Results for “I&C Modernization” — Page 32

DOE OSTI2021

Simulating and benchmarking neutron total scattering instrumentation from inception of events to reduced and fitted data

In the design and realization of modern neutron scattering instrumentation, particularly when designing beamline concepts from the ground up, it is desirable to fully benchmark against realistically simulated data. This is especially true for total scattering beamlines, where the future deliverable data is to be analysed in both reciprocal- and real-space representations, and needs must be carefully balanced to ensure sufficient range, resolution and flux of the instrument. An approach to optimize the design of neutron scattering instrumentation via a workflow including ray-tracing simulations, event-based data reduction, heuristic analysis and fitting against realistically simulated spectra is demonstrated here. The case of the DISCOVER beamline concept at the Spallation Neutron Source is used as an example. The results of the calculations are benchmarked through simulation of existing instrumentation and subsequent direct comparison with measured data. Finally, on the basis of the validated models, the ability to explore design characteristics for future beamline concepts or future instrument improvements is demonstrated through the examples of detector tube size and detector layout.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2021

Embedding Sensors in 3D Printed Metal Structures

The Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) program is leveraging recent advances in modeling and simulation, materials, and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies to design a modern nuclear reactor. Some of the main TCR technologies include in situ monitoring and the integration of sensors during the manufacturing of quality-significant nuclear reactor components. This report describes the general procedure and process optimization for embedding sensors within generic stainless steel 316 (SS316) components using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). A more detailed, quality-significant test plan and supporting procedures are available upon request (ORNL/TM-2021/2127). LPBF involves the use of a scanning laser to selectively melt regions of a powder bed, additively building a part layer by layer. This report describes the LPBF processing technique and discusses the effects of LPBF processing parameters on the success of the sensor embedding process. Experiments used machined cavities in the form of channels in an SS316 base for the sensors to lay in while material is additively built over the top, thereby embedding them in an SS316 matrix. A preliminary investigation involved using empty SS316 sheaths as surrogates to explore the effects of various LPBF processing parameters and the dimensional requirements of the machined channels. Microstructural investigations showed that a smaller channel width/depth combination closer to the sensor’s diameter was best for the embedding process. After the desired parameters were selected, Type-K thermocouples were embedded and evaluated post-embedding using nondestructive thermal testing, as well as destructive sectioning and microscopy. Post-build characterization showed that the thermocouples were well-bonded to the SS316 matrix and were fully functional after embedding. During thermal testing to temperatures up to 500 °C, the embedded thermocouples read consistently with one another and deviated only slightly from the readings of a nonembedded thermocouple located within the furnace. This slight discrepancy was most likely due to differences in the thermal time constants for a nonembedded thermocouple vs. a thermocouple embedded in a solid SS316 block. The results presented in this report will serve as the foundation for future work that will focus on embedding sensors in relevant TCR reactor components and eventually testing those components under neutron irradiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

A protocol for calculating basal melt rates in the ISMIP6 Antarctic ice sheet projections

Climate model projections have previously been used to compute ice shelf basal melt rates in ice sheet models, but the strategies employed – e.g., ocean input, parameterization, calibration technique, and corrections – have varied widely and are often ad hoc. Here, a methodology is proposed for the calculation of circum-Antarctic basal melt rates for floating ice, based on climate models, that is suitable for ISMIP6, the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6 (6th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project). The past and future evolution of ocean temperature and salinity is derived from a climate model by estimating anomalies with respect to the modern day, which are added to a present-day climatology constructed from existing observational datasets. Temperature and salinity are extrapolated to any position potentially occupied by a simulated ice shelf. A simple formulation is proposed for a basal melt parameterization in ISMIP6, constrained by the observed temperature climatology, with a quadratic dependency on either the nonlocal or local thermal forcing. Two calibration methods are proposed: (1) based on the mean Antarctic melt rate (MeanAnt) and (2) based on melt rates near Pine Island's deep grounding line (PIGL). Future Antarctic mean melt rates are an order of magnitude greater in PIGL than in MeanAnt. The PIGL calibration and the local parameterization result in more realistic melt rates near grounding lines. PIGL is also more consistent with observations of interannual melt rate variability underneath Pine Island and Dotson ice shelves. This work stresses the need for more physics and less calibration in the parameterizations and for more observations of hydrographic properties and melt rates at interannual and decadal timescales.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Dual heterogeneous structures lead to ultrahigh strength and uniform ductility in a Co-Cr-Ni medium-entropy alloy

Alloys with ultra-high strength and sufficient ductility are highly desired for modern engineering applications but difficult to develop. Here we report that, by a careful controlling alloy composition, thermomechanical process, and microstructural feature, a Co-Cr-Ni-based medium-entropy alloy (MEA) with a dual heterogeneous structure of both matrix and precipitates can be designed to provide an ultra-high tensile strength of 2.2 GPa and uniform elongation of 13% at ambient temperature, properties that are much improved over their counterparts without the heterogeneous structure. Electron microscopy characterizations reveal that the dual heterogeneous structures are composed of a heterogeneous matrix with both coarse grains (10~30 μm) and ultra-fine grains (0.5~2 μm), together with heterogeneous L1 2 -structured nanoprecipitates ranging from several to hundreds of nanometers. The heterogeneous L1 2 nanoprecipitates are fully coherent with the matrix, minimizing the elastic misfit strain of interfaces, relieving the stress concentration during deformation, and playing an active role in enhanced ductility.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Deciphering electrocatalysts with multimodal operando approaches

Here, the electrocatalytic processes of a copper catalyst during nitrate electroreduction are unveiled by correlated operando microscopy and spectroscopy. Catalysts are vital to the modern chemical industry, yet their development has largely relied on trial-and-error approaches. Optimizing catalysts requires a fundamental understanding of their structure–chemical property behaviour under operational conditions. However, operando characterization remains challenging, especially for reactions occurring in the complex and dynamic liquid environments of electrochemical systems. Over the past decade, the rapid development of in situ and operando environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) and microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based closed-cell holders, enabling environmental studies within the vacuum environment of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), has substantively advanced understanding of heterogeneous catalysis, notably for gas-phase reactions. In situ ETEM enables the direct observation of the catalyst evolution in terms of structure, morphology and chemical state at the nano-to-atomic scale, providing insights into their correlation with catalytic performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Elucidating the temperature dependence of TRIP in Q&P steels using synchrotron X-Ray diffraction, constituent phase properties, and strain-based kinetics models

Understanding the deformation-induced martensitic transformation (DIMT) is critical for interpreting the structure-property relationships that govern the performance of transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) assisted steels. However, modern TRIP-assisted steels often exhibit DIMT kinetics that are not easily captured by existing empirical models based on bulk tensile strain. We address this challenge by combined bulk uniaxial tensile tests and in-situ high energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction, which resolved the phase volume fractions, stress-strain response, and microstructure evolution of each constituent phase. A modification of the Olson-Cohen model is implemented, which describes the martensitic transformation kinetics as a function of the estimated partitioned strain in austenite, rather than the bulk tensile strain. This DIMT kinetic model is used as a framework to clarify the root cause of an insufficiently understood toughness trough reported for TRIP-assisted steels during deformation at elevated temperatures. Here, the importance of the temperature-dependent toughness is discussed, based on the opportunity to modify deformation processes to tailor the DIMT kinetics and mechanical properties during forming and in service.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Experimental observations of exploding bridgewire detonator function

Exploding bridgewire detonators are an industry standard technology used for over 75 years and valued for their precise timing and safety characteristics. Despite widespread use, their functional mechanism remains controversial with both shock and non-shock mechanisms attributed. In this work, we re-examine bridgewire detonator function with a suite of modern diagnostics and compare these observations with the existing literature. Traditional detonator observations consisted of voltage applied to the bridgewire and time dependent current, integral response measurements such as case motion and more recently Schlieren imaging of the detonator surface. In this work, we add visible light emission, X-ray transmission, proton radiography, and temperature measurements during detonator function in addition to voltage, current, and function times. The addition of in-situ observations of light emission, temperature, and density gives us new insight into the mechanisms of explosive bridgewire detonator function. We see a distinct separation in time, location, symmetry, and velocity of bridgewire output and detonation onset. During the time between bridgewire burst and the initiation of detonation, we observe a temperature ramp in the input pellet. In this paper, we present the suite of measurements and comparisons with the literature on integral response measurements.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of nuclear effects in neutrino-argon interactions using generalized kinematic imbalance variables with the MicroBooNE detector

We present a set of new generalized kinematic imbalance variables that can be measured in neutrino scattering. These variables extend previous measurements of kinematic imbalance on the transverse plane and are more sensitive to modeling of nuclear effects. We demonstrate the enhanced power of these variables using simulation and then use the MicroBooNE detector to measure them for the first time. We report flux-integrated single- and double-differential measurements of charged-current muon neutrino scattering on argon using a topology with one muon and one proton in the final state as a function of these novel kinematic imbalance variables. These measurements allow us to demonstrate that the treatment of charged current quasielastic interactions in genie version 2 is inadequate to describe data. As a result, they reveal tensions with more modern generator predictions particularly in regions of phase space where final state interactions are important.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Seasonal forecasting skill for the High Mountain Asia region in the Goddard Earth Observing System

Seasonal variability of the global hydrologic cycle directly impacts human activities, including hazard assessment and mitigation, agricultural decisions, and water resources management. This is particularly true across the High Mountain Asia (HMA) region, where availability of water resources can change depending on local seasonality of the hydrologic cycle. Forecasting the atmospheric states and surface conditions, including hydrometeorologically relevant variables, at subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) lead times of weeks to months is an area of active research and development. NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) S2S prediction system has been developed with this research goal in mind. Here, we benchmark the forecast skill of GEOS-S2S (version 2) hydrometeorological forecasts at 1–3-month lead times in the HMA region, including a portion of the Indian subcontinent, during the retrospective forecast period, 1981–2016. To assess forecast skill, we evaluate 2 m air temperature, total precipitation, fractional snow cover, snow water equivalent, surface soil moisture, and terrestrial water storage forecasts against the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) and independent reanalysis data, satellite observations, and data fusion products. Anomaly correlation is highest when the forecasts are evaluated against MERRA-2 and particularly in variables with long memory in the climate system, likely due to the similar initial conditions and model architecture used in GEOS-S2S and MERRA-2. When compared to MERRA-2, results for the 1-month forecast skill range from an anomaly correlation of R anom =0.18 for precipitation to R anom =0.62 for soil moisture. Anomaly correlations are consistently lower when forecasts are evaluated against independent observations; results for the 1-month forecast skill range from R anom =0.13 for snow water equivalent to R anom =0.24 for fractional snow cover. We find that, generally, hydrometeorological forecast skill is dependent on the forecast lead time, the memory of the variable within the physical system, and the validation dataset used. Overall, these results benchmark the GEOS-S2S system's ability to forecast HMA hydrometeorology.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Atmospheric river representation in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) version 1.0

Abstract. The Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) project is an ongoing, state-of-the-science Earth system modeling, simulation, and prediction project developed by the US Department of Energy (DOE). With an emphasis on supporting the DOE's energy mission, understanding and quantifying how well the model simulates water cycle processes is of particular importance. Here, we evaluate E3SM version 1.0 (v1.0) for its ability to represent atmospheric rivers (ARs), which play significant roles in water vapor transport and precipitation. The characteristics and precipitation associated with global ARs in E3SM at standard resolution (1∘ × 1∘) are compared to the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA2). Global patterns of AR frequencies in E3SM show high degrees of correlation (≥0.97) with MERRA2 and low mean absolute errors (MAEs; <1 %) annually, seasonally, and across different ensemble members. However, some large-scale condition biases exist, leading to AR biases – most significant of which are the double intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), a stronger and/or equatorward-shifted subtropical jet during boreal and austral winters, and enhanced Northern Hemisphere westerlies during summer. By comparing atmosphere-only and fully coupled simulations, we attribute the sources of the biases to the atmospheric component or to a coupling response. Using relationships revealed in Dong et al. (2021), we provide evidence showing the stronger North Pacific jet in winter and the enhanced Northern Hemisphere westerlies during summer, associated with E3SM's double ITCZ and related weaker Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), respectively, which are significant sources of the AR biases found in the coupled simulations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

VARI3D & PERSENT: Perturbation and Sensitivity Analysis

The nodal diffusion method is one of the most widely used approaches in modern reactor analysis. In the nodal diffusion method, a coarse multi-group set of “homogenized” parameters is constructed such that the complex geometry of a reactor core along with the energy dependence of neutron and gamma ray cross sections in a nuclear reactor are conserved in the simpler geometry. The homogenization is typically done on a fuel assembly level as is the case in the DIF3D code developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The nodal methodology is used primarily to predict fuel cycle behavior of nuclear systems of which there is a substantial amount of validation in the literature. Another use of the nodal method is to obtain reactivity coefficients and kinetics parameters for use in a safety analysis of a given nuclear reactor. While there are many ways to obtain reactivity worth and kinetics parameters, the work presented in this manuscript is unique as it provides the user with the ability to compute reactivity worths, kinetics parameters, and cross section sensitivities with a Cartesian and hexagonal geometry based transport code.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2020

VARI3D & PERSENT: Perturbation and Sensitivity Analysis

The nodal diffusion method is one of the most widely used approaches in modern reactor analysis. In the nodal diffusion method, a coarse multi-group set of “homogenized” parameters is constructed such that the complex geometry of a reactor core along with the energy dependence of neutron and gamma ray cross sections in a nuclear reactor are conserved in the simpler geometry. The homogenization is typically done on a fuel assembly level as is the case in the DIF3D code developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The nodal methodology is used primarily to predict fuel cycle behavior of nuclear systems of which there is a substantial amount of validation in the literature. Another use of the nodal method is to obtain reactivity coefficients and kinetics parameters for use in a safety analysis of a given nuclear reactor. While there are many ways to obtain reactivity worth and kinetics parameters, the work presented in this manuscript is unique as it provides the user with the ability to compute reactivity worths, kinetics parameters, and cross section sensitivities with a Cartesian and hexagonal geometry based transport code.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2025

The Advanced Dimensional Depletion for Engineering of Reactors (ADDER) Software for Depletion and Fuel Management

The Advanced Dimensional Depletion for Engineering of Reactors (ADDER) software is being developed in the Research and Test Reactor (RTR) Program at Argonne National Laboratory to meet the reactor design and analysis needs of the Conversion Program. ADDER is a flexible tool that (1) provides a depletion capability through coupling external neutronics codes with a built-in CRAM solver or external depletion code and (2) provides a user-friendly interface to perform fuel management and criticality search operations. The ADDER software is a Python 3 application written using modern software development practices subject to a compliant implementation of NQA-1 and applicable Department of Energy software quality assurance standards. This report is the user guide for the software release referred to as ADDER v1.1.0. The motivation for a software to have flexible capabilities that ADDER possesses is the need to support a wide variety of geometries that are commonly required in analysis of research and test reactors. These reactors can have complex fuel, experiment, or control material shuffling patterns that persist over several years with many fuel management and partial refueling intervals. The scale of fuel management analysis can require tracking of an inventory that is multiple times the core loading. Many reactors, both power and non-power reactors of various types, will find the features of ADDER useful to facilitate key tasks that a fuel or core design engineer must perform with the convenience of concise input and validated functionality.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

VARI3D & PERSENT: Perturbation and Sensitivity Analysis (Revision 5)

The nodal diffusion method is one of the most widely used approaches in modern reactor analysis. In the nodal diffusion method, a coarse multi-group set of “homogenized” parameters is constructed such that the complex geometry of a reactor core along with the energy dependence of neutron and gamma ray cross sections in a nuclear reactor are conserved in the simpler geometry. The homogenization is typically done on a fuel assembly level as is the case in the DIF3D code developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The nodal methodology is used primarily to predict fuel cycle behavior of nuclear systems of which there is a substantial amount of validation in the literature. Another use of the nodal method is to obtain reactivity coefficients and kinetics parameters for use in a safety analysis of a given nuclear reactor. While there are many ways to obtain reactivity worth and kinetics parameters, the work presented in this manuscript is unique as it provides the user with the ability to compute reactivity worths, kinetics parameters, and cross section sensitivities with a Cartesian and hexagonal geometry-based transport code.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

HighNESS conceptual design report: Volume II. The NNBAR experiment.

A key aim of the HighNESS project for the European Spallation Source is to enable cutting-edge particle physics experiments. This volume presents a conceptual design report for the NNBAR experiment. NNBAR would exploit a new cold lower moderator to make the first search in over thirty years for free neutrons converting to anti-neutrons. The observation of such a baryon-number-violating signature would be of fundamental significance and tackle open questions in modern physics, including the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry. This report shows the design of the beamline, supermirror focusing system, magnetic and radiation shielding, and anti-neutron detector necessary for the experiment. A range of simulation programs are employed to quantify the performance of the experiment and show how background can be suppressed. For a search with full background suppression, a sensitivity improvement of three orders of magnitude is expected, as compared with the previous search. Civil engineering studies for the NNBAR beamline are also shown, as is a costing model for the experiment.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2025

The Advanced Dimensional Depletion for Engineering of Reactors (ADDER) Software for Depletion and Fuel Management

The Advanced Dimensional Depletion for Engineering of Reactors (ADDER) software is being developed in the Research and Test Reactor (RTR) Program at Argonne National Laboratory to meet the reactor design and analysis needs of the Conversion Program. ADDER is a flexible tool that (1) provides a depletion capability through coupling external neutronics codes with a built-in CRAM solver or external depletion code and (2) provides a user-friendly interface to perform fuel management and criticality search operations. The ADDER software is a Python 3 application written using modern software development practices subject to a compliant implementation of NQA-1 and applicable Department of Energy software quality assurance standards. This report is the user guide for the software release referred to as ADDER v1.1.0. The motivation for a software to have flexible capabilities that ADDER possesses is the need to support a wide variety of geometries that are commonly required in analysis of research and test reactors. These reactors can have complex fuel, experiment, or control material shuffling patterns that persist over several years with many fuel management and partial refueling intervals. The scale of fuel management analysis can require tracking of an inventory that is multiple times the core loading. Many reactors, both power and non-power reactors of various types, will find the features of ADDER useful to facilitate key tasks that a fuel or core design engineer must perform with the convenience of concise input and validated functionality.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Understanding Impacts of Data Integrity Attacks on Transactive Control Systems

With the rapid growth of internet-connected smart devices capable of exchanging energy price information and adaptively controlling energy consumption of connected loads, the role of transactive control is expected to become more prominent in the modern grid. Transactive control systems integrate the wholesale and retail energy markets, and enable active participation of end users, thereby playing a key role in managing the rising number of distributed assets in the smart grid. The use of internet for the communication of data between the controllers at the building, distribution, and transmission levels makes the system susceptible to cyber-attacks. A skilled adversary can potentially manipulate the exchanged data with the intention of inflicting damage to the system. In this paper, four categories of metrics are put forth for evaluating the performance of the system when under data integrity attacks. A model for scaling-based data integrity attack has been described, and co-simulations have been performed on a 240 bus WECC transmission system model with detailed modeling of distribution systems at specific buses. Our results show that scaling-based data integrity attacks can have non-trivial impacts on the operational, financial, and comfort aspects of the transactive control system.

Smart grid, transactive control system, Buildings-↗

DOE OSTI2020

Electric Distribution System Planning with DERs - High-level Assessment of Tools and Methods

This document addresses analytical tools and methods to support electric distribution system planning with distributed energy resources (DERs) and grid modernization, drawing on leading-edge research and examples from around the United States. In this report, tools include computer models and software, as well as other analytical aids and practices that support distribution system planning. At its core, distribution system planning is about supporting investment decisions. Enhanced and integrated distribution system planning allows utilities to move from a passive reactive role to smart proactive planning with respect to DERs. Distribution system planning can increase transparency around utility distribution system investments before they are brought to the regulatory body for cost recovery, can support deferring traditional infrastructure investments, and can provide information and incentives to customers and third parties about where DERs can help the grid. A growing number of states are beginning to consider a comprehensive distribution system planning process that addresses the costs and benefits of DERs, reflects more choices coming from the customer/third-party domains, is integrated with resource and transmission planning, and incorporates planning scenarios that reflect the dynamic and changing nature of the electricity system

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗