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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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Respiratory motion management using audio-visual biofeedback for respiratory-gated radiotherapy of synchrotron-based pulsed heavy-ion beam delivery

Purpose: To efficiently deliver respiratory-gated radiation during synchrotron-based pulsed heavy-ion radiotherapy, a novel respiratory guidance method combining a personalized audio-visual biofeedback (BFB) system, breath hold (BH), and synchrotron-based gating was designed to help patients synchronize their respiratory patterns with synchrotron pulses and to overcome typical limitations such as low efficiency, residual motion, and discomfort. Methods: In-house software was developed to acquire body surface marker positions and display BFB, gating signals, and real-time beam profiles on a LED screen. Patients were prompted to perform short BHs or short deep breath holds (SDBH) with the aid of BFB following a personalized standard BH/SDBH (stBH/stSDBH) guiding curve or their own representative BH/SDBH (reBH/reSDBH) guiding curve. A practical simulation was performed for a group of 15 volunteers to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of this method. Effective dose rates (EDRs), mean absolute errors between the guiding curves and the measured curves, and mean absolute deviations of the measured curves were obtained within 10%–50% duty cycles (DCs) that were synchronized with the synchrotron’s flat-top phase. Results: All maneuvers for an individual volunteer took approximately half an hour, and no one experienced discomfort during the maneuvers. Using the respiratory guidance methods, the magnitude of residual motion was almost ten times less than during nongated irradiation, and increases in the average effective dose rate by factors of 2.39–4.65, 2.39–4.59, 1.73–3.50, and 1.73–3.55 for the stBH, reBH, stSDBH, and reSDBH guiding maneuvers, respectively, were observed in contrast with conventional free breathing-based gated irradiation, depending on the respiratory-gated duty cycle settings. Conclusions: The proposed respiratory guidance method with personalized BFB was confirmed to be feasible in a group of volunteers. Increased effective dose rate and improved overall treatment precision were observed compared to conventional free breathing-based, respiratory-gated irradiation. Because breathing guidance curves could be established based on the respective average respiratory period and amplitude for each patient, it may be easier for patients to cooperate using this technique.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2018

Dynamic stabilization of the Rayleigh-Bénard instability by acceleration modulation

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of the parametric stabilization of Rayleigh-Bénard convection through the imposition of sinusoidal vibration. The ability to dynamically stabilize Rayleigh-Bénard convection using acceleration modulation is of interest to groups who design and study thermoacoustic machines as the introduction of parasitic convection can have deleterious effects on the desired operation and thermodynamic efficiency of the device. These performance issues caused by suspected convective instability have been seen both in traveling wave thermoacoustic refrigerators and cryogenic pulse tube chillers. This paper reports the results of an experiment intended to determine the vibratory, fluidic, and geometric conditions under which a small, rectangular container of statically unstable fluid may be stabilized by vertical vibration with comparison to the computational methods of R. M. Carbo [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 135, 654–668 (2014)]. Measurements are obtained using a large-displacement kinematic shaker of an original design with the convecting gas characterized using both thermal transport measurements and flow visualization employing tracer particles illuminated by a diode laser light sheet phase-locked to the shaker. These experiments are believed to be the first demonstrating the suppression of convection through vibration in rectangular containers.

Swaminathan, Anand↗
DOE OSTI2020

Augmented Monitoring and Condition Assessment Program (AMCAP) Material Test Reactor (MTR) (Fuel Inspection Program Report)

The AMCAP MTR Fuel Inspection Program, a special inspection program comprised of four inspection campaigns, examined a total of ten (10) pre-selected aluminum-clad, aluminum-based fuel core spent nuclear fuel assemblies (ASNF) stored in the L Area Disassembly Basin (L Basin) at the Savannah River Site. A full description of the inspections and the results are reported. The fuel had been stored in bundled-tube storage (Vertical Tube Storage) for periods of 18 to 21 years. The prior service experience of the individual 10 assemblies varies, but all included irradiation followed by wet storage at international research reactor sites prior to shipment to the US and storage in L Basin. The 10 assemblies were expected to be among the “worst"’ in terms of prior corrosion damage of the entire inventory of the direct-bundle-stored ASNF in L Basin. The inventory of MTR ASNF in L Basin will continue to be stored in the bundled-tube configuration or in slug-storage buckets with inserts pending retrieval for ultimate disposition. The MTR fuel inspections focused on collecting information for characterization of the material condition of the ASNF considering various types of aluminum fuel corrosion degradation of its assembled materials in water storage. A custom-designed Fuel Inspection Table was used to stage the fuel for remote, enhanced visual examination (close-up video imaging & recording) with controlled lighting and positioning that enables reproducibility of imaging conditions. The inspections were conducted by fuel subject matter expert staff from Spent Fuel Project Engineering (SFPE) and the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). Stills captured from the video records were used to compare the corrosion evolution from previous records, as available. This evaluation of the inspection results including the comparison to the previous inspection results demonstrate that the water quality and the storage configuration of ASNF in L Basin do not cause aggressive corrosion degradation of the fuel; mitigation of the prior corrosion degradation of the fuel also appears to have been achieved with the good water quality conditions of L Basin. Recommendations are made for future inspection of the fuel to trend corrosion degradation and demonstrate continued safe wet storage of the ASNF in L Basin. The next fuel examination is recommended to be performed in 5 years.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Material Control and Accounting Regulatory and Technical Considerations for Microreactors

New microreactors must comply with the Material Control and Accounting (MC&A) regulations in 10CFR74. The objective of MC&A is to verify that the nuclear material is not stolen or diverted to unauthorized users. Microreactors have unique features which pose new challenges to addressing these regulations. This work considers general approaches and methods for microreactor MC&A based on the reactor life cycles which have been proposed by microreactor vendors. One key aspect of MC&A is measurement of the nuclear material. Measurement of microreactor fuel could be especially important because the cores may be sealed for up to 20 years, preventing direct visual confirmation. Measurements could also be especially challenging due to the thick shielding designed around microreactors. This work evaluates a range of techniques used in medical, industrial, and nuclear fields. The cost, time, and performance of the techniques were estimated. Finally, for a promising technique of using in-core neutron detectors, the feasibility was analyzed in detail.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Puck and Puck/SAW Loop Seals (Final Report)

Tamper-indicating devices (TIDs), also known as seals, play a crucial role in various sectors including international nuclear safeguards, arms control, domestic security, and commercial products, by ensuring that monitored or high-value items are not accessed undetected. These devices do not block access but alert to unauthorized tampering. With adversaries' capabilities evolving, there's a pressing need for seals to advance in terms of effectiveness (e.g., better tamper indication and unique identification), and new technology can improve the efficiency of installation and verification. Passive loop seals, widely used in international nuclear safeguards to ensure that continuity of knowledge is maintained on declared items, face stringent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) requirements that surpass those met by commercial products. The metal cup seal (Figure 1, left), a staple IAEA seal, is robust but requires significant resources for post-use verification – specifically, the seal’s unique identity can only be verified at IAEA headquarters after removal from facilities. Further, the seal has been in use for decades and seal types should periodically be replaced to counter adversarial efforts for defeating seals. In 2020, the IAEA outlined about 40 requirements for a new passive loop seal, aiming for in-situ verification, minimal external tool use, unique identification (UID), and clear tamper indication. In response, research and development efforts focused on creating a new passive loop seal that meets these criteria and in 2022 the IAEA announced the completion of the Field Verifiable Passive Loop Seal (FVPS) (Figure 1, right). Concurrently to the IAEA’s efforts, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) designed, developed, and tested two seal versions – Puck and Puck/SAW, with Puck based on the IAEA’s requirements and including a novel visually-obvious tamper response, and Puck/SAW adding additional beneficial capabilities like the ability to receive a unique identifier from a standoff distance and monitoring the wire integrity. Puck/SAW was specifically designed and developed to address sealing applications in dry spent fuel storage facilities, where the number of sealed spent fuel containers results in heavy verification burden and inspector safety issues related to radiation exposure. These efforts are described in this Executive Summary.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
DOE OSTI2018

Engineering Scale Testing of Robotic Inspection Tools for Double Shell Tanks at Hanford - 18349

Waste found in the annulus of the AY-102 double-shell tank (DST) at Hanford has prompted the need for the development of inspection tools that are able to access confined spaces around and underneath the tanks. During the last year, Florida International University (FIU) has been developing inspection tools that are capable of accessing the tank floors through the air supply line, the air refractory channels and the drain lines. This effort has led to the development of a pneumatic pipe crawler and a miniature rover. In this paper, updates to the inspection tool designs and the full scale testing of both systems are presented. The tools provide visual feedback for the operator, carrying with them onboard cameras and light sources. The images are streamed back live via a tether, which also provides power to the devices. To increase the sensing capabilities of both tools, temperature, humidity and radiation sensor modules are being integrated onto the developed systems, and can be interchanged depending on the inspection objectives. The miniature rover measures 7 cm in length and 3.8 cm in width, and travels upside down on the bottom of the tank to avoid debris accumulated in the channels. The video is also being processed real-time to provide control of the unit semi-autonomously. The pipe crawler measures approximately 76 cm in length and 6.4 cm in diameter, and travels using pneumatic actuators that emulate the peristaltic movement contractions typical of worm type robots. A full-scale sectional mock-up of the DST foundation, refractory system and annulus is currently being developed as a test-bed for the testing of the inspection tools. The intention of the test-bed is to demonstrate the viability of using both inspection tools in configurations similar to the actual tank. The test-bed includes a 2.43 m wide section of both tank liners, refractory channels and concrete foundation with drain slots. The test-bed is designed to be modular so that various plate thicknesses can be easily utilized and different refractory configurations can be incorporated. Currently, the refractory channels are of the tree type structure with turns that are approximately 30 degrees. Both inspection tools were demonstrated in the mock-up facility. The miniature rover ran successfully through the drain slots from the annulus to central plenum and had no issues making the 90-degree turns. The peristaltic crawler was able to navigate through the 7.62 cm air supply line from the annulus to the central plenum. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

From Obsolete to Optimal (ATR Demineralized Water System)

My project was migrating a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) program from legacy software to a modern platform, enhancing operational efficiency and eliminating unsupported, obsolete equipment. Initially, I used a migration tool to transfer the programs to the new software, then manually updated variables to align with the new PLC. I optimized the PLC code by leveraging new scaling features in the I/O cards, removing over 45 obsolete rungs, and enhancing clarity with functional tag aliases. Next, I modernized the HMI's visuals with an updated color scheme and 3D buttons. I developed multiple interface versions iteratively refining them based on operator feedback. I also designed and created a dedicated "Rounds" screen incorporating insights from a previous intern’s project to streamline daily rounds. To improve clarity, consistency, and efficiency I redesigned the entire interface. Adding visual indicators to enhance operational awareness: red is used for values outside normal specifications, green for normal operating modes, yellow for manual mode, and grey for offline units. Additionally, I added a dynamic visual representation of tank levels, creating PLC logic to show the level in inches as well as inches and feet. I then incorporated a navigation sidebar to facilitate efficient screen transitions. Risk of human error was mitigated by defining narrow input ranges for tank level shutoff and password protecting setpoint changes. I also fixed issues with datatypes that caused inaccuracies in the original code. Overall, this comprehensive upgrade significantly enhanced the HMI's functionality, user experience, and operational reliability.

47 - OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

Visualizing urban microclimate and quantifying its impact on building energy use in San Francisco

© 2019 Association for Computing Machinery. Weather data at nearby airports are usually used in building energy simulation to estimate energy use in buildings or evaluate building design or retrofit options. However, due to urbanization and geography characteristics, local weather conditions can differ significantly from those at airports. This study presents the visualization of 10-year hourly weather data measured at 27 sites in San Francisco, aiming to provide insights into the urban microclimate and urban heat island effect in San Francisco and how they evolve during the recent decade. The 10-year weather data are used in building energy simulations to investigate its influence on energy use and electrical peak demand, which informs the city's policy making on building energy efficiency and resilience. The visualization feature is implemented in CityBES, an open web-based data and computing platform for urban building energy research.

Hong, T↗
DOE OSTI2018

Proceedings of the 1998 International Computational Accelerator Physics Conference

The 1998 International Computational Accelerator Physics Conference, ICAP’98, was held September 14-18, 1998, at the Monterey Convention Center in Monterey, California. The meeting continued the tradition of four earlier Computational Accelerator Physics conferences, held in La Jolla, California (1988), Los Alamos, New Mexico (1990), Pleasanton, California (1993), and Williamsburg, Virginia (1996). ICAP’98 was organized by the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), and received support from the U.S. Department of Energy. The aim of this conference series is to discuss recent advances in Computational Accelerator Physics and their applications to solving important problems related to present and future accelerators. The ICAP’98 program included plenary sessions on modeling challenges in next-generation accelerators, state-of-the art methods in computational accelerator physics, and a view of what high-end computing would be like in the 21st century. There were also focused sessions on accelerator design and control, modeling high intensity beam phenomena, electromagnetic modeling, advanced algorithms, software environments and libraries, visualization and graphic interfaces, modeling advanced accelerator concepts, modeling the beam-beam interaction, computing wakefields, and combined particle/field simulations. In addition to these oral sessions there was a poster session and a vendor display. Prior to the start of the technical program, a half-day tutorial on High Performance Computing was hosted by NERSC. The ICAP series recognizes that computing and, in particular, advanced computing, is playing an increasingly important role in the successful design and development of major accelerator facilities, and in research and development leading to advances in accelerator technology. We expect that this new emphasis on high-end computing will continue in future ICAP conferences.

Ko, Kwok↗
DOE OSTI2018

Microscopic Behaviors of Tri-n-Butyl Phosphate, n-Dodecane and Their Mixtures at Air/Liquid and Liquid/Liquid Interfaces: An AMBER Polarizable Force Field Study

In solvent extraction processes for recovering metal ions from used nuclear fuel, as well as other industrial applications, a better understanding of the metal complex phase transfer phenomenon would greatly aid ligand design and process optimization. We have approached this challenge by utilizing classical molecular dynamics simulations technique to gain visual appreciation of the vapor/liquid and liquid/liquid interface between tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) and n-dodecane with air and water. In this study, we successfully reparameterized polarizable force fields for TBP and n-dodecane that accurately reproduced several of their thermophysical properties such as: density, heat of vaporization, and dipole moment. Our models were able to predict the surface and interfacial tension of different systems when compared to experimental results also performed by us. Through this study, we gained numerous atomistic understanding of the behaviors of TBP and n-dodecane at the interface against air and water, useful in further computational studies of such systems. Lastly, our studies indicate that the initial configuration of a simulation may have a large effect on the final result.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Developing novel electrodes with ultralow catalyst loading for high-efficiency hydrogen production in proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

Hydrogen plays more crucial roles for decarbonizing the planets and meeting the climate challenges because of its high energy density and zero-emission. It can be produced with proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) driven by sustainable and renewable energy resources. Although PEMECs have a number of advantages, including high purity production, quick response, and the ability to operate at high pressure facilitating the gas delivering, their performance and cost greatly hinder their commercial-scale applications. To achieve high-efficiency and cost-reduced hydrogen production in PEMECs, we proposed thin engineered liquid/gas diffusion layers (LGDLs) and associated electrodes, i.e., catalyst-coated LGDLs (CCLGDLs), over conventional porous transport layers (PTLs) and catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs). The research approaches in this project are based on material synthesis, in-situ and ex-situ characterizations, component design and treatment, numerical modeling, and cost analysis. The thin and tunable LGDLs (TT-LGDLs) and CCLGDLs were successfully developed with great performance improvement as demonstrated in lab-scale, bench-scale, and system-scale electrolyzer tests. The electrode thickness was reduced from 370 µm to less than 100 µm with simplified fabrication processes. With the catalytically enhanced Ir-based catalyst coating, the as-developed CCLGDLs with a catalyst loading of 0.34 mg Ir /cm 2 achieved a cell performance of 1.77 V at 2 A cm -2 , exhibiting the catalyst mass activity enhanced by >20 times with significant catalyst saving over conventional catalyst cell design. In-situ PEMEC characterizations, including the current distribution mapping and high-speed and multiscale visualizations, were conducted for a deeper understanding of mass transport and electrochemical reactions within an electrolyzer with LGDLs and CCLGDLs. A 2D cell model was developed and validated for the enhanced performance on TT-LGDL through reducing ohmic losses due to nonuniform hydration and water transport. Further, the cost analysis results have shown a path to move beyond equivalency and surpass costs associated with the project baseline. In this project, the design and fabrication of TT-LGDLs and CCLGDLs will contribute to the performance enhancement, manufacturing simplification, and cost reduction for PEMECs and other energy conversion devices, thus shortening their pathways towards commercialization. This project also provides a good foundation for furthering the in-situ reaction interface research.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental Analysis of Advanced Turbine for Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle

An advanced first stage high pressure turbine blade for a supercritical CO2 power cycle is tested in the Big Rig for Aerothermal Stationary Turbine Analysis (BRASTA) annular cascade at the Purdue Experimental Turbine Aerothermal Laboratory (PETAL) high pressure blow down facility alongside a baseline blade for comparison of aerodynamic performance. Both geometries are tested simultaneously using a novel off-axis rig design to allow for the blade geometries to be scaled up to achieve higher Reynolds numbers. The off-axis design necessitates the use of discrete sectors of airfoils, which are designed and additively manufactured in house using an mSLA printer. Printing the blades allows for unique routing of passage for blade surface static pressure taps that contour to the blade shape instead of requiring a straight line view from surface tap to egress, allowing all instrumentation for 15%, 50%, and 85% span to exist in the same passage. A flow conditioning gauze [1] is placed upstream of the blade passages to impart pressure, Mach, and swirl profiles to mimic the rotor relative frame inlet conditions to the blade. Downstream, a sonic valve is used to alter the backpressure to achieve different pressure ratios for different blowdown setpoints. The design of the rig, sonic wheel, and instrumentation are discussed along with the manufacturing and GD&T of the blades with respect to the build-up of this novel experimental apparatus. Initial commissioning data is obtained from inlet total pressure and temperature rakes, blade static pressure taps, and exit total pressure rakes. Oil visualization is performed using a silicone oil mixture containing titanium dioxide and pigmented for contrast of the blade suction side surface with the hub and shroud endwalls. The viscosity of the oil is tuned so that the oil does not fully thin and blow away during the time of the test, and endoscopic cameras are placed in the rig for live monitoring and recording. The preliminary oil visualization and rake profiles are presented, showcasing the operability of this additively manufactured off-axis flow path design.

Tuite, Logan [Purdue University]↗
DOE OSTI2024

Visualization at exascale: Making it all work with VTK-m

The VTK-m software library enables scientific visualization on exascale-class supercomputers. Exascale machines are particularly challenging for software development in part because they use GPU accelerators to provide the vast majority of their computational throughput. Algorithmic designs for GPUs and GPU-centric computing often deviate from those that worked well on previous generations of high-performance computers that relied on traditional CPUs. Fortunately, VTK-m provides scientific visualization algorithms for GPUs and other accelerators. VTK-m also provides a framework that simplifies the implementation of new algorithms and adds a porting layer to work across multiple processor types. This paper describes the main challenges encountered when making scientific visualization available at exascale. Here, we document the surprises and obstacles faced when moving from pre-exascale platforms to the final exascale designs and the performance on those systems including scaling studies on Frontier, an exascale machine with over 37,000 AMD GPUs. We also report on the integration of VTK-m with other exascale software technologies. Finally, we show how VTK-m helps scientific discovery for applications such as fusion and particle acceleration that leverage an exascale supercomputer.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Slycat™ User Manual

Slycat™ is a web-based system for performing data analysis and visualization of potentially large quantities of remote, high-dimensional data. Slycat™ specializes in working with ensemble data. An ensemble is a group of related data sets, which typically consists of a set of simulation runs exploring the same problem space. An ensemble can be thought of as a set of samples within a multi-variate domain, where each sample is a vector whose value defines a point in high-dimensional space. To understand and describe the underlying problem being modeled in the simulations, ensemble analysis looks for shared behaviors and common features across the group of runs. Additionally, ensemble analysis tries to quantify differences found in any members that deviate from the rest of the group. The Slycat™ system integrates data management, scalable analysis, and visualization. Results are viewed remotely on a user’s desktop via commodity web clients using a multi-tiered hierarchy of computation and data storage, as shown in Figure 1. Our goal is to operate on data as close to the source as possible, thereby reducing time and storage costs associated with data movement. Consequently, we are working to develop parallel analysis capabilities that operate on High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms, to explore approaches for reducing data size, and to implement strategies for staging computation across the Slycat™ hierarchy. Within Slycat™, data and visual analysis are organized around projects, which are shared by a project team. Project members are explicitly added, each with a designated set of permissions. Although users sign-in to access Slycat™, individual accounts are not maintained. Instead, authentication is used to determine project access. Within projects, Slycat™ models capture analysis results and enable data exploration through various visual representations. Although for scientists each simulation run is a model of real-world phenomena given certain conditions, we use the term model to refer to our modeling of the ensemble data, not the physics. Different model types often provide complementary perspectives on data features when analyzing the same data set. Each model visualizes data at several levels of abstraction, allowing the user to range from viewing the ensemble holistically to accessing numeric parameter values for a single run. Bookmarks provide a mechanism for sharing results, enabling interesting model states to be labeled and saved.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2018

CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR HYDROLOGY-BASED GEOMORPHIC EVAPOTRANSPIRATION COVERS FOR RECLAMATION OF MINE LAND

Currently there are about half a million abandoned mine sites in the U.S. and New Mexico has an estimated 15,000. Surface mining imposes severe ecological effects on the land because it not only alters the vegetation, soils, bedrock, and landforms, but also changes the surface hydrology, groundwater, and flow paths that ultimately result in degraded ecology and water quality. Two relatively new methodologies, fluvial geomorphic landform design and evapotranspiration (ET) waste covers, offer solutions to reclaim these sites for long term. GeoFluvTM is a specific geomorphic grading design method that uses natural analogues for post-mining landscapes and uses design input values taken from stable natural landscapes to make a reclamation design that provides hydrological function, supports ecosystem integrity, and is cost-effective, sustainable, and more visually attractive. It has documented the ability to produce surface runoff water quality equal to or better than adjacent undisturbed lands and has been used for disturbed lands, including active and abandoned mine sites. To manage the subsurface hydrology, surface ET covers have been used above landfills, waste sites, and mine lands. ET covers protect the underlying materials against erosion, provide a medium for vegetation growth, store precipitation within the cover, and release the stored water into atmosphere so that the infiltration of precipitation is minimized. A conceptual design study is carried out based on an actual, typical abandoned mine site near Raton, New Mexico, to which common problem conditions at abandoned mine sites are assumed. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that superior covers can be designed by integrating these two remediation technologies (geomorphic grading and ET cover) as a geomorphic ET (GET) cover. The overall shape of the GET cover can mimic the natural topography of the surrounding area, while the thickness and layering of the cover can be optimized for best vegetation growth and infiltration control. The application of GET cover technology on mine land is expected to substantially improve the reclamation effects by coupling the benefits of the geomorphic cover (drainage reduction, runoff management, vegetation diversity) with the benefits of ET covers (vegetation growth and sustainability, percolation reduction, protection of surface and groundwater).

Tailings, Geotechnical, Water Management, Vegetati↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spatial and chemical heterogeneity in aqueous Zn/MnO 2 batteries: role of Zn and Mn containing complexes

Aqueous Zn/MnO 2 batteries are a promising, safe alternative for grid-scale energy storage, owing to their environmentally safe and low-cost nature. The dissolution–deposition reaction mechanism in a mild aqueous pH regime has recently gained significance due to its relevance in battery design. Comprehending both the specific locations and the way reaction progresses is crucial for efficient batteries. This study demonstrates that Zinc Hydroxy Sulfate (ZHS) formed during discharge primarily near the dissolved MnO2 particles. Acting as a host for charge reactants in subsequent cycles, the charge product morphology was visualized using operando X-ray fluorescence microscopy. After ∼400 hours of cycling, capacity fade was linked to the formation of a Zn–Mn core–shell phase which is attributed to an irreversible core phase in the electrode, visualized through three-dimensional chemical mapping. Altogether, this research underscores the importance of understanding local morphological evolution in designing electrodes and chemistries for advanced grid-scale energy storage technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

SynopFrame: Multiscale time-dependent visual abstraction framework for analyzing DNA nanotechnology simulations

We present an open-source framework, SynopFrame, that allows DNA nanotechnology (DNA-nano) experts to analyze and understand molecular dynamics simulation trajectories of their designs. We use a multiscale multi-dimensional abstraction space, connect the representations to a projected conformational space plot of the structure’s temporal sequence, and thus enable experts to analyze the dynamics of their structural designs and, specifically, failure cases of the assembly. In addition, our time-dependent abstraction representation allows the biologists, for the first time in a smooth and structurally clear way, to identify and observe temporal transitions of a DNA-nano design from one configuration to another, and to highlight important periods of the simulation for further analysis. We realize SynopFrame as a dashboard of the different synchronized 3D spatial and 2D schematic visual representations, with a color overlay to show essential properties such as the status of hydrogen bonds. The linking of the spatial, schematic, and abstract views ensures that users can effectively analyze the high-frequency motion. We also categorize the status of the hydrogen bonds into a new format to allow us to color-encode it and overlay it on the representations. To demonstrate the utility of SynopFrame, we describe example usage scenarios and report user feedback.

Abstraction space↗
DOE OSTI2017

How systems engineering and human factors can assist SMR vendors with the licensing process - 345

There is growing interest in the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) as a cost-effective renewable source of energy. Most of the current conceptual designs propose advanced and automated control and monitoring technologies which would require complex human system interfaces. The proposals also include a reduction in the number of staff, and partial or full remote control of the facilities. The human factors challenges of such a design philosophy range from identification of information requirements of users to assessing workload to deciding on best information visualization techniques to ensure situation awareness is maintained in a remote control facility. Addressing these challenges will require a systems engineering approach where user requirements are identified through a systematic approach for various contexts, including normal, abnormal, and accident conditions. A systems engineering process will integrate human factors as well as other specialty disciplines such as reliability and design optimization in a coherent fashion that would lead to realization of a successful system that addresses user requirements. The licensing model in Canada is based upon a graded approach and is largely technology neutral. A key factor in ensuring effective licensing effort is identification of regulatory requirements. This paper discusses how adopting a systems engineering approach and early consideration of human factors principles and requirements will not only ensure an efficient design process, but will also help with developing a design that meets the regulatory requirements. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗