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At least 181 records · Page 10

Synergistic data analytics for electromechanical oscillation in electric power systems

Accurate real-time estimation of the four electromechanical oscillation properties, i.e., dominant oscillation modes, mode shapes, participation factors, and coherent groups, is of great importance to assess and mitigate potential electromechanical oscillations in interconnected power systems. While eigenvalue analysis can realize such estimation, it requires precise linearized dynamic models and accurate parameters, which are highly difficult to obtain in practice. Data fusion-based modal estimation methods can extract the properties of electromechanical oscillations from measurement data without the power system model and parameters, but most of the time only one or two property assessments can be accomplished each time. To overcome this challenge, this paper presents a synergistic data analytics solution to characterize the dynamic behaviors of electromechanical oscillations from real-time measurement data. Here, the proposed method uses optimized variable projection, and it is capable of estimating all four electromechanical oscillation behavior properties from measured responses. Case studies are performed using the simulated measurement data of a 16-generator 68-bus test system and the field measurements collected by the PMUs deployed in the Yunnan Power Grid. The results demonstrate that the proposed synergistic data analytics solution can achieve satisfactory performance in capturing the properties of electromechanical oscillations from measurement data and exhibit strong robustness against measurement noise when compared with existing measurement-based methods.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Photoluminescence of Cis-Polyacetylene Semiconductor Material

Photoluminescence (PL) is one of the key experimental characterizations of optoelectronic materials, including conjugated polymers (CPs). In this study, a simplified model of an undoped cis-polyacetylene (cis-PA) oligomer was selected and used to explain the mechanism of photoluminescence (PL) of the CPs. Using a combination of the ab initio electronic structure and a time-dependent density matrix methodology, the photo-induced time-dependent excited state dynamics were computed. We explored the phonon-induced relaxation of the photoexcited state for a single oligomer of cis-PA. Here, the dissipative Redfield equation of the motion was used to compute the dissipative excited state dynamics of electronic degrees of freedom. This equation used the nonadiabatic couplings as parameters. The computed excited state dynamics showed that the relaxation rate of the electron is faster than the relaxation rate of the hole. The dissipative excited-state dynamics were combined with radiative recombination channels to predict the PL spectrum. The simulated results showed that the absorption and emission spectra both have a similar transition. The main result is that the computed PL spectrum demonstrates two mechanisms of light emission originating from (i) the inter-band transitions, corresponding to the same range of transition energies as the absorption spectrum and (ii) intra-band transitions not available in the absorption spectra. However, the dissipative Redfield equation of the motion was used to compute the electronic degrees of freedom of the nonadiabatic couplings, which helped to process the time propagation of the excited dynamic state. This excited dynamic state shows that the relaxation rate of the electron is faster than the relaxation rate of the hole, which can be used for improving organic semiconductor materials for photovoltaic and LED applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Discovering Elusive Dynamics Across Frontiers (Final Technical Report)

Profound puzzles, such as the nature of dark matter, the origins of the electroweak scale, the mechanism behind the small neutrino mass, and the strong CP problem, suggested new physics beyond the Standard Model and drove the particle physics program in search of the associated new particles. Despite extensive searches, conventional realizations of new physics have not yet provided conclusive evidence. This raised the serious possibility that new dynamics might be more elusive, perhaps due to a richer gauge and matter structure than previously considered. Notably, the existence of dark matter and advancements in understanding the naturalness problem urged exploration into sectors with complex gauge and matter structures. Through experiments like the LHC, DUNE, and small-scale experiments, the robust US HEP program played a critical role in pursuing these well-motivated but under-explored scenarios for new physics. I explored these physics opportunities in depth, focusing on novel searches and significant improvements in parameter space coverage. The elusive dynamics revealed rich information about the underlying theory and were essential in identifying observable opportunities. Understanding the observable consequences required a deep comprehension of the theory, which I also developed. The proposal included essential components aimed at coherently increasing our knowledge in well-motivated elusive dynamics models. Through research on high-quality axions, composite neutrinos, the Higgs boson as a portal to hidden strong dynamics, and new scalar potentials to generate alternative electroweak phase transitions, I focused on identifying new signatures and parameter regions in plausible elusive dynamics models. The exploration emphasized generic possibilities motivated by broad classes of elusive dynamics models. These signatures were not effectively probed previously due to various challenges such as triggering, background suppression, or experimental design. My research involved close interaction with experimental colleagues to overcome these difficulties, leveraging new theoretical and experimental possibilities. These efforts included identifying new observables such as timing information and substructure in calorimetries, new multiple-hit techniques, new scattering events, and new resonance searches in liquid argon detectors. This work created a positive feedback loop: theory and experimental work inspired each other, revealing new exciting opportunities that supported both programs.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Easy-plane anisotropic-exchange magnets on a honeycomb lattice: Quantum effects and dealing with them

We provide analytical and numerical insights into the phase diagram and other properties of the extended Kitaev-Heisenberg model on the honeycomb lattice in the easy-plane limit, in which interactions are only between spin components that belong to the plane of magnetic ions. This parameter subspace allows for a much-needed systematic quantitative investigation of spin excitations in the ordered phases and of their generic features. Specifically, we demonstrate that in this limit one can consistently take into account magnon interactions in both zero-field zigzag and field-polarized phases. For the nominally polarized phase, we propose a regularization of the unphysical divergences that occur at the critical field and are plaguing the 1/S approximation in this class of models. For the explored parameter subspace, all symmetry-allowed terms of the standard parametrization of the extended Kitaev-Heisenberg model, such as K, J, and Γ, are significant, making the offered consideration relevant to a much wider parameter space. Furthermore, the dynamical structure factor near the paramagnetic critical point illustrates this relevance by showing features that are reminiscent of the ones observed in α–RuCl 3 , underscoring that they are not unique and should be common to a wide range of parameters of the model and, by extension, to other materials.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Feasibility of Vascular Parameter Estimation for Assessing Hypertensive Pregnancy Disorders

Abstract Hypertensive pregnancy disorders (HPDs), such as pre-eclampsia, are leading sources of both maternal and fetal morbidity in pregnancy. Noninvasive imaging, such as ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is an important tool for predicting and monitoring these high risk pregnancies. While imaging can measure hemodynamic parameters, such as uterine artery pulsatility and resistivity indices (PI and RI), the interpretation of such metrics for disease assessment relies on ad hoc standards, which provide limited insight to the physical mechanisms underlying the emergence of hypertensive pregnancy disorders. To provide meaningful interpretation of measured hemodynamic data in patients, advances in computational fluid dynamics can be brought to bear. In this work, we develop a patient-specific computational framework that combines Bayesian inference with a reduced-order fluid dynamics model to infer parameters, such as vascular resistance, compliance, and vessel cross-sectional area, known to be related to the development of hypertension. The proposed framework enables the prediction of hemodynamic quantities of interest, such as pressure and velocity, directly from sparse and noisy MRI measurements. We illustrate the effectiveness of this approach in two systemic arterial network geometries: an aorta with branching carotid artery and a maternal pelvic arterial network. For both cases, the model can reconstruct the provided measurements and infer parameters of interest. In the case of the maternal pelvic arteries, the model can make a distinction between the pregnancies destined to develop hypertension and those that remain normotensive, expressed through the value range of the predicted absolute pressure.

Biophysics↗

Systems, methods and computer program products for self-tuning sensor data processing

Systems and methods are disclosed that include tools that utilize Dynamic Detector Tuning (DDT) software that identifies near-optimal parameter settings for each sensor using a neuro-dynamic programming (reinforcement learning) paradigm. DDT adapts parameter values to the current state of the environment by leveraging cooperation within a neighborhood of sensors. The key metric that guides the dynamic tuning is consistency of each sensor with its nearest neighbors: parameters are automatically adjusted on a per station basis to be more or less sensitive to produce consistent agreement of detections in its neighborhood. The DDT algorithm adapts in near real-time to changing conditions in an attempt to automatically self-tune a signal detector to identify (detect) only signals from events of interest. The disclosed systems and methods reduce the number of missed legitimate detections and the number of false detections, resulting in improved event detection.

Draelos, Timothy J.↗

Impact analysis of DERs on bulk power system stability through the parameterization of aggregated DER_a model for real feeders

With an ever increasing percentage of distributed energy resources (DERs) connected behind the meter in the distribution system, it is becoming increasingly important to equip transmission planners with the visibility of DER dynamic performance in distribution system. Not having visibility of the disconnection of DERs with the occurrence of transmission events, could result in an erroneous view of the stability of bulk power system. Here, in this paper, a parameterized aggregated model (DER_a) serves as a representation of the distribution-level dynamics of real residential feeders, which is used for analysis of bulk power system stability. The parameters are obtained by executing dynamic Monte Carlo simulations. Faults are then induced at the substation level causing the DERs to trip which subsequently enables the parameterization of the low and high voltage breakpoints (v l0 , v l1 , v h0 , and v h1 ) of the DER_a model’s partial voltage trip block. These parameters are then utilized to study the effectiveness of the DER_a model to represent the behavior of the aggregated DERs’ response and their impact on the bulk power system. The case study shows the ability of the positive-sequence DER_a model to provide an accurate estimation of DERs that are susceptible to trip due to 3-$\phi$ and 1-$\phi$ faults of transmission.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Association Kinetics for Perfluorinated n -Alkyl Radicals

Radical-radical reaction channels are important in the pyrolysis and oxidation chemistry of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In particular, unimolecular dissociation reactions within unbranched n-perfluoroalkyl chains, and their corresponding reverse barrierless association reactions, are expected to be significant contributors to the gas-phase thermal decomposition of families of species such as perfluorinated carboxylic acids and perfluorinated sulfonic acids. Unfortunately, experimental data for these reactions are scarce and uncertain. Furthermore, obtaining reliable theoretical predictions for such reactions is a laborious and computationally intensive task. Here, in this work, the chemical kinetics of the various association/decomposition reactions producing/decomposing the C 2 -C 4 series of unbranched n-perfluoroalkanes (C 2 F 6 , C 3 F 8 , and C 4 F 10 ) are examined using state-of-the-art ab initio transition-state-theory-based master-equation calculations. The variable-reaction-coordinate transition-state theory (VRC-TST) formalism is employed in computing the microcanonical and canonical rates for the association reactions. Reaction thermochemistry is obtained via composite quantum chemistry calculations and the laddering of error-canceling reaction schemes via a connectivity-based hierarchy approach employing ANL1/ANL0-style reference energies. Lennard-Jones collision model parameters for the considered systems were estimated by a direct dynamics approach, and collisional energy transfer parameters were obtained from analogies to systems of similar size and heavy-atom connectivity. A one-dimensional master equation approach was used to convert the microcanonical rate coefficients from the VRC-TST analysis into temperature- and pressure-dependent rate constants for the association reactions and the reverse dissociation reactions. The data are reported in standardized formats for usage in comprehensive chemical kinetic models for PFAS thermal destruction.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Optimization and Evaluation of Energy Savings for Connected and Autonomous Off-Road Vehicles

Off-road vehicles, such as wheel loaders, excavators, and harvesters, are extensively utilized across a wide range of industries, including construction, agriculture, and mining. These machines have become indispensable in supporting the day-to-day operational needs of a nation, playing a critical role in various sectors' infrastructure and productivity. However, despite their utility, off-road vehicles are significant consumers of fossil fuels, resulting in substantial emissions that contribute to environmental degradation. This highlights the pressing need for research and technological advancements aimed at improving their energy efficiency and reducing their carbon footprint. There are, however, two primary challenges that must be addressed to achieve these goals. First, off-road vehicles typically perform both driving and working tasks simultaneously, which introduces a high level of complexity into their overall dynamic systems. Analysis the interactions between these functions is challenging. Second, research into off-road vehicles is inherently interdisciplinary, demanding expertise across several domains such as fluid power systems, vehicle dynamics, control theory, optimization techniques, and real-world implementation. Recognizing these challenges, we proposed the project titled "Optimization and Evaluation of Energy Savings for Connected and Autonomous Off-Road Vehicles" as a comprehensive solution to enhance fuel efficiency while simultaneously improving productivity. This project specifically focuses on autonomous off-road vehicles, with particular attention to wheel loaders, and seeks to develop novel methods to optimize energy consumption without sacrificing operational performance. The project integrates real-time control algorithms, vehicle dynamics modeling, and co-optimization of powertrain system and vehicle system to achieve these goals. Our optimization strategy dynamically co-optimizes critical parameters at both the powertrain and vehicle levels, including vehicle speed, working tool movements, powertrain dynamics, and engine operations in real-time. To streamline this optimization process, we developed a vehicle model that captures the key dynamics while significantly enhancing computational efficiency. This allows the system to intelligently minimize fuel consumption, all while maintaining or even improving productivity through real-time calculations during various off-road operations. To validate the effectiveness of this energy optimization method, we introduced a state-of-the-art Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testbed. This reconfigurable testbed seamlessly integrates the actual engine with virtual models of the wheel loader's subsystems, allowing for accurate emulation of real-world operational loads and environments. By simulating these conditions, the HIL testbed enables us to evaluate the wheel loader’s performance under diverse working scenarios, ensuring the developed solution is applicable in real-world operations. This testbed proved to be instrumental in validating the optimization algorithms and demonstrating the system's practical effectiveness. During the evaluation and testing phase, we employed the HIL testbed to rigorously assess the energy savings and productivity improvements generated by the optimized system. The results were highly encouraging, revealing that the automated wheel loader achieved over 30% fuel savings compared to traditional, human-operated cycles, with comparable or even enhanced levels of productivity. The insights gained from this HIL-based testing provided critical validation of our approach and highlighted the potential for deploying these optimized autonomous technologies in real-world off-road vehicles.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

The interpenetration polymer network in a cement paste–waterborne epoxy system

The formation of the interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure within the cement-polymer system has been revealed by experiments from 2 dimensional to 3-dimensional scales. However, the microstructure design and performance prediction of IPN as a function of specific C-S-H/polymer components or ingredients' parameters e.g. water to cement ratios (w/c), polymer to cement ratios (p/c), monomer components, degree of polymerization (DP), etc. is by far not available. Here we developed a mesoscale model for IPN visualization based on the Flory-Huggins interaction theory which was applied to cement science for the first time. All the ingredients in the micro-structure were considered as soluble beads with rational sizes based on their properties obtained by molecular dynamic methods. The interaction parameters of each bead were then determined based on their element ratios and chemical backbones. The model was validated with the waterborne epoxy-cement material (WECM) in which a novel waterborne epoxy resin (WEP) was prepared and impregnated. The verification results on the 2D-3D scale show that the developed model predicts the WECM's IPN structures by rule and line concerning DP, w/c, and p/c in the mixture. The C-S-H beads were progressively scaled in size which alters the C-S-H texture to have completely different dissolution characteristics. Beads of diameter ~6 Å are more unstable and soluble which enable them to form a continuous phase in water or a composite structure with WEP. In contrast, beads with diameters larger than 10 Å have different properties with stronger nucleation effects. The results also suggest the impregnation content of WEP in cement-based material should be limited to 10% vol. to prevent the polymer IPN from decomposing into discrete clusters. The application of Flory-Huggins theory in cement-based composites demonstrates great potential in performance prediction and microstructure design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

McMillan map and nonlinear Twiss parameters

In this article we consider two dynamical systems: the McMillan sextupole and octupole integrable mappings originally introduced by Edwin McMillan; the second one is also known as canonical McMillan map. Both of them are simplest symmetric McMillan maps with only one intrinsic parameter, the trace of the Jacobian at the fixed point. While these dynamical systems have numerous of applications and are used in many areas of math and physics, some of their dynamical properties have not been described yet. We fulfill the gap and provide complete description of all stable trajectories including parametrization of invariant curves, Pioncaré rotation numbers and canonical action-angle variables. In the second part we relate these maps with general chaotic map in McMillan-Turaev form. We show that McMillan sextupole and octupole mappings are first order approximations of dynamics around the fixed point, in a similar way as linear map and quadratic invariant (Courant-Snyder invariant in accelerator physics) is the zeroth order approximation (known as linearization). Finally we suggest the new formalism of nonlinear Twiss parameters which incorporate dependence of rotation number as a function of amplitude, in contrast to e.g. betatron phase advance used in accelerator physics which is independent of amplitude. Specifically in application to accelerator physics this new formalism is capable of predicting dynamical aperture around 1-st, 2-nd, 3-rd and 4-th order resonances for flat beams, which is critical for beam injection/extraction.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

A pectin methyltransferase modulates polysaccharide dynamics and interactions in Arabidopsis primary cell walls: Evidence from solid-state NMR

Plant cell walls contain cellulose embedded in matrix polysaccharides. Understanding carbohydrate structures and interactions is critical to the production of biofuel and biomaterials using these natural resources. Here we present a solid-state NMR study of cellulose and pectin in 13 C-labeled cell walls of Arabidopsis wild-type and mutant plants. Using 1D 13 C and 2D 13 C– 13 C correlation experiments, we detected a highly branched arabinan structure in qua2 and tsd2 samples, two allelic mutants for a pectin methyltransferase. Both mutants show close physical association between cellulose and the backbones of pectic homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan-I. Relaxation and dipolar order parameters revealed enhanced microsecond dynamics due to polymer disorder in the mutants, but restricted motional amplitudes due to tighter pectin-cellulose associations. These molecular data shed light on polymer structure and packing in these two pectin mutants, helping to elucidate how pectin could influence cell wall architecture at the nanoscale, cell wall mechanics, and plant growth.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Conditional diffusion machine-learning framework for mapping valence electron distribution from convergent beam electron diffraction

Quantitative convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) enables determination of aspherical valence electron distributions through refinement of low-order structure factors, which are highly sensitive to chemical bonding and charge density variations. However, conventional quantitative CBED (QCBED) requires solving a highly nonlinear inverse problem with many coupled parameters, and computationally intensive dynamical diffraction calculations, making it time-consuming and difficult to apply to complex systems. More broadly, reconstructing charge density and orbital electron distribution from diffraction data has long been a central challenge in both x-ray and electron crystallography. Here, in this study, we introduce an artificial-intelligence (AI)-based framework that replaces traditional refinement with a data-driven inverse solver. Using a large synthetic CBED dataset generated by Bloch-wave simulations, we train a conditional diffusion model to directly infer crystal structural parameters and multipole density formalism parameters, and hence valence electron distributions, from CBED patterns alone. By learning from forward simulations across realistic parameter space, the model effectively solves the inverse problem. Compared with direct regression approaches, the diffusion-based framework provides posterior parameter distributions for rigorous uncertainty quantification while preserving quantitative fidelity and reducing analysis time by orders of magnitude. By eliminating the need for external single-crystal x-ray diffraction data and complex nonlinear refinement, this approach enables practical, high-throughput, and in situ quantitative CBED, enabling real-time mapping of valence electron distributions and their correlation with functional responses in quantum and energy materials.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Nanoscale simulation of the thylakoid membrane response to extreme temperatures

Abstract The thylakoid membrane is in a temperature‐sensitive equilibrium that shifts repeatedly during the life cycle in response to ambient temperature or solar irradiance. Plants respond to seasonal temperature variation by changing their thylakoid lipid composition, while a more rapid mechanism for short‐term heat exposure is required. The emission of the small organic molecule isoprene has been postulated as one such possible rapid mechanism. The protective mechanism of isoprene is unknown, but some plants emit isoprene at high temperature. We investigate the dynamics and structure for lipids within a thylakoid membrane across temperatures and varied isoprene content using classical molecular dynamics simulations. The results are compared with experimental findings for temperature‐dependent changes in the lipid composition and shape of thylakoids. The surface area, volume, and flexibility of the membrane, as well as the lipid diffusion, increase with temperature, while the membrane thickness decreases. Saturated thylakoid 34:3 glycolipids derived from eukaryotic synthesis pathways exhibit altered dynamics relative to lipids from prokaryotic synthesis paths, which could explain the upregulation of specific lipid synthesis pathways at different temperatures. Increasing isoprene concentration was not observed to have a significant thermoprotective effect on the thylakoid membranes, and that isoprene readily permeated the membrane models tested.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Influence of Rigidity–Hydration Coupling on Size-Dependent Diffusion in Hydrated Polymer Membranes

Selective ion transport in polymer membranes depends critically on how penetrant motion couples to polymer dynamics and hydration. Yet, the mechanistic interplay between polymer rigidity, water content, and penetrant size remains poorly understood, especially in the regime where the penetrant diameter, polymer Kuhn length, and correlation length are comparable. Here, we employ coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to systematically investigate penetrant diffusion in hydrated polymer networks across a broad range of water volume fractions, chain rigidities, and penetrant sizes. The results reveal a transition from a decoupled regime, where small penetrants diffuse nearly independently of polymer relaxation, to a coupled regime in which large penetrants require cooperative polymer motion for transport. Increasing polymer rigidity amplifies the sensitivity of diffusivity to hydration, particularly at low water content, leading to pronounced deviations from Stokes−Einstein scaling. Comparison with scaling theories and free-volume models shows that classical nanoparticle-based frameworks fail to capture this intermediate regime. To address this gap, we extend the Yasuda model to incorporate polymer rigidity through a single parameter that quantifies the dynamic contribution of chain stiffness to free-volume fluctuations. The resulting model collapses diffusivity data across all sizes, water contents, and rigidities, providing a unified description of penetrant transport in hydrated polymer matrices. Furthermore, these findings establish polymer rigidity as a key, tunable determinant of diffusion and offer a framework for interpreting size-dependent transport in ion-selective membranes.

diffusion↗

Inverter Model Validation and Calibration Using Phasor Measurement Unit Data

As the penetration of inverter-based renewable energy resources increases in the power grid, especially at the distribution and microgrid levels, the need to accurately represent them in planning studies increases as well. However, due to the lack of well-established standard procedures, and vendor reluctance towards the detailed sharing of proprietary models, automated dynamic model validation and parameter calibration tools for inverter based resources (IBRs) remain scarce. This work presents a model validation and parameter calibration platform for representing IBRs with generic phasor-domain models. Phasor measurements of power system events are used for continuous validation using the data playback method, and model parameters are re-calibrated if a significant mismatch between measurements and model response is observed. Unique features of the proposed platform include- (a) an iterative Bayesian optimization approach towards parameter calibration to address a possible mismatch between the structures of generic models implemented in simulation softwares and actual commercial inverters, (b) error metrics designed to account for a possible mismatch between the time resolution of simulation and measurements, and (c) analysis of the measurement-simulation mismatch to provide guidance to engineering personnel regarding model shortcomings. The performance of the platform has been illustrated using both simulated data and field measurements to validate/calibrate inverter models in GridLAB-D.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Community structure and function during periods of high performance and system upset in a full-scale mixed microalgal wastewater resource recovery facility

Microalgae have the potential to exceed current nutrient recovery limits from wastewater, enabling water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) to achieve increasingly stringent effluent permits. The use of photobioreactors (PBRs) and the separation of hydraulic retention and solids residence time (HRT/SRT) further enables increased biomass in a reduced physical footprint while allowing operational parameters (e.g., SRT) to select for desired functional communities. However, as algal technology transitions to full-scale, there is a need to understand the effect of operational and environmental parameters on complex microbial dynamics among mixotrophic microalgae, bacterial groups, and pests (i.e., grazers and pathogens) and to implement robust process controls for stable long-term performance. Here, we examine a full-scale, intensive WRRF utilizing mixed microalgae for tertiary treatment in the US (EcoRecover, Clearas Water Recovery Inc.) during a nine-month monitoring campaign. We investigated the temporal variations in microbial community structure (18S and 16S rRNA genes), which revealed that stable system performance of the EcoRecover system was marked by a low-diversity microalgal community (D INVSIMPSON = 2.01) dominated by Scenedesmus sp. (MRA = 55 %-80 %) that achieved strict nutrient removal (effluent TP < 0.04 mg·L -1 ) and steady biomass concentration (TSS monthly avg . = 400–700 mg·L −1 ). Operational variables including pH, alkalinity, and influent ammonium (NH 4 + ), correlated positively (p < 0.05, method = Spearman) with algal community during stable performance. Further, the use of these parameters as operational controls along with N/P loading and SRT allowed for system recovery following upset events. Importantly, the presence or absence of bacterial nitrification did not directly impact algal system performance and overall nutrient recovery, but partial nitrification (potentially resulting from NO 2 − accumulation) inhibited algal growth and should be considered during long-term operation. The microalgal communities were also adversely affected by zooplankton grazers (ciliates, rotifers) and fungal parasites (Aphelidium), particularly during periods of upset when algal cultures were experiencing culture turnover or stress conditions (e.g., nitrogen limitation, elevated temperature). Altogether, the active management of system operation in order to maintain healthy algal cultures and high biomass productivity can result in significant periods (>4 months) of stable system performance that achieve robust nutrient recovery, even in winter months in northern latitudes (WI, USA).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗