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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 487 records · Page 27

Computational Prediction of Coiled–Coil Protein Gelation Dynamics and Structure

Protein hydrogels represent an important and growing biomaterial for a multitude of applications, including diagnostics and drug delivery. We have previously explored the ability to engineer the thermoresponsive supramolecular assembly of coiled–coil proteins into hydrogels with varying gelation properties, where we have defined important parameters in the coiled–coil hydrogel design. Using Rosetta energy scores and Poisson–Boltzmann electrostatic energies, we iterate a computational design strategy to predict the gelation of coiled–coil proteins while simultaneously exploring five new coiled–coil protein hydrogel sequences. Provided this library, we explore the impact of in silico energies on structure and gelation kinetics, where we also reveal a range of blue autofluorescence that enables hydrogel disassembly and recovery. As a result of this library, we identify the new coiled–coil hydrogel sequence, Q5, capable of gelation within 24 h at 4 °C, a more than 2-fold increase over that of our previous iteration Q2. The fast gelation time of Q5 enables the assessment of structural transition in real time using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) that is correlated to coarse-grained and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations revealing the supramolecular assembling behavior of coiled–coils toward nanofiber assembly and gelation. This work represents the first system of hydrogels with predictable self-assembly, autofluorescent capability, and a molecular model of coiled–coil fiber formation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

An Atomistic Study of Reactivity in Solid-State Electrolyte Interphase Formation for Li/Li7P3S11

Lithium metal batteries offer superior volumetric and gravimetric specific capacities compared to those based on traditional graphite anodes. Although advancements in solid-state electrolytes address safety concerns, challenges remain, particularly regarding interphase formation in lithium metal anodes. This work presents a computational framework based on high-throughput first-principles density functional theory and machine-learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) including automated iterative, active learning to enable robust computational exploration of interphase formation between lithium metal anodes and an inorganic solid-state electrolyte. As a demonstration, we apply the framework to a Li/Li7P3S11 interface and find that it accurately identifies the experimentally observed, thermodynamically stable interphase products as well as their overall spatial arrangement within a heterogeneous, amorphous layered structure, with Li2S domains of nanocrystallinity. Our simulations show two stages, a fast and slow diffusion reaction regime, that corroborate the relative phase formation rate of Li x P, Li2S, and Li3P. Using the Onsager transport theory, we capture time-dependent ionic diffusion within the reacting interface, including cross-correlation effects. We found that cross-correlation effects between Li-P and P-S ionic motion significantly influence P-ion diffusion, making it highly sensitive to the local environment and potentially leading to "kinetic trapping" of Li-P phases. The passivation of the interface is shown as the ionic fluxes all approach zero, effectively halting interphase growth.

Diffusion↗

Hugoniot properties of porous stainless steel: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations

Here, we present a systematic study of Hugoniot properties of porous 316L stainless steel using both a simple interpolation scheme and direct shock simulations in order to probe pore collapse kinetics as well as final thermodynamic states. Both methods indicate that equilibrated Hugoniot properties depend on pore density only and not on the pore distribution or size. We then create a simple porous equation of state model that is shown to be accurate for a range of validation data. This allows us to extend our simulations to make direct comparison to experimental data that have generally significantly larger system sizes and durations. In addition, our direct shock simulations indicate that the relaxation time after hotspot formation is system size dependent and can reach nanosecond timescales for the largest pores investigated in our study, thereby possibly having a measurable effect on fast dynamic loading experiments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Calculation of rf-induced temporal jitter in ultrafast electron diffraction

A significant contribution to the temporal resolution of an ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) instrument is arrival time jitter caused by amplitude and phase variation of radio-frequency (rf) cavities. In this paper, we present a semianalytical approach for calculating rf-induced temporal jitter from klystron and rf cavity parameters. Our approach allows fast estimation of temporal jitter for MeV-UED beamlines and can serve as a virtual timing tool when shot-to-shot measurements of rf amplitude and phase jitters are available. A simulation study for the SLAC MeV-UED instrument is presented, and the temporal resolution of several beamline configurations is compared.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Integrating Learning and Physics based Computation for Fast Online Transient Analysis

In this work, a novel method that integrates learning and physics based computation is developed for greatly accelerating the simulation of full power system transient trajectories. To solve the dynamic algebraic equations, the method replaces the time-consuming dynamic computation for generator dynamics with trained predictors, while retaining the time-efficient algebraic computation of solving AC-power flow (PF) for power systems. In particular, a predictor is trained for each generator, and the system trajectories are computed by alternating steps of calling the predictors and solving AC-PF. The proposed method also allows fully parallelizable training strategies and a flexible trade-off between training time and testing accuracy. Comprehensive evaluations of the proposed method for transient/dynamic contingency analysis of the New York/New England 16-machine 68-bus power systems demonstrate excellent performance and significant acceleration of computation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

NOODLES Grid [SWR-25-93]

NOODLES Grid is a real-time visualization server for power system simulation data. It loads precomputed datasets, builds optimized instance renderings, and streams live interactive scenes to connected clients. It is built for high scalability, flexible visualization, and fast interaction. NOODLES is a cross-platform/device/tool protocol for collaborative visualization. NOODLES was Developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as a capability of the Insight Center https://www.nrel.gov/computational-science/insight-center.html

Brunhart-Lupo, Nicholas [National Renewable Energy↗

Graphical User Interface for a Biasing Board for the PSEC6

The PSEC6 is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designed for a readout system for a large area picosecond photodetector (LAPPD). The PSEC6 is currently in fabrication and pending testing. The testing system for the PSEC5, the previous iteration of the ASIC, required expensive and non-portable equipment, because the ASIC needs twelve adjustable reference voltages. The new testing system consists of an low-cost, open-source, cross-platform graphical user interface (GUI), a digital system, and a biasing board. The digital system is the interface between the GUI and biasing board, and can be implemented on a microcontroller or field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The biasing board contains twelve digital-to-analog converters (DACs) that are configurable via the GUI, which gives users the ability to write voltage values to all or specific DACs. The GUI was developed in C on Linux using the widget library GTK4 and cross-compiled for Windows compatibility. I2C and SPI protocols were implemented on an Adafruit Feather ESP32-S3 microcontroller to write commands to the DACs and PSEC6. A hardware implementation of the I2C protocol is in development on an FPGA. Since LAPPDs will be used by the Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE) at Fermilab, the PSEC6 testing system in this internship project can potentially benefit future neutrino research. The project is relevant to the Department of Energy’s microelectronics mission, because the PSEC6 is an ASIC that will handle fast time signals arriving from the detector for readout. It also provided experience with building a cross-platform user interface, practicing digital design and implementation in hardware description language (HDL), and using simulations to inform new design iterations.

Guerrero, Sasha Camila [North Central Coll.]↗

Simulation of a Real-Time Local Data Integration System over East-Central Florida

The Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) simulated a real-time configuration of a Local Data Integration System (LDIS) using data from 15-28 February 1999. The objectives were to assess the utility of a simulated real-time LDIS, evaluate and extrapolate system performance to identify the hardware necessary to run a real-time LDIS, and determine the sensitivities of LDIS. The ultimate goal for running LDIS is to generate analysis products that enhance short-range (less than 6 h) weather forecasts issued in support of the 45th Weather Squadron, Spaceflight Meteorology Group, and Melbourne National Weather Service operational requirements. The simulation used the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) Data Analysis System (ADAS) software on an IBM RS/6000 workstation with a 67-MHz processor. This configuration ran in real-time, but not sufficiently fast for operational requirements. Thus, the AMU recommends a workstation with a 200-MHz processor and 512 megabytes of memory to run the AMU's configuration of LDIS in real-time. This report presents results from two case studies and several data sensitivity experiments. ADAS demonstrates utility through its ability to depict high-resolution cloud and wind features in a variety of weather situations. The sensitivity experiments illustrate the influence of disparate data on the resulting ADAS analyses.

Case, Jonathan↗

Probabilistic Simulation for Combined Cycle Fatigue in Composites

A methodology to compute probabilistic fatigue life of polymer matrix laminated composites has been developed and demonstrated. Matrix degradation effects caused by long term environmental exposure and mechanical/thermal cyclic loads are accounted for in the simulation process. A unified time-temperature-stress dependent multifactor interaction relationship developed at NASA Glenn Research Center has been used to model the degradation/aging of material properties due to cyclic loads. The fast probability integration method is used to compute probabilistic distribution of response. Sensitivities of fatigue life reliability to uncertainties in the primitive random variables (e.g., constituent properties, fiber volume ratio, void volume ratio, ply thickness, etc.) computed and their significance in the reliability-based design for maximum life is discussed. The effect of variation in the thermal cyclic loads on the fatigue reliability for a (0/+/- 45/90)s graphite/epoxy laminate with a ply thickness of 0.127 mm, with respect to impending failure modes has been studied. The results show that, at low mechanical cyclic loads and low thermal cyclic amplitudes, fatigue life for 0.999 reliability is most sensitive to matrix compressive strength, matrix modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, and ply thickness. Whereas at high mechanical cyclic loads and high thermal cyclic amplitudes, fatigue life at 0.999 reliability is more sensitive to the shear strength of matrix, longitudinal fiber modulus, matrix modulus, and ply thickness.

Chamis, Christos C.↗

Time-Dependent Satellite Explosion Probabilities for Long-Term Orbital Debris Environment Modeling

On-orbit accidental explosions are a significant contributor to the growth of the orbital debris population. Certain types of satellites have been seen to exhibit different behaviors and timelines of explosions. Recent assessments of on-orbit explosions for three categories of satellites – Russian Sistema Obespecheniya Zapuska (SOZ, Proton 4th stage attitude and ullage motors) units, spacecraft, and rocket bodies – suggest that on-orbit explosions can be modeled using a continuous, time-dependent probability of explosion. This paper discusses the methodology for developing a time-dependent probability of explosion as a function of the satellite’s orbital lifetime based on historical explosions. The SOZ units are found to be best modeled by a modified Gaussian probability distribution, with the peak probability of explosion occurring around 10.4 years on-orbit. Spacecraft and rocket bodies both exhibit exponentially decaying explosion probabilities, with rocket bodies showing fast-, medium-, and slow-time modes of decay. Total cumulative probabilities of explosion are approximately 57% for SOZ units, 4% for spacecraft, and 2% for rocket bodies. Examples of implementation in a simulation of the orbital debris environment using NASA's long-term evolutionary model are given, showing the overall explosion behavior over two centuries is significantly different from that using a previously implemented constant-probability type-dependent explosion rate model and provides a better representation of the historical explosion record.

Alyssa P Manis↗

Graphical User Interface for a Biasing Board for the PSEC6

The PSEC6 is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designed for a readout system for a large area picosecond photodetector (LAPPD). The PSEC6 is currently in fabrication and pending testing. The testing system for the PSEC5, the previous iteration of the ASIC, required expensive and non-portable equipment, because the ASIC needs twelve adjustable reference voltages. The new testing system consists of an low-cost, open-source, cross-platform graphical user interface (GUI), a digital system, and a biasing board. The digital system is the interface between the GUI and biasing board, and can be implemented on a microcontroller or field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The biasing board contains twelve digital-to-analog converters (DACs) that are configurable via the GUI, which gives users the ability to write voltage values to all or specific DACs. The GUI was developed in C on Linux using the widget library GTK4 and cross-compiled for Windows compatibility. I2C and SPI protocols were implemented on an Adafruit Feather ESP32-S3 microcontroller to write commands to the DACs and PSEC6. A hardware implementation of the I2C protocol is in development on an FPGA. Since LAPPDs will be used by the Accelerator Neutrino Neutron Interaction Experiment (ANNIE) at Fermilab, the PSEC6 testing system in this internship project can potentially benefit future neutrino research. The project is relevant to the Department of Energy’s microelectronics mission, because the PSEC6 is an ASIC that will handle fast time signals arriving from the detector for readout. It also provided experience with building a cross-platform user interface, practicing digital design and implementation in hardware description language (HDL), and using simulations to inform new design iterations.

Guerrero, Sasha Camila [North Central Coll.]↗

Mechanical Analog Approach to Parameter Estimation of Lateral Spacecraft Fuel Slosh

The nutation (wobble) of a spinning spacecraft in the presence of energy dissipation is a well-known problem in dynamics and is of particular concern for space missions. Even with modern computing systems, CFD type simulations are not fast enough to allow for large scale Monte Carlo analyses of spacecraft and launch vehicle dynamic behavior with slosh included. Simplified mechanical analogs for the slosh are preferred during the initial stages of design to reduce computational time and effort to evaluate the Nutation Time Constant (NTC). Analytic determination of the slosh analog parameters has met with mixed success and is made even more difficult by the introduction of propellant management devices such as elastomeric diaphragms. By subjecting full-sized fuel tanks with actual flight fuel loads to motion similar to that experienced in flight and measuring the forces experienced by the tanks, these parameters can be determined experimentally. Currently, the identification of the model parameters is a laborious trial-and-error process in which the hand-derived equations of motion for the mechanical analog are evaluated and their results compared with the experimental results. Of particular interest is the effect of diaphragms and bladders on the slosh dynamics and how best to model these devices. An experimental set-up is designed and built to include a diaphragm in the simulated spacecraft fuel tank subjected to lateral slosh. This research paper focuses on the parameter estimation of a SimMechanics model of the simulated spacecraft propellant tank with and without diaphragms using lateral fuel slosh experiments. Automating the parameter identification process will save time and thus allow earlier identification of potential vehicle problems.

Chatman, Yadira↗

Simulations of Ground and Space-Based Oxygen Atom Experiments

Fast, pulsed atomic oxygen sources are a key tool in ground-based investigations of spacecraft contamination and surface erosion effects. These technically challenging ground-based studies provide a before and after picture of materials under low-earth-orbit (LEO) conditions. It would be of great interest to track in real time the pulsed flux from the source to the surface sample target and beyond in order to characterize the population of atoms and molecules that actually impact the surface and those that make it downstream to any coincident detectors. We have performed simulations in order to provide such detailed descriptions of these ground-based measurements and to provide an assessment of their correspondence to the actual LEO environment. Where possible we also make comparisons to measured fluxes and erosion yields. To perform the calculations we use a detailed description of a measurement beam and surface geometry based on the W, pulsed apparatus at Montana State University. In this system, a short pulse (on the order of 10 microseconds) of an O/O2 beam impacts a flat sample about 40 cm downstream and slightly displaced &om the beam s central axis. Past this target, at the end of the beam axis is a quadrupole mass spectrometer that measures the relative in situ flux of 0102 to give an overall normalized erosion yield. In our simulations we use the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method, and track individual atoms within the atomic oxygen pulse. DSMC techniques are typically used to model rarefied (few collision) gas-flows which occur at altitudes above approximately 110 kilometers. These techniques are well suited for the conditions here, and multi-collision effects that can only be treated by this or a similar technique are included. This simulation includes collisions with the surface and among gas atoms that have scattered from the surface. The simulation also includes descriptions of the velocity spread and spatial profiles of the O/O2 beam obtained from separate measurements. These computations use basic engineering models for the gas-gas and gas-surface scattering and focus on the influence of multi-collision effects. These simulations characterize many important quantities of interest including the actual flux of atoms that reach the surface, the energy distribution of this flux, as well as the direction of the velocity of the flux that strikes the surface. These quantities are important in characterizing the conditions which give rise to measured surface erosion. The calculations also yield time- snapshots of the pulse as it impacts and flows around the surface. These snapshots reveal the local environment of gas near the surface for the duration of the pulse. We are also able to compute the flux of molecules that travel downstream and reach the spectrometer, and we characterize their velocity distribution. The number of atoms that reach the spectrometer can in fact be influenced by the presence of the surface due to gas-gas collisions from atoms scattered h m the surface, and it will generally be less than that with the surface absent. This amounts to an overall normalization factor in computing erosion yields. We discuss these quantities and their relationship to the gas-surf$ce interaction parameters. We have also performed similar calculations corresponding to conditions (number densities, temperatures, and velocities) of low-earth orbit. The steady-state nature and lower overall flux of the actual space environment give rise to differences in the nature of the gas-impacts on the surface from those of the ground-based measurements using a pulsed source.

Minton, T. K.↗

Drift kinetic electrostatic simulations of the edge localized mode heat pulse

In the present work, electrostatic drift kinetic simulations of parallel plasma transport within the tokamak scrape-off layer (SOL) are conducted using the COGENT code. The SOL configuration is represented in one-dimensional slab geometry, incorporating a heat source localized in the midplane. The heat source parameters correspond to those characterizing edge-localized modes observed in the Joint European Torus (JET) tokamak. The numerical model includes kinetic treatment of both ions and electrons, a simplified model for the gyrokinetic Poisson equation that allows one to step over short time scales associated with fast electrostatic shear Alfvèn waves, and the logical sheath boundary condition (LSBC) that enforces global system quasineutrality. A third-order accurate LSBC is derived to be consistent with the third-order accurate upwind advection scheme utilized in the code, and it was shown to noticeably impact the simulation results, especially parallel heat flux at the target plate. The findings of this study are in agreement with results from preceding fluid and kinetic simulations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Intermodel Spread in the Pattern Effect and Its Contribution to Climate Sensitivity in CMIP5 and CMIP6 Models

Radiative feedbacks depend on the spatial patterns of sea surface temperature (SST) and thus can change over time as SST patterns evolve—the so-called pattern effect. In this study, we investigate intermodel differences in the magnitude of the pattern effect and how these differences contribute to the spread in effective equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) within CMIP5 and CMIP6 models. Effective ECS in CMIP5 estimated from 150-yr-long abrupt4×CO2 simulations is on average 10% higher than that estimated from the early portion (first 50 years) of those simulations, which serves as an analog for historical warming; this difference is reduced to 7% on average in CMIP6. The (negative) net radiative feedback weakens over the course of the abrupt4×CO2 simulations in the vast majority of CMIP5 and CMIP6 models, but this weakening is less dramatic on average in CMIP6. For both ensembles, the total variance in the effective ECS is found to be dominated by the spread in radiative response on fast time scales, rather than the spread in feedback changes. Using Green’s functions derived from two AGCMs shows that the spread in feedbacks on fast time scales may be primarily due to differences in atmospheric model physics, whereas the spread in feedback evolution is primarily governed by differences in SST patterns. Intermodel spread in feedback evolution is well explained by differences in the relative warming in the West Pacific warm-pool regions for the CMIP5 models, but this relation fails to explain differences across the CMIP6 models, suggesting that a stronger sensitivity of extratropical clouds to surface warming may also contribute to feedback changes in CMIP6.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Ultra-Fast 4H-SiC LGAD With Etched Termination and Field Plate

The design, fabrication, and demonstration of a novel Silicon Carbide Low Gain Avalanche Detector (4HSiC LGAD), exhibiting an ultra-fast time response and excellent time resolution, are reported. Here, the use of field plates is proposed to suppress the high electric field caused by the negative bevel-etched angle in 4H-SiC LGADs based on TCAD simulations. Experimental measurements confirm that the field plate significantly increases the breakdown voltage of the 4H-SiC LGADs. Gain and time resolution are measured by using the ultraviolet transient current technique (UV-TCT) showing that 4H-SiC LGADs possess excellent timing performance, with a time resolution better than 35 ps for the injected laser signal with single minimum ionizing particle (MIP) charges generation at room temperature. Additionally, the gain suppression effect in a 4H-SiC LGAD is observed for the first time.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Stabilization of Alfvén Eigenmodes in DIII-D via Controlled Energetic Ion Density Ramp and Validation of Theory and Simulations

In this work, fast-ion driven Alfvén waves with frequency close to the ion cyclotron frequency (ƒ = 0:58ƒ ci ) excited by energetic ions from a neutral beam are stabilized via a controlled energetic ion density ramp for the first time in a fusion research plasma. The scaling of wave amplitude with injection rate is consistent with theory for single mode collisional saturation near marginal stability. The wave is identified as a shear-polarized global Alfvén eigenmode excited by Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonance with fast-ions with sub-Alfvénic energetic ions, a first in fusion research plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

A parametrically programmable delay line for microwave photons

Delay lines that store quantum information are crucial for advancing quantum repeaters and hardware efficient quantum computers. Traditionally, they are realized as extended systems that support wave propagation but provide limited control over the propagating fields. Here, we introduce a parametrically addressed delay line for microwave photons that provides a high level of control over the stored pulses. By parametrically driving a three-wave mixing circuit element that is weakly hybridized with an ensemble of resonators, we engineer a spectral response that simulates that of a physical delay line, while providing fast control over the delay line’s properties. We demonstrate this novel degree of control by choosing which photon echo to emit, translating pulses in time, and even swapping two pulses, all with pulse energies on the order of a single photon. We also measure the noise added from our parametric interactions and find it is much less than one photon.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗