Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Inspection”

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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

LatticeAnalytics: Strut-Level Visualization and Inspection of Additively Manufactured Lattice Structures

Additive manufacturing (AM) is revolutionizing the production of custom components with complex internal geometries, essential for high-performance applications in diverse fields such as medicine and defense. These AM parts optimize strength while minimizing weight by utilizing internal lattice structures consisting of large quantities of small interconnected struts. However, the complexity of these structures, combined with the challenges of using X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) data, makes validation of part reliability difficult. This ultimately inhibits the development of novel parts for our collaborating material scientists. Here, we introduce LatticeAnalytics, a novel framework specifically designed for visual inspection of defects in these lattice structures. Our framework offers an end-to-end solution that includes the data management of XCT scans, enables remote access for geographically dispersed teams through a web-based dashboard, and incorporates novel visualizations. Our analysis is facilitated by a coarse alignment between the lattice’s nominal model, a spatial graph, and the XCT data. We employ a simple VR-based approach for fast and rough alignment, followed by an offline registration and identification of the struts. With the nodes and struts aligned and identified in the volume, our framework allows querying of subvolumes containing a single strut at multiple resolutions. This avoids computation over the entire lattice and also allow for easy parallelization of down-stream computations, such as strut-specific metrics. To depict a fast overview of the strut quality, we introduce two innovative visual encodings, crucial for our collaborators’ research in creating novel AM parts: the Contour View and the Roughness Map, which depict critical geometrical and surface features of individual struts in standardized two 2D views. We evaluated the integrated system through expert interviews. The feedback confirms the framework’s practicality and its effectiveness in enhancing current inspection workflows. It solves major bottlenecks for our collaborators, ultimately helping them create novel parts with advanced properties.

Miao, Haichao [Lawrence Livermore National Laborat↗
DOE OSTI2021

INSERVICE INSPECTION OF EXTENDED DRY STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, PART II: NDE/SENSOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND CODIFICATION

This paper describes development and demonstration of nondestructive examination (NDE) technologies to support periodic examinations of interim dry cask storage system (DCSS) canisters for spent nuclear fuel in the USA to verify continued safe operation and that the canister confinement is intact and performing its intended safety function. Specifically, this work relates to NDE technology development for “canister” based DCSS systems which form the majority population of DCSSs, in the USA, for interim storage of spent nuclear fuel. Consideration of potential degradation of the welded stainless-steel canister in these systems is required for continued usage in the period of extended operation (PEO) beyond the initial license or certified term. Physical access to the canister surface is constrained due to narrow annulus spaces between the canister and the overpack, tortuous entry pathways, and high temperatures and radiation doses that can be damaging to materials and electronics related to inspections. Several activities to demonstrate NDE technologies for the inspections of different DCSS systems are summarized.

nondestructive examination (NDE), Dry Cask Storage↗
DOE OSTI2017

Impact of tool design on defect detection sensitivity in extreme ultraviolet actinic blank inspection

Here, we discuss the impact of various tool design perspectives on defect detection sensitivity for dark-field-based extreme ultraviolet (EUV) actinic blank inspection. We consider the impact of pixel size, EUV source type, and photon collection efficiency on critical defect signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance. The results show that as the pixel size approaches the target defect image size, defect SNR increases, and that pixel size also determines the dominant noise source in the inspection system. Moreover, the choice of the EUV source affects the optimal numerical aperture (NA) and illumination settings. For plasma-discharged sources, more photons provided by larger partial coherent illumination can improve the defect SNR, while coherent illumination is needed to get a higher defect SNR for synchrotron-based source. In the end, we show that simply increasing the photon collection efficiency by using high-NA optics or increasing the source power cannot always improve the defect SNR. In a speckle-noise dominated situation, larger outer NA includes more noise than defect signal, thus resulting in a lower SNR. The impact of source power also saturates at a certain level as the system becomes speckle-noise limited compared to photon-noise limited.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nanofabrication and inspection of fuel capsules for inertial confinement fusion

3D nanofabrication via Two-Photon Polymerization (TPP) provides a unique capability of flexibly fabricating complex structures over 1D-3D dimensions and µm-cm scales with resolutions below 100 nm. In the past years, the Laser-Assisted Nano Engineering (LANE) Group at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) has been working closely with the Laboratory of Laser Energetics (LLE) in developing practical TPP approaches to fabricating various target structures for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). At the same time, fuel capsules for ICF experiments should be inspected for surface and wall-embedded defects. Plastics materials [e.g., for example polystyrene (PS)] are the common materials used to make fuel capsules. However, during their manufacturing, capsules usually contain defects (vacuoles) embedded inside the shell walls, which may distort the implosion processes and influence the ICF performance of the capsules. The size of vacuoles is usually in a range from 100 to 2000 nm. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscope offers the capabilities of inspecting and characterizing the capsule defects. Furthermore, cryo-CARS microscopy was developed to explore how fuel isotope distributed inside target when icing that could not be diagnosed before.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Inspection of plate weldments through an interposed layer of viscoelastic material using an elastic-electromagnetic scanning method

In this study, an elastic-microwave based non-destructive evaluation method is presented to inspect for cracks in weldments and thinning of coated steel plates. The approach uses a microwave interferometer operating at 94 GHz to record the total surface displacement of a coated steel plated as it is driven by an incident elastic field. These spatiotemporal data coupled with wavefield processing algorithms provide powerful detection and localization capabilities. From these wavefield data sets, a plate thickness mapping capability has been demonstrated that can detect thickness changes on the order of 0.79 mm (1/32 in.). It is also shown that a topological energy analysis of the wavefield data can detect and locate small flaws on the order of 5–10 mm (0.19–0.40 in.) in the welded joint. Note, all of these results are obtained through a 50.8 mm (2 in.) thick viscoelastic coating without disturbing the coating or the coating bond. At present the algorithm cannot resolve individual flaws within a grid space, just their cumulative effect. Even with the current limitations, this detection approach appears to be a promising alternative to traditional phased array imaging methods where the coating layer must be removed prior to inspection.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Aerial Inspection Planner

SAND2025-04581O Aerial Inspection Planner is a software tool that creates aerial trajectories for full coverage of a 3D object at minimum cost. It can be used for inspection of aircraft, buildings, ships, wind turbines, etc. It uses a 3D model of the object, and given the coverage constraints, outputs an efficient flight path for a UAV to follow.Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Moon, Brady↗
DOE OSTI2015

Whisper Source Code Inspection Report

This report documents an inspection of the Whisper Fortran source code. As a result of this inspection, this report explains how (and confirms) the methodology was implemented in the source code. The following sections document the algorithms, data structures, and program structure in Whisper. When Whisper implements a specific equation in LA-UR-14-26558, a cross reference to the equation is made. Also, Appendix A provides a cross reference from the equations in LA-UR-14-26558 to the implementing subroutine or function.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

AGR-2 Irradiated Test Train Preliminary Inspection and Disassembly First Look

The AGR 2 irradiation experiment began in June 2010 and was completed in October 2013. The test train was shipped to the Materials and Fuels Complex in July 2014 for post-irradiation examination (PIE). The first PIE activities included nondestructive examination of the test train, followed by disassembly of the test train and individual capsules and detailed inspection of the capsule contents, including the fuel compacts and their graphite fuel holders. Dimensional metrology was then performed on the compacts, graphite holders, and steel capsule shells. AGR 2 disassembly and metrology were performed with the same equipment used successfully on AGR 1 test train components. Gamma spectrometry of the intact test train gave a preliminary look at the condition of the interior components. No evidence of damage to compacts or graphite components was evident from the isotopic and gross gamma scans. Disassembly of the AGR 2 test train and its capsules was conducted rapidly and efficiently by employing techniques refined during the AGR 1 disassembly campaign. Only one major difficulty was encountered while separating the test train into capsules when thermocouples (of larger diameter than used in AGR 1) and gas lines jammed inside the through tubes of the upper capsules, which required new tooling for extraction. Disassembly of individual capsules was straightforward with only a few minor complications. On the whole, AGR 2 capsule structural components appeared less embrittled than their AGR 1 counterparts. Compacts from AGR 2 Capsules 2, 3, 5, and 6 were in very good condition upon removal. Only relatively minor damage or markings were visible using high resolution photographic inspection. Compact dimensional measurements indicated radial shrinkage between 0.8 to 1.7%, with the greatest shrinkage observed on Capsule 2 compacts that were irradiated at higher temperature. Length shrinkage ranged from 0.1 to 0.9%, with by far the lowest axial shrinkage on Capsule 3 compacts—possibly as a consequence of lower packing fraction or larger particle size. Differences in fast neutron fluence among compacts from these four capsules had no obvious effect on radial and axial shrinkage. (The AGR 2 experiment included Capsule 1 containing French compacts and Capsule 4 with compacts made at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using South African fuel particles. Information on these two batches of AGR 2 fuel compacts is confined to restricted Appendices A and B because of proprietary information limitations.)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Evaluation of the Frequencies for Canister Inspections for SCC

This report fulfills the M3 milestone M3FT-15SN0802042, “Evaluate the Frequencies for Canister Inspections for SCC” under Work Package FT-15SN080204, “ST Field Demonstration Support – SNL”. It reviews the current state of knowledge on the potential for stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of dry storage canisters and evaluates the implications of this state of knowledge on the establishment of an SCC inspection frequency. Models for the prediction of SCC by the Japanese Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), the United States (U.S.) Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) are summarized, and their limitations discussed.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Concrete Inspection in Remote Areas with Robotic Arms

The use of non-destructive examination (NDE) to assess the conditions of concrete structures has received extensive attention in recent years. NDE analysis techniques are used to evaluate the properties of materials and to ensure the integrity of structures without causing damages to them. NDE inspection is often performed manually by certified technicians, however in remote and high hazard environments this is impossible or undesirable for human safety. Development of remote and robotic technologies to perform these essential inspections is of interest to the DOE EM complex due to its aging infrastructure and hazardous environments. This goal of this seedling was to develop techniques to remotely examine inaccessible concrete structures and to evaluate results collected remotely to those obtained by human hand. Additionally, two promising state of the art NDE instruments were identified to be used for the characterization to include the new Proceq Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) which generates results in 3D using Augmented Reality. A test bed was built to develop and evaluate deployment techniques of the NDE instruments with a robotic arm. Concrete test forms simulating the rough concrete surfaces, strength, composition and potential structural defects that can be found at our DOE EM facilities were built for the examination. Initial NDE instrumentation data collection has been performed on the concrete test forms.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Inspection Status Report of Site A/Plot M (Report for 2020)

The Site A/Plot M, Decommissioned Reactor Site was inspected on September 24, 2020. Site A/Plot M is located in the Palos Area Preserves, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. The site was found to be in good condition with minimal erosional concerns across the grass covered mound at Plot M. Landscaping timbers installed along the footpath north of Plot M is effective in reducing erosion down the hill. Erosion concerns at Plot M are being addressed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The bike trail installed by Cook County Forest Preserve to the east of Plot M has helped reduce traffic at the site. The Plot M monument appears solid with no visible cracks. The Site A monument has several cracks present that will possibly widen over time. No cause for a follow up inspection was identified.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Robotics Enabled Eddy Current Testing System for Autonomous Inspection of Heat Exchanger Tubes

The objective of the project is to develop a robotics enabled eddy current testing system (REECTS) in automatic probe deployment, inspection, and data acquisition and analysis. The main functions of the REECTS are to: 1) identify geometry and locations of heat exchange tubes with assistance of an imaging recognition system; 2) precisely control the position and motion speed of ECT probes by an adaptive control system; 3) facilitate data analysis and real-time decision making for autonomous inspection assisted by machine learning algorithms.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Post-Closure Inspection Letter Report for Closed Non-Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Units (CAUs) On the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), For Calendar Year 2019, With Errata Sheet

Post-Closure inspection letter report for the following CAUs for calendar year 2019 including CAUs located on the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) that are accessed through the NNSS Main Gate. Use restriction issues that were identified in 2018 inspections were addressed in 2019.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Postclosure Inspection and Monitoring Report for Surface Corrective Action Unit 417 at the Central Nevada Test Area, Nevada, Site

This report presents results of the biennial postclosure site inspection conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) at the Central Nevada Test Area (CNTA), Nevada, Site (Figure 1) surface Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 417. The report has been prepared in accordance with the Post-Closure Monitoring Plan contained in the Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 417: Central Nevada Test Area Surface, Nevada (NNSA/NV 2001), hereafter called the CAU 417 Closure Report. The site closure process was completed in 2001 in accordance with the amended Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO 1996, as amended) (FFACO) and all applicable Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) policies and regulations. Responsibility for environmental site restoration was transferred from the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office to LM on October 1, 2006. This report summarizes investigation activities associated with CAU 417 that LM conducted from September 2018 through August 2020. A postclosure inspection was conducted in 2020 to document the physical condition of the CAU 417 soil covers, monuments, signs, fencing, and use-restricted areas.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2018

Postclosure Inspection and Monitoring Report for Surface Corrective Action Unit 417 at the Central Nevada Test Area, Nevada, Site

This report presents results of the biennial postclosure site inspection conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) at the surface Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 417 at the Central Nevada Test Area (CNTA), Nevada, site. The report has been prepared in accordance with the Post-Closure Monitoring Plan contained in the CAU 417 Closure Report (NNSA/NV 2001) and a Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) (FFACO 1996). Responsibility for environmental site restoration of the CNTA was transferred from the DOE, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Field Office to LM on October 1, 2006. This report summarizes investigation activities associated with CAU 417 that LM conducted from July 2014 through July 2016. A postclosure inspection was conducted in 2016 to document the physical condition of the CAU 417 soil covers, monuments, signs, fencing, and use-restricted areas.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2022

Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program: Complete the weld campaign on Ni-base irradiated materials using stress improved laser welding including the preliminary weld quality inspections

This report summarizes the most recent welding campaign on irradiated Ni-base alloy 182 and the preliminary weld quality inspections at the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC). Equipment and capabilities were developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program, the Electric Power Research Institute, Long Term Operations Program (and the Welding and Repair Technology Center), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Irradiated nickel alloy 182, with target helium contents of 5 atom parts-per million (appm), 10 appm, and 20 appm, were laser welded in the hot cell successfully. The significant, on-going effort to weld irradiated alloys with high helium concentrations and comprehensively analyze the results will eventually yield validated repair techniques and guidelines for use by the nuclear industry in extending the operational lifetimes of nuclear power plants. This report fulfills the FY 2023 milestone M3LW-22OR0406013, “Complete the weld campaign on Ni base irradiated materials using stress improved laser welding including the preliminary weld quality inspections”.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Inspection Status Report of Site A/Plot M Report for 2023

The Site A/Plot M Decommissioned Reactor Site was inspected on June 6, 2023. Site A/Plot M is in the Palos Area Preserves, operated by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. The site was found to be in good condition with negligible erosional concerns across the grass covered mound at Plot M. Landscaping timbers installed along the footpath of Plot M have been effective in reducing erosion down the eastern slope, thus, no additional timber steps are needed at this time. The bike trail, installed by Cook County Forest Preserve, located to the south and east of Plot M has helped to significantly reduce traffic at the site. The Site A and Plot M monuments were both replaced on May 1, 2021, and remain in good condition, despite a small amount of graffiti observed on both monuments at the time of the inspection. The 19 groundwater monitoring wells at Site A/Plot M were found to be secure and in good condition.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

Nondestructive Ultrasonic Inspection of Composite Materials: A Comparative Advantage of Phased Array Ultrasonic

Carbon- and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP and GFRP) composite materials have been used in many industries such as aerospace and automobile because of their outstanding strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. The quality of these materials is important for safe operation. Nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques are an effective way to inspect these composites. While ultrasonic NDT has previously been used for inspection of composites, conventional ultrasonic NDT, using single element transducers, has limitations such as high attenuation and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Using phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) techniques, signals can be generated at desired distances and angles. These capabilities provide promising results for composites where the anisotropic structure makes signal evaluation challenging. Defect detection in composites based on bulk and guided waves are studied. The capability of the PAUT and its sensitivity to flaws were evaluated by comparing the signal characteristics to the conventional method. The results show that flaw sizes as small as 0.8 mm with penetration depth up to 25 mm can be detected using PAUT, and the result signals have better characteristics than the conventional ultrasonic technique. In addition, it has been shown that guided wave generated by PAUT also has outstanding capability of flaw detection in composite materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗