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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 1,297 records · Page 72
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Resiliency of Distribution Systems Incorporating Asynchronous Information for System Restoration

Resiliency of distribution systems under extreme operating conditions is critical, especially when the utility is not available. With the large-scale deployment of distributed resources, it becomes possible to restore critical loads with local non-utility resources. Distribution system operators (DSOs) need to determine the critical loads to be restored, considering limited resources and distribution facilities. Several studies on resiliency have been conducted for the restoration of distribution systems. However, the inherent asynchronous characteristic on the information availability has not been incorporated. With incomplete and asynchronous information, decisions may be made that result in underutilization of generation resources. In this paper, a new distribution system restoration approach is proposed, considering uncertain devices and associated asynchronous information. It uses a two-module architecture that efficiently optimizes restoration actions using a binary linear programming model and evaluates their feasibility with unbalanced optimal power flow. Networked microgrids are included in the model. The IEEE 123-node test feeder is used for validation. Results show that asynchronous messages may affect the restoration actions significantly and the impacts can be mitigated by the proposed decision support tool for the DSOs.

Bedoya, Juan C.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Center for High-Efficiency Electrical Technologies for Aircraft (CHEETA)

The aeronautics industry has been challenged on many fronts to increase efficiency, reduce emissions, and decrease dependency on carbon-based fuels. With subsonic transports serving as the dominant contributor to the fuel consumption and carbon footprint of global aviation, the need for environmentally-responsible transportation has been met with a boom of research in the field of aircraft propulsion electrification across industry, government, and academic organizations. However, adoption of electrified propulsion systems for large commercial aircraft today is unattainable, due to the lack of motors and power electronics appropriately sized for these vehicles, high weight requirements of conventional electrical energy storage systems, and new principles required to design these classes of aircraft. The mission of the Center for High-Efficiency Electrical Technologies for Aircraft (CHEETA) program is to develop, mature, and design disruptive technologies for electric commercial aviation. The associated technologies being researched include distributed aero-propulsion system integration, high-efficiency electrochemical power conversion, flight-weight electric machines and power electronics, materials and systems for superconducting high-efficiency power transmission, and methods for complex system integration and optimization. Additionally, the current program is investigating the use of unconventional energy storage and power generation architectures, such as liquid hydrogen fuel and high-efficiency fuel cell systems. The research program provides a direct line-of-sight to not only achieving, but potentially even exceeding the aviation community goals for transition to alternative propulsion and energy through convergence of various novel technologies. The end result of maturation and integration of these technologies is an aircraft system with a quiet, efficient propulsion system that produces zero carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions at the vehicle level.

Koushik Datta↗
NASA NTRS1995

Solar Thermal Concept Evaluation

Concentrated solar thermal energy can be utilized in a variety of high temperature applications for both terrestrial and space environments. In each application, knowledge of the collector and absorber's heat exchange interaction is required. To understand this coupled mechanism, various concentrator types and geometries, as well as, their relationship to the physical absorber mechanics were investigated. To conduct experimental tests various parts of a 5,000 watt, thermal concentrator, facility were made and evaluated. This was in anticipation at a larger NASA facility proposed for construction. Although much of the work centered on solar thermal propulsion for an upper stage (less than one pound thrust range), the information generated and the facility's capabilities are applicable to material processing, power generation and similar uses. The numerical calculations used to design the laboratory mirror and the procedure for evaluating other solar collectors are presented here. The mirror design is based on a hexagonal faceted system, which uses a spherical approximation to the parabolic surface. The work began with a few two dimensional estimates and continued with a full, three dimensional, numerical algorithm written in FORTRAN code. This was compared to a full geometry, ray trace program, BEAM 4, which optimizes the curvatures, based on purely optical considerations. Founded on numerical results, the characteristics of a faceted concentrator were construed. The numerical methodologies themselves were evaluated and categorized. As a result, the three-dimensional FORTRAN code was the method chosen to construct the mirrors, due to its overall accuracy and superior results to the ray trace program. This information is being used to fabricate and subsequently, laser map the actual mirror surfaces. Evaluation of concentrator mirrors, thermal applications and scaling the results of the 10 foot diameter mirror to a much larger concentrator, were studied. Evaluations, recommendations and pit falls regarding the structure, materials and facility design are presented.

Hawk, Clark W.↗
DOE OSTI2025

RTN-011: Rubin Observatory Plans for an Early Science Program

This document outlines Rubin Observatory's plans for a dedicated \emph{Early Science Program} to enable high-impact science prior to the first annual data release of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). Components of the Early Science Program include releasing science-grade commissioning data products via a series of ``Data Previews,'' ramping up of the transient alert stream during commissioning, implementing a program of incremental template generation to augment alert production in the early phases of the survey, and the first LSST Data Release, DR1, based on the first 6 months of data from the LSST. A detailed breakdown of which data products can be expected when is provided. The Rubin Operations team is working closely with the science community to optimize the Early Science Program for the time-domain and solar system science achievable in the first year of operations. This is a living document; both it and the Early Science Program will continue to evolve over the course of commissioning and pre-operations in response to the state of the as-built system and to community guidance.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

SU-E-I-76: Matching Primary and Scattered X-Ray Spectra for Use in Calculating the Diagnostic Radiation Index of Protection

Purpose: Lightweight lead-free or lead-composite protective garments exploit k-edge interactions to attenuate scattered X-rays. Manufacturers specify the protective value of garments in terms of lead equivalence at a single kVp. This is inadequate, as the protection provided by such garments varies with radiation quality in different use conditions. We present a method for matching scattered X-ray spectra to primary X-ray spectra. The resulting primary spectra can be used to measure penetration through protective garments, and such measurements can be weighted and summed to determine a Diagnostic Radiation Index for Protection (DRIP). Methods: Scattered X-ray spectra from fluoroscopic procedures were modeled using Monte Carlo techniques in MCNP-X 2.7. Data on imaging geometry, operator position, patient size, and primary beam spectra were gathered from clinical fluoroscopy procedures. These data were used to generate scattered X-ray spectra resulting from procedural conditions. Technical factors, including kV and added filtration, that yielded primary X-ray spectra that optimally matched the generated scattered X-ray spectra were identified through numerical optimization using a sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm. Results: The primary spectra generated with shape functions matched the relative flux in each bin of the scattered spectra within 5%, and half and quarter-value layers matched within 0.1%. The DRIP for protective garments can be determined by measuring the penetration through protective garments using the matched primary spectra, then calculating a weighted average according to the expected clinical use of the garment. The matched primary spectra are specified in terms of first and second half-value layers in aluminum and acrylic. Conclusion: Lead equivalence is inadequate for completely specifying the protective value of garments. Measuring penetration through a garment using full scatter conditions is very difficult. The primary spectra determined in this work allow for practical primary penetration measurements to be made with equipment readily available to clinical medical physicists.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Performance portable ice-sheet modeling with MALI

High-resolution simulations of polar ice sheets play a crucial role in the ongoing effort to develop more accurate and reliable Earth system models for probabilistic sea-level projections. These simulations often require a massive amount of memory and computation from large supercomputing clusters to provide sufficient accuracy and resolution; therefore, it has become essential to ensure performance on these platforms. Many of today’s supercomputers contain a diverse set of computing architectures and require specific programming interfaces in order to obtain optimal efficiency. In an effort to avoid architecture-specific programming and maintain productivity across platforms, the ice-sheet modeling code known as MPAS-Albany Land Ice (MALI) uses high-level abstractions to integrate Trilinos libraries and the Kokkos programming model for performance portable code across a variety of different architectures. In this article, we analyze the performance portable features of MALI via a performance analysis on current CPU-based and GPU-based supercomputers. The analysis highlights not only the performance portable improvements made in finite element assembly and multigrid preconditioning within MALI with speedups between 1.26 and 1.82x across CPU and GPU architectures but also identifies the need to further improve performance in software coupling and preconditioning on GPUs. We perform a weak scalability study and show that simulations on GPU-based machines perform 1.24–1.92x faster when utilizing the GPUs. The best performance is found in finite element assembly, which achieved a speedup of up to 8.65x and a weak scaling efficiency of 82.6% with GPUs. We additionally describe an automated performance testing framework developed for this code base using a changepoint detection method. The framework is used to make actionable decisions about performance within MALI. We provide several concrete examples of scenarios in which the framework has identified performance regressions, improvements, and algorithm differences over the course of 2 years of development.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2009

Austere Human Missions to Mars

The Design Reference Architecture 5 (DRA 5) is the most recent concept developed by NASA to send humans to Mars in the 2030 time frame using Constellation Program elements. DRA 5 is optimized to meet a specific set of requirements that would provide for a robust exploration program to deliver a new six-person crew at each biennial Mars opportunity and provide for power and infrastructure to maintain a highly capable continuing human presence on Mars. This paper examines an alternate architecture that is scaled back from DRA 5 and might offer lower development cost, lower flight cost, and lower development risk. It is recognized that a mission set using this approach would not meet all the current Constellation Mars mission requirements; however, this 'austere' architecture may represent a minimum mission set that would be acceptable from a science and exploration standpoint. The austere approach is driven by a philosophy of minimizing high risk or high cost technology development and maximizing development and production commonality in order to achieve a program that could be sustained in a flat-funded budget environment. Key features that would enable a lower technology implementation are as follows: using a blunt-body entry vehicle having no deployable decelerators, utilizing aerobraking rather than aerocapture for placing the crewed element into low Mars orbit, avoiding the use of liquid hydrogen with its low temperature and large volume issues, using standard bipropellant propulsion for the landers and ascent vehicle, and using radioisotope surface power systems rather than a nuclear reactor or large area deployable solar arrays. Flat funding within the expected NASA budget for a sustained program could be facilitated by alternating cargo and crew launches for the biennial Mars opportunities. This would result in two assembled vehicles leaving Earth orbit for Mars per Mars opportunity. The first opportunity would send two cargo landers to the Mars surface to preposition a habitat, supplies, and exploration equipment. The next opportunity, two years later, would send to Mars orbit 1) a lander with a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) and 2) a crewed Mars Transit Habitat with an Orion CEV for Earth return. The following opportunity, two years after the first crew, would go back to cargo-only launches. This alternation of cargo and crew opportunities results in a sustainable launch rate of six Ares V launches every two years. It is notable that four of the six launches per Mars opportunity are identical, build-to-print, Tran-Mars Injection stages. This type of production rate could lend itself well to a COTStype service provider, and would make it feasible to have a live spare in place in the event of a single launch failure.

landers↗
DOE OSTI2022

On the Convergence of Overlapping Schwarz Decomposition for Nonlinear Optimal Control

Here, we study the convergence properties of an overlapping Schwarz decomposition algorithm for solving nonlinear optimal control problems (OCPs). The algorithm decomposes the time domain into a set of overlapping subdomains, and solves all subproblems defined over subdomains in parallel. The convergence is attained by updating primal-dual information at the boundaries of overlapping subdomains. We show that the algorithm exhibits local linear convergence, and that the convergence rate improves exponentially with the overlap size. We also establish global convergence results for a general quadratic programming, which enables the application of the Schwarz scheme inside second-order optimization algorithms (e.g., sequential quadratic programming). The theoretical foundation of our convergence analysis is a sensitivity result of nonlinear OCPs, which we call "exponential decay of sensitivity" (EDS). Intuitively, EDS states that the impact of perturbations at domain boundaries (i.e., initial and terminal time) on the solution decays exponentially as one moves into the domain. Here, we expand a previous analysis available in the literature by showing that EDS holds for both primal and dual solutions of nonlinear OCPs, under uniform second-order sufficient condition, controllability condition, and boundedness condition. We conduct experiments with a quadrotor motion planning problem and a partial differential equations (PDE) control problem to validate our theory, and show that the approach is significantly more efficient than alternating direction method of multipliers and as efficient as the centralized interior-point solver.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2002

Overall Traveling-Wave-Tube Efficiency Improved By Optimized Multistage Depressed Collector Design

Depressed Collector Design The microwave traveling wave tube (TWT) is used widely for space communications and high-power airborne transmitting sources. One of the most important features in designing a TWT is overall efficiency. Yet, overall TWT efficiency is strongly dependent on the efficiency of the electron beam collector, particularly for high values of collector efficiency. For these reasons, the NASA Glenn Research Center developed an optimization algorithm based on simulated annealing to quickly design highly efficient multistage depressed collectors (MDC's). Simulated annealing is a strategy for solving highly nonlinear combinatorial optimization problems. Its major advantage over other methods is its ability to avoid becoming trapped in local minima. Simulated annealing is based on an analogy to statistical thermodynamics, specifically the physical process of annealing: heating a material to a temperature that permits many atomic rearrangements and then cooling it carefully and slowly, until it freezes into a strong, minimum-energy crystalline structure. This minimum energy crystal corresponds to the optimal solution of a mathematical optimization problem. The TWT used as a baseline for optimization was the 32-GHz, 10-W, helical TWT developed for the Cassini mission to Saturn. The method of collector analysis and design used was a 2-1/2-dimensional computational procedure that employs two types of codes, a large signal analysis code and an electron trajectory code. The large signal analysis code produces the spatial, energetic, and temporal distributions of the spent beam entering the MDC. An electron trajectory code uses the resultant data to perform the actual collector analysis. The MDC was optimized for maximum MDC efficiency and minimum final kinetic energy of all collected electrons (to reduce heat transfer). The preceding figure shows the geometric and electrical configuration of an optimized collector with an efficiency of 93.8 percent. The results show the improvement in collector efficiency from 89.7 to 93.8 percent, resulting in an increase of three overall efficiency points. In addition, the time to design a highly efficient MDC was reduced from a month to a few days. All work was done in-house at Glenn for the High Rate Data Delivery Program. Future plans include optimizing the MDC and TWT interaction circuit in tandem to further improve overall TWT efficiency.

Vaden, Karl R.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Compiling Adiabatic Quantum Programs

We develop a non-cooperative game-theoretic model for the problem of graph minor-embedding to show that optimal compiling of adiabatic quantum programs in the sense of Nash equilibrium is possible.

Khan, Faisal Shah↗
DOE OSTI2015

An ILP based Algorithm for Optimal Customer Selection for Demand Response in SmartGrids

Demand Response (DR) events are initiated by utilities during peak demand periods to curtail consumption. They ensure system reliability and minimize the utility’s expenditure. Selection of the right customers and strategies is critical for a DR event. An effective DR scheduling algorithm minimizes the curtailment error which is the absolute difference between the achieved curtailment value and the target. State-of-the-art heuristics exist for customer selection, however their curtailment errors are unbounded and can be as high as 70%. In this work, we develop an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulation for optimally selecting customers and curtailment strategies that minimize the curtailment error during DR events in SmartGrids. We perform experiments on real world data obtained from the University of Southern California’s SmartGrid and show that our algorithm achieves near exact curtailment values with errors in the range of 10 -7 to 10 -5 , which are within the range of numerical errors. We compare our results against the state-of-the-art heuristic being deployed in practice in the USC SmartGrid. We show that for the same set of available customer strategy pairs our algorithm performs 103 to 107 times better in terms of the curtailment errors incurred.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2014

Computing single step operators of logic programming in radial basis function neural networks

Logic programming is the process that leads from an original formulation of a computing problem to executable programs. A normal logic program consists of a finite set of clauses. A valuation I of logic programming is a mapping from ground atoms to false or true. The single step operator of any logic programming is defined as a function (T{sub p}:I→I). Logic programming is well-suited to building the artificial intelligence systems. In this study, we established a new technique to compute the single step operators of logic programming in the radial basis function neural networks. To do that, we proposed a new technique to generate the training data sets of single step operators. The training data sets are used to build the neural networks. We used the recurrent radial basis function neural networks to get to the steady state (the fixed point of the operators). To improve the performance of the neural networks, we used the particle swarm optimization algorithm to train the networks.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Integration of graphical approaches into optimization-based design of multistage liquid extraction

We propose two optimization models for designing two liquid extraction systems: simple multistage liquid extractors and extractors with extract reflux. Both models are motivated by the concepts of the modified McCabe-Thiele graphical method for multistage extractor design. The operating and equilibrium curves in the McCabe-Thiele method are represented by material balances and piece-wise linearized thermodynamics properties. The use of piece-wise approximations improves computational tractability of both optimization models. In addition, we consider some extensions such as dilute systems, insoluble solvents, and non-ideal stages. In conclusion, the applicability of the proposed models is demonstrated with four illustrative examples.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

mpi-sppy: Optimization Under Uncertainty for Pyomo

We introduce a new Pyomo extension for optimization under uncertainty, mpi-sppy. This extension allows for the mixing of, and sharing of information between, various algorithmic approaches for optimization under uncertainty. We will discuss the underlying architecture and assess the performance and scalability of mpi-sppy on various systems, including HPC clusters.

27 ARPA - Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy↗
DOE OSTI2022

Robust trajectory-constrained frequency control for microgrids considering model linearization error

Grid supportive modes integrated within inverter-based resources can improve the frequency response of renewable-rich microgrids. The synthesis of grid supportive modes to guarantee frequency trajectory constraints under a predefined disturbance set is challenging but essential. To tackle this challenge, a numerical optimal control (NOC)-based control synthesis methodology is proposed. Without loss of generality, a wind-diesel fed microgrid is studied, where we aim to design grid supportive functions in the wind turbine. In the control design, linearized models are used, and the linearization-induced errors are quantitatively analyzed by reachability and interval arithmetics and represented in the form of interval uncertainties. Then, the NOC problem can be formulated into a robust mixed-integer linear program. The control structure is strategically configured into two levels to realize online deployment. The proposed control is verified on the modified 33-node microgrid with a full-order three-phase nonlinear model in Simulink. In conclusion, the simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed control paradigm and the necessity of considering linearization-induced uncertainty.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS1974

A users manual for a computer program which calculates time optical geocentric transfers using solar or nuclear electric and high thrust propulsion

This manual is a guide for using a computer program which calculates time optimal trajectories for high-and low-thrust geocentric transfers. Either SEP or NEP may be assumed and a one or two impulse, fixed total delta V, initial high thrust phase may be included. Also a single impulse of specified delta V may be included after the low thrust state. The low thrust phase utilizes equinoctial orbital elements to avoid the classical singularities and Kryloff-Boguliuboff averaging to help insure more rapid computation time. The program is written in FORTRAN 4 in double precision for use on an IBM 360 computer. The manual includes a description of the problem treated, input/output information, examples of runs, and source code listings.

Sackett, L. L.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Fuzzy Adaptive Control for Intelligent Autonomous Space Exploration Problems

The principal objective of the research reported here is the re-design, analysis and optimization of our newly developed neural network fuzzy adaptive controller model for complex processes capable of learning fuzzy control rules using process data and improving its control through on-line adaption. The learned improvement is according to a performance objective function that provides evaluative feedback; this performance objective is broadly defined to meet long-range goals over time. Although fuzzy control had proven effective for complex, nonlinear, imprecisely-defined processes for which standard models and controls are either inefficient, impractical or cannot be derived, the state of the art prior to our work showed that procedures for deriving fuzzy control, however, were mostly ad hoc heuristics. The learning ability of neural networks was exploited to systematically derive fuzzy control and permit on-line adaption and in the process optimize control. The operation of neural networks integrates very naturally with fuzzy logic. The neural networks which were designed and tested using simulation software and simulated data, followed by realistic industrial data were reconfigured for application on several platforms as well as for the employment of improved algorithms. The statistical procedures of the learning process were investigated and evaluated with standard statistical procedures (such as ANOVA, graphical analysis of residuals, etc.). The computational advantage of dynamic programming-like methods of optimal control was used to permit on-line fuzzy adaptive control. Tests for the consistency, completeness and interaction of the control rules were applied. Comparisons to other methods and controllers were made so as to identify the major advantages of the resulting controller model. Several specific modifications and extensions were made to the original controller. Additional modifications and explorations have been proposed for further study. Some of these are in progress in our laboratory while others await additional support. All of these enhancements will improve the attractiveness of the controller as an effective tool for the on line control of an array of complex process environments.

Esogbue, Augustine O.↗
DOE OSTI2020

A General Framework for Bounding Approximate Dynamic Programming Schemes

For years, there has been interest in approximation methods for solving dynamic programming problems, because of the inherent complexity in computing optimal solutions characterized by Bellman’s principle of optimality. A wide range of approximate dynamic programming (ADP) methods now exists. It is of great interest to guarantee that the performance of an ADP scheme be at least some known fraction, say ß , of optimal. This letter introduces a general approach to bounding the performance of ADP methods, in this sense, in the stochastic setting. The approach is based on new results for bounding greedy solutions in string optimization problems, where one has to choose a string (ordered set) of actions to maximize an objective function. This bounding technique is inspired by submodularity theory, but submodularity is not required for establishing bounds. Instead, the bounding is based on quantifying certain notions of curvature of string functions; the smaller the curvatures the better the bound. The key insight is that any ADP scheme is a greedy scheme for some surrogate string objective function that coincides in its optimal solution and value with those of the original optimal control problem. The ADP scheme then yields to the bounding technique mentioned above, and the curvatures of the surrogate objective determine the value ß of the bound. The surrogate objective and its curvatures depend on the specific ADP.

discrete event systems↗