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At least 1,441 records · Page 80

Neutron Source Facility Training Simulator Based on EPICS

A plant operator training simulator is developed for training the plant operators as well as for design verification of plant control system (PCS) and plant protection system (PPS) for the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology Neutron Source Facility. The simulator provides the operator interface for the whole plant including the sub-critical assembly coolant loop, target coolant loop, secondary coolant loop, and other facility systems. The operator interface is implemented based on Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS), which is a comprehensive software development platform for distributed control systems. Since its development at Argonne National Laboratory, it has been widely adopted in the experimental physics community, e.g. for control of accelerator facilities. This work is the first implementation for a nuclear facility. The main parts of the operator interface are the plant control panel and plant protection panel. The development involved implementation of process variable database, sequence logic, and graphical user interface (GUI) for the PCS and PPS utilizing EPICS and related software tools, e.g. sequencer for sequence logic, and control system studio (CSS-BOY) for graphical use interface. For functional verification of the PCS and PPS, a plant model is interfaced, which is a physics-based model of the facility coolant loops implemented as a numerical computer code. The training simulator is tested and demonstrated its effectiveness in various plant operation sequences, e.g. start-up, shut-down, maintenance, and refueling. It was also tested for verification of the plant protection system under various trip conditions.

Park, Young Soo↗

Towards intelligent diagnostic system employing integration of mathematical and engineering model

The development of medical diagnostic system has been one of the main research fields during years. The goal of the medical diagnostic system is to place a nosological system that could ease the diagnostic evaluation normally performed by scientists and doctors. Efficient diagnostic evaluation is essentials and requires broad knowledge in order to improve conventional diagnostic system. Several approaches on developing the medical diagnostic system have been designed and tested since the earliest 60s. Attempts on improving their performance have been made which utilizes the fields of artificial intelligence, statistical analyses, mathematical model and engineering theories. With the availability of the microcomputer and software development as well as the promising aforementioned fields, medical diagnostic prototypes could be developed. In general, the medical diagnostic system consists of several stages, namely the 1) data acquisition, 2) feature extraction, 3) feature selection, and 4) classifications stages. Data acquisition stage plays an important role in converting the inputs measured from the real world physical conditions to the digital numeric values that can be manipulated by the computer system. One of the common medical inputs could be medical microscopic images, radiographic images, magnetic resonance image (MRI) as well as medical signals such as electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG). Normally, the scientist or doctors have to deal with myriad of data and redundant to be processed. In order to reduce the complexity of the diagnosis process, only the significant features of the raw data such as peak value of the ECG signal or size of lesion in the mammogram images will be extracted and considered in the subsequent stages. Mathematical models and statistical analyses will be performed to select the most significant features to be classified. The statistical analyses such as principal component analysis and discriminant analysis as well as mathematical model of clustering technique have been widely used in developing the medical diagnostic systems. The selected features will be classified using mathematical models that embedded engineering theory such as artificial intelligence, support vector machine, neural network and fuzzy-neuro system. These classifiers will provide the diagnostic results without human intervention. Among many publishable researches, several prototypes have been developed namely NeuralPap, Neural Mammo, and Cervix Kit. The former system (NeuralPap) is an automatic intelligent diagnostic system for classifying and distinguishing between the normal and cervical cancerous cells. Meanwhile, the Cervix Kit is a portable Field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based cervical diagnostic kit that could automatically diagnose the cancerous cell based on the images obtained during sampling test. Besides the cervical diagnostic system, the Neural Mammo system is developed to specifically aid the diagnosis of breast cancer using a fine needle aspiration image.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Multi-Speed Transmission For Commercial Delivery Medium Duty PEDVs

Successful completion of the proposed project will set a course for improving quality of life by overcoming key challenges in the gearbox for commercial-delivery, medium-duty, plug-in electric drive vehicles: It will reduce US dependency on foreign oil through the use of electric driven propulsion instead of fuel driven. It will reduce health risks by replacing tailpipe emissions in densely populated city centers. Finally, it will improve the performance-cost basis to meet or exceed the expectations of the targeted medium duty vehicle fleet owners and the independent customers. The proposed multi-speed transmission will narrow motor operation to the peak efficiency region, thereby increasing the electric powertrain efficiency to help close the range gap. Further, it will enhance customer satisfaction by improving vehicle acceleration, top speed and gradeability over the baseline. The project was conducted in three budget periods: In BP1: Technology Development, High-level vehicle powertrain models were used to optimize candidate transmission architectures and ratios along with a variety of traction motor characteristics for concept selection. The detailed driveline designs and component dynamics were investigated to meet medium-duty EV requirements; In BP2: Technology Development and Prototype Demonstration, The modeling and simulations with multi-speed transmissions were extended to other MD and HD EV platforms. Clean sheet design of a compact, lightweight, flexible, and modular, four-speed transmission was completed. Development of novel shifting and controls strategies were started and procurement of the prototype transmission and the controller hardware was begun; In BP3: Technology Integration, Testing, and Demonstration, Prototyping the four-speed automated mechanical transmission was completed. The transmission controls system and software development and preliminary gearbox dyno tests were done at Eaton. ORNL conducted integrated powertrain HIL tests. One of the prototype units was fully integrated into a Proterra BE35 demonstration electric bus. The shift control strategy was fine-tuned on the integrated vehicle at Eaton Marshall Proving Grounds. NREL tested the vehicle and validated the performance gains. Simulations predicted up to 20% increase in system energy efficiency depending on drive cycles, a top speed of greater than70 mph on flat road, 40% faster acceleration and a doubled gradeability with four-speed transmission as compared to the baseline EVs. Chassis Dyno Tests at NREL verified the simulation results of Eaton team and the HIL test results of ORNL team. The new four-speed EV transmission is efficient, reliable, modular, scalable, light weight, small size, and will be affordable. Furthermore, four-speed transmission enables downsizing of motor, battery and final drive, thereby reducing the total system cost.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Implementation of a maximum likelihood convolutional decoder in the DSN

The development status of the decoder and the factors which were considered in defining the specific functional requirements are described. The design is discussed to the block diagram level. A description of the detailed design is provided, along with a description of the test software developed and a brief summary of the performance evaluation testing completed so far.

Alberda, M. E.↗

Leadership Development Program Final Project

TOSC is NASA's prime contractor tasked to successfully assemble, test, and launch the EM1 spacecraft. TOSC success is highly dependent on design products from the other NASA Programs manufacturing and delivering the flight hardware; Space Launch System(SLS) and Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle(MPCV). Design products directly feed into TOSC's: Procedures, Personnel training, Hardware assembly, Software development, Integrated vehicle test and checkout, Launch. TOSC senior management recognized a significant schedule risk as these products are still being developed by the other two (2) programs; SVE and ACE positions were created.

Design products required for Engineering↗

Integrated Control Modeling for Propulsion Systems Using NPSS

The Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS), an advanced engineering simulation environment used to design and analyze aircraft engines, has been enhanced by integrating control development tools into it. One of these tools is a generic controller interface that allows NPSS to communicate with control development software environments such as MATLAB and EASY5. The other tool is a linear model generator (LMG) that gives NPSS the ability to generate linear, time-invariant state-space models. Integrating these tools into NPSS enables it to be used for control system development. This paper will discuss the development and integration of these tools into NPSS. In addition, it will show a comparison of transient model results of a generic, dual-spool, military-type engine model that has been implemented in NPSS and Simulink. It will also show the linear model generator s ability to approximate the dynamics of a nonlinear NPSS engine model.

Parker, Khary I.↗

Extremum Seeking Library (ESL) v1.0

The software developed is a library for the Modelica language. The library includes different extremum seeking control algorithms and examples of possible usecases. It is also intended to export the models as so called Functional Mock-up Units, which are models supported by any kind of software which supports the Functional Mock-up Interface standard.

Mueller, Joscha↗

Software for Generating Strip Maps from SAR Data

Jurassicprok is a computer program that generates strip-map digital elevation models and other data products from raw data acquired by an airborne synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) system. This software can process data from a variety of airborne SAR systems but is designed especially for the GeoSAR system, which is a dual-frequency (P- and X-band), single-pass interferometric SAR system for measuring elevation both at the bare ground surface and top of the vegetation canopy. Jurassicprok is a modified version of software developed previously for airborne-interferometric- SAR applications. The modifications were made to accommodate P-band interferometric processing, remove approximations that are not generally valid, and reduce processor-induced mapping errors to the centimeter level. Major additions and other improvements over the prior software include the following: a) A new, highly efficient multi-stage-modified wave-domain processing algorithm for accurately motion compensating ultra-wideband data; b) Adaptive regridding algorithms based on estimated noise and actual measured topography to reduce noise while maintaining spatial resolution; c) Exact expressions for height determination from interferogram data; d) Fully calibrated volumetric correlation data based on rigorous removal of geometric and signal-to-noise decorrelation terms; e) Strip range-Doppler image output in user-specified Doppler coordinates; f) An improved phase-unwrapping and absolute-phase-determination algorithm; g) A more flexible user interface with many additional processing options; h) Increased interferogram filtering options; and i) Ability to use disk space instead of random- access memory for some processing steps.

Hensley, Scott↗

CRISTAL V2: New package for criticality calculations

A new release of the CRISTAL French criticality calculation package, named CRISTAL V2, has been developed and intensively validated by IRSN and CEA, in collaboration with AREVA. This package was designed to cover the needs of criticality practitioners in the fields of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and transportation of fissile materials. Based on an optimized modular architecture in an updated software development environment, the design of CRISTAL package V2 integrates new generation of cross-section libraries, new calculation schemes consistent with new applications, and up-to-date calculation codes capabilities. Four calculation routes are currently available allowing multi-group and continuous energy calculations. The validation database is composed of more than 3000 critical experiments, in order to cover a wide range of configurations. The CRISTAL V2 package also includes customer services covering a large scope of activities like documentations, hotline, maintenance and training courses. A significant promotion and an increased recognition referred both nationally and internationally are foreseen, including the provision of the CRISTAL V2 package to the OECD / NEA Data Bank. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

CRISTAL V2.0: A New-generation criticality package - 14597

A new release of the CRISTAL French criticality calculation package, named CRISTAL V2.0, has been developed and intensively validated by IRSN and CEA, in collaboration with AREVA. This package was designed to cover the needs of criticality practitioners in the fields of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and transportation of fissile materials. Based on an optimized modular architecture in an updated software development environment, the design of CRISTAL package V2.0 integrates new generation of cross section libraries, new calculation schemes consistent with new applications, and up-to-date calculation codes capabilities. Four calculation routes are currently available allowing multi-group and continuous energy calculations. The validation database is composed of more than 3000 critical experiments, in order to cover a wide range of configurations. The CRISTAL V2.0 package also comprises customer services covering a range of areas of activity like documentation, hotline, maintenance and training courses. A wide promotion and an increased recognition referred both nationally and internationally are foreseen, including the provision of the CRISTAL V2.0 package to the OECD / NEA Data Bank. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗

Integration Test and Evaluation (IT&E) Flight Test Series 6 Live Virtual Constructive - Distributed Environment (LVC-DE) Test Report

The goals of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS) (also UAS-NAS) Project are to reduce the barriers for UAS access and its integration into the NAS. The UAS-NAS project and industry stakeholders conducted a series of flight tests integrating technologies from the Modeling & Simulation (M&S), Human Systems Integration (HSI), and Communication and Control (C2), and Integration, Test & Evaluation (IT&E) research areas. The last of the flight test series, Flight Test Series 6 (FT6) was conducted in late 2019 and focused on evaluating the interaction of the airborne non-cooperative surveillance system and the Detect and Avoid (DAA) technology. The DAA system generated conflict alert and guidance for pilots using a Research Ground Control System (RGCS) to avoid intruder aircraft. The conflict alerting and guidance information was presented on the RGCS’s display using symbology developed by the human factors team. The objective of FT6 was to investigate the interoperability of Low Size, Weight, and Power (Low SWaP) sensors with the DAA alerting, guidance, and display requirements. To support this goal, the distributed test environments (DTE) were developed at Ames Research Center (ARC) and Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) and securely linked over a Virtual Private Network (VPN). These environments took advantage of existing Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) technologies to support research observation at both Centers with the insertion of live UAS and manned intruder aircraft into a simulated NAS environment with Air Traffic Control (ATC) and constructive manned aircraft. The experiment was distributed between AFRC flight operations and research facilities and the Distributed Simulation Research Laboratory (DSRL) and Software Development Laboratory (SDL) in building N243 at ARC. The Air Traffic Controller and pseudo pilots operated from the DSRL and SDL, respectively, using the Multi-Aircraft Control System (MACS). The test subject and researchers operated from the Research Ground Control Station (RGCS) at AFRC using the Vigilant Spirit Control Station (VSCS) and associated DAA software and displays. Flight Operation for the unmanned aircraft (UA) and manned intruder traffic was conducted at AFRC. Virtual traffic was managed by ARC. Voice distribution was accomplished using a combination of disparate communication systems at ARC and AFRC. The purpose of this document is to record the development, design, and execution of activities in support of the FT6 efforts from the perspective of the ARC IT&E team. Furthermore, the Armstrong IT&E team has published a thorough FT6 Test Report, with emphasis on flight test support, facilities and vehicle development; this report complements the Armstrong report. Analysis of collected FT6 data will be conducted and reported by the M&S and HSI teams and will be published in separate reports.

UAS-NAS↗

Kepler Science Operations Center Architecture

We give an overview of the operational concepts and architecture of the Kepler Science Data Pipeline. Designed, developed, operated, and maintained by the Science Operations Center (SOC) at NASA Ames Research Center, the Kepler Science Data Pipeline is central element of the Kepler Ground Data System. The SOC charter is to analyze stellar photometric data from the Kepler spacecraft and report results to the Kepler Science Office for further analysis. We describe how this is accomplished via the Kepler Science Data Pipeline, including the hardware infrastructure, scientific algorithms, and operational procedures. The SOC consists of an office at Ames Research Center, software development and operations departments, and a data center that hosts the computers required to perform data analysis. We discuss the high-performance, parallel computing software modules of the Kepler Science Data Pipeline that perform transit photometry, pixel-level calibration, systematic error-correction, attitude determination, stellar target management, and instrument characterization. We explain how data processing environments are divided to support operational processing and test needs. We explain the operational timelines for data processing and the data constructs that flow into the Kepler Science Data Pipeline.

Middour, Christopher↗

Space station data system analysis/architecture study. Task 3: Trade studies, DR-5, volume 2

Results of a Space Station Data System Analysis/Architecture Study for the Goddard Space Flight Center are presented. This study, which emphasized a system engineering design for a complete, end-to-end data system, was divided into six tasks: (1); Functional requirements definition; (2) Options development; (3) Trade studies; (4) System definitions; (5) Program plan; and (6) Study maintenance. The Task inter-relationship and documentation flow are described. Information in volume 2 is devoted to Task 3: trade Studies. Trade Studies have been carried out in the following areas: (1) software development test and integration capability; (2) fault tolerant computing; (3) space qualified computers; (4) distributed data base management system; (5) system integration test and verification; (6) crew workstations; (7) mass storage; (8) command and resource management; and (9) space communications. Results are presented for each task.

Source record↗

Applications of intelligent computer-aided training

Intelligent computer-aided training (ICAT) systems simulate the behavior of an experienced instructor observing a trainee, responding to help requests, diagnosing and remedying trainee errors, and proposing challenging new training scenarios. This paper presents a generic ICAT architecture that supports the efficient development of ICAT systems for varied tasks. In addition, details of ICAT projects, built with this architecture, that deliver specific training for Space Shuttle crew members, ground support personnel, and flight controllers are presented. Concurrently with the creation of specific ICAT applications, a general-purpose software development environment for ICAT systems is being built. The widespread use of such systems for both ground-based and on-orbit training will serve to preserve task and training expertise, support the training of large numbers of personnel in a distributed manner, and ensure the uniformity and verifiability of training experiences.

Loftin, R. B.↗

Library reuse in a rapid development environment

The Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division (AFMD) established a Rapid Development Laboratory (RDL) to investigate and improve new 'rapid development' software production processes and refine the use of commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) tools. These tools and processes take an avionics design project from initial inception through high fidelity, real-time, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing. One central theme of a rapid development process is the use and integration of a variety of COTS tools: This paper discusses the RDL MATRIX(sub x)(R) libraries, as well as the techniques for managing and documenting these libraries. This paper also shows the methods used for building simulations with the Advanced Simulation Development System (ASDS) libraries, and provides metrics to illustrate the amount of reuse for five complete simulations. Combining ASDS libraries with MATRIX(sub x)(R) libraries is discussed.

Uhde, JO↗

High resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy system for nondestructive evaluation

With increased demand for high resolution ultrasonic evaluation, computer based systems or work stations become essential. The ultrasonic spectroscopy method of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) was used to develop a high resolution ultrasonic inspection system supported by modern signal processing, pattern recognition, and neural network technologies. The basic system which was completed consists of a 386/20 MHz PC (IBM AT compatible), a pulser/receiver, a digital oscilloscope with serial and parallel communications to the computer, an immersion tank with motor control of X-Y axis movement, and the supporting software package, IUNDE, for interactive ultrasonic evaluation. Although the hardware components are commercially available, the software development is entirely original. By integrating signal processing, pattern recognition, maximum entropy spectral analysis, and artificial neural network functions into the system, many NDE tasks can be performed. The high resolution graphics capability provides visualization of complex NDE problems. The phase 3 efforts involve intensive marketing of the software package and collaborative work with industrial sectors.

Chen, C. H.↗

Introduction to Quantum Computing

Quantum computing offers the potential to revolutionize high-performance computing by providing a means to solve certain computational problems asymptotically faster than any classical computer. Quantum computing has advanced recently from merely a theoretical possibility to engineered reality, including commercial entities offering early prototype quantum processors, both special-purpose quantum annealers and general-purpose gate-model processors. The media have been showcasing each new development and implicitly conveying the message that quantum-computing ubiquity is nigh. Here, we will respond to this hype and provide an overview of the exciting but still early state of the field. In this tutorial, we introduce participants to the computational models that give quantum computing its immense computational power. We examine the thought processes that programmers need to map problems to quantum computers. And we discuss hardware and algorithmic challenges that must be overcome before quantum computing becomes a component of every software developer's repertoire. (Update of 2022 slides)

Quantum computing↗

Demand Driven Cycamore Archetypes

Future nuclear fuel cycle options may present advantages over today’s once-through fuel cycle. Nuclear fuel cycle simulation tools assess the performance of those fuel cycles as well as the dynamics of long-term technology transitions. In many nuclear fuel cycle simulation tools, it has historically been the responsibility of the user to manually define facility deployment schemes and all facility parameters. While this is straightforward in simple fuel cycles, transitions from one fuel cycle to another can be more complex. In particular, deployment schemes for supportive fuel cycle facilities beyond the reactor become complex if the analyst desires to avoid gaps in the nuclear fuel and power supply chain during those transition scenarios. As nuclear fuel cycle analysis approaches questions regarding the feasibility and performance of the deployment schemes and technology choices during technology transition, automation of this historically manual process is necessary. The main objective of this work was to develop and demonstrate Cyclus automation capabilities toward key nuclear fuel cycle transition scenarios. While deploying reactors to meet power demand is trivial, and existed in the earliest versions of CYCLUS, automated, predictive deployment and decommissioning of other facilities is more complex. These include mining, milling, enrichment, fuel fabrication, reprocessing, and others. For example, a balanced closed fuel cycle may require ensuring that there is enough fast reactor fuel for their operation and may drive deployment of a fleet of light water reactors. This concern comprises the main challenge that drove the project effort. The Demand-Driven Cycamore Archetype project (NEUP-FY16-10512) aimed to develop CYCAMORE demand-driven deployment capabilities and thereby automate transition scenario definition. The developed software package, d3ploy, in the form of a CYCLUS Institution agent, deploys Facilities to meet the front-end and back-end demands of the fuel cycle. The University of South Carolina and the University of Illinois applied multiple algorithmic approaches to this challenge. This project developed an in situ demand-driven development schedule calculation through non-optimizing, deterministic-optimizing, and stochastic-optimizing algorithms as CYCLUS archetypes and demonstrated these new archetypes in program-supporting fuel cycle transition scenarios. Both objectives were achieved. This report documents the results and deliverables obtained toward these achievements in detail.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗