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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Non-Ionizing Millimeter Waves Non-Thermal Radiation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae—Insights and Interactions

Non-ionizing millimeter-waves (MMW) interact with cells in a variety of ways. Here the inhibited cell division effect was investigated using 85–105 GHz MMW irradiation within the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) non-thermal 20 mW/cm 2 safety standards. Irradiation using a power density of about 1.0 mW/cm 2 SAR over 5–6 h on 50 cells/μL samples of Saccharomyces cerevisiae model organism resulted in 62% growth rate reduction compared to the control (sham). The effect was specific for 85–105 GHz range and was energy- and cell density-dependent. Irradiation of wild type and Δrad52 (DNA damage repair gene) deleted cells presented no differences of colony growth profiles indicating non-thermal MMW treatment does not cause permanent genetic alterations. Dose versus response relations studied using a standard horn antenna (~1.0 mW/cm 2 ) and compared to that of a compact waveguide (17.17 mW/cm 2 ) for increased power delivery resulted in complete termination of cell division via non-thermal processes supported by temperature rise measurements. We have shown that non-thermal MMW radiation has potential for future use in treatment of yeast related diseases and other targeted biomedical outcomes.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Towards a Counting Point Detector for Nanosecond Coherent X-ray Science

We present the technical realization of a high-speed hard X-ray single-photon counting-detection scheme based on a commercial avalanche silicon photodiode and high-speed oscilloscope. The development is motivated by the need to perform pulse-resolved photon-correlation and pump-probe studies at synchrotron sources with densely packed pulse patterns that result in high repetition rate pulses on the order of hundreds of MHz. Commissioning experiments are performed at the 1C PAL-KRISS beamline at PLS-II of South Korea operating at a burst mode maximum repetition rate of 500 MHz. In such a high count-rate measurement, detector dead-time can lead to a distortion of counting statistics. We are able to model the counting behavior of our detector under these conditions with a detector dead-time comparable to time between X-ray pulses, implying that nanosecond X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy should be possible at diffraction-limited light sources.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Comprehensive Review of Practical Issues for Interoperability Using the Common Information Model in Smart Grids

Smart grids with interoperability improve grid reliability by collecting system information and transferring it to an energy management system and associated applications through a seamless end-to-end connection. To achieve interoperability, it is required to exchange the semantic information within the different domains. The international electrotechnical commission has established the Common Information Model (CIM) tool, which is a standard application programming interface for the exchange of semantic information in power systems. CIM provides a robust framework for accurate data sharing, merging, and transformation into reusable information. However, as CIM provides a basic framework for information exchange, various practical issues arise in establishing an energy management system capable of exchanging information using CIM. This paper aims to offer a comprehensive understanding by summarizing and categorizing the research on the practical use of CIM for interoperability in smart grids. Many papers are analyzed and the issues are classified into CIM extension, harmonization, and validation to address the issues that arise when establishing an integrated information exchange system.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Laboratory Validation of Integrated Lighting Systems Retrofit Performance and Energy Savings

Light-emitting diodes (LED) fixtures and lamps have emerged as leading technologies for general illumination and are a well-established energy efficiency retrofit measure in commercial buildings (from around 2% of installed fixtures and lamps in 2013 to 28% by 2020). Retrofit approaches that integrate elements, such as networked controls, daylight dimming, and advanced shade technologies lag in comparison. Integrated retrofits have been shown to increase savings over single end-use retrofits, but are perceived as higher complexity and risk. More validation of integrated lighting system performance is needed. This study presents results from laboratory testing of three packages combining fixtures, networked controls, task tuning, and daylight dimming, advanced shades, and lighting layout changes. We characterize performance in perimeter open-office zones, finding energy savings from 20% for daylight dimming and automated shades (no LED retrofit) to over 70% for LED retrofits with advanced controls and shades or lighting layout changes. We present some implementation details, including lessons learned from installation and commissioning in the laboratory setting. We also discuss cost-benefit analysis approaches for the types of packages presented, including the need to quantify and incorporate energy and non-energy benefits for advanced shades packages, which enhance occupant comfort but add significant cost.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

Understanding the Environmental Study Life Cycle in the United States Hydropower Licensing and Federal Authorization Process

We analyzed United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) documents prepared for 29 recently licensed hydropower projects and created two novel datasets to improve understanding of the environmental study life cycle, defined here as the process that begins with an environmental study being requested by a hydropower stakeholder or regulator, and ends with the study either being rejected or approved/conducted. Our two datasets consisted of summaries of information taken from (1), study determination letters prepared by FERC for 23 projects that were using the integrated licensing process, and (2), environmental study submittals and issuances tracked and attributed to seven projects using the FERC record. Our objective was to use the two resulting environmental life cycle datasets to understand which types of environmental studies are approved, rejected, and implemented during FERC licensing, and how consistently those types of studies are required across multiple hydropower projects. We matched the requested studies to a set of 61 river function indicators in eight categories and found that studies related to the category of biota and biodiversity were requested most often across all 29 projects. Within that category, studies related to river function indicators of presence, absence, detection of species and habitat/critical habitat were the most important to stakeholders, based on the relative number of studies requested. The study approval, rejection, and request rates were similar within each dataset, although the 23 projects with study determination letters had many rejected studies, whereas the dataset created from the seven projects had very few rejected studies.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integrated Transmission and Distribution Co-Simulation Platform for Demonstration of Bulk Grid Services Using Distributed Energy Resources

In September 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released Order 2222, which opens wholesale markets to small-capacity distributed energy resources (DERs), recognizing their potential in improving operational efficiency by providing bulk grid services. Therefore, a co-simulation capability that can connect transmission and distribution (T&D) simulations and evaluate the impacts of DER provision of bulk grid services is needed. In this paper, we present a new integrated T&D co-simulation platform that incorporates T&D system simulators, DER aggregator/group strategies, and a co-simulation coordinator. Industry-standard communication protocols are employed to mimic real-world conditions. Secondary frequency regulation is selected as the representative bulk grid service, and we simulate the responses of DERs to the frequency regulation signals. The simulation results for a solar-rich distribution feeder in Colorado, USA, demonstrate how the T&D co-simulation setup is used to evaluate the contributions of DERs to minimize the bulk grid frequency deviation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Model Quality and Measurement Density Impact on Volt/Volt Ampere Reactive Optimization Performance

The operation of the utility grid is being reshaped by the continuous addition of distributed energy resources and advanced metering infrastructure, which challenge existing grid control strategies. Some utilities deploy advanced distribution management systems (ADMS) to assist with the consolidation of various applications and to augment situational awareness in response to the new power delivery dynamics. An ADMS is an integrated software platform that provides utilities with a way to enhance their reliability, control, and optimization with advanced applications, such as volt/VAR optimization (VVO). A VVO application could serve as a vehicle to deliver cost savings by providing the utility with a method to reduce rates by controlling the voltage and decreasing the energy usage in their service territory. Some utilities are reluctant to integrate an ADMS, because it is a significant investment that requires approval from the public regulatory commission and/or their customers. This paper evaluates the impact on VVO performance when using a lower-quality network model supplemented with additional measurements, which could provide an implementation for cost savings. The results show that a better model quality would provide the highest energy savings; however, some level of telemetry is necessary in all scenarios to prevent voltage exceedances.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spatiotemporal Downscaling Model for Solar Irradiance Forecast Using Nearest-Neighbor Random Forest and Gaussian Process

Accurate solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity estimation requires high-resolution, site-specific solar irradiance data to account for localized variability. However, global datasets, such as the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB), provide regional averages that fail to capture the fine-scale fluctuations critical for large-scale grid integration. This limitation is particularly relevant in the context of increasing distributed energy resources (DERs) penetration, such as rooftop PV. Additionally, it is critical to the implementation of the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order 2222, which facilitates DER participation in U.S. bulk power markets. To address this challenge, this study evaluates Nearest-Neighbor Random Forest (NNRF) and Nearest-Neighbor Gaussian Process (NNGP) models for spatiotemporal downscaling of global solar irradiance data. By leveraging historical irradiance and meteorological data, these models incorporate spatial, temporal, and feature-based correlations to enhance local irradiance predictions. The NNRF model, a machine-learning approach, prioritizes computational efficiency and predictive accuracy, while the NNGP model offers a level of interpretability and prediction uncertainty by numerically quantifying correlations and dependencies in the data. Model validation was conducted using day-ahead predictions. The results showed that the average Goodness of Fit (GoF) of the NNRF model of 90.61% across all eight sites outperformed the GoF of the NNGP of 85.88%. Additionally, the computational speed of NNRF was 2.5 times faster than the NNGP. Finally, the NNGP displayed polynomial scaling while the NNRF scaled linearly with increasing number of nearest neighbors. Additional validation of the model on five sites in Puerto Rico further confirmed the superiority of the NNRF model over the NNGP model. These findings highlight the robustness and computational efficiency of NNRF for large-scale solar irradiance downscaling, making it a strong candidate for improving PV capacity estimation and real-time electricity market integration for DERs.

Asiedu, Shadrack (ORCID:0009000646004826)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Virtual Diagnostic Suite for Electron Beam Prediction and Control at FACET-II

We discuss the implementation of a suite of virtual diagnostics at the FACET-II facility currently under commissioning at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The diagnostics will be used for the prediction of the longitudinal phase space along the linac, spectral reconstruction of the bunch profile, and non-destructive inference of transverse beam quality (emittance) while using edge radiation at the injector dogleg and bunch compressor locations. These measurements will be folded into adaptive feedbacks and Machine Learning (ML)-based reinforcement learning controls to improve the stability and optimize the performance of the machine for different experimental configurations. In this paper we describe each of these diagnostics with expected measurement results that are based on simulation data and discuss progress towards implementation in regular operations.

Emma, Claudio (ORCID:0000000247191831)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Operation of a Modular 3D-Pixelated Liquid Argon Time-Projection Chamber in a Neutrino Beam

The 2x2 Demonstrator, a prototype for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) liquid argon (LAr) Near Detector, was exposed to the Neutrinos from the Main Injector (NuMI) neutrino beam at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). This detector is a prototype of a new modular design for a liquid argon time-projection chamber (LArTPC), comprising a two-by-two array of four modules, each further segmented into two optically isolated LArTPCs. The 2x2 Demonstrator features a number of pioneering technologies, including a low-profile resistive field shell to establish drift fields, native 3D ionization pixelated imaging, and a high-coverage dielectric light readout system. The 2.4-tonne active mass detector is flanked upstream and downstream by supplemental solid-scintillator tracking planes, repurposed from the MINERvA experiment, which track ionizing particles exiting the argon volume. The antineutrino beam data collected by the detector over a 4.5 day period in 2024 include over 30,000 neutrino interactions in the LAr active volume—the first neutrino interactions reported by a DUNE detector prototype. During its physics-quality run, the 2x2 Demonstrator operated at a nominal drift field of 500 V/cm and maintained good LAr purity, with a stable electron lifetime of approximately 1.25 ms. This paper describes the detector and supporting systems, summarizes the installation and commissioning, and presents the initial validation of collected NuMI beam and off-beam self-triggers. In addition, it highlights observed interactions in the detector volume, including candidate muon antineutrino events.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Heat Diffusion in High-Cp Nb3Sn Composite Superconducting Wires

A major focus of Nb3Sn accelerator magnets is on significantly reducing or eliminating their training. Demonstration of an approach to increase the Cp of Nb3Sn magnets using new materials and technologies is very important both for particle accelerators and light sources. It would improve thermal stability and lead to much shorter magnet training, with substantial savings in machines’ commissioning costs. Both Hypertech and Bruker-OST have attempted to introduce high-Cp elements in their wire design. This paper includes a description of these advanced wires, the finite element model of their heat diffusion properties as compared with the standard wires, and whenever available, a comparison between the minimum quench energy (MQE) calculated by the model and actual MQE measurements on wires.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Improving Cathode Testing with a High-Gradient Cryogenic Normal Conducting RF Photogun

Future electron accelerator applications such as X-ray free electron lasers and colliders are dependent on significantly increasing beam brightness. With the observation that linac beam manipulation’s best preservation of max brightness is at the cathode, we are incentivized to create an environment where we can study how to achieve the highest possible photogun brightness. In order to do so, we intend to extract beams from high-brightness photocathodes with the highest achievable accelerating gradients we can manage in a klystron-powered radiofrequency (RF) photogun. We utilize here cryogenic normal conducting cavities to achieve ultra-high gradients via limitation of breakdown rates (BDR). The low temperatures should also reduce cathode emittance by reducing the mean transverse energy (MTE) of electrons near the photoemission threshold. To this end, we have designed and produced a new CrYogenic Brightness-Optimized Radiofrequency Gun (CYBORG) for use in a new beamline at UCLA. We will introduce the enabling RF and photoemission physics as a primer for the new regime of high field low temperature cathodes we intend to enter. We further report the current status of the beamline commissioning, including the cooling of the photogun to 100 K, and producing 0.5 MW of RF feed power, which corresponds to cathode accelerating fields in the range of 80–90 MV/m. We further plan iterative improvements to both to 77 K and 1 MW corresponding to our ultimate goal >120 MV/m. Our discussion will include future beamline tests and the consideration of the initial realization of an ultra-high-gradient photoinjector concept.

Lawler, Gerard Emile (ORCID:0000000160113435)↗
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 OSTI2024

Validation of the SCALE/Polaris–PARCS Code Procedure With the ENDF/B-VII.1 AMPX 56-Group Library: Boiling Water Reactor

The SCALE/Polaris–PARCS code procedure has been used in the confirmatory analysis for boiling water reactors by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In this study, the SCALE/Polaris v6.3.0–PARCS v3.4.2 code procedure with the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)/B-VII.1 AMPX 56-group library was validated by comparing the simulated results with the measured data for operating boiling water reactors, including Peach Bottom Unit 2 cycles 1–3, Hatch Unit 1 cycles 1–3, and Quad Cities Unit 1 cycles 1–3. The uncertainties and biases of the SCALE/Polaris–PARCS code package for boiling water reactor physics analysis were evaluated in the validation for key nuclear parameters such as reactivity and traversing in-core probe data.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

ICARUS at the Short-Baseline Neutrino Program: First Results

The ICARUS collaboration employed the 760-ton T600 detector in a successful three-year physics run at the underground LNGS laboratory. In 2021, ICARUS started its new operation at Fermilab, collecting a substantial amount of neutrino events from the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) and the neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam off-axis. These were used to test the ICARUS event selection, reconstruction, and analysis algorithms. ICARUS successfully completed its commissioning phase in June 2022, moving then to data taking for neutrino oscillation physics, aiming at first to either confirm or refute the claim by the Neutrino-4 short-baseline reactor experiment. ICARUS will also perform measurements of neutrino cross sections in LAr with the NuMI beam and several Beyond Standard Model studies. After the first year of operations, ICARUS will search for evidence of sterile neutrinos jointly with the Short-Baseline Near Detector, within the Short-Baseline Neutrino program. In this work, preliminary results from the ICARUS data with the BNB and NuMI beams are presented, both in terms of the performance of all ICARUS subsystems and the capability to select and reconstruct neutrino events.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Modeling the First Hydrogen Direct Reduction Pilot Reactor for Ironmaking in the USA Using Finite Element Analysis and Its Validation Using Pilot Plant Trial Data

Direct reduction of hematite pellets with hydrogen (H 2 ) was used to produce directly reduced iron (DRI) in a pilot scale reactor at a pellet feed rate of 21.4 kg/h. At a steady state, operational parameters of the pilot plant (gas recycling rate and inlet temperature) along with key reactor output parameters, the pellet metallization, and the internal temperature profile of the reactor were reported for two scenarios with high recycle and low recycle rate of H 2 . Scenario 1, with a high recycle rate of 400 L/min H 2 along with external heating of 870 °C, gave an average metallization of 91.8%, while Scenario 2, with low recycle rate of 100 L/min H 2 and external heating of 850 °C gave a metallization of 67.8% due to the higher moles of H 2 available for reduction and the external energy required for the endothermic reduction reaction in Scenario 1 as compared with Scenario 2. Finite element analysis was used to build a model of the shaft reactor, which was validated against the metallization and internal temperature profile data. The average metallization values predicted by the model were very close to the metallization values obtained from the pilot plant samples, with 90.9% average metallization for Scenario 1 and 65.6% average metallization for Scenario 2. The internal temperature profiles in the lower region of the reactor obtained from the model were very close to these pilot plant data, with a maximum difference of 52.7 °C and 67.6 °C for Scenarios 1 and 2, respectively. The pilot plant reactor model was used extensively in the commissioning of the pilot plant and to predict the startup outcomes for a given set of operating parameters.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2026

Improvements in the Sample Space for the Backscattering Silicon Spectrometer (BASIS)

The increase in neutron flux at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), currently operating at 2.0 MW proton beam power, has created new opportunities for higher-throughput neutron scattering experiments while also increasing the importance of minimizing background scattering and optimizing sample-environment operations. To address these challenges on the Backscattering Silicon Spectrometer (BA-SIS), several upgrades were developed and evaluated, including boron carbide (B₄C) masking for flat-plate sample containers, multi-cell sample holders used with a vertically translating sample stick, and an automated helium pump and purge (HPP) system for closed-cycle refrigerators. Neutron diffraction measurements demonstrate that B₄C masks reduce background scattering by 49–67%, outperforming both borated aluminum and boron nitride masks while introducing no additional Bragg reflections within the instrument’s accessible Q-range. Commissioning tests of a double-cell flat-plate sample contain-er showed no measurable crosstalk between adjacent sample compartments and con-firmed stable thermal performance, enabling multiple samples to be measured without re-peated temperature cycling. In addition, the automated HPP system provided reproducible sample-space gas handling with approximately ±1 mbar precision while reducing the need for operator intervention and supporting remote operation. Together, these developments improve signal-to-noise performance, increase experimental throughput, and enhance operational efficiency at BASIS, supporting the instrument’s continued operation under higher neutron flux conditions.

Jalarvo, Niina [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000306446866)↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Search for μ+ → e+γ with 10–14 Sensitivity: The Upgrade of the MEG Experiment

The MEG experiment took data at the Paul Scherrer Institute in the years 2009–2013 to test the violation of the lepton flavor conservation law, which originates from an accidental symmetry that the Standard Model of elementary particle physics has, and published the most stringent limit on the charged lepton flavor violating decay μ+→e+γ: BR(μ+→e+γ) <4.2×10−13 at 90% confidence level. The MEG detector has been upgraded in order to reach a sensitivity of 6×10−14. The basic principle of MEG II is to achieve the highest possible sensitivity using the full muon beam intensity at the Paul Scherrer Institute (7×107 muons/s) with an upgraded detector. The main improvements are better rate capability of all sub-detectors and improved resolutions while keeping the same detector concept. In this paper, we present the current status of the preparation, integration and commissioning of the MEG II detector in the recent engineering runs.

physics beyond the Standard Model↗

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