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NASA NTRS1997

The Conference Proceedings of the 1997 Air Transport Research Group (ATRG) of the WCTR Society

Topics reported on in the proceedings include: Industrial reform and air transport development in China; the economic effects of airline deregulation and the Open-Sky policy of Korea; Open Skies in India; Japanese domestic air fares under the regulatory regime; the competitive position of airline networks; air transport and regional economic development in the European Union; and corporate dilemmas and strategies of European Airlines.

Oum, Tae Hoon↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Intensity Radiated Field (HIRF) Map - An Avoidance Approach for UAM, AAM, and UAS Vehicles

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), Urban Air Mobility (UAM), and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) vehicles will fly in similar airspace to Transport Category Rotorcraft, thereby requiring them to meet the most severe requirements for HighIntensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) certification. The environment is severe for rotorcraft, much more so than for fixed-wing aircraft, due to lower altitude operations, potentially exposing the vehicles to close and direct view of high-power transmitters on the ground. High-level HIRF exposure potentially leads to avionic system upsets, interference, and undesirable effects. Shielding and circuit protection against HIRF will be a significant barrier to size, weight, and cost, especially for emerging electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) and electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) vehicles. This paper proposes a novel approach to HIRF protection, which reduces costs by testing and certifying vehicles to a “vehicle tolerance level” that is lower than required for Transport Category Rotorcraft. The remaining protection is achieved by maintaining a safe distance from known HIRF sources, calculated based on the vehicle's tolerance level and transmitter characteristics such as transmit power, antenna beamwidth, and direction. Tailored maps are developed, identifying transmitters and avoidance zones within an operating area or along a flight path, allowing for restricted vehicle operations. The HIRF avoidance zones could be smaller for vehicles with higher tolerance levels, enabling them to operate closer to transmitters. Transmitter data can be extracted from regulatory databases like the FCC and NOAA. A map tool is developed in Matlab to calculate and plot HIRF avoidance zones from transmitters in FCC and NOAA databases as proof of concept. Illustrations are presented for AM/FM/TV transmitters, communication satellite dishes, and weather radars. Also illustrated are HIRF zones for smaller transmitters, including land-mobile radios, pagers, microwave links, and cellular towers. An example of flight planning around the transmitters is presented. This method is a substantial deviation from the standard approach and involves slightly higher flight-planning complexity, but the potential cost savings are significant. Future AAM/UAM/UAS aeronautical charts could include these new HIRF avoidance zones.

HIRF↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Intensity Radiated Field (HIRF) Map - An Avoidance Approach for UAM, AAM, and UAS Vehicles

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), Urban Air Mobility (UAM), and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) vehicles will fly in similar airspace to Transport Category Rotorcraft, thereby requiring them to meet the most severe requirements for High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) certification. The environment is severe for rotorcraft, much more so than for fixed-wing aircraft, due to lower altitude operations, potentially exposing the vehicles to close and direct view of high-power transmitters on the ground. High-level HIRF exposure potentially leads to avionic system upsets, interference, and undesirable effects. Shielding and circuit protection against HIRF will be a significant barrier to size, weight, and cost, especially for emerging electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) and electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) vehicles. This paper proposes a novel approach to HIRF protection, which reduces costs by testing and certifying vehicles to a “vehicle tolerance level” that is lower than required for Transport Category Rotorcraft. The remaining protection is achieved by maintaining a safe distance from known HIRF sources, calculated based on the vehicle's tolerance level and transmitter characteristics such as transmit power, antenna beamwidth, and direction. Tailored maps are developed, identifying transmitters and avoidance zones within an operating area or along a flight path, allowing for restricted vehicle operations. The HIRF avoidance zones could be smaller for vehicles with higher tolerance levels, enabling them to operate closer to transmitters. Transmitter data can be extracted from regulatory databases like the FCC and NOAA. A map tool is developed in Matlab to calculate and plot HIRF avoidance zones from transmitters in FCC and NOAA databases as proof of concept. Illustrations are presented for AM/FM/TV transmitters, communication satellite dishes, and weather radars. Also illustrated are HIRF zones for smaller transmitters, including land-mobile radios, pagers, microwave links, and cellular towers. An example of flight planning around the transmitters is presented. This method is a substantial deviation from the standard approach and involves slightly higher flight-planning complexity, but the potential cost savings are significant. Future AAM/UAM/UAS aeronautical charts could include these new HIRF avoidance zones.

HIRF↗

DOE OSTI2021

Safety Compliance Verification of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Exhaust

NREL has been developing compliance verification tools for allowable hydrogen levels prescribed by the Global Technical Regulation Number 13 (GTR-13) for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). As per GTR-13, FCEV exhaust is to remain below 4 vol% H2 over a 3-second moving average and shall not at any time exceed 8 vol% H2 and that this requirement is to be verified with an analyzer that has a response time of less than 300 ms. To be enforceable, a means to verify regulatory requirements must exist. In response to this need, NREL developed a prototype analyzer that meets the GTR metrological requirements for FCEV exhaust analysis. The analyzer was tested on a commercial fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) under simulated driving conditions using a chassis dynamometer at the Emissions Research and Measurement Section of Environment and Climate Change Canada and FCEV exhaust was successfully profiled. Although the prototype FCEV Exhaust Analyzer met the metrological requirements of GTR-13, the stability of the hydrogen sensor was adversely impacted by condensed water in the sample gas. FCEV exhaust is at an elevated temperature and nearly saturated with water vapor. Furthermore, condensed water is present in the form of droplets. Condensed water in the sample gas can collect on the hydrogen sensing element, which would not only block access of hydrogen to the sensor but can also permanently damage the sensor. In the past year, the design of the gas sampling system was modified to mitigate against the transport of liquid water to the sensing element. Laboratory testing confirmed the effectiveness of the modified sampling system water removal strategy while maintaining the measurement range and response time required by GTR-13. Testing of the upgraded analyzer design on an FCEV operating on a chassis dynamometer is scheduled for the summer of 2021.

DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION,HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2024

Soil Desiccation Treatability Testing at BC Waste Disposal Cribs

During Hanford’s production period, low-level waste products generated from chemical processing of uranium fuel rods were discharged directly to the ground through a system of cribs and trenches located in the 200-BC-1 Operable Unit (OU). The site consists of 6 cribs and 20 trenches that received more than 117,000 m3 of radioactive liquid waste discharged to the soil. These unlined infiltration galleries held volumes of liquid waste while it seeped into the ground, with the understanding that the 100 m (330 ft) thick vadose zone in the area would effectively capture the effluent and prevent groundwater impacts. A conceptual model showing the operation of cribs and trenches is shown in Figure 1. Data show effluent from the 26 cribs and trenches containing about 410 curies of Technetium-99 (Tc-99) is primarily located between 30 m and 70 m (98 ft and 230 ft) depth (Corbin et al., 2005; Ward et al., 2004). Despite no evidence indicating that the contamination has reached the groundwater at BC cribs and trenches, the mobility of Tc-99 had been demonstrated in laboratory tests and was recognized as a threat to groundwater at the site. Using data from numerical models, laboratory analyses, field investigations, and information on historical discharges, the EPA and Ecology identified Tc-99 and U contamination of the vadose zone as a remediation priority. The U.S. DOE was notified by EPA and Ecology regarding risks associated with Tc-99 contamination in a letter requesting development of a strategy for improved methods to understand the nature and extent of vadose zone contamination, specifically Tc-99, and to develop remedial options for addressing such contamination. To develop the appropriate technology for characterizing, remediating, and monitoring the deep vadose zone Tc-99 contamination, the U.S. DOE worked with the EPA and Ecology to create a Treatability Test Plan under a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) for the Hanford 200 Areas. Under this RI/FS, it was determined that a treatability test for soil desiccation should be carried out as it was identified as a promising in-situ treatment technology for mitigating risks posed by Tc-99 contamination to the groundwater table. The BC Cribs and Trenches site was identified as a representative site for Tc-99 and U contamination and selected for the soil desiccation treatability test. In this chapter, we summarize the overlying regulatory framework of RI/FS and treatability tests and illustrate how development and experimentation supported the evaluation of selected remedies. We briefly discuss the RI/FS for the 200 Areas of the Hanford Site and focus on the soil desiccation treatability testing performed at the BC cribs and trenches site under the Deep Vadose Zone Treatability Test Plan for the Hanford Central Plateau (DVZ-TT). The DVZ-TT is one component of the remedial investigation/feasibility study for the Hanford 200 Areas and represents the underlying regulatory framework that drives site operations towards records of decision and site closure.

Mangel, Adam R.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Economic Impact of Permitting Timelines on Produced Geothermal Power

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Assessment of Economic Impact of Permitting Timelines on Produced Geothermal Power in Imperial County, California

Despite having a large geothermal power potential in the United States, only a small fraction has been developed for power generation. Various barriers, including technical, financial, and regulatory permit delays, are attributed to lower contribution of geothermal energy in the national grid. Unpredictable environmental reviews and permitting timelines are some of the non-technical barriers that can cause delays in geothermal exploration and utilization plans. Our study shows that the geothermal permitting timelines can vary from six months to several years, depending on the presence or absence of biological resources, cultural resources, and sensitive environmental issues at the project site. The potential impacts of these permit barriers can range from investors abandoning geothermal development to making the product (i.e., electricity) more expensive and uncompetitive. In this study, we conducted economic analysis to assess the impact of permitting timelines on cost of produced electricity from geothermal resources using data from existing geothermal plants as well as prospective sites. In this paper, we present collected timelines data, approach, and results of economic impact of permitting timelines on geothermal power. We evaluated the various environmental management and permit review processes by considering a hypothetical geothermal project in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area. Because of the variety of the biological and environmental issues and the involvement of local, state, and federal agencies with overlapping jurisdictions, this project could go through one of the many California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review scenarios that range from the least to the most complex in its circumstances. The fastest CEQA/NEPA review timelines would have the project completed in six years. In contrast, the project would substantially need longer time to complete if it were located in an area with significant environmental resources or cultural issues that required permitting from various agencies. With increasing project completion timelines, the simplified levelized cost of electricity (sLCOE) can be 4 to 11% higher with longer CEQA/NEPA review timelines than the sLCOE value with the fastest CEQA/NEPA review timeline. Lengthier CEQA/NEPA review timelines could also result in loss of $64 million to $227 million in potential revenue. Such significant economic impacts could determine the success of a geothermal project.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Structural Analysis Approach for the Defense Programs Package 3 (DPP-3)

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is the design authority for a new Type B hazardous materials transportation package designated as the Defense Programs Package 3 (DPP-3) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The DPP-3 has been developed using similar materials and fabrication methods employed in previous U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), DOE, and NNSA certified packages. The DPP-3 design criteria are derived from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), NNSA guidance and NRC regulatory guides in order to safely and securely transport a variety of payloads. Final regulatory approval by the NNSA will require physical testing to demonstrate that the containment vessel (CV) remains leaktight after enduring the entire regulatory testing sequence prescribed in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 71 (10 CFR 71). In order to gain confidence that the DPP-3 will remain leaktight after testing, the DPP-3 has been structurally analyzed using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software LS-DYNA. The FEA analyses serve two general purposes: first, they aid in design and development of the package, and second, they advise as to which drop orientations are expected to cause the most damage during regulatory testing. This paper will discuss how the design criteria are incorporated into analytical techniques needed to evaluate the FEA structural simulation results for 10 CFR 71 conditions to give confidence the DPP-3 testing campaign will be successful.

Sakalaukus Jr., Peter J.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Marshall Convergent Coating Development Team: An Aerospace Success Story

The external thermal insulation systems for the Space Shuttle solid rocket boosters and the Air Force Titan IV payload fairings were in jeopardy due to EPA regulatory problems, endangering the flight status of both vehicles. The Marshall Convergent Coating (MCC-1) Development Team was formed in February 1994 to develop and implement an EPA-compliant external thermal insulation system for both systems. MCC-1 made use of a process known as Convergent Spray Technology (CST), a solventless, sprayable process that eliminated the environmentally hazardous chemicals involved with the old methods. Implemented in record time, the new insulation was so successful that it was selected for two additional flight vehicles, Boeing's Sea Launch and Delta TV. The activity also led to commercial spin-off pilot projects. The team continues today to share data between the various production sites, resolve production issues, expand the material's use, and consider potential improvements for the future.

Lester, Carl N.↗

DOE OSTI2020

AniMACCS User Guide

AniMACCS is a utility code in the MELCOR Accident Consequence Code System (MACCS) software suite that allows for certain MACCS output information to be visually displayed and overlaid onto a geospatial map background. AniMACCS was developed by Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. MACCS is designed to calculate health and economic consequences following a release of radioactive material in the atmosphere. MACCS accomplishes this by modeling the atmospheric dispersion, deposition, and consequences of the release, which depend on several factors including the source term, weather, population, economic, and land-use characteristics of the impacted geographical area. From these inputs, MACCS determines the characteristics of the plume, as well as ground and air concentrations as a function of time and radionuclide.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗

DOE OSTI2021

MACCS Theory Manual

This report describes the models of the MACCS computer code as presented in MACCS Version 3.10.0. The purpose of MACCS is to simulate the impact of severe accidents at nuclear power plants on the surrounding environment. MACCS has been developed by Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. From a given release of radioactive material into the atmosphere, MACCS estimates the extent and magnitude of radiological contamination, offsite doses, protective actions, socioeconomic impacts and costs, and health effects. Since the weather at the time of an accident is not predictable, MACCS supports various sampling options to run a representative set of simulations to evaluate weather variability. MACCS simulates atmospheric transport with a straight-line Gaussian plume segment model. From the estimated air and ground concentrations, MACCS models dose projections through several dose exposure pathways. These exposures can be offset by protective actions during the emergency response and long-term recovery of the accident. MACCS users directly specify the evacuation and sheltering area, while other protective actions (e.g., relocation, farmland restrictions, decontamination) are based on user-specified dose or concentration limits. While protective actions help reduce dose accumulation, they also cause social and economic impacts. MACCS models the extent of displaced individuals and land contamination, and the cost of offsite property damage, economic disruptions, and various accident expenditures caused by protective actions. Finally, from the dose accumulation, MACCS estimates early and stochastic health effects according to dose-response models. The purpose of consequence analyses is to be able to understand and estimate the impact of nuclear accidents. Consequence analysis is an essential tool to inform determinations of adequate protection of the public, to understand nuclear power hazards, to measure the value of regulations, and to help us appreciate the importance of nuclear safety. As such, MACCS has a variety of regulatory uses including environmental analyses (10 CFR 51.53, 52.47), regulatory cost-benefit analyses, backfit analyses (10 CFR 50.109), consequence analysis studies such as SOARCA (NUREG-1935), Level 3 PRA studies, and risk-informing of emergency planning (10 CFR 50 App. E and 50.47). This report updates the previous MACCS theory manual (NUREG/CR-4691 Vol. 2; Chanin, Sprung, Ritchie, & Jow, 1990) and accompanies the MACCS User's Guide (SAND-2021-1588) that describes the use and input requirements of the graphical user interface of MACCS known as WinMACCS. The MACCS User's Guide is also a reference guide that describes data input file formats, describes various software components in the MACCS code suite, and provides a set of example tutorials for running WinMACCS. Also, soon to be published is a MACCS input parameter guidance report (NUREG/CR-7270) that provides technical bases for commonly used MACCS input values. This page left blank

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2024

Heracles: Predictive Tools for Opioid Crisis Intervention - m/q Initiative Project Report

The opioid crisis in the United States is being fueled primarily by fentanyl and its molecular analogs, which can be anywhere from 50 to 1,000 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl itself is straightforward to synthesize; furthermore, the structure is such that fentanyl’s flexible, rotatable side chains are easy to modify to create new analogs. Reference-free computational techniques to predict and identify new fentanyls have the potential to provide a desperately needed preemptive advantage to regulatory stakeholders and toxicologists. The computational pipeline Heracles was developed with this preemptive advantage in mind. Heracles has two primary components: 1) the creation of an in silico library of putative fentanyl analogs, and 2) a downselection pipeline to prioritize generated fentanyl analogs predicted to be potent and easy to synthesize. Experimental observables were also predicted for prioritized analogs, with validation of the observables begun. Heracles has demonstrated potential to aid in the advancement of reference-free paradigms while providing new tools to first responders and other stakeholders attempting to mitigate the opioid crisis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain (NFCSC) Technical Monthly September FY-24

AFC hosted the Light Water Reactor (LWR) Fuels Research Workshop and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Collaborative Research on Advanced Fuel Technologies (CRAFT) Meeting September 9-13, 2024. The Department of Energy's (DOE) Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) program is pivotal in advancing clean energy through collaborative innovation in fuel technology for light water reactors (LWRs). For over a decade, AFC has engaged a wide array of stakeholders—researchers, industry participants, and regulatory bodies—both within the U.S. and internationally to develop ATF technology. This initiative aims to enhance the safety and economic performance of both Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) and LWRs. To foster community relationships and disseminate research, AFC initiated annual LWR Fuel workshops in 2024, supplementing ongoing industry-led CRAFT workshops.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

NASA NTRS2014

Using Vision System Technologies to Enable Operational Improvements for Low Visibility Approach and Landing Operations

Flight deck-based vision systems, such as Synthetic and Enhanced Vision System (SEVS) technologies, have the potential to provide additional margins of safety for aircrew performance and enable the implementation of operational improvements for low visibility surface, arrival, and departure operations in the terminal environment with equivalent efficiency to visual operations. To achieve this potential, research is required for effective technology development and implementation based upon human factors design and regulatory guidance. This research supports the introduction and use of Synthetic Vision Systems and Enhanced Flight Vision Systems (SVS/EFVS) as advanced cockpit vision technologies in Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) operations. Twelve air transport-rated crews participated in a motion-base simulation experiment to evaluate the use of SVS/EFVS in NextGen low visibility approach and landing operations. Three monochromatic, collimated head-up display (HUD) concepts (conventional HUD, SVS HUD, and EFVS HUD) and two color head-down primary flight display (PFD) concepts (conventional PFD, SVS PFD) were evaluated in a simulated NextGen Chicago O'Hare terminal environment. Additionally, the instrument approach type (no offset, 3 degree offset, 15 degree offset) was experimentally varied to test the efficacy of the HUD concepts for offset approach operations. The data showed that touchdown landing performance were excellent regardless of SEVS concept or type of offset instrument approach being flown. Subjective assessments of mental workload and situation awareness indicated that making offset approaches in low visibility conditions with an EFVS HUD or SVS HUD may be feasible.

Kramer, Lynda J.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Advantage of Animal Models with Metabolic Flexibility for Space Research Beyond Low Earth Orbit

As the worlds space agencies and commercial entities continue to expand beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), novel approaches to carry out biomedical experiments with animals are required to address the challenge of adaptation to space flight and new planetary environments. The extended time and distance of space travel along with reduced involvement of Earth-based mission support increases the cumulative impact of the risks encountered in space. To respond to these challenges, it becomes increasingly important to develop the capability to manage an organisms self-regulatory control system, which would enable survival in extraterrestrial environments. To significantly reduce the risk to animals on future long duration space missions, we propose the use of metabolically flexible animal models as pathfinders, which are capable of tolerating the environmental extremes exhibited in spaceflight, including altered gravity, exposure to space radiation, chemically reactive planetary environments and temperature extremes.In this report we survey several of the pivotal metabolic flexibility studies and discuss the importance of utilizing animal models with metabolic flexibility with particular attention given to the ability to suppress the organism's metabolism in spaceflight experiments beyond LEO. The presented analysis demonstrates the adjuvant benefits of these factors to minimize damage caused by exposure to spaceflight and extreme planetary environments. Examples of microorganisms and animal models with dormancy capabilities suitable for space research are considered in the context of their survivability under hostile or deadly environments outside of Earth. Potential steps toward implementation of metabolic control technology in spaceflight architecture and its benefits for animal experiments and manned space exploration missions are discussed.

metabolic flexibility↗

NASA NTRS2018

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM)

UTM is an 'air traffic management' ecosystem for uncontrolled operations. UTM utilizes industry's ability to supply services under FAA's regulatory authority where these services do not exist. UTM development will ultimately enable the management of large scale, low-altitude UAS operations. Operational concept will address beyond visual line of sight UAS operations under 400 ft. AGL. Information architecture, data exchange protocols, software functions. Roles/responsibilities of FAA and operators. Performance requirements.

UTM↗

NASA NTRS2019

Certification Rules and Standards Review

This report characterizes the certification practices for electric propulsion systems by modeling changes to current engine and propeller certification practices (14 CFR 23, 33 and 35 and means of compliance in standards developed by ASTM Committee F39 and F44). Industry technology paths are varied, so this report focuses on insights from the NASA X-57 Maxwell Distributed Electric Propulsion flight demonstrator system technology project. There are 122 sections of the regulation reviewed, where 28 needed tailoring or revision. A second report will examine the regulations to the X-57 system development products. A final report will describe a general regulatory gaps method for new vehicle concepts.

Schlickenmaier, Herbert↗

DOE OSTI2024

Safety Considerations for Advanced Material Irradiation at the Advanced Test Reactor

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a light water reactor with aluminum-clad driver fuel. A primary mission of the ATR is to support the next generation of nuclear reactors. This support necessarily requires irradiation of advanced materials such as sodium, fuel salts, and metal eutectics. Irradiation of advanced materials in the ATR environment presents a challenge when completing accident analyses and demonstrating compliance to the Safety Analysis Report (SAR). Many advanced materials have the possibility to react with the ATR protective barriers such as the cladding or primary coolant system (PCS) boundary during postulated accident scenarios. Further, molten fuel experiments fall outside of the standard regulatory framework for dose consequence analyses. ATR is currently developing new safety analysis methods to support irradiation of advanced materials. The primary considerations for this development are 1) experiment containment design requirements, 2) primary coolant system response to an experiment containment failure, and 3) dose analyses for molten fuels.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗