Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Module Reliability”

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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Integrated frequency-modulated optical parametric oscillator

Optical frequency combs have revolutionized precision measurement, time-keeping, and molecular spectroscopy. A substantial effort has developed around "microcombs": integrating comb-generating technologies into compact, reliable photonic platforms. Current approaches for generating these microcombs involve either the electro-optic (EO) or Kerr mechanisms. Despite rapid progress, maintaining high efficiency and wide bandwidth remains challenging. Here, we introduce a new class of microcomb -- an integrated optical frequency comb generator that combines electro-optics and parametric amplification to yield a frequency-modulated optical parametric oscillator (FM-OPO). In stark contrast to EO and Kerr combs, the FM-OPO microcomb does not form pulses but maintains operational simplicity and highly efficient pump power utilization with an output resembling a frequency-modulated laser. We outline the working principles of FM-OPO and demonstrate them by fabricating the complete optical system in thin-film lithium niobate (LNOI). We measure pump to comb internal conversion efficiency exceeding 93% (34% out-coupled) over a nearly flat-top spectral distribution spanning approximately 1,000 modes (approximately 6 THz). Compared to an EO comb, the cavity dispersion rather than loss determines the FM-OPO bandwidth, enabling broadband combs with a smaller RF modulation power. The FM-OPO microcomb, with its robust operational dynamics, high efficiency, and large bandwidth, contributes a new approach to the field of microcombs and promises to herald an era of miniaturized precision measurement, and spectroscopy tools to accelerate advancements in metrology, spectroscopy, telecommunications, sensing, and computing.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2012

Reliability enhancement of APR + diverse protection system regarding common cause failures

The Advanced Power Reactor Plus (APR +) nuclear power plant design has been developed on the basis of the APR1400 (Advanced Power Reactor 1400 MWe) to further enhance safety and economics. For the mitigation of Anticipated Transients Without Scram (ATWS) as well as Common Cause Failures (CCF) within the Plant Protection System (PPS) and the Emergency Safety Feature - Component Control System (ESF-CCS), several design improvement features have been implemented for the Diverse Protection System (DPS) of the APR + plant. As compared to the APR1400 DPS design, the APR + DPS has been designed to provide the Safety Injection Actuation Signal (SIAS) considering a large break LOCA accident concurrent with the CCF. Additionally several design improvement features, such as channel structure with redundant processing modules, and changes of system communication methods and auto-system test methods, are introduced to enhance the functional reliability of the DPS. Therefore, it is expected that the APR + DPS can provide an enhanced safety and reliability regarding possible CCF in the safety-grade I and C systems as well as the DPS itself. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Real-time Series Resistance Monitoring in PV Systems; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

We apply the physical principles of a familiar method, suns-Voc, to a new application: the real-time detection of series resistance changes in modules and systems operating outside. The real-time series resistance (RTSR) method that we describe avoids the need for collecting IV curves or constructing full series-resistance-free IV curves. RTSR is most readily deployable at the module level on apply the physical principles of a familiar method, suns-Voc, to a new application: the real-time detection of series resistance changes in modules and systems operating outside. The real-time series resistance (RTSR) method that we describe avoids the need for collecting IV curves or constructing full series-resistance-free IV curves. RTSR is most readily deployable at the module level on micro-inverters or module-integrated electronics, but it can also be extended to full strings. Automated detection of series resistance increases can provide early warnings of some of the most common reliability issues, which also pose fire risks, including broken ribbons, broken solder bonds, and contact problems in the junction or combiner box. We describe the method in detail and describe a sample application to data collected from modules operating in the field.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Verification and Validation of Open-Source Computational Fluid Dynamics Capabilities in MOOSE

The Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) advances predictive modeling in nuclear research by simplifying the application design process and making modeling more efficient and accessible to researchers and the broader community. Because of MOOSE’s critical role in the scientific computation field, verification and validation are important to evaluate the reliability and credibility of MOOSE’s code, simulations, and models. To assess MOOSE’s Navier Stokes module and turbulence models, the following verification and validation University of Manchester ERCOFTAC cases were simulated in MOOSE, and the results were compared: Case 032 Turbulent Flow in a 2D Channel Case 079 Natural Convection in an Enclosed Cavity

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-E-E-11: Novel Matching Module for Respiration-Gated Motion Tumor of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) to 4DCT

Purpose: Four dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) scans reliably record whole respiratory phase and generate internal target volumes (ITV) for radiotherapy planning. However, image guiding with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) cannot acquire all or specific respiratory phases. This study was designed to investigate the correlation between average CT and Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP) from 4DCT and CBCT. Methods: Retrospective respiratory gating were performed by GE Discovery CT590 RT. 4DCT and CBCT data from CRIS Dynamic Thorax Phantom with simulated breathing mode were analyzed. The lung tissue equivalent material encompassed 3 cm sphere tissue equivalent material. Simulated breathing cycle period was set as 4 seconds, 5 seconds and 6 seconds for representing variation of patient breathing cycle time, and the sphere material moved toward inferior and superior direction with 1 cm amplitude simulating lung tumor motion during respiration. Results: Under lung window, the volume ratio of CBCT scans to ITVs derived from 10 phases average scans was 1.00 ± 0.02, and 1.03 ± 0.03 for ratio of CBCT scans to MIP scans. Under abdomen window, the ratio of CBCT scans to ITVs derived from 10 phases average scans was 0.39 ± 0.06, and 0.06 ± 0.00 for ratio of CBCT scans to MIP scans. There was a significant difference between lung window Result and abdomen window Result. For reducing image guiding uncertainty, CBCT window was set with width 500 and level-250. The ratio of CBCT scans to ITVs derived from 4 phases average scans with abdomen window was 1.19 ± 0.02, and 1.06 ± 0.01 for ratio of CBCT to MIP scans. Conclusion: CBCT images with suitable window width and level can efficiently reduce image guiding uncertainty for patient with mobile tumor. By our setting, we can match motion tumor to gating tumor location on planning CT more accurately neglecting other motion artifacts during CBCT scans.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Hole-transport layer-dependent degradation mechanisms in perovskite solar modules

It is imperative to understand how the design of perovskite solar modules (PSMs) affects their degradation mechanisms and byproducts under environmental stressors to enable their long-term reliability. This work reports on the impact of the hole-transport layer (HTL) on thermal cyclability and degradation mechanisms of p–i–n PSMs by comparing 3 HTLs: NiO x , MeO-2PACz (a self-assembled monolayer), and a bilayer HTL of MeO-2PACz on NiO x . We observe surprising thermal cyclability from a performance standpoint despite generating clear degradation products. We find that without a fully dense HTL, seemingly insignificant moisture/oxygen ingress through the edge of the PSMs can lead to rapid destabilization of the metal halide perovskite (MHP) layer due to reactions between MHP degradation byproducts and the indium-tin oxide layer. We also show that illumination-induced cation phase segregation is dependent on the illumination of an inactive area (regions of the substrate uncovered by the rear electrode). As such, we find that a dense interface between the MHP and ITO is necessary for chemically robust PSMs and highlight criteria for testing field-relevant configurations in lab-scale architectures.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Correlation of Qualification and Accelerated Testing with Field Degradation

Qualification testing of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules per IEC 61215 standard encompasses a set of well-defined accelerated stress tests (irradiation, environmental, mechanical and electrical) with strict pass/fail criteria based on functionality/performance, electrical and mechanical safety, and visual requirements. The qualification testing does not identify all the possible reliability failures or durability issues witnessed in the actual field. However, it does identify the major/catastrophic design quality issues (infant mortality), which could occur early in a module’s field life. Unfortunately, in the industry, there is no consensus-based standard or protocol available to validate manufacturers’ warranty period claims based on the end-of-life wear-out failure mechanisms. Being able to predict the field degradation rates and lifetime using mode-specific accelerated tests on moderately field-aged modules, for example 10 years, for certain commonly occurring degradation modes would be a powerful contribution to all the stakeholders of the PV industry. There is a need to formulate guidelines to find the correlation of accelerated testing with field degradation for individual degradation modes observed in the field. Potential approaches to fulfill this need were experimented in this project and are presented in this report. Two of the most commonly seen degradation modes – encapsulant browning and solder bond thermomechanical fatigue – are addressed in this report through presenting the accelerated testing methods and physical modelling approaches. Two accelerated test methods (UV and thermal cycling) were designed to induce the wear-out mechanisms in the modules and not infant mortality failures. To focus on the wear-out failure modes, the tests were performed on field-aged modules, instead of fresh modules, with known degradation rates and degradation modes. The degradation rates were measured based on the degradation rates of individual cell parameters (short-circuit current, I sc and series resistance, R s ) instead of the degradation rate of maximum power (P max ) which cannot be used to study any specific/limited degradation mode as the P max degradation could be caused by many different degradation modes. The key characteristic parameter considered for encapsulant discoloration and solder bond degradation is I sc and R s , respectively. The developed physical models/equations relating the testing degradation data and field weather data were utilized to determine the acceleration factor (AF) and to predict the degradation rate for a specific degradation mode of PV modules installed in two different climates, Arizona (hot) and New York (cold). The predicted degradation rates for encapsulant browning and solder bond degradation have also been validated against the actual measured field degradation rates. UV testing cost reduction: To determine acceleration factor, single UV chamber was used for accelerated UV testing at three different temperatures simultaneously, instead of three chambers for three temperatures (or one chamber sequentially which is an extremely time-consuming approach). A passive heating approach was successfully used to achieve and maintain multiple temperatures in the accelerated UV chamber. Foam insulation boards of varying thicknesses were utilized to obtain three different temperatures for UV testing. However, these foam materials tend to disintegrate in the presence of moisture. To alleviate this problem, silicone heating blankets with temperature controls and humidifier can be used if the UV testing is to be performed under hot-humid conditions instead of conventional hot-dry conditions. Thermal cycling testing cost reduction: Single thermal cycling chamber was used for accelerated thermal cycling testing at three different upper temperatures simultaneously, instead of three chambers for three upper temperatures (or one chamber sequentially which is an extremely time-consuming approach). An active heating approach based on silicone heating blankets was successfully used to achieve and maintain multiple upper temperatures in the accelerated thermal cycling chamber. Such blankets provide stable temperature control and thereby more reliable and repeatable for replicate experiments.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Assessment of NuScale SMR Steam Heat Augmentation for Chemical Plant Decarbonization

Nearly 50% of the total energy consumed by the industrial sector in the United States is used to produce process steam with natural gas and coal-fired boilers1 . This project conducts a technoeconomic assessment of a NuScale Small Modular Reactor (SMR) coupled with a chemical plant as an Integrated Energy System (IES) where nuclear produces steam and electric power to meet the requirements of a large chemical plant. In a 2020 study, ORNL evaluated the feasibility of using advanced SMRs, including the NuScale design, to supply energy to the Eastman Chemical Plant. However, since that report was published, NuScale received NRC approval for its uprated 77 MWe design with 56% more power and has also introduced a high-temperature, high pressure, steam heat-augmentation system, a key focus of the new study. The new study also benefits from revised capital costs, a 10-day refueling outage time, reduced plant staffing, higher capacity factors, and a site boundary Emergency Planning Zone methodology. The study consists of a techno-economic assessment of two possible energy sources (nuclear and natural gas) in a number of steam and power generation configurations (NuScale Power Modules (NPMs), boilers and combinations of both) to satisfy the steam and power demand with the most reliable and cost competitive system. A total of 2,947.3 klb/hr of steam and 72.5 MWe of electricity are required for the demonstration case. A range of scenarios and solutions are explored, from a 12-NPM plant (3,000 MWth)—with excess capacity and redundancy, capable of supplying a significant amount of extra power to the grid—to a 4-NPM (1,000 MWth) plant—supplemented with existing boilers or grid power for redundancy. The study uses historical steam and power data from a chemical plant and examines the sensitivity to natural gas and grid power cost variations. Scenarios with up to two times gas and electricity costs were considered. Profitability in a 60-year time horizon was analyzed, consistent with NuScale’s design life specification. A steady-state site integration and reliability analysis was performed, and trade-offs were identified.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2023

An Interface–Type Memristive Device for Artificial Synapse and Neuromorphic Computing

Interface-type (IT) metal/oxide Schottky memristive devices have attracted considerable attention over filament-type (FT) devices for neuromorphic computing because of their uniform, filament-free, and analog resistive switching (RS) characteristics. The most recent IT devices are based on oxygen ions and vacancies movement to alter interfacial Schottky barrier parameters and thereby control RS properties. However, the reliability and stability of these devices have been significantly affected by the undesired diffusion of ionic species. Herein, a reliable interface-dominated memristive device is demonstrated using a simple Au/Nb-doped SrTiO 3 (Nb:STO) Schottky structure. The Au/Nb:STO Schottky barrier modulation by charge trapping and detrapping is responsible for the analog resistive switching characteristics. Because of its interface-controlled RS, the proposed device shows low device-to-device, cell-to-cell, and cycle-to-cycle variability while maintaining high repeatability and stability during endurance and retention tests. Furthermore, the Au/Nb:STO IT memristive device exhibits versatile synaptic functions with an excellent uniformity, programmability, and reliability. A simulated artificial neural network with Au/Nb:STO synapses achieves a high recognition accuracy of 94.72% for large digit recognition from MNIST database. These results suggest that IT resistive switching can be potentially used for artificial synapses to build next-generation neuromorphic computing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Electro-Optic Modulation Using Metal-Free Perovskites

Electro-optic (EO) modulation is of interest to impart information onto an optical carrier. Inorganic crystals—most notably LiNbO 3 and BaTiO 3 —exhibit EO modulation and good stability, but are difficult to integrate with silicon photonic technology. Solution-processed organic EO materials are readily integrated but suffer from thermal degradation at the temperatures required in operating conditions for accelerated reliability studies. Hybrid organic–inorganic metal halide perovskites have the potential to overcome these limitations; however, these have so far relied on heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Here, we report linear EO modulation using metal-free perovskites, which maintain the crystalline features of the inorganic EO materials and incorporate the flexible functionality of organic EO chromophores. We find that, by introducing a deficiency of cations, we reduce the symmetry in the perovskite crystal and produce thereby an increased EO response. The best-engineered perovskites reported herein showcase an EO coefficient of 14 pm V –1 at a modulation frequency of 80 kHz, an order of magnitude higher than in the nondefective materials. Furthermore, we observe split peaks in the X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction patterns of the defective sample, indicating that the crystalline structure has been distorted and the symmetry reduced. Density functional theory (DFT) studies link this decreased symmetry to NH 4 + deficiencies. This demonstration of EO from metal-free perovskites highlights their potential in next-generation optical information transmission.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Power Module Precursors and Prognostics

This project focuses on finding and utilizing electrical properties (precursors) of power electronic devices and modules whose changes have strong correlations with different modes and levels of degradations in order to realize online and lightweight state of health evaluation and fault diagnosis. Results from this project will contribute to higher safety, reliability, and power density of power electronic components. The approaches mainly include reviewing academic literature and industry practices for state of the art precursor identification and extraction, accelerated life cycles (ALC) of various power modules to create different degradations in-house, and developing techniques for gate-driver-integratable precursor detection circuit. In FY24, the results includes two sets of definitively detected aging precursors (on-state resistance and gate threshold voltage) for two sets of power modules respectively, controlled accelerated lifetime cycling of multiple silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) modules, and the development and validation of a gate voltage detection system.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Heterogeneous Integration Technologies for High-temperature, High-density, Low-profile Power Modules of Wide Bandgap Devices in Electric Drive Applications (Final Technical Report)

The goal of this project is to develop packaging technologies for making high-temperature, high-density, and low-profile wide-bandgap (WBG) power electronics modules for electric drives. These modules are aimed at enabling the DOE’s University Consortium to reach its 2025 inverter targets of ≥ 100 kW/L and ≤ 2.7 $/kW. The specific objectives are to: design and fabricate SiC half-bridge power modules with double-sided cooling and parasitic inductances < 5 nH, heat flux density > 400 W/cm 2 , and working junction temperature of 200 o C; design, fabricate, and deliver a gate driver with double-sided cooled modules for the construction of a 100 kW/L inverter at Oak Ridge National Lab; and design and prototype intelligent gate drivers with integrated current sensor and a low-profile DC-DC power supply with air-core transformer for testing power modules at 200 o C junction temperature. We followed an iterative technical approach of design, simulation, fabrication, and testing of various versions of modules, current sensors, and power supply. The state-of-the-art silicon carbide devices rated at 1.2 kV and 149 A were packaged by sintered-silver bonding on an aluminum nitride direct-bond-copper substrate for high thermal conductivity, high working temperature, and high joint reliability. Porous silver posts were used to interconnect the device’s source pads to the other direct-bond-copper substrate for low mechanical stresses, ease of manufacturing, and double-sided cooling. A current sensor based on package parasitic inductance was developed to measure switching current. A dynamic feedback scheme was developed to compensate the effect of parasitic resistance and temperature variation. A constant-current class-E dc-dc converter with air-core transformer was developed. Air-core transformer was used due to the unavailability of magnetic core at high temperatures. Gate driver and power supply were integrated with the double-side cooled, high temperature SiC power modules for testing the modules at 200 o C junction temperature. Double-pulse and continuous testing of the integrated technologies validated the design and fabrication of the three component technologies. Throughout the project, we overcame the challenge for design verification caused by low prototyping yield, which then helped train the graduate students, the future workforce, to learn the engineering know-how for low-cost manufacturing of reliable products. Below is a summary of the major accomplishments of this project: development of a prototyping process for fabricating double-side cooled (1200 V, 149 A) SiC phase-leg modules capable of working to 200 o C Tj; simulation and experimental verification of the improvement of thermo-mechanical reliability of the double-side cooled SiC phase-leg module by using rigid encapsulant; design and experimental validation of a current sensor based on package parasitic inductance and a compensation solution for eliminating the effect of parasitic resistance; design and experimental validation of a low-profile power supply with six-output air-core transformer for gate driver; functional demonstration of a SiC phase-leg module integrated with its gate driver, current sensor, and an air-core power supply at 200 o C Tj in a double-pulse switching test setup and Buck converter continuous test setup; successful completion of six PhD and two MS students who are or will work at Apple Inc., Tesla Inc., Wolfspeed Inc., Microchip Inc., Monolithic Power Systems Inc., and LG Magna Inc.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Polarization-type potential-induced degradation in bifacial PERC modules in the field

This study examines the susceptibility of bifacial glass/glass passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) modules to potential-induced degradation-polarization (PID-p) in the field. While there are several studies showing PID-p occurring on both front and back faces of bifacial PERC in accelerated tests, we address the yet unclarified behavior in fielded modules. We examine the effects of mounting configuration; specifically, comparing modules mounted near ground and in elevated ground rack configurations. Modules with the cell circuit in -1500 V system voltage configuration, whether mounted on racks about 30 cm above the ground or elevated 2 m high showed mean degradation of 4.5% to 6% in power under standard test conditions over about 2.5 weeks as measured from the front side of the module. This extent of degradation remained sustained for a duration of about 6 months analyzed. Average daytime temperatures of modules in the various mounting configurations were similar and therefore judged to be insufficient to be a primary influence for the modest PID-p rate differences that we observed among mounting configurations. Increased leakage current in the morning suggests morning dew was sustained longer on modules near the ground measured over six months which would be expected to increase the PID-p rate over the long term. However, the main difference seen between the modules on the various mountings during the initial period with up to 6% mean degradation by PID-p was the approximately two times the irradiance from albedo on the rear of modules mounted in elevated ground rack compared to those on the near ground rack. This difference in incident albedo led to a modestly reduced rate of the development of PID-p of the modules on the elevated ground rack. The difference is attributed to the dissipation of PID-p-causing electrical charge by the albedo incident on the module rear. The behavior could be modeled by a sigmoidal equation with consideration of the differences in the insolation on the module rear.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Power Electronics Materials and Bonded Interfaces - Reliability and Lifetime

The need for reliable bonded interface materials is critical to realize the performance benefits of wide-bandgap devices in power electronic modules, especially in operating temperatures greater than 150 degrees Celsius. In this paper, we investigate the thermomechanical performance of sintered copper (Cu) as a large-area attachment, bonded between Cu baseplates and active-metal-bonded substrates, under accelerated thermal shock (-40 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius) conditions. In the fabrication phase of the samples, we used different stencil patterns and found out that the grid and stripe patterns resulted in a better outgassing of the residual organics during the sintering process, thereby ensuring a substantially improved bond quality than a full-area print. The paste consisted of Cu microflakes and we performed sintering using a Budatec SP300 sintering press at 275 degrees Celsius with 15 MPa of bonding pressure for 5 minutes in a nitrogen atmosphere. Under accelerated experiments, we monitored the degradation of the sintered Cu bond in the samples through C-mode scanning acoustic microscope (C-SAM) images. To quantify the defect percentage in C-SAM images, we investigated image denoising techniques to exclude the pattern prints. Finally, we cross-sectioned a sample and obtained digital microscope images, which revealed adhesive fracture as the dominant failure mechanism.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Microwave-assisted synthesis of well-shaped UiO-66-NH2 with high CO2 adsorption capacity

Highlights: • Well-shaped UiO-66-NH{sub 2} was prepared through microwave heating in a short time. • Addition of HAc improves crystallinity and CO{sub 2} adsorption capacity of the UiO-66-NH{sub 2}. • UiO-66-NH{sub 2} prepared by microwave heating shows a higher CO{sub 2}/N{sub 2} adsorption selectivity. - Abstract: In a detailed study, the influence of microwave irradiation, synthesis time and temperature, addition of acetic acid (HAc) as a modulator on the morphology, crystallinity and stability of UiO-66-NH{sub 2} is investigated to develop a reliable and reproducible strategy for the preparation of well-shaped UiO-66-NH{sub 2}. The UiO-66-NH{sub 2} were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and gas adsorption. It is found that well-shaped UiO-66-NH{sub 2} with a high CO{sub 2} adsorption capacity can be synthesized in a short time by microwave heating. The UiO-66-NH{sub 2} crystals synthesized by microwave heating are of high quality and show a superior CO{sub 2} adsorption capacity (5.8 mmol/g at 273k and 1 bar) due to the strong interactions between the −NH{sub 2} group and CO{sub 2}. The CO{sub 2}/N{sub 2} selectivity of the obtained UiO-66-NH{sub 2} at 298 K and 1 bar is 66, which is much higher than that of the pristine UiO-66 of 17.8.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Investigating the electronic structure of high explosives with X-ray Raman spectroscopy

Abstract We investigate the sensitivity and potential of a synergistic experiment-theory X-ray Raman spectroscopy (XRS) methodology on revealing and following the static and dynamic electronic structure of high explosive molecular materials. We show that advanced ab-initio theoretical calculations accounting for the core-hole effect based on the Bethe-Salpeter Equation (BSE) approximation are critical for accurately predicting the shape and the energy position of the spectral features of C and N core-level spectra. Moreover, the incident X-ray dose typical XRS experiments require can induce, in certain unstable structures, a prominent radiation damage at room temperature. Upon developing a compatible cryostat module for enabling cryogenic temperatures ( $$\approx$$ ≈ 10 K) we suppress the radiation damage and enable the acquisition of reliable experimental spectra in excellent agreement with the theory. Overall, we demonstrate the high sensitivity of the recently available state-of-the-art X-ray Raman spectroscopy capabilities in characterizing the electronic structure of high explosives. At the same time, the high accuracy of the theoretical approach may enable reliable identification of intermediate structures upon rapid chemical decomposition during detonation. Considering the increasing availability of X-ray free-electron lasers, such a combined experiment-theory approach paves the way for time-resolved dynamic studies of high explosives under detonation conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Prospects for applications of electron beams in processing of gas and oil hydrocarbons

Waste-free processing of oil and oil gases can be based on electron-beam technologies. Their major advantage is an opportunity of controlled manufacturing of a wide range of products with a higher utility value at moderate temperatures and pressures. The work considers certain key aspects of electron beam technologies applied for the chain cracking of heavy crude oil, for the synthesis of premium gasoline from oil gases, and also for the hydrogenation, alkylation, and isomerization of unsaturated oil products. Electronbeam processing of oil can be embodied via compact mobile modules which are applicable for direct usage at distant oil and gas fields. More cost-effective and reliable electron accelerators should be developed to realize the potential of electron-beam technologies.

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

A New Approach to Robot Motor Control

This poster details the motor control improvements to Fermilab's Remote Viewing Robot (RVR). It is a robot tasked with remotely investigating issues within the accelerator tunnels at Fermilab. Initially controlled by a single Raspberry Pi that housed all the robot s operations, the RVR will now use a Raspberry Pi Pico W for its motor control. This was achieved using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to allow for precise speed and torque control for the robot. This enhances the robot s reliability. By addressing the challenge of navigating high radiation environments, the upgrade helps assist the RVR s goal of decreasing the need for human intervention in accelerator tunnels.

Lopez, Jacob↗