A giant impact billions of years ago may have brought rocks from deep inside the Moon to the surface near the lunar south pole. Researchers say future Artemis astronauts could study this rare material to learn more about the Moon’s origin and evolution. Scientists have uncovered new evidence about the violent event that created the [...]
A system for directing merging of CAVs (connected and automated vehicles) approaching a merge point, without explicit ordering. Each CAV has an on-board merge agent controller, which communicates with a merge manager process. The communicated data comprises data to the merge manager process…
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft revealed that a bizarre wobbling, peanut-shaped asteroid holds surprising clues about ancient water and the origins of the solar system. Even a relatively small asteroid can have a surprisingly dramatic history. During a close flyby of the asteroid Donaldjohanson, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft discovered an oddly shaped world that wobbles through space, bears [...]
An engine anomaly detection system that includes cylinder position determination circuitry to determine a crank angle associated with one or more cylinders of the engine; intake manifold pressure determination circuitry to determine an intake manifold pressure at least during an intake stroke phase…
“The evidence for water vapor plumes on Europa isn’t as strong as we first understood it. ” – Dr. Kurt Retherford, Southwest Research Institute. A team of scientists from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) have been examining 14 years of Hubble telescope data for Jupiter’s moon Europa . The researchers now have a better understanding of […]
Jupiter’s moons may have been born with the chemistry needed for life. An international collaboration that included Southwest Research Institute has shown how complex organic molecules (COMs), widely considered essential precursors to life, may have been built into Jupiter’s Galilean moons as they formed. The findings are detailed in companion papers published in The Planetary [...]
In an approach to a state of health for grid applications, a system includes one or more battery energy storage systems having a plurality of batteries; energy sources; power distribution systems; and computing devices. The computing devices are configured to: for each of the battery energy storage…
A dynamically pressurized pouch battery system. One or more pouch batteries are placed in a fixed volume enclosure, which also contains coolant in direct contact with the pouch battery(s). A pump pumps the coolant into and out of the enclosure, thereby varying the pressure exerted by the coolant…
A fuel system for a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine vehicle. A compressor/expander is installed in fluid connection between the fuel tank and the engine's fuel delivery system. The compressor/expander operates in compressor mode when the hydrogen fuel in the fuel tank is below a pressure…
Battery testing and monitoring by determining battery characteristics such as an increase thickness of the battery SEI layer, extent of lithium-ion plating, loss of cyclable lithium, dendrite growth (and extent), and/or other characteristics that may impact the performance and/or safety of a…
In an approach to reduce nitrous oxide emissions using predictive urea dosing control, a route is determined. A set of target coverage fractions of ammonia is determined over a set of steps for the route, where the coverage fraction of ammonia is a ratio of stored ammonia to a maximum storage…
A method of developing a charging profile for charging a lithium-ion battery. A first phase of charging is at a constant current level, with the constant current level selected on the basis of battery resistance during charging and differential voltage (dV/dQ) analysis. A switch point is selected…
In general, the present disclosure is directed to forming lithium ion battery (LIB) cells with structure and chemistry that achieves formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer that allows for operating in relatively high ambient temperature environments, e.g., up to and exceeding 60°…
The present disclosure provides vehicle controller circuitry for a subject vehicle. The vehicle controller circuitry includes vehicle constraint determination circuitry to determine vehicle constraints including predicted values for vehicle speed of at least one other vehicle and predicted values…
Methods and systems for reducing the temperature of the charge air provided to a turbocharged internal combustion engine. A supercharger is installed on the air intake path, upstream the turbocharger's compressor. A secondary charge air cooler is installed between the supercharger and the main…
The present invention is directed at the integration of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) into the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine aided by the upstream injection of a fuel, such as a hydrocarbon fuel. The internal combustion engine may be advantageously operated in a lean condition…
A method of charging a lithium-ion battery. It is assumed that the battery has a cooling system. A desired temperature profile for the battery during charging is determined. The charge current is pulse width modulated (PWM), as is the activation of the cooling system. During charging, various…
Separation of carbon dioxide from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine, the production of hydrogen from water, and reformation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen into relatively high-octane fuel components.
A method of controlling the charge current during charging of a lithium-ion battery. A battery charging controller is based on a Kalman filter, which uses estimated battery states to generate a feedback metric to continually adjust a battery cell model. The battery cell model then delivers data to…
A method of assisting ignition of a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation (D-EGR) cylinder in a spark-ignited internal combustion engine. The spark igniter has an internal air passage that receives pressurized air and carries the pressurized air down to an exit port in the vicinity of the spark gap…
An internal combustion engine having two “banks” of cylinders, the “banks” being defined by cross-connection to different turbochargers. The exhaust from one bank of cylinders goes to a first turbocharger, and the exhaust from the other bank of cylinders goes to a second turbocharger. However, the…
A method, used with an internal combustion engine, of providing fresh air for regeneration of an exhaust aftertreatment device. An air intake diversion line is installed from a point between the throttle and the compressor to a point upstream of the exhaust aftertreatment device. A valve on this…
A method of providing electrical power to on-board electrical devices of a vehicle. The engine has an EGR (exhaust gas recirculation loop) which may be a high pressure loop, a low pressure loop, or a dedicated cylinder loop. A catalyzed heat exchanger on the EGR loop has a steam reformation…