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At least 307 records · Page 17

A model to predict the degradation of a SiGe thermopile.

Discussion of the various phenomena which affect the available output power of a typical radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG), including estimates of the magnitude of these effects. Power degradation, as well as the corresponding changes in operating temperature, are calculated by means of a computer code which systematically accounts for the time- and temperature-dependent variables. A model for predicting available output power of an RTG is developed which includes changes in performance due to fuel decay, alteration of bulk thermoelectric properties, changes in electrode contacts, geometry changes due to material sublimation, and degradation of the thermal insulation.

Stapfer, G.↗

Improved hardening theory for cyclic plasticity.

A temperature-dependent version of a combined hardening theory, including isotropic and kinematic hardening, is presented within the framework of recent plasticity formulations. This theory has been found to be especially useful in finite-element analysis of aerospace vehicle engines under conditions of large plastic strain and low-cycle fatigue.

Vos, R. G.↗

Contraction kinetics of ventricular muscle from hibernating and nonhibernating mammals.

Temperature-dependent studies of excitability and tension-production kinetics were made on isolated trabecular strips from hibernating hamsters (HH), nonhibernating hamsters (CH), and from rats (R). The strips were electrically driven and isometric tension along with its first time derivative (dP/dt) were recorded. Excitabilities of both hamster tissues were greater than that of rat tissue from 5 to 38 C with HH greater than CH. Peak tension production followed the order of HH greater than CH greater than R at all temperatures below 24 C. Rat preparations showed an optimum peak tension production at about 31 C while HH and CH showed optima between 17 and 24 C. Times to maximal rates of tension rise showed significant variation. In this respect, the order of sensitivity to decreasing temperature was HH greater than CH greater than R.

South, F. E.↗

Viscosity of liquid anorthite.

The viscosity of liquid anorthite has been determined over the temperature ranges between 1450 to 1620 C and 820 to 950 C. The high-temperature data agree well with previous experimental data and with predictions of the Bottinga and Weill model. The overall log (viscosity) versus 1/T relation exhibits pronounced and rather continuous curvature. The viscosity of anorthite is higher at any given temperature and more strongly temperature-dependent than that of the anorthite-rich lunar compositions 14259, 14310, and 15418. The room-temperature density of glassy anorthite (2.64 gm/cu cm) and the thermal expansion coefficients of glassy and liquid anorthite have also been determined. The volume expansion coefficient for the glass is about 0.000018 per deg C, and that for the liquid is about 0.000048 per deg C. These values are used to relate the high-temperature flow data to the predictions of free-volume theories.

Cukierman, M.↗

New formaldehyde base disinfectants.

Preparations of formaldehyde in various organic liquids - ethylene glycol, glycerol, and propylene glycol - serve as effective disinfectants towards microbial vegetative cells and spores. This disinfection is a temperature-dependent process and is manifest when these formaldehyde base disinfectants are dissolved in water. The irritating vapors associated with formaldehyde disinfection are not present in either of these new formaldehyde base disinfectants or in aqueous solutions of them.

Trujillo, R.↗

Planetary brightness temperature measurements at 8.6 mm and 3.1 mm wavelengths.

New measurements of the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn at 3.1- and 8.6-mm wavelengths are given. The temperatures reported for the planets at 3.1-mm wavelength are higher than previous measurements in this wavelength range and change the interpretation of some planetary spectra. For Mercury, it is found that the mean brightness temperature is independent of wavelength and that a temperature-dependent thermal conductivity is not required to match the observations. In the case of Mars, the spectrum is shown to rise in the millimeter region, as simple models predict. For Jupiter, the need to recalculate the spectrum with recent models is demonstrated. The flux density scale proposed by Dent (1972) has been revised according to a more accurate determination of the millimeter brightness temperature of Jupiter.

Ulich, B. L.↗

Phonons in quantum solids with defects

A formalism was developed for temperature-dependent, self-consistent phonons in quantum solids with defects. Lattice vacancies and interstitials in solid helium and metallic hydrogen, as well as electronic excitations in solid helium, were treated as defects that modify properties of these systems. The information to be gained from the modified phonon spectrum is discussed.

Jacobi, N.↗

Amorphous magnetism in f.c.c. Vicalloy II

The results of magnetization and Mossbauer experiments are described which give evidence for superparamagnetism in the quenched face-centered-cubic (gamma) phase of the ternary system Fe .34, C .52, V .14 (Vicalloy II). Magnetometer data are given which clearly show that splat-cooled Vicalloy II does not exhibit long-range magnetic order. These data together with the Mossbauer data indicate that short-range magnetic ordering occurs which is temperature-dependent with coalescence of magnetic clusters over a limited temperature range. The model presented reasonably accounts for the observed effects and indicates that this ternary system is superparamagnetic down to 4.2 K.

Cusick, J. P.↗

Dielectric spectra of Apollo 15 and 16 lunar solid samples

Description of the dielectric constants, losses, and ac-conductivities of lunar samples 15065,27, 15459,62, 15555,88, 15415,57, 60015,29, 60315,34, 61016,34, and 62235,17 as measured over a range of frequencies from 100 Hz to 10 MHz and temperatures from 77 to 473 K by two-terminal capacitance substitution methods. The dielectric spectra of lunar gabbroic basalts are typified by the dielectric behavior of samples 15065 and 15555, showing complex relaxation processes which are both frequency- and temperature-dependent. Such feldspar-rich crystalline lunar basalts like samples 15459, 62235, and 60015 showed essentially the same dielectric relaxation mechanisms which are also a function of both frequency and temperature with a very broad relaxation frequency distribution. Highly-brecciated lunar sample, 60315, exhibits rather an unusual dielectric behavior which is dependent upon on field-strength.

Chung, D. H.↗

Thermoelastic analysis of solar cell arrays and their material properties

Description of a thermoelastic stress analysis procedure for predicting the thermally induced stresses and failures in silicon solar cell arrays. A prerequisite for the analysis is the characterization of the temperature-dependent thermal and mechanical properties of the solar cell materials. Extensive material property testing was carried out in the temperature range from -200 to +200 C for the filter glass, P- and N-type silicon, interconnector metals, solder, and several candidate silicone rubber adhesives. The analysis procedure is applied to several solar cell array design configurations, which were tested in the Space Molecular Sink. Results of the analysis indicate the optimum design configuration with respect to materials and geometry, effect of the solder coating, and effect of the interconnector geometry.

Salama, M. A.↗

Volume reflecting heat shields for entry into the giant planet atmospheres

The performance of a volume reflecting or backscattering silica heat shield is examined for an entry probe into the severe radiative environments of Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter. The governing equations for the material response are solved numerically and include the effects of temperature-dependent thermal properties, temperature- and wavelength-dependent radiative properties, and surface recession caused by thermochemical ablation. The influence of the scattering properties on backface temperature is examined, and results are presented which show the required heat-shield thickness for the entry trajectories selected.

Howe, J. T.↗

Dislocation Theory of the Fatigue of Metals

A dislocation theory of fatigue failure for annealed solid solutions is presented. On the basis of this theory, an equation giving the dependence of the number of cycles for failure on the stress, the temperature, the material parameters, and the frequency is derived for uniformly stressed specimens. The equation is in quantitative agreement with the data. Inasmuch as one material parameter is indicated to be temperature-dependent and its temperature dependence is unknown, it is impossible to predict the temperature dependence of the number of cycles for failure. A predicted quantitative correlation between fatigue and creep was found to exist, which suggests the practical possibility of obtaining fatigue data for annealed solid solutions and elements from steady-state creep-rate data for these materials. As a result of this investigation, a modification of the equation for the steady-state creep rate previously developed on the basis of the dislocation theory is suggested. Additional data are required to verify completely the dislocation theory of fatigue.

Machlin, E S↗

Thermoplastic Matrix Composite Design for Cryotanks Using Multiscale Modeling and Bayesian Optimization

Designing lightweight, robust cryogenic storage tanks is critical for future launch vehicles, in-space propellant storage, and hydrogen powered aircraft. This work presents a multiscale modeling and Bayesian optimization framework for the design of thermoplastic matrix composite cryotanks. Molecular dynamics simulations are first used to determine temperature-dependent constituent properties for candidate thermoplastic matrices, which are homogenized to the lamina scale using NASA’s Multiscale Analysis Tool (NASMAT). These lamina properties, in combination with laminate family generation rules, are evaluated in HyperX structural optimization software to identify stacking sequences that meet all cryogenic load requirements. A Bayesian optimization framework is applied, with HyperX in the loop (via the HyperX API) to efficiently search across material and laminate design variables, yielding an optimized cryotank configuration with significant reductions in design cycle time compared to exhaustive search approaches.

thermoplastics↗

Developing a Nuclear Quality Assurance Compliant Design Methodology for Neutronic Analysis of Xe-100 Design

The primary objective of this work is to develop a design methodology compliant with nuclear quality assurance standards for the Xe-100 neutronic design verification studies. To achieve this, a Monte Carlo model of the Xe-100 reactor was constructed using the exclusion principle, transformation technique, and universe-based level specification following Idaho National Laboratory (INL) NQA level-1 compliant standards and an NQA-1 compliant version of MCNP6. The model encompasses the entire reactor core structures, including the upper plenum, core region, and lower plenum sections, along with all sub-components. The active core section was represented using the spectral regions, each comprising a particular fuel composition and temperature averaged over the considered zone, calculated by X-energy using Very Superior Old Programs (VSOP). Additionally, a component-wise temperature map was implemented into the model, not only for the core region but also for the structural components. Temperature-dependent cross-section libraries, along with thermal scattering law libraries, generated using INL NQA-1 compliant version of NJOY21, were utilized for each isotope in the burnt fuel and the structural materials. Furthermore, the volume of each modeled component was estimated using a stochastic approach with the ray tracing method in MCNP and criticality calculations were performed.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Optimization of the light detection system of the ICARUS detector

The Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) Program at Fermilab is designed to investigate short-baseline neutrino oscillations and test the hypothesis of sterile neutrinos, motivated by several experimental anomalies observed over the past decades. Within this program, the ICARUS experiment plays a key role. It employs the world’s largest Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) and serves as the farthest and most sensitive SBN detector for studying muon and electron neutrino oscillations. A crucial subsystem of the ICARUS detector is the Light Detection System (LDS), which captures the prompt scintillation light produced by neutrino interactions in the 600-ton active liquid Argon volume. This system provides precise timing information that is essential for event reconstruction, the trigger system, and cosmic background rejection. The LDS is composed of 360 Hamamatsu R5912-MOD 8-inch photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), operating under cryogenic conditions ($\sim 87 \ K$) inside the detector’s cryostats. During the detector’s operation at FNAL, a degradation in PMT gain has been observed, attributed to aging under low-temperature conditions. In collaboration with ICARUS teams from INFN Pavia and Catania, I developed an experimental setup to study the temperature-dependent behavior of the PMTs, performing gain measurements both at room temperature and down to $-70°C$ using a climatic chamber at INFN Catania. The results indicate that while the PMTs maintain stable gain at room temperature, a significant and permanent gain reduction occurs at low temperatures. Although $-70°C$ is still warmer than liquid Argon temperatures, the findings clearly demonstrate a gain-dependent performance degradation. The thesis also discusses mitigation strategies implemented in the ICARUS detector to address this issue and presents a simplified model to describe and simulate the observed behavior.

Saia, Clara [Catania U.] (ORCID:0009000464102417)↗

Investigating Radiation-Induced Actinide Species in Solution

Used nuclear fuel (UNF) separation techniques that strive to separate radiotoxic americium (Am) from trivalent lanthanide fission products through oxidation state control have increased research efforts surrounding Am(V) and Am(VI). However, equivalent knowledge of the tetravalent state, Am(IV), has remained elusive, particularly in conditions more representative of UNF reprocessing, i.e., in concentrated nitric acid (HNO3). With this in mind, we have used electron pulse radiolysis to study the radiation-induced redox reaction of Am(III) with the oxidizing nitrate radical (NO3?) in 6 M HNO3: Am(III) + NO3? ? Am(IV) + NO3? . These experiments enabled us to observe the growth and decay of Am(IV) in a concentrated acidic solution for the first time. The transient Am(IV) species was found to have a lifetime of ~16 µs?sufficiently long-lived to play a critical mechanistic role in UNF reprocessing systems. Additionally, we performed the first-ever temperature-dependent kinetics study of an actinide element, elucidating unprecedented Arrhenius and Eyring activation parameters for the reaction of Am(III) with NO3?. This new knowledge provides much-needed molecular-level insights into the radiation-induced behavior of Am.

actinide↗

Ceramography and Thermal Modelling of Irradiated TRISO Particles using BISON

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of irradiated TRISO fuel particles from the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program conducted at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) as part of my internship. Failure Analysis using high-resolution microscopy was performed to characterize mechanisms in TRISO particle layers, including the kernel, buffer, inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC), silicon carbide (SiC), and outer pyrolytic carbon (OPyC) coatings. Failure modes were systematically classified. Thermal conductivity properties of each TRISO layer were evaluated through experimental measurements and computational models for use in BISON finite element code. Experimental thermal conductivity values ranged from 0.5 W/m·K for the buffer layer to 168 W/m·K for SiC, while BISON simulations provided averaged values of 0.57 W/m·K (buffer), 4.0 W/m·K (PyC layers), and 15.95 W/m·K (SiC). Temperature-dependent correlations from PARFUME were implemented for kernel thermal properties.

BISON↗

Minimization of thermal deformation in crystal optics for high repetition-rate FEL

Minimizing thermal deformation in X-ray crystal optics is crucial for preserving coherence and wavefront in high-repetition-rate free-electron lasers (FELs). This study presents two approaches to reduce pulse-by-pulse transient thermal deformation in diamond crystals used in cavity-based X-ray FELs (CBXFELs): (1) cryogenic cooling with liquid nitrogen (LN₂), and (2) second-order correction via focusing optics. We revisit the temperature-dependent thermal-mechanical properties of diamond and silicon, implement a finite-element analysis (FEA) method to accelerate convergence to a quasisteady-state regime. Results show that LN₂-cooled diamond crystals meet the stringent deformation requirement of less than 15 pm RMS for the pulse at mJ scale at 1 MHz repetition frequency, and up to 1.5 mJ for 100 kHz. Second-order correction by using focusing elements within the cavity can reduce the impact of thermal deformation for both liquid nitrogen and water cooling.

free electron laser↗