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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 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Lamb wave imaging with actuator network for damage quantification in aluminum plate structures

Lamb waves have been widely used for damage detection on plate-like structures. However, there are still considerable interests on quantifying damage with complex profile. In this article, quantification of complex damage in plate-like structures using a network of actuators and time-space Lamb wavefield is investigated. The actuator network inspection system is implemented with multiple PZT transducers for Lamb wave actuation in round robin pattern and scanning laser Doppler vibrometer for wavefield sensing. The PZT network is arranged in a way that the target area is fully enclosed and Lamb waves come to the damage from all directions. Waves induced by the damage are subsequently obtained through frequency-wavenumber filtering, using the experimentally acquired dispersion curves presented in the paper. The filtered waves from all wave actuators are then used to generate a synthetic image of the damage being inspected. Two cases of complex damage are evaluated on aluminum plates, mass loss with triangular profile and mass addition with a three-letter cluster profile. Our results show that the damages are not only detected but also their profiles are clearly outlined in the images. We believe the subject methods provide improved evaluation of damage profile for Lamb wavefield based damage quantification.

Materials Science↗
DOE OSTI2021

Stiff and strong, lightweight bi-material sandwich plate-lattices with enhanced energy absorption

Plate-based lattices are predicted to reach theoretical Hashin–Shtrikman and Suquet upper bounds on stiffness and strength. However, simultaneously attaining high energy absorption in these plate-lattices still remains elusive, which is critical for many structural applications such as shock wave absorber and protective devices. In this article, we present bi-material isotropic cubic + octet sandwich plate-lattices composed of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (stiff) skins and elastomeric (soft) core. This bi-material configuration enhances their energy absorption capability while retaining stretching-dominated behavior. We investigate their mechanical properties through an analytical model and finite element simulations. Our results show that they achieve enhanced energy absorption approximately 2–2.8 times higher than their homogeneous counterparts while marginally compromising their stiffness and strength. When compared to previously reported materials, these materials achieve superior strength-energy absorption characteristics, making them an excellent candidate for stiff and strong, lightweight energy absorbing applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

CFD modeling of high-flux plate-and-frame membrane modules for industrial carbon capture

In this work, we study the application of membrane-based separation systems for carbon capture, considering plate-and-frame membrane modules. The successful deployment of membrane CO2 capture system relies on high-performing membranes as well as effective membrane modules that can fully exploit the developed membranes. A plate-and-frame membrane module is especially attractive for CO2 capture from industrial flue gas due to its lower pressure drop compared to its counterparts such as spiral wound modules and hollow fiber modules. To design better plate-and-frame modules, we investigate their basic unit - a single membrane stack through a combination of computational modeling and experimental investigations. The modeling approach is based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to represent a multiphysics problem, including the fluid flow and diffusion processes within a membrane module. We use experimental data collected under different operating conditions to validate the CFD model. Numerical results suggest a good agreement between experiments and model outputs for the CO2 recovery, CO2 mole fraction in the retentate and permeate, and stage-cut. The CFD model is able to predict accurately the flow behavior, providing valuable insights on the effects of fluid dynamics on mass transfer of CO2. We also carry out a sensitivity analysis to identify the effect of key parameters on the CO2 recovery and the CO2 purity of the outlet streams.

Dosso, Cheick↗
DOE OSTI2025

Joining Study for Formed Plate Heat Exchangers (Final Report)

Plate heat exchangers (PHEs) have been used in numerous industrial applications, such as HVAC systems, power generation, transportation and manufacturing. The performance of plate heat exchangers is frequently undermined by corrosion, fouling, and scaling. These phenomena not only diminish heat transfer efficiency but also lead to increased operational costs, maintenance demands, and reduced equipment lifespan. In this project, the team addressed the widespread challenges of corrosion, fouling, and scaling, and explored alternative material solutions. While commonly used materials like stainless steel and titanium offer notable benefits, they can still experience corrosion under certain operating conditions. The advancement of new materials and surface engineering technologies, such as advanced coating, ceramics, composites materials, and high entropy alloys are promising for can help solve these issues, enable longer lifetime and high performance of plate heat exchangers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Jupiter Experiments: High-240 Plutonium Metal Plates Separated by Lead and Reflected by Copper

Each layer consisted of a 6 by 6 matrix of either these fuel-filled containers or solid blocks of copper of the same outer dimensions. An example of this arrangement, along with one of the copper inner reflectors, is shown in Figure 1.4. This figure shows the same aluminum containers from Figure 1.3 but with the aluminum containers completely closed. The lifting rings shown on the copper inner reflector were only for assembly and were not present for the measurement (in which the holes were filled with copper plugs). Figure 1.5 shows the loading arrangement of the aluminum containers, along with aluminum shims around the container arrays to ensure a tight fit between these layers and the surrounding reflectors. All plates were in the same orientation; none were rotated in any fashion. Additional loading information for the PAHN plates and plate loading respective to the room entrance are provided in Figures 1.6 and 1.7, respectively.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

TEX-Chlorine Assemblies: Highly Enriched Uranium Plates with Sodium Chloride Absorbers Using Polyethylene Moderator and Polyethylene Reflector

This evaluation documents highly enriched uranium (HEU) experimental critical configurations with polyethylene moderators and sodium chloride absorbers conducted as part of the United States Nuclear Criticality Safety Program’s Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) program. HEU-MET-MIXED-021 provides the benchmark evaluation of five TEX experiments designed to establish baseline configurations with HEU Jemima plates moderated by high density polyethylene (HDPE). The TEX-HEU experiments were designed to cover five different fission energy regimes by varying the thickness of the interstitial HDPE moderator, with varying fractions of thermal, intermediate, and fast fissions, and to be easily modified to accommodate test materials of interest. HEU-MET-INTER-013 documents the first TEX-HEU variation, incorporating hafnium in seven different experimental configurations. This evaluation covers an additional variant that incorporates absorber plates of compacted high-purity sodium chloride salt. These experiments were motivated by a criticality safety need for validation data for uranium purification by means of electrorefining with chloride salts, especially thermal and intermediate energy configurations resulting from moderator upset conditions, and their design was optimized by matching sensitivity profiles from application cases. All three experimental configurations are judged to be acceptable as benchmark cases. The main parameter varied between the configurations is the thickness of the polyethylene moderators and the sodium chloride absorbers between the HEU plates. Varying the thickness of the polyethylene tunes the neutron energy spectrum between majority thermal (Case 1 and 2) and intermediate (Case 3). The fission fractions, presented in Table 1, are determined calculationally. Case 3 is cross listed as HEU-MET-INTER-014.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Evaluation of RMI Ejecta Sourcing from Reconstructed Interfaces in 2D FLAG Flyer-Plate Simulations

This study investigates the performance of RMI ejecta sourcing from a reconstructed interface in two-dimensional FLAG ejecta flyer-plate simulations. Enabling the RMI ejecta model to operate on reconstructed interfaces has been a longstanding challenge in FLAG, limiting its applicability to experiments in which interface reconstruction is not required. Addressing this limitation is therefore an important step toward expanding the model’s predictive capability. The first phase of this effort focused on identifying a flyer-plate/target configuration that produces large ejecta clouds from two distinct shocks using the standard RMI ejecta model. A series of simulations examined the effects of flyer composition, layer thickness, and mesh resolution on shock structure and ejecta formation. VISAR traces were used to evaluate shock timing and identify configurations that produced a clear double-shock response. A copper middle-layer flyer with a doubled tin layer yielded the most favorable shock characteristics and was selected as the baseline configuration. After confirming this configuration performed as expected when running a reference FLAG version, it became the basis for three simulations: (1) a standard two-dimensional ejecta flyer-plate calculation using a reference FLAG version, (2) the same calculation with the reconstructed interface option enabled, and (3) a calculation employing ALE strategies to force the ejecta model to operate on the reconstructed interface. While the baseline simulation produced the expected ejecta response, the reconstructed interface approach did not result in measurable ejecta, indicating that this capability remains under development. These results highlight both the progress made and the remaining challenges in extending the RMI ejecta model to reconstructed interfaces.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Control of Weld Residual Stress in a Thin Steel Plate through Low Transformation Temperature Welding Consumables

Low transformation temperature welding (LTTW) consumables are characterized by a low martensite start temperature and a large fraction of martensite forming in the weld. It can efficiently reduce the tensile residual stress because the volume expansion associated with the martensitic transformation compensates for the thermal contraction during cooling. In this work, a LTTW wire, designated as EH200B, was created for the arc welding of advanced high-strength steel thin plates. In comparison to conventional ER70S-3 wires, this LTTW wire generated an opposite distortion pattern. Neutron diffraction measurements along the center thickness of the welded plates showed the maximum residual stress along the longitudinal direction (LD) in the weld region, and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) immediately adjacent to the weld region was reduced from ~330 MPa to below 240 MPa by using the LTTW wire. A finite element (FE) model was developed to predict the residual stress distributions of the plates welded under these two wires. The simulation results showed reasonable agreement with the volume-average neutron diffraction data. Compressive residual stress in the weld region using the LTTW wire was predicted by the FE method. Electron backscattered diffraction and x-ray diffraction measurements confirmed ~90% martensite was present in the LTTW weld. The fatigue life of DP980 steel lap joint panels using EH200B wire nearly doubled that of ER70S-3 wire. This improvement was attributed to the high strength and low LD residual stress in the weld and HAZ immediately adjacent to the weld.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Impact of Plate Thickness and Joint Geometry on Residual Stresses in 347H Stainless Steel Welds

Weldments of 347H stainless steel are potentially susceptible to stress relaxation cracking at elevated service temperatures. Mitigation of stress relaxation cracking susceptibility within a multipass weld requires a good understanding of welding practices and manufacturing techniques to control high tensile residual stresses. Here in this work, the dependence of residual stress distribution in 347H stainless steel on base plate thickness, joint geometry design, and preheating condition was systematically investigated by using three-dimensional finite element models. The finite element models were validated through good agreement between neutron diffraction measurements and calculated elastic strains. The single-V-groove welds with and without a preheating step all produced similar peak von Mises residual stresses, above 450 MPa, within both the fusion zone and heat-affected zone (HAZ). In plates thicker than 0.5 in. (12.7 mm), high tensile residual stress could be observed in a relatively large area, from the middle of the plate thickness to underneath the top surface. A double-V groove shifted the high tensile stress area to the middle thickness of the weld. A single-J-groove weld was able to confine the residual stress to a very small region near the middle thickness within the fusion zone and suppressed the von Mises residual stress within the HAZ to below 400 MPa.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Extended Plate Wall System Expands Adoption of High-R Envelope Solutions

For decades, the residential building industry has worked to expand opportunities to increase the thermal resistance of walls. Multiple high-R wall construction methods have been developed, yet market adoption remains low because of perceived complexity and cost. One appealing solution is an extended plate wall system (EPW). Framing for top and bottom plates is one nominal dimension larger than for studs, which provides space for a 2-inch layer of foam plastic insulative sheathing (FPIS). Wood structural sheathing (OSB or plywood) is then installed on the exterior, fastened directly to the plates and nailed through the foam to the studs. In contrast to the conventional method of installing FPIS as a fully exterior layer, the EPW greatly simplifies air sealing, installation and detailing of windows and doors, an application of a weather resistive barrier, and attachment of cladding.

Building America↗
DOE OSTI2021

Variable stiffness flyer plate for penetration device

A penetration device including a casing, a propellant positioned in the casing, and a flyer plate. The flyer plate is coupled to the casing and adjacent to the propellant. The flyer plate includes a center portion having a substantially constant first thickness and includes a peripheral portion around the center portion and defining an edge. The peripheral portion includes one or more recesses in a first surface of the peripheral portion.

Muha, Nicholas B.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Developing a New Criticality Safety Hands-On Training Utilizing ZPPR Plates

Nuclear criticality safety is an extremely important part of the work at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). As part of the work LANL performs to continue to keep criticality safety a top priority, LANL has developed and regularly teaches nuclear criticality safety training classes for both the United States Department of Energy Nuclear Criticality Safety Program as well as internal trainings for LANL employees. A portion of the training classes is comprised of hands-on demonstrations, where students get the opportunity to handle special nuclear material at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC). One hands-on demonstration uses the “Class foils,” thin HEU foils which are stacked with lucite moderator plates. A hand-stack is performed until the multiplication reaches the “three-quarters rule,” where the demonstration is continued remotely on a vertical lift assembly up until the system is critical. This hands-on demonstration eventually achieves a critical configuration and follows the ANS-1 guidelines on an approach to critical. Another hands-on demonstration involves handling clad plutonium and neptunium spheres, and follows procedures using criticality safety evaluations to ensure that the hands-on demonstrations remain subcritical.This hands-on demonstration also involves the use of polyethylene shells around the plutonium sphere to demonstrate how additional reflector increases the criticality of a system. This paper is focused on developing a new hands-on demonstration using Zero Power Physics Reactor (ZPPR) plates. This new hands-on demonstration will follow the ANS-8 standards as it is not desired to achieve criticality with the ZPPR plates during the hands-on demonstration. A hands-on demonstration using multiple plutonium parts will likely be more applicable to personnel who handle plutonium on a daily basis, such as LANL glovebox operators.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Calibration technique of wall shear stress sensors using oscillating plate

Disclosed are a system and methods for calibrating wall shear stress sensors. The system includes an oscillating plate coupled to an actuator and mounted on a rolling elements, and one or more sensors coupled to a height adjusting device. The system can further comprise a height control rod coupled to a height control base and a sensor holder configured to house the one or more sensors and supported on a connector, the connector configured to be rotatably disposed about the height control rod. The system can be calibrated by causing the actuator to oscillate the oscillating plate at a frequency, sensing, using the one or more sensors, shear stress at a wall, the shear stress at the wall being associated with a velocity field, and determining a theoretical wall shear stress based on fluid properties, the frequency, and the height of the one or more sensors above the oscillating plate.

Freidkes, Brett R.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Numerical Analysis of Novel Plate Type Heat Exchanger with Oval-Twisted Channels

The novel heat exchanger (HX) designs implementing geometrical and surface modification combinations are expected to perform better than traditional HX technologies. Applied enhancement techniques seek to achieve (1) higher overall heat transfer performance, (2) increased compactness, and (3) simplified or comparable manufacturability. One innovative enhancement technique is to generate swirling flow vortices induced by channel or tube twisting. The turbulence generated by the twisted cross-section greatly enhances the heat transfer rate with minimal increases in pressure drop. Plate-type HXs and Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHXs) are compact designs that achieve high heat transfer rates per unit volume by utilizing several small channels, which maximizes the heat transfer surface area between the hot and cold fluids. Currently, advanced manufacturing technologies enable the design and fabrication of compact-type units with complicated channel geometries to achieve the highest performance and meet the compactness criteria of innovative HX technology. The proposed HX design concept combines the compactness of plate-type HXs and twisted channels, which provide additional turbulence and flow swirl enhancement. The plate-type oval-twisted HX (PTOTHX) is a crossflow configuration, with 16 short channels on one side (for hot fluid) and 8 long channels on the perpendicular side (for cold fluid). The inlet plenums have flow guide vanes to redirect flow and produce uniformity across the various flow paths. The compact size and purportedly improved heat transfer performance of the PTOTHX investigated herein prove its viability in various applications. Some notable potential nuclear applications of the PTOTHX include reactor core, spent fuel cooling, and residual heat dissipation. To establish a reference case, circular channels (PTCHX) are also considered in the present study for comparison with (PTOTHX). This paper aims to outline the numerical analysis procedures for determining the viability of the PTOTHX by comparing its heat transfer performance with the PTCHX units. The computational study used STAR-CCM+, a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Sensitivity analysis and model selection studies are conducted to determine the appropriate mesh density and turbulence model to provide the reported results. Numerical analyses comparing the Nusselt number (Nu) of the PTOTHX design with a comparable HX unit, including a circular cross-section and no twisting (PTCHX), show an overall heat transfer performance increase of 29-55% for balanced flow and 29-59% for imbalanced flow. Oval-cross-sectional twisted channels induce swirling flow vortices, enhancing the working fluid's convective heat transfer capabilities.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ultra-compact configurable double-sided manifold micro-channel cold plate

A configurable, double sided, manifold micro-channel cold plate includes a one or more manifold micro-channel cold plate cells. Each cold plate cell includes a manifold body, a manifold insert, a plurality of heat sinks, and a plurality of longitudinal openings configured for fluidic communication with the fluid channels. The manifold body has fluid channels to permit flow of a fluid coolant. The manifold insert has a plurality of manifold insert fluid channels, and is configured for receipt in the one of the modular body recesses. The heat sinks are configured for receipt in the modular body recesses, and include an impingement surface configured for fluidic communication with the manifold insert fluid channels, and a heat transfer surface for thermal communication with one or more heat generating devices.

Zhou, Feng↗
DOE OSTI2025

Distinct Dynamics of Lithium Intercalation and Plating on Graphite Anode for Li‐Ion Batteries in eVTOL Applications

In the absence of viable high-energy-density battery alternatives, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries remain essential for enabling electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) platforms in advanced air mobility. Unlike Li-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and portable electronics, eVTOL battery systems operate under distinct high-power demands, which necessitate an independent assessment of material degradation mechanisms. This study presents a case analysis of graphite anode evolution under high-power cycling conditions. The findings reveal lithium entrapment within graphite particles, potentially resulting from incomplete Li-ion de-intercalation during a high-rate discharge event that is characteristic of eVTOL take-off and landing. This phenomenon leads to a progressive reduction in graphite-specific capacity and, over time, promotes lithium metal plating on the anode. Notably, the Li-metal plating observed in this study differs from that associated with fast-charging conditions, as it is primarily governed by concentration polarization-induced overpotential in the latter case. In conclusion, these findings highlight the inherent challenges of utilizing graphite in high-power Li-ion battery applications and elucidate the unique degradation mechanisms that arise due to the sluggish reaction kinetics of Li-ion intercalation and de-intercalation within graphite.

Li plating↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermal Dynamics and Lithium Plating Detection in High‐Power Li‐Ion Batteries for eVTOL Applications

The rapid electrification of aerial transportation is driving the need for high‐performance Li‐ion batteries that can operate reliably under stringent thermal and safety constraints. The unique mission profile of electric Vertical Take‐off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft necessitates a focused investigation into the thermal behavior and safety characteristics of these batteries. Here, in this study, operando isothermal microcalorimetry is employed to examine the thermal evolution of Li‐ion batteries under cycling conditions representative of eVTOL operations. These findings reveal that high‐power discharge events—such as those during take‐off and landing—shift the thermal response toward exothermic behavior, in contrast to the typically endothermic response expected under near‐equilibrium cycling conditions. Additionally, the results suggest that advanced electrolyte formulations may help suppress excess heat generation, thereby improving battery safety. Notably, the calorimetric results exhibit a distinct thermal signature associated with lithium plating, offering a potential diagnostic for detecting Li plating during eVTOL operation. Overall, this study demonstrates the utility of isothermal microcalorimetry as a valuable tool for assessing thermal risks in Li‐ion batteries for eVTOL applications, and highlights the importance of targeted design strategies to mitigate safety hazards during high‐power demand scenarios.

Li plating↗
DOE OSTI2021

Dynamic Strength of Copper at High Pressures Using Pressure Shear Plate Experiments

Measurement of strength at high pressures is critical to understanding the behavior of materials subjected to extreme loading conditions. Recent developments have extended the pressure shear plate impact (PSPI) technique to the high-pressure regime. Such experiments provide a unique opportunity to extract the complete stress-strain behavior of materials at relatively high pressures. The modified technique includes a new fiber-optic heterodyne transverse velocity interferometer system and new analysis methods to account for the inelastic response of the anvil plates. In this study, PSPI experiments are conducted on oxygen-free high conductivity (OFHC) copper at pressures ranging from 10 to 43 GPa and at strain rates of ~10 5 s -1 . Complete stress-strain curves of copper are obtained using a hybrid methodology that relies on numerical simulations and particle velocity records gathered in these experiments. Experiments are conducted at similar pressures and strain rates using two types of anvils that undergo different levels of plastic strains: tool steel and tungsten carbide, to check the robustness of the hybrid method. The behavior of copper at these high pressures and strain rates is compared with previous literature data, and the effect of pressure and strain rate on the strength behavior of copper are discussed. Here, it was observed that the rate of change in yield strength change in pressure was 2.5 times the rate of change of shear modulus with pressure. The strength models that predict the response of copper at these extreme conditions are also examined and validated.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗