Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Instruments”

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.

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

At least 1,009 records · Page 56
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Use of InSpector{sup TM} 1 1000 Instrument with LaBr{sub 3} for Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) Applications at the Westinghouse Hematite Decommissioning Project (HDP) - 13132

The Westinghouse Hematite Decommissioning Project (HDP) is a former nuclear fuel cycle facility that is currently undergoing decommissioning. One aspect of the decommissioning scope is remediation of buried nuclear waste in unlined burial pits. The current Nuclear Criticality Safety program relies on application of criticality controls based on radiological setpoints from a 2 x 2 Sodium Iodide (NaI) detector. Because of the nature of the material buried (Low Enriched Uranium (LEU), depleted uranium, thorium, and radium) and the stringent threshold for application of criticality controls based on waste management (0.1 g {sup 235}U/L), a better method for {sup 235}U identification and quantification has been developed. This paper outlines the early stages of a quick, in-field nuclear material assay and {sup 235}U mass estimation process currently being deployed at HDP. Nuclear material initially classified such that NCS controls are necessary can be demonstrated not to require such controls and dispositioned as desired by project operations. Using Monte Carlo techniques and a high resolution Lanthanum Bromide (LaBr) detector with portable Multi-Channel Analyzer (MCA), a bounding {sup 235}U mass is assigned to basic geometries of nuclear material as it is excavated. The deployment of these methods and techniques has saved large amounts of time and money in the nuclear material remediation process. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

Response time consideration for digitalized safety instrumentation applied to research reactor

A digitalized NMS (Neutron Measurement System) has a better performance than an analogue type in aspects of operating, maintenance and calibration. But some limitations in this system were found in the response time due to the inherent digital filtering time. The response time requirement as a kind of safety requirement is a significant factor that should be met. To satisfy the requirements, two approaches are herein suggested in a practical manner. Modifying conditions of the trip parameters and adjusting the testing methodology were applied to relieve the response time requirement. For a further enhanced and realistic response time, revised requirements for the response time of digitalized NMS are proposed in this paper. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2017

New intrinsically smart severe accident instrumentation saves costs and enhances severe accident management - 302

The Severe Accidents (SA) at Fukushima in 2011, identified the need for enhanced I and C to follow the progress of SA. Since SA environments are significantly Beyond DBA conditions, some new advanced Inherently Smart sensors had to be developed and tested. Nuclear plant designers and operators have helped focus the I and C enhancement based upon lessons learned from the Fukushima accidents. The result has been the addition of I and C for direct measurement of SA conditions hydrogen concentration, oxygen concentration, temperature, and pressure that provide unambiguous information for management of Severe Accident scenarios. The benefits are immediate from three important aspects. First, they deliver on the nuclear promise for enhanced safety at reduced costs. These Inherently Smart sensors have no maintenance and replace equipment that has high maintenance costs. Secondly, these sensors provide multiple benefits, such as condition monitoring information all the time and direct measurement of SA conditions if they are needed. Thirdly, and most importantly, simplify operator actions and training for SA. SA scenarios and SA Management can now rely on direct measurements to know such things as, the extent of fuel damage, integrity of the reactor pressure vessel, when corium is on the floor of containment, and conditions upon which to activate the hardened vent. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Nuclear power plant instrumentation and control cyber security common vector access leading to relational common cause failures - 340

Nuclear power plants and facilities have been implementing digital system upgrades into their previously analog systems for well over twenty years. New nuclear facilities' control, security, and emergency preparedness systems are almost exclusively built on digital architectures with a high degree of communication between the various systems that are often integrated together into a central control station to aid in operation or security of the facility. As digital systems become more widespread in nuclear facility control system architectures, cyber security related issues have become a significant concern to operators, regulators, governments, and other groups. Among the many concerns related to digital systems and cyber security is the area of common cause and common mode failures. This paper introduces, defines, and discusses some sources of common cause failure from a cyber security perspective: common vector access. This refers to specific access points that an adversary can exploit through a single attack sequence that have the potential to provide relational failures through common cause on multiple components, subsystems, systems, or plants. This paper will further discuss interconnected processes where these access points may exist, the importance of limiting or controlling these pinch points, and some methods of protecting common vector access points. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Results of South-East Flux Trap Dosimetry Measurements for the Advanced Test Reactor Critical Facility in support of Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation Development

Reactor dosimetry measurements are commonly used to validate simulation and modeling in nuclear reactor tests. Numerous standard dosimeter materials exist which are commonly utilized with sensitivities to different energy ranges of neutrons. At the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), cobalt alloy and pure nickel wires are installed every cycle to monitor thermal- and fast-neutron fluence rates. However, there is growing interest in exploring less commonly used materials which are either more sensitive to different parts of the neutron energy spectrum or which can incorporate multiple activation paths in a single material. Epithermal and fast-neutron energies beyond the typical 1-MeV threshold are of particular interest. Two ATR-C Flux Runs took place during 2024; each flux run included supplemental dosimetry packages in the South-East Flux Trap (SEFT) Filler. The focus of the dosimetry package for flux run 23-4 was to test two novel dosimetry methods that can provide simultaneous thermal and threshold (fast) sensitivity in a single dosimeter wire. A selection of 3% Au in Cu alloyed wires were available that provided sensitivity to fast and thermal neutrons through 5 different reactions. Likewise, Fe offers multiple interaction pathways with sensitivity to both thermal and fast neutrons. The main question to be answered by these irradiations was if sufficient radioactivation would take place in the ATR-C SEFT during a nominal 20-minute irradiation at typical power levels (near 600Wth) to observe the threshold reactions that have smaller activation cross-sections than the thermal reactions without being saturated by interfering interactions and Compton continuum during the High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) measurements. The results from comparing the measurement results to anticipated activity levels provide confidence in our ability to activate both traditional and novel dosimetry materials in ATR-C, however not all the measured values matched with the predicted activities. This leaves further room for investigation both on the experimental and computational approaches for future irradiation experiments.

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗
DOE OSTI2018

V IV O and V IV Species Formed in Aqueous Solution by the Tridentate Glutaroimide–Dioxime Ligand – An Instrumental and Computational Characterization

Complexation of V IV in aqueous solution with glutaroimide–dioxime (H 3 L), a ligand proposed for the possible sequestration of uranium from seawater, was studied by the combined application of spectroscopic (EPR and UV/Vis), spectrometric (ESI‐MS), electrochemical (CV), and computational (DFT) techniques. The results indicate that a rare non‐oxido V IV species, with formula [V IV L 2 ] 2– , is formed in the pH range 3–5. It transforms into a usual V IV O complex, [V IV OL(OH)] 2– , at pH > 6. The non‐oxido species is characterized by a “ type 3 ” EPR spectrum with A z ≈ 126 × 10 –4 cm –1 and a UV/Vis signal with ε > 2000 m –1 cm –1 in the visible region. The detection of V V species by ESI‐MS spectrometry was related to two possible oxidation processes, the first one in solution and the second one in‐source during the recording of the spectra. The cyclic voltammogram of [V IV L 2 ] 2– shows two quasi‐reversible processes, at E 1/2 = –0.75 V and E 1/2 = 0.03 V, assigned to the V IV /V III reduction and V IV /V V oxidation, respectively. All the experimental results were verified by DFT calculations, which indicated that the geometry of the non‐oxido V IV complex is intermediate between an octahedron and a trigonal prism and allowed us to predict its 51 V hyperfine coupling (HFC) tensor A , the electron absorption spectrum, the two redox processes in the cyclic voltammogram, and the electronic structure that, in turn, determines its EPR and UV/Vis behavior.

Sanna, Daniele↗
DOE OSTI2013

Instrumental temperature series in eastern and central China back to the nineteenth century

In this study, we bring together different source data sets and use quality control, interpolation, and homogeneity methods to construct a set of homogenized monthly mean surface air temperature (SAT) series for 18 stations in eastern and central China from the late nineteenth century. Missing values are statistically interpolated, and cross validation is used to assess the accuracy of the interpolation approaches. Results show that the errors of interpolation are small, and the interpolated values are statistically acceptable. Multiple homogeneity methods and all available metadata are used to assess the consistency of the time series and then to develop adjustments when necessary. Thirty-three homogeneity breakpoints are detected in the 18 stations, and the time series is adjusted to the latest segment of the data series. The adjusted annual mean SAT generally shows a range of trends of 1.0° to 4.2°C/100 years in northeastern and southeastern China and a range of trends of -0.3° to 1.0°C/100 years in central China near 30°N. Compared to the adjusted time series, the unadjusted time series underestimates the warming trend during the past 100 years. The regional and annual mean SAT over eastern and central China agrees well with estimates from a much denser station network over this region of China since 1951 and shows a warming trend of 1.52°C/100 years during 1909–2010.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

Multi-Instrument Characterization of the Surfaces and Materials in Microfabricated, Carbon Nanotube-Templated Thin Layer Chromatography Plates. An Analogy to ‘The Blind Men and the Elephant’

Herein we apply a suite of surface/materials analytical tools to characterize some of the materials created in the production of microfabricated thin layer chromatography plates. Techniques used include X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), valence band spectroscopy, static time-of-flight secondary ion spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) in both positive and negative ion modes, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), and helium ion microscopy (HIM). Materials characterized include: the Si(100) substrate with native oxide: Si/SiO2, alumina (35 nm) deposited as a diffusion barrier on the Si/SiO2: Si/SiO2/Al2O3, iron (6 nm) thermally evaporated on the Al2O3: Si/SiO2/Al2O3/Fe, the iron film annealed in H2 to make Fe catalyst nanoparticles: Si/SiO2/Al2O3/Fe(NP), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown from the Fe nanoparticles: Si/SiO2/Al2O3/Fe(NP)/CNT. The Fe thin films and nanoparticles are found in an oxidized state. Some of the analyses of the CNTs/CNT forests reported appear to be unique: the CNT forest appears to exhibit an interesting ‘channeling’ phenomenon by RBS, we observe an odd-even effect in the ToF-SIMS spectra of Cn- species for n = 1 – 6, with ions at even n showing greater intensity than the neighboring signals, and ions with n ≥ 6 showing a steady decrease in intensity, and valence band characterization of CNTs using X-radiation is reported. The information obtained from the combination of the different analytical tools provides a more complete understanding of our materials than a single technique, which is analogous to the story of ‘The Blind Men and the Elephant’. (Of course there is increasing emphasis on the use of multiple characterization tools in surface and materials analysis.) The raw XPS and ToF-SIMS spectra from this study will be submitted to Surface Science Spectra for archiving.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2024

Experimental validation of a Kalman observer using linearized OpenFAST and a fully instrumented 1:70 model

Abstract To enable real‐time monitoring and control strategies for floating offshore wind turbines, accurate information about the state of the system is needed. This paper details the application of a Kalman filter to the UMaine VolturnUS‐S floating wind platform to provide accurate state estimates in real time using minimal system measurements. The midfidelity nonlinear simulation tool OpenFAST was used to generate the underlying linear state‐space model for the Kalman filter. This linear model and its limitations are demonstrated through comparison with experimental data collected on a 1:70 froude‐scaled model of the floating platform and tower. Using a selection of five measurements from the real system, a Kalman filter was developed to provide estimates for the remaining system states and measurements. These estimates were then validated against the experimental values collected from testing of the scale model. Validation of the Kalman filter produced accurate estimates of surge, heave, and tower base bending moment, measurements of which were not available to the Kalman filter. Performance of the Kalman filter was tested and validated over a range of sea conditions from rated wind speed to storm events and demonstrated robustness in the Kalman filter to maintain accuracy across all operating conditions despite significant error in the underlying linear model for extreme conditions.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Performance Improvements on SNS and HFIR Instrument Data Reduction Workflows Using Mantid

Performance of data reduction workflows at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is mainly determined by the time spent loading raw measurement events stored in large and sparse datasets. This paper describes: (1) our long-term view to leverage SNS and HFIR data management needs with our experience at ORNL’s world-class high performance computing (HPC) facilities, and (2) our short-term efforts to speed up current workflows using Mantid, a data analysis and reduction community framework used across several neutron scattering facilities. We show that minimally invasive short-term improvements in metadata management have a moderate impact in speeding up current production workflows. We propose a more disruptive domain-specific solution: the No Cost Input Output (NCIO) framework, we provide an overview, the risks and challenges in NCIO’s adoption by HFIR and SNS stakeholders.

Godoy, William↗
DOE OSTI2020

From smart homes to smart laboratories: connected instruments for materials science

The current focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning in the scientific community has the potential to greatly speed up discovery. In this article, we explore what a “smart facility” would mean for materials science. We propose to capture meta-data at every step of an experiment, including materials synthesis, sample production and characterization, simulation, and the analysis software used to extract information. Although most of this information is captured in various institutional systems and staff logbooks, more insight could be obtained by connecting this information through a system that allows automation. AI-enabled processes built on such a system would have the potential of making experiment planning easier and minimize the time between experiment and publication.

Doucet, Mathieu↗
DOE OSTI2018

The Phase-1 Upgrade of the ATLAS Level-1 Endcap Muon Trigger. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics 2017

The Level-1 muon trigger for the ATLAS experiment identifies muons with high transverse momentum. Under the high luminosity condition in LHC Run 3, more powerful trigger system is needed to reject the backgrounds. New trigger processor board for Run 3 has been produced to achieve the required performance, by combining information from five different detectors. The performance of the new board and the readout system has been confirmed by a beam test. The new algorithms to make use of the new detectors have been developed, and are tested by MC simulation. With the new algorithms, the trigger rate is estimated to become lower than the required rate in Run 3.

Akatsuka, Shunichi↗
DOE OSTI2018

Simulation of the ATLAS New Small Wheel (NSW) System. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics 2017

New Small Wheel (NSW) is a major detector upgrade project of the ATLAS muon spectrometer for the LHC luminosity upgrade. NSW comprises sTGC and Micromegas as muon tracking detectors of high rate capability, and front- and back-end electronics for upgrading the muon level-1 trigger. Detailed simulation of the detectors and the electronics has been developed and used for the study of expected performance. An overview of the NSW system and some results of the trigger performance with the Micromegas are presented.

ATLAS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Tracking and Vertexing with the ATLAS Inner Detector in the LHC Run-2. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Technology and Instrumentation in Particle Physics 2017

Run-2 of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has provided new challenges to track and vertex reconstruction with higher centre-of-mass energies and luminosity leading to increasingly high-multiplicity environments, and boosted, highly-collimated physics objects. We present an overview of the ATLAS Inner Detector tracker in Run-2 including the track reconstruction algorithm, time-dependent alignment, tracking and vertexing performance.

ATLAS Inner Detector↗