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Advanced high efficiency concentrator cells
Gale, R. . Varian Research Center)
This report describes research to develop the technology needed to demonstrate a monolithic, multijunction, two-terminal, concentrator solar cell with a terrestrial power conversion efficiency greater than 35%. Under three previous subcontracts, Varian developed many of the aspects of a technology needed to fabricate very high efficiency concentrator cells. The current project was aimed at exploiting the new understanding of high efficiency solar cells. Key results covered in this report are as follows. (1) A 1.93-eV AlGaAs/1.42-eV GaAs metal-interconnected cascade cell was manufactured with a one-sun efficiency at 27.6% at air mass 1.5 (AM1.5) global. (2) A 1.0eV InGaAs cell was fabricated on the reverse'' side of a low-doped GaAs substrate with a one-sun efficiency of 2.5% AM1.5 diffuse and a short-circuit current of 14.4 mA/cm{sup 2}. (3) Small-scale manufacturing of GaAs p/n concentrator cells was attempted and obtained an excellent yield of high-efficiency cells. (4) Grown-in tunnel junction cell interconnects that are transparent and thermally stable using C and Si dopants were developed. 10 refs.
Advanced High Efficiency Thermoelectric Materials
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Flanders, Laffite; Cummer, Keith R.; Feinsinger, Joseph; Heshmatpour, Ben
The research effort at Teledyne Energy Systems, Inc., which has been aimed at improving the performance of the currently used thermoelectric (TE) materials has identified a number of improved formulations for the standard n-type PbTe and p-type TAGS. The preliminary test results appear to indicate nearly 50% higher thermal to electric energy conversion efficiency for these new PbTe and TAGS formulations. Effort is continuing to confirm the preliminary test results and validate the materials fabrication processes. Multiple batches of the newly developed TE materials will be prepared and characterized for thermoelectric properties. The selected TE materials will be subjected to degradation analysis and life modeling to determine any deterioration in the TE properties as a function of time and operating temperatures. This effort also includes measurement of sublimation rates as a function of temperature for the selected materials. The results for the initial sublimation tests are quite encouraging and show appreciable reduction in sublimation rate for TAGS 80 and the modified TAGS alloys. Future effort will include determination of effect of sublimation on TE characteristics for the selected TE materials. Microanalysis technique such as optical and electron microscopy, XRD and EDSX will be used to determine the microstructural characteristics of the TE materials at various stages of their simulated operating life. Based on the results of these studies the n-type and p-type materials with the highest power conversion efficiency and the lowest degradation rate will be selected for use in fabrication of future thermoelectric devices.
Advanced high efficient liquid transport garments
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Elkins, W.; Williams, W.
The heat transfer characteristics, design, fabrication, and current and anticipated applications of a new liquid transport garment (LTG) are discussed. The new LTG is being constructed from highly efficient liquid transport modules which have been developed to replace the current tygon tubing networks for applications in Apollo and other liquid cooling garment designs.
Summary of the advanced high efficiency concepts subcontractors review meeting
Not Available
Brief summaries are given of presentations on the topics of: new ideas for photovoltaic conversion; a high efficiency bulk graded band gap/pn junction solar cell structure at high concentration ratios; development of high efficiency graded band gap p+-p-n GaAlAs/GaAs solar cells; an advanced AlGaAs-GaAs high efficiency concentrator solar cell; GaAs solar cell with low surface recombination; theory of advanced high-efficiency concentrator cells; III-V high efficiency photovoltaic cells; advanced high efficiency concentrator cells; monolithic two-color/three-terminal GaAsP/GaAsSb solar cells; high-efficiency thin-film and multijunction solar cells; review of the NASA space photovoltaic program; review of the Air Force space photovoltaic program; the Air Force manufacturing program; an overview of Sandia FY84 advanced concentrator cell research; thin film gallium arsenide solar cell research; fabrication of monocrystalline GaAs solar cells utilizing sacrificial NaCl substrates; and progress toward development of high efficiency GaAs solar cells on silicon substrates. (LEW)
High efficiency fuel cell/advanced turbine power cycles
Morehead, H.
An outline of the Westinghouse high-efficiency fuel cell/advanced turbine power cycle is presented. The following topics are discussed: The Westinghouse SOFC pilot manufacturing facility, cell scale-up plan, pressure effects on SOFC power and efficiency, sureCell versus conventional gas turbine plants, sureCell product line for distributed power applications, 20 MW pressurized-SOFC/gas turbine power plant, 10 MW SOFC/CT power plant, sureCell plant concept design requirements, and Westinghouse SOFC market entry.
Performance of a high efficiency advanced coal combustor
Toqan, M.A.; Paloposki, T.; Yu, T.; Teare, J.D.; Beer, J.M. )
Under contract from DOE-PETC, Combustion Engineering, Inc. undertook the lead-role in a multi-task R D program aimed at development of a new burner system for coal-based fuels; the goal was that this burner system should be capable of being retrofitted in oil- or gas-fired industrial boilers, or usable in new units. In the first phase of this program a high efficiency advanced coal combustor was designed jointly by CE and MIT. Its burner is of the multiannular design with a fixed shrouded swirler in the center immediately surrounding the atomizer gun to provide the primary act,'' and three further annuli for the supply of the secondary air.'' The degree of rotation (swirl) in the secondary air is variable. The split of the combustion air into primary and secondary air flows serves the purpose of flame stabilization and combustion staging, the latter to reduce NO{sub x} formation.
Advanced Nanomaterials for High-Efficiency Solar Cells
Chen, Junhong
Energy supply has arguably become one of the most important problems facing humankind. The exponential demand for energy is evidenced by dwindling fossil fuel supplies and record-high oil and gas prices due to global population growth and economic development. This energy shortage has significant implications to the future of our society, in addition to the greenhouse gas emission burden due to consumption of fossil fuels. Solar energy seems to be the most viable choice to meet our clean energy demand given its large scale and clean/renewable nature. However, existing methods to convert sun light into electricity are not efficient enough to become a practical alternative to fossil fuels. This DOE project aims to develop advanced hybrid nanomaterials consisting of semiconductor nanoparticles (quantum dots or QDs) supported on graphene for cost-effective solar cells with improved conversion efficiency for harvesting abundant, renewable, clean solar energy to relieve our global energy challenge. Expected outcomes of the project include new methods for low-cost manufacturing of hybrid nanostructures, systematic understanding of their properties that can be tailored for desired applications, and novel photovoltaic cells. Through this project, we have successfully synthesized a number of novel nanomaterials, including vertically-oriented graphene (VG) sheets, three-dimensional (3D) carbon nanostructures comprising few-layer graphene (FLG) sheets inherently connected with CNTs through sp{sup 2} carbons, crumpled graphene (CG)-nanocrystal hybrids, CdSe nanoparticles (NPs), CdS NPs, nanohybrids of metal nitride decorated on nitrogen-doped graphene (NG), QD-carbon nanotube (CNT) and QD-VG-CNT structures, TiO{sub 2}-CdS NPs, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-SnO{sub 2} NPs. We further assembled CdSe NPs onto graphene sheets and investigated physical and electronic interactions between CdSe NPs and the graphene. Finally we have demonstrated various applications of these
Nanofabrication advances for high efficiency critical-angle transmission gratings
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bruccoleri, Alexander R.; Guan, Dong; Heilmann, Ralf K.; Vargo, Steve; DiPiazza, Frank; Schattenburg, Mark L.
We report several break-through nanofabrication developments enabling high efficiency and high resolving power spectrometers in the soft x-ray band. The device is the critical-angle transmission (CAT) grating, which combines the low mass and relaxed alignment tolerances of a transmission grating with the high broad-band efficiency and high diffraction orders of a blazed reflection grating. Past work successfully demonstrated the CAT grating concept; however, the open-area fraction was often less than 20% whilst more than 50% is desired. This presents numerous nanofabrication challenges including a requirement for a freestanding silicon membrane of ultra high-aspect ratio bars at a period of 200 nanometers with minimal cross support blockage. Furthermore, the sidewalls must be smooth to a few nanometers to efficiently reflect soft x-rays. We have developed a complete nanofabrication process for creating freestanding CAT gratings via plasma-etching silicon wafers with a buried layer of SiO2. This removable buried layer enables combining a record-performance plasma etch for the CAT grating with a millimeter-scale honeycomb structural support to create a large-area freestanding membrane. We have also developed a process for polishing sidewalls of plasma-etched ultra-high aspect ratio nanoscale silicon structures via potassium hydroxide (KOH). This process utilizes the anisotropic etch nature of single crystal silicon in KOH. We developed a novel alignment technique to align the CAT grating bars to the {111} planes of silicon within 0.2 degrees, which enables KOH to etch away sidewall roughness without destroying the structure, since the {111} planes etch approximately 100 times slower than the non-{111} planes. Preliminary results of a combined freestanding grating with polishing are presented to enable efficient diffraction of soft x-rays.
Advanced Klystrons for High Efficiency Accelerator Systems - Final Report
Read, Michael; Ives, Robert Lawrence
This program explored tailoring of RF pulses used to drive accelerator cavities. Simulations indicated that properly shaping the pulse risetime to match accelerator cavity characteristics reduced reflected power and increased total efficiency. Tailoring the pulse requires a high power, gridded, klystron to shape the risetime while also controlling the beam current. The Phase I program generated a preliminary design of a gridded electron gun for a klystron producing 5-10 MW of RF power. This required design of a segmented cathode using Controlled Porosity Reservoir cathodes to limit power deposition on the grid. The program was successful in computationally designing a gun producing a high quality electron beam with grid control. Additional analysis of pulse tailoring indicated that technique would only be useful for cavity drive pulses that were less than approximately 2-3 times the risetime. Otherwise, the efficiency gained during the risetime of the pulse became insignificant when considering the efficiency over the entire pulse. Consequently, it was determined that a Phase II program would not provide sufficient return to justify the cost. Never the less, other applications for a high power gridded gun are currently being pursued. This klystron, for example, would facilitate development inverse Comptom x-ray sources by providing a high repetition rate (10 -100 kHz) RF source.
Second Generation Advanced Reburning for High Efficiency NOx Control
Vladimir M. Zamansky; Peter M. Maly; Vitali V. Lissianski; Mark S. Sheldon; David Moyeda; Roy Payne
This project develops a family of novel Second Generation Advanced Reburning (SGAR) NO{sub x} control technologies, which can achieve 95% NO{sub x} control in coal fired boilers at a significantly lower cost than Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). The conventional Advanced Reburning (AR) process integrates basic reburning and N-agent injection. The SGAR systems include six AR variants: (1) AR-Lean--injection of the N-agent and promoter along with overfire air; (2) AR-Rich--injection of N-agent and promoter into the reburning zone; (3) Multiple Injection Advanced Reburning (MIAR)--injection of N-agents and promoters both into the reburning zone and with overfire air; (4) AR-Lean + Promoted SNCR--injection of N-agents and promoters with overfire air and into the temperature zone at which Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) is effective; (5) AR-Rich + Promoted SNCR--injection of N-agents and promoters into the reburning zone and into the SNCR zone; and (6) Promoted Reburning + Promoted SNCR--basic or promoted reburning followed by basic or promoted SNCR process. The project was conducted in two phases over a five-year period. The work included a combination of analytical and experimental studies to confirm the process mechanisms, identify optimum process configurations, and develop a design methodology for full-scale applications. Phase I was conducted from October, 1995 to September, 1997 and included both analytical studies and tests in bench and pilot-scale test rigs. Phase I moved AR technology to Maturity Level III-Major Subsystems. Phase II is conducted over a 45 month period (October, 1997-June, 2001). Phase II included evaluation of alternative promoters, development of alternative reburning fuel and N-Agent jet mixing systems, and scale up. The goal of Phase II was to move the technology to Maturity Level I-Subscale Integrated System. Tests in combustion facility ranging in firing rate from 0.1 x 10{sup 6} to 10 x 10{sup 6} Btu/hr demonstrated the
Second Generation Advanced Reburning for High Efficiency NOx Control
Vladimir M. Zamansky; Vitali V. Lissianski
This project is designed to develop a family of novel NO{sub x} control technologies, called Second Generation Advanced Reburning (SGAR) which has the potential to achieve 90+ NO{sub x} control in coal fired boilers at a significantly lower cost than Selective Catalytic Reduction. The ninth reporting period in Phase II (October 1-December 31, 1999) included preparation of the 10 x 10{sup 6} Btu/hr Tower Furnace for tests and setting the SGAR model to predict process performance under Tower Furnace conditions. Based on results of previous work, a paper has been prepared and submitted for the presentation at the 28 Symposium (International) on Combustion to be held at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
SECOND GENERATION ADVANCED REBURNING FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY NOx CONTROL
This project is designed to develop a family of novel NO{sub x} control technologies, called Second Generation Advanced Reburning which has the potential to achieve 90+% NO{sub x} control in coal fired boilers at a significantly lower cost than SCR. The third reporting period in Phase II (April 1--June 30, 1998) included experimental activities at pilot scale and comparison of the results with full-scale data. The pilot scale tests were performed with the objective of simulating furnace conditions of ongoing full-scale tests at the Greenidge boiler No. 6 owned and operated by NYSEG and defining the processes controlling AR performance to subsequently improve the performance. The tests were conducted in EER' s Boiler Simulator Facility. The main fuel pulsing system was used at the BSF to control the degree of unmixedness, thus providing control over furnace gas O{sub 2} and CO concentrations. Results on AR-Lean, presented in the previous quarterly report, were compared with full-scale data. Performance of reburn+SNCR was tested to predict NO{sub x} control at Greenidge. The results of the BSF reburn+SNCR simulation tests demonstrated that there are synergistic advantages of using these two technologies in series. In particular, injection of overfire air provides additional mixing that reduces negative effects on AR performance at the temperature regime of the Greenidge boiler.
Research directions and progress in the SERI advanced high efficiency concept program
Cole, L A; Benner, J P
The inherent electro-optical properties of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and related III-V compounds make this class of semiconductors an optimum choice for use in very high efficiency solar cells. The ability to alloy GaAs with other column III and V elements while maintaining the single crystal zincblende structure allows the photovoltaic properties to be tailored to specific needs. The current understanding and control of the properties of these materials is more advanced than for any other semiconductor except single crystal silicon. For these reasons, the Advanced High Efficiency Concepts Program supports materials research to improve the properties of III-V semiconductors needed to achieve the maximum attainable photovoltaic conversion efficiencies.
Development of an advanced high efficiency coal combustor for boiler retrofit. Summary report
LaFlesh, R.C.; Rini, M.J.; McGowan, J.G.; Beer, J.M.; Toqan, M.A.
The objective of the program was to develop an advanced coal combustion system for firing beneficiated coal fuels (BCFs) capable of being retrofitted to industrial boilers originally designed for firing natural gas. The High Efficiency Advanced Coal Combustor system is capable of firing microfine coal-water fuel (MCWF), MCWF with alkali sorbent (for SO{sub 2} reduction), and dry microfine coal. Design priorities for the system were that it be simple to operate and offer significant reductions in NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, and particulate emissions as compared with current coal-fired combustor technology. (VC)
Development of an advanced high efficiency coal combustor for boiler retrofit
LaFlesh, R.C.; Rini, M.J.; McGowan, J.G.; Beer, J.M.; Toqan, M.A.
The objective of the program was to develop an advanced coal combustion system for firing beneficiated coal fuels (BCFs) capable of being retrofitted to industrial boilers originally designed for firing natural gas. The High Efficiency Advanced Coal Combustor system is capable of firing microfine coal-water fuel (MCWF), MCWF with alkali sorbent (for SO{sub 2} reduction), and dry microfine coal. Design priorities for the system were that it be simple to operate and offer significant reductions in NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, and particulate emissions as compared with current coal-fired combustor technology. (VC)
Kikuchi, M.; Hirayama, S.; Noshita, K.; Yatou, Y.; Huang, C.T.
An advanced system using High Efficiency Solidification Technology (HEST) was developed to treat PWR liquid waste and the first unit is operating in Taiwan (1) and a detailed design is being carried out for the second unit in Japan. The HEST system consists of two subsystems, a super-concentration subsystem and a solidification subsystem. The super-concentration subsystem is able to concentrate the waste solution to a total boron content as high as 130,000 ppm prior to solidification. The higher boron content will result in greater volume reduction efficiency of solidification. The solidification subsystem consists of an in-drum mixing and a conveyor units. Representative features of this advanced system are as follows. (1) Simple system: The system consists of the super-concentration and cement solidification subsystems; it is as simple as the conventional cement solidification system. (2) High volume reduction efficiency: The number of solidified waste drums is about 1/2.5 that of bitumen solidification. (3) Stable Package: Essentially no organic material is used, and the final package will be stable under the final disposal conditions. (4) Zero secondary waste: Washing water used in the in-drum mixer is recycled. This paper describes the outline of HEST technology, treatment system and pilot plant tests.
Development of an advanced high efficiency coal combustor for boiler retrofit
LaFlesh, R.C.; Rini, M.J.; McGowan, J.G.
The overall objective of this program is to develop a high efficiency advanced coal combustor (HEACC) for coal-based fuels capable of being retrofitted to industrial boilers originally designed for firing natural gas, distillate, and/or residual oil. The HEACC system is to be capable of firing microfine coal water fuel (MCWF), MCWF with alkali sorbent (for SO{sub 2} reduction), and dry microfine coal. Design priorities for the system are that it be simple to operate and will offer significant reductions in NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, and particulate emissions as compared with current coal fired combustor technology. The specific objective of this report is to document the work carried out under Task 1.0 of this contract, Cold Flow Burner Development''. As are detailed in the report, key elements of this work included primary air swirler development, burner register geometry design, cold flow burner model testing, and development of burner scale up criteria.
Performance of a high efficiency advanced coal combustor. Task 2, Pilot scale combustion tests: Final report
Toqan, M.A.; Paloposki, T.; Yu, T.; Teare, J.D.; Beer, J.M.
Under contract from DOE-PETC, Combustion Engineering, Inc. undertook the lead-role in a multi-task R&D program aimed at development of a new burner system for coal-based fuels; the goal was that this burner system should be capable of being retrofitted in oil- or gas-fired industrial boilers, or usable in new units. In the first phase of this program a high efficiency advanced coal combustor was designed jointly by CE and MIT. Its burner is of the multiannular design with a fixed shrouded swirler in the center immediately surrounding the atomizer gun to provide the ``primary act,`` and three further annuli for the supply of the ``secondary air.`` The degree of rotation (swirl) in the secondary air is variable. The split of the combustion air into primary and secondary air flows serves the purpose of flame stabilization and combustion staging, the latter to reduce NO{sub x} formation.
Performance of High-Efficiency Advanced Triple-Junction Solar Panels for the LILT Mission Dawn
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Fatemi, Navid S.; Sharma, Surya; Buitrago, Oscar; Sharps, Paul R.; Blok, Ron; Kroon, Martin; Jalink, Cees; Harris, Robin; Stella, Paul; Distefano, Sal
NASA's Discovery Mission Dawn is designed to (LILT) conditions. operate within the solar system's Asteroid belt, where the large distance from the sun creates a low-intensity, low-temperature (LILT) condition. To meet the mission power requirements under LlLT conditions, very high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells were selected to power the spacecraft to be built by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) under contract with JPL. Emcore's InGaP/InGaAs/Ge advanced triple-junction (ATJ) solar cells, exhibiting an average air mass zero (AMO) efficiency of greater than 27.6% (one-sun, 28 C), were used to populate the solar panels [1]. The two solar array wings, to be built by Dutch Space, with 5 large- area panels each (total area of 36.4 sq. meters) are projected to produce between 10.3 kWe and 1.3 kWe of end-of life (EOL) power in the 1.0 to 3.0 AU range, respectively. The details of the solar panel design, testing and power analysis are presented.
High Efficiency Thermionics (HET-IV) and Converter Advancement (CAP) programs. Final reports
Geller, C.B.; Murray, C.S.; Riley, D.R.; Desplat, J.L.; Hansen, L.K.; Hatch, G.L.; McVey, J.B.; Rasor, N.S.
This report contains the final report of the High Efficiency Thermionics (HET-IV) Program, Attachment A, performed at Rasor Associates, Inc. (RAI); and the final report of the Converter Advancement Program (CAP), performed at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, Attachment B. The phenomenology of cesium-oxygen thermionic converters was elucidated in these programs, and the factors that had prevented the achievement of stable, enhanced cesium-oxygen converter performance for the previous thirty years were identified. Based on these discoveries, cesium-oxygen vapor sources were developed that achieved stable performance with factor-of-two improvements in power density and thermal efficiency, relative to conventional, cesium-only ignited mode thermionic converters. Key achievements of the HET-IV/CAP programs are as follows: a new technique for measuring minute traces of oxygen in cesium atmospheres; the determination of the proper range of oxygen partial pressures for optimum converter performance--10{sup {minus}7} to 10{sup {minus}9} torr; the discovery, and analysis of the cesium-oxygen liquid migration and compositional segregation phenomena; the successful use of capillary forces to contain the migration phenomenon; the use of differential heating to control compositional segregation, and induce vapor circulation; the development of mechanically and chemically stable, porous reservoir structures; the development of precise, in situ oxygen charging methods; stable improvements in emitter performance, up to effective emitter bare work functions of 5.4 eV; stable improvements in barrier index, to value below 1.8 Volts; the development of detailed microscopic models for cesium-oxygen reservoir dynamics and collector work function behavior; and the discovery of new relationships between electrode geometry and Schock Instability.
A novel sputtered Pd mesh architecture as an advanced electrocatalyst for highly efficient hydrogen production
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
de Lucas-Consuegra, Antonio; de la Osa, Ana R.; Calcerrada, Ana B.; Linares, José J.; Horwat, David
This study reports the preparation, characterization and testing of a sputtered Pd mesh-like anode as an advanced electrocatalyst for H2 production from alkaline ethanol solutions in an Alkaline Membrane Electrolyzer (AEM). Pd anodic catalyst is prepared by magnetron sputtering technique onto a microfiber carbon paper support. Scanning Electron Microscopy images reveal that the used preparation technique enables to cover the surface of the carbon microfibers exposed to the Pd target, leading to a continuous network that also maintains part of the original carbon paper macroporosity. Such novel anodic architecture (organic binder free) presents an excellent electro-chemical performance, with a maximum current density of 700 mA cm-2 at 1.3 V, and, concomitantly, a large H2 production rate with low energy requirement compared to water electrolysis. Potassium hydroxide emerges as the best electrolyte, whereas temperature exerts the expected promotional effect up to 90 °C. On the other hand, a 1 mol L-1 ethanol solution is enough to guarantee an efficient fuel supply without any mass transfer limitation. The proposed system also demonstrates to remain stable over 150 h of operation along five consecutives cycles, producing highly pure H2 (99.999%) at the cathode and potassium acetate as the main anodic product.
Advanced technologies for high-efficiency GaInN LEDs for solid state lighting
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Harle, Volker; Hahn, Berthold; Baur, Johannes; Fehrer, Michael; Weimar, Andreas; Kaiser, Stephan; Eisert, Dominik; Eberhard, Franz; Plossl, Andreas; Bader, Stefan
Solid state lighting has seen a rapid development over the last decade. They compete and even outperform light sources like incandescent bulbs and halogen lamps. LEDs are used in applications where brightness, power consumption, reliability and costs are key parameters as automotive, mobile and display applications. In the future LEDs will also enter the market of general lighting. For all of these new applications highly efficient, scalable and cost efficient technologies are required. These targets can be matched by SiC based flip chip LEDs which enable the design of high current chips with efficiencies of up to 28 lm/W in white solderable packages. An alternative approach is the implementation of thinfilm technology for GaInN. The LED is fabricated by transferring the epilayers with laser lift off from sapphire to a GaAs host substrate. In combination with efficient surface roughening and highly reflective p-mirror metalization an extraction efficiency of 70% and wall plug efficiency of 24% at 460 nm have been shown. The chips showed 16 mW @ 20 mA with a Voltage of 3.2 V. The technology is scalable from small size LEDs to high current Chips and is being transferred to mass production.
Advanced properties of extended plasmas for efficient high-order harmonic generation
Ganeev, R. A.; Suzuki, M.; Kuroda, H.
We demonstrate the advanced properties of extended plasma plumes (5 mm) for efficient harmonic generation of laser radiation compared with the short lengths of plasmas (∼0.3–0.5 mm) used in previous studies. The harmonic conversion efficiency quadratically increased with the growth of plasma length. The studies of this process along the whole extreme ultraviolet range using the long plasma jets produced on various metal surfaces, particularly including the resonance-enhanced laser frequency conversion and two-color pump, are presented. Such plasmas could be used for the quasi-phase matching experiments by proper modulation of the spatial characteristics of extended ablating area and formation of separated plasma jets.
Advanced high efficiency concentrator cells. Final subcontractor report, 1 October 1988--31 March 1990
Gale, R.
This report describes research to develop the technology needed to demonstrate a monolithic, multijunction, two-terminal, concentrator solar cell with a terrestrial power conversion efficiency greater than 35%. Under three previous subcontracts, Varian developed many of the aspects of a technology needed to fabricate very high efficiency concentrator cells. The current project was aimed at exploiting the new understanding of high efficiency solar cells. Key results covered in this report are as follows. (1) A 1.93-eV AlGaAs/1.42-eV GaAs metal-interconnected cascade cell was manufactured with a one-sun efficiency at 27.6% at air mass 1.5 (AM1.5) global. (2) A 1.0eV InGaAs cell was fabricated on the ``reverse`` side of a low-doped GaAs substrate with a one-sun efficiency of 2.5% AM1.5 diffuse and a short-circuit current of 14.4 mA/cm{sup 2}. (3) Small-scale manufacturing of GaAs p/n concentrator cells was attempted and obtained an excellent yield of high-efficiency cells. (4) Grown-in tunnel junction cell interconnects that are transparent and thermally stable using C and Si dopants were developed. 10 refs.
High-efficiency helical traveling-wave tube with dynamic velocity taper and advanced multistage depressed collector
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Curren, Arthur N.; Palmer, Raymond W.; Force, Dale A.; Dombro, Louis; Long, James A.
A NASA-sponsored research and development contract has been established with the Watkins-Johnson Company to fabricate high-efficiency 20-watt helical traveling wave tubes (TWTs) operating at 8.4 to 8.43 GHz. The TWTs employ dynamic velocity tapers (DVTs) and advanced multistage depressed collectors (MDCs) having electrodes with low secondary electron emission characteristics. The TWT designs include two different DVTs; one for maximum efficiency and the other for minimum distortion and phase shift. The MDC designs include electrodes of untreated and ion-textured graphite as well as copper which has been treated for secondary electron emission suppression. Objectives of the program include achieving at least 55 percent overall efficiency. Tests with the first TWTs (with undepressed collectors) indicate good agreement between predicted and measured RF efficiencies with as high as 30 percent improvement in RF efficiency over conventional helix designs.
Research directions and progress in SERI advanced high efficiency concepts program
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Benner, J. P.; Cole, L. A.
Novel solar cell designs and materials with the objective of achieving the maximum attainable photovoltaic conversion efficiencies are researched. Laboratory demonstrations of solar cells of greater than 30% efficiency under concentrated sunlight and thin film solar cells with one sun efficiencies of 17 to 20% are sought. These demonstrations are necessary intermediate steps towards the realization of very high efficiency, multi-bandgap, thin-film solar cells. Conversion efficiencies above 30% could be achieved by a cascade multijunction cell consisting of a high bandgap (1.7 eV) cell coupled optically and electrically on top of a lower bandgap (1.1 eV) cell. Recent improvements in peak currents of this interconnect are quite promising. However, this cell structure poses difficult problems for materials fabrication as a result of the combined requirements of choice of bandgaps, low defect density material, and high doping densities. Recent improvements in the quality of materials and newly proposed cell structures which may simplify fabrication are significant steps in the development of the multijunction concentrator solar cell.
Advanced Passivation Technology and Loss Factor Minimization for High Efficiency Solar Cells.
Park, Cheolmin; Balaji, Nagarajan; Jung, Sungwook; Choi, Jaewoo; Ju, Minkyu; Lee, Seunghwan; Kim, Jungmo; Bong, Sungjae; Chung, Sungyoun; Lee, Youn-Jung; Yi, Junsin
High-efficiency Si solar cells have attracted great attention from researchers, scientists, photovoltaic (PV) industry engineers for the past few decades. With thin wafers, surface passivation becomes necessary to increase the solar cells efficiency by overcoming several induced effects due to associated crystal defects and impurities of c-Si. This paper discusses suitable passivation schemes and optimization techniques to achieve high efficiency at low cost. SiNx film was optimized with higher transmittance and reduced recombination for using as an effective antireflection and passivation layer to attain higher solar cell efficiencies. The higher band gap increased the transmittance with reduced defect states that persisted at 1.68 and 1.80 eV in SiNx films. The thermal stability of SiN (Si-rich)/SiN (N-rich) stacks was also studied. Si-rich SiN with a refractive index of 2.7 was used as a passivation layer and N-rich SiN with a refractive index of 2.1 was used for thermal stability. An implied Voc of 720 mV with a stable lifetime of 1.5 ms was obtained for the stack layer after firing. Si-N and Si-H bonding concentration was analyzed by FTIR for the correlation of thermally stable passivation mechanism. The passivation property of spin coated Al2O3 films was also investigated. An effective surface recombination velocity of 55 cm/s with a high density of negative fixed charges (Qf) on the order of 9 x 10(11) cm(-2) was detected in Al2O3 films. PMID:26726397
A 20 GHz, high efficiency dual mode TWT for the ACTS program. [Advanced Communications Technology Satellite
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Muennemann, Frank; Dombro, Louis; Long, Jin
The development of a 50 W/10 W dual mode K-band downlink TWT is examined, and its performance is evaluated. The designs of the electron gun, RF circuit, and collector for the TWT, which is enclosed in a capsule, are described. It is observed that the high power mode (HPM) power output is at 50 GHz and the low power mode (LPM) output is at 12 GHz; the saturated gain is 52.5 dB for HPM and 3 dB for LPM; the AM-PM is 4.2 dB; the HPM dc power output is 104 W; and the LPM dc output is 42 W; and the efficiency is 45 percent for the HPM and 28.6 percent for the LPM.
Results of design studies and wind tunnel tests of an advanced high lift system for an Energy Efficient Transport
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Oliver, W. R.
The development of an advanced technology high lift system for an energy efficient transport incorporating a high aspect ratio supercritical wing is described. This development is based on the results of trade studies to select the high lift system, analysis techniques utilized to design the high lift system, and results of a wind tunnel test program. The program included the first experimental low speed, high Reynolds number wind tunnel test for this class of aircraft. The experimental results include the effects on low speed aerodynamic characteristics of various leading and trailing edge devices, nacelles and pylons, aileron, spoilers, and Mach and Reynolds numbers. Results are discussed and compared with the experimental data and the various aerodynamic characteristics are estimated.
Development of Low-Cost High Efficiency Commercial Ready Advanced Silicon Solar Cells
Rohatgi, Ajeet; Zimbardi, Francesco
As a result of the work within this project manufacturing ready devices were developed using 4 different promising Si material technologies with final efficiencies between 20.1% and 21.2%. The starting efficiencies for the FPACE I project were based on best manufactured p-type and n-type cells at the start of the project in 2011. Target efficiencies proposed for the project were 21% for p-type CZ, 20% for p-type cast Si, 21% for n-type and 20% for epi. All Target efficiencies were met or exceeded by the end of the project in 2014. The figure below list displays the 4 highest performing structures for each material with corresponding achieved efficiencies.
High-Efficiency Rooftop Air Conditioners: Innovative Procurement to Achieve Advances in Technology
Hollomon, Brad
The U.S. Department of Energy, Defense Logistics Agency, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory recently conducted a technology procurement to increase the availability of energy-efficient, packaged unitary ''rooftop'' air conditioners. The procurement encouraged air conditioner manufacturers to produce equipment that exceeded US energy efficiency standards by at least 25% at a lower life-cycle cost. An outgrowth of the project, a web-based cost estimator tool is now available to help consumers determine the cost-effectiveness of purchasing energy-efficient air conditioners based on climate conditions and other factors at their own locations.
Systems Analyses of Advanced Brayton Cycles For High Efficiency Zero Emission Plants
A. D. Rao; J. Francuz; H. Liao; A. Verma; G. S. Samuelsen
Table 1 shows that the systems efficiency, coal (HHV) to power, is 35%. Table 2 summarizes the auxiliary power consumption within the plant. Thermoflex was used to simulate the power block and Aspen Plus the balance of plant. The overall block flow diagram is presented in Figure A1.3-1 and the key unit process flow diagrams are shown in subsequent figures. Stream data are given in Table A1.3-1. Equipment function specifications are provided in Tables A1.3-2 through 17. The overall plant scheme consists of a cryogenic air separation unit supplying 95% purity O{sub 2} to GE type high pressure (HP) total quench gasifiers. The raw gas after scrubbing is treated in a sour shift unit to react the CO with H{sub 2}O to form H{sub 2} and CO{sub 2}. The gas is further treated to remove Hg in a sulfided activated carbon bed. The syngas is desulfurized and decarbonized in a Selexol acid gas removal unit and the decarbonized syngas after humidification and preheat is fired in GE 7H type steam cooled gas turbines. Intermediate pressure (IP) N{sub 2} from the ASU is also supplied to the combustors of the gas turbines as additional diluent for NOx control. A portion of the air required by the ASU is extracted from the gas turbines. The plant consists of the following major process units: (1) Air Separation Unit (ASU); (2) Gasification Unit; (3) CO Shift/Low Temperature Gas Cooling (LTGC) Unit; (4) Acid Gas Removal Unit (AGR) Unit; (5) Fuel Gas Humidification Unit; (6) Carbon Dioxide Compression/Dehydration Unit; (7) Claus Sulfur Recovery/Tail Gas Treating Unit (SRU/TGTU); and (8) Power Block.
High Efficiency Space Power Systems Project Advanced Space-Rated Batteries
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Reid, Concha M.
Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) has an agreement with China National Offshore Oil Corporation New Energy Investment Company, Ltd. (CNOOC), under the United States-China EcoPartnerships Framework, to create a bi-national entity seeking to develop technically feasible and economically viable solutions to energy and environmental issues. Advanced batteries have been identified as one of the initial areas targeted for collaborations. CWRU invited NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) personnel from the Electrochemistry Branch to CWRU to discuss various aspects of advanced battery development as they might apply to this partnership. Topics discussed included: the process for the selection of a battery chemistry; the establishment of an integrated development program; project management/technical interactions; new technology developments; and synergies between batteries for automotive and space operations. Additional collaborations between CWRU and NASA GRC's Electrochemistry Branch were also discussed.
Final LDRD report : design and fabrication of advanced device structures for ultra high efficiency solid state lighting.
Koleske, Daniel David; Bogart, Katherine Huderle Andersen; Shul, Randy John; Wendt, Joel Robert; Crawford, Mary Hagerott; Allerman, Andrew Alan; Fischer, Arthur Joseph
The goal of this one year LDRD was to improve the overall efficiency of InGaN LEDs by improving the extraction of light from the semiconductor chip. InGaN LEDs are currently the most promising technology for producing high efficiency blue and green semiconductor light emitters. Improving the efficiency of InGaN LEDs will enable a more rapid adoption of semiconductor based lighting. In this LDRD, we proposed to develop photonic structures to improve light extraction from nitride-based light emitting diodes (LEDs). While many advanced device geometries were considered for this work, we focused on the use of a photonic crystal for improved light extraction. Although resonant cavity LEDs and other advanced structures certainly have the potential to improve light extraction, the photonic crystal approach showed the most promise in the early stages of this short program. The photonic crystal (PX)-LED developed here incorporates a two dimensional photonic crystal, or photonic lattice, into a nitride-based LED. The dimensions of the photonic crystal are selected such that there are very few or no optical modes in the plane of the LED ('lateral' modes). This will reduce or eliminate any radiation in the lateral direction so that the majority of the LED radiation will be in vertical modes that escape the semiconductor, which will improve the light-extraction efficiency. PX-LEDs were fabricated using a range of hole diameters and lattice constants and compared to control LEDs without a photonic crystal. The far field patterns from the PX-LEDs were dramatically modified by the presence of the photonic crystal. An increase in LED brightness of 1.75X was observed for light measured into a 40 degree emission cone with a total increase in power of 1.5X for an unencapsulated LED.
Systems Analyses of Advanced Brayton Cycles For High Efficiency Zero Emission Plants
A. D. Rao; J. Francuz; A. Verma; G. S. Samuelsen
The ultimate goal of this program is to identify the power block cycle conditions and/or configurations which could increase the overall thermal efficiency of the Baseline IGCC by about 8% on a relative basis (i.e., 8% on a heat rate basis). This document presents the cycle conditions and/or the configurations for evaluation in an initial screening analysis. These cycle conditions and/or configurations for investigation in the screening analysis are identified by literature searches and brain storming sessions. The screening analysis in turn narrows down the number of promising cases for detailed analysis.
Development of an advanced high efficiency coal combustor for boiler retrofit. Task 1, Cold flow burner development: Final report
LaFlesh, R.C.; Rini, M.J.; McGowan, J.G.
The overall objective of this program is to develop a high efficiency advanced coal combustor (HEACC) for coal-based fuels capable of being retrofitted to industrial boilers originally designed for firing natural gas, distillate, and/or residual oil. The HEACC system is to be capable of firing microfine coal water fuel (MCWF), MCWF with alkali sorbent (for SO{sub 2} reduction), and dry microfine coal. Design priorities for the system are that it be simple to operate and will offer significant reductions in NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, and particulate emissions as compared with current coal fired combustor technology. The specific objective of this report is to document the work carried out under Task 1.0 of this contract, ``Cold Flow Burner Development``. As are detailed in the report, key elements of this work included primary air swirler development, burner register geometry design, cold flow burner model testing, and development of burner scale up criteria.
Advanced high temperature materials for the energy efficient automotive Stirling engine
Titran, R.H.; Stephens, J.R.
The Stirling engine is under investigation jointly by the Department of Energy and NASA Lewis as an alternative to the internal combustion engine for automotive applications. The Stirling engine is an external combustion engine that offers the advantage of high fuel economy, low emissions, low noise, and low vibrations compared to current internal combustion automotive engines. The most critical component from a materials viewpoint is the heater head consisting of the cylinders, heating tubes, and regenerator housing. Materials requirements for the heater head include compatibility with hydrogen, resistance to hydrogen permeation, high temperature oxidation/corrosion resistance and high temperature creep-rupture and fatigue properties. A continuing supporting materials research and technology program has identified the wrought alloys CG-27 and 12RN72 and the cast alloys XF-818 and NASAUT 4G-A1 as candidate replacements for the cobalt containing alloys used in current prototype engines. Based on the materials research program in support of the automotive Stirling engine it is concluded that manufacture of the engine is feasible from low cost iron-base alloys rather than the cobalt alloys used in prototype engines. This paper will present results of research that led to this conclusion.
Advanced high temperature materials for the energy efficient automotive Stirling engine
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Titran, R. H.; Stephens, J. R.
The Stirling Engine is under investigated jointly by the Department of Energy and NASA Lewis as an alternative to the internal combustion engine for automotive applications. The Stirling Engine is an external combustion engine that offers the advantage of high fuel economy, low emissions, low noise, and low vibrations compared to current internal combustion automotive engines. The most critical component from a materials viewpoint is the heater head consisting of the cylinders, heating tubes, and regenerator housing. Materials requirements for the heater head include compatibility with hydrogen, resistance to hydrogen permeation, high temperature oxidation/corrosion resistance and high temperature creep-rupture and fatigue properties. A continuing supporting materials research and technology program has identified the wrought alloys CG-27 and 12RN72 and the cast alloys XF-818 and NASAUT 4G-A1 as candidate replacements for the cobalt containing alloys used in current prototype engines. Based on the materials research program in support of the automotive Stirling engine it is concluded that manufacture of the engine is feasible from low cost iron-base alloys rather than the cobalt alloys rather than the cobalt alloys used in prototype engines. This paper will present results of research that led to this conclusion.
Targeting 100! Advanced Energy Efficient Building Technologies for High Performance Hospitals: Executive Summary.
Burpee, Heather; Loveland, Joel; Helmers, Aaron
This research, Targeting 100!, provides a conceptual framework and decision-making structure at a schematic design level of precision for hospital owners, architects and engineers to radically reduce energy use in hospitals. Following the goals of Architecture 2030 and The 2030 Challenge, it offers access to design strategies and the cost implications of those strategies for new hospitals to utilize 60% less energy. The name, Targeting 100!, comes from the 2030 Challenge energy reduction goal for hospitals; a 60% energy use reduction from typical acute care hospital targets approximately 100 KBtu/SF Year, thus the name "Targeting 100!". Targeting 100! was developed through funding partnerships with the US Department of Energy and the Northwest Energy Efficiency's BetterBricks Initiative. The technical team was led by the University of Washington Integrated Design Lab supported by deep collaboration with Solarc Architecture and Engineering, TBD Cost Consultants, and NBBJ Architecture. Through extensive research and design development, Targeting 100! provides a framework for developing high performance healthcare projects today and into the future. An online tool houses a Targeting 100! knowlegebase and roadmap. It can be accessed at: www.idlseattle.com/t100. The webtool is structured from high-level overview materials to detailed library with modeling inputs and outputs, providing a comprehensive report of the background, data, and outcomes from the project.
Development of Advanced High Strength Steel for Improved Vehicle Safety, Fuel Efficiency and CO2 Emission
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, Satendra; Singhai, Mrigandra; Desai, Rahul; Sam, Srimanta; Patra, Pradip Kumar
Global warming and green house gas emissions are the major issues worldwide and their impacts are clearly visible as a record high temperatures, rising sea, and severe `flooding and droughts'. Motor vehicles considered as a major contributor on global warming due to its green house gas emissions. Hence, the automobile industries are under tremendous pressure from government and society to reduce green house gas emission to maximum possible extent. In present work, Dual Phase steel with boron as microalloying is manufactured using thermo-mechanical treatment during hot rolling. Dual phase steel with boron microalloying improved strength by near about 200 MPa than dual phase steel without boron. The boron added dual phase steel can be used for manufacturing stronger and a lighter vehicle which is expected to perform positively on green house gas emissions. The corrosion resistance behavior is also improved with boron addition which would further increase the life cycle of the vehicle even under corrosive atmosphere.
ADVANCED BIOMASS REBURNING FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY NOx CONTROL AND BIOMASS REBURNING - MODELING/ENGINEERING STUDIES JOINT FINAL REPORT
Vladimir M. Zamansky; Mark S. Sheldon; Vitali V. Lissianski; Peter M. Maly; David K. Moyeda; Antonio Marquez; W. Randall Seeker
high efficiency of biomass in reburning are low fuel-N content and high content of alkali metals in ash. These results indicate that the efficiency of biomass as a reburning fuel may be predicted based on its ultimate, proximate, and ash analyses. The results of experimental and kinetic modeling studies were utilized in applying a validated methodology for reburning system design to biomass reburning in a typical coal-fired boiler. Based on the trends in biomass reburning performance and the characteristics of the boiler under study, a preliminary process design for biomass reburning was developed. Physical flow models were applied to specific injection parameters and operating scenarios, to assess the mixing performance of reburning fuel and overfire air jets which is of paramount importance in achieving target NO{sub x} control performance. The two preliminary cases studied showed potential as candidate reburning designs, and demonstrated that similar mixing performance could be achieved in operation with different quantities of reburning fuel. Based upon this preliminary evaluation, EER has determined that reburning and advanced reburning technologies can be successfully applied using biomass. Pilot-scale studies on biomass reburning conducted by EER have indicated that biomass is an excellent reburning fuel. This generic design study provides a template approach for future demonstrations in specific installations.
Efficient, High-Torque Electric Vehicle Motor: Advanced Electric Vehicle Motors with Low or No Rare Earth Content
REACT Project: QM Power will develop a new type of electric motor with the potential to efficiently power future generations of EVs without the use of rare-earth-based magnets. Many of today's EV motors use rare earth magnets to efficiently provide torque to the wheels. QM Power's motors would contain magnets that use no rare earth minerals, are light and compact, and can deliver more power with greater efficiency and at reduced cost. Key innovations in this project include a new motor design with iron-based magnetic materials, a new motor control technique, and advanced manufacturing techniques that substantially reduce the cost of the motor. The ultimate goal of this project is to create a cost-effective EV motor that offers the rough peak equivalent of 270 horsepower.
High Efficiency, Clean Combustion
Donald Stanton
challenges to reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gases, meet stringent emissions regulations, provide customer value, and improve safety. The HECC program successfully reduced engine fuel consumption and greenhouse gases while providing greater customer valve. The US EPA 2010 emissions standard poses a significant challenge for developing clean diesel powertrains that meet the DoE Vehicle Technologies Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP) for fuel efficiency improvement while remaining affordable. Along with exhaust emissions, an emphasis on heavy duty vehicle fuel efficiency is being driven by increased energy costs as well as the potential regulation of greenhouse gases. An important element of the success of meeting emissions while significantly improving efficiency is leveraging Cummins component technologies such as fuel injection equipment, aftertreatment, turbomahcinery, electronic controls, and combustion systems. Innovation in component technology coupled with system integration is enabling Cummins to move forward with the development of high efficiency clean diesel products with a long term goal of reaching a 55% peak brake thermal efficiency for the engine plus aftertreatment system. The first step in developing high efficiency clean products has been supported by the DoE co-sponsored HECC program. The objectives of the HECC program are: (1) To design and develop advanced diesel engine architectures capable of achieving US EPA 2010 emission regulations while improving the brake thermal efficiency by 10% compared to the baseline (a state of the art 2007 production diesel engine). (2) To design and develop components and subsystems (fuel systems, air handling, controls, etc) to enable construction and development of multi-cylinder engines. (3) To perform an assessment of the commercial viability of the newly developed engine technology. (4) To specify fuel properties conducive to improvements in emissions, reliability, and fuel efficiency for engines using high-efficiency
Advanced properties of extended laser-produced plasmas for efficient generation of the high-order harmonics of ultrashort laser pulses
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ganeev, R. A.
The review of the studies showing the advanced properties of extended plasma plumes (5 mm) for efficient high-order harmonic generation of laser radiation compared with the short lengths of plasmas (~0.3-0.5 mm) used in previous studies is presented. The harmonic conversion efficiency quadratically increased with the growth of plasma length at the optimal conditions of plasma formation. The studies of this process using the long plasma jets produced on various metal surfaces, particularly including the resonance-enhanced harmonic generation, two-color pump, and extended nanoparticle plasma, are discussed.
Advanced Energy Efficient Roof System
Jane Davidson
Energy consumption in buildings represents 40 percent of primary U.S. energy consumption, split almost equally between residential (22%) and commercial (18%) buildings.1 Space heating (31%) and cooling (12%) account for approximately 9 quadrillion Btu. Improvements in the building envelope can have a significant impact on reducing energy consumption. Thermal losses (or gains) from the roof make up 14 percent of the building component energy load. Infiltration through the building envelope, including the roof, accounts for an additional 28 percent of the heating loads and 16 percent of the cooling loads. These figures provide a strong incentive to develop and implement more energy efficient roof systems. The roof is perhaps the most challenging component of the building envelope to change for many reasons. The engineered roof truss, which has been around since 1956, is relatively low cost and is the industry standard. The roof has multiple functions. A typical wood frame home lasts a long time. Building codes vary across the country. Customer and trade acceptance of new building products and materials may impede market penetration. The energy savings of a new roof system must be balanced with other requirements such as first and life-cycle costs, durability, appearance, and ease of construction. Conventional residential roof construction utilizes closely spaced roof trusses supporting a layer of sheathing and roofing materials. Gypsum board is typically attached to the lower chord of the trusses forming the finished ceiling for the occupied space. Often in warmer climates, the HVAC system and ducts are placed in the unconditioned and otherwise unusable attic. High temperature differentials and leaky ducts result in thermal losses. Penetrations through the ceilings are notoriously difficult to seal and lead to moisture and air infiltration. These issues all contribute to greater energy use and have led builders to consider construction of a conditioned attic. The
High efficiency solar cell processing
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ho, F.; Iles, P. A.
At the time of writing, cells made by several groups are approaching 19% efficiency. General aspects of the processing required for such cells are discussed. Most processing used for high efficiency cells is derived from space-cell or concentrator cell technology, and recent advances have been obtained from improved techniques rather than from better understanding of the limiting mechanisms. Theory and modeling are fairly well developed, and adequate to guide further asymptotic increases in performance of near conventional cells. There are several competitive cell designs with promise of higher performance ( 20%) but for these designs further improvements are required. The available cell processing technology to fabricate high efficiency cells is examined.
High efficiency RCCI combustion
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Splitter, Derek A.
An experimental investigation of the pragmatic limits of Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) engine efficiency was performed. The study utilized engine experiments combined with zero-dimensional modeling. Initially, simulations were used to suggest conditions of high engine efficiency with RCCI. Preliminary simulations suggested that high efficiency could be obtained by using a very dilute charge with a high compression ratio. Moreover, the preliminary simulations further suggested that with simultaneous 50% reductions in heat transfer and incomplete combustion, 60% gross thermal efficiency may be achievable with RCCI. Following the initial simulations, experiments to investigate the combustion process, fuel effects, and methods to reduce heat transfer and incomplete combustion reduction were conducted. The results demonstrated that the engine cycle and combustion process are linked, and if high efficiency is to be had, then the combustion event must be tailored to the initial cycle conditions. It was found that reductions to engine heat transfer are a key enabler to increasing engine efficiency. In addition, it was found that the piston oil jet gallery cooling in RCCI may be unnecessary, as it had a negative impact on efficiency. Without piston oil gallery cooling, it was found that RCCI was nearly adiabatic, achieving 95% of the theoretical maximum cycle efficiency (air standard Otto cycle efficiency).
High efficiency solar panel /HESP/
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stella, P. M.; Gay, C.; Uno, F.; Scott-Monck, J.
A family of high efficiency, weldable silicon solar cells, incorporating nearly every feature of advanced cell technology developed in the past four years, was produced and subjected to space qualification testing. This matrix contained both field and non-field cells ranging in thickness from 0.10 mm to 0.30 mm, and in base resistivity from nominal two to one hundred ohm-cm. Initial power outputs as high as 20 mW/sq cm (14.8% AM0 efficiency) were produced by certain cell types within the matrix.
InGaAsN: A Novel Material for High-Efficiency Solar Cells and Advanced Photonic Devices
Allerman, Andrew A.; Follstaedt, David M.; Gee, James M.; Jones, Eric D.; Kurtz, Steven R.; Modine, Norman A.
This report represents the completion of a 6 month Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program that focused on research and development of novel compound semiconductor, InGaAsN. This project seeks to rapidly assess the potential of InGaAsN for improved high-efficiency photovoltaic. Due to the short time scale, the project focused on quickly investigating the range of attainable compositions and bandgaps while identifying possible material limitations for photovoltaic devices. InGaAsN is a new semiconductor alloy system with the remarkable property that the inclusion of only 2% nitrogen reduces the bandgap by more than 30%. In order to help understand the physical origin of this extreme deviation from the typically observed nearly linear dependence of alloy properties on concentration, we have investigated the pressure dependence of the excited state energies using both experimental and theoretical methods. We report measurements of the low temperature photoluminescence energy of the material for pressures between ambient and 110 kbar. We describe a simple, density-functional-theory-based approach to calculating the pressure dependence of low lying excitation energies for low concentration alloys. The theoretically predicted pressure dependence of the bandgap is in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Based on the results of our calculations, we suggest an explanation for the strongly non-linear pressure dependence of the bandgap that, surprisingly, does not involve a nitrogen impurity band. Additionally, conduction-band mass measurements, measured by three different techniques, will be described and finally, the magnetoluminescence determined pressure coefficient for the conduction-band mass is measured. The design, growth by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, and processing of an In{sub 0.07}Ga{sub 0.93}As{sub 0.98}N{sub 0.02} solar cell, with 1.0 eV bandgap, lattice matched to GaAs is described. The hole diffusion length in
Very high efficiency solar cells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Barnett, Allen; Kirkpatrick, Douglas; Honsberg, Christiana
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has initiated the Very High Efficiency Solar Cell (VHESC) program to address the critical need of the soldier for power in the field. Very High Efficiency Solar Cells for portable applications that operate at greater than 55 percent efficiency in the laboratory and 50 percent in production are being developed. We are integrating the optical design with the solar cell design, and have entered previously unoccupied design space that leads to a new architecture paradigm. An integrated team effort is now underway that requires us to invent, develop and transfer to production these new solar cells. Our approach is driven by proven quantitative models for the solar cell design, the optical design and the integration of these designs. We start with a very high performance crystalline silicon solar cell platform. Examples will be presented. Initial solar cell device results are shown for devices fabricated in geometries designed for this VHESC Program.
Development of an advanced high efficiency coal combustor for boiler retrofit. Quarterly report, May 1987--July 1987
Rini, M.J.
In summary, Task 1 has succeeded in developing innovative swirler designs which operate at improved mechanical efficiency and promise to decrease operating costs when applied to an industrial boiler. The prototype HEACC has been designed and incorporates this swirler along with other innovative, flexible and efficiency-oriented features. During this quarter, further testing was conducted with the swirl-jet atomizer to assess the effect of MCWF heating. These results are shown in Figure 15. As can be seen, the spray quality steadily improved with increasing temperature over the range of 25{degrees}C (77{degrees}F) to 100{degrees}C (212{degrees}F). This is due to a steady reduction in fuel viscosity as demonstrated in Figure 16. From 100{degrees}C to 138{degrees}C (280{degrees}F) only a minor decrease in MMD is noted, but more significantly, a further decrease in SMD can be seen. This means that fewer large droplets were produced at the elevated fuel temperatures. This will have a positive effect on improved combustion and yield higher carbon burn-out.
High efficiency incandescent lighting
Bermel, Peter; Ilic, Ognjen; Chan, Walker R.; Musabeyoglu, Ahmet; Cukierman, Aviv Ruben; Harradon, Michael Robert; Celanovic, Ivan; Soljacic, Marin
Incandescent lighting structure. The structure includes a thermal emitter that can, but does not have to, include a first photonic crystal on its surface to tailor thermal emission coupled to, in a high-view-factor geometry, a second photonic filter selected to reflect infrared radiation back to the emitter while passing visible light. This structure is highly efficient as compared to standard incandescent light bulbs.
Development and testing of a high efficiency advanced coal combustor Phase III industrial boiler retrofit. Quarterly technical progress report, July 1, 1995--September 30, 1995 No. 16
Borio, R.W.
The objective of this project is to retrofit a burner, capable of firing microfine coal, to a standard gas/oil designed industrial boiler to assess the technical and economic viability of displacing premium fuels with microfine coal. This report documents the technical aspects of this project during the sixteenth quarter (July `95 through September `95) of the program. The overall program has consisted of five major tasks: (1) A review of current state-of-the-art coal firing system components. (2) Design and experimental testing of a prototype HEACC (High Efficiency Advanced Coal Combustor) burner. (3) Installation and testing of a prototype HEACC system in a commercial retrofit application. (4) Economics evaluation of the HEACC concept for retrofit applications. (5) Long term demonstration under commercial user demand conditions.
Development and testing of a high efficiency advanced coal combustor: Phase 3 industrial boiler retrofit. Final report
Patel, R.L.; Thornock, D.E.; Miller, B.G.; Scaroni, A.W.; McGowan, J.G.
Economics and/or political intervention may one day dictate the conversion from oil or natural gas to coal in boilers that were originally designed to burn oil or gas. In recognition of this future possibility the US Department of Energy, Federal Energy Technical Center (DOE-FETC) supported a program led by ABB Power Plant Laboratories with support from the Energy and Fuels Research Center of Penn State University with the goal of demonstrating the technical and economic feasibility of retrofitting a gas/oil designed boiler to burn micronized coal. In support of the overall goal the following specific objectives were targeted: develop a coal handling/preparation system that can meet the technical and operational requirements for retrofitting microfine coal on a boiler designed for burning oil or natural gas; maintain boiler thermal performance in accordance with specifications when burning oil or natural gas; maintain NOx emissions at or below 0.6 lb NO{sub 2} per million Btu; achieve combustion efficiencies of 98% or higher; and determine economic payback periods as a function of key variables.
High Efficiency Cell Development
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Carbajal, B. G.
The specific activity was to improve the tandem junction Cell (TJC) as a high efficiency solar cell. The TJC development was to be consistent with module assembly and should contribute to the overall goals of the Low-Cost Solar Array Project. During 1978, TJC efficiency improved from approximately 11 percent to approximately 16 percent (AMI). Photogenerated current densities in excess of 42 mA/sq cm were observed at AMO. Open circuit voltages as high as 0.615 V were measured at AMO. Fill factor was only 0.68 - 0.75 due to a nonoptimum metal contact design. A device model was conceived in which the solar cell is modelled as a transitor. There are virtually no interconnect or packaging factor systems and the TJC is compatible with all conventional module fabrication systems. A modification of the TJC, the Front Surface Field (FSF) cell, was also explored.
High efficiency magnetic bearings
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Studer, Philip A.; Jayaraman, Chaitanya P.; Anand, Davinder K.; Kirk, James A.
Research activities concerning high efficiency permanent magnet plus electromagnet (PM/EM) pancake magnetic bearings at the University of Maryland are reported. A description of the construction and working of the magnetic bearing is provided. Next, parameters needed to describe the bearing are explained. Then, methods developed for the design and testing of magnetic bearings are summarized. Finally, a new magnetic bearing which allows active torque control in the off axes directions is discussed.
Steam conservation and boiler plant efficiency advancements
Fiorino, D.P.
This paper examines several cost-effective steam conservation and boiler plant efficiency advancements that were implemented during a recently completed central steam boiler plant replacement project at a very large semiconductor manufacturing complex. They were: (1) Reheating of dehumidified clean room makeup air with heat extracted during precooling; (2) Preheating of deionization feedwater with refrigerant heat of condensation; (3) Preheating of boiler combustion air with heat extracted from boiler flue gas; (4) Preheating of boiler feedwater with heat extracted from gas turbine exhaust; (5) Variable-speed operation of boiler feedwater pumps and forced-draft fans; and (6) Preheating of boiler makeup water with heat extracted from boiler surface blow-down. The first two advancements (steam conservation measures) saved about $1,010,000 per year by using recovered waste heat rather than steam-derived heat at selected heating loads. The last four advancements (boiler plant efficiency measures) reduced the cost of steam produced by about 13%, or $293,500 per year, by reducing use of natural gas and electricity at the steam boiler plant. These advancements should prove of interest to industrial energy users faced with replacement of aging, inefficient boiler plants, rising fuel and power prices, and increasing pressures to reduce operating costs in order to enhance competitiveness.
Advanced component technologies for energy-efficient turbofan engines
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Saunders, N. T.
The paper reviews NASA's Energy Efficient Engine Project which was initiated to provide the advanced technology base for a new generation of fuel-conservative engines for introduction into airline service by the late 1980s. Efforts in this project are directed at advancing engine component and systems technologies to a point of demonstrating technology-readiness by 1984. Early results indicate high promise in achieving most of the goals established in the project.
Superstructure high efficiency photovoltaics
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wagner, M.; So, L. C.; Leburton, J. P.
A novel class of photovoltaic cascade structures is introduced which features multijunction upper subcells. These superstructure high efficiency photovoltaics (SHEP's) exhibit enhanced upper subcell spectral response because of the additional junctions which serve to reduce bulk recombination losses by decreasing the mean collection distance for photogenerated minority carriers. Two possible electrical configurations were studied and compared: a three-terminal scheme that allows both subcells to be operated at their individual maximum power points and a two-terminal configuration with an intercell ohmic contact for series interconnection. The three-terminal devices were found to be superior both in terms of beginning-of-life expectancy and radiation tolerance. Realistic simulations of three-terminal AlGaAs/GaAs SHEP's show that one sun AMO efficiencies in excess of 26 percent are possible.
Feasibility study for an advanced coal fired heat exchanger/gas turbine topping cycle for a high efficiency power plant. Final report
Solomon, P.R.; Zhao, Y.; Pines, D.; Buggeln, R.C.; Shamroth, S.J.
Significant improvements in efficiency for the conversion of coal into electricity can be achieved by cycles which employ a high temperature gas turbine topping cycle. The objective of this project is the development of an externally fired gas turbine system. The project computationally tested a new concept for a High Temperature Advanced Furnace (HITAF) and high temperature heat exchanger with a proprietary design to reduce the problems associated with the harsh coal environment. The program addressed two key technology issues: (1) the HITAF/heat exchanger heat transfer through a 2-D computer analysis of the HITAF configuration; (2) 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model application to simulate the exclusion of particles and corrosive gases from the heat exchanger surface. The basic concept of this new combustor design was verified through the 2D and 3D modeling. It demonstrated that the corrosion and erosion of the exchanger material caused by coal and ash particles can be largely reduced by employing a specially designed firing scheme. It also suggested that a proper combustion geometry design is necessary to maximize the cleaning effect.
High efficiency photoionization detector
Anderson, David F.
A high efficiency photoionization detector using tetraaminoethylenes in a gaseous state having a low ionization potential and a relative photoionization cross section which closely matches the emission spectrum of xenon gas. Imaging proportional counters are also disclosed using the novel photoionization detector of the invention. The compound of greatest interest is TMAE which comprises tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene which has a measured ionization potential of 5.36.+-.0.02 eV, and a vapor pressure of 0.35 torr at 20.degree. C.
High efficiency photoionization detector
Anderson, D.F.
A high efficiency photoionization detector is described using tetraaminoethylenes in a gaseous state having a low ionization potential and a relative photoionization cross section which closely matches the emission spectrum of xenon gas. Imaging proportional counters are also disclosed using the novel photoionization detector of the invention. The compound of greatest interest is TMAE which comprises tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene which has a measured ionization potential of 5.36 [+-] 0.02 eV, and a vapor pressure of 0.35 torr at 20 C. 6 figs.
Robert J. Copeland; Yevgenia Gershanovich; Brian Windecker
This project investigated an efficient and low cost method of auto-thermally reforming natural gas to hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Reforming is the highest cost step in producing products such as methanol and Fisher Tropsch liquids (i.e., gas to liquids); and reducing the cost of reforming is the key to reducing the cost of these products. Steam reforming is expensive because of the high cost of the high nickel alloy reforming tubes (i.e., indirectly fired reforming tubes). Conventional auto-thermal or Partial Oxidation (POX) reforming minimizes the size and cost of the reformers and provides a near optimum mixture of CO and hydrogen. However POX requires pure oxygen, which consumes power and significantly increases the cost to reforming. Our high efficiency process extracts oxygen from low-pressure air with novel oxygen sorbent and transfers the oxygen to a nickel-catalyzed reformer. The syngas is generated at process pressure (typically 20 to 40 bar) without nitrogen dilution and has a 1CO to 2H{sub 2} ratio that is near optimum for the subsequent production of Fisher-Tropsch liquid to liquids and other chemicals (i.e., Gas to Liquids, GTL). Our high process efficiency comes from the way we transfer the oxygen into the reformer. All of the components of the process, except for the oxygen sorbent, are commonly used in commercial practice. A process based on a longlived, regenerable, oxygen transfer sorbent could substantially reduce the cost of natural gas reforming to syngas. Lower cost syngas (CO + 2H{sub 2}) that is the feedstock for GTL would reduce the cost of GTL and for other commercial applications (e.g., methanol, other organic chemicals). The vast gas resources of Alaska's North Slope (ANS) offer more than 22 Tcf of gas and GTL production in this application alone, and could account for as much as 300,000 to 700,000 bpd for 20 to 30+ years. We developed a new sorbent, which is an essential part of the High Efficiency Oxygen Process (HOP). We tested the
Bratman, V.L.; Kol`chugin, B.D.; Samsonov, S.V.; Volkov, A.B.
The Cyclotron Autoresonance Maser (CARM) is a well-known variety of FEMs. Unlike the ubitron in which electrons move in a periodical undulator field, in the CARM the particles move along helical trajectories in a uniform magnetic field. Since it is much simpler to generate strong homogeneous magnetic fields than periodical ones for a relatively low electron energy ({Brit_pounds}{le}1-3 MeV) the period of particles` trajectories in the CARM can be sufficiently smaller than in the undulator in which, moreover, the field decreases rapidly in the transverse direction. In spite of this evident advantage, the number of papers on CARM is an order less than on ubitron, which is apparently caused by the low (not more than 10 %) CARM efficiency in experiments. At the same time, ubitrons operating in two rather complicated regimes-trapping and adiabatic deceleration of particles and combined undulator and reversed guiding fields - yielded efficiencies of 34 % and 27 %, respectively. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that high efficiency can be reached even for a simplest version of the CARM. In order to reduce sensitivity to an axial velocity spread of particles, a short interaction length where electrons underwent only 4-5 cyclotron oscillations was used in this work. Like experiments, a narrow anode outlet of a field-emission electron gun cut out the {open_quotes}most rectilinear{close_quotes} near-axis part of the electron beam. Additionally, magnetic field of a small correcting coil compensated spurious electron oscillations pumped by the anode aperture. A kicker in the form of a sloping to the axis frame with current provided a control value of rotary velocity at a small additional velocity spread. A simple cavity consisting of a cylindrical waveguide section restricted by a cut-off waveguide on the cathode side and by a Bragg reflector on the collector side was used as the CARM-oscillator microwave system.
Development and testing of a high efficiency advanced coal combustor: Phase 3 -- Industrial boiler retrofit. Proof of concept testing summary (Task 3.0 Final topical report)
Patel, R.L.; Borio, R.; McGowan, J.G.
Economics may one day dictate that it makes sense to replace oil or natural gas with coal in boilers that were originally designed to burn oil or gas. In recognition of this future possibility, Pittsburgh Energy Technical Center (PETC) has supported a program led by ABB Power Plant Laboratories in cooperation with the Energy and Fuels Research Center of Penn State University to develop the High Efficiency Advanced Coal Combustor (HEACC). The objective of the program is to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of retrofitting a gas/oil designed boiler to burn micronized coal. In support of the overall objective the following specific areas were targeted: a coal handling/preparation system that can meet the technical requirements for retrofitting microfine coal on a boiler designed for burning oil or natural gas; maintaining boiler thermal performance in accordance with specifications when burning oil or natural gas; maintaining NOx emissions at or below 0.6 lb NO{sub 2} per million Btu; achieving combustion efficiencies of 98% or higher; and calculating economic payback periods as a function of key variables. The work carried out under this program is broken into five major Tasks: review of current state-of-the-art coal firing system components; design and experimental testing of a prototype HEACC burner; installation and testing of a HEACC system in a retrofit application; economic evaluation of the HEACC concept for retrofit applications; and long term demonstration under user demand conditions. This report summarizes the work done under Task 3, the installation and testing of the HEACC burner in a 15,000 lb/hr package boiler located at Penn State. The period of testing was approximately 400 hours. Key findings are presented.
High Efficiency Integrated Package
Ibbetson, James
Solid-state lighting based on LEDs has emerged as a superior alternative to inefficient conventional lighting, particularly incandescent. LED lighting can lead to 80 percent energy savings; can last 50,000 hours – 2-50 times longer than most bulbs; and contains no toxic lead or mercury. However, to enable mass adoption, particularly at the consumer level, the cost of LED luminaires must be reduced by an order of magnitude while achieving superior efficiency, light quality and lifetime. To become viable, energy-efficient replacement solutions must deliver system efficacies of ≥ 100 lumens per watt (LPW) with excellent color rendering (CRI > 85) at a cost that enables payback cycles of two years or less for commercial applications. This development will enable significant site energy savings as it targets commercial and retail lighting applications that are most sensitive to the lifetime operating costs with their extended operating hours per day. If costs are reduced substantially, dramatic energy savings can be realized by replacing incandescent lighting in the residential market as well. In light of these challenges, Cree proposed to develop a multi-chip integrated LED package with an output of > 1000 lumens of warm white light operating at an efficacy of at least 128 LPW with a CRI > 85. This product will serve as the light engine for replacement lamps and luminaires. At the end of the proposed program, this integrated package was to be used in a proof-of-concept lamp prototype to demonstrate the component's viability in a common form factor. During this project Cree SBTC developed an efficient, compact warm-white LED package with an integrated remote color down-converter. Via a combination of intensive optical, electrical, and thermal optimization, a package design was obtained that met nearly all project goals. This package emitted 1295 lm under instant-on, room-temperature testing conditions, with an efficacy of 128.4 lm/W at a color temperature of ~2873
Advanced Energy Efficiency and Distributed Renewables
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lovins, Amory
The US now wrings twice the GDP from each unit of energy that it did in 1975. Reduced energy intensity since then now provides more than twice as much service as burning oil does. Yet still more efficient end-use of energy -- explained more fully in a companion workshop offered at 1245 -- is the largest, fastest, cheapest, most benign, least understood, and least harnessed energy resource available. For example, existing technologies could save half of 2000 US oil and gas and three-fourths of US electricity, at lower cost than producing and delivering that energy from existing facilities. Saving half the oil through efficiency and replacing the other half with saved natural gas and advanced biofuels would cost an average of only 15/barrel and could eliminate US oil use by the 2040s, led by business for profit. Efficiency techniques and ways to combine and apply them continue to improve faster than they're applied, so the ``efficiency resource'' is becoming ever larger and cheaper. As for electricity, ``micropower'' (distributed renewables plus low-carbon cogeneration) is growing so quickly that by 2005 it provided a sixth of the world's electricity and a third of its new electricity, and was adding annually 4x the capacity and 11x the capacity added by nuclear power, which it surpassed in capacity in 2002 and in output in 2006. Together, micropower and ``negawatts'' (saved electricity) now provide upwards half the world's new electrical services, due to their far lower cost and lower financial risk than the central thermal power stations that still dominate policy discussions. For oil and electricity, each of which adds about two-fifths of the world's energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, efficiency plus competitive alternative supplies can stabilize the earth's climate at a profit, as well as solving the oil and (largely) the nuclear proliferation problems. Conversely, costlier and slower options, notably nuclear power, would displace less carbon emission per
Improving Advanced High School Physics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Spital, Robin David
A National Research Council study committee recently commissioned a "Physics Panel" to evaluate and make recommendations for improving advanced physics education in American high schools [1]. The Physics Panel recommends the creation of a nationally standardized Newtonian Mechanics Unit that would form the foundation of all advanced physics programs. In a one-year program, the Panel recommends that advanced physics students study at most one other major area of physics, so that sufficient time is available to develop the deep conceptual understanding that is the primary goal of advanced study. The Panel emphasizes that final assessments must be improved to focus on depth of understanding, rather than technical problem-solving skill. The Physics Panel strongly endorses the inclusion of meaningful real-world experiences in advanced physics programs, but believes that traditional "cook-book" laboratory exercises are not worth the enormous amount of time and effort spent on them. The Physics Panel believes that the talent and preparation of teachers are the most important ingredients in effective physics instruction; it therefore calls for a concerted effort by all parts of the physics community to remedy the desperate shortage of highly qualified teachers. [1] Jerry P. Gollub and Robin Spital, "Advanced Physics in the High Schools", Physics Today, May 2002.
Hwang, K. S.; Koestler, D. J.
Disclosed is a dwelling furnace having at least one clam-shell type primary heat exchanger in parallel orientation with a secondary heat exchanger, both the primary and secondary heat exchangers being vertically oriented relative to a furnace housing and parallel to the flow of air to be heated. The primary heat exchanger has a combustion chamber in the lower end thereof, and the lower end of the secondary heat exchanger exhausts into a tertiary heat exchanger oriented approximately perpendicular to the primary and secondary heat exchangers and horizontally relative to the housing, below the combustion chambers of the primary heat exchangers and below the exhaust outlet of the secondary heat exchanger. The tertiary heat exchanger includes a plurality of condensation tubes for retrieving the latent heat of condensation of the combustion gases. The furnace further comprises an induced draft blower for drawing combustion gases through the heat exchangers and inducting sufficient air to the combustion chamber of the primary heat exchanger for efficient combustion.
Hwang, K. S.; Koestler, D. J.
Disclosed is a dwelling furnace having at least one clam-shell type primary heat exchanger in parallel orientation with a secondary heat exchanger, both the primary and secondary heat exchangers being vertically oriented relative to a furnace housing and parallel to the flow of air to be heated. The primary heat exchanger has a combustion chamber in the lower end thereof, and the lower end of the secondary heat exchanger exhausts into a tertiary heat exchanger oriented approximately perpendicular to the primary and secondary heat exchangers and horizontally relative to the housing, below the combustion chambers of the primary heat exchangers and below the exhaust outlet of the secondary heat exchanger. The tertiary heat exchanger includes a plurality of condensation tubes for retrieving the latent heat of condensation of the combustion gases. The furnace further comprises an induced draft blower for drawing combustion gases through the heat exchangers and inducting sufficient air to the combustion chamber of the primary heat exchanger for efficient combustion.
Schuetz, Mark A.
A burner assembly provides for 100% premixing of fuel and air by drawing the air into at least one high velocity stream of fuel without power assist. Specifically, the nozzle assembly for injecting the fuel into a throat comprises a plurality of nozzles in a generally circular array. Preferably, swirl is imparted to the air/fuel mixture by angling the nozzles. The diffuser comprises a conical primary diffuser followed by a cusp diffuser.
High-efficiency axial compressor: Final report
Bettner, J.L.; Sehra, A.K.
An aerodynamic design study was conducted to configure an industrial-size gas turbine compressor of 14.0:1 pressure ratio and 800 lb/sec flow for achieving maximum efficiency. Starting with an initial configuration based on conventional design practice, compressor design parameters were progressively optimized, leading to a 1.8% improvement in the adiabatic efficiency over that of the conventional design. To further improve the efficiency potential of this design, several advanced design concepts were investigated. It was found that incorporation of airfoils with swept leading edges and customization of the airfoil camber and endwall region would result in an additional adiabatic efficiency potential of 1%. The projected polytropic efficiency of the final advanced concept compressor design was estimated at 92.8%, which is 2 to 3% higher than the current high-efficiency aircraft turbine engine compressors. As a part of this design study, the influence of variable geometry on the flow and efficiency (at design speed) was also investigated. It was estimated that the efficiency decrement associated with a 25% reduction in the design flow, achieved by a system of variable inlet guide vanes and the front five stators, was about 4.0%. The corresponding efficiency penalty with variable IGV-only was estimated to be in excess of 10%.
Advanced very high resolution radiometer
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The advanced very high resolution radiometer development program is considered. The program covered the design, construction, and test of a breadboard model, engineering model, protoflight model, mechanical structural model, and a life test model. Special bench test and calibration equipment was also developed for use on the program.
Advanced component technologies for energy-efficient turbofan engines
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Saunders, N. T.
A cooperative government-industry effort, the Energy Efficient Engine Project, to develop the advanced technology base for future commercial development of a new generation of more fuel conservative turbofan engines for airline use is described. Engine configurations that are dependent upon technology advances in each major engine component are defined and current design and development of the advanced components are included.
High efficiency turbine blade coatings.
Youchison, Dennis L.; Gallis, Michail A.
The development of advanced thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) that exhibit lower thermal conductivity through better control of electron beam - physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) processing is of prime interest to both the aerospace and power industries. This report summarizes the work performed under a two-year Lab-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project (38664) to produce lower thermal conductivity, graded-layer thermal barrier coatings for turbine blades in an effort to increase the efficiency of high temperature gas turbines. This project was sponsored by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Investment Area. Therefore, particular importance was given to the processing of the large blades required for industrial gas turbines proposed for use in the Brayton cycle of nuclear plants powered by high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). During this modest (~1 full-time equivalent (FTE)) project, the processing technology was developed to create graded TBCs by coupling ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) with substrate pivoting in the alumina-YSZ system. The Electron Beam - 1200 kW (EB-1200) PVD system was used to deposit a variety of TBC coatings with micron layered microstructures and reduced thermal conductivity below 1.5 W/m.K. The use of IBAD produced fully stoichiometric coatings at a reduced substrate temperature of 600 oC and a reduced oxygen background pressure of 0.1 Pa. IBAD was also used to successfully demonstrate the transitioning of amorphous PVD-deposited alumina to the -phase alumina required as an oxygen diffusion barrier and for good adhesion to the substrate Ni2Al3 bondcoat. This process replaces the time consuming thermally grown oxide formation required before the YSZ deposition. In addition to the process technology, Direct Simulation Monte Carlo plume modeling and spectroscopic characterization of the PVD plumes were performed. The project consisted of five tasks. These included the production of layered
Measure Guideline. High Efficiency Natural Gas Furnaces
Brand, L.; Rose, W.
This measure guideline covers installation of high-efficiency gas furnaces, including: when to install a high-efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure; how to identify and address risks; and the steps to be used in the selection and installation process. The guideline is written for Building America practitioners and HVAC contractors and installers. It includes a compilation of information provided by manufacturers, researchers, and the Department of Energy as well as recent research results from the Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) Building America team.
Measure Guideline: High Efficiency Natural Gas Furnaces
Brand, L.; Rose, W.
This Measure Guideline covers installation of high-efficiency gas furnaces. Topics covered include when to install a high-efficiency gas furnace as a retrofit measure, how to identify and address risks, and the steps to be used in the selection and installation process. The guideline is written for Building America practitioners and HVAC contractors and installers. It includes a compilation of information provided by manufacturers, researchers, and the Department of Energy as well as recent research results from the Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) Building America team.
Second generation advanced reburning for high efficiency NO{sub x} control. Quaterly progress report No. 1, October 1--December 31, 1995
Zamansky, V.M.; Maly, P.M.
Title 1 of the Clean Air Act Amendment (CAAA) of 1990 requires NO{sub x} controls in ozone non- attainment areas. The initial Title 1 regulations, implemented over the last few years, required Reasonably Available Control Technologies (RACT). In most areas, the NO{sub x} levels for RACT are based on Low NO{sub x} Burners (LNB) and are in the range of 0.4 to 0.5 lb/10{sup 6} Btu. As a result, there has been little industry demand for higher efficiency and more expensive NO{sub x} controls such as reburning, Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR), and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). However, the current RACT requirements will not be the end of NO{sub x} regulations. Much more stringent NO{sub x} control will be required to bring many of the ozone non-attainment areas into compliance, particularly in the Northeast. This paper describes second generation advanced reburning for nitrogen oxides control.
High efficiency SPS klystron design
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nalos, E. J.
The most likely compact configuration to realize both high efficiency and high gain is a 5-6 cavity design focused by an electromagnet. An outline of a potential klystron configuration is given. The selected power output of 70 kW CW resulted from a maximum assumed operating voltage of 40 kV. The basic klystron efficiency cannot be expected to exceed 70-75% without collector depression. Although impressive gains were achieved in raising the basic efficiency from 50% to 70% or so with a multi-stage collector, the estimated efficiency improvement due to 5-stage collector at the 75% level is only about 8% resulting in an overall efficiency of about 83%.
MIC-SVM: Designing A Highly Efficient Support Vector Machine For Advanced Modern Multi-Core and Many-Core Architectures
You, Yang; Song, Shuaiwen; Fu, Haohuan; Marquez, Andres; Mehri Dehanavi, Maryam; Barker, Kevin J.; Cameron, Kirk; Randles, Amanda; Yang, Guangwen
Support Vector Machine (SVM) has been widely used in data-mining and Big Data applications as modern commercial databases start to attach an increasing importance to the analytic capabilities. In recent years, SVM was adapted to the field of High Performance Computing for power/performance prediction, auto-tuning, and runtime scheduling. However, even at the risk of losing prediction accuracy due to insufficient runtime information, researchers can only afford to apply offline model training to avoid significant runtime training overhead. To address the challenges above, we designed and implemented MICSVM, a highly efficient parallel SVM for x86 based multi-core and many core architectures, such as the Intel Ivy Bridge CPUs and Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor (MIC).
One-step synthesis of NiCo2S4 ultrathin nanosheets on conductive substrates as advanced electrodes for high-efficient energy storage
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Jian-Gan; Jin, Dandan; Zhou, Rui; Shen, Chao; Xie, Keyu; Wei, Bingqing
A simple one-step and low-temperature synthesis approach has been developed to grow hierarchical NiCo2S4 ultrathin nanosheets (2-3 nm in thickness) on Ni foam. Owing to the unique nanoarchitecture, the NiCo2S4 nanosheets not only offer abundant electro-active sites for energy storage, but also have good electrical and mechanical connections to the conductive Ni foam for enhancing reaction kinetics and improving electrode integrity. When used as anodes for Li-ion batteries, the NiCo2S4 nanosheets demonstrate exceptional energy storage performance in terms of high specific capacity, excellent rate capability, and good cycling stability. The mild-solution synthesis of NiCo2S4 nanostructures and the outstanding electrochemical performance enable the novel electrodes to hold great potential for high-efficient energy storage systems.
Operational efficiency subpanel advanced mission control
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Friedland, Peter
Herein, the term mission control will be taken quite broadly to include both ground and space based operations as well as the information infrastructure necessary to support such operations. Three major technology areas related to advanced mission control are examined: (1) Intelligent Assistance for Ground-Based Mission Controllers and Space-Based Crews; (2) Autonomous Onboard Monitoring, Control and Fault Detection Isolation and Reconfiguration; and (3) Dynamic Corporate Memory Acquired, Maintained, and Utilized During the Entire Vehicle Life Cycle. The current state of the art space operations are surveyed both within NASA and externally for each of the three technology areas and major objectives are discussed from a user point of view for technology development. Ongoing NASA and other governmental programs are described. An analysis of major research issues and current holes in the program are provided. Several recommendations are presented for enhancing the technology development and insertion process to create advanced mission control environments.
Feasibility study for an advanced coal fired heat exchanger/gas turbine topping cycle for a high efficiency power plant. Technical report, January 1, 1993--March 31, 1993
Solomon, P.R.; Zhao, Y.; Buggeln, R.C.; Shamroth, S.J.
The overall objective of this project is to prove the feasibility of AFR`s concepts for a high efficiency coal-fired generating plant using the REACH/Exchanger concept to power an externally fired gas turbine. The computational REACH reactor was modeled with PCGC-2. The reactor geometry, inlet flow rates and configurations were investigated via modeling in order to get an optimum operation condition, with which a thorough coal and gas mixture and a required coal particle dispersion can both be achieved. This is to ensure the efficiencies of both coal combustion and aerodynamic cleaning. The aerodynamic cleaning effect of the tertiary air injection was modeled with CELMINT. Various injection schemes investigated show the dramatic impact of the tertiary air and the injection positions on the overall air flow pattern in the reactor which is one of the major influencing factors on the particle dispersion. It is clearly demonstrated that an optimum tertiary injection scheme with a reasonable flow rate is able to keep the heat exchange tubes from particle fouling.
Development and testing of a high efficiency advanced coal combustor phase III industrial boiler retrofit. Quarterly technical progress report No. 9, 1 October 1993--31 December 1993
Jennings, P.; Borio, R.; McGowan, J.G.
This report documents the technical aspects of this project during the ninth quarter of the program. During this quarter, the natural gas baseline testing at the Penn State demonstration boiler was completed, results were analyzed and are presented here. The burner operates in a stable manner over an 8/1 turndown, however due to baghouse temperature limitations (300{degrees}F for acid dewpoint), the burner is not operated for long periods of time below 75% load. Boiler efficiency averaged 83.1% at the 100 percent load rate while increasing to 83.7% at 75% load. NO{sub x} emissions ranged from a low of 0.17 Lbs/MBtu to a high of 0.24 Lbs/MBtu. After the baseline natural gas testing was completed, work continued on hardware optimization and testing with the goal of increasing carbon conversion efficiency on 100% coal firing from {approx}95% to 98%. Several coal handling and feeding problems were encountered during this quarter and no long term testing was conducted. While resolving these problems several shorter term (less than 6 hour) tests were conducted. These included, 100% coal firing tests, 100% natural gas firing tests, testing of air sparges on coal to simulate more primary air and a series of cofiring tests. For 100% coal firing, the carbon conversion efficiency (CCE) obtained this quarter did not exceed the 95-96% barrier previously reached. NO{sub x} emissions on coal only ranged from {approx} 0.42 to {approx} 0.78 Lbs/MBtu. The burner has not been optimized for low NO{sub x} yet, however, due to the short furnace residence time, meeting the goals of 98% CCE and <0.6 Lbs/MBtu NO{sub x} simultaneously will be difficult. Testing on 100% natural gas in the boiler after coal firing indicated no changes in efficiency due to firing in a `dirty` boiler. The co-firing tests showed that increased levels of natural gas firing proportionately decreased NO{sub x}, SO{sub 2}, and CO.
Final Scientific Report - Wireless and Sensing Solutions Advancing Industrial Efficiency
Budampati, Rama; McBrady, Adam; Nusseibeh, Fouad
The project team's goal for the Wireless and Sensing Solution Advancing Industrial Efficiency award (DE-FC36-04GO14002) was to develop, demonstrate, and test a number of leading edge technologies that could enable the emergence of wireless sensor and sampling systems for the industrial market space. This effort combined initiatives in advanced sensor development, configurable sampling and deployment platforms, and robust wireless communications to address critical obstacles in enabling enhanced industrial efficiency.
High efficiency SPS klystron design
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nalos, E. J.
The most likely compact configuration to realize both high efficiency and high gain (approx. 40 dB) is a 5-6 cavity design focused by an electromagnet. The basic klystron efficiency cannot be expected to exceed 70-75% without collector depression. It was estimated that the net benefit of a 5 stage collector over a 2 stage collector is between 1.5 and 3.5 kW per tube. A modulating anode is incorporated in the design to enable rapid shutoff of the beam current in case the r.f. drive should be removed.
High Efficiency Engine Technologies Program
Rich Kruiswyk
Caterpillar's Product Development and Global Technology Division carried out a research program on waste heat recovery with support from DOE (Department of Energy) and the DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory. The objective of the program was to develop a new air management and exhaust energy recovery system that would demonstrate a minimum 10% improvement in thermal efficiency over a base heavy-duty on-highway diesel truck engine. The base engine for this program was a 2007 C15 15.2L series-turbocharged on-highway truck engine with a LPL (low-pressure loop) exhaust recirculation system. The focus of the program was on the development of high efficiency turbomachinery and a high efficiency turbocompound waste heat recovery system. The focus of each area of development was as follows: (1) For turbine stages, the focus was on investigation and development of technologies that would improve on-engine exhaust energy utilization compared to the conventional radial turbines in widespread use today. (2) For compressor stages, the focus was on investigating compressor wheel design parameters beyond the range typically utilized in production, to determine the potential efficiency benefits thereof. (3) For turbocompound, the focus was on the development of a robust bearing system that would provide higher bearing efficiencies compared to systems used in turbocompound power turbines in production. None of the turbocharger technologies investigated involved addition of moving parts, actuators, or exotic materials, thereby increasing the likelihood of a favorable cost-value tradeoff for each technology. And the turbocompound system requires less hardware addition than competing bottoming cycle technologies, making it a more attractive solution from a cost and packaging standpoint. Main outcomes of the program are as follows: (1) Two turbine technologies that demonstrated up to 6% improvement in turbine efficiency on gas stand and 1-3% improvement in thermal efficiency in
Designed synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes@Cu@MoS2 hybrid as advanced electrocatalyst for highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Feng; Li, Jing; Lin, Xiaoqing; Li, Xinzhe; Fang, Yiyun; Jiao, Lixin; An, Xincai; Fu, Yan; Jin, Jun; Li, Rong
Design and synthesis of non-precious-metal catalyst for efficient electrochemical transformation of water to molecular hydrogen in acid environments is of paramount importance in reducing energy losses during the water splitting process. Here, the hybrid material of MoS2-coated Cu loaded on the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs@Cu@MoS2) was synthesized using chemical process and hydrothermal method. It was found that the participation of MWCNTs and Cu nanoparticles not only improved the electrical conductivity of the catalyst, but also further enhanced the catalytic activity by synergistic effect with edge-exposed MoS2-coating. Electrochemical experiments demonstrated that the catalyst exhibited excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity with large cathode currents (small overpotential of 184 mV for 10 mA cm-2 current density) and a Tafel slope as small as 62 mV per decade. Furthermore, it was discovered that the current density of this composite catalyst had a little decrease after the continual 1000 cycling, which showed the catalyst had a high stability in the recycling process. These findings confirmed that this catalyst was a useful and earth-abundant material for water splitting.
Enabling High Efficiency Ethanol Engines
Szybist, J.; Confer, K.
Delphi Automotive Systems and ORNL established this CRADA to explore the potential to improve the energy efficiency of spark-ignited engines operating on ethanol-gasoline blends. By taking advantage of the fuel properties of ethanol, such as high compression ratio and high latent heat of vaporization, it is possible to increase efficiency with ethanol blends. Increasing the efficiency with ethanol-containing blends aims to remove a market barrier of reduced fuel economy with E85 fuel blends, which is currently about 30% lower than with petroleum-derived gasoline. The same or higher engine efficiency is achieved with E85, and the reduction in fuel economy is due to the lower energy density of E85. By making ethanol-blends more efficient, the fuel economy gap between gasoline and E85 can be reduced. In the partnership between Delphi and ORNL, each organization brought a unique and complementary set of skills to the project. Delphi has extensive knowledge and experience in powertrain components and subsystems as well as overcoming real-world implementation barriers. ORNL has extensive knowledge and expertise in non-traditional fuels and improving engine system efficiency for the next generation of internal combustion engines. Partnering to combine these knowledge bases was essential towards making progress to reducing the fuel economy gap between gasoline and E85. ORNL and Delphi maintained strong collaboration throughout the project. Meetings were held regularly, usually on a bi-weekly basis, with additional reports, presentations, and meetings as necessary to maintain progress. Delphi provided substantial hardware support to the project by providing components for the single-cylinder engine experiments, engineering support for hardware modifications, guidance for operational strategies on engine research, and hardware support by providing a flexible multi-cylinder engine to be used for optimizing engine efficiency with ethanol-containing fuels.
High power disk lasers: advances and applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Havrilla, David; Holzer, Marco
Though the genesis of the disk laser concept dates to the early 90's, the disk laser continues to demonstrate the flexibility and the certain future of a breakthrough technology. On-going increases in power per disk, and improvements in beam quality and efficiency continue to validate the genius of the disk laser concept. As of today, the disk principle has not reached any fundamental limits regarding output power per disk or beam quality, and offers numerous advantages over other high power resonator concepts, especially over monolithic architectures. With well over 1000 high power disk lasers installations, the disk laser has proven to be a robust and reliable industrial tool. With advancements in running cost, investment cost and footprint, manufacturers continue to implement disk laser technology with more vigor than ever. This paper will explain important details of the TruDisk laser series and process relevant features of the system, like pump diode arrangement, resonator design and integrated beam guidance. In addition, advances in applications in the thick sheet area and very cost efficient high productivity applications like remote welding, remote cutting and cutting of thin sheets will be discussed.
Advanced high area ratio nozzles
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Raiszadeh, Farhad; Collins, Frank G.; Orr, Joseph L., Jr.; Myruski, Brian
The objective is to develop computational techniques for the design of high-area-ratio nozzles and to validate these models by comparison with experiments and computations using other codes. Performance computations were added to the PARC2D code and the performance of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) nozzle was computed for inviscid, laminar and turbulent flow assuming a perfect gas with gamma = 1.2. The PARC2D code was modified in a non-CASP (Center for Advanced Space Propulsion) project to compute equilibrium flow about hypersonic blunt bodies. Progress has been made toward modifying this code to compute equilibrium H2/O2 flow through the SSME and related nozzles.
Energy efficient engine high-pressure turbine detailed design report
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Thulin, R. D.; Howe, D. C.; Singer, I. D.
The energy efficient engine high-pressure turbine is a single stage system based on technology advancements in the areas of aerodynamics, structures and materials to achieve high performance, low operating economics and durability commensurate with commercial service requirements. Low loss performance features combined with a low through-flow velocity approach results in a predicted efficiency of 88.8 for a flight propulsion system. Turbine airfoil durability goals are achieved through the use of advanced high-strength and high-temperature capability single crystal materials and effective cooling management. Overall, this design reflects a considerable extension in turbine technology that is applicable to future, energy efficient gas-turbine engines.
Advanced high-temperature batteries
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nelson, Paul A.
The promise of very high specific energy and power was not yet achieved for practical battery systems. Some recent approaches are discussed for new approaches to achieving high performance for lithium/DeS2 cells and sodium/metal chloride cells. The main problems for the development of successful LiAl/FeS2 cells were the instability of the FeS2 electrode, which has resulted in rapidly declining capacity, the lack of an internal mechanism for accommodating overcharge of a cell, thus requiring the use of external charge control on each individual cell, and the lack of a suitable current collector for the positive electrode other than expensive molybdenum sheet material. Much progress was made in solving the first two problems. Reduction of the operating temperatures to 400 C by a change in electrolyte composition has increased the expected life to 1000 cycles. Also, a lithium shuttle mechanism was demonstrated for selected electrode compositions that permits sufficient overcharge tolerance to adjust for the normally expected cell-to-cell deviation in coulombic efficiency. Sodium/sulfur batteries and sodium/metal chloride batteries have demonstrated good reliability and long cycle life. For applications where very high power is desired, new electrolyte coinfigurations would be required. Design work was carried out for the sodium/metal chloride battery that demonstrates the feasibility of achieving high specific energy and high power for large battery cells having thin-walled high-surface area electrolytes.
Advancing High Contrast Adaptive Optics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ammons, M.; Poyneer, L.; GPI Team
A long-standing challenge has been to directly image faint extrasolar planets adjacent to their host suns, which may be ~1-10 million times brighter than the planet. Several extreme AO systems designed for high-contrast observations have been tested at this point, including SPHERE, Magellan AO, PALM-3000, Project 1640, NICI, and the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI, Macintosh et al. 2014). The GPI is the world's most advanced high-contrast adaptive optics system on an 8-meter telescope for detecting and characterizing planets outside of our solar system. GPI will detect a previously unstudied population of young analogs to the giant planets of our solar system and help determine how planetary systems form. GPI employs a 44x44 woofer-tweeter adaptive optics system with a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor operating at 1 kHz. The controller uses Fourier-based reconstruction and modal gains optimized from system telemetry (Poyneer et al. 2005, 2007). GPI has an apodized Lyot coronal graph to suppress diffraction and a near-infrared integral field spectrograph for obtaining planetary spectra. This paper discusses current performance limitations and presents the necessary instrumental modifications and sensitivity calculations for scenarios related to high-contrast observations of non-sidereal targets.
Norris Jr, Robert E; Lomax, Ronny D; Xiong, Fue; Dahl, Jeffrey S; Blanchard, Patrick J
Polymer-matrix composites offer greater stiffness and strength per unit weight than conventional materials resulting in new opportunities for lightweighting of automotive and heavy vehicles. Other benefits include design flexibility, less corrosion susceptibility, and the ability to tailor properties to specific load requirements. However, widespread implementation of structural composites requires lower-cost manufacturing processes than those that are currently available. Advanced, directed-fiber preforming processes have demonstrated exceptional value for rapid preforming of large, glass-reinforced, automotive composite structures. This is due to process flexibility and inherently low material scrap rate. Hence directed fiber performing processes offer a low cost manufacturing methodology for producing preforms for a variety of structural automotive components. This paper describes work conducted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), focused on the development and demonstration of a high speed chopper gun to enhance throughput capabilities. ORNL and the Automotive Composites Consortium (ACC) revised the design of a standard chopper gun to expand the operational envelope, enabling delivery of up to 20kg/min. A prototype unit was fabricated and used to demonstrate continuous chopping of multiple roving at high output over extended periods. In addition fiber handling system modifications were completed to sustain the high output the modified chopper affords. These hardware upgrades are documented along with results of process characterization and capabilities assessment.
High Efficiency Room Air Conditioner
Bansal, Pradeep
This project was undertaken as a CRADA project between UT-Battelle and Geberal Electric Company and was funded by Department of Energy to design and develop of a high efficiency room air conditioner. A number of novel elements were investigated to improve the energy efficiency of a state-of-the-art WAC with base capacity of 10,000 BTU/h. One of the major modifications was made by downgrading its capacity from 10,000 BTU/hr to 8,000 BTU/hr by replacing the original compressor with a lower capacity (8,000 BTU/hr) but high efficiency compressor having an EER of 9.7 as compared with 9.3 of the original compressor. However, all heat exchangers from the original unit were retained to provide higher EER. The other subsequent major modifications included- (i) the AC fan motor was replaced by a brushless high efficiency ECM motor along with its fan housing, (ii) the capillary tube was replaced with a needle valve to better control the refrigerant flow and refrigerant set points, and (iii) the unit was tested with a drop-in environmentally friendly binary mixture of R32 (90% molar concentration)/R125 (10% molar concentration). The WAC was tested in the environmental chambers at ORNL as per the design rating conditions of AHAM/ASHRAE (Outdoor- 95F and 40%RH, Indoor- 80F, 51.5%RH). All these modifications resulted in enhancing the EER of the WAC by up to 25%.
High Efficiency Germanium Immersion Gratings
Kuzmenko, P J; Davis, P J; Little, S L; Little, L M; Bixler, J V
We have fabricated several germanium immersion gratings by single crystal, single point diamond flycutting on an ultra-precision lathe. Use of a dead sharp tool produces groove corners less than 0.1 micron in radius and consequently high diffraction efficiency. We measured first order efficiencies in immersion of over 80% at 10.6 micron wavelength. Wavefront error was low averaging 0.06 wave rms (at 633 nm) across the full aperture. The grating spectral response was free of ghosts down to our detection limit of 1 part in 10{sup 4}. Scatter should be low based upon the surface roughness. Measurement of the spectral line profile of a CO{sub 2} laser sets an upper bound on total integrated scatter of 0.5%.
High efficiency germanium immersion gratings
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kuzmenko, Paul J.; Davis, Pete J.; Little, Steve L.; Little, Liesl M.; Bixler, Jay V.
We have fabricated several germanium immersion gratings by single crystal, single point diamond flycutting on an ultra-precision lathe. Use of a dead sharp tool produces groove corners less than 0.1 micron in radius and consequently high diffraction efficiency. We measured first order efficiencies in immersion of over 80% at 10.6 micron wavelength. Wavefront error was low averaging 0.06 wave rms (at 633 nm) across the full aperture. The grating spectral response was free of ghosts down to our detection limit of 1 part in 104. Scatter should be low based upon the surface roughness. Measurement of the spectral line profile of a CO II laser sets an upper bound on total integrated scatter of 0.5%.
A simple, high efficiency, high resolution spectropolarimeter
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Barden, Samuel C.
A simple concept is described that uses volume phase holographic gratings as polarizing dispersers for a high efficiency, high resolution spectropolarimeter. Although the idea has previously been mentioned in the literature as possible, such a concept has not been explored in detail. Performance analysis is presented for a VPHG spectropolarimeter concept that could be utilized for both solar and night-time astronomy. Instrumental peak efficiency can approach 100% with spectral dispersions permitting R~200,000 spectral resolution with diffraction limited telescopes. The instrument has 3-channels: two dispersed image planes with orthogonal polarization and an undispersed image plane. The concept has a range of versatility where it could be configured (with appropriate half-wave plates) for slit-fed spectroscopy or without slits for snapshot/hyperspectral/tomographic spectroscopic imaging. Multiplex gratings could also be used for the simultaneous recording of two separate spectral bands or multiple instruments could be daisy chained with beam splitters for further spectral coverage.
High-efficiency concentrator silicon solar cells
Sinton, R.A.; Cuevas, A.; King, R.R.; Swanson, R.M. . Solid-State Electronics Lab.)
This report presents results from extensive process development in high-efficiency Si solar cells. An advanced design for a 1.56-cm{sup 2} cell with front grids achieved 26% efficiency at 90 suns. This is especially significant since this cell does not require a prismatic cover glass. New designs for simplified backside-contact solar cells were advanced from a status of near-nonfunctionality to demonstrated 21--22% for one-sun cells in sizes up to 37.5 cm{sup 2}. An efficiency of 26% was achieved for similar 0.64-cm{sup 2} concentrator cells at 150 suns. More fundamental work on dopant-diffused regions is also presented here. The recombination vs. various process and physical parameters was studied in detail for boron and phosphorous diffusions. Emitter-design studies based solidly upon these new data indicate the performance vs design parameters for a variety of the cases of most interest to solar cell designers. Extractions of p-type bandgap narrowing and the surface recombination for p- and n-type regions from these studies have a generality that extends beyond solar cells into basic device modeling. 68 refs., 50 figs.
High-efficiency photovoltaic cells
Yang, H.T.; Zehr, S.W.
High efficiency solar converters comprised of a two cell, non-lattice matched, monolithic stacked semiconductor configuration using optimum pairs of cells having bandgaps in the range 1.6 to 1.7 eV and 0.95 to 1.1 eV, and a method of fabrication thereof, are disclosed. The high band gap subcells are fabricated using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to produce the required AlGaAs layers of optimized composition, thickness and doping to produce high performance, heteroface homojunction devices. The low bandgap subcells are similarly fabricated from AlGa(As)Sb compositions by LPE, MBE or MOCVD. These subcells are then coupled to form a monolithic structure by an appropriate bonding technique which also forms the required transparent intercell ohmic contact (IOC) between the two subcells. Improved ohmic contacts to the high bandgap semiconductor structure can be formed by vacuum evaporating to suitable metal or semiconductor materials which react during laser annealing to form a low bandgap semiconductor which provides a low contact resistance structure.
Advanced proton-exchange materials for energy efficient fuel cells.
Fujimoto, Cy H.; Grest, Gary Stephen; Hickner, Michael A.; Cornelius, Christopher James; Staiger, Chad Lynn; Hibbs, Michael R.
The ''Advanced Proton-Exchange Materials for Energy Efficient Fuel Cells'' Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project began in October 2002 and ended in September 2005. This LDRD was funded by the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy strategic business unit. The purpose of this LDRD was to initiate the fundamental research necessary for the development of a novel proton-exchange membranes (PEM) to overcome the material and performance limitations of the ''state of the art'' Nafion that is used in both hydrogen and methanol fuel cells. An atomistic modeling effort was added to this LDRD in order to establish a frame work between predicted morphology and observed PEM morphology in order to relate it to fuel cell performance. Significant progress was made in the area of PEM material design, development, and demonstration during this LDRD. A fundamental understanding involving the role of the structure of the PEM material as a function of sulfonic acid content, polymer topology, chemical composition, molecular weight, and electrode electrolyte ink development was demonstrated during this LDRD. PEM materials based upon random and block polyimides, polybenzimidazoles, and polyphenylenes were created and evaluated for improvements in proton conductivity, reduced swelling, reduced O{sub 2} and H{sub 2} permeability, and increased thermal stability. Results from this work reveal that the family of polyphenylenes potentially solves several technical challenges associated with obtaining a high temperature PEM membrane. Fuel cell relevant properties such as high proton conductivity (>120 mS/cm), good thermal stability, and mechanical robustness were demonstrated during this LDRD. This report summarizes the technical accomplishments and results of this LDRD.
High efficiency shale oil recovery
Adams, C.D.
The overall project objective is to demonstrate the high efficiency of the Adams Counter-Current shale oil recovery process. The efficiency will first be demonstrated at bench-scale, in the current phase, after which the demonstration will be extended to the operation of a small pilot plant. Thus the immediate project objective is to obtain data on oil shale retorting operations in a small batch rotary kiln that will be representative of operations in the proposed continuous process pilot plant. Although an oil shale batch sample is sealed in the batch kiln from the start until the end of the run, the process conditions for the batch are the same as the conditions that an element of oil shale would encounter in a larger continuous process kiln. For example, similar conditions of heatup rate, oxidation of the residue and cool-down prevail for the element in both systems. This batch kiln is a unit constructed in a 1987 Phase I SBIR tar sand retorting project. The kiln worked fairly well in that project; however, the need for certain modifications was observed. These modifications are now underway to simplify the operation and make the data and analysis more exact. The second quarter agenda consisted of (a) kiln modifications; (b) sample preparation; and (c) Heat Transfer calibration runs (part of proposal task number 3 -- to be completed by the end of month 7).
High efficiency laser spectrum conditioner
Greiner, Norman R.
A high efficiency laser spectrum conditioner for generating a collinear parallel output beam containing a predetermined set of frequencies from a multifrequency laser. A diffraction grating and spherical mirror are used in combination, to disperse the various frequencies of the input laser beam and direct these frequencies along various parallel lines spatially separated from one another to an apertured mask. Selection of the desired frequencies is accomplished by placement of apertures at locations on the mask where the desired frequencies intersect the mask. A recollimated parallel output beam with the desired set of frequencies is subsequently generated utilizing a mirror and grating matched and geometrically aligned in the same manner as the input grating and mirror.
Multicolor, High Efficiency, Nanotextured LEDs
Jung Han; Arto Nurmikko
We report on research results in this project which synergize advanced material science approaches with fundamental optical physics concepts pertaining to light-matter interaction, with the goal of solving seminal problems for the development of very high performance light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the blue and green for Solid State Lighting applications. Accomplishments in the duration of the contract period include (i) heteroepitaxy of nitrogen-polar LEDs on sapphire, (ii) heteroepitaxy of semipolar (11{bar 2}2) green LEDs on sapphire, (iii) synthesis of quantum-dot loaded nanoporous GaN that emits white light without phosphor conversion, (iv) demonstration of the highest quality semipolar (11{bar 2}2) GaN on sapphire using orientation-controlled epitaxy, (v) synthesis of nanoscale GaN and InGaN medium, and (vi) development of a novel liftoff process for manufacturing GaN thin-film vertical LEDs. The body of results is presented in this report shows how a solid foundation has been laid, with several noticeable accomplishments, for innovative research, consistent with the stated milestones.
Advanced solidification system using high performance cement
Kikuchi, Makoto; Matsuda, Masami; Nishi, Takashi; Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki; Izumida, Tatsuo
Advanced cement solidification is proposed for the solidification of radioactive waste such as spent ion exchange resin, incineration ash and liquid waste. A new, high performance cement has been developed to raise volume reduction efficiency and lower radioactivity release into the environment. It consists of slag cement, reinforcing fiber, natural zeolite and lithium nitrate (LiNO{sub 3}). The fiber allows waste loading to be increased from 20 to 55kg-dry resin/200L. The zeolite, whose main constituent is clinoptilolite, reduces cesium leachability from the waste form to about 1/10. Lithium nitrate prevents alkaline corrosion of the aluminum, contained in ash, and reduces hydrogen gas generation. Laboratory and full-scale pilot plant experiments were performed to evaluate properties of the waste form, using simulated wastes. Emphasis was laid on improvement of solidification of spent resin and ash.
Advanced dendritic web growth development and development of single-crystal silicon dendritic ribbon and high-efficiency solar cell program
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Duncan, C. S.; Seidensticker, R. G.; Mchugh, J. P.; Hopkins, R. H.
Efforts to demonstrate that the dendritic web technology is ready for commercial use by the end of 1986 continues. A commercial readiness goal involves improvements to crystal growth furnace throughput to demonstrate an area growth rate of greater than 15 sq cm/min while simultaneously growing 10 meters or more of ribbon under conditions of continuous melt replenishment. Continuous means that the silicon melt is being replenished at the same rate that it is being consumed by ribbon growth so that the melt level remains constant. Efforts continue on computer thermal modeling required to define high speed, low stress, continuous growth configurations; the study of convective effects in the molten silicon and growth furnace cover gas; on furnace component modifications; on web quality assessments; and on experimental growth activities.
High efficiency shale oil recovery
Adams, D.C.
The overall project objective is to demonstrate the high efficiency of the Adams Counter-Current shale oil recovery process. The efficiency will first be demonstrated on a small scale, in the current phase, after which the demonstration will be extended to the operation of a small pilot plant. Thus the immediate project objective is to obtain data on oil shale retorting operations in a small batch rotary kiln that will be representative of operations in the proposed continuous process pilot plant. Although an oil shale batch sample is sealed in the batch kiln from the start until the end of the run, the process conditions for the batch are the same as the conditions that an element of oil shale would encounter in a continuous process kiln. Similar chemical and physical (heating, mixing) conditions exist in both systems. The two most important data objectives in this phase of the project are to demonstrate (1) that the heat recovery projected for this project is reasonable and (2) that an oil shale kiln will run well and not plug up due to sticking and agglomeration. The following was completed and is reported on this quarter: (1) A software routine was written to eliminate intermittently inaccurate temperature readings. (2) We completed the quartz sand calibration runs, resolving calibration questions from the 3rd quarter. (3) We also made low temperature retorting runs to identify the need for certain kiln modifications and kiln modifications were completed. (4) Heat Conductance data on two Pyrolysis runs were completed on two samples of Occidental oil shale.
High efficiency shale oil recovery
Adams, D.C.
The overall project objective is to demonstrate the high efficiency of the Adams Counter-Current shale oil recovery process. The efficiency will first be demonstrated at bench-scale, in the current phase, after which the demonstration will be extended to the operation of a small pilot plant. Thus the immediate project objective is to obtain data on oil shale retorting operations in a small batch rotary kiln that will be representative of operations in the proposed continuous process pilot plant. Although a batch oil shale sample will be sealed in the batch kiln from the start until the end of the run, the process conditions for the batch will be the same as the conditions that an element of oil shale would encounter in a large continuous process kiln. For example, similar conditions of heat-up rate (20 deg F/min during the pyrolysis), oxidation of the residue and cool-down will prevail for the element in both systems. This batch kiln is a unit constructed in a 1987 Phase I SBIR tar sand retorting project. The kiln worked fairly well in that project; however, the need for certain modifications was observed. These modifications are now underway to simplify the operation and make the data and analysis more exact. The agenda for the first three months of the project consisted of the first of nine tasks and was specified as the following four items: 1. Sample acquisition and equipment alteration: Obtain seven oil shale samples, of varying grade each 10 lb or more, and samples of quartz sand. Order equipment for kiln modification. 3. Set up and modify kiln for operation, including electric heaters on the ends of the kiln. 4. Connect data logger and make other repairs and changes in rotary batch kiln.
High efficiency shale oil recovery
Adams, D.C.
The overall project objective is to demonstrate the high efficiency of the Adams Counter-Current shale oil recovery process. The efficiency will first be demonstrated on a small scale, in the current phase, after which the demonstration will be extended to the operation of a small pilot plant. Thus the immediate project objective is to obtain data on oil shale retorting operations in a small batch rotary kiln that will be representative of operations in the proposed continuous process pilot plant. Although an oil shale batch sample is sealed in the batch kiln from the start until the end of the run, the process conditions for the batch are the same as the conditions that an element of oil shale would encounter in a continuous process kiln. Similar chemical and physical conditions (heating, mixing, pyrolysis, oxidation) exist in both systems.The two most important data objectives in this phase of the project are to demonstrate (1) that the heat recovery projected for this project is reasonable and (2) that an oil shale kiln will run well and not plug up due to sticking and agglomeration. The following was completed this quarter. (1) Twelve pyrolysis runs were made on five different oil shales. All of the runs exhibited a complete absence of any plugging, tendency. Heat transfer for Green River oil shale in the rotary kiln was 84.6 Btu/hr/ft[sup 2]/[degrees]F, and this will provide for ample heat exchange in the Adams kiln. (2) One retorted residue sample was oxidized at 1000[degrees]F. Preliminary indications are that the ash of this run appears to have been completely oxidized. (3) Further minor equipment repairs and improvements were required during the course of the several runs.
High-Efficiency Klystron For Television Transmitters
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ramins, Peter; Dayton, James; Mccune, Earl, Sr.; Kosmahl, Henry
Improved klystron designed for use as final amplifier in ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) television transmitter. New device incorporates multistage depressed collector (MSDC) of advanced design to increase efficiency by recovering, from spent electron beam, some of residual kinetic energy otherwise dissipated as heat. Concept applied to increase efficiencies of microwave communication, equipment, radar systems, and particle-beam accelerators.
Advanced high temperature heat flux sensors
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Atkinson, W.; Hobart, H. F.; Strange, R. R.
To fully characterize advanced high temperature heat flux sensors, calibration and testing is required at full engine temperature. This required the development of unique high temperature heat flux test facilities. These facilities were developed, are in place, and are being used for advanced heat flux sensor development.
High Efficiency Cascade Solar Cells
Shuguang Deng, Seamus Curran, Igor Vasiliev
This report summarizes the main work performed by New Mexico State University and University of Houston on a DOE sponsored project High Efficiency Cascade Solar Cells. The main tasks of this project include materials synthesis, characterization, theoretical calculations, organic solar cell device fabrication and test. The objective of this project is to develop organic nano-electronic-based photovoltaics. Carbon nanotubes and organic conjugated polymers were used to synthesize nanocomposites as the new active semiconductor materials that were used for fabricating two device architectures: thin film coating and cascade solar cell fiber. Chemical vapor deposition technique was employed to synthesized a variety of carbon nanotubes (single-walled CNT, doubled-walled CNT, multi-walled CNT, N-doped SWCNT, DWCNT and MWCNT, and B-doped SWCNT, DWCNT and MWCNT) and a few novel carbon structures (CNT-based nanolance, nanocross and supported graphene film) that have potential applications in organic solar cells. Purification procedures were developed for removing amorphous carbons from carbon nanotubes, and a controlled oxidation method was established for partial truncation of fullerene molecules. Carbon nanotubes (DWCNT and DWCNT) were functionalized with fullerenes and dyes covalently and used to form nanocomposites with conjugated polymers. Biologically synthesized Tellurium nanotubes were used to form composite with the conjugated polymers as well, which generated the highest reported optical limiting values from composites. Several materials characterization technique including SEM/TEM, Raman, AFM, UV-vis, adsorption and EDS were employed to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the carbon nanotubes, the functionalized carbon nanotubes and the nanocomposites synthesized in this project. These techniques allowed us to have a spectroscopic and morphological control of the composite formation and to understand the materials assembled. A parallel 136-CPU
Efficiency and reliability assessments of retrofitted high-efficiency motors
Hsu, John S.; Otaduy, P.J.; Dueck, J.D.
The majority of electric-motor applications are pumps, fans, blowers, and certain compressors that follow the load torque pattern described in this paper. It has been known for many years that simply replacing the old motor with a high-efficiency motor might not produce the expected efficiency gain. This paper suggests the calculations for the effective efficiency and temperature rise of the high-efficiency motor. The reliability in terms of temperature rise, downsizing, power factor, harmonics, mechanical structure, etc., are discussed.
High efficiency, long life terrestrial solar panel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Chao, T.; Khemthong, S.; Ling, R.; Olah, S.
The design of a high efficiency, long life terrestrial module was completed. It utilized 256 rectangular, high efficiency solar cells to achieve high packing density and electrical output. Tooling for the fabrication of solar cells was in house and evaluation of the cell performance was begun. Based on the power output analysis, the goal of a 13% efficiency module was achievable.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hein, L. A.; Myers, W. N.
Vertical axis wind turbine incorporates several unique features to extract more energy from wind increasing efficiency 20% over conventional propeller driven units. System also features devices that utilize solar energy or chimney effluents during periods of no wind.
High Energy Efficiency Air Conditioning
Edward McCullough; Patrick Dhooge; Jonathan Nimitz
This project determined the performance of a new high efficiency refrigerant, Ikon B, in a residential air conditioner designed to use R-22. The refrigerant R-22, used in residential and small commercial air conditioners, is being phased out of production in developed countries beginning this year because of concerns regarding its ozone depletion potential. Although a replacement refrigerant, R-410A, is available, it operates at much higher pressure than R-22 and requires new equipment. R-22 air conditioners will continue to be in use for many years to come. Air conditioning is a large part of expensive summer peak power use in many parts of the U.S. Previous testing and computer simulations of Ikon B indicated that it would have 20 - 25% higher coefficient of performance (COP, the amount of cooling obtained per energy used) than R-22 in an air-cooled air conditioner. In this project, a typical new R-22 residential air conditioner was obtained, installed in a large environmental chamber, instrumented, and run both with its original charge of R-22 and then with Ikon B. In the environmental chamber, controlled temperature and humidity could be maintained to obtain repeatable and comparable energy use results. Tests with Ikon B included runs with and without a power controller, and an extended run for several months with subsequent analyses to check compatibility of Ikon B with the air conditioner materials and lubricant. Baseline energy use of the air conditioner with its original R-22 charge was measured at 90 deg F and 100 deg F. After changeover to Ikon B and a larger expansion orifice, energy use was measured at 90 deg F and 100 deg F. Ikon B proved to have about 19% higher COP at 90 deg F and about 26% higher COP at 100 deg F versus R-22. Ikon B had about 20% lower cooling capacity at 90 deg F and about 17% lower cooling capacity at 100 deg F versus R-22 in this system. All results over multiple runs were within 1% relative standard deviation (RSD). All of these
Advanced Wear-resistant Nanocomposites for Increased Energy Efficiency
Cook, B. A.; Harringa, J. L.; Russel, A. M.
This report summarizes the work performed by an Ames-led project team under a 4-year DOE-ITP sponsored project titled, 'Advanced Wear-resistant Nanocomposites for Increased Energy Efficiency.' The Report serves as the project deliverable for the CPS agreement number 15015. The purpose of this project was to develop and commercialize a family of lightweight, bulk composite materials that are highly resistant to degradation by erosive and abrasive wear. These materials, based on AlMgB{sub 14}, are projected to save over 30 TBtu of energy per year when fully implemented in industrial applications, with the associated environmental benefits of eliminating the burning of 1.5 M tons/yr of coal and averting the release of 4.2 M tons/yr of CO{sub 2} into the air. This program targeted applications in the mining, drilling, machining, and dry erosion applications as key platforms for initial commercialization, which includes some of the most severe wear conditions in industry. Production-scale manufacturing of this technology has begun through a start-up company, NewTech Ceramics (NTC). This project included providing technical support to NTC in order to facilitate cost-effective mass production of the wear-resistant boride components. Resolution of issues related to processing scale-up, reduction in energy intensity during processing, and improving the quality and performance of the composites, without adding to the cost of processing were among the primary technical focus areas of this program. Compositional refinements were also investigated in order to achieve the maximum wear resistance. In addition, synthesis of large-scale, single-phase AlMgB{sub 14} powder was conducted for use as PVD sputtering targets for nanocoating applications.
High efficiency stationary hydrogen storage
Hynek, S.; Fuller, W.; Truslow, S.
Stationary storage of hydrogen permits one to make hydrogen now and use it later. With stationary hydrogen storage, one can use excess electrical generation capacity to power an electrolyzer, and store the resultant hydrogen for later use or transshipment. One can also use stationary hydrogen as a buffer at fueling stations to accommodate non-steady fueling demand, thus permitting the hydrogen supply system (e.g., methane reformer or electrolyzer) to be sized to meet the average, rather than the peak, demand. We at ADL designed, built, and tested a stationary hydrogen storage device that thermally couples a high-temperature metal hydride to a phase change material (PCM). The PCM captures and stores the heat of the hydriding reaction as its own heat of fusion (that is, it melts), and subsequently returns that heat of fusion (by freezing) to facilitate the dehydriding reaction. A key component of this stationary hydrogen storage device is the metal hydride itself. We used nickel-coated magnesium powder (NCMP) - magnesium particles coated with a thin layer of nickel by means of chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Magnesium hydride can store a higher weight fraction of hydrogen than any other practical metal hydride, and it is less expensive than any other metal hydride. We designed and constructed an experimental NCM/PCM reactor out of 310 stainless steel in the form of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, with the tube side packed with NCMP and the shell side filled with a eutectic mixture of NaCL, KCl, and MgCl{sub 2}. Our experimental results indicate that with proper attention to limiting thermal losses, our overall efficiency will exceed 90% (DOE goal: >75%) and our overall system cost will be only 33% (DOE goal: <50%) of the value of the delivered hydrogen. It appears that NCMP can be used to purify hydrogen streams and store hydrogen at the same time. These prospects make the NCMP/PCM reactor an attractive component in a reformer-based hydrogen fueling station.
Advanced high-temperature batteries
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nelson, P. A.
Recent results for Li-Al/FeS2 cells and bipolar battery design have shown the possibility of achieving high specific energy (210 Wh/kg) and high specific power (239 W/kg) at the cell level for an electric vehicle application. Outstanding performance is also projected for sodium/metal chloride cells having large electrolyte areas and thin positive electrodes.
Advanced High Temperature Structural Seals
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Newquist, Charles W.; Verzemnieks, Juris; Keller, Peter C.; Rorabaugh, Michael; Shorey, Mark
This program addresses the development of high temperature structural seals for control surfaces for a new generation of small reusable launch vehicles. Successful development will contribute significantly to the mission goal of reducing launch cost for small, 200 to 300 pound payloads. Development of high temperature seals is mission enabling. For instance, ineffective control surface seals can result in high temperature (3100 F) flows in the elevon area exceeding structural material limits. Longer sealing life will allow use for many missions before replacement, contributing to the reduction of hardware, operation and launch costs.
Advanced High Temperature Structural Seals
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Newquist, Charles W.; Verzemnieks, Juris; Keller, Peter C.; Shorey, Mark W.; Steinetz, Bruce (Technical Monitor)
This program addresses the development of high temperature structural seals for control surfaces for a new generation of small reusable launch vehicles. Successful development will contribute significantly to the mission goal of reducing launch cost for small, 200 to 300 lb payloads. Development of high temperature seals is mission enabling. For instance, ineffective control surface seals can result in high temperature (3100 F) flows in the elevon area exceeding structural material limits. Longer sealing life will allow use for many missions before replacement, contributing to the reduction of hardware, operation and launch costs. During the first phase of this program the existing launch vehicle control surface sealing concepts were reviewed, the aerothermal environment for a high temperature seal design was analyzed and a mock up of an arc-jet test fixture for evaluating seal concepts was fabricated.
Overview of the Advanced High Frequency Branch
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Miranda, Felix A.
This presentation provides an overview of the competencies, selected areas of research and technology development activities, and current external collaborative efforts of the NASA Glenn Research Center's Advanced High Frequency Branch.
Surface Catalytic Efficiency of Advanced Carbon Carbon Candidate Thermal Protection Materials for SSTO Vehicles
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stewart, David A.
The catalytic efficiency (atom recombination coefficients) for advanced ceramic thermal protection systems was calculated using arc-jet data. Coefficients for both oxygen and nitrogen atom recombination on the surfaces of these systems were obtained to temperatures of 1650 K. Optical and chemical stability of the candidate systems to the high energy hypersonic flow was also demonstrated during these tests.
High Efficiency, High Performance Clothes Dryer
Peter Pescatore; Phil Carbone
This program covered the development of two separate products; an electric heat pump clothes dryer and a modulating gas dryer. These development efforts were independent of one another and are presented in this report in two separate volumes. Volume 1 details the Heat Pump Dryer Development while Volume 2 details the Modulating Gas Dryer Development. In both product development efforts, the intent was to develop high efficiency, high performance designs that would be attractive to US consumers. Working with Whirlpool Corporation as our commercial partner, TIAX applied this approach of satisfying consumer needs throughout the Product Development Process for both dryer designs. Heat pump clothes dryers have been in existence for years, especially in Europe, but have not been able to penetrate the market. This has been especially true in the US market where no volume production heat pump dryers are available. The issue has typically been around two key areas: cost and performance. Cost is a given in that a heat pump clothes dryer has numerous additional components associated with it. While heat pump dryers have been able to achieve significant energy savings compared to standard electric resistance dryers (over 50% in some cases), designs to date have been hampered by excessively long dry times, a major market driver in the US. The development work done on the heat pump dryer over the course of this program led to a demonstration dryer that delivered the following performance characteristics: (1) 40-50% energy savings on large loads with 35 F lower fabric temperatures and similar dry times; (2) 10-30 F reduction in fabric temperature for delicate loads with up to 50% energy savings and 30-40% time savings; (3) Improved fabric temperature uniformity; and (4) Robust performance across a range of vent restrictions. For the gas dryer development, the concept developed was one of modulating the gas flow to the dryer throughout the dry cycle. Through heat modulation in a
Advanced modeling of high intensity accelerators
Ryne, R.D.; Habib, S.; Wangler, T.P.
This is the final report of a three-year, Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The goals of this project were three-fold: (1) to develop a new capability, based on high performance (parallel) computers, to perform large scale simulations of high intensity accelerators; (2) to apply this capability to modeling high intensity accelerators under design at LANL; and (3) to use this new capability to improve the understanding of the physics of intense charge particle beams, especially in regard to the issue of beam halo formation. All of these goals were met. In particular, the authors introduced split-operator methods as a powerful and efficient means to simulate intense beams in the presence of rapidly varying accelerating and focusing fields. They then applied these methods to develop scaleable, parallel beam dynamics codes for modeling intense beams in linacs, and in the process they implemented a new three-dimensional space charge algorithm. They also used the codes to study a number of beam dynamics issues related to the Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) project, and in the process performed the largest simulations to date for any accelerator design project. Finally, they used the new modeling capability to provide direction and validation to beam physics studies, helping to identify beam mismatch as a major source of halo formation in high intensity accelerators. This LDRD project ultimately benefited not only LANL but also the US accelerator community since, by promoting expertise in high performance computing and advancing the state-of-the-art in accelerator simulation, its accomplishments helped lead to approval of a new DOE Grand Challenge in Computational Accelerator Physics.
Lightweight, Efficient Power Converters for Advanced Turboelectric Aircraft Propulsion Systems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hennessy, Michael J.
NASA is investigating advanced turboelectric aircraft propulsion systems that use superconducting motors to drive multiple distributed turbofans. Conventional electric motors are too large and heavy to be practical for this application; therefore, superconducting motors are required. In order to improve aircraft maneuverability, variable-speed power converters are required to throttle power to the turbofans. The low operating temperature and the need for lightweight components that place a minimum of additional heat load on the refrigeration system open the possibility of incorporating extremely efficient cryogenic power conversion technology. This Phase II project is developing critical components required to meet these goals.
High efficiency ground data transmission
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dickinson, W. B.
It is demonstrated that state-of-the-art communications technology can be implemented and reliably operated on a global basis to increase the transmission rates and efficiencies on circuits with bandwidths greater than the typical speech channel. Optimization is affected by optimum clock recovery procedures, multilevel pulse amplitude modulation, single sideband amplitude modulation, transversal filter equalizers, data scrambling, and active compensation for phase instability.
Comparison of advanced cooling technologies efficiency depending on outside temperature
Blaise Hamanaka; Haihua Zhao; Phil Sharpe
In some areas, water availability is a serious problem during the summer and could disrupt the normal operation of thermal power plants which needs large amount of water to operate. Moreover, when water quantities are sufficient, there can still be problem created by the waste heat rejected into the water which is regulated in order to limit the impact of thermal pollution on the environment. All these factors can lead to a decrease of electricity production during the summer and during peak hours, when electricity is the most needed. In order to deal with these problems, advanced cooling technologies have been developed and implemented to reduce water consumption and withdrawals but with an effect in the plant efficiency. This report aims at analyzing the efficiency of several cooling technologies with a fixed power plant design and so to produce a reference to be able to compare them.
Energy Efficient Engine program advanced turbofan nacelle definition study
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Howe, David C.; Wynosky, T. A.
Advanced, low drag, nacelle configurations were defined for some of the more promising propulsion systems identified in the earlier Benefit/Cost Study, to assess the benefits associated with these advanced technology nacelles and formulate programs for developing these nacelles and low volume thrust reversers/spoilers to a state of technology readiness in the early 1990's. The study results established the design feasibility of advanced technology, slim line nacelles applicable to advanced technology, high bypass ratio turbofan engines. Design feasibility was also established for two low volume thrust reverse/spoiler concepts that meet or exceed the required effectiveness for these engines. These nacelle and thrust reverse/spoiler designs were shown to be applicable in engines with takeoff thrust sizes ranging from 24,000 to 60,000 pounds. The reduced weight, drag, and cost of the advanced technology nacelle installations relative to current technology nacelles offer a mission fuel burn savings ranging from 3.0 to 4.5 percent and direct operating cost plus interest improvements from 1.6 to 2.2 percent.
Super Boiler: First Generation, Ultra-High Efficiency Firetube Boiler
This factsheet describes a research project whose goal is to develop and demonstrate a first-generation ultra-high-efficiency, ultra-low emissions, compact gas-fired package boiler (Super Boiler), and formulate a long-range RD&D plan for advanced boiler technology out to the year 2020.
High efficiency thermionic converter studies
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Huffman, F. N.; Sommer, A. H.; Balestra, C. L.; Briere, T. R.; Lieb, D.; Oettinger, P. E.; Goodale, D. B.
Research in thermionic energy conversion technology is reported. The objectives were to produce converters suitable for use in out of core space reactors, radioisotope generators, and solar satellites. The development of emitter electrodes that operate at low cesium pressure, stable low work function collector electrodes, and more efficient means of space charge neutralization were investigated to improve thermionic converter performance. Potential improvements in collector properties were noted with evaporated thin film barium oxide coatings. Experiments with cesium carbonate suggest this substance may provide optimum combinations of cesium and oxygen for thermionic conversion.
Advanced high area ratio nozzles
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Raiszadeh, Farhad; Collins, Frank G.; Orr, Joseph L., Jr.; Myruski, Brian
The objective is to develop computational techniques for the design of high-area-ratio nozzles and to validate these models by comparison with experiments and computations using other codes. Progress was made in two areas during the past year. First, performance computations were added to the PARC2D code and the performance of the SSME nozzle was computed for inviscid, laminar and turbulent flow assuming a perfect gas with gamma = 1.2. Second, the PARC2D code was modified in a non-CASP project to compute equilibrium flow about hypersonic blunt bodies. Progress has been made toward modifying this code to compute equilibrium H2/O2 flow through the SSME and related nozzles.
High energy efficient solid state laser sources
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Byer, Robert L.
Recent progress in the development of highly efficient coherent optical sources was reviewed. This work has focused on nonlinear frequency conversion of the highly coherent output of the non-planar ring laser oscillators developed earlier in the program, and includes high efficiency second harmonic generation and the operation of optical parametric oscillators for wavelength diversity and tunability.
High energy efficient solid state laser sources
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Byer, Robert L.
Recent progress in the development of highly efficient coherent optical sources is reviewed. This work focusses on nonlinear frequency conversion of the highly coherent output of the Non-Planar Ring Laser Oscillators developed earlier in the program, and includes high efficiency second harmonic generation and the operation of optical parametric oscillators for wavelength diversity and tunability.
Efficient high density train operations
Gordon, Susanna P.; Evans, John A.
The present invention provides methods for preventing low train voltages and managing interference, thereby improving the efficiency, reliability, and passenger comfort associated with commuter trains. An algorithm implementing neural network technology is used to predict low voltages before they occur. Once voltages are predicted, then multiple trains can be controlled to prevent low voltage events. Further, algorithms for managing inference are presented in the present invention. Different types of interference problems are addressed in the present invention such as "Interference. During Acceleration", "Interference Near Station Stops", and "Interference During Delay Recovery." Managing such interference avoids unnecessary brake/acceleration cycles during acceleration, immediately before station stops, and after substantial delays. Algorithms are demonstrated to avoid oscillatory brake/acceleration cycles due to interference and to smooth the trajectories of closely following trains. This is achieved by maintaining sufficient following distances to avoid unnecessary braking/accelerating. These methods generate smooth train trajectories, making for a more comfortable ride, and improve train motor reliability by avoiding unnecessary mode-changes between propulsion and braking. These algorithms can also have a favorable impact on traction power system requirements and energy consumption.
Noise impact of advanced high lift systems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Elmer, Kevin R.; Joshi, Mahendra C.
The impact of advanced high lift systems on aircraft size, performance, direct operating cost and noise were evaluated for short-to-medium and medium-to-long range aircraft with high bypass ratio and very high bypass ratio engines. The benefit of advanced high lift systems in reducing noise was found to be less than 1 effective-perceived-noise decibel level (EPNdB) when the aircraft were sized to minimize takeoff gross weight. These aircraft did, however, have smaller wings and lower engine thrusts for the same mission than aircraft with conventional high lift systems. When the advanced high lift system was implemented without reducing wing size and simultaneously using lower flap angles that provide higher L/D at approach a cumulative noise reduction of as much as 4 EPNdB was obtained. Comparison of aircraft configurations that have similar approach speeds showed cumulative noise reduction of 2.6 EPNdB that is purely the result of incorporating advanced high lift system in the aircraft design.
Highly Efficient Multilayer Thermoelectric Devices
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Boufelfel, Ali
Multilayer thermoelectric devices now at the prototype stage of development exhibit a combination of desirable characteristics, including high figures of merit and high performance/cost ratios. These devices are capable of producing temperature differences of the order of 50 K in operation at or near room temperature. A solvent-free batch process for mass production of these state-of-the-art thermoelectric devices has also been developed. Like prior thermoelectric devices, the present ones have commercial potential mainly by virtue of their utility as means of controlled cooling (and/or, in some cases, heating) of sensors, integrated circuits, and temperature-critical components of scientific instruments. The advantages of thermoelectric devices for such uses include no need for circulating working fluids through or within the devices, generation of little if any noise, and high reliability. The disadvantages of prior thermoelectric devices include high power consumption and relatively low coefficients of performance. The present development program was undertaken in the hope of reducing the magnitudes of the aforementioned disadvantages and, especially, obtaining higher figures of merit for operation at and near room temperature. Accomplishments of the program thus far include development of an algorithm to estimate the heat extracted by, and the maximum temperature drop produced by, a thermoelectric device; solution of the problem of exchange of heat between a thermoelectric cooler and a water-cooled copper block; retrofitting of a vacuum chamber for depositing materials by sputtering; design of masks; and fabrication of multilayer thermoelectric devices of two different designs, denoted I and II. For both the I and II designs, the thicknesses of layers are of the order of nanometers. In devices of design I, nonconsecutive semiconductor layers are electrically connected in series. Devices of design II contain superlattices comprising alternating electron
High efficiency solar photovoltaic power module concept
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bekey, I.
The investigation of a preliminary concept for high efficiency solar power generation in space is presented. The concept was a synergistic combination of spectral splitting, tailored bandgap cells, high concentration ratios, and cool cell areas.
High-Efficiency dc/dc Converter
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sturman, J.
High-efficiency dc/dc converter has been developed that provides commonly used voltages of plus or minus 12 Volts from an unregulated dc source of from 14 to 40 Volts. Unique features of converter are its high efficiency at low power level and ability to provide output either larger or smaller than input voltage.
Multi-petascale highly efficient parallel supercomputer
Asaad, Sameh; Bellofatto, Ralph E.; Blocksome, Michael A.; Blumrich, Matthias A.; Boyle, Peter; Brunheroto, Jose R.; Chen, Dong; Cher, Chen -Yong; Chiu, George L.; Christ, Norman; Coteus, Paul W.; Davis, Kristan D.; Dozsa, Gabor J.; Eichenberger, Alexandre E.; Eisley, Noel A.; Ellavsky, Matthew R.; Evans, Kahn C.; Fleischer, Bruce M.; Fox, Thomas W.; Gara, Alan; Giampapa, Mark E.; Gooding, Thomas M.; Gschwind, Michael K.; Gunnels, John A.; Hall, Shawn A.; Haring, Rudolf A.; Heidelberger, Philip; Inglett, Todd A.; Knudson, Brant L.; Kopcsay, Gerard V.; Kumar, Sameer; Mamidala, Amith R.; Marcella, James A.; Megerian, Mark G.; Miller, Douglas R.; Miller, Samuel J.; Muff, Adam J.; Mundy, Michael B.; O'Brien, John K.; O'Brien, Kathryn M.; Ohmacht, Martin; Parker, Jeffrey J.; Poole, Ruth J.; Ratterman, Joseph D.; Salapura, Valentina; Satterfield, David L.; Senger, Robert M.; Smith, Brian; Steinmacher-Burow, Burkhard; Stockdell, William M.; Stunkel, Craig B.; Sugavanam, Krishnan; Sugawara, Yutaka; Takken, Todd E.; Trager, Barry M.; Van Oosten, James L.; Wait, Charles D.; Walkup, Robert E.; Watson, Alfred T.; Wisniewski, Robert W.; Wu, Peng
A Multi-Petascale Highly Efficient Parallel Supercomputer of 100 petaOPS-scale computing, at decreased cost, power and footprint, and that allows for a maximum packaging density of processing nodes from an interconnect point of view. The Supercomputer exploits technological advances in VLSI that enables a computing model where many processors can be integrated into a single Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Each ASIC computing node comprises a system-on-chip ASIC utilizing four or more processors integrated into one die, with each having full access to all system resources and enabling adaptive partitioning of the processors to functions such as compute or messaging I/O on an application by application basis, and preferably, enable adaptive partitioning of functions in accordance with various algorithmic phases within an application, or if I/O or other processors are underutilized, then can participate in computation or communication nodes are interconnected by a five dimensional torus network with DMA that optimally maximize the throughput of packet communications between nodes and minimize latency.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Simons, Rainee N. (Inventor); Wintucky, Edwin G. (Inventor)
One or more embodiments of the present invention pertain to an all solid-state microwave power module. The module includes a plurality of solid-state amplifiers configured to amplify a signal using a low power stage, a medium power stage, and a high power stage. The module also includes a power conditioner configured to activate a voltage sequencer (e.g., bias controller) when power is received from a power source. The voltage sequencer is configured to sequentially apply voltage to a gate of each amplifier and sequentially apply voltage to a drain of each amplifier.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Simons, Rainee N (Inventor); Wintucky, Edwin G (Inventor)
One or more embodiments of the present invention pertain to an all solid-state microwave power module. The module includes a plurality of solid-state amplifiers configured to amplify a signal using a low power stage, a medium power stage, and a high power stage. The module also includes a power conditioner configured to activate a voltage sequencer (e.g., bias controller) when power is received from a power source. The voltage sequencer is configured to sequentially apply voltage to a gate of each amplifier and sequentially apply voltage to a drain of each amplifier.
OAK A271 ADVANCED HIGH PERFORMANCE SOLID WALL BLANKET CONCEPTS. First wall and blanket (FW/blanket) design is a crucial element in the performance and acceptance of a fusion power plant. High temperature structural and breeding materials are needed for high thermal performance. A suitable combination of structural design with the selected materials is necessary for D-T fuel sufficiency. Whenever possible, low afterheat, low chemical reactivity and low activation materials are desired to achieve passive safety and minimize the amount of high-level waste. Of course the selected fusion FW/blanket design will have to match the operational scenarios of high performance plasma. The key characteristics of eight advanced high performance FW/blanket concepts are presented in this paper. Design configurations, performance characteristics, unique advantages and issues are summarized. All reviewed designs can satisfy most of the necessary design goals. For further development, in concert with the advancement in plasma control and scrape off layer physics, additional emphasis will be needed in the areas of first wall coating material selection, design of plasma stabilization coils, consideration of reactor startup and transient events. To validate the projected performance of the advanced FW/blanket concepts the critical element is the need for 14 MeV neutron irradiation facilities for the generation of necessary engineering design data and the prediction of FW/blanket components lifetime and availability.
High Efficiency Microwave Power Amplifier (HEMPA) Design
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sims, W. Herbert
This paper will focus on developing an exotic switching technique that enhances the DC-to-RF conversion efficiency of microwave power amplifiers. For years, switching techniques implemented in the 10 kHz to 30 MHz region have resulted in DC-to-RF conversion efficiencies of 90-95-percent. Currently amplifier conversion efficiency, in the 2-3 GHz region approaches, 10-20-percent. Using a combination of analytical modeling and hardware testing, a High Efficiency Microwave Power Amplifier was built that demonstrated conversion efficiencies four to five times higher than current state of the art.
High-Efficiency Autonomous Coherent Lidar
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Gatt, Philip; Henderson, Sammy W.; Hannon, Stephen M.
A useful measure of sensor performance is the transceiver system efficiency n (sub sys). Which consists of the antenna efficiency n (sub a) and optical and electronic losses. Typically, the lidar equation and the antenna efficiency are defined in terms of the telescope aperture area. However, during the assembly of a coherent transceiver, it is important to measure the system efficiency before the installation of the beamexpanding telescope (i.e., the untruncated-beam system efficiency). Therefore, to accommodate both truncated and untruncated beam efficiency measurements, we define the lidar equation and the antenna efficiency in terms of the beam area rather than the commonly used aperture area referenced definition. With a well-designed Gaussian-beam lidar, aperture area referenced system efficiencies of 15 to 20 % (23-31% relative to the beam area) are readily achievable. In this paper we compare the differences between these efficiency definitions. We then describe techniques by which high efficiency can be achieved, followed by a discussion several novel auto alignment techniques developed to maintain high efficiency.
Research on stable, high-efficiency, amorphous silicon multijunction modules
Catalano, A.; Bennett, M.; Chen, L.; D'Aiello, R.; Fieselmann, B.; Li, Y.; Newton, J.; Podlesny, R.; Yang, L. . Thin Film Div.)
This report describes work to demonstrate a multijunction module with a stabilized'' efficiency (600 h, 50{degrees}C, AM1.5) of 10.5%. Triple-junction devices and modules using a-Si:H alloys with carbon and germanium were developed to meet program goals. ZnO was used to provide a high optical transmission front contact. Proof of concept was obtained for several important advances deemed to be important for obtaining high (12.5%) stabilized efficiency. They were (1) stable, high-quality a-SiC:H devices and (2) high-transmission, textured ZnO. Although these developments were not scaled up and included in modules, triple-junction module efficiencies as high as 10.85% were demonstrated. NREL measured 9.62% and 9.00% indoors and outdoors, respectively. The modules are expected to lose no more than 20% of their initial performance. 28 refs.
Advanced High-Temperature, High-Pressure Transport Reactor Gasification
Michael Swanson; Daniel Laudal
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory Office of Coal and Environmental Systems has as its mission to develop advanced gasification-based technologies for affordable, efficient, zero-emission power generation. These advanced power systems, which are expected to produce near-zero pollutants, are an integral part of DOE's Vision 21 Program. DOE has also been developing advanced gasification systems that lower the capital and operating costs of producing syngas for chemical production. A transport reactor has shown potential to be a low-cost syngas producer compared to other gasification systems since its high-throughput-per-unit cross-sectional area reduces capital costs. This work directly supports the Power Systems Development Facility utilizing the KBR transport reactor located at the Southern Company Services Wilsonville, Alabama, site. Over 2800 hours of operation on 11 different coals ranging from bituminous to lignite along with a petroleum coke has been completed to date in the pilot-scale transport reactor development unit (TRDU) at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). The EERC has established an extensive database on the operation of these various fuels in both air-blown and oxygen-blown modes utilizing a pilot-scale transport reactor gasifier. This database has been useful in determining the effectiveness of design changes on an advanced transport reactor gasifier and for determining the performance of various feedstocks in a transport reactor. The effects of different fuel types on both gasifier performance and the operation of the hot-gas filter system have been determined. It has been demonstrated that corrected fuel gas heating values ranging from 90 to 130 Btu/scf have been achieved in air-blown mode, while heating values up to 230 Btu/scf on a dry basis have been achieved in oxygen-blown mode. Carbon conversions up to 95% have also been obtained and are highly dependent on the oxygen-coal ratio. Higher
Recent advances in high-power microwave amplifiers
Reid, D.W.
Recent advances in microwave amplifiers have increased efficiencies and power levels at frequencies from 0.3--150 GHz. These improvements have occurred in both solid-state and vacuum-tube systems. Of special note is the very high power device where power levels of 1 GW are routinely generated. This paper will review the latest results of these RandD efforts. 3 refs., 4 figs.
High Efficient Cryocooler for Liquid Hydrogen System
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nakagome, H.
Conversion into Hydrogen Energy Society is advanced focusing on the application to a fuel cell electric vehicle. As volume and weight density of liquid hydrogen are large, it is the method which was most excellent as the storage method of hydrogen. However, in order to store liquid hydrogen stably over a long period of time, decreasing the loss of energy, development of an efficient small cryocooler becomes important. This paper reports the research about improvement in the refrigeration efficiency of a two-stage GM cryocooler. In order that the GM cryocooler may operate by the Simon expansion, it carries out asymptotic of the COP of the GM cryocooler to the Carnot COP as a compression ratio is lowered. When experimented based on this view, it was checked that refrigeration efficiency rises with reduction in a compression ratio. Furthermore, if the compression ratio is lowered, refrigeration efficiency will fall rapidly. The peak value of the refrigeration efficiency in 20K level attained 28%Carnot. It was verified by optimization of the compression ratio of the GM cryocooler that refrigeration efficiency can be improved significantly. Therefore, sharp reduction of the energy consumption of a liquid hydrogen system will be attained by applying the result of this research.
Very High Efficiency Solar Cell Modules
Barnett, A.; Kirkpatrick, D.; Honsberg, C.; Moore, D.; Wanlass, M.; Emery, K.; Schwartz, R.; Carlson, D.; Bowden, S.; Aiken, D.; Gray, A.; Kurtz, S.; Kazmerski, L., et al
The Very High Efficiency Solar Cell (VHESC) program is developing integrated optical system - PV modules for portable applications that operate at greater than 50% efficiency. We are integrating the optical design with the solar cell design, and have entered previously unoccupied design space. Our approach is driven by proven quantitative models for the solar cell design, the optical design, and the integration of these designs. Optical systems efficiency with an optical efficiency of 93% and solar cell device results under ideal dichroic splitting optics summing to 42.7 {+-} 2.5% are described.
High Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor for Rotorcraft Applications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Medic, Gorazd; Sharma, Om P.; Jongwook, Joo; Hardin, Larry W.; McCormick, Duane C.; Cousins, William T.; Lurie, Elizabeth A.; Shabbir, Aamir; Holley, Brian M.; Van Slooten, Paul R.
The report "High Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor for Rotorcraft Applications" documents the work conducted at UTRC under the NRA Contract NNC08CB03C, with cost share 2/3 NASA, and 1/3 UTRC, that has been extended to 4.5 years. The purpose of this effort was to identify key technical barriers to advancing the state-of-the-art of small centrifugal compressor stages; to delineate the measurements required to provide insight into the flow physics of the technical barriers; to design, fabricate, install, and test a state-of-the-art research compressor that is representative of the rear stage of an axial-centrifugal aero-engine; and to acquire detailed aerodynamic performance and research quality data to clarify flow physics and to establish detailed data sets for future application. The design activity centered on meeting the goal set outlined in the NASA solicitation-the design target was to increase efficiency at higher work factor, while also reducing the maximum diameter of the stage. To fit within the existing Small Engine Components Test Facility at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and to facilitate component re-use, certain key design parameters were fixed by UTRC, including impeller tip diameter, impeller rotational speed, and impeller inlet hub and shroud radii. This report describes the design effort of the High Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor stage (HECC) and delineation of measurements, fabrication of the compressor, and the initial tests that were performed. A new High-Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor stage with a very challenging reduction in radius ratio was successfully designed, fabricated and installed at GRC. The testing was successful, with no mechanical problems and the running clearances were achieved without impeller rubs. Overall, measured pressure ratio of 4.68, work factor of 0.81, and at design exit corrected flow rate of 3 lbm/s met the target requirements. Polytropic efficiency of 85.5 percent and stall margin of 7.5 percent were
Junior High Gets Energy Efficient VAV System
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Modern Schools, 1977
Minnesota's Isanti Junior High, designed with an energy efficient variable air volume system, is an innovative school selected for display at the 1977 Exhibition of School Architecture in Las Vegas. (Author/MLF)
High-efficiency crystalline silicon technology development
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Prince, M. B.
The rationale for pursuing high efficiency crystalline silicon technology research is discussed. Photovoltaic energy systems are reviewed as to their cost effectiveness and their competitiveness with other energy systems. The parameters of energy system life are listed and briefly reviewed.
Multi Band Gap High Efficiency Converter (RAINBOW)
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bekey, I.; Lewis, C.; Phillips, W.; Shields, V.; Stella, P.
The RAINBOW multi band gap system represents a unique combination of solar cells, concentrators and beam splitters. RAINBOW is a flexible system which can readily expand as new high efficiency components are developed.
High Temperature Membrane & Advanced Cathode Catalyst Development
Protsailo, Lesia
Current project consisted of three main phases and eighteen milestones. Short description of each phase is given below. Table 1 lists program milestones. Phase 1--High Temperature Membrane and Advanced Catalyst Development. New polymers and advanced cathode catalysts were synthesized. The membranes and the catalysts were characterized and compared against specifications that are based on DOE program requirements. The best-in-class membranes and catalysts were downselected for phase 2. Phase 2--Catalyst Coated Membrane (CCM) Fabrication and Testing. Laboratory scale catalyst coated membranes (CCMs) were fabricated and tested using the down-selected membranes and catalysts. The catalysts and high temperature membrane CCMs were tested and optimized. Phase 3--Multi-cell stack fabrication. Full-size CCMs with the down-selected and optimized high temperature membrane and catalyst were fabricated. The catalyst membrane assemblies were tested in full size cells and multi-cell stack.
Competitively priced hydrogen via high-efficiency nuclear electrolysis
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Escher, W. J. D.; Donakowski, T. D.
A fully dedicated nuclear-electrolytic hydrogen-production facility, based on advanced (1985) technology, has been synthesized and assessed at the conceptual level. The facility integrates an HTGR operating a binary shaftpower-extraction cycle at 980 C top temperature, direct dc electricity generation via acyclic generators, and high-current density high-pressure electrolyzers based on the solid polymer electrolyte approach. All subsystems are close-coupled and optimally interfaced. Pipeline-pressure hydrogen and coproduct oxygen are produced at 6900 kPa. On consistent costing bases, the advanced facility concept was found to provide hydrogen costs that were approximately half those associated with conventional, contemporary-technology nuclear electrolysis. The nuclear heat-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency for the advanced system was estimated as 43%, against 25% for the baseline present-day approach.
Implications of Low Particulate Matter Emissions on System Fuel Efficiency for High Efficiency Clean Combustion
Parks, II, James E; Prikhodko, Vitaly Y
Advanced diesel combustion regimes such as High Efficiency Clean Combustion (HECC) offer the benefits of reduced engine out NOX and particulate matter (PM) emissions. Lower PM emissions during advanced combustion reduce the demand on diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and can, thereby, reduce the fuel penalty associated with DPF regeneration. In this study, a SiC DPF was loaded and regenerated on a 1.7-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine operated in conventional and advanced combustion modes at different speed and load conditions. A diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and a lean NOX trap (LNT) were also installed in the exhaust stream. Five steady-state speed and load conditions were weighted to estimate Federal Test Procedure (FTP) fuel efficiency. The DPF was loaded using lean-rich cycling with frequencies that resulted in similar levels of NOX emissions downstream of the LNT. The pressure drop across the DPF was measured at a standard point (1500 rpm, 5.0 bar) before and after loading, and a P rise rate was determined for comparison between conventional and advanced combustion modes. Higher PM emissions in conventional combustion resulted in a higher rate of backpressure rise across the DPF at all of the load points leading to more frequent DPF regenerations and higher fuel penalty. The fuel penalty during conventional combustion was 4.2% compared with 3.1% for a mixture of conventional and advanced modes.
The Wheelabrator Falls story: Integrated recycling, highly efficient energy recovery, innovative use of by-products and timing to advance the state-of-the-art in integrated waste management
Felago, R.T.; Anderson, R.L.; Scanlon, P.J.
This paper discusses how significant state-of-the-art advancements in recycling, utilization of recycled materials and energy production will cut the template for future projects. A corollary benefit will be the enhancement of the concept of privatization of any plant, waste-to-energy, wastewater or biosolids processing, by providing an understanding of private initiation of the project, and the demonstration of a Company`s commitment through self-financing of the facility. All of these advancements point to the fact that waste-to-energy projects of the future will include some or all of these points from the Wheelabrator Falls Project: innovative on-site recycling; innovative utilization of mixed glass cullet; maximum post-combustion automatic recovery of ferrous metal; state-of-the-art boiler upgrades, including a super-efficient thermal cycle design refinements in the plant; specific innovations at falls; sequencing in the operations of the plant`s quality of operations; and expectations going forward.
Phenomena and Performance of High-Efficiency Split Spectrum Photovoltaics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Downs, Chandler
High-efficiency photovoltaics are one of the most promising technologies for supplying sustainable energy in the near future. These technologies allow for high energy conversion efficiencies and long system lifetimes, which is becoming an increasingly profitable power generation option. One high-efficiency photovoltaic technology gaining increasing attention recent years is that of split-spectrum photovoltaics. This technology divides the incident solar spectrum on the basis of wavelength, directing each portion of the spectrum to a different cell where the light can be utilized most efficiently. In this dissertation, a number of aspects of high-efficiency photovoltaics, most notably split-spectrum photovoltaics, are examined. First, the ideal bandgap placements of the subcells of a split-spectrum photovoltaic system are calculated, specifically determined with an eye towards practical fabrication of the cells. Two viable designs are determined which improve theoretical absolute conversion efficiency by 4-5%. Next, those systems are simulated using the TCAD Sentaurus software package to project conversion efficiencies and determine additional device specifications (doping levels, layer thicknesses, etc.). These cells show comparable conversion efficiencies to high performing, full-spectrum multijunction photovoltaics in fabrication today. In the last section, a theoretical examination of semiconductor performance under high optical concentration is performed, including the prediction and characterization of various phenomena in those devices. This work aims to improve the understanding of the performance of high concentration photovoltaics, most notably split-spectrum photovoltaics. This understanding will aid in the advancement of this technology as a widespread, sustainable energy source for use worldwide, reducing greenhouse emissions and providing cheap, clean energy.
High-power disk lasers: advances and applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Havrilla, David; Ryba, Tracey; Holzer, Marco
Though the genesis of the disk laser concept dates to the early 90's, the disk laser continues to demonstrate the flexibility and the certain future of a breakthrough technology. On-going increases in power per disk, and improvements in beam quality and efficiency continue to validate the genius of the disk laser concept. As of today, the disk principle has not reached any fundamental limits regarding output power per disk or beam quality, and offers numerous advantages over other high power resonator concepts, especially over monolithic architectures. With about 2,000 high power disk lasers installations, and a demand upwards of 1,000 lasers per year, the disk laser has proven to be a robust and reliable industrial tool. With advancements in running cost, investment cost and footprint, manufacturers continue to implement disk laser technology with more vigor than ever. This paper will explain recent advances in disk laser technology and process relevant features of the laser, like pump diode arrangement, resonator design and integrated beam guidance. In addition, advances in applications in the thick sheet area and very cost efficient high productivity applications like remote welding, remote cutting and cutting of thin sheets will be discussed.
Technology Development for High Efficiency Optical Communications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Farr, William H.
Deep space optical communications is a significantly more challenging operational domain than near Earth space optical communications, primarily due to effects resulting from the vastly increased range between transmitter and receiver. The NASA Game Changing Development Program Deep Space Optical Communications Project is developing four key technologies for the implementation of a high efficiency telecommunications system that will enable greater than 10X the data rate of a state-of-the-art deep space RF system (Ka-band) for similar transceiver mass and power burden on the spacecraft. These technologies are a low mass spacecraft disturbance isolation assembly, a flight qualified photon counting detector array, a high efficiency flight laser amplifier and a high efficiency photon counting detector array for the ground-based receiver.
High-efficiency solid state power amplifier
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wallis, Robert E. (Inventor); Cheng, Sheng (Inventor)
A high-efficiency solid state power amplifier (SSPA) for specific use in a spacecraft is provided. The SSPA has a mass of less than 850 g and includes two different X-band power amplifier sections, i.e., a lumped power amplifier with a single 11-W output and a distributed power amplifier with eight 2.75-W outputs. These two amplifier sections provide output power that is scalable from 11 to 15 watts without major design changes. Five different hybrid microcircuits, including high-efficiency Heterostructure Field Effect Transistor (HFET) amplifiers and Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) phase shifters have been developed for use within the SSPA. A highly efficient packaging approach enables the integration of a large number of hybrid circuits into the SSPA.
Efficiency and cost advantages of an advanced-technology nuclear electrolytic hydrogen-energy production facility
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Donakowski, T. D.; Escher, W. J. D.; Gregory, D. P.
The concept of an advanced-technology (viz., 1985 technology) nuclear-electrolytic water electrolysis facility was assessed for hydrogen production cost and efficiency expectations. The facility integrates (1) a high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor (HTGR) operating a binary work cycle, (2) direct-current (d-c) electricity generation via acyclic generators, and (3) high-current-density, high-pressure electrolyzers using a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE). All subsystems are close-coupled and optimally interfaced for hydrogen production alone (i.e., without separate production of electrical power). Pipeline-pressure hydrogen and oxygen are produced at 6900 kPa (1000 psi). We found that this advanced facility would produce hydrogen at costs that were approximately half those associated with contemporary-technology nuclear electrolysis: $5.36 versus $10.86/million Btu, respectively. The nuclear-heat-to-hydrogen-energy conversion efficiency for the advanced system was estimated as 43%, versus 25% for the contemporary system.
High-efficiency filtration meets IAQ goals
Aaronson, E.L. ); Fencl, F. )
This article describes multi-stage filtration system which provided initial cost savings and is expected to save even more in energy costs while fulfilling IAQ requirements. The use of high-efficiency filtration has enabled the city of Kansas City, Mo., to save an estimated $500,000 in initial HVAC system costs for its Bartle Hall expansion project, which is currently under construction. Once operational, the new HVAC system, with its high-efficiency filters, is expected to save thousands of dollars per week more in energy costs while also delivering superior indoor air quality (IAQ).
Proposal for superstructure based high efficiency photovoltaics
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wagner, M.; Leburton, J. P.
A novel class of cascade structures is proposed which features multijunction upper subcells, referred to as superstructure high-efficiency photovoltaics (SHEPs). The additional junctions enhance spectral response and improve radiation tolerance by reducing bulk recombination losses. This is important because ternary III-V alloys, which tend to have short minority-carrier diffusion lengths, are the only viable materials for the high-bandgap upper subcells required for cascade solar cells. Realistic simulations of AlGaAs SHEPs show that one-sun AM0 efficiencies in excess of 26 percent are possible.
Advanced Analysis Methods in High Energy Physics
Pushpalatha C. Bhat
During the coming decade, high energy physics experiments at the Fermilab Tevatron and around the globe will use very sophisticated equipment to record unprecedented amounts of data in the hope of making major discoveries that may unravel some of Nature's deepest mysteries. The discovery of the Higgs boson and signals of new physics may be around the corner. The use of advanced analysis techniques will be crucial in achieving these goals. The author discusses some of the novel methods of analysis that could prove to be particularly valuable for finding evidence of any new physics, for improving precision measurements and for exploring parameter spaces of theoretical models.
Advanced high frequency partial discharge measuring system
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Karady, George G.
This report explains the Advanced Partial Discharge Measuring System in ASU's High Voltage Laboratory and presents some of the results obtained using the setup. While in operation an insulation is subjected to wide ranging temperature and voltage stresses. Hence, it is necessary to study the effect of temperature on the behavior of partial discharges in an insulation. The setup described in this report can be used to test samples at temperatures ranging from -50 C to 200 C. The aim of conducting the tests described herein is to be able to predict the behavior of an insulation under different operating conditions in addition to being able to predict the possibility of failure.
High-efficiency 20 W yellow VECSEL.
Kantola, Emmi; Leinonen, Tomi; Ranta, Sanna; Tavast, Miki; Guina, Mircea
A high-efficiency optically pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser emitting 20 W at a wavelength around 588 nm is demonstrated. The semiconductor gain chip emitted at a fundamental wavelength around 1170-1180 nm and the laser employed a V-shaped cavity. The yellow spectral range was achieved by intra-cavity frequency doubling using a LBO crystal. The laser could be tuned over a bandwidth of ~26 nm while exhibiting watt-level output powers. The maximum conversion efficiency from absorbed pump power to yellow output was 28% for continuous wave operation. The VECSEL's output could be modulated to generate optical pulses with duration down to 570 ns by directly modulating the pump laser. The high-power pulse operation is a key feature for astrophysics and medical applications while at the same time enables higher slope efficiency than continuous wave operation owing to decreased heating. PMID:24663985
High efficiency novel window air conditioner
Bansal, Pradeep
This paper presents the technical development of a high efficiency window air conditioner. In order to achieve higher energy efficiency ratio (EER), the original capacity of the R410A unit was downgraded by replacing the original compressor with a lower capacity but higher EER compressor, while all heat exchangers and the chassis from the original unit were retained. The other subsequent major modifications included – the AC fan motor being replaced with a brushless high efficiency electronically commuted motor (ECM) motor, the capillary tube being replaced with a needle valve to better control the refrigerant flow and refrigerant set points, andmore » R410A being replaced with drop-in environmentally friendly binary mixture of R32 (85% molar concentration)/R125 (15% molar concentration). All these modifications resulted in significant EER enhancement of the modified unit.« less
High efficiency novel window air conditioner
Bansal, Pradeep
This paper presents the technical development of a high efficiency window air conditioner. In order to achieve higher energy efficiency ratio (EER), the original capacity of the R410A unit was downgraded by replacing the original compressor with a lower capacity but higher EER compressor, while all heat exchangers and the chassis from the original unit were retained. The other subsequent major modifications included – the AC fan motor being replaced with a brushless high efficiency electronically commuted motor (ECM) motor, the capillary tube being replaced with a needle valve to better control the refrigerant flow and refrigerant set points, and R410A being replaced with drop-in environmentally friendly binary mixture of R32 (85% molar concentration)/R125 (15% molar concentration). All these modifications resulted in significant EER enhancement of the modified unit.
Novel Nanophosphors for High Efficiency Fluorescent Lamps
Alok M. Srivastava
This is the Yearly Report of the Novel Nanophosphors for High Efficiency Fluorescent Lamps, Department of Energy (DOE). The overall goal of this three-year program is to develop novel hybrid phosphors by coating commercially available lamp phosphors with highly stable wide band-gap nanocrystalline phosphors (NCP). The novel hybrid phosphors will increase the efficiency of the fluorescent lamps by up to 32%, enabling total energy savings of 0.26 quads, the reduction in the U.S. energy bill by $6.5 billion and the reduction of the annual carbon emission by 4.1 billion kilogram. The prime technical approach is the development of NCP quantum-splitting phosphor (QSP) and ultra-violet emitting phosphors with quantum efficiencies exceeding that of the conventional phosphors at 185 nm. Our chief achievement, during the current contract period, pertains to the successful synthesis and characterization of coated phosphors. We demonstrated several synthesis techniques for the coating of micron sized commercial phosphors with quantum-splitting and UV emitting nanophosphors. We have also continued our fundamental investigations into the physical processes that determine the quantum efficiency of the nanophosphors and this has further helped codify a set of rules for the host lattice that support efficient quantum splitting and UV emission at room temperature. In this report we summarize the technical work completed under the Program, summarize our findings about the performance limits of the various technologies we investigated, and outline promising paths for future work.
Advanced high temperature thermoelectrics for space power
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lockwood, A.; Ewell, R.; Wood, C.
Preliminary results from a spacecraft system study show that an optimum hot junction temperature is in the range of 1500 K for advanced nuclear reactor technology combined with thermoelectric conversion. Advanced silicon germanium thermoelectric conversion is feasible if hot junction temperatures can be raised roughly 100 C or if gallium phosphide can be used to improve the figure of merit, but the performance is marginal. Two new classes of refractory materials, rare earth sulfides and boron-carbon alloys, are being investigated to improve the specific weight of the generator system. Preliminary data on the sulfides have shown very high figures of merit over short temperature ranges. Both n- and p-type doping have been obtained. Pure boron-carbide may extrapolate to high figure of merit at temperatures well above 1500 K but not lower temperature; n-type conduction has been reported by others, but not yet observed in the JPL program. Inadvertant impurity doping may explain the divergence of results reported.
Efficient circuit triggers high-current, high-voltage pulses
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Green, E. D.
Modified circuit uses diodes to effectively disconnect the charging resistors from the circuit during the discharge cycle. Result is an efficient parallel charging, high voltage pulse modulator with low voltage rating of components.
High efficiency compound semiconductor concentrator photovoltaics
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Borden, P.; Gregory, P.; Saxena, R.; Owen, R.; Moore, O.
Special emphasis was given to the high yield pilot production of packaged AlGaAs/GaAs concentrator solar cells, using organometallic VPE for materials growth, the demonstration of a concentrator module using 12 of these cells which achieved 16.4 percent conversion efficiency at 50 C coolant inlet temperature, and the demonstration of a spectral splitting converter module that achieved in excess of 20 percent efficiency. This converter employed ten silicon and ten AlGaAs cells with a dichroic filter functioning as the beam splitter. A monolithic array of AlGaAs/GaAs solar cells is described.
High Efficiency Solar Integrated Roof Membrane Product
Partyka, Eric; Shenoy, Anil
This project was designed to address the Solar Energy Technology Program objective, to develop new methods to integrate photovoltaic (PV) cells or modules within a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) application that will result in lower installed cost as well as higher efficiencies of the encapsulated/embedded PV module. The technology assessment and development focused on the evaluation and identification of manufacturing technologies and equipment capable of producing such low-cost, high-efficiency, flexible BIPV solar cells on single-ply roofing membranes.
Thermal modeling of high efficiency AMTEC cells
Ivanenok, J.F. III; Sievers, R.K.; Crowley, C.J.
Remotely condensed Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Conversion (AMTEC) cells achieve high efficiency by thermally isolating the hot {beta} Alumina Solid Electrolyte (BASE) tube from the cold condensing region. In order to design high efficiency AMTEC cells the designer must understand the heat losses associated with the AMTEC process. The major parasitic heat losses are due to conduction and radiation, and significant coupling of the two mechanisms occurs. This paper describes an effort to characterize the thermal aspects of the model PL-6 AMTEC cell and apply this understanding to the design of a higher efficiency AMTEC cell, model PL-8. Two parallel analyses were used to model the thermal characteristics of PL-6. The first was a lumped node model using the classical electric circuit analogy and the second was a detailed finite-difference model. The lumped node model provides high speed and reasonable accuracy, and the detailed finite-difference model provides a more accurate, as well as visual, description of the cell temperature profiles. The results of the two methods are compared to the as-measured PL-6 data. PL-6 was the first cell to use a micromachined condenser to lower the radiation losses to the condenser, and it achieved a conversion efficiency of 15% (3 W output/20 W Input) at a temperature of 1050 K.
High-Temperature High-Efficiency Solar Thermoelectric Generators
Baranowski, LL; Warren, EL; Toberer, ES
Inspired by recent high-efficiency thermoelectric modules, we consider thermoelectrics for terrestrial applications in concentrated solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs). The STEG is modeled as two subsystems: a TEG, and a solar absorber that efficiently captures the concentrated sunlight and limits radiative losses from the system. The TEG subsystem is modeled using thermoelectric compatibility theory; this model does not constrain the material properties to be constant with temperature. Considering a three-stage TEG based on current record modules, this model suggests that 18% efficiency could be experimentally expected with a temperature gradient of 1000A degrees C to 100A degrees C. Achieving 15% overall STEG efficiency thus requires an absorber efficiency above 85%, and we consider two methods to achieve this: solar-selective absorbers and thermally insulating cavities. When the TEG and absorber subsystem models are combined, we expect that the STEG modeled here could achieve 15% efficiency with optical concentration between 250 and 300 suns.
High efficiency, low cost scrubber upgrades
Klingspor, J.S.; Walters, M.
ABB introduced the LS-2 technology; a limestone based wet FGD system, which is capable of producing high purity gypsum from low grade limestone, in late 1995. Drawing from 30,000 MWe of worldwide wet FGD experience, ABB has incorporated several innovations in the new system designed to reduce the overall cost of SO{sub 2} compliance. Collectively, these improvements are referred to as LS-2. The improvements include a compact high efficiency absorber, a simple dry grinding system, a closed coupled flue gas reheat system, and a tightly integrated dewatering system. The compact absorber includes features such a high velocity spray zone, significantly improved gas-liquid contact system, compact reaction tank, and a high velocity mist eliminator. The LS-2 system is being demonstrated at Ohio Edison's Niles Plant at the 130 MWe level, and this turnkey installation was designed and erected in a 20-month period. At Niles, all of the gypsum is sold to a local wallboard manufacturer. Many of the features included in the LS-2 design and demonstrated at Niles can be used to improve the efficiency and operation of existing systems including open spray towers and tray towers. The SO{sub 2} removal efficiency can be significantly improved by installing the high efficiency LS-2 style spray header design and the unique wall rings. The absorber bypass can be eliminated or reduced by including the LS-2 style high velocity mist eliminator. Also, the LS-2 style spray header design combined with wall rings allow for an increase in absorber gas velocity at a maintained or improved performance without the need for costly upgrades of the absorber recycle pumps. the first upgrade using LS-2 technology was done at CPA's Coal Creek Station (2{times}545 MWe). The experience form the scrubber upgrade at Coal Creek is discussed along with operating results.
Processing technology for high efficiency silicon solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Spitzer, M. B.; Keavney, C. J.
Recent advances in silicon solar cell processing have led to attainment of conversion efficiency approaching 20%. The basic cell design is investigated and features of greatest importance to achievement of 20% efficiency are indicated. Experiments to separately optimize high efficiency design features in test structures are discussed. The integration of these features in a high efficiency cell is examined. Ion implantation has been used to achieve optimal concentrations of emitter dopant and junction depth. The optimization reflects the trade-off between high sheet conductivity, necessary for high fill factor, and heavy doping effects, which must be minimized for high open circuit voltage. A second important aspect of the design experiments is the development of a passivation process to minimize front surface recombination velocity. The manner in which a thin SiO2 layer may be used for this purpose is indicated without increasing reflection losses, if the antireflection coating is properly designed. Details are presented of processing intended to reduce recombination at the contact/Si interface. Data on cell performance (including CZ and ribbon) and analysis of loss mechanisms are also presented.
High efficiency low cost solar cell power
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bekey, I.; Blocker, W.
A concept for generating high-efficiency, low-cost, solar-cell power is outlined with reference to solar cell parameters, optical concentrators, and thermal control procedures. A design for a 12.5-kw power module for space operation is discussed noting the optical system, spectrum splitter, light conversion system, cell cooling, power conditioner, and tracking mechanism. It is found that for an unconcentrated array, efficiency approaches 60% when ten or more bandgaps are used. For a 12-band system, a computer program distributed bandgaps for maximum efficiency and equal cell currents. Rigid materials and thin films have been proposed for optical components and prisms, gratings, and dichroic mirrors have been recommended for spectrum splitting. Various radiator concepts are noted including that of Weatherston and Smith (1960) and Hedgepeth and Knapp (1978). The concept may be suitable for the Solar Power Satellite.
High-efficiency silicon concentrator cell commercialization
Sinton, R.A.; Swanson, R.M.
This report summarizes the first phase of a forty-one month program to develop a commercial, high-efficiency concentrator solar cell and facility for manufacturing it. The period covered is November 1, 1990 to December 31, 1991. This is a joint program between the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Sandia National Laboratories. (This report is also published by EPRI as EPRI report number TR-102035.) During the first year of the program, SunPower accomplished the following major objectives: (1) a new solar cell fabrication facility, which is called the Cell Pilot Line (CPL), (2) a baseline concentrator cell process has been developed, and (3) a cell testing facility has been completed. Initial cell efficiencies are about 23% for the baseline process. The long-range goal is to improve this efficiency to 27%.
High efficiency electrotransformation of Lactobacillus casei.
Welker, Dennis L; Hughes, Joanne E; Steele, James L; Broadbent, Jeff R
We investigated whether protocols allowing high efficiency electrotransformation of other lactic acid bacteria were applicable to five strains of Lactobacillus casei (12A, 32G, A2-362, ATCC 334 and BL23). Addition of 1% glycine or 0.9 M NaCl during cell growth, limitation of the growth of the cell cultures to OD600 0.6-0.8, pre-electroporation treatment of cells with water or with a lithium acetate (100 mM)/dithiothreitol (10 mM) solution and optimization of electroporation conditions all improved transformation efficiencies. However, the five strains varied in their responses to these treatments. Transformation efficiencies of 10(6) colony forming units μg(-1) pTRKH2 DNA and higher were obtained with three strains which is sufficient for construction of chromosomal gene knock-outs and gene replacements. PMID:25670703
Methodologies for high efficiency perovskite solar cells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Park, Nam-Gyu
Since the report on long-term durable solid-state perovskite solar cell in 2012, perovskite solar cells based on lead halide perovskites having organic cations such as methylammonium CH3NH3PbI3 or formamidinium HC(NH2)2PbI3 have received great attention because of superb photovoltaic performance with power conversion efficiency exceeding 22 %. In this review, emergence of perovskite solar cell is briefly introduced. Since understanding fundamentals of light absorbers is directly related to their photovoltaic performance, opto-electronic properties of organo lead halide perovskites are investigated in order to provide insight into design of higher efficiency perovskite solar cells. Since the conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cell is found to depend significantly on perovskite film quality, methodologies for fabricating high quality perovskite films are particularly emphasized, including various solution-processes and vacuum deposition method.
Advanced Modified High Performance Synthetic Jet Actuator with Curved Chamber
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Xu, Tian-Bing (Inventor); Su, Ji (Inventor); Jiang, Xiaoning (Inventor)
The advanced modified high performance synthetic jet actuator with optimized curvature shape chamber (ASJA-M) is a synthetic jet actuator (SJA) with a lower volume reservoir or chamber. A curved chamber is used, instead of the conventional cylinder chamber, to reduce the dead volume of the jet chamber and increase the efficiency of the synthetic jet actuator. The shape of the curvature corresponds to the maximum displacement (deformation) profile of the electroactive diaphragm. The jet velocity and mass flow rate for the ASJA-M will be several times higher than conventional piezoelectric actuators.
High Temperature Wear of Advanced Ceramics
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
DellaCorte, C.
It was initially hypothesized that advanced ceramics would exhibit favorable high te- friction and wear properties because of their high hot hardness and low achievable surface roughness welding observed in metals does not occur in ceramics. More recent tribological studies of many nitride, carbide, oxide and composite ceramics, however, have revealed that ceramics often exhibit high friction and wear in non-lubricated, high temperature sliding contacts. A summary is given to measure friction and wear factor coefficients for a variety of ceramics from self mated ceramic pin-on-disk tests at temperatures from 25 to up to 1200 C. Observed steady state friction coefficients range from about 0.5 to 1.0 or above. Wear factor coefficients are also very high and range from about to 10(exp -5) to 10(exp -2) cubic millimeters per N-m. By comparison, oil lubricated steel sliding results in friction coefficients of 0.1 or less and wear factors less than 10(exp -9) cubic millimeters per N-m.
Towards energy efficient operation of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems via advanced supervisory control design
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Oswiecinska, A.; Hibbs, J.; Zajic, I.; Burnham, K. J.
This paper presents conceptual control solution for reliable and energy efficient operation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems used in large volume building applications, e.g. warehouse facilities or exhibition centres. Advanced two-level scalable control solution, designed to extend capabilities of the existing low-level control strategies via remote internet connection, is presented. The high-level, supervisory controller is based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) architecture, which is the state-of-the-art for indoor climate control systems. The innovative approach benefits from using passive heating and cooling control strategies for reducing the HVAC system operational costs, while ensuring that required environmental conditions are met.
Creation of High Efficient Firefly Luciferase
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nakatsu, Toru
Firefly emits visible yellow-green light. The bioluminescence reaction is carried out by the enzyme luciferase. The bioluminescence of luciferase is widely used as an excellent tool for monitoring gene expression, the measurement of the amount of ATP and in vivo imaging. Recently a study of the cancer metastasis is carried out by in vivo luminescence imaging system, because luminescence imaging is less toxic and more useful for long-term assay than fluorescence imaging by GFP. However the luminescence is much dimmer than fluorescence. Then bioluminescence imaging in living organisms demands the high efficient luciferase which emits near infrared lights or enhances the emission intensity. Here I introduce an idea for creating the high efficient luciferase based on the crystal structure.
The Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) - A Building America Energy Efficient Housing Partnership
Robb Aldrich; Lois Arena; Dianne Griffiths; Srikanth Puttagunta; David Springer
This final report summarizes the work conducted by the Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) (http://www.carb-swa.com/), one of the 'Building America Energy Efficient Housing Partnership' Industry Teams, for the period January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010. The Building America Program (BAP) is part of the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program (BTP). The long term goal of the BAP is to develop cost effective, production ready systems in five major climate zones that will result in zero energy homes (ZEH) that produce as much energy as they use on an annual basis by 2020. CARB is led by Steven Winter Associates, Inc. with Davis Energy Group, Inc. (DEG), MaGrann Associates, and Johnson Research, LLC as team members. In partnership with our numerous builders and industry partners, work was performed in three primary areas - advanced systems research, prototype home development, and technical support for communities of high performance homes. Our advanced systems research work focuses on developing a better understanding of the installed performance of advanced technology systems when integrated in a whole-house scenario. Technology systems researched included: - High-R Wall Assemblies - Non-Ducted Air-Source Heat Pumps - Low-Load HVAC Systems - Solar Thermal Water Heating - Ventilation Systems - Cold-Climate Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps - Hot/Dry Climate Air-to-Water Heat Pump - Condensing Boilers - Evaporative condensers - Water Heating CARB continued to support several prototype home projects in the design and specification phase. These projects are located in all five program climate regions and most are targeting greater than 50% source energy savings over the Building America Benchmark home. CARB provided technical support and developed builder project case studies to be included in near-term Joule Milestone reports for the following community scale projects: - SBER Overlook at Clipper
Advanced High-Definition Video Cameras
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Glenn, William
A product line of high-definition color video cameras, now under development, offers a superior combination of desirable characteristics, including high frame rates, high resolutions, low power consumption, and compactness. Several of the cameras feature a 3,840 2,160-pixel format with progressive scanning at 30 frames per second. The power consumption of one of these cameras is about 25 W. The size of the camera, excluding the lens assembly, is 2 by 5 by 7 in. (about 5.1 by 12.7 by 17.8 cm). The aforementioned desirable characteristics are attained at relatively low cost, largely by utilizing digital processing in advanced field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to perform all of the many functions (for example, color balance and contrast adjustments) of a professional color video camera. The processing is programmed in VHDL so that application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) can be fabricated directly from the program. ["VHDL" signifies VHSIC Hardware Description Language C, a computing language used by the United States Department of Defense for describing, designing, and simulating very-high-speed integrated circuits (VHSICs).] The image-sensor and FPGA clock frequencies in these cameras have generally been much higher than those used in video cameras designed and manufactured elsewhere. Frequently, the outputs of these cameras are converted to other video-camera formats by use of pre- and post-filters.
High-rate counting efficiency of VLPC
Hogue, H.H.
A simple model is applied to describe dependencies of Visible Light Photon Counter (VLPC) characteristics on temperature and operating voltage. Observed counting efficiency losses at high illumination, improved by operating at higher temperature, are seen to be a consequence of de-biasing within the VLPC structure. A design improvement to minimize internal de-biasing for future VLPC generations is considered. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}
High energy efficient solid state laser sources
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Byer, Robert L.
Diode-laser-pumped solid-state laser oscillators and nonlinear processes were investigated. A new generation on nonplanar oscillator was fabricated, and it is anticipated that passive linewidths will be pushed to the kilohertz regime. A number of diode-pumped laser transitions were demonstrated in the rod configuration. Second-harmonic conversion efficiencies as high as 15% are routinely obtained in a servo-locked external resonant doubling crystal at 15 mW cw input power levels at 1064 nm.
Highly efficient spin filtering of ballistic electrons
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Steinmuller, S. J.; Trypiniotis, T.; Cho, W. S.; Hirohata, A.; Lew, W. S.; Vaz, C. A.; Bland, J. A.
Spin dependent electron transport in hybrid Au/Co/Cu/NiFe/n-GaAs spin valve Schottky barrier structures was investigated using photoexcitation at various wavelengths. For excitation with the photon energy well above the Schottky barrier height we found a ˜2400% increase in helicity dependent photocurrent on switching the spin valve from parallel to antiparallel alignment. Our observations provide clear evidence for highly efficient spin filtering of spin polarized ballistic electrons.
High Efficiency Thermoelectric Materials and Devices
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kochergin, Vladimir (Inventor)
Growth of thermoelectric materials in the form of quantum well super-lattices on three-dimensionally structured substrates provide the means to achieve high conversion efficiency of the thermoelectric module combined with inexpensiveness of fabrication and compatibility with large scale production. Thermoelectric devices utilizing thermoelectric materials in the form of quantum well semiconductor super-lattices grown on three-dimensionally structured substrates provide improved thermoelectric characteristics that can be used for power generation, cooling and other applications..
Efficient High-Pressure State Equations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Harstad, Kenneth G.; Miller, Richard S.; Bellan, Josette
A method is presented for a relatively accurate, noniterative, computationally efficient calculation of high-pressure fluid-mixture equations of state, especially targeted to gas turbines and rocket engines. Pressures above I bar and temperatures above 100 K are addressed The method is based on curve fitting an effective reference state relative to departure functions formed using the Peng-Robinson cubic state equation Fit parameters for H2, O2, N2, propane, methane, n-heptane, and methanol are given.
High quality mask storage in an advanced Logic-Fab
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jähnert, Carmen; Fritsche, Silvio
High efficient mask logistics as well as safe and high quality mask storage are essential requirements within an advanced lithography area of a modern logic waferfab. Fast operational availability of the required masks at the exposure tool with excellent mask condition requires a safe mask handling, safeguarding of high mask quality over the whole mask usage time without any quality degradation and an intelligent mask logistics. One big challenge is the prevention of haze on high advanced phase shift masks used in a high volume production line for some thousands of 248nm or 193nm exposures. In 2008 Infineon Dresden qualified a customer specific developed semi-bare mask storage system from DMSDynamic Micro Systems in combination with a high advanced mask handling and an interconnected complex logistic system. This high-capacity mask storage system DMS M1900.22 for more than 3000 masks with fully automated mask and box handling as well as full-blown XCDA purge has been developed and adapted to the Infineon Lithotoollandscape using Nikon and SMIF reticle cases. Advanced features for ESD safety and mask security, mask tracking via RFID and interactions with the exposure tools were developed and implemented. The stocker is remote controlled by the iCADA-RSM system, ordering of the requested mask directly from the affected exposure tool allows fast access. This paper discusses the advantages and challenges for this approach as well as the practical experience gained during the implementation of the new system which improves the fab performance with respect to mask quality, security and throughput. Especially the realization of an extremely low and stable humidity level in addition with a well controlled air flow at each mask surface, preventing masks from haze degradation and particle contamination, turns out to be a notable technical achievement. The longterm stability of haze critical masks has been improved significantly. Relevant environmental parameters like
Tunable C2N Membrane for High Efficient Water Desalination
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang, Yanmei; Li, Weifeng; Zhou, Hongcai; Zhang, Xiaoming; Zhao, Mingwen
Water scarcity represents one of the most serious global problems of our time and challenges the advancements in desalination techniques. Although water-filtering architectures based on graphene have greatly advanced the approach to high performance desalination membranes, the controlled-generation of nanopores with particular diameter is tricky and has stunted its wide applications. Here, through molecular dynamic simulations and first-principles calculations, we propose that the recently reported graphene-like carbon nitride (g-C2N) monolayer can serve as high efficient filters for water desalination. Taking the advantages of the intrisic nanoporous structure and excellent mechanical properties of g-C2N, high water transparency and strong salt filtering capability have been demonstrated in our simulations. More importantly, the "open" and "closed" states of the g-C2N filter can be precisely regulated by tensile strain. It is found that the water permeability of g-C2N is significantly higher than that reported for graphene filters by almost one order of magnitude. In the light of the abundant family of graphene-like carbon nitride monolayered materials, our results thus offer a promising approach to the design of high efficient filteration architectures.
Tunable C2N Membrane for High Efficient Water Desalination.
Yang, Yanmei; Li, Weifeng; Zhou, Hongcai; Zhang, Xiaoming; Zhao, Mingwen
Water scarcity represents one of the most serious global problems of our time and challenges the advancements in desalination techniques. Although water-filtering architectures based on graphene have greatly advanced the approach to high performance desalination membranes, the controlled-generation of nanopores with particular diameter is tricky and has stunted its wide applications. Here, through molecular dynamic simulations and first-principles calculations, we propose that the recently reported graphene-like carbon nitride (g-C2N) monolayer can serve as high efficient filters for water desalination. Taking the advantages of the intrisic nanoporous structure and excellent mechanical properties of g-C2N, high water transparency and strong salt filtering capability have been demonstrated in our simulations. More importantly, the "open" and "closed" states of the g-C2N filter can be precisely regulated by tensile strain. It is found that the water permeability of g-C2N is significantly higher than that reported for graphene filters by almost one order of magnitude. In the light of the abundant family of graphene-like carbon nitride monolayered materials, our results thus offer a promising approach to the design of high efficient filteration architectures. PMID:27384666
Tunable C2N Membrane for High Efficient Water Desalination
Yang, Yanmei; Li, Weifeng; Zhou, Hongcai; Zhang, Xiaoming; Zhao, Mingwen
Water scarcity represents one of the most serious global problems of our time and challenges the advancements in desalination techniques. Although water-filtering architectures based on graphene have greatly advanced the approach to high performance desalination membranes, the controlled-generation of nanopores with particular diameter is tricky and has stunted its wide applications. Here, through molecular dynamic simulations and first-principles calculations, we propose that the recently reported graphene-like carbon nitride (g-C2N) monolayer can serve as high efficient filters for water desalination. Taking the advantages of the intrisic nanoporous structure and excellent mechanical properties of g-C2N, high water transparency and strong salt filtering capability have been demonstrated in our simulations. More importantly, the "open" and "closed" states of the g-C2N filter can be precisely regulated by tensile strain. It is found that the water permeability of g-C2N is significantly higher than that reported for graphene filters by almost one order of magnitude. In the light of the abundant family of graphene-like carbon nitride monolayered materials, our results thus offer a promising approach to the design of high efficient filteration architectures. PMID:27384666
High performance anode for advanced Li batteries
Lake, Carla
The overall objective of this Phase I SBIR effort was to advance the manufacturing technology for ASI's Si-CNF high-performance anode by creating a framework for large volume production and utilization of low-cost Si-coated carbon nanofibers (Si-CNF) for the battery industry. This project explores the use of nano-structured silicon which is deposited on a nano-scale carbon filament to achieve the benefits of high cycle life and high charge capacity without the consequent fading of, or failure in the capacity resulting from stress-induced fracturing of the Si particles and de-coupling from the electrode. ASI's patented coating process distinguishes itself from others, in that it is highly reproducible, readily scalable and results in a Si-CNF composite structure containing 25-30% silicon, with a compositionally graded interface at the Si-CNF interface that significantly improve cycling stability and enhances adhesion of silicon to the carbon fiber support. In Phase I, the team demonstrated the production of the Si-CNF anode material can successfully be transitioned from a static bench-scale reactor into a fluidized bed reactor. In addition, ASI made significant progress in the development of low cost, quick testing methods which can be performed on silicon coated CNFs as a means of quality control. To date, weight change, density, and cycling performance were the key metrics used to validate the high performance anode material. Under this effort, ASI made strides to establish a quality control protocol for the large volume production of Si-CNFs and has identified several key technical thrusts for future work. Using the results of this Phase I effort as a foundation, ASI has defined a path forward to commercialize and deliver high volume and low-cost production of SI-CNF material for anodes in Li-ion batteries.
High efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sah, C. Tang
A review of the entire research program since its inception ten years ago is given. The initial effort focused on the effects of impurities on the efficiency of silicon solar cells to provide figures of maximum allowable impurity density for efficiencies up to about 16 to 17%. Highly accurate experimental techniques were extended to characterize the recombination properties of the residual imputities in the silicon solar cell. A numerical simulator of the solar cell was also developed, using the Circuit Technique for Semiconductor Analysis. Recent effort focused on the delineation of the material and device parameters which limited the silicon efficiency to below 20% and on an investigation of cell designs to break the 20% barrier. Designs of the cell device structure and geometry can further reduce recombination losses as well as the sensitivity and criticalness of the fabrication technology required to exceed 20%. Further research is needed on the fundamental characterization of the carrier recombination properties at the chemical impurity and physical defect centers. It is shown that only single crystalline silicon cell technology can be successful in attaining efficiencies greater than 20%.
Highly efficient fully transparent inverted OLEDs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Meyer, J.; Winkler, T.; Hamwi, S.; Schmale, S.; Kröger, M.; Görrn, P.; Johannes, H.-H.; Riedl, T.; Lang, E.; Becker, D.; Dobbertin, T.; Kowalsky, W.
One of the unique selling propositions of OLEDs is their potential to realize highly transparent devices over the visible spectrum. This is because organic semiconductors provide a large Stokes-Shift and low intrinsic absorption losses. Hence, new areas of applications for displays and ambient lighting become accessible, for instance, the integration of OLEDs into the windshield or the ceiling of automobiles. The main challenge in the realization of fully transparent devices is the deposition of the top electrode. ITO is commonly used as transparent bottom anode in a conventional OLED. To obtain uniform light emission over the entire viewing angle and a low series resistance, a TCO such as ITO is desirable as top contact as well. However, sputter deposition of ITO on top of organic layers causes damage induced by high energetic particles and UV radiation. We have found an efficient process to protect the organic layers against the ITO rf magnetron deposition process of ITO for an inverted OLED (IOLED). The inverted structure allows the integration of OLEDs in more powerful n-channel transistors used in active matrix backplanes. Employing the green electrophosphorescent material Ir(ppy) 3 lead to IOLED with a current efficiency of 50 cd/A and power efficiency of 24 lm/W at 100 cd/m2. The average transmittance exceeds 80 % in the visible region. The on-set voltage for light emission is lower than 3 V. In addition, by vertical stacking we achieved a very high current efficiency of more than 70 cd/A for transparent IOLED.
A high-efficiency focusing Cherenkov radiation detector
Lewis, K.; Moran, M.J.; Hall, J. ); Graser, M. )
A new design uses advanced technology to produce an efficient, high-bandwidth Cherenkov detector for relativistic charged particles. The detector consists of a diamond-lathe machined ultraviolet-grade Lucite radiator, a parabolic focusing mirror, and a photodiode with an S-20 cathode. This article discusses some details of the detector design and describes preliminary measurements of its response characteristics. The data show the detector to have an overall gain of {approx}76 signal electrons per incident electron and a photodiode-limited response time of {approx}450 ps.
High Efficiency Colloidal Quantum Dot Phosphors
Kahen, Keith
The project showed that non-Cd containing, InP-based nanocrystals (semiconductor materials with dimensions of ~6 nm) have high potential for enabling next-generation, nanocrystal-based, on chip phosphors for solid state lighting. Typical nanocrystals fall short of the requirements for on chip phosphors due to their loss of quantum efficiency under the operating conditions of LEDs, such as, high temperature (up to 150 °C) and high optical flux (up to 200 W/cm2). The InP-based nanocrystals invented during this project maintain high quantum efficiency (>80%) in polymer-based films under these operating conditions for emission wavelengths ranging from ~530 to 620 nm. These nanocrystals also show other desirable attributes, such as, lack of blinking (a common problem with nanocrystals which limits their performance) and no increase in the emission spectral width from room to 150 °C (emitters with narrower spectral widths enable higher efficiency LEDs). Prior to these nanocrystals, no nanocrystal system (regardless of nanocrystal type) showed this collection of properties; in fact, other nanocrystal systems are typically limited to showing only one desirable trait (such as high temperature stability) but being deficient in other properties (such as high flux stability). The project showed that one can reproducibly obtain these properties by generating a novel compositional structure inside of the nanomaterials; in addition, the project formulated an initial theoretical framework linking the compositional structure to the list of high performance optical properties. Over the course of the project, the synthetic methodology for producing the novel composition was evolved to enable the synthesis of these nanomaterials at a cost approximately equal to that required for forming typical conventional nanocrystals. Given the above results, the last major remaining step prior to scale up of the nanomaterials is to limit the oxidation of these materials during the tens of
Hemrick, James Gordon
Refractory ceramics can play a critical role in improving the energy efficiency of traditional industrial processes through increased furnace efficiency brought about by the employment of novel refractory systems and techniques. Examples of advances in refractory materials related to aluminum, gasification, glass, and lime are highlighted. Energy savings are realized based on reduction of chemical reactions, elimination of mechanical degradation caused by the service environment, reduction of temperature limitations of materials, and elimination of costly installation and repair needs. Key results of projects resulting from US Department of Energy (DOE) funded research programs are discussed with emphasis on applicability of these results to high temperature furnace applications and needed research directions for the future.
Diagnosis of Thermal Efficiency of Advanced Combined Cycle Power Plants Using Optical Torque Sensors
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Umezawa, Shuichi
A new optical torque measurement method was applied to diagnosis of thermal efficiency of advanced combined cycle, i.e. ACC, plants. Since the ACC power plant comprises a steam turbine and a gas turbine and both of them are connected to the same generator, it is difficult to identify which turbine in the plant deteriorates the performance when the plant efficiency is reduced. The sensor measures axial distortion caused by power transmission by use of He-Ne laser beams, small stainless steel reflectors having bar-code patterns, and a technique of signal processing featuring high frequency. The sensor was applied to the ACC plants of TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, TEPCO, following the success in the application to the early combined cycle plants of TEPCO. The sensor performance was inspected over a year. After an improvement related to the signal process, it is considered that the sensor performance has reached a practical use level.
Advanced Nanostructured Molecular Sieves for Energy Efficient Industrial Separations
Kunhao Li, Michael Beaver
performance of an adsorptive separation unit for propane/propylene separation compared with traditional zeolite adsorbents. The enhanced transport will allow for more efficient utilization of a given adsorbent inventory by reducing process cycle time, allowing a faster production rate with a fixed amount of adsorbent or smaller adsorbent inventory at a fixed production rate. Smaller adsorbent inventory would also lead to significant savings in the capital cost due to smaller footprint of the equipment. Energy consumption calculation, based on the pulse test results for rived NaX zeolite adsorbent, of a hypothetical moderate-scale SMB propane/propylene separation plant that processes 6000 BPSD refinery grade propylene (70% propylene) will consume about 60-80% less energy (both re-boiler and condenser duties) compared to a C3 splitter that process the same amount of feed. This energy saving also translates to a reduction of 30,000-35,000 tons of CO2 emission per year at this moderate processing rate. The enhancement of mass transport achievable by introduction of controlled mesoporosity to the zeolite also opens the door for the technology to be applied to several other adsorption separation processes such as the separation of xylene isomers by SMB, small- and large scale production of O2/N2 from air by pressure swing adsorption, the separation of CO2 from natural gas at natural gas wellheads, and the purification of ultra-high purity H2 from the off gas produced by steam-methane-reforming.
High purity efficient first Stokes Raman laser
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Xiaomeng; Liu, Qinyong; Li, Daijun; Du, Keming
The subject of the solid-state Raman frequency conversion to the yellow frequency spectra has been an active topic since the mid 1990's, because of its application in bio-medical and astronomy fields. However, the yellow laser performance is often limited because of the cascade conversion to second or higher Stokes. This cascade conversion not only limits the conversion efficiency and the output power of the first Stokes, but also degrades the pulse and the beam profile of the first Stokes. We present a type of polarization coupled Raman resonator, in which the higher order ( the second Stokes and higher ) laser output can be dramatically suppressed. Our Raman resonator is pumped by a Q-switched and frequency doubled slab laser, and we can get an almost pure (P559/(P559 +P532)>99%) 559 nm yellow light output with an efficiency over 39% from 532 nm to 559 nm. The resonator includes a high reflection rear mirror, a KGW crystal, a polarization coupled input/output element, and a high reflection output coupler of 559 nm (R559 nm = 0.6). Furthermore, we have proposed an improvement of this polarization coupled Raman resonator. The theoretical calculations of the temporal and spatial dependent Raman conversion equations show that the conversion efficiency of the first order Stokes is greatly enhanced with an additionalλ/2 waveplate for 589 nm and the BBO crystal.
Quantum wells for high-efficiency photovoltaics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Alonso-Álvarez, Diego; Ekins-Daukes, Nicholas
Over the last couple of decades, there has been an intense research on strain balanced semiconductor quantum wells (QW) to increase the efficiency of multi-junction solar (MJ) solar cells grown monolithically on germanium. So far, the most successful application of QWs have required just to tailor a few tens of nanometers the absorption edge of a given subcell in order to reach the optimum spectral position. However, the demand for higher efficiency devices requiring 3, 4 or more junctions, represents a major difference in the challenges QWs must face: tailoring the absorption edge of a host material is not enough, but a complete new device, absorbing light in a different spectral region, must be designed. Among the most important issues to solve is the need for an optically thick structure to absorb enough light while keeping excellent carrier extraction using highly strained materials. Improvement of the growth techniques, smarter device designs - involving superlattices and shifted QWs, for example - or the use of quantum wires rather than QWs, have proven to be very effective steps towards high efficient MJ solar cells based on nanostructures in the last couple of years. But more is to be done to reach the target performances. This work discusses all these challenges, the limitations they represent and the different approaches that are being used to overcome them.
New high-efficiency silicon solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Daud, T.; Crotty, G. T.
A design for silicon solar cells was investigated as an approach to increasing the cell open-circuit voltage and efficiency for flat-plate terrestrial photovoltaic applications. This deviates from past designs, where either the entire front surface of the cell is covered by a planar junction or the surface is textured before junction formation, which results in an even greater (up to 70%) junction area. The heavily doped front region and the junction space charge region are potential areas of high recombination for generated and injected minority carriers. The design presented reduces junction area by spreading equidiameter dot junctions across the surface of the cell, spaced about a diffusion length or less from each other. Various dot diameters and spacings allowed variations in total junction area. A simplified analysis was done to obtain a first-order design optimization. Efficiencies of up to 19% can be obtained. Cell fabrication involved extra masking steps for selective junction diffusion, and made surface passivation a key element in obtaining good collection. It also involved photolithography, with line widths down to microns. A method is demonstrated for achieving potentially high open-circuit voltages and solar-cell efficiencies.
High Efficiency LED Lamp for Solid-State Lighting
James Ibbetson
This report contains a summary of technical achievements during a three-year project to demonstrate high efficiency, solid-state lamps based on gallium nitride/silicon carbide light-emitting diodes. Novel chip designs and fabrication processes are described for a new type of nitride light-emitting diode with the potential for very high efficiency. This work resulted in the demonstration of blue light-emitting diodes in the one watt class that achieved up to 495 mW of light output at 350 mA drive current, corresponding to quantum and wall plug efficiencies of 51% and 45%, respectively. When combined with a phosphor in Cree's 7090 XLamp package, these advanced blue-emitting devices resulted in white light-emitting diodes whose efficacy exceeded 85 lumens per watt. In addition, up to 1040 lumens at greater than 85 lumens per watt was achieved by combining multiple devices to make a compact white lamp module with high optical efficiency.
Baranec, Christoph; Riddle, Reed; Tendulkar, Shriharsh; Hogstrom, Kristina; Bui, Khanh; Dekany, Richard; Kulkarni, Shrinivas; Law, Nicholas M.; Ramaprakash, A. N.; Burse, Mahesh; Chordia, Pravin; Das, Hillol; Punnadi, Sujit
As new large-scale astronomical surveys greatly increase the number of objects targeted and discoveries made, the requirement for efficient follow-up observations is crucial. Adaptive optics imaging, which compensates for the image-blurring effects of Earth's turbulent atmosphere, is essential for these surveys, but the scarcity, complexity and high demand of current systems limit their availability for following up large numbers of targets. To address this need, we have engineered and implemented Robo-AO, a fully autonomous laser adaptive optics and imaging system that routinely images over 200 objects per night with an acuity 10 times sharper at visible wavelengths than typically possible from the ground. By greatly improving the angular resolution, sensitivity, and efficiency of 1-3 m class telescopes, we have eliminated a major obstacle in the follow-up of the discoveries from current and future large astronomical surveys.
High power infrared QCLs: advances and applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Patel, C. Kumar N.
QCLs are becoming the most important sources of laser radiation in the midwave infrared (MWIR) and longwave infrared (LWIR) regions because of their size, weight, power and reliability advantages over other laser sources in the same spectral regions. The availability of multiwatt RT operation QCLs from 3.5 μm to >16 μm with wall plug efficiency of 10% or higher is hastening the replacement of traditional sources such as OPOs and OPSELs in many applications. QCLs can replace CO2 lasers in many low power applications. Of the two leading groups in improvements in QCL performance, Pranalytica is the commercial organization that has been supplying the highest performance QCLs to various customers for over four year. Using a new QCL design concept, the non-resonant extraction [1], we have achieved CW/RT power of >4.7 W and WPE of >17% in the 4.4 μm - 5.0 μm region. In the LWIR region, we have recently demonstrated QCLs with CW/RT power exceeding 1 W with WPE of nearly 10 % in the 7.0 μm-10.0 μm region. In general, the high power CW/RT operation requires use of TECs to maintain QCLs at appropriate operating temperatures. However, TECs consume additional electrical power, which is not desirable for handheld, battery-operated applications, where system power conversion efficiency is more important than just the QCL chip level power conversion efficiency. In high duty cycle pulsed (quasi-CW) mode, the QCLs can be operated without TECs and have produced nearly the same average power as that available in CW mode with TECs. Multiwatt average powers are obtained even in ambient T>70°C, with true efficiency of electrical power-to-optical power conversion being above 10%. Because of the availability of QCLs with multiwatt power outputs and wavelength range covering a spectral region from ~3.5 μm to >16 μm, the QCLs have found instantaneous acceptance for insertion into multitude of defense and homeland security applications, including laser sources for infrared
Highly efficient Raman distributed feedback fibre lasers.
Shi, Jindan; Alam, Shaif-ul; Ibsen, Morten
We demonstrate highly efficient Raman distributed feedback (DFB) fibre lasers for the first time with up to 1.6 W of continuous wave (CW) output power. The DFB Bragg gratings are written directly into two types of commercially available passive germano-silica fibres. Two lasers of 30 cm length are pumped with up to 15 W of CW power at 1068 nm. The threshold power is ~2 W for a Raman-DFB (R-DFB) laser written in standard low-NA fibre, and only ~1 W for a laser written in a high-NA fibre, both of which oscillate in a narrow linewidth of <0.01 nm at ~1117 nm and ~1109 nm, respectively. The slope efficiencies are ~74% and ~93% with respect to absorbed pump power in the low-NA fibre and high-NA fibre respectively. Such high conversion efficiency suggests that very little energy is lost in the form of heat through inefficient energy transfer. Our results are supported by numerical simulations, and furthermore open up for the possibility of having narrow linewidth all-fibre laser sources in wavelength bands not traditionally covered by rare-earth doped silica fibres. Simulations also imply that this technology has the potential to produce even shorter R-DFB laser devices at the centimetre-level and with mW-level thresholds, if Bragg gratings formed in fibre materials with higher intrinsic Raman gain coefficient than silica are used. These materials include for example tellurite or chalcogenide glasses. Using glasses like these would also open up the possibility of having narrow linewidth fibre sources with DFB laser oscillating much further into the IR than what currently is possible with rare-earth doped silica glasses. PMID:22418313
Latest advances in high brightness disk lasers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kuhn, Vincent; Gottwald, Tina; Stolzenburg, Christian; Schad, Sven-Silvius; Killi, Alexander; Ryba, Tracey
In the last decade diode pumped solid state lasers have become an important tool for many industrial materials processing applications. They combine ease of operation with efficiency, robustness and low cost. This paper will give insight in latest progress in disk laser technology ranging from kW-class CW-Lasers over frequency converted lasers to ultra-short pulsed lasers. The disk laser enables high beam quality at high average power and at high peak power at the same time. The power from a single disk was scaled from 1 kW around the year 2000 up to more than 10 kW nowadays. Recently was demonstrated more than 4 kW of average power from a single disk close to fundamental mode beam quality (M²=1.38). Coupling of multiple disks in a common resonator results in even higher power. As an example we show 20 kW extracted from two disks of a common resonator. The disk also reduces optical nonlinearities making it ideally suited for short and ultrashort pulsed lasers. In a joint project between TRUMPF and IFSW Stuttgart more than 1.3 kW of average power at ps pulse duration and exceptionally good beam quality was recently demonstrated. The extremely low saturated gain makes the disk laser ideal for internal frequency conversion. We show >1 kW average power and >6 kW peak power in multi ms pulsed regime from an internally frequency doubled disk laser emitting at 515 nm (green). Also external frequency conversion can be done efficiently with ns pulses. >500 W of average UV power was demonstrated.
Wavelength Scaling of High Harmonic Generation Efficiency
Shiner, A. D.; Trallero-Herrero, C.; Kajumba, N.; Corkum, P. B.; Villeneuve, D. M.; Bandulet, H.-C.; Comtois, D.; Legare, F.; Giguere, M.; Kieffer, J-C.
Using longer wavelength laser drivers for high harmonic generation is desirable because the highest extreme ultraviolet frequency scales as the square of the wavelength. Recent numerical studies predict that high harmonic efficiency falls dramatically with increasing wavelength, with a very unfavorable lambda{sup -(5-6)} scaling. We performed an experimental study of the high harmonic yield over a wavelength range of 800-1850 nm. A thin gas jet was employed to minimize phase matching effects, and the laser intensity and focal spot size were kept constant as the wavelength was changed. Ion yield was simultaneously measured so that the total number of emitting atoms was known. We found that the scaling at constant laser intensity is lambda{sup -6.3+}-{sup 1.1} in Xe and lambda{sup -6.5+}-{sup 1.1} in Kr over the wavelength range of 800-1850 nm, somewhat worse than the theoretical predictions.
Method and system for advancement of a borehole using a high power laser
Moxley, Joel F.; Land, Mark S.; Rinzler, Charles C.; Faircloth, Brian O.; Zediker, Mark S.
There is provided a system, apparatus and methods for the laser drilling of a borehole in the earth. There is further provided with in the systems a means for delivering high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to advance such boreholes deep into the earth and at highly efficient advancement rates, a laser bottom hole assembly, and fluid directing techniques and assemblies for removing the displaced material from the borehole.
High Efficiency Thermoelectric Radioisotope Power Systems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
El-Genk, Mohamed; Saber, Hamed; Caillat, Thierry
The work performed and whose results presented in this report is a joint effort between the University of New Mexico s Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies (ISNPS) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology. In addition to the development, design, and fabrication of skutterudites and skutterudites-based segmented unicouples this effort included conducting performance tests of these unicouples for hundreds of hours to verify theoretical predictions of the conversion efficiency. The performance predictions of these unicouples are obtained using 1-D and 3-D models developed for that purpose and for estimating the actual performance and side heat losses in the tests conducted at ISNPS. In addition to the performance tests, the development of the 1-D and 3-D models and the development of Advanced Radioisotope Power systems for Beginning-Of-Life (BOM) power of 108 We are carried out at ISNPS. The materials synthesis and fabrication of the unicouples are carried out at JPL. The research conducted at ISNPS is documented in chapters 2-5 and that conducted at JP, in documented in chapter 5. An important consideration in the design and optimization of segmented thermoelectric unicouples (STUs) is determining the relative lengths, cross-section areas, and the interfacial temperatures of the segments of the different materials in the n- and p-legs. These variables are determined using a genetic algorithm (GA) in conjunction with one-dimensional analytical model of STUs that is developed in chapter 2. Results indicated that when optimized for maximum conversion efficiency, the interfacial temperatures between various segments in a STU are close to those at the intersections of the Figure-Of-Merit (FOM), ZT, curves of the thermoelectric materials of the adjacent segments. When optimizing the STUs for maximum electrical power density, however, the interfacial temperatures are different from those at the intersections of the ZT curves, but
Advanced Nano-Composites for Increased Energy Efficiency
This factsheet describes a research project whose goal is to increase energy efficiency and operating lifetime of wear-intensive industrial components and systems by developing and commercializing a family of ceramic-based monolithic composites that have shown remarkable resistance to wear in laboratory tests.
High Quantum Efficiency OLED Lighting Systems
Shiang, Joseph
The overall goal of the program was to apply improvements in light outcoupling technology to a practical large area plastic luminaire, and thus enable the product vision of an extremely thin form factor high efficiency large area light source. The target substrate was plastic and the baseline device was operating at 35 LPW at the start of the program. The target LPW of the program was a >2x improvement in the LPW efficacy and the overall amount of light to be delivered was relatively high 900 lumens. Despite the extremely difficult challenges associated with scaling up a wet solution process on plastic substrates, the program was able to make substantial progress. A small molecule wet solution process was successfully implemented on plastic substrates with almost no loss in efficiency in transitioning from the laboratory scale glass to large area plastic substrates. By transitioning to a small molecule based process, the LPW entitlement increased from 35 LPW to 60 LPW. A further 10% improvement in outcoupling efficiency was demonstrated via the use of a highly reflecting cathode, which reduced absorptive loss in the OLED device. The calculated potential improvement in some cases is even larger, ~30%, and thus there is considerable room for optimism in improving the net light coupling efficacy, provided absorptive loss mechanisms are eliminated. Further improvements are possible if scattering schemes such as the silver nanowire based hard coat structure are fully developed. The wet coating processes were successfully scaled to large area plastic substrate and resulted in the construction of a 900 lumens luminaire device.
Advanced processing technology for high-efficiency, thin-film CuInSe{sub 2} and CdTe solar cells. Final subcontract report, March 1, 1992--April 30, 1995
Morel, D.L.; Ferekides, C.S.
This report describes work performed by the University of South Florida to develop a manufacturing-friendly fabrication process for CuInSe{sub 2} (CIS) solar cells. The process developed under this project uses conventional deposition processes and equipment, does not require stringent process control, and uses elemental Se as the selenium source. The authors believe it can be readily scaled up using off-the-shelf processing equipment and that it will meet the low manufacturing-cost objectives. Another significant achievement under this project was the development of a reactive sputtering deposition technology for ZnO. ZnO is used in many solar cell devices, and sputtering is a desirable manufacturing technology. The application of sputtering has been limited because conventional deposition uses ceramic targets that result in low sputtering rates. The use of Zn metal as the target in reactive sputtering overcomes this limitation. The authors have demonstrated that ZnO deposited by reactive sputtering has state-of-the-art opto-electronic properties. These developments result in large-area uniformity and optimized performance and provide a significant opportunity for applying and commercializing the technology. The second objective of this project was to fabricate high-efficiency CdTe solar cells using manufacturing-friendly processes. Three deposition processes were used to deposit CdS films: chemical bath deposition, rf sputtering, and close-spaced sublimation (CSS). The CdTe films were deposited by CSS. A cell with a record efficiency of 15.8% was obtained.
High efficiency x-band TWT amplifiers
Naqvi, S.; Kerslick, G.S.; Nation, J.A.; Wang, Q.
The authors report on a research program to increase the efficiency of relativistic traveling wave amplifiers to > 50%. The two stage amplifier consists of a bunching periodic structure with phase velocity and a decelerating section with phase velocity significantly lower than the beam velocity. The position of the decelerating stage with respect to the bunching stage is chosen such that the narrowest bunches are sustained in the decelerating field for the longest possible time before significant debunching occurs. Two schemes are under investigation. In the first scheme, a resistive sever is placed between the two stages to suppress temporal phenomena. In the second scheme, the bunching and decelerating stages merge into each other by a gradual change in the iris radius over a wavelength. An absorbing section in this case is placed before the start of the bunching stage. A Coaxial extraction geometry is used in both schemes. Efficiencies obtained from MAGIC simulations are comparable to those obtained in high efficiency klystrons (50--50%) but carry the important advantage of broad-bandwidth, low sensitivity on dimensions, low surface fields, and simplicity of design.
Multi-bandgap high efficiency converter (RAINBOW)
Lewis, C.R.; Phillips, W.M.; Shields, V.B.; Stella, P.M.; Bekey, I.
Many proposals have been made to increase solar array efficiency by using two or more cells with appropriately spaced bandgaps to span a greater portion of the incident spectrum. One such technique is to split the solar spectrum and focus each portion on a different cell bandgap. Each bandgap is selected to best match the input spectral portion and thus obtain maximum efficiency. This paper reports on the reexamination of the spectrally split, individually matched cell approach using modern-day optics and lightweight structures. The RAINBOW multi-bandgap system represents a unique combination of solar cells, concentrators and beam splitters. The use of separate cells offers the widest possible scope of material choices. Many different component combinations are possible. The relatively low temperature operation, due to reduced thermal input per cell, adds to the performance increase. Finally, RAINBOW is a flexible system which can readily expand as new high efficiency components are developed. Based to a large extent on data for real cells and optical components, RAINBOW is expected to convert over 40% of incident solar energy to electricity at the system level. This conclusion is based on preliminary analyses of cell and optics performances.
High efficiency quadruple junction solar cells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bestam, R.; Aissat, A.; Vilcot, J. P.
This work focuses on the modeling and optimization of a structure based on InGaP/InGaAs/InGaAsN/Ge for photovoltaic. In this study we took into consideration the concentration effect of alloys x (In) and y (N) on the strain, the bandgap, the absorption and structure efficiency. It has been shown that the concentration of indium varies the strain and the bandgap. These two parameters change considerably the yield. Also it optimized the effect of alloys on the total absorption of the structure. For a concentration of indium x = 0.40 and y = 0.03 we had a absorption coefficient which is equal to 2 × 106 cm-1. We have found 50% efficiency for the multi-junction structure based on In0.55Ga0.45P/In0.40Ga0.60As/In0.30Ga0.70As0.97N0.03/Ge. To achieve a reliable high efficiency multi-junction structure, we just need to optimize the concentrations of different alloys.
Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology (UEET), Proof of Concept Compressor, Advanced Compressor Casing T
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology (UEET), Proof of Concept Compressor, Advanced Compressor Casing Treatment testing; close up - throttle valve -wide open; oil and air lines plus instrumentation between collector and gearbox.
High-efficiency nanostructured window GaAs solar cells.
Liang, Dong; Kang, Yangsen; Huo, Yijie; Chen, Yusi; Cui, Yi; Harris, James S
Nanostructures have been widely used in solar cells due to their extraordinary optical properties. In most nanostructured cells, high short circuit current has been obtained due to enhanced light absorption. However, most of them suffer from lowered open circuit voltage and fill factor. One of the main challenges is formation of good junction and electrical contact. In particular, nanostructures in GaAs only have shown unsatisfactory performances (below 5% in energy conversion efficiency) which cannot match their ideal material properties and the record photovoltaic performances in industry. Here we demonstrate a completely new design for nanostructured solar cells that combines nanostructured window layer, metal mesa bar contact with small area, high quality planar junction. In this way, we not only keep the advanced optical properties of nanostructures such as broadband and wide angle antireflection, but also minimize its negative impact on electrical properties. High light absorption, efficient carrier collection, leakage elimination, and good lateral conductance can be simultaneously obtained. A nanostructured window cell using GaAs junction and AlGaAs nanocone window demonstrates 17% energy conversion efficiency and 0.982 V high open circuit voltage. PMID:24021024
High Efficiency, Illumination Quality OLEDs for Lighting
Joseph Shiang; James Cella; Kelly Chichak; Anil Duggal; Kevin Janora; Chris Heller; Gautam Parthasarathy; Jeffery Youmans; Joseph Shiang
The goal of the program was to demonstrate a 45 lumen per watt white light device based upon the use of multiple emission colors through the use of solution processing. This performance level is a dramatic extension of the team's previous 15 LPW large area illumination device. The fundamental material system was based upon commercial polymer materials. The team was largely able to achieve these goals, and was able to deliver to DOE a 90 lumen illumination source that had an average performance of 34 LPW a 1000 cd/m{sup 2} with peak performances near 40LPW. The average color temperature is 3200K and the calculated CRI 85. The device operated at a brightness of approximately 1000cd/m{sup 2}. The use of multiple emission colors particularly red and blue, provided additional degrees of design flexibility in achieving white light, but also required the use of a multilayered structure to separate the different recombination zones and prevent interconversion of blue emission to red emission. The use of commercial materials had the advantage that improvements by the chemical manufacturers in charge transport efficiency, operating life and material purity could be rapidly incorporated without the expenditure of additional effort. The program was designed to take maximum advantage of the known characteristics of these material and proceeded in seven steps. (1) Identify the most promising materials, (2) assemble them into multi-layer structures to control excitation and transport within the OLED, (3) identify materials development needs that would optimize performance within multilayer structures, (4) build a prototype that demonstrates the potential entitlement of the novel multilayer OLED architecture (5) integrate all of the developments to find the single best materials set to implement the novel multilayer architecture, (6) further optimize the best materials set, (7) make a large area high illumination quality white OLED. A photo of the final deliverable is shown. In
Advanced techniques and technology for efficient data storage, access, and transfer
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Rice, Robert F.; Miller, Warner
Advanced techniques for efficiently representing most forms of data are being implemented in practical hardware and software form through the joint efforts of three NASA centers. These techniques adapt to local statistical variations to continually provide near optimum code efficiency when representing data without error. Demonstrated in several earlier space applications, these techniques are the basis of initial NASA data compression standards specifications. Since the techniques clearly apply to most NASA science data, NASA invested in the development of both hardware and software implementations for general use. This investment includes high-speed single-chip very large scale integration (VLSI) coding and decoding modules as well as machine-transferrable software routines. The hardware chips were tested in the laboratory at data rates as high as 700 Mbits/s. A coding module's definition includes a predictive preprocessing stage and a powerful adaptive coding stage. The function of the preprocessor is to optimally process incoming data into a standard form data source that the second stage can handle.The built-in preprocessor of the VLSI coder chips is ideal for high-speed sampled data applications such as imaging and high-quality audio, but additionally, the second stage adaptive coder can be used separately with any source that can be externally preprocessed into the 'standard form'. This generic functionality assures that the applicability of these techniques and their recent high-speed implementations should be equally broad outside of NASA.
Advances in high power and high brightness laser bars with enhanced reliability
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
An, Haiyan; Jiang, Ching-Long (John); Xiong, Yihan; Inyang, Aloysius; Zhang, Qiang; Lewin, Alexander; Strohmaier, Stephan; Treusch, Georg
The advances in laser-diode technology have enabled high efficiency direct diode base modules to emerge as a building block for industrial high power laser systems. Consequently, these systems have been implemented with advance robust, higher-brightness and reliable laser sources for material processing application. Here at the company, we use low-fill factor bars to build fiber-coupled and passively cooled modules, which form the foundation for "TruDiode," the series of TRUMPF direct diode laser systems that can perform in the multi-kilowatt arena with high beam quality. However, higher reliable output power, additional efficiency and greater slow axis beam quality of the high power laser bars are necessary to further increase the brightness and reduce the cost of the systems. In order to improve the slow axis beam quality, we have optimized the bar epitaxial structures as well as the lateral design. The detailed near field and far field studies of the slow axis for each individual emitters on the bar provide us with information about the dependency of beam quality as a function of the drive current. Based on these study results for direct diode application, we have optimized the high brightness bar designs at 900-1070nm wavelengths. In addition, high power and high efficiency laser bars with high fill factors have been used to build the pump sources for thin disc laser systems at TRUMPF Photonics. For better system performances with lower costs, we have further optimized bar designs for this application. In this paper, we will give an overview of our recent advances in high power and brightness laser bars with enhanced reliability. We will exhibit beam quality study, polarization and reliability test results of our laser bars in the 900-1070nm wavelengths region for coarse wavelength multiplexing. Finally, we will also present the performance and reliability results of the 200W bar, which will be used for our next generation thin disk laser pump source.
High-Aperture-Efficiency Horn Antenna
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Pickens, Wesley; Hoppe, Daniel; Epp, Larry; Kahn, Abdur
A horn antenna (see Figure 1) has been developed to satisfy requirements specific to its use as an essential component of a high-efficiency Ka-band amplifier: The combination of the horn antenna and an associated microstrip-patch antenna array is required to function as a spatial power divider that feeds 25 monolithic microwave integrated-circuit (MMIC) power amplifiers. The foregoing requirement translates to, among other things, a further requirement that the horn produce a uniform, vertically polarized electromagnetic field in its patches identically so that the MMICs can operate at maximum efficiency. The horn is fed from a square waveguide of 5.9436-mm-square cross section via a transition piece. The horn features cosine-tapered, dielectric-filled longitudinal corrugations in its vertical walls to create a hard boundary condition: This aspect of the horn design causes the field in the horn aperture to be substantially vertically polarized and to be nearly uniform in amplitude and phase. As used here, cosine-tapered signifies that the depth of the corrugations is a cosine function of distance along the horn. Preliminary results of finite-element simulations of performance have shown that by virtue of the cosine taper the impedance response of this horn can be expected to be better than has been achieved previously in a similar horn having linearly tapered dielectric- filled longitudinal corrugations. It is possible to create a hard boundary condition by use of a single dielectric-filled corrugation in each affected wall, but better results can be obtained with more corrugations. Simulations were performed for a one- and a three-corrugation cosine-taper design. For comparison, a simulation was also performed for a linear- taper design (see Figure 2). The three-corrugation design was chosen to minimize the cost of fabrication while still affording acceptably high performance. Future designs using more corrugations per wavelength are expected to provide better
Magnetic Refrigeration Technology for High Efficiency Air Conditioning
Boeder, A; Zimm, C
Magnetic refrigeration was investigated as an efficient, environmentally friendly, flexible alternative to conventional residential vapor compression central air conditioning systems. Finite element analysis (FEA) models of advanced geometry active magnetic regenerator (AMR) beds were developed to minimize bed size and thus magnet mass by optimizing geometry for fluid flow and heat transfer and other losses. Conventional and magnetocaloric material (MCM) regenerator fabrication and assembly techniques were developed and advanced geometry passive regenerators were built and tested. A subscale engineering prototype (SEP) magnetic air conditioner was designed, constructed and tested. A model of the AMR cycle, combined with knowledge from passive regenerator experiments and FEA results, was used to design the regenerator beds. A 1.5 Tesla permanent magnet assembly was designed using FEA and the bed structure and plenum design was extensively optimized using FEA. The SEP is a flexible magnetic refrigeration platform, with individually instrumented beds and high flow rate and high frequency capability, although the current advanced regenerator geometry beds do not meet performance expectations, probably due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances. A model of the AMR cycle was used to optimize the design of a 3 ton capacity magnetic air conditioner, and the system design was iterated to minimize external parasitic losses such as heat exchanger pressure drop and fan power. The manufacturing cost for the entire air conditioning system was estimated, and while the estimated SEER efficiency is high, the magnetic air conditioning system is not cost competitive as currently configured. The 3 ton study results indicate that there are other applications where magnetic refrigeration is anticipated to have cost advantages over conventional systems, especially applications where magnetic refrigeration, through the use of its aqueous heat transfer fluid, could eliminate intermediate
Vacuum MOCVD fabrication of high efficience cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Partain, L. D.; Fraas, L. M.; Mcleod, P. S.; Cape, J. A.
Vacuum metal-organic-chemical-vapor-deposition (MOCVD) is a new fabrication process with improved safety and easier scalability due to its metal rather than glass construction and its uniform multiport gas injection system. It uses source materials more efficiently than other methods because the vacuum molecular flow conditions allow the high sticking coefficient reactants to reach the substrates as undeflected molecular beams and the hot chamber walls cause the low sticking coefficient reactants to bounce off the walls and interact with the substrates many times. This high source utilization reduces the materials costs power device and substantially decreases the amounts of toxic materials that must be handled as process effluents. The molecular beams allow precise growth control. With improved source purifications, vacuum MOCVD has provided p GaAs layers with 10-micron minority carrier diffusion lengths and GaAs and GaAsSb solar cells with 20% AMO efficiencies at 59X and 99X sunlight concentration ratios. Mechanical stacking has been identified as the quickest, most direct and logical path to stacked multiple-junction solar cells that perform better than the best single-junction devices. The mechanical stack is configured for immediate use in solar arrays and allows interconnections that improve the system end-of-life performance in space.
Efficient high-permeability fracturing offshore
Phillipi, M.; Farabee, M.
Offshore operators can more efficiently and effectively perform high-permeability and conventional hydraulic fracture treatments by blending treatment slurries under microprocessor control, adding undiluted acid on-the-fly, and altering sand concentrations and other slurry properties instantaneously. A two-skid system has been designed with these considerations in mind. The system, which can be shipped efficiently in ISO containers, has been tested on fluids up to 210-cp viscosity and can step or ramp sand concentrations up to a maximum of 20 lb/gal. All additives, including acid treatments, are added on-the-fly; leftover additives and acids may be stored for future jobs. The system may be applied in most conditions, including offshore wells requiring conventional or high-permeability fracture treatments and certain land-based wells in remote areas where a compact skid is needed. Three significant benefits have resulted from using the compact-skid system: offshore operators have been able to ship the skid system at 20% of shipping costs of non-ISO equipment; on-the-fly mixing has prevented material waste associated with batch-mixing; and volumes pumped on actual jobs have closely matched job designs. Data have been collected from several Gulf of Mexico jobs run with the two-part skid system that has been designed for conducting hydraulic fracture treatments from offshore rigs.
Integrating advanced facades into high performance buildings
Selkowitz, Stephen E.
Glass is a remarkable material but its functionality is significantly enhanced when it is processed or altered to provide added intrinsic capabilities. The overall performance of glass elements in a building can be further enhanced when they are designed to be part of a complete facade system. Finally the facade system delivers the greatest performance to the building owner and occupants when it becomes an essential element of a fully integrated building design. This presentation examines the growing interest in incorporating advanced glazing elements into more comprehensive facade and building systems in a manner that increases comfort, productivity and amenity for occupants, reduces operating costs for building owners, and contributes to improving the health of the planet by reducing overall energy use and negative environmental impacts. We explore the role of glazing systems in dynamic and responsive facades that provide the following functionality: Enhanced sun protection and cooling load control while improving thermal comfort and providing most of the light needed with daylighting; Enhanced air quality and reduced cooling loads using natural ventilation schemes employing the facade as an active air control element; Reduced operating costs by minimizing lighting, cooling and heating energy use by optimizing the daylighting-thermal tradeoffs; Net positive contributions to the energy balance of the building using integrated photovoltaic systems; Improved indoor environments leading to enhanced occupant health, comfort and performance. In addressing these issues facade system solutions must, of course, respect the constraints of latitude, location, solar orientation, acoustics, earthquake and fire safety, etc. Since climate and occupant needs are dynamic variables, in a high performance building the facade solution have the capacity to respond and adapt to these variable exterior conditions and to changing occupant needs. This responsive performance capability
OAK B202 HIGH EFFICIENCY GENERATION OF HYDROGEN FUELS USING NUCLEAR POWER. Combustion of fossil fuels, used to power transportation, generate electricity, heat homes and fuel industry provides 86% of the world's energy. Drawbacks to fossil fuel utilization include limited supply, pollution, and carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions, thought to be responsible for global warming, are now the subject of international treaties. Together, these drawbacks argue for the replacement of fossil fuels with a less-polluting potentially renewable primary energy such as nuclear energy. Conventional nuclear plants readily generate electric power but fossil fuels are firmly entrenched in the transportation sector. Hydrogen is an environmentally attractive transportation fuel that has the potential to displace fossil fuels. Hydrogen will be particularly advantageous when coupled with fuel cells. Fuel cells have higher efficiency than conventional battery/internal combustion engine combinations and do not produce nitrogen oxides during low-temperature operation. Contemporary hydrogen production is primarily based on fossil fuels and most specifically on natural gas. When hydrogen is produced using energy derived from fossil fuels, there is little or no environmental advantage. There is currently no large scale, cost-effective, environmentally attractive hydrogen production process available for commercialization, nor has such a process been identified. The objective of this work is to find an economically feasible process for the production of hydrogen, by nuclear means, using an advanced high-temperature nuclear reactor as the primary energy source. Hydrogen production by thermochemical water-splitting (Appendix A), a chemical process that accomplishes the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen using only heat or, in the case of a hybrid thermochemical process, by a combination of heat and electrolysis, could meet these goals. Hydrogen produced from fossil
College Credit Earned in High School: Comparing Student Performance in Project Advance and Advanced Placement.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mercurio, Joseph A.; And Others
Syracuse University's Project Advance (one of the first high school college cooperative programs in the United States through which college courses, taught in high schools by high school faculty, are taken for college credit) is described. (MLW)
High-Efficiency Microwave Power Amplifier
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sims, Williams H.
A high-efficiency power amplifier that operates in the S band (frequencies of the order of a few gigahertz) utilizes transistors operating under class-D bias and excitation conditions. Class-D operation has been utilized at lower frequencies, but, until now, has not been exploited in the S band. Nominally, in class D operation, a transistor is switched rapidly between "on" and "off" states so that at any given instant, it sustains either high current or high voltage, but not both at the same time. In the ideal case of zero "on" resistance, infinite "off" resistance, zero inductance and capacitance, and perfect switching, the output signal would be a perfect square wave. Relative to the traditional classes A, B, and C of amplifier operation, class D offers the potential to achieve greater power efficiency. In addition, relative to class-A amplifiers, class-D amplifiers are less likely to go into oscillation. In order to design this amplifier, it was necessary to derive mathematical models of microwave power transistors for incorporation into a larger mathematical model for computational simulation of the operation of a class-D microwave amplifier. The design incorporates state-of-the-art switching techniques applicable only in the microwave frequency range. Another major novel feature is a transmission-line power splitter/combiner designed with the help of phasing techniques to enable an approximation of a square-wave signal (which is inherently a wideband signal) to propagate through what would, if designed in a more traditional manner, behave as a more severely band-limited device (see figure). The amplifier includes an input, a driver, and a final stage. Each stage contains a pair of GaAs-based field-effect transistors biased in class D. The input signal can range from -10 to +10 dBm into a 50-ohm load. The table summarizes the performances of the three stages
Novel Nanophosphors for High Efficiency Fluorescent Lamps
Alok Srivatava
This is the Final Report of the Novel Nanophosphors for High Efficiency Fluorescent Lamps, Department of Energy (DOE). The overall goal of this three-year program is to develop novel hybrid phosphors by coating commercially available lamp phosphors with highly stable wide band-gap nanocrystalline phosphors (NCP). The prime technical approach is the development of NCP quantum-splitting phosphor (QSP) and ultra-violet (UV) emitting phosphors with quantum efficiencies exceeding that of the conventional phosphors at 185 nm. The novel hybrid phosphors will increase the efficiency of the fluorescent lamps by up to 32%, enabling total energy savings of 0.26 quads, the reduction in the U.S. energy bill by $6.5 billion and the reduction of the annual carbon emission by 4.1 billion kilogram. Our work started by investigating through modeling calculations the requirement for the particle size of the NCP. Our work to develop suitable nanocrystalline phosphors started with the known oxide quantum splitting and UV emitting phosphors. We demonstrated several synthesis techniques for the production of high quality nanocrystalline materials that crystallizes in the desired phase and with the desired particle size. In collaboration with our subcontractor we demonstrated the feasibility for the manufacture of NC phosphors. We also demonstrated novel techniques of coating the NCP on the surface of micron sized phosphors. Our chief achievement pertains to the successful testing of the coated hybrid phosphor systems in linear fluorescent lamps. In linear fluorescent lamp tests, we have demonstrated up to 7% increase in the efficacy of hybrid phosphors over the conventional (uncoated) phosphors. We have also demonstrated the improvement in the lumen maintenance of the coated phosphors. A hybrid phosphor system based on the commercial red emitting phosphor, Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} did not show the anticipated improvement in lamp efficacy. We explored the reasons for this observation
Efficient Compression of High Resolution Climate Data
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yin, J.; Schuchardt, K. L.
resolution climate data can be massive. Those data can consume a huge amount of disk space for storage, incur significant overhead for outputting data during simulation, introduce high latency for visualization and analysis, and may even make interactive visualization and analysis impossible given the limit of the data that a conventional cluster can handle. These problems can be alleviated by with effective and efficient data compression techniques. Even though HDF5 format supports compression, previous work has mainly focused on employ traditional general purpose compression schemes such as dictionary coder and block sorting based compression scheme. Those compression schemes mainly focus on encoding repeated byte sequences efficiently and are not well suitable for compressing climate data consist mainly of distinguished float point numbers. We plan to select and customize our compression schemes according to the characteristics of high-resolution climate data. One observation on high resolution climate data is that as the resolution become higher, values of various climate variables such as temperature and pressure, become closer in nearby cells. This provides excellent opportunities for predication-based compression schemes. We have performed a preliminary estimation of compression ratios of a very simple minded predication-based compression ratio in which we compute the difference between current float point number with previous float point number and then encoding the exponent and significance part of the float point number with entropy-based compression scheme. Our results show that we can achieve higher compression ratios between 2 and 3 in lossless compression, which is significantly higher than traditional compression algorithms. We have also developed lossy compression with our techniques. We can achive orders of magnitude data reduction while ensure error bounds. Moreover, our compression scheme is much more efficient and introduces much less overhead
High efficiency recombineering in lactic acid bacteria
van Pijkeren, Jan-Peter; Britton, Robert A.
The ability to efficiently generate targeted point mutations in the chromosome without the need for antibiotics, or other means of selection, is a powerful strategy for genome engineering. Although oligonucleotide-mediated recombineering (ssDNA recombineering) has been utilized in Escherichia coli for over a decade, the successful adaptation of ssDNA recombineering to Gram-positive bacteria has not been reported. Here we describe the development and application of ssDNA recombineering in lactic acid bacteria. Mutations were incorporated in the chromosome of Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactococcus lactis without selection at frequencies ranging between 0.4% and 19%. Whole genome sequence analysis showed that ssDNA recombineering is specific and not hypermutagenic. To highlight the utility of ssDNA recombineering we reduced the intrinsic vancomymycin resistance of L. reuteri >100-fold. By creating a single amino acid change in the d-Ala-d-Ala ligase enzyme we reduced the minimum inhibitory concentration for vancomycin from >256 to 1.5 µg/ml, well below the clinically relevant minimum inhibitory concentration. Recombineering thus allows high efficiency mutagenesis in lactobacilli and lactococci, and may be used to further enhance beneficial properties and safety of strains used in medicine and industry. We expect that this work will serve as a blueprint for the adaptation of ssDNA recombineering to other Gram-positive bacteria. PMID:22328729
Tips for selecting highly efficient cyclones
Amrein, D.L.
Cyclone dust collectors have been used--and misused--all over the world for more than 100 years. One reason for the misuse is a common perception among users that all cyclones are created equal--that is, as long as a cyclone resembles a cylinder with an attached cone, it will do its job. However, to maximize separation efficiency in a specific application requires a precise cyclone design, engineered to exact fit many possible variables. A well-designed cyclone, for instance, can achieve efficiencies as high s 99.9+% when operated properly within the envelope of its specifications. Nonetheless, cyclones are often used only as first-stage filters for performing crude separations, with final collections being carried out by more-costly baghouses and scrubbers. Compared with baghouses and scrubbers, cyclones have two important considerations in their favor. One, they are almost invariably safer--in terms of the potential for generating fires and explosions--than fabric filters. Second, cyclones have lower maintenance costs since there are no filter media to replace. The paper discusses the operation, design, and troubleshooting of cyclones.
Highly Efficient Vector-Inversion Pulse Generators
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Rose, Franklin
Improved transmission-line pulse generators of the vector-inversion type are being developed as lightweight sources of pulsed high voltage for diverse applications, including spacecraft thrusters, portable x-ray imaging systems, impulse radar systems, and corona-discharge systems for sterilizing gases. In this development, more than the customary attention is paid to principles of operation and details of construction so as to the maximize the efficiency of the pulse-generation process while minimizing the sizes of components. An important element of this approach is segmenting a pulse generator in such a manner that the electric field in each segment is always below the threshold for electrical breakdown. One design of particular interest, a complete description of which was not available at the time of writing this article, involves two parallel-plate transmission lines that are wound on a mandrel, share a common conductor, and are switched in such a manner that the pulse generator is divided into a "fast" and a "slow" section. A major innovation in this design is the addition of ferrite to the "slow" section to reduce the size of the mandrel needed for a given efficiency.
High Efficiency CVD Graphene-lead (Pb) Cooper Pair Splitter.
Borzenets, I V; Shimazaki, Y; Jones, G F; Craciun, M F; Russo, S; Yamamoto, M; Tarucha, S
Generation and manipulation of quantum entangled electrons is an important concept in quantum mechanics, and necessary for advances in quantum information processing; but not yet established in solid state systems. A promising device is a superconductor-two quantum dots Cooper pair splitter. Early nanowire based devices, while efficient, are limited in scalability and further electron manipulation. We demonstrate an optimized, high efficiency, CVD grown graphene-based Cooper pair splitter. Our device is designed to induce superconductivity in graphene via the proximity effect, resulting in both a large superconducting gap Δ = 0.5 meV, and coherence length ξ = 200 nm. The flat nature of the device lowers parasitic capacitance, increasing charging energy EC. Our design also eases geometric restrictions and minimizes output channel separation. As a result we measure a visibility of up to 86% and a splitting efficiency of up to 62%. This will pave the way towards near unity efficiencies, long distance splitting, and post-splitting electron manipulation. PMID:26971450
High Efficiency CVD Graphene-lead (Pb) Cooper Pair Splitter
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Borzenets, I. V.; Shimazaki, Y.; Jones, G. F.; Craciun, M. F.; Russo, S.; Yamamoto, M.; Tarucha, S.
Generation and manipulation of quantum entangled electrons is an important concept in quantum mechanics, and necessary for advances in quantum information processing; but not yet established in solid state systems. A promising device is a superconductor-two quantum dots Cooper pair splitter. Early nanowire based devices, while efficient, are limited in scalability and further electron manipulation. We demonstrate an optimized, high efficiency, CVD grown graphene-based Cooper pair splitter. Our device is designed to induce superconductivity in graphene via the proximity effect, resulting in both a large superconducting gap Δ = 0.5 meV, and coherence length ξ = 200 nm. The flat nature of the device lowers parasitic capacitance, increasing charging energy EC. Our design also eases geometric restrictions and minimizes output channel separation. As a result we measure a visibility of up to 86% and a splitting efficiency of up to 62%. This will pave the way towards near unity efficiencies, long distance splitting, and post-splitting electron manipulation.
High Efficiency CVD Graphene-lead (Pb) Cooper Pair Splitter
Borzenets, I. V.; Shimazaki, Y.; Jones, G. F.; Craciun, M. F.; Russo, S.; Yamamoto, M.; Tarucha, S.
Generation and manipulation of quantum entangled electrons is an important concept in quantum mechanics, and necessary for advances in quantum information processing; but not yet established in solid state systems. A promising device is a superconductor-two quantum dots Cooper pair splitter. Early nanowire based devices, while efficient, are limited in scalability and further electron manipulation. We demonstrate an optimized, high efficiency, CVD grown graphene-based Cooper pair splitter. Our device is designed to induce superconductivity in graphene via the proximity effect, resulting in both a large superconducting gap Δ = 0.5 meV, and coherence length ξ = 200 nm. The flat nature of the device lowers parasitic capacitance, increasing charging energy EC. Our design also eases geometric restrictions and minimizes output channel separation. As a result we measure a visibility of up to 86% and a splitting efficiency of up to 62%. This will pave the way towards near unity efficiencies, long distance splitting, and post-splitting electron manipulation. PMID:26971450
Gasoline Ultra Efficient Fuel Vehicle with Advanced Low Temperature Combustion
Confer, Keith
The objective of this program was to develop, implement and demonstrate fuel consumption reduction technologies which are focused on reduction of friction and parasitic losses and on the improvement of thermal efficiency from in-cylinder combustion. The program was executed in two phases. The conclusion of each phase was marked by an on-vehicle technology demonstration. Phase I concentrated on short term goals to achieve technologies to reduce friction and parasitic losses. The duration of Phase I was approximately two years and the target fuel economy improvement over the baseline was 20% for the Phase I demonstration. Phase II was focused on the development and demonstration of a breakthrough low temperature combustion process called Gasoline Direct- Injection Compression Ignition (GDCI). The duration of Phase II was approximately four years and the targeted fuel economy improvement was 35% over the baseline for the Phase II demonstration vehicle. The targeted tailpipe emissions for this demonstration were Tier 2 Bin 2 emissions standards.
High efficiency Brayton cycles using LNG
Morrow, Charles W.
A modified, closed-loop Brayton cycle power conversion system that uses liquefied natural gas as the cold heat sink media. When combined with a helium gas cooled nuclear reactor, achievable efficiency can approach 68 76% (as compared to 35% for conventional steam cycle power cooled by air or water). A superheater heat exchanger can be used to exchange heat from a side-stream of hot helium gas split-off from the primary helium coolant loop to post-heat vaporized natural gas exiting from low and high-pressure coolers. The superheater raises the exit temperature of the natural gas to close to room temperature, which makes the gas more attractive to sell on the open market. An additional benefit is significantly reduced costs of a LNG revaporization plant, since the nuclear reactor provides the heat for vaporization instead of burning a portion of the LNG to provide the heat.
High power, high efficiency diode pumped Raman fiber laser
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Glick, Yaakov; Fromzel, Viktor; Zhang, Jun; Dahan, Asaf; Ter-Gabrielyan, Nikolay; Pattnaik, Radha K.; Dubinskii, Mark
We demonstrate a high power high efficiency Raman fiber laser pumped directly by a laser diode module at 976 nm. 80 Watts of CW power were obtained at a wavelength of 1020 nm with an optical-to-optical efficiency of 53%. When working quasi-CW, at a duty cycle of 30%, 85 W of peak power was produced with an efficiency of 60%. A commercial graded-index (GRIN) core fiber acts as the Raman fiber in a power oscillator configuration, which includes spectral selection to prevent generation of the 2nd Stokes. In addition, significant brightness enhancement of the pump beam is attained due to the Raman gain distribution profile in the GRIN fiber. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest power Raman fiber laser directly pumped by laser diodes, which also exhibits a record efficiency for such a laser. In addition, it is the highest power Raman fiber laser (regardless of pumping source) demonstrated based on a GRIN fiber.
A High-Efficiency Superhydrophobic Plasma Separator
Liu, Changchun; Liao, Shih-Chuan; Song, Jinzhao; Mauk, Michael G.; Li, Xuanwen; Wu, Gaoxiang; Ge, Dengteng; Greenberg, Robert M.; Yang, Shu; Bau, Haim H.
To meet stringent limit-of-detection specifications for low abundance target molecules, a relatively large volume of plasma is needed for many blood-based clinical diagnostics. Conventional centrifugation methods for plasma separation are not suitable for on-site testing or bedside diagnostics. Here, we report a simple, yet high-efficiency, clamshell-style, superhydrophobic plasma separator that is capable of separating a relatively large volume of plasma from several hundred microliters of whole blood (finger-prick blood volume). The plasma separator consists of a superhydrophobic top cover with a separation membrane and a superhydrophobic bottom substrate. Unlike previously reported membrane-based plasma separators, the separation membrane in our device is positioned at the top of the sandwiched whole blood film to increase the membrane separation capacity and plasma yield. In addition, the device's superhydrophobic characteristics (i) facilitates the formation of well-defined, contracted, thin blood film with a high contact angle; (ii) minimizes biomolecular adhesion to surfaces; (iii) increases blood clotting time; and (iv) reduces blood cell hemolysis. The device demonstrated a "blood in-plasma out" capability, consistently extracting 65±21.5 μL of plasma from 200 μL of whole blood in less than 10 min without electrical power. The device was used to separate plasma from Schistosoma mansoni genomic DNA-spiked whole blood with a recovery efficiency of > 84.5 ± 25.8 %. The S. mansoni genomic DNA in the separated plasma was successfully tested on our custom-made microfluidic chip by using loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. PMID:26732765
A high-efficiency superhydrophobic plasma separator.
Liu, Changchun; Liao, Shih-Chuan; Song, Jinzhao; Mauk, Michael G; Li, Xuanwen; Wu, Gaoxiang; Ge, Dengteng; Greenberg, Robert M; Yang, Shu; Bau, Haim H
To meet stringent limit-of-detection specifications for low abundance target molecules, a relatively large volume of plasma is needed for many blood-based clinical diagnostics. Conventional centrifugation methods for plasma separation are not suitable for on-site testing or bedside diagnostics. Here, we report a simple, yet high-efficiency, clamshell-style, superhydrophobic plasma separator that is capable of separating a relatively large volume of plasma from several hundred microliters of whole blood (finger-prick blood volume). The plasma separator consists of a superhydrophobic top cover with a separation membrane and a superhydrophobic bottom substrate. Unlike previously reported membrane-based plasma separators, the separation membrane in our device is positioned at the top of the sandwiched whole blood film to increase the membrane separation capacity and plasma yield. In addition, the device's superhydrophobic characteristics (i) facilitates the formation of well-defined, contracted, thin blood film with a high contact angle; (ii) minimizes biomolecular adhesion to surfaces; (iii) increases blood clotting time; and (iv) reduces blood cell hemolysis. The device demonstrated a "blood in-plasma out" capability, consistently extracting 65 ± 21.5 μL of plasma from 200 μL of whole blood in less than 10 min without electrical power. The device was used to separate plasma from Schistosoma mansoni genomic DNA-spiked whole blood with a recovery efficiency of >84.5 ± 25.8%. The S. mansoni genomic DNA in the separated plasma was successfully tested on our custom-made microfluidic chip by using loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. PMID:26732765
Novel High Efficient Organic Photovoltaic Materials
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sun, Sam; Haliburton, James; Wang, Yi-Qing; Fan, Zhen; Taft, Charles; Maaref, Shahin; Bailey, Sheila (Technical Monitor)
Solar energy is a renewable, nonpolluting, and most abundant energy source for human exploration of a remote site or outer space. In order to generate appreciable electrical power in space or on the earth, it is necessary to collect sunlight from large areas and with high efficiency due to the low density of sunlight. Future organic or polymer (plastic) solar cells appear very attractive due to their unique features such as light weight, flexible shape, tunability of energy band-gaps via versatile molecular or supramolecular design, synthesis, processing and device fabrication schemes, and much lower cost on large scale industrial production. It has been predicted that supramolecular and nano-phase separated block copolymer systems containing electron rich donor blocks and electron deficient acceptor blocks may facilitate the charge carrier separation and migration due to improved electronic ultrastructure and morphology in comparison to polymer composite system. This presentation will describe our recent progress in the design, synthesis and characterization of a novel block copolymer system containing donor and acceptor blocks covalently attached. Specifically, the donor block contains an electron donating alkyloxy derivatized polyphenylenevinylene (RO-PPV), the acceptor block contains an electron withdrawing alkyl-sulfone derivatized polyphenylenevinylene (SF-PPV). The key synthetic strategy includes the synthesis of each individual block first, then couple the blocks together. While the donor block has a strong PL emission at around 560 nm, and acceptor block has a strong PL emission at around 520 nm, the PL emissions of final block copolymers are severely quenched. This verifies the expected electron transfer and charge separation due to interfaces of donor and acceptor nano phase separated blocks. The system therefore has potential for variety light harvesting applications, including high efficient photovoltaic applications.
High speed research system study. Advanced flight deck configuration effects
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Swink, Jay R.; Goins, Richard T.
In mid-1991 NASA contracted with industry to study the high-speed civil transport (HSCT) flight deck challenges and assess the benefits, prior to initiating their High Speed Research Program (HSRP) Phase 2 efforts, then scheduled for FY-93. The results of this nine-month effort are presented, and a number of the most significant findings for the specified advanced concepts are highlighted: (1) a no nose-droop configuration; (2) a far forward cockpit location; and (3) advanced crew monitoring and control of complex systems. The results indicate that the no nose-droop configuration is critically dependent upon the design and development of a safe, reliable, and certifiable Synthetic Vision System (SVS). The droop-nose configuration would cause significant weight, performance, and cost penalties. The far forward cockpit location, with the conventional side-by-side seating provides little economic advantage; however, a configuration with a tandem seating arrangement provides a substantial increase in either additional payload (i.e., passengers) or potential downsizing of the vehicle with resulting increases in performance efficiencies and associated reductions in emissions. Without a droop nose, forward external visibility is negated and takeoff/landing guidance and control must rely on the use of the SVS. The technologies enabling such capabilities, which de facto provides for Category 3 all-weather operations on every flight independent of weather, represent a dramatic benefits multiplier in a 2005 global ATM network: both in terms of enhanced economic viability and environmental acceptability.
Recent advances in high-performance direct methanol fuel cells
Narayanan, S.R.; Chun, W.; Valdez, T.I.
Direct methanol fuel cells for portable power applications have been advanced significantly under DARPA- and ARO-sponsored programs over the last five years. A liquid-feed direct methanol fuel cell developed under these programs, employs a proton exchange membrane as electrolyte and operates on aqueous solutions of methanol with air or oxygen as the oxidant. Power densities as high as 320 mW/cm{sup 2} have been demonstrated. Demonstration of five-cell stack based on the liquid-feed concept have been successfully performed by Giner Inc. and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Over 2000 hours of life-testing have been completed on these stacks. These fuel cells have been also been demonstrated by USC to operate on alternate fuels such as trimethoxymethane, dimethoxymethane and trioxane. Reduction in the parasitic loss of fuel across the fuel cell, a phenomenon termed as {open_quotes}fuel crossover{close_quotes} has been achieved using polymer membranes developed at USC. As a result efficiencies as high as 40% is considered attainable with this type of fuel cell. The state-of-development has reached a point where it is now been actively considered for stationary, portable and transportation applications. The research and development issues have been the subject of several previous articles and the present article is an attempt to summarize the key advances in this technology.
High efficiency, high pulse energy fiber laser system
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bowers, Mark S.; Henrie, Jason; Garske, Megan; Templeman, Dan; Afzal, Robert
We report a master-oscillator/power-amplifier laser system featuring a polarizing and coilable 40-micron-core Yb-doped photonic crystal fiber as the final-stage amplifier. The laser source generates 3.4 ns pulses at a repetition rate 19 kHz, with maximum pulse energy 1.2 mJ, maximum average power 22.8 W, near diffraction-limited (M2 < 1.1) beam quality, and 20% electrical to optical efficiency in a compact package. This pulsed-fiber laser flight system provides high pulse energy, average power, peak power, diffraction limited beam quality, and high efficiency all in a thermally and mechanically stable compact package.
Advanced high-temperature, high-pressure transport reactor gasification
Swanson, M.L.
The mission of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Federal Energy Technology Center Office of Power Systems Product Management is to foster the development and deployment of advanced, clean, and affordable fossil-based (coal) power systems. These advanced power systems include the development and demonstration of gasification-based advanced power systems. These systems are integral parts of the Vision 21 Program for the co-production of power and chemicals which is being developed at DOE. DOE has been developing advanced gasification systems which lower the capital and operating cost of producing syngas for electricity or chemicals production. A transport reactor gasifier has shown potential to be a low-cost syngas producer as compared to other gasification systems because of its high throughput. This work directly supports the Power Systems Development Facility (PSDF) utilizing the Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) transport reactor located at the Southern Company Services (SCS) Wilsonville, Alabama, site. Over 1000 hours of operation on three different fuels in the pilot-scale transport reactor development unit (TRDU) has been completed to date. The Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) has established an extensive database on the operation of various fuels in a transport reactor gasifier. This database will be useful in determining the effectiveness of design changes on a transport reactor gasifier. It has been demonstrated that corrected fuel gas heating values ranging between 105 to 130 Btu/scf can be achieved. Factors that affect the TRDU product gas quality appear to be circulation rate, coal type, temperature, and air:coal and steam:coal ratios. Future plans are to modify the transport reactor mixing zone and J-leg loop seal to increase backmixing, thereby increasing solids residence time and gasifier performance. Enriched air- and oxygen-blown gasification tests, especially on widely available low-cost fuels such as petroleum coke, will also be
More Efficient Power Conversion for EVs: Gallium-Nitride Advanced Power Semiconductor and Packaging
Broad Funding Opportunity Announcement Project: Delphi is developing power converters that are smaller and more energy efficient, reliable, and cost-effective than current power converters. Power converters rely on power transistors which act like a very precisely controlled on-off switch, controlling the electrical energy flowing through an electrical circuit. Most power transistors today use silicon (Si) semiconductors. However, Delphi is using semiconductors made with a thin layer of gallium-nitride (GaN) applied on top of the more conventional Si material. The GaN layer increases the energy efficiency of the power transistor and also enables the transistor to operate at much higher temperatures, voltages, and power-density levels compared to its Si counterpart. Delphi is packaging these high-performance GaN semiconductors with advanced electrical connections and a cooling system that extracts waste heat from both sides of the device to further increase the device's efficiency and allow more electrical current to flow through it. When combined with other electronic components on a circuit board, Delphi's GaN power transistor package will help improve the overall performance and cost-effectiveness of HEVs and EVs.
High efficiency radioisotope thermophotovoltaic prototype generator
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Avery, James E.; Samaras, John E.; Fraas, Lewis M.; Ewell, Richard
250 Watts of heat input, we expect this prototype to produce over 300 Watts of electrical energy output for a system energy conversion efficiency of over 12%. This low risk, near term design provides advances relative to present radioisotope thermophotovoltaic generators and has the additional advantage of allowing component and system development and testing to begin immediately. Improved cells and filters can easily be incorporated in this baseline system if they should become available in the future.
High efficiency radioisotope thermophotovoltaic prototype generator
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Avery, James E.; Samaras, John E.; Fraas, Lewis M.; Ewell, Richard
250 Watts of heat input, we expect this prototype to produce over 300 Watts of electrical energy output for a system energy conversion efficiency of over 12%. This low risk, near term design provides advances relative to present radioisotope thermophotovoltaic generators and has the additional advantage of allowing component and system development and testing to begin immediately. Improved cells and filters can easily be incorporated in this baseline system if they should become available in the future.
Advances toward high spectral resolution quantum X-ray calorimetry
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Moseley, S. H.; Kelley, R. L.; Schoelkopf, R. J.; Szymkowiak, A. E.; Mccammon, D.
Thermal detectors for X-ray spectroscopy combining high spectral resolution and quantum efficiency have been developed. These microcalorimeters measure the energy released in the absorption of a single photon by sensing the rise in temperature of a small absorbing structure. The ultimate energy resolution of such a device is limited by the thermodynamic power fluctuations in the thermal link between the calorimeter and isothermal bath and can in principle be made as low as 1 eV. The performance of a real device is degraded due to noise contributions such as excess 1/f noise in the thermistor and incomplete conversion of energy into phonons. The authors report some recent advances in thermometry, X-ray absorption and thermalization, fabrication techniques, and detector optimization in the presence of noise. These improvements have resulted in a device with a spectral resolution of 17 eV FWHM, measured at 6 keV.
Advanced DTM Generation from Very High Resolution Satellite Stereo Images
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Perko, R.; Raggam, H.; Gutjahr, K. H.; Schardt, M.
This work proposes a simple filtering approach that can be applied to digital surface models in order to extract digital terrain models. The method focusses on robustness and computational efficiency and is in particular tailored to filter DSMs that are extracted from satellite stereo images. It represents an evolution of an existing DTM generation method and includes distinct advancement through the integration of multi-directional processing as well as slope dependent filtering, thus denoted "MSD filtering". The DTM generation workflow is fully automatic and requires no user interaction. Exemplary results are presented for a DSM generated from a Pléiades tri-stereo image data set. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations with respect to highly accurate reference LiDAR data confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
White LED with High Package Extraction Efficiency
Yi Zheng; Matthew Stough
The goal of this project is to develop a high efficiency phosphor converting (white) Light Emitting Diode (pcLED) 1-Watt package through an increase in package extraction efficiency. A transparent/translucent monolithic phosphor is proposed to replace the powdered phosphor to reduce the scattering caused by phosphor particles. Additionally, a multi-layer thin film selectively reflecting filter is proposed between blue LED die and phosphor layer to recover inward yellow emission. At the end of the project we expect to recycle approximately 50% of the unrecovered backward light in current package construction, and develop a pcLED device with 80 lm/W{sub e} using our technology improvements and commercially available chip/package source. The success of the project will benefit luminous efficacy of white LEDs by increasing package extraction efficiency. In most phosphor-converting white LEDs, the white color is obtained by combining a blue LED die (or chip) with a powdered phosphor layer. The phosphor partially absorbs the blue light from the LED die and converts it into a broad green-yellow emission. The mixture of the transmitted blue light and green-yellow light emerging gives white light. There are two major drawbacks for current pcLEDs in terms of package extraction efficiency. The first is light scattering caused by phosphor particles. When the blue photons from the chip strike the phosphor particles, some blue light will be scattered by phosphor particles. Converted yellow emission photons are also scattered. A portion of scattered light is in the backward direction toward the die. The amount of this backward light varies and depends in part on the particle size of phosphors. The other drawback is that yellow emission from phosphor powders is isotropic. Although some backward light can be recovered by the reflector in current LED packages, there is still a portion of backward light that will be absorbed inside the package and further converted to heat. Heat
Tailored Materials for High Efficiency CIDI Engines
Grant, G.J.; Jana, S.
The overall goal of the project, Tailored Materials for High Efficiency Compression Ignition Direct Injection (CIDI) Engines, is to enable the implementation of new combustion strategies, such as homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI), that have the potential to significantly increase the energy efficiency of current diesel engines and decrease fuel consumption and environmental emissions. These strategies, however, are increasing the demands on conventional engine materials, either from increases in peak cylinder pressure (PCP) or from increases in the temperature of operation. The specific objective of this project is to investigate the application of a new material processing technology, friction stir processing (FSP), to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of engine components. The concept is to modify the surfaces of conventional, low-cost engine materials. The project focused primarily on FSP in aluminum materials that are compositional analogs to the typical piston and head alloys seen in small- to mid-sized CIDI engines. Investigations have been primarily of two types over the duration of this project: (1) FSP of a cast hypoeutectic Al-Si-Mg (A356/357) alloy with no introduction of any new components, and (2) FSP of Al-Cu-Ni alloys (Alloy 339) by physically stirring-in various quantities of carbon nanotubes/nanofibers or carbon fibers. Experimental work to date on aluminum systems has shown significant increases in fatigue lifetime and stress-level performance in aluminum-silicon alloys using friction processing alone, but work to demonstrate the addition of carbon nanotubes and fibers into aluminum substrates has shown mixed results due primarily to the difficulty in achieving porosity-free, homogeneous distributions of the particulate. A limited effort to understand the effects of FSP on steel materials was also undertaken during the course of this project. Processed regions were created in high-strength, low-alloyed steels up to 0.5 in
High Efficiency Diffusion Molecular Retention Tumor Targeting
Guo, Yanyan; Yuan, Hushan; Cho, Hoonsung; Kuruppu, Darshini; Jokivarsi, Kimmo; Agarwal, Aayush; Shah, Khalid; Josephson, Lee
Here we introduce diffusion molecular retention (DMR) tumor targeting, a technique that employs PEG-fluorochrome shielded probes that, after a peritumoral (PT) injection, undergo slow vascular uptake and extensive interstitial diffusion, with tumor retention only through integrin molecular recognition. To demonstrate DMR, RGD (integrin binding) and RAD (control) probes were synthesized bearing DOTA (for 111 In3+), a NIR fluorochrome, and 5 kDa PEG that endows probes with a protein-like volume of 25 kDa and decreases non-specific interactions. With a GFP-BT-20 breast carcinoma model, tumor targeting by the DMR or IV methods was assessed by surface fluorescence, biodistribution of [111In] RGD and [111In] RAD probes, and whole animal SPECT. After a PT injection, both probes rapidly diffused through the normal and tumor interstitium, with retention of the RGD probe due to integrin interactions. With PT injection and the [111In] RGD probe, SPECT indicated a highly tumor specific uptake at 24 h post injection, with 352%ID/g tumor obtained by DMR (vs 4.14%ID/g by IV). The high efficiency molecular targeting of DMR employed low probe doses (e.g. 25 ng as RGD peptide), which minimizes toxicity risks and facilitates clinical translation. DMR applications include the delivery of fluorochromes for intraoperative tumor margin delineation, the delivery of radioisotopes (e.g. toxic, short range alpha emitters) for radiotherapy, or the delivery of photosensitizers to tumors accessible to light. PMID:23505478
The power and efficiency of advanced software and parallel processing
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Singh, Ramen P.; Taylor, Lawrence W., Jr.
Real-time simulation of flexible and articulating systems is difficult because of the computational burden of the time varying calculations. The mobile servicing system of the NASA Space Station Freedom will handle heavy payloads by local arm manipulations and by translating along the spline of the Station, it is crucial to have real-time simulation available. To enable such a simulation to be of high fidelity and to be able to be hosted on a modest computer, special care must be made in formulating the structural dynamics. Frontal solution algorithms save considerable time in performing these calculations. In addition, it is necessary to take advantage of parallel processing be compatible to take full advantage of both. An approach is offered which will result in high fidelity, real-time simulation for flexible, articulating systems such as the space Station remote servicing system.
A New High Efficiency Segmented Thermoelectric Unicouple
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Caillat, T.; Fleurial, J.-P.; Snyder, G. J.; Zoltan, A.; Zoltan, D.; Borshchevsky, A.
To achieve high thermal-to-electric energy conversion efficiency, it is desirable to operate thermoelectric generator devices over large temperature gradients and also to maximize the thermoelectric performance of the materials used to build the devices. However, no single thermoelectric material is suitable for use over a very wide range of temperatures (approx. 300 - 1000 K). It is therefore necessary to use different materials in each temperature range where they possess optimum performance. This can be achieved in two ways: 1) multistage thermoelectric generators where each stage operates over a fixed temperature difference and is electrically insulated but thermally in contact with the other stages and 2) segmented generators where the p- and n-legs are formed of different segments joined in series. The concept of integrating new thermoelectric materials developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) into a segmented thermoelectric generator has been presented in detail in earlier publications . This new generator is expected to operate over a 300-973 K temperature difference and will use novel segmented legs based on a combination of state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials and novel p-type Zn4Sb3, p-type CeFe4Sb12-based alloys and n-type CoSb3-based alloys. An increase in the conversion efficiency of about 60% is expected compared to conventional Bi2Te3- and PbTe-based generators. We present in this paper the latest experimental results from the bonding studies between the different segments of the p-legs, n-legs, and p-leg to n-leg interconnect. Evaluation of the bond quality was done by measuring the contact resistance across the joints as well as by detailed microstructure investigations to reveal any potential interdiffusion. Among the materials investigated as inter-layers between the different segments of the legs, Pd-Ag joining alloys have been found to provide mechanically stable and low electrical resistance bonds.
High efficiency shale oil recovery. [Kilntrol program
Adams, D.C.
The overall project objective is to demonstrate the high efficiency of the Adams Counter-Current shale oil recovery process. The efficiency is first being demonstrated at bench scale, in the current phase, after which the demonstration will be extended to the operation of a small pilot plant. Thus the immediate project objective is to obtain data on oil shale retorting operations in a small batch rotary kiln that will be representative of operations in the proposed continuous process pilot plant. This batch kiln is a unit constructed in a 1987 Phase I SBIR tar sand retorting project. The kiln worked fairly well in that project; however, the need for certain modifications was observed. These modifications, now completed, provide for a great improvement in the operation and make the data and analysis more exact. Last quarter we reported on equipment modifications and refurbishments which resulted in a sophisticated analytical rotary kiln. As we began operating the equipment this quarter, we observed that the software package was inadequate for our purpose and that the appropriate software could not be purchased as a shelf item. Therefore, we were required to modify the equipment interface and to write our own software. The quartz sand kiln calibration runs have been completed and the results are included in this report. Computer Interface: The computer interface was designed on CTR-05, DAS-08 and MUX-32 Boards from ComputerBoards Inc. We purchased a software program, Control EG by Quinn-Curtis, to use with these boards. As we began operating the equipment we realized that the software control was inadequately sensitive for our system as it would not provide time-proportioning output. This problem was resolved by writing our own software and providing time-proportioning duty cycles for the output to each of five heaters. We have entitled this program Kilntrol.'' It is included in the Appendix of this report.
Results from tests on a high work transonic turbine for an energy efficient engine
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Crow, D. E.; Welna, H.; Singer, I. D.; Vanco, M. R.
The experimental results of the evaluation of two high work, transonic, single-stage turbines investigated under the Energy Efficient Engine (E3) Program are presented. The objective of the E3 program is to provide an advanced technology base for a new generation of fuel-conservative turbofan engines. A single-stage turbine required fewer cooled airfoils, a reduced number of leakage paths and no interstage seals. These advanced energy efficient engines require high engine pressure ratios resulting in high expansion ratio, transonic, turbine designs which must have high aerodynamic efficiency. The goal of the turbine program is to develop a high pressure turbine that is compatible with the overall engine design and has an uncooled efficiency of 90.8 percent.
High temperature, harsh environment sensors for advanced power generation systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ohodnicki, P. R.; Credle, S.; Buric, M.; Lewis, R.; Seachman, S.
One mission of the Crosscutting Technology Research program at the National Energy Technology Laboratory is to develop a suite of sensors and controls technologies that will ultimately increase efficiencies of existing fossil-fuel fired power plants and enable a new generation of more efficient and lower emission power generation technologies. The program seeks to accomplish this mission through soliciting, managing, and monitoring a broad range of projects both internal and external to the laboratory which span sensor material and device development, energy harvesting and wireless telemetry methodologies, and advanced controls algorithms and approaches. A particular emphasis is placed upon harsh environment sensing for compatibility with high temperature, erosive, corrosive, and highly reducing or oxidizing environments associated with large-scale centralized power generation. An overview of the full sensors and controls portfolio is presented and a selected set of current and recent research successes and on-going projects are highlighted. A more detailed emphasis will be placed on an overview of the current research thrusts and successes of the in-house sensor material and device research efforts that have been established to support the program.
Novel High Efficient Organic Photovoltaic Materials
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sun, Sam; Haliburton, James; Fan, Zben; Taft, Charles; Wang, Yi-Qing; Maaref, Shahin; Mackey, Willie R. (Technical Monitor)
In man's mission to the outer space or a remote site, the most abundant, renewable, nonpolluting, and unlimited external energy source is light. Photovoltaic (PV) materials can convert light into electrical power. In order to generate appreciable electrical power in space or on the Earth, it is necessary to collect sunlight from large areas due to the low density of sunlight, and this would be very costly using current commercially available inorganic solar cells. Future organic or polymer based solar cells seemed very attractive due to several reasons. These include lightweight, flexible shape, ultra-fast optoelectronic response time (this also makes organic PV materials attractive for developing ultra-fast photo detectors), tunability of energy band-gaps via molecular design, versatile materials synthesis and device fabrication schemes, and much lower cost on large-scale industrial production. It has been predicted that nano-phase separated block copolymer systems containing electron rich donor blocks and electron deficient acceptor blocks will facilitate the charge separation and migration due to improved electronic ultrastructure and morphology in comparison to current polymer composite photovoltaic system. This presentation will describe our recent progress in the design, synthesis and characterization of a novel donor-bridge-acceptor block copolymer system for potential high-efficient organic optoelectronic applications. Specifically, the donor block contains an electron donating alkyloxy derivatized polyphenylenevinylene, the acceptor block contains an electron withdrawing alkyl-sulfone derivatized polyphenylenevinylene, and the bridge block contains an electronically neutral non-conjugated aliphatic hydrocarbon chain. The key synthetic strategy includes the synthesis of each individual block first, then couple the blocks together. While the donor block stabilizes the holes, the acceptor block stabilizes the electrons. The bridge block is designed to hinder
High-efficiency target-ion sources for RIB generation
Alton, G.D.
A brief review is given of high-efficiency ion sources which have been developed or are under development at ISOL facilities which show particular promise for use at existing, future, or radioactive ion beam (RIB) facilities now under construction. Emphasis will be placed on those sources which have demonstrated high ionization efficiency, species versatility, and operational reliability and which have been carefully designed for safe handling in the high level radioactivity radiation fields incumbent at such facilities. Brief discussions will also be made of the fundamental processes which affect the realizable beam intensities in target-ion sources. Among the sources which will be reviewed will be selected examples of state-of-the-art electron-beam plasma-type ion sources, thermal-ionization, surface-ionization, ECR, and selectively chosen ion source concepts which show promise for radioactive ion beam generation. A few advanced, chemically selective target-ion sources will be described, such as sources based on the use of laser-resonance ionization, which, in principle, offer a more satisfactory solution to isobaric contamination problems than conventional electromagnetic techniques. Particular attention will be given to the sources which have been selected for initial or future use at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility now under construction at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
High efficiency pulse tube cryocoolers for aerospace applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dang, Haizheng
This paper reviews the recent advances in Stirling-type pulse tube cryocoolers for aerospace applications in the author's group. Due to the special environment featuring the limited power supply and adverse rejection condition, high cooler efficiencies are emphasized and thus the approaches to realize them are stressed. The cold fingers involve three geometries, and designs and optimizations on key dimensional parameters of coaxial and in-line ones for given compressors are discussed and compared. The high performance moving-coil linear compressors are studied, and the optimizations on linear motor and flexure springs are briefly reviewed as examples of studies on the key compressor technologies. The mature single-stage coolers cover 25-200 K with the capacities varying from milliwatt levels to over 30 W, and the high efficiencies at typical temperatures such as 40 K, 60 K, 80 K and 95 K are presented. The two-stage arrangement is becoming another trend to achieve cooling below 25 K and also to simultaneously provide cooling powers at both stages. Some typical development programs are introduced and a brief overview of the data package is updated.
Counterfactual quantum key distribution with high efficiency
Sun Ying; Wen Qiaoyan
In a counterfactual quantum key distribution scheme, a secret key can be generated merely by transmitting the split vacuum pulses of single particles. We improve the efficiency of the first quantum key distribution scheme based on the counterfactual phenomenon. This scheme not only achieves the same security level as the original one but also has higher efficiency. We also analyze how to achieve the optimal efficiency under various conditions.
Highly Efficient Contactless Electrical Energy Transmission System
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ayano, Hideki; Nagase, Hiroshi; Inaba, Hiromi
This paper proposes a new concept for a contactless electrical energy transmission system for an elevator and an automated guided vehicle. The system has rechargeable batteries on the car and electrical energy is supplied at a specific place. When electric power is supplied to the car, it runs automatically and approaches the battery charger. Therefore, a comparatively large gap is needed between the primary transformer at the battery charger and the secondary transformer on the car in order to prevent damage which would be caused by a collision. In this case, a drop of the transformer coupling rate due to the large gap must be prevented. In conventional contactless electrical energy transmission technology, since electric power is received by a pick-up coil from a power line, a large-sized transformer is required. And when the distance over which the car runs is long, the copper loss of the line also increases. The developed system adopts a high frequency inverter using a soft switching method to miniaturize the transformer. The system has a coupling rate of 0.88 for a transformer gap length of 10mm and can operate at 91% efficiency.
A High Efficiency PSOFC/ATS-Gas Turbine Power System
W.L. Lundberg; G.A. Israelson; M.D. Moeckel; S.E. Veyo; R.A. Holmes; P.R. Zafred; J.E. King; R.E. Kothmann
A study is described in which the conceptual design of a hybrid power system integrating a pressurized Siemens Westinghouse solid oxide fuel cell generator and the Mercury{trademark} 50 gas turbine was developed. The Mercury{trademark} 50 was designed by Solar Turbines as part of the US. Department of Energy Advanced Turbine Systems program. The focus of the study was to develop the hybrid power system concept that principally would exhibit an attractively-low cost of electricity (COE). The inherently-high efficiency of the hybrid cycle contributes directly to achieving this objective, and by employing the efficient, power-intensive Mercury{trademark} 50, with its relatively-low installed cost, the higher-cost SOFC generator can be optimally sized such that the minimum-COE objective is achieved. The system cycle is described, major system components are specified, the system installed cost and COE are estimated, and the physical arrangement of the major system components is discussed. Estimates of system power output, efficiency, and emissions at the system design point are also presented. In addition, two bottoming cycle options are described, and estimates of their effects on overall-system performance, cost, and COE are provided.
Highly efficient solar-pumped Nd:YAG laser.
Liang, Dawei; Almeida, Joana
The recent progress in solar-pumped laser with Fresnel lens and Cr:Nd:YAG ceramic medium has revitalized solar laser researches, revealing a promising future for renewable reduction of magnesium from magnesium oxide. Here we show a big advance in solar laser collection efficiency by utilizing an economical Fresnel lens and a most widely used Nd:YAG single-crystal rod. The incoming solar radiation from the sun is focused by a 0.9 m diameter Fresnel lens. A dielectric totally internally reflecting secondary concentrator is employed to couple the concentrated solar radiation from the focal zone to a 4 mm diameter Nd:YAG rod within a conical pumping cavity. 12.3 W cw laser power is produced, corresponding to 19.3 W/m(2) collection efficiency, which is 2.9 times larger than the previous results with Nd:YAG single-crystal medium. Record-high slope efficiency of 3.9% is also registered. Laser beam quality is considerably improved by pumping a 3 mm diameter Nd:YAG rod. PMID:22274224
High efficiency, radiation-hard solar cells
Ager III, J.W.; Walukiewicz, W.
The direct gap of the In{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}N alloy system extends continuously from InN (0.7 eV, in the near IR) to GaN (3.4 eV, in the mid-ultraviolet). This opens the intriguing possibility of using this single ternary alloy system in single or multi-junction (MJ) solar cells of the type used for space-based surveillance satellites. To evaluate the suitability of In{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}N as a material for space applications, high quality thin films were grown with molecular beam epitaxy and extensive damage testing with electron, proton, and alpha particle radiation was performed. Using the room temperature photoluminescence intensity as a indirect measure of minority carrier lifetime, it is shown that In{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}N retains its optoelectronic properties at radiation damage doses at least 2 orders of magnitude higher than the damage thresholds of the materials (GaAs and GaInP) currently used in high efficiency MJ cells. This indicates that the In{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}N is well-suited for the future development of ultra radiation-hard optoelectronics. Critical issues affecting development of solar cells using this material system were addressed. The presence of an electron-rich surface layer in InN and In{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}N (0 < x < 0.63) was investigated; it was shown that this is a less significant effect at large x. Evidence of p-type activity below the surface in Mg-doped InN was obtained; this is a significant step toward achieving photovoltaic action and, ultimately, a solar cell using this material.
High-efficiency multilayer-dielectric diffraction gratings
Perry, M.D.; Boyd, R.D.; Britten, J.A.
The ability to produce short laser pulses of extremely high power and high irradiance, as is needed for fast ignitor research in inertial confinement fusion, places increasing demands on optical components such as amplifiers, lenses, and mirrors that must remain undamaged by the radiation. The higher refractive index in the center of an intense laser beam acts as a focusing lens. The resulting wavefront distortion, left uncorrected, eventually leads to catastrophic filamentation. Major advances in energy extraction and resulting increases in focused irradiance have been made possible by the use of chirped-pulse amplification (CPA), long used in radar applications and newly applied to optical frequencies. Optical-frequency CPA systems begin with a mode-locked oscillator that produces low-energy seed pulses with durations of ten to a few hundred femtoseconds. As a result of the classical uncertainty relation between time and frequency, these short pulses have a very broad frequency distribution. A pair of diffraction gratings (or other dispersive elements) lengthens the laser pulse and induces a time-varying frequency (or chirp). Following amplification, diffraction gratings compress the pulse back to nearly the original duration. Typically a nanojoule, femtosecond pulse is stretched by a factor of several thousand and is amplified by as much as 12 orders of magnitude before recompression. By producing the short pulse only after amplification, this technique makes possible efficient extraction of energy from a variety of broadband solid state materials. Achieving high focused irradiance from a pulse ultimately requires both high peak power and excellent beam quality. There is therefore a demand for diffraction gratings that produce a high-quality diffracted wavefront, have high diffraction efficiency, and exhibit a high threshold for laser damage.
High efficiency quasi-monochromatic infrared emitter
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brucoli, Giovanni; Bouchon, Patrick; Haïdar, Riad; Besbes, Mondher; Benisty, Henri; Greffet, Jean-Jacques
Incandescent radiation sources are widely used as mid-infrared emitters owing to the lack of alternative for compact and low cost sources. A drawback of miniature hot systems such as membranes is their low efficiency, e.g., for battery powered systems. For targeted narrow-band applications such as gas spectroscopy, the efficiency is even lower. In this paper, we introduce design rules valid for very generic membranes demonstrating that their energy efficiency for use as incandescent infrared sources can be increased by two orders of magnitude.
High efficiency quasi-monochromatic infrared emitter
Brucoli, Giovanni; Besbes, Mondher; Benisty, Henri Greffet, Jean-Jacques; Bouchon, Patrick; Haïdar, Riad
Incandescent radiation sources are widely used as mid-infrared emitters owing to the lack of alternative for compact and low cost sources. A drawback of miniature hot systems such as membranes is their low efficiency, e.g., for battery powered systems. For targeted narrow-band applications such as gas spectroscopy, the efficiency is even lower. In this paper, we introduce design rules valid for very generic membranes demonstrating that their energy efficiency for use as incandescent infrared sources can be increased by two orders of magnitude.
A high-efficiency energy conversion system
Belcher, A.E.
A fundamentally new method for converting pressure into rotative motion is introduced. A historical background is given and an idealized non-turbine Brayton cycle engine and associated equations are described. Salient features are explained, together with suggested applications. Concerns over global warming, unacceptable levels of air pollution, and the need for more efficient utilization of nonrenewable energy resources, are issues which continue to plague us. The situation is further exacerbated by the possibility that underdeveloped countries, under pressure to expand their economies, might adopt power generating systems which could produce high levels of emissions. This scenario could easily develop if equipment, which once complied with stringent standards, failed to be adequately maintained through the absence of a reliable technical infrastructure. The Brayton cycle manometric engine has the potential for eliminating, or at least mitigating, many of the above issues. It is therefore of considerable importance to all populations, irrespective of demographic or economic considerations. This engine is inherently simple--the engine proper has only one moving part. It has no pistons, vanes, or other such conventional occlusive devices, yet it is a positive displacement machine. Sealing is achieved by what can best be described as a series of traveling U-tube manometers. Its construction does not require precision engineering nor the use of exotic materials, making it easy to maintain with the most rudimentary resources. Rotational velocity is low, and its normal life cycle is expected to extend to several decades. These advantages more than offset the machine`s large size. It is suited only to large and medium-scale stationary applications.
Advanced Boost System Developing for High EGR Applications
Sun, Harold
To support industry efforts of clean and efficient internal combustion engine development for passenger and commercial applications • This program focuses on turbocharger improvement for medium and light duty diesel applications, from complete system optimization percepective to enable commercialization of advanced diesel combustion technologies, such as HCCI/LTC. • Improve combined turbocharger efficiency up to 10% or fuel economy by 3% on FTP cycle at Tier II Bin 5 emission level.
Efficient removal of insecticide "imidacloprid" from water by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes.
Turabik, Meral; Oturan, Nihal; Gözmen, Belgin; Oturan, Mehmet A
The oxidative degradation of imidacloprid (ICP) has been carried out by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs), anodic oxidation, and electro-Fenton, in which hydroxyl radicals are generated electrocatalytically. Carbon-felt cathode and platinum or boron-doped diamond (BDD) anodes were used in electrolysis cell. To determine optimum operating conditions, the effects of applied current and catalyst concentration were investigated. The decay of ICP during the oxidative degradation was well fitted to pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics and absolute rate constant of the oxidation of ICP by hydroxyl radicals was found to be k abs(ICP) = 1.23 × 10(9) L mol(-1) s(-1). The results showed that both anodic oxidation and electro-Fenton process with BDD anode exhibited high mineralization efficiency reaching 91 and 94% total organic carbon (TOC) removal at 2 h, respectively. For Pt-EF process, mineralization efficiency was also obtained as 71%. The degradation products of ICP were identified and a plausible general oxidation mechanism was proposed. Some of the main reaction intermediates such as 6-chloronicotinic acid, 6-chloronicotinaldehyde, and 6-hydroxynicotinic acid were determined by GC-MS analysis. Before complete mineralization, formic, acetic, oxalic, and glyoxylic acids were identified as end-products. The initial chlorine and organic nitrogen present in ICP were found to be converted to inorganic anions Cl(-), NO₃(-), and NH₄(+). PMID:24671401
High efficiency silicon solar cell review
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Godlewski, M. P. (Editor)
An overview is presented of the current research and development efforts to improve the performance of the silicon solar cell. The 24 papers presented reviewed experimental and analytic modeling work which emphasizes the improvment of conversion efficiency and the reduction of manufacturing costs. A summary is given of the round-table discussion, in which the near- and far-term directions of future efficiency improvements were discussed.
High Efficiency, Ultra-Low Emission, Integrated Process Heater System
Mason, Howard; Boral, Anindya; Chhotray, San; Martin, Matthew
The team of TIAX LLC, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, and Callidus Technologies, LLC conducted a six-year program to develop an ultra-low emission process heater burner and an advanced high efficiency heater design. This project addresses the critical need of process heater operators for reliable, economical emission reduction technologies to comply with stringent emission regulations, and for heater design alternatives that reduce process heater energy requirements without significant cost increase. The key project targets were NOx emissions of 10 ppm (@ 3% O2), and a heater thermal efficiency of 95 percent. The ultra low NOx burner was developed through a series of pilot-scale and field tests combined with computational fluid dynamic modeling to arrive at simultaneous low emissions and suitable flame shape and stability. Pilot scale tests were run at TIAX, at the 2 MMBtu/hr scale, and at Callidus at 8 MMBtu/hr. The full scale burner was installed on a 14 burner atmospheric pipestill furnace at an ExxonMobil refinery. A variety of burner configurations, gas tips and flame stabilizers were tested to determine the lowest emissions with acceptable flame shape and stability. The resulting NOx emissions were 22 ppm on average. Starting in 2001, Callidus commercialized the original ultra low NOx burner and made subsequent design improvements in a series of commercial burners evolving from the original concept and/or development. Emissions in the field with the ultra low-NOx burner over a broad spectrum of heater applications have varied from 5 ppm to 30 ppm depending on heater geometry, heater service, fuel and firing capacity. To date, 1550 of the original burners, and 2500 of subsequent generation burners have been sold by Callidus. The advanced heater design was developed by parametric evaluations of a variety of furnace and combustion air preheater configurations and technologies for enhancing convective and radiative heat transfer. The design evolution
[Tobacco--a highly efficient producer of vaccines].
Budzianowski, Jaromir
Along with the depreciation of tobacco as a source of nicotine-containing commercial products, the increase of its appreciation as a potential producer of recombinant therapeutical proteins can be observed. Two species of tobacco--Nicotiana tabacum L. and N. benthamiana are easily grown by well established methods of field or green-house cultivation or cell culture, yield high biomass and soluble protein content, can be easily transformed by several methods and are not food for humans or feed for animals. Expression of foreign proteins, including vaccines, can be achieved in those plants either through stable transformation of nuclear or plastid (chloroplast) genomes or by transient transformation using infection with plant virus or bacteria--Agrobacterium tumefaciens (agroinfiltration). The most advanced mode of agrofiltration termed magnifection, which combines benefits of virus and Agrobacterium and depends on using Agrobacterium with viral pro-vectors, enables high-yield and rapid expression of therapeutical proteins, even in a few days, and can be employed on an industrial scale. Expression of many antigenic proteins, which may serve as antiviral, antibacterial, antiprotozoan and anticancer vaccines, and additionally a few autoantigens designed for the treatment of autoimunogenic diseases, like diabetes, have been achieved in tobacco. To date, a vaccine against Newcastle virus disease in poultry produced by tobacco cell culture has been approved for commercial application and several other vaccines are in advanced stage of development. The possibility of a high-level production of vaccines in tobacco against pandemic influenza or anthrax and plague due to a bioterroristic attack, as well as of individualised anticancer vaccines against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in a much shorter period of time than by traditional methods became realistic and hence caused increased interest in tobacco as a high-efficient producer of vaccines not only of specialistic
Advanced Biology [Sahuarita High School Career Curriculum Project.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Christensen, Larry
This course in advanced biology is entitled "Advanced Genetics" and is one of a series of instructional guides prepared by teachers for the Sahuarita High School (Arizona) Career Curriculum Project. It consists of seven units of study, and 15 behavioral objectives relating to these units are stated. The topics covered include a review of genetics,…
High energy efficient solid state laser sources
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Byer, Robert L.
Investigations continue of diode-laser-pumped solid-state laser oscillators and nonlinear processes using them as sources. Diode laser array pumped Nd:YAG and Nd:glass lasers have been demonstrated. Theoretical studies of non-planar oscillators have been advanced, producing new designs which should be more resistant to feedback and offer better frequency stability. A monolithic, singly resonant Optical Parametric Oscillator in MgO:LiNbO3 has been operated.
Overview of Heat Addition and Efficiency Predictions for an Advanced Stirling Convertor
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wilson, Scott D.; Reid, Terry V.; Schifer, Nicholas A.; Briggs, Maxwell H.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) have been developing the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) for use as a power system for space science missions. This generator would use two high-efficiency Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs), developed by Sunpower Inc. and NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The ASCs convert thermal energy from a radioisotope heat source into electricity. As part of ground testing of these ASCs, different operating conditions are used to simulate expected mission conditions. These conditions require achieving a particular operating frequency, hot end and cold end temperatures, and specified electrical power output for a given net heat input. Microporous bulk insulation is used in the ground support test hardware to minimize the loss of thermal energy from the electric heat source to the environment. The insulation package is characterized before operation to predict how much heat will be absorbed by the convertor and how much will be lost to the environment during operation. In an effort to validate these predictions, numerous tasks have been performed, which provided a more accurate value for net heat input into the ASCs. This test and modeling effort included: (a) making thermophysical property measurements of test setup materials to provide inputs to the numerical models, (b) acquiring additional test data that was collected during convertor tests to provide numerical models with temperature profiles of the test setup via thermocouple and infrared measurements, (c) using multidimensional numerical models (computational fluid dynamics code) to predict net heat input of an operating convertor, and (d) using validation test hardware to provide direct comparison of numerical results and validate the multidimensional numerical models used to predict convertor net heat input. This effort produced high fidelity ASC net heat input predictions, which were successfully validated using
Advanced High Brilliance X-Ray Source
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Gibson, Walter M.
The possibility to dramatically increase the efficiency of laboratory based protein structure measurements through the use of polycapillary X-ray optics was investigated. This project initiated April 1, 1993 and concluded December 31, 1996 (including a no cost extension from June 31, 1996). This is a final report of the project. The basis for the project is the ability to collect X-rays from divergent electron bombardment laboratory X-ray sources and redirect them into quasiparallel or convergent (focused) beams. For example, a 0.1 radian (approx. 6 deg) portion of a divergent beam collected by a polycapillary collimator and transformed into a quasiparallel beam of 3 millradian (0.2 deg) could give a gain of 6(exp 2)/0.2(exp 2) x T for the intensity of a diffracted beam from a crystal with a 0.2 deg diffraction width. T is the transmission efficiency of the polycapillary diffraction optic, and for T=0.5, the gain would be 36/0.04 x O.5=45. In practice, the effective collection angle will depend on the source spot size, the input focal length of the optic (usually limited by the source spot-to-window distance on the x-ray tube) and the size of the crystal relative to the output diameter of the optic. The transmission efficiency, T, depends on the characteristics (fractional open area, surface roughness, shape and channel diameter) of the polycapillary optic and is typically in the range 0.2-0.4. These effects could substantially reduce the expected efficiency gain. During the course of this study, the possibility to use a weakly focused beam (0.5 deg convergence) was suggested which could give an additional 10-20 X efficiency gain for small samples . Weakly focused beams from double focusing mirrors are frequently used for macromolecular crystallography studies. Furthermore the crystals are typically oscillated by as much as 2 deg during each X-ray exposure in order to increase the reciprocal space (number of crystal planes) sampled and use of a slightly convergent
High Efficiency Thermoelectric Generators Using New Very High Performance Materials
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fleurial, Jean-Pierre; Ewell, Richard; Caillat, Thierry; Vandersande, Jan
Extensive theoretical and experimental studies have resulted in reasonable performance improvements (from an average ZT of 0.62 up to 0.75) of the state of the art high temperature SiGe thermoelectric materials in the last 5 years. However, significantly higher material conversion efficiencies are needed to make thermoelectrics competitive and economically attractive. A new approach that looks at radically different compounds and alloys was recently started at JPL and a new family of materials with great potential has been discovered. A real breakthrough was achieved when maximum ZT values of 2.0 were obtained to date on one of these materials in the 300-400C temperature range. Initial analysis of various experimental tests have confirmed its good mechanical and physico-chemical properties. Substantial increases in conversion efficiency and specific power are predicted (60-90%) by incorporating this new material into state of the art space nuclear power systems such as Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG).
Optimizing Nanopore Surface Properties for High-Efficiency Water Desalination
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cohen-Tanugi, David; Grossman, Jeffrey
As water resources worldwide become rapidly scarcer, it is becoming increasingly important to devise new techniques to obtain clean water from seawater. At present, water purification technologies are limited by costly energy requirements relative to the theoretical thermodynamic limit and by insufficient understanding of the physical processes underlying ion filtration and fluid transport at the molecular scale. New advances in computational materials science offer a promising way to deepen our understanding of these physical phenomena. In this presentation, we describe a new approach for high-efficiency water desalination based on surface-engineered porous materials. This approach is especially relevant for promising technologies such as nanofiltration and membrane distillation, which offers promising advantages over traditional desalination technologies using mesoporous membranes that are only permeable to pure water vapor. More accurate molecular modeling of mesoporous and nanoporous materials represents a key step towards efficient large-scale treatment of seawater. Results regarding the effect of pore properties (surface texture, morphology, density, tortuosity) on desired performance characteristics such as ion selectivity, maximal water flux and energy requirements will be presented.
High efficiency klystron for the SPS application
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Larue, A. D.
The enhancement of klystron efficiency through the use of collector depression, that is by recovering energy from the spent electron beam after microwave amplification, was investigated. Design considerations included noise, harmonics, cooling, and service life. The mod anode, to be employed for beam control, and the depressed collector, used in spent electron beam energy recovery, are described.
Advances, practice, and clinical perspectives in high-throughput sequencing.
Park, S-J; Saito-Adachi, M; Komiyama, Y; Nakai, K
Remarkable advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have fundamentally changed our understanding of the genetic and epigenetic molecular bases underlying human health and diseases. As these technologies continue to revolutionize molecular biology leading to fresh perspectives, it is imperative to thoroughly consider the enormous excitement surrounding the technologies by highlighting the characteristics of platforms and their global trends as well as potential benefits and limitations. To date, with a variety of platforms, the technologies provide an impressive range of applications, including sequencing of whole genomes and transcriptomes, identifying of genome modifications, and profiling of protein interactions. Because these applications produce a flood of data, simultaneous development of bioinformatics tools is required to efficiently deal with the big data and to comprehensively analyze them. This review covers the major achievements and performances of the high-throughput sequencing and further summarizes the characteristics of their applications along with introducing applicable bioinformatics tools. Moreover, a step-by-step procedure for a practical transcriptome analysis is described employing an analytical pipeline. Clinical perspectives with special consideration to human oral health and diseases are also covered. PMID:26602181
High accuracy radiation efficiency measurement techniques
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kozakoff, D. J.; Schuchardt, J. M.
The relatively large antenna subarrays (tens of meters) to be used in the Solar Power Satellite, and the desire to accurately quantify antenna performance, dictate the requirement for specialized measurement techniques. The error contributors associated with both far-field and near-field antenna measurement concepts were quantified. As a result, instrumentation configurations with measurement accuracy potential were identified. In every case, advances in the state of the art of associated electronics were found to be required. Relative cost trade-offs between a candidate far-field elevated antenna range and near-field facility were also performed.
High-power ultrasonic processing: Recent developments and prospective advances
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gallego-Juarez, Juan A.
Although the application of ultrasonic energy to produce or to enhance a wide variety of processes have been explored since about the middle of the 20th century, only a reduced number of ultrasonic processes have been established at industrial level. However, during the last ten years the interest in ultrasonic processing has revived particularly in industrial sectors where the ultrasonic technology may represent a clean and efficient tool to improve classical existing processes or an innovation alternative for the development of new processes. Such seems to be the case of relevant sectors such as food industry, environment, pharmaceuticals and chemicals manufacture, machinery, mining, etc where power ultrasound is becoming an emerging technology for process development. The possible major problem in the application of high-intensity ultrasound on industrial processing is the design and development of efficient power ultrasonic systems (generators and reactors) capable of large scale successful operation specifically adapted to each individual process. In the area of ultrasonic processing in fluid media and more specifically in gases, the development of the steppedplate transducers and other power ge with extensive radiating surface has strongly contributed to the implementation at semi-industrial and industrial stage of several commercial applications, in sectors such as food and beverage industry (defoaming, drying, extraction, etc), environment (air cleaning, sludge filtration, etc...), machinery and process for manufacturing (textile washing, paint manufacture, etc). The development of different cavitational reactors for liquid treatment in continuous flow is helping to introduce into industry the wide potential of the area of sonochemistry. Processes such as water and effluent treatment, crystallization, soil remediation, etc have been already implemented at semi-industrial and/or industrial stage. Other single advances in sectors like mining or energy have
Energy efficiency indicators for high electric-load buildings
Aebischer, Bernard; Balmer, Markus A.; Kinney, Satkartar; Le Strat, Pascale; Shibata, Yoshiaki; Varone, Frederic
Energy per unit of floor area is not an adequate indicator for energy efficiency in high electric-load buildings. For two activities, restaurants and computer centres, alternative indicators for energy efficiency are discussed.
Application of an efficient hybrid scheme for aeroelastic analysis of advanced propellers
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Srivastava, R.; Sankar, N. L.; Reddy, T. S. R.; Huff, D. L.
An efficient 3-D hybrid scheme is applied for solving Euler equations to analyze advanced propellers. The scheme treats the spanwise direction semi-explicitly and the other two directions implicitly, without affecting the accuracy, as compared to a fully implicit scheme. This leads to a reduction in computer time and memory requirement. The calculated power coefficients for two advanced propellers, SR3 and SR7L, and various advanced ratios showed good correlation with experiment. Spanwise distribution of elemental power coefficient and steady pressure coefficient differences also showed good agreement with experiment. A study of the effect of structural flexibility on the performance of the advanced propellers showed that structural deformation due to centrifugal and aero loading should be included for better correlation.
Phase III Advanced Anodes and Cathodes Utilized in Energy Efficient Aluminum Production Cells
R.A. Christini; R.K. Dawless; S.P. Ray; D.A. Weirauch, Jr.
During Phase I of the present program, Alcoa developed a commercial cell concept that has been estimated to save 30% of the energy required for aluminum smelting. Phase ii involved the construction of a pilot facility and operation of two pilots. Phase iii of the Advanced Anodes and Cathodes Program was aimed at bench experiments to permit the resolution of certain questions to be followed by three pilot cells. All of the milestones related to materials, in particular metal purity, were attained with distinct improvements over work in previous phases of the program. NiO additions to the ceramic phase and Ag additions to the Cu metal phase of the cermet improved corrosion resistance sufficiently that the bench scale pencil anodes met the purity milestones. Some excellent metal purity results have been obtained with anodes of the following composition: Further improvements in anode material composition appear to be dependent on a better understanding of oxide solubilities in molten cryolite. For that reason, work was commissioned with an outside consultant to model the MeO - cryolite systems. That work has led to a better understanding of which oxides can be used to substitute into the NiO-Fe2O3 ceramic phase to stabilize the ferrites and reduce their solubility in molten cryolite. An extensive number of vertical plate bench electrolysis cells were run to try to find conditions where high current efficiencies could be attained. TiB2-G plates were very inconsistent and led to poor wetting and drainage. Pure TiB2 did produce good current efficiencies at small overlaps (shadowing) between the anodes and cathodes. This bench work with vertical plate anodes and cathodes reinforced the importance of good cathode wetting to attain high current efficiencies. Because of those conclusions, new wetting work was commissioned and became a major component of the research during the third year of Phase III. While significant progress was made in several areas, much work needs to be
Advanced Diagnostics for High Pressure Spray Combustion.
Skeen, Scott A.; Manin, Julien Luc; Pickett, Lyle M.
The development of accurate predictive engine simulations requires experimental data to both inform and validate the models, but very limited information is presently available about the chemical structure of high pressure spray flames under engine- relevant conditions. Probing such flames for chemical information using non- intrusive optical methods or intrusive sampling techniques, however, is challenging because of the physical and optical harshness of the environment. This work details two new diagnostics that have been developed and deployed to obtain quantitative species concentrations and soot volume fractions from a high-pressure combusting spray. A high-speed, high-pressure sampling system was developed to extract gaseous species (including soot precursor species) from within the flame for offline analysis by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A high-speed multi-wavelength optical extinction diagnostic was also developed to quantify transient and quasi-steady soot processes. High-pressure sampling and offline characterization of gas-phase species formed following the pre-burn event was accomplished as well as characterization of gas-phase species present in the lift-off region of a high-pressure n-dodecane spray flame. For the initial samples discussed in this work several species were identified, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); however, quantitative mole fractions were not determined. Nevertheless, the diagnostic developed here does have this capability. Quantitative, time-resolved measurements of soot extinction were also accomplished and the novel use of multiple incident wavelengths proved valuable toward characterizing changes in soot optical properties within different regions of the spray flame.
AVHRR/1-FM Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The advanced very high resolution radiometer is discussed. The program covers design, construction, and test of a breadboard model, engineering model, protoflight model, mechanical/structural model, and a life test model. Special bench test and calibration equipment was developed for use on the program. The flight model program objectives were to fabricate, assemble and test four of the advanced very high resolution radiometers along with a bench cooler and collimator.
Development of a high-count-rate neutron detector with position sensitivity and high efficiency
Nelson, R.; Sandoval, J.
While the neutron scattering community is bombarded with hints of new technologies that may deliver detectors with high-count-rate capability, high efficiency, gamma-ray insensitivity, and high resolution across large areas, only the time-tested, gas-filled {sup 3}He and scintillation detectors are in widespread use. Future spallation sources with higher fluxes simply must exploit some of the advanced detector schemes that are as yet unproved as production systems. Technologies indicating promise as neutron detectors include pixel arrays of amorphous silicon, silicon microstrips, microstrips with gas, and new scintillation materials. This project sought to study the competing neutron detector technologies and determine which or what combination will lead to a production detector system well suited for use at a high-intensity neutron scattering source.
High-diffraction-efficiency pseudorandom encoding.
Yang, Y; Stark, H; Gurkan, D; Lawson, C L; Cohn, R W
Pseudorandom encoding (PRE) is a statistics-based procedure in which a pure-phase spatial light modulator (SLM) can yield, on the average, the prescribed diffraction pattern specified by the user. We seek to combine PRE with the optimization of an aperture-based target function. The target function is a fully complex input transmittance, unrealizable by a phase-only SLM, that generates a prescribed light intensity. The optimization is done to increase the diffraction efficiency of the overall process. We compare three optimization methods-Monte Carlo simulation, a genetic algorithm, and a gradient search-for maximizing the diffraction efficiency of a spot-array generator. Calculated solutions are then encoded by PRE, and the resulting diffraction patterns are computer simulated. Details on the complexity of each procedure are furnished, as well as comparisons on the quality, such as uniformity of the output spot array. PMID:10680630
High efficiency annual denuder for formaldehyde monitoring
Cecchini, F.; Febo, A.; Possanzini, M.
A practical and correct methodology for evaluating CH/sub 2/O in air without sampling artifact formation is presented. Formaldehyde is collected on an annual denuder coated with bisulfite-triethanolamine. The sorbent layer is extracted with water and the solution analyzed by the chromotropic acid (CTA) procedure. Sorption efficiency and loading capacity have been investigated along with storage stability. Results of laboratory validation studies have indicated that a small annual denuder was able to sample about 300 ..mu..g CH/sub 2/O without an appreciable decrease in the initial collection efficiency (99% at 2.5 1 min/sup -1/). Tests on storage stability before and after exposure have also demonstrated that both oxidation of bisulfite and release of CH/sub 2/O did not occur for time periods as long as 1 month.
Highly efficient self-replicating RNA enzymes.
Robertson, Michael P; Joyce, Gerald F
An RNA enzyme has been developed that catalyzes the joining of oligonucleotide substrates to form additional copies of itself, undergoing self-replication with exponential growth. The enzyme also can cross-replicate with a partner enzyme, resulting in their mutual exponential growth and enabling self-sustained Darwinian evolution. The opportunity for inventive evolution within this synthetic genetic system depends on the diversity of the evolving population, which is limited by the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. Directed evolution was used to improve the efficiency of the enzyme and increase its exponential growth rate to 0.14 min(-1), corresponding to a doubling time of 5 min. This is close to the limit of 0.21 min(-1) imposed by the rate of product release, but sufficient to enable more than 80 logs of growth per day. PMID:24388759
Highly Efficient Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification
Ostapchenko, Valeriy G.; Savtchenk, Regina; Alexeeva, Irina; Rohwer, Robert G.; Baskakov, Ilia V.
Protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) provides faithful replication of mammalian prions in vitro and has numerous applications in prion research. However, the low efficiency of conversion of PrPC into PrPSc in PMCA limits the applicability of PMCA for many uses including structural studies of infectious prions. It also implies that only a small sub-fraction of PrPC may be available for conversion. Here we show that the yield, rate, and robustness of prion conversion and the sensitivity of prion detection are significantly improved by a simple modification of the PMCA format. Conducting PMCA reactions in the presence of Teflon beads (PMCAb) increased the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc from ∼10% to up to 100%. In PMCAb, a single 24-hour round consistently amplified PrPSc by 600-700-fold. Furthermore, the sensitivity of prion detection in one round (24 hours) increased by 2-3 orders of magnitude. Using serial PMCAb, a 1012-fold dilution of scrapie brain material could be amplified to the level detectible by Western blotting in 3 rounds (72 hours). The improvements in amplification efficiency were observed for the commonly used hamster 263K strain and for the synthetic strain SSLOW that otherwise amplifies poorly in PMCA. The increase in the amplification efficiency did not come at the expense of prion replication specificity. The current study demonstrates that poor conversion efficiencies observed previously have not been due to the scarcity of a sub-fraction of PrPC susceptible to conversion nor due to limited concentrations of essential cellular cofactors required for conversion. The new PMCAb format offers immediate practical benefits and opens new avenues for developing fast ultrasensitive assays and for producing abundant quantities of PrPSc in vitro. PMID:21347353
High efficiency air cycle air conditioning system
Rannenberg, G. C.
An air cycle air conditioning system is provided with regenerative heat exchangers upstream and downstream of an expansion turbine. A closedloop liquid circulatory system serially connects the two regenerative heat exchangers for regeneration without the bulk associated with air-to-air heat exchange. The liquid circulatory system may also provide heat transport to a remote sink heat exchanger and from a remote load as well as heat exchange within the sink heat exchanger and load for enhanced compactness and efficiency.
High efficiency pump for space helium transfer
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hasenbein, Robert; Izenson, Michael G.; Swift, Walter L.; Sixsmith, Herbert
A centrifugal pump was developed for the efficient and reliable transfer of liquid helium in space. The pump can be used to refill cryostats on orbiting satellites which use liquid helium for refrigeration at extremely low temperatures. The pump meets the head and flow requirements of on-orbit helium transfer: a flow rate of 800 L/hr at a head of 128 J/kg. The overall pump efficiency at the design point is 0.45. The design head and flow requirements are met with zero net positive suction head, which is the condition in an orbiting helium supply Dewar. The mass transfer efficiency calculated for a space transfer operation is 0.99. Steel ball bearings are used with gas fiber-reinforced teflon retainers to provide solid lubrication. These bearings have demonstrated the longest life in liquid helium endurance tests under simulated pumping conditions. Technology developed in the project also has application for liquid helium circulation in terrestrial facilities and for transfer of cryogenic rocket propellants in space.
Progress in advanced high temperature materials technology
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Freche, J. C.; Ault, G. M.
Significant progress has recently been made in many high temperature material categories pertinent to such applications by the industrial community. These include metal matrix composites, superalloys, directionally solidified eutectics, coatings, and ceramics. Each of these material categories is reviewed and the current state-of-the-art identified, including some assessment, when appropriate, of progress, problems, and future directions.
Advanced High Temperature Reactor Systems and Economic Analysis
Holcomb, David Eugene; Peretz, Fred J; Qualls, A L
The Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR) is a design concept for a large-output [3400 MW(t)] fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR). FHRs, by definition, feature low-pressure liquid fluoride salt cooling, coated-particle fuel, a high-temperature power cycle, and fully passive decay heat rejection. The AHTR's large thermal output enables direct comparison of its performance and requirements with other high output reactor concepts. As high-temperature plants, FHRs can support either high-efficiency electricity generation or industrial process heat production. The AHTR analysis presented in this report is limited to the electricity generation mission. FHRs, in principle, have the potential to be low-cost electricity producers while maintaining full passive safety. However, no FHR has been built, and no FHR design has reached the stage of maturity where realistic economic analysis can be performed. The system design effort described in this report represents early steps along the design path toward being able to predict the cost and performance characteristics of the AHTR as well as toward being able to identify the technology developments necessary to build an FHR power plant. While FHRs represent a distinct reactor class, they inherit desirable attributes from other thermal power plants whose characteristics can be studied to provide general guidance on plant configuration, anticipated performance, and costs. Molten salt reactors provide experience on the materials, procedures, and components necessary to use liquid fluoride salts. Liquid metal reactors provide design experience on using low-pressure liquid coolants, passive decay heat removal, and hot refueling. High temperature gas-cooled reactors provide experience with coated particle fuel and graphite components. Light water reactors (LWRs) show the potentials of transparent, high-heat capacity coolants with low chemical reactivity. Modern coal-fired power plants provide design experience with
Advanced short haul aircraft for high density markets
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Galloway, T. L.
The short haul (less than 500 miles) passenger enplanements represent about 50% of the total domestic enplanements. These can be distinguished by the annual passenger flow for a given city pair and classified into low, medium and high densiy markets. NASA studies have investigated various advanced short haul aircraft concepts that have potential application in these three market areas. Although advanced operational techniques impact all market densities, advanced vehicle design concepts such as RTOL, STOL and VTOL have the largest impact in the high density markets. This paper summarizes the results of NASA sponsored high density short haul air transportation systems studies and briefly reviews NASA sponsored advanced VTOL conceptual aircraft design studies. Trends in vehicle characteristics and operational requirements will be indicated in addition to economic suitability and impact on the community.
Advances in high speed jet aeroacoustics
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Seiner, J. M.
This paper provides an assessment from an experimental point of view of the present understanding of high speed jet noise primarily as it pertains to shock containing supersonic jet plumes. The nature of this assessment involves an examination of the complex flow and related acoustic field associated with this problem. A certain emphasis is placed on prediction of the near acoustic field to satisfy a motivation driven by a new set of guiding principles, namely the high performance tactical fighter and second generation space transportation vehicles. The review concludes that after weighing all the experimental evidence, only after consideration of the role of large scale coherent structure is adopted can a consistent unifying theme be achieved to physically interpret and properly predict noise generation by the fundamental mechanisms.
Advanced concepts for high-gradient acceleration
Whittum, D.H.
The promise of high-gradient accelerator research is a future for physics beyond the 5-TeV energy scale. Looking beyond what can be engineered today, the authors examine basic research directions for colliders of the future, from mm-waves to lasers, and from solid-state to plasmas, with attention to material damage, beam-dynamics, a workable collision scheme, and energetics.
A low-power, high-efficiency Ka-band TWTA
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Curren, Arthur N.; Dayton, James A., Jr.; Palmer, Raymond W.; Force, Dale A.; Tamashiro, Rodney N.; Wilson, John F.; Dombro, Louis; Harvey, Wayne L.
NASA has developed a new class of Ka-band TWT amplifiers (TWTAs) which achieve their high efficiency/low power performance goals by means of an advanced dynamic velocity taper (DVT). The DVT is characterized by a continuous, nonlinear reduction in helix pitch from its initial synchronous value in the output section of the TWT to near the end of the helix. Another efficiency-maximizing feature is the inclusion of a multistage depressed collector employing oxygen-free, high-conductivity Cu electrodes treated for secondary electron emission suppression by means of ion bombardment. An efficiency of 43 percent is expected to be reached.
A low-power, high-efficiency Ka-band TWTA
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Curren, Arthur N.; Dayton, James A., Jr.; Palmer, Raymond W.; Force, Dale A.; Tamashiro, Rodney N.; Wilson, John F.; Dombro, Louis; Harvey, Wayne L.
NASA has developed a new class of Ka-band TWT amplifiers (TWTAs) which achieve their high efficiency/low power performance goals by means of an advanced dynamic velocity taper (DVT). The DVT is characterized by a continuous, nonlinear reduction in helix pitch from its initial synchronous value in the output section of the TWT to near the end of the helix. Another efficiency-maximizing feature is the inclusion of a multistage depressed collector employing oxygen-free, high-conductivity Cu electrodes treated for secondary electron emission suppression by means of ion bombardment. An efficiency of 43 percent is expected to be reached.
PMMA lens with high efficiency and reliability
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Matsuzaki, Ichiro; Abe, Koji; Fujita, Katsuhiro
Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Fresnel lenses are increasingly being used in concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems installed outdoors and, accordingly, emphasis is being placed on the durability of such lenses with regard to light transmittance when subject to ultraviolet (UV) light and dust exposure. Accelerated testing methods for evaluating durability under UV exposure were established, allowing development of a lens material with improved UV resistance. Simultaneously, through a proprietary molding method, a Fresnel lens that boasts favorable light concentration efficiency with little deformation even after prolonged outdoor use was developed. Moreover, the lens incorporates a new hard-coat finish that possesses sand durability and UV resistance comparable to that of tempered glass.
Advanced Packaging Materials and Techniques for High Power TR Module: Standard Flight vs. Advanced Packaging
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hoffman, James Patrick; Del Castillo, Linda; Miller, Jennifer; Jenabi, Masud; Hunter, Donald; Birur, Gajanana
The higher output power densities required of modern radar architectures, such as the proposed DESDynI [Deformation, Ecosystem Structure, and Dynamics of Ice] SAR [Synthetic Aperture Radar] Instrument (or DSI) require increasingly dense high power electronics. To enable these higher power densities, while maintaining or even improving hardware reliability, requires advances in integrating advanced thermal packaging technologies into radar transmit/receive (TR) modules. New materials and techniques have been studied and compared to standard technologies.
High-efficiency blazed transmission gratings for high-resolution soft x-ray spectroscopy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Heilmann, Ralf K.; Bruccoleri, Alexander R.; Schattenburg, Mark L.
High-resolution spectroscopy of astrophysical sources is the key to gaining a quantitative understanding of the history, dynamics, and current conditions of the cosmos. A large-area (> 1,000 cm2), high resolving power (R = λ/Δλ> 3000) soft x-ray grating spectrometer (XGS) that covers the lines of C, N, O, Ne and Fe ions is the ideal tool to address a number of high-priority science questions from the 2010 Decadal Survey, such as the connection between super-massive black holes and large-scale structure via cosmic feedback, the evolution of large- scale structure, the behavior of matter at high densities, and the conditions close to black holes. While no grating missions or instruments are currently approved, an XGS aboard a potential future X-ray Surveyor could easily surpass the above performance metrics. To improve the chances for future soft x-ray grating spectroscopy missions or instruments, grating technology has to progress and advance to higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). To that end we have developed Critical-Angle Transmission (CAT) gratings that combine the advantages of blazed reflection gratings (high efficiency, use of higher diffraction orders) with those of conventional transmission gratings (low mass, relaxed alignment tolerances and temperature requirements, high transparency at higher energies). A CAT grating-based spectrometer can provide performance 1-2 orders of magnitude better than current grating instruments on Chandra and Newton-XMM with minimal resource requirements. At present we have fabricated large-area freestanding CAT gratings with narrow integrated support structures from silicon-on- insulator wafers using advanced lithography and a combination of deep reactive-ion and wet etching. Our latest x-ray test results show record high absolute diffraction efficiencies in blazed orders in excess of 30% with room for improvement.
ADX: a high field, high power density, Advanced Divertor test eXperiment
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vieira, R.; Labombard, B.; Marmar, E.; Irby, J.; Shiraiwa, S.; Terry, J.; Wallace, G.; Whyte, D. G.; Wolfe, S.; Wukitch, S.; ADX Team
The MIT PSFC and collaborators are proposing an advanced divertor experiment (ADX) - a tokamak specifically designed to address critical gaps in the world fusion research program on the pathway to FNSF/DEMO. This high field (6.5 tesla, 1.5 MA), high power density (P/S ~ 1.5 MW/m2) facility would utilize Alcator magnet technology to test innovative divertor concepts for next-step DT fusion devices (FNSF, DEMO) at reactor-level boundary plasma pressures and parallel heat flux densities while producing high performance core plasma conditions. The experimental platform would also test advanced lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) and ion-cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) actuators and wave physics at the plasma densities and magnetic field strengths of a DEMO, with the unique ability to deploy launcher structures both on the low-magnetic-field side and the high-field side - a location where energetic plasma-material interactions can be controlled and wave physics is most favorable for efficient current drive, heating and flow drive. This innovative experiment would perform plasma science and technology R&D necessary to inform the conceptual development and accelerate the readiness-for-deployment of FNSF/DEMO - in a timely manner, on a cost-effective research platform. Supported by DE-FC02-99ER54512.
High Efficiency, Low Emissions Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) Engines
This is the final report of the High Efficiency Clean Combustion (HECC) Research Program for the U.S. Department of Energy. Work under this co-funded program began in August 2005 and finished in July 2010. The objective of this program was to develop and demonstrate a low emission, high thermal efficiency engine system that met 2010 EPA heavy-duty on-highway truck emissions requirements (0.2g/bhp-hr NOx, 0.14g/bhp-hr HC and 0.01g/bhp-hr PM) with a thermal efficiency of 46%. To achieve this goal, development of diesel homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion was the chosen approach. This report summarizes the development of diesel HCCI combustion and associated enabling technologies that occurred during the HECC program between August 2005 and July 2010. This program showed that although diesel HCCI with conventional US diesel fuel was not a feasible means to achieve the program objectives, the HCCI load range could be increased with a higher volatility, lower cetane number fuel, such as gasoline, if the combustion rate could be moderated to avoid excessive cylinder pressure rise rates. Given the potential efficiency and emissions benefits, continued research of combustion with low cetane number fuels and the effects of fuel distillation are recommended. The operation of diesel HCCI was only feasible at part-load due to a limited fuel injection window. A 4% fuel consumption benefit versus conventional, low-temperature combustion was realized over the achievable operating range. Several enabling technologies were developed under this program that also benefited non-HCCI combustion. The development of a 300MPa fuel injector enabled the development of extended lifted flame combustion. A design methodology for minimizing the heat transfer to jacket water, known as precision cooling, will benefit conventional combustion engines, as well as HCCI engines. An advanced combustion control system based on cylinder pressure measurements was developed. A Well
Advanced Electric Systems and Aerodynamics for Efficiency Improvements in Heavy Duty Trucks
Larry Slone; Jeffrey Birkel
The Advanced Electric Systems and Aerodynamics for Efficiency Improvements in Heavy Duty Trucks program (DE-FC26-04NT42189), commonly referred to as the AES program, focused on areas that will primarily benefit fuel economy and improve heat rejection while driving over the road. The AES program objectives were to: (1) Analyze, design, build, and test a cooling system that provided a minimum of 10 percent greater heat rejection in the same frontal area with no increase in parasitic fan load. (2) Realize fuel savings with advanced power management and acceleration assist by utilizing an integrated starter/generator (ISG) and energy storage devices. (3) Quantify the effect of aerodynamic drag due to the frontal shape mandated by the area required for the cooling system. The program effort consisted of modeling and designing components for optimum fuel efficiency, completing fabrication of necessary components, integrating these components into the chassis test bed, completing controls programming, and performance testing the system both on a chassis dynamometer and on the road. Emission control measures for heavy-duty engines have resulted in increased engine heat loads, thus introducing added parasitic engine cooling loads. Truck electrification, in the form of thermal management, offers technological solutions to mitigate or even neutralize the effects of this trend. Thermal control offers opportunities to avoid increases in cooling system frontal area and forestall reduced fuel economy brought about by additional aerodynamic vehicle drag. This project explored such thermal concepts by installing a 2007 engine that is compliant with current regulations and bears additional heat rejection associated with meeting these regulations. This newer engine replaced the 2002 engine from a previous project that generated less heat rejection. Advanced power management, utilizing a continuously optimized and controlled power flow between electric components, can offer additional
Advanced High-Temperature Engine Materials Technology Progresses
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The objective of the Advanced High Temperature Engine Materials Technology Program (HITEMP) at the NASA Lewis Research Center is to generate technology for advanced materials and structural analysis that will increase fuel economy, improve reliability, extend life, and reduce operating costs for 21st century civil propulsion systems. The primary focus is on fan and compressor materials (polymer-matrix composites - PMC's), compressor and turbine materials (superalloys, and metal-matrix and intermetallic-matrix composites - MMC's and IMC's), and turbine materials (ceramic-matrix composites - CMC's). These advanced materials are being developed in-house by Lewis researchers and on grants and contracts.
A high-efficiency double quantum dot heat engine
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Y. S.; Yang, X. F.; Hong, X. K.; Si, M. S.; Chi, F.; Guo, Y.
High-efficiency heat engine requires a large output power at the cost of less input heat energy as possible. Here we propose a heat engine composed of serially connected two quantum dots sandwiched between two metallic electrodes. The efficiency of the heat engine can approach the maximum allowable Carnot efficiency ηC. We also find that the strong intradot Coulomb interaction can induce additional work regions for the heat engine, whereas the interdot Coulomb interaction always suppresses the efficiency. Our results presented here indicate a way to fabricate high-efficiency quantum-dot thermoelectric devices.
High-efficiency blazed transmission gratings for high-resolution soft x-ray spectroscopy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Heilmann, Ralf K.; Bruccoleri, Alexander R.; Schattenburg, Mark L.
High-resolution spectroscopy of astrophysical sources is the key to gaining a quantitative understanding of the history, dynamics, and current conditions of the cosmos. A large-area (> 1,000 cm2), high resolving power (R = λ/Δλ > 3,000) soft x-ray spectrometer that covers the lines of C, N, O, Ne and Fe ions is the ideal tool to address a number of high-priority sciences questions from the 2010 Decadal Survey, such as the connection between super-massive black holes and large-scale structure via cosmic feedback, the evolution of large-scale structure, the behavior of matter at high densities, and the conditions close to black holes. Numerous mission concepts that meet these requirements have been studied and proposed over the last few years, including grating instruments for the International X-ray Observatory. Nevertheless, no grating missions are currently approved. To improve the chances for future soft x-ray grating spectroscopy missions, grating technology has to progress and be advanced to higher TRLs. We have developed Critical-Angle Transmission (CAT) gratings that combine the advantages of blazed reflection gratings (high efficiency, use of higher diffraction orders) with those of conventional transmission gratings (low mass, relaxed alignment tolerances and temperature requirements, transparent at higher energies). A CAT grating-based spectrometer can provide performance 1-2 orders of magnitude better than current grating instruments on Chandra and Newton-XMM with minimal resource requirements. We have fabricated large-area free-standing CAT gratings with minimal integrated support structures from silicon-on-insulator wafers using advanced lithography and a combination of deep reactive-ion and wet etching, and will present our latest x-ray test results showing record high diffraction efficiencies in blazed orders.
Development of high-efficiency solar cells on silicon web
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Rohatgi, A.; Meier, D. L.; Campbell, R. B.; Seidensticker, R. G.; Rai-Choudhury, P.
High-efficiency dendritic cells were discussed. The influence of twin planes and heat treatment on the location and effect of trace impurities was of particular interest. Proper heat treatment often increases efficiency by causing impurities to pile up at twin planes. Oxide passivation had a beneficial effect on efficiency. A very efficient antireflective (AR) coating of zinc selenide and magnesium fluoride was designed and fabricated. An aluminum back-surface reflector was also effective.
Advanced Control Technologies and Strategies Linking DemandResponse and Energy Efficiency
Kiliccote, Sila; Piette, Mary Ann
This paper presents a preliminary framework to describe how advanced controls can support multiple modes of operations including both energy efficiency and demand response (DR). A general description of DR, its benefits, and nationwide status is outlined. The role of energy management and control systems for DR is described. Building systems such as HVAC and lighting that utilize control technologies and strategies for energy efficiency are mapped on to DR and demand shedding strategies are developed. Past research projects are presented to provide a context for the current projects. The economic case for implementing DR from a building owner perspective is also explored.
Advanced Thermoelectric Materials for Efficient Waste Heat Recovery in Process Industries
Adam Polcyn; Moe Khaleel
The overall objective of the project was to integrate advanced thermoelectric materials into a power generation device that could convert waste heat from an industrial process to electricity with an efficiency approaching 20%. Advanced thermoelectric materials were developed with figure-of-merit ZT of 1.5 at 275 degrees C. These materials were not successfully integrated into a power generation device. However, waste heat recovery was demonstrated from an industrial process (the combustion exhaust gas stream of an oxyfuel-fired flat glass melting furnace) using a commercially available (5% efficiency) thermoelectric generator coupled to a heat pipe. It was concluded that significant improvements both in thermoelectric material figure-of-merit and in cost-effective methods for capturing heat would be required to make thermoelectric waste heat recovery viable for widespread industrial application.
Friction Stir Spot Welding of Advanced High Strength Steels
Hovanski, Yuri; Grant, Glenn J.; Santella, M. L.
Friction stir spot welding techniques were developed to successfully join several advanced high strength steels. Two distinct tool materials were evaluated to determine the effect of tool materials on the process parameters and joint properties. Welds were characterized primarily via lap shear, microhardness, and optical microscopy. Friction stir spot welds were compared to the resistance spot welds in similar strength alloys by using the AWS standard for resistance spot welding high strength steels. As further comparison, a primitive cost comparison between the two joining processes was developed, which included an evaluation of the future cost prospects of friction stir spot welding in advanced high strength steels.
Printing highly efficient organic solar cells.
Hoth, Claudia N; Schilinsky, Pavel; Choulis, Stelios A; Brabec, Christoph J
The technological attraction in organic solar cells is their compatibility to printing processes. However, up to today, nearly no literature on "printed" organic solar cells have been published and the major body of the research work was done by spin coating or blading techniques. Transferring the spin-coating or doctor blading process currently used for the fabrication of bulk heterojunction solar cell to a printing process holds morphological challenges that have not been observed or reported up to today. We highlight these challenges and we show that inkjet printing of organic bulk heterojunction solar cells requires completely novel approaches and skill sets compared to the current state of the art. By adjusting the chemical properties of the poly(3-hexylthiophene) polymer donor and by using our recently developed inkjet solvent mixture, we have gained control over the nanomorphology of poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene blends during the printing process and report a new record power conversion efficiency of 3.5% for inkjet printed poly(3-hexylthiophene):fullerene based solar cells. PMID:18683989
Efficient high-capacity steganography technique
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Abdulla, Alan A.; Jassim, Sabah A.; Sellahewa, Harin
Performance indicators characterizing modern steganographic techniques include capacity (i.e. the quantity of data that can be hidden in the cover medium), stego quality (i.e. artifacts visibility), security (i.e. undetectability), and strength or robustness (intended as the resistance against active attacks aimed to destroy the secret message). Fibonacci based embedding techniques have been researched and proposed in the literature to achieve efficient steganography in terms of capacity with respect to stego quality. In this paper, we investigated an innovative idea that extends Fibonacci-like steganography by bit-plane(s) mapping instead of bit-plane(s) replacement. Our proposed algorithm increases embedding capacity using bit-plane mapping to embed two bits of the secret message in three bits of a pixel of the cover, at the expense of a marginal loss in stego quality. While existing Fibonacci embedding algorithms do not use certain intensities of the cover for embedding due to the limitation imposed by the Zeckendorf theorem, our proposal solve this problem and make all intensity values candidates for embedding. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed technique double the embedding capacity when compared to existing Fibonacci methods, and it is secure against statistical attacks such as RS, POV, and difference image histogram (DIH).
Accounting for Advanced High School Coursework in College Admission Decisions
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sadler, Philip M.; Tai, Robert H.
The purpose of the current study is to investigate the feasibility of accounting for student performance in advanced high school coursework through the adjustment of high school grade point average (HSGPA) while separating out variables that are independently considered in the admission process, e.g., SAT/ACT scores, community affluence, type of…
Conversion Tower for Dispatchable Solar Power: High-Efficiency Solar-Electric Conversion Power Tower
HEATS Project: Abengoa Solar is developing a high-efficiency solar-electric conversion tower to enable low-cost, fully dispatchable solar energy generation. Abengoa's conversion tower utilizes new system architecture and a two-phase thermal energy storage media with an efficient supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) power cycle. The company is using a high-temperature heat-transfer fluid with a phase change in between its hot and cold operating temperature. The fluid serves as a heat storage material and is cheaper and more efficient than conventional heat-storage materials, like molten salt. It also allows the use of a high heat flux solar receiver, advanced high thermal energy density storage, and more efficient power cycles.
40 CFR 761.71 - High efficiency boilers.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false High efficiency boilers. 761.71... PROHIBITIONS Storage and Disposal § 761.71 High efficiency boilers. (a) To burn mineral oil dielectric fluid containing a PCB concentration of ≥50 ppm, but boiler shall comply with the...
40 CFR 761.71 - High efficiency boilers.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false High efficiency boilers. 761.71... PROHIBITIONS Storage and Disposal § 761.71 High efficiency boilers. (a) To burn mineral oil dielectric fluid containing a PCB concentration of ≥50 ppm, but boiler shall comply with the...
Some approaches for fabricating high-efficiency OLEDs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jou, Jwo-Huei; Wang, Wei-Ben; Shen, Shih-Ming; Wu, Ming-Hsuan
High-efficiency is strongly desired for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) to be fully realized as the future display and lighting technology. To replace current illumination tools, such as incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes, for examples, OLEDs with much higher efficiency are demanded. We will present herein some approaches for fabricating high-efficiency OLEDs of blue and white emission. Besides employing highly efficient electroluminescent guests and thin device architecture, low injection barriers to carriers, high carrier-transporting character, effective carrier/exciton confinement, balanced carrier-injection, exciton generation on host, effective host-to-guest energy-transfer and improved light-coupling efficiency are essential. Amongst, the incorporation of nano-dots in emissive- and non-emissive-layers can markedly improve the device efficiency. The enhancement is especially marked as small polymeric nano-dots are incorporated into the non-emissive layers. Since the incorporation is not in the emissive layer, the efficiency improvement mechanism works for both fluorescent and phosphorescent devices. Importantly, the efficiency improvement is also a strong function of the surface charge density of the nano-dots. Regardless positively or negatively charged, the improvement becomes more pronounced as the charge density increases. Results regarding some lately achieved extraordinarily highly-efficient OLEDs containing nano-dots with high surface charge will be presented.
Paul T. Fini; Shuji Nakamura
In this second annual report we summarize the progress in the second-year period of Department of Energy contract DE-FC26-01NT41203, entitled ''High- Efficiency Nitride-Based Solid-State Lighting''. The two teams, from the University of California at Santa Barbara (Principle Investigator: Dr. Shuji Nakamura) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (led by Dr. N. Narendran), are pursuing the goals of this contract from thin film growth, characterization, and packaging standpoints. The UCSB team has recently made significant progress in the development of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with AlGaN active regions emitting in the ultraviolet (UV), resonant-cavity LEDs (RCLEDs), as well as lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) techniques to obtain large-area non-polar GaN films with low average dislocation density. The Rensselaer team has benchmarked the performance of commercially available LED systems and has also conducted efforts to develop an optimized RCLED packaging scheme, including development of advanced epoxy encapsulant chemistries.
Biologically inspired highly efficient buoyancy engine
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Akle, Barbar; Habchi, Wassim; Abdelnour, Rita; Blottman, John, III; Leo, Donald
Undersea distributed networked sensor systems require a miniaturization of platforms and a means of both spatial and temporal persistence. One aspect of this system is the necessity to modulate sensor depth for optimal positioning and station-keeping. Current approaches involve pneumatic bladders or electrolysis; both require mechanical subsystems and consume significant power. These are not suitable for the miniaturization of sensor platforms. Presented in this study is a novel biologically inspired method that relies on ionic motion and osmotic pressures to displace a volume of water from the ocean into and out of the proposed buoyancy engine. At a constant device volume, the displaced water will alter buoyancy leading to either sinking or floating. The engine is composed of an enclosure sided on the ocean's end by a Nafion ionomer and by a flexible membrane separating the water from a gas enclosure. Two electrodes are placed one inside the enclosure and the other attached to the engine on the outside. The semi-permeable membrane Nafion allows water motion in and out of the enclosure while blocking anions from being transferred. The two electrodes generate local concentration changes of ions upon the application of an electrical field; these changes lead to osmotic pressures and hence the transfer of water through the semi-permeable membrane. Some aquatic organisms such as pelagic crustacean perform this buoyancy control using an exchange of ions through their tissue to modulate its density relative to the ambient sea water. In this paper, the authors provide an experimental proof of concept of this buoyancy engine. The efficiency of changing the engine's buoyancy is calculated and optimized as a function of electrode surface area. For example electrodes made of a 3mm diameter Ag/AgCl proved to transfer approximately 4mm3 of water consuming 4 Joules of electrical energy. The speed of displacement is optimized as a function of the surface area of the Nafion
Efficient method development strategy for challenging separation of pharmaceutical molecules using advanced chromatographic technologies.
Xiao, Kang Ping; Xiong, Yuan; Liu, Fang Zhu; Rustum, Abu M
In this paper, we describe a strategy that can be used to efficiently develop a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation of challenging pharmaceutical molecules. This strategy involves use of advanced chromatographic technologies, such as a computer-assisted chromatographic method development tool (ChromSword) and an automated column switching system (LC Spiderling). This process significantly enhances the probability of achieving adequate separations and can be a large time saver for bench analytical scientists. In our study, the ChromSword was used for mobile phase screening and separation optimization, and the LC Spiderling was used to identify the most appropriate HPLC columns. For proof of concept, the analytes employed in this study are the structural epimers betamethylepoxide and alphamethylepoxide (also known as 16-beta methyl epoxide and 16-alpha methyl epoxide). Both of these compounds are used in the synthesis of various active pharmaceutical ingredients that are part of the steroid pharmaceutical products. While these molecules are relatively large in size and contain various polar functional groups and non-polar cyclic carbon chains, their structures differ only in the orientation of one methyl group. To our knowledge, there is no reported HPLC separation of these two molecules. A simple gradient method was quickly developed on a 5 cm YMC Hydrosphere C(18) column that separated betamethylepoxide and alphamethylepoxide in 10 min with a resolution factor of 3.0. This high resolution provided a true baseline separation even when the concentration ratio between these two epimers was 10,000:1. Although outside of the scope of this paper, stability-indicating assay and impurity profile methods for betamethylepoxide and for alphamethylepoxide have also been developed by our group based on a similar method development strategy. PMID:17628579
'Advanced' generation lentiviruses as efficient vectors for cardiomyocyte gene transduction in vitro and in vivo.
Bonci, D; Cittadini, A; Latronico, M V G; Borello, U; Aycock, J K; Drusco, A; Innocenzi, A; Follenzi, A; Lavitrano, M; Monti, M G; Ross, J; Naldini, L; Peschle, C; Cossu, G; Condorelli, G
Efficient gene transduction in cardiomyocytes is a task that can be accomplished only by viral vectors. Up to now, the most commonly used vectors for this purpose have been adenoviral-derived ones. Recently, it has been demonstrated that lentiviral vectors can transduce growth-arrested cells, such as hematopoietic stem cells. Moreover, a modified form of lentiviral vector (the 'advanced' generation), containing an mRNA-stabilizer sequence and a nuclear import sequence, has been shown to significantly improve gene transduction in growth-arrested cells as compared to the third-generation vector. Therefore, we tested whether the 'advanced' generation lentivirus is capable of infecting and transducing cardiomyocytes both in vitro and in vivo, comparing efficacy in vitro against the third-generation of the same vector. Here we report that 'advanced' generation lentiviral vectors infected most (>80%) cardiomyocytes in culture, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence and FACS analyses: in contrast the percentage of cardiomyocytes infected by third-generation lentivirus was three- to four-fold lower. Moreover, 'advanced' generation lentivirus was also capable of infecting and inducing stable gene expression in adult myocardium in vivo. Thus, 'advanced' generation lentiviral vectors can be used for both in vitro and in vivo gene expression studies in the cardiomyocyte. PMID:12692591
High-Efficiency, High-Capacity, Low-NOx Aluminum Melting Using Oxygen-Enhanced Combustion
D'Agostini, M.D.
This report describes the development and application of a novel oxygen enhanced combustion system with an integrated vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) oxygen supply providing efficient, low NOx melting in secondary aluminum furnaces. The mainstay of the combustion system is a novel air-oxy-natural gas burner that achieves high productivity and energy efficiency with low NOx emissions through advanced mixing concepts and the use of separate high- and low-purity oxidizer streams. The technology was installed on a reverberatory, secondary aluminum melting plant at the Wabash Aluminum Alloy's Syracuse, N.Y. plant, where it is currently in operation. Field testing gave evidence that the new burner technology meets the stringent NOx emissions target of 0.323 lb NO2/ton aluminum, thus complying with regulations promulgated by Southern California's South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). Test results also indicated that the burner technology exceeded fuel efficiency and melting capacity goals. Economic modeling showed that the novel air-oxy-fuel (ADF) combustion technology provides a substantial increase in furnace profitability relative to air-fuel operation. Model results also suggest favorable economics for the air-oxy-fuel technology relative to a full oxy-fuel conversion of the furnace.
Vacuum testing of high efficiency AMTEC cells
Schuller, M.; Phillips, P.H.; Reiners, E.; Merrill, J.; Crowley, C.; Izenson, M.
The Phillips Laboratory Power and Thermal Management Division (PL/VTP), in cooperation with JPL, AMPS, Creare, and ORION, is performing vacuum testing of high performance Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Conversion (AMTEC) cells, including the Micro-Machined Evaporator (MME) and PL-9A cells. The MME cell was designed to test an improved evaporator, which should allow long term operation at evaporator temperatures as high as 1,100 K. The PL-9A cell was designed and built by AMPS under contract to ORION to test an improved heat shield assembly. The testing at Phillips Lab is done in a vacuum test stand which simulates the environment of an AMTEC cell operating as part of a spacecraft power system. The test configuration consists of the MME cell (later replaced by by the PL-9A cell) in the center of an array of six other AMTEC cells. The seven cells are encased in multifoil insulation. Testing shows that there is little difference between cell current/voltage performance when measured in vacuum tests compared to guard heater tests. The author are also examining the differences between fast I-V curve sweeps, recorded manually, with the cell operating at constant heat input, over a period of five minutes or less, and equilibrium I-V curve sweeps, in which the cell reaches thermal equilibrium at each data point.
Microalgae--novel highly efficient starch producers.
Brányiková, Irena; Maršálková, Barbora; Doucha, Jiří; Brányik, Tomáš; Bišová, Kateřina; Zachleder, Vilém; Vítová, Milada
The freshwater alga Chlorella, a highly productive source of starch, might substitute for starch-rich terrestrial plants in bioethanol production. The cultivation conditions necessary for maximizing starch content in Chlorella biomass, generated in outdoor scale-up solar photobioreactors, are described. The most important factor that can affect the rate of starch synthesis, and its accumulation, is mean illumination resulting from a combination of biomass concentration and incident light intensity. While 8.5% DW of starch was attained at a mean light intensity of 215 µmol/(m2 s1), 40% of DW was synthesized at a mean light intensity 330 µmol/(m2 s1). Another important factor is the phase of the cell cycle. The content of starch was highest (45% of DW) prior to cell division, but during the course of division, its cellular level rapidly decreased to about 13% of DW in cells grown in light, or to about 4% in those kept in the dark during the division phase. To produce biomass with high starch content, it is necessary to suppress cell division events, but not to disturb synthesis of starch in the chloroplast. The addition of cycloheximide (1 mg/L), a specific inhibitor of cytoplasmic protein synthesis, and the effect of element limitation (nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus) were tested. The majority of the experiments were carried out in laboratory-scale photobioreactors, where culture treatments increased starch content to up to about 60% of DW in the case of cycloheximide inhibition or sulfur limitation. When the cells were limited by phosphorus or nitrogen supply, the cellular starch content increased to 55% or 38% of DW, respectively, however, after about 20 h, growth of the cultures stopped producing starch, and the content of starch again decreased. Sulfur limited and cycloheximide-treated cells maintained a high content of starch (60% of DW) for up to 2 days. Sulfur limitation, the most appropriate treatment for scaled-up culture of starch-enriched biomass
Anirban Mukherjee; Kwang-Bok Yi; Elizabeth J. Podlaha; Douglas P. Harrison
Mixed metal oxides containing CeO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2} are being studied as high temperature desulfurization sorbents capable of achieving the DOE Vision 21 target of 1 ppmv of less H{sub 2}S. The research is justified by recent results in this laboratory that showed that reduced CeO{sub 2}, designated CeO{sub n} (1.5 < n < 2.0), is capable of achieving the 1 ppmv target in highly reducing gas atmospheres. The addition of ZrO{sub 2} has improved the performance of oxidation catalysts and three-way automotive catalysts containing CeO{sub 2}, and should have similar beneficial effects on CeO{sub 2} desulfurization sorbents. An electrochemical method for synthesizing CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} has been developed and the products have been characterized by XRD and TEM during year 01. Nanocrystalline particles having a diameter of about 5 nm and containing from approximately 10 mol% to 80 mol% ZrO{sub 2} have been prepared. XRD showed the product to be a solid solution at low ZrO{sub 2} contents with a separate ZrO{sub 2} phase emerging at higher ZrO{sub 2} levels. Phase separation did not occur when the solid solutions were heat treated at 700 C. A flow reactor system constructed of quartz and teflon has been constructed, and a gas chromatograph equipped with a pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD) suitable for measuring sub-ppmv levels of H{sub 2}S has been purchased with LSU matching funds. Preliminary desulfurization tests using commercial CeO{sub 2} and CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} in highly reducing gas compositions has confirmed that CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} is more effective than CeO{sub 2} in removing H{sub 2}S. At 700 C the product H{sub 2}S concentration using CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} sorbent was near the 0.1 ppmv PFPD detection limit during the prebreakthrough period.
High temperature performance of high-efficiency, multi-layer solar selective coatings for tower applications
Gray, M. H.; Tirawat, R.; Kessinger, K. A.; Ndione, P. F.
The roadmap to next-generation concentrating solar power plants anticipates a progression to central towers with operating temperatures in excess of 650°C. These higher temperatures are required to drive higher power-cycle efficiencies, resulting in lower cost energy. However, these conditions also place a greater burden on the materials making up the receiver. Any novel absorber material developed for next-generation receivers must be stable in air, cost effective, and survive thousands of heating and cooling cycles. The collection efficiency of a power tower plant can be increased if the energy absorbed by the receiver is maximized while the heat loss from the receiver to the environment is minimized. Thermal radiation losses can be significant (>7% annual energy loss) with receivers at temperatures above 650°C. We present progress toward highly efficient and durable solar selective absorbers (SSAs) intended for operating temperatures from 650°C to 1000°C. Selective efficiency (ηsel) is defined as the energy retained by the absorber, accounting for both absorptance and emittance, relative to the energy incident on the surface. The low emittance layers of multilayer SSAs are binary compounds of refractory metals whose material properties indicate that coatings formed of these materials should be oxidation resistant in air to 800-1200°C. On this basis, we initially developed a solar selective coating for parabolic troughs. This development has been successfully extended to meet the absorptance and emittance objectives for the more demanding, high temperature regime. We show advancement in coating materials, processing and designs resulting in the initial attainment of target efficiencies ηsel > 0.91 for proposed tower conditions. Additionally, spectral measurements show that these coatings continue to perform at targeted levels after cycling to temperatures of 1000°C in environments of nitrogen and forming gas.
High temperature performance of high-efficiency, multi-layer solar selective coatings for tower applications
Gray, M. H.; Tirawat, R.; Kessinger, K. A.; Ndione, P. F.
The roadmap to next-generation concentrating solar power plants anticipates a progression to central towers with operating temperatures in excess of 650°C. These higher temperatures are required to drive higher power-cycle efficiencies, resulting in lower cost energy. However, these conditions also place a greater burden on the materials making up the receiver. Any novel absorber material developed for next-generation receivers must be stable in air, cost effective, and survive thousands of heating and cooling cycles. The collection efficiency of a power tower plant can be increased if the energy absorbed by the receiver is maximized while the heat loss from themore » receiver to the environment is minimized. Thermal radiation losses can be significant (>7% annual energy loss) with receivers at temperatures above 650°C. We present progress toward highly efficient and durable solar selective absorbers (SSAs) intended for operating temperatures from 650°C to 1000°C. Selective efficiency (ηsel) is defined as the energy retained by the absorber, accounting for both absorptance and emittance, relative to the energy incident on the surface. The low emittance layers of multilayer SSAs are binary compounds of refractory metals whose material properties indicate that coatings formed of these materials should be oxidation resistant in air to 800-1200°C. On this basis, we initially developed a solar selective coating for parabolic troughs. This development has been successfully extended to meet the absorptance and emittance objectives for the more demanding, high temperature regime. We show advancement in coating materials, processing and designs resulting in the initial attainment of target efficiencies ηsel > 0.91 for proposed tower conditions. Additionally, spectral measurements show that these coatings continue to perform at targeted levels after cycling to temperatures of 1000°C in environments of nitrogen and forming gas.« less
High temperature solid lubricant materials for heavy duty and advanced heat engines
DellaCorte, C.; Wood, J.C.
Advanced engine designs incorporate higher mechanical and thermal loading to achieve efficiency improvements. This approach often leads to higher operating temperatures of critical sliding elements (e.g. piston ring/cylinder wall contacts and valve guides) which compromise the use of conventional and even advanced synthetic liquid lubricants. For these applications solid lubricants must be considered. Several novel solid lubricant composites and coatings designated PS/PM200 have been employed to dry and marginally oil lubricated contacts in advanced heat engines. These applications include cylinder kits of heavy duty diesels, and high temperature sterling engines, sidewall seals of rotary engines and various exhaust valve and exhaust component applications. The following paper describes the tribological and thermophysical properties of these tribomaterials and reviews the results of applying them to engine applications. Other potential tribological materials and applications are also discussed with particular emphasis to heavy duty and advanced heat engines.
High Temperature Solid Lubricant Materials for Heavy Duty and Advanced Heat Engines
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dellacorte, C.; Wood, J. C.
Advanced engine designs incorporate higher mechanical and thermal loading to achieve efficiency improvements. This approach often leads to higher operating temperatures of critical sliding elements (e.g. piston ring/cylinder wall contacts and valve guides) which compromise the use of conventional and even advanced synthetic liquid lubricants. For these applications solid lubricants must be considered. Several novel solid lubricant composites and coatings designated PS/PM200 have been employed to dry and marginally oil lubricated contacts in advanced heat engines. These applications include cylinder kits of heavy duty diesels, and high temperature Stirling engines, sidewall seals of rotary engines, and various exhaust valve and exhaust component applications. This paper describes the tribological and thermophysical properties of these tribomaterials and reviews the results of applying them to engine applications. Other potential tribological materials and applications are also discussed with particular emphasis on heavy duty and advanced heat engines.
High efficiency lithium-thionyl chloride cell
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Doddapaneni, N.
The main objectives are to evaluate the polarization characteristics of Teflon bonded carbon electrodes in the Li/SOCl2 system and to improve cathode performance at high discharge rates and low operating temperatures (-40 F to 32 F). During the report period, we have studied the half-cell polarization and discharge performance characteristics of Li/SOCl2 cells with and without improved cathodes. In addition, the effect of catalysts on cyclic volt-ammograms and electrolyte viscosity and conductivity relationships with operating temperature have been examined. Electrolyte properties in Li/SOCL2 systems are found to contribute significantly towards the cathode overpotential. Cathodes doped with catalysts greatly minimized the activation polarization throughout the operating temperatures.
Compact and highly efficient laser pump cavity
Chang, Jim J.; Bass, Isaac L.; Zapata, Luis E.
A new, compact, side-pumped laser pump cavity design which uses non-conventional optics for injection of laser-diode light into a laser pump chamber includes a plurality of elongated light concentration channels. In one embodiment, the light concentration channels are compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) which have very small exit apertures so that light will not escape from the pumping chamber and will be multiply reflected through the laser rod. This new design effectively traps the pump radiation inside the pump chamber that encloses the laser rod. It enables more uniform laser pumping and highly effective recycle of pump radiation, leading to significantly improved laser performance. This new design also effectively widens the acceptable radiation wavelength of the diodes, resulting in a more reliable laser performance with lower cost.
Secondary heat exchanger design and comparison for advanced high temperature reactor
Sabharwall, P.; Kim, E. S.; Siahpush, A.; McKellar, M.; Patterson, M.
Next generation nuclear reactors such as the advanced high temperature reactor (AHTR) are designed to increase energy efficiency in the production of electricity and provide high temperature heat for industrial processes. The efficient transfer of energy for industrial applications depends on the ability to incorporate effective heat exchangers between the nuclear heat transport system and the industrial process heat transport system. This study considers two different types of heat exchangers - helical coiled heat exchanger and printed circuit heat exchanger - as possible options for the AHTR secondary heat exchangers with distributed load analysis and comparison. Comparison is provided for all different cases along with challenges and recommendations. (authors)
2250-MHz High Efficiency Microwave Power Amplifier (HEMPA)
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sims, W. Herbert; Bell, Joseph L. (Technical Monitor)
Tnis paper will focus on developing an exotic switching technique that enhances the DC-to-RF conversion efficiency of microwave power amplifiers. For years, switching techniques implemented in the 10 kHz to 30 MHz region have resulted in DC-to-RF conversion efficiencies of 90-95-percent. Currently amplifier conversion efficiency, in the 2-3 GHz region approaches, 10-20-percent. Using a combination of analytical modeling and hardware testing, a High Efficiency Microwave Power Amplifier was built that demonstrated conversion efficiencies four to five times higher than current state of the art.
Stabilized High Power Laser for Advanced Gravitational Wave Detectors
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Willke, B.; Danzmann, K.; Fallnich, C.; Frede, M.; Heurs, M.; King, P.; Kracht, D.; Kwee, P.; Savage, R.; Seifert, F.; Wilhelm, R.
Second generation gravitational wave detectors require high power lasers with several 100W of output power and with very low temporal and spatial fluctuations. In this paper we discuss possible setups to achieve high laser power and describe a 200W prestabilized laser system (PSL). The PSL noise requirements for advanced gravitational wave detectors will be discussed in general and the stabilization scheme proposed for the Advanced LIGO PSL will be described. Special emphasis will be given to the most demanding power stabilization requiremets and new results (RIN <= 4×10-9/surdHz) will be presented.
Kwang-Bok Yi; Anirban Mukherjee; Elizabeth J. Podlaha; Douglas P. Harrison
Mixed metal oxides containing ceria and zirconia have been studied as high temperature desulfurization sorbents with the objective of achieving the DOE Vision 21 target of 1 ppmv or less H{sub 2}S in the product gas. The research was justified by recent results in this laboratory that showed that reduced CeO{sub 2}, designated CeOn (1.5 < n < 2.0), is capable of achieving the 1 ppmv target in highly reducing gas atmospheres. The addition of ZrO{sub 2} has improved the performance of oxidation catalysts and three-way automotive catalysts containing CeO{sub 2}, and was postulated to have similar beneficial effects on CeO{sub 2} desulfurization sorbents. An electrochemical method for synthesizing CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} mixtures was developed and the products were characterized by XRD and TEM during year 01. Nanocrystalline particles having a diameter of about 5 nm and containing from approximately 10 mol% to 80 mol% ZrO{sub 2} were prepared. XRD analysis showed the product to be a solid solution at low ZrO{sub 2} contents with a separate ZrO{sub 2} phase emerging at higher ZrO{sub 2} levels. Unfortunately, the quantity of CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} that could be prepared electrochemically was too small to permit desulfurization testing. Also during year 01 a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor was constructed for desulfurization testing. All components of the reactor and analytical systems that were exposed to low concentrations of H{sub 2}S were constructed of quartz, Teflon, or silcosteel. Reactor product gas composition as a function of time was determined using a Varian 3800 gas chromatograph equipped with a pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD) for measuring low H{sub 2}S concentrations from approximately 0.1 to 10 ppmv, and a thermal conductivity detector (TCD) for higher concentrations of H{sub 2}S. Larger quantities of CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} mixtures from other sources, including mixtures prepared in this laboratory using a coprecipitation procedure, were obtained
Bridging the Geoscientist Workforce Gap: Advanced High School Geoscience Programs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Schmidt, Richard William
The purpose of this participatory action research was to create a comprehensive evaluation of advanced geoscience education in Pennsylvania public high schools and to ascertain the possible impact of this trend on student perceptions and attitudes towards the geosciences as a legitimate academic subject and possible career option. The study builds on an earlier examination of student perceptions conducted at Northern Arizona University in 2008 and 2009 but shifts the focus to high school students, a demographic not explored before in this context. The study consisted of three phases each examining a different facet of the advanced geoscience education issue. Phase 1 examined 572 public high schools in 500 school districts across Pennsylvania and evaluated the health of the state's advanced geoscience education through the use of an online survey instrument where districts identified the nature of their geoscience programs (if any). Phase 2 targeted two groups of students at one suburban Philadelphia high school with an established advanced geoscience courses and compared the attitudes and perceptions of those who had been exposed to the curricula to a similar group of students who had not. Descriptive and statistically significant trends were then identified in order to assess the impact of an advanced geoscience education. Phase 3 of the study qualitatively explored the particular attitudes and perceptions of a random sampling of the advanced geoscience study group through the use of one-on-one interviews that looked for more in-depth patterns of priorities and values when students considered such topics as course enrollment, career selection and educational priorities. The results of the study revealed that advanced geoscience coursework was available to only 8% of the state's 548,000 students, a percentage significantly below that of the other typical K-12 science fields. It also exposed several statistically significant differences between the perceptions and
Kwang-Bok Yi; Elizabeth J. Podlaha; Douglas P. Harrison
Mixed metal oxides containing CeO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2} are being studied as high temperature desulfurization sorbents capable of achieving the DOE Vision 21 target of 1 ppmv or less H{sub 2}S. The research is justified by recent results in this laboratory that showed that reduced CeO{sub 2}, designated CeOn (1.5 < n < 2.0), is capable of achieving the 1 ppmv target in highly reducing gas atmospheres. The addition of ZrO{sub 2} has improved the performance of oxidation catalysts and three-way automotive catalysts containing CeO{sub 2}, and should have similar beneficial effects on CeO{sub 2} desulfurization sorbents. An electrochemical method for synthesizing CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} was developed and the products were characterized by XRD and TEM during year 01. Nanocrystalline particles having a diameter of about 5 nm and containing from approximately 10 mol% to 80 mol% ZrO{sub 2} were prepared. XRD analysis showed the product to be a solid solution at low ZrO{sub 2} contents with a separate ZrO{sub 2} phase emerging at higher ZrO{sub 2} levels. Unfortunately, the quantity of CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} that could be prepared electrochemically was too small to permit full desulfurization testing. Also during year 01 a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor was constructed for desulfurization testing. All components of the reactor and analytical systems that may be exposed to low concentrations of H{sub 2}S are constructed of quartz, Teflon, or silcosteel. Reactor product gas composition as a function of time is determined using a Varian 3800 gas chromatograph equipped with a pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD) for measuring low H{sub 2}S concentrations (<{approx}10 ppmv) and a thermal conductivity detector (TCD) for higher concentrations of H{sub 2}S. Larger quantities of CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} mixtures from other sources, including mixtures prepared in this laboratory using a coprecipitation procedure, have been obtained. Much of the work during year 02 consisted of
Kwang-Bok Yi; Elizabeth J. Podlaha; Douglas P. Harrison
Mixed metal oxides containing CeO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2} are being studied as high temperature desulfurization sorbents capable of achieving the DOE Vision 21 target of 1 ppmv or less H{sub 2}S. The research is justified by recent results in this laboratory that showed that reduced CeO{sub 2}, designated CeO{sub n} (1.5 < n < 2.0), is capable of achieving the 1 ppmv target in highly reducing gas atmospheres. The addition of ZrO{sub 2} has improved the performance of oxidation catalysts and three-way automotive catalysts containing CeO{sub 2}, and should have similar beneficial effects on CeO{sub 2} desulfurization sorbents. An electrochemical method for synthesizing CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} was developed and the products were characterized by XRD and TEM during year 01. Nanocrystalline particles having a diameter of about 5 nm and containing from approximately 10 mol% to 80 mol% ZrO{sub 2} were prepared. XRD showed the product to be a solid solution at low ZrO{sub 2} contents with a separate ZrO{sub 2} phase emerging at higher ZrO{sub 2} levels. Unfortunately, the quantity of CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} that could be prepared electrochemically was too small to permit full testing in our desulfurization reactor. Also during year 01 a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor was constructed for desulfurization testing. All components of the reactor and analytical systems that may be exposed to low concentrations of H{sub 2}S are constructed of quartz, Teflon, or silcosteel. Reactor product gas composition as a function of time is determined using a Varian 3800 gas chromatograph equipped with a pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD) for measuring low H{sub 2}S concentrations ({approx}< 10 ppmv) and a thermal conductivity detector (TCD) for higher concentrations of H{sub 2}S. Larger quantities of CeO{sub 2}-ZrO{sub 2} mixtures from other sources, including mixtures prepared in this laboratory using a coprecipitation procedure, have been obtained. Characterization and desulfurization
ADX: a high field, high power density, advanced divertor and RF tokamak
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
LaBombard, B.; Marmar, E.; Irby, J.; Terry, J. L.; Vieira, R.; Wallace, G.; Whyte, D. G.; Wolfe, S.; Wukitch, S.; Baek, S.; Beck, W.; Bonoli, P.; Brunner, D.; Doody, J.; Ellis, R.; Ernst, D.; Fiore, C.; Freidberg, J. P.; Golfinopoulos, T.; Granetz, R.; Greenwald, M.; Hartwig, Z. S.; Hubbard, A.; Hughes, J. W.; Hutchinson, I. H.; Kessel, C.; Kotschenreuther, M.; Leccacorvi, R.; Lin, Y.; Lipschultz, B.; Mahajan, S.; Minervini, J.; Mumgaard, R.; Nygren, R.; Parker, R.; Poli, F.; Porkolab, M.; Reinke, M. L.; Rice, J.; Rognlien, T.; Rowan, W.; Shiraiwa, S.; Terry, D.; Theiler, C.; Titus, P.; Umansky, M.; Valanju, P.; Walk, J.; White, A.; Wilson, J. R.; Wright, G.; Zweben, S. J.
The MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center and collaborators are proposing a high-performance Advanced Divertor and RF tokamak eXperiment (ADX)—a tokamak specifically designed to address critical gaps in the world fusion research programme on the pathway to next-step devices: fusion nuclear science facility (FNSF), fusion pilot plant (FPP) and/or demonstration power plant (DEMO). This high-field (⩾6.5 T, 1.5 MA), high power density facility (P/S ˜ 1.5 MW m-2) will test innovative divertor ideas, including an 'X-point target divertor' concept, at the required performance parameters—reactor-level boundary plasma pressures, magnetic field strengths and parallel heat flux densities entering into the divertor region—while simultaneously producing high-performance core plasma conditions that are prototypical of a reactor: equilibrated and strongly coupled electrons and ions, regimes with low or no torque, and no fuelling from external heating and current drive systems. Equally important, the experimental platform will test innovative concepts for lower hybrid current drive and ion cyclotron range of frequency actuators with the unprecedented ability to deploy launch structures both on the low-magnetic-field side and the high-magnetic-field side—the latter being a location where energetic plasma-material interactions can be controlled and favourable RF wave physics leads to efficient current drive, current profile control, heating and flow drive. This triple combination—advanced divertors, advanced RF actuators, reactor-prototypical core plasma conditions—will enable ADX to explore enhanced core confinement physics, such as made possible by reversed central shear, using only the types of external drive systems that are considered viable for a fusion power plant. Such an integrated demonstration of high-performance core-divertor operation with steady-state sustainment would pave the way towards an attractive pilot plant, as envisioned in the ARC concept
DOE/OER-sponsored basic research in high-efficiency photovoltaics
Deb, S.K.; Benner, J.P.
A high-efficiency photovoltaic project involving many of the national laboratories and several universities has been initiated under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Center of Excellence for the Synthesis and Processing of Advanced Materials. The objectives of this project are to generate advances in fundamental scientific understanding that will impact the efficiency, cost and reliability of thin-film photovoltaic cells. The project is focused on two areas. (1) Silicon-Based Thin Films, in which key scientific and technological problems involving amorphous and polycrystalline silicon thin films will be addressed, and (2) Next-Generation Thin-Film Photovoltaics, which will be concerned with the possibilities of new advances and breakthroughs in the materials and physics of photovoltaics using non-silicon-based materials.
Summary of high-efficiency solar-cell research
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kachare, R.
High-efficiency solar-cell activities supporting efforts to achieve the DOE Five-Year Plan goals are summarized. Specific objectives are to identify and resolve key generic problems that limit cell efficiency to below theoretically predicted values and to design and fabricate cells having efficiences equal to or greater than 20% (AM1.5). Theoretical curves for various p-n junction cells were shown. The effects of practical barriers on cell efficiency was depicted along with the modeling parameters. Cell design parameters used in the analyses were described. The usefulness and present limitations of the existing modeling capabilities were presented. The historical evolution of the efficiencies of cells made from web and edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) silicon ribbons were also described. The status of contemporary higher-efficiency technical capabilities and future activities to raise efficiencies were stated.
High efficiency IMPATT diodes for 60 GHz intersatellite link applications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Haugland, E. J.
Intersatellite links are expected to play an increasingly important role in future satellite systems. Improved components are required to properly utilize the wide bandwidth allocated for intersatellite link applications around 60 GHz. IMPATT diodes offer the highest potential performance as solid state power sources for a 60 GHz transmitter. Presently available devices do not have the desired power and efficiency. High efficiency, high power IMPATT diodes for intersatellite link applications are being developed by NASA and other government agencies. The development of high efficiency 60 GHz IMPATT diodes by NASA is described.
Advanced High Pressure O2/H2 Technology
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Morea, S. F. (Editor); Wu, S. T. (Editor)
Activities in the development of advanced high pressure oxygen-hydrogen stage combustion rocket engines are reported. Particular emphasis is given to the Space Shuttle main engine. The areas of engine technology discussed include fracture and fatigue in engine components, manufacturing and producibility engineering, materials, bearing technology, structure dynamics, fluid dynamics, and instrumentation technology.
Barriers to applying advanced high-temperature materials
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Premkumar, M. K.
During the past 25 years, aerospace engineers and material scientists have made significant technical progress toward developing next-generation aircraft. However, while advanced high-temperature materials continue to be developed, the outlook for their future application is uncertain and will depend on the ability of these materials to satisfy a more diverse market.
Advanced Botany (Sahuarita High School Career Curriculum Project].
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Esser, Robert
This course entitled "Advanced Botany" is one of a series of instructional guides prepared by teachers for the Sahuarita High School (Arizona) Career Curriculum Project. It consists of three units of study, and eight behavioral objectives relating to these units are stated. The topics covered include plant cells and taxonomy, functions and…
Bridging the Geoscientist Workforce Gap: Advanced High School Geoscience Programs
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schmidt, Richard William
The purpose of this participatory action research was to create a comprehensive evaluation of advanced geoscience education in Pennsylvania public high schools and to ascertain the possible impact of this trend on student perceptions and attitudes towards the geosciences as a legitimate academic subject and possible career option. The study builds…
Fundamental understanding and development of low-cost, high-efficiency silicon solar cells
The overall objectives of this program are (1) to develop rapid and low-cost processes for manufacturing that can improve yield, throughput, and performance of silicon photovoltaic devices, (2) to design and fabricate high-efficiency solar cells on promising low-cost materials, and (3) to improve the fundamental understanding of advanced photovoltaic devices. Several rapid and potentially low-cost technologies are described in this report that were developed and applied toward the fabrication of high-efficiency silicon solar cells.
High-speed civil transport - Advanced flight deck challenges
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Swink, Jay R.; Goins, Richard T.
This paper presents the results of a nine month study of the HSCT flight deck challenges and assessment of its benefits. Operational requirements are discussed and the most significant findings for specified advanced concepts are highlighted. These concepts are a no nose-droop configuration, a far forward cockpit location and advanced crew monitoring and control of complex systems. Results indicate that the no nose-droop configuration is critically dependent on the design and development of a safe, reliable and certifiable synthetic vision system (SVS). This configuration would cause significant weight, performance and cost penalties. A far forward cockpit configuration with a tandem seating arrangement allows either an increase in additional payload or potential downsizing of the vehicle leading to increased performance efficiency and reductions in emissions. The technologies enabling such capabilities, which provide for Category III all-weather opreations on every flight represent a benefit multiplier in a 20005 ATM network in terms of enhanced economic viability and environmental acceptability.
High efficiency hydrocarbon-free resonance transition potassium laser
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zweiback, Jason; Hager, Gordon; Krupke, William F.
We experimentally demonstrate a high efficiency potassium laser using a 0.15 nm bandwidth alexandrite laser as the pump source. The laser uses naturally occurring helium as the buffer gas. We achieve a 64% slope efficiency and a 57% optical to optical conversion. A pulsed laser model shows good agreement with the data.
Efficient High Performance Collective Communication for Distributed Memory Environments
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ali, Qasim
Collective communication allows efficient communication and synchronization among a collection of processes, unlike point-to-point communication that only involves a pair of communicating processes. Achieving high performance for both kernels and full-scale applications running on a distributed memory system requires an efficient implementation of…
Silicon as an advanced window material for high power gyrotrons
Parshin, V.V.; Andreev, B.A.; Gusev, A.V.
The absorptivity of high-purity grades of silicon (Si) and its reduction by subsequent doping procedures are investigated. The dielectric data are given for the wide range of frequencies (30 -330 GHz) and temperatures (30 -330 K) in comparison with the data set for sapphire. The advanced material performance in high power window applications is discussed taking into account both dielectric properties of the optimized silicon grades and thermal conductivity.
Progress in advanced high temperature turbine materials, coatings, and technology
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Freche, J. C.; Ault, G. M.
Advanced materials, coatings, and cooling technology is assessed in terms of improved aircraft turbine engine performance. High cycle operating temperatures, lighter structural components, and adequate resistance to the various environmental factors associated with aircraft gas turbine engines are among the factors considered. Emphasis is placed on progress in development of high temperature materials for coating protection against oxidation, hot corrosion and erosion, and in turbine cooling technology. Specific topics discussed include metal matrix composites, superalloys, directionally solidified eutectics, and ceramics.
Apparatus for advancing a wellbore using high power laser energy
Zediker, Mark S.; Land, Mark S.; Rinzler, Charles C.; Faircloth, Brian O.; Koblick, Yeshaya; Moxley, Joel F.
Delivering high power laser energy to form a borehole deep into the earth using laser energy. Down hole laser tools, laser systems and laser delivery techniques for advancement, workover and completion activities. A laser bottom hole assembly (LBHA) for the delivery of high power laser energy to the surfaces of a borehole, which assembly may have laser optics, a fluid path for debris removal and a mechanical means to remove earth.
ECUT energy data reference series: high-temperature materials for advanced heat engines
Abarcar, R.B.; Hane, G.J.; Johnson, D.R.
Information that describes the use of high-temperature materials in advanced heat engines for ground transportation applications is summarized. Applications discussed are: automobiles, light trucks, and medium and heavy trucks. The information provided on each of these modes includes descriptions of the average conversion efficiency of the engine, the capital stock, the amount of energy used, and the activity level as measured in ton-miles.
Recent Advances in High Pressure and Temperature Rheological Studies
Wang, Yanbin; Hilairet, Nadege; Dera, Przemyslaw
Rheological studies at high pressure and temperature using in-situ X-ray diffraction and imaging have made significant progresses in recent years, thanks to a combination of recent developments in several areas: (1) advances in synchrotron X-ray techniques, (2) advances in deformation devices and the abilities to control pressure, temperature, stress, strain and strain rates, (3) theoretical and computational advances in stress determination based on powder and single crystal diffraction, (4) theoretical and computational advances in modeling of grain-level micromechanics based on elasto-plastic and visco-plastic self-consistent formulations. In this article, we briefly introduce the experimental techniques and theoretical background for in-situ high pressure, high temperature rheological studies, and then review recent studies of rheological properties of major mantle materials. Some currently encountered issues have prompted developments in single-crystal quasi-Laue diffraction for complete stress tensor determination and textural evolution of poly-phased composites based on X-ray microtomography. Future prospects are discussed.
NASA Glenn's Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig Supported the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology Project's Emissions Reduction Test
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Beltran, Luis R.
The Advanced Subsonic Combustor Rig (ASCR) is NASA Glenn Research Center's unique high-pressure, high-temperature combustor facility supporting the emissions reduction element of the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) Project. The facility can simulate combustor inlet test conditions up to a pressure of 900 psig and a temperature of 1200 F (non-vitiated). ASCR completed three sector tests in fiscal year 2003 for General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce North America. This will provide NASA and U.S. engine manufacturers the information necessary to develop future low-emission combustors and will help them to better understand durability and operability at these high pressures and temperatures.
High Efficiency Power Combining of Ka-Band TWTs for High Data Rate Communications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wintucky, E. G.; Simons, R. N.; Vaden, K. R.; Lesny, G. G.; Glass, J. L.
Future NASA deep space exploration missions are expected in some cases to require telecommunication systems capable of operating at very high data rates (potentially 1 Gbps or more) for the transmission back to Earth of large volumes of scientific data, which means high frequency transmitters with large bandwidth. Among the Ka band frequencies of interest are the present 500 MHz Deep Space Network (DSN) band of 31.8 to 32.3 GHz and a broader band at 37-38 GHz allocated for space science [1]. The large distances and use of practical antenna sizes dictate the need for high transmitter power of up to 1 kW or more. High electrical efficiency is also a requirement. The approach investigated by NASA GRC is a novel wave guide power combiner architecture based on a hybrid magic-T junction for combining the power output from multiple TWTs [1,2]. This architecture was successfully demonstrated and is capable of both high efficiency (90-95%, depending on frequency) and high data rate transmission (up to 622 Mbps) in a two-way power combiner circuit for two different pairs of Ka band TWTs at two different frequency bands. One pair of TWTs, tested over a frequency range of 29.1 to 29.6 GHz, consisted of two 110-115W TWTs previously used in uplink data transmission evaluation terminals in the NASA Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) program [1,2]. The second pair was two 100W TWTs (Boeing 999H) designed for high efficiency operation (greater than 55%) over the DSN frequency band of 31.8 to 32.3 GHz [3]. The presentation will provide a qualitative description of the wave guide circuit, results for power combining and data transmission measurements, and results of computer modeling of the magic-T and alternative hybrid junctions for improvements in efficiency and power handling capability. The power combiner results presented here are relevant not only to NASA deep space exploration missions, but also to other U.S. Government agency programs.
High efficiency solar cell research for space applications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Flood, D. J.
A review is given of NASA photovoltaic research with emphasis on the activities of the Lewis Research Center. High efficiency solar cell research is discussed, as well as solar arrays, multi-junction cell bandgaps, and plasmon coupling.
III-V High-Efficiency Multijunction Photovoltaics (Fact Sheet)
Not Available
Capabilities fact sheet that includes scope, core competencies and capabilities, and contact/web information for III-V High-Efficiency Multijunction Photovoltaics at the National Center for Photovoltaics.
Development of high-efficiency solar cells on silicon web
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Rohatgi, A.; Meier, D. L.; Campbell, R. B.; Seidensticker, R. G.; Rai-Choudhury, P.
The development of high efficiency solar cells on a silicon web is discussed. Heat treatment effects on web quality; the influence of twin plane lamellae, trace impurities and stress on minority carrier lifetime; and the fabrication of cells are discussed.
Advanced treatment planning methods for efficient radiation therapy with laser accelerated proton and ion beams
Schell, Stefan; Wilkens, Jan J.
lateral clustering and reduce the number of particles that have to be blocked in the beam delivery system. Furthermore, the optimization routine can be adjusted to reduce the number of dose spots and laser shots. The authors implemented these methods into a research treatment planning system for laser accelerated particles. Results: The authors' proposed methods can decrease the amount of secondary radiation produced when blocking particles with wrong energies or when reducing the total number of particles from one laser shot. Additionally, caused by the efficient use of the beam, the treatment time is reduced considerably. Both improvements can be achieved without extensively changing the quality of the treatment plan since conventional intensity modulated particle therapy usually includes a certain amount of unused degrees of freedom which can be used to adapt to laser specific properties. Conclusions: The advanced beam delivery and treatment planning methods reduce the need to have a perfect laser-based accelerator reproducing the properties of conventional accelerators that might not be possible without increasing treatment time and secondary radiation to the patient. The authors show how some of the differences to conventional beams can be overcome and efficiently used for radiation treatment.
Optical signal processing for enabling high-speed, highly spectrally efficient and high capacity optical systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fazal, Muhammad Irfan
may be possible. Recently, interest has increased in exploring the spatial dimension of light to increase capacity, both in fiber as well as free-space communication channels. The orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light, carried by Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams have the interesting property that, in theory, an infinite number of OAMs can be transmitted; which due to its inherent orthogonality will not affect each other. Thus, in theory, one can increase the channel capacity arbitrarily. However, in practice, the device dimensions will reduce the number of OAMs used. In addition to advanced modulation formats, it is expected that optical signal processing may play a role in the future development of more efficient optical transmission systems. The hope is that performing signal processing in the optical domain may reduce optical-to-electronic conversion inefficiencies, eliminate bottlenecks and take advantage of the ultrahigh bandwidth inherent in optics. While 40 to 50 Gbit/s electronic components are the peak of commercial technology and 100 Gbit/s capable RF components are still in their infancy, optical signal processing of these high-speed data signals may provide a potential solution. Furthermore, any optical processing system or sub-system must be capable of handling the wide array of data formats and data rates that networks may employ. The work presented in this Ph.D. dissertation attempts at addressing the issue of optical processing for advanced optical modulation formats, and particularly explores the state of the art in increasing the capacity of an optical link by a combination of wavelength/phase/polarization/OAM dimensions of light. Spatial multiplexing and demultiplexing of both coherently and directly detected signals at the 100 Gbit/s Ethernet standard is addressed. The application of a continuously tunable all-optical delay for all-optical functionality like time-slot interchange at high data-rates is presented. Moreover the interplay of chirp
Global climate change: Mitigation opportunities high efficiency large chiller technology
Stanga, M.V.
This paper, comprised of presentation viewgraphs, examines the impact of high efficiency large chiller technology on world electricity consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Background data are summarized, and sample calculations are presented. Calculations show that presently available high energy efficiency chiller technology has the ability to substantially reduce energy consumption from large chillers. If this technology is widely implemented on a global basis, it could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 65 million tons by 2010.
Ultra-High Efficiency White Light Emitting Diodes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Narukawa, Yukio; Narita, Junya; Sakamoto, Takahiko; Deguchi, Kouichiro; Yamada, Takao; Mukai, Takashi
We fabricated the high luminous efficiency white light emitting diode (LED) and the high power white LED by using the patterned sapphire substrates and an indium-tin oxide (ITO) contact as a p-type electrode. The high luminous efficiency white LED was the yellow YAG-phosphors-coated small-size (240 × 420 μm2) high efficiency blue LED with the quantum efficiency of 63.3% at a forward-bias current of 20 mA. The luminous flux (Φ), the forward-bias voltage (Vf), the correlated color temperature (Tcp), the luminous efficiency (ηL), and the wall-plug efficiency (WPE) of the high luminous efficiency white LED are 8.6 lm, 3.11 V, 5450 K, 138 lm/W, and 41.7%, respectively. The luminous efficiency is 1.5 times greater than that of a tri-phosphor fluorescent lamp (90 lm/W). The high power white LED was fabricated from the larger-size (1 × 1 mm2) blue LED with the output power of 458 mW at 350 mA. Φ, Vf, Tcp, ηL, and WPE of the high power white LED are 106 lm, 3.29 V, 5200 K, 91.7 lm/W, and 27.7%, respectively, at 350 mA. The WPE is greater than that of a fluorescent lamp (25%) in the visible region. Moreover, the luminous flux of the high power white LED reaches to 402 lm at 2 A, which is equivalent to the total flux of a 30 W incandescent lamp.
Space solar cells - High efficiency and radiation damage
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Brandhorst, H. W., Jr.; Bernatowicz, D. T.
The proceedings of the Third Solar Cell High Efficiency and Radiation Damage Meeting are outlined. The topics covered included high efficiency silicon solar cells, silicon solar cell radiation damage, GaAs solar cell performance, and 30 percent conversion devices. The study of radiation damage from a fundamental defect-centered basis is discussed and evaluated as a focus of future work. 18% AM0 efficiency and 0.7 V open-circuit voltages are designated as achievable goals for silicon solar cells, and the potential for 30% AM0 efficiencies from monolithic tandem cell designs without sunlight concentration is noted. In addition to its potential for 20% AM0 efficiencies, the GaAs cell offers the possibility of a radiation-insensitive power supply when operated at temperatures near 200 C.
Energy efficient engine: High pressure turbine uncooled rig technology report
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Gardner, W. B.
Results obtained from testing five performance builds (three vane cascades and two rotating rigs of the Energy Efficient Engine uncooled rig have established the uncooled aerodynamic efficiency of the high-pressure turbine at 91.1 percent. This efficiency level was attained by increasing the rim speed and annulus area (AN(2)), and by increasing the turbine reaction level. The increase in AN(2) resulted in a performance improvement of 1.15 percent. At the design point pressure ratio, the increased reaction level rig demonstrated an efficiency of 91.1 percent. The results of this program have verified the aerodynamic design assumptions established for the Energy Efficient Engine high-pressure turbine component.
Nitrogen Use Efficiency of California Almond Orchards Using Advanced Farming Practices
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Smart, David; Schellenberg, Daniel; Saa Silva, Sebastian; Muhammad, Saiful; Sanden, Blake; Brown, Patrick
Mobilization of reactive nitrogen species (NH3, NH4+, NOx, N2O, NO2- and NO3-) is perceived as one of the foremost challenges for modern agricultural production systems. Yet information to address the question of how advanced nitrogen (N) management alters reactive N mobilization is lacking. During 2009 to 2012 we monitored spatially constrained N2O emissions and potential leachable NO3-, along with yield-N content to examine their contribution to nitrogen use efficiency (NUE, fruit-N exported/fertilizer-N applied) for a modern, high yielding almond production system. This modern production system schedules irrigation to match evapotranspiration (ETc) estimated from the Penman-Montieth calculation of a reference evapotranspiration (ETo) times a seasonal crop coefficient (Kc) which was verified using eddy covariance and surface renewal latent heat flux estimates. Split N-fertilizer applications were targeted to tree-N demand and root proliferation. These production systems demand upwards of 300 kg N ha-1. NUE was found to be nearly 80% at an N application level allowing for economic sustainability of the system (308 kg N ha-1). When mobilization of N2O and NO3- were included in the NUE assessment, these systems were still highly sustainable in terms of N applied. We also monitored production and consumption of the greenhouse gases of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). These systems had relatively low levels of N2O emissions with emissions of N2O as a fraction of N-fertilizer applied being consistently less than IPCC Tier 1 emissions factors, and lower than the average estimated for most continental US farming systems. The system also demonstrated a capacity for net CH4 oxidation over the course of a season that occurred mainly in the driveways between tree rows that are kept dry over the course of the season in this arid environment. Our study indicated that tight management of water resources and targeted applications of N-fertilizer resulted in net positive
Efficient nanorod-based amorphous silicon solar cells with advanced light trapping
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kuang, Y.; van Lare, M. C.; Veldhuizen, L. W.; Polman, A.; Rath, J. K.; Schropp, R. E. I.
We present a simple, low-cost, and scalable approach for the fabrication of efficient nanorod-based solar cells. Templates with arrays of self-assembled ZnO nanorods with tunable morphology are synthesized by chemical bath deposition using a low process temperature at 80 °C. The nanorod templates are conformally coated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon light absorber layers of 100 nm and 200 nm thickness. An initial efficiency of up to 9.0% is achieved for the optimized design. External quantum efficiency measurements on the nanorod cells show a substantial photocurrent enhancement both in the red and the blue parts of the solar spectrum. Key insights in the light trapping mechanisms in these arrays are obtained via a combination of three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations, optical absorption, and external quantum efficiency measurements. Front surface patterns enhance the light incoupling in the blue, while rear side patterns lead to enhanced light trapping in the red. The red response in the nanorod cells is limited by absorption in the patterned Ag back contact. With these findings, we develop and experimentally realize a further advanced design with patterned front and back sides while keeping the Ag reflector flat, showing significantly enhanced scattering from the back reflector with reduced parasitic absorption in the Ag and thus higher photocurrent generation. Many of the findings in this work can serve to provide insights for further optimization of nanostructures for thin-film solar cells in a broad range of materials.
High-efficiency neutron detectors and methods of making same
McGregor, Douglas S.; Klann, Raymond
Neutron detectors, advanced detector process techniques and advanced compound film designs have greatly increased neutron-detection efficiency. One embodiment of the detectors utilizes a semiconductor wafer with a matrix of spaced cavities filled with one or more types of neutron reactive material such as 10B or 6LiF. The cavities are etched into both the front and back surfaces of the device such that the cavities from one side surround the cavities from the other side. The cavities may be etched via holes or etched slots or trenches. In another embodiment, the cavities are different-sized and the smaller cavities extend into the wafer from the lower surfaces of the larger cavities. In a third embodiment, multiple layers of different neutron-responsive material are formed on one or more sides of the wafer. The new devices operate at room temperature, are compact, rugged, and reliable in design.
Highly efficient carrier multiplication in PbS nanosheets.
Aerts, Michiel; Bielewicz, Thomas; Klinke, Christian; Grozema, Ferdinand C; Houtepen, Arjan J; Schins, Juleon M; Siebbeles, Laurens D A
Semiconductor nanocrystals are promising for use in cheap and highly efficient solar cells. A high efficiency can be achieved by carrier multiplication (CM), which yields multiple electron-hole pairs for a single absorbed photon. Lead chalcogenide nanocrystals are of specific interest, since their band gap can be tuned to be optimal to exploit CM in solar cells. Interestingly, for a given photon energy CM is more efficient in bulk PbS and PbSe, which has been attributed to the higher density of states. Unfortunately, these bulk materials are not useful for solar cells due to their low band gap. Here we demonstrate that two-dimensional PbS nanosheets combine the band gap of a confined system with the high CM efficiency of bulk. Interestingly, in thin PbS nanosheets virtually the entire excess photon energy above the CM threshold is used for CM, in contrast to quantum dots, nanorods and bulk lead chalcogenide materials. PMID:24781188
High efficiency thermal to electric energy conversion using selective emitters and spectrally tuned solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Chubb, Donald L.; Flood, Dennis J.; Lowe, Roland A.
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems are attractive possibilities for direct thermal-to-electric energy conversion, but have typically required the use of black body radiators operating at high temperatures. Recent advances in both the understanding and performance of solid rare-earth oxide selective emitters make possible the use of TPV at temperatures as low as 1500 K. Depending on the nature of parasitic losses, overall thermal-to-electric conversion efficiencies greater than 20 percent are feasible.
Advanced High-Temperature, High-Pressure Transport Reactor Gasification
Michael L. Swanson
50 hours of gasification on a petroleum coke from the Hunt Oil Refinery and an additional 73 hours of operation on a high-ash coal from India. Data from these tests indicate that while acceptable fuel gas heating value was achieved with these fuels, the transport gasifier performs better on the lower-rank feedstocks because of their higher char reactivity. Comparable carbon conversions have been achieved at similar oxygen/coal ratios for both air-blown and oxygen-blown operation for each fuel; however, carbon conversion was lower for the less reactive feedstocks. While separation of fines from the feed coals is not needed with this technology, some testing has suggested that feedstocks with higher levels of fines have resulted in reduced carbon conversion, presumably due to the inability of the finer carbon particles to be captured by the cyclones. These data show that these low-rank feedstocks provided similar fuel gas heating values; however, even among the high-reactivity low-rank coals, the carbon conversion did appear to be lower for the fuels (brown coal in particular) that contained a significant amount of fines. The fuel gas under oxygen-blown operation has been higher in hydrogen and carbon dioxide concentration since the higher steam injection rate promotes the water-gas shift reaction to produce more CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2} at the expense of the CO and water vapor. However, the high water and CO{sub 2} partial pressures have also significantly reduced the reaction of (Abstract truncated)
Advanced Controls and Communications for Demand Response andEnergy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings
Kiliccote, Sila; Piette, Mary Ann; Hansen, David
Commercial buildings account for a large portion of summer peak demand. Research results show that there is significant potential to reduce peak demand in commercial buildings through advanced control technologies and strategies. However, a better understanding of commercial building's contribution to peak demand and the use of energy management and control systems is required to develop this demand response resource to its full potential. This paper discusses recent research results and new opportunities for advanced building control systems to provide demand response (DR) to improve electricity markets and reduce electric grid problems. The main focus of this paper is the role of new and existing control systems for HVAC and lighting in commercial buildings. A demand-side management framework from building operations perspective with three main features: daily energy efficiency, daily peak load management and event driven, dynamic demand response is presented. A general description of DR, its benefits, and nationwide potential in commercial buildings is outlined. Case studies involving energy management and control systems and DR savings opportunities are presented. The paper also describes results from three years of research in California to automate DR in buildings. Case study results and research on advanced buildings systems in New York are also presented.
Advances in Experiment Design for High Performance Aircraft
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Morelli, Engene A.
A general overview and summary of recent advances in experiment design for high performance aircraft is presented, along with results from flight tests. General theoretical background is included, with some discussion of various approaches to maneuver design. Flight test examples from the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) are used to illustrate applications of the theory. Input forms are compared using Cramer-Rao bounds for the standard errors of estimated model parameters. Directions for future research in experiment design for high performance aircraft are identified.
High surface area electrode for high efficient microbial electrosynthesis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nie, Huarong; Cui, Mengmeng; Lu, Haiyun; Zhang, Tian; Russell, Thomas; Lovley, Derek
Microbial electrosynthesis, a process in which microorganisms directly accept electrons from an electrode to convert carbon dioxide and water into multi carbon organic compounds, affords a novel route for the generation of valuable products from electricity or even wastewater. The surface area of the electrode is critical for high production. A biocompatible, highly conductive, three-dimensional cathode was fabricated from a carbon nanotube textile composite to support the microorganism to produce acetate from carbon dioxide. The high surface area and macroscale porous structure of the intertwined CNT coated textile ?bers provides easy microbe access. The production of acetate using this cathode is 5 fold larger than that using a planar graphite electrode with the same volume. Nickel-nanowire-modified carbon electrodes, fabricated by microwave welding, increased the surface area greatly, were able to absorb more bacteria and showed a 1.5 fold increase in performance
Type III Dyson Sphere of Highly Advanced Civilisations around a Super Massive Black Hole
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Inoue, M.; Yokoo, H.
We describe a new system for a society of highly advanced civilizations around a super massive black hole (SMBH), as an advanced Type III "Dyson Sphere," pointing out an efficient usage of energy for the advanced civilizations. SMBH also works as a sink for waste materials. Here we assume that Type III civilisations of Kardashev classification [1] form a galactic club [2] in a galaxy, and the energy from the SMBH will be delivered to the club members, forming an energy control system similar to power grids in our present society. The energy is probably transmitted by a sharp beam with coherent electro-magnetic waves, which provide a new concept for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) via detection of such energy transmission signals. This expands the search window for other intelligences within the Universe.
Advanced materials for high-temperature thermoelectric energy conversion
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Vining, Cronin B.; Vandersande, Jan W.; Wood, Charles
A number of refractory semiconductors are under study at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for application in thermal to electric energy conversion for space power. The main thrust of the program is to improve or develop materials of high figure of merit and, therefore, high conversion efficiencies over a broad temperature range. Materials currently under investigation are represented by silicon-germanium alloys, lanthanum telluride, and boron carbide. The thermoelectric properties of each of these materials, and prospects for their further improvements, are discussed. Continued progress in thermoelectric materials technology can be expected to yield reliable space power systems with double to triple the efficiency of current state of the art systems.
High resolution computed tomography of advanced composite and ceramic materials
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Yancey, R. N.; Klima, S. J.
Advanced composite and ceramic materials are being developed for use in many new defense and commercial applications. In order to achieve the desired mechanical properties of these materials, the structural elements must be carefully analyzed and engineered. A study was conducted to evaluate the use of high resolution computed tomography (CT) as a macrostructural analysis tool for advanced composite and ceramic materials. Several samples were scanned using a laboratory high resolution CT scanner. Samples were also destructively analyzed at the locations of the scans and the nondestructive and destructive results were compared. The study provides useful information outlining the strengths and limitations of this technique and the prospects for further research in this area.
The emerging High Efficiency Video Coding standard (HEVC)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Raja, Gulistan; Khan, Awais
High definition video (HDV) is becoming popular day by day. This paper describes the performance analysis of latest upcoming video standard known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC). HEVC is designed to fulfil all the requirements for future high definition videos. In this paper, three configurations (intra only, low delay and random access) of HEVC are analyzed using various 480p, 720p and 1080p high definition test video sequences. Simulation results show the superior objective and subjective quality of HEVC.
Rotor Performance at High Advance Ratio: Theory versus Test
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Harris, Franklin D.
Five analytical tools have been used to study rotor performance at high advance ratio. One is representative of autogyro rotor theory in 1934 and four are representative of helicopter rotor theory in 2008. The five theories are measured against three sets of well documented, full-scale, isolated rotor performance experiments. The major finding of this study is that the decades spent by many rotorcraft theoreticians to improve prediction of basic rotor aerodynamic performance has paid off. This payoff, illustrated by comparing the CAMRAD II comprehensive code and Wheatley & Bailey theory to H-34 test data, shows that rational rotor lift to drag ratios are now predictable. The 1934 theory predicted L/D ratios as high as 15. CAMRAD II predictions compared well with H-34 test data having L/D ratios more on the order of 7 to 9. However, the detailed examination of the selected codes compared to H-34 test data indicates that not one of the codes can predict to engineering accuracy above an advance ratio of 0.62 the control positions and shaft angle of attack required for a given lift. There is no full-scale rotor performance data available for advance ratios above 1.0 and extrapolation of currently available data to advance ratios on the order of 2.0 is unreasonable despite the needs of future rotorcraft. Therefore, it is recommended that an overly strong full-scale rotor blade set be obtained and tested in a suitable wind tunnel to at least an advance ratio of 2.5. A tail rotor from a Sikorsky CH-53 or other large single rotor helicopter should be adequate for this exploratory experiment.
Development of advanced high-temperature heat flux sensors
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Atkinson, W. H.; Strange, R. R.
Various configurations of high temperature, heat flux sensors were studied to determine their suitability for use in experimental combustor liners of advanced aircraft gas turbine engines. It was determined that embedded thermocouple sensors, laminated sensors, and Gardon gauge sensors, were the most viable candidates. Sensors of all three types were fabricated, calibrated, and endurance tested. All three types of sensors met the fabricability survivability, and accuracy requirements established for their application.
Process and design considerations for high-efficiency solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Rohati, A.; Rai-Choudhury, P.
This paper shows that oxide surface passivation coupled with optimum multilayer anti-reflective coating can provide approx. 3% (absolute) improvement in solar cell efficiency. Use of single-layer AR coating, without passivation, gives cell efficiencies in the range of 15 to 15.5% on high-quality, 4 ohm-cm as well as 0.1 to 0.2 ohm-cm float-zone silicon. Oxide surface passivation alone raises the cell efficiency to or = 17%. An optimum double-layer AR coating on oxide-passivated cells provides an additional approx. 5 to 10% improvement over a single-layer AR-coated cell, resulting in cell efficiencies in excess of 18%. Experimentally observed improvements are supported by model calculations and an approach to or = 20% efficient cells is discussed.
Copper-Based Ultrathin Nickel Nanocone Films with High-Efficiency Dropwise Condensation Heat Transfer Performance.
Zhao, Ye; Luo, Yuting; Zhu, Jie; Li, Juan; Gao, Xuefeng
We report a type of copper-based ultrathin nickel nanocone films with high-efficiency dropwise condensation heat transfer (DCHT) performance, which can be fabricated by facile electrodeposition and low-surface-energy chemistry modification. Compared with flat copper samples, our nanosamples show condensate microdrop self-propelling (CMDSP) function and over 89% enhancement in the DCHT coefficient. Such remarkable enhancement may be ascribed to the cooperation of surface nanostructure-induced CMDSP function as well as in situ integration and ultrathin nature of nanofilms. These findings are very significant to design and develop advanced DCHT materials and devices, which help improve the efficiency of thermal management and energy utilization. PMID:26011021
Recent advances in long-pulse high-confinement plasma operations in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak
Guo, H. Y.; Li, J.; Wan, B. N. Gong, X. Z.; Xu, G. S.; Zhang, X. D.; Ding, S. Y.; Gan, K. F.; Hu, J. S.; Hu, L. Q.; Liu, S. C.; Qian, J. P.; Sun, Y. W.; Wang, H. Q.; Wang, L.; Xia, T. Y.; Xiao, B. J.; Zeng, L.; Zhao, Y. P.; and others
A long-pulse high confinement plasma regime known as H-mode is achieved in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) with a record duration over 30 s, sustained by Lower Hybrid wave Current Drive (LHCD) with advanced lithium wall conditioning and divertor pumping. This long-pulse H-mode plasma regime is characterized by the co-existence of a small Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) instability, i.e., Edge Localized Modes (ELMs) and a continuous quasi-coherent MHD mode at the edge. We find that LHCD provides an intrinsic boundary control for ELMs, leading to a dramatic reduction in the transient power load on the vessel wall, compared to the standard Type I ELMs. LHCD also induces edge plasma ergodization, broadening heat deposition footprints, and the heat transport caused by ergodization can be actively controlled by regulating edge plasma conditions, thus providing a new means for stationary heat flux control. In addition, advanced tokamak scenarios have been newly developed for high-performance long-pulse plasma operations in the next EAST experimental campaign.
Recent advances in long-pulse high-confinement plasma operations in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamaka)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Guo, H. Y.; Li, J.; Wan, B. N.; Gong, X. Z.; Liang, Y. F.; Xu, G. S.; Zhang, X. D.; Ding, S. Y.; Gan, K. F.; Hu, J. S.; Hu, L. Q.; Liu, S. C.; Qian, J. P.; Sun, Y. W.; Wang, H. Q.; Wang, L.; Xia, T. Y.; Xiao, B. J.; Zeng, L.; Zhao, Y. P.; Denner, P.; Ferron, J. R.; Garofalo, A. M.; Holcomb, C. T.; Hyatt, A. W.; Jackson, G. L.; Loarte, A.; Maingi, R.; Menard, J. E.; Rack, M.; Solomon, W. M.; Xu, X. Q.; Van Zeeland, M.; Zou, X. L.
A long-pulse high confinement plasma regime known as H-mode is achieved in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) with a record duration over 30 s, sustained by Lower Hybrid wave Current Drive (LHCD) with advanced lithium wall conditioning and divertor pumping. This long-pulse H-mode plasma regime is characterized by the co-existence of a small Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) instability, i.e., Edge Localized Modes (ELMs) and a continuous quasi-coherent MHD mode at the edge. We find that LHCD provides an intrinsic boundary control for ELMs, leading to a dramatic reduction in the transient power load on the vessel wall, compared to the standard Type I ELMs. LHCD also induces edge plasma ergodization, broadening heat deposition footprints, and the heat transport caused by ergodization can be actively controlled by regulating edge plasma conditions, thus providing a new means for stationary heat flux control. In addition, advanced tokamak scenarios have been newly developed for high-performance long-pulse plasma operations in the next EAST experimental campaign.
Ceramic matrix composites -- Advanced high-temperature structural materials
Lowden, R.A.; Ferber, M.K.; Hellmann, J.R.; Chawla, K.K.; DiPietro, S.G.
This symposium on Ceramic Matrix Composites: Advanced High-Temperature Structural Materials was held at the 1994 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts on November 28--December 2. The symposium was sponsored by the Department of Energy`s Office of Industrial Technology`s Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites Program, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and NASA Lewis Research Center. Among the competing materials for advanced, high-temperature applications, ceramic matrix composites are leading candidates. The symposium was organized such that papers concerning constituents--fibers and matrices--were presented first, followed by composite processing, modeling of mechanical behavior, and thermomechanical testing. More stable reinforcements are necessary to enhance the performance and life of fiber-reinforced ceramic composites, and to ensure final acceptance of these materials for high-temperature applications. Encouraging results in the areas of polymer-derived SiC fibers and single crystal oxide filaments were given, suggesting composites with improved thermomechanical properties and stability will be realized in the near future. The significance of the fiber-matrix interface in the design and performance of these materials is evident. Numerous mechanical models to relate interface properties to composite behavior, and interpret test methods and data, were enthusiastically discussed. One issue of great concern for any advanced material for use in extreme environments is stability. This theme arose frequently throughout the symposium and was the topic of focus on the final day. Fifty nine papers have been processed separately for inclusion on the data base.
High Efficiency Adsorption Chillers: High Efficiency Adsorption Cooling Using Metal Organic Heat Carriers
BEETIT Project: PNNL is incorporating significant improvements in materials that adsorb liquids or gases to design more efficient adsorption chillers. An adsorption chiller is a type of air conditioner that is powered by heat, solar or waste heat, or combustion of natural gas. Unlike typical chillers, this type has few moving parts and uses almost no electricity to operate. PNNL is designing adsorbent materials at the molecular level with at least 3 times higher refrigerant capacity and up to 20 times faster kinetics than adsorbents used in current chillers. By using the new adsorbent, PNNL is able to create a chiller that is significantly smaller, has twice the energy efficiency, and lower costs for materials and assembly time compared to conventional adsorption chillers.
High efficiency tantalum-based ceramic composite structures
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stewart, David A. (Inventor); Leiser, Daniel B. (Inventor); DiFiore, Robert R. (Inventor); Katvala, Victor W. (Inventor)
Tantalum-based ceramics are suitable for use in thermal protection systems. These composite structures have high efficiency surfaces (low catalytic efficiency and high emittance), thereby reducing heat flux to a spacecraft during planetary re-entry. These ceramics contain tantalum disilicide, molybdenum disilicide and borosilicate glass. The components are milled, along with a processing aid, then applied to a surface of a porous substrate, such as a fibrous silica or carbon substrate. Following application, the coating is then sintered on the substrate. The composite structure is substantially impervious to hot gas penetration and capable of surviving high heat fluxes at temperatures approaching 3000.degree. F. and above.
Metal–Dielectric Waveguides for High Efficiency Fluorescence Imaging
Zhu, Liangfu; Zhang, Douguo; Wang, Ruxue; Wang, Pei; Ming, Hai; Badugu, Ramachandram; Du, Luping; Yuan, Xiaocong; Lakowicz, Joseph R.
We demonstrate that Metal–Dielectric Waveguide structures (MDWs) with high efficiency of fluorescence coupling can be suitable as substrates for fluorescence imaging. This hybrid MDWs consists of a continuous metal film and a dielectric top layer. The optical modes sustaining inside this structure can be excited with a high numerical aperture (N.A) objective, and then focused into a virtual optical probe with high intensity, leading to efficient excitation of fluorophores deposited on top of the MDWs. The emitted fluorophores couple with the optical modes thus enabling the directional emission, which is verified by the back focal plane (BFP) imaging. These unique properties of MDWs have been adopted in a scanning laser confocal optical microscopy, and show the merit of high efficiency fluorescence imaging. MDWs can be easily fabricated by vapor deposition and/or spin coating, the silica surface of the MDWs is suitable for biomolecule tethering, and will offer new opportunities for cell biology and biophysics research. PMID:26525494
High Efficiency Pb-In Binary Metal Perovskite Solar Cells.
Wang, Zhao-Kui; Li, Meng; Yang, Ying-Guo; Hu, Yun; Ma, Heng; Gao, Xing-Yu; Liao, Liang-Sheng
Mixed Pb-In perovskite solar cells are fabricated by using lead(II) chloride and indium(III) chloride with methylammonium iodide. A maximum power conversion efficiency as high as 17.55% is achieved owing to the high quality of perovskites with multiple ordered crystal orientations. PMID:27184107
ADX: A high Power Density, Advanced RF-Driven Divertor Test Tokamak for PMI studies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Whyte, Dennis; ADX Team
The MIT PSFC and collaborators are proposing an advanced divertor experiment, ADX; a divertor test tokamak dedicated to address critical gaps in plasma-material interactions (PMI) science, and the world fusion research program, on the pathway to FNSF/DEMO. Basic ADX design features are motivated and discussed. In order to assess the widest range of advanced divertor concepts, a large fraction (>50%) of the toroidal field volume is purpose-built with innovative magnetic topology control and flexibility for assessing different surfaces, including liquids. ADX features high B-field (>6 Tesla) and high global power density (P/S ~ 1.5 MW/m2) in order to access the full range of parallel heat flux and divertor plasma pressures foreseen for reactors, while simultaneously assessing the effect of highly dissipative divertors on core plasma/pedestal. Various options for efficiently achieving high field are being assessed including the use of Alcator technology (cryogenic cooled copper) and high-temperature superconductors. The experimental platform would also explore advanced lower hybrid current drive and ion-cyclotron range of frequency actuators located at the high-field side; a location which is predicted to greatly reduce the PMI effects on the launcher while minimally perturbing the core plasma. The synergistic effects of high-field launchers with high total B on current and flow drive can thus be studied in reactor-relevant boundary plasmas.
Development of high-efficiency solar cells on silicon web
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Meier, D. L.; Greggi, J.; Okeeffe, T. W.; Rai-Choudhury, P.
Work was performed to improve web base material with a goal of obtaining solar cell efficiencies in excess of 18% (AM1). Efforts in this program are directed toward identifying carrier loss mechanisms in web silicon, eliminating or reducing these mechanisms, designing a high efficiency cell structure with the aid of numerical models, and fabricating high efficiency web solar cells. Fabrication techniques must preserve or enhance carrier lifetime in the bulk of the cell and minimize recombination of carriers at the external surfaces. Three completed cells were viewed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in order to investigate further the relation between structural defects and electrical performance of web cells. Consistent with past TEM examinations, the cell with the highest efficiency (15.0%) had no dislocations but did have 11 twin planes.
Highly efficient monolithic dye-sensitized solar cells.
Kwon, Jeong; Park, Nam-Gyu; Lee, Jun Young; Ko, Min Jae; Park, Jong Hyeok
Monolithic dye-sensitized solar cells (M-DSSCs) provide an effective way to reduce the fabrication cost of general DSSCs since they do not require transparent conducting oxide substrates for the counter electrode. However, conventional monolithic devices have low efficiency because of the impediments resulting from counter electrode materials and spacer layers. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient M-DSSCs featuring a highly conductive polymer combined with macroporous polymer spacer layers. With M-DSSCs based on a PEDOT/polymer spacer layer, a power conversion efficiency of 7.73% was achieved, which is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest efficiency for M-DSSCs to date. Further, PEDOT/polymer spacer layers were applied to flexible DSSCs and their cell performance was investigated. PMID:23432389
Development of an Improved High Efficiency Thin Silicon Solar Cell
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Storti, G.; Wrigley, C.
Breakage and front contact failure in high efficiency, textured ultrathin cells was reduced as a consequence of the introduction of process modifications. In a small production run, over one hundred ultrathin cells, having an average AMO efficiency of 13%, were fabricated from 10-25 ohm cm silicon. An in-house aluminum paste for back surface field formation was developed that resulted in cell efficiencies equivalent to those from commercial pastes. The quality of the back surface field was found to be dependent on the orientation of the silicon slice during alloying.
Investigation of high efficiency GaAs solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Olsen, Larry C.; Dunham, Glen; Addis, F. W.; Huber, Dan; Linden, Kurt
Investigations of basic mechanisms which limit the performance of high efficiency GaAs solar cells are discussed. P/N heteroface structures have been fabricated from MOCVD epiwafers. Typical AM1 efficiencies are in the 21 to 22 percent range, with a SERI measurement for one cell being 21.5 percent. The cells are nominally 1.5 x 1.5 cm in size. Studies have involved photoresponse, T-I-V analyses, and interpretation of data in terms of appropriate models to determine key cell parameters. Results of these studies are utilized to determine future approaches for increasing GaAs solar cell efficiencies.
High efficiency cw laser-pumped tunable alexandrite laser
Lai, S.T.; Shand, M.L.
High efficiency cw alexandrite laser operation has been achieved. With longitudinal pumping by a krypton laser in a nearly concentric cavity, a 51% output power slope efficiency has been measured. Including the transmission at the input coupler mirror, a quantum yield of 85% has been attained above threshold. Tunability from 726 to 802 nm has also been demonstrated. The low loss and good thermal properties make alexandrite ideal for cw laser operation.
High conversion efficiency ultraviolet fiber Raman oscillator--amplifier system
Pini, R.; Salimbeni, R.; Vannini, M.; Haider, A.F.M.Y.; Lin, C.
High efficiency UV frequency conversion by stimulated Raman scattering in a XeCl (lambda = 308-nm) excimer laser-pumped multimode fiber is presented. The system consists of a first piece of fiber as a Stokes generator and a second as a power amplifier. Power conversion efficiencies up to 80% have been measured. Uses of fiber Raman amplifiers in the near UV are also discussed.
Experiences of High-Achieving High School Students Who Have Taken Multiple Concurrent Advanced Placement Courses
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Milburn, Kristine M.
Problem: An increasing number of high-achieving American high school students are enrolling in multiple Advanced Placement (AP) courses. As a result, high schools face a growing need to understand the impact of taking multiple AP courses concurrently on the social-emotional lives of high-achieving students. Procedures: This phenomenological…
High Efficiency Solar Power via Separated Photo and Voltaic Pathways
Michael J. Naughton
This project demonstrates a novel nanostructured solar cell architecture capable of achieving high efficiency levels that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture. The high efficiency will be achieved by the novel structure that separates the path of the photons from the path of the generated charge carriers. In this way, the photon path can be long for maximum light absorption, while the path for carriers can be short for maximum electronic energy harvesting. The combination of maximum light absorption coupled with maximum carrier harvesting is the basis for the expected high efficiency. The project will develop high efficiency solar cell prototypes utilizing this unique nanostructured architecture. The project addresses the fundamental limitation inherent in all current solar cell designs, and which opens a pathway to development for high efficiency solar cells at low cost. Realizing this goal will result in a levelized cost of electricity in the range of 10¢/kWh, which would achieve the long-sought goal of making photovoltaic electricity cost competitive with fossil-fuel generated electricity without any governmental subsidies. This breakthrough would spur the already rapid growth in the photovoltaic industry to an explosive pace, with significant, widespread benefit to the national economy and the nation's energy security. The initial target of the program is to develop single-junction solar cells using ultrathin amorphous silicon with the performance approaching that of single crystal silicon cells.
Advanced High-Level Waste Glass Research and Development Plan
Peeler, David K.; Vienna, John D.; Schweiger, Michael J.; Fox, Kevin M.
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of River Protection (ORP) has implemented an integrated program to increase the loading of Hanford tank wastes in glass while meeting melter lifetime expectancies and process, regulatory, and product quality requirements. The integrated ORP program is focused on providing a technical, science-based foundation from which key decisions can be made regarding the successful operation of the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) facilities. The fundamental data stemming from this program will support development of advanced glass formulations, key process control models, and tactical processing strategies to ensure safe and successful operations for both the low-activity waste (LAW) and high-level waste (HLW) vitrification facilities with an appreciation toward reducing overall mission life. The purpose of this advanced HLW glass research and development plan is to identify the near-, mid-, and longer-term research and development activities required to develop and validate advanced HLW glasses and their associated models to support facility operations at WTP, including both direct feed and full pretreatment flowsheets. This plan also integrates technical support of facility operations and waste qualification activities to show the interdependence of these activities with the advanced waste glass (AWG) program to support the full WTP mission. Figure ES-1 shows these key ORP programmatic activities and their interfaces with both WTP facility operations and qualification needs. The plan is a living document that will be updated to reflect key advancements and mission strategy changes. The research outlined here is motivated by the potential for substantial economic benefits (e.g., significant increases in waste throughput and reductions in glass volumes) that will be realized when advancements in glass formulation continue and models supporting facility operations are implemented. Developing and applying advanced
Selectively Modulating Triplet Exciton Formation in Host Materials for Highly Efficient Blue Electrophosphorescence.
Li, Huanhuan; Bi, Ran; Chen, Ting; Yuan, Kai; Chen, Runfeng; Tao, Ye; Zhang, Hongmei; Zheng, Chao; Huang, Wei
The concept of limiting the triplet exciton formation to fundamentally alleviate triplet-involved quenching effects is introduced to construct host materials for highly efficient and stable blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). The low triplet exciton formation is realized by small triplet exciton formation fraction and rate with high binding energy and high reorganization energy of triplet exciton. Demonstrated in two analogue molecules in conventional donor-acceptor molecule structure for bipolar charge injection and transport with nearly the same frontier orbital energy levels and triplet excited energies, the new concept host material shows significantly suppressed triplet exciton formation in the host to avoid quenching effects, leading to much improved device efficiencies and stabilities. The low-voltage-driving blue PhOLED devices exhibit maximum efficiencies of 43.7 cd A(-1) for current efficiency, 32.7 lm W(-1) for power efficiency, and 20.7% for external quantum efficiency with low roll-off and remarkable relative quenching effect reduction ratio up to 41%. Our fundamental solution for preventing quenching effects of long-lived triplet excitons provides exciting opportunities for fabricating high-performance devices using the advanced host materials with intrinsically small triplet exciton formation cross section. PMID:26937742
High-speed, efficient metal - semiconductor - metal photodetectors
Collin, St; Pardo, F; Bardou, N; Pelouard, J.-L.; Averin, S V
Design principles and the fabrication technique of highly efficient, high-speed photodetectors based on MSM nanostructures are developed. To efficiently confine light in the region of the strong field as well as to decrease light losses due to reflection from the diode contacts, use is made of a nanoscale interdigital diffraction grating and a multilayer Bragg grating. Measurements of the reflection coefficients and the quantum efficiency for a multilayer structure are in good agreement with theoretical estimates. A record-high quantum efficiency (QE = 46 %) is obtained for high speed MSM photodetectors. The detector has a high spectral selectivity ({Delta}{lambda}{sub 1/2} = 17 nm) at a wavelength of 800 nm. Taking into account the diode capacitance and the drift time of photogenerated carriers, the performance of the detectors under study is {approx} 500 GHz. The low level of the dark current density in the structures under study (j={sup 1} pA {mu}m{sup -2}) makes it possible to realise on their basis highly sensitive, high-speed selective detectors of optical radiation.
Advances in high throughput DNA sequence data compression.
Sardaraz, Muhammad; Tahir, Muhammad; Ikram, Ataul Aziz
Advances in high throughput sequencing technologies and reduction in cost of sequencing have led to exponential growth in high throughput DNA sequence data. This growth has posed challenges such as storage, retrieval, and transmission of sequencing data. Data compression is used to cope with these challenges. Various methods have been developed to compress genomic and sequencing data. In this article, we present a comprehensive review of compression methods for genome and reads compression. Algorithms are categorized as referential or reference free. Experimental results and comparative analysis of various methods for data compression are presented. Finally, key challenges and research directions in DNA sequence data compression are highlighted. PMID:26846812
High-energy diffraction microscopy at the advanced photon source
Lienert, U.; Li, S.; Hefferan, C.; Lind, J.; Suter, R.; Bernier, J.; Barton, N.; Brandes, M.; Mills, M.; Miller, M.; Jakobsen, B.; Pantleon, W.
The status of the High Energy Diffraction Microscopy (HEDM) program at the 1-ID beam line of the Advanced Photon Source is reported. HEDM applies high energy synchrotron radiation for the grain and sub-grain scale structural and mechanical characterization of polycrystalline bulk materials in situ during thermomechanical loading. Case studies demonstrate the mapping of grain boundary topology, the evaluation of stress tensors of individual grains during tensile deformation and comparison to a finite element modeling simulation, and the characterization of evolving dislocation structure. Complementary information is obtained by post mortem electron microscopy on the same sample volume previously investigated by HEDM.
Advanced Metal-Hydrides-Based Thermal Battery: A New Generation of High Density Thermal Battery Based on Advanced Metal Hydrides
HEATS Project: The University of Utah is developing a compact hot-and-cold thermal battery using advanced metal hydrides that could offer efficient climate control system for EVs. The team's innovative designs of heating and cooling systems for EVs with high energy density, low-cost thermal batteries could significantly reduce the weight and eliminate the space constraint in automobiles. The thermal battery can be charged by plugging it into an electrical outlet while charging the electric battery and it produces heat and cold through a heat exchanger when discharging. The ultimate goal of the project is a climate-controlling thermal battery that can last up to 5,000 charge and discharge cycles while substantially increasing the driving range of EVs, thus reducing the drain on electric batteries.
High-efficiency homologous recombination in the oil-producing alga Nannochloropsis sp.
Kilian, Oliver; Benemann, Christina S E; Niyogi, Krishna K; Vick, Bertrand
Algae have reemerged as potential next-generation feedstocks for biofuels, but strain improvement and progress in algal biology research have been limited by the lack of advanced molecular tools for most eukaryotic microalgae. Here we describe the development of an efficient transformation method for Nannochloropsis sp., a fast-growing, unicellular alga capable of accumulating large amounts of oil. Moreover, we provide additional evidence that Nannochloropsis is haploid, and we demonstrate that insertion of transformation constructs into the nuclear genome can occur by high-efficiency homologous recombination. As examples, we generated knockouts of the genes encoding nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase, resulting in strains that were unable to grow on nitrate and nitrate/nitrite, respectively. The application of homologous recombination in this industrially relevant alga has the potential to rapidly advance algal functional genomics and biotechnology. PMID:22123974
High-efficiency homologous recombination in the oil-producing alga Nannochloropsis sp.
Kilian, Oliver; Benemann, Christina S. E.; Niyogi, Krishna K.; Vick, Bertrand
Algae have reemerged as potential next-generation feedstocks for biofuels, but strain improvement and progress in algal biology research have been limited by the lack of advanced molecular tools for most eukaryotic microalgae. Here we describe the development of an efficient transformation method for Nannochloropsis sp., a fast-growing, unicellular alga capable of accumulating large amounts of oil. Moreover, we provide additional evidence that Nannochloropsis is haploid, and we demonstrate that insertion of transformation constructs into the nuclear genome can occur by high-efficiency homologous recombination. As examples, we generated knockouts of the genes encoding nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase, resulting in strains that were unable to grow on nitrate and nitrate/nitrite, respectively. The application of homologous recombination in this industrially relevant alga has the potential to rapidly advance algal functional genomics and biotechnology. PMID:22123974
Efficiency enhancement in high power backward-wave oscillators
Goebel, D.M.; Feicht, J.R. Adler, E.A. ); Ponti, E.S. ); Eisenhart, R.L. ); Lemke, R.W. )
High power microwave (HPM) sources based on the backward-wave oscillator (BWO) have been investigated for the past two decades primarily because of their potential for very high efficiency (15 to 40%) operation. Several different effects have been proposed to explain this high efficiency compared to conventional BWO's. One of the major contributors to the high efficiency of the plasma-filled Pasotron HPM BWO source is the presence of optimally phased end reflections. The Pasotron uses a long pulse ([ge]100 [micro]s) plasma-cathode electron-gun and plasma-filled slow-wave structure to produce microwave pulses in the range of 1 to 10 MW without the use of externally produced magnetic fields. The efficiency of the Pasotron can be enhanced by up to a factor of two when the device is configured as a standing-wave oscillator in which properly phased reflections from the downstream collector end of the finite length SWS constructively interfere with the fundamental backward-wave modes and improve the coupling of the beam to the circuit. Operation in this configuration increases the efficiency up to 30% but causes the frequency to vary in discrete steps and the output power to change strongly with beam parameters and oscillation frequency.
Enabling High Efficiency Nanoplasmonics with Novel Nanoantenna Architectures.
Cohen, Moshik; Shavit, Reuven; Zalevsky, Zeev
Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are propagating excitations that arise from coupling of light with collective electron oscillations. Characterized by high field intensity and nanometric dimensions, SPPs fashion rapid expansion of interest from fundamental and applicative perspectives. However, high metallic losses at optical frequencies still make nanoplasmonics impractical when high absolute efficiency is paramount, with major challenge is efficient plasmon generation in deep nanoscale. Here we introduce the Plantenna, the first reported nanodevice with the potential of addressing these limitations utilizing novel plasmonic architecture. The Plantenna has simple 2D structure, ultracompact dimensions and is fabricated on Silicon chip for future CMOS integration. We design the Plantenna to feed channel (20 nm × 20 nm) nanoplasmonic waveguides, achieving 52% coupling efficiency with Plantenna dimensions of λ(3)/17,000. We theoretically and experimentally show that the Plantenna enormously outperforms dipole couplers, achieving 28 dB higher efficiency with broad polarization diversity and huge local field enhancement. Our findings confirm the Plantenna as enabling device for high efficiency plasmonic technologies such as quantum nanoplasmonics, molecular strong coupling and plasmon nanolasers. PMID:26620270
Enabling High Efficiency Nanoplasmonics with Novel Nanoantenna Architectures
Cohen, Moshik; Shavit, Reuven; Zalevsky, Zeev
Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are propagating excitations that arise from coupling of light with collective electron oscillations. Characterized by high field intensity and nanometric dimensions, SPPs fashion rapid expansion of interest from fundamental and applicative perspectives. However, high metallic losses at optical frequencies still make nanoplasmonics impractical when high absolute efficiency is paramount, with major challenge is efficient plasmon generation in deep nanoscale. Here we introduce the Plantenna, the first reported nanodevice with the potential of addressing these limitations utilizing novel plasmonic architecture. The Plantenna has simple 2D structure, ultracompact dimensions and is fabricated on Silicon chip for future CMOS integration. We design the Plantenna to feed channel (20 nm × 20 nm) nanoplasmonic waveguides, achieving 52% coupling efficiency with Plantenna dimensions of λ3/17,000. We theoretically and experimentally show that the Plantenna enormously outperforms dipole couplers, achieving 28 dB higher efficiency with broad polarization diversity and huge local field enhancement. Our findings confirm the Plantenna as enabling device for high efficiency plasmonic technologies such as quantum nanoplasmonics, molecular strong coupling and plasmon nanolasers. PMID:26620270
An advanced actuator for high-performance slewing
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Downer, James; Eisenhaure, David; Hockney, Richard
A conceptual design for an advanced momentum exchange actuator for application to spacecraft slewing is described. The particular concept is a magnetically-suspended, magnetically gimballed Control Moment Gyro (CMG). A scissored pair of these devices is sized to provide the torque and angular momentum capacity required to reorient a large spacecraft through large angle maneuvers. The concept described utilizes a composite material rotor to achieve the high momentum and energy densities to minimize system mass, an advanced superconducting magnetic suspension system to minimize system weight and power consumption. The magnetic suspension system is also capable of allowing for large angle gimballing of the rotor, thus eliminating the mass and reliability penalties attendant to conventional gimbals. Descriptions of the various subelement designs are included along with the necessary system sizing formulation and material.
Design and overall performance of four highly loaded, high speed inlet stages for an advanced high-pressure-ratio core compressor
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Reid, L.; Moore, R. D.
The detailed design and overall performances of four inlet stages for an advanced core compressor are presented. These four stages represent two levels of design total pressure ratio (1.82 and 2.05), two levels of rotor aspect ratio (1.19 and 1.63), and two levels of stator aspect ratio (1.26 and 1.78). The individual stages were tested over the stable operating flow range at 70, 90, and 100 percent of design speeds. The performances of the low aspect ratio configurations were substantially better than those of the high aspect ratio configurations. The two low aspect ratio configurations achieved peak efficiencies of 0.876 and 0.872 and corresponding stage efficiencies of 0.845 and 0.840. The high aspect ratio configurations achieved peak ratio efficiencies of 0.851 and 0.849 and corresponding stage efficiencies of 0.821 and 0.831.
Heat transparent high intensity high efficiency solar cell
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Evans, J. C., Jr. (Inventor)
An improved solar cell design is described. A surface of each solar cell has a plurality of grooves. Each groove has a vertical face and a slanted face that is covered by a reflecting metal. Light rays are reflected from the slanted face through the vertical face where they traverse a photovoltaic junction. As the light rays travel to the slanted face of an adjacent groove, they again traverse the junction. The underside of the reflecting coating directs the light rays toward the opposite surface of solar cell as they traverse the junction again. When the light rays travel through the solar cell and reach the saw toothed grooves on the under side, the process of reflection and repeatedly traversing the junction again takes place. The light rays ultimately emerge from the solar cell. These solar cells are particularly useful at very high levels of insolation because the infrared or heat radiation passes through the cells without being appreciably absorbed to heat the cell.
Low Cost, High Efficiency, High Pressure Hydrogen Storage
Mark Leavitt
A technical and design evaluation was carried out to meet DOE hydrogen fuel targets for 2010. These targets consisted of a system gravimetric capacity of 2.0 kWh/kg, a system volumetric capacity of 1.5 kWh/L and a system cost of $4/kWh. In compressed hydrogen storage systems, the vast majority of the weight and volume is associated with the hydrogen storage tank. In order to meet gravimetric targets for compressed hydrogen tanks, 10,000 psi carbon resin composites were used to provide the high strength required as well as low weight. For the 10,000 psi tanks, carbon fiber is the largest portion of their cost. Quantum Technologies is a tier one hydrogen system supplier for automotive companies around the world. Over the course of the program Quantum focused on development of technology to allow the compressed hydrogen storage tank to meet DOE goals. At the start of the program in 2004 Quantum was supplying systems with a specific energy of 1.1-1.6 kWh/kg, a volumetric capacity of 1.3 kWh/L and a cost of $73/kWh. Based on the inequities between DOE targets and Quantum's then current capabilities, focus was placed first on cost reduction and second on weight reduction. Both of these were to be accomplished without reduction of the fuel system's performance or reliability. Three distinct areas were investigated; optimization of composite structures, development of "smart tanks" that could monitor health of tank thus allowing for lower design safety factor, and the development of "Cool Fuel" technology to allow higher density gas to be stored, thus allowing smaller/lower pressure tanks that would hold the required fuel supply. The second phase of the project deals with three additional distinct tasks focusing on composite structure optimization, liner optimization, and metal.
Investigation of beat-waves generation with high efficiency
Song, W.; Shi, Y. C.; Deng, Y. Q.; Zhu, X. X.; Zhang, Z. Q.; Hu, X. G.
A method for generating high power beating radio-frequency wave with high conversion efficiency is proposed. Based on Cherenkov radiation, two longitudinal resonant modes are excited simultaneously and interacted with intense electron beam synchronously. An experiment was carried out and beat-waves with an average power of about 2.3 GW, frequencies of 9.29 GHz and 10.31 GHz, and efficiency of about 40% were obtained. Through controlling the electron energy, the amplitude proportions of the two resonant modes are altered, and different beat-wave patterns are formed.
Design of scanning spherical trireflector antennas with high aperture efficiency
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Shen, Bing; Stutzman, Warren L.
It is frequently desirable to scan the main beam of a large antenna system without moving the main aperture structure. Spherical reflectors have excellent potential in this application. However, they are not commonly used because of poor aperture efficiency and high side lobes in traditional implementations. This paper introduces a new dual-subreflector feed system design which does not require oversizing the spherical main reflector to accommodate scan and yet permits a controlled aperture illumination. The design yields high aperture efficiency, low cross-polarization, and low side lobes.
High efficiency III-nitride light-emitting diodes
Crawford, Mary; Koleske, Daniel; Cho, Jaehee; Zhu, Di; Noemaun, Ahmed; Schubert, Martin F; Schubert, E. Fred
Tailored doping of barrier layers enables balancing of the radiative recombination among the multiple-quantum-wells in III-Nitride light-emitting diodes. This tailored doping enables more symmetric carrier transport and uniform carrier distribution which help to reduce electron leakage and thus reduce the efficiency droop in high-power III-Nitride LEDs. Mitigation of the efficiency droop in III-Nitride LEDs may enable the pervasive market penetration of solid-state-lighting technologies in high-power lighting and illumination.
Strategy Guideline: Advanced Construction Documentation Recommendations for High Performance Homes
Lukachko, A.; Gates, C.; Straube, J.
As whole house energy efficiency increases, new houses become less like conventional houses that were built in the past. New materials and new systems require greater coordination and communication between industry stakeholders. The Guideline for Construction Documents for High Performance Housing provides advice to address this need. The reader will be presented with four changes that are recommended to achieve improvements in energy efficiency, durability and health in Building America houses: create coordination drawings, improve specifications, improve detail drawings, and review drawings and prepare a Quality Control Plan.
Energy efficiency and advanced technologies in the iron and steel industry
Worrell, E.; Moore, C.
The iron and steel industry is one of the largest energy-consuming and energy-intensive industrial sectors in the world. In the US it consumes approximately 8% of total manufacturing energy consumption. The development of energy efficiency and penetration rate of various technologies, e.g., BOF steelmaking and continuous casting is discussed and compared. Between 1980 and 1991 energy intensity of the US steel industry has declined by 17%, of which 11 %-points are due to efficiency improvements. Considerable potential for energy efficiency improvement can be realized by applying currently best available technology (the so-called technical potential). For the US the technical potential is estimated to be 43{+-}8%, taking the current industrial structure (mix of raw materials used and products produced) into account and the best available technology. The economically profitable potential is estimated to be 10--15%-points lower. The potential for energy efficiency improvement in the US is higher than that in other OECD countries, despite the improvements since 1980. Advanced technologies, such as smelt reduction and near net shape casting, present major opportunities for further reduction in energy consumption at potentially lower costs, as well as environmental benefits. This slab casting has first been introduced in the US by mini-mills to compete on the steel sheet markets. Since the first commercial introduction in 1989 the technology has shown rapid development and capacity growth. Smelt reduction on the other hand does not yet show such a rapid development. The authors discuss the status of smelt reduction, as well as the potential opportunities for the US integrated steel industry.
Efficient nanorod-based amorphous silicon solar cells with advanced light trapping
Kuang, Y.; Lare, M. C. van; Polman, A.; Veldhuizen, L. W.; Schropp, R. E. I.; Rath, J. K.
We present a simple, low-cost, and scalable approach for the fabrication of efficient nanorod-based solar cells. Templates with arrays of self-assembled ZnO nanorods with tunable morphology are synthesized by chemical bath deposition using a low process temperature at 80 °C. The nanorod templates are conformally coated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon light absorber layers of 100 nm and 200 nm thickness. An initial efficiency of up to 9.0% is achieved for the optimized design. External quantum efficiency measurements on the nanorod cells show a substantial photocurrent enhancement both in the red and the blue parts of the solar spectrum. Key insights in the light trapping mechanisms in these arrays are obtained via a combination of three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulations, optical absorption, and external quantum efficiency measurements. Front surface patterns enhance the light incoupling in the blue, while rear side patterns lead to enhanced light trapping in the red. The red response in the nanorod cells is limited by absorption in the patterned Ag back contact. With these findings, we develop and experimentally realize a further advanced design with patterned front and back sides while keeping the Ag reflector flat, showing significantly enhanced scattering from the back reflector with reduced parasitic absorption in the Ag and thus higher photocurrent generation. Many of the findings in this work can serve to provide insights for further optimization of nanostructures for thin-film solar cells in a broad range of materials.
High efficiency silicon solar cell based on asymmetric nanowire
Ko, Myung-Dong; Rim, Taiuk; Kim, Kihyun; Meyyappan, M.; Baek, Chang-Ki
Improving the efficiency of solar cells through novel materials and devices is critical to realize the full potential of solar energy to meet the growing worldwide energy demands. We present here a highly efficient radial p-n junction silicon solar cell using an asymmetric nanowire structure with a shorter bottom core diameter than at the top. A maximum short circuit current density of 27.5 mA/cm2 and an efficiency of 7.53% were realized without anti-reflection coating. Changing the silicon nanowire (SiNW) structure from conventional symmetric to asymmetric nature improves the efficiency due to increased short circuit current density. From numerical simulation and measurement of the optical characteristics, the total reflection on the sidewalls is seen to increase the light trapping path and charge carrier generation in the radial junction of the asymmetric SiNW, yielding high external quantum efficiency and short circuit current density. The proposed asymmetric structure has great potential to effectively improve the efficiency of the SiNW solar cells. PMID:26152914
Tobin J. Marks; R.P.H. Chang; Tom Mason; Ken Poeppelmeier; Arthur J. Freeman
Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells offer the ultimate promise of low cost, readily manufacturable, and durable solar power. While recent advances have led to cells with impressive performance levels, OPV cells have yet to break the double-digit efficiency barrier. Further gains in efficiency and durability, to that competitive with high-performance inorganic photovoltaics will require breakthroughs in transparent electrode and interfacial materials science and engineering. This project involved an integrated basic research effort carried out by an experienced and highly collaborative interdisciplinary team to address in unconventional ways, critical electrode-interfacial issues underlying OPV performance--controlling band offsets between transparent electrodes and organics, addressing current loss/leakage problems at interfaces, enhancing adhesion, interfacial stability, and device durability while minimizing cost. It synergistically combined materials and interfacial reagent synthesis, nanostructural and photovoltaic characterization, and high level quantum theory. The research foci were: 1) understanding of/development of superior transparent electrode materials and materials morphologies--i.e., better matched electronically and chemically to organic active layers, 2) understanding-based development of inorganic interfacial current-collecting/charge-blocking layers, and 3) understanding-based development of self-assembled adhesion/current-collecting/charge-blocking/cross-linking layers for high-efficiency OPV interfaces. Pursing the goal of developing the fundamental scientific understanding needed to design, fabricate, prototype and ultimately test high-efficiency OPV cells incorporating these new concepts, we achieved a record power conversion efficiency of 5.2% for an organic bulk-heterjunction solar cell.
Online fault adaptive control for efficient resource management in Advanced Life Support Systems.
Abdelwahed, Sherif; Wu, Jian; Biswas, Gautam; Ramirez, John; Manders, Eric-J
This article presents the design and implementation of a controller scheme for efficient resource management in Advanced Life Support Systems. In the proposed approach, a switching hybrid system model is used to represent the dynamics of the system components and their interactions. The operational specifications for the controller are represented by utility functions, and the corresponding resource management problem is formulated as a safety control problem. The controller is designed as a limited-horizon online supervisory controller that performs a limited forward search on the state-space of the system at each time step, and uses the utility functions to decide on the best action. The feasibility and accuracy of the online algorithm can be assessed at design time. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the scheme by running a set of experiments on the Reverse Osmosis (RO) subsystem of the Water Recovery System (WRS). PMID:15742536
Online fault adaptive control for efficient resource management in Advanced Life Support Systems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Abdelwahed, Sherif; Wu, Jian; Biswas, Gautam; Ramirez, John; Manders, Eric-J
This article presents the design and implementation of a controller scheme for efficient resource management in Advanced Life Support Systems. In the proposed approach, a switching hybrid system model is used to represent the dynamics of the system components and their interactions. The operational specifications for the controller are represented by utility functions, and the corresponding resource management problem is formulated as a safety control problem. The controller is designed as a limited-horizon online supervisory controller that performs a limited forward search on the state-space of the system at each time step, and uses the utility functions to decide on the best action. The feasibility and accuracy of the online algorithm can be assessed at design time. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the scheme by running a set of experiments on the Reverse Osmosis (RO) subsystem of the Water Recovery System (WRS).
Status of NASA advanced LFC airfoil high-lift study
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Applin, Z. T.
The design of a high lift system for the NASA advanced LFC airfoil designed by Pfenninger is described. The high lift system consists of both leading and trailing edge flaps. A 3 meter semispan, 1 meter chord wing model using the above airfoil and high lift system is under construction and will be tested in the NASA Langley 4 by 7 meter tunnel. This model will have two separate full span leading edge flaps (0.10c and 0.12c) and one full span trailing edge flap (0.25c). The performance of this high lift system was predicted by the NASA two dimensional viscous multicomponent airfoil program. This program was also used to predict the characteristics of the LFC airfoils developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company and Lockheed-Georgia Aircraft Company.
Advances in DNA sequencing technologies for high resolution HLA typing.
Cereb, Nezih; Kim, Hwa Ran; Ryu, Jaejun; Yang, Soo Young
This communication describes our experience in large-scale G group-level high resolution HLA typing using three different DNA sequencing platforms - ABI 3730 xl, Illumina MiSeq and PacBio RS II. Recent advances in DNA sequencing technologies, so-called next generation sequencing (NGS), have brought breakthroughs in deciphering the genetic information in all living species at a large scale and at an affordable level. The NGS DNA indexing system allows sequencing multiple genes for large number of individuals in a single run. Our laboratory has adopted and used these technologies for HLA molecular testing services. We found that each sequencing technology has its own strengths and weaknesses, and their sequencing performances complement each other. HLA genes are highly complex and genotyping them is quite challenging. Using these three sequencing platforms, we were able to meet all requirements for G group-level high resolution and high volume HLA typing. PMID:26423536
The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility high resolution camera
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Murray, Stephen S.; Chappell, Jon H.
The HRC (High Resolution Camera) is a photon counting instrument to be flown on the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). It is a large field of view, high angular resolution, detector for the X-ray telescope. The HRC consists of a CsI coated microchannel plate (MCP) acting as a soft X-ray photocathode, followed by a second MCP for high electronic gain. The MCPs are readout by a crossed grid of resistively coupled wires to provide high spatial resolution along with timing and pulse height data. The instrument will be used in two modes, as a direct imaging detector with a limiting sensitivity of 10 to the -15th ergs/sq cm sec in a 10 to the 5th second exposure, and as a readout for an objective transmission grating providing spectral resolution of several hundreds to thousands.
High efficiency all-polymer tandem solar cells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yuan, Jianyu; Gu, Jinan; Shi, Guozheng; Sun, Jianxia; Wang, Hai-Qiao; Ma, Wanli
In this work, we have reported for the first time an efficient all-polymer tandem cell using identical sub-cells based on P2F-DO:N2200. A high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.70% was achieved, which is among the highest efficiencies for all polymer solar cells and 43% larger than the PCE of single junction cell. The largely improved device performance can be mainly attributed to the enhanced absorption of tandem cell. Meanwhile, the carrier collection in device remains efficient by optimizing the recombination layer and sub-cell film thickness. Thus tandem structure can become an easy approach to effectively boost the performance of current all polymer solar cells.
High extraction efficiency ultraviolet light-emitting diode
Wierer, Jonathan; Montano, Ines; Allerman, Andrew A.
Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with tailored AlGaN quantum wells can achieve high extraction efficiency. For efficient bottom light extraction, parallel polarized light is preferred, because it propagates predominately perpendicular to the QW plane and into the typical and more efficient light escape cones. This is favored over perpendicular polarized light that propagates along the QW plane which requires multiple, lossy bounces before extraction. The thickness and carrier density of AlGaN QW layers have a strong influence on the valence subband structure, and the resulting optical polarization and light extraction of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes. At Al>0.3, thinner QW layers (<2.5 nm are preferred) result in light preferentially polarized parallel to the QW plane. Also, active regions consisting of six or more QWs, to reduce carrier density, and with thin barriers, to efficiently inject carriers in all the QWs, are preferred.
Experimental Realization of High-Efficiency Counterfactual Computation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kong, Fei; Ju, Chenyong; Huang, Pu; Wang, Pengfei; Kong, Xi; Shi, Fazhan; Jiang, Liang; Du, Jiangfeng
Counterfactual computation (CFC) exemplifies the fascinating quantum process by which the result of a computation may be learned without actually running the computer. In previous experimental studies, the counterfactual efficiency is limited to below 50%. Here we report an experimental realization of the generalized CFC protocol, in which the counterfactual efficiency can break the 50% limit and even approach unity in principle. The experiment is performed with the spins of a negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy color center in diamond. Taking advantage of the quantum Zeno effect, the computer can remain in the not-running subspace due to the frequent projection by the environment, while the computation result can be revealed by final detection. The counterfactual efficiency up to 85% has been demonstrated in our experiment, which opens the possibility of many exciting applications of CFC, such as high-efficiency quantum integration and imaging.
High efficiency all-polymer tandem solar cells
Yuan, Jianyu; Gu, Jinan; Shi, Guozheng; Sun, Jianxia; Wang, Hai-Qiao; Ma, Wanli
In this work, we have reported for the first time an efficient all-polymer tandem cell using identical sub-cells based on P2F-DO:N2200. A high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.70% was achieved, which is among the highest efficiencies for all polymer solar cells and 43% larger than the PCE of single junction cell. The largely improved device performance can be mainly attributed to the enhanced absorption of tandem cell. Meanwhile, the carrier collection in device remains efficient by optimizing the recombination layer and sub-cell film thickness. Thus tandem structure can become an easy approach to effectively boost the performance of current all polymer solar cells. PMID:27226354
High efficiency all-polymer tandem solar cells.
Yuan, Jianyu; Gu, Jinan; Shi, Guozheng; Sun, Jianxia; Wang, Hai-Qiao; Ma, Wanli
In this work, we have reported for the first time an efficient all-polymer tandem cell using identical sub-cells based on P2F-DO:N2200. A high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.70% was achieved, which is among the highest efficiencies for all polymer solar cells and 43% larger than the PCE of single junction cell. The largely improved device performance can be mainly attributed to the enhanced absorption of tandem cell. Meanwhile, the carrier collection in device remains efficient by optimizing the recombination layer and sub-cell film thickness. Thus tandem structure can become an easy approach to effectively boost the performance of current all polymer solar cells. PMID:27226354
Advanced High-Temperature Engine Materials Technology Progresses
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The objective of the Advanced High Temperature Engine Materials Technology Program (HITEMP) is to generate technology for advanced materials and structural analysis that will increase fuel economy, improve reliability, extend life, and reduce operating costs for 21st century civil propulsion systems. The primary focus is on fan and compressor materials (polymer-matrix composites--PMC's), compressor and turbine materials (superalloys, and metal-matrix and intermetallic-matrix composites--MMC's and IMC's) and turbine materials (ceramic-matrix composites--CMC's). These advanced materials are being developed by in-house researchers and on grants and contracts. NASA considers this program to be a focused materials and structures research effort that builds on our base research programs and supports component-development projects. HITEMP is coordinated with the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Program and the Department of Defense/NASA Integrated High-Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) Program. Advanced materials and structures technologies from HITEMP may be used in these future applications. Recent technical accomplishments have not only improved the state-of-the-art but have wideranging applications to industry. A high-temperature thin-film strain gage was developed to measure both dynamic and static strain up to 1100 C (2000 F). The gage's unique feature is that it is minimally intrusive. This technology, which received a 1995 R&D 100 Award, has been transferred to AlliedSignal Engines, General Electric Company, and Ford Motor Company. Analytical models developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center were used to study Textron Specialty Materials' manufacturing process for titanium-matrix composite rings. Implementation of our recommendations on tooling and processing conditions resulted in the production of defect free rings. In the Lincoln Composites/AlliedSignal/Lewis cooperative program, a composite compressor case is being manufactured with a Lewis
Quantifying the Operational Benefits of Conventional and Advanced Pumped Storage Hydro on Reliability and Efficiency: Preprint
Krad, I.; Ela, E.; Koritarov, V.
Pumped storage hydro (PSH) plants have significant potential to provide reliability and efficiency benefits in future electric power systems with high penetrations of variable generation. New PSH technologies, such as adjustable-speed PSH, have been introduced that can also present further benefits. This paper demonstrates and quantifies some of the reliability and efficiency benefits afforded by PSH plants by utilizing the Flexible Energy Scheduling Tool for the Integration of Variable generation (FESTIV), an integrated power system operations tool that evaluates both reliability and production costs.
Problems with the rush toward advanced physics in high schools
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gollub, Jerry
The Advanced Placement (AP) Program has a major impact on the physics experience of many high school students. It affects admission to college, course choices and performance in college, and subsequent career decisions. A study committee of the National Research Council published a review of these programs in 2002, and concluded that while the program has many positive features, important problems need to be addressed. [1] The programs are not currently consistent with what we have learned about student learning from cognitive research. Students are often poorly prepared for AP courses, because of lack of coordination within schools. The Physics AP-B (non-calculus) program is too broad to allow most high school students to achieve an adequate level of conceptual understanding. Participation by minority students in these programs is far below that of other students. The AP exams need to be re-evaluated to insure that they actually measure conceptual understanding and complex reasoning. The AP exams are sometimes used inappropriately to rate teachers or schools. College and high school courses are poorly coordinated, with the result that students often take an introductory physics survey as many as three times. Policies on college credit for AP courses differ widely. These problems cannot be fixed by the College Board alone. [1] Jerry P. Gollub and Robin Spital, "Advanced Physics in the High Schools", Physics Today, May 2002.
An efficient liner cooling scheme for advanced small gas turbine combustors
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Paskin, Marc D.; Mongia, Hukam C.; Acosta, Waldo A.
A joint Army/NASA program was conducted to design, fabricate, and test an advanced, small gas turbine, reverse-flow combustor utilizing a compliant metal/ceramic (CMC) wall cooling concept. The objectives of this effort were to develop a design method (basic design data base and analysis) for the CMC cooling technique and then demonstrate its application to an advanced cycle, small, reverse-flow combustor with 3000 F burner outlet temperature. The CMC concept offers significant improvements in wall cooling effectiveness resulting in a large reduction in cooling air requirements. Therefore, more air is available for control of burner outlet temperature pattern in addition to the benefits of improved efficiency, reduced emissions, and lower smoke levels. The program was divided into four tasks. Task 1 defined component materials and localized design of the composite wall structure in conjunction with development of basic design models for the analysis of flow and heat transfer through the wall. Task 2 included implementation of the selected materials and validated design models during combustor preliminary design. Detail design of the selected combustor concept and its refinement with 3D aerothermal analysis were completed in Task 3. Task 4 covered detail drawings, process development and fabrication, and a series of burner rig tests. The purpose of this paper is to provide details of the investigation into the fundamental flow and heat transfer characteristics of the CMC wall structure as well as implementation of the fundamental analysis method for full-scale combustor design.
Energy-efficiency comparison of advanced ammonia heat-exchanger types
Panchal, C.; Rabas, T.
Ammonia is the most cost-effective working fluid for many Rankine power cycles and is widely utilized in industrial refrigeration applications. For example, it was selected as the most advantageous working fluid for the comprehensive closed-cycle Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion investigations where the heat source and sink are the warm, surface seawater and the cold, deep seawater, respectively. An essential part of this investigation was to measure the performance of many advanced heat-exchanger types using ammonia as the working fluid and to compare these results with those for conventional shell-and-tube designs. This paper presents an overview of these experiments and their potential significance for improved energy efficiency for industrial refrigeration applications. The heat exchangers used for industrial refrigeration systems account for about 50% of the equipment cost. However, current practice is to use state-of-the-art designs -- the shell-and-tube type without enhanced tubes. Substantial energy savings are possible through the use of advanced ammonia evaporator and condenser heat-exchanger types. 31 refs., 10 figs., 6 tabs.
Evaluation of a high-efficiency, filter-bank system.
Martin, Stephen B; Beamer, Bryan R; Moyer, Ernest S
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigators evaluated filtration efficiencies at three U.S. Postal Service (USPS) facilities. Ventilation and filtration systems (VFSs) had been installed after the 2001 bioterrorist attacks when the USPS unknowingly processed letters laden with B. anthracis spores. The new VFS units included high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters and were required by USPS contract specifications to provide an overall filtration efficiency of at least 99.97% for particles between 0.3 microm and 3.0 micro m. The USPS evaluation involved a modification of methodology used to test total filtration system efficiency in agricultural tractor cab enclosures. The modified sampling strategy not only proved effective for monitoring the total filtration system component of VFS performance but also distinguished between filtration systems performing to the high USPS performance criteria and those needing repair or replacement. The results clearly showed the importance of choosing a pair of optical particle counters that have been closely matched immediately prior to testing. The modified methodology is readily adaptable to any workplace wishing to evaluate air filtration systems, including high-efficiency systems. PMID:16531293
Wind tunnel performance results of swirl recovery vanes as tested with an advanced high speed propeller
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Gazzaniga, John A.; Rose, Gayle E.
Tests of swirl recovery vanes designed for use in conjunction with advanced high speed propellers were carried out at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The eight bladed 62.23 cm vanes were tested with a 62.23 cm SR = 7A high speed propeller in the NASA Lewis 2.44 x 1.83 m Supersonic Wind Tunnel for a Mach number range of 0.60 to 0.80. At the design operating condition for cruise of Mach 0.80 at an advance ratio of 3.26, the vane contribution to the total efficiency approached 2 percent. At lower off-design Mach numbers, the vane efficiency is even higher, approaching 4.5 percent for the Mach 0.60 condition. Use of the swirl recovery vanes essentially shifts the peak of the high speed propeller efficiency to a higher operating speed. This allows a greater degree of freedom in the selection of rpm over a wider operating range. Another unique result of the swirl recovery vane configuration is their essentially constant torque split between the propeller and the swirl vanes over a wide range of operating conditions for the design vane angle.
Bandgap Engineering in High-Efficiency Multijunction Concentrator Cells
King, R. R.; Sherif, R. A.; Kinsey, G. S.; Kurtz, S.; Fetzer, C. M.; Edmondson, K. M.; Law, D. C.; Cotal, H. L.; Krut, D. D.; Ermer, J. H.; Karam, N. H.
This paper discusses semiconductor device research paths under investigation with the aim of reaching the milestone efficiency of 40%. A cost analysis shows that achieving very high cell efficiencies is crucial for the realization of cost-effective photovoltaics, because of the strongly leveraging effect of efficiency on module packaging and balance-of systems costs. Lattice-matched (LM) GaInP/ GaInAs/ Ge 3-junction cells have achieved the highest independently confirmed efficiency at 175 suns, 25?C, of 37.3% under the standard AM1.5D, low-AOD terrestrial spectrum. Lattice-mismatched, or metamorphic (MM), materials offer still higher potential efficiencies, if the crystal quality can be maintained. Theoretical efficiencies well over 50% are possible for a MM GaInP/ 1.17-eV GaInAs/ Ge 3-junction cell limited by radiative recombination at 500 suns. The bandgap - open circuit voltage offset, (Eg/q) - Voc, is used as a valuable theoretical and experimental tool to characterize multijunction cells with subcell bandgaps ranging from 0.7 to 2.1 eV. Experimental results are presented for prototype 6-junction cells employing an active {approx}1.1-eV dilute nitride GaInNAs subcell, with active-area efficiency greater than 23% and over 5.3 V open-circuit voltage under the 1-sun AM0 space spectrum. Such cell designs have theoretical efficiencies under the terrestrial spectrum at 500 suns concentration exceeding 55% efficiency, even for lattice-matched designs.
Advances in 808nm high power diode laser bars and single emitters
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Morales, J.; Lehkonen, S.; Liu, G.; Schleuning, D.; Acklin, B.
Key applications for 780-830nm high power diode lasers include the pumping of various gas, solid state, and fiber laser media; medical and aesthetic applications including hair removal; direct diode materials processing; and computer-to-plate (CtP) printing. Many of these applications require high brightness fiber coupled beam delivery, in turn requiring high brightness optical output at the bar and chip level. Many require multiple bars per system, with aggregate powers on the order of kWs, placing a premium on high power and high power conversion efficiency. This paper presents Coherent's recent advances in the production of high power, high brightness, high efficiency bars and chips at 780-830nm. Results are presented for bars and single emitters of various geometries. Performance data is presented demonstrating peak power conversion efficiencies of 63% in CW mode. Reliability data is presented demonstrating <50k hours lifetime for products including 60W 18% fill factor and 80W 28% fill factor conduction cooled bars, and <1e9 shots lifetime for 500W QCW bars.
Advanced processing for high-bandwidth sensor systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Szymanski, John J.; Blain, Phil C.; Bloch, Jeffrey J.; Brislawn, Christopher M.; Brumby, Steven P.; Cafferty, Maureen M.; Dunham, Mark E.; Frigo, Janette R.; Gokhale, Maya; Harvey, Neal R.; Kenyon, Garrett; Kim, Won-Ha; Layne, J.; Lavenier, Dominique D.; McCabe, Kevin P.; Mitchell, Melanie; Moore, Kurt R.; Perkins, Simon J.; Porter, Reid B.; Robinson, S.; Salazar, Alfonso; Theiler, James P.; Young, Aaron C.
Compute performance and algorithm design are key problems of image processing and scientific computing in general. For example, imaging spectrometers are capable of producing data in hundreds of spectral bands with millions of pixels. These data sets show great promise for remote sensing applications, but require new and computationally intensive processing. The goal of the Deployable Adaptive Processing Systems (DAPS) project at Los Alamos National Laboratory is to develop advanced processing hardware and algorithms for high-bandwidth sensor applications. The project has produced electronics for processing multi- and hyper-spectral sensor data, as well as LIDAR data, while employing processing elements using a variety of technologies. The project team is currently working on reconfigurable computing technology and advanced feature extraction techniques, with an emphasis on their application to image and RF signal processing. This paper presents reconfigurable computing technology and advanced feature extraction algorithm work and their application to multi- and hyperspectral image processing. Related projects on genetic algorithms as applied to image processing will be introduced, as will the collaboration between the DAPS project and the DARPA Adaptive Computing Systems program. Further details are presented in other talks during this conference and in other conferences taking place during this symposium.
Metal-Dielectric Waveguides for High Efficiency Coupled Emission
Badugu, Ramachandram; Szmacinski, Henryk; Ray, Krishanu; Descrovi, Emiliano; Ricciardi, Serena; Zhang, Douguo; Chen, Junxue; Huo, Yiping; Lakowicz, Joseph R.
We report a metal-dielectric planar structure which provides high efficiency coupling of fluorescence at distances over 100 nm away from the metal surface. This hybrid metal-dielectric waveguide (MDW) consists of a continuous metal film coated with a dielectric layer. We observed efficient long-range coupling of Rhodamine B on top of a 130 nm layer of silica resulting in a narrow angular distribution of the emission. The high efficiency radiation through the Ag film appears to be due to coupling of the fluorophore to an optical waveguide mode with a long propagation length and a narrow resonance. The results were consistent with simulations. These multi-layer structures can be made using vapor deposition and/or spin coating and the silica surface can be used for conjugation to biomolecules and surface-selective detection. This simple hybrid metal-dielectric structures provides new opportunities for fluorescence sensing, genomics, proteomics and diagnostics. PMID:26523286
Overview of SERI's high efficiency solar cell research
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Benner, J. P.; Cole, L. A.; Leboeuf, C. M.
The bulk of the research efforts supported by the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) High Efficiency Concepts area has been directed towards establishing the feasibility of achieving very high efficiencies, 30% for concentrator and more than 20% for thin film flat plate, in solar cell designs which could possibly be produced competitively. The research has accomplished a great deal during the past two years. Even though the desired performance levels have not yet been demonstrated, based on the recent progress, a greater portion of the terrestrial photovoltaics community believes that these efficiencies are attainable. The program will now allocate a larger portion of resources to low cost, large area deposition technology. The program is currently shifting greater emphasis on to the study of crystal growth in order to provide the understanding and tools needed to design a large area process.
Highly efficient light management for perovskite solar cells
Wang, Dong-Lin; Cui, Hui-Juan; Hou, Guo-Jiao; Zhu, Zhen-Gang; Yan, Qing-Bo; Su, Gang
Organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells have enormous potential to impact the existing photovoltaic industry. As realizing a higher conversion efficiency of the solar cell is still the most crucial task, a great number of schemes were proposed to minimize the carrier loss by optimizing the electrical properties of the perovskite solar cells. Here, we focus on another significant aspect that is to minimize the light loss by optimizing the light management to gain a high efficiency for perovskite solar cells. In our scheme, the slotted and inverted prism structured SiO2 layers are adopted to trap more light into the solar cells, and a better transparent conducting oxide layer is employed to reduce the parasitic absorption. For such an implementation, the efficiency and the serviceable angle of the perovskite solar cell can be promoted impressively. This proposal would shed new light on developing the high-performance perovskite solar cells. PMID:26733112
Potential high efficiency solar cells: Applications from space photovoltaic research
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Flood, D. J.
NASA involvement in photovoltaic energy conversion research development and applications spans over two decades of continuous progress. Solar cell research and development programs conducted by the Lewis Research Center's Photovoltaic Branch have produced a sound technology base not only for the space program, but for terrestrial applications as well. The fundamental goals which have guided the NASA photovoltaic program are to improve the efficiency and lifetime, and to reduce the mass and cost of photovoltaic energy conversion devices and arrays for use in space. The major efforts in the current Lewis program are on high efficiency, single crystal GaAs planar and concentrator cells, radiation hard InP cells, and superlattice solar cells. A brief historical perspective of accomplishments in high efficiency space solar cells will be given, and current work in all of the above categories will be described. The applicability of space cell research and technology to terrestrial photovoltaics will be discussed.
Highly efficient blue electroluminescence based on thermally activated delayed fluorescence.
Hirata, Shuzo; Sakai, Yumi; Masui, Kensuke; Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Lee, Sae Youn; Nomura, Hiroko; Nakamura, Nozomi; Yasumatsu, Mao; Nakanotani, Hajime; Zhang, Qisheng; Shizu, Katsuyuki; Miyazaki, Hiroshi; Adachi, Chihaya
Organic compounds that exhibit highly efficient, stable blue emission are required to realize inexpensive organic light-emitting diodes for future displays and lighting applications. Here, we define the design rules for increasing the electroluminescence efficiency of blue-emitting organic molecules that exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence. We show that a large delocalization of the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital in these charge-transfer compounds enhances the rate of radiative decay considerably by inducing a large oscillator strength even when there is a small overlap between the two wavefunctions. A compound based on our design principles exhibited a high rate of fluorescence decay and efficient up-conversion of triplet excitons into singlet excited states, leading to both photoluminescence and internal electroluminescence quantum yields of nearly 100%. PMID:25485987
Highly efficient blue electroluminescence based on thermally activated delayed fluorescence
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hirata, Shuzo; Sakai, Yumi; Masui, Kensuke; Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Lee, Sae Youn; Nomura, Hiroko; Nakamura, Nozomi; Yasumatsu, Mao; Nakanotani, Hajime; Zhang, Qisheng; Shizu, Katsuyuki; Miyazaki, Hiroshi; Adachi, Chihaya
Organic compounds that exhibit highly efficient, stable blue emission are required to realize inexpensive organic light-emitting diodes for future displays and lighting applications. Here, we define the design rules for increasing the electroluminescence efficiency of blue-emitting organic molecules that exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence. We show that a large delocalization of the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital in these charge-transfer compounds enhances the rate of radiative decay considerably by inducing a large oscillator strength even when there is a small overlap between the two wavefunctions. A compound based on our design principles exhibited a high rate of fluorescence decay and efficient up-conversion of triplet excitons into singlet excited states, leading to both photoluminescence and internal electroluminescence quantum yields of nearly 100%.
Highly efficient light management for perovskite solar cells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Dong-Lin; Cui, Hui-Juan; Hou, Guo-Jiao; Zhu, Zhen-Gang; Yan, Qing-Bo; Su, Gang
Organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells have enormous potential to impact the existing photovoltaic industry. As realizing a higher conversion efficiency of the solar cell is still the most crucial task, a great number of schemes were proposed to minimize the carrier loss by optimizing the electrical properties of the perovskite solar cells. Here, we focus on another significant aspect that is to minimize the light loss by optimizing the light management to gain a high efficiency for perovskite solar cells. In our scheme, the slotted and inverted prism structured SiO2 layers are adopted to trap more light into the solar cells, and a better transparent conducting oxide layer is employed to reduce the parasitic absorption. For such an implementation, the efficiency and the serviceable angle of the perovskite solar cell can be promoted impressively. This proposal would shed new light on developing the high-performance perovskite solar cells.
Advanced research and technology program for advanced high pressure oxygen-hydrogen rocket propulsion
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Marsik, S. J.; Morea, S. F.
A research and technology program for advanced high pressure, oxygen-hydrogen rocket propulsion technology is presently being pursued by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to establish the basic discipline technologies, develop the analytical tools, and establish the data base necessary for an orderly evolution of the staged combustion reusable rocket engine. The need for the program is based on the premise that the USA will depend on the Shuttle and its derivative versions as its principal Earth-to-orbit transportation system for the next 20 to 30 yr. The program is focused in three principal areas of enhancement: (1) life extension, (2) performance, and (3) operations and diagnosis. Within the technological disciplines the efforts include: rotordynamics, structural dynamics, fluid and gas dynamics, materials fatigue/fracture/life, turbomachinery fluid mechanics, ignition/combustion processes, manufacturing/producibility/nondestructive evaluation methods and materials development/evaluation. An overview of the Advanced High Pressure Oxygen-Hydrogen Rocket Propulsion Technology Program Structure and Working Groups objectives are presented with highlights of several significant achievements.
Advanced research and technology programs for advanced high-pressure oxygen-hydrogen rocket propulsion
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Marsik, S. J.; Morea, S. F.
A research and technology program for advanced high pressure, oxygen-hydrogen rocket propulsion technology is presently being pursued by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to establish the basic discipline technologies, develop the analytical tools, and establish the data base necessary for an orderly evolution of the staged combustion reusable rocket engine. The need for the program is based on the premise that the USA will depend on the Shuttle and its derivative versions as its principal Earth-to-orbit transportation system for the next 20 to 30 yr. The program is focused in three principal areas of enhancement: (1) life extension, (2) performance, and (3) operations and diagnosis. Within the technological disciplines the efforts include: rotordynamics, structural dynamics, fluid and gas dynamics, materials fatigue/fracture/life, turbomachinery fluid mechanics, ignition/combustion processes, manufacturing/producibility/nondestructive evaluation methods and materials development/evaluation. An overview of the Advanced High Pressure Oxygen-Hydrogen Rocket Propulsion Technology Program Structure and Working Groups objectives are presented with highlights of several significant achievements.
Benefits of high aerodynamic efficiency to orbital transfer vehicles
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Andrews, D. G.; Norris, R. B.; Paris, S. W.
The benefits and costs of high aerodynamic efficiency on aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles (AOTV) are analyzed. Results show that a high lift to drag (L/D) AOTV can achieve significant velocity savings relative to low L/D aerobraked OTV's when traveling round trip between low Earth orbits (LEO) and alternate orbits as high as geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). Trajectory analysis is used to show the impact of thermal protection system technology and the importance of lift loading coefficient on vehicle performance. The possible improvements in AOTV subsystem technologies are assessed and their impact on vehicle inert weight and performance noted. Finally, the performance of high L/D AOTV concepts is compared with the performances of low L/D aeroassisted and all propulsive OTV concepts to assess the benefits of aerodynamic efficiency on this class of vehicle.
The report gives results of an evaluation of destruction in two different high-efficiency boilers (as an alternative to landfill disposal) of waste (a rendering plant byproduct, yellow grease) found to be contaminated by PCBs from a transformer leak. (The PCB content--under 500 p...
High efficiency solar cells for laser power beaming applications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Jain, Raj K.; Landis, G. A.
Understanding solar cell response to pulsed laser outputs is important for the evaluation of power beaming applications. The time response of high efficiency GaAs and silicon solar cells to a 25 nS monochromatic pulse input is described. The PC-1D computer code is used to analyze the cell current during and after the pulse for various conditions.
Applications of ion implantation for high efficiency silicon solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Minnucci, J. A.; Kirkpatrick, A. R.
Ion implantation is utilized for the dopant introduction processes necessary to fabricate a silicon solar cell. Implantation provides a versatile powerful tool for development of high efficiency cells. Advantages and problems of implantation and the present status of developmental use of the technique for solar cells are discussed.
High-quantum efficiency, long-lived luminescing refractory oxides
Chen, Y.; Gonzalez, R.; Summers, G.P.
A crystal having a high-quantum efficiency and a long period of luminescence is formed of MgO or CaO and possessing a concentration ratio of H/sup -/ ions to F centers in the range of about 0.05 to about 10.
High-quantum efficiency, long-lived luminescing refractory oxides
Chen, Yok; Gonzalez, Roberto; Summers, Geoffrey P.
A crystal having a high-quantum efficiency and a long period of luminescence is formed of an oxide selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide and calcium oxide and possessing a concentration ratio of H.sup.- ions to F centers in the range of about 0.05 to about 10.
The paper discusses the evaluation of a multistaged combustion burner design on a 0.6 MW package boiler simulator for in-furnace NOx control and high combustion efficiency. Both deep air staging, resulting in a three-stage configuration, and boiler front wall fuel staging of undo...
Development of High Efficiency (14%) Solar Cell Array Module
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Iles, P. A.; Khemthong, S.; Olah, S.; Sampson, W. J.; Ling, K. S.
High efficiency solar cells required for the low cost modules was developed. The production tooling for the manufacture of the cells and modules was designed. The tooling consisted of: (1) back contact soldering machine; (2) vacuum pickup; (3) antireflective coating tooling; and (4) test fixture.
Basic studies of 3-5 high efficiency cell components
Lundstrom, M.S.; Melloch, M.R.; Pierret, R.F.; Carpenter, M.S.; Chuang, H.L.; Dodd, P.E.; Keshavarzi, A.; Klausmeier-Brown, M.E.; Lush, G.B.; Stellwag, T.B. )
This project's objective is to improve our understanding of the generation, recombination, and transport of carriers within III-V homo- and heterostructures. The research itself consists of fabricating and characterizing solar cell building blocks'' such as junctions and heterojunctions as well as basic measurements of material parameters. A significant effort is also being directed at characterizing loss mechanisms in high-quality, III-V solar cells fabricated in industrial research laboratories throughout the United States. The project's goal is to use our understanding of the device physics of high-efficiency cell components to maximize cell efficiency. A related goal is the demonstration of new cell structures fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The development of measurement techniques and characterization methodologies is also a project objective. This report describes our progress during the fifth and final year of the project. During the past five years, we've teamed a great deal about heavy doping effects in p[sup +] and n[sup +] GaAs and have explored their implications for solar cells. We have developed an understanding of the dominant recombination losses in present-day, high-efficiency cells. We've learned to appreciated the importance of recombination at the perimeter of the cell and have developed techniques for chemically passivating such edges. Finally, we've demonstrated that films grown by molecular beam epitaxy are suitable for high-efficiency cell research.
High Efficiency Mode Converter for Low-Frequency Gyrotron
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Minami, Ryutaro; Kariya, Tsuyoshi; Imai, Tsuyoshi; Mitsunaka, Yoshika; Sakamoto, Keishi
A high efficiency quasi-optical (QO) mode converter for high-power, low-frequency gyrotron have been designed and tested. For low-frequency gyrotrons, the scales of the mode converter are comparatively small on the wavelength scale, thus causing significant diffraction losses. Over-1 MW power gyrotron with TE8,3 cavity at 28 GHz have been developed, which has a high efficiency mode converter designed by the use of numerical methods for launcher optimization. This calculation is sufficiently optimized to maximize the fractional Gaussian content of the far field. The total transmission efficiency from the mode converter to output window is 94.7%. For the experimental result of first tube, the output power of more than 1 MW has been obtained with about 40% efficiency and output burn pattern agrees fairly with the calculated profiles, which imply the design appropriateness. Besides, the frequency dependence for diffraction loss is discussed, and these results give the guiding design principle of the mode converter for high-power, low-frequency and long-pulse gyrotrons.
Advanced superposition methods for high speed turbopump vibration analysis
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nielson, C. E.; Campany, A. D.
The small, high pressure Mark 48 liquid hydrogen turbopump was analyzed and dynamically tested to determine the cause of high speed vibration at an operating speed of 92,400 rpm. This approaches the design point operating speed of 95,000 rpm. The initial dynamic analysis in the design stage and subsequent further analysis of the rotor only dynamics failed to predict the vibration characteristics found during testing. An advanced procedure for dynamics analysis was used in this investigation. The procedure involves developing accurate dynamic models of the rotor assembly and casing assembly by finite element analysis. The dynamically instrumented assemblies are independently rap tested to verify the analytical models. The verified models are then combined by modal superposition techniques to develop a completed turbopump model where dynamic characteristics are determined. The results of the dynamic testing and analysis obtained are presented and methods of moving the high speed vibration characteristics to speeds above the operating range are recommended. Recommendations for use of these advanced dynamic analysis procedures during initial design phases are given.
Current Status of the Advanced High Temperature Reactor
Holcomb, David Eugene; Ilas, Dan; Qualls, A L; Peretz, Fred J; Varma, Venugopal Koikal; Bradley, Eric Craig; Cisneros, Anselmo T.
The Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR) is a design concept for a central station type [1500 MW(e)] Fluoride salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (FHR) that is currently under development by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy's Advanced Reactor Concepts program. FHRs, by definition, feature low-pressure liquid fluoride salt cooling, coated-particle fuel, a high-temperature power cycle, and fully passive decay heat rejection. The overall goal of the AHTR development program is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of FHRs as low-cost, large-size power producers while maintaining full passive safety. The AHTR design option exploration is a multidisciplinary design effort that combines core neutronic and fuel configuration evaluation with structural, thermal, and hydraulic analysis to produce a reactor and vessel concept and place it within a power generation station. The AHTR design remains at the notional level of maturity, as key technologies require further development and a logically complete integrated design has not been finalized. The present design space exploration, however, indicates that reasonable options exist for the AHTR core, primary heat transport path, and fuel cycle provided that materials and systems technologies develop as anticipated.
Current status of the advanced high temperature reactor
Holcomb, D. E.; Iias, D.; Quails, A. L.; Peretz, F. J.; Varma, V. K.; Bradley, E. C.; Cisneros, A. T.
The Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR) is a design concept for a central station type [1500 MW(e)] Fluoride salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (FHR) that is currently under development by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U. S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy's Advanced Reactor Concepts program. FHRs, by definition, feature low-pressure liquid fluoride salt cooling, coated-particle fuel, a high-temperature power cycle, and fully passive decay heat rejection. The overall goal of the AHTR development program is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of FHRs as low-cost, large-size power producers while maintaining full passive safety. The AHTR design option exploration is a multidisciplinary design effort that combines core neutronic and fuel configuration evaluation with structural, thermal, and hydraulic analysis to produce a reactor and vessel concept and place it within a power generation station. The AHTR design remains at the notional level of maturity, as key technologies require further development and a logically complete integrated design has not been finalized. The present design space exploration, however, indicates that reasonable options exist for the AHTR core, primary heat transport path, and fuel cycle provided that materials and systems technologies develop as anticipated. (authors)
Friction Stir Spot Welding of Advanced High Strength Steels
Santella, Michael L; Hovanski, Yuri; Grant, Glenn J; Frederick, D Alan; Dahl, Michael E
Friction stir spot welding was used to join two advanced high-strength steels using polycrystalline cubic boron nitride tooling. Numerous tool designs were employed to study the influence of tool geometry on weld joints produced in both DP780 and a hot-stamp boron steel. Tool designs included conventional, concave shouldered pin tools with several pin configurations; a number of shoulderless designs; and a convex, scrolled shoulder tool. Weld quality was assessed based on lap shear strength, microstructure, microhardness, and bonded area. Mechanical properties were functionally related to bonded area and joint microstructure, demonstrating the necessity to characterize processing windows based on tool geometry.
Friction Stir Spot Welding of Advanced High Strength Steels
Hovanski, Yuri; Santella, M. L.; Grant, Glenn J.
Friction stir spot welding was used to join two advanced high-strength steels using polycrystalline cubic boron nitride tooling. Numerous tool designs were employed to study the influence of tool geometry on weld joints produced in both DP780 and a hot-stamp boron steel. Tool designs included conventional, concave shouldered pin tools with several pin configurations; a number of shoulderless designs; and a convex, scrolled shoulder tool. Weld quality was assessed based on lap shear strength, microstructure, microhardness, and bonded area. Mechanical properties were functionally related to bonded area and joint microstructure, demonstrating the necessity to characterize processing windows based on tool geometry.
Bending-torsion flutter of a highly swept advanced turboprop
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mehmed, O.; Kaza, K. R. V.; Lubomski, J. F.; Kielb, R. E.
Experimental and analytical results are presented for a bending-torsion flutter phenomena encountered during wind-tunnel testing of a ten-bladed, advanced, high-speed propeller (turboprop) model with thin airfoil sections, high blade sweep, low aspect ratio, high solidity and transonic tip speeds. Flutter occurred at free-stream Mach numbers of 0.6 and greater and when the relative tip Mach number (based on vector sum of axial and tangential velocities) reached a value of about one. The experiment also included two- and five-blade configurations. The data indicate that aerodynamic cascade effects have a strong destabilizing influence on the flutter boundary. The data was correlated with analytical results which include aerodynamic cascade effects and good agreement was found.
Advanced materials for high-temperature solid electrolyte applications
Bates, J.L.; Chick, L.A.; Weber, W.J.; Youngblood, G.E.
Advanced materials for use as electrodes, interconnections, and electrolytes in high-temperature electrochemical applications are under investigation. The air sinterability of La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}CrO{sub 3} is highly dependent upon a synergistic relationship between the (La + Sr)/Cr ratio, cation volatility, and second phase formation and transformation. Electrical conductivity in the ZrO{sub 2}--Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}--CeO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2}--Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}--TiO{sub 2} systems is highly dependent on composition and atmosphere. The electrochemical processes that occur at the solid-solid-gas interfaces in La(Sr)MnO{sub 3}/ZrO{sub 2}(Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) have been studied using an unbonded interface cell and impedance spectroscopy. 6 refs., 7 figs.
High Efficient OLEDs and Their Application to Lighting
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Komoda, Takuya; Ide, Nobuhiro; Kido, Junji
Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is one of the strongest candidates for the next generation solid state lighting alternative to conventional incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps. There are still a lot of issues to overcome in order to commercialize OLED lighting, but a number of elemental technologies indispensable for OLED lighting such as high efficiency, long lifetime at high luminance and large area uniform emission have been developed.
Advanced video extensometer for non-contact, real-time, high-accuracy strain measurement.
Pan, Bing; Tian, Long
We developed an advanced video extensometer for non-contact, real-time, high-accuracy strain measurement in material testing. In the established video extensometer, a "near perfect and ultra-stable" imaging system, combining the idea of active imaging with a high-quality bilateral telecentric lens, is constructed to acquire high-fidelity video images of the test sample surface, which is invariant to ambient lighting changes and small out-of-plane motions occurred between the object surface and image plane. In addition, an efficient and accurate inverse compositional Gauss-Newton algorithm incorporating a temporal initial guess transfer scheme and a high-accuracy interpolation method is employed to achieve real-time, high-accuracy displacement tracking with negligible bias error. Tensile tests of an aluminum sample and a carbon fiber filament sample were performed to demonstrate the efficiency, repeatability and accuracy of the developed advanced video extensometer. The results indicate that longitudinal and transversal strains can be estimated and plotted at a rate of 117 fps and with a maximum strain error less than 30 microstrains. PMID:27557188
Research on stable, high-efficiency amorphous silicon multijunction modules
Guha, S. )
This report describes research to improve the understanding of amorphous silicon alloys and other relevant non-semiconductor materials for use in high-efficiency, large-area multijunction modules. The research produced an average subcell initial efficiency of 8.8% over a 1-ft{sup 2} area using same-band-gap, dual-junction cells deposited over a ZnO/AlSi back reflector. An initial efficiency of 9.6% was achieved using a ZnO/Ag back reflector over smaller substrates. A sputtering machine will be built to deposit a ZnO/Ag back reflector over a 1-ft{sup 2} area so that a higher efficiency can also be obtained on larger substrates. Calculations have been performed to optimize the grid pattern, bus bars, and cell interconnects on modules. With our present state of technology, we expect a difference of about 6% between the aperture-area and active-area efficiencies of modules. Preliminary experiments show a difference of about 8%. We can now predict the performance of single-junction cells after long-term light exposure at 50{degree}C by exposing cells to short-term intense light at different temperatures. We find that single-junction cells deposited on a ZnO/Ag back reflector show the highest stabilized efficiency when the thickness of the intrinsic layers is about 2000 {angstrom}. 8 refs.
High-efficiency heteroepitaxial solar cells for space power applications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Vernon, S. M.; Tobin, S. P.; Keavney, C. J.; Wojtczuk, S. J.
The experimental results for several technical approaches aimed at achieving highly efficient solar cells for space-power applications are reported. Efficiencies of up to 24.5 percent (170X, AM0) and 21.7 percent (1X, AM0) have been achieved with homoepitaxial GaAs p/n cells. This one-sun AM0 efficiency value is believed to be the highest reported to date. Tandem solar cells utilizing GaAs-on-Ge structures have been fabricated and shown to have efficiencies up to 21.3 percent (1X, AM0), and a GaAs-on-Si cell at 15.2 percent (1X, AM0) is reported. Homoepitaxial n/p InP cells with an efficiency of 18.8 percent (1X, AM0) are also reported. The fabrication of heteroepitaxial InP solar cells with one-sun AM0 efficiency values of 9.4 percent (on GaAs) and 7.2 percent (on Si) is described.
Advanced Diagnostics for Developing High-Brightness Electron Beams
Ben-Zvi, I.; Babzien, M.; Malone, R.; Wang, X.-J.; Yakimenko, V.
The production of high-brightness particle beams calls for the development of advanced beam diagnostics. High brightness beams, meaning beams with a high density in phase space, are important for many applications, such as short-wavelength Free-Electron Lasers and advanced accelerator systems. A diagnostic that provides detailed information on the density distribution of the electron bunch in multi-dimensional phase-space is an essential tool for obtaining small emittance at a high charge. This diagnostic system has been developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory. One component of the system is the measurement of a slice emittance which provides a measurement of transverse beam properties (such as emittance) as a function of the longitudinal position. Changing the laser pulse profile of a photocathode RF gun has been suggested as one way to achieve non-linear emittance compensation and improve the brightness and that can be diagnosed by the slice emittance system. The other element of the diagnostic is the tomographic reconstruction of the transverse phase. In our work we give special attention to the accuracy of the phase space reconstruction and present an analysis using a transport line with nine focusing magnets and techniques to control the optical functions and phases. This high precision phase space tomography together with the ability to modify the radial charge distribution of the electron beam presents an opportunity to improve the emittance and apply non-linear radial emittance corrections. Combining the slice emittance and tomography diagnostics leads to an unprecedented visualization of phase space distributions in 5 dimensional phase-space and an opportunity to perform high-order emittance corrections. This should lead to great improvements in the beam brightness.
The production of high-brightness particle beams calls for the development of advanced beam diagnostics. High brightness beams, meaning beams with a high density in phase space, are important for many applications, such as short-wavelength Free-Electron Lasers and advanced accelerator systems. A diagnostic that provides detailed information on the density distribution of the electron bunch in multi-dimensional phase-space is an essential tool for obtaining small emittance at a high charge. This diagnostic system has been developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory. One component of the system is the measurement of a slice emittance which provides a measurement of transverse beam properties (such as emittance) as a function of the longitudinal position. Changing the laser pulse profile of a photocathode RF gun has been suggested as one way to achieve non-linear emittance compensation and improve the brightness and that can be diagnosed by the slice emittance system. The other element of the diagnostic is the tomographic reconstruction of the transverse phase. In our work we give special attention to the accuracy of the phase space reconstruction and present an analysis using a transport line with nine focusing magnets and techniques to control the optical functions and phases. This high precision phase space tomography together with the ability to modify the radial charge distribution of the electron beam presents an opportunity to improve the emittance and apply non-linear radial emittance corrections. Combining the slice emittance and tomography diagnostics leads to an unprecedented visualization of phase space distributions in 5 dimensional phase-space and an opportunity to perform high-order emittance corrections. This should lead to great improvements in the beam brightness.
High-efficiency multilevel zone plates for keV X-rays
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
di Fabrizio, E.; Romanato, F.; Gentili, M.; Cabrini, S.; Kaulich, B.; Susini, J.; Barrett, R.
The development of high brilliance X-ray sources coupled with advances in manufacturing technologies has led to significant improvements in submicrometre probes for spectroscopy, diffraction and imaging applications. The generation of a small beam spot size is commonly based on three principles: total reflection (as used in optical elements involving mirrors or capillaries), refraction (such as in refractive lenses) and diffraction. The latter effect is employed in Bragg-Fresnel or Soret lenses, commonly known as Fresnel zone plate lenses. These lenses currently give the best spatial resolution, but are traditionally limited to rather soft X-rays-at high energies, their use is still limited by their efficiency. Here we report the fabrication of high-efficiency, high-contrast gold and nickel multistep (quaternary) Fresnel zone plates using electron beam lithography. We achieve a maximum efficiency of 55% for the nickel plate at 7keV. In addition to their high efficiency, the lenses offer the advantages of low background signal and effective reduction of unwanted diffraction orders. We anticipate that these lenses should have a significant impact on techniques such as microscopy, micro-fluorescence and micro-diffraction, which require medium resolution (500-100nm) and high flux at fixed energies.
Ultra-Compact High-Efficiency Luminaire for General Illumination
Lowes, Ted
Cree has developed a new ultra-compact light emitting diode (LED) luminaire capable of providing high efficacy with excellent color quality that can lead to significant energy savings in today's commercial and retail applications. This success was based on an integrated development effort tailoring the LED component characteristics, optics, thermal management and driver design for the small footprint to achieve an overall system efficiency of 70%. A new LED component was designed to provide high brightness and efficacy in a form factor that allowed for a small directional beam with a luminaire housing design able to dissipate the heat effectively using a small physical envelope. A very compact, 90% efficient driver was developed to meet the system performance while not taking away any thermal mass from the heat sink. A 91% efficient secondary optics was designed to maximize efficiency while providing a smooth beam. The reliability of the new LED component was robust under accelerated testing conditions. Luminaires were assembled integrating the novel LED component, secondary optics, heat sink and driver technology to demonstrate the system improvement. Cree has successfully completed this project by developing an ultra-compact LED luminaire that provided 380 lumens at a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 2822 K and color rendering index (CRI) of 94 with an efficacy of 94 lumens per watt (LPW) when operating at 4 W input power (steady state) with an overall system efficiency of 81%. At a higher input power of 9 Watts, the lamp provided 658 lumens at 71 LPW.
Development of a high efficiency thin silicon solar cell
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Storti, G.; Culik, J.; Wrigley, C.
Significant improvements in open-circuit voltage and conversion efficiency, even on relatively high bulk resistivity silicon, were achieved by using a screen-printed aluminum paste back surface field. A 4 sq cm 50 micron m thick cell was fabricated from textured 10 omega-cm silicon which had an open-circuit voltage of 595 mV and AMO conversion efficiency at 25 C of 14.3%. The best 4 sq cm 50 micron thick cell (2 omega-cm silicon) produced had an open-circuit voltage of 607 mV and an AMO conversion efficiency of 15%. Processing modifications are described which resulted in better front contact integrity and reduced breakage. These modifications were utilized in the thin cell pilot line to fabricate 4 sq cm cells with an average AMO conversion efficiency at 25 C of better than 12.5% and with lot yields as great as 51% of starts; a production rate of 10,000 cells per month was demonstrated. A pilot line was operated which produced large area (25 cm) ultra-thin cells with an average AMO conversion efficiency at 25 deg of better than 11.5% and a lot yield as high as 17%.
Ztek`s ultra high efficiency fuel cell/gas turbine combination
Hsu, M.; Nathanson, D.
Ztek is proceeding on development of an ultra-high efficiency hybrid system of its Planar SOFC with a gas turbine, realizing shared cost and performance benefits. The gas turbine as the Balance-of-Plant was a logical selection from a fuel cell system perspective because of (1) the high-power-density energy conversion of gas turbines; (2) the unique compatibility of the Ztek Planar SOFC with gas turbines, and (3) the availability of low-cost commercial gas turbine systems. A Tennessee Valley Authority/Ztek program is ongoing, which addresses operation of the advanced Planar SOFC stacks and design scale-up for utility power generation applications.
Highly efficient integration and expression of piggyBac-derived cassettes in the honeybee (Apis mellifera)
Schulte, Christina; Theilenberg, Eva; Müller-Borg, Marion; Gempe, Tanja; Beye, Martin
Honeybees (Apis mellifera), which are important pollinators of plants, display remarkable individual behaviors that collectively contribute to the organization of a complex society. Advances in dissecting the complex processes of honeybee behavior have been limited in the recent past due to a lack of genetic manipulation tools. These tools are difficult to apply in honeybees because the unit of reproduction is the colony, and many interesting phenotypes are developmentally specified at later stages. Here, we report highly efficient integration and expression of piggyBac-derived cassettes in the honeybee. We demonstrate that 27 and 20% of queens stably transmitted two different expression cassettes to their offspring, which is a 6- to 30-fold increase in efficiency compared with those generally reported in other insect species. This high efficiency implies that an average beekeeping facility with a limited number of colonies can apply this tool. We demonstrated that the cassette stably and efficiently expressed marker genes in progeny under either an artificial or an endogenous promoter. This evidence of efficient expression encourages the use of this system to inhibit gene functions through RNAi in specific tissues and developmental stages by using various promoters. We also showed that the transgenic marker could be used to select transgenic offspring to be employed to facilitate the building of transgenic colonies via the haploid males. We present here the first to our knowledge genetic engineering tool that will efficiently allow for the systematic detection and better understanding of processes underlying the biology of honeybees. PMID:24821811
Energy Efficient Engine: High-pressure compressor test hardware detailed design report
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Howe, David C.; Marchant, R. D.
The objective of the NASA Energy Efficient Engine program is to identify and verify the technology required to achieve significant reductions in fuel consumption and operating cost for future commercial gas turbine engines. The design and analysis is documented of the high pressure compressor which was tested as part of the Pratt and Whitney effort under the Energy Efficient Engine program. This compressor was designed to produce a 14:1 pressure ratio in ten stages with an adiabatic efficiency of 88.2 percent in the flight propulsion system. The corresponding expected efficiency for the compressor component test rig is 86.5 percent. Other performance goals are a surge margin of 20 percent, a corrected flow rate of 35.2 kg/sec (77.5 lb/sec), and a life of 20,000 missions and 30,000 hours. Low loss, highly loaded airfoils are used to increase efficiency while reducing the parts count. Active clearance control and case trenches in abradable strips over the blade tips are included in the compressor component design to further increase the efficiency potential. The test rig incorporates variable geometry stator vanes in all stages to permit maximum flexibility in developing stage-to-stage matching. This provision precluded active clearance control on the rear case of the test rig. Both the component and rig designs meet or exceed design requirements with the exception of life goals, which will be achievable with planned advances in materials technology.
A high-efficiency relativistic magnetron with the filled dielectric
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Xiao-Yu; Fan, Yu-Wei; Shi, Di-fu; Shu, Ting
Relativistic magnetron (RM) is a popular high power microwave device. Filling the resonant cavities with the low-loss dielectric is a well-proven technology that improves the performance of RM. In order to enhance the power efficiency, a dielectric-filled relativistic magnetron (DFRM) is presented and investigated numerically with KARAT code in this paper. The simulation results indicate that the maximum power efficiency is enhanced from 50.0% in the conventional RM to 56.0% in the DFRM when the applied voltage and the magnetic field are 280 kV and 0.5 T, respectively. Besides, the simulation results are analyzed and discussed.
High-efficiency, 200 watt, 12-gigahertz traveling wave tube
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kosmahl, H. G.; Mcnary, B. D.; Sauseng, O.
Design and performance of a highly efficient experimental 200-watt traveling wave tube for space communications are described. The tube uses a coupled cavity slow wave structure with periodic permanent magnet focusing. A two-step velocity taper is incorporated in the slow wave structure for velocity resynchronization with the modulated beam. The spent beam is reconditioned in a refocusing section before it is collected in a novel multistage depressed collector. The collector is radiation cooled and heat insulated from the tube body. At saturation the tube provides peak output power of 240 watts with a 35-db gain and an overall maximum efficiency of 56 percent.
Right-angle slot waveguide bends with high bending efficiency.
Ma, Changbao; Zhang, Qun; Van Keuren, Edward
Two right-angle bends for nanoscale slot waveguides with high bending efficiency based on a corner mirror and different resonant cavities are presented, one with a triangular cavity and the other with a square cavity. Through two-dimensional parametric scanning of the position of the mirror and the dimension of the cavity, a maximum bending efficiency calculated using mode overlap integral (MOI) of 94.3% is achieved for the bend with the triangular cavity and 93.1% is achieved for the bend with the square cavity. Although they both have similar bending performance, the position of the mirror is different between the two cases. PMID:18794968