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At least 181 records · Page 10

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2022

Advanced Collision Detection and Site Monitoring for Avian and Bat Species for Offshore Wind Energy (Final Technical Report)

This final technical report summarizes the outcomes from a project that aimed to design, build, and test a persistent and autonomous monitoring system for avian and bat collisions with offshore wind turbines blades and structures. The system comprises four primary sensor modules: 1) on-blade sensor modules for collision detection and dual-vision image capture on each blade with both visible light and near-infrared imagers; 2) additional on-blade collision sensors mounted further from the root; 3) a nacelle-mounted unit including a 360º camera and ultrasonic microphone array; and, 4) an on-blade, high-performance infrared camera module. Primary targeted outcomes were high sensitivity for the detection of blade strikes from bats and small birds, and automatically captured visual confirmation of the striking object; these features are critical for monitoring offshore wind turbine installations, where ground-based methods are not viable. In addition, local recording will provide a long-term sensor recording database. Following laboratory validation, field testing was conducted on an operational wind turbine in collaboration with the National Wind Technology Center at the NREL Flatirons campus over two planned field tests.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Stainless Steel Coating Test Report

A process was developed to coat 316L stainless steel pieces having very low levels of fixed contamination on their surface (~100 dpm/100 cm²). The coating process served to significantly decrease the likelihood of any fixed contamination becoming loose contamination due to physical shocks. Prior to coating, the stainless steel was etched with a commercial methane sulfonic acid (MSA) solution in a heated ultrasonic bath, rinsed with deionized water, cleaned with a basic detergent solution, and then rinsed with deionized water. The MSA etched the surface of the stainless-steel pieces, creating a more favorable surface on which the coating could adhere. Due to the short timeline of the project, only commercially available clear coating products were considered. The clear coating had to be wear-resistant, shock resistant, radiation resistant, and have high adhesion to the surface of the stainless steel. Adhesion of coatings to stainless steel is notoriously difficult. A commercial, high molecular weight polymer coating was found that met these requirements. The adhesion properties of this coating to stainless steel are very good, and are significantly improved by the etching process. The etching process results in a higher surface area that is free of debris and other residues, making the surface much more wetable, and at the same time creating a favorable surface topography for adhesion. The polymer in its uncured form is a low viscosity liquid. It can be applied by brush or pipette, and it cures in air alone, but heat is required to speed up curing and attain the highest performance of the cured polymer. As the project progressed, the project team became interested in the composition of the selected commercial polymer coating, and in ways that this polymer coating could be made more wear resistant and potentially more radiation resistant. Nano-particle addition was chosen as the preferred way to achieve higher performance. Therefore, a series of tests were planned and performed. This report summarizes these tests, and presents the results.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Paragenetic controls on CO 2 -fluid-rock interaction and weakening in a macroporous-dominated sandstone

The injection and storage of anthropogenic CO 2 in the subsurface is being deployed as a climate change mitigation tool; however, diagenetic-paragenetic heterogeneity in sandstone reservoirs often contributes to interval specific chemomechanical changes that affect injection and can increase leakage risk.In this paper we address reservoir heterogeneities’ impact on chemomechanical changes in a macroporous-dominated lithofacies of Morrow B sandstone, a formation containing several diagenetically-distinct hydraulic facies while undergoing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) sequestration. We performed three flow-through experiments using a CO 2 -charged or uncharged formation water combined with four indirect tensile strength tests per post-test sample. We then used the microstructure and paragenetic sequence to understand chemomechanical weakening with key observations as follows: dissolution of carbonates and feldspars changed porosity; increased permeability led to reclassifying each sample in a different hydraulic flow unit; decreased ultrasonic velocity; and did not lead to a loss of tensile strength. Tensile strength maintenance occurred due to the low abundance and minor dissolution of siderite, the stability of quartz, and the relative position of diagenetic ankerite within feldspar. This macroporous-dominated lithofacies is the primary reservoir for the Morrow B Sandstone, and is analogous to other porous sandstone reservoirs. It represents an end-member of a chemomechanically low-risk siliceous CO 2 sequestration and CO 2 -EOR reservoir.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

AGC-4 Specimen Post-Irradiation Examination Data Interim Report

This interim report documents preliminary results of the post-irradiation examination material property testing from the fourth advanced graphite creep (AGC), AGC 4, capsule specimens. This is the fourth of a series of six irradiation test trains planned as part of the AGC experiment to fully characterize the neutron irradiation effects and radiation creep behavior of current nuclear graphite grades to moderate dose levels (=7 dpa). The AGC 4 capsule was irradiated in the Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor at a nominal temperature of 800°C and to a peak dose of 8 dpa. Half of the AGC-4 specimens were subjected to compressive stresses to induce irradiation creep. Post-irradiation testing and measurement results are reported with the exception of thermal testing, which is still in progress, and irradiation mechanical strength testing. Additionally, some specimens initially deemed too hot to be examined in the ART Graphite laboratory may still be measured. The data reported includes specimen dimensions for both stressed and unstressed specimens to establish the irradiation creep rates, mass and dimensional data necessary to derive density, elastic constants (Young?s modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson?s ratio) from ultrasonic time of flight velocity measurements, Young?s modulus from the fundamental frequency of vibration, and electrical resistivity. A more complete evaluation of trends in the material property changes, as well as irradiation-induced creep due to the irradiation environment and applied load on the specimens, will be discussed later in AGC 4 post-irradiation examination analysis reports.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Hydrogen embrittlement of Zircaloy-4 fabricated by ultrasonic additive manufacturing

Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) was successfully applied to the zirconium material system to create a planar geometry. Following fabrication, SS-J3 type tensile specimens of the UAM and wrought Zircaloy-4 with a nominal gage section of 5×1.2×0.75 mm were machined for hydriding studies and mechanical testing. The SS-J3 type tensile specimens were gas-charged with hydrogen using a custom system that precisely controls hydrogen gas flow rate, hydrogen partial pressure, and temperature. To avoid altering the UAM material, the maximum process temperature was limited to 550°C. Using different initial hydrogen gas pressures and flow rates, various hydrogen contents (70–1755 wppm) were achieved for Zircaloy-4 specimens. Tensile testing shows that, regardless of hydrogen content, all UAM specimens measured yield strengths in the range of 557±16 MPa and ultimate tensile strengths of 660±4MPa. However, total elongation clearly decreased as a function of increasing hydrogen content. Further, at the lowest hydrogen content, the total plastic elongation measured 21.5%, and this value decreased to less than 2% when the hydrogen content was increased to 1000 wppm. Cross-sectional optical microscopy images revealed that the hydride distributions are randomly oriented. For the low hydrogen content specimen, these randomly distributed hydrides are isolated from each other. A sandwiched structure, consisting of high-density and low-density layers, was also observed for the specimens with hydrogen content between 200 and 400 wppm. As the hydrogen content increases, the hydrides diffuse into the low-density hydride layers to form a network across the whole specimen. Although the tensile properties of UAM and wrought Zircaloy-4 exhibit the same behavior with increasing hydrogen content, the distinctions in grain orientations led to differences in the hydride orientations at low and intermediate hydrogen concentrations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

AGC-4 Specimen Post-Irradiation Examination Data Interim Report

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) dispersed in ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC): Mechanical property, workability and permeability investigation

This paper presents experimental data on the effect of carbon nano-fiber (CNF) dispersion on mechanical behavior, workability, and permeability of ultra-high-performance concrete containing CNF (UHPC-CNF). The addition of CNFs in concrete has been shown to provide improved performance. However, an inhomogeneous distribution of CNFs in the cement matrix can result in no impact or decreased mechanical performance. Due to the van der Waal's forces and hydrophobic surface properties of the CNFs, good dispersion in mix fluids and cement paste is challenging. Experimental studies of UHPC-CNF with different dispersion methods are provided. Further mixing with optimized UHPC paste allowed for the investigation of the optimal dosage of CNFs, impact on porosity, compressive strength, flexural strength, hydration rate, and slump. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis visually revealed the effect of dispersion. Our results indicate that shear mixing and subsequent ultrasonic dispersion with chemical surfactants can provide a well-dispersion liquid admixture of CNFs resulting in high mechanical performance of UHPC-CNFs composites. The water permeability and chloride resistance of optimized UHPC-CNFs composites were further evaluated with the wicking test and ponding test to reveal improved performance for these properties as well.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Internal arcing and lightning strike damage in short carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites

Short carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (S-CFRTP) are currently used in interior parts of aircraft such as electronic circuitry and assemblies, and their usage in aircraft's exterior is also being studied. In this paper, we present a lightning strike study on S-CFRTPs. High performance thermoplastics such as a polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) reinforced with 50% weight (wt.) short carbon fiber (CF), a polyphenyl sulfone (PPSU) reinforced with 25 % wt. Short CF and a acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) with 20 % wt. short CF were tested against artificial lightning strikes. All samples were prepared using an extrusion compression molding (ECM) technique. A modified component A (100 kA) of lightning waveform, as defined by SAE ARP 5412-B, was applied. High speed imaging, thermography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation were performed to understand the effect of lightning strikes on the thermoplastic panels. The results show that electrical conductivity of the composite, thermal stability of the polymers, and CF orientation significantly affected the damage from artificial lightning strikes. PPS composite had the highest resilience against lightning strike damage, retaining 95% and 89% residual flexural strength and modulus, respectively. CF exfoliation due to internal arcing was observed in the carbon fiber-reinforced ABS polymer (CF-ABS) composite. CF exfoliation damage has been reported for the first time.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Ultrasonic Elastography for Nondestructive Evaluation of Dissimilar Material Joints

Dissimilar material joints or multilayered metals have become inevitable in the manufacturing industry due to the increasing demand for multifunctional materials with variable mechanical, thermal, or electrical characteristics in a single assembly. Lattice mismatch of materials at the interface of dissimilar materials leads to inferior mechanical characteristics. In particular, the mismatch in elastic properties indicated by a large initial elastic deformation is critical to determine the extent of variation in stress. However, nanoindentation, the most common and accepted technique to measure elastic modulus, is destructive, time-consuming, and can only examine mechanical properties within a limited area. A non-invasive elastographic mapping technique evaluates the mechanical properties using ultrasonic elastography to study incompressibility. The dissimilar joint between steel and copper was obtained via friction stir welding. The variation of the stress developed at the welded joint of the two different metals was evaluated from the dynamic bulk modulus map. A tensile test of the involved workpiece confirmed a good agreement with our analysis based on the dynamic bulk modulus elastographic mapping results. This study provides a rapid and non-invasive technique for the bulk metallurgic elastic modulus inspection to overcome the limitations of conventional methods.

Jin, Yuqi↗

DOE OSTI2021

Integrating Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in a Modular Robotic Gripper for Inspecting Tubular Components

Tubular structures are critical components in infrastructure such as power plants. Throughout their life, they are subjected to extreme conditions or suffer from defects such as corrosion and cracks. Although regular inspection of these components is necessary, such inspection is limited by safety-related risks and limited access for human inspection. Robots can provide a solution for automatic inspection. The main challenge, however, lies in integrating sensors for nondestructive evaluation with robotic platforms. As part of developing a versatile lizard-inspired tube inspector robot, in this study the authors propose to integrate electromagnetic acoustic transducers into a modular robotic gripper for use in automated ultrasonic inspection. In particular, spiral coils with cylindrical magnets are integrated into a novel friction-based gripper to excite Lamb waves in thin cylindrical structures. To evaluate the performance of the integrated sensors, the gripper was attached to a robotic arm manipulator and tested on pipes of different outer diameters. Two sets of tests were carried out on both defect-free pipes and pipes with simulated defects, including surface partial cracking and corrosion. The inspection results indicated that transmitted and received signals could be acquired with an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio in the time domain. Moreover, the simulated defects could be successfully detected using the integrated robotic sensing system.

Materials Science↗

DOE OSTI2022

Low-Oxidized Siloxene Nanosheets with High Capacity, Capacity Retention, and Rate Capability in Lithium-Based Batteries

The mechanical degradation experienced by Si electrodes during Li (de)alloying reactions can potentially be mitigated by using Si-based materials with layered 2D geometries. Such materials are expected to exhibit favorable mechanical properties and be capable of buffering the volume change associated with (de)lithitation. In this work, 2D siloxene nanosheets are synthesized using a facile topotactic reaction followed by ultrasonication as an exfoliation step. Here, detailed structural and chemical characterization via electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy is conducted, revealing a low-oxidized siloxene nanosheet material with only 15% surface Si-oxide. The obtained siloxene nanosheets are tested as Li-ion negative electrodes in lithium-based electrochemical cells. The cells exhibit high rate capability with a capacity of 935 mAh g –1 at 3200 mA g –1 and ≈99.5% coulombic efficiency. The inclusion of fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) in the electrolyte improves capacity retention over 200 cycles from 13% to 77% at 1000 mA g –1 . This behavior is attributed to the FEC decomposition forming a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with higher ion conductivity and robust LiF/Li x PO y F z content, as characterized via XPS Raman spectroscopy.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Characterization of Temperature Heterogeneity in Utility-Scale Power Plant Boilers by Spatially Distributed Ultrasonic Measurements

In extreme environments, even hardened insertion sensors fail quickly. For such environments, we have developed an ultrasonic (US) method for measuring the spatial distribution of temperatures in solid materials and, specifically, across containments of extreme processes. By deploying US sensors in multiple locations, spatial heterogeneity in temperatures inside harsh environments may be characterized. In this note, we update our progress on testing the developed approach in an industrial setting and its performance in describing the temperature distribution inside a 500 MW (electrical) coalfired utility boiler of an electrical power generation plant. We use waveguides (WG) structured to contain echogenic features that produce a train of echoes in response to an excitation pulse. The time of flight between echoes encodes the information on the temperature distribution in the corresponding segment of the WG, which we reconstruct using its parametrization. Five waveguides were welded to the boiler’s heat exchange surface (waterwall) and different locations at the same boiler elevation and produced reliable US waveforms 18 months after the installation. For several weeks during the latest trial, we performed US measurements in five locations spanning half of the boiler’s 14-meter width. The measurements were acquired during regular operation, including load cycling to adjust for demand and intermittent contributions of renewable power sources, and during boiler shutdown for emergency maintenance and the subsequent restart. The interpretation of US waveforms by signal processing resulted in an accurate estimation of temperature distribution along the waveguides. We captured daily cyclical variations in demand-following load. Measurements performed in multiple locations revealed unexpected temperature variations across the boiler. We conclude that an array of developed sensors can provide responsive and spatial temperature measurements while maintaining functionality despite prolonged exposure to an extreme environment.

Walton, Kenneth↗

DOE OSTI2021

Laser-based Adhesion Strength Measurements for Advanced Manufactured Sensor Adhesion Characterization

As part of the advanced manufacturing (AM) focus of the Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET) Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation (ASI) Program, new in-house capabilities to fabricate and test novel active and passive in-pile sensors are being developed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). These advanced-manufactured sensors, such as peak temperature monitors and strain gauges, must be miniaturized and be able to provide real-time feedback, all while withstanding the coupled extremes of temperature and radiation typically observed in the environment of a nuclear test reactor. Fabricating durable and robust in-pile sensors with high fidelity requires a fundamental understanding of the optimal process parameters required in the AM technique, as well as the effect of deviations from optimal process parameters on the sensor-substrate adhesion and the ultimate robustness of the sensor. This report presents the use of a laser-based, non-contact approach for characterizing the adhesion of sensors manufactured using aerosol jet printing (AJP) that comprise of silver nanoparticle inks deposited and sintered on austenitic stainless steel (SS) 316L substrates. The effect of substrate surface roughness, surface energy, ink sintering time and sintering temperature on the printed sensor topography and the sensor-substrate adhesion has been systematically investigated. The sensor-substrate interfacial adhesion strength was determined from the critical laser pulse energy required to ablate/ detach the printed sensor from the substrate. Measurements of the sensor topography using optical profilometry revealed that post-deposition sintering at 400°C for 60 minutes resulted in a reduced sensor thickness, while plasma treating the substrate prior to printing yielded sensors with uniform thickness profiles transverse to the print direction. Sintering temperature and time were found to be the dominant parameters that affected sensor-substrate adhesion, followed by substrate surface roughness. The laser-based and locally-destructive approach for adhesion strength measurements shows promise in overcoming the challenges and limitations of current standardized peel tests and can be developed into a post-fabrication process control protocol for evaluating the durability of AM printed sensors in a high throughput fashion. Future studies will investigate the use of laser-induced spallation techniques as well as non-destructive laser ultrasonic methods for sensor-substrate adhesion characterization on sensors manufactured using AJP and other AM techniques such as plasma jet printing (PJP).

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2023

Preparation and Characterization Methods of Thin Layer Samples for Standoff Detection

Detection of analytes deposited on surfaces is crucial for many applications: Development of methods to prepare thin layers (e.g. ~5 to 100 µm) is important for both system design and field studies. In this work, solid and liquid analytes were deposited on painted and bare substrates including aluminum, glass, plastic, and concrete using an ExactaCoat ultrasonic spray coater. Laboratory hemispherical reflectance (HRF) spectra were collected for samples with different layer thicknesses so as to characterize both the composition and layer thickness. Preliminary results demonstrate that to prepare homogenous layers on surfaces, parameters such as substrate type, analyte solubility, vapor pressure, paint color, surface porosity, and surface roughness are all important. Liquid chemicals posed several issues during deposition: Diisopropyl methyl phosphonate evaporated from surfaces more quickly than the other chemicals and was thus not detected in the HRF experiments. Less volatile liquids, such as tributylphosphate, remained on the surface for the duration of the test, but a uniform layer thickness could not be obtained as the liquid pooled to one side when mounted at an angle. The deposition of solids (e.g., acetaminophen, caffeine and methylphosphonic acid) from volatile solvents such as chloroform also proved problematic due to streaking caused by rapid solvent evaporation. Solids deposited from ethanol, however, worked well on bare substrates. For most samples plotting the integrated infrared band strength vs. surface thicknesses showed a linear relationship, confirming that the surface loading can be controlled by programming the concentration and the number of passes on the ultrasonic sprayer.

Thin layer, deposition, infrared standoff, Hemisph↗

DOE OSTI2022

Functional fiber-optic sensors embedded in stainless steel components using ultrasonic additive manufacturing for distributed temperature and strain measurements

The nuclear industry is progressing toward microreactors that can be factory assembled and deployed to remote regions for reliable, scalable power generation. However, the reduced power output requires enhanced monitoring capabilities to reduce staffing and eventually move toward autonomous control to improve the economics of microreactors. The ability to embed sensors such as fiber-optics, which can provide spatially distributed temperature and strain measurements, within microreactor components for real-time health monitoring would be particularly advantageous. Recent advances in ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) have demonstrated the successful embedding of fiber-optics in soft materials such as Al and Cu by placing the sensors in machined cavities and ultrasonically welding over the top with thin foils. This article reports the first successful embedment of fiber-optic sensors and thermocouples within a common nuclear reactor material, SS304, via UAM. UAM parameters were first explored with simple plate geometries before moving to more complex geometries, such as pipes and other test articles for heat pipe–based microreactors. Select samples were sectioned for microscopy to evaluate the sensor/foil and foil/foil interfaces from samples fabricated by using 100% SS304 foils vs. foils plated with a Ni coating to improve UAM bonding. Furthermore, embedding metal-coated, low-bend loss fibers resulted in greatly reduced signal attenuation and adequate compressive residual strain in the embedded region to ensure successful strain coupling. Pipe specimen functional testing was performed by monitoring temperature and strain during transient and steady-state thermal testing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Solid-State Joining of Magnesium Sheet to High-Strength Steel

Increasing the use of lightweight materials and implementing enabling manufacturing technologies are the two primary paths toward automotive weight reduction. In many situations, the ability to substitute light weight material requires a need to attach and join light weight material to existing steel substructures requiring dissimilar joining technologies. Dissimilar joining methods currently available in cost range for high volume automotive manufacturing face multiple challenges. The problem is exacerbated in the case of Magnesium alloy to steel joints because of their highly dissimilar nature and lack of mutual miscibility. Additionally, Magnesium’s poor room temperature ductility complicates the use of point fastening technologies. Two emerging solid-state joining technologies Friction Stir assisted Scribe welding (FaST) and Ultrasonic Welding (USW) that employ large amount of plastic deformation at the interface were used to investigate, develop, and understand dissimilar joints between Magnesium Alloy to DP590 Steel. Various process responses including interface temperatures, process forces, strain fields were captured during the development of the welding process. Variety of welded samples were tested and characterized to understand the relationship between welding conditions and joints microstructure and mechanical properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

TASK3 Laboratory Experiments Data

Laboratory Experiments Data of TASK3 of DOE project DE- FE0031686. Each signal has its own excel file. 150 signals are sent through the rock sample per each load configuration. There were approximately 50 to 150 load combinations tested during the experiments. Experiments were repeated after changing the polarity direction of the transducers. Signals of these repeats are in separate folders called "Reverse". There are three formations tested from the Michigan Core and four formations tested from the FutureGen site. The "Code" folder contains the Python code developed to analyze the signals. Large Dataset, please contact EDXSupport@netl.doe.gov

core↗

DOE OSTI2022

Predicting Local Material Thickness from Steady-State Ultrasonic Wavefield Measurements Using a Convolutional Neural Network

Acoustic steady-state excitation spatial spectroscopy (ASSESS) is a full-field, ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique used to locate and characterize defects in plate-like structures. ASSESS generates a steady-state, single-tone ultrasonic excitation in a structure and a scanning laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) measures the resulting full-field surface velocity response. Traditional processing techniques for ASSESS data rely on wavenumber domain analysis. This paper presents the alternative use of a convolutional neural network (CNN), trained using simulated ASSESS data, to predict the local plate thickness at every pixel in the wavefield measurement directly. The defect detection accuracy of CNN-based thickness predictions are shown to improve for defects of greater size, and for defects with higher thickness reductions. The CNN demonstrates the ability to predict thickness accurately in regions where Lamb wave dispersion relations are complex or unknown, such as near the boundaries of a test specimen, so long as the CNN is trained on data that accounts for these regions. The CNN also shows generalizability to ASSESS experimental data, despite an entirely simulated training dataset.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗