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At least 955 records · Page 53

Digital system upset. The effects of simulated lightning-induced transients on a general-purpose microprocessor

Flight critical computer based control systems designed for advanced aircraft must exhibit ultrareliable performance in lightning charged environments. Digital system upset can occur as a result of lightning induced electrical transients, and a methodology was developed to test specific digital systems for upset susceptibility. Initial upset data indicates that there are several distinct upset modes and that the occurrence of upset is related to the relative synchronization of the transient input with the processing sate of the digital system. A large upset test data base will aid in the formulation and verification of analytical upset reliability modeling techniques which are being developed.

Belcastro, C. M.↗

Generation IV benchmarking of TRISO fuel performance models under accident conditions: Modeling input data

This document presents the benchmark plan for the calculation of particle fuel performance on safety testing experiments that are representative of operational accidental transients. The benchmark is dedicated to the modeling of fission product release under accident conditions by fuel performance codes from around the world, and the subsequent comparison to post-irradiation experiment (PIE) data from the modeled heating tests. The accident condition benchmark is divided into three parts: the modeling of a simplified benchmark problem to assess potential numerical calculation issues at low fission product release; the modeling of the AGR-1 and HFR-EU1bis safety testing experiments; and, the comparison of the AGR-1 and HFR-EU1bis modeling results with PIE data. The simplified benchmark case, thereafter named NCC (Numerical Calculation Case), is derived from ''Case 5'' of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Coordinated Research Program (CRP) on coated particle fuel technology [IAEA 2012]. It is included so participants can evaluate their codes at low fission product release. ''Case 5'' of the IAEA CRP-6 showed large code-to-code discrepancies in the release of fission products, which were attributed to ''effects of the numerical calculation method rather than the physical model''[IAEA 2012]. The NCC is therefore intended to check if these numerical effects subsist. The first two steps imply the involvement of the benchmark participants with a modeling effort following the guidelines and recommendations provided by this document. The third step involves the collection of the modeling results by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the comparison of these results with the available PIE data. The objective of this document is to provide all necessary input data to model the benchmark cases, and to give some methodology guidelines and recommendations in order to make all results suitable for comparison with each other. The participants should read this document thoroughly to make sure all the data needed for their calculations is provided in the document. Missing data will be added to a revision of the document if necessary.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Calculation of monomer yields, verification of PG concentration approximation, catalyst comparison for neat aromatic RCF, SEM micrographs for postreaction pulps, yields of aqueous-phase sugar derivatives after PG-H2O RCF, reactor pressure transients, GPC comparing pre- and postreaction organic solvent composition, PG-H2O miscibility testing, GPC probing dimer/oligomer fractionation in PG-H2O mixtures for

Reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) is an effective lignin-first biorefining method to extract lignin as a stabilized oil from lignocellulosic biomass. To realize RCF at scale, process modeling has shown that minimizing the use of exogenous organic solvents is critical. To this end, here we investigate the ability of lignin-derived monomers to act as either solvents or cosolvents for RCF. We begin by examining the influence of lignin-derived aromatic compounds (4-propylguaiacol, 4-propylphenol, and propylbenzene) on RCF monomer yields and subsequently extend our analysis to mixtures of 4-propylguaiacol and either methanol or water. We demonstrate that 4-propylguaiacol is an effective solvent for lignin extraction and depolymerization during RCF, especially when used in combination with water as a cosolvent. Cosolvent mixtures of 4-propylguaiacol and water enable up to 81% lignin extraction, monomer yields up to 25 wt %, and postreaction phase separation. However, unlike methanol, water as a cosolvent fails to inhibit aromatic ring hydrogenation when conducted over Ru/C as a catalyst, potentially leading to excess hydrogen consumption in a process utilizing this approach. Nonetheless, these results suggest a promising strategy for eliminating external organic solvents from RCF by utilizing mixtures of lignin-derived compounds and water as alternative extraction solvents.

biorefining↗

High temperature, short term tensile strength of C6000/PMR-15 composites

Tensile tests were conducted on 0 unidirectionally reinforced Celion 6000 graphite fibers in PMR-15 polyimide matrix. Tensile strengths for coupons subjected to short and long term uniform temperatures were obtained. Thick coupons, heated on one side to produce significant transient through thickness temperature gradients, were tested and compared to the strength of specimens with uniform temperature distributions. All coupons were radiantly heated and reached maximum test temperatures within 15 sec. Tensile loads were applied to the coupons after 15 sec of elevated temperature exposure. Loading rates were selected so that specimen failures occurred within a maximum of 45 sec after reaching the test temperature. Results indicate that significant tensile strength remains beyond the material post cure temperature.

Digiovanni, P. R.↗

Sand Impact Tests of a Half-Scale Crew Module Boilerplate Test Article

Although the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is being designed primarily for water landings, a further investigation of launch abort scenarios reveals the possibility of an onshore landing at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). To gather data for correlation against simulations of beach landing impacts, a series of sand impact tests were conducted at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). Both vertical drop tests and swing tests with combined vertical and horizontal velocity were performed onto beds of common construction-grade sand using a geometrically scaled crew module boilerplate test article. The tests were simulated using the explicit, nonlinear, transient dynamic finite element code LS-DYNA. The material models for the sand utilized in the simulations were based on tests of sand specimens. Although the LSDYNA models provided reasonable predictions for peak accelerations, they were not always able to track the response through the duration of the impact. Further improvements to the material model used for the sand were identified based on results from the sand specimen tests.

Vassilakos, Gregory J.↗

Liquid hydrogen turbopump rapid start program

This program was to analyze, test, and evaluate methods of achieving rapid-start of a liquid hydrogen feed system (inlet duct and turbopump) using a minimum of thermal preconditioning time and propellant. The program was divided into four tasks. Task 1 includes analytical studies of the testing conducted in the other three tasks. Task 2 describes the results from laboratory testing of coating samples and the successful adherence of a KX-635 coating to the internal surfaces of the feed system tested in Task 4. Task 3 presents results of testing an uncoated feed system. Tank pressure was varied to determine the effect of flowrate on preconditioning. The discharge volume and the discharge pressure which initiates opening of the discharge valve were varied to determine the effect on deadhead (no through-flow) start transients. Task 4 describes results of testing a similar, internally coated feed system and illustrates the savings in preconditioning time and propellant resulting from the coatings.

Wong, G. S.↗

An EMTP system level model of the PMAD DC test bed

A power management and distribution direct current (PMAD DC) test bed was set up at the NASA Lewis Research Center to investigate Space Station Freedom Electric Power Systems issues. Efficiency of test bed operation significantly improves with a computer simulation model of the test bed as an adjunct tool of investigation. Such a model is developed using the Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP) and is available to the test bed developers and experimenters. The computer model is assembled on a modular basis. Device models of different types can be incorporated into the system model with only a few lines of code. A library of the various model types is created for this purpose. Simulation results and corresponding test bed results are presented to demonstrate model validity.

Dravid, Narayan V.↗

An EMTP system level model of the PMAD DC test bed

A power management and distribution direct current (PMAD DC) test bed was set up at the NASA Lewis Research Center to investigate Space Station Freedom Eelectric Power Systems issues. Efficiency of test bed operation significantly improves with a computer simulation model of the test bed as an adjunct tool of investigation. Such a model is developed using the Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP) and is available to the test bed developers and experimenters. The computer model is assembled on a modular basis. Device models of different types can be incorporated into the system model with only a few lines of code. A library of the various model types is created for this purpose. Simulation results and corresponding test bed results are presented to demonstrate model validity.

Dravid, Narayan V.↗

Simulation of Non-Acoustic Combustion Instability in a Hybrid Rocket Motor

A transient model of a hybrid motor was formulated to study the cause and elimination of non-acoustic combustion instability. The transient model was used to simulate four key tests out of a series of seventeen hybrid motor tests conducted by Thiokol, Rocketdyne and Martin Marietta at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA/MSFC). These tests were performed under the Hybrid Propulsion Technology for Launch Vehicle Boosters (HPTLVB) program. The first test resulted in stable combustion. The second test resulted in large-amplitude, 6.5 Hz chamber pressure oscillations that gradually damped away by the end of the test. The third test resulted in large-amplitude, 7.5 Hz chamber pressure oscillations that were sustained throughout the test. The seventh test resulted in the elimination of combustion instability with the installation of an orifice immediately upstream of the injector. The formulation and implementation of the model are the scope of this presentation. The current model is an independent continuation of modeling presented previously by joint Thiokol-Rocketdyne collaborators Boardman, Hawkins, Wassom, and Claflin. The previous model simulated an unstable IR&D hybrid motor test performed by Thiokol. There was very good agreement between the model and the test data. Like the previous model, the current model was developed using Matrix-x simulation software. However, the tests performed at NASA/MSFC under the HPTLVB program were actually simulated. In the current model, the hybrid motor consisting of the liquid oxygen (LOX) injector, the multi-port solid fuel grain and the nozzle was simulated. Also, simulated in the model was the LOX feed system consisting of the tank, venturi, valve and feed lines. All components of the hybrid motor and LOX feed system are treated by a lumped-parameter approach. Agreement between the results of the transient model and the actual test data was very good. This agreement between simulated and actual test data indicated that the combustion instability in the hybrid motor was due to two causes. The first cause was a LOX feed system of insufficient stiffness. The second cause was a LOX injector with an impedance or pressure drop that was too low to provide damping against the feed system oscillations. Also, it was discovered that testing with a new grain of solid fuel sustained the combustion instability. However, testing with a used grain of solid fuel caused the combustion instability to gradually decay.

Rocker, Marvin↗

Simulation of Non-Acoustic Combustion Instability in a Hybrid Rocket Motor

A transient model of a hybrid motor was formulated to study the cause and elimination of non-acoustic combustion instability. The transient model was used to simulate four key tests out of a series of seventeen hybrid motor tests conducted by Thiokol, Rocketdyne and Martin Marietta at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (NASAIMSFC). These tests were performed under the Hybrid Propulsion Technology for Launch Vehicle Boosters (HPTLVB) program. The first test resulted in stable combustion. The second test resulted in large-amplitude, 6.5 Hz chamber pressure oscillations that gradually damped away by the end of the test. The third test resulted in large-amplitude, 7.5 Hz chamber pressure oscillations that were sustained throughout the test. The seventh test resulted in the elimination of combustion instability with the installation of an orifice immediately upstream of the injector. The formulation and implementation of the model are the scope of this presentation. The current model is an independent continuation of modeling presented previously by joint Thiokol-Rocketdyne collaborators Boardman, Hawkins, Wassom, and Claflin. The previous model simulated an unstable IR&D hybrid motor test performed by Thiokol. There was very good agreement between the model and the test data. Like the previous model, the current model was developed using Matrix-x simulation software. However, the tests performed at NASA/MSFC under the HPTLVB program were actually simulated. In the current model, the hybrid motor consisting of the liquid oxygen (LOX) injector, the multi-port solid fuel grain and the nozzle was simulated. Also, simulated in the model was the LOX feed system consisting of the tank, venturi, valve and feed lines. All components of the hybrid motor and LOX feed system are treated by a lumped-parameter approach. Agreement between the results of the transient model and the actual test data was very good. This agreement between simulated and actual test data indicated that the combustion instability in the hybrid motor was due to two causes. The first cause was a LOX feed system of insufficient stiffness. The second cause was a LOX injector with an impedance or pressure drop that was too low to provide damping against the feed system oscillations. Also, it was discovered that testing with a new grain of solid fuel sustained the combustion instability. However, testing with a used grain of solid fuel caused the combustion instability to gradually decay.

Rocker, Marvin↗

Development of a Full-Scale Finite Element Model of the Fokker F28 Fellowship Aircraft and Crash Simulation Predictions

In June 2019, a full-scale crash test of a Fokker F28 Fellowship aircraft was conducted as part of a joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Federal Aviation Administration (NASA/FAA) project to investigate the performance of transport aircraft under realistic crash conditions. The test objectives were to provide data for assessment of transport aircraft crashworthiness under realistic impact conditions and to generate test data for model validation. The test article was loaded with transport aircraft seats in a 3+2 configuration. A total of 24 instrumented ATDs were placed in the seats and restrained. The test article weighed 33,306-lb. (15,107.3-kg) and, during the crash test, impacted a 2-ft. (0.61-m) high soil bed at 65.3-ft/s (19.9-m/s) forward and 31.8-ft/s (9.7-m/s) vertical velocity. The full-scale aircraft crash test was simulated using the commercial nonlinear explicit transient dynamic finite element code, LS-DYNA. This paper will provide a description of the test article and the crash test conditions, document the F28 full-scale model development, and present test-analysis comparisons. The test-analysis comparisons include inertial properties, kinematic responses, structural acceleration responses, and structural deformation and failure.

Karen E Jackson↗

Recent High Burnup LOCA Testing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

To improve fuel cycle economics, increasing the fuel burnup limit in light-water reactors requires a solid technical foundation. Observations from experiments at Halden and Studsvik highlighted severe fuel fragmentation during loss-of-coolant-accident (LOCA) conditions, indicating a need for further technical considerations. These experiments suggest that the fragmentation threshold for high-burnup fuel might be influenced by pre-transient power levels. Consequently, additional LOCA test data are essential to complement existing findings and to deepen our understanding. Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Severe Accident Test Station has been instrumental in advancing knowledge about high-burnup fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal. This milestone report details two high-burnup LOCA tests designed to evaluate the effects of terminal temperature and grid spacers (or cladding restraints) on fuel fragmentation and relocation susceptibility. In addition, BISON fuel performance modeling and out-of-cell benchmark testing were conducted to better interpret the in-cell test results. These tests were developed in collaboration with fuel vendors to ensure that the results provide valuable data for topical reports and support the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s review.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Performance Evaluation of Drain Water Heat Recovery Exchangers for Heat Pump Water Heaters

Water heating constitutes approximately 18% of energy consumption and is the second largest energy expenses in United States homes. Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are energy efficient technologies with lower carbon footprints as compared to conventional water heating technologies, such as gas and electrical resistance heaters. The performance of water-source HPWHs can be improved by recovering heat from blackwater using drain heat recovery heat exchangers. Depending on water draw patterns of single family and multifamily residences, the operation and heat transfer performance of these heat exchangers are highly transient. This paper examines the thermo-hydraulic performance of a drain heat recovery heat exchanger during its transient and steady-state operations. The heat recovery performance of the exchanger was evaluated at different inlet temperatures and flow rates ranging from 9°C to 36°C and 0.03 kg/s to 0.28 kg/s, respectively. The obtained effectiveness varies from 45%–85% depending on the operating conditions. The test facility, steady-state and transient experimental procedures are reported in detail. Further, the effect of operating conditions on the effectiveness is discussed. The experimental approach and results of the study will provide insights into the transient operation of drain recovery heat exchangers as well as, guide sizing for various steady state conditions.

Krishnan, Easwaran↗

Tidal volume single-breath washin of SF6 and CH4 in transient microgravity

We performed tidal volume single-breath washins (SBW) by using tracers of different diffusivity and varied the time spent in microgravity (microG) before the start of the tests to look for time-dependent effects. SF(6) and CH(4) phase III slopes decreased by 35 and 26%, respectively, in microG compared with 1 G (P < 0.05), and the slope difference between gases disappeared. There was no effect of time in microG, suggesting that neither the hypergravity period preceding microG nor the time spent in microG affected gas mixing at volumes near functional residual capacity. In previous studies using SF(6) and He (Lauzon A-M, Prisk GK, Elliott AR, Verbanck S, Paiva M, and West JB. J Appl Physiol 82: 859-865, 1997), the vital capacity SBW showed an increase in slope difference between gases in transient microG, the opposite of the decrease in sustained microG. In contrast, tidal volume SBW showed a decrease in slope difference in both microG conditions. Because it is only the behavior of the more diffusive gas that differed between maneuvers and microG conditions, we speculate that, in the previous vital capacity SBW, the hypergravity period preceding the test in transient microG provoked conformational changes at low lung volumes near the acinar entrance.

Parabolic Flight↗

Safety Analysis for the Versatile Test Reactor Conceptual Design

Safety analysis simulations have been carried out using the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 safety analysis code system to update the baseline set of results for the Versatile Test Reactor conceptual design. Results from a previous revision of this work provided input for the Conceptual Safety Design Report summarizing the overall safety basis for the VTR. This work will also support future analyses that will be required for Chapter 13, “Accident Analysis,” of a preliminary safety analysis report. A number of transients have been evaluated based on categories of postulated accident sequences suggested for consideration in NUREG-1537. Ultimately, the full spectrum of event initiators and subsequent accident sequences will be defined through a probabilistic risk assessment of the plant design following the implementation of the Licensing Modernization Project guidelines as described in the VTR Safety Design Strategy. Since that process is ongoing, the present analysis addresses several transients that are expected to be bounding accident scenarios that represent the three key ways to perturb a reactor: through changes to the core inlet temperature, mass flow rate, or reactivity. These correspond to a loss of heat sink (LOHS), loss of flow (LOF) or station blackout (SBO), and transient overpower (TOP), respectively. Both Protected and Unprotected versions of these transients have been evaluated, along with additional transients that include transient overpower with one stuck rod, pump coast-down failures, seismic events, and overcooling events. At the current stage of design, transient simulation results for the Versatile Test Reactor indicate that large safety margins exist for many event initiators. However, several “enabling” assumptions have been made, in terms of both design features and design limits, in order to perform the analyses; and these assumptions will need to be revised as the design matures. In addition, a larger spectrum of events needs to be evaluated as part of the on-going probabilistic risk assessment process.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Measurement and Characterization of Helicopter Noise at Different Altitudes

This paper presents an overview of a flight test campaign performed at different test sites whose altitudes ranged from 0 to 7000 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) between September 2014 and February 2015. The purposes of this campaign were to: investigate the effects of altitude variation on noise generation, investigate the effects of gross weight variation on noise generation, establish the statistical variability in acoustic flight testing of helicopters, and characterize the effects of transient maneuvers on radiated noise for a medium-lift utility helicopter. In addition to describing the test campaign, results of the acoustic effects of altitude variation for the AS350 SD1 and EH-60L aircraft are presented. Large changes in acoustic amplitudes were observed in response to changes in ambient conditions when the helicopter was flown at constant indicated airspeed and gross weight at the three test sites. However, acoustic amplitudes were found to scale with ambient pressure when flight conditions were defined in terms of the non-dimensional parameters, such as the weight coefficient and effective hover tip Mach number.

Watts, Michael E.↗