Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “experimental database”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 685 records · Page 38

High Resolution Measurements Reveal Transient Boiling Phenomena under Exponential Heat Inputs

Transient boiling heat transfer is important to the safety of nuclear reactors. Reactivity insertion accidents (RIA) in a nuclear reactor might result in a power excursion in which the heat generation in the fuel rises exponentially with time. The period of the exponential power excursion depends upon the magnitude of the reactivity insertion. The heat generated within the fuel is transferred to the water coolant which then starts to boil. The reactivity feedbacks caused by the heating (Doppler in the fuel and void in the coolant) represent an important mitigation mechanism for such accidents. The time delay between heat generation in the fuel and its transfer to the coolant is key to determining the outcome of the accident, in particular for experimental reactors using highly enriched fissile fuel with a very low Doppler effect. This time delay depends on conduction heat transfer within the fuel, single-phase convective heat transfer and eventually transient boiling heat transfer in the coolant. Although existing transient boiling databases form a highly valuable source of information, sometimes conclusions from different authors are quantitatively and qualitatively in disagreement with each other. This is likely due to differences in experimental setups and also limitations in the accuracy of diagnostics available in those experiments. In order to clarify these discrepancies and shed light on the mechanisms of transient boiling heat transfer, a new experimental study of both pool and flow boiling under exponential power input were carried out respectively. Exponential power escalation periods from 5 ms to 100 ms, bulk temperatures from saturation to 75 K of subcooling and Reynolds number from 25000 to 60000 have been explored at ambient pressure in both pool and flow boiling conditions. What makes this study unique is the use of synchronized state-of-the-art diagnostics such as IR thermometry and high speed video (HSV) which has improved the accuracy of measured quantities, and has provided a new and unique insights into the transient boiling heat transfer, including detection and modeling of the onset of nucleate boiling, better understanding of the transient boiling process and revelation of a new heat transfer mechanism that leads to higher CHF. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Experimental Study of Boundary Layer Flow Control Using an Array of Ramp-Shaped Vortex Generators

The objective of this study was to obtain a database on the flowfield past an array of vortex generators (VGs) in a turbulent boundary layer. All testing was carried out in a low speed wind tunnel with a flow velocity of 29 ft/sec, giving a Reynolds number of 17,500 based on the width of the VG. The flowfield generated by an array of five ramp-shaped vortex generators was examined with hot wire anemometry and smoke flow visualization. The magnitude and extent of the velocity increase near the wall, the penetration of the velocity deficit into the core flow, and the peak streamwise vorticity are examined. Influence of various parameters on the effectiveness of the array is considered on the basis of the ability to pull high momentum fluid into the near wall region.

Hirt, Stefanie M.↗

Towards fast, accurate predictions of RF simulations via data-driven modeling: Forward and lateral models

Three machine learning techniques (multilayer perceptron, random forest, and Gaussian process) provide fast surrogate models for lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) simulations. A single GENRAY/CQL3D simulation without radial diffusion of fast electrons requires several minutes of wall-clock time to complete, which is acceptable for many purposes, but too slow for integrated modeling and real-time control applications. More accurate simulations with fast electron diffusion are even slower, requiring multiple hours of run time with parallel processing. The machine learning models use a database of 16,000+ GEN-RAY/CQL3D simulations for training, validation, and testing. Latin hypercube sampling methods implemented in πScope ensure that the database covers the range of 9 input parameters (n e0 , T e0 , I p , B t , R 0 , n ∥︀ , Z e f f , V loop , P LHCD ) with sufficient density in all regions of parameter space. The surrogate models reduce the computation time from minutes-hours to ms with high accuracy across the input parameter space. Data-driven surrogate models also allow for solving inverse and “lateral” problems. A surrogate model for the inverse problem maps from a desired current drive or power deposition profile to a set of input parameters that would result in such a profile, while a surrogate model for the lateral problem maps from a measured experimental quantity such as hard x-ray emission to a current drive or power deposition profile. In conclusion, the πScope database creation workflow is flexible and applicable to other RF simulation codes such as TORIC.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Leveraging computational genomics to understand the molecular basis of metal homeostasis

Genome-based data is helping to reveal the diverse strategies plants and algae use to maintain metal homeostasis. In addition to acquisition, distribution and storage of metals, acclimating to feast or famine can involve a wealth of genes that we are just now starting to understand. The fast-paced acquisition of genome-based data, however, is far outpacing our ability to experimentally characterize protein function. Computational genomic approaches are needed to fill the gap between what is known and unknown. To avoid misconstruing bioinformatically derived data, which is the root cause of the inaccurate functional annotations that plague databases, functional inferences from diverse sources and contextualization of that evidence with a robust understanding of protein family evolution is needed. Phylogenomic- and comparative-genomic-based studies can aid in the interpretation of experimental data or provide a spark for the discovery of a new function. These analyses not only lead to novel insight into a target protein's function but can generate thought-provoking insights across protein families.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Enabling Modular Autonomous Feedback‐Loops in Materials Science through Hierarchical Experimental Laboratory Automation and Orchestration

Abstract Materials acceleration platforms (MAPs) operate on the paradigm of integrating combinatorial synthesis, high‐throughput characterization, automatic analysis, and machine learning. Within a MAP, one or multiple autonomous feedback loops may aim to optimize materials for certain functional properties or to generate new insights. The scope of a given experiment campaign is defined by the range of experiment and analysis actions that are integrated into the experiment framework. Herein, the authors present a method for integrating many actions within a hierarchical experimental laboratory automation and orchestration (HELAO) framework. They demonstrate the capability of orchestrating distributed research instruments that can incorporate data from experiments, simulations, and databases. HELAO interfaces laboratory hardware and software distributed across several computers and operating systems for executing experiments, data analysis, provenance tracking, and autonomous planning. Parallelization is an effective approach for accelerating knowledge generation provided that multiple instruments can be effectively coordinated, which the authors demonstrate with parallel electrochemistry experiments orchestrated by HELAO. Efficient implementation of autonomous research strategies requires device sharing, asynchronous multithreading, and full integration of data management in experimental orchestration, which to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is demonstrated for the first time herein.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Solubility of U(VI) in chloride solutions. II. The stable oxides/hydroxides in alkaline KCl solutions: Thermodynamic description and relevance in cementitious systems

In this study, the solubility of U(VI) is investigated from undersaturation conditions in 0.1, 0.51, 1.03, 3.31 and 4.58 m KCl–KOH solutions at pHm = 7.5–14.6 (with pH m = –log [H + ] in molal units). All experiments were performed under Ar atmosphere at T = (22 ± 2)°C. XRD, quantitative chemical analysis, SEM–EDS and TG–DTA confirm that K 2 U 2 O 7 ·1.5H 2 O(cr) is the solid phase controlling the solubility in all evaluated systems at pH m ≥ 9.5. Below this pH m and with decreasing KCl concentration, the formation of sub-stoichiometric phases with K:U < 1 is indicated by XRD and solubility data. The concentration of uranium in equilibrium with K 2 U 2 O 7 ·1.5H 2 O(cr) shows a pH-independent behaviour up to pH m ≈ 11 regardless of ionic strength, whereas an increase of the solubility with a well–defined slope of +1 (log [U] vs. pH m ) is observed at pH m ≥11. These results are consistent with the predominance of UO 2 (OH) 3 – and UO 2 (OH) 4 2- species as previously reported in the literature. The combination of solubility data obtained in the present study with K 2 U 2 O 7 ·1.5H 2 O(cr) and the U(VI) hydrolysis scheme reported in Altmaier et al. (2017) yields a solubility product of log *K° s ,0{0.5K 2 U 2 O 7 ·1.5H 2 O(cr)} = (12.0 ± 0.2). SIT ion interaction coefficients for UO 2 (OH) 3 – and UO 2 (OH) 4 2- with K + are derived based on the newly generated experimental data in dilute to concentrated KCl systems and analogy with NaCl systems. This work extends the thermodynamic database available for U(VI) and allows more accurate source term calculations in the context of nuclear waste disposal under boundary conditions where significant K concentrations may be present and redox conditions lie in the stability field of U(VI). Finally, the K 2 U 2 O 7 ·1.5H 2 O(cr) solid phase can be considered to control the solubility of U(VI) in the degradation phase I of cement and cementitious materials.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

A broadly-applicable unified closure relation for Taylor bubble rise velocity in pipes with stagnant liquid

Taylor bubble velocity in slug flow is a closure relation which significantly affects the prediction of liquid holdup (or void fraction) and pressure gradient in mechanistic models of slug flow for oil and gas pipe applications. In this work, we use a validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach to simulate the motion of Taylor bubbles in pipes; the interface is tracked with a Level-Set method implemented in a commercial code. A large numerical database is generated covering the most ample range of fluid properties and pipe inclination angles explored to date (Eo ∊ [10, 700],Mo ∊ [1 x 10 -6 , 5 x 10 3 , and θ ∊ [0°, 90°]). A unified Taylor bubble rise velocity correlation is extracted from that database. The new correlation predicts the numerical database with 8.6% absolute average relative error and a coefficient of determination R 2 = 0.97 and other available experimental data with 13.0% absolute average relative error and R 2 = 0.84 outperforming existing correlations and models.

Mechanics↗

pyEGAF: An open-source Python library for the Evaluated Gamma-ray Activation File

The Evaluated Gamma-ray Activation File (EGAF) is one of the most comprehensive resources for thermal neutron-capture data. This database contains data from prompt gamma activation analysis measurements carried out in a consistent manner using the same experimental configuration at the Budapest Research Reactor for 245 isotopes. Although these valuable datasets have been freely available for many years, one of the drawbacks is the outdated and cryptic Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF) format that is currently adopted for dissemination, making it difficult for users unfamiliar with the format to access and utilize the data contained therein. Furthermore, the ENSDF format does not readily lend itself to modern computational technologies and a parser is required to interpret the complicated mixed-record format. To help overcome these challenges, we have developed a translator to convert the ENSDF-formatted datasets into an open standard JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format enabling accessibility to applications using different programming languages running in different environments. To compliment this effort, we have also developed an open-source software package implemented in Python, pyEGAF, that is designed to interact with the JSON data structures for general purpose access, manipulation, and analysis of the neutron-capture $\gamma$-ray data in EGAF. The new format, together with the pyEGAF library, greatly enhances access to the wider applications community where EGAF data may be useful or is required.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Modeling inclusive electron-nucleus scattering with Bayesian artificial neural networks

We introduce a Bayesian protocol based on artificial neural networks that is suitable for modeling inclusive electron-nucleus scattering on a variety of nuclear targets with quantified uncertainties. Unlike previous applications in the field, which directly parameterize the cross sections, our approach employs artificial neural networks to represent the longitudinal and transverse response functions. In contrast to cross sections, which depend on the incoming energy, scattering angle, and energy transfer, the response functions are determined solely by the energy and momentum transfer to the system, allowing the angular component to be treated analytically. We assess the accuracy and predictive power of our framework against the extensive data in the quasielastic inclusive electron-scattering database. Additionally, we present novel extractions of the longitudinal and transverse response functions and compare them with previous experimental analysis and nuclear ab-initio calculations.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

OPERA models for predicting physicochemical properties and environmental fate endpoints

The collection of chemical structure information and associated experimental data for quantitative structure–activity/ property relationship (QSAR/QSPR) modeling is facilitated by an increasing number of public databases containing large amounts of useful data. However, the performance of QSAR models highly depends on the quality of the data and modeling methodology used. This study aims to develop robust QSAR/QSPR models for chemical properties of environmental interest that can be used for regulatory purposes. This study primarily uses data from the publicly available PHYSPROP database consisting of a set of 13 common physicochemical and environmental fate properties. These datasets have undergone extensive curation using an automated workflow to select only high-quality data, and the chemical structures were standardized prior to calculation of the molecular descriptors. The modeling procedure was developed based on the five Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) principles for QSAR models. A weighted k-nearest neighbor approach was adopted using a minimum number of required descriptors calculated using PaDEL, an open-source software. The genetic algorithms selected only the most pertinent and mechanistically interpretable descriptors (2–15, with an average of 11 descriptors). The sizes of the modeled datasets varied from 150 chemicals for biodegradability half-life to 14,050 chemicals for logP, with an average of 3222 chemicals across all endpoints. The optimal models were built on randomly selected training sets (75%) and validated using fivefold cross-validation (CV) and test sets (25%). The CV Q2 of the models varied from 0.72 to 0.95, with an average of 0.86 and an R2 test value from 0.71 to 0.96, with an average of 0.82. Modeling and performance details are described in QSAR model reporting format and were validated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center to be OECD compliant. All models are freely available as an open-source, command-line application called OPEn structure–activity/property Relationship App (OPERA). OPERA models were applied to more than 750,000 chemicals to produce freely available predicted data on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s CompTox Chemistry Dashboard.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

OPACITY MEASUREMENT AND THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION OF HOT SILICON PLASMA

We report on opacity measurements of a silicon (Si) plasma at a temperature of (72 ± 5) eV and a density of (6.0 ± 1.2) mg cm{sup −3} in the photon energy range of 1790–1880 eV. A 23 μg cm{sup −2} Si foil tamped by 50 μg cm{sup −2} CH layers on each side was heated to a hot-dense plasma state by X-ray radiation emitted from a D-shaped gold cavity that was irradiated by intense lasers. Absorption lines of 1s − 2p transitions of Si xiii to Si ix ions have been measured using point-projection spectroscopy. The transmission spectrum of the silicon plasma was determined by comparing the light passing through the plasma to the light from the same shot passing by the plasma. The density of the Si plasma was determined experimentally by side-on radiography and the temperature was estimated from the radiation flux data. Radiative hydrodynamic simulations were performed to obtain the temporal evolutions of the density and temperature of the Si plasma. The experimentally obtained transmission spectra of the Si sample plasma have been reproduced using a detailed term account model with the local thermodynamic equilibrium approximation. The energy levels, oscillator strengths and photoionization cross-sections used in the calculation were generated by the flexible atomic code. The experimental transmission spectrum was compared with the theoretical calculation and good agreement was found. The present experimental spectrum and theoretical calculation were also compared with the new opacities available in the Los Alamos OPLIB database.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Analyzing high energy physics data using database computing: Preliminary report

A proof of concept system is described for analyzing high energy physics (HEP) data using data base computing. The system is designed to scale up to the size required for HEP experiments at the Superconducting SuperCollider (SSC) lab. These experiments will require collecting and analyzing approximately 10 to 100 million 'events' per year during proton colliding beam collisions. Each 'event' consists of a set of vectors with a total length of approx. one megabyte. This represents an increase of approx. 2 to 3 orders of magnitude in the amount of data accumulated by present HEP experiments. The system is called the HEPDBC System (High Energy Physics Database Computing System). At present, the Mark 0 HEPDBC System is completed, and can produce analysis of HEP experimental data approx. an order of magnitude faster than current production software on data sets of approx. 1 GB. The Mark 1 HEPDBC System is currently undergoing testing and is designed to analyze data sets 10 to 100 times larger.

Baden, Andrew↗

CDM analysis

The C Data Manager (CDM) is an advanced tool for creating an object-oriented database and for processing queries related to objects stored in that database. The CDM source code was purchased and will be modified over the course of the Arachnid project. In this report, the modified CDM is referred to as MCDM. Using MCDM, a detailed series of experiments was designed and conducted on a Sun Sparcstation. The primary results and analysis of the CDM experiment are provided in this report. The experiments involved creating the Long-form Faint Source Catalog (LFSC) database and then analyzing it with respect to following: (1) the relationships between the volume of data and the time required to create a database; (2) the storage requirements of the database files; and (3) the properties of query algorithms. The effort focused on defining, implementing, and analyzing seven experimental scenarios: (1) find all sources by right ascension--RA; (2) find all sources by declination--DEC; (3) find all sources in the right ascension interval--RA1, RA2; (4) find all sources in the declination interval--DEC1, DEC2; (5) find all sources in the rectangle defined by--RA1, RA2, DEC1, DEC2; (6) find all sources that meet certain compound conditions; and (7) analyze a variety of query algorithms. Throughout this document, the numerical results obtained from these scenarios are reported; conclusions are presented at the end of the document.

Larson, Robert E.↗

Propulsion Induced Effects (PIE) Test Program

The Propulsion Induced Effects (PIE) test program is being lead by NASA Ames for Configuration Aerodynamics (CA). Representatives from CA, Technology Integration (TI), Inlet, and the Nozzle ITD's are working with Ames in defining and executing this test program. The objective of the CA 4-14 milestone is to assess the propulsion/airframe integration characteristics of the Technology Concept Airplane (TCA) and design variations using computational and experimental methods. The experimental aspect includes static calibrations, transonic and supersonic wind tunnel testing. The test program will generate a comprehensive database that will include all appropriate wind tunnel corrections, with emphasis placed on establishing the propulsion induced effects on the flight performance of the TCA.

Cappuccio, Gelsomina↗

Nuclear Archival Electronic Database

The Nuclear Archival Electronic Database (NAED) supports a work scope that has been focused on providing a framework for and preserving key experimental programs and experiences which are critical to the licensing basis of currently operating nuclear reactors or which could be used in the safety basis for the next generation of reactors. It aims at preserving the results of experimental programs for the safety of light water cooled and advanced reactors by locating and documenting, to the extent possible, where the experimental test information for these programs has been archived. The NAED is a compilation of the following: (a) list of experiments or experiences categorized by coolant type, (b) results of an information search, and documentation, of the experiments and experiences that are already considered archived and (c) results of a deep dive and interview on a single experimental program or experience. The intent is to use the NAED as a technology source document by reactor vendors, regulators, and utility personnel.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Energies and transition parameters of fusion interest in Cr-like ions between Hf XLIX and Au LVI

Using fully relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock (MCDF) wavefunctions in an active space approximation, we perform systematic calculations of the energies, wavelengths, and lifetimes for the lowest 143 levels belonging to the 3p{sup 6}3d{sup 6} and 3p{sup 5}3d{sup 7} configurations of Cr-like ions between Hf XLIX and Au LVI. Additionally, line strengths, oscillator strengths, and radiative rates for the electric dipole (E1), electric quadrupole (E2), magnetic dipole (M1), and magnetic quadrupole (M2) transitions among these levels are reported. In the calculations, the contributions from Breit interaction (BI) and quantum electrodynamics (QED) corrections to the wave functions are taken into account (the addition of the BI and QED in CI affects both the wave functions and the level energies). For some excited states, there are no other theoretical and/or experimental data to compare with to illustrate the quality of our results/assess the accuracy. A similar calculation has been performed with the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC), using W LI as an example. The results obtained in this work are compared with the data compiled in the Atomic Spectra Database (ASD) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and other available theoretical/experimental information. Satisfactory agreement is found between them. The energies agree within 0.8% with the experimental results, and the M1 transition rates agree within 5% with other theoretical results. The present results are more extensive than those from previous calculations and considerably expand the existing data sets for Cr-like ions. This study should be beneficial for the analysis of experimental spectra and modeling of fusion plasmas.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

The HITRAN2016 Molecular Spectroscopic Database

This paper describes the contents of the 2016 edition of the HITRAN molecular spectroscopic compilation. The new edition replaces the previous HITRAN edition of 2012 and its updates during the intervening years. The HITRAN molecular absorption compilation is composed of five major components: the traditional line-by-line spectroscopic parameters required for high-resolution radiative-transfer codes, infrared absorption cross-sections for molecules not yet amenable to representation in a line-by-line form, collision-induced absorption data, aerosol indices of refraction, and general tables such as partition sums that apply globally to the data. The new HITRAN is greatly extended in terms of accuracy, spectral coverage, additional absorption phenomena, added line-shape formalisms, and validity. Moreover, molecules, isotopologues, and perturbing gases have been added that address the issues of atmospheres beyond the Earth. Of considerable note, experimental IR cross-sections for almost 300 additional molecules important in different areas of atmospheric science have been added to the database. The compilation can be accessed through www.hitran.org. Most of the HITRAN data have now been cast into an underlying relational database structure that offers many advantages over the long-standing sequential text-based structure. The new structure empowers the user in many ways. It enables the incorporation of an extended set of fundamental parameters per transition, sophisticated line-shape formalisms, easy user-defined output formats, and very convenient searching, filtering, and plotting of data. A powerful application programming interface making use of structured query language (SQL) features for higher-level applications of HITRAN is also provided.

HITRAN↗

Establishing Best Practices for X-57 Maxwell CFD Database Generation

The X-57 Maxwell is NASA’s latest electric airplane concept that has been simulated for aerodynamic performance using the structured overset and unstructured grid solvers within the Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) solver framework as well as the unstructured polyhedral grid solver in Star-CCM+ for code-to-code comparison. In order to validate the predictions, comparisons were made between the CFD solutions and experimental data collected in the 12-foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. The simulations are in preparation for the development of a comprehensive aerodynamic database which will assess aircraft performance at a variety of conditions. The findings from these simulations will establish the best practices for mesh resolution, numerical discretization, and turbulence modeling to be used for this database. Preliminary database results have shown that best-practices learned from the initial validation simulations will potentially reduce error in X-57 aerodynamic loads and moments relative to experiment by up to 14%.

Duensing, Jared C.↗