Ball Valve Assembly Yields Linear Flowrate Control

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed an adjustable thermal control ball valve assembly which utilizes a unique geometric ball valve design to facilitate precise thermal control within a spacesuit. The technology meters the coolant flow going to the cooling and ventilation garment, worn by an astronaut in the next generation space suit. Read on to learn more.

Discrete Proportional Valve Technology

The DPV concept matches the unique needs of electric vehicle cooling and energy management systems.

Process Enables Machines to Thermally “Breathe”

Large machines can breathe in and out cooling blasts of water to keep their systems from overheating.

Cladding and Freeform Deposition for Coolant Channel Closeout

This method is a faster way to manufacture combustion chambers and nozzles for aerospace propulsion as well as heat exchangers in oil and gas applications.

An Immersive Solution for Thermally Safer EV Batteries

An R&D project indirectly leads to potentially greater power density, EV range, and battery life.

NASA CO₂ Removal System Integrates High-Speed Blower

After rigorous ground testing, NASA’s Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber will be installed on the ISS.

Modification of Pigments Utilizing Atomic Layer Deposition

The coatings can be deposited on substrates such as glass, polymers, metals, and aerogels.

System Provides Cooling with No Electricity

This passive device relies on a layer of material that blocks incoming sunlight but lets heat radiate away.

Conductive Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Structural Materials

These materials can be used in aerospace vehicles, automobiles, clothing, helmets, and chemical sensors.

Spring Drive Fitting

Applications include valves, tubes, and other gas and fluid system components.

Polymer Coating Cools Down Buildings

This coating acts as a spontaneous air cooler and can be fabricated, dyed, and applied like paint.

Compact, Lightweight, CMC-Based Acoustic Liner

In the wake of recent developments that have reduced fan and jet noise contributions to overall jet-engine noise, aircraft designers are turning their attention toward reducing engine core noise....

Using Laser Metal Printing to Cool Computer Chips

Traditionally, electronics are cooled using a heat sink that transfers the heat generated by the electronic system into the air or a liquid coolant. For the heat sink to work, it has to be...

Medium-Frequency Transformer Transitions from AC to DC

Traditionally, electronics are cooled using a heat sink that transfers the heat generated by the electronic system into the air or a liquid coolant. For the heat sink to work, it has to be...

The Less is More Approach to Robotic Cable Management

In recent years, cable management has come into the limelight because machine reliability has increased dramatically, even though robots have grown more complex. Unfortunately, the methods...

Freeform Channel Close-Out for High-Performance Heat Exchangers

Large-scale liquid rocket engines with regeneratively cooled nozzles will enable reliable and reduced-cost access to space. The coolant that circulates through the internal...

Novel Turboelectric Aircraft Design

NASA Langley Research Center has developed a novel aircraft design that can carry 150+ passengers over a range of 3,500 nautical miles. Key features include a turboelectric propulsion system, twin underwing...

Protecting Sensitive Instruments with Piezo-Driven Active Vibration Isolation Platforms

As the need for nano precision has become increasingly important in many fields of research and manufacturing — such as microelectronics fabrication,...

Strengthening Data Cabling for Next-Generation Motion Control Applications

The wide variety of industrial applications each independently calls for a level of robustness from the physical (PHY) layer, all the way up to applications. Time...

Products of Tomorrow

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.

Wind Turbine Blade Testing System Using Base Excitation

Wind turbine designers are working to provide blade designs that allow a turbine connected to the blades or rotor to effectively convert wind into electricity. The blades must also be...

Trends in Hydraulic Filtration

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...

2017 Create the Future Design Contest: Automotive Category Winner

Heavy Duty Aftermarket Super Truck George Sturmon, Ed Murray, Josh Medling, Susan Schmidt, and Glen HarrisEnviro-CoolSullivan, MO The Heavy Duty Aftermarket Super Truck...

Self-Regulating, Freezable Heat Exchanger for Spacecraft

Aspacecraft thermal control system must keep the vehicle, avionics, and atmosphere (if crewed) within a defined temperature range. Water coolant loops are typically used to transport heat...

Turbofan Engine Acoustic Liner Design and Analysis Tools

NASA Langley Research Center has developed two tools for turbofan engine acoustic liner design and analysis. The first is a statistical approach for broadband liner design and assessment;...