Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Systematic process”

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

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

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Dipole Bend Magnets: Design Considerations

This analysis provides a design of a dipole bend magnet for a beamline, stepping through various considerations while assembling a design. This report can be used as a basis of a bending dipole magnet applicable to LANSCE, a scalable point design for other applications, or as a systematic process for developing a magnet design from scratch. The goal is more to answer, 'Is it reasonable?' than to address correction factors. In this specific case, the dipole should provide 3 kG within a 6.35-cm (2.5") gap across an area provided by 25×15-cm pole pieces. This provides roughly 17° and 21° deflection for proton at 3.0 and 2.1 MeV, respectively.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

How Cooperative Engagement Programs Strengthen Sequencing Capabilities for Biosurveillance and Outbreak Response

The threat of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases continues to be a challenge to public and global health security. Cooperative biological engagement programs act to build partnerships and collaborations between scientists and health professionals to strengthen capabilities in biosurveillance. Biosurveillance is the systematic process of detecting, reporting, and responding to especially dangerous pathogens and pathogens of pandemic potential before they become outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. One important tool in biosurveillance is next generation sequencing. Expensive sequencing machines, reagents, and supplies make it difficult for countries to adopt this technology. Cooperative engagement programs help by providing funding for technical assistance to strengthen sequencing capabilities. Through workshops and training, countries are able to learn sequencing and bioinformatics, and implement these tools in their biosurveillance programs. Cooperative programs have an important role in building and sustaining collaborations among institutions and countries. One of the most important pieces in fostering these collaborations is trust. Trust provides the confidence that a successful collaboration will benefit all parties involved. With sequencing, this enables the sharing of pathogen samples and sequences. Obtaining global sequencing data helps to identify unknown etiological agents, track pathogen evolution and infer transmission networks throughout the duration of a pandemic. Having sequencing technology in place for biosurveillance generates the capacity to provide real-time data to understand and respond to pandemics. We highlight the need for these programs to continue to strengthen sequencing in biosurveillance. By working together to strengthen sequencing capabilities, trust can be formed, benefitting global health in the face of biological threats.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design of Resilient Electric Distribution Systems for Remote Communities: Surgical Load Management Using Smart Meters: Preprint

This paper describes a systematic process of designing resilient electric distribution systems and microgrids using smart meters for surgical load management (SLM) as part of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). The work focuses on selection approach, integration, and interoperability aspects for AMI in microgrids. SLM is proposed as a granular control methodology for serving selective critical loads across different distribution feeders in the system during extreme events. The surgical load shedding as well as load pick-up provides a robust approach for maximizing critical load served in a resource-constrained electric distribution system or a microgrid. We present the case of a 20 MW islanded microgrid in Cordova, AK, USA, which is the demonstration site for field validation of resilience enhancement technologies for the DOE-funded Grid Modernization project RADIANCE. Cordova microgrid is an islanded distribution grid that provides an environment to prove the approach, and the techniques may also be applicable to other regional distribution systems.

microgrids↗
DOE OSTI2022

Prototype HB650 Transportation Validation For The PIP-II Project

The PIP-II Project at Fermilab is centered around a superconducting 800 MeV proton linac to upgrade and modernize the Fermilab accelerator complex, allowing increased beam current to intensity frontier experiments such as LBNF-DUNE. PIP-II includes strong international collaborations, including the delivery of 12 cryomodules from European labs to FNAL (3 from STFC-UKRI in the UK and 9 from CEA in France). The transatlantic shipment of these completed modules is identifed as a serious risk for the project. To mitigate this risk, a rigorous and systematic process has been developed to design and validate a transport system, including specifcation, procedures, logistics, and realistic testing. This paper will detail the engineering process used to manage this effort across the collaboration and the results of the first major validation testing of the integrated shipping system prior to use with a cryomodule.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ushering in the New Age of Laboratories: Smart Labs in Practice; Preprint

Ventilation is the first line of defense against airborne hazards produced during research activities in laboratories. A vital component to maintaining healthy, safe, indoor air quality, laboratory ventilation systems are often victim to ineffective operation, posing a risk to an organization's most important asset - the researchers. Furthermore, system inefficiencies can lead to up to 50% wasted energy. By providing a framework to improve the safety and energy efficiency through optimized ventilation and operations, the Smart Labs Toolkit guides laboratory stakeholders through a straight-forward, holistic approach to achieving a dynamic Smart Labs program. A Smart Labs program employs a combination of physical, administrative, and management techniques to plan, assess, optimize, and manage high-performance laboratories. Grounded in the Smart Labs methodology, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) implemented a successful Smart Labs program to oversee the design, construction, maintenance, and operations of its laboratories. To accomplish this effort, NREL's key stakeholders created an internal partnership to align NREL's existing laboratories with Smart Labs principles and solidify organizational roles for the safe and efficient operation of laboratory assets. The program provides the groundwork for decarbonization strategies centered around building operation. This paper outlines best practices employed by NREL to develop a cross-cutting Smart Labs team, garner managerial support, and effectively communicate of goals around safety and energy. Strategies include specific Smart Labs best practices, such as implementing a Laboratory Ventilation Risk Assessment - a systematic process for identifying risk due to airborne hazards and informing dynamic, demand-based ventilation to optimize safety and efficiency.

decarbonization↗
DOE OSTI2022

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Improving Energy Efficiency and Safety through Smarter Ventilation: Preprint

Ventilation is a key component to maintaining healthy, safe indoor air quality. Especially important in laboratories, ventilation is the first line of defense against airborne hazards produced during research activities. Though a vital component, laboratory ventilation systems are often victim to ineffective operation, posing a risk to the most important asset - the researchers. Furthermore, system inefficiencies can lead to up to 50% wasted energy. To improve both energy efficiency and safety in laboratories, we present the Smart Labs Toolkit - a resource developed by the U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program and the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories that guides laboratory stakeholders through a straight-forward, holistic approach to achieve dynamic, high-performance laboratories. Smart Labs enable safe and efficient world class science to occur in laboratories through high-performance methods. A Smart Labs program employs a combination of physical, administrative, and management techniques to assess, optimize, and manage high performance laboratories. We will focus on a central component of the Smart Labs approach - the Laboratory Ventilation Risk Assessment, a systematic process for identifying risk due to airborne hazards to inform the operation of dynamic ventilation that optimizes safety and efficiency. Case studies of organizations who have successfully implemented Smart Labs ventilation management programs will also be shared. In learning ventilation strategies successful in critical laboratory environments, learn the tools and resources needed to successfully manage energy in any building through smarter, safer ventilation.

buildings↗
DOE OSTI2024

Smart Labs: Improving Lab Facilities to Meet Decarbonization Goals

Smart Labs enable safe and efficient world class science to occur in laboratories through high-performance methods. The Smart Labs Toolkit describes a systematic process to help laboratory owners and operators plan, assess, optimize, and manage laboratory facilities. This half-day workshop reviews the four phases of the Smart Labs Toolkit along with an interactive activity to complete a Laboratory Ventilation Risk Assessment. This session will also highlight the Lab Benchmarking Tool, which compares the energy use, emissions, and operational practices of lab buildings with similar facilities. Attendees will also discuss application as well as sharing tools and best practice guides.

assessment↗
DOE OSTI2024

SRNL Nuclear Material Management Strategy

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is a multidisciplinary laboratory located on the Savannah River Site (SRS) that specializes in applying state-of-the-art science to provide practical solutions to complex technical problems. In 2021 SRNL went through a contract transition to become an independent Federally Funded Research and Development center which kicked off a period of rapid growth in research and an increased demand for the limited nuclear material capacity. A systematic process was developed for analyzing nuclear material holdings to optimize retention and streamline efforts to disposition legacy material without jeopardizing program execution. This process focused on utilizing the expertise of researchers to identify materials for disposition and retention while creating the visibility of tracking metrics for management to monitor material utilization. This resulted in a ~20% reduction in the powder Material At Risk (MAR) and identified additional candidates that could reduce transuranic holdings by an additional ~30% without endangering future program growth.

Ramsey, Catherine M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Measuring the Muon Neutrino Magnetic Moment in the NOvA Near Detector

Measuring an enhanced neutrino magnetic moment would be a clear indication of physics beyond the Standard Model, shedding light on the correct beyond Standard Model theory or the potential Majorana nature of neutrinos. It would manifest in the NOvA near detector as an excess of neutrino-on-electron elastic scattering interactions at low electron recoil energies. Leveraging an intense and highly pure muon neutrino beam, along with a finely segmented liquid scintillator detector technology specifically designed for electromagnetic shower separation, enables NOvA to achieve a potentially world-leading sensitivity in probing the effective muon neutrino magnetic moment. This analysis, based on neutrino data collected between 2014 and 2021, corresponding to an exposure of $13.8\times10^{20}$ protons-on-target, yields a result consistent with the Standard Model-only hypothesis with a p-value of 0.31. An upper limit on the effective muon neutrino magnetic moment is set at $\mu_{\nu_\mu}<19.1\times 10^{-10}\mu_B$ at $90\%$ confidence level. Despite facing statistical limitations stemming from low cross section of the signal process, systematic uncertainties have a significant impact on this result. To address these challenges, the NOvA Test Beam experiment focuses on mitigating some of the largest systematic uncertainties within NOvA by investigating particle interactions and energy deposition in a small-scale replica NOvA detector. This thesis describes the calibration of the NOvA Test Beam detector, which is a crucial step in analysing the Test Beam data before they can be utilised to reduce NOvA systematic uncertainties.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Autonomous Operations for Advanced Reactors Utilizing Supervisory Control

Automation is a critical tenet of reactor plant operations as reliance on nuclear energy increases. Nuclear power plants require a large workforce which does not scale with output; that is, the cost per megawatt increases as reactor output becomes smaller. The economic viability of advanced reactors, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors, requires a significantly reduced onsite workforce. The logical solution is establishing a systematic process of elimination of reliance on human operators, and to the extent possible, replacing these actions with automated functions. In this paper, we propose a method for such transformation to establish a robust technical basis to enable transition to autonomy. Our method is based on finite state automata (FSA)—also known as finite state machines (FSMs). Relying on this method allows us to exploit the rich set of mathematical proofs available in the field of regular languages. FSA are one of the mathematical tools to model discrete event systems (DES). These properties are applied to produce an automated startup controller for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR). The startup procedure is captured in terms of discrete changes from one state to another while an independent supervisory control system directs the sequence of states and alerts a human in the event of an abnormal operation. First, the design and behavior of the MITR rod control system were modeled in Simulink. Then, the startup procedure was applied to the rod control system and the DES performed a startup by procedurally withdrawing rods to the subcritical position. The simulation also stops rod motion in response to an uncontrollable event and restarts rod motion once the event has been cleared.

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗
DOE OSTI2024

LPBF Processability of NiTiHf Alloys: Systematic Modeling and Single-Track Studies

Research into the processability of NiTiHf high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs) via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is limited; nevertheless, these alloys show promise for applications in extreme environments. This study aims to address this limitation by investigating the printability of four NiTiHf alloys with varying Hf content (1, 2, 15, and 20 at. %) to assess their suitability for LPBF applications. Solidification cracking is one of the main limiting factors in LPBF processes, which occurs during the final stage of solidification. To investigate the effect of alloy composition on printability, this study focuses on this defect via a combination of computational modeling and experimental validation. To this end, solidification cracking susceptibility is calculated as Kou’s index and Scheil–Gulliver model, implemented in Thermo-Calc/2022a software. An innovative powder-free experimental method through laser remelting was conducted on bare NiTiHf ingots to validate the parameter impacts of the LPBF process. The result is the processability window with no cracking likelihood under diverse LPBF conditions, including laser power and scan speed. This comprehensive investigation enhances our understanding of the processability challenges and opportunities for NiTiHf HTSMAs in advanced engineering applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

A systematic study and framework of fringe projection profilometry with improved measurement performance for in-situ LPBF process monitoring

Fringe Projection Profilometry (FPP) is a cost-effective and non-invasive technology that has been shown to measure finer features. Here, in this work, we developed an in-situ FPP method to measure the dynamic topography of powder bed and printed layer during Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing (AM) process. A systematic study towards developing a comprehensive framework of LPBF-specific FPP is demonstrated to enhance and evaluate the performance of applying FPP for in-situ LPBF monitoring, including 1) a modified sensor model with localized correction; 2) improved phase unwrapping with FFT filtering 3) quantitative uncertainty analysis; and 4) experimental validation with ex-situ characterization. The developed LPBF-specific FPP system and methods are implemented on a commercial LPBF-AM machine, achieving better accuracy, more robustness, and increased field of view while maintaining sufficient measurement range and decent resolution, in contrast to literature methods. The established FPP framework will facilitate the development of closed-loop control strategies for advancing LPBF based AM.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

β-Delayed One and Two Neutron Emission Probabilities Southeast of 132 Sn and the Odd-Even Systematics in r-Process Nuclide Abundances

Here, the β-delayed one- and two-neutron emission probabilities (P 1n and P 2n ) of 20 neutron-rich nuclei with N≥82 have been measured at the RIBF facility of the RIKEN Nishina Center. P 1n of 130,131 Ag, 133,134 Cd, 135,136 In, and 138,139 Sn were determined for the first time, and stringent upper limits were placed on P2n for nearly all cases. β-delayed two-neutron emission (β2n) was unambiguously identified in 133 Cd and 135,136 In, and their P 2n were measured. Weak β2n was also detected from 137,138 Sn. Our results highlight the effect of the N=82 and Z=50 shell closures on β-delayed neutron emission probability and provide stringent benchmarks for newly developed macroscopic-microscopic and self-consistent global models with the inclusion of a statistical treatment of neutron and γ emission. The impact of our measurements on r-process nucleosynthesis was studied in a neutron star merger scenario. Our P 1n and P 2n have a direct impact on the odd-even staggering of the final abundance, improving the agreement between calculated and observed Solar System abundances. The odd isotope fraction of Ba in r-process-enhanced (r-II) stars is also better reproduced using our new data.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Systematic Validation of Ensemble Cloud-Process Simulations using Polarimetric Radar Observations and Simulator over the NASA Wallops Flight Facility

The BiLateral Operational Storm-Scale Observation and Modeling (BLOSSOM) project was initiated to establish a long-term supersite to improve understanding of cloud physical states and processes as well as to support satellite and climate model programs over the WFF site via a bilateral approach of storm-scale observations and process modeling. This study highlights a noble systematic validation framework of the BLOSSOM ensemble cloud-process simulations through mixed-phase, light-rain, and deep-convective precipitation cases. The framework consists of creating a domain-shifted ensemble of large-scale forcing datasets, and configuring and performing cloud-process simulations with three different bulk microphysics schemes. Validation uses NASA S-band dual-POLarimetric radar (NPOL) observations in the form of statistical composites and skill scores via a polarimetric radar simulator and newly developed CfRad Data tool (CfRAD). While the simulations capture the overall structures of the reflectivity composites, polarimetric signals are still poorly simulated, mainly due to a lack of representation of ice microphysics diversity in shapes, orientation distributions, and their complex mixtures. Despite the limitation, this new ensemble-based validation framework demonstrates that 1) no particular forcing or microphysics scheme outperforms the rest and 2) the skill scores of coarse- and fine-resolution ensemble simulations with different domain-shifted forcing and microphysics schemes are highly correlated with each other with no clear improvement. On the other hand, this suggests that coarse-resolution ensemble simulations are relevant for selecting the best meteorological forcing and microphysics scheme before conducting computationally demanding large eddy simulations (LESs) in support of aircraft and satellite instrument development as well as cloud-precipitation-convection parameterizations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Process-driven roadmap for depositing super duplex stainless steel via wire Arc additive manufacturing

Here, this study systematically investigates the effects of shielding gas, bead spacing, weld mode, and travel speed on the phase balance, porosity, and hardness of wire arc additively manufactured (WAAM) super duplex stainless steel (ER2594). Robotic WAAM was employed to fabricate multilayer walls under systematically varied process conditions, followed by phase transformation simulations, X-ray computed tomography (XCT), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and microhardness evaluation. Thermodynamic simulations predicted rapid cooling of AM process can suppress the potential formation of deleterious precipitates which was later validated via cross-sectional microstructure analyses of printed samples. XCT revealed porosity levels below 0.2% for all deposits, with reduced travel speed significantly lowering defect volume. Microstructural analyses revealed the evolution of various austenite precipitates, including grain boundary austenite (GBA), Widmanstätten austenite (WA), and intergranular austenite (IGA), sequentially upon cooling of the ferrite phase. Among all process parameters, weld transfer mode exhibited the strongest influence on phase balance; pulsed mode promoted higher ferrite retention (~ 36%) compared to RapidX mode. No consistent relationship between stabilized phase fraction and captured microhardness was observed. This work provides critical insights for optimizing WAAM parameters to control phase balance and mechanical performance, which is essential for producing high-integrity super duplex stainless-steel components for nuclear and marine applications.

Grain orientation↗
DOE OSTI2022

Document Configuration Management (DCM) Team Weapon Product Definition Group

Document Configuration Management (DCM) is the ongoing process of identifying and managing changes to deliverables and other work products. ALDW’s Document Configuration Plan provides a systematic, standardized process for the configuration management of documents to ensure that the most current and/or appropriate documents are being used, that any canceled or superseded document is properly processed, and that both a clear history and traceability of previous revisions are available.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design and Characterization of Metal Nanoparticle Infiltrated Mesoporous Metal–Organic Frameworks

The infiltration of palladium and platinum nanoparticles (NPs) into the mesoporous metal–organic framework (MOF) CYCU-3 through chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) and incipient wetness infiltration (IWI) processes was systematically explored as a means to design novel NP@MOF composite materials for potential hydrogen storage applications. We employed a traditional CVI process and a new "green" IWI process using methanol for precursor infiltration and reduction under mild conditions. Transmission electron microscopy-based direct imaging techniques combined with synchrotron-based powder diffraction (SPD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and physisorption analysis reveal that the resulting NP@MOF composites combine key NP and MOF properties. Room temperature hydrogen adsorption capacities of 0.95 and 0.20 mmol/g at 1 bar and 2.9 and 1.8 mmol/g at 100 bar are found for CVI and IWI samples, respectively. Additionally, hydrogen spillover and/or physisorption are proposed as the dominating adsorption mechanisms depending on the NP infiltration method. Mechanistic insights were obtained through the crystallographic means using SPD-based difference envelope density analysis, providing previously underexplored details on NP@MOF preparations. Consequently, important host–guest correlations influencing the global hydrogen adsorption properties are discussed, and they demonstrate that employing MOFs as platforms for NPs is an alternative approach to the development of versatile materials for improving current hydrogen storage technologies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗