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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 487 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Performance capabilities of a JPL dual-arm advanced teleoperation system

The system comprises: (1) two PUMA 560 robot arms, each equipped with the latest JPL developed smart hands which contain 3-D force/moment and grasp force sensors; (2) two general purpose force reflecting hand controllers; (3) a NS32016 microprocessors based distributed computing system together with JPL developed universal motor controllers; (4) graphics display of sensor data; (5) capabilities for time delay experiments; and (6) automatic data recording capabilities. Several different types of control modes are implemented on this system using different feedback control techniques. Some of the control modes and the related feedback control techniques are described, and the achievable control performance for tracking position and force trajectories are reported. The interaction between position and force trajectory tracking is illustrated. The best performance is obtained by using a novel, task space error feedback technique.

Szakaly, Z. F.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Rancor Integrated Procedure System (RIPS): A Computer-Based Procedure Platform for Advanced Reactor Research

The Rancor Microworld Simulator is a simplified, pressurized water, small modular reactor simulator that includes a multi-unit plant model server, an advanced digital human-machine control interface, and the Rancor Integrated Procedure System (RIPS). Rancor provides a research and development tool that can be used for collecting operator performance data and for prototyping concepts of operations (ConOps) for advanced reactor development. RIPS is meant as a research tool and includes many unique features: (1) RIPS has a robust procedure authoring system. (2) RIPS has the capability to run any of the three IEEE-Std-1786 computer-based procedure types. (3) RIPS can be configured to take on the look and feel of different vendors’ computer-based procedure systems for the purpose of developing and evaluating different ConOps for plant upgrades or new builds. (4) RIPS includes the capability for logging operator procedure use, including integrating procedure logs with Rancor simulator logs, thereby allowing automated data collection of operator scenario runs. (5) RIPS integrates with the Human Unimodel for Nuclear Technology to Enhance Reliability (HUNTER), a dynamic human reliability analysis environment that creates a digital human twin or virtual operator to mimic reactor operator performance. (6) RIPS includes support for automation of plant monitoring and control functions. While RIPS is explicitly built into Rancor, it may also be used with full-scope training simulators. This functionality allows RIPS to be used for existing plants and advanced reactors under development.

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2021

libEnsemble: A Library to Coordinate the Concurrent Evaluation of Dynamic Ensembles of Calculations

Almost all applications stop scaling at some point; those that don't are seldom performant when considering time to solution on anything but aspirational/unicorn resources. Recognizing these tradeoffs as well as greater user functionality in a near-term exascale computing era, we present libEnsemble, a library aimed at particular scalability- and capability-stretching uses. libEnsemble enables running concurrent instances of an application in dynamically allocated ensembles through an extensible Python library. Here, we highlight the structure, execution, and capabilities of the library on leading pre-exascale environments as well as advanced capabilities for exascale environments and beyond.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1994

Advanced teleoperation: Technology innovations and applications

The capability to remotely, robotically perform space assembly, inspection, servicing, and science functions would rapidly expand our presence in space, and the cost efficiency of being there. There is considerable interest in developing 'telerobotic' technologies, which also have comparably important terrestrial applications to health care, underwater salvage, nuclear waste remediation and other. Such tasks, both space and terrestrial, require both a robot and operator interface that is highly flexible and adaptive, i.e., capable of efficiently working in changing and often casually structured environments. One systems approach to this requirement is to augment traditional teleoperation with computer assists -- advanced teleoperation. We have spent a number of years pursuing this approach, and highlight some key technology developments and their potential commercial impact. This paper is an illustrative summary rather than self-contained presentation; for completeness, we include representative technical references to our work which will allow the reader to follow up items of particular interest.

Schenker, Paul S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A weak Hamiltonian finite element method for optimal guidance of an advanced launch vehicle

A temporal finite-element method based on a mixed form of the Hamiltonian weak principle is presented for optimal control problems. The mixed form of this principle contains both states and costates as primary variables, which are expanded in terms of nodal values and simple shape functions. Time derivatives of the states and costates do not appear in the governing variational equation; the only quantities whose time derivatives appear therein are virtual states and virtual costates. Numerical results are presented for an elementary trajectory optimization problem; they show very good agreement with the exact solution along with excellent computational efficiency and self-starting capability. The feasibility of this approach for real-time guidance applications is evaluated. A simplified model for an advanced launch vehicle application that is suitable for finite-element solution is presented.

Hodges, Dewey H.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Accelerating detector simulations with Celeritas: profiling and performance optimizations

Celeritas is a GPU-optimized MC particle transport code designed to meet the growing computational demands of next-generation HEP experiments. It provides efficient simulation of EM physics processes in complex geometries with magnetic fields, detector hit scoring, and seamless integration into Geant4-driven applications to offload EM physics to GPUs. Recent efforts have focused on performance optimizations and expanding profiling capabilities. This paper presents some key advancements, including the integration of the Perfetto system profiling tool for detailed performance analysis and the development of track-sorting methods to improve computational efficiency.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

New systems in MOOSE

The Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) serves as a common library of classes between applications developed for advanced reactor analysis, fusion device engineering, spent fuel cask analysis, geochemistry studies, among other fields. These applications drive the development of the framework to meet their needs. Systems in MOOSE group capabilities that share a common purpose and generally common code. They can be leveraged by all downstream applications, providing extensive code re-use and shared maintenance. They facilitate the discovery by new users of the classes meeting at least partially their needs, and offer the same opportunities for customization as other systems. The addition of a new system to MOOSE opens new ways of solving or discretizing nonlinear problems, of performing distributed postprocessing, and a plethora of other needs. While new systems can be introduced in downstream applications rather than at the framework level, the framework team monitors common needs across the community and often triggers their addition. Documentation, training material, development needs can be centralized, limiting duplicated work across the community. The last three years have seen a large expansion in the capabilities of MOOSE. The supporting role of the framework in the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program has created numerous feature requests to support neutronics, thermal hydraulics, computational fluid dynamics and thermo-mechanics simulations in the Griffin, SAM, Pronghorn and Bison applications respectively. Similarly, laboratory-directed research and development (LDRD) projects in additive manufacturing, high-Reynolds flow simulations, structure optimization also necessitate an expansion of the framework capabilities. This summary reports on the new systems created in MOOSE, their design, their capabilities and some of the relevant interfaces.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Management and Storage of Scientific Data

Scientific discoveries rely heavily on efficient access, search, and management of massive data sets. Data management technologies have, for decades, provided foundational capabilities for scientific computing. Just as storage, input/output (I/O), and data management have been fundamental to simulation-based science for many years, so too are capable data-management technologies key to the success of today’s scientific workflows utilizing data intensive and machine learning (ML) techniques. The Department of Energy, Office of Science, Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program has invested broadly in data-management research focused on high-performance computing (HPC) systems, from parallel file systems that store data to application software that makes these systems more productive. Still, advances in technology combined with growing diversity of supported science strongly motivate continued investment in this area. In January 2022, ASCR convened a workshop to identify priority research directions in the area of data management for high-performance and scientific computing. Attendees were challenged to identify promising approaches that would support the breadth of the DOE mission, including the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) uses and the growing needs of experimental and observational science. Technological and science drivers were identified and considered as they relate to key aspects of data management such as interfaces, architectural design, and FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). The thoughts of the workshop participants were distilled into a set of four priority research directions with the potential for high impact on DOE science. These research directions are summarized in the following pages.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Phase-Field Modeling of Materials Interfaces and Nanostructures

Nanostructured materials offer unique properties for a wide range of energy applications. Among various known processing methods, liquid metal dealloying (LMD)—the selective dissolution of a base alloy element into a metallic melt—has emerged as a powerful technique to produce a new class of nano-/meso-scale open porous and bicontinuous composite structures with ultra-high interfacial area. LMD has recently been complemented by the advent of vapor phase dealloying (VPD), a novel technique that exploits the selective evaporation of one element from a parent alloy containing elements with very different vapor pressures, thereby enabling to fabricate open nanoporous structures of various elements from less-noble metals to inorganic elements regardless of their chemical activity without requiring high LMD temperatures and chemical etching. Together LMD and VPD have greatly expanded the scope of dealloying techniques, limited by traditional electrochemical means to noble metals, and boosted the design of new functional and structural materials that combine a wide variety of elements. Topologically-connected open porous structures with ultra-high surface area allow mass transport within the structure while preserving structural integrity, enabling them to serve as catalysts, fuel cells, supercapacitors, or high-capacity battery materials. Bicontinuous composite structures in turn can display high strength and high ductility or superior radiation-damage resistance due to the ultra-high interface area between interpenetrating solid phases. This research program makes use of state-of-the-art computational methods to understand at a basic level the self-organizing dealloying process with main focus on dealloying kinetics and interfacial pattern formation at the dealloying front controlling initial structure size, topology, and phase compositions. Phase-field simulation studies of LMD focus on solid solutions, line compounds, and intermetallic systems that can form ternary composites by nucleation and growth of a new phase. Studies of VPD employ phase-field modeling and a hybrid method combining a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model of evaporation and surface diffusion with molecular dynamics for vapor-phase transport inside nanopores. Simulations explore mechanisms of interface- and diffusion-controlled dealloying kinetics, both observed in VPD but not fundamentally understood. In addition, our newly developed multi-physics phase-field approach of large-volume-change phase transformations is being used to model novel 3D anode geometries based on dealloyed nanoporous structures including novel sandwiched graphene/Si/silica for highrate Li ion battery. Those studies are aimed at elucidating geometric design principles that improve mechanical stability. We expect this research to enhance the capability to tailor nano-/mesoscale structures for a wide range of energy-related materials applications and to yield further advances in computational methodologies that benefit a broad materials research community.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Spherical tokamak physics research in preparation for the operation of NSTX-U

The National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) is preparing to resume operation, representing a crucial step toward realizing compact, cost-effective fusion pilot plants. In advance of this, extensive modeling and data analysis have been conducted to advance the physics basis for low-aspect-ratio, high-performance plasma regimes, focusing on three core objectives: confinement and stability, power and particle handling, and steady-state operation. Significant progress has been made in understanding the electron temperature flattening in high-β plasmas, which is shown to be driven by a complex interplay of magnetohydrodynamic instabilities (e.g. non-resonant infernal modes), fast-ion-driven Alfvén eigenmodes, and electron and ion-scale micro-instabilities, particularly Kinetic Ballooning Modes (KBMs), whose destabilization is strongly dependent on parallel magnetic field fluctuations (δB ∥ ). Furthermore, a new gyrokinetic critical pedestal model was developed, accurately predicting pedestal structure by identifying KBMs as the primary stability limit, offering a critical constraint for future high-confinement scenarios. To address the challenge of high heat flux, novel liquid lithium plasma-facing components were modeled. The analysis confirmed that lithium vapor shielding is a self-regulating mechanism for heat mitigation, while also emphasizing that strong main ion parallel flow is essential to minimize core lithium contamination. Finally, progress toward steady-state operation was anchored by developing the required physics basis and control tools. This includes predictive modeling for reversed magnetic shear sustainment, demonstrating that magnetic island-induced bootstrap current reduction is negligible in STs, and advancing real-time control and disruption avoidance capabilities. The development of high-speed surrogate models (e.g. MMMNet) provides computationally efficient tools vital for non-inductive scenario optimization and integrated, low-disruptivity operations planned for NSTX-U.

NSTX-U↗
NASA NTRS1987

Integrated analysis and applications

A select overview is provided of ongoing research focusing on the development and verification of integrated structural analysis and optimal design capabilities for advanced aerospace propulsion and power systems. Subjects discussed include the following: (1) Composites - analytical models (composite mechanics), integrated computational methods, and characterization of composite structural response and durability for resin-, metal-, and ceramic-matrix systems; (2) Advanced inelastic analysis - algorithm/numerical methods for more accurate and efficient analysis; (3) Constitutive modeling - theoretical formulation and characterization of thermoviscoplastic material behavior; (4) Computational simulation - engine structures from components to assembly, and up to an entire engine system subjected to simulated test-stand and mission load histories; (5) Probabilistic structural analysis - quantification of the effects of uncertainty in geometry, material, loads, and boundary conditions on structural response for true reliability assessment; and (6) Interdisciplinary optimization - incorporation of mathematical optimization and multidisciplinary analyses to provide streamlined, autonomous optimal design systems.

Hopkins, Dale A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine coolant passage design program (RECOP) for fluid-cooled thrust chambers and nozzles

The design of coolant passages in regeneratively cooled thrust chambers is critical to the operation and safety of a rocket engine system. Designing a coolant passage is a complex thermal and hydraulic problem requiring an accurate understanding of the heat transfer between the combustion gas and the coolant. Every major rocket engine company has invested in the development of thrust chamber computer design and analysis tools; two examples are Rocketdyne's REGEN code and Aerojet's ELES program. In an effort to augment current design capabilities for government and industry, the NASA Lewis Research Center is developing a computer model to design coolant passages for advanced regeneratively cooled thrust chambers. The RECOP code incorporates state-of-the-art correlations, numerical techniques and design methods, certainly minimum requirements for generating optimum designs of future space chemical engines. A preliminary version of the RECOP model was recently completed and code validation work is in progress. This paper introduces major features of RECOP and compares the analysis to design points for the first test case engine; the Pratt & Whitney RL10A-3-3A thrust chamber.

Tomsik, Thomas M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Development of a Prototype Simulation Executive with Zooming in the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation

A major difficulty in designing aeropropulsion systems is that of identifying and understanding the interactions between the separate engine components and disciplines (e.g., fluid mechanics, structural mechanics, heat transfer, material properties, etc.). The traditional analysis approach is to decompose the system into separate components with the interaction between components being evaluated by the application of each of the single disciplines in a sequential manner. Here, one discipline uses information from the calculation of another discipline to determine the effects of component coupling. This approach, however, may not properly identify the consequences of these effects during the design phase, leaving the interactions to be discovered and evaluated during engine testing. This contributes to the time and cost of developing new propulsion systems as, typically, several design-build-test cycles are needed to fully identify multidisciplinary effects and reach the desired system performance. The alternative to sequential isolated component analysis is to use multidisciplinary coupling at a more fundamental level. This approach has been made more plausible due to recent advancements in computation simulation along with application of concurrent engineering concepts. Computer simulation systems designed to provide an environment which is capable of integrating the various disciplines into a single simulation system have been proposed and are currently being developed. One such system is being developed by the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) project. The NPSS project, being developed at the Interdisciplinary Technology Office at the NASA Lewis Research Center is a 'numerical test cell' designed to provide for comprehensive computational design and analysis of aerospace propulsion systems. It will provide multi-disciplinary analyses on a variety of computational platforms, and a user-interface consisting of expert systems, data base management and visualization tools, to allow the designer to investigate the complex interactions inherent in these systems. An interactive programming software system, known as the Application Visualization System (AVS), was utilized for the development of the propulsion system simulation. The modularity of this system provides the ability to couple propulsion system components, as well as disciplines, and provides for the ability to integrate existing, well established analysis codes into the overall system simulation. This feature allows the user to customize the simulation model by inserting desired analysis codes. The prototypical simulation environment for multidisciplinary analysis, called Turbofan Engine System Simulation (TESS), which incorporates many of the characteristics of the simulation environment proposed herein, is detailed.

Reed, John A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Compact Multimedia Systems in Multi-chip Module Technology

This tutorial paper shows advanced multimedia system designs based on multi-chip module (MCM) technologies that provide essential computing, compression, communication, and storage capabilities for various large scale information highway applications.!.

Multi-Chip Module Technology↗
NASA NTRS2018

High-Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) Project Overview

The High Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) multi-core processor Chiplet will provide a nearly two orders-of-magnitude improvement above the current state of the art for spaceflight processors, while also providing an unprecedented flexibility to tailor performance, power consumption, and fault tolerance to meet widely varying mission needs. These advancements will provide game changing improvements in computing performance, power efficiency, and flexibility, which will significantly improve the onboard processing capabilities of future NASA and Air Force space missions. HPSC is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), Science Mission Directorate (SMD), and the United States Air Force. The HPSC project is managed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the HPSC contract is managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Within the HPSC project, Boeing is under contract to NASA to develop prototype Chiplets, system software, and evaluation boards. As another development within the project, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are developing middleware that will simplify application development for HPSC-based onboard processors.

multi-core processor↗
NASA NTRS2019

Development and Analysis of the Automated Object Reentry Survival Analysis Tool Parametric Study Wrapper

The NASA Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) studies all aspects of spacecraft end-of-life and orbital debris measurement, modeling, and mitigation. The reentry safety group within the ODPO uses the Object Reentry Survival Analysis Tool (ORSAT) to calculate the casualty risk due to reentry of spacecraft and other types of orbital debris. ORSAT models spacecraft as a collection of fragments that break apart from the parent object at a pre-defined “breakup altitude.” It then calculates the trajectory and aero-heating of these fragments to determine which fragments are completely destroyed and which survive to the ground and pose a risk to human population. Because of the historically high computational cost of these calculations, many simplifying assumptions have been made in the traditional calculation and analysis process used by the ODPO, some of which have been shown by recent research by the ODPO and others to be incorrect. Improvements to the ORSAT code and advancements in computer technology have vastly decreased the program’s processing time, and have allowed the ODPO to develop a capability for large-scale parametric studies and Monte Carlo reentry simulations that can aid in both the initial spacecraft design and provide more detailed and accurate risk analysis to spacecraft operators.

Smith, Andrew N.↗
NASA NTRS1973

SSME structural computer program development. Volume 1: BOPACE theoretical manual

The BOPACE program (Boeing plastic analysis capability for engines) was developed to meet the need for an advanced thermal-elastic-plastic-creep structural analyzer by providing incremental relation between stresses and strains. The cumulative stress-strain relation, for temperature-dependent, or temperature independent elasticity is discussed along with the option for plane-stress analysis or plane-strain analysis. The BOPACE solution approach is summarized.

Vos, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Advances in computational design and analysis of airbreathing propulsion systems

The development of commercial and military aircraft depends, to a large extent, on engine manufacturers being able to achieve significant increases in propulsion capability through improved component aerodynamics, materials, and structures. The recent history of propulsion has been marked by efforts to develop computational techniques that can speed up the propulsion design process and produce superior designs. The availability of powerful supercomputers, such as the NASA Numerical Aerodynamic Simulator, and the potential for even higher performance offered by parallel computer architectures, have opened the door to the use of multi-dimensional simulations to study complex physical phenomena in propulsion systems that have previously defied analysis or experimental observation. An overview of several NASA Lewis research efforts is provided that are contributing toward the long-range goal of a numerical test-cell for the integrated, multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization of propulsion systems. Specific examples in Internal Computational Fluid Mechanics, Computational Structural Mechanics, Computational Materials Science, and High Performance Computing are cited and described in terms of current capabilities, technical challenges, and future research directions.

Klineberg, John M.↗