Browse Topic: Sustainable development

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Land Use Compatibility for Vertiports: A Comprehensive ApproachF-0081-2025-00775/20/2025
This study provides a comprehensive framework for establishing land use compatibility guidelines specific to vertiports serving electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft within urban settings. Recognizing critical gaps in current regulatory standards, the research systematically integrates analyses of accident risk, noise propagation, and aerodynamic impacts—including downwash and outwash—to delineate compatibility zones around vertiports. Employing an artificial intelligence (AI) augmented system, the study conducted safety and hazard assessments, various quantitative analyses, and simulations to identify spatial constructs of operational risks and environmental impacts. Results indicated significant discrepancies between existing aviation infrastructure guidelines and the unique operational characteristics of eVTOLs, necessitating revised zoning parameters. The proposed multi-tiered safety zoning framework provides precise, evidencebased recommendations for urban planners, enhancing safety, minimizing noise impacts, and ensuring environmental sustainability. Ultimately, this research offers policymakers and stakeholders practical tools for integrating advanced air mobility infrastructure safely into complex urban landscapes.
Ison, David
Calculation of Airflow through the Air Cycle Technology’s Turboexpander and Its Effects on a Diesel Engine—Part I2025-01-50233/31/2025
Abstract Amidst escalating climate change, the sustainability of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, particularly in heavy transport, remains a critical challenge. Despite emission reductions from 1990 to 2020, ICEs, particularly diesel engines in Europe, continue to pose environmental challenges, notably in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This study proposes a novel solution to address the problem of NOx emissions by incorporating Air Cycle Technology’s (ACT) turboexpander into diesel engines. Acting as a second-stage compressor, intercooler, and expander, the turboexpander aims to lower intake air temperature, thereby mitigating NOx formation. The study utilizes a 4.4-l JCB-TCA-74 turbocharged diesel engine retrofitted with the ACT turboexpander as the experimental platform. The methodology involves using empirical formulae to calculate the key parameters of engine airflow for a standard turbocharged diesel engine followed by repeating the calculations for the same engine fitted with a turboexpander. Parameters including intake temperature, cylinder temperature, exhaust gas temperature, and NOx emissions are analyzed in depth and compared for both the engines. Initial calculations suggest that the turboexpander has the potential to reduce intake temperatures by up to 34°C, resulting in significant reductions in NOx emissions. These findings underscore the promising role of turboexpanders in enhancing the sustainability of diesel engines, urging further exploration across various engine types. As emissions standards tighten, the adoption of innovative solutions like turboexpanders could contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future for the ICE.
Fayaz, Farheen, Brace, Jordan, Allport, John, Javanbakht, Gina
Eco-profiling of Bio-epoxies via Life cycle AssessmentSAE-PP-002312/3/2021
Epoxies, synthesized from bisphenol-A (BPA) and epichlorohydrin (ECH), are predominantly used as coatings, adhesives, and as matrix material in fiber-reinforced composites for body-in-white (BiW) applications in the automotive sector. However, given the production of conventional epoxies from non-renewable petroleum resource and toxicity of BPA, several initiatives have been undertaken by researchers to synthesize alternative epoxies from various bio-sources that are free of BPA and exhibit similar mechanical performance. As a result, such bio-sourced epoxies are almost immediately termed as “eco-friendly”, despite the lack of comprehensive evaluation of their ecological performance that takes into account enhanced natural resource usage and associated impacts accompanying such epoxies. Hence, this work aims at addressing this gap by evaluating the environmental impacts of such bio-sourced epoxies via cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment to determine the genuine credentials of their ecofriendliness. Epoxies synthesized from three different bio-sources – namely, bark extractives, lignin, and triglyceride – were chosen, to evaluate their ecological performance. ReCiPe midpoint and endpoint methods were used to evaluate these epoxies in accordance with ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. Among the three bio-epoxies, lignin-based epoxy exhibits poor eco-performance mainly due to the use of large amount of chemicals during extraction of lignin, involving delignification and valorization. On the contrary, bio-epoxy synthesized from triglycerides were found to be eco-friendly compared to other bio-epoxies. All bio-epoxies are observed to contribute significantly to toxicity-related categories, mainly due to higher electricity consumption during both epoxy synthesis and manufacturing processes. Overall, this work sheds light on various avenues for synthesizing truly sustainable epoxies that exhibit mechanical performance comparable to their conventional counterparts.
Anthony, Lindsay, Jackson, Alyssa
3D Printing Technique Produces “Living” 4D MaterialsTBMG-359582/1/2020
Repairing and reusing plastics and delivering cancer drugs more effectively are two of the many potential applications a new 3D/4D printing technology might have. The technology merges 3D/4D printing and photo-controlled/living polymerization — a chemical process to create polymers. 4D printing is a subset of 3D printing where the printed object can transform its shape in response to certain conditions. The new method uses visible light to create an environmentally friendly “living” plastic or polymer. Polymers can be synthetic, such as plastic, as well as biological; for example, DNA.
Power System for Hybrid Heavy-Duty TrucksTBMG-358041/1/2020
Heavy-duty trucks such as 18-wheelers are virtually all powered by diesel engines. They account for a significant portion of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions but little has been done to curb their climate-change-inducing exhaust.
Recovery of Mercury and Rare Earth Elements from Fluorescent Lamp PhosphorsTBMG-358031/1/2020
All fluorescent lights contain small amounts of mercury and rare earth metals. There is a need to safely remove and recycle mercury and rare earth elements from used fluorescent lamps in order to keep the valuable and potentially poisonous metals out of the environment and aid the domestic recovery of critical materials.
Catalysis Approach Reduces Carbon Dioxide to MethaneTBMG-358001/1/2020
A new approach was developed that utilizes a series of catalytic reactions to electrochemically reduce carbon dioxide to methane — the main ingredient in natural gas — eliminating an intermediate step usually needed in the reduction process.
The Planetary Tides Simulation Facility for Simulation Tidal Strain in Planetary Ice AnalogsTBMG-357861/1/2020
An apparatus was developed with the capability to measure the anelastic and viscoelastic properties of icy materials over the long tidal periods and stress levels characteristic of Earth and icy satellites.
Process Turns Sand and Plant Materials into a Water Filtration ToolTBMG-358191/1/2020
According to the United Nations, 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services and the majority live in developing nations. A process was developed that uses sand and plant materials readily available in many developing nations to create a cheap and effective water filtration medium called “f-sand.” F-sand uses proteins from the Moringa oleifera plant, a tree native to India that grows well in tropical and subtropical climates. The tree is cultivated for food and natural oils, and the seeds are already used for a type of rudimentary water purification; however, this traditional means of purification leaves behind high amounts of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the seeds, allowing bacteria to regrow after just 24 hours. This leaves only a short window in which the water is drinkable.
Viable, Environmentally Friendly Alternative to Polystyrene FoamTBMG-358171/1/2020
An environmentally friendly foam was developed that can be used as an alternative to polystyrene foam, or Styrofoam™. The foam is made mostly from nanocrystals of cellulose, the most abundant plant material on Earth. The researchers also developed an environmentally friendly and simple manufacturing process to make the foam using water as a solvent instead of other harmful solvents.
Reducing winter range loss for electric trucks19TOFHP12_0212/1/2019
Researchers at the Austrian Institute of Technology have developed an air exchange system that's capable of reducing heat load by 37% in real-world tests. Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) range loss from winter use of PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heating has become a source of major concern as the industry works to make EVs a mainstream choice. Addressing this particular problem area with an economically viable solution was deemed a worthwhile effort by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), which is jointly owned by the Austrian government and the Federation of Austrian Industries. A fleet test of electric delivery trucks is underway on European roads. The AIT project, results of which were presented at the recent SAE Thermal Management Systems Symposium (TMSS), began by noting a 20% loss in range at −15°C (+5°F) from the heating system. AIT set a target of recovering 25% of that loss, primarily with the use of a ventilation module. Available reference data (at −10°C/+14°F) showed approximately 75% of the cabin heat losses are from ventilation, AIT said, with the remaining 25% from heated air transmission through the interior.
Weissler, Paul
Carbon Capture Process Makes Sustainable OilTBMG-3570312/1/2019
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Ultra-Thin Layers of Rust Generate Electricity from Flowing WaterTBMG-3572212/1/2019
Research shows that thin films of rust (iron oxide) can generate electricity when saltwater flows over them. These films represent an entirely new way of generating electricity and could be used to develop new forms of sustainable power production.
2019 'Create the Future' Sustainable Technologies Category Winner: Wave-Powered Water DesalinationTBMG-3544911/1/2019
Create the Future Contest 2019 Grand Prize Winner: Life-Saving Device Extends Organ Viability for TransplantsTBMG-3550611/1/2019
The 17th annual Create the Future Design Contest for engineers, students, and entrepreneurs worldwide, sponsored by COMSOL, Inc., and Mouser Electronics, drew more than 700 innovative product ideas from engineers and students in 60 countries. The Medical category itself received 61 outstanding entries from 18 countries. Analog Devices and Intel were supporting sponsors, and Zeus sponsored the Medical category. The contest, which was established in 2002, recognizes and rewards engineering innovations that benefit humanity, the environment, and the economy.
Researchers Develop Eco-Friendly Pressure-Sensitive AdhesivesTBMG-3533010/1/2019
Chemical engineering researchers at Oregon State University have developed a vegetable-oil-based adhesive that could provide an eco-friendly option in making items such as bandages, sticky notes, and postage stamps.
Products of Tomorrow: August 2019TBMG-348868/1/2019
This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.
5 Ws of PDK Recyclable PlasticTBMG-347347/1/2019
Anyone who uses products made of plastic. The new recyclable plastic could be a good alternative to many nonrecyclable plastics in use today.
3D Printable Sensors Disposed of Without Contaminating the EnvironmentTBMG-345926/1/2019
Simon Fraser University and Swiss researchers are developing an eco-friendly, 3D printable solution for producing wireless Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors that can be used and disposed of without contaminating the environment.
Taking a Systems Engineering Approach to Address SustainabilityF-0075-2019-147315/13/2019
Sustainability is a key element of Lockheed Martin's business model for innovation and growth and a commonly concerned attribute during product design and improvement. One of the sustainability concerned areas is environmental sustainability. This work summarizes the recent practices of taking a systems engineering approach to ensure technical excellence and develop customer centric solutions on the journey of pursuing environmental sustainability of product and manufacturing process. Continued improvement by leveraging Model Based Systems Engineering approach is recommended.
Yu, Xiaomei
Regional Hydrologic Extremes Assessment System (RHEAS) SoftwareTBMG-341454/1/2019
Drought is Africa’s principal type of natural disaster and is at the core of serious threats to the livelihoods of millions of people and the natural resources on which they depend. The economies of many African countries are based on agricultural activities that are controlled mainly by rainfall amounts and distribution; thus, food security in the region is highly vulnerable to impacts of drought.
Material Captures and Removes Toxic Atmospheric GasTBMG-341424/1/2019
A metal-organic framework (MOF) material was developed that exhibits a selective, fully reversible, and repeatable capability to remove nitrogen dioxide gas from the atmosphere in ambient conditions. The material denoted as MFM-300 (Al) exhibited the first reversible, selective capture of nitrogen dioxide at ambient pressures and temperatures — at low concentrations — in the presence of moisture, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide. Despite the highly reactive nature of nitrogen dioxide, the MFM-300(Al) material proved extremely robust, demonstrating the capability to be fully regenerated, or degassed, multiple times without loss of crystallinity or porosity. Other different porous materials often showed degraded performance in subsequent cycles by the nitrogen dioxide, or that the regeneration process was too difficult and costly.
Researchers Develop Long-Lasting Disposable Health PatchTBMG-342674/1/2019
Researchers have created a health patch that offers unprecedented comfort and a long battery life, previously unseen in this type of device. The patch can also be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of previous generations, making it a user-friendly, disposable solution for ambulant patient monitoring.
Pre-Treatment Solution for Water RecoveryTBMG-341694/1/2019
The Pre-Treatment Solution for Water Recovery technology was developed by NASA Johnson Space Center innovators to increase the amount of potable water recovered from the International Space Station’s urine processor assembly system. The solution increased the water recovery rate in the ISS distiller from 75 to 90 percent, doubled the volume of feed processed per cycle, reduced the volume of brine by half, and eliminated the formation of precipitate up to 90% water recovery.
5 Ws of the Lead-Detection Smartphone SystemTBMG-335861/1/2019
Individuals needing or wanting to examine lead content in their drinking water on-demand and in virtually any environmental setting.
Innovators Recognized for "Creating the Future" 2018TBMG-3340412/1/2018
2018 Create the Future Design Contest Special Awards SectionTBMG-3321611/1/2018
The Create the Future Design Contest was launched in 2002 by Tech Briefs Media Group (publishers of Tech Briefs magazine) to help stimulate and reward engineering innovation. Since then, the annual contest has drawn more than 14,000 product design ideas from engineers, students, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Sponsored by COMSOL and Mouser Electronics, the 2018 contest rewarded innovation in seven categories: Aerospace & Defense, Automotive/Transportation, Consumer Products, Electronics/Sensors/IoT, Machinery/Automation/Robotics, Medical, and Sustainable Technologies.
2018 Create the Future Design Contest: Sustainable Technologies Category WinnerTBMG-3332111/1/2018
Environmental and Sustainability Aspects of an Aviation Auxiliary Power Unit Analyzed with the Aid of Exergy2018-32-007110/30/2018
During the past decade environmental and sustainability issues have become major problems to overcome since they have caused regional and global consequences. This paper discusses the environmental and sustainability aspects of Gas Turbine (GT) based aviation Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) analyzed with the aid of exergy. Exergy analysis is a potential tool to determine exergy destructions and losses and their true magnitudes and exact locations. In this study some exergy based parameters such as: exergetic efficiency, waste exergy ratio, exergy recoverability ratio, exergy destruction ratio, environmental impact factor, and exergetic sustainability index are proposed and investigated. Cycle operating parameters such as compressor-pressure-ratio (rp,c), Turbine Inlet Temperature (TIT) have been chosen for analysis of the gas turbine cycle based APU. Mathematical modeling of the cycle has been done and the same has been coded in MATLAB. Results show that increasing waste exergy ratio decreases the exergetic efficiency and exergetic sustainability index. However, any increase in waste exergy ratio results in an increasing environmental impact of the GT cycle based APU. Exergetic efficiency, waste exergy ratio, exergy destruction ratio, environmental impact factor, and exergetic sustainability index are found to be 14.51%, 0.8549, 0.8349, 5.8917 and 0.16973 respectively for the overall cycle (rp,c= 3 and TIT =1300K). These results would be useful to make it more sustainable for future development.
Sahu, Aishi, Sahu, Mithilesh Kumar
Bio-Renewable Process Creates “Green” PlasticTBMG-3310410/1/2018
Plastics are often derived from petroleum, contributing to reliance on fossil fuels, and driving harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
NASA at 60: From Space to EarthTBMG-3311010/1/2018
The benefits of NASA's space exploration efforts are not limited to the cosmos. NASA technologies provide innovative solutions for people around the world. NASA missions have generated thousands of spinoffs — commercialized products we use every day. On the following pages, we highight just some of the many innovations that had their origins in NASA programs.
Methodical Selection of Sustainable Fuels for High Performance Racing Engines2018-01-17499/10/2018
As the importance of sustainability increases and dominates the powertrain development within the automotive sector, this issue has to be addressed in motorsports as well. The development of sustainable high-performance fuels defined for the use in motorsports offers technical and environmental potential with the possibility to increase the sustainability of motorsports at the same or even a better performance level. At the moment race cars are predominantly powered by fossil fuels. However due to the emerging shift regarding the focus of the regulations towards high efficient powertrains during the last years the further development of the used fuels gained in importance. Moreover during the last decades a huge variety of sustainable fuels emerged that offer a range of different characteristics and that are produced based on waste materials or carbon dioxide. This study investigates the question of which sustainable fuels offer the characteristics suitable for high-performance race engines. Equivalents to gasoline, diesel and natural gas are examined separately in order to present the options with various engine concepts. The requirements for a high-performance fuel are defined based on experimental investigations emphasizing among other characteristics the importance of the knock resistance for gasoline-like fuels and the ignitability for diesel-like fuels. Furthermore the characteristics of the sustainable alternatives are analyzed. On the basis of the experimental results a comparison is carried out to match the fuel requirements with the characteristics and to select the optimal equivalent for fossil gasoline, diesel and natural gas. Moreover the sustainable fuels are evaluated with an environmental analysis including the fuel life cycle. The results show a potential to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions per mega joule energy content by up to 88%. This research assesses the broad variety of sustainable biologic and synthetic fuels concerning the potential use in motorsports and the resulting environmental benefits.
Schwarz, Lea, Bargende, Michael, Dreyer, Stefan, Baretzky, Ulrich, Kotauschek, Wolfgang, Wohlgemuth, Sebastian, Bach, Florian
Non-Invasive Diabetes Monitoring PatchTBMG-324948/1/2018
An effective, non-invasive way of monitoring blood glucose could help both diabetics and those at risk of developing diabetes make the right choices to either manage the disease well, or reduce their risk of developing the condition. To address this need, an adhesive patch was developed that measures glucose levels through the skin without a finger-prick blood test, potentially removing the need for millions of diabetics to frequently carry out the painful and unpopular tests.
Plant Food for Space Grows Crops on EarthTBMG-325048/1/2018
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Reducing Moisture in Natural FibersTBMG-297197/1/2018
Biological transformation focuses on the sustainable use of biological resources such as plants or microorganisms. In the future, it is expected to reduce reliance on fossil fuels such as oil, coal, or gas, and help tackle major challenges such as climate change and global population growth. It offers options and opportunities for almost all industries. One field of application for biological resources is materials such as natural fiber reinforced plastics (NFRP).
Bi-Directional Energy Cascades and the Origin of Kinetic Turbulence in the Solar WindTBMG-297207/1/2018
The kinetic turbulence of solar wind originates in the solar corona. The solar wind carries the fluctuations and escapes from the corona along the open magnetic field lines, and enters into the interplanetary space. The energy exchange among waves and particles reaches a balance, and the decay rate is very small and able to travel to 1 AU and beyond. The magnitude of the magnetic turbulence is about 20% of the solar wind background magnetic field, consistent with the observations. The observation-motivated model not only provides a viable solution to both long-standing puzzles of electron halo formation and the origin of solar wind turbulence on kinetic scale, but also establishes a possible link between the solar wind turbulence and the acceleration of electrons by nanoflares in solar corona.
Gas Biosensors “See” Through Soil to Analyze Microbial InteractionsTBMG-297137/1/2018
Gas biosensors have been developed that “see” into soil and follow the behavior of the microbial communities in the soil. Genetically engineered bacteria was used that release methyl halide gases to monitor microbial gene expression in soil samples in the lab.
Crystallization Method for Carbon Capture from Ambient AirTBMG-297157/1/2018
A method to capture carbon dioxide directly from ambient air offers a new option for carbon capture and storage strategies to combat global warming.
OFFSET: A Global Carbon Cycle GameTBMG-297057/1/2018
The OFFSET video game was designed to teach children the basics of the carbon cycle in a fun and engaging way. The game play is a mix of Pong, Breakout, and RTS. The game has a retro-art style, and uses Game Center, so that players can compare scores with each other.
Recyclable Polymer Exhibits Practical Properties of PlasticsTBMG-297317/1/2018
A polymer was discovered that possesses many of the same characteristics as plastics, such as light weight, heat resistance, strength, and durability. But the new polymer, unlike typical petroleum plastics, can be converted back to its original small-molecule state for complete chemical recyclability. This can be accomplished without the use of toxic chemicals or intensive lab procedures.
Protein Mat Soaks Up Chemical PollutionTBMG-297297/1/2018
Despite years of effort to stabilize proteins outside of their native environments, scientists have made limited progress in combining proteins with synthetic components like fibers without compromising protein activity. A method was developed to keep proteins active in synthetic environments. A new class of materials with functions found only in living systems keeps certain proteins active outside of the cell. This technology was used to create mats that can soak up and trap chemical pollution.
Driving Design Towards a Sustainable Aviation Industry Product Using Environmental Impact EvaluationF-0074-2018-127255/14/2018
ABSTRACT The goals of sustainable manufacturing, as articulated by Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), are to reduce the intensity of material use, energy consumption, emissions and unwanted by-products - while maintaining or improving the value of products to society and to organizations. Benefits that can be achieved through this practice include improved working conditions, public image, staff morale, customer loyalty, brand value, profits, sales turnover, product performance, reduction in waste generation and staying ahead of regulatory concerns. Achieving such goals begins early in the product design phase with consideration toward materials used and processes invoked in manufacturing. Ultimately, a full sustainability assessment must include the product's End-of-life (EOL) impact, factoring environmental impacts of landfill and recycling emissions. This paper focuses on using an End-Of-Life impact assessment for a set of materials and processes commonly used in the aerospace industry. Available data and best practices are used to forecast the final EOL impact of an aerospace product for a given set of materials and processes. The approach is able to quantify costs incurred to advance manufacturing processes and can be used to inform top management on sustainability decisions. The approach could be extended to assess the complete aircraft, including its Beginning of Life.
Das, Emon, K, Raldo
Thermoeconomic, Sustainability and Environmental Damage Cost Analysis of Air Cooled CT7-7A Turboprop Engine2018-01-07744/3/2018
The aim of this study is to investigate the overall performance (exergetic, exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental) of CT7-7A turboprop engine manufactured by General Electric Aviation (GE Aviation) and currently used to power CN-235, a medium range transport aircraft. The investigation has been carried out using the thermoeconomic, sustainability and environmental damage cost analysis methods. The adopted turboprop engine has been investigated to observe the behaviour of various performance parameters, sustainability, emission parameters as well as cost parameters of engine. Due to ever increasing demand in air transport systems, focus has been on developing efficient and sustainable systems with lowest possible cost. In order to reduce cost & environmental effects of engine and at same time to acquire higher performance, it is necessary to understand the mechanism that can offer improvements in the engine operating and design parameters so that higher performance can be obtained. Exergetic sustainability parameters such as exergetic efficiency, exergy loss and destruction ratio, environmental damage cost, sustainability index and sustainability cost index play an important role on choice of suitable aircraft engine for operation. The methodology includes working with energy, exergy and cost balance equations and sustainability index for component-wise modelling of the whole system. The presented work analyses CT7-7A engine from all three (thermoeconomic, sustainability and environmental analysis) perspectives.
Sahu, Mithilesh Kumar, Choudhary, Tushar, Kumari, Anupam, R, Sanjay
Exergo-environmental Analysis of Basic and Intercooled-Recuperated Gas Turbine based Aviation Auxiliary Power Unit2018-01-13764/3/2018
This paper deals with the exergo-environmental analysis of gas turbine with possible application as aviation auxiliary-power-unit (APU). The present work reports a comparison of thermodynamic performance, NOx and CO emission for basic gas turbine cycle (BGT) and intercooled-recuperated gas turbine (IcRcGT) cycle based engines for possible use by the aviation industry as auxiliary power unit (APU). In addition to this environmental sustainability index of these two cycles is also presented. Various cycle operating parameters such as compressor-pressure-ratio (rp,c), combustor-primary-zone-temperature, equivalence-ratio, and residence time have been chosen for analysis of the cycles. Mathematical modeling of the cycles has been done and the same have been coded in MATLAB. Results show that IcRcGT cycle exhibits higher gas turbine power output and gas turbine efficiency in comparison to BGT cycle for the same rp,c and turbine inlet temperature (TIT). Percentage exergy destruction for combustion chamber has been found to be lower for IcRcGT cycle as compared to BGT cycle. NOx and CO emission are higher in case of IcRcGT cycle as compared to BGT cycle. Adoption of the proposed scheme i.e. IcRcGT cycle based APU promises to deliver enhanced performance i.e. thermal efficiency of around 10.62 percentage points higher thermal efficiency as compared to traditional BGT based APU (rp,c = 2.6 and TIT = 1400K). Also for the proposed APU system, percentage exergy destruction for combustion chamber is reduced by around 14.95% and by 13.18% for the overall cycle (rp,c = 3.8 and TIT = 1300K). Also, IcRcGT cycle is more sustainable aviation APU technology as compared to BGT cycle.
Sahu, Aishi, Sahu, Mithilesh Kumar, R, Sanjay
Multi-Material Topology Optimization: A Practical Approach and Application2018-01-01104/3/2018
The automotive industry is facing significant challenges for next-generation vehicle design as fuel economy regulations and tailpipe emission standards continue to strive for greater efficiency. In order to ensure vehicle design reaches these sustainability targets, lightweighting through multi-material design and topology optimization (TO) has been suggested as the leading method to reduce weight from conventional component and small assembly structures. More effective tools, techniques, and methodologies are now required to advance the development of multi-phase optimization tools beyond current commercial capability, and help automotive designers achieve critical efficiency improvements without sacrificing performance. Presented here is a unique tool description and practical application of multi-material topology optimization (MMTO), a direct extension of the classical single-material problem statement (SMTO). In this implementation the TO problem is expanded to include material existence and selection design variables in the typical density method while utilizing the solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) interpolation scheme. Further improvements from the prior research include adoption of the method of moving asymptotes (MMA) for handling large-scale, high-resolution optimization problems. Emphasized in this paper is a description of a multi-material topology optimization computational tool, an examination of single and multi-material solutions and comments for practical design. First, key equations and techniques that enable MMTO are presented, including interpolation schemes, sensitivity analysis, and filtering methods. Next, MMTO is applied to a practical automotive case study in a minimum compliance framework, and compared to other SMTO approaches. Lastly, an overview of practical design considerations is presented to discuss development of a final product from concept to validation.
Roper, Stephen, Li, Daozhong, Florea, Vlad, Woischwill, Christopher, Kim, Il Yong
Trends in Hydraulic FiltrationTBMG-2794212/1/2017
Proper filtration plays an important role in ensuring that hydraulic systems operate trouble-free. High-performance filters maintain the cleanliness of the hydraulic fluid over its entire service life. In addition, designers are faced with ever-changing application requirements — longer filter change intervals, higher operating safety, increased separation efficiencies, and increased compatibility with the new generation of hydraulic oils. Following is an overview of some important technologies and trends in the industry, and their impact on users of hydraulic systems.
KSC Weather Data ArchiveTBMG-2799112/1/2017
The Spaceport Weather Data Archive provides a fully searchable database of weather data gathered at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Not only can the user easily retrieve data and download it, but the user can also view graphically the weather data on a map overlay. The data are updated every hour for certain instruments, and as frequently as every 5 minutes for others. Data is available 24/7 over a publicly accessible Web site. The data is used by researchers to validate launch commit constraint criteria, and to ensure safe operations at KSC. The site provides links to technical publications and other resources, and allows data to be downloaded for further investigation.
BOPPERS: Autonomous Underwater Environmental Monitoring SystemTBMG-2799512/1/2017
A device has been developed that is capable of relatively lengthy unattended operations and high sampling frequency of underwater environmental data anywhere in the world. The Bio-Optical Physical Pop-Up Environmental Reconnaissance System (BOPPERS) is housed in a trawl-resistant case that has been field-tested to 90 m.
Flood Impact Analysis ToolTBMG-2801712/1/2017
NASA Langley resides in an area prone to tidal flooding. During events that were expected to lead to flooding, there were requests for maps showing the predicted flood level and what infrastructure may be impacted, as well as the magnitude of the impact. In order to assess the impact of storm surge tidal flooding, the Flood Impact Analysis Tool was developed to enhance the decision-making process with regard to storm preparation. The tool is based on ArcGIS software, and is Web-enabled to broadly disseminate the analysis capability. Using predictions from local weather sources such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a range of scenarios can be displayed.
Innovators Recognized for "Creating the Future"TBMG-2800312/1/2017
The Create the Future Design Contest has helped stimulate and reward engineering innovation over the past 16 years, drawing more than 14,000 product designs from engineers, students, and entrepreneurs worldwide. Top prizes in the 2017 contest — including the Grand Prize and winning designs in seven categories — were awarded on November 10 in New York City.
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