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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

On the Impact of High-Order Harmonic Generation in Electrical Distribution Systems

The modern power grid has seen a rise in the integration of non-linear loads, presenting a significant concern for operators. These loads introduce unwanted harmonics, leading to potential issues such as overheating and improper functioning of circuit breakers. In pursuing a more sustainable grid, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and photovoltaic (PV) systems in residential networks has increased. Understanding and examining the effects of high-order harmonic frequencies beyond $1.5$ kHz is crucial to understanding their impact on the operation and planning of electrical distribution systems under varying nonlinear loading conditions. This study investigates a diverse set of critical power electronic loads within a household modeled using PSCAD/EMTdc, analyzing their unique harmonic spectra. This information is utilized to run the time-series harmonic analysis program in OpenDSS on a modified IEEE 34 bus test system model. The impact of high-order harmonics is quantified using metrics that evaluate total harmonic distortion (THD), transformer harmonic-driven eddy current loss component, and propagation of harmonics from the source to the substation transformer.

Peerzada, Aaqib A. [BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)]↗
NASA NTRS2008

Interfacing Space Communications and Navigation Network Simulation with Distributed System Integration Laboratories (DSIL)

NASA's planned Lunar missions will involve multiple NASA centers where each participating center has a specific role and specialization. In this vision, the Constellation program (CxP)'s Distributed System Integration Laboratories (DSIL) architecture consist of multiple System Integration Labs (SILs), with simulators, emulators, testlabs and control centers interacting with each other over a broadband network to perform test and verification for mission scenarios. To support the end-to-end simulation and emulation effort of NASA' exploration initiatives, different NASA centers are interconnected to participate in distributed simulations. Currently, DSIL has interconnections among the following NASA centers: Johnson Space Center (JSC), Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Through interconnections and interactions among different NASA centers, critical resources and data can be shared, while independent simulations can be performed simultaneously at different NASA locations, to effectively utilize the simulation and emulation capabilities at each center. Furthermore, the development of DSIL can maximally leverage the existing project simulation and testing plans. In this work, we describe the specific role and development activities at JPL for Space Communications and Navigation Network (SCaN) simulator using the Multi-mission Advanced Communications Hybrid Environment for Test and Evaluation (MACHETE) tool to simulate communications effects among mission assets. Using MACHETE, different space network configurations among spacecrafts and ground systems of various parameter sets can be simulated. Data that is necessary for tracking, navigation, and guidance of spacecrafts such as Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), and Lunar Relay Satellite (LRS) and orbit calculation data are disseminated to different NASA centers and updated periodically using the High Level Architecture (HLA). In addition, the performance of DSIL under different traffic loads with different mix of data and priorities are evaluated.

Traffic Measuring and Monitoring↗
DOE OSTI2014

SU-F-19A-10: Recalculation and Reporting Clinical HDR 192-Ir Head and Neck Dose Distributions Using Model Based Dose Calculation

Purpose: To retrospectively re-calculate dose distributions for selected head and neck cancer patients, earlier treated with HDR 192Ir brachytherapy, using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and compare results to distributions from the planning system derived using TG43 formalism. To study differences between dose to medium (as obtained with the MC code) and dose to water in medium as obtained through (1) ratios of stopping powers and (2) ratios of mass energy absorption coefficients between water and medium. Methods: The MC code Algebra was used to calculate dose distributions according to earlier actual treatment plans using anonymized plan data and CT images in DICOM format. Ratios of stopping power and mass energy absorption coefficients for water with various media obtained from 192-Ir spectra were used in toggling between dose to water and dose to media. Results: Differences between initial planned TG43 dose distributions and the doses to media calculated by MC are insignificant in the target volume. Differences are moderate (within 4–5 % at distances of 3–4 cm) but increase with distance and are most notable in bone and at the patient surface. Differences between dose to water and dose to medium are within 1-2% when using mass energy absorption coefficients to toggle between the two quantities but increase to above 10% for bone using stopping power ratios. Conclusion: MC predicts target doses for head and neck cancer patients in close agreement with TG43. MC yields improved dose estimations outside the target where a larger fraction of dose is from scattered photons. It is important with awareness and a clear reporting of absorbed dose values in using model based algorithms. Differences in bone media can exceed 10% depending on how dose to water in medium is defined.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hierarchical Resilience Planning for Networked Microgrids: A Case Study of Puerto Rico

Microgrids can be designed to enhance the energy resilience of communities and critical infrastructures, such as hospitals, data centers, and communication networks, which are vulnerable to frequent weather-related disruption. Coordinating multiple microgrids in a network can leverage the geographical diversity of load and generation resources while enabling resilient and cost-effective planning of the distribution system. Designing a networked microgrid is complex, involving intricate technical assessment, cost-benefit analysis, site-specific requirements, and the evaluation of existing resources. Therefore, this paper proposes a hierarchical resilience planning framework and performs an extensive techno-economic analysis for the design of a networked microgrid. Hierarchical resilience planning involves technology sizing at an individual community level to meet the critical load and satisfy resilience criteria, and resource optimization at networked microgrid level to provide a higher level of resilience and energy adequacy. A real-world case of Puerto Rico's cooperative microgrid “Microrred de la Montaña” is investigated considering localized electricity tariffs, site-specific demand profiles, solar generation, and existing hydro resources. Multiple optimization scenarios are developed based on the resiliency requirement to estimate the capacity of solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage (BES) to be installed at each substation. The results provide the optimal sizing for individual community and networked microgrid to withstand 1day and 3-day outages along with the criteria for critical load.

13 - HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Impact of Distributed Energy Resources on the Bulk Electric System: Combined Modeling of Transmission and Distribution Systems and Benchmark Case Studies

The high penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) on modern distribution systems introduces intermittent power generation, stochastic system operating conditions, and bi-directional power flows that impact the system responses to various types of disturbances and may pose challenges to the operations and reliability of the Bulk Electric System (BES). In order to understand the impact of DERs on the planning and operation of the BES, the distribution system can no longer be represented as a single load at a node on the transmission system. At the same time, advanced control capabilities of DERs offer potential opportunities for improving BES reliability by transforming DERs from a passive “do no harm” resource to an active “support reliability” resource when applied in a planned and well-thought-out manner. This concept is often described as DER “flexibility.” With the persistent trend towards a high- penetration of DERs in distribution systems, regulators such as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), planning coordinators and grid operators are in serious need of understanding the full-spectrum impact of DERs on the BES to ensure secure and reliable grid planning and operations.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Clean Grid Vision: A U.S. Perspective - Chapter 2. Distribution Issues and Tools

The continued growth in distributed energy resources is fundamentally changing the way the distribution system is operated and planned. Additionally, an increasing number of grid issues are being regularly experienced by distribution engineers within an increasing number of utilities. Fortunately, these fundamental changes and increasingly regular issues are being addressed via continual improvements in existing distribution system modeling tools—for both tools used by industry and researchers—and via novel modeling methods, which are combining transmission and distribution system modeling to investigate new, often complex, system interactions at the transmission/distribution power system interface. As DERs continue to increase more and more utilities, regulators, and developers are finding usable solutions in the deployment of smart inverters with ever more capable functionalities. This increase in functionality is welcome but comes at the cost of more complex analysis when determining what specific settings should be used for an individual interconnection. With more time, experience, and likely the further development of advanced analysis tools, even higher levels of DER integration will result in a reliable, resilient, low-cost, and safely operating grid.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

DIMPLES: Distributed Influence Maximization for Pandemic pLanning on Exascale Systems

We study exascale parallel algorithms for the selection of intervention or monitoring strategies in massive realistic socio-technical networks through scalable Influence Maximization (InfMax) algorithms. We employ novel techniques to enable efficient scaling on up to 8k nodes of OLCF Frontier, with 65k AMD GPUs and 458k AMD CPU cores. Current state-of-the-art InfMax tools are limited to networks with only a few million actors (vertices) and a few hundred million interactions (edges). By overcoming these limitations, we show that our approach is capable of processing a realistic social contact network of the United States with 285 million nodes and about 8 billion edges. This two orders-of-magnitude improvement over the previous state-of-the-art is obtained by leveraging algorithmic advancements for the InfMax problem and designing several problem-specific approaches to overlap communication with computation, improve GPU efficiency, and lower the application’s memory requirements. We evaluate strong scaling for computing 10k most influential seeds using up to 8k nodes of an exascale system, and weak scaling from 128 to 8k system nodes for seed sets ranging from 625 to 40k seeds. We achieve the fastest-known runtime of 25 minutes while performing 48 million diffusion simulations totaling 2.31 petabytes to identify 40k influential seeds using 8k nodes, and take 5.75 minutes to identify 10k seeds while using 4k nodes.

Minutoli, Marco [Pacific Northwest National Labora↗
DOE OSTI2021

Planning for a Resilient Home Electricity Supply System

Resilience of power systems is already a key issue that is getting frequent attention all over the world. It is useful to analyze resilience issues not only for bulk supply, but at all levels including at a customer level. This is because distributed energy resources can play a prominent role in enhancing resilience. Although the literature on planning models, tools and data for bulk supply and distribution systems have expanded in recent years, customer-centric planning, e.g., for an individual household, is yet to receive adequate attention. Although solar PV and battery storage at a household level have been analyzed, how these resources can be optimally combined, together with grid supply, from a resilience perspective is the focus of this study. The study demonstrates how a conceptual framework can be developed to show the trade-off between system costs and resilience including its dimensions such as duration, depth and frequency of service outages. A planning model is developed that incorporates multiple facets of resilience and individual customer preferences. The model considers power system resilience explicitly as a constraint. The model is implemented for a household level case study in Miami, Florida. The results show there are complex trade-offs among different dimensions of resilience. The study demonstrates how combined resilience metrics can be formulated and evaluated using the proposed least-cost planning model at a household level to optimize grid supply together with solar, battery storage and diesel generators. The model allows a planner to directly embed a resilience standard to drive the optimal supply mix. These concepts and the modeling construct can also be applied at other levels of planning, including community level and bulk supply system planning.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS1987

SAR image data compression for an on-line archive system

This paper summarizes the investigation of SAR image data compression for an on-line archive data distribution system. This system is planned for the ground processing system of Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) and Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-C). The objective of the SAR image data compression is to enable the data archive system to provide the remote users a large data base with good image quality, short response time, low transfer cost, and minimal decoding complexity. The requirements and limitations of the on-line archive data distribution system are presented. The effects of SAR image data characteristics on data compression are addressed. The users' survey results suggest that compression ratios between 10:1 and 20:1 appear suitable. Based on the algorithm evaluation results, the two-level tree-searched vector quantization technique has been recommended as the SAR image data compression algorithm for the on-line archive data distribution system.

Chang, C. Y.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enhancing grid reliability and resilience through novel DER control, total situational awareness and integrated distribution-transmission representation

High penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) can lead to overvoltage and thermal violations, miscoordination of protection devices and potential adverse control interactions. The challenges are exacerbated by a lack of operator situational awareness of behind-the-meter DERs, and T&D interactions. Furthermore, the large attack surface of a DER environment creates significant cyber security challenges. The motivation is to address these barriers. The main goal is to enable extreme levels of DERs in distribution systems while simultaneously enhancing their reliability and resiliency. This is achieved by a data-driven approach for operation, planning and control of distribution systems with total situational awareness and real-time DER control enabled by a network of edge intelligent devices, a cloud-based analytical platform, and secure communications.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

An Overview of Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Interconnection: Current Practices and Emerging Solutions

This guidebook provides an overview of key issues for utilities and utility regulators to consider as deployments of distributed energy resources (DER) increase, including what has been tried in the field and emerging good practices. Topics covered include: Interconnection Applications and Application Processing; Interconnection Standards; Advanced Inverters; Impact Screening and Evaluation; Estimating Future DER deployments; Distribution System Upgrades and Planning in a DER context; Cybersecurity; Storage and Solar plus Storage Interconnection; and Cost Allocation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Leveraging operational information from wastewater injection wells to evaluate CO 2 injection performance for carbon storage applications in the Appalachian Basin

Abstract Geologic parameters, geophysical logging, injection testing, and operational metrics from wastewater injection wells were integrated to develop a preliminary design of a carbon storage facility in the Appalachian Basin. A scattered group of 10–20 commercial wastewater injection wells dispose off produced water from oil and gas wells in the region, utilizing a sequence of stacked deep saline formations for injection zones. These wastewater injection wells provide practical benchmarks for understanding the feasibility of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage. Geologic models were developed based on characterization data from the wastewater injection wells. Reservoir simulations were calibrated according to injection testing and operational data from the wastewater injection wells. Long‐term operational data on injection flow rates and pressures measured in the wastewater injection wells were especially useful to evaluate the performance of carbon storage applications. The simulations were used to estimate injection pressures, radius of CO 2 saturation, and pressure response for industrial scale CO 2 storage applications. Results were also used to provide a design basis in terms of number of injection wells, well spacing, area of review, injection system components, monitoring plan, and CO 2 pipeline distribution system. The analysis demonstrates that there is sufficient injectivity in the deep saline formations in the west‐central Appalachian Basin to store commercial volumes of anthropogenic CO 2 . The geologic system appears suitable for supporting CO 2 injection rates of 0.5–1.0 million metric tons per year at injection pressures below formation fracture pressure in a single well. The long‐term operational data of wastewater injection wells within the study area suggested a lower permeability‐thickness values than indicated by initial reservoir tests. A workflow for developing realistic permeability values for input into reservoir simulations is presented. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Valluri, Manoj↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hydrogen Transportation and Distributed Energy Systems Risk and Feasibility Assessment for Airport Facilities - CRADA 555 (Abstract)

This CRADA presents the strategy that Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) will take to support PDX in performing a risk assessment for several hydrogen deployment scenarios. It is intended that the deployment of hydrogen at PDX could serve several roles, including decarbonizing its bus fleet and building out a distributed energy system which could also be used to facilitate emergency operations. PDX’s initial plans concern replacing their current fleet of 28 busses with FCEBs. To do so, PDX will need to deploy the hydrogen systems needed to support the buses. This includes hydrogen storage, production, delivery, filling, compression, and maintenance. PDX also has long range plans to build a distributed energy system to support normal and resilient operations. This study will investigate the risks of each plan individually, and a combined plan which serves both. Additionally, PDX is in an area with the potential for high seismic activity, as such this work will also include a seismic risk assessment. A detailed risk assessment using PDX as a test case is necessary to ensure the deployment of large-scale hydrogen is successful and to understand the benefits or drawbacks in contrast to electric only technologies. Many technologies have been proposed that claim to utilize hydrogen for both transportation and distributed energy systems; however, these technologies need to be analyzed as they apply to an actual site. The physical infrastructure and hydrogen use cases for PDX will be analyzed, a risk assessment will be performed on the hydrogen infrastructure and distributed energy system. These assessments will be useful for understanding how each of these technologies would perform as applied to a large public facility and public safety. The results of this CRADA, and an impact of the DOE funding, will evaluate hydrogen as a key fuel for PDX and will accelerate by several years availability of hydrogen, fuel cells, and other low-carbon technologies.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-T-24: Impact of Source Position and Dose Distribution Due to Curvature of HDR Transfer Tubes

Purpose: Brachytherapy is a highly targeted from of radiotherapy. While this may lead to ideal dose distributions on the treatment planning system, a small error in source location can lead to change in the dose distribution. The purpose of this study is to quantify the impact on source position error due to curvature of the transfer tubes and the impact this may have on the dose distribution. Methods: Since the source travels along the midline of the tube, an estimate of the positioning error for various angles of curvature was determined using geometric properties of the tube. Based on the range of values a specific shift was chosen to alter the treatment plans for a number of cervical cancer patients who had undergone HDR brachytherapy boost using tandem and ovoids. Impact of dose to target and organs at risk were determined and checked against guidelines outlined by radiation oncologist. Results: The estimate of the positioning error was 2mm short of the expected position (the curved tube can only cause the source to not reach as far as with a flat tube). Quantitative impact on the dose distribution is still in the process of being analyzed. Conclusion: The accepted positioning tolerance for the source position of a HDR brachytherapy unit is plus or minus 1mm. If there is an additional 2mm discrepancy due to tube curvature, this can result in a source being 1mm to 3mm short of the expected location. While we do always attempt to keep the tubes straight, in some cases such as with tandem and ovoids, the tandem connector does not extend as far out from the patient so the ovoid tubes always contain some degree of curvature. The dose impact of this may be significant.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-F-BRD-04: Robustness Analysis of Proton Breast Treatments Using An Alpha-Stable Distribution Parameterization

Purpose: Currently, planning systems allow robustness calculations to be performed, but a generalized assessment methodology is not yet available. We introduce and evaluate a methodology to quantify the robustness of a plan on an individual patient basis. Methods: We introduce the notion of characterizing a treatment instance (i.e. one single fraction delivery) by describing the dose distribution within an organ as an alpha-stable distribution. The parameters of the distribution (shape(α), scale(γ), position(δ), and symmetry(β)), will vary continuously (in a mathematical sense) as the distributions change with the different positions. The rate of change of the parameters provides a measure of the robustness of the treatment. The methodology is tested in a planning study of 25 patients with known residual errors at each fraction. Each patient was planned using Eclipse with an IBA-proton beam model. The residual error space for every patient was sampled 30 times, yielding 31 treatment plans for each patient and dose distributions in 5 organs. The parameters’ change rate as a function of Euclidean distance from the original plan was analyzed. Results: More than 1,000 dose distributions were analyzed. For 4 of the 25 patients the change in scale rate (γ) was considerably higher than the lowest change rate, indicating a lack of robustness. The sign of the shape change rate (α) also seemed indicative but the experiment lacked the power to prove significance. Conclusion: There are indications that this robustness measure is a valuable tool to allow a more patient individualized approach to the determination of margins. In a further study we will also evaluate this robustness measure using photon treatments, and evaluate the impact of using breath hold techniques, and the a Monte Carlo based dose deposition calculation. A principle component analysis is also planned.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Comparison of the dose distribution obtained from dosimetric systems with intensity modulated radiotherapy planning system in the treatment of prostate cancer

The aim of this study is to compare Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) plan of prostate cancer patients with different dose verification systems in dosimetric aspects and to compare these systems with each other in terms of reliability, applicability and application time. Dosimetric control processes of IMRT plan of three prostate cancer patients were carried out using thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD), ion chamber (IC) and 2D Array detector systems. The difference between the dose values obtained from the dosimetric systems and treatment planning system (TPS) were found to be about % 5. For the measured (TLD) and calculated (TPS) doses %3 percentage differences were obtained for the points close to center while percentage differences increased at the field edges. It was found that TLD and IC measurements will increase the precision and reliability of the results of 2D Array.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2015

A practical method of modeling a treatment couch using cone-beam computed tomography for intensity-modulated radiation therapy and RapidArc treatment delivery

The effect of a treatment couch on dose perturbation is not always fully considered in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). In the course of inverse planning radiotherapy techniques, beam parameter optimization may change in the absence of the couch, causing errors in the calculated dose distributions. Although modern treatment planning systems (TPS) include data for the treatment couch components, they are not manufactured identically. Thus, variations in their Hounsfield unit (HU) values may exist. Moreover, a radiotherapy facility may wish to have a third-party custom tabletop installed that is not included by the TPS vendor. This study demonstrates a practical and simple method of acquiring reliable computed tomography (CT) data for the treatment couch and shows how the absorbed dose calculated with the modeled treatment couch can differ from that with the default treatment couch found in the TPS. We also experimentally verified that neglecting to incorporate the treatment couch completely in the treatment planning process might result in dose differences of up to 9.5% and 7.3% for 4-MV and 10-MV photon beams, respectively. Furthermore, 20 RapidArc and IMRT cases were used to quantify the change in calculated dose distributions caused by using either the default or modeled couch. From 2-dimensional (2D) ionization chamber array measurements, we observed large dose distribution differences between the measurements and calculations when the couch was omitted that varied according to the planning technique and anatomic site. Thus, incorporating the treatment couch in the dose calculation phase of treatment planning significantly decreases dose calculation errors.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗