SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Sensor performance”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2021

EUV and Hard X-ray Hartmann Wavefront Sensing for Optical Metrology, Alignment and Phase Imaging

For more than 15 years, Imagine Optic have developed Extreme Ultra Violet (EUV) and X-ray Hartmann wavefront sensors for metrology and imaging applications. These sensors are compatible with a wide range of X-ray sources: from synchrotrons, Free Electron Lasers, laser-driven betatron and plasma-based EUV lasers to High Harmonic Generation. In this paper, we first describe the principle of a Hartmann sensor and give some key parameters to design a high-performance sensor. We also present different applications from metrology (for manual or automatic alignment of optics), to soft X-ray source optimization and X-ray imaging.

20 metrology↗

DOE OSTI2023

Distributed Coaxial Cable Sensors for In-Situ Condition Based Monitoring of Coal-Fired Boiler Tubes

The increasing contributions of renewable energy sources present new challenges to the operation and maintenance of the existing coal-fired power plants. One of the major operational risks is the unexpected failure of superheater boiler tubes, leading to the most unplanned power plant outrages. The boiler tube failure is difficult to predict due to the harsh operating environments. Therefore, condition-based monitoring (CBM) with a reliable high temperature sensor becomes necessary to produce a meaningful assessment of the health condition of boiler tubes and their remaining lifetime. In this work, the stainless-steel and quartz coaxial cable sensor (SSQ-CCS) is proposed for in-situ distributed monitoring of the boiler tube temperatures in existing coal-fired power plants. Comprehensive tests have been conducted with an in-house testing facility at Clemson University to study and evaluate the sensors’ performance in the temperature range of 100℃ to 600℃. The results indicated that the measurement resolution of the SSQ-CCS sensor is better than 1℃, and the drift is less than 2% over long-period testing. Meanwhile, multi-physics finite element analysis has been conducted to optimize the design and evaluate the safety of the SSQ-CCS temperature sensor under various operational conditions. Based on the performance obtained in the laboratory-scale testing, a field test has been implemented at a power plant. Four SSQ-CCS temperature sensors were installed for in-situ monitoring of the temperatures of a power plant’s superheat tube assembles. The data acquisition system has been successfully set up and collected sensing signals for more than three months. The sensing signals have been post-processed, and the monitored temperature history through the SSQ-CCS temperature sensor has been validated and compared with the conventional high temperature thermal couple data.

Jiao, Xinyu↗

DOE OSTI2021

Sensor System and Observer Algorithm Co-Design For Modern Internal Combustion Engine Air Management Based on H2 Optimization

This paper outlines a novel sensor selection and observer design algorithm for linear time-invariant systems with both process and measurement noise based on H 2 optimization to optimize the tradeoff between the observer error and the number of required sensors. The optimization problem is relaxed to a sequence of convex optimization problems that minimize the cost function consisting of the H 2 norm of the observer error and the weighted l 1 norm of the observer gain. An LMI formulation allows for efficient solution via semi-definite programing. The approach is applied here, for the first time, to a turbo-charged spark-ignited engine using exhaust gas circulation to determine the optimal sensor sets for real-time intake manifold burnt gas mass fraction estimation. Simulation with the candidate estimator embedded in a high fidelity engine GT-Power model demonstrates that the optimal sensor sets selected using this algorithm have the best H 2 estimation performance. Sensor redundancy is also analyzed based on the algorithm results. This algorithm is applicable for any type of modern internal combustion engines to reduce system design time and experimental efforts typically required for selecting optimal sensor sets.

Zhang, Xu↗

DOE OSTI2020

Sensor Enabled Coatings for Methane Release Mitigation

Methane as a greenhouse gas is as much as 30 times more efficient than carbon dioxide. Given the increasing reliance on natural gas, methane release mitigation has become an increasingly important issue to address. In this investigation, PPG, RTI, and GTI focused on the exploration of resonant frequency identification (RFID) sensors embedded in natural gas pipeline coatings and their ability to detect coating damage at an early stage. Various coating formulations and their respective physical properties were examined to determine their effect on sensor performance in various accelerated aging environments. Overall, it was found that the RFID sensor responses could not be correlated to the coating properties and formulation variables examined in this investigation.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2025

EGS Collab Experiment 2: Continuous Active Source Seismic Monitoring (CASSM)

The dataset contains continuous active-source seismic monitoring (CASSM) data collected during EGS Collab Experiment 2, conducted from February to September 2022 at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. This experiment aimed to investigate enhanced geothermal systems through high-pressure fluid injections at depths of 1200-1500 meters. The seismic monitoring system included 16 three-component piezoelectric accelerometers and 24 hydrophones installed in boreholes around the injection zones, recording signals from piezoelectric seismic sources. Data were acquired using both continuous and triggered recording systems, with sampling rates of up to 100 kHz. The raw data are organized by timestamps and stored in .dat format, with accompanying log files. Calibration certificates for selected accelerometers are provided to aid in correcting sensor responses, though users are advised to consider possible effects of enclosures and installation on sensor performance. Users are strongly advised to consult the accompanying report, which outlines the experimental setup, data acquisition, sensor specifications, and recording systems.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Fabrication and Preliminary Demonstration of Microwave Resonant Cavity Transducer Performance

We are investigating a microwave cavity-based transducer for in-core high-temperature fluid flow sensing in molten salt cooled reactors (MSCR) and sodium fast reactors (SFR). This sensor is a hollow metallic cylindrical cavity, which can be fabricated from stainless steel, and as such is expected to be resilient to radiation, high temperature and corrosive environment of MSCR and SFR. The principle of sensing consists of making one wall of the cylindrical cavity flexible enough so that dynamic pressure, which is proportional to fluid velocity, will cause membrane deflection. Membrane deflection causes cavity volume change, which leads to a shift in the resonant frequency. We have developed an initial design for proof-of-principle testing of the flow sensor performance in microwave K-band. A cylindrical resonator prototype was fabricated from brass for initial tests in water. The cavity size is matched to the flange of a standard WR-42 waveguide. Microwave field is coupled into the resonant cavity through a subwavelength-size aperture. A test article was developed, consisting of a piping Tee with bulkhead WR-42 microwave waveguide installed in leak-proof design. In the test article, the cylindrical cavity is positioned in the center of the pipe. A microwave waveguide circulator was installed in the setup to suppress microwave reflections at the cavity entrance. Preliminary spectral characterization of cavity spectral response was performed with microwave VNA. Applying mechanical pressure to cavity membrane showed a measurable shift in the microwave resonant frequency. We also investigate mechanical integrity of the flowmeter’s membrane through computer simulations. By calculating the stress on the plate due to deflection and, comparing the stress to the material ultimate tensile strength and yield strength, it can be estimated if the plate will fail. The stress on the plate was calculated with an analytic closed form solution model, and with COMSOL Structural Mechanics Module which does not involve any approximations. Both the analytic model and COMSOL model showed that maximum stresses on the plate, which are at the radial boundary of the plate, are three orders of magnitude smaller than the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. This indicates that the sensor is at a low risk of mechanical failure.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Embedded High-Temperature Sensors: Enhancing Thermoelectrical Performance with Refractory Composites Gradient Layers

To monitor the stability of various energy and manufacturing systems, sensors capable of operating at temperatures exceeding 1000 °C in diverse environments for extended durations are essential. However, under harsh conditions, degradation of sensing materials is a concern that can be controlled by embedding the sensors into refractory oxides. Doped-LaCrO3 based composites are excellent candidates for high-temperature sensing applications due to their good thermoelectrical properties. However, chemical reactivity between the conductive phase and the refractory oxides can decrease the performance of the sensors. In this work, it was devised gradient-type protective layers safeguarding conductive phases within embedded thermocouples, which were fabricated and characterized by X-Ray Diffraction for phase development analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for microstructure and cationic interdiffusion kinetics, long-term thermoelectric testing was completed up to 1400 °C. The enhanced performance of these novel sensors addresses a critical limitation, rendering them viable for long-term high-temperature applications.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Nano-engineering the material structure of preferentially oriented nano-graphitic carbon for making high-performance electrochemical micro-sensors

Direct synthesis of thin-film carbon nanomaterials on oxide-coated silicon substrates provides a viable pathway for building a dense array of miniaturized (micron-scale) electrochemical sensors with high performance. However, material synthesis generally involves many parameters, making material engineering based on trial and error highly inefficient. Here, we report a two-pronged strategy for producing engineered thin-film carbon nanomaterials that have a nano-graphitic structure. First, we introduce a variant of the metal-induced graphitization technique that generates micron-scale islands of nano-graphitic carbon materials directly on oxide-coated silicon substrates. A novel feature of our material synthesis is that, through substrate engineering, the orientation of graphitic planes within the film aligns preferentially with the silicon substrate. This feature allows us to use the Raman spectroscopy for quantifying structural properties of the sensor surface, where the electrochemical processes occur. Second, we find phenomenological models for predicting the amplitudes of the redox current and the sensor capacitance from the material structure, quantified by Raman. Our results indicate that the key to achieving high-performance micro-sensors from nano-graphitic carbon is to increase both the density of point defects and the size of the graphitic crystallites. Our study offers a viable strategy for building planar electrochemical micro-sensors with high-performance.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Intelligent Proppants for Hydraulic Fracture Diagnostics

This Phase 1 Report details our Phase 1 progress in proving the feasibility of a highly integrated, highly miniaturized sensor ball. The ball contains sensors, analog to digital converters, memory, a clock, and an acoustic communications module all integrated onto a single silicon chip. Phase 2 is to focus on the application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Phase 1 piecewise proves the feasibility of this innovation by examining a few critical subsystems including the communications module and inertial sensor performance. Acoustic simulations of an acoustically active and traceable proppant are also performed and summarized in this report.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

DOE OSTI2020

Comparing the Use of High- to Low-Cost Black Carbon and Carbon Dioxide Sensors for Characterizing On-Road Diesel Truck Emissions

The exhaust plume capture method is a commonly used approach to measure pollutants emitted by in-use heavy-duty diesel trucks. Lower cost sensors, if used in place of traditional research-grade analyzers, could enable wider application of this method, including use as a monitoring tool to identify high-emitting trucks that may warrant inspection and maintenance. However, low-cost sensors have for the most part only been evaluated under ambient conditions as opposed to source-influenced environments with rapidly changing pollutant concentrations. This study compared black carbon (BC) emission factors determined using different BC and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) sensors that range in cost from $200 to $20,000. Controlled laboratory experiments show that traditional zero and span steady-state calibration checks are not robust indicators of sensor performance when sampling short duration concentration peaks. Fleet BC emission factor distributions measured at two locations at the Port of Oakland in California with 16 BC/CO 2 sensor pairs were similar, but unique sensor pairs identified different high-emitting trucks. At one location, the low-cost PP Systems SBA-5 agreed on the classification of 90% of the high emitters identified by the LI-COR LI-7000 when both were paired with the Magee Scientific AE33. Conversely, lower cost BC sensors when paired with the LI-7000 misclassified more than 50% of high emitters when compared to the AE33/LI-7000. Confidence in emission factor quantification and high-emitter identification improves with larger integrated peak areas of CO 2 and especially BC. This work highlights that sensor evaluation should be conducted under application-specific conditions, whether that be for ambient air monitoring or source characterization.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2022

Liquid Core Detection and Strand Condition Monitoring in a Continuous Caster Using Optical Fiber

Real-time monitoring of the liquid core position during the continuous casting of steel has been demonstrated using low-cost distributed optical-fiber-based strain sensors. These sensors were installed on the containment roll support structures in the segments of a production continuous caster to detect the position of the solid–liquid interface and monitor the strand condition during the continuous casting. Distributed Fiber Bragg Grating sensors (FBGs) were used in this work to monitor strain at six roll positions in the caster. The sensor performance was first validated by comparing optical strain measurements with conventional strain gauge measurements in the lab. Next, optical strain measurements were performed on an isolated caster segment in a segment maintenance facility using hydraulic jacks to simulate the presence of a liquid core under the roll. Finally, the sensors were evaluated during caster operation. The sensors successfully detected the load increase associated with the presence of a liquid core under each instrumented roll location. Incidents of bulging and roll eccentricity were also detected using frequency analysis of the optical strain signal. The liquid core position measurements were compared using predictions from computer models (digital twins) in use at the production site. The measurements were in good agreement with the model predictions, with a few exceptions. Under certain transient caster operating conditions, such as spraying practice changes and SEN exchanges, the model predictions deviated slightly from the liquid core position determined from strain measurements.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2023

A heat flux sensor leveraging the transverse Seebeck effect in elemental antimony

Certain configurations of anisotropic single crystal materials can generate a thermoelectric voltage orthogonal to an induced temperature gradient. This phenomenon is known as the Transverse Seebeck Effect (TSE) and can be leveraged to fabricate simple and robust heat flux sensors. Only a small number of materials have been considered as TSE-based transducers and, among these, few have been developed into sensors with ruggedization against chemical and mechanical degradation. Here, we report on the fabrication and characterization of a rugged TSE-based heat flux sensor using prismatic antimony single crystals. The heat flux sensor was tested under static and dynamic heating scenarios. The sensor has a linear responsivity of 16.8 µV/(W/cm2) to heat fluxes spanning more than two orders of magnitude and a time constant of 4.4 s. The sensor’s response to localized heating, probed with a laser scanning technique, validated that the transduction mechanism is primarily the TSE by ruling out a sizable contribution from the conventional Seebeck effect. Finite element analysis corroborated that components used in the sensor package are the primary determinants of the time constant and the decrement of the responsivity from its theoretical maximum. Design principles that may be applied to elicit a faster transient response or higher responsivity are proposed. Furthermore, the results establish single crystal antimony as a promising transducer material for heat flux measurement systems and demonstrate potential effects of ruggedization on sensor performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Analysis of humidity sensitivity of silicon strip sensors for ATLAS upgrade tracker, pre- and post-irradiation

During the prototyping phase of the new ATLAS Inner-Tracker (ITk) strip sensors, a degradation of the device breakdown voltage at high humidity was observed. Although the degradation was temporary, showing a fast recovery in dry conditions, the study of the influence of humidity on the sensor performance was critical to establish counter-measures and handling protocols during production testing in order to ensure the proper performance of the upgraded detector. The work presented here has the objective to study for the first time the breakdown voltage deterioration in presence of ambient humidity of ATLAS ITk production-layout strip sensors with different surface properties, before and after proton, neutron and gamma irradiations. A study of the humidity sensitivity of miniature ATLAS ITk strip sensors, before and after proton irradiations, is also presented to compare the sensitivity of devices with different sizes. The sensors were also exposed for several days to high humidity with the aim to recreate and evaluate the influence of the detector integration environment expected during the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Long Shutdown 3 (LS3) in 2026, where the sensors will be exposed to ambient humidity for prolonged times.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2024

Applications of fuzzy logic and best-worst method for tritium sensor selection

Accurate assessment of tritium as a fuel source is critical in fusion reactions, necessitating effective sensor evaluation methods. This study investigates a multi-criteria decision-making framework for selecting tritium sensors, integrating fuzzy logic to enhance decision quality. Initial attempts at applying fuzzy logic were found to be too elementary and failed to capture the complexity of multi-criteria selection; this prompted a refined approach that incorporated expert insights and advanced ranking techniques for sensor evaluation. The research used a two-stage methodology. In the first stage, important criteria and sub-criteria for sensor performance were identified and defined. These criteria were then weighted and scored using a fuzzy best-worst method, drawing upon expert opinions to ensure relevance and validity. The second stage involved interpreting information about varying sensors to rank them based on their overall criteria scores, encouraging the selection of the most suitable options. The result of the study is a proposed method for effective sensor selection in fusion reactors, which in turn will significantly improve the reliability of tritium monitoring in fusion applications.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Edge‐Driven Fringe‐Field Effects, Reduced Screening, and Bandgap Widening in Graphene Nanoribbons Enable Single‑Molecule Sensitivity

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) offer promising platforms for single‐molecule sensing due to their quasi‐1D channels and discrete electronic states, providing superior sensitivity toward molecular perturbations. While prior studies emphasize smoother edges as essential for optimal performance, the potential benefits of controlled edge roughness remain largely unexplored. Additionally, most investigations focus on GNR arrays, leaving critical edge‐ and width‐dependent factors, including fringe fields, bandgap widening, interactions between adsorbing molecules and GNR atoms, density of states (DOS) suppression, and electrostatic screening lengths, and their collective impact on sensitivity, poorly understood. Here, in this work, we fabricated field‐effect transistors using individual GNRs (widths: 200–20 nm) and characterized their response to molecular adsorption with perfluorooctanoic acid as the model analyte. Narrower ribbons displayed significantly enhanced sensitivity, yielding a coverage‐normalized response of 116 ± 10 mV per molecule in 20 nm‐wide GNRs (from calibrated ensemble Dirac‐point shifts). Experimental and theoretical analyses reveal that this heightened sensitivity arises from stronger fringe fields, width‐dependent quantum confinement effects, reduced DOS, and increased edge roughness that facilitates molecular anchoring, enhanced orbital overlap, and improved charge transfer efficiency. Our findings challenge the conventional assumption that smoother edges inherently enhance sensor performance, demonstrating that controlled edge disorder substantially boosts molecular sensitivity in GNR sensors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Testing Instrument Extremes in the TREAT Facility

TREAT is a transient power-shaping reactor whose primary mission is to enhance safety performance by testing nuclear fuels and materials under thermodynamic and neutronic conditions ranging from off-normal to extreme. Transient testing of nuclear fuels is analogous to car crash testing, in that the dramatic changes commonly seen when comparing the test specimens' initial and final state points necessitate in-situ measuring in order to interpret and understand the evolution of the experiment. TREAT’s experiment design strategy utilizes a highly reconfigurable and accessible reactor core that affords flexibility when installing experiment devices, thanks to the lack of a primary coolant boundary and the inclusion of multiple access points in the reactor bioshield. Within the experiment devices, the test specimens (which are integrated with their test environments), desired instrumentation diagnostics, and safety considerations are all contained in a single engineered package. The experiments encompass various types of environments (e.g., water, sodium, and gas at temperature and pressure), as well as a range of control options (e.g., static or flowing coolants). The experimental conditions are uniquely representative of advanced reactors, providing challenges to sensor performance but also affording a unique opportunity for development and qualification of sensors suited to these environments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2020

Multiplexable high-temperature stable and low-loss intrinsic Fabry-Perot in-fiber sensors through nanograting engineering

This paper presents a method of using femtosecond laser inscribed nanograting as low-loss– and high-temperature–stable in-fiber reflectors. By introducing a pair of nanograting inside the core of a single-mode optical fiber, an intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer can be created for high-temperature sensing applications. The morphology of the nanograting inscribed in fiber cores was engineered by tuning the fabrication conditions to achieve a high fringe visibility of 0.49 and low insertion loss of 0.002 dB per sensor. Using a white light interferometry demodulation algorithm, we demonstrate the temperature sensitivity, cross-talk, and spatial multiplexability of sensor arrays. Both the sensor performance and stability were studied from room temperature to 1000°C with cyclic heating and cooling. Our results demonstrate a femtosecond direct laser writing technique capable of producing highly multiplexable in-fiber intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer sensor devices with high fringe contrast, high sensitivity, and low-loss for application in harsh environmental conditions.

Wang, Mohan (ORCID:0000000166784993)↗

DOE OSTI2025

From Quantum to Classical: Sensing Materials, Methods, and Platforms for Energy

This presentation covers several ongoing sensors projects at NETL, including the use of quantum sensors for energy sector applications (e.g. infrastructure monitoring, critical metal detection, grid modernization) as well as NETL-developed materials and platforms for detecting economically critical metals including rare earth elements, cobalt, and aluminum. Taken together, these projects demonstrate NETL's leadership in unleashing American energy through the development of high performance sensors for reliable energy production and consumption.

critical minerals↗