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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Testing and Performance Validation of a Sensitive Gamma Ray Camera Designed for Radiation Detection and Decommissioning Measurements in Nuclear Facilities-13044

This paper describes the measurements, testing and performance validation of a sensitive gamma ray camera designed for radiation detection and quantification in the environment and decommissioning and hold-up measurements in nuclear facilities. The instrument, which is known as RadSearch, combines a sensitive and highly collimated LaBr{sub 3} scintillation detector with an optical (video) camera with controllable zoom and focus and a laser range finder in one detector head. The LaBr{sub 3} detector has a typical energy resolution of between 2.5% and 3% at the 662 keV energy of Cs-137 compared to that of NaI detectors with a resolution of typically 7% to 8% at the same energy. At this energy the tungsten shielding of the detector provides a shielding ratio of greater than 900:1 in the forward direction and 100:1 on the sides and from the rear. The detector head is mounted on a pan/tile mechanism with a range of motion of ±180 degrees (pan) and ±90 degrees (tilt) equivalent to 4 π steradians. The detector head with pan/tilt is normally mounted on a tripod or wheeled cart. It can also be mounted on vehicles or a mobile robot for access to high dose-rate areas and areas with high levels of contamination. Ethernet connects RadSearch to a ruggedized notebook computer from which it is operated and controlled. Power can be supplied either as 24-volts DC from a battery or as 50 volts DC supplied by a small mains (110 or 230 VAC) power supply unit that is co-located with the controlling notebook computer. In this latter case both power and Ethernet are supplied through a single cable that can be up to 80 metres in length. If a local battery supplies power, the unit can be controlled through wireless Ethernet. Both manual operation and automatic scanning of surfaces and objects is available through the software interface on the notebook computer. For each scan element making up a part of an overall scanned area, the unit measures a gamma ray spectrum. Multiple radionuclides may be selected by the operator and will be identified if present. In scanning operation the unit scans a designated region and superimposes over a video image the distribution of measured radioactivity. For the total scanned area or object RadSearch determines the total activity of operator selected radionuclides present and the gamma dose-rate measured at the detector head. Results of hold-up measurements made in a nuclear facility are presented, as are test measurements of point sources distributed arbitrarily on surfaces. These latter results are compared with the results of benchmarked MCNP Monte Carlo calculations. The use of the device for hold-up and decommissioning measurements is validated. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Excited states of Ca 39 and their significance in nova nucleosynthesis

Background: We report that discrepancies exist between the observed abundances of argon and calcium in oxygen-neon nova ejecta and those predicted by nova models. An improved characterization of the 38 K(p,γ) 39 Ca reaction rate over the nova temperature regime (~ 0.1-0.4 GK), and thus the nuclear structure of 39 Ca above the proton threshold (5770.92(63) keV), is necessary to resolve these contradictions. Purpose: The present study was performed to search for low-spin proton resonances in the 38 K + p system, and to improve the uncertainties in energies of the known astrophysically significant proton resonances in 39 Ca. Methods: The level structure of 39 Ca was investigated via high-resolution charged-particle spectroscopy with an Enge split-pole spectrograph using the 40 Ca( 3 He, α) 39 Ca reaction. Differential cross sections were measured over 6 laboratory angles at 21 MeV. Distorted-wave Born approximation calculations were performed to constrain the spin-parity assignments of observed levels with special attention to those significant in determination of the 38 K(p,γ) 39 Ca reaction rate over the nova temperature regime. Results: The resonance energies corresponding to two out of three astrophysically important states at 6154(5) and 6472.2(24) keV are measured with better precision than previous charged-particle spectroscopy measurements. A tentatively new state is discovered at 5908(3) keV. The spin-parity assignments of a few of the astrophysically important resonances are determined. Conclusions: Lastly, the present 38 K(p,γ) 39 Ca upper limit thermonuclear reaction rate at 0.1-0.4 GK is higher than that determined in [Physical Review C 97 (2018) 025802] by at most a factor of 1.4 at 0.1 GK.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

SE2-ANL Subchannel Analysis with New Heating Calculation Based on VARIANT Transport Code

The multi-assembly, steady-state sub-channel analysis code SE2-ANL has been widely used in thermal-hydraulic analysis of sodium cooled fast reactors (SFR). It is used to compute the core-wide temperature profiles for a given flow distribution and to determine the assembly flow rates yielding a desired (assembly-wise) peak temperature distribution. It is a modified version of SUPERENERGY-2 coupled with the DIF3D/GAMSOR/DIF3D procedure for coupled neutron and gamma heating calculations, developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). In the current version of SE2-ANL, the neutron and gamma fluxes are calculated using the finite-difference diffusion theory option of the DIF3D code with six triangular meshes per hexagonal assembly. In addition, the pin power distributions are estimated by assuming that the power distribution within an assembly is separable in the radial and axial directions. Furthermore, the total heat generation rate in an assembly duct wall is simply determined by a user-specified fraction of the total gamma heating within that assembly. In order to determine the pin power distributions more accurately by eliminating these limitations, a new coupled heating calculation procedure has recently developed based on the neutron and gamma transport calculations with the VARIANT code. For this, the GAMSOR code has been extended to generate the intra-nodal gamma source distribution to be consistent with the trial functions of VARIANT. Using the computed neutron and gamma flux distributions, the power distribution in each fuel pin and duct wall is determined using a new utility code CURVE, which has been developed to evaluate the VARIANT flux solution at the center of each fuel pin and along the duct mid-wall. For each pin segment contained in a VARIANT node, the axial power shape is represented as a quadratic profile. The SE2-ANL code has been modified to interface with the new, coupled neutron and gamma heating calculation scheme. In addition, several improvements have been made on the computational methods and models of SE2-ANL. To eliminate the limit on the axial mesh size due to the numerical instability problem of the current explicit scheme, the numerical scheme for discretizing the energy equation in the axial direction has been changed to the {theta}-method of the SLTHEN code. An automated flow allocation scheme has also been implemented in SE2-ANL to determine assembly flow rates such that the peak cladding mid-wall temperatures of individual orifice zones are equalized over the burn cycle. The impacts of the new heating calculation scheme based on VARIANT transport solutions on the cladding and fuel temperatures have been tested against the existing method of SE2-ANL. Using the existing and new heating calculation schemes, full-core subchannel analyses were performed for the metal core design of the 1000 MWt Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR-1000), and the resulting coolant, cladding and fuel temperatures were compared. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS2006

Coherent Detection of High-Rate Optical PPM Signals

A method of coherent detection of high-rate pulse-position modulation (PPM) on a received laser beam has been conceived as a means of reducing the deleterious effects of noise and atmospheric turbulence in free-space optical communication using focal-plane detector array technologies. In comparison with a receiver based on direct detection of the intensity modulation of a PPM signal, a receiver based on the present method of coherent detection performs well at much higher background levels. In principle, the coherent-detection receiver can exhibit quantum-limited performance despite atmospheric turbulence. The key components of such a receiver include standard receiver optics, a laser that serves as a local oscillator, a focal-plane array of photodetectors, and a signal-processing and data-acquisition assembly needed to sample the focal-plane fields and reconstruct the pulsed signal prior to detection. The received PPM-modulated laser beam and the local-oscillator beam are focused onto the photodetector array, where they are mixed in the detection process. The two lasers are of the same or nearly the same frequency. If the two lasers are of different frequencies, then the coherent detection process is characterized as heterodyne and, using traditional heterodyne-detection terminology, the difference between the two laser frequencies is denoted the intermediate frequency (IF). If the two laser beams are of the same frequency and remain aligned in phase, then the coherent detection process is characterized as homodyne (essentially, heterodyne detection at zero IF). As a result of the inherent squaring operation of each photodetector, the output current includes an IF component that contains the signal modulation. The amplitude of the IF component is proportional to the product of the local-oscillator signal amplitude and the PPM signal amplitude. Hence, by using a sufficiently strong local-oscillator signal, one can make the PPM-modulated IF signal strong enough to overcome thermal noise in the receiver circuits: this is what makes it possible to achieve near-quantum-limited detection in the presence of strong background. Following quantum-limited coherent detection, the outputs of the individual photodetectors are automatically aligned in phase by use of one or more adaptive array compensation algorithms [e.g., the least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm]. Then the outputs are combined and the resulting signal is processed to extract the high-rate information, as though the PPM signal were received by a single photodetector. In a continuing series of experiments to test this method (see Fig. 1), the local oscillator has a wavelength of 1,064 nm, and another laser is used as a signal transmitter at a slightly different wavelength to establish an IF of about 6 MHz. There are 16 photodetectors in a 4 4 focal-plane array; the detector outputs are digitized at a sampling rate of 25 MHz, and the signals in digital form are combined by use of the LMS algorithm. Convergence of the adaptive combining algorithm in the presence of simulated atmospheric turbulence for optical PPM signals has already been demonstrated in the laboratory; the combined output is shown in Fig. 2(a), and Fig. 2(b) shows the behavior of the phase of the combining weights as a function of time (or samples). We observe that the phase of the weights has a sawtooth shape due to the continuously changing phase in the down-converted output, which is not exactly at zero frequency. Detailed performance analysis of this coherent free-space optical communication system in the presence of simulated atmospheric turbulence is currently under way.

Vilnrotter, Victor↗
DOE OSTI2017

Rechargeable Aluminum-Ion Batteries Based on an Open-Tunnel Framework

Rechargeable batteries based on an abundant metal such as aluminum with a three-electron transfer per atom are promising for large-scale electrochemical energy storage. Aluminum can be handled in air, thus offering superior safety, easy fabrication, and low cost. But, the development of Al-ion batteries has been challenging due to the difficulties in identifying suitable cathode materials. This study presents the use of a highly open framework Mo 2.5 + y VO 9 + z as a cathode for Al-ion batteries. The open-tunnel oxide allows a facile diffusion of the guest species and provides sufficient redox centers to help redistribute the charge within the local host lattice during the multivalent-ion insertion, thus leading to good rate capability with a specific capacity among the highest reported in the literature for Al-based batteries. Our study also presents the use of Mo 2.5 + y VO 9 + z as a model host to develop a novel ultrafast technique for chemical insertion of Al ions into host structures. The microwave-assisted method employing diethylene glycol and aluminum diacetate (Al(OH)(C 2 H 3 O 2 ) 2 ) can be performed in air in as little as 30 min, which is far superior to the traditional chemical insertion techniques involving moisture-sensitive organometallic reagents. The Al-inserted Al x Mo 2.5 + y VO 9 + z obtained by the microwave-assisted chemical insertion can be used in Al-based rechargeable batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Sodium Manganese Ferrocyanide by Na 3 (VOPO 4 ) 2 F Coating for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Sodium manganese ferrocyanide Na x Mn[Fe(CN) 6 ] y is an attractive cathode material for sodium-ion batteries. However, NaxMn[Fe(CN) 6 ] y prepared by simple coprecipitation of Mn 2+ and [Fe(CN) 6 ] 4– usually shows poor cycling performance, which hinders its practical application. In this work, electrochemical performance of a Na 1.6 Mn[Fe(CN) 6 ] 0.9 (PBM) sample prepared by the simple precipitation method was greatly improved by coating with Na 3 (VOPO 4 ) 2 F (NVOPF) via a solution precipitation method. The as-prepared PBM@NVOPF with a coating quantity of 2.0% molar ratio showed enhanced rate capability and superior cyclic stability. The discharge capacities of PBM@NVOPF were 101.5 mA h g –1 (1 C) and 91.4 mA h g –1 (10 C), with a capacity retention of 84.3% after 500 cycles at 1 C, 20 °C. It also exhibited excellent cyclic stability at elevated temperature with an initial capacity of 109.5 mA h g –1 and a capacity retention of 78.8% after 200 cycles at 1 C, 55 °C. In comparison, uncoated PBM showed a discharge capacity of 105.7 mA h g–1 (1 C) and 76.7 mA h g –1 (10 C), with a capacity retention of only 42.0% after 500 cycles at 1 C, 20 °C. The high-temperature performance of bare PBM was very poor, and the capacity retention was only 35.7% after 40 cycles because of serious Mn/Fe dissolution which caused structural deterioration of PBM. NVOPF coating protected the PBM from suffering corrosion in the electrolyte, thus ensured the framework stability of PBM during long-term cycling and contributed to the excellent electrochemical performance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-T-13: Transit Dose Comparisons for Co-60 and Ir-192 HDR Sources

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the transit dose due to the movement of high dose rate (HDR) Ir-192 and Co-60 sources along the transfer tube. This is performed by evaluating air-kerma differences in the vicinity of the transfer tube when both sources are moved with the same velocity from a HDR brachytherapy afterloader into a patient. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations have been performed using PENELOPE2014. mHDR-v2 and Flexisource sources have been considered. Collisional kerma has been scored. The sources were simulated within a plastic catheter located in an infinite air phantom. The movement of the seed was included by displacing their positions along the connecting catheter from z=−75 cm to z=+75 cm and combining them. Backscatter from the afterloader and the patient was not considered. Since modern afterloaders like Flexitron (Elekta) or Saginova (Bebig) are able to use equally Ir-192 and Co-60 sources it was assumed that both sources are displaced with equal speed. Typical content activity values were provided by the manufacturer (460 GBq for Ir-192 and 75 GBq for Co-60). Results: 2D distributions were obtained with type-A uncertainties (k=2) less than 0.01%. From those, the air kerma ratio Co-60/Ir-192 was evaluated weighted by their corresponding activities. It was found that it varies slowly with distance (less than 10% variation) but strongly in time due to the shorter half-life of the Ir-192 (73.83 days). The maximum ratio is located close to the catheter with a value of 0.57 when both sources are installed by the manufacturer, while increasing up to 1.25 at the end of the recommended working life (90 days) of the Ir-192 source. Conclusion: Air-kerma ratios are almost constant (0.51–0.57) in the vicinity of the source. Nevertheless, air-kerma ratios increase rapidly whenever the Ir-192 is approaching the end of its life.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Establishing the Framework for e-VTOL Flight Mission Scenario Development for Urban Air Mobility Research using Cognitive Task Analysis

This paper focuses on applying specific protocol aspects of Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) methods to formulate non-routine flight mission use-case scenarios in support of a potential research study at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center under the Air Traffic Management – eXploration (ATM-X) Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sub-project. The objective of use-case scenarios is to provide a hypothetical situation to elicit expert knowledge and feedback in a specific subject matter area. Use-case scenarios in the field of aviation, including UAM, can help to support the safe integration of these vehicles into the National Airspace System (NAS) through the examination of airspace procedures during non-routine events. Inherent in this type of research is the need to study in-flight non-routine scenarios that the UAM vehicle could encounter. Situations categorized as non-routine events are any events that occur outside of the original flight plan such as a mechanical malfunction or other in-flight emergency requiring special procedures, which can include diversions to a specified, or non-specified, emergency landing area. In specific instances, some non-routine events could be considered as “routine” during in-flight operations, such as the need to perform a go-around due to a balked landing. As the rate of technological expansion surrounding UAM grows rapidly in modern aviation, so does the need for research that focuses on the safe integration of these vehicles including research with a focus on the methods and development of airspace operational procedures. Research rooted in CTA methods provides a framework for developing use-case scenarios appropriate for environments where mental demands are substantial. Substantial mental demands exist while operating in the NAS for pilots, airline dispatchers, and air traffic controllers among many others. With the focus on UAM in mind, it is critical to frame a baseline use-case scenario using information as it pertains to current-day airspace operations. According to Dr. Robert R. Hoffman’s “Protocols for Cognitive Task Analysis,” one of the first steps to applying CTA methods to research is the concept of “bootstrapping” in which the researcher(s) familiarize themselves with the domain that is being studied. To formulate the non-routine flight mission use-case scenarios for the purpose of this potential NASA ATM-X UAM research study, and to inform the baseline use-case scenario, the practice of bootstrapping was utilized to acquire knowledge of current-day airspace procedures.

Heidi S Glaudel↗
DOE OSTI2019

Extended virtual element method for the Laplace problem with singularities and discontinuities

In this paper, we propose the extended virtual element method (X-VEM) to treat singularities and crack discontinuities that arise in the Laplace problem. The virtual element method (VEM) is a stabilized Galerkin formulation on arbitrary polytopal meshes, wherein the basis functions are implicit (virtual)—they are not known explicitly nor do they need to be computed within the problem domain. In this work, suitable projection operators are used to decompose the bilinear form on each element into two parts: a consistent term that reproduces the first-order polynomial space and a correction term that ensures stability. A similar approach is pursued in the X-VEM with a few notable extensions. To capture singularities and discontinuities in the discrete space, we augment the standard virtual element space with an additional contribution that consists of the product of virtual nodal basis (partition-of-unity) functions with enrichment functions. For discontinuities, basis functions are discontinuous across the crack and for singularities a weakly singular enrichment function that satisfies the Laplace equation is chosen. For the Laplace problem with a singularity, we devise an extended projector that maps functions that lie in the extended virtual element space onto linear polynomials and the enrichment function, whereas for the discontinuous problem, the consistent element stiffness matrix has a block-structure that is readily computed. An adaptive homogeneous numerical integration method is used to accurately and efficiently (no element-partitioning is required) compute integrals with integrands that are weakly singular. Once the element projection matrix is computed, the same steps as in the standard VEM are followed to compute the element stabilization matrix. Numerical experiments are performed on quadrilateral and polygonal (convex and nonconvex elements) meshes for the problem of an $\textit{L}$-shaped domain with a corner singularity and the problem of a cracked membrane under mode III loading, and results are presented that affirm the sound accuracy and demonstrate the optimal rates of convergence in the $\textit{L}^2$ norm and energy of the proposed method.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2015

In-situ tube burst testing and high-temperature deformation behavior of candidate materials for accident tolerant fuel cladding

The high resistance of cladding to plastic deformation and burst failure is one of the most essential properties of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for maintaining structural integrity during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) since the deformation and burst behavior governs the cooling efficiency of flow channels and process of fission product release. To simulate and evaluate such deformation and burst process of thin-walled cladding, an in-situ testing and evaluation method has been developed on the basis of visual imaging and image analysis techniques. The method uses a specialized optics system consisted of a high-resolution video camera, light filtering unit, and monochromatic light sources, and the in-situ testing is performed using a 50 mm long pressurized thin-walled tubular specimen set in a programmable furnace. In this study eleven (11) candidate cladding materials for ATF, i.e., 6 FeCrAl alloys and 5 nanostructured steels, were tested using the newly developed method, and the time-dependent images were analyzed to produce detailed deformation and burst data such as true hoop stress, strain (creep) rate, and failure stress. Relatively soft FeCrAl alloys deformed and burst below 800°C while negligible strain rates were measured for higher strength alloys and/or for relatively thick wall specimens.

Gussev, Maxim N.↗
DOE OSTI2016

WE-DE-201-09: Performance of HDR Ring Surface Applicator Printed by 3D Printer

Purpose: The commercially available Leipzig-style Cone for High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy has a steep depth dose curve and a non-uniform dose distribution. This work shows the performance of a Ring Surface Applicator created using a 3D printer that can generate a better dose distribution. Calculated doses were verified with film measurement. Methods: The water equivalent red-ABS plastic was used to print the Ring Surface Applicator which hosts three catheters: a center piece with a straight catheter and two concentric rings with diameters of 3.5 and 5.5 cm. Gafchromic EBT2 film, Epson Expression 10000 flatbed scanner, and the online software at radiochromic.com were used to analyze the measured data. 10cm×10cm piece of film was sandwiched between two 15×10×5cm3 polystyrene phantoms. The applicator was positioned directly on top of the phantom. Measurement was done using dwell time and positions calculated by Eclipse BrachyVision treatment planning system (RTP). Results: Depth dose curve was generated from the plan and measurement. The results show that the measured and calculated depth dose were in agreement (<3%) from surface to 4mm depth. A discrepancy of 6% was observed at 5 mm depth, where the dose is typically prescribed to. For depths deeper than 5 mm, the measured doses were lower than those calculated by Eclipse BrachyVision. This can be attributed to a combination of simple calculation algorithm using TG-43 and the lack of inhomogeneity correction. Dose profiles at 5 mm depth were also generated from TPS calculation and measured with film. The measured and calculated profiles are similar. Consistent with the depth dose curve, the measured dose is lower than the calculated. Conclusion: Our results showed that the Ring Surface Applicator, printed using 3D printer, can generate more uniform dose distribution within the target volume and can be safely used in the clinic.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Improved solar-driven photocatalytic performance of Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/(BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} prepared in-situ

Highlights: • Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/(BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} photocatalysts were prepared in-situ. • The photo-induced charge separation rate has been greatly increased. • The photocatalytic activity has been greatly promoted. - Abstract: Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/(BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} composites have been fabricated in-situ via a facile parallel flaw co-precipitation method. The specific surface area, structure, morphology, and the separation rate of photo-induced charge pairs of the photocatalysts were characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy(DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy, respectively. XRD patterns and DRS demonstrated that Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} has no effect on the crystal phase and bandgap of (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3}. The existence of Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3} in the composites enhances the separation rate of photo-induced charge pairs of the photocatalysts. The photocatalytic performance of Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/(BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} was evaluated by the decolorization of methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution under simulated solar irradiation. It was found that the simulated solar-induced photocatalytic activity of Ag{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/(BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} copmposites was significantly improved, which was mainly attributed to the enhanced surface area and the separation rate of photo-induced charge pairs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

The Development of an INL Capability for High Temperature Flow, Heat Transfer, and Thermal Energy Storage with Applications in Advanced Small Modular Reactors, High Temperature Heat Exchangers, Hybrid Energy Systems, and Dynamic Grid Energy Storage C

The overall goal of this project is to support Idaho National Laboratory in developing a new advanced high temperature multi fluid multi loop test facility that is aimed at investigating fluid flow and heat transfer, material corrosion, heat exchanger characteristics and instrumentation performance, among others, for nuclear applications. Specifically, preliminary research has been performed at The Ohio State University in the following areas: 1. A review of fluoride molten salts’ characteristics in thermal, corrosive, and compatibility performances. A recommendation for a salt selection is provided. Material candidates for both molten salt and helium flow loop have been identified. 2. A conceptual facility design that satisfies the multi loop (two coolant loops [i.e., fluoride molten salts and helium]) multi purpose (two operation modes [i.e., forced and natural circulation]) requirements. Schematic models are presented. The thermal hydraulic performances in a preliminary printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) design have been estimated. 3. An introduction of computational methods and models for pipe heat loss analysis and cases studies. Recommendations on insulation material selection have been provided. 4. An analysis of pipe pressure rating and sizing. Preliminary recommendations on pipe size selection have been provided. 5. A review of molten fluoride salt preparation and chemistry control. An introduction to the experience from the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been provided. 6. A review of some instruments and components to be used in the facility. Flowmeters and Grayloc connectors have been included. This report primarily presents the conclusions drawn from the extensive review of literatures in material selections and the facility design progress at the current stage. It provides some useful guidelines in insulation material and pipe size selection, as well as an introductory review of facility process and components.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Fate of Manuscripts Rejected From the Red Journal

Purpose: To evaluate characteristics associated with higher rates of acceptance for original manuscripts submitted for publication to the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (IJROBP) and describe the fate of rejected manuscripts. Methods and Materials: Manuscripts submitted to the IJROBP from May 1, 2010, to August 31, 2010, and May 1, 2012, to August 31, 2012, were evaluated for author demographics and acceptance status. A PubMed search was performed for each IJROBP-rejected manuscript to ascertain whether the manuscript was ultimately published elsewhere. The Impact Factor of the accepting journal and the number of citations of the published manuscript were also collected. Results: Of the 500 included manuscripts, 172 (34.4%) were accepted and 328 (65.6%) were rejected. There was no significant difference in acceptance rates according to gender or degree of the submitting author, but there were significant differences seen based on the submitting author's country, rank, and h-index. On multivariate analysis, earlier year submitted (P<.0001) and higher author h-index (P=.006) remained significantly associated with acceptance into the IJROBP. Two hundred thirty-five IJROBP-rejected manuscripts (71.7%) were ultimately published in a PubMed-listed journal as of July 2014. There were no significant differences in any submitting author characteristics. Journals accepting IJROBP-rejected manuscripts had a lower median [interquartile range] 2013 impact factor compared with the IJROBP (2.45 [1.53-3.71] vs 4.176). The IJROBP-rejected manuscripts ultimately published elsewhere had a lower median [interquartile range] number of citations (1 [0-4] vs 6 [2-11]; P<.001), which persisted on multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The acceptance rate for manuscripts submitted to the IJROBP is approximately one-third, and approximately 70% of rejected manuscripts are ultimately published in other PubMed-listed journals, but these ultimate-destination journals usually have a lower impact factor, leading to fewer citations and overall visibility.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Microwave-assisted synthesis of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}–graphene sheet-on-sheet nanocomposites and electrochemical performances for lithium ion batteries

Highlights: • Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}–graphene nanocomposites are prepared by microwave irradiation method. • Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanosheets exhibit porous structure with the pore sizes of 3–6 nm. • The porous Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}–graphene nanocomposites show excellent electrochemical performance. • Synergistic effects of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} and graphene improve the electrochemical performance. - Abstract: Porous Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanosheets anchored on graphene nanosheets were synthesized by microwave irradiation method. The obtained Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}–graphene sheet-on-sheet nanocomposite as an anode material for LIBs demonstrates a high initial discharge capacity of 1359.6 mAh g{sup −1} with a Columbic efficiency of 72.7% at a rate of 100 mA g{sup −1}. Moreover, a significantly enhanced reversible capacity of ∼1036.9 mAh g{sup −1} is retained after 50 cycles, and the capacity can reincrease to 1068 mAh g{sup −1} when the current density returns back to 100 mA g{sup −1} after cycled at various rates for 50 cycles. The improved electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique architectures of the porous Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanosheets and the incorporation of graphene nanosheets. Therefore, this nanocomposite is widely considered to be an attractive candidate as an anode material for next-generation LIBs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Infections in patients using ventricular-assist devices: Comparison of the diagnostic performance of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT scan and leucocyte-labeled scintigraphy

Background: The usage of left-ventricular-assist device (LVAD) is increasing in patients presenting with advanced heart failure. However, device-related infections are a challenge to recognize and to treat, with an important morbidity and mortality rate. The role of nuclear medicine imaging remains not well established for LVAD infections. The present study compared the accuracy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography with {sup 18}F-fludeoxyglucose ({sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT) and radiolabeled leucocyte scintigraphy for the diagnosis of infections in patients supported with a continuous-flow LVAD. Methods: From a prospectively maintained database, we retrospectively analyzed the diagnostic performance of radiolabeled leucocyte scintigraphy and {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in 24 patients who had a LVAD with a suspected device-related infection. Both examinations were routinely performed in all patients. Infection was assessed by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation criteria. Results: Twenty-four patients were included: 15 had a specific VAD infection (5 cardiac-LVAD and 10 driveline), 6 had a VAD-related infection, while 3 patients had a non-VAD-related infection. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 95.2%, 66.7%, 95.2%, 66.7%, and 91.6%, respectively, for {sup 18}F-FDG-PET; and 71.4%, 100%, 100%, 33.3%, and 75%, respectively, for leucocyte scintigraphy. {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT showed significantly higher sensitivity (P = 0.01) than leucocyte scintigraphy. Conclusion: {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT and radiolabeled leucocyte scintigraphy single-photon emission computed tomography carry high performance in the diagnostic of LVAD infections. {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT shows significantly higher sensitivity and could be proposed as first-line nuclear medicine procedure. [French] French Abstract: Contexte: L’utilisation du dispositif d’assistance ventriculaire gauche (DAVG) est en utilisation croissante chez les patients avec insuffisance cardiaque avancée. Cependant, les infections liées au dispositif sont un défi à reconnaître et à traiter en raison d’ un taux de morbidité et de mortalité important. Le rôle de l’imagerie de médecine nucléaire n’est pas encore bien établi pour les infections secondaires au DAVG. La présente étude compare la précision de la tomographie par émission de positrons / tomodensitométrie au 18F-fluorodéoxyglucose (18F-FDG TEP/TDM) et la scintigraphie leucocytaire radio-marquée pour le diagnostic d’infections chez des patients porteurs par un DAVG à flux continu. Méthodes: A partir d’une base de données complétée de manière prospective nous avons analysé rétrospectivement les performances diagnostiques de la scintigraphie leucocytaire radio-marquée et de la TEP / TDM au 18F-FDG chez 24 patients ayant un DAVG avec une infection suspectée liée à l’appareillage. Les deux types d’examens scintigraphiques ont été systématiquement réalisé chez tous les patients. Le diagnostic d’infection fut établi selon les critères ISHLT. Résultats: Parmi les 24 patients inclus, 15 avaient une infection spécifique de l’appareillage AVG (5 au niveau de la pompe et/ou canule d’insertion myocardique) et 10 au niveau du driveline, 6 avaient une infection indirectement liée à l’appareillage AVG, tandis que 3 patients avaient une infection non liée au DAVG. La sensibilité, la spécificité, la valeur prédictive positive, la valeur prédictive négative et la précision étaient de 95,2%, 66,7%, 95,2%, 66,7% et 91,6%, respectivement, pour le 18F-FDG-PET et 71,4%, 100%, 100%, 33,3 %, et 75%, respectivement, pour la scintigraphie leucocytaire. La TEP / TDM au 18F-FDG a montré une sensitivité significativement plus élevée (p = 0,01) que la scintigraphie leucocytaire. Conclusion: 18F-FDG TEP/TDM et scintigraphie leucocytaire radio-marquée SPECT s’avèrent très efficaces pour le diagnostic des infections à DVAG. La TEP/TDM au 18F-FDG montre une sensibilité significativement plus élevée et pourrait être proposée en tant que la procédure de médecine nucléaire de premier choix. [Spanish] Spanish Abstract: Antecedentes: El uso de dispositivos de asistencia ventricular izquierda (DAVI) está incrementando en pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca avanzada. Sin embargo, las infecciones relacionadas al dispositivo representan un reto diagnóstico y de tratamiento, con una importante tasa de morbilidad y mortalidad. El papel de los estudios de imagen de medicina nuclear en las infecciones de DAVI no se ha establecido claramente. El presente estudio comparó la precisión de la tomografía por emisión de positrones/tomografía computada con {sup 18}F-fluorodesoxiglucosa ({sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT) y la gammagrafía con leucocitos marcados para el diagnóstico de infecciones en pacientes utilizando un DAVI de flujo continuo. Métodos: Desde una base de datos obtenida de manera prospectiva, analizamos de manera retrospectiva el rendimiento diagnóstico de la gammagrafía de leucocitos marcados y del {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT en 24 pacientes quienes tenían un DAVI con sospecha de infección relacionada al dispositivo. Ambos estudios fueron realizados rutinariamente en todos los pacientes. Se determinó la presencia de infección mediante los criterios de la ISHTL. Resultados: Se incluyeron veinticuatro pacientes, de los cuales 15 tuvieron una infección específica de DAV (5 con infecciones DAVI, y 10 con infección del driveline), 6 tuvieron una infección relacionada al DAV, y 3 pacientes tuvieron una infección no relacionada al DAV. La sensibilidad, especificidad, valor predictivo positivo, valor predictivo negativo y precisión diagnóstica fueron 95.2%, 66.7%, 95.2%, 66.7% y 91.6%, respectivamente para {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT, y 71.4%, 100%, 100%, 33.3% y 75%, respectivamente para la gammagrafía de leucocitos marcados. El {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT mostró una significativa mayor sensibilidad (p=0.01) que la gammagrafía con leucocitos marcados. Conclusión: El {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT y la gammagrafía de leucocitos marcados tienen un alto desempeño en el diagnóstico de infecciones de DAVI. El {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT muestra una significativa mayor sensibilidad y podría ser propuesto como el procedimiento de medicina nuclear de primera línea. [Chinese] Chinese Abstract: 背景: 左心室辅助装置 (LVAD) 越来越多的应用于重度心力衰竭患者。然而, 设备相关的感染有着重要的发病率和死亡率, 并且对其诊断和治疗均是一项挑战。对于 LVAD 相关感染, 核医学影像可扮演的角色一直没有完善。本研究针对装备有连续流式 LVAD 的感染病人,对比了 {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT 造影术和放射性标记白细胞闪烁扫描法对感染诊断的准确性。 方法: 从一个前瞻性的数据库, 入选了24名疑似设备感染的 LVAD 病人, 并回顾性的分析了放射性标记白细胞闪烁扫描法和 {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT 的诊断表现。所有病人都常规进行了上述两种检查。利用 ISHLT 标准对感染情况进行评估。 结果: 在入选的 24 名病人中, 15 名有明确的 VAD 感染 (5 名心脏的 LVAD 和 10 名动力传动系统装置), 6 名有 VAD 相关的感染,另外3名有 VAD 无关的感染。对于 {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT 诊断方法,其敏感性,特异性,阳性预测值,阴性预测值和准确率分别为: 95.2%, 66.7%, 95.2%, 66.7%, 和 91.6%; 而对于白细胞闪烁扫描诊断方法, 其敏感性, 特异性, 阳性预测值,阴性预测值和准确率分别为: 71.4%, 100%, 100%, 33.3% 和 75%。相比于白细胞闪烁扫描, {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT 明显展现出较高的敏感性 (p=0.01)。 结论: {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT 和白细胞闪烁扫描 SPECT 对于 LVAD 感染的诊断具有很好的表现。{sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT 展现出较高的敏感性,可以作为核医学的首要检查。.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
NASA NTRS1986

Q3DG: A computer program for strain-energy-release rates for delamination growth in composite laminates

The Q3DG is a computer program developed to perform a quasi-three-dimensional stress analysis for composite laminates which may contain delaminations. The laminates may be subjected to mechanical, thermal, and hygroscopic loads. The program uses the finite element method and models the laminates with eight-noded parabolic isoparametric elements. The program computes the strain-energy-release components and the total strain-energy release in all three modes for delamination growth. A rectangular mesh and data file generator, DATGEN, is included. The DATGEN program can be executed interactively and is user friendly. The documentation includes sections dealing with the Q3D analysis theory, derivation of element stiffness matrices and consistent load vectors for the parabolic element. Several sample problems with the input for Q3DG and output from the program are included. The capabilities of the DATGEN program are illustrated with examples of interactive sessions. A microfiche of all the examples is included. The Q3DG and DATGEN programs have been implemented on CYBER 170 class computers. Q3DG and DATGEN were developed at the Langley Research Center during the early eighties and documented in 1984 to 1985.

Raju, I. S.↗
DOE OSTI2016

WE-AB-BRA-09: Registration of Preoperative MRI to Intraoperative Radiographs for Automatic Vertebral Target Localization

Purpose: Accurate localization of target vertebrae is essential to safe, effective spine surgery, but wrong-level surgery occurs with surprisingly high frequency. Recent research yielded the “LevelCheck” method for 3D-2D registration of preoperative CT to intraoperative radiographs, providing decision support for level localization. We report a new method (MR-LevelCheck) to perform 3D-2D registration based on preoperative MRI, presenting a solution for the increasingly common scenario in which MRI (not CT) is used for preoperative planning. Methods: Direct extension of LevelCheck is confounded by large mismatch in image intensity between MRI and radiographs. The proposed method overcomes such challenges with a simple vertebrae segmentation. Using seed points at centroids, vertebrae are segmented using continuous max-flow method and dilated by 1.8 mm to include surrounding cortical bone (inconspicuous in T2w-MRI). MRI projections are computed (analogous to DRR) using segmentation and registered to intraoperative radiographs. The method was tested in a retrospective IRB-approved study involving 11 patients undergoing cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine surgery following preoperative MRI. Registration accuracy was evaluated in terms of projection-distance-error (PDE) between the true and estimated location of vertebrae in each radiograph. Results: The method successfully registered each preoperative MRI to intraoperative radiographs and maintained desirable properties of robustness against image content mismatch, and large capture range. Segmentation achieved Dice coefficient = 89.2 ± 2.3 and mean-absolute-distance (MAD) = 1.5 ± 0.3 mm. Registration demonstrated robust performance under realistic patient variations, with PDE = 4.0 ± 1.9 mm (median ± iqr) and converged with run-time = 23.3 ± 1.7 s. Conclusion: The MR-LevelCheck algorithm provides an important extension to a previously validated decision support tool in spine surgery by extending its utility to preoperative MRI. With initial studies demonstrating PDE <5 mm and 0% failure rate, the method is now in translation to larger scale prospective clinical studies. S. Vogt and G. Kleinszig are employees of Siemens Healthcare.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗