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NASA NTRS1996

Long-term archiving and data access: modelling and standardization

This paper reports on the multiple difficulties inherent in the long-term archiving of digital data, and in particular on the different possible causes of definitive data loss. It defines the basic principles which must be respected when creating long-term archives. Such principles concern both the archival systems and the data. The archival systems should have two primary qualities: independence of architecture with respect to technological evolution, and generic-ness, i.e., the capability of ensuring identical service for heterogeneous data. These characteristics are implicit in the Reference Model for Archival Services, currently being designed within an ISO-CCSDS framework. A system prototype has been developed at the French Space Agency (CNES) in conformance with these principles, and its main characteristics will be discussed in this paper. Moreover, the data archived should be capable of abstract representation regardless of the technology used, and should, to the extent that it is possible, be organized, structured and described with the help of existing standards. The immediate advantage of standardization is illustrated by several concrete examples. Both the positive facets and the limitations of this approach are analyzed. The advantages of developing an object-oriented data model within this contxt are then examined.

Hoc, Claude↗

DOE OSTI2017

Heat deposition analysis for the High Flux Isotope Reactor’s HEU and LEU core models

The High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is an 85 MW th pressurized light-water-cooled and -moderated flux-trap type research reactor. The reactor is used to conduct numerous experiments, advancing various scientific and engineering disciplines. As part of an ongoing program sponsored by the US Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Material Management and Minimization, studies are being performed to assess the feasibility of converting the reactor’s highly enriched uranium fuel to low-enriched uranium fuel. To support this conversion project, reference models with representative experiment target loading and explicit fuel plate representation were developed and benchmarked for both fuels to (1) allow for consistent comparison between designs for both fuel types and (2) assess the potential impact of low-enriched uranium conversion. These high-fidelity models were used to conduct heat deposition analyses at the beginning and end of the reactor cycle and are presented herein. This article (1) discusses the High Flux Isotope Reactor models developed to facilitate detailed heat deposition analyses of the reactor’s highly enriched and low-enriched uranium cores, (2) examines the computational approach for performing heat deposition analysis, which includes a discussion on the methodology for calculating the amount of energy released per fission, heating rates, power and volumetric heating rates, and (3) provides results calculated throughout various regions of the highly enriched and low-enriched uranium core at the beginning and end of the reactor cycle. These are the first detailed high-fidelity heat deposition analyses for the High Flux Isotope Reactor’s highly enriched and low-enriched core models with explicit fuel plate representation. Lastly, these analyses are used to compare heat distributions obtained for both fuel designs at the beginning and end of the reactor cycle, and they are essential for enabling comprehensive thermal hydraulics and safety analyses that require detailed estimates of the heat source within all of the reactor’s fuel element regions.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Reduced-Order CFD Modeling to Support Waste Loading Optimization in Hanford WTP Vitrification

The U.S. DOE Hanford Site stores over 56 million gallons of radioactive liquid tank waste that must be treated and immobilized for long-term disposal The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) will vitrify this waste by feeding it into Joule-heated melters, where it is incorporated into a stable borosilicate glass Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of glass melters can provide insight into the maximum achievable waste loading under varying melter operating conditions Fully resolved VOF multiphase simulations were used as the reference model to capture bubble-driven convection in the melter, including bubble formation, rise behavior, and induced glass melt circulation Effective bubble column diameter and rise velocity were extracted from the resolved simulations, compared with empirical correlations, and refit across relevant viscosity and gas flow rate conditions Explicit gas–liquid interface tracking was replaced with a single-phase momentum source term model, enabling faster steady-state CFD simulations while preserving the dominant hydrodynamic effects of bubbling New empirical correlations were developed for effective bubble column diameter and bubble rise velocity by fitting resolved simulation data across expected melter viscosity and gas flow rate ranges, providing improved inputs for the momentum source term model compared with existing literature correlations The momentum source term model reduced fluid-domain mesh size by 89% and achieved an 8.4× computational speedup relative to resolved bubbling simulations The validated momentum source term approach enables prediction of process-relevant heat transfer behavior in the integrated melter model, including heat transfer from the molten glass to the cold cap, plenum, refractory walls, and surrounding structural regions under varying melter operating conditions

12 - MGMT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTE↗

DOE OSTI2018

Added-mass effects on a horizontal-axis tidal turbine using FAST v8

Added mass on tidal turbine blades has the potential to alter the blade dynamic response, such as natural frequencies and vibration amplitudes, as a response to blade acceleration. Currently, most aeroelastic design tools do not consider such effects as they are complex and expensive to model, and they are not an intrinsic part of most blade-element momentum theory codes, which are commonly used in the tidal energy industry. This article outlines the addition of added-mass effects to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's design tool FAST v8. A verification is presented for a spring-mass system with an initial displacement, and a case study is performed for the Reference Model 1 20-m-diameter tidal turbine. For the 20-m-diameter turbine, it was shown that the natural frequency of vibration is reduced by 65% when added mass is considered. Further, the thrust loads are increased by 2.5% when the blades are excited by a 5% step increase in inflow velocity when added mass is considered. This decrease can have a significant impact on the overall turbine design, as it is important to design the blades with a natural frequency so that they are not excited by the rotor speed and its harmonics, wherein aerodynamic excitation can lead to fatigue damage. However, it was shown that when turbulent inflow with an intensity of 20% was modeled, there was almost no impact on the loads and blade displacement with added-mass effects except for a small difference in the fatigue response of the blade to turbulent load fluctuations.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Convective Biases in the US DOE Global Storm‐Resolving Model: Insights From Regionally Refined Simulations During the CACTI Campaign

Accurately simulating convective processes in complex terrain remains a critical challenge for global storm-resolving models (GSRMs). This study systematically evaluates moist convective biases in the Regionally Refined Mesh configuration of the U.S. Department of Energy Simple Cloud-Resolving E3SM Atmosphere Model (RRM-SCREAM) using comprehensive observations and large-eddy simulations from the Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) campaign in the mountainous area of central Argentina. Comparisons of simulations with high-resolution observations and reanalysis data indicate that RRM-SCREAM effectively captures large-scale meteorological patterns, including regional atmospheric gradients and diurnal variability. However, RRM-SCREAM disproportionately produces smaller precipitation clusters referred to as “popcorn convection,” and exaggerated rainfall intensities compared to observations and reference models. Detailed examination of a representative orographic shallow-to-deep convective transition case shows that RRM-SCREAM delays initial shallow convection growth due to lower-tropospheric dryness and sustained convective inhibition, but once triggered, deep convection becomes overly vigorous with excessively strong vertical velocities and elevated cloud ice content, linked to a thermodynamic structure characterized by suppressed low-level moistening and excessive upper-level moisture retention. Our results highlight specific deficiencies in the model representation of convective vertical velocity, cloud microphysical processes, and convective precipitation organization within RRM-SCREAM. Addressing these biases is essential for improving the predictions of convective clouds and precipitation in the global high-resolution atmospheric models.

Su, Tianning [Lawrence Livermore National Laborato↗

DOE OSTI2017

Integration of the ITER Tokamak C-model with the Building Model

The pellet injector system is designed to accommodate the requirement of continuous plasma refueling during ITER Tokamak operations. Through pellet flight tubes/injection lines, the pellets can directly reach the interior of the tokamak vacuum vessel. The pellet injector system is located at a port cell outside of the Tokamak bio-shield. The plasma radiation source in the tokamak vacuum vessel, together with the highly activated surrounding water in port cells, present major radiation challenges for the pellet injector system during ITER operation and after shutdown. These sources produce a radiation field encompassing the entire Tokamak complex. The ITER neutronics reference model C-model is an ITER radiation transport model. It represents a 40 deg. regular torus sector out to the bio-shield, which consists of 38 individual systems. The Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) input of the C-model consists of more than a hundred thousand cell definitions and surface definitions, and over three hundred material compositions. The latest tokamak complex MCNP model is significantly more detailed than any previous releases. It consists of 36,863 cell definitions, 57,105 surface definitions, and a total of 21 different types of materials. The C-model and tokamak building model share the bio-shield as the boundary between them. In general, the radiation fields in the building due to the plasma source during tokamak operation are determined by generating the radiation source in the inner faces of the bio-shield. An inherent limitation of this approach is that it can only approximate the directions in which streaming paths are produced through the bio-shield plugs. To better estimate the shutdown dose rate for the pellet injector system due to the plasma source, we have decided to integrate the tokamak model (C-model) with the complex building model. Both MCNP models are provided by the ITER International Organization (IO) to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Radiation Transport (RT) group.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS1986

Design of adaptive control systems by means of self-adjusting transversal filters

The design of closed-loop adaptive control systems based on nonparametric identification was addressed. Implementation is by self-adjusting Least Mean Square (LMS) transversal filters. The design concept is Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC). Major issues are to preserve the linearity of the error equations of each LMS filter, and to prevent estimation bias that is due to process or measurement noise, thus providing necessary conditions for the convergence and stability of the control system. The controlled element is assumed to be asymptotically stable and minimum phase. Because of the nonparametric Finite Impulse Response (FIR) estimates provided by the LMS filters, a-priori information on the plant model is needed only in broad terms. Following a survey of control system configurations and filter design considerations, system implementation is shown here in Single Input Single Output (SISO) format which is readily extendable to multivariable forms. In extensive computer simulation studies the controlled element is represented by a second-order system with widely varying damping, natural frequency, and relative degree.

Merhav, S. J.↗

DOE OSTI2016

Mechanical Design Studies of the MQXF Long Model Quadrupole for the HiLumi LHC

The Large Hadron Collider Luminosity upgrade (HiLumi) program requires new low-β triplet quadrupole magnets, called MQXF, in the Interaction Region (IR) to increase the LHC peak and integrated luminosity. The MQXF magnets, designed and fabricated in collaboration between CERN and the U.S. LARP, will all have the same cross section. The MQXF long model, referred as MQXFA, is a quadrupole using the Nb3Sn superconducting technology with 150 mm aperture and a 4.2 m magnetic length and is the first long prototype of the final MQXF design. The MQXFA magnet is based on the previous LARP HQ and MQXFS designs. In this paper we present the baseline design of the MQXFA structure with detailed 3D numerical analysis. A detailed tolerance analysis of the baseline case has been performed by using a 3D finite element model, which allows fast computation of structures modelled with actual tolerances. Tolerance sensitivity of each component is discussed to verify the actual tolerances to be achieved by vendors. In conclusion, tolerance stack-up analysis is presented in the end of this paper.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

NASA NTRS1993

Takeoff/approach noise for a model counterrotation propeller with a forward-swept upstream rotor

A scale model of a counterrotating propeller with forward-swept blades in the forward rotor and aft-swept blades in the aft rotor (designated F39/A31) has been tested in the NASA Lewis 9- by 15-Foot Anechoic Wind Tunnel. This paper presents aeroacoustic results at a takeoff/approach condition of Mach 0.20. Laser Doppler velocimeter results taken in a plane between the two rotors are also included to quantify the interaction flow field. The intention of the forward-swept design is to reduce the magnitude of the forward rotor tip vortex and/or wakes which impinge on the aft rotor, thus lowering the interaction tone levels. A reference model propeller (designated F31/A31), having aft-swept blades in both rotors, was also tested. Aeroelastic performance of the F39/A31 propeller was disappointing. The forward rotor tip region tended to untwist toward higher effective blade angles under load. The forward rotor also exhibited steady state blade flutter at speeds and loadings well below the design condition. The noise results, based on sideline acoustic data, show that the interaction tone levels were up to 8 dB higher with the forward-swept design compared to those for the reference propeller at similar operating conditions, with these tone level differences extending down to lower propeller speeds where flutter did not occur. These acoustic results are for a poorly-performing forward-swept propeller. It is quite possible that a properly-designed forward-swept propeller would exhibit substantial interaction tone level reductions.

Woodward, Richard P.↗

DOE OSTI2015

Secondary antiprotons as a Galactic Dark Matter probe

We present a novel determination of the astrophysical uncertainties associated to the secondary antiproton flux originating from cosmic-ray spallation on the interstellar gas. We select a set of propagation models compatible with the recent B/C data from PAMELA, and find those providing minimal and maximal antiproton fluxes in different energy ranges. We use this result to determine the most conservative bounds on relevant Dark Matter (DM) annihilation channels: we find that the recent claim of a DM interpretation of a gamma-ray excess in the Galactic Center region cannot be ruled out by current antiproton data. Finally, we discuss the impact of the recently released preliminary data from AMS-02. In particular, we provide a reference model compatible with proton, helium and B/C spectra from this experiment. Remarkably, the main propagation parameters of this model are in agreement with the best fit presented in our earlier statistical analyses. We also show that the antiproton-to-proton ratio does not exhibit any significant anomaly at high energy with respect to our predictions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS2002

Application of Sliding Mode Methods to the Design of Reconfigurable Flight Control Systems

Observer-based sliding mode control is investigated for application to aircraft reconfigurable flight control. A comprehensive overview of reconfigurable flight control is given, including, a review of the current state-of-the-art within the subdisciplines of fault detection, parameter identification, adaptive control schemes, and dynamic control allocation. Of the adaptive control methods reviewed, sliding mode control (SMC) appears very promising due its property of invariance to matched uncertainty. An overview of sliding mode control is given and its remarkable properties are demonstrated by example. Sliding mode methods, however, are difficult to implement because unmodeled parasitic dynamics cause immediate and severe instability. This presents a challenge for all practical applications with limited bandwidth actuators. One method to deal with parasitic dynamics is the use of an asymptotic observer in the feedback path. Observer-based SMC is investigated, and a method for selecting observer gains is offered. An additional method for shaping the feedback loop using a filter is also developed. It is shown that this SMC prefilter is equivalent to a form of model reference hedging. A complete design procedure is given which takes advantage of the sliding mode boundary layer to recast the SMC as a linear control law. Frequency domain loop shaping is then used to design the sliding manifold. Finally, three aircraft applications are demonstrated. An F-18/HARV is used to demonstrate a SISO pitch rate tracking controller. It is also used to demonstrate a MIMO lateral-directional roll rate tracking controller. The last application is a full linear six degree-of-freedom advanced tailless fighter model. The observer-based SMC is seen to provide excellent tracking with superior robustness to parameter changes and actuator failures.

Wells, Scott R.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Zero Trust Strategies for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Detection Systems: D.1 Cyber Scenarios

The evolving landscape of cybersecurity necessitates a paradigm shift to a Zero Trust (ZT) model, which assumes breaches and continuously verifies trust. This approach reshapes how trust boundaries are established, focusing on identities, devices, networks, applications, and data, rather than solely relying on perimeter defenses such as firewalls. Central to this transformation is the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Special Publication 800-207, outlining the Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), along with Executive Order 14028, which mandates federal agencies to adopt ZT principles. Complementary to these efforts, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) developed the Zero Trust Maturity Model (ZTMM), providing a framework with five pillars and three cross-cutting capabilities to guide agencies toward enhanced cybersecurity maturity. In support of these initiatives, the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) is applying ZT principles to secure Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) detection systems. Recognizing the diverse deployment models and network connectivity of these systems—from stationary, non-networked units to mobile, cloud-connected devices—the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is developing cybersecurity scenarios specifically for CBRN environments. These scenarios examine various configurations and technological capabilities, offering insights into the application of ZTMM pillars in enhancing the security postures of CBRN devices. The cybersecurity scenarios presented by PNNL are hypothetical, crafted to explore theoretical situations and stimulate discussion on the potential use or compromise of CBRN detection systems in varied contexts. These narratives are illustrative and do not reference any real events or actual networks. Instead, they employ generalized reference models to highlight concepts and potential issues within CBRN security, focusing on how Zero Trust strategies can be adapted to address these challenges effectively.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

NASA NTRS1998

Modelling and Estimation of Dynamic Ocean Topography Within Global Geopotential Solutions

In this poster, we will present a report on the ongoing investigation "Improved Gravitational and Dynamic Height Models Through the use of Oceanographic Data." we have used a two year mean (1993-1994) of the Dynamic ocean Topography (DOT) field implied by the Semtner and Chervin POCM_4B model, and developed normal equations in surface spherical harmonics to degree and order 30. These normal equations, were combined with normal equations derived from TOPEX and ERS-1 altimeter data over the same time period. Combination solutions (based on satellite tracking data, altimeter data, surface gravity data and OCM data) were were developed Test solutions were obtained estimating the DOT field to 2Ox2O and 3ox3O. These solutions were tested with independent DOT values computed over 38 WOCE hydrographic sections, which contained a total of 3072 stations and represented 216000 km of travelled lines. The weighted standard deviation of the differences between the DOT obtained from the hydrographic data and and the field estimated from the joint combination solutions was computed for each of the test models, the weighted standard deviation for the baseline combination solution excluding the POCM4_B data was 9.7 cm for a DOT solution to 30x30, where introducing the POCM4_B data into the combination model reduced the standard deviation to 9.2 cm, indicating the the introduction of oceanographic information benefits the solution for the dynamic ocean topography. We will discuss the weighting schemes applied and the method of solution. Another aspect of our investigation involves testing alternate parametric representations of the dynamic height field. We looked at the alternative representations in terms of the Proudman functions (PF), and compared these to the use of spherical harmonics (SH) to represent the dynamic ocean topography, using once again the 1993 and 1994 output of the POCM4_B OCM as the reference model. A significant advantage of PF's over SH's is that the former require no "fill-in" values over areas where the DOT is undefined. We show that the PF and SH results using equal number of parameters agree quite well in overall content. In addition, PFs appear better suited for representation of high frequency signals close to the signal boundary. The development of the PF solutions for the DOT will be described and the statistics of the comparisons will be presented.

Lemoine, Frank G.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Optimal Control Modification Adaptive Law for Time-Scale Separated Systems

Recently a new optimal control modification has been introduced that can achieve robust adaptation with a large adaptive gain without incurring high-frequency oscillations as with the standard model-reference adaptive control. This modification is based on an optimal control formulation to minimize the L2 norm of the tracking error. The optimal control modification adaptive law results in a stable adaptation in the presence of a large adaptive gain. This study examines the optimal control modification adaptive law in the context of a system with a time scale separation resulting from a fast plant with a slow actuator. A singular perturbation analysis is performed to derive a modification to the adaptive law by transforming the original system into a reduced-order system in slow time. A model matching conditions in the transformed time coordinate results in an increase in the actuator command that effectively compensate for the slow actuator dynamics. Simulations demonstrate effectiveness of the method.

Nguyen, Nhan T.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Optimal Control Modification for Robust Adaptation of Singularly Perturbed Systems with Slow Actuators

Recently a new optimal control modification has been introduced that can achieve robust adaptation with a large adaptive gain without incurring high-frequency oscillations as with the standard model-reference adaptive control. This modification is based on an optimal control formulation to minimize the L2 norm of the tracking error. The optimal control modification adaptive law results in a stable adaptation in the presence of a large adaptive gain. This study examines the optimal control modification adaptive law in the context of a system with a time scale separation resulting from a fast plant with a slow actuator. A singular perturbation analysis is performed to derive a modification to the adaptive law by transforming the original system into a reduced-order system in slow time. The model matching conditions in the transformed time coordinate results in increase in the feedback gain and modification of the adaptive law.

Nguyen, Nhan T.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Optimal Control Modification for Time-Scale Separated Systems

Adaptive Control↗

NASA NTRS1993

Stability and instability of thermocapillary convection in models of the float-zone crystal-growth process

This project was concerned with the determination of conditions of guaranteed stability and instability for thermocapillary convection in a model of the float-zone crystal-growth process. This model, referred to as the half-zone, was studied extensively, both experimentally and theoretically. Our own earlier research determined, using energy-stability theory, sufficient conditions for stability to axisymmetric disturbances. Nearly all results computed were for the case of a liquid with Prandtl Number Pr = 1. Attempts to compute cases for higher Prandtl numbers to allow comparison with the experimental results of other researchers were unsuccessful, but indicated that the condition guaranteeing stability against axisymmetric disturbances would be a value of the Marangoni number (Ma), significantly higher than that at which oscillatory convection was observed experimentally. Thus, additional results were needed to round out the stability picture for this model problem. The research performed under this grant consisted of the following: (1) computation of energy-stability limits for non-axisymmetric disturbances; (2) computation of linear-stability limits for axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric disturbances; (3) numerical simulation of the basic state for half- and full-zones with a deformable free surface; and (4) incorporation of radiation heat transfer into a model energy-stability problem. Each of these is summarized briefly below.

Neitzel, G. P.↗

NASA NTRS2007

Observations on Cost Modeling and Performance Measurement of Long Term Archives

This paper describes a prototype suite of Excel-based tools that could be used for estimating lifecycle costs for newly planned or modified long-term archival facilities. These tools may also prove valuable for monitoring the long-term performance of such facilities once operational. Cost estimation is by analogy, using statistical curve-fitting techniques across a database of comparable data activities. The database currently includes 29 operational data centers ranging from small (2 FTEs) to large (66 FTEs), and is readily expandable to include additional activities specifically involving data preservation and added value. Each comparable data center is described in terms of its staffing, throughput workload, archival and distribution requirements, levels of user service, overall complexity, degree of automation, and other data, comprising 94 distinct descriptors in all. The descriptors were developed by normalizing heterogeneous data from the various centers and mapping them into an Excel framework consistent with the OAIS reference model. A user-friendly tool is provided for generating input to and updating the comparables database. This tool can also be used to benchmark the performance (in terms of cost versus throughput) of an operational data center, and to update the staffing, cost and workload data on a periodic basis. The comparables database could thus provide a history of staffing and throughput over time, as a means of performance monitoring and providing feedback for continuous improvement. Ancillary tools are also provided for performing "what-if' cost exercises for planning purposes, and for graphical display of data and results. We provide a high-level description of the tools; present our experiences and observations on gathering the information and maintaining the database; and discuss how this tool set might be applied to long term archives.

Fontaine, Kathy↗