www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org
NEXT WEEK (AT THE
CELLAR)_________________________________
Monday, March 15,
Topic: "NASA’s X-37 Advanced Technology Flight
Demonstrator" - David Jacobson, Marshall Space Flight
Center
The X-37 is a flight demonstrator that
will produce data in the orbital flight, reentry, and landing phases to reduce
the risk of developing new generations of space transportation. Mr. Jacobson will discuss the objectives
of the X-37 Program, how X-37 fits into NASA’s overall planning and its future
possibilities to support the Space Exploration Initiative. Emphasis will be given to the Approach
and Landing Test Vehicle (ALTV) development and flight, Orbital Vehicle
(OV) concept and technology
development as well as both ALTV’s and OV’s potential benefit to future space
access.
OUR PREVIOUS
MEETING____________________________________
Topic: "TVA
and Soft Switch Technology Research into Smart Wires" - Dale Bradshaw,
The power grid infrastructure is 30-60
years old and much of it dates back to WWII, which among other things results in
poor efficiency. There is an obvious need for an upgrade to make the system more
secure, reliable, and meeting societal needs, with a minimal impact on the
environment. The new system should be smarter and more aware of changes within
the system including fault tolerance and dynamic/static controllability. The
term for the new system is “distributed smart grid.” A device that will provide
the “smartness” to the grid is in prototype and testing at TVA. The device primarily changes (up or
down) the induction of a transmission line through a remote control signal. It will allow the transmission system
operators to more evenly load the lines.
When lines can be balanced or evenly loaded, the total amount of power
available through the lines can increase.
With these devices the transmission power limit is no longer the thermal
limit of the line that most naturally takes the most current because of its
physical characteristics. Some of
the characteristics of the device are: 1) distributive flexibility AC
transmission, 2) low price and high availability, 3) voltage support, 4) dynamic
thermal rate maximized, 5) ice sensing and removal, 6) power oscillation
damping, 7) integrated power line communications, 8) fault current limiting, 9)
elimination of customized engineered solutions which reduces the time to deploy,
and 10) distributed solution with standard building blocks results in lower
costs.
One device per phase will be needed and
it currently weighs about 100 pounds and is about 1 foot long. The weight comes
from the magnetic core and ideas on how to reduce the weight of the core are
welcome.
Our thanks to Jim Barrott for the
meeting summary.
FUTURE MONDAY
MEETINGS_________________________________
March 22: SimCenter Projects - Dr. D. L.
Whitfield, Director
March 29: Tour: Top Flight Paper Products, Don Pauls
(meet at
April
5: “Education and
Research in the Future” - Dr. Bob Papp, President, Accurate
Automation
EMAIL
NOTIFICATIONS___________________________________
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WHERE WE MEET
__________________________________________
In March, we will be meeting at The Cellar
Restaurant at the
QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS? ______________________________