SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “project”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 1,027 records · Page 57

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2019

Space Research Project Management Can Benefit from Engineering Technology Selection Methods

Many engineering methods have been developed to help management select technology for a system design or further research. The simplest way to compare technologies is to use a checklist containing all the more or less important selection criteria, so that nothing is overlooked. The criteria usually include cost, safety, reliability and maintainability, and potential problems such as noise generation and microgravity sensitivity. The next step typically is to weight and score all the criteria. The process of weighting and scoring is helpful in bringing out different priorities and reaching a shared point of view. Group technology selection methods are designed to highlight initial disagreements and produce a shared consensus. Often a frank discussion led by management rather than decision analysts can be more effective. The final selection depends on management and engineering judgment and may include programmatic and organizational factors that are beyond the engineering checklist. The objective of engineering technology selection methods is to provide engineering information to assist management in making sound decisions. Project management and technology selection are assumed to use rational engineering analytic methods, but they often do not. The reason is that human insight, intuition, and “gut feel,” rather than logic, more frequently determine our decisions. Project selection and management are strongly influenced by nonrational psychological influences, which can produce unjustified confidence and determination. Nevertheless, there is a strong need for space projects to do rational project analysis and selection. Demonstrating a rational spirit is necessary for a scientific and technical organization. Professional ethics at its best requires an open, honest, and fair process, without damaging politics. Rational analysis can help improve good projects and avoid selecting bad ones. A sanity check using rational analysis guided by a checklist can help avoid egregious and damaging errors.

Jones, Harry W.↗

NASA NTRS2020

The Spaceport Command and Control System Security Assessor Project

This Summer, I worked as a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Internships and Fellowships (NIF) intern under my mentor, Jill Giles within the Software Engineering Branch. Within this project, I worked alongside the Cyber Security branch to identify a list of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) software to analyze, research, and gain insight about potential vulnerabilities within the software that could become a threat of attack. After identifying the list of COTS software, my team and I used Microsoft Excel to create a worksheet to easily organize and design a questionnaire about the software. Security reports weregiven to us to identify the software used on the machines in the firing rooms. With these reports, we created a script that would populate the database with the software information to identify potential security weaknesses of COTS software.The goal of the project was to produce a final report, summarizing the most vulnerable launch control system servers and configurations and document vulnerabilities, residual risk, likelihood, and consequence. This project is important for the Cyber Security and Information Technology branches because it will identify security weaknesses and help to mitigate risk. From the Spaceport Command and Control System Security Assessor Project, I learned how to properly identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities within software and how to mitigate the risks within the software. This project also taught me how to create databases using scripts and input files.

Destani Satora Van Arsdalen↗

NASA NTRS2019

Psyche Early Project Verification & Validation Planning Development

The Psyche mission to the asteroid (16) Psyche was selected as the fourteenth mission in the Discovery program in January 2017. The Psyche mission will determine if (16) Psyche is the core of a larger differentiated body. As part of the development of this mission a Verification and Validation (V&V) engineer was assigned early in the project’s design Phase B. This paper will discuss some of the strategies that the Psyche team is using to take full advantage of the early planning for V&V on flight projects and specifically how the Psyche mission is approaching these tasks. This paper will discuss the effects of having a V&V mindset on: 1) The Psyche requirements development process, and how focusing not only on how the team will verify these requirements but also on developing the tools necessary to track and monitor that verification feeds back into the requirement development process. 2) The Psyche testbed development, and how using a verification mindset is useful for identifying holes in the testbed development process, including the required testbed speed and how to think about testbed certification early in the process while encouraging trades and developing relationships with the testbed team. 3) Developing new V&V Tools for Psyche, and how developing tools early in the project development process means that they can influence the development of other requirement and scheduling tools. 4) Verification Activity Planning, which is typically done to a preliminary level during Phase B of the project, and is important for understanding the major testing that is needed to ensure that the system as built represents the design. On Psyche we are not only focused on bringing this planning to a preliminary level, we are also developing a V&V focused schedule to help us de-conflict V&V activities that may require similar resources early on in the program’s development. 5) Validation Planning, for which we are working with the testbed and model development teams to ensure that their models can be effectively validated and that the plans to do so are in place. In this paper we will describe how the Psyche mission is approaching each of these V&V areas and identify lessons that can be taken by other space missions trying to decide how much effort should be put into V&V early in the project lifecycle.

Solish, Benjamin↗

NASA NTRS2022

Seasonal Tidewater Glacier Terminus Oscillations Bias Multi-Decadal Projections of Ice Mass Change

Numerical, process-based simulations of tidewater glacier evolution are necessary to project future sea-level change under various climate scenarios. Previous work has shown that nonlinearities in tidewater glacier and ice stream dynamics can lead to biases in simulated ice mass change in the presence of noisy forcings. Ice sheet modeling projections that are used in the IPCC Assessment Report 6 (AR6) utilize atmospheric and oceanic forcings at annual temporal resolution, omitting any higher frequency forcings. Here, we quantify the effect of seasonal (<1 year) tidewater glacier terminus oscillations on decadal-scale (30 years) mass change. We use an idealized geometry to mimic realistic tidewater glacier geometries and investigate the impact of the magnitude of seasonal oscillations, bed slope at the glacier terminus, and basal friction law. We find that omitting seasonal terminus motion results in biased mass change projections, with up to an 39% underestimate or 25% overestimate of mass loss when seasonality is neglected, depending on bed slope and magnitude of oscillations. The bias is most sensitive to the magnitude of the seasonal terminus oscillations and exhibits very little sensitivity to choice of friction law. Although omitting seasonal terminus motion may bias mass change projections of individual glaciers, further work is needed to investigate the impact on ice sheet mass change projections. In order to achieve this, seasonality in atmospheric and oceanic forcings must be adequately represented and observations of seasonal terminus positions and tidewater glacier thickness changes must be acquired to evaluate numerical models. Note: Zip folder contains all videos listed in the supplemental document and can be downloaded for viewing.

D. Felikson↗

NASA NTRS2023

The optimization of model ensemble composition and size can enhance the robustness of crop yield projections

Linked climate and crop simulation models are widely used to assess the impact of climate change on agriculture. However, it is unclear how ensemble configurations (model composition and size) influence crop yield projections and uncertainty. Here, we investigate the influences of ensemble configurations on crop yield projections and modeling uncertainty from Global Gridded Crop Models and Global Climate Models under future climate change. We performed a cluster analysis to identify distinct groups of ensemble members based on their projected outcomes, revealing unique patterns in crop yield projections and corresponding uncertainty levels, particularly for wheat and soybean. Furthermore, our findings suggest that approximately six Global Gridded Crop Models and 10 Global Climate Models are sufficient to capture modeling uncertainty, while a cluster-based selection of 3-4 Global Gridded Crop Models effectively represents the full ensemble. The contribution of individual Global Gridded Crop Models to overall uncertainty varies depending on region and crop type, emphasizing the importance of considering the impact of specific models when selecting models for local-scale applications. Our results emphasize the importance of model composition and ensemble size in identifying the primary sources of uncertainty in crop yield projections, offering valuable guidance for optimizing ensemble configurations in climate-crop modeling studies tailored to specific applications.

Agriculture↗

NASA NTRS2024

Celebrating 10 Years of the Sub-Seasonal to Seasonal Prediction Project and Looking to the Future

The conference clearly demonstrated the increasing interest and growth of the scientific community working on the development and application of sub-seasonal to seasonal prediction since the start of the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP)/World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) prediction project in 2013. The conference, which was held at the University of Reading (United Kingdom), was organized into three main themes as briefly summarized below, with eleven invited talks, 74 oral contributed talks, and 101 posters. The conference also included a two-hour breakout session, wherein eight groups discussed the current state and prospect for S2S prediction, and an early career researcher event. A summary of these discussions and recommendations is presented below. The conference web page (https://research.reading.ac.uk/s2s-summit2023/) is archived at the University of Reading. Introductory comments by representatives of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) WWRP and WCRP emphasized the importance of the weather–climate linkage, targeted by S2S forecasts (from 2 weeks to a season ahead), addressing the challenges of creating “end-to-end” forecasts that encompass the entire climate-services chain from the prediction science and forecast, to the development and issuing of forecast products tailored to informing user-decisions. They also emphasized the efficacy of multi-model ensemble efforts and databases to foster collaborations internationally and between operational centres and academia. Although the WWRP/WCRP S2S project comes to an end in 2023, S2S prediction will remain an important focus for WWRP and WCRP. In WWRP, a new project called SAGE (Sub-seasonal to seasonal predictions for Agriculture and Environment) will start in 2024. Another important legacy of the S2S project will be the maintenance of the S2S database (Vitart et al. 2017) and the establishment of a WMO Lead Center for sub-seasonal prediction multi-model ensemble (LC-SSPMME) which will provide real-time multi-model S2S climate information. In two keynote presentations, Prof. Brian Hoskins (University of Reading) and Dr. Gilbert Brunet (Australian Bureau of Meteorology) discussed the potential of S2S predictability and the ongoing journey for understanding and improving these predictions. This conference was a sequel to the International Conference on Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Prediction (Robertson et al., 2014) which took place in College Park (Maryland, USA) in February 2014 to celebrate the start of the WWRP/WCRP S2S project, and to WCRP and WWRP conferences in Boulder, USA, in 2018 (Merryfield et al., 2020). A significant development compared to the previous S2S conferences was the large number of presentations on research to operation (R2O) and S2S applications and on the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) methods for S2S prediction. Some of these methods provide empirical S2S forecasts which are competitive with state-of-the-art dynamical models. Other presentations demonstrated that AI/ML can provide alternative calibration of dynamical model outputs to traditional methods. Several talks and posters highlighted the increasing use of AI/ML, including deep learning, in S2S forecast post-processing and using AI to identify higher flow-dependent skill. Finally, some presentations demonstrated the value of AI/ML methods for a better understanding of S2S sources of predictability and attribution of extreme events.

S. J. Woolnough↗

NASA NTRS2024

NPCC4: New York City Climate Risk Information 2022—Observations and Projections

New York City (NYC) faces many challenges in the coming decades due to climate change and its interactions with social vulnerabilities and uneven urban development patterns and processes. This New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC) report contributes to the Panel’s mandate to advise the city on climate change and provide timely climate risk information that can inform flexible and equitable adaptation pathways that enhance resilience to climate change. This report presents up-to-date scientific information as well as updated sea level rise projections of record. We also present a new methodology related to climate extremes and describe new methods for developing the next generation of climate projections for the New York metropolitan region. Future work by the Panel should compare the temperature and precipitation projections presented in this report with a subset of models to determine the potential impact and relevance of the “hot model” problem. NPCC4 expects to establish new projections-of-record for precipitation and temperature in 2024 based on this comparison and additional analysis. Nevertheless, the temperature and precipitation projections presented in this report may be useful for NYC stakeholders in the interim as they rely on the newest generation of global climate models.

NPCC4↗

NASA NTRS2024

NPCC4: Tail Risk, Climate Drivers of Extreme Heat, and New Methods for Extreme Event Projections

We summarize historic New York City (NYC) climate change trends and provide the latest scientific analyses on projected future changes based on a range of global greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. Building on previous NPCC assessment reports, we describe new methods used to develop the projections of record for sea level rise, temperature, and precipitation for NYC, across multiple emissions pathways and analyze the issue of the “hot models” associated with the 6th phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) and their potential impact on NYC's climate projections. We describe the state of the science on temperature variability within NYC and explain both the large-scale and regional dynamics that lead to extreme heat events, as well as the local physical drivers that lead to inequitable distributions of exposure to extreme heat. We identify three areas of tail risk and potential for its mischaracterization, including the physical processes of extreme events and the effects of a changing climate. Finally, we review opportunities for future research, with a focus on the hot model problem and the intersection of spatial resolution of projections with gaps in knowledge in the impacts of the climate signal on intraurban heat and heat exposure.

NPCC4↗

DOE OSTI2017

United States Advanced Ultra-Supercritical Component Test Facility for 760°C Steam Power Plants ComTest Project

Following the successful completion of a 15-year effort to develop and test materials that would allow coal-fired power plants to be operated at advanced ultra-supercritical (A-USC) steam conditions, a United States-based consortium is presently engaged in a project to build an A-USC component test facility (ComTest). A-USC steam cycles have the potential to improve cycle efficiency, reduce fuel costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Current development and demonstration efforts are focused on enabling the construction of A-USC plants, operating with steam temperatures as high as 1400°F (760°C) and steam pressures up to 5000 psi (35 MPa), which can potentially increase cycle efficiencies to 47% HHV (higher heating value), or approximately 50% LHV (lower heating value), and reduce CO 2 emissions by roughly 25%, compared to today’s U.S. fleet. A-USC technology provides a lower-cost method to reduce CO 2 emissions, compared to CO 2 capture technologies, while retaining a viable coal option for owners of coal generation assets. Among the goals of the ComTest facility are to validate that components made from advanced nickel-based alloys can operate and perform under A-USC conditions, to accelerate the development of a U.S.-based supply chain for the full complement of A-USC components, and to decrease the uncertainty of cost estimates for future A-USC power plants. The configuration of the ComTest facility would include the key A-USC technology components that were identified for expanded operational testing, including a gas-fired superheater, high-temperature steam piping, steam turbine valve, and cycling header component. Membrane walls in the superheater have been designed to operate at the full temperatures expected in a commercial A-USC boiler, but at a lower (intermediate) operating pressure. This superheater has been designed to increase the temperature of the steam supplied by the host utility boiler up to 1400°F (760°C). The steam turbine stop and control valve component has been designed to operate at full A-USC temperatures, and would be tested both in throttling operation and to accumulate accelerated, repetitive stroke cycles. A cycling header component has been designed to confirm the suitability of new high-temperature nickel alloys to cycling operation, expected of future coal-fired power plants. Current test plans would subject these components to A-USC operating conditions for at least 8,000 hours by September 2020. The ComTest project is managed by Energy Industries of Ohio, and technically directed by the Electric Power Research Institute, Inc., with General Electric designing the A-USC components. This consortium is completing the Detailed Engineering phase of the project, with procurement scheduled to begin in late 2017. The effort is primarily funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, through the National Energy Technology Laboratory, along with the Ohio Development Services Agency. This presentation outlines the motivation for the project, explains the project’s structure and schedule, and provides technical details on the design of the ComTest facility.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2017

The FabrIc for Frontier Experiments Project at Fermilab: Computing for Experiments

The FabrIc for Frontier Experiments (FIFE) project is a major initiative within the Fermilab Scientific Computing Division designed to steer the computing model for non-LHC experiments at Fermilab. The FIFE project enables close collaboration between experimenters and computing professionals to serve high-energy physics experiments of differing scope and physics area of study. The project also tracks and provides feedback on the development of common tools for job submission, identity management, software and data distribution, job monitoring, and databases for project tracking. The computing needs of the experiments under the FIFE umbrella continue to increase, and present a complex list of requirements to their service providers. To meet these requirements, recent advances in the FIFE toolset include a new identity management infrastructure, significantly upgraded job monitoring tools, and a workflow management system. We have also upgraded existing tools to access remote computing resources such as GPU clusters and sites outside the United States. We will present these recent advances, highlight the nature of collaboration between the diverse set of experimenters and service providers, and discuss the project's future directions.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2017

The Role of Numerical Simulation in the Design of Stimulation and Circulation Experiments for the EGS Collab Project

The United States Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) is funding a collaborative investigation of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) processes at the meso-scale. This study, referred to as the EGS Collab project, is a unique opportunity for scientists and engineers to investigate the creation of fracture networks and circulation of fluids across those networks under in-situ stress conditions. The EGS Collab project is envisioned to comprise three experiments and the site for the first experiment is on the 4850 Level in phyllite of the Precambrian Poorman formation, at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, located at the former Homestake Gold Mine, in Lead, South Dakota. Principal objectives of the project are to develop a number of intermediate-scale field sites and to conduct well-controlled in situ experiments focused on rock fracture behavior and permeability enhancement. Data generated during these experiments will be compared against predictions of a suite of computer codes specifically designed to solve problems involving coupled thermal, hydrological, geomechanical, and geochemical processes. Comparisons between experimental and numerical simulation results will provide code developers with direction for improvements and verification of process models, build confidence in the suite of available numerical tools, and ultimately identify critical future development needs for the geothermal modeling community. Moreover, conducting thorough comparisons of models, modelling approaches, measurement approaches and measured data, via the EGS Collab project, will serve to identify techniques that are most likely to succeed at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), the GTO’s flagship EGS research effort. As noted, outcomes from the EGS Collab project experiments will serve as benchmarks for computer code verification, but numerical simulation additional plays an essential role in designing these meso-scale experiments. This paper describes specific calculations and numerical simulation approaches conducted in support of the designs for the stimulation and circulation experiments, and their monitoring, including those for predicting seismic energies during stimulation, stimulation pressure requirements, impacts of borehole orientation on fracture development and trajectories, influence of notch shapes on hydraulic fracture initiation, and pressure limits on fluid circulation to avoid fracture growth.

Numerical Simulation, EGS Collab, EGS, Sanford Und↗

DOE OSTI2020

Project Methods to Enhance Wellbore Cement Integrity with Microbially-Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The goal of this project was to develop improved methods for sealing compromised wellbore cement in leaking oil and gas wells, thereby reducing the risk of unwanted upward fluid migration. Novel methods for improving wellbore integrity, such as microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP), can reduce leakage potential, improve the safety of fossil fuel extraction, improve the public perception of hydraulic fracturing, and promote environmentally-prudent unconventional oil and gas development. Microbes, with the urease enzyme, can catalyze the chemical reaction of urea hydrolysis to induce the precipitation of calcium carbonate which can be used as a cementitious material to seal leakage pathways. In this project, methods to promote robust bio-composite cementitious materials were designed and tested in the laboratory. Scale-up of those methods were tested in meso-scale reactor systems and in field applications. In this report, in Section One, we describe laboratory efforts to develop injection strategies to promote precipitation in wellbore analogs and determine the strength of the bio-composite cements as compared to fine cement. In Section Two, we describe the efforts to scale up the work and study the use of materials that can be used in field application, for example exploring the use of calcium chloride ice melt or urea fertilizer as source chemicals. In Section Three, the three field trials (methods and results) performed as part of the project are described and summarized. At the end of the report is a comprehensive summary and conclusion section which highlights the key findings of the project. The work performed during this project significantly advanced the technology readiness level (TRL) of the MICP wellbore sealing strategy.

02 PETROLEUM↗

DOE OSTI2019

Pansophy data as used to develop metrics and evaluate trends across SRF projects and facilities to further quality improvement initiatives

Pansophy, a JLAB SRF engineering data management system (EDMS), is composed of a collection of technolo-gies that together provide for the collection, management and analysis of data for the production and testing of cavities and cryomodules. From its inception in 2000, when data collection was a priority for such projects as SNS, CEBAF 12GeV upgrade, LCLS-II, and in the future the SNS-PPU, the focus has turned to data analysis and reporting on quality metrics and key performance indica-tors (KPIs). Reporting enhancements include monthly quality metrics, project specific KPIs, and trending across projects. With the use of Pareto Charts to help analyze vendor quality and non-conformance, timelines of pro-ject and facility metrics, project managers and subject matter experts (SME) are able to look for trends and pre-pare further quality improvement initiatives for their projects.

McDonald, M. G.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Better bang for your buck? Comparing savings realization from ESPCs and direct-funded projects

Energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) offer an opportunity to tremendously scale decarbonization projects, given their paid-from-savings premise. However, prospective customers still question whether ESPC is worth the effort and expense. This study evaluates the savings realization rates of ESPCs compared to direct-funded projects using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (ESPM) benchmarking data. It compares normalized EUIs from ESPM before and after energy conservation projects implemented via ESPC or direct funding in roughly 450 federal buildings. This documented change, ideally a savings, can then be compared to the estimated savings from the energy conservation initiative in order to generate a rough realization rate. Preliminary results indicate a notably greater savings realization rate for the ESPC buildings (median = 105% of estimated savings) than those that underwent direct-funded projects (median = 46%). Because of a shortage of good quality data and the wide range in results, the difference is only significant at the p < 0.20 level. However, the higher savings realization of ESPCs corroborates the authors’ 2014 findings using a different comparison method. With continued soft government funding and regulatory impediments for climate change mitigation in the U.S., financed, paid-from-savings project models (e.g., ESPC, PACE, EaaS and others) certainly merit more attention. This study’s results are particularly compelling (and encouraging) given the country’s likely reliance on these vehicles to address existing building retrofits.

Earni, Shankar↗

DOE OSTI2023

Determining the Effects of Neutron Irradiation on the Structural Integrity of Additively Manufactured Heat Exchangers for Very Small Modular Reactor Applications, DOE Final Report (Project # 19-16980)

Auburn University (AU) teamed with the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) and Kansas State University (KSU) to determine how to best use laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing (AM) methods for generating radiation resistant nickel-based superalloys, Inconel alloy 625 and 718, for special purpose reactor (SPR) or very small modular reactor (vSMR) heat-exchangers (HeXs). Compact, conformal, and durable HeXs that are tolerant of extreme environments are needed for supporting the technical maturity of next-generation, portable compact reactors. AM is an enabler for realizing this new wave of HeXs – providing a means to make customizable hot and cold stream architectures with novel flow path geometries (e.g., tortuous channels with non-uniform, asymmetric cross-sections) and reduced layer-to-layer contact resistance (i.e., no separate bonding procedure required). AM further enables a more time/cost efficient means for fabricating SPRs by reducing the number of suppliers required for HeX assembly and allowing for on-site HeX fabrication. The project aim has been to better understand how neutron irradiation affects the microstructure and properties of additively manufactured nickel-based superalloys, to accelerate their safe, reliable use in the modular reactor industry. The major objective was to qualify/quantify the microstructure and microhardness of nickel-based superalloys (including Inconel 718 and 625) additively manufactured via the L-PBF process in the neutron-dosed (irradiated) and non-irradiated states over a course of 3 years. Effects of build orientation during L-PBF and post-AM heat treatments on neutron resistance, microstructure and mechanical properties were also investigated. Neutron damage mechanisms via hardening were characterized. This project combined subject-matter experts in AM, mechanical/microstructure metallic part characterization, and neutron irradiation, as well as unique assets and capabilities at AU and MURR at MU, to ensure project results translated to effectively addressing known gaps in nuclear science and engineering. Parts were fabricated using L-PBF systems readily available at AU. Specimens were then irradiated using MURR facilities; a manipulator equipped hot cell was also used to measure material hardness after dosing. MURR, a 10 MW, light-water nuclear reactor, is the largest, highest powered, highest-flux university owned research reactor in the U.S. The major findings in this project provide evidence that AM can serve as an alternative way to build structural components for future advanced small modular reactors using advanced materials like Inconel 625 (IN625) or Inconel 718 (IN718). After full spectrum neutron irradiation, vertically as-built AM IN625 samples were observed to display better resistance towards radiation-induced-hardening defects relative to traditionally machined metals. A Vickers microhardness tester, using settings of 1 kgf and dwell time of 15 seconds per indentation, was used to measure hardness in this study. The as-built, vertically printed samples experienced 1.2% of radiation hardening vs. 5.25% radiation hardening observed in wrought IN625. Another set of IN625 and IN718 samples were exposed to fast neutron irradiation. It was observed that IN718 showed more resistance towards radiation hardening compared to IN625 samples indicating IN718 had a better performance. Results showed that the IN718 samples experienced less change (-2.5 to 3.24 %) in microhardness. On the other hand, IN625 samples underwent more (0.9 to 7.21%) change in microhardness after fast neutron irradiation. AM IN625 samples were irradiated using an ion (proton) beam in cyclotron. The mechanical properties of AM samples post irradiation were compared with wrought samples. The irradiated region on the samples were tested using nano-hardness indention. It was observed that the beam current and time used in this study generated an annealing effect and thus reduced the hardness of the samples. The sum of the project results provide precious insight into how one may minimize radiation hardening in AM materials while maintaining material property constraints. Results should assist engineers in selecting an appropriate heat treatment for AM nickel-based superalloys for increased radiation resistance. Results should increase confidence levels for adopting AM for building nuclear reactor components which perform the same or better than conventionally manufactured components. Fast neutron irradiation testing provided an accelerated means of obtaining radiation effects without making materials radioactive and difficult to handle.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2023

BOTTLE 7 - Industry Projects & Engagement

One of BOTTLE's primary goals is to work with industry to catalyze new technologies towards our overall vision and mission using a centralized industry engagement plan which aims to 1) solve real-world problems in plastics upcycling via targeted, company-funded projects; 2) promote industrial engagement via streamlined access to BOTTLE partners and technologies; and 3) collaborate with companies to scale and deploy BOTTLE technologies into the economy. Our approach follows a 5-stage model: prospecting, initial engagement, knowledge sharing, proposal and contracting, and opportunity won. Since FY21, BOTTLE has onboarded a full-time Chief Technology Officer to spearhead industry engagement and lead industrially-funded research projects. To date, BOTTLE has engaged with >150 companies, executed 6 industrial funds-in CRADAs, completed 2 industry projects successfully, extended 2 CRADAs with follow-on funds, and submitted over 30 patent applications. Industry projects span the Deconstruction, Upcycling, and Redesign tasks, harness the capabilities of the cross-cutting tasks, and take advantage of the broad IP portfolio developed through DOE funding. BOTTLE partners have an inventory of innovations that can inform the design of industry-specific collaborative projects with the highest probability of producing novel IP. Engaging with a diverse set of companies has also directly informed our R&D portfolio towards maximizing impact and utility of BOTTLE innovations.

BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2013

UP2 400 High Activity Oxide Legacy Waste Retrieval Project Scope and Progress-13048

The High Activity Oxide facility (HAO) reprocessed sheared and dissolved 4500 metric tons of light water reactor fuel the fuel of the emerging light water reactor spent fuel between 1976 and 1998. Over the period, approximately 2200 tons of process waste, composed primarily of sheared hulls, was produced and stored in a vast silo in the first place, and in canisters stored in pools in subsequent years. Upon shutdown of the facility, AREVA D and D Division in La Hague launched a thorough investigation and characterization of the silos and pools content, which then served as input data for the definition of a legacy waste retrieval and reconditioning program. Basic design was conducted between 2005 and 2007, and was followed by an optimization phase which lead to the definition of a final scenario and budget, 12% under the initial estimates. The scenario planned for the construction of a retrieval and reconditioning cell to be built on top of the storage silo. The retrieved waste would then be rinsed and sorted, so that hulls could subsequently be sent to La Hague high activity compacting facility, while resins and sludge would be cemented within the retrieval cell. Detailed design was conducted successfully from 2008 until 2011, while a thorough research and development program was conducted in order to qualify each stage of the retrieval and reconditioning process, and assist in the elaboration of the final waste package specification. This R and D program was defined and conducted as a response and mitigation of the major project risks identified during the basic design process. Procurement and site preparatory works were then launched in 2011. By the end of 2012, R and D is nearly completed, the retrieval and reconditioning process have been secured, the final waste package specification is being completed, the first equipment for the retrieval cell is being delivered on site, while preparation works are allowing to free up space above and around the silo, to allow for construction which is scheduled to being during the first semester of 2013. The elaboration of the final waste package is still undergoing and expected to be completed by then end of 2013, following some final elements of R and D required to demonstrate the full compatibility of the package with deep geological repository. The HAO legacy waste retrieval project is so far the largest such project entering operational phase on the site of La Hague. It is on schedule, under budget, and in conformity with the delivery requirements set by the French Safety Authority, as well as other stakeholders. This project paves the way for the successful completion of AREVA La Hague other legacy waste retrieval projects, which are currently being drafted or already in active R and D phase. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2013

Decommissioning of Active Ventilation Systems in a Nuclear R and D Facility to Prepare for Building Demolition (Whiteshell Laboratories Decommissioning Project, Canada) - 13073

Whiteshell Laboratories (WL) is a nuclear research establishment owned by the Canadian government and operated by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) since the early 1960's. WL is currently under a decommissioning license and the mandate is to remediate the nuclear legacy liabilities in a safe and cost effective manner. The WL Project is the first major nuclear decommissioning project in Canada. A major initiative underway is to decommission and demolish the main R and D Laboratory complex. The Building 300 R and D complex was constructed to accommodate laboratories and offices which were mainly used for research and development associated with organic-cooled reactors, nuclear fuel waste management, reactor safety, advanced fuel cycles and other applications of nuclear energy. Building 300 is a three storey structure of approximately 16,000 m{sup 2}. In order to proceed with building demolition, the contaminated systems inside the building have to be characterized, removed, and the waste managed. There is a significant focus on volume reduction of radioactive waste for the WL project. The active ventilation system is one of the significant contaminated systems in Building 300 that requires decommissioning and removal. The active ventilation system was designed to manage hazardous fumes and radioactivity from ventilation devices (e.g., fume hoods, snorkels and glove boxes) and to prevent the escape of airborne hazardous material outside of the laboratory boundary in the event of an upset condition. The system includes over 200 ventilation devices and 32 active exhaust fan units and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. The strategy to remove the ventilation system was to work from the laboratory end back to the fan/filter system. Each ventilation duct was radiologically characterized. Fogging was used to minimize loose contamination. Sections of the duct were removed by various cutting methods and bagged for temporary storage prior to disposition. Maintenance of building heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) balancing was critical to ensure proper airflow and worker safety. Approximately 103 m{sup 3} of equipment and materials were recovered or generated by the project. Low level waste accounted for approximately 37.4 m{sup 3}. Where possible, ducting was free released for metal recycling. Contaminated ducts were compacted into B-1000 containers and stored in a Shielded Modular Above-Ground Storage Facility (SMAGS) on the WL site awaiting final disposition. The project is divided into three significant phases, with Phases 1 and 2 completed. Lessons learned during the execution of Phases 1 and 2 have been incorporated into the current ventilation removal. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗