Results for “control simulation testing” — Page 69

DOE OSTI2016

WE-H-207B-00: MRgRT

In recent years, steady progress has been made towards the implementation of MRI in external beam radiation therapy for processes ranging from treatment simulation to in-room guidance. Novel procedures relying mostly on MR data are currently implemented in the clinic. This session will cover topics such as (a) commissioning and quality control of the MR in-room imagers and simulators specific to RT, (b) treatment planning requirements, constraints and challenges when dealing with various MR data, (c) quantification of organ motion with an emphasis on treatment delivery guidance, and (d) MR-driven strategies for adaptive RT workflows. The content of the session was chosen to address both educational and practical key aspects of MR guidance. Learning Objectives: Good understanding of MR testing recommended for in-room MR imaging as well as image data validation for RT chain (e.g. image transfer, filtering for consistency, spatial accuracy, manipulation for task specific); Familiarity with MR-based planning procedures: motivation, core workflow requirements, current status, challenges; Overview of the current methods for the quantification of organ motion; Discussion on approaches for adaptive treatment planning and delivery. T. Stanescu - License agreement with Modus Medical Devices to develop a phantom for the quantification of MR image system-related distortions.; T. Stanescu, N/A.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

WE-H-207B-02: MR-Driven RT Planning

In recent years, steady progress has been made towards the implementation of MRI in external beam radiation therapy for processes ranging from treatment simulation to in-room guidance. Novel procedures relying mostly on MR data are currently implemented in the clinic. This session will cover topics such as (a) commissioning and quality control of the MR in-room imagers and simulators specific to RT, (b) treatment planning requirements, constraints and challenges when dealing with various MR data, (c) quantification of organ motion with an emphasis on treatment delivery guidance, and (d) MR-driven strategies for adaptive RT workflows. The content of the session was chosen to address both educational and practical key aspects of MR guidance. Learning Objectives: Good understanding of MR testing recommended for in-room MR imaging as well as image data validation for RT chain (e.g. image transfer, filtering for consistency, spatial accuracy, manipulation for task specific); Familiarity with MR-based planning procedures: motivation, core workflow requirements, current status, challenges; Overview of the current methods for the quantification of organ motion; Discussion on approaches for adaptive treatment planning and delivery. T. Stanescu - License agreement with Modus Medical Devices to develop a phantom for the quantification of MR image system-related distortions.; T. Stanescu, N/A.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

WE-H-207B-03: MRI Guidance in the Radiation Therapy Clinic: Site-Specific Discussions

In recent years, steady progress has been made towards the implementation of MRI in external beam radiation therapy for processes ranging from treatment simulation to in-room guidance. Novel procedures relying mostly on MR data are currently implemented in the clinic. This session will cover topics such as (a) commissioning and quality control of the MR in-room imagers and simulators specific to RT, (b) treatment planning requirements, constraints and challenges when dealing with various MR data, (c) quantification of organ motion with an emphasis on treatment delivery guidance, and (d) MR-driven strategies for adaptive RT workflows. The content of the session was chosen to address both educational and practical key aspects of MR guidance. Learning Objectives: Good understanding of MR testing recommended for in-room MR imaging as well as image data validation for RT chain (e.g. image transfer, filtering for consistency, spatial accuracy, manipulation for task specific); Familiarity with MR-based planning procedures: motivation, core workflow requirements, current status, challenges; Overview of the current methods for the quantification of organ motion; Discussion on approaches for adaptive treatment planning and delivery. T. Stanescu - License agreement with Modus Medical Devices to develop a phantom for the quantification of MR image system-related distortions.; T. Stanescu, N/A.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

WE-H-207B-04: Strategies for Adaptive RT

In recent years, steady progress has been made towards the implementation of MRI in external beam radiation therapy for processes ranging from treatment simulation to in-room guidance. Novel procedures relying mostly on MR data are currently implemented in the clinic. This session will cover topics such as (a) commissioning and quality control of the MR in-room imagers and simulators specific to RT, (b) treatment planning requirements, constraints and challenges when dealing with various MR data, (c) quantification of organ motion with an emphasis on treatment delivery guidance, and (d) MR-driven strategies for adaptive RT workflows. The content of the session was chosen to address both educational and practical key aspects of MR guidance. Learning Objectives: Good understanding of MR testing recommended for in-room MR imaging as well as image data validation for RT chain (e.g. image transfer, filtering for consistency, spatial accuracy, manipulation for task specific); Familiarity with MR-based planning procedures: motivation, core workflow requirements, current status, challenges; Overview of the current methods for the quantification of organ motion; Discussion on approaches for adaptive treatment planning and delivery. T. Stanescu - License agreement with Modus Medical Devices to develop a phantom for the quantification of MR image system-related distortions.; T. Stanescu, N/A.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2015

Bicarbonate impact on U(VI) bioreduction in a shallow alluvial aquifer

Field-scale biostimulation and desorption tracer experiments conducted in a uranium (U) contaminated, shallow alluvial aquifer have provided insight into the coupling of microbiology, biogeochemistry, and hydrogeology that control U mobility in the subsurface. Initial experiments successfully tested the concept that Fe-reducing bacteria such as Geobacter sp. could enzymatically reduce soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV) during in situ electron donor amendment (Anderson et al., 2003; Williams et al., 2011). In parallel, in situ desorption tracer tests using bicarbonate amendment demonstrated rate-limited U(VI) desorption (Fox et al., 2012). These results and prior laboratory studies underscored the importance of enzymatic U(VI)-reduction and suggested the ability to combine desorption and bioreduction of U(VI). Here in this paper we report the results of a new field experiment in which bicarbonate-promoted uranium desorption and acetate amendment were combined and compared to an acetate amendment-only experiment in the same experimental plot. Results confirm that bicarbonate amendment to alluvial aquifer sediments desorbs U(VI) and increases the abundance of Ca-uranyl-carbonato complexes. At the same time, the rate of acetate-promoted enzymatic U(VI) reduction was greater in the presence of added bicarbonate in spite of the increased dominance of Ca-uranyl-carbonato aqueous complexes. A model-simulated peak rate of U(VI) reduction was ~3.8 times higher during acetate-bicarbonate treatment than under acetate-only conditions. Lack of consistent differences in microbial community structure between acetate-bicarbonate and acetate-only treatments suggest that a significantly higher rate of U(VI) reduction in the bicarbonate-impacted sediment may be due to a higher intrinsic rate of microbial reduction induced by elevated concentrations of the bicarbonate oxyanion. The findings indicate that bicarbonate amendment may be useful in improving the engineered bioremediation of uranium in aquifers.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

WE-H-207B-01: Commissioning and QC

In recent years, steady progress has been made towards the implementation of MRI in external beam radiation therapy for processes ranging from treatment simulation to in-room guidance. Novel procedures relying mostly on MR data are currently implemented in the clinic. This session will cover topics such as (a) commissioning and quality control of the MR in-room imagers and simulators specific to RT, (b) treatment planning requirements, constraints and challenges when dealing with various MR data, (c) quantification of organ motion with an emphasis on treatment delivery guidance, and (d) MR-driven strategies for adaptive RT workflows. The content of the session was chosen to address both educational and practical key aspects of MR guidance. Learning Objectives: Good understanding of MR testing recommended for in-room MR imaging as well as image data validation for RT chain (e.g. image transfer, filtering for consistency, spatial accuracy, manipulation for task specific); Familiarity with MR-based planning procedures: motivation, core workflow requirements, current status, challenges; Overview of the current methods for the quantification of organ motion; Discussion on approaches for adaptive treatment planning and delivery. T. Stanescu - License agreement with Modus Medical Devices to develop a phantom for the quantification of MR image system-related distortions.; T. Stanescu, N/A.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2013

Surface Plasma Arc by Radiofrequency Control Study (SPARCS)

This paper is to summarize the work carried out between April 2012 and April 2013 for development of an experimental device to simulate interactions of off-normal detrimental events in a tokamak and ICRF antenna. The work was mainly focused on development of a pulsed plasma source using theta pinch and coaxial plasma gun. This device, once completed, will have a possible application as a test stand for high voltage breakdown of an ICRF antenna in extreme events in a tokamak such as edge-localized modes or disruption. Currently, DEVeX does not produce plasma with high temperature enough to requirement for an ELM simulator. However, theta pinch is a good way to produce high temperature ions. The unique characteristic of plasma heating by a theta pinch is advantageous for an ELM simulator due to its effective ion heating. The objective of the proposed work, therefore, is to build a test facility using the existing theta pinch facility in addition to a coaxial plasma gun. It is expected to produce a similar pulsed-plasma heat load to the extreme events in tokamaks and to be applied for studying interactions of hot plasma and ICRF antennas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Dynamically Learning Incentives for Load Control

As electrical generation becomes more distributed and volatile, and loads become more uncertain, controllability of distributed energy resources (DERs), regardless of their ownership status, will be necessary for grid reliability. Grid operators lack direct control over end-users' grid interactions, such as energy usage, but incentives can influence behavior -- for example, an end-user that receives a grid-driven incentive may adjust their consumption or expose relevant control variables in response. A key challenge in studying such incentives is the lack of data about human behavior, which usually motivates strong assumptions, such as distributional assumptions on compliance or rational utility-maximization. In this paper, we propose a general incentive mechanism in the form of a constrained optimization problem -- our approach is distinguished from prior work by modeling human behavior (e.g., reactions to an incentive) as an arbitrary unknown function. We propose feedback-based optimization algorithms to solve this problem that each leverage different amounts of information and/or measurements. We show that each converges to an asymptotically stable incentive with (near)-optimality guarantees given mild assumptions on the problem. Finally, we evaluate our proposed techniques in voltage regulation simulations on standard test beds. We test a variety of settings, including those that break assumptions required for theoretical convergence (e.g., convexity, smoothness) to capture realistic settings. In this evaluation, our proposed algorithms are able to find near-optimal incentives even when the reaction to an incentive is modeled by a theoretically difficult (yet realistic) function.

demand response↗

DOE OSTI2022

Tunable CHA/AEI Zeolite Intergrowths with A Priori Biselective Organic Structure‐Directing Agents: Controlling Enrichment and Implications for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx

Abstract A novel ab initio methodology based on high‐throughput simulations has permitted designing unique biselective organic structure‐directing agents (OSDAs) that allow the efficient synthesis of CHA/AEI zeolite intergrowth materials with controlled phase compositions. Distinctive local crystallographic ordering of the CHA/AEI intergrowths was revealed at the nanoscale level using integrated differential phase contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (iDPC STEM). These novel CHA/AEI materials have been tested for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx, presenting an outstanding catalytic performance and hydrothermal stability, even surpassing the performance of the well‐established commercial CHA‐type catalyst. This methodology opens the possibility for synthetizing new zeolite intergrowths with more complex structures and unique catalytic properties.

Bello‐Jurado, Estefanía↗

DOE OSTI2022

Tunable CHA/AEI Zeolite Intergrowths with A Priori Biselective Organic Structure‐Directing Agents: Controlling Enrichment and Implications for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx

Abstract A novel ab initio methodology based on high‐throughput simulations has permitted designing unique biselective organic structure‐directing agents (OSDAs) that allow the efficient synthesis of CHA/AEI zeolite intergrowth materials with controlled phase compositions. Distinctive local crystallographic ordering of the CHA/AEI intergrowths was revealed at the nanoscale level using integrated differential phase contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (iDPC STEM). These novel CHA/AEI materials have been tested for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx, presenting an outstanding catalytic performance and hydrothermal stability, even surpassing the performance of the well‐established commercial CHA‐type catalyst. This methodology opens the possibility for synthetizing new zeolite intergrowths with more complex structures and unique catalytic properties.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2016

Compact spherical neutron polarimeter using high-T{sub c} YBCO films

We describe a simple, compact device for spherical neutron polarimetry measurements at small neutron scattering angles. The device consists of a sample chamber with very low (<0.01 G) magnetic field flanked by regions within which the neutron polarization can be manipulated in a controlled manner. This allows any selected initial and final polarization direction of the neutrons to be obtained. We have constructed a prototype device using high-T{sub c} superconducting films and mu-metal to isolate regions with different magnetic fields and tested device performance in transmission geometry. Finite-element methods were used to simulate the device’s field profile and these have been verified by experiment using a small solenoid as a test sample. Measurements are reported using both monochromatic and polychromatic neutron sources. The results show that the device is capable of extracting sample information and distinguishing small angular variations of the sample magnetic field. As a more realistic test, we present results on the characterization of a 10 μm thick Permalloy film in zero magnetic field, as well as its response to an external magnetic field.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2013

Toward correcting drift in target position during radiotherapy via computer-controlled couch adjustments on a programmable Linac

Purpose: Real-time tracking of respiratory target motion during radiation therapy is technically challenging, owing to rapid and possibly irregular breathing variations. The authors report on a method to predict and correct respiration-averaged drift in target position by means of couch adjustments on an accelerator equipped with such capability. Methods: Dose delivery is broken up into a sequence of 10 s field segments, each followed by a couch adjustment based on analysis of breathing motion from an external monitor as a surrogate of internal target motion. Signal averaging over three respiratory cycles yields a baseline representing target drift. A Kalman filter predicts the baseline position 5 s in advance, for determination of the couch correction. The method's feasibility is tested with a motion phantom programmed according to previously recorded patient signals. Computed couch corrections are preprogrammed into a research mode of an accelerator capable of computer-controlled couch translations synchronized with the motion phantom. The method's performance is evaluated with five cases recorded during hypofractionated treatment and five from respiration-correlated CT simulation, using a root-mean-squared deviation (RMSD) of the baseline from the treatment planned position. Results: RMSD is reduced in all 10 cases, from a mean of 4.9 mm (range 2.7-9.4 mm) before correction to 1.7 mm (range 0.7-2.3 mm) after correction. Treatment time is increased {approx}5% relative to that for no corrections. Conclusions: This work illustrates the potential for reduction in baseline respiratory drift with periodic adjustments in couch position during treatment. Future treatment machine capabilities will enable the use of 'on-the-fly' couch adjustments during treatment.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2019

Impact of imposed mode 2 laser drive asymmetry on inertial confinement fusion implosions

Low-mode asymmetries have emerged as one of the primary challenges to achieving high-performing inertial confinement fusion implosions. These asymmetries seed flows in the implosions, which will manifest as modifications to the measured ion temperature (Tion) as inferred from the broadening of primary neutron spectra. The effects are important to understand both to learn to control and mitigate low-mode asymmetries, and to experimentally more closely capture thermal Tion used as input in implosion performance metric calculations. In this paper, results from and simulations of a set of experiments with a seeded mode 2 in the laser drive are described. The goal of this intentionally asymmetrically driven experiment was to test our capability to predict and measure the signatures of flows seeded by the low-mode asymmetry. The results from these experiments (first discussed in M Gatu Johnson et al, Phys. Rev. E 98, 051201(R) (2018)) demonstrate the importance of interplay of flows seeded by various asymmetry seeds. In particular, measured Tion and self-emission x-ray asymmetries are expected to be well captured by interplay between flow seeded by the imposed mode 2 and the capsule stalk mount. Measurements of areal density asymmetry also indicate the importance of the stalk mount as an asymmetry seed in these implosions. The simulations brought to bear on the problem (1D LILAC, 2D xRAGE, 3D ASTER and 3D Chimera) show how thermal Tion is expected to be significantly lower than Tion as inferred from the broadening of measured neutron spectra. They also show that the electron temperature is not expected to be the same as Tion for these implosions.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2017

Development of programmable logic in a rapid, automated, and repeatable fashion for safety-related applications - 385

Digital safety platform considerations for power plant modernization or new build efforts involve a burdensome task of implementing a large number of software-based functions onto a designated platform to match the plant's architecture. This problem is not unique to any particular safety-related platform solution, but is prevalent across the landscape of current Qualified and Licensed Safety-related Instrumentation and Control (I and C) Solutions. As an example when implementing a RG 1.97 compliant Post Accident Monitoring System (PAMS) solution with the Lockheed Martin Nuclear Protection and Control (NuPAC) safety platform, 72 unique software loads are needed to configure the Qualified Display System (QDS). Large scale development and customization efforts to upgrade existing plant functions or systems require the licensee to assume the cost and technical risk necessary to undergo a digital based upgrade. Often the cost, schedule, and technical risk outweighed the benefit of modernization efforts due to the unknown hurdles and past projects that overran cost and schedule projections. Lockheed Martin's Engineering Production Suite (EPS) minimizes the licensee risk and expense associated with modernization efforts through a developer's toolkit for rapid, automated, and repeatable development of Programmable Logic used to implement plant functions and architectures for use on the Lockheed Martin NuPAC platform. This paper describes a use case where by EPS can create system level representations, simulate system functions, partition logic designs to accommodate hardware constraints through logic partitioning, automate the assembly of Application Specific Programmable Logic (ASPL), generate system test cases, program the NuPAC hardware, and perform testing throughout the design workflow. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2018

Relationships between CO 2 , thermodynamic limits on silicate weathering, and the strength of the silicate weathering feedback

Recent studies have suggested that thermodynamic limitations on chemical weathering rates exert a first-order control on riverine solute fluxes and by extension, global chemical weathering rates. As such, these limitations may play a prominent role in the regulation of carbon dioxide levels (pCO 2 ) over geologic timescales by constraining the maximum global weathering flux. In this study, we develop a theoretical scaling relationship between equilibrium solute concentrations and pCO 2 based on equilibrium constants and reaction stoichiometry relating primary mineral dissolution and secondary mineral precipitation. Here, we test this theoretical scaling relationship against reactive transport simulations of chemical weathering profiles under open-and closed-system conditions, representing partially and fully water-saturated regolith, respectively. Under open-system conditions, equilibrium bicarbonate concentrations vary as a power-law function of pCO 2 (y =kx n )where nis dependent on reaction stoichiometry and kis dependent on both reaction stoichiometry and the equilibrium constant. Under closed-system conditions, bicarbonate concentrations vary linearly with pCO 2 at low values and approach open-system scaling at high pCO 2 . To describe the potential role of thermodynamic limitations in the global silicate weathering feedback, we develop a new mathematical framework to assess weathering feedback strength in terms of both (1) steady-state atmospheric pCO 2 concentrations, and (2) susceptibility to secular changes in degassing rates and transient carbon cycle perturbations, which we term 1st and 2nd order feedback strength, respectively. Finally, we discuss the implications of these results for the effects of vascular land plant evolution on feedback strength, the potential role of vegetation in controlling modern solute fluxes, and the application of these frameworks to a more complete functional description of the silicate weathering feedback. Most notably, the dependence of equilibrium solute concentrations on pCO 2 may represent a direct weathering feedback largely independent of climate and modulated by belowground organic carbon respiration.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Constructing a Testing Application for GWMS

Many of Fermilab’s High Energy Physics experiments require High Throughput Computing to carry out simulations, data reconstruction, and data analysis. Glidein Workflow Management System (GWMS) is a tool that distributes High Throughput Computing. The purpose of GWMS is to provide convenient access to Grid resources and sites. GWMS is coupled to HTCondor. HTCondor is the workload management system that is used for scheduling and job control. Users submit jobs to a local HTCondor queue and GWMS will make sure the job will run on one of the many remote resources.

Neely-Brown, LeRayah↗

DOE OSTI2013

THE EFFICIENCY OF SECOND-ORDER FERMI ACCELERATION BY WEAKLY COMPRESSIBLE MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC TURBULENCE

We investigate the effects of pitch-angle scattering on the efficiency of particle heating and acceleration by MHD turbulence using phenomenological estimates and simulations of non-relativistic test particles interacting with strong, subsonic MHD turbulence. We include an imposed pitch-angle scattering rate, which is meant to approximate the effects of high-frequency plasma waves and/or velocity space instabilities. We focus on plasma parameters similar to those found in the near-Earth solar wind, though most of our results are more broadly applicable. An important control parameter is the size of the particle mean free path λ{sub mfp} relative to the scale of the turbulent fluctuations L. For small scattering rates, particles interact quasi-resonantly with turbulent fluctuations in magnetic field strength. Scattering increases the long-term efficiency of this resonant heating by factors of a few times 10, but the distribution function does not develop a significant non-thermal power-law tail. For higher scattering rates, the interaction between particles and turbulent fluctuations becomes non-resonant, governed by particles heating and cooling adiabatically as they encounter turbulent density fluctuations. Rapid pitch-angle scattering can produce a power-law tail in the proton distribution function, but this requires fine-tuning of parameters. Moreover, in the near-Earth solar wind, a significant power-law tail cannot develop by this mechanism because the particle acceleration timescales are longer than the adiabatic cooling timescale set by the expansion of the solar wind. Our results thus imply that MHD-scale turbulent fluctuations are unlikely to be the origin of the v {sup –5} tail in the proton distribution function observed in the solar wind.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Implementing multi-settlement decentralized electricity market design for transactive communities with imperfect communication

Recent advances in information and communication technologies and smart metering, provides strategic opportunities for ``prosumers" to reform their conventional energy practices towards more consumer-centric economies. From an operational perspective, managing power distribution networks is becoming more difficult with such active grid-edge systems providing limited to no visibility or control. Transactive Energy (TE) has been emerging as a key enabler towards effectively and efficiently integrating prosumers into competitive electricity markets. This work presents a transactive implementation of community-centric markets. A co-simulation framework is developed for evaluating the proposed market structure with high-fidelity models. Case studies on the IEEE-123 node test system demonstrate that community-centric transactive markets can enable communities of prosumers to operate collaboratively as grid-edge systems. The potential benefits of implementing community-centric TE systems are also illustrated.

Mukherjee, Monish↗