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At least 307 records · Page 17

Initial utility experience with cluster of three Mod-2 wind turbine systems

This paper describes the initial utility experiences of operating three MOD-2s during the Engineering Acceptance Testing. Electrical quantities of bus voltage, phase currents and power are initially being recorded to evaluate impacts to customers on the 69-kV subtransmission line during synchronization and operation of one or more WTSs. To date, effects on the system have been essentially undetectable. Measurements of television signal strengths were taken at an existing television remote pickup and relay station at the WTS site. Potential TV signal interference problems from the WTSs have been avoided by replacing the remote pickups with microwave repeater links for the four TV channels received from Portland, Oregon. Preliminary measurements of audible and sub-audible noise levels indicate that the upwind rotor, tubular tower design of the MOD-2 does not have the pulsing high intensity infrasound problems experienced by the MOD-1 machine at Boone, North Carolina.

Seely, D. B.↗

Upset susceptibility study employing circuit analysis and digital simulation

An approach to predict the susceptibility of digital systems to signal disturbances is described. Electrical disturbances on a digital system's input and output lines can be induced by activities and conditions including static electricity, lightning discharge, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and electromagnetic pulsation (EMP). The electrical signal disturbances employed for the susceptibility study were limited to nondestructive levels, i.e., the system does not sustain partial or total physical damage and reset and/or reload brings the system to an operational status. The front-end transition from the electrical disturbances to the equivalent digital signals was accomplished by computer-aided circuit analysis. The super-sceptre (system for circuit evaluation of transient radiation effects) programs was used. Gate models were developed according to manufacturers' performance specifications and parameters resulting from construction processes characteristic of the technology. Digital simulation at the gate and functional level was employed to determine the impact of the abnormal signals on system performance and to study the propagation characteristics of these signals through the system architecture. Example results are included for an Intel 8080 processor configuration.

Carreno, V. A.↗

Selecting Modulation Indices For Telemetry And Ranging

Report describes algorithm for selection of optimum modulation indices in system for communication between ground station and spacecraft, in which ranging channel operated simultaneously with data (command and telemetry) channel. Provides for optimum division of power among data, ranging, and carrier channels and reduces degradation of performance by undesired interferences among signals.

Nguyen, Tien M.↗

Adaptive Optics: Arroyo Simulation Tool and Deformable Mirror Actuation Using Golay Cells

The Arroyo C++ libraries, written by Caltech post-doc student Matthew Britton, have the ability to simulate optical systems and atmospheric signal interference. This program was chosen for use in an end-to-end simulation model of a laser communication system because it is freely distributed and has the ability to be controlled by a remote system or "smart agent." Proposed operation of this program by a smart agent has been demonstrated, and the results show it to be a suitable simulation tool. Deformable mirrors, as a part of modern adaptive optics systems, may contain thousands of tiny, independently controlled actuators used to modify the shape of the mirror. Each actuator is connected to two wires, creating a cumbersome and expensive device. Recently, an alternative actuation method that uses gas-filled tubes known as Golay cells has been explored. Golay cells, operated by infrared lasers instead of electricity, would replace the actuator system thereby creating a more compact deformable mirror. The operation of Golay cells and their ability to move a deformable mirror in excess of the required 20 microns has been demonstrated. Experimentation has shown them to be extremely sensitive to pressure and temperature, making them ideal for use in a controlled environment.

Lint, Adam S.↗

Upset susceptibility study employing circuit analysis and digital simulation

This paper describes an approach to predicting the susceptibility of digital systems to signal disturbances. Electrical disturbances on a digital system's input and output lines can be induced by activities and conditions including static electricity, lightning discharge, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Pulsation (EMP). The electrical signal disturbances employed for the susceptibility study were limited to nondestructive levels, i.e., the system does not sustain partial or total physical damage and reset and/or reload will bring the system to an operational status. The front-end transition from the electrical disturbances to the equivalent digital signals was accomplished by computer-aided circuit analysis. The Super-Sceptre (system for circuit evaluation of transient radiation effects) Program was used. Gate models were developed according to manufacturers' performance specifications and parameters resulting from construction processes characteristic of the technology. Digital simulation at the gate and functional level was employed to determine the impact of the abnormal signals on system performance and to study the propagation characteristics of these signals through the system architecture. Example results are included for an Intel 8080 processor configuration.

Carreno, V. A.↗

Memory protection

Accidental overwriting of files or of memory regions belonging to other programs, browsing of personal files by superusers, Trojan horses, and viruses are examples of breakdowns in workstations and personal computers that would be significantly reduced by memory protection. Memory protection is the capability of an operating system and supporting hardware to delimit segments of memory, to control whether segments can be read from or written into, and to confine accesses of a program to its segments alone. The absence of memory protection in many operating systems today is the result of a bias toward a narrow definition of performance as maximum instruction-execution rate. A broader definition, including the time to get the job done, makes clear that cost of recovery from memory interference errors reduces expected performance. The mechanisms of memory protection are well understood, powerful, efficient, and elegant. They add to performance in the broad sense without reducing instruction execution rate.

Denning, Peter J.↗

A Fiber-Optic Aircraft Lightning Current Measurement Sensor

A fiber-optic current sensor based on the Faraday Effect is developed for aircraft installations. It can measure total lightning current amplitudes and waveforms, including continuing current. Additional benefits include being small, lightweight, non-conducting, safe from electromagnetic interference, and free of hysteresis and saturation. The Faraday Effect causes light polarization to rotate in presence of magnetic field in the direction of light propagation. Measuring the total induced light polarization change yields the total current enclosed. The system operates at 1310nm laser wavelength and can measure approximately 300 A - 300 kA, a 60 dB range. A reflective polarimetric scheme is used, where the light polarization change is measured after a round-trip propagation through the fiber. A two-detector setup measures the two orthogonal polarizations for noise subtraction and improved dynamic range. The current response curve is non-linear and requires a simple spline-fit correction. Effects of high current were achieved in laboratory using combinations of multiple fiber and wire loops. Good result comparisons against reference sensors were achieved up to 300 kA. Accurate measurements on a simulated aircraft fuselage and an internal structure illustrate capabilities that maybe difficult with traditional sensors. Also tested at a commercial lightning test facility from 20 kA to 200 kA, accuracy within 3-10% was achieved even with non-optimum setups.

Nguyen, Truong X.↗

Holographic wavefront sensors

A brief historical review of the first designs of holographic wavefront sensors (WFS’s) and the concepts lying in their basis is presented. The main directions in the development of these sensors are highlighted and considered. One of these directions implies a two-stage transition from the use of several separate measuring channels with holograms filtering only one Zernike mode: first to the use of one channel with a multiplexed hologram filtering several first Zernike modes, and then to filtering the entire set of Zernike modes with the aid of one combined multiplexed hologram. Another line of research in this field (related to the first one) is the optimisation of the filter hologram structure in order to reduce cross-modulation interferences, increase multiplexing level, etc. One more line of research implements principles of dynamic holography by introducing spatial light modulators into the WFS composition. Hence, the advantages of time multiplexing of holograms can be used. The approach developed by G. Andersen’s team, aimed at adapting the holographic WFS design for operation as an element of adaptive optical system with a zonal corrector, as well as an approach implying development of hybrid holographic sensors, are considered separately. The results of the authors’ studies of holographic WFS’s with application of the methods of Fourier holography (i.e., holography of focused beams, in particular, using diffuse scatterers in a hologram recording channel) are also reported. (paper)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Automatic evaluation of interferograms

A system for the evaluation of interference patterns was developed. For digitizing and processing of the interferograms from classical and holographic interferometers a picture analysis system based upon a computer with a television digitizer was installed. Depending on the quality of the interferograms, four different picture enhancement operations may be used: Signal averaging; spatial smoothing, subtraction of the overlayed intensity function and the removal of distortion-patterns using a spatial filtering technique in the frequency spectrum of the interferograms. The extraction of fringe loci from the digitized interferograms is performed by a foating-threshold method. The fringes are numbered using a special scheme after the removal of any fringe disconnections which appeared if there was insufficient contrast in the holograms. The reconstruction of the object function from the fringe field uses least squares approximation with spline fit. Applications are given.

Becker, F.↗

Task 4 - EMI/RFI Issues Potentially Impacting Electromagnetic Compatibility of I&C Systems (NRCHQ6014D0015)

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) regulations in Part 50, “Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities,” of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 50) state that structures, systems, and components important to safety in a nuclear power plant are to be designed to accommodate the effects of environmental conditions (i.e., remain functional under all postulated service conditions) and that design control measures such as testing are to be used to check the adequacy of design. Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.180 was developed to provide guidance to licensees and applicants on methods acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with the NRC’s regulations on design, installation, and testing practices for addressing the effects of electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference (EMI/RFI) and power surges on safety-related instrumentation and control (I&C) systems. The first revision of RG 1.180 was issued in January 2000 and a second revision was issued in October 2003*. The second revision differed from the first revision in endorsing Military Standard (MIL-STD)-461E and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard (Std) 61000 series of EMI/RFI test methods, extending the guidance to cover signal line testing, incorporating frequency ranges where portable communications devices are experiencing increasing use, and relaxing the operating envelopes (test levels) when experience and confirmatory research warranted. It also offered exemptions from specific test criteria based on technical considerations such as plant conditions and the intended location of the safety-related I&C equipment. Since the last revision, new requirements have been identified, associated RGs have been created and updated, and additional industry guidance has been developed. Additionally, the operational environment has changed with the increase in wireless communication technology for both personal (smartphone) and industrial (remote I&C) purposes. Also, specific concerns and issues with testing methods and methodologies have been identified that must be addressed. Further, most of the standards that serve as the basis for the RG have been revised. Therefore, the NRC’s Office of Regulatory Research has contracted with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to incorporate new information and resolve the identified issues under NRC-HQ-60-14-D-0015, “Update to RG 1.180, Revision 2, Guidelines for Evaluating Electromagnetic and Radio-Frequency Interference in Safety-Related Instrumentation and Control Systems.” The ultimate goal of this project is to provide NRC the technical basis for developing and publishing a new revision of the RG. The focus of Task 4 was for ORNL to identify and address any new or additional EMI/RFI issues that could potentially impact the EMC of I&C systems. More specifically, ORNL was to evaluate the impact of any new issue on safety equipment in their local environments and then determine whether the issues should be included and discussed in the revision to RG 1.180 that is currently under way.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

RFI analysis applied to the TDRSS system

The effect of radio frequency interference (RFI) on the proposed Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) was assessed. The method of assessing RFI was to create a discrete emitter listing containing all the required parameters of transmitters in the applicable VHF and UHF frequency bands. The transmitter and spacecraft receiver characteristics were used to calculate the RFI contribution due to each emitter. The individual contributions were summed to obtain the total impact in the operational bandwidth. Using an as yet incomplete emitter base, it is concluded that the 136- to 137-MHz band should be used by TDRSS rather than the whole 136- to 138-MHz band because of the higher interference levels in the 137- to 138 MHz band. Even when restricting the link to 136 to 137 MHz, the existing link design is marginal, and it is recommended that interference reduction units, such as the adaptive digital filter, be incorporated in the TDRSS ground station.

Jenny, J. A.↗

Overview of diagnostic performance and results for the first operation phase in Wendelstein 7-X (invited)

Wendelstein 7-X, a superconducting optimized stellarator built in Greifswald/Germany, started its first plasmas with the last closed flux surface (LCFS) defined by 5 uncooled graphite limiters in December 2015. At the end of the 10 weeks long experimental campaign (OP1.1) more than 20 independent diagnostic systems were in operation, allowing detailed studies of many interesting plasma phenomena. For example, fast neutral gas manometers supported by video cameras (including one fast-frame camera with frame rates of tens of kHz) as well as visible cameras with different interference filters, with field of views covering all ten half-modules of the stellarator, discovered a MARFE-like radiation zone on the inboard side of machine module 4. This structure is presumably triggered by an inadvertent plasma-wall interaction in module 4 resulting in a high impurity influx that terminates some discharges by radiation cooling. The main plasma parameters achieved in OP1.1 exceeded predicted values in discharges of a length reaching 6 s. Although OP1.1 is characterized by short pulses, many of the diagnostics are already designed for quasi-steady state operation of 30 min discharges heated at 10 MW of ECRH. Finally, an overview of diagnostic performance for OP1.1 is given, including some highlights from the physics campaigns.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

TDRSS multimode transponder program. Phase 2: Equipment development

This report contains a complete description of the TDRS Multimode Transponder and its associated ground support equipment. The transponder will demonstrate candidate modulation techniques to provide the required information for the design of an eventual VHF/UHF transponder suitable for installation in a user satellite, capable of operating as part of a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) systems. Use of geosynchronous TDRS which can serve both low data rate users at VHF and high data rate users at other frequencies has been considered. The effects of radio frequency interference from the earth and of multipath propagation due to reflections from the earth are expected to pose problems for the TDRS system at VHF. Investigations have suggested several modulation techniques that offer promise to overcome these problems.

Cnossen, R. S.↗

DIAL with heterodyne detection including speckle noise: Aircraft/shuttle measurements of O3, H2O, and NH3 with pulsed tunable CO2lasers

A parametric analysis of DIAL sensitivity with heterodyne detection is presented and comparisons with direct detection are discussed. Examples are given for monitoring vertical distributions of O3, H2O, and NH3 using a ground-, aircraft-, or shuttle-based pulsed tunable CO2 laser DIAL system. Results indicate that maximum sensitivity at minimum laser energy per measurement requires multiple pulse operation with the energy per pulse selected so that the measured photon rate is approximately equal to the detector IF bandwidth. Measurement sensitivities can be maximized and interference effects minimized by fine adjustment of measurement frequencies using the tunability of high pressure lasers. The use of rare isotope lasers minimizes loss due to CO2 atmospheric absorption.

Brockman, P.↗

The Serendip piggyback SETI project

The Serendip project, an ongoing SETI program of monitoring and processing broadband radio signals acquired by existing radio astronomy observatories, are summarized. Serendip operates in a piggyback mode, making use of whatever observing plan is under way at its host observatory. The Serendip system at NRAO and the signature detection and identification techniques used by the project are described. The method used to reject terrestrial interference is discussed.

Lampton, Michael↗

Lock-In Imaging System for Detecting Disturbances in Fluid

A lock-in imaging system is configured for detecting a disturbance in air. The system includes an airplane, an interferometer, and a telescopic imaging camera. The airplane includes a fuselage and a pair of wings. The airplane is configured for flight in air. The interferometer is operatively disposed on the airplane and configured for producing an interference pattern by splitting a beam of light into two beams along two paths and recombining the two beams at a junction point in a front flight path of the airplane during flight. The telescopic imaging camera is configured for capturing an image of the beams at the junction point. The telescopic imaging camera is configured for detecting the disturbance in air in an optical path, based on an index of refraction of the image, as detected at the junction point.

Park, Yeonjoon↗

Design and performance of the International Sun-Earth Explorer power systems

The launches of the International Sun-Earth Explorers in October 1977 (ISEE-A) and August 1978 (ISEE-C) marked the first successful implementation of an electrostatically clean spacecraft design on a US-built satellite. The power subsystem design selected was required to operate without induced or coupled electromagnetic interference while meeting the criteria of low cost, low weight (with the resulting removal of almost all redundancy), modular construction techniques, long life (more than 3 years), and maximum utilization of previously qualified/flown designs. To save money, both the ISEE-A and -C power subsystem designs had to be identical even though the two missions are flown in vastly different orbits. Additionally, the requirement for a three year mission utilizing a single silver-cadmium battery had never been imposed before. A power subsystem configuration which met all of the specified requirements was developed. Excellent correlation between preflight and actual flight performance is demonstrated.

Obenschain, A. F.↗