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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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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Dalitz plot analyses of J / ψ → π + π - π 0 , J / ψ → K + K - π 0 , and J / ψ → K s 0 K ± π ∓ produced via e + e - annihilation with initial-state radiation

Here, we study the processes e + e - → γ ISR J/ψ , where J/ψ → π + π - π 0 , J/ψ → K + K - π 0 , and J / ψ → K$0\atop{S}$ K ± π ∓ using a data sample of 519 fb -1 recorded with the BABAR detector operating at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy e + e - collider at center-of-mass energies at and near the Υ (nS) (n = 2 , 3 , 4) resonances. We measure the ratio of branching fractions R 1 = $B(J/ψ →K^+K^- π^0)\atop{B(J/ψ →π^+π^- π^0)}$ and R 2 = $B(J/ψ →K^0_SK^±π^∓)\atop{B(J/ψ →π^+π^- π^0)}$. We perform Dalitz plot analyses of the three J/ψ decay modes and measure fractions for resonances contributing to the decays. We also analyze the J/ψ → $π^+π^- π^0$ decay using the Veneziano model. We observe structures compatible with the presence of ρ (1450) in all three J/ψ decay modes and measure the relative branching fraction: R (p(1450)) = $Bp(1450)→K^+K^-)\atop{B(p(1450)→π^+π^-)}$ +0.307 ± 0.084 (stat) ± 0.082 (sys).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Sustainable syntrophic growth of Dehalococcoides ethenogenes strain 195 with Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough and Methanobacterium congolense: global transcriptomic and proteomic analyses

Dehalococcoides ethenogenes strain 195 (DE195) was grown in a sustainable syntrophic association with Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough (DVH) as a co-culture, as well as with DVH and the hydrogenotrophic methanogen Methanobacterium congolense (MC) as a tri-culture using lactate as the sole energy and carbon source. In the co- and tri-cultures, maximum dechlorination rates of DE195 were enhanced by approximately three times (11.0 0.01 lmol per day for the co-culture and 10.1 0.3 lmol per day for the tri-culture) compared with DE195 grown alone (3.8 0.1 lmol per day). Cell yield of DE195 was enhanced in the co-culture (9.0 0.5107 cells per lmol Cl released, compared with 6.8 0.9107 cells per lmol Cl released for the pure culture), whereas no further enhancement was observed in the tri-culture (7.3 1.8107 cells per lmol Cl released). The transcriptome of DE195 grown in the co-culture was analyzed using a wholegenome microarray targeting DE195, which detected 102 significantly up- or down-regulated genes compared with DE195 grown in isolation, whereas no significant transcriptomic difference was observed between co- and tri-cultures. Proteomic analysis showed that 120 proteins were differentially expressed in the co-culture compared with DE195 grown in isolation. Physiological, transcriptomic and proteomic results indicate that the robust growth of DE195 in co- and tri-cultures is because of the advantages associated with the capabilities of DVH to ferment lactate to provide H2 and acetate for growth, along with potential benefits from proton translocation, cobalamin-salvaging and amino acid biosynthesis, whereas MC in the tri-culture provided no significant additional benefits beyond those of DVH.

bioremediation↗
DOE OSTI2015

Halo-independent direct detection analyses without mass assumptions

Results from direct detection experiments are typically interpreted by employing an assumption about the dark matter velocity distribution, with results presented in the m{sub χ}−σ{sub n} plane. Recently methods which are independent of the DM halo velocity distribution have been developed which present results in the v{sub min}−g-tilde plane, but these in turn require an assumption on the dark matter mass. Here we present an extension of these halo-independent methods for dark matter direct detection which does not require a fiducial choice of the dark matter mass. With a change of variables from v{sub min} to nuclear recoil momentum (p{sub R}), the full halo-independent content of an experimental result for any dark matter mass can be condensed into a single plot as a function of a new halo integral variable, which we call h-til-tilde(p{sub R}). The entire family of conventional halo-independent g-tilde(v{sub min}) plots for all DM masses are directly found from the single h-tilde(p{sub R}) plot through a simple rescaling of axes. By considering results in h-tilde(p{sub R}) space, one can determine if two experiments are inconsistent for all masses and all physically possible halos, or for what range of dark matter masses the results are inconsistent for all halos, without the necessity of multiple g-tilde(v{sub min}) plots for different DM masses. We conduct a sample analysis comparing the CDMS II Si events to the null results from LUX, XENON10, and SuperCDMS using our method and discuss how the results can be strengthened by imposing the physically reasonable requirement of a finite halo escape velocity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Integrated Waste Treatment Unit (IWTU) Input Coal Analyses and Off-Gass Filter (OGF) Content Analyses

A full engineering scale Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer (FBSR) system is being used at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) to stabilize acidic Low Activity Waste (LAW) known as Sodium Bearing Waste (SBW). The INTEC facility, known as the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit (IWTU), underwent an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) and a Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) in March 2014. The IWTU began non-radioactive simulant processing in late 2014 and by January, 2015 ; the IWTU had processed 62,000 gallons of simulant. The facility is currently in a planned outage for inspection of the equipment and will resume processing simulated waste feed before commencing to process 900,000 gallons of radioactive SBW. The SBW acidic waste will be made into a granular FBSR product (carbonate based) for disposal in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). In the FBSR process calcined coal is used to create a CO2 fugacity to force the waste species to convert to carbonate species. The quality of the coal, which is a feed input, is important because the reactivity, moisture, and volatiles (C,H,N,O, and S) in the coal impact the reactions and control of the mineralizing process in the primary steam reforming vessel, the Denitration and Mineralizing Reformer (DMR). Too much moisture in the coal can require that additional coal be used. However since moisture in the coal is only a small fraction of the moisture from the fluidizing steam this can be self-correcting. If the coal reactivity or heating value is too low then the coal feed-rate needs to be adjusted to achieve the desired heat generation. Too little coal and autothermal heat generation in the DMR cannot be sustained and/or the carbon dioxide fugacity will be too low to create the desired carbonate mineral species. Too much coal and excess S and hydroxide species can form. Excess sulfur from coal that (1) is too rich in sulfur or (2) from overfeeding coal can promote wall scale and contribute to corrosion in process piping and materials, in excessive off-gas absorbent loading, and in undesired process emissions. The ash content of the coal is important as the ash adds to the DMR and other vessel products which affect the final waste product mass and composition. The amount and composition of the ash also affects the reaction kinetics. Thus ash content and composition contributes to the mass balance. In addition, sodium, potassium, calcium, sulfur, and maybe silica and alumina in the ash may contribute to wall-scale formation. Sodium, potassium, and alumina in the ash will be overwhelmed by the sodium, potassium, and alumina from the feed but the impact from the other ash components needs to be quantified. A maximum coal particle size is specified so the feed system does not plug and a minimum particle size is specified to prevent excess elutriation from the DMR to the Process Gas Filter (PGF). A vendor specification was used to procure the calcined coal for IWTU processing. While the vendor supplied a composite analysis for the 22 tons of coal (Appendix A), this study compares independent analyses of the coal performed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) and at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). Three supersacks a were sampled at three different heights within the sack in order to determine within bag variability and between bag variability of the coal. These analyses were also compared to the vendor’s composite analyses and to the coal specification. These analyses were also compared to historic data on Bestac coal analyses that had been performed at Hazen Research Inc. (HRI) between 2004-2011.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

Seismic Soil-Structure Interaction Analyses of a Deeply Embedded Model Reactor – SASSI Analyses

This report summarizes the SASSI analyses of a deeply embedded reactor model performed by BNL and CJC and Associates, as part of the seismic soil-structure interaction (SSI) simulation capability project for the NEAMS (Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation) Program of the Department of Energy. The SASSI analyses included three cases: 0.2 g, 0.5 g, and 0.9g, all of which refer to nominal peak accelerations at the top of the bedrock. The analyses utilized the modified subtraction method (MSM) for performing the seismic SSI evaluations. Each case consisted of two analyses: input motion in one horizontal direction (X) and input motion in the vertical direction (Z), both of which utilized the same in-column input motion. Besides providing SASSI results for use in comparison with the time domain SSI results obtained using the DIABLO computer code, this study also leads to the recognition that the frequency-domain method should be modernized so that it can better serve its mission-critical role for analysis and design of nuclear power plants.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

MURR LEU structural and thermal hydraulics analyses: Part II – Impacts of irradiation thermo-mechanical behavior on thermal hydraulics safety analyses

A series of structural analyses have been performed to support the conversion of the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) from the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU; ≥20 wt% U-235) to low-enriched uranium (LEU; <20 wt% U-235) fuel. The irradiation thermo-mechanical analysis evaluated the effects of fuel swelling, irradiation creep, thermal expansion, as well as thermal resistance from the oxide layer growth for the MURR LEU element in prototypic thermal and irradiation conditions as presented in Part I of this article. Overall, this irradiation thermo-mechanical analysis predicts smaller gap thickness reductions in previously limiting regions, and larger reductions in the middle of the outermost end channels where power density is not typically a maximum. Due to substantial differences between the channel gap reductions assumed for the previous safety analyses and those predicted by the irradiation thermo-mechanical analysis, a need to evaluate their impact on the thermal hydraulics safety analyses arose. This article presents the results from the steady-state safety analysis for normal operation as well as the two most limiting accident scenarios. The calculation models were revised in order to account for the spatial and temporal variation of the channel gap thicknesses. The results show that sufficient safety margins are still maintained for normal operation as well as during the postulated accident transients. This work provides a methodology of incorporating the irradiation thermo-mechanical behavior of plate-type fuel into the thermal hydraulics safety analyses.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Spin orientations of the spin-half Ir{sup 4+} ions in Sr{sub 3}NiIrO{sub 6}, Sr{sub 2}IrO{sub 4}, and Na{sub 2}IrO{sub 3}: Density functional, perturbation theory, and Madelung potential analyses

The spins of the low-spin Ir{sup 4+} (S = 1/2, d{sup 5}) ions at the octahedral sites of the oxides Sr{sub 3}NiIrO{sub 6}, Sr{sub 2}IrO{sub 4}, and Na{sub 2}IrO{sub 3} exhibit preferred orientations with respect to their IrO{sub 6} octahedra. We evaluated the magnetic anisotropies of these S = 1/2 ions on the basis of density functional theory (DFT) calculations including spin-orbit coupling (SOC), and probed their origin by performing perturbation theory analyses with SOC as perturbation within the LS coupling scheme. The observed spin orientations of Sr{sub 3}NiIrO{sub 6} and Sr{sub 2}IrO{sub 4} are correctly predicted by DFT calculations, and are accounted for by the perturbation theory analysis. As for the spin orientation of Na{sub 2}IrO{sub 3}, both experimental studies and DFT calculations have not been unequivocal. Our analysis reveals that the Ir{sup 4+} spin orientation of Na{sub 2}IrO{sub 3} should have nonzero components along the c- and a-axis directions. The spin orientations determined by DFT calculations are sensitive to the accuracy of the crystal structures employed, which is explained by perturbation theory analyses when interactions between adjacent Ir{sup 4+} ions are taken into consideration. There are indications implying that the 5d electrons of Na{sub 2}IrO{sub 3} are less strongly localized compared with those of Sr{sub 3}NiIrO{sub 6} and Sr{sub 2}IrO{sub 4}. This implication was confirmed by showing that the Madelung potentials of the Ir{sup 4+} ions are less negative in Na{sub 2}IrO{sub 3} than in Sr{sub 3}NiIrO{sub 6} and Sr{sub 2}IrO{sub 4}. Most transition-metal S = 1/2 ions do have magnetic anisotropies because the SOC induces interactions among their crystal-field split d-states, and the associated mixing of the states modifies only the orbital parts of the states. This finding cannot be mimicked by a spin Hamiltonian because this model Hamiltonian lacks the orbital degree of freedom, thereby leading to the spin-half syndrome. The spin-orbital entanglement for the 5d spin-half ions Ir{sup 4+} is not as strong as has been assumed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Neutronics Analyses for the Spallation Neutron Source Second Target Station

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), two of the word-class neutron scattering facilities, are located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SNS and HFIR are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Science, and are operated as user facilities, available to researchers from all over the world. Currently there are thirteen neutron scattering instruments in operation at the HFIR and twenty at the SNS First Target Station.Producing the cutting edge science requires continuous improvements and development of the facilities and instruments. The SNS was designed from the beginning to allow addition of the Second Target Station (STS), and an upgrade of the accelerator power. At this time both advances: the accelerator upgrade and the construction of the STS are in preparation.Current baseline design for the STS calls for a rotating compact tungsten target. The target station is driven with short (<1 μs) proton pulses at 10 Hz repetition rate and 467 kW proton beam power, and is optimized for high intensity and high resolution long wavelength neutron applications. The proton beam footprint as small as acceptable from the mechanical and heat removal aspects is planned to generate a compact-volume neutron production zone in the target, which is essential for tight coupling of the target and the moderators and for achieving high-intensity peak thermal and cold neutron fluxes. The STS will allow operation of approximately 22 beamlines and will expand and complement the current national neutron scattering capabilities.This paper will present an update of the status of the neutronics analyses performed for the STS and will discuss the performance of the moderators, heating rates, activation analyses, and shielding calculations which provide input in the engineering design.

Remec, Igor↗
DOE OSTI2018

Efficiency and Reliability Analyses of AC and 380V DC Distribution in Data Centers

Modern data centers consume large amounts of electricity, resulting in high operational costs. The efficiency of a data center power distribution system can be increased, and the operational cost reduced, if the number of power conversion stages can be minimized and more efficient converters, such as wide bandgap (WBG) converters, are used. This can be achieved by using DC distribution voltage at the rack level by eliminating extra conversion stages. In this paper, benchmarks for both AC and 380V DC data centers were developed and efficiency analyses were performed for an entire year. The impact of integrating photovoltaic (PV) systems into the data centers has also been analyzed in both cases in terms of efficiency. The results show that 380V DC data centers are more efficient than AC data centers with and without PV integration. Furthermore, the reliability of an AC system was compared to a 380V DC architecture with Tier-IV standard. Monte-Carlo simulations were used to perform reliability analyses for different levels of redundancy in the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system for both cases. In conclusion, the simulation results showed that the 380V DC distribution system had a higher level of reliability than the AC distribution system in data centers.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2018

Genome-wide association studies and expression-based quantitative trait loci analyses reveal roles of HCT2 in caffeoylquinic acid biosynthesis and its regulation by defense-responsive transcription factors in Populus

3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, also known as chlorogenic acid (CGA), functions as an intermediate in lignin biosynthesis in the phenylpropanoid pathway. It is widely distributed among numerous plant species and acts as an antioxidant in both plants and animals. Using GC-MS, we discovered consistent and extreme variation in CGA content across a population of 739 4-yr-old Populus trichocarpa accessions. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from 917 P. trichocarpa accessions and expression-based quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses to identify key regulators. The GWAS and eQTL analyses resolved an overlapped interval encompassing a hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:shikimate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase 2 (PtHCT2) that was significantly associated with CGA and partially characterized metabolite abundances. PtHCT2 leaf expression was significantly correlated with CGA abundance and it was regulated by cis-eQTLs containing W-box for WRKY binding. Among all nine PtHCT homologs, PtHCT2 is the only one that responds to infection by the fungal pathogen Sphaerulina musiva (a Populus pathogen). Validation using protoplast-based transient expression system suggests that PtHCT2 is regulated by the defense-responsive WRKY. These results are consistent with reports of CGA functioning as an antioxidant in response to biotic stress. This study provides insights into data-driven and omics-based inference of gene function in woody species.

Zhang, Jin↗
DOE OSTI2014

Comparison of 2D and 3D gamma analyses

Purpose: As clinics begin to use 3D metrics for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) quality assurance, it must be noted that these metrics will often produce results different from those produced by their 2D counterparts. 3D and 2D gamma analyses would be expected to produce different values, in part because of the different search space available. In the present investigation, the authors compared the results of 2D and 3D gamma analysis (where both datasets were generated in the same manner) for clinical treatment plans. Methods: Fifty IMRT plans were selected from the authors’ clinical database, and recalculated using Monte Carlo. Treatment planning system-calculated (“evaluated dose distributions”) and Monte Carlo-recalculated (“reference dose distributions”) dose distributions were compared using 2D and 3D gamma analysis. This analysis was performed using a variety of dose-difference (5%, 3%, 2%, and 1%) and distance-to-agreement (5, 3, 2, and 1 mm) acceptance criteria, low-dose thresholds (5%, 10%, and 15% of the prescription dose), and data grid sizes (1.0, 1.5, and 3.0 mm). Each comparison was evaluated to determine the average 2D and 3D gamma, lower 95th percentile gamma value, and percentage of pixels passing gamma. Results: The average gamma, lower 95th percentile gamma value, and percentage of passing pixels for each acceptance criterion demonstrated better agreement for 3D than for 2D analysis for every plan comparison. The average difference in the percentage of passing pixels between the 2D and 3D analyses with no low-dose threshold ranged from 0.9% to 2.1%. Similarly, using a low-dose threshold resulted in a difference between the mean 2D and 3D results, ranging from 0.8% to 1.5%. The authors observed no appreciable differences in gamma with changes in the data density (constant difference: 0.8% for 2D vs 3D). Conclusions: The authors found that 3D gamma analysis resulted in up to 2.9% more pixels passing than 2D analysis. It must be noted that clinical 2D versus 3D datasets may have additional differences—for example, if 2D measurements are made with a different dosimeter than 3D measurements. Factors such as inherent dosimeter differences may be an important additional consideration to the extra dimension of available data that was evaluated in this study.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2016

MPLEx: a Robust and Universal Protocol for Single-Sample Integrative Proteomic, Metabolomic, and Lipidomic Analyses

In systems biology studies, the integration of multiple omics measurements (i.e., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics) has been shown to provide a more complete and informative view of biological pathways. Thus, the prospect of extracting different types of molecules (e.g., DNAs, RNAs, proteins, and metabolites) and performing multiple omics measurements on single samples is very attractive, but such studies are challenging due to the fact that the extraction conditions differ according to the molecule type. Here, we adapted an organic solvent-based extraction method that demonstrated broad applicability and robustness, which enabled comprehensive proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics analyses from the same sample.

Nakayasu, Ernesto S.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Interactive visualization of multi-data-set Rietveld analyses using Cinema:Debye-Scherrer [nteractive Visualization of Multi-Dataset Rietveld Analyses using Cinema:Debye-Scherrer]

A tool named Cinema:Debye-Scherrer to visualize the results of a series of Rietveld analyses is presented. The multi-axis visualization of the high-dimensional data sets resulting from powder diffraction analyses allows identification of analysis problems, prediction of suitable starting values, identification of gaps in the experimental parameter space and acceleration of scientific insight from the experimental data. The tool is demonstrated with analysis results from 59 U–Nb alloy samples with different compositions, annealing times and annealing temperatures as well as with a high-temperature study of the crystal structure of CsPbBr 3 . A script to extract parameters from a series of Rietveld analyses employing the widely used GSAS Rietveld software is also described. Finally, both software tools are available for download.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Tolerance analyses of a quadrupole magnet for advanced photon source upgrade

Given physics requirements, the mechanical fabrication and assembly tolerances for storage ring magnets can be calculated using analytical methods [1, 2]. However, this method is not easy for complicated magnet designs [1]. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to determine fabrication and assembly tolerances consistent with physics requirements, through a combination of magnetic and mechanical tolerance analyses. In this study, finite element analysis using OPERA is conducted to estimate the effect of fabrication and assembly errors on the magnetic field of a quadrupole magnet and to determine the allowable tolerances to achieve the specified magnetic performances. Based on the study, allowable fabrication and assembly tolerances for the quadrupole assembly are specified for the mechanical design of the quadrupole magnet. Next, to achieve the required assembly level tolerances, mechanical tolerance stackup analyses using a 3D tolerance analysis package are carried out to determine the part and subassembly level fabrication tolerances. This method can be used to determine the tolerances for design of other individual magnets and of magnet strings.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗