SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “FIRES”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 775 records · Page 43

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2014

Ozone Monitoring Instrument Observations of Interannual Increases in SO2 Emissions from Indian Coal-fired Power Plants During 2005-2012

Due to the rapid growth of electricity demand and the absence of regulations, sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from coal-fired power plants in India have increased notably in the past decade. In this study, we present the first interannual comparison of SO2 emissions and the satellite SO2 observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) for Indian coal-fired power plants during the OMI era of 2005-2012. A detailed unit-based inventory is developed for the Indian coal-fired power sector, and results show that its SO2 emissions increased dramatically by 71 percent during 2005-2012. Using the oversampling technique, yearly high-resolution OMI maps for the whole domain of India are created, and they reveal a continuous increase in SO2 columns over India. Power plant regions with annual SO2 emissions greater than 50 Gg year-1 produce statistically significant OMI signals, and a high correlation (R equals 0.93) is found between SO2 emissions and OMI-observed SO2 burdens. Contrary to the decreasing trend of national mean SO2 concentrations reported by the Indian Government, both the total OMI-observed SO2 and average SO2 concentrations in coal-fired power plant regions increased by greater than 60 percent during 2005-2012, implying the air quality monitoring network needs to be optimized to reflect the true SO2 situation in India.

SO2↗

NASA NTRS2015

Hot-Fire Testing of 5N and 22N HPGP Thrusters

This hot-fire test continues NASA investigation of green propellant technologies for future missions. To show the potential for green propellants to replace some hydrazine systems in future spacecraft, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is continuing to embark on hot-fire test campaigns with various green propellant blends.NASA completed hot-fire testing of 5N and 22N HPGP thrusters at the Marshall Space Flight Center’s Component Development Area altitude test stand in April 2015. Both thrusters are ground test articles and not flight ready units, but are representative of potential flight hardware with a known path towards flight application. The purpose of the 5N testing was to perform facility check-outs and generate a small set of data for comparison to ECAPS and Orbital ATK data sets. The 5N thruster performed as expected with thrust and propellant flow-rate data generated that are similar to previous testing at Orbital ATK. Immediately following the 5N testing, and using the same facility, the 22N testing was conducted on the same test stand with the purpose of demonstrating the 22N performance. The results of 22N testing indicate it performed as expected.The results of the hot-fire testing are presented in this paper and presentation.

Burnside, Christopher G.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Hot-Fire Test Results of Liquid Oxygen/RP-2 Multi-Element Oxidizer-Rich Preburners

As part of the Combustion Stability Tool Development project funded by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center was contracted to assemble and hot-fire test a multi-element integrated test article demonstrating combustion characteristics of an oxygen/hydrocarbon propellant oxidizer-rich staged-combustion engine thrust chamber. Such a test article simulates flow through the main injectors of oxygen/kerosene oxidizer-rich staged combustion engines such as the Russian RD-180 or NK-33 engines, or future U.S.-built engine systems such as the Aerojet-Rocketdyne AR-1 engine or the Hydrocarbon Boost program demonstration engine. To supply the oxidizer-rich combustion products to the main injector of the integrated test article, existing subscale preburner injectors from a previous NASA-funded oxidizer-rich staged combustion engine development program were utilized. For the integrated test article, existing and newly designed and fabricated inter-connecting hot gas duct hardware were used to supply the oxidizer-rich combustion products to the oxidizer circuit of the main injector of the thrust chamber. However, before one of the preburners was used in the integrated test article, it was first hot-fire tested at length to prove it could provide the hot exhaust gas mean temperature, thermal uniformity and combustion stability necessary to perform in the integrated test article experiment. This paper presents results from hot-fire testing of several preburner injectors in a representative combustion chamber with a sonic throat. Hydraulic, combustion performance, exhaust gas thermal uniformity, and combustion stability data are presented. Results from combustion stability modeling of these test results are described in a companion paper at this JANNAF conference, while hot-fire test results of the preburner injector in the integrated test article are described in another companion paper.

Protz, C. S.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Hot-Fire Test Results of an Oxygen/RP-2 Multi-Element Oxidizer-Rich Staged-Combustion Integrated Test Article

As part of the Combustion Stability Tool Development project funded by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center was contracted to assemble and hot-fire test a multi-element integrated test article demonstrating combustion characteristics of an oxygen/hydrocarbon propellant oxidizer-rich staged-combustion engine thrust chamber. Such a test article simulates flow through the main injectors of oxygen/kerosene oxidizer-rich staged combustion engines such as the Russian RD-180 or NK-33 engines, or future U.S.-built engine systems such as the Aerojet-Rocketdyne AR-1 engine or the Hydrocarbon Boost program demonstration engine. For the thrust chamber assembly of the test article, several configurations of new main injectors, using relatively conventional gas-centered swirl coaxial injector elements, were designed and fabricated. The design and fabrication of these main injectors are described in a companion paper at this JANNAF meeting. New ablative combustion chambers were fabricated based on hardware previously used at NASA for testing at similar size and pressure. An existing oxygen/RP-1 oxidizer-rich subscale preburner injector from a previous NASA-funded program, along with existing and new inter-connecting hot gas duct hardware, were used to supply the oxidizer-rich combustion products to the oxidizer circuit of the main injector of the thrust chamber. Results from independent hot-fire tests of the preburner injector in a combustion chamber with a sonic throat are described in companion papers at this JANNAF conference. The resulting integrated test article - which includes the preburner, inter-connecting hot gas duct, main injector, and ablative combustion chamber - was assembled at Test Stand 116 at the East Test Area of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The test article was well instrumented with static and dynamic pressure, temperature, and acceleration sensors to allow the collected data to be used for combustion analysis model development. Hot-fire testing was conducted with main combustion chamber pressures ranging from 1400 to 2100 psia, and main combustion chamber mixture ratios ranging from 2.4 to 2.9. Different levels of fuel film cooling injected from the injector face were examined ranging from none to about 12% of the total fuel flow. This paper presents the hot-fire test results of the integrated test article. Combustion performance, stability, thermal, and compatibility characteristics of both the preburner and the thrust chamber are described. Another companion paper at this JANNAF meeting includes additional and more detailed test data regarding the combustion dynamics and stability characteristics.

Hulka, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Initial Criticality Assessments to Guide FMEAs on Rocket Engine Hot Fire Testing

Presented is an explanation of the use of the Initial Criticality Assessment (ICA) technique, a triage process for prioritizing required Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEAs), for the European Service Module's main propulsion system's hot-fire test bed at White Sands New Mexico. Rather than instinctively performing many FMEAs of subsystems, or one large system level FMEA where every subcomponent is analyzed, the ICA guided an informed analysis of only the hardware that had a large impact to hazards. The low criticality hardware was documented via the ICA and no FMEA was performed; the work could then focus on the high criticality hardware. Thus a savings of Program resources was achieved. The experiences gained in creating these ICAs for this international collaborative project confirmed that the need for continuous communication across the technical teams is one of the greatest areas of emphasis. The European Space Agency (ESA) is developing the European Service Module (ESM), with its primary contractor, Airbus Defence and Space in Germany, for delivery to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The module will be equipped with a total of 21 engines to support NASA’s Orion spacecraft: one U.S. Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System-Engine (OMS-E), eight auxiliary thrusters and 12 smaller RCS (Reaction Control System) thrusters. The main ESM propulsion system, used for large translational maneuvers, consists of one OMS-E... To qualify the design of the ESM propulsion subsystem (PSS) an all-steel Propulsion Qualification Module (PQM) structure is used to test the propulsion systems on Orion, including “hot firing” of the OMS engine, thrusters, and RCS. The PQM has been developed as a hot-fire test bed to be tested at the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF). One of the objectives of the testing is to assure that the OMS-E can be safely operated with the PQM. Testing will also demonstrate that the PQM can set the proper upstream pressures and temperatures for the OMS-E to operate nominally given the PQM has never been tested in hot-fire operation with OMS-E before. In order to safely conduct the test campaign, hardware such as the engine subassembly, fluid feed lines, valves, electrical power lines, instrumentation, stiff links, installation Ground Support Equipment (GSE), and diffuser [whose objectives are to collect the exhaust of the OMS-E to actively cool down the exhaust gases, reduce thermal exchanges, and create a vacuum at OMS-E level before igniting], had to be analyzed for any hazards and failure modes.

Fault Tolerance↗

NASA NTRS2019

Bimetallic Channel Wall Nozzle Development and Hot-Fire Testing Using Additively Manufactured Laser Wire Direct Closeout Technology

NASA has been developing and advancing regeneratively-cooled channel wall nozzle technology for liquid rocket engines to reduce cost and schedules associated with fabrication. One of the primary methods being advanced is Laser Wire Direct Closeout (LWDC). LWDC was developed to provide an additively manufactured laser deposited closeout of the coolant channels that also forms the structural jacket in-situ. This technique has been previously demonstrated through process development and hot-fire testing on a series of subscale nozzles at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The hot-fire test articles were fabricated using monolithic alloys to simplify the fabrication process. Ongoing research is being conducted to further expand use of this process for increased scale and bimetallic or multi-alloy options. The use of multi-alloys is desired to fully optimize the combination of materials in the radial and axial directions to reduce overall weight of the nozzle and allow for higher thermal and structural margins on the channel wall nozzle. NASA recently completed process development and hot-fire testing of a series of channel wall nozzles that incorporate a copper-alloy as the hotwall liner material and a superalloy and combination thereof for the structural jacket using the LWDC technique. The fabrication process was further advanced by using a multi-alloy axial joint using explosive bonding integrating a copper-alloy at the forward end of the nozzle hotwall and a stainless-alloy for the remaining length. A third alloy was then used for the channel closeout using the LWDC process. This paper will describe the process development using the LWDC process for channel closeout utilizing the multi-alloys, hardware design and results from hot-fire testing on subscale multi-alloy LWDC channel cooled nozzles.

Gradl, Paul↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hot-Fire Testing Results of Additively Manufactured NASA HR-1 towards Large Scale Implementation of Channel Wall Nozzles

Additive manufacturing (AM) has provided new design and manufacturing opportunities to reduce cost and schedules, consolidate parts, and optimize performance. One technique being evaluated is Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED), which provides a significant increase in scale compared to Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). NASA along with industry partners have been developing the LP-DED process to demonstrate internal channel geometry and development components for use in liquid rocket engine channel cooled nozzles. One material that has been the focus of this development is NASA HR-1, an Iron-Nickel based superalloy optimized for use in high pressure hydrogen environments. Material properties and process characterization has been completed on the high density thin-wall material in addition to advancements of the supply chain. NASA has also completed fabrication of several subscale and full scale channel wall nozzles in LP-DED NASA HR-1 and completed hot-fire testing. This includes refinement of the process to produce thin-walls and various channel geometries to meet the requirements for channel wall nozzle applications. This paper will provide an overview of the LP-DED process development, material characterization and properties, component manufacturing, and hot-fire testing. Hot-fire testing was completed for a lander-class 7K-lbf thrust chamber using Liquid Oxygen (LOX)/Methane. The design overview and results from hot-fire testing will be presented in addition to hardware development for future testing on 2K-lbf and 35k-lbf thrust chambers and large-scale manufacturing technology demonstrators.

Paul Gradl↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Process Development and Hot-fire Testing of Additively Manufactured NASA HR-1 for Liquid Rocket Engine Applications

Additive manufacturing (AM) has provided new design and manufacturing opportunities to reduce cost and schedules, consolidate parts, and optimize performance. One technique being evaluated is Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED), which provides a significant increase in scale compared to Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). NASA along with industry partners have been developing the LP-DED process to demonstrate internal channel geometry and development components for use in liquid rocket engine channel cooled nozzles. Optimized materials in the extreme high pressure and hydrogen environment for liquid rocket engines remains a key challenge. NASA has advanced an enabling material called NASA HR-1 (Hydrogen Resistant -1) as a solution using AM techniques. NASA HR-1 is a high-strength Fe-Ni superalloy designed to resist high pressure, hydrogen environment embrittlement, oxidation, and corrosion. NASA HR-1 meets materials requirements for liquid rocket engine components, including good hydrogen resistance, high conductivity, good low cycle fatigue performance, and high elongation and strength for components in high heat flux environments. Material properties and process characterization have been completed on the high density thin-wall material in addition to advancements of the supply chain. NASA has also completed fabrication of several subscale and full-scale channel wall nozzles in LP-DED NASA HR-1 and completed hot-fire testing. This includes refinement of the process to produce thin-walls and various channel geometries to meet the requirements for channel wall nozzle applications. This paper will provide an overview of the LP-DED process development, material characterization and properties, component manufacturing, and hot-fire testing. Hot-fire testing was completed for a lander-class 7K-lbf thrust chamber using Liquid Oxygen (LOX)/Methane. The design overview and results from hot-fire testing will be presented in addition to hardware development for future testing on 2K-lbf and 35k-lbf thrust chambers and large-scale manufacturing technology demonstrators.

DED↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Process Development and Hot-fire Testing of Additively Manufactured NASA HR-1 for Liquid Rocket Engine Applications

Additive manufacturing (AM) has provided new design and manufacturing opportunities to reduce cost and schedules, consolidate parts, and optimize performance. One technique being evaluated is Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED), which provides a significant increase in scale compared to Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). NASA along with industry partners have been developing the LP-DED process to demonstrate internal channel geometry and development components for use in liquid rocket engine channel cooled nozzles. Optimized materials in the extreme high pressure and hydrogen environment for liquid rocket engines remains a key challenge. NASA has advanced an enabling material called NASA HR-1 (Hydrogen Resistant -1) as a solution using AM techniques. NASA HR-1 is a high-strength Fe-Ni superalloy designed to resist high pressure, hydrogen environment embrittlement, oxidation, and corrosion. NASA HR-1 meets materials requirements for liquid rocket engine components, including good hydrogen resistance, high conductivity, good low cycle fatigue performance, and high elongation and strength for components in high heat flux environments. Material properties and process characterization have been completed on the high density thin-wall material in addition to advancements of the supply chain. NASA has also completed fabrication of several subscale and full-scale channel wall nozzles in LP-DED NASA HR-1 and completed hot-fire testing. This includes refinement of the process to produce thin-walls and various channel geometries to meet the requirements for channel wall nozzle applications. This paper will provide an overview of the LP-DED process development, material characterization and properties, component manufacturing, and hot-fire testing. Hot-fire testing was completed for a lander-class 7K-lbf thrust chamber using Liquid Oxygen (LOX)/Methane. The design overview and results from hot-fire testing will be presented in addition to hardware development for future testing on 2K-lbf and 35k-lbf thrust chambers and large-scale manufacturing technology demonstrators.

Additive Manufacturing↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Defining Burned Area in the Arctic: Examples from Small Fires in the Southeastern United States

Burning of small fires in the Arctic is important to climate change related processes and in the past the importance has been overlooked. Similarly, small fire burning in the Southeast United states has been underestimated and overlooked, but has just as much burned area as wildfires in the Western United States. Using FIREX-AQ campaign data, we are looking at the ability of satellites to detected the fires. Possible similarities in small fires between the Central and Southeastern US and the Arctic give ideas for collaboration and quantification of burned area.

Emily Gargulinski↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Structural Dynamics Observations in Space Launch System Green Run Hot Fire Testing

The Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage (CS) Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system is comprised of eight mechanical feedback Shuttle heritage Type III TVC actuators and four RS-25 engines, each attached to a Shuttle heritage gimbal block/bearing. Two actuators are used to move each engine in two planes perpendicular to one another (i.e., pitch and yaw). The TVC system design leverages hardware from the Space Shuttle program as well as new hardware designed specifically for the Core Stage. The Green Run Hot Fire (GRHF) of the SLS Core Stage provided a flight-like ground test environment for verification of integrated vehicle TVC performance. A TVC model coupled to a vehicle structural dynamic model has been developed previously and incrementally validated in subsystem tests and simulations. Still, some aspects of TVC performance in GRHF were not anticipated. The ensuing investigation demonstrated the need for well-instrumented test environments, various levels of modeling fidelity, test-representative structural models, and caution in reuse of legacy components. This paper is the sixth installment in a seven-paper series surveying the design, engineering, test validation, and flight performance of the Core Stage Thrust Vector Control system. It introduces the salient structural dynamic phenomena uncovered in ambient and hot fire testing. During the Green Run test campaign, a comparison of ambient and hot fire step responses showed a significant change in apparent damping due to the presence of friction, challenging long standing assumptions that friction could be neglected. Additionally, the characteristic response of the engine and thrust structure during GRHF proved to be more complex than anticipated, as evidenced by the available actuator, thrust structure, and engine measurements. While the string-potentiometer based test instrumentation was intended to allow for reconstruction of the engine angles along the two control axes, the geometric placement, location uncertainty, and responses in overlapping frequency spectra revealed additional phenomena requiring further analysis and post-processing. The observations from both modal and frequency response testing during the Green Run ambient and hot fire configurations led to Engine and Core Stage FEM (finite element model) updates. When evidence of unexpected engine motion was found in engine section accelerometer data, the authors pursued additional structural analysis leading to FEM updates associated with the TVC gimbal and thrust structure. Through collaboration between structures, TVC, and flight control disciplines, the test-informed models and root-cause analysis led to confident flight rationale for the first flight of the SLS launch vehicle.

Richard K. Moore↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Structural Dynamics Observations in Space Launch System Green Run Hot Fire Testing

Richard Moore↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Mapping Surface Vapor Pressure Deficits From Geostationary Satellites for Fire Weather Monitoring

The increase in the wildfires were observed globally in accordance with global warming, and to real- time monitoring of wildfire risk in broad scale is demanded for wildfire management to prevent the spread of wildfires. Scientists invented a lot of indices to assess the wildfire risk. Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) is one of the most important meteorological components for those indices. Compared to other components of fire weather indices, VPD can change quickly from lower risk to higher risk even in sub-hourly. Therefore, real-time fire risk monitoring requires high-resolution and high- temporal VPD spatial map. Here, we developed VPD estimation method using the GOES Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) data. Unlike the polar-orbital satellite data, the ABI can observe target region every 10 minutes, so that we can estimate VPD for fire weather in real-time. The method used to estimate VPD is same with the algorithm of NASA Earth Exchange Gridded Daily Meteorology (NEX- GDM), which estimate meteorological variables from ground weather observation and spatial variables based on random forest (RF). We calculated RF importance to select bands of ABI as input of the model. To validate our results, we compared the spatial pattern of our VPD data with the Real- Time Mesoscale Analysis (RTMA) data over the conterminous USA. We sought possibility of applying our method to the region where no real-time high-resolution weather data is available, such as South America. The developed method can produce real-time high-resolution high-frequent VPD data in the continental scale. The derived data from GOES ABI could contribute to improve the fire weather monitoring and lead to prevent wildfires.

Hirofumi Hashimoto↗

DOE OSTI2015

Advanced fire-resistant forms of activated carbon and methods of adsorbing and separating gases using same

Advanced, fire-resistant activated carbon compositions useful in adsorbing gases; and having vastly improved fire resistance are provided, and methods for synthesizing the compositions are also provided. The advanced compositions have high gas adsorption capacities and rapid adsorption kinetics (comparable to commercially-available activated carbon), without having any intrinsic fire hazard. They also have superior performance to Mordenites in both adsorption capacities and kinetics. In addition, the advanced compositions do not pose the fibrous inhalation hazard that exists with use of Mordenites. The fire-resistant compositions combine activated carbon mixed with one or more hydrated and/or carbonate-containing minerals that release H.sub.2O and/or CO.sub.2 when heated. This effect raises the spontaneous ignition temperature to over 500.degree. C. in most examples, and over 800.degree. C. in some examples. Also provided are methods for removing and/or separating target gases, such as Krypton or Argon, from a gas stream by using such advanced activated carbons.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2012

Projectile containing metastable intermolecular composites and spot fire method of use

A method for altering the course of a conflagration involving firing a projectile comprising a powder mixture of oxidant powder and nanosized reductant powder at velocity sufficient for a violent reaction between the oxidant powder and the nanosized reductant powder upon impact of the projectile, and causing impact of the projectile at a location chosen to draw a main fire to a spot fire at such location and thereby change the course of the conflagration, whereby the air near the chosen location is heated to a temperature sufficient to cause a spot fire at such location. The invention also includes a projectile useful for such method and said mixture preferably comprises a metastable intermolecular composite.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Use of Systems Engineering in Repurposing Coal-Fired Power Plants with Malta Pumped Thermal Energy Storage System

he electric sector across North America is facing a transition. Both economics and policy decisions have pointed towards a broad retirement of fossil assets across markets. Owners are facing the problem of how to evolve the base of the electric sector from fossil asset to greener alternative. Coal-fired power plants built the modern electricity grid. Their rotating machinery are the beating heart of the grid, providing essential resiliency and reliability services. Power plant retirements are disruptive to plant workforces and cause outsized impacts on surrounding communities. The transition from thermal power plants that use rotating machinery to generate electricity (e.g., coal- and gas-fired plants) to variable, inverter-based generation (e.g., solar and wind) is affecting the reliability of the electric grid. Grid operators and national regulators have issued warnings about known and anticipated risk. In 2021, Malta Inc. was awarded a Department of Energy (DOE) grant to study how to integrate a Malta 100MW Pumped Heat Energy Storage (PHES) system with a retiring coal-fired power plant to meet emissions requirements, retain plant workforces, preserve communities, and maintain grid reliability. This presentation provides a summary of this study, focusing on how systems engineering approach was used to arrive at a proposed design concept that met multiple objectives and requirements. There will be three main parts for this presentation. The first part of the presentation will focus on how different systems engineering was applied for this work. In particular, the following areas: stakeholder engagement, site selection process, developing requirements and use cases for the integrated system, defining the system and its boundary, coming up with different system architecture/option, performing a techno-economic analysis to compare the different options and down selection of the preferred option, will be discusses. For these areas, discussion on the decisions on how much breadth and depth to go into each area will be provided. These discussions provide good insights into how to apply systems engineering. The second part of the presentation will provide a deeper dive into the two recommended integration options that repurpose coal-fired power plants with Malta PHES system. The comparison of the two options and general guidance of how to choose an option will be provided. This is particularly useful for utilities who are facing coal-plant retirements. The two options will be compared based on its performance (such as power output, efficiency), complexity, and cost. The social impact on local communities of the two options will also be discussed. The final part of the presentation will discuss the impact that this work has had, including Malta Inc. being invited to the White House to discuss progress and outcomes of this work with the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization. In summary, this presentation aims to provide a showcase of how sy

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2016

Variable Nuclear Electricity with Base-Load Reactor, Closed Brayton Power Cycle and Firebrick Resistance-Heated Energy Storage (Fires)

Power cycle choices are determined by markets and available technologies. Two changes are occurring in the electricity sector. First, the world is beginning to move away from fossil fuels because of concerns about climate change. What replaces fossil fuels for variable electricity production? Second, there have been extraordinary technological advances in gas turbine technology. The changes in market requirements and technology suggest the need to reexamine nuclear power cycles. One option is to couple high-temperature base-load nuclear reactors to closed Brayton cycles (helium, nitrogen, etc.) with Firebrick Resistance-Heated Energy Storage (FIRES). The reactor operates at base-load but not the power cycle. When electricity prices are low, firebrick is electrically heated to high temperatures using base-load electricity and/or electricity from the grid. The gas turbine can use nuclear heat for base-load operation and produce added peak electricity by sending the compressed heated gas through hot firebrick after nuclear heating to further raise power cycle gas temperatures and power output from the turbine-creating a nuclear plant with a thermodynamic topping (NUTOP) cycle. If such cycles can be developed, they would increase plant revenue and enable a low-carbon electricity grid. Such cycles can be coupled to Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors (FHRs), molten salt reactors (MSRs), high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs) and lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs). We discuss (1) market changes, (2) previous work on Nuclear Air-Brayton Combined cycles (NACC) with base-load reactors and variable power to the electricity grid and (3) options for closed Brayton cycles with variable power while the reactor operates at base load. Market (customer) requirements ultimately drive selection of power cycles. A low-carbon electricity grid requires dispatchable nuclear electricity to replace the traditional role of fossil fuels in the electricity grid. While reactors can be operated at part load, this is expensive for a capital-intensive low-operating-cost technology. Brayton power cycles with FIRES have the potential capability to provide that variable electricity while the reactor operates at base load to (1) improve economics and (2) enable a zero-carbon electrical grid. Open Brayton cycles have been investigated. Work has now started on developing closed Brayton cycles with FIRES. Only limited work has been done to date has been done for closed cycles with FIRES. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2014

Fire Protection Significance Determination Process (SDP) P-108

This report includes the following outline of the course presented: Day 1: –Module 1: Introduction to Fire SDP Philosophy and Example Problem –Module 2: Concepts, Terminology, and Fire Scenario Introduction –Module 3: Process Overview •A quick trip through Phases 1 and 2 •Day 2: –Module 4: Phase 1 Details –Module 5: Phase 2 Details •Day 3: –Module 5: Phase 2 Details (continued) –Module 6: Special Topics •Module 6A – High Energy Arcing Faults in Electrical Distribution and Switching Equipment •Module 6B – Cable Tray Fires •Module 6C – Reverse Engineering The Hot Gas Layer •Module 6D: Flexibility –Discussion and Closing.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗