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At least 577 records · Page 32
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Fault tolerant capabilities of the Cosmic Background Explorer attitude control system

The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE), which was launched November 18, 1989 from Vandenberg Air Force Base aboard a Delta rocket, has been classified by the scientific community as a major success with regards to the field of cosmology theory. Despite a number of anomalies which have occurred during the mission, the attitude control system (ACS) has performed remarkably well. This is due in large part to the fault tolerant capabilities that were designed into the ACS. A unique triaxial control system orientated in the spacecraft's transverse plane provides the ACS the ability to safely survive various sensor and actuator failures. Features that help to achieve this fail-operational system include component cross-strapping and autonomous control electronics switching. This design philosophy was of utmost importance because of the constraint placed upon the ACS to keep the spinning observatory and its cryogen-cooled science instruments pointing away from the sun. Even though the liquid helium was depleted within the expected twelve months from launch, it is still very much desirable to avoid any thermal disturbances upon the remaining functional instruments.

Placanica, Samuel J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Stirling-Cycle Refrigerator Containing Piezoelectric Pumps

Advanced Stirling-cycle cryogenic apparatus suitable for cooling sensitive infrared detectors to very low temperatures. Working fluid in refrigerator helium. Working fluid compressed and circulated by three piezoelectrically actuated diaphragm pumps offering advantages of greater reliability, relative simplicity, and lower cost.

Jalink, Antony, Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Helium tribology of Inconel 617 subjected to laser peening for high temperature nuclear reactor applications

Inconel 617 is among the best candidates for utilization in high temperature gas cooled reactor tribo-components. However, the combined effects of sliding contact, along with intermittent idle times and very high temperature material degradation, deteriorates the alloy tribological performance, especially under a helium atmosphere. Laser peening is a surface treatment technique which can enhance the properties at the surface and subsurface by generating deep residual stresses and enhanced microstructure. In this work, we report the tribological behavior of regular laser peened as well as thermally-engineered laser peened Inconel 617 under helium and air atmospheres at 800 °C. In addition to friction and wear studies, the specimens are characterized by different analytical techniques to further understand the mechanisms involved in the peening process and sliding contact. Regardless of the peening process and post-process treatment types, it is observed that laser peening improves the tribological characteristics of Inconel 617. Interestingly, laser peening followed by helium thermal aging shows highly enhanced tribological behavior. This is attributed to the strengthening effect of the laser peening on the surface oxides providing an excellent and lasting protective and lubricating film under helium exposure.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Progress Towards the Validation of a new RELAP5-3D model of the High Temperature Test Facility

Validation is a key step in the development of any type of systems model. As the next generation of reactors approaches, the need for codes that have been validated for these new types of systems continues to grow. An example of a prominent option is the Reactor Excursion Leak Analysis Program (RELAP5-3D), developed by Idaho National Laboratory. This code was developed for the purpose of systems level thermal-hydraulic modeling of light water reactors (LWRS) and postulated transients that can occur in LWRS.RELAP5-3D has been substantially validated against LWR data. Due to its long history as a reactor safety analysis tool, there has been an effort to adapt RELAP5-3D for the purposes of advanced reactor concepts such as prismatic high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). However, RELAP5-3D has not nearly been validated and verified for HTGRs to the degree of LWRs, warranting verification and validation opportunities with computational benchmarks and existing experimental facilities. Examples of such facilities include the modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) 350 and the high temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR) from Japan. The MHTGR 350 is a benchmark design concept for code-to-code verification purposes; therefore, it does not provide any experimental data for validation opportunities The HTTR provides useful multiphysics validation data but does not have the in-core instruments to generate thermal-hydraulic experimental data to help with RELAP5-3D validation. Consequently, a facility that could provide key in-core temperatures for thermal-hydraulic validation was still needed. The High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) is an integral effects facility for HTGR thermal hydraulics developed and operated by Oregon State University. HTTF represents ¼ length scale of the General Atomics MHTGR and is rated for a total power of 2.2 MW. Axially, the core consists of an upper and lower reflector and 10 blocks, numbered from bottom to top (Block 1 is right above lower reflector). The core is heated via graphite resistive heater rods, with respective channels distributed throughout the core. The primary coolant is helium and heat can radiate out of the core to the reactor cavity cooling system (RCCS), which is cooled by water. The primary purpose of the facility is to investigate pressurized conduction cooldown (PCC) and depressurized conduction cooldown (DCC) transients, which are also referred to as the pressurized and depressurized loss of forced cooling respectively. Two experiments were chosen to perform the validation study with a RELAP5-3D model of HTTF. These experiments are PG-27 (PCC) and PG-29 (DCC). These were chosen based off of the quality of available experimental data before and during the experiment which led to their inclusion in the HTGR Thermal Hydraulics Benchmark.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1981

Feasibility study for long lifetime helium dewar

A feasible concept for a launchable three year lifetime helium dewar was investigted. Current helium dewar designs were examined to see where the largest potential reductions in parasitic heat loads can be made. The study was also devoted to examining support concepts. The support concept chosen, a passive orbital disconnect strut (PODS), has an orbital support conductance that is lower by more than an order of magnitude over current tension band supports. This lower support conductance cuts the total dewar weight in half for the same three year life time requirements. Effort was also concentrated on efficient wire feed through designs and vapor cooling of the multilayer insulation, supports, wire feed throughs and plumbing penetrations. A single stage helium dewar vs. dual stage dewars with a guard cryogen of nitrogen or neon was examined. The single stage dewar concept was selected. Different support concepts were analyzed from which the PODS support concepts was chosen. A preliminary design of the dewar was thermally and structurally analyzed and laid out including system weights, thermal performance and performance sensitivities.

Parmley, R. T.↗
DOE OSTI2022

High resolution diagnostic tools for superconducting radio frequency cavities

Superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities are one of the fundamental building blocks of modern particle accelerators. To achieve the highest quality factors (10 10 –10 11 ), SRF cavities are operated at liquid helium temperatures. Magnetic flux trapped on the surface of SRF cavities during cool-down below the critical temperature is one of the leading sources of residual RF losses. Instruments capable of detecting the distribution of trapped flux on the cavity surface are in high demand in order to better understand its relation to the cavity material, surface treatments and environmental conditions. We have designed, developed, and commissioned two high-resolution diagnostic tools to measure the distribution of trapped flux at the surface of SRF cavities. One is a magnetic field scanning system, which uses cryogenic Hall probes and anisotropic magnetoresistance sensors that fit the contour of a 1.3 GHz cavity. This setup has a spatial resolution of ~ 13 μm in the azimuthal direction and ~ 1 cm along the cavity contour. The second setup is a stationary, combined magnetic and temperature mapping system, which uses anisotropic magnetoresistance sensors and carbon resistor temperature sensors, covering the surface of a 3 GHz SRF cavity. This system has a spatial resolution of 5 mm close to the iris and 11 mm at the equator. Initial results show a non-uniform distribution of trapped flux on the cavities’ surfaces, dependent on the magnitude of the applied magnetic field during field-cooling below the critical temperature.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Safety Testing of AGR-5/6/7 Compacts 2-2-2 and 2-2-4

Compacts 2-2-2 and 2-2-4 from the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program’s final irradiation campaign (AGR-5/6/7) were each separately subjected to a thermal soak at 1600°C for 300 h under flowing helium to simulated conditions experienced during a postulated high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) depressurization conduction cooldown event. The safety testing of the fuel compacts’ performance under accident conditions was conducted in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Core Conduction Cooldown Test Facility (CCCTF), which utilizes a stand-alone hot cell at the Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory (IFEL). The CCCTF heats fuel to temperatures up to 1900°C in a non-oxidizing environment while continuously monitoring the sweep gas for radioactive 85 Kr to detect release levels associated with hermetic failure of the tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) coating surrounding each fuel kernel. In addition, certain metallic radionuclides that escape the fuel compact are collected on deposition cups that are periodically exchanged with a new cup to obtain information on the overall retention behavior of the TRISO coating layers. Because cesium can diffuse through intact pyrocarbon layers, abnormal degradation of the silicon carbide (SiC) layer in the absence of holistic TRISO coating failure is indicated by release of 134 Cs at levels equivalent to an individual particle inventory in the absence of significant 85 Kr release (Hunn et al. 2014). Additional description of the CCCTF system is provided in Appendix A.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Progress Towards Microcalorimeter Gamma Spectroscopy Analysis for Nuclear Fuel Separations

The High Efficiency and Resolution Microcalorimeter Spectrometer, 400 pixels (HERMES-400) is an ultra-high resolution gamma-ray spectrometer at Idaho National Laboratory’s Materials and Fuels Complex. HERMES-400 is intended to enable precise nondestructive analysis of advanced fuel cycle materials. Key upgrades and repairs of the instrument were performed this year to improve performance. First, the fourth and final microcalorimeter detector module was installed, meeting the milestone for its integration into the system. Operation with all four modules enables higher detector efficiency than any previous microcalorimeter gamma-ray system. Second, a thinner magnetic shield was installed. This shields the sensitive microcalorimeter pixels from stray magnetic fields while allowing transmission of lower-energy gamma rays, which are important to isotopic analysis. Finally, the cryostat, which provides cooling of the modules to their operating temperature, was found to have a helium coolant leak, which was repaired. HERMES-400 is in a stable state to perform repeated, long-term gamma-ray measurements with good detector efficiency and energy resolution. In FY25, irradiated TRISO fuel and salts from advanced electrochemical recycling techniques are candidates for microcalorimeter measurements. A final upgrade of the magnetic shielding and vibration damping of the system is also planned to maximize the system performance.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS1975

Heat operated cryogenic electrical generator

An electrical generator useful for providing electrical power in deep space, is disclosed. The electrical generator utilizes the unusual hydrodynamic property exhibited by liquid helium as it is converted to and from a superfluid state to cause opposite directions of rotary motion for a rotor cell thereof. The physical motion of the rotor cell was employed to move a magnetic field provided by a charged superconductive coil mounted on the exterior of the cell. An electrical conductor was placed in surrounding proximity to the cell to interact with the moving magnetic field provided by the superconductive coil and thereby generate electrical energy. A heat control arrangement was provided for the purpose of causing the liquid helium to be partially converted to and from a superfluid state by being cooled and heated, respectively.

Wang, T. G.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Characterization of Losses in Superconducting Radio-Frequency Cavities by Combined Temperature and Magnetic Field Mapping

Superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities are one of the fundamental building blocks of modern particle accelerators. To achieve the highest quality factors (10 10 -10 11 ), SRF cavities are operated at liquid helium temperatures. Magnetic flux trapped on the surface of SRF cavities during cool-down below the critical temperature is one of the leading sources of residual RF losses. Instruments capable of detecting the distribution of trapped flux on the cavity surface are in high demand in order to better understand its relation to the cavity material, surface treatments and environmental conditions. We have designed, developed, and commissioned two novel diagnostic tools to measure the distribution of trapped flux at the surface of SRF cavities. One is a magnetic field scanning system (MFSS) which uses cryogenic Hall probes and anisotropic magnetoresistance sensors that fit the contour of a 1.3 GHz cavity. The second setup is a stationary, combined magnetic and temperature mapping system which uses AMR sensors and carbon resistor temperature sensors, covering the surface of a 3 GHz SRF cavity. The MFSS system revealed a non-uniform distribution of trapped flux on the cavities' surface, dependent on the magnitude of the applied magnetic field during field-cooling below the critical temperature. The MFSS shows that magnetic field scanning as a function of the RF field indicates redistribution of trapped flux at some locations. About ~ 33% of hot-spots observed by temperature mapping during high power RF tests overlapped with the high B-field spots. Almost all high B-field spots observed after field-cool were found to be overlapped on grain boundaries. A clear correlation between the hot- spot formed after quench and local trapped flux was found, providing insight on the RF dissipation of trap vortices. The combined B&T map system showed that the T-map system is capable of detecting hot-spots and quench location on the surface of the 3 GHz SRF cavity. Different distribution of trapped flux was measured after different cool-down and residual B-field, but, no variation in magnetic field distribution was observed during quench, possibly due to magnetic sensors being far from the quench location.

Parajuli, Ishwari↗
NASA NTRS1997

Study of Injection of Helium into Supersonic Air Flow Using Rayleigh Scattering

A study of the transverse injection of helium into a Mach 3 crossflow is presented. Filtered Rayleigh scattering is used to measure penetration and helium mole fraction in the mixing region. The method is based on planar molecular Rayleigh scattering using an injection-seeded, frequency-doubled ND:YAG pulsed laser and a cooled CCD camera. The scattered light is filtered with an iodine absorption cell to suppress stray laser light. Preliminary data are presented for helium mole fraction and penetration. Flow visualization images obtained with a shadowgraph and wall static pressure data in the vicinity of the injection are also presented.

Seaholtz, Richard G.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Optimizing Transmission of Acoustic Signals to Monitor Internal Conditions of Canisters for Dry Storage of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel

Safe storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is critical to the nuclear fuel cycle and the future of nuclear energy. In the United States, SNF is stored primarily via two methods regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission: wet storage in SNF pools and dry storage in dry cask storage systems (DCSSs). After about five years of cooling in spent fuel pools, the fuel assemblies are transferred into DCSSs, and the systems are filled with helium and sealed by welding. Deterioration of conditions inside of a DCSS is reflected in changes in the internal gas properties; this motivates the development of acoustic techniques to monitor internal gas properties, over extended storage periods, using sensors mounted on the exterior of the storage packages. However, a major challenge in collecting acoustic signals is the impedance mismatch between the steel canister shell and the gas. Only a small fraction of the ultrasonic signal can be transmitted through the gas medium. This paper documents experimental studies conducted on a full-scale canister mock-up to capture the gas-borne signals. Damping materials were pasted on the outside, and blocking and unblocking tests were conducted to identify the gas-borne signal. The results show that the excitation frequency plays an important role in maximizing the gas-borne signals. The gas-borne signal was successfully detected at around the theoretical time-of-flight. A high signal-to-noise ratio was achieved in the measurements. Next, the acoustic impedance matching layers were introduced, and the gas signal was drastically improved compared with that using no AIM layers.

Spent nuclear fuel (SNF), Canisters, Internal cond↗
NASA NTRS1984

Cryogenic and thermal design for the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF)

The 1-meter class cryogenically cooled Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) planned by NASA, is scheduled for a 1992 launch. SIRTF would be deployed from the Shuttle, and placed into a sun synchronous polar orbit of 700 km. The facility has been defined for a mission with a minimum initial lifetime of one year in orbit with mission extension that could be made possible through in-orbit servicing of the superfluid helium cryogenic system, and use of a thermal control system. The superfluid dewar would use an orbital disconnect system for the tank supports, and vapor cooling of the barrel baffle. The transient analysis of the design shows that the superfluid helium tank with no active feedback comes within temperature requirements for the nominal orbital aperture heat load, quiescent instrument, and chopper conditions.

Lee, J. H.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Commissioning plan for LCLS II 2 K cold box

Commissioning of the LCLS II cryogenic plant has been planned with respect to electrical and mechanical systems checkout, equipment cleanup, cool-down, and individual performance evaluation. This plant consists of warm and cold storage, helium compressors, 4.5 K and 2 K cold boxes, and all auxiliaries typical for helium refrigeration processes. The 2 K cold box, consisting of five cold compressors in series to produce the flow and pressures necessary for 2K operation, will be the last equipment installed and, along with an additional 10,000 L helium dewar, will allow the entire plant to be commissioned as a single entity. The pre-commissioning stages, commissioning plan for 2 K cold box without connecting to the LCLS II LINAC, additional test equipment needed to simulate the loads, all process studies and associated results are described herein.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

On the Spectral Evolution of Hot White Dwarf Stars. II. Time-dependent Simulations of Element Transport in Evolving White Dwarfs with STELUM

White dwarf stars are subject to various element transport mechanisms that can cause their surface composition to change radically as they cool, a phenomenon known as spectral evolution. In this paper, we undertake a comprehensive theoretical investigation of the spectral evolution of white dwarfs. First, we introduce STELUM, a new implementation of the stellar evolutionary code developed at the Université de Montréal. We provide a thorough description of the physical content and numerical techniques of the code, covering the treatment of both stellar evolution and chemical transport. Then, we present two state-of-the-art numerical simulations of element transport in evolving white dwarfs. Atomic diffusion, convective mixing, and mass loss are considered simultaneously as time-dependent diffusive processes and are fully coupled to the cooling. We first model the PG 1159-DO-DB-DQ evolutionary channel: a helium-, carbon-, and oxygen-rich PG 1159 star transforms into a pure-helium DB white dwarf due to gravitational settling and then into a helium-dominated, carbon-polluted DQ white dwarf through convective dredge-up. We also compute for the first time the full DO-DA-DC evolutionary channel: a helium-rich DO white dwarf harboring residual hydrogen becomes a pure-hydrogen DA star through the float-up process and then a helium-dominated, hydrogen-bearing DC star due to convective mixing. We demonstrate that our results are in excellent agreement with available empirical constraints. In particular, our DO-DA-DC simulation perfectly reproduces the lower branch of the bifurcation observed in the Gaia color–magnitude diagram, which can therefore be interpreted as a signature of spectral evolution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1976

Streakline flow visualization of discrete hole film cooling with holes inclined 30 deg to surface

Film injection from three rows of discrete holes angled 30 deg to the surface in line with mainstream flow and spaced 5 diameters apart in a staggered array was visualized by using helium bubbles as tracer particles. Both the main stream and the film injectant were ambient air. Detailed streaklines showing the turbulent motion of the film mixing with the main stream were obtained by photographing small, neutrally buoyant helium-filled soap bubbles which followed the flow field. The ratio of boundary layer thickness to hole diameter and the Reynolds number were typical of gas turbine film cooling applications. The results showed the behavior of the film and its interaction with the main stream for a range of blowing rates and two initial boundary layer thicknesses.

Colladay, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Solid state crystal physics at very low temperatures

The properties of nearly perfect crystals was studied at cryogenic temperatures. A large Helium 3 and Helium 4 dilution refrigerator has been assembled, and is described. A cryostat suitable for cooling a 35 liter volume to .020 Kelvin was designed and constructed, together with instrumentation to observe the properties of nearly perfect crystals.

Davis, W.↗