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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 OSTI2014

Conformal geometry of null hexagons for Wilson loops and scattering amplitudes

The cross-ratios do not uniquely fix the class of conformally equivalent configurations of null polygons. In view of applications to Wilson loops and scattering amplitudes we characterise all conformal classes of null hexagon configurations belonging to given points in cross-ratio space. At first this is done for the ordered set of vertices. Including the edges, we then investigate the equivalence classes under conformal transformations for null hexagons. This is done both for the set of null hexagons closed in finite domains of Minkowski space as well as for the set including those closed via infinity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Elaboration on the hexagonal grid and spiral trace schemes for pole figure data collection

A practical description of the mathematics required to implement the hexagonal grid and spiral trace pole figure data collection schemes is presented. Applying the concepts of stereographic and equal area projections with geometry, spreadsheets were created to calculate the angular settings of the goniometer. Using the generated settings, the hexagonal grid and spiral trace schemes were programmed into the existing X-ray software and employed to collect data for a sample of aluminum foil. The resulting (111) pole figures were similar to those collected with the conventional 5°χ×5°Φ grid. Here, the hexagonal grid has been shown by others to reduce the number of data points and time needed to complete a pole figure, while providing equal area sampling. Although not optimized, the spiral method was also investigated as another alternative to the 5°χ×5°Φ grid.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Additive Manufacturing of Dense Hexagonal Boron Nitride Objects

The feasibility of manufacturing hexagonal boron nitride objects via additive manufacturing techniques was investigated. It was demonstrated that it is possible to hot-extrude thermoplastic filaments containing uniformly distributed boron nitride particles with a volume concentration as high as 60% and that these thermoplastic filaments can be used as feedstock for 3D-printing objects using a fused deposition system. Objects 3D-printed by fused deposition were subsequently sintered at high temperature to obtain dense ceramic products. In a parallel study the behavior of hexagonal boron nitride in aqueous solutions was investigated. It was shown that the addition of a cationic dispersant to an azeotrope enabled the formulation of slurries with a volume concentration of boron nitride as high as 33%. Although these slurries exhibited complex rheological behavior, the results from this study are encouraging and provide a pathway for manufacturing hexagonal boron nitride objects via robocasting.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hexagonal Geometries in MPACT

The MPACT code is a high-fidelity light-water reactor analysis code using whole-core pin-resolved neutron transport calculations on modern parallel-computing hardware. MPACT uses the 2D/1D method to solve 3D neutron transport problems by decomposing the problem into a stack of 2D slices, each of which is solved independently using the method of characteristics (MOC). The slices are then coupled axially using the P3 nodal expansion method (NEM-P3) for the 1D axial calculations. MPACT also employs the coarse mesh finite difference (CMFD) method to accelerate calculations. This manuscript details work supporting advanced reactor designs using hexagonal pins and hexagonal assemblies such as the VVER-1000. If performed correctly, MOC is geometry agnostic. However, MPACT previously had optimizations in place for Cartesian geometries, specifically in the modularization and current calculations. Sections 2 and 3 detail the changes made to MPACT to support MOC and CMFD calculations on hexagonal geometries. Section 4 reports results demonstrating solution consistency for problems run with and without CMFD acceleration, results demonstrating solution consistency when run in serial and parallel, and pincell results using the Monte Carlo code, McCard’s benchmark results.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Analysis and Optimization of a Novel Hexagonal Waveguide Concentrator for Solar Thermal Applications

This paper analyzes a novel, cost-effective planar waveguide solar concentrator design that is inspired by cellular hexagonal structures in nature with the benefits of facile installation and low operation and maintenance cost. A coupled thermal and optical analysis of solar irradiation through an ideal hexagonal waveguide concentrator integrated with a linear receiver is presented, along with a cost analysis methodology, to establish the upper limit of performance. The techno-economic model, coupled with numerical optimization, is used to determine designs that maximized power density and minimized the cost of heat in the temperature range of 100–250 °C, which constitutes more than half of the industrial process heat demand. Depending on the incident solar irradiation and the application temperature, the cost of heat for the optimal design configuration ranged between 0.1–0.27 $/W and 0.075–0.18 $/W for waveguide made of ZK7 glass and polycarbonate, respectively. A techno-economic analysis showed the potential of the technology to achieve cost as low as 80 $/m2 and 61 $/m2 for waveguide made of ZK7 glass and polycarbonate material, respectively, which is less than half the cost of state-of-the-art parabolic trough concentrators. Overall, the hexagonal waveguide solar concentrator technology shows immense potential for decarbonizing the industrial process heat and thermal desalination sectors.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Methods of generation of pores in sheets of hexagonal boron nitride and applications thereof

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to few-layer and monolayer hexagonal boron nitride having a pore therein. In one aspect, a method comprises providing a sheet of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). A defect is created in the sheet of h-BN. The sheet of h-BN is heated to a temperature above about 500° C. The defect in the sheet of h-BN is irradiated with charged particles to enlarge the defect to a hexagonal-shaped pore or a parallelogram-shaped pore in the sheet of h-BN.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Hexagonal Distributed Embedded Energy Converters (HexDEECs)

The HexDEEC is a small, characteristic length approximating a centimeter, energy transducer that converts the dynamic deformations of its elastomer housing into electricity through a variable capacitance charging-discharging cycle. This device is a type of Distributed Embedded Energy Converter Technology (DEEC-Tec), a new domain for marine renewable energy research that utilizes a conglomeration of small distributed embedded energy converters (DEECs) that, in aggregate, form larger metamaterial frameworks. These resulting DEEC-Tec metamaterials can then, in turn, be used to construct flexible ocean wave energy converters called flexWECs, which can utilize a broad band of ocean wave frequencies and lack highly loaded rigid bodies. These systems also provide new avenues of wave energy harvesting such as actively transforming topologies (e.g., shape and form) and morphologies (e.g., stiffness and damping throughout its entire structure) in real time. Presented, is one specific type of DEEC: the HexDEEC, which is currently being developed by the United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This transducer shows promise in aiding the adoption and further development of the DEEC-Tec domain. The following presentation focuses on the promise of this technology and current work being done to analyze the performance of an individual HexDEEC design. The HexDEEC is composed of a hyperelastic hexagonal housing, nominally silicon rubber, with six electrodes on its inner faces. The upper three electrodes share the same charge while the lower three electrodes oppose the upper electrode charges. Externally, the HexDEEC has two arms extending away from the middle vertices of the hexagon. Via principles governing the relationship between electrical capacitance and electrical potential (voltage and charge), electricity is generated when the HexDEEC's arms are dynamically pulled or released under tensile loading, as doing so causes the distance between the upper and lower sets of electrodes to change - varying the energy converter's overall capacitance. Analytical and numerical modeling is being used to evaluate the mechanics and electrical energy generated by the HexDEEC. Equations to describe the capacitance and electrostatic forces acting on this unique system have been developed and implemented into the numerical modeling software STAR-CCM+, along with models to describe its hyperelastic material, such as the Mooney-Rivlin 3-parameter model. So far, an initial design has been analyzed and we plan to further optimize it to increase power production. Individual HexDEECs have been fabricated by drawing uncured liquid silicon rubber into molds via vacuum pressure. To simplify manufacturing, HexDEEC sub-components - e.g., electrodes, wires - can be placed within those molds such that they are directly embedded into the hexagonal housing during the curing process. Furthermore, DEEC-Tec metamaterials can be created by interweaving or sequentially layering multiple HexDEEC strands together. The HexDEEC based metamaterial could then generate electricity through its gross deformations. Ultimately, HexDEECs represent a specific type of energy transducer that can be leveraged, by the DEEC-Tec domain, to create metamaterials used to construct novel flexWECs.

DEEC-Tec↗
DOE OSTI2022

Hexagonal Distributed Embedded Energy Converters (HexDEECs)

Distributed Embedded Energy Converter Technologies (DEEC-Tec) is a new domain for marine renewable energy research that utilizes a conglomeration of small distributed embedded energy converters (DEECs) that, in aggregate, form larger metamaterial frameworks. These resulting DEEC-Tec metamaterials can then, in turn, be used to construct flexible ocean wave energy converters called flexWECs. DEEC-Tec enables flexWECs: (i) to be inherently broad-banded ocean wave frequency energy converters and (ii) to have an inherent lack of highly loaded rigid bodies. The DEEC-Tec domain also benefits the marine renewable energy domain by inherently availing ways that marine energy can be harvested and converted that heretofore has not yet been considered possible: real-time execution of transforming topologies (e.g., actively changing a flexWEC's shape and form) and morphologies (e.g., actively changing a flexWEC's stiffness and damping throughout its entire structure). Presented, is one specific type of DEEC, a HexDEEC, that shows promise in aiding the adoption and further development of the DEEC-Tec domain - it is a small energy transducer being developed by the United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The HexDEEC is a small (characteristic length approximating a centimeter) energy transducer that converts the dynamic deformations of an elastomer into electricity through a charging-discharging cycle of a capacitor whose capacitance is varied by those elastic deformations. The HexDEEC is composed of a hyperelastic hexagonal housing (nominally silicon rubber) with six electrodes on its inner faces. The upper three electrodes share the same charge while the lower three electrodes oppose the upper electrode charges. Externally, the HexDEEC has two arms extending away from the middle vertices of the hexagon. Via principles governing the relationship between electrical capacitance and electrical potential (voltage and charge), electricity is generated when the HexDEEC's arms are dynamically pulled or released under tensile loading as doing so causes the distance between the upper and lower sets of electrodes to change - varying the energy converter's overall capacitance. Analytical and numerical modeling have already been used to estimate the electrical energy produced by a HexDEEC. The cursory models approximate the HexDEEC as a parallel plate variable capacitor - simplifying from six to two opposing plates with a constant dielectric volume between those two plates. To account for the elastic HexDEEC material properties, software such as SolidWorks and STAR-CCM+ have been used to generate hyperelastic models; notably, Mooney-Rivlin based models. Individual HexDEECs have been fabricated by drawing uncured liquid silicon rubber into molds via vacuum pressure. To simplify manufacturing, HexDEEC sub-components - e.g., electrodes, wires - can be placed within those molds such that they are directly embedded into the hexagonal housing during the curing process. Furthermore, DEEC-Tec metamaterials can be created by interweaving or sequentially layering multiple HexDEEC strands together. The HexDEEC based metamaterial could then generate electricity through its gross deformations. Ultimately, HexDEECs represent a specific type of energy transducer that can be leveraged, by the DEEC-Tec domain, to create metamaterials used to construct novel flexWECs.

DEEC-Tec↗
DOE OSTI2012

Neutron noise calculations in a hexagonal geometry and comparison with analytical solutions

This paper presents the development of a neutronic and kinetic solver for hexagonal geometries. The tool is developed based on the diffusion theory with multi-energy groups and multi-groups of delayed neutron precursors allowing the solutions of forward and adjoint problems of static and dynamic states, and is applicable to both thermal and fast systems with hexagonal geometries. In the dynamic problems, the small stationary fluctuations of macroscopic cross sections are considered as noise sources, and then the induced first order noise is calculated fully in the frequency domain. Numerical algorithms for solving the static and noise equations are implemented with a spatial discretization based on finite differences and a power iterative solution. A coarse mesh finite difference method has been adopted for speeding up the convergence. Since no other numerical tool could calculate frequency-dependent noise in hexagonal geometry, validation calculations have been performed and benchmarked to analytical solutions based on a 2-D homogeneous system with two-energy groups and one-group of delayed neutron precursor, in which point-like perturbations of thermal absorption cross section at central and non-central positions are considered as noise sources. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Time-Resolved PIV/PTV Measurements on Interior Subchannels of a Wire-Wrapped 61-pin Hexagonal Fuel Bundle

Liquid metal fast reactor fuel bundles using sodium as a coolant typically utilize a tightly packed triangular lattice of fuel pins enclosed in a hexagonal duct. Often, the fuel pins are helically wrapped with a wire spacer. The primary function of the wire spacers is to maintain a gap between adjacent fuel pins. They also enhance sub-channel mixing to increase convective heat transfer and mitigate vortex-induced vibration. Texas A and M University has conducted isothermal flow experiments in a wire-wrapped 61-pin hexagonal fuel bundle to support the research on advanced nuclear fuel development sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE). These tests produced high spatial and temporal resolution measurements of the velocity field and pressure at different locations in the fuel bundle. The experimental facility employs matched-index-of-refraction (MIR) techniques and laser diagnostic velocity measurement techniques such as particle image velocimetry (PIV), particle tracking velocimetry (PTV), and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The result of this experimental activity will be an experimental database of pressure and velocity field measurements that will be suitable for validating computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods, such as Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and highly resolved large eddy simulation (LES). PIV results on the set of edge subchannels near the hexagonal duct have been presented in another paper. This paper presents PIV results on two sets of interior subchannels, defined as Interior- 1 and Center-2, at a Reynolds number (Re) of 19,000 in the turbulent regime.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Traveling waves in 2D hexagonal granular crystal lattices

This study describes the dynamic response of a two-dimensional hexagonal packing of uncompressed stainless steel spheres excited by localized impulsive loadings. The dynamics of the system are modeled using the Hertzian normal contact law. After the initial impact strikes the system, a characteristic wave structure emerges and continuously decays as it propagates through the lattice. Using an extension of the binary collision approximation for onedimensional chains, we predict its decay rate, which compares well with numerical simulations and experimental data. While the hexagonal lattice does not support constant speed traveling waves, we provide scaling relations that characterize the directional power law decay of the wave velocity for various angles of impact. Lastly, we discuss the effects of weak disorder on the directional amplitude decay rates.

2D Hexagonal↗
DOE OSTI2019

Structural and Magnetic Properties of La-Substituted M-Type Hexagonal Sr–Ni Ferrites Synthesized by Ball-Milling-Assisted Ceramic Process

Sr{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 0.5}La{sub x}Fe{sub 12 − x}O{sub 19} (x = 0, 0.08, 0.16, and 0.24) hexaferrites have been synthesized by ball-milling-assisted ceramic process. The calcined samples are characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). XRD reveals that all samples consist of the main M-type hexagonal Sr ferrite phase and a low amount of rhombohedral Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} as secondary phase, and a continuous increase of the hexagonal lattice parameters with substitution content (x). Magnetic characterization indicates that all Sr{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 0.5}La{sub x}Fe{sub 12 − x}O{sub 19} samples have a hard magnetic property. Substitution of Fe{sup 3+} ions by La{sup 3+} ions can obviously improve the specific saturation magnetization, remanence, magnetic moment, and effective anisotropy constant. Specific saturation magnetization, remanence, and the magnetic moment reach a maximum at x= 0.24 and calcination temperature of 1050 {sup ∘}C.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Design and analysis of multi-hexagonal reversible encoder using photonic crystals

In this paper, a 4 × 2 reversible encoder with hexagonal lattice has been designed using two-dimensional photonic crystals with non-linear refractive index. In order to demonstrate the working of the encoder, we have used the multi-hexagonal shaped structure arranged in parallel with appropriate inclination to get the desired output. During its functionality as an encoder, more than 98% of the power is coupled at the output port to obtain logic 1 and less than 17.2% of the power is coupled for obtaining logic 0. In addition, during its functionality as a reversible encoder, the logic 1 and logic 0 correspond to 97.5% and 15.1%, respectively. The proposed encoder provides an improved contrast ratio of 12.18 dB and 11.5 dB for logical states of 01 and 10, respectively.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

The influence of metal Mg on micro-morphology and crystallinity of spherical hexagonal boron nitride

Highlights: • The action mechanism of Mg to the synthesis of spherical BN was explored. • The influence of Mg content on the crystallinity of h-BN powders was studied. • Even if not added any template, the spherical h-BN could be prepared. - Abstract: This search used the boric acid and borax as a source of boron, urea as a nitrogen source, Mg as metal catalyst, and thus prepared different micro-morphology and crystallinity hexagonal boron nitride powders under a flowing ammonia atmosphere at a nitriding temperature of 750 °C. The effect of Mg content on the crystallinity and micro-morphology of hexagonal boron nitride powders was studied, and the Mg action mechanism was explored. Without the added surfactant, the graphitization index (GI) was 6.87, and the diameter of the spherical h-BN was bigger. When the added Mg were 0.1 g, 0.3 g, 0.5 g and 0.7 g, the (GI) decreased to 6.04, 5.67, 4.62 and 4.84, respectively. When the Mg content was higher (0.9 g), GI value increased rapidly, and the crystallinity became bad. When the Mg content was 0.5 g, the dispersion of h-BN powders was at its optimum and refinement apparently, and the crystallinity at its highest.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

First-Principles Predictions of Out-of-Plane Group IV and V Dimers as High-Symmetry, High-Spin Defects in Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been recently found to host a variety of quantum point defects, which are promising candidates as single-photon sources for solid-state quantum nanophotonic applications. Most recently, optically addressable spin qubits in h-BN have been the focus of intensive research due to their unique potential in quantum computation, communication, and sensing. However, the number of high-symmetry, high-spin defects that are desirable for developing spin qubits in h-BN is highly limited. Here, we combine density functional theory (DFT) and quantum embedding theories to show that out-of-plane X N Y i dimer defects (X, Y = C, N, P, and Si) form a new class of stable C 3v spin-triplet defects in h-BN. We find that the dimer defects have a robust 3 A 2 ground state and 3 E excited state, both of which are isolated from the h-BN bulk states. We show that 1 E and 1 A shelving states exist and they are positioned between the 3 E and 3 A 2 states for all the dimer defects considered in this study. To support future experimental identification of the X N Y i dimer defects, we provide extensive characterization of the defects in terms of their spin and optical properties. We predict that the zero-phonon line of the spin-triplet X N Y i defects lies in the visible range (800 nm to 500 nm). We compute the zero-field splitting of the dimers’ spin to range from 1.79 GHz (Si N P i o ) to 29.5 GHz (C N N i o ). Furthermore, our results broaden the scope of high-spin defect candidates that would be useful for the development of spin-based solid-state quantum technologies in two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Mixed Nd 4+/3+ and Cluster Magnetism in Hexagonal Perovskite 12R-Ba 4 NdMn 3 O 12−γ

Hexagonal perovskite oxides with 12R stacking host well-separated face-sharing octahedral metal trimers with short metal–metal distances, leading in some cases to large degrees of magnetic frustration and cluster magnetism. Introducing magnetic ions in proximity to these trimers can influence the degree of frustration and cluster magnetism, but the extent to which the magnetism can be tuned by varying neighboring metal cations remains an open question. In this work, we test the impacts of using Nd in proximity to Mn trimers in the hexagonal perovskite 12R-Ba 4 NdMn 3 O 12−γ . Given this stoichiometry, Nd should assume the 4+ oxidation state with a spin state of S = 1, which would be the first realization of Nd 4+ in an oxide environment. Through detailed bulk magnetic, X-ray absorption spectroscopic, and powder neutron diffraction (PND) measurements, we find that Nd 4+ is realized in this material, but there is also partial reduction to Nd 3+ , which is charge-balanced by O vacancies. Magnetometry measurements indicate an antiferromagnetic ordering temperature T N ≈ 16 K, and PND measurements reveal a surprising collinear antiferromagnetic structure with magnetic space group Pc2/m (no. 10.49 in BNS notation), which has not previously been seen in this class of materials. Our results represent a comprehensive analysis of the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of 12R-Ba 4 NdMn 3 O 12−γ , showing the first observation of partial Nd 4+ in an oxide, and demonstrating that this structural class can host a broad range of magnetic structures which are not easily predicted based on compositional trends.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Ordering of Sphere Forming SISO Tetrablock Terpolymers on a Simple Hexagonal Lattice

Hexagonally ordered spherical and cylindrical morphologies (P{sub 6}/mmm and P{sub 6}/mm space group symmetries) have been identified in bulk poly(styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene-b-ethylene oxide) (SISO) tetrablock terpolymers. These materials were synthesized by adding up to 32% by volume O blocks to a parent hydroxy-terminated SIS triblock copolymer containing 40% S by volume, and the resulting morphologies were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical spectroscopy. Disordered, spherical and cylindrical phases were documented with increasing O content, where both ordered states exhibit hexagonal symmetry. Theoretical calculations based on a numerical self-consistent field theory for polymers provide crucial insights into the molecular configurations associated with these morphologies. These results offer a new approach to independently control domain shape and packing in block copolymer melts through manipulation of the magnitude and sequencing of the binary segment-segment interactions ({chi}{sub SI} {<=} {chi}{sub SO} << {chi}{sub IO}), which dictate core segregation and the effective interdomain interactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Experimental study of natural convective heat transfer in a vertical hexagonal sub channel

The development of new practices in nuclear reactor safety aspects and optimization of recent nuclear reactors, including the APWR and the PHWR reactors, needs a knowledge on natural convective heat transfer within sub-channels formed among several nuclear fuel rods or heat exchanger tubes. Unfortunately, the currently available empirical correlation equations for such heat transfer modes are limited and researches on convective heat transfer within a bundle of vertical cylinders (especially within the natural convection modes) are scarcely done. Although boundary layers around the heat exchanger cylinders or fuel rods may be dominated by their entry regions, most of available convection correlation equations are for fully developed boundary layers. Recently, an experimental study on natural convective heat transfer in a subchannel formed by several heated parallel cylinders that arranged in a hexagonal configuration has been being done. The study seeks for a new convection correlation for the natural convective heat transfer in the sub-channel formed among the hexagonal vertical cylinders. A new convective heat transfer correlation equation has been obtained from the study and compared to several similar equations in literatures.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗