Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Imaging System Camera”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 271 records · Page 15

Cadillac CT6 Super Cruise On-road Data

This dataset encompasses about 60 individual drives of a 2019 Cadillac CT6 with Super Cruise in its relevant operational domain covering more than 1,000 miles. Adhering to the limited operational design domain of the investigated version of the Supercruise system, the majority of the data was collected during highway driving. Information collected includes vehicle CAN data as well as Lidar and camera data from a vehicle mounted sensor array. Vehicle CAN data and information on traffic surrounding the Ego-vehicle derived from the sensor array are postprocessed and merged to provide one combined CVS data file per drive. ![cadillac-ct6 image](ct6.png)

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Identification of Galaxy–Galaxy Strong Lens Candidates in the DECam Local Volume Exploration Survey Using Machine Learning

We perform a search for galaxy–galaxy strong lens systems using a convolutional neural network (CNN) applied to imaging data from the first public data release of the DECam Local Volume Exploration Survey, which contains ~520 million astronomical sources covering ~4000 deg 2 of the southern sky to a 5σ point–source depth of g = 24.3, r= 23.9, i = 23.3, and z = 22.8 mag. Following the methodology of similar searches using Dark Energy Camera data, we apply color and magnitude cuts to select a catalog of ~11 million extended astronomical sources. After scoring with our CNN, the highest-scoring 50,000 images were visually inspected and assigned a score on a scale from 0 (not a lens) to 3 (very probable lens). We present a list of 581 strong lens candidates, 562 of which are previously unreported. We categorize our candidates using their human-assigned scores, resulting in 55 Grade A candidates, 149 Grade B candidates, and 377 Grade C candidates. We additionally highlight eight potential quadruply lensed quasars from this sample. Due to the location of our search footprint in the northern Galactic cap (b > 10 deg) and southern celestial hemisphere (decl. < 0 deg), our candidate list has little overlap with other existing ground-based searches. Where our search footprint does overlap with other searches, we find a significant number of high-quality candidates that were previously unidentified, indicating a degree of orthogonality in our methodology. We report properties of our candidates including apparent magnitude and Einstein radius estimated from the image separation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Plot-level rapid screening for photosynthetic parameters using proximal hyperspectral imaging

Abstract Photosynthesis is currently measured using time-laborious and/or destructive methods which slows research and breeding efforts to identify crop germplasm with higher photosynthetic capacities. We present a plot-level screening tool for quantification of photosynthetic parameters and pigment contents that utilizes hyperspectral reflectance from sunlit leaf pixels collected from a plot (~2 m×2 m) in <1 min. Using field-grown Nicotiana tabacum with genetically altered photosynthetic pathways over two growing seasons (2017 and 2018), we built predictive models for eight photosynthetic parameters and pigment traits. Using partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis of plot-level sunlit vegetative reflectance pixels from a single visible near infra-red (VNIR) (400–900 nm) hyperspectral camera, we predict maximum carboxylation rate of Rubisco (Vc,max, R2=0.79) maximum electron transport rate in given conditions (J1800, R2=0.59), maximal light-saturated photosynthesis (Pmax, R2=0.54), chlorophyll content (R2=0.87), the Chl a/b ratio (R2=0.63), carbon content (R2=0.47), and nitrogen content (R2=0.49). Model predictions did not improve when using two cameras spanning 400–1800 nm, suggesting a robust, widely applicable and more ‘cost-effective’ pipeline requiring only a single VNIR camera. The analysis pipeline and methods can be used in any cropping system with modified species-specific PLSR analysis to offer a high-throughput field phenotyping screening for germplasm with improved photosynthetic performance in field trials.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Fast and bright scintillators for ultrafast materials dynamics using 4th generation synchrotron

We present recent advances in fast and bright scintillators for ultrafast X-ray phase contrast imaging of dynamic materials experiments at the upgraded Advanced Photon Source (APS-U), a fourth generation synchrotron. APS-U enables hard X-ray imaging at frame rates of at least 13 MHz (corresponding to 77 ns or shorter interframe intervals), creating a new need for scintillators with faster response and higher light output than lutetium yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO). For indirect imaging and diffraction with ultrafast cameras, commercial lanthanum bromide (LaBr3) and cerium bromide (CeBr3) are promising candidates. These materials exhibit decay times approximately a factor of two shorter than LYSO (around 40 ns) and lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO), while maintaining comparable light yield per incident X-ray photon. However, their implementation at APS-U requires addressing several challenges, including material limitations due to hygroscopicity, efficient optical coupling to imaging systems, and high quantum efficiency for conversion of scintillation light, predominantly at wavelengths below 400 nm, into detectable electronic signals. We report results from material characterization, detector integration and packaging, and beamline experiments of materials with impact. In addition, emerging scintillator classes, including perovskites and high-entropy materials, are discussed as potential alternatives for next-generation ultrafast X-ray diagnostics.

Wang, Zhehui [Los Alamos] (ORCID:0000000178264063)↗

High-speed Focal Plane Wave Front Sensing with an Optical Chopper

Focal plane wave front sensing and control is a critical approach to reducing noncommon path errors between a conventional astronomical adaptive optics (AO) wave front sensor (WFS) detector and a science camera. However, in addition to mitigating noncommon path errors, recent focal plane wave front sensing techniques have been developed to operate at speeds fast enough to enable "multi-WFS" AO, where residual atmospheric errors are further corrected by a focal plane WFS. Although a number of such techniques have been recently developed for coronagraphic imaging, here we present one designed for noncoronagraphic imaging. Utilizing conventional AO system components, this concept additionally requires (1) a detector imaging the focal plane of the WFS light source and (2) a pupil plane optical chopper device that is the noncommon path to the first WFS and is synchronized to the focal plane imager readout. These minimal hardware requirements enable the temporal amplitude modulation to resolve the sine ambiguity of even wave-front modes for low, mid, and high wave front spatial frequencies. Similar capabilities have been demonstrated with classical phase diversity by defocusing the detector, but such techniques are incompatible with simultaneous science observations. This optical chopping technique, however, enables science imaging at up to 50% duty cycle. In conclusion, we present both simulations and laboratory validation of this concept on SEAL, the Santa Cruz Extreme AO Laboratory testbed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Imaging of multiple fluorescent proteins in canopies enables synthetic biology in plants

Reverse genetics approaches have revolutionized plant biology and agriculture. Phenomics has the prospect of bridging plant phenotypes with genes, including transgenes, to transform agricultural fields. Genetically encoded fluorescent proteins (FPs) have revolutionized plant biology paradigms in gene expression, protein trafficking and plant physiology. While the first instance of plant canopy imaging of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was performed over 25 years ago, modern phenomics has largely ignored fluorescence as a transgene expression device despite the burgeoning FP colour palette available to plant biologists. Here, we show a new platform for stand-off imaging of plant canopies expressing a wide variety of FP genes. The platform-the fluorescence-inducing laser projector (FILP)-uses an ultra-low-noise camera to image a scene illuminated by compact diode lasers of various colours, coupled with emission filters to resolve individual FPs, to phenotype transgenic plants expressing FP genes. Each of the 20 FPs screened in plants were imaged at >3 m using FILP in a laboratory-based laser range. We also show that pairs of co-expressed fluorescence proteins can be imaged in canopies. The FILP system enabled a rapid synthetic promoter screen: starting from 2000 synthetic promoters transfected into protoplasts to FILP-imaged agroinfiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana plants in a matter of weeks, which was useful to characterize a water stress-inducible synthetic promoter. FILP canopy imaging was also accomplished for stably transformed GFP potato and in a split-GFP assay, which illustrates the flexibility of the instrument for analysing fluorescence signals in plant canopies.

abiotic stress↗

Capillary-Enhanced Two-Phase Micro-Cooler Using Copper-Inverse-Opal Wick with Silicon Microchannel Manifold for High-Heat-Flux Cooling Application

In this work, we demonstrate a two-phase capillary-fed boiling micro-cooler that consists of a ~ 25-..mu..m-thick copper inverse opal (CIO) porous wicking structure for high-heat-flux boiling and a silicon 3D-manifold for distributed liquid delivery and vapor extraction across a 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm heated area. At low inlet water mass flow rates of 1.5 to 1.9 g(min)-1, the micro-cooler displays nearly two-phase boiling with exit vapor quality ~ 1 and a high critical heat flux (CHF) of 253 to 320 W cm-2 with low superheat of ~ 10 degrees C resulting in a thermal resistance of boiling ~ 0.025 cm2 degrees C W-1 or heat transfer coefficient of 0.4 MW m-2 degrees C-1. For higher flow rates of 5, 10, and 15 g(min)-1, the micro-cooler exhibits a hybrid single-phase and two-phase cooling regime where the contribution of the sensible heat (single-phase) cooling is linearly added to that of the two-phase cooling. For the highest flow rate of 15 g(min)-1, the CHF is increased to ~ 500 W cm-2 resulting in an overall thermal resistance of ~ 0.18 cm2 degrees C W-1. However, the two-phase heat transfer effectiveness, which estimates the utilization level of the inlet mass flow rate for two-phase boiling, is reduced to ~ 0.11. To achieve the best cooling system performances, the micro-cooler must operate entirely within the two-phase boiling regime (exit vapor quality or two-phase heat transfer effectiveness ~ 1). Ideally, the "coolant" should be delivered near its saturation temperature (~ 100 degrees C for water), which provides significant advantages for the energy-efficient operation of data centers and power electronics. We present detailed analysis with Infrared and high speed camera images at various inlet flow rates and heat fluxes to understand complex heat transfer in the micro-cooler. Furthermore, a conjugate thermofluidic simulation model, which incorporates the physics of capillary-fed boiling in a porous copper layer, agrees well with the experimental data.

capillary-enhanced boiling↗

Towards a new generation long trace profiler LTP-2020: optical design of pencil beam interferometry sensor

Improvements in the quality of synchrotron beamline x-ray optics required for next-generation light sources (e.g. the ALS Upgrade project) drive the need to improve the performance of the metrology instrumentation used to measure these components. The Long Trace Profiler (LTP) that is in use at many synchrotron metrology laboratories around the world has some known issues that affect the accuracy of its measurements. The main error source is optical path difference (OPD) phase error introduced into the probe beam by inhomogeneities in the glass components used in the optical head. We have developed a new optical head design, LTP-2020, that replaces the cube polarizing beamsplitter (PBS) with a thin wedge plate polarizing beamsplitter (WPBS) and replaces the cemented doublet lens with an aspheric singlet. Both of these components significantly reduce the glass volume traversed by the laser probe beam. Careful attention to ghost ray interference produced by back reflection from optical surfaces is necessary to minimize distortion in the primary image that translates into systematic error in the slope angle measurement. We make extensive use of a commercial raytracing program to model the back reflections and adjust component parameters as necessary to minimize distortion. Deliberate misalignment of components is necessary to make the system perform correctly. Stringent requirements are placed on the 45◦ incidence coatings on the WPBS and on the normal incidence coatings on the lens and camera window elements. We encourage our colleagues who wish to upgrade their current LTP systems to join us in the procurement of these custom optical components.

Takacs, Peter Z.↗

Optical Relays for Imaging Scintillators

Cygnus is a dual beam high-energy radiographic x-ray source. Ten years ago, three large zoom lenses were assembled to collect images from 200 mm x 200 mm square scintillators. The zoom capability allows zooming down to a 60 mm x 60 mm picture from the scintillator. Current radiographic imaging needs now require larger 270 mm x 270 mm square scintillators and the capability to use both 92 mm x 92 mm and 62 mm x 62 mm CCD cameras, and a new lens design to meet these needs. This zoom lens incorporates 11 elements and is designed to be telecentric. It images a scintillator emitting light peaking at 435 nm, so special glass types are required for the lens elements. Much larger elliptical pellicles are needed to deflect the scintillator light out of the x-ray path into the lens. The optical axis of the imaging system must be colinear with the x-ray axis. Two scintillators are positioned in each of two Cygnus x-ray axes, for a total of four scintillators and four lens systems. An optional configuration will be shown, enabling two lens systems imaging opposite sides of a single scintillator, for a total of four lenses and two scintillators. Although this configuration has advantages, it suffers from crosstalk. Care must be taken to analyze the anti-reflection coatings applied to all the elements in the imaging chain, including the CCD array and

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Real-Time Defect Correction in Large-Scale Polymer Additive Manufacturing via Thermal Imaging and Laser Profilometer

Defects can result in a failed part and are costly in terms of time and material. This cost is even greater in the context of large-scale additive manufacturing where the objects can be very large. As a result, a great deal of research has focused on defect identification and mitigation. To address defects during object construction, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility investigated an in-situ control system comprised of two sensors: a thermal camera and laser profilometer. This control system adjusted material flow and build speed to mitigate three types of defects: low layer times, underfill, and overfill. Several test objects were constructed. The control system was found to adjust build parameters to handle low layer times of approximately 15 seconds and height deviations from -100% underfill (the absence of a layer) to 50% overfill. Within two layers, height deviations could be returned to within 10% of the expected layer height. Further, preliminary results suggest the system can compensate for uneven build surfaces.

Borish, Michael↗

In-Situ Process Monitoring Evaluation and Demonstration using Advanced Characterization with Laser Powder Bed Systems

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) worked with EOS Group to evaluate the current in-situ sensor capabilities of an EOS M290 Laser Powder Bed Fusion machine. The M290 was fitted with a 1 Mega-Pixel (MP) grayscale visible-light camera and a 5 MP temporally integrated (TI) near-infrared (NIR) camera. One print from stainless steel (SS) 316 and two from Inconel 625 (IN625) were performed where data including in-situ imaging and a machine log file were captured. These data were subsequently analyzed using a Dynamic Multi-Scale Segmentation Convolutional Neural Network (DMSCNN) trained on user defined classes and correlated to as-printed flaws, in the form of porosity, discovered in X-Ray Computed Tomography (XCT). In Phase I, two indications were detected in-situ and spatially correlated to stochastic lack-of-fusion flaws discovered using XCT. In Phase II, using these links from in-situ signatures to XCT flaw populations, a second neural network (NN) was trained to create a Voxelized Property Prediction Model (VPPM) to predict porosity percentages within the part using only features garnered from the in-situ data from two IN625 complex geometries. The VPPM was able to accurately predict porosity values for IN625 parts with an R 2 value of 0.764.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

In-Situ Process Monitoring Evaluation and Demonstration using Advanced Characterization with Laser Powder Bed Systems

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) worked with EOS Group to evaluate the current in-situ sensor capabilities of an EOS M290 Laser Powder Bed Fusion machine. The M290 was fitted with a 1 Mega-Pixel (MP) grayscale visible-light camera and a 5 MP temporally integrated (TI) near-infrared (NIR) camera. One print from stainless steel (SS) 316 and two from Inconel 625 (IN625) were performed where data including in-situ imaging and a machine log file were captured. These data were subsequently analyzed using a Dynamic Multi-Scale Segmentation Convolutional Neural Network (DMSCNN) trained on user defined classes and correlated to as-printed flaws, in the form of porosity, discovered in X-Ray Computed Tomography (XCT). In Phase I, two indications were detected in-situ and spatially correlated to stochastic lack-of-fusion flaws discovered using XCT. In Phase II, using these links from in-situ signatures to XCT flaw populations, a second neural network (NN) was trained to create a Voxelized Property Prediction Model (VPPM) to predict porosity percentages within the part using only features garnered from the in-situ data from two IN625 complex geometries. The VPPM was able to accurately predict porosity values for IN625 parts with an R 2 value of 0.764.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Deep Learning for Intelligent Bubble Size Detection in the Spallation Neutron Source Visual Target

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will undergo proton power upgrade (PPU), increasing the proton beam power from 1.4 MW to 2.8 MW. From 2.8 MW, 2.0 MW will go to the current First Target Station and the rest will go to the future Second Target Station (STS). The First Target Station uses a liquid mercury target that is contained in a 316L stainless steel vessel. The proton beam is pulsed at 60 Hz, with a pulse of about 0.7μs. When the proton beam hits the target, the intense energy deposition leads to a rapid rise in temperature in the mercury. This temperature rise creates pressure waves that propagate through the mercury and cause cavitation erosion. The power upgrade will cause stronger pressure waves that will further increase damage because of cavitation. Injecting small helium bubbles in the mercury has been an efficient method of mitigating the pressure wave at 1.4 MW. However, at higher power, additional mitigation is necessary. Therefore, the 2 MW target vessel will be equipped with swirl bubblers and an additional gas injection port near the nose to inject more gas in the target. To develop a gas injection strategy and design, flow visualization in water with a transparent prototypical target (“visual target”) was performed. Bubble sizes and their spatial distribution in the flow loop are crucial to understanding the effectiveness of the bubbles in mitigating pressure waves. Bubbles were generated in the visual target under varied conditions of input pressures with helium and air. Images were captured using a high-speed camera at varied frame rates at different positions away from the swirl bubbler and different depths in the flow loop under varying lighting conditions. Initially, methods such as circular Hough transforms were applied after a series of images processing to obtain a general distribution of bubble sizes. Bubbles smaller than 500 μm are preferred to effectively mitigate the effect of pressure waves, which demands an accurate bubble detection and sizing system. Intelligent detection and identification of bubble sizes alleviate misdetection and improves accuracies. Employing neural networks, intelligent detection of bubble sizes and their distribution was developed and provides a robust alternative to traditional techniques. Human intervention was employed to label in-focus and out-of-focus bubbles in the set of training images. An object detection network using a pretrained convolutional neural network was created that extracted the features from the training images. Data augmentation was used to improve network accuracy through a random transformation of the original data.

Rasheed, Fayaz↗

Projector Selection for SOFAST Testing

In Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) there is a need for mirrors that are optically accurate, as they are used to focus light onto a receiver at high concentration. To test the accuracy of the mirrors’ optical slopes, we employ a technique called deflectometry. Deflectometry measures mirror slope directly. A projector displays an image onto a screen or wall, and a mirror is positioned to reflect the image to a camera. The camera sees the mirror’s reflection of the screen and sends imaging information to software which analyzes the reflected images from the mirror to determine the local slopes and curvature of the mirror. For this, projectors that can provide a crisp and clear image are imperative. Choosing the right projector(s) can be a long and tedious process; this paper will cover the process we used to select projectors for the SOFAST systems in the Sandia Concentrating Solar Optics Laboratory (CSOL).

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

The Active Asteroids Citizen Science Program: Overview and First Results

Abstract We present the Citizen Science program Active Asteroids and describe discoveries stemming from our ongoing project. Our NASA Partner program is hosted on the Zooniverse online platform and launched on 2021 August 31, with the goal of engaging the community in the search for active asteroids—asteroids with comet-like tails or comae. We also set out to identify other unusual active solar system objects, such as active Centaurs, active quasi-Hilda asteroids (QHAs), and Jupiter-family comets (JFCs). Active objects are rare in large part because they are difficult to identify, so we ask volunteers to assist us in searching for active bodies in our collection of millions of images of known minor planets. We produced these cutout images with our project pipeline that makes use of publicly available Dark Energy Camera data. Since the project launch, roughly 8300 volunteers have scrutinized some 430,000 images to great effect, which we describe in this work. In total, we have identified previously unknown activity on 15 asteroids, plus one Centaur, that were thought to be asteroidal (i.e., inactive). Of the asteroids, we classify four as active QHAs, seven as JFCs, and four as active asteroids, consisting of one main-belt comet (MBC) and three MBC candidates. We also include our findings concerning known active objects that our program facilitated, an unanticipated avenue of scientific discovery. These include discovering activity occurring during an orbital epoch for which objects were not known to be active, and the reclassification of objects based on our dynamical analyses.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Large Volume Airborne Contamination Monitoring To Support Nuclear Processes' Deactivation and Decommissioning

Current D and D operations at Hanford have demonstrated a flaw in the current state of the art capability of defining airborne contamination boundaries - Airborne particulate emissions of Pu-239 from CM2H operations on the Hanford Pu Finishing Plant were detected well beyond areas controlled for airborne Pu, putting numerous workers at risk for radiological assimilations - Current air samplers and CAM systems were surveying insufficient volumes of air to accurately predict where respiratory protection was required - Hanford is located in a high radon environment, making air monitoring for alpha emitting actinides challenging in high alpha radon induced backgrounds. - Inexpensive HEPA based home and industrial air purifiers filter significantly higher volumes of air than commercially available continuous-air monitoring (CAM) systems. - Inexpensive models capable of filtered air volumes exceeding 1000 times that of a CAM. - Detector system can be built to detect x-rays generated from actinide decay. - Branching ratios of x-rays are 4 orders of magnitude more intense from Plutonium decay than its gamma emissions. - Detector system can be a low resolution systems, as x-ray region of interest is not terribly congested. - Detection systems evaluated will be designed based on slabs of NaI or pixelated NaI or CsI panels. - Simple graphical user interface software will be developed to operate the detection system. - Concept is to deploy some of these air-purifying systems in nonradiological areas around SRNL to confirm radon can be rejected with confidence. - Generate some filters contaminated with plutonium via electroplated Pu or lab generated simulated particles. - then deploy units in known airborne radiological environments to establish systems ability to accurately measure actinide based hot particles Lab analyses will follow up the system analyses to ensure hot particles were correctly identified. Analysis by Scintillation: - Application of scintillation media to the surface of the filters is being explored. - Evaluating slabs of ZnS(Ag), application of powdered ZnS(Cu) and spray on Perkin Elmer Enhance. - Scintillation events would then be digitized with a digital camera and quantified. - Comparing against sensitivity of a PMT or SiPD readout. - Currently evaluating a Thorlabs 8 Megapixel Monochrome Scientific CCD Camera, hermetically sealed cooled package with a wide angle lens. - Wide angle lens allows complete view of HEPA filter from 7 inches away. - Images taken of glow in the dark paint, as well as plutonium-induced fluorescence. - Plutonium was flamed mounted on a 1 inch diameter stainless steel planchet, covered with a layer of mylar and a section of scintillating ZnS obtained from Eljon. - Currently working on reducing signal-to-noise levels to boost sensitivity. - Dark box to hold contaminated or electroplated source covered filters under fabrication. Analysis by x-ray Spectroscopy: - Branching ratios for x-ray emissions from Plutonium isotopes are orders of magnitude more intense than gamma-ray emissions. - The nuclear databases are incomplete on the branching ratios of some of the isotopes. - Evaluating some custom built SrI2 x-ray spectrometers vs a conventional windowed NaI detector. - SrI2 detectors are carbon-composite-windowed 51 mm x 51 mm. - MCNP calculations to establish self absorbance of filter media on 17 keV x-ray. Radon Rejection: - Activated charcoal pre-filter acts as a Radon trap. - Adding a time lapse feature to camera to aid in radon rejection. SRS Plutonium Fuel Form D and D Operations: Currently deploying air sampler to D and D operation of Pu-238 facility at SRS to generate some field samples to analyze.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Background-Oriented Schlieren Velocimetry of Helium Coolant Flow in Additively Manufactured Channels

High-pressure helium gas cooling is an attractive solution for thermal management of the fusion blanket first wall, as this coolant is chemically and neutronically inert and separable from hydrogenic species. However, due to the low thermal mass of helium, geometric optimization of these channels is required to provide sufficient cooling at manageable flow rates and pumping burdens. Increasingly, analysis and optimization of these coolant channels rely on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, and these require relevant experimental data for turbulence model validation. Toward this end, a high-pressure helium gas flow visualization system has been employed to image the flow of helium in flow channels with one-sided heating, mimicking the blanket first wall environment. Flow of helium at 4 MPa pressure and flow rates up to 68 g/s (Reynolds number 57 000) is supplied to rectangular channel test sections, with uniform heating applied to the bottom wall of the channel at heat fluxes varied between roughly 50 and 130 kW/m2. A high-speed camera is used to image index of refraction (IOR) gradients in the fluid via background-oriented schlieren (BOS), and temperature and pressure instrumentation are used to characterize thermal-hydraulic performance of each channel. Cross correlation of time-resolved BOS images is then used to calculate time-averaged 2-D helium velocity fields. Flow in additively manufactured (AM) channels is examined in this manner, including both featureless channels and those containing baffling as a heat transfer enhancement. The flow distribution seen in the featureless case differs significantly from that seen in prior simulations, whereas the flow in the baffled case shows the predicted behavior of flow forced along the heated wall. This augmented flow distribution is seen to increase the heat transfer coefficient in the baffled test section. Here, strategies are discussed for ongoing and future validation of these simulations, with the aim of model deployment for blanket cooling design and optimization.

Additive manufacturing↗

Rifle-like camera for long distance face recognition

An improved long-range facial recognition system is provided. The facial recognition system includes an integrated, rifle-like mounting platform with modular and interchangeable components, including a machine-vision camera, a facial recognition module, and an aiming scope. The mounting platform includes an elongated frame, a hand grip, a shoulder stock, and an underbody support attachment for an optional bipod. The mounting platform provides an intuitive, shoulder-operated support structure for stabilizing the machine-vision camera and reducing vibrations that otherwise inhibit long distance imaging.

Bolme, David S.↗