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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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At least 289 records · Page 16

Experimental Setup and Learning-Based AI Model for Developing Accurate PV Inverter Models

The integration of power electronics-based interfaces presents challenges due to the absence of detailed models and the high computational complexity. Generic models used in system studies lack accuracy in capturing converter dynamics. This paper proposes a data-driven approach developed from experimental setup data. This approach enhances accuracy in photovoltaic inverter modeling. We used two types of PV inverters in the experiment. The recorded experimental data undergo processing through a machine learning model. Results from the model trained through machine learning is also presented.

artificial intelligence↗

Examination of actinide chemistry at solid-water interfaces to support advanced actinide separations (Final Report)

In this work we have examined the thermodynamics of actinide interactions with solid interfaces in the presence and absence of multi-functional complexing ligands. The term “interactions” is a global term to capture many potential reactions including aqueous complexation, sorption/surface complexation, surface-mediated redox reactions, electrostatic attraction and repulsion, surface passivation, surface precipitation, and counter-ion competition. Each of these potential reactions may control actinide interactions with a solid surface. This work is helping to develop a more fundamental understanding of actinide bonding at solid:water interfaces and examine unique surface mediated oxidation/reduction reactions which are not expected based on the reduction potentials of aqueous species. We place a large emphasis on understanding both sorption and desorption processes as a means of understanding the sorption mechanisms. This work is directly aligned with the DOE BES Heavy Element Chemistry programs interests in understanding “the chemical and physical properties of these elements to determine solution, interfacial and solid-state bonding and reactivity”.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Electrolyte–Electrocatalyst Interfacial Effects of Polymeric Materials for Tandem CO 2 Capture and Conversion Elucidated Using In Situ Electrochemical AFM

Integrating CO 2 capture and electrochemical conversion has been proposed as a strategy to reduce the net energy required for CO 2 regeneration in traditional CO 2 capture and conversion schemes and can be coupled with carbon-free renewable electricity. Polyethylenimine (PEI)-based materials have been previously studied as CO 2 capture materials and can be integrated in these reactive capture processes. PEI-based electrolytes have been found to significantly increase the CO 2 loading, and impact selectivity and rate of product formation when compared to the conventional aqueous electrolytes. However, the influence of these materials at the catalyst–electrode interface is currently not well understood. In this study, PEI-based electrolytes were prepared and their impact on the morphology of a silver electrode performing electrochemical CO 2 reduction (CO 2 R) was studied using in situ electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM). The presence of PEI on the electrode surface could be distinguished based on nanomechanical properties (DMT modulus), and changes were observed as negative polarization was applied, revealing a reorganization of the PEI chains due to electrostatic interactions. These changes were impacted by the electrolyte composition, including the addition of supporting electrolyte KHCO 3 salt, as well as CO 2 captured by the PEI-based electrolyte, which minimized the change in surface mechanical properties and degree of PEI alignment on the electrode surface. The changes in surface mechanical properties were also dependent on the PEI polymer length, with higher molecular weight PEI showing different reconfiguration than the shorter polymer brushes. The study highlights that the choice of polymer material, the electrolyte composition, and CO 2 captured impact the nearelectrode environment, which has implications for CO 2 R, and presents EC-AFM as a new tool that can be used to probe the dynamic behavior of these interfaces during electrocatalysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

S-Band POSIX Device Drivers for RTEMS

This is a set of POSIX device driver level abstractions in the RTEMS RTOS (Real-Time Executive for Multiprocessor Systems real-time operating system) to SBand radio hardware devices that have been instantiated in an FPGA (field-programmable gate array). These include A/D (analog-to-digital) sample capture, D/A (digital-to-analog) sample playback, PLL (phase-locked-loop) tuning, and PWM (pulse-width-modulation)-controlled gain. This software interfaces to Sband radio hardware in an attached Xilinx Virtex-2 FPGA. It uses plug-and-play device discovery to map memory to device IDs. Instead of interacting with hardware devices directly, using direct-memory mapped access at the application level, this driver provides an application programming interface (API) offering that easily uses standard POSIX function calls. This simplifies application programming, enables portability, and offers an additional level of protection to the hardware. There are three separate device drivers included in this package: sband_device (ADC capture and DAC playback), pll_device (RF front end PLL tuning), and pwm_device (RF front end AGC control).

Lux, James P.↗

Imaging Domain Walls in van der Waals Ferroelectrics Using Tip-Enhanced Second Harmonic Generation

van der Waals ferroelectrics have captured significant interest for applications in novel memory and neuromorphic computing devices. Within these materials, interfaces between regions of different ferroelectric polarizations (i.e., domain walls) exhibit distinctive behaviors. Characterization of these behaviors remains a challenge, as domain wall thickness resides at the nanoscale. Using tip-enhanced second harmonic generation (TESHG), we demonstrate nanoscale imaging of domain walls in 2D ferroelectric α-In 2 Se 3 . With a narrow-band near-IR laser, we take advantage of high-wavelength, off-resonant signal enhancement to generate robust and reproducible TESHG. In conclusion, a 16 nm spatial resolution is achieved, and we identify spectral features suggesting that nonlocal effects from domain walls persist nanometers into adjacent domains.

Mantilla, Alexander B. C. [Washington State Univ.,↗

Interactive Supercomputing With Jupyter

Rich user interfaces like Jupyter have the potential to make interacting with a supercomputer easier and more productive, consequently attracting new kinds of users and helping to expand the application of supercomputing to new science domains. For the scientist-user, the ideal rich user interface delivers a familiar, responsive, introspective, modular, and customizable platform upon which to build, run, capture, document, re-run, and share analysis workflows. From the provider or system administrator perspective, such a platform would also be easy to configure, deploy securely, update, customize, and support. Jupyter checks most if not all of these boxes. But from the perspective of leadership computing organizations that provide supercomputing power to users, such a platform should also make the unique features of a supercomputer center more accessible to users and more composable with high performance computing (HPC) workflows. Project Jupyter’s core design philosophy of extensibility, abstraction, and agnostic deployment, has allowed HPC centers like NERSC to bring in advanced supercomputing capabilities that can extend the interactive notebook environment. This has enabled a rich scientific discovery platform, particularly for experimental facility data analysis and machine learning problems.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Mapping of Benthic Habitats at Marine Renewable Energy Sites Using Multibeam Echosounder and Sediment Profile Imaging Technologies

Objectives/Scope: The goal of this work was to develop a consistent and semi-automated seafloor survey method for generating high-resolution, benthic habitat maps for environmental assessments and monitoring of marine renewable energy sites. Sediment profile and plan view imaging (SPI/PV) technology was combined with multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter methods to demonstrate a rapid, cost-effective benthic mapping protocol. A key technical innovation of this project was the development of an image processing platform that automatically measures key features from the images. Methods: Multibeam echosounder (MBES) acoustic and SPI/PV surveys were conducted at three coastal areas off the U.S. west coast, including the PacWave South energy test site off of Newport, Oregon. Point data on physical and biological sediment conditions obtained from the SPI/PV imagery were used to efficiently ground-truth the high-resolution MBES bathymetry and backscatter mosaics. The SPI camera is an optical corer that obtains an undisturbed 21 by 15 cm, high-resolution, cross-sectional image of the sediment–water interface and upper sediment column. The plan view camera attached to the SPI camera frame captures a downward looking view of the seabed immediately before the SPI image is obtained. As part of this project, we developed a computer vision image processing platform (iSPI) that uses deep convolutional neural networks and other approaches to automatically identify and measure key features in the images, such as grain size and surface relief. Results: Detailed benthic habitat maps were generated using this mapping approach for three different marine settings. The sites mapped included a silt-dominated embayment; a sloping, nearshore, transitional very fine to coarse sand bottom; and a medium, sand-dominated continental shelf marine energy test site. In each case, acoustic and imaging surveys were completed in less than week, and detailed benthic habitat maps were generated within 60 days. The results were placed within the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) habitat mapping framework, and various combinations of the bathymetry, backscatter, and SPI and PV data were used to generate CMECS component maps. Novel Information: This project developed and demonstrated a repeatable and cost-effective approach for efficiently mapping benthic habitat conditions over broad areas of the seafloor by combining state-of-the-art acoustic and imaging techniques. The primary survey tools used in this project have been used previously in both the offshore renewable (wind) and oil and gas sectors to map and monitor benthic environments. This project’s innovations include 1) the focused use of high-resolution SPI/PV imagery to ground-truth acoustic mosaics, and 2) the development of a computer automated image analysis processing tool that both streamlines and standardizes the generation of data from the imagery and makes the data extraction process more cost-effective and repeatable.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

Combined In-Plane and Through-the-Thickness Analysis for Failure Prediction of Bolted Composite Joints

Although two-dimensional methods provide accurate predictions of contact stresses and bolt load distribution in bolted composite joints with multiple bolts, they fail to capture the effect of thickness on the strength prediction. Typically, the plies close to the interface of laminates are expected to be the most highly loaded, due to bolt deformation, and they are usually the first to fail. This study presents an analysis method to account for the variation of stresses in the thickness direction by augmenting a two-dimensional analysis with a one-dimensional through the thickness analysis. The two-dimensional in-plane solution method based on the combined complex potential and variational formulation satisfies the equilibrium equations exactly, and satisfies the boundary conditions and constraints by minimizing the total potential. Under general loading conditions, this method addresses multiple bolt configurations without requiring symmetry conditions while accounting for the contact phenomenon and the interaction among the bolts explicitly. The through-the-thickness analysis is based on the model utilizing a beam on an elastic foundation. The bolt, represented as a short beam while accounting for bending and shear deformations, rests on springs, where the spring coefficients represent the resistance of the composite laminate to bolt deformation. The combined in-plane and through-the-thickness analysis produces the bolt/hole displacement in the thickness direction, as well as the stress state in each ply. The initial ply failure predicted by applying the average stress criterion is followed by a simple progressive failure. Application of the model is demonstrated by considering single- and double-lap joints of metal plates bolted to composite laminates.

Kradinov, V.↗

Pressurized Adapter for "Shirt-Sleeves" Transfer and Universal Base Expansion (PASSTUBE)

Proposed is a scalable, six-degree-of-freedom, pressurized docking adapter that can connect multiple volumes while resolving all forces within itself. In a large space outpost pass-through connection is needed between multiple volumes to maintain a continuous pressurized cabin for crew access, translation, and egress. Zero-g docking and berthing of elements can be done using robotic arms, thrusters, and simple docking interface hardware because orthogonal mating is only governed by position, orientation, and momentum, but soft capture / hard docking techniques would not work in a gravity environment because modules cannot be brought in square with each other. Gravity docking is problematic in that any two elements have a gravity vector and it is not practical to provide a perfectly flat surface for them to rest on. Any stretch of natural or graded terrain still has surface fluctuations - maneuvering one element in respect to another would constantly be working against a gravity vector, where uneven surfaces would cause modules to come to rest in odd configurations in respect to each other. Manipulation of heavy elements, such as habitats will be difficult to do with precision -- elements may be placed as close as the mobility system can handle but would still leave the elements not in square with each other. The proposed Pressurized Adapter for "Shirt-Sleeve" Transfer and Universal Base Expansion (PASSTUBE) element will connect non-square and skewed elements while resolving all forces internal to itself.

Howe, A. Scott↗

Testing of a Multi-Stringer Post-Buckled Panel with Incremental Damage Detection

A multi-stringer panel was designed and tested to produce a failure mode of skin-stiffener delamination due to compression loading of a post-buckled skin to support the validation of high-fidelity progressive damage failure analysis modeling. The test procedure included multiple methods of data acquisition ranging from multiple strain gages, front and back digital image correlation, passive thermography, acoustic emission, and ultrasonic inspection to capture key events and damage progression prior to catastrophic failure. Detailed data showing the initial stiffness, onset of skin buckling, buckled mode shape, damage initiation load, damage propagation morphology, and peak load was captured. Two panel configurations were tested. The first had a Teflon insert placed in the interface between the skin and the stiffener flanges adjacent to the center skin bay. The second was subjected to impact damage to the skin-stiffener flange. In each case, continuously-loaded-to-failure tests were conducted first with passive thermography being used exclusively to determine key damage events. Then, incrementally loaded tests were completed where ultrasonic inspections were conducted between each increment. The amount of load applied between each increment was determined based on the in-situ damage detection provided by the passive thermography system. The results of the testing showed a complex delamination growth pattern which migrated between ply interfaces through matrix splits in the upper skin ply of the panel. The result of the testing produced very detailed data which will prove to be useful for validation of delamination growth and migration predictions from progressive damage failure analysis methods.

Jason Action↗

Mathematical Foundations for Nonlocal Interface Problems: Multiscale Simulations of Heterogeneous Materials (Final LDRD Report)

Nonlocal models provide a much-needed predictive capability for important Sandia mission applications, ranging from fracture mechanics for nuclear components to subsurface flow for nuclear waste disposal, where traditional partial differential equations (PDEs) models fail to capture effects due to long-range forces at the microscale and mesoscale. However, utilization of this capability is seriously compromised by the lack of a rigorous nonlocal interface theory, required for both application and efficient solution of nonlocal models. To unlock the full potential of nonlocal modeling we developed a mathematically rigorous and physically consistent interface theory and demonstrate its scope in mission-relevant exemplar problems.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between National Energy Technology Laboratory and University of Kentucky (Abstract)

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and University of Kentucky (Participant) will collaborate in the development of “Deep Learning Potential-based Molecular Dynamics Simulation Investigation of Chemical Conversion-Absorption Coupling of CO 2 at Air-Reactive Deep Eutectic Solvent Interface.” This project is supported by DOE-Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program and managed by Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are promising alternative sorbents for direct air capture (DAC) CO 2 due to their low vapor pressure, low corrosion, non-toxicity, relatively low cost, and biodegradable nature. Understanding the CO 2 reaction-transport mechanisms at the interface can help develop cost-effective DAC by DESs with high capacity and stability. The collaboration will investigate the absorption and chemical conversion of CO 2 at the air-DES interface to facilitate the development of novel DAC technology using reactive DESs. The anticipated results will make DAC more efficient, allow more sustainable use of our Nation’s fossil energy resources, and advance NETL’s ongoing CO 2 capture efforts.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Machine Learned Hückel Theory: Interfacing Physics and Deep Neural Networks

The Hückel Hamiltonian is an incredibly simple tight-binding model known for its ability to capture qualitative physics phenomena arising from electron interactions in molecules and materials. Part of its simplicity arises from using only two types of empirically fit physics-motivated parameters: the first describes the orbital energies on each atom and the second describes electronic interactions and bonding between atoms. By replacing these empirical parameters with machine-learned dynamic values, we vastly increase the accuracy of the extended Hückel model. The dynamic values are generated with a deep neural network, which is trained to reproduce orbital energies and densities derived from density functional theory. The resulting model retains interpretability, while the deep neural network parameterization is smooth and accurate and reproduces insightful features of the original empirical parameterization. Altogether, this work shows the promise of utilizing machine learning to formulate simple, accurate, and dynamically parameterized physics models.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

In situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of electrochemical interfaces in battery: Recent advances and remaining challenges

An in-depth understanding of charge transfer processes at the electrochemical interfaces is a critical knowledge gap impeding the design of energy storage materials. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy plays an important role in analyzing electronic structures of heterogeneous interfaces, such as electrode-electrolyte interphases. Correspondingly, ex situ studies based on postmortem analysis of electrode materials using x-ray techniques are widely reported in the literature but often fail to capture intermediate and transient species, which are critical for a predictive understanding of the charge transfer process. The lack of extensive in situ/operando x-ray analysis of buried interfaces in energy storage systems can be mainly attributed to technical limitations, such as the requirement of high vacuum conditions. However, in the past decade, considerable efforts have been devoted to overcoming these technical barriers and enable investigation of the solid/solid and solid/liquid interfaces. This review catalogs some of the recent progresses and new experimental designs in the application of in situ and operando x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy toward characterizing interfacial processes and emergent properties, which can help build the design strategy for advanced batteries. The remaining challenges and future research directions are also discussed, as potential paths forward in this field.

Wi, Sungun↗

Progressive Damage Failure Analysis of Post-Buckled Composite Single-Stringer Panel with Teflon Inserts

The high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratio materials, such as laminated composites, are advantageous for modern aircraft. Laminated composites with initial flaws are susceptible to delamination under buckling loads. PDA tools help enhance the industry’s understanding of the mechanisms for damage initiation and growth in composite structures while assisting in the design, analysis, and sustainment methods of these composite structures. The global-local modeling approach for the single-stringer post-buckled panel was evaluated through this effort, using Teflon inserts to simulate the defect of damage during manufacturing. This understanding is essential for designing the post-buckled structure, reducing weight while predicting damage initiation location, and addressing a potential design review for future aircraft repairs. In this work, the initial damage was captured with Teflon inserts as the starting configuration; and any reference to the damage initiation refers to any damage beyond the “initial unbonded region.” The effort aims to develop, evaluate, and enhance methods to predict damage initiation and progression and the failure of post-buckled hat-stiffened panels using multiple Abaqus FEA Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT) definitions. Validation of the PDA using the VCCT material model was performed on a large single-stringer panel subjected to compressive loading. The compressive loading of the panel caused the skin to buckle before any damage began to occur locally. In addition, comparisons are made for critical aspects of the damage morphology, such as a growth pattern that included delamination from the skin-stiffener interface to the skin and ply interfaces. When compared against the experimental data produced through the NASA Advanced Composites Project (ACP), the present model captured damage migration from one surface to another, and model validations were within 4% of the experimental data.

PDA↗

Solvation at metal/water interfaces: An ab initio molecular dynamics benchmark of common computational approaches

Determining the influence of the solvent on electrochemical reaction energetics is a central challenge in our understanding of electrochemical interfaces. To date, it is unclear how well existing methods predict solvation energies at solid/liquid interfaces, since they cannot be assessed experimentally. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations present a physically highly accurate, but also a very costly approach. In this work, we employ extensive AIMD simulations to benchmark solvation at charge-neutral metal/water interfaces against commonly applied continuum solvent models. We consider a variety of adsorbates including *CO, *CHO, *COH, *OCCHO, *OH, and *OOH on Cu, Au, and Pt facets solvated by water. The surfaces and adsorbates considered are relevant, among other reactions, to electrochemical CO 2 reduction and the oxygen redox reactions. We determine directional hydrogen bonds and steric water competition to be critical for a correct description of solvation at the metal/water interfaces. As a consequence, we find that the most frequently applied continuum solvation methods, which do not yet capture these properties, do not presently provide more accurate energetics over simulations in vacuum. We find most of the computed benchmark solvation energies to linearly scale with hydrogen bonding or competitive water adsorption, which strongly differ across surfaces. Furthermore, we determine solvation energies of adsorbates to be non-transferable between metal surfaces, in contrast to standard practice.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Dual-Responsive Macromolecular Surfaces with Binary Patterns

The development of nanopatterned interfaces incorporating multiple stimuli-responsive polymers has great potential for advancing smart sensors and molecular capture devices, yet it remains challenging due to limitations in patterning techniques and “grafting from” methods. Here, we present a binary-patterned surface featuring honeycomb-shaped photothermal polypyrrole (PPy) and thermally responsive poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate) [poly(EGMEA-co-PEGMEA)] brushes within the cavities, fabricated using colloidal lithography and surface-initiated photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (SI-PET-RAFT) polymerization. The morphology of the surface can be precisely tuned by adjusting the height of each domain. This design integrates unique topographical features with the stimuli-responsiveness of the polymer, enabling the collapse of the copolymer brushes through direct heating or photothermal conversion of PPy under near-IR light. In conclusion, this innovative system offers potential capture-release functionality, providing versatility for diverse applications and enhancing adaptability across different functional scenarios.

Copolymers↗

Numerical Investigation of Enhanced Dehumidification Processes By Using Dielectrophoresis Principles in Moist Airflows

Dispersed particle-laden flows are encountered in many building and industrial applications, such as flow in a fluidized bed, hydrocarbon transportation in pipelines, and the fouling of air-cooled heat exchangers (Kuruneru et al., 2016; Ray et al., 2019; Wang et al., 2019). Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models have been developed in recent years to depict particle-fluid and particle-particle interactions in laminar or turbulent flows with increasing accuracy and stability. One particular particle-laden system of interest for moisture control is electrically-enhanced condensation in air and water droplet flows. Electrically-enhanced condensation consists of the use of highly charged water droplets injected in the moist air. The droplets become electric seeds that attract polar water vapor molecules to their surfaces and promote condensation. The nucleation and growth of the charged droplets deplete the vapor phase near a droplet, which is compensated for by the dielectrophoresis flow and diffusion. Dielectrophoresis flow involves surrounding vapor at a distance of about 10 to 100 nm for droplets charged by an electrospray compared to ~2 nm for a single electron charge in a droplet. As the vapor molecules collapse on the surface of the droplets, their initial electrical charge decreases with time due to the neutralization of the ions. While the physics of this phenomena is well known, engineering models for predicting the condensation rates are not available. This work computationally investigates dehumidification of moist airflow in a converging rectangular duct. The objective is to develop an engineering model that predicts water vapor condensation by employing dielectrophoresis principles. We construct a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the duct with electrically-enhanced condensation. The model is implemented in the open-source software OpenFOAM. We utilize the Multi-Phase Particle-In-Cell (MP-PIC) method coupled with a Population Balance Equation (PBE) approach to simulate the particle-laden system. This methodology is an Eulerian-Lagrangian approach used to simulate the droplets' behavior in the humid air. The MP-PIC approach (Andrews and O'Rourke, 1996) mitigates the computational cost by parceling several fundamental particles with similar properties (such as types, sizes, and temperature) into one computational particle. Thus, the billions of particles can be substituted by millions of computational particles without significant loss of information. The PBE was considered with the Lagrangian frame to combine the particle distribution function used in MP-PIC (Kim et al., 2020). This approach preserves mass and energy conservation between the phases in the Eulerian and Lagrangian structures. The PBE in this procedure was directly linked to the discrete parcels, making the simulation of the particle distribution computationally efficient and robust. The MP-PIC-PBE approach used in the present work was applied to the dehumidification of air. Water droplets were injected in the air stream and forced to grow according to experimentally derived correlation. The experiments were conducted on a converging duct with the same geometry and boundary conditions used to build the CFD model. This approach enabled us to approximate the effect of dielectrophoresis phenomena on the droplet and air interface. This presentation will discuss the details of the new CFD model built for the duct, the implementation of the model in OpenFOAM CFD programming language, and the experimental validation of the newly developed model. The results revealed a moderate yet measurable increase in droplet diameter due to water vapor condensation at the vapor-liquid interface of the electrically charged droplets' surface. The seed water droplet particles grew in size by capturing the water vapor in the surrounding air. The OpenFOAM model predicted reductions of humidity in the air from 5 to 10 percent.

Yel Mahi, Maliha↗