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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 1,207 records · Page 67
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Analysis and improvement of input channel selection algorithm for reliability of control systems in nuclear power plants - 138

In most of non-safety NSSS (Nuclear Steam Supply System) control systems, a process input is composed of two channels for redundancy. In a normal situation, the average of both input channels is used in the control algorithm. If a failed channel is detected, the 'channel selection algorithm' chooses the remaining normal input channel. For a bumpless transition, many implemented control systems include the 'ramping rate' function, which makes it possible for the selected input to slowly approach the new input channel. However, it recently turned out that this function adopted for positive effects may result in unintended consequences for the related control system and the plant in certain cases. Due to a process transient in the plant according to a significant event, any related sensor input signal can rapidly change and finally exceed the pre-defined range for detecting an out-of-range event in a short time. During the process of channel conversion due to a rapid transient in the plant, the processed input from the redundant channels can be distorted if the ramping rate function is not properly implemented. As a result, it can result in a plant shutdown because the control system fails to perform the critical function to mitigate a plant transient. To solve these potential problems, we analyzed the overall causes and derived a proposed algorithm for improving reliability and performance of the control systems. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1987

Methods for multisource data analysis in remote sensing

Methods for classifying remotely sensed data from multiple data sources are considered. Special interest is in general methods for multisource classification and three such approaches are considered: Dempster-Shafer theory; fuzzy set theory; and statistical multisource analysis. To apply statistical multisource analysis successfully it is necessary to characterize the reliability of each data source. Separability measures and classification accuracy are used to measure the reliability. These reliability measures are then associated with reliability factors included in the statistical multisource analysis to multispectral scanner data where different segments of the electromagnetic spectrum are treated as different sources. A discussion is included concerning future directions for investigating reliability measures.

Benediktsson, Jon Atli↗
DOE OSTI2016

Accurate and efficient measurement of impurity (dilute) diffusion coefficients without isotope tracer experiments

We report most impurity diffusion coefficients were measured in the 1960s and 1970s using tracer experiments with only 14 sets of tracer measurements performed worldwide in the past 15 years. It is thus impractical to rely on tracer experiments to obtain the missing thousands of impurity diffusion coefficients. A recently developed forward-simulation analysis can change the scenario by reliably extracting impurity diffusion coefficients from regular diffusion couple profiles. A comparison of 51 values obtained from the forward-simulation analysis with tracer experiment values in the literature shows an excellent agreement, thus validating the reliability of the forward-simulation analysis in obtaining accurate impurity diffusion coefficients.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Measurements and Characterization (Revised) (Fact Sheet)

Capabilities fact sheet for the National Center for Photovoltaics: Measurements and Characterization that includes scope, core competencies and capabilities, and contact/web information for Analytical Microscopy, Electro-Optical Characterization, Surface Analysis, and Cell and Module Performance.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2016

Degradation of Leakage Currents and Reliability Prediction for Tantalum Capacitors

Two types of failures in solid tantalum capacitors, catastrophic and parametric, and their mechanisms are described. Analysis of voltage and temperature reliability acceleration factors reported in literature shows a wide spread of results and requires more investigation. In this work, leakage currents in two types of chip tantalum capacitors were monitored during highly accelerated life testing (HALT) at different temperatures and voltages. Distributions of degradation rates were approximated using a general log-linear Weibull model and yielded voltage acceleration constants B = 9.8 +/- 0.5 and 5.5. The activation energies were Ea = 1.65 eV and 1.42 eV. The model allows for conservative estimations of times to failure and was validated by long-term life test data. Parametric degradation and failures are reversible and can be annealed at high temperatures. The process is attributed to migration of charged oxygen vacancies that reduce the barrier height at the MnO2/Ta2O5 interface and increase injection of electrons from the MnO2 cathode. Analysis showed that the activation energy of the vacancies' migration is ~ 1.1 eV.

acceleration factors↗
DOE OSTI2016

An integrated model-driven method for in-treatment upper airway motion tracking using cine MRI in head and neck radiation therapy

Purpose: For the first time, MRI-guided radiation therapy systems can acquire cine images to dynamically monitor in-treatment internal organ motion. However, the complex head and neck (H&N) structures and low-contrast/resolution of on-board cine MRI images make automatic motion tracking a very challenging task. In this study, the authors proposed an integrated model-driven method to automatically track the in-treatment motion of the H&N upper airway, a complex and highly deformable region wherein internal motion often occurs in an either voluntary or involuntary manner, from cine MRI images for the analysis of H&N motion patterns. Methods: Considering the complex H&N structures and ensuring automatic and robust upper airway motion tracking, the authors firstly built a set of linked statistical shapes (including face, face-jaw, and face-jaw-palate) using principal component analysis from clinically approved contours delineated on a set of training data. The linked statistical shapes integrate explicit landmarks and implicit shape representation. Then, a hierarchical model-fitting algorithm was developed to align the linked shapes on the first image frame of a to-be-tracked cine sequence and to localize the upper airway region. Finally, a multifeature level set contour propagation scheme was performed to identify the upper airway shape change, frame-by-frame, on the entire image sequence. The multifeature fitting energy, including the information of intensity variations, edge saliency, curve geometry, and temporal shape continuity, was minimized to capture the details of moving airway boundaries. Sagittal cine MR image sequences acquired from three H&N cancer patients were utilized to demonstrate the performance of the proposed motion tracking method. Results: The tracking accuracy was validated by comparing the results to the average of two manual delineations in 50 randomly selected cine image frames from each patient. The resulting average dice similarity coefficient (93.28% ± 1.46%) and margin error (0.49 ± 0.12 mm) showed good agreement between the automatic and manual results. The comparison with three other deformable model-based segmentation methods illustrated the superior shape tracking performance of the proposed method. Large interpatient variations of swallowing frequency, swallowing duration, and upper airway cross-sectional area were observed from the testing cine image sequences. Conclusions: The proposed motion tracking method can provide accurate upper airway motion tracking results, and enable automatic and quantitative identification and analysis of in-treatment H&N upper airway motion. By integrating explicit and implicit linked-shape representations within a hierarchical model-fitting process, the proposed tracking method can process complex H&N structures and low-contrast/resolution cine MRI images. Future research will focus on the improvement of method reliability, patient motion pattern analysis for providing more information on patient-specific prediction of structure displacements, and motion effects on dosimetry for better H&N motion management in radiation therapy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1996

Coupled Structural, Thermal, Phase-change and Electromagnetic Analysis for Superconductors, Volume 2

Described are the theoretical development and computer implementation of reliable and efficient methods for the analysis of coupled mechanical problems that involve the interaction of mechanical, thermal, phase-change and electromag subproblems. The focus application has been the modeling of superconductivity and associated quantum-state phase change phenomena. In support of this objective the work has addressed the following issues: (1) development of variational principles for finite elements, (2) finite element modeling of the electromagnetic problem, (3) coupling of thermel and mechanical effects, and (4) computer implementation and solution of the superconductivity transition problem. The main accomplishments have been: (1) the development of the theory of parametrized and gauged variational principles, (2) the application of those principled to the construction of electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical finite elements, and (3) the coupling of electromagnetic finite elements with thermal and superconducting effects, and (4) the first detailed finite element simulations of bulk superconductors, in particular the Meissner effect and the nature of the normal conducting boundary layer. The theoretical development is described in two volumes. Volume 1 describes mostly formulation specific problems. Volume 2 describes generalization of those formulations.

Felippa, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

2nd Generation RLV Airframe Structures and Materials

The goals and objectives of the project summarized in this viewgraph presentation are the following: (1) Develop and demonstrate verified airframe and cryotank structural design and analysis technologies, including damage tolerance, safety, reliability, and residual strength technologies, robust nonlinear shell and cryotank analysis technologies, high-fidelity analysis and design technologies for local structural detail features and joints, and high-fidelity analysis technologies for sandwich structures; (2) Demonstrate low cost, robust materials and processing, including polymeric matrix composite (PMC) and metallic materials and processing, and refractory composite and metallic hot structures materials and processing; (3) Develop and demonstrate robust airframe structures and validated integrated airframe structural concepts, including low cost fabrication and joining, operations efficient designs and inspection techniques (non-destructive evaluation), scale-up and integrated thermal structure tests, and airframe structures IVHM; (4) Demonstrate low cost, robust repair techniques; and (5) Develop verified integrated airframe structural concepts, including integrated structural concepts.

Johnson, Theodore F.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Status of the Combustion Devices Injector Technology Program at the NASA MSFC

To support the NASA Space Exploration Mission, an in-house program called Combustion Devices Injector Technology (CDIT) is being conducted at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for the fiscal year 2005. CDIT is focused on developing combustor technology and analysis tools to improve reliability and durability of upper-stage and in-space liquid propellant rocket engines. The three areas of focus include injector/chamber thermal compatibility, ignition, and combustion stability. In the compatibility and ignition areas, small-scale single- and multi-element hardware experiments will be conducted to demonstrate advanced technological concepts as well as to provide experimental data for validation of computational analysis tools. In addition, advanced analysis tools will be developed to eventually include 3-dimensional and multi- element effects and improve capability and validity to analyze heat transfer and ignition in large, multi-element injectors.

Jones, Gregg↗
NASA NTRS2001

About the Effect of Control on Flutter and Post-Flutter of a Supersonic/Hypersonic Cross-Sectional Wing

The control of the flutter instability and the conversion of the dangerous character of the flutter instability boundary into the undangerous one of a cross-sectional wing in a supersonic/hypersonic flow field is presented. The objective of this paper is twofold: i) to analyze the implications of nonlinear unsteady aerodynamics and physical nonlinearities on the character of the instability boundary in the presence of a control capability, and ii) to outline the effects played in the same respect by some important parameters of the aeroelastic system. As a by-product of this analysis, the implications of the active control on the linearized flutter behavior of the system are captured and emphasized. The bifurcation behavior of the open/closed loop aeroelastic system in the vicinity of the flutter boundary is studied via the use of a new methodology based on the Liapunov First Quantity. The expected outcome of this study is: a) to greatly enhance the scope and reliability of the aeroelastic analysis and design criteria of advanced supersonic/hypersonic flight vehicles and, b) provide a theoretical basis for the analysis of more complex nonlinear aeroelastic systems.

Silva, Walter A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

About the Effect of Control on Flutter and Post-Flutter of a Supersonic/Hypersonic Cross-Sectional Wing

The control of the flutter instability and the conversion of the dangerous character of the flutter instability boundary into the undangerous one of a cross-sectional wing in a supersonic/hypersonic flow field is presented. The objective of this paper is twofold: i) to analyze the implications of nonlinear unsteady aerodynamics and physical nonlinearities on the character of the instability boundary in the presence of a control capability, and ii) to outline the effects played in the same respect by some important parameters of the aeroelastic system. As a by-product of this analysis, the implications of the active control on the linearized flutter behavior of the system are captured and emphasized. The bifurcation behavior of the open/closed loop aeroelastic system in the vicinity of the flutter boundary is studied via the use of a new methodology based on the Liapunov First Quantity. The expected outcome of this study is: a) to greatly enhance the scope and reliability of the aeroelastic analysis and design criteria of advanced supersonic/hypersonic flight vehicles and, b) provide a theoretical basis for the analysis of more complex nonlinear aeroelastic systems.

Marzocca, Piergiovanni↗
DOE OSTI2015

Airborne flux measurements of methane and volatile organic compounds over the Haynesville and Marcellus shale gas production regions

Emissions of methane (CH4) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from oil and gas production may have large impacts on air quality and climate change. Methane and VOCs were measured over the Haynesville and Marcellus shale gas plays on board the National Center for Atmospheric Research C-130 and NOAA WP-3D research aircraft in June–July of 2013. We used an eddy covariance technique to measure in situ fluxes of CH4 and benzene from both C-130 flights with high-resolution data (10?Hz) and WP-3D flights with low-resolution data (1?Hz). Correlation (R?=?0.65) between CH4 and benzene fluxes was observed when flying over shale gas operations, and the enhancement ratio of fluxes was consistent with the corresponding concentration observations. Fluxes calculated by the eddy covariance method show agreement with a mass balance approach within their combined uncertainties. In general, CH4 fluxes in the shale gas regions follow a lognormal distribution, with some deviations for relatively large fluxes (>10?µg?m-2?s-1). Statistical analysis of the fluxes shows that a small number of facilities (i.e., ~10%) are responsible for up to ~40% of the total CH4 emissions in the two regions. We show that the airborne eddy covariance method can also be applied in some circumstances when meteorological conditions do not favor application of the mass balance method. We suggest that the airborne eddy covariance method is a reliable alternative and complementary analysis method to estimate emissions from oil and gas extraction.

Yuan, Bin↗
DOE OSTI2012

LOGISTIC FUNCTION PROFILE FIT: A least-squares program for fitting interface profiles to an extended logistic function

The extended logistic function provides a physically reasonable description of interfaces such as depth profiles or line scans of surface topological or compositional features. It describes these interfaces with the minimum number of parameters, namely, position, width, and asymmetry. Logistic Function Profile Fit (LFPF) is a robust, least-squares fitting program in which the nonlinear extended logistic function is linearized by a Taylor series expansion (equivalent to a Newton-Raphson approach) with no apparent introduction of bias in the analysis. The program provides reliable confidence limits for the parameters when systematic errors are minimal and provides a display of the residuals from the fit for the detection of systematic errors. The program will aid researchers in applying ASTM E1636-10, 'Standard practice for analytically describing sputter-depth-profile and linescan-profile data by an extended logistic function,' and may also prove useful in applying ISO 18516: 2006, 'Surface chemical analysis-Auger electron spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy-determination of lateral resolution.' Examples are given of LFPF fits to a secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profile, an Auger surface line scan, and synthetic data generated to exhibit known systematic errors for examining the significance of such errors to the extrapolation of partial profiles.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

An Efficient RF Source for Jlab

We propose the development of a highly reliable high efficiency RF source for JLAB with a lower lifetime cost operating at 80% efficiency with system operating costs of about 0.7M$/year for the 6 GeV machine. The design of the RF source will be based upon two injection locked magnetrons in a novel combining architecture for amplitude modulation and a cross field amplifier (CFA) as an output tube for the 12 GeV upgrade. A cost analysis including efficiency and reliability will be performed to determine the optimum system architecture. Several different system architectures will be designed and evaluated for a dual injection locked magnetron source using novel combining techniques and possibly a CFA as the output tube. A paper design for the 1497 MHz magnetron system will be completed. The optimum system architecture with all relevant specifications will be completed so that a prototype can be built.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2017

PV Systems Reliability and Outreach

The project purpose was to collaborate with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to reach out to the photovoltaic (PV) industry to cooperate, collaborate and facilitate establishment and access to PV plant data for use in the Photovoltaic Reliability Operations and Maintenance (PVROM) database. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and EPRI conducted this outreach to expand and accelerate the implementation of PVROM by gathering more data for analyzing trends, with a goal of accelerating the adoption of PV systems as a primary power generation source in the United States. SNL and EPRI analyzed the data from the PVROM database to assess industry trends in operations and maintenance (O&M) and develop guidelines for the industry. More specifically, this project was intended to leverage SNL’s expertise in PV plant reliability data collection and analysis, with data sharing partners that own or operate PV systems who wanted to learn about rigorous reliabilitybased data collection to track issues over time and improve O&M activities. The partnership also worked to host multiple workshops as part of the SNL/EPRI PV Systems Symposium to gather industry feedback on O&M process improvement and data standards, and share insights learned from the collaboration between SNL and EPRI in the area of PV system reliability. Additional outreach included multiple ‘expert elicitation’ interviews led by EPRI to gather best practices and paths forward for improving/standardizing PV plant O&M and asset management practices. Technical accomplishments included further development of the PVROM database process, sharing best practices for reliability data collection and improving industry understanding of existing O&M practices, important knowledge, and new and novel techniques for benefitting EPRI utility partners and the broader PV industry. Improved reliability at a PV power plant leads to a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE), which is reflected most directly in its operating expenses. Electric utilities that utilize PV as a larger share of plants they own and operate are interested in having a high degree of availability or ‘uptime’, similar to other power generation sources in their service area. Having low cost, reliable PV generation can lead to fewer costs that need to be recovered by the utility over the lifetime of the power plant, and less regulatory uncertainty when considering bulk transmission and distribution system reliability. The public and taxpayers benefit by the electric utility passing through lower electricity costs.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Asteroseismic Determination of the Stellar Rotation Period of the Kepler Transiting Planetary Systems and its Implications for the Spin–Orbit Architecture

We measure the rotation periods of 19 stars in the Kepler transiting planetary systems, P {sub rot,astero} from asteroseismology and P {sub rot,phot} from the photometric variation of their light curves. Two stars exhibit two clear peaks in the Lomb–Scargle periodogram, neither of which agrees with the seismic rotation period. Other four systems do not show any clear peak, whose stellar rotation period is impossible to estimate reliably from the photometric variation; their stellar equators may be significantly inclined with respect to the planetary orbital plane. For the remaining 13 systems, P {sub rot,astero} and P{sub rot,phot} agree within 30%. Interestingly, 3 out of the 13 systems are in the spin–orbit resonant state in which P{sub orb,b}/P{sub rot,astero}≈1 with P {sub orb,b} being the orbital period of the innermost planet of each system. The corresponding chance probability is (0.2–4.7)% based on the photometric rotation period data for 464 Kepler transiting planetary systems. While further analysis of stars with reliable rotation periods is required to examine the statistical significance, the spin–orbit resonance between the star and planets, if confirmed, has important implications for the star–planet tidal interaction, in addition to the origin of the spin–orbit (mis-)alignment of transiting planetary systems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1993

Integrated Approach To Design And Analysis Of Systems

Object-oriented fault-tree representation unifies evaluation of reliability and diagnosis of faults. Programming/fault tree described more fully in "Object-Oriented Algorithm For Evaluation Of Fault Trees" (ARC-12731). Augmented fault tree object contains more information than fault tree object used in quantitative analysis of reliability. Additional information needed to diagnose faults in system represented by fault tree.

Patterson-Hine, F. A.↗