Apollo wind tunnel testing program - Historical development of general configurations
Apollo wind tunnel test program and configuration design developments
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Apollo wind tunnel test program and configuration design developments
Here, the plasma performance of fusion devices depends strongly on the chosen wall materials. Solid plasma-facing components (PFCs) are predominantly used in present devices, and are the most investigated candidates for fusion designs. High-Z materials such as tungsten (W) are the leading solid PFC material candidates. To date, a material choice that scales to steady-state reactor conditions has not been identified. Moreover, if plasma transient events such as edge-localized modes and disruptions cannot be altogether avoided or sufficiently mitigated, the projected peak heat and particle loads far exceed the power exhaust capabilities of solids. Liquid metal (LM) PFCs represent an intrinsic self-healing boundary that are both resilient to surface damage from transients, and that could handle high steady-state heat and particle fluxes. Flowing LM PFCs can be designed to remove “slag,” the buildup of material erosion due to plasma-material interactions, including charge exchange sputtering in the main chamber. Further, LM offer the prospect to manage hydrogenic species otherwise retained in the PFCs, which is important from a safety and inventory standpoint. The two most promising LMs are lithium (Li) and tin (Sn), although Sn–Li eutectics may be considered. While Sn offers a higher temperature window with low vapor pressure and low hydrogen retention, Li offers the prospect of enhanced energy confinement and higher acceptable core contamination limits, and this section focuses on Li PFCs. An LM PFC development research program developed LM PFC concepts for a nuclear fusion device via engineering design calculations, single-effect experiments, and staged prototypical experiments. A self-consistent design window was identified with liquid Li flow speeds ~5–10 m/s; plasma contamination was negligible for predicted Li evolution rates. While these preconceptual designs hold promise, there is substantial R&D needed to advance the technical readiness levels of LM PFCs for application to fusion power plants.
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Superconducting magnets enable energy-frontier accelerators by generating strong magnetic fields to steer and focus the particles. Although high-temperature superconductors such as REBa 2 Cu 3 O x (, RE = rare earth) hold a strong potential for generating a higher magnetic field than Nb-Ti and Nb 3 Sn , the associated magnet and conductor technology for accelerator applications is still in its infancy. The U.S. Magnet Development Program is developing magnet technology in collaboration with industry. Here we report an experiment of making a dipole magnet called C3 using commercial high-temperature superconducting wires. The magnet, following a canted cos θ design, generated a dipole field of 5.99 T at 4.2 K in its clear aperture of 65 mm at 6.795 kA when a resistive voltage of 105 μ V appeared across one of the coils in the magnet. The stored energy was 53 kJ at the peak field. The magnet showed no degradation in the current-carrying capability at 4.2 K after the thermal cycle. We report on the detailed design, fabrication, and performance of the C3 magnet that can be of interest to potential users of this emerging technology. We also discuss issues and research needs to inform future magnet development. The experiment represented another step to addressing if the high-temperature superconducting accelerator magnet technology can increase the discovery capability of future particle accelerators.
Nb$_{3}$Sn magnets with a nominal operation field of ~15 T are being considered for the large hadron collider (LHC) energy upgrade high-energy large hadron collider (HE-LHC) and a post-LHC future circular collider. To demonstrate the feasibility of 15-T accelerator quality dipole magnets, the U.S. magnet development program is developing a single-aperture 15-T Nb$_{3}$Sn dipole demonstrator based on a 4-layer graded cos-theta coil with 60 mm aperture and cold iron yoke. The main design challenges for 15-T accelerator magnets include large Lorentz forces at this field level. To counteract them, an innovative mechanical structure based on a vertically split iron yoke, locked by large aluminum IC-clamps and supported by a thick stainless steel skin, has been developed at Fermilab. To study the performance of the structure, a parametric multiphysics finite element analysis (FEA) model has been set up. This paper describes the numerical model as well as the results of a sensitivity analysis of the effect of geometrical tolerances and assembly parameters.
The Fuel Cycle Research and Development program of the Office of Nuclear Energy has implemented a program to develop a Uranium-Molybdenum metal fuel for light water reactors. Uranium-Molybdenum fuel has the potential to provide superior performance based on its thermo-physical properties. With sufficient development, it may be able to provide the Light Water Reactor industry with a melt-resistant, accident-tolerant fuel with improved safety response. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been tasked with extrusion development and performing ex-reactor corrosion testing to characterize the performance of Uranium-Molybdenum fuel in both these areas. This report documents the results of the fiscal year 2016 effort to develop the Uranium-Molybdenum metal fuel concept for light water reactors.
The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) at Hanford is being constructed to treat 56 million gallons of radioactive waste currently stored in underground tanks at the Hanford site. Operation of the WTP will generate several solid secondary waste (SSW) streams including used process equipment, contaminated tools and instruments, decontamination wastes, high-efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA), carbon adsorption beds, silver mordenite iodine sorbent beds, and spent ion exchange resins (IXr) all of which are to be disposed in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). An applied research and development program was developed using a phased approach to incrementally develop the information necessary to support the IDF PA with each phase of the testing building on results from the previous set of tests and considering new information from the IDF PA calculations. This report contains the results from the exploratory phase, Phase 1 and preliminary results from Phase 2. Phase 3 is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of FY17.
This report documents the results of the development and the manufacturing experience gained at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) while working with the oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) materials MA 956, 14YWT, and 9YWT. The Fuel Cycle Research and Development program of the Office of Nuclear Energy has implemented a program to develop a Uranium-Molybdenum metal fuel for light water reactors. ODS materials have the potential to provide improved performance for the U-Mo concept.
The Nuclear Technology Research & Development program of the Office of Nuclear Energy has implemented a program to develop an advanced reactor cladding fabrication capability by using the extrusion and pilgering processes. Oxide-dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels are a promising class of advanced materials, but processes need to be developed to produce tubing for these advanced alloys. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has converted its rolling mill into a lab-scale pilger mill, which required designing pilger tooling and rolls that contained multiple pilgering grooves and designing a servo-driven feed mechanism. Upon assembling and checking out the system, initial pilgering runs were completed. This report will provide verification of the design and performance of the lab-scale pilger mill.
The Nuclear Technology Research & Development program of the Office of Nuclear Energy has implemented a program to develop an advanced reactor cladding fabrication capability by using the extrusion and pilgering processes. Oxide-dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels are a promising class of advanced materials, but processes need to be developed to produce tubing for these advanced alloys. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has converted its rolling mill into a lab-scale pilger mill, which required designing pilger tooling and rolls that contained multiple pilgering grooves and designing a servo-driven feed mechanism. Upon assembling and checking out the system, pilgering runs on stainless steel, MA956, and 14YWT iron (Fe)-based alloys were completed. Once the feed rates and rotation rates were established, the reduction schedules were determined. This report will focus on the processing and characterization of pilgered 14YWT thin-wall tubing that was processed from an extruded thick-wall tube using the PNNL laboratory pilger rolling mill. Characterization included optical metallography of the pilgered tube and microhardness of the processed material. The 14YWT characterization is being done in cooperation with researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), with LANL performing mechanical property testing of pilgered 14YWT and 14YWT tubes produced by hydrostatic extrusion at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU).
This SOFC core technology development program will develop an integrated fiber optical sensor technology to perform real-time and high-resolution measurements in both planar and tubular fuel cells and fuel cell assembly to monitor operations and structural changes of SOFCs. The new fiber sensing solution can monitor hundreds of points in the 3D fuel cell structures with 5-mm spatial resolutions using one single optical fiber.
The Nuclear Technology Research & Development program of the Office of Nuclear Energy has implemented a program to develop an advanced reactor cladding fabrication capability by using the extrusion and pilgering processes. Oxide-dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels are a promising class of advanced materials, but processes need to be developed to produce tubing for these advanced alloys. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has converted its rolling mill into a lab-scale pilger mill, which required designing pilger tooling and rolls that contained multiple pilgering grooves and designing a servo-driven feed mechanism. Upon assembling and checking out the system, pilgering runs on stainless steel, MA956, and 14YWT iron (Fe)-based alloys were completed. The feed rates and rotation rates were established, the reduction schedules were determined. This report will provide a description of the lab-scale pilger mill performance and processing results for the stainless steel, MA956, and 14YWT alloys.
Development program for separator and modified polyethylene separator material for silver-zinc battery, and program for development of sealed heat sterilizable batteries
A program to develop criteria for the design of devices that will be used on aircraft to protect passengers and the aircraft structure from the lethal and devastating fragments generated by the disintegration of a gas turbine engine rotor is discussed. Statistics on gas rotor turbine failures that have occurred in commercial aviation in 1971 are presented. It is shown that 124 rotor failures occurred and 35 of these were uncontained. This figure is considered significantly high to justify continuation of the development program.
A finite element velocity potential program was developed to study acoustic wave propagation in complex geometries. For irrotational flows, relatively low sound frequencies, and plane wave input, the finite element solutions showed significant effects of inlet curvature and flow gradients on the attenuation of a given acoustic liner in a realistic variable area turbofan inlet. The velocity potential approach can not be used to estimate the effects of rotational flow on acoustic propagation, since the potential acoustic disturbances propagate at the speed of the media in sheared flow. Approaches are discussed that are being considered for extending the finite element solution to include the far field, as well as the internal portion of the duct. A new matrix partitioning approach is presented that can be incorporated in previously developed programs to allow the finite element calculation to be marched into the far field. The partitioning approach provided a large reduction in computer storage and running times.
A sector combustor technology development program was conducted to define an advanced double annular dome combustor sized for use in the quiet clean short haul experimental engine (QCSEE). A design which meets the emission goals, and combustor performance goals of the QCSEE engine program was developed. Key design features were identified which resulted in substantial reduction in carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon emission levels at ground idle operating conditions, in addition to very low nitric oxide emission levels at high power operating conditions. Their significant results are reported.
A development program was developed to design and improve the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) transmitter and to improve the installation in the aircraft and its activation subsystem. There were 1135 general aviation fixed wing aircraft accident files reviewed. A detailed description of the damage to the aircraft was produced. The search aspects of these accidents were studied. As much information as possible about the ELT units in these cases was collected. The data should assist in establishing installation and mounting criteria, better design standards for activation subsystems, and requirements for the new ELT system design in the area of crashworthiness.
Research and development programs to develop high-strength aluminum alloys and low-cost materials and fabrication techniques for titanium alloys are being conducted. Thirteen aluminum alloy compositions are being evaluated. A section of a production component was fabricated using superplastic forming and diffusion bonding (SPF/DB) and fabrication studies are being conducted on three low temperature forming beta titanium alloys. Cost studies indicate substantial structural cost reduction potentials resulting from the use of both aluminum alloys and low-cost titanium fabrication techniques. Lowest overall costs are indicated for a composite/aluminum or composite titanium structure.