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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 577 records · Page 32
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Dual-axis resonance testing of wind turbine blades

An apparatus (100) for fatigue testing test articles (104) including wind turbine blades. The apparatus (100) includes a test stand (110) that rigidly supports an end (106) of the test article (104). An actuator assembly (120) is attached to the test article (104) and is adapted for substantially concurrently imparting first and second forcing functions in first and second directions on the test article (104), with the first and second directions being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis. A controller (130) transmits first and second sets of displacement signals (160, 164) to the actuator assembly (120) at two resonant frequencies of the test system (104). The displacement signals (160, 164) initiate the actuator assembly (120) to impart the forcing loads to concurrently oscillate the test article (104) in the first and second directions. With turbine blades, the blades (104) are resonant tested concurrently for fatigue in the flapwise and edgewise directions.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Photovoltaic Analysis and Response Support (PARS) Platform for Solar Situational Awareness and Resiliency Services

The project's primary objective is to develop a digital-twin based Photovoltaic (PV) Analysis and Response Support (PARS) platform, which aims to provide real-time situational awareness and optimal response plans. This platform is designed to enhance the performance of hybrid PV systems, making them competitive with or even superior to conventional generation resources. The PARS platform enabled the project team to develop and evaluate an extensive suite of grid support functionalities for the hybrid PV systems to enhance grid performance, across key areas including visibility, dispatchability, security, resilience, and reliability. Given the global push toward achieving 100% clean energy by 2035, there is a significant increase in the integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs) throughout the energy grid. Effectively managing the inherent variability and uncertainty associated with IBRs is crucial for ensuring cost-effectiveness, reliability, and security in both the main grid and islanded microgrids. Constrained to a limited array of IEEE test systems or standard feeder models, traditional IBR modeling struggles to assimilate new field data, accurately reflect system dynamics, and adapt to the evolving energy landscape. In our project, we embraced a Digital Twin (DT) strategy for crafting the PARS platform. A digital twin acts as a precise virtual counterpart of a physical system, built on historical data and continuously honed with real-time insights. This enables the high-fidelity DT to accurately mirror current system operations and forecast future scenarios. Consequently, the PARS platform becomes an ideal environment for testing and refining monitoring, control, power, and energy management algorithms designed to boost hybrid PV system performance. The defining feature of the PARS platform, distinguishing it from other advanced simulation tools, is its exceptional adaptability. This is achieved by employing actual network topologies and utilizing real-time field data for fine-tuning and calibration, ensuring a close emulation of real-world conditions. The project deliverables include: 1) High-fidelity IBR models and tools for real-time parameterization, utilizing real-time field measurements to refine IBR models for enhanced accuracy and performance; 2) Grid-forming and Grid-following capabilities to deliver resilience services, including blackstart, voltage and frequency support, cold-load pick-up, power reserves, and three-phase load balancing across grid-connected and microgrid settings; 3) Machine learning-based forecasting tools and methods for generating synthetic data and topologies, creating diverse and realistic simulation environments for evaluating varied operational scenarios; 4) Advanced microgrid power and energy management algorithms for optimizing the integration and operation of PV, storage, and demand response resources within both feeder and community scales. The power grid data sets are provided by four utility companies in North Carolina and the New York Power Administration. Acting as industry advisors, our industry partners communicated stakeholder needs and regulatory standards to the research teams, aiding technology transfer by incorporating the developed methodologies into their daily operations. This collaboration ensures that the PARS platform, functioning as a power system digital twin, enhances our understanding of IBR dynamic behaviors and enables the development and evaluation of IBR control functions that match or exceed the capabilities of conventional synchronous generators.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Design and Evaluation of the LAr Trigger Digitizer Board in the ATLAS Phase-I Upgrade

The Phase-I upgrade of the trigger readout electronics for the ATLAS Liquid Argon (LAr) calorimeters will be installed during the second long shutdown of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2019-2020 which will enable enhanced instantaneous luminosities during LHC Run 3 from 2021 through 2023. In this trigger upgrade, so-called supercells are introduced to provide higher granularity, higher resolution and longitudinal shower shape information from the LAr calorimeters to the Level-1 trigger processors. A new LAr Trigger Digitizer Board (LTDB) will process and digitize up to 320 channels of supercell signals, and transmit them via 40 fiber optical links to the back end where the data are further processed and transmitted to the trigger processors. Five pairs of bidirectional GBT links are used for slow control and monitoring between LTDB and the Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) in the ATLAS Trigger and Data Acquisition (TDAQ) system. Here, the LTDB also outputs 64 summed analog legacy signals to the current Tower Builder Board via a new baseplane. A test system for the production of 124 LTDBs has been developed, supporting configuration and calibration of all ASICs

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Efficient Regeneration of Physical and Chemical Solvents for CO 2 Capture

The objective of this project was to evaluate the use of composite polymer membranes and porous membrane contactors to regenerate physical and chemical solvents for capture of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from synthesis gas or flue gas, with the goal of improving the energy efficiency of carbon capture. Both a chemical solvent (typical for a post-combustion capture of CO 2 from flue gas) and a physical solvent (typical for pre- combustion capture of CO 2 from syngas) were evaluated using two bench-scale test systems constructed for this project. For chemical solvents, polytetrafluoroethylene and polypropylene membranes were found to be able to strip CO 2 from a monoethanolamine (MEA) solution with high selectivity without significant degradation of the material. As expected, the regeneration temperature was the most significant parameter affecting the CO 2 flux through the membrane. Pore size was also found to be important, as pores larger than 5 microns lead to excessive pore wetting. For physical solvents, polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS)-based membranes were found to have a higher CO 2 permeability than polyvinylalcohol (PVOH) based membranes, while also minimizing solvent loss. Overall, however, the recovery of CO 2 in these systems is low – less than 2% for both chemical and physical solvents – primarily due to the small surface area of the membrane test apparatus. To obtain the higher regeneration rates needed for this application, a much larger surface area would be needed. Further experiments using, for example, a hollow fiber membrane module could determine if this process could be commercially viable.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2012

DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGY AND FIELD DEPLOYABLE SAMPLING TOOLS FOR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL INTERROGATION IN LIQUID STORAGE

This project developed methodology and field deployable tools (test kits) to analyze the chemical and microbiological condition of the fuel storage medium and determine the oxide thickness on the spent fuel basin materials. The overall objective of this project was to determine the amount of time fuel has spent in a storage basin to determine if the operation of the reactor and storage basin is consistent with safeguard declarations or expectations. This project developed and validated forensic tools that can be used to predict the age and condition of spent nuclear fuels stored in liquid basins based on key physical, chemical and microbiological basin characteristics. Key parameters were identified based on a literature review, the parameters were used to design test cells for corrosion analyses, tools were purchased to analyze the key parameters, and these were used to characterize an active spent fuel basin, the Savannah River Site (SRS) L-Area basin. The key parameters identified in the literature review included chloride concentration, conductivity, and total organic carbon level. Focus was also placed on aluminum based cladding because of their application to weapons production. The literature review was helpful in identifying important parameters, but relationships between these parameters and corrosion rates were not available. Bench scale test systems were designed, operated, harvested, and analyzed to determine corrosion relationships between water parameters and water conditions, chemistry and microbiological conditions. The data from the bench scale system indicated that corrosion rates were dependent on total organic carbon levels and chloride concentrations. The highest corrosion rates were observed in test cells amended with sediment, a large microbial inoculum and an organic carbon source. A complete characterization test kit was field tested to characterize the SRS L-Area spent fuel basin. The sampling kit consisted of a TOC analyzer, a YSI multiprobe, and a thickness probe. The tools were field tested to determine their ease of use, reliability, and determine the quality of data that each tool could provide. Characterization was done over a two day period in June 2011, and confirmed that the L Area basin is a well operated facility with low corrosion potential.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Transactive Approach for Service Restoration Utilizing Customer Load Flexibility and Grid-Edge Resources: Preprint

This paper develops a transactive energy system model to restore electricity to customers in an isolated distribution system after an outage. The model engages a variety of customer types -- prosumers, flexible loads, critical/noncritical customers, and distributed generators -- as active participants in the restoration process. Unlike many existing transactive approaches, the proposed model is developed for service restoration and accounts for various customer types and their \textit{autonomy} and \textit{privacy} through an iterative approach to determine the optimal market price, while maintaining system-level power flow and voltage constraints. The advantages of the proposed approach are numerically validated on a modified IEEE 123-bus test system.

distributed energy resources↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Transactive Approach for Service Restoration Utilizing Customer Load Flexibility and Grid-Edge Resources

This paper develops a transactive energy system model to restore electricity to customers in an isolated distribution system after an outage. The model engages a variety of customer types -- prosumers, flexible loads, critical/noncritical customers, and distributed generators -- as active participants in the restoration process. Unlike many existing transactive approaches, the proposed model is developed for service restoration and accounts for various customer types and their autonomy and privacy through an iterative approach to determine the optimal market price, while maintaining system-level power flow and voltage constraints. The advantages of the proposed approach are numerically validated on a modified IEEE 123-bus test system.

distributed energy resources↗
DOE OSTI2011

SRF Test Areas Cryogenic System Controls Graphical User Interface

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory has constructed a superconducting 1.3 GHz cavity test facility at Meson Detector Building (MDB) and a superconducting 1.3 GHz cryomodule test facility located at the New Muon Lab Building (NML). The control of these 2K cryogenic systems is accomplished by using a Synoptic graphical user interface (GUI) to interact with the underlying Fermilab Accelerator Control System. The design, testing and operational experience of employing the Synoptic client-server system for graphical representation will be discussed. Details on the Synoptic deployment to the MDB and NML cryogenic sub-systems will also be discussed. The implementation of the Synoptic as the GUI for both NML and MDB has been a success. Both facilities are currently fulfilling their individual roles in SCRF testing as a result of successful availability of the cryogenic systems. The tools available for creating Synoptic pages will continue to be developed to serve the evolving needs of users.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Verification test suite for systems analysis tools

This report documents strategies and test problems to support Verification and Validation (V&V) of the systems analysis tools currently being developed under the Reactor Product Line (RPL) of DOE’s Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program. A suite of verification test cases has been developed. This test suite supports development of new codes as well as maintenance of existing codes. For advanced tools that are under development like RELAP-7 for light water reactor analysis [1] and the MOOSE based component models for SFR (M-SFR) analyses [2], verification of simulation results must be performed throughout the entire development phase. This test suite is also useful for established codes as part of automated testing to ensure that general code maintenance does not change existing results.

Sumner, T.↗
DOE OSTI2020

High-Frequency Signature-Based Fault Detection for Future MV Distribution Grids: Preprint

Increased deployment of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and microgrids are significantly changing the operation of distribution grid. Increasing penetration of power electronics based DERs also raise several operational problems such as protection coordination issues, voltage raise, recloser synchronization, stability, and frequency control. Legacy systems are designed for unidirectional power flow. Bidirectional power flows, and varying short circuit levels are some of the major challenges in implementing these legacy protection schemes for future power grid with high penetration of power electronics based DERs. Inverter based DER’s can contribute to a maximum of 2 p.u. fault current. Interconnection standards might require even lower fault current contribution. If these protection related challenges are not addressed, it will result in limiting the penetration of DERs in distribution feeders. In this paper, the feasibility of high frequency signature generated by transients is evaluated to identify and locate faults in a distribution system. The paper will discuss the need for an accurate line modeling approach to accurately capture the high frequency signatures. These high frequency signatures are naturally occurring electromagnetic transients for events such as switching events in the network, faults events, etc. This is different than that implemented in transmission systems as the proposed approach utilizes advanced signal processing techniques to retrieve valuable information from the high frequency signatures generated during faults and does not just rely on time delay measurements between reflections of the high frequency signals. In the full paper, information of a modified IEEE distribution feeder test system to accurately model the high frequency signatures will be provided. The distribution lines will be modeled using universal line modeling (ULM) technique in an electromagnetic transients program (EMTP) modeling platform. Different test cases will be simulated and these test cases will include different fault types, multiple fault locations, capacitor bank switching, etc. The feeder system modeled for these simulations will also include power electronics based DERs. Additionally, experimental results demonstrating the high frequency signatures generated due to a transient event in a medium voltage (13.8 kV) distribution line will also be presented in the full paper. Furthermore, the analysis combined with simulation and experimental results in the full paper will help demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed protection scheme. The developed protection scheme will not just help solve problems generated by bidirectional current flow, varying short-circuit current capacity, but also help in proliferation of DERs in distribution systems.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
DOE OSTI2018

The Role of Concentrating Solar Power Toward High Renewable Energy Penetrated Power Systems

Achieving high renewable energy penetrated power systems requires considerable operational flexibility to hedge the variability and uncertainty of variable renewable energy (VRE) generation. Compared with VRE sources, concentrating solar power (CSP) is an emerging controllable renewable generation technique that utilizes solar thermal power to generate electricity. The operational dispatchability of CSP would contribute to the power system transition toward high renewable penetration. In this paper, we explore how the generation portfolio will change toward high renewable energy penetrations, how much cost is involved, and what role CSP will play in realizing a high renewable energy penetrated power system. This study relies on a stochastic two-stage generation and transmission expansion planning model with CSP plants. The model captures the uncertainty and variability of renewable generation and the flexibility limits of thermal plants. With the target of achieving a renewable-dominated minimum-cost system with an expected renewable energy penetration level, the investments of both generation and transmission facilities are optimized. A case study on IEEE test systems with renewable technology cost data in 2050 is performed to analyze the value of CSP toward high renewable energy penetrated power systems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Assessment of Prototypic and Closed Loop Operation during Pulse Jet Mixer Tests with Non-Cohesive Solids to Develop Scale-up Relationships

Scaled tests were conducted to develop correlations describing pulse jet mixer (PJM) performance with non-cohesive solids in water. These correlations were developed in scaled test systems that incorporated certain simplified aspects including non-prototypic refill associated with closed-loop operation of the mixing jets. When this test data was compared with experiments that used prototypic PJM refill, a difference in the critical suspension velocity (UCS) was identified. The non-prototypic aspects of the initial testing were reviewed and assessed. The effects of non-prototypic refill associated with the closed loop operation of the jets, previously known to affect solids cloud height, can be described in terms of a modified settling velocity. When the modified settling velocity is incorporated into the physical model, the adjusted new physical model does a better job of predicting UCS results for prototypic PJM refill tests. The adjusted new physical model was bench-marked with data taken during three prototypic drive tests with a mono-disperse simulant, a 3-part medium distribution stimulant and a 5-part broad distribution simulant The applicability of the non-prototypic scale-up behavior to prototypic testing was analyzed. The effects of non-prototypic refill caused measured values of UCS to be somewhat reduced at larger scales. Hence the scale-up exponents for the non-prototypic drive tests are believed to be smaller than they would have been had there been prototypic refill. Estimated scale-up exponents for the prototypic testing were developed for 8 and 12 pulse tube configurations.

comparison between prototypic and simplified drive↗
DOE OSTI2018

Machine Protection System Research and Development for the Fermilab PIP-II Proton Linac

PIP-II is a high intensity proton linac being design to support a world-leading physics program at Fermilab. Initially it will provide high intensity beams for Fermilab's neutrino program with a future extension to other applications requiring an upgrade to CW linac operation (e.g. muon experiments). The machine is conceived to be 2 mA CW, 800 MeV H⁻ linac capable of working initially in a pulse (0.55 ms, 20 Hz) mode for injection into the existing Booster. The planned upgrade to CW operation implies that the total beam current and damage potential will be greater than in any present HEP hadron linac. To mitigate the primary technical risk and challenges associated PIP-II an integrated system test for the PIP-II front-end technology is being developed. As part of the R&D a robust machine protection system (MPS) is being designed. This paper describes the progress and challenges associated with the MPS.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Tank Side Cesium Removal for Hanford Tank Waste - Actual Waste Demonstrations - 20467

The US DOE and its contractors are evaluating several options for treating Hanford tank supernate streams to provide feed for the Low-Activity Waste Facility at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. At this time, the intent is to deploy a Tank-Side Cesium Removal system. The key unit operations for this process are filtration and cesium removal by ion exchange. To assess the anticipated performance of the system, tests with actual waste were performed with samples from Hanford tanks AW-102 and AP-107 to provide basis data regarding the performance of the system in treating these materials. The decanted supernate waste samples from tanks AW-102 and AP-107 were received directly by the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. These samples were then filtered to provide data on dead-end filtration with a Mott{sup TM} filter media grade 5. Subsequently, the samples were run through 10-milliliter ion exchange columns containing crystalline silicotitanate to assess the dynamic ion exchange performance of these feeds. Test results demonstrated that the planned TSCR operations should meet process performance expectations. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2016

Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program: Evaluation of Localized Cable Test Methods for Nuclear Power Plant Cable Aging Management Programs

This Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) milestone report describes progress to date on the investigation of nondestructive test (NDE) methods focusing particularly on local measurements that provide key indicators of cable aging and damage. The work includes a review of relevant literature as well as hands-on experimental verification of inspection capabilities. As NPPs consider applying for second, or subsequent, license renewal (SLR) to extend their operating period from 60 years to 80 years, it important to understand how the materials installed in plant systems and components will age during that time and develop aging management programs (AMPs) to assure continued safe operation under normal and design basis events (DBE). Normal component and system tests typically confirm the cables can perform their normal operational function. The focus of the cable test program is directed toward the more demanding challenge of assuring the cable function under accident or DBE. Most utilities already have a program associated with their first life extension from 40 to 60 years. Regrettably, there is neither a clear guideline nor a single NDE that can assure cable function and integrity for all cables. Thankfully, however, practical implementation of a broad range of tests allows utilities to develop a practical program that assures cable function to a high degree. The industry has adopted 50% elongation at break (EAB) relative to the un-aged cable condition as the acceptability standard. All tests are benchmarked against the cable EAB test. EAB is a destructive test so the test programs must apply an array of other NDE tests to assure or infer the overall set of cable’s system integrity. These cable NDE programs vary in rigor and methodology. As the industry gains experience with the efficacy of these programs, it is expected that implementation practice will converge to a more common approach. This report addresses the range of local NDE cable tests that are or could be practically implemented in a field test situation. These tests include: visual, infrared thermography, interdigital capacitance, indenter, relaxation time indenter, dynamic mechanical analyzer, infrared/near-infrared spectrometry, ultrasound, and distributed fiber optic temperature measurement.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Development of programmable logic in a rapid, automated, and repeatable fashion for safety-related applications - 385

Digital safety platform considerations for power plant modernization or new build efforts involve a burdensome task of implementing a large number of software-based functions onto a designated platform to match the plant's architecture. This problem is not unique to any particular safety-related platform solution, but is prevalent across the landscape of current Qualified and Licensed Safety-related Instrumentation and Control (I and C) Solutions. As an example when implementing a RG 1.97 compliant Post Accident Monitoring System (PAMS) solution with the Lockheed Martin Nuclear Protection and Control (NuPAC) safety platform, 72 unique software loads are needed to configure the Qualified Display System (QDS). Large scale development and customization efforts to upgrade existing plant functions or systems require the licensee to assume the cost and technical risk necessary to undergo a digital based upgrade. Often the cost, schedule, and technical risk outweighed the benefit of modernization efforts due to the unknown hurdles and past projects that overran cost and schedule projections. Lockheed Martin's Engineering Production Suite (EPS) minimizes the licensee risk and expense associated with modernization efforts through a developer's toolkit for rapid, automated, and repeatable development of Programmable Logic used to implement plant functions and architectures for use on the Lockheed Martin NuPAC platform. This paper describes a use case where by EPS can create system level representations, simulate system functions, partition logic designs to accommodate hardware constraints through logic partitioning, automate the assembly of Application Specific Programmable Logic (ASPL), generate system test cases, program the NuPAC hardware, and perform testing throughout the design workflow. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Caution on Using Tetrahydrofuran for Processing Crystalline Silica Samples From Engineered Stone for XRD Analysis

Abstract We conducted laboratory experiments to investigate a suspected effect of tetrahydrofuran (THF) on quantifying crystalline silica in samples collected from working with engineered stone when THF is used to process samples prior to the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Two groups of samples from grinding either engineered stone or granite were simultaneously taken from a laboratory testing system, with one group of samples using THF for processing and another group using muffle furnace for ashing. For each stone type, we also tested four levels of respirable dust loading on the samples by varying the grinding time from 1 to 8 min. Statistical analysis of the experimental results on crystalline silica contents of the two groups of samples showed that the difference between the two methods was not significant (P ≥ 0.05) for the granite at all four levels of respirable dust loading and for the engineered stone at the two levels of respirable dust loading greater than 0.5 mg. However, the crystalline silica content from using THF processing was significantly lower (P = 0.001) than that from using muffle furnace ashing for engineered stone when the respirable dust loading levels were less than 0.5 mg. For the engineered stone dust samples with grinding times of 1 and 2 min, the average respirable dust loading was about 0.19 and 0.34 mg, respectively; while the crystalline silica content from using THF processing was 30.9 and 21.5% lower than that from using muffle furnace ashing, respectively. Since most full-shift samples from field assessments in this industry are expected to have respirable dust loading less than 0.5 mg, muffle furnace or radio frequency plasma ashing should be specified as the preferred sample processing method instead of the THF processing method for quantification of crystalline silica when engineered stone is expected to present to avoid artificially reduced silica content values, which are likely caused by the reactions between THF and the resins in engineered stone.

Public, Environmental & Occupational Health↗