Results for “System Monitoring and Control” — Page 47

DOE OSTI2015

Human-In-The-Loop Simulation in Support of Long-Term Sustainability of Light Water Reactors

Reliable instrumentation, information, and control systems technologies are essential to ensuring safe and efficient operation of the U.S. light water reactor (LWR) fleet. These technologies affect every aspect of nuclear power plant (NPP) and balance-of-plant operations. In 1997, the National Research Council conducted a study concerning the challenges involved in modernization of digital instrumentation and control systems in NPPs. Their findings identified the need for new II&C technology integration. The NPP owners and operators realize that this analog technology represents a significant challenge to sustaining the operation of the current fleet of NPPs. Beyond control systems, new technologies are needed to monitor and characterize the effects of aging and degradation in critical areas of key structures, systems, and components. The objective of the efforts sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy is to develop, demonstrate, and deploy new digital technologies for II&C architectures and provide monitoring capabilities to ensure the continued safe, reliable, and economic operation of the nation’s NPPs.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2015

The CNAO dose delivery system for modulated scanning ion beam radiotherapy

Purpose: This paper describes the system for the dose delivery currently used at the Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica (CNAO) for ion beam modulated scanning radiotherapy. Methods: CNAO Foundation, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare and University of Torino have designed, built, and commissioned a dose delivery system (DDS) to monitor and guide ion beams accelerated by a dedicated synchrotron and to distribute the dose with a full 3D scanning technique. Protons and carbon ions are provided for a wide range of energies in order to cover a sizable span of treatment depths. The target volume, segmented in several layers orthogonally to the beam direction, is irradiated by thousands of pencil beams which must be steered and held to the prescribed positions until the prescribed number of particles has been delivered. For the CNAO beam lines, these operations are performed by the DDS. The main components of this system are two independent beam monitoring detectors, called BOX1 and BOX2, interfaced with two control systems performing the tasks of real-time fast and slow control, and connected to the scanning magnets and the beam chopper. As a reaction to any condition leading to a potential hazard, a DDS interlock signal is sent to the patient interlock system which immediately stops the irradiation. The essential tasks and operations performed by the DDS are described following the data flow from the treatment planning system through the end of the treatment delivery. Results: The ability of the DDS to guarantee a safe and accurate treatment was validated during the commissioning phase by means of checks of the charge collection efficiency, gain uniformity of the chambers, and 2D dose distribution homogeneity and stability. A high level of reliability and robustness has been proven by three years of system activity needing rarely more than regular maintenance and working with 100% uptime. Four identical and independent DDS devices have been tested showing comparable performances and are presently in use on the CNAO beam lines for clinical activity. Conclusions: The dose delivery system described in this paper is one among the few worldwide existing systems to operate ion beam for modulated scanning radiotherapy. At the time of writing, it has been used to treat more than 350 patients and it has proven to guide and control the therapeutic pencil beams reaching performances well above clinical requirements. In particular, in terms of dose accuracy and stability, daily quality assurance measurements have shown dose deviations always lower than the acceptance threshold of 5% and 2.5%, respectively.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1984

Knowledge-based fault monitoring and diagnosis in Space Shuttle propellant loading

The LOX Expert System (LES), now being developed as a tool for the constraint-based monitoring and analysis of propellant loading at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), is discussed. The loading of LOX at the KSC and its control and monitoring by the Launch Processing System are summarized, and the relevant problem for LES is presented. The LES database is briefly described, and the interaction of LES with KNOBS, a constraint- and frame-oriented knowledge-based system developed as a demonstration system in aid of tactical air mission planning, is the context of launch processing is discussed in detail. The design and fault isolation techniques of LES are also discussed.

Scarl, E. A.↗

NASA NTRS1993

The Earth Observing System AM Spacecraft - Thermal Control Subsystem

Mission requirements for the EOS-AM Spacecraft intended to monitor global changes of the entire earth system are considered. The spacecraft is based on an instrument set containing the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER), Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), Multiangle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MISR), Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), and Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT). Emphasis is placed on the design, analysis, development, and verification plans for the unique EOS-AM Thermal Control Subsystem (TCS) aimed at providing the required environments for all the onboard equipment in a densely packed layout. The TCS design maximizes the use of proven thermal design techniques and materials, in conjunction with a capillary pumped two-phase heat transport system for instrument thermal control.

Chalmers, D.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Initial Trade Study for In-line Silver Sensor for Spacecraft Potable Water Systems

Ionic silver is currently baselined as the biocide for microbial control in potable water systems for future space exploration missions. In-line monitoring of silver ion concentration is desired for system feedback control to introduce and maintain sufficient and safe levels of biocide in the water. To date, NASA testing of silver biocide system prototypes has made use of an Ion-Selective Electrode (ISE) for in-line silver concentration measurements. However, known issues with ISE technology have continued to motivate a search for alternate sensor systems. Although devices capable of detecting silver are available for terrestrial applications, these systems are generally not well-suited for the unique demands of spaceflight. Desired attributes include: low weight, volume, and power consumption; stable, autonomous, and in-line measurement capability; long calibration lifetime; and limited maintenance requirements. This paper provides the results from a preliminary trade study conducted on three candidate silver sensor technologies: ISEs, Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV), and Fiber Optic Chemical Sensors (FOCS). The review of these technologies includes the rationale for their selection, an overview of the principles of their operation, and a detailed assessment of their strengths and weaknesses relative to the anticipated requirements of future spacecraft applications. The study concluded that none of the currently-available versions of these technologies is suitable for immediate application to spacecraft systems; further technology development should be considered. To that end, recommendations for forward development work have been proposed and provided herein.

Potable Water↗

NASA NTRS1998

A Data Base of Nutrient Use, Water Use, CO2 Exchange, and Ethylene Production by Soybeans in a Controlled Environment

A data set is given describing daily nutrient and water uptake, carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange, ethylene production, and carbon and nutrient partitioning from a 20 sq m stand of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. McCall] for use in bioregenerative life support systems. Stand CO2 exchange rates were determined from nocturnal increases in CO2 (respiration) and morning drawdowns (net photosynthesis) to a set point of 1000 micromol/ mol each day (i.e., a closed system approach). Atmospheric samples were analyzed throughout growth for ethylene using gas chromatography with photoionization detection (GC/PH)). Water use was monitored by condensate production from the humidity control system, as well as water uptake from the nutrient solution reservoirs each day. Nutrient uptake data were determined from daily additions of stock solution and acid to maintain an EC of 0.12 S/m and pH of 5.8. Dry mass yields of seeds, pods (without seeds), leaves, stems, and roots are provided, as well as elemental and proximate nutritional compositions of the tissues. A methods section is included to qualify any assumptions that might be required for the use of the data in plant growth models, along with a daily event calendar documenting set point adjustments and the occasional equipment or sensor failure.

Wheeler, R. M.↗

DOE OSTI2018

Instrumentation and Control Selection for the 12 GeV Hall-B Magnets at Jefferson Lab

Here, as part of the Jefferson Lab 12 GeV accelerator upgrade, the Experimental Physics Hall B detector system requires two superconducting magnets – a Torus and a Solenoid. The specifications required maximum space for the detectors which led to the choice of conduction cooling for each magnet. The Torus consists of 6 trapezoidal 'race-track'-type coils connected in series with an operating current of 3770 A. The Solenoid is an actively shielded 5 Tesla magnet consisting of 5 coils connected in series operating at 2416 A. Within the hall the two magnets are located in close proximity to each other and are surrounded by particle detectors. We describe the philosophy behind the instrumentation selection and control design that accounts for this proximity and other challenging working conditions. We describe the choice of sensor technologies, as well as the control and data acquisition methods. The magnet power and cryogenic control sub-systems are implemented using Allen Bradley Control Logix 1756-L72 Programmable Logic Controllers. Sensor instrumentation read-backs are routed into the PLC via National Instruments cRIO hardware (Field Programmable Gate Arrays or FPGA/RT application) using Jefferson Lab designed FPGA-based multi-sensor-excitation-chassis. Configuration, monitoring, and alarm handlers for the magnet systems are provided via an Experimental Physics Instrumentation & Control System interface (EPICS). Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and the requirement to monitor critical parameters during operation guided the selection of instrumentation and associated hardware. The design of the quench protection and voltage tap sub-systems was driven by the anticipated level of voltages developed during a magnet quench. The primary hard-wired quench detection and protection sub-system together with the secondary PLC-based protection sub-system is also discussed. The successful commissioning and subsequent performance of these magnets demonstrates the robustness of the design and implementation approach that was adopted by the Jefferson Lab team and serves as an excellent 'How To' guide for future projects of this size and complexity.

12 GeV↗

NASA NTRS1996

Immobile Robots: AI in the New Millennium

A new generation of sensor rich, massively distributed, autonomous systems are being developed that have the potential for profound social, environmental, and economic change. These include networked building energy systems, autonomous space probes, chemical plant control systems, satellite constellations for remote ecosystem monitoring, power grids, biosphere-like life support systems, and reconfigurable traffic systems, to highlight but a few. To achieve high performance, these immobile robots (or immobots) will need to develop sophisticated regulatory and immune systems that accurately and robustly control their complex internal functions. To accomplish this, immobots will exploit a vast nervous system of sensors to model themselves and their environment on a grand scale. They will use these models to dramatically reconfigure themselves in order to survive decades of autonomous operations. Achieving these large scale modeling and configuration tasks will require a tight coupling between the higher level coordination function provided by symbolic reasoning, and the lower level autonomic processes of adaptive estimation and control. To be economically viable they will need to be programmable purely through high level compositional models. Self modeling and self configuration, coordinating autonomic functions through symbolic reasoning, and compositional, model-based programming are the three key elements of a model-based autonomous systems architecture that is taking us into the New Millennium.

Williams, Brian C.↗

DOE OSTI2015

Smart Grid Enabled EVSE

The combined team of GE Global Research, Federal Express, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Consolidated Edison has successfully achieved the established goals contained within the Department of Energy’s Smart Grid Capable Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment funding opportunity. The final program product, shown charging two vehicles in Figure 1, reduces by nearly 50% the total installed system cost of the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) as well as enabling a host of new Smart Grid enabled features. These include bi-directional communications, load control, utility message exchange and transaction management information. Using the new charging system, Utilities or energy service providers will now be able to monitor transportation related electrical loads on their distribution networks, send load control commands or preferences to individual systems, and then see measured responses. Installation owners will be able to authorize usage of the stations, monitor operations, and optimally control their electricity consumption. These features and cost reductions have been developed through a total system design solution.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS1987

Visual monitoring of autonomous life sciences experimentation

The design and implementation of a computerized visual monitoring system to aid in the monitoring and control of life sciences experiments on board a space station was investigated. A likely multiprocessor design was chosen, a plausible life science experiment with which to work was defined, the theoretical issues involved in the programming of a visual monitoring system for the experiment was considered on the multiprocessor, a system for monitoring the experiment was designed, and simulations of such a system was implemented on a network of Apollo workstations.

Blank, G. E.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Blood monitoring systems and methods thereof

A blood monitoring system is capable of monitoring the blood of a subject in vivo. The blood monitoring system comprises: 1) an array of movable microneedle micromachined within associated wells; 2) array of motion actuators able to move each needle in and out of their associated wells; 3) array of microvalves associated with each microneedle able to control the flow of air around the microneedle; 4) an array of chemical sensors inserted into patient by movable microneedles; 5) an array of inductors able to measure chemical concentration in the vicinity of inserted chemical sensors; 6) conducting vias that provide timed actuating signal signals from a control system to each motion actuator; 7) conducting vias that transmit signal produced by array of chemical sensors to the control system for processing, although the blood monitoring system can comprise other numbers and types of elements in other configurations.

Mir, Jose↗

NASA NTRS1968

Reduced bandwidth video communication system utilizing sampling techniques Patent

Monitoring circuit design for sampling circuit control and reduction of time-bandwidth in video communication systems

Malling, L. R.↗

DOE OSTI2015

Modular radiochemistry synthesis system

A modular chemical production system includes multiple modules for performing a chemical reaction, particularly of radiochemical compounds, from a remote location. One embodiment comprises a reaction vessel including a moveable heat source with the position thereof relative to the reaction vessel being controllable from a remote position. Alternatively the heat source may be fixed in location and the reaction vial is moveable into and out of the heat source. The reaction vessel has one or more sealing plugs, the positioning of which in relationship to the reaction vessel is controllable from a remote position. Also the one or more reaction vessel sealing plugs can include one or more conduits there through for delivery of reactants, gases at atmospheric or an elevated pressure, inert gases, drawing a vacuum and removal of reaction end products to and from the reaction vial, the reaction vial with sealing plug in position being operable at elevated pressures. The modular chemical production system is assembled from modules which can each include operating condition sensors and controllers configured for monitoring and controlling the individual modules and the assembled system from a remote position. Other modules include, but are not limited to a Reagent Storage and Delivery Module, a Cartridge Purification Module, a Microwave Reaction Module, an External QC/Analysis/Purification Interface Module, an Aliquotting Module, an F-18 Drying Module, a Concentration Module, a Radiation Counting Module, and a Capillary Reactor Module.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

DOE OSTI2015

Modular radiochemistry synthesis system

A modular chemical production system includes multiple modules for performing a chemical reaction, particularly of radiochemical compounds, from a remote location. One embodiment comprises a reaction vessel including a moveable heat source with the position thereof relative to the reaction vessel being controllable from a remote position. Alternatively the heat source may be fixed in location and the reaction vial is moveable into and out of the heat source. The reaction vessel has one or more sealing plugs, the positioning of which in relationship to the reaction vessel is controllable from a remote position. Also the one or more reaction vessel sealing plugs can include one or more conduits there through for delivery of reactants, gases at atmospheric or an elevated pressure, inert gases, drawing a vacuum and removal of reaction end products to and from the reaction vial, the reaction vial with sealing plug in position being operable at elevated pressures. The modular chemical production system is assembled from modules which can each include operating condition sensors and controllers configured for monitoring and controlling the individual modules and the assembled system from a remote position. Other modules include, but are not limited to a Reagent Storage and Delivery Module, a Cartridge Purification Module, a Microwave Reaction Module, an External QC/Analysis/Purification Interface Module, an Aliquotting Module, an F-18 Drying Module, a Concentration Module, a Radiation Counting Module, and a Capillary Reactor Module.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

DOE OSTI2016

Modular radiochemistry synthesis system

A modular chemical production system includes multiple modules for performing a chemical reaction, particularly of radiochemical compounds, from a remote location. One embodiment comprises a reaction vessel including a moveable heat source with the position thereof relative to the reaction vessel being controllable from a remote position. Alternatively the heat source may be fixed in location and the reaction vial is moveable into and out of the heat source. The reaction vessel has one or more sealing plugs, the positioning of which in relationship to the reaction vessel is controllable from a remote position. Also the one or more reaction vessel sealing plugs can include one or more conduits there through for delivery of reactants, gases at atmospheric or an elevated pressure, inert gases, drawing a vacuum and removal of reaction end products to and from the reaction vial, the reaction vial with sealing plug in position being operable at elevated pressures. The modular chemical production system is assembled from modules which can each include operating condition sensors and controllers configured for monitoring and controlling the individual modules and the assembled system from a remote position. Other modules include, but are not limited to a Reagent Storage and Delivery Module, a Cartridge Purification Module, a Microwave Reaction Module, an External QC/Analysis/Purification Interface Module, an Aliquotting Module, an F-18 Drying Module, a Concentration Module, a Radiation Counting Module, and a Capillary Reactor Module.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

NASA NTRS1991

Consort 3 flight experiments

The third sounding rocket payload in the Consort program was launched from the White Sands Missile Range on May 16, 1990. It carried 12 experiments designed to investigate materials processes in low gravity. All of the experiments were reflights from the Consort 2 payload that was launched on November 1989 but failed to achieve microgravity because of a malfunction in the launch vehicle. Four national Centers for the Commercial Development of Space participated in the mission. The payload included five experiments and two accelerometer systems that flew on Consort 1 and seven new experiments, designed and developed since Consort 1. Experiments from Consort 1 incorporated hardware modifications and changes in experimental parameters based on mission results. The new experiments covered a variety of polymeric and biological investigations. A new power distribution and control system designed to provide discrete, computer-supervised, experiment power monitoring and control was flight qualified on Consort 3. Consort 3 featured very late access (3-5 h before launch vs 27-30 h for Consort 1) for installation of sensitive biological specimens. The integrated payload and mission sequence of events are described. Changes in the Consort 1 experiments are defined and the objectives, methods, and expectations for new experiments are discussed.

Wessling, Francis C.↗

DOE OSTI2015

Concept for Cyber-Physical Consequence Process

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis (DHS/OCIA) has a mission and vision that promotes innovation as central to expanding the organization’s capability to conduct consequence analysis. To pursue such innovation, OCIA is sponsoring a seedling effort with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to leverage data from the proposed Automated Vulnerability Assessment (AVA) capability, which the DHS Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate is developing through a separate INL effort. The first phase of this effort is to develop a process by which recognized vulnerabilities can be scored relative to importance, reflected primarily in the ability to initiate high consequence and potentially cascading events. This report documents a cyber-physical metrics process (CPMP) to tie physical impact to the malicious exploitation of cyber vulnerabilities in industrial control systems (ICS) with the potential for initiating consequence in the critical infrastructure. The scale of achieving any particular physical consequence is dependent upon the ICS Component the vulnerability exists on, the Level of Access that the exploit would allow to component function and the Physical Impact (CLAPI) to the power system that the component is tied. A modified common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) was detailed and demonstrated for the power sector with three case studies associated with a recognized vulnerability, with significant consequence detail provided to apply the process across the power sector. A detailed table that provides background on the power system components, ICS-enabled monitoring and control, potential consequence effects, and CVSS scoring is provided. To demonstrate the applicability of the CPMP, tables are provided as examples for other sectors that include chemical, water/wastewater and oil/gas.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRS1979

Attitude control requirements for future space systems

Landsat-D and the Large Space Telescope represent current state-of-the-art systems with precise requirements placed on attitude control. Future systems for planetary stations, high precision earth monitoring and large precision deployable and erectable platforms project still more severe constraints and requirements on attitude control, including the requirement for many enabling and highly enhanced technologies beyond current state of the art. Two trend projections are identified for the areas of (1) precision pointing systems for earth orbiters and planetary spacecraft and (2) onboard high-capacity fast controllers for distributed control systems.

Dahlgren, J. B.↗