February 16, 20121

ACME Monthly StatusFebruary 2012

Mark Hickman, Project Manager

Dennis Stocker, Project Scientist

Brian Borowski, Project Contractor Lead

February 16, 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)

February 16, 2012

ACME within the CIR Utilization Plan

3

February 16, 2012

ACME Status

Project Manager: Mark Hickman Status

Variances• ZIN has hired a mechanical designer; he will start 27 February. The delay in staffing has caused some delay in

schedule progress.

Cost Schedule Technical Mgmt.

Feb 2012 G Y G GJan 2012 G G G Y

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

Key Issue/Concern Potential Impact Action Plan Resolution Date

Inverse Flame test may be disallowed by PSRP

Significant portion of one PI’s investigation would be precluded

Teleconference with JSC PSRP on June 16, 2010 to determine hazard level and methods of control

PSRP telecon did not result in a determination. No show stoppers identified. Possible resolution at Phase 0/1 FSR, scheduled for February 22-23, 2012.

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.

BRE Integration Requirements Document, February 2012 ✓

SCR, Aug 2012

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

February 16, 2012

ACME Key Project Metrics WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

5

• Accomplishments• Staffing

• A new systems engineer, Chris Mroczka, has been hired by ZIN and started on 23 January

• A new mechanical designer, Joe Changle, has been hired by ZIN and will start 27 February

• Avionics Package (AVP)• 25 drawings completed as of January and under configuration management• 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)• 64 drawings completed as of January and under configuration management• 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

• Color Camera Package (CCP)• Redesigning the motor mounts on the Zoom Lens• Addressing packaging concerns of the new design• Determining if the camera assembly can be made an ORU

• Other• Completed dry run of Phase 0/1 Flight Safety Review presentation

February 16, 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 Schedule Variance

Phase 0/1 Safety Review Nov 2011 Feb 22-23, 2012

Continued work with GRC to create an integrated ACME/CIR Safety Data Package has delayed submittal to PSRP. Not a critical path item.

Ignition subsystem build complete Dec 2011 Jan 2012 Jan 2012 Igniter subsystem built and in test

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

Jan 2012 Jan 2012 Waiting for Vendor quote

Complete Assembly of E-Field subsystem

Feb 2012 Feb 2012 E-Field mesh in work

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 Apr 2012

Interim Design Review Jun 2012 Jun 2012

Avionics package structure design complete

Aug 2012 Aug 2012

BRE SCR Aug 2012 Aug 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

February 16, 2012

Project Manager’s Top Challenges

1. Integration of BRE into ACME may be difficult and the timing may be problematic (working to get BRE SCR in August)

2. Contractor may fall behind if they cannot staff up sufficiently to meet the planned work (ZIN has hired two new employees in January and February; another technician is needed by the summer)

3. Technical, cost, and schedule integration of BRE into ACME; funding liens created for next 2-3 years (mitigated by infusion of funds)

4. Inverse Flame experiment could be disallowed if deemed hazardous, significantly preventing large portion of one PI experiments (performed early detonation analysis on Inverse Flame to provide assurance of safety to PSRP at Phase 0/1 Flight Safety Review)

5. 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)

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

ACME

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

7

February 16, 2012

ACME Risk Assessment (Top 5 Risks)

LIKELIHOOD

5 014

4

3 010

2 008019, 020

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 02/14/12

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

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 2012

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

ACME003

Borrelli

Inability to perform inverse flame experiments

Given that safety constraints could lead to an inability to perfom inverse flame experiments; then there is the possibility that a loss of science will occur.

1 2 Research: Team to determine what CIR hazards will be impacted and what can be done so ACME science can be obtainedClose: March 2013

8

Risks 019 & 020 retired in February

February 16, 20129

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. • Chart to be updated by the end of February.

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

EM Build Begins

Final Design Complete EM Build Complete CDR

Interim Design Review

February 16, 2012

ACME Project Review Action Items WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

10

Action Number

Date Initiated

DateDue

Person(s) Responsible

Project Actions – Notes/Status Date Completed

MSI-Rev-8 08/01/11 01/01/12 Stocker ACME Dennis Stocker to develop a good draft of the EDMP by January 2012.

Jan 6, 2012

MSI-Rev-8: Dennis completed a draft EDMP with ACME PI input on January 6, 2012.

February 16, 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

February 16, 201212

ACME Key Project Metrics — FY11Preliminary Design Review (PDR)

Requests for Action (RFAs)

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

RFA# RFA Title Submitter Recommended Action Planned Action ACME RFA Assignee

Status

ACME-PDR-01

Materials List/Preliminary LLIL

Anita Tenteris Identify the material compatibility and shelf life limits for the soft goods used in ACME and CIR.

Track potential issues particularly with Data Cube in RMIT. Complete analysis and provide this with Preliminary MIUL at CDR. Borowski,

Borelli OPEN

ACME-PDR-02

CIR H/W may affect ACME design and/or experiment

Anita Tenteris The following needs to be investigated further to assess compatibility:• ACME Venting compatibility with CIR hardware• Are the gasses/liquids compatible with CIR hardware, particularly with the soft goods in the solenoid valves? • What are the limited life items for CIR? Do any of the items need to be replaced prior to ACME use?

An assessment of the venting compatibility has been addressed and was deemed acceptable by the project.

As the project matures, CIR will assess compatibility of the materials in their system with ACME gasses, products of combustion and any other applicable interactions.

Complete analysis and provide this with Preliminary MIUL at CDR.

Borowski, Borelli OPEN

ACME-PDR-03

Warnings for Operations (software)

Alan Linne The flight and ground software designs should incorporate software requirements to identify invalid commands and command parameters that are outside of allowable limits and to alert operations personnel that invalid commands were entered.

Ground software will check limits on commands. A signals list will store valid ranges for the signals. A requirement will be added to the ground software which will require it to check limits per the signals list. The verification for this requirement will show that all commands have valid range checking, allowable states, etc.

Borowski, Medved OPEN

ACME-PDR-04

Detonation Analysis

Alan Linne Perform a detonation analysis on the expected ACME gas mixtures. This should be done prior to the ACME Phase 0/1 Flight Safety Review, since it may inform some of the hazard analysis. Also, the results of this could drive the consumables usage and could limit the amount of science performed.

A detonation analysis has been performed for the ACME Inverse Flame Experiment, which is considered to be the most limiting experiment and could impact ACME science and resources most.

The full detonation analysis is required for the Phase 2 FSR and will be completed prior to that review.

Borowski OPEN

ACME-PDR-05

Oxygen Design Percentage

Alan Linne Determine the worst case O2 percentage (and pressure) that could potentially be in the CIR chamber with ACME installed, based on credible failures to CIR & ACME equipment and use this percentage as the design point for ACME. Also, determine if an oxygen compatibility assessment needs to be performed for the ACME CIA.

The Integrated Hazard Analysis has been completed and the worst case oxygen percentages and pressures have been identified and addressed in the Hazard Report.

An oxygen compatibility assessment is planned for ACME’s CIA.

Borowski, Borelli OPEN

February 16, 201213

ACME Key Project Metrics — FY11 (Cont.)

Preliminary Design Review (PDR)Requests for Action (RFAs)

WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

RFA# RFA Title Submitter Recommended Action Planned Action ACME RFA Assignee

Status

ACME-PDR-06

Updated Hazards Report and Review of CIR Hazards

Linne, Grant, O’Malley

The ACME and CIR teams should provide an integrated CIR/ACME Safety story. Perform an integrated hazard analysis and prepared integrated hazard reports. The integrated CIR/ACME hazard analysis should be part of the Phase 0/1 FSR. Perform an integrated hazard analysis of the ACME system design that incorporates the pressure switch, solenoid valve, and pressure regulator to ensure the ACME system meets the intent of the CIR hazard analysis.

An Integrated Hazard Analysis has been completed with the participation of the CIR Team. An Integrated Safety Data Package has been prepared and will be part of the ACME Phase 0/1 Flight Safety Review.

Borowski, Borelli OPEN

ACME-PDR-07

ACME Project Plan and SEMP Details

O’Malley Update the Project Plan. Complete a bottoms up cost estimate and end-to-end schedule. Consider performing a parametric cost estimate. Update the SEMP to include technical details through launch. Include flight spares, environmental testing, Ground/Flight Support Equipment, etc.

The Project Manager will update the Project Plan and will include a parametric cost estimate and end-to-end schedule.

Updates to the SEMP will be made regularly as more information becomes available to the team.

Hickman, Borowski OPEN

ACME-PDR-08

Requirements Flow Down Incomplete

O’Malley Complete the ERD. Environmental testing requirements should be included as part of this, waivers for fragile equipment should be identified early.

Look for ways to combine & streamline the verification process.

FCF-ICD-CIR-ACME addresses carrier requirements (both CIR and ISS). ACME-REQ-001 points to this document. Safety and Mission Assurance requirements will be detailed in the ACME Hazards and Integrated CIR-ACME Hazard reports. Following the Phase 0/1 Flight Safety Review, where these reports are approved, the requirements will be incorporated into ACME-REQ-001. The verification process will group requirements by identified discipline to facilitate verification and validation.

Borowski OPEN

ACME-PDR-09

Review Operational Requirements with Principal Investigators

VanderAar It is imperative that: 1) the currently documented operational requirements are vetted with each of the PI’s; 2) the engineering team talks with each of the PI’s. This will ensure that both parties fully understand what is meant by each of the requirements, and also give the engineering team a chance to uncover additional operational requirements.

The Project Scientist has vetted the Ops requirements documented in ACME-SORD-001 with the respective PI’s. He has also discussed the Ops requirements with the ACME Engineering Team to be sure that the requirements are well understood. The ERD revision including the updates with the Ops requirements has been completed and released. This information closes ACME-RDR-006 (RFA).

Borowski, Stocker OPEN

February 16, 2012

ACME Igniter Assembly WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

14

Breadboard Igniter Arm Assembly

February 16, 2012

ACME Camera Assembly WBS 904211.04.02.30.14

15

Digital Camera

Zoom Lens

Filter Barrel

Mirror

Camera Control Assembly

February 16, 201216

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

February 16, 2012

ACME Science Team Locations

17

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

j

k

l

m

n

o

p

r

q