Predicting cell-to-cell failure propagation and limits of propagation in lithium-ion cell stacks.
Abstract not provided.
Kurzawski, Andrew↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “failure prediction”
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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An Advanced Meso-Scale Peridynamic Modeling Technology using High-Performance Computing for Cost-Effective Product Design and Testing of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites in Light-weight Vehicles
We study a peridynamic composite modeling technology based on the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method, implemented in the commercial LS-DYNA software, for modeling and prediction of failure in carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites. The proposed technology is developed for the material failure analysis at the meso-scale, which provides the prevailing fiber-matrix interaction mechanism, without adoption of the representative volume element method and thus avoiding complicated numerical calibration procedures. Three types of experimental tests—in-plane coupon test, out-of-plane coupon test, and a component crash test—are simulated in a high-performance computing environment to assess the performance of the proposed peridynamic composite modeling technology.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Using Machine Learning Approaches to Predict Atomic-Scale Glass Failure in Environmental Conditions.
Abstract not provided.
Lloyd, Victoria↗
Verification of a Reduced-Order Extension Spring Model
Adopting reduced order models (ROMs) of springs lowers the computational cost of stronglink simulations. However, ROMs introduce currently unquantified error to such analyses. This study addresses that lack of data by comparing a hexahedral mesh to a commonly used ROM beam mesh. Two types of analyses were performed, a quasi-static displacement-controlled pull and a haversine shock, examining basic spring properties as well as dynamics and stress/strain data. Both tests showed good similarities between the hexahedral and beam meshes, especially when comparing reaction force and stress trends and maximums. Equivalent plastic strain results were not quite as favorable, indicating that the beam model may be less likely to correctly predict spring failure. Despite reducing computation times by over 48 hours in all shock cases, appropriate use of the ROM should carefully balance this advantage with its reduction in accuracy, especially when examining spring failure and outputting variables such as equivalent plastic strain.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Prediction of Aluminum to Steel RSW Joint Failure (CRADA 405)
General Motors, LLC has developed a resistance spot welding process to join aluminum sheet to steel for body-in-white manufacturing. Efforts to develop the process for any one joint configuration (combination of alloy and thicknesses) is intensive. To aid in process understanding and eventual reduction in process development efforts, an initiative was created to develop an finite element model of the various destructive test configurations (lap shear, cross-tension, and coach peel) to help predict the failure mode and load displacement curves under tensile testing. This report describes the finite element modeling approach, the means by which local material properties were determined, as well as model validation and refinement efforts.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Enhanced predictive modelling of laser weld failure using 3D characterization of 304L.
Abstract not provided.
Polonsky, Andrew↗
Characterization of Mk-IV and EBR-II X441A Metallic Fuel Pins for the THOR-C-2 and THOR-M-TOP-1 Experiments: Results from Post-Transient Neutron Tomography of THOR-C-2 Capsule and Pre-transient Non-Destructive and Destructive Examination of DP 36 and DP 40 (Rev.1)
Current interest in sodium-cooled fast reactor designs, such as TerraPower’s Natrium Reactor, has highlighted the need for advanced-reactor fuel technology development. A Fuel Safety Research and Development (FSRD) program for metallic fast reactor fuels has been created to achieve comprehensive safety testing within the re-commissioned Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility at the Idaho National Laboratory. Despite over 60 years of metallic fuel irradiation, uncertainties exist in the performance of the fuel system, particularly under anticipated operational occurrences and severe accident scenarios. Throughout historical testing within the Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR)-II and the Fast Flux Test Facility, fuel behavior has demonstrated benign response to transient reactor conditions; however, accurate predictions of failure thresholds rely heavily on fuel composition and irradiation history. In advancing the FSRD program, two planned transient heating experiments are at various stages of completion. The Temperature Heat sink Overpower Response (THOR)-C-2, fueled with an unirradiated Mk IV U-10Zr pin, has undergone transient irradiation in TREAT and post-transient three-dimensional neutron tomography. Additionally, pre-transient characterization of test and sibling U-19Pu-10Zr pins for THOR-M-TOP-1 was evaluated by both non-destructive and destructive methods. The test and sibling pins were selected from previously irradiated EBR-II experiment X441A. Both pins underwent visual examination, precise gamma spectrometry, two-dimensional neutron radiography, and element contact profilometry while the sibling pin was additionally subjected to sectioning and optical microscopy. THOR-C-2 radiography captured the fuel and cladding relocation during the intermediate transient at the top and bottom of the THOR capsule, allowing key features to be linked to the pin’s measured thermal response. For THOR M TOP 1, a solid baseline for steady-state behavior has been established. No anomalous features were identified in either the test or sibling pin. Defining characteristics and features were recorded for further comparisons.
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
Large Area Detection of Microstructural Defects with Multi-Mode Ultrasonic Signals
Cyclic loading or other stresses can lead to development of cracks and crack growth in mechanical structures, leading to eventual failure. While ultrasound imaging can be used for non-destructive testing of such structures, conventional ultrasound techniques are often limited by crack size, density, and areal coverage. An effective characterization of real-world, large-area structures is required at an early damage stage to prevent catastrophic failure and predict remaining life. In this study, a new nonlinear ultrasonic testing (NUT) method is proposed for large-area monitoring of practical structures with arbitrary complexity by using multiple-mode guided-wave ultrasonic signals. The proposed guided-wave NUT technique requires single-element transducers, simple electronics, and a mixed time-frequency domain signal processing. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, numerical simulations and experiments are performed on an A36 carbon steel beam assembly with previously formed microstructural defects that cause nonlinearities in ultrasonic response. The quadratic dependence of the nonlinear wave excitation on the input ultrasonic signal amplitude is shown by numerical simulations, and such a nonlinear ultrasonic response is experimentally observed in the zone with a high density of microstructural defects.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
BISON As-run AGR-3/4 Irradiation Test Predictions
BISON, a nuclear fuel performance application built using the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) finite element library, was used to model the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR)-3/4 irradiation test using as-run physics and thermal hydraulics data. The AGR-3/4 test consists of the combined third and fourth planned irradiations of the AGR Fuel Development and Qualification Program. The AGR-3/4 test train consists of twelve separate and independently controlled and monitored capsules. Each capsule contains four compacts filled with both uranium oxycarbide (UCO) unaltered “driver” fuel particles and UCO designed-to-fail (DTF) fuel particles. The DTF fraction was specified to be 1×10-2. This report documents the calculations performed to predict the failure probability of tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated driver fuel particles during the AGR-3/4 experiment on a single compact. This report will demonstrate the capabilities of BISON to model the complex AGR-3/4 irradiation test and identify further development needed to capture the fuel particle failure probability and source term on every compact for further comparison from post-irradiation examination (PIE) data. The calculations include the modeling of the AGR-3/4 irradiation that occurred from December 2011 to April 2014 in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) over a total of 10 ATR cycles including seven normal cycles, one low power cycle, one unplanned outage cycle, and one Power Axial Locator Mechanism (PALM) cycle.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Pre-Transient Characterization of Historic EBR-II Pins for Transient Testing
Current interest in sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) designs, such as TerraPower’s Natrium Reactor, has highlighted the need for advanced reactor fuel technology development. Modern U-Zr and U- Pu-Zr pin designs are primary candidates to fuel SFRs and boast high fuel utilization capacity, increased fuel-cladding compatibility, and improved safety through inherent feedback mechanisms. Despite over 60 years of metallic fuel irradiation, uncertainties exist in the performance of the fuel system, particularly under transient overpower (TOP) and loss of flow (LOF) scenarios. Throughout historical testing within the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), fuel behavior has demonstrated benign response to transient reactor conditions; however, accurate predictions of failure thresholds to inform operational limitations rely heavily on fuel composition, burnup, and irradiation history. In expanding TOP and LOF testing, the Transient Heat sink Overpower Response (THOR) Capsule will be used to test modern fuel technologies in a static sodium environment in the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility. The THOR capsule is highly instrumented and will provide time-dependent thermal behavior of SFR fuel pins subjected to accident conditions within TREAT. The THOR-Metallic (THOR- M) campaign aims to validate and expand historical TOP and LOF testing on high burnup U-Zr and U-Pu- Zr fuel alloys previously irradiated in EBR-II by running the rods to failure. This contribution focuses primarily on the pre-transient engineering-scale destructive and non- destructive characterization that has been conducted on both the test and sibling pins used for the TOP and LOF tests. All pins underwent visual examination, neutron radiography, element contact profilometry, and precise gamma scan. The sibling pins used for each test were further analyzed using gas assay, sampling, and recharge analysis (GASR), and optical microscopy. The results from each technique confirmed that the fuel pins were intact and devoid of any atypical developments when compared to historical data. Additionally, the analyzed measurements establish a baseline for comparison to post-transient analysis. Key fuel behaviors quanitifed include axial elongation of the fuel column, diametral strain of the pin, patterns in fluff structure geometry, changes in axial isotope distribution, evolution of constituent redistribution, porosity, and fission gas release. The pre-transient measurements and changes attributed to transient behavior from post-transient measurement will be compared to historical data to capture the behavioral dependence on composition, burnup, and irradiation history. Results from this work advance the initiatives of the THOR-M campaign, which aid in informing fuel performance models and establishing safety criteria for SFR operational limits. The novel combination of test environment, in-situ instrumentation, and comprehensive suite of characterization methods provides greater understanding of transient fuel behavior. Overall, information on the time and condition of pin failure for high burnup U-Pu-Zr will greatly expand the limited existing TOP and LOF test data.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Pre-Transient Characterization of Historic EBR-II Pins for Transient Testing
Current interest in sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) designs, such as TerraPower’s Natrium Reactor, has highlighted the need for advanced reactor fuel technology development. Modern U-Zr and U- Pu-Zr pin designs are primary candidates to fuel SFRs and boast high fuel utilization capacity, increased fuel-cladding compatibility, and improved safety through inherent feedback mechanisms. Despite over 60 years of metallic fuel irradiation, uncertainties exist in the performance of the fuel system, particularly under transient overpower (TOP) and loss of flow (LOF) scenarios. Throughout historical testing within the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) and the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), fuel behavior has demonstrated benign response to transient reactor conditions; however, accurate predictions of failure thresholds to inform operational limitations rely heavily on fuel composition, burnup, and irradiation history. In expanding TOP and LOF testing, the Transient Heat sink Overpower Response (THOR) Capsule will be used to test modern fuel technologies in a static sodium environment in the Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility. The THOR capsule is highly instrumented and will provide time-dependent thermal behavior of SFR fuel pins subjected to accident conditions within TREAT. The THOR-Metallic (THOR- M) campaign aims to validate and expand historical TOP and LOF testing on high burnup U-Zr and U-Pu- Zr fuel alloys previously irradiated in EBR-II by running the rods to failure. This contribution focuses primarily on the pre-transient engineering-scale destructive and non- destructive characterization that has been conducted on both the test and sibling pins used for the TOP and LOF tests. All pins underwent visual examination, neutron radiography, element contact profilometry, and precise gamma scan. The sibling pins used for each test were further analyzed using gas assay, sampling, and recharge analysis (GASR), and optical microscopy. The results from each technique confirmed that the fuel pins were intact and devoid of any atypical developments when compared to historical data. Additionally, the analyzed measurements establish a baseline for comparison to post-transient analysis. Key fuel behaviors quanitifed include axial elongation of the fuel column, diametral strain of the pin, patterns in fluff structure geometry, changes in axial isotope distribution, evolution of constituent redistribution, porosity, and fission gas release. The pre-transient measurements and changes attributed to transient behavior from post-transient measurement will be compared to historical data to capture the behavioral dependence on composition, burnup, and irradiation history. Results from this work advance the initiatives of the THOR-M campaign, which aid in informing fuel performance models and establishing safety criteria for SFR operational limits. The novel combination of test environment, in-situ instrumentation, and comprehensive suite of characterization methods provides greater understanding of transient fuel behavior. Overall, information on the time and condition of pin failure for high burnup U-Pu-Zr will greatly expand the limited existing TOP and LOF test data.
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
Machine Learning Predicts the Timing and Shear Stress Evolution of Lab Earthquakes Using Active Seismic Monitoring of Fault Zone Processes
Abstract Machine learning (ML) techniques have become increasingly important in seismology and earthquake science. Lab‐based studies have used acoustic emission data to predict time‐to‐failure and stress state, and in a few cases, the same approach has been used for field data. However, the underlying physical mechanisms that allow lab earthquake prediction and seismic forecasting remain poorly resolved. Here, we address this knowledge gap by coupling active‐source seismic data, which probe asperity‐scale processes, with ML methods. We show that elastic waves passing through the lab fault zone contain information that can predict the full spectrum of labquakes from slow slip instabilities to highly aperiodic events. The ML methods utilize systematic changes in P‐wave amplitude and velocity to accurately predict the timing and shear stress during labquakes. The ML predictions improve in accuracy closer to fault failure, demonstrating that the predictive power of the ultrasonic signals improves as the fault approaches failure. Our results demonstrate that the relationship between the ultrasonic parameters and fault slip rate, and in turn, the systematically evolving real area of contact and asperity stiffness allow the gradient boosting algorithm to “learn” about the state of the fault and its proximity to failure. Broadly, our results demonstrate the utility of physics‐informed ML in forecasting the imminence of fault slip at the laboratory scale, which may have important implications for earthquake mechanics in nature.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Hydrogen Component Leak Rate Quantification for System Risk and Reliability Assessment through QRA and PHM Frameworks: Preprint
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) Hydrogen Safety Research and Development (HSR&D) program in collaboration with the University of Maryland's Systems Risk and Reliability Analysis Laboratory (SyRRA) are working to improve reliability and reduce risk in hydrogen systems. This approach strives to use quantitative data on component leaks and failures, together with Prognosis and Health Management (PHM), and Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) to identify at-risk components, reduce component failures and downtime, and predict when components require maintenance. Hydrogen component failures increase facility maintenance cost, facility downtime, and reduce public acceptance of hydrogen technologies, ultimately increasing facility size and cost because of potentially overly conservative requirements. Leaks are a predominant failure mode for hydrogen components. However, uncertainties in the amount of hydrogen emitted from leaking components and the frequency of those failure events limit the understanding of the risks that they present under real-world operational conditions. NREL has deployed a test fixture, the Leak Rate Quantification Apparatus (LRQA), to quantify the mass flow rate of leaking gases from medium and high-pressure components that have failed while in service. Quantitative hydrogen leak rate data from this system could ultimately be used to better inform risk assessment and Regulation Codes and Standards (RCS). Parallel activity explores the use of PHM and QRA techniques to assess and reduce risk, thereby improving safety and reliability of hydrogen systems. The results of QRAs could further provide a systematic and science-based foundation for the design and implementation of RCS, as in the latest versions of the NFPA 2 code for gaseous hydrogen stations. Alternatively, data-driven techniques of PHM could provide new damage diagnosis and health-state prognosis tools. This research will help end users, station owners and operators, and regulatory bodies move towards risk-informed preventative maintenance versus emergency corrective maintenance, reducing cost and improving reliability. Predictive modelling of failures could improve safety and affect RCS requirements such as setback distances at liquid refuelling sites. The combination of leak rate quantification research, PHM, and QRA can lead to better informed models enabling data-based decision to be made for hydrogen system safety improvements.
codes and standards↗
LightMAT - Pediction of Aluminum/Steel Joint Failure
Develop a predictive model of dissimilar metallic spot joints and their behavior during fracture; specifically, whether the joint fractures via interfacial fracture or button pull-out as a function of alloy, sheet thickness, faying interface microstructure, and thermal-mechanical treatment of the weld nugget and heat affected zone. Having the ability to model whether a given joint structure would fracture inter-facially or via button pullout will reduce development time and provide savings to vehicle design programs. This would provide a significant step function improvement in reducing the time-to-market for this multi-material, weight-saving technology.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Regulatory Considerations for Nuclear Energy Applications of Digital Twin Technologies
Digital twins (DTs) in complex industrial and engineering applications have potential benefits that include increased operational efficiencies, enhanced safety and reliability, improved security engineering, reduced errors, faster information sharing, and better predictions. The interest in DT technologies continues to grow, and many of these advanced technologies are expected to experience rapid and wide industry adoption in the near future. Some of the potential application areas for DTs in the nuclear industry are design, licensing, plant construction, training simulators, predictive operations and maintenance, autonomous operation and control, failure and degradation prediction, physical protection modeling and simulation, and safety and reliability analyses. The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has initiated a future-focused research project to assess the regulatory viability of DTs for nuclear power plants and other NRC-regulated activities, such as fuel cycle facilities and operations. This report explores the potential impact of DT technologies in nuclear applications on NRC-regulated activities of interest. This report describes a nuclear DT system and its capabilities for nuclear power plant applications, followed by identification and discussion of some regulated activities that merit special consideration and present opportunities in implementing DT-enabling technologies and capabilities.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
A General Model for the Ductility of Intermetallics Applied to Fe-Co Alloys
The mechanical properties, specifically ductility, of high performing soft magnets such as Fe-Co alloys are a limiting factor to their broader use in a number of systems. The understanding of the mechanical robustness in these materials is currently insufficient to be able to support the growing interest in applications such as magnetic shielding or electric motors. Fe-Co alloys provide the highest commercially available magnetic saturation and high magnetic permeability but have very poor ductility. The addition of vanadium to these alloys has allowed for significant commercialization and some ductility improvements, but the fundamental reasons for the observed improvements are not well understood. In most published work on mechanical properties in these alloys, the precise chemistry of the alloys investigated, often a critical aspect of intermetallics, is not reported or controlled and thermal history is unclear. This work creates a ductility model that is sensitive to changes in chemistry and can predict relative strain to failure as well as brittle fracture mode for intermetallics and is applied to Fe-Co alloys. Through the application of density functional theory (DFT), this model identifies defect stabilities, anti-phase boundary (APB) energies, the energy necessary to cross-slip, and cleavage energies and combines them through energetic competition to determine a relative failure strain. The model correctly predicts ductility improvements with the addition of vanadium as well as the transition from intergranular to transgranular cleavage, though more precise experiments are necessary to appropriately validate the various improvements observed.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
(U) Blast Tube Rehabilitation (Final Design Review) [Slides]
Saddle design is being proposed to improve overall response of facility. No plasticity predicted in tube sections buying down risk of a catastrophic failure. Plasticity is predicted in the support for loadings representing 190# C4. The design has been iterated to decrease localized plasticity and buy down risk. It is recommended that no amount of explosive driver be placed in A36 sections. Previous work suggests yielding can develop in the tube section causing rupture. J2 colleagues have reviewed analysis results. Outstanding question of additional plastic strain is developing from subsequent uses.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Probabilistic Failure Criterion of SiC/SiC Composites Under Multiaxial Loading
Owing to its excellent mechanical properties and stability under high temperature and neutron irradiation conditions, SiC/SiC composites have emerged as a promising material for light water reactors (LWRs) in the development of accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) systems. Structural integrity and retention of hermeticity are two crucial requirements for SiC/SiC claddings during normal operations, and both of them are closely related to the proportional limit stress (PLS) of the material. Understanding the behavior of SiC/SiC composites under multiaxial stress states and developing a probabilistic approach for evaluating the structural vulnerability are of paramount importance for reliability-based analysis and design of SiC/SiC composite claddings. So far, there has been very limited effort towards experimental and analytical investigations of probabilistic failure of SiC/SiC claddings. This critical knowledge gap motivates this research. A probabilistic failure criterion for SiC/SiC composites under multi-axial loading is developed, and this criterion is incorporated into reliability analysis of the structural integrity of SiC/SiC fuel cladding. The research consists of two parts: 1) experimental investigation of multiaxial failure behavior of SiC/SiC composites, and 2) theoretical modeling of time-dependent probabilistic failure of SiC/SiC cladding. In the experimental investigation, the PLS is determined through the examination of stress-strain response, the acoustic emission measurement, as well as the X-ray computed tomography. The theoretical framework is derived by combin- ing the finite weakest-link statistical model and the subcritical damage growth model. This theoretical model captures the time-dependent failure mechanism of the material, which has a major consequence for predicting the lifetime distribution of the cladding. Meanwhile, the model also predicts that the failure statistics of the cladding depends strongly on the cladding length. The results of the multiaxial experiments reveal the level of statistical variation of the PLS of SiC/SiC materials under different stress states. The theoretical model provides a robust analytical tool for extrapolation of small-scale laboratory test results to the behavior of full-scale claddings. These findings establish a scientific foundation for the development of reliability-based design of SiC/SiC fuel claddings, which will play an essential role in improving the structural safety and integrity of LWRs.
42 ENGINEERING↗