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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 901 records · Page 50
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Analysis of incentive policies for phosphorus recovery at livestock facilities in the Great Lakes area

Livestock operations have been highly intensified over the last decades, resulting in the advent of large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Intensification decreases production costs but also leads to substantial environmental impacts. Specifically, nutrient runoff from livestock waste results in eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and hypoxia. The implementation of nutrient recovery systems in CAFOs can abate nutrient releases and negative ecosystem responses, although they might negatively affect the economic performance of CAFOs. We design and analyze potential incentive policies for the deployment of phosphorus recovery technologies at CAFOs considering the geospatial vulnerability to nutrient pollution. The case study demonstration consists of 2217 CAFOs in the U.S. Great Lakes area. The results reveal that phosphorus recovery is more economically viable in the largest CAFOs due to economies of scale, although they also represent the largest eutrophication threats. For small and medium-scale CAFOs, phosphorus credits progressively improve the profitability of nutrient management systems. The integration of biogas production does not improve the economic performance of phosphorus recovery systems at most of CAFOs, as they lack enough size to be cost-effective. Furthermore, phosphorus recovery proves to be economically beneficial by comparing the net costs of nutrient management systems with the negative economic impact derived from phosphorus releases. The incentives necessary for avoiding up to 20.7.10 3 ton/year phosphorus releases and achieve economic neutrality in the Great Lakes area are estimated at $223 million/year. Additionally, the fair distribution of limited incentives is studied using a Nash allocation scheme, determining the break-even point for allocating monetary resources.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Analysis of Brackish Water Desalination for Municipal Uses: Case Studies on Challenges and Opportunities

Brackish water is a widely available, nontraditional water resource that can augment limited freshwater supplies. Although brackish water desalination has been continuously implemented in the United States and worldwide, it is necessary to reduce further its energy consumption, costs, and environmental impacts. This study conducted technoeconomic analyses to evaluate the current desalination and brine management technologies, focusing on the key factors and opportunities for sustainable brackish water desalination for municipal uses. Three case studies were selected as baseline representative of different geographic and operational conditions, including water quality, plant size, pretreatment, desalination, and concentrate management. Here, the technoeconomic analyses and model simulations identified challenges, opportunities, and research priorities to achieve specific pathways for enhanced brackish water desalination regarding levelized costs of water, electricity intensity, water recovery, zero liquid discharge, and brine valorization.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

DEM simulation of the compression of crushable sand: does the initial particle shape matter?

Advances in DEM modeling, combined with high-resolution X-ray tomography, opened the way for computer models based on virtual replicas of the particles which preserve nearly all facets of their geometry. This leads to simulation advantages, but also high computational costs. Here we tackle a question stemming from this trend: how accurate should particle models be to ensure accuracy? We address this question for the case of the compression of crushable sand. LS-DEM was used to generate three models of Ottawa sand (exact replicas, ellipsoids, and spheres) from digital images of its grains. Compression-induced crushing was simulated for all sets by tracking evolving size and shape distribution. The results confirm that exact replicas provide the closest match of the measurements. However, intermediate degrees of rendering (e.g. ellipsoids preserving volume and aspect ratio of the real grains) led to satisfactory results only marginally different from those of exact replicas. In conclusion, these findings provide an example of the protocols that may be followed to identify the optimal degree of particle approximation which should be regarded as mandatory to achieve a conscious, sustainable use of computational resources.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1993

JSC-1: A new lunar regolith simulant

Simulants of lunar rocks and soils with appropriate properties, although difficult to produce in some cases, will be essential to meeting the system requirements for lunar exploration. In order to address this need a new lunar regolith simulant, JSC-1, has been developed. JSC-1 is a glass-rich basaltic ash which approximates the bulk chemical composition and mineralogy of some lunar soils. It has been ground to produce a gain size distribution approximating that of lunar regolith samples. The simulant is available in large quantities (greater than 2000 lb; 907 kg). JSC-1 was produced specifically for large- and medium-scale engineering studies in support of future human activities on the Moon. Such studies include material handling, construction, excavation, and transportation. The simulant is also appropriate for research on dust control and spacesuit durability. JSC-1 can be used as a chemical or mineralogical analog to some lunar soils for resource studies such as oxygen or metal production, sintering, and radiation shielding.

Mckay, David S.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Geotechnical Tests on Asteroid Simulant Orgueil

In the last 100 years, the global population has more than quadrupled to over seven billion people. At the same time, the demand for food and standard of living has been increasing which has amplified the global water use by nearly eight times from approximately 500 to 4000 cu km per yr from 1900 to 2010. With the increasing concern to sustain the growing population on Earth it is necessary to seek other approaches to ensure that our planet will have resources for generations to come. In recent years, the advancement of space travel and technology has allowed the idea of mining asteroids with resources closer to becoming a reality. During the duration of the internship at NASA Kennedy Space Center, several geotechnical tests were conducted on BP-1 lunar simulant and asteroid simulant Orgueil. The tests that were conducted on BP-1 was to practice utilizing the equipment that will be used on the asteroid simulant and the data from those tests will be omitted from report. Understanding the soil mechanics of asteroid simulant Orgueil will help provide basis for future technological advances and prepare scientists for the conditions they may encounter when mining asteroids becomes reality in the distant future. Distinct tests were conducted to determine grain size distribution, unconsolidated density, and maximum density. Once the basic properties are known, the asteroid simulant will be altered to different levels of compaction using a vibrator table to see how compaction affects the density. After different intervals of vibration compaction, a miniature vane shear test will be conducted. Laboratory vane shear testing is a reliable tool to investigate strength anisotropy in the vertical and horizontal directions of a very soft to stiff saturated fine-grained clayey soil. This test will provide us with a rapid determination of the shear strength on the undisturbed compacted regolith. The results of these tests will shed light on how much torque is necessary to drill through the surface of an asteroid. Most of the known asteroids are believed to be left over material during the formation of the solar system that never accreted to form planets. Asteroids can be found in several groups such as Trojan Asteroids, Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) and the main asteroid belt. The Trojan Asteroids orbit the 4th and 5th Lagrange points of major planets in the Solar System while the NEA's have orbits that are close to and sometimes intersect with Earths orbit and the Main Asteroid Belt which is found between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter. Gravitational perturbations can alter the orbit of asteroids in the Main Asteroid Belt causing them to move closer to earth causing them to become in the NEA class.

resources↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Collaborative Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) for Expanded Outreach within the Southeast

This GA-FL IAC had impacts on workforce development and economic impact for regional small- and medium-sized enterprises. Qualified faculty and campus staff educated and trained cohorts of students regarding state-of-the-art industrial assessments. Students gained hands-on experiences in learning about manufacturing processes, energy systems, developing assessment recommendations/calculations, and client interaction. These skills were complemented by the incorporation of IAC themes into some course curricula. As far as economic impact, the center conducted 66 assessments over 5 years primarily in Georgia and Florida. These represented hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential annual resource savings to the clients and region.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lower Snake River Dams Contribution to Grid Services

Hydroelectric generation and water storage have long been components of the clean energy mix, providing both reliable steady output and operational flexibility. As variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar increasingly replace traditional generation, the role of all flexible resources—including hydropower—in balancing supply and demand continues to evolve. This study examined the contribution of the Lower Snake River (LSR) Dam plants to Bonneville Power Administration grid services in maintaining power system reliability within the Western Interconnection. By analyzing publicly available data, the study evaluated various reliability services through performance metrics including energy capacity, balancing and ramping, voltage and reactive power support, frequency response, and transmission impact. Results indicated that the LSR plants deliver services as expected based on their size, contributing to the balancing process, ramping capabilities, and operational reserves, particularly during peak load conditions and weather events, while also providing measurable frequency and voltage support to the grid.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Data-Informed Synthetic Networks of Water Distribution Systems for Resilience Analysis in Puerto Rico

The increasing potential of infrastructure disruptions calls for high-quality infrastructure models to be used in resilience analysis and decision making. Unfortunately, many utilities and communities do not have access to accurate and detailed models due to a lack of data and resources. Furthermore, security restrictions on sharing infrastructure models present roadblocks to research, analysis, and decision making. Recent advances in the development of synthetic water distribution models provide a potential solution to this problem. There is an opportunity to improve these methods by leveraging incomplete pipe datasets to aid synthetic network generation. To address this gap, we developed a methodology for synthetic network generation that incorporates partial pipe data using a modification of the minimum cost flow algorithm for network generation and pipe sizing. This methodology demonstrates how partial pipe data can be leveraged to improve site-specific synthetic network generation. For the study area of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, a synthetic model generated using 50% of real pipe data matches the pressure of the validation system with an average error of 23.5 m of head, which improves upon the average error of 31.6 m of head produced by a synthetic model generated using no data of the real pipes. Additionally, synthetic networks are shown to replicate the pressure response under a disruption scenario of the validation network, suggesting potential use in resilience analysis.

resilience analysis↗
NASA NTRS2005

Advanced Instruments and Their Impact on Earth Science Missions (I)

A past paper (IAA-B4-1004) analyzed the costs associated with developing, launching and operating a constellation of small satellites for earth observations. That study provided examples of measurements that could be made with such a system, per-unit cost goals and an overview of technologies that might be applied to spacecraft (s/c) subsystems to minimize power, mass and volume. However, that paper largely ignored instruments and the impacts of instrument size, mass, and power reductions on future mission feasibility. This paper reviews instruments that have been or are being funded by NASA to reduce power consumption, mass, volume; to lower downlink demands; and/or lower unit costs. The instruments in question could be used in single spacecraft missions or implemented in spacecraft constellations to increase temporal or spatial coverage. The instrument descriptions describe measurements enabled and/or enhanced, concluding with descriptions of the instruments. Instruments chosen consist primarily of those with low s/c system resource demands, e.g., power or communications bandwidth.

Hartley, Jonathan↗
NASA NTRS2020

Development of Concept Illustration Variants of the JUMP Lander

The Artemis program is committed to landing humans on the Moon in the 2020s leading to a sustainable lunar presence by the end of the decade. It is challenging to deliver heavy payloads to the lunar surface in support of these goals given currently available Earth launch systems. The payload capacity of the launch systems limits the size of the lunar landers, thereby limiting their cargo capacity. Fortunately, lander cargo capacity can be significantly increased if multiple landers are joined together in space. This concept has been previously introduced as the Joinable Undercarriage to Maximize Payload (JUMP) Lander. Utilizing a JUMP Lander system will increase options and make it easier to comply with directives issued by senior White House leadership to initiate long duration human activity on the Moon. Such activity, by definition, implies extensive habitation, mobility, research, and resource development capability that in turn calls for significant mass delivery to the lunar surface. This paper develops three concept illustration variants of the JUMP Lander. These concepts explore hypergolic, hydrogen, and methane propellant options, as well as the power and thermal rejection systems necessary to enable such lander concepts. The paper also estimates masses for the necessary avionics, structures, and mechanical subsystems. The paper documents the resulting configurations and recommends a JUMP Lander to carry forward in further development.

Lunar Lander↗
DOE OSTI2025

Uncontrolled Learning: Codesign of Neuromorphic Hardware Topology for Neuromorphic Algorithms

Neuromorphic computing has the potential to revolutionize future technologies and our understanding of intelligence, yet it remains challenging to realize in practice. The learning-from-mistakes algorithm, inspired by the brain's simple learning rules of inhibition and pruning, is one of the few brain-like training methods. This algorithm is implemented in neuromorphic memristive hardware through a codesign process that evaluates essential hardware trade-offs. While the algorithm effectively trains small networks as binary classifiers and perceptrons, performance declines significantly with increasing network size unless the hardware is tailored to the algorithm. This work investigates the trade-offs between depth, controllability, and capacity—the number of learnable patterns—in neuromorphic hardware. This highlights the importance of topology and governing equations, providing theoretical tools to evaluate a device's computational capacity based on its measurements and circuit structure. The findings show that breaking neural network symmetry enhances both controllability and capacity. Additionally, by pruning the circuit, neuromorphic algorithms in all-memristive circuits can utilize stochastic resources to create local contrasts in network weights. Through combined experimental and simulation efforts, the parameters are identified that enable networks to exhibit emergent intelligence from simple rules, advancing the potential of neuromorphic computing.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

A time-varying vulnerability index for COVID-19 in New Mexico, USA using generalized propensity scores

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted systemic inequities in the United States and resulted in a larger burden of negative social outcomes for marginalized communities. New Mexico, a state in the southwestern US, has a unique population with a large racial minority population and a high rate of poverty that may make communities more vulnerable to negative social outcomes from COVID-19. To identify which communities may be at the highest relative risk, we created a county-level vulnerability index. After the first COVID-19 case was reported in New Mexico on March 11, 2020, we fit a generalized propensity score model that incorporates sociodemographic factors to predict county-level viral exposure and thus, the generic risk to negative social outcomes such as unemployment or mental health impacts. We used four static sociodemographic covariates important for the state of New Mexico—population, poverty, household size, and minority population—and weekly cumulative case counts to iteratively run our model each week and normalize the exposure score to create a time-varying vulnerability index. We found the relative vulnerability between counties varied in the first eight weeks from the initial COVID-19 case before stabilizing. This framework for creating a location-specific vulnerability index in response to an ongoing disaster may be used as a quick, deployable metric to inform health policy decisions such as allocating state resources to the county level.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Development of the Senseiver for efficient field reconstruction from sparse observations

Abstract The reconstruction of complex time-evolving fields from sensor observations is a grand challenge. Frequently, sensors have extremely sparse coverage and low-resource computing capacity for measuring highly nonlinear phenomena. While numerical simulations can model some of these phenomena using partial differential equations, the reconstruction problem is ill-posed. Data-driven-strategies provide crucial disambiguation, but these suffer in cases with small amounts of data, and struggle to handle large domains. Here we present the Senseiver, an attention-based framework that excels in reconstructing complex spatial fields from few observations with low overhead. The Senseiver reconstructs n -dimensional fields by encoding arbitrarily sized sparse sets of inputs into a latent space using cross-attention, producing uniform-sized outputs regardless of the number of observations. This allows efficient inference by decoding only a sparse set of output observations, while a dense set of observations is needed to train. This framework enables training of data with complex boundary conditions and extremely large fine-scale simulations. We build on the Perceiver IO by enabling training models with fewer parameters, which facilitates field deployment, and a training framework that allows a flexible number of sensors as input, which is critical for real-world applications. We show that the Senseiver advances the state-of-the-art of field reconstruction in many applications.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

A haplotype‐resolved reference genome of Quercus alba sheds light on the evolutionary history of oaks

Summary White oak ( Quercus alba ) is an abundant forest tree species across eastern North America that is ecologically, culturally, and economically important. We report the first haplotype‐resolved chromosome‐scale genome assembly of Q. alba and conduct comparative analyses of genome structure and gene content against other published Fagaceae genomes. We investigate the genetic diversity of this widespread species and the phylogenetic relationships among oaks using whole genome data. Despite strongly conserved chromosome synteny and genome size across Quercus , certain gene families have undergone rapid changes in size, including defense genes. Unbiased annotation of resistance (R) genes across oaks revealed that the overall number of R genes is similar across species – as are the chromosomal locations of R gene clusters – but, gene number within clusters is more labile. We found that Q. alba has high genetic diversity, much of which predates its divergence from other oaks and likely impacts divergence time estimations. Our phylogenetic results highlight widespread phylogenetic discordance across the genus. The white oak genome represents a major new resource for studying genome diversity and evolution in Quercus . Additionally, we show that unbiased gene annotation is key to accurately assessing R gene evolution in Quercus .

Larson, Drew A. [Department of Biology Indiana Uni↗
DOE OSTI2025

TrioSim: A Lightweight Simulator for Large-Scale DNN Workloads on Multi-GPU Systems

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have become increasingly capable of performing tasks ranging from image recognition to content generation. The training and inference of DNNs heavily rely on GPUs, as GPUs' massively parallel architecture delivers extremely high computing capability. With the growing complexity of DNNs and the size of training datasets, training DNNs with a large number of GPUs is becoming a prevalent strategy. Researchers have been exploring how to design software and hardware systems for GPU farms to achieve the best utilization, efficiency, and DNN accuracy during training or inference. However, when designing and deploying such systems, designers usually rely on testing on physical hardware platforms equipped with many GPUs, incurring high costs that are almost prohibitive for system designers to test different configurations and designs, even for highly resourceful companies. While an alternative solution is to test on GPU simulators, they are often too slow for these l

Li, Ying [William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA] (↗
NASA NTRS1981

VTOL as it applies to resource development in the Canadian north

It is pointed out that, for many of the natural resource development projects planned in Canada between now and the end of the century, it may be necessary for the work force to commute to the site by air. Examples of successful operations, including those involving VTOL, are given. A computer program developed for determining the least expensive type of aircraft for commuting to remote projects is described. It is noted that the program can select both fixed-wing and helicopter aircraft types for a specific project, employing such variables as the size and shift schedules of the work force and the commuting distance. Capital and operating costs of existing and proposed aircraft types, as well as groundside infrastructure operations and maintenance costs, are compared for competing aircraft.

Lightfoot, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Towards a Mars base - Critical steps for life support on the moon and beyond

In providing crew life support for future exploration missions, overall exploration objectives will drive the life support solutions selected. Crew size, mission tasking, and exploration strategy will determine the performance required from life support systems. Human performance requirements, for example, may be offset by the availability of robotic assistance. Once established, exploration requirements for life support will be weighed against the financial and technical risks of developing new technologies and systems. Other considerations will include the demands that a particular life support strategy will make on planetary surface site selection, and the availability of precursor mission data to support EVA and in situ resource recovery planning. As space exploration progresses, the diversity of life support solutions that are implemented is bound to increase.

Rummel, John D.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Building Monitoring and Energy Efficiency Training for Small and Mid-Sized Commercial Buildings in Non-Urbanized Areas of Alaska

The goal of this project was to create an effective training that increases understanding, competency and capacity in monitoring critical building data. Mentorship, verification and follow-up ensured participants now have necessary skills to install and maintain building monitoring systems. This training sought to empower building managers and maintenance staff to properly and efficiently operate their buildings for energy savings and increased lifespan of equipment. Through the project, participants’ knowledge of the building was increased through hands-on training using a familiar building environment and eliminating common barriers to effective training through peer-to peer delivery. In successful cases the host organization will save money and resources due to more efficient operation of building equipment already in place.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗