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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 55 records · Page 3

Clear-Sky Probability for the 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse and the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Using the NREL National Solar Radiation Database

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and collaborators have created a clear-sky probability analysis to help guide viewers to the 2023 annular solar eclipse and the 2024 total solar eclipse. Using cloud and solar data from the NREL National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB), the analysis provides cloudless-sky probabilities specific to the date, time, and location of each eclipse with a 4-km resolution. Though not intended to be an eclipse weather forecast, the detailed maps can help guide eclipse enthusiasts to likely optimal viewing locations. Additionally, high-resolution data are presented for the centerline of the path of each eclipse, representing the likelihood for cloudless skies and atmospheric clarity. The NSRDB provides industry, academia, and other stakeholders with high-resolution solar irradiance data to support feasibility analyses for photovoltaic and concentrating solar power generation projects.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Material Test Reactors; Annular Core Research Reactor Testing

The Material Test Reactors Fifth Workshop reviews the successes and failures of material test protocols and lessons learned. This presentation introduces the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR), the history of nuclear reactors at Sandia National Labs and the experiment review process. Included are actual examples of experimental activities at ACRR.

Martin, Lonnie E. [Sandia National Laboratories (S↗

The advanced characterization, post-irradiation examination, and materials informatics for the development of ultra high-burnup annular U-10Zr metallic fuel

U-Zr metallic fuel is a promising fuel candidate for Gen Ⅳ fast spectrum reactors. Previous experimental irradiation campaigns showed that the sodium thermal bonded U-10Zr fuel design can achieve a burnup of 10% fissions per initial heavy metal atom (FIMA). Advanced metallic fuel designs are pushing the burnup limit to 20% or even 30% FIMA. To achieve the higher burnup and eliminate the pyrophoric sodium, a prototypical annular fuel has been designed, fabricated, clad with HT-9 in the Materials and Fuels Complex, and irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactors of Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to a peak burnup of 3.3% FIMA. During irradiation, the mechanical contact between fuel and cladding acts as a thermal bond. The irradiation lasted for 132 days in the reactor. Recently, the archived fresh and irradiated fuel samples were characterized using advanced characterization capabilities in the Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL) of INL. This article summarizes the results of advanced characterization and computer vision-based materials informatics to reveal the irradiation effects on U-Zr metallic fuel. Future work will focus on further implementation of advanced characterization and statistical data mining to improve the fidelity of fuel performance modeling and support U-Zr metallic fuel qualification for fast spectrum reactors.

Yao, Tiankai↗

Operation and turndown of a segmented annular combustion system

The present disclosure is directed to the operation and turndown of a segmented annular combustion system. The method includes injecting, via a fuel nozzle, a combustible mixture into a primary combustion zone between an adjacent pair of integrated combustor nozzles and burning the combustible mixture. The method further includes flowing air and injecting fuel into a premixing channel defined within a first integrated combustor nozzle to produce a second combustible mixture. The second combustible mixture is injected into a secondary combustion zone where it is combusted. The flow of combustion gases is accelerated, via turbine nozzles of the integrated combustor nozzles, toward turbine blades of a downstream turbine section. The method permits turndown of the combustion system by reducing or shutting off fuel to various components of the combustion system.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Integrated combustor nozzle for a segmented annular combustion system

The present disclosure is directed to an integrated combustor nozzle for a segmented annular combustion system. The integrated combustor nozzle includes an outer liner segment, an inner liner segment, and a fuel injection panel extending radially between the outer liner segment and the inner liner segment. The fuel injection panel includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a plurality of premixing channels between the first and second side walls, each of the premixing channels having an outlet on one of the first and second side walls. The aft end of the fuel injection panel defines a turbine nozzle.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Micro-channel cooling of integrated combustor nozzle of a segmented annular combustion system

A segmented annular combustion system includes integrated combustor nozzles, each of which has a fuel injection panel disposed radially between an inner liner segment and an outer liner segment. The fuel injection panel includes an aft end portion, a first side wall, a second side wall, premixing channels defined between the first side wall and the side wall, and injection outlets defined along at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall. The aft end portion defines a turbine nozzle portion. An interior portion between the first side wall and the second side wall includes walls that extend between the first and second side walls, thereby partitioning the interior portion into discrete air cavities. The liner segments may be cooled by micro-channel cooling passages, which may be fluidly coupled to a collection trough.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Mounting of integrated combustor nozzles in a segmented annular combustion system

A segmented annular combustion system includes integrated combustor nozzles, each of which has a fuel injection panel disposed radially between an inner liner segment and an outer liner segment. An aft end portion of the fuel injection panel defines a turbine nozzle. One or more hook plates attached to the outer surfaces of the liner segments are used to mount the integrated combustor nozzle to an inner mounting ring or an outer mounting ring. A mounting strut or mounting tenon(s) attached to the liner segments may also be employed.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Cooling of integrated combustor nozzle of segmented annular combustion system

A segmented annular combustion system includes integrated combustor nozzles, each of which has a fuel injection panel disposed radially between an inner liner segment and an outer liner segment. The fuel injection panel includes an aft end portion, a first side wall, a second side wall, premixing channels defined between the first side wall and the side wall, and injection outlets defined along at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall. The aft end portion defines a turbine nozzle portion. An interior portion between the first side wall and the second side wall includes walls that extend between the first and second side walls, thereby partitioning the interior portion into discrete air cavities. The air cavities and the liner segments may be cooled by impingement inserts or panels.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Segmented annular combustion system

The present disclosure is directed to a segmented annular combustion system including a first panel fuel injector including a premix air plenum, a fuel plenum, and a plurality of first side premixing channels, where each first side premixing channel is in fluid communication with the premix air plenum, the fuel plenum, and a respective first side injection aperture of a plurality of first side injection apertures. A second panel fuel injector is circumferentially spaced from the first panel fuel injector and includes a premix air plenum, a fuel plenum, and a plurality of second side premixing channels where each second side premixing channel is in fluid communication with the premix air plenum, the fuel plenum, and a respective second side injection aperture of a plurality of second side injection apertures. A fuel nozzle is disposed circumferentially between the first panel fuel injection and the second panel fuel injector.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Segmented annular combustion system

An annular combustion system includes a fuel nozzle, a panel fuel injector including a fuel plenum and at least one premixing channel therein, an inner liner including an inner band radially spaced from an outer band and an inner flow annulus formed therebetween, and an outer liner radially spaced from the inner liner and comprising an inner band radially spaced from an outer band and an outer flow annulus formed therebetween. The fuel nozzle is positioned radially between the inner liner and the outer liner, and the panel fuel injector extends radially between the inner liner and the outer liner. At least one of the inner flow passage and the outer flow passage is in fluid communication with at least one of a premix air plenum, a cooling air cavity and a cooling air plenum defined within the panel fuel injector.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Segmented annular combustion system

An annular combustion system includes a fuel nozzle, a panel fuel injector including a fuel plenum and at least one premixing channel therein, an inner liner having a hot side surface and a cool side surface and an outer liner having a hot side surface and a cool side surface. The inner liner, the outer liner and the panel fuel injector partially define a hot gas path downstream from the fuel nozzle. The inner liner and/or the outer liner define a plurality of micro-channel cooling passages which is disposed between the hot side surface and cool side surface of the inner liner. Each micro-channel cooling passage of the first plurality of micro-channel cooling passages is in fluid communication with an inlet hole defined along the cool side surface of the respective liner and an outlet hole.

Berry, Jonathan Dwight↗

Fuel injection module for segmented annular combustion system

The present disclosure is directed to a fuel injection module for a segmented annular combustion system. The fuel injection module includes a housing body, a fuel nozzle portion, and at least one fuel injection lance. The fuel nozzle portion is fluidly coupled to a fuel nozzle plenum within the housing body, and the at least one fuel injection lance is fluidly coupled to an injector fuel plenum within the housing body. In some cases, the fuel nozzle portion is a bundled tube fuel nozzle having one or more subsets of tubes. The fuel injection lances are positioned along a radial side of the housing body or circumferentially between two subsets of tubes. Liquid fuel cartridges extend through the fuel nozzle portion, the fuel injection lances, or both.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Method of making an annular radioisotope target having a helical coil-shaped foil ribbon between cladding tubes

An annular radioisotope target and method therefor that includes an inner cladding tube and a helical coil-shaped foil ribbon disposed over the inner cladding tube. The helical coil-shaped foil ribbon has a first end, a second end, a first edge and a second edge. An outer cladding tube is disposed over the helical coil-shaped foil ribbon and inner cladding tube, and end caps are attached to the outer cladding tube and the inner cladding tube.

Ripley, Edward B.↗

Segmentation and Classification of Fission as Pores in Reactor Irradiated Annular U–10Zr Metallic Fuel Using Machine Learning Models

Metallic fuels, particularly U—10Zr, are promising candidates for next-generation sodium-cooled fast reactors. Irradiation of nuclear fuels in reactors can lead to the formation of solid and gas fission product which subsequently forms microstructural pores, deteriorating fuel performance. Due to the massive amount of pores and complex phases formed, a quantitative description of fission gas pores is not yet available, preventing the development of microstructure-informed fuel performance modeling for fuel qualification. This paper applied a pre-trained deep learning model to ~10,260 high magnification scanning electron microscopy images. This method increased the accuracy of fission gas pore segmentation and allows statistical features to be extracted which cannot be achieved manually. A pre-trained decision tree model worked on the segemenation results and further classified the pores into different categories to produce a correlation between the pores, movement of lanthanides, and temperature gradient during irradiation. Finally, this paper emphasizes the potentials of machine learning models to accelerate fuel research, development, and qualification for advanced reactors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A micromirror array with annular partitioning for high-speed random-access axial focusing

Dynamic axial focusing functionality has recently experienced widespread incorporation in microscopy, augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), adaptive optics and material processing. However, the limitations of existing varifocal tools continue to beset the performance capabilities and operating overhead of the optical systems that mobilize such functionality. The varifocal tools that are the least burdensome to operate (e.g. liquid crystal, elastomeric or optofluidic lenses) suffer from low (≈100 Hz) refresh rates. Conversely, the fastest devices sacrifice either critical capabilities such as their dwelling capacity (e.g. acoustic gradient lenses or monolithic micromechanical mirrors) or low operating overhead (e.g. deformable mirrors). Here, we present a general-purpose random-access axial focusing device that bridges these previously conflicting features of high speed, dwelling capacity and lightweight drive by employing low-rigidity micromirrors that exploit the robustness of defocusing phase profiles. Geometrically, the device consists of an 8.2 mm diameter array of piston-motion and 48-μm-pitch micromirror pixels that provide 2π phase shifting for wavelengths shorter than 1100 nm with 10–90% settling in 64.8 μs (i.e., 15.44 kHz refresh rate). The pixels are electrically partitioned into 32 rings for a driving scheme that enables phase-wrapped operation with circular symmetry and requires <30 V per channel. Optical experiments demonstrated the array’s wide focusing range with a measured ability to target 29 distinct resolvable depth planes. Overall, the features of the proposed array offer the potential for compact, straightforward methods of tackling bottlenecked applications, including high-throughput single-cell targeting in neurobiology and the delivery of dense 3D visual information in AR/VR.

42 ENGINEERING↗