Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Accelerated testing”

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 433 records · Page 24
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Analog Signal Multiplexing System for the Iota Proton Injector

The Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) Facility at FNAL is a dedicated research and development center focused on advancing particle accelerator technologies for future applications worldwide. Currently, a key objective of FAST Operations is to commission the 2.5 MeV IOTA Proton Injector (IPI) and enable proton injection into the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring. The low and medium-energy sections of the IPI include four frame-style dipole trims and two multi-function correctors with independently controlled coils, requiring readout of 32 analog channels for current and voltage monitoring in total. To reduce cost and optimize rack space within the PLC-based control system, a 32-to-4 analog signal multiplexing system was designed and implemented. This system enables real-time readback of excitation parameters from all magnetic correctors. This paper presents the design, construction, implementation, and performance of the multiplexing system.

MacLean, Daniel R. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000210103↗
DOE OSTI2024

A general Bayesian algorithm for the autonomous alignment of beamlines

Autonomous methods to align beamlines can decrease the amount of time spent on diagnostics, and also uncover better global optima leading to better beam quality. The alignment of these beamlines is a high-dimensional expensive-to-sample optimization problem involving the simultaneous treatment of many optical elements with correlated and nonlinear dynamics. Bayesian optimization is a strategy of efficient global optimization that has proved successful in similar regimes in a wide variety of beamline alignment applications, though it has typically been implemented for particular beamlines and optimization tasks. In this paper, we present a basic formulation of Bayesian inference and Gaussian process models as they relate to multi-objective Bayesian optimization, as well as the practical challenges presented by beamline alignment. We show that the same general implementation of Bayesian optimization with special consideration for beamline alignment can quickly learn the dynamics of particular beamlines in an online fashion through hyperparameter fitting with no prior information. We present the implementation of a concise software framework for beamline alignment and test it on four different optimization problems for experiments on X-ray beamlines at the National Synchrotron Light Source II and the Advanced Light Source, and an electron beam at the Accelerator Test Facility, along with benchmarking on a simulated digital twin. We discuss new applications of the framework, and the potential for a unified approach to beamline alignment at synchrotron facilities.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2018

Simulations of the Electron Column in IOTA

Future high current proton accelerators will need to minimize beam loss due to space-charge in order to achieve safe operation while achieving the desired physics goals. One method of space-charge compensation to be tested at the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) at Fermilab is the Electron Column. The concept for this device is to allow a circulating beam to ionize a small region of relatively high pressure residual gas, while using electric and magnetic fields to confine and shape the resulting plasma electrons. If the profile of the electrons is matched to the beam profile transversely and longitudinally, the electrons should counteract the space-charge force of the proton beam. Simulations of the IOTA proton beam circulating through the Electron Column have been performed, with the evolution of the electron plasma and its effect on the beam studied.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Experimental Quantification of the Background Neutron Flux in the Advanced Test Reactor Fuel Storage Canal

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is one of only a few high-power research reactors (HPRR) of its type in the world, with a variety of missions involving accelerated testing of nuclear fuel and other materials in a very high neutron flux (5.0x1014 n/cm2 -s) environment, medical and industrial isotope production, and other applications. It typically runs several cycles per year with lengths varying from 40-60 days depending on specific experimental requirements for each cycle. The highly radioactive used fuel elements that are discharged from the ATR after each cycle are stored in an adjacent canal (Figure 1) and can be used for as many as three cycles before being retired. The ATR canal features a gamma irradiation facility that has various uses. It is composed of a simple dry tube that extends down into one of the fuel storage rack positions. This tube is surrounded by used fuel elements that can be selected from the inventory to produce the desired gamma radiation level and, to some extent, spectrum within the dry tube. Typical gamma fields that can be produced in this manner can be as high as several megarads per hour. The gamma field within the dry tube is accompanied by a small background neutron flux, produced by photoneutron production in the small fraction of heavy water (D2O) that is naturally present in light water at a concentration of approximately 0.015% by weight, and by a very low level of photofission and spontaneous fission in the fuel elements. The measurement technique used is very sensitive and provided self-consistent results in terms of raw activation data quality. The background neutron fluxes in the gamma facility are very low, but still detectable. The total neutron flux in the energy region from 0.414 eV to 1 MeV and the thermal neutron flux (below 0.414 eV) were estimated from the activation measurements to be 1.0x104 and 2.0x102 n/cm2 -s, respectively. ncertainties of approximately an order of magnitude apply to both results. No neutrons above about 1 MeV were detected. The high uncertainties quoted here are primarily due to uncertainties in the a priori neutron fluxes computed by MCNP6 as well as uncertainties in the spectrum-averaged foil activation cross sections used in the few-group least-squares flux adjustment procedure that was applied. Detailed analyses are currently underway with the aim of reducing these sources of uncertainty.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Assessment of Low Enriched Uranium Fueled Core Configurations for the Versatile Test Reactor

The Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) Program was initiated in FY-2017. This multi-laboratory effort supported by the U.S. Department of Energy has the long-term objective of completing a Versatile Test Reactor concept with associated cost and schedule estimate that enables a fully informed DOE decision within 3 years, to have a fully operating VTR by 2026 if acquisition is authorized, and to enable accelerated testing of advanced reactor fuels and materials required for advanced reactor technologies. The VTR concept uses sodium as coolant, features a core power of 300 MWth, and employs reactor-grade plutonium as fissile material in a U-Pu-10Zr fuel alloy. The reference core layout provides 10 assembly locations for high-flux irradiation testing with peak fast flux in excess of 4x1015 n/cm2-s. In order to establish a comparison point with other types of fuel, alternative core configurations were investigated using Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel. The objective of this study was to modify the reference VTR core such as to use LEU fuel and assess the performance tradeoff, while retaining the same core envelope.

Stauff, Nicolas E.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Analog Signal Multiplexing System for the IOTA Proton Injector

he Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) Facility at FNAL is a dedicated research and development center focused on advancing particle accelerator technologies for future applications worldwide. Currently, a key objective of FAST Opera-tions is to commission the 2.5 MeV IOTA Proton Injec-tor (IPI) and enable proton injection into the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring. The low and medium-energy sections of the IPI include four frame-style dipole trims and two multi-function cor-rectors with independently controlled coils, requiring readout of 32 analog channels for current and voltage monitoring in total. To reduce cost and optimize rack space within the PLC-based control system, a 32-to-4 analog signal multiplexing system was designed and implemented. This system enables real-time readback of excitation parameters from all magnetic correctors. This paper presents the design, construction, implementation, and performance of the multiplexing system.

MacLean, Daniel R. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000210103↗
DOE OSTI2014

Power Cycle Testing of Power Switches: A Literature Survey

Reliability of power converters and lifetime prediction has been a major topic of research in the last few decades, especially for traction applications. The main failures in high power semiconductors are caused by thermomechanical fatigue. Power cycling and temperature cycling are the two most common thermal acceleration tests used in assessing reliability. The objective of this paper is to study the various power cycling tests found in the literature and to develop generalized steps in planning application specific power cycling tests. A comparison of different tests based on the failures, duration, test circuits, and monitored electrical parameters is presented.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Preliminary Feasibility of Printing, Microstructure Analysis and Mechanical Performance of a Down Selected Ni Alloy

This report is submitted as completion of a Milestone 3 deliverable under work package ORNL CT-23OR1304051 in support of the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program. The AMMT program is aiming at the faster incorporation of new materials and manufacturing technologies into complex nuclear-related systems. An integrated approach, combining advanced characterization, high-throughput and accelerated testing, modeling and simulation including machine learning and artificial intelligence will be employed. While 316H (Fe-16-18Cr-10-14Ni-2-3Mo-0.04-0.1C) has been identified as a key alloy to be integrated into the AMMT accelerated alloy qualification approach due its relevance for many current and future nuclear energy reactors, many other alloys could be considered for the advanced fabrication of innovate high-performance nuclear components. ANL, INL, ORNL and PNNL are collaborating on identifying the most promising alloy candidates relevant for the AMMT program. A selection criteria matrix was established to evaluate the alloys considering their relative importance and technological readiness levels for nuclear energy applications, with a focus on laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Due to the broad range of potential candidate alloys, ORNL and INL focused on Ni-based alloys, while ANL and PNNL mainly evaluated Fe-based alloys. PNNL previously published materials scorecards reports on several key alloys and this report is providing a broader overview of Ni-based candidate alloys, expending beyond alloys well-known to the nuclear community. Of particular interest are alloys that are currently commercially available in powder form due to the growing demand from other industries that have invested heavily in additive manufacturing. Among these alloys, Haynes 282 (Fe-20Cr-20Co-8Mo) was selected due to its superior strength at high temperature compared to the code-qualified alloy 617 (Ni-20-24Cr-10-15Co-8-10Mo). To assess the integration of this new alloy into the AMMT digital manufacturing framework, we performed the rapid optimization of alloy 282 printing parameters on a Renishaw 250 machine, the fabrication of sufficient materials for extensive characterization and mechanical testing both at ORNL and INL, and added the printing data into the digital platform via the Peregrine software. A detailed analysis of the LPBF 718 alloy was also conducted, with creep specimens being tested at 600-650°C and characterized by advanced electron microscopy. The alloy superior mechanical strength and great printability associated with the extensive database that has already been generated highlight the promising potential of LPBF 718 as a candidate alloy for the AMMT program. INL, ANL and PNNL have generated similar reports and all the information will be compiled into a final M2 milestone report to provide the AMMT leadership team with clear recommendations on the down selection of reactor materials, as well as establish a roadmap for the qualification of these selected alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Introduction of the PELICAN loop, a Full-Scale Pressure Drop Test Facility

The Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) is a test reactor currently under development by the US Department of Energy. This reactor will rely on fast neutrons enabling novel and wide-ranging experiment to support the development of the various advanced reactor technologies. With the high flux achievable, accelerated testing of fluid and materials will be made possible. To support VTR design efforts [1], an experimental facility has been designed and constructed at Argonne National Laboratory to recreate the hydraulic flow conditions within the VTR’s primary heat transport system (PHTS). This facility, the Pressure drop Experimental Loop for Investigations of Core Assemblies in advanced Nuclear reactors, PELICAN, measures the pressure drop across a full-scale fuel assembly containing prototypic axial reflectors, fuel, and plena components. Here, we first describe the design considerations required to recreate aspects of the VTR. Then we discuss the design and construction of PELICAN to address these design requirements, the design and construction of the test articles placed inside PELICAN’s test section, and finally present some of the first experimental results.

Grannan, A. M.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Evaluation of a Versatile Experimental Salt Irradiation Loop (VESIL) inside the Advanced Test Reactor

A Versatile Experimental Salt Irradiation Loop (VESIL) is under investigation at Idaho National Laboratory. An initial feasibility study was conducted for potential deployment inside the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). Historical salt-irradiation tests are reviewed and summarized in this report. The study also surveys available instrumentation for this type of application and identifies key design and testing requirements. Neutronic analysis was performed in different ATR position for various salt candidates using MCNP6 and ORIGEN-6.2. The results indicate that both the B and I-positions are suitable for VESIL. The B-position allows for accelerated testing in light of its higher flux, but its smaller volume may be detrimental for a flowing loop. The O-position flux level was found to be insufficient for the purposes of this experiment; it is not recommended. In all the different salt candidates investigated, both the B and I-positions are found to able to reach adequate burnup conditions that are representative of the operating conditions inside proposed molten-salt reactor concepts.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

FPGA-based Klystron linearization implementations in scope of ILC

We report the development and implementation of four FPGA-based predistortion-type klystron linearization algorithms. Klystron linearization is essential for the realization of ILC, since it is required to operate the klystrons 7% in power below their saturation. The work presented was performed in international collaborations at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), USA and the Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Germany. With the newly developed algorithms, the generation of correction factors on the FPGA was improved compared to past algorithms, avoiding quantization and decreasing memory requirements. At FNAL, three algorithms were tested at the Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator (ASTA), demonstrating a successful implementation for one algorithm and a proof of principle for two algorithms. Furthermore, the functionality of the algorithm implemented at DESY was demonstrated successfully in a simulation.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Prioritization of Existing Reactor Materials

The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) Program is aiming at the faster incorporation of new materials and manufacturing technologies into complex nuclear-related systems. An integrated approach, combining advanced characterization, high-throughput and accelerated testing, modeling and simulation, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, will be employed. Although 316H (Fe–[16–18]Cr–[10–14]Ni–[2–3]Mo–[0.04–0.1]C) has been identified as a key alloy to be integrated into the AMMT accelerated alloy qualification approach because of its relevance for many current and future nuclear energy reactors, many other alloys could be considered for the advanced fabrication of innovative, high-performance nuclear components. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are collaborating on identifying the most promising alloy candidates relevant for the AMMT Program. A selection criteria matrix was established to evaluate the alloys considering their relative importance and technological readiness levels for nuclear energy applications, with a focus on laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Because of the broad range of potential candidate alloys, ORNL and INL focused on nickel-based alloys, and ANL and PNNL mainly evaluated iron-based alloys. PNNL previously published material scorecards reports on several key alloys, and this report provides a broader overview of iron- and nickel-based candidate alloys, expending beyond alloys well-known to the nuclear community.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2018

MARS15-Based System for Beam Loss and Collimation Studies

The system includes the newest version of the MARS15 code for particle production and transport in accelerator components integrated with a novel highprecision tracker/stepper for multi-turn tracking merged with MAD-X. The overall approach is described with all the essential features and programming issues highlighted. The application is illustrated for the Fermilab Recycler Ring and Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) facilities as well as for the Higgs Factory muon collider and International $e^+e^−$ Linear Collider (ILC) projects.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Rebuild of Capture Cavity 1 at Fermilab

The front end of the proposed Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator at Fermilab employs two single cavity cryomodules, known as 'Capture Cavity 1' and 'Capture Cavity 2', for the first stage of acceleration. Capture Cavity 1 was previously used as the accelerating structure for the A0 Photoinjector to a peak energy of ~14 MeV. In its new location a gradient of ~25 MV/m is required. This has necessitated a major rebuild of the cryomodule including replacement of the cavity with a higher gradient one. Retrofitting the cavity and making upgrades to the module required significant redesign. The design choices and their rationale, summary of the rebuild, and early test results are presented.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2014

SU-C-BRE-06: Radiobiological Advantage of Very Rapid Irradiation

Purpose: To characterize the effect of very rapid dose delivery as compared to conventional therapeutic irradiation times on clonogenic cell survival. Methods: We used a Varian Trilogy linear accelerator to deliver doses up to 10 Gy using a 6 MV SRS photon beam. We irradiated four cancer cell lines in times ranging from 30 sec to 30 min. We also used a Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator to deliver 9 MeV electrons at 10 Gy in 10 s to 30 min to determine the effect of irradiation time on cell survival. We then evaluated the effect of using 60 and 120 MeV electrons on cell survival using the Next Linear Collider Test Accelerator (NLCTA) beam line at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. During irradiation, adherent cells were maintained at 37oC with 20%O2/5%CO2. Clonogenic assays were completed following irradiation to determine changes in cell survival due to dose delivery time and beam quality, and the survival data were fitted with the linear-quadratic model. Results: Cell lines varied in radiosensitivity, ranging from two to four logs of cell kill at 10 Gy for both conventional and very rapid irradiation. Delivering radiation in shorter times decreased survival in all cell lines. Log differences in cell kill ranged from 0.2 to 0.7 at 10 Gy for the short compared to the long irradiation time. Cell kill differences between short and long irradiations were more pronounced as doses increased for all cell lines. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that shortening delivery of therapeutic radiation doses to less than 1 minute may improve tumor cell kill. This study demonstrates the potential advantage of technologies under development to deliver stereotactic ablative radiation doses very rapidly. Bill Loo and Peter Maxim have received Honoraria from Varian and Research Support from Varian and RaySearch.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Validating pyORBIT for Modeling Beam Dynamics in the IOTA Ring

The Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) ring is a new Fermilab facility dedicated to beam physics experiments, currently operating with 150 MeV electrons. Space charge effects are expected to be significant when it operates with 2.5 MeV protons. In this contribution, we present results of a suite of validation tests of PyORBIT, a PICstyle space charge code. Single particle dynamics of quasiintegrable optics using an octupole string in IOTA is compared with MADX, and shown to be in good agreement. Requirements for the convergence of space charge computations are systematically established and when possible, tests involving space charge are compared with theoretical predictions.

Li, Runze↗
DOE OSTI2026

Optical stochastic cooling at Fermilab’s IOTA ring

Stochastic cooling (SC) constitutes one of the greatest conceptual and technological achievements in particle beam cooling. Numerous SC systems have been built in the microwave regime and used to extend the science reach of accelerator facilities worldwide. The ability to sense and correct the particle ensemble using high-bandwidth feedback systems is at the core of the concept. Here, we describe the first realization of SC at optical frequencies and bandwidths. The demonstration was recently carried out at Fermilab’s integrable optics test accelerator (IOTA) storage ring using the transit-time method of optical stochastic cooling (OSC) and achieved an integrated system bandwidth of approximately 20 THz, which is more than 2000 times that of conventional SC systems. This demonstration establishes the foundation for more advanced OSC experiments with high-gain amplification, currently underway at Fermilab, and the eventual application of OSC to colliders and other accelerator facilities.

Jarvis, Jonathan D. [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

IOTA Pre-Bake Test Development

The IOTA (Integrable Optics Test Accelerator) Bakeout project is intended to improve the quality of the vacuum within the IOTA ring. Impurities consisting of hydrogen and oxygen that build within the beampipe are reduced through applying heat to the beampipe’s exterior. Two versions of the Bakeout project exist, one as a smaller scale test setup, and one five times larger located within the IOTA ring. During my internship, I worked together with a team to bring this project from an effectively dormant state to ready for testing, working together to create full documentation of the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) programs, making multiple new hardware configurations of this test possible, as well as an additional safety system.

Seagrave, Kayla [DuPage Coll.; Fermilab]↗