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At least 199 records · Page 11

High performance flight computer developed for deep space applications

The development of an advanced space flight computer for real time embedded deep space applications which embodies the lessons learned on Galileo and modern computer technology is described. The requirements are listed and the design implementation that meets those requirements is described. The development of SPACE-16 (Spaceborne Advanced Computing Engine) (where 16 designates the databus width) was initiated to support the MM2 (Marine Mark 2) project. The computer is based on a radiation hardened emulation of a modern 32 bit microprocessor and its family of support devices including a high performance floating point accelerator. Additional custom devices which include a coprocessor to improve input/output capabilities, a memory interface chip, and an additional support chip that provide management of all fault tolerant features, are described. Detailed supporting analyses and rationale which justifies specific design and architectural decisions are provided. The six chip types were designed and fabricated. Testing and evaluation of a brass/board was initiated.

Bunker, Robert L.↗

A Play-Based Exploration of CO 2 Storage in the Illinois Basin: Development and Application of the Play-Based Exploration Workflow

This report documents the workflow developed and applied for a play-based exploration (PBE) of carbon capture and storage (CCS) potential in the Illinois Basin, conducted under U.S. Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement DE-FE0032366. The project was led by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in collaboration with Visage Energy. The goal of this workflow is to identify locations where subsurface, surface, and societal conditions align to support safe and effective geologic CO 2 storage. To achieve this, the project team developed a systematic, seven-step workflow for conducting play-based exploration: (1) defining play elements, (2) collecting data, (3) constructing a geodatabase, (4) defining suitability criteria, (5) conducting suitability mapping, (6) generating Common Risk Segment (CRS) maps, and (7) creating composite play maps. The workflow is designed to be repeatable and adaptable for CCS assessments in other regions or for alternative subsurface energy applications such as hydrogen or natural gas storage.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

NASA GPU Hackathon Yields Significant Code Improvements

The NASA GPU Hackathon 2020 brought together application developers and computer experts to help get important NASA applications running effectively on graphics processing unit (GPU) nodes. Nine teams of application developers participated in this virtual event, a major impetus for teams to modernize codes of interest for NASA missions to CPU nodes containing GPU accelerators, with a focus on hands-on problem solving. The photo in Figure1 shows 30 of the more than50 participants. The HECC project and NVIDIA jointly organized the event, and HECC provided five Pleiades nodes each with 4 V100 GPUs for teams to use. The virtual event, which took place over four days from September 28–October 7, 2020, used Microsoft Teams and Slack as collaboration tools. Each team consisted of three to six members from NASA Centers and supporting organizations. The teams were paired with one to two mentors from industry, government, and academia. The experience levels of the teams ranged from being GPU novices to advanced CUDA programming experts. OpenACC and the emerging Kokkos API were used in addition to CUDA for GPU programming. During the event, which focused on accelerating AeroSciences and CFD applications, most teams achieved considerable performance improvements on both GPUs and CPUs. For example, a team with no GPU experience completed a first port of a time-critical loop to a GPU. Another team of expert CUDA programmers were able to restructure their algorithm, yielding a factor of five speed-up. And another team sped up some of their CUDA kernels by a factor of 20, which directly translated into their production code. This article highlights some of the many successes resulting from the event.

HECC↗

Review of WEC-Sim development and applications

WEC-Sim (Wave Energy Converter Simulator) is an open-source code for simulating wave energy converters, which has been actively developed and applied to simulate a wide variety of device archetypes, and has become a popular tool since its release. This paper reviewed the development efforts and the usage of WEC-Sim. The publications considered in this study have been broken down into six topic areas, namely feature development, experimental validation, device modeling, control modeling, PTO and grid modeling, and novel applications, which even includes some non-wave energy applications. This review paper has also attempted to recognize the contributions of the broader WEC-Sim development effort, meaning not only the internal WEC-Sim development team but also the external efforts from the academia researchers and technology developers around the world. The growing trend of external applications of WEC-Sim has demonstrated the broader acceptance of the open-source code, and how WEC-Sim has been used in a certain topic area also highlights the potential future development needs.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Investigation, development and application of optimal output feedback theory. Vol. 4: Measures of eigenvalue/eigenvector sensitivity to system parameters and unmodeled dynamics

Some measures of eigenvalue and eigenvector sensitivity applicable to both continuous and discrete linear systems are developed and investigated. An infinite series representation is developed for the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a system. The coefficients of the series are coupled, but can be obtained recursively using a nonlinear coupled vector difference equation. A new sensitivity measure is developed by considering the effects of unmodeled dynamics. It is shown that the sensitivity is high when any unmodeled eigenvalue is near a modeled eigenvalue. Using a simple example where the sensor dynamics have been neglected, it is shown that high feedback gains produce high eigenvalue/eigenvector sensitivity. The smallest singular value of the return difference is shown not to reflect eigenvalue sensitivity since it increases with the feedback gains. Using an upper bound obtained from the infinite series, a procedure to evaluate whether the sensitivity to parameter variations is within given acceptable bounds is developed and demonstrated by an example.

Halyo, Nesim↗

Development and applications of tunable, narrow band lasers and stimulated Raman scattering devices for atmospheric lidar

The main thrust of the program was the study of stimulated Raman processes for application to atmospheric lidar measurements. This has involved the development of tunable lasers, the detailed study of stimulated Raman scattering, and the use of the Raman-shifted light for new measurements of molecular line strengths and line widths. The principal spectral region explored in this work was the visible and near-IR wavelengths between 500 nm and 1.5 microns. Recent alexandrite ring laser experiments are reported. The experiments involved diode injection-locking, Raman shifting, and frequency-doubling. The experiments succeeded in producing tunable light at 577 and 937 nm with line widths in the range 80-160 MHz.

Wilkerson, Thomas D.↗

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF RISK ANALYSIS TOOLKIT FOR PLANT RESOURCE OPTIMIZATION

This paper presents the development of methods and tools that are being designed to optimize plant operations (e.g., maintenance/replacement schedules and optimal maintenance postures for plant components) in a manner that is more cost effective than current approaches and makes better use of available component health and cost data. These methods include both data- and model-based optimization methods. Model-based optimization methods directly include reliability and cost models to determine an optimal plant operational strategy. We consider gradient-based and evolutionary (based on genetic algorithms) optimization methods. The second class of methods target more specific use cases (e.g., project schedule optimization) and are not based on reliability models directly, but they require specific component reliability and cost data. This class of methods is based on variants of the knapsack problem with an aim to determine an optimal project schedule that maximizes the overall NPV. This paper also presents multi-objective methods designed to identify an optimal maintenance posture based on a Pareto frontier analysis. Rather than dictating the “right” tradeoff (i.e., identify the absolute best posture), we show how it is possible to perform a trade space exploration approach (i.e., identify value and costs of several postures and let the analysis account for desired value and cost metrics). This is performed by identifying maintenance postures that maximize value (e.g., system availability) and minimize operational costs, i.e., the Pareto frontier in a value-cost trade space. For all these methods we present detailed applicative examples that show their validity from a decision-making perspective.

97 - MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

SAM Two-Phase Flow Model Development and Applications for Operational Transients in Advanced Reactors

As advanced nuclear technologies continue to develop, the need for the flexible operation and generation of these advanced reactors becomes necessary to maximize economic potential. As large-scale experiments are not always feasible, modeling and simulations of advanced reactors play a crucial role in design optimization and analysis. The SAM (System Analysis Module) code developed at Argonne National Laboratory is a state-of-the-art system-level thermal-hydraulic code aimed at simulating advanced reactor systems. Recent code developments have implemented two-phase flow modeling using the homogeneous equilibrium model, and a new steam generator component has been developed to utilize the two-phase flow implementation. In addition to verification tests, a load-following simulation was performed to model a realistic load-following transient in a proposed integrated system consisting of a conceptual advanced reactor known as the Advanced Burner Test Reactor (ABTR) and thermal energy storage (TES) tanks. The integrated system model uses two large TES tanks designed for sodium and a model helical coil steam generator to simulate the operational load-following transient. The flow rates of the feedwater and secondary loops are regulated to meet a prescribed steam generator load consistent with the electricity demand over a 24-h period. In conclusion, the results found the ABTR system was able to maintain stable reactor conditions and primary- and secondary-side characteristics over the course of the load-following transient.

Advanced Burner Test Reactor (ABTR)↗

Development and applications of optical interferometric micrometrology in the angstrom and subangstrom range

The recent development of the scanning electron tunneling microscope and the atomic force microscope requires absolute standards for measurements in the angstrom and subangstrom range. Optical interferometry with lasers and multiple mode laser resonances can provide absolute measurements as the laser wavelengths are very accurately known. A key feature of such measurements is the use of piezoelectric crystals as translators of the highest accuracy for very small disturbances. However, the dimensional changes of these crystals resulting from electrical potential changes depend on many variables, among them the method of mounting, so that accurate calibrations are necessary. Starting from advances in optical metrology made by physicists trying to find gravity waves, advances which led to measurements down to 10 to the -5 A, the author designed and built a much simpler system for the angstrom range. The major limiting factors were mechanical vibrations, air currents, thermal changes and laser instabilities.

Lauer, James L.↗

Ice surface temperature retrieval from AVHRR, ATSR, and passive microwave satellite data: Algorithm development and application

During the second phase project year we have made progress in the development and refinement of surface temperature retrieval algorithms and in product generation. More specifically, we have accomplished the following: (1) acquired a new advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) data set for the Beaufort Sea area spanning an entire year; (2) acquired additional along-track scanning radiometer(ATSR) data for the Arctic and Antarctic now totalling over eight months; (3) refined our AVHRR Arctic and Antarctic ice surface temperature (IST) retrieval algorithm, including work specific to Greenland; (4) developed ATSR retrieval algorithms for the Arctic and Antarctic, including work specific to Greenland; (5) developed cloud masking procedures for both AVHRR and ATSR; (6) generated a two-week bi-polar global area coverage (GAC) set of composite images from which IST is being estimated; (7) investigated the effects of clouds and the atmosphere on passive microwave 'surface' temperature retrieval algorithms; and (8) generated surface temperatures for the Beaufort Sea data set, both from AVHRR and special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I).

Key, Jeff↗

Development and Application of Agglomerated Multigrid Methods for Complex Geometries

We report progress in the development of agglomerated multigrid techniques for fully un- structured grids in three dimensions, building upon two previous studies focused on efficiently solving a model diffusion equation. We demonstrate a robust fully-coarsened agglomerated multigrid technique for 3D complex geometries, incorporating the following key developments: consistent and stable coarse-grid discretizations, a hierarchical agglomeration scheme, and line-agglomeration/relaxation using prismatic-cell discretizations in the highly-stretched grid regions. A signi cant speed-up in computer time is demonstrated for a model diffusion problem, the Euler equations, and the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for 3D realistic complex geometries.

Nishikawa, Hiroaki↗

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF BENCHMARK EXAMPLES FOR MIXED-MODE I/II FATIGUE GROWTH PREDICTIONS

The development of benchmark examples for assessing growth prediction capabilities is presented and demonstrated for a commercial code. The examples are based on finite element models of Mixed-Mode Bending (MMB) specimens for three different mode ratios. The examples are independent of the analysis software used and allow the assessment of the automated delamination propagation, onset and growth prediction capabilities in commercial finite element codes based on the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT). First, based on existing results for delamination propagation under static loading, new benchmark examples for delamination growth under fatigue loading were created. Second, starting from an initially straight front, the delamination was allowed to grow under fatigue loading. The number of cycles to delamination onset and the number of cycles during delamination growth for each growth increment were obtained from the automated analysis and compared to the benchmark examples. Good agreement between the results obtained from the growth analysis and the benchmark results could be achieved by selecting the appropriate input parameters. The benchmarking procedure proved valuable by highlighting the issues associated with choosing the input parameters of the particular implementation. Overall the results from automatic propagation are encouraging, however, selecting the appropriate input parameters was not straightforward and often required an iterative procedure.

Composites↗

Grid Application and Controls Development for Medium-Voltage SiC-Based Grid Interconnects

This paper studies, the grid-interconnection requirements of directly connected medium-voltage (MV) Silicon Carbide-based (SiC-based) converters and details the necessary control implementations. These power electronic converters follow the interconnection standard IEEE 1547-2018, but can also have additional controls supported by the microgrid standards in IEEE 2030.7, which is demonstrated in this work. Additionally, this paper defines the grid applications realized by these directly connected medium-voltage power electronic converters at the distribution scale and demonstrates results. The controls for the studied grid applications are then developed and implemented on the controller. The paper also includes details of the control algorithm development and validations of the control algorithm through hardware-in-the-loop results.

28 EE - Advanced Manufacturing Office (EE-5A)↗

The FLUKA code for space applications: recent developments

The FLUKA Monte Carlo transport code is widely used for fundamental research, radioprotection and dosimetry, hybrid nuclear energy system and cosmic ray calculations. The validity of its physical models has been benchmarked against a variety of experimental data over a wide range of energies, ranging from accelerator data to cosmic ray showers in the earth atmosphere. The code is presently undergoing several developments in order to better fit the needs of space applications. The generation of particle spectra according to up-to-date cosmic ray data as well as the effect of the solar and geomagnetic modulation have been implemented and already successfully applied to a variety of problems. The implementation of suitable models for heavy ion nuclear interactions has reached an operational stage. At medium/high energy FLUKA is using the DPMJET model. The major task of incorporating heavy ion interactions from a few GeV/n down to the threshold for inelastic collisions is also progressing and promising results have been obtained using a modified version of the RQMD-2.4 code. This interim solution is now fully operational, while waiting for the development of new models based on the FLUKA hadron-nucleus interaction code, a newly developed QMD code, and the implementation of the Boltzmann master equation theory for low energy ion interactions. c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-NASA Center↗

Development and Application of High-Fidelity Models for Heterogeneous CO2 Frost Formation

Carbon America has developed a cryogenic carbon capture technology ("FrostCC") that separates CO2 from point source emissions by solidifying it at cold temperatures through preferential desublimation. Cooling is achieved through a series of interlinked compression, heat exchange, and expansion operations. In the current system, frosting of CO2 happens in heat exchangers, followed by CO2 recovery in a separate extraction step. In this work, multiphysics computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are developed and validated for compressible and low Mach flows to simulate the formation of solid CO2 in flue gas flowing in a heat exchanger geometry. The models track the mass transfer rate of CO2 from gas phase to solid phase, heat released from desublimation, and the evolution of the solid CO2 layer. Simulations are used to answer scientific questions related to the angle of heat exchanger pipes, where buoyancy effects from flow velocity and pipe orientation influence CO2 frosting. Results show that upwardly angled pipes produce notably different flow structures compared to horizontal or vertical configurations, and that carbon capture efficiency correlates with buoyancy effects for pipe angles within plus or minus 23 degrees of horizontal.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

EVAL mission requirements, phase 1

The aspects of NASA's applications mission were enhanced by utilization of shuttle/spacelab, and payload groupings which optimize the cost of achieving the mission goals were defined. Preliminary Earth Viewing Application Laboratory (EVAL) missions, experiments, sensors, and sensor groupings were developed. The major technological EVAL themes and objectives which NASA will be addressing during the 1980 to 2,000 time period were investigated. Missions/experiments which addressed technique development, sensor development, application development, and/or operational data collection were considered as valid roles for EVAL flights.

Source record↗