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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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DOE OSTI2026

National Solar Thermal Test Facility: Operations & Maintenance Report

The NSTTF O&M Project continues the operation and maintenance activities of the existing critical capabilities and infrastructure at the NSTTF. This project is to support and assure the success of Solar Heat for Industrial Process in the United States and the larger global community by ensuring the NSTTF is a safe and operational facility. The primary goal of this project will be to maintain the solar tower and heliostat field while also allowing NSTTF staff to improve processes for operations and maintenance. This includes expanding our preventative maintenance program, inventory systems, and our data sharing capabilities. Additionally, this will support an outreach program with regular seminars, sharing of data, and the release of open-source software to support heliostat metrology

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Comparison of Results between the Legacy and Refined RELAP5-3D Models of the High Temperature Test Facility in Exercises 1 and 2 of the HTTF Benchmark

Work conducted in FY23 identified that RELAP5-3D was capable of reproducing trends in HTTF data during experiment PG-27 but was incapable of reproducing measured values. The primary cause of this discrepancy between RELAP5-3D results and experimental data was hypothesized to be a distortion in power density that was introduced by the radial nodalization of the model. We further hypothesized that a new model would provide better results when compared to the experiments PG-27 and PG-29. Work this FY developed a new model that is better capable of capturing local heat generation rates and contains a representation of each 1/6 azimuthal sector of the core. We used this model to develop a new set of solutions to Exercises 1 and 2 of Problems 2 and 3 in the benchmark. In this report, we present the first comprehensive comparison of the results between the two models. We see that in Exercise 1A, which is common between problems 2 and 3, the results are similar, though the results from the new model show greater detail than those from the legacy model. In Problem 2 Exercise 1B and Problem 3 Exercise 1B, we see that heat removal is slower in the new model than the legacy model. Problem 3 Exercise 1C shows temperatures that are lower in most places in the new model than the legacy model, but the area with active heat generation has higher block temperatures in the new model than the legacy model. Problem 3 Exercise 1D further shows that long-term heat removal is lower in the new model. Problem 2 Exercise 1C demonstrated that the new model observes higher temperatures in the core regions than the legacy model, justifying the need to preserve the power density in HTTF. The validation of PG-27 and PG-29 also demonstrated the improved temperature agreement in the core regions, particularly with a calibrated model that implements an effective thermal conductivity for the core material. Overall, PG-27 models show reasonable to excellent agreement for steady-state temperatures and minimal to reasonable agreement for transients. PG-29 models showed minimal to insufficient agreement with the data.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Re-assembly and test of COMB dipole magnet with STAR® wires

Fermilab is developing the Conductor on Molded Barrel (COMB) magnet technology that works well with round REBCO conductors. COMB-STAR-1 magnet based on STAR wire by AMPeers was fabricated and tested in liquid nitrogen in 2023. The magnet demonstrated >90 Ic retention in the coils (before/after winding). Even though the magnet was not originally designed for operation at lower than 77 K temperatures, it was decided to test it in liquid helium to: - check the instrumentation and the DAQ system; - check the ability to detect resistive transitions or quenches and to protect the magnet; - gather the information on possible magnet design chances and upgrades of the test facility for future testing of HTS magnets. The magnet was re-assembled with a larger iron yoke and the axial supports and tested in liquid helium in 2024 at Fermilab s Vertical Magnet Test Facility (VMTF). It was the first HTS magnet test at that facility ever.

Kashikhin, Vadim↗
DOE OSTI2025

Test Results of the LQXFA/B02 and LQXFA/B03 Cryo-Assemblies for the High Luminosity LHC Upgrade

Here, the US High-Luminosity LHC Accelerator Upgrade Project (AUP) is responsible for delivering cryo-assemblies for the Q1/Q3 quadrupole optical components of the High Luminosity LHC upgrade at CERN. Total of 10 cryo-assemblies containing two Nb3Sn quadrupole magnets per cold mass will be delivered within this program. After the successful test of the first pre-series cryo-assembly in 2023, two more cryo-assemblies were tested at Fermilab's horizontal test facility. Production overview and the test results of the LQXFA/B02 and LQXFA/B03 cryo-assemblies are summarized in this paper. After the first test, to increase the capability of the horizontal test facility, various improvements have been made. These improvements are also described in this paper.

Chlachidze, Guram [Fermi National Accelerator Labo↗
DOE OSTI2024

Drop Tower Statement of Work

This document details the needs and requirements for a propulsion-assisted drop tower system (further referenced simply as Drop Tower) to perform hardware testing at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). LLNL is managed and operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) for the Department of Energy (DOE). LLNL requires a robust testing platform that will allow for the characterization of interactions between objects of interest. The initial siting of the equipment will be located in an existing test facility (B191). When another test facility becomes online, the objective will be to move the test capability to the new facility as a final location (B132N). The Drop Tower will be a cornerstone capability for testing and model validation for LLNL interested programs.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design of Ionization Profile Monitors at the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator Facility at Fermilab

The Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) at Fermilab is transitioning from an electron beam facility to a proton beam facility for studies in nonlinear accelerator optics and space-charge dominated proton beams. This project involves the commissioning and fabrication of Ionization Profile Monitors (IPMs) to enable beam profile measurements at IOTA. In general, IPMs work on principle of residual gas ionization by the beam to generate beam profile. This work focuses on a mechanical design that leverages a controlled injection of noble gases, primarily Argon, as the ultra-high vacuum of the IOTA ring provides insufficient residual gas for ionization. Efforts to understand vacuum integration to ensure compatibility with the storage ring environment, the integration of real-time data acquisition systems and the commissioning of the IPMs will be discussed. This project provides a versatile diagnostic tool, supporting IOTA’s role as a testbed for larger-scale accelerator facilities and contributing to the broader understanding of beam physics in high-intensity, high-space-charge regimes.

Mwaniki, M. W. [IIT, Chicago] (ORCID:0000000169057↗
DOE OSTI2024

Support of the Massachusetts — NREL Wind Technology Testing Center (Cooperative Research and Development Final Report)

Under the shared-resources CRADA agreement, NREL will collaborate with the Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation, d/b/a Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC), in its efforts to design, construct, and operate the Massachusetts-NREL Wind Technology Testing Center (WTTC), which is an advanced blade testing facility capable of testing blades up to at least 70 meters in length. The WTTC building will be owned and the facility operated by the MTC. In the CRADA, NREL agrees to provide certain capital equipment and certain NREL employees at the WTTC facility for training, commissioning, and continued technical assistance. In addition, NREL will provide one or more Laboratory staff to serve on any WTTC advisory committee, a no-cost license of the NREL blade-resonance fatigue testing technology (NREL Testing IP) and training to MA staff at the NREL blade test facilities in Colorado. MTC will provide all other resources necessary to design, construct, and operate the WTTC.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

FOCAL Campaign II/III: Applying Active Hull Controls Using Tuned-mass Dampers/Hull Flexibility and Internal Loads

Campaign II and III of the Floating Offshore-wind Controls Advanced Laboratory Experimental Program (FOCAL) aimed to generate a dataset enabling the validation of the performance and loads of a scaled hull, with and without structural hull control. The floating platform was subjected to a variety of wave environments and controlled using tuned-mass dampers (TMDs) tuned to two of the systems natural frequencies (Platform Pitch and Tower-bending). The floating platform is fully instrumented to record a variety of parameters in real time such as platform dynamics, accelerations, and loads at different points in the structure. The test data considered was generated at the University of Maine's Harold Alfond Wind and Wave (W2) testing facility. This testing was focused only on validation of wave loading, and wind conditions were not considered. As such the platform does not support a working turbine, and instead supports a structure designed to have the same mass properties as the 1:70 IEA 15MW Reference turbine. The Load Cases (LC) considered in this testing campaign are as follows: LC 1.X - Platform Static Offset (TMD off); LC 2.X - Platform Free-decays (TMD off); LC 3.X - Wave Cases (Regular Wave, Irregular Wave, Pink Noise Wave) with and without TMDs active. Detailed properties on the model system are found in the following reference: Lenfest E., Floating Offshore-wind Controls Advanced Laboratory (FOCAL) Experimental Program - Campaigns 2 and 3: 1:70 Model-scale Testing of the IEA-Wind 15MW Reference Turbine and the VolturnUS-S Hull. UMaine ASCC Report Number 23-56-1183.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Test Stand Functional Requirements for Testing MQXFA Magnets and Q1/Q3 Cryostat Assemblies (Rev.3)

This document specifies test stand requirements for testing the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC, or HiLumi LHC) MQXFA magnets and LQXFA/B cryostat assemblies. Total of 12 (3 pre-series, 7 series production and 2 re-work) of these cryostat assemblies are expected to be fabricated and delivered to CERN by the U.S. HL-LHC Accelerator Upgrade Project (US HL-LHC AUP) as part of the U.S. contributions to the LHC High Luminosity Upgrade. These cryostat assemblies are the quadrupole magnetic components of the HL-LHC Q1 (LQXFA) and Q3 (LQXFB) inner triplet optical elements in front of the interactions points 1 (ATLAS) and 5 (CMS). One LMQXFA cold mass is installed in each cryostat assembly and each cold mass consists of two MQXFA quadrupole magnets. MQXFA, LMQXFA and LQXFA/B functional requirements are specified in [1,2,3].MQXFA magnets will be tested at BNL Vertical Magnet Test Facility (VMTF) and 12 cryostat assembly tests planned at Fermilab’s Horizontal Magnet Test Facility (HMTF). This document specifies the test stand functional requirements for testing MQXFA magnets and LQXFA/B cryostat assemblies.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Test results of the LQXFA/B02 and LQXFA/B03 cryo-assemblies for the High Luminosity LHC upgrade

The US High-Luminosity LHC Accelerator Upgrade Project (AUP) is responsible for delivering cryo-assemblies for the Q1/Q3 quadrupole optical components of the High Luminosity LHC upgrade at CERN. Total of 10 cryo-assemblies containing two Nb3Sn quadrupole magnets per cold mass will be delivered within this program. After the successful test of the first pre-series cryo-assembly in 2023, two more cryo-assemblies were tested at Fermilab’s horizontal test facility. Production overview and the test results of the LQXFA/B02 and LQXFA/B03 cryo-assemblies are summarized in this paper. After the first test, to increase the capability of the horizontal test facility, various improvements have been made. These improvements are also described in this paper.

Chlachidze, Guram [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Real time computations of cryogenic He properties

The Fermilab PIP-II (proton improvement plan - II) project is being constructed at Fermilab to deliver $800\,MeV$ protons of $>1\,MW$ beam power to replace the present LINAC and provide protons to the remainder of the existing accelerator complex. The new LINAC consists of a warm front end, 23 superconducting RF cryomodules, and a beam transfer line to the existing complex. The cryomodules (CMs) are to be tested at Fermilab's CryoModule Test Facility (CMTF).An important measurement in cryogenic testing is the heat load of each CM. Traditionally, at Fermilab, these measurements were made collecting archived data offline and analyzing it. The new control system for PIP-II is being developed with the EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) framework, which allows us to compute the heat load in real time using the HePak library.We are exploring other $He$ properties, such as flow, where flow meters are not available, which can also be calculated in real time and fed back to the cryogenics engineers.This paper details the real time heat load calculation and $He$ flow software developed for CM testing at CMTF, as well as the first results from the prototype HB650 CM. Future plans for 2-phase $LHe$ flow will also be outlined.

Hanlet, Pierrick [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Testing Capabilities for Superconducting Magnets at Fermilab

This presentation will focus on the current testing capabilities for superconducting magnets at Fermilab, highlighting existing systems, recent upgrades, and future plans. The Vertical Magnet Test Facility (VMTF) remains a cornerstone for testing superconducting magnets in R&D applications, maintaining its established capabilities. Stand 4 continues to support the Hi-Lumi AUP production line of magnets in cryostats and has achieved significant improvements through a redesign of lead connections, resolving issues with liquid helium levels and resistance, culminating in a successful endurance test without interruption. Similarly, Stand 7 underwent commissioning and a lead redesign to reduce heat load, while its core testing capabilities remain unchanged. Looking forward, Stand 3 is undergoing a redesign, with plans to restart and begin commissioning by the end of 2025, introducing new features such as background magnetic field testing and upgraded power supplies. Fermilab is also advancing the High Field Vertical Magnet Test Facility (HFVMTF), designed to support the fusion and magnet R&D program, with commissioning scheduled for 2025 and critical components, including the cryostat and power supplies, being delivered. Enhancing all operations, the newly commissioned IB1 cryoplant now offers automated overnight helium production and efficient transfer to a 10,000-liter dewar, streamlining support across all test stands. This talk will provide a comprehensive overview of testing capabilities, and showcasing how Fermilab is advancing its capabilities to meet the evolving demands of superconducting magnet testing.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Facile Tensile Testing Platform for In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy of Nanomaterials

In situ tensile testing using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a powerful technique to probe structure-property relationships of materials at the atomic scale. In this work, a facile tensile testing platform for in situ characterization of materials inside a transmission electron microscope is demonstrated. The platform consists of: 1) a commercially available, flexible, electron-transparent substrate (e.g., TEM grid) integrated with a conventional tensile testing holder, and 2) a finite element simulation providing quantification of specimen-applied strain. The flexible substrate (carbon support film of the TEM grid) mitigates strain concentrations usually found in free-standing films and enables in situ straining experiments to be performed on materials that cannot undergo localized thinning or focused ion beam lift-out. The finite element simulation enables direct correlation of holder displacement with sample strain, providing upper and lower bounds of expected strain across the substrate. The tensile testing platform is validated for three disparate material systems: sputtered gold-palladium, few-layer transferred tungsten disulfide, and electrodeposited lithium, by measuring lattice strain from experimentally recorded electron diffraction data. The results show good agreement between experiment and simulation, providing confidence in the ability to transfer strain from holder to sample and relate TEM crystal structural observations with material mechanical properties.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2025

NDMAS

Overview of Current ART-GCR Data: Fuel Fabrication, Irradiation Monitoring (Fuel & Graphite – near real-time for HDG-1), Post-Irradiation Examination (Fuel & Graphite), Graphite Characterization (Baseline and Irradiated), High Temperature Metals Mechanical Tests, Design, Methods, and Validation Data, Japan Atomic Energy Agency’s High Temperature Test Reactor (HTTR), Argonne National Laboratory’s Natural convection Shutdown heat removal Test Facility (NSTF), Oregon State University’s High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF), Generation IV International VHTR Materials Handbook, Additional related data, and Advanced Test Reactor operations (near real-time).

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Preliminary Design of Engineering-Scale Salt Accident Analysis Facility to Support Molten Salt Reactor Licensing

Systems-level nuclear accident analysis codes for reactor licensing must be validated using experimental data that represent behaviors expected during actual full-scale accidents. Some behaviors may arise from coupled processes and only manifest at large scales. This report presents the preliminary design of the Salt Accident Analysis Facility (SAAF, pronounced “safe”), which is an experimental test facility to be constructed at Argonne that can be used to conduct integrated salt accident tests at an engineering scale. The measurement capabilities of the SAAF are based on previously developed methods and will provide the representative datasets that are needed to support molten salt reactor (MSR) licensing. Details of the design, the processes to be quantified, the measurement techniques for quantifying the processes, the variables that can be adjusted to simulate different accident scenarios, and operational considerations are presented herein. This report provides stakeholders the opportunity to give feedback on the test facility capabilities and planned analyses before it is constructed.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

FY2023 NSTTF Annual Report

The National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF) is a DOE Core Capability and Technology Deployment Center located in Albuquerque, NM. It is operated by Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The NSTTF is the only multi-mission, multi-use, multi-story test facility of its type in the United States. The NSTTF was founded in 1978 and began testing with high heat flux that same year. Over the past 45 years, the NSTTF has been at the forefront of the research, design, fabrication, and testing of many of the critical Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies. These technologies have allowed costs to be dramatically reduced from over $\$ $0.40 /kWh to $\$$0.12 /kWh since the conception of this renewable energy technology. The NSTTF has worked to make the Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) parabolic trough plants successful, while also working with the Solar One and Solar Two facilities for successful implementation. Over the four decades since its founding, the mission of the NSTTF has grown to include new receiver technologies, like our generation 3 falling particle system (G3P3 Tower), optical metrology techniques like SOFAST, molten salt testing, thermal energy storage, solar thermal chemistry, and more. We continue to expand our capabilities in pursuit of the DOE SETO mission and the DOE SunShot 2030 goals: unsubsidized LCOE of $\$$0.05/kWh for CSP that includes 12 or more hours of thermal energy storage. To support both the DOE SETO mission and support the CSP sector as a whole, we are working to develop our operations and maintenance framework to provide a world class testing facility in support of our technological achievements. To accomplish both of these missions, the NSTTF draws on the decades of experience and expertise of our staff along with the world-class facilities at Sandia National Laboratories to further the science of concentrated solar thermal technologies in diverse applications. We remain a trusted partner for high-quality and impactful research in both fundamental and applied arenas. We are able to provide our partners with both one-of-a-kind testing platforms as well as world-class analytics.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ship Motion Testing Needs Evaluation

The American Bureau of Shipping performed an evaluation of national maritime nuclear testing capabilities and determined there currently is an inability to test maritime nuclear power plants in a ship motion environment. A Ship Motion Test Facility (SMTF) is proposed to fill this gap. To inform design of this facility, this report documents an evaluation performed by a panel of technical experts that identifies key physical phenomena associated with maritime nuclear power plant operation that are important to safety and reliability and have a low state of knowledge. This evaluation concluded that all of the major test needs to understand a nuclear plant's behavior in a ship motion environment are for thermal-hydraulics related phenomena. Based on this finding, the evaluation panel concluded that the SMTF would not be required to use nuclear fuel to provide a heat source for the fluids. This would significantly decrease the cost, timeline, and complexity for this test facility to enable the advancement of maritime nuclear technology.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗