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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

FY21 Report on Activities for EBS International

This report summarizes the FY21 Activities for EBS International Collaborations Work Package. The international collaborations work packages aim to leverage knowledge, expertise, and tools from the international nuclear waste community, as deemed relevant according to SFWST “roadmap” priorities. This report describes research and development (R&D) activities conducted during fiscal year 2021(FY21) specifically related to the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) R&D Work Package in the Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) Campaign supported by the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE). It fulfills the SFWST Campaign deliverable M4SF- 21SN010308062. The R&D activities described in this report focus on understanding EBS component evolution and interactions within the EBS, as well as interactions between the host media and the EBS. A primary goal is to advance the development of process models that can be implemented directly within the Generic Disposal System Analysis (GDSA) platform or that can contribute to the safety case in some manner such as building confidence, providing further insight into the processes being modeled, establishing better constraints on barrier performance, etc. Sandia National Laboratories is participating in THM modeling in the international projects EBS Task Force and DECOVALEX 2023. EBS Task Force, Task 11 is on modeling of laboratory-scale High Temperature Column Test conducted at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. DECOVALEX 2023, Task C is on THM modeling of the full-scale emplacement experiment (FE experiment) at the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory, Switzerland. This report summarizes Sandia’s progress in the modeling studies of DECOVALEX 2023, Task C. Modeling studies related to the High Temperature Column Test will be documented in future reports.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Results from Fuel Matrix Degradation Model Parameterization Experiments and Model Development Activities

This work is being performed as part of the DOE NE Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology Campaign, Argillite and Crystalline Rock R&D work packages: SF-20AN01030101 and SF-20AN01030201 respectively. This document is submitted in fulfillment of milestone M4SF-20AN010301013 for Argillite R&D and the milestone M4SF-20AN010302013 for Crystalline R&D

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2021

International Collaboration Activities in Geologic Disposal Research: FY2021 Progress

This report describes the FY21 status of international collaboration regarding geologic disposal research in the Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition (SFWD) Campaign. Since 2012, in an effort coordinated by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, SFWD has advanced active collaboration with several international geologic disposal programs across the world. Such collaboration has allowed the SFWD Campaign to benefit from a deep knowledge base in regards to alternative repository environments developed over decades and has provided a framework for active peer-to-peer research participation in international groups which conduct, analyze, and model performance-relevant processes. Via international collaboration, the SFWD Campaign also benefits from substantial international investments in research facilities (such as underground research laboratory testing and modeling) and achieves cost savings via joint funding of expensive field experiments. To date, SFWD’s International Disposal R&D Program has established formal collaboration agreements with multiple international initiatives and various international partners, and national lab scientists associated with SFWD have conducted a large number of specific collaborative R&D activities that align well with its R&D priorities.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS1993

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 15: Technical uncertainty and project complexity as correlates of information use by US industry-affiliated aerospace engineers and scientists: Results of an exploratory investigation

An exploratory study was conducted that investigated the influence of technical uncertainty and project complexity on information use by U.S. industry-affiliated aerospace engineers and scientists. The study utilized survey research in the form of a self-administered mail questionnaire. U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists on the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) mailing list served as the study population. The adjusted response rate was 67 percent. The survey instrument is appendix C to this report. Statistically significant relationships were found to exist between technical uncertainty, project complexity, and information use. Statistically significant relationships were found to exist between technical uncertainty, project complexity, and the use of federally funded aerospace R&D. The results of this investigation are relevant to researchers investigating information-seeking behavior of aerospace engineers. They are also relevant to R&D managers and policy planners concerned with transferring the results of federally funded aerospace R&D to the U.S. aerospace industry.

Pinelli, Thomas E.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Overview of the fusion nuclear science facility, a credible break-in step on the path to fusion energy

The Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) is examined here as part of a two step program from ITER to commercial power plants. This first step is considered mandatory to establish the materials and component database in the real fusion in-service environment before proceeding to larger electricity producing facilities. The FNSF can be shown to make tremendous advances beyond ITER, toward a power plant, particularly in plasma duration and fusion nuclear environment. A moderate FNSF is studied in detail, which does not generate net electricity, but does reach the power plant blanket operating temperatures. The full poloidal Dual Coolant Lead Lithium (DCLL) blanket is chosen, with alternates being the Helium Cooled Lead Lithium (HCLL) and Helium Cooled Ceramic Breeder/Pebble Bed (HCCB/PB). Several power plant relevant choices are made in order to follow the philosophy of targeted technologies. Any fusion core component must be qualified by fusion relevant neutron testing and highly integrated non-nuclear testing before it can be installed on the FNSF in order to avoid the high probability of constant failures in a plasma-vacuum system. A range of missions for the FNSF, or any fusion nuclear facility on the path toward fusion power plants, are established and characterized by several metrics. A conservative physics strategy is pursued to accommodate the transition to ultra-long plasma pulses, and parameters are chosen to represent the power plant regime to the extent possible. An operating space is identified, and from this, one point is chosen for further detailed analysis, with R = 4.8 m, a = 1.2 m, IP = 7.9 MA, BT = 7.5 T, βN Gr = 0.9, fBS = 0.52, q95 = 6.0, H98 ∼1.0, and Q = 4.0. The operating space is shown to be robust to parameter variations. A program is established for the FNSF to show how the missions for the facility are met, with a He/H, a DD and 5 DT phases. The facility requires ∼25 years to complete its DT operation, including 7.8 years of neutron production, and the remaining spent on inspections and maintenance. The DD phase is critical to establish the ultra-long plasma pulse lengths. The blanket testing strategy is examined, and shows that many sectors have penetrations for heating and current drive (H/CD), diagnostics, or Test Blanket Modules (TBMs). The hot cell is a critical facility element in order for the FNSF to perform its function of developing the in-service material and component database. The pre-FNSF R&D is laid out in terms of priority topics, with the FNSF phases driving the time-lines for R&D completion. A series of detailed technical assessments of the FNSF operating point are reported in this issue, showing the credibility of such a step, and more detailed emphasis on R&D items to pursue. These include nuclear analysis, thermo-mechanics and thermal-hydraulics, liquid metal thermal hydraulics, transient thermo-mechanics, tritium analysis, maintenance assessment, magnet specification and analysis, materials assessments, core and scrape-off layer (SOL)/divertor plasma examinations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber Trigger Development with MicroBooNE

The Micro Booster Neutrino Experiment (MicroBooNE) is a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) neutrino detector at Fermilab that has been operating since 2015. It aims to perform v-Ar cross-section measurements, explore the low-energy excess reported by the MiniBooNE experiment and perform a combined search for sterile neutrino oscillations as part of three LArTPCs that make up the Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) Program at Fermilab. Since MicroBooNE is currently in an R&D phase, it offers a unique opportunity for the implementation and testing of TPC-based triggers as R&D towards the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). One of the technical challenges of DUNE that we aim to address with this study is that of efficient self-triggering of a LArTPC utilizing TPC signal information. This capability will enable searches for rare processes in DUNE, such as neutrino interactions from a potential galactic supernova burst. This talk will describe the MicroBooNE TPC readout system and ongoing R&D efforts to develop and demonstrate TPC-based triggering.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

2020 Cost Analysis of Hydropower Options at Non-Powered Dams

This report provides a cost analysis of potential hydropower development for representative non-powered dam (NPD) sites in the United States. The overarching objective is to support the establishment of a basis for evaluating progress towards improving the competitiveness of new hydropower development for electricity generation. The representative sites, herein referred to as “reference sites”, were selected from sites with detailed water resource data to support the cost analysis. Facility designs, capital costs, plant generation and efficiency profiles, capacity factors, and levelized costs of energy (LCOE) are presented for the sites under baseline and near-term innovation cases. The baseline case represents facility configurations using technologies that are already widely applied in the hydropower industry, whereas near-term innovations are technologies likely to reach wide acceptance within the next 5 to 10 years. Cost savings in the near-term relative to the baseline are discussed to illustrate the potential benefits to the hydropower industry from research and development (R&D) and adoption of these innovations. Medium- to long-term innovation options expected from ongoing private and government R&D efforts are also highlighted but are not quantified in this report because of a current lack of complete information on these options. The key findings of the cost analysis in this study imply that near-term innovations could reduce the baseline costs of hydropower development at US NPD sites. Thus, if remaining R&D issues with these near-term innovations can be resolved within the next 5 to 10 years, industry-wide adoption of these technologies and improved competitiveness of NPD hydropower development can be expected. Specific key findings of the analysis include the following: 1) Potential installed capacity at the NPD sites evaluated in this study vary from 200 kW to 70 MW, representing two orders of magnitude variation across nearly 20 sites; 2) Capital costs, not including development costs, for the sites evaluated in this study vary from $2,200/kW to $34,000/kW but are below $12,000/kW for most sites; 3) Baseline LCOE estimates for lake dams are from $79/MWh to $790/MWh with most sites under $400/MWh, whereas estimates for lock dams are from $134/MWh to $289/MWh with most sites under $200/MWh; 4) Reductions in capital cost per kilowatt under the near-term innovation case are from −77% to −14% for lake dams and −21% to −2.1% for lock dams (excluding one site with a 14% increase in per-kilowatt capital costs); 5) Combined changes in capital costs and capacity factors in the near-term case relative to the baseline lead to reductions in LCOE of −71% to −14% for lake dams and −21% to −14% for lock dams; 6) Overall, LCOE reductions lead to 8 of the 18 sites under the near-term case having LCOE values below $150/MWh compared with only 2 of 18 sites in the baseline case.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of Cable Aging Acceptance Criteria for Nuclear Facilities

The aging of nuclear power plant electrical cables has been the subject of substantial research and development (R&D) projects in the nuclear industry, national and international laboratories, universities, and vendor organizations for several years. More specifically, these R&D efforts were conducted to develop equipment and techniques for assessing age-related degradation of in-service cables in nuclear facilities including power plants, research reactors, waste facilities and fuel fabrication plants. In recent years, cable R&D efforts in the nuclear arena have also included work to develop new cables for the next generation of reactors. Over time, exposure to harsh environmental conditions such as elevated temperatures, radiation, and humidity in nuclear installations can result in age-related degradation and failure of cables. In the current fleet of nuclear reactors, there are thousands of miles of cabling installed in each plant and many of these cables are exposed to these harsh environmental conditions. For these cables, the jacket and insulation polymers harden and become brittle over time, making them more susceptible to crack formation and growth, moisture intrusion, and other mechanisms that can lead to cable failure. Moreover, the existing U.S. fleet of 98 nuclear reactors has an average operating age of 38 years. Many of these nuclear power plants have applied for and almost all have been granted regulatory approval for license renewals to operate for 60 years, 20 years beyond their original 40-year life. Further, subsequent license renewals (SLRs) are underway with a few commercial nuclear power sites already approved to operate up to 80 years. As these reactors pursue operating life extensions, utilities must find a way to address issues associated with age-related degradation of cables. Designers of small modular reactors are also in need of technologies to evaluate the performance of cables that will be installed in harsher environments (e.g. higher temperatures, radiation doses, dose rates, etc.) than those present in current-generation reactors. Today, a variety of cable condition monitoring (CM) techniques have been developed and successfully used in nuclear facilities. These techniques are used to identify age-related degradation and assess the condition of cables to determine if their performance characteristics have changed with age. However, objective criteria must be developed for these CM tests to help quantify cable condition and thereby develop repair and replacement schedules. With operating life extending to 80 years and more SLRs on the horizon, both nuclear facilities and regulators need an objective means to determine the aged condition of cables.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of Cable Aging Acceptance Criteria for Nuclear Facilities

The aging of nuclear power plant electrical cables has been the subject of substantial research and development (R&D) projects in the nuclear industry, national and international laboratories, universities, and vendor organizations for several years. More specifically, these R&D efforts were conducted to develop equipment and techniques for assessing age-related degradation of in-service cables in nuclear facilities including power plants, research reactors, waste facilities and fuel fabrication plants. In recent years, cable R&D efforts in the nuclear arena have also included work to develop new cables for the next generation of reactors. Over time, exposure to harsh environmental conditions such as elevated temperatures, radiation, and humidity in nuclear installations can result in age-related degradation and failure of cables. In the current fleet of nuclear reactors, there are thousands of miles of cabling installed in each plant and many of these cables are exposed to these harsh environmental conditions. For these cables, the jacket and insulation polymers harden and become brittle over time, making them more susceptible to crack formation and growth, moisture intrusion, and other mechanisms that can lead to cable failure. Moreover, the existing U.S. fleet of 98 nuclear reactors has an average operating age of 38 years. Many of these nuclear power plants have applied for and almost all have been granted regulatory approval for license renewals to operate for 60 years, 20 years beyond their original 40-year life. Further, subsequent license renewals (SLRs) are underway with a few commercial nuclear power sites already approved to operate up to 80 years. As these reactors pursue operating life extensions, utilities must find a way to address issues associated with age-related degradation of cables. Designers of small modular reactors are also in need of technologies to evaluate the performance of cables that will be installed in harsher environments (e.g. higher temperatures, radiation doses, dose rates, etc.) than those present in current-generation reactors. Today, a variety of cable condition monitoring (CM) techniques have been developed and successfully used in nuclear facilities. These techniques are used to identify age-related degradation and assess the condition of cables to determine if their performance characteristics have changed with age. However, objective criteria must be developed for these CM tests to help quantify cable condition and thereby develop repair and replacement schedules. With operating life extending to 80 years and more SLRs on the horizon, both nuclear facilities and regulators need an objective means to determine the aged condition of cables.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1970

The effects of work-related values on communication between R and D groups, part 1

The research concerned with the liaison, interface, coupling, and technology transfer processes that occur in research and development is reported. Overviews of the functions of communication and coupling in the R and D processes, and the theoretical considerations of coupling, communication, and values are presented along with descriptions of the field research program and the instrumentation.

Douds, C. F.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Comparison of Commercial, State-of-the-Art, Fossil-Based Hydrogen Production Technologies

This report presents an independent assessment of the cost and performance of select hydrogen production plants utilizing fossil fuel resources as the primary feedstocks – specifically, natural gas (NG), steam methane reforming (SMR), NG autothermal reforming (ATR), coal gasification, and coal/biomass co-gasification – using a systematic, transparent technical and economic approach. Study cases were selected to reflect the capabilities of current, commercial technologies within plant configurations, and at scales, representative of next commercial offerings facing no fundamental research and development (R&D) obstacles. Additionally, several areas of R&D are identified as potential pathways for performance improvements and cost reductions.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS1981

High temperature electronic requirements in aeropropulsion systems

This paper discusses the needs for high temperature electronic and electro-optic devices as they would be used on aircraft engines in either research and development applications, or operational applications. The conclusion reached is that the temperature at which the devices must be able to function is in the neighborhood of 500 to 600 C either for R&D or for operational applications. In R&D applications the devices must function in this temperature range when in the engine but only for a moderate period of time. On an operational engine, the reliability requirements dictate that the devices be able to be burned-in at temperatures significantly higher than those at which they will function on the engine. The major point made is that semiconductor technology must be pushed well beyond the level at which silicon will be able to function.

Nieberding, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

High temperature electronic requirements in aeropropulsion systems

The needs for high temperature electronic and electro-optic devices as they would be used on aircraft engines in either research and development applications, or operational applications are discussed. The conclusion reached is that the temperature at which the devices must be able to function is in the neighborhood of 500 to 600 C either for R&D or for operational applications. In R&D applications the devices must function in this temperature range when in the engine but only for a moderate period of time. On an operational engine, the reliability requirements dictate that the devices be able to be burned-in at temperatures significantly higher than those at which they will function on the engine. The major point made is that semiconductor technology must be pushed well beyond the level at which silicon will be able to function.

Nieberding, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The USL NASA PC R and D development environment standards

The development environment standards which have been established in order to control usage of the IBM PC/XT development systems and to prevent interference between projects being currently developed on the PC's are discussed. The standards address the following areas: scheduling PC resources; login/logout procedures; training; file naming conventions; hard disk organization; diskette care; backup procedures; and copying policies.

Dominick, Wayne D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The USL NASA PC R and D interactive presentation development system

The Interactive Presentation Development System (IPFS) is a highly interactive system for creating, editing, and displaying video presentation sequences, e.g., for developing and presenting displays of instructional material similiar to overhead transparency or slide presentations. However, since this system is PC-based, users (instructors) can step through sequences forward or backward, focusing attention to areas of the display with special cursor pointers. Additionally, screen displays may be dynamically modified during the presentation to show assignments or to answer questions, much like a traditional blackboard. This system is now implemented at the University of Southwestern Louisiana for use within the piloting phases of the NASA contract work.

Dominick, Wayne D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

USL/DBMS NASA/PC R and D project C programming standards

A set of programming standards intended to promote reliability, readability, and portability of C programs written for PC research and development projects is established. These standards must be adhered to except where reasons for deviation are clearly identified and approved by the PC team. Any approved deviation from these standards must also be clearly documented in the pertinent source code.

Dominick, Wayne D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

USL/DBMS NASA/PC R and D project system design standards

A set of system design standards intended to assure the completeness and quality of designs developed for PC research and development projects is established. The standards presented address the areas of problem definition, initial design plan, design specification, and re-evaluation.

Dominick, Wayne D.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Proceedings of the 2021 Airborne Wind Energy Workshop

On March 2-3, 2021, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted a virtual workshop to evaluate the status, potential development, and technical viability of AWE systems as a source of energy in the United States. Stakeholder input provided at the workshop will contribute to the report to Congress. This report summarizes key workshop findings, current technology research and development activities in the United States, and opportunities and potential modes of collaboration and coordination for future technology research and development activities. The workshop focused on U.S. stakeholders in AWE, with approximately 100 experts and industry stakeholders from AWE technology developers, operators, engineering firms, consultants, government, national laboratories, and university researchers. The workshop began with an explanation from DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) Technology Manager, Ben Hallissy, of the context and purpose of the workshop, including a request from Congress that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) deliver a "report on the potential for, and technical viability of, airborne wind energy systems to provide a significant source of energy in the United States, including a summary of research, development, demonstration, and commercialization needs, including an estimate of Federal funding requirements, to further examine and validate the technical and economic viability of airborne wind energy concepts over the 10-year period." The workshop began with brief introductions from attendees who explained their interest in AWE. Nicolas El Hayek of Planair summarized the proceedings from the AWE workshop held in September 2020 by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Task 11. This was followed by a presentation by Roland Schmehl of TU-Delft summarizing European AWE R&D efforts. Chris Vermillion of North Carolina State University and Jason Jonkman of NREL presented an overview of U.S. R&D efforts. Then five panelists discussed AWE markets, sizes of AWE systems, challenges, and opportunities. Panelists included: Cristina Archer, professor at the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment and associate director at the Center for Research in Wind (CReW) at the University of Delaware; Stephan Brabeck, chief technology officer at SkySails; Thierry Delahave, innovation and technology development lead at Saipem; Rob Creighton, founder and chief executive officer at WindLift; and David Schaefer, founder and chief executive officer at eWind Solutions. The second day of the workshop began with a brief overview of five key topics that are crucial to enabling AWE in the United States. These topics range from estimates of the U.S. wind resource, technical generation potential, economic analysis, environmental challenges, status of current technology and R&D activities, and needed activities to enable commercialization of AWE. This set the stage for a robust discussion in breakout groups where individuals could offer their opinions on the potential opportunities for AWE in the United States. The following topics were discussed in the breakout groups: resource potential and energy output, technical potential, social and environmental impacts, and permitting, techno-economic analysis and markets, technology assessment and upscaling and demonstration and commercialization needs. The second day concluded with reports by the NREL research team, communicating the key themes and outcomes from each of the breakout group discussions.

17 WIND ENERGY↗