; materials which either do not react with atomic oxygen or form self-protecting oxides which allow the underlying material to appear durable to atomic oxygen, and materials with low but nonnegligeable erosion yields, such as fluoropolymers. A NASA atomic oxygen effects test program has been established to utilize collective data from a multitude of simulation facilities to promote an understanding of mechanism and erosion yield dependencies. Atomic oxygen protective coatings for Kapton polymide solar array blankets, fiberglass-epoxy composite mast structures, and solar dynamic power system concentrator surfaces have been identified and evaluated under atomic oxygen exposure in RF plasma asher laboratory tests. The control of defect density in protective coatings appears to be the key to the assurance of long-term protection of oxidizable materials in low earth orbit.

Banks, Bruce A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Space Station Freedom power supply commonality via modular design

At mature operations, Space Station Freedom will need more than 2000 power supplies to feed housekeeping and user loads. Advanced technology power supplies from 20 to 250 W have been hybridized for terrestrial, aerospace, and industry applications in compact, efficient, reliable, lightweight packages compatible with electromagnetic interference requirements. The use of these hybridized packages as modules, either singly or in parallel, to satisfy the wide range of user power supply needs for all elements of the station is proposed. Proposed characteristics for the power supplies include common mechanical packaging, digital control, self-protection, high efficiency at full and partial loads, synchronization capability to reduce electromagnetic interference, redundancy, and soft-start capability. The inherent reliability is improved compared with conventional discrete component power supplies because the hybrid circuits use high-reliability components such as ceramic capacitors. Reliability is further improved over conventional supplies because the hybrid packages, which may be treated as a single part, reduce the parts count in the power supply.

Krauthamer, S.↗

NASA NTRS2001

The Oxidation Kinetics of Continuous Carbon Fibers in a Cracked Ceramic Matrix Composite

Experimental observations and results suggest two primary regimes as a function of temperature, i.e., diffusion and reaction controlled kinetics. Thermogravimetric analysis of carbon fiber in flowing oxygen gave an activation energy of 64.1 kJ/mol in the temperature range of 500 to 600 C and an apparent activation energy of 7.6 kJ/mol for temperatures from 600 to 1400 C. When C/SiC composite material was unstressed, matrix effects at temperatures from 900 to 1400 C protected the internal fibers. When under stress, self-protection was not observed. Increasing the stress from 10 to 25 ksi caused a 67 to 82 percent reduction in times to failure at temperatures from 750 to 1500 C. Based on experimental results, observation, and theory, a finite difference model was developed, which simulates the diffusion of oxygen into a matrix crack that is bridged by carbon fibers. The model allows the influence of important variables on oxidation kinetics to be studied systematically, i.e., temperature, reaction rate constant, diffusion coefficient, environment, and sample geometry.

Halbig, Michael C.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Asteroid Exploration with Autonomic Systems

NASA is studying advanced technologies for a future robotic exploration mission to the asteroid belt. The prospective ANTS (Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm) mission comprises autonomous agents including worker agents (small spacecra3) designed to cooperate in asteroid exploration under the overall authoriq of at least one ruler agent (a larger spacecraft) whose goal is to cause science data to be returned to Earth. The ANTS team (ruler plus workers and messenger agents), but not necessarily any individual on the team, will exhibit behaviors that qualify it as an autonomic system, where an autonomic system is defined as a system that self-reconfigures, self-optimizes, self-heals, and self-protects. Autonomic system concepts lead naturally to realistic, scalable architectures rich in capabilities and behaviors. In-depth consideration of a major mission like ANTS in terms of autonomic systems brings new insights into alternative definitions of autonomic behavior. This paper gives an overview of the ANTS mission and discusses the autonomic properties of the mission.

Truszkowski, Walt↗

NASA NTRS2004

Autonomous and Autonomic Systems: A Paradigm for Future Space Exploration Missions

NASA increasingly will rely on autonomous systems concepts, not only in the mission control centers on the ground, but also on spacecraft and on rovers and other assets on extraterrestrial bodies. Automomy enables not only reduced operations costs, But also adaptable goal-driven functionality of mission systems. Space missions lacking autonomy will be unable to achieve the full range of advanced mission objectives, given that human control under dynamic environmental conditions will not be feasible due, in part, to the unavoidably high signal propagation latency and constrained data rates of mission communications links. While autonomy cost-effectively supports accomplishment of mission goals, autonomicity supports survivability of remote mission assets, especially when human tending is not feasible. Autonomic system properties (which ensure self-configuring, self-optimizing self-healing, and self-protecting behavior) conceptually may enable space missions of a higher order into any previously flown. Analysis of two NASA agent-based systems previously prototyped, and of a proposed future mission involving numerous cooperating spacecraft, illustrates how autonomous and autonomic system concepts may be brought to bear on future space missions.

Truszkowski, Walter F.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Autonomic Computing: Panacea or Poppycock?

Autonomic Computing arose out of a need for a means to cope with rapidly growing complexity of integrating, managing, and operating computer-based systems as well as a need to reduce the total cost of ownership of today's systems. Autonomic Computing (AC) as a discipline was proposed by IBM in 2001, with the vision to develop self-managing systems. As the name implies, the influence for the new paradigm is the human body's autonomic system, which regulates vital bodily functions such as the control of heart rate, the body's temperature and blood flow-all without conscious effort. The vision is to create selfivare through self-* properties. The initial set of properties, in terms of objectives, were self-configuring, self-healing, self-optimizing and self-protecting, along with attributes of self-awareness, self-monitoring and self-adjusting. This self-* list has grown: self-anticipating, self-critical, self-defining, self-destructing, self-diagnosis, self-governing, self-organized, self-reflecting, and self-simulation, for instance.

Sterritt, Roy↗

NASA NTRS2005

Why Computer-Based Systems Should be Autonomic

The objective of this paper is to discuss why computer-based systems should be autonomic, where autonomicity implies self-managing, often conceptualized in terms of being self-configuring, self-healing, self-optimizing, self-protecting and self-aware. We look at motivations for autonomicity, examine how more and more systems are exhibiting autonomic behavior, and finally look at future directions.

Sterritt, Roy↗