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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 541 records · Page 30
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Integrated Multiscale Model for Design of Robust 3D Solid-state Lithium Batteries

In FY23, we successfully established the multiscale modeling framework for probing the effects of materials microstructure on cell performance of 3D solid-state batteries. The framework covers physicochemical processes co-evolving at the atomistic and microstructure scales. Our simulations revealed the mechanism of initial interfacial degradation, formation of secondary phases, and the structure-property relationship for ion transport and mechanical stability at the interface. In addition, we also established the microstructure-performance relationships by performing sensitivity tests of various microstructure features and extracting their impact on cell performance during charge-discharge cycles. We have successfully applied our multiscale, multiphysics modeling capability to common electrode and electrolyte materials that are of interests to VTO and the experimental teams within the US-Germany collaboration. The insights we obtained from these simulations provide valuable design principles to optimize materials properties for advanced 3D solid-state batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

NORTH DAKOTA CARBONSAFE PHASE III: SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND PERMITTING OF GEOLOGIC STORAGE OF CARBON DIOXIDE

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC), in partnership with Minnkota Power Cooperative Inc. (Minnkota), SLB, and Computer Modelling Group Ltd. (CMG), supported wide-scale deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) as part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Initiative Phase III. This phase included the acquisition, analysis, and development of information to fully characterize two storage complexes to demonstrate viable storage resources for commercial volumes of CO2 (defined by DOE as a minimum of 50 million tonnes [MMt] of CO2 within a 30-year period) (National Energy Technology Laboratory, 2024). Phase III also involved the preparation, submission, and approval of North Dakota underground injection control (UIC) Class VI storage facility permits (SFPs)—required precursors to applications for Class VI injection well permits. The presumed viability of commercial-scale CCS, situated adjacent to Minnkota’s Milton R. Young Station (MRYS), is validated by Minnkota’s continued pursuit of Project Tundra—an initiative to build the world’s largest lignite-based CCS project in central North Dakota (www.projecttundrand.com). Project Tundra comprises two scopes of work, Tundra Capture (installation of postcombustion CO2 capture at MRYS) and Tundra SGS (secure geologic storage). The efforts of North Dakota CarbonSAFE Phase III, Site Characterization and Permitting, supported Tundra SGS. Extensive site-specific characterization activities included a successful multimeasurement geophysical approach and drilling a stratigraphic test well (J-ROC 1, subsequently renamed Liberty-1) adjacent to MRYS. Core collection and analyses, downhole testing and fluid sampling, and geophysical logging were performed on J-ROC 1 and on a nearby stratigraphic test well (known as J-LOC 1), which was drilled, cored, and tested under a complementary project funded by the North Dakota Lignite Research Program. The injection tests performed on J-LOC 1 positively impacted the CarbonSAFE project, resulting in fewer proposed injection wells and significant construction, operations, and monitoring cost savings. The characterization data collected and analyses performed were integrated into geologic models, and successive numerical simulations were run to determine CO2 plume extent and subsurface pressure buildup associated with the planned CO2 injection rate of nearly 4 MMt per year. The latter doubles the CarbonSAFE Initiative goal with an estimated 100 MMt of CO2 stored in 20 years. Application of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) method for estimating the Class VI Rule area of review (AOR) to the overpressurized Broom Creek Formation inspired an alternative method of calculation, called risk-based AOR delineation. This peer-reviewed method was applied for the first time during the storage facility-permitting process. The two SFP applications submitted in 2021 successfully resulted in North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) orders in 2022 authorizing the creation of the storage facility areas and amalgamation of pore space as well as establishing financial responsibility requirements. After approval of the SFPs, Minnkota filed in 2022 applications for permits to reenter the J-ROC 1 well and to drill two new wells—all with the intended purpose to become Class VI injection wells. To establish eligibility under the Internal Revenue Code for Section 45Q tax incentives, a monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) plan was prepared and submitted by Minnkota to EPA in 2022, resulting in the first such plan approved in North Dakota. Also in 2022, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Minnkota prepared and submitted an environmental information volume (EIV) describing the proposed CCS project and associated potential environmental impacts. Based on the EIV, DOE determined that the proposed construction project required an environmental assessment, and Minnkota submitted the first draft in 2023 and a revised draft in 2024. Both submissions were followed by a public comment period. Subsequently, DOE issued a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) on September 13, 2024. A successful outreach program, strongly based in the production, presentation, and dissemination of informational material, fostered an environment to aid stakeholders in making informed decisions regarding the planned project. Opportunities for public input were provided at various steps along the way, including at county planning and zoning meetings, before and during the SFP administrative hearing, and during environmental assessment public comment periods. In addition, land/pore space owners and mineral owners had various points of contact, including granting access rights, securing pore space leasing, and mineral owner notifications. Based upon the successful storage facility permitting issued by NDIC, approval of the MRV plan by EPA, and receipt of a FONSI under the NEPA, Minnkota is continuing its pursuit of Project Tundra. In December 2023, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations under its Carbon Capture Demonstrations Projects Program announced funding for the capture system (Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, 2023) and a proposal for CarbonSAFE Phase IV: Construction funding was submitted in March 2024 for the storage project. A go/no-go decision to proceed with construction and operations in the Broom Creek Formation is anticipated in 2024. References National Energy Technology Laboratory, CarbonSafe Initiative, https://netl.doe.gov/carbon-management/carbon-storage/carbonsafe (accessed August 2024). Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, 2023, OCED selects three projects in CA, ND, and TX to reduce harmful carbon pollution, create new economic opportunities, and advance carbon reducing technologies, December, www.energy.gov/oced/articles/oced-selects-three-projects-ca-nd-and-tx-reduce-harmful-carbon-pollution-create-new (accessed August 2024).

Peck, Wesley↗
DOE OSTI2024

Summary of Developing a Hanford Grout Modeling Framework Initial Workshop

The “Development of the Hanford Grout Modeling Framework” project as part of the Network of National Laboratories for Environmental Management and Stewardship (NNLEMS) funding program is underway. An initial project team workshop was held in Richland, WA on June 4 and 5, 2024 with participants from PNNL, SRNL, SNL, WRPS and CRESP (VU and UCF). The workshop covered an overview of the current state of the art in grout modeling tools provided by the team. Based on a focus on liquid waste immobilization grout and encapsulation grout for solid wastes and tank closure grout at Hanford, the team identified preliminary conceptual models for these three applications which will be used to form the basis of the Hanford Grout Modeling Framework. The key processes that can drive mechanisms impacting the grout performance were identified for each test case. The programmatic plan was also identified with five core Themes being selected that will form the focus of the project. Within each theme, individual tasks for Year 1 were planned in support of the development of an updated Hanford Grout Modeling Framework. This report presents a summary of the information presented during the workshop.

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

Salivary Antibodies against Multiple Environmental Pathogens Found in Individuals Recreating at an Iowa Beach

Detecting environmental exposures and mitigating their impacts are growing global public health challenges. Antibody tests show great promise and have emerged as fundamental tools for large-scale exposure studies. Here, we apply, demonstrate and validate the utility of a salivary antibody multiplex immunoassay in measuring antibody prevalence and immunoconversions to six pathogens commonly found in the environment. The study aimed to assess waterborne infections in consenting beachgoers recreating at an Iowa riverine beach by measuring immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against select pathogens in serially collected saliva samples. Results showed that nearly 80% of beachgoers had prior exposures to at least one of the targeted pathogens at the beginning of the study. Most of these exposures were to norovirus GI.1 (59.41%), norovirus GII.4 (58.79%) and Toxoplasma gondii (22.80%) and over half (56.28%) of beachgoers had evidence of previous exposure to multiple pathogens. Of individuals who returned samples for each collection period, 6.11% immunoconverted to one or more pathogens, largely to noroviruses (GI.1: 3.82% and GII.4: 2.29%) and T. gondii (1.53%). Outcomes of this effort illustrate that the multiplex immunoassay presented here serves as an effective tool for evaluating health risks by providing valuable information on the occurrence of known and emerging pathogens in population surveillance studies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Co-Simulation of PSS/E, OpenDSS, and PSCAD for Power Systems Stability Analysis With Inverter-Based Resources: Preprint

The increasing penetration of inverter-based resources (IBRs) is reshaping the dynamic behavior of power systems. IEEE standard 1547-2018 suggests that distributed energy resources (DERs) should provide grid services such as voltage and frequency supports. On the other hand, dynamic events caused by IBRs such as sub-synchronous oscillation have been reported. These developments necessitate improvement in the current modeling capabilities to better understand the interdependencies within power systems. These include interactions between transmission and distribution systems, among IBRs themselves, and between IBRs and conventional resources. In this paper, we present a co-simulation model integrating PSS/E, OpenDSS, and PSCAD to analyze IBR impacts on the stability of transmission and distribution systems. A key challenge in developing a co-simulation model is ensuring interoperability among different simulators (interfacing and data flow) while maintaining accurate results. Using the developed model, we simulate the impact of IBRs on power systems in two test cases: 1) fault ride through (FRT) capability during a generation trip contingency; 2) IBR-induced sub-synchronous oscillation. The results show the effectiveness of the co-simulation model.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Preliminary Sensitivity Analysis for Sensors Impacts on Building Control Performance

This report describes the preliminary sensitivity analysis for sensor impacts on building control performance through the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Flexible Research Platform (FRP-2) building. The rooftop unit system provides cooling and heating to the building. The main heating coil is a gas heating coil. Each zone is served by a variable air volume box with an electricity reheat coil. The rooftop unit and variable air volume box controls adopted the practical control sequences from ASHRAE Guideline 36-2018: High-Performance Sequences of Operation. For sensors, the incipient (time-changing) sensor errors, including bias sensor error and precision sensor error, are the inputs of interest. The outputs are energy consumption and thermal comfort (e.g., the predicted percentage of dissatisfied occupants). The large-scale simulation (3,600 cases) was conducted on a cloud platform by integrating sensor errors and ASHRAE Guideline 36 control sequences into an emulator based on the EnergyPlus simulation program with Python energy management system feature. The surrogate models were developed based on cloud simulation results. The uncertainty analysis showed that the sensor errors substantially affect building energy consumption and thermal comfort. The sensitivity analysis shows a ranking of sensor error impacts for each interested output item (e.g., cooling energy, reheat coil heating energy, predicted percentage of dissatisfied occupants). In FY 2022, sensor locations, types, and costs will be evaluated. The field test in Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Flexible Research Platform building regarding sensor impacts will also be performed. Finally, a comparative analysis will be conducted based on the field test results and emulator results.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multidecadal Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program assessing human impacts on aquatic ecosystems within the Oak Ridge Reservation in eastern Tennessee, USA

Human activities can be powerful drivers of ecosystem change within catchments. While most long-term catchment studies have been conducted at pristine sites, such studies are less common from sites more impacted by human activity. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) was developed in the mid-1980s to (1) assess compliance with environmental regulations, (2) identify causes of adverse ecological impacts, (3) provide data for human and ecological risk assessments, and (4) evaluate the effectiveness of remedial actions taken to mitigate the impacts of contaminants in soils, groundwater, and surface water by documenting ecological recovery on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), a federally owned 33,476-acre site in eastern Tennessee, USA, managed by the U.S. Department of Energy. The ORR is composed of multiple watersheds containing many small to mid-size streams. BMAP uses an integrated approach for determining stream health; its databases include long-term seasonal records of contaminant concentrations in water and biota, data from aquatic toxicity testing, and surveys of macroinvertebrate and fish assemblages from impacted and reference streams. These long-term data provide valuable records of degradation and recovery in catchment ecosystems. Our objective in this work is to describe our study system and data series in order to increase awareness of the availability of these long-term data to the catchment science community.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Effect of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test on Radiation Risk Estimate for Prostate Cancer Incidence among Atomic-Bomb Survivors

Following our previous report on the radiation doseresponse for prostate cancer incidence rates in the Life Span Study (LSS) cohort of atomic bomb survivors, we reevaluated the radiation-related risk adjusting for differences in baseline cancer incidence rates among three subsets of the LSS cohort defined by the timing of their first participation in biennial health examinations offered to the Adult Health Study (AHS) sub-cohort members and prostate-specificantigen (PSA) testing status for AHS participants: 1. nonAHS participants, 2. AHS participants before receiving PSA test, and 3. AHS participants after receiving PSA test. We found a 2.9-fold increase in the baseline incidence rates among AHS participants after receiving PSA test. After adjusting for the PSA-testing-status effects on the baseline rates the estimated excess relative risk (ERR) per Gy was 0.54 (95% CI: 0.15, 1.05), which was almost identical to the previously reported unadjusted ERR estimate (0.57, 95% CI: 0.21, 1.00). The current results confirmed that, while the PSA testing among AHS participants increased the baseline incidence rates, it did not impact the radiation risk estimate, strengthening the previously reported dose-response relationship for prostate cancer incidence in the LSS. As the use of PSA tests continue in screening and medical settings, analyses of possible effects of PSA testing should be an important aspect of future epidemiological studies of the association between radiation exposure and prostate cancer.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Practical Insights on Applying Simulation-Based Control Methods in Experimental Studies

Advanced nuclear reactors are crucial to the future of energy both in the United States and around the globe. In contrast to the current operating fleet, they are characterized as being deployable in remote locations and able to operate in semi-autonomous or autonomous fashion. This leap forward necessitates a new reactor control paradigm. Because advanced nuclear reactors are still under development in the United States, the creation of new control methods to achieve autonomous operations has been based on systems modeling and simulation. However, an important factor in successfully deploying these new control methods is the ability to seamlessly transition from simulation environments to real-world settings. Control methods tested in both simulation and experimental settings need to be investigated in the context of advanced reactor applications. This work developed a series of simple controllers for Idaho National Laboratory (INL)’s Microreactor Applications Research Validation and Evaluation (MARVEL) microreactor operating in load-following scenarios. These controllers were tested in both simulation and experimental settings, and a comparative performance analysis was performed. The simulation tests leveraged the Control and Optimization Modular Modeling Application for Nuclear Deployment (COMMAND) software developed in a previous stage of the current effort, along with the MARVEL Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP5-3D) and Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) models. The experimental tests leveraged the COMMAND software, MARVEL models, and the U.S. Department of Energy Microreactor Program’s Microreactor Automated Control System (MACS). MACS was developed to serve as a control method testbed. It was customized to mirror the MARVEL microreactor, and COMMAND enabled MACS to emulate the physics of MARVEL. The load-following controller was developed using the simulation platform, with efforts to emulate real systems by introducing actuator saturation and noise. These factors were incrementally accounted for in the controller design. After finalizing the controller design, it was implemented with the experimental setup. The experimental conditions tested included an initial test under conditions similar to the final simulation test, and two additional scenarios. The first scenario introduced additional actuator saturation to account for equipment aging over time, which was unknown to the controller. The second scenario introduced sensor delay, a phenomenon anticipated with the use of remote operations or wireless communication in advanced reactors. These tests revealed several notable differences. While the controller performed well in simulation, it exhibited several limitations when transitioning to hardware. The main challenges involved maintaining the steady-state target power, as evidenced by larger error values between the true reactor power and setpoint power, as well as persistent oscillations in controlled reactor power. These issues could lead to unacceptable transient conditions in real reactor testing. Introducing actuator aging and stochastic delays in the experimental setup significantly impacted controller performance, resulting in increased overshoot and undershoot, and exacerbated error and oscillations previously mentioned. These findings underscore the importance of experimental testbeds for testing and validating control methods, as controllers developed using only theory and/or simulation may perform unexpectedly when applied to actual hardware. This research emphasizes the need for an experimental testbed for achieving such validation.

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Topography and canopy cover influence soil organic carbon composition and distribution across a forested hillslope in the discontinuous permafrost zone

This dataset contains data used for the paper "Topography and canopy cover influence soil organic carbon composition and distribution across a forested hillslope in the discontinuous permafrost zone". The Related References field will be updated with a full citation when available. Topography and canopy cover influence ground temperature in warming permafrost landscapes, yet soil temperature heterogeneity introduced by meso-topographic slope positions, microtopographic differences in vegetation cover, and the subsequent impact of contrasting temperature conditions to soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics are understudied. Buffering of permafrost-affected soils against warming air temperatures in boreal forests can reflect surface soil characteristics (e.g., thickness of organic material) as well as the degree and type of canopy cover (e.g., open cover vs closed cover). Both landscape and soil properties interact to determine meso- and micro-scale heterogeneity of ground warming. We sampled a hillslope catena transect in a discontinuous permafrost zone near Fairbanks, Alaska to test the small-scale (1 to 3 meter) impacts of slope position and cover type on soil organic matter composition. Mineral active layer samples were collected from backslope, low backslope, and footslope positions at depths spanning 19 to 60 cm. We examined soil mineralogical composition, soil moisture, total carbon and nitrogen content, and organic mat thickness in conjunction with an assessment of SOC composition using Fourier-transform ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). Soils in the footslope position had a higher relative contribution of lignin-like compounds while backslope soils had more aliphatic and condensed aromatic compounds as determined by FT-ICR-MS. The effect of open versus closed tree canopy cover varied with slope position. On the backslope, we found higher oxidation of molecules under open cover compared with closed cover, indicating an effect of warmer soil temperature on decomposition. Little to no effect of canopy was observed for soils at the footslope position, which we attributed, in part, to the strong impact of soil moisture content in SOC dynamics in the water-gathering footslope position. The thin organic mat under open cover on the backslope position may have contributed to differences in soil temperature and thus SOC oxidation under open and closed canopy. Here, the thinner organic mat did not appear to buffer the underlying soil against warm season air temperatures and thus increased SOC decomposition as indicated by higher oxidation of SOC molecules and a lower contribution of simple molecules under open cover compared with the closed canopy sites. Our findings suggest that the role of canopy cover in SOC dynamics varies as a function of landscape position and soil properties, namely organic mat thickness and soil moisture. Condition-specific heterogeneity of SOC composition under open and closed canopy cover highlights the protective effect of canopy cover for soils on backslope positions. This dataset contains a compressed (.zip) archive of the data and R scripts used for this manuscript. The dataset includes files in .csv format, which can be accessed and processed using MS Excel or R. This archive can also be accessed on GitHub at https://github.com/Erin-Rooney/Y1_fairbanks (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8071247).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Nevada Higher Education Benefits from US Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Nevada Program's Transfer of Geologic Samples - 20442

The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), formerly the Nevada Test Site, was the location of 100 historic atmospheric and 828 historic underground nuclear tests from 1951 to 1992. Related to this historic nuclear testing, geologic and hydrologic studies of the site were conducted utilizing the skills and the expertise of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and national laboratories (Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), who were principal in leading the development of weapons and were responsible for specific underground testing programs. The subsurface samples and technical/scientific data associated with NNSS geologic studies (past and present) are preserved and stored at the USGS Mercury Core Library and Data Center located at the NNSS. Currently, the facility stores over 2,000,000 linear feet of cores and cuttings from more than 2,600 drill holes that can be accessed for study. Most of the samples and historic geologic work was focused directly on subsurface geologic settings that relate directly to historic underground nuclear testing. Since 1992, the United States has observed a unilateral moratorium on full-scale nuclear testing, and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Nevada Program is now responsible for hydrogeologic characterization of the potential impacts to the natural groundwater systems that may have resulted from historic underground nuclear tests. As part of this effort, the EM Nevada Program Underground Test Area (UGTA) Activity has drilled and completed over 58 deep (2,000 - 7,000 ft.) characterization wells, totaling in excess of 170,000 linear feet of cuttings and core samples. Cutting samples were collected as triplicate samples for each respective depth interval, to account for potential later nondestructive/destructive analysis and to preserve samples for regulatory purposes. Recently, it was recognized by the EM Nevada Program that opportunities may exist to reduce the cost and floor space required for the storage of geologic samples at the Mercury Core Library without impacting the integrity and representative nature of the samples necessary for project execution. An initiative was sponsored by EM Nevada Program to evaluate several options: 1) disposal of a portion of cuttings and cores in a land fill setting; 2) reduction in sample volume through skeletonizing core and cuttings from wells to a representative but much smaller number of samples; and 3) solicit potential interest in the academic community where other geoscientists could freely access the samples for studies. The Nevada state university system through the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology responded positively to the opportunity to receive these NNSS samples from the EM Nevada Program. In June 2019, approximately 17,000 geologic samples, representing greater than 170,000 linear feet of drilling and weighing over 20,000 pounds, were shipped from the NNSS to the Great Basin Science Sample and Records Library located in Reno, Nevada. The benefits resulting from this transfer were realized by the EM Nevada Program in terms of cost and space savings for geologic sample storage at the NNSS. The transfer did not impact the EM Nevada Program mission as access to representative geologic samples for regulatory and scientific purposes was preserved. Moreover, the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology acquired a significant resource of subsurface geologic samples and supporting technical data to support academic and scientific studies in a complex volcanic setting in southwest Nevada. (authors)

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

Test beam characterization of sensor prototypes for the CMS Barrel MIP Timing Detector

The MIP Timing Detector will provide additional timing capabilities for detection of minimum ionizing particles (MIPs) at CMS during the High Luminosity LHC era, improving event reconstruction and pileup rejection. The central portion of the detector, the Barrel Timing Layer (BTL), will be instrumented with LYSO:Ce crystals and Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) providing a time resolution of about 30 ps at the beginning of operation, and degrading to 50-60 ps at the end of the detector lifetime as a result of radiation damage. In this work, we present the results obtained using a 120 GeV proton beam at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility to measure the time resolution of unirradiated sensors. A proof-of-concept of the sensor layout proposed for the barrel region of the MTD, consisting of elongated crystal bars with dimensions of about 3×3×57 mm3 and with double-ended SiPM readout, is demonstrated. This design provides a robust time measurement independent of the impact point of the MIP along the crystal bar. We tested LYSO:Ce bars of different thickness (2, 3, 4 mm) with a geometry close to the reference design and coupled to SiPMs manufactured by Hamamatsu and Fondazione Bruno Kessler. The various aspects influencing the timing performance such as the crystal thickness, properties of the SiPMs (e.g. photon detection efficiency), and impact angle of the MIP are studied. A time resolution of about 28 ps is measured for MIPs crossing a 3 mm thick crystal bar, corresponding to a most probable value (MPV) of energy deposition of 2.6 MeV, and of 22 ps for the 4.2 MeV MPV energy deposition expected in the BTL, matching the detector performance target for unirradiated devices.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Thermomechanical analysis and modeling of involute-shaped fuel plates using the Cheverton–Kelley experiments for the High Flux Isotope Reactor

Three research reactors with involute-shaped fuel plates are pursuing conversion from highly enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium fuel. Various core design and safety evaluation studies are essential to assess the feasibility of the conversion. The use of 3D computational multiphysics codes is being explored in these analyses and therefore they must undergo a thorough evaluation and quality assurance process due to their potential impact on nuclear safety. Here, the Cheverton and Kelley physical tests performed in the late 1960s to investigate the deflections of HFIR’s outer plate under uniform pressure and temperature fields are simulated by employing commercially available computational codes, with the goals to (1) verify and validate the models and numerical solvers implemented in the codes for thermomechanical analysis of involute reactor plates and (2) to develop a benchmark computational test to evaluate future versions of existing software or newly developed computational codes. The results of the simulations showed good agreement with each other as well as against the Cheverton–Kelley experimental data. Some minor deviations were observed for a few multiphysics cases and their potential origins and impact on the analysis results is investigated in the paper. The validated models increase the confidence in using multiphysics codes to evaluate existing or new LEU designs.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Identifying rolling resistance and air resistance simultaneously for an electric truck

Accurately estimating rolling and air resistance is essential for predicting the energy consumption of vehicles. This study presents a field-based approach using a rolldown test to simultaneously determine rolling and air resistance coefficients. Unlike prior methods that frequently used simulations or models, we employ a goal programming methodology to improve precision and evaluate the actual vehicle and environmental conditions. Our methodology was tested using a Class 8 Freightliner eCascadia on a surveyed road section, ensuring controlled conditions for data collection. By analyzing the time–velocity relationship across multiple test runs, we derived resistance coefficients for both loaded and unloaded conditions. The study confirms that rolling resistance is largely independent of velocity at low speeds but exhibits a nonlinear dependency at higher speeds. Additionally, road surface conditions, tire condition, axle configuration, aerodynamic properties, and weather conditions significantly impact resistance values, emphasizing the need for real-world testing rather than relying solely on standardized projections. Our results align with existing literature while demonstrating the efficacy of the goal programming approach in refining resistance estimates. This work contributes to improved vehicle energy modeling, offering practical insights for fleet operators and policymakers seeking accurate energy consumption predictions for electric trucks operating under varying environmental conditions.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

FY2025 Status Report: Model 9975 O Ring Fixture Long-Term Leak Performance

Leak testing experiments to monitor the aging performance of Viton® GLT and GLT-S O-rings used in the model 9975 shipping package have been ongoing since 2004 at Savannah River National Laboratory. Seventy tests using mock-up 9975 primary containment vessels (PCVs) with GLT O-rings were assembled and heated to temperatures ranging from 200 to 450 °F. Due to material substitution, fourteen tests with GLT-S O-rings were initiated in 2008 and heated to temperatures ranging from 200 to 400 °F. The conditioning temperatures are elevated compared to the calculated maximum O-ring temperature in a 9975 package in storage, 158 °F, to accelerate aging and enable observations of O-ring failures in a reasonable time frame. The mock-up PCV fixtures are leak tested periodically, and all GLT O-ring fixtures aged at 350 °F or above have failed to maintain a leak-tight seal. Eight GLT O-ring fixtures aged at 300 °F have failed after 2.8 to 5.7 years at temperature while the remaining fixtures at 300 °F were retired from testing following more than five years of aging without failure. Two of these retired fixtures were returned to testing and heated to 350 °F to evaluate the impact of additional heating at higher temperature for aged O-rings. Fixture #20 failed after 3 months while fixture #18 failed after 9 months at 350 °F. These O-rings demonstrated that aged and in-service O-rings can continue to be used, even at higher temperatures, after being in storage, and their leak performance are consistent with other samples at 350 °F. There has been one GLT O-ring fixture which failed after 13.4 years of aging at 200 °F. However, 20 other GLT O-rings aging at 200 °F have remained leak-tight for over 16.9 years and remain in test. There are two GLT O-ring fixtures at 270 °F; one fixture has failed after 12.9 years while the other fixture remains in test after 12.5 years. All GLT-S O-ring fixtures aged at 300 °F or above have failed their leak test. No failures have yet been observed in GLT-S O-ring fixtures aging at 250 °F for 14.9 years, while one GLT-S O-ring fixture failed after 12.4 years at 200 °F. The leak testing data to date suggest the GLT and GLT-S O-rings aging in the K-Area Complex (KAC) storage at temperatures of 158 °F might maintain a leak-tight seal for up to 59 years. Data from the O-ring fixtures are generally consistent with results from compression stress-relaxation testing and provide confidence in the predictive models based on those results. However, uncertainty exists in extrapolating these elevated temperature results to the lower temperatures of interest for normal storage in KAC. The collective data from these test efforts suggest the minimum O-ring service life at KAC normal storage conditions should be at least 34 years for GLT and GLT-S O-rings. Measurement of compression set in O-rings removed from failed fixtures, compared to that from KAC surveillance O-rings, indicate significant margin remains for O-rings still in service in 9975 packages in KAC. Aging and periodic leak testing will continue for the remaining 24 mock-up PCV fixtures.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Balancing Water Sustainability and Productivity Objectives in Microalgae Cultivation: Siting Open Ponds by Considering Seasonal Water-Stress Impact Using AWARE-US

Microalgae have great potential as an energy crop. Scaling-up algal biofuel production in the United States (US) should be done with careful attention to water stress. This study evaluates the regional and seasonal water-stress impact of potential algae-pond deployments in the US. Three site-selection strategies focusing on biomass yield, water-use efficiency (WUE), and water-stress impact, respectively, are applied and compared to meet a US algae biomass production target of 30 million metric tons/yr ash-free dry weight, which converts to 20.8 billion L renewable diesel, via hydrothermal liquefaction. Ranking algae ponds based on biomass yield leads to freshwater consumption of 2.66 km3/yr, resulting in the highest water-stress impact (39.1 US equivalent km3). Under the WUE scenario, water consumption is reduced by 81%, but biomass yield is reduced by 12%. In contrast, adding a water-stress constraint to the biomass-yield ranking reduces water consumption by 50% and water-stress impact by 97%, with a small yield reduction (1.7%). Results show that pond location has a significant effect on water stress and that water stress is not proportional to water consumption or yield. Furthermore, capturing seasonal water patterns is critical for planning because sites in water-abundant regions can have short-term but significant water-stress impacts.

algae, Biofuel, water scarcity footprint, hydrothe↗
DOE OSTI2021

Novel Membrane-Based Corrosion Sensors For Operating In Natural Gas Pipelines

Membrane-based electrochemical sensors (MBES) provide an attractive option for real-time continuous humidity and corrosion rate measurements inside of natural gas pipelines. The MBES, can use electrochemical techniques such as linear polarization resistance and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy even when a conductive aqueous phase is intermittent or unavailable. We now present field-test performance data of our MBES operated inside a multiphase water and natural gas flow facility. The MBES measured internal corrosion and conductivity at the top, bottom, and side of the pipe spool. Tests were carried out with flow rates of 4.6, 9.1, and 18.3 m/s, temperatures of 21, 29, and 35 °C, and a pressure of 1000 psia. All sensors followed similar trends in open circuit potential, corrosion rate, and conductivity over time. Neither flow rate, temperature, nor build-up of metal-based solids on the sensor surfaces impacted the quality of the electrochemical measurements. The field-test results confirm that the membrane-based electrochemical sensors are suitable for monitoring internal corrosion of operational natural-gas pipelines.

Duffy, Timothy↗
DOE OSTI2023

Laboratory testing methods to evaluate the reliability of occupancy sensors for commercial building applications

The energy performance of commercial buildings is greatly influenced by occupants which are highly variable and among the most unpredictable components of a building's operation. While most building control systems use fixed, predetermined occupancy schedules, these fixed occupancy levels can be quite different from actual occupancy. This can cause unnecessary energy consumption, particularly from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems which are responsible for approximately 60% of commercial buildings' energy use. The use of occupancy counting sensor systems integrated with building management system controls is one method that can be used to improve the energy-consuming performance of buildings. However, there is no standardized universal methodology and metrics to evaluate their reliability. The aim of this research is to develop a uniform evaluation methodology to assess the reliability of occupancy counting sensor systems in a controlled laboratory environment. The developed testing methodology includes both “typical” scenarios representing the occupancy scenarios of a typical commercial building, and “failure” testing scenarios which represent a range of potential scenarios that may impact a sensor system's reliability. These methods were then implemented in a case study to evaluate the performance of two novel occupancy counting sensor systems (i.e., door-centric, and camera-based). Results suggest that typical testing results can be used to compare the overall performance of the occupancy counting sensor systems; however, failure testing is also important to understand the weaknesses of the sensor system in order to select the suitable one for the intended use of the commercial building. In addition, the proposed methodology includes a modified confusion matrix which enables the ability to identify if failures are caused by over or under counting occupants and to what extent this occurs over the testing period.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗