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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Development of polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography imaging platform and metrics to quantify electrostimulation-induced peripheral nerve injury in vivo in a small animal model

Neuromodulation devices are rapidly evolving for the treatment of neurological diseases and conditions. Injury from implantation or long-term use without obvious functional losses is often only detectable through terminal histology. New technologies are needed that assess the peripheral nervous system (PNS) under normal and diseased or injured conditions. We aim to demonstrate an imaging and stimulation platform that can elucidate the biological mechanisms and impacts of neurostimulation in the PNS and apply it to the sciatic nerve to extract imaging metrics indicating electrical overstimulation. A sciatic nerve injury model in a 15-rat cohort was observed using a newly developed imaging and stimulation platform that can detect electrical overstimulation effects with polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. The sciatic nerve was electrically stimulated using a custom-developed nerve holder with embedded electrodes for 1 h, followed by a 1-h recovery period, delivered at above-threshold Shannon model k-values in experimental groups: sham control (SC, n = 5, 0.0 mA / 0 Hz), stimulation level 1 (SL1, n = 5, 3.4 mA / 50 Hz, and k = 2.57), and stimulation level 2 (SL2, n = 5, 6.8 mA / 100 Hz, and k = 3.17). The stimulation and imaging system successfully captured study data across the cohort. When compared to a SC after a 1-week recovery, the fascicle closest to the stimulation lead showed an average change of +4 % / – 309 % (SL1/SL2) in phase retardation and –79 % / – 148 % in optical attenuation relative to SC. Analysis of immunohistochemistry (IHC) shows a +1 % / – 36 % difference in myelin pixel counts and –13 % / + 29 % difference in axon pixel counts, and an overall increase in cell nuclei pixel count of +20 % / + 35 % . These metrics were consistent with IHC and hematoxylin/eosin tissue section analysis. The poststimulation changes observed in our study are manifestations of nerve injury and repair, specifically degeneration and angiogenesis. Optical imaging metrics quantify these processes and may help evaluate the safety and efficacy of neuromodulation devices.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2011

Final Report: Metal Perhydrides for Hydrogen Storage

Hydrogen is a promising energy source for the future economy due to its environmental friendliness. One of the important obstacles for the utilization of hydrogen as a fuel source for applications such as fuel cells is the storage of hydrogen. In the infrastructure of the expected hydrogen economy, hydrogen storage is one of the key enabling technologies. Although hydrogen possesses the highest gravimetric energy content (142 KJ/g) of all fuels, its volumetric energy density (8 MJ/L) is very low. It is desired to increase the volumetric energy density of hydrogen in a system to satisfy various applications. Research on hydrogen storage has been pursed for many years. Various storage technologies, including liquefaction, compression, metal hydride, chemical hydride, and adsorption, have been examined. Liquefaction and high pressure compression are not desired due to concerns related to complicated devices, high energy cost and safety. Metal hydrides and chemical hydrides have high gravimetric and volumetric energy densities but encounter issues because high temperature is required for the release of hydrogen, due to the strong bonding of hydrogen in the compounds. Reversibility of hydrogen loading and unloading is another concern. Adsorption of hydrogen on high surface area sorbents such as activated carbon and organic metal frameworks does not have the reversibility problem. But on the other hand, the weak force (primarily the van der Waals force) between hydrogen and the sorbent yields a very small amount of adsorption capacity at ambient temperature. Significant storage capacity can only be achieved at low temperatures such as 77K. The use of liquid nitrogen in a hydrogen storage system is not practical. Perhydrides are proposed as novel hydrogen storage materials that may overcome barriers slowing advances to a hydrogen fuel economy. In conventional hydrides, e.g. metal hydrides, the number of hydrogen atoms equals the total valence of the metal ions. One LiH molecule contains one hydrogen atom because the valence of a Li ion is +1. One MgH2 molecule contains two hydrogen atoms because the valence of a Mg ion is +2. In metal perhydrides, a molecule could contain more hydrogen atoms than expected based on the metal valance, i.e. LiH1+n and MgH2+n (n is equal to or greater than 1). When n is sufficiently high, there will be plenty of hydrogen storage capacity to meet future requirements. The existence of hydrogen clusters, Hn+ (n = 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15) and transition metal ion-hydrogen clusters, M+(H2)n (n = 1-6), such as Sc(H2)n+, Co(H2)n+, etc., have assisted the development of this concept. Clusters are not stable species. However, their existence stimulates our approach on using electric charges to enhance the hydrogen adsorption in a hydrogen storage system in this study. The experimental and modeling work to verify it are reported here. Experimental work included the generation of cold hydrogen plasma through a microwave approach, synthesis of sorbent materials, design and construction of lab devices, and the determination of hydrogen adsorption capacities on various sorbent materials under various electric field potentials and various temperatures. The results consistently show that electric potential enhances the adsorption of hydrogen on sorbents. NiO, MgO, activated carbon, MOF, and MOF and platinum coated activated carbon are some of the materials studied. Enhancements up to a few hundred percents have been found. In general, the enhancement increases with the electrical potential, the pressure applied, and the temperature lowered. Theoretical modeling of the hydrogen adsorption on the sorbents under the electric potential has been investigated with the density functional theory (DFT) approach. It was found that the interaction energy between hydrogen and sorbent is increased remarkably when an electric field is applied. This increase of binding energy offers a potential solution for DOE when looking for a compromise between chemisorption and physisorption for hydrogen storage. Bonding of chemisorption is too strong and requires high temperature for the release of hydrogen. Bonding for the physisorption is too weak for sufficient uptake of hydrogen. Electric field potentials can enhance the physisorption and can be adjusted to yield reversibility required in a system at room temperature.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Halide Substitution Effects on Lithium-Ion Diffusion in Protonated Antiperovskites

Solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries are generating intense interest because these batteries can improve the safety and performance compared with devices fabricated with conventional, flammable liquid electrolytes. In these SSEs, it has been suggested that Li + ion diffusion in the grain boundaries is hindered and is a critical determinant of the overall ionic conductivity (σ). However, Li + ion diffusivities in the grain (D G ) and the grain boundary (D GB ) are difficult to determine experimentally, with few techniques capable of distinguishing the individual contributions. Here, we distinguished the D G and D GB for the protonated lithium antiperovskites (pLiAPs) SSEs: Li 2 OHCl, Li 2 OHBr, Li 2 OHF 0.1 Cl 0.9 , Li 2 OHF 0.1 Br 0.9 , and Li 2 OHCl 0.3 7Br 0.63 . The measurements were obtained directly from 7 Li pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG-NMR) at 353 K. The 7 Li PFG-NMR echo profiles were composed of two primary components with additional secondary oscillatory components – the so-called NMR diffraction phenomenon. The length scale separating the two main components corresponds to a diffusion length of ~1.7 µm, which is thought to be the average grain size (by diameter). The short-range (≤ 1.7 µm) diffusion component associated with D G (≈10 -11 m 2 /s) varied minimally with halide substitution, while the long-range (≥ 1.7 µm) component D GB (≈10 -12 to 10 -15 m 2 /s) was highly sensitive to the substitution of halides and closely correlated with s. In addition, from the comparison of the ratio D GB /D G to D t (the Li + ion diffusion coefficient estimated from the rotational correlation time, t c ), it was determined that the contribution of D G to σ is negligible; 0.01 ~ 0.04 in the pLiAPs studied here. Finally, these insights provide fundamental understanding of the halide substitution effects on Li + ion grain versus grain boundary diffusion, and suggest that careful engineering of the grain boundaries at the microscopic level is necessary to achieve high-performance pLiAP SSEs.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Charging toward improved lithium-ion polymer electrolytes: exploiting synergistic experimental and computational approaches to facilitate materials design

Ion-conducting polymer electrolytes are attractive materials for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) as a result of their potential to improve performance, mitigate safety concerns, and facilitate efficient device processing. Understanding how lithium-ionic transport is influenced by the macromolecular features, such as dielectric strength, solvation site connectivity, monomer segment relaxation timescales, segregation strength, and mesophase composition, is crucial for advancing ion-conducting materials. The integration of experimental and computational efforts can provide comprehensive links between chemical and structural characteristics (e.g., ion solvation, chain mobility, morphology) and macroscopic performance properties, accelerating the adoption of next-generation polymer electrolytes. Furthermore, this perspective highlights several synergistic experimental–computational approaches that have provided unique insights into local ion and polymer interactions, chain dynamics, and thermodynamics to promote the rational design of new ion-conducting polymers. Additionally, this work concludes with several suggested areas in which methodologies can be augmented, novel properties can be realized, and polymer electrolytes can be integrated to generate more robust LiB systems.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Investigating dry room compatibility of sulfide solid-state electrolytes for scalable manufacturing

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are viewed as promising next-generation energy storage devices, due to their enhanced safety by replacing organic liquid electrolytes with non-flammable solid-state electrolytes (SSEs). The high ionic conductivity and low Young's modulus of sulfide SSEs make them suitable candidates for commercial ASSBs. Nevertheless, sulfide SSEs are generally reported to be unstable in ambient air. Moreover, instead of gloveboxes used for laboratory scale studies, large scale production of batteries is usually conducted in dry rooms. Thus, this study aims to elucidate the chemical evolution of a sulfide electrolyte, Li 6 PS 5 Cl (LPSCl), during air exposure and to evaluate its dry room compatibility. When LPSCl is exposed to ambient air, hydrolysis, hydration, and carbonate formation can occur. Moreover, hydrolysis can lead to irreversible sulfur loss and therefore LPSCl cannot be fully recovered in the subsequent heat treatment. During heat treatment, exposed LPSCl undergoes dehydration, decomposition of carbonate species, and reformation of the LPSCl phase. Lastly, LPSCl was found to exhibit good stability in a dry room environment and was subject to only minor conductivity loss due to carbonate formation. The dry room exposed LPSCl sample was tested in a LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 |LiIn half-cell, exhibiting no significant loss of electrochemical performance compared with the pristine LPSCl, proving it to be compatible with dry room manufacturing processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

The nature and suppression strategies of interfacial reactions in all-solid-state batteries

Solid-state Li batteries are promising energy storage devices owing to their high safety and high theoretical energy density. However, the serious interfacial reaction between solid state electrolytes and cathodes deteriorates the battery performance, impeding the realization of long-term cyclability. The buried nature of the interphase layer presents a significant challenge in achieving a comprehensive understanding of the underlying interfacial reaction mechanisms. Herein, we systematically explore the interfacial reaction evolutions and interphase compositions and electronic properties between the popular oxide cathodes and sulfide solid electrolytes (SSEs). This includes analysis of the chemical and electrochemical reactions between cathodes/coatings and SSEs, as well as the electrochemical self-decomposition of SSEs by thermodynamic phase equilibrium analysis. Herein, we disclose that the driving force of the electrochemical reaction at the chemical potential of μ Li is much stronger than that of the chemical reaction, which dominates the interfacial reaction. Preventing the formation of an electronically conductive interphase is crucial in inhibiting the continuous interfacial degradation during long-term cycling, which can be achieved through the optimized combination of cathodes and SSEs, as well as the introduction of functional coatings between them. Based on these findings, the percentage of molar fraction ( f ) of electronically conductive species in the formed interphase is proposed as a key factor for indicating the interfacial stability for the first time. Furthermore, we propose a specific high-throughput screening scheme to filter the functional coating materials by comprehensively evaluating their functionality. The tiered screening identifies 48 coating materials with optimal properties. The work highlights the significant roles of rational coupling of the cathodes and SSEs, and optimizing interfacial coating materials for solid-state batteries. It opens new avenues for engineering an interphase with improved interfacial compatibility to realize long-term cyclability.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Superionic conduction in solid polymer electrolytes – decoupling ion transport from segmental relaxation

Solvent-free, solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are promising candidates for next-generation, electrochemical energy storage systems due to their potential to enhance safety and performance, enable flexible device architectures, and streamline manufacturing processes. Conventional SPEs suffer from limited ionic conductivity due to the strong coupling between ion transport and (generally slow) polymer segmental relaxation. The realization of superionic conduction in SPEs, in which ions move faster than the structural relaxation of the polymers, requires a shift in design principles to promote this type of decoupled ion motion. In this perspective, we discuss how polymer architecture, ion–ion correlations, and ion–polymer interactions can unlock superionic behavior. We highlight several key design features, such as crystallinity, bulky side groups, high molecular weight, and percolating ionic aggregation, with a focus on creating low-barrier transport pathways in various polymer systems. We also demonstrate opportunities to combine polymer chemistry and data science through high-throughput and automated screening approaches to reveal how phase behavior, ion dynamics, and ionic interactions govern transport, thereby potentially enabling data-driven discovery of superionic polymer electrolyte materials.

Yang, Mengying [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (Uni↗
DOE OSTI2022

Runaway electron deconfinement in SPARC and DIII-D by a passive 3D coil

The operation of a 3D coil—passively driven by the current quench (CQ) loop voltage—for the deconfinement of runaway electrons (REs) is modeled for disruption scenarios in the SPARC and DIII-D tokamaks. Nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modeling is carried out with the NIMROD code including time-dependent magnetic field boundary conditions to simulate the effect of the coil. Further modeling in some cases uses the ASCOT5 code to calculate advection and diffusion coefficients for REs based on the NIMROD-calculated fields, and the DREAM code to compute the runaway evolution in the presence of these transport coefficients. Compared with similar modeling in Tinguely et al (2021 Nucl. Fusion 61 124003), considerably more conservative assumptions are made with the ASCOT5 results, zeroing low levels of transport, particularly in regions in which closed flux surfaces have reformed. Of three coil geometries considered in SPARC, only the n = 1 coil is found to have sufficient resonant components to suppress the runaway current growth. Without the new conservative transport assumptions, full suppression of the RE current is maintained when the thermal quench MHD is included in the simulation or when the RE current is limited to 250kA, but when transport in closed flux regions is fully suppressed, these scenarios allow RE beams on the order of 1–2 MA to appear. Additional modeling is performed to consider the effects of the close ideal wall. In DIII-D, the CQ is modeled for both limited and diverted equilibrium shapes. In the limited shape, the onset of stochasticity is found to be insensitive to the coil current amplitude and governed largely by the evolution of the safety-factor profile. In both devices, prediction of the q-profile evolution is seen to be critical to predicting the later time effects of the coil.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Plasma performance and operational space with an RMP-ELM suppressed edge

Abstract The operational space and global performance of plasmas with edge-localized modes (ELMs) suppressed by resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) are surveyed by comparing AUG, DIII-D, EAST, and KSTAR stationary operating points. RMP-ELM suppression is achieved over a range of plasma currents, toroidal fields, and RMP toroidal mode numbers. Consistent operational windows in edge safety factor are found across devices, while windows in plasma shaping parameters are distinct. Accessed pedestal parameters reveal a quantitatively similar pedestal-top density limit for RMP-ELM suppression in all devices of just over 3 × 10 19 m −3 . This is surprising given the wide variance of many engineering parameters and edge collisionalities, and poses a challenge to extrapolation of the regime. Wide ranges in input power, confinement time, and stored energy are observed, with the achieved triple product found to scale like the product of current, field, and radius. Observed energy confinement scaling with engineering parameters for RMP-ELM suppressed plasmas are presented and compared with expectations from established H and L-mode scalings, including treatment of uncertainty analysis. Different scaling exponents for individual engineering parameters are found as compared to the established scalings. However, extrapolation to next-step tokamaks ITER and SPARC find overall consistency within uncertainties with the established scalings, finding no obvious performance penalty when extrapolating from the assembled multi-device RMP-ELM suppressed database. Overall this work identifies common physics for RMP-ELM suppression and highlights the need to pursue this no-ELM regime at higher magnetic field and different plasma physical size.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

A multichannel, real-time MRI RF power monitor for independent SAR determination

Purpose: Accurate measurements of the RF power delivered during clinical MRI are essential for safety and regulatory compliance, avoiding inappropriate restrictions on clinical MRI sequences, and for testing the MRI safety of peripheral and interventional devices at known RF exposure levels. The goal is to make independent RF power measurements to test the accuracy of scanner-reported specific absorption rate (SAR) over the extraordinary range of operating conditions routinely encountered in MRI. Methods: A six channel, high dynamic range, real-time power profiling system was designed and built for monitoring power delivery during MRI up to 440 MHz. The system was calibrated and used in two 3 T scanners to measure power applied to human subjects during MRI scans. The results were compared with the scanner-reported SAR. Results: The new power measurement system has highly linear performance over a 90 dB dynamic range and a wide range of MRI duty cycles. It has about 0.1 dB insertion loss that does not interfere with scanner operation. The measurements of whole-body SAR in volunteers showed that scanner-reported SAR was significantly overestimated by up to about 2.2 fold. Conclusions: The new power monitor system can accurately and independently measure RF power deposition over the wide range of conditions routinely encountered during MRI. Scanner-reported SAR values are not appropriate for setting exposure limits during device or pulse sequence testing.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

MIDA: A Multimodal Imaging-Based Detailed Anatomical Model of the Human Head and Neck

Computational modeling and simulations are increasingly being used to complement experimental testing for analysis of safety and efficacy of medical devices. Multiple voxel- and surface-based whole- and partial-body models have been proposed in the literature, typically with spatial resolution in the range of 1–2 mm and with 10–50 different tissue types resolved. We have developed a multimodal imaging-based detailed anatomical model of the human head and neck, named “MIDA”. The model was obtained by integrating three different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities, the parameters of which were tailored to enhance the signals of specific tissues: i) structural T1- and T2-weighted MRIs; a specific heavily T2-weighted MRI slab with high nerve contrast optimized to enhance the structures of the ear and eye; ii) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) data to image the vasculature, and iii) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to obtain information on anisotropy and fiber orientation. The unique multimodal high-resolution approach allowed resolving 153 structures, including several distinct muscles, bones and skull layers, arteries and veins, nerves, as well as salivary glands. The model offers also a detailed characterization of eyes, ears, and deep brain structures. A special automatic atlas-based segmentation procedure was adopted to include a detailed map of the nuclei of the thalamus and midbrain into the head model. The suitability of the model to simulations involving different numerical methods, discretization approaches, as well as DTI-based tensorial electrical conductivity, was examined in a case-study, in which the electric field was generated by transcranial alternating current stimulation. The voxel- and the surface-based versions of the models are freely available to the scientific community.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Crashworthiness Models for Automotive Batteries - Report on Project 2088-A031-15 for DOT/NHTSA

Safety is a key element of any device designed to store energy, in particular electrochemical batteries, which convert energy of chemical reactions to electrical energy. Safety considerations are especially important when applied to large automotive batteries designed for propulsion of electric vehicles (EV). The high amount of energy stored in EV battery packs translates to higher probability of fire in case of severe deformation of battery compartment due to automotive crash or impact caused by road debris. While such demand for safety has resulted in heavier protection of battery enclosure, the mechanisms leading to internal short circuit due to deformation of the battery are not well understood even on the level of a single electrochemical cell. Moreover, not all internal shorts result in thermal runaway, and thus a criterion for catastrophic failure needs to be developed. This report summarizes the effort to pinpoint the critical deformation necessary to trigger a short via experimental study on large format automotive Li-ion cells in a rigid spherical indentation configuration. Cases of single cells and cell stacks undergoing indentation were investigated. Mechanical properties of cell components were determined via experimental testing and served as input for constitutive models of Finite Element (FE) analysis. The ability of the model to predict the behavior of cell(s) under spherical indentation and to predict failure leading to internal short circuit was validated against experiments. The necessity of resolving pairs of negative and positive electrodes in the FE formulation is clearly demonstrated by comparing layer-resolved simulations with simulations involving batteries with homogenized material properties. Finally, a coupled solution of electrochemical-electrical-thermal (EET) problem on a Nissan Leaf battery module was demonstrated towards the goal of extending the simulations to module level.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Crashworthiness Models for Automotive Batteries

Safety is a key element of any device designed to store energy, particularly of electrochemical batteries, which convert energy of chemical reactions to electrical energy. Safety considerations are especially important when applied to large automotive batteries designed for propulsion of electric vehicles (EV). The high amount of energy stored in EV battery packs translates to higher probability of fire in case of severe deformation of battery compartment due to automotive crash or impact caused by road debris. While such demand for safety has resulted in heavier protection of battery enclosure, the mechanisms leading to internal short circuit due to deformation of the battery are not well understood even on the level of a single electrochemical cell. Moreover, not all internal shorts result in thermal runaway, and thus a criterion for catastrophic failure needs to be developed. This report summarizes the effort to pinpoint the critical deformation necessary to trigger a short via experimental study on large format automotive Li-ion cells subjected to large deformations as those occurring in deformation of battery module or pack. Mechanical properties of cell components were determined via experimental testing and served as input for constitutive models of Finite Element (FE) analysis. It has been rationalized that long-range stress fields occurring in spherical indentation of battery modules would trigger different deformation and failure scenarios compared to indentation of a single cell supported by a rigid flat surface. In order to investigate large deformations characteristic of battery module, a custom experimental set up has been built where the pouch cell was deformed against a compliant backing, which was represented by a ballistic clay. Experiments were also conducted on deformation of stacks of 10 pouch cells, - configuration representing half-module in Ford Focus EV battery pack without cooling plates and structural components. Comparison of the results shows promise for the compliant backing setup for safety evaluation of battery cells under more realistic conditions compared to indentation of single cell against undeformable backing where compression and electrode particle penetration through separator could be the major mechanism for short circuit.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Recent progress on spherical torus research

The spherical torus or spherical tokamak (ST) is a member of the tokamak family with its aspect ratio (A = R{sub 0}/a) reduced to A ∼ 1.5, well below the normal tokamak operating range of A ≥ 2.5. As the aspect ratio is reduced, the ideal tokamak beta β (radio of plasma to magnetic pressure) stability limit increases rapidly, approximately as β ∼ 1/A. The plasma current it can sustain for a given edge safety factor q-95 also increases rapidly. Because of the above, as well as the natural elongation κ, which makes its plasma shape appear spherical, the ST configuration can yield exceptionally high tokamak performance in a compact geometry. Due to its compactness and high performance, the ST configuration has various near term applications, including a compact fusion neutron source with low tritium consumption, in addition to its longer term goal of an attractive fusion energy power source. Since the start of the two mega-ampere class ST facilities in 2000, the National Spherical Torus Experiment in the United States and Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak in UK, active ST research has been conducted worldwide. More than 16 ST research facilities operating during this period have achieved remarkable advances in all fusion science areas, involving fundamental fusion energy science as well as innovation. These results suggest exciting future prospects for ST research both near term and longer term. The present paper reviews the scientific progress made by the worldwide ST research community during this new mega-ampere-ST era.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Gamma imaging and mapping advancements

The Savannah River National Lab (SRNL) in partnership with Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) developed an in-situ GrayQb™ radiation mapping device eliminating the need to remove the radiation sensitive phosphor storage plate (PSP) from the device for scanning between exposures. By incorporating a customized version of the LANL patented MiniMax camera-based PSP reader system into the GrayQb™ housing, the exposed PSP can now be read in-situ and digitally transmitted to a remote computer for viewing. The ability to generate radiation contour maps showing source locations and relative radiological levels present in an area has high utility for targeting clean-up efforts, maintaining worker ALARA, determining leak locations and radiological situational awareness. In-situ GrayQb™ reduces the number of required interactions with the device providing deployment cost savings, increasing personnel safety and removing human handling errors during the manual scan process. Additionally, by negating the need for an external scanner, the device becomes more mobile. Other upgrades to the device included identification of a more sensitive imaging medium and incorporation of a dual pinhole rendering the device physically capable of obtaining 3D images. Laboratory tests with Am-241 sources using a mockup of the in-situ GrayQ™, successfully demonstrated the ability to digitally capture radiation source information using the dual pinhole and camera-based PSP reader.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

A New Occlusion Device: Application of the ArtVentive Endoluminal Occlusion System (EOS)—First in Human Clinical Trial

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of a new endoluminal occlusion device, ArtVentive endoluminal occlusion system (EOS), to occlude the spermatic vein in symptomatic males with varicoceles. Methods: The ArtVentive EOS device has been developed for percutaneous, peripheral occlusion of the peripheral arterial and venous vasculature. The system is comprised of an implantable occlusion device and a delivery catheter. At present, there are two device sizes: (a) size 1 for target vessels ranging between 3.5 and 5.5 mm in diameter, and (b) size 2 for target vessels 5.5–8.5 mm in diameter. The treatment group included six adult males, ages 22–34 years. Nine target vessels were occluded. A total of 20 devices were implanted in six subjects. Results: The acute occlusion rate at the end of the procedure was 100 % occurring in nine of nine vessels. The spermatic veins of all patients remained occluded on venography at 30 days follow-up. Pain scores related to varicoceles decreased in five of six patients. Conclusions: Although we recognize this study is limited, initial experience indicates that the ArtVentive EOS is a safe and effective new device for occlusion of vessels (varicoceles). The device has potential applications in other clinical conditions requiring occlusion of veins or arteries.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Is There a Safety Concern for Drug-Coated Balloons in Peripheral Arterial Disease?

Purpose of Review: Drug-coated balloons (DEB) and drug-eluting stents (DES) emerged as a tool to aid in lowering the rates of neointimal hyperplasia and target lesion restenosis following endovascular peripheral arterial disease (PAD) interventions. Recent Findings: Although the initial trials comparing these devices with non-drug balloons and stents showed favorable results, more recent data raised concerns regarding the mid to long-term safety of these devices. Summary: In this review, we will discuss the evolution of endovascular therapy for PAD, with highlights regarding the recent debates on the long-term safety of the drug-coated devices for treatment of PAD.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Research Tool to Evaluate the Safety Response of Lithium Batteries to an Internal Short Circuit

Li-ion cells provide the highest specific energy and energy density rechargeable battery with the longest life. Many safety incidents that take place in the field originate due to an internal short that was not detectable or predictable at the point of manufacture. NREL's internal short circuit (ISC) device is capable of simulating shorts and produces consistent and reproducible results. The cell behaves normally until the ISC device is activated wherein a latent defect (i.e., built into the cell during manufacturing) gradually moves into position to create an internal short while the battery is in use, providing relevant data to verify abuse models. The ISC device is an effective tool for studying the safety features of parts of Li-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗