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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Gasoline Engine and Fuels Offering Reduced Fuel Consumption and Emissions: Vehicle Modeling Final Report

The Gasoline Engine and Fuels Offering Reduced Fuel Consumption and Emissions (GEFORCE) project was proposed in response to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Funding Opportunity Announcement 0991 by a team made up of the members of the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) and the research staff at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL.) The project focused on investigating the potential benefits that might be attained through synergistic use of specific engine technology together with fuels formulated to represent potential directions that high-octane fuels of the future might progress. A stated objective in the DOE FOA was to demonstrate a 25% reduction in petroleum consumption through optimization of the engine technologies together with a suitable fuel. An advanced engine was constructed and used with a matrix of research fuels to investigate potential avenues for efficiency improvement. The engine incorporated technologies expected to become mainstream for boosted engines in the next 10 to 20 years. These included increased compression ratio, a two-stage turbocharger, and cooled external exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The fuel matrix was designed to investigate impacts from research octane number (RON), volumetric ethanol content, and the final boiling point of the fuel. The engine calibration was optimized for each fuel individually and data collected to enable vehicle system modelling that projected energy consumption, fuel economy, tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and impact on petroleum consumption for an industry-average mid-size sedan. The engine calibration and data collection were carried out at IAV in Michigan and is the subject of a separate report. IAV provided the engine data to Oak Ridge National Laboratory to support the vehicle modelling portion of the project. The vehicle modelling results show the following trends: Ethanol content does have a consistently strong influence on the fuel economy results for all cycles and all fuels. Among the fuels of a nominal RON level, increasing ethanol content consistently lowers fuel economy, with the 30% ethanol fuels always providing the lowest fuel economy for a given RON level. However, in some cases the energy consumption improvement allows the 30% ethanol fuels to match the fuel economy of the ethanol-free fuel P. These observations underscore the importance of both engine efficiency and fuel volumetric energy content on vehicle fuel economy.; There was no consistent trend in the projected energy consumption results for differences in fuel T90 for all fuels and cycles. Fuel economy projections did show a consistent trend, with the higher T90 fuel providing slightly greater fuel economy when compared to the low T90 fuel of the same ethanol content. The observed trends were consistent with differences in the heating value of the fuels.; The 102-RON fuels provided reduced energy consumption and greater fuel economy for the advanced engine on all drive cycles. The engine compression ratio of 11.5 was higher than would typically be used in a turbocharged engine when 92-RON fuel use is expected. Hence, the engine experiences more efficiency degradation from knock avoidance when using the 92-RON fuels. This degradation causes the fuel economy results for the 92-RON fuels to be lower than those for the 102-RON fuels.; Fuels E and F (92-RON, 30% ethanol) are projected to achieve 10% or greater reduction in petroleum consumption, with fuels K (102-RON, 30% ethanol) and O (97 RON, 30% ethanol) achieving greater than a 20% reduction. Fuel L (102-RON, 30% ethanol) achieves greater than 25% reduction, meeting the petroleum reduction target of the project. All of the fuels that achieve 10% or greater reduction in petroleum consumption are 30% ethanol blends.; Increasing final boiling point increased fuel economy at fixed ethanol content when the 102-RON fuels were used. This trend is a result of differences in the volumetric energy content of the fuels and the projected energy consumption values for the fuels. In the case of the 102-RON fuels, increasing final boiling point also resulted in an increase in the energy content of the fuel. There was not a consistent trend between the energy content and final boiling point for the 92-RON fuels at fixed ethanol content.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Report of METL Mutual Inductance Level Sensor Development for Use in Liquid Metals – FY2023

A robust mutual inductance level sensor (MILS) for use in high temperature liquid metals has been developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The current design utilizes mineral insulated cables with a 300-series stainless steel sheath, magnesium oxide insulation, and a single copper conductor. Two coils are wrapped on a common core made of a 300-series stainless steel tube. One coil is energized with an alternating current (AC) source, and this electromagnetically couples with the second coil to generate an induced voltage. The voltage is measured to determine the mutual induction between the coils, and the mutual inductance measurement can be used to determine the level of a nearby liquid metal volume. The MILS can be located in an isolating thimble that is fully sealed to a vessel containing liquid metal for ease of maintenance and replacement. When the primary coil is energized with the AC source, the coil not only electromagnetic (EM) couples with the second coil, but also the surrounding liquid metal. The EM coupling with the surrounding liquid metal reduces the EM coupling with the second coil, producing an inverse-linear relationship between liquid metal level and secondary coil voltage. This has all been demonstrated at the Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop (METL) liquid sodium facility at ANL. The most current iteration of the MILS system is the MILS-MK-II. This sensor system has been commissioned in a non-sodium test stand where calibrations were performed using a sodium analog. The calibrations proved to be highly linear and repeatable. The MILS-MK-II has been installed in the METL expansion tank where high temperature sodium tests have been performed. The MILS-MK-II has been calibrated against a known standard at temperature of 300°C, and the calibrations have proved to be highly linear and repeatable. The calibrated MILS-MK-II has been in operation in the METL facility for several thousands of hours at temperatures around 300°C. The experimental data has been used to develop and validate electromagnetic finite element models in COMSOL Multiphysics, and now these models can be used to advance the development of the sensor system. Next steps will include temperature compensation to allow for operation at various temperatures. Additionally, efforts to incorporate a self-calibration methodology are underway.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Subsystem Estimation: A Modal Decomposition Approach

In structural analysis it is often the requirement that the response of a critical subsystem must be extracted from the response of the overall structure even when not directly excited or sometimes even measured. Based on this requirement, a number of signal processing approaches evolve that can provide a meaningful solution to this troubling problem; however, there is a variety of prior information (parameters or data) that must be available. For instance, knowledge of subsystem bandwidth may be enough to design a simple filter if there is little or no overlap with other component systems. If this is not satisfactory and a specific spectral response is required, then a model-based approach can be applied using an available free-free response of the subsystem from calibration or acceptance tests. However, when assembled and coupled with the overall system, the subsystem boundary conditions have been altered and therefore its response is altered as well.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

The throughput calibration of the VERITAS telescopes

Context. The response of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes to incident γ -ray-initiated showers in the atmosphere changes as the telescopes age due to exposure to light and weather. These aging processes affect the reconstructed energies of the events and γ -ray fluxes. Aims. This work discusses the implementation of signal calibration methods for the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) to account for changes in the optical throughput and detector performance over time. Methods. The total throughput of a Cherenkov telescope is the product of camera-dependent factors, such as the photomultiplier tube gains and their quantum efficiencies, and the mirror reflectivity and Winston cone response to incoming radiation. This document summarizes different methods to determine how the camera gains and mirror reflectivity have evolved over time and how we can calibrate this changing throughput in reconstruction pipelines for imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The implementation is validated against seven years of observations with the VERITAS telescopes of the Crab Nebula, which is a reference object in very-high-energy astronomy. Results. Regular optical throughput monitoring and the corresponding signal calibrations are found to be critical for the reconstruction of extensive air shower images. The proposed implementation is applied as a correction to the signals of the photomultiplier tubes in the telescope simulation to produce fine-tuned instrument response functions. This method is shown to be effective for calibrating the acquired γ -ray data and for recovering the correct energy of the events and photon fluxes. At the same time, it keeps the computational effort of generating Monte Carlo simulations for instrument response functions affordably low.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Advanced Performance Metrics and their Application to the Sensitivity Analysis for Model Validation and Calibration

High-quality generator dynamic models are critical to reliable and accurate power systems studies and planning. With the availability of PMUs, measurement-based approach for model validation has gained significant prominence. In this approach, the quality of a model is analyzed by visually comparing measured generator response with the model-based simulated response for large system disturbances. This paper proposes a new set of performance metrics to assess the model validation results to facilitate automation of the model validation process. In the proposed methodology, first, the slow governor response and comparatively faster oscillatory response are separated, and then a separate set of performance metrics is calculated for each of these two components. These proposed metrics quantify the mismatch between the actual and model-based response in a comprehensive manner without missing any information enabling automation of the process. Furthermore, in this paper, we are also proposing that the sensitivity analysis for model calibration be performed with respect to the proposed metrics for the systematic identification of key parameters. In this work, results obtained using both simulated and real-world case-studies validate the effectiveness of the proposed performance metrics for model validation and their application to the sensitivity analysis for model calibration.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

NREL Pyrheliometer Comparisons: September 23 - September 28, 2023 (NPC-2023)

Accurate measurements of direct normal (beam) solar irradiance from pyrheliometers are important for developing and deploying solar energy conversion systems, for improving our understanding of Earth's energy budget for climate change studies, and for other science and technology applications involving solar flux. Providing these measurements places many demands on the quality system used by the operator of commercially available radiometers. Maintaining accurate radiometer calibrations that are traceable to an international standard is the first step in producing research-quality solar irradiance measurements. In 1977, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) established the World Radiometric Reference (WRR) as the international standard for the measurement of direct normal solar irradiance (Frohlich 1991). The WRR is an internationally recognized, detector-based measurement standard determined by the collective performance of six electrically self-calibrated absolute cavity radiometers comprising the World Standard Group (WSG). Various countries, including the United States, have contributed these specialized radiometers to the Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos - World Radiation Center (PMOD/WRC) to establish the WSG. As with all measurement systems, Absolute Cavity Radiometers (ACR) are subject to performance changes over time. Therefore, PMOD/WRC in Davos, Switzerland, hosts an quinquennial International Pyrheliometer Comparison (IPC) event for transferring the WRR to participating radiometers by invitation. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has represented the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in each IPC since 1980. And NREL has developed and maintained a select group of absolute cavity radiometers with direct calibration traceability to the WRR, and it uses these reference instruments to calibrate pyrheliometers and pyranometers using the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17025-accredited Broadband Outdoor Radiometer Calibration (BORCAL) process (Reda et al. 2008). To fill the gap between each IPC, NREL pyrheliometer comparisons (NPCs) are held annually at the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL) in Golden, Colorado. Open to all ACR owners and operators, each NPC provides an opportunity to determine the unique WRR transfer factor (WRR-TF) for each participating pyrheliometer. By adjusting all subsequent pyrheliometer measurements by the appropriate WRR-TF, the solar irradiance data are traceable to the WRR.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

A multi-modal scanning system to digitize CBRNE emergency response scenes

A handheld system developed to digitize a contextual understanding of the scene at a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and/or explosives (CBRNE) events is described. The system uses LiDAR and cameras to create a colorized 3D model of the environment, which helps domain experts that are supporting responders in the field. To generate the digitized model, a responder scans any suspicious objects and the surroundings by carrying the system through the scene. The scanning system provides a real-time user interface to inform the user about scanning progress and to indicate any areas that may have been missed either by the LiDAR sensors or the cameras. Currently, the collected data are post-processed on a different device, building a colorized triangular mesh of the encountered scene, with the intention of moving this pipeline to the scanner at a later point. The mesh is sufficiently compressed to be sent over a reduced bandwidth connection to a remote analyst. Furthermore, the system tracks fiducial markers attached to diagnostic equipment that is placed around the suspicious object. The resulting tracking information can be transmitted to remote analysts to further facilitate their supporting efforts. The paper will discuss the system's design, software components, the user interface used for scanning a scene, the necessary procedures for calibration of the sensors, and the processing steps of the resulting data. The discussion will close by evaluating the system's performance on 11 scenes.

Salathe, Marco↗
DOE OSTI2022

A multi-modal scanning system to digitize CBRNE emergency response scenes

A handheld system developed to digitize a contextual understanding of the scene at a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and/or explosives (CBRNE) events is described. The system uses LiDAR and cameras to create a colorized 3D model of the environment, which helps domain experts that are supporting responders in the field. To generate the digitized model, a responder scans any suspicious objects and the surroundings by carrying the system through the scene. The scanning system provides a real-time user interface to inform the user about scanning progress and to indicate any areas that may have been missed either by the LiDAR sensors or the cameras. Currently, the collected data are post-processed on a different device, building a colorized triangular mesh of the encountered scene, with the intention of moving this pipeline to the scanner at a later point. The mesh is sufficiently compressed to be sent over a reduced bandwidth connection to a remote analyst. Furthermore, the system tracks fiducial markers attached to diagnostic equipment that is placed around the suspicious object. The resulting tracking information can be transmitted to remote analysts to further facilitate their supporting efforts. The paper will discuss the system's design, software components, the user interface used for scanning a scene, the necessary procedures for calibration of the sensors, and the processing steps of the resulting data. The discussion will close by evaluating the system's performance on 11 scenes.

Prins, Nicholas↗
DOE OSTI2024

MatCal Users Guide: Release 1.3.0

Any continuum mechanics model will require three components: (1) a discretized geometry of the boundary value problem being studied, (2) the partial differential equations to be solved, and (3) the initial conditions and boundary conditions for the problem. To describe material behavior in these computational models, material models contribute to (2) the underlying equations and, occasionally, to (3) the initial conditions for the simulation. These material models can exhibit a mathematical form that is empirically based, based on first principles, or developed from both empirical observations and known physics. In general, these models are meant to represent a class of materials with well understood behavior. As a result, material models have parameters that must be tuned or calibrated so that the model response matches characterization data available for the specific material it is intended to represent when used to simulate a specific system. For simple models, such as isotropic, linear elastic materials in solid mechanics, this calibration process can be a simple analytical calculation directly extracting the parameters from experimental measurements. For complex models that have many inputs and require many characterization datasets to adequately identify the material behavior, the model calibration process can require an inverse problem approach where an optimization is performed to tune the model parameters to the available data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hexagonal Lattices of HIV Capsid Proteins Explored by Simulations Based on a Thermodynamically Consistent Model

HIV capsid proteins (CAs) may self-assemble into a variety of shapes under in vivo and in vitro conditions. Here, we employed simulations based on a residue-level coarse-grained (CG) model with full conformational flexibility to investigate hexagonal lattices, which are the underlying structural pattern for CA aggregations. Facilitated by enhanced sampling simulations to rigorously calculate CA dimerization and polymerization affinities, we calibrated our model to reproduce the experimentally measured affinities. Here using the calibrated model, we performed unbiased simulations on several large systems consisting of 1512 CA subunits, allowing reversible binding and unbinding of the CAs in a thermodynamically consistent manner. In one simulation, a preassembled hexagonal CA sheet developed spontaneous curvatures reminiscent of those observed in experiments, and the edges of the sheet exhibited local curvatures larger than those of the interior. In other simulations starting with randomly distributed CAs at different concentrations, existing CA assemblies grew by binding free capsomeres to the edges and by merging with other assemblies. At high CA concentrations, rapid establishment of predominant aggregates was followed by much slower adjustments toward more regular hexagonal lattices, with increasing numbers of intact CA hexamers and pentamers being formed. Our approach of adapting a general CG model to specific systems by using experimental binding data represents a practical and effective strategy for simulating and elucidating intricate protein aggregations.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Photo Doppler Velocimetry and Gamma/Neutron Yield Measurements of Godiva-IV Critical Assembly

The purpose of this experiment was to collect data for a dynamic benchmark of the Godiva-IV burst assembly. Data were taken using two different measurement systems. The gamma & neutron flux was measured using a calibrated, high-dynamic-range scintillator detector, the MHD-240. The measurement will be used to determine the total fission yield and alpha throughout the burst and shutdown sequence of Godiva-IV. The Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) measurement detected the surface motion of the burst assembly as a function of time. The combined data will be used in a multi-physics simulation of the Godiva-IV burst assembly.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

On Road vs. Off Road Low Load Cycle Comparison

Reducing criteria pollutants while reducing greenhouse gases is an active area of research for commercial on-road vehicles as well as for off-road machines. The heavy duty on-road sector has moved to reducing NOx by 82.5% compared to 2010 regulations while increasing the engine useful life from 435,000 to 650,000 miles by 2027 in the United States (US). An additional certification cycle, the Low Load Cycle (LLC), has been added focusing on part load operation having tight NOx emissions levels. In addition to NOx, the total CO2 emissions from the vehicle will also be reduced for various model years. The off-road market is following with a 90% NOx reduction target compared to Tier 4 Final for 130-560 kW engines along with greenhouse gas targets that are still being established. The off-road market will also need to certify with a Low Load Application Cycle (LLAC), a version of which was proposed for evaluation in 2021. Since the LLAC has not been finalized, this study is being conducted to compare and contrast the LLC for on-road with the LLAC for off-road as there might be some shared learnings. A US off-road production 2023 Fiat Powertrain 13L engine and aftertreatment system was chosen for this work. This engine is used in production for both off-road and on-road products, so it is a good choice for this study. The associated off-road aftertreatment system was aged for more relevant comparisons. The engine calibration was not altered for either of the low load cycles. This study shows that the cycles are quite different in nature as the market needs are different. The LLC includes a large fraction of operation at idle and lower speeds, representing products that use the engine primarily for motive power, where lower vehicle speed means a lower engine speed and load. The LLAC has more time and load spent at high speeds and slightly higher loads. The off-road products represented by this cycle often use the engine to drive auxiliary equipment which means higher parasitic loads and hand/fixed throttle. The comparison will include the use profiles, tailpipe NOx and greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, N2O).

McCarthy, James↗
DOE OSTI2024

Design and development of the magnetic diagnostic systems for the first operational phase of the SMART tokamak

A set of magnetic diagnostics has been designed, manufactured, and calibrated for the first operational phase of the small aspect ratio tokamak. The sensor suite comprises of Rogowski coils; 2D magnetic probes; and poloidal, saddle, and diamagnetic flux loops. Here, a set of continuous Rogowski coils has been manufactured for the measurement of plasma current and induced eddy currents in conductive elements. A set of flux loops and magnetic probes will be used as input for the reconstruction of the magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium. The quantity and position of these sensors have been verified to be sufficient with synthetic equilibrium reconstructions using the equilibrium fitting code and baseline scenarios computed with the Fiesta code. These sensors will also be used as input for the real-time control system, and magnetic probes will be used for the detection of plasma instabilities. The calibration procedure for the magnetic probes is described, and the results are shown. The signal conditioning and data acquisition systems are described.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental determination of hydrogen isotopic equilibrium in the system H 2 O (l) -H 2(g) from 3 to 90 °C

Molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) is found in a variety of settings on and in the Earth from low-temperature sediments to hydrothermal vents, and is actively being considered as an energy resource for the transition to a green energy future. The hydrogen isotopic composition of H 2 , given as D/H ratios or δD, varies in nature by hundreds of per mil from ∼−800 ‰ in hydrothermal and sedimentary systems to ∼+450 ‰ in the stratosphere. This range reflects a variety of processes, including kinetic isotope effects associated with formation and destruction and equilibration with water, the latter proceeding at fast (order year) timescales at low temperatures (<100 °C). At isotopic equilibrium, the D/H fractionation factor between liquid water and hydrogen ( D α H2O(l)-H2(g) ) is a function of temperature and can thus be used as a geothermometer for H 2 formation or re-equilibration temperatures. Multiple studies have produced theoretical calculations for hydrogen isotopic equilibrium between H 2 and water vapor. However, only three published experimental calibrations used in geochemistry exist for the H 2 O-H 2 system: two between 51 and 742 °C for H 2 O (g) -H 2(g) (Suess, 1949, Cerrai et al., 1954), and one in the H 2 O (l) -H 2(g) system for temperatures <100 °C (Rolston et al., 1976). Despite these calibrations existing, there is uncertainty on their accuracy at low temperatures (<100 °C; e.g., Horibe and Craig, 1995).

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2020

Performance Verification of the EXtreme PREcision Spectrograph

The EXtreme PREcision Spectrograph (EXPRES) is a new Doppler spectrograph designed to reach a radial-velocity measurement precision sufficient to detect Earth-like exoplanets orbiting nearby, bright stars. We report on extensive laboratory testing and on-sky observations to quantitatively assess the instrumental radial-velocity measurement precision of EXPRES, with a focused discussion of individual terms in the instrument error budget. We find that EXPRES can reach a single-measurement instrument calibration precision better than 10 cm s{sup −1}, not including photon noise from stellar observations. We also report on the performance of the various environmental, mechanical, and optical subsystems of EXPRES, assessing any contributions to radial-velocity error. For atmospheric and telescope related effects, this includes the fast tip-tilt guiding system, atmospheric dispersion compensation, and the chromatic exposure meter. For instrument calibration, this includes the laser fRequency comb (LFC), flat-field light source, CCD detector, and effects in the optical fibers. Modal noise is mitigated to a negligible level via a chaotic fiber agitator, which is especially important for wavelength calibration with the LFC. Regarding detector effects, we empirically assess the impact on the radial-velocity precision due to pixel-position nonuniformities and charge transfer inefficiency (CTI). EXPRES has begun its science survey to discover exoplanets orbiting G-dwarf and K-dwarf stars, in addition to transit spectroscopy and measurements of the Rossiter–McLaughlin effect.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Operationalizing Synchrophasors for Enhanced Grid Reliability and Asset Utilization

The report discusses the development of production-grade synchrophasor software applications. The objective is to improve system reliability and asset utilization for offline as well as real-time considerations, as per the Department of Energy (DOE) guidelines specified by Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0001492. On the one hand, we have developed grid management applications on how to transform synchrophasor-based monitoring into operator guidance, and commercial grade tools addressing industry needs such as NERC Reliability Standards (MOD 26, MOD 27 and MOD 33). On the other hand, with the wide industrial adoption in mind, the developed applications have been fully discussed with utility partners and installed in the utility partners site including 6 field tests. The Model Validation and Calibration software module has been integrated into GE’s PhasorAnalyticsTM. The first commercial contract has been signed even before the close date of this project. The Angle-based Grid Management (AGM), Fast Voltage Security Assessment (FastVSA), Enhanced Islanding Monitoring(EIM) and Enhanced Disturbance Management (EDM) have been integrated into GE’s Grid Stability Assessment line of applications in e-terra Suite of EMS product.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Anode sensitivity calibration of photomultiplier tubes used as a readout of the ELOSS detector

We present and discuss the methodology and results for an anode sensitivity calibration of Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs) that serve as the optical readout of the Energy Loss Optical Scintillation System (ELOSS). The ELOSS detector, under development at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), is a gaseous Xe scintillation-based detector designed to identify the atomic number (Z) of nuclear reaction fragments by energy-loss measurement. Variation in the anode sensitivity from tube to tube of commercially available PMTs limits ELOSS from reaching its ultimate Z resolution. A methodical approach to calibrating PMT anode sensitivities to a single target value by systematic PMT gain corrections is presented. Although the calibration process is discussed in terms of its impact on ELOSS performance, the presented method is applicable to any optical detector system composed of a large number of PMTs needing anode sensitivity calibration.

Instrumentation for heavy-ion accelerators↗
DOE OSTI2026

Reference Hardware and Software Architecture for a Solenoid Pulser for Scientific Instrumentation at the National Ignition Facility

High current, high voltage solenoid pulser power systems for the generation of magnetic fields in a solenoid is not a radical or new concept. Despite being a cornerstone of scientific and weapons research for over 100 years, a commercial off the shelf unit easily configurable for a broad set of applications has yet to appear on the open market. Pulser systems are instead designed for specific target requirements. For gigawatt to terawatt systems, this is unavoidable. For megawatt systems however, many hundreds of thousands of dollars are wasted designing pulser systems from the ground up for clients, when it is possible to simply architect a modular system once that can have its capacitors swapped for many possible target applications. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is one such institution that would benefit from such a system, having bought such pulsers for several imaging systems. Ideally, all such a system would require is only a bachelors-level circuit analysis to find the correct capacitor values, as well as a written procedure to calibrate the software to correctly deliver the voltages required by the application. In this work, systems architecture and software engineering techniques are used to design and analyze such a system. Such a design, it is the hope of this author, will be used in scientific and engineering purposes in the future to build solenoid pulsers at the National Ignition Facility and other institutions to drastically cut development costs of scientific instrumentation.

42 ENGINEERING↗