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At least 811 records · Page 45

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Wireless Charging of Electric Vehicles - CRADA Report

Wireless power transfer (WPT) is a paradigm shift in electric-vehicle (EV) charging that offers the consumer an autonomous, safe, and convenient option to conductive charging and its attendant need for cables. With WPT, charging process can be fully automated due to the vehicle and grid side radio communication systems, and is non-contacting; therefore issues with leakage currents, ground faults, and touch potentials do not exist. It also eliminates the need for touching the heavy, bulky, dirty cables and plugs. It eliminates the fear of forgetting to plug-in and running out of charge the following day and eliminates the tripping hazards in public parking lots and in highly populated areas such as shopping malls, recreational areas, parking buildings, etc. Furthermore, the high-frequency magnetic fields employed in power transfer across a large air gap are focused and shielded, so that fringe fields (i.e., magnetic leakage/stray fields) attenuate rapidly over a transition region to levels well below limits set by international standards for the public zone (which starts at the perimeter of the vehicle and includes the passenger cabin). Oak Ridge National Laboratory s approach to WPT charging places strong emphasis on radio communications in the power regulation feedback channel augmented with software control algorithms. The over-arching goal for WPT is minimization of vehicle on-board complexity by keeping the secondary side content confined to coil tuning, rectification, filtering, and interfacing to the regenerative energy-storage system (RESS). This report summarizes the CRADA work between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Toyota Research Institute of North America, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America (TEMA) on the wireless charging of electric vehicles which was funded by Department of Energy under DE-FOA-000667. In this project, ORNL is the lead agency and Toyota TEMA is one of the major partners. Over the course of the project, ORNL and Toyota TEMA worked closely on the vehicle integration plans, compatibility, and the interoperability of the wireless charging technology developed by ORNL for the vehicles manufactured by Toyota. These vehicles include a Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid electric vehicle, a Scion iQ electric vehicle, and two Toyota RAV4 electric vehicles. The research include not only the hardware integration but also the controls and communication systems development to control and automate the charging process for these vehicles by utilizing a feedback channel from vehicle to the stationary unit for power regulation.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

DOE Repository Metadata Profile (DRMP): A Metadata Framework for Advancing Interoperability and AI Readiness Across Scientific Repositories

The Department of Energy (DOE) funds a diverse and distributed ecosystem of repositories that steward scientific data, publications, and software across its research programs, user facilities, and national laboratories. While significant progress has been made in standardizing dataset-level metadata, the metadata describing repositories themselves (their identity, governance, access interfaces, policies, and technical capabilities) remains inconsistent and fragmented across DOE-funded systems. This variability limits discoverability, interoperability, automated validation, and AI-driven analysis, all of which are increasingly essential for modern scientific workflows. To address this gap, the DOE Data Curation Working Group (DCWG) developed the DOE Repository Metadata Profile (DRMP). The DRMP is a practical, community-driven framework that defines how repositories can describe themselves in a consistent, machine-actionable, and scalable manner. The DRMP is not a new metadata schema. Instead, it is a mapping profile and structured element set capturing the essential characteristics of DOE repositories. It harmonizes repository-level metadata across six widely adopted community schemas: RE3Data; DCAT-US v3; Schema.org; Dublin Core; DataCite 4.6; and PREMIS 3.0. This harmonization eliminates reinvention and enables interoperability within DOE and across the broader scientific ecosystem. A core objective of the DRMP is to reduce burden on repositories by allowing them to reuse their existing metadata through a Rosetta-style crosswalk rather than redesigning local implementations. The profile introduces a three-level conformance model that supports incremental adoption: • Level 1 – Minimum Viable Record (MVR): foundational identification elements required for workflows, project registration, and basic repository presence. • Level 2 – Interoperable: structured metadata enabling alignment with national and international discovery systems. • Level 3 – AI-Ready: enhanced provenance, policy transparency, fixity, semantic context, and capabilities that support automated reasoning, model training governance, and machine-assisted curation. To support implementation, the DRMP includes JSON Schema definitions, OpenAPI patterns, and MCP templates that allow repositories to publish machine-readable metadata directly within existing platforms. These resources are modular and lightweight, enabling adoption without major architectural change. Adopting the DRMP enables repositories to: • Enhance discoverability and interoperability by aligning identifiers, classifications, and descriptive elements across widely used schema standards. • Support federated discovery and cross-registration across DOE systems, Data.gov, and international catalogs. • Enable AI agents and workflow orchestration systems to interpret repository-level metadata within the American Science Cloud (AmSC) through Model Context Protocol (MCP)-based context publication. • Demonstrate alignment with DOE’s open science, stewardship, and FAIR data priorities. This guidance represents a community-driven step forward. Through voluntary adoption and continued feedback, the DRMP advances a cohesive, machine-actionable description of DOE repositories that supports FAIR data practices, preparing the infrastructure for AI-enabled research, and strengthening the discoverability and reuse of DOE’s scientific outputs.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Testing the Common Platform LLRF with a 197 MHz NCRF Cavity

The Common Platform is the hardware that will support the new LLRF platform to be used for the Electron-Ion Collider. The Common Platform features a carrier board that is used to interface with a variety of daughter for different applications. This paper details the testing that was done using the Common Platform and an RF Digitizer Daugther Board. Firstly, the firmware and software development is discussed followed by a description of the controls algorithms used in the testing. Then, testing and verification of the platform with a 197 MHz NCRF cavity is discussed. The paper concludes with results from the testing and the path forward.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Slow control and TDAQ systems installation and tests in the Mu2e experiment

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab will attempt to detect a coherent neutrinoless conversion of a muon into an electron in the field of an aluminum nucleus, with a sensitivity that is 10,000 times greater than existing limits. The Mu2e trigger and data acquisition system (TDAQ) uses the otsdaqframework as its online Data Acquisition System (DAQ) solution. Developed at Fermilab, otsdaq integrates several components, such as an artdaq-based DAQ, an art-based event processing, and an EPICS-based detector control system (DCS), and provides a uniform multi-user interface toits components through a web browser. The data streams from the Mu2e tracker and calorimeter are handled by the artdaq-based DAQ and processed by a one-level software trigger implemented within the art framework. Events accepted by the trigger have their data combined, post-trigger, with the separately read-out data from the Mu2e Cosmic Ray Veto system. The foundation of Mu2e DCS, EPICS, an Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System, is an open-source platform for monitoring, controlling, alarming, and archiving. Over the last three years, a prototype ofthe TDAQ and DCS systems has been built and tested at Fermilab’s Feynman Computing Center.Currently, the production system installation is underway. At the end, this work presents a brief update on the installation of racks and DAQ hardware.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

A global R&D storage platform implementing distributed Quality of Service [PowerPoint]

The objectives of the program include: Provide facility R&D to match software R&D; Providing a federated system for the optimization of the various storage types (QoS) and reduction of the required manpower to operate storage; and, ''Data lake'': Hiding complexity behind common interfaces and leave it to the distributed lake infrastructure to solve those issues, being: Transpareent change of storage technologies (time, price); and, Data available for low latency access when needed (staging) and safely archived if configured (Long term archive).

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

NDMAS implementation and data qualification for accident tolerant fuel experiments

In order to meet quality and regulatory requirements associated with the U.S. Department of Energy Accident Tolerant Fuels (ATF) experiments, all data and documentation associated with ATF component fabrication, characterization, traceability, testing and post irradiation examination are being managed using the Nuclear Data Management and Analysis System (NDMAS). NDMAS melds commercial off-the-shelf software to provide the full range of needed functionality. The core component of NDMAS is the SAS Enterprise Business Intelligence software, which provides data manipulation, statistical and graphical capabilities, and delivery of live content to web pages. Content delivery to both Idaho National Laboratory researchers and external users via a web interface is managed using SharePoint, which is access-controlled. Additionally, scripts, macros, and commercial wrappers may be used or written by the NDMAS team to control interfaces between SAS and the structured query language server, where much of the data reside. ATF experiment data and documentation stored in the NDMAS database may be utilized to support Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing of ATF concepts for commercial Light Water Reactor demonstration. Therefore, Data Qualification Plans are being developed to screen and tag all document and data input for ATR water loop testing, Transient Reactor Testing (TREAT), and post irradiation examination. A project-wide document library has been created in the ATF NDMAS SharePoint Site for general unrestricted document and information access. Restricted libraries have also been created to allow individual customer access to restricted documents. Data from ATR water loop instrumented lead experimentation, TREAT, and post-irradiation examination will be available to program participants on the SharePoint site as they are collected. This offers a unique capability for team collaboration while these tests are being conducted. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Integrated Optimization and Control of a Hybrid Gas Turbine/sCO 2 Power System

During phase-I, the project team led by Echogen Power Systems (EPS) had two primary objectives based on investigating the application of gas turbines with supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2 ) power cycles. The first objective was to improve the overall efficiency and performance of a hybrid gas turbine/sCO 2 power system through a joint optimization of the two subsystems (gas turbine and sCO 2 power cycle) using non-linear optimization techniques that simultaneously evaluate thermal performance of the combined cycle. The hybrid power system included several points of interaction, including (but not limited to) gas turbine exhaust, fuel heating, inlet chilling and turbine cooling. The second objective was to establish a baseline transient response model of the hybrid power system and a notional microgrid and begin steps to integrate the control systems of the three major elements (gas turbine, sCO 2 cycle and grid controller). The project team established a baseline performance for a combined cycle power plant using a production gas turbine and scaled sCO 2 power cycle only utilizing exhaust heat recovery. Echogen’s non-linear techno-economic optimization code was extended by adding gas turbine component models derived from a in-house developed gas turbine design code. With the two cycles coupled by the gas turbine exhaust, design parameters of both cycles were allowed to vary simultaneously to determine performance opportunity versus isolated designs. Returning to the baseline gas turbine/sCO 2 power cycle transient models: Echogen had in-house developed sCO 2 cycle transient model in GT-Suite system simulation software, and had partnered with Siemens Finspång for gas turbine transient model, and Siemens PTI group to provide micro-grid load profile as well as hybrid power cycle generated load (power and frequency) analysis. The transient model for the SGT-750 Siemens gas turbine was a “black-box” functional mock-up interface (FMI) model developed by Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery in Finspång, Sweden. The SGT-750 is a twin-shaft gas turbine that produces 40 MW electricity with an efficiency of about 40% at ISO conditions. At 100% gas turbine throttle (load), the SGT-750 has average exhaust conditions of 114.6 kg/s and 469.8°C. The transient model for sCO 2 power cycle was developed by Echogen in GT-SUITE 1D system simulation software platform. The basic CO 2 flow circuit has single-shaft turbomachinery with net 11.5 MW electrical power output at design conditions. The power turbine has a double-ended shaft with one end connected to synchronous generator through a fixed-ratio gearbox. The other end of power turbine is connected to the compressor through a continuously variable transmission. The major components of the sCO 2 power cycle modeled include air cooled condenser/cooler, CO 2 compressor, recuperator, two waste heat exchanger coils, power turbine, continuous variable transmission, gearbox and generator. Integration of SGT-750 transient model and sCO 2 power cycle transient model was done in Matlab Simulink. In the integrated model, the gas turbine and sCO 2 power cycle interacted at two points, first one being the gas turbine exhaust gas flow rate and temperature, which were inputs to sCO 2 power cycle model. The second point was the distribution of micro-grid load demand signal between the SGT-750 generator and sCO 2 cycle generator. For a given combined-cycle load demand, the gas turbine load demand was equal to the total demand minus the sCO 2 cycle power generated. In the present study the integrated model was simulated for two cases of grid load demand: (i) for a step change, both positive-step and negative-step, in grid load demand (ii) for a micro-grid load demand curve provided by Siemens PTI group. Finally, the time series plots representing load demand versus integrated system response were presented including the sCO 2 power cycle control system performance plots. The actual generated power and frequency of both the generators, gas turbine and sCO 2 power cycle, was supplied to Siemens PTI group for dynamic grid assessment, results of which are provided in appendices.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

Numerical Simulation of Solidification of Colloids Inside a Differentially Heated Cavity

Development of the solid–liquid interface, distribution of the particle concentration field, as well as the development of thermosolutal convection during solidification of colloidal suspensions in a differentially heated cavity are investigated. The numerical model is based on the one-fluid mixture approach combined with the single-domain enthalpy porosity model for phase change, and it is implemented in FLUENT software package. The linear dependence of the liquidus and solidus temperatures with the concentration of the nanoparticles was assumed. A colloidal suspension consisting of water and copper or alumina nanoparticles were considered. In the current investigation, the nanoparticle size selected was 5 and 2 nm. The suspension was solidified unidirectionally inside a square differentially heated cavity that was cooled from the left side. It was found that the solid–liquid interface changed its morphology from a planar shape to a dendritic one as the solidification process proceeds in time, due to the constitutional supercooling that resulted from the increased concentration of particles at the solid–liquid interface rejected from the crystalline phase. Initially, the flow consisted of two vortices rotating in opposite directions. However, at later times, only one counter clockwise rotating cell survived. Changing the material of the particle to alumina resulted in crystallized phase with a higher concentration of particles. If it is compared to that of the solid phase resulted from freezing the copper–water colloidal suspension. Furthermore, decreasing the segregation coefficient destabilizes the solid–liquid interface and increases the intensity of the convection cell with respect to that of the case of no particle rejection. At slow freezing rates, the resulting crystal phase consisted of lower particle content compared to the case of higher freezing rate.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

RAVEN Theory Manual

RAVEN is a software framework able to perform parametric and stochastic analysis based on the response of complex system codes. The initial development was aimed at providing dynamic risk analysis capabilities to the thermohydraulic code RELAP-7, currently under development at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Although the initial goal has been fully accomplished, RAVEN is now a multi-purpose stochastic and uncertainty quantification platform, capable of communicating with any system code. In fact, the provided Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) allow RAVEN to interact with any code as long as all the parameters that need to be perturbed are accessible by input files or via python interfaces. RAVEN is capable of investigating system response and explore input space using various sampling schemes such as Monte Carlo, grid, or Latin hypercube. However, RAVEN strength lies in its system feature discovery capabilities such as: constructing limit surfaces, separating regions of the input space leading to system failure, and using dynamic supervised learning techniques. The development of RAVEN started in 2012 when, within the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program, the need to provide a modern risk evaluation framework arose. RAVEN’s principal assignment is to provide the necessary software and algorithms in order to employ the concepts developed by the Risk Informed Safety Margin Characterization (RISMC) program. RISMC is one of the pathways defined within the Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program. In the RISMC approach, the goal is not just to identify the frequency of an event potentially leading to a system failure, but the proximity (or lack thereof) to key safety-related events. Hence, the approach is interested in identifying and increasing the safety margins related to those events. A safety margin is a numerical value quantifying the probability that a safety metric (e.g. peak pressure in a pipe) is exceeded under certain conditions. Most of the capabilities, implemented having RELAP-7 as a principal focus, are easily deployable to other system codes. For this reason, several side activates have been employed (e.g. RELAP5-3D, any MOOSE-based App, etc.) or are currently ongoing for coupling RAVEN with several different software. The aim of this document is to provide a set of commented examples that can help the user to become familiar with the RAVEN code usage.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

A Lyapunov Function Based Remedial Action Screening Tool Using Real-Time Data

This report summarizes the outcome of a research project that comprised the development of a Lyapunov function based remedial action screening tool using real-time data (L-RAS). The L-RAS is an advanced computational tool that is intended to assist system operators in making real-time redispatch decisions to preserve power grid stability. The tool relies on screening contingencies using a homotopy method based on Lyapunov functions to avoid, to the extent possible, the use of time domain simulations. This enables transient stability evaluation at real-time speed without the use of massively parallel computational resources. The project combined the following components. 1. Development of a methodology for contingency screening using a homotopy method based on Lyapunov functions and real-time data. 2. Development of a methodology for recommending remedial actions based on the screening results. 3. Development of a visualization and operator interaction interface. 4. Testing of screening tool, validation of control actions, and demonstration of project outcomes on a representative real system simulated on a Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) cluster. The project was led by Michigan State University (MSU), where the theoretical models including homotopy-based screening, trajectory correction using real-time data, and remedial action were developed and implemented in the form of research-grade software. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) contributed to the development of energy margin sensitivity dynamics, which constituted a part of the remedial action portfolio. Florida State University (FSU) and Southern California Edison (SCE) developed a model of the SCE system that was implemented on FSU's RTDS cluster to simulate real-time data that was streamed over the internet to MSU where the L-RAS tool was executed and remedial actions were communicated back to FSU to execute stabilizing controls on the simulated system. LCG Consulting developed the visualization and operator interaction interface, based on specifications provided by MSU. The project was performed from October 2012 to December 2016, at the end of which the L-RAS tool, as described above, was completed and demonstrated. The project resulted in the following innovations and contributions: (a) the L-RAS software prototype, tested on a simulated system, vetted by utility personnel, and potentially ready for wider testing and commercialization; (b) an RTDS-based test bed that can be used for future research in the field; (c) a suite of breakthrough theoretical contributions to the field of power system stability and control; and (d) a new tool for visualization of power system stability margins. While detailed descriptions of the development and implementation of the various project components have been provided in the quarterly reports, this final report provides an overview of the complete project, and is demonstrated using public domain test systems commonly used in the literature. The SCE system, and demonstrations thereon, are not included in this report due to Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII) restrictions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Early experiences evaluating the HPE/Cray ecosystem for AMD GPUs

Summary The Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) has a long history of supporting and promoting GPU‐accelerated computing starting with the deployment of the Titan supercomputer in 2021 and continuing with the Summit supercomputer which has a theoretical peak performance of approximately 200 petaflops. Because the majority of Summit's computational power comes from its 27,972 GPUs, users must port their applications to one of the supported programming models in order to make efficient use of the system. To prepare the transition to Frontier, the OLCF's exascale supercomputer, users will need to adapt to an entirely new ecosystem which will include new hardware and software technologies. First, users will need to familiarize themselves with the AMD Radeon GPU architecture. Furthermore, users who have been previously relying on CUDA will need to transition to the Heterogeneous‐Computing Interface for Portability (HIP) or one of the other supported programming models (e.g., OpenMP, OpenACC). In this work, we describe our initial experiences and lessons learned in porting three applications or proxy apps currently running on Summit to the HPE/Cray ecosystem to leverage the compute power from AMD GPUs: minisweep, GenASiS, and Sparkler. Each one is representative of current production workloads utilized at the OLCF, different programming languages, and different programming models.

Melesse Vergara, Verónica G.↗

Bridging paradigms: Designing for HPC-Quantum convergence

Here, this paper presents a comprehensive software stack architecture for integrating quantum computing (QC) capabilities with High-Performance Computing (HPC) environments. While quantum computers show promise as specialized accelerators for scientific computing, their effective integration with classical HPC systems presents significant technical challenges. We propose a hardware-agnostic software framework that supports both current noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices and future fault-tolerant quantum computers, while maintaining compatibility with existing HPC workflows. The architecture includes a quantum gateway interface, standardized APIs for resource management, and robust scheduling mechanisms to handle both simultaneous and interleaved quantum–classical workloads. Key innovations include: (1) a unified resource management system that efficiently coordinates quantum and classical resources, (2) a flexible quantum programming interface that abstracts hardware-specific details, (3) A Quantum Platform Manager API that simplifies the integration of various quantum hardware systems, and (4) a comprehensive tool chain for quantum circuit optimization and execution. We demonstrate our architecture through implementation of quantum–classical algorithms, including the variational quantum linear solver, showcasing the framework’s ability to handle complex hybrid workflows while maximizing resource utilization. This work provides a foundational blueprint for integrating QC capabilities into existing HPC infrastructures, addressing critical challenges in resource management, job scheduling, and efficient data movement between classical and quantum resources.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Legacy OpenStudio® SketchUp Plug-in [SWR-07-40]

The Legacy OpenStudio® SketchUp Plug-in makes it easy to create and edit the building geometry in EnergyPlus® input files. This free plug-in also allows you to launch EnergyPlus simulations and view the results without leaving the SketchUp 3D drawing program. Note that active OpenStudio development has moved from the Legacy OpenStudio Plug-in to the more comprehensive OpenStudio suite of tools and libraries found here: https://github.com/NREL/OpenStudio. More information can be found at http://openstudio.net. The OpenStudio Legacy Plug-in has been relaunched as Euclid by Big Ladder Software, the project's new homepage is http://bigladdersoftware.com/projects/euclid/. The Legacy OpenStudio Plug-in was created by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy as an interface to the EnergyPlus simulation engine. Refer to the EnergyPlus webpage at energyplus.gov for an overview of the concept and features. User support is available via the community moderated question and answer resource unmethours.com.

Macumber, Dan↗

Active Storage with Analytics Capabilities and I/O Runtime System for Petascale Systems

Computational scientists must understand results from experimental, observational and computational simulation generated data to gain insights and perform knowledge discovery. As systems approach the petascale range, problems that were unimaginable a few years ago are within reach. With the increasing volume and complexity of data produced by ultra-scale simulations and high-throughput experiments, understanding the science is largely hampered by the lack of comprehensive I/O, storage, acceleration of data manipulation, analysis, and mining tools. Scientists require techniques, tools and infrastructure to facilitate better understanding of their data, in particular the ability to effectively perform complex data analysis, statistical analysis and knowledge discovery. The goal of this work is to enable more effective analysis of scientific datasets through the integration of enhancements in the I/O stack, from active storage support at the file system layer to MPI-IO and high-level I/O library layers. We propose to provide software components to accelerate data analytics, mining, I/O, and knowledge discovery for large-scale scientific applications, thereby increasing productivity of both scientists and the systems. Our approaches include 1) design the interfaces in high-level I/O libraries, such as parallel netCDF, for applications to activate data mining operations at the lower I/O layers; 2) Enhance MPI-IO runtime systems to incorporate the functionality developed as a part of the runtime system design; 3) Develop parallel data mining programs as part of runtime library for server-side file system in PVFS file system; and 4) Prototype an active storage cluster, which will utilize multicore CPUs, GPUs, and FPGAs to carry out the data mining workload.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

An Open-Source Framework for Rapid Validation of Scientific ASICs

Spacely is an open-source framework for the post-silicon validation of analog, digital, and mixed-signal ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) which maximizes the reuse of hardware and software, reducing the time taken to achieve meaningful test results. Spacely specifically addresses the needs of small, flexible ASIC design teams commonly found in academia or research institutions which benefit most from sharing the overhead of test stand creation between many unique ASIC designs. Spacely is a set of software, firmware, and design practices. It targets two primary hardware platforms (NI-PXI and Caribou) as well as offering extensible support for bench instruments. Spacely provides a high-level Python interface to all test hardware for accessibility, while also giving more sophisticated teams the opportunity to integrate custom test firmware. The design principles of Spacely are presented in brief. Current documentation is available at https://github.com/SpacelyProject/spacely-docs.

Quinn, Adam [Fermilab]↗

An Open-Source Framework for Rapid Validation of Scientific ASICs

Spacely is an open-source framework for the post-silicon validation of analog, digital, and mixed-signal ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) which maximizes the reuse of hardware and software, reducing the time taken to achieve meaningful test results. Spacely specifically addresses the needs of small, flexible ASIC design teams commonly found in academia or research institutions which benefit most from sharing the overhead of test stand creation between many unique ASIC designs. Spacely is a set of software, firmware, and design practices. It targets two primary hardware platforms (NI-PXI and Caribou) as well as offering extensible support for bench instruments. Spacely provides a high-level Python interface to all test hardware for accessibility, while also giving more sophisticated teams the opportunity to integrate custom test firmware. The design principles of Spacely are presented, along with a demonstrative example of using Spacely to test a pixel detector readout ASIC.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Development of a Web-Based Graphical User Interface for Fermilab Robots

This project provides the students/faculty team with the unique opportunity to work with several robots. Additionally, the student team will be able to learn from the experience of the Robotics Initiative members who have a wide variety of technical backgrounds outside of software development. Working with an interdisciplinary group to solve a complex problem that is unique to our facility, is a valuable experience that the lab can provide. This project aligns with the ACORN projects R&D efforts regarding the integration of robotics status/control with the accelerator control system.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

An Open Source Extensible Smart Energy Framework

Aggregated distributed energy resources are the subject of much interest in the energy industry and are expected to play an important role in meeting our future energy needs by changing how we use, distribute and generate electricity. This energy future includes an increased amount of energy from renewable resources, load management techniques to improve resiliency and reliability, and distributed energy storage and generation capabilities that can be managed to meet the needs of the grid as well as individual customers. These energy assets are commonly referred to as Distributed Energy Resources (DER). DERs rely on a means to communicate information between an energy provider and multitudes of devices. Today DER control systems are typically vendor-specific, using custom hardware and software solutions. As a result, customers are locked into communication transport protocols, applications, tools, and data formats. Today’s systems are often difficult to extend to meet new application requirements, resulting in stranded assets when business requirements or energy management models evolve. By partnering with industry advisors and researchers, an implementation DER research platform was developed called the Smart Energy Framework (SEF). The hypothesis of this research was that an open source Internet of Things (IoT) framework could play a role in creating a commodity-based eco-system for DER assets that would reduce costs and provide interoperable products. SEF is based on the AllJoynTM IoT open source framework. The demonstration system incorporated DER assets, specifically batteries and smart water heaters. To verify the behavior of the distributed system, models of water heaters and batteries were also developed. An IoT interface for communicating between the assets and a control server was defined. This interface supports a series of “events” and telemetry reporting, similar to those defined by current smart grid communication standards. The results of this effort demonstrated the feasibility and application potential of using IoT frameworks for the creation of commodity-based DER systems. All of the identified commodity-based system requirements were met by the AllJoyn framework. By having commodity solutions, small vendors can enter the market and the cost of implementation for all parties is reduced. Utilities and aggregators can choose from multiple interoperable products reducing the risk of stranded assets. Based on this research it is recommended that interfaces based on existing smart grid communication protocol standards be created for these emerging IoT frameworks. These interfaces should be standardized as part of the IoT framework allowing for interoperability testing and certification. Similarly, IoT frameworks are introducing application level security. This type of security is needed for protecting application and platforms and will be important moving forward. Recommendations are that along with DER-based data model interfaces, platform and application security requirements also be prescribed when IoT devices support DER applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗