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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 37 records · Page 2

Practical Event Location Estimation Algorithm for Power Transmission System Based on Triangulation and Oscillation Intensity

Event location in power systems is quite essential information for system operators to enhance control-room situational awareness capability. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop an event location estimation algorithm for transmission systems with high accuracy. With the development of wide-area measurement system (WAMS) such as FNET/GridEye, and the synchrophasor measurement devices (SMDs) such as frequency disturbance recorders (FDRs), the synchronous measurement data including frequency, voltage amplitude and phase angle can be collected and used for event location estimation. First, the phase angle and rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) trajectories are respectively used for determining two sets of wave arrival time associated with each FDR. Then, a convolutional neural network (CNN) is utilized to determine the wave arrival order to select the more suitable set of wave arrival times for a given case and to perform corresponding modifications. Next, the oscillation intensity associated with each FDR is determined based on phase angle trajectories in the center of inertia (COI) coordinate system. Finally, the multiple criteria for event location estimation are represented. In conclusion, case studies and comparisons between the proposed and previous algorithms using actual and confirmed cases in U.S. power systems are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and improvement of the proposed algorithm in practical applications.

frequency disturbance recorder (FDR)↗

A Strategy for Forced Oscillation Suppression

Wide-area time-synchronized measurements have recently revealed troublesome forced oscillations (FOs) within modern synchronized power grids. In some cases, these FOs represent a dangerous hazard to the system. Recent research has focused on locating the source of FOs to provide operators with knowledge for mitigating their impact locally. This paper presents a complementary mitigation strategy, which is to purposely induce a second oscillation into the grid which cancels the impact of the FO. Such a strategy is complementary in that it may provide valuable time to operators attempting to locate the FOs source and to determine how to rectify it. This paper presents a suppression control strategy which modulates controllable devices to automatically cancel the impact of the FO without the need for locating the source of the original FO. The strategy is based upon tuned feedback control. In this study, the approach is demonstrated on a simulation system via modulation of inverter-based generation.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Application of high-speed, species-specific chemiluminescence imaging for laminar flame speed and Markstein length measurements in spherically expanding flames

A high-speed chemiluminescence imaging diagnostic system has been developed and characterized for measuring species-specific properties of spherically expanding flames, with the objective of obtaining synchronized measurements of multiple flame properties from a single flame experiment. The imaging system comprises a high-speed camera coupled to a high-speed image intensifier and optical filters to isolate emission from desired excited species. Here this study validates the diagnostic scheme specifically for measuring laminar flame speed and Markstein length from chemiluminescence at three wavelength bands corresponding to OH*, CH*, and total chemiluminescence, respectively. Mixtures of methane-air and methane/ethane-air were tested at initial conditions of atmospheric pressure and room temperature. An under-utilized methodology for computing unburned Markstein length from burned Markstein length was implemented. Flame speed modeling of each mixture was conducted in Chemkin using AramcoMech 2.0. No significant differences were observed between the results derived from the three emission wavelength bands for the flame speeds nor the Markstein lengths. For both of these properties, excellent agreement was observed between the experimental results and the values reported in the literature. Because laminar flame speed and Markstein length show no dependency on the imaging wavelength, the present results imply that multiple flame properties, such as laminar flame speed, Markstein length, flame thickness, and excited-species intensity profiles, can all be acquired simultaneously for the same flame using this method.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Offline Power Systems Applications Enabled by Phasor Measurement Units: Technical Assistance to the Power Sectors of Southeast Asia

This report provides a brief overview of several offline (non-real-time) applications facilitated by high-resolution time-synchronized measurements recorded by phasor measurement units (PMUs). The high reporting rate and time-synchronization of PMU records provide a detailed view of power system dynamics, enabling electric utilities to obtain a better understanding of their systems. In this report, the following applications have been reviewed: Power plant model validation, System model validation, Ringdown oscillation analysis, Frequency response analysis, Postmortem analysis of disturbance events Along with a brief technical background of the applications above, applicable North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) standards have been discussed, and examples of implementation in North American organizations have been provided. Implementing several of the discussed applications may need a preliminary stage of data gathering from multiple entities, and several frameworks and process flows have been formulated by organizations around the world for this purpose. However, the data-gathering stage has not been considered in the scope of the present report.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Impact of Wide-Area Oscillation Damping Control using Measurement-Driven Approach on System Separation - Saudi Grid Case Study

In any interconnected power grid, low-frequency oscillations is a major problem that can limit the power transfer capability and deteriorate power system security due to potential low-damped or even undamped oscillations. Synchronized measurements provided by PMUs enable the design and development of wide-area oscillation damping controllers (WADC) based on measurement-driven model to overcome the limitations of traditional controllers. This work focuses on the impact of a W ADC based on a measurement-driven approach on system separation for the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) grid. A grid model is provided by SEC for this study. Modal analysis is performed to identify the oscillation mode of interest for which the controller is designed. Damping the dominant oscillation mode helps slightly to improve transient stability of the system. Considering bus frequency at different locations in SEC's system as the candidate observation signals, the optimal observation signal is chosen for the W ADC by using the FFT method. The system transfer function model is constructed by utilizing probing measurements. Then, the W ADC parameters are calculated based on the identified model. The performance of the designed W ADC is tested under different contingencies.

Altarjami, Ibrahim↗

Improved Line Outage Detection in Transmission Systems with Few PMUs

Unlike transmission systems, distribution systems historically lack enough measurements, making their real-time monitoring almost impossible. Recent deployment of diverse types of devices such as phasor measurement units (PMUs), smart meters, solar inverters and weather information sensors opens up new ways of monitoring these systems, with the assistance of customized machine learning (ML) applications. The paper describes a grid-model-informed machine learning (ML) tool which integrates heterogeneous data streams and creates synchronous measurement snapshots to be used by a hybrid robust state estimator (SE) which provides not only accurate state estimates but also real-time feedback for ML model refinement. Improved monitoring performance due to the use of developed computational framework is experimentally observed by simulated scenarios on an electric utility’s distribution system.

Distribution systems, graph learning, machine lear↗

Pulsed contact glow discharge electrification for online material quantification

Real-time elemental analysis of liquids in extreme environments remains a significant challenge for sensor development, particularly in applications such as advanced nuclear reactors. Plasma-based optical emission spectroscopy offers a promising solution. In this study, we investigate pulsed contact glow discharge electrolysis (CGDE) as an alternative plasma generation method for emission-based material quantification. Using aqueous NaCl solutions, we examine the role of discharge polarity on plasma behavior, emission characteristics, and spectral output. Our results demonstrate that cathodic discharges generate more energetic plasmas, enabling the detection of ionic species such as cerium, while anodic discharges favor atomic emission. These findings reveal a potential dual-mode sensing capability controlled by circuit configuration rather than hardware changes. Through synchronized measurements of emission, current, bubble, and spectral dynamics, we present a model in which electron emission and ohmic heating drive plasma formation. This model enhances our understanding of pulsed-CGDE and supports its potential as a versatile, adaptable platform for future deployment in high-temperature liquids such as molten salts.

98 - NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL↗

On the spectral behaviour of the turbulence-driven power fluctuations of horizontal-axis turbines

In this article we consider the spectral behaviour of turbulence-driven power fluctuations for a single horizontal-axis turbine. To this end, a small-scale instrumented axial-flow hydrokinetic turbine model ( diameter=0.724 m ) is deployed in the long water flume situated in the laboratory facilities of IFREMER in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, and synchronous measurements of the upstream velocity and the rotor are collected for different tip-speed ratios. The study confirms previous findings suggesting that the power spectra follow the velocity spectra behaviour in the large scales region and a steeper power law slope behaviour ( -11/3 ) over the inertial frequency sub-range. However, we show that both the amplitude of the power spectra and low-pass filtering effect over the inertial sub-range also depend on the rotor aero/hydrodynamics (e.g. dC L /dα) and the approaching flow deceleration and not solely on the rotational effects. In addition, we present a novel semi-analytical model to predict the dominant blade-passing frequency harmonics in the high-frequency regime using the rotationally sampled spectra technique. For all calculations, the distortion of incoming turbulence is taken into account.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Advanced Synchrophasor-based Application for Potential Distributed Energy Resources Management: Key Technology, Challenge and Vision

With an increasing number of distributed energy resources (DERs) integrating into the power system, the power grid is becoming more complex and uncertain. Owing to most of DERs are through grid-connected converters to integrate into the power system, the intermittent nature and resource-depended characteristic of the DERs are challenging their monitoring and control. Conventional synchronized measurement devices (SMDs) may be difficult to provide qualified data for DERs management for its accuracy and reporting-rate limitation. The monitoring systems developed basing on SMDs may be insufficient for depicting detailed dynamic manifestations of power systems with a high proportion integration of DERs. This paper shares some advanced synchrophasor-based applications developed in FNET/GridEye, which have a broad prospect for assisting system operator on the control and integration of the DERs.

Wang, Weikang↗

Subcritical Neutron and Gamma Noise Measurements at the Seven Percent Critical Experiment (7uPCX) [Slides]

Post measurement synchronization of noise signals allowed for the investigation of previously unseen correlations. Noise of gamma, thermal and fast neutron signals performed similarly in estimating the prompt neutron decay constant at various subcritical states. The CPSD amplitude terms displayed different magnitudes. The neutron-based amplitudes suffered more from changes in detector efficiency as the number of fuel rods in the system increased. The time lag between 3 He tubes is observable using the CPSD phase angle and agreed with a simplified diffusion estimation.

3He detectors↗

Research Trends and Applications of PMUs

This work is a survey of current trends in applications of PMUs. PMUs have the potential to solve major problems in the areas of power system estimation, protection, and stability. A variety of methods are being used for these purposes, including statistical techniques, mathematical transformations, probability, and AI. The results produced by the techniques reviewed in this work are promising, but there is work to be performed in the context of implementation and standardization. As the smart grid initiative continues to advance, the number of intelligent devices monitoring the power grid continues to increase. PMUs are at the center of this initiative, and as a result, each year more PMUs are deployed across the grid. Since their introduction, myriad solutions based on PMU-technology have been suggested. The high sampling rates and synchronized measurements provided by PMUs are expected to drive significant advancements across multiple fields, such as the protection, estimation, and control of the power grid. This work offers a review of contemporary research trends and applications of PMU technology. Most solutions presented in this work were published in the last five years, and techniques showing potential for significant impact are highlighted in greater detail. Being a relatively new technology, there are several issues that must be addressed before PMU-based solutions can be successfully implemented. This survey found that key areas where improvements are needed include the establishment of PMU-observability, data processing algorithms, the handling of heterogeneous sampling rates, and the minimization of the investment in infrastructure for PMU communication. Solutions based on Bayesian estimation, as well as those having a distributed architectures, show great promise. The material presented in this document is tailored to both new researchers entering this field and experienced researchers wishing to become acquainted with emerging trends.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Degree of Quantumness in Quantum Synchronization

We introduce the concept of degree of quantumness in quantum synchronization, a measure of the quantum nature of synchronization in quantum systems. Following techniques from quantum information, we propose the number of non-commuting observables that synchronize as a measure of quantumness. This fgure of merit is compatible with already existing synchronization measurements, and it captures diferent physical properties. We illustrate it in a quantum system consisting of two weakly interacting cavity-qubit systems, which are coupled via the exchange of bosonic excitations between the cavities. Moreover, we study the synchronization of the expectation values of the Pauli operators and we propose a feasible superconducting circuit setup. Finally, we discuss the degree of quantumness in the synchronization between two quantum van der Pol oscillators.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Advanced Measurements for Resilient Integration of Inverter-Based Resources: PROGRESS MATRIX Year-1 Report

As nearly every aspect of the electric power grid undergoes rapid change, measurement technologies that support grid operation and planning must evolve as well. Recent large-scale deployments of inverter-based resources (IBRs) have brought to the forefront the critical need for new measurement technologies. Though these IBRs are vital to achieving the nation’s clean energy goals, their rapid deployment has in some cases led to negative impacts on the reliability and security of the bulk power system (BPS). Advanced power system measurements, including synchronized phasor and waveform measurements, are key to making IBR integration secure and reliable. To this end, the Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a project in 2022 to develop advanced measurement capabilities and analytics that will accelerate adoption of IBRs while improving the reliability and resilience of the BPS. This report discusses a portion of the findings from the project’s first year, which focused on surveying existing measurement capabilities of partner utilities and comparing these capabilities with the requirements of applications that support IBR integration. This report also discusses how these findings will guide the development and demonstration of a set of applications in the project’s second year.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Advanced Measurements for Resilient Integration of Inverter-Based Resources: PROGRESS MATRIX Final Report

As nearly every aspect of the electric power grid undergoes rapid change, measurement technologies that support grid operation and planning must evolve as well. The rapid large-scale deployment of inverter-based resources (IBRs) vital to achieving the nation’s clean energy goals has in some cases led to negative impacts on the reliability and security of the bulk power system (BPS). Advanced power system measurements, including synchronized phasor and waveform measurements, are key to making IBR integration secure and reliable. To this end, the Department of Energy (DOE) initiated the PROGRESS MATRIX project to develop advanced measurement capabilities and analytics that will accelerate adoption of IBRs while improving the reliability and resilience of the BPS. This report discusses the outcomes of the project, which was a joint effort between the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). In the project’s first year, PNNL, NREL, and ORNL partnered with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), and Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) to understand their existing measurement capabilities and the gaps limiting deployment of IBR-focused measurement systems and analytics. The other primary activity in the first year was deployment of GridSweep instruments, which provide unprecedented precision in waveform measurement while probing distribution systems. The instruments were deployed at Dominion Energy and the University of California, Riverside. In the project’s second year, the input from partner utilities and collected measurements were used to advance measurement capabilities. Twelve analytical methods spanning disturbance analysis, power plant evaluation, feeder evaluation, and modeling were developed. Two software tools were developed, one to analyze GridSweep measurements and another to automatically evaluate the control performance of power plants connected to the BPS. Testbeds at ORNL and NREL were augmented to better enable studies of IBR integration. The project culminated in demonstrations of these analytical methods, software tools, and testbeds, both in the field and in the laboratory. This report discusses these various accomplishments and documents the significant progress in developing advanced measurement capabilities to support the secure, reliable, and accelerated adoption of IBRs in the BPS.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Chemo-Mechanical Instabilities in Lithium Cobalt Oxide at Higher State-Of-Charge in Li-Ion Batteries

Transition metal oxide cathodes are widely used in commercial Li-ion batteries. However, their practical charge capacity is limited due to severe chemo-mechanical instabilities at higher charge voltage, and state-of-charge condition. Here, in situ stress and strain measurements were synchronized to probe mechanical deformations in the lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) cathode via a multi-beam stress sensor and digital image correlation, respectively. In situ mechanical measurements revealed how Li removal from the electrode structure induces deformations on the LCO composite cathodes during cycling. The structure and morphology of the LCO cathodes were further investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. Two distinct electrochemical and mechanical behaviors were identified when the LCO was charged up to 4.65 V. The LCO undergoes a compressive stress generation when charged up to 4.2 V and surface fractures on the LCO particles were detected by SEM. LCO cathode experienced significantly large contractions (negative strains) when charged up to 4.65 V, where intergranular crack formation and phase transformation were detected on the LCO particles via SEM and XRD, respectively. Overall, the study bridges complicated structural deformations with in situ analysis of mechanical degradations in LCO cathodes charged at higher voltages. The correlation is vital to understanding instability mechanisms in transition metal oxides at high voltages for alkali metal ion batteries.

higher state-of-charge↗

Anomaly Identification of Synchronized Voltage Waveform for Situational Awareness of Low Inertia Systems

Inverter-based resources (IBRs) such as photovoltaics (PVs), wind turbines, and battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are widely deployed in low-carbon power systems. However, these resources typically do not provide the inertia needed for grid stability, resulting in a low-inertia power system. IBRs and lack of inertia have been known to cause anomalies such as waveform distortions and wideband oscillations in power systems due to the limited inertia level, leading to increased generation trips and load shedding. Here, to achieve effective anomaly identification, this paper proposes a synchro-waveform-based algorithm utilizing real-time synchronized voltage waveform measurements from waveform measurement units (WMUs). In the proposed method, different physical characteristics, as well as statistical features, are extracted from synchronized voltage waveform measurements to filter anomalies. Then, the anomaly identification approach based on the random forest is developed and deployed into the FNET/GridEye system considering trade-offs among accuracy, computational burden, and deployment cost. Moreover, four WMUs are specially designed and deployed on Kauai Island to receive instantaneous synchronized voltage waveform measurements. To verify the performance of the proposed algorithm, different experiments are carried out with collected field test data. The result demonstrates that the performance of the proposed synchro-waveform-based anomaly categorization algorithm can accurately identify anomalies 95.35% of the time, which has comparable performance among benchmarking algorithms.

Situational awareness↗

Simultaneous 10 kHz three-dimensional CH 2 O and tomographic PIV measurements in a lifted partially-premixed jet flame

High-speed, three-dimensional (3D) scalar-velocity field measurements are demonstrated in a lifted partially-premixed dimethyl-ether/air jet flame using simultaneous laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of formaldehyde (CH 2 O) and tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV). The 3D LIF measurements are performed by raster scanning the laser beam from a 100 kHz pulse-burst laser across the probe volume using an acousto-optic deflector. The volumetric reconstruction of the LIF signal from ten parallel planes provides quasi-instantaneous 3D LIF measurements that are synchronized with 10 kHz TPIV measurements. Here, the temporally resolved CH 2 O-LIF and velocity field data are used to analyze Lagrangian particle trajectories and displacement speeds at the base of the lifted flame. The particle trajectories reveal flow structures that are difficult to observe in an Eulerian reference frame. Positive and negative displacement speeds are observed at the CH 2 O-LIF surfaces at the inner and outer regions of the jet flame with a maximum displacement speed of approximately eight times the laminar flame speed of a stoichiometric dimethyl-ether/air mixture. The observations in present study support formation of lean premixed flames near the flame base whose role in flame stabilization should be investigated in more detail.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗