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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 73 records · Page 4

Development of integrated neutronics and thermal analysis capabilities to support design and optimization of fusion engineering demonstration facility systems and blanket design (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

A fusion engineering demonstration facility would be the first step in the commercial fusion plant developmental pathway that aims to be an engineering demonstration of tritium self-sufficiency. One of the primary requirements for tritium self-sufficiency, as well as to ensure low plant tritium release to the external environment, is to minimize the tritium loss through the internal components, which requires accurate predictions of the tritium behavior for a wide range of materials and system conditions. This grant addressed the lack of a comprehensive model which accounts for particular conditions, such as the significance of temperature fields and neutronics information, and the systematic uncertainty quantification of associated material properties that impact tritium generation, utilization, and loss mechanisms in the blanket.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Development of integrated neutronics and thermal analysis capabilities to support design and optimization of fusion engineering demonstration facility systems and blanket design (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

A fusion engineering demonstration facility would be the first step in the commercial fusion plant developmental pathway that aims to be an engineering demonstration of tritium self- sufficiency. One of the primary requirements for tritium self-sufficiency, as well as to ensure low plant tritium release to the external environment, is to minimize the tritium loss through the internal components, which requires accurate predictions of the tritium behavior for a wide range of materials and system conditions. This grant addressed the lack of a comprehensive model which accounts for particular conditions, such as the significance of temperature fields and neutronics information, and the systematic uncertainty quantification of associated material properties that impact tritium generation, utilization, and loss mechanisms in the blanket.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Manual control models of industrial management

The industrial engineer is often required to design and implement control systems and organization for manufacturing and service facilities, to optimize quality, delivery, and yield, and minimize cost. Despite progress in computer science most such systems still employ human operators and managers as real-time control elements. Manual control theory should therefore be applicable to at least some aspects of industrial system design and operations. Formulation of adequate model structures is an essential prerequisite to progress in this area; since real-world production systems invariably include multilevel and multiloop control, and are implemented by timeshared human effort. A modular structure incorporating certain new types of functional element, has been developed. This forms the basis for analysis of an industrial process operation. In this case it appears that managerial controllers operate in a discrete predictive mode based on fast time modelling, with sampling interval related to plant dynamics. Successive aggregation causes reduced response bandwidth and hence increased sampling interval as a function of level.

Crossman, E. R. F. W.↗

A Standard Kinematic Model for Flight Simulation at NASA Ames

A standard kinematic model for aircraft simulation exists at NASA-Ames on a variety of computer systems, one of which is used to control the flight simulator for advanced aircraft (FSAA). The derivation of the kinematic model is given and various mathematical relationships are presented as a guide. These include descriptions of standardized simulation subsystems such as the atmospheric turbulence model and the generalized six-degrees-of-freedom trim routine, as well as an introduction to the emulative batch-processing system which enables this facility to optimize its real-time environment.

Mcfarland, R. E.↗

JPL Innovation Foundry

NASA supports the community of mission principal investigators by helping them ideate, mature, and propose concepts for new missions. As NASA's Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), JPL is a primary resource for providing this service. The environmental context for the formulation lifecycle evolves continuously. Contemporary trends include: more competitors; more-complex mission ideas; scarcer formulation resources; and higher standards for technical evaluation. Derived requirements for formulation support include: stable, clear, reliable methods tailored for each stage of the formulation lifecycle; on-demand access to standout technical and programmatic subject-matter experts; optimized, outfitted facilities; smart access to learning embodied in a vast oeuvre of prior formulation work; hands-on method coaching. JPL has retooled its provision of integrated formulation lifecycle support to PIs, teams, and program offices in response to this need. This mission formulation enterprise is the JPL Innovation Foundry.

foundry↗

NASA's GreenLab Research Facility: A Guide for a Self-Sustainable Renewable Energy Ecosystem

There is a large gap between the production and demand for energy from alternative fuel and alternative renewable energy sources. The sustainability of humanity, as we know it, directly depends on the ability to secure affordable fuel, food, and freshwater. NASA Glenn Research Center (Glenn) has initiated a laboratory pilot study on using biofuels as viable alternative fuel resources for the field of aviation, as well as utilizing wind and solar technology as alternative renewable energy resources. The GreenLab Research Facility focuses on optimizing biomass feedstock using algae and halophytes as the next generation of renewable aviation fuels. The unique approach in this facility helps achieve optimal biomass feedstock through climatic adaptation of balanced ecosystems that do not use freshwater, compete with food crops, or use arable land. In addition, the GreenLab Research Facility is powered, in part, by alternative and renewable energy sources, reducing the major environmental impact of present electricity sources. The ultimate goal is to have a 100 percent clean energy laboratory that, when combined with biomass feedstock research, has the framework in place for a self-sustainable renewable energy ecosystem that can be duplicated anywhere in the world and can potentially be used to mitigate the shortage of food, fuel, and water. This paper describes the GreenLab Research Facility at Glenn and its power and energy sources, and provides recommendations for worldwide expansion and adoption of the facility s concept.

Bomani, B. M. McDowell↗

Enabling real-time adaptation of machine learning models at x-ray Free Electron Laser facilities with high-speed training optimized computational hardware

The emergence of novel computational hardware is enabling a new paradigm for rapid machine learning model training. For the Department of Energy’s major research facilities, this developing technology will enable a highly adaptive approach to experimental sciences. In this manuscript we present the per-epoch and end-to-end training times for an example of a streaming diagnostic that is planned for the upcoming high-repetition rate x-ray Free Electron Laser, the Linac Coherent Light Source-II. We explore the parameter space of batch size and data parallel training across multiple Graphics Processing Units and Reconfigurable Dataflow Units. We show the landscape of training times with a goal of full model retraining in under 15 min. Although a full from scratch retraining of a model may not be required in all cases, we nevertheless present an example of the application of emerging computational hardware for adapting machine learning models to changing environments in real-time, during streaming data acquisition, at the rates expected for the data fire hoses of accelerator-based user facilities.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

JPL Facilities and Software for Collaborative Design: 1994 - Present

The viewgraph presentation provides an overview of the history of the JPL Project Design Center (PDC) and, since 2000, the Center for Space Mission Architecture and Design (CSMAD). The discussion includes PDC objectives and scope; mission design metrics; distributed design; a software architecture timeline; facility design principles; optimized design for group work; CSMAD plan view, facility design, and infrastructure; and distributed collaboration tools.

project design center↗

Establishing Pb-203 production from electrodeposited Tl targets at Brookhaven National Laboratory

Background: Promising developments in Pb-212 radiopharmaceutical therapies have increased demand for Pb-203 diagnostic agents. Building on previous work from various isotope production facilities, this study optimized Pb-203 production from electrodeposited Tl targets at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The additional supply of Pb-203 may help meet growing preclinical and clinical demands. Results: Two Tl targets were irradiated at the Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer facility with 30 ± 1 MeV protons, measured using previously published cross section data. Distribution coefficients for Pb Resin in acetate media were investigated for both Na + and K + cations, where potassium acetate was ~ 4 times more effective at stripping Pb from the Pb Resin. The Tl electrodeposition was optimized to deposit 350 mg of Tl (~ 60 mg/cm 2 ) on Au backing in under 6 h. The proposed separation process was completed in < 1.5 h and achieved > 98% and 92 ± 3% recovery of Tl and Pb, respectively, with an overall Tl-Pb separation factor of 6 × 10 5 . The experimentally measured half-life of Pb-203 was 52.4 ± 0.7 h, agreeing with 51.93 ± 0.02 h reported by the National Nuclear Data Center. The radioisotopic purity of the Pb fraction at 24 h post end of bombardment (EOB) from a 24 h irradiation was 66% Pb-203, 28% Pb-201, and 6% Pb-200. Following chemical separation, the Pb-203 produced in this work (21 MBq Pb-203 EOB) achieved apparent molar activities of 10 ± 5 and 0.9 ± 0.5 GBq/µmol for [ 203 Pb]Pb-DOTAM and [ 203 Pb]Pb-DO3A, respectively, decay corrected to EOB. Data derived from this work suggests BNL can produce > 10’s GBq Pb-203 with > 99% radiochemical and radioisotopic purity from Tl-205 for worldwide distribution. Conclusions: The production and separation of Pb-203 from natural Tl target material was successfully demonstrated at BNL. Existing methods were adapted and optimized for the facilities at BNL. Results from this work will guide future large-scale Pb-203 production opportunities at BNL for clinical applications.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

A holistic approach to the optimization of neutron beam transport at the LANSCE facility

An advanced neutron beam collimation system has been developed as part of an effort to optimize neutron beam transport at the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) Facility, located within the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). The goal of this work was to develop and demonstrate techniques to tailor neutron delivery in order to provide maximum available flux on sample with a specific beam profile, while simultaneously reducing unwanted background. A holistic approach was taken, upgrading the facility spallation target, facility metrology infrastructure, and flight path shutter insert to support the implementation of this advanced collimation system. Here, modern instruments and software were employed to conduct facility surveys, characterization of as-built geometry of critical components, 3D ray tracing and neutron transport calculations. Beam images and flux measurements were acquired after installation to evaluate the performance of the collimation system and to demonstrate consistent agreement with MCNP simulations which showed an 87% increase of flux on sample while providing suppression of background neutron impingement on the sample frame by 10 3 .

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Mission optimization of the Space Infrared Telescope Facility

The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) mission based on a cryogenically cooled telescope is described. The SIRTF makes it possible to perform background limited measurements with three focal plane instruments in the wavelength range 2-700 microns over the entire celestial sphere for at least five years. A telescope performance limited by the natural astrophysical background between 2 to 300 microns is achieved by using a superfluid helium cryogenic system for maintaining the forebaffle temperature below 8 K. The attitude control system based on Extreme Ultra-Violet Explorer reaction wheels meets the large and small angle slew requirements and provides 0.15 arc sec pointing stability. The present HEO baseline configuration has a mass of 4370 kg. The future Titan IV/Centaur launch capability to 100,000 km for a SIRTF-sized payload is at least 5770 kg.

Brooks, Walter F.↗

Biorefinery siting and sizing to achieve the US Billion‐Ton Bioeconomy vision: A case study using a gasification–Fischer–Tropsch process

Achieving a secure, abundant, and affordable energy future requires a robust and adaptable energy strategy, with bioenergy playing a pivotal role. Biomass-based energy presents a promising pathway to use domestic resources while fostering economic opportunities in rural areas. Despite the potential to source more than 1 billion dry short tons of biomass annually in the US, significant infrastructure and economic barriers hinder full utilization for energy production. This study used the Biofuel Infrastructure, Logistics, and Transportation (BILT) model to assess biorefinery siting and scale and determine the number and size of facilities required to maximize use of the US biomass potential. A spatially agnostic approach first assessed the effects of facility capacity and transportation constraints on biomass use. Then, a spatially explicit analysis integrated county-level biomass availability from the US Department of Energy's 2023 Billion-Ton Report and technoeconomic assessments to evaluate different biorefinery deployment scenarios. The results indicate that an optimized mix of facility sizes is essential to leverage biomass resources fully across varying regional production densities to maximize use of the US biomass potential. Larger biorefineries or co-located smaller facilities significantly enhance biomass use while reducing costs through economies of scale. These findings underscore the importance of strategically balancing facility capacity and spatial distribution to optimize the bioenergy supply chain. In conclusion, this study provides critical insights for advancing the US bioenergy economy by aligning biorefinery deployment with biomass resource availability and economic viability.

BILT Model↗

Optimized x-ray emission from 10 ns long germanium x-ray sources at the National Ignition Facility

This study investigates methods to optimize quasi-monochromatic, ~10 ns long x-ray sources (XRS) for time-resolved x-ray diffraction measurements of phase transitions during dynamic laser compression measurements at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). To support this, we produce continuous and pulsed XRS by irradiating a Ge foil with NIF lasers to achieve an intensity of 2 × 10 15 W/cm 2 , optimizing the laser-to-x-ray conversion efficiency. Our x-ray source is dominated by Ge He-α line emission. Here, we discuss methods to optimize the source to maintain a uniform XRS for ~10 ns, mitigating cold plasma and higher energy x-ray emission lines.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Online Optimization of NSLS-II Dynamic Aperture and Injection Transient (Facility Improvement Project)

The Facility Improvement Project (FIP) “Methods of online optimization of NSLS-II storage ring concurrent with user operations” proposed and approved in 2018 is now complete. The first goal is the online optimization of nonlinear beam dynamics to increase the beam lifetime and injection efficiency. We have developed a model-independent optimization technique using advanced algorithms. Using this technique, we increased the NSLS-II dynamic aperture by 20% and reduced the amplitude-dependent tune shift by a factor of two. We applied sextupole optimization to the new high-chromaticity lattice, which has been developed to improve the beam stability and to increase the single-bunch beam intensity. We were able to double the injection efficiency and exceed 90%. The second goal of this project is to provide the top-off injection with minimized perturbations of the beamline user operations. To achieve the transparent injection, we optimize the matching of four storage ring injection kickers reducing the perturbation of the stored beam orbit. The first application of the online optimization resulted in a reduction of the amplitude of residual beam oscillation by a factor of six, from 1300 μm down to 200 μm. Further improvement was limited by the timing jitter of the trigger boards. Then, we replaced all trigger boards with a new design and reduced the timing jitter by a factor of five, from 5 ns down to 1 ns. This upgrade resulted in the injection transient reduction from 200 μm to 120 μm. To optimize the full set of kicker parameters, including the trigger timing, amplitude, and pulse width, we upgraded all kicker power supplies with the capability of tunable waveform width. As a result, we have reduced the injection transient to the limit of 60 μm.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Deconstructing laws of accessibility and facility distribution in cities

The era of the automobile has seriously degraded the quality of urban life through costly travel and visible environmental effects. A new urban planning paradigm must be at the heart of our road map for the years to come, the one where, within minutes, inhabitants can access their basic living needs by bike or by foot. In this work, we present novel insights of the interplay between the distributions of facilities and population that maximize accessibility over the existing road networks. Results in six cities reveal that travel costs could be reduced in half through redistributing facilities. In the optimal scenario, the average travel distance can be modeled as a functional form of the number of facilities and the population density. As an application of this finding, it is possible to estimate the number of facilities needed for reaching a desired average travel distance given the population distribution in a city.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Optimization Of Real-time Capacity Allocation

ORCA is a modeling toolset to accelerate real-time control and optimization of digital twins, including virtual models of facilities, physical facilities, and interconnections to allow optimal control of physical facilities using virtual models. ORCA is enabled by INL's RAVEN and DeepLynx software codes.

Talbot, Paul [Idaho National Laboratory] (00000002↗

Evaluating and optimizing horticultural regimes in space plant growth facilities

In designing innovative space plant growth facilities (SPGF) for long duration space flight, various limitations must be addressed including onboard resources: volume, energy consumption, heat transfer and crew labor expenditure. The required accuracy in evaluating on board resources by using the equivalent mass methodology and applying it to the design of such facilities is not precise. This is due to the uncertainty of the structure and not completely understanding the properties of all associated hardware, including the technology in these systems. We present a simple criteria of optimization for horticultural regimes in SPGF: Qmax = max [M x (EBI)2/(V x E x T], where M is the crop harvest in terms of total dry biomass in the plant growth system; EBI is the edible biomass index (harvest index), V is volume occupied by the crop; E is the crop light energy supply during growth; T is the crop growth duration. The criterion reflects directly on the consumption of onboard resources for crop production. c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗