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At least 1,621 records · Page 90

Understanding and control of Zener pinning via phase field and ensemble learning

Zener pinning refers to the dispersion of fine particles which influences grain size distribution via movement of grain boundaries in a polycrystalline material. Grain size distribution in polycrystals has a significant impact on their properties including physical, chemical, mechanical, and optical to name a few. We explore the use of Phase-field modeling and machine-learning techniques to understand and improve the control of grain size distribution via Zener pinning in polycrystalline materials. We develop a machine learning model that determines the relative importance of various parameters to exercise microstructure control via Zener pinning. Our workflow combines high-throughput phase-field simulations and machine learning to address the computational bottlenecks associated with large-scale simulations as well as identify features necessary for microstructure control in polycrystals. A random forest (RF) regression model was developed to predict grain sizes based on five Phase-field model parameters, achieving an average prediction error of 0.72 nm for the training data and 1.44 nm for the test data. The importance of the input parameters is analyzed using the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) approach which reveals that diffusivity, volume fraction, and particle diameter are the most important parameters in determining the final grain size. These findings will allow us to select the best second-phase particles, optimize grain size distributions and thus design microstructures with the desired properties. The developed method is a highly versatile and generalizable approach that can be used to assess the combined effects of individual features in the presence of multiple variables.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

1000–ton testing machine for cyclic fatigue tests of materials at liquid nitrogen temperatures

One of the main tasks of superconductive magnets R and D is to determine the mechanical and fatigue properties of structural materials and the critical design elements in the cryogenic temperature range. This paper describes a new facility built based on the industrial 1000-ton (10 MN) testing machine Schenk PC10.0S. Special equipment was developed to provide the mechanical and cyclic tensile fatigue tests of large-scale samples at the liquid nitrogen temperature and in a given load range. The main feature of the developed testing machine is the cryostat, in which the device converting a standard compression force of the testing machine to the tensile force affected at the test object is placed. The control system provides the remote control of the test and obtaining, processing and presentation of test data. As an example of the testing machine operation the test program and test results of the cyclic tensile fatigue tests of fullscale helium inlet sample of the PF1 coil ITER are presented.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Deep learning: A guide for practitioners in the physical sciences

Machine learning is finding increasingly broad applications in the physical sciences. This most often involves building a model relationship between a dependent, measurable output, and an associated set of controllable, but complicated, independent inputs. We present a tutorial on current techniques in machine learning—a jumping-off point for interested researchers to advance their work. We focus on deep neural networks with an emphasis on demystifying deep learning. We begin with background ideas in machine learning and some example applications from current research in plasma physics. We discuss supervised learning techniques for modeling complicated functions, beginning with familiar regression schemes, and then advancing to more sophisticated deep learning methods. We also address unsupervised learning and techniques for reducing the dimensionality of input spaces. Along the way, we describe methods for practitioners to help ensure that their models generalize from their training data to as-yet-unseen test data. We describe classes of tasks—predicting scalars, handling images, and fitting time-series—and prepare the reader to choose an appropriate technique. We finally point out some limitations to modern machine learning and speculate on some ways that practitioners from the physical sciences may be particularly suited to help.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

General Guidelines on Criteria for Adoption or Rejection of Evaluated Libraries and Data by the Nuclear Data Team

This memo contains general guidelines on what documentation and tools need to be in place as well as format and data testing requirements such that evaluated nuclear data sets or entire libraries can be adopted by the nuclear data team. Additional requirements beyond this memo might apply for specific nuclear data observables. These guidelines were established based on discussions between J.L. Conlin, M.G. Gray, A.P. McCartney, D. Neudecker, D.K. Parsons and M.C. White.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Sorbent Based Post-Combustion CO 2 Slipstream Testing

TDA Research, Inc. has developed a low-cost sorbent (alkalized alumina) based technology for post-combustion CO 2 capture. The sorbent runs in an isothermal process for adsorption and regeneration. Neither temperature swing nor pressure swing is needed. TDA designed a system which operated 10 fixed beds to simulate a moving bed process. The flow pattern was optimized to minimize the steam usage for regeneration. An excellent sorbent (Batch 1) was also developed with collaboration with our partner. The sorbent degraded after long term operation. We developed a reprocessing procedure, which can be conducted in situ, to restore the sorbent capture capacity as the fresh sorbent after running for about 1250 hours. The reprocessing extended the sorbent longevity significantly. TDA designed a pilot unit (40’ x 32’ x 11.5’), processing flue gas equivalent to 0.5 MW of power generation. It had 10 beds and each bed could hold 1.75 m 3 of sorbent. We worked with Springs Fabrication, Inc. to complete the construction of the pilot unit. It was then shipped and installed at NCCC. The pilot unit was kept running in 24-hour mode when the flue gas and steam were available. It could run automatically without operator on site. Parametric and long-term (2 months) tests were carried out successfully. The results showed that TDA’s process can achieve 90% capture and 95% CO 2 purity for both coal and NG flue gases. For coal flue gas, the system reached performance target when processing up to 0.62 MW flue gas, 24% higher than the design capacity. Thus, capital cost could be saved on the reactors and sorbent. The strip air flow was designed to be 0.25 of that of the flue gas. The test data showed the strip/flue ratio can be reduced to as little as 0.18, which saves the power consumption for the strip air blower. The pressure drop was found to be lower than what the empirical equation calculated. The sorbent still had 91.7% of original capacity after 3-month test. With the data from the pilot test, we updated the TEA. For a 550-MW e supercritical coal fired power plant with CO 2 capture, the capture cost for TDA’s process is $34.9/tonne CO 2 captured, which meets DOE’s goal of $40/tonne and is 17.1% less than the DOE baseline Case 12. Therefore, TDA’s process has a good potential for commercialization.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Use of the Wilshire Equations to Correlate and Extrapolate Creep Data of Inconel 617 and Nimonic 105

Advanced power plant alloys must endure high temperatures and pressures for durations at which creep data are often not available, necessitating the extrapolation of creep life. A recently developed creep life extrapolation method is the Wilshire equations, with which multiple approaches can be used to increase the goodness of fit of available experimental data and improve the confidence level of calculating long-term creep strength at times well beyond the available experimental data. In this article, the Wilshire equation is used to extrapolate the creep life of Inconel 617 and Nimonic 105 to 100,000 h. The use of (a) different methods to determine creep activation energy, (b) region splitting, (c) heat- and processing-specific tensile strength data, and (d) short-duration test data were investigated to determine their effects on correlation and extrapolation. For Inconel 617, using the activation energy of lattice self-diffusion as Q C * resulted in a poor fit with the experimental data. Additionally, the error of calculated rupture times worsened when splitting regions. For Nimonic 105, the error was reduced when heat- and processing-specific tensile strengths were used. Extrapolating Inconel 617 creep strength to 100,000 h life gave conservative results when compared to values calculated by the European Creep Collaborative Committee.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Thermal testing of the Ranger Block III SPACECRAFT in the JPL 25 ft. space simulator

In January, 1964, a test program was begun on the thermal design of the Ranger Block III Spacecraft. The tests were performed i n the newly operational JPL 25' Space Simulator over a period of 6 months . The objectives of these tests were two-fold: A. To evaluate the 25' Space Simulator as a facility for proving the thermal design of spacecrafts, and B. To verify .the thermal design of the Ranger Block III spacecraft. These two objectives are complimentary in the test series performed and are difficult to separate into distinct categories. An important part of the first objective was to learn what type of test preparation, instrumentation, and analysis was required for the meaningful evaluation of test data from the 25' Space Simulator tests. Although some experience had been gained in testing of components and incomplete spacecrafts in smaller solar simulation chambers during the early part of the Ranger program, we knew little about testing of a complete spacecraft in the 25' Space Simulator when this test program began. Test analysis requires that the energy absorbed by various spacecraft components be known. This requires a knowledge of the area of solar absorption or sunlit area, the solar energy flux density on the area, and the effective absorptance of that area. Most of the problems encountered were associated with the determination of the last two quantities since the sunlit area may be obtained directly by inspection of spacecraft surfaces. This paper will present a discussion of our experiences during the Ranger Block III thermal test series on the Thermal Test Model (TCM). The TCM was thermally equivalent to the flight type Ranger spacecraft except for the lack of an antenna dish and solar panels. Flight type structural hardware was used with surface finishes equivalent to those of the flight spacecraft. Aluminum blocks simulated the spacecraft electronics thermal masses with resistance heaters simulating the electronic power dissipation. The discussion will be presented in a semi-chronological order and will be divided into the following areas: 1. Determination of solar simulation flux density on spacecraft surfaces. 2. Problems related to decollimation of the solar simulation source. 3. Determination of effective absorptance in the solar simulation spectrum.

SPACE SIMULATOR↗

A north-south stationkeeping ion thruster system for ATS-F

A one millipound cesium ion thruster system experiment designed for the ATS-F satellite will be used to demonstrate north-south stationkeeping for synchronous satellites. Development effort leading to the present design will be described and test data for qualification and flight acceptance tests will be presented. These include a review of EMI evaluations tests made with the power conditioning subsystem and the thruster simulator, and an extended system operational test. During the extended test, 90 on-off cycles simulated thruster operation in orbit. A planned 18,000 hour ground test of a flight qualified thruster will be discussed.

James, E.↗

One man electrochemical air revitalization system

An integrated water vapor electrolysis (WVE) hydrogen depolarized CO2 concentrator (HDC) system sized for one man support over a wide range of inlet air conditions was designed, fabricated, and tested. Data obtained during 110 days of testing verified that this system can provide the necessary oxygen, CO2 removal, and partial humidity control to support one man (without exceeding a cabin partial pressure of 3.0 mmHg for CO2 and while maintaining a 20% oxygen level), when operated at a WVE current of 50 amperes and an HDC current of 18 amperes. An evaluation to determine the physical properties of tetramethylammonium bicarbonate (TMAC) and hydroxide was made. This provides the necessary electrolyte information for designing an HDC cell using TMAC.

Huddleston, J. C.↗

Flight-control/navigation inertial reference system

The preliminary design of a redundant strapdown navigation system for integrated flight-control/navigation use has been completed. Based on application of tuned-gimbal gyros, a compact configuration (13 in x 13 in x 14 in) has been achieved for fail-operational/fail-operational redundancy. Test data are presented for strapdown system test programs including flight testing of the LN-50 tuned-gimbal gyro system. Testing of a redundant sensor configuration is currently in process. Strapdown gyro development also includes ring laser and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques.

Ebner, R. E.↗

Increased capabilities of the Langley Mach 7 Scramjet Test Facility

An experimental research program which explored the potential for expanding the operating range of NASA Langley's Mach 7 Scramjet Test Facility is described. The facility uses electric arc-heated air as the test gas and is configured for testing airframe-integrated scramjet engine models at conditions duplicating flight velocities and temperatures. Previous scramjet testing in this facility was limited to a single simulated flight condition of Mach 6.9 at 115,300 ft. altitude. The present arc heater research demonstrated that the facility can be used for scramjet testing at simulated flight conditions from Mach 4 (at altitudes from 77,000 to 114,000 ft.) to Mach 7 (at altitudes from 108,000 to 149,000 ft.). Flow quality was established from the uniformity of measured total temperature profiles. In addition, nitrogen oxide levels in the test stream were determined for relating engine test data to expected flight performance. The test frequency and reliability of the facility were also improved by a novel redesign of the heater downstream electrode and by defining limits for stable arc operation.

Thomas, S. R.↗

Statistical prediction of dynamic distortion of inlet flow using minimum dynamic measurement. An application to the Melick statistical method and inlet flow dynamic distortion prediction without RMS measurements

The Melick method of inlet flow dynamic distortion prediction by statistical means is outlined. A hypothetic vortex model is used as the basis for the mathematical formulations. The main variables are identified by matching the theoretical total pressure rms ratio with the measured total pressure rms ratio. Data comparisons, using the HiMAT inlet test data set, indicate satisfactory prediction of the dynamic peak distortion for cases with boundary layer control device vortex generators. A method for the dynamic probe selection was developed. Validity of the probe selection criteria is demonstrated by comparing the reduced-probe predictions with the 40-probe predictions. It is indicated that the the number of dynamic probes can be reduced to as few as two and still retain good accuracy.

Schweikhard, W. G.↗

Technical Evaluation Motor No. 7 (TEM-07)

Technical Evaluation Motor Number 7 (TEM-7) was a full scale, full-duration static test firing of a high performance motor (HPM) configuration solid rocket motor (SRM) with nozzle vectoring. The static test fire occurred on 11 December 1990 at the Thiokol Corporation Static Test Bay T-97. Documented here are the procedures, performance, and results available through 22 January 1991. Critical post test hardware activities and assessment of the test data are not complete. A completed test report will be submitted 60 days after the test date. Included here is a presentation and discussion of the TEM-7 performance, anomalies, and test result concurrence with the objectives outlined in CTP-0107 Revision A, Space Shuttle Technical Evaluation Motor number 7 (TEM-07) Static Fire Test Plan.

Hugh, Phil↗

A preliminary investigation of inlet unstart effects on a high-speed civil transport concept

Vehicle motions resulting from a supersonic mixed-compression inlet unstart were examined to determine if the unstart constituted a hazard severe enough to warrant rejection of mixed-compression inlets on high-speed civil transport (HSCT) concepts. A simple kinematic analysis of an inlet unstart during cruise was performed for a Mach 2, 4, 250-passenger HSCT concept using data from a wind-tunnel test of a representative configuration with unstarted inlets simulated. A survey of previously published research on inlet unstart effects, including simulation and flight test data for the YF-12, XB-70, and Concorde aircraft, was conducted to validate the calculated results. It was concluded that, when countered by suitable automatic propulsion and flight control systems, the vehicle dynamics induced by an inlet unstart are not severe enough to preclude the use of mixed-compression inlets on an HSCT from a passenger safety standpoint. The ability to provide suitable automatic controls appears to be within the current state of the art. However, the passenger startle and discomfort caused by the noise, vibration, and cabin motions associated with an inlet unstart remain a concern.

Domack, Christopher S.↗

The evolution of procurement and assurance methods used to proof an advanced space material

A development history and current performance evaluation is presented for a Kapton polyimide for the Space Station Freedom. Analyses of results obtained for this class of materials by the Long Duration Exposure Facility led to major revisions of procurement specifications and test requirements for this material. Attention is given to the use of oxygen plasma etching and blocking, as well as the evolution of test methodologies due to preproduction test data evaluations and the relationship between tests and product-improvement cycles.

Berendt, Marjorie↗