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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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NASA NTRS1990

Modeling the dust size distribution in comets with dust fragmentation

A hydrodynamic model was developed of a spherically symmetric dusty gas flow in a cometary atmosphere assuming a single fluid, inviscid, perfect gas. The hydrodynamics for gas and dust, which involves the gas drag force (momentum transfer), heat exchange between gas and dust, photodissociation energy for H2O gas, and radiative heating and cooling terms for dust particles, are solved using the Gear method for stiff, coupled differential equations. Calculations were done with a dust size distribution for radii alpha = 0.01 micron to 10 cm with densities variable with the size. A nucleus size of 4.0 km radius with a density of 0.5 g/cu cm and a total dust-to-gas mass ratio chi = 1 was adopted. There are indications from in situ observations that dust particle fragment into smaller ones. Fragmentation of dust particles was incorporated into the model. This is done by adding source and sink terms in the continuity equations for the dust. Lifetimes for the decay of dust particles were assumed as a function of particle size. It is also assumed that dust particles always fragment only into the next smaller size.

Konno, Ichishiro↗

DOE OSTI2023

The transport dynamics of tens of micrometer-sized water droplets in RF atmospheric pressure glow discharges

Abstract Charging of particles having diameters of tens of microns has been extensively studied at atmospheric pressure in the context of, for example, electrostatic precipitators where the focus was on unipolar charging. The ambipolar charging of particles in atmospheric pressure plasmas, and of droplets in particular, has received less attention. The plasma activation of droplets is of interest for water purification, fertilizer production and materials synthesis, all of which depend on the transport of the droplets through the plasma, which in turn depends on their charging. In this paper, we report on the transport dynamics of water droplets, tens of microns in diameter, carried by the gas flow through an atmospheric pressure radiofrequency glow discharge sustained in helium. The droplets pass through the plasma with minimal evaporation and without reaching the Rayleigh limit. The droplet trajectory in the presence and absence of the plasma provides insights on the forces acting on the droplet. The measurements were analyzed using results from a three-dimensional fluid model and a two-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics model. We found that the transport dynamics as the droplet enters and leaves the plasma are due to differential charging of the droplet in the plasma gradients of the bounding sheaths to the plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

TEAMER: Numerical Modeling and Optimization of the iProTech Pitching Inertial Pump (PIP) Wave Energy Converter (WEC)

This project focused on developing an automated workflow to evaluate and optimize the iProTech Pitching Inertial Pump (PIP) wave energy converter (WEC) using open-source Python packages and the MATLAB/Simulink tool, WEC-Sim. The process involved parameterizing key design variables, running time-domain simulations, and performing sensitivity analyses to determine their impact on power output. The workflow, designed for the PIP device, is generalized and can be extended to optimize other WECs that can be simulated in WEC-Sim. This work establishes a foundation for future time-domain-based WEC design optimizations. Included in this submission are all figures from the final report and the model inputs required to generate them. This includes Python scripts with inputs that produce the meshes, boundary element method (BEM) models, hydrodynamic coefficients, and the WEC-Sim models used for time-domain analyses. Although data for every single run is not included to save space, all of it can be reproduced using the provided models. Detailed instructions for setting up the environment and running the codes are also included.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

NASA NTRS1980

The chromosphere and transition region

The physical processes occurring as a result of the transfer of energy and momentum from the primary solar flare energy release site in the corona to the underlying chromosphere and transition region during the course of the flare are investigated through a comparison of theoretical models and observational data. Static, dynamic and hydrodynamic models of the lower-temperature chromospheric flare are reviewed. The roles of thermal conduction, radiation, fast particles and mass motion in chromosphere-corona interactions are analyzed on the basis of Skylab UV, EUV and X-ray data, and empirical and synthetic models of the chromospheric and upper photospheric responses to flares are developed. The canonical model of chromospheric heating during flares as a result of primary energy release elsewhere is found to be justified in the chromosphere as a whole, although not entirely as the temperature minimum, and a simplified model of horizontal chromospheric flare structure based on results obtained is presented.

Canfield, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

SIR-B ocean-wave enhancement with fast Fourier transform techniques

Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-B) imagery is Fourier filtered to remove the estimated system-transfer function, reduce speckle noise, and produce ocean scenes with a gray scale that is proportional to wave height. The SIR-B system response to speckled scenes of uniform surfaces yields an estimate of the stationary wavenumber response of the imaging radar, modeled by the 15 even terms of an eighth-order two-dimensional polynomial. Speckle can also be used to estimate the dynamic wavenumber response of the system due to surface motion during the aperture synthesis period, modeled with a single adaptive parameter describing an exponential correlation along track. A Fourier filter can then be devised to correct for the wavenumber response of the remote sensor and scene correlation, with subsequent subtraction of an estimate of the speckle noise component. A linearized velocity bunching model, combined with a surface tilt and hydrodynamic model, is incorporated in the Fourier filter to derive estimates of wave height from the radar intensities corresponding to individual picture elements.

Tilley, David G.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Impact of Limited Degree of Freedom Drag Coefficients on a Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Simulation

The worldwide effort to design and commission floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT) is motivating the need for reliable numerical models that adequately represent their physical behavior under realistic sea states. However, properly representing the hydrodynamic quadratic damping for FOWT remains uncertain, because of its dependency on the choice of drag coefficients (dimensionless or not). It is hypothesized that the limited degree of freedom (DoF) drag coefficient formulation that uses only translational drag coefficients causes mischaracterization of the rotational DoF drag, leading to underestimation of FOWT global loads, such as tower base fore-aft shear. To address these hydrodynamic modeling uncertainties, different quadratic drag models implemented in the open-source mid-fidelity simulation tool, OpenFAST, were investigated and compared with the experimental data from the Offshore Code Comparison Collaboration, Continued, with Correlation (OC5) project. The tower base fore-aft shear and up-wave mooring line tension were compared under an irregular wave loading condition to demonstrate the effects of the different damping models. Two types of hydrodynamic quadratic drag formulations were considered: (1) member-based dimensionless drag coefficients applied only at the translational DoF (namely limited-DoF drag model) and (2) quadratic drag matrix model (in dimensional form). Based on the results, the former consistently underestimated the 95th percentile peak loads and spectral responses when compared to the OC5 experimental data. In contrast, the drag matrix models reduced errors in estimates of the tower base shear peak load by 7–10% compared to the limited-DoF drag model. The underestimation in the tower base fore-aft shear was thus inferred be related to mischaracterization of the rotational pitch drag and the heave motion/drag by the limited-DoF model.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Modeling Assessment of Tidal Energy Extraction in the Western Passage

Numerical models have been widely used for the resource characterization and assessment of tidal instream energy. The accurate assessment of tidal stream energy resources at a feasibility or project-design scale requires detailed hydrodynamic model simulations or high-quality field measurements. This study applied a three-dimensional finite-volume community ocean model (FVCOM) to simulate the tidal hydrodynamics in the Passamaquoddy–Cobscook Bay archipelago, with a focus on the Western Passage, to assist tidal energy resource assessment. IEC Technical specifications were considered in the model configurations and simulations. The model was calibrated and validated with field measurements. Energy fluxes and power densities along selected cross sections were calculated to evaluate the feasibility of the tidal energy development at several hotspots that feature strong currents. When taking both the high current speed and water depth into account, the model results showed that the Western Passage has great potential for the deployment of tidal energy farms. The maximum extractable power in the Western Passage was estimated using the Garrett and Cummins method. Different criteria and methods recommended by the IEC for resource characterization were evaluated and discussed using a sensitivity analysis of energy extraction for a hypothetical tidal turbine farm in the Western Passage.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

NASA NTRS2000

Modeling of Optoelectronic Devices

Ultrafast modulation of semiconductor quantum well (QW) laser is of technological importance for information technology. Improvement by order(s) of magnitude in data transfer rate is possible as terahertz (THz) radiation is available for heating the laser at picosecond time scale. Optical gain modulation in the QW is achieved via temperature modulation of electron-hole plasma (EHP). Applications include free-space THz communication, optical switching, and pulse generation. The EHP in the semiconductor QW is described with a two-band model. Semiconductor Bloch equations with many-body effects are used to derive a hydrodynamical model for the active QW region. Because of ultrafast carrier-carrier scatterings in the order of 50 fs, EHP follows quasiequilibrium Fermi-Dirac distributions and THz field interacts incoherently with it. Carrier-longitudinal optical (LO) phonon scatterings and coherent laser-EHP interaction are treated microscopically in our physical model. A set of hydrodynamical equations for plasma density, temperature, and laser envelop amplitude are derived and Runge-Kutta method is adopted for numerical simulation. A typical 8 nm GaAs/Al(0.3)Ga(0.7) As single QW at 300 K is used. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Li, Jian-Zhong↗

DOE OSTI2025

Optimal Uses of Magnetic Fields for Indirect-Drive Inertial Fusion

This project explored how applied magnetic fields can improve inertial confinement fusion (ICF), specifically the indirect-drive approach that uses a hohlraum. This has been proposed for several decades as potentially beneficial, due to thermal insulation (reduced losses) from the imploded hotspot. We performed the most advanced radiation-magneto-hydrodynamic modeling to date of magnetized ICF designs in the ignition regime. We found that adding technologically feasible fields up to 60 – 70 Tesla could increase the fusion yield of current igniting designs for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) by up to 8x. Also, simulations show that in certain cases relatively small fields of 3 – 5 Tesla could double the yield, and be implemented at much lower cost. Early work on re-optimizing NIF designs with magnetic fields, namely by using a thicker ablator with more mass remaining, could increase the yield of a sub-ignition target by 18x and bring it into the ignition regime. A separate benefit of magnetization besides reduced thermal loss is reduced hydrodynamic instability. Modeling work under this project shows this could be significant, though early experiments at NIF and the Omega Laser proved inconclusive. We designed and proposed an improved NIF experiment on magnetized mix, based on a large-amplitude imposed perturbation. The project also supported basic physics research into magnetized laser-plasma interactions, namely cross-beam energy transfer, both with experiments at Omega and theory / modeling.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS1982

Collapse models for dark interstellar clouds

Properties of self-consistent numerical hydrodynamic models are compared with observed properties of several dark clouds. The results are consistent with the view that these clouds are undergoing gravitational collapse. The clouds appear to have evolved from similar initial states and to have ages comparable to their free-fall times. Derived cloud masses range between 10 and 1000 solar masses, correlating with cloud size. The models reproduce observed cloud-to-cloud variations in the (C-13)O abundance, and they offer additional evidence that the (C-13)O abundance varies within individual clouds.

Villere, K. R.↗

DOE OSTI2026

A hybrid CNN-LSTM surrogate model for hyper-resolution spatiotemporal flood forecasting in Norfolk, Virginia

Study region: Norfolk, Virginia, United States Study focus: Accurate and timely flood forecasting is essential for enhancing resilience in coastal urban areas in the context of increasing frequency and intensity of rainfall, sea level rise and urbanization. This study presents a hybrid deep learning-based surrogate model that integrates Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to enable real-time spatiotemporal flood forecasting. The model leverages CNN to capture spatial features from inputs such as elevation and Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), while LSTM processes time-series inputs of rainfall and tide data to capture temporal features. New hydrologic insights for the region: The hybrid CNN-LSTM model was trained using the physics-based hydrodynamic model simulations obtained from the Two-dimensional Unsteady FLOW (TUFLOW) model for Norfolk, Virginia, and achieved high predictive accuracy across diverse flood-prone areas. The reduced computational time from four to six hours using TUFLOW to 3.2 min per event using CNN-LSTM enables rapid flood inundation mapping and early warning applications. The model effectively captured both spatial flood extents and their temporal evolution across different flooding scenarios, providing forecasts at a 2.5-m spatial resolution and 15-min temporal resolution and a one-hour-ahead prediction horizon. While challenges remain in terms of transferability to new regions and real-time data assimilation, this approach demonstrates strong potential for supporting operational flood risk management in coastal urban environments.

Coastal urban flooding↗

NASA NTRS1995

What is the source of observed annual variations in plasmaspheric density?

Plasmaspheric densities have been observed previously to be higher in December than in June, with the ratio varying between 1.5 and 3.0 and with larger variations at lower L shells. In order to search for the cause of the observed annual variations, we have modeled plasmaspheric density, using a time-dependent hydrodynamic model. On an L = 2 field line with geomagnetic longitude equal to 300 deg, the modeled plasmaspheric densities were a factor of 1.5 times higher in December than in June. The modeled December to June density ratio was found to increase slightly with L shell, in contrast to observations; this discrepancy may be due to the fact that outer plasmaspheric flux tubes are never completely full. In addition, for an L = 2 field line with geomagnetic longitude equal to 120 deg, the modeled plasmaspheric density was higher in June than in December by a factor of about 1.2. Various numerical tests were also performed in order to examine the sensitivity of plasmaspheric density to various parameters. In particular, a large vertical neutral wind was applied in order to raise the O(+) profile which had the effect of raising plasmaspheric density by a factor of 6. This in conjunction with a theoretical analysis suggests that plasmaspheric density levels are very sensitive to O(+) levels in the upper ionosphere. We conclude that annual variations in plasmaspheric density are due to similar variations in ionospheric O(+).

Guiter, S. M.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Plasmasphere Modeling with Ring Current Heating

Coulomb collisions between ring current ions and the thermal plasma in the plasmasphere will heat the plasmaspheric electrons and ions. During a storm such heating would lead to significant changes in the temperature and density of the thermal plasma. This was modeled using a time- dependent, one-stream hydrodynamic model for plasmaspheric flows, in which the model flux tube is connected to the ionosphere. The model simultaneously solves the coupled continuity, momentum, and energy equations of a two-ion (H(+) and O(+) quasineutral, currentless plasma. Heating rates due to collisions with ring current ions were calculated along the field line using a kinetic ring current model. First, diurnally reproducible results were found assuming only photoelectron heating of the thermal electrons. Then results were found with heating of the H(+) ions by the ring current during the recovery phase of a magnetic storm.

Guiter, S. M.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Development of an ab initio learned model of electron deposition range in deuterium-tritium plasmas through time-dependent density functional theory calculations and machine learning

Accurate hydrodynamic modeling for laser-direct-drive (LDD) inertial-confinement-fusion (ICF) relies on precise calculations of the electron thermal conduction in all target materials. The nonlocal stopping range of electrons in ICF plasmas directly influences thermal conduction; yet, no first principles model exists for the electron mean free path in the conduction-zone regime. This work utilized time-dependent stochastic density-functional theory (TD-sDFT) to calculate the electron stopping power in deuterium-tritium (DT) plasmas at (ρ, T) conditions relevant to the conduction zone and the compressed shell in ICF. Using a combination of our TD-sDFT data and already established analytical models, we developed and trained an artificial neural network to create a global model for the nonlocal electron deposition range, λ E . We compared our machine-learning (ML) based model for λ E to the currently-used modified-Lee-More model in LDD radiation-hydrodynamic codes, such as lilac, and saw an overall decrease in the deposition range. To understand the effects of λ E on LDD ICF implosion dynamics, we implemented the ML-based model into lilac; specifically, we looked at designs consistent with a current experiment on the OMEGA laser and for a newly designed LDD-ICF target for the future OMEGA-Next facility. In both cases, we saw an overall drop in predicted ablation pressure, peak areal density, and neutron yield due to the reduced thermal conduction (smaller λ E ) in DT plasmas. Comparisons with the experiment on OMEGA are also made.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS1990

A three-dimensional time-dependent model of the plasmasphere

A three-dimensional, time-dependent, nonlinear, hydrodynamic model of the plasmasphere has been developed which includes the self-consistent coupling of conjugate hemispheres within the plasmasphere as well as the effects of cross-L drifts due to convection electric fields. The inner region of the plasmasphere was modeled from an L of 1.5 to an L of 3.5 to 4.5, depending on local time. In this first study of the global plasmasphere, the model was run for solar minimum conditions until diurnally reproducible results were obtained, indicating that the plasmasphere was fully filled. The results of the model were then compared with applicable measurements of the plasmasphere. It was found that the model tends to overestimate densities somewhat, although it is within a factor of 2 of an average of June and December whistler observations. The model predicts densities within a factor of 2 of most of the satellite observations as well. As anticipated, the diurnal variation of the plasmasphere was found to depend on magnetic latitude. At low latitudes the diurnal variation in density was relatively small, with the largest densities occurring in the afternoon time sector. However, near the plasmapause, the effects of changes in volume of drifting tubes of plasma due to cross-L drifts led to a factor of 3 variation in equatorial density, with the highest densities occurring near local midnight where the volume was lowest. Various limitations of the current model and suggested improvements are also discussed.

Rasmussen, C. E.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Numerical modeling of the interstellar medium in galactic disks

We have been developing detailed hydrodynamic models of the global interstellar medium in the hope of understanding the mass and volume occupied by various phases, as well as their structure and kinematics. In our model, the gas is modeled by one fluid while representative Pop 1 stars are modeled by a second fluid. The two fluids are coupled in that the gas forms into stars at a rate given by a Schmidt law while stellar mass loss returns matter into the gas phase (on a time scale of 100 Myr). Also, the stars heat the gas through stellar winds and the gas cools through optically thin radiation. The time behavior of these two fluids is studied in two spatial dimensions with the Eulerian finite difference numerical hydrodynamic code Zen. The two spatial dimensions are along the plane of a disk (x, total length of 2 kpc) and perpendicular to the disk (z, total height of +/- 15 kpc) and a galactic gravitational field in the z direction, typical of that at the solar circle, is imposed upon the simulation; self-gravity and rotation are absent. For the boundary conditions, outflow is permitted at the top and bottom of the grid (z = +/- 15 kpc) while periodic boundary conditions are imposed upon left and right sides of the grid. As initial conditions, we assumed a gaseous distribution like that seen for the H1 by earlier researchers, although the results are insensitive to the initial conditions. We have run simulations in which the heating due to stars, parameterized as a stellar wind velocity, a, is varied from low (a = 150 km/s), to intermediate (a = 300 km/s), to high (a = 600 km/s). Since the intermediate case is roughly equivalent to the Galactic energy injection rate from supernovae, this summary will concentrate on results from this simulation.

Rosen, A.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Prestressed Concrete Poles Subjected to Wind, Surges, and Waves

Prestressed concrete (PC) poles are becoming popular choices to support coastal power transmission systems. However, the existing literature does not offer a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of PC poles in terms of long-term vulnerabilities and the direct and indirect costs. This is due to (1) lack of fragility models for PC poles and (2) lack of probabilistic wind, storm surge, and wave models in coastal settings. In this study, we address these gaps through a series of Monte Carlo simulations to estimate fragility of PC poles as a function of age and hazard (wind, surges, and waves) intensity, and the development of a probabilistic hazard model based on 10,000 years of synthetic tropical cyclone data. The probabilistic hazard model is used in conjunction with high-resolution hydrodynamic models to generate realizations of coastal wind, storm surges, and waves for the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts. A comprehensive life cycle cost analysis for a service life of 70 years considering direct and indirect losses is conducted to compare the performance of a transmission line located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, when wood poles are replaced by PC poles. Results showed that aging has a minor effect on the reliability of PC poles, highlighting the advantages of replacing wood poles with PC poles, especially in coastal areas. In addition, PC poles are significantly more cost-effective compared with wood poles over their life cycle, leading to an estimated saving of $11.55 million (68.17% reduction). The results of this study provide key insight to inform decision-making processes to keep the coastal power grids resilient and cost-effective against future storm hazards.

natural disasters↗

DOE OSTI2025

Ponderosa pine hydraulic stress predicts more extreme wildfire behavior under future conditions in Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

Background Live fuel moisture contributes to wildfire spread and reflects plant stress and physiological traits. The anticipated change in live fuel moisture under future conditions is likely non-linear, owing to physiological plant thresholds in water hydraulics. We constructed a mechanistic model of live fuel moisture’s response to water stress to understand the impact of future climate on live fuel moisture. We first gathered data on plant physiology and live fuel moisture for Pinus ponderosa at Bandelier National Monument, NM, USA, and modeled their relationship. We then parameterized a mechanistic plant hydrodynamics model (FATES-HYDRO) to simulate changes in plant stress and a statistical model to simulate the resulting impact on live fuel moisture. We then simulated FATES-HYDRO under future climate anomalies (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5: 2080–2100) to understand the change in plant stress and estimate its impact on live fuel moisture. Results We found that the number of days below crucial thresholds of live fuel moisture (100% and 79%) increased from contemporary levels (< 100%: 72 days, < 79%: 1.4 days) under SSP2-4.5 (< 100%: 185 days, < 79%: 10.2 day) and increased exponentially under SSP5-8.5 (< 100%: 215 days, < 79%: 65 days). We found that gross primary productivity decreased under both future climate scenarios (contemporary: 336 g C m −2 , SSP2-4.5: 203 g C m −2 , SSP5-8.5: 243 g C m −2 ); however, spring productivity increased under SSP5-8.5, potentially altering fuel loading. We additionally see a potentially lethal loss of conductivity in hydraulic P. ponderosa under SSP5-8.5. Conclusions The overall increase in plant water stress (as represented by loss of hydraulic conductivity and leaf water potential) and lower live fuel moisture appear to be driven by reduced precipitation during late summer monsoons typical of the region, extending the fire season later in the year. We predict increasing variability in the P. ponderosa wildfire regime under both climate projections driven by changing productivity, rising mortality, and an overall decrease in live fuel moisture.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗