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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Flow and Heat Transfer Experimental Study for 3D-Printed Solar Receiving Tubes With Helical Fins at Internal Surface

3D-printing technology was applied to fabricate novel solar thermal collection tubes that have internal heat transfer enhancement fins and external surfaces with high solar absorptivity and low emissivity due to the ability to use different materials in one tube. Helical fins were selected to introduce circumferential flow and thus minimize the circumferential temperature difference of the tube that receives sunlight on one side. The structures of the helical fins were previously optimized from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis with the objective of low entropy production rate by looking for high heat transfer coefficient and relatively lower pressure loss. High-temperature alloy, Inconel-718, was used to 3D print the tubes, which can resist corrosion for the potential application of molten chloride salts as heat transfer fluid. Experimental tests were carried out using water as the heat transfer fluid with the high heat flux provided by a tubular furnace heater. The tested Reynolds number ranges from 3.9 × 10 3 to 6.1 × 10 4 . Heat transfer coefficients of up to 2.8 times that of the smooth tube could be obtained with the expense of increased pressure loss compared to that of the smooth tube. The total system entropy generation can be significantly reduced due to the benefit of heat transfer enhancement that is greater than the expenses of the increased pressure loss. The experimental results of the 3D-printed heat transfer tubes confirmed the CFD-based results of fin optimization. Furthermore, the novel heat transfer tube is recommended for application in concentrating solar power systems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Deep neural operators can predict the real-time response of floating offshore structures under irregular waves

The use of neural operators in a digital twin model of an offshore floating structure holds the potential for a significant shift in the prediction of structural responses and health monitoring, offering valuable real-time control insights. In this work, we investigate the effectiveness of three neural operators, namely the deep operator network (DeepONet), the Fourier neural operator (FNO), and the Wavelet neural operator (WNO), to accurately capture the responses of a floating structure under six different sea state codes (3 − 8) based on the wave characteristics described by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). To further enhance the accuracy of the vanilla architecture of the neural operators, novel extensions, such as wavelet-DeepONet and self-adaptive WNO, are proposed in this paper. The results demonstrate that these high-precision neural operators can deliver structural responses more efficiently, up to two orders of magnitude faster than a dynamic analysis using conventional numerical solvers. Additionally, compared to gated recurrent units (GRUs), a commonly used recurrent neural network for time-series estimation, neural operators are both more accurate and efficient, especially in situations with limited data availability. Taken together, our study shows that FNO outperforms all other operators for approximating the mapping of one input functional space to the output space as well as for responses that have small bandwidth of the frequency spectrum. Conversely, DeepONet, with historical states, proves most accurate in learning the mapping of multiple input functions to the output space and capturing responses within a broad frequency spectrum.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Insights on the Influence of the Central-Cut Width of the Box Assembly with Removable Component on Its Dynamical Responses

This investigation focuses on the dynamical effects caused by varying the central-cut width within the Box Assembly with Removable Component (BARC) system. The central-cut widths included in this study are a 0.5″ cut, a 0.25″ cut, a thin 0.1″ cut, and a structure that did not have a cut at all. Finite element analysis was conducted to determine the mode shapes and natural frequencies of each of the BARC structures. Structural dynamics experiments were run to examine the effects of the central-cut width on the dynamical responses and nonlinear characteristics of the BARC system. Free vibration testing with an impact hammer was carried out to excite the system and extract the dominant frequencies and directions of the significant responses. A pseudorandom vibration test that allows for the qualitative determination of any nonlinear behavior within the system was performed. This type of behavior can include nonlinear softening, nonlinear hardening, and the most common, nonlinear damping due to the presence of several bolted-joint connections and the possible activation of geometric and inertia nonlinearities. To quantitatively investigate the impacts of the central-cut width on the dynamics of the system, swept sinusoidal testing was conducted. It is determined that almost all systems with central cuts demonstrate the presence of nonlinear softening, but at times, nonlinear hardening trends are seen, particularly in the 0.1″ cut and no-cut systems when testing harmonically. Each of the central-cut systems displays nonlinear damping, with the amount of damping generally increasing as the central cut decreases in size. The effect of the central cut of the BARC system on the mode-switching ability of the system is negligible; however, mode switching takes place when comparing the central-cut configurations to the no-cut one. These results show the significance of accurately measuring the central-cut width and how geometric uncertainty may change the dynamical responses and nonlinear properties of the system.

Padilla, Christopher (ORCID:000900033446732X)↗
DOE OSTI2017

Morse-Smale Analysis of Ion Diffusion in Ab Initio Battery Materials Simulations

Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations are increasingly useful in modeling, optimizing and synthesizing materials in energy sciences. In solving Schrödinger’s equation, they generate the electronic structure of the simulated atoms as a scalar field. However, methods for analyzing these volume data are not yet common in molecular visualization. The Morse-Smale complex is a proven, versatile tool for topological analysis of scalar fields. In this paper, we apply the discrete Morse-Smale complex to analysis of first-principles battery materials simulations. We consider a carbon nanosphere structure used in battery materials research, and employ Morse-Smale decomposition to determine the possible lithium ion diffusion paths within that structure. Our approach is novel in that it uses the wavefunction itself as opposed distance fields, and that we analyze the 1-skeleton of the Morse-Smale complex to reconstruct our diffusion paths. Furthermore, it is the first application where specific motifs in the graph structure of the complete 1-skeleton define features, namely carbon rings with specific valence. We compare our analysis of DFT data with that of a distance field approximation, and discuss implications on larger classical molecular dynamics simulations.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Preliminary modeling of triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures using RELAP5-3D

With the United States Department of Energy (DOE)’s goal of quadrupling the nation’s nuclear energy supply by 2050, and with the Advanced Fuels Campaign pushing for new types of advanced reactor fuels and geometries, the need has arisen for new nuclear fuel designs. One such design is to swap out current nuclear fuel geometries in exchange for another type of geometry, called a Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS). TPMSs are self-supporting, infinitely repeating lattices—attributes that lend themselves well to additive manufacturing. These surfaces also possess enhanced heat transfer properties thanks to their internal area changes and large surface-area-to-volume ratios. Their drawback, however, is an increased pressure drop. Given the small amount of correlations and data (Reynolds numbers in the 2,000–8,000 range), and the minimal amount of experience so far obtained by modeling TPMS structures using 1D systems codes such as the Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP5-3D), further research into this topic was needed. Using data from the University of Wisconsin - Madison (UW), curve fits were created for both a Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC) correlation and a Darcy friction factor empirical coefficient correlation. The curves’ coefficients and multipliers were then output and utilized in RELAP5-3D models of two upcoming experiments—Flow Loop for INFLUX Pressure drop (FLIP) and Microreactor Agile Non-nuclear Experimental Test (MAGNET)—aimed at increasing the available data for Reynolds numbers to the 16,000–36,000 range for TPMS structures. The models were run under the conditions utilized by a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis performed by another group at Idaho National Laboratory. Only CFD pressure drop values were obtained from the FLIP test, and those values showed that the RELAP5-3D models had a lower rate of pressure increase in comparison to the CFD values. In addition, there seemed to be a vertical shift upward in the pressure drop for both models whenever the TPMS porosity decreased, and the RELAP5-3D models showed a higher vertical shift in comparison to the CFD values. The MAGNET results did not correspond to any CFD or experimental results against which they could be compared, so they were instead compared against the proposed CFD input conditions. These values were then compared with each other to make sure the model seemed to be performing as expected, paving the way for future tests that can be run for the purpose of further analyses and comparisons. The pressure drop increased with temperature and mass flow rate independently. The temperature change would decrease with increasing mass flow rate and temperature, which was just as we expected based on the fact that the lower viscosity and decreased density would result in higher friction and churning losses. The last metric that was assessed was the enthalpy flow change, which increased with increasing mass flow rate and decreasing temperature.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Thermally Stable Co@C3N4 Single-Atom Catalysts for CO Oxidation: Atomic-Level Insights into Structure and Activity

Single Co atoms supported on C3N4 (Co@C3N4) have demonstrated high activity and selectivity in photocatalysis. However, the investigation of structure–function relationships and reaction mechanisms under photocatalytic conditions is very challenging due to the complex conditions of light absorption, charge transfer, and catalysis. In this study, we employed thermal CO oxidation as a prototypical probe reaction to benchmark the intrinsic catalytic performance and track the active-site evolution of Co@C3N4. Single Co atoms were identified and shown to be the catalytically active sites for CO oxidation based on control experiments and isotope-labeling experiments. The Co sites remained atomically dispersed before, during, and after the reaction with temperatures up to 400 °C, as established by in situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) combined with density functional theory (DFT), FDMNES simulations, and dynamic-time-warping (DTW)-assisted X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) matching. Together with theoretical calculations, the integrated analysis reveals a stable coordination environment under reaction conditions, which correlates with sustained activity, establishing Co@C3N4 single-atom catalysts as thermally stable CO oxidation catalysts. Beyond these findings, the current study provides a workflow for unambiguously assigning active sites in Co@C3N4 for thermal CO oxidation. This workflow will aid the understanding of their behavior in photocatalysis in the future, where light-driven dynamics obscure direct structure–function links. Notably, this study provides fundamental insights for the rational design of robust single-atom catalysts and a foundation for the broader application of Co@C3N4 catalysts in oxidation reactions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Phase segregation dynamics in mixed-halide perovskites revealed by plunge-freeze cryo-electron microscopy

Mixed-halide lead perovskites, with photoexcited charge-carrier properties suitable for high-efficiency photovoltaics, hold significant promise for high-efficiency tandem solar cells. However, phase segregation under illumination, where an iodide-rich phase forms carrier trap states, remains a barrier to application. This study employs plunge-freeze cryoelectron microscopy to visualize nanoscale phase segregation dynamics in CsPb(Br x I 1–x ) 3 films. By rapidly freezing the illuminated samples, we preserve transient photoexcited ion distributions for high-resolution structural and compositional analysis at the nanoscale. Cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques (electron energy loss spectroscopy [EELS] and 4D-STEM) captured the dynamics of photo-induced iodine migration from grain boundaries to centers, identified the buildup of anisotropic strain, and captured the heterogeneous evolution of this process within a single grain. These findings provide insight into microscopic phase segregation mechanisms and their dynamics, enhancing our understanding of mixed-halide perovskite photostability.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy reveals early adipogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells at single-cell level

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have been used as an ideal in vitro model to study human adipogenesis. However, little knowledge of the early stage differentiation greatly hinders our understanding on the mechanism of the adipogenesis processes. In this study, synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared (SR-FTIR) microspectroscopy was applied to track the global structural and compositional changes of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids inside individual hMSCs along the time course. The multivariate analysis of the SR-FTIR spectra distinguished the dynamic and significant changes of the lipids and nucleic acid at early differentiation stage. Importantly, changes of lipid structure during early days (Day 1–3) of differentiation might serve as a potential biomarker in identifying the state in early differentiation at single cell level. These results proved that SR-FTIR is a powerful tool to study the stem cell fate determination and early lipogenesis events. - Highlights: • Molecular events occur in the early adipogenic differentiation stage of hMSCs are studied by SR-FTIR. • SR-FTIR data suggest that lipids may play an important role in hMSCs determination. • As potential biomarkers, lipids peaks can identify the state of cell in early differentiation stage at single-cell level.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Expanded capabilities of the CarMa code in modeling resistive wall mode dynamics with 3-D conductors

In this work, an improved version of the CarMa code is presented, called CarMa-D, for the analysis of resistive wall modes (RWMs) in fusion devices, simultaneously considering the effects of volumetric three-dimensional conducting structures, plasma dynamics, toroidal rotation or drift-kinetic damping. Unlike static CarMa, CarMa-D does not rely on the simplifying assumptions such as neglecting the plasma mass, toroidal rotation and kinetic damping. The new coupling strategy is based on matrix-based Padé rational functions approximation of plasma a response. The arising mathematical model is formally equivalent to the original CarMa model, but with a higher number of degrees of freedom to model the dynamics of the plasma. CarMa-D overcomes the main limitations of the original CarMa, in particular: (i) the massless assumption for the plasma is removed, allowing modeling of global modes growing both on ideal kink time scales and in the typical RWM growth rate regime, with a suitable treatment of the model; (ii) the effects of toroidal plasma flow and drift kinetic damping can be included into the new model, providing a powerful tool to study macroscopic phenomena where both plasma dynamics and 3-D conducting structures play important roles.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Elucidating the Atomic Structures of the Gel Layer Formed during Aluminoborosilicate Glass Dissolution: An Integrated Experimental and Simulation Study

The altered glasses produced during aqueous dissolution of silicate and borosilicate glasses are among the most complex structures to understand at the atomic level due to their amorphous nature, random porosity and various levels of hydration. In this study, we gained insights of the complex atomic structures of altered aluminoborosilicate glasses by combining a range of experimental and computational approaches. The altered glasses were prepared by dissolution of three glasses with varying level of alumina in acid for 7 days. A comprehensive set of experimental [elemental analysis, high-energy X-ray diffraction, 29 Si and 27 Al solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and O 1s X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)] and modeling (molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using non-reactive and reactive force fields) were used to study the atomic structures of these altered glasses. Elemental analysis showed that most of the B in the pristine glasses was leached into the solution and was not contained in the altered glass. The 29 Si and 27 Al solid-state NMR spectra revealed that the altered glasses have more polymerized silicate network as compared to those in the pristine glasses due to the reformation of linkages among Si and Al oxygen polyhedral in the altered glasses. The bridging and non-bridging (or hydroxyl O) atoms in the altered glasses were also quantified from their O 1s XPS spectra. Atomic structure models of the altered glasses were constructed by using MD simulations using the reactive force field based on the compositional information obtained from experiments. Various pore structures were generated using the charge-scaling (CS) method by using different initial densities and CS temperatures; the best CS parameters of each alternated glass were then determined by comparing with the experimental structure factors obtained from high energy X-ray diffraction. Pore and the atomic structures and vibrational properties around these pore surfaces were analyzed. Furthermore, these results from this comprehensive study thus provides a realistic insight into the pore morphology, atomic structure, and vibrational properties of altered glasses.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Bayesian inference of structured latent spaces from neural population activity with the orthogonal stochastic linear mixing model

The brain produces diverse functions, from perceiving sounds to producing arm reaches, through the collective activity of populations of many neurons. Determining if and how the features of these exogenous variables (e.g., sound frequency, reach angle) are reflected in population neural activity is important for understanding how the brain operates. Often, high-dimensional neural population activity is confined to low-dimensional latent spaces. However, many current methods fail to extract latent spaces that are clearly structured by exogenous variables. This has contributed to a debate about whether or not brains should be thought of as dynamical systems or representational systems. Here, we developed a new latent process Bayesian regression framework, the orthogonal stochastic linear mixing model (OSLMM) which introduces an orthogonality constraint amongst time-varying mixture coefficients, and provide Markov chain Monte Carlo inference procedures. We demonstrate superior performance of OSLMM on latent trajectory recovery in synthetic experiments and show superior computational efficiency and prediction performance on several real-world benchmark data sets. We primarily focus on demonstrating the utility of OSLMM in two neural data sets: μ ECoG recordings from rat auditory cortex during presentation of pure tones and multi-single unit recordings form monkey motor cortex during complex arm reaching. We show that OSLMM achieves superior or comparable predictive accuracy of neural data and decoding of external variables (e.g., reach velocity). Most importantly, in both experimental contexts, we demonstrate that OSLMM latent trajectories directly reflect features of the sounds and reaches, demonstrating that neural dynamics are structured by neural representations. Together, these results demonstrate that OSLMM will be useful for the analysis of diverse, large-scale biological time-series datasets.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Joint Effect of Small Additives of Carbon Nanoparticles of Different Morphologies on the Mechanical Characteristics of Cross-Linked Polyurethanes under Static and Dynamic Loads

Influence of small additives of fullerene, graphene oxide, and their combinations in the ratio of 85 : 15 on the structure and mechanical properties of cross-linked polyurethanes under static and dynamic loads has been investigated. Nanocomposite structures have been studied by X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy. It is shown that the presence of carbon nanoparticles in the composite reduces its strength under both static and shock-wave loads. The synergistic effect of the mixture of carbon nanoparticles manifests itself as an increase in the elastic modulus by a factor of 1.25 in comparison with the initial polymer.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Symmetry progression and band vs Mott character of CdPS 3 under pressure

Complex chalcogenides are renowned for their tunable electronic, magnetic, and optical properties under external stimuli. The MPX 3 family (M = Mn, Ni, Co, V; X = S, Se) is a platform for many exciting discoveries—especially under compression—although CdPS3 is thought to be different because the Cd center possesses a filled 4d shell, which precludes Mottness. Here, we combine synchrotron-based infrared absorbance and Raman scattering spectroscopies with diamond anvil cell techniques, complementary lattice dynamics calculations, and an analysis of the energy landscape to reveal a series of structural phase transitions in CdPS 3 . We find four distinct pressure-driven transitions, with low frequency modes detectable over the full 35 GPa range of our investigation. A group–subgroup analysis along with our first-principles calculations allows us to partially unravel the space group sequence. For instance, the first critical pressure is a monoclinic C2/m to trigonal $\overline{R}$3 transition at 10 GPa. Despite the softness and overall sensitivity to pressure, we do not locate an insulator-to-metal transition in this pressure range, indicating that the energy scale for gap closure is significantly higher than expected. We discuss these findings in terms of force-induced color change and Mott vs band character in this system.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Transition between protein-like and polymer-like dynamic behavior: Internal friction in unfolded apomyoglobin depends on denaturing conditions

Equilibrium dynamics of different folding intermediates and denatured states is strongly connected to the exploration of the conformational space on the nanosecond time scale and might have implications in understanding protein folding. For the first time, the same protein system apomyoglobin has been investigated using neutron spin-echo spectroscopy in different states: native-like, partially folded (molten globule) and completely unfolded, following two different unfolding paths: using acid or guanidinium chloride (GdmCl). While the internal dynamics of the native-like state can be understood using normal mode analysis based on high resolution structural information of myoglobin, for the unfolded and even for the molten globule states, models from polymer science are employed. The Zimm model accurately describes the slowly-relaxing, expanded GdmCl-denaturated state, ignoring the individuality of the different aminoacid side chain. The dynamics of the acid unfolded and molten globule state are similar in the framework of the Zimm model with internal friction, where the chains still interact and hinder each other: the first Zimm relaxation time is as large as the internal friction time. Transient formation of secondary structure elements in the acid unfolded and presence of α-helices in the molten globule state lead to internal friction to a similar extent.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

On the accuracy of the MB-pol many-body potential for water: Interaction energies, vibrational frequencies, and classical thermodynamic and dynamical properties from clusters to liquid water and ice

The MB-pol many-body potential has recently emerged as an accurate molecular model for water simulations from the gas to the condensed phase. In this study, the accuracy of MB-pol is systematically assessed across the three phases of water through extensive comparisons with experimental data and high-level ab initio calculations. Individual many-body contributions to the interaction energies as well as vibrational spectra of water clusters calculated with MB-pol are in excellent agreement with reference data obtained at the coupled cluster level. Several structural, thermodynamic, and dynamical properties of the liquid phase at atmospheric pressure are investigated through classical molecular dynamics simulations as a function of temperature. The structural properties of the liquid phase are in nearly quantitative agreement with X-ray diffraction data available over the temperature range from 268 to 368 K. The analysis of other thermodynamic and dynamical quantities emphasizes the importance of explicitly including nuclear quantum effects in the simulations, especially at low temperature, for a physically correct description of the properties of liquid water. Furthermore, both densities and lattice energies of several ice phases are also correctly reproduced by MB-pol. Following a recent study of DFT models for water, a score is assigned to each computed property, which demonstrates the high and, in many respects, unprecedented accuracy of MB-pol in representing all three phases of water. Published by AIP Publishing.

Reddy, Sandeep K. (ORCID:0000000214586853)↗
DOE OSTI2019

Multifaceted Water Dynamics in Spherical Nanocages

We present here a new method to study position-dependent, anisotropic diffusion tensors inside spherically confined systems—a geometry that is common to many chemical nanoreactors. We use this method to elucidate the surprisingly rich solvent dynamics of confined water. The spatial variation of the strongly anisotropic diffusion predicted by the model agrees with the results of explicit molecular dynamics simulations. The same approach can be directly transferred to the transport of solutes to and from reaction sites located at nanoreactor interfaces. We complement our study by a detailed analysis of water hydrogen bond kinetics, which is intimately coupled to diffusion. Despite the inhomogeneity in structure and translational dynamics inside our nanocages, a single set of well-defined rate constants is sufficient to accurately describe the kinetics of hydrogen bond breaking and formation. We find that once system size effects have been eliminated, the residence times of water molecules inside the coordination shell of a hydrogen bond partner are well correlated to average diffusion constants obtained from the procedure above.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

2D Reconstruction of Magnetotail Electron Diffusion Region Measured by MMS

Models for collisionless magnetic reconnection in near-Earth space are distinctly characterized as 2D or 3D. In 2D kinetic models, the frozen-in law for the electron fluid is usually broken by laminar dynamics involving structures set by the electron orbit size, while in 3D models the width of the electron diffusion region is broadened by turbulent effects. We present an analysis of in situ spacecraft observations from the Earth's magnetotail of a fortuitous encounter with an active reconnection region, mapping the observations onto a 2D spatial domain. While the event likely was perturbed by low-frequency 3D dynamics, the structure of the electron diffusion region remains consistent with results from a 2D kinetic simulation. As such, the event represents a unique validation of 2D kinetic, and laminar reconnection models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗