Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Plan”

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 1,207 records · Page 67
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

RTSTEP Regional Transportation Simulation Tool for Evacuation Planning: Transportation Research and Analysis Computing Center (Final Report)

Large-scale evacuations from major cities during no-notice events - such as chemical or radiological attacks, hazardous material spills, or earthquakes - have an obvious impact on large regions rather than on just the directly affected area. The scope of impact includes the accommodation of emergency evacuation traffic throughout a very large area; the planning of resources to respond appropriately to the needs of the affected population; the placement of medical supplies and decontamination equipment; and the assessment and determination of primary escape routes, as well as routes for incoming emergency responders. Compared to events with advance notice, such as evacuations based on hurricanes approaching an affected area, the response to no-notice events relies exclusively on pre-planning and general regional emergency preparedness. Another unique issue is the lack of a full and immediate understanding of the underlying threats to the population, making it even more essential to gain extensive knowledge of the available resources, the chain of command, and established procedures. Given the size of the area affected, an advanced understanding of the regional transportation systems is essential to help with the planning for such events. The objectives of the work described here (carried out by Argonne National Laboratory) is the development of a multi-modal regional transportation model that allows for the analysis of different evacuation scenarios and emergency response strategies to build a wealth of knowledge that can be used to develop appropriate regional emergency response plans. The focus of this work is on the effects of no-notice evacuations on the regional transportation network, as well as the response of the transportation network to the sudden and unusual demand. The effects are dynamic in nature, with scenarios changing potentially from minute to minute. The response to a radiological or chemical hazard will be based on the time-delayed dispersion of such materials over a large area, with responders trying to mitigate the immediate danger to the population in a variety of ways that may change over time (e.g., in-place evacuation, staged evacuations, and declarations of growing evacuation zones over time). In addition, available resources will be marshaled in unusual ways, such as the repurposing of transit vehicles to support mass evacuations. Thus, any simulation strategy will need to be able to address highly dynamic effects and will need to be able to handle any mode of ground transportation. Depending on the urgency and timeline of the event, emergency responders may also direct evacuees to leave largely on foot, keeping roadways as clear as possible for emergency responders, logistics, mass transport, and law enforcement. This RTSTEP project developed a regional emergency evacuation modeling tool for the Chicago Metropolitan Area that emergency responders can use to pre-plan evacuation strategies and compare different response strategies on the basis of a rather realistic model of the underlying complex transportation system. This approach is a significant improvement over existing response strategies that are largely based on experience gained from small-scale events, anecdotal evidence, and extrapolation to the scale of the assumed emergency. The new tool will thus add to the toolbox available to emergency response planners to help them design appropriate generalized procedures and strategies that lead to an improved outcome when used during an actual event.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Irradiation Planning for Fully-Ceramic Micro-encsapsulated fuel in ATR at LWR-relevant conditions: year-end report on FY-2011

This report presents the estimation of required ATR irradiation levels for the DB-FCM fuel design (fueled with Pu and MAs). The fuel and assembly designs are those considered in a companion report [R. S. Sen et al., FCR&D-2011- 00037 or INL/EXT-11-23269]. These results, pertaining to the DB-FCM fuel, are definitive in as much as the design of said fuel is definitive. In addition to the work performed, as required, for DB-FCM fuel, work has started in a preliminary fashion on single-cell UO2 and UN fuels. These latter activities go beyond the original charter of this project and although the corresponding work is incomplete, significant progress has been achieved. However, in this context, all that has been achieved is only preliminary because the corresponding fuel designs are neither finalized nor optimized. In particular, the UO2 case is unlikely to result in a viable fuel design if limited to enrichment at or under 20 weight % in U-235. The UN fuel allows reasonable length cycles and is likely to make an optimal design possible. Despite being limited to preliminary designs and offering only preliminary conclusions, the irradiation planning tasks for UO2 and UN fuels that are summarized in this report are useful to the overall goal of devising and deploying FCM-LWR fuel since the methods acquired and tested in this project and the overall procedure for planning will be available for planning tests for the finalized fuel design. Indeed, once the fuel design is finalized and the expected burnup level is determined, the methodology that has been assembled will allow the prompt finalization of the neutronic planning of the irradiation experiment and would provide guidance on the expected experimental performance of the fuel. Deviations from the expected behavior will then have to be analyzed and the outcome of the analysis may be corrections or modifications for the assessment models as well as, possibly, fuel design modifications, and perhaps even variation of experimental control for future experimental phases. Besides the prediction of irradiation times, preliminary work was carried out on other aspects of irradiation planning. In particular, a method for evaluating the interplay of depletion, material performance modeling and irradiation is identified by reference to a companion report. Another area that was addressed in a preliminary fashion is the identification and selection of a strategy for the physical and mechanical design of the irradiation experiments. The principal conclusion is that the similarity between the FCM fuel and the fuel compacts of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant prismatic design are strong enough to warrant using irradiation hardware designs and instrumentation adapted from the AGR irradiation tests. Modifications, if found necessary, will probably be few and small, except as pertains to the water environment and its implications on the use of SiC cladding or SiC matrix with no additional cladding.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Developing The Organized Village of Kasaan's Strategic Energy Plan

The overall goal of this project is to create a Tribal Energy Action Plan that will serve as the Tribe's blueprint for creating long term energy self sufficiency. The Plan will be developed with input from a committed group of key stakeholders and landowners in the area, will be based on sound data and research, and will address both supply side options of the development of sustainable energy sources, as well as demand-side options for reducing energy consumption. The resulting plan will include defined comprehensive energy strategies and built upon a baseline assessment of where the Tribe currently is in terms of alternative and renewable energy activities; a vision of where the Tribe wants to go; and an action plan of how the Tribe will reach its vision including the identification of viable energy options based on the long-term strategic plan of the Tribe.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Idaho National Laboratory Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan — Fiscal Year 2016

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, the prime contractor for Idaho National Laboratory (INL), provides this Emergency Readiness Assurance Plan (ERAP) for Fiscal Year 2016 in accordance with DOE O 151.1C, “Comprehensive Emergency Management System.” The ERAP documents the readiness of the INL Emergency Management Program using emergency response planning and preparedness activities as the basis. It describes emergency response planning and preparedness activities, and where applicable, summarizes and/or provides supporting information in tabular form for easy access to data. The ERAP also provides budget, personnel, and planning forecasts for Fiscal Year 2017. Specifically, the ERAP assures the Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office that stated emergency capabilities at INL are sufficient to implement PLN 114, “INL Emergency Plan/RCRA Contingency Plan.”

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Community Energy Planning: Best Practices and Lessons Learned in NREL's Work with Communities

Whether driven by local goals and actions, external market forces, or both, the clean energy transition is accelerating. The associated increase in clean energy deployment occurs on the ground in communities. As a result, communities increasingly need technical expertise and assistance in planning for and managing the energy transition. Building on decades of work with state, local, and tribal jurisdictions, NREL's work providing modeling, analysis, and technical expertise to enable more data-driven community energy planning is expanding. To inform and enhance NREL's capabilities in community energy planning and provide a resource for others working in this space, NREL developed this best-practices document through interviews with seasoned NREL practitioners and a review of the literature on equitable community planning. Findings include five best practices for community energy planning that NREL practitioners can apply to increase the impact of their work.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Distribution Capacity Expansion Planning: Current Practice, Opportunities, and Decision Support

The distribution utility industry and its engineers are experiencing monumental shifts in consumer needs and expectations. Characterizing future native loads as compared to net load demand for long-term capacity planning is especially difficult, as consumers are increasingly adopting prosumer technologies. This paper is the culmination of 5 months of utility interviews coordinated by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) and Kevala, Inc. (Kevala) to better understand distribution capacity planning challenges. The interviews covered all aspects of capacity planning including load and DER forecasting, criteria for assessing system constraints, solution types, and organizational and decision-making structures. Our intent is to provide insight into distribution capacity planning decision support needs for utilities and the increasing number of stakeholders involved, from state and regulatory agencies to community and solution providers with interest in increasing their understanding in the distribution capacity planning process.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2011

EVENT PLANNING USING FUNCTION ANALYSIS

Event planning is expensive and resource intensive. Function analysis provides a solid foundation for comprehensive event planning (e.g., workshops, conferences, symposiums, or meetings). It has been used at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to successfully plan events and capture lessons learned, and played a significant role in the development and implementation of the “INL Guide for Hosting an Event.” Using a guide and a functional approach to planning utilizes resources more efficiently and reduces errors that could be distracting or detrimental to an event. This integrated approach to logistics and program planning – with the primary focus on the participant – gives us the edge.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Community Energy Planning: Best Practices and Lessons Learned in NREL's Work with Communities

The clean energy transition is accelerating due to local, state, and national actions combined with external market forces. Regardless of where goals are set and decisions are made, clean energy deployment occurs on the ground in communities. As a result, communities increasingly need technical expertise and assistance with planning for and managing the energy transition. Building on decades of work with state, local, and tribal jurisdictions, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) increasingly provides community-driven modeling, analysis, and technical assistance to enable more data-driven and equitable community energy planning. To inform and enhance NREL's capabilities in community energy planning and provide a resource for others working in this space, the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) Sustainable Communities Catalyzer supported this best-practices presentation based on interviews with seasoned NREL practitioners and a literature review on equitable community energy planning. Findings include five best practices for community energy planning that NREL practitioners and others can apply to strengthen their impact: 1) do your homework in preparation for community interactions; 2) be humble, authentic, and honest in your interactions with community members; 3) respect community agency in every step of the process; 4) meet the community where they are; 5) democratize participation.

best practices↗
DOE OSTI2026

Municipal Fleet Action Plan Guide

This action plan template and guide have been designed to support light-duty or medium-duty municipal fleet managers as they plan to adopt electric vehicles. The resource is an adaptation of content created by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), with support from World Resources Institute (WRI), for participants in the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy to Communities peer-learning cohort, Charting a Path to Municipal Fleet Electrification. Fifteen participating municipalities joined monthly cohort workshops from July through December 2024 to learn and plan for their own fleet electrification. Clean Cities and Communities coalitions supported participating municipalities throughout the cohort series by conducting fleet analysis and planning activities on their behalf. This template is an adapted version of cohort activities.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Stochastic Methods for Planning and Operating Power Systems with Large Amounts of Wind and Solar Power: Preprint

Wind and solar generators differ in their generation characteristics than conventional generators. The variable output and imperfect predictability of these generators face a stochastic approach to plan and operate the power system without fundamentally changing the operation and planning problems. This paper overviews stochastic modeling challenges in operations, generation planning, andtransmission planning, with references to current industry and academic work. Different stochastic problem formulations, including approximations, are also discussed.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Structured versus narrative reporting of pelvic MRI in perianal fistulizing disease: impact on clarity, completeness, and surgical planning

Objective: To evaluate clarity, completeness, and impact on surgical planning of MRI reporting of perianal fistulizing disease using a structured disease-specific template versus narrative reporting for planning of disease treatment by colorectal surgeons. Materials and methods: In this HIPAA-compliant, IRB-approved study with waiver of informed consent, a structured reporting template for perianal fistulizing disease MRIs was developed based on collaboration between colorectal surgeons and abdominal radiologists. The study population included 45 consecutive patients who underwent pelvic MRI for perianal fistulizing disease prior to implementation of structured reporting, and 60 consecutive patients who underwent pelvic MRI for perianal fistulizing disease after implementation of structured reporting. Objective evaluation of the reports for the presence of 12 key features was performed, as also subjective evaluation regarding the clarity and completeness of reports, and impact on surgical planning. Results: Significantly more key features were absent in narrative reports [mean: 6.3 ± 1.8 (range 3–11)] than in structured reports [mean: 0.3 ± 0.9 (range 1–5)] (p ≤ 0.001). The use of structured reporting also increased the percentage of completeness (72.5–88.3% for surgeon 1, and 61.2–81.3% for surgeon 2; p = 0.05 and 0.03, respectively), helpfulness in surgical planning (7.1 ± 1.5–7.6 ± 1.5 for surgeon 1, and 5.8 ± 1.4–7.1 ± 1.1 for surgeon 2; p = 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively), and clarity (7.6 ± 1.3–8.3 ± 1.1 for surgeon 1, and 5.2 ± 1.4–7.1 ± 1.3 for surgeon 2; p = 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively) of the reports. Conclusion: Structured MRI reports in patients with perianal fistulizing disease miss fewer key features than narrative reports. Moreover, structured reports were described as more complete and clear, and more helpful for treatment planning.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Testing three health impact assessment tools in planning: A process evaluation

There is increasing interest in Health Impact Assessment in planning. This paper describes the results of different approaches to health impact assessment (HIA) conducted in 10 municipalities and one county in Minnesota. The paper outlines the HIA processes, outputs, and short-term outcomes concluding that it is important to engage a diverse group of stakeholders. Overall, HIA is potentially an important new tool in the planning toolkit. Strategic use of HIA to evaluate draft plans and inform plan updates and project redesigns can help raise awareness about health issues and focus planning on important human problems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

Implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment of spatial planning tools

After more than a decade from the publication of the European Directive 2001/42/CE (Directive) on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), the design and construction of the interested spatial planning instruments has gone through a variety of changes and integrations in European and in world states. This inhomogeneous panorama can be explained with a pattern of institutional structures that have so far affected the implementation of the Directive. The aim of this paper is to investigate the level of implementation of the Directive in Italy by developing a comparative analysis of the quality of integration of SEA within the design of the spatial coordination plan of a set of Italian provinces. Italian practice is analyzed in the framework of a comparative study of worldwide SEA implementation within spatial and land use planning. The results reveal strengths and weaknesses in SEA implementation at the provincial level and, in particular, the emergence of critical areas of research concerning institutional context, public participation, monitoring, and observatory of the spatial transformations. -- Highlights: • This is a comparative analysis of SEA in strategic spatial planning in Italy. • The adhesion of Provinces to the study is remarkable. • SEA implementation and integration into spatial planning is still moderate. • Participation via consultations should be more widespread. • Monitoring and institution of observatories are still in an infancy stage.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Environmental impact assessment in urban transport planning: Exploring process-related barriers in Spanish practice

The effectiveness of EIA for evaluating transport planning projects is increasingly being questioned by practitioners, institutions and scholars. The academic literature has traditionally focused more on solving content-related problems with EIA (i.e. the measurement of environmental effects) than on process-related issues (i.e. the role of EIA in the planning process and the interaction between key actors). Focusing only on technical improvements is not sufficient for rectifying the effectiveness problems of EIA. In order to address this knowledge gap, the paper explores how EIA is experienced in the Spanish planning context and offers in-depth insight into EIA process-related issues in the field of urban transport planning. From the multitude of involved actors, the research focuses on exploring the perceptions of the two main professional groups: EIA developers and transport planners. Through a web-based survey we assess the importance of process-related barriers to the effective use of EIA in urban transport planning. The analyses revealed process issues based fundamentally on unstructured stakeholders involvement and an inefficient public participation - Highlights: • Qualitative research on perceptions of EIA participants on EIA processes. • Web-based survey with different participants (EIA-developers; transport planners). • It was seen an inefficient participation of stakeholders during the EIA processes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) for wind energy planning: Lessons from the United Kingdom and Germany

This paper reports on SEA applied in the wind energy sector in the UK and Germany. Based on a review of 18 SEAs, it is found that the quality of SEA documentation is variable, with over a third of them being deemed unsatisfactory. Furthermore, SEA processes are conducted to varying degrees of effectiveness, with scoping a strength but impact prediction and mitigation weaknesses. Generally speaking, the influence of SEA on German wind energy plan making was found to be low and the influence of SEA on UK plans deemed to be moderate. The German plans had a low influence mainly because of a perceived high environmental performance of the underlying plans in the first instance. Substantive outcomes of SEA are not always clear and the influence of SEA on decision making is said to be limited in many cases. Finally, a lack of effective tiering between SEA and project level EIA is also observed. In addition, our findings echo some of the weaknesses of SEA practice found in previous studies of SEA effectiveness, including poor impact prediction and significance sections and a lack of detailed monitoring programmes for post plan implementation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2011

Planning With Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy and Tomotherapy to Modulate Dose Across Breast to Reflect Recurrence Risk (IMPORT High Trial)

Purpose: To establish planning solutions for a concomitant three-level radiation dose distribution to the breast using linear accelerator- or tomotherapy-based intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), for the U.K. Intensity Modulated and Partial Organ (IMPORT) High trial. Methods and Materials: Computed tomography data sets for 9 patients undergoing breast conservation surgery with implanted tumor bed gold markers were used to prepare three-level dose distributions encompassing the whole breast (36 Gy), partial breast (40 Gy), and tumor bed boost (48 or 53 Gy) treated concomitantly in 15 fractions within 3 weeks. Forward and inverse planned IMRT and tomotherapy were investigated as solutions. A standard electron field was compared with a photon field arrangement encompassing the tumor bed boost volume. The out-of-field doses were measured for all methods. Results: Dose-volume constraints of volume >90% receiving 32.4 Gy and volume >95% receiving 50.4 Gy for the whole breast and tumor bed were achieved. The constraint of volume >90% receiving 36 Gy for the partial breast was fulfilled in the inverse IMRT and tomotherapy plans and in 7 of 9 cases of a forward planned IMRT distribution. An electron boost to the tumor bed was inadequate in 8 of 9 cases. The IMRT methods delivered a greater whole body dose than the standard breast tangents. A contralateral lung volume >2.5 Gy was increased in the inverse IMRT and tomotherapy plans, although it did not exceed the constraint. Conclusion: We have demonstrated a set of widely applicable solutions that fulfilled the stringent clinical trial requirements for the delivery of a concomitant three-level dose distribution to the breast.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Volumetric Arc Therapy and Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy for Primary Prostate Radiotherapy With Simultaneous Integrated Boost to Intraprostatic Lesion With 6 and 18 MV: A Planning Comparison Study

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to compare intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with volumetric arc therapy (VMAT), in the treatment of prostate cancer with maximal dose escalation to the intraprostatic lesion (IPL), without violating the organ-at-risk constraints. Additionally, the use of 6-MV photons was compared with 18-MV photons for all techniques. Methods and Materials: A total of 12 consecutive prostate cancer patients with an IPL on magnetic resonance imaging were selected for the present study. Plans were made for three IMRT field setups (three, five, and seven fields) and one VMAT field setup (single arc). First, optimal plans were created for every technique using biologic and physical planning aims. Next, an additional escalation to the IPL was planned as high as possible without violating the planning aims of the first step. Results: No interaction between the technique and photon energy (p = .928) occurred. No differences were found between the 6- and 18-MV photon beams, except for a reduction in the number of monitor units needed for 18 MV (p < .05). All techniques, except for three-field IMRT, allowed for dose escalation to a median dose of {>=}93 {+-} 6 Gy (mean {+-} standard deviation) to the IPL. VMAT was superior to IMRT for rectal volumes receiving 20-50 Gy (p < .05). Conclusion: VMAT allowed for dose escalation to the IPL with better sparing of the rectum than static three-, five-, and seven-field IMRT setups. High-energy photons had no advantage over low-energy photons.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Patient Selection and Activity Planning Guide for Selective Internal Radiotherapy With Yttrium-90 Resin Microspheres

Purpose: Selective internal radiotherapy (SIRT) with yttrium-90 ({sup 90}Y) resin microspheres can improve the clinical outcomes for selected patients with inoperable liver cancer. This technique involves intra-arterial delivery of {beta}-emitting microspheres into hepatocellular carcinomas or liver metastases while sparing uninvolved structures. Its unique mode of action, including both {sup 90}Y brachytherapy and embolization of neoplastic microvasculature, necessitates activity planning methods specific to SIRT. Methods and Materials: A panel of clinicians experienced in {sup 90}Y resin microsphere SIRT was convened to integrate clinical experience with the published data to propose an activity planning pathway for radioembolization. Results: Accurate planning is essential to minimize potentially fatal sequelae such as radiation-induced liver disease while delivering tumoricidal {sup 90}Y activity. Planning methods have included empiric dosing according to degree of tumor involvement, empiric dosing adjusted for the body surface area, and partition model calculations using Medical Internal Radiation Dose principles. It has been recommended that at least two of these methods be compared when calculating the microsphere activity for each patient. Conclusions: Many factors inform {sup 90}Y resin microsphere SIRT activity planning, including the therapeutic intent, tissue and vasculature imaging, tumor and uninvolved liver characteristics, previous therapies, and localization of the microsphere infusion. The influence of each of these factors has been discussed.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗