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At least 145 records · Page 8

Autonomous Intelligent Charging/Discharging of Electric Vehicles using Distributed Multi-Agent ADMM Framework for Grid Ancillary Services

The increasing popularity of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the distribution grid along with technological advancement in EV electronics such as vehicle to grid (V2G) technique has enabled them to participate in grid ancillary services. To achieve this, the EVs need to establish a contract with third-party aggregators and connect to a charging unit, either residential or commercial. At any time they are connected, the EVs can decide to take part in the ancillary services program offered to them by the aggregators. If agreed, the aggregators will use the EVs as a power source capable of charging/discharging power according to the input signal, and in return, they will be compensated. This inter-temporal nature of charging/discharging is also transforming the traditional optimal power flow (OPF) problem into a dynamic OPF problem. This chapter aims at developing a multi-layer time-dependent optimization algorithm to utilize EV potential and provide ancillary services while maximizing its utilization function. Specifically, in the upper layer, an autonomous distributed ADMM algorithm is developed to optimize the cost for charging/discharging EVs while using them to regulate the voltage at each bus in the distribution grid. The distributed ADMM algorithm is also expanded to the lower layer where the individual EVs active and reactive power is controlled for voltage regulation while maintaining the desired state of the charge of the vehicle at the end of the charging period. Here, the effectiveness and performance improvement of the proposed multi-layer algorithm is illustrated through analytical analysis and simulation results.

Rahman, Towfiq↗

Autonomous Intelligent Charging/Discharging of Electric Vehicles using Distributed Multi-Agent ADMM Framework for Grid Ancillary Services

The increasing popularity of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the distribution grid along with technological advancement in EV electronics such as vehicle to grid (V2G) technique has enabled them to participate in grid ancillary services. To achieve this, the EVs need to establish a contract with third-party aggregators and connect to a charging unit, either residential or commercial. At any time they are connected, the EVs can decide to take part in the ancillary services program offered to them by the aggregators. If agreed, the aggregators will use the EVs as a power source capable of charging/discharging power according to the input signal, and in return, they will be compensated. This inter-temporal nature of charging/discharging is also transforming the traditional optimal power flow (OPF) problem into a dynamic OPF problem. This chapter aims at developing a multi-layer time-dependent optimization algorithm to utilize EV potential and provide ancillary services while maximizing its utilization function. Specifically, in the upper layer, an autonomous distributed ADMM algorithm is developed to optimize the cost for charging/discharging EVs while using them to regulate the voltage at each bus in the distribution grid. The distributed ADMM algorithm is also expanded to the lower layer where the individual EVs active and reactive power is controlled for voltage regulation while maintaining the desired state of the charge of the vehicle at the end of the charging period. The effectiveness and performance improvement of the proposed multi-layer algorithm is illustrated through analytical analysis and simulation results.

Rahman, Towfiq↗

Hybridization Assessment of Trybrid Pumped Storage Hydropower System—Part 1: A Case Study of Corral Summit

This report is a part of the deliverables for technical assistance provided to Cat Creek Energy for the Coral Summit Trybrid (Triple Hybrid-Pumped Storage Hydropower, Battery Energy Storage System, and photovoltaic solar energy) energy project. This report explores the operational benefits and challenges of hybridizing an open loop PSH (200MW) located at Mackay, Custer County, Idaho with solar PV (Ground mount 300MW and floating 40MW) and battery (720MWhr). This document reports two activities performed as a part of the hybridization assessment task 1) optimal resource allocation and energy management strategy, and 2) power quality and reliability assessment. From optimal resource allocation and energy management strategy (activity 1), the following key findings can be observed: • Conventional PSH (CPSH) with two reversible pump turbines and separate penstocks can provide required flexibility equivalent to that from two ternary PSH with separate penstock. With single unit CPSH, upper reservoir head cannot be maintained accurately, the variation of water level is rapid and pump mode flexibility is not available. These disadvantages can be overcome by single unit TPSH. However, using two CPSH units with separate penstocks also overcome these disadvantages with the formation of the hydraulic short circuit between two conventional units. • Flooding of the lower reservoir is a severe concern when considering continuous operation for black start. This limits the duration of continuous operation from PSH alone to around 50 hours. Due to the complementary PV and battery action, the duration of continuous operation and smooth power output can be extended. • An optimization problem is framed that maximizes the power output on an hourly basis while minimizing constraint violations and respecting seasonal variations of solar PV and load profiles . Two value streams, arbitrage and baseload generation are served by this profile. It was uncovered that for smooth power output during regular operation, PV curtailment will be required, or the battery capacity needs to be increased above 90MW to accommodate additional PV. From power quality and reliability assessment (activity 2) the following takeaway points can be observed: • The Trybrid, when integrated at the Lost River bus, and limited to 250MW in generation mode and -150MW in the pump mode, causes no violation of voltage or flow.

13 - HYDRO ENERGY↗

Deposit geometry and oxygen concentration spatial variations due to composition change in printed functionally graded components

Functionally graded materials (FGMs) with site specific chemical composition are commonly manufactured by directed energy deposition (DED). Although previous work fabricated an FGM with a compositional variation between a ferritic and austenitic alloy, difficulties arose due to variations in deposit shape with composition change. This problem also occurs for FGMs in literature; however, unlike other cases, the thermophysical properties of these two alloys were similar throughout the build. Here, we investigate the role of chemical composition and surface-active elements on deposit geometry during the manufacture of FGMs by laser DED. Single-track experiments for the relevant FGM compositions are analyzed with results from a well-tested, three-dimensional, transient numerical heat transfer and fluid flow model and thermodynamic calculations. Experiments showed deposit shape varied as a function of composition for constant laser power and scan speed. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that the oxygen solubility in the fusion zone varied significantly for each composition used for the FGM. Numerical modeling revealed that the change in fluid flow caused by Marangoni convection due to dissolved oxygen in the fusion zone were mainly responsible for the changes in deposit shape observed in experiments. Finally, because oxygen can be introduced into the fusion zone through the feedstock as well as the surrounding atmosphere, these findings elucidate a previously unconsidered aspect of process control during DED fabrication of FGMs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Rapid Simulation of Unconventional Reservoirs by Multidomain Multiresolution Modeling Based on the Diffusive Time of Flight

Summary The fast marching method (FMM)-based rapid flow simulation has been shown to accelerate simulation efficiency by orders of magnitude by transforming 3D simulation to equivalent 1D simulation using the concept of the “diffusive time of flight” (DTOF). However, the 1D transformation does not directly apply to multiwell problems. In this paper, we propose a novel DTOF-based multidomain multiresolution discretization scheme to accelerate multiwell simulation of unconventional reservoirs. Our method formulates multiwell simulation problems based on the DTOF which displays the pressure front propagation in unconventional reservoirs. The DTOF contours are used to partition the reservoir into local and shared domains. A local domain is where the flow is dominated by a single well, and the shared domain is where the fluid flow is influenced by multiple wells. The DTOF contours expand independently in local domains and interfere in the shared domain. After the partitioning, each domain is discretized using a multiresolution scheme whereby the original 3D fine mesh is preserved near the wells to account for detailed physics including gravity, and the rest of the domain is discretized into 1D mesh based on the DTOF contours to alleviate the simulation workload. The power and efficacy of our approach are demonstrated using synthetic and field-scale simulation models with different degrees of geologic and well-completion complexity. The simulation results, number of active cells, and computation time for the proposed discretization scheme are compared with the original high-fidelity 3D model for each case. The results show that the proposed method is suitable for multiwell simulation problems in unconventional reservoirs and can accelerate flow simulations by orders of magnitude with minimal loss of accuracy. The novelty of this work is the creation of DTOF-derived multiresolution discretization with local and shared domains to simplify and accelerate the calculation of subsurface flow problems, especially in unconventional reservoirs. Our workflow can be easily interfaced with commercial simulators, making it suitable for large-scale field applications.

Engineering↗

A Transactive Approach for Service Restoration Utilizing Customer Load Flexibility and Grid-Edge Resources

This paper develops a transactive energy system model to restore electricity to customers in an isolated distribution system after an outage. The model is developed to engage a variety of customer types - prosumers, flexible loads, critical/noncritical customers, and distributed generators - as active participants in the restoration process. Unlike many existing transactive approaches, the proposed model is developed for service restoration and accounts for various customer types and their autonomy and privacy through an iterative approach to determine the optimal market price, while maintaining systemlevel power flow and voltage constraints. The advantages of the proposed approach are numerically validated on a modified IEEE 123-bus test system.

distributed energy resources↗

Demonstrate FARM supervisory capabilities for a thermal energy storage problem for the DETAIL facility: IES Simulation Ecosystem Control System Development

The goal of the power dispatch problem for an Integrated Energy System (IES) is to adjust the power output and the heat flow of each component to maximize the profitability of the whole unit. Facilities that can integrate real-time digital signals, mock nuclear power, thermal energy storage and industrial heat use via high-temperature electrolysis were constructed at INL to support the research activities. The Dynamic Energy Technology and Integration Laboratory (DETAIL) houses the Microreactor Agile Non-nuclear Experimental Test Bed (MAGNET) and the Thermal Energy Distribution System (TEDS). In this report, the hierarchical control system architecture proposed in June 2023 milestone for the flexible operation of DETAIL facility is finalized and demonstrated. A brief description of the components and the corresponding Dymola models from the HYRBID repository is first provided. Then, the current control strategy is presented. In particular, the approach for generating the set-point trajectories to be fed to the PI controllers is analyzed, and its limits were identified. To preserve safe operation over both long-time and real-time horizons, the integration of a Supervisory Control layer embedding a modified version of FARM (Feasible Actuator Range Modifier) module is proposed. FARM is a component of the RAVEN-based FORCE framework designed to support HERON module at optimizing the operation of IES units. The proposed control system for DETAIL foresees FARM to be applied twice, i.e., the original version (“FARM-Validator”) aiding the solution of the power dispatch problem, and a modified version (“FARM-Supervisory”) coordinating the PID controllers. Despite the kernel of the two modules is the same, their tasks are quite different. The former intervenes at the beginning of each hour to prevent constraint violations over long time periods, the latter addresses real-time control tasks and monitors the response of constrained variables at a much finer time resolution. A tentative procedure for training the embedded Digital Twins with the experimental data is also proposed. Finally, the capabilities of the designed architecture and the impact of the added Supervisory Control layer are demonstrated by simulating a representative power dispatch scenario.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Assembly Bowing Reactivity Calculation Methodology Applied to Lead Fast Reactor

Ducted assemblies bow during operation due to power and temperature gradients which can be influenced by operating flow rates. For fast spectrum cores using ducted assemblies, the bowing behavior follows that of the duct and because there are gaps between the ducts, the bowing can result in compaction or expansion of the active core. This local displacement can have a positive or negative impact and knowing the net effect during transients is important for system reactivity control. Keeping the net bowing reactivity worth low is possible with attentive placement of load pads above the active core and selecting load pad gap thicknesses that result in a desired behavior at standard operating conditions. This paper considers a Lead Fast Reactor (LFR) concept fueled by HALEU UO2 developed by Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) and applies a workflow of Argonne-developed codes to estimate the core bowing reactivity worth. Using orifice flow rates grouped by assembly type, the net reactivity impact due to core assembly bowing for the LFR was found to be small and in line with other liquid metal fast reactors: +29/+32/+35 pcm, or about +$0.049/+$0.055/+$0.059, for BOEC/MOEC/EOEC, respectively.

bowing reactivity↗

Redox Activity Modulation in Extended Fluorenone-Based Flow Battery Electrolytes with π-π Stacking Effect

Redox flow battery shows promise for grid-scale energy storage. Aqueous organic redox flow batteries are particularly popular due to their potentially low material cost and safe water-based electrolyte. Commonly, redox active molecules used in this field feature aromatic rings, and increasing π-aromatic conjugation has been a popular strategy to achieve high energy density, high power density, and reduced crossover in new material design. However, this approach can inadvertently hinder redox activity depending on redox mechanism. This study reveals the underlying π-π stacking effect in extended aromatic redox active compounds, where aromatic radical intermediates are involved in the redox process. We report a molecular design strategy to mitigate the negative effect of π-π stacking by altering solvation dynamics and introducing molecular steric hindrance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

A Transactive Approach for Service Restoration Utilizing Customer Load Flexibility and Grid-Edge Resources

This paper develops a transactive energy system model to restore electricity to customers in an isolated distribution system after an outage. The model engages a variety of customer types -- prosumers, flexible loads, critical/noncritical customers, and distributed generators -- as active participants in the restoration process. Unlike many existing transactive approaches, the proposed model is developed for service restoration and accounts for various customer types and their autonomy and privacy through an iterative approach to determine the optimal market price, while maintaining system-level power flow and voltage constraints. The advantages of the proposed approach are numerically validated on a modified IEEE 123-bus test system.

distributed energy resources↗

Antimicrobial properties of nanostructured surfaces – demonstrating the need for a standard testing methodology

Bioinspired nanostructured materials that exhibit antimicrobial properties are being synthesized and tested at increasing rates for use in healthcare, manufacturing processes, and diagnostics. Although progress has been made in improving and understanding their bactericidal activity, arguably, the biggest problem currently in the field is the lack of a standard testing methodology that allows for optimal characterization and better comparison of emerging nanostructures. In this work, we examine two forms of nanostructured silicon that vary in their ability to kill certain bacterial species due to different physical mechanisms and derive guidelines for the comparative testing. We perform a comprehensive evaluation of methodologies used extensively in the field (e.g., colony counting and live dead analysis) and the novel application of high-throughput flow cytometry. The data reveal how the techniques are complementary but not always directly equivalent or correlative. Therefore, comparison of results obtained using different methodologies on different materials can be grossly misleading. We report significant variations in bactericidal efficiencies depending on experimental environments (medium type, etc.) and methodologies employed. In addition, we demonstrate how cytometry is yet another powerful complementary tool that can aid the mechanistic understanding of antimicrobial activities of rough surfaces. Besides standardization for comparison, ultimately, evaluation methods need to consider anticipated applications. Then and only then can the true potential (or limitation) of a novel material be determined for its suitability for advancement in a particular field of use.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Microscopic activated dynamics theory of the shear rheology and stress overshoot in ultradense glass-forming fluids and colloidal suspensions

We formulate a particle and force level, activated dynamics-based statistical mechanical theory for the continuous startup nonlinear shear rheology of ultradense glass-forming hard sphere fluids and colloidal suspensions in the context of the elastically collective nonlinear Langevin equation approach and a generalized Maxwell model constitutive equation. Activated structural relaxation is described as a coupled local-nonlocal event involving caging and longer range collective elasticity which controls the characteristic stress relaxation time. Theoretical predictions for the deformation-induced enhancement of mobility, the onset of relaxation acceleration at remarkably low values of stress, strain, or shear rate, apparent power law thinning of the steady-state structural relaxation time and viscosity, a nonvanishing activation barrier in the shear thinning regime, an apparent Herschel–Buckley form of the shear rate dependence of the steady-state shear stress, exponential growth of different measures of a yield or flow stress with packing fraction, and reduced fragility and dynamic heterogeneity under deformation were previously shown to be in good agreement with experiments. The central new question we address here is the defining feature of the transient response—the stress overshoot. In contrast to the steady-state flow regime, understanding the transient response requires an explicit treatment of the coupled nonequilibrium evolution of structure, elastic modulus, and stress relaxation time. We formulate a new quantitative model for this aspect in a physically motivated and computationally tractable manner. Theoretical predictions for the stress overshoot are shown to be in good agreement with experimental observations in the metastable ultradense regime of hard sphere colloidal suspensions as a function of shear rate and packing fraction, and accounting for deformation-assisted activated motion appears to be crucial for both the transient and steady-state responses.

Mechanics↗

A Transactive Approach for Service Restoration Utilizing Customer Load Flexibility and Grid-Edge Resources: Preprint

This paper develops a transactive energy system model to restore electricity to customers in an isolated distribution system after an outage. The model engages a variety of customer types -- prosumers, flexible loads, critical/noncritical customers, and distributed generators -- as active participants in the restoration process. Unlike many existing transactive approaches, the proposed model is developed for service restoration and accounts for various customer types and their \textit{autonomy} and \textit{privacy} through an iterative approach to determine the optimal market price, while maintaining system-level power flow and voltage constraints. The advantages of the proposed approach are numerically validated on a modified IEEE 123-bus test system.

distributed energy resources↗

Validation Assessment of Turbulent Reacting Flow Model Using The Area-Validation Metric on Medium-Scale Methanol Pool Fire Results

Accident analysis and ensuring power plant safety are pivotal in the nuclear energy sector. Significant strides have been achieved over the past few decades regarding fire protection and safety, primarily centered on design and regulatory compliance. Yet, after the Fukushima accident a decade ago, the imperative to enhance measures against fire, internal flooding, and power loss has intensified. Hence, a comprehensive, multilayered protection strategy against severe accidents is needed. Consequently, gaining a deeper insight into pool fires and their behavior through extensive validated data can greatly aid in improving these measures using advanced validation techniques. A model validation study was performed at Sandia National Laboratories in which a 30-cm diameter methanol pool fire was modeled using the SIERRA/Fuego turbulent reacting flow code. This validation study used a standard validation experiment to compare model results against, and conclusions have been published. The fire was modeled with a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence model with subgrid turbulent kinetic energy closure. Combustion was modeled using a strained laminar flamelet library approach. Radiative heat transfer was accounted for with a model utilizing the gray-gas approximation. In the present study, additional validation analysis is performed using the area validation metric (AVM). These activities are done on multiple datasets involving different variables and temporal/spatial ranges and intervals. In conclusion, the results provide insight into the use of the area validation metric on such temporally varying datasets and the importance of physics-aware use of the metric for proper analysis.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

Diagnosing Field Strengths and Plasma Conditions in Magnetically Insulated Transmission Lines Using Active Dopant Spectroscopy

Experimental validation data is needed to inform simulations of large pulsed power devices which are in development to understand and improve existing accelerators and inform future pulsed power capabilities. Using current spectroscopic techniques on the Z-machine, we have been unable to reliably diagnose plasma conditions and electric and magnetic fields within power flow regions. Laser ablation of a material produces a low density plasma, resulting in narrow spectroscopic line widths. By introducing a laser ablated plasma to the anode cathode gap of the Mykonos accelerator, we can monitor how the line shapes change due the current pulse by comparing these line shapes to spectral measurements taken without power flow. In this report we show several examples of measurements conducted on Mykonos on various dopant materials. We also show a negligible effect on power flow due to the presence of the ablation plasma for a range of parameters.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Identifying Controlling Variables for Mercury Vapors in Alpha-4 at Y-12: Two Year Data Collection Update

Multiple sensor packages were deployed at Alpha-4 by SRNL, in collaboration with United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR), to monitor mercury vapor concentrations and meteorological parameters. These sensors collected data, inside and outside of the legacy-use facility, for approximately two years. Though data gaps still exist, particularly in colder months, several controlling variables were identified that govern mercury vapor concentrations within Alpha-4. Temperature, barometric pressure gradients, humidity, and wind speed have been identified as controlling variables. A strong positive correlation was seen between mercury vapor concentrations and temperature which generally followed diurnal fluctuations. Temperatures below approximately 10 degrees Celsius did not show any spikes above the PEL, indicating more work can be performed at any time during the winter months – more data should be collected to confirm consistency in this finding. Additionally, spikes in mercury vapor concentrations above that of the permissible exposure limit (PEL; 100 µg/m 3 ) occurred primarily in late afternoon or evening/overnight hours (between 3 PM and 6 AM), which suggests D&D operations might be best scheduled during morning or daytime hours prior to the late afternoon. However, a limited number of spikes did occur outside of the identified window, although this may be attributed to disturbances in air flow and mercury vapor release from work activities performed inside of the Alpha-4 building. The analysis conducted allows for a strong predictive capability for estimating mercury vapor concentrations based upon accurate meteorological parameters. Still, additional data collection, particularly in the winter months, could help to strengthen the predictive power and validate the identified data trends. Further, increased temporal resolution could also help to better characterize the incipient stages of the increases and decreases in the mercury vapor concentration. Continued monitoring support by SRNL at Y-12 is underway at Alpha-4 to further close remaining data gaps and support deactivation and decommissioning work. Within a collaborative effort with UCOR, the SRNL team is collecting mercury vapor data to study the efficacy of a novel mercury suppressant, FerroBlack® which was recently deployed at Alpha-4. In addition, modifications to the current monitoring setup to increase measurement resolution is also being investigated.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Titanium-Cerium Electrode-Decoupled Redox Flow Batteries Integrated With Fossil Fuel Assets For Load-Following, Long-Duration Energy Storage

Operation of fossil plants at partial capacity with frequent cycling results in decreased efficiency, increased emissions and increased wear and maintenance. The objective of this project is to advance the integration of a titanium-cerium electrode-decoupled redox flow battery (RFB) system with conventional fossil-fueled power plants through technical and economic system-level studies and component scale-up and R&D. The Ti-Ce chemistry has a pathway to meet the DOE cost targets of $\$$100/kWh and $\$$0.05/kWh-cycle owing to the use of low-cost, earth abundant elemental actives and incorporation of inexpensive carbon felt electrodes and non-fluorinated anion exchange membrane (AEM) separators. The initial unit cell design was scaled up, with some modifications made to improve ease of manufacturing, from 25 cm 2 cell area to 400 cm 2 . Electrochemical tests demonstrated operation at a current density up to 50 mA/cm 2 , which is on par with other commercial RFB offerings. Furthermore, the Ti-Ce technology developed by WashU was evaluated and tested by industrial team partner, Giner, Inc., in their modular 3-cell stack. Several cell design modifications and alternate component material selections were successfully implemented to accommodate this chemistry while reducing polarization and leakage. Results from stack testing show high columbic efficiency and indicate that further optimization of cell compression and components will lead to successful operation of the Ti-Ce ED-RFB over longer duration at the multi-cell stack level. Engineering and cost analysis showed that an RFB system with power output on the order of 100 MW and with a charge/discharge duration of approx. 12 hours is the most cost effective for integration with fossil plants. At this scale, projected cycling of fossil fuel power plants can be significantly reduced. The use of a storage system is shown to reduce the fossil plant standalone cost of electricity by $\$$7/MWh, through increased capacity factor and improved average efficiency, in the scenario of high penetration of renewable power.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

A Durable, Inexpensive and Scalable Redox Flow Battery Based on Iron Sulfate and Anthraquinone Disulfonic Acid

A new redox flow battery system based on iron sulfate and anthraquinone disulfonic acid (AQDS) is shown here to have excellent electrical performance, capacity retention, and chemical durability. While these redox couples, iron(II)/iron(III) and AQDS are well known individually, their combination in a redox flow battery is shown here for the first time to provide unique benefits for large-scale energy storage. Based on iron sulfate, a waste product of the steel industry, the active materials cost for this battery is anticipated to be $66/kWh. Cycling studies of over 500 cycles in the symmetric cell configuration show a negligibly low capacity fade rate of 7.6 × 10 −5 % per cycle. This symmetric cell also shows a notably high average coulombic efficiency of 99.63%. Using a graphite felt electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), we could achieve a peak power density of 194 mW cm −2 . The major voltage losses are ascribed to the ohmic resistance of the electrode and electrolyte. Despite the lower cell voltage of the system relative to the vanadium flow battery, the iron–AQDS flow battery system presents a good prospect for simultaneously meeting the demanding requirements of cost, durability and scalability for large-scale sustainable energy storage.

Yang, Bo↗