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At least 325 records · Page 18

Design of B1pF-A Large Aperture Dipole Magnet for EIC

The design of interaction region (IR) magnets for the Electron Ion Collider (EIC), demands tight boundary conditions on the magnet design given by the high field requirements and the proximity of electron and hadron beams within a common yoke and resultant crosstalk. Here, this article discusses the electromagnetic design of the superconducting collared magnet B1pF. The magnet will be built as the prototype for several collared magnets (dipoles and quadrupoles) for the hadron beam in the forward direction of the IR. The magnet design is based on a single layer coil with an inner diameter of 300 mm over a slot length of 3 m. The magnet produces an integral field of 10.34 T.m at a current of 11.9 kA to produce a nominal field of about 3.96 T at its center. Given by the common Rutherford cable parameters, the magnet will be used as a baseline for optimization of all the collared magnets. The article further discusses yoke optimizations, quench analysis, coil end design and efforts on fine tuning of field quality.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Mechanical Design of the Interaction Region Dipole B1pF for Electron Ion Collider

Here, the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), planned for construction at Brookhaven National Laboratory, will consist of two intersecting beams of intense electrons and high-energy protons or heavier atomic nuclei. The collider will need many demanding components, including high field superconducting magnets for the Interaction Region (IR). It has been decided that a prototype of one such magnet, the B1pF dipole, shall be built, to validate design choices common to all Rutherford cable dipole and quadrupole IR magnets. B1pF is one of several high field magnets in the interaction region whose design is based on the 15.1 mm wide NbTi cable, a cable like the one used in the main dipole coil of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. The current design is based on a single layer coil with an inner diameter of 300 mm and magnetic length of ~3 m which generates a magnetic field at the center of the magnet of about 3.7 T at a current of ~11 kA at design. This paper presents the mechanical design of the B1pF dipole magnet, and the R&D effort associated with the development of the prototype, including tests for successfully winding and curing coils of the needed configuration into proper structural and magnetic elements, and including a multilayer magnetic return yoke which meets field requirements while providing an initial reduced structure suitable for operational testing in an existing test facility.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Evaluation of the Effect of Burnup Acceleration on UO 2 Microstructure Evolution

Accelerated fuel qualification (AFQ) is a methodology by which new nuclear fuels are developed in an accelerated time frame compared with historical fuel qualification approaches. AFQ generally relies on high-fidelity physics-based modeling and simulation tools to adequately describe fuel performance as well as on revolutionary methods to accelerate burnup accumulation and collect relevant data more quickly. This report summarizes the use of advanced fuel modeling and simulation tools to evaluate microstructures from commercially irradiated fuel and microstructures from proposed MiniFuel irradiations, in which burnup accumulation is accelerated while prototypic temperature conditions are maintained. In this milestone, we used the mesoscale fuel performance code MARMOT to model the evolution of irradiated UO 2 microstructures and their potential restructuring at high burnup. The simulation conditions were informed by BISON models of both commercially irradiated fuel and MiniFuel. A first set of simulations investigated the recrystallization behavior of fully dense microstructures and showed full recrystallization at burnups as low as 52 MWd/kgU at 950°C. However, these simulations did not account for the presence of fission gas bubbles (predicted by BISON). Therefore, a second set of simulations including fission gas bubbles was performed and indicated that at the lowest temperature considered (650°C), the porous UO 2 microstructures have the highest total Gibbs free energies and are likely to recrystallize earlier than higher temperature cases (800 and 950°C), which agrees with high-burnup fuel characterization data. The results also showed that at lower temperature (650°C), the total free energies of the PWR fuel and MiniFuel microstructures are not significantly different. However, at the highest temperature (950°C), MiniFuel microstructures have a lower free energy than that of the PWR fuel microstructure. The competing effects between the temperature-dependent grain nucleation rate and the reduction of the free energy of the microstructure at higher temperature as a result of diffusion indicated that restructuring may occur at even higher temperatures than those considered in this study. In addition to the microstructure evolution modeling efforts, the burnup gradient across a single fuel specimen was also considered. This evaluation was for the VXF-15 position of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) using the code suite HFIRCON, which was developed to automate the workflow for evaluating targets and fuel as they are irradiated in HFIR. The burnup gradient evaluation showed a dependence on both the axial and radial locations within the specimen, with a maximum difference of 1.7 between the inner and outermost radial layers. This relationship was further supported by considering the fission product speciation with respect to location within the specimen, which showed a higher concentration of 239 Pu, 240 Pu, and 241 Pu on the outer radial locations of the specimen than the center. The findings of the burnup and speciation evaluation show that some amount of self-shielding is occurring in the specimen when irradiated in the high-flux environment of HFIR; however, this impact is more pronounced for natural uranium when compared to 6% enrichment due to the higher ratio of 238 U in the specimen. Further analyses are required to understand the sensitivity of this gradient to spatial mesh and enrichment of the specimen.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Jupiter

The physical structure of Jupiter is discussed on the basis of data obtained by Pioneers 10 and 11. It is argued that the elemental composition of Jupiter is similar to that of the sun, and it is shown that this argument is supported by measurements of the planet's density and H/He ratio. Jupiter's shape and gravitational field are described, and a model of the planet is proposed in which there are a small iron-silicate core at the center, a very thick liquid-hydrogen stratum divided into metallic (inner) and molecular (outer) layers, and a gaseous atmosphere. According to this model, the excess heat radiated by Jupiter is simply a remnant of the heat generated when the planet coalesced from the solar nebula. The appearance of the planetary disk is described together with the Jovian magnetic field, and the Great Red Spot is shown to be a cyclonic disturbance similar to a hurricane. Effects of the Galilean satellites on the magnetic field are considered.

Wolfe, J. H.↗

Accretion by rotating magnetic neutron stars. II - Radial and vertical structure of the transition zone in disk accretion

The radial and vertical structure of the transition zone at the magnetospheric boundary of an aligned rotating neutron star accreting matter from a Keplerian disk are calculated. The results obtained indicate that: (1) the inner edge of the disk is located where the integrated magnetic stress acting on the disk plasma becomes comparable to the integrated material stress associated with its inward radial drift and orbital motion; (2) the stellar magnetic field threads the disk near its inner edge via the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, turbulent diffusion, and reconnection, producing a broad transition zone between the unperturbed disk flow and corotating magnetosphere; (3) the transition zone consists of two qualitatively different regions, viz., a broad outer transition zone where the motion is Keplerian and a narrow inner zone, or boundary layer, where the departure from Keplerian motion is substantial; (4) the stellar magnetic field is largely but not entirely screened by currents flowing in the boundary layer; and (5) there are no steady-flow solutions for sufficiently fast stellar rotation.

Ghosh, P.↗

Hidden Fastening-And-Unfastening Mechanism

Proposed mechanism placed behind panel fastens panel to, or unfastens it from, underlying structure. Electric motor and gearbox drives bolt to engage or disengage captive floating nut. Used where head at outer end of bolt or other fastener covered with protective outer layer on panel and inner end of bolt inaccessible.

Macconochie, Ian O.↗

High-Suction Hydride Sorption Pump

Improved design provides high pumping speed at low pressure. Hydride-forming powder retained in thin layer in contact with inner surface of stainless-steel tube. Configuration provides large surface area and short path for efficient transfer of heat and small resistance to flow.

Bard, Steven↗

Numerical solution of wave equations for the stability of the inner cometo-sheath

Numerical solution of the MHD wave equations for stability of the cometary sheath determined by the balance between the inward Lorentz body force and the outward ion-neutral drag force is obtained by using a two-point boundary value method. The eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions are obtained numerically by treating the cometary inner sheath as a layer of finite thickness, bounded by the contact surface, i.e., the diamagnetic cavity boundary. The magnetic field structure discovered in the ionosphere of Comets Halley and Giacobini-Zinner is found to be unstable. The effects of finite plasma pressure, dissociative recombination, and mass loading due to photoionization are found to be stabilizing but are unable to quench the instability completely. It is also found that the higher the neutral production rate the lesser is the growth rate for the instability.

Srivastava, Krishna M.↗

Stability of the Halley cometosheath with resistivity and plasma motion

The MHD stability of the cometary inner sheath determined by the balance between the inward Lorentz body force and the outward ion-neutral drag force is investigated by numerically solving the wave equations which include resistivity, plasma motion and plasma pressure with the help of two-point boundary value method. The eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions are obtained numerically by treating the cometary inner sheath as a layer of finite thickness, bounded by the contact surface, that is, the diamagnetic cavity boundary. To gain insight into the problem, certain limiting cases of the wave equations are also discussed. The diamagnetic cavity boundary and the adjacent layer of about 100-km thickness of Comet Halley is found to be unstable. The effects of finite plasma pressure, dissociative recombination, mass loading due to photoionization, resistivity, and plasma motion are found to be stabilizing but are unable to quench the instability completely. Motion of the Halley ionopause has been confirmed by observations.

Srivastava, Krishna M.↗

Sensitivity of High-Resolution Simulations of Hurricane Bob (1991) to Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterizations

The MM5 mesoscale model is used to simulate Hurricane Bob (1991) using grids nested to high resolution (4 km). Tests are conducted to determine the sensitivity of the simulation to the available planetary boundary layer parameterizations, including the bulk-aerodynamic, Blackadar, Medium-RanGe Forecast (MRF) model, and Burk-Thompson boundary-layer schemes. Significant sensitivity is seen, with minimum central pressures varying by up to 17 mb. The Burk-Thompson and bulk-aerodynamic boundary-layer schemes produced the strongest storms while the MRF scheme produced the weakest storm. Precipitation structure of the simulated hurricanes also varied substantially with the boundary layer parameterizations. Diagnostics of boundary-layer variables indicated that the intensity of the simulated hurricanes generally increased as the ratio of the surface exchange coefficients for heat and momentum, C(sub h)/C(sub M), although the manner in which the vertical mixing takes place was also important. Findings specific to the boundary-layer schemes include: 1) the MRF scheme produces mixing that is too deep and causes drying of the lower boundary layer in the inner-core region of the hurricane; 2) the bulk-aerodynamic scheme produces mixing that is probably too shallow, but results in a strong hurricane because of a large value of C(sub h)/C(sub M) (approximately 1.3); 3) the MRF and Blackadar schemes are weak partly because of smaller surface moisture fluxes that result in a reduced value of C(sub h)/C(sub M) (approximately 0.7); 4) the Burk-Thompson scheme produces a strong storm with C(sub h)/C(sub M) approximately 1; and 5) the formulation of the wind-speed dependence of the surface roughness parameter, z(sub 0), is important for getting appropriate values of the surface exchange coefficients in hurricanes based upon current estimates of these parameters.

Braun, Scott A.↗

A Validated All-Pressure Fluid Drop Model and Lewis Number Effects for a Binary Mixture

The differences between subcritical liquid drop and supercritical fluid drop behavior are discussed. Under subcritical, evaporative high emission rate conditions, a film layer is present in the inner part of the drop surface which contributes to the unique determination of the boundary conditions; it is this film layer which contributes to the solution's convective-diffusive character. In contrast, under supercritical condition as the boundary conditions contain a degree of arbitrariness due to the absence of a surface, and the solution has then a purely diffusive character. Results from simulations of a free fluid drop under no-gravity conditions are compared to microgravity experimental data from suspended, large drop experiments at high, low and intermediary temperatures and in a range of pressures encompassing the sub-and supercritical regime. Despite the difference between the conditions of the simulations and experiments (suspension vs. free floating), the time rate of variation of the drop diameter square is remarkably well predicted in the linear curve regime. The drop diameter is determined in the simulations from the location of the maximum density gradient, and agrees well with the data. It is also shown that the classical calculation of the Lewis number gives qualitatively erroneous results at supercritical conditions, but that an effective Lewis number previously defined gives qualitatively correct estimates of the length scales for heat and mass transfer at all pressures.

Harstad, K.↗

Estimation of Effective Elastic Properties of General Multifunctional Honeycomb Structures Using a Unit Cell Method

Sandwich composite structures are ideal configurations in which to incorporate additional functionality beyond load carrying capabilities. The inner core can be layered to facilitate other functions such as power storage for a battery. In this work we investigate an assemblage of analytical tools to compute effective properties that allow complex layered core architectures to be homogenized into a single continuum layer. This provides a great increase in computational efficiency to numerically simulate the structural response of multifunctional sandwich structures under applied loads.

Krishnamurthy, T.↗

Electron Microscopic Examination of an Irradiated TRISO Coated Particle of AGR-2 Experiment: AGR2-222-RS019

The transmission electron microscopic (TEM) examination of an irradiated tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle from advanced gas reactor (AGR) 2 fuel Compact 2-2-2 is presented in this report. Compact 2-2-2 refers to the compact in Capsule 2 at Level 2 of Stack 2. The examination on AGR2 222 RS019 is focused on the interface between the silicon carbide (SiC) to inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) layer, central part of SiC, and the interface between SiC and outer pyrolytic carbon layer. The SiC grain boundary distribution and associated fission product precipitates were characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and precession electron diffraction (PED) in the transmission electron microscope. Two separate locations on SiC layer were selected for on the basis of the intact of the buffer layer in the irradiated TRISO particle. The key observation in this particle is that the compositional nature of grain boundary precipitates is more complex near IPyC/SiC layer where Pd, Pd-Ag, Pd-U containing precipitates can be observed. However, the compositions of precipitate towards outer most region of SiC mainly contain Pd. Ag has been observed in the IPyC/SiC layer in one of the two locations. Comparison of the results to previously irradiated and analyzed, Variant 3, safety tested AGR-1 TRISO particles (AGR1-433-001 and AGR1 222-RS004) showed the grain boundary distributions have some noticeable differences. The differences in coincident site lattice grain boundary and misorientation angles are possibly inherent to the fabrication process. Neutron irradiation induced void distribution has been found to be nonuniform. A high concentration of smaller voids is found at stacking faults compared to those in the SiC matrix. Larger void sizes are observed in the SiC location that is near to the broken buffer layer. This void size variation with integrity of buffer layer can potentially affect the fission product retention. However, the average void size continuously decreases along the radius of SiC in both locations.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Buffer-IPyC separation process in TRISO fuel particles simulated with Bison code

During High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) operation, tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated-particle fuel undergoes irradiation-induced changes in morphology and thermomechanical properties. Experimental results from the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program show, among other things, the mechanism of gap formation between the buffer and inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC) layers, which could be explored further via computational simulations using the Bison code. Two simulation models were developed, the debonding restricted model, where no gap formation between buffer and IPyC layers is permitted, and the debonding enabled model, where the gap between those layers is created. The inputs of the simulated models are based on the irradiation conditions from the AGR-1 experiment. The research included simulations on spherical and aspherical fuel types. Under the specific temperatures and fluences of the AGR-1 irradiation experiment, and the Bison simulations, it was concluded that the most common scenario is a gap formation along the buffer-IPyC interface, while the least possible scenario is the situation where there is no gap formation at the buffer-IPyC junction. The computational results confirmed that the sphericity of the fuel influences the thickness of the gap that occurs at the buffer-IPyC junction, in a way that with increasing aspect ratio the gap thickness increases. The results obtained for spherical and aspherical fuel are nearly identical. Finally, performed simulations match conclusions observed from the AGR-1 experiment, which as such shows that the Bison code is a good computational method for simulating the TRISO fuel. Future simulations will include the validation of performed research and comparison of the results between Bison and PARFUME codes.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Characterization of Fuel and Cladding In and Near the Pellet-Pellet Gap of a High-Burnup Pressurized Water Reactor Fuel Rod

At TopFuel 2021, we reported on metallographic examinations of a high burnup ZIRLO-clad spent fuel rod operated at the North Anna Power Station having a 3-mm gap between pellets at an elevation of ~1,403 mm. The rod was sectioned axially at that elevation to reveal the pellet-pellet interfaces and the pellet-pellet gap. Sections were mounted and polished to reveal the distribution of cladding inner and outer oxide layer thicknesses above, below, and within the gap. Since then, total cladding hydrogen measurements have been performed to quantify the cladding hydrogen content through the gap and above and below the pellet-pellet gap region. This paper provides the cladding hydrogen concentrations and discusses the overall findings regarding cladding waterside oxidation and cladding hydrogen diffusion to a pellet-pellet gap.

Montgomery, Rose↗

Characterization of Flashback and Flame-Holding in a Jet-In-Crossflow Mixing Configuration with Methane-Hydrogen Fuel Blends

An approach that combines experimental and numerical analyses has been implemented to characterize the fundamentals of flashback events and flame-holding phenomena during high-hydrogen combustion in a jet-in-crossflow (JICF) configuration. Such flame dynamics are visualized experimentally using nanosecond (ns)-based hydroxyl planar laser-induced fluorescence (OH-PLIF) and chemiluminescence (CL) diagnostics techniques. The JICF burner has an optically accessible pre-mixing tube allowing the optical diagnostics. The testing was conducted for varied pre-mixer velocities (V) and equivalence ratio (ϕ) for 90%-100% (H2, by mole) H2/CH4 reactant mixtures at atmospheric temperature and pressure conditions. Two distinct flashbacks were identified – conventional rich flashback and lean flashback, recorded while increasing ϕ and decreasing ϕ, respectively. The cause of lean flashback was attributed to lower flux ratio which bends the jet sharply, closer toward the injection plane. The flashback was found to occur along the boundary layer, assisted by the inner wall of the pre-mixer tube. The mean OH-PLIF images characterized the flame-holding behavior where the flame was found to be stabilized on the leeward side only or on both windward and leeward sides as a lifted flame near the fuel port.

flame holding↗

High performance methanol-oxygen fuel cell with hollow fiber electrode

A methanol/air-oxygen fuel cell including an electrode formed by open-ended ion-exchange hollow fibers having a layer of catalyst deposited on the inner surface thereof and a first current collector in contact with the catalyst layer. A second current collector external of said fibers is provided which is immersed along with the hollow fiber electrode in an aqueous electrolyte body. Upon passage of air or oxygen through the hollow fiber electrode and introduction of methanol into the aqueous electrolyte, a steady current output is obtained. Two embodiments of the fuel cell are disclosed. In the first embodiment the second metal electrode is displaced away from the hollow fiber in the electrolyte body while in the second embodiment a spiral-wrap electrode is provided about the outer surface of the hollow fiber electrode.

Lawson, Daniel D.↗