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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Performance Analysis of Phase 2 Tracker Upgrade PS Module Before and After Irradiation

The Large Hadron Collider will undergo a luminosity upgrade targeting a peak instantaneous luminosity ranging from 5 up to 7.5$\times10^{34}$\,cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$. The ambitious goal of the High Luminosity LHC is to achieve a total of 3000--4000\,fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 14\,TeV. To cope with such challenging environmental conditions, the outer tracker of the CMS experiment will be upgraded using closely spaced silicon sensors (pixels and strips) to provide tracking information at the Level-1 trigger. A PS-Module, composed of both a pixel and a strip sensor, was tested at the Fermilab Test-Beam Facility to evaluate its ability to provide accurate tracking information, particle momentum discrimination capabilities and optimal performance at the irradiation levels expected after being exposed to the harsh conditions of the High Luminosity LHC. The results of the test and the comparison of the module performance before and after irradiation will be presented in this poster.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Performance Analysis of Phase 2 Tracker Upgrade PS Module Before and After Irradiation

The Large Hadron Collider will undergo a luminosity upgrade targeting a peak instantaneous luminosity ranging from 5 up to 7.5$\times10^{34}$\,cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$. The ambitious goal of the High Luminosity LHC is to achieve a total of 3000--4000\,fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 14\,TeV. To cope with such challenging environmental conditions, the outer tracker of the CMS experiment will be upgraded using closely spaced silicon sensors (pixels and strips) to provide tracking information at the Level-1 trigger. A PS-Module, composed of both a pixel and a strip sensor, was tested at the Fermilab Test-Beam Facility to evaluate its ability to provide accurate tracking information, particle momentum discrimination capabilities and optimal performance at the irradiation levels expected after being exposed to the harsh conditions of the High Luminosity LHC. The results of the test and the comparison of the module performance before and after irradiation will be presented in this poster.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Performance Analysis of Data Processing in Distributed File Systems with Near Data Processing

In the era of big data, the escalating volume and velocity of data generation pose significant challenges in data processing. Traditional systems like Spark and Hadoop manage the increasing amount and velocity of data by improving data placement and processing speeds. However, they face inherent limitations due to the essential data movement required for processing. In this paper, we explore the Skyhook framework, a novel extension of the Ceph distributed system, which significantly reduces the need for data movement. We present an extensive case study using the Skyhook framework, applying it with the TPC-H and K-means clustering algorithms. More specifically, we leverage the TPC-H benchmark to distinguish between CPU-intensive and I/O-intensive tasks. We explore the integration of K-means clustering into SQL, coupled with a near-data processing system to offload the computational burden of the K-means clustering algorithm to storage nodes. We conduct a comprehensive performance evaluation of distributed data processing applications across three processing approaches: traditional layout (baseline), optimized layout, and near-data processing. Additionally, we introduce the use of the FIO tool to simulate real-world system workloads, enabling the measurement of performance metrics such as average latency and CPU utilization. Our research is a significant advance in understanding how to optimize data processing systems to meet the demands of the modern data landscape.

Hou, Shiyue↗
DOE OSTI2025

High-burnup boiling water reactor steady-state operating conditions and fuel performance analysis

The primary operational costs for existing nuclear reactors are plant operation costs, maintenance costs, and fuel costs, all of which are influenced by the materials used and the design of the reactor core. Optimizing core design parameters—including burnup limits and enrichment levels—can lengthen cycles, reduce outages, reduce reload batch fractions and spent fuel storage requirements, and lower maintenance and operating expenses, thereby enhancing economic viability. Furthermore, developing higher-fidelity tools to simulate these parameters enables better identification of the available margin, improves overall plant safety, and improves the understanding a given plant’s responses to accident scenarios. Here, in the US, much of the research and development focus has traditionally been on pressurized water reactors (PWRs), but boiling water reactors (BWRs) comprise approximately one-third of the US reactor fleet. Modeling and simulation advances for BWRs and PWRs—particularly those achieved through the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program—are crucial to the long-term viability of the light–water reactor industry. A key research area of the high burnup and increased enriched fuel initiative is focused on addressing issues related to postulated loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) scenarios. NEAMS has dedicated significant effort to enhancing tools to better support BWRs. A current focus is showcasing the BWR framework for high-burnup LOCA analysis. This high-fidelity steady-state analysis is a first step toward demonstrating a best-estimate, pin-by-pin high-burnup BWR LOCA analysis to assess full-core cladding rupture behavior for a representative BWR. The objective of this effort is to provide a modeling capability that will help elucidate and provide a best-estimate evaluation for cladding rupture susceptibility in BWRs. This modeling capability could then be used to prevent and/or mitigate cladding ruptures in postulated accident scenarios without penalizing operational parameters. Additionally, the results of this work will help identify strategies for finding additional margins or potentially limiting cladding ruptures through core design optimizations to enable more efficient core designs.

Capps, Nathan [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL↗
DOE OSTI2024

Performance analysis of superconductor-constriction-superconductor transmon qubits

Here, this work presents a computational analysis of a superconducting transmon qubit design, in which the superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) Josephson junction is replaced by a coplanar, superconductor-constriction-superconductor (ScS) nanobridge junction. Within the scope of Ginzburg-Landau theory, we find that the nanobridge ScS transmon has an improved charge dispersion compared to the SIS transmon, with a tradeoff of smaller anharmonicity. These calculations provide a framework for estimating the superconductor material properties and junction dimensions compatible with gigahertz frequency ScS transmon operation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Machine Learning for Predictive Performance Analysis in Charged Particle Beam Tools

Imaging methods driven by probes, electrons, and ions have played a dominant role in modern science and engineering. Opportunities for machine vision and AI that focus on consumer problems like driving and feature recognition, are now presenting themselves for automating aspects of the scientific processes. This proposal aims to enable and drive discovery in ultra-low energy implantation by taking advantage of faster processing, flexible control and detection methods, and architecture-agnostic workflows that will result in higher efficiency and shorter scientific development cycles. Custom microscope control, collection and analysis hardware will provide a framework for conducting novel in situ experiments revealing unprecedented insight into surface dynamics at the nanoscale. Ion implantation is a key capability for the semiconductor industry. As devices shrink, novel materials enter the manufacturing line, and quantum technologies transition to being more mainstream. Traditional implantation methods fall short in terms of energy, ion species, and positional precision. Here we demonstrate 1 keV focused ion beam Au implantation into Si and validate the results via atom probe tomography. We show the Au implant depth at 1 keV is 0.8 nm and that identical results for low energy ion implants can be achieved by either lowering the column voltage, or decelerating ions using bias – while maintaining a sub-micron beam focus. We compare our experimental results to static calculations using SRIM and dynamic calculations using binary collision approximation codes TRIDYN and IMSIL. A large discrepancy between the static and dynamic simulation is found that is due to lattice enrichment with high stopping power Au and surface sputtering. Additionally, we demonstrate how model details are particularly important to the simulation of these low-energy heavy-ion implantations. Finally, we discuss how our results pave a way to much lower implantation energies, while maintaining high spatial resolution.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Enabling BWR fuel rod analysis in the BISON fuel performance code

Nuclear fuel vendors around the world are pursuing approaches to sustain the existing nuclear reactor fleet consisting primarily of pressurized-water reactors (PWRs) and boiling-water reactors (BWRs). To support the industry's efforts, advanced modeling and simulation tools need to be capable of analyzing both legacy reactor concepts. BWR fuel rods are significantly different than those used in PWRs, which can affect fuel performance analysis. BWR fuel rods include: (1) an extensive use of gadolinia dopant as a burnable absorber, (2) an axial variation in fuel enrichment and gadolinia content, (3) the inclusion of a liner on the inner cladding surface to mitigate the impact of pellet-clad mechanical interaction (which impacts hydrogen and hydride distribution), (4) a lower initial fill gas pressure, (5) bottom-entry control rods, and (6) a lower coolant pressure that results in the two-phase flow boiling phenomenon. Although the primary focus of BISON has been in the area of PWR and advanced reactor fuel analyses, this paper presents the developments in BISON to support BWR fuel performance analysis. An overview of the models that account for the effects of gadolinia is highlighted. Internal mesh generation capabilities to include a liner is presented. Normal operating and transient (reactivity insertion accident) demonstration problems are presented to illustrate the impact of gadolinia, the hydrogen and hydride evolution due to the presence of the liner, and BISON's ability to simulate axially varying enrichments and dopant concentration. Bottom-entry control effects are captured by the axial power peaking factors present in the demonstration cases. Comparisons to integral experiments from the Halden IFA-681 experiments are discussed as initial validation. Reasonable comparisons are obtained for fuel centerline temperature and rod internal pressure as a function of time. In conclusion, simulations of additional experiments containing Gd 2 O 3 -bearing fuel are necessary to completely validate the code for BWR applications.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Practical Insights on Applying Simulation-Based Control Methods in Experimental Studies

Advanced nuclear reactors are crucial to the future of energy both in the United States and around the globe. In contrast to the current operating fleet, they are characterized as being deployable in remote locations and able to operate in semi-autonomous or autonomous fashion. This leap forward necessitates a new reactor control paradigm. Because advanced nuclear reactors are still under development in the United States, the creation of new control methods to achieve autonomous operations has been based on systems modeling and simulation. However, an important factor in successfully deploying these new control methods is the ability to seamlessly transition from simulation environments to real-world settings. Control methods tested in both simulation and experimental settings need to be investigated in the context of advanced reactor applications. This work developed a series of simple controllers for Idaho National Laboratory (INL)’s Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) microreactor operating in load-following scenarios. These controllers were tested in both simulation and experimental settings, and a comparative performance analysis was performed. The simulation tests leveraged the Control and Optimization Modular Modeling Application for Nuclear Deployment (COMMAND) software developed in a previous stage of the current effort, along with the MARVEL Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP5-3D) and Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) models. The experimental tests leveraged the COMMAND software, MARVEL models, and the U.S. Department of Energy Microreactor Program’s Microreactor Automated Control System (MACS). MACS was developed to serve as a control method testbed. It was customized to mirror the MARVEL microreactor, and COMMAND enabled MACS to emulate the physics of MARVEL. The load-following controller was developed using the simulation platform, with efforts to emulate real systems by introducing actuator saturation and noise. These factors were incrementally accounted for in the controller design. After finalizing the controller design, it was implemented with the experimental setup. The experimental conditions tested included an initial test under conditions similar to the final simulation test, and two additional scenarios. The first scenario introduced additional actuator saturation to account for equipment aging over time, which was unknown to the controller. The second scenario introduced sensor delay, a phenomenon anticipated with the use of remote operations or wireless communication in advanced reactors. These tests revealed several notable differences. While the controller performed well in simulation, it exhibited several limitations when transitioning to hardware. The main challenges involved maintaining the steady-state target power, as evidenced by larger error values between the true reactor power and setpoint power, as well as persistent oscillations in controlled reactor power. These issues could lead to unacceptable transient conditions in real reactor testing. Introducing actuator aging and stochastic delays in the experimental setup significantly impacted controller performance, resulting in increased overshoot and undershoot, and exacerbated error and oscillations previously mentioned. These findings underscore the importance of experimental testbeds for testing and validating control methods, as controllers developed using only theory and/or simulation may perform unexpectedly when applied to actual hardware. This research emphasizes the need for an experimental testbed for achieving such validation.

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗
DOE OSTI2025

pbd-industrial-limit-of-performance (PBD limit of performance) v1.0.0

Software repository that contains models used for a paper about Platform-Based Design with limit of performance analysis for an industrial pilot study. This repository contains process and control models in Modelica and IDAES and scripts to develop an ML based controller that computes the control function that maximizes the techno-economic performance of cost and energy computed by the model. This software is meant to be released to reproduce the work described in a Journal publication that is now drafted with the working title "Energy System Limit of Performance Analysis using an Online Machine Learning Multi-Resolution Optimization Framework".

Amusat, Oluwamayowa [Lawrence Berkeley National La↗
DOE OSTI2024

Case Studies and Parametric Analysis of Heliostat Performance With a Tradeoff-Informed Technoeconomic Analysis Metric

The Heliostat Consortium (HelioCon) was launched in 2021 to advance heliostat technology. Here this work presents a collection of baseline case studies for the technoeconomic analysis (TEA) of candidate heliostat improvements for concentrating solar power (CSP) and concentrated solar thermal (CST) systems that employ central receivers. The case studies we develop include a large-scale CSP plant, a smaller, modular CSP plant, and a small CST plant used for industrial process heat. In this work, we also propose a novel metric for TEA of a plant component technology that recasts relative changes in levelized system costs into component-specific capital cost budgets. This measure, which we refer to as the equivalent breakeven installed cost, is the maximum budget for the technology component that leads to improved levelized costs. Finally, we perform a parametric analysis to show the impact of candidate technologies on the levelized cost of heat and, by extension, equivalent breakeven installed cost.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗