April 19, 20121

ACME Monthly StatusApril 2012

Mark Hickman, Project Manager

Dennis Stocker, Project Scientist

Brian Borowski, Project Contractor Lead

April 19, 2012

Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME)GRC Project Manager: MSI/J. Mark HickmanProject Chief Engineer: DT0/Alan LinneSafety Mission Assurance Lead: QE0/Bipin PatelDPMI: Brian Quigley/MB0; Scheduler: Paul McMasters/QinetiQContractor Lead: Brian Borowski, ZIN Technologies, Inc.NASA Customer: HEOMD

Project Mission Statement:• Investigate gaseous fuel combustion by studying:

– combustion structure and stability near flammability limits – soot inception, surface growth, and oxidation processes– emission reduction through nitrogen exchange– combustion stability enhancements via an electric field– ignition and flammability of solid spacecraft materials in

realistic atmospheric conditions using a gas analog

GRC Scope:• Requirements, Design, Development, Test, Evaluation, and Operations for Project

Project Life Cycle ScheduleMilestones SCR RDR PDR IDR CDR Safety (PH-3) SAR

(PSR)FHA Launch Ops End Ops Final

Report

Actual/ Baseline 2/2008 5/2010 01/2011 6/2012 9/2013 12/2015 8/2015 8/2015 12/2015 1/2016 11/2017 11/2018

The Combustion Integrated Rack. ACME Chamber Insert Assembly Concept.

2

Structure and Response of Spherical Diffusion Flames (s-Flame), PI: Prof. C. K. Law, Princeton U.; Co-Is: Prof. Stephen Tse, Rutgers U.; Dr. Kurt Sacksteder, NASA GRC

Flame Design, PI: Prof. Richard Axelbaum, Washington U., St. Louis; Co-Is: Prof. Beei-Huan Chao, U. Hawaii; Prof. Peter Sunderland, U. Maryland; Dr. David Urban, NASA GRC

Coflow Laminar Diffusion Flame (CLD Flame), PI: Prof. Marshall Long, Yale U.; Co-I: Prof. Mitchell Smooke, Yale U.

Electric-Field Effects on Laminar Diffusion Flames (E-FIELD Flames), PI: Prof. Derek Dunn-Rankin, UC Irvine; Co-Is: Prof. Felix Weinberg, Imperial College, London; Dr. Zeng-Guang Yuan, NCSER/GRC

Burning Rate Emulator (BRE), PI: Prof. James Quintiere, University of Maryland; Co-Is: Peter Sunderland, U. of Maryland

Project Scientists: Dennis Stocker, NASA GRC; Dr. Fumiaki Takahashi, NCSER/GRC; Paul Ferkul, NCSER/GRC

s-Flame(drop test)

E-FIELD Flames

(1g schlieren)

Flame Design

(drop test)

CLD Flame(aircraft test)

BRE(1g test)

April 19, 2012

ACME within the CIR Utilization Plan

3

April 19, 2012

ACME Status

Project Manager: Mark Hickman Status

Variances• ZIN costing is a bit low; however purchases ordered in March should be costed in the next weeks for Avionics

Package hardware, as well as the Igniter and E-Field Subsystems• Procurement of the Data Cube Subsystem, Mass Flow Controller/Flow System, and the Color Camera Enclosure

Assembly will be ordered in the next months• ZIN ACME team now fully staffed

Cost Schedule Technical Mgmt.

Apr 2012 Y G G GMar 2012 Y G G G

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

Key Issue/Concern Potential Impact Action Plan Resolution Date

Data transfer rates from IPSU to IOP too slow for data files

May reduce obtainable science or extend on-orbit time to years

Request FCF Sustaining Engineering to investigate methods of improving data transfer rates

Request made to FCF Mgr. for inclusion in DO-101 Sustaining Engineering SOW; full resolution likely in FY11. Ops changes by FCF have improved average transfer rates a bit, to1.15 MB/s, a 28% improvement. Improvement to 1.80 MB/sec not realized as IOP-HP upgrade implementation results in rack lock-up.

Getting BRE up to speed quickly enough that the design is not negatively impacted

May have to do some redesign to ACME

Working with BRE PS to get requirements in as early as possible.

SCR, Aug 28, 2012 (tentative)

Contractor staffing levels may be difficult to maintain

The pace of the contracted work could slow

Continue to monitor progress and staffing levels

September 2012

4

April 19, 2012

ACME Key Project Metrics WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

5

• Accomplishments• Staffing

• ZIN staffing now complete for design• Avionics Package (AVP)

• 43 drawings completed as of January and under configuration management• Hard Drive Assembly drawings 100% complete• Card Cage Assembly drawings to be completed May 2012• AVP Housing Assembly drawings to be completed May 2012

• Framework drawings through review and are ready for release• Final tolerance stack-up for Hard Drive design in process• Power Board Heatsink complete and undergoing final updates before

engineering review • Chamber Insert Assembly (CIA)

• 85 drawings completed as of January and under configuration management• Cube drawings 100% complete

• EM Igniter Assembly build complete• EM Igniter Test Plan in review cycle• E-Field Power Supply assembly completed and drawings into CM• E-Field Mesh brazing fixture designed• Radiometer boards received

• Color Camera Package (CCP)• Camera Enclosure Drawings 90% complete; scheduled to be completed May

2012• Redesigning the motor mounts on the Zoom Lens• Determining if the camera assembly can be made an ORU

• Other• Completed Phase 0/1 Flight Safety Review, February 2012• Holding BRE requirements meetings in preparation for SCR, Aug 28, 2012

April 19, 2012

ACME FY12 Milestone Summary

Next Milestone Risk• Next major milestone is Interim Design Review, June 2012. This will be prior to major Engineering Model hardware

build efforts and an independent check on technical progress to date.

Milestones (FY12) Baseline Projected Actual Comments/Schedule Variance

Phase 0/1 Safety Review Nov 2011 Feb 2012

Ignition subsystem build complete Dec 2011 Jan 2012

Stereo-Lith of 3 main subsystem packages (CIA, Camera, Avionics)

Jan 2012 Feb 2012 Vendor quote process taking longer than expected for all purchases

Complete Assembly of E-Field subsystem Feb 2012 May 2012 Awaiting epoxy arrival and some fixtures required to complete mesh assembly. Completion 5/21/12.

BRE Interface Requirements Document Feb 2012 Jan 2012 Draft document completed

Procurement of EM Mass Flow Controllers Mar 2012 Mar 2012

Preliminary EMI testing of E-Field subsystem

Apr 2012 Jun 2012 EMI Test scheduled for June 1, 2012.

Ignition subsystem test complete Apr 2012 Apr 2012

Card Cage Assembly Drawings complete May 2012 May 2012

Interim Design Review Jun 2012 Jun 2012 Scheduled for June 15, 2012

Avionics package structure design complete

Aug 2012 Aug 2012

BRE SCR Aug 2012 Aug 2012 Tentatively scheduled for Aug 28, 2012

Flow subsystem build complete Sep 2012 Sep 2012

Project is less than 1 month behind plan Project is less than 2 months behind plan Project is greater than 2 months behind plan

Schedule Color Key

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

6

April 19, 2012

ACME Monthly Schedule Progress (ZIN)

7

April 19, 2012

Project Manager’s Top Challenges

1. Integration of BRE into ACME may be difficult and the timing may be problematic (BRE SCR tentatively scheduled for August 28)

2. 63% of materials budget obligated through 20% of contract period of performance (Feb 2013• ZIN directed to slow down purchases of flight hardware and focus on EM hardware

• Will likely slow progress

• Alternative would be to find $100-150K for additional purchases

• Does not impact workforce funding

3. Technical, cost, and schedule integration of BRE into ACME; funding liens created for next 2-3 years (mitigated by infusion of funds; reflected as Over Guideline in PPBE-14)

4. Insufficient on-orbit transfer rates to quickly telemeter data to ground (performed telemetry analysis to determine data volume and rates; however rates still determined to be insufficient)

5. Large number of Test Points to accomplish over mission life—approximately 250 test points for 5 experiments

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

8

Prosilica Camera, Color Camera Package

(outside Chamber)Hitachi Analog Camera, Operations Imaging

(inside Chamber)

April 19, 2012

ACME Risk Assessment (Top 5 Risks)

LIKELIHOOD

5 014

4 021

3 010

2 008

1 003 017

1 2 3 4 5

CONSEQUENCES

Criticality L x C Trend

High Increasing (Worsening)

Decreasing (Improving)

Unchanged

(★) New since last month

Med

Low

Approaches: Mitigate, Watch, Accept, Research

Last update 04/02/12

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

Risk ID Risk Title Risk Statement L C Approach

ACME014

O’Toole12/2010

IPSU to IOP image transfer rate

Given that the current data transfer rates from the IPSU to the IOP is severely limited, transfer of ACME data may take an unacceptable amount of time and may reduce obtainable science for the allotted operational time on-board ISS.

5 3 Mitigate: FCF Sustaining Engineering will investigate methods of improving data transfer rates.Close: Dec 2012

ACME010

Beltram06/2010

CIA electronics and fuel mixture compatibility

Given that the CIA electronics are exposed to chamber atmosphere; then there may be incompatibility with elements of the chamber atmosphere including fuels, oxygen and diluent mixtures causing the cube to fail.

3 5 Research: Develop a test plan to determine what components and what surface treatments would mitigate this risk.Close: Dec 2012

ACME021

Beltram04/2012

Inability to disassemble Mass Flow Controllers for Conformal Coat / Ruggedizing

The assembly of the Mass Flow Controllers makes it such that they cannot be fully taken apart in order to access the boards and perform conformal coat / staking. Additionally, the boards use "no clean" flux, which means they cannot be properly cleaned to allow for conformal coating to occur.

4 2 Pending

ACME008

Gobeli12/2009

E-field emission exceedences

Given that there might be e-field exceedence emissions; then there is the possibility that the EMI requirement will not be met and ACME hardware would be adversely effected causing diminished science to occur.

2 3 Mitigate: Test integrated system bread board for EMI interference.Close: April 2012June 2012, delayed to accommodate EMI testing

ACME017

Rogers8/2011

Lack of adequate ISS supplied Nitrogen

Given that it is not known how much ISS Nitrogen can be supplied and re-supplied for use by the CIR for ACME; then there is the possibility that Nitrogen will not be available for ACME and a loss of science will occur.

1 3 Watch: Awaiting the test point matrix to be developed to get a better estimate of required nitrogen.Close: Dec 2012

9

★

April 19, 201210

ACME Key Project Metrics — FY11

Released Drawings Measure of Performance

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

• Drawings come in batches. Additional CIA drawings should be entered into Configuration Management by the end of the Month.• AVP drawings ahead of schedule due to additional designer.• With addition of third mechanical designer, work on Color Camera Package will begin early and in parallel to other work instead of in series.

Sep-07 Dec-07 Mar-08 Jun-08 Sep-08 Dec-08 Mar-09 Jun-09 Sep-09 Dec-09 Mar-100

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

CIA PlanCam Package PlanAVP PlanCIA ActualsAVP Actuals

April 19, 2012

Backup Charts

11

11

E-Field Power Supply

Cooling Plate

Thin Fiber Pyrometry (TFP) Motor

Motor Drivers

Burner

Far Field TCs

Mass Flow Controllers

Input ManifoldAnalog Camera

Cube

E-Field Mesh

PMTs

Igniter Motor

Igniter notes – The model shows the igniter armIn both deployed and stowed positions, and shows

the igniter tip in two different places

April 19, 2012

ACME Detectors WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

12

Hamamatsu Photomultiplier Tube

Dexter Thermopile Detector,Radiometer with Board

April 19, 2012

ACME Igniter Assembly WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

13

Breadboard Igniter Arm Assembly

April 19, 2012

ACME Camera Assembly WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

14

Digital Camera

Zoom Lens

Filter Barrel

Mirror

Camera Control Assembly

April 19, 201215

Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) WBS: 904211.04.02.30.14

Project Life Cycle Schedule

ISS Resource RequirementsObjective:• Modular apparatus designed for gaseous fuel investigations, studying:

– combustion structure and stability near flammability limits – soot inception, surface growth, and oxidation processes– emission reduction through nitrogen exchange– combustion stability enhancements via an electric field

Relevance/Impact:• 85% of delivered energy comes from combustion. ACME tests will enable improved carbon

sequestration and pollution control with “Important consequences for energy conversion, pollutant formation, fire safety, and green house gas emission”

• Verified computational models that will enable the design of high efficiency, low emission combustors operating at near-limit conditions

• Reduced design costs due to improved capabilities to numerically simulate combustion processes• “Great prospects of improving our understanding of nearly every practical combustion device.”

Development Approach:• Flight design leverages off the MDCA flight design• Multi-user, re-usable apparatus within CIR minimizing up-mass/volume, costs, and crew involvement• ACME fuels will be dilutions of ethylene/nitrogen, methane/nitrogen and methane/hydrogen

Structure and Response of Spherical Diffusion Flames (s-Flame), PI: Prof. C. K. Law, Princeton University; Co-Is: Prof. Stephen Tse, Rutgers U.; Dr. Kurt Sacksteder, NASA GRC

Flame Design, PI: Prof. Richard Axelbaum, Washington University, St. LouisCo-Is: Prof. Beei-Huan Chao, U. Hawaii; Prof. Peter Sunderland, U. Maryland; Dr. David Urban,

NASA GRCCoflow Laminar Diffusion Flame (CLD Flame), PI: Prof. Marshall Long, Yale University

Co-I: Prof. Mitchell Smooke, Yale UniversityElectric-Field Effects on Laminar Diffusion Flames (E-FIELD Flames), PI: Prof. Derek

Dunn-Rankin, UC IrvineCo-Is: Prof. Felix Weinberg, Imperial College, London; Dr. Zeng-Guang Yuan, NCSER/GRC

Burning Rate Emulator (BRE), PI: Prof. James Quintiere, University of Maryland; Co-Is: Peter Sunderland, U. of Maryland

PS’s: Dennis Stocker, NASA GRC; Dr. Fumiaki Takahashi, NCSER/GRCPM: Mark Hickman, NASA GRCEngineering Team: ZIN Technologies, Inc.

Accommodation (carrier) CIR

Upmass (kg)(w/o packing factor)

250 kg

Volume (m3)(w/o packing factor)

0.50 m3

Power (kw)(peak)

0.75 Kw

Crew Time (hrs)- Initial configuration of CIR Rack- Change-outs during experiment

8 hrs

8 hrs

Autonomous Ops (hrs) 200 hrs

Launch/Increment TBD/Inc. 49-54

s-Flame(drop test)

E-FIELD Flames

(1g schlieren)

Flame Design

(drop test)

CLD Flame(aircraft test)

Website: spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/Advanced/ISSResearch/Investigations/ACME

Milestones SCR RDR/SDR PDR CDR Safety (PH-3) SAR (PSR) FHA Launch Ops End Ops Final Report

Actual/ Baseline 2/2008 5/2010 01/2011 2/2014 12/2015 6/2016 6/2016 10/2016 1/2017 4/2018 4/2019

April 19, 2012

ACME Science Team Locations

16

1. C.K. Law, Princeton University

2. Stephen Tse, Rutgers University

3. Richard Axelbaum, Washington University, St. Louis

4. Beei-Huan Chao, University of Hawaii

5. James Quintiere, Peter Sunderland, University of Maryland

6. Marshall Long, Mitchell Smooke, Yale University

7. Derek Dunn-Rankin, UC Irvine

8. Felix Weinberg, Imperial College, London

9. Zeng-Guan Yuan, NCSER, Kurt Sacksteder, GRC, David Urban, GRC

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