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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 325 records · Page 18

Interactive effects of cerium oxide and diesel exhaust nanoparticles on inducing pulmonary fibrosis

Cerium compounds have been used as a fuel-borne catalyst to lower the generation of diesel exhaust particles (DEPs), but are emitted as cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO{sub 2}) along with DEP in the diesel exhaust. The present study investigates the effects of the combined exposure to DEP and CeO{sub 2} on the pulmonary system in a rat model. Specific pathogen-free male Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to CeO{sub 2} and/or DEP via a single intratracheal instillation and were sacrificed at various time points post-exposure. This investigation demonstrated that CeO{sub 2} induces a sustained inflammatory response, whereas DEP elicits a switch of the pulmonary immune response from Th1 to Th2. Both CeO{sub 2} and DEP activated AM and lymphocyte secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-12 and IFN-γ, respectively. However, only DEP enhanced the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 production in response to ex vivo LPS or Concanavalin A challenge that was not affected by the presence of CeO{sub 2}, suggesting that DEP suppresses host defense capability by inducing the Th2 immunity. The micrographs of lymph nodes show that the particle clumps in DEP + CeO{sub 2} were significantly larger than CeO{sub 2} or DEP, exhibiting dense clumps continuous throughout the lymph nodes. Morphometric analysis demonstrates that the localization of collagen in the lung tissue after DEP + CeO{sub 2} reflects the combination of DEP-exposure plus CeO{sub 2}-exposure. At 4 weeks post-exposure, the histological features demonstrated that CeO{sub 2} induced lung phospholipidosis and fibrosis. DEP induced lung granulomas that were not significantly affected by the presence of CeO{sub 2} in the combined exposure. Using CeO{sub 2} as diesel fuel catalyst may cause health concerns. - Highlights: • DEP induced acute lung inflammation and switched immune response from Th1 to Th2. • DEP induced lung granulomas were not affected by the presence of CeO{sub 2}. • CeO{sub 2} induced sustained lung inflammation, phospholipidosis, and fibrosis. • After the combined exposure, CeO{sub 2} and DEP are co-localized in the lung tissues. • CeO{sub 2} + DEP induced lung inflammation, phospholipidosis, granulomas, and fibrosis.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Electron Mixing and Isotropization in the Exhaust of Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection With a Guide Field

In this work, we investigate an exhaust crossing of asymmetric guide field reconnection observed by Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission at Earth's dayside magnetopause. One MMS spacecraft (MMS 4) observes multicomponent electron distributions, including two counterstreaming electron beams, while the other three MMS spacecraft, with a separation of ~30 km, record nearly isotropic electron distributions. As counterstreaming electrons are unstable for the electron two-stream instability, our observations suggest that the electrostatic waves generated by the fast-growing electron two-stream instability can contribute to the rapid isotropization of electron distributions in the reconnection exhaust, indicating that wave-particle interactions play an important role in electron dynamics.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Current sheets and pressure anisotropy in the reconnection exhaust

A particle-in-cell simulation shows that the exhaust during anti-parallel reconnection in the collisionless regime contains a current sheet extending 100 inertial lengths from the X line. The current sheet is supported by electron pressure anisotropy near the X line and ion anisotropy farther downstream. Field-aligned electron currents flowing outside the magnetic separatrices feed the exhaust current sheet and generate the out-of-plane, or Hall, magnetic field. Existing models based on different mechanisms for each particle species provide good estimates for the levels of pressure anisotropy. The ion anisotropy, which is strong enough to reach the firehose instability threshold, is also important for overall force balance. It reduces the outflow speed of the plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Relating reconnection rate, exhaust structure and effective resistivity

The magnetic reconnection structure consists of a central diffusion region (CDR) and a cone or wedge shaped reconnection exhaust containing accelerated plasma flows and electromagnetic fluctuations. We predict here the relationship among the exhaust half-cone angle (θ{sub e}), the half width (w) of the CDR, the outflow velocity V{sub o}, and the effective resistivity (η{sub eff}), which includes the effects of all the nonideal terms in the generalized Ohm's law. The effective resistivity is defined as the ratio of reconnection electric field E{sub rec} to the current density J{sub y} at the X point and it essentially represents the loss of momentum from the current-carrying plasma particles due to scattering by waves, their inertia or outflux from the CDR. The relation is checked against relevant results previously reported from laboratory experiments, space observations, and simulations, showing excellent agreement. The relation can be used for estimating the ad-hoc effective resistivity often used in magnetohydrodynamic modeling of reconnection.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

On the exhaust of electromagnetic drive

Recent reports about propulsion without reaction mass have been met on one hand with enthusiasm and on the other hand with some doubts. Namely, closed metal cavities, when fueled with microwaves, have delivered thrust that could eventually maintain satellites on orbits using solar power. However, the measured thrust appears to be without any apparent exhaust. Thus the Law of Action-Reaction seems to have been violated. We consider the possibility that the exhaust is in a form that has so far escaped both experimental detection and theoretical attention. In the thruster’s cavity microwaves interfere with each other and invariably some photons will also end up co-propagating with opposite phases. At the destructive interference electromagnetic fields cancel. However, the photons themselves do not vanish for nothing but continue in propagation. These photon pairs without net electromagnetic field do not reflect back from the metal walls but escape from the resonator. By this action momentum is lost from the cavity which, according to the conservation of momentum, gives rise to an equal and opposite reaction. We examine theoretical corollaries and practical concerns that follow from the paired-photon conclusion.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Processes setting the structure of the electron distribution function within the exhausts of anti-parallel reconnection

In situ spacecraft observations within the exhausts of magnetic reconnection document a large variation in the velocity space structure of the electron distribution function. Multiple mechanisms help govern the underlying electron dynamics, yielding a range of signatures for collisionless reconnection. These signatures include passing beams of electrons separated by well-defined boundaries from betatron heated/cooled trapped electrons. The present study emphasizes how localized regions of non-adiabatic electron dynamics can mix electrons across the trapped/passing boundaries and impact the form of the electron distributions in the full width of the exhaust. Here, while our study is based on 2D simulations, the described principles shaping the velocity space distributions also apply to 3D geometries making our findings relevant to spacecraft observation of reconnection in the Earth's magnetosphere.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Stable heat and particle flux detachment with efficient particle exhaust in the island divertor of Wendelstein 7-X

The island divertor concept is an innovative and promising idea to handle heat and particle exhaust in stellarators. At the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator, this divertor concept plays a central role in the device mission to demonstrate reactor relevant plasma confinement for steady-state time scales of up to 30 minutes in the high-performance campaign (OP2) starting in 2022. During the recently concluded first campaign with the inertially cooled island divertor, a large step in the experimental qualification of this divertor concept has been made. In discharges heated with electron cylotron resonance heating of 5-6 MW, central densities in the range of 0.7-1.2 × 10 20 m -3 have been reached in combination with full divertor heat flux detachment. Also, significant neutral gas pressures and neutral compression ratios were shown for the first time in combination with reduced divertor particle flux. The divertor heat loads drop by an order of magnitude from >5 MW m -2 to below 0.5 MW m-2 with increasing density, and substantial compression of neutrals reaching neutral pressure in the sub-divertor volume of >6.0 × 10 -4 mbar was seen. These elevated neutral pressure levels can be obtained and maintained with an up to 80% reduction of the particle fluxes onto the divertor target tiles. This discharge scenario was held stably detached for up to 28 seconds, which is equivalent to several hundred energy confinement times τ E and longer than the time scales for current relaxation. No impurity accumulation was seen at constant Z eff ≈ 1.5 and the stored energy stayed constant at levels of W dia >600 kJ. The level of neutral pressure and compression reached in this scenario extrapolates well to the steady-state particle exhaust requirements for high-performance steady-state operation in OP2, in which the fully actively cooled high-heat-flux divertor will be available. Finally, an overview of this recently discovered divertor regime is given and the status of the physics understanding based on modeling of these regimes with the EMC3-EIRENE code is presented.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

First evidence of dominant influence of E × B drifts on plasma cooling in an advanced slot divertor for tokamak power exhaust

Addressing power exhaust in tokamaks is presently recognized as one of the major remaining open issues for the development of fusion reactors. At the forefront of this endeavor is the effort to develop an advanced divertor by maximizing dissipation of plasma power and momentum inside the divertor. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, that the electromagnetic (E × B) drifts exert a key influence on plasma and gas dynamics in a new advanced slot divertor in the DIII-D tokamak, named the small angle slot (SAS). SAS leverages the effect of drifts to achieve a highly dissipative divertor with electron temperature T e ≲ 10 eV over a wide range of plasma densities, for ion B × ∇B away from the divertor, as used for advanced tokamak operation on DIII-D. Modeling with the SOLPS-ITER code shows that for this drift direction, the E × B flow carries particles toward the outer common flux region (CFR) via the private flux region (PFR), reinforcing neutral recycling and enhancing divertor dissipation. In contrast, for the opposite field direction, the E × B flow carries particles away from the outer CFR into the PFR, offsetting the anticipated SAS geometric effects. Furthermore, this finding is an important step in the understanding of the behavior of advanced divertors for achieving a power exhaust solution for fusion reactors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Role of turbulent separatrix tangle in the improvement of the integrated pedestal and heat exhaust issue for stationary-operation tokamak fusion reactors

Abstract The magnetic separatrix surface is designed to provide the final and critical confinement to the hot stationary-operation core plasma in modern tokamak reactors in the absence of an external magnetic perturbation (MP) or transient magneto-hydrodynamic perturbation, while diverting the exhaust heat to divertor plates. All the stationary operational boundary plasma studies and reactor designs have been performed under this assumption. However, there has been a long-standing suspicion that a stationary-operation tokamak plasma even without external MPs or edge localized modes (ELMs) activities may not have a stable closed separatrix surface, especially near the magnetic X-point. Here, the first gyrokinetic numerical observation is reported that the divertor separatrix surface, due to homoclinic tangles caused by intrinsic electromagnetic turbulence, is not a stable closed surface in a stationary operation phase even without MPs or ELMs. Unlike the MP- or ELM-driven homoclinic tangles that could cause deleterious effects to core confinement or divertor plates, it is found that the micro-turbulence driven homoclinic tangles could connect the divertor plasma to the pedestal plasma in a constructive way by broadening the divertor heat-exhaust footprint and weakening the pedestal slope to the ELM-safe direction. Micro-turbulent homoclinic tangles can open a new research direction in understanding and controlling these two most troublesome and non-locally connected edge-plasma issues in a tokamak fusion reactor.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Power and particle exhaust in the ST-E1 fusion power plant

Power exhaust challenges and potential solutions for a 5 m major radius, low-aspect ratio burning tokamak have been explored. 1D edge plasma models have been used to screen for access to detachment using short and long outer divertor legs in double and single null configurations, using Ar as the primary impurity and assuming tungsten plasma-facing components (PFCs). These show that detachment access can be accessed for all but the most conservative assumptions on scrape-off layer (SOL) width and power, but that trade-offs will be required between magnet engineering and the size of the acceptable window of as-yet uncertain plasma parameters. SOLPS-ITER was used to further model selected plasma scenarios, confirming that Ar seeding can be used to achieve dissipative divertor scenarios with peak deposited heat fluxes below 15 MWm -2 . Initial scoping of first wall loads and positioning of limiters has been carried out, showing the feasibility of protecting the breeding blanket wall during steady state without impeding tritium breeding. Initial PFC technology selection is also presented, identifying this as a critical area where further work is needed to find an attractive solution for helium-cooled PFCs that can handle high heat fluxes without excessive power requirements. Key questions and trade-offs for concept development have been identified, including: how to achieve high radiation for reduction of SOL power without core performance degradation; whether power exhaust can be well-controlled in a double null plasma; mechanical design and materials challenges of high-heat flux PFCs; and control of material erosion, redeposition and tritium retention.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Conductive surface states and Kondo exhaustion in insulating YbIr 3 Si 7

The interplay of Kondo screening and magnetic ordering in strongly correlated materials containing local moments is a subtle problem. Usually the number of conduction electrons per unit cell matches or exceeds the number of moments, and a Kondo-screened heavy Fermi liquid develops at low temperatures. Changing the pressure, magnetic field, or chemical doping can displace this heavy Fermi liquid in favor of a magnetically ordered state. Alternatively, Kondo singlet formation can be suppressed when the number of conduction electrons is small compared to the number of magnetic moments, known as the Kondo exhaustion scenario. Furthermore we report the discovery of such an “exhausted” Kondo lattice material, YbIr 3 Si 7 , where the bulk electrical conductivity tends to zero in the antiferromagnetic state below the Néel temperature T N = 4.1 K, as all the free carriers are consumed in the formation of Kondo singlets. By contrast, the surface is conducting, as the Yb 3+ ions relax into larger nonmagnetic Yb 2+ in the presence of reduced chemical pressure, which shifts the chemical potential.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Determinant quantum Monte Carlo study of exhaustion in the periodic Anderson model

The Kondo and periodic Anderson models describe many of the qualitative features of local moments coupled to a conduction band, and thereby the physics of materials such as the heavy fermions. In particular, when the exchange coupling J or hybridization V between the moments and the electrons of the metallic band is large, singlets form, quenching the magnetism. In the opposite, small J or V, limit, the moments survive and the conduction electrons mediate an effective interaction which can trigger long-range, often antiferromagnetic order. In the case of the Kondo model, where the moments are described by local spins, Nozières considered the possibility that the available conduction electrons within the Kondo temperature of the Fermi surface would be insufficient in number to accomplish the screening. Much effort in the literature has been devoted to the study of the temperature scales in the resulting “exhaustion” problem and how the “coherence temperature” where a heavy Fermi liquid forms is related to the Kondo temperature. Here, we study a version of the periodic Anderson model in which some of the conduction electrons are removed in a way which avoids the fermion sign problem and hence allows low-temperature quantum Monte Carlo simulations which can access both singlet formation and magnetic ordering temperature scales. Finally, we are then able to focus on a somewhat different aspect of exhaustion physics than previously considered: the effect of dilution on the critical V for the singlet-antiferromagnetic transition.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

A Non-Exhaustive Search Algorithm to Identify Distribution Grid Operational Topology

Distribution grid, in general, is constructionally loopy but a radially operated network. Opening and closing of suitable tie-switches allow transition from one topology to another. Identifying the operational topology of a distribution system is essential for accurate control actions. This paper proposes a non-exhaustive search approach to detect the operational topology of the distribution feeder by estimating the switch statuses. In this work, a mixed-integer linear programming approach is proposed that finds the correct operational topology by identifying the system load demand and power flow variables that are closest to the corresponding measured values. The problem is constrained by distribution power flow and radial structure of the feeder. This formulation allows the inclusion of errors in power/line flow measurements making it more suitable for a practical distribution system. The proposed approach finds the correct operational topology without exhaustively searching for all possible topologies. We thoroughly validate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed approach in identifying correct operational topology using IEEE 123-node feeder with the help of numerous simulations studies. It is observed that the approach performs well even at very high percentages of load and flow measurement errors.

Missed detection ratio (MDR), Mixed-integer linear↗

High-Speed Multiplexed Spatiotemporally Resolved Measurements of Exhaust Gas Recirculation Dynamics in a Multi-Cylinder Engine Using Laser Absorption Spectroscopy

The need for more environmentally friendly and efficient energy conversion is of paramount importance in developing and designing next-generation internal combustion (IC) engines for transportation applications. One effective solution to reducing emissions of mono-nitrogen oxides (NO x ) is exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), which has been widely implemented in modern vehicles. However, cylinder-to-cylinder and cycle-to-cycle variations in the charge-gas uniformity can be a major barrier to optimum EGR implementation on multi-cylinder engines, and can limit performance, stability, and efficiency. Precise knowledge and fine control over the EGR system is thus crucial, particularly for optimizing advanced engine concepts such as reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI). An absorption-based laser diagnostic was developed to study spatiotemporal charge-gas distributions in an IC engine intake manifold in real-time. The laser was tuned to an absorption band of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a standard exhaust-gas marker, near 2.7 µm. The sensor was capable of probing four separate measurement locations simultaneously, and independently analyzing EGR fraction at speeds of 5 kHz (1.2 crank-angle degree (CAD) at 1 k RPM) or faster with high accuracy. Lastly, the probes were used to study spatiotemporal EGR non-uniformities in the intake manifold and ultimately promote the development of more efficient and higher performance engines.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Evolution of deep-bed filtration of engine exhaust particulates with trapped mass

Micro-scale filtration experiments were performed on cordierite filter samples using particulate matter (PM) generated by a spark-ignition direct-injection (SIDI) engine fueled with tier II EEE certification gasoline. Size-resolved mass and number concentrations were obtained from several engine operating conditions. The resultant mass-mobility relationships showed weak dependence on the operating condition. An integrated particle size distribution (IPSD) method was used estimate the PM mass concentration in the exhaust stream from the SIDI engine and a heavy duty diesel (HDD) engine. The average estimated mass concentration between all conditions was ~77****** % of the gravimetric measurements performed on Teflon filters. Despite the relatively low elemental carbon fraction (~0.4 to 0.7), the IPSD mass for stoichiometric SIDI exhaust was ~83±38 % of the gravimetric measurement. Identical cordierite filter samples with properties representative of diesel particulate filters were sequentially loaded with PM from the different SIDI engine operating conditions, in order of increasing PM mass concentration. Simultaneous particle size distribution measurements upstream and downstream of the filter sample were used to evaluate filter performance evolution and the instantaneous trapped mass within the filter for two different filter face velocities. The evolution of filtration performance for the different samples was sensitive only to trapped mass, despite using PM from a wide range of operating conditions. Higher filtration velocity resulted in a more rapid shift in the most penetrating particle size towards smaller mobility diameters.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

New Adsorbents for Vehicle Exhaust and Evaporative Emission Control

Vehicle cold start hydrocarbon emissions occur before the exhaust catalyst warm up. Therefore, we have to trap/adsorb the hydrocarbons and hold them until the catalyst warms up to light off temperatures. There are many zeolite adsorbents that can adsorb cold start exhaust hydrocarbons but they desorb them before the catalyst lights off. The adsorbent required for this purpose should be able to adsorb the hydrocarbons and hold them (not desorb at temperatures below 250 to 300°C) until the catalyst warms up to light off temperature (-300°C) so that the catalyst will be ready to oxidize the hydrocarbons when they are desorbed. Vehicle evaporative fuel vapors, which consists of diurnal (due to daily temperature cycles), running loss (due to tank fuel heating by engine heat), and refueling gasoline vapors, are trapped/adsorbed in an activated carbon canister. When the engine is running, the trapped vapors are purged (desorbed) and consumed in engine combustion. The purging is accomplished by drawing ambient air through the canister using engine manifold vacuum. If the activated carbon canister is not purged or cleaned properly, the hydrocarbons will breakthrough in subsequent loading, which results in evaporative hydrocarbon emissions into the atmosphere.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Pulsed Plasma Processing of Diesel Engine Exhaust Final Report CRADA No. TC-0336-92-1-C

The goal was to develop an exhaust-gas treatment process for the reduction of NO x and hydrocarbon from diesel engines. The project began believing that direct chemical reduction on NO x was possible through the use of non-thermal plasmas. The original CRADA began in 1993 and was scheduled to finish in 1996. It had as its goals three metrics: 1) remove two grams/brake-horse-power-hour of NOx, 2) have no more than five percent energy penalty, and 3) cost no more than ten percent of the engine cost. These goals were all aimed at heavy-duty diesel trucks. This CRADA had its Defense Program funding eliminated by DOE prior to completion in 1995. Prior to loss of funding from DOE, LLNL discovered that due to the large oxygen content in diesel exhaust, direct chemical reduction was not possible. In understanding why, a breakthrough was achieved that combined the use of a non-thermal plasma and a catalyst. This process was named Plasma Assisted Catalytic Reduction (P ACR). Because of this breakthrough, the CRADA became a funds-in only CRADA, once DOE DP funding ended. As a result, the funding decreased from about 1M dollars per year to about $400k per year. Subsequently, progress slowed as well. The CRADA was amended several times to reflect the funds-in nature. At each amendment, the deliverables were modified; the goals remained the same but the focus changed from heavy-duty to lightduty to SUVs. The diesel-engine NO x problem is similar to the furnace and boiler NO x emission problem with the added constraint that ammonia-like additives are impractical for a mobile source. Lean-burning gasoline engines are an additional area of application because the standard three-way catalyst is rendered ineffective by the presence of oxygen. In the P ACR process an electrical discharge is used to create a non-thermal plasma that contains oxidative radicals O and OH. These oxidative radicals convert NO to NO 2 . Selective catalytic reduction using a readily available catalyst then converts the NO 2 to harmless gases, N 2 and 0 2 .

42 ENGINEERING↗

Modeling K-DEMO Plasma Power Exhaust with UEDGE (Status Report through Oct. 2018)

The goal of this project is to develop simulation capability for the edge plasma region of K-DEMO in order to assess the heat and particle loads on plasma facing components. The roles of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are to provide the UEDGE simulation code for this purpose, to obtain initial edge-plasma solutions for KDEMO, and to train K-DEMO staff members in both the use of the 2D UEDGE and the code structure such that future modification can be made. A schematic of K-DEMO highlighting the power exhaust is shown in Fig. 1. The major radius of the device is 6.8 m, and the total power to be exhausted is 280 MW in the edge plasma region. Evaluating impact of different divertor geometries and the use of seeded impurity radiation to manage the peak heat flux to surfaces are key aspects being addressed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗