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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 739 records · Page 41
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Examining the Ice-Nucleating Particles from the Eastern North Atlantic (ExINP-ENA) (Field Campaign Report)

The Examining the Ice-Nucleating Particles from the Eastern North Atlantic (ExINP-ENA) field campaign was conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s Eastern North Atlantic (ENA) observatory on Graciosa Island, Azores (39.0916° N, 28.0257° W). The ExINP-ENA campaign began on October 1, 2020, and collected data until March 28, 2021, for a total of 179 days of data generated, with a 45-day intensive operational period (IOP) from October 10 to November 24. This campaign was funded by the DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program through grant DE-SC001879. This grant contains funding for three field campaigns. The previous field campaign at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in Oklahoma, ExINP-SGP, was completed in 2020 (36.6073° N, 97.4876° W), and the upcoming field campaign at the North Slope of Alaska (NSA), ExINP-NSA, will take place from October 2021 at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Barrow Atmospheric Baseline Observatory (71.3230° N, 156.6114° W).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Experimental Data Curation at Large Instrument Facilities with Open Source Software

The National Synchrotron Light Source II operating at Brookhaven National Laboratory since 2014 for the US Department of Energy is one of the newest and brightest storage-ring synchrotron facility in the world. NSLS-II, like other facilities, provides pre-processing of the raw data and some analysis capabilities to its users. We describe the research collaborations and open source infrastructure developed at large instrument facilities such as NSLS-II for the purpose of curating high value scientific data along the early stages of the data lifecycle. Data acquisition and curation tasks include storing experiment configuration, detector metadata, raw data acquisition with infrastructure that converts proprietary instrument formats to industry standards. In addition, we describe a specific effort for discovering sample information at NSLS-II and tracing the provenance of analysis performed on acquired images. We show that curation tasks must be embedded into software along the data life cycle for effectiveness and ease of use, and that loosely defined collaborations evolve around shared open source tools. Finally we discuss best practices for experimental metadata capture in such facilities, data access and the new challenges of scale and complexity posed by AI-based discovery for the synthesis of new materials.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
NASA NTRS1989

Support for life-cycle product reuse in NASA's SSE

The Software Support Environment (SSE) is a software factory for the production of Space Station Freedom Program operational software. The SSE is to be centrally developed and maintained and used to configure software production facilities in the field. The PRC product TTCQF provides for an automated qualification process and analysis of existing code that can be used for software reuse. The interrogation subsystem permits user queries of the reusable data and components which have been identified by an analyzer and qualified with associated metrics. The concept includes reuse of non-code life-cycle components such as requirements and designs. Possible types of reusable life-cycle components include templates, generics, and as-is items. Qualification of reusable elements requires analysis (separation of candidate components into primitives), qualification (evaluation of primitives for reusability according to reusability criteria) and loading (placing qualified elements into appropriate libraries). There can be different qualifications for different installations, methodologies, applications and components. Identifying reusable software and related components is labor-intensive and is best carried out as an integrated function of an SSE.

Shotton, Charles↗
NASA NTRS1990

The GEO platform

NASA plans for a Geostationary Earth Observatory (GEO) platform meant to operate in conjunction with the polar orbiting Earth Observing System (EOS) are discussed. The scientific goals of the GEO platform are summarized, and the facility's instruments are examined, including the microwave precipitation radiometer, atmospheric profiler, earth processes spectrometer, advanced lightning mapper, high resolution earth processes imager, operational instrument suite, solar constant and spectrum monitors, earth climate sensor, and trace gas imager. The GEO system to provide data and information to users is addressed.

Koczor, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Ground Software Maintenance Facility (GSMF) user's manual. Appendices NASA-CR-178806 NAS 1.26:178806 Rept-41849-G159-026-App HC A05/MF A01

Procedures are presented that allow the user to assemble tasks, link, compile, backup the system, generate/establish/print display pages, cancel tasks in memory, and to TET an assembly task without having to enter the commands every time. A list of acronyms is provided. Software identification, payload checkout unit operating system services, data base generation, and MITRA operating procedures are also discussed.

Aquila, V.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Software Tools for Developing and Simulating the NASA LaRC CMF Motion Base

The NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Cockpit Motion Facility (CMF) motion base has provided many design and analysis challenges. In the process of addressing these challenges, a comprehensive suite of software tools was developed. The software tools development began with a detailed MATLAB/Simulink model of the motion base which was used primarily for safety loads prediction, design of the closed loop compensator and development of the motion base safety systems1. A Simulink model of the digital control law, from which a portion of the embedded code is directly generated, was later added to this model to form a closed loop system model. Concurrently, software that runs on a PC was created to display and record motion base parameters. It includes a user interface for controlling time history displays, strip chart displays, data storage, and initializing of function generators used during motion base testing. Finally, a software tool was developed for kinematic analysis and prediction of mechanical clearances for the motion system. These tools work together in an integrated package to support normal operations of the motion base, simulate the end to end operation of the motion base system providing facilities for software-in-the-loop testing, mechanical geometry and sensor data visualizations, and function generator setup and evaluation.

Bryant, Richard B., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2024

FY24 accomplishments in preparation for startup of Activated Materials Laboratory (AML)

The Activated Materials Laboratory (AML) will be a new radiological facility at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) in Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), adjacent to the high-energy x-ray microscopy (HEXM) beamline in the long beamline building (LBB) constructed under the APS-upgrade (APS-U) project. The AML is a centralized facility to facilitate the safe conduct of experiments on activated materials at the APS. This report provides an overview of the status of the AML as a Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) partner user facility in preparation for the general user access in 2025 upon the commissioning of the APS-U beamlines. The AML's scope, functionality and components are detailed. The NSUF partner beamlines’ commissioning status in the post-APS-U era is provided, along with the AML’s operational updates and operational plan.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2009

Integrated System Health Management: Foundational Concepts, Approach, and Implementation.

Implementation of integrated system health management (ISHM) capability is fundamentally linked to the management of data, information, and knowledge (DIaK) with the purposeful objective of determining the health of a system. It is akin to having a team of experts who are all individually and collectively observing and analyzing a complex system, and communicating effectively with each other in order to arrive to an accurate and reliable assessment of its health. We present concepts, procedures, and a specific approach as a foundation for implementing a credible ISHM capability. The capability stresses integration of DIaK from all elements of a system. The intent is also to make possible implementation of on-board ISHM capability, in contrast to a remote capability. The information presented is the result of many years of research, development, and maturation of technologies, and of prototype implementations in operational systems (rocket engine test facilities). The paper will address the following topics: 1. ISHM Model of a system 2. Detection of anomaly indicators. 3. Determination and confirmation of anomalies. 4. Diagnostic of causes and determination of effects. 5. Consistency checking cycle. 6. Management of health information 7. User Interfaces 8. Example implementation ISHM has been defined from many perspectives. We define it as a capability that might be achieved by various approaches. We describe a specific approach that has been matured throughout many years of development, and pilot implementations. ISHM is a capability that is achieved by integrating data, information, and knowledge (DIaK) that might be distributed throughout the system elements (which inherently implies capability to manage DIaK associated with distributed sub-systems). DIaK must be available to any element of a system at the right time and in accordance with a meaningful context. ISHM Functional Capability Level (FCL) is measured by how well a system performs the following functions: (1) detect anomalies, (2) diagnose causes, (3) predict future anomalies/failures, and (4) provide the user with an integrated awareness about the condition of every element in the system and guide user decisions.

Figueroa, Fernando↗
DOE OSTI2018

User Guide for the Public PC and NGCC CO 2 Capture Retrofit Database Models

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has produced three carbon capture retrofit databases (CCRDs), which contain a collection of units selected from the power generation and industrial sources (IND) sectors located in the United States that are either in operating or standby status. The power generation category is subdivided into the post-combustion (PC) CCRD – containing coal-fired and atmospheric fluidized bed (AFB) units – and the natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) CCRD – containing natural gas-fired combined cycle and combined cycle single shaft units. The IND CCRD contains facilities from the ammonia, cement, ethanol, hydrogen, and natural gas processing industries. Public versions of these databases were created for use by individuals interested in exploring the impact of retrofitting plants with carbon capture. The power versions contain data from the NETL baseline reports as examples of information that a user can enter for plants of interest. This report is intended to provide a general guide to each of the power CCRDs. Efforts have been made to ensure similarities between each of the CCRDs. However, as the sources of CO 2 vary, differences will exist – most notably in the IND CCRD. Therefore, the PC and NGCC CCRDs are discussed in this guide.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Plant Water Profiler: A Water Balance and True Cost of Water Calculator for Manufacturing Plants

As the uncertainty of a sustained water supply, regulatory constraints, competition among end users, and public scrutiny increases, a growing number of manufacturing sectors are adapting to current and emerging water-related risks by optimizing productivity and reducing waste. As a step toward increasing water use efficiency and making informed business decisions, corporations must make an effort to understand and track their water demands, losses, and costs associated with each subsystem within their facilities. Manufacturers are often unaware of the “true cost of water” (i.e., the total costs associated with procurement, treatment, and consumption of water, and wastewater disposal), which reduces the visibility of the actual impact of water-saving measures. To help manufacturers account for water procurement and use in manufacturing operations, quantify the true cost of water, and identify potential areas for water and associated energy cost savings, an open access tool—Plant Water Profiler (PWP)—was developed. The tool is based on water mass balance analysis and has been adopted as the core analysis tool for plant water use assessments, Water In-Plant Training (Water INPLT), as part of the US Department of Energy’s Better Plants program. During three pilot INPLTs conducted in 2019 at three manufacturing facilities, the PWP tool allowed users to understand water flows within the facilities and provided additional capabilities to analyze their water use. This paper describes the methodology behind the PWP tool and its implementation through pilot Water INPLT trainings delivered in three manufacturing facilities in the United States. The three case studies demonstrate opportunities to improve water efficiency and reduce associated costs and the challenges encountered in three different manufacturing sectors.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2016

Local Aqueous Solvation Structure Around Ca2+ During Ca2+---Cl– Pair Formation

The molecular details of single ion solvation around Ca2+ and ion-pairing of Ca2--Cl- are investigated using ab initio molecular dynamics. The use of empirical dispersion corrections to the BLYP functional are investigated by comparison to experimentally available extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements, which probes the first solvation shell in great detail. Besides finding differences in the free-energy for both ion-pairing and the coordination number of ion solvation between the quantum and classical descriptions of interaction, there were important differences found between dispersion corrected and uncorrected density functional theory (DFT). Specifically, we show significantly different free-energy landscapes for both coordination number of Ca2+ and its ion-pairing with Cl- depending on the DFT simulation protocol. Our findings produce a self-consistent treatment of short-range solvent response to the ion and the intermediate to long-range collective response of the electrostatics of the ion-ion interaction to produce a detailed picture of ion-pairing that is consistent with experiment. MDB is supported by MS3 (Materials Synthesis and Simulation Across Scales) Initiative at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. It was conducted under the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program at PNNL, a multiprogram national laboratory operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy. CJM acknowledges support from US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences. This research used resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, a DOE Office of Science User Facility supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. Additional computing resources were generously allocated by PNNL's Institutional Computing program. The authors thank Prof. Tom Beck for discussions regarding QCT, and Drs. Greg Schenter and Shawn Kathmann for insightful comments.

Baer, Marcel D.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Soft x-ray scattering facility at the Advanced Light Source with real-time data processing and analysis

We present the development and characterization of a dedicated resonant soft x-ray scattering facility. Capable of operation over a wide energy range, the beamline and endstation are primarily used for scattering from soft matter systems around the carbon K-edge ({approx}285 eV). We describe the specialized design of the instrument and characteristics of the beamline. Operational characteristics of immediate interest to users such as polarization control, degree of higher harmonic spectral contamination, and detector noise are delineated. Of special interest is the development of a higher harmonic rejection system that improves the spectral purity of the x-ray beam. Special software and a user-friendly interface have been implemented to allow real-time data processing and preliminary data analysis simultaneous with data acquisition.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2011

"Dedicated To The Continued Education, Training and Demonstration of PEM Fuel Cell Powered Lift Trucks In Real-World Applications."

The project objective was to further assist in the commercialization of fuel cell and H2 technology by building further upon the successful fuel cell lift truck deployments that were executed by LiftOne in 2007, with longer deployments of this technology in real-world applications. We involved facilities management, operators, maintenance personnel, safety groups, and Authorities Having Jurisdiction. LiftOne strived to educate a broad group from many areas of industry and the community as to the benefits of this technology. Included were First Responders from the local areas. We conducted month long deployments with end-users to validate the value proposition and the market requirements for fuel cell powered lift trucks. Management, lift truck operators, Authorities Having Jurisdiction and the general public experienced 'hands on' fuel cell experience in the material handling applications. We partnered with Hydrogenics in the execution of the deployment segment of the program. Air Products supplied the compressed H2 gas and the mobile fueler. Data from the Fuel Cell Power Packs and the mobile fueler was sent to the DOE and NREL as required. Also, LiftOne conducted the H2 Education Seminars on a rotating basis at their locations for lift trucks users and for other selected segments of the community over the project's 36 month duration. Executive Summary The technology employed during the deployments program was not new, as the equipment had been used in several previous demos and early adoptions within the material handling industry. This was the case with the new HyPx Series PEM - Fuel Cell Power Packs used, which had been demo'd before during the 2007 Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge. The Air Products HF-150 Fueler was used outdoors during the deployments and had similarly been used for many previous demo programs. The methods used centered on providing this technology as the power for electric sit-down lift trucks at high profile companies operating large fleets. As a long-standing lift truck dealership, LiftOne was able to introduce the fuel cells to such companies in the demanding applications. Accomplishments vs Objectives: We were successful in respect to the stated objectives. The Education Segment's H2 Education Sessions were able to introduce fuel cell technology to many companies and reached the intended broad audience. Also, demos of the lift truck at the sessions as well as the conferences; expos and area events provided great additional exposure. The Deployments were successful in allowing the 6 participating companies to test the 2 fuel cell powered lift trucks in their demanding applications. One of the 6 sites (BMW) eventually adopted over 80 fuel cells from Plug Power. LiftOne was one of the 3 fuel cell demonstrators at BMW for this trial and played a major role in helping to prove the viability and efficiency of this alternative form of energy for BMW. The other 5 companies that participated in the project's deployments were encouraged by the trials and while not converting over to fuel cell power at this time, expressed the desire to revisit acquisition scenarios in the near future as the cost of fuel cells and infrastructure continue to improve. The Education sessions began in March of 2009 at the 7 LiftOne Branches and continued throughout the duration of the project. Attendees came from a large base of lift truck users in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The sessions were free and invitations were sent out to potential users and companies with intrigue. In addition to the Education content at the sessions (which was offered in a 'H2 101' format), LiftOne was able to demonstrate a working fuel cell powered lift truck, which proved to be a big draw with the 'hands on' experience. LiftOne also demo'd the fuel cell lift trucks at many conferences, expos, professional association meetings, trade shows and 'Green' events in major cities region including Charlotte, Greenville, and Columbia. Such events allowed for H2 Education Material to be presented, and recruit attendees for future sessions. The Deployments began in May '09 and continued through August'10. While the overall results were good, there were some technical problems with the fuel cells at times during the trials. These items are detailed in the attachment provided with this submission. There were never any safety issues during the trials as design features and diagnostic capabilities allowed for quick analysis and field repairs. There were no products developed during this award, as we demo'd existing products. During the project, Tom Dever was able to speak at several panel type discussions and presentations at the NHA/ Fuel Cell & H2 Energy Annual Conference, as well as at the Promat Show in Chicago. Expertise and deployment/ education experiences were imparted during these events. The presentations are included as attachments.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

ARM FY2022 Radar Plan

The fundamental objective of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) radar facility is to provide high-quality radar observations to the scientific user community with an overarching goal of improving the treatment of clouds and precipitation in climate models. ARM has a complement of 32 radars, including scanning and zenith pointing varieties (Table 1). The effort to maintain and operate these radars is significant and requires a large, distributed staffing commitment. However, at available staffing levels, ARM’s experience dictates that it is not feasible to ensure the continuous, high-level operations expected by the ARM user community for all radars at all locations at all times. Therefore, priorities must be established to routinely manage select radar operations every fiscal year.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Profiling at Oliktok Point to Enhance Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) Experiments (POPEYE) Field Campaign Report

The arctic region is rapidly evolving, and enhanced predictive capabilities, for both weather and climate, are urgently required. Therefore, the international community is executing an extended period of focused observations and modeling of the arctic environment, dubbed the Year of Polar Prediction or YOPP. The YOPP featured two special observing periods (SOPs) (and will feature a third in 2020). The first of the completed SOPs occurred in the spring of 2018, and the second during the late summer and early fall of 2018. Here, we summarize the deployment of additional U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility resources to the third ARM Mobile Facility (AMF3) at Oliktok Point, Alaska during the second three-month SOP (1 July 2018–30 September 2018). This deployment, named POPEYE (Profiling at Oliktok Point to Enhance YOPP Experiments), included the launching of extra radiosondes (one more per day) and operation of ARM-operated unmanned aircraft (DataHawk 2s) and ARM-operated tethered balloons. These instruments conducted routine profiling activities over the course of the special observing period to obtain measurements of atmospheric thermodynamic structure, cloud and precipitation properties, and aerosol properties. These measurements are expected to be used for a variety of purposes, including: 1) to conduct detailed studies of arctic cloud and aerosol processes; 2) to inform YOPP modeling efforts through real-time availability for assimilation into operational and research analysis products; 3) to evaluate and improve retrieval algorithms involving ARM remote sensors; 4) to evaluate and improve a variety of modeling tools being used to forecast arctic weather and climate; and 5) to initialize and evaluate simulations associated with a potential arctic large-eddy (LES) simulation framework similar to the ongoing LES ARM Symbiotic Simulation and Observation (LASSO) project.

Oliktok Point, Arctic processes, unmanned aerial v↗
DOE OSTI2016

Development and Application of the Stakeholder Tool for Assessing Radioactive Transportation (START) - 16516

The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy is laying the groundwork for implementing interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) pursuant to the Administration's Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste. This effort includes planning to address technical and logistical aspects of transporting SNF to an interim storage facility. A key project component is the development and utilization of a decision-support tool to evaluate transportation routing options and emergency preparedness. START (Stakeholder Tool for Assessing Radioactive Transportation) is a web-based application that utilizes geographic information systems (GIS) technology to represent transportation network operations as well as proximate features, such as tribal lands, emergency response capability, schools and environmentally-sensitive areas. Modes and routes between shipment origins and destinations designated by the user can be evaluated according to multiple routing criteria, and users can impose constraints that require the route to pass through or avoid specified locations. Considerable information is produced describing route efficiency, safety, security and environmental exposure that enable stakeholders to understand the implications of alternative route options. This paper describes START's capabilities and illustrates its use. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

Validation of Non-Invasive Waste Assay System (Gamma Box Counter) Performance at AECL Whiteshell Laboratories - 13136

Low-level radioactive waste (LLW) in solid form, resulting from decommissioning and operations activities at AECL's Whiteshell Laboratories (WL), is packaged in B-25 and B-1000 standard waste containers and characterized before it is shipped to an on-site interim storage facility, pending AECL decisions on long term management of its LLW. Assay of the waste packages before shipment contributes to an inventory of the interim storage facility and provides data to support acceptance at a future repository. A key characterization step is a gamma spectrometric measurement carried out under standard conditions using an automated, multi-detector Waste Assay System (WAS), purchased from Antech Corporation. A combination of ORTEC gamma acquisition software and custom software is used in this system to incorporate multiple measurements from two collimated high-resolution detectors. The software corrects the intensities of the gamma spectral lines for geometry and attenuation, and generates a table of calculated activities or limits of detection for a user-defined list of radioisotopes that may potentially be present. Validation of WAS performance was a prerequisite to routine operation. Documentation of the validation process provides assurance of the quality of the results produced, which may be needed one or two decades after they were generated. Aspects of the validation included setting up a quality control routine, measurements of standard point sources in reproducible positions, study of the gamma background, optimization of user-selectable software parameters, investigation of the effect of non-uniform distribution of materials and radionuclides, and comparison of results with measurements made using other gamma detector systems designed to assay bulk materials. The following key components of the validation process have been established. A daily quality control routine has been instituted, to verify stability of the gamma detector operation and the background levels. A test box containing plywood (specific gravity 0.5) with holes for reproducible positioning of known point sources has been constructed and used in several configurations. Gamma spectra have been processed multiple times with user-adjustable parameters set to a variety of values to gain agreement on the most appropriate settings. A similar optimization process was followed with the custom software provided by the instrument manufacturer to reach agreement on the most stable settings for reliable results. Measurements made with the Canberra In-Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) instrument were compared with the WAS results as part of an estimate of instrument precision and accuracy. The validation report will conclude with recommendations for the configuration, appropriate use and limitations of the Waste Assay System. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

Design Construction and Operation of a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO 2 ) Loop for Investigation of Dry Cooling and Natural Circulation Potential for Use in Advanced Small Modular Reactors Utilizing sCO 2 Power Conversion Cycles.

The second-generation particle size velocity (Parsivel2, Figure 1) disdrometer, or laser disdrometer, referred to as “LDIS” within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility, is a modern, laser-based disdrometer designed for comprehensive and reliable measurement of all types of precipitation. LDIS captures detailed information on the size and velocity of individual hydrometeors that fall to the ground, classifying them into a range of 32 categories. These raw measurements are processed by a fast signal processor (provided by the vendor) to calculate various parameters, including precipitation type, amount, intensity, kinetic energy, visibility in the precipitation, and equivalent radar reflectivity. These measurements have served as the primary data set and a valuable reference for a variety of studies, ranging from observational analyses of precipitation processes and climate model evaluations to monitoring or validating radar/satellite retrievals (e.g., Wang et al. 2018, Giangrande et al. 2019, Jackson et al. 2020).

Middleton, Bobby D.↗