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DOE OSTI2021

Retro-Commissioning Sensor Suitcase for Energy Efficiency

This project will enable Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to work with industry partner, GreenPath Energy Solutions, joint developers of the Suitcase, to enhance the capabilities and usability of the Retro-Commissioning Sensor Suitcase (hereinafter the Sensor Suitcase or Suitcase), assisting GreenPath to take the Suitcase to market and rapidly expand their market share. The proposed project will specifically focus on 1) adding sensors types to extend the data collection capability and support more building and equipment performance metrics and identification of even more energy saving opportunities, 2) developing algorithms to identify recommendations for the new energy savings opportunities from item 1 and to prototype software modifications implementing them, 3) validating the use of vibration sensors to detect the operating state of a broader set of packaged HVAC equipment (additional capacities, different numbers of stages, etc.) than tested in initial development and modifying the state algorithm and software code, as needed, 4) improving cost-effectiveness in manufacturing the Sensor Suitcase, and 5) additional field testing of the technology in real buildings to more comprehensively validate Suitcase performance and to guide refinement of its capabilities. Project results will position GreenPath, and potential future licensees, to implement the new capabilities developed in this project in GreenPath’s RCx Building Suitcase, increasing its functionality and the savings resulting from its use. These enhancements will increase the value of the Suitcase to users and increase the potential market for its use and impacts in that impact.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2022

Development of coated heat flux gauges for fast responding measurements

Thermal systems often exhibit transient behaviors that have important implications for the operation of the system and can be difficult to predict. For these reasons, experimental testing is often required to ensure system durability requirements are achieved. One important parameter governing the survivability of components in hot, high-stress environments is the heat flux into the part that dictates the temperature distribution for the component. However, sensors required to experimentally characterize heat fluxes in extreme environments must also be resilient. Here, this study presents the development of coated heat transfer gauges capable of robust, high-frequency measurements in turbine research facilities. The addition of a protective coating increases the durability of the gauge, but inherent of that coating is the attenuation of high-frequency temperature penetrations. As a result, this study first outlines the use of analytical solutions to define a gauge design for a specific frequency range and heat transfer, ensuring that subsurface signals can be rectified to surface conditions through inverse methods. Then, the fabrication of polyimide substrate sensors with a parylene-F coating is described. Micro surface heaters added to the custom sensors were used to determine important geometric and thermal properties necessary to calculate accurate surface heat flux. Ultimately, this work shows increased sensor robustness in a turbine test bed and experimentally validates that the frequency response of the fabricated sensors meet the design intent.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

NASA NTRS2014

Retrieval, Inter-Comparison, and Validation of Above-Cloud Aerosol Optical Depth from A-train Sensors

Absorbing aerosols produced from biomass burning and dust outbreaks are often found to overlay lower level cloud decks and pose greater potentials of exerting positive radiative effects (warming) whose magnitude directly depends on the aerosol loading above cloud, optical properties of clouds and aerosols, and cloud fraction. Recent development of a 'color ratio' (CR) algorithm applied to observations made by the Aura/OMI and Aqua/MODIS constitutes a major breakthrough and has provided unprecedented maps of above-cloud aerosol optical depth (ACAOD). The CR technique employs reflectance measurements at TOA in two channels (354 and 388 nm for OMI; 470 and 860 nm for MODIS) to retrieve ACAOD in near-UV and visible regions and aerosol-corrected cloud optical depth, simultaneously. An inter-satellite comparison of ACAOD retrieved from NASA's A-train sensors reveals a good level of agreement between the passive sensors over the homogeneous cloud fields. Direct measurements of ACA such as carried out by the NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS) and Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) can be of immense help in validating ACA retrievals. We validate the ACA optical depth retrieved using the CR method applied to the MODIS cloudy-sky reflectance against the airborne AATS and 4STAR measurements. A thorough search of the historic AATS-4STAR database collected during different field campaigns revealed five events where biomass burning, dust, and wildfire-emitted aerosols were found to overlay lower level cloud decks observed during SAFARI-2000, ACE-ASIA 2001, and SEAC4RS- 2013, respectively. The co-located satellite-airborne measurements revealed a good agreement (RMSE less than 0.1 for AOD at 500 nm) with most matchups falling within the estimated uncertainties in the MODIS retrievals. An extensive validation of satellite-based ACA retrievals requires equivalent field measurements particularly over the regions where ACA are often observed from satellites, i.e., south-eastern Atlantic Ocean, tropical Atlantic Ocean, northern Arabian Sea, South-East and North-East Asia.

validation↗

DOE OSTI2024

Design Optimization and Measurement Uncertainty of an Electromagnetic Level Sensor for Liquid Metal Reactors

Here, this article describes the design and operation of a prototype mutual inductance level sensor (MILS) and the development and validation of a finite-element analysis (FEA) model describing its behavior. The MILS was designed for use in liquid sodium up to temperatures of 650 °C in the Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop (METL) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Preliminary testing was performed in a room temperature test stand with aluminum acting as an analog for the sodium to better understand sensor performance and provide accurate code validation data. This experimental data, along with material properties found in literature, were used to validate an FEA model in ANSYS Maxwell. The validated ANSYS Maxwell model was used to examine the performance of the MILS in various environments and under various operating conditions. Simulations suggest the following: The MILS will perform adequately in liquid sodium and liquid lead at temperatures up to 650 °C . The temperature dependence of electrical conductivity imposes a temperature dependence on the sensor that requires proper compensation. The MILS signal sensitivity is maximized when mutual inductance between sensor coils is maximized, and sensor geometry should be selected to account for this factor. The operating frequency of the MILS can be optimized and is dependent on process fluid material, operating temperature, and materials/geometry of sensor system. Finally, the use of a stainless-steel isolating thimble does not adversely affect the sensor signal. The primary sources of error for this MILS system are the accuracy of the calibration standard against which the sensor is calibrated, and the temperature dependence of the sensor. This work contains all the necessary details to recreate the FEA model and results. This model can be used to optimize the performance of a MILS in any operating environment to read any electrically conductive working fluid.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Field validation of dynamic mechanical torque measurements using fiber-optic strain sensors for geared wind turbines

Abstract Accurate knowledge of the mechanical loads of wind turbine gearboxes has become essential in modern, highly loaded gearbox designs, as maintaining or even improving gearbox reliability with increasing torque density demands is proving to be challenging. Unfortunately, the traditional method of measuring dynamic mechanical torque using strain gauges placed on the outer surface of a rotating shaft and transmitting the resulting signal is unsuitable for serial deployment due to technical and economic constraints. An alternative method based on fiber-optic strain sensors placed on the stationary outer surface of the gearbox ring gear has been proposed. Like shaft torsion, the radial deformation of the ring gear is proportionate to the rotor torque. Placing the sensors on a stationary component is a cost-effective alternative for serial implementation because the need for complex and expensive data transfer via wireless transmission or a slip ring is eliminated. In this paper, we present the results of an extensive field experiment conducted to evaluate the torque measurement accuracy of this novel sensing solution installed on the gearbox of a Gamesa G97 2-MW wind turbine at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Flatirons Campus. Torque measurements derived from fiber-optic strain sensors placed on the ring gear of the planetary stage are compared to conventional torque measurements from strain gauges placed on the main shaft. Two different torque estimation data processing methods were evaluated, with the method based on operational deflection shapes providing the most accurate results with an average normalized root mean square error below 0.7% for a load revolution distribution analysis. The effect of operating conditions on the torque estimate was also investigated, and the third planet-passing operational deflection shape was found to be the least sensitive to nontorque load-related effects. The fiber-optic strain sensors’ successful operation during the complete test campaign has demonstrated a robust and accurate solution for fleet-wide enhanced gearbox remaining useful life estimation.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS2001

Validation of Carbon Flux and Related Products for SIMBIOS: The CARIACO Continental Margin Time Series and the Orinoco River Plume

Between 1997 and 2000, this Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) investigation collected bio-optical measurements in the Southeastern Caribbean Sea and the tropical western Atlantic to help understand the color of coastal and continental shelf waters. Specifically, bio-optical data were collected to complement an oceanographic time series maintained within the Cariaco Basin, a site affected by seasonal coastal upwelling. Bio-optical data were also collected within the plume of the Orinoco River during seasonal extremes in discharge. This program focused on providing data to the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and SIMBIOS Projects for validating SeaWiFS products. The data are unique in that they provide a substantial number of observations on repeated seasonal cycles for the SeaWIFS Bio-Optical Archive and Storage System (SeaBASS) bio-optical database. An important aspect of this SIMBIOS investigation was a focus on proper interpretation of ocean color remote sensing data from coastal and continental shelf environments. With this goal in mind, ocean color satellite data from a variety and locations and from different satellite sensors were examined to understand spatial and temporal variability in pigment concentrations, and also to conduct an in-depth study of current atmospheric correction and bio-optical algorithms.

Muller-Karger, Frank↗

DOE OSTI2023

Technology Maturation of Wireless Harsh Environment Sensors For Improved Condition Based Monitoring Of Coal Fired Power Generation

The overall goal of this project was to demonstrate and develop the usage of high-temperature (HT) harsh-environment (HE) wireless surface acoustic wave resonator (SAWR) sensor technology to promote reliable maintenance through condition-based maintenance (CBM) for field applications in harsh service conditions associated with power plant environments. The project aimed to advance the HT HE wireless SAWR sensor technology from TRL 5 to TRL 7. In addition to HT HE wireless temperature sensing, efforts were dedicated during this project to investigate, develop and increase the TRL from 3 to 5 for the following technologies: (a) HT HE strain sensors to address additional CBM monitoring needs, such as boiler tube mechanical / thermal stresses, which can provide early indications for boiler tube cracking and failure; and (b) HT aluminum nitride (AlN) and scandium aluminum nitride (ScAlN) based piezoelectric thin film fabrication and implementation of SAW sensors, with the goal of releasing the need to use single crystal piezoelectric materials for SAWRs and thus broaden possible technology applications to non-planar and harder to modify surfaces. To achieve the goals mentioned above, UMaine and its partner, Environetix Technologies Corporation, established partnerships with the following power plants: Longview Power (Maidsville, WV), a coal-fired power plant; Penobscot Energy Recovery Corp (PERC, Orrington, ME), a waste-to-energy power plant; and the UMaine Steam Plant (Orono, ME), an oil / natural gas power plant. To realize wireless HT HE SAWR sensor systems in these harsh service conditions, the University of Maine research team worked with Environetix and these power plants to define, design, fabricate, test and validate a mature prototype wireless temperature SAWR sensor system for boiler tube applications within the HT HE of the reheater pass damper chamber to directly and wirelessly monitor the temperature at eighteen independent boiler tube locations. The system included three levels, or “tiers”, of wireless communication to enable remote monitoring: Tier 1, the wireless link in the reheater pass damper chamber directly accessing the sensors on the boilers; Tier 2, the wireless local area network link, transmitting processed sensor information within the power plant to the Tier 3, a commercial wireless signal carrier company for secure remote data monitoring outside of the power plant. Regarding the wireless sensor system installed at Longview Power, temperature information from the boilers was continuously transmitted from the Longview boilers at Maidsville, WV, to Environetix headquarters, Orono, ME, over a 34 month period, when the system was finally decommissioned. Strain sensors and piezoelectric ScAlN thin film sensors were successfully installed on the exhaust duct at the UMaine Steam Power plant. The advances in wireless strain sensors and thin film piezoelectric film fabrication and testing were performed mostly in UMaine laboratories and field tested at the UMaine Steam Plant, due to its close proximity to UMaine/Environetix, access to the plant facility, and due to difficulties in accessing the other power plants during the COVID shut-down period. The project accomplished the TRL level increase of the targeted CBM technologies through the successful fabrication, installation, test, and validation of dedicated and commercial wireless sensor systems, utilizing the three different power plants. The outcomes of this project, including the wireless sensor data capability, are expected to yield an advance for CBM in harsh power plant environments. The reduction of maintenance costs, improved safety during plant operation, and increased power plant efficiency will lead to increased revenues (i.e., fewer forced outages) due to better process monitoring enabled by the wireless HT HE SAWR temperature sensor technology.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2018

A Compact Hybrid-Fed Microstrip Antenna for Harmonics- Based Radar and Sensor Systems

In this letter, we propose and experimentally validate a compact hybrid-fed microstrip antenna for the harmonics-based radar and sensor systems, which receive the fundamental tone and retransmit the modulated second harmonic. The proposed microstrip antenna is based on a simple single-layered and dual-feed structure, consisting of an inner circular patch operating in the TM110 mode (second harmonic; 6 GHz) and an outer split-ring patch operating in the higher order TM210 or TM310 mode (fundamental frequency; 3 GHz). By varying the feed position and the geometry of the split-ring patch, a specific higher order mode can be excited at the fundamental frequency. Moreover, analytical expressions were derived for calculating the antenna's resonant frequencies. Our measurement results show that the maximum realized gain is 1.17 dB at 3 GHz and is 3.33 dB at 6 GHz, with good impedance matching (vertical bar S-11 vertical bar < -15 dB) and high isolation (< -20 dB).

harmonic radar↗

NASA NTRS2018

Sensor Data Quality and Angular Rate Down-Selection Algorithms on SLS EM-1

The NASA Space Launch System Block 1 launch vehicle is equipped with an Inertial Navigation System (INS) and multiple Rate Gyro Assemblies (RGA) that are used in the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) algorithms. The INS provides the inertial position, velocity, and attitude of the vehicle along with both angular rate and specific force measurements. Additionally, multiple sets of co-located rate gyros supply angular rate data. The collection of angular rate data, taken along the launch vehicle, is used to separate out vehicle motion from flexible body dynamics. Since the system architecture uses redundant sensors, the capability was developed to evaluate the health (or validity) of the independent measurements. A suite of Sensor Data Quality (SDQ) algorithms is responsible for assessing the angular rate data from the redundant sensors. When failures are detected, SDQ will take the appropriate action and disqualify or remove faulted sensors from forward processing. Additionally, the SDQ algorithms contain logic for down-selecting the angular rate data used by the GNC software from the set of healthy measurements. This paper explores the trades and analyses that were performed in selecting a set of robust fault-detection algorithms included in the GN&C flight software. These trades included both an assessment of hardware-provided health and status data as well as an evaluation of different algorithms based on time-to-detection, type of failures detected, and probability of detecting false positives. We then provide an overview of the algorithms used for both fault-detection and measurement down selection. We next discuss the role of trajectory design, flexible-body models, and vehicle response to off-nominal conditions in setting the detection thresholds. Lastly, we present lessons learned from software integration and hardware-in-the-loop testing.

Park, Thomas↗

NASA NTRS2018

Sensor Data Quality and Angular Rate Down-Selection Algorithms on SLS EM-1

Park, Thomas↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Optimal Sensor Mobility Design for Target Tracking with Distributed Sensing, Communication and Computing Infrastructure

The paper presents an airborne target tracking approach with data fusion from distributed stationary and mobile sensor network transmitted through a wireless/wired communication network and using a distributed computing infrastructure. To obtain high quality measurements, sensor flight platforms' positions and orientations are optimized with respect to the available target's position and velocity estimates, and a formation control strategy is applied to derive desired trajectories for the flight platforms. As sensors move, the communication network topology switching is determined using the worst-case approach to handle uncertainties in the target's and sensors' positions, which alters communication delays for sensors' data transmission to computing centers. An optimal data migration algorithm is periodically applied to determine these communication delays for each sensor and the optimal location with minimum end-to-end latency for the target tracking algorithm execution, which is based on adaptive information fusion from multi-modal mobile and stationary sensors inside an Extended Kalman Filter framework. The approach is validated in a desktop simulation environment using synthetic sensor data generated for a simulated target's flight.

Distributed sensing↗

NASA NTRS1988

DMSP-SSM/1 NASA algorithm validation using primarily LANDSAT and secondarily DMSP and/or AVHRR visible and thermal infrared satellite imagery

The approach to the DMSP SSMI (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program; Special Sensor Microwave Imager) sea-ice validation effort is to demonstrate a quantitative relationship between the SSMI-derived sea ice parameters and those same parameters derived from other data sets including visible and infrared satellite imagery, aerial photographic and high-resolution microwave aircraft imagery. The question to be addressed is to what accuracy (relative to these other observations) can the following ice parameters be determined: (1) position of the ice boundary; (2) total sea ice concentration; and (3) multiyear sea ice concentration. Specific tasks include: (1) a study of the interrelationship of surface information content and sensor spatial and spectral resolution in order to establish relationships between ice surface features and the manner in which they are expressed in the satellite observations; and (2) apply these relationships to map the sea ice features which can be used to evaluate NASA's proposed SSM/1 sea ice algorithms. Other key points to be addressed include the accuracy to which these parameters can be determined in different regions (marginal ice zone such as Bering Sea, Arctic ocean, such as Beaufort Sea); the accuracy of these parameters for different seasons; the accuracy of the algorithms weather filter under different weather conditions; and the effectiveness of the 85.5 GHz channels to locate the ice edge.

Steffen, K.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Investigation of in situ high temperature sensor based on the direct absorption spectroscopy signal of ammonia gas for coal-fired power plant

The selective catalytic reduction and non-selective catalytic reduction (SCR/SNCR) are the most popular de-NOx processes for coal-fired power plant, where the real-time temperature is a significant parameter. A new developed tunable diode laser spectroscopy used for measuring the temperature of ammonia (NH{sub 3}) in the process of SCR/SNCR influenced by strong exhaust gas matrices CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O was presented in this paper. Two lines near 6605 cm{sup −1} were selected, with rather weak temperature dependency and minimal interface from CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O according to HITRAN12 database. A homemade heating equipment for high temperature laser spectroscopy measurement was developed based on an ARM microcontroller. The temperature calibration experiments of absorption lines were carried out at variable concentrations under different temperatures. The spectral signals of 2.5%, 3.5% and 4.5% NH{sub 3} were observed for validation of the generalization and robustness of the sensor. The calibration and validation experimental results show that the maximum measurement error and global average error of the temperature sensor with the temperature ranging from 453 to 653 K are less than 2% and 1.38%, respectively. It demonstrates that our proposed sensor with high accuracy and linearity, and can be utilized to measure the temperature in SNCR/SCR process.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS2005

Meeting the Challenges of Exploration Systems: Health Management Technologies for Aerospace Systems With Emphasis on Propulsion

The constraints of future Exploration Missions will require unique Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) capabilities throughout the mission. An ambitious launch schedule, human-rating requirements, long quiescent periods, limited human access for repair or replacement, and long communication delays all require an ISHM system that can span distinct yet interdependent vehicle subsystems, anticipate failure states, provide autonomous remediation, and support the Exploration Mission from beginning to end. NASA Glenn Research Center has developed and applied health management system technologies to aerospace propulsion systems for almost two decades. Lessons learned from past activities help define the approach to proper ISHM development: sensor selection- identifies sensor sets required for accurate health assessment; data qualification and validation-ensures the integrity of measurement data from sensor to data system; fault detection and isolation-uses measurements in a component/subsystem context to detect faults and identify their point of origin; information fusion and diagnostic decision criteria-aligns data from similar and disparate sources in time and use that data to perform higher-level system diagnosis; and verification and validation-uses data, real or simulated, to provide variable exposure to the diagnostic system for faults that may only manifest themselves in actual implementation, as well as faults that are detectable via hardware testing. This presentation describes a framework for developing health management systems and highlights the health management research activities performed by the Controls and Dynamics Branch at the NASA Glenn Research Center. It illustrates how those activities contribute to the development of solutions for Integrated System Health Management.

Melcher, Kevin J.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Validation of the first LiDAR wind resource assessment buoy system offshore the Northeast United States

The US offshore wind industry is maturing with several projects in various stages of development. These projects require site wind and environmental data before and during operation. Conventional techniques such as fixed-bottom meteorological towers present economical and permitting challenges for the US. Floating Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) buoys offer significant advantages including reduced costs, less permitting, and reusability. This paper presents the validation of the first floating LiDAR buoy in Northeast US waters. The buoy, named DeepCLiDAR, includes a LiDAR, ecological monitoring sensors, and metocean sensors. A three-phase LiDAR validation plan was executed, and its results are presented. The objective of the validation plan was to verify the accuracy of measurements made by the LiDAR buoy in wave environments against an unmoving reference wind measurement. Due to a lack of reference met masts, the use of a LiDAR on land as a baseline reference was implemented for validation. Comparison to a reference LiDAR instead of a traditional meteorological tower was a unique approach required in the Northeast US waters due to the absence of a reference fixed-bottom meteorological tower in the region at the time of this study. The testing included a comparison of wind speed measurements made by the buoy deployed 15 km offshore from the mainland and a land-based reference LiDAR located on a nearby island. This paper presents the methodology and results of this program, which indicate favorable agreement. This was the first such validation program in the Northeast USA which is now seeing rapid development of offshore wind.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1998

An Operational Wake Vortex Sensor Using Pulsed Coherent Lidar

NASA and FAA initiated a program in 1994 to develop methods of setting spacings for landing aircraft by incorporating information on the real-time behavior of aircraft wake vortices. The current wake separation standards were developed in the 1970's when there was relatively light airport traffic and a logical break point by which to categorize aircraft. Today's continuum of aircraft sizes and increased airport packing densities have created a need for re-evaluation of wake separation standards. The goals of this effort are to ensure that separation standards are adequate for safety and to reduce aircraft spacing for higher airport capacity. Of particular interest are the different requirements for landing under visual flight conditions and instrument flight conditions. Over the years, greater spacings have been established for instrument flight than are allowed for visual flight conditions. Preliminary studies indicate that the airline industry would save considerable money and incur fewer passenger delays if a dynamic spacing system could reduce separations at major hubs during inclement weather to the levels routinely achieved under visual flight conditions. The sensor described herein may become part of this dynamic spacing system known as the "Aircraft VOrtex Spacing System" (AVOSS) that will interface with a future air traffic control system. AVOSS will use vortex behavioral models and short-term weather prediction models in order to predict vortex behavior sufficiently into the future to allow dynamic separation standards to be generated. The wake vortex sensor will periodically provide data to validate AVOSS predictions. Feasibility of measuring wake vortices using a lidar was first demonstrated using a continuous wave (CW) system from NASA Marshall Space Flight Sensor and tested at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center's wake vortex test site at JFK International Airport. Other applications of CW lidar for wake vortex measurement have been made more recently, including a system developed by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. This lidar has been used for detailed measurements of wake vortex velocities in support of wake vortex model validation. The first measurements of wake vortices using a pulsed, lidar were made by Coherent Technologies, Inc. (CTI) using a 2 micron solid-state, flashlamp-pumped system operating at 5 Hz. This system was first deployed at Denver's Stapleton Airport. Pulsed lidar has been selected as the baseline technology for an operational sensor due to its longer range capability.

Barker, Ben C., Jr.↗

DOE OSTI2018

Real-time Erosion-Corrosion Detection in Waste Transfer Pipelines using Guided Wave Ultrasonic Sensors - 18368

A Fitness-for-Service (FFS) program for the Waste Transfer System has been implemented by the United States Department of Energy Hanford Site Tank Farm to examine structural parameters of the waste transfer systems in order to develop erosion/corrosion rates for relevant system components. The FFS information is acquired from opportunistic evaluations of pipelines that have been removed from service. The objective is to deliver more realistic estimates to the remaining useful life of the components and incorporate those estimates into future design/testing plans across the DOE complex. To aid to this objective, previous efforts at Hanford included the installation of sensors on some of the POR 104 components, to provide real time pipe wall thickness measurements. Due to certain limitations, alternative approaches for remote permanently mounted pipe wall ultrasonic thickness measurement systems have been investigated by FIU. Present research work is a supportive effort by FIU-ARC for DOE and WRPS, which investigates the option for remote-permanently mount guided wave ultrasonic transducer (UT) systems for HLW pipe wall thickness measurements. Specific applications include straight sections, elbows and other fittings used in jumper pits, evaporators, and valve boxes. The proposed method will provide information that will assist engineers with understanding the failure potential of HLW transfer components due to corrosion and erosion. This information can assist in determining if and when lines need to be removed, saving time and resources on the unneeded excavation of transfer lines. This information will also assist engineers with designing new transfer systems by establishing more detailed/accurate guidelines governing the life expectancy of the transfer system and its components. In the previous work, FIU has investigated the use of various ultrasonic systems that are either commercially available or used previously at Hanford and selected the most promising systems for further evaluation. The down-selected system is the guided wave UT sensor system from Permasense which is a UK based manufacturer. It is an integrated wireless sensor network system which used a patented technology for the acoustic wave propagation and has proven applications in the oil and gas industries. Scope of the present research includes the initial verification and validation of the Permasense Guided Wave sensor system as a potential erosion/corrosion detection system for carbon steel pipelines under static conditions. In future, the real-time erosion/corrosion detection will be investigated by measuring the thinning of the pipe sections by circulating simulants and continuous monitoring. This is achieved by passing abrasive and caustic solutions through an in-house designed pipe loop system. Results obtained provide realistic wear rates on 2 inch and 3 inch carbon steel pipes with straight sections and elbows using the Permasense UT sensor system. Thus, the present research delivers solutions for sensor evaluations, conducts bench scale testing followed by data acquisition and analysis for corrosion and erosion assessment. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2020

Virtual Pressure Sensor for Electronic Expansion Valve Control in a Vapor Compression Refrigeration System

Virtual sensor technology, which uses simulation models/algorithms to calculate a value to represent an unmeasured variable or replace a directly measured reading, has attracted many studies in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry. However, most virtual sensor technologies are developed for fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) purposes, which generally compare the virtual sensor values with actual measured values to detect if any fault occurred and identify the causes that led to the fault. It is rare to see studies focus on control performance of virtual sensors after substituting an actual sensor. This is particularly important for the system with no redundant sensor since a virtual sensor is the most effective way to operate the system in the desirable region when any sensor failure occurs. To address this gap, this paper develops a new virtual pressure sensor technology to substitute the actual pressure measurement for electronic expansion valve (EXV) control in a vapor compression refrigeration system by integrating compressor and valve characteristics. The control performance of this proposed virtual pressure sensor technology under various operating conditions is validated with experimental data. Closed loop EXV control simulations with the proposed virtual pressure sensor are conducted, and the results are analyzed.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗