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At least 37 records · Page 2

Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF): World-Class Systems Integration Capabilities and Research

The Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF), located at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) South Table Mountain campus, is a world-renowned user facility for research and development of modern, advanced, and clean energy technologies. ESIF is distinguished by its continuously evolving, highly integrated systems that span throughout the building, connecting research capabilities across multiple laboratories and test areas. The primary ESIF research systems include: [1] data, cyber, and control networks, [2] research electrical distribution buses (REDB), [3] thermal integration infrastructure, and [4] hydrogen systems. The data, cyber, and control networks provide monitoring, control, communication, automation, visualization, and time series data storage and tagging capabilities for research projects and ESIF systems, including facility safety functions. The REDB system consists of four dedicated AC and DC electrical power networks that can connect devices located across the facility through versatile, automatic circuit configuration to support complex power electronics experiments up to the megawatt-scale. The thermal integration infrastructure consists of three temperature-conditioned water loops that provide heating and cooling interfaces and capabilities for thermal energy research. The hydrogen systems provide megawatt-scale hydrogen production, drying, compression, high-pressure storage, and delivery to laboratory end uses, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicle fueling. The ESIF research systems interconnect and extend throughout the various lab areas of the facility to create elaborate networks composed of diverse technologies for cutting-edge research. The ESIF capabilities are operated and stewarded by the ESIF Research Operations group, who also actively upgrade and advance the systems to ensure they remain ahead of anticipated research - enabling the success of many pioneering energy integration projects. The poster, created by members of the ESIF Research Operations team, highlights and summarizes the four core integrated systems at ESIF. The poster was first presented at the internal NREL Energize Forum on May 13th, 2024, and received the "Best Poster" award.

capabilities↗

Integrated Thermal Energy Storage and Brayton Cycle Equipment Demonstration (Integrated TESTBED) Project Design Basis

The Integrated Thermal Energy Storage and Brayton cycle Equipment Demonstration (Integrated TESTBED) project seeks to retire commercial-scale risks associated with the design, integration,and operation of a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power cycle and concentrating solar power (CSP) thermal energy storage (TES) system. This requires an understanding of commercial-scale collector system transient impacts on the TES system, the dynamics of heat exchange from theTES to the power cycle, and the control and operation of the power cycle to accommodate various dispatch strategies. In order to retire these risks, Heliogen has proposed to construct a 5 MWe CSP demonstration facility based on directly heated particle and sCO2 technology. The receivers, primary heat exchanger, and power cycle will be deployed at a full commercial scale based on Heliogen’s modular plant architecture to ensure actual system integration risks are validated during design, construction, and operation. This work summarizes the design basis for the Integrated TESTBED project demonstration facility including a design target for capacity factor to support test operations, hours of storage, particle silo arrangement, centrifugal article receivers, a diffusion bonded particle-sCO2 heat exchanger, and a 5 MWe (net) integrally geared sCO2 recompression Brayton cycle.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Path-Integrated X-Ray Images for Multi-Surface Digital Image Correlation (PI-DIC)

X-ray imaging offers unique possibilities for Digital Image Correlation (DIC), opening the door for full-field deformation measurements of a test article in complex environments where optical DIC suffers severe biases or is impossible. While X-ray DIC has been performed in the past with standard DIC codes designed for optical images, the path-integrated nature of X-ray images places constraints on the experimental setup, predominantly that only a single surface of interest moves/deforms. These requirements are difficult to realize for many practical situations and limit the amount of information that can be garnered in a single test. Other X-ray based diagnostics such as Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) and Projection DVC (P-DVC) overcome these obstacles, but DVC is limited to quasi-static tests, and both DVC and P-DVC necessitate high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan(s) and often require a potentially invasive pattern throughout the volume of the specimen. Here this work presents a novel approach to measure time-resolved displacements and strains on multiple surfaces from a single series of 2D, path-integrated (PI) X-ray images, called PI-DIC. The principle of optical flow or conservation of intensity—the foundation of DIC—was reframed for path-integrated images, for an exemplar setup comprised of two plates moving and deforming independently. Synthetic images were generated for rigid translations, rigid rotations, and uniform stretches, where each plate underwent a unique motion/deformation. Experimental specimens were fabricated (either an aluminum plate with tantalum features or a plastic plate with steel features) and the two specimens were independently translated. PI-DIC was successfully demonstrated with the synthetic images and validated with the experimental images. Prescribed displacements were recovered for each plate from the single set of path-integrated, deformed images. Errors were approximately 0.02 px for the synthetic images with 1.5% image noise, and 0.05 px for the experimental images. These results provide the foundation for PI-DIC to measure motion and deformation of multiple, independent surfaces with subpixel accuracy from a single series of path-integrated X-ray images.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Engineering integration in elementary science classrooms: Effects of disciplinary language scaffolds on English learners' content learning and engineering identity

Abstract Background Limited research examines the effects of integrated science and engineering (SE) instruction emphasizing disciplinary literacy and language activities on engineering identity and content understanding. Far fewer studies target English learners (ELs). Purpose The impact of an SE intervention on the development of science, engineering, and technology knowledge as well as engineering identity was examined. To address ELs' learning needs, the curricular design was built on a validated SE model by integrating (1) developmental, (2) language scaffolds, and (3) culturally based accommodations. Design/Method Separate analysis of variance examined the effects of the intervention on science, engineering, and technology knowledge as well as engineering identity. The relationship among engineering identity and content outcomes was also examined. ELs from kindergarten to second grade classrooms were randomly assigned to the integrated SE group or control group. Results Integrated SE instruction significantly increased ELs' science, engineering, and technology knowledge as well as a substantially developed engineering identity. Overall, ELs' engineering identity is associated with an increase in science, engineering, and technology content knowledge. However, second grade girls' identity development was not associated with learning measures. These correlations suggest the context of the engineering activity may have reinforced gendered stereotypes and reduced the effects for girls' engineering attitudes. Conclusions Integrated SE instruction emphasizing disciplinary literacy and cultural accommodations increases early elementary ELs' learning and engineering identity. Future studies should examine the unique effects of language scaffolds and cultural modifications on student learning and the impact of gender stereotypes on girls' engineering attitudes.

Aguirre‐Muñoz, Zenaida↗

Efficiently evaluating loop integrals in the EFTofLSS using QFT integrals with massive propagators

We develop a new way to analytically calculate loop integrals in the Effective Field Theory of Large Scale-Structure. Previous available methods show severe limitations beyond the one-loop power spectrum due to analytical challenges and computational and memory costs. Our new method is based on fitting the linear power spectrum with cosmology-independent functions that resemble integer powers of quantum field theory massive propagators with complex masses. A remarkably small number of them is sufficient to reach enough accuracy. Similarly to former approaches, the cosmology dependence is encoded in the coordinate vector of the expansion of the linear power spectrum in our basis. We first produce cosmology-independent tensors where each entry is the loop integral evaluated on a given combination of basis vectors. For each cosmology, the evaluation of a loop integral amounts to contracting this tensor with the coordinate vector of the linear power spectrum. The 3-dimensional loop integrals for our basis functions can be evaluated using techniques familiar to particle physics, such as recursion relations and Feynman parametrization. We apply our formalism to evaluate the one-loop bispectrum of galaxies in redshift space. The final analytical expressions are quite simple and can be evaluated with little computational and memory cost. We show that the same expressions resolve the integration of all one-loop N-point function in the EFTofLSS. This method, which is originally presented here, has already been applied in the first one-loop bispectrum analysis of the BOSS data to constraint ΛCDM parameters and primordial non-Gaussianities [1, 2].

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

An integrated integral projection model ( IPM 2 ) to disentangle size‐structured harvest and natural mortality

Abstract Body size is one of the most important traits governing individual‐level demographic rates and modulating population‐level processes. Multiple size‐dependent demographic rates can simultaneously change population structure, so distinguishing their individual contributions to overall population dynamics remains a challenge. Disentangling size‐dependent harvest rates from other demographic rates is critical for assessing the impact of removal on populations of invasive species. Inference about invasive populations can be difficult, however, as observations are often collected opportunistically as part of removal programs, rather than experimentally designed. Yet accurate inference is essential for understanding the feasibility of population suppression and optimising management decisions. We develop an integrated integral projection model (IPM 2 ) that leverages the strengths of the integrated population model and integral projection model to enable inference about complex, size‐structured demographic rates from imperfect observations. We apply the IPM 2 in the context of invasive European green crab ( Carcinus maenas ), a species for which individual body size strongly regulates both the observation‐generating process and latent, population dynamics. The IPM 2 facilitates the distinct estimation of green crab size‐structured harvest and natural mortality rates, parameters for which no explicit data is collected and that are unidentifiable in component datasets of the integrated population model. The model represents how the green crab population changes over time, providing the first estimates of size‐structured abundance of this high‐priority species. By forecasting the stable size distribution and equilibrium population size under varying removal efforts, we demonstrate that extremely high levels of removal effort can reduce the equilibrium green crab population size. Yet these high mortality rates also shift the stable size distribution and increase the equilibrium abundance of smaller crabs, since size‐selective removal alters intraspecific interactions. The ecological outcome of this shift in size structure will be variable, as green crab size modulates only some of its interactions with other species. These results highlight the value of the IPM 2 framework for inferring complex population dynamics with information needs that outpace information in individual observational datasets, providing a path forward for accurate assessment of conservation programs.

Keller, Abigail G. [Department of Environment Scie↗

Overview of System Integration Analysis Activities for Integrated Waste Management

Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) generated by the current fleet of commercial nuclear reactors is being stored at the reactor sites in spent fuel pools (SFPs) and in dry independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs). The US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) is developing an Integrated Waste Management Program (IWMP) comprising a suite of options and supporting analyses to enable future informed choices. The IWMP is organized into the following five major areas: 1) Consent-Based Siting, 2) IWM Facilities and Equipment Concepts and Development, 3) Transportation Capability Analysis and Support, 4) Information Technology Solutions and Support, and 5) System Integration Analysis and Support. This paper discusses the activities ongoing in the IWMP System Integration Analysis and Support area. Two main areas of research in system integration are data and tools development, as well as system analysis assessments. One of the tools being developed in the system integration area is the Used Nuclear Fuel-Storage, Transportation & Disposal Analysis Resource and Data System (UNF-ST&DARDS) tool. It is being developed as a foundational resource for DOE-NE to manage SNF data, along with several compatible analysis tools for time-dependent characterization of SNF and related systems. UNF-ST&DARDS has the unparalleled ability to track SNF through the entire back end of the fuel cycle—from the time the fuel is discharged from a reactor through its disposal in a geological repository. UNF ST&DARDS interfaces with the SCALE code system for nuclear analysis and COBRA-SFS for thermal analysis. Another main tool being developed is the Next Generation System Analysis Model (NGSAM). NGSAM is an agent-based simulation software tool expressly designed to be capable of modeling the waste management system. NGSAM has been developed to enable informed decision-making by providing the capability of analyzing various potential system options for the management of SNF and HLW. Using NGSAM, system architecture analyses are being conducted to support the future deployment of a comprehensive nuclear waste management system that considers all major back-end aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle (i.e., transportation, storage, and disposal). System analysis assessments may investigate the implications of various strategies such as different acceptance rates, acceptance queues, facility capacities and options, standardized canisters, and different assumed system operation start dates. Recently, some system analysis effort has begun to look at how the waste management system might operate for advanced reactor fuel cycles.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Experimental Covariance Determination for Critical Integral Experiments

Integral benchmarks for criticality safety and nuclear data validation require expensive uncertainty quantification studies. In general, uncertainty quantification techniques ignore correlations between experiments and shared parts. Experiments, such as the TEX (Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments) campaigns, consist of many shared parts, such as the ‘Jemima’ HEU fuel plates, which create a strong correlation in their uncertainties. While these correlations are known to exist, they are often not estimated due to the complexity of such calculations. This paper describes an intuitive method of determining the covariance for each of the experimental components, providing a correlation for each family of parts across the multiple cases examined within a benchmark. A proof-of-principle study using the TEX-HEU experimental campaign was performed and verified that the correlations can be calculated with information commonly found in the ICSBEP (International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project) benchmarks. This study showed that the introduction of model and experimental covariances reduces the χ 2 per degree of freedom from 2.203 to 1.179, indicating that the omission causes overly pessimistic bias quantifications. This technique can be seamlessly integrated to current benchmark evaluations as well as reevaluations of legacy benchmarks.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Engineering-Scale Integrated Energy System Data Projection Demonstration via the Dynamic Energy Transport and Integration Laboratory

The objective of this study is to demonstrate and validate the Dynamic Energy Transport and Integration Laboratory (DETAIL) preliminary scaling analysis using Modelica language system-code Dymola. The DETAIL preliminary scaling analysis includes a multisystem integral scaling package between thermal-storage and hydrogen-electrolysis systems. To construct the system of scaled equations, dynamical system scaling (DSS) was applied to all governing laws and closure relations associated with the selected integral system. The existing Dymola thermal-energy distribution system (TEDS) facility and high-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) facility models in the Idaho National Laboratory HYBRID repository were used to simulate a test case and a corresponding scaled case for integrated system HYBRID demonstration and validation. The DSS projected data based on the test-case simulations and determined scaling ratios were generated and compared with scaled case simulations. The preliminary scaling analysis performance was evaluated, and scaling distortions were investigated based on data magnitude, sequence, and similarity. The results indicated a necessity to change the normalization method for thermal storage generating optimal operating conditions of 261 kW power and mass flow rate of 6.42 kg/s and the possibility of reselecting governing laws for hydrogen electrolysis to improve scaling predictive properties. To enhance system-scaling similarity for TEDS and HTSE, the requirement for scaling validation via physical-facility demonstration was identified.

08 HYDROGEN↗

An Integrated Traction Drive with a High Speed Surface Permanent Magnet External Rotor Motor for Electric Vehicles

This work presents the detailed design of an outer rotor motor and integrated drive for passenger electric vehicles. The motor uses non-heavy rare earth permanent magnets and operates at a top speed of 20,000rpm. In-slot ceramic heat exchangers are utilized for the cooling of the windings. The external rotor configuration of the motor leaves a significant amount of space in the stator bore, which is leveraged for the integration of the power electronics. A high speed external rotor motor creates a number of mechanical, thermal and assembly challenges and this work presents detailed thermal, mechanical and rotordynamics analysis.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

A Blockchain Based Co-Simulation Framework for Integrating DERs to Wholesale Electricity Markets

As the number of distributed energy resources (DERs) continue to increase across energy-delivery systems, there remains a need for integrating their capabilities into traditional grid operations. In this paper, a blockchain-based solution is proposed to facilitate FERC's Order No. 2222 implementations. The presented use-case enables small-scale DERs to participate in wholesale market operations through DER aggregators, while also enabling local distribution system operators to enforce distribution system constraints in a secure and traceable manner. The presented use case is built around the Unified Testing Platform (UTP) being developed as a part of the Blockchain for Optimized Security and Energy Management (BLOSEM) project. This is a multi-lab effort intended to simplify the deployment of blockchain-powered grid solutions by enabling the integration of simulation tools, and blockchain technologies through the use of system-agnostic interfaces that provide a modular, interoperable, and reusable connectivity layer.

blockchain interoperability↗

Mocking the u-plane integral

Abstract The u -plane integral is the contribution of the Coulomb branch to correlation functions of $${\mathcal {N}}=2$$ N = 2 gauge theory on a compact four-manifold. We consider the u -plane integral for correlators of point and surface observables of topologically twisted theories with gauge group $$\mathrm{SU}(2)$$ SU ( 2 ) , for an arbitrary four-manifold with $$(b_1,b_2^+)=(0,1)$$ ( b 1 , b 2 + ) = ( 0 , 1 ) . The u -plane contribution equals the full correlator in the absence of Seiberg–Witten contributions at strong coupling, and coincides with the mathematically defined Donaldson invariants in such cases. We demonstrate that the u -plane correlators are efficiently determined using mock modular forms for point observables, and Appell–Lerch sums for surface observables. We use these results to discuss the asymptotic behavior of correlators as function of the number of observables. Our findings suggest that the vev of exponentiated point and surface observables is an entire function of the fugacities.

Mathematics↗

Recent advances in integrated hydrologic models: Integration of new domains

Over the past several decades, hydrologic models have advanced from independent models of the surface and subsurface to integrated models that can capture the terrestrial hydrologic cycle within one framework. In recent years, these coupled frameworks have seen the inclusion of biogeochemical processes, ecohydrology, sedimentation and erosion, cold region hydrology, anthropogenic activities, and atmospheric processes. This expansion is the result of increased computational, data, and modeling capabilities and capacities, as well as improved understanding of the processes that drive these integrated systems. Here, in this study, we review these recent advances to integrate new processes and systems into existing terrestrial hydrologic models and highlight the significant challenges and opportunities that remain. We identify that with so many models currently available and in development, selecting the most appropriate model is difficult, and we suggest a path for new or novice modelers to find the most appropriate code based on their needs. In addition, data required to parameterize and calibrate these models can often constrain their applicability and usefulness. However, advances in environmental sensors and measurement technology, in addition to data assimilation of non-traditional data (e.g. remote sensing, qualitative data) are providing new ways of addressing this issue. As we expand hydrologic models to integrate more processes and systems, our computational demands also increase. Recent and emerging advances in computational platforms, including cloud and quantum computing, in addition to the use of machine learning to capture some processes, will continue to support the use of increasingly larger and more complex, process-based models. Finally, we highlight that it is critical to develop state-of-the-science models that are accessible to all model users, not just those applied for research and development. We encourage continued development of diverse modeling platforms, considering the user needs, data availability, and computational resources.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Integrating computation and experiment to investigate photoelectrodes for solar water splitting at the microscopic scale.

CONSPECTUS: Photoelectrochemical water-splitting is a promising and sustainable way to store the energy of the sun in chemical bonds and use it to produce hydrogen gas, a clean fuel. The key components in photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) are photoelectrodes, including a photocathode that reduces water to hydrogen gas and a photoanode that oxidizes water to oxygen gas. Materials used in photoelectrodes for PECs must effectively absorb sunlight, yield photogenerated carriers, and exhibit electronic properties that enable the efficient shuttling of carriers to the surface to participate in relevant water-splitting reactions. Discovering and understanding the key characteristics of optimal photoelectrode materials is paramount to the realization of PEC technologies. Oxide-based photoelectrodes can satisfy many of these materials requirements, including stability in aqueous environments, band edges with reasonable alignment with the redox potentials for water splitting, and ease of synthesis. However, oxide photoelectrodes generally suffer from poor charge transport properties and considerable bulk electron-hole separation, and they have relatively large band gaps. Numerous strategies have been proposed to improve these aspects and understand how these improvements are reflected in the photoelectrochemical performance. Unfortunately, the structural and compositional complexity of multinary oxides accompanied by the inherent complexity of photoelectrochemical processes makes it challenging to understand the individual effects of composition, structure, and defects in the bulk and on the surface on a material's photoelectrochemical properties. The integration of experiment and theory has great potential to increase our atomic-level understanding of structure-composition-property relationships in oxide photoelectrodes. In this Account, we describe how integrating experiment and theory is beneficial for achieving scientific insights at the microscopic scale. We highlight studies focused on understanding the role of (i) bulk composition via solid-state solutions, intercalation, and comparison with isoelectronic compounds, (ii) dopants for both the anion and cation and their interactions with oxygen vacancies, and (iii) surface/interface structure in the photocurrent generation and photoelectrochemical performance in oxide photoelectrodes. In each instance, we outline strategies and considerations for integrating experiment and theory and describe how this integration led to valuable insights and new directions in uncovering structure-composition-property relationships. Our aim is to demonstrate the unique value of combining experiment and theory in studying photoelectrodes and to encourage the continued effort to bring experiment and theory in closer step with each other.

Wang, Wennie↗

Spectral control of nonclassical light pulses using an integrated thin-film lithium niobate modulator

Abstract Manipulating the frequency and bandwidth of nonclassical light is essential for implementing frequency-encoded/multiplexed quantum computation, communication, and networking protocols, and for bridging spectral mismatch among various quantum systems. However, quantum spectral control requires a strong nonlinearity mediated by light, microwave, or acoustics, which is challenging to realize with high efficiency, low noise, and on an integrated chip. Here, we demonstrate both frequency shifting and bandwidth compression of heralded single-photon pulses using an integrated thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) phase modulator. We achieve record-high electro-optic frequency shearing of telecom single photons over terahertz range (±641 GHz or ±5.2 nm), enabling high visibility quantum interference between frequency-nondegenerate photon pairs. We further operate the modulator as a time lens and demonstrate over eighteen-fold (6.55 nm to 0.35 nm) bandwidth compression of single photons. Our results showcase the viability and promise of on-chip quantum spectral control for scalable photonic quantum information processing.

Optics↗

Modeling and Assessment of Integrated Hydroelectric Power and Hydrogen Energy Storage

Environmental and regulatory constraints are increasingly posing challenges to the optimal operation of hydroelectric facilities. Hydrogen energy storage (HES) is well-suited to address these challenges.Using excess or low-cost hydroelectric power during off-peak hours to produce hydrogen can help reduce water spills and unlock opportunities for energy arbitrage. Moreover, the oxygen byproduct of electrolysis can be used to improve the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in tailrace water. %, a key water quality metric for hydroelectric facilities.This paper presents an innovative framework for modeling and assessing the integrated hydroelectric-hydrogen system, considering subsystem constraints and coupling, benefits in spill water reduction and DO mitigation, as well as diverse hydrogen utilization, including re-electrification, blending with natural gas, and direct sales. Comprehensive case studies were conducted to assess the techno-economic performance of the integrated system in different deployment scenarios.

Energy storage, Hydrogen, Hydropower, Optimization↗

EMS and DMS Integration of the Coordinative Real-time Sub-Transmission Volt-Var Control Tool under High DER Penetration

This paper proposes an applicable approach to deploy the Coordinative Real-time Sub-Transmission Volt-Var Control Tool (CReST-VCT), and a holistic system integration framework considering both the energy management system (EMS) and distribution system management system (DMS). This provides an architectural basis and can serve as the implementation guideline of CReST-VCT and other advanced grid support tools, to co-optimize the operation benefits of DERs and assets in both transmission and distribution networks. Potential communication protocols for different physical domains of a real application is included. Performance and security issues are also discussed, along with specific considerations for field deployment. Finally, the paper presents a viable pathway for CReST-VCT and other advanced grid support tools, which could be integrated in an open-source standardized-based platform that supports distribution utilities.

Nguyen, Quan H.↗

Integrated Framework of Vehicle Dynamics, Instabilities, Energy Models, and Sparse Flow Smoothing Controllers

This work presents an integrated framework of: vehicle dynamics models, with a particular attention to instabilities and traffic waves; vehicle energy models, with particular attention to accurate energy values for strongly unsteady driving profiles; and sparse Lagrangian controls via automated vehicles, with a focus on controls that can be executed via existing technology such as adaptive cruise control systems. This framework serves as a key building block in developing control strategies for human-in-the-loop traffic flow smoothing on real highways. In this contribution, we outline the fundamental merits of integrating vehicle dynamics and energy modeling into a single framework, and we demonstrate the energy impact of sparse flow smoothing controllers via simulation results.

Lee, Jonathan W.↗