Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Tuning”

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 1,117 records · Page 62

A Modified Sequence-to-point HVAC Load Disaggregation Algorithm

This paper presents a modified sequence-to-point (S2P) algorithm for disaggregating the heat, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) load from the total building electricity consumption. The original S2P model is convolutional neural network (CNN) based, which uses load profiles as inputs. We propose three modifications. First, the input convolution layer is changed from 1D to 2D so that normalized temperature profiles are also used inputs to the S2P model. Second, a drop-out layer is added to improve adaptability and generalizability so that the model trained in one area can be transferred to other geographical areas without labelled HVAC data. Third, a fine-tuning process is proposed for areas with a small amount of labelled HVAC data so that the pre-trained S2P model can be fine-tuned to achieve higher disaggregation accuracy (i.e., better transferability) in other areas. The model is first trained and tested using smart meter and sub-metered HVAC data collected in Austin, Texas. Then, the trained model is tested on two other areas: Boulder, Colorado and San Diego, California. Simulation results show that the proposed modified S2P algorithm outperforms the original S2P model and the support-vector machine based approach in accuracy, adaptability, and transferability.

Ye, Kai↗

Design of a Combined Proportional Integral Derivative Controller to Regulate the Temperature Inside a High-Temperature Tubular Solar Reactor

Solar fuels are proven to be promising candidates for thermochemical energy storage. However, the transient nature of solar radiation is an obstacle to maintaining a stable operational temperature inside a solar reactor. To overcome this challenge, the temperature of a solar reactor can be regulated by controlling the incoming solar radiation or the feedstock flowrate inside the reactor. In this work, a combined proportional integral derivative (PID) controller is implemented to regulate the temperature inside a high-temperature tubular solar reactor with counter-current flowing gas/particles. The control model incorporates two control systems to regulate incoming solar radiation and gas flow simultaneously. The design of the controller is based on a reduced-order numerical model of a high-temperature tubular solar reactor that is vertically oriented with an upward gas flow and downward particle flow. The reactor receives heat circumferentially through its wall over a finite segment of its length. Formulation of the heat transfer model is presented by applying the energy balance for the reactor tube and considering heat and mass transfer inside. A set of governing differential equations are solved numerically by using the finite volume method to obtain reactor wall, particles, and gas temperatures along the reactor length with various boundary conditions. Simulation results are used to tune the PID controller parameters by utilizing the Ziegler–Nichols tuning method. Both the simulation results and the controller performance are visualized on the LABVIEW platform. The controller is challenged to track different temperature setpoints with different scenarios of transient solar radiation. Here, the performance of the PID controller was compared to experimental results obtained from an industrial PID controller embedded in a 7 kW electric furnace. Results show that the combined PID controller is successful in maintaining a stable temperature inside the reactor by regulating the incoming solar radiation and the flowrate via small steady-state error and reasonable settling time and overshoot.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Implementation and Synthesis of Math Library Functions

Achieving speed and accuracy for math library functions like exp, sin, and log is difficult. This is because low-level implementation languages like C do not help math library developers catch mathematical errors, build implementations incrementally, or separate high-level and low-level decision making. This ultimately puts development of such functions out of reach for all but the most experienced experts. To address this, we introduce MegaLibm, a domain-specific language for implementing, testing, and tuning math library implementations. MegaLibm is safe, modular, and tunable. Implementations in MegaLibm can automatically detect mathematical mistakes like sign flips via semantic wellformedness checks, and components like range reductions can be implemented in a modular, composable way, simplifying implementations. Once the high-level algorithm is done, tuning parameters like working precisions and evaluation schemes can be adjusted through orthogonal tuning parameters to achieve the desired speed and accuracy. MegaLibm also enables math library developers to work interactively, compiling, testing, and tuning their implementations and invoking tools like Sollya and type-directed synthesis to complete components and synthesize entire implementations. MegaLibm can express 8 state-of-the-art math library implementations with comparable speed and accuracy to the original C code, and can synthesize 5 variations and 3 from-scratch implementations with minimal guidance.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

HydraGNN_OPF_GFM_2026 - Ensemble of predictive graph foundation models for power grid applications

This dataset supports research on graph foundation models for optimal power flow (OPF) on electric grids using HydraGNN. It contains heterogeneous graph representations of PGLib-OPF cases spanning systems from 14 to 13,659 buses, together with packed HDF5 datasets for pretraining, feasibility classification, and N-1 contingency analysis. The release includes OPF solution data, downstream fine-tuning datasets, pretrained HeteroSAGE and HeteroHEAT model checkpoints, hyperparameter-optimization summaries across multiple heterogeneous GNN architectures, and aggregated fine-tuning results for sample-efficiency studies. The dataset is designed to enable scalable training, evaluation, and transfer-learning studies for OPF surrogate modeling, including node-level AC-OPF solution prediction, graph-level prediction, feasibility classification, operating-condition generalization, and contingency-response tasks.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Surrogate model for third-integer resonance extraction at the Fermilab Delivery Ring

We present an ongoing work in which a surrogate model is being developed to reproduce the response dynamics of the third-integer resonant extraction process in the Delivery Ring (DR) at Fermilab. This is in pursuit of smoothly extracting circulating beam to the Mu2e Experiment’s production target, whereby the goal is to extract a uniform slice of the circulating 1e12 protons in the DR over 25,000 turns (43 ms). The DR contains 3 harmonic sextupoles that excite a third-integer resonance and three fast, tune-ramping quadrupole magnets that drive the horizontal tune towards the 29/3 resonance. In our initial work, the surrogate model trains on a semi-analytical simulation provided in the same format as live data. Using Reinforcement Learning (and other potential ML methods), the trained surrogate acts as the “environment” in which a simple ML control agent could learn to dynamically adjust the quadrupole ramp at 430 break points within the 43 microsecond spill window. The controller will be hosted on a dedicated Arria 10 FPGA. In this work, we report the accuracy and fidelity of the surrogate model in comparison to the response dynamics of the physics simulator.

Narayanan, Aakaash [Fermilab]↗

Design of double- and multi-bend achromat lattices with large dynamic aperture and approximate invariants

A numerical method to design nonlinear double- and multi-bend achromat (DBA and MBA) lattices with approximate invariants of motion is investigated. The search for such nonlinear lattices is motivated by Fermilab’s Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA), whose design is based on an integrable Hamiltonian system with two invariants of motion. While it may not be possible to design an achromatic lattice for a dedicated synchrotron light source storage ring with one or more exact invariants of motion, it is possible to tune the sextupoles and octupoles in existing DBA and MBA lattices to produce approximate invariants. In our procedure, the lattice is tuned while minimizing the turn-by-turn fluctuations of the Courant-Snyder actions J x and J y at several distinct amplitudes, while simultaneously minimizing diffusion of the on-energy betatron tunes. The resulting lattices share some important features with integrable ones, such as a large dynamic aperture, trajectories confined to invariant tori, robustness to resonances and errors, and a large amplitude-dependent tune-spread. Compared to the nominal NSLS-II lattice, the single- and multi-bunch instability thresholds are increased and the bunch-by-bunch feedback gain can be reduced.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Novel frequency tunable systems for superconducting cavities (Abbreviated Report)

Ultra-low loss microwave resonant cavities are the backbone of quantum information science (QIS) and axion/dark matter detection (ADMX), but one of the challenges in developing 3D cavity systems has been finding a tuning mechanism that does not drastically reduce the cavity quality factor (Q) but still provides a large operating bandwidth. To alleviate this limitation, we proposed to fabricate a high-Q, 3D microwave cavity with an integrated hybrid mechanical/electrical tuning scheme to achieve both coarse and rapid fine tuning. We implemented two tuning schemes: one using a shift in kinetic inductance and one utilizing mechanical motion. We found that the kinetic inductance method did not yield any tunability in the cavity mode, but the mechanical adjustment successfully moved the cavity resonance. The quality factors obtained were lower than originally proposed, but there is potential to improve the design on further iterations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Automating Rabi & Ramsey Measurements via ML

As quantum computers scale up, the manual process of qubit tune-up becomes increasingly impractical due to its time-consuming and repetitive nature. While existing research has explored some automation techniques, many models remain underutilized for this purpose. This research aims to answer the question: is qubit tune-up able to be automated using the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model? For the purposes of this project, only the rabi and ramsey measurement cycle was automated. These measurements are used to fine-tune a rough qubit frequency by repeating them until the optimal qubit frequency is obtained. The LSTM model uses the qubit frequency at one time step to forecast the qubit frequency at the next time step. A rabi-ramsey simulation was made to fabricate a dataset to train and test the LSTM model. As the model was trained, the error of the model decreased. Although there wasn't enough training data to generate perfect predictions, this shows it is possible to utilize forecasting models in automating the tune-up process.

Roberts, Rachel↗

Cross-Feature Transfer Learning for Efficient Tensor Program Generation

Tuning tensor program generation involves navigating a vast search space to find optimal program transformations and measurements for a program on the target hardware. The complexity of this process is further amplified by the exponential combinations of transformations, especially in heterogeneous environments. This research addresses these challenges by introducing a novel approach that learns the joint neural network and hardware features space, facilitating knowledge transfer to new, unseen target hardware. A comprehensive analysis is conducted on the existing state-of-the-art dataset, TenSet, including a thorough examination of test split strategies and the proposal of methodologies for dataset pruning. Leveraging an attention-inspired technique, we tailor the tuning of tensor programs to embed both neural network and hardware-specific features. Notably, our approach substantially reduces the dataset size by up to 53% compared to the baseline without compromising Pairwise Comparison Accuracy (PCA). Furthermore, our proposed methodology demonstrates competitive or improved mean inference times with only 25–40% of the baseline tuning time across various networks and target hardware. The attention-based tuner can effectively utilize schedules learned from previous hardware program measurements to optimize tensor program tuning on previously unseen hardware, achieving a top-5 accuracy exceeding 90%. This research introduces a significant advancement in autotuning tensor program generation, addressing the complexities associated with heterogeneous environments and showcasing promising results regarding efficiency and accuracy.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Multiresolution GPC-Structured Control of a Single-Loop Cold-Flow Chemical Looping Testbed

Chemical looping is a near-zero emission process for generating power from coal. It is based on a multi-phase gas-solid flow and has extremely challenging nonlinear, multi-scale dynamics with jumps, producing large dynamic model uncertainty, which renders traditional robust control techniques, such as linear parameter varying H ∞ design, largely inapplicable. This process complexity is addressed in the present work through the temporal and the spatiotemporal multiresolution modeling along with the corresponding model-based control laws. Namely, the nonlinear autoregressive with exogenous input model structure, nonlinear in the wavelet basis, but linear in parameters, is used to identify the dominant temporal chemical looping process dynamics. The control inputs and the wavelet model parameters are calculated by optimizing a quadratic cost function using a gradient descent method. The respective identification and tracking error convergence of the proposed self-tuning identification and control schemes, the latter using the unconstrained generalized predictive control structure, is separately ascertained through the Lyapunov stability theorem. The rate constraint on the control signal in the temporal control law is then imposed and the control topology is augmented by an additional control loop with self-tuning deadbeat controller which uses the spatiotemporal wavelet riser dynamics representation. The novelty of this work is three-fold: (1) developing the self-tuning controller design methodology that consists in embedding the real-time tunable temporal highly nonlinear, but linearly parametrizable, multiresolution system representations into the classical rate-constrained generalized predictive quadratic optimal control structure, (2) augmenting the temporal multiresolution loop by a more complex spatiotemporal multiresolution self-tuning deadbeat control loop, and (3) demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in producing fast recursive real-time algorithms for controlling highly uncertain nonlinear multiscale processes. The latter is shown through the data from the implemented temporal and augmented spatiotemporal solutions of a difficult chemical looping cold flow tracking control problem.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Understanding Changes in Cloud Simulations from E3SM Version 1 to Version 2

This study documents clouds simulated by the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) version 2 (E3SMv2) and attempts to understand what causes the model behavior change in clouds relative to E3SMv1. This is done by analyzing the last 30-year (1985–2014) data from the 165-year historical simulations using E3SMv1 and v2 and four sensitivity tests to isolate the impact of changes in model parameter choices in its turbulence, shallow convection, and cloud macrophysics parameterization (CLUBB), microphysical parameterization (MG2), and deep convection scheme (ZM), as well as model physics changes in convective triggering. It is shown that E3SMv2 significantly improves the simulation of subtropical coastal stratocumulus clouds (Sc) and clouds with optical depth larger than 3.6 over the stratocumulus to cumulus transition regimes, where Shortwave Cloud Radiative Effect (SWCRE) is also improved, and the Southern Ocean (SO) while seeing an overall slight degradation in low clouds over other tropical and subtropical oceans. The better performance in E3SMv1 over those regions is partially due to error compensation between its simulated optically thin and intermediate low clouds for which E3SMv2 actually improves simulation of optically intermediate low clouds. Sensitivity tests indicate that the changes in low clouds are primarily due to the tuning made in CLUBB. The impact of the ZM tuning is mainly on optically intermediate and thick high clouds, contributing to improved SWCRE and Longwave Cloud Radiative Effect (LWCRE). The impact of the MG2 tuning and the new convective trigger is primarily on the high latitudes and the Southern Ocean (SO). They have a relatively smaller impact on clouds than do the CLUBB and ZM tunings. This study offers additional insights about clouds simulated in E3SMv2 by utilizing multiple data sets and the COSP diagnostic tool as well as through sensitivity tests. The improved understanding will benefit the future E3SM developments.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A reference open-source controller for fixed and floating offshore wind turbines

Abstract. This paper describes the development of a new reference controller framework for fixed and floating offshore wind turbines that greatly facilitates controller tuning and represents standard industry practices. The reference wind turbine controllers that are most commonly cited in the literature have been developed to work with specific reference wind turbines. Although these controllers have provided standard control functionalities, they are often not easy to modify for use on other turbines, so it has been challenging for researchers to run representative, fully dynamic simulations of other wind turbine designs. The Reference Open-Source Controller (ROSCO) has been developed to provide a modular reference wind turbine controller that represents industry standards and performs comparably to or better than existing reference controllers. The formulation of the ROSCO controller logic and tuning processes is presented in this paper. Control capabilities such as tip speed ratio tracking generator torque control, minimum pitch saturation, wind speed estimation, and a smoothing algorithm at near-rated operation are included to provide modern controller features. A floating offshore wind turbine feedback module is also included to facilitate growing research in the floating offshore arena. All of the standard controller implementations and control modules are automatically tuned such that a non-controls engineer or automated optimization routine can easily improve the controller performance. This article provides the framework and theoretical basis for the ROSCO controller modules and generic tuning processes. Simulations of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 5 MW reference wind turbine and International Energy Agency 15 MW reference turbine on the University of Maine semisubmersible platform are analyzed to demonstrate the controller's performance in both fixed and floating configurations, respectively. The simulation results demonstrate ROSCO's peak shaving routine to reduce maximum rotor thrusts by over 10 % compared to the NREL 5 MW reference wind turbine controller on the land-based turbine and to reduce maximum platform pitch angles by nearly 30 % when using the platform feedback routine instead of a more traditional low-bandwidth controller.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

$R^2$/Higgs inflation and the hierarchy problem

We analyse Starobinsky inflation in the presence of the Brout Englert Higgs (BEH) boson with a non-minimal coupling to the Ricci scalar, $R$. The latter induces a coupling of the massive scaleron associated with the $R^2$ term to the BEH boson and this leads to a radiative correction to the BEH mass that must be fine tuned to keep the scalar light. For the case of $R^2$ driven inflation this requires a high level of fine tuning of order 1 part in $10^{8}$; for the case of Higgs inflation it is very much greater. We consider a scale invariant extension of the $R^2$/Higgs model and find that for $R^2$ driven inflation but not for Higgs inflation the required fine tuning is significantly reduced to one part in $10^{3-4}$. We consider the vacuum stability of the fine tuned model and its reheating and dilaton abundance after inflation. We also discuss possible gravitational wave signals associated with the model and the constraint on the mass of scalar or fermion dark matter candidates if they are produced by the gravitational couplings of the scalaron.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Opto-thermal laser detonator

An opto-thermal laser detonator uses resonantly absorptive tuned nano-material associated with secondary explosives for optical absorption and initiation by an integral laser diode. The opto-thermal laser detonator includes main explosive material; resonantly absorptive tuned nano-material; secondary explosive material, wherein the resonantly absorptive tuned nano-material and the secondary explosive material are associated to form associated material made of the resonantly absorptive tuned nano-material and the secondary explosive material; and a laser diode operatively connected to the associated material, wherein the laser diode initiates the associated material which in turn initiates the main explosive material.

Wilkins, Paul R.↗

Computationally optimized and manufactured acoustic metamaterials

A method, system, and apparatus for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial is provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an acoustic metamaterial includes determining at least one tuned physical property for each of a plurality of micro-resonators according to a desired acoustic property of the acoustic metamaterial. For a particular physical property, a value of the tuned physical property for at least one of the plurality of micro-resonators is different from a value of the tuned physical property for at least one other of the plurality of micro-resonators. The method also includes additively forming the acoustic metamaterial such that the acoustic metamaterial comprises a first structure and the plurality of micro-resonators embedded within the first structure. Forming the acoustic metamaterial is performed such that an actual physical property of each of the plurality of micro-resonators is equal to a corresponding tuned physical property for each of the plurality of micro-resonators.

Walsh, Timothy F.↗

Opto-thermal laser detonator

An opto-thermal laser detonator uses resonantly absorptive tuned nano-material associated with secondary explosives for optical absorption and initiation by an integral laser diode. The opto-thermal laser detonator includes main explosive material; resonantly absorptive tuned nano-material; secondary explosive material, wherein the resonantly absorptive tuned nano-material and the secondary explosive material are associated to form associated material made of the resonantly absorptive tuned nano-material and the secondary explosive material; and a laser diode operatively connected to the associated material, wherein the laser diode initiates the associated material which in turn initiates the main explosive material.

Wilkins, Paul R.↗

Automating Rabi & Ramsey Measurements via ML

As quantum computers scale up, the manual process of qubit tune-up becomes increasingly impractical due to its time-consuming and repetitive nature. While existing research has explored some automation techniques, many models remain underutilized for this purpose. This research aims to answer the question: can qubit tune-up be automated using the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model? For the purposes of this project, only the rabi and ramsey measurement cycle was automated. These measurements are used to fine-tune a rough qubit frequency by repeating them until the optimal qubit frequency is obtained. The LSTM model uses the qubit frequency at one time step to forecast the qubit frequency at the next time step. A rabi-ramsey simulation was made to fabricate a dataset to train and test the LSTM model. As the model was trained, the error of the model decreased. Although there wasn t enough training data to generate perfect predictions, this shows it is possible to utilize forecasting models in automating the tune-up process.

Roberts, Rachel↗

Automating Rabi & Ramsey Measurements via Machine Learning

As quantum computers scale up, the manual process of qubit tune-up becomes increasingly impractical due to its time-consuming and repetitive nature. While existing research has explored some automation techniques, many models remain underutilized for this purpose. This research aims to answer the question: can qubit tune-up be automated using the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model? For the purposes of this project, only the rabi and ramsey measurement cycle was automated. These measurements are used to fine-tune a rough qubit frequency by repeating them until the optimal qubit frequency is obtained. The LSTM model uses the qubit frequency at one time step to forecast the qubit frequency at the next time step. A rabi-ramsey simulation was made to fabricate a dataset to train and test the LSTM model. As the model was trained, the error of the model decreased. Although there wasn't enough training data to generate perfect predictions, this shows it is possible to utilize forecasting models in automating the tune-up process.

Roberts, Rachel↗