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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Development of an Innovative Inspection Tool for Superheater Tubes in Fossil Fuel Power Plants

Fossil fuel power plants are complex systems containing multiple components that require periodic health monitoring. Failures in these systems can lead to increased downtime for the plant, reduction of power, and significant cost for repairs. Inspections of the plant’s superheater tubes are typically manual, laborious, and extremely time-consuming. This is due to their small diameter size (between 1.3 and 7.6 cm) and the coiled structure of the tubing. In addition, the tubes are often stacked close to each other, limiting access for external inspection. This paper presents the development and testing of an electrically powered pipe crawler that can navigate inside 5 cm diameter tubes and provide an assessment of their health. The crawler utilizes peristaltic motion within the tubes via interconnected modules for gripping and extending. The modular nature of the system allows it to traverse through straight sections and multiple 90° and 180° bends. Additional modules in the system include an ultrasonic sensor for tube thickness measurements, as well as environmental sensors, a light detecting and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, and camera. Furthermore, these modules utilize a gear system that allows for 360° rotation and provides a means to inspect the entire internal circumference of the tubes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

5.5 Hybrid Additively Manufactured Tooling for Large Composite Structures

This program sought to lower tooling costs for tightly toleranced, large composite aerostructures by using large format additive manufacturing (LFAM). LFAM tooling has the potential to lower tooling costs, but the large and unpredictable thermal expansion of polymer-based tooling did not previously allow for the production of large structures made with high performance resins requiring 350 deg F cures. Geometric tolerance issues and demolding concerns continued to arise. The proposed approach for this work was to print a thin shell via additive manufacturing that would be used as a scaffold for a conventional tooling prepreg. The prepreg would be laminated and cured onto both sides of the shell, creating a tool with a sandwich construction. The cured prepreg would then be machined and serve as the tooling surface. In addition to providing a clean, pit-free surface, the prepreg stiffness and low thermal expansion would physically restrain the AM shell and prevent it from expanding during thermal cycling, thus preventing any geometric mismatch between the nominal and actual part dimensions. A stair-step approach was taken to prove out this approach. Coupon level testing was done to ensure a good bond was possible between the AM shell and the tooling prepreg. These samples were also used to determine the amount of prepreg needed to achieve the desired coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The project team than progressed to a subscale tool measuring two feet in length. The geometry used was a C-section spar from Airbus’ Wing of Tomorrow program. A hybrid tool, using the AM shell and tooling prepreg, was made, and a composite part was fabricated with the tool. Dimensional scans of the tool and part indicated that the desired CTE was achieved with the tool. A second tooling approach was taken to reduce risk. In this approach, a subscale tool of the same geometry as previously mentioned was created, but the tool was entirely constructed of the tooling prepreg. AM was used to print a “master” that was then used to fabricate the tool by creating a splash off of the master using tooling prepreg. The innovation was that the master was not machined, but rather, was used right off the printer after a small amount of surface preparation. Removing this machining step was thought to make this approach economically viable when compared to conventional master fabrication. As before, the tool was used to fabricate a part and tested for dimensional accuracy. For the conclusion of the program, a ten-foot tool was created using the hybrid tool approach. The geometry also came from the Airbus C-section spar previously mentioned. Some difficulty arose in accurately predicting the geometry of the tool after laminating the tooling prepreg, resulting in multiple material additions and a tool geometry change. A part was fabricated in an autoclave using the tool. A cost savings of almost 50% was achieved on the subscale tool in both the hybrid and master-style tool, but the savings dropped considerably as the tool length increased in the full-scale tool. Given the less than expected cost savings and added complexity of the tool construction, it is suggested that the master-style tool is best for immediate commercialization for larger tools (although it may be appropriate for smaller, table-top size tools). Since its construction is very similar to conventionally made composite tooling, there already exists a broad supply chain for building the tool, and project partner Additive Engineering Solutions (AES) is well acquainted with the design and build of the AM master needed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Pumped Storage Hydro Model Evaluation Report Task 1: Tool Assessment

Pumped storage hydro (PSH) projects support various aspects of power system operations. However, determining the value of PSH projects and the many services and contributions to the system they provide can be a challenge. The PSH techno-economic studies being carried out by a 5-lab consortium are defining extensive modeling approaches for evaluating the economic benefits of PSH projects. To enhance the impact of the valuation approach and follow-on techno-economic studies, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will be developing a set of online tools that industry could adopt and use to advance PSH projects in the US. The problem is that the research team is not entirely clear on the features of the tools that would offer the most significant impact to industry. Thus, year one of this effort is designed to first define the needs of industry before developing the PSH valuation tool. The first step in defining industry needs is to evaluate existing tool packages, including those created by DOE and those by industry groups, to both measure usage levels and define tool attributes that maximize industry impact. The second step in this process will be to hold a workshop designed to elicit direct industry input. Given the breadth and nature of the task, which is to define ideal model attributes, the research team did not constrain the assessment to storage valuation tools. Several tools were assessed, and their characteristics compared against a list of “ideal” attributes that included ease of use, generalizability of results, and analytical flexibility. Information regarding usage and impact were then compared to specific model attributes to define which attributes appear to drive success. The following key lessons and implications can be drawn from the analysis: Models with high ease of use were often the most adopted by industry, though they did not necessarily have high publication reference records, meaning a published article made direct reference to the tool. For example, REScheck TM and COMcheck TM , two tools which share a site, have seen a high amount of web traffic and usage. Similarly, Storage Value Estimate Tool (StorageVET®), an energy storage valuation model, has a large number of organizations using it despite a low publication reference record. A common feature between these models is that they are web-hosted, theoretically making them more easily accessible with graphic user interfaces (GUIs) that are more navigable; Models with higher usage statistics were typically free and/or open source. While it may be unsurprising that this attribute could be considered a draw for users, there is the potential for overestimating the tool's value based on popularity due to the fact that some users may have used the model simply because it was free and not because it is the best model; Models that offer more in-depth analysis and a wide coverage of applications (e.g. VOLTTRON™, GridLAB-D™, and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVest)) have shown a high number of publication references as well as showing a high number of downloads in the case of GridLAB-D™. It should be noted that the figure below does not include the model with the highest number of publication references (EnergyPlus™) as it has been removed to show clearer distinction between the remaining tools; The most popular model within the evaluation list was EnergyPlus™. This tool has the highest number of publication references (2,034) of all models considered and contains both a high ease of use level as well as broad application flexibility. Its high usage may be correlated, however, with the presumed wider audience conducting energy consumption modeling compared to the audiences for some of the other tools in this list; Models that were low in both general usage and publication reference generally did not exhibit characteristics considered ideal by the research team. Some of these models offered a narrower range of analytical applications or lower generalizability of results. This would automatically restrict the pool of potential users to those who fall within a narrow range of specific technologies or applications. This report also explores two model structures for the PSH tool: decision tree-based, which would guide the user through the valuation methods defined in the PSH techno-economic studies currently being carried out by DOE, and an all-inclusive comprehensive model. The strengths of each were explored and a hybrid approach was defined that would embed a price taker model into the decision tree approach. Such an approach would provide a comprehensive approach for modeling small-scale PSH while recognizing the challenges associated with implementing a price-maker approach in an all-inclusive model. Insight gained in this analysis of other models can aid in narrowing down the list of effective and sought-after attributes, and in defining model structure. Next steps toward developing a model for storage valuation will be to gain direct industry input through workshops.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Physics-guided logistic classification for tool life modeling and process parameter optimization in machining

This paper describes a physics-guided logistic classification method for tool life modeling and process parameter optimization in machining. Tool life is modeled using a classification method since the exact tool life cannot be measured in a typical production environment where tool wear can only be directly measured when the tool is replaced. Here, in this study, laboratory tool wear experiments are used to simulate tool wear data normally collected during part production. Two states are defined: tool not worn (class 0) and tool worn (class 1). The non-linear reduction in tool life with cutting speed is modeled by applying a logarithmic transformation to the inputs for the logistic classification model. A method for interpretability of the logistic model coefficients is provided by comparison with the empirical Taylor tool life model. The method is validated using tool wear experiments for milling. Results show that the physics-guided logistic classification method can predict tool life using limited datasets. A method for pre-process optimization of machining parameters using a probabilistic machining cost model is presented. The proposed method offers a robust and practical approach to tool life modeling and process parameter optimization in a production environment.

Machine learning↗
DOE OSTI2023

Achieving clean production with nanostructured coated milling tools dry machining low carbon steel

The advancement of clean production using nanostructured materials in subtractive manufacturing processes has focused on replacing the use of liquid lubrication with solid lubricants coated to conventional cutting tools machining low carbon steel (~ 0.2 wt. % carbon). However, little is known about the wear mechanisms that dominate such tools when coated with functional graded nanostructured coatings. The present study follows an international standard for characterizing such wear (ISO 8688) but uses advanced measurement techniques such as x-ray fluorescence technology to measure the diffusion of chemical species from tool to workpiece and vice versa, that contributes to tool wear with the view to enhance the principles of cleaner production. The results show that when commercially-available tools coated with the appropriate functionally graded industrial coating, diffusion does not take place and creates an effective chemical barrier during machining. The experimental methods used in the study include machining workpieces using a CNC milling machine, tachometer for measuring spindle speed, dynamometer for measuring cutting forces, infra-red camera for measuring cutting temperatures, chemical species diffusion wear using x-ray florescence detector, and an optical microscope for measuring tool wear. Coupled with the physical measurement of wear, it is concluded that mechanical wear dominates the milling of a low carbon steel and that thermal properties of the coatings do not correlate with such wear. It is also concluded that flank wear as a function of volume of workpiece removed and machining duration (machining index) is a sound method for assessing the transition of the stages of wear during clean machining operations. The present study not only has implication for the design of better cutting tools, but also advances dry machining processes that eliminate the use of liquid lubricants making subtractive production processes cleaner. The main conclusions drawn from this study show that coated tools have a longer life under dry conditions compared to uncoated tools and that there is no correlation between coating properties and tool wear. In conclusion, diffusion of chemical species into the cut chips did not occur because of the lack of thermally induced chemical wear of the cutting tool and that wear is caused by the gradual erosion of the flank face due to the chip abrading the cutting tool.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multi-Process Tooling

Decisions made early in the automotive design process influence material selection, which in turn dictates process selection and tool design. Because of tool build time and cost of tooling, the original path is not easily altered, even if there is compelling evidence that another material or process would be beneficial. This project focused on tool design that is agile enough to allow its use in multiple processes—injection, injection compression, and extrusion-compression. This tool design allows for the manufacture of components with the most efficient process or materials, without building multiple, single-process tools. The primary purpose of the Multi-Process Tool project was to physically demonstrate that a single, well-designed tool could be used to manufacture parts with a variety of materials that require different processes. A multi-process tool would be beneficial to providing data for any changes to the process since materials and processes can be interchanged without incurring additional tool cost(s). Battery tray parts, (representative of a multi-process tool, were successfully manufactured using various types of materials, such as fiber reinforced (carbon fiber and/or glass fibers, recycled carbon fibers), amorphous (PP, TPU), semi-crystalline (PA6, PA66), and crystalline (thermoset epoxy resin) polymers. Processing of the parts was achieved by injection molding, compression molding, compression overmolding, and injection overmolding. Specimens extracted from various locations on the battery tray parts were evaluated for mechanical properties (flexure and interlaminar shear strength properties). The results show that the tool can be used to produce parts from a wide range of materials and processes with no degradation of the physical or cosmetic properties.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Software Tools for Energy Storage Valuation and Design

Abstract Purpose of Review As the application space for energy storage systems (ESS) grows, it is crucial to valuate the technical and economic benefits of ESS deployments. Since there are many analytical tools in this space, this paper provides a review of these tools to help the audience find the proper tools for their energy storage analyses. Recent Findings There are many software tools for valuating ESS. These tools can be classified into two groups: (1) power system simulation and planning tools for analyzing the technical contributions of ESSs, and (2) techno-economic analysis tools for valuating the economic benefits of ESS deployment and specifying the optimal design of energy systems that include ESSs. While many of the tools, developed by the national laboratories, are free to use, the commercial tools are also of great importance in meeting the customers’ specific needs. Summary This paper provides a review of software tools for ESS valuation and design. A review of analysis tools for evaluating the technical impacts of energy storage deployments is also provided, as well as a discussion of development trends for valuation and design tools.

Nguyen, Tu A. (ORCID:0000000181148063)↗
DOE OSTI2021

A global assessment of policy tools to support climate adaptation

Governments, businesses, and civil society organizations have diverse policy tools to incentivize adaptation. Policy tools can shape the type and extent of adaptation, and therefore, function either as barriers or enablers for reducing risk and vulnerability. Using data from a systematic review of academic literature on global adaptation responses to climate change (n = 1549 peer-reviewed articles), we categorize the types of policy tools used to shape climate adaptation. We apply qualitative and quantitative analyses to assess the contexts where particular tools are used, along with equity implications for groups targeted by the tools, and the tools’ relationships with transformational adaptation indicators such as the depth, scope, and speed of adaptation. We find diverse types of tools documented across sectors and geographic regions. We also identify a mismatch between the tools that consider equity and those that yield more transformational adaptations. Direct regulations, plans, and capacity building are associated with higher depth and scope of adaptation (thus transformational adaptation), while economic instruments, information provisioning, and networks are not; the latter tools, however, are more likely to target marginalized groups in their design and implementation. We identify multiple research gaps, including a need to assess instrument mixes rather than single tools and to assess adaptations that result from policy implementation. Key policy insights Information-based approaches, networks, and economic instruments are the most frequently documented adaptation policy tools worldwide. Direct regulations, plans, and capacity building are associated with higher depth and scope of adaptation, and thus more transformational adaptation. Capacity building, economic instruments, networks, and information provisioning approaches are more likely to target specific marginalized groups and thus equity challenges. There are many regions and sectors where certain tools are not widely documented (e.g. regulations and plans in Africa and Asia), representing a key research gap.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Influence of Tool Runout on Force Measurement During Internal Void Monitoring for Friction Stir Welding of 6061-T6 Aluminum

Abstract The goal of this research was to examine how altering the amount of friction stir tool eccentricity while controlling the amount of slant in the tool shoulder (drivers of oscillatory process forces) effects the generation of process force transients during sub-surface void interaction. The knowledge gained will help improve the accuracy of force-based void monitoring methods that have the potential to reduce the need for post-weld inspection. Process force transients during sub-surface void formation were examined for multiple tools with varying magnitudes of kinematic runout. The eccentric motion of the tool produced oscillations in the process forces at the tools rotational frequency that became distorted when features (flats) on the tool probe interacted with voided volumes, generating an amplitude in the force signals at three times the tool rotational frequency (for three-flat tools). A larger tool eccentricity generates a larger amplitude in the force signals at the tool’s rotational frequency that holds a larger potential to create a distortion during void interaction. It was determined that once void becomes large enough to produce an interaction that generates an amplitude at the third harmonic larger than 30% of the amplitude at the rotational frequency in a weld with no interaction (amplitude solely at rotational frequency), the trailing edge of the tool shoulder cannot fully consolidate the void, i.e., it will remain in the final weld. Additionally, once the void exceeds a certain size, the amplitudes of the third harmonics saturate at 70% of the amplitude at the rotational frequency during full consolidation. The interaction between the eccentric probe and sub-surface void was isolated by ensuring any geometric imperfection in the shoulder (slant) with respect to the rotational axis was removed. The results suggest that geometric imperfections (eccentricity and slant) with respect to the tool’s rotational axis must be known when developing a void monitoring method from force transients of this nature.

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2022

Verification and Validation of START: A Spent Nuclear Fuel Routing and Decision Support Tool

The Stakeholder Tool for Assessing Radioactive Transportation (START) is a web-based geospatial decision-support tool being developed by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Integrated Waste Management (IWM) to support federal interim storage for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and associated transportation. START provides many functions for the IWM program including: serving as a communications tool for conveying geospatial data and information, an options analysis tool for exploring potential transport modes and routes for transporting SNF from nuclear power plants to future federal interim storage facilities, an emergency response planning tool for Tribes and States to identify training needs along potential SNF transport corridors, an environmental analysis tool for estimating potential radiation dose exposure from incident-free and incident-case SNF transport conditions, and a systems analysis support tool providing route-related inputs for system throughput analysis. As part of the START development process, a verification and validation (V&V) effort is being undertaken. In the initial V&V phase, several outputs of the START tool were checked such as the total distance, population and population densities within the buffer zone, and incident free dose. The V&V process is fluid as it will be utilized after each version change to ensure that the core functionalities of the tool are maintained and the results are consistent with the previous versions. Efforts have also been put into developing scripts to aid in the process of automating certain sections of the V&V work. As some of the V&V efforts use Environmental Systems Research Institute’s (ESRI) tools upon which the START framework is built, the START data were compared against outputs from tools like Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) for buffer zone populations and route lengths to ensure independence of the V&V process. Good agreement was observed between the START results and the independent V&V studies with the majority of the differences falling between 1% and 5% for populations within the buffer zone and route distance. This presentation describes the development and design of the START tool, V&V methods employed for various metrics of interest and their respective results, and future plans.

START, transportation, GIS, V&V↗
DOE OSTI2023

Testing SOAR tools in use

Investigations within Security Operation Centers (SOCs) are tedious as they rely on manual efforts to query diverse data sources, overlay related logs, correlate the data into information, and then document results in a ticketing system. Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) tools are a relatively new technology that promise, with appropriate configuration, to collect, filter, and display needed diverse information; automate many of the common tasks that unnecessarily require SOC analysts’ time; facilitate SOC collaboration; and, in doing so, improve both efficiency and consistency of SOCs. There has been no prior research to test SOAR tools in practice; hence, understanding and evaluation of their effect is nascent and needed. Here, in this paper, we design and administer the first hands-on user study of SOAR tools, involving 24 participants and six commercial SOAR tools. Our contributions include the experimental design, itemizing six characteristics of SOAR tools, and a methodology for testing them. We describe configuration of a cyber range test environment, including network, user, and threat emulation; a full SOC tool suite; and creation of artifacts allowing multiple representative investigation scenarios to permit testing. We present the first research results on SOAR tools. Concisely, our findings are that: per-SOC SOAR configuration is extremely important; SOAR tools increase efficiency and reduce context switching, although with potentially decreased ticketing accuracy/completeness; user preference is slightly negatively correlated with their performance with the tool; internet dependence varies widely among SOAR tools; and balance of automation with assisting decision making is preferred by senior participants. We deliver a public user- and tool-anonymized and -obfuscated version of the data.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2020

CatCost™ Data Tools [SWR-20-59]

CatCost™ enables catalyst researchers to develop comprehensive estimates of the cost to produce pre-commercial catalysts early in the catalyst development process. It includes both web browser and Excel-based tools, each with distinct strengths. The web tool includes powerful visualization capabilities, while the Excel tool allows for high degrees of control and customization by power users. The CatCost™ Python Data Tools are designed to facilitate the transfer of data from the Excel tool to the web tool, so that users can take advantage of both the powerful visualization in the web tool and the higher degree of customization available in the excel tool. Rather than painstakingly copying entries from estimates, the materials, equipment, and spent catalyst libraries from Excel to a JSON format for the web tool, the CatCost™ Data Tools provide an intuitive applet which allows them to simply choose which library or estimate they wish to transfer, and then returns files that integrate smoothly with the web version of the tool.

Baddour, Frederick↗