Results for “3D systems” — Page 42

DOE OSTI2021

Ray-tracing analysis for cross-polarization scattering diagnostic on MAST-upgrade spherical tokamak

A combined Doppler backscattering/cross-polarization scattering (DBS/CPS) system is being deployed on MAST-U for simultaneous measurements of local density turbulence, turbulence flows, and magnetic turbulence. In this design, CPS shares the probing beam with the DBS and uses a separate parallel-viewing receiver system. In this study, we utilize a modified GENRAY 3D ray-tracing code to simulate the propagation of the probing and scattered beams. The contributions of different scattering locations along the entire beam trajectories are considered, and the corresponding local B̃ wavenumbers are estimated using the wavevector matching criterion. The wavenumber ranges of the local B̃ that are detectable to the CPS system are explored for simulated L- and H-mode plasmas.

Hong, R. (ORCID:0000000347508015)↗

DOE OSTI2025

Understanding Fracture Aperture and Permeability Evolution due to Carbonate Mineralization Utilizing 3D Printing

Caprock formations are a crucial part of subsurface-engineered systems. Composed largely of shale, caprocks act as natural barriers that prevent the upward migration of fluids, thereby ensuring the containment of stored substances in subsurface formations. Fractures in these formations are potential leakage pathways for stored fluids. Mineral precipitation reactions in these fractures, particularly calcite, can significantly restrict the fluid permeability, reducing leakage potential. However, predictive capabilities of mineral precipitation in fractures and associated permeability evolution are limited due to a lack of fundamental understanding of such reactions in natural samples, complicated by mineral heterogeneity and the complexity of the fracture structure. In this study, 3D-printed fracture samples are used to understand the impact of carbonate mineralization on fracture aperture and permeability evolution. Samples were printed using a digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer and commercial liquid resin. Calcite precipitation was first tested on printed 2D films before conducting plug flow column experiments aimed to understand fracture permeability changes due to mineral precipitation. Contact angle measurement and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy on printed 2D films show evidence of a substantial amount of surface energy for calcite nucleation and precipitation. Surface topography analysis of printed fractured surfaces reveals comparable values, highlighting the high replicability of the printed samples. During the column experiments, the permeability reduces exponentially due to a decrease in fracture aperture. Reductions in fracture aperture estimated from effluent concentration and 3D X-ray computed tomography (CT) show comparable results. Moreover, 3D X-ray CT images suggest the impact of local flow velocities on precipitation. The insights gained from this research contribute to a deeper understanding of the permeability evolution due to carbonate mineralization in caprock formations.

3D printing↗

NASA NTRS1995

Advanced in Visualization of 3D Time-Dependent CFD Solutions

Numerical simulations of complex 3D time-dependent (unsteady) flows are becoming increasingly feasible because of the progress in computing systems. Unfortunately, many existing flow visualization systems were developed for time-independent (steady) solutions and do not adequately depict solutions from unsteady flow simulations. Furthermore, most systems only handle one time step of the solutions individually and do not consider the time-dependent nature of the solutions. For example, instantaneous streamlines are computed by tracking the particles using one time step of the solution. However, for streaklines and timelines, particles need to be tracked through all time steps. Streaklines can reveal quite different information about the flow than those revealed by instantaneous streamlines. Comparisons of instantaneous streamlines with dynamic streaklines are shown. For a complex 3D flow simulation, it is common to generate a grid system with several millions of grid points and to have tens of thousands of time steps. The disk requirement for storing the flow data can easily be tens of gigabytes. Visualizing solutions of this magnitude is a challenging problem with today's computer hardware technology. Even interactive visualization of one time step of the flow data can be a problem for some existing flow visualization systems because of the size of the grid. Current approaches for visualizing complex 3D time-dependent CFD solutions are described. The flow visualization system developed at NASA Ames Research Center to compute time-dependent particle traces from unsteady CFD solutions is described. The system computes particle traces (streaklines) by integrating through the time steps. This system has been used by several NASA scientists to visualize their CFD time-dependent solutions. The flow visualization capabilities of this system are described, and visualization results are shown.

Lane, David A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Laser interferometric measurement of ion electrode shape and charge exchange erosion

A novel projected fringe profilometry system was applied to surface contour measurements of an accelerator electrode from an ion thruster. The system permitted noncontact, nondestructive evaluation of the fine and gross structure of the electrode. A 3D surface map of a dished electrode was generated without altering the electrode surface. The same system was used to examine charge exchange erosion pits near the periphery of the electrode to determine the depth, location, and volume of material lost. This electro-optical measurement system allowed rapid nondestructive digital data acquisition coupled with automated computer data-processing. In addition, variable sensitivity allowed both coarse and fine measurements of objects having various surface finishes.

Macrae, Gregory S.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Atomic-scale 3D imaging of individual dopant atoms in an oxide semiconductor

The physical properties of semiconductors are controlled by chemical doping. In oxide semiconductors, small variations in the density of dopant atoms can completely change the local electric and magnetic responses caused by their strongly correlated electrons. In lightly doped systems, however, such variations are difficult to determine as quantitative 3D imaging of individual dopant atoms is a major challenge. We apply atom probe tomography to resolve the atomic sites that donors occupy in the small band gap semiconductor Er(Mn,Ti)O 3 with a nominal Ti concentration of 0.04 at. %, map their 3D lattice positions, and quantify spatial variations. Our work enables atomic-level 3D studies of structure-property relations in lightly doped complex oxides, which is crucial to understand and control emergent dopant-driven quantum phenomena.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2011

3D Imaging with a Single-Aperture 3-mm Objective Lens: Concept, Fabrication and Test

There are many advantages to minimally invasive surgery (MIS). An endoscope is the optical system of choice by the surgeon for MIS. The smaller the incision or opening made to perform the surgery, the smaller the optical system needed. For minimally invasive neurological and skull base surgeries the openings are typically 10-mm in diameter (dime sized) or less. The largest outside diameter (OD) endoscope used is 4mm. A significant drawback to endoscopic MIS is that it only provides a monocular view of the surgical site thereby lacking depth information for the surgeon. A stereo view would provide the surgeon instantaneous depth information of the surroundings within the field of view, a significant advantage especially during brain surgery. Providing 3D imaging in an endoscopic objective lens system presents significant challenges because of the tight packaging constraints. This paper presents a promising new technique for endoscopic 3D imaging that uses a single lens system with complementary multi-bandpass filters (CMBFs), and describes the proof-of-concept demonstrations performed to date validating the technique. These demonstrations of the technique have utilized many commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components including the ones used in the endoscope objective.

surgery↗

NASA NTRS2012

Characterization a single-lens based stereoscopic camera

Traditional stereoscopic vision (3D) is achieved through use of two cameras arranged to emulate human eyes. While this method works on large scale projects, it becomes impractical to use on small scale designs, such as surgical endoscopes, in which the operational area doesn’t allow the immensity of dual camera systems. This project is focused on developing a stereoscopic endoscope using a single camera and Conjugated Multiple-Bandpass Filters (CMBF) to create 3D images. Each filter is designed to allow only a distinct spectrum of light to pass through. The stereoscopic image can be obtained by using filters that reflect and reject wavelengths, complementary to one another. A major concern in all stereovision is crosstalk, defined as the light from one eye image that is present in the other eye image. This incomplete isolation causes deterioration of the 3D image. In our system, the crosstalk comes from imperfect filters. The filter spectrums overlap at certain wavelengths, causing a dim outline of the right eye image to leak into the left eye image and vice versa, a phenomenon known as ghosting. Knowledge of the extent of this phenomenon is critical to creating sustainable, effective stereovision.

Fritz, Eric↗

NASA NTRS1977

Real-time manned simulation of advanced terminal area guidance concepts for short-haul operations

A real-time simulation was conducted of three-dimensional area navigation and four-dimensional area navigation equipped (STOL) aircraft operating in a high-density terminal area traffic environment. The objectives were to examine the effects of 3D RNAV and 4D RNAV equipped aircraft on the terminal area traffic efficiency, and to examine the performance of an air traffic control system concept and associated controller display proposed for use with advanced RNAV systems. Three types of STOL aircraft were simulated each with different performance capabilities. System performance was measured in both the 4D mode and in a 3D mode; the 3D mode, used as a baseline, was simply the 4D mode less any time specification. The results show that communications workload in the 4D mode was reduced by about 35 percent compared to the 3D, while 35 percent more traffic was handled with the 4D. Aircraft holding time in the 4D mode was only 30 percent of that required in the 3D mode. In addition, the orderliness of traffic was improved significantly in the 4D mode.

Tobias, L.↗

NASA NTRS2017

From Tomography to Material Properties of Thermal Protection Systems

A NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) effort, under the Entry Systems Modeling (ESM) project, aims at developing micro-tomography (micro-CT) experiments and simulations for studying materials used in hypersonic entry systems. X-ray micro-tomography allows for non-destructive 3D imaging of a materials micro-structure at the sub-micron scale, providing fiber-scale representations of porous thermal protection systems (TPS) materials. The technique has also allowed for In-situ experiments that can resolve response phenomena under realistic environmental conditions such as high temperature, mechanical loads, and oxidizing atmospheres. Simulation tools have been developed at the NASA Ames Research Center to determine material properties and material response from the high-fidelity tomographic representations of the porous materials with the goal of informing macroscopic TPS response models and guiding future TPS design.

Tomography↗

NASA NTRS2022

Impact of 3D Structure on Magnetic Reconnection

Results from 2.5D and 3D studies of the onset and development of the tearing instability are presented, using high fidelity resistive MHD simulations. A limited parameter study of the strength of the reconnecting field (or shear angle) was performed. An initially simple 1D equilibrium was used, consisting of a modified force-free current sheet, with periodic boundary conditions in all directions. In all cases, the linear and nonlinear evolution led to a primary current sheet between two large flux ropes. The global reconnection rate during this later stage was analyzed in all simulations. It was found that in 2.5D the primary current sheet fragmented owing to plasmoids, and as expected, the global reconnection rate, calculated using multiple methods, increases with the strength of the reconnecting field owing to a stronger Alfvén speed. In 3D, the presence of interacting oblique modes of the tearing instability complicates the simple 2.5D picture, entangling the magnetic field of the inflow and introducing a negative effect on the reconnection rate. The two competing effects of stronger Alfvén speed and entangling, which both increase with the strength of the reconnecting field, resulted in a decrease in the reconnection rate with increasing reconnecting field. For all simulations, the 3D rates were less than in 2.5D but suggest that as one goes to weak reconnecting field (or strong guide field) the system becomes more 2.5D-like and the 2.5D and 3D rates converge. These results have relevance to situations like nanoflare heating and flare current sheets in the corona.

Lars K S Daldorff↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Particle-Based Fiber Models of Woven Materials for Earth Entry Thermal Protection

Applications requiring materials with layer-to-layer strength, from basketry to thermal protection systems, use interlaced, three-dimensional woven materials. NASA is developing and deploying woven material heat shields for missions, including Artemis I (3D-MAT for compression pads) and potentially Mars Sample Return - Earth Entry System. These materials are complex, hierarchical and must protect from extreme environments and phenomena, such as deformation, impact and high-enthalpy heating. Woven material performance depends on microstructure, damage and weave geometry. Therefore, fiber-specific models are needed to simulate fiber contacts within the weave hierarchical geometry (fiber to tow to yarn to weave) and the inherent directionality of fibers. Explicit fiber models can simulate how weave microstructure evolution affects thermal and mechanical properties. We parameterize a discrete element bonded particle models (DEM-BPM) of fibers to capture thermal and mechanical behavior within and between fibers, with bonded and contact forces, respectively. We study the proportion of heat transfer and stress via the contact network, fiber bonds and the weave geometry, for example, with respect to yarn warp-weft identity (whether it interlaces weave layers). Our results demonstrate the importance of explicit fiber modeling for connecting microstructure with thermal and mechanical properties.

woven material↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Particle-Based Fiber Models of Woven Materials for Earth Entry Thermal Protection

Applications requiring materials with layer-to-layer strength, from basketry to thermal protection systems, use interlaced, three-dimensional woven materials. NASA is developing and deploying woven material heat shields for missions, including Artemis I (3D-MAT for compression pads) and potentially Mars Sample Return - Earth Entry System. These materials are complex, hierarchical and must protect from extreme environments and phenomena, such as deformation, impact and high-enthalpy heating. Woven material performance depends on microstructure, damage and weave geometry. Therefore, fiber-specific models are needed to simulate fiber contacts within the weave hierarchical geometry (fiber to tow to yarn to weave) and the inherent directionality of fibers. Explicit fiber models can simulate how weave microstructure evolution affects thermal and mechanical properties. We parameterize a discrete element bonded particle models (DEM-BPM) of fibers to capture thermal and mechanical behavior within and between fibers, with bonded and contact forces, respectively. We study the proportion of heat transfer and stress via the contact network, fiber bonds and the weave geometry, for example, with respect to yarn warp-weft identity (whether it interlaces weave layers). Our results demonstrate the importance of explicit fiber modeling for connecting microstructure with thermal and mechanical properties.

woven material↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Enthalpy Testing to Validate Simulation of an Aerosol Capture Probe

AERACEPT (Aerosol Rapid Analysis Combined Entry Probe/sonde Technology) is a developing technology enabling in-situ aerosol particle sampling and analysis in a small spacecraft mission envelope. It integrates a passive aerosol sample collection system into a probe’s thermal protection system (TPS) to remove the need for heat shield separation and active descent control (parachutes, gliders, etc.). AERACEPT is being validated against the requirements of the Nephele mission concept, which targets the middle and lower Venus cloud layers. The proposed technology employs 3D Carbon-Carbon (3D-CC) at the probe’s nose to withstand the extreme environments encountered in a Venus entry without producing pyrolysis gases that would contaminate the mission sample collection. Any shape change of this 3D-CC sample inlet will affect airflow through the sampling system, thereby impacting aerosol sample collection bias and efficiency. Accurate prediction of the nose’s material response during entry is there-fore of fundamental importance to the development and practical use of this technology. As a result, the AERACEPT project is planning a test campaign in the newly built PlasmatronX facility with a novel “Open Iso-Q” test article to validate state-of-the-art material response tools for a simulated Venus entry. The PlasmatronX is a 350 kW inductively-coupled plasma facility developed and run by the Center for Hypersonics and Entry Systems Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The facility can support ground testing for a variety of planetary destinations by simulating entry conditions in Nitrogen, Air, and Carbon Dioxide. To best simulate the Venus atmosphere and match flight-like recession, the planned AERACEPT test campaign will use Carbon Dioxide as its test gas. AERACEPT has designed two test articles for this campaign: 1) a standard test article whose curved surface approximates a constant applied heat flux (“Closed Iso-Q” model) and 2) a novel inlet test article with a through-hole at the stagnation point (“Open Iso-Q” model). Both article types consist of a 3D-CC sample bonded to a graphite fixture. All articles will be laser scanned before and after testing to estimate shape change and recession, and the “Closed Iso-Q” articles will be instrumented with thermocouples to provide temperature histories. The test article temperatures and inlet shape change will be compared against simulations run with the Porous material Analysis Toolbox based on OpenFOAM (PATO) to validate the AERACEPT 3D-CC material response model. Due to the high thermal conductivity of 3D-CC, multidimensional effects have a large influence on the test article temperature and the standard 1-D material response tools are not sufficient for test planning. The test campaign features (e.g. article design, run duration, heat fluxes) are therefore informed by a series of 3-D simulations using state-of-the-art material response tools such as PATO. The test campaign is scheduled for spring of 2024. Expected results include 1) Key drivers of selected test conditions (e.g. matching mission flight atmosphere & recession), 2) Simulation results that informed test article design, 3) Acquired test data such as recession measurements, temperature histories, and photos, and 4) Comparisons between test results and simulation predictions.

AERACEPT↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

High-Enthalpy Testing to Validate Simulation of an Aerosol Capture Probe

AERACEPT (Aerosol Rapid Analysis Combined Entry Probe/sonde Technology) is a developing technology enabling in-situ aerosol particle sampling and analysis in a small spacecraft mission envelope. It integrates a passive aerosol sample collection system into a probe’s thermal protection system (TPS) to remove the need for heat shield separation and active descent control (parachutes, gliders, etc.). AERACEPT is being validated against the requirements of the Nephele mission concept, which targets the middle and lower Venus cloud layers. The proposed technology employs 3D Carbon-Carbon (3D-CC) at the probe’s nose to withstand the extreme environments encountered in a Venus entry without producing pyrolysis gases that would contaminate the mission sample collection. Any shape change of this 3D-CC sample inlet will affect airflow through the sampling system, thereby impacting aerosol sample collection bias and efficiency. Accurate prediction of the nose’s material response during entry is there-fore of fundamental importance to the development and practical use of this technology. As a result, the AERACEPT project is planning a test campaign in the newly built PlasmatronX facility with a novel “Open Iso-Q” test article to validate state-of-the-art material response tools for a simulated Venus entry. The PlasmatronX is a 350 kW inductively-coupled plasma facility developed and run by the Center for Hypersonics and Entry Systems Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The facility can support ground testing for a variety of planetary destinations by simulating entry conditions in Nitrogen, Air, and Carbon Dioxide. To best simulate the Venus atmosphere and match flight-like recession, the planned AERACEPT test campaign will use Carbon Dioxide as its test gas. AERACEPT has designed two test articles for this campaign: 1) a standard test article whose curved surface approximates a constant applied heat flux (“Closed Iso-Q” model) and 2) a novel inlet test article with a through-hole at the stagnation point (“Open Iso-Q” model). Both article types consist of a 3D-CC sample bonded to a graphite fixture. All articles will be laser scanned before and after testing to estimate shape change and recession, and the “Closed Iso-Q” articles will be instrumented with thermocouples to provide temperature histories. The test article temperatures and inlet shape change will be compared against simulations run with the Porous material Analysis Toolbox based on OpenFOAM (PATO) to validate the AERACEPT 3D-CC material response model. Due to the high thermal conductivity of 3D-CC, multidimensional effects have a large influence on the test article temperature and the standard 1-D material response tools are not sufficient for test planning. The test campaign features (e.g. article design, run duration, heat fluxes) are therefore informed by a series of 3-D simulations using state-of-the-art material response tools such as PATO. The test campaign is scheduled for spring of 2024. Expected results include 1) Key drivers of selected test conditions (e.g. matching mission flight atmosphere & recession), 2) Simulation results that informed test article design, 3) Acquired test data such as recession measurements, temperature histories, and photos, and 4) Comparisons between test results and simulation predictions.

AERACEPT↗

DOE OSTI2021

Variational, stable, and self-consistent coupling of 3D electromagnetics to 1D transmission lines in the time domain

This work presents a new multiscale method for coupling the 3D Maxwell's equations to the 1D telegrapher's equations. While Maxwell's equations are appropriate for modeling complex electromagnetics in arbitrary-geometry domains, simulation cost for many applications (e.g. pulsed power) can be dramatically reduced by representing less complex transmission line regions of the domain with a 1D model. By assuming a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) ansatz for the solution in a transmission line region, we reduce the Maxwell's equations to the telegrapher's equations. Here, we propose a self-consistent finite element formulation of the fully coupled system that uses boundary integrals to couple between the 3D and 1D domains and supports arbitrary unstructured 3D meshes. Additionally, by using a Lagrange multiplier to enforce continuity at the coupling interface, we allow for an absorbing boundary condition to also be applied to non-TEM modes on this boundary. We demonstrate that this feature reduces non-physical reflection and ringing of non-TEM modes off of the coupling boundary. By employing implicit time integration, we ensure a stable coupling, and we introduce an efficient method for solving the resulting linear systems. We demonstrate the accuracy of the new method on two verification problems, a transient O-wave in a rectilinear prism and a steady-state problem in a coaxial geometry, and show the efficiency and weak scalability of our implementation on a cold test of the Z-machine MITL and post-hole convolute.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2026

A Review and Outlook on Experimental Advances and Innovations in Geological CO 2 Storage: Insights from Depleted Gas Reservoirs and Saline Aquifers

Geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in depleted gas reservoirs and deep saline aquifers is a key part of global decarbonization efforts. As carbon capture and storage advances toward commercial-scale deployment, the credibility and scalability of laboratory experiments are increasingly vital for guiding safe and effective field implementation. This review offers a comprehensive, cross-scale evaluation of experimental methodologies, including core flooding, high-pressure, high-temperature systems, microfluidic visualization, and emerging systems such as multilayer commingled/compartmentalized core flooding, 3D-printed micromodels, and AI-powered digital twins. These innovations are demonstrated to enhance representativeness, reproducibility, and real-time insight, thereby addressing the limitations of conventional workflows. A critical analysis of methodological gaps, such as inconsistent pressure–temperature conditions, oversimplified brine chemistry, and a lack of standardization, reveals experimental sources of scale translation errors and performance uncertainty. By comparing the unique challenges of depleted gas reservoirs (such as low water saturation and legacy well leakage) to those of saline aquifers (including pressure buildup and caprock integrity), this review identifies formation-specific priorities for experimental design. Novel contributions include a synthesis of best practices, integration strategies for model calibration, and recommendations for standardizing core handling, saturation procedures, and reporting protocols. Furthermore, this work serves as a guide for developing robust, field-relevant experimental strategies that can increase the deployment and regulatory acceptance of CO 2 storage technologies at scale.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Emergent topological polarization textures in relaxor ferroelectrics

Relaxor ferroelectrics underpin high-performance actuators and sensors, yet the nature of polar heterogeneities driving their broadband dielectric response remains debated. Using a unified, multimodal structural refinement framework— simultaneously fitting complementary X-ray and neutron total scattering, X-ray absorption spectra, and diffuse scattering—we reconstruct 3D mesoscale polarization maps in the classic relaxor system PbMg 1/3 Nb 2/3 O 3 –PbTiO 3 . We uncover self-organized swirling polarization textures with half-skyrmion (meron) vortices, challenging models of independent polar nanoregions. These textures, characterized by smooth changes in the polarization direction, originate from overlapping volumes in which the projections of locally correlated polarization vectors onto each volume’s long axis share the same sign. Vortex cores correlate strongly with local charge and strain gradients imposed by compositional heterogeneities. In this work, our results suggest that chemical disorder, acting via depolarizing and strain fields, stabilizes topological vortex textures of the polarization field, offering a route for engineering new dielectric and ferroelectric functionalities.

Eremenko, Maksim [National Institute of Standards ↗

DOE OSTI2025

Magnetohydrodynamic simulations preliminarily predict the habitability and radio emission of TRAPPIST-1e

TRAPPIST-1e, an Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone of the nearby M dwarf TRAPPIST-1, may experience magnetospheric responses that vary with stellar space weather, which could potentially influence both its habitability and radio emissions. Our objective is to investigate how different Earth-like magnetospheric configurations of TRAPPIST-1e – specifically variations in dipolar magnetic field strength and axial tilt – respond to diverse stellar space weather conditions, including events analogous to coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and to assess their implications for potential habitability and expected radio emissions. We conducted 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the TRAPPIST-1e system using the PLUTO code in spherical coordinates. The planetary magnetic field was modelled as dipolar, with equatorial strengths from Earth-like to several times stronger. The dipole axis spans a representative range of axial tilts. We investigate four stellar wind environments, from sub-Alfvénic flow to CME-like disturbances. Planetary shielding was quantified based on the magnetopause standoff distance, and radio powers were estimated via empirical scaling laws. Our simulations show that both shielding and radio power depend strongly on the magnetic configuration. Stronger fields increase protection, while larger tilts reduce it. Radio power increases with both field strength and tilt across all wind regimes. An Earth-like magnetic field can provide effective shielding even under intense CMEs, whereas high tilts require stronger fields. Predicted radio powers reach ~10 20 erg s −1 during CMEs, making bursts from close-in, magnetised planets more detectable. However, for TRAPPIST-1e, the maximum cyclotron frequency lies below the Earth’s ionospheric cutoff (~10 MHz), making ground-based detection currently infeasible.

Sun: magnetic fields↗