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Results for “control volume methods”

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 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Locoregional Control of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Relation to Automated Early Assessment of Tumor Regression on Cone Beam Computed Tomography

Purpose: Large interindividual variations in volume regression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are observable on standard cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) during fractionated radiation therapy. Here, a method for automated assessment of tumor volume regression is presented and its potential use in response adapted personalized radiation therapy is evaluated empirically. Methods and Materials: Automated deformable registration with calculation of the Jacobian determinant was applied to serial CBCT scans in a series of 99 patients with NSCLC. Tumor volume at the end of treatment was estimated on the basis of the first one third and two thirds of the scans. The concordance between estimated and actual relative volume at the end of radiation therapy was quantified by Pearson's correlation coefficient. On the basis of the estimated relative volume, the patients were stratified into 2 groups having volume regressions below or above the population median value. Kaplan-Meier plots of locoregional disease-free rate and overall survival in the 2 groups were used to evaluate the predictive value of tumor regression during treatment. Cox proportional hazards model was used to adjust for other clinical characteristics. Results: Automatic measurement of the tumor regression from standard CBCT images was feasible. Pearson's correlation coefficient between manual and automatic measurement was 0.86 in a sample of 9 patients. Most patients experienced tumor volume regression, and this could be quantified early into the treatment course. Interestingly, patients with pronounced volume regression had worse locoregional tumor control and overall survival. This was significant on patient with non-adenocarcinoma histology. Conclusions: Evaluation of routinely acquired CBCT images during radiation therapy provides biological information on the specific tumor. This could potentially form the basis for personalized response adaptive therapy.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Linker Installation: Engineering Pore Environment with Precisely Placed Functionalities in Zirconium MOFs

Precise placement of multiple functional groups in a highly ordered metal–organic framework (MOF) platform allows the tailoring of the pore environment, which is required for advanced applications. To realize this, we present a comprehensive study on the linker installation method, in which a stable MOF with coordinatively unsaturated Zr 6 clusters was employed and linkers bearing different functional groups were postsynthetically installed. Specifically, a Zr-MOF with inherent missing linker sites, namely, PCN-700, was initially constructed under kinetic control. Twelve linkers with different substituents were then designed to study their effect on MOF formation kinetics and therefore resulting MOF structures. Guided by the geometrical analysis, linkers with different lengths were installed into a parent PCN-700, giving rise to 11 new MOFs and each bearing up to three different functional groups in predefined positions. Systematic variation of the pore volume and decoration of pore environment were realized by linker installation, which resulted in synergistic effects including an enhancement of H2 adsorption capacities of up to 57%. In addition, a size-selective catalytic system for aerobic alcohol oxidation reaction is built in PCN-700 through linker installation, which shows high activity and tunable size selectivity. Altogether, these results exemplify the capability of the linker installation method in the pore environment engineering of stable MOFs with multiple functional groups, giving an unparalleled level of control.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1993

Chemical kinetic studies of atmospheric reactions using tunable diode laser spectroscopy

IR absorption using tunable diode laser spectroscopy provides a sensitive and quantitative detection method for laboratory kinetic studies of atmospheric trace gases. Improvements in multipass cell design, real time signal processing, and computer controlled data acquisition and analysis have extended the applicability of the technique. We have developed several optical systems using off-axis resonator mirror designs which maximize path length while minimizing both the sample volume and the interference fringes inherent in conventional 'White' cells. Computerized signal processing using rapid scan (300 kHz), sweep integration with 100 percent duty cycle allows substantial noise reduction while retaining the advantages of using direct absorption for absolute absorbance measurements and simultaneous detection of multiple species. Peak heights and areas are determined by curve fitting using nonlinear least square methods. We have applied these techniques to measurements of: (1) heterogeneous uptake chemistry of atmospheric trace gases (HCl, H2O2, and N2O5) on aqueous and sulfuric acid droplets; (2) vapor pressure measurements of nitric acid and water over prototypical stratospheric aerosol (nitric acid trihydrate) surfaces; and (3) discharge flow tube kinetic studies of the HO2 radical using isotopic labeling for product channel and mechanistic analysis. Results from each of these areas demonstrate the versatility of TDL absorption spectroscopy for atmospheric chemistry applications.

Worsnop, Douglas R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

A rheological model for loose sands with insights from DEM

A rheological model for loose granular media is developed to capture both solid-like and fluid-like responses during shearing. The proposed model is built by following the mathematical structure of an extended Kelvin–Voigt model, where an elastic spring and plastic slider act in parallel to a viscous damper. This arrangement requires the partition of the total stress into rate-independent and rate-dependent stress components. To model the solid-like behavior, a simple frictional plasticity model is adopted without modifications, thus contributing to the rate-independent stress. Instead, the fluid-like or rate-dependent stress is further decomposed into deviatoric and volumetric parts, by proposing a new formulation based on a combination of the μ(I) relation, originally developed under pressure-controlled shear, with a pressure-shear rate relation derived under volume-controlled shear. The proposed formulation allows the model to capture both the increase in the friction coefficient and the enhanced dilation at high shear rates. High-fidelity simulation data, obtained from discrete element method and multiscale modelling, are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed constitutive model. The model provides accurate results under both drained and undrained simple shear paths across a wide range of shear rates. Furthermore, it successfully reproduces at much lower computational cost the flowslide mobility computed through multiscale simulations, which is primarily regulated by the shear rate dependence of the material properties during the dynamic runout stage.

Elasticity↗
DOE OSTI2014

Incidental Prophylactic Nodal Irradiation and Patterns of Nodal Relapse in Inoperable Early Stage NSCLC Patients Treated With SBRT: A Case-Matched Analysis

Purpose: Reported rates of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) nodal failure following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) are lower than those reported in the surgical series when matched for stage. We hypothesized that this effect was due to incidental prophylactic nodal irradiation. Methods and Materials: A prospectively collected group of medically inoperable early stage NSCLC patients from 2004 to 2010 was used to identify cases with nodal relapses. Controls were matched to cases, 2:1, controlling for tumor volume (ie, same or greater) and tumor location (ie, same lobe). Reference (normalized to equivalent dose for 2-Gy fractions [EQD2]) point doses at the ipsilateral hilum and carina, demographic data, and clinical outcomes were extracted from the medical records. Univariate conditional logistical regression analyses were performed with variables of interest. Results: Cases and controls were well matched except for size. The controls, as expected, had larger gross tumor volumes (P=.02). The mean ipsilateral hilar doses were 9.6 Gy and 22.4 Gy for cases and controls, respectively (P=.014). The mean carinal doses were 7.0 Gy and 9.2 Gy, respectively (P=.13). Mediastinal nodal relapses, with and without ipsilateral hilar relapse, were associated with mean ipsilateral hilar doses of 3.6 Gy and 19.8 Gy, respectively (P=.01). The conditional density plot appears to demonstrate an inverse dose-effect relationship between ipsilateral hilar normalized total dose and risk of ipsilateral hilar relapse. Conclusions: Incidental hilar dose greater than 20 Gy is significantly associated with fewer ipsilateral hilar relapses in inoperable early stage NSCLC patients treated with SBRT.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Viscometric flow of dense granular materials under controlled pressure and shear stress

This study examines the flow of dense granular materials under external shear stress and pressure using discrete element method simulations. In this method, the material is allowed to strain along all periodic directions and adapt its solid volume fraction in response to an imbalance between the internal state of stress and the external applied stress. By systematically varying the external shear stress and pressure, the steady rheological response is simulated for: (1) rate-independent quasi-static flow; and (2) rate-dependent inertial flow. The simulated flow is viscometric with non-negligible first and second normal stress differences. While both normal stress differences are negative in inertial flows, the first normal stress difference switches from negative to slightly positive, and second normal stress difference tends to zero in quasi-static flows. The first normal stress difference emerges from a lack of coaxiality between a second-rank contact fabric tensor and strain rate tensor in the flow plane, while the second normal stress difference is linked to an excess of contacts in the shear plane compared with the vorticity direction. A general rheological model of second order (in terms of strain rate tensor) is proposed to describe the two types of flow, and the model is calibrated for various values of interparticle friction from simulations on nearly monodisperse spheres. The model incorporates normal stress differences in both regimes of flow and provides a complete viscometric description of steady dense granular flows.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Finite-element analysis of top-casing electric source method for imaging hydraulically active fracture zones

Imaging hydraulically active fracture zones (HAFZ) is of paramount importance to subsurface resource extraction, geologic storage, and hazardous waste disposal. We have developed advanced 3D finite-element (FE) electrical imaging algorithms for HAFZ in the presence of a steel-cased well. The algorithms use tetrahedral FE meshes in the simulation domain and coarse rectangular finite-difference meshes in the imaging domain. This heterogeneous dual-mesh approach is well suited to modeling the multiscale earth model due to steel-cased wells. We find that the algorithms accurately and efficiently simulate surface electric field measurements over a 3D HAFZ at depth when one end point of a surface electric source is connected to a wellhead. For brevity, this configuration is called the top-casing electric source method. By replacing a hollow cased well with a solid prism, we improve our computational efficiency without affecting the solution accuracy. The sensitivity of the top-casing source method to HAFZ highly depends on the continuity of a steel-cased well because it makes currents preferentially flow to HAFZ. The sensitivity also depends on conductivity structures around the well because they control current leaking from the steel-cased well. We find that the method can image a localized HAFZ and detect changes in its width and height. Here, the imaging results are improved when a volume of the imaging domain is constrained from geomechanical perspectives. A primary advantage of the method is the fact that the sources and receivers are placed on the surface, thus not interrupting the well operation.

3D↗
NASA NTRS1986

Ultrasonic measurement of porosity in casts and welds

The development of a quantitative nondestructive method which involves ultrasonic attenuation measurements in frequency domain to determine volume fraction of porosity in aluminum cast is discussed. The aluminum alloy A357 casting samples were produced at the Ohio State University Foundry with controlled porosity contents ranging from 0% to 6%. A computer controlled system was used to direct ultrasonic beam to a test sample to different places to conduct ultrasonic attenuation measurements. The plot of attenuation coefficients as a function of frequency was then evaluated based on existing theories to determine volume fraction of porosity and pore size.

Adler, L.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Mechanisms underlying very-low-frequency RR-interval oscillations in humans

BACKGROUND: Survival of post-myocardial infarction patients is related inversely to their levels of very-low-frequency (0.003 to 0.03 Hz) RR-interval variability. The physiological basis for such oscillations is unclear. In our study, we used blocking drugs to evaluate potential contributions of sympathetic and vagal mechanisms and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system to very-low-frequency RR-interval variability in 10 young healthy subjects. METHODS AND RESULTS: We recorded RR intervals and arterial pressures during three separate sessions, with the patient in supine and 40 degree upright tilt positions, during 20-minute frequency (0.25 Hz) and tidal volume-controlled breathing after intravenous injections: saline (control), atenolol (0.2 mg/kg, beta-adrenergic blockade), atropine sulfate (0.04 mg/kg, parasympathetic blockade), atenolol and atropine (complete autonomic blockade), and enalaprilat (0.02 mg/kg, ACE blockade). We integrated fast Fourier transform RR-interval spectral power at very low (0.003 to 0.03 Hz), low (0.05 to 0. 15 Hz), and respiratory (0.2 to 0.3 Hz) frequencies. Beta-adrenergic blockade had no significant effect on very-low- or low-frequency RR-interval power but increased respiratory frequency power 2-fold. ACE blockade had no significant effect on low or respiratory frequency RR-interval power but modestly (approximately 21%) increased very-low-frequency power in the supine (but not upright tilt) position (P<0.05). The most profound effects were exerted by parasympathetic blockade: Atropine, given alone or with atenolol, abolished nearly all RR-interval variability and decreased very-low-frequency variability by 92%. CONCLUSIONS: Although very-low-frequency heart period rhythms are influenced by the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, as low and respiratory frequency RR-interval rhythms, they depend primarily on the presence of parasympathetic outflow. Therefore the prognostic value of very-low-frequency heart period oscillations may derive from the fundamental importance of parasympathetic mechanisms in cardiovascular health.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2005

Analysis of a Free Surface Film from a Controlled Liquid Impinging Jet over a Rotating Disk Including Conjugate Effects, with and without Evaporation

A detailed analysis of the liquid film characteristics and the accompanying heat transfer of a free surface controlled liquid impinging jet onto a rotating disk are presented. The computations were run on a two-dimensional axi-symmetric Eulerian mesh while the free surface was calculated with the volume of fluid method. Flow rates between 3 and 15 1pm with rotational speeds between 50 and 200 rpm are analyzed. The effects of inlet temperature on the film thickness and heat transfer are characterized as well as evaporative effects. The conjugate heating effect is modeled, and was found to effect the heat transfer results the most at both the inner and outer edges of the heated surface. The heat transfer was enhanced with both increasing flow rate and increasing rotational speeds. When evaporative effects were modeled, the evaporation was found to increase the heat transfer at the lower flow rates the most because of a fully developed thermal field that was achieved. The evaporative effects did not significantly enhance the heat transfer at the higher flow rates.

Sankaran, Subramanian↗
DOE OSTI2014

A New Integrated Onboard Charger and Accessory Power Converter for Plug-in Electric Vehicles

In this paper, a new approach is presented for integrating the function of onboard battery charging into the traction drive system and accessory dc-dc converter of a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV). The idea is to utilize the segmented traction drive system of a PEV as the frond converter of the charging circuit and the transformer and high voltage converter of the 14 V accessory dc-dc converter to form a galvanically isolated onboard charger. Moreover, a control method is presented for suppressing the battery current ripple component of twice the grid frequency with the reduced dc bus capacitor in the segmented inverter. The resultant integrated charger has lower cost, weight, and volume than a standalone charger due to a substantially reduced component count. The proposed integrated charger topology was verified by modeling and experimental results on a 5.8 kW charger prototype.

Su, Gui-Jia↗
DOE OSTI2015

Data acquisition and processing system and method for investigating sub-surface features of a rock formation

A system and a method includes generating a first signal at a first frequency; and a second signal at a second frequency. Respective sources are positioned within the borehole and controllable such that the signals intersect in an intersection volume outside the borehole. A receiver detects a difference signal returning to the borehole generated by a non-linear mixing process within the intersection volume, and records the detected signal and stores the detected signal in a storage device and records measurement parameters including a position of the first acoustic source, a position of the second acoustic source, a position of the receiver, elevation angle and azimuth angle of the first acoustic signal and elevation angle and azimuth angle of the second acoustic signal.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

HLRW management during MR reactor decommissioning in NRC 'Kurchatov Institute'

A program of decommissioning of MR research reactor in the Kurchatov institute started in 2008. The decommissioning work presumed a preliminary stage, which included: removal of spent fuel from near reactor storage; removal of spent fuel assemble of metal liquid loop channel from a core; identification, sorting and disposal of radioactive objects from gateway of the reactor; identification, sorting and disposal of radioactive objects from cells of HLRW storage of the Kurchatov institute for radwaste creating form the decommissioning of MR. All these works were performed by a remote controlled means with use of a remote identification methods of high radioactive objects. A distribution of activity along high radiated objects was measured by a collimated radiometer installed on the robot Brokk-90, a gamma image of the object was registered by gamma-visor. Spectrum of gamma radiation was measured by a gamma locator and semiconductor detector system. For identification of a presence of uranium isotopes in the HLRW a technique, based on the registration of characteristic radiation of U, was developed. For fragmentation of high radiated objects was used a cold cutting technique and dust suppression system was applied for reduction of volume activity of aerosols in air. The management of HLRW was performed by remote controlled robots Brokk-180 and Brokk-330. They executed sorting, cutting and parking of high radiated part of contaminated equipment. The use of these techniques allowed to reduce individual and collective doses of personal performed the decommissioning. The average individual dose of the personnel was 1,9 mSv/year in 2011, and the collective dose is estimated by 0,0605 man x Sv/year. Use of the remote control machines enables reducing the number of working personal (20 men) and doses. X-ray spectrometric methods enable determination of a presence of the U in high radiated objects and special cans and separation of them for further spent fuel inspection. The sorting of radwaste enabled shipping of the LLRW and ILRW to special repositories and keeping of the HLRW for decay in the Kurchatov institute repository. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-F-BRA-02: Electromagnetic Tracking in Brachytherapy as An Advanced Modality for Treatment Quality Assurance

Purpose: To present the use of Electromagnetic Tracking (EMT) for quality assurance in brachytherapy by means of phantom studies and to assess the clinical applicability of EMT during HDR breast brachytherapy. Methods: An EMT system was investigated to examine its suitability for clinical applications in brachytherapy. A field generator served as electromagnetic field emitter. Sensors (magnetic sensitive only), connected to a control unit, were used and their respective position and orientation inside a pre-defined measurement volume (500 mm cube length) determined. Up to three 6DoF sensors were placed on the phantom’s surface to obtain additional reference coordinates used to derive relative measured positions of a smaller 5DoF sensor inserted in the 6F catheters of the implant. The catheters were successively measured by manual displacement of the sensor at ∼40 mm/s. The measured catheter tracks, acquired multiple times at various locations (CT and treatment room), were smoothed, divided into intervals (2.5 mm dwell step size), registered (rigid Iterative Closest Point transformation) and compared against the known phantom geometry. Results: The reference coordinates were used to exclude the influence of external (e.g., respiratory-induced) motion. Precision tests in a clinical setting showed variances below 1 mm (translational) and 1° (rotational), respectively. Our method for catheter reconstruction preserved the length of the tracked catheter (within 1 mm). The measured tracking accuracy was 1±0.3 mm (maximum: 2 mm). The results are less accurate in environments potentially interfering with the magnetic field, e.g., in the vicinity of ferromagnetic table components. Conclusion: Our EMT system is able to perform reproducible and accurate catheter tracking and reconstruction. Currently, measurements of the implant geometry in HDR breast treatments are initiated. Online implant monitoring by means of EM tracking may be a first step towards advanced brachytherapy treatment QA. The study was financially supported by ELEKTA | Nucletron. There are no further disclosures and conflicts.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Integral Solution of Two-Region Solid–Liquid Phase Change in Annular Geometries and Application to Phase Change Materials–Air Heat Exchangers

A mathematical model based on the integral method is developed to solve the problem of conduction-controlled solid–liquid phase change in annular geometries with temperature gradients in both phases. The inner and outer boundaries of the annulus were subject to convective, constant temperature or adiabatic boundary conditions. The developed model was validated by comparison with control volume-based computational results using the temperature-transforming phase change model, and an excellent agreement was achieved. The model was used to conduct parametric studies on the effect of annuli geometry, thermophysical properties of the phase change materials (PCM), and thermal boundary conditions on the dynamics of phase change. For an initially liquid PCM, it was found that increasing the radii ratio increased the total solidification time. Also, increasing the Biot number at the cooled (heated) boundary and Stefan number of the solid (liquid) PCM, decreased (increased) the solidification time and resulted in a greater (smaller) solid volume fraction at steady state. The application of the developed method was demonstrated by design and analysis of a PCM–air heat exchanger for HVAC systems. The model can also be easily employed for design and optimization of annular PCM systems for all associated applications in a fraction of time needed for computational simulations.

Shabgard, Hamidreza↗
NASA NTRS1986

A method of variable spacing for controlled plant growth systems in spaceflight and terrestrial agriculture applications

A higher plant growth system for Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) applications is described. The system permits independent movement of individual plants during growth. Enclosed within variable geometry growth chambers, the system allocates only the volume required by the growing plants. This variable spacing system maintains isolation between root and shoot environments, providing individual control for optimal growth. The advantages of the system for hydroponic and aeroponic growth chambers are discussed. Two applications are presented: (1) the growth of soybeans in a space station common module, and (2) in a terrestrial city greenhouse.

Knox, J.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Salt‐Assisted Vapor–Liquid–Solid Growth of 1D van der Waals Materials

The method of salt-assisted vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth is introduced to synthesize 1D nanostructures of trichalcogenide van der Waals (vdW) materials, exemplified by niobium trisulfide (NbS 3 ). The method uses a unique catalyst consisting of an alloy of Au and an alkali metal halide (NaCl) to enable rapid and directional growth. High yields of two types of NbS 3 1D nanostructures, nanowires and nanoribbons, each with sub-ten nanometer diameter, tens of micrometers length, and distinct 1D morphology and growth orientation are demonstrated. Strategies to control the location, size, and morphology of growth, and extend the growth method to synthesize other transition metal trichalcogenides, NbSe 3 and TiS 3 , as nanowires are demonstrated. Finally, the role of the Au–NaCl alloy catalyst in guiding VLS synthesis is described and the growth mechanism based on the relationships measured between structure (growth orientation, morphology, and dimensions) and growth conditions (catalyst volume and growth time) is discussed. These results introduce opportunities to expand the library of emerging 1D vdW materials to make use of their unique properties through controlled growth at nanoscale dimensions.

1D van der Waals material↗
DOE OSTI2016

Oxygen and Perfusion Kinetics in Response to Fractionated Radiation Therapy in FaDu Head and Neck Cancer Xenografts Are Related to Treatment Outcome

Purpose: To test whether oxygenation kinetics correlate with the likelihood for local tumor control after fractionated radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: We used diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to noninvasively measure tumor vascular oxygenation and total hemoglobin concentration associated with radiation therapy of 5 daily fractions (7.5, 9, or 13.5 Gy/d) in FaDu xenografts. Spectroscopy measurements were obtained immediately before each daily radiation fraction and during the week after radiation therapy. Oxygen saturation and total hemoglobin concentration were computed using an inverse Monte Carlo model. Results: First, oxygenation kinetics during and after radiation therapy, but before tumor volumes changed, were associated with local tumor control. Locally controlled tumors exhibited significantly faster increases in oxygenation after radiation therapy (days 12-15) compared with tumors that recurred locally. Second, within the group of tumors that recurred, faster increases in oxygenation during radiation therapy (day 3-5 interval) were correlated with earlier recurrence times. An area of 0.74 under the receiver operating characteristic curve was achieved when classifying the local control tumors from all irradiated tumors using the oxygen kinetics with a logistic regression model. Third, the rate of increase in oxygenation was radiation dose dependent. Radiation doses ≤9.5 Gy/d did not initiate an increase in oxygenation, whereas 13.5 Gy/d triggered significant increases in oxygenation during and after radiation therapy. Conclusions: Additional confirmation is required in other tumor models, but these results suggest that monitoring tumor oxygenation kinetics could aid in the prediction of local tumor control after radiation therapy.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗