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Results for “efficiency maximization”

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 OSTI2016

Enhancing capillary trapping effectiveness through proper time scheduling of injection of supercritical CO 2 in heterogeneous formations

The impact of geologic heterogeneity on capillary trapping of supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) has been recognized and appraised through laboratory experimentation and modeling. However, how different injection strategies can be optimized to improve capillary trapping has not received adequate attention. Here, we present a study based on stochastic analysis to show the impact of injection scheduling on capillary trapping of scCO 2 in heterogeneous geological formations. Improvement of trapping efficiency consists of maximizing the trapped volume within a predefined secure zone of the storage formation with the goal of avoiding plume intersection with potential leakage pathways. Using knowledge acquired from physical experiments in intermediate-scale tanks with controlled heterogeneity, we conduct numerical simulations following a stochastic approach to extend the observed outcomes to a series of equally probable permeability scenarios. Our simulations involve the same combination of surrogate fluids that are used in the experiments to mimic viscosity and density contrasts between scCO 2 and brine. To account for uncertainty of formation heterogeneity, several permeability fields with three different variances and two horizontal correlation lengths are generated. The same volume of scCO 2 is emplaced using four different modes of injection scheduling. Results suggest that injection strategies aimed at enhancing capillary trapping of scCO 2 and increasing the probability of constraining the plume within a secure zone are strictly related to the specific heterogeneity of the reservoir. Finally, this preliminary theoretical finding suggests the potential for maximizing secure capillary trapping through the proper selection of injection schedule to fit the formation heterogeneity.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Using Digital Waveforms to Mitigate Solvent Clustering During Mass Filter Analysis of Proteins

With advances in the precision of digital electronics, waveform generation technology has progressed to a state that enables the creation of m/z filters that are purely digitally driven. These advances present new methods of performing mass analyses that provide information from a chemical system that are inherently difficult to achieve by other means. One notable characteristic of digitally driven mass filters is the capacity to transmit ions at m/z ratios that vastly exceed the capabilities of traditional resonant systems. However, the capacity to probe ion m/z ratios that span multiple orders of magnitudes across multiple orders of magnitude presents a new set of issues requiring a solution. In the present work, when probing multiply charged protein species beyond m/z 2000 using a gentle atmospheric pressure interface, the presence of solvent adducts and poorly resolved multimers can severely degrade spectral fidelity. Increasing energy imparted into a target ion population is one approach minimizing these clusters; however, the use of digital waveform technology provides an alternative that maximizes ion transport efficiency and simultaneously minimizes solvent clustering. In addition to the frequency of the applied waveform, digital manipulation also provides control over the duty cycle of the target waveform. This work examines the conditions and approach leading to optimal digital waveform operation to minimize solvent clustering. .

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2019

Parametric analysis and optimization of CO 2 trans-critical cycle for chiller application in a warm climate

This article presents parametric analysis and subsequent optimization of a CO 2 trans-critical chiller system operating in a warm climate. Additionally, high side pressure and gas cooler face velocities are two controllable parameters investigated. COP of the system is analyzed and optimized using a developed and validated mathematical model. The mean relative error of prediction in COP is found to be within ±10% for physics-based model and within ±1% for Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based model of the experimental findings. The validated mathematical model is utilized to predict optimal high side pressure as well as gas cooler face velocity for the varying ambient and evaporation conditions to achieve best possible COP. A possibility of 5.31% improvement in COP is found based on the optimization of parameters. In conclusion, the proposed methodology is deemed suitable for design and testing of control system for maximization of energy efficiency.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Quantitative Approach to Failure Mode and Effect Analysis for Linear Accelerator Quality Assurance

Purpose: To determine clinic-specific linear accelerator quality assurance (QA) TG-142 test frequencies, to maximize physicist time efficiency and patient treatment quality. Methods and Materials: A novel quantitative approach to failure mode and effect analysis is proposed. Nine linear accelerator-years of QA records provided data on failure occurrence rates. The severity of test failure was modeled by introducing corresponding errors into head and neck intensity modulated radiation therapy treatment plans. The relative risk of daily linear accelerator QA was calculated as a function of frequency of test performance. Results: Although the failure severity was greatest for daily imaging QA (imaging vs treatment isocenter and imaging positioning/repositioning), the failure occurrence rate was greatest for output and laser testing. The composite ranking results suggest that performing output and lasers tests daily, imaging versus treatment isocenter and imaging positioning/repositioning tests weekly, and optical distance indicator and jaws versus light field tests biweekly would be acceptable for non-stereotactic radiosurgery/stereotactic body radiation therapy linear accelerators. Conclusions: Failure mode and effect analysis is a useful tool to determine the relative importance of QA tests from TG-142. Because there are practical time limitations on how many QA tests can be performed, this analysis highlights which tests are the most important and suggests the frequency of testing based on each test's risk priority number.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2022

A review of preserving privacy in data collected from buildings with differential privacy

Significant amounts of data are collected in buildings. While these data have great potential for maximizing the energy efficiency of buildings in general, only a small portion of the data are accessible to researchers, government, and industry for analyses. Concerns about privacy are one of the major barriers prohibiting access to these data. Privacy preservation techniques are generally applied to this problem not only to preserve underlying privacy but also to improve the usefulness of data. Among various privacy preserving techniques, differential privacy has become one of the more popular solutions since its introduction in 2006. Differential privacy is a mathematical measure for protecting privacy so that one's privacy cannot be incurred by participating in a database. Additionally, although significant research improvements have been made for more than a decade, applying differential privacy to data collected in buildings is still an immature field of study. Because implementing differential privacy on a certain use case is not straightforward and can be achieved with various configurations, it is important to understand variation of configurations with different use cases around data collected from buildings. This literature review aims to introduce what has been done to implement differential privacy in data collected in buildings, and to discuss associated challenges and potential future research opportunities.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

Fabricaion of improved novel p–n junction BiOI/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanocomposite for visible light driven photocatalysis

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A p–n heterojunction photocatalyst BiOI/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} was prepared by hydrothermal method. • 4% BiOI/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} with maximal photocatalytic degradation efficiency (RhB) of 99.9%. • A specific degradation routes of RhB was illustrated. • The photocatalytic mechanism is discussed according to p–n junction principles. • • O{sub 2}{sup −} and h+ are the main reactive species for the degradation of RhB. - Abstract: A series of novel p−n junction photocatalysts BiOI/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} (BiOI/BSO) were successfully fabricated via a facile hydrothermal method. The phase structures, morphologies and optical properties of the as-prepared samples were studied by XRD, TEM, HRTEM, BET, XPS, UV–vis DRS and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results showed that BiOI/BSO heteronanostructures displayed much higher photocatalytic activity than pure BSO and BiOI for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). The best photocatalytic activity of BiOI/BSO with almost 99.9% RhB degradation situated at molar percentage ratio of 4% after 6 h irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of BiOI/BSO could be mainly attributed to the formation of the heterojunction between p-BiOI and n-BSO, which effectively restrains the recombination of photoinduced electron–hole pairs. Moreover, the study of radical scavengers affirmed that h{sup +} and • O{sub 2}{sup −} were the primary reactive species for the degradation of RhB.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimal Design and Operation of Intensified Absorbers with 3D-Printed Packing for Solvent-Based CO 2 Capture

Many potential solvent-based carbon capture processes suffer from a high heat of absorption of CO 2 that adversely affects the thermodynamic driving force. While interstage coolers are often used for removing a portion of the generated heat by removing the solvent or a portion of the solvent from a stage and cooling and returning it back to the absorber, they can be placed only at discrete locations in the tower. This work investigates intensified absorbers with 3D-printed packing that includes an internal cooler and therefore can be potentially used for maximizing the operational efficiency of the absorbers for CO 2 capture. The intensified absorber is modeled by using a generic, first-principles, equation-oriented absorber column model. Since the placement of these intensified packings would cause a loss of area/volume used for mass transfer, optimization of the proposed intensified absorber is performed by optimally selecting the locations at which to place these devices and designing them such that the trade-off due to the addition of the heat removal area and the resulting loss in the mass transfer area is accounted for. Results show that optimally placed and designed intensified packings can lead to a significant increase in the capture efficiency of the process in comparison to a similar column with no internal cooling. It is also observed that by optimally placing and designing intensified packings, the lean solvent flow rate to the absorber can be decreased, and the CO 2 lean loading can be increased while still maintaining the same capture efficiency. These process changes can lead to a substantial reduction in the cost of capture.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Silver Nanoparticles with Surface-Bonded Oxygen for Highly Selective CO 2 Reduction

Here, the surface electronic structures of catalysts need to be carefully engineered in CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR), where the hydrogen evolution side reaction usually takes over under a significant overpotential, and thus dramatically lows the reaction selectivity. Surface oxides can play a critical role in tuning the surface oxidation state of metal catalysts for a proper binding with CO 2 RR reaction intermediates, which may significantly improve the catalyst activity and selectivity. Here, we demonstrate the importance of surface-bonded oxygen on silver nanoparticles in altering the reaction pathways and improving the CO 2 RR performances. A comparative investigation on air-annealed Ag (Air-Ag) catalyst with or without the post-treatment of H 2 thermal annealing (H 2 -Ag) was performed. In Air-Ag, the subsurface chemically bonded O species (O-Ag δ+ ) was identified by angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques, and contributed to the improved CO selectivity rather than H 2 in CO 2 RR electrolysis. As a result, while the maximal CO Faradaic efficiency of H 2 -Ag is at ~ 30 %, the Air-Ag catalyst presented a high CO selectivity of more than 90 % under a current density of ~ 21 mA/cm 2 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Origins of Photoluminescence Instabilities at Halide Perovskite/Organic Hole Transport Layer Interfaces

Metal halide perovskites are promising for optoelectronic device applications; however, their poor stability under solar illumination remains a primary concern. While the intrinsic photostability of isolated neat perovskite samples has been widely discussed, it is important to explore how charge transport layers—employed in most devices—impact photostability. Here, in this paper, we study the effect of organic hole transport layers (HTLs) on light-induced halide segregation and photoluminescence (PL) quenching at perovskite/organic HTL interfaces. By employing a series of organic HTLs, we demonstrate that the HTL’s highest occupied molecular orbital energy dictates behavior; furthermore, we reveal the key role of halogen loss from the perovskite and subsequent permeation into organic HTLs, where it acts as a PL quencher at the interface and introduces additional mass transport pathways to facilitate halide phase separation. In doing so, we both reveal the microscopic mechanism of non-radiative recombination at perovskite/organic HTL interfaces and detail the chemical rationale for closely matching the perovskite/organic HTL energetics to maximize solar cell efficiency and stability.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

A universal metabolite repair enzyme removes a strong inhibitor of the TCA cycle

Abstract A prevalent side-reaction of succinate dehydrogenase oxidizes malate to enol-oxaloacetate (OAA), a metabolically inactive form of OAA that is a strong inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase. We purified from cow heart mitochondria an enzyme (OAT1) with OAA tautomerase (OAT) activity that converts enol-OAA to the physiological keto-OAA form, and determined that it belongs to the highly conserved and previously uncharacterized Fumarylacetoacetate_hydrolase_domain-containing protein family. From all three domains of life, heterologously expressed proteins were shown to have strong OAT activity, and ablating the OAT1 homolog caused significant growth defects. In Escherichia coli , expression of succinate dehydrogenase was necessary for OAT1-associated growth defects to occur, and ablating OAT1 caused a significant increase in acetate and other metabolites associated with anaerobic respiration. OAT1 increased the succinate dehydrogenase reaction rate by 35% in in vitro assays with physiological concentrations of both succinate and malate. Our results suggest that OAT1 is a universal metabolite repair enzyme that is required to maximize aerobic respiration efficiency by preventing succinate dehydrogenase inhibition.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

An open-source data storage and visualization platform for collaborative qubit control

Developing collaborative research platforms for quantum bit control is crucial for driving innovation in the field, as they enable the exchange of ideas, data, and implementation to achieve more impactful outcomes. Furthermore, considering the high costs associated with quantum experimental setups, collaborative environments are vital for maximizing resource utilization efficiently. However, the lack of dedicated data management platforms presents a significant obstacle to progress, highlighting the necessity for essential assistive tools tailored for this purpose. Current qubit control systems are unable to handle complicated management of extensive calibration data and do not support effectively visualizing intricate quantum experiment outcomes. In this paper, we introduce Qubit Control Storage and Visualization ( QubiCSV ), a platform specifically designed to meet the demands of quantum computing research, focusing on the storage and analysis of calibration and characterization data in qubit control systems. As an open-source tool, QubiCSV facilitates efficient data management of quantum computing, providing data versioning capabilities for data storage and allowing researchers and programmers to interact with qubits in real time. The insightful visualization are developed to interpret complex quantum experiments and optimize qubit performance. QubiCSV not only streamlines the handling of qubit control system data but also improves the user experience with intuitive visualization features, making it a valuable asset for researchers in the quantum computing domain.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2016

High-speed modulator with interleaved junctions in zero-change CMOS photonics

A microring depletion modulator is demonstrated with T-shaped lateral p-n junctions used to realize efficient modulation while maximizing the RC limited bandwidth. The device having a 3 dB bandwidth of 13 GHz has been fabricated in a standard 45 nm microelectronics CMOS process. The cavity has a linewidth of 17 GHz and an average wavelength-shift of 9 pm/V in reverse-bias conditions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Increasing sensitivity and angle-of-view of mid-wave infrared detectors by integration with dielectric microspheres

We observed up to 100 times enhancement of sensitivity of mid-wave infrared photodetectors in the 2–5 μm range by using photonic jets produced by sapphire, polystyrene, and soda-lime glass microspheres with diameters in the 90–300 μm range. By finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for modeling, we gain insight into the role of the microspheres refractive index, size, and alignment with respect to the detector mesa. A combination of enhanced sensitivity with angle-of-view (AOV) up to 20° is demonstrated for individual photodetectors. It is proposed that integration with microspheres can be scaled up for large focal plane arrays, which should provide maximal light collection efficiencies with wide AOVs, a combination of properties highly attractive for imaging applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

High-power tunable laser driven THz generation in corrugated plasma waveguides

The excitation of Terahertz (THz) radiation by the interaction of an ultrashort laser pulse with the modes of a miniature corrugated plasma waveguide is considered. Here, the axially corrugated waveguide supports the electromagnetic modes with appropriate polarization and subluminal phase velocities that can be phase matched to the ponderomotive potential associated with the laser pulse, making significant THz generation possible. This process is studied via full format Particle-in-Cell simulations that, for the first time, model the nonlinear dynamics of the plasma and the self-consistent evolution of the laser pulse in the case where the laser pulse energy is entirely depleted. It is found that the generated THz is characterized by lateral emission from the channel, with a spectrum that may be narrow or broad depending on the laser intensity. A range of realistic laser pulse and plasma parameters is considered with the goal of maximizing the conversion efficiency of optical energy to THz radiation. As an example, a fixed drive pulse (0.55 J) with a spot size of 15 μm and a duration of 15 fs produces a THz radiation of 37.8 mJ of in a 1.5 cm corrugated plasma waveguide with an on axis average density of 1.4 × 10 18 cm –3 .

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ion temperature and rotation fluctuation measurements with ultra-fast charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (UF-CHERS) in the DIII-D tokamak

An upgraded detector and several optimizations have significantly improved the Ultra-Fast Charge Exchange Recombination Spectroscopy (UF-CHERS) diagnostic sensitivity to ion temperature and parallel velocity fluctuations at turbulence relevant spatio-temporal scales. Normalized broadband ion temperature and parallel velocity fluctuations down to x̃x∼1% (x = Ti, v∥) and up to ∼450 kHz have been measured in a variety of plasmas. The multi-field nature of the CHERS technique also allows measurements of the cross-phase angles of the fluctuating fields. UF-CHERS is optimized to observe emissions from the electron exchange reaction between intrinsic C6+ and hydrogenic neutral beam injected particles near 529 nm. UF-CHERS consists of two chords separated by ∼1 cm radially, less than the turbulence correlation length in DIII-D plasmas, which enables correlated measurements to suppress incoherent electronic and photon noise. The optical components of the spectrometer include a volume-phase-holographic grating with >90% transmission between 528 and 530 nm and f/2 200-mm lenses, selected to maximize the optical efficiency and photon flux. Diffracted light from each chord is collected in eight spectral bins, each with a bandwidth of ∼0.25 nm, and detected and amplified by chilled avalanche photodiodes and custom high-gain, wide bandwidth low-noise preamplifiers to achieve the optimal signal-to-noise ratio. The resulting signals are digitized at 1 MHz, 103–104× faster than the conventional CHERS diagnostics. Spatial coverage is achieved by repositioning a motorized fiber tray between plasmas. UF-CHERS measurements will advance the understanding of turbulent ion transport and contribute to the validation of transport models and simulations.

Truong, D. D. (ORCID:0000000285732539)↗
DOE OSTI2018

Simulation of the optical properties of surface nanostructures for photoacoustic converters

A computer model has been developed and a theoretical study has been performed for nanostructures in the form of a two-dimensional monolayer of nanoparticles of noble metals on an optical fibre end face. The parameters of nanostructure-based photoacoustic converters are chosen for different environments in order to provide a high light absorption coefficient, which, in turn, provides a maximally high conversion efficiency for ultrasound generation. It is established that efficient photoacoustic conversion can be implemented in a surface nanostructure composed of spherical gold nanoparticles, located on an optical fibre end face in water, in wide ranges of the nanostructure microscopic parameters. It is shown that the backscattering coefficient also turns out large in the case of resonance absorption; for this reason, one must provide optical isolation of a laser in use when designing photoacoustic generators. (nanostructures)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Identification of low-momentum muons in the CMS detector using multivariate techniques in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13.6 TeV

“Soft” muons with a transverse momentum below 10 GeV are featured in many processes studied by the CMS experiment, such as decays of heavy-flavor hadrons or rare tau lepton decays. Maximizing the selection efficiency for these muons, while simultaneously suppressing backgrounds from long-lived light-flavor hadron decays, is therefore important for the success of the CMS physics program. Multivariate techniques have been shown to deliver better muon identification performance than traditional selection techniques. To take full advantage of the large data set currently being collected during Run 3 of the CERN LHC, a new multivariate classifier based on a gradient-boosted decision tree has been developed. It offers a significantly improved separation of signal and background muons compared to a similar classifier used for the analysis of the Run 2 data. The performance of the new classifier is evaluated on a data set collected with the CMS detector in 2022 and 2023, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 62 fb -1 .

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2016

An Optimal Parameterization Framework for Infrasonic Tomography of the Stratospheric Winds Using Non-Local Sources

A method is developed to apply acoustic tomography methods to a localized network of infrasound arrays with intention of monitoring the atmosphere state in the region around the network using non-local sources without requiring knowledge of the precise source location or non-local atmosphere state. Closely spaced arrays provide a means to estimate phase velocities of signals that can provide limiting bounds on certain characteristics of the atmosphere. Larger spacing between such clusters provide a means to estimate celerity from propagation times along multiple unique stratospherically or thermospherically ducted propagation paths and compute more precise estimates of the atmosphere state. In order to avoid the commonly encountered complex, multimodal distributions for parametric atmosphere descriptions and to maximize the computational efficiency of the method, an optimal parametrization framework is constructed. This framework identifies the ideal combination of parameters for tomography studies in specific regions of the atmosphere and statistical model selection analysis shows that high quality corrections to the middle atmosphere winds can be obtained using as few as three parameters. Lastly, comparison of the resulting estimates for synthetic data sets shows qualitative agreement between the middle atmosphere winds and those estimated from infrasonic traveltime observations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗