Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “source configuration”

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

SpF: Enabling Petascale Performance for Pseudospectral Dynamo Models

Pseudospectral (PS) methods possess a number of characteristics (e.g., efficiency, accuracy, natural boundary conditions) that are extremely desirable for dynamo models. Unfortunately, dynamo models based upon PS methods face a number of daunting challenges, which include exposing additional parallelism, leveraging hardware accelerators, exploiting hybrid parallelism, and improving the scalability of global memory transposes. Although these issues are a concern for most models, solutions for PS methods tend to require far more pervasive changes to underlying data and control structures. Further, improvements in performance in one model are difficult to transfer to other models, resulting in significant duplication of effort across the research community.We have developed an extensible software framework for pseudospectral methods called SpF that is intended to enable extreme scalability and optimal performance. High-level abstractions provided by SpF unburden applications of the responsibility of managing domain decomposition and load balance while reducing the changes in code required to adapt to new computing architectures. The key design concept in SpF is that each phase of the numerical calculation is partitioned into disjoint numerical kernels that can be performed entirely in-processor. The granularity of domain-decomposition provided by SpF is only constrained by the data-locality requirements of these kernels. SpF builds on top of optimized vendor libraries for common numerical operations such as transforms, matrix solvers, etc., but can also be configured to use open source alternatives for portability. SpF includes several alternative schemes for global data redistribution and is expected to serve as an ideal testbed for further research into optimal approaches for different network architectures.In this presentation, we will describe the basic architecture of SpF as well as preliminary performance data and experience with adapting legacy dynamo codes. We will conclude with a discussion of planned extensions to SpF that will provide pseudospectral applications with additional flexibility with regard to time integration, linear solvers, and discretization in the radial direction.

Pseudospectral (PS)↗

Using the NASA GRC Sectored-One-Dimensional Combustor Simulation

The document is a user manual for the NASA GRC Sectored-One-Dimensional (S-1-D) Combustor Simulation. It consists of three sections. The first is a very brief outline of the mathematical and numerical background of the code along with a description of the non-dimensional variables on which it operates. The second section describes how to run the code and includes an explanation of the input file. The input file contains the parameters necessary to establish an operating point as well as the associated boundary conditions (i.e. how it is fed and terminated) of a geometrically configured combustor. It also describes the code output. The third section describes the configuration process and utilizes a specific example combustor to do so. Configuration consists of geometrically describing the combustor (section lengths, axial locations, and cross sectional areas) and locating the fuel injection point and flame region. Configuration requires modifying the source code and recompiling. As such, an executable utility is included with the code which will guide the requisite modifications and insure that they are done correctly.

Combustion Stability↗

Using SpF to Achieve Petascale for Legacy Pseudospectral Applications

Pseudospectral (PS) methods possess a number of characteristics (e.g., efficiency, accuracy, natural boundary conditions) that are extremely desirable for dynamo models. Unfortunately, dynamo models based upon PS methods face a number of daunting challenges, which include exposing additional parallelism, leveraging hardware accelerators, exploiting hybrid parallelism, and improving the scalability of global memory transposes. Although these issues are a concern for most models, solutions for PS methods tend to require far more pervasive changes to underlying data and control structures. Further, improvements in performance in one model are difficult to transfer to other models, resulting in significant duplication of effort across the research community. We have developed an extensible software framework for pseudospectral methods called SpF that is intended to enable extreme scalability and optimal performance. Highlevel abstractions provided by SpF unburden applications of the responsibility of managing domain decomposition and load balance while reducing the changes in code required to adapt to new computing architectures. The key design concept in SpF is that each phase of the numerical calculation is partitioned into disjoint numerical kernels that can be performed entirely inprocessor. The granularity of domain decomposition provided by SpF is only constrained by the datalocality requirements of these kernels. SpF builds on top of optimized vendor libraries for common numerical operations such as transforms, matrix solvers, etc., but can also be configured to use open source alternatives for portability. SpF includes several alternative schemes for global data redistribution and is expected to serve as an ideal testbed for further research into optimal approaches for different network architectures. In this presentation, we will describe our experience in porting legacy pseudospectral models, MoSST and DYNAMO, to use SpF as well as present preliminary performance results provided by the improved scalability.

DYNAMO↗

Transition-Edge Sensor Pixel Parameter Design of the Microcalorimeter Array for the X-Ray Integral Field Unit on Athena

The focal plane of the X-ray integral field unit (X-IFU) for ESA's Athena X-ray observatory will consist of approximately 4000 transition edge sensor (TES) x-ray microcalorimeters optimized for the energy range of 0.2 to 12 kiloelectronvolts. The instrument will provide unprecedented spectral resolution of approximately 2.5 electronvolts at energies of up to 7 kiloelectronvolts and will accommodate photon fluxes of 1 milliCrab (90 counts per second) for point source observations. The baseline configuration is a uniform large pixel array (LPA) of 4.28 arcseconds pixels that is read out using frequency domain multiplexing (FDM). However, an alternative configuration under study incorporates an 18 by × 18 small pixel array (SPA) of 2 arcseconds pixels in the central approximately 36 arcseconds region. This hybrid array configuration could be designed to accommodate higher fluxes of up to 10 milliCrabs (900 counts per second) or alternately for improved spectral performance (less than 1.5 electronvolts) at low count-rates. In this paper we report on the TES pixel designs that are being optimized to meet these proposed LPA and SPA configurations. In particular we describe details of how important TES parameters are chosen to meet the specific mission criteria such as energy resolution, count-rate and quantum efficiency, and highlight performance trade-offs between designs. The basis of the pixel parameter selection is discussed in the context of existing TES arrays that are being developed for solar and x-ray astronomy applications. We describe the latest results on DC biased diagnostic arrays as well as large format kilo-pixel arrays and discuss the technical challenges associated with integrating different array types on to a single detector die.

Smith, S. J.↗

EMRECORD v. 1.0

Program EMRECORD is a utility program designed to facilitate introduction of a 3D electromagnetic (EM) data acquisition configuration (or a “source-receiver recording geometry”) into EM forward modeling algorithms EMHOLE and FDEM. A precise description of the locations (in 3D space), orientations, types, and amplitudes/sensitivities, of all sources and receivers is an essential ingredient for forward modeling of EM wavefields.

Aldridge, David F.↗

CritView User’s Guide Rev. 2

This document serves as a user’s guide for the CritView code, version 1.05. It supersedes the previous revision (Rev. 1), which was applicable to version 1.04 of CritView. This release of CritView also includes version 1.09 of the database, which replaces version 1.08. The CritView code is used as an electronic equivalent of a nuclear criticality handbook (e.g., ARH-600). This code takes an electronic data library and allows the user to plot data as needed. This approach has two distinct advantages over a paper handbook. First, the database can be easily expanded to include additional data sources (e.g., other handbooks, configurations, or modeling techniques). Secondly, the code provides flexibility by allowing the user to easily change the units and parameters of the plots.

Finfrock, Scott H. [Savannah River Nuclear Solutio↗

Thermal Performance Analysis of a Geologic Borehole Repository

The Brazilian Nuclear Research Institute (IPEN) proposed a design for the disposal of Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS) based on the IAEA Borehole Disposal of Sealed Radioactive Sources (BOSS) design that would allow the entirety of Brazil’s inventory of DSRS to be disposed in a single borehole. The proposed IPEN design allows for 170 waste packages (WPs) containing DSRS (such as Co-60 and Cs-137) to be stacked on top of each other inside the borehole. The primary objective of this work was to evaluate the thermal performance of a conservative approach to the IPEN proposal with the equivalent of two WPs and two different inside configurations using Co-60 as the radioactive heat source. The current WP configuration (heterogeneous) for the IPEN proposal has 60% of the WP volume being occupied by a nuclear radioactive heat source and the remaining 40% as vacant space. The second configuration (homogeneous) considered for this project was a homogeneous case where 100% of the WP volume was occupied by a nuclear radioactive heat source. The computational models for the thermal analyses of the WP configurations with the Co-60 heat source considered three different cooling mechanisms (conduction, radiation, and convection) and the effect of mesh size on the results from the thermal analysis. The results of the analyses yielded maximum temperatures inside the WPs for both of the WP configurations and various mesh sizes. The heterogeneous WP considered the cooling mechanisms of conduction, convection, and radiation. The temperature results from the heterogeneous WP analysis suggest that the model is cooled predominantly by conduction with effect of radiation and natural convection on cooling being negligible. From the thermal analysis comparing the two WP configurations, the results suggest that either WP configuration could be used for the design. The mesh sensitivity results verify the meshes used, and results obtained from the thermal analyses were close to being independent of mesh size. The results from the computational case and analytically-calculated case for the homogeneous WP in benchmarking were almost identical, which indicates that the computational approach used here was successfully verified by the analytical solution.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

RESCue Model (RESCue Experiment and Model) [SWR-24-84]

The Renewable Energy and Storage Cybersecurity Research (RESCue) project is a collaborative effort aimed at securing the rapidly growing deployment of transmission-connected hybrid renewable energy systems, consisting of a combination of wind, solar, and/or energy storage equipment, against escalating cyber threats. This project brings together major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of wind, solar, and energy storage, along with major asset owners and DOE National Laboratories, to collectively identify cyber threats, assess risks, and develop robust cybersecurity strategies and solutions. The development of hybrid reference architectures has provided comprehensive blueprints for the secure design and integration of hybrid renewable energy systems, accounting for their unique characteristics and interdependencies. Additionally, NREL has created a cyber-resilient design framework that integrates cybersecurity considerations from the start of the system lifecycle, ensuring security is "baked in" from the initial design phase. The research thrusts for the project included (i) development of hybrid reference architectures and (ii) a cyber-resilient design framework for hybrid energy systems. The reference architectures has provided comprehensive blueprints for the secure design and integration of hybrid renewable energy systems, accounting for their unique characteristics and interdependencies. Additionally, NREL has created a cyber-resilient design framework that integrates cybersecurity considerations from the start of the system lifecycle, ensuring security is "baked in" from the initial design phase. A demonstration experiment was developed for one of the architectures using NREL's Cyber Range resources. This experiment configuration, deployable using open-source tools, is provided here in this repository. Additional models were developed for the wind and solar architectures as well, however the configurations for only the Energy Storage scenario are provided here: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy24osti/89921.pdf

Hasandka, Adarsh↗

An Experimental Investigation of Unsteady Thrust Augmentation Using a Speaker-Driven Jet

An experimental investigation is described in which a simple speaker-driven jet was used as a pulsed thrust source (driver) for an ejector configuration. The objectives of the investigation were twofold: first, to add to the experimental body of evidence showing that an unsteady thrust source, combined with a properly sized ejector generally yields higher thrust augmentation values than a similarly sized, steady driver of equivalent thrust. Second, to identify characteristics of the unsteady driver that may be useful for sizing ejectors, and predicting what thrust augmentation values may be achieved. The speaker-driven jet provided a convenient source for the investigation because it is entirely unsteady (having no mean component) and because relevant parameters such as frequency, time-averaged thrust, and diameter are easily variable. The experimental setup will be described, as will the various measurements made. These include both thrust and Digital Particle Imaging Velocimetry of the driver. It will be shown that thrust augmentation values as high as 1.8 were obtained, that the diameter of the best ejector scaled with the dimensions of the emitted vortex, and that the so-called Formation Number serves as a useful dimensionless number by which to characterize the jet and predict performance.

Paxson, Daniel E.↗

Enhanced Performance Assessment Models for Generic Deep Geologic Repositories for High-Level Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel - 16223

Development of an enhanced performance assessment (PA) capability for geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste has been ongoing for several years in the U.S. repository program. The new Generic Disposal System Analysis (GDSA) modeling and software framework is intended to be flexible enough to evolve through the various phases of repository activities, beginning with generic PA activities in the current Concept Evaluation phase to site-specific PA modeling in the Repository Development phase. The GDSA Framework utilizes modern software and hardware capabilities by being based on open-source software architecture and being configured to run in a massively parallel, high-performance computing (HPC) environment. It consists of two main components, the open-source Dakota uncertainty sampling and analysis software and the PFLOTRAN reactive multi-phase flow and transport simulator. Reference cases or 'generic repositories' have been, and are being developed, based on typical properties for potential salt, clay, and granite host-rock formations and corresponding engineered design concepts for each medium. Past simulations have focused on a generic repository in bedded-salt host rock, while the most recent research has focused on a reference case for a typical clay/shale host rock. A variety of single-realization (i.e., deterministic) and multi-realization (probabilistic) results for the new clay reference case are presented, including an analysis of the effects of heat generation on repository performance, assuming a 100-year out-of-reactor commercial SNF waste form. Order-of-magnitude differences between predicted radionuclide concentrations in thermal versus isothermal simulations imply that mechanistic, coupled-process modeling in three-dimensional (3-D) domains can be important for building confidence in post-closure performance assessments. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

INVISIBLE ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI. II. RADIO MORPHOLOGIES AND FIVE NEW H i 21 cm ABSORPTION LINE DETECTORS

This is the second paper directed toward finding new highly redshifted atomic and molecular absorption lines at radio frequencies. To this end, we selected a sample of 80 candidates for obscured radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and presented their basic optical/near-infrared (NIR) properties in Paper I. In this paper, we present both high-resolution radio continuum images for all of these sources and H i 21 cm absorption spectroscopy for a few selected sources in this sample. A-configuration 4.9 and 8.5 GHz Very Large Array continuum observations find that 52 sources are compact or have substantial compact components with size <0.″5 and flux densities >0.1 Jy at 4.9 GHz. The 36 most compact sources were then observed with the Very Long Baseline Array at 1.4 GHz. One definite and 10 candidate Compact Symmetric Objects (CSOs) are newly identified, which is a detection rate of CSOs ∼three times higher than the detection rate previously found in purely flux-limited samples. Based on possessing compact components with high flux densities, 60 of these sources are good candidates for absorption-line searches. Twenty-seven sources were observed for H i 21 cm absorption at their photometric or spectroscopic redshifts with only six detections (five definite and one tentative). However, five of these were from a small subset of six CSOs with pure galaxy optical/NIR spectra (i.e., any AGN emission is obscured) and for which accurate spectroscopic redshifts place the redshifted 21 cm line in a radio frequency intereference (RFI)-free spectral “window” (i.e., the percentage of H i 21 cm absorption-line detections could be as high as ∼90% in this sample). It is likely that the presence of ubiquitous RFI and the absence of accurate spectroscopic redshifts preclude H i detections in similar sources (only 1 detection out of the remaining 22 sources observed, 13 of which have only photometric redshifts); that is, H i absorption may well be present but is masked by the RFI. Future searches for highly redshifted H i and molecular absorption can easily find more distant CSOs among bright, “blank field” radio sources, but will be severely hampered by an inability to determine accurate spectroscopic redshifts due to their lack of rest-frame UV continuum.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Experimental Investigation of Unsteady Thrust Augmentation Using a Speaker-Driven Jet

An experimental investigation is described in which a simple speaker-driven jet was used as a pulsed thrust source (driver) for an ejector configuration. The objectives of the investigation were twofold. The first was to expand the experimental body of evidence showing that an unsteady thrust source, combined with a properly sized ejector generally yields higher thrust augmentation values than a similarly sized, steady driver of equivalent thrust. The second objective was to identify characteristics of the unsteady driver that may be useful for sizing ejectors, and for predicting the thrust augmentation levels that may be achieved. The speaker-driven jet provided a convenient source for the investigation because it is entirely unsteady (i.e., it has no mean velocity component) and because relevant parameters such as frequency, time-averaged thrust, and diameter are easily variable. The experimental setup will be described, as will the two main measurements techniques employed. These are thrust and digital particle imaging velocimetry of the driver. It will be shown that thrust augmentation values as high as 1.8 were obtained, that the diameter of the best ejector scaled with the dimensions of the emitted vortex, and that the so-called formation time serves as a useful dimensionless parameter by which to characterize the jet and predict performance.

Paxson, Daniel E.↗

The relativistic dynamics of a point charge in the field of a plane electromagnetic wave traveling in the direction of a uniform static magnetic field

The motion of a charged particle in electromagnetic fields of various geometric configurations and arising from a variety of sources is of intrinsic interest in electromagnetic theory. The particular configuration consisting of a plane wave propagating in the presence of a static uniform magnetic field whose direction is parallel to the wave normal is examined. The analysis presented here is treated within the context of classical electromagnetic theory. A numerical solution - at least to the approximate Lorentz-Dirac equation - is obtained.

Mitchell, T. P.↗

Source Range Detector Response Modeling using VERA

The CASL reactor simulation package VERA has been adapted to provide high-fidelity simulation capabilities for modeling source range detector response during subcritical reactor configurations. New features include the activation and shuffling of secondary source assemblies, transfer of burned fuel neutron emission data from the ORIGEN depletion solver to the MPACT deterministic neutron transport solver, allowance of user-defined sources in MPACT based on material composition, ability to solve the subcritical source-driven system with neutron multiplication using the MPACT diffusion solver, and transfer of the calculated fission source from MPACT to the continuous energy Monte Carlo solver Shift for final detector response evaluation. These new capabilities were benchmarked against Watts Bar Unit 1 plant operating data and found to be in very good agreement.

Gentry, Cole↗