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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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Design Initiative for a 10 TeV pCM Wakefield Collider

This document outlines a community-driven Design Study for a 10 TeV pCM Wakefield Accelerator Collider. The 2020 ESPP Report emphasized the need for Advanced Accelerator R&D, and the 2023 P5 Report calls for the ``delivery of an end-to-end design concept, including cost scales, with self-consistent parameters throughout." This Design Study leverages recent experimental and theoretical progress resulting from a global R&D program in order to deliver a unified, 10 TeV Wakefield Collider concept. Wakefield Accelerators provide ultra-high accelerating gradients which enables an upgrade path that will extend the reach of Linear Colliders beyond the electroweak scale. Here, we describe the organization of the Design Study including timeline and deliverables, and we detail the requirements and challenges on the path to a 10 TeV Wakefield Collider.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Environmental design of low-head run-of-river hydropower in the United States: A review of facility design models

We state that the goal of run-of-river hydropower is to produce cost-competitive renewable electricity with minimal disruption of the natural riverine ecosystem. Modeling and feasibility analysis of alternative design options are crucial for developing new run-of-river hydropower projects. Our review shows that existing run-of-river hydropower design models focus on maximizing economic potential at high-head diversion schemes with limited consideration of environmental outcomes. Since nearly three-quarters of new hydropower potential in the United States is found at low-head sites and environmental performance standards are imperative to project success, new models are needed to address the multi-dimensional design challenges at these sites. To aid in formulating holistic models, we synthesize the performance objectives and design variables related to early-stage run-of-river facility design. The objectives span six potential impact areas, including hydrologic alteration, sediment continuity, water quality, aquatic species passage, social, and economic. Based on these reviews, we identify three key areas to enhance the capabilities of run-of-river hydropower design models. These are 1) expanded model formulations, 2) assessment of barrier effects, and 3) explicit environmental objectives. The resulting modeling improvements would accelerate the identification of run-of-river hydropower designs that minimize environmental impacts, promote economic competitiveness, and incorporate the value of non-power benefits.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Designing Cladded Components for High Temperature Nuclear Service: Part II—Design Rules

The challenge of using existing ASME Section III, Division 5, class A metallic materials for the construction of structural components of advanced reactors with corrosive coolants could be mitigated by allowing designers to use cladding to protect the base material from corrosion. However, the existing Section III, Division 5 rules provide no guidance on the evaluation of strain accumulation and creep-fatigue damage in cladded components. The availability of design rules for cladded components that do not require long-term clad material testing could promote the application of the cladding approach to accelerate the deployment schedule of these advanced reactor systems. To avoid long-term properties for the clad materials Part I of this work proposes two approximate design analysis methods for two types of clad materials—soft clads that creep much faster and have lower yield stress than the class A base material, and hard clads that creep much slower and have higher yield stress than the class A base material. The proposed analysis methods approximate the response of a soft clad by treating it as perfectly compliant and of a hard clad by treating it as linear elastic. Based on these approximate design analysis strategies this Part II develops a complete set of design rules for class A components cladded with either soft or hard clad materials. In conclusion, Part II discusses the reasoning behind the proposed design rules and uses example finite element analyses of representative reactor components to illustrate the use of these design methods.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Advancing lightweight mirror design: a paradigm shift in mirror preforms by utilizing design for additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing is a disruptive technology that can be leveraged by the redesign of components in most engineering fields. Fundamental engineering resources for lightweight mirrors were developed more than 30 years ago with a main design limitation, state of the art manufacturing. In this study, we present two design methodologies for the design of lightweight mirrors. The first method utilizes analytical expressions to design a traditional isogrid mirror, which provided the foundation for most lightweight mirrors to date. The second method employs a combination of topology optimization, lattice infill, and analytical estimation to develop an advanced lightweight mirror designed for additive manufacturing. The advanced mirror design outperforms the traditional design for each functional requirement, including a 94% reduction in predicted surface quilting and a higher specific stiffness. The manufacturing of the advanced mirror is only possible with an additive manufacturing process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Computationally designed coiled coil ‘bundlemers’ as model colloidal nanoparticles for solution assembly and materials design (Final Report)

As a collaborative team at the University of Delaware and the University of Pennsylvania, Kloxin, Pochan and Saven designed new biomimetic nanomaterials de novo, leveraging a variety of complementary areas of expertise: computational design of biopolymers (Saven at the University of Pennsylvania), and synthesis and characterization (Kloxin and Pochan at the University of Delaware). Overall activities included: sequence-specific peptide synthesis; covalent crosslinking; noncovalent assembly; site-specific functionalization; and nanostructural characterization using electron microscopy and solution-phase (x-ray and neutron) scattering. Using natural and non-natural amino acids, the team created modular, functional peptide building blocks for elaboration of new nanostructured materials. Ultimately, the development of robust peptide-based, building blocks provides tools for researchers to readily produce complex nanomaterial structures in a wide range of applications. The project had three, interconnecting goals in an effort to provide the broader scientific community with a new peptide-based paradigm for materials design and characterization. First, we further developed the coiled-coil bundle-based toolbox (otherwise known as the ‘bundlemer’ toolbox) via computational design with experimental bundle assembly verification. Second, we developed new uses of covalent interactions, in addition to desired physical (noncovalent) interactions, to assemble bundlemers into 1-D polymer chains with targeted chain rigidity, length, and dispersity. Thirds, we used the above designs to experimentally realize (physical or covalent) polymers to target the creation of liquid crystals or to realize interparticle assembly into nanoporous lattices. The close integration of the three groups was instrumental in success of the biomolecular materials design, formation, and understanding for future designs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Enhanced Data Efficiency Using Deep Neural Networks and Gaussian Processes for Aerodynamic Design Optimization

Adjoint-based optimization methods are attractive for aerodynamic shape design primarily due to their computational costs being independent of the dimensionality of the input space and their ability to generate high-fidelity gradients that can then be used in a gradient-based optimizer. This makes them very well suited for high-fidelity simulation based aerodynamic shape optimization of highly parametrized geometries such as aircraft wings. However, the development of adjoint-based solvers involve careful mathematical treatment and their implementation require detailed software development. Furthermore, they can become prohibitively expensive when multiple optimization problems are being solved, each requiring multiple restarts to circumvent local optima. In this work, we propose a machine learning enabled, surrogate-based framework that replaces the expensive adjoint solver, without compromising on predicting predictive accuracy. Specifically, we first train a deep neural network (DNN) from training data generated from evaluating the high-fidelity simulation model on a model-agnostic design of experiments on the geometry shape parameters. The optimum shape may then be computed by using a gradient-based optimizer coupled with the trained DNN. Subsequently, we also perform a gradient-free Bayesian optimization, where the trained DNN is used as the prior mean. We observe that the latter framework (DNN-BO) improves upon the DNN-only based optimization strategy for the same computational cost. Overall, this framework predicts the true optimum with very high accuracy, while requiring far fewer high-fidelity function calls compared to the adjoint-based method. Furthermore, we show that multiple optimization problems can be solved with the same machine learning model with high accuracy, to amortize the offline costs associated with constructing our models. Our methodology finds applications in the early stages of aerospace design. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Renganathan, S. Ashwin↗
DOE OSTI2021

Axion Dark Matter Experiment: Detailed design and operations

Axion dark matter experiment ultra-low noise haloscope technology has enabled the successful completion of two science runs (1A and 1B) that looked for dark matter axions in the 2.66–3.1 μeV mass range with Dine–Fischler–Srednicki–Zhitnisky sensitivity. Therefore, it is the most sensitive axion search experiment to date in this mass range. Here, we discuss the technological advances made in the last several years to achieve this sensitivity, which includes the implementation of components, such as the state-of-the-art quantum-noise-limited amplifiers and a dilution refrigerator. Furthermore, we demonstrate the use of a frequency tunable microstrip superconducting quantum interference device amplifier in run 1A, and a Josephson parametric amplifier in run 1B, along with novel analysis tools that characterize the system noise temperature.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Learning from existing photovoltaic technologies to identify alternative perovskite module designs

Perovskite solar cells have now become the most efficient of all multicrystalline thin film photovoltaic technologies, reaching 25.2% in 2019. This outstanding figure of merit has only been achieved on small lab-scale devices, with significantly lower performance when processed on larger more industrially relevant substrate sizes. Perovskite modules, connecting several smaller area cells together, are commonly demonstrated with a superstrate monolithic interconnection method. However, several other module designs exist and remain largely unexplored by the perovskite community. In this work, we review and highlight those alternatives and discuss their advantages and limitations. We propose that a singulated substrate-oriented module design, using metallic substrates, could provide a quicker path to seeing highly efficient, lightweight, and flexible perovskite modules on the market, while mitigating near-term technical risks. Finally, as an experimental starting-point towards this design, we demonstrate a substrate-oriented all-perovskite 2-terminal tandem with 18% efficiency.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Improving the secretion of designed protein assemblies through negative design of cryptic transmembrane domains

Computationally designed protein nanoparticles have recently emerged as a promising platform for the development of new vaccines and biologics. For many applications, secretion of designed nanoparticles from eukaryotic cells would be advantageous, but in practice, they often secrete poorly. Here we show that designed hydrophobic interfaces that drive nanoparticle assembly are often predicted to form cryptic transmembrane domains, suggesting that interaction with the membrane insertion machinery could limit efficient secretion. We develop a general computational protocol, the Degreaser, to design away cryptic transmembrane domains without sacrificing protein stability. The retroactive application of the Degreaser to previously designed nanoparticle components and nanoparticles considerably improves secretion, and modular integration of the Degreaser into design pipelines results in new nanoparticles that secrete as robustly as naturally occurring protein assemblies. Both the Degreaser protocol and the nanoparticles we describe may be broadly useful in biotechnological applications.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Technoeconomic Design Optimization for Fast Reactors. Part II: Impact of Technoeconomic Constraints on Optimal Design

There is a current drive toward optimizing reactors, particularly small/micro reactors to minimize cost and maximize performance. Previous work has investigated the development of technoeconomic workflows for the design optimization of pool-type fast reactors that aim to deploy into district energy grids. Initial scoping studies verified that the workflow was capable of capturing design trends throughout a variety of design configurations and problem formulations while remaining sufficiently flexible. In this paper, this methodology is applied to understand how cost functions and technoeconomic constraints can drive optimal reactor design. Specifically, the UPu10Zr-fueled fast reactor model from Part I is adapted to include changes in the fissile content limits, control rod worth limits, control rod drive cost, and assumed fuel form. In the case of constraint relaxation at fixed power (fissile content and control rod worth limits), cost sensitivities of 5% to 10% were uncovered. Multi-objective optimization at varying reactor power levels with individualized control rod drives for each assembly (as opposed to one operational and one safety drive) increased cost by $\$10$ to $\$25$ million and substantially altered the optimal core geometry, favoring geometries with substantially fewer control rod placements relative to baseline optimization. Finally, a multi-objective optimization was performed at varying power levels with the fuel form overhauled to metallic, high-assay low-enriched uranium–based U10Zr with more refined fuel cost models. In the case of uranium fueling, the costs increased by at least $50 million relative to the baseline case. Furthermore, economic fuel zoning and lower reactivity swing cores were recovered. Each case serves to demonstrate the value of applying technoeconomic workflows to initial reactor design scoping studies to better understand the trade-off for a proposed concept between different design options.

Argonne Reactor Computation (ARC) codes↗
DOE OSTI2024

The DUNE Far Detector Vertical Drift Technology. Technical Design Report

DUNE is an international experiment dedicated to addressing some of the questions at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics, including the mystifying preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early universe. The dual-site experiment will employ an intense neutrino beam focused on a near and a far detector as it aims to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy and to make high-precision measurements of the PMNS matrix parameters, including the CP-violating phase. It will also stand ready to observe supernova neutrino bursts, and seeks to observe nucleon decay as a signature of a grand unified theory underlying the standard model. The DUNE far detector implements liquid argon time-projection chamber (LArTPC) technology, and combines the many tens-of-kiloton fiducial mass necessary for rare event searches with the sub-centimeter spatial resolution required to image those events with high precision. The addition of a photon detection system enhances physics capabilities for all DUNE physics drivers and opens prospects for further physics explorations. Given its size, the far detector will be implemented as a set of modules, with LArTPC designs that differ from one another as newer technologies arise. In the vertical drift LArTPC design, a horizontal cathode bisects the detector, creating two stacked drift volumes in which ionization charges drift towards anodes at either the top or bottom. The anodes are composed of perforated PCB layers with conductive strips, enabling reconstruction in 3D. Light-trap-style photon detection modules are placed both on the cryostat's side walls and on the central cathode where they are optically powered. This Technical Design Report describes in detail the technical implementations of each subsystem of this LArTPC that, together with the other far detector modules and the near detector, will enable DUNE to achieve its physics goals.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Traction Motor Design Trade-Offs with Additively Manufactured Anisotropic Bonded Magnets

Extrusion based big area additive manufacturing (BAAM) has been previously demonstrated for the fabrication of dense anisotropic bonded magnets. This paper reports on design trade-offs when such magnets are employed in a motor designed for electric vehicle applications. An external rotor fractional slot permanent magnet synchronous machine designed with sintered dysprosium free magnets rated for 100kW peak and 50kW continuous power is used as the baseline. The impact of using the bonded BAAM magnets on the motor and inverter volumes, motor loss and cooling systems as well as demagnetization margins is evaluated. It is found that although the motor power density reduces due to the lower energy product of the BAAM magnets, there are other system level benefits including reductions in the cooling system requirement, lower inverter rating and volume, decrease in short circuit current and improved demagnetization marains.

additive manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2021

De novo design of transmembrane β barrels

Transmembrane β-barrel proteins (TMBs) are of great interest for single-molecule analytical technologies because they can spontaneously fold and insert into membranes and form stable pores, but the range of pore properties that can be achieved by repurposing natural TMBs is limited. We leverage the power of de novo computational design coupled with a “hypothesis, design, and test” approach to determine TMB design principles, notably, the importance of negative design to slow β-sheet assembly. We design new eight-stranded TMBs, with no homology to known TMBs, that insert and fold reversibly into synthetic lipid membranes and have nuclear magnetic resonance and x-ray crystal structures very similar to the computational models. These advances should enable the custom design of pores for a wide range of applications.

Vorobieva, Anastassia A.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Security by Design: A Plant Design and Component-Based Approach to Technical Solutions to Insider and Outsider Threat

Security costs for nuclear reactors have been shown to rise over the lifecycle of a nuclear facility as new threats, security weaknesses, and the generic threat profile of the plant location change over time. This paper conducts a review of the technological gaps that currently exist in Security by Design (SeBD) based on the literature available and attempts to close those gaps through proposing technological constructs and processes that can integrate safety and security in the design process of a plant, with a primary focus on SMR technology. Under the new modular and mass manufacturing regime, where plant designs attempt to reduce costs with potential economies of scale and modular construction, the current SeBD definitions focusing on state level regulators are not considered adequate since the licensing stage is often too late in the design process to integrate the true cost savings of SeBD. Thus, this paper attempts to remedy the current logic in order to allow for continuous implementation of security alongside the development of the safety concept for the plant. If adopted within the design process the establishment of this type of technology will allow for a technological ecosystem to evolve that will imbed security concepts into the physical design of the components of the plant.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗