DC Linked Hybrid Generation System with an Energy Storage Device including a Photo-Voltaic Generation and a Gas Engine Cogeneration for Residential Houses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lung, Chienru; Miyake, Shota; Kakigano, Hiroaki; Miura, Yushi; Ise, Toshifumi; Momose, Toshinari; Hayakawa, Hideki

For the past few years, a hybrid generation system including solar panel and gas cogeneration is being used for residential houses. Solar panels can generate electronic power at daytime; meanwhile, it cannot generate electronic power at night time. But the power consumption of residential houses usually peaks in the evening. The gas engine cogeneration system can generate electronic power without such a restriction, and it also can generate heat power to warm up house or to produce hot water. In this paper, we propose the solar panel and gas engine co-generation hybrid system with an energy storage device that is combined by dc bus. If a black out occurs, the system still can supply electronic power for special house loads. We propose the control scheme for the system which are related with the charging level of the energy storage device, the voltage of the utility grid which can be applied both grid connected and stand alone operation. Finally, we carried out some experiments to demonstrate the system operation and calculation for loss estimation.

Inverter power module with distributed support for direct substrate cooling

DOEpatents

Miller, David Harold [San Pedro, CA; Korich, Mark D [Chino Hills, CA; Ward, Terence G [Redondo Beach, CA; Mann, Brooks S [Redondo Beach, CA

2012-08-21

Systems and/or methods are provided for an inverter power module with distributed support for direct substrate cooling. An inverter module comprises a power electronic substrate. A first support frame is adapted to house the power electronic substrate and has a first region adapted to allow direct cooling of the power electronic substrate. A gasket is interposed between the power electronic substrate and the first support frame. The gasket is configured to provide a seal between the first region and the power electronic substrate. A second support frame is adapted to house the power electronic substrate and joined to the first support frame to form the seal.

Controlled cooling of an electronic system based on projected conditions

DOEpatents

David, Milnes P.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.

2016-05-17

Energy efficient control of a cooling system cooling an electronic system is provided based, in part, on projected conditions. The control includes automatically determining an adjusted control setting(s) for an adjustable cooling component(s) of the cooling system. The automatically determining is based, at least in part, on projected power consumed by the electronic system at a future time and projected temperature at the future time of a heat sink to which heat extracted is rejected. The automatically determining operates to reduce power consumption of the cooling system and/or the electronic system while ensuring that at least one targeted temperature associated with the cooling system or the electronic system is within a desired range. The automatically determining may be based, at least in part, on an experimentally obtained model(s) relating the targeted temperature and power consumption of the adjustable cooling component(s) of the cooling system.

Controlled cooling of an electronic system based on projected conditions

DOEpatents

David, Milnes P.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.

2015-08-18

Energy efficient control of a cooling system cooling an electronic system is provided based, in part, on projected conditions. The control includes automatically determining an adjusted control setting(s) for an adjustable cooling component(s) of the cooling system. The automatically determining is based, at least in part, on projected power consumed by the electronic system at a future time and projected temperature at the future time of a heat sink to which heat extracted is rejected. The automatically determining operates to reduce power consumption of the cooling system and/or the electronic system while ensuring that at least one targeted temperature associated with the cooling system or the electronic system is within a desired range. The automatically determining may be based, at least in part, on an experimentally obtained model(s) relating the targeted temperature and power consumption of the adjustable cooling component(s) of the cooling system.

Practical To Tactical: Making the Case for a Shift in Ground Vehicle Robotics

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-10

with Driver Warning I C R M x x x V x UNCLASSIFIED 21 Electronic Brake System ( ELB ) w/ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Electric Power Assist...System ( ELB ) w/ Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Electric Power Assist Steering Steering Position Sensor Steering Torque Sensor Transmission...Computer I C R M x x x V x x Wheel Speed Sensors ESC Accelerometer/Rate Gyro UNCLASSIFIED 23 Electronic Brake System ( ELB ) w/ Electronic

Prognostics of Power Electronics, Methods and Validation Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulkarni, Chetan S.; Celaya, Jose R.; Biswas, Gautam; Goebel, Kai

2012-01-01

Abstract Failure of electronic devices is a concern for future electric aircrafts that will see an increase of electronics to drive and control safety-critical equipment throughout the aircraft. As a result, investigation of precursors to failure in electronics and prediction of remaining life of electronic components is of key importance. DC-DC power converters are power electronics systems employed typically as sourcing elements for avionics equipment. Current research efforts in prognostics for these power systems focuses on the identification of failure mechanisms and the development of accelerated aging methodologies and systems to accelerate the aging process of test devices, while continuously measuring key electrical and thermal parameters. Preliminary model-based prognostics algorithms have been developed making use of empirical degradation models and physics-inspired degradation model with focus on key components like electrolytic capacitors and power MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistor). This paper presents current results on the development of validation methods for prognostics algorithms of power electrolytic capacitors. Particularly, in the use of accelerated aging systems for algorithm validation. Validation of prognostics algorithms present difficulties in practice due to the lack of run-to-failure experiments in deployed systems. By using accelerated experiments, we circumvent this problem in order to define initial validation activities.

Control Structures for VSC-based FACTS Devices under Normal and Faulted AC-systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babaei, Saman

This thesis is concerned with improving the Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices performance under the normal and fault AC-system conditions by proposing new control structures and also converter topologies. The combination of the increasing electricity demand and restrictions in expanding the power system infrastructures has urged the utility owners to deploy the utility-scaled power electronics in the power system. Basically, FACTS is referred to the application of the power electronics in the power systems. Voltage Source Converter (VSC) is the preferred building block of the FACTS devices and many other utility-scale power electronics applications. Despite of advances in the semiconductor technology and ultra-fast microprocessor based controllers, there are still many issues to address and room to improve[25]. An attempt is made in this thesis to address these important issues of the VSC-based FACTS devices and provide solutions to improve them.

RF Design of a High Average Beam-Power SRF Electron Source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sipahi, Nihan; Biedron, Sandra; Gonin, Ivan

2016-06-01

There is a significant interest in developing high-average power electron sources, particularly in the area of electron sources integrated with Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) systems. For these systems, the electron gun and cathode parts are critical components for stable intensity and high-average powers. In this initial design study, we will present the design of a 9-cell accelerator cavity having a frequency of 1.3 GHz and the corresponding field optimization studies.

Thermal Performance Benchmarking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Xuhui; Moreno, Gilbert; Bennion, Kevin

2016-06-07

The goal for this project is to thoroughly characterize the thermal performance of state-of-the-art (SOA) in-production automotive power electronics and electric motor thermal management systems. Information obtained from these studies will be used to: evaluate advantages and disadvantages of different thermal management strategies; establish baseline metrics for the thermal management systems; identify methods of improvement to advance the SOA; increase the publicly available information related to automotive traction-drive thermal management systems; help guide future electric drive technologies (EDT) research and development (R&D) efforts. The thermal performance results combined with component efficiency and heat generation information obtained by Oak Ridge Nationalmore » Laboratory (ORNL) may then be used to determine the operating temperatures for the EDT components under drive-cycle conditions. In FY16, the 2012 Nissan LEAF power electronics and 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid power electronics thermal management system were characterized. Comparison of the two power electronics thermal management systems was also conducted to provide insight into the various cooling strategies to understand the current SOA in thermal management for automotive power electronics and electric motors.« less

Power Electronics Thermal Management R&D (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Waye, S.

2014-11-01

This project will investigate and develop thermal-management strategies for wide bandgap (WBG)-based power electronics systems. Research will be carried out to deal with thermal aspects at the module- and system-level. Module-level research will focus on die- and substrate-integrated cooling strategies and heat-transfer enhancement technologies. System-level research will focus on thermal-management strategies for the entire power electronics system to enable smart packaging solutions. One challenge with WBG device-based power electronics is that although losses in the form of heat may be lower, the footprint of the components is also likely to be reduced to reduce cost, weight, and volume. Combined withmore » higher operational temperatures, this creates higher heat fluxes which much be removed from a smaller footprint, requiring advanced cooling strategies.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deline, C.

Computer modeling is able to predict the performance of distributed power electronics (microinverters, power optimizers) in PV systems. However, details about partial shade and other mismatch must be known in order to give the model accurate information to go on. This talk will describe recent updates in NREL’s System Advisor Model program to model partial shading losses with and without distributed power electronics, along with experimental validation results. Computer modeling is able to predict the performance of distributed power electronics (microinverters, power optimizers) in PV systems. However, details about partial shade and other mismatch must be known in order tomore » give the model accurate information to go on. This talk will describe recent updates in NREL’s System Advisor Model program to model partial shading losses.« less

Space nuclear power systems; Proceedings of the 8th Symposium, Albuquerque, NM, Jan. 6-10, 1991. Pts. 1-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Genk, Mohamed S. (Editor); Hoover, Mark D. (Editor)

1991-01-01

The present conference discusses NASA mission planning for space nuclear power, lunar mission design based on nuclear thermal rockets, inertial-electrostatic confinement fusion for space power, nuclear risk analysis of the Ulysses mission, the role of the interface in refractory metal alloy composites, an advanced thermionic reactor systems design code, and space high power nuclear-pumped lasers. Also discussed are exploration mission enhancements with power-beaming, power requirement estimates for a nuclear-powered manned Mars rover, SP-100 reactor design, safety, and testing, materials compatibility issues for fabric composite radiators, application of the enabler to nuclear electric propulsion, orbit-transfer with TOPAZ-type power sources, the thermoelectric properties of alloys, ruthenium silicide as a promising thermoelectric material, and innovative space-saving device for high-temperature piping systems. The second volume of this conference discusses engine concepts for nuclear electric propulsion, nuclear technologies for human exploration of the solar system, dynamic energy conversion, direct nuclear propulsion, thermionic conversion technology, reactor and power system control, thermal management, thermionic research, effects of radiation on electronics, heat-pipe technology, radioisotope power systems, and nuclear fuels for power reactors. The third volume discusses space power electronics, space nuclear fuels for propulsion reactors, power systems concepts, space power electronics systems, the use of artificial intelligence in space, flight qualifications and testing, microgravity two-phase flow, reactor manufacturing and processing, and space and environmental effects.

Computing an operating parameter of a unified power flow controller

DOEpatents

Wilson, David G.; Robinett, III, Rush D.

2017-12-26

A Unified Power Flow Controller described herein comprises a sensor that outputs at least one sensed condition, a processor that receives the at least one sensed condition, a memory that comprises control logic that is executable by the processor; and power electronics that comprise power storage, wherein the processor causes the power electronics to selectively cause the power storage to act as one of a power generator or a load based at least in part upon the at least one sensed condition output by the sensor and the control logic, and wherein at least one operating parameter of the power electronics is designed to facilitate maximal transmittal of electrical power generated at a variable power generation system to a grid system while meeting power constraints set forth by the electrical power grid.

Computing an operating parameter of a unified power flow controller

DOEpatents

Wilson, David G; Robinett, III, Rush D

2015-01-06

A Unified Power Flow Controller described herein comprises a sensor that outputs at least one sensed condition, a processor that receives the at least one sensed condition, a memory that comprises control logic that is executable by the processor; and power electronics that comprise power storage, wherein the processor causes the power electronics to selectively cause the power storage to act as one of a power generator or a load based at least in part upon the at least one sensed condition output by the sensor and the control logic, and wherein at least one operating parameter of the power electronics is designed to facilitate maximal transmittal of electrical power generated at a variable power generation system to a grid system while meeting power constraints set forth by the electrical power grid.

Low-Temperature Power Electronics Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Richard L.; Dickman, John E.; Hammoud, Ahmad; Gerber, Scott

1997-01-01

Many space and some terrestrial applications would benefit from the availability of low-temperature electronics. Exploration missions to the outer planets, Earth-orbiting and deep-space probes, and communications satellites are examples of space applications which operate in low-temperature environments. Space probes deployed near Pluto must operate in temperatures as low as -229 C. Figure 1 depicts the average temperature of a space probe warmed by the sun for various locations throughout the solar system. Terrestrial applications where components and systems must operate in low-temperature environments include cryogenic instrumentation, superconducting magnetic energy storage, magnetic levitation transportation system, and arctic exploration. The development of electrical power systems capable of extremely low-temperature operation represents a key element of some advanced space power systems. The Low-Temperature Power Electronics Program at NASA Lewis Research Center focuses on the design, fabrication, and characterization of low-temperature power systems and the development of supporting technologies for low-temperature operations such as dielectric and insulating materials, power components, optoelectronic components, and packaging and integration of devices, components, and systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David, Milnes P.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.

Energy efficient control of a cooling system cooling an electronic system is provided. The control includes automatically determining at least one adjusted control setting for at least one adjustable cooling component of a cooling system cooling the electronic system. The automatically determining is based, at least in part, on power being consumed by the cooling system and temperature of a heat sink to which heat extracted by the cooling system is rejected. The automatically determining operates to reduce power consumption of the cooling system and/or the electronic system while ensuring that at least one targeted temperature associated with the coolingmore » system or the electronic system is within a desired range. The automatically determining may be based, at least in part, on one or more experimentally obtained models relating the targeted temperature and power consumption of the one or more adjustable cooling components of the cooling system.« less

Control voltage and power fluctuations when connecting wind farms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berinde, Ioan; Bǎlan, Horia; Oros Pop, Teodora Susana

2015-12-01

Voltage, frequency, active power and reactive power are very important parameters in terms of power quality. These parameters are followed when connecting any power plant, the more the connection of wind farms. Connecting wind farms to the electricity system must not cause interference outside the limits set by regulations. Modern solutions for fast and automatic voltage control and power fluctuations using electronic control systems of reactive power flows. FACTS (Flexible Alternating Current Transmision System) systems, established on the basis of power electronic circuits ensure control of electrical status quantities to achieve the necessary transfer of power to the power grid. FACTS devices can quickly control parameters and sizes of state power lines, such as impedance line voltages and phase angles of the voltages of the two ends of the line. Their use can lead to improvement in power system operation by increasing the transmission capacity of power lines, power flow control lines, improved static and transient stability reserve.

Dynamometer Facilities | Water Power | NREL

Science.gov Websites

, mechanical or electro-dynamic brakes, power electronics, control systems, and software. Manufacturers and power electronics with the electric grid, to perform accelerated lifetime certification, and to develop

Voltage regulation and power losses reduction in a wind farm integrated MV distribution network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fandi, Ghaeth; Igbinovia, Famous Omar; Tlusty, Josef; Mahmoud, Rateb

2018-01-01

A medium-voltage (MV) wind production system is proposed in this paper. The system applies a medium-voltage permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) as well as MV interconnection and distribution networks. The simulation scheme of an existing commercial electric-power system (Case A) and a proposed wind farm with a gearless PMSG insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power electronics converter scheme (Case B) is compared. The analyses carried out in MATLAB/Simulink environment shows an enhanced voltage profile and reduced power losses, thus, efficiency in installed IGBT power electronics devices in the wind farm. The resulting wind energy transformation scheme is a simple and controllable medium voltage application since it is not restrained by the IGBT power electronics voltage source converter (VSC) arrangement. Active and reactive power control is made possible with the aid of the gearless PMSG IGBT power converters.

Advancing Small Satellite Electronics Heritage for Microfluidic Biological Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Bruce; Mazmanian, Edward; Tapio, Eric

2016-01-01

DLR's Eu:CROPIS (Euglena and Combined Regenerative Organic-Food Production in Space) mission, launching in 2017, will carry multiple biological payloads into a sun-synchronous orbit, including NASA Ames' PowerCell experiment. PowerCell will attempt to characterize the viability of synthetic biology at micro-g, Lunar, and Martian gravity levels. PowerCell experiment requirements demand an electronic system similar to previous microfluidic biology payloads, but with an expanded feature set. As such, the system was based on PharmaSat (Diaz-Aguado et al. 2009), a previous successful biology payload from NASA Ames, and improved upon. Newer, more miniaturized electronics allow for greater capability with a lower part count and smaller size. Two identical PowerCell enclosures will fly. Each enclosure contains two separate and identical experiments with a 48-segment optical density measurement system, grow light system, microfluidic system for nutrient delivery and waste flushing, plus thermal control and environmental sensing/housekeeping including temperature, pressure, humidity, and acceleration. Electronics consist of a single Master PCB that interfaces to the spacecraft bus and regulates power and communication, plus LED, Detector, and Valve Manifold PCBs for each experiment. To facilitate ease of reuse on future missions, experiment electronics were designed to be compatible with a standard 3U small sat form factor and power bus, or to interface with a Master power/comm PCB for use in a larger satellite as in the case of PowerCell's flight on Eu:CROPIS.

Multi-objective optimal control of vibratory energy harvesting systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scruggs, J. T.

2008-03-01

This paper presents a new approach, based on H II optimal control theory, for the maximization of power generation in energy harvesting systems. The theory determines the optimal harvested power attainable through the use of power electronics to effect linear feedback control of transducer current. In contrast to most of the prior work in this area, which has assumed harmonic response, the theory proposed here applies to stochastically-excited systems in broadband response, and can be used to harvest power simultaneously from multiple significant vibratory modes. It is also applicable to coupled networks of many transducers. The theory accounts for the impact of energy harvesting on the dynamics of the vibrating system in which the transducers are embedded. It also accounts for resistive and semiconductor dissipation in the power-electronic network interfacing the transducers with energy storage. Thus, losses in the electronics are addressed in the formulation of the optimal control law. Finally, the H II-optimal control formulation of the problem naturally allows for harvested power to be systematically balanced against other response objectives. Here, this is illustrated by showing how the harvesting objective can be maximized, subject to the constraint that the transducer voltages be maintained below that of the power-electronic bus; a condition which is required for the power-electronic control system to be fully operational. Although the theory is applicable across a broad range of applications, it is presented in the context of a piezoelectric bimorph example.

Impact of Radiation Hardness and Operating Temperatures of Silicon Carbide Electronics on Space Power System Mass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juhasz, Albert J.; Tew, Roy C.; Schwarze, Gene E.

1998-01-01

The effect of silicon carbide (SiC) electronics operating temperatures on Power Management and Distribution (PMAD), or Power Conditioning (PC), subsystem radiator size and mass requirements was evaluated for three power output levels (100 kW(e) , 1 MW(e), and 10 MW(e)) for near term technology ( i.e. 1500 K turbine inlet temperature) Closed Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power systems with a High Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR) heat source. The study was conducted for assumed PC radiator temperatures ranging from 370 to 845 K and for three scenarios of electrical energy to heat conversion levels which needed to be rejected to space by means of the PC radiator. In addition, during part of the study the radiation hardness of the PC electronics was varied at a fixed separation distance to estimate its effect on the mass of the instrument rated reactor shadow shield. With both the PC radiator and the conical shadow shield representing major components of the overall power system the influence of the above on total power system mass was also determined. As expected, results show that the greatest actual mass savings achieved by the use of SiC electronics occur with high capacity power systems. Moreover, raising the PC radiator temperature above 600 K yields only small additional system mass savings. The effect of increased radiation hardness on total system mass is to reduce system mass by virtue of lowering the shield mass.

Analysis on IGBT and Diode Failures in Distribution Electronic Power Transformers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Si-cong; Sang, Zi-xia; Yan, Jiong; Du, Zhi; Huang, Jia-qi; Chen, Zhu

2018-02-01

Fault characteristics of power electronic components are of great importance for a power electronic device, and are of extraordinary importance for those applied in power system. The topology structures and control method of Distribution Electronic Power Transformer (D-EPT) are introduced, and an exploration on fault types and fault characteristics for the IGBT and diode failures is presented. The analysis and simulation of different fault types for the fault characteristics lead to the D-EPT fault location scheme.

Space nuclear power systems; Proceedings of the 8th Symposium, Albuquerque, NM, Jan. 6-10, 1991. Pts. 1-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Genk, Mohamed S.; Hoover, Mark D.

1991-07-01

The present conference discusses NASA mission planning for space nuclear power, lunar mission design based on nuclear thermal rockets, inertial-electrostatic confinement fusion for space power, nuclear risk analysis of the Ulysses mission, the role of the interface in refractory metal alloy composites, an advanced thermionic reactor systems design code, and space high power nuclear-pumped lasers. Also discussed are exploration mission enhancements with power-beaming, power requirement estimates for a nuclear-powered manned Mars rover, SP-100 reactor design, safety, and testing, materials compatibility issues for fabric composite radiators, application of the enabler to nuclear electric propulsion, orbit-transfer with TOPAZ-type power sources, the thermoelectric properties of alloys, ruthenium silicide as a promising thermoelectric material, and innovative space-saving device for high-temperature piping systems. The second volume of this conference discusses engine concepts for nuclear electric propulsion, nuclear technologies for human exploration of the solar system, dynamic energy conversion, direct nuclear propulsion, thermionic conversion technology, reactor and power system control, thermal management, thermionic research, effects of radiation on electronics, heat-pipe technology, radioisotope power systems, and nuclear fuels for power reactors. The third volume discusses space power electronics, space nuclear fuels for propulsion reactors, power systems concepts, space power electronics systems, the use of artificial intelligence in space, flight qualifications and testing, microgravity two-phase flow, reactor manufacturing and processing, and space and environmental effects. (For individual items see A93-13752 to A93-13937)

Wide Bandgap Technology Enhances Performance of Electric-Drive Vehicles |

Science.gov Websites

, WBG materials/devices enable lighter, more compact, and more efficient power electronics for vehicles, and increased electric vehicle adoption by consumers. Wide bandgap power electronics devices power electronics component size and potentially reduce system or component-level cost, while improving

Energy Systems Integration News | Energy Systems Integration Facility |

Science.gov Websites

competition hosted by Google, IEEE Power Electronics Society, and NREL. Competing companies' inverters were electronics to operate at higher voltages and temperatures, allowing them to transmit more energy through a Power Electronics March 30 NREL has kicked off a new series of webinars on smart grid-related topics

Fast and precise processing of material by means of an intensive electron beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beisswenger, S.

1984-07-01

For engraving a picture carrying screen of cells into the copper-surface of gravure cylinders, an electron beam system was developed. Numerical computations of the power density in the image planes of the electron beam determined the design of the electron optical assembly. A highly stable electron beam of high power density is generated by a ribbon-like cathode. A system of magnetic lenses is used for fast control of the engraving processes and for dynamic changing of the electron optical demagnification. The electron beam engraving system is capable of engraving up to 150,000 gravure cells per sec.

Integrated control system and method

DOEpatents

Wang, Paul Sai Keat; Baldwin, Darryl; Kim, Myoungjin

2013-10-29

An integrated control system for use with an engine connected to a generator providing electrical power to a switchgear is disclosed. The engine receives gas produced by a gasifier. The control system includes an electronic controller associated with the gasifier, engine, generator, and switchgear. A gas flow sensor monitors a gas flow from the gasifier to the engine through an engine gas control valve and provides a gas flow signal to the electronic controller. A gas oversupply sensor monitors a gas oversupply from the gasifier and provides an oversupply signal indicative of gas not provided to the engine. A power output sensor monitors a power output of the switchgear and provide a power output signal. The electronic controller changes gas production of the gasifier and the power output rating of the switchgear based on the gas flow signal, the oversupply signal, and the power output signal.

Power management and distribution technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickman, John Ellis

Power management and distribution (PMAD) technology is discussed in the context of developing working systems for a piloted Mars nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle. The discussion is presented in vugraph form. The following topics are covered: applications and systems definitions; high performance components; the Civilian Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) high capacity power program; fiber optic sensors for power diagnostics; high temperature power electronics; 200 C baseplate electronics; high temperature component characterization; a high temperature coaxial transformer; and a silicon carbide mosfet.

Power management and distribution technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickman, John Ellis

1993-01-01

Power management and distribution (PMAD) technology is discussed in the context of developing working systems for a piloted Mars nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle. The discussion is presented in vugraph form. The following topics are covered: applications and systems definitions; high performance components; the Civilian Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) high capacity power program; fiber optic sensors for power diagnostics; high temperature power electronics; 200 C baseplate electronics; high temperature component characterization; a high temperature coaxial transformer; and a silicon carbide mosfet.

Lightweight, Flexible, Thin, Integrated Solar-Power Packs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, Robert R.

2004-01-01

Lightweight, flexible, thin, one-piece, solar-power packs are undergoing development. Each power pack of this type is a complete, modular, integrated power-supply system comprising three power subsystems that, in conventional practice, have been constructed as separate units and connected to each other by wires. These power packs are amenable to a variety of uses: For example, they could be laminated to the tops of tents and other shelters to provide or augment power for portable electronic equipment in the field, and they could be used as power sources for such small portable electronic systems as radio transceivers (including data relays and cellular telephones), laptop computers, video camcorders, and Global Positioning System receivers.

Control voltage and power fluctuations when connecting wind farms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berinde, Ioan, E-mail: ioan-berinde@yahoo.com; Bălan, Horia, E-mail: hbalan@mail.utcluj.ro; Oros, Teodora Susana, E-mail: teodoraoros-87@yahoo.com

2015-12-23

Voltage, frequency, active power and reactive power are very important parameters in terms of power quality. These parameters are followed when connecting any power plant, the more the connection of wind farms. Connecting wind farms to the electricity system must not cause interference outside the limits set by regulations. Modern solutions for fast and automatic voltage control and power fluctuations using electronic control systems of reactive power flows. FACTS (Flexible Alternating Current Transmision System) systems, established on the basis of power electronic circuits ensure control of electrical status quantities to achieve the necessary transfer of power to the power grid.more » FACTS devices can quickly control parameters and sizes of state power lines, such as impedance line voltages and phase angles of the voltages of the two ends of the line. Their use can lead to improvement in power system operation by increasing the transmission capacity of power lines, power flow control lines, improved static and transient stability reserve.« less

Fundamental Materials Studies for Advanced High Power Microwave and Terahertz Vacuum Electronic Radiation Sources

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-10

AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2014-0359 Fundamental Materials Studies for Advanced High Power Microwave and Terahertz John Booske UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM...12-2014 Final Technical Performance Report October 1, 2011 - September 30, 2014 Fundamental Materials Studies for Advanced High Power Microwave and...emission-barrier scandate cathodes and identify related, alternative cathode materials systems for advanced vacuum electronic cathodes for high power THz

Power supply and pulsing strategies for the future linear colliders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brogna, A. S.; Göttlicher, P.; Weber, M.

2012-02-01

The concept of the power delivery systems of the future linear colliders exploits the pulsed bunch structure of the beam in order to minimize the average current in the cables and the electronics and thus to reduce the material budget and heat dissipation. Although modern integrated circuit technologies are already available to design a low-power system, the concepts on how to pulse the front-end electronics and further reduce the power are not yet well understood. We propose a possible implementation of a power pulsing system based on a DC/DC converter and we choose the Analog Hadron Calorimeter as a specific example. The model features large switching currents of electronic modules in short time intervals to stimulate the inductive components along the cables and interconnections.

Intelligent vehicle electrical power supply system with central coordinated protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Diange; Kong, Weiwei; Li, Bing; Lian, Xiaomin

2016-07-01

The current research of vehicle electrical power supply system mainly focuses on electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). The vehicle electrical power supply system used in traditional fuel vehicles is rather simple and imperfect; electrical/electronic devices (EEDs) applied in vehicles are usually directly connected with the vehicle's battery. With increasing numbers of EEDs being applied in traditional fuel vehicles, vehicle electrical power supply systems should be optimized and improved so that they can work more safely and more effectively. In this paper, a new vehicle electrical power supply system for traditional fuel vehicles, which accounts for all electrical/electronic devices and complex work conditions, is proposed based on a smart electrical/electronic device (SEED) system. Working as an independent intelligent electrical power supply network, the proposed system is isolated from the electrical control module and communication network, and access to the vehicle system is made through a bus interface. This results in a clean controller power supply with no electromagnetic interference. A new practical battery state of charge (SoC) estimation method is also proposed to achieve more accurate SoC estimation for lead-acid batteries in traditional fuel vehicles so that the intelligent power system can monitor the status of the battery for an over-current state in each power channel. Optimized protection methods are also used to ensure power supply safety. Experiments and tests on a traditional fuel vehicle are performed, and the results reveal that the battery SoC is calculated quickly and sufficiently accurately for battery over-discharge protection. Over-current protection is achieved, and the entire vehicle's power utilization is optimized. For traditional fuel vehicles, the proposed vehicle electrical power supply system is comprehensive and has a unified system architecture, enhancing system reliability and security.

An Overview of Power Electronics Applications in Fuel Cell Systems: DC and AC Converters

PubMed Central

Ali, M. S.; Kamarudin, S. K.; Masdar, M. S.; Mohamed, A.

2014-01-01

Power electronics and fuel cell technologies play an important role in the field of renewable energy. The demand for fuel cells will increase as fuel cells become the main power source for portable applications. In this application, a high-efficiency converter is an essential requirement and a key parameter of the overall system. This is because the size, cost, efficiency, and reliability of the overall system for portable applications primarily depend on the converter. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate converter topology is an important and fundamental aspect of designing a fuel cell system for portable applications as the converter alone plays a major role in determining the overall performance of the system. This paper presents a review of power electronics applications in fuel cell systems, which include various topology combinations of DC converters and AC inverters and which are primarily used in fuel cell systems for portable or stand-alone applications. This paper also reviews the switching techniques used in power conditioning for fuel cell systems. Finally, this paper addresses the current problem encountered with DC converters and AC inverter. PMID:25478581

An overview of power electronics applications in fuel cell systems: DC and AC converters.

PubMed

Ali, M S; Kamarudin, S K; Masdar, M S; Mohamed, A

2014-01-01

Power electronics and fuel cell technologies play an important role in the field of renewable energy. The demand for fuel cells will increase as fuel cells become the main power source for portable applications. In this application, a high-efficiency converter is an essential requirement and a key parameter of the overall system. This is because the size, cost, efficiency, and reliability of the overall system for portable applications primarily depend on the converter. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate converter topology is an important and fundamental aspect of designing a fuel cell system for portable applications as the converter alone plays a major role in determining the overall performance of the system. This paper presents a review of power electronics applications in fuel cell systems, which include various topology combinations of DC converters and AC inverters and which are primarily used in fuel cell systems for portable or stand-alone applications. This paper also reviews the switching techniques used in power conditioning for fuel cell systems. Finally, this paper addresses the current problem encountered with DC converters and AC inverter.

Field Programmable Gate Array Control of Power Systems in Graduate Student Laboratories

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited FIELD PROGRAMMABLE...REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Field Programmable Gate Array Control of Power Systems in Graduate Student...Electronics curriculum track is the development of a design center that explores Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) control of power electronics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, Weihuan; France, David M.; Yu, Wenhua

At present, single-phase liquid, forced convection cooled heat sinks with fins are used to cool power electronics in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Although use of fins in the cooling channels increases heat transfer rates considerably, a second low-temperature radiator and associated pumping system are still required in HEVs. This additional cooling system adds weight and cost while decreasing the efficiency of HEVs. With the objective of eliminating this additional low-temperature radiator and pumping system in HEVs, an alternative cooling technology, subcooled boiling in the cooling channels, was investigated in the present study. Numerical heat transfer simulations were performed using subcooledmore » boiling in the power electronics cooling channels with the coolant supplied from the existing main engine cooling system. Results show that this subcooled boiling system is capable of removing 25% more heat from the power electronics than the conventional forced convection cooling technology, or it can reduce the junction temperature of the power electronics at the current heat removal rate. With the 25% increased heat transfer option, high heat fluxes up to 250 W/cm(2) (typical for wideband-gap semiconductor applications) are possible by using the subcooled boiling system.« less

Position-insensitive long range inductive power transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwan, Christopher H.; Lawson, James; Yates, David C.; Mitcheson, Paul D.

2014-11-01

This paper presents results of an improved inductive wireless power transfer system for reliable long range powering of sensors with milliwatt-level consumption. An ultra-low power flyback impedance emulator operating in open loop is used to present the optimal load to the receiver's resonant tank. Transmitter power modulation is implemented in order to maintain constant receiver power and to prevent damage to the receiver electronics caused by excessive received voltage. Received power is steady up to 3 m at around 30 mW. The receiver electronics and feedback system consumes 3.1 mW and so with a transmitter input power of 163.3 W the receiver becomes power neutral at 4.75 m. Such an IPT system can provide a reliable alternative to energy harvesters for supplying power concurrently to multiple remote sensors.

Conceptual Design of a 50--100 MW Electron Beam Accelerator System for the National Hypersonic Wind Tunnel Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

SCHNEIDER,LARRY X.

2000-06-01

The National Hypersonic Wind Tunnel program requires an unprecedented electron beam source capable of 1--2 MeV at a beam power level of 50--100 MW. Direct-current electron accelerator technology can readily generate high average power beams to approximately 5 MeV at output efficiencies greater than 90%. However, due to the nature of research and industrial applications, there has never been a requirement for a single module with an output power exceeding approximately 500 kW. Although a 50--100 MW module is a two-order extrapolation from demonstrated power levels, the scaling of accelerator components appears reasonable. This paper presents an evaluation of componentmore » and system issues involved in the design of a 50--100 MW electron beam accelerator system with precision beam transport into a high pressure flowing air environment.« less

Miniature, low-power X-ray tube using a microchannel electron generator electron source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elam, Wm. Timothy (Inventor); Kelliher, Warren C. (Inventor); Hershyn, William (Inventor); DeLong, David P. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Embodiments of the invention provide a novel, low-power X-ray tube and X-ray generating system. Embodiments of the invention use a multichannel electron generator as the electron source, thereby increasing reliability and decreasing power consumption of the X-ray tube. Unlike tubes using a conventional filament that must be heated by a current power source, embodiments of the invention require only a voltage power source, use very little current, and have no cooling requirements. The microchannel electron generator comprises one or more microchannel plates (MCPs), Each MCP comprises a honeycomb assembly of a plurality of annular components, which may be stacked to increase electron intensity. The multichannel electron generator used enables directional control of electron flow. In addition, the multichannel electron generator used is more robust than conventional filaments, making the resulting X-ray tube very shock and vibration resistant.

Commercialization of an S-band standing-wave electron accelerator for industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Jin-Hyeok; Kwak, Gyeong-Il; Han, Jae-Ik; Lee, Gyu-Baek; Jeon, Seong-Hwan; Kim, Jae-Young; Hwang, Cheol-Bin; Lee, Gi-Yong; Kim, Young-Man; Park, Sung-Ju

2016-09-01

An electron accelerator system has been developed for use in industrial, as well as possible medical, applications. Based on our experiences achieved during prototype system development and various electron beam acceleration tests, we have built a stable and compact system for sales purposes. We have integrated a self-developed accelerating cavity, an E-gun pulse driver, a radio-frequency (RF) power system, a vacuum system, a cooling system, etc. into a frame with a size of 1800 × 1000 × 1500 mm3. The accelerating structure is a side-coupled standing-wave type operating in the π/2 mode (tuned to~3 GHz). The RF power is provided by using a magnetron driven by a solid-state modulator. The electron gun is a triode type with a dispenser cathode (diameter of 11 mm). The system is capable of delivering a maximum 900-W average electron beam power with tight focusing at the target. Until now, we have performed various electron beam tests and X-ray beam tests after having built the system, have completed the beam assessment for commercializations, and have been preparing full-fledged sales activity. This article reports on our system development processes and on some of our early test results for commercializations.

FY2012 Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors Annual Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, Susan A.

The Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors (APEEM) program within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on developing revolutionary new power electronics (PE), electric motor (EM), thermal management, and traction drive system technologies that will leapfrog current on-the-road technologies. The research and development is also aimed at achieving a greater understanding of and improvements in the way the various new components of tomorrow's automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency.

Radiation and temperature effects on electronic components investigated under the CSTI high capacity power project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarze, Gene E.; Niedra, Janis M.; Frasca, Albert J.; Wieserman, William R.

1993-01-01

The effects of nuclear radiation and high temperature environments must be fully known and understood for the electronic components and materials used in both the Power Conditioning and Control subsystem and the reactor Instrumentation and Control subsystem of future high capacity nuclear space power systems. This knowledge is required by the designer of these subsystems in order to develop highly reliable, long-life power systems for future NASA missions. A review and summary of the experimental results obtained for the electronic components and materials investigated under the power management element of the Civilian Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) high capacity power project are presented: (1) neutron, gamma ray, and temperature effects on power semiconductor switches, (2) temperature and frequency effects on soft magnetic materials; and (3) temperature effects on rare earth permanent magnets.

Power electronics substrate for direct substrate cooling

DOEpatents

Le, Khiet [Mission Viejo, CA; Ward, Terence G [Redondo Beach, CA; Mann, Brooks S [Redondo Beach, CA; Yankoski, Edward P [Corona, CA; Smith, Gregory S [Woodland Hills, CA

2012-05-01

Systems and apparatus are provided for power electronics substrates adapted for direct substrate cooling. A power electronics substrate comprises a first surface configured to have electrical circuitry disposed thereon, a second surface, and a plurality of physical features on the second surface. The physical features are configured to promote a turbulent boundary layer in a coolant impinged upon the second surface.

RTDS-Based Design and Simulation of Distributed P-Q Power Resources in Smart Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Zachariah David

In this Thesis, we propose to utilize a battery system together with its power electronics interfaces and bidirectional charger as a distributed P-Q resource in power distribution networks. First, we present an optimization-based approach to operate such distributed P-Q resources based on the characteristics of the battery and charger system as well as the features and needs of the power distribution network. Then, we use the RTDS Simulator, which is an industry-standard simulation tool of power systems, to develop two RTDS-based design approaches. The first design is based on an ideal four-quadrant distributed P-Q power resource. The second design is based on a detailed four-quadrant distributed P-Q power resource that is developed using power electronics components. The hardware and power electronics circuitry as well as the control units are explained for the second design. After that, given the two-RTDS designs, we conducted extensive RTDS simulations to assess the performance of the designed distributed P-Q Power Resource in an IEEE 13 bus test system. We observed that the proposed design can noticeably improve the operational performance of the power distribution grid in at least four key aspects: reducing power loss, active power peak load shaving at substation, reactive power peak load shaving at substation, and voltage regulation. We examine these performance measures across three design cases: Case 1: There is no P-Q Power Resource available on the power distribution network. Case 2: The installed P-Q Power Resource only supports active power, i.e., it only utilizes its battery component. Case 3: The installed P-Q Power Resource supports both active and reactive power, i.e., it utilizes both its battery component and its power electronics charger component. In the end, we present insightful interpretations on the simulation results and suggest some future works.

Femtosecond laser-electron x-ray source

DOEpatents

Hartemann, Frederic V.; Baldis, Hector A.; Barty, Chris P.; Gibson, David J.; Rupp, Bernhard

2004-04-20

A femtosecond laser-electron X-ray source. A high-brightness relativistic electron injector produces an electron beam pulse train. A system accelerates the electron beam pulse train. The femtosecond laser-electron X-ray source includes a high intra-cavity power, mode-locked laser and an x-ray optics system.

Power generator driven by Maxwell's demon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chida, Kensaku; Desai, Samarth; Nishiguchi, Katsuhiko; Fujiwara, Akira

2017-05-01

Maxwell's demon is an imaginary entity that reduces the entropy of a system and generates free energy in the system. About 150 years after its proposal, theoretical studies explained the physical validity of Maxwell's demon in the context of information thermodynamics, and there have been successful experimental demonstrations of energy generation by the demon. The demon's next task is to convert the generated free energy to work that acts on the surroundings. Here, we demonstrate that Maxwell's demon can generate and output electric current and power with individual randomly moving electrons in small transistors. Real-time monitoring of electron motion shows that two transistors functioning as gates that control an electron's trajectory so that an electron moves directionally. A numerical calculation reveals that power generation is increased by miniaturizing the room in which the electrons are partitioned. These results suggest that evolving transistor-miniaturization technology can increase the demon's power output.

All-in-One Shape-Adaptive Self-Charging Power Package for Wearable Electronics.

PubMed

Guo, Hengyu; Yeh, Min-Hsin; Lai, Ying-Chih; Zi, Yunlong; Wu, Changsheng; Wen, Zhen; Hu, Chenguo; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-11-22

Recently, a self-charging power unit consisting of an energy harvesting device and an energy storage device set the foundation for building a self-powered wearable system. However, the flexibility of the power unit working under extremely complex deformations (e.g., stretching, twisting, and bending) becomes a key issue. Here, we present a prototype of an all-in-one shape-adaptive self-charging power unit that can be used for scavenging random body motion energy under complex mechanical deformations and then directly storing it in a supercapacitor unit to build up a self-powered system for wearable electronics. A kirigami paper based supercapacitor (KP-SC) was designed to work as the flexible energy storage device (stretchability up to 215%). An ultrastretchable and shape-adaptive silicone rubber triboelectric nanogenerator (SR-TENG) was utilized as the flexible energy harvesting device. By combining them with a rectifier, a stretchable, twistable, and bendable, self-charging power package was achieved for sustainably driving wearable electronics. This work provides a potential platform for the flexible self-powered systems.

SUNIST Microwave Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Songlin; Yang, Xuanzong; Feng, Chunhua; Wang, Long; Rao, Jun; Feng, Kecheng

2005-06-01

Experiments on the start-up and formation of spherical tokamak plasmas by electron cyclotron heating alone without ohmic heating and electrode discharge assisted electron cyclotron wave current start-up will be carried out on the SUNIST (Sino United Spherical Tokamak) device. The 2.45 GHz/100kW/30 ms microwave power system and 1000 V/50 A power supply for electrode discharge are ready for experiments with non-inductive current drive.

Future Concepts for Modular, Intelligent Aerospace Power Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Button, Robert M.; Soeder, James F.

2004-01-01

Nasa's resent commitment to Human and Robotic Space Exploration obviates the need for more affordable and sustainable systems and missions. Increased use of modularity and on-board intelligent technologies will enable these lofty goals. To support this new paradigm, an advanced technology program to develop modular, intelligent power management and distribution (PMAD) system technologies is presented. The many benefits to developing and including modular functionality in electrical power components and systems are shown to include lower costs and lower mass for highly reliable systems. The details of several modular technologies being developed by NASA are presented, broken down into hierarchical levels. Modularity at the device level, including the use of power electronic building blocks, is shown to provide benefits in lowering the development time and costs of new power electronic components.

Development of a dual-field heteropoplar power converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eisenhaure, D. B.; Johnson, B.; Bliamptis, T.; St. George, E.

1981-01-01

The design and testing of a 400 watt, dual phase, dual rotor, field modulated inductor alternator is described. The system is designed for use as a flywheel to ac utility line or flywheel to dc bus (electric vehicle) power converter. The machine is unique in that it uses dual rotors and separately controlled fields to produce output current and voltage which are in phase with each other. Having the voltage and current in phase allows the power electronics to be made of simple low cost components. Based on analytical predictions and experimental results, development of a complete 22 kilowatt (30 Hp) power conversion system is recommended. This system would include power electronics and controls and would replace the inductor alternator with an improved electromagnetic conversion system.

Learning Platform for Study of Power Electronic Application in Power Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauer, P.; Rompelman, O.

2005-01-01

Present engineering has to deal with increasingly complex systems. In particular, this is the case in electrical engineering. Though this is obvious in microelectronics, also in the field of power systems engineers have to design, operate and maintain highly complex systems such as power grids, energy converters and electrical drives. This is…

A study of increasing radical density and etch rate using remote plasma generator system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaewon; Kim, Kyunghyun; Cho, Sung-Won; Chung, Chin-Wook

2013-09-01

To improve radical density without changing electron temperature, remote plasma generator (RPG) is applied. Multistep dissociation of the polyatomic molecule was performed using RPG system. RPG is installed to inductively coupled type processing reactor; electrons, positive ions, radicals and polyatomic molecule generated in RPG and they diffused to processing reactor. The processing reactor dissociates the polyatomic molecules with inductively coupled power. The polyatomic molecules are dissociated by the processing reactor that is operated by inductively coupled power. Therefore, the multistep dissociation system generates more radicals than single-step system. The RPG was composed with two cylinder type inductively coupled plasma (ICP) using 400 kHz RF power and nitrogen gas. The processing reactor composed with two turn antenna with 13.56 MHz RF power. Plasma density, electron temperature and radical density were measured with electrical probe and optical methods.

An Adaptable Power System with Software Control Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castell, Karen; Bay, Mike; Hernandez-Pellerano, Amri; Ha, Kong

1998-01-01

A low cost, flexible and modular spacecraft power system design was developed in response to a call for an architecture that could accommodate multiple missions in the small to medium load range. Three upcoming satellites will use this design, with one launch date in 1999 and two in the year 2000. The design consists of modular hardware that can be scaled up or down, without additional cost, to suit missions in the 200 to 600 Watt orbital average load range. The design will be applied to satellite orbits that are circular, polar elliptical and a libration point orbit. Mission unique adaptations are accomplished in software and firmware. In designing this advanced, adaptable power system, the major goals were reduction in weight volume and cost. This power system design represents reductions in weight of 78 percent, volume of 86 percent and cost of 65 percent from previous comparable systems. The efforts to miniaturize the electronics without sacrificing performance has created streamlined power electronics with control functions residing in the system microprocessor. The power system design can handle any battery size up to 50 Amp-hour and any battery technology. The three current implementations will use both nickel cadmium and nickel hydrogen batteries ranging in size from 21 to 50 Amp-hours. Multiple batteries can be used by adding another battery module. Any solar cell technology can be used and various array layouts can be incorporated with no change in Power System Electronics (PSE) hardware. Other features of the design are the standardized interfaces between cards and subsystems and immunity to radiation effects up to 30 krad Total Ionizing Dose (TID) and 35 Mev/cm(exp 2)-kg for Single Event Effects (SEE). The control algorithm for the power system resides in a radiation-hardened microprocessor. A table driven software design allows for flexibility in mission specific requirements. By storing critical power system constants in memory, modifying the system code for other programs is simple. These constants can be altered also by ground command, or in response to an anomolous event. All critical power system functions have backup hardware functions to prevent a software or computer glitch from propagating. A number of battery charge control schemes can be implemented by selecting the proper control terms in the code. The architecture allows the design engineer to tune the system response to various system components and anticipated load profiles without costly alterations. A design trade was made with the size, weight and power dissipation of the electronics versus the performance of the power bus to load variations. Linear, fine control is maintained with a streamlined electronics design. This paper describes the hardware design as well as the software control algorithm. The challenges of closing the system control loop digitally is discussed. Control loop margin and power system performance is presented. Lab measurements are shown and compared to the system response of a hardware model running actual flight software.

FY2011 Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors Annual Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, Susan A.

The Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors (APEEM) program within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Program (VTP) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on developing revolutionary new power electronics (PE), electric motor (EM), thermal management, and traction drive system technologies that will leapfrog current on-the-road technologies. The research and development (R&D) is also aimed at achieving a greater understanding of and improvements in the way the various new components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency.

An Approach to Average Modeling and Simulation of Switch-Mode Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramovitz, A.

2011-01-01

This paper suggests a pedagogical approach to teaching the subject of average modeling of PWM switch-mode power electronics systems through simulation by general-purpose electronic circuit simulators. The paper discusses the derivation of PSPICE/ORCAD-compatible average models of the switch-mode power stages, their software implementation, and…

Overview of Silicon Carbide Technology: Device, Converter, System, and Application

DOE PAGES

Wang, Fei; Zhang, Zheyu

2016-12-28

This article overviews the silicon carbide (SiC) technology. The focus is on the benefits of SiC based power electronics for converters and systems, as well as their ability in enabling new applications. The challenges and research trends on the design and application of SiC power electronics are also discussed.

Mitigation of Hot-Spots in Photovoltaic Systems Using Distributed Power Electronics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olalla, Carlos; Hasan, Md. Nazmul; Deline, Chris

In the presence of partial shading and other mismatch factors, bypass diodes may not offer complete elimination of excessive power dissipation due to cell reverse biasing, commonly referred to as hot-spotting in photovoltaic (PV) systems. As a result, PV systems may experience higher failure rates and accelerated ageing. In this paper, a cell-level simulation model is used to assess occurrence of hot-spotting events in a representative residential rooftop system scenario featuring a moderate shading environment. The approach is further used to examine how well distributed power electronics converters mitigate the effects of partial shading and other sources of mismatch bymore » preventing activation of bypass diodes and thereby reducing the chances of heavy power dissipation and hot-spotting in mismatched cells. The simulation results confirm that the occurrence of heavy power dissipation is reduced in all distributed power electronics architectures, and that submodule-level converters offer nearly 100% mitigation of hot-spotting. In addition, the paper further elaborates on the possibility of hot-spot-induced permanent damage, predicting a lifetime energy loss above 15%. In conclusion, this energy loss is fully recoverable with submodule-level power converters that mitigate hot-spotting and prevent the damage.« less

Mitigation of Hot-Spots in Photovoltaic Systems Using Distributed Power Electronics

DOE PAGES

Olalla, Carlos; Hasan, Md. Nazmul; Deline, Chris; ...

2018-03-23

In the presence of partial shading and other mismatch factors, bypass diodes may not offer complete elimination of excessive power dissipation due to cell reverse biasing, commonly referred to as hot-spotting in photovoltaic (PV) systems. As a result, PV systems may experience higher failure rates and accelerated ageing. In this paper, a cell-level simulation model is used to assess occurrence of hot-spotting events in a representative residential rooftop system scenario featuring a moderate shading environment. The approach is further used to examine how well distributed power electronics converters mitigate the effects of partial shading and other sources of mismatch bymore » preventing activation of bypass diodes and thereby reducing the chances of heavy power dissipation and hot-spotting in mismatched cells. The simulation results confirm that the occurrence of heavy power dissipation is reduced in all distributed power electronics architectures, and that submodule-level converters offer nearly 100% mitigation of hot-spotting. In addition, the paper further elaborates on the possibility of hot-spot-induced permanent damage, predicting a lifetime energy loss above 15%. In conclusion, this energy loss is fully recoverable with submodule-level power converters that mitigate hot-spotting and prevent the damage.« less

Modeling of electronic power steering system for IKCO SAMAND vehicle and investigating on its performance via CARSIM software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghgoo, Esmail; Zamani, Mohammad; Sharbati, Ali

2017-02-01

The point of this article is introducing the usage of electronic power steering (ESP) system in IKCO SAMAND vehicle and investigating on it's benefit's. Also the operation of electronic steering system and it's performance in IKCO SAMAND vehicle have been described. The optimization of IC engine efficiency and it's fuel consumption have been simulated via ADVISOR software used in MATLAB software. Usually, mechanical steering systems and hydraulic steering systems are producing inside IRAN that the mechanical types have not accepted because of it's too many disadvantages. The hydraulic steering systems, that have been replaced with mechanical types, indeed have the same features with mechanical types but with a difference which they have a hydraulic booster to facilitate the rotation of steering wheel. Beside advantages in hydraulic systems, they are some disadvantages in this system that one of the most important of them is reducing the output power of engine. To restore this power dissipated, we use ESP systems. In this article output diagrams given by software, are showing that IKCO SAMAND vehicle which equipped with ESP system, exerts less torque and power on steering wheel. This improves the safety of driver and also performance of the vehicle at high speeds and reduces fuel consumption beside increasing the efficiency of IC engine.

Modern Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Power Electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barker, Robert J.; Luhmann, Neville C.; Booske, John H.; Nusinovich, Gregory S.

2005-04-01

A comprehensive study of microwave vacuum electronic devices and their current and future applications While both vacuum and solid-state electronics continue to evolve and provide unique solutions, emerging commercial and military applications that call for higher power and higher frequencies to accommodate massive volumes of transmitted data are the natural domain of vacuum electronics technology. Modern Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Power Electronics provides systems designers, engineers, and researchers-especially those with primarily solid-state training-with a thoroughly up-to-date survey of the rich field of microwave vacuum electronic device (MVED) technology. This book familiarizes the R&D and academic communities with the capabilities and limitations of MVED and highlights the exciting scientific breakthroughs of the past decade that are dramatically increasing the compactness, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reliability of this entire class of devices. This comprehensive text explores a wide range of topics: * Traveling-wave tubes, which form the backbone of satellite and airborne communications, as well as of military electronic countermeasures systems * Microfabricated MVEDs and advanced electron beam sources * Klystrons, gyro-amplifiers, and crossed-field devices * "Virtual prototyping" of MVEDs via advanced 3-D computational models * High-Power Microwave (HPM) sources * Next-generation microwave structures and circuits * How to achieve linear amplification * Advanced materials technologies for MVEDs * A Web site appendix providing a step-by-step walk-through of a typical MVED design process Concluding with an in-depth examination of emerging applications and future possibilities for MVEDs, Modern Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Power Electronics ensures that systems designers and engineers understand and utilize the significant potential of this mature, yet continually developing technology. SPECIAL NOTE: All of the editors' royalties realized from the sale of this book will fund the future research and publication activities of graduate students in the vacuum electronics field.

Teaching Behavioral Modeling and Simulation Techniques for Power Electronics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramovitz, A.

2011-01-01

This paper suggests a pedagogical approach to teaching the subject of behavioral modeling of switch-mode power electronics systems through simulation by general-purpose electronic circuit simulators. The methodology is oriented toward electrical engineering (EE) students at the undergraduate level, enrolled in courses such as "Power…

Batteryless, wireless sensor powered by a sediment microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Donovan, Conrad; Dewan, Alim; Heo, Deukhyoun; Beyenal, Haluk

2008-11-15

Sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) are considered to be an alternative renewable power source for remote monitoring. There are two main challenges to using SMFCs as power sources: 1) a SMFC produces a low potential at which most sensor electronics do not operate, and 2) a SMFC cannot provide continuous power, so energy from the SMFC must be stored and then used to repower sensor electronics intermittently. In this study, we developed a SMFC and a power management system (PMS) to power a batteryless, wireless sensor. A SMFC operating with a microbial anode and cathode, located in the Palouse River, Pullman, Washington, U.S.A., was used to demonstrate the utility of the developed system. The designed PMS stored microbial energy and then started powering the wireless sensor when the SMFC potential reached 320 mV. It continued powering until the SMFC potential dropped below 52 mV. The system was repowered when the SMFC potential increased to 320 mV, and this repowering continued as long as microbial reactions continued. We demonstrated that a microbial fuel cell with a microbial anode and cathode can be used as an effective renewable power source for remote monitoring using custom-designed electronics.

Smart signal processing for an evolving electric grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Leandro Rodrigues Manso; Duque, Calos Augusto; Ribeiro, Paulo F.

2015-12-01

Electric grids are interconnected complex systems consisting of generation, transmission, distribution, and active loads, recently called prosumers as they produce and consume electric energy. Additionally, these encompass a vast array of equipment such as machines, power transformers, capacitor banks, power electronic devices, motors, etc. that are continuously evolving in their demand characteristics. Given these conditions, signal processing is becoming an essential assessment tool to enable the engineer and researcher to understand, plan, design, and operate the complex and smart electronic grid of the future. This paper focuses on recent developments associated with signal processing applied to power system analysis in terms of characterization and diagnostics. The following techniques are reviewed and their characteristics and applications discussed: active power system monitoring, sparse representation of power system signal, real-time resampling, and time-frequency (i.e., wavelets) applied to power fluctuations.

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-12-01

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m-3) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard `infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things.

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics.

PubMed

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-12-11

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m(-3)) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard 'infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things.

Screen printed passive components for flexible power electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostfeld, Aminy E.; Deckman, Igal; Gaikwad, Abhinav M.; Lochner, Claire M.; Arias, Ana C.

2015-10-01

Additive and low-temperature printing processes enable the integration of diverse electronic devices, both power-supplying and power-consuming, on flexible substrates at low cost. Production of a complete electronic system from these devices, however, often requires power electronics to convert between the various operating voltages of the devices. Passive components—inductors, capacitors, and resistors—perform functions such as filtering, short-term energy storage, and voltage measurement, which are vital in power electronics and many other applications. In this paper, we present screen-printed inductors, capacitors, resistors and an RLC circuit on flexible plastic substrates, and report on the design process for minimization of inductor series resistance that enables their use in power electronics. Printed inductors and resistors are then incorporated into a step-up voltage regulator circuit. Organic light-emitting diodes and a flexible lithium ion battery are fabricated and the voltage regulator is used to power the diodes from the battery, demonstrating the potential of printed passive components to replace conventional surface-mount components in a DC-DC converter application.

Screen printed passive components for flexible power electronics

PubMed Central

Ostfeld, Aminy E.; Deckman, Igal; Gaikwad, Abhinav M.; Lochner, Claire M.; Arias, Ana C.

2015-01-01

Additive and low-temperature printing processes enable the integration of diverse electronic devices, both power-supplying and power-consuming, on flexible substrates at low cost. Production of a complete electronic system from these devices, however, often requires power electronics to convert between the various operating voltages of the devices. Passive components—inductors, capacitors, and resistors—perform functions such as filtering, short-term energy storage, and voltage measurement, which are vital in power electronics and many other applications. In this paper, we present screen-printed inductors, capacitors, resistors and an RLC circuit on flexible plastic substrates, and report on the design process for minimization of inductor series resistance that enables their use in power electronics. Printed inductors and resistors are then incorporated into a step-up voltage regulator circuit. Organic light-emitting diodes and a flexible lithium ion battery are fabricated and the voltage regulator is used to power the diodes from the battery, demonstrating the potential of printed passive components to replace conventional surface-mount components in a DC-DC converter application. PMID:26514331

Screen printed passive components for flexible power electronics.

PubMed

Ostfeld, Aminy E; Deckman, Igal; Gaikwad, Abhinav M; Lochner, Claire M; Arias, Ana C

2015-10-30

Additive and low-temperature printing processes enable the integration of diverse electronic devices, both power-supplying and power-consuming, on flexible substrates at low cost. Production of a complete electronic system from these devices, however, often requires power electronics to convert between the various operating voltages of the devices. Passive components-inductors, capacitors, and resistors-perform functions such as filtering, short-term energy storage, and voltage measurement, which are vital in power electronics and many other applications. In this paper, we present screen-printed inductors, capacitors, resistors and an RLC circuit on flexible plastic substrates, and report on the design process for minimization of inductor series resistance that enables their use in power electronics. Printed inductors and resistors are then incorporated into a step-up voltage regulator circuit. Organic light-emitting diodes and a flexible lithium ion battery are fabricated and the voltage regulator is used to power the diodes from the battery, demonstrating the potential of printed passive components to replace conventional surface-mount components in a DC-DC converter application.

Collective Thomson scattering of a high power electron cyclotron resonance heating beam in LHD (invited).

PubMed

Kubo, S; Nishiura, M; Tanaka, K; Shimozuma, T; Yoshimura, Y; Igami, H; Takahash, H; Mutoh, T; Tamura, N; Tatematsu, Y; Saito, T; Notake, T; Korsholm, S B; Meo, F; Nielsen, S K; Salewski, M; Stejner, M

2010-10-01

Collective Thomson scattering (CTS) system has been constructed at LHD making use of the high power electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) system in Large Helical Device (LHD). The necessary features for CTS, high power probing beams and receiving beams, both with well defined Gaussian profile and with the fine controllability, are endowed in the ECRH system. The 32 channel radiometer with sharp notch filter at the front end is attached to the ECRH system transmission line as a CTS receiver. The validation of the CTS signal is performed by scanning the scattering volume. A new method to separate the CTS signal from background electron cyclotron emission is developed and applied to derive the bulk and high energy ion components for several combinations of neutral beam heated plasmas.

Power And Propulsion Systems For Mobile Robotic Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Layuan, Li; Haiming, Zou

1987-02-01

Choosing the best power and propulsion systems for mobile robotic land vehicle applications requires consideration of technologies. The electric power requirements for onboard electronic and auxiliary equipment include 110/220 volt 60 Hz ac power as well as low voltage dc power. Weight and power are saved by either direct dc power distribution, or high frequency (20 kHz) ac power distribution. Vehicle control functions are performed electronically but steering, braking and traction power may be distributed electrically, mechanically or by fluid (hydraulic) means. Electric drive is practical, even for small vehicles, provided that advanced electric motors are used. Such electric motors have demonstrated power densities of 3.1 kilowatts per kilogram with devices in the 15 kilowatt range. Electric motors have a lower torque, but higher power density as compared to hydraulic or mechanical transmission systems. Power density being comparable, electric drives were selected to best meet the other requirements for robotic vehicles. Two robotic vehicle propulsion system designs are described to illustrate the implementation of electric drive over a vehicle size range of 250-7500 kilograms.

Wireless sensors powered by microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Shantaram, Avinash; Beyenal, Haluk; Raajan, Raaja; Veluchamy, Angathevar; Lewandowski, Zbigniew

2005-07-01

Monitoring parameters characterizing water quality, such as temperature, pH, and concentrations of heavy metals in natural waters, is often followed by transmitting the data to remote receivers using telemetry systems. Such systems are commonly powered by batteries, which can be inconvenient at times because batteries have a limited lifetime and must be recharged or replaced periodically to ensure that sufficient energy is available to power the electronics. To avoid these inconveniences, a microbial fuel cell was designed to power electrochemical sensors and small telemetry systems to transmit the data acquired by the sensors to remote receivers. The microbial fuel cell was combined with low-power, high-efficiency electronic circuitry providing a stable power source for wireless data transmission. To generate enough power for the telemetry system, energy produced by the microbial fuel cell was stored in a capacitor and used in short bursts when needed. Since commercial electronic circuits require a minimum 3.3 V input and our cell was able to deliver a maximum of 2.1 V, a DC-DC converter was used to boost the potential. The DC-DC converter powered a transmitter, which gathered the data from the sensor and transmitted it wirelessly to a remote receiver. To demonstrate the utility of the system, temporal variations in temperature were measured, and the data were wirelessly transmitted to a remote receiver.

Bio-Nanobattery Development and Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Glen C.; Choi, Sang H.; Chu, Sang-Hyon; Kim, Jae-Woo; Watt, Gerald D.; Lillehei, Peter T.; Park, Yeonjoon; Elliott, James R.

2005-01-01

A bio-nanobattery is an electrical energy storage device that utilizes organic materials and processes on an atomic, or nanometer-scale. The bio-nanobattery under development at NASA s Langley Research Center provides new capabilities for electrical power generation, storage, and distribution as compared to conventional power storage systems. Most currently available electronic systems and devices rely on a single, centralized power source to supply electrical power to a specified location in the circuit. As electronic devices and associated components continue to shrink in size towards the nanometer-scale, a single centralized power source becomes impractical. Small systems, such as these, will require distributed power elements to reduce Joule heating, to minimize wiring quantities, and to allow autonomous operation of the various functions performed by the circuit. Our research involves the development and characterization of a bio-nanobattery using ferritins reconstituted with both an iron core (Fe-ferritin) and a cobalt core (Co-ferritin). Synthesis and characterization of the Co-ferritin and Fe-ferritin electrodes were performed, including reducing capability and the half-cell electrical potentials. Electrical output of nearly 0.5 V for the battery cell was measured. Ferritin utilizing other metallic cores were also considered to increase the overall electrical output. Two dimensional ferritin arrays were produced on various substrates to demonstrate the feasibility of a thin-film nano-scaled power storage system for distributed power storage applications. The bio-nanobattery will be ideal for nanometerscaled electronic applications, due to the small size, high energy density, and flexible thin-film structure. A five-cell demonstration article was produced for concept verification and bio-nanobattery characterization. Challenges to be addressed include the development of a multi-layered thin-film, increasing the energy density, dry-cell bionanobattery development, and selection of ferritin core materials to allow the broadest range of applications. The potential applications for the distributed power system include autonomously-operating intelligent chips, flexible thin-film electronic circuits, nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), ultra-high density data storage devices, nanoelectromagnetics, quantum electronic devices, biochips, nanorobots for medical applications and mechanical nano-fabrication, etc.

Wide-Temperature Electronics for Thermal Control of Nanosats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickman, John Ellis; Gerber, Scott

2000-01-01

This document represents a presentation which examines the wide and low-temperature electronics required for NanoSatellites. In the past, larger spacecraft used Radioisotope Heating Units (RHU's). The advantage of the use of these electronics is that they could eliminate or reduce the requirement for RHU's, reduce system weight and simplify spacecraft design by eliminating containment/support structures for RHU's. The Glenn Research Center's Wide/Low Temperature Power Electronics Program supports the development of power systems capable of reliable, efficient operation over wide and low temperature ranges. Included charts review the successes and failures of various electronic devices, the IRF541 HEXFET, The NE76118n-Channel GaAS MESFET, the Lithium Carbon Monofluoride Primary Battery, and a COTS DC-DC converter. The preliminary result of wide/low temperature testing of CTS and custom parts and power circuit indicate that through careful selection of components and technologies it is possible to design and build power circuits which operate from room temperature to near 100K.

Ultra-Low-Power MEMS Selective Gas Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stetter, Joseph

2012-01-01

This innovation is a system for gas sensing that includes an ultra-low-power MEMS (microelectromechanical system) gas sensor, combined with unique electronic circuitry and a proprietary algorithm for operating the sensor. The electronics were created from scratch, and represent a novel design capable of low-power operation of the proprietary MEMS gas sensor platform. The algorithm is used to identify a specific target gas in a gas mixture, making the sensor selective to that target gas.

Fluctuations in the electron system of a superconductor exposed to a photon flux

PubMed Central

de Visser, P. J.; Baselmans, J. J. A.; Bueno, J.; Llombart, N.; Klapwijk, T. M.

2014-01-01

In a superconductor, in which electrons are paired, the density of unpaired electrons should become zero when approaching zero temperature. Therefore, radiation detectors based on breaking of pairs promise supreme sensitivity, which we demonstrate using an aluminium superconducting microwave resonator. Here we show that the resonator also enables the study of the response of the electron system of the superconductor to pair-breaking photons, microwave photons and varying temperatures. A large range in radiation power (at 1.54 THz) can be chosen by carefully filtering the radiation from a blackbody source. We identify two regimes. At high radiation power, fluctuations in the electron system caused by the random arrival rate of the photons are resolved, giving a straightforward measure of the optical efficiency (48±8%) and showing an unprecedented detector sensitivity. At low radiation power, fluctuations are dominated by excess quasiparticles, the number of which is measured through their recombination lifetime. PMID:24496036

Applications and research on nano power electronics: an adventure beyond quantum electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Arindam; Emadi, Ali

2005-06-01

This paper is a roadmap to the exhaustive role of the newly emerging field of nanotechnology in various application and research areas. Some of the today's important topics are plasma, dielectric layer semiconductor, and carbon nanoparticle based technologies. Carbon nanotubes are very useful for the purpose of fabricating nano opto power devices. The basic concept behind tunneling of electrons has been utilized to define another scope of this technology, and thus came many quantum scale tunneling devices and elements. Fabrication of crystal semiconductors of high quality along with oxides of nano aspect would give rise to superior device performance and find applications such as LEDs, LASER, VLSI technology and also in highly efficient solar cells. Many nano-research based organizations are fully devoted to develop nano power cells, which would give birth to new battery cells, tunneling devises, with high power quality, longer lives, and higher activation rates. Different electronics industries as well as the military organizations would be largely benefited due to this major component and system design ideas of 'Smart Power' technologies. The contribution of nano scale power electronics would be realized in various fields like switching devices, electromechanical systems and quantum science. Such a sophisticated technology will have great impact on the modernization of robotics; space systems, automotive systems and many other fields. The highly emerging field of nanomedicine according to specialists would bring a dramatic revolution in the present century. However nanomedicine is nothing but an integration of biology, medicine and technology. Thermoelectric materials as been referred earlier also are used in case of implantable medical equipments for generation of electric power sufficient for those equipments.

Applications of energy harvesting for ultralow power technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pop-Vadean, A.; Pop, P. P.; Barz, C.; Chiver, O.

2015-06-01

Ultra-low-power (ULP) technology is enabling a wide range of new applications that harvest ambient energy in very small amounts and need little or no maintenance - self-sustaining devices that are capable of perpetual or nearly perpetual operation. These new systems, which are now appearing in industrial and consumer electronics, also promise great changes in medicine and health. Until recently, the idea of micro-scale energy harvesting, and collecting miniscule amounts of ambient energy to power electronic systems, was still limited to research proposals and laboratory experiments.Today an increasing number of systems are appearing that take advantage of light, vibrations and other forms of previously wasted environmental energy for applications where providing line power or maintaining batteries is inconvenient. In the industrial world, where sensors gather information from remote equipment and hazardous processes; in consumer electronics, where mobility and convenience are served; and in medical systems, with unique requirements for prosthetics and non-invasive monitoring, energy harvesting is rapidly expanding into new applications.This paper serves as a survey for applications of energy harvesting for ultra low power technology based on various technical papers available in the public domain.

Bidirectional peripheral nerve interface and applications.

PubMed

Thakor, Nitish V; Qihong Wang; Greenwald, Elliot

2016-08-01

Peripheral nerves, due to their small size and complex innervation to organs and complex physiology, pose particularly significant challenges towards interfacing electrodes and electronics to enable neuromodulation. Here, we present a review of the technology for building such interface, including recording and stimulating electrodes and low power electronics, as well as powering. Of particular advantage to building a miniature implanted device is a "bidirectional" system that both senses from the nerves or surrogate organs and stimulates the nerves to affect the organ function. This review and presentation will cover a range of electrodes, electronics, wireless power and data schemes and system integration, and will end with some examples and applications.

Embedded electronics for a 64-channel wireless brain implant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgert, Johann D.; Malasek, Jan; Martel, Sylvain M.; Wiseman, Colette; Fofonoff, Timothy; Dyer, Robert; Hunter, Ian W.; Hatsopoulos, Nicholas; Donoghue, John

2001-10-01

The Telemetric Electrode Array System (TEAS) is a surgically implantable device for the study of neural activity in the brain. An 8x8 array of electrodes collects intra-cortical neural signals and connects them to an analog front end. The front end amplifies and digitizes these microvolt-level signals with 12 bits of resolution and at 31KHz per channel. Peak detection is used to extract the information carrying features of these signals, which are transmitted over a Bluetooth-based radio link at 725 Kbit/sec. The electrode array is made up of 1mm tall, 60-micron square electrodes spaced 500 microns tip-to-tip. A flex circuit connector provides mechanical isolation between the brain and the electronics, which are mounted to the cranium. Power consumption and management is a critical aspect of the design. The entire system must operate off a surgically implantable battery. With this power source, the system must provide the functionality of a wireless, 64-channel oscilloscope for several hours. The system also provides a low-power sleep mode during which the battery can be inductively charged. Power dissipation and biocompatibility issues also affect the design of the electronics for the probe. The electronics system must fit between the skull and the skin of the test subject. Thus, circuit miniaturization and microassembly techniques are essential to construct the probe's electronics.

High bandwidth magnetically isolated signal transmission circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Repp, John Donald (Inventor)

2005-01-01

Many current electronic systems incorporate expensive or sensitive electrical components. Because electrical energy is often generated or transmitted at high voltages, the power supplies to these electronic systems must be carefully designed. Power supply design must ensure that the electrical system being supplied with power is not exposed to excessive voltages or currents. In order to isolate power supplies from electrical equipment, many methods have been employed. These methods typically involve control systems or signal transfer methods. However, these methods are not always suitable because of their drawbacks. The present invention relates to transmitting information across an interface. More specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus for transmitting both AC and DC information across a high bandwidth magnetic interface with low distortion.

Solar powered hybrid sensor module program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, J. M.; Holmes, H. K.

1985-01-01

Geo-orbital systems of the near future will require more sophisticated electronic and electromechanical monitoring and control systems than current satellite systems with an emphasis in the design on the electronic density and autonomy of the subsystem components. Results of a project to develop, design, and implement a proof-of-concept sensor system for space applications, with hybrids forming the active subsystem components are described. The design of the solar power hybrid sensor modules is discussed. Module construction and function are described. These modules combined low power CMOS electronics, GaAs solar cells, a crystal oscillatory standard UART data formatting, and a bidirectional optical data link into a single 1.25 x 1.25 x 0.25 inch hybrid package which has no need for electrical input or output. Several modules were built and tested. Applications of such a system for future space missions are also discussed.

Power Electronics Thermal Management Research: Annual Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreno, Gilberto

The objective for this project is to develop thermal management strategies to enable efficient and high-temperature wide-bandgap (WBG)-based power electronic systems (e.g., emerging inverter and DC-DC converter). Reliable WBG devices are capable of operating at elevated temperatures (≥ 175 °Celsius). However, packaging WBG devices within an automotive inverter and operating them at higher junction temperatures will expose other system components (e.g., capacitors and electrical boards) to temperatures that may exceed their safe operating limits. This creates challenges for thermal management and reliability. In this project, system-level thermal analyses are conducted to determine the effect of elevated device temperatures on invertermore » components. Thermal modeling work is then conducted to evaluate various thermal management strategies that will enable the use of highly efficient WBG devices with automotive power electronic systems.« less

Power control electronics for cryogenic instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Biswajit; Gerber, Scott S.; Patterson, Richard L.; Myers, Ira T.

1995-01-01

In order to achieve a high-efficiency high-density cryogenic instrumentation system, the power processing electronics should be placed in the cold environment along with the sensors and signal-processing electronics. The typical instrumentation system requires low voltage dc usually obtained from processing line frequency ac power. Switch-mode power conversion topologies such as forward, flyback, push-pull, and half-bridge are used for high-efficiency power processing using pulse-width modulation (PWM) or resonant control. This paper presents several PWM and multiresonant power control circuits, implemented using commercially available CMOS and BiCMOS integrated circuits, and their performance at liquid-nitrogen temperature (77 K) as compared to their room temperature (300 K) performance. The operation of integrated circuits at cryogenic temperatures results in an improved performance in terms of increased speed, reduced latch-up susceptibility, reduced leakage current, and reduced thermal noise. However, the switching noise increased at 77 K compared to 300 K. The power control circuits tested in the laboratory did successfully restart at 77 K.

Prolonged energy harvesting for ingestible devices.

PubMed

Nadeau, Phillip; El-Damak, Dina; Glettig, Dean; Kong, Yong Lin; Mo, Stacy; Cleveland, Cody; Booth, Lucas; Roxhed, Niclas; Langer, Robert; Chandrakasan, Anantha P; Traverso, Giovanni

2017-01-01

Ingestible electronics have revolutionized the standard of care for a variety of health conditions. Extending the capacity and safety of these devices, and reducing the costs of powering them, could enable broad deployment of prolonged monitoring systems for patients. Although prior biocompatible power harvesting systems for in vivo use have demonstrated short minute-long bursts of power from the stomach, not much is known about the capacity to power electronics in the longer term and throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we report the design and operation of an energy-harvesting galvanic cell for continuous in vivo temperature sensing and wireless communication. The device delivered an average power of 0.23 μW per mm 2 of electrode area for an average of 6.1 days of temperature measurements in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs. This power-harvesting cell has the capacity to provide power for prolonged periods of time to the next generation of ingestible electronic devices located in the gastrointestinal tract.

Powering embedded electronics for wind turbine monitoring using multi-source energy harvesting techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anton, S. R.; Taylor, S. G.; Raby, E. Y.; Farinholt, K. M.

2013-03-01

With a global interest in the development of clean, renewable energy, wind energy has seen steady growth over the past several years. Advances in wind turbine technology bring larger, more complex turbines and wind farms. An important issue in the development of these complex systems is the ability to monitor the state of each turbine in an effort to improve the efficiency and power generation. Wireless sensor nodes can be used to interrogate the current state and health of wind turbine structures; however, a drawback of most current wireless sensor technology is their reliance on batteries for power. Energy harvesting solutions present the ability to create autonomous power sources for small, low-power electronics through the scavenging of ambient energy; however, most conventional energy harvesting systems employ a single mode of energy conversion, and thus are highly susceptible to variations in the ambient energy. In this work, a multi-source energy harvesting system is developed to power embedded electronics for wind turbine applications in which energy can be scavenged simultaneously from several ambient energy sources. Field testing is performed on a full-size, residential scale wind turbine where both vibration and solar energy harvesting systems are utilized to power wireless sensing systems. Two wireless sensors are investigated, including the wireless impedance device (WID) sensor node, developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and an ultra-low power RF system-on-chip board that is the basis for an embedded wireless accelerometer node currently under development at LANL. Results indicate the ability of the multi-source harvester to successfully power both sensors.

Power electronics for the flywheel system EMAFER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Offringa, Lodewijk J. J.; Sluiters, Hans E.; Smits, Eugenio J.

1988-10-01

A novel power electronic converter has been designed for the EMAFER (electromechanical accumulator for energy reuse) flywheel system to meet the requirements of the synchronous permanent magnet three-phase motor/generator drive. A new type of current source inverter with forced commutation by means of a commutation bridge has been developed and tested. This converter is capable of driving and braking the machine at full rated power in an operating range from 8,500 to 17,000 rpm. Test results are presented.

Design and development of compact pulsed power driver for electron beam experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deb, Pankaj; Sharma, S.K.; Adhikary, B.

2014-07-01

Pulsed electron beam generation requires high power pulses of fast rise, short duration pulse with flat top. With this objective we have designed a low cost compact pulsed power driver based on water dielectric transmission line. The paper describes the design aspects and construction of the pulse power driver and its experimental results. The pulsed power driver consist of a capacitor bank and its charging power supply, high voltage generator, high voltage switch and pulse compression system. (author)

Electronic Warfare and Radar Systems Engineering Handbook

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-04-01

EWRL Electronic Warfare Reprogrammable ELNOT Emitter Library Notation Library (USN) EM Electromagnetic EWSI EW Systems Integration E-Mail Electronic...ram air turbine (RAT) propellers used to power aircraft pods, helicopter rotor blades, and protruding surfaces of automobile hubcaps will all provide

Electron beam machining using rotating and shaped beam power distribution

DOEpatents

Elmer, John W.; O'Brien, Dennis W.

1996-01-01

An apparatus and method for electron beam (EB) machining (drilling, cutting and welding) that uses conventional EB guns, power supplies, and welding machine technology without the need for fast bias pulsing technology. The invention involves a magnetic lensing (EB optics) system and electronic controls to: 1) concurrently bend, focus, shape, scan, and rotate the beam to protect the EB gun and to create a desired effective power-density distribution, and 2) rotate or scan this shaped beam in a controlled way. The shaped beam power-density distribution can be measured using a tomographic imaging system. For example, the EB apparatus of this invention has the ability to drill holes in metal having a diameter up to 1000 .mu.m (1 mm or larger), compared to the 250 .mu.m diameter of laser drilling.

Electronic ripple indicator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidson, J. K.; Houck, W. H.

1971-01-01

Electronic circuit for monitoring excessive ripple voltage on dc power lines senses voltage variations from few millivolts to maximum of 10 volts rms. Instrument is used wherever power supply fluctuations might endanger system operations or damage equipment. Device is inexpensive and easily packaged in small chassis.

Development of a dual-pulse RF driver for an S-band (= 2856 MHz) RF electron linear accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cha, Sungsu; Kim, Yujong; Lee, Byeong-No; Lee, Byung Cheol; Cha, Hyungki; Ha, Jang Ho; Park, Hyung Dal; Lee, Seung Hyun; Kim, Hui Su; Buaphad, Pikad

2016-04-01

The radiation equipment research division of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has developed a Container Inspection System (CIS) using a Radio Frequency (RF) electron linear accelerator for port security. The primary purpose of the CIS is to detect nuclear materials and explosives, as well country-specific prohibited substances, e.g., smuggled. The CIS consists of a 9/6 MeV dualenergy electron linear accelerator for distinguishing between organic and inorganic materials. The accelerator consists of an electron gun, an RF accelerating structure, an RF driver, a modulator, electromagnets, a cooling system, a X-ray generating target, X-ray collimator, a detector, and a container moving system. The RF driver is an important part of the configuration because it is the RF power source: it supplies the RF power to the accelerating structure. A unique aspect of the RF driver is that it generates dual RF power to generate dual energy (9/6 MeV). The advantage of this RF driver is that it can allow the pulse width to vary and can be used to obtain a wide range of energy output, and pulse repetition rates up to 300 Hz. For this reason, 140 W (5 MW - 9 MeV) and 37 W (3.4 MW - 6 MeV) power outputs are available independently. A high power test for 20 minutes demonstrate that stable dual output powers can be generated. Moreover, the dual power can be applied to the accelerator which has stable accelerator operation. In this paper, the design, fabrication and high power test of the RF driver for the RF electron linear accelerator (linac) are presented.

An accurate online calibration system based on combined clamp-shape coil for high voltage electronic current transformers.

PubMed

Li, Zhen-hua; Li, Hong-bin; Zhang, Zhi

2013-07-01

Electronic transformers are widely used in power systems because of their wide bandwidth and good transient performance. However, as an emerging technology, the failure rate of electronic transformers is higher than that of traditional transformers. As a result, the calibration period needs to be shortened. Traditional calibration methods require the power of transmission line be cut off, which results in complicated operation and power off loss. This paper proposes an online calibration system which can calibrate electronic current transformers without power off. In this work, the high accuracy standard current transformer and online operation method are the key techniques. Based on the clamp-shape iron-core coil and clamp-shape air-core coil, a combined clamp-shape coil is designed as the standard current transformer. By analyzing the output characteristics of the two coils, the combined clamp-shape coil can achieve verification of the accuracy. So the accuracy of the online calibration system can be guaranteed. Moreover, by employing the earth potential working method and using two insulating rods to connect the combined clamp-shape coil to the high voltage bus, the operation becomes simple and safe. Tests in China National Center for High Voltage Measurement and field experiments show that the proposed system has a high accuracy of up to 0.05 class.

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics

PubMed Central

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-01-01

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m−3) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard ‘infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things. PMID:26656252

Effect of Voltage Level on Power System Design for Solar Electric Propulsion Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerslake, Thomas W.

2003-01-01

This paper presents study results quantifying the benefits of higher voltage, electric power system designs for a typical solar electric propulsion spacecraft Earth orbiting mission. A conceptual power system architecture was defined and design points were generated for system voltages of 28-V, 50-V, 120-V, and 300-V using state-of-the-art or advanced technologies. A 300-V 'direct-drive' architecture was also analyzed to assess the benefits of directly powering the electric thruster from the photovoltaic array without up-conversion. Fortran and spreadsheet computational models were exercised to predict the performance and size power system components to meet spacecraft mission requirements. Pertinent space environments, such as electron and proton radiation, were calculated along the spiral trajectory. In addition, a simplified electron current collection model was developed to estimate photovoltaic array losses for the orbital plasma environment and that created by the thruster plume. The secondary benefits of power system mass savings for spacecraft propulsion and attitude control systems were also quantified. Results indicate that considerable spacecraft wet mass savings were achieved by the 300-V and 300-V direct-drive architectures.

Energy Systems Integration: NREL + Google (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2015-02-01

This fact sheet describes the collaboration between NREL, Google, and the IEEE Power Electronics Society at the ESIF to work on the Little Box Challenge, an open competition challenging engineers to build smaller power inverters for use in photovoltaic power systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kar, Durga P.; Nayak, Praveen P.; Bhuyan, Satyanarayan

In order to power or charge electronic devices wirelessly, a bi-directional wireless power transfer method has been proposed and experimentally investigated. In the proposed design, two receiving coils are used on both sides of a transmitting coil along its central axis to receive the power wirelessly from the generated magnetic fields through strongly coupled magnetic resonance. It has been observed experimentally that the maximum power transfer occurs at the operating resonant frequency for optimum electric load connected across the receiving coils on both side. The optimum wireless power transfer efficiency is 88% for the bi-directional power transfer technique compared 84%more » in the one side receiver system. By adopting the developed bi-directional power transfer method, two electronic devices can be powered up or charged simultaneously instead of a single device through usual one side receiver system without affecting the optimum power transfer efficiency.« less

Graphene-based terahertz photodetector by noise thermometry technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Ming-Jye, E-mail: mingjye@asiss.sinica.edu.tw; Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Wang, Ji-Wun

2014-01-20

We report the characteristics of graphene-based terahertz (THz) photodetector based on noise thermometry technique by measuring its noise power at frequency from 4 to 6 GHz. Hot electron system in graphene microbridge is generated after THz photon pumping and creates extra noise power. The equivalent noise temperature and electron temperature increase rapidly in low THz pumping regime and saturate gradually in high THz power regime which is attributed to a faster energy relaxation process involved by stronger electron-phonon interaction. Based on this detector, a conversion efficiency around 0.15 from THz power to noise power in 4–6 GHz span has been achieved.

Noise propagation effects in power supply distribution systems for high-energy physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arteche, F.; Rivetta, C.; Iglesias, M.; Echeverria, I.; Pradas, A.; Arcega, F. J.

2017-12-01

High-energy physics experiments are supplied by thousands of power supply units placed in distant areas from the front-end electronics. The power supply units and the front-end electronics are connected through long power cables that propagate the output noise from the power supplies to the detector. This paper addresses the effect of long cables on the noise propagation and the impact that those cables have on the conducted emission levels required for the power supplies and the selection of EMI filters for the front-end electronic low-voltage input. This analysis is part of the electromagnetic compatibility based design focused on functional safety to define the type of cable, shield connections, EMI filters and power supply specifications required to ensure the successful integration of the detector and, specifically, to achieve the designed performance of the front-end electronics.

Noise propagation effects in power supply distribution systems for high-energy physics experiments

DOE PAGES

Arteche, F.; Rivetta, C.; Iglesias, M.; ...

2017-12-05

High-energy physics experiments are supplied by thousands of power supply units placed in distant areas from the front-end electronics. The power supply units and the front-end electronics are connected through long power cables that propagate the output noise from the power supplies to the detector. Here, this paper addresses the effect of long cables on the noise propagation and the impact that those cables have on the conducted emission levels required for the power supplies and the selection of EMI filters for the front-end electronic low-voltage input. Lastly, this analysis is part of the electromagnetic compatibility based design focused onmore » functional safety to define the type of cable, shield connections, EMI filters and power supply specifications required to ensure the successful integration of the detector and, specifically, to achieve the designed performance of the front-end electronics.« less

Noise propagation effects in power supply distribution systems for high-energy physics experiments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arteche, F.; Rivetta, C.; Iglesias, M.

High-energy physics experiments are supplied by thousands of power supply units placed in distant areas from the front-end electronics. The power supply units and the front-end electronics are connected through long power cables that propagate the output noise from the power supplies to the detector. Here, this paper addresses the effect of long cables on the noise propagation and the impact that those cables have on the conducted emission levels required for the power supplies and the selection of EMI filters for the front-end electronic low-voltage input. Lastly, this analysis is part of the electromagnetic compatibility based design focused onmore » functional safety to define the type of cable, shield connections, EMI filters and power supply specifications required to ensure the successful integration of the detector and, specifically, to achieve the designed performance of the front-end electronics.« less

Closed loop control of penetration depth during CO₂ laser lap welding processes.

PubMed

Sibillano, Teresa; Rizzi, Domenico; Mezzapesa, Francesco P; Lugarà, Pietro Mario; Konuk, Ali Riza; Aarts, Ronald; Veld, Bert Huis In 't; Ancona, Antonio

2012-01-01

In this paper we describe a novel spectroscopic closed loop control system capable of stabilizing the penetration depth during laser welding processes by controlling the laser power. Our novel approach is to analyze the optical emission from the laser generated plasma plume above the keyhole, to calculate its electron temperature as a process-monitoring signal. Laser power has been controlled by using a quantitative relationship between the penetration depth and the plasma electron temperature. The sensor is able to correlate in real time the difference between the measured electron temperature and its reference value for the requested penetration depth. Accordingly the closed loop system adjusts the power, thus maintaining the penetration depth.

Closed Loop Control of Penetration Depth during CO2 Laser Lap Welding Processes

PubMed Central

Sibillano, Teresa; Rizzi, Domenico; Mezzapesa, Francesco P.; Lugarà, Pietro Mario; Konuk, Ali Riza; Aarts, Ronald; Veld, Bert Huis in 't; Ancona, Antonio

2012-01-01

In this paper we describe a novel spectroscopic closed loop control system capable of stabilizing the penetration depth during laser welding processes by controlling the laser power. Our novel approach is to analyze the optical emission from the laser generated plasma plume above the keyhole, to calculate its electron temperature as a process-monitoring signal. Laser power has been controlled by using a quantitative relationship between the penetration depth and the plasma electron temperature. The sensor is able to correlate in real time the difference between the measured electron temperature and its reference value for the requested penetration depth. Accordingly the closed loop system adjusts the power, thus maintaining the penetration depth. PMID:23112646

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreno, Gilberto; Bennion, Kevin; King, Charles

Thermal management strategies for automotive power electronic systems have evolved over time to reduce system cost and to improve reliability and thermal performance. In this study, we characterized the power electronic thermal management systems of two electric-drive vehicles--the 2012 Nissan LEAF and 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid. Tests were conducted to measure the insulated-gate bipolar transistor-to-coolant thermal resistances for both steady-state and transient conditions at various coolant flow rates. Water-ethylene glycol at a temperature of 65 degrees C was used as the coolant for these experiments. Computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis models of the vehicle's power electronics thermal managementmore » system were then created and validated using experimentally obtained results. Results indicate that the Accord module provides lower steady-state thermal resistance as compared with the LEAF module. However, the LEAF design may provide improved performance in transient conditions and may have cost benefits.« less

Exploding the Black Box: Personal Computing, the Notebook Battery Crisis, and Postindustrial Systems Thinking.

PubMed

Eisler, Matthew N

Historians of science and technology have generally ignored the role of power sources in the development of consumer electronics. In this they have followed the predilections of historical actors. Research, development, and manufacturing of batteries has historically occurred at a social and intellectual distance from the research, development, and manufacturing of the devices they power. Nevertheless, power source technoscience should properly be understood as an allied yet estranged field of electronics. The separation between the fields has had important consequences for the design and manufacturing of mobile consumer electronics. This paper explores these dynamics in the co-construction of notebook batteries and computers. In so doing, it challenges assumptions of historians and industrial engineers and planners about the nature of computer systems in particular and the development of technological systems. The co-construction of notebook computers and batteries, and the occasional catastrophic failure of their compatibility, challenges systems thinking more generally.

Summary of the electromagnetic compatibility evaluation of the proposed satellite power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, E. L., Jr.; Grant, W. B.; Davis, K. C.

1980-01-01

The effects of the proposed solar power satellite (SPS) operations on electronic equipment and systems by fundamental, harmonic, and intermodulation component emissions from the orbital station; and the fundamental, harmonic, and structural intermodulation emissions from the rectenna site were evaluated. The coupling and affects interactions affecting a wide spectrum of electronic equipment are considered. The primary EMC tasking areas are each discussed separately.

Power Supply Fault Tolerant Reliability Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-01

easier to design than for equivalent bipolar transistors. MCDONNELL DOUGLAS ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS COMPANY 9. Base circuitry should be designed to drive...SWITCHING REGULATORS (Ref. 28), SWITCHING AND LINEAR POWER SUPPLY DESIGN (Ref. 25) 6. Sequence the turn-off/turn-on logic in an orderly and controllable ...for equivalent bipolar transistors. MCDONNELL DOUGLAS ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS COMPANY 8. Base circuitry should be designed to drive the transistor into

System-level considerations for the front-end readout ASIC in the CBM experiment from the power supply perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasinski, K.; Koczon, P.; Ayet, S.; Löchner, S.; Schmidt, C. J.

2017-03-01

New fixed target experiments using high intensity beams with energy up to 10 AGeV from the SIS100 synchrotron presently being constructed at FAIR/GSI are under preparation. Most of the readout electronics and power supplies are expected to be exposed to a very high flux of nuclear reaction products and have to be radiation tolerant up to 3 MRad (TID) and sustain up to 1014/cm2 of 1 MeV neutron equivalent in their life time. Moreover, the mostly minimum ionising particles under investigation leave very little signal in the sensors. Therefore very low noise level amplitude measurements are required by the front-end electronics for effective tracking. Sensor and interconnecting micro-cable capacitance and series resistance in conjunction with intrinsic noise of the charge sensitive amplifier are dominant noise sources in the system. However, the single-ended architecture of the amplifiers employed for the charge processing channels implies a potential problem with noise contributions from power supply sources. Strict system-level constraints leave very little freedom in selecting a power supply structure optimal with respect to: power efficiency, cooling capabilities and power density on modules, but also noise injection to the front-end via the power supply lines. Design of the power supply and distribution system of the Silicon Tracking System in the CBM experiment together with details on the front-end ASICs (STS -XYTER2) and measurement results of power supply and conditioning electronics (selected DC/DC converter and LDO regulators) are presented.

Custom electronic subsystems for the laboratory telerobotic manipulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glassell, R. L.; Butler, P. L.; Rowe, J. C.; Zimmermann, S. D.

1990-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Station Program presents new opportunities for the application of telerobotic and robotic systems. The Laboratory Telerobotic Manipulator (LTM) is a highly advanced 7 degrees-of-freedom (DOF) telerobotic/robotic manipulator. It was developed and built for the Automation Technology Branch at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC) for work in research and to demonstrate ground-based telerobotic manipulator system hardware and software systems for future NASA applications in the hazardous environment of space. The LTM manipulator uses an embedded wiring design with all electronics, motor power, and control and communication cables passing through the pitch-yaw differential joints. This design requires the number of cables passing through the pitch/yaw joint to be kept to a minimum. To eliminate the cables needed to carry each pitch-yaw joint's sensor data to the VME control computers, a custom-embedded electronics package for each manipulator joint was developed. The electronics package collects and sends the joint's sensor data to the VME control computers over a fiber optic cable. The electronics package consist of five individual subsystems: the VME Link Processor, the Joint Processor and the Joint Processor power supply in the joint module, the fiber optics communications system, and the electronics and motor power cabling.

Stability Assessment of a System Comprising a Single Machine and Inverter with Scalable Ratings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Brian B; Lin, Yashen; Gevorgian, Vahan

From the inception of power systems, synchronous machines have acted as the foundation of large-scale electrical infrastructures and their physical properties have formed the cornerstone of system operations. However, power electronics interfaces are playing a growing role as they are the primary interface for several types of renewable energy sources and storage technologies. As the role of power electronics in systems continues to grow, it is crucial to investigate the properties of bulk power systems in low inertia settings. In this paper, we assess the properties of coupled machine-inverter systems by studying an elementary system comprised of a synchronous generator,more » three-phase inverter, and a load. Furthermore, the inverter model is formulated such that its power rating can be scaled continuously across power levels while preserving its closed-loop response. Accordingly, the properties of the machine-inverter system can be assessed for varying ratios of machine-to-inverter power ratings and, hence, differing levels of inertia. After linearizing the model and assessing its eigenvalues, we show that system stability is highly dependent on the interaction between the inverter current controller and machine exciter, thus uncovering a key concern with mixed machine-inverter systems and motivating the need for next-generation grid-stabilizing inverter controls.« less

Electronic load as part of the test complex of the power processing unit of electric and plasma propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chubov, S. V.; Soldatov, A. I.

2017-02-01

This article provides the advantages and technical solutions for the use of electronic loads as part of a testing complex of power and management systems of electric and plasma propulsion of three types. The paper shows the parameters that were applied to select the electronic loads and describes their functionality.

Power requirements for commercial communications spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billerbeck, W. J.

1985-01-01

Historical data on commercial spacecraft power systems are presented and their power requirements to the growth of satellite communications channel usage are related. Some approaches for estimating future power requirements of this class of spacecraft through the year 2000 are proposed. The key technology drivers in satellite power systems are addressed. Several technological trends in such systems are described, focusing on the most useful areas for research and development of major subsystems, including solar arrays, energy storage, and power electronics equipment.

High-Performance electronics at ultra-low power consumption for space applications: From superconductor to nanoscale semiconductor technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, Robert V.; Simmons, Jerry; Kupferman, Stuart; McWhorter, Paul; Dunlap, David; Kovanis, V.

1995-01-01

A detailed review of Sandia's work in ultralow power dissipation electronics for space flight applications, including superconductive electronics, new advances in quantum well structures, and ultra-high purity 3-5 materials, and recent advances in micro-electro-optical-mechanical systems (MEMS) is presented. The superconductive electronics and micromechanical devices are well suited for application in micro-robotics, micro-rocket engines, and advanced sensors.

Teaching Sustainable Energy and Power Electronics to Engineering Students in a Laboratory Environment Using Industry-Standard Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ochs, David S.; Miller, Ruth Douglas

2015-01-01

Power electronics and renewable energy are two important topics for today's power engineering students. In many cases, the two topics are inextricably intertwined. As the renewable energy sector grows, the need for engineers qualified to design such systems grows as well. In order to train such engineers, new courses are needed that highlight the…

10 GHz dual loop opto-electronic oscillator without RF-amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Weimin; Okusaga, Olukayode; Nelson, Craig; Howe, David; Carter, Gary

2008-02-01

We report the first demonstration of a 10 GHz dual-fiber-loop Opto-Electronic Oscillator (OEO) without RF-amplifiers. Using a recently developed highly efficient RF-Photonic link with RF-to-RF gain facilitated by a high power laser, highly efficient optical modulator and high power phototectectors, we have built an amplifier-less OEO that eliminates the phase noise produced by the electronic amplifier. The dual-loop approach can provide additional gain and reduce unwanted multi-mode spurs. However, we have observed RF phase noise produced by the high power laser include relative intensity noise (RIN) and noise related to the laser's electronic control system. In addition, stimulated Brillouin scattering limits the fiber loop's length to ~2km at the 40mW laser power needed to provide the RF gain which limits the system's quality factor, Q. We have investigated several different methods for solving these problems. One promising technique is the use of a multi-longitudinal-mode laser to carry the RF signal, maintaining the total optical power but reducing the optical power of each mode to eliminate the Brillouin scattering in a longer fiber thereby reducing the phase noise of the RF signal produced by the OEO. This work shows that improvement in photonic components increases the potential for more RF system applications such as an OEO's with higher performance and new capabilities.

The 10 kW power electronics for hydrogen arcjets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamley, John A.; Pinero, Luis R.; Hill, Gerald M.

1992-01-01

A combination of emerging mission considerations such as 'launch on schedule', resource limitations, and the development of higher power spacecraft busses has resulted in renewed interest in high power hydrogen arcjet systems with specific impulses greater than 1000 s for Earth-space orbit transfer and maneuver applications. Solar electric propulsion systems with about 10 kW of power appear to offer payload benefits at acceptable trip times. This work outlines the design and development of 10 kW hydrogen arcjet power electronics and results of arcjet integration testing. The power electronics incorporated a full bridge switching topology similar to that employed in state of the art 5 kW power electronics, and the output filter included an output current averaging inductor with an integral pulse generation winding for arcjet ignition. Phase shifted, pulse width modulation with current mode control was used to regulate the current delivered to arcjet, and a low inductance power stage minimized switching transients. Hybrid power Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors were used to minimize conduction losses. Switching losses were minimized using a fast response, optically isolated, totem-pole gate drive circuit. The input bus voltage for the unit was 150 V, with a maximum output voltage of 225 V. The switching frequency of 20 kHz was a compromise between mass savings and higher efficiency. Power conversion efficiencies in excess of 0.94 were demonstrated, along with steady state load current regulation of 1 percent. The power electronics were successfully integrated with a 10 kW laboratory hydrogen arcjet, and reliable, nondestructive starts and transitions to steady state operation were demonstrated. The estimated specific mass for a flight packaged unit was 2 kg/kW.

Thermoelectronic laser energy conversion for power transmission in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britt, E. J.; Yuen, C.

1977-01-01

Long distance transmission of power in space by means of laser beams is an attractive concept because of the very narrow beam divergence. Such a system requires efficient means to both generate the laser beam and to convert the light energy in the beam into useful electric output at the receiver. A plasma-type device known as a Thermo-Electronic Laser Energy Converter (TELEC) has been studied as a method of converting a 10.6 micron CO2 laser beam into electric power. In the TELEC process, electromagnetic radiation is absorbed directly in the plasma electrons producing a high electron temperature. The energetic electrons diffuse out of the plasma striking two electrodes with different areas. Since more electrons are collected by the larger electrode there is a net transport of current, and an EMF is generated in the external circuit. The smaller electrode functions as an electron emitter to provide continuity of the current. Waste heat is rejected from the large electrode. A design for a TELEC system with an input 1 MW laser beam was developed as part of the study. The calculated performance of the system showed an overall efficiency of about 42%.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreno, Gilbert; Bennion, Kevin

This project will develop thermal management strategies to enable efficient and high-temperature wide-bandgap (WBG)-based power electronic systems (e.g., emerging inverter and DC-DC converter designs). The use of WBG-based devices in automotive power electronics will improve efficiency and increase driving range in electric-drive vehicles; however, the implementation of this technology is limited, in part, due to thermal issues. This project will develop system-level thermal models to determine the thermal limitations of current automotive power modules under elevated device temperature conditions. Additionally, novel cooling concepts and material selection will be evaluated to enable high-temperature silicon and WBG devices in power electronics components.more » WBG devices (silicon carbide [SiC], gallium nitride [GaN]) promise to increase efficiency, but will be driven as hard as possible. This creates challenges for thermal management and reliability.« less

Electron beam machining using rotating and shaped beam power distribution

DOEpatents

Elmer, J.W.; O`Brien, D.W.

1996-07-09

An apparatus and method are disclosed for electron beam (EB) machining (drilling, cutting and welding) that uses conventional EB guns, power supplies, and welding machine technology without the need for fast bias pulsing technology. The invention involves a magnetic lensing (EB optics) system and electronic controls to: (1) concurrently bend, focus, shape, scan, and rotate the beam to protect the EB gun and to create a desired effective power-density distribution, and (2) rotate or scan this shaped beam in a controlled way. The shaped beam power-density distribution can be measured using a tomographic imaging system. For example, the EB apparatus of this invention has the ability to drill holes in metal having a diameter up to 1,000 {micro}m (1 mm or larger), compared to the 250 {micro}m diameter of laser drilling. 5 figs.

Development of a Power Electronics Controller for the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leland, Douglas K.; Priest, Joel F.; Keiter, Douglas E.; Schreiber, Jeffrey G.

2008-01-01

Under a U.S. Department of Energy program for radioisotope power systems, Lockheed Martin is developing an Engineering Unit of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). This is an advanced version of the previously reported SRG110 generator. The ASRG uses Advanced Stirling Convertors (ASCs) developed by Sunpower Incorporated under a NASA Research Announcement contract. The ASRG makes use of a Stirling controller based on power electronics that eliminates the tuning capacitors. The power electronics controller synchronizes dual-opposed convertors and maintains a fixed frequency operating point. The controller is single-fault tolerant and uses high-frequency pulse width modulation to create the sinusoidal currents that are nearly in phase with the piston velocity, eliminating the need for large series tuning capacitors. Sunpower supports this effort through an extension of their controller development intended for other applications. Glenn Research Center (GRC) supports this effort through system dynamic modeling, analysis and test support. The ASRG design arrived at a new baseline based on a system-level trade study and extensive feedback from mission planners on the necessity of single-fault tolerance. This paper presents the baseline design with an emphasis on the power electronics controller detailed design concept that will meet space mission requirements including single fault tolerance.

Megawatt-class free-electron laser concept for shipboard self-defense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd, Alan M. M.; Colson, William B.; Neil, George R.

1997-05-01

An efficient MW-class free electron laser (FEL) directed energy weapon (DEW) system holds promise for satisfying shipboard self-defense (SSD) requirements on future generations of Navy vessels because of the potential for high- power operation and the accessibility to all IR wavelengths. In order to meet shipboard packaging and prime power constraints, the power efficiency and high real-estate gradient achievable in a FEL driven by a superconducting rf accelerator is attractive. Configuration options and the key development issues for such a system are described.

Power processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwarz, F. C.

1971-01-01

Processing of electric power has been presented as a discipline that draws on almost every field of electrical engineering, including system and control theory, communications theory, electronic network design, and power component technology. The cost of power processing equipment, which often equals that of expensive, sophisticated, and unconventional sources of electrical energy, such as solar batteries, is a significant consideration in the choice of electric power systems.

High performance protection circuit for power electronics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudoran, Cristian D.; Dǎdârlat, Dorin N.; Toşa, Nicoleta; Mişan, Ioan

2015-12-01

In this paper we present a high performance protection circuit designed for the power electronics applications where the load currents can increase rapidly and exceed the maximum allowed values, like in the case of high frequency induction heating inverters or high frequency plasma generators. The protection circuit is based on a microcontroller and can be adapted for use on single-phase or three-phase power systems. Its versatility comes from the fact that the circuit can communicate with the protected system, having the role of a "sensor" or it can interrupt the power supply for protection, in this case functioning as an external, independent protection circuit.

Preliminary study, analysis and design for a power switch for digital engine actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beattie, E. C.; Zickwolf, H. C., Jr.

1979-01-01

Innovative control configurations using high temperature switches to operate actuator driving solenoids were studied. The impact on engine control system life cycle costs and reliability of electronic control and (ECU) heat dissipation due to power conditioning and interface drivers were addressed. Various power supply and actuation schemes were investigated, including optical signal transmission and electronics on the actuator, engine driven alternator, and inside the ECU. The use of a switching shunt power conditioner results in the most significant decrease in heat dissipation within the ECU. No overall control system reliability improvement is projected by the use of remote high temperature switches for solenoid drivers.

SiC Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.

1998-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC)-based semiconductor electronic devices and circuits are presently being developed for use in high-temperature, high-power, and/or high-radiation conditions under which conventional semiconductors cannot adequately perform. Silicon carbide's ability to function under such extreme conditions is expected to enable significant improvements to a far-ranging variety of applications and systems. These range from greatly improved high-voltage switching [1- 4] for energy savings in public electric power distribution and electric motor drives to more powerful microwave electronics for radar and communications [5-7] to sensors and controls for cleaner-burning more fuel-efficient jet aircraft and automobile engines. In the particular area of power devices, theoretical appraisals have indicated that SiC power MOSFET's and diode rectifiers would operate over higher voltage and temperature ranges, have superior switching characteristics, and yet have die sizes nearly 20 times smaller than correspondingly rated silicon-based devices [8]. However, these tremendous theoretical advantages have yet to be realized in experimental SiC devices, primarily due to the fact that SiC's relatively immature crystal growth and device fabrication technologies are not yet sufficiently developed to the degree required for reliable incorporation into most electronic systems [9]. This chapter briefly surveys the SiC semiconductor electronics technology. In particular, the differences (both good and bad) between SiC electronics technology and well-known silicon VLSI technology are highlighted. Projected performance benefits of SiC electronics are highlighted for several large-scale applications. Key crystal growth and device-fabrication issues that presently limit the performance and capability of high temperature and/or high power SiC electronics are identified.

Silicon Carbide Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.

2006-01-01

Silicon carbide based semiconductor electronic devices and circuits are presently being developed for use in high-temperature, high-power, and high-radiation conditions under which conventional semiconductors cannot adequately perform. Silicon carbide's ability to function under such extreme conditions is expected to enable significant improvements to a far-ranging variety of applications and systems. These range from greatly improved high-voltage switching for energy savings in public electric power distribution and electric motor drives to more powerful microwave electronics for radar and communications to sensors and controls for cleaner-burning more fuel-efficient jet aircraft and automobile engines. In the particular area of power devices, theoretical appraisals have indicated that SiC power MOSFET's and diode rectifiers would operate over higher voltage and temperature ranges, have superior switching characteristics, and yet have die sizes nearly 20 times smaller than correspondingly rated silicon-based devices [8]. However, these tremendous theoretical advantages have yet to be widely realized in commercially available SiC devices, primarily owing to the fact that SiC's relatively immature crystal growth and device fabrication technologies are not yet sufficiently developed to the degree required for reliable incorporation into most electronic systems. This chapter briefly surveys the SiC semiconductor electronics technology. In particular, the differences (both good and bad) between SiC electronics technology and the well-known silicon VLSI technology are highlighted. Projected performance benefits of SiC electronics are highlighted for several large-scale applications. Key crystal growth and device-fabrication issues that presently limit the performance and capability of high-temperature and high-power SiC electronics are identified.

Pulsed power systems for environmental and industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neau, E. L.

1994-10-01

The development of high peak power simulators, laser drivers, free electron lasers, and Inertial Confinement Fusion drivers is being extended to high average power short-pulse machines with the capabilities of performing new roles in environmental cleanup and industrial manufacturing processes. We discuss a new class of short-pulse, high average power accelerator that achieves megavolt electron and ion beams with 10's of kiloamperes of current and average power levels in excess of 100 kW. Large treatment areas are possible with these systems because kilojoules of energy are available in each output pulse. These systems can use large area x-ray converters for applications requiring grater depth of penetration such as food pasteurization and waste treatment. The combined development of this class of accelerators and applications, and Sandia National Laboratories, is called Quantum Manufacturing.

The assessment of exploitation process of power for access control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiśnios, Michał; Paś, Jacek

2017-10-01

The safety of public utility facilities is a function not only of effectiveness of the electronic safety systems, used for protection of property and persons, but it also depends on the proper functioning of their power supply systems. The authors of the research paper analysed the power supply systems, which are used in buildings for the access control system that is integrated with the closed-circuit TV. The Access Control System is a set of electronic, electromechanical and electrical devices and the computer software controlling the operation of the above-mentioned elements, which is aimed at identification of people, vehicles allowed to cross the boundary of the reserved area, to prevent from crossing the reserved area and to generate the alarm signal informing about the attempt of crossing by an unauthorised entity. The industrial electricity with appropriate technical parameters is a basis of proper functioning of safety systems. Only the electricity supply to the systems is not equivalent to the operation continuity provision. In practice, redundant power supply systems are used. In the carried out reliability analysis of the power supply system, various power circuits of the system were taken into account. The reliability and operation requirements for this type of system were also included.

Directed Energy Weapon System for Ballistic Missile Defense

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-15

Scientific Assessment of High Power Free - Electron Laser Technology , “Introduction and Principle Findings,” available at: http://www.nap.edu/catalog...will lead to thermal blooming and will reduce the energy of light to the target. Scientific Assessment of High Power Free - Electron Laser Technology , pg

A Framework for Model-Based Diagnostics and Prognostics of Switched-Mode Power Supplies

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-02

system. Some highlights of the work are included but not only limited to the following aspects: first, the methodology is based on electronic ... electronic health management, with the goal of expanding the realm of electronic diagnostics and prognostics. 1. INTRODUCTION Electronic systems such...as electronic controls, onboard computers, communications, navigation and radar perform many critical functions in onboard military and commercial

Radioisotope Stirling Engine Powered Airship for Atmospheric and Surface Exploration of Titan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Cataldo, Robert L.

2014-01-01

The feasibility of an advanced Stirling radioisotope generator (ASRG) powered airship for the near surface exploration of Titan was evaluated. The analysis did not consider the complete mission only the operation of the airship within the atmosphere of Titan. The baseline airship utilized two ASRG systems with a total of four general-purpose heat source (GPHS) blocks. Hydrogen gas was used to provide lift. The ASRG systems, airship electronics and controls and the science payload were contained in a payload enclosure. This enclosure was separated into two sections, one for the ASRG systems and the other for the electronics and payload. Each section operated at atmospheric pressure but at different temperatures. The propulsion system consisted of an electric motor driving a propeller. An analysis was set up to size the airship that could operate near the surface of Titan based on the available power from the ASRGs. The atmospheric conditions on Titan were modeled and used in the analysis. The analysis was an iterative process between sizing the airship to carry a specified payload and the power required to operate the electronics, payload and cooling system as well as provide power to the propulsion system to overcome the drag on the airship. A baseline configuration was determined that could meet the power requirements and operate near the Titan surface. From this baseline design additional trades were made to see how other factors affected the design such as the flight altitude and payload mass and volume.

FY2013 Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors R&D Annual Progress Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, Susan A.

The Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors (APEEM) technology area within the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on developing revolutionary new power electronics (PE), electric motor, and traction drive system (TDS) technologies that will leapfrog current on-the-road technologies, leading to lower cost and better efficiency in transforming battery energy to useful work. The research and development (R&D) is also aimed at achieving a greater understanding of and improvements in the way the various new components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system tomore » improve fuel efficiency through research in more efficient TDSs.« less

An accurate online calibration system based on combined clamp-shape coil for high voltage electronic current transformers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Zhen-hua; Li, Hong-bin; Zhang, Zhi

Electronic transformers are widely used in power systems because of their wide bandwidth and good transient performance. However, as an emerging technology, the failure rate of electronic transformers is higher than that of traditional transformers. As a result, the calibration period needs to be shortened. Traditional calibration methods require the power of transmission line be cut off, which results in complicated operation and power off loss. This paper proposes an online calibration system which can calibrate electronic current transformers without power off. In this work, the high accuracy standard current transformer and online operation method are the key techniques. Basedmore » on the clamp-shape iron-core coil and clamp-shape air-core coil, a combined clamp-shape coil is designed as the standard current transformer. By analyzing the output characteristics of the two coils, the combined clamp-shape coil can achieve verification of the accuracy. So the accuracy of the online calibration system can be guaranteed. Moreover, by employing the earth potential working method and using two insulating rods to connect the combined clamp-shape coil to the high voltage bus, the operation becomes simple and safe. Tests in China National Center for High Voltage Measurement and field experiments show that the proposed system has a high accuracy of up to 0.05 class.« less

Design and Implementation of RF Energy Harvesting System for Low-Power Electronic Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzun, Yunus

2016-08-01

Radio frequency (RF) energy harvester systems are a good alternative for energizing of low-power electronics devices. In this work, an RF energy harvester is presented to obtain energy from Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) 900 MHz signals. The energy harvester, consisting of a two-stage Dickson voltage multiplier circuit and L-type impedance matching circuits, was designed, simulated, fabricated and tested experimentally in terms of its performance. Simulation and experimental works were carried out for various input power levels, load resistances and input frequencies. Both simulation and experimental works have been carried out for this frequency band. An efficiency of 45% is obtained from the system at 0 dBm input power level using the impedance matching circuit. This corresponds to the power of 450 μW and this value is sufficient for many low-power devices. The most important parameters affecting the efficiency of the RF energy harvester are the input power level, frequency band, impedance matching and voltage multiplier circuits, load resistance and the selection of diodes. RF energy harvester designs should be optimized in terms of these parameters.

The Use of a Solid State Analog Television Transmitter as a Superconducting Electron Gun Power Amplifier

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J.G. Kulpin, K.J. Kleman, R.A. Legg

2012-07-01

A solid state analog television transmitter designed for 200 MHz operation is being commissioned as a radio frequency power amplifier on the Wisconsin superconducting electron gun cavity. The amplifier consists of three separate radio frequency power combiner cabinets and one monitor and control cabinet. The transmitter employs rugged field effect transistors built into one kilowatt drawers that are individually hot swappable at maximum continuous power output. The total combined power of the transmitter system is 33 kW at 200 MHz, output through a standard coaxial transmission line. A low level radio frequency system is employed to digitally synthesize the 200more » MHz signal and precisely control amplitude and phase.« less

FY2010 Annual Progress Report for Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, Susan A.

2011-01-01

The Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Machines (APEEM) subprogram within the Vehicle Technologies Program provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on developing revolutionary new power electronics (PE) and electric motor technologies that will leapfrog current on-the-road technologies. The research and development (R&D) is also aimed at achieving a greater understanding of and improvements in the way the various new components of tomorrow’s automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency.

Power Electronics and Electric Machines Publications | Transportation

Science.gov Websites

electric machines. For more information about the following publications, contact Sreekant Narumanchi. A , NREL Software Spray System Evaluation (Software 1.1 MB) Papers 2017 Electric Motor Thermal Management Source: Douglas DeVoto. 2017. 14 pp. NREL/MP-5400-67117. Power Electronics Thermal Management Research

Economics of electron beam and electrical discharge processing for post-combustion NO(x) control in internal combustion engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penetrante, B. M.

1993-08-01

The physics and chemistry of non-thermal plasma processing for post-combustion NO(x) control in internal combustion engines are discussed. A comparison of electron beam and electrical discharge processing is made regarding their power consumption, radical production, NO(x) removal mechanisms, and by-product formation. Pollution control applications present a good opportunity for transferring pulsed power techniques to the commercial sector. However, unless advances are made to drastically reduce the price and power consumption of electron beam sources and pulsed power systems, these plasma techniques will not become commercially competitive with conventional thermal or surface-catalytic methods.

Near field wireless power transfer using curved relay resonators for extended transfer distance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, D.; Clare, L.; Stark, B. H.; Beeby, S. P.

2015-12-01

This paper investigates the performance of a near field wireless power transfer system that uses curved relay resonator to extend transfer distance. Near field wireless power transfer operates based on the near-field electromagnetic coupling of coils. Such a system can transfer energy over a relatively short distance which is of the same order of dimensions of the coupled coils. The energy transfer distance can be increased using flat relay resonators. Recent developments in printing electronics and e-textiles have seen increasing demand of embedding electronics into fabrics. Near field wireless power transfer is one of the most promising methods to power electronics on fabrics. The concept can be applied to body-worn textiles by, for example, integrating a transmitter coil into upholstery, and a flexible receiver coil into garments. Flexible textile coils take on the shape of the supporting materials such as garments, and therefore curved resonator and receiver coils are investigated in this work. Experimental results showed that using curved relay resonator can effectively extend the wireless power transfer distance. However, as the curvature of the coil increases, the performance of the wireless power transfer, especially the maximum received power, deteriorates.

Solar-Powered Flywheel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nola, F. J.

1985-01-01

Energy-storage system has 20 year lifetime. Electrical power source consisting of flywheel and electronic control system stores solar energy. Flywheel developed for space vehicles features good weight-to-energy storage ratios and used as control gyroscope for maneuvering.

Thermal Performance Benchmarking: Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Xuhui

In FY16, the thermal performance of the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid power electronics thermal management systems were benchmarked. Both experiments and numerical simulation were utilized to thoroughly study the thermal resistances and temperature distribution in the power module. Experimental results obtained from the water-ethylene glycol tests provided the junction-to-liquid thermal resistance. The finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were found to yield a good match with experimental results. Both experimental and modeling results demonstrate that the passive stack is the dominant thermal resistance for both the motor and power electronics systems. The 2014 Accord power electronicsmore » systems yield steady-state thermal resistance values around 42- 50 mm to the 2nd power K/W, depending on the flow rates. At a typical flow rate of 10 liters per minute, the thermal resistance of the Accord system was found to be about 44 percent lower than that of the 2012 Nissan LEAF system that was benchmarked in FY15. The main reason for the difference is that the Accord power module used a metalized-ceramic substrate and eliminated the thermal interface material layers. FEA models were developed to study the transient performance of 2012 Nissan LEAF, 2014 Accord, and two other systems that feature conventional power module designs. The simulation results indicate that the 2012 LEAF power module has lowest thermal impedance at a time scale less than one second. This is probably due to moving low thermally conductive materials further away from the heat source and enhancing the heat spreading effect from the copper-molybdenum plate close to the insulated gate bipolar transistors. When approaching steady state, the Honda system shows lower thermal impedance. Measurement results of the thermal resistance of the 2015 BMW i3 power electronic system indicate that the i3 insulated gate bipolar transistor module has significantly lower junction-to-liquid thermal resistance as compared to the other systems. At a flow rate of 12 liters per minute, the thermal resistance of the i3 systems is only 30 percent of the Accord system and 15 percent of the LEAF system.« less

Microelectronic bioinstrumentation systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, W. H.

1976-01-01

Progress was made in the development of an RF cage, a single channel RF powered ECG telemetry system, and a three channel RF powered ECG, aortic blood pressure, and body temperature telemetry system. Encapsulation materials for chronic implantation of electronic circuits in the body were also evaluated.

Electromechanical flight control actuator, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Schematic diagrams are given for both the four-channel electromechanical actuator and the single-channel power electronics breadboard. Detailed design data is also given on the gears used in the differential gearbox and a copy of the operations manual for the system is included. Performance test results are given for the EMA motor and its current source indicator, the drive control electronics, and the overall system. The power converter waveform test results are also summarized.

Electrical/electronics working group summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoenfeld, A. D.

1984-01-01

The electrical/electronics, technology area was considered. It was found that there are no foreseeable circuit or component problems to hinder the implementation of the flywheel energy storage concept. The definition of the major component or technology developments required to permit a technology ready date of 1987 was addressed. Recommendations: motor/generators, suspension electronics, power transfer, power conditioning and distribution, and modeling. An introduction to the area of system engineering is also included.

A summary of the research program in the broad field of electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Summary reports of research projects covering solid state materials, semiconductors and devices, quantum electronics, plasmas, applied electromagnetics, electrical engineering systems to include control communication, computer and power systems, biomedical engineering and mathematical biosciences.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harper, Jason; Dobrzynski, Daniel S.

A smart charging system for charging a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) includes an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) configured to supply electrical power to the PEV through a smart charging module coupled to the EVSE. The smart charging module comprises an electronic circuitry which includes a processor. The electronic circuitry includes electronic components structured to receive electrical power from the EVSE, and supply the electrical power to the PEV. The electronic circuitry is configured to measure a charging parameter of the PEV. The electronic circuitry is further structured to emulate a pulse width modulated signal generated by the EVSE. Themore » smart charging module can also include a first coupler structured to be removably couple to the EVSE and a second coupler structured to be removably coupled to the PEV.« less

Noncontact power/interrogation system for smart structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spillman, William B., Jr.; Durkee, S.

1994-05-01

The field of smart structures has been largely driven by the development of new high performance designed materials. Use of these materials has been generally limited due to the fact that they have not been in use long enough for statistical data bases to be developed on their failure modes. Real time health monitoring is therefore required for the benefits of structures using these materials to be realized. In this paper a non-contact method of powering and interrogating embedded electronic and opto-electronic systems is described. The technique utilizes inductive coupling between external and embedded coils etched on thin electronic circuit cards. The technique can be utilized to interrogate embedded sensors and to provide > 250 mW for embedded electronics. The system has been successfully demonstrated with a number of composite and plastic materials through material thicknesses up to 1 cm. An analytical description of the system is provided along with experimental results.

High performance protection circuit for power electronics applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tudoran, Cristian D., E-mail: cristian.tudoran@itim-cj.ro; Dădârlat, Dorin N.; Toşa, Nicoleta

2015-12-23

In this paper we present a high performance protection circuit designed for the power electronics applications where the load currents can increase rapidly and exceed the maximum allowed values, like in the case of high frequency induction heating inverters or high frequency plasma generators. The protection circuit is based on a microcontroller and can be adapted for use on single-phase or three-phase power systems. Its versatility comes from the fact that the circuit can communicate with the protected system, having the role of a “sensor” or it can interrupt the power supply for protection, in this case functioning as anmore » external, independent protection circuit.« less

Use of commercial VDMOSFETs in electronic systems subjected to radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picard, C.; Brisset, C.; Quittard, O.; Marceau, M.; Hoffmann, A.; Joffre, F.; Charles, J.-P.

2000-06-01

This study explores the effectiveness of pre-irradiation as a hardening technique for COTS components used in electronic power systems. This technique greatly improves the radiation tolerance of VDMOSFETs in such systems, whereby a small change in R/sub dson/ is observed.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreno, Gilbert

The objective for this project is to develop thermal management strategies to enable efficient and high-temperature wide-bandgap (WBG)-based power electronic systems (e.g., emerging inverter and DC-DC converter). Device- and system-level thermal analyses are conducted to determine the thermal limitations of current automotive power modules under elevated device temperature conditions. Additionally, novel cooling concepts and material selection will be evaluated to enable high-temperature silicon and WBG devices in power electronics components. WBG devices (silicon carbide [SiC], gallium nitride [GaN]) promise to increase efficiency, but will be driven as hard as possible. This creates challenges for thermal management and reliability.

Superconductor Digital Electronics: -- Current Status, Future Prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhanov, Oleg

2011-03-01

Two major applications of superconductor electronics: communications and supercomputing will be presented. These areas hold a significant promise of a large impact on electronics state-of-the-art for the defense and commercial markets stemming from the fundamental advantages of superconductivity: simultaneous high speed and low power, lossless interconnect, natural quantization, and high sensitivity. The availability of relatively small cryocoolers lowered the foremost market barrier for cryogenically-cooled superconductor electronic systems. These fundamental advantages enabled a novel Digital-RF architecture - a disruptive technological approach changing wireless communications, radar, and surveillance system architectures dramatically. Practical results were achieved for Digital-RF systems in which wide-band, multi-band radio frequency signals are directly digitized and digital domain is expanded throughout the entire system. Digital-RF systems combine digital and mixed signal integrated circuits based on Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) technology, superconductor analog filter circuits, and semiconductor post-processing circuits. The demonstrated cryocooled Digital-RF systems are the world's first and fastest directly digitizing receivers operating with live satellite signals, enabling multi-net data links, and performing signal acquisition from HF to L-band with 30 GHz clock frequencies. In supercomputing, superconductivity leads to the highest energy efficiencies per operation. Superconductor technology based on manipulation and ballistic transfer of magnetic flux quanta provides a superior low-power alternative to CMOS and other charge-transfer based device technologies. The fundamental energy consumption in SFQ circuits defined by flux quanta energy 2 x 10-19 J. Recently, a novel energy-efficient zero-static-power SFQ technology, eSFQ/ERSFQ was invented, which retains all advantages of standard RSFQ circuits: high-speed, dc power, internal memory. The voltage bias regulation, determined by SFQ clock, enables the zero-power at zero-activity regimes, indispensable for sensor and quantum bit readout.

Overmoded W-Band Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-24

developing high power tubes for use in that frequency range. In addition , there is a window at 220 GHz which is also an area of large development for...equipment. operation. Figure 1-4 shows electronic warfare applications, which involve disrupting electronic systems with high power microwave and millimeter...requiring gyrotrons to power the high -energy beam and a large transport vehicle. In addition to being difficult to transport, it is currently incapable

Nanoscale triboelectric-effect-enabled energy conversion for sustainably powering portable electronics.

PubMed

Wang, Sihong; Lin, Long; Wang, Zhong Lin

2012-12-12

Harvesting energy from our living environment is an effective approach for sustainable, maintenance-free, and green power source for wireless, portable, or implanted electronics. Mechanical energy scavenging based on triboelectric effect has been proven to be simple, cost-effective, and robust. However, its output is still insufficient for sustainably driving electronic devices/systems. Here, we demonstrated a rationally designed arch-shaped triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) by utilizing the contact electrification between a polymer thin film and a metal thin foil. The working mechanism of the TENG was studied by finite element simulation. The output voltage, current density, and energy volume density reached 230 V, 15.5 μA/cm(2), and 128 mW/cm(3), respectively, and an energy conversion efficiency as high as 10-39% has been demonstrated. The TENG was systematically studied and demonstrated as a sustainable power source that can not only drive instantaneous operation of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) but also charge a lithium ion battery as a regulated power module for powering a wireless sensor system and a commercial cell phone, which is the first demonstration of the nanogenerator for driving personal mobile electronics, opening the chapter of impacting general people's life by nanogenerators.

Piezoelectric devices for generating low power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilibon, Irinela

2016-12-01

This paper reviews concepts and applications in low-power electronics and energy harvesting technologies. Various piezoelectric materials and devices for small power generators useful in renewable electricity are presented. The vibrating piezoelectric device differs from the typical electrical power source in that it has capacitive rather than inductive source impedance, and may be driven by mechanical vibrations of varying amplitude. In general, vibration energy could be converted into electrical energy using one of three techniques: electrostatic charge, magnetic fields and piezoelectric. A low power piezoelectric generator, having a PZT element was realised in order to supply small electronic elements, such as optoelectronic small devices, LEDs, electronic watches, small sensors, interferometry with lasers or Micro-electro-mechanical System (MEMS) array with multi-cantilevers.

Development for a supercompact X -band pulse compression system and its application at SLAC

DOE PAGES

Wang, Juwen W.; Tantawi, Sami G.; Xu, Chen; ...

2017-11-09

Here, we have successfully designed, fabricated, installed, and tested a super compact X -band SLAC Energy Doubler system at SLAC. It is composed of an elegant 3 dB coupler–mode converter–polarizer coupled to a single spherical energy storage cavity with high Q 0 of 94000 and a diameter less than 12 cm. The available rf peak power of 50 MW can be compressed to a peak average power of more than 200 MW in order to double the kick for the electron bunches in a rf transverse deflector system and greatly improve the measurement resolution of both the electron bunches andmore » the x-ray free-electron laser pulses. The design physics and fabrication as well as the measurement results will be presented in detail. High-power operation has demonstrated the excellent performance of this rf compression system without rf breakdown, sign of pulse heating, and rf radiation.« less

Development for a supercompact X -band pulse compression system and its application at SLAC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Juwen W.; Tantawi, Sami G.; Xu, Chen

Here, we have successfully designed, fabricated, installed, and tested a super compact X -band SLAC Energy Doubler system at SLAC. It is composed of an elegant 3 dB coupler–mode converter–polarizer coupled to a single spherical energy storage cavity with high Q 0 of 94000 and a diameter less than 12 cm. The available rf peak power of 50 MW can be compressed to a peak average power of more than 200 MW in order to double the kick for the electron bunches in a rf transverse deflector system and greatly improve the measurement resolution of both the electron bunches andmore » the x-ray free-electron laser pulses. The design physics and fabrication as well as the measurement results will be presented in detail. High-power operation has demonstrated the excellent performance of this rf compression system without rf breakdown, sign of pulse heating, and rf radiation.« less

Innovative thermal energy harvesting for future autonomous applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monfray, Stephane

2013-12-01

As communicating autonomous systems market is booming, the role of energy harvesting will be a key enabler. As example, heat is one of the most abundant energy sources that can be converted into electricity in order to power circuits. Harvesting systems that use wasted heat open new ways to power autonomous sensors when the energy consumption is low, or to create systems of power generators when the conversion efficiency is high. The combination of different technologies (low power μ-processors, μ-batteries, radio, sensors...) with new energy harvesters compatible with large varieties of use-cases with allow to address this booming market. Thanks to the conjunction of ultra-low power electronic development, 3D technologies & Systems in Package approaches, the integration of autonomous sensors and electronics with ambient energy harvesting will be achievable. The applications are very wide, from environment and industrial sensors to medical portable applications, and the Internet of things may also represent in the future a several billions units market.

Solid-state pulse modulator using Marx generator for a medical linac electron-gun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Heuijin; Hyeok Jeong, Dong; Lee, Manwoo; Lee, Mujin; Yi, Jungyu; Yang, Kwangmo; Ro, Sung Chae

2016-04-01

A medical linac is used for the cancer treatment and consists of an accelerating column, waveguide components, a magnetron, an electron-gun, a pulse modulator, and an irradiation system. The pulse modulator based on hydrogen thyratron-switched pulse-forming network is commonly used in linac. As the improvement of the high power semiconductors in switching speed, voltage rating, and current rating, an insulated gate bipolar transistor has become the more popular device used for pulsed power systems. We propose a solid-state pulse modulator to generator high voltage by multi-stacked storage-switch stages based on the Marx generator. The advantage of our modulator comes from the use of two semiconductors to control charging and discharging of the storage capacitor at each stage and it allows to generate the pulse with various amplitudes, widths, and shapes. In addition, a gate driver for two semiconductors is designed to reduce the control channels and to protect the circuits. It is developed for providing the pulsed power to a medical linac electron-gun that requires 25 kV and 1 A as the first application. In order to improve the power efficiency and achieve the compactness modulator, a capacitor charging power supply, a Marx pulse generator, and an electron-gun heater isolated transformer are constructed and integrated. This technology is also being developed to extend the high power pulsed system with > 1 MW and also other applications such as a plasma immersed ion implantation and a micro pulse electrostatic precipitator which especially require variable pulse shape and high repetition rate > 1 kHz. The paper describes the design features and the construction of this solid-state pulse modulator. Also shown are the performance results into the linac electron-gun.

Five Indisputable Facts on Modern Power Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bloom, Aaron P; Brinkman, Gregory L; Lopez, Anthony J

This presentation overviews five indisputable facts about modern power systems: Fact one: The grid can handle more renewable generation than previously thought. Fact two: Geographic and resource diversity provide additional reliability to the system. Fact three: Wind and solar forecasting provide significant value. Fact four: Our electric power markets were not originally designed for variable renewables -- but they could be adapted. Fact five: Modern power electronics are creating new sources of essential reliability services.

High-Efficiency Photovoltaic System Using Partially-Connected DC-DC Converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uno, Masatoshi; Kukita, Akio; Tanaka, Koji

Power conversion electronics for photovoltaic (PV) systems are desired to operate as efficiently as possible to exploit the power generated by PV modules. This paper proposes a novel PV system in which a dc-dc converter is partially connected to series-connected PV modules. The proposed system achieves high power-conversion efficiency by reducing the passing power and input/output voltages of the converter. The theoretical operating principle was experimentally validated. Resultant efficiency performances of the proposed and conventional systems demonstrated that the proposed system was more efficient in terms of power conversion though the identical converter was used for the both systems.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Power Supplies at Cryogenic Temperatures for Deep Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Richard L.; Gerber, Scott; Hammoud, Ahmad; Elbuluk, Malik E.; Lyons, Valerie (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The operation of power electronic systems at cryogenic temperatures is anticipated in many future space missions such as planetary exploration and deep space probes. In addition to surviving the space hostile environments, electronics capable of low temperature operation would contribute to improving circuit performance, increasing system efficiency, and reducing development and launch costs. DC/DC converters are widely used in space power systems in the areas of power management, conditioning, and control. As part of the on-going Low Temperature Electronics Program at NASA, several commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) DC/DC converters, with specifications that might fit the requirements of specific future space missions have been selected for investigation at cryogenic temperatures. The converters have been characterized in terms of their performance as a function of temperature in the range of 20 C to - 180 C. These converters ranged in electrical power from 8 W to 13 W, input voltage from 9 V to 72 V and an output voltage of 3.3 V. The experimental set-up and procedures along with the results obtained on the converters' steady state and dynamic characteristics are presented and discussed.

Fuel cells for low power applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinzel, A.; Hebling, C.; Müller, M.; Zedda, M.; Müller, C.

Electronic devices show an ever-increasing power demand and thus, require innovative concepts for power supply. For a wide range of power and energy capacity, membrane fuel cells are an attractive alternative to conventional batteries. The main advantages are the flexibility with respect to power and capacity achievable with different devices for energy conversion and energy storage, the long lifetime and long service life, the good ecological balance, very low self-discharge. Therefore, the development of fuel cell systems for portable electronic devices is an attractive, although also a challenging, goal. The fuel for a membrane fuel cell might be hydrogen from a hydride storage system or methanol/water as a liquid alternative. The main differences between the two systems are the much higher power density for hydrogen fuel cells, the higher energy density per weight for the liquid fuel, safety aspects and infrastructure for fuel supply for hydride materials. For different applications, different system designs are required. High power cells are required for portable computers, low power methanol fuel cells required for mobile phones in hybrid systems with batteries and micro-fuel cells are required, e.g. for hand held PCs in the sub-Watt range. All these technologies are currently under development. Performance data and results of simulations and experimental investigations will be presented.

High-Temperature High-Power Packaging Techniques for HEV Traction Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barlow, F.D.; Elshabini, A.

A key issue associated with the wider adoption of hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) and plug in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEV) is the implementation of the power electronic systems that are required in these products [1]. To date, many consumers find the adoption of these technologies problematic based on a financial analysis of the initial cost versus the savings available from reduced fuel consumption. Therefore, one of the primary industry goals is the reduction in the price of these vehicles relative to the cost of traditional gasoline powered vehicles. Part of this cost reduction must come through optimization of the power electronics requiredmore » by these vehicles. In addition, the efficiency of the systems must be optimized in order to provide the greatest range possible. For some drivers, any reduction in the range associated with a potential HEV or PHEV solution in comparison to a gasoline powered vehicle represents a significant barrier to adoption and the efficiency of the power electronics plays an important role in this range. Likewise, high efficiencies are also important since lost power further complicates the thermal management of these systems. Reliability is also an important concern since most drivers have a high level of comfort with gasoline powered vehicles and are somewhat reluctant to switch to a less proven technology. Reliability problems in the power electronics or associated components could not only cause a high warranty cost to the manufacturer, but may also taint these technologies in the consumer's eyes. A larger vehicle offering in HEVs is another important consideration from a power electronics point of view. A larger vehicle will need more horsepower, or a larger rated drive. In some ways this will be more difficult to implement from a cost and size point of view. Both the packaging of these modules and the thermal management of these systems at competitive price points create significant challenges. One way in which significant cost reduction of these systems could be achieved is through the use of a single coolant loop for both the power electronics as well as the internal combustion engine (ICE) [2]. This change would reduce the complexity of the cooling system which currently relies on two loops to a single loop [3]. However, the current nominal coolant temperature entering these inverters is 65 C [3], whereas a normal ICE coolant temperature would be much higher at approximately 100 C. This change in coolant temperature significantly increases the junction temperatures of the devices and creates a number of challenges for both device fabrication and the assembly of these devices into inverters and converters for HEV and PHEV applications. With this change in mind, significant progress has been made on the use of SiC devices for inverters that can withstand much higher junction temperatures than traditional Si based inverters [4,5,6]. However, a key problem which the single coolant loop and high temperature devices is the effective packaging of these devices and related components into a high temperature inverter. The elevated junction temperatures that exist in these modules are not compatible with reliable inverters based on existing packaging technology. This report seeks to provide a literature survey of high temperature packaging and to highlight the issues related to the implementation of high temperature power electronic modules for HEV and PHEV applications. For purposes of discussion, it will be assumed in this report that 200 C is the targeted maximum junction temperature.« less

Automatic cross-sectioning and monitoring system locates defects in electronic devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, G.; Slaughter, B.

1971-01-01

System consists of motorized grinding and lapping apparatus, sample holder, and electronic control circuit. Low power microscope examines device to pinpoint location of circuit defect, and monitor displays output signal when defect is located exactly.

Design of an integrated thermoelectric generator power converter for ultra-low power and low voltage body energy harvesters aimed at ExG active electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ataei, Milad; Robert, Christian; Boegli, Alexis; Farine, Pierre-André

2015-10-01

This paper describes a detailed design procedure for an efficient thermal body energy harvesting integrated power converter. The procedure is based on the examination of power loss and power transfer in a converter for a self-powered medical device. The efficiency limit for the system is derived and the converter is optimized for the worst case scenario. All optimum system parameters are calculated respecting the transducer constraints and the application form factor. Circuit blocks including pulse generators are implemented based on the system specifications and optimized converter working frequency. At this working condition, it has been demonstrated that the wide area capacitor of the voltage doubler, which provides high voltage switch gating, can be eliminated at the expense of wider switches. With this method, measurements show that 54% efficiency is achieved for just a 20 mV transducer output voltage and 30% of the chip area is saved. The entire electronic board can fit in one EEG or ECG electrode, and the electronic system can convert the electrode to an active electrode.

Observations of electron heating during 28 GHz microwave power application in proto-MPEX

DOE PAGES

Biewer, Theodore M.; Bigelow, Tim S.; Caneses Marin, Juan F.; ...

2018-02-01

The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure Experiment at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory utilizes a variety of power systems to generate and deliver a high heat flux plasma onto the surface of material targets. In the experiments described here, a deuterium plasma is produced via a ~100 kW, 13.56 MHz RF helicon source, to which ~20 kW of 28 GHz microwave power is applied. The electron density and temperature profiles are measured using a Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic, and indicate that the electron density is centrally peaked. In the core of the plasma column, the electron density is higher than themore » cut-off density (~0.9 × 1019 m -3) for the launched mixture of X- and O-mode electron cyclotron heating waves to propagate. TS measurements indicate electron temperature increases from ~5 eV to ~20 eV during 28 GHz power application when the neutral deuterium pressure is reduced below 0.13 Pa (~1 mTorr.).« less

Observations of electron heating during 28 GHz microwave power application in proto-MPEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biewer, T. M.; Bigelow, T. S.; Caneses, J. F.; Diem, S. J.; Green, D. L.; Kafle, N.; Rapp, J.; Proto-MPEX Team

2018-02-01

The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure Experiment at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory utilizes a variety of power systems to generate and deliver a high heat flux plasma onto the surface of material targets. In the experiments described here, a deuterium plasma is produced via a ˜100 kW, 13.56 MHz RF helicon source, to which ˜20 kW of 28 GHz microwave power is applied. The electron density and temperature profiles are measured using a Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic, and indicate that the electron density is centrally peaked. In the core of the plasma column, the electron density is higher than the cut-off density (˜0.9 × 1019 m-3) for the launched mixture of X- and O-mode electron cyclotron heating waves to propagate. TS measurements indicate electron temperature increases from ˜5 eV to ˜20 eV during 28 GHz power application when the neutral deuterium pressure is reduced below 0.13 Pa (˜1 mTorr.).

Design of a telemetry system based on wireless power transmission for physiological parameter monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Zhiwei; Yan, Guozheng; Zhu, Bingquan

2015-04-01

An implanted telemetry system for experimental animals with or without anaesthesia can be used to continuously monitor physiological parameters. This system is significant not only in the study of organisms but also in the evaluation of drug efficacy, artificial organs, and auxiliary devices. The system is composed of a miniature electronic capsule, a wireless power transmission module, a data-recording device, and a processing module. An electrocardiograph, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor are integrated in the miniature electronic capsule, in which the signals are transmitted in vitro by wireless communication after filtering, amplification, and A/D sampling. To overcome the power shortage of batteries, a wireless power transmission module based on electromagnetic induction was designed. The transmitting coil of a rectangular-section solenoid and a 3D receiving coil are proposed according to stability and safety constraints. Experiments show that at least 150 mW of power could pick up on the load in a volume of Φ10.5 mm × 11 mm, with a transmission efficiency of 2.56%. Vivisection experiments verified the feasibility of the integrated radio-telemetry system.

Solar power satellite system definition study. Volume 3: Laser SPS analysis, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The potential use of lasers for transmitting power to Earth from Solar Power Satellites was examined. Free electron lasers appear most promising and would have some benefits over microwave power transmission. Further research in laser technology is needed.

Aligned Carbon Nanotube Carpets on Carbon Substrates for High Power Electronic Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

SiOx by a vapor-solid-solid mechanism ,” J. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 133, pp. 197–199, 2011. [146] B. Liu, W. Ren, C. Liu, C.-H. Sun , L. Gao, S. Li, C... Mechanical and Thermal Systems Branch Power and Control Division JUNE 2016 Interim Report DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release...Advisor Program Engineer Mechanical and Thermal Systems Branch Mechanical and Thermal Systems Branch Power and Control Division Power and Control

WearETE: A Scalable Wearable E-Textile Triboelectric Energy Harvesting System for Human Motion Scavenging

PubMed Central

Li, Xian

2017-01-01

In this paper, we report the design, experimental validation and application of a scalable, wearable e-textile triboelectric energy harvesting (WearETE) system for scavenging energy from activities of daily living. The WearETE system features ultra-low-cost material and manufacturing methods, high accessibility, and high feasibility for powering wearable sensors and electronics. The foam and e-textile are used as the two active tribomaterials for energy harvester design with the consideration of flexibility and wearability. A calibration platform is also developed to quantify the input mechanical power and power efficiency. The performance of the WearETE system for human motion scavenging is validated and calibrated through experiments. The results show that the wearable triboelectric energy harvester can generate over 70 V output voltage which is capable of powering over 52 LEDs simultaneously with a 9 × 9 cm2 area. A larger version is able to lighten 190 LEDs during contact-separation process. The WearETE system can generate a maximum power of 4.8113 mW from hand clapping movements under the frequency of 4 Hz. The average power efficiency can be up to 24.94%. The output power harvested by the WearETE system during slow walking is 7.5248 µW. The results show the possibility of powering wearable electronics during human motion. PMID:29149035

Electron-impact ionization and electron attachment cross sections of radicals important in transient gaseous discharges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Long C.; Srivastava, Santosh K.

1990-01-01

Electron-impact ionization and electron attachment cross sections of radicals and excited molecules were measured using an apparatus that consists of an electron beam, a molecular beam and a laser beam. The information obtained is needed for the pulse power applications in the areas of high power gaseous discharge switches, high energy lasers, particle beam experiments, and electromagnetic pulse systems. The basic data needed for the development of optically-controlled discharge switches were also investigated. Transient current pulses induced by laser irradiation of discharge media were observed and applied for the study of electron-molecule reaction kinetics in gaseous discharges.

Design of Servo Scheme and Drive Electronics for the Integrated Electrohydraulic Actuation System of RLV-TD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurian, Priya C.; Gopinath, Anish; Shinoy, K. S.; Santhi, P.; Sundaramoorthy, K.; Sebastian, Baby; Jaya, B.; Namboodiripad, M. N.; Mookiah, T.

2017-12-01

Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is a system which has the ability to carry a payload from the earth's surface to the outer space more than once. The control actuation forms the major component of the control system and it actuates the control surfaces of the RLV-TD based on the control commands. Eight electro hydraulic actuators were used in RLV-TD for vectoring the control surfaces about their axes. A centralised Hydraulic Power Generating Unit (HPU) was used for powering the eight actuators located in two stages. The actuation system had to work for the longest ever duration of about 850 s for an Indian launch vehicle. High bandwidth requirement from autopilot was met by the servo design using the nonlinear mathematical model. Single Control Electronics which drive four electrohydraulic actuators was developed for each stage. High power electronics with soft start scheme was realized for driving the BLDC motor which is the prime mover for hydraulic pump. Many challenges arose due to single HPU for two stages, uncertainty of aero load, higher bandwidth requirements etc. and provisions were incorporated in the design to successfully overcome them. This paper describes the servo design and control electronics architecture of control actuation system.

78 FR 47014 - Configuration Management Plans for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-02

... Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION... Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This RG endorses, with clarifications... Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Standard 828-2005, ``IEEE Standard for Software Configuration...

General Electric Unattended Power System Study. Addendum

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

AND NAVIGATION SYSTEMS ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS DIVISION AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND UNITED STATES AIR FORCE Hascom Air Force Base, Massachusetts DTIC C-3 B I...MITRE Corporation under Project No. 633A. The contract is sponsored by the Electronic Systems *Division, Air Force Systems Command, Hanscom Air Force...is delivered fully integrated, tested, and certified. The system consists of a combustion system, vapor generator, turbo- alternator, air -cooled

Engineering of beam direct conversion for a 120-kV, 1-MW ion beam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barr, W. L.; Doggett, J. N.; Hamilton, G. W.; Kinney, J. D.; Moir, R. W.

1977-01-01

Practical systems for beam direct conversion are required to recover the energy from ion beams at high efficiency and at very high beam power densities in the environment of a high-power neutral-injection system. Such an experiment is now in progress using a 120-kV beam with a maximum total current of 20 A. After neutralization, the H(+) component to be recovered will have a power of approximately 1 MW. A system testing these concepts has been designed and tested at 15 kV, 2 kW in preparation for the full-power tests. The engineering problems involved in the full-power tests affect electron suppression, gas pumping, voltage holding, diagnostics, and measurement conditions. Planning for future experiments at higher power includes the use of cryopumping and electron suppression by a magnetic field rather than by an electrostatic field. Beam direct conversion for large fusion experiments and reactors will save millions of dollars in the cost of power supplies and electricity and will dispose of the charged beam under conditions that may not be possible by other techniques.

Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger for High-Temperature Power Electronics: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Waye, S. K.; Lustbader, J.; Musselman, M.

2015-05-06

This work demonstrates a direct air-cooled heat exchanger strategy for high-temperature power electronic devices with an application specific to automotive traction drive inverters. We present experimental heat dissipation and system pressure curves versus flow rate for baseline and optimized sub-module assemblies containing two ceramic resistance heaters that provide device heat fluxes. The maximum allowable junction temperature was set to 175 deg.C. Results were extrapolated to the inverter scale and combined with balance-of-inverter components to estimate inverter power density and specific power. The results exceeded the goal of 12 kW/L and 12 kW/kg for power density and specific power, respectively.

Description of the PMAD DC test bed architecture and integration sequence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beach, R. F.; Trash, L.; Fong, D.; Bolerjack, B.

1991-01-01

NASA-LEWIS is responsible for the development, fabrication, and assembly of the electric power system (EPS) for the Space Station Freedom (SSF). The SSF power system is radically different from previous spacecraft power systems in both the size and complexity of the system. Unlike past spacecraft power systems, the SSF EPS will grow and be maintained on orbit and must be flexible to meet challenging user power needs. The SSF power system is also unique in comparison with terrestrial power systems because it is dominated by power electronic converters which regulate and control the power. A description is provided of the Power Management and Distribution DC Testbed which was assembled to support the design and early evaluation of the SSF EPS. A description of the integration process used in the assembly sequence is also given along with a description of the support facility.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lai, Jih-Sheng

This paper introduces control system design based softwares, SIMNON and MATLAB/SIMULINK, for power electronics system simulation. A complete power electronics system typically consists of a rectifier bridge along with its smoothing capacitor, an inverter, and a motor. The system components, featuring discrete or continuous, linear or nonlinear, are modeled in mathematical equations. Inverter control methods,such as pulse-width-modulation and hysteresis current control, are expressed in either computer algorithms or digital circuits. After describing component models and control methods, computer programs are then developed for complete systems simulation. Simulation results are mainly used for studying system performances, such as input and outputmore » current harmonics, torque ripples, and speed responses. Key computer programs and simulation results are demonstrated for educational purposes.« less

A Training Tool and Methodology to Allow Concurrent Multidisciplinary Experimental Projects in Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maseda, F. J.; Martija, I.; Martija, I.

2012-01-01

This paper describes a novel Electrical Machine and Power Electronic Training Tool (EM&PE[subscript TT]), a methodology for using it, and associated experimental educational activities. The training tool is implemented by recreating a whole power electronics system, divided into modular blocks. This process is similar to that applied when…

Bidirectional power converter control electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mildice, J. W.

1987-01-01

The object of this program was to design, build, test, and deliver a set of control electronics suitable for control of bidirectional resonant power processing equipment of the direct output type. The program is described, including the technical background, and results discussed. Even though the initial program tested only the logic outputs, the hardware was subsequently tested with high-power breadboard equipment, and in the testbed of NASA contract NAS3-24399. The completed equipment is now operating as part of the Space Station Power System Test Facility at NASA Lewis Research Center.

77 FR 50726 - Software Requirement Specifications for Digital Computer Software and Complex Electronics Used in...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-22

... Computer Software and Complex Electronics Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants AGENCY: Nuclear...-1209, ``Software Requirement Specifications for Digital Computer Software and Complex Electronics used... Electronics Engineers (ANSI/IEEE) Standard 830-1998, ``IEEE Recommended Practice for Software Requirements...

14 CFR 23.1311 - Electronic display instrument systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Continued Airworthiness required by § 23.1529. (3) Not inhibit the primary display of attitude, airspeed... indicator, and attitude instrument or individual electronic display indicators for the altitude, airspeed, and attitude that are independent from the airplane's primary electrical power system. These secondary...

Energy gain calculations in Penning fusion systems using a bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chacón, L.; Miley, G. H.; Barnes, D. C.; Knoll, D. A.

2000-11-01

In spherical Penning fusion devices, a spherical cloud of electrons, confined in a Penning-like trap, creates the ion-confining electrostatic well. Fusion energy gains for these systems have been calculated in optimistic conditions (i.e., spherically uniform electrostatic well, no collisional ion-electron interactions, single ion species) using a bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck (BAFP) model. Results show that steady-state distributions in which the Maxwellian ion population is dominant correspond to lowest ion recirculation powers (and hence highest fusion energy gains). It is also shown that realistic parabolic-like wells result in better energy gains than square wells, particularly at large well depths (>100 kV). Operating regimes with fusion power to ion input power ratios (Q-value) >100 have been identified. The effect of electron losses on the Q-value has been addressed heuristically using a semianalytic model, indicating that large Q-values are still possible provided that electron particle losses are kept small and well depths are large.

Self-powered textile for wearable electronics by hybridizing fiber-shaped nanogenerators, solar cells, and supercapacitors.

PubMed

Wen, Zhen; Yeh, Min-Hsin; Guo, Hengyu; Wang, Jie; Zi, Yunlong; Xu, Weidong; Deng, Jianan; Zhu, Lei; Wang, Xin; Hu, Chenguo; Zhu, Liping; Sun, Xuhui; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-10-01

Wearable electronics fabricated on lightweight and flexible substrate are believed to have great potential for portable devices, but their applications are limited by the life span of their batteries. We propose a hybridized self-charging power textile system with the aim of simultaneously collecting outdoor sunshine and random body motion energies and then storing them in an energy storage unit. Both of the harvested energies can be easily converted into electricity by using fiber-shaped dye-sensitized solar cells (for solar energy) and fiber-shaped triboelectric nanogenerators (for random body motion energy) and then further stored as chemical energy in fiber-shaped supercapacitors. Because of the all-fiber-shaped structure of the entire system, our proposed hybridized self-charging textile system can be easily woven into electronic textiles to fabricate smart clothes to sustainably operate mobile or wearable electronics.

Early Oscillation Detection for DC/DC Converter Fault Diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Bright L.

2011-01-01

The electrical power system of a spacecraft plays a very critical role for space mission success. Such a modern power system may contain numerous hybrid DC/DC converters both inside the power system electronics (PSE) units and onboard most of the flight electronics modules. One of the faulty conditions for DC/DC converter that poses serious threats to mission safety is the random occurrence of oscillation related to inherent instability characteristics of the DC/DC converters and design deficiency of the power systems. To ensure the highest reliability of the power system, oscillations in any form shall be promptly detected during part level testing, system integration tests, flight health monitoring, and on-board fault diagnosis. The popular gain/phase margin analysis method is capable of predicting stability levels of DC/DC converters, but it is limited only to verification of designs and to part-level testing on some of the models. This method has to inject noise signals into the control loop circuitry as required, thus, interrupts the DC/DC converter's normal operation and increases risks of degrading and damaging the flight unit. A novel technique to detect oscillations at early stage for flight hybrid DC/DC converters was developed.

New model of inverting substation for DC traction with regenerative braking system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omar, Abdul Malek Saidina; Samat, Ahmad Asri Abd; Isa, Siti Sarah Mat; Shamsuddin, Sarah Addyani; Jamaludin, Nur Fadhilah; Khyasudeen, Muhammad Farris

2017-08-01

This paper presents a power electronic devices application focus on modeling, analysis, and control of switching power converter in the inverting DC substation with regenerative braking system which is used to recycle the surplus regenerative power by feed it back to the main AC grid. The main objective of this research is to improve the switching power electronic converter of the railway inverting substation and optimize the maximum kinetic energy recovery together with minimum power losses from the railway braking system. Assess performance including efficiency and robustness will be evaluated in order to get the best solution for the design configuration. Research methodology included mathematical calculation, simulation, and detail analysis on modeling of switching power converter on inverting substation. The design stage separates to four main areas include rectification mode, regenerative mode, control inverter mode and filtering mode. The simulation result has shown that the regenerative inverter has a capability to accept a maximum recovery power on the regeneration mode. Total energy recovery has increase and power losses have decreases because inverter abilities to transfer the surplus energy back to the main AC supply. An Inverter controller with PWM Generator and PI Voltage Regulator has been designed to control voltage magnitude and frequency of the DC traction system.

Handling Density Conversion in TPS.

PubMed

Isobe, Tomonori; Mori, Yutaro; Takei, Hideyuki; Sato, Eisuke; Tadano, Kiichi; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Tomita, Tetsuya; Sakae, Takeji

2016-01-01

Conversion from CT value to density is essential to a radiation treatment planning system. Generally CT value is converted to the electron density in photon therapy. In the energy range of therapeutic photon, interactions between photons and materials are dominated with Compton scattering which the cross-section depends on the electron density. The dose distribution is obtained by calculating TERMA and kernel using electron density where TERMA is the energy transferred from primary photons and kernel is a volume considering spread electrons. Recently, a new method was introduced which uses the physical density. This method is expected to be faster and more accurate than that using the electron density. As for particle therapy, dose can be calculated with CT-to-stopping power conversion since the stopping power depends on the electron density. CT-to-stopping power conversion table is also called as CT-to-water-equivalent range and is an essential concept for the particle therapy.

Advanced Data Acquisition Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perotti, J.

2003-01-01

Current and future requirements of the aerospace sensors and transducers field make it necessary for the design and development of new data acquisition devices and instrumentation systems. New designs are sought to incorporate self-health, self-calibrating, self-repair capabilities, allowing greater measurement reliability and extended calibration cycles. With the addition of power management schemes, state-of-the-art data acquisition systems allow data to be processed and presented to the users with increased efficiency and accuracy. The design architecture presented in this paper displays an innovative approach to data acquisition systems. The design incorporates: electronic health self-check, device/system self-calibration, electronics and function self-repair, failure detection and prediction, and power management (reduced power consumption). These requirements are driven by the aerospace industry need to reduce operations and maintenance costs, to accelerate processing time and to provide reliable hardware with minimum costs. The project's design architecture incorporates some commercially available components identified during the market research investigation like: Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) Programmable Analog Integrated Circuits (PAC IC) and Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAA); Digital Signal Processing (DSP) electronic/system control and investigation of specific characteristics found in technologies like: Electronic Component Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF); and Radiation Hardened Component Availability. There are three main sections discussed in the design architecture presented in this document. They are the following: (a) Analog Signal Module Section, (b) Digital Signal/Control Module Section and (c) Power Management Module Section. These sections are discussed in detail in the following pages. This approach to data acquisition systems has resulted in the assignment of patent rights to Kennedy Space Center under U.S. patent # 6,462,684. Furthermore, NASA KSC commercialization office has issued licensing rights to Circuit Avenue Netrepreneurs, LLC , a minority-owned business founded in 1999 located in Camden, NJ.

Power System for Venus Surface Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.; Mellott, Kenneth

2002-01-01

A radioisotope power and cooling system is designed to provide electrical power for a probe operating on the surface of Venus. Most foreseeable electronics devices and sensors cannot operate at the 450 C ambient surface temperature of Venus. Because the mission duration is substantially long and the use of thermal mass to maintain an operable temperature range is likely impractical, some type of active refrigeration may be required to keep electronic components at a temperature below ambient. The fundamental cooling parameters are the cold sink temperature, the hot sink temperature, and the amount of heat to be removed. In this instance, it is anticipated that electronics would have a nominal operating temperature of 300 C. Due to the highly thermal convective nature of the high-density (90 bar CO2) atmosphere, the hot sink temperature was assumed to be 50 C, which provided a 500 C temperature of the cooler's heat rejecter to the ambient atmosphere. The majority of the heat load on the cooler is from the high temperature ambient surface environment on Venus, with a small contribution of heat generation from electronics and sensors. Both thermoelectric (RTG) and dynamic power conversion systems were analyzed, based on use of a standard isotope (General-purpose heat source, or GPHS) brick. For the radioisotope Stirling power converter configuration designed, the Sage model predicts a thermodynamic power output capacity of 478.1 watts, which slightly exceeds the required 469.1 watts. The hot sink temperature is 1200 C, and the cold sink temperature is 500 C. The required heat input is 1740 watts. This gives a thermodynamic efficiency of 27.48 %. It is estimated that the mechanical efficiency of the power converter design is on the order of 85 %, based on experimental measurements taken from 500-watt power class, laboratory-tested Stirling engines. The overall efficiency is calculated to be 23.36 %. The mass of the power converter is estimated at approximately 21.6 kg. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

The Design and Development of the SMEX-Lite Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rakow, Glenn P.; Schnurr, Richard G., Jr.; Solly, Michael A.

1998-01-01

This paper describes the design and development of a 250W orbit average electrical power system electronic Power Node and software for use in Low Earth Orbit missions. The mass of the Power Node is 3.6 Kg (8 lb.). The dimensions of the Power Node are 30cm x 26cm x 7.9cm (11 in. x 10.25 in x 3.1 in.) The design was realized using software, Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) digital logic and surface mount technology. The design is generic enough to reduce the non-recurring engineering for different mission configurations. The Power Node charges one to five, low cost, 22-cell 4 AH D-cell battery packs independently. The battery charging algorithms are executed in the power software to reduce the mass and size of the power electronic. The Power Node implements a peak-power tracking algorithm using an innovative hardware/software approach. The power software task is hosted on the spacecraft processor. The power software task generates a MIL-STD-1553 command packet to update the Power Node control settings. The settings for the battery voltage and current limits, as well as minimum solar array voltage used to implement peak power tracking are contained in this packet. Several advanced topologies are used in the Power Node. These include synchronous rectification in the bus regulators, average current control in the battery chargers and quasi-resonant converters for the Field Effect Transistor (FET) transistor drive electronics. Lastly, the main bus regulator uses a feed-forward topology with the PWM implemented in an FPGA.

Progress & Frontiers in PV Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deline, Chris; DiOrio, Nick; Jordan, Dirk

2016-09-12

PowerPoint slides for a presentation given at Solar Power International 2016. Presentation includes System Advisor Model (SAM) introduction and battery modeling, bifacial PV modules and modeling, shade modeling and module level power electronics (MLPE), degradation rates, and PVWatts updates and validation.

Thin, nearly wireless adaptive optical device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowles, Gareth (Inventor); Hughes, Eli (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A thin, nearly wireless adaptive optical device capable of dynamically modulating the shape of a mirror in real time to compensate for atmospheric distortions and/or variations along an optical material is provided. The device includes an optical layer, a substrate, at least one electronic circuit layer with nearly wireless architecture, an array of actuators, power electronic switches, a reactive force element, and a digital controller. Actuators are aligned so that each axis of expansion and contraction intersects both substrate and reactive force element. Electronics layer with nearly wireless architecture, power electronic switches, and digital controller are provided within a thin-film substrate. The size and weight of the adaptive optical device is solely dominated by the size of the actuator elements rather than by the power distribution system.

Thin, nearly wireless adaptive optical device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowles, Gareth (Inventor); Hughes, Eli (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A thin, nearly wireless adaptive optical device capable of dynamically modulating the shape of a mirror in real time to compensate for atmospheric distortions and/or variations along an optical material is provided. The device includes an optical layer, a substrate, at least one electronic circuit layer with nearly wireless architecture, an array of actuators, power electronic switches, a reactive force element, and a digital controller. Actuators are aligned so that each axis of expansion and contraction intersects both substrate and reactive force element. Electronics layer with nearly wireless architecture, power electronic switches, and digital controller are provided within a thin-film substrate. The size and weight of the adaptive optical device is solely dominated by the size of the actuator elements rather than by the power distribution system.

Thin nearly wireless adaptive optical device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowles, Gareth J. (Inventor); Hughes, Eli (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A thin nearly wireless adaptive optical device capable of dynamically modulating the shape of a mirror in real time to compensate for atmospheric distortions and/or variations along an optical material is provided. The device includes an optical layer, a substrate, at least one electronic circuit layer with nearly wireless architecture, an array of actuators, power electronic switches, a reactive force element, and a digital controller. Actuators are aligned so that each axis of expansion and contraction intersects both substrate and reactive force element. Electronics layer with nearly wireless architecture, power electronic switches, and digital controller are provided within a thin-film substrate. The size and weight of the adaptive optical device is solely dominated by the size of the actuator elements rather than by the power distribution system.

Automatic Electronic Oxygen Supply

PubMed Central

Ford, Patricia; Hoodless, D. J.

1971-01-01

An automatic electronic oxygen system has been devised to supply an intensive care unit with a “fail-safe” supply of continuous oxygen. All parts of the system are fitted with alarms, as the oxygen powers gas-driven ventilators. Since the system is cheap it can be installed in hospitals where finance is limited. PMID:5278618

Study the effect on the electronic system made by photovoltaic power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhuoyun

2017-10-01

With the development of the social economy, the problem of the source is more and more prominent in the world. People always focus on the economic development and pay little attention to the environment pollution, which has brought a wide range of environment damages, like the greenhouse effect. The environment pollution has influenced our daily life. In this case, green energy and renewable energy gradually become the popular subsitutes for fossil fuel. In the new electronic system, renewable energy is playing an increasingly significant role as the most important part of the system. This thesis is mainly about the photovoltaic power generation in the electronic system with environmental-friendly energy and the stability of that system. In addition, we also puts forward some ideas about the promotion of some technologies to accelerate the speed of new energy development in our country.

Load optimised piezoelectric generator for powering battery-less TPMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blažević, D.; Kamenar, E.; Zelenika, S.

2013-05-01

The design of a piezoelectric device aimed at harvesting the kinetic energy of random vibrations on a vehicle's wheel is presented. The harvester is optimised for powering a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). On-road experiments are performed in order to measure the frequencies and amplitudes of wheels' vibrations. It is hence determined that the highest amplitudes occur in an unperiodic manner. Initial tests of the battery-less TPMS are performed in laboratory conditions where tuning and system set-up optimization is achieved. The energy obtained from the piezoelectric bimorph is managed by employing the control electronics which converts AC voltage to DC and conditions the output voltage to make it compatible with the load (i.e. sensor electronics and transmitter). The control electronics also manages the sleep/measure/transmit cycles so that the harvested energy is efficiently used. The system is finally tested in real on-road conditions successfully powering the pressure sensor and transmitting the data to a receiver in the car cockpit.

Dynamics of the line-start reluctance motor with rotor made of SMC material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smółka, Krzysztof; Gmyrek, Zbigniew

2017-12-01

Design and control of electric motors in such a way as to ensure the expected motor dynamics, are the problems studied for many years. Many researchers tried to solve this problem, for example by the design optimization or by the use of special control algorithms in electronic systems. In the case of low-power and fractional power motors, the manufacture cost of the final product is many times less than cost of electronic system powering them. The authors of this paper attempt to improve the dynamic of 120 W line-start synchronous reluctance motor, energized by 50 Hz mains (without any electronic systems). The authors seek a road enabling improvement of dynamics of the analyzed motor, by changing the shape and material of the rotor, in such a way to minimize the modification cost of the tools necessary for the motor production. After the initial selection, the analysis of four rotors having different tooth shapes, was conducted.

Design of power electronics for TVC EMA systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelms, R. Mark

1993-01-01

The Composite Development Division of the Propulsion Laboratory at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is currently developing a class of electromechanical actuators (EMA's) for use in space transportation applications such as thrust vector control (TVC) and propellant control valves (PCV). These high power servomechanisms will require rugged, reliable, and compact power electronic modules capable of modulating several hundred amperes of current at up to 270 volts. MSFC has selected the brushless dc motor for implementation in EMA's. This report presents the results of an investigation into the applicability of two new technologies, MOS-controlled thyristors (MCT's) and pulse density modulation (PDM), to the control of brushless dc motors in EMA systems. MCT's are new power semiconductor devices, which combine the high voltage and current capabilities of conventional thyristors and the low gate drive requirements of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET's). The commanded signals in a PDM system are synthesized using a series of sinusoidal pulses instead of a series of square pulses as in a pulse width modulation (PWM) system. A resonant dc link inverter is employed to generate the sinusoidal pulses in the PDM system. This inverter permits zero-voltage switching of all semiconductors which reduces switching losses and switching stresses. The objectives of this project are to develop and validate an analytical model of the MCT device when used in high power motor control applications and to design, fabricate, and test a prototype electronic circuit employing both MCT and PDM technology for controlling a brushless dc motor.

PIC simulation of the vacuum power flow for a 5 terawatt, 5 MV, 1 MA pulsed power system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Laqun; Zou, Wenkang; Liu, Dagang; Guo, Fan; Wang, Huihui; Chen, Lin

2018-03-01

In this paper, a 5 Terawatt, 5 MV, 1 MA pulsed power system based on vacuum magnetic insulation is simulated by the particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation method. The system consists of 50 100-kV linear transformer drive (LTD) cavities in series, using magnetically insulated induction voltage adder (MIVA) technology for pulsed power addition and transmission. The pulsed power formation and the vacuum power flow are simulated when the system works in self-limited flow and load-limited flow. When the pulsed power system isn't connected to the load, the downstream magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) works in the self-limited flow, the maximum of output current is 1.14 MA and the amplitude of voltage is 4.63 MV. The ratio of the electron current to the total current is 67.5%, when the output current reached the peak value. When the impedance of the load is 3.0 Ω, the downstream MITL works in the self-limited flow, the maximums of output current and the amplitude of voltage are 1.28 MA and 3.96 MV, and the ratio of the electron current to the total current is 11.7% when the output current reached the peak value. In addition, when the switches are triggered in synchronism with the passage of the pulse power flow, it effectively reduces the rise time of the pulse current.

Big power from walking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Illenberger, Patrin K.; Madawala, Udaya K.; Anderson, Iain A.

2016-04-01

Dielectric Elastomer Generators (DEG) offer an opportunity to capture the energy otherwise wasted from human motion. By integrating a DEG into the heel of standard footwear, it is possible to harness this energy to power portable devices. DEGs require substantial auxiliary systems which are commonly large, heavy and inefficient. A unique challenge for these low power generators is the combination of high voltage and low current. A void exists in the semiconductor market for devices that can meet these requirements. Until these become available, existing devices must be used in an innovative way to produce an effective DEG system. Existing systems such as the Bi-Directional Flyback (BDFB) and Self Priming Circuit (SPC) are an excellent example of this. The BDFB allows full charging and discharging of the DEG, improving power gained. The SPC allows fully passive voltage boosting, removing the priming source and simplifying the electronics. This paper outlines the drawbacks and benefits of active and passive electronic solutions for maximizing power from walking.

Integrated Power Source Grant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Traditional spacecraft power systems incorporate a solar array energy source, an energy storage element (battery), and battery charge control and bus voltage regulation electronics to provide continuous electrical power for spacecraft systems and instruments. Dedicated power conditioning components provide limited fault isolation between systems and instruments, while a centralized power-switching unit provides spacecraft load control. Battery undervoltage conditions are detected by the spacecraft processor, which removes fault conditions and non-critical loads before permanent battery damage can occur. Cost effective operation of a micro-sat constellation requires a fault tolerant spacecraft architecture that minimizes on-orbit operational costs by permitting autonomous reconfiguration in response to unexpected fault conditions. A new micro-sat power system architecture that enhances spacecraft fault tolerance and improves power system survivability by continuously managing the battery charge and discharge processes on a cell-by-cell basis has been developed. This architecture is based on the Integrated Power Source (US patent 5644207), which integrates dual junction solar cells, Lithium Ion battery cells, and processor based charge control electronics into a structural panel that can be deployed or used to form a portion of the outer shell of a micro-spacecraft. The first generation Integrated Power Source is configured as a one inch thick panel in which prismatic Lithium Ion battery cells are arranged in a 3x7 matrix (26VDC) and a 3x1 matrix (3.7VDC) to provide the required output voltages and load currents. A multi-layer structure holds the battery cells, as well as the thermal insulators that are necessary to protect the Lithium Ion battery cells from the extreme temperatures of the solar cell layer. Independent thermal radiators, located on the back of the panel, are dedicated to the solar cell array, the electronics, and the battery cell array. In deployed panel applications, these radiators maintain the battery cells in an appropriate operational temperature range.

Non-thermal particle acceleration in collisionless relativistic electron-proton reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, G. R.; Uzdensky, D. A.; Begelman, M. C.; Cerutti, B.; Nalewajko, K.

2018-02-01

Magnetic reconnection in relativistic collisionless plasmas can accelerate particles and power high-energy emission in various astrophysical systems. Whereas most previous studies focused on relativistic reconnection in pair plasmas, less attention has been paid to electron-ion plasma reconnection, expected in black hole accretion flows and relativistic jets. We report a comprehensive particle-in-cell numerical investigation of reconnection in an electron-ion plasma, spanning a wide range of ambient ion magnetizations σi, from the semirelativistic regime (ultrarelativistic electrons but non-relativistic ions, 10-3 ≪ σi ≪ 1) to the fully relativistic regime (both species are ultrarelativistic, σi ≫ 1). We investigate how the reconnection rate, electron and ion plasma flows, electric and magnetic field structures, electron/ion energy partitioning, and non-thermal particle acceleration depend on σi. Our key findings are: (1) the reconnection rate is about 0.1 of the Alfvénic rate across all regimes; (2) electrons can form concentrated moderately relativistic outflows even in the semirelativistic, small-σi regime; (3) while the released magnetic energy is partitioned equally between electrons and ions in the ultrarelativistic limit, the electron energy fraction declines gradually with decreased σi and asymptotes to about 0.25 in the semirelativistic regime; and (4) reconnection leads to efficient non-thermal electron acceleration with a σi-dependent power-law index, p(σ _i)˜eq const+0.7σ _i^{-1/2}. These findings are important for understanding black hole systems and lend support to semirelativistic reconnection models for powering non-thermal emission in blazar jets, offering a natural explanation for the spectral indices observed in these systems.

Status of the ITER Electron Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darbos, Caroline; Albajar, Ferran; Bonicelli, Tullio; Carannante, Giuseppe; Cavinato, Mario; Cismondi, Fabio; Denisov, Grigory; Farina, Daniela; Gagliardi, Mario; Gandini, Franco; Gassmann, Thibault; Goodman, Timothy; Hanson, Gregory; Henderson, Mark A.; Kajiwara, Ken; McElhaney, Karen; Nousiainen, Risto; Oda, Yasuhisa; Omori, Toshimichi; Oustinov, Alexander; Parmar, Darshankumar; Popov, Vladimir L.; Purohit, Dharmesh; Rao, Shambhu Laxmikanth; Rasmussen, David; Rathod, Vipal; Ronden, Dennis M. S.; Saibene, Gabriella; Sakamoto, Keishi; Sartori, Filippo; Scherer, Theo; Singh, Narinder Pal; Strauß, Dirk; Takahashi, Koji

2016-01-01

The electron cyclotron (EC) heating and current drive (H&CD) system developed for the ITER is made of 12 sets of high-voltage power supplies feeding 24 gyrotrons connected through 24 transmission lines (TL), to five launchers, four located in upper ports and one at the equatorial level. Nearly all procurements are in-kind, following general ITER philosophy, and will come from Europe, India, Japan, Russia and the USA. The full system is designed to couple to the plasma 20 MW among the 24 MW generated power, at the frequency of 170 GHz, for various physics applications such as plasma start-up, central H&CD and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activity control. The design takes present day technology and extends toward high-power continuous operation, which represents a large step forward as compared to the present state of the art. The ITER EC system will be a stepping stone to future EC systems for DEMO and beyond.

System and Method for an Integrated Satellite Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starin, Scott R. (Inventor); Sheikh, Salman I. (Inventor); Hesse, Michael (Inventor); Clagett, Charles E. (Inventor); Santos Soto, Luis H. (Inventor); Hesh, Scott V. (Inventor); Paschalidis, Nikolaos (Inventor); Ericsson, Aprille J. (Inventor); Johnson, Michael A. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

A system, method, and computer-readable storage devices for a 6U CubeSat with a magnetometer boom. The example 6U CubeSat can include an on-board computing device connected to an electrical power system, wherein the electrical power system receives power from at least one of a battery and at least one solar panel, a first fluxgate sensor attached to an extendable boom, a release mechanism for extending the extendable boom, at least one second fluxgate sensor fixed within the satellite, an ion neutral mass spectrometer, and a relativistic electron/proton telescope. The on-board computing device can receive data from the first fluxgate sensor, the at least one second fluxgate sensor, the ion neutral mass spectrometer, and the relativistic electron/proton telescope via the bus, and can then process the data via an algorithm to deduce a geophysical signal.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deline, Chris; Meydbray, Jenya; Donovan, Matt

The 2012 NREL report 'Photovoltaic Shading Testbed for Module-Level Power Electronics' provides a standard methodology for estimating the performance benefit of distributed power electronics under partial shading conditions. Since the release of the report, experiments have been conducted for a number of products and for different system configurations. Drawing from these experiences, updates to the test and analysis methods are recommended. Proposed changes in data processing have the benefit of reducing the sensitivity to measurement errors and weather variability, as well as bringing the updated performance score in line with measured and simulated values of the shade recovery benefit ofmore » distributed PV power electronics. Also, due to the emergence of new technologies including sub-module embedded power electronics, the shading method has been extended to include power electronics that operate at a finer granularity than the module level. An update to the method is proposed to account for these emerging technologies that respond to shading differently than module-level devices. The partial shading test remains a repeatable test procedure that attempts to simulate shading situations as would be experienced by typical residential or commercial rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems. Performance data for multiple products tested using this method are discussed, based on equipment from Enphase, Solar Edge, Maxim Integrated and SMA. In general, the annual recovery of shading losses from the module-level electronics evaluated is 25-35%, with the major difference between different trials being related to the number of parallel strings in the test installation rather than differences between the equipment tested. Appendix D data has been added in this update.« less

Nuclear Science Symposium, 19th, and Nuclear Power Systems Symposium, 4th, Miami, Fla., December 6-8, 1972, Proceedings.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Major topics covered include radiation monitoring instrumentation, nuclear circuits and systems, biomedical applications of nuclear radiation in diagnosis and therapy, plasma research for fusion power, reactor control and instrumentation, nuclear power standards, and applications of digital computers in nuclear power plants. Systems and devices for space applications are described, including the Apollo alpha spectrometer, a position sensitive detection system for UV and X-ray photons, a 4500-volt electron multiplier bias supply for satellite use, spark chamber systems, proportional counters, and other devices. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Probing Actinide Electronic Structure through Pu Cluster Calculations

DOE PAGES

Ryzhkov, Mickhail V.; Mirmelstein, Alexei; Yu, Sung-Woo; ...

2013-02-26

The calculations for the electronic structure of clusters of plutonium have been performed, within the framework of the relativistic discrete-variational method. Moreover, these theoretical results and those calculated earlier for related systems have been compared to spectroscopic data produced in the experimental investigations of bulk systems, including photoelectron spectroscopy. Observation of the changes in the Pu electronic structure as a function of size provides powerful insight for aspects of bulk Pu electronic structure.

Electrical power converter method and system employing multiple output converters

DOEpatents

Beihoff, Bruce C [Wauwatosa, WI; Radosevich, Lawrence D [Muskego, WI; Meyer, Andreas A [Richmond Heights, OH; Gollhardt, Neil [Fox Point, WI; Kannenberg, Daniel G [Waukesha, WI

2007-05-01

A support may receive one or more power electronic circuits. The support may aid in removing heat from the circuits through fluid circulating through the support. The support, in conjunction with other packaging features may form a shield from both external EMI/RFI and from interference generated by operation of the power electronic circuits. Features may be provided to permit and enhance connection of the circuitry to external circuitry, such as improved terminal configurations. Modular units may be assembled that may be coupled to electronic circuitry via plug-in arrangements or through interface with a backplane or similar mounting and interconnecting structures.

Electrical power converter method and system employing multiple-output converters

DOEpatents

Beihoff, Bruce C.; Radosevich, Lawrence D.; Meyer, Andreas A.; Gollhardt, Neil; Kannenberg, Daniel G.

2006-03-21

A support may receive one or more power electronic circuits. The support may aid in removing heat from the circuits through fluid circulating through the support. The support, in conjunction with other packaging features may form a shield from both external EMI/RFI and from interference generated by operation of the power electronic circuits. Features may be provided to permit and enhance connection of the circuitry to external circuitry, such as improved terminal configurations. Modular units may be assembled that may be coupled to electronic circuitry via plug-in arrangements or through interface with a backplane or similar mounting and interconnecting structures.

Thermal Performance Benchmarking: Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreno, Gilbert

2016-04-08

The goal for this project is to thoroughly characterize the performance of state-of-the-art (SOA) automotive power electronics and electric motor thermal management systems. Information obtained from these studies will be used to: Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of different thermal management strategies; establish baseline metrics for the thermal management systems; identify methods of improvement to advance the SOA; increase the publicly available information related to automotive traction-drive thermal management systems; help guide future electric drive technologies (EDT) research and development (R&D) efforts. The performance results combined with component efficiency and heat generation information obtained by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) maymore » then be used to determine the operating temperatures for the EDT components under drive-cycle conditions. In FY15, the 2012 Nissan LEAF power electronics and electric motor thermal management systems were benchmarked. Testing of the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid power electronics thermal management system started in FY15; however, due to time constraints it was not possible to include results for this system in this report. The focus of this project is to benchmark the thermal aspects of the systems. ORNL's benchmarking of electric and hybrid electric vehicle technology reports provide detailed descriptions of the electrical and packaging aspects of these automotive systems.« less

Electrical Properties and Power Considerations of a Piezoelectric Actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, T.; Ounaies, Z.; Tripp, J.; Tcheng, P.

1999-01-01

This paper assesses the electrical characteristics of piezoelectric wafers for use in aeronautical applications such as active noise control in aircraft. Determination of capacitive behavior and power consumption is necessary to optimize the system configuration and to design efficient driving electronics. Empirical relations are developed from experimental data to predict the capacitance and loss tangent of a PZT5A ceramic as nonlinear functions of both applied peak voltage and driving frequency. Power consumed by the PZT is the rate of energy required to excite the piezoelectric system along with power dissipated due to dielectric loss and mechanical and structural damping. Overall power consumption is thus quantified as a function of peak applied voltage and driving frequency. It was demonstrated that by incorporating the variation of capacitance and power loss with voltage and frequency, satisfactory estimates of power requirements can be obtained. These relations allow general guidelines in selection and application of piezoelectric actuators and driving electronics for active control applications.

Effect of working power and pressure on plasma properties during the deposition of TiN films in reactive magnetron sputtering plasma measured using Langmuir probe measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

How, Soo Ren; Nayan, Nafarizal; Khairul Ahmad, Mohd; Fhong Soon, Chin; Zainizan Sahdan, Mohd; Lias, Jais; Shuhaimi Abu Bakar, Ahmad; Arshad, Mohd Khairuddin Md; Hashim, Uda; Yazid Ahmad, Mohd

2018-04-01

The ion, electron density and electron temperature during formation of TiN films in reactive magnetron sputtering system have been investigated for various settings of radio frequency (RF) power and working pressure by using Langmuir probe measurements. The RF power and working pressure able to affect the densities and plasma properties during the deposition process. In this work, a working pressure (100 and 20 mTorr) and RF power (100, 150 and 200 W) have been used for data acquisition of probe measurement. Fundamental of studied on sputter deposition is very important for improvement of film quality and deposition rate. Higher working pressure and RF power able to produce a higher ion density and reduction of electron temperature.

Power Electronic Semiconductor Materials for Automotive and Energy Saving Applications - SiC, GaN, Ga2O3, and Diamond.

PubMed

Wellmann, Peter J

2017-11-17

Power electronics belongs to the future key technologies in order to increase system efficiency as well as performance in automotive and energy saving applications. Silicon is the major material for electronic switches since decades. Advanced fabrication processes and sophisticated electronic device designs have optimized the silicon electronic device performance almost to their theoretical limit. Therefore, to increase the system performance, new materials that exhibit physical and chemical properties beyond silicon need to be explored. A number of wide bandgap semiconductors like silicon carbide, gallium nitride, gallium oxide, and diamond exhibit outstanding characteristics that may pave the way to new performance levels. The review will introduce these materials by (i) highlighting their properties, (ii) introducing the challenges in materials growth, and (iii) outlining limits that need innovation steps in materials processing to outperform current technologies.

Power Electronic Semiconductor Materials for Automotive and Energy Saving Applications – SiC, GaN, Ga2O3, and Diamond

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Power electronics belongs to the future key technologies in order to increase system efficiency as well as performance in automotive and energy saving applications. Silicon is the major material for electronic switches since decades. Advanced fabrication processes and sophisticated electronic device designs have optimized the silicon electronic device performance almost to their theoretical limit. Therefore, to increase the system performance, new materials that exhibit physical and chemical properties beyond silicon need to be explored. A number of wide bandgap semiconductors like silicon carbide, gallium nitride, gallium oxide, and diamond exhibit outstanding characteristics that may pave the way to new performance levels. The review will introduce these materials by (i) highlighting their properties, (ii) introducing the challenges in materials growth, and (iii) outlining limits that need innovation steps in materials processing to outperform current technologies. PMID:29200530

Operational compatibility of 30-centimeter-diameter ion thruster with integrally regulated solar array power source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooder, S. T.

1977-01-01

System tests were performed in which Integrally Regulated Solar Arrays (IRSA's) were used to directly power the beam and accelerator loads of a 30-cm-diameter, electron bombardment, mercury ion thruster. The remaining thruster loads were supplied from conventional power-processing circuits. This combination of IRSA's and conventional circuits formed a hybrid power processor. Thruster performance was evaluated at 3/4- and 1-A beam currents with both the IRSA-hybrid and conventional power processors and was found to be identical for both systems. Power processing is significantly more efficient with the hybrid system. System dynamics and IRSA response to thruster arcs are also examined.

Telecommunications in cometary environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flock, W. L.

1981-01-01

Propagation effects on telecommunications in a cometary environment include those due to dust, the inhomogeneous plasma of the coma and tail, and ionization generated by impact of neutral molecules and dust on the spacecraft. Attenuation caused by dust particles is estimated to be on the order of 10 to the minus 5th power dB for the Halley Intercept Mission. Ionization generated by impact on the spacecraft is estimated to result in an electron content of 10 to the 12th power to 10 to the 13th power el/sq meters (3 eV electrons) along the telecommunications path. An estimate of the electron content due to Comet Halley itself is 10 to the 16th power to 10 to the 17th power el/sq meters, compared to a content of 10 to the 16th power to 10 to the 18th power el/sq meters for the Earth's ionosphere and 10 to the 17th power to 10 to the 18th power el/sq meters for the interplanetary medium. The electron content of the plasma near Comet Halley will cause excess range delay, and a Doppler shift of the signal from the spacecraft will occur in propagation to the rate of change of the path electron content. It is recommended that S and X down-link frequencies by employed to monitor the path electron content and amplitude scintillation and spectral broadening of the received signals. These measurements will provide a quantitative base of knowledge that will be valuable for radio science and telecommunications system design purposes.

Relativistic twistron based on backward-wave oscillator with modulating reflector and an efficiency of 56%

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Totmeninov, E. M.; Pegel, I. V.; Tarakanov, V. P.

2017-06-01

Using numerical simulation, the operating mode of a relativistic Cherenkov microwave generator of the twistronic type has been demonstrated. The generator includes an electrodynamic system based on a backward-wave oscillator and modulating reflector with nonmonotonous, highly nonuniform energy exchange along the length of the system. The efficiency of power conversion from the electron beam to electromagnetic radiation is 56%, and the electronic efficiency is 66%. For an accelerating voltage of 340 kV and an electron beam current of 3.3 kA, the simulated generation power is 630 MW at a frequency of 9.7 GHz and a guiding magnetic field of 2.2 T.

Preliminary design study of a higher harmonic blade feathering control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powers, R. W.

1980-01-01

The feasibility to incorporate an active higher harmonic control (HHC) system on an OH-6A rotorcraft was demonstrated. The introduction of continuously modulated low amplitude 4P feathering showed potential for reducing rotor transmitted oscillatory loads. The design implementation of this system on a baseline OH-6A required generation of a hydraulic power system, control actuator placement and design integration of an electronic subsystem comprised of an electronic control unit (ECU) and digital microcomputer. Various placements of the HHC actuators in the primary control system are evaluated. Assembly drawings of the actuator concepts and control rigging are presented. The advantages of generating both hydraulic power and 4F control motions in the nonrotating system is confirmed.

Electronics for Deep Space Cryogenic Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, R. L.; Hammond, A.; Dickman, J. E.; Gerber, S. S.; Elbuluk, M. E.; Overton, E.

2002-01-01

Deep space probes and planetary exploration missions require electrical power management and control systems that are capable of efficient and reliable operation in very cold temperature environments. Typically, in deep space probes, heating elements are used to keep the spacecraft electronics near room temperature. The utilization of power electronics designed for and operated at low temperature will contribute to increasing efficiency and improving reliability of space power systems. At NASA Glenn Research Center, commercial-off-the-shelf devices as well as developed components are being investigated for potential use at low temperatures. These devices include semiconductor switching devices, magnetics, and capacitors. Integrated circuits such as digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters, DC/DC converters, operational amplifiers, and oscillators are also being evaluated. In this paper, results will be presented for selected analog-to-digital converters, oscillators, DC/DC converters, and pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers.

A 65nm CMOS low-power MedRadio-band integer-N cascaded phase-locked loop for implantable medical systems.

PubMed

Wang, Yi-Xiao; Chen, Wei-Ming; Wu, Chung-Yu

2014-01-01

This paper presents a low-power MedRadio-band integer-N phase-locked Loop (PLL) system which is composed of two charge-pump PLLs cascade connected. The PLL provides the operation clock and local carrier signals for an implantable medical electronic system. In addition, to avoid the off-chip crystal oscillator, the 13.56 MHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band signal from the wireless power transmission system is adopted as the input reference signal for the PLL. Ring-based voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) with current control units are adopted to reduce chip area and power dissipation. The proposed cascaded PLL system is designed and implemented in TSMC 65-nm CMOS technology. The measured jitter for 216.96 MHz signal is 12.23 ps and the phase noise is -65.9 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz frequency offset under 402.926 MHz carrier frequency. The measured power dissipations are 66 μW in the first PLL and 195 μW in the whole system under 1-V supply voltage. The chip area is 0.1088 mm(2) and no off-chip component is required which is suitable for the integration of the implantable medical electronic system.

Electron beam diagnostic for profiling high power beams

DOEpatents

Elmer, John W [Danville, CA; Palmer, Todd A [Livermore, CA; Teruya, Alan T [Livermore, CA

2008-03-25

A system for characterizing high power electron beams at power levels of 10 kW and above is described. This system is comprised of a slit disk assembly having a multitude of radial slits, a conducting disk with the same number of radial slits located below the slit disk assembly, a Faraday cup assembly located below the conducting disk, and a start-stop target located proximate the slit disk assembly. In order to keep the system from over-heating during use, a heat sink is placed in close proximity to the components discussed above, and an active cooling system, using water, for example, can be integrated into the heat sink. During use, the high power beam is initially directed onto a start-stop target and after reaching its full power is translated around the slit disk assembly, wherein the beam enters the radial slits and the conducting disk radial slits and is detected at the Faraday cup assembly. A trigger probe assembly can also be integrated into the system in order to aid in the determination of the proper orientation of the beam during reconstruction. After passing over each of the slits, the beam is then rapidly translated back to the start-stop target to minimize the amount of time that the high power beam comes in contact with the slit disk assembly. The data obtained by the system is then transferred into a computer system, where a computer tomography algorithm is used to reconstruct the power density distribution of the beam.

LED lamp power management system and method

DOEpatents

Gaines, James; Clauberg, Bernd; Van Erp, Josephus A. M.

2013-03-19

An LED lamp power management system and method including an LED lamp having an LED controller 58; a plurality of LED channels 60 operably connected to the LED controller 58, each of the plurality of LED channels 60 having a channel switch 62 in series with at least one shunted LED circuit 83, the shunted LED circuit 83 having a shunt switch 68 in parallel with an LED source 80. The LED controller 58 reduces power loss in one of the channel switch 62 and the shunt switch 68 when LED lamp electronics power loss (P.sub.loss) exceeds an LED lamp electronics power loss limit (P.sub.lim); and each of the channel switches 62 receives a channel switch control signal 63 from the LED controller 58 and each of the shunt switches 68 receives a shunt switch control signal 69 from the LED controller 58.

Ultralow-power electronics for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Chandrakasan, Anantha P; Verma, Naveen; Daly, Denis C

2008-01-01

The electronics of a general biomedical device consist of energy delivery, analog-to-digital conversion, signal processing, and communication subsystems. Each of these blocks must be designed for minimum energy consumption. Specific design techniques, such as aggressive voltage scaling, dynamic power-performance management, and energy-efficient signaling, must be employed to adhere to the stringent energy constraint. The constraint itself is set by the energy source, so energy harvesting holds tremendous promise toward enabling sophisticated systems without straining user lifestyle. Further, once harvested, efficient delivery of the low-energy levels, as well as robust operation in the aggressive low-power modes, requires careful understanding and treatment of the specific design limitations that dominate this realm. We outline the performance and power constraints of biomedical devices, and present circuit techniques to achieve complete systems operating down to power levels of microwatts. In all cases, approaches that leverage advanced technology trends are emphasized.

Space Solar Power: Satellite Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Little, Frank E.

1999-01-01

Space Solar Power (SSP) applies broadly to the use of solar power for space related applications. The thrust of the NASA SSP initiative is to develop concepts and demonstrate technology for applying space solar power to NASA missions. Providing power from satellites in space via wireless transmission to a receiving station either on earth, another celestial body or a second satellite is one goal of the SSP initiative. The sandwich design is a satellite design in which the microwave transmitting array is the front face of a thin disk and the back of the disk is populated with solar cells, with the microwave electronics in between. The transmitter remains aimed at the earth in geostationary orbit while a system of mirrors directs sunlight to the photovoltaic cells, regardless of the satellite's orientation to the sun. The primary advantage of the sandwich design is it eliminates the need for a massive and complex electric power management and distribution system for the satellite. However, it requires a complex system for focusing sunlight onto the photovoltaic cells. In addition, positioning the photovoltaic array directly behind the transmitting array power conversion electronics will create a thermal management challenge. This project focused on developing designs and finding emerging technology to meet the challenges of solar tracking, a concentrating mirror system including materials and coatings, improved photovoltaic materials and thermal management.

Development of Electronics for Low-Temperature Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Richard L.; Hammoud, Ahmad; Dickman, John E.; Gerber, Scott S.; Overton, Eric

2001-01-01

Electronic systems that are capable of operating at cryogenic temperatures will be needed for many future NASA space missions, including deep space probes and spacecraft for planetary surface exploration. In addition to being able to survive the harsh deep space environment, low-temperature electronics would help improve circuit performance, increase system efficiency, and reduce payload development and launch costs. Terrestrial applications where components and systems must operate in low-temperature environments include cryogenic instrumentation, superconducting magnetic energy storage, magnetic levitation transportation systems, and arctic exploration. An ongoing research and development project for the design, fabrication, and characterization of low-temperature electronics and supporting technologies at NASA Glenn Research Center focuses on efficient power systems capable of surviving in and exploiting the advantages of low-temperature environments. Supporting technologies include dielectric and insulating materials, semiconductor devices, passive power components, optoelectronic devices, and packaging and integration of the developed components into prototype flight hardware. An overview of the project is presented, including a description of the test facilities, a discussion of selected data from component testing, and a presentation of ongoing research activities being performed in collaboration with various organizations.

High Penetration Photovoltaic Power Electronics and Energy Management Technology Research, Development and Demonstration: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-13-517

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hudgins, Andrew P.

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc., will partner with DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to conduct research and development to demonstrate technologies that will increase the penetration of photovoltaic (PV) technologies for commercial and utility applications. Standard PV power control systems use simple control techniques that only provide real power to the grid. A focus of this partnership is to demonstrate how state of the art control and power electronic technologies can be combined to create a utility interactive control platform.

Modeling and control of hybrid wind/photovoltaic/fuel cell distributed generation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Caisheng

Due to ever increasing energy consumption, rising public awareness of environmental protection, and steady progress in power deregulation, alternative (i.e., renewable and fuel cell based) distributed generation (DG) systems have attracted increased interest. Wind and photovoltaic (PV) power generation are two of the most promising renewable energy technologies. Fuel cell (FC) systems also show great potential in DG applications of the future due to their fast technology development and many merits they have, such as high efficiency, zero or low emission (of pollutant gases) and flexible modular structure. The modeling and control of a hybrid wind/PV/FC DG system is addressed in this dissertation. Different energy sources in the system are integrated through an AC bus. Dynamic models for the main system components, namely, wind energy conversion system (WECS), PV energy conversion system (PVECS), fuel cell, electrolyzer, power electronic interfacing circuits, battery, hydrogen storage tank, gas compressor and gas pressure regulator, are developed. Two types of fuel cells have been modeled in this dissertation: proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Power control of a grid-connected FC system as well as load mitigation control of a stand-alone FC system are investigated. The pitch angle control for WECS, the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control for PVECS, and the control for electrolyzer and power electronic devices, are also addressed in the dissertation. Based on the dynamic component models, a simulation model for the proposed hybrid energy system has been developed using MATLAB/Simulink. The overall power management strategy for coordinating the power flows among the different energy sources is presented in the dissertation. Simulation studies have been carried out to verify the system performance under different scenarios using a practical load profile and real weather data. The results show that the overall power management strategy is effective and the power flows among the different energy sources and the load demand is balanced successfully. The DG's impacts on the existing power system are also investigated in this dissertation. Analytical methods for finding optimal sites to deploy DG sources in power systems are presented and verified with simulation studies.

Digitally controlled high-performance dc SQUID readout electronics for a 304-channel vector magnetometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bechstein, S.; Petsche, F.; Scheiner, M.; Drung, D.; Thiel, F.; Schnabel, A.; Schurig, Th

2006-06-01

Recently, we have developed a family of dc superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) readout electronics for several applications. These electronics comprise a low-noise preamplifier followed by an integrator, and an analog SQUID bias circuit. A highly-compact low-power version with a flux-locked loop bandwidth of 0.3 MHz and a white noise level of 1 nV/√Hz was specially designed for a 304-channel low-Tc dc SQUID vector magnetometer, intended to operate in the new Berlin Magnetically Shielded Room (BMSR-2). In order to minimize the space needed to mount the electronics on top of the dewar and to minimize the power consumption, we have integrated four electronics channels on one 3 cm × 10 cm sized board. Furthermore we embedded the analog components of these four channels into a digitally controlled system including an in-system programmable microcontroller. Four of these integrated boards were combined to one module with a size of 4 cm × 4 cm × 16 cm. 19 of these modules were implemented, resulting in a total power consumption of about 61 W. To initialize the 304 channels and to service the system we have developed software tools running on a laptop computer. By means of these software tools the microcontrollers are fed with all required data such as the working points, the characteristic parameters of the sensors (noise, voltage swing), or the sensor position inside of the vector magnetometer system. In this paper, the developed electronics including the software tools are described, and first results are presented.

Refrigerant directly cooled capacitors

DOEpatents

Hsu, John S [Oak Ridge, TN; Seiber, Larry E [Oak Ridge, TN; Marlino, Laura D [Oak Ridge, TN; Ayers, Curtis W [Kingston, TN

2007-09-11

The invention is a direct contact refrigerant cooling system using a refrigerant floating loop having a refrigerant and refrigeration devices. The cooling system has at least one hermetic container disposed in the refrigerant floating loop. The hermetic container has at least one electronic component selected from the group consisting of capacitors, power electronic switches and gating signal module. The refrigerant is in direct contact with the electronic component.

Energy efficiency evaluation of a stationary lithium-ion battery container storage system via electro-thermal modeling and detailed component analysis

DOE PAGES

Schimpe, Michael; Naumann, Maik; Truong, Nam; ...

2017-11-08

Energy efficiency is a key performance indicator for battery storage systems. A detailed electro-thermal model of a stationary lithium-ion battery system is developed and an evaluation of its energy efficiency is conducted. The model offers a holistic approach to calculating conversion losses and auxiliary power consumption. Sub-models for battery rack, power electronics, thermal management as well as the control and monitoring components are developed and coupled to a comprehensive model. The simulation is parametrized based on a prototype 192 kWh system using lithium iron phosphate batteries connected to the low voltage grid. The key loss mechanisms are identified, thoroughly analyzedmore » and modeled. Generic profiles featuring various system operation modes are evaluated to show the characteristics of stationary battery systems. Typically the losses in the power electronics outweigh the losses in the battery at low power operating points. The auxiliary power consumption dominates for low system utilization rates. For estimation of real-world performance, the grid applications Primary Control Reserve, Secondary Control Reserve and the storage of surplus photovoltaic power are evaluated. Conversion round-trip efficiency is in the range of 70-80%. Finally, overall system efficiency, which also considers system power consumption, is 8-13 percentage points lower for Primary Control Reserve and the photovoltaic-battery application. However, for Secondary Control Reserve, the total round-trip efficiency is found to be extremely low at 23% due to the low energy throughput of this application type.« less

Energy efficiency evaluation of a stationary lithium-ion battery container storage system via electro-thermal modeling and detailed component analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schimpe, Michael; Naumann, Maik; Truong, Nam

Energy efficiency is a key performance indicator for battery storage systems. A detailed electro-thermal model of a stationary lithium-ion battery system is developed and an evaluation of its energy efficiency is conducted. The model offers a holistic approach to calculating conversion losses and auxiliary power consumption. Sub-models for battery rack, power electronics, thermal management as well as the control and monitoring components are developed and coupled to a comprehensive model. The simulation is parametrized based on a prototype 192 kWh system using lithium iron phosphate batteries connected to the low voltage grid. The key loss mechanisms are identified, thoroughly analyzedmore » and modeled. Generic profiles featuring various system operation modes are evaluated to show the characteristics of stationary battery systems. Typically the losses in the power electronics outweigh the losses in the battery at low power operating points. The auxiliary power consumption dominates for low system utilization rates. For estimation of real-world performance, the grid applications Primary Control Reserve, Secondary Control Reserve and the storage of surplus photovoltaic power are evaluated. Conversion round-trip efficiency is in the range of 70-80%. Finally, overall system efficiency, which also considers system power consumption, is 8-13 percentage points lower for Primary Control Reserve and the photovoltaic-battery application. However, for Secondary Control Reserve, the total round-trip efficiency is found to be extremely low at 23% due to the low energy throughput of this application type.« less

Monitoring system including an electronic sensor platform and an interrogation transceiver

DOEpatents

Kinzel, Robert L.; Sheets, Larry R.

2003-09-23

A wireless monitoring system suitable for a wide range of remote data collection applications. The system includes at least one Electronic Sensor Platform (ESP), an Interrogator Transceiver (IT) and a general purpose host computer. The ESP functions as a remote data collector from a number of digital and analog sensors located therein. The host computer provides for data logging, testing, demonstration, installation checkout, and troubleshooting of the system. The IT transmits signals from one or more ESP's to the host computer to the ESP's. The IT host computer may be powered by a common power supply, and each ESP is individually powered by a battery. This monitoring system has an extremely low power consumption which allows remote operation of the ESP for long periods; provides authenticated message traffic over a wireless network; utilizes state-of-health and tamper sensors to ensure that the ESP is secure and undamaged; has robust housing of the ESP suitable for use in radiation environments; and is low in cost. With one base station (host computer and interrogator transceiver), multiple ESP's may be controlled at a single monitoring site.

Power System Electronics Accommodation for a Lithium Ion Battery on the Space Technology 5 (ST5) Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castell, Karen; Day, John H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

ST5 mission requirements include validation of Lithium-ion battery in orbit. Accommodation in the power system for Li-ion battery can be reduced with smaller amp-hour size, highly matched cells when compared to the larger amp-hour size approach. Result can be lower system mass and increased reliability.

Nuclear Science Symposium, 31st and Symposium on Nuclear Power Systems, 16th, Orlando, FL, October 31-November 2, 1984, Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biggerstaff, J. A. (Editor)

1985-01-01

Topics related to physics instrumentation are discussed, taking into account cryostat and electronic development associated with multidetector spectrometer systems, the influence of materials and counting-rate effects on He-3 neutron spectrometry, a data acquisition system for time-resolved muscle experiments, and a sensitive null detector for precise measurements of integral linearity. Other subjects explored are concerned with space instrumentation, computer applications, detectors, instrumentation for high energy physics, instrumentation for nuclear medicine, environmental monitoring and health physics instrumentation, nuclear safeguards and reactor instrumentation, and a 1984 symposium on nuclear power systems. Attention is given to the application of multiprocessors to scientific problems, a large-scale computer facility for computational aerodynamics, a single-board 32-bit computer for the Fastbus, the integration of detector arrays and readout electronics on a single chip, and three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation of the electron avalanche in a proportional counter.

Thermoelectric Properties of Complex Oxide Heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cain, Tyler Andrew

Thermoelectrics are a promising energy conversion technology for power generation and cooling systems. The thermal and electrical properties of the materials at the heart of thermoelectric devices dictate conversion efficiency and technological viability. Studying the fundamental properties of potentially new thermoelectric materials is of great importance for improving device performance and understanding the electronic structure of materials systems. In this dissertation, investigations on the thermoelectric properties of a prototypical complex oxide, SrTiO3, are discussed. Hybrid molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is used to synthesize La-doped SrTiO3 thin films, which exhibit high electron mobilities and large Seebeck coefficients resulting in large thermoelectric power factors at low temperatures. Large interfacial electron densities have been observed in SrTiO3/RTiO 3 (R=Gd,Sm) heterostructures. The thermoelectric properties of such heterostructures are investigated, including the use of a modulation doping approach to control interfacial electron densities. Low-temperature Seebeck coefficients of extreme electron-density SrTiO3 quantum wells are shown to provide insight into their electronic structure.

Real-Time Load-Side Control of Electric Power Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Changhong

Two trends are emerging from modern electric power systems: the growth of renewable (e.g., solar and wind) generation, and the integration of information technologies and advanced power electronics. The former introduces large, rapid, and random fluctuations in power supply, demand, frequency, and voltage, which become a major challenge for real-time operation of power systems. The latter creates a tremendous number of controllable intelligent endpoints such as smart buildings and appliances, electric vehicles, energy storage devices, and power electronic devices that can sense, compute, communicate, and actuate. Most of these endpoints are distributed on the load side of power systems, in contrast to traditional control resources such as centralized bulk generators. This thesis focuses on controlling power systems in real time, using these load side resources. Specifically, it studies two problems. (1) Distributed load-side frequency control: We establish a mathematical framework to design distributed frequency control algorithms for flexible electric loads. In this framework, we formulate a category of optimization problems, called optimal load control (OLC), to incorporate the goals of frequency control, such as balancing power supply and demand, restoring frequency to its nominal value, restoring inter-area power flows, etc., in a way that minimizes total disutility for the loads to participate in frequency control by deviating from their nominal power usage. By exploiting distributed algorithms to solve OLC and analyzing convergence of these algorithms, we design distributed load-side controllers and prove stability of closed-loop power systems governed by these controllers. This general framework is adapted and applied to different types of power systems described by different models, or to achieve different levels of control goals under different operation scenarios. We first consider a dynamically coherent power system which can be equivalently modeled with a single synchronous machine. We then extend our framework to a multi-machine power network, where we consider primary and secondary frequency controls, linear and nonlinear power flow models, and the interactions between generator dynamics and load control. (2) Two-timescale voltage control: The voltage of a power distribution system must be maintained closely around its nominal value in real time, even in the presence of highly volatile power supply or demand. For this purpose, we jointly control two types of reactive power sources: a capacitor operating at a slow timescale, and a power electronic device, such as a smart inverter or a D-STATCOM, operating at a fast timescale. Their control actions are solved from optimal power flow problems at two timescales. Specifically, the slow-timescale problem is a chance-constrained optimization, which minimizes power loss and regulates the voltage at the current time instant while limiting the probability of future voltage violations due to stochastic changes in power supply or demand. This control framework forms the basis of an optimal sizing problem, which determines the installation capacities of the control devices by minimizing the sum of power loss and capital cost. We develop computationally efficient heuristics to solve the optimal sizing problem and implement real-time control. Numerical experiments show that the proposed sizing and control schemes significantly improve the reliability of voltage control with a moderate increase in cost.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biewer, Theodore M.; Bigelow, Tim S.; Caneses Marin, Juan F.

The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure Experiment at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory utilizes a variety of power systems to generate and deliver a high heat flux plasma onto the surface of material targets. In the experiments described here, a deuterium plasma is produced via a ~100 kW, 13.56 MHz RF helicon source, to which ~20 kW of 28 GHz microwave power is applied. The electron density and temperature profiles are measured using a Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic, and indicate that the electron density is centrally peaked. In the core of the plasma column, the electron density is higher than themore » cut-off density (~0.9 × 1019 m -3) for the launched mixture of X- and O-mode electron cyclotron heating waves to propagate. TS measurements indicate electron temperature increases from ~5 eV to ~20 eV during 28 GHz power application when the neutral deuterium pressure is reduced below 0.13 Pa (~1 mTorr.).« less

Novel Low-Cost, Low-Power Miniature Thermionic Cathode Developed for Microwave/Millimeter Wave Tube and Cathode Ray Tube Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintucky, Edwin G.

1999-01-01

A low cost, small size and mass, low heater power, durable high-performance barium dispenser thermionic cathode has been developed that offers significant advancements in the design, manufacture, and performance of the electron sources used in vacuum electronic devices--such as microwave (and millimeter wave) traveling-wave tubes (TWT's)--and in display devices such as high-brightness, high-resolution cathode ray tubes (CRT's). The lower cathode heater power and the reduced size and mass of the new cathode are expected to be especially beneficial in TWT's for deep space communications, where future missions are requiring smaller spacecraft, higher data transfer rates (higher frequencies and radiofrequency output power), and greater electrical efficiency. Also expected to benefit are TWT's for commercial and government communication satellites, for both low and geosynchronous Earth orbit, with additional benefits offered by lower cost and potentially higher cathode current loading. A particularly important TWT application is in the microwave power module (MPM), which is a hybrid microwave (or millimeter wave) amplifier consisting of a low-noise solid state driver, a vacuum power booster (small TWT), and an electronic power conditioner integrated into a single compact package. The attributes of compactness and potentially high electrical efficiency make the MPM very attractive for many commercial and government (civilian and defense) applications in communication and radar systems. The MPM is already finding application in defense electronic systems and is under development by NASA for deep space communications. However, for the MPM to become competitive and commercially successful, a major reduction in cost must be achieved.

Pulsed Power Design for a Small Repetitively Pulsed Electron Beam Pumped KrF Laser

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-01

fusion energy (IFE) requirements for rep-rate, efficiency, durability and cost. We have designed a pulsed power system for the pre-amplifier in the Electra...new advanced pulsed power topology that can meet the fusion energy requirements for durability, repetition rate, and cost. The pulsed power will first

Plasma characteristics of argon glow discharge produced by AC power supply operating at low frequencies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kongpiboolkid, Watcharapon; Mongkolnavin, Rattachat; Plasma Technology and Nuclear Fusion Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok

2015-04-24

Non-thermal properties of Argon glow discharge operating with various operating pressures were measured and presented in this work. The Argon plasma is produced by a parallel conducting electrodes coupling with a high voltage AC power supply. The power supply can generate high AC voltage at various frequencies. The frequencies for the operation are in the range of a few kHz. The system is capable of generating electric field between the two metal electrodes discharge system. The characteristics of plasma produced were measured by optical emission spectroscopy (OES) technique where electron temperature (T{sub e}) and electron number density (n{sub e}) canmore » be determined by line intensity ratio method. The value of electron number density was then determined from the Saha-Eggert equation. Our results show that the electron number density of the discharge obtained is of the order of 10{sup −17} − 10{sup −18} m{sup −3} where the electron temperature is between 1.00−2.00 eV for various operating frequencies used which are in good agreement with similar results published earlier.« less

Active high-power RF switch and pulse compression system

DOEpatents

Tantawi, Sami G.; Ruth, Ronald D.; Zolotorev, Max

1998-01-01

A high-power RF switching device employs a semiconductor wafer positioned in the third port of a three-port RF device. A controllable source of directed energy, such as a suitable laser or electron beam, is aimed at the semiconductor material. When the source is turned on, the energy incident on the wafer induces an electron-hole plasma layer on the wafer, changing the wafer's dielectric constant, turning the third port into a termination for incident RF signals, and. causing all incident RF signals to be reflected from the surface of the wafer. The propagation constant of RF signals through port 3, therefore, can be changed by controlling the beam. By making the RF coupling to the third port as small as necessary, one can reduce the peak electric field on the unexcited silicon surface for any level of input power from port 1, thereby reducing risk of damaging the wafer by RF with high peak power. The switch is useful to the construction of an improved pulse compression system to boost the peak power of microwave tubes driving linear accelerators. In this application, the high-power RF switch is placed at the coupling iris between the charging waveguide and the resonant storage line of a pulse compression system. This optically controlled high power RF pulse compression system can handle hundreds of Megawatts of power at X-band.

Power-Efficient, High-Current-Density, Long-Life Thermionic Cathode Developed for Microwave Amplifier Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintucky, Edwin G.

2002-01-01

A power-efficient, miniature, easily manufactured, reservoir-type barium-dispenser thermionic cathode has been developed that offers the significant advantages of simultaneous high electron-emission current density (>2 A/sq cm) and very long life (>100,000 hr of continuous operation) when compared with the commonly used impregnated-type barium-dispenser cathodes. Important applications of this cathode are a wide variety of microwave and millimeter-wave vacuum electronic devices, where high output power and reliability (long life) are essential. We also expect it to enable the practical development of higher purveyance electron guns for lower voltage and more reliable device operation. The low cathode heater power and reduced size and mass are expected to be particularly beneficial in traveling-wave-tube amplifiers (TWTA's) for space communications, where future NASA mission requirements include smaller onboard spacecraft systems, higher data transmission rates (high frequency and output power) and greater electrical efficiency.

Maximum wind energy extraction strategies using power electronic converters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Quincy Qing

2003-10-01

This thesis focuses on maximum wind energy extraction strategies for achieving the highest energy output of variable speed wind turbine power generation systems. Power electronic converters and controls provide the basic platform to accomplish the research of this thesis in both hardware and software aspects. In order to send wind energy to a utility grid, a variable speed wind turbine requires a power electronic converter to convert a variable voltage variable frequency source into a fixed voltage fixed frequency supply. Generic single-phase and three-phase converter topologies, converter control methods for wind power generation, as well as the developed direct drive generator, are introduced in the thesis for establishing variable-speed wind energy conversion systems. Variable speed wind power generation system modeling and simulation are essential methods both for understanding the system behavior and for developing advanced system control strategies. Wind generation system components, including wind turbine, 1-phase IGBT inverter, 3-phase IGBT inverter, synchronous generator, and rectifier, are modeled in this thesis using MATLAB/SIMULINK. The simulation results have been verified by a commercial simulation software package, PSIM, and confirmed by field test results. Since the dynamic time constants for these individual models are much different, a creative approach has also been developed in this thesis to combine these models for entire wind power generation system simulation. An advanced maximum wind energy extraction strategy relies not only on proper system hardware design, but also on sophisticated software control algorithms. Based on literature review and computer simulation on wind turbine control algorithms, an intelligent maximum wind energy extraction control algorithm is proposed in this thesis. This algorithm has a unique on-line adaptation and optimization capability, which is able to achieve maximum wind energy conversion efficiency through continuously improving the performance of wind power generation systems. This algorithm is independent of wind power generation system characteristics, and does not need wind speed and turbine speed measurements. Therefore, it can be easily implemented into various wind energy generation systems with different turbine inertia and diverse system hardware environments. In addition to the detailed description of the proposed algorithm, computer simulation results are presented in the thesis to demonstrate the advantage of this algorithm. As a final confirmation of the algorithm feasibility, the algorithm has been implemented inside a single-phase IGBT inverter, and tested with a wind simulator system in research laboratory. Test results were found consistent with the simulation results. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Microfluidic stretchable RF electronics.

PubMed

Cheng, Shi; Wu, Zhigang

2010-12-07

Stretchable electronics is a revolutionary technology that will potentially create a world of radically different electronic devices and systems that open up an entirely new spectrum of possibilities. This article proposes a microfluidic based solution for stretchable radio frequency (RF) electronics, using hybrid integration of active circuits assembled on flex foils and liquid alloy passive structures embedded in elastic substrates, e.g. polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This concept was employed to implement a 900 MHz stretchable RF radiation sensor, consisting of a large area elastic antenna and a cluster of conventional rigid components for RF power detection. The integrated radiation sensor except the power supply was fully embedded in a thin elastomeric substrate. Good electrical performance of the standalone stretchable antenna as well as the RF power detection sub-module was verified by experiments. The sensor successfully detected the RF radiation over 5 m distance in the system demonstration. Experiments on two-dimensional (2D) stretching up to 15%, folding and twisting of the demonstrated sensor were also carried out. Despite the integrated device was severely deformed, no failure in RF radiation sensing was observed in the tests. This technique illuminates a promising route of realizing stretchable and foldable large area integrated RF electronics that are of great interest to a variety of applications like wearable computing, health monitoring, medical diagnostics, and curvilinear electronics.

Silicon carbide, an emerging high temperature semiconductor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matus, Lawrence G.; Powell, J. Anthony

1991-01-01

In recent years, the aerospace propulsion and space power communities have expressed a growing need for electronic devices that are capable of sustained high temperature operation. Applications for high temperature electronic devices include development instrumentation within engines, engine control, and condition monitoring systems, and power conditioning and control systems for space platforms and satellites. Other earth-based applications include deep-well drilling instrumentation, nuclear reactor instrumentation and control, and automotive sensors. To meet the needs of these applications, the High Temperature Electronics Program at the Lewis Research Center is developing silicon carbide (SiC) as a high temperature semiconductor material. Research is focussed on developing the crystal growth, characterization, and device fabrication technologies necessary to produce a family of silicon carbide electronic devices and integrated sensors. The progress made in developing silicon carbide is presented, and the challenges that lie ahead are discussed.

FPGA platform for MEMS Disc Resonance Gyroscope (DRG) control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keymeulen, Didier; Peay, Chris; Foor, David; Trung, Tran; Bakhshi, Alireza; Withington, Phil; Yee, Karl; Terrile, Rich

2008-04-01

Inertial navigation systems based upon optical gyroscopes tend to be expensive, large, power consumptive, and are not long lived. Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) based gyros do not have these shortcomings; however, until recently, the performance of MEMS based gyros had been below navigation grade. Boeing and JPL have been cooperating since 1997 to develop high performance MEMS gyroscopes for miniature, low power space Inertial Reference Unit applications. The efforts resulted in demonstration of a Post Resonator Gyroscope (PRG). This experience led to the more compact Disc Resonator Gyroscope (DRG) for further reduced size and power with potentially increased performance. Currently, the mass, volume and power of the DRG are dominated by the size of the electronics. This paper will detail the FPGA based digital electronics architecture and its implementation for the DRG which will allow reduction of size and power and will increase performance through a reduction in electronics noise. Using the digital control based on FPGA, we can program and modify in real-time the control loop to adapt to the specificity of each particular gyro and the change of the mechanical characteristic of the gyro during its life time.

Reliable Breakdown Obtained in Silicon Carbide Rectifiers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.

1997-01-01

The High Temperature Integrated Electronics and Sensor (HTIES) Program at the NASA Lewis Research Center is currently developing silicon carbide (SiC) for use in harsh conditions where silicon, the semiconductor used in nearly all of today's electronics, cannot function. Silicon carbide's demonstrated ability to function under extreme high-temperature, high-power, and/or high-radiation conditions will enable significant improvements to a far-ranging variety of applications and systems. These range from improved high-voltage switching for energy savings in public electric power distribution and electric vehicles, to more powerful microwave electronics for radar and cellular communications, to sensor and controls for cleaner-burning, more fuel-efficient jet aircraft and automobile engines.

Methods and apparatus for cooling electronics

DOEpatents

Hall, Shawn Anthony; Kopcsay, Gerard Vincent

2014-12-02

Methods and apparatus are provided for choosing an energy-efficient coolant temperature for electronics by considering the temperature dependence of the electronics' power dissipation. This dependence is explicitly considered in selecting the coolant temperature T.sub.0 that is sent to the equipment. To minimize power consumption P.sub.Total for the entire system, where P.sub.Total=P.sub.0+P.sub.Cool is the sum of the electronic equipment's power consumption P.sub.0 plus the cooling equipment's power consumption P.sub.Cool, P.sub.Total is obtained experimentally, by measuring P.sub.0 and P.sub.Cool, as a function of three parameters: coolant temperature T.sub.0; weather-related temperature T.sub.3 that affects the performance of free-cooling equipment; and computational state C of the electronic equipment, which affects the temperature dependence of its power consumption. This experiment provides, for each possible combination of T.sub.3 and C, the value T.sub.0* of T.sub.0 that minimizes P.sub.Total. During operation, for any combination of T.sub.3 and C that occurs, the corresponding optimal coolant temperature T.sub.0* is selected, and the cooling equipment is commanded to produce it.

Effectiveness-weighted control method for a cooling system

DOEpatents

Campbell, Levi A.; Chu, Richard C.; David, Milnes P.; Ellsworth Jr., Michael J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.; Simons, Robert E.

2015-12-15

Energy efficient control of cooling system cooling of an electronic system is provided based, in part, on weighted cooling effectiveness of the components. The control includes automatically determining speed control settings for multiple adjustable cooling components of the cooling system. The automatically determining is based, at least in part, on weighted cooling effectiveness of the components of the cooling system, and the determining operates to limit power consumption of at least the cooling system, while ensuring that a target temperature associated with at least one of the cooling system or the electronic system is within a desired range by provisioning, based on the weighted cooling effectiveness, a desired target temperature change among the multiple adjustable cooling components of the cooling system. The provisioning includes provisioning applied power to the multiple adjustable cooling components via, at least in part, the determined control settings.

Effectiveness-weighted control of cooling system components

DOEpatents

Campbell, Levi A.; Chu, Richard C.; David, Milnes P.; Ellsworth Jr., Michael J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.; Simmons, Robert E.

2015-12-22

Energy efficient control of cooling system cooling of an electronic system is provided based, in part, on weighted cooling effectiveness of the components. The control includes automatically determining speed control settings for multiple adjustable cooling components of the cooling system. The automatically determining is based, at least in part, on weighted cooling effectiveness of the components of the cooling system, and the determining operates to limit power consumption of at least the cooling system, while ensuring that a target temperature associated with at least one of the cooling system or the electronic system is within a desired range by provisioning, based on the weighted cooling effectiveness, a desired target temperature change among the multiple adjustable cooling components of the cooling system. The provisioning includes provisioning applied power to the multiple adjustable cooling components via, at least in part, the determined control settings.

Development of a drive system for a sequential space camera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharpsteen, J. T.; Solheim, C. D.; Stoap, L. J.

1976-01-01

Breadboard models of single and dual motor drives for the shutter, claw and magazine of a space camera system were designed and tested. The single motor technique utilizes a single electronically commutated motor to drive the claw and shutter without resorting to a solenoid actuated clutch for pulse operation. Shutter speed is established by a combination of the cinemode speed and the opening of the conventional DAC two piece shutter. Pulse mode operation is obtained by applying power at a fixed clock rate and removing power at an appropriate point in the mechanical cycle such that the motor comes to rest by system friction. The dual motor approach utilizes a stepper motor to drive the shutter and an electronically commutated dc motor to drive the claw and magazine functions. The motors are synchronized electronically.

The invisible extension cord

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunn, Stanley V.

1998-01-01

The term, ``power beaming'', creates an image of a beam of focused electromagnetic radiation, possessing good transmission characteristics and sufficient intensity to effect the delivery of meaningful amounts of power to a designated receiver. High power, free-electron lasers are well suited for long range transmission of their laser beam to designated space receivers because their selective near infrared wave length can be adjusted to match the absorption characteristics of the receiver's photo voltaic cells. The typical system envisioned is comprised of a 200 kw free electron laser, possessing an over-all efficiency of 10%, and an optical beam director system equipped with appropriate tracking and atmospheric compensation capabilities. Such an installation located at four to five appropriate locations around the earth could provide remarkable benefits to the projected power demands for transfer and maneuvering into orbit and for operating future fleets of satellites.

Radiation Specifications for Fission Power Conversion Component Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowman, Cheryl L.; Shin, E. Eugene; Mireles, Omar R.; Radel, Ross F.; Qualls, A. Louis

2011-01-01

NASA has been supporting design studies and technology development that could provide power to an outpost on the moon, Mars, or an asteroid. One power-generation system that is independent of sunlight or power-storage limitations is a fission-based power plant. There is a wealth of terrestrial system heritage that can be transferred to the design and fabrication of a fission power system for space missions, but there are certain design aspects that require qualification. The radiation tolerance of the power conversion system requires scrutiny because the compact nature of a space power plant restricts the dose reduction methodologies compared to those used in terrestrial systems. An integrated research program has been conducted to establish the radiation tolerance of power conversion system-component materials. The radiation limit specifications proposed for a Fission Power System power convertor is 10 Mrad ionizing dose and 5 x 10(exp 14) neutron per square centimeter fluence for a convertor operating at 150 C. Specific component materials and their radiation tolerances are discussed. This assessment is for the power convertor hardware; electronic components are not covered here.

Power feasibility of implantable digital spike-sorting circuits for neural prosthetic systems.

PubMed

Zumsteg, Zachary S; Ahmed, Rizwan E; Santhanam, Gopal; Shenoy, Krishna V; Meng, Teresa H

2004-01-01

A new class of neural prosthetic systems aims to assist disabled patients by translating cortical neural activity into control signals for prosthetic devices. Based on the success of proof-of-concept systems in the laboratory, there is now considerable interest in increasing system performance and creating implantable electronics for use in clinical systems. A critical question that impacts system performance and the overall architecture of these systems is whether it is possible to identify the neural source of each action potential (spike sorting) in real-time and with low power. Low power is essential both for power supply considerations and heat dissipation in the brain. In this paper we report that several state-of-the-art spike sorting algorithms implemented in modern CMOS VLSI processes are expected to be power realistic.

Natural occupation numbers in two-electron quantum rings.

PubMed

Tognetti, Vincent; Loos, Pierre-François

2016-02-07

Natural orbitals (NOs) are central constituents for evaluating correlation energies through efficient approximations. Here, we report the closed-form expression of the NOs of two-electron quantum rings, which are prototypical finite-extension systems and new starting points for the development of exchange-correlation functionals in density functional theory. We also show that the natural occupation numbers for these two-electron paradigms are in general non-vanishing and follow the same power law decay as atomic and molecular two-electron systems.

Natural occupation numbers in two-electron quantum rings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tognetti, Vincent, E-mail: vincent.tognetti@univ-rouen.fr; Loos, Pierre-François

2016-02-07

Natural orbitals (NOs) are central constituents for evaluating correlation energies through efficient approximations. Here, we report the closed-form expression of the NOs of two-electron quantum rings, which are prototypical finite-extension systems and new starting points for the development of exchange-correlation functionals in density functional theory. We also show that the natural occupation numbers for these two-electron paradigms are in general non-vanishing and follow the same power law decay as atomic and molecular two-electron systems.

Thermo-mechanical behavior of power electronic packaging assemblies: From characterization to predictive simulation of lifetimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalverny, O.; Alexis, J.

2018-02-01

This article deals with thermo-mechanical behavior of power electronic modules used in several transportation applications as railway, aeronautic or automotive systems. Due to a multi-layered structures, involving different materials with a large variation of coefficient of thermal expansion, temperature variations originated from active or passive cycling (respectively from die dissipation or environmental constraint) induces strain and stresses field variations, giving fatigue phenomenon of the system. The analysis of the behavior of these systems and their dimensioning require the implementation of complex modeling strategies by both the multi-physical and the multi-scale character of the power modules. In this paper we present some solutions for studying the thermomechanical behavior of brazed assemblies as well as taking into account the interfaces represented by the numerous metallizations involved in the process assembly.

The 20 kilovolt rocket borne electron accelerator. [equipment specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, R.

1973-01-01

The accelerator system is a preprogrammed multi-voltage system capable of operating at a current level of 1/2 ampere at the 20 kilovolt level. The five major functional areas which comprise this system are: (1) Silver zinc battery packs; (2) the electron gun assembly; (3) gun control and opening circuits; (4) the telemetry conditioning section; and (5) the power conversion section.

Sideband instability analysis based on a one-dimensional high-gain free electron laser model

DOE PAGES

Tsai, Cheng-Ying; Wu, Juhao; Yang, Chuan; ...

2017-12-18

When an untapered high-gain free electron laser (FEL) reaches saturation, the exponential growth ceases and the radiation power starts to oscillate about an equilibrium. The FEL radiation power or efficiency can be increased by undulator tapering. For a high-gain tapered FEL, although the power is enhanced after the first saturation, it is known that there is a so-called second saturation where the FEL power growth stops even with a tapered undulator system. The sideband instability is one of the primary reasons leading to this second saturation. In this paper, we provide a quantitative analysis on how the gradient of undulatormore » tapering can mitigate the sideband growth. The study is carried out semianalytically and compared with one-dimensional numerical simulations. The physical parameters are taken from Linac Coherent Light Source-like electron bunch and undulator systems. The sideband field gain and the evolution of the radiation spectra for different gradients of undulator tapering are examined. It is found that a strong undulator tapering (~10 % ) provides effective suppression of the sideband instability in the postsaturation regime.« less

Sideband instability analysis based on a one-dimensional high-gain free electron laser model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsai, Cheng-Ying; Wu, Juhao; Yang, Chuan

When an untapered high-gain free electron laser (FEL) reaches saturation, the exponential growth ceases and the radiation power starts to oscillate about an equilibrium. The FEL radiation power or efficiency can be increased by undulator tapering. For a high-gain tapered FEL, although the power is enhanced after the first saturation, it is known that there is a so-called second saturation where the FEL power growth stops even with a tapered undulator system. The sideband instability is one of the primary reasons leading to this second saturation. In this paper, we provide a quantitative analysis on how the gradient of undulatormore » tapering can mitigate the sideband growth. The study is carried out semianalytically and compared with one-dimensional numerical simulations. The physical parameters are taken from Linac Coherent Light Source-like electron bunch and undulator systems. The sideband field gain and the evolution of the radiation spectra for different gradients of undulator tapering are examined. It is found that a strong undulator tapering (~10 % ) provides effective suppression of the sideband instability in the postsaturation regime.« less

Sideband instability analysis based on a one-dimensional high-gain free electron laser model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Cheng-Ying; Wu, Juhao; Yang, Chuan; Yoon, Moohyun; Zhou, Guanqun

2017-12-01

When an untapered high-gain free electron laser (FEL) reaches saturation, the exponential growth ceases and the radiation power starts to oscillate about an equilibrium. The FEL radiation power or efficiency can be increased by undulator tapering. For a high-gain tapered FEL, although the power is enhanced after the first saturation, it is known that there is a so-called second saturation where the FEL power growth stops even with a tapered undulator system. The sideband instability is one of the primary reasons leading to this second saturation. In this paper, we provide a quantitative analysis on how the gradient of undulator tapering can mitigate the sideband growth. The study is carried out semianalytically and compared with one-dimensional numerical simulations. The physical parameters are taken from Linac Coherent Light Source-like electron bunch and undulator systems. The sideband field gain and the evolution of the radiation spectra for different gradients of undulator tapering are examined. It is found that a strong undulator tapering (˜10 %) provides effective suppression of the sideband instability in the postsaturation regime.

An Overview of the MaRIE X-FEL and Electron Radiography LINAC RF Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bradley, Joseph Thomas III; Rees, Daniel Earl; Scheinker, Alexander

The purpose of the Matter-Radiation Interactions in Extremes (MaRIE) facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory is to investigate the performance limits of materials in extreme environments. The MaRIE facility will utilize a 12 GeV linac to drive an X-ray Free-Electron Laser (FEL). Most of the same linac will also be used to perform electron radiography. The main linac is driven by two shorter linacs; one short linac optimized for X-FEL pulses and one for electron radiography. The RF systems have historically been the one of the largest single component costs of a linac. We will describe the details of themore » different types of RF systems required by each part of the linacs. Starting with the High Power RF system, we will present our methodology for the choice of RF system peak power and pulselength with respect to klystron parameters, modulator parameters, performance requirements and relative costs. We will also present an overview of the Low Level RF systems that are proposed for MaRIE and briefly describe their use with some proposed control schemes.« less

Wearable Electronics and Smart Textiles: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Stoppa, Matteo; Chiolerio, Alessandro

2014-01-01

Electronic Textiles (e-textiles) are fabrics that feature electronics and interconnections woven into them, presenting physical flexibility and typical size that cannot be achieved with other existing electronic manufacturing techniques. Components and interconnections are intrinsic to the fabric and thus are less visible and not susceptible of becoming tangled or snagged by surrounding objects. E-textiles can also more easily adapt to fast changes in the computational and sensing requirements of any specific application, this one representing a useful feature for power management and context awareness. The vision behind wearable computing foresees future electronic systems to be an integral part of our everyday outfits. Such electronic devices have to meet special requirements concerning wearability. Wearable systems will be characterized by their ability to automatically recognize the activity and the behavioral status of their own user as well as of the situation around her/him, and to use this information to adjust the systems' configuration and functionality. This review focuses on recent advances in the field of Smart Textiles and pays particular attention to the materials and their manufacturing process. Each technique shows advantages and disadvantages and our aim is to highlight a possible trade-off between flexibility, ergonomics, low power consumption, integration and eventually autonomy. PMID:25004153

Wearable electronics and smart textiles: a critical review.

PubMed

Stoppa, Matteo; Chiolerio, Alessandro

2014-07-07

Electronic Textiles (e-textiles) are fabrics that feature electronics and interconnections woven into them, presenting physical flexibility and typical size that cannot be achieved with other existing electronic manufacturing techniques. Components and interconnections are intrinsic to the fabric and thus are less visible and not susceptible of becoming tangled or snagged by surrounding objects. E-textiles can also more easily adapt to fast changes in the computational and sensing requirements of any specific application, this one representing a useful feature for power management and context awareness. The vision behind wearable computing foresees future electronic systems to be an integral part of our everyday outfits. Such electronic devices have to meet special requirements concerning wearability. Wearable systems will be characterized by their ability to automatically recognize the activity and the behavioral status of their own user as well as of the situation around her/him, and to use this information to adjust the systems' configuration and functionality. This review focuses on recent advances in the field of Smart Textiles and pays particular attention to the materials and their manufacturing process. Each technique shows advantages and disadvantages and our aim is to highlight a possible trade-off between flexibility, ergonomics, low power consumption, integration and eventually autonomy.

75 FR 28663 - Government-Owned Inventions, Available for Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-21

... Case No.: LAR-17286-1: Miniature, Low-Power X-Ray Tube Using a Microchannel Electron Generator Electron... Metal Film Thermal Sensing System. Dated: May 17, 2010. Richard W. Sherman, Deputy General Counsel. [FR...

Extremely-efficient, miniaturized, long-lived alpha-voltaic power source using liquid gallium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, G. Jeffrey (Inventor); Patel, Jagdishbhai (Inventor); Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A power source converts .alpha.-particle energy to electricity for use in electrical systems. Liquid gallium or other liquid medium is subjected to .alpha.-particle emissions. Electrons are freed by collision from neutral gallium atoms to provide gallium ions. The electrons migrate to a cathode while the gallium ions migrate to an anode. A current and/or voltage difference then arises between the cathode and anode because of the work function difference of the cathode and anode. Gallium atoms are regenerated by the receiving of electrons from the anode enabling the generation of additional electrons from additional .alpha.-particle collisions.

Application of Bioelectrochemical Process (BES) for Electricity Generation and Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jung Rae

Bioelectrochemical system such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial electrolysis cell are an emerging technology which converts biodegradable organic matter to electrical energy or hydrogen using a biofilm on the electrode as the biocatalyst. It has recently been shown that waste-to-energy technology based on MFC can treat organic contaminant in domestic or industrial wastewater and simultaneously produce electricity. The maximum power density increased up to 1kW/m3 based on reactor volume. Bioelectrochemical systems may reduce the energy consumption for wastewater treatment by replacing energy intensive aeration of present treatment systems, while generate electrical energy from waste. In addition, the biomass production in MFCs has been reported to be 10-50% of conventional wastewater treatment, leading to reduce environmental impact and disposal costs. Various electrochemically active bacteria metabolize biodegradable organic compounds then discharge electrons to an extracellular electron acceptor for bacterial respiration. These bacteria also transfer electrons to electrodes by direct electron transfer, electron mediators or shuttles, and electrically conductive nanowires. Investigation of bacterial electron transport mechanisms may improve understanding of the biomaterial involved and metabolic pathways as well as improving power from MFCs. Biofuel cell systems require interdisciplinary research ranging from electrochemistry, microbiology, material science and surface chemistry to engineering such as reactor design, operation and modelling. Collaboration within each study and integration of systems might increase the performance and feasibility of BES process for sustainable energy.

Chemical Vapor Deposition Of Silicon Carbide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, J. Anthony; Larkin, David J.; Matus, Lawrence G.; Petit, Jeremy B.

1993-01-01

Large single-crystal SiC boules from which wafers of large area cut now being produced commerically. Availability of wafers opens door for development of SiC semiconductor devices. Recently developed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process produces thin single-crystal SiC films on SiC wafers. Essential step in sequence of steps used to fabricate semiconductor devices. Further development required for specific devices. Some potential high-temperature applications include sensors and control electronics for advanced turbine engines and automobile engines, power electronics for electromechanical actuators for advanced aircraft and for space power systems, and equipment used in drilling of deep wells. High-frequency applications include communication systems, high-speed computers, and microwave power transistors. High-radiation applications include sensors and controls for nuclear reactors.

Fabric-based integrated energy devices for wearable activity monitors.

PubMed

Jung, Sungmook; Lee, Jongsu; Hyeon, Taeghwan; Lee, Minbaek; Kim, Dae-Hyeong

2014-09-01

A wearable fabric-based integrated power-supply system that generates energy triboelectrically using human activity and stores the generated energy in an integrated supercapacitor is developed. This system can be utilized as either a self-powered activity monitor or as a power supply for external wearable sensors. These demonstrations give new insights for the research of wearable electronics. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High temperature electronics applications in space exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jurgens, R. F.

1981-01-01

The extension of the range of operating temperatures of electronic components and systems for planetary exploration is examined. In particular, missions which utilize balloon-borne instruments to study the Venusian and Jovian atmospheres are discussed. Semiconductor development and devices including power sources, ultrastable oscillators, transmitters, antennas, electromechanical devices, and deployment systems are addressed.

Impact of CALS on Electronic Publishing Systems and Users.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beazley, William G.

1990-01-01

The U.S. Department of Defense has begun using its buying power to enforce standards on the vendors and contractors of automatic data processing hardware and software. An example of this, the Computer-Aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (CALS) program, is described, and how it will affect electronic publishing systems is discussed. (five…

A self-powered biosensing device with an integrated hybrid biofuel cell for intermittent monitoring of analytes.

PubMed

Majdecka, Dominika; Draminska, Sylwia; Janusek, Dariusz; Krysinski, Paweł; Bilewicz, Renata

2018-04-15

In this work, we propose an integrated self-powered sensing system, driven by a hybrid biofuel cell (HBFC) with carbon paper discs coated with multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The sensing system has a biocathode made from laccase or bilirubin oxidase, and the anode is made from a zinc plate. The system includes a dedicated custom-built electronic control unit for the detection of oxygen and catechol analytes, which are central to medical and environmental applications. Both the HBFC and sensors, operate in a mediatorless direct electron transfer mode. The measured characteristics of the HBFC with externally applied resistance included the power-time dependencies under flow cell conditions, the sensors performance (evaluated by cyclic voltammetry), and chronoamperometry. The HBFC is integrated with analytical devices and operating in a pulse mode form long-run monitoring experiments. The HBFC generated sufficient power for wireless data transmission to a local computer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transparent and Flexible Self-Charging Power Film and Its Application in a Sliding Unlock System in Touchpad Technology.

PubMed

Luo, Jianjun; Tang, Wei; Fan, Feng Ru; Liu, Chaofeng; Pang, Yaokun; Cao, Guozhong; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-08-23

Portable and wearable personal electronics and smart security systems are accelerating the development of transparent, flexible, and thin-film electronic devices. Here, we report a transparent and flexible self-charging power film (SCPF) that functions either as a power generator integrated with an energy storage unit or as a self-powered information input matrix. The SCPF possesses the capability of harvesting mechanical energy from finger motions, based on the coupling between the contact electrification and electrostatic induction effects, and meanwhile storing the generated energy. Under the fast finger sliding, the film can be charged from 0 to 2.5 V within 2094 s and discharge at 1 μA for approximately 1630 s. Furthermore, the film is able to identify personal characteristics during a sliding motion by recording the electric signals related to the person's individual bioelectricity, applied pressing force, sliding speed, and so on, which shows its potential applications in security systems in touchpad technology.

Flexible self-powered piezo-supercapacitor system for wearable electronics.

PubMed

Gilshteyn, Evgenia P; Amanbaev, Daler; Silibin, Maxim V; Sysa, Artem; Kondrashov, Vladislav A; Anisimov, Anton S; Kallio, Tanja; Nasibulin, Albert G

2018-08-10

The integration of energy harvesting and energy storage in a single device both enables the conversion of ambient energy into electricity and provides a sustainable power source for various electronic devices and systems. On the other hand, mechanical flexibility, coupled with optical transparency of the energy storage devices, is required for many applications, ranging from self-powered rolled-up displays to wearable optoelectronic devices. We integrate a piezoelectric poly(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) film into a flexible supercapacitor system to harvest and store the energy. The asymmetric output characteristics of the piezoelectric P(VDF-TrFE) film under mechanical impacts results in effective charging of the supercapacitors. The integrated piezo-supercapacitor exhibits a specific capacitance of 50 F g -1 . The open-circuit voltage of the flexible and transparent supercapacitor reached 500 mV within 20 s during the mechanical action. Our hybridized energy harvesting and storage device can be further extended to provide a sustainable power source for various types of sensors integrated into wearable units.

Design and implementation of an improved chilled water glycol system for NICI array electronics thermal enclosure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gausachs, Gaston

2008-07-01

The Near Infrared Chronographic Imager (NICI) being commissioned at Gemini was upgraded with a more powerful Chilled Water Glycol System to address early overheating problems. The previous system was replaced with a completely new design favoring improved airflow and increased heat transfer capabilities. The research leading to this upgrade showed a significant lack of cooling power of the original design. The solution was a combination of commercial heat exchanger and fans and a custom built enclosure. As a prime infrared telescope facility, Gemini is very much interested in maintaining the least amount of heat dissipated to the ambient air. The results obtained through the implementation of this solution will be helpful in understanding the state of other existing electronics enclosures as well as those for new instruments to come. With the advent of electronic intensive AO systems, future electronics enclosures must take full advantage of improved cooling. This paper describes the design and implementation phases of the project. The results under maximum operating capacity proved to be within the expected theoretical values and were deemed successful.

SiC Integrated Circuits for Power Device Drivers Able to Operate in Harsh Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godignon, P.; Alexandru, M.; Banu, V.; Montserrat, J.; Jorda, X.; Vellvehi, M.; Schmidt, B.; Michel, P.; Millan, J.

2014-08-01

The currently developed SiC electronic devices are more robust to high temperature operation and radiation exposure damage than correspondingly rated Si ones. In order to integrate the existent SiC high power and high temperature electronics into more complex systems, a SiC integrated circuit (IC) technology capable of operation at temperatures substantially above the conventional ones is required. Therefore, this paper is a step towards the development of ICs-control electronics that have to attend the harsh environment power applications. Concretely, we present the development of SiC MESFET-based digital circuitry, able to integrate gate driver for SiC power devices. Furthermore, a planar lateral power MESFET is developed with the aim of its co-integration on the same chip with the previously mentioned SiC digital ICs technology. And finally, experimental results on SiC Schottky-gated devices irradiated with protons and electrons are presented. This development is based on the Tungsten-Schottky interface technology used for the fabrication of stable SiC Schottky diodes for the European Space Agency Mission BepiColombo.

Water reactive hydrogen fuel cell power system

DOEpatents

Wallace, Andrew P; Melack, John M; Lefenfeld, Michael

2014-01-21

A water reactive hydrogen fueled power system includes devices and methods to combine reactant fuel materials and aqueous solutions to generate hydrogen. The generated hydrogen is converted in a fuel cell to provide electricity. The water reactive hydrogen fueled power system includes a fuel cell, a water feed tray, and a fuel cartridge to generate power for portable power electronics. The removable fuel cartridge is encompassed by the water feed tray and fuel cell. The water feed tray is refillable with water by a user. The water is then transferred from the water feed tray into a fuel cartridge to generate hydrogen for the fuel cell which then produces power for the user.

Water reactive hydrogen fuel cell power system

DOEpatents

Wallace, Andrew P; Melack, John M; Lefenfeld, Michael

2014-11-25

A water reactive hydrogen fueled power system includes devices and methods to combine reactant fuel materials and aqueous solutions to generate hydrogen. The generated hydrogen is converted in a fuel cell to provide electricity. The water reactive hydrogen fueled power system includes a fuel cell, a water feed tray, and a fuel cartridge to generate power for portable power electronics. The removable fuel cartridge is encompassed by the water feed tray and fuel cell. The water feed tray is refillable with water by a user. The water is then transferred from the water feed tray into the fuel cartridge to generate hydrogen for the fuel cell which then produces power for the user.

Electronic circuitry development in a micropyrotechnic system for micropropulsion applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puig-Vidal, Manuel; Lopez, Jaime; Miribel, Pere; Montane, Enric; Lopez-Villegas, Jose M.; Samitier, Josep; Rossi, Carole; Camps, Thierry; Dumonteuil, Maxime

2003-04-01

An electronic circuitry is proposed and implemented to optimize the ignition process and the robustness of a microthruster. The principle is based on the integration of propellant material within a micromachined system. The operational concept is simply based on the combustion of an energetic propellant stored in a micromachined chamber. Each thruster contains three parts (heater, chamber, nozzle). Due to the one shot characteristic, microthrusters are fabricated in 2D array configuration. For the functioning of this kind of system, one critical point is the optimization of the ignition process as a function of the power schedule delivered by electronic devices. One particular attention has been paid on the design and implementation of an electronic chip to control and optimize the system ignition. Ignition process is triggered by electrical power delivered to a polysilicon resistance in contact with the propellant. The resistance is used to sense the temperature on the propellant which is in contact. Temperature of the microthruster node before the ignition is monitored via the electronic circuitry. A pre-heating process before ignition seems to be a good methodology to optimize the ignition process. Pre-heating temperature and pre-heating time are critical parameters to be adjusted. Simulation and experimental results will deeply contribute to improve the micropyrotechnic system. This paper will discuss all these point.

University of Maryland Energy Research Center |

Science.gov Websites

ENERGY MICRO POWER SYSTEMS ENERGY EFFICIENCY SMART GRID POWER ELECTRONICS RENEWABLE ENERGY NUCLEAR ENERGY most efficient use of our natural resources while minimizing environmental impacts and our dependence

Advances in Lithium-Sulfur Rechargeable Batteries Powering the Electronic Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skotheim, Terje; Akridge, Jim; Hyland, Bob

2001-01-01

This viewgraph presentation discusses the Moltech Corporation's history and structure, power systems development, product attributes, Li-S adapted products, cell construction, specific energy comparisons, and product requirements necessary for use in spacecraft applications.

Description of the PMAD DC test bed architecture and integration sequence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beach, R. F.; Trash, L.; Fong, D.; Bolerjack, B.

1991-01-01

NASA-Lewis is responsible for the development, fabrication, and assembly of the electric power system (EPS) for the Space Station Freedom (SSF). The SSF power system is radically different from previous spacecraft power systems in both the size and complexity of the system. Unlike past spacecraft power system the SSF EPS will grow and be maintained on orbit and must be flexible to meet changing user power needs. The SSF power system is also unique in comparison with terrestrial power systems because it is dominated by power electronic converters which regulate and control the power. Although spacecraft historically have used power converters for regulation they typically involved only a single series regulating element. The SSF EPS involves multiple regulating elements, two or more in series, prior to the load. These unique system features required the construction of a testbed which would allow the development of spacecraft power system technology. A description is provided of the Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) DC Testbed which was assembled to support the design and early evaluation of the SSF EPS. A description of the integration process used in the assembly sequence is also given along with a description of the support facility.

Technical Challenges and Potential Solutions for Cross-Country Multi-Terminal Superconducting DC Power Cables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Taie, A.; Graber, L.; Pamidi, S. V.

2017-12-01

Opportunities for applications of high temperature superconducting (HTS) DC power cables for long distance power transmission in increasing the reliability of the electric power grid and to enable easier integration of distributed renewable sources into the grid are discussed. The gaps in the technology developments both in the superconducting cable designs and cryogenic systems as well as power electronic devices are identified. Various technology components in multi-terminal high voltage DC power transmission networks and the available options are discussed. The potential of ongoing efforts in the development of superconducting DC transmission systems is discussed.

Development of an expert system for power quality advisement using CLIPS 6.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chandrasekaran, A.; Sarma, P. R. R.; Sundaram, Ashok

1994-01-01

Proliferation of power electronic devices has brought in its wake both deterioration in and demand for quality power supply from the utilities. The power quality problems become apparent when the user's equipment or systems maloperate or fail. Since power quality concerns arise from a wide variety of sources and the problem fixes are better achieved from the expertise of field engineers, development of an expert system for power quality advisement seems to be a very attractive and cost-effective solution for utility applications. An expert system thus developed gives an understanding of the adverse effects of power quality related problems on the system and could help in finding remedial solutions. The paper reports the design of a power quality advisement expert system being developed using CLIPS 6.0. A brief outline of the power quality concerns is first presented. A description of the knowledge base is next given and details of actual implementation include screen output from the program.

Development of Multi-Functional Voltage Restore System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Satoshi; Ueda, Yoshinobu; Koganezawa, Takehisa; Ogihara, Yoshinori; Mori, Kenjiro; Fukazu, Naoaki

Recently, with the dawn of the electric deregulation, the installation of distributed generation with power electronics device has grown. This current causes a greater concern of power quality, primarily voltage disturbance for power companies, and their interest in power quality is peaking. Utilities are also interested in keeping their customers satisfied, as well as keeping them on-line and creating more revenue for the utility. As a countermeasure against the above surroundings, a variety type of devices based on power electronics has been developed to protect customers' load from power line voltage disturbance. One of them is the series type voltage restore. The series device is an active device, designed to provide a pure sinusoidal load voltage at all times, correcting voltage disturbance. Series type device compensates for voltage anomalies by inserting the ‘missing’ voltage onto the line through insertion transformer and inverter. This paper shows the setting guideline of target level to compensate voltage disturbance, that is, voltage dip, voltage harmonics, voltage imbalance and voltage flicker, and the design approach of the prototype of series voltage restores to accomplish the required compensation level. The prototype system gives satisfactory compensation performance through evaluation tests, which confirm the validity and effectiveness of the system.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jia, Zhiwei, E-mail: jiayege@hotmail.com; Yan, Guozheng; Zhu, Bingquan

An implanted telemetry system for experimental animals with or without anaesthesia can be used to continuously monitor physiological parameters. This system is significant not only in the study of organisms but also in the evaluation of drug efficacy, artificial organs, and auxiliary devices. The system is composed of a miniature electronic capsule, a wireless power transmission module, a data-recording device, and a processing module. An electrocardiograph, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor are integrated in the miniature electronic capsule, in which the signals are transmitted in vitro by wireless communication after filtering, amplification, and A/D sampling. To overcome themore » power shortage of batteries, a wireless power transmission module based on electromagnetic induction was designed. The transmitting coil of a rectangular-section solenoid and a 3D receiving coil are proposed according to stability and safety constraints. Experiments show that at least 150 mW of power could pick up on the load in a volume of Φ10.5 mm × 11 mm, with a transmission efficiency of 2.56%. Vivisection experiments verified the feasibility of the integrated radio-telemetry system.« less

Free-Space Power Transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center organized a workshop on technology availability for free-space power transmission (beam power). This document contains a collection of viewgraph presentations that describes the effort by academia, industry, and the national laboratories in the area of high-frequency, high-power technology applicable to free-space power transmission systems. The areas covered were rectenna technology, high-frequency, high-power generation (gyrotrons, solar pumped lasers, and free electron lasers), and antenna technology.

1 MeV, 10 kW DC electron accelerator for industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, B.; Acharya, S.; Bhattacharjee, D.; Bakhtsingh, R. I.; Rajan, R.; Sharma, D. K.; Dewangan, S.; Sharma, V.; Patel, R.; Tiwari, R.; Benarjee, S.; Srivastava, S. K.

2016-03-01

Several modern applications of radiation processing like medical sterilization, rubber vulcanization, polymerization, cross-linking and pollution control from thermal power stations etc. require D.C. electron accelerators of energy ranging from a few hundred keVs to few MeVs and power from a few kilowatts to hundreds of kilowatts. To match these requirements, a 3 MeV, 30 kW DC electron linac has been developed at BARC, Mumbai and current operational experience of 1 MeV, 10 kW beam power will be described in this paper. The LINAC composed mainly of Electron Gun, Accelerating Tubes, Magnets, High Voltage source and provides 10 kW beam power at the Ti beam window stably after the scanning section. The control of the LINAC is fully automated. Here Beam Optics study is carried out to reach the preferential parameters of Accelerating as well as optical elements. Beam trials have been conducted to find out the suitable operation parameters of the system.

Solid-State Fault Current Limiter Development : Design and Testing Update of a 15kV SSCL Power Stack

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dr. Ram Adapa; Mr. Dante Piccone

2012-04-30

ABSTRACT The Solid-State Fault Current Limiter (SSCL) is a promising technology that can be applied to utility power delivery systems to address the problem of increasing fault currents associated with load growth. As demand continues to grow, more power is added to utility system either by increasing generator capacity or by adding distributed generators, resulting in higher available fault currents, often beyond the capabilities of the present infrastructure. The SSCL is power-electronics based equipment designed to work with the present utility system to address this problem. The SSCL monitors the line current and dynamically inserts additional impedance into the linemore » in the event of a fault being detected. The SSCL is based on a modular design and can be configured for 5kV through 69kV systems at nominal current ratings of 1000A to 4000A. Results and Findings This report provides the final test results on the development of 15kV class SSCL single phase power stack. The scope of work included the design of the modular standard building block sub-assemblies, the design and manufacture of the power stack and the testing of the power stack for the key functional tests of continuous current capability and fault current limiting action. Challenges and Objectives Solid-State Current Limiter technology impacts a wide spectrum of utility engineering and operating personnel. It addresses the problems associated with load growth both at Transmission and Distribution class networks. The design concept is pioneering in terms of developing the most efficient and compact power electronics equipment for utility use. The initial test results of the standard building blocks are promising. The independent laboratory tests of the power stack are promising. However the complete 3 phase system needs rigorous testing for performance and reliability. Applications, Values, and Use The SSCL is an intelligent power-electronics device which is modular in design and can provide current limiting or current interrupting capabilities. It can be applied to variety of applications from distribution class to transmission class power delivery grids and networks. It can also be applied to single major commercial and industrial loads and distributed generator supplies. The active switching of devices can be further utilized for protection of substation transformers. The stress on the system can be reduced substantially improving the life of the power system. It minimizes the voltage sag by speedy elimination of heavy fault currents and promises to be an important element of the utility power system. DOE Perspective This development effort is now focused on a 15kV system. This project will help mitigate the challenges of increasing available fault current. DOE has made a major contribution in providing a cost effective SSCL designed to integrate seamlessly into the Transmission and Distribution networks of today and the future. Approach SSCL development program for a 69kV SSCL was initiated which included the use of the Super GTO advanced semiconductor device which won the 2007 R&D100 Award. In the beginning, steps were identified to accomplish the economically viable design of a 69kV class Solid State Current Limiter that is extremely reliable, cost effective, and compact enough to be applied in urban transmission. The prime thrust in design and development was to encompass the 1000A and the 3000A ratings and provide a modular design to cover the wide range of applications. The focus of the project was then shifted to a 15kV class SSCL. The specifications for the 15kV power stack are reviewed. The design changes integrated into the 15kV power stack are discussed. In this Technical Update the complete project is summarized followed by a detailed test report. The power stack independent high voltage laboratory test requirements and results are presented. Keywords Solid State Current Limiter, SSCL, Fault Current Limiter, Fault Current Controller, Power electronics controller, Intelligent power-electronics Device, IED« less

Developing a stability assessment method for power electronics-based microgrids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, Peter M.

Modern microgrids with microsources and energy storage are dependent on power electronics for control and regulation. Under certain circumstances power electronics can be destabilizing to the system due to an effect called negative incremental impedance. A careful review of the theory and literature on the subject is presented. This includes stability criteria for both AC and DC systems, as well as a discussion on the limitations posed by the analysis. A method to integrate stability assessment with higher-level microgrid architectural design is proposed. Crucial to this is impedance characterization of individual components, which was accomplished through simulation. DC and AC impedance measurement blocks were created in Matlab simulink to automate the process. A detailed switching-level model of a DC microgrid was implemented in simulink, including wind turbine microsource, battery storage, and three phase inverter. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) was included to maximize the efficiency of the turbine and was implemented through three rectifier alternatives and control schemes. The stability characteristics of each was compared in the final analysis. Impedance data was collected individually from the components and used to assess stability in the system as a whole. The results included the assessment of stability, margin, and unstable operating points to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.

Advanced electro-mechanical micro-shutters for thermal infrared night vision imaging and targeting systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durfee, David; Johnson, Walter; McLeod, Scott

2007-04-01

Un-cooled microbolometer sensors used in modern infrared night vision systems such as driver vehicle enhancement (DVE) or thermal weapons sights (TWS) require a mechanical shutter. Although much consideration is given to the performance requirements of the sensor, supporting electronic components and imaging optics, the shutter technology required to survive in combat is typically the last consideration in the system design. Electro-mechanical shutters used in military IR applications must be reliable in temperature extremes from a low temperature of -40°C to a high temperature of +70°C. They must be extremely light weight while having the ability to withstand the high vibration and shock forces associated with systems mounted in military combat vehicles, weapon telescopic sights, or downed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Electro-mechanical shutters must have minimal power consumption and contain circuitry integrated into the shutter to manage battery power while simultaneously adapting to changes in electrical component operating parameters caused by extreme temperature variations. The technology required to produce a miniature electro-mechanical shutter capable of fitting into a rifle scope with these capabilities requires innovations in mechanical design, material science, and electronics. This paper describes a new, miniature electro-mechanical shutter technology with integrated power management electronics designed for extreme service infra-red night vision systems.

Modeling of electron behaviors under microwave electric field in methane and air pre-mixture gas plasma assisted combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akashi, Haruaki; Sasaki, K.; Yoshinaga, T.

2011-10-01

Recently, plasma-assisted combustion has been focused on for achieving more efficient combustion way of fossil fuels, reducing pollutants and so on. Shinohara et al has reported that the flame length of methane and air premixed burner shortened by irradiating microwave power without increase of gas temperature. This suggests that electrons heated by microwave electric field assist the combustion. They also measured emission from 2nd Positive Band System (2nd PBS) of nitrogen during the irradiation. To clarify this mechanism, electron behavior under microwave power should be examined. To obtain electron transport parameters, electron Monte Carlo simulations in methane and air mixture gas have been done. A simple model has been developed to simulate inside the flame. To make this model simple, some assumptions are made. The electrons diffuse from the combustion plasma region. And the electrons quickly reach their equilibrium state. And it is found that the simulated emission from 2nd PBS agrees with the experimental result. Recently, plasma-assisted combustion has been focused on for achieving more efficient combustion way of fossil fuels, reducing pollutants and so on. Shinohara et al has reported that the flame length of methane and air premixed burner shortened by irradiating microwave power without increase of gas temperature. This suggests that electrons heated by microwave electric field assist the combustion. They also measured emission from 2nd Positive Band System (2nd PBS) of nitrogen during the irradiation. To clarify this mechanism, electron behavior under microwave power should be examined. To obtain electron transport parameters, electron Monte Carlo simulations in methane and air mixture gas have been done. A simple model has been developed to simulate inside the flame. To make this model simple, some assumptions are made. The electrons diffuse from the combustion plasma region. And the electrons quickly reach their equilibrium state. And it is found that the simulated emission from 2nd PBS agrees with the experimental result. This work was supported by KAKENHI (22340170).

Microwave zero-resistance states in a bilayer electron system.

PubMed

Wiedmann, S; Gusev, G M; Raichev, O E; Bakarov, A K; Portal, J C

2010-07-09

Magnetotransport measurements on a high-mobility electron bilayer system formed in a wide GaAs quantum well reveal vanishing dissipative resistance under continuous microwave irradiation. Profound zero-resistance states (ZRS) appear even in the presence of additional intersubband scattering of electrons. We study the dependence of photoresistance on frequency, microwave power, and temperature. Experimental results are compared with a theory demonstrating that the conditions for absolute negative resistivity correlate with the appearance of ZRS.

Infrared power cells for satellite power conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Summers, Christopher J.

1991-01-01

An analytical investigation is performed to assess the feasibility of long-wavelength power converters for the direct conversion of IR radiation onto electrical power. Because theses devices need to operate between 5 and 30 um the only material system possible for this application is the HgCdTe system which is currently being developed for IR detectors. Thus solar cell and IR detector theories and technologies are combined. The following subject areas are covered: electronic and optical properties of HgCdTe alloys; optimum device geometry; junction theory; model calculation for homojunction power cell efficiency; and calculation for HgCdTe power cell and power beaming.

Single-chip microprocessor that communicates directly using light.

PubMed

Sun, Chen; Wade, Mark T; Lee, Yunsup; Orcutt, Jason S; Alloatti, Luca; Georgas, Michael S; Waterman, Andrew S; Shainline, Jeffrey M; Avizienis, Rimas R; Lin, Sen; Moss, Benjamin R; Kumar, Rajesh; Pavanello, Fabio; Atabaki, Amir H; Cook, Henry M; Ou, Albert J; Leu, Jonathan C; Chen, Yu-Hsin; Asanović, Krste; Ram, Rajeev J; Popović, Miloš A; Stojanović, Vladimir M

2015-12-24

Data transport across short electrical wires is limited by both bandwidth and power density, which creates a performance bottleneck for semiconductor microchips in modern computer systems--from mobile phones to large-scale data centres. These limitations can be overcome by using optical communications based on chip-scale electronic-photonic systems enabled by silicon-based nanophotonic devices. However, combining electronics and photonics on the same chip has proved challenging, owing to microchip manufacturing conflicts between electronics and photonics. Consequently, current electronic-photonic chips are limited to niche manufacturing processes and include only a few optical devices alongside simple circuits. Here we report an electronic-photonic system on a single chip integrating over 70 million transistors and 850 photonic components that work together to provide logic, memory, and interconnect functions. This system is a realization of a microprocessor that uses on-chip photonic devices to directly communicate with other chips using light. To integrate electronics and photonics at the scale of a microprocessor chip, we adopt a 'zero-change' approach to the integration of photonics. Instead of developing a custom process to enable the fabrication of photonics, which would complicate or eliminate the possibility of integration with state-of-the-art transistors at large scale and at high yield, we design optical devices using a standard microelectronics foundry process that is used for modern microprocessors. This demonstration could represent the beginning of an era of chip-scale electronic-photonic systems with the potential to transform computing system architectures, enabling more powerful computers, from network infrastructure to data centres and supercomputers.

NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program - Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBel, Kenneth A.; Sampson, Michael J.

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the goals and mission of the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program. The NEPP mission is to provide guidance to NASA for the selection and application of microelectronics technologies, to improve understanding of the risks related to the use of these technologies in the space environment and to ensure that appropriate research is performed to meet NASA mission assurance needs. The program has been supporting NASA for over 20 years. The focus is on the reliability aspects of electronic devices. In this work the program also supports the electronics industry. There are several areas that the program is involved in: Memories, systems on a chip (SOCs), data conversion devices, power MOSFETS, power converters, scaled CMOS, capacitors, linear devices, fiber optics, and other electronics such as sensors, cryogenic and SiGe that are used in space systems. Each of these area are reviewed with the work that is being done in reliability and effects of radiation on these technologies.

Two new families of high-gain dc-dc power electronic converters for dc-microgrids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabhala, Venkata Anand Kishore

Distributing the electric power in dc form is an appealing solution in many applications such as telecommunications, data centers, commercial buildings, and microgrids. A high gain dc-dc power electronic converter can be used to individually link low-voltage elements such as solar panels, fuel cells, and batteries to the dc voltage bus which is usually 400 volts. This way, it is not required to put such elements in a series string to build up their voltages. Consequently, each element can function at it optimal operating point regardless of the other elements in the system. In this dissertation, first a comparative study of dc microgrid architectures and their advantages over their ac counterparts is presented. Voltage level selection of dc distribution systems is discussed from the cost, reliability, efficiency, and safety standpoints. Next, a new family of non-isolated high-voltage-gain dc-dc power electronic converters with unidirectional power flow is introduced. This family of converters benefits from a low voltage stress across its switches. The proposed topologies are versatile as they can be utilized as single-input or double-input power converters. In either case, they draw continuous currents from their sources. Lastly, a bidirectional high-voltage-gain dc-dc power electronic converter is proposed. This converter is comprised of a bidirectional boost converter which feeds a switched-capacitor architecture. The switched-capacitor stage suggested here has several advantages over the existing approaches. For example, it benefits from a higher voltage gain while it uses less number of capacitors. The proposed converters are highly efficient and modular. The operating modes, dc voltage gain, and design procedure for each converter are discussed in details. Hardware prototypes have been developed in the lab. The results obtained from the hardware agree with those of the simulation models.

Integration of Wind Energy Systems into Power Engineering Education Program at UW-Madison

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Venkataramanan, Giri; Lesieutre, Bernard; Jahns, Thomas

This project has developed an integrated curriculum focused on the power engineering aspects of wind energy systems that builds upon a well-established graduate educational program at UW- Madison. Five new courses have been developed and delivered to students. Some of the courses have been offered on multiple occasions. The courses include: Control of electric drives for Wind Power applications, Utility Applications of Power Electronics (Wind Power), Practicum in Small Wind Turbines, Utility Integration of Wind Power, and Wind and Weather for Scientists and Engineers. Utility Applications of Power Electronics (Wind Power) has been provided for distance education as well asmore » on-campus education. Several industrial internships for students have been organized. Numerous campus seminars that provide discussion on emerging issues related to wind power development have been delivered in conjunction with other campus events. Annual student conferences have been initiated, that extend beyond wind power to include sustainable energy topics to draw a large group of stakeholders. Energy policy electives for engineering students have been identified for students to participate through a certificate program. Wind turbines build by students have been installed at a UW-Madison facility, as a test-bed. A Master of Engineering program in Sustainable Systems Engineering has been initiated that incorporates specializations that include in wind energy curricula. The project has enabled UW-Madison to establish leadership at graduate level higher education in the field of wind power integration with the electric grid.« less

Stabilization of Wind Energy Conversion System with Hydrogen Generator by Using EDLC Energy Storage System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shishido, Seiji; Takahashi, Rion; Murata, Toshiaki; Tamura, Junji; Sugimasa, Masatoshi; Komura, Akiyoshi; Futami, Motoo; Ichinose, Masaya; Ide, Kazumasa

The spread of wind power generation is progressed hugely in recent years from a viewpoint of environmental problems including global warming. Though wind power is considered as a very prospective energy source, wind power fluctuation due to the random fluctuation of wind speed has still created some problems. Therefore, research has been performed how to smooth the wind power fluctuation. This paper proposes Energy Capacitor System (ECS) for the smoothing of wind power which consists of Electric Double-Layer Capacitor (EDLC) and power electronics devices and works as an electric power storage system. Moreover, hydrogen has received much attention in recent years from a viewpoint of exhaustion problem of fossil fuel. Therefore it is also proposed that a hydrogen generator is installed at the wind farm to generate hydrogen. In this paper, the effectiveness of the proposed system is verified by the simulation analyses using PSCAD/EMTDC.

Low power energy harvesting and storage techniques from ambient human powered energy sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yildiz, Faruk

Conventional electrochemical batteries power most of the portable and wireless electronic devices that are operated by electric power. In the past few years, electrochemical batteries and energy storage devices have improved significantly. However, this progress has not been able to keep up with the development of microprocessors, memory storage, and sensors of electronic applications. Battery weight, lifespan and reliability often limit the abilities and the range of such applications of battery powered devices. These conventional devices were designed to be powered with batteries as required, but did not allow scavenging of ambient energy as a power source. In contrast, development in wireless technology and other electronic components are constantly reducing the power and energy needed by many applications. If energy requirements of electronic components decline reasonably, then ambient energy scavenging and conversion could become a viable source of power for many applications. Ambient energy sources can be then considered and used to replace batteries in some electronic applications, to minimize product maintenance and operating cost. The potential ability to satisfy overall power and energy requirements of an application using ambient energy can eliminate some constraints related to conventional power supplies. Also power scavenging may enable electronic devices to be completely self-sustaining so that battery maintenance can eventually be eliminated. Furthermore, ambient energy scavenging could extend the performance and the lifetime of the MEMS (Micro electromechanical systems) and portable electronic devices. These possibilities show that it is important to examine the effectiveness of ambient energy as a source of power. Until recently, only little use has been made of ambient energy resources, especially for wireless networks and portable power devices. Recently, researchers have performed several studies in alternative energy sources that could provide small amounts of electricity to low-power electronic devices. These studies were focused to investigate and obtain power from different energy sources, such as vibration, light, sound, airflow, heat, waste mechanical energy and temperature variations. This research studied forms of ambient energy sources such as waste mechanical (rotational) energy from hydraulic door closers, and fitness exercise bicycles, and its conversion and storage into usable electrical energy. In both of these examples of applications, hydraulic door closers and fitness exercise bicycles, human presence is required. A person has to open the door in order for the hydraulic door closer mechanism to function. Fitness exercise bicycles need somebody to cycle the pedals to generate electricity (while burning calories.) Also vibrations, body motions, and compressions from human interactions were studied using small piezoelectric fiber composites which are capable of recovering waste mechanical energy and converting it to useful electrical energy. Based on ambient energy sources, electrical energy conversion and storage circuits were designed and tested for low power electronic applications. These sources were characterized according to energy harvesting (scavenging) methods, and power and energy density. At the end of the study, the ambient energy sources were matched with possible electronic applications as a viable energy source.

Prospects for the application of GaN power devices in hybrid electric vehicle drive systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Ming; Chen, Chingchi; Rajan, Siddharth

2013-07-01

GaN, a wide bandgap semiconductor successfully implemented in optical and high-speed electronic devices, has gained momentum in recent years for power electronics applications. Along with rapid progress in material and device processing technologies, high-voltage transistors over 600 V have been reported by a number of teams worldwide. These advances make GaN highly attractive for the growing market of electrified vehicles, which currently employ bipolar silicon devices in the 600-1200 V class for the traction inverter. However, to capture this billion-dollar power market, GaN has to compete with existing IGBT products and deliver higher performance at comparable or lower cost. This paper reviews key achievements made by the GaN semiconductor industry, requirements of the automotive electric drive system and remaining challenges for GaN power devices to fit in the inverter application of hybrid vehicles.

The upper limit of thermoelectric power factors in the metal-band-insulator crossover of the perovskite-type oxygen deficient system SrTiO(₃- δ/₂).

PubMed

Onoda, Masashige; Tsukahara, Shuichi

2011-02-02

The electronic properties and the thermoelectric power factors in the metal-band-insulator crossover of the perovskite-type oxygen deficient system SrTiO(3 - δ/2) with 0.0046 ≤ δ < 0.06 are explored through measurements of x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power, Hall coefficient and magnetic susceptibility. The metallic transport is confirmed to be basically explained through scattering by electron correlations, acoustic phonons and polar optical phonons, where each scattering coefficient is almost linear in the inverse of the effective carrier concentration estimated from the Hall coefficient. The upper limit of the thermoelectric power factor is 2 × 10( - 3) W m( - 1) K( - 2) with the carrier concentration of 2 × 10(20) cm( - 3) at around the Fermi energy comparable to the Debye temperature.

The upper limit of thermoelectric power factors in the metal-band-insulator crossover of the perovskite-type oxygen deficient system SrTiO3 - δ/2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onoda, Masashige; Tsukahara, Shuichi

2011-02-01

The electronic properties and the thermoelectric power factors in the metal-band-insulator crossover of the perovskite-type oxygen deficient system SrTiO3 - δ/2 with 0.0046 <= δ < 0.06 are explored through measurements of x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power, Hall coefficient and magnetic susceptibility. The metallic transport is confirmed to be basically explained through scattering by electron correlations, acoustic phonons and polar optical phonons, where each scattering coefficient is almost linear in the inverse of the effective carrier concentration estimated from the Hall coefficient. The upper limit of the thermoelectric power factor is 2 × 10 - 3 W m - 1 K - 2 with the carrier concentration of 2 × 1020 cm - 3 at around the Fermi energy comparable to the Debye temperature.

The new front-end electronics for the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter Phase 2 Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, A.

2016-02-01

We present the plans, design, and performance results to date for the new front-end electronics being developed for the Phase 2 Upgrade of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter. The front-end electronics will be replaced to address the increased luminosity at the HL-LHC around 2025, as well as to upgrade to faster, more modern components with higher radiation tolerance. The new electronics will operate dead-timelessly, pushing full data sets from each beam crossing to the data acquisition system that resides off-detector. The new on-detector electronics contains five main parts: the front-end boards that connect directly to the photomultiplier tubes; the Main Boards that digitize the data; the Daughter Boards that collect the data streams and contain the high speed optical communication links for writing data to the data acquisition system; a programmable high voltage control system; and a new low voltage power supply. There are different options for implementing these subcomponents, which will be described. The new system contains new features that in the current version include power system redundancy, data collection redundancy, data transmission redundancy with 2 QSFP optical transceivers and Kintex-7 FPGAs with firmware enhanced scheme for single event upset mitigation. To date, we have built a Demonstrator—a fully functional prototype of the new system. Performance results and plans are presented.

Enhancing the bioremediation by harvesting electricity from the heavily contaminated sediments.

PubMed

Yang, Yonggang; Lu, Zijiang; Lin, Xunke; Xia, Chunyu; Sun, Guoping; Lian, Yingli; Xu, Meiying

2015-03-01

To test the long-term applicability of scaled-up sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) in simultaneous bioremediation of toxic-contaminated sediments and power-supply for electronic devices, a 100 L SMFC inoculate with heavily contaminated sediments has been assembled and operated for over 2 years without external electron donor addition. The total organic chemical (TOC) degradation efficiency was 22.1% in the electricity generating SMFCs, which is significantly higher than that in the open-circuited SMFC (3.8%). The organic matters including contaminants in the contaminated sediments were sufficient for the electricity generation of SMFCs, even up to 8.5 years by the present SMFC theoretically. By using a power management system (PMS), the SMFC electricity could be harvested into batteries and used by commercial electronic devices. The results indicated that the SMFC-PMS system could be applied as a long-term and effective tool to simultaneously stimulate the bioremediation of the contaminated sediments and supply power for commercial devices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of Vital Signs with Flexible and Wearable Medical Devices.

PubMed

Khan, Yasser; Ostfeld, Aminy E; Lochner, Claire M; Pierre, Adrien; Arias, Ana C

2016-06-01

Advances in wireless technologies, low-power electronics, the internet of things, and in the domain of connected health are driving innovations in wearable medical devices at a tremendous pace. Wearable sensor systems composed of flexible and stretchable materials have the potential to better interface to the human skin, whereas silicon-based electronics are extremely efficient in sensor data processing and transmission. Therefore, flexible and stretchable sensors combined with low-power silicon-based electronics are a viable and efficient approach for medical monitoring. Flexible medical devices designed for monitoring human vital signs, such as body temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, pulse oxygenation, and blood glucose have applications in both fitness monitoring and medical diagnostics. As a review of the latest development in flexible and wearable human vitals sensors, the essential components required for vitals sensors are outlined and discussed here, including the reported sensor systems, sensing mechanisms, sensor fabrication, power, and data processing requirements. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

AC power generation from microbial fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobo, Fernanda Leite; Wang, Heming; Forrestal, Casey; Ren, Zhiyong Jason

2015-11-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) directly convert biodegradable substrates to electricity and carry good potential for energy-positive wastewater treatment. However, the low and direct current (DC) output from MFC is not usable for general electronics except small sensors, yet commercial DC-AC converters or inverters used in solar systems cannot be directly applied to MFCs. This study presents a new DC-AC converter system for MFCs that can generate alternating voltage in any desired frequency. Results show that AC power can be easily achieved in three different frequencies tested (1, 10, 60 Hz), and no energy storage layer such as capacitors was needed. The DC-AC converter efficiency was higher than 95% when powered by either individual MFCs or simple MFC stacks. Total harmonic distortion (THD) was used to investigate the quality of the energy, and it showed that the energy could be directly usable for linear electronic loads. This study shows that through electrical conversion MFCs can be potentially used in household electronics for decentralized off-grid communities.

Large space systems technology electronics: Data and power distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunbar, W. G.

1980-01-01

The development of hardware technology and manufacturing techniques required to meet space platform and antenna system needs in the 1980s is discussed. Preliminary designs for manned and automatically assembled space power system cables, connectors, and grounding and bonding materials and techniques are reviewed. Connector concepts, grounding design requirements, and bonding requirements are discussed. The problem of particulate debris contamination for large structure spacecraft is addressed.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Annual Progress Report for the Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olszewski, M.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (composed of automakers Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) announced in January 2002 a new cooperative research effort. Known as FreedomCAR (derived from 'Freedom' and 'Cooperative Automotive Research'), it represents DOE's commitment to developing public/private partnerships to fund high-risk, high-payoff research into advanced automotive technologies. Efficient fuel cell technology, which uses hydrogen to power automobiles without air pollution, is a very promising pathway to achieve the ultimate vision. The new partnership replaces and builds upon the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles initiative that ran from 1993more » through 2001. The Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Machines (APEEM) subprogram within the Vehicle Technologies Program provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on understanding and improving the way the various new components of tomorrow's automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency. In supporting the development of hybrid propulsion systems, the APEEM effort has enabled the development of technologies that will significantly improve advanced vehicle efficiency, costs, and fuel economy. The APEEM subprogram supports the efforts of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership through a three-phase approach intended to: (1) identify overall propulsion and vehicle-related needs by analyzing programmatic goals and reviewing industry's recommendations and requirements and then develop the appropriate technical targets for systems, subsystems, and component research and development activities; (2) develop and validate individual subsystems and components, including electric motors, and power electronics; and (3) determine how well the components and subsystems work together in a vehicle environment or as a complete propulsion system and whether the efficiency and performance targets at the vehicle level have been achieved. The research performed under this subprogram will help remove technical and cost barriers to enable the development of technology for use in such advanced vehicles as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in HEVs, and fuel-cell-powered automobiles that meet the goals of the Vehicle Technologies Program. A key element in making HEVs practical is providing an affordable electric traction drive system. This will require attaining weight, volume, and cost targets for the power electronics and electrical machines subsystems of the traction drive system. Areas of development include these: (1) novel traction motor designs that result in increased power density and lower cost; (2) inverter technologies involving new topologies to achieve higher efficiency and the ability to accommodate higher-temperature environments; (3) converter concepts that employ means of reducing the component count and integrating functionality to decrease size, weight, and cost; (4) more effective thermal control and packaging technologies; and (5) integrated motor/inverter concepts. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL's) Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Research Center conducts fundamental research, evaluates hardware, and assists in the technical direction of the DOE Vehicle Technologies Program, APEEM subprogram. In this role, ORNL serves on the FreedomCAR Electrical and Electronics Technical Team, evaluates proposals for DOE, and lends its technological expertise to the direction of projects and evaluation of developing technologies.« less

Radiation energy conversion in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billman, K. W.

1979-01-01

Topics discussed at the third NASA conference on radiant energy conversion are reviewed. The unconcentrated-photovoltaic-generation version of a solar power satellite is described, noting that it will consist of a 21.3 x 5.3-sq-km silicon-solar-cell array expected to provide 17 Gw of electrical power, with 1 km in diam transmitters oriented to beam 2.45 GHz microwave power to two receiving/rectifying 'rectennas' on earth. The Solares space-energy-system concept, designed for providing a large fraction of the world's energy needs at costs comparable to those of future coal/nuclear alternative, is considered, as are subsystems for improving the economics of the solar power satellite. A concept proposing the use of relativistic-electron-storage rings for electron-beam energy transmission and storage, and a report on the production of a high temperature plasma with concentrated solar radiation are taken into account. Laser-conversion systems, including the direct-solar-pumped space laser, and the telec-powered spacecraft, are discussed.

Flywheel Energy Storage Technology Workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okain, D.; Howell, D.

Advances in recent years of high strength/lightweight materials, high performance magnetic bearings, and power electronics technology has spurred a renewed interest by the transportation, utility, and manufacturing industries in flywheel energy storage (FES) technologies. FES offers several advantages over conventional electrochemical energy storage, such as high specific energy and specific power, fast charging time, long service life, high turnaround efficiency (energy out/energy in), and no hazardous/toxic materials or chemicals are involved. Potential applications of FES units include power supplies for hybrid and electric vehicles, electric vehicle charging stations, space systems, and pulsed power devices. Also, FES units can be used for utility load leveling, uninterruptable power supplies to protect electronic equipment and electrical machinery, and for intermittent wind or photovoltaic energy sources. The purpose of this workshop is to provide a forum to highlight technologies that offer a high potential to increase the performance of FES systems and to discuss potential solutions to overcome present FES application barriers. This document consists of viewgraphs from 27 presentations.

Radiation energy conversion in space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Billman, K.W.

1979-03-01

Topics discussed at the third NASA conference on radiant energy conversion are reviewed. The unconcentrated-photovoltaic-generation version of a solar power satellite is described, noting that it will consist of a 21.3 x 5.3-sq-km silicon-solar-cell array expected to provide 17 Gw of electrical power, with 1 km in diam transmitters oriented to beam 2.45 GHz microwave power to two receiving/rectifying 'rectennas' on earth. The Solares space-energy-system concept, designed for providing a large fraction of the world's energy needs at costs comparable to those of future coal/nuclear alternative, is considered, as are subsystems for improving the economics of the solar power satellite.more » A concept proposing the use of relativistic-electron-storage rings for electron-beam energy transmission and storage, and a report on the production of a high temperature plasma with concentrated solar radiation are taken into account. Laser-conversion systems, including the direct-solar-pumped space laser, and the telec-powered spacecraft, are discussed.« less

Bringing Superconductor Digital Technology to the Market Place

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisenoff, Martin

The unique properties of superconductivity can be exploited to provide the ultimate in electronic technology for systems such as ultra-precise analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue converters, precise DC and AC voltage standards, ultra high speed logic circuits and systems (both digital and hybrid analogue-digital systems), and very high throughput network routers and supercomputers which would have superior electrical performance at lower overall electrical power consumption compared to systems with comparable performance which are fabricated using conventional room temperature technologies. This potential for high performance electronics with reduced power consumption would have a positive impact on slowing the increase in the demand for electrical utility power by the information technology community on the overall electrical power grid. However, before this technology can be successfully brought to the commercial market place, there must be an aggressive investment of resources and funding to develop the required infrastructure needed to yield these high performance superconductor systems, which will be reliable and available at low cost. The author proposes that it will require a concerted effort by the superconductor and cryogenic communities to bring this technology to the commercial market place or make it available for widespread use in scientific instrumentation.

Deep Space Systems Technology Program Future Deliveries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salvo, Christopher G.; Keuneke, Matthew S.

2000-01-01

NASA is in a period of frequent launches of low cost deep space missions with challenging performance needs. The modest budgets of these missions make it impossible for each to develop its own technology, therefore, efficient and effective development and insertion of technology for these missions must be approached at a higher level than has been done in the past. The Deep Space Systems Technology Program (DSST), often referred to as X2000, has been formed to address this need. The program is divided into a series of "Deliveries" that develop and demonstrate a set of spacecraft system capabilities with broad applicability for use by multiple missions. The First Delivery Project, to be completed in 2001, will provide a one MRAD-tolerant flight computer, power switching electronics, efficient radioisotope power source, and a transponder with services at 8.4 GHz and 32 GHz bands. Plans call for a Second Delivery in late 2003 to enable complete deep space systems in the 10 to 50 kg class, and a Third Delivery built around Systems on a Chip (extreme levels of electronic and microsystems integration) around 2006. Formulation of Future Deliveries (past the First Delivery) is ongoing and includes plans for such developments as highly miniaturized digital/analog/power electronics, optical communications, multifunctional structures, miniature lightweight propulsion, advanced thermal control techniques, highly efficient radioisotope power sources, and a unified flight ground software architecture to support the needs of future highly intelligent space systems. All developments are targeted at broad applicability and reuse, and will be commercialized within the US.

Conceptual study of a 250 kW planar SOFC system for CHP application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontell, E.; Kivisaari, T.; Christiansen, N.; Hansen, J.-B.; Pålsson, J.

In August 2002, Wärtsilä Corporation and Haldor Topsøe A/S entered into a co-operation agreement to start joint development program within the planar SOFC technology. The development program aims to bring to the market highly efficient, clean and cost competitive fuel cell systems with power outputs above 200 kW for distributed power generation with CHP and for marine applications. In this study, the product concept for a 250 kW natural gas-fuelled atmospheric SOFC plant has been studied. The process has been calculated and optimised for high electrical efficiency. In the calculations, system efficiencies more than 55-85% (electrical co-generation) have been reached. The necessary balance of plant (BoP) components have been identified and the concept for grid connection has been defined. The BoP includes fuel and air supply, anode re-circulation, start-up steam, purge gas, exhaust gas heat recovery, back-up power, power electronics and control system. Based on the analysed system and component information, a conceptual design and cost break down structure for the product have been made. The cost breakdown shows that the stack, system control and power electronics are the major cost factors, while the remaining BoP equipment stands for a minor share of the manufacturing cost. Finally, the feasibility of the SOFC plants has been compared to gas engines.

Apparatus Reviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1981

1981-01-01

Reviews apparatus design and instructional uses for Fume Cupboard Monitor, Plant Tissue Culture Kit, various equipment for electronic systems course, Welwyn Microprocessor-Tutor, Sweep Function Generator SFG 606, and Harris manufacturers materials--Regulated Power Supply Units, Electronic Current and Voltage Meters, Gas Preparation Kit, and…

Apparatus Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Bruce G., Ed.

1977-01-01

Presents four short articles on: a power supply for the measurement of the charge-to-mass ratio of the electron; a modified centripetal force apparatus; a black box electronic unknown for the scientific instruments laboratory; and a simple scaling model for biological systems. (MLH)

Mega-electron-volt ultrafast electron diffraction at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weathersby, S. P.; Brown, G.; Chase, T. F.

Ultrafast electron probes are powerful tools, complementary to x-ray free-electron lasers, used to study structural dynamics in material, chemical, and biological sciences. High brightness, relativistic electron beams with femtosecond pulse duration can resolve details of the dynamic processes on atomic time and length scales. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory recently launched the Ultrafast Electron Diffraction (UED) and microscopy Initiative aiming at developing the next generation ultrafast electron scattering instruments. As the first stage of the Initiative, a mega-electron-volt (MeV) UED system has been constructed and commissioned to serve ultrafast science experiments and instrumentation development. The system operates at 120-Hz repetition ratemore » with outstanding performance. In this paper, we report on the SLAC MeV UED system and its performance, including the reciprocal space resolution, temporal resolution, and machine stability.« less

Mega-electron-volt ultrafast electron diffraction at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

PubMed

Weathersby, S P; Brown, G; Centurion, M; Chase, T F; Coffee, R; Corbett, J; Eichner, J P; Frisch, J C; Fry, A R; Gühr, M; Hartmann, N; Hast, C; Hettel, R; Jobe, R K; Jongewaard, E N; Lewandowski, J R; Li, R K; Lindenberg, A M; Makasyuk, I; May, J E; McCormick, D; Nguyen, M N; Reid, A H; Shen, X; Sokolowski-Tinten, K; Vecchione, T; Vetter, S L; Wu, J; Yang, J; Dürr, H A; Wang, X J

2015-07-01

Ultrafast electron probes are powerful tools, complementary to x-ray free-electron lasers, used to study structural dynamics in material, chemical, and biological sciences. High brightness, relativistic electron beams with femtosecond pulse duration can resolve details of the dynamic processes on atomic time and length scales. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory recently launched the Ultrafast Electron Diffraction (UED) and microscopy Initiative aiming at developing the next generation ultrafast electron scattering instruments. As the first stage of the Initiative, a mega-electron-volt (MeV) UED system has been constructed and commissioned to serve ultrafast science experiments and instrumentation development. The system operates at 120-Hz repetition rate with outstanding performance. In this paper, we report on the SLAC MeV UED system and its performance, including the reciprocal space resolution, temporal resolution, and machine stability.

Understanding Power Electronics and Electrical Machines in Multidisciplinary Wind Energy Conversion System Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duran, M. J.; Barrero, F.; Pozo-Ruz, A.; Guzman, F.; Fernandez, J.; Guzman, H.

2013-01-01

Wind energy conversion systems (WECS) nowadays offer an extremely wide range of topologies, including various different types of electrical generators and power converters. Wind energy is also an application of great interest to students and with a huge potential for engineering employment. Making WECS the main center of interest when teaching…

Cycling firing method for bypass operation of bridge converters

DOEpatents

Zabar, Zivan

1982-01-01

The bridge converter comprises a number of switching elements and an electronic logic system which regulated the electric power levels by controlling the firing, i.e., the initiation of the conduction period of the switching elements. Cyclic firing of said elements allows the direct current to bypass the alternating current system with high power factor and negligible losses.

Two-dimensional materials based transparent flexible electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Lili; Ha, Sungjae; El-Damak, Dina; McVay, Elaine; Ling, Xi; Chandrakasan, Anantha; Kong, Jing; Palacios, Tomas

2015-03-01

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have generated great interest recently as a set of tools for electronics, as these materials can push electronics beyond traditional boundaries. These materials and their heterostructures offer excellent mechanical flexibility, optical transparency, and favorable transport properties for realizing electronic, sensing, and optical systems on arbitrary surfaces. These thin, lightweight, bendable, highly rugged and low-power devices may bring dramatic changes in information processing, communications and human-electronic interaction. In this report, for the first time, we demonstrate two complex transparent flexible systems based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) grown by chemical vapor method: a transparent active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display and a MoS2 wireless link for sensor nodes. The 1/2 x 1/2 square inch, 4 x 5 pixels AMOLED structures are built on transparent substrates, containing MoS2 back plane circuit and OLEDs integrated on top of it. The back plane circuit turns on and off the individual pixel with two MoS2 transistors and a capacitor. The device is designed and fabricated based on SPICE simulation to achieve desired DC and transient performance. We have also demonstrated a MoS2 wireless self-powered sensor node. The system consists of as energy harvester, rectifier, sensor node and logic units. AC signals from the environment, such as near-field wireless power transfer, piezoelectric film and RF signal, are harvested, then rectified into DC signal by a MoS2 diode. CIQM, CICS, SRC.

Modeling and Optimization of Renewable and Hybrid Fuel Cell Systems for Space Power and Propulsion

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-14

For that the project achieved: the optimization of SOFC and PEMFC internal structure and external shape under a volume constraint; an initial set of...subcomponent models for regenerative, renewable fuel cell system (RFC); the integration of PEMFC into RFC systems were developed; power electronic...with the same objectives and goals but using a PEMFC regenerative system instead. This research group studied and published on the optimization and

A mechanical, thermal and electrical packaging design for a prototype power management and control system for the 30 cm mercury ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharp, G. R.; Gedeon, L.; Oglebay, J. C.; Shaker, F. S.; Siegert, C. E.

1978-01-01

A prototype electric power management and thruster control system for a 30 cm ion thruster is described. The system meets all of the requirements necessary to operate a thruster in a fully automatic mode. Power input to the system can vary over a full two to one dynamic range (200 to 400 V) for the solar array or other power source. The power management and control system is designed to protect the thruster, the flight system and itself from arcs and is fully compatible with standard spacecraft electronics. The system is easily integrated into flight systems which can operate over a thermal environment ranging from 0.3 to 5 AU. The complete power management and control system measures 45.7 cm (18 in.) x 15.2 cm (6 in.) x 114.8 cm (45.2 in.) and weighs 36.2 kg (79.7 lb). At full power the overall efficiency of the system is estimated to be 87.4 percent. Three systems are currently being built and a full schedule of environmental and electrical testing is planned.

Endocrine disruptive estrogens role in electron transfer: bio-electrochemical remediation with microbial mediated electrogenesis.

PubMed

Kumar, A Kiran; Reddy, M Venkateswar; Chandrasekhar, K; Srikanth, S; Mohan, S Venkata

2012-01-01

Bioremediation of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs)/estrogens viz. estriol (E3) and ethynylestradiol (EE2) was evaluated in bio-electrochemical treatment (BET) system with simultaneous power generation. Estrogens supplementation along with wastewater documented enhanced electrogenic activity indicating their function in electron transfer between biocatalyst and anode as electron shuttler. EE2 addition showed more positive impact on the electrogenic activity compared to E3 supplementation. Higher estrogen concentration showed inhibitory effect on the BET performance. Poising potential during start up phase showed a marginal influence on the power output. The electrons generated during substrate degradation might have been utilized for the EDCs break down. Fuel cell behavior and anodic oxidation potential supported the observed electrogenic activity with the function of estrogens removal. Voltammetric profiles, dehydrogenase and phosphatase enzyme activities were also found to be in agreement with the power generation, electron discharge and estrogens removal. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and application of a new control system for tokamak ECRH power supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Xu; Zhang, Jian; Huang, Yiyun

2016-03-01

The biggest challenge of designing and building tokamak electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) pulse step modulation (PSM) power supply is satisfying its required output voltage rising time to be less than 100 µs while suppressing the voltage overshoot to be no more than 1%. To fulfill the two requirements, a new control strategy with startup time in microsecond range is proposed in this paper, and a new control system to realize the control strategy is introduced. The control system was built and tested on 60 kV/50 A ECRH power supply. The experimental results indicate that the control system can restrain the overshoot effectively, increase response speed, and obviously improve the dynamic characteristics of the PSM power supply system. Thus, the proposed control system helps the PSM power supply to meet the design specifications.

Thermoelectric power of PrMg3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isikawa, Yosikazu; Somiya, Kazuya; Koyanagi, Huruto; Mizushima, Toshio; Kuwai, Tomohiko; Tayama, Takashi

2010-01-01

PrMg3 is supposed to be one of the strongly correlated electron systems originated from the hybridization between the Pr 4f and conduction electrons, because the gigantic electronic specific heat coefficient C/T was observed at low temperatures. However, a typical behaviour of - ln T dependence was not observed in the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity. The thermoelectric power S is a powerful tool to investigate the density of states at the Fermi energy. We measured carefully the thermoelectric power of PrMg3 in the temperature range between 2 and 300 K. S is extremely small, ranged within ±1 μV/K over the whole temperature. The value of S/T at low temperature limit was also significantly smaller than expected from the specific heat results. We therefore conclude that the density of state at the Fermi level is not enhanced in PrMg3.

A Cooling System for the EAPU Shuttle Upgrade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tongue, Stephen; Guyette, Greg; Irbeck, Bradley

2001-01-01

The Shuttle orbiter currently uses hydrazine-powered APU's for powering its hydraulic system pumps. To enhance vehicle safety and reliability, NASA is pursuing an APU upgrade where the hydrazine powered turbine is replaced by an electric motor pump and battery power supply. This EAPU (Electric APU) upgrade presents several thermal control challenges most notably the new requirement for moderate temperature control of high-power electron ics at 132 of (55.6 C). This paper describes how the existing Water Spray Boiler (WSB), which currently cools the hydraulic fluid and APU lubrication oil, is being modified to provide EAPU thermal management.

Two-Phase Thermal Switching System for a Small, Extended Duration Lunar Science Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugby, D.; Farmer, J.; OConnor, B.; Wirzburger, M.; Abel, E.; Stouffer, C.

2010-01-01

Issue: extended duration lunar science platforms, using solar/battery or radioisotope power, require thermal switching systems that: a) Provide efficient cooling during the 15-earth-day 390 K lunar day; b) Consume minimal power during the 15-earth-day 100 K lunar night. Objective: carry out an analytical study of thermal switching systems that can meet the thermal requirements of: a) International Lunar Network (ILN) anchor node mission - primary focus; b) Other missions such as polar crater landers. ILN Anchor Nodes: network of geophysical science platforms to better understand the interior structure/composition of the moon: a) Rationale: no data since Apollo seismic stations ceased operation in 1977; b) Anchor Nodes: small, low-power, long-life (6-yr) landers with seismographic and a few other science instruments (see next chart); c) WEB: warm electronics box houses ILN anchor node electronics/batteries. Technology Need: thermal switching system that will keep the WEB cool during the lunar day and warm during the lunar night.

Integration of OLEDs in biomedical sensor systems: design and feasibility analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, Pratyush; Kumar, Prashanth S.; Varadan, Vijay K.

2010-04-01

Organic (electronic) Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) have been shown to have applications in the field of lighting and flexible display. These devices can also be incorporated in sensors as light source for imaging/fluorescence sensing for miniaturized systems for biomedical applications and low-cost displays for sensor output. The current device capability aligns well with the aforementioned applications as low power diffuse lighting and momentary/push button dynamic display. A top emission OLED design has been proposed that can be incorporated with the sensor and peripheral electrical circuitry, also based on organic electronics. Feasibility analysis is carried out for an integrated optical imaging/sensor system, based on luminosity and spectrum band width. A similar study is also carried out for sensor output display system that functions as a pseudo active OLED matrix. A power model is presented for device power requirements and constraints. The feasibility analysis is also supplemented with the discussion about implementation of ink-jet printing and stamping techniques for possibility of roll to roll manufacturing.

Power processing for electric propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finke, R. C.; Herron, B. G.; Gant, G. D.

1975-01-01

The inclusion of electric thruster systems in spacecraft design is considered. The propulsion requirements of such spacecraft dictate a wide range of thruster power levels and operational lifetimes, which must be matched by lightweight, efficient, and reliable thruster power processing systems. Electron bombardment ion thruster requirements are presented, and the performance characteristics of present power processing systems are reviewed. Design philosophies and alternatives in areas such as inverter type, arc protection, and control methods are discussed along with future performance potentials for meeting goals in the areas of power process or weight (10 kg/kW), efficiency (approaching 92 percent), reliability (0.96 for 15,000 hr), and thermal control capability (0.3 to 5 AU).

Portable Power And Digital-Communication Units

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levin, Richard R.; Henry, Paul K.; Rosenberg, Leigh S.

1992-01-01

Conceptual network of electronic-equipment modules provides electrical power and digital radio communications at multiple sites not served by cables. System includes central communication unit and portable units powered by solar photovoltaic arrays. Useful to serve equipment that must be set up quickly at remote sites or buildings that cannot be modified to provide cable connections.

Efficient Low-Voltage Operation of a CW Gyrotron Oscillator at 233 GHz.

PubMed

Hornstein, Melissa K; Bajaj, Vikram S; Griffin, Robert G; Temkin, Richard J

2007-02-01

The gyrotron oscillator is a source of high average power millimeter-wave through terahertz radiation. In this paper, we report low beam power and high-efficiency operation of a tunable gyrotron oscillator at 233 GHz. The low-voltage operating mode provides a path to further miniaturization of the gyrotron through reduction in the size of the electron gun, power supply, collector, and cooling system, which will benefit industrial and scientific applications requiring portability. Detailed studies of low-voltage operation in the TE(2) (,) (3) (,) (1) mode reveal that the mode can be excited with less than 7 W of beam power at 3.5 kV. During CW operation with 3.5-kV beam voltage and 50-mA beam current, the gyrotron generates 12 W of RF power at 233.2 GHz. The EGUN electron optics code describes the low-voltage operation of the electron gun. Using gun-operating parameters derived from EGUN simulations, we show that a linear theory adequately predicts the low experimental starting currents.

Efficient Low-Voltage Operation of a CW Gyrotron Oscillator at 233 GHz

PubMed Central

Hornstein, Melissa K.; Bajaj, Vikram S.; Griffin, Robert G.; Temkin, Richard J.

2007-01-01

The gyrotron oscillator is a source of high average power millimeter-wave through terahertz radiation. In this paper, we report low beam power and high-efficiency operation of a tunable gyrotron oscillator at 233 GHz. The low-voltage operating mode provides a path to further miniaturization of the gyrotron through reduction in the size of the electron gun, power supply, collector, and cooling system, which will benefit industrial and scientific applications requiring portability. Detailed studies of low-voltage operation in the TE2,3,1 mode reveal that the mode can be excited with less than 7 W of beam power at 3.5 kV. During CW operation with 3.5-kV beam voltage and 50-mA beam current, the gyrotron generates 12 W of RF power at 233.2 GHz. The EGUN electron optics code describes the low-voltage operation of the electron gun. Using gun-operating parameters derived from EGUN simulations, we show that a linear theory adequately predicts the low experimental starting currents. PMID:17687412

Electron spin control of optically levitated nanodiamonds in vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Thai; Ahn, Jonghoon; Bang, Jaehoon; Li, Tongcang

2016-05-01

Electron spins of diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers are important quantum resources for nanoscale sensing and quantum information. Combining such NV spin systems with levitated optomechanical resonators will provide a hybrid quantum system for many novel applications. Here we optically levitate a nanodiamond and demonstrate electron spin control of its built-in NV centers in low vacuum. We observe that the strength of electron spin resonance (ESR) is enhanced when the air pressure is reduced. To better understand this novel system, we also investigate the effects of trap power and measure the absolute internal temperature of levitated nanodiamonds with ESR after calibration of the strain effect.

Impurity segregation behavior in polycrystalline silicon ingot grown with variation of electron-beam power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jun-Kyu; Lee, Jin-Seok; Jang, Bo-Yun; Kim, Joon-Soo; Ahn, Young-Soo; Cho, Churl-Hee

2014-08-01

Electron beam melting (EBM) systems have been used to improve the purity of metallurgical grade silicon feedstock for photovoltaic application. Our advanced EBM system is able to effectively remove volatile impurities using a heat source with high energy from an electron gun and to continuously allow impurities to segregate at the top of an ingot solidified in a directional solidification (DS) zone in a vacuum chamber. Heat in the silicon melt should move toward the ingot bottom for the desired DS. However, heat flux though the ingot is changed as the ingot becomes longer due to low thermal conductivity of silicon. This causes a non-uniform microstructure of the ingot, finally leading to impurity segregation at its middle. In this research, EB power irradiated on the silicon melt was controlled during the ingot growth in order to suppress the change of heat flux. EB power was reduced from 12 to 6.6 kW during the growth period of 45 min with a drop rate of 0.125 kW/min. Also, the silicon ingot was grown under a constant EB power of 12 kW to estimate the effect of the drop rate of EB power. When the EB power was reduced, the grains with columnar shape were much larger at the middle of the ingot compared to the case of constant EB power. Also, the present research reports a possible reason for the improvement of ingot purity by considering heat flux behaviors.

Representing the thermal state in time-dependent density functional theory

DOE PAGES

Modine, N. A.; Hatcher, R. M.

2015-05-28

Classical molecular dynamics (MD) provides a powerful and widely used approach to determining thermodynamic properties by integrating the classical equations of motion of a system of atoms. Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) provides a powerful and increasingly useful approach to integrating the quantum equations of motion for a system of electrons. TDDFT efficiently captures the unitary evolution of a many-electron state by mapping the system into a fictitious non-interacting system. In analogy to MD, one could imagine obtaining the thermodynamic properties of an electronic system from a TDDFT simulation in which the electrons are excited from their ground state bymore » a time-dependent potential and then allowed to evolve freely in time while statistical data are captured from periodic snapshots of the system. For a variety of systems (e.g., many metals), the electrons reach an effective state of internal equilibrium due to electron-electron interactions on a time scale that is short compared to electron-phonon equilibration. During the initial time-evolution of such systems following electronic excitation, electron-phonon interactions should be negligible, and therefore, TDDFT should successfully capture the internal thermalization of the electrons. However, it is unclear how TDDFT represents the resulting thermal state. In particular, the thermal state is usually represented in quantum statistical mechanics as a mixed state, while the occupations of the TDDFT wave functions are fixed by the initial state in TDDFT. Two key questions involve (1) reformulating quantum statistical mechanics so that thermodynamic expectations can be obtained as an unweighted average over a set of many-body pure states and (2) constructing a family of non-interacting (single determinant) TDDFT states that approximate the required many-body states for the canonical ensemble. In Section II, we will address these questions by first demonstrating that thermodynamic expectations can be evaluated by averaging over certain many-body pure states, which we will call thermal states, and then constructing TDDFT states that approximate these thermal states. In Section III, we will present some numerical tests of the resulting theory, and in Section IV, we will summarize our main results and discuss some possible future directions for this work.« less

Bismuth Propellant Feed System Development at NASA-MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.

2007-01-01

NASA-MSFC has been developing liquid metal propellant feed systems capable of delivering molten bismuth at a prescribed mass flow rate to the vaporizer of an electric thruster. The first such system was delivered to NASA-JPL as part of the Very High Isp Thruster with Anode Layer (VHITAL) program. In this system, the components pictured were placed in a vacuum chamber and heated while the control electronics were located outside the chamber. The system was successfully operated at JPL in conjunction with a propellant vaporizer, and data was obtained demonstrating a new liquid bismuth flow sensing technique developed at MSFC. The present effort is aimed at producing a feed-system for use in conjunction with a bismuth-fed Hall thruster developed by Busek Co. Developing this system is more ambitious, however, in that it is designed to self-contain all the control electronics inside the same vacuum chamber as an operating bismuth-fed thruster. Consequently, the entire system, including an on-board computer, DC-output power supplies, and a gas-pressurization electro-pneumatic regulator, must be designed to survive a vacuum environment and shielded to keep bismuth plasma from intruding on the electronics and causing a shortcircuit. In addition, the hot portions of the feed system must be thermally isolated from the electronics to avoid failure due to high heat loads. This is accomplished using a thermal protection system (TPS) consisting of multiple layers of aluminum foil. The only penetrations into the vacuum chamber are an electrically isolated (floating) 48 VDC line and a fiberoptic line. The 48 VDC provides power for operation of the power supplies and electronics co-located with the system in the vacuum chamber. The fiberoptic Ethernet connection is used to communicate user-input control commands to the on-board computer and transmit real-time data back to the external computer. The partially assembled second-generation system is shown. Before testing at Busek, a more detailed flow sensor calibration will be performed to accurately quantify the flow monitoring capabilities. This effort is funded under a Technology Innovation Program (TIP) award from NASA-MSFC's Technology Transfer office and performed under SAA8-061060.

High voltage cabling for high power spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunbar, W. G.

1981-01-01

Studies by NASA have shown that many of the space missions proposed for the time period 1980 to 2000 will require large spacecraft structures to be assembled in orbit. Large antennas and power systems up to 2.5 MW size are predicted to supply the electrical/electronic subsystems, solar electric subsystems, solar electric propulsion, and space processing for the near-term programs. Platforms of 100 meters/length for stable foundations, utility stations, and supports for these multi-antenna and electronic powered mechanisms are also being considered. This paper includes the findings of an analytic and conceptual design study for large spacecraft power distribution, and electrical loads and their influence on the cable and connector requirements for these proposed large spacecraft.

Aircraft skin cooling system for thermal management of onboard high power electronic equipment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hashemi, A.; Dyson, E.

1996-12-31

Integration of high-power electronic devices into existing aircraft, while minimizing the impact of additional heat load on the environmental control system of the aircraft, requires innovative approaches. One such approach is to reject heat through the aircraft skin by use of internal skin ducts with enhanced surfaces. This approach requires a system level consideration of the effect of cooling ducts, inlets and outlets on the performance of the electronic equipment and effectiveness of the heat rejection system. This paper describes the development of a system-level model to evaluate the performance of electronic equipment in an aircraft cabin and heat rejectionmore » through the skin. In this model, the outer surface of the fuselage is treated as a heat exchanger. Hot air from an equipment exhaust plenum is drawn into a series of baffled ducts within the fuselage support structure, where the heat is rejected, and then recirculated into the cabin. The cooler air form the cabin is then drawn into the electronic equipment. The aircraft air conditioning unit is also modeled to provide chilled air directly into the cabin. In addition, this paper describes a series of tests which were performed to verify the model assumptions for heat dissipation from and air flow through the equipment. The tests were performed using the actual electronic equipment in a representative cabin configuration. Results indicate very good agreement between the analytical calculations for the design point and model predictions.« less

Status of the use of microwave power transmission technology in the solar power satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, W. C.

1985-01-01

Attention is given to recent advances in the technologies needed to build and transport a Solar Power satellite. Among the areas of NASA sponsored SPS research are: the application of ground-based, electronically steerable arrays to the SPS space-based microwave transmitting antenna; and the application of microwave transmission technology to a low-cost LEO-to-GEO transportation system to build the SPS. A photograph of a thin-film etched circuit rectenna for powering the LEO-to-GEO transportation system is provided.

Deployable Propulsion, Power and Communications Systems for Solar System Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, L.; Carr, J.; Boyd, D.

2017-01-01

NASA is developing thin-film based, deployable propulsion, power, and communication systems for small spacecraft that could provide a revolutionary new capability allowing small spacecraft exploration of the solar system. By leveraging recent advancements in thin films, photovoltaics, and miniaturized electronics, new mission-level capabilities will be enabled aboard lower-cost small spacecraft instead of their more expensive, traditional counterparts, enabling a new generation of frequent, inexpensive deep space missions. Specifically, thin-film technologies are allowing the development and use of solar sails for propulsion, small, lightweight photovoltaics for power, and omnidirectional antennas for communication.

Single-chip microprocessor that communicates directly using light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Chen; Wade, Mark T.; Lee, Yunsup; Orcutt, Jason S.; Alloatti, Luca; Georgas, Michael S.; Waterman, Andrew S.; Shainline, Jeffrey M.; Avizienis, Rimas R.; Lin, Sen; Moss, Benjamin R.; Kumar, Rajesh; Pavanello, Fabio; Atabaki, Amir H.; Cook, Henry M.; Ou, Albert J.; Leu, Jonathan C.; Chen, Yu-Hsin; Asanović, Krste; Ram, Rajeev J.; Popović, Miloš A.; Stojanović, Vladimir M.

2015-12-01

Data transport across short electrical wires is limited by both bandwidth and power density, which creates a performance bottleneck for semiconductor microchips in modern computer systems—from mobile phones to large-scale data centres. These limitations can be overcome by using optical communications based on chip-scale electronic-photonic systems enabled by silicon-based nanophotonic devices8. However, combining electronics and photonics on the same chip has proved challenging, owing to microchip manufacturing conflicts between electronics and photonics. Consequently, current electronic-photonic chips are limited to niche manufacturing processes and include only a few optical devices alongside simple circuits. Here we report an electronic-photonic system on a single chip integrating over 70 million transistors and 850 photonic components that work together to provide logic, memory, and interconnect functions. This system is a realization of a microprocessor that uses on-chip photonic devices to directly communicate with other chips using light. To integrate electronics and photonics at the scale of a microprocessor chip, we adopt a ‘zero-change’ approach to the integration of photonics. Instead of developing a custom process to enable the fabrication of photonics, which would complicate or eliminate the possibility of integration with state-of-the-art transistors at large scale and at high yield, we design optical devices using a standard microelectronics foundry process that is used for modern microprocessors. This demonstration could represent the beginning of an era of chip-scale electronic-photonic systems with the potential to transform computing system architectures, enabling more powerful computers, from network infrastructure to data centres and supercomputers.

System level latchup mitigation for single event and transient radiation effects on electronics

DOEpatents

Kimbrough, J.R.; Colella, N.J.

1997-09-30

A ``blink`` technique, analogous to a person blinking at a flash of bright light, is provided for mitigating the effects of single event current latchup and prompt pulse destructive radiation on a micro-electronic circuit. The system includes event detection circuitry, power dump logic circuitry, and energy limiting measures with autonomous recovery. The event detection circuitry includes ionizing radiation pulse detection means for detecting a pulse of ionizing radiation and for providing at an output terminal thereof a detection signal indicative of the detection of a pulse of ionizing radiation. The current sensing circuitry is coupled to the power bus for determining an occurrence of excess current through the power bus caused by ionizing radiation or by ion-induced destructive latchup of a semiconductor device. The power dump circuitry includes power dump logic circuitry having a first input terminal connected to the output terminal of the ionizing radiation pulse detection circuitry and having a second input terminal connected to the output terminal of the current sensing circuitry. The power dump logic circuitry provides an output signal to the input terminal of the circuitry for opening the power bus and the circuitry for shorting the power bus to a ground potential to remove power from the power bus. The energy limiting circuitry with autonomous recovery includes circuitry for opening the power bus and circuitry for shorting the power bus to a ground potential. The circuitry for opening the power bus and circuitry for shorting the power bus to a ground potential includes a series FET and a shunt FET. The invention provides for self-contained sensing for latchup, first removal of power to protect latched components, and autonomous recovery to enable transparent operation of other system elements. 18 figs.

System level latchup mitigation for single event and transient radiation effects on electronics

DOEpatents

Kimbrough, Joseph Robert; Colella, Nicholas John

1997-01-01

A "blink" technique, analogous to a person blinking at a flash of bright light, is provided for mitigating the effects of single event current latchup and prompt pulse destructive radiation on a micro-electronic circuit. The system includes event detection circuitry, power dump logic circuitry, and energy limiting measures with autonomous recovery. The event detection circuitry includes ionizing radiation pulse detection means for detecting a pulse of ionizing radiation and for providing at an output terminal thereof a detection signal indicative of the detection of a pulse of ionizing radiation. The current sensing circuitry is coupled to the power bus for determining an occurrence of excess current through the power bus caused by ionizing radiation or by ion-induced destructive latchup of a semiconductor device. The power dump circuitry includes power dump logic circuitry having a first input terminal connected to the output terminal of the ionizing radiation pulse detection circuitry and having a second input terminal connected to the output terminal of the current sensing circuitry. The power dump logic circuitry provides an output signal to the input terminal of the circuitry for opening the power bus and the circuitry for shorting the power bus to a ground potential to remove power from the power bus. The energy limiting circuitry with autonomous recovery includes circuitry for opening the power bus and circuitry for shorting the power bus to a ground potential. The circuitry for opening the power bus and circuitry for shorting the power bus to a ground potential includes a series FET and a shunt FET. The invention provides for self-contained sensing for latchup, first removal of power to protect latched components, and autonomous recovery to enable transparent operation of other system elements.

The Shock and Vibration Bulletin. Part 4. Prediction and Experimental Techniques, Isolation and Damping

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-06-01

one in laboratory tests. All components of the hydraulic power supply system, with the exceptions of the pumps and the heat exchanger, are located...servoactuator operated by a hydraulic power supply and a control electronics package mounted inside the cabin. For the seat isolation system, the...compensate for the static load b>ing supported. The actuators are the sole supportl.g link in the vertical direction. Hydraulic Power Supply The

The record of electrical and communication engineering conversazione Tohoku University Volume 63, No. 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1995-05-01

English abstracts contained are from papers authored by the research staff of the Research Institute of Electrical Communication and the departments of Electrical Engineering, Electrical Communications, Electronic Engineering, and Information Engineering, Tohoku University, which originally appeared in scientific journals in 1994. The abstracts are organized under the following disciplines: electromagnetic theory; physics; fundamental theory of information; communication theory and systems; signal and image processing; systems control; computers; artificial intelligence; recording; acoustics and speech; ultrasonic electronics; antenna, propagation, and transmission; optoelectronics and optical communications; quantum electronics; superconducting materials and applications; magnetic materials and magnetics; semiconductors; electronic materials and parts; electronic devices and integrated circuits; electronic circuits; medical electronics and bionics; measurements and applied electronics; electric power; and miscellaneous.

Modelling and Simulation of Grid Connected SPV System with Active Power Filtering Features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saroha, Jaipal; Pandove, Gitanjali; Singh, Mukhtiar

2017-09-01

In this paper, the detailed simulation studies for a grid connected solar photovoltaic system (SPV) have been presented. The power electronics devices like DC-DC boost converter and grid interfacing inverter are most important components of proposed system. Here, the DC-DC boost converter is controlled to extract maximum power out of SPV under different irradiation levels, while the grid interfacing inverter is utilized to evacuate the active power and feed it into grid at synchronized voltage and frequency. Moreover, the grid interfacing inverter is also controlled to sort out the issues related to power quality by compensating the reactive power and harmonics current component of nearby load at point of common coupling. Besides, detailed modeling of various component utilized in proposed system is also presented. Finally, extensive simulations have been performed under different irradiation levels with various kinds of load to validate the aforementioned claims. The overall system design and simulation have been performed by using Sim Power System toolbox available in the library of MATLAB.

Safety considerations for wireless delivery of continuous power to implanted medical devices.

PubMed

Lucke, Lori; Bluvshtein, Vlad

2014-01-01

Wireless power systems for use with implants are referred to as transcutaneous energy transmission systems (TETS) and consist of an implanted secondary coil and an external primary coil along with supporting electronics. A TETS system could be used to power ventricular assist systems and eliminate driveline infections. There are both direct and indirect safety concerns that must be addressed when continuously transferring power through the skin. Direct safety concerns include thermal tissue damage caused by exposure to the electromagnetic fields, coil heating effects, and potential unwanted nerve stimulation. Indirect concerns are those caused by potential interference of the TETS system with other implanted devices. Wireless power systems are trending towards higher frequency operation. Understanding the limits for safe operation of a TETS system across a range of frequencies is important. A low frequency and a high frequency implementation are simulated to demonstrate the impact of this trend for a VAD application.

Hybrid power systems for autonomous MEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Daniel M.; Selfridge, Richard H.; Humble, Paul; Harb, John N.

2001-08-01

This paper describes the design of a hybrid power system for use with autonomous MEMS and other microdevices. This hybrid power system includes energy conversion and storage along with an electronic system for managing the collection and distribution of power. It offers flexibility and longevity in a compact package. The hybrid power system couples a silicon solar cell with a microbattery specially designed for MEMS applications. We have designed a control/interface charging circuit to be compatible with a MEMS duty cycle. The design permits short pulses of 'high' power while taking care to avoid excessive charging or discharging of the battery. Charging is carefully controlled to provide a balance between acceptably small charging times and a charging profile that extends battery life. Our report describes the charging of our Ni/Zn microbatteries using solar cells. To date we have demonstrated thousands of charge/discharge cycles of a simulated MEMS duty cycle.

Research and Development of a High Power-Laser Driven Electron-Accelerator Suitable for Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-12

autocorrelator to measure the temporal duration, an optical imaging system to correct for phase front tilt and a FROG device to measure and optimize the... Phase II Task Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 D.1 Module I: High-Energy Electron Accelerator . . . . . . 4 D.2 Module II: High-Energy...During Phase I of the HRS program, the team from the University of Ne- braska, Lincoln (UNL) made use of the unique capabilities of their high-power

FY 2005 Oak Ridge National Laboratory Annual Progress Report for the Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olszewski, M

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (composed of automakers Ford, General Motors, and DaimlerChrysler) announced in January 2002 a new cooperative research effort. Known as FreedomCAR (derived from ''Freedom'' and ''Cooperative Automotive Research''), it represents DOE's commitment to developing public/private partnerships to fund high-risk, high-payoff research into advanced automotive technologies. Efficient fuel cell technology, which uses hydrogen to power automobiles without air pollution, is a very promising pathway to achieve the ultimate vision. The new partnership replaces and builds upon the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles initiative that ran from 1993more » through 2001. The Vehicle Systems subprogram within the FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive and heavy truck technologies now under development. Research is focused on understanding and improving the way the various new components of tomorrow's automobiles and heavy trucks will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency. This work also supports the development of advanced automotive accessories and the reduction of parasitic losses (e.g., aerodynamic drag, thermal management, friction and wear, and rolling resistance). In supporting the development of hybrid propulsion systems, the Vehicle Systems subprogram has enabled the development of technologies that will significantly improve fuel economy, comply with projected emissions and safety regulations, and use fuels produced domestically. The Vehicle Systems subprogram supports the efforts of the FreedomCAR and Fuel and the 21st Century Truck Partnerships through a three-phase approach intended to: (1) Identify overall propulsion and vehicle-related needs by analyzing programmatic goals and reviewing industry's recommendations and requirements, then develop the appropriate technical targets for systems, subsystems, and component research and development activities; (2) Develop and validate individual subsystems and components, including electric motors, emission control devices, battery systems, power electronics, accessories, and devices to reduce parasitic losses; and (3) Determine how well the components and subsystems work together in a vehicle environment or as a complete propulsion system and whether the efficiency and performance targets at the vehicle level have been achieved. The research performed under the Vehicle Systems subprogram will help remove technical and cost barriers to enable technology for use in such advanced vehicles as hybrid and fuel-cell-powered automobiles that meet the goals of the FreedomCAR Program. A key element in making hybrid electric vehicles practical is providing an affordable electric traction drive system. This will require attaining weight, volume, and cost targets for the power electronics and electrical machines subsystems of the traction drive system. Areas of development include: (1) Novel traction motor designs that result in increased power density and lower cost; (2) Inverter technologies involving new topologies to achieve higher efficiency and the ability to accommodate higher-temperature environments; (3) Converter concepts that employ means of reducing the component count and integrating functionality to decrease size, weight, and cost; (4) More effective thermal control and packaging technologies; and (5) Integrated motor/inverter concepts. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL's) Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Research Center conducts fundamental research, evaluates hardware, and assists in the technical direction of the DOE Office of FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program, Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Program. In this role, ORNL serves on the FreedomCAR Electrical and Electronics Technical Team, evaluates proposals for DOE, and lends its technological expertise to the direction of projects and evaluation of developing technologies. ORNL also executes specific projects for DOE. The following report discusses those projects carried out in FY 2004 and conveys highlights of their accomplishments. Numerous project reviews, technical reports, and papers have been published for these efforts, if the reader is interested in pursuing details of the work.« less

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Annual Progress Report for the Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olszewski, M.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (composed of automakers Ford, General Motors, and DaimlerChrysler) announced in January 2002 a new cooperative research effort. Known as FreedomCAR (derived from 'Freedom' and 'Cooperative Automotive Research'), it represents DOE's commitment to developing public/private partnerships to fund high-risk, high-payoff research into advanced automotive technologies. Efficient fuel cell technology, which uses hydrogen to power automobiles without air pollution, is a very promising pathway to achieve the ultimate vision. The new partnership replaces and builds upon the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles initiative that ran from 1993more » through 2001. The Vehicle Systems subprogram within the FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive and heavy truck technologies now under development. Research is focused on understanding and improving the way the various new components of tomorrow's automobiles and heavy trucks will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency. This work also supports the development of advanced automotive accessories and the reduction of parasitic losses (e.g., aerodynamic drag, thermal management, friction and wear, and rolling resistance). In supporting the development of hybrid propulsion systems, the Vehicle Systems subprogram has enabled the development of technologies that will significantly improve fuel economy, comply with projected emissions and safety regulations, and use fuels produced domestically. The Vehicle Systems subprogram supports the efforts of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership and the 21st Century Truck Partnership through a three-phase approach intended to: (1) Identify overall propulsion and vehicle-related needs by analyzing programmatic goals and reviewing industry's recommendations and requirements and then develop the appropriate technical targets for systems, subsystems, and component research and development activities; (2) Develop and validate individual subsystems and components, including electric motors, emission control devices, battery systems, power electronics, accessories, and devices to reduce parasitic losses; and (3) Determine how well the components and subsystems work together in a vehicle environment or as a complete propulsion system and whether the efficiency and performance targets at the vehicle level have been achieved. The research performed under the Vehicle Systems subprogram will help remove technical and cost barriers to enable the development of technology for use in such advanced vehicles as hybrid and fuel-cell-powered automobiles that meet the goals of the FreedomCAR Program. A key element in making hybrid electric vehicles practical is providing an affordable electric traction drive system. This will require attaining weight, volume, and cost targets for the power electronics and electrical machines subsystems of the traction drive system. Areas of development include these: (1) Novel traction motor designs that result in increased power density and lower cost; (2) Inverter technologies involving new topologies to achieve higher efficiency and the ability to accommodate higher-temperature environments; (3) Converter concepts that employ means of reducing the component count and integrating functionality to decrease size, weight, and cost; (4) More effective thermal control and packaging technologies; and (5) Integrated motor/inverter concepts. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL's) Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Research Center conducts fundamental research, evaluates hardware, and assists in the technical direction of the DOE Office of FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program, Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Program. In this role, ORNL serves on the FreedomCAR Electrical and Electronics Technical Team, evaluates proposals for DOE, and lends its technological expertise to the direction of projects and evaluation of developing technologies. ORNL also executes specific projects for DOE. The following report discusses those projects carried out in FY 2006 and conveys highlights of their accomplishments. Numerous project reviews, technical reports, and papers have been published for these efforts, if the reader is interested in pursuing details of the work. Summaries of major accomplishments for each technical project are give.« less

Fabrication, characterization, and modeling of a biodegradable battery for transient electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edupuganti, Vineet; Solanki, Raj

2016-12-01

Traditionally, emphasis has been placed on durable, long-lasting electronics. However, electronics that are meant to intentionally degrade over time can actually have significant practical applications. Biodegradable, or transient, electronics would open up opportunities in the field of medical implants, where the need for surgical removal of devices could be eliminated. Environmental sensors and, eventually, consumer electronics would also greatly benefit from this technology. An essential component of transient electronics is the battery, which serves as a biodegradable power source. This work involves the fabrication, characterization, and modeling of a magnesium-based biodegradable battery. Galvanostatic discharge tests show that an anode material of magnesium alloy AZ31 extends battery lifetime by over six times, as compared to pure magnesium. With AZ31, the maximum power and capacity of the fabricated device are 67 μW and 5.2 mAh, respectively, though the anode area is just 0.8 cm2. The development of an equivalent circuit model provided insight into the battery's behavior by extracting fitting parameters from experimental data. The model can accurately simulate device behavior, taking into account its intentional degradation. The size of the device and the power it produces are in accordance with typical levels for low-power transient systems.

GaP betavoltaic cells as a power source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pool, F. S.; Stella, Paul M.; Anspaugh, B.

1991-01-01

Maximum power output for the GaP cells of this study was found to be on the order of 1 microW. This resulted from exposure to 200 and 40 KeV electrons at a flux of 2 x 10(exp 9) electrons/sq cm/s, equivalent to a 54 mCurie source. The efficiencies of the cells ranged from 5 to 9 percent for 200 and 40 KeV electrons respectively. The lower efficiency at higher energy is due to a substantial fraction of energy deposition in the substrate, further than a diffusion length from the depletion region of the cell. Radiation damage was clearly observed in GaP after exposure to 200 KeV electrons at a fluence of 2 x 10(exp 12) electrons/sq cm. No discernable damage was observed after exposure to 40 KeV electrons at the same fluence. Analysis indicates that a GaP betavoltaic system would not be practical if limited to low energy beta sources. The power available would be too low even in the ideal case. By utilizing high activity beta sources, such as Sr-90/Y-90, it may be possible to achieve performance that could be suitable for some space power applications. However, to utilize such a source the problem of radiation damage in the beta cell material must be overcome.

Status of thermoelectronic laser energy conversion, TELEC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britt, E. J.

1982-01-01

A concept known as a thermo-electronic laser energy converter (TELEC), was studied as a method of converting a 10.6 micron CO2 laser beam into electric power. The calculated characteristics of a TELEC seem to be well matched to the requirements of a spacecraft laser energy conversion system. The TELEC is a high power density plasma device which absorbs an intense laser beam by inverse bremsstrahlung with the plasma electrons. In the TELEC process, electromagnetic radiation is absorbed directly in the plasma electrons producing a high electron temperature. The energetic electrons diffuse out of the plasma striking two electrodes which are in contact with the plasma at the boundaries. These two electrodes have different areas: the larger one is designated as the collector, the smaller one is designated as the emitter. The smaller electrode functions as an electron emitter provide continuity of the current. Waste heat is rejected from the collector electrode. An experiment was carried out with a high power laser using a cesium vapor TELEC cell with 30 cm active length. Laser supported plasma were produced in the TELEC device during a number of laser runs over a period of several days. Electric power from the TELEC was observed with currents in the range of several amperes and output potentials of less than 1 volt.

ONU Power Saving Scheme for EPON System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukai, Hiroaki; Tano, Fumihiko; Tanaka, Masaki; Kozaki, Seiji; Yamanaka, Hideaki

PON (Passive Optical Network) achieves FTTH (Fiber To The Home) economically, by sharing an optical fiber among plural subscribers. Recently, global climate change has been recognized as a serious near term problem. Power saving techniques for electronic devices are important. In PON system, the ONU (Optical Network Unit) power saving scheme has been studied and defined in XG-PON. In this paper, we propose an ONU power saving scheme for EPON. Then, we present an analysis of the power reduction effect and the data transmission delay caused by the ONU power saving scheme. According to the analysis, we propose an efficient provisioning method for the ONU power saving scheme which is applicable to both of XG-PON and EPON.

Chip-integrated optical power limiter based on an all-passive micro-ring resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Siqi; Dong, Jianji; Zheng, Aoling; Zhang, Xinliang

2014-10-01

Recent progress in silicon nanophotonics has dramatically advanced the possible realization of large-scale on-chip optical interconnects integration. Adopting photons as information carriers can break the performance bottleneck of electronic integrated circuit such as serious thermal losses and poor process rates. However, in integrated photonics circuits, few reported work can impose an upper limit of optical power therefore prevent the optical device from harm caused by high power. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate a feasible integrated scheme based on a single all-passive micro-ring resonator to realize the optical power limitation which has a similar function of current limiting circuit in electronics. Besides, we analyze the performance of optical power limiter at various signal bit rates. The results show that the proposed device can limit the signal power effectively at a bit rate up to 20 Gbit/s without deteriorating the signal. Meanwhile, this ultra-compact silicon device can be completely compatible with the electronic technology (typically complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology), which may pave the way of very large scale integrated photonic circuits for all-optical information processors and artificial intelligence systems.

Non-Cooled Power System for Venus Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salazar, Denise; Landis, Geoffrey A.; Colozza, Anthony J.

2014-01-01

The Planetary Science Decadal Survey of 2013-2022 stated that the exploration of Venus is of significant interest. Studying the seismic activity of the planet is of particular importance because the findings can be compared to the seismic activity of Earth. Further, the geological and atmospheric properties of Venus will shed light into the past and future of Earth. This paper presents a radioisotope power system (RPS) design for a small low-power Venus lander. The feasibility of the new power system is then compared to that of primary batteries. A requirement for the power source system is to avoid moving parts in order to not interfere with the primary objective of the mission - to collect data about the seismic activity of Venus using a seismometer. The target mission duration of the lander is 117 days, a significant leap from Venera 13, the longest-lived lander on the surface of Venus, which survived for 2 hours. One major assumption for this mission design is that the power source system will not provide cooling to the other components of the lander. This assumption is based on high-temperature electronics technology that will enable the electronics and components of the lander to operate at Venus surface temperature. For the proposed RPS, a customized General Purpose Heat Source Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (GPHSRTG) is designed and analyzed. The GPHS-RTG is chosen primarily because it has no moving parts and it is capable of operating for long duration missions on the order of years. This power system is modeled as a spherical structure for a fundamental thermal analysis. The total mass and electrical output of the system are calculated to be 24 kilograms and 26 Watts, respectively. An alternative design for a battery-based power system uses Sodium Sulfur batteries. To deliver a similar electrical output for 117 days, the battery mass is calculated to be 234 kilograms. Reducing mission duration or power required will reduce the required battery mass. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of both power systems with regard to science return, risk, and cost are briefly compared. The design of the radioisotope power system is considerably riskier because it is novel and would require additional years of further refinement, manufacturing, safety analysis, and testing that the primary batteries do not need. However, the lifetime of the radioisotope power system makes its science return more promising.

Vehicle to grid: electric vehicles as an energy storage solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGee, Rodney; Waite, Nicholas; Wells, Nicole; Kiamilev, Fouad E.; Kempton, Willett M.

2013-05-01

With increased focus on intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and photovoltaics, there comes a rising need for large-scale energy storage. The vehicle to grid (V2G) project seeks to meet this need using electric vehicles, whose high power capacity and existing power electronics make them a promising energy storage solution. This paper will describe a charging system designed by the V2G team that facilitates selective charging and backfeeding by electric vehicles. The system consists of a custom circuit board attached to an embedded linux computer that is installed both in the EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment) and in the power electronics unit of the vehicle. The boards establish an in-band communication link between the EVSE and the vehicle, giving the vehicle internet connectivity and the ability to make intelligent decisions about when to charge and discharge. This is done while maintaining compliance with existing charging protocols (SAEJ1772, IEC62196) and compatibility with standard "nonintelligent" cars and chargers. Through this system, the vehicles in a test fleet have been able to successfully serve as portable temporary grid storage, which has implications for regulating the electrical grid, providing emergency power, or supplying power to forward military bases.

Preliminary design development of 100 KW rotary power transfer device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinberger, S. M.

1981-01-01

Contactless power transfer devices for transferring electrical power across a rotating spacecraft interface were studied. A power level of 100 KW was of primary interest and the study was limited to alternating current devices. Rotary transformers and rotary capacitors together with the required dc to ac power conditioning electronics were examined. Microwave devices were addressed. The rotary transformer with resonant circuit power conditioning was selected as the most feasible approach. The rotary capacitor would be larger while microwave devices would be less efficient. A design analysis was made of a 100 KW, 20 kHz power transfer device consisting of a rotary transformer, power conditioning electronics, drive mechanism and heat rejection system. The size, weight and efficiency of the device were determined. The characteristics of a baseline slip ring were presented. Aspects of testing the 100 KW power transfer device were examined. The power transfer device is a feasible concept which can be implemented using presently available technologies.

Design of an Advanced Modular Automated Evaluation System for Experimental High Power SGTOS

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

POWER SGTOS Shelby Lacouture, Kevin Lawson, Stephen Bayne, Michael Giesselmann, Heather O’Brien 1 , Aderinto Ogunniyi 1 , Charles J...Travis T. Vollmer and Michael G. Giesselmann, Rapid Capacitor Charging Power Supply for an 1800J PFN, Proceedings of the 2012 Power Modulator and High Voltage Conference, San Diego, CA, June 3-7, 2012. 1023 ...Scozzie 1 Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Texas Tech

Research Technology

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-08-01

The electro-mechanical actuator, a new electronics technology, is an electronic system that provides the force needed to move valves that control the flow of propellant to the engine. It is proving to be advantageous for the main propulsion system plarned for a second generation reusable launch vehicle. Hydraulic actuators have been used successfully in rocket propulsion systems. However, they can leak when high pressure is exerted on such a fluid-filled hydraulic system. Also, hydraulic systems require significant maintenance and support equipment. The electro-mechanical actuator is proving to be low maintenance and the system weighs less than a hydraulic system. The electronic controller is a separate unit powering the actuator. Each actuator has its own control box. If a problem is detected, it can be replaced by simply removing one defective unit. The hydraulic systems must sustain significant hydraulic pressures in a rocket engine regardless of demand. The electro-mechanical actuator utilizes power only when needed. A goal of the Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Program is to substantially improve safety and reliability while reducing the high cost of space travel. The electro-mechanical actuator was developed by the Propulsion Projects Office of the Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Program at the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Energy-loss return gate via liquid dielectric polarization.

PubMed

Kim, Taehun; Yong, Hyungseok; Kim, Banseok; Kim, Dongseob; Choi, Dukhyun; Park, Yong Tae; Lee, Sangmin

2018-04-12

There has been much research on renewable energy-harvesting techniques. However, owing to increasing energy demands, significant energy-related issues remain to be solved. Efforts aimed at reducing the amount of energy loss in electric/electronic systems are essential for reducing energy consumption and protecting the environment. Here, we design an energy-loss return gate system that reduces energy loss from electric/electronic systems by utilizing the polarization of liquid dielectrics. The use of a liquid dielectric material in the energy-loss return gate generates electrostatic potential energy while reducing the dielectric loss of the electric/electronic system. Hence, an energy-loss return gate can make breakthrough impacts possible by amplifying energy-harvesting efficiency, lowering the power consumption of electronics, and storing the returned energy. Our study indicates the potential for enhancing energy-harvesting technologies for electric/electronics systems, while increasing the widespread development of these systems.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shwehdi, M.H.; Khan, A.Z.

Building automation technology is rapidly developing towards more reliable communication systems, devices that control electronic equipments. These equipment if controlled leads to efficient energy management, and savings on the monthly electricity bill. Power Line communication (PLC) has been one of the dreams of the electronics industry for decades, especially for building automation. It is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate communication methods among electronic control devices through an AC power line carrier within the buildings for more efficient energy control. The paper outlines methods of communication over a powerline, namely the X-10 and CE bus. It also introduces themore » spread spectrum technology as to increase speed to 100--150 times faster than the X-10 system. The powerline carrier has tremendous applications in the field of building automation. The paper presents an attempt to realize a smart house concept, so called, in which all home electronic devices from a coffee maker to a water heater microwave to chaos robots will be utilized by an intelligent network whenever one wishes to do so. The designed system may be applied very profitably to help in energy management for both customer and utility.« less

High Power Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Processing Unit Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheidegger, Robert J.; Santiago, Walter; Bozak, Karin E.; Pinero, Luis R.; Birchenough, Arthur G.

2015-01-01

NASA GRC successfully designed, built and tested a technology-push power processing unit for electric propulsion applications that utilizes high voltage silicon carbide (SiC) technology. The development specifically addresses the need for high power electronics to enable electric propulsion systems in the 100s of kilowatts. This unit demonstrated how high voltage combined with superior semiconductor components resulted in exceptional converter performance.

Solid-state active switch matrix for high energy, moderate power battery systems

DOEpatents

Deal, Larry; Paris, Peter; Ye, Changqing

2016-06-07

A battery management system employs electronic switches and capacitors. No traditional cell-balancing resistors are used. The BMS electronically switches individual cells into and out of a module of cells in order to use the maximum amount of energy available in each cell and to completely charge and discharge each cell without overcharging or under-discharging.

A High-Average-Power Free Electron Laser for Microfabrication and Surface Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dylla, H. F.; Benson, S.; Bisognano, J.; Bohn, C. L.; Cardman, L.; Engwall, D.; Fugitt, J.; Jordan, K.; Kehne, D.; Li, Z.;

Electronics Demonstrated for Low- Temperature Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Richard L.; Hammond, Ahmad; Gerber, Scott S.

2000-01-01

The operation of electronic systems at cryogenic temperatures is anticipated for many NASA spacecraft, such as planetary explorers and deep space probes. For example, an unheated interplanetary probe launched to explore the rings of Saturn would experience an average temperature near Saturn of about 183 C. Electronics capable of low-temperature operation in the harsh deep space environment also would help improve circuit performance, increase system efficiency, and reduce payload development and launch costs. An ongoing research and development program on low-temperature electronics at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field is focusing on the design of efficient power systems that can survive and exploit the advantages of low-temperature environments. The targeted systems, which are mission driven, include converters, inverters, controls, digital circuits, and special-purpose circuits. Initial development efforts successfully demonstrated the low-temperature operation and cold-restart of several direct-current/direct-current (dc/dc) converters based on different types of circuit design, some with superconducting inductors. The table lists some of these dc/dc converters with their properties, and the photograph shows a high-voltage, high-power dc/dc converter designed for an ion propulsion system for low-temperature operation. The development efforts of advanced electronic systems and the supporting technologies for low-temperature operation are being carried out in-house and through collaboration with other Government agencies, industry, and academia. The Low Temperature Electronics Program supports missions and development programs at NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center. The developed technologies will be transferred to commercial end users for applications such as satellite infrared sensors and medical diagnostic equipment.

A High Power Density Power System Electronics for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hernandez-Pellerano, A.; Stone, R.; Travis, J.; Kercheval, B.; Alkire, G.; Ter-Minassian, V.

2009-01-01

A high power density, modular and state-of-the-art Power System Electronics (PSE) has been developed for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission. This paper addresses the hardware architecture and performance, the power handling capabilities, and the fabrication technology. The PSE was developed by NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and is the central location for power handling and distribution of the LRO spacecraft. The PSE packaging design manages and distributes 2200W of solar array input power in a volume less than a cubic foot. The PSE architecture incorporates reliable standard internal and external communication buses, solid state circuit breakers and LiIon battery charge management. Although a single string design, the PSE achieves high reliability by elegantly implementing functional redundancy and internal fault detection and correction. The PSE has been environmentally tested and delivered to the LRO spacecraft for the flight Integration and Test. This modular design is scheduled to flight in early 2009 on board the LRO and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) spacecrafts and is the baseline architecture for future NASA missions such as Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) and Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS).

Small Cold Temperature Instrument Packages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, P. E.; Millar, P. S.; Yeh, P. S.; Feng, S.; Brigham, D.; Beaman, B.

We are developing a small cold temperature instrument package concept that integrates a cold temperature power system with ultra low temperature ultra low power electronics components and power supplies now under development into a 'cold temperature surface operational' version of a planetary surface instrument package. We are already in the process of developing a lower power lower temperature version for an instrument of mutual interest to SMD and ESMD to support the search for volatiles (the mass spectrometer VAPoR, Volatile Analysis by Pyrolysis of Regolith) both as a stand alone instrument and as part of an environmental monitoring package. We build on our previous work to develop strategies for incorporating Ultra Low Temperature/Ultra Low Power (ULT/ULP) electronics, lower voltage power supplies, as well as innovative thermal design concepts for instrument packages. Cryotesting has indicated that our small Si RHBD CMOS chips can deliver >80% of room temperature performance at 40K (nominal minimum lunar surface temperature). We leverage collaborations, past and current, with the JPL battery development program to increase power system efficiency in extreme environments. We harness advances in MOSFET technology that provide lower voltage thresholds for power switching circuits incorporated into our low voltage power supply concept. Conventional power conversion has a lower efficiency. Our low power circuit concept based on 'synchronous rectification' could produce stable voltages as low as 0.6 V with 85% efficiency. Our distributed micro-battery-based power supply concept incorporates cold temperature power supplies operating with a 4 V or 8 V battery. This work will allow us to provide guidelines for applying the low temperature, low power system approaches generically to the widest range of surface instruments.

High power plasma heating experiments on the Proto-MPEX facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigelow, T. S.; Beers, C. J.; Biewer, T. M.; Caneses, J. F.; Caughman, J. B. O.; Diem, S. J.; Goulding, R. H.; Green, D. L.; Kafle, N.; Rapp, J.; Showers, M. A.

2017-10-01

Work is underway to maximize the power delivered to the plasma that is available from heating sources installed on the Prototype Materials Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) at ORNL. Proto-MPEX is a linear device that has a >100 kW, 13.56 MHz helicon plasma generator available and is intended for material sample exposure to plasmas. Additional plasma heating systems include a 10 kW 18 GHz electron cyclotron heating (ECH) system, a 25 kW 8 MHz ion cyclotron heating ICH system, and a 200 kW 28 GHz electron Bernstein wave (EBW) and ECH system. Most of the heating systems have relatively good power transmission efficiency, however, the 28 GHz EBW system has a lower efficiency owing to stringent requirements on the microwave launch characteristics for EBW coupling combined with the lower output mode purity of the early-model gyrotron in use and its compact mode converter system. A goal for the Proto-MPEX is to have a combined heating power of 200 kW injected into the plasma. Infrared emission diagnostics of the target plate combined with Thomson Scattering, Langmuir probe, and energy analyzer measurements near the target are utilized to characterize the plasmas and coupling efficiency of the heating systems. ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the U.S. DOE under contract DE-AC-05-00OR22725.

Passive Two-Phase Cooling for Automotive Power Electronics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreno, G.; Jeffers, J. R.; Narumanchi, S.

2014-01-01

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of a passive two-phase cooling strategy as a means of cooling automotive power electronics. The proposed cooling approach utilizes an indirect cooling configuration to alleviate some reliability concerns and to allow the use of conventional power modules. An inverter-scale proof-of-concept cooling system was fabricated and tested using the refrigerants hydrofluoroolefin HFO-1234yf and hydrofluorocarbon HFC-245 fa. Results demonstrated that the system can dissipate at least 3.5 kW of heat with 250 cm3 of HFC-245fa. An advanced evaporator concept that incorporates features to improve performance and reduce its size was designed. Simulation results indicate themore » concept's thermal resistance can be 58% to 65% lower than automotive dual-side-cooled power modules. Tests were also conducted to measure the thermal performance of two air-cooled condensers-plain and rifled finned tube designs. The results combined with some analysis were then used to estimate the required condenser size per operating conditions and maximum allowable system (i.e., vapor and liquid) temperatures.« less

Passive Two-Phase Cooling of Automotive Power Electronics: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreno, G.; Jeffers, J. R.; Narumanchi, S.

2014-08-01

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of a passive two-phase cooling strategy as a means of cooling automotive power electronics. The proposed cooling approach utilizes an indirect cooling configuration to alleviate some reliability concerns and to allow the use of conventional power modules. An inverter-scale proof-of-concept cooling system was fabricated, and tests were conducted using the refrigerants hydrofluoroolefin HFO-1234yf and hydrofluorocarbon HFC-245fa. Results demonstrated that the system can dissipate at least 3.5 kW of heat with 250 cm3 of HFC-245fa. An advanced evaporator design that incorporates features to improve performance and reduce size was conceived. Simulation results indicate itsmore » thermal resistance can be 37% to 48% lower than automotive dual side cooled power modules. Tests were also conducted to measure the thermal performance of two air-cooled condensers--plain and rifled finned tube designs. The results combined with some analysis were then used to estimate the required condenser size per operating conditions and maximum allowable system (i.e., vapor and liquid) temperatures.« less

A self-powered kinesin-microtubule system for smart cargo delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Yi; Dong, Weiguang; Feng, Xiyun; Li, Jieling; Li, Junbai

2014-11-01

A smart self-powered cargo delivery system that is composed of creatine phosphate kinase (CPK) microspheres, kinesins and microtubules is demonstrated. The CPK microsphere not only acts as an ATP generation and buffering system, but also as a carrier for cargo transport, thus realizing the easy loading and self-powered delivery of cargos at the same time.A smart self-powered cargo delivery system that is composed of creatine phosphate kinase (CPK) microspheres, kinesins and microtubules is demonstrated. The CPK microsphere not only acts as an ATP generation and buffering system, but also as a carrier for cargo transport, thus realizing the easy loading and self-powered delivery of cargos at the same time. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, Fig. S1-S4, and Mov. S1-S6. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04454a

Wheelchair ergometer. Development of a prototype with electronic braking.

PubMed

Forchheimer, F; Lundberg, A

1986-01-01

A new wheelchair ergometer is described, which compensates for the pulsating character of the work by an automatic control system. This makes it possible to maintain a constant level of power during wheelchair work. An automatic control system has been integrated in an electronically braked bicycle ergometer, and a pedal unit from Rodby Electronic bicycle ergometer RE 820 has been coupled to a modified test wheelchair. With this device, the physical working capacity during submaximal circumstances can be tested in handicapped persons.

Lighting system with thermal management system

DOEpatents

Arik, Mehmet; Weaver, Stanton Earl; Stecher, Thomas Elliot; Seeley, Charles Erklin; Kuenzler, Glenn Howard; Wolfe, Jr., Charles Franklin; Utturkar, Yogen Vishwas; Sharma, Rajdeep; Prabhakaran, Satish; Icoz, Tunc

2015-02-24

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Lighting system with thermal management system

DOEpatents

Arik, Mehmet; Weaver, Stanton Earl; Stecher, Thomas Elliot; Seeley, Charles Erklin; Kuenzler, Glenn Howard; Wolfe, Jr., Charles Franklin; Utturkar, Yogen Vishwas; Sharma, Rajdeep; Prabhakaran, Satish; Icoz, Tunc

2015-08-25

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Lighting system with thermal management system

DOEpatents

Arik, Mehmet; Weaver, Stanton; Stecher, Thomas; Seeley, Charles; Kuenzler, Glenn; Wolfe, Jr., Charles; Utturkar, Yogen; Sharma, Rajdeep; Prabhakaran, Satish; Icoz, Tunc

2013-05-07

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Lighting system with thermal management system

DOEpatents

Arik, Mehmet; Weaver, Stanton Earl; Stecher, Thomas Elliot; Seeley, Charles Erklin; Kuenzler, Glenn Howard; Wolfe, Jr, Charles Franklin; Utturkar, Yogen Vishwas; Sharma, Rajdeep; Prabhakaran, Satish; Icoz, Tunc

2016-10-11

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Security of Electronic Voting in the United States

DOE PAGES

King, Charity; Thompson, Michael

2016-10-20

In the midst of numerous high-profile cyber-attacks, the US is considering whether to categorize the US electronic voting system as “critical infrastructure”, to be protected and invested in much the same way as the US power grid or waterways.

Isolated Power Generation System Using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator with Improved Power Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arya, Sabha Raj; Patel, Ashish; Giri, Ashutosh

2018-06-01

This paper deals wind energy based power generation system using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG). It is controlled using advanced enhanced phase-lock loop for power quality features using distribution static compensator to eliminate the harmonics and to provide KVAR compensation as well as load balancing. It also manages rated potential at the point of common interface under linear and non-linear loads. In order to have better efficiency and reliable operation of PMSG driven by wind turbine, it is necessary to analyze the governing equation of wind based turbine and PMSG under fixed and variable wind speed. For handling power quality problems, power electronics based shunt connected custom power device is used in three wire system. The simulations in MATLAB/Simulink environment have been carried out in order to demonstrate this model and control approach used for the power quality enhancement. The performance results show the adequate performance of PMSG based power generation system and control algorithm.

Power Control of New Wind Power Generation System with Induction Generator Excited by Voltage Source Converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morizane, Toshimitsu; Kimura, Noriyuki; Taniguchi, Katsunori

This paper investigates advantages of new combination of the induction generator for wind power and the power electronic equipment. Induction generator is popularly used for the wind power generation. The disadvantage of it is impossible to generate power at the lower rotor speed than the synchronous speed. To compensate this disadvantage, expensive synchronous generator with the permanent magnets is sometimes used. In proposed scheme, the diode rectifier is used to convert the real power from the induction generator to the intermediate dc voltage, while only the reactive power necessary to excite the induction generator is supplied from the voltage source converter (VSC). This means that the rating of the expensive VSC is minimized and total cost of the wind power generation system is decreased compared to the system with synchronous generator. Simulation study to investigate the control strategy of proposed system is performed. The results show the reduction of the VSC rating is prospective.

Isolated Power Generation System Using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator with Improved Power Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arya, Sabha Raj; Patel, Ashish; Giri, Ashutosh

2018-03-01

This paper deals wind energy based power generation system using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG). It is controlled using advanced enhanced phase-lock loop for power quality features using distribution static compensator to eliminate the harmonics and to provide KVAR compensation as well as load balancing. It also manages rated potential at the point of common interface under linear and non-linear loads. In order to have better efficiency and reliable operation of PMSG driven by wind turbine, it is necessary to analyze the governing equation of wind based turbine and PMSG under fixed and variable wind speed. For handling power quality problems, power electronics based shunt connected custom power device is used in three wire system. The simulations in MATLAB/Simulink environment have been carried out in order to demonstrate this model and control approach used for the power quality enhancement. The performance results show the adequate performance of PMSG based power generation system and control algorithm.

Module Fifteen: Special Topics; Basic Electricity and Electronics Individualized Learning System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, DC.

The final module emphasizes utilizing the information learned in modules 1-14 to analyze and evaluate the power supply constructed in Module 0. The module contains the following narrative--power supply evaluation; experiment 1--resistance analysis of the half-wave and semiconductor power supply; experiment 2--voltage analysis of the half-wave and…

Energy-Focused Fusion Information System Integration, A NISE funded Capability Investment Project. Year 1 FY 2013 Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

major components, the power for the motor plus the power for operation dependent electronics. The power required for a disk operation can be...Love to Use", Novemeber 2009, Publicationof Juice , Inc. 4) Haves, Philip, "Building Modeling: EngergyPlus at Ames Research Center", May 2011, Brief

A Power Efficient Exaflop Computer Design for Global Cloud System Resolving Climate Models.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wehner, M. F.; Oliker, L.; Shalf, J.

2008-12-01

Exascale computers would allow routine ensemble modeling of the global climate system at the cloud system resolving scale. Power and cost requirements of traditional architecture systems are likely to delay such capability for many years. We present an alternative route to the exascale using embedded processor technology to design a system optimized for ultra high resolution climate modeling. These power efficient processors, used in consumer electronic devices such as mobile phones, portable music players, cameras, etc., can be tailored to the specific needs of scientific computing. We project that a system capable of integrating a kilometer scale climate model a thousand times faster than real time could be designed and built in a five year time scale for US$75M with a power consumption of 3MW. This is cheaper, more power efficient and sooner than any other existing technology.

Wireless power using magnetic resonance coupling for neural sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Hargsoon; Kim, Hyunjung; Choi, Sang H.; Sanford, Larry D.; Geddis, Demetris; Lee, Kunik; Kim, Jaehwan; Song, Kyo D.

2012-04-01

Various wireless power transfer systems based on electromagnetic coupling have been investigated and applied in many biomedical applications including functional electrical stimulation systems and physiological sensing in humans and animals. By integrating wireless power transfer modules with wireless communication devices, electronic systems can deliver data and control system operation in untethered freely-moving conditions without requiring access through the skin, a potential source of infection. In this presentation, we will discuss a wireless power transfer module using magnetic resonance coupling that is specifically designed for neural sensing systems and in-vivo animal models. This research presents simple experimental set-ups and circuit models of magnetic resonance coupling modules and discusses advantages and concerns involved in positioning and sizing of source and receiver coils compared to conventional inductive coupling devices. Furthermore, the potential concern of tissue heating in the brain during operation of the wireless power transfer systems will also be addressed.

Phonon-drag magnetothermopower in Rashba spin-split two-dimensional electron systems.

PubMed

Biswas, Tutul; Ghosh, Tarun Kanti

2013-10-16

We study the phonon-drag contribution to the thermoelectric power in a quasi-two-dimensional electron system confined in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure in the presence of both Rashba spin-orbit interaction and perpendicular magnetic field at very low temperature. It is observed that the peaks in the phonon-drag thermopower split into two when the Rashba spin-orbit coupling constant is strong. This splitting is a direct consequence of the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. We show the dependence of phonon-drag thermopower on both magnetic field and temperature numerically. A power-law dependence of phonon-drag magnetothermopower on the temperature in the Bloch-Gruneisen regime is found. We also extract the exponent of the temperature dependence of phonon-drag thermopower for different parameters like electron density, magnetic field, and the spin-orbit coupling constant.

Schlieren Technique Applied to Magnetohydrodynamic Generator Plasma Torch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chopra, Nirbhav; Pearcy, Jacob; Jaworski, Michael

2017-10-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generators are a promising augmentation to current hydrocarbon based combustion schemes for creating electrical power. In recent years, interest in MHD generators has been revitalized due to advances in a number of technologies such as superconducting magnets, solid-state power electronics and materials science as well as changing economics associated with carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration. We use a multi-wavelength schlieren imaging system to evaluate electron density independently of gas density in a plasma torch under conditions relevant to MHD generators. The sensitivity and resolution of the optical system are evaluated alongside the development of an automated analysis and calibration program in Python. Preliminary analysis shows spatial resolutions less than 1mm and measures an electron density of ne = 1 ×1016 cm-3 in an atmospheric microwave torch. Work supported by DOE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

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)

2001-01-01

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 the electron-hole recombination. Thus, improved charge separation is expected. In addition, charge migration will also be facilitated due to the expected nano-phase separated and highly ordered block copolymer ultrastructural. The combination of all these factors will result in significant overall enhancement of photovoltaic power conversion efficiency.

Defending Our Satellites: The Need for Electronic Warfare Education and Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

intercept Allied bombers attacking at night.9 As a result of the electronic warfare advantage that systems like Window and Airborne Cigar be- stowed...74 | Air & Space Power Journal Defending Our Satellites The Need for Electronic Warfare Education and Training Lt Col E. Lincoln Bonner, USAF...expanding education and training in the use of electronic warfare to defend US satellites and improve their survivability. The following discussion

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Nuclear Science Symposium, 18th, and Nuclear Power Systems Symposium, 3rd, San Francisco, Calif., November 3-5, 1971, Proceedings.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Potential advantages of fusion power reactors are discussed together with the protection of the public from radioactivity produced in nuclear power reactors, and the significance of tritium releases to the environment. Other subjects considered are biomedical instrumentation, radiation damage problems, low level environmental radionuclide analysis systems, nuclear techniques in environmental research, nuclear instrumentation, and space and plasma instrumentation. Individual items are abstracted in this issue.

The JLab high power ERL light source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neil, G. R.; Behre, C.; Benson, S. V.; Bevins, M.; Biallas, G.; Boyce, J.; Coleman, J.; Dillon-Townes, L. A.; Douglas, D.; Dylla, H. F.; Evans, R.; Grippo, A.; Gruber, D.; Gubeli, J.; Hardy, D.; Hernandez-Garcia, C.; Jordan, K.; Kelley, M. J.; Merminga, L.; Mammosser, J.; Moore, W.; Nishimori, N.; Pozdeyev, E.; Preble, J.; Rimmer, R.; Shinn, M.; Siggins, T.; Tennant, C.; Walker, R.; Williams, G. P.; Zhang, S.

2006-02-01

A new THz/IR/UV photon source at Jefferson Lab is the first of a new generation of light sources based on an Energy-Recovered, (superconducting) Linac (ERL). The machine has a 160 MeV electron beam and an average current of 10 mA in 75 MHz repetition rate hundred femtosecond bunches. These electron bunches pass through a magnetic chicane and therefore emit synchrotron radiation. For wavelengths longer than the electron bunch the electrons radiate coherently a broadband THz ˜ half cycle pulse whose average brightness is >5 orders of magnitude higher than synchrotron IR sources. Previous measurements showed 20 W of average power extracted [Carr, et al., Nature 420 (2002) 153]. The new facility offers simultaneous synchrotron light from the visible through the FIR along with broadband THz production of 100 fs pulses with >200 W of average power. The FELs also provide record-breaking laser power [Neil, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84 (2000) 662]: up to 10 kW of average power in the IR from 1 to 14 μm in 400 fs pulses at up to 74.85 MHz repetition rates and soon will produce similar pulses of 300-1000 nm light at up to 3 kW of average power from the UV FEL. These ultrashort pulses are ideal for maximizing the interaction with material surfaces. The optical beams are Gaussian with nearly perfect beam quality. See www.jlab.org/FEL for details of the operating characteristics; a wide variety of pulse train configurations are feasible from 10 ms long at high repetition rates to continuous operation. The THz and IR system has been commissioned. The UV system is to follow in 2005. The light is transported to user laboratories for basic and applied research. Additional lasers synchronized to the FEL are also available. Past activities have included production of carbon nanotubes, studies of vibrational relaxation of interstitial hydrogen in silicon, pulsed laser deposition and ablation, nitriding of metals, and energy flow in proteins. This paper will present the status of the system and discuss some of the discoveries we have made concerning the physics performance, design optimization, and operational limitations of such a first generation high power ERL light source.

Cooling Concepts for High Power Density Magnetic Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biela, Juergen; Kolar, Johann W.

In the area or power electronics there is a general trend to higher power densities. In order to increase the power density the systems must be designed optimally concerning topology, semiconductor selection, etc. and the volume of the components must be decreased. The decreasing volume comes along with a reduced surface for cooling. Consequently, new cooling methods are required. In the paper an indirect air cooling system for magnetic devices which combines the transformer with a heat sink and a heat transfer component is presented. Moreover, an analytic approach for calculating the temperature distribution is derived and validated by measurements. Based on these equations a transformer with an indirect air cooling system is designed for a 10kW telecom power supply.

FY2007 Oak Ridge National Laboratory Annual Progress Report for the Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olszewski, Mitchell

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (composed of automakers Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) announced in January 2002 a new cooperative research effort. Known as 'FreedomCAR' (derived from 'Freedom' and 'Cooperative Automotive Research'), it represents DOE's commitment to developing public/private partnerships to fund high-risk, high-payoff research into advanced automotive technologies. Efficient fuel cell technology, which uses hydrogen to power automobiles without air pollution, is a very promising pathway to achieving the ultimate vision. The new partnership replaces and builds upon the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles initiative that ran from 1993more » through 2001. The Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Machines (APEEM) subprogram within the FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program provides support and guidance for many cutting-edge automotive technologies now under development. Research is focused on understanding and improving the way the various new components of tomorrow's automobiles will function as a unified system to improve fuel efficiency. In supporting the development of hybrid propulsion systems, the APEEM effort has enabled the development of technologies that will significantly improve advanced vehicle efficiency, costs, and fuel economy. The APEEM subprogram supports the efforts of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership through a three-phase approach intended to: (1) identify overall propulsion and vehicle-related needs by analyzing programmatic goals and reviewing industry's recommendations and requirements and then develop the appropriate technical targets for systems, subsystems, and component research and development activities; (2) develop and validate individual subsystems and components, including electric motors and power electronics; and (3) determine how well the components and subsystems work together in a vehicle environment or as a complete propulsion system and whether the efficiency and performance targets at the vehicle level have been achieved. The research performed under this subprogram will help remove technical and cost barriers to enable the development of technology for use in such advanced vehicles as hybrid and fuel-cell-powered automobiles that meet the goals of the FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program. A key element in making hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) practical is providing an affordable electric traction drive system. This will require attaining weight, volume, and cost targets for the power electronics and electrical machines subsystems of the traction drive system. Areas of development include these: (1) novel traction motor designs that result in increased power density and lower cost; (2) inverter technologies involving new topologies to achieve higher efficiency and the ability to accommodate higher-temperature environments; (3) converter concepts that employ means of reducing the component count and integrating functionality to decrease size, weight, and cost; (4) more effective thermal control and packaging technologies; and (5) integrated motor/inverter concepts. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL's) Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Research Center conducts fundamental research, evaluates hardware, and assists in the technical direction of the DOE Office of FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program, APEEM subprogram. In this role, ORNL serves on the FreedomCAR Electrical and Electronics Technical Team, evaluates proposals for DOE, and lends its technological expertise to the direction of projects and evaluation of developing technologies. ORNL also executes specific projects for DOE. The following report discusses those projects carried out in FY 2007 and conveys highlights of their accomplishments. Numerous project reviews, technical reports, and papers have been published for these efforts, if the reader is interested in pursuing details of the work.« less

Effects of 30 Mev Electron Irradiation on InGaAsP LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and InGaAs Photodiodes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-01

devices in satellites and military combat systems, the reliability of LEDs and photodiodes when exposed to the typical radiation of a space or nuclear ...could be exposed to: nuclear power plants, space environments or a nuclear weapon detonation. When located on the 15 surface of the earth, nuclear power...35,000 miles above the earth’s surface. Additionally, electrons, neutrons and other products from a high altitude detonation of a nuclear weapon can

Cusp Guns for Helical-Waveguide Gyro-TWTs of a High-Gain High-Power W-Band Amplifier Cascade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manuilov, V. N.; Samsonov, S. V.; Mishakin, S. V.; Klimov, A. V.; Leshcheva, K. A.

2018-02-01

The evaluation, design, and simulations of two different electron guns generating the beams for W-band second cyclotron harmonic gyro-TWTs forming a high-gain powerful amplifier cascade are presented. The optimum configurations of the systems creating nearly axis-encircling electron beams having velocity pitch-factor up to 1.5, voltage/current of 40 kV/0.5 A, and 100 kV/13 A with acceptable velocity spreads have been found and are presented.

Chiao holds an Electronic Box Assembly from the TVIS in the SM during Expedition 10

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-02-17

ISS010-E-18164 (17 February 2005) --- Astronaut Leroy Chiao, Expedition 10 commander and NASA ISS science officer, holds an Electronic Box Assembly, and Violation Isolation and Stabilization (VIS) Controller Assembly, which is part of the Treadmill Vibration Isolation System (TVIS) in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station (ISS). Also in view is a VIS/TM data cable and VIS/TM power cable. This box receives power and distributes it between the treadmill and the VIS subassemblies.

Performance of a flight qualified, thermoelectrically temperature controlled QCM sensor with power supply, thermal controller and signal processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, D. A.

1980-01-01

A thermoelectrically temperature controlled quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) system was developed for the measurement of ion thrustor generated mercury contamination on spacecraft. Meaningful flux rate measurements dictated an accurately held sensing crystal temperature despite spacecraft surface temperature variations from -35 C to +60 C over the flight temperature range. An electronic control unit was developed with magentic amplifier transformer secondary power supply, thermal control electronics, crystal temperature analog conditioning and a multiplexed 16 bit frequency encoder.

Computational Analysis of a Thermoelectric Generator for Waste-Heat Harvesting in Wearable Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kossyvakis, D. N.; Vassiliadis, S. G.; Vossou, C. G.; Mangiorou, E. E.; Potirakis, S. M.; Hristoforou, E. V.

2016-06-01

Over recent decades, a constantly growing interest in the field of portable electronic devices has been observed. Recent developments in the scientific areas of integrated circuits and sensing technologies have enabled realization and design of lightweight low-power wearable sensing systems that can be of great use, especially for continuous health monitoring and performance recording applications. However, to facilitate wide penetration of such systems into the market, the issue of ensuring their seamless and reliable power supply still remains a major concern. In this work, the performance of a thermoelectric generator, able to exploit the temperature difference established between the human body and the environment, has been examined computationally using ANSYS 14.0 finite-element modeling (FEM) software, as a means for providing the necessary power to various portable electronic systems. The performance variation imposed due to different thermoelement geometries has been estimated to identify the most appropriate solution for the considered application. Furthermore, different ambient temperature and heat exchange conditions between the cold side of the generator and the environment have been investigated. The computational analysis indicated that power output in the order of 1.8 mW can be obtained by a 100-cm2 system, if specific design criteria can be fulfilled.

High Energy Research and Applications (HERA) Pulsed Power and Pulsed Power Systems R&D for Magnetized Target Fusion Using Field Reversed Configurations (MTF-FRC)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-12

electron collision frequency, given, in cgs units, by [17] ( ) 4 23 4 3 en kTm ee e λπ τ = . (2) Here, Te is the electron temperature, in eV, k = 1.6x10...acceleration, in the absence of collisions, is given by - eE /me. To take electron-neutral collisions into account20, we note that the average time between...time being, the continuity equation is 298 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. eee nDt n 2∇= ∂ ∂ , (21) which is the

Laboratory and Field Testing of NYCTA Power Frequency Track Circuits

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1986-02-01

This report addresses the possible electromagnetic interference between the electronic AC propulsion control systems and the signaling and train control systems. The potential exists for AC-drive propulsion systems to cause EMI that can adversely aff...

Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC) Flight Evaluation in an F-15 Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Flight evaluation in an F-15 aircraft by digital electronic engine control (DEEC) was investigated. Topics discussed include: system description, F100 engine tests, effects of inlet distortion on static pressure probe, flight tests, digital electronic engine control fault detection and accommodation flight evaluation, flight evaluation of a hydromechanical backup control, augmentor transient capability of an F100 engine, investigation of nozzle instability, real time in flight thrust calculation, and control technology for future aircraft propulsion systems. It is shown that the DEEC system is a powerful and flexible controller for the F100 engine.

A cesium TELEC experiment at Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britt, E. J.

1979-01-01

The thermoelectronic laser energy converter (TELEC), was studied as a method of converting a 10.6 mm CO2 laser beam into electric power. The calculated characteristics of a TELEC seem to be well matched to the requirements of a spacecraft laser energy conversion system. The TELEC is a high power density plasma device which absorbs an intense laser beam by inverse bremsstrahlung with the plasma electrons. In the TELEC process, electromagnetic radiation is absorbed directly in the plasma electrons producing a high electron temperature. The energetic electrons diffuse out of the plasma striking two electrodes which are in contact with the plasma at the boundaries. These two electrodes have different areas: the larger one is designated as the collector, the smaller one is designated as the emitter. The smaller electrode functions as an electron emitter to provide continuity of the current. Waste heat is rejected from the collector electrode. An experiment was carried out with a high power laser using a cesium vapor TELEC cell with 30 cm active length. Laser supported plasma was produced in the TELEC device during a number of laser runs over a period of several days. Electric power from the TELEC was observed with currents in the range of several amperes and output potentials of less than 1 volt. The magnitudes of these electric outputs were smaller than anticipated but consistent with the power levels of the laser during this experiment.

Reproducible Growth of High-Quality Cubic-SiC Layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.; Powell, J. Anthony

2004-01-01

Semiconductor electronic devices and circuits based on silicon carbide (SiC) are being developed for use in high-temperature, high-power, and/or high-radiation conditions under which devices made from conventional semiconductors cannot adequately perform. The ability of SiC-based devices to function under such extreme conditions is expected to enable significant improvements in a variety of applications and systems. These include greatly improved high-voltage switching for saving energy in public electric power distribution and electric motor drives; more powerful microwave electronic circuits for radar and communications; and sensors and controls for cleaner-burning, more fuel-efficient jet aircraft and automobile engines.

Accelerators for E-beam and X-ray processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auslender, V. L.; Bryazgin, A. A.; Faktorovich, B. L.; Gorbunov, V. A.; Kokin, E. N.; Korobeinikov, M. V.; Krainov, G. S.; Lukin, A. N.; Maximov, S. A.; Nekhaev, V. E.; Panfilov, A. D.; Radchenko, V. N.; Tkachenko, V. O.; Tuvik, A. A.; Voronin, L. A.

2002-03-01

During last years the demand for pasteurization and desinsection of various food products (meat, chicken, sea products, vegetables, fruits, etc.) had increased. The treatment of these products in industrial scale requires the usage of powerful electron accelerators with energy 5-10 MeV and beam power at least 50 kW or more. The report describes the ILU accelerators with energy range up to 10 MeV and beam power up to 150 kW.The different irradiation schemes in electron beam and X-ray modes for various products are described. The design of the X-ray converter and 90° beam bending system are also given.

Mission Concept to Connect Magnetospheric Physical Processes to Ionospheric Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dors, E. E.; MacDonald, E.; Kepko, L.; Borovsky, J.; Reeves, G. D.; Delzanno, G. L.; Thomsen, M. F.; Sanchez, E. R.; Henderson, M. G.; Nguyen, D. C.; Vaith, H.; Gilchrist, B. E.; Spanswick, E.; Marshall, R. A.; Donovan, E.; Neilson, J.; Carlsten, B. E.

2017-12-01

On the Earth's nightside the magnetic connections between the ionosphere and the dynamic magnetosphere have a great deal of uncertainty: this uncertainty prevents us from scientifically understanding what physical processes in the magnetosphere are driving the various phenomena in the ionosphere. Since the 1990s, the space plasma physics group at Los Alamos National Laboratory has been working on a concept to connect magnetospheric physical processes to auroral phenomena in the ionosphere by firing an electron beam from a magnetospheric spacecraft and optically imaging the beam spot in the ionosphere. The magnetospheric spacecraft will carry a steerable electron accelerator, a power-storage system, a plasma contactor, and instruments to measure magnetic and electric fields, plasma, and energetic particles. The spacecraft orbit will be coordinated with a ground-based network of cameras to (a) locate the electron beam spot in the upper atmosphere and (b) monitor the aurora. An overview of the mission concept will be presented, including recent enabling advancements based on (1) a new understanding of the dynamic spacecraft charging of the accelerator and plasma-contactor system in the tenuous magnetosphere based on ion emission rather than electron collection, (2) a new understanding of the propagation properties of pulsed MeV-class beams in the magnetosphere, and (3) the design of a compact high-power 1-MeV electron accelerator and power-storage system. This strategy to (a) determine the magnetosphere-to-ionosphere connections and (b) reduce accelerator- platform charging responds to one of the six emerging-technology needs called out in the most-recent National Academies Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics. [LA-UR-17-23614

Commissioning of inline ECE system within waveguide based ECRH transmission systems on ASDEX upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bongers, W. A.; Kasparek, W.; Doelman, N.; van den Braber, R.; van den Brand, H.; Meo, F.; de Baar, M. R.; Amerongen, F. J.; Donné, A. J. H.; Elzendoorn, B. S. Q.; Erckmann, V.; Goede, A. P. H.; Giannone, L.; Grünwald, G.; Hollman, F.; Kaas, G.; Krijger, B.; Michel, G.; Lubyako, L.; Monaco, F.; Noke, F.; Petelin, M.; Plaum, B.; Purps, F.; ten Pierik, J. G. W.; Schüller, C.; Slob, J. W.; Stober, J. K.; Schütz, H.; Wagner, D.; Westerhof, E.; Ronden, D. M. S.

2012-09-01

A CW capable inline electron cyclotron emission (ECE) separation system for feedback control, featuring oversized corrugated waveguides, is commissioned on ASDEX upgrade (AUG). The system is based on a combination of a polarization independent, non-resonant, Mach-Zehnder diplexer equipped with dielectric plate beam splitters [2, 3] employed as corrugated oversized waveguide filter, and a resonant Fast Directional Switch, FADIS [4, 5, 6, 7] as ECE/ECCD separation system. This paper presents an overview of the system, the low power characterisation tests and first high power commissioning on AUG.

Electron cyclotron heating/current-drive system using high power tubes for QUEST spherical tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onchi, Takumi; Idei, H.; Hasegawa, M.; Nagata, T.; Kuroda, K.; Hanada, K.; Kariya, T.; Kubo, S.; Tsujimura, T. I.; Kobayashi, S.; Quest Team

2017-10-01

Electron cyclotron heating (ECH) is the primary method to ramp up plasma current non-inductively in QUEST spherical tokamak. A 28 GHz gyrotron is employed for short pulses, where the radio frequency (RF) power is about 300 kW. Current ramp-up efficiency of 0.5 A/W has been obtained with focused beam of the second harmonic X-mode. A quasi-optical polarizer unit has been newly installed to avoid arcing events. For steady-state tokamak operation, 8.56 GHz klystron with power of 200 kW is used as the CW-RF source. The high voltage power supply (54 kV/13 A) for the klystron has been built recently, and initial bench test of the CW-ECH system is starting. The array of insulated-gate bipolar transistor works to quickly cut off the input power for protecting the klystron. This work is supported by JSPS KAKENHI (15H04231), NIFS Collaboration Research program (NIFS13KUTR085, NIFS17KUTR128), and through MEXT funding for young scientists associated with active promotion of national university reforms.

Electronic state and superconductivity of YBa2Cu3-xO7-y (M=Al,Zn and Sn) systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, Y.; Zhang, Q. R.; Zhang, H.

1990-01-01

A series of YBa2Cu(3-x)MxO(7-y) (M=Al,Zn and Sn) single phase samples were prepared, and the measurements of the crystal structure, oxygen content, electric resistivity, thermoelectric power, Mossbauer spectrum, XPS and superconductivity were performed. The experimental results of X ray powder diffraction, Mossbauer spectrum and oxygen content show that the Zn(2+) and the Al(3+) occupy the Cu(2) site in Cu-O planes and the Cu(1) site in Cu-O chains respectively, but the Sn(4+) occupies both the Cu(1) sites. As regards the properties in superconducting state, both the Zn(2+) and the Al(3+) depress T(sub c) strongly, but the Sn(4+) does not. As for the electronic transport properties in normal state, the system doped by Al(3+) displays a rapid increase of resistivity and some electron localization-like effects, and the thermoelectric power enhances obviously; the series contained Zn(2+) almost shows no changes of electric resistivity but the sign of the thermoelectric power is reversed. Other results are given and briefly discussed.

Switching Matrix For Optical Signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grove, Charles H.

1990-01-01

Proposed matrix of electronically controlled shutters switches signals in optical fibers between multiple input and output channels. Size, weight, and power consumption reduced. Device serves as building block for small, low-power, broad-band television- and data-signal-switching systems providing high isolation between nominally disconnected channels.

Electronic drive and acquisition system for mass spectrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, Rembrandt Thomas (Inventor); Chutjian, Ara (Inventor); Tran, Tuan (Inventor); Madzunkov, Stojan M. (Inventor); Thomas, John L. (Inventor); Mojarradi, Mohammad (Inventor); MacAskill, John (Inventor); Blaes, Brent R. (Inventor); Darrach, Murray R. (Inventor); Burke, Gary R. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

The present invention discloses a mixed signal RF drive electronics board that offers small, low power, reliable, and customizable method for driving and generating mass spectra from a mass spectrometer, and for control of other functions such as electron ionizer, ion focusing, single-ion detection, multi-channel data accumulation and, if desired, front-end interfaces such as pumps, valves, heaters, and columns.

Decentralized DC Microgrid Monitoring and Optimization via Primary Control Perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angjelichinoski, Marko; Scaglione, Anna; Popovski, Petar; Stefanovic, Cedomir

2018-06-01

We treat the emerging power systems with direct current (DC) MicroGrids, characterized with high penetration of power electronic converters. We rely on the power electronics to propose a decentralized solution for autonomous learning of and adaptation to the operating conditions of the DC Mirogrids; the goal is to eliminate the need to rely on an external communication system for such purpose. The solution works within the primary droop control loops and uses only local bus voltage measurements. Each controller is able to estimate (i) the generation capacities of power sources, (ii) the load demands, and (iii) the conductances of the distribution lines. To define a well-conditioned estimation problem, we employ decentralized strategy where the primary droop controllers temporarily switch between operating points in a coordinated manner, following amplitude-modulated training sequences. We study the use of the estimator in a decentralized solution of the Optimal Economic Dispatch problem. The evaluations confirm the usefulness of the proposed solution for autonomous MicroGrid operation.

High Peak Power Test and Evaluation of S-band Waveguide Switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nassiri, A.; Grelick, A.; Kustom, R. L.; White, M.

1997-05-01

The injector and source of particles for the Advanced Photon Source is a 2856-MHz S-band electron-positron linear accelerator (linac) which produces electrons with energies up to 650 MeV or positrons with energies up to 450 MeV. To improve the linac rf system availability, an additional modulator-klystron subsystem is being constructed to provide a switchable hot spare unit for each of the five exsisting S-band transmitters. The switching of the transmitters will require the use of SF6-pressurized S-band waveguide switches at a peak operating power of 35 MW. Such rf switches have been successfully operated at other accelerator facilities but at lower peak powers. A test stand has been set up at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) Klystron Factory to conduct tests comparing the power handling characteristics of two WR-284 and one WR-340 switches. Test results are presented and their implications for the design of the switching system are discussed.

Development of Simple Designs of Multitip Probe Diagnostic Systems for RF Plasma Characterization

PubMed Central

Naz, M. Y.; Shukrullah, S.; Ghaffar, A.; Rehman, N. U.

2014-01-01

Multitip probes are very useful diagnostics for analyzing and controlling the physical phenomena occurring in low temperature discharge plasmas. However, DC biased probes often fail to perform well in processing plasmas. The objective of the work was to deduce simple designs of DC biased multitip probes for parametric study of radio frequency plasmas. For this purpose, symmetric double probe, asymmetric double probe, and symmetric triple probe diagnostic systems and their driving circuits were designed and tested in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) generated by a 13.56 MHz radio frequency (RF) source. Using I-V characteristics of these probes, electron temperature, electron number density, and ion saturation current was measured as a function of input power and filling gas pressure. An increasing trend was noticed in electron temperature and electron number density for increasing input RF power whilst a decreasing trend was evident in these parameters when measured against filling gas pressure. In addition, the electron energy probability function (EEPF) was also studied by using an asymmetric double probe. These studies confirmed the non-Maxwellian nature of the EEPF and the presence of two groups of the energetic electrons at low filling gas pressures. PMID:24683326

Novel concept for driving the linear compressor of a micro-miniature split Stirling cryogenic cooler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maron, V.; Veprik, A.; Finkelstein, L.; Vilenchik, H.; Ziv, I.; Pundak, N.

2009-05-01

New methods of carrying out homeland security and antiterrorist operations call for the development of a new generation of mechanically cooled, portable, battery powered infrared imagers, relying on micro-miniature Stirling cryogenic coolers of rotary or linear types. Since split Stirling linearly driven micro-miniature cryogenic coolers have inherently longer life spans, low vibration export and better aural stealth as compared to their rotary driven rivals, they are more suitable for the above applications. The performance of such cryogenic coolers depends strongly on the efficacy of their electronic drivers. In a traditional approach, the PWM power electronics produce the fixed frequency tonal driving voltage/current, the magnitude of which is modulated via a PID control law so as to maintain the desired focal plane array temperature. The disadvantage of such drivers is that they draw high ripple current from the system's power bus. This results in the need for an oversized DC power supply (battery packs) and power electronic components, low efficiency due to excessive conductive losses and high residual electromagnetic interference which in turn degrades the performance of other systems connected to the same power bus. Without either an active line filter or large and heavy passive filtering, other electronics can not be powered from the same power bus, unless they incorporate heavy filtering at their inputs. The authors present the results of a feasibility study towards developing a novel "pumping" driver consuming essentially constant instant battery power/current without making use of an active or passive filter. In the tested setup, the driver relies on a bidirectional controllable bridge, invertible with the driving frequency, and a fast regulated DC/DC converter which maintains a constant level of current consumed from the DC power supply and thus operates in input current control mode. From the experimental results, the steady-state power consumed by the linear compressor remains the same as compared with the traditional sine wave driver, the voltage and current drawn from the battery pack is essentially free of low frequency ripple (this without use of any kind of filtering) and the overall coefficient of performance of the driver is in excess of 94% over the entire working range of supply voltages. Such a driver free of sine forming PWM stage and have reduced power peaks in all power conversion components.

Electronic system for Langmuir probe measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitov, M.; Bankova, A.; Dimitrova, M.; Ivanova, P.; Tutulkov, K.; Djermanova, N.; Dejarnac, R.; Stöckel, J.; Popov, Tsv K.

2012-03-01

A newly developed Langmuir probe system for measurements of current-voltage (IV) characteristics in the tokamak divertor area is presented and discussed. The system is partially controlled by a computer allowing simultaneous and independent feeding and registration of signals. The system is mounted in the COMPASS tokamak, Institute of Plasma Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The new electronic circuit boards include also active low-pass filters which smooth the signal before recording by the data acquisition system (DAQ). The signal is thus less noisy and the data processing is much easier. We also designed and built a microcontroller-driven waveform generator with resolution of 1 Ms/s. The power supply is linear and uses a transformer. We avoided the use of a switching power supply because of the noise that it could generate. Examples of measurements of the IV characteristics by divertor probes in the COMPASS tokamak and evaluation of the EEDF are presented.

Power Electronics Design of a Solar Powered In-car Wireless Tag for Asset Tracking and Parking Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, D.; Henaut, J.; Beeby, S. P.

2014-11-01

This paper reports the design and testing of a power conditioning circuit for a solar powered in-car wireless tag for asset tracking and parking application. Existing long range asset tracking is based on the GSM/GPRS network, which requires expensive subscriptions. The EU FP7 project CEWITT aims at developing a credit card sized autonomous wireless tag with GNSS geo-positioning capabilities to ensure the integrity and cost effectiveness for parking applications. It was found in previous research that solar cells are the most suitable energy sources for this application. This study focused on the power electronics design for the wireless tag. A suitable solar cell was chosen for its high power density. Charging circuit, hysteresis control circuit and LDO were designed and integrated to meet the system requirement. Test results showed that charging efficiency of 80 % had been achieved.

Stretchable batteries with self-similar serpentine interconnects and integrated wireless recharging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Sheng; Zhang, Yihui; Cho, Jiung; Lee, Juhwan; Huang, Xian; Jia, Lin; Fan, Jonathan A.; Su, Yewang; Su, Jessica; Zhang, Huigang; Cheng, Huanyu; Lu, Bingwei; Yu, Cunjiang; Chuang, Chi; Kim, Tae-Il; Song, Taeseup; Shigeta, Kazuyo; Kang, Sen; Dagdeviren, Canan; Petrov, Ivan; Braun, Paul V.; Huang, Yonggang; Paik, Ungyu; Rogers, John A.

2013-02-01

An important trend in electronics involves the development of materials, mechanical designs and manufacturing strategies that enable the use of unconventional substrates, such as polymer films, metal foils, paper sheets or rubber slabs. The last possibility is particularly challenging because the systems must accommodate not only bending but also stretching. Although several approaches are available for the electronics, a persistent difficulty is in power supplies that have similar mechanical properties, to allow their co-integration with the electronics. Here we introduce a set of materials and design concepts for a rechargeable lithium ion battery technology that exploits thin, low modulus silicone elastomers as substrates, with a segmented design in the active materials, and unusual ‘self-similar’ interconnect structures between them. The result enables reversible levels of stretchability up to 300%, while maintaining capacity densities of ~1.1 mAh cm-2. Stretchable wireless power transmission systems provide the means to charge these types of batteries, without direct physical contact.

Stretchable batteries with self-similar serpentine interconnects and integrated wireless recharging systems.

PubMed

Xu, Sheng; Zhang, Yihui; Cho, Jiung; Lee, Juhwan; Huang, Xian; Jia, Lin; Fan, Jonathan A; Su, Yewang; Su, Jessica; Zhang, Huigang; Cheng, Huanyu; Lu, Bingwei; Yu, Cunjiang; Chuang, Chi; Kim, Tae-Il; Song, Taeseup; Shigeta, Kazuyo; Kang, Sen; Dagdeviren, Canan; Petrov, Ivan; Braun, Paul V; Huang, Yonggang; Paik, Ungyu; Rogers, John A

2013-01-01

An important trend in electronics involves the development of materials, mechanical designs and manufacturing strategies that enable the use of unconventional substrates, such as polymer films, metal foils, paper sheets or rubber slabs. The last possibility is particularly challenging because the systems must accommodate not only bending but also stretching. Although several approaches are available for the electronics, a persistent difficulty is in power supplies that have similar mechanical properties, to allow their co-integration with the electronics. Here we introduce a set of materials and design concepts for a rechargeable lithium ion battery technology that exploits thin, low modulus silicone elastomers as substrates, with a segmented design in the active materials, and unusual 'self-similar' interconnect structures between them. The result enables reversible levels of stretchability up to 300%, while maintaining capacity densities of ~1.1 mAh cm(-2). Stretchable wireless power transmission systems provide the means to charge these types of batteries, without direct physical contact.

Lecture-Free High School Biology Using an Audience Response System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Larry J.

2008-01-01

Audience Response Systems (ARS) represent a powerful new tool for increasing student engagement. ARS technology (known variously as electronic voting systems, personal response systems, interactive student response systems, and classroom performance systems) includes one hand-held remote per student, a receiver (infrared or radio frequency,…

An explosively driven high-power microwave pulsed power system.

PubMed

Elsayed, M A; Neuber, A A; Dickens, J C; Walter, J W; Kristiansen, M; Altgilbers, L L

2012-02-01

The increased popularity of high power microwave systems and the various sources to drive them is the motivation behind the work to be presented. A stand-alone, self-contained explosively driven high power microwave pulsed power system has been designed, built, and tested at Texas Tech University's Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics. The system integrates four different sub-units that are composed of a battery driven prime power source utilizing capacitive energy storage, a dual stage helical flux compression generator as the main energy amplification device, an integrated power conditioning system with inductive energy storage including a fast opening electro-explosive switch, and a triode reflex geometry virtual cathode oscillator as the microwave radiating source. This system has displayed a measured electrical source power level of over 5 GW and peak radiated microwaves of about 200 MW. It is contained within a 15 cm diameter housing and measures 2 m in length, giving a housing volume of slightly less than 39 l. The system and its sub-components have been extensively studied, both as integrated and individual units, to further expand on components behavior and operation physics. This report will serve as a detailed design overview of each of the four subcomponents and provide detailed analysis of the overall system performance and benchmarks.

An explosively driven high-power microwave pulsed power system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsayed, M. A.; Neuber, A. A.; Dickens, J. C.; Walter, J. W.; Kristiansen, M.; Altgilbers, L. L.

2012-02-01

The increased popularity of high power microwave systems and the various sources to drive them is the motivation behind the work to be presented. A stand-alone, self-contained explosively driven high power microwave pulsed power system has been designed, built, and tested at Texas Tech University's Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics. The system integrates four different sub-units that are composed of a battery driven prime power source utilizing capacitive energy storage, a dual stage helical flux compression generator as the main energy amplification device, an integrated power conditioning system with inductive energy storage including a fast opening electro-explosive switch, and a triode reflex geometry virtual cathode oscillator as the microwave radiating source. This system has displayed a measured electrical source power level of over 5 GW and peak radiated microwaves of about 200 MW. It is contained within a 15 cm diameter housing and measures 2 m in length, giving a housing volume of slightly less than 39 l. The system and its sub-components have been extensively studied, both as integrated and individual units, to further expand on components behavior and operation physics. This report will serve as a detailed design overview of each of the four subcomponents and provide detailed analysis of the overall system performance and benchmarks.

Solar power satellite system definition study. Volume 1: Executive summary, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Results of a three phase study of the Solar Power Satellite System are summarized. Various options and alternate systems were considered and the following conclusions were reached: antenna mounted solid state transmitters are potentially as cost effective as the klystron approach, althrough limited to 2500 megawatts net output; the free electron laser and optical diode laser appear most promising for laser power transmission; ground antenna siting need not be restricted to below 35 degrees of latitude; and nonrecurring cost reductions attainable by using a smaller Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle are highly attractive.

Ultrawide-Bandgap Semiconductors: Research Opportunities and Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-03

particularly for power electronics applications in hybrid and electric vehicles, power supplies, and photovoltaic ( PV ) inverters. Ultrawide-Bandgap...the one hand, Ga2O3-based optoelectronic devices such as solar -blind DUV photodetectors are expected to be useful for a variety of applications (e.g...system, and which are core components in aircraft, spacecraft, solar photovoltaic installations, electric vehicles, and military systems such as all

Development of Power Supply Management Module for Radio Signal Repeaters of Automatic Metering Reading System in Variable Solar Density Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondratjevs, K.; Zabasta, A.; Selmanovs-Pless, V.

2016-02-01

In recent years, there has been significant research focus that revolves around harvesting and minimising energy consumption by wireless sensor network nodes. When a sensor node is depleted of energy, it becomes unresponsive and disconnected from the network that can significantly influence the performance of the whole network. The purpose of the present research is to create a power supply management module in order to provide stable operating voltage for autonomous operations of radio signal repeaters, sensors or gateways of WSN. The developed management module is composed of a solar panel, lithium battery and power supply management module. The novelty of the research is the management module, which ensures stable and uninterrupted operations of electronic equipment in various power supply modes in different situations, simultaneously ensuring energy protection and sustainability of the module components. The management module is able to provide power supply of 5 V for electronics scheme independently, without power interruption switching between power sources and power flows in different directions.

Biological photovoltaics: intra- and extra-cellular electron transport by cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Bradley, Robert W; Bombelli, Paolo; Rowden, Stephen J L; Howe, Christopher J

2012-12-01

A large variety of new energy-generating technologies are being developed in an effort to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels, and to reduce the carbon footprint of energy generation. The term 'biological photovoltaic system' encompasses a broad range of technologies which all employ biological material that can harness light energy to split water, and then transfer the resulting electrons to an anode for power generation or electrosynthesis. The use of whole cyanobacterial cells is a good compromise between the requirements of the biological material to be simply organized and transfer electrons efficiently to the anode, and also to be robust and able to self-assemble and self-repair. The principle that photosynthetic bacteria can generate and transfer electrons directly or indirectly to an anode has been demonstrated by a number of groups, although the power output obtained from these devices is too low for biological photovoltaic devices to be useful outside the laboratory. Understanding how photosynthetically generated electrons are transferred through and out of the organism is key to improving power output, and investigations on this aspect of the technology are the main focus of the present review.

Advanced electron cyclotron heating and current drive experiments on the stellarator Wendelstein 7-X

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stange, Torsten; Laqua, Heinrich Peter; Beurskens, Marc; Bosch, Hans-Stephan; Bozhenkov, Sergey; Brakel, Rudolf; Braune, Harald; Brunner, Kai Jakob; Cappa, Alvaro; Dinklage, Andreas; Erckmann, Volker; Fuchert, Golo; Gantenbein, Gerd; Gellert, Florian; Grulke, Olaf; Hartmann, Dirk; Hirsch, Matthias; Höfel, Udo; Kasparek, Walter; Knauer, Jens; Langenberg, Andreas; Marsen, Stefan; Marushchenko, Nikolai; Moseev, Dmitry; Pablant, Novomir; Pasch, Ekkehard; Rahbarnia, Kian; Mora, Humberto Trimino; Tsujimura, Toru; Turkin, Yuriy; Wauters, Tom; Wolf, Robert

2017-10-01

During the first operational phase (OP 1.1) of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) was the exclusive heating method and provided plasma start-up, wall conditioning, heating and current drive. Six gyrotrons were commissioned for OP1.1 and used in parallel for plasma operation with a power of up to 4.3 MW. During standard X2-heating the spatially localized power deposition with high power density allowed controlling the radial profiles of the electron temperature and the rotational transform. Even though W7-X was not fully equipped with first wall tiles and operated with a graphite limiter instead of a divertor, electron densities of n e > 3·1019 m-3 could be achieved at electron temperatures of several keV and ion temperatures above 2 keV. These plasma parameters allowed the first demonstration of a multipath O2-heating scenario, which is envisaged for safe operation near the X-cutoff-density of 1.2·1020 m-3 after full commissioning of the ECRH system in the next operation phase OP1.2.

High current density sheet-like electron beam generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow-Miller, Cora; Korevaar, Eric; Schuster, John

Sheet electron beams are very desirable for coupling to the evanescent waves in small millimeter wave slow-wave circuits to achieve higher powers. In particular, they are critical for operation of the free-electron-laser-like Orotron. The program was a systematic effort to establish a solid technology base for such a sheet-like electron emitter system that will facilitate the detailed studies of beam propagation stability. Specifically, the effort involved the design and test of a novel electron gun using Lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) as the thermionic cathode material. Three sets of experiments were performed to measure beam propagation as a function of collector current, beam voltage, and heating power. The design demonstrated its reliability by delivering 386.5 hours of operation throughout the weeks of experimentation. In addition, the cathode survived two venting and pump down cycles without being poisoned or losing its emission characteristics. A current density of 10.7 A/sq cm. was measured while operating at 50 W of ohmic heating power. Preliminary results indicate that the nearby presence of a metal plate can stabilize the beam.

Single frequency RF powered ECG telemetry system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, W. H.; Hynecek, J.; Homa, J.

1979-01-01

It has been demonstrated that a radio frequency magnetic field can be used to power implanted electronic circuitry for short range telemetry to replace batteries. A substantial reduction in implanted volume can be achieved by using only one RF tank circuit for receiving the RF power and transmitting the telemetered information. A single channel telemetry system of this type, using time sharing techniques, was developed and employed to transmit the ECG signal from Rhesus monkeys in primate chairs. The signal from the implant is received during the period when the RF powering radiation is interrupted. The ECG signal is carried by 20-microsec pulse position modulated pulses, referred to the trailing edge of the RF powering pulse. Satisfactory results have been obtained with this single frequency system. The concept and the design presented may be useful for short-range long-term implant telemetry systems.

Space Power Management and Distribution Status and Trends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reppucci, G. M.; Biess, J. J.; Inouye, L.

1984-01-01

An overview of space power management and distribution (PMAD) is provided which encompasses historical and current technology trends. The PMAD components discussed include power source control, energy storage control, and load power processing electronic equipment. The status of distribution equipment comprised of rotary joints and power switchgear is evaluated based on power level trends in the public, military, and commercial sectors. Component level technology thrusts, as driven by perceived system level trends, are compared to technology status of piece-parts such as power semiconductors, capacitors, and magnetics to determine critical barriers.

Portable data collection terminal in the automated power consumption measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vologdin, S. V.; Shushkov, I. D.; Bysygin, E. K.

2018-01-01

Aim of efficiency increasing, automation process of electric energy data collection and processing is very important at present time. High cost of classic electric energy billing systems prevent from its mass application. Udmurtenergo Branch of IDGC of Center and Volga Region developed electronic automated system called “Mobile Energy Billing” based on data collection terminals. System joins electronic components based on service-oriented architecture, WCF services. At present time all parts of Udmurtenergo Branch electric network are connected to “Mobile Energy Billing” project. System capabilities are expanded due to flexible architecture.

Emerging GaN-based HEMTs for mechanical sensing within harsh environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köck, Helmut; Chapin, Caitlin A.; Ostermaier, Clemens; Häberlen, Oliver; Senesky, Debbie G.

2014-06-01

Gallium nitride based high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) have been investigated extensively as an alternative to Si-based power transistors by academia and industry over the last decade. It is well known that GaN-based HEMTs outperform Si-based technologies in terms of power density, area specific on-state resistance and switching speed. Recently, wide band-gap material systems have stirred interest regarding their use in various sensing fields ranging from chemical, mechanical, biological to optical applications due to their superior material properties. For harsh environments, wide bandgap sensor systems are deemed to be superior when compared to conventional Si-based systems. A new monolithic sensor platform based on the GaN HEMT electronic structure will enable engineers to design highly efficient propulsion systems widely applicable to the automotive, aeronautics and astronautics industrial sectors. In this paper, the advancements of GaN-based HEMTs for mechanical sensing applications are discussed. Of particular interest are multilayered heterogeneous structures where spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization between the interface results in the formation of a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). Experimental results presented focus on the signal transduction under strained operating conditions in harsh environments. It is shown that a conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMT has a strong dependence of drain current under strained conditions, thus representing a promising future sensor platform. Ultimately, this work explores the sensor performance of conventional GaN HEMTs and leverages existing technological advances available in power electronics device research. The results presented have the potential to boost GaN-based sensor development through the integration of HEMT device and sensor design research.

Ultralight Cut-Paper-Based Self-Charging Power Unit for Self-Powered Portable Electronic and Medical Systems.

PubMed

Guo, Hengyu; Yeh, Min-Hsin; Zi, Yunlong; Wen, Zhen; Chen, Jie; Liu, Guanlin; Hu, Chenguo; Wang, Zhong Lin

2017-05-23

The development of lightweight, superportable, and sustainable power sources has become an urgent need for most modern personal electronics. Here, we report a cut-paper-based self-charging power unit (PC-SCPU) that is capable of simultaneously harvesting and storing energy from body movement by combining a paper-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and a supercapacitor (SC), respectively. Utilizing the paper as the substrate with an assembled cut-paper architecture, an ultralight rhombic-shaped TENG is achieved with highly specific mass/volume charge output (82 nC g -1 /75 nC cm -3 ) compared with the traditional acrylic-based TENG (5.7 nC g -1 /5.8 nC cm -3 ), which can effectively charge the SC (∼1 mF) to ∼1 V in minutes. This wallet-contained PC-SCPU is then demonstrated as a sustainable power source for driving wearable and portable electronic devices such as a wireless remote control, electric watch, or temperature sensor. This study presents a potential paper-based portable SCPU for practical and medical applications.

Fast response of electron-scale turbulence to auxiliary heating cessation in National Spherical Torus Experiment

DOE PAGES

Ren, Y.; Wang, W. X.; LeBlanc, B. P.; ...

2015-11-03

In this letter, we report the first observation of the fast response of electron-scale turbulence to auxiliary heating cessation in National Spherical Torus eXperiment [Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)]. The observation was made in a set of RF-heated L-mode plasmas with toroidal magnetic field of 0.55 T and plasma current of 300 kA. It is observed that electron-scale turbulence spectral power (measured with a high-k collective microwave scattering system) decreases significantly following fast cessation of RF heating that occurs in less than 200 μs. The large drop in the turbulence spectral power has a short time delaymore » of about 1–2 ms relative to the RF cessation and happens on a time scale of 0.5–1 ms, much smaller than the energy confinement time of about 10 ms. Power balance analysis shows a factor of about 2 decrease in electron thermal diffusivity after the sudden drop of turbulence spectral power. Measured small changes in equilibrium profiles across the RF cessation are unlikely able to explain this sudden reduction in the measured turbulence and decrease in electron thermal transport, supported by local linear stability analysis and both local and global nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations. Furthermore, the observations imply that nonlocal flux-driven mechanism may be important for the observed turbulence and electron thermal transport.« less

Electrochemical performance and microbial community profiles in microbial fuel cells in relation to electron transfer mechanisms.

PubMed

Uria, Naroa; Ferrera, Isabel; Mas, Jordi

2017-10-18

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) operating with complex microbial communities have been extensively reported in the past, and are commonly used in applications such as wastewater treatment, bioremediation or in-situ powering of environmental sensors. However, our knowledge on how the composition of the microbial community and the different types of electron transfer to the anode affect the performance of these bioelectrochemical systems is far from complete. To fill this gap of knowledge, we designed a set of three MFCs with different constrains limiting direct and mediated electron transfer to the anode. The results obtained indicate that MFCs with a naked anode on which a biofilm was allowed unrestricted development (MFC-A) had the most diverse archaeal and bacterial community, and offered the best performance. In this MFC both, direct and mediated electron transfer, occurred simultaneously, but direct electron transfer was the predominant mechanism. Microbial fuel cells in which the anode was enclosed in a dialysis membrane and biofilm was not allowed to develop (MFC-D), had a much lower power output (about 60% lower), and a prevalence of dissolved redox species that acted as putative electron shuttles. In the anolyte of this MFC, Arcobacter and Methanosaeta were the prevalent bacteria and archaea respectively. In the third MFC, in which the anode had been covered by a cation selective nafion membrane (MFC-N), power output decreased a further 5% (95% less than MFC-A). In this MFC, conventional organic electron shuttles could not operate and the low power output obtained was presumably attributed to fermentation end-products produced by some of the organisms present in the anolyte, probably Pseudomonas or Methanosaeta. Electron transfer mechanisms have an impact on the development of different microbial communities and in turn on MFC performance. Although a stable current was achieved in all cases, direct electron transfer MFC showed the best performance concluding that biofilms are the major contributors to current production in MFCs. Characterization of the complex microbial assemblages in these systems may help us to unveil new electrogenic microorganisms and improve our understanding on their role to the functioning of MFCs.

Real-time electron dynamics for massively parallel excited-state simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrade, Xavier

The simulation of the real-time dynamics of electrons, based on time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), is a powerful approach to study electronic excited states in molecular and crystalline systems. What makes the method attractive is its flexibility to simulate different kinds of phenomena beyond the linear-response regime, including strongly-perturbed electronic systems and non-adiabatic electron-ion dynamics. Electron-dynamics simulations are also attractive from a computational point of view. They can run efficiently on massively parallel architectures due to the low communication requirements. Our implementations of electron dynamics, based on the codes Octopus (real-space) and Qball (plane-waves), allow us to simulate systems composed of thousands of atoms and to obtain good parallel scaling up to 1.6 million processor cores. Due to the versatility of real-time electron dynamics and its parallel performance, we expect it to become the method of choice to apply the capabilities of exascale supercomputers for the simulation of electronic excited states.

Research on DC Micro-grid system of photovoltaic power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yiming; Wang, Xiaohui

2018-01-01

The use of energy has become a topic of concern, the demand of people for power grows in number or quantity with the development of economy. It is necessary to consider using new forms of power supply-microgrid system for distributed power supply. The power supply mode can not only effectively solve the problem of excessive line loss in the large power grid, but also can increase the reliability of the power supply, and is economical and environmental friendly. With the increasing of DC loads, in order to improve the utilization efficiency, the DC microgrid power supply problems are begin to be researched and integrated with the renewable energy sources. This paper researched the development of microgrid, compared AC microgrid with DC microgrid, summarized the distribution of DC bus voltage level, the DC microgrid network form, the control mode and the main power electronics elements of DC microgrid of photovoltaic power generation system. Today, the DC microgrid system is still in the development stage without uniform voltage level standard, however, it will come into service in the future.

Ultracompliant Heterogeneous Copper-Tin Nanowire Arrays Making a Supersolder.

PubMed

Gong, Wei; Li, Pengfei; Zhang, Yunheng; Feng, Xuhui; Major, Joshua; DeVoto, Douglas; Paret, Paul; King, Charles; Narumanchi, Sreekant; Shen, Sheng

2018-06-13

Due to the substantial increase in power density, thermal interface resistance that can constitute more than 50% of the total thermal resistance has generally become a bottleneck for thermal management in electronics. However, conventional thermal interface materials (TIMs) such as solder, epoxy, gel, and grease cannot fulfill the requirements of electronics for high-power and long-term operation. Here, we demonstrate a high-performance TIM consisting of a heterogeneous copper-tin nanowire array, which we term "supersolder" to emulate the role of conventional solders in bonding various surfaces. The supersolder is ultracompliant with a shear modulus 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than traditional solders and can reduce the thermal resistance by two times as compared with the state-of-the-art TIMs. This supersolder also exhibits excellent long-term reliability with >1200 thermal cycles over a wide temperature range. By resolving this critical thermal bottleneck, the supersolder enables electronic systems, ranging from microelectronics and portable electronics to massive data centers, to operate at lower temperatures with higher power density and reliability.

Low-noise front-end electronics for detection of intermediate-frequency weak light signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Cunbao; Yan, Shuhua; Du, Zhiguang; Wei, Chunhua; Wang, Guochao

2015-02-01

A novel low-noise front-end electronics was proposed for detection of light signals with intensity about 10 μW and frequency above 2.7 MHz. The direct current (DC) power supply, pre-amplifier and main-amplifier were first designed, simulated and then realized. Small-size components were used to make the power supply small, and the pre-amplifier and main-amplifier were the least capacitors to avoid the phase shift of the signals. The performance of the developed front-end electronics was verified in cross-grating diffraction experiments. The results indicated that the output peak-topeak noise of the +/-5 V DC power supply was about 2 mV, and the total output current was 1.25 A. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the output signal of the pre-amplifier was about 50 dB, and it increased to nearly 60 dB after the mainamplifier, which means this front-end electronics was especially suitable for using in the phase-sensitive and integrated precision measurement systems.

Control of Vibratory Energy Harvesters in the Presence of Nonlinearities and Power-Flow Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassidy, Ian L.

Over the past decade, a significant amount of research activity has been devoted to developing electromechanical systems that can convert ambient mechanical vibrations into usable electric power. Such systems, referred to as vibratory energy harvesters, have a number of useful of applications, ranging in scale from self-powered wireless sensors for structural health monitoring in bridges and buildings to energy harvesting from ocean waves. One of the most challenging aspects of this technology concerns the efficient extraction and transmission of power from transducer to storage. Maximizing the rate of power extraction from vibratory energy harvesters is further complicated by the stochastic nature of the disturbance. The primary purpose of this dissertation is to develop feedback control algorithms which optimize the average power generated from stochastically-excited vibratory energy harvesters. This dissertation will illustrate the performance of various controllers using two vibratory energy harvesting systems: an electromagnetic transducer embedded within a flexible structure, and a piezoelectric bimorph cantilever beam. Compared with piezoelectric systems, large-scale electromagnetic systems have received much less attention in the literature despite their ability to generate power at the watt--kilowatt scale. Motivated by this observation, the first part of this dissertation focuses on developing an experimentally validated predictive model of an actively controlled electromagnetic transducer. Following this experimental analysis, linear-quadratic-Gaussian control theory is used to compute unconstrained state feedback controllers for two ideal vibratory energy harvesting systems. This theory is then augmented to account for competing objectives, nonlinearities in the harvester dynamics, and non-quadratic transmission loss models in the electronics. In many vibratory energy harvesting applications, employing a bi-directional power electronic drive to actively control the harvester is infeasible due to the high levels of parasitic power required to operate the drive. For the case where a single-directional drive is used, a constraint on the directionality of power-flow is imposed on the system, which necessitates the use of nonlinear feedback. As such, a sub-optimal controller for power-flow-constrained vibratory energy harvesters is presented, which is analytically guaranteed to outperform the optimal static admittance controller. Finally, the last section of this dissertation explores a numerical approach to compute optimal discretized control manifolds for systems with power-flow constraints. Unlike the sub-optimal nonlinear controller, the numerical controller satisfies the necessary conditions for optimality by solving the stochastic Hamilton-Jacobi equation.

Optically powered active sensing system for Internet Of Things

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Chen; Wang, Jin; Yin, Long; Yang, Jing; Jiang, Jian; Wan, Hongdan

2014-10-01

Internet Of Things (IOT) drives a significant increase in the extent and type of sensing technology and equipment. Sensors, instrumentation, control electronics, data logging and transmission units comprising such sensing systems will all require to be powered. Conventionally, electrical powering is supplied by batteries or/and electric power cables. The power supply by batteries usually has a limited lifetime, while the electric power cables are susceptible to electromagnetic interference. In fact, the electromagnetic interference is the key issue limiting the power supply in the strong electromagnetic radiation area and other extreme environments. The novel alternative method of power supply is power over fiber (PoF) technique. As fibers are used as power supply lines instead, the delivery of the power is inherently immune to electromagnetic radiation, and avoids cumbersome shielding of power lines. Such a safer power supply mode would be a promising candidate for applications in IOT. In this work, we built up optically powered active sensing system, supplying uninterrupted power for the remote active sensors and communication modules. Also, we proposed a novel maximum power point tracking technique for photovoltaic power convertors. In our system, the actual output efficiency greater than 40% within 1W laser power. After 1km fiber transmission and opto-electric power conversion, a stable electric power of 210mW was obtained, which is sufficient for operating an active sensing system.

Distributed Control Architecture for Gas Turbine Engine. Chapter 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Culley, Dennis; Garg, Sanjay

2009-01-01

The transformation of engine control systems from centralized to distributed architecture is both necessary and enabling for future aeropropulsion applications. The continued growth of adaptive control applications and the trend to smaller, light weight cores is a counter influence on the weight and volume of control system hardware. A distributed engine control system using high temperature electronics and open systems communications will reverse the growing trend of control system weight ratio to total engine weight and also be a major factor in decreasing overall cost of ownership for aeropropulsion systems. The implementation of distributed engine control is not without significant challenges. There are the needs for high temperature electronics, development of simple, robust communications, and power supply for the on-board electronics.

NDE of copper canisters for long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel from the Swedish nuclear power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepinski, Tadeusz

2003-07-01

Sweden has been intensively developing methods for long term storage of spent fuel from the nuclear power plants for twenty-five years. A dedicated research program has been initiated and conducted by the Swedish company SKB (Swedish Nuclear Fuels and Waste Management Co.). After the interim storage SKB plans to encapsulate spent nuclear fuel in copper canisters that will be placed at a deep repository located in bedrock. The canisters filled with fuel rods will be sealed by an electron beam weld. This paper presents three complementary NDE techniques used for assessing the sealing weld in copper canisters, radiography, ultrasound, and eddy current. A powerful X-ray source and a digital detector are used for the radiography. An ultrasonic array system consisting of a phased ultrasonic array and a multi-channel electronics is used for the ultrasonic examination. The array system enables electronic focusing and rapid electronic scanning eliminating the use of a complicated mechanical scanner. A specially designed eddy current probe capable of detecting small voids at the depth up to 4 mm in copper is used for the eddy current inspection. Presently, all the NDE techniques are verified in SKB's Canister Laboratory where full scale canisters are welded and examined.

System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor

DOEpatents

Fisch, Nathaniel J.

1981-01-01

A system for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor providing steady-state generation of the thermonuclear power. A dense, hot toroidal plasma is initially prepared with a confining magnetic field with toroidal and poloidal components. Continuous wave RF energy is injected into said plasma to establish a spectrum of traveling waves in the plasma, where the traveling waves have momentum components substantially either all parallel, or all anti-parallel to the confining magnetic field. The injected RF energy is phased to couple to said traveling waves with both a phase velocity component and a wave momentum component in the direction of the plasma traveling wave components. The injected RF energy has a predetermined spectrum selected so that said traveling waves couple to plasma electrons having velocities in a predetermined range .DELTA.. The velocities in the range are substantially greater than the thermal electron velocity of the plasma. In addition, the range is sufficiently broad to produce a raised plateau having width .DELTA. in the plasma electron velocity distribution so that the plateau electrons provide steady-state current to generate a poloidal magnetic field component sufficient for confining the plasma. In steady state operation of the fusion reactor, the fusion power density in the plasma exceeds the power dissipated in the plasma.

System and method for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor

DOEpatents

Bers, Abraham

1981-01-01

A system for generating steady state confining current for a toroidal plasma fusion reactor providing steady-state generation of the thermonuclear power. A dense, hot toroidal plasma is initially prepared with a confining magnetic field with toroidal and poloidal components. Continuous wave RF energy is injected into said plasma to estalish a spectrum of traveling waves in the plasma, where the traveling waves have momentum components substantially either all parallel, or all anti-parallel to the confining magnetic field. The injected RF energy is phased to couple to said traveling waves with both a phase velocity component and a wave momentum component in the direction of the plasma traveling wave components. The injected RF energy has a predetermined spectrum selected so that said traveling waves couple to plasma electrons having velocities in a predetermined range .DELTA.. The velocities in the range are substantially greater than the thermal electron velocity of the plasma. In addition, the range is sufficiently broad to produce a raised plateau having width .DELTA. in the plasma electron velocity distribution so that the plateau electrons provide steady-state current to generate a poloidal magnetic field component sufficient for confining the plasma. In steady state operation of the fusion reactor, the fusion power density in the plasma exceeds the power dissipated inthe plasma.

Flexible piezoelectric energy harvesting from jaw movements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delnavaz, Aidin; Voix, Jérémie

2014-10-01

Piezoelectric fiber composites (PFC) represent an interesting subset of smart materials that can function as sensor, actuator and energy converter. Despite their excellent potential for energy harvesting, very few PFC mechanisms have been developed to capture the human body power and convert it into an electric current to power wearable electronic devices. This paper provides a proof of concept for a head-mounted device with a PFC chin strap capable of harvesting energy from jaw movements. An electromechanical model based on the bond graph method is developed to predict the power output of the energy harvesting system. The optimum resistance value of the load and the best stretch ratio in the strap are also determined. A prototype was developed and tested and its performances were compared to the analytical model predictions. The proposed piezoelectric strap mechanism can be added to all types of head-mounted devices to power small-scale electronic devices such as hearing aids, electronic hearing protectors and communication earpieces.

Chris Deline | NREL

Science.gov Websites

., Meydbray, J., Donovan, M., and Forrest, J. 2014. Photovoltaic Shading Testbed for Module-Level Power Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, in the photovoltaic (PV) performance and reliability performance and stabilization, mismatch and partial shading in PV systems, and distributed power electronics

Large space structures and systems in the space station era: A bibliography with indexes (supplement 03)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Bibliographies and abstracts are listed for 1221 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between January 1, 1991 and June 30, 1991. Topics covered include large space structures and systems, space stations, extravehicular activity, thermal environments and control, tethering, spacecraft power supplies, structural concepts and control systems, electronics, advanced materials, propulsion, policies and international cooperation, vibration and dynamic controls, robotics and remote operations, data and communication systems, electric power generation, space commercialization, orbital transfer, and human factors engineering.

A THz Spectroscopy System Based on Coherent Radiation from Ultrashort Electron Bunches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saisut, J.; Rimjaem, S.; Thongbai, C.

2018-05-01

A spectroscopy system will be discussed for coherent THz transition radiation emitted from short electron bunches, which are generated from a system consisting of an RF gun with a thermionic cathode, an alpha-magnet as a magnetic bunch compressor, and a linear accelerator for post-acceleration. The THz radiation is generated as backward transition radiation when electron bunches pass through an aluminum foil. The emitted THz transition radiation, which is coherent at wavelengths equal to and longer than the electron bunch length, is coupled to a Michelson interferometer. The performance of the spectroscopy system employing a Michelson interferometer is discussed. The radiation power spectra under different conditions are presented. As an example, the optical constant of a silicon wafer can be obtained using the dispersive Fourier transform spectroscopy (DFTS) technique.

All-Dielectric Photonic-Assisted Radio Front-End Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayazi, Hossein Ali

The threats to civil society posed by high-power electromagnetic weapons are viewed as a grim but real possibility in the world after 11 September 2001. These weapons produce a power surge capable of destroying or damaging sensitive circuitry in electronic systems. Unfortunately, the trend towards circuits with smaller sizes and voltages renders modern electronics highly susceptible to such damage. Radiofrequency communication systems are particularly vulnerable, because the antenna provides a direct port of entry for electromagnetic radiation. In this work, we present a novel type of radiofrequency receiver front end featuring a complete absence of electronic circuitry and metal interconnects, the traditional 'soft spots' of a conventional radiofrequency receiver. The device exploits a dielectric resonator antenna to capture and deliver the radiofrequency signal onto a whispering-gallery mode electro-optic field sensor. The dielectric approach has an added benefit in that it reduces the physical size of the front end, an important benefit in mobile applications.

Navy Shipboard Lasers for Surface, Air, and Missile Defense: Background and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-27

include silicon carbide ( SiC )- based transistors, transformers and power converters. “ SiC is important because it improves power quality and reduces size...existing shipboard gun systems. An airborne mirror , perhaps mounted on an aerostat,11 could bounce light from a shipboard laser, so as to permit non-line...super conducting RF electron beam injectors, advanced high power cathode technologies, high power compact amplifiers, and advanced mirrors

Application of Prognostic Health Management in Digital Electronic Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

variable external supply applied the necessary core power to the processor while the motherboard continued to source power from the ATX supply. By...isolating the processor power from the motherboard power , control over the aging profile of the processor was achieved. Once nominal operating...Physics-of-failure RISC – Reduced Instruction Set Computer RUL – Remaining Useful Life 1 1-4244-0525-4/07/$20.00 ©2007 IEEE. Paper 1326

Electronic amplifiers: A compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

Several types of amplifiers and amplifier systems are considered. These include preamplifiers, high power amplifiers, buffer and isolation amplifiers, amplifier circuits, and general purpose amplifiers.

Upgrades to the MARIA Helicon Experiment at UW-Madison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Jonathan; Hershkowitz, Noah; Schmitz, Oliver; Severn, Greg; Winters, Victoria

2016-10-01

The MARIA helicon plasma device at UW Madison is setup to investigate the neutral particle fueling of helicon discharges. Following initial results from the 668.614nm diode laser LIF system, the active spectroscopy diagnostic suite was expanded by establishing a 1.4J pulsed Nd:YAG pumped dye laser. To verify the new laser system, a comparison of measured ion velocities near a target plate was made between the diode based and dye based LIF systems. Additionally, theory and further verification of a new technique for measuring ion velocities leveraging Zeeman splitting is presented. During a campaign with <= 750W RF power, densities in the range of 1x1018 m-3 and 2 eV electron temperature were achieved with 4.1 mTorr of argon and a magnetic field of 750G. To achieve higher densities and explore the physics of neutral depletion, the available RF power was increased from 750W to 2kW, with further expansion to 4kW on a single antenna planned. For both power levels a clear helicon mode can be reliably established and its extension increases with increasing RF power. Basic plasma characterization at the higher RF power, such as electron density vs magnetic field scans, will be presented. This work was funded by the NSF CAREER Award PHY-1455210.

One-electron reduced density matrices of strongly correlated harmonium atoms.

PubMed

Cioslowski, Jerzy

2015-03-21

Explicit asymptotic expressions are derived for the reduced one-electron density matrices (the 1-matrices) of strongly correlated two- and three-electron harmonium atoms in the ground and first excited states. These expressions, which are valid at the limit of small confinement strength ω, yield electron densities and kinetic energies in agreement with the published values. In addition, they reveal the ω(5/6) asymptotic scaling of the exchange components of the electron-electron repulsion energies that differs from the ω(2/3) scaling of their Coulomb and correlation counterparts. The natural orbitals of the totally symmetric ground state of the two-electron harmonium atom are found to possess collective occupancies that follow a mixed power/Gaussian dependence on the angular momentum in variance with the simple power-law prediction of Hill's asymptotics. Providing rigorous constraints on energies as functionals of 1-matrices, these results are expected to facilitate development of approximate implementations of the density matrix functional theory and ensure their proper description of strongly correlated systems.

Radioisotope Stirling Engine Powered Airship for Low Altitude Operation on Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colozza, Anthony J.

2012-01-01

The feasibility of a Stirling engine powered airship for the near surface exploration of Venus was evaluated. The heat source for the Stirling engine was limited to 10 general purpose heat source (GPHS) blocks. The baseline airship utilized hydrogen as the lifting gas and the electronics and payload were enclosed in a cooled insulated pressure vessel to maintain the internal temperature at 320 K and 1 Bar pressure. The propulsion system consisted of an electric motor driving a propeller. An analysis was set up to size the airship that could operate near the Venus surface based on the available thermal power. The atmospheric conditions on Venus were modeled and used in the analysis. The analysis was an iterative process between sizing the airship to carry a specified payload and the power required to operate the electronics, payload and cooling system as well as provide power to the propulsion system to overcome the drag on the airship. A baseline configuration was determined that could meet the power requirements and operate near the Venus surface. From this baseline design additional trades were made to see how other factors affected the design such as the internal temperature of the payload chamber and the flight altitude. In addition other lifting methods were evaluated such as an evacuated chamber, heated atmospheric gas and augmented heated lifting gas. However none of these methods proved viable.

High-Power, High-Efficiency Ka-Band Space Traveling-Wave Tube

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krawczyk, Richard; Wilson, Jeffrey; Simons, Rainee; Williams, Wallace; Bhasin, Kul; Robbins, Neal; Dibb, Daniel; Menninger, William; Zhai, Xiaoling; Benton, Robert;

Power measurement system of ECRH on HL-2A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, He; Lu, Zhihong; Kubo, Shin; Chen, Gangyu; Wang, Chao; Zhou, Jun; Huang, Mei; Rao, Jun

2015-03-01

Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) is one of the main auxiliary heating systems for HL-2A tokamak. The ECRH system with total output power 5MW has been equipped on HL-2A which include 6 sets of 0.5MW/1.0s at a frequency of 68GHz and 2 sets of 1MW/3s at a frequency of 140GHz. The power is one of important parameters in ECRH system. In this paper, the method for measuring the power of ECRH system on HL-2A is introduced which include calorimetric techniques and directional coupler. Calorimetric techniques is an existing method, which is used successfully in ECRH commissioning and experiment, and the transmission efficiency of ECRH system is achieved by measuring the absorbed microwave power in the Match Optical Unit (MOU), gyrotron output window and tours window of the EC system use this method. Now base on the theory of electromagnetic coupling through apertures, directional couplers are being designed, which is a new way for us.

Power feasibility of implantable digital spike sorting circuits for neural prosthetic systems.

PubMed

Zumsteg, Zachary S; Kemere, Caleb; O'Driscoll, Stephen; Santhanam, Gopal; Ahmed, Rizwan E; Shenoy, Krishna V; Meng, Teresa H

2005-09-01

A new class of neural prosthetic systems aims to assist disabled patients by translating cortical neural activity into control signals for prosthetic devices. Based on the success of proof-of-concept systems in the laboratory, there is now considerable interest in increasing system performance and creating implantable electronics for use in clinical systems. A critical question that impacts system performance and the overall architecture of these systems is whether it is possible to identify the neural source of each action potential (spike sorting) in real-time and with low power. Low power is essential both for power supply considerations and heat dissipation in the brain. In this paper we report that state-of-the-art spike sorting algorithms are not only feasible using modern complementary metal oxide semiconductor very large scale integration processes, but may represent the best option for extracting large amounts of data in implantable neural prosthetic interfaces.

NASA Ames Research Center 60 MW Power Supply Modernization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choy, Yuen Ching; Ilinets, Boris V.; Miller, Ted; Nagel, Kirsten (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The NASA Ames Research Center 60 MW DC Power Supply was built in 1974 to provide controlled DC power for the Thermophysics Facility Arc Jet Laboratory. The Power Supply has gradually losing reliability due to outdated technology and component life limitation. NASA has decided to upgrade the existing rectifier modules with contemporary high-power electronics and control equipment. NASA plans to complete this project in 2001. This project includes a complete replacement of obsolete thyristor stacks in all six rectifier modules and rectifier bridge control system. High power water-cooled thyristors and freewheeling diodes will be used. The rating of each of the six modules will be 4000 A at 5500 V. The control firing angle signal will be sent from the Facility Control System to six modules via fiberoptic cable. The Power Supply control and monitoring system will include a Master PLC in the Facility building and a Slave PLC in each rectifier module. This system will also monitor each thyristor level in each stack and the auxiliary equipment.

Enhanced High Performance Power Compensation Methodology by IPFC Using PIGBT-IDVR

PubMed Central

Arumugom, Subramanian; Rajaram, Marimuthu

2015-01-01

Currently, power systems are involuntarily controlled without high speed control and are frequently initiated, therefore resulting in a slow process when compared with static electronic devices. Among various power interruptions in power supply systems, voltage dips play a central role in causing disruption. The dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) is a process based on voltage control that compensates for line transients in the distributed system. To overcome these issues and to achieve a higher speed, a new methodology called the Parallel IGBT-Based Interline Dynamic Voltage Restorer (PIGBT-IDVR) method has been proposed, which mainly spotlights the dynamic processing of energy reloads in common dc-linked energy storage with less adaptive transition. The interline power flow controller (IPFC) scheme has been employed to manage the power transmission between the lines and the restorer method for controlling the reactive power in the individual lines. By employing the proposed methodology, the failure of a distributed system has been avoided and provides better performance than the existing methodologies. PMID:26613101

Proceedings of the Conference on High-temperature Electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The development of electronic devices for use in high temperature environments is addressed. The instrumentational needs of planetary exploration, fossil and nuclear power reactors, turbine engine monitoring, and well logging are defined. Emphasis is place on the fabrication and performance of materials and semiconductor devices, circuits and systems and packaging.

Splicing Ourselves into the Machine: Electronic Communities, Systems Theory, and Composition Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaGrandeur, Kevin

Computer mediated communication (CMC) tends to erase power structures because such communication somehow undermines or escapes discursive limits. Online discussions seem to promote rhetorical experimentation on the part of the participants. Finding a way to explain disparities between electronic discussion and oral discussion has proven difficult.…

Thermoelectric figure of merit of polymeric systems for low-power generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cigarini, Luigi; Ruini, Alice; Catellani, Alessandra; Calzolari, Arrigo

2017-10-01

The request of thermoelectric materials for low-power and flexible applications fosters the investigation of the intrinsic electron and thermal transport of conducting polymeric chains, which are building blocks of the complex variety of organic composites proposed in experimental samples. Using calculations from first principles and the Landauer approach for both electron and phonon carriers, we study the thermoelectric figure of merit zT of three representative and largely used polymer chains, namely poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polyaniline and polyfluorene. Our results provide an upper-limit estimate of zT, due to the intrinsic electronic and vibrational properties of the selected compounds, and pave the way to a microscopic understanding of the mechanisms that affect their electronic and transport characteristics in terms of structural distortions and chemical doping.

Feedback control of the lower hybrid power deposition profile on Tore Supra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barana, O.; Mazon, D.; Laborde, L.; Turco, F.

2007-07-01

The Tore Supra facility is well suited to study ITER relevant topics such as the real-time control of plasma current and the sustaining of steady-state discharges. This work describes a tool that was recently developed and implemented on Tore Supra to control in real time, by means of the direct knowledge of the suprathermal electron local emission profile, the width of the lower hybrid power deposition profile. This quantity can be considered to some extent equivalent to the width of the plasma current density profile in case of fully non-inductive discharges. This system takes advantage of an accurate hard x-ray diagnostics, of an efficient lower hybrid additional heating and of a reliable real-time communication network. The successful experiments carried out to test the system employed, as actuators, the parallel refractive index n// and the total power PLH. The control of the suprathermal electron local emission profile through n// was also integrated with the feedback control of the total plasma current IP with PLH and of the loop voltage Vloop with the central solenoid flux. These results demonstrate that the system is robust, reliable and able to counterbalance destabilizing events. This tool can be effectively used in the future in fully non-inductive discharges to improve the MHD stability and to maintain internal transport barriers or lower hybrid enhanced performance modes. The real-time control of the lower hybrid power deposition profile could also be used in conjunction with the electron-cyclotron radiofrequency heating for synergy studies.

Low-Temperature Spacecraft: Challenges/Opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickman, J. E.; Patterson, R. L.; Overton, E.; Hammoud, A. N.; Gerber, S. S.

2001-01-01

Imagine sending a spacecraft into deep space that operates at the ambient temperature of its environment rather than hundreds of degrees Kelvin warmer. The average temperature of a spacecraft warmed only by the sun drops from 279 K near the Earth's orbit to 90 K near the orbit of Saturn, and to 44 K near Pluto's orbit. At present, deep space probes struggle to maintain an operating temperature near 300 K for the onboard electronics. To warm the electronics without consuming vast amounts of electrical energy, radioisotope heater units (RHUs) are used in vast numbers. Unfortunately, since RHU are always 'on', an active thermal management system is required to reject the excess heat. A spacecraft designed to operate at cryogenic temperatures and shielded from the sun by a large communication dish or solar cell array could be less complex, lighter, and cheaper than current deep space probes. Before a complete low-temperature spacecraft becomes a reality, there are several challenges to be met. Reliable cryogenic power electronics is one of the major challenges. The Low-Temperature Power Electronics Research Group at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has demonstrated the ability of some commercial off the shelf power electronic components to operate at temperatures approaching that of liquid nitrogen (77 K). Below 77 K, there exists an opportunity for the development of reliable semiconductor power switching technologies other than bulk silicon CMOS. This paper will report on the results of NASA GRC's Low-Temperature Power Electronics Program and discuss the challenges to (opportunities for) the creation of a low-temperature spacecraft.

Performance of the Fully Digital FPGA-Based Front-End Electronics for the GALILEO Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrientos, D.; Bellato, M.; Bazzacco, D.; Bortolato, D.; Cocconi, P.; Gadea, A.; González, V.; Gulmini, M.; Isocrate, R.; Mengoni, D.; Pullia, A.; Recchia, F.; Rosso, D.; Sanchis, E.; Toniolo, N.; Ur, C. A.; Valiente-Dobón, J. J.

2015-12-01

In this work we present the architecture and results of a fully digital Front End Electronics (FEE) read out system developed for the GALILEO array. The FEE system, developed in collaboration with the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA) collaboration, is composed of three main blocks: preamplifiers, digitizers and preprocessing electronics. The slow control system contains a custom Linux driver, a dynamic library and a server implementing network services. This work presents the first results of the digital FEE system coupled with a GALILEO germanium detector, which has demonstrated the capability to achieve an energy resolution of 1.530/00 at an energy of 1.33 MeV, similar to the one obtained with a conventional analog system. While keeping a good performance in terms of energy resolution, digital electronics will allow to instrument the full GALILEO array with a versatile system with high integration and low power consumption and costs.

Development and Testing of a Prototype Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichenberg, Dennis J.

2009-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has developed and tested a prototype 2 kW DC grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) power system at the Center. The PV system has generated in excess of 6700 kWh since operation commenced in July 2006. The PV system is providing power to the GRC grid for use by all. Operation of the prototype PV system has been completely trouble free. A grid-tied PV power system is connected directly to the utility distribution grid. Facility power can be obtained from the utility system as normal. The PV system is synchronized with the utility system to provide power for the facility, and excess power is provided to the utility. The project transfers space technology to terrestrial use via nontraditional partners. GRC personnel glean valuable experience with PV power systems that are directly applicable to various space power systems, and provide valuable space program test data. PV power systems help to reduce harmful emissions and reduce the Nation s dependence on fossil fuels. Power generated by the PV system reduces the GRC utility demand, and the surplus power aids the community. Present global energy concerns reinforce the need for the development of alternative energy systems. Modern PV panels are readily available, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. Modern electronics has been the enabling technology behind grid-tied power systems, making them safe, reliable, efficient, and economical with a life expectancy of at least 25 years. Based upon the success of the prototype PV system, additional PV power system expansion at GRC is under consideration. The prototype grid-tied PV power system was successfully designed and developed which served to validate the basic principles described, and the theoretical work that was performed. The report concludes that grid-tied photovoltaic power systems are reliable, maintenance free, long life power systems, and are of significant value to NASA and the community.

DC grid for home applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elangovan, D.; Archana, R.; Jayadeep, V. J.; Nithin, M.; Arunkumar, G.

2017-11-01

More than fifty percent Indian population do not have access to electricity in daily lives. The distance between the power generating stations and the distribution centers forms one of the main reasons for lack of electrification in rural and remote areas. Here lies the importance of decentralization of power generation through renewable energy resources. In the present world, electricity is predominantly powered by alternating current, but most day to day devices like LED lamps, computers and electrical vehicles, all run on DC power. By directly supplying DC to these loads, the number of power conversion stages was reduced, and overall system efficiency increases. Replacing existing AC network with DC is a humongous task, but with power electronic techniques, this project intends to implement DC grid at a household level in remote and rural areas. Proposed work was designed and simulated successfully for various loads amounting to 250 W through appropriate power electronic convertors. Maximum utilization of the renewable sources for domestic and commercial application was achieved with the proposed DC topology.

High-Temperature, Wirebondless, Ultracompact Wide Bandgap Power Semiconductor Modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elmes, John

2015-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) and other wide bandgap semiconductors offer great promise of high power rating, high operating temperature, simple thermal management, and ultrahigh power density for both space and commercial power electronic systems. However, this great potential is seriously limited by the lack of reliable high-temperature device packaging technology. This Phase II project developed an ultracompact hybrid power module packaging technology based on the use of double lead frames and direct lead frame-to-chip transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding that allows device operation up to 450 degC. The new power module will have a very small form factor with 3-5X reduction in size and weight from the prior art, and it will be capable of operating from 450 degC to -125 degC. This technology will have a profound impact on power electronics and energy conversion technologies and help to conserve energy and the environment as well as reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels.

Practical application of power conditioning to electric propulsion for passenger vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demerdash, N. A.; Lee, F. C.; Nehl, T. W.; Overton, B. P.

1980-01-01

A functional model 15 HP, 120 volt, 4-pole, 7600 r.p.m. samarium-cobalt permanent magnet type brushless dc motor-transistorized power conditioner unit was designed, fabricated and tested for specific use in propulsion of electric passenger vehicles. This new brushless motor system, including its power conditioner package, has a number of important advantages over existing systems such as reduced weight and volume, higher reliability, and potential for improvements in efficiencies. These advantages are discussed in this paper in light of the substantial test data collected during experimentation with the newly developed conditioner motor propulsion system. Details of the power conditioner design philosophy and particulars are given in the paper. Also, described here are the low level electronic design and operation in relation to the remainder of the system.

Experimental observations of nonlinearly enhanced 2omega-UH electromagnetic radiation excited by steady-state colliding electron beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Intrator, T.; Hershkowitz, N.; Chan, C.

1984-01-01

Counterstreaming large-diameter electron beams in a steady-state laboratory experiment are observed to generate transverse radiation at twice the upper-hybrid frequency (2omega-UH) with a quadrupole radiation pattern. The electromagnetic wave power density is nonlinearly enhanced over the power density obtained from a single beam-plasma system. Electromagnetic power density scales exponentially with beam energy and increases with ion mass. Weak turbulence theory can predict similar (but weaker) beam energy scaling but not the high power density, or the predominance of the 2omega-UH radiation peak over the omega-UH peak. Significant noise near the upper-hybrid and ion plasma frequencies is also measured, with normalized electrostatic wave energy density W(ES)/n(e)T(e) approximately 0.01.

Electron-Beam Switches For A High Peak Power Sled-II Pulse Compressor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hirshfield, Jay, L.

2015-12-02

Omega-P demonstrated triggered electron-beam switches on the L=2 m dual-delay-line X-band pulse compressor at Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). In those experiments, with input pulses of up to 9 MW from the Omega-P/NRL X-band magnicon, output pulses having peak powers of 140-165 MW and durations of 16-20 ns were produced, with record peak power gains M of 18-20. Switch designs are described based on the successful results that should be suitable for use with the existing SLAC SLED-II delay line system, to demonstrate C=9, M=7, and n>>78%, yielding 173ns compressed pulses with peak powers up to 350MW with input of amore » single 50-MW.« less

Tape transfer atomization patterning of liquid alloys for microfluidic stretchable wireless power transfer.

PubMed

Jeong, Seung Hee; Hjort, Klas; Wu, Zhigang

2015-02-12

Stretchable electronics offers unsurpassed mechanical compliance on complex or soft surfaces like the human skin and organs. To fully exploit this great advantage, an autonomous system with a self-powered energy source has been sought for. Here, we present a new technology to pattern liquid alloys on soft substrates, targeting at fabrication of a hybrid-integrated power source in microfluidic stretchable electronics. By atomized spraying of a liquid alloy onto a soft surface with a tape transferred adhesive mask, a universal fabrication process is provided for high quality patterns of liquid conductors in a meter scale. With the developed multilayer fabrication technique, a microfluidic stretchable wireless power transfer device with an integrated LED was demonstrated, which could survive cycling between 0% and 25% strain over 1,000 times.