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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 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Accelerated statistical failure analysis of multifidelity TRISO fuel models

Statistical nuclear fuel failure analysis is critical for the design and development of advanced reactor technologies. Although Monte Carlo Sampling (MCS) is a standard method of statistical failure analysis for fuels, the low failure probabilities of some advanced fuel forms and the correspondingly large number of required model evaluations limit its application to low-fidelity (e.g., 1-D) fuel models. In this paper, we present four other statistical methods for fuel failure analysis in Bison, considering tri-structural isotropic (TRISO)-coated particle fuel as a case study. The statistical methods considered are Latin hypercube sampling (LHS), adaptive importance sampling (AIS), subset simulation (SS), and the Weibull theory. Using these methods, we analyzed both 1-D and 2-D representations of TRISO models to compute failure probabilities and the distributions of fuel properties that result in failures. The results of these methods compare well across all TRISO models considered. Overall, SS and the Weibull theory were deemed the most efficient, and can be applied to both 1-D and 2-D TRISO models to compute failure probabilities. Moreover, since SS also characterizes the distribution of parameters that cause TRISO failures, and can consider failure modes not described by the Weibull criterion, it may be preferred over the other methods. Finally, a discussion on the efficacy of different statistical methods of assessing nuclear fuel safety is provided.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Computational Analysis of Hydraulic Efficiency of Michigan DOT Cover C

Drainage structures are used to capture stormwater runoff in streets and highways in urban environments. These drainage structures, which typically consist of catch basins with grates, inlets, or combination grates/inlets, collect stormwater runoff and discharge through buried conveyance systems. They are strategically placed for public safety in curb and gutter systems to provide efficient drainage of water from roadways and thus reduce the risk of hydroplaning. The performance of drainage structures is measured in terms of hydraulic efficiency, which is defined as the percentage of flow captured by the basin as compared to the total flow drainage to the structure. Understanding of the performance of these drainage structures helps designers properly space inlets to promote an economic design that ensures the safety of the traveling public. The current design methodology used to determine drainage structure follows guidelines established in the current Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Drainage Manual (2006). The guidelines in the MDOT Drainage Manual were modeled after the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Hydraulic Engineering Circular 22 “Urban Drainage Design” (HEC-22). HEC-22 includes empirically derived equations to calculate the interception capacity of drainage structures for several commonly used grate configurations, such as the parallel bar, curved vane and tilt bar grates, which are based on a research study performed by Burgi et al. in the 1970s. MDOT uses several drainage structures to capture runoff that are detailed as Standard Plans. Many of these drainage structures utilize sinusoidal type grates that are not described in HEC-22. Physical modeling of these structures has been limited, posing the need to have them analyzed to verify their capture efficiency. Current MDOT practice is to assume a similar sized reticuline grate, as described in HEC-22, for capture efficiencies. Until recently, evaluating the hydraulic performance of drainage structures was limited to physical modeling in a hydraulics laboratory. With advances in engineering software and computing power, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling has become a more cost-effective alternative. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides states the option to evaluate their drainage structures using CFD through the Transportation Pooled Fund Program. This study, “Computational Analysis of Hydraulic Efficiency of Michigan DOT Cover C,” was carried out using the pooled fund. MDOT’s Cover C was chosen as the first test candidate, given its similar sinusoidal pattern to other MDOT grates, but it is typically used for high-volume, higher speed applications. A similar version, Cover CX, is used on interstate highways but does not have traverse bars for bicycle safety. Additional grates may be considered for evaluation in the future.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Power-oriented bus encoding for data transmission

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for reducing the toggle rates on buses are disclosed. A computing system includes a source which provides packets for transmission on a bus. The packet is compressed by a compression engine. The compressed data format of the packet includes locations (bit positions) referred to as holes which do not include valid data. A bus configuration module identifies the locations of the holes and replaces the holes with information from a previous packet transmitted earlier on the bus. The bus configuration module also determines a new transmission bus width for the packet for lowering the bus toggle rate on the bus during transmission.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Non-contact rapid reader system for reflective particle tags

A reflective particle tag reader system includes a read head assembly having a camera, illuminators, and a rigid frame portion for supporting the camera and the illuminators. The illuminators illuminate a focal point located opposite the camera where a reflective particle tag is placed. A computer in data communication with the camera receives and store images of the reflective particle tag that are acquired by the camera. The computer is programmed to process video images and to quantify a positional alignment parameter and an angular alignment parameter of the reader with respect to the reflective particle tag. A rapid burst of image frames is obtained in response to the positional alignment and the angular alignment parameters being within a predetermined tolerance and identity of the reflective tag is established between a first image set and a second image set.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Adaptive immersed isogeometric level-set topology optimization

Here, this paper presents for the first time an adaptive immersed approach for level-set topology optimization using higher-order truncated hierarchical B-spline discretizations for design and state variable fields. Boundaries and interfaces are represented implicitly by the iso-contour of one or multiple level-set functions. An immersed finite element method, the eXtended IsoGeometric Analysis, is used to predict the physical response. The proposed optimization framework affords different adaptively refined higher-order B-spline discretizations for individual design and state variable fields. The increased continuity of higher-order B-spline discretizations together with local refinement enables direct control over the accuracy of the representation of each field while simultaneously reducing computational cost compared to uniformly refined discretizations. A flexible mesh adaptation strategy enables local refinement based on geometric measures or physics-based error indicators. These adaptive discretization and analysis approaches are integrated into gradient-based optimization schemes, evaluating the design sensitivities using the adjoint method. Numerical studies illustrate the features of the proposed framework with static, linear elastic, multi-material, two- and three-dimensional problems. The examples provide insight into the effect of refining the design variable field on the optimization result and the convergence rate of the optimization process. Using coarse higher-order B-spline discretizations for level-set fields promotes the development of smooth designs and suppresses the emergence of small features. Moreover, adaptive mesh refinement for state variable fields results in a reduction of overall computational cost. Higher-order B-spline discretizations are especially interesting when evaluating gradients of state variable fields due to their higher inter-element continuity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Demonstration of NREL Modeling Capability to Design the Next Generation of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines with Stiesdal and Magellan Wind (Cooperative Research and Development Final Report)

This Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) CRADA involved demonstration of NREL modeling capability using OpenFAST (formerly known as FAST) to design the next generation of floating offshore wind turbines (FOTW) with Stiesdal’s TetraSpar design. The objective of the project was to enable the design and optimization of next generation FOWT that show promise to make FOWT cost-competitive with other energy technologies by upgrading, verifying, and validating improvements to OpenFAST. This objective was achieved by (1) upgrading OpenFAST to compute floating substructure flexibility and member-level loads, which is critical to enable the design of floating substructures—especially newer designs that are streamlined, flexible, and cost-effective; (2) verifying the new OpenFAST capabilities through model-to-model comparisons and validating the capabilities through comparisons to empirical data generated with wave-tank testing, using TetraSpar data provided by Stiesdal; and (3) making available the upgraded OpenFAST tool to the wind energy community to enable next-generation floating wind designs.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

EvaluateFlux, VARPOW, VARPEAK, and DIF3DtoVTK Utility Programs for DIF3D

The DIF3D-VARIANT solver is part of the DIF3D code which was developed at ANL for engineering level predictive analysis of nuclear reactor cores. Over the course of the last 20 years, the DIF3D-VARIANT option of DIF3D has become increasingly more used because of improvements in computer memory capabilities and performance. This is beneficial to the users of DIF3D as DIF3D-VARIANT is able to apply both p- and h- spatial mesh refinement strategies in diffusion and transport theory. Given its greater use, utility programs were created to assist in post-processing the DIF3D output. This document discusses the basic execution process of DIF3D and the output files it creates but is primarily focused on being the manual for the utility programs EvaluateFlux, VARPOW, VARPEAK, and DIF3DtoVTK.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Improving 3D reconstruction quality for root phenotyping: assessing the impact of camera calibration and imaging parameters

Arate 3D reconstruction is essential for high-throughput plant phenotyping, particularly for studying complex structures such as root systems. While photogrammetry and Structure from Motion (SfM) techniques have become widely used for 3D root imaging, the camera settings used are often underreported in studies, and the impact of camera calibration on model accuracyccu remains largely underexplored in plant science. In this study, we systematically evaluate the effects of focus, aperture, exposure time, and gain settings on the quality of 3D root models made with a multi-camera scanning system. We show through a series of experiments that calibration significantly improves model quality, with focus misalignment and shallow depth of field (DoF) being the most important factors affecting reconstruction accuracy. Our results further show that proper calibration has a greater effect on reducing noise than filtering it during post-processing, emphasizing the importance of optimizing image acquisition rather than relying solely on computational corrections. This work improves the repeatability and accuracy of 3D root imaging for phenotyping pipelines by giving useful calibration guidelines. This leads to better trait quantification for use in crop research and plant breeding in downstream analysis.

3D reconstruction↗
DOE OSTI2021

TRUST End-of-Year Report

The objective of the Delivery Environments (DE) Testbeds to Reduce Uncertainties in Simulations and Tests (TRUST) work package is to quantify and help increase confidence in specific areas of computational and experimental capabilities that are applicable to current and future delivery environments. More complete quantification of confidence in experimental and computational capabilities and the sufficient increase of confidence in those capabilities is critical to improving weapons engineering design, qualification, and assessment efforts that are critical to the current and future stockpile. Staff development will include cross-discipline training to provide engineers with experience in both numerical simulations and experimental methods. This work will use and provide feedback on analysis tools and experimental results databases for efficient and responsive engineering which are currently under development: engineering common model framework (ECMF), engineering quantification of margins and uncertainties (EQMU), and the test information management system (TIMS). TRUST includes four testbeds and their associated engineering analysis baseline models (EABMs): 1. contact thermal conductivity (CTC); 2. nonlinear dynamics (ND); 3. sensors in environments for accelerometers (SEA); 4. sensors in environments for fiber optic displacement gages (SEFOD).

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

A simple levelset contact algorithm for large overlap removal and robust preloads

A simple approach to simulate contact between deformable objects is presented which relies on levelset descriptions of the Lagrangian geometry and an optimization-based solver. Modeling contact between objects remains a significant challenge for computational mechanics simulations. Common approaches are either plagued by lack of robustness or are exceedingly complex and require a significant number of heuristics. In contrast, the levelset contact approach presented herein is essentially heuristic free. Furthermore, the presented algorithm enables resolving and enforcing contact between objects with a significant amount of initial overlap. Examples demonstrating the feasibility of this approach are shown, including the standard Hertz contact problem, the robust removal of overlap between two overlapping blocks, and overlap-removal and pre-load for a bolted configuration.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Fracture mechanics approach to TRISO fuel particle failure analysis

Weibull stress-based methods for failure probability assessment have been developed and analyzed to assess the integrity of tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles during fuel life cycles and accident operating conditions. While simple, these methods entail a number of drawbacks when stress concentrates near crack tips, including finite element mesh size dependency when the Weibull stress is averaged over the finite element domain. Fracture mechanics approaches involving the use of interaction integrals eliminate this lack of mesh convergence and produce consistent fracture predictions. In this work, we use an interaction integral approach to computing stress intensity factors for a crack in the inner pyrolytic carbon layer perpendicular to the silicon carbide layer, which is simplified representation of a failure mode in TRISO particles. Further, the interface between these two TRISO layers has been shown to become porous, which we simulate by considering a transition of mechanical properties over such porous length, i.e. the layers are modeled as a functionally graded material. Aspects such as porosity and thermal and irradiation eigenstrains are considered in computing the stress intensity factor from a fracture mechanics approach and compared with the known Weibull stress failure approach. The methodology introduced in this paper enables a more general fracture probability assessment in TRISO particles and eliminates the need to identify best suited parameters when using local or averaged stress-based failure criterion. Finally, the numerical sensitivity studies show how parameters such as the porous transition zone length, the material stiffness, and creep affect the probability of TRISO fuel particle failure.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Assessment of Grizzly Capabilities for Reactor Pressure Vessels and Reinforced Concrete Structures

Over the last several years, capabilities to simulate the progression and effects of degradation in critical structures in light water reactor (LWR) nuclear power plants have been under development in the Grizzly code. Age-related material degradation is important for a number of systems in LWRs, but the main focus for Grizzly development has been on reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) and concrete structures because of their central role and the difficulty of replacement of these structures if they are found to be degraded to an unacceptable degree. The capabilities for analyzing both RPVs and concrete structures in Grizzly have reached a point where the feature sets are sufficiently complete to perform credible analyses of those types of structures. Because of this, the emphasis has shifted from foundational development to assessing the accuracy of these modeling capabilities on representative problems of interest and on improving the physical basis of those models to improve their ability to predict the actual response of those structural systems. This report documents a first set of test cases that have been developed to assess the Grizzly code on real-world problems for these two types of structures. For RPVs, these test cases consist of a set of benchmark problems where Grizzly is compared to another code. For concrete structures, a set of models of experimental specimens designed to characterize the multidimensional swelling response of reinforced concrete members due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) has been developed and compared with experimental results. Both the RPV and concrete test cases developed here are much more computationally intensive than the small regression tests that are used in the testing that Grizzly undergoes every time a proposed set of changes is made to ensure that those changes do not adversely affect previously established behavior. A system for regularly running these large problems to monitor the behavior of the code as it is developed has been instituted. While these test cases generally indicate good comparison with the benchmark results, they also indicate areas where further development is warranted.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Opportunities and data requirements for data-driven prognostics and health management in liquid hydrogen storage systems

During the past decade, Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) has become an important set of tools in various areas of industry and academic reliability engineering. PHM consists of a variety of mathematical and computational methods used to support data-driven decision-making to increase the safety, availability, and reliability of complex engineering systems. In particular, PHM can provide crucial insight into reliability and safety design improvements for developing technologies where historical performance and failure data are limited. This is the case of hydrogen fueling and storage technologies. This work presents a high-level approach for designing data-driven PHM applications for bulk liquid hydrogen (LH 2 ) storage systems for hydrogen fueling stations. This paper addresses core aspects of the design, development, and implementation of data-driven PHM applications that can improve the reliability assessment of hydrogen components. The analysis focuses on the relationship between data availability and diagnostic/prognostic capabilities; potential challenges; and integration schemes for current risk mitigation measures. We identify potential condition-monitoring data sources for key components in an LH 2 storage system, including storage tanks, piping, and pumps. Further, we determine that the short-term goals for the implementation of data-driven models in PHM frameworks in hydrogen systems should focus on developing adequate data collection and analysis strategies, as well as exploring the effect on reliability, safety, and regulations for hydrogen systems.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Encrypted Control Using Modified Learning With Errors-based Schemes

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) require reliable, safe, and secure control of critical infrastructure, combining computational and networking capabilities, which heighten the risk of cyber attacks. These attacks can disrupt the physical process, causing unforeseen consequences. One solution is the use of fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) to protect the control loop, allowing for secure computations and communications without compromising signal and control system privacy. The challenge with FHE, however, is its requirement for inputs to be integers. This paper introduces a modified Learning With Errors (LWE) FHE approach that encodes control system dynamics and signals into integers. Our proposed scheme leverages a generalized LWE encoding function and modifies the Gentry-Sahai-Waters (GSW) gadget decomposition tool to encrypt the control system. Using the modified LWE scheme, we formalize a fully encrypted control system, supported by simulated results.

42 - ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Cybersecurity for Distance Relay Protection

This project is a DOE follow-up effort on the CREDC workshop held on September 13, 2018 in Cambridge, MA to discuss cybersecurity of distance relays, which considered the benefits, vulnerabilities and risk mitigations for the use of communication systems in power system protection. The objectives of this project are to define the taxonomy of relay protection and associated communications; define use cases describing approaches to reduce the cyber-attack surface on those protective relays; and evaluate the loss of operational functional capability from changes to communication coverage. Mitigating controls will also be evaluated to understand if there are other approaches to reduce attack surfaces while maintaining communications or partial communications. Distance relays are used to protect transmission lines of approximately 10 to 300 miles in length, by detecting short circuits (i.e., faults) on the lines and then tripping circuit breakers in the substation. Such protection systems are a subset of the power system and they incorporate sensing, logic and communication functions. Protection system exposure to cyberattack could be drastically limited by disconnecting relays from all vulnerable communication systems, but this may adversely impact overall power system performance in the absence of cyberattack. This project began with a use case analysis of protection systems with communications, as summarized in this report. It continued with modeling, testing and evaluation in a miniature power system (MPS), located in the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) Electric Power Training Center (EPTC). The project also incorporated feedback from two industry meetings held in February and September 2019. The suggested next steps account for and complement the work already underway with DOE/CESER funding: 1. Study the performance of LCD and PC vs. PUTT, which is less reliant on communication system performance and GPS timing references. The PUTT scheme could prove to be more resilient to cyberattack or communications-related disruption. It could also be more tolerant of message re-routing with SDN/SDR communication systems. On the other hand, it will be more vulnerable to false tripping during dynamic events or to loss of the voltage signal. The optimum choice of scheme may depend on the specific power system and risk assessment. This study could provide a new template for evaluation based on business functions. 2. Research and develop new methods to detect and monitor distributed physical attacks, possibly using drones, video sensors, thermal sensors, machine learning and other advanced techniques. This will help mitigate the impact of cyberattack on the protection system, and will also help mitigate the impact of wild fires. 3. Implement a scalable PKI for use in electric utility protection systems. This will encourage widespread adoption of secure authentication methods that are already available, but not widely used at present. This will help secure engineering access to the relays. 4. Investigate the use of SDN in combination with SDR to achieve better cybersecurity and electromagnetic security of the network, incorporating path variability. This would help secure both engineering access and peer-to-peer GOOSE messaging. 5. Perform additional testing, with operator evaluation of “red button” scenarios, PUTT vs. LCD, relay mis-operations, and other cyberattacks in the EPTC. This is an important advantage of testing in the EPTC rather than by computer simulation or even hardware-in-the-loop simulation; the EPTC is already dedicated to managing the situational awareness, operator response times and other human impacts. One of the project objectives was to settle on a common nomenclature for this problem space. We have concluded that the OSI layer model, supplemented by ANSI device numbers and other IEEE standards, is already well-accepted by the industry. The IEEE PSRC knowledge base provides a great deal of public information

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Assessing and Enabling Trustworthy Predictions for High-Consequence Decisions

Predictions from physics-based computational models provide critical information to inform high consequence decisions, e.g., engineering design decisions. The ability to assess the reliability of such predictions is therefore critical. However, to date, reliability assessment rely heavily on expert judgment and qualitative arguments. This report details the efforts of LDRD 233072 to develop quantitative methods to assess reliability of model predictions, especially in the context of simplifying assumptions that can impact their reliability.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

COMPUTATION FLUID DYNAMICS ANALYSIS FOR GENERIC SMALL MODULAR REACTOR CONTAINMENT SEPARATE EFFECTS TEST

It is desirable for fourth-generation Small Modular Reactors to be passively cooled in standard and accident operations. Passive Containment Cooling Systems can reject heat from the containment structure, without using pumps or blowers. The targeted design containment structure is a large, domed, stainless steel, cylindrical vessel. In a postulated Design Basis Accident, steam will flash inside containment. Steam condensation occurs on the inner containment wall and transfers heat through the steel containment into a large body of water known as the annular reservoir (AR) surrounding the vessel serving as the ultimate heat sink. Natural circulation drives the flow in the AR and heat will be released to the environment by evaporation of water. Unique containment geometry requires a separate effects test (SET) facility for the verification and validation of the computer code and evaluation model development and assessment for reactor licensing efforts. In this study, STAR-CCM+, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code was used to inform the decision-making process on the design of the SET. The CFD simulation modeled, a two-phase turbulent flow with fluid film development and heat transfer for different containment geometries. The Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program will also be used in a code-to-code verification against the CFD results.

21 - SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLAN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Scalable Control Co-design for Resilient-by-Design Cyber Physical Systems

Critical infrastructure networks, such as power and transportation networks, are often modelled as cyber-physical systems. With ever increasing complexity of these systems, there is a need for newer and more relevant metrics and design tools that will co-optimize the physical system components and control policies to guarantee resilience against cyber and natural threats. To this end, a simulation-based control co-design computational framework that will concurrently determine the system and control parameters of a cyber-physical system to meet pre-specified resilience, operational and economic objectives has been developed. The capabilities of the developed co-design engine are demonstrated by designing the physical components and control parameters of a microgrid system that will meet its resiliency objectives when subjected to various cyber and physical threats.

42 ENGINEERING↗