Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “CRITICALITY”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Enhancing the Quantification of Critical Elements in WTE and Coal Ash via Alkaline Fusion: Superiority of Lithium Metaborate (LiBO 2 )

Ashes generated from coal combustion, as well as waste incineration, can be a potential source of critical elements necessary for the ongoing transition towards electrification and greener energy technologies. For the quantification of critical elements, traditional methods such as acid digestion are time-intensive and can fail to dissolve critical elements in refractory minerals. One potential solution is to adopt alkaline fusion for faster, total digestion. However, the role of flux choice and the subsequent digestion efficiency (DE) is unknown. Here, we report a systematic investigation on the feasibility of alkaline fusion with Lithium Metaborate (LiBO 2 ) and Lithium Tetraborate (Li 2 B 4 O 7 ) as fluxes for the digestion of two standard reference materials (BCR 176R and SRM 1633c). Our findings suggest that LiBO 2 yields higher DE values than Li 2 B 4 O 7 for several critical REEs and volatiles, such as Pb and Cd. Specifically, for REEs in SRM 1633c, the DE values with LiBO 2 are, on average, ~16 percent higher than those with Li 2 B 4 O 7 . Similarly, for Pb and Cd in BCR 176R, the DE values with LiBO 2 are ~20 percent higher than with Li 2 B 4 O 7 . These results suggest that LiBO 2 is a superior flux for rapid ash digestion.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2021

Seismic Ambient Noise Analyses Reveal Changing Temperature and Water Signals to 10s of Meters Depth in the Critical Zone

The critical zone sustains terrestrial life, but we have few tools to explore it efficiently beyond the first few meters of the subsurface. Using analyses of high-frequency ambient seismic noise from densely spaced seismometers deployed in the forested Shale Hills subcatchment of the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory (SSHCZO), we show that temporal changes in seismic velocities at depths from ~1 m to tens of m can be detected. Furthermore, these changes are driven by variations at the land surface. The Moving-Window Cross-Spectral (MWCS) method was employed to measure seismic-velocity changes in coda waves at hourly resolution in 10 different frequency bands. We observed a diurnal signal, a seasonal signal, and a meteorological-event-based signal. These signals were compared to time-series measurements of precipitation, well water levels, soil moisture, soil temperature, air temperature, latent heat flux, and air pressure in the heavily instrumented catchment. Most of the velocity changes can be explained by variations in temperature that result in thermoelastic strains that propagate to depth. But some double minima in seismic velocity time-series observed after large rain events were attributed in part to the effects of water infiltration. These results show that high-frequency ambient noise data may in some locations be used to detect changes in the critical zone from ~1 to ~100 m or greater depth with hourly resolution. But interpretation of such data requires multiple environmental data sets to deconvolve the complex interrelationships among thermoelastic and hydrological effects in the subsurface critical zone.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Combinatorial measurement of critical cooling rates in aluminum-base metallic glass forming alloys

Direct measurement of critical cooling rates has been challenging and only determined for a minute fraction of the reported metallic glass forming alloys. Here, we report a method that directly measures critical cooling rate of thin film metallic glass forming alloys in a combinatorial fashion. Based on a universal heating architecture using indirect laser heating and a microstructure analysis this method offers itself as a rapid screening technique to quantify glass forming ability. We use this method to identify glass forming alloys and study the composition effect on the critical cooling rate in the Al–Ni–Ge system where we identified Al 51 Ge 35 Ni 14 as the best glass forming composition with a critical cooling rate of 10 4 K/s.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

The pervasive impact of critical fluctuations in liquid–liquid extraction organic phases

Liquid-liquid extraction is an essential chemical separation technique where polar solutes are extracted from an aqueous phase into a nonpolar organic solvent by amphiphilic extractant molecules. A fundamental limitation to the efficiency of this important technology is third phase formation, wherein the organic phase splits upon sufficient loading of polar solutes. The nanoscale drivers of phase splitting are challenging to understand in the complex hierarchically structured organic phases. In this study, we demonstrate that the organic phase structure and phase behavior are fundamentally connected in a way than can be understood with critical phenomena theory. For a series of binary mixtures of trialkyl phosphate extractants with linear alkane diluents, we combine small angle x-ray scattering and molecular dynamics simulations to demonstrate how the organic phase mesostructure over a wide range of compositions is dominated by critical concentration fluctuations associated with the critical point of the third phase formation phase transition. These findings reconcile many longstanding inconsistencies in the literature where small angle scattering features, also consistent with such critical fluctuations, were interpreted as reverse micellar-like particles. Altogether, this study shows how the organic phase mesostructure and phase behavior are intrinsically linked, deepening our understanding of both and providing a new framework for using molecular structure and thermodynamic variables to control mesostructure and phase behavior in liquid-liquid extraction.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Melting curves of ice polymorphs in the vicinity of the liquid–liquid critical point

The possible existence of a liquid–liquid critical point in deeply supercooled water has been a subject of debate due to the challenges associated with providing definitive experimental evidence. The pioneering work by Mishima and Stanley [Nature 392, 164–168 (1998)] sought to shed light on this problem by studying the melting curves of different ice polymorphs and their metastable continuation in the vicinity of the expected liquid–liquid transition and its associated critical point. Based on the continuous or discontinuous changes in the slope of the melting curves, Mishima [Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 334 (2000)] suggested that the liquid–liquid critical point lies between the melting curves of ice III and ice V. Herein we explore this conjecture using molecular dynamics simulations with a machine learning model based on ab initio quantum-mechanical calculations. We study the melting curves of ices III, IV, V, VI, and XIII and find that all of them are supercritical and do not intersect the liquid–liquid transition locus. We also find a pronounced, yet continuous, change in the slope of the melting lines upon crossing of the liquid locus of maximum compressibility. Finally, we analyze the literature in light of our findings and conclude that the scenario in which the melting curves are supercritical is favored by the most recent computational and experimental evidence. Although the preponderance of evidence is consistent with the existence of a second critical point in water, the behavior of ice polymorph melting lines does not provide strong evidence in support of this viewpoint, according to our calculations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Critical Review of Heat Pipe Experiments in Nuclear Energy Applications

This critical review provides heat pipe (HP) experimental data sets that contain pertinent information regarding nuclear technology that may be beneficial to researchers. Heat pipes have been shown to have a tremendously positive impact on nuclear technologies and will continue to become a more prevalent technology as more nuclear reactor concepts embrace this robust technology. Most previous reviews may focus on only a specific HP design or application, and some are backdated. Herein, this critical review extends previous efforts; integrates and summarizes previously reported HP experimental efforts; and provides updates with recently reported results in the literature for HPs in all nuclear-related applications, including space power (thermal radiators, core cooling, and electricity production), microreactors (emergency core cooling, hybrid control rods, and reactor core cooling), and HP involvement in other nuclear-related technologies (spent fuel pool cooling). The two main objectives of this critical review are (1) to facilitate the development of HP codes by outlining some of the existing experimental data sets to validate their codes and directing developers to these efforts and (2) to provide comprehensive information regarding the vast applicability of HPs used in the nuclear industry, including the theory of operation and limitations to supplement researchers in the development of new ideas for potential applications in nuclear-related technologies. The review clearly shows extensive and diverse experimental data sets for HPs developed under diverse testing conditions depending on the available nuclear application for validation purposes. Thus, this critical review is oriented to providing attention to the existing efforts rather than determining gaps in HP research.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Net-proton number fluctuations in the presence of the QCD critical point

Event-by-event fluctuations of the net-proton number studied in heavy-ion collisions provide an important means in the search for the conjectured critical end point (CP) in the QCD phase diagram. We propose a phenomenological model in which the fluctuations of the chiral critical mode couple to protons and anti-protons. This allows us to study the behavior of the net-proton number fluctuations in the presence of the CP. Calculating the net-proton number cumulants, Cn with n=1,2,3,4, along the phenomenological freeze-out line we show that the ratio of variance and mean C2/C1, as well as kurtosis C4/C2 resemble qualitative properties observed in data in heavy-ion collisions as a function of beam energy obtained by the STAR Collaboration at RHIC. In particular, the non-monotonic structure of the kurtosis and smooth change of the C2/C1 ratio with beam energy could be due to the CP located near the freeze-out line. The skewness, however, exhibits properties that are in contrast to the criticality expected due to the CP. The dependence of our results on the model parameters and the proximity of the chemical freeze-out to the critical point are also discussed.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Critical transverse compressive stresses of straight and bent CORC® wires with and without impregnation

CORC® wires are a promising superconductor for accelerator magnet applications. While their excellent uniaxial tensile properties have been well established, potential degradation under transverse compression remains a concern for accelerator magnets, in which transverse compression is a primary stress experienced by superconductors. To evaluate the critical transverse compressive stresses of rare-earth barium copper oxide conductors, we developed an experimental system that enables testing of samples both with and without impregnation in liquid nitrogen. Furthermore, because bending strain induced during coil winding may influence the critical compressive response of CORC® wires, the apparatus was also modified to allow testing under the bending condition. In this study wires were tested for five configurations: (1) straight, non-impregnated, (2) bent, non-impregnated, (3) straight, Stycast 2850 FT-impregnated, (4) bent, Stycast 2850 FT-impregnated, and (5) bent, paraffin wax-impregnated. The transverse pressures corresponding to 3% and 5% reductions in the critical current are reported. In conclusion, the effects of wire bending and impregnation on the critical transverse pressure are analyzed, and the implications for transverse stress levels in accelerator magnet conductors are discussed.

CORC® wire↗
DOE OSTI2026

Locating the QCD critical point through contours of constant entropy density

We propose a new method to investigate the existence and location of the conjectured high-temperature critical point of strongly interacting matter via contours of constant entropy density. By approximating these lines as a power series in the baryon chemical potential 𝜇 𝐵 , one can extrapolate them from first-principle results at zero net-baryon density, and use them to locate the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) critical point, including the associated first-order and spinodal lines. As a proof of principle, we employ currently available continuum-extrapolated lattice data from the Wuppertal-Budapest collaboration to find a critical point at a temperature and a baryon chemical potential of 𝑇 𝑐 = 114.3 ± 6.9 MeV and 𝜇 𝐵,𝑐 = 602.1 ± 62.1 MeV, respectively, at expansion order 𝒪⁡(𝜇$^{2}_{𝐵}$). We advocate for a more precise determination of the required expansion coefficients via lattice QCD simulations as a means of pinpointing the location of the critical endpoint in the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Universality of Shallow Global Quenches in Critical Spin Chains

Measuring universal data in the strongly correlated regime of quantum critical points remains a fundamental objective for quantum simulators. In foundational work, Calabrese and Cardy demonstrated how these data govern the dynamics of certain global quenches to 1+1-dimensional conformal field theories. While the quasiparticle picture they introduce has been widely successful in both theory and experiment, their seminal prediction that the critical exponents are simply encoded in the relaxation rates of local observables is challenging to investigate experimentally. In this Letter, we examine the critical quench dynamics of local observables from two types of readily accessible initial conditions: ground states and finite-temperature ensembles. Here, we identify universal scaling collapses and scaling functions, utilizing a combination of conformal perturbation theory and tensor network numerics. For the finite-temperature quenches, we determine a regime in which the conformal field theory results are recovered, thereby allowing universal quantum critical data to be extracted from realistic quenches.

Quantum many-body systems↗
DOE OSTI2020

Competing pairing interactions responsible for the large upper critical field in a stoichiometric iron-based superconductor CaKFe4As4

The upper critical field of multiband superconductors is an important quantity that can reveal details about the nature of the superconducting pairing. Here in this paper we experimentally map out the complete upper-critical-field phase diagram of a stoichiometric superconductor, CaKFe 4 As 4 , up to 90 T for different orientations of the magnetic field and at temperatures down to 4.2 K . The upper critical fields are extremely large, reaching values close to ~ 3T c at the lowest temperature, and the anisotropy decreases dramatically with temperature, leading to essentially isotropic superconductivity at 4.2 K . We find that the temperature dependence of the upper critical field can be well described by a two-band model in the clean limit with band-coupling parameters favoring intraband over interband interactions. The large Pauli paramagnetic effects together with the presence of the shallow bands is consistent with the stabilization of an FFLO state at low temperatures in this clean superconductor.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Anisotropic magnetocaloric effect and critical behavior in CrSbSe3

In this work, we report anisotropic magnetocaloric effect and critical behavior in a quasi-one-dimensional ferromagnetic CrSbSe 3 single crystal. The maximum magnetic entropy change - Δ S M max is 2.16 J kg - 1 K - 1 for the easy a axis (2.03 J kg - 1 K - 1 for the hard b axis) and the relative cooling power RCP is 163.1 J kg - 1 for the easy a axis (142.1 J kg - 1 for the hard b axis) near T c with a magnetic field change of 50 kOe. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant K u is estimated to be 148.5 kJ m - 3 at 10 K, decreasing to 39.4 kJ m - 3 at 70 K. The rescaled Δ S M ( T , H ) curves along all three axes collapse onto a universal curve, respectively, confirming the second-order ferromagnetic transition. Further critical behavior analysis around T c ~ 70 K gives that the critical exponents β = 0.26 ( 1 ) , γ = 1.32 ( 2 ) , and δ = 6.17 ( 9 ) for H ∥ a , while β = 0.28 ( 2 ) , γ = 1.02 ( 1 ) , and δ = 4.14 ( 16 ) for H ∥ b . The determined critical exponents suggest that the anisotropic magnetic coupling in CrSbSe 3 is strongly dependent on orientations of the applied magnetic field.

2-dimensional systems↗
DOE OSTI2020

Many-body localization near the critical point

Here, we examine the many-body localization (MBL) phase transition in one-dimensional quantum systems with quenched randomness and short-range interactions. Following recent works, we use a strong-randomness renormalization group (RG) approach where the phase transition is due to the so-called avalanche instability of the MBL phase. We show that the critical behavior can be determined analytically within this RG. On a rough qualitative level the RG flow near the critical fixed point is similar to the Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) flow as previously shown, but there are important differences in the critical behavior. Thus, we show that this MBL transition is in a universality class that is different from KT. The divergence of the correlation length corresponds to critical exponent $\textit{ν → ∞}$, but the divergence is weaker than for the KT transition.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Fermion-bag inspired Hamiltonian lattice field theory for fermionic quantum criticality

Motivated by the fermion-bag approach, in this work we construct a new class of Hamiltonian lattice field theories that can help us to study fermionic quantum critical points, particularly those with four-fermion interactions. Although these theories are constructed in discrete time with a finite temporal lattice spacing ϵ, when ϵ → 0, conventional continuous-time Hamiltonian lattice field theories are recovered. The fermion-bag algorithms run relatively faster when ϵ = 1 as compared to ϵ → 0 but still allow us to compute universal quantities near the quantum critical point even at such a large value of ϵ. As an example of this new approach, here we study the $N_f$ = 1 Gross-Neveu chiral-Ising universality class in 2 + 1 dimensions by calculating the critical scaling of the staggered mass order parameter. We show that we are able to study lattice sizes up to 100 2 sites when ϵ = 1, while with comparable resources we can reach lattice sizes of only up to 64 2 when ϵ → 0. The critical exponents obtained in both these studies match within errors.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Soft pions and transport near the chiral critical point

During the expansion of a heavy ion collision, the system passes close to the $\textit{O}$(4) critical point of QCD, and thus the fluctuations of the order parameter $(σ, \overrightarrow{π}$) are expected to be enhanced. In this work, our goal is to compute how these enhanced fluctuations modify the transport coefficients of QCD near the pseudocritical point. We also make a phenomenological estimate for how chiral fluctuations could effect the momentum spectrum of soft pions. We first formulate the appropriate stochastic hydrodynamic equations close to the $\textit{O}$(4) critical point. Then, working in mean field, we determine the correlation functions of the stress tensor and the currents which result from this stochastic real-time theory, and use these correlation functions to determine the scaling behavior of the transport coefficients. The hydrodynamic theory also describes the propagation of pion waves, fixing the scaling behavior of the dispersion curve of soft pions. We present scaling functions for the shear viscosity and the charge conductivities near the pseudocritical point and estimate the absolute magnitude of the critical fluctuations to these parameters and the bulk viscosity. Using the calculated pion dispersion curve, we estimate the expected critical enhancement of soft pion yields, and this estimate provides a plausible explanation for the excess seen in experiment relative to ordinary hydrodynamic computations. Our results motivate further phenomenological and numerical work on the implications of chiral symmetry on real-time properties of thermal QCD near the pseudocritical point.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Characteristic momentum of Hydro + and a bound on the enhancement of the speed of sound near the QCD critical point

Near the critical point in the QCD phase diagram, hydrodynamics breaks down at a momentum where the frequency of the fastest hydrodynamic mode becomes comparable with the decay rate of the slowest nonhydrodynamic mode. Hydro+ was developed as a framework which extends the range of validity of hydrodynamics beyond that momentum value. This was achieved through coupling the hydrodynamic modes to the slowest nonhydrodynamic mode. In this work, analyzing the spectrum of linear perturbations in Hydro+, we find that a slow mode falls out of equilibrium if its momentum is greater than a characteristic momentum value. That characteristic momentum turns out to be set by the branch points of the dispersion relations. These branch points occur at the critical momenta of so-called spectral curves and are related to the radius of convergence of the derivative expansion. The existence of such a characteristic momentum scale suggests that a particular class of slow modes has no remarkable effect on the flow of the plasma. Based on these results, we show that there is an enhancement of the speed of sound due to the Hydro+ corrections compared to the known thermodynamic corrections near the critical point. This enhancement can not exceed a temperature-dependent upper bound which we derive near the critical point in the QCD phase diagram.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mesoscopic critical fluctuations

Here, we investigate the magnetic fluctuations in a mesoscopic critical region formed at the interface due to smooth time-independent spatial variations of a control parameter around its critical value. In the proximity of the spatial critical point, the order parameter fluctuations exhibit a mesoscopic nature, characterized by their significant size compared to the lattice constant, while gradually decaying away from the critical region. To explain this phenomenon, we present a minimal model that effectively captures this behavior and demonstrates its connection to the integrable Painlevé-II equation governing the local order parameter. By leveraging the well-established mathematical properties of this equation, we gain valuable insights into the nonlinear susceptibilities exhibited within this region.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Criticality of Two-Dimensional Disordered Dirac Fermions in the Unitary Class and Universality of the Integer Quantum Hall Transition

Two-dimensional (2D) Dirac fermions are a central paradigm of modern condensed matter physics, describing low-energy excitations in graphene, in certain classes of superconductors, and on surfaces of 3D topological insulators. At zero energy E=0, Dirac fermions with mass m are band insulators, with the Chern number jumping by unity at m=0. This observation lead Ludwig et al. [Phys. Rev. B 50, 7526 (1994)PRBMDO0163-182910.1103/PhysRevB.50.7526] to conjecture that the transition in 2D disordered Dirac fermions (DDF) and the integer quantum Hall transition (IQHT) are controlled by the same fixed point and possess the same universal critical properties. Given the far-reaching implications for the emerging field of the quantum anomalous Hall effect, modern condensed matter physics, and our general understanding of disordered critical points, it is surprising that this conjecture has never been tested numerically. In this work, we report the results of extensive numerics on the phase diagram and criticality of 2D DDF in the unitary class. We find a critical line at m=0, with an energy-dependent localization length exponent. At large energies, our results for the DDF are consistent with state-of-the-art numerical results ν IQH =2.56-2.62 from models of the IQHT. At E=0, however, we obtain ν 0 =2.30-2.36 incompatible with ν IQH . This result challenges conjectured relations between different models of the IQHT, and several interpretations are discussed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗