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Results for “co-optimization”

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

Preemptive optimization of a clinical antibody for broad neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 variants and robustness against viral escape

Most previously authorized clinical antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have lost neutralizing activity to recent variants due to rapid viral evolution. To mitigate such escape, we preemptively enhance AZD3152, an antibody authorized for prophylaxis in immunocompromised individuals. Using deep mutational scanning (DMS) on the SARS-CoV-2 antigen, we identify AZD3152 vulnerabilities at antigen positions F456 and D420. Through two iterations of computational antibody design that integrates structure-based modeling, machine-learning, and experimental validation, we co-optimize AZD3152 against 24 contemporary and previous SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as 20 potential future escape variants. Our top candidate, 3152-1142, restores full potency (100-fold improvement) against the more recently emerged XBB.1.5+F456L variant that escaped AZD3152, maintains potency against previous variants of concern, and shows no additional vulnerability as assessed by DMS. This preemptive mitigation demonstrates a generalizable approach for optimizing existing antibodies against potential future viral escape.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Scheduler Modeling of IBR Plants for Providing Ancillary Services [SWR-25-16]

Inverter-based resources (IBRs) have been integral components of modern power systems and their capability in providing grid services have been widely studied. To promote the deployment of IBR grid services in real utility operation, this software proposes a scheduler model for IBRs. The energy and reserve are co-optimized in day-ahead, various ancillary services, including operating reserve provision, peak load reduction, voltage regulation and power factor control are integrated in the model.

Wang, Xiaofei [National Renewable Energy Laborator↗
DOE OSTI2024

Breakup dynamics in a pressure-swirl injector for urea-water solution applications: A computational study

The co-optimization of in-cylinder combustion and after-treatment technology has become a major aspect in engine design and development, with the goal of meeting the increasingly restrictive emission regulations in the transportation industry. Selective Catalytic Reduction is a robust technology to control the emission of NO x , and the injection of urea in water solution is the exhaust tailpipe is a key aspect of its operation. The proposed work uses high-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics to characterize the atomization dynamics of the liquid jet in relevant cross-flow conditions. The study focuses on a commercial low-pressure (9 bar) pressure-swirl injector which is characterized in its internal geometry through high-resolution X-ray micro-computational tomography. The internal two-phase flow has been modeled according to the volume-of-fluid approach in a large eddy simulation framework and validated against near-nozzle X-ray radiography measurement. Moreover, characterizing the breakup dynamics for the swirling hollow cone formation, and assessing the influence of the cross-flow in the breakup dynamics was completed. The results have been reported proposing Re-Oh maps and probability density functions of the spray kinematics. Higher cross-flow momentum generates an increase in the jet intact length and a reduction of the liquid droplet diameters. The axial momentum of the jet is affected by the cross-flow already in the near-nozzle region, determining a relevant deviation of the spray velocities. In conclusion, this work aims to inform the initialization of Eulerian-Lagrangian spray models through the assignment of droplet kinematics and static one-way coupling between volume-of-fluid results and Lagrangian spray parcels, to be used for system-size domain simulations.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Flat nonlinear optics with intersubband polaritonic metasurfaces

Nonlinear intersubband polaritonic metasurfaces produce some of the strongest second- and third-order nonlinear optical responses reported for condensed matter systems at infrared frequencies. These metasurfaces are fabricated as two-dimensional arrays of nanoresonators from multi-quantum-well semiconductor heterostructures, designed to produce strong nonlinear responses associated with intersubband transitions. By optimally coupling the optical modes of the nanoresonators to vertically polarized intersubband transitions in semiconductor heterostructures, one can boost the nonlinear response associated with intersubband transitions, make intersubband transitions interact with free-space radiation at normal incidence, and hence produce optically thin flat nonlinear optical elements compatible with free-space optical setups. As a result of the strong nonlinear response in these systems, significant nonlinear conversion efficiencies (>0.1 %) can be attained in deeply subwavelength optical films using modest pumping intensities of only 10–100 kW/cm 2 . Subwavelength metasurface thickness relaxes phase-matching constraints limiting the operation of bulk nonlinear crystals. Furthermore, the amplitude and phase of the nonlinear optical response in intersubband polaritonic metasurfaces can be tailored for a specific pump wavelength and a nonlinear process of interest through the co-optimization of quantum engineering of electron states in semiconductor heterostructures and photonic engineering of the metasurface nanoresonators design. Additionally, an applied voltage can dynamically control the amplitude and phase of the nonlinear optical response at a nanoresonator level. Here, we review the current state of the art in this rapidly expanding field, focusing on nonlinear processes supporting second-harmonic generation, saturable absorption, and optical power limiting.

flat optics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Scalable Control Co-design for Resilient-by-Design Cyber Physical Systems

Critical infrastructure networks, such as power and transportation networks, are often modelled as cyber-physical systems. With ever increasing complexity of these systems, there is a need for newer and more relevant metrics and design tools that will co-optimize the physical system components and control policies to guarantee resilience against cyber and natural threats. To this end, a simulation-based control co-design computational framework that will concurrently determine the system and control parameters of a cyber-physical system to meet pre-specified resilience, operational and economic objectives has been developed. The capabilities of the developed co-design engine are demonstrated by designing the physical components and control parameters of a microgrid system that will meet its resiliency objectives when subjected to various cyber and physical threats.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Data-driven Community-centered Resilient Assessment and Planning Toolkit for Nexus of Energy and Water (DCRAPT-NEW)

Urban areas, including Detroit and Pittsburgh, have suffered significant dual outages of the electrical and water infrastructure in the past decade due, in part, to the increasing number of extreme weather events. With increasing temperatures and rainfall intensity, these regions need to prepare for increasing extreme events through community-based energy and water resilience analysis, planning, and enhancement. This project developed a suite of open-source, open-access, community-centered, data-driven assessment and distributed energy resource (DER) and planning tools for energy and water resilience enhancement in urban areas. Through establishing a multi-level community awareness and engagement mechanism and a comprehensive collection of power outage and flooding data, an innovative group of community energy and water resilience assessment and planning tools have been developed for a wide range of users with differing and variable sets of data available to them. The developed tools include (1) DOE EAGLE-I data-driven, deep-learning assisted resilience assessment and DER planning tools at the county level with socioeconomic factors incorporated; (2) Utility annual power outage data-driven tools for long term resilience assessment and DER planning and 15-min power outage data-driven tools for short term resilience assessment and planning; (3) Detailed engineering tools for energy and water systems resilience assessment and planning when the system topology and component fragility curves are available; (4) Alternative Resiliency Metric Calculation that extracts and separates outage and restoration processes; and (5) Co-optimization tools that evaluate the resilience of the power and sewage system and allow users to conduct joint planning with energy and wastewater systems. The developed tools provide planners, decision-makers, and stakeholders with powerful capabilities to systematically evaluate system/community resilience and optimal and actionable guidance for enhancing resilience while prioritizing DER investments. The tools have been used and validated in Detroit and Pittsburgh and can be used in other areas of the nation. In addition, this project will (1) advance the knowledge and applications of machine-learning methods in analyzing and fusing different layers of information and generating meaningful data points such as generating rare weather events; (2) significantly improve the energy and water resilience of the identified communities in Detroit and Pittsburgh and prepare for more frequent and severe weather conditions; (3) help communities assess extreme weather event impacts and address short-term and long-term resilience-related issues The developed tools have been made public via GitHub and demonstrated to community stakeholders and utility companies via the two annual workshops and numerous community engagement meetings. The project outcomes are also disseminated through publications in various journals and conference proceedings, and presentations at top conferences.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Effectively Considering the Distribution System in Integrated Resource Plans

While electricity planning practices vary by state and utility based on utility type and market structure, integrated resource planning (IRP) remains a prominent vehicle — even in states with centrally-organized wholesale electricity markets. IRP focuses on meeting forecasted long-term electricity needs. Typically, utilities have not considered impacts of design and operation of the low-voltage distribution network in IRP. With advanced capabilities of grid-edge technologies to generate and store electricity and provide load flexibility, and large utility investments in distribution systems, it's increasingly important to consider at least some distribution planning elements in IRP. This report considers the value proposition for doing so, such as reducing utility costs through resource co-optimization and strategic siting of grid-edge resources, and idenfities the most important touchpoints between planning for bulk power and distribution systems and provide a range of tactics for integrating these two processes.

Relf, Grace [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory↗
NASA NTRS2002

COBRA Main Engine Project

The COBRA (CO-Optimized Booster for Reusable Applications) project include the following: 1. COBRA main engine project team. 2. COBRA and RLX cycles selected. 3. COBRA proto-type engine approach enables mission success. 4. COBRA provides quick, low cost demo of cycle and technologies. 5. COBRA cycle I risk reduction supports. 6. Achieving engine safety. 6. RLX cycle I risk reduction supports. 7. Flight qualification. 9. Life extension engine testing.

Snoddy, Jim↗
NASA NTRS2019

Renewable Energy Contingencies in Power Systems: Concept and Case Study

This paper introduces the concept of renewable energy contingencies that represent long-term/extended variability of variable renewable energy (VRE) resources, namely, significant periods (e.g., days/weeks) of low wind/solar availability. These contingencies have not received much attention to date but are likely to emerge as a major issue in some countries such as India as the share of VRE increases. Using 38 years of climate model reanalysis data for wind over India, we demonstrate that low periods of wind contingency below long-term (Indian) national average of 5 m/s can extend for more than 100 days in several zones some of which are deploying large wind farms. Even in some of the best wind resource areas in India with long term average wind speed close to 7 m/s, low wind days (e.g., 5 m/s which is substantially below average) can extend up to 60 days. We propose a four-step methodology around a co-optimization based energy-ancillary services dispatch model to assess the impact of renewable contingency and implemented it for the state of Tamil Nadu, the most wind-rich state of India. We have estimated that annual renewable contingency cost impact of 5 GW additional wind in Tamil Nadu to be in the range of US$27-76 million pa. Planning analysis should embrace the concept of renewable contingency to recognize these costs and put in place necessary spinning reserve and back-up generation resources.

Mohar Chattopadhyay↗
NASA NTRS2020

Parametric Cost Estimates of Four 20 Ton Payload Mars EDL Vehicle Concepts

Cost is one of the biggest obstacles to sending humans to Mars. Many studies have examined various vehicles and/or technologies which could be used to send humans to Mars. However, nearly all of these studies have either ignored cost or have used the mass of the vehicles as a surrogate for cost. This work presents parametric cost estimates of four Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing vehicle concepts capable of landing 20 tons of payload on the surface of Mars. The concepts are the Co-Optimization Blunt-body Re-entry Analysis-Mid lift to drag ratio Rigid Vehicle (Cobra–MRV), Adaptive Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT), Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD), and Capsule concepts. Two variants of the HIAD concept are studied, one with a single HIAD heatshield and one with two HIADs. The study presents the development and production cost of each vehicle and the total cost to build five flight units and fifteen flight units. Five flight units is representative of a single mission, or a "Flags and Footprints" style campaign, whereas fifteen flight units is representative of multiple missions going to multiple sites on Mars. All costs presented in this work are normalized to the average of the first unit production cost of the lander concepts. There is a large amount of uncertainty both in the design of the vehicles and the cost of the vehicles and it is impossible to claim with certainty which vehicle will cost the least. However, it is likely that the total cost to produce five flight units will be in the following ranking from least costly to most costly, Single HIAD, Capsule, Dual HIAD, Cobra, ADEPT. The ranking for fifteen units is similar but with the positions of the Dual HIAD and Cobra reversed. This study only considers the cost of the entry vehicle and does not take into account the effect of the entry vehicle’s mass on the cost of the in-space propulsion stage or launch vehicle.

Paul D Friz↗
NASA NTRS2018

Architecture for Space-Based Exoplanet Spectroscopy in Mid-Infrared

Characterizing exoearths at wavelength about 10 micron offers many benefits over visible coronagraphy. Apart from providing direct access to a number of significant bio-signatures, direct-imaging in the mid-infrared can provides 1000 times or more relaxation to contrast requirements while greatly shortening the time-scales over which the system must be stable. This in-turn enables tremendous relief to optical manufacturing, control and stability tolerances bringing them inline with current technology state of the art. In this paper, we explore a reference design that co-optimizes a large segmented linearized aperture telescope with one-dimensional phase-induced aperture apodization providing high-contrast imaging for spectroscopic analysis. By rotating about a parent star, the chemical signatures of its planets are characterized while affording additional means for background suppression.

Vasisht, Gautam↗
NASA NTRS2019

Hybrid chemical-electric trajectories for a Mars Sample Return orbiter

The Earth return orbiter component of a Mars sample return campaign is a high total impulse mission with challenging timeline constraints. These competing demands mean a hybrid chemical-electric propulsion architecture may be needed for a feasible design, with chemical propulsion providing timely impulse and electric propulsion providing high volume impulse. We describe an approach to map out the hybrid trajectory design space and create a database to use in conjunction with a spacecraft design tool, enabling co-optimization of trajectory and spacecraft. This method is applied to both the outbound and inbound legs of a Mars sample return mission concept.

Lock, Rob↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Evaluation of CFD Predictions of CobraMRV Control Surface Effectiveness at the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel

The ability of CFD simulations to serve as a surrogate for wind tunnel testing at high supersonic speeds has been evaluated for a sub-scale model of the Co-Optimization Blunt-body Re-entry Analysis-Mid-lift-to-drag Rigid Vehicle (CobraMRV) human Mars entry vehicle concept. The vehicle was tested at the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) at the NASA Langley Research Center under flow conditions and surface control configurations relevant to the entry stage of a flight mission. The CFD simulations were performed prior to gaining access to test results in order to assess how blind predictions obtained using best practices compare to experiments. Solutions of empty tunnel simulations were used as inflow boundary condition for the CobraMRV simulations in a truncated portion of the test section. Different solvers and turbulence models were used by separate teams to assess sensitivity to numerical methods, physics, and users. After release of the test results, the pre-test computations were compared to the experimental results, and additional analyses have been conducted to explain observed discrepancies. The amount of time and resources dedicated to each phase of the computational work was logged for comparison to that required for wind tunnel tests, and to inform planning of future CFD data base development projects.

ARMD↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Planar Investigation of a CobraMRV Reentry Flowfield Using Pulse-Burst, Cross-Correlation DGV

The flowfield around a Co-Optimization Blunt-body Reentry Analysis Mid-lift/drag-ratio Rigid Vehicle (CobraMRV) vehicle is investigated with a combination of high-speed planar laser Mie scattering (PLMS) and pulse-burst cross-correlation Doppler global velocimetry (PB-CC-DGV). Tests were conducted in the NASA Langley 4-foot Supersonic Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) over a range of different tunnel operating conditions and model configurations. Results indicate a complex shock-boundary layer interaction. Scalar information extracted from the PLMS show the evolution of the bow shock structure, while streamwise velocity measurements indicate the spatial evolution of the shock-boundary layer interaction including the growth of the separation shock foot and eventual reacceleration of the flow at farther downstream locations. Assessment of multiple cases show strong Mach and Reynolds numbers driven effects on the character of the shock-boundary layer interactions. Measurement uncertainties ranged from 50 to 150 m/s throughout the region of interest, driven largely by angular uncertainties and instabilities in the laser pointing. The mean accuracy of the freestream measurements was found to be 5.2-percent of tunnel predicted values.

Laser↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Preliminary Electric Motor Drivetrain Optimization Studies for Urban Air Mobility Vehicles

Abstract- Electric and hybrid electric aircraft require high performance and reliable electric motor drivetrains. These drivetrains, consisting of a motor, an inverter, a gearbox, and a thermal management system, are highly coupled systems where the design of individual components in the drivetrain will significantly affect the sizing and performance of the other components in the system. In this paper, a preliminary co-optimization tool for electric motor drivetrains for Urban Air Mobility vehicles is presented. An example study with the tool is completed for NASA’s RVLT quadrotor concept vehicle.

Thomas Tallerico↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Preliminary Electric Motor Drivetrain Optimization Studies for Urban Air Mobility Vehicles

Electric and hybrid electric aircraft require high performance and reliable electric motor drivetrains. These drivetrains, consisting of a motor, an inverter, a gearbox, and a thermal management system, are highly coupled systems where the design of individual components in the drivetrain will significantly affect the sizing and performance of the other components in the system. In this paper, a preliminary co-optimization tool for electric motor drivetrains for Urban Air Mobility vehicles is presented. An example study with the tool is completed for NASA’s RVLT quadrotor concept vehicle.

Thomas Tallerico↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Parametric Optimization of Rigid Wheels for Planetary Surface Mobility Applications

Design-Build-Test approaches for spaceflight hardware are time and cost intensive, which can result in suboptimal mechanism designs. Optimization-based approaches that utilize high-fidelity models and physics simulation could overcome these limitations while simultaneously speeding up the mechanical design process and reducing cost. In this work, we present a toolchain that enables the multi-objective optimization of rigid rover wheels for planetary surface mobility applications. The toolchain uses Chrono’s Continuous Representation Model (CRM) functionality to simulate granular soil and performs multi-objective parametric optimization on candidate rover wheels to meet a desired performance criterion. The resulting wheel design is then evaluated experimentally using a single-wheel testbed. We end with a discussion of how the toolchain can be extended to simultaneously co-optimize other system parameters, such as system power consumption and feedback control gains.

Optimization↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Systematic Review on Coordinated Restoration Strategies for Power Distribution Grids

Power distribution grids are increasingly exposed to High-Impact Low-Probability (HILP) events, which cause widespread disruptions with severe societal and economic impacts. The growing complexity of modern grids, driven by the integration of distributed energy resources and smart grid technologies, has introduced new challenges to effective service restoration. While significant research has explored individual restoration strategies, such as network reconfiguration and microgrid formation, limited attention has been given to methods in which they can be effectively coordinated. Furthermore, the absence of systematic review papers addressing this issue hampers the development of cohesive restoration frameworks capable of addressing the operational complexities of modern grids. This paper presents a systematic review synthesizing existing knowledge on power grid restoration, identifying key limitations, and highlighting opportunities for coordinated strategies. By addressing research gaps and emphasizing the integration of diverse approaches, this study provides critical insights for advancing grid resiliency and recovery, offering a foundation for future research and practical applications in the face of HILP events.

Systematic review↗