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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

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2015

Advanced Launch Technology Life Cycle Analysis Using the Architectural Comparison Tool (ACT)

Life cycle technology impact comparisons for nanolauncher technology concepts were performed using an Affordability Comparison Tool (ACT) prototype. Examined are cost drivers and whether technology investments can dramatically affect the life cycle characteristics. Primary among the selected applications was the prospect of improving nanolauncher systems. As a result, findings and conclusions are documented for ways of creating more productive and affordable nanolauncher systems; e.g., an Express Lane-Flex Lane concept is forwarded, and the beneficial effect of incorporating advanced integrated avionics is explored. Also, a Functional Systems Breakdown Structure (F-SBS) was developed to derive consistent definitions of the flight and ground systems for both system performance and life cycle analysis. Further, a comprehensive catalog of ground segment functions was created.

Space Flight Architecture↗

NASA NTRS2004

"ATLAS" Advanced Technology Life-cycle Analysis System

Making good decisions concerning research and development portfolios-and concerning the best systems concepts to pursue - as early as possible in the life cycle of advanced technologies is a key goal of R&D management This goal depends upon the effective integration of information from a wide variety of sources as well as focused, high-level analyses intended to inform such decisions Life-cycle Analysis System (ATLAS) methodology and tool kit. ATLAS encompasses a wide range of methods and tools. A key foundation for ATLAS is the NASA-created Technology Readiness. The toolkit is largely spreadsheet based (as of August 2003). This product is being funded by the Human and Robotics The presentation provides a summary of the Advanced Technology Level (TRL) systems Technology Program Office, Office of Exploration Systems, NASA Headquarters, Washington D.C. and is being integrated by Dan O Neil of the Advanced Projects Office, NASA/MSFC, Huntsville, AL

Lollar, Louis F.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A perspective of computational fluid dynamics

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is maturing, and is at a stage in its technological life cycle in which it is now routinely applied to some rather complicated problems; it is starting to create an impact on the design cycle of aerospace flight vehicles and their components. CFD is also being used to better understand the fluid physics of flows heretofore not understood, such as three-dimensional separation. CFD is also being used to complement and is being complemented by experiments. In this paper, the primary and secondary pacing items that govern CFD in the past are reviewed and updated. The future prospects of CFD are explored which will offer people working in the discipline challenges that should extend the technological life cycle to further increase the capabilities of a proven demonstrated technology.

Kutler, P.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A perspective of computational fluid dynamics

Kutler, Paul↗

NASA NTRS1986

A perspective of computational fluid dynamics

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is maturing, and is at a stage in its technological life cycle where it is now routinely applied to complex problems. It is starting to create an impact on the design cycle of aerospace flight vehicles and their components. CFD is also being used to better understand the fluid physics of flows heretofore not understood, such as three-dimensional separation. CFD is also being used to complement and is complemented by experiments. In this paper, the primary and secondary pacing items that have governed CFD in the past are reviewed and updated. The future prospects of CFD are explored, which will offer people working in the discipline challenges that should extend the technological life cycle to further increase the capabilities of a proven and demonstrated technology.

Kutler, Paul↗

NASA NTRS1986

A perspective of computational fluid dynamics

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is maturing, and is at a stage in its technological life cycle in which it is now routinely applied to some rather complicated problems; it is starting to create an impact on the design cycle of aerospace flight vehicles and their components. CFD is also being used to better understand the fluid physics of flows heretofore not understood, such as three-dimensional separation. CFD is also being used to complement and is being complemented by experiments. In this paper, the primary and secondary pacing items that governed CFD in the past are reviewed and updated. The future prospects of CFD are explored which will offer people working in the discipline challenges that should extend the technological life cycle to further increase the capabilities of a proven and demonstrated technology.

Kutler, Paul↗

DOE OSTI2026

Controversy and consensus: common ground and best practices for life cycle assessment of emerging technologies

This manuscript explores six controversial topics regarding LCA of emerging technologies: (1) appropriate use of LCA, (2) uncertainty assessment, (3) comparison with incumbents, (4) adopting standards, (5) system scale-up, and (6) stakeholder engagement. These topics encompass key issues vigorously debated during a series of workshop-style discussions convened by the LCA of Emerging Technologies Research Network (currently hosted by ACLCA). This paper represents the main points of support and opposition for a declarative resolution representing each topic, along with points of consensus, held amongst research network of LCA practitioners and experts. These debates and associated open questions are intended to build awareness amongst practitioners and decision-makers of the common challenges associated with assessing emerging technologies, while fostering evidence-based and context-informed discussions that are both transparent and impactful for the broader community.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Detecting technological maturity from bibliometric patterns

We report the capability to identify emergent technologies based upon easily accessed open-source indicators, such as publications, is important for decision-makers in industry and government. The scientific contribution of this work is the proposition of a machine learning approach to the detection of the maturity of emerging technologies based on publication counts. Time-series of publication counts have universal features that distinguish emerging and growing technologies. We train an artificial neural network classifier, a supervised machine learning algorithm, upon these features to predict the maturity (emergent vs. growth) of an arbitrary technology. With a training set comprised of 22 technologies we obtain a classification accuracy ranging from 58.3% to 100% with an average accuracy of 84.6% for six test technologies. To enhance classifier performance, we augmented the training corpus with synthetic time-series technology life cycle curves, formed by calculating weighted averages of curves in the original training set. Training the classifier on the synthetic data set resulted in improved accuracy, ranging from 83.3% to 100% with an average accuracy of 90.4% for the test technologies. The performance of our classifier exceeds that of competing machine learning approaches in the literature, which report an average classification accuracy of only 85.7% at maximum. Moreover, in contrast to current methods our approach does not require subject matter expertise to generate training labels, and it can be automated and scaled.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

NASA NTRS2014

Nano-Launcher Technologies, Approaches, and Life Cycle Assessment

Assist in understanding NASA technology and investment approaches, and other driving factors, necessary for enabling dedicated nano-launchers by industry at a cost and flight rate that (1) could support and be supported by an emerging nano-satellite market and (2) would benefit NASAs needs. Develop life-cycle cost, performance and other NASA analysis tools or models required to understand issues, drivers and challenges.

launch costs↗

NASA NTRS1988

Towards a comprehensive framework for reuse: A reuse-enabling software evolution environment

Reuse of products, processes and knowledge will be the key to enable the software industry to achieve the dramatic improvement in productivity and quality required to satisfy the anticipated growing demand. Although experience shows that certain kinds of reuse can be successful, general success has been elusive. A software life-cycle technology which allows broad and extensive reuse could provide the means to achieving the desired order-of-magnitude improvements. The scope of a comprehensive framework for understanding, planning, evaluating and motivating reuse practices and the necessary research activities is outlined. As a first step towards such a framework, a reuse-enabling software evolution environment model is introduced which provides a basis for the effective recording of experience, the generalization and tailoring of experience, the formalization of experience, and the (re-)use of experience.

Basili, V. R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Support for comprehensive reuse

Reuse of products, processes, and other knowledge will be the key to enable the software industry to achieve the dramatic improvement in productivity and quality required to satisfy the anticipated growing demands. Although experience shows that certain kinds of reuse can be successful, general success has been elusive. A software life-cycle technology which allows comprehensive reuse of all kinds of software-related experience could provide the means to achieving the desired order-of-magnitude improvements. A comprehensive framework of models, model-based characterization schemes, and support mechanisms for better understanding, evaluating, planning, and supporting all aspects of reuse are introduced.

Basili, V. R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Optical protocols for advanced spacecraft networks

Most present day fiber optic networks are in fact extensions of copper wire networks. As a result, their speed is still limited by electronics even though optics is capable of running three orders of magnitude faster. Also, the fact that photons do not interact with one another (as electrons do) provides optical communication systems with some unique properties or new functionality that is not readily taken advantage of with conventional approaches. Some of the motivation for implementing network protocols in the optical domain, a few possible approaches including optical code-division multiple-access (CDMA), and how this class of networks can extend the technology life cycle of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) with increased performance and functionality are described.

Bergman, Larry A.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Task 3.1: Research and Development Guiding Technoeconomic Analysis and Life-Cycle Assessment

Technologies under development aim to increase yields of desired end products, reduce overall raw material costs, and/or develop more energy-efficient strategies for product recovery. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessments (LCA) help assure that economic and sustainability predictions of the technologies are unbiased and compelling and provide guidance to experimentalists on areas that need focus. Building on previous work, the performance-advantaged bioproducts and bioprocessing separations project (SepCon) continues to use the integrated TEA and LCA to evaluate and guide technologies under development and target challenges relevant to the industry and the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) priority pathways. The analysis team aims to provide credible, unbiased assessments for each technology under development, with ongoing assessments to guide experimental teams. Additionally, the team also supports journal publications highlighting key findings.

biofuels↗

NASA NTRS2004

Oil-Free Rotor Support Technologies for Long Life, Closed Cycle Brayton Turbines

The goal of this study is to provide technological support to ensure successful life and operation of a 50-300 kW dynamic power conversion system specifically with response to the rotor support system. By utilizing technical expertise in tribology, bearings, rotordynamic, solid lubricant coatings and extensive test facilities, valuable input for mission success is provided. A discussion of the history of closed cycle Brayton turboalternators (TA) will be included. This includes the 2 kW Mini-Brayton Rotating Unit (Mini-BRU), the 10kW Brayton Rotating Unit (BRU) and the 125 kW turboalternator-compressor (TAC) designed in mid 1970's. Also included is the development of air-cycle machines and terrestrial oil-free gas turbine power systems in the form of microturbines, specifically Capstone microturbines. A short discussion of the self-acting compliant surface hydrodynamic fluid film bearings, or foil bearings, will follow, including a short history of the load capacity advances, the NASA coatings advancements as well as design model advances. Successes in terrestrial based machines will be noted and NASA tribology and bearing research test facilities will be described. Finally, implementation of a four step integration process will be included in the discussion.

Lucero, John M.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Techno-Economic Analysis and Life-Cycle Assessment of Emerging Technologies for Bioprocessing Separations

Limited availability, rising costs, and environmental concerns about fossil fuels have generated considerable interest in finding alternative, renewable sources including biomass, which can be converted into a number of biofuels and bioproducts. In comparison to petroleum-based products, high processing costs, mainly associated with bioprocessing separations, limit widespread implementation of biofuels and bioproducts. Bioprocess-related separations are also complicated, regardless of the conversion pathway, due to the dilute nature of products and the chemically complex mixtures that result from biomass deconstruction. In many cases, bioprocessing separation approaches lack a technology baseline, or definition of the state of technology (SOT). This work focuses on evaluating the technology readiness of novel separations technologies for the conversion of biomass into biofuels and bioproducts and will address three key topics: 1) SOT description, 2) economic viability analysis of both SOT and innovative separations, and 3) environmental impact assessment of both SOT and novel processes. The current SOT for lignin valorization, dilute carbon recovery, and impurity removal is used to identify potential opportunities for improvement and provide a baseline for comparison with the emerging technologies. Detailed techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) are applied to understand the key drivers and challenges related to the economic feasibility and environmental impacts, respectively.

BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES,BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Environmental life-cycle analysis of hydrogen technology pathways in the United States

Hydrogen is a zero-carbon energy carrier with potential to decarbonize industrial and transportation sectors, but its life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions depend on its energy supply chain and carbon management measures (e.g., carbon capture and storage). Global support for clean hydrogen production and use has recently intensified. In the United States, Congress passed several laws that incentivize the production and use of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022, which provides tax credits of up to $3/kg depending on the carbon intensity of the produced hydrogen. A comprehensive life-cycle accounting of GHG emissions associated with hydrogen production is needed to determine the carbon intensity of hydrogen throughout its value chain. In the United States, Argonne’s R&D GREET ® (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated emissions, and Energy use in Technologies) model has been widely used for hydrogen carbon intensity calculations. This paper describes the major hydrogen technology pathways considered in the United States and provides data sources and carbon intensity results for each of the hydrogen production and delivery pathways using consistent system boundaries and most recent technology performance and supply chain data.

Elgowainy, Amgad↗

NASA NTRS1995

Design protocols and analytical strategies that incorporate structural reliability models

In spite of great improvements in accuracy through the use of computers, design methods, which can be equally critical in establishing the commercial success of a material, have been treated as afterthoughts. Early investment in design and development technologies can easily reduce manufacturing costs later in the product cycle. To avoid lengthy product development times for ceramic composites, funding agencies for materials research must commit resources to support design and development technologies early in the material life cycle. These technologies need not focus on designing the material, rather, the technology must focus on designing with the material, i. e., developing methods to design components fabricated from the new material. Thus a basic tenet that motivated this research effort is that a persistent need exists for improvements in the analysis of components fabricated from CMC material systems. From an aerospace design engineer's perspective the new generation of ceramic composites offers a significant potential for raising the thrust/weight ratio and reducing NOx emissions of gas turbine engines. Continuous ceramic fiber composites exhibit an increase in work of fracture, which allows for 'graceful' rather than catastrophic failure. When loaded in the fiber direction, these composites retain substantial strength capacity beyond the initiation of transverse matrix cracking despite the fact that neither of its constituents would exhibit such behavior if tested alone. As additional load is applied beyond first matrix cracking, the matrix tends to break in a series of cracks bridged by the ceramic fibers. Thus any additional load is born increasingly by the fibers until the ultimate strength of the composite is reached. Establishing design protocols that enable the engineer to analyze and predict this type of behavior in ceramic composites was the general goal of this project.

Duffy, Stephen F.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Life Cycle Inventory Availability: Status and Prospects for Leveraging New Technologies

The demand for life cycle assessments (LCA) is growing rapidly, which leads to an increasing demand of life cycle inventory (LCI) data. While the LCA community has made significant progress in developing LCI databases for diverse applications, challenges still need to be addressed. This perspective summarizes the current data gaps, transparency, and uncertainty aspects of existing LCI databases. Additionally, we survey and discuss novel techniques for LCI data generation, dissemination, and validation. We propose key future directions for LCI development efforts to address these challenges, including leveraging scientific and technical advances such as the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, and blockchain/cloud platforms. Adopting these advanced technologies can significantly improve the quality and accessibility of LCI data, thereby facilitating more accurate and reliable LCA studies.

blockchain platforms↗