Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “software analysis”

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

Economic Sizing of Batteries for the Smart Home: Preprint

This paper presents a methodology to economically size a home battery based on parametric analysis using home energy management system (HEMS) software to optimally dispatch the battery along with controllable loads under several use cases. We account for connected equipment, controls, renewable resources, and other factors such as building characteristics and utility tariffs. The paper defines an analytical pathway for such a sizing tool, develops initial sizing guidance, and clarifies technical and market opportunities for home batteries in the context of existing and emerging equipment and control technologies. A parametric analysis that included 132 scenarios has been performed based on different combinations of pertinent parameters. Results indicate that four variables dominate the decision-making process: application scenarios (new construction or retrofit), utility tariffs, existence of HEMS, and the anticipated payback time. Life-cycle cost analysis indicated that in the absence of utility incentives, batteries plus HEMS have a payback time of longer than 10 years for new construction under a time-of-use rate structure and feed-in tariff; larger batteries have a longer payback time but may provide more benefits to utilities on reducing power backfeed under certain circumstances.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Reproduction of the Yucca Mountain Project TSPA-LA Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses and Preliminary Upgrade of Models

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) continued evaluation of total system performance assessment (TSPA) computing systems for the previously considered Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). This was done to maintain the operational readiness of the computing infrastructure (computer hardware and software) and knowledge capability for total system performance assessment (TSPA) type analysis, as directed by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), DOE 2010. This work is a continuation of the ongoing readiness evaluation reported in Lee and Hadgu (2014) and Hadgu et al. (2015). The TSPA computing hardware (CL2014) and storage system described in Hadgu et al. (2015) were used for the current analysis. One floating license of GoldSim with Versions 9.60.300, 10.5 and 11.1.6 was installed on the cluster head node, and its distributed processing capability was mapped on the cluster processors. Other supporting software were tested and installed to support the TSPA-type analysis on the server cluster. The current tasks included verification of the TSPA-LA uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, and preliminary upgrade of the TSPA-LA from Version 9.60.300 to the latest version 11.1. All the TSPA-LA uncertainty and sensitivity analyses modeling cases were successfully tested and verified for the model reproducibility on the upgraded 2014 server cluster (CL2014). The uncertainty and sensitivity analyses used TSPA-LA modeling cases output generated in FY15 based on GoldSim Version 9.60.300 documented in Hadgu et al. (2015). The model upgrade task successfully converted the Nominal Modeling case to GoldSim Version 11.1. Upgrade of the remaining of the modeling cases and distributed processing tasks will continue. The 2014 server cluster and supporting software systems are fully operational to support TSPA-LA type analysis.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DAKOTA (Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale) v.6.14

Sandia's Dakota software supports science and engineering transformation through advanced exploration of simulations. Specifically, Dakota manages and analyzes ensembles of simulations to provide broader and deeper perspective for analysts and decision makers. This enables them to: (1) enhance understanding of risk, (2) improve products, and (3) assess simulation credibility. In its simplest mode, Dakota can automate typical parameter variation studies through a generic interface to a computational model. Dakota also delivers advanced parametric analysis techniques enabling design exploration, optimization, model calibration, risk analysis, and quantification of margins and uncertainty with such models. It directly supports verification and validation activities. The algorithms implemented in Dakota aim to address challenges in performing these analyses with complex science and engineering models from desktop to high performance computers. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525 SAND2021-10468 O

Adams, BrianM.↗

DAKOTA (Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale) v.6.16

Sandia's Dakota software supports science and engineering transformation through advanced exploration of simulations. Specifically, Dakota manages and analyzes ensembles of simulations to provide broader and deeper perspective for analysts and decision makers. This enables them to: (1) enhance understanding of risk, (2) improve products, and (3) assess simulation credibility. In its simplest mode, Dakota can automate typical parameter variation studies through a generic interface to a computational model. Dakota also delivers advanced parametric analysis techniques enabling design exploration, optimization, model calibration, risk analysis, and quantification of margins and uncertainty with such models. It directly supports verification and validation activities. The algorithms implemented in Dakota aim to address challenges in performing these analyses with complex science and engineering models from desktop to high performance computers. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525 SAND2021-10468 O

Adams, BrianM.↗

WE-G-BRA-06: Application of Systems and Control Theory-Based Hazard Analysis to Radiotherapy

Purpose: The process of delivering radiation occurs in a complex socio-technical system heavily reliant on human operators. Furthermore, both humans and software are notoriously challenging to account for in traditional hazard analysis models. High reliability industries such as aviation have approached this problem through using hazard analysis techniques grounded in systems and control theory. The purpose of this work is to apply the Systems Theoretic Accident Model Processes (STAMP) hazard model to radiotherapy. In particular, the System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) approach is used to perform a hazard analysis of a proposed on-line adaptive cranial radiosurgery procedure that omits the CT Simulation step and uses only CBCT for planning, localization, and treatment. Methods: The STPA procedure first requires the definition of high-level accidents and hazards leading to those accidents. From there, hierarchical control structures were created followed by the identification and description of control actions for each control structure. Utilizing these control structures, unsafe states of each control action were created. Scenarios contributing to unsafe control action states were then identified and translated into system requirements to constrain process behavior within safe boundaries. Results: Ten control structures were created for this new CBCT-only process which covered the areas of hospital and department management, treatment design and delivery, and vendor service. Twenty three control actions were identified that contributed to over 80 unsafe states of those control actions resulting in over 220 failure scenarios. Conclusion: The interaction of people, hardware, and software are highlighted through the STPA approach. STPA provides a hierarchical model for understanding the role of management decisions in impacting system safety so that a process design requirement can be traced back to the hazard and accident that it is intended to mitigate. Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

BuildingSync (R) in Action: Example Implementations

Interoperability is a particular challenge in building energy auditing, in which tools and data requirements may vary widely depending upon locale or intended use of the audit result. There are, however, many reasons to represent the data in a common format. BuildingSync (R) is such an effort to develop a standardized language to flexibly represent and exchange building energy auditing data between software tools. The schema has been developed with extensive collaboration between the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and industry experts. BuildingSync facilitates a consistent history of energy audit data across the life of a building or a group of buildings, and thus enables lower costs and higher energy performance results. It also facilitates easier aggregation and analysis of audits conducted by different companies using different software. This paper presents two examples of building energy analysis efforts that are utilizing BuildingSync - (1) BayREN Integrated Commercial Retrofits (BRICR), a utility custom incentive program at the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) that uses BuildingSync to exchange building data, and (2) New York City's ordinance on benchmarking and auditing data. These efforts utilize BuildingSync in conjunction with other DOE-sponsored tools, such as the Asset Score Reporting Platform, SEED Platform, and OpenStudio. Using the lessons learned from these efforts, the paper also makes recommendations for applicability to future projects that may benefit from BuildingSync.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

A continuous integration and web framework in support of the ATLAS publication process

The ATLAS collaboration defines methods, establishes procedures, and organises advisory groups to manage the publication processes of scientific papers, conference papers, and public notes. All stages are managed through web systems, computing programs, and tools that are designed and developed by the collaboration. A framework called FENCE is integrated into the CERN GitLab software repository, to automatically configure workspaces where each analysis can be documented by the analysis team and managed by the relevant coordinators. Continuous integration is used to guide the writers in applying consistent and correct formatting when preparing papers to be submitted to scientific journals. Additional software assures the correctness of other aspects of each paper, such as the lists of collaboration authors, funding agencies, and foundations. The framework and the workflow therein provide automatic and easy support to the researchers and facilitates each phase of the publication process, allowing authors to focus on the article contents. The framework and its integration with the most up to date and efficient tools has consequently provided a more professional and efficient automatized work environment to the whole collaboration.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Estimating internal moisture generation rates in recently constructed, occupied homes in the southeastern United States

Internal moisture generation (IMG), or moisture generated by building occupants via activities such as respiration, cooking, bathing, and cleaning, is a critical input required for design, analysis, and simulation of building enclosure and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Based on previously published values, ASHRAE Standard 160-2021 provides guidance for estimating IMG rates for moisture control design analysis, which is based on occupied home datasets collected in the 1980s and 1990s. Residential energy use simulation software also utilizes estimates for IMG for energy rating, energy analysis, and code compliance calculations, as specified in ANSI/RESNET/ICC Standard 301. Data quantifying IMG rates in newer homes is useful in determining the continued relevance of current design and simulation guidance, and whether the guidance represents conditions found in new housing stock. ASHRAE Research Project 1844, conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida, estimated IMG rates in newer occupied homes built since 2013 in the southeastern US using a moisture balance model approach. Furthermore, the project obtained occupied home data in cooperation with a US Department of Energy Building America research project to characterize indoor air quality (IAQ) in newer US homes, along with presence, functionality, and occupant use of control measures. Full-scale laboratory homes operating with known IMG rates were used to validate a moisture balance model and quantify the accuracy of estimates obtained when the model is applied to data from occupied homes with unknown IMG rates.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

MFANS 2024 - Dimensional Analysis Made Easy

There is a significant impact of dimensional errors in systems. Dimensional analysis is difficult due to the large size of systems. SA4U and Scalpel are practical programs which can have an impact beyond traditional software as they are able to perform precise dimensional analysis and repair C++ source code.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Quantitative Analysis of Color Differences within High Contrast, Low Power Reversible Electrophoretic Displays

Here, quantitative color analysis is performed on videos of high contrast, low power reversible electrophoretic deposition (EPD)-based displays operated under different applied voltages. This analysis is coded in an open-source software, relies on a color differentiation metric, ΔE * 00 , derived from digital video, and provides an intuitive relationship between the operating conditions of the devices and their performance. Time-dependent ΔE * 00 color analysis reveals color relaxation behavior, recoverability for different voltage sequences, and operating conditions that can lead to optimal performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

HyRAM V1.1 User Guide

Hydrogen Risk Assessment Models (HyRAM) is a software toolkit that provides a basis for quantitative risk assessment and consequence modeling for hydrogen infrastructure and transportation systems. HyRAM integrates validated, analytical models of hydrogen behavior, statistics, and a standardized QRA approach to generate useful, repeatable data for the safety analysis of various hydrogen systems. HyRAM is a software developed by Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. Department of Energy. This document demonstrates how to use HyRAM to recreate a hydrogen system and obtain relevant data regarding potential risk. Specific examples are utilized throughout this document, providing detailed tutorials of HyRAM features with respect to hydrogen system safety analysis and risk assessment.

08 HYDROGEN↗

HyRAM V2.0 User Guide

Hydrogen Risk Assessment Models (HyRAM) is a software toolkit that provides a basis for quantitative risk assessment and consequence modeling for hydrogen infrastructure and transportation systems. HyRAM integrates validated, analytical models of hydrogen behavior, statistics, and a standardized QRA approach to generate useful, repeatable data for the safety analysis of various hydrogen systems. HyRAM is a software developed by Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. Department of Energy. This document demonstrates how to use HyRAM to recreate a hydrogen system and obtain relevant data regarding potential risk. Specific examples are utilized throughout this document, providing detailed tutorials of HyRAM features with respect to hydrogen system safety analysis and risk assessment.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Informed-Proteomics: open-source software package for top-down proteomics

Top-down proteomics involves the analysis of intact proteins. This approach is very attractive as it allows for analyzing proteins in their endogenous form without proteolysis, preserving valuable information about post-translation modifications, isoforms, proteolytic processing or their combinations collectively called proteoforms. Moreover, the quality of the top-down LC-MS/MS datasets is rapidly increasing due to advances in the liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry instrumentation and sample processing protocols. However, the top-down mass spectra are substantially more complex compare to the more conventional bottom-up data. To take full advantage of the increasing quality of the top-down LC-MS/MS datasets there is an urgent need to develop algorithms and software tools for confident proteoform identification and quantification. In this study we present a new open source software suite for top-down proteomics analysis consisting of an LC-MS feature finding algorithm, a database search algorithm, and an interactive results viewer. The presented tool along with several other popular tools were evaluated using human-in-mouse xenograft luminal and basal breast tumor samples that are known to have significant differences in protein abundance based on bottom-up analysis.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

Integrate FARM with PID controllers: IES Simulation Ecosystem Control System Development

The FARM (Feasible Actuator Range Modifier) software module is a component of the RAVEN-based FORCE framework for analysis of Integrated Energy Systems (IES). FARM was designed to support the HERON software module in the solution of the optimal dispatch problem for IES units. As the result of HERON-FARM dispatch simulation, the set-point trajectories are optimized to meet constraints on both the production variables (i.e., the variables to be optimized such as the electrical power, the hydrogen production rate, etc.) and the process variables tied to the service life of equipment (e.g., steam flowrate, vessel pressure, turbine firing temperature, etc.) at a coarse time resolution (every 10 or 100 seconds) over long time horizons (several days or weeks). In case the operational constraints need to be met at finer time resolution, the computational burden of HERON-FARM would linearly increase with the sampling rate, and sub-optimal solutions might be obtained. System responses characterized by overshoots and damped oscillations temporarily violating the imposed constraints might occur during abrupt power transients. In this report, a hierarchical control system architecture for the operation of the Dynamic Energy Technology and Integration Laboratory (DETAIL) facility constructed at INL was proposed. First, the preliminary studies on the proposed control strategy for operating the facility and the designed PI controllers were reviewed. In particular, the current approach for generating the set-point trajectories was studied, and its limits were identified. To this aim, the inclusion of a Supervisory Control layer embedding a modified version of the FARM algorithm for preserving the system safe operation over both long and real-time horizons was proposed. In this way, FARM would be applied twice, i.e., the original version (“FARM Validator”) aiding the solution of the power dispatch problem, and the modified version (“FARM Supervisory” coordinating the PI controllers to address the real-time control tasks. Despite the kernel of the two modules is the same algorithm, their roles, tasks, and capabilities are quite different. A detailed description of the role of FARM at addressing low-level control tasks is provided, along with tentative operational procedures for training the models embedded into the algorithm by using the collected experimental data.

42 ENGINEERING↗

SU-E-T-421: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) of Xoft Electronic Brachytherapy for the Treatment of Superficial Skin Cancers

Purpose: To perform a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) of the process for treating superficial skin cancers with the Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy (eBx) system, given the recent introduction of expanded quality control (QC) initiatives at our institution. Methods: A process map was developed listing all steps in superficial treatments with Xoft eBx, from the initial patient consult to the completion of the treatment course. The process map guided the FMEA to identify the failure modes for each step in the treatment workflow and assign Risk Priority Numbers (RPN), calculated as the product of the failure mode’s probability of occurrence (O), severity (S) and lack of detectability (D). FMEA was done with and without the inclusion of recent QC initiatives such as increased staffing, physics oversight, standardized source calibration, treatment planning and documentation. The failure modes with the highest RPNs were identified and contrasted before and after introduction of the QC initiatives. Results: Based on the FMEA, the failure modes with the highest RPN were related to source calibration, treatment planning, and patient setup/treatment delivery (Fig. 1). The introduction of additional physics oversight, standardized planning and safety initiatives such as checklists and time-outs reduced the RPNs of these failure modes. High-risk failure modes that could be mitigated with improved hardware and software interlocks were identified. Conclusion: The FMEA analysis identified the steps in the treatment process presenting the highest risk. The introduction of enhanced QC initiatives mitigated the risk of some of these failure modes by decreasing their probability of occurrence and increasing their detectability. This analysis demonstrates the importance of well-designed QC policies, procedures and oversight in a Xoft eBx programme for treatment of superficial skin cancers. Unresolved high risk failure modes highlight the need for non-procedural quality initiatives such as improved planning software and more robust hardware interlock systems.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Methodology for the Incorporation of Passive Component Aging Modeling into the RAVEN/ RELAP-7 Environment

Passive system, structure and components (SSCs) will degrade over their operation life and this degradation may cause to reduction in the safety margins of a nuclear power plant. In traditional probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) using the event-tree/fault-tree methodology, passive SSC failure rates are generally based on generic plant failure data and the true state of a specific plant is not reflected realistically. To address aging effects of passive SSCs in the traditional PRA methodology [1] does consider physics based models that account for the operating conditions in the plant, however, [1] does not include effects of surveillance/inspection. This paper represents an overall methodology for the incorporation of aging modeling of passive components into the RAVEN/RELAP-7 environment which provides a framework for performing dynamic PRA. Dynamic PRA allows consideration of both epistemic and aleatory uncertainties (including those associated with maintenance activities) in a consistent phenomenological and probabilistic framework and is often needed when there is complex process/hardware/software/firmware/ human interaction [2]. Dynamic PRA has gained attention recently due to difficulties in the traditional PRA modeling of aging effects of passive components using physics based models and also in the modeling of digital instrumentation and control systems. RAVEN (Reactor Analysis and Virtual control Environment) [3] is a software package under development at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as an online control logic driver and post-processing tool. It is coupled to the plant transient code RELAP-7 (Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program) also currently under development at INL [3], as well as RELAP 5 [4]. The overall methodology aims to: • Address multiple aging mechanisms involving large number of components in a computational feasible manner where sequencing of events is conditioned on the physical conditions predicted in a simulation environment such as RELAP-7. • Identify the risk-significant passive components, their failure modes and anticipated rates of degradation • Incorporate surveillance and maintenance activities and their effects into the plant state and into component aging progress. • Asses aging affects in a dynamic simulation environment 1. C. L. SMITH, V. N. SHAH, T. KAO, G. APOSTOLAKIS, “Incorporating Ageing Effects into Probabilistic Risk Assessment –A Feasibility Study Utilizing Reliability Physics Models,” NUREG/CR-5632, USNRC, (2001). 2. T. ALDEMIR, “A Survey of Dynamic Methodologies for Probabilistic Safety Assessment of Nuclear Power Plants, Annals of Nuclear Energy, 52, 113-124, (2013). 3. C. RABITI, A. ALFONSI, J. COGLIATI, D. MANDELLI and R. KINOSHITA “Reactor Analysis and Virtual Control Environment (RAVEN) FY12 Report,” INL/EXT-12-27351, (2012). 4. D. ANDERS et.al, "RELAP-7 Level 2 Milestone Report: Demonstration of a Steady State Single Phase PWR Simulation with RELAP-7," INL/EXT-12-25924, (2012).

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

TagDigger: user-friendly extraction of read counts from GBS and RAD-seq data

In genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq), read depth is important for assessing the quality of genotype calls and estimating allele dosage in polyploids. However, existing pipelines for GBS and RAD-seq do not provide read counts in formats that are both accurate and easy to access. Additionally, although existing pipelines allow previously-mined SNPs to be genotyped on new samples, they do not allow the user to manually specify a subset of loci to examine. Pipelines that do not use a reference genome assign arbitrary names to SNPs, making meta-analysis across projects difficult. We created the software TagDigger, which includes three programs for analyzing GBS and RAD-seq data. The first script, tagdigger_interactive.py, rapidly extracts read counts and genotypes from FASTQ files using user supplied sets of barcodes and tags. Input and output is in CSV format so that it can be opened by spreadsheet software. Tag sequences can also be imported from the Stacks, TASSEL-GBSv2, TASSEL-UNEAK, or pyRAD pipelines, and a separate file can be imported listing the names of markers to retain. A second script, tag_manager.py, consolidates marker names and sequences across multiple projects. A third script, barcode_splitter.py, assists with preparing FASTQ data for deposit in a public archive by splitting FASTQ files by barcode and generating MD5 checksums for the resulting files. TagDigger is open-source and freely available software written in Python 3. It uses a scalable, rapid search algorithm that can process over 100 million FASTQ reads per hour. TagDigger will run on a laptop with any operating system, does not consume hard drive space with intermediate files, and does not require programming skill to use.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Deep Learning for Automated Identification of Eels in Sonar Data

Freshwater eels, such as the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) present numerous challenges related to safe downstream fish passage at hydroelectric facilities. One of those challenges is effective monitoring of their abundance, movements, and behavior to facilitate design and operation of eel protection and passage facilities. A previous EPRI study documented the ability of human analysts to reliably identify American eels in data obtained with a 1100/1800 kHz, multibeam sonar. This report describes a project to develop deep learning (a subset of artificial intelligence) tools to automate the time-consuming, subjective process of eel identification in multibeam sonar data. The project exploited new data collected in the laboratory and the existing data from the prior EPRI field study to develop and test deep learning and other data analytic tools, including wavelet filtering, differencing for static object removal, and convolutional neural network analysis. The analysis of the laboratory data demonstrated feasibility of the approach, revealed object characteristics observed with the sonar that distinguish eels from similarly sized and shaped acoustic targets, and provided additional data for algorithm selection and training. Deep learning algorithms trained and tested on the laboratory data alone achieved accuracy rates of greater than 98% when classifying acoustic images of eels and similar-sized neutrally buoyant sticks. The algorithm trained and tested on the pre-existing field data alone, and yielded classification accuracy of 9.3% false positives and 13.3% false negatives when distinguishing between eels and sticks/PVC pipes based on video clips (i.e., multiple, consecutive images). This performance is comparable to the classification accuracy achieved by human analysts in the prior study. The deep learning algorithm trained on a combination of video clips obtained in the laboratory and the field and tested on video clips from the field, was able to distinguish eels from sticks and PVC pipes (a river debris analog) of similar size with 100% accuracy. Outreach to the hardware, software, and end-user communities early in the project helped to identify needs and specify the application space. Outreach to those communities at the end of the project communicated project results and opportunities for further development. The project achieved proof of concept for automated identification of eel in multibeam sonar data. Future work should focus on acquisition of additional data for more robust algorithm training and testing; modification of the software tools to accommodate multiple acoustic targets in the acoustic field at a given time; identification of additional object classes; incorporation of motion in the object identification and classification algorithms; operationalizing the software tools, including integration with other existing sonar data analysis tools; and partnering with hardware and software providers for distribution of the software tools with their commercial products.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗