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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
NASA NTRS2021

Accelerating Climate Research and Action in Cities through Advanced Science-Policy-Practice Partnerships

Cities have become increasingly recognized as key sites for climate research and action. Recently, these efforts have been significantly advanced through science-policy-practice partnerships. The objective of this paper is to assess how these partnerships are structured, the research and action agenda that underpins them, and how this agenda is being articulated and implemented. The assessment also helps to define some of the conceptual and operational gaps faced by the science-policy-practice community and how they can be addressed. The work evaluates the critical conditions for promoting these advances including the definition and fulfillment of knowledge needs, the integration of different perspectives and approaches, establishment of pathways to finance the urban climate research and action community, and creation and promotion of new partnerships. The paper concludes with a series of strategies and recommendations for how targeted policy adjustments can accelerate and support the production of actionable knowledge and this integrated researcher-policymaker-practitioner community.

Climate research↗
NASA NTRS2022

Distributed Simulation Infrastructure for Researching Implementation of Evolving Concepts in the NAS

The National Airspace System (NAS) is evolving; it is becoming more crowded, and new vehicles with different capabilities are starting to utilize airspace. Increased capacity, new vehicles, and their varying performance and equipage profiles will require changes in how we operate in the NAS. The Crew Systems and Aviation Operations Branch (CSAOB) has actively supported crew systems and aviation research contributing to the safe evolution of the NAS. As the NAS continues to evolve to meet the needs of the nation, CSAOB has the history, infrastructure, and tools to support needed research for the introduction of new technologies and understand their impact on the NAS . This paper describes the software infrastructure and tools supported by CSAOB, lists how the tools have been used in the past, how researchers can integrate into our infrastructure, and how these tools are evolving to support research into the future of the NAS.

Simulation↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Human-Autonomy Teaming Research in Support of m:N Operations

Since 2019, the NASA and industry partners have been involved in research focused on a novel paradigm for operations of remotely piloted aircraft. This paradigm involves multiple people sharing a fleet of multiple vehicles between them. Referred to as m:N (pronounced “em-to-en”), this configuration describes a ratio where m is the number of operators and N is the number of vehicles. Through force and asset multiplication, the m:N concept seeks to enable a scalable and resilient operation of remotely crewed vehicles. The primary means of obtaining such a robust operation is through allowing a flexible crew of variable size to dynamically attend to the needs of assets in while performing real-time operator workload management. It is in that sense that assets are shared between operators: as needed (such as in events of elevated workload) an operator in an m:N context can “handoff” the responsibility for some amount of assets, nh < N, to be absorbed by the m – 1 crew members on staff. At some time later, these nh assets could be returned to their original owner or they may be further distributed to other crew if called for by the mission. During this panel, I will elaborate on the research activity undertaken by the Human-Autonomy Teaming (HAT) Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center over the previous three years. The studies conducted by the HAT Lab range from interviews with subject matter experts, a cognitive walkthrough, a task analysis, and two simulation experiments to-date. During experimentation, pilots made use of an advanced Ground Control Station developed by the HAT Lab and industry partners to simulate m:N operations in two large, metropolitan areas of Southern California: Los Angeles and San Diego. Further experimentation planned over the next few years. Results from our research to-date indicates that pilots of a moderately sized fleet of about a dozen remotely crewed aircraft adequately maintained safety performance and situation awareness of their aircraft, even when presented with unexpected situations of heightened workload.

multi-vehicle control↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of the Research Aircraft for eVTOL Enabling techNologies (RAVEN) Activity

The Research Aircraft for eVTOL Enabling techNologies (RAVEN) activity is a collaboration between Georgia Tech and NASA to design and develop a 1,000 lb gross weight class eVTOL research aircraft. The vision for RAVEN is that the aircraft will serve as a “flying laboratory” for enduring research and technology development applications across the realm of eVTOL technologies. A major goal of RAVEN is to disseminate the aircraft design geometry and data from flight tests for the benefit of the broader aeronautics community. Initial research applications will include flight dynamics, controls, acoustics, and automation/autonomy. The aircraft is based on the airframe of a fixed-wing experimental homebuilt airplane that will be modified to incorporate a distributed propulsion system, battery system, fly-by-wire flight control system, and avionics to enable remotely piloted operation. The aircraft is being designed to use commercial off-the-shelf components to the maximum extent practicable to save costs and to accelerate the development schedule without compromising the goal of publishing design geometry and test data. The RAVEN activity is also focused on workforce development by training the next generation of aerospace engineers in eVTOL technologies.

eVTOL↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Drop Towers for Fun and Research

Microgravity is the apparent weightlessness that occurs during freefall – it affects objects orbiting the Earth, which is why astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) float. Due to this, experiments and technologies that are sent to the ISS needs to function properly in the microgravity environment. There are only a few ways for scientists and engineers to test in such an environment on Earth and one way is with drop tower facilities. On top of being used for research, drop towers can also be used as a tool for educational outreach. The Drop Towers for Fun and Research website was created as a natural extension of that outreach. It can be used as a tool for teaching the public about drop towers including what drop towers are, what they are used for, and why they are important for microgravity research. Additionally, there will be videos that help answer these questions and that show actual experiments from past drop tower experiments. There will also be a section that highlight Drop Tower used in amusement parks for fun. It is our hope this site will be able to educate the public on drop towers and show them drop tower that they can be used for both fun and research.

drop towers↗
NASA NTRS2024

Aeroelastic Stability Assessment Methodology and Application to Slat Noise Treatments on the High-Lift Common Research Model

This work supports a larger effort at NASA to reduce airframe noise and, thus, environmental noise around airports. The leading-edge slat of conventional high-lift systems is a prominent source of airframe noise, and two technologies were previously identified as promising for noise reduction without significant aerodynamic or weight penalty: the slat cove filler (SCF) and the slat gap filler (SGF). NASA fabricated a 10%-scale semispan aircraft model for wind tunnel testing based upon the High-Lift Common Research Model (CRM-HL). NASA embarked on a test campaign with the 10% CRM-HL to determine the noise reduction effectiveness and other performance metrics of 3D SCF and SGF treatments in flow conditions representative of flight. The highly flexible SCF and SGF treatments posed a risk to the model and aeroelastic instability would compromise research integrity, so aeroelastic stability assessment was required. This work briefly describes the 10% CRM-HL, design of the SCF and SGF treatments to the model, and supporting fluid structure interaction (FSI) research. Relations for static and dynamic aeroelastic similitude are then developed for convenience of reference, and simplifications are introduced of particular utility to the cases considered in this study. The similitude relations are employed to assess the stability of the treatments under wind tunnel flow conditions based upon known behaviors from the supporting research. It is shown that the treatments are safe for test under the anticipated wind tunnel flow conditions with significant margins/factors of safety. It is furthermore demonstrated that the SCF is more susceptible to aeroelastic instability than the SGF, which has implications for flight feasibility.

Similitude↗
DOE OSTI2010

Development of an Extreme Environment Materials Research Facility at Princeton

The need for a fundamental understanding of material response to a neutron and/or high heat flux environment can yield development of improved materials and operations with existing materials. Such understanding has numerous applications in fields such as nuclear power (for the current fleet and future fission and fusion reactors), aerospace, and other research fields (e.g., high-intensity proton accelerator facilities for high energy physics research). A proposal has been advanced to develop a facility for testing various materials under extreme heat and neutron exposure conditions at Princeton. The Extreme Environment Materials Research Facility comprises an environmentally controlled chamber (48 m^3) capable of high vacuum conditions, with extreme flux beams and probe beams accessing a central, large volume target. The facility will have the capability to expose large surface areas (1 m^2) to 14 MeV neutrons at a fluence in excess of 10^13 n/s. Depending on the operating mode. Additionally beam line power on the order of 15-75 MW/m2 for durations of 1-15 seconds are planned... The multi-second duration of exposure can be repeated every 2-10 minutes for periods of 10-12 hours. The facility will be housed in the test cell that held the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR), which has the desired radiation and safety controls as well as the necessary loading and assembly infrastructure. The facility will allow testing of various materials to their physical limit of thermal endurance and allow for exploring the interplay between radiation-induced embrittlement, swelling and deformation of materials, and the fatigue and fracturing that occur in response to thermal shocks. The combination of high neutron energies and intense fluences will enable accelerated time scale studies. The results will make contributions for refining predictive failure modes (modeling) in extreme environments, as well as providing a technical platform for the development of new alloys, new materials, and the investigation of repair mechanisms. Effects on materials will be analyzed with in situ beam probes and instrumentation as the target is exposed to radiation, thermal fluxes and other stresses. Photon and monochromatic neutron fluxes, produced using a variable-energy (4-45 MeV) electron linac and the highly asymmetric electron-positron collisions technique used in high-energy physics research, can provide non-destructive, deep-penetrating structural analysis of materials while they are undergoing testing. The same beam lines will also be able to generate neutrons from photonuclear interactions using existing Bremsstrahlung and positrons on target quasi-monochromatic gamma rays. Other diagnostics will include infrared cameras, residual gas analyzer (RGA), and thermocouples; additional diagnostic capability will be added.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

ORNL MAXLAB Flexible Research Platforms

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was competitively awarded the “Maximum Energy Efficiency Building Research Laboratory” (MAXLAB) project under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). As part of that project, the design and construction of two flexible research platforms (FRP) was included to provide new building test apparatus at ORNL. The two FRPs are designed to be capable of being outfitted as test buildings that are representative of typical construction methods, materials, and geometry used in the light commercial market. These test buildings will be heavily instrumented and will provide ORNL’s industry partners a means of assessing new HVAC, control, and envelope solutions under realistic conditions, in a low financial risk environment. The long-term data collected at the facility can be used to validate analytic models which can then be used by developers to refine their potential products and reduce delivery time to market. This paper outlines the FRP concept, long term research plan and the challenges in the design and construction of the base research apparatus and test buildings.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Energy Frontier Research Centers: Science for Our Nation's Energy Future, September 2016

As world demand for energy rapidly expands, transforming the way energy is collected, stored, and used has become a defining challenge of the 21st century. At its heart, this challenge is a scientific one, inspiring the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) to establish the Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) program in 2009. The EFRCs represent a unique approach, bringing together creative, multidisciplinary scientific teams to perform energy-relevant basic research with a complexity beyond the scope of single-investigator projects. These centers take full advantage of powerful new tools for characterizing, understanding, modeling, and manipulating matter from atomic to macroscopic length scales. They also train the next-generation scientific workforce by attracting talented students and postdoctoral researchers interested in energy science. The EFRCs have collectively demonstrated the potential to substantially advance the scientific understanding underpinning transformational energy technologies. Both a BES Committee of Visitors and a Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Task Force have found the EFRC program to be highly successful in meeting its goals. The scientific output from the EFRCs is impressive, and many centers have reported that their results are already impacting both technology research and industry. This report on the EFRC program includes selected highlights from the initial 46 EFRCs and the current 36 EFRCs.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2018

2017 Publications Demonstrate Advancements in Wind Energy Research

In 2017, wind energy experts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) made significant strides to advance wind energy. Many of these achievements were presented in articles published in scientific and engineering journals and technical reports that detailed research accomplishments in new and progressing wind energy technologies. During fiscal year 2017, NREL wind energy thought leaders shared knowledge and insights through 45 journal articles and 25 technical reports, benefiting academic and national-lab research communities; industry stakeholders; and local, state, and federal decision makers. Such publications serve as important outreach, informing the public of how NREL wind research, analysis, and deployment activities complement advanced energy growth in the United States and around the world. The publications also illustrate some of the noteworthy outcomes of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Laboratory Directed Research and Development funding, as well as funding and facilities leveraged through strategic partnerships and other collaborations.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Challenges and Opportunities in Staffing and Knowledge Transfer at Research Reactors

University research reactors have been a cornerstone of nuclear engineering research and education since the first reactor was deployed at North Carolina State University in the 1950s. The population of university reactors grew to a high of almost 80 in 1970 but has dropped to 24 operating today. The US Department of Energy – Office of Nuclear Energy supports the remaining reactors through fuel and infrastructure funding. The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) collaborated with the National Organization of Test, Research, and Training Reactors (TRTR) to study the needs of the university research reactor community. Staffing and knowledge transfer were identified as critical areas. The panel will discuss challenges and opportunities in these areas including how COVID-19 has affected their facilities.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2021

NSUF University Research Reactor Fitness Workshop

University research reactors have been a cornerstone of nuclear engineering research and education since the first reactor was deployed at North Carolina State University in the 1950s. The population of university reactors grew to a high of almost 80 in 1970 but has dropped to 25 operating today, also shrinking the community, availability of vendors and the talent pipeline. The nation’s fleet of TRTRs serves as a vital resource for educating the next generation of nuclear engineers and as a flexible testbed for innovative reactor technologies. Typically, the reactors have a very small staff with responsibilities ranging through research and operations, isotope production, regulatory compliance, facility maintenance, and university teaching obligations. Knowledge transfer and staffing were identified as critical areas in a recent study of US university research reactor fitness. This panel discusses the unique challenges and potential solutions to these issues.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Radiological Survey of Contaminated Installations of Research Reactor before Dismantling in High Dose Conditions with Complex for Remote Measurements of Radioactivity - 12069

Decontamination and decommissioning of the research reactors MR (Testing Reactor) and RFT (Reactor of Physics and Technology) has recently been initiated in the National Research Center (NRC) 'Kurchatov institute', Moscow. These research reactors have a long history and many installations - nine loop facilities for experiments with different kinds of fuel. When decommissioning nuclear facilities it is necessary to measure the distribution of radioactive contamination in the rooms and at the equipment at high levels of background radiation. At 'Kurchatov Institute' some special remote control measuring systems were developed and they are applied during dismantling of the reactors MR and RFT. For a survey of high-level objects a radiometric system mounted on the robotic Brokk vehicle is used. This system has two (4π and collimated) dose meters and a high resolution video camera. Maximum measured dose rate for this system is ∼8.5 Sv/h. To determine the composition of contaminants, a portable spectrometric system is used. It is a remotely controlled, collimated detector for scanning the distribution of radioactive contamination. To obtain a detailed distribution of contamination a remote-controlled gamma camera is applied. For work at highly contaminated premises with non-uniform background radiation, another camera is equipped with rotating coded mask (coded aperture imaging). As a result, a new system of instruments for remote radioactivity measurements with wide range of sensitivity and angular resolution was developed. The experience and results of measurements in different areas of the reactor and at its loop installations, with emphasis on the radioactive survey of highly-contaminated samples, are presented. These activities are conducted under the Federal Program for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Russia. Adaptation of complex remote measurements of radioactivity and survey of contaminated installations of research reactor before dismantling in high dose conditions has proven successful. The radioactivity measuring devices for operation at high, non-uniform dose background were tested in the field and a new data of measurement of contamination distribution in the premises and installations were obtained. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

The fourth decade of underground research at the Grimsel Test Site - what we have learned and where we go from here - 15075

At the Grimsel Test Site, NAGRA and its partners have celebrated thirty years' worth of essential contributions to the characterization of crystalline host rock, and the development and confirmation of safe geological disposal concepts. In operation since 1984, the underground research laboratory in the Swiss Alps shall not accept radioactive waste but can host experiments with radiotracers/radionuclides under strictly controlled conditions. The strong drive for international cooperation at the Grimsel Test Site is reflected in the more than two dozen organizations and research institutes from twelve countries and the European Union which have participated in the research program to date. The program has been designed dynamically to always mirror the current requirements of national programs for the long-term management of radioactive waste, as well as attempt to anticipate the next steps. Early work featured the development of methodologies for formation characterization. Then followed a period concentrating on performance assessment issues, before radionuclide migration and barriers were investigated intensely. The past 15 years have been dominated by engineering demonstration experiments. The research conducted at the Grimsel Test Site has complemented laboratory experiments, surface investigations and numerical modelling studies through the bridging of different scales and drawing off links between laboratory setups and natural analogues. The crystalline rock formations of the Aar Massif have provided an opportunity to do experiments in environments similar to those of future repositories. The facility also serves as a platform for continual knowledge transfer between generations of scientists and fosters synergies among disciplines. However, considering the ambitious schedule for repository implementation in several continuous, one may ask whether the era of generic underground rock laboratories is approaching its end. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of the Underwater Disc Saw Used to Segment the Internals of Taiwan Research Reactor - 20038

Taiwan Research Reactor will be dismantled in the period of 2022 to 2027 according to the approved dismantling plan. Based on the sampling and analyzing results, some internals of Taiwan Research Reactor must be segmented under the water because of their higher radiation, and the calandria is one of them. To dismantle this calandria, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research develops an underwater disc saw that is driven by a hydraulic pump and will be used to segment the shell of the calandria. In this article, Taiwan Research Reactor and the structure of the calandria are briefly depicted, and the segmentation processes of this calandria and the design of this disc saw are also included. Besides, the trial of cutting the shell of the simplified full size calandria mockup is briefly demonstrated in this article. Further tests will be performed in the near future to figure out which parts or functions of this disc saw need to be modified to get better cutting performance. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Development of a Research Reactor Protocol for Neutron Multiplication Measurements

Establishing a protocol for measurements on research reactors is the next step in advanced subcritical neutron multiplication inference measurements. Such measurements can help identify deficiencies and quantify uncertainties in nuclear data and validate predictive Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation capabilities related to subcritical neutron multiplication inference techniques. This work expands on previous benchmark-quality efforts performed at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) located in Nevada, including subcritical experiments with a 4.5-kg {alpha}-phase plutonium sphere surrounded by copper, tungsten and nickel. Evaluations of the nickel and tungsten measurements have both been accepted into the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Handbook. The nickel benchmark was the first ICSBEP-accepted evaluation of measurements using the Feynman Variance-to-Mean method based on the Hage-Cifarelli formulism, and was the culmination of many years of subcritical experiment research. To help establish a protocol for research reactor-based subcritical measurements, a series of Critical and Subcritical {Phi}-Power Experiments at Rensselaer (CaSPER) have been designed. This neutron multiplication measurement series will be executed at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Walthousen Reactor Critical Facility (RPI-RCF) in upstate New York. The RPI reactor facility can provide benchmark-quality integral experimental configurations where different reactivity states can be achieved by varying the control rod height/water height in the reactor. The diversity of achievable configurations are also unique in contrast to previous subcritical benchmark measurements in that they are spatially complex, involve different materials (fuel, moderator), and are characterized by system-specific neutron cross section sensitivities (various energy ranges and neutron reaction contributions). It is worth noting that previous proof-of-concept subcritical measurements have been performed on thermal systems at NCERC, at a variety of reactivity states by separation distance, yet it was not possible to know the reactivity of various configurations accurately for benchmarking (there are no control rod worth curves as there are no control rods). (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advancing Geothermal Research: Fiscal Year 2024 Accomplishments Report

Geothermal resources have delivered renewable electricity for more than 100 years, and renewable heat for far longer, but recent research and advancements have shown that geothermal is more than a 24/7 clean energy source. With the ability to also provide cooling and storage - plus the potential to access critical minerals, capture and sequester carbon, produce green hydrogen, and more - geothermal technologies and resources are emerging as key solutions to the climate crisis. In fiscal year 2024 (FY24), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) broadened its research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) portfolio and partnerships with exciting innovations such as next-generation geothermal technologies for power, geothermal energy networks for heating and cooling, subsurface thermal energy storage, well repurposing, and more. In support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office's (GTO) mission to increase geothermal energy deployment through research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that enhance exploration and production, NREL led impactful research in geothermal technologies and resources, market acceleration, and grid integration while also demonstrating leadership in the sector and increasing stakeholder engagement and outreach efforts.

annual report↗
DOE OSTI2025

Global Precipitation Experiment—A New World Climate Research Programme Lighthouse Activity

The future state of the global water cycle and the prediction of freshwater availability for humans around the world remain among the challenges of climate research and are relevant to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Global Precipitation Experiment (GPEX) takes on the challenge of improving the prediction of precipitation quantity, phase, timing, and intensity, characteristics that are products of a complex integrated system. It will achieve this by leveraging existing World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) activities and community capabilities in satellite, surface-based, and airborne observations, modeling, and experimental research and by conducting new and focused activities. It was launched in October 2023 as a WCRP Lighthouse Activity. Here, we present an overview of the GPEX Science Plan that articulates the primary science questions related to precipitation measurements, process understanding, model performance and improvements, and plans for capacity development. The central phase of GPEX is the WCRP Years of Precipitation for 2–3 years with coordinated global field campaigns focusing on different storm types (atmospheric rivers, mesoscale convective systems, monsoons, and tropical cyclones, among others) over different regions and seasons. Activities are planned over the three phases (before, during, and after the Years of Precipitation) spanning a decade. These include gridded data evaluation and development, advanced modeling, enhanced understanding of processes critical to precipitation, multiscale prediction of precipitation events across scales, and capacity development. These activities will be further developed as part of the GPEX Implementation Plan.

Climate change↗