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At least 307 records · Page 17

Criticality Accident Alarm System Shielding Benchmark: Integral Experiment Request 498, Critical Engineering Decision 2 Report

A workable design to perform a CAAS benchmark experiment is detailed herein. Key dimensions, materials, source intensity levels, and detectors are listed in this report. Sensitivity to 21 perturbations was determined to be acceptable. The next step will be for NCSP management to determine whether procurement should occur and if the experiment should proceed. The perturbation study suggests that the room return shield cavity radius and runout should be maintained to within a millimeter, the room return shield should be positioned carefully (perhaps with a laser range finder), and that the detectors should be mounted in a lightweight fixture such as aluminum, so their positioning is assured. Using a 3D scanner or photogrammetry to record part shapes may be beneficial. Further work is also needed to verify source reproducibility.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Results of an In-Field Validation Exercise in Support of Wide-Area Environmental Sampling

The National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Office of Nonproliferation and Arms Control (NA-24) is evaluating Wide-Area Environmental Sampling (WAES) as an additional safeguards verification tool for the International Atomic Energy Agency to detect undeclared nuclear activities. The NNSA is evaluating strategies for conducting a generic WAES campaign, the cost of a WAES campaign, and the effect of technological advancements that have occurred since the last major WAES review in 1999. Until now, the NNSA effort has focused on tabletop exercises (TTXs) in which high-performance computing allows for advanced modeling and simulation efforts to be applied to the WAES question. Although the modeling and simulations used in the TTXs are extremely valuable, field campaigns are still needed to validate the assumptions that underpin the models and the modeling process itself. During a 7 week period beginning in May 2023 and ending in June 2023, which included 4 weeks of active field collections, a multilaboratory team conducted its first in-field validation exercise. Prior to the in-field exercise, abbreviated TTXs were conducted to estimate the performance of all collection systems to be used during the field test. These TTXs guided the selection of materials to be released and the placement of the collection system. Based on these determinations, materials were procured to use in the field test, and an injection/release system was designed, built, and installed at the test facility. Background samples were collected during weeks one and four, and environmental collections against active releases were conducted during weeks two and three. The goals of this validation exercise included a demonstration of (1) the ability to provide controlled releases of particulates of surrogate materials, (2) the fielding and operation of collection systems (including deposition and active air collectors), and (3) the flexibility to revise equipment and campaign plans in the field. This paper presents the results and preliminary conclusions for this initial validation test. Based on these results, subsequent field campaigns are anticipated and will include the addition of other released materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

X-34 Main Propulsion System Design and Operation

The X-34 program is a joint industry/government program to develop, test, and operate a small, fully-reusable hypersonic flight vehicle, utilizing technologies and operating concepts applicable to future Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) systems. The vehicle will be capable of Mach 8 flight to 250,000 feet altitude and will demonstrate an all composite structure, composite RP-1 tank, the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed Fastrac engine, and the operability of an advanced thermal protection systems. The vehicle will also be capable of carrying flight experiments. MSFC is supporting the X-34 program in three ways: Program Management, the Fastrac engine as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), and the design of the Main Propulsion System (MPS). The MPS Product Development Team (PDT) at MSFC is responsible for supplying the MPS design, analysis, and drawings to Orbital. The MPS consists of the LOX and RP-1 Fill, Drain, Feed, Vent, & Dump systems and the Helium & Nitrogen Purge, Pressurization, and Pneumatics systems. The Reaction Control System (RCS) design was done by Orbital. Orbital is the prime contractor and has responsibility for integration, procurement, and construction of all subsystems. The paper also discusses the design, operation, management, requirements, trades studies, schedule, and lessons learning with the MPS and RCS designs.

Champion, R. J., Jr.↗

Near-Net Forging Technology Demonstration Program

Significant advantages in specific mechanical properties, when compared to conventional aluminum (Al) alloys, make aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) alloys attractive candidate materials for use in cryogenic propellant tanks and dry bay structures. However, the cost of Al-Li alloys is typically five times that of 2219 aluminum. If conventional fabrication processes are employed to fabricate launch vehicle structure, the material costs will restrict their utilization. In order to fully exploit the potential cost and performance benefits of Al-Li alloys, it is necessary that near-net manufacturing methods be developed to off-set or reduce raw material costs. Near-net forging is an advanced manufacturing method that uses elevated temperature metal movement (forging) to fabricate a single piece, near-net shape, structure. This process is termed 'near-net' because only a minimal amount of post-forge machining is required. The near-net forging process was developed to reduce the material scrap rate (buy-to-fly ratio) and fabrication costs associated with conventional manufacturing methods. The goal for the near-net forging process, when mature, is to achieve an overall cost reduction of approximately 50 percent compared with conventional manufacturing options for producing structures fabricated from Al-Li alloys. This NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) sponsored program has been a part of a unique government / industry partnership, coordinated to develop and demonstrate near-net forging technology. The objective of this program was to demonstrate scale-up of the near-net forging process. This objective was successfully achieved by fabricating four integrally stiffened, 170- inch diameter by 20-inch tall, Al-Li alloy 2195, Y-ring adapters. Initially, two 2195 Al-Li ingots were converted and back extruded to produce four cylindrical blockers. Conventional ring rolling of the blockers was performed to produce ring preforms, which were then contour ring rolled to produce 'contour preforms'. All of the contour preforms on this first-of-a-kind effort were imperfect, and the ingot used to fabricate two of the preforms was of an earlier vintage. As lessons were learned throughout the program, the tooling and procedures evolved, and hence the preform quality. Two of the best contour preforms were near- net forged to produce a process pathfinder Y-ring adapter and a 'mechanical properties pathfinder' Y-ring adapter. At this point, Lockheed Martin Astronautics elected to procure additional 2195 aluminum-lithium ingot of the latest vintage, produce two additional preforms, and substitute them for older vintage material non-perfectly filled preforms already produced on this contract. The existing preforms could have been used to fulfill the requirements of the contract.

Hall, I. Keith↗

Acoustic Characteristics of Various Treatment Panel Designs for HSCT Ejector Liner Acoustic Technology Development Program

The objectives of the initial effort (Phase I) of HSR Liner Technology Program, the selection of promising liner concepts, design and fabrication of these concepts for laboratory tests, testing these liners in the laboratory by using impedance tube and flow ducts, and developing empirical impedance/suppression correlation, are successfully completed. Acoustic and aerodynamic criteria for the liner design are established. Based on these criteria several liners are designed. The liner concepts designed and fabricated include Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF), Two-Degree-of-Freedom (2DOF), and Bulk Absorber. Two types of SDOF treatment are fabricated, one with a perforated type face plate and the other with a wiremesh (woven) type faceplate. In addition, special configurations of these concepts are also included in the design. Several treatment panels are designed for parametric study. In these panels the facesheets of different porosity, hole diameter, and sheet thickness are utilized. Several deep panels (i.e., 1 in. deep) are designed and instrumented to measure DC flow resistance and insitu impedance in the presence of grazing flow. Basic components of these panels (i.e., facesheets, bulk materials, etc.) are also procured and tested. The results include DC flow resistance, normal impedance, and insertion loss.

Salikuddin, M.↗

Why Regional and Long-Haul Trucks are Primed for Electrification Now

Zero emission freight trucks are needed to both improve public health and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions but at the same time are generally believed to be uneconomical. However, recent dramatic declines in battery prices and improvement in their energy density have created opportunities for battery-electric trucking today that were seldom anticipated just a few years ago. At the current global average battery pack price of $135 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) (realizable when procured at scale), a Class 8 electric truck with 375-mile range and operated 300 miles per day when compared to a diesel truck offers about 13% lower total cost of ownership (TCO) per mile, about 3-year payback and net present savings of about US $200,000 over a 15-year lifetime. This is achieved with only a 3% reduction in payload capacity. Even this small penalty can be reversed cost-effectively through light-weighting, in any case, only matters for a small fraction of trucks which regularly utilize their maximum payload. Electric trucks appear poised to also meet the performance demands for a large share of regional and long-haul trucking today. The estimated average distance traveled between 30- minute driver breaks is 150 miles and 190 miles for regional-haul and long-haul trucks respectively in the US. Thirty minutes of charging using 500 kW or mega-Watt scale fastchargers would add sufficient range without impairing operations and economics of freight movement. However, as with almost any clean technology, higher upfront capital costs of both vehicles and charging infrastructure are major barriers when electric trucking is in its infancy. Without strong policy support, coordinated investments in both vehicle manufacturing and fuel infrastructure will not be forthcoming on the scale needed to harness the true potential of battery electric trucks.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

The TPS Advanced Development Project for CEV

The CEV TPS Advanced Development Project (ADP) is a NASA in-house activity for providing two heatshield preliminary designs (a Lunar direct return as well as a LEO only return) for the CEV, including the TPS, the carrier structure, the interfaces and the attachments. The project s primary objective is the development of a single heatshield preliminary design that meets both Lunar direct return and LEO return requirements. The effort to develop the Lunar direct return capable heatshield is considered a high risk item for the NASA CEV development effort due to the low TRL (approx. 4) of the candidate TPS materials. By initiating the TPS ADP early in the development cycle, the intent is to use materials analysis and testing in combination with manufacturing demonstrations to reduce the programmatic risk of using advanced TPS technologies in the critical path for CEV. Due to the technical and schedule risks associated a Lunar return heatshield, the ADP will pursue a parallel path design approach, whereby a back-up TPS/heatshield design that only meets LEO return requirements is also developed. The TPS materials and carrier structure design concept selections will be based on testing, analysis, design and evaluation of scalability and manufacturing performed under the ADP. At the TPS PDR, the preferred programmatic strategy is to transfer the continued (detailed) design, development, testing and evaluation (DDT&E) of both the Lunar direct and LEO return designs to a government/prime contractor coordinated sub-system design team. The CEV prime contractor would have responsibility for the continued heatshield sub-system development. Continued government participation would include analysis, testing and evaluation as well as decision authority at TPS Final System Decision (FSD) (choosing between the primary and back-up heatshields) occurring between TPS PDR and TPS Critical Design Review (CDR). After TPS FSD the prime CEV contractor will complete the detailed design, certification testing, procurement, and integration of the CEV TPS.

Reuther, James↗

An Approach for Performance Based Glove Mobility Requirements

The Space Suit Assembly (SSA) Development Team at NASA Johnson Space Center has invested heavily in the advancement of rear‐entry planetary exploration suit design but largely deferred development of extravehicular activity (EVA) glove designs, and accepted the risk of using the current flight gloves, Phase VI, for exploration missions. However, as design reference missions mature, the risks of using heritage hardware have highlighted the need for developing robust new glove technologies. To address the technology gap, the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate's Game‐Changing Development Program provided start‐up funding for the High Performance EVA Glove (HPEG) Element as part of the Next Generation Life Support (NGLS) Project in the fall of 2013. The overarching goal of the HPEG Element is to develop a robust glove design that increases human performance during EVA and creates pathway for implementation of emergent technologies, with specific aims of increasing pressurized mobility to 60% of barehanded capability, increasing the durability in on‐pristine environments, and decreasing the potential of gloves to cause injury during use. The HPEG Element focused initial efforts on developing quantifiable and repeatable methodologies for assessing glove performance with respect to mobility, injury potential, thermal conductivity, and abrasion resistance. The team used these methodologies to establish requirements against which emerging technologies and glove designs can be assessed at both the component and assembly levels. The mobility performance testing methodology was an early focus for the HPEG team as it stems from collaborations between the SSA Development team and the JSC Anthropometry and Biomechanics Facility (ABF) that began investigating new methods for suited mobility and fit early in the Constellation Program. The combined HPEG and ABF team used lessons learned from the previous efforts as well as additional reviews of methodologies in physical and occupational therapy arenas to develop a protocol that assesses gloved range of motion, strength, dexterity, tactility, and fit in comparative quantitative terms and also provides qualitative insight to direct hardware design iterations. The protocol was evaluated using five experienced test subjects wearing the EMU pressurized to 4.3psid with three different glove configurations. The results of the testing are presented to illustrate where the protocol is and is not valid for benchmark comparisons. The process for requirements development based upon the results is also presented along with suggested performance values for the High Performance EVA Gloves to be procured in fiscal year 2015.

Aitchison, Lindsay↗

Securing the Modern Grid: Federal Investments, Digitization, and Supply Chain Strategy

Across the United States (U.S.) grid expansion and modernization is underway, paving the way for accelerated load growth and intelligent resource management. Digitization of the grid is supported by several state and federal programs, providing support for utilities installing advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), AI-powered analytics systems, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) to transform the grid from a one-way power delivery system into an intelligent, responsive network that will enable faster load growth and power expansion of data centers for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The digital transformation of America's grid presents opportunity for increased efficiency and resiliency but also introduces new digital risks that require careful management. Digital equipment often contains several vulnerabilities such as unencrypted communication protocols, and persistent remote access capabilities that could be exploited to manipulate device settings, coordinate service disruptions, or inject false data into grid operations. These digital risks become particularly important as the grid must rapidly scale to support AI-driven data centers, which the administration has identified as essential for maintaining U.S. technological leadership and economic competitiveness. These vulnerabilities are compounded by supply chain realities: Chinese manufacturers currently produce 70-90% of essential grid components including inverters, batteries, and control systems, with the U.S. lacking domestic manufacturing capacity for critical assets like extra-high voltage transformers. Recent federal legislation has established Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions to address these risks, requiring projects to achieve escalating thresholds of non-FEOC content to receive tax credits while utilities work to expand sourcing channels for their supply chains and strengthen security measures. These restrictions arrive precisely when utilities face unprecedented electricity demand growth driven by the rapid growth in data centers, creating a considerable challenge: rapidly expanding infrastructure while navigating complex compliance requirements while lacking viable alternatives for many critical components. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and its partners have developed practical approaches to help utilities navigate these intersecting challenges as they leverage federal investment to strengthen and grow the grid. These solutions include Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) principles that build resilience directly into systems, the Cirrus tool for secure cloud migration, and enhanced procurement guidance that embeds security requirements throughout equipment lifecycles. Federal initiatives, such as the Technical Assistance for Digital Assurance (TADA) project, provide direct support to utilities implementing these approaches while facilitating knowledge sharing across the industry. While these tools and frameworks cannot eliminate all risks inherent in foreign supply chain dependencies, they offer pragmatic pathways for strengthening security posture without sacrificing the deployment momentum essential to meeting surging electricity demand. Ultimately, securing America's digital energy infrastructure demands dedicated coordination across multiple fronts: building domestic supply chains, implementing robust digital assurance practices, and maintaining the aggressive modernization timeline necessary for reliability, resilience, and energy independence.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology (Heeet) and 3D Woven TPS Readiness for Outer Planet Probe Missions

Recent mission studies have shown entry at Uranus or at Neptune will require 3-D Woven TPS, either the two-layer HEEET or the single layer 3MDCP, with 3MDCP being more mass efficient. The 3MDCP capability being developed to support MSR EES is sufficient for the Ice Giants if the probe size is 1.25 m or less. [The Uranus Orbiter Probe (UOP) Flagship study for the Decadal used a 1.26m diameter probe.] For larger diameters, dual layer HEEET is easily scalable and is already at TRL 6. It is possible to develop a seam approach that would allow the use of 3MDCP; the resultant mass savings could warrant such a development. Ames is already working on a concept towards this. If aerocapture becomes part of the mission design for Uranus, delivery of the probe from orbit will be easier. Whether or not the probe is delivered from orbit, 3-D Woven (HEEET or 3MDCP) is the only TPS qualified to enable Ice Giant in situ probes. In addition to UOP, Saturn probe mission concepts will be enabled by 3-D Woven, either HEEET or 3MDCP. Launch periods for the UOP flagship or a Saturn probe mission in the early to mid 2030s requires the community to ensure that the 3D woven capability does not atrophy. Currently other than MSR EES, no other mission requires 3-D wovens, and the manufacturing for MSR will be completed by 2023. A gap in production of 5 or more years requires careful monitoring of the industrial base. In addition, manufacturing of 3-D woven TPS, from procurement and weaving to molding and infusion, is a minimum 2-year activity. In response to the threat of atrophy and the time critical and intensive nature of restarting weaving, advocacy from OPAG to NASA SMD for a sustainability effort would ensure in situ exploration of the outer planets in the decades to come.

M Gasch↗

Propellant Delivery via VDC Driven Pump

The SMART (Scalable Mobile Autonomous Rocket engine Test) testbed system initiative at SSC was conceived to attempt to address many of the principal cost drivers in developing and maintaining a rocket engine test facility. The system (optimized to test engines and components generating up to 10K lbf nominal thrust) is serving as a testbed for innovative technologies and processes to provide lower cost test services with a rapid test cadence and expedient turnaround times. The system can also potentially be used as a testbed to test other related technologies relevant to surface situations (e.g., moon, Mars associated with crogenic fluid management, engine/component testing, autonomous operations, etc.). This FY20 CIF project, being conducted as part of the SMART testbed system, is developing and testing a propellant delivery system via electrically driven centrifugal pumps (obviating dependence upon Multi-Layer Pressure Vessels) with configuration and operation by a minimal number of personnel. During FY20 the team identified the requirements and worked with P3 and Masten Space Systems to develop the long lead (9 months after receipt of order) items, the 400 VDC pumps, for delivery in mid FY21. Since control of the 400 VDC pump motor is not well developed the team has established heuristics to control flows in LN2 at off nominal shaft speeds to allow deep throttling of the pump in flow test scenarios. Various test scenarios including nominal i.e. high flow high pressure, high flow low pressure, low flow high pressure, low flow low pressure, minimum throttle step change, and low inlet pressure cavitation testing were developed ahead of the anticipated hardware delivery and test. FY20 COVID Stage 3 conditions restricted access to the center and hindered lab work, so efforts focused on the system design and testing plans along with the project procurement paperwork for the hardware... now with its anticipated delivery in spring FY21. Some limited access to the center is expected by spring/summer FY21 for the continuing second year (FY21) CIF project effort meant to be focused upon system integration and initial testing.

Aaron Head↗

SR19007 - Future TCAP Implementation Issues

This project demonstrates the success of the PDRD program in bringing a concept from the R&D phase to direct plant funding. Although Mini-TCAP technology is overall at a TRL of ~6.5, the specific questions addressed in this project were brought from a low (2-3 TRL) to a TRL 5 over the course of the project. This project successfully completed all initial goals ahead of schedule (inventory control, guard bed, ammonia impact, and cycle time) and furthermore addressed additional scope (continued TCAP evaluation, ion chamber) in FY20. First, this project resolved minor inventory control issues by introducing a new parameter tracking and correcting for inventory changes over multiple cycles. This project also involved modification of the previously constructed plant-configured Mini-TCAP in order to allow ammonia impurity studies. TCAP was tested with ammonia in the feed stream both with and without a guard bed present to determine guard bed efficacy and the effect of ammonia if it enters TCAP. The TCAP columns were then replaced with brazed columns, where the LN2 cooling coil is brazed to the column and the column is self-brazed along the coils. This drastically improved heat transfer and consequently reduced cycle time compared to the previous columns, in which the coils were mechanically held in place. Finally, additional scopes were taken on in FY20, including evaluation of TCAP with faster cycle time and procurement of ion chambers for future TCAP integration.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Assessment of Cold Spraying Mild-Steel Powder onto Mild-Steel Substrate for Development of Waste Tank Repair System - 20515

Infrastructure for nuclear waste storage and processing (e.g., waste tanks, transfer pipelines, evaporators) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site has been in service well beyond its original design life. Past corrosion control methods at Hanford for waste tanks have not been fully successful, as evidenced by leaks forming in tank AY-102, the first double-shell tank (DST) constructed, and significant degradation detected in the primary tanks of AP-102 and AY-101. Failure of infrastructure components can pose a significant risk to the environment, worker safety, and project schedules. Therefore, remotely deployable methods for repairing and extending the service life of the existing tank waste infrastructure are needed. Cold spray has been identified as a potential technique for performing in situ repairs and material buildup for life extension of waste storage and processing infrastructure. Cold-spray repair methods and technology are well-established and are used extensively by industry and the military for making repairs using dissimilar materials. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is evaluating the process of making repairs using mild-steel powder applied to a mild-steel substrate to minimize the galvanic corrosion potential. This paper presents the initial results for a feasibility ('go/no-go') assessment as to whether low-density deposits with sound metallurgic bonds, to build-back steel plate material, can be achieved using existing commercial cold-spray equipment. An assessment of steel-on-steel deposit is necessary to determine if cold spray is a viable candidate for DST carbon steel plate restoration/repair and thus DST service life extension. Powder properties and preparation requirements have been investigated and operating conditions and parameters for depositing a cold-spray buildup of mild steel on a mild-steel substrate have been determined. Soundness of metallurgic bonding as a function of the operating parameters exercised and results from applying cold spray to lay a deposit over simulated small-diameter flaws in 1/2-inch mild-steel plate are presented. Application of in situ cold-spray repair to the DOE complex has the potential to reduce cost and schedule impacts associated with component failures and the need to procure and construct replacement infrastructure. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Icy Moon Project (Final Report)

For this Icy Moon project, we designed, procured, built, tested and used a compact ICI instrument. This instrument has several technical advances, including a compact form factor that uses fiber arrays to relay light to six APDs. This enables a single data acquisition to measure eleven unique baselines simultaneously. The DAQ is well-synchronized and provides a path forward to even more channels. The combination of a bright LED, a sinusoidal target and cylindrical optics enables high-SNR measurements based on a known formula: a 25-ms measurement should have an SNR of 188 on the baseline zero signal. This rapid measurement time should enable two-dimensional operation and obviate the impact of temperature drifts. However, the experiment did not detect a coherence signal on any baseline (see Section Single-shot measurement results).

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Techno-Economic Analysis for GTI's Compact Hydrogen Generator

A technoeconomic analysis of the compact hydrogen generator compared to a traditional steam methane reformer (SMR) was performed for both processes with and without carbon capture. The project goal for the technoeconomic analysis was to demonstrate a minimum of 20% lower CAPEX and 15% lower levelized cost of hydrogen compared to SMR with and without carbon capture. GTI obtained baseline capital and costs for the SMR with and without and methodology to calculate the levelized cost of hydrogen from an IEAGHG Technical Report: 2017-02 Techno-Economic Evaluation of SMR Based Standalone (Merchant) Hydrogen Plant with CCS. This methodology was then applied to GTI’s compact hydrogen generator using direct material costs previously obtained from a reputable engineering procurement and construction company, CB&I Howe-Baker. The analysis was performed for plants producing 90MMSCFD (million standard cubic feed per day) of hydrogen. Direct material costs were converted to total installed costs and total capital requirements using the same multiplying factors for both processes. We have found that the direct materials cost of the compact hydrogen generator is less than half the direct materials cost required for SMR without capture, and about one quarter the direct materials cost of SMR with carbon capture. This low materials cost translates into a significant CAPEX savings and lower levelized cost of hydrogen that exceed the goals of the techno-economic assessment. We have found that the CHG has a 43% lower installed cost and capital requirement compared to SMR without capture, that results in a levelized cost of hydrogen that is 19% lower than SMR. When 90% CO2 capture is added to the plants, the advantages is even better. The CHG has a 51% lower installed and capital requirement compared to SMR with capture, resulting in a 28% lower levelized cost of hydrogen. A sensitivity analysis was performed and showed natural gas feedstock cost and discount rate to be the main contributors to hydrogen price sensitivity. Given these significant cost advantages, GTI is encouraged to continue to develop the technology and market the economic advantages as well as the efficiency gains and ability to inherently capture CO2.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Antigua and Barbuda Distributed Energy Resources Deployment Guidelines

This document is designed to provide comprehensive considerations, best practices and guidance for deployment of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) in Antigua and Barbuda. The document provides lists of various technology selection guidance including technical specifications, requirements and applicable key standards and code associated with key DERs and balance of plant equipment. The document also presents the key microgrid design considerations to integrate the DERs to achieve the economic, decarbonization and resiliency goals. Taking into account sensitive grid for such islands, for grid readiness and screening the potential DER interconnection, general approach is highlighted along with the potential technical interconnection requirements. Furthermore, this document shows the key stakeholders involved in such DER integration and/or microgrid project and how key responsible project team can be qualified. Finally, this document refers to key information about warranties and consumer rights and maintenance of the systems.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Solar Array (Radiated/Non-Radiated): Materials Characterization and Cryogenic Thermal Cycling Qualification for the Planned Europa Clipper Mission (ECM)

Two special instruments were custom built for our critical study and manufactured and employed to test the SA materials of interest to cryogenic temperature conditions. We have procured custom manufactured two independent systems such as Thermo -Mechanical Analyzer (TMA) with Three Point Bend Probe (TPBP) module and Dilatometer. TMA can be used to measure Young’ s modulus or elastic modulus (e -modulus). Dilatometer can be used to measure Co -efficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE). We have optimized the materials configuration to measure physical properties of radiated and non -radiated materials for CTE and e -modulus, which will be useful to assess materials and processes reliability for cryogenic temperature applications. We have successfully implemented for some materials that are of interest to solar panels for the planned ECM project to measure CTE and Young's modulus. Also a separate study was undertaken to thermal cycle qualify SAs for ECM project. One can do thermal cycling to temperatures of 50 K and 133 K using liquid Helium (Lq He). This is in reality exorbitantly too expensive and is also inefficient. Furthermore, this is not technically controllable test to 133 K and 50 K temperatures. This is also too expensive to accomplish. Therefore, a vacuum set -up was made along with a cryostat successfully. This is a closed loop system where we do not lose the Helium gas. We were able to get to 35 K for a given test coupon size. These temperatures are lower than what we would intend to qualify the solar array technologies. This will allow to have some margin at cold temperatures. We successfully completed the qualification of solar array technologies down to 50 K temperatures. This is the first time we are reporting this accomplishment. In this paper, we will present the solar array materials properties for cryogenic temperatures down to 20 K temperatures and the thermal cycling qualification test results from 133 K to 50 K for three times the mission life of 120 thermal cycles to meet JPL Design.

Ramesham, Rajeshuni↗