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At least 631 records · Page 35

Design considerations for the CELSS test facility engineering development unit

The NASA Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Program has the goal of developing life support systems for humans in space based on the use of higher plants. The program has supported research at universities with a primary focus of increasing the productivity of candidate crop plants. To understand the effects of the space environment on plant productivity, the CELSS Test Facility (CTF) has been developed as an instrument that will permit the evaluation of plant productivity on Space Station Freedom. The CFT will maintain specific environmental conditions and collect data on gas exchange rates and biomass accumulation over the growth period of several crop plants grown sequentially from seed to harvest. To better understand the systems needed to support plants and maintain the evironmental conditions required by CTF, an Engineering Development Unit (EDU) is being constructed at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) in the Advanced Life Support Division. The EDU will provide the means of testing and evaluating hardware solutions to CTF requirements. This paper reviews the CTF science and functional requirements, and provides a description of the EDU objectives, design approach, subsystem descriptions, and some of the technology tools employed in accomplishing the design.

Kliss, M.↗

2014 Annual Site Environmental Report for Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, and Kauai Test Facility, Hawaii

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is a multiprogram laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation (Sandia), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. The DOE/NNSA Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at the SNL, Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and the SNL, Kauai Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawaii. Sandia manages and conducts operations at SNL/TTR in support of the DOE/NNSA’s Weapons Ordnance Program and has operated the site since 1957. Navarro Research and Engineering subcontracts with Sandia to administer most of the environmental programs at SNL/TTR. The DOE/NNSA/Nevada Field Office retains responsibility for cleanup and management of SNL/TTR Environmental Restoration sites. Sandia operates SNL/KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility. This Annual Site Environmental Report summarizes data and the compliance status of Sandia’s sustainability, environmental protection, and monitoring programs at SNL/TTR and SNL/KTF during calendar year 2014. Major environmental programs include air quality, water quality, groundwater protection, terrestrial surveillance, waste management, pollution prevention, environmental restoration cleanup activities, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. Sandia is responsible only for those environmental program activities related to its operations. Environmental monitoring and surveillance programs are required by DOE O 231.1B, Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting .

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

2015 Annual Site Environmental Report for Sandia National Laboratories Tonopah Test Range and Kaua'i Test Facility Hawai'i

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is a multiprogram laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation (Sandia), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. The DOE/NNSA Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at the SNL, Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and the SNL, Kaua‘i Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawai‘i. Sandia manages and conducts operations at SNL/TTR in support of the DOE/NNSA’s Weapons Ordnance Program and has operated the site since 1957. Navarro Research and Engineering subcontracts with Sandia to administer most of the environmental programs at SNL/TTR. The DOE/NNSA/Nevada Field Office retains responsibility for cleanup and management of SNL/TTR Environmental Restoration sites. Sandia operates SNL/KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility. This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes data and the compliance status of Sandia’s sustainability, environmental protection, and monitoring programs at SNL/TTR and SNL/KTF during calendar year 2015. Major environmental programs include air quality, water quality, groundwater protection, terrestrial surveillance, waste management, pollution prevention, environmental restoration, oil and chemical spill prevention, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. Sandia is responsible only for those environmental program activities related to its operations. This ASER is prepared in accordance with and as required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting .

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Characterization and Modeling of High-Intensity Evolution in the SNS Beam Test Facility

Modern high-power accelerators are charged with delivering reliable beam with low losses. Resolving the complex dynamics arising from space charge and nonlinear forces requires detailed models of the accelerator and particle-in-cell simulation. There has historically been discrepancy between simulated and measured beam distributions, particularly at the low-density halo level. The Beam Test Facility (BTF) at the Spallation Neutron Source is outfitted to study beam evolution in a high-power linear accelerator MEBT. This includes capability for high-dimensional measurements of the post-RFQ beam distribution, including interplane correlations that may be the key to accurate simulation. Beam is transported through a 4.6 m FODO channel (9.5 cells) to a second distribution measurement stage. Plans for validating simulations against BTF measurements of beam evolution in the FODO channel are discussed.

Ruisard, Kiersten↗

2020 Annual Site Environmental Report for Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, and Kaua'i Test Facility, Hawai'i

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and Sandia National Laboratories, Kaua‘i Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawai‘i. Activities at SNL/TTR are conducted in support of U.S. Department of Energy weapons programs and have operated at the site since 1957. SNL/KTF has operated as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility since 1962. The U.S. Department of Energy and its management and operating contractor are committed to safeguarding the environment, assessing sustainability practices, and ensuring the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data presented in this Annual Site Environmental Report. This report summarizes the environmental protection, restoration, and monitoring programs in place at SNL/TTR and SNL/KTF during calendar year 2020. Environmental topics include air quality, ecology, environmental restoration, oil storage, site sustainability, terrestrial surveillance, waste management, water quality, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. This report is prepared in accordance with and as required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting , and has been approved for public distribution.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

2018 Annual Site Environmental Report Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada and Kaua'i Test Facility, Hawai'i

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the United States Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration. The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and Sandia National Laboratories, Kaua‘i Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawai‘i. Activities at SNL/TTR are conducted in support of DOE weapons programs and have operated at the site since 1957. SNL/KTF has operated as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility since 1962. DOE and its management and operating contractor for Sandia are committed to safeguarding the environment reassessing sustainability practices and ensuring the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data presented in this Annual Site Environmental Report. This report summarizes the environmental protection, restoration, monitoring programs in place at SNL/TTR and SNL/KTF during calendar year 2018. Environmental topics include air quality, ecology, environmental restoration, oil storage, site sustainability, terrestrial surveillance, waste management, water quality, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. This report is prepared in accordance with and as required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, and has been approved for public distribution.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Sandia National Laboratories Annual Site Environmental Report, 2019: Tonopah Test Range, Nevada and Kaua'i Test Facility, Hawai'i

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the United States Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration. The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and Sandia National Laboratories, Kaua‘i Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawai‘i. Activities at SNL/TTR are conducted in support of DOE weapons programs and have operated at the site since 1957. SNL/KTF has operated as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility since 1962. DOE and its management and operating contractor are committed to safeguarding the environment, assessing sustainability practices, and ensuring the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data presented in this Annual Site Environmental Report. This report summarizes the environmental protection, restoration, and monitoring programs in place at SNL/TTR and SNL/KTF during calendar year 2019. Environmental topics include air quality, ecology, environmental restoration, oil storage, site sustainability, terrestrial surveillance, waste management, water quality, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. This report is prepared in accordance with and as required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, and has been approved for public distribution.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

2021 Annual Site Environmental Report for Sandia National Laboratories, Kauai Test Facility, Hawaii

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at Sandia National Laboratories, Kaua‘i Test Facility in Hawai‘i. Activities at the site are conducted in support of U.S. Department of Energy weapons programs, and the site has operated as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility since 1962.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Fast Flux Test Facility Benchmark Status for FY19

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) Program works on promising Generation-IV R&D. The Program focus is on reactor concepts that could dramatically improve performance in sustainability, safety, economics, security, and proliferation resistance. The near-term ART Program goal is to reduce technical barriers (e.g., by resolving key feasibility and performance challenges) to improve the prospects of advanced technology reactor systems. In the long-term, integrated advanced reactor system designs will be developed that implement the chosen missions and complete the testing and demonstration necessary for licensing. The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is the most recent Liquid Metal Reactor (LMR) to operate in the United States, from 1982 to 1992. The plant description and plant data from one specific passive safety test is now an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Coordinated Research Project (CRP). This report is one in a series documenting the PNNL efforts to support this FFTF loss of flow benchmark for the IAEA.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) and Concepts That Support Near-Term Space Fission Missions

Fission technology can enable rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system. If fusion propulsion systems are to be developed to their full potential; however, near-term customers must be identified and initial fission systems successfully developed, launched, and utilized. Successful utilization will most likely occur if frequent, significant hardware-based milestones can be achieved throughout the program. If the system is designed to operate within established radiation damage and fuel burn up limits while simultaneously being designed to allow close simulation of heat from fission using resistance heaters, high confidence in fission system pe$ormance and lifetime can be attained through non-nuclear testing. Through demonstration of systems concepts (designed by DOE National Laboratories) in relevant environments, this philosophy has been demonstrated through hardware testing in the Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The EFF-TF is designed to enable very realistic non-nuclear testing of space fission systems. Ongoing research at the EFF-TF is geared towards facilitating research, development, system integration, and system utilization via cooperative efforts with DOE labs, industry, universities, and other NASA centers.

VanDyke, Melissa↗

2016 Annual Site Environmental report Sandia National Laboratories Tonopah Test Range Nevada & Kaua'i Test Facility Hawai'i.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under contract DE-NA0003525. The DOE/NNSA Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at the SNL, Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and the SNL, Kaua‘i Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawai‘i. SNL personnel manage and conduct operations at SNL/TTR in support of the DOE/NNSA’s Weapons Ordnance Program and have operated the site since 1957. Navarro Research and Engineering personnel perform most of the environmental programs activities at SNL/TTR. The DOE/NNSA/Nevada Field Office retains responsibility for cleanup and management of SNL/TTR Environmental Restoration sites. SNL personnel operate SNL/KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility. This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes data and the compliance status of sustainability, environmental protection, and monitoring programs at SNL/TTR and SNL/KTF during calendar year 2016. Major environmental programs include air quality, water quality, groundwater protection, terrestrial and biological surveillance, waste management, pollution prevention, environmental restoration, oil and chemical spill prevention, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. This ASER is prepared in accordance with and as required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A numerical approach to controller design with an application to a space structure test facility

An iterative numerical algorithm that improves feasible closed loop design criteria by updating the parameters of a linear controller is developed. The algorithm allows the use of experimentally derived data collected from the open loop plant. It eliminates the need for an accurate parametric model of the open loop system. Experimental results from the application of a controller designed for a large space structure ground test facility using the algorithm are presented.

Frazier, W. G.↗

Status Report on Fast Flux Test Facility Mechanistic Fuel Failure Experiment Analysis with BISON for Post Irradiation Examination Support

The renewed interest in metallic U-Zr nuclear fuel alloy has led to a drive for deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving the phenomena observed under irradiation conditions. The Department of Energy Advanced Fuel Campaign has developed infrastructure to support metallic fuel development, including Post Irradiation Examination (PIE) of legacy Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) Mechanistic Fuel Failure (MFF) experiments. The PIE performed on legacy FFTF MFF experiments gives insight on metallic fuel performance and can address the lack of knowledge and scarcity of reliable data identified in several studies over recent years. Unfortunately, PIE efforts can cost significant time and resources which can impede the progress of metallic U-Zr fuel development. Metallic U-Zr fuel performance modeling can be used to inform PIE efforts on regions of interest for relevant investigations and can help understand phenomena observed in PIE. This report demonstrates the current progress of FFTF MFF fuel performance simulations using the BISON fuel performance code and discusses the support provided by simulation to PIE efforts. Progress in temperature, profilometry, fission gas release, plenum pressure, and zirconium redistribution simulation results have been demonstrated.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Sandia National Laboratories Tonopah Test Range Nevada & Kaua'i Test Facility Hawai'i (2017 Annual Site Environmental Report)

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration. The National Nuclear Security Administration's Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at the Sandia National Laboratories Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and the Sandia National Laboratories Kaua`i Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawaii Activities at SNL/TTR are conducted in support of DOE weapons programs and have operated at the site since 1957. SNL/KTF has operated as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility since 1961.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Evaluating quantitative 3-D image analysis as a design tool for low enriched uranium fuel compacts for the transient reactor test facility: A preliminary study

In this study, 3-D image analysis when combined with a non-destructive examination technique such as X-ray computed tomography (CT) provides a highly quantitative tool for the investigation of a material’s structure. In this investigation 3-D image analysis and X-ray CT were combined to analyze the microstructure of a preliminary subsized fuel compact for the Transient Reactor Test Facility’s low enriched uranium conversion program to assess the feasibility of the combined techniques for use in the optimization of the fuel compact fabrication process. The quantitative image analysis focused on determining the size and spatial distribution of the surrogate fuel particles and the size, shape, and orientation of voids within the compact. Additionally, the maximum effect of microstructural features on heat transfer through the carbonaceous matrix of the preliminary compact was estimated. The surrogate fuel particles occupied 0.8% of the compact by volume with a log-normal distribution of particle sizes with a mean diameter of 39 μm and a standard deviation of 16 μm. Roughly 39% of the particles had a diameter greater than the specified maximum particle size of 44 μm suggesting that the particles agglomerate during fabrication. The local volume fraction of particles also varies significantly within the compact although uniformities appear to be evenly dispersed throughout the analysed volume. The voids produced during fabrication were on average plate-like in nature with their major axis oriented perpendicular to the compaction direction of the compact. Finally, the microstructure, mainly the large preferentially oriented voids, may cause a small degree of anisotropy in the thermal diffusivity within the compact. α∥/α⊥, the ratio of thermal diffusivities parallel to and perpendicular to the compaction direction are expected to be no less than 0.95 with an upper bound of 1.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

High-Aspect-Ratio Cooling Channel Concept Tested in Lewis' Rocket Engine Test Facility

Rocket combustion chamber walls are exposed to the high-temperature environment caused by the combustion of propellants. Even with the walls actively cooled by the fuel, the hot gases can deteriorate the walls severely and limit any possibility for reusing the combustion chamber. For many years, the NASA Lewis Research Center has performed subscale investigations of potential improved cooling concepts to extend the life and reliability of the combustion chamber. Results from previous subscale tests have shown that, by increasing the coolant channel height-to-width aspect ratio, the rocket combustion chamber hot gas side wall temperature can be reduced by as much as 28 percent, without an increase in the coolant pressure drop. Recently, a series of experiments were completed in Lewis' Rocket Engine Test Facility (RETF) to validate the benefits of high aspect ratio cooling channels with a high-pressure, contoured rocket combustion chamber.

Source record↗

Design of a signal conditioner for the Fermilab Magnet Test Facility

This thesis describes the design of a remotely-programmable signal conditioner for the harmonic measurement of accelerator magnets. A 10-channel signal conditioning circuit featuring bucking capabilities was designed from scratch and implemented to the level of the printed circuit board layout. Other system components were chosen from those available on the market. Software design was started with the definition of routine procedures. This thesis is part of an upgrade project for replacing obsolescent automated test equipment belonging to the Fermilab Magnet Test Facility. The design started with a given set of requirements. Using a top-down approach, all the circuits were designed and their expected performances were theoretically predicted and simulated. A limited prototyping phase followed. The printed circuit boards were laid out and routed using a CAD software and focusing the design on maximum electromagnetic interference immunity. An embedded board was selected for controlling and interfacing the signal conditioning circuitry with the instrumentation network. Basic low level routines for hardware access were defined. This work covered the entire design process of the signal conditioner, resulting in a project ready for manufacturing. The expected performances are in line with the requirements and, in the cases where this was not possible, approval of trade-offs was sought and received from the end users. Part I deals with the global structure of the signal conditioner and the subdivision in functional macro-blocks. Part II treats the hardware design phase in detail, covering the analog and digital circuits, the printed circuit layouts, the embedded controller and the power supply selection. Part III deals with the basic hardware-related routines to be implemented in the final software.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Evaluation of Geopolymer Concrete for Rocket Test Facility Flame Deflectors

The current paper presents results from a combined research effort by Louisiana Tech University (LTU) and NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC) to develop a new alumina-silicate based cementitious binder capable of acting as a high performance refractory material with low heat ablation rate and high early mechanical strength. Such a binder would represent a significant contribution to NASA's efforts to develop a new generation of refractory 'hot face' liners for liquid or solid rocket plume environments. This project was developed as a continuation of on-going collaborations between LTU and SSC, where test sections of a formulation of high temperature geopolymer binder were cast in the floor and walls of Test Stand E-1 Cell 3, an active rocket engine test stand flame trench. Additionally, geopolymer concrete panels were tested using the NASA-SSC Diagnostic Test Facility (DTF) thruster, where supersonic plume environments were generated on a 1ft wide x 2ft long x 6 inch deep refractory panel. The DTF operates on LOX/GH2 propellants producing a nominal thrust of 1,200 lbf and the combustion chamber conditions are Pc=625psig, O/F=6.0. Data collected included high speed video of plume/panel area and surface profiles (depth) of the test panels measured on a 1-inch by 1-inch giving localized erosion rates during the test. Louisiana Tech conducted a microstructure analysis of the geopolymer binder after the testing program to identify phase changes in the material.

Allgood, Daniel C.↗