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

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At least 1,135 records · Page 63
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

The LSST DESC DC2 Simulated Sky Survey

Here, we describe the simulated sky survey underlying the second data challenge (DC2) carried out in preparation for analysis of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) by the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration (LSST DESC). Significant connections across multiple science domains will be a hallmark of LSST; the DC2 program represents a unique modeling effort that stresses this interconnectivity in a way that has not been attempted before. This effort encompasses a full end-to-end approach: starting from a large N-body simulation, through setting up LSST-like observations including realistic cadences, through image simulations, and finally processing with Rubin's LSST Science Pipelines. This last step ensures that we generate data products resembling those to be delivered by the Rubin Observatory as closely as is currently possible. The simulated DC2 sky survey covers six optical bands in a wide-fast-deep area of approximately 300 deg 2 , as well as a deep drilling field of approximately 1 deg 2 . We simulate 5 yr of the planned 10 yr survey. The DC2 sky survey has multiple purposes. First, the LSST DESC working groups can use the data set to develop a range of DESC analysis pipelines to prepare for the advent of actual data. Second, it serves as a realistic test bed for the image processing software under development for LSST by the Rubin Observatory. In particular, simulated data provide a controlled way to investigate certain image-level systematic effects. Finally, the DC2 sky survey enables the exploration of new scientific ideas in both static and time domain cosmology.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Patterns, drivers, and a predictive model of dam removal cost in the United States

Given the burgeoning dam removal movement and the large number of dams approaching obsolescence in the United States, cost estimating data and tools are needed for dam removal prioritization, planning, and execution. We used the list of removed dams compiled by American Rivers to search for publicly available reported costs for dam removal projects. Total cost information could include component costs related to project planning, dam deconstruction, monitoring, and several categories of mitigation activities. We compiled reported costs from 455 unique sources for 668 dams removed in the United States from 1965 to 2020. The dam removals occurred within 571 unique projects involving 1–18 dams. When adjusted for inflation into 2020 USD, cost of these projects totaled $\$1.522$ billion, with per-dam costs ranging from $\$1$ thousand (k) to $\$268.8$ million (M). The median cost for dam removals was $\$157$k, $\$823$k, and $\$6.2$M for dams that were< 5 m, between 5–10 m, and > 10 m in height, respectively. Geographic differences in total costs showed that northern states in general, and the Pacific Northwest in particular, spent the most on dam removal. The Midwest and the Northeast spent proportionally more on removal of dams less than 5 m in height, whereas the Northwest and Southwest spent the most on larger dam removals > 10 m tall. We used stochastic gradient boosting with quantile regression to model dam removal cost against potential predictor variables including dam characteristics (dam height and material), hydrography (average annual discharge and drainage area), project complexity (inferred from construction and sediment management, mitigation, and post-removal cost drivers), and geographic region. Dam height, annual average discharge at the dam site, and project complexity were the predominant drivers of removal cost. The final model had an R 2 of 57% and when applied to a test dataset model predictions had a root mean squared error of $\$5.09$M and a mean absolute error of $\$1.45$M, indicating its potential utility to predict estimated costs of dam removal. We developed a R shiny application for estimating dam removal costs using customized model inputs for exploratory analyses and potential dam removal planning.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2020

PIP-II Injector Test Cryogenic Transfer Line

PIP-II Injector Test will test a nearly full-scale front end of PIP-II accelerator. The cryogenic transfer line will provide 2 K, 5 K and 40 K refrigeration for Half Wave Resonator and Single Spoke Resonator cryomodules. This paper will focus on design, installation and operation plan of the cryogenic transfer line.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Flight Test of a Balloon-Borne Aeroseismometer

The azimuth of an incoming acoustic wave cannot be determined using microbarometers on a free floating balloon. A single observation of infrasound-induced acceleration on a large zero pressure balloon suggested that a motion sensing "aeroseismometer" could fill this gap. Here, a flight test of prototype balloon-borne aeroseismometers is presented. Two balloons, each carrying accelerometers and IMUs, recorded three sets of chemical explosions. The resulting balloon motion time series allows the explosive source to be geolocated. The future of this technology is discussed, along with a planned publication. Finally, recommendations and lessons learned from the campaign are discussed.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

FY22 Progress on Multicontinuum Methods in Containment

Estimation of two-phase fluid flow properties is important to understand and predict water and gas movement through the vadose zone for agricultural, hydrogeological, and engineering applications, such as containment transport and/or containment of gases in the subsurface. To estimate rock fluid flow properties and subsequently predict physically realistic processes such as patterns and timing of water, gas, and energy (e.g., heat) movement in the subsurface, laboratory spontaneous water imbibition with simultaneous temperature measurement and numerical modeling methods are presented in the FY22 progress report. A multiple-overlapping-continua conceptual model is used to explain and predict observed complex multi-phenomenological laboratory test behavior during spontaneous imbibition experiments. This report primarily addresses two complexities that arise during the experiments: 1) capturing the late-time behavior of spontaneous imbibition tests with dual porosity; and 2) understanding the thermal perturbation observed at or ahead of the imbibing wetting front, which are associated with adsorption of water in initially dry samples. We use numerical approaches to explore some of these issues, but also lay out a plan for further laboratory experimentation and modeling to best understand and leverage these unique observations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Leveraging a Southern California Energy Innovation Cluster to Pilot and Validate Emerging Energy Technologies

The EPIC Pilot Program, led by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), was designed to help early-stage clean technology startups accelerate technical validation, investment readiness, and market entry. The project focused on supporting startups in designing and deploying small-scale pilots with the guidance of EPIC Partners, a network of regional stakeholders in the Southern California energy ecosystem, including but not limited to: the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the California Energy Commission (CEC), Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), and Edison International, among others. Through mentorship, funding, and site access for technology deployments, the program provided a structured pathway for startups to test and refine their technologies in real-world settings.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

A two-stage optical fusion framework for wildfire severity mapping across the conterminous United States

Accurate wildfire severity mapping (WSM) is essential for post-fire recovery planning, erosion risk assessment, ecosystem monitoring, and disaster risk reduction. Although Landsat and Sentinel optical imagery have been widely used for burn severity assessment, the added value of fusing multiple optical sensors has not been sufficiently quantified across diverse fire events, particularly since the launch of Landsat-9. This study evaluates whether multisensor optical fusion improves wildfire severity mapping relative to single-sensor baselines using Sentinel-2, Landsat-8, and Landsat-9 imagery across 40 wildfire events in the conterminous United States. We tested a two-stage fusion framework that combines feature-level fusion with pixel-level dimensionality reduction. First, feature-level fused datasets were created through early fusion by combining standardized post-fire bands from each sensor into a single predictor stack. Both raw reflectance bands and pairwise spectral transforms were retained to capture within- and cross-sensor spectral interactions. Second, Linear Discriminant Analysis was applied to both single-sensor and fused datasets to produce comparable low-dimensional feature spaces. Six machine-learning classifiers were then used to benchmark model performance with repeated spatially buffered train–test splits. Results show that Landsat-9 was the strongest single-sensor baseline. Among the fusion strategies, Sentinel-2 + Landsat-9 produced the most consistent improvement and reduced performance variability. Landscape-condition analysis further showed that this fusion was most beneficial in shrubland-dominated and high-terrain fires, where it achieved the highest overall mean accuracy and the fewest failures. In contrast, its benefits were less reliable in evergreen forests, mixed vegetation, and low- to moderate-elevation terrain. In operational settings, the Sentinel-2 + Landsat-9 configuration offers a practical solution for post-fire recovery planning, erosion-risk assessment, watershed management, and ecological monitoring when field observations are available and timely satellite-based information is needed.

Landsat↗
DOE OSTI2021

The LSBmax algorithm for boosting resilience of electric grids post (N‐2) contingencies

Abstract A computationally improved algorithm is presented to find the best transmission switching (TS) candidate for boosting resilience of electricity grids subject to ( N ‐2) contingencies. Here, resilience is computed as the reduction in load shed after the above‐mentioned ( N‐ ) contingencies. TS is a planned line outage, and past research shows that changing the transmission system's topology changes the power flow and removes post contingency violations. Finding the best TS candidate in a computationally suitable time for effectively boosting resilience is a challenge. The best TS candidate is found using a novel heuristic method by decreasing the search space based on proximity to the bus with the maximum load shedding (LSB). The LSB algorithm is faster than existing algorithms in the literature; and, it is compatible with both the AC and DC optimal power flow formulations. To validate the authors' claims of speedup and accuracy, two metrics are used to analyze the results from the IEEE 39‐bus and 118‐bus systems. Finally, the inherent parallelism of the LSB algorithm is leveraged on a high‐performance computing platform and applied to the large‐scale Polish 2383‐bus test system to validate scalability in both size and speedup in computation time.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Dark Energy Spectrographic Instrument (DESI) Corrector Assembly

The specific research of the DESI project is to study in detail the expansion history of the Universe over the past 10 billion years. In order to do this, the project designed, fabricated, tested and commissioned the DESI instrument which has been deployed at the Mayall Telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. The DESI project was conducted by approximately 30 US and foreign national laboratories. Our CRADA with University College London (UCL) involved both research planning for eventual observing on the DESI telescope; and in the build of the optical corrector, a major part of the instrument. The key major goals of this CRADA were achieved. For survey planning, Drs. Lahav, Abdalla, Peiris, Pontzen and Dr. Farihi were all important contributors to the working groups to which they were assigned. Their modelling efforts, cosmological simulations, target selection and analyses of imaging surveys have been vital in the early planning for targets during commissioning. The major role UCL played in the development of the instrument was performed by Drs. Doel and Brooks. The optical corrector components were developed by scientists and engineers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. UCL was assigned the arduous responsibility for creating the instrumentation necessary to take all the separate components (lenses, cells, rings) and incorporate them, while precisely aligning the optics. Following that, they installed the corrector inside the barrel and shipped everything to the Mayall. It was a great success that the optical barrel arrived safely in good condition. Drs. Doel and Brooks were involved in every step of the fabrication and kept in constant contact with the LBNL DESI Project Manager and Project Director. They were extremely successful in their alignment, which was proved by early observations. First light on the telescope was achieved on October 22, 2020. The first spectrum was taken of a random star at zenith. Shortly thereafter, the telescope slewed to M33 and several spectra were taken there and later in the Persus nebula. It was a major accomplishment for the project.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

2020 Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Market Report

This report features summaries of relevant hydrogen and fuel cell activity in 2020, consistent with prior annual reports across applications and sectors. However, 2020 was no ordinary year. Despite pandemic hardships, the hydrogen and fuel cell industry not only stepped up to assist with humanitarian and healthcare efforts but saw continued momentum in several growing market sectors with numerous partnerships, initiatives, and investments. Using hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to provide an environmental and economic pathway to clean, reliable power was a key feature of world economic recovery and energy infrastructure plans. Today, hydrogen energy and fuel cell systems are being developed and deployed in a range of stationary power, portable power, and transportation applications around the world. Throughout 2020, there were significant achievements in each sector, building on years of research and development (R&D), field testing, large-scale demonstration projects, and real-world customer experience. The heavy-duty truck market in particular continued to make substantial gains, with new players entering the space and a coalition of companies pledging to produce and deploy more than 100,000 fuel cell trucks in the next two decades. To provide hydrogen for trucks and other end users, larger and larger electrolyzer projects were announced throughout the year. Collectively, there were more than 430 megawatts (MW) of electrolyzer systems either deployed, ordered, or proposed around the world. This 2020 report also provides special “Spotlights” on the collective industry response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as international commitments and hydrogen strategies, providing overviews of significant activity during and after the initial onset of COVID-19 around the world.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hardware-in-the-Loop Evaluation of Grid-Edge DER Chip Integration Into Next-Generation Smart Meters

To facilitate the implementation of distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS), we propose to insert a grid-edge distributed energy resource (DER) chip hosting a DERMS algorithm into the next generation of smart meters. This will create a pathway for the wide adoption of DERMS technology because many utilities plan to invest in advanced metering infrastructure in the near future. This will also bridge the gap between an electrical power utility and DERs behind the meter. The DER chip is designed to follow power direction signals from the DERMS coordinator while balancing its local objectives. We tested the chip using a controller- and power-hardware-in-the-loop evaluation under three scenarios that a DERMS could face in the real world. The DER chip was capable of and effective at directing four heterogeneous DERs to respond to a DERMS coordinator for grid services (e.g., voltage regulation and a virtual power plant).

distributed energy resource management system↗
DOE OSTI2020

Summary Report For The Analysis Of The Sludge Batch 7b (Macrobatch 9) DWPF Pour Stream Glass Sample For Canister S04023 (Rev. 1)

In order to comply with the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Waste Form Compliance Plan for Sluldge Batch 7b, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) personnel characterized the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) pour stream (PS) glass sample collected while filling canister S04023. This report summarizes the results of the compositional analysis for reportable oxides and radionuclides and the normalized Product Consistency Test (PCT) results. The PCT responses indicate that the DWPF produced glass that is significantly more durable than the Environmental Assessment glass.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Optimization of Geometric Perturbations on a Rod Moving Through a High Explosive Target

After completing a study to ensure the simulation results were converged, several high resolution 3D Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) simulations of copper rods impacting a high explosive (LX14) target were performed. This was then formulated into an optimization problem: I wanted to find the optimum shape and location of a perturbation on the rod that would maximize its erosion after it left the target. The shape of the perturbation was modeled as a 2D Gaussian bump and parameterized by its location along the rod axis (z 0 ) and amplitude (A). The final mass of the coherent part of the rod as it leaves the target was used as a metric to represent the erosion of the rod, and the optimization was formulated to maximize this metric with respect to the aforementioned design variables. Due to the expensive nature of the high-fidelity 3D SPH simulations, a surrogate model needed to be chosen so that many function calls to the optimizer would be feasible. Thus, a strategic full factorial sampling plan was chosen to build a dataset, which consisted of 24 high-fidelity simulations. Two surrogate models, a third order polynomial regression model and a Gaussian Process Model, were analyzed using a 14%/86% test/train holdout technique. The root mean square and R2 score of the test set was used to determine the best model, and the third order polynomial regression model was chosen as the surrogate model. Finally, the Nelder-Mead Simplex and Basin-hopping optimization algorithms were implemented, and it was found that the two algorithms gave slightly different optimum values. Nelder-Mead gave an optimum point of [z* 0 ;A*] = [9:9;0:4] and Basin-Hopping gave an optimum value of x* = [z* 0 ;A*] = [9:2;0:1].

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2020

Mechanical Properties and Deformation Behavior of Additively Manufactured 316L Stainless Steel (FY2020)

The Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) program plans to build most of the TCR core components through additive manufacturing (AM) processes. These processes include laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for the metallic (316L) components and the newly developed combined process of binderjet printing and chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) for the SiC fuel matrix. Mechanical testing and characterization tasks have been carried out since the beginning of the TCR program to (1) build a property database for the AM materials that will be used in TCR core and (2) to assess the materials’ performance in TCR-relevant conditions. This document reports the outcome of the testing and characterization efforts for the fiscal year with a focus on the mechanical performance data of AM 316L stainless steel (SS). Baseline tensile testing over a wide temperature range of room temperature–600 °C was completed for the AM 316L alloy in as-built, stress-relieved, and solution-annealed conditions. The as-built 316L showed the highest strength, and the alloy after the post-build treatments showed reduced strengths in the low-strain range. However, the strength differences among the AM materials became insignificant in the later part of deformation. Furthermore, regardless of post-build processing, the AM 316L SS showed higher strength and comparable ductility when compared with wrought 316L SS. Thermal creep testing and microstructural evolution during creep deformation were also performed under selected conditions. It was found that the AM 316L steel showed the best creep resistance in the stress-relieved condition. In-situ tensile tests were performed using scanning electron microscopy and 1-ID beamline at the Advanced Photon Source to elucidate the deformation and fracture behavior of AM 316L and the evolution of crystalline stress, dislocations, and pore distribution. Using these in-situ testing data, an in-depth analysis of the roles of microstructural features in deformation and fracture processes is presented herein. The final section of the document introduces ongoing and future activities for materials testing and characterization, including irradiation effect studies and ball punch testing on AM 316L and AM IN718 alloys.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Summary Report for the Analysis of the Sludge Batch 7b (Macrobatch 9) DWPF Pour Stream Glass Sample for Canister S04023

In order to comply with the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Waste Form Compliance Plan for Sludge Batch 7b, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) personnel characterized the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) pour stream (PS) glass sample collected while filling canister S04023. This report summarizes the results of the compositional analysis for reportable oxides and radionuclides and the normalized Product Consistency Test (PCT) results. The PCT responses indicate that the DWPF produced glass that is significantly more durable than the Environmental Assessment glass. Results and further details are documented in SRNL-STI-2013-00462, Revision 1 “Analysis of the DWPF Sludge Batch 7b (Macrobatch 9) Pour Stream Glass Sample.”

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Design of an Integrated Solids Handling System to Maximize Syngas Process Reliability (Cooperative Research and Development Final Report)

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in partnership with Wonderful Renewable Energy (WRE) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL), plans to develop a general methodology for designing integrated biorefinery solids preprocessing, handling, and feeding systems based on the chemical, physical, and mechanical attributes of the starting biomass material. This attribute-driven approach will include detailed feedstock property measurements, iterative computational modeling, and bench-scale testing to design systems for preprocessing, handling, and reactor in-feed, up to and including the selection of the conversion reactor. The initial tests and system design will be conducted using waste material from almond and pistachio growing and production operations (shells, hulls, and wood), targeting the conversion of this material to syngas for electricity production. The methodology will then be generalized to other feedstocks. The purpose of this project is to design an integrated solids handling system to maximize the process reliability of converting almond and pistachio waste to electricity. The design methodology and workflow developed from this example will then be applied to the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) benchmark loblolly pine residues, thus demonstrating the robustness of the overall design approach and providing insight and guidance for future conversion systems. V-Grid Energy Systems was brought on as a subcontractor to provide gasifiers and labor to complete gasifier runs.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2020

FAST-1.0 Software Acceptance Testing Report

The purpose of this document is to detail the software testing of FAST-1.0 through unit, integration, and assessment tests. More than 400 tests were designed to provide coverage of the requirements for FAST-1.0. These requirements were developed in the NRC Statement of Work (SOW) for NRC Agreement Number NRC-HQ-25-14-D-001 and are transcribed to this document as part of the Software Quality Assurance Plan for the FAST Code System, PNNL-28767. FAST 1.0 represents the merger of the FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN codes and as such FAST-1.0 performs steady state and transient fuel performance calculations described below. FAST-1.0 calculates the steady state response of light-water reactor fuel rods during long-term burnup. The code calculates temperature, pressure, and deformation of a fuel rod as functions of time-dependent fuel rod power and coolant boundary conditions. The phenomena modeled by the code include: 1) heat conduction through fuel and cladding to the coolant; 2) cladding elastic and plastic deformation; 3) fuel-cladding mechanical interaction; 4) fission gas release from the fuel and rod internal pressure; and 5) cladding oxidation. FAST is used to perform independent calculations for regulatory evaluations of fuel performance under normal operation and anticipated operational occurrences (AOOs). FAST calculates the temperature and deformation history of a fuel rod as a function of time-dependent fuel rod power and coolant boundary conditions. The phenomena modeled by FAST include: 1) heat conduction; 2) heat transfer from cladding to coolant; 3) elastic-plastic fuel and cladding deformation; 4) cladding oxidation; 5) fission gas release; and 6) fuel rod gas pressure. FAST code assessment, development and maintenance drive a significant portion of the NRC fuel research activities and the tools are used in a substantial number of regulatory products. Given the centrality of the FAST code to the effectiveness of fuel research, it is critical to assess, develop and maintain this tool.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hardware-in-the-Loop Evaluation of Grid-Edge DER Chip Integration Into Next-Generation Smart Meters: Preprint

To facilitate the implementation of distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS), we propose to insert a grid-edge distributed energy resource (DER) chip hosting a DERMS algorithm into the next generation of smart meters. This will create a pathway for the wide adoption of DERMS technology because many utilities plan to invest in advanced metering infrastructure in the near future. This will also bridge the gap between an electrical power utility and DERs behind the meter. The DER chip is designed to follow power direction signals from the DERMS coordinator while balancing its local objectives. We tested the chip using a controller- and power-hardware-in-the-loop evaluation under three scenarios that a DERMS could face in the real world. The DER chip was capable of and effective at directing four heterogeneous DERs to respond to a DERMS coordinator for grid services (e.g., voltage regulation and a virtual power plant).

distributed energy resource management system↗