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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
DOE OSTI2023

Low‐cost, Long Duration Electrical Energy Storage Using a CO 2 ‐based Pumped Thermal Energy Storage

The increasing deployment of non‐dispatchable, intermittent renewable energy generation sources to address climate change is placing pressure upon electrical grids’ ability to match supply with demand. The need to deploy large quantities of long duration energy storage assets is rapidly approaching, and innovative methods of energy storage that are low cost, efficient, safe and environmentally benign are needed urgently. CO 2 ‐based Pumped Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) is a low cost, efficient and environmentally safe energy storage technology. PTES uses an electrically‐driven CO 2 heat pump to charge thermal reservoirs that are later used as resources to generate electricity using a CO 2 heat engine. In this program, Echogen and collaborators refined the design of a utility‐scale CO 2 PTES system and demonstrated key technologies that will be required for successful commercial development in a laboratory‐scale system. Component and system‐level performance was evaluated over multiple charge/discharge cycles, with favorable results. Echogen is continuing to develop and commercialize this technology at utility scale.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Specifications of Legacy U(Pu)Zr Metallography Data

The DOE Nuclear Energy Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) Program has supported the creation of several databases with information describing the safety performance of fast reactors, components, and fuels. This growing collection of legacy experimental data, operating data, and analysis is available online to registered users. Metallography data is one of the most important types of PIE data being collected, organized and stored in several ART Fast Reactor Databases (https://frdb.ne.anl.gov), including the Fuels Irradiation & Physics Database (FIPD), Out-of-Pile Transient Database (OPTD), and TREAT (the Transient Reactor Test Facility) Experimental Relational Database (TREXR). These databases contain three main sets of metallography data. The first set is the metallography data from Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) and Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) irradiated fuel pins measured in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF); the second set is the metallography data from EBR-II irradiated fuel pins measured in the Alpha-Gamma Hot Cell Facility (AGHCF); the third set is the metallography data from transient tested fuel pins (the transients tests include the out-of-pile tests and TREAT tests) measured in AGHCF. Since both the second and third sets of data were measured in AGHCF, they are governed by the same specification. The metallography data in the databases are digital images scanned from either positive or negative photos. The quality of the images, including their resolution and contrast, relies on the preserved quality of the pictures and the scanning conditions. To analyze the microstructure of a fuel pin, a series of preparatory steps must be undertaken. These include sectioning, epoxy mounting, mechanical grinding and polishing, and often etching. The resulting samples were then transferred to a secondary hot cell, or glovebox (depending the strength of radiation field) for microscopy examination. The specifications provided herein focus on the metallography examinations. The sample grinding, polishing and etching processes are also discussed. The procedures involving sectioning and epoxy mounting are out of the scope of the current specification; details can be found in the corresponding operation manuals. If more data are collected and added to the ART Fast Reactor Databases, this specification will be updated to accommodate the additional data.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Localized Deformation Investigation in Irradiated Materials via Electron Microscopy, EBSD, and In-Situ Mechanical Testing

This report describes the preliminary results of an analysis of dislocation defect structures in nondeformed and deformed austenitic stainless steels – materials of light water reactor internal components. The analysis was performed using an advanced modern approach: high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction (HR-EBSD). Work was performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis (LAMDA) facility. The report is divided into sections describing specific aspects of the project. Section 1 describes the necessity and importance of the defect microstructure analysis and demonstrates that there are very limited data regarding dislocation and defect population at the meso-level (i.e., a grain or group of interacting grains). Section 1 also introduces the HR-EBSD approach used in this research and provides a limited background. Section 2 describes the scanning electron microscope/EBSD systems available at the LAMDA facility, materials investigated in the present work, and hardware and software requirements for the HR-EBSD analysis. Section 3 provides preliminary HR-EBSD results for nonirradiated austenitic stainless steel in contrast to and in comparison with the conventional EBSD outcome. Section 4 describes the HR-EBSD results for austenitic stainless steel irradiated in a commercial-type nuclear power plant and subjected to in-situ mechanical testing. The analysis is focused on mapping and analyzing the geometrically necessary dislocations before and after deformation at small strain levels. As expected, the results will be beneficial for performing corrosion tests, including electrochemical microscopy, which is currently being performed within the Light Water Reactor Sustainability program at the University of California–Los Angeles (Dr. G. Sant). Section 5 summarizes the work performed, presents conclusions, and discusses future activities for this research.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Determination of Scale Bar for AGHCF Metallography Data

The DOE Nuclear Energy Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) Fast Reactor Program (FRP) has supported the development of several databases containing information on the safety performance of fast reactors, components, and fuels. This growing collection of legacy experimental data, operating data, and analysis is available online to registered users. Metallography data represents one of the most critical types of post-irradiation examination (PIE) data being collected, organized, and archived in several ART Fast Reactor Databases (https://frdb.ne.anl.gov), including the Metallic Fuels Irradiation & Physics Database (FIPD), Out-of-Pile Transient Database (OPTD), and TREAT (the Transient Reactor Test Facility) Experimental Relational Database (TREXR). These databases contain three principal sets of metallography data. The first set comprises metallography data from Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) and Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) irradiated fuel pins examined in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF). The second set consists of metallography data from EBR-II irradiated fuel pins examined in the Alpha-Gamma Hot Cell Facility (AGHCF). The third set includes metallography data from transient-tested fuel pins (including both out-of-pile furnace tests and TREAT tests) examined in AGHCF. Since both the second and third sets were generated in AGHCF, they are governed by identical specifications. The metallography data in the databases consist of digital images scanned from either positive or negative photographic films. To analyze the microstructure of a fuel pin, a series of preparatory steps are required, including sectioning, epoxy mounting, mechanical grinding and polishing, and etching. Following sample preparation, specimens are transferred for metallographic examination. The AGHCF and HFEF metallography data were generated using optical microscopes manufactured by Leitz and Bausch and Lomb (B&L). Images were recorded on Polaroid film at preset magnifications. Magnification verification for the Leitz and B&L metallographs was conducted every two months prior to 1989 and at least every six months from 1989 through the conclusion of the IFR program. Magnifications determined from imaging of microslide standards were compared to the instrument settings for magnifications ranging from 50× to 500×. If the magnifications determined from standards deviated from the instrument settings, adjustments were made to the bellows extension until agreement was achieved. The specifications for AGHCF and HFEF legacy metallography data have been established based on available hard-copy and digital records, most of which have been incorporated into the data repositories associated with FIPD, OPTD, and TREXR. Detailed specifications including hard-copy records, digitized records, cutting diagrams and sectioning schemes, high-magnification photographs, photomosaics (composites), information tags, scale bars, and magnification verification procedures can be found in a separate report.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Facilitating Data Collection of Maintenance Events to Populate the Hydrogen Component Reliability Database (HyCReD)

The Hydrogen Component Reliability Database (HyCReD) is a collaborative project between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the University of Maryland, and hydrogen stakeholders to improve safety and reliability for hydrogen facilities by implementing component reliability data taxonomies that support hydrogen infrastructure failure rate analysis. The project aims to quantify failure rates of hydrogen components through high-quality data collection and analysis on root causes and maintenance needed. HyCReD provides a common database for cataloging hydrogen component failures which exists for reliability research in many other mature industries [2]. The database fills a gap for the hydrogen community by providing a scientifically rigorous approach to quantitative risk assessment (QRA), prognostic health management (PHM), and reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) analysis. High level results will be aggregated and anonymized to protect company sensitive information; detailed results will be used to help address issues of hydrogen components. These advanced analytics will support accelerated deployment of hydrogen infrastructure by enabling better: design and safety of projects (safety codes and standards development), infrastructure reliability and cost (component failure rates, maintenance protocols), and component R&D needs (robust supply chain). A key to a successful HyCReD implementation is facilitating the ease of reporting and data quality in the database that can be used for analysis. Maintenance data was a previously identified gap in initial efforts to populate and validate the database taxonomies [3]. Collection of maintenance data will be instrumental in identifying failure modes and rates, identifying incipient component failures or reduced performance, cataloging best practices for maintenance routines and methods for prognostic health management, and quantifying the risk and effect of different failure modes. Several key priorities are identified for streamlined data collection to achieve quality and detailed failure data: Applicability, Ease of Use, Accessibility, and Information Security. The HyCReD team has now begun deployment of the database to several companies and groups that have signed non-disclosure agreements to facilitate the data collection of failures in industry hydrogen refueling station infrastructure. This paper will provide an update into the process of HyCReD deployment including the development of a coding guide for facility personnel to reference and ensure data quality and consistency from one station to another as well as implementation of contextually dependent data fields of system taxonomy and formatted entries to provide ease of use. The goal is to communicate the lessons learned from the roll-out to technicians and engineers in the field, and the addition of need for high level of security to protect all stakeholders.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Force Reconstruction from Ejection Tests of Stores from Aircraft Used for Model Predictions and Missing/Bad Gages

One of the more severe environments for a store on an aircraft is during the ejection of the store. During this environment it is not possible to instrument all component responses, and it is also likely that some instruments may fail during the environment testing. This work provides a method for developing these responses from failed gages and uninstrumented locations. First, the forces observed by the store during the environment are reconstructed. A simple sampling method is used to reconstruct these forces given various parameters. Then, these forces are applied to a model to generate the component responses. Validation is performed on this methodology.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Thermodynamic Analysis of ENEL and TIPS Oxy-coal Power Cycles

Pressurized oxy-coal combustion is one method that may provide a means of boosting the cycle efficiency and reducing pollutant emission from coal plants. Two pressurized oxy-coal combustion cycles are analyzed in this study. The ThermoEnergy Integrated Power System (TIPS) coal power cycle, which operates at a pressure of 8 MPa, and the ENEL cycle, which operates at a pressure of 1MPa. For this study both cycles are modeled using ASPEN Plus, and the performance of the different components and efficiencies of both systems analyzed. The gross input power to the system is via a coal slurry at a power rating of 550MW. The flue gases are recycled in each configuration at a rate of 25, 50, and 75% by mass. For both cycles the highest calculated efficiency occurs at a recirculation rate of 75%. At this condition, the efficiency of the cycles are 38% and 34% for the ENEL and TIPS cycles, respectively. It is determined that for these cycles that the mass flow rate of the flue gas impact the cycle efficiency more than the combustor temperature due to enhanced heat transfer throughout the system.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2024

Progress and Challenges of Additive Manufacturing of Tungsten and Alloys as Plasma-Facing Materials

Tungsten (W) and W alloys are considered as primary candidates for plasma-facing components (PFCs) that must perform in severe environments in terms of temperature, neutron fluxes, plasma effects, and irradiation bombardment. These materials are notoriously difficult to produce using additive manufacturing (AM) methods due to issues inherent to these techniques. The progress on applying AM techniques to W-based PFC applications is reviewed and the technical issues in selected manufacturing methods are discussed in this review. Specifically, we focus on the recent development and applications of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), electron beam melting (EBM), and direct energy deposition (DED) in W materials due to their abilities to preserve the properties of W as potential PFCs. Additionally, the existing literature on irradiation effects on W and W alloys is surveyed, with possible solutions to those issues therein addressed. Finally, the gaps in possible future research on additively manufactured W are identified and outlined.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Scheimpflug LIDAR for Gas Sensing at Elevated Temperatures

Localized operating conditions inside boilers, heat recovery steam generators, or other large thermal systems have a huge impact on the efficiency, environmental performance, and lifetime of components. It is extremely difficult to measure species accurately within these systems due to the high temperatures and harsh environments, locally oxidizing or reducing atmospheres, ash, other particulates, and other damaging chemical species. Physical probes quickly suffer damage and are rendered nonfunctional. This work has attempted to adapt the measurement approach based on Scheimpflug light detection and ranging (S-LIDAR) for the remote sensing of gas species inside the high-temperature boiler environment. For a proof-of-concept, the detection of Raman signals of N 2 , O 2 , and CO 2 and their behavior with increasing temperature have been presented.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2017

Type 2 AGN Host Galaxies in the Chandra-COSMOS Legacy Survey: No Evidence of AGN-driven Quenching

We investigate the star formation properties of a large sample of ∼2300 X-ray-selected Type 2 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) host galaxies out to z∼3 in the Chandra COSMOS Legacy Survey in order to understand the connection between the star formation and nuclear activity. Making use of the existing multi-wavelength photometric data available in the COSMOS field, we perform a multi-component modeling from far-infrared to near-ultraviolet using a nuclear dust torus model, a stellar population model and a starburst model of the spectral energy distributions (SEDs). Through detailed analyses of SEDs, we derive the stellar masses and the star formation rates (SFRs) of Type 2 AGN host galaxies. The stellar mass of our sample is in the range of 9 3), and grow slowly through secular fueling processes hosting moderate-luminosity AGNs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1966

Ionization chamber

Ionization chamber developed for Mariner IV - components, calibration, operation, and performance in Van Allen belts and solar flare

CALIBRATION↗
NASA NTRS1969

An interactive data analysis system

Unified Flight Analysis System processing postflight data from Saturn 5 launches, discussing system components, support programs and performance

Liddell, A. G.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Design, development and fabrication of a Solar Experiment Alignment Sensor (SEAS)

The design, development and testing of a laboratory SEAS (Solar Experiment Alignment Sensor) system are presented. The system is capable of overcoming traditional alignment and calibration problems to permit pointing anywhere on the solar disc to an accuracy of five arc seconds. The concept, development and laboratory testing phases of the program are discussed, and particular attention has been given to specific problems associated with selection of materials, and components. The conclusions summarize performance capability and discuss areas for further study including the effects of solar limb darkening and effects of annual variations in the apparent solar diameter.

Bancroft, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Prototype Slide Stainer

The prototype slide staining system capable of performing both one-component Wright's staining of blood smears and eight-step Gram staining of heat fixed slides of microorganisms is described. Attention was given to liquid containment, waste handling, absence of contamination from previous staining, and stability of the staining reagents. The unit is self-contained, capable of independent operation under one- or zero-g conditions, and compatible with Skylab A.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1973

Optical detection of oil on water

Three radiometric techniques utilizing sunlight reflected and backscattered from water bodies have potential application for remote sensing of oil spills. Oil on water can be detected by viewing perpendicular polarization component of reflected light or difference between polarization components. Best detection is performed in ultraviolet or far-red portions of spectrum and in azimuth directions toward or opposite sun.

Millard, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Performance of electrical subsystem of 2- to 15-kilowatt Brayton power conversion system

The electrical subsystem of the 2-to 15-kilowatt Brayton power conversion system was evaluated under various operating and off-design temperature conditions in a vacuum environment. Overall operation was satisfactory. Speed controller operation is a major cause of distortion in the system ac voltage and current waveforms. This distortion has a small, but potentially significant effect on the performance of individual subsystem components.

Secunde, R. R.↗

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