Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “instrument designs”

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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling and simulation study for the design of the Fuel Interrogation and Examination using Submersible Tomography Analysis Mk II instrument

Here, the design of a submersible, gamma-ray tomography system for imaging irradiated nuclear fuel is described. The system—named Fuel Interrogation and Examination using Submersible Tomography Analysis (FIESTA) Mk. II—is a variation on a previous Mk. I I design, which was developed to non-destructively image fuel capsules irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory. The FIESTA system uses a combination of transmission computed tomography and emission computed tomography to image the restructuring and fission product migration at different points of burnup. Changes made to FIESTA Mk. I reflect the revised design requirements and a need to reduce background noise, largely originating from downscattered photons from fuel and transmission source. The computational design and radiation transport simulations are described.

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Modern Trends in Neutron Scattering Instrument Technologies

This article reviews some current trends that can be observed in the development of neutron scattering instrument technologies. While the number of neutron scattering facilities worldwide and the number of beam days they offer are largely stable, their scientific impact is increasing through improving instrumental capabilities, new and more versatile instruments, and more efficient data collection protocols. Neutron beams are becoming smaller but more intense, and instruments are being designed to utilize more ‘useful’ neutrons in unit time. This article picks and discusses a few recent developments in the areas of integrated source and instrument design, use of computational tools, new detectors, and experiment automation.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI1968

Kryptonate Hydrogen Detection System (Final Report)

A prototype model of a multipurpose instrument which demonstrates the applicability of the Kryptonate® technique for detecting hydrogen gas was developed. This report describes the construction of the instrument and presents a laboratory evaluation of its performance. Performance was excellent. The instrument was designed to detect hydrogen in air at concentrations of 0-3% by volume, and to detect hydrogen in nitrogen or other inert gas at concentrations of 0-10% by volume. Other detection levels (both higher and lower) could be set if required. Ultimate response times can be made of the order of 0.5 seconds. The instrument is an all solid state device operating from 120V 60 Hz power source. The instrument has been designed to enable modifications to be made with a minimum amount of difficulty.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Using Numba for GPU acceleration of Neutron Beamline Digital Twins

Digital twins of neutron instruments using Monte Carlo ray tracing have proven to be useful in neutron data analysis and verifying instrument and sample designs. However, these simulations can become quite complex and computationally demanding with tens of billions of neutrons. In this paper, we present a GPU accelerated version of MCViNE using Python and Numba to balance user extensibility with performance. Numba is an open-source just-in-time (JIT) compiler for Python using LLVM to generate efficient machine code for CPUs and GPUs with NVIDIA CUDA. The JIT nature of Numba allowed complex instrument kernels to be generated easily. Initial simulations have shown a speedup between 200-1000x over the original CPU implementation. The performance gain with Numba enables more sophisticated data analysis and impacts neutron scattering science and instrument design.

Kendrick, Coleman↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design Report on the MiniFuel Instrumented Test Apparatus for Understanding Radiation Effects

Most nuclear fuels irradiations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) over the past decade have been conducted using MiniFuel—a static capsule design employing subscale fuel specimens to collect separate-effects irradiated fuel performance data. Irradiation conditions for MiniFuel experiments are predicted pre-test using reactor physics, and thermal models are verified post-irradiation via SiC dilatometry and various spectrometry methods. Relevant fuel performance parameters are also observed post-irradiation in a hot cell, thereby providing a single data point for each parameter representing the cumulative effects of the irradiation conditions. Substantially more data can be harvested from a single test and within a shorter duration by instrumenting irradiation vehicles and measuring desired quantities in situ. This report presents the design and analysis of the MiniFuel INstrumented Irradiation Test Apparatus for Understanding Radiation Effects (MINITAURE)—an instrumented test rig based on the separate-effects MiniFuel concept that aims to capture fission gas release (FGR) and thermal conductivity degradation of fuel specimens during irradiation in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). MINITAURE will be integrated with the Materials Irradiation Facility (MIF) located in the HFIR building outside the reactor containment. The MIF will act as the instrumentation and control center for the experiment, enabling real-time feedback from in situ sensors and control of irradiation temperatures via a gas delivery system. Two unique capsule designs were developed to capture each phenomenon: the thermal conductivity capsule, which uses a thermopile method to estimate fuel specimen thermal conductivity, and the fission gas release capsule, which will have continuous flowing gas communication to high-purity germanium detectors that are housed in the MIF for monitoring FGR. This report details the reactor physics and heat transfer modeling activities that were used to inform the experiment design and predict capsule performance. It also describes out-of-pile activities conducted to stand up this new capability and verify the measurement techniques. Modeling efforts to date have demonstrated the feasibility of the in situ measurement techniques and supported the development of the MINITAURE assembly configuration. Out-of-pile testing of the thermal conductivity measurement shows promise in capturing relative changes in thermal conductivity. However, significant errors exist in the measured absolute value, posing a need for further refinement.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Magnetics Testing on Radioisotope Power Systems at the Idaho National Laboratory

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) to power deep-space and planetary explorations such as Cassini-Huygens, Galileo, New Horizons, Mars Science Laboratory—Curiosity, and most recently Mars 2020--Perseverance. The Space Nuclear Power and Isotope Technologies (SNPIT) division, at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), fuels, tests, and delivers the RPS to ensure it can provide the electrical power needed to complete mission objectives. Some space crafts have instrumentation specifically designed to study the subject’s magnetic field or may have instruments that can be affected by magnetic fields produced by the RPS. Analyzing and measuring the RPS’s magnetic fields ensures the required thresholds are not exceeded and accurate data can be collected for the mission. Magnetics testing provides numerical values of the RPS’s magnetic field. During Magnetics testing at INL, the RPS is placed on a resistive load to simulate actual spacecraft load characteristics (voltage and current). During this simulation, magnetometers are used to measure the magnetic field of the RPS. Raw data is collected and then analyzed to ensure the field created by the RPS is below NASA thresholds or that the magnitude of the field is accounted for to ensure mission success.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Design and construction of a compact, high-repetition-rate ultrafast electron diffraction instrument

We present the design and performance of a compact ultrafast electron diffraction instrument. The diffractometer provides a means of examining time-resolved ultrafast dynamical properties of solids. The system’s utilization is discussed in terms of instrument parameters and diffraction data from selected condensed matter samples. Here, the difractometer’s performance is highlighted in terms of detection sensitivity, instrumental temporal resolution, and the electron beam transverse coherence length. Following specific details of the construction, we present a practical discussion of parameters such as repetition rate and provide advice on general construction approaches for laboratory-based, keV ultrafast electron diffractometers. In addition, design guidance for constructing a compact electron gun source that is well-suited for studying diffraction from hard condensed matter is given. A unique data acquisition scheme, utilizing high laser repetition rates, is presented.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

A new capability for investigating the structure and dynamics of liquids at high pressures

Water and aqueous solutions are critical to many areas of science and technology. As a result, tremendous effort has been devoted to understanding them in detail. Despite over a century of research, fundamental questions about water and aqueous solutions remain unanswered. However, an intriguing possibility – that liquid water can exist in two thermodynamically distinct states – has emerged as the most likely explanation. The problem is that experimental confirmation of this hypothesis requires experiments on water at high pressures and low temperatures, conditions in which liquid water only exists briefly before turning into crystalline ice. This project investigated the feasibility of developing a new capability for study water and aqueous solutions under these challenging conditions. The physical constraints, such as the timescales for crystallization and thermal diffusion in supercooled water, were evaluated along with their impact on the design criteria for the instrument. Several basic design options were considered that could meet the technical requirements. The options were also evaluated with respect to their use of commercially available equipment versus the need for custom designs or in-house development. The project identified two viable options to pursue. The first option would use a high-pressure syringe pump in conjunction with fused silica (or sapphire) capillaries. The second option would use a diamond anvil cell. These options can both be used with optical spectroscopies, such as Raman or Infrared.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

High-Speed Active Integrators for Magnetic Probes

This report discusses a low cost, easy to develop instrument to measure magnetic fields in pulsed solenoids used for the MagNIF pulse power system. The instrument is designed to integrate voltage signals from custom B-dot probes made from PCB inductor chips. The instrument is battery powered with ± 9V rails. Acceptable B-dot probe inputs range from mV to 20V with frequencies up to 4MHz. Details of the circuit design and practical considerations for working with high speed signals are discussed.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Progress towards the FRIB-EDM 3 -Frontend: A tool to provide radioactive molecules from isotope harvesting for fundamental symmetry studies

The under-construction FRIB-EDM 3 -instrument was designed to study polar radioactive molecules (such as RaF) in transparent cryogenic solids by laser spectroscopy. The instrument is divided into a frontend- and a backend section. The frontend accepts an aqueous sample from isotope harvesting and provides a mass-separated molecular ion beam in an ultra-high vacuum environment. In the backend, the ions are guided into alkali-metal vapor and the resulting neutrals are co-deposited in a solid argon matrix to perform laser spectroscopy. Here, this work addresses the frontend of the instrument. The efficient ionization of harvested radioisotopes from aqueous samples is achieved with a spray-ionization method. Subsequently, the molecular ion beam is analyzed by mass-to-charge ratio by a quadrupole mass filter. To verify the feasibility of the approach, numerical simulations with the COMSOL and SIMION packages have been conducted. While the former was applied to study transport in ion funnels, the latter was used to investigate ion beam transmission through the lower pressure sections. Following promising simulation results, a first experimental setup is under construction.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Analyze the real-time performance of the optimized fiber-PTR instrument

An instrument to perform in-reactor, real-time thermal property measurements of nuclear fuels and materials was recently designed, optimized, and tested at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor. It was the second insertion experiments of a total of two rounds. Here we report the collection and analysis of the real-time captured thermal diffusivity data on the preloaded SiC. With the optimized design, the instrument temperature had been successfully raised as we expected. Only one probe (the top one) returned real-time thermal diffusivity in a time span of approximately two days. Measured thermal diffusivity of the preloaded SiC was significantly lower than the literature value at the same temperature, indicating a significant influence from the irradiation induced microstructure damage. Meanwhile, the real-time thermal diffusivity value continuously reduced with time, indicating the dynamic microstructure evolution. The possible reasons of the probes that did not return data were hypothesized. The further optimization of the instrument with the objective to improve the measurement accuracy and instrument survivability is also discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Nuclear fusion powered Titan aircraft

This paper discusses a system for Titan exploration enabled by nuclear fusion power. Titan is one of the most interesting locations in the solar system with a thick atmosphere, surface oceans, under-ice oceans and complex terrain. This paper provides a conceptual design of a fusion-powered system to explore many parts of Titan and enable the use of high-power instruments. The design includes a fusion-powered orbital transfer vehicle and an electric Titan science aircraft. A Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) propulsive engine could bring a sizable spacecraft to Titan orbit in less than two years. A second fusion reactor, configured as a closed-loop power generator, would be used for an electric Titan science aircraft. Both reactors are based on the Princeton Field-Reversed Configuration (PFRC) concept which combines an FRC with a magnetic mirror. PFRC uses a novel radio-frequency plasma heating system and deuterium-helium-3 fuel. A lower temperature plasma flows around the closed-field FRC region removing the fusion products. In the DFD propulsive configuration, this secondary flow permits direct and variable thrust and exhaust velocity. The science aircraft would do a powered entry to Titan and then have the capability to fly anywhere on the moon at subsonic speeds. The DFD-powered transfer vehicle would allow the in-orbit transfer stage to change inclination as needed to cover different areas of the surface.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2021

An initial exploration of Bayesian model calibration for estimating the composition of rocks and soils on Mars

The Mars Curiosity rover carries an instrument, ChemCam, designed to measure the composition of surface rocks and soil using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The measured spectra from this instrument must be analyzed to identify the component elements in the target sample, as well as their relative proportions. This process, which we call disaggregation, is complicated by so-called matrix effects, which describe nonlinear changes in the relative heights of emission lines as an unknown function of composition due to atomic interactions within the LIBS plasma. In this work, we explore the use of the plasma physics code ATOMIC, developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory, for the disaggregation task. ATOMIC has recently been used to model LIBS spectra and can robustly reproduce matrix effects from first principles. The ability of ATOMIC to predict LIBS spectra presents an exciting opportunity to perform disaggregation in a manner not yet tried in the LIBS community, namely via Bayesian model calibration. However, using it directly to solve our inverse problem is computationally intractable due to the large parameter space and the computation time required to produce a single output. Therefore, we also explore the use of emulators as a fast solution for this analysis. We discuss a proof of concept Gaussian process emulator for disaggregating two-element compounds of sodium and copper. The training and test datasets were simulated with ATOMIC using a Latin hypercube design. After testing the performance of the emulator, we successfully recover the composition of 25 test spectra with Bayesian model calibration.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

High strain rate nanoindentation testing: Recent advancements, challenges and opportunities

Recent advancements in electronics have renewed the interest in high strain rate nanoindentation testing, resulting in the development of new high strain rate nanoindentation test equipment and test methodologies. Here, in this work, the current state-of-the-art in high strain rate nanoindentation testing is critically reviewed, with focus on three key aspects - the testing equipment's dynamic mechanical and electronic response, test methodology, and post-processing of raw data to obtain hardness and strain rate. The challenges in instrument hardware design and post-test data analysis are discussed, along with optimal strain rate window for accurate high strain rate measurements. Specific focus will be on instrumented high strain rate testing using self-similar indenters at strain rates in excess of 100 s -1 , wherein load and depth of penetration into the sample are both measured or applied.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Compact, portable, automatic sample changer stick for cryostats and closed-cycle refrigerators

Beamlines are facilities that produce and deliver highly focused and intense beams of radiation, typically x rays, synchrotron radiation, or neutrons, for scientific research purposes. Millions of dollars are spent annually to maintain and operate these scientific beamlines, oftentimes running continuously between cycles. To reduce human intervention and improve productivity, mechanical sample changers are often commissioned for use. Designing sample changers is difficult because mechanical parts can be bulky, expensive, and challenging to design for instruments with low volume access, high radiation, and cryogenic environments. We present a portable and inexpensive sample changer stick that can hold and manipulate up to four samples, specifically designed for use with cryogenic closed-cycle refrigerators. The sample changer stick enables rapid and efficient exchange of samples without manual intervention, and is compatible with standard sample mounts such as vanadium cans. The sample changer stick includes a motorized rotation and lancing mechanism, which enables the precise positioning of each sample in the neutron beam, while ensuring compatibility with the operating temperatures and vacuum conditions required for closed-cycle refrigerators. The design has been successfully tested at the VISION beamline at the Spallation Neutron Source. The mechanical action and software controls are detailed. Furthermore, the sample changer stick is a valuable tool for scientists working with cryogenic closed-cycle refrigerators.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

X-Ray and Particle Detection With the Si(Li) Tracker Module of the GAPS Experiment

Here, this work describes the architecture and the experimental results from the characterization of the lithium-drifted silicon (Si(Li)) detector module, which constitutes the building block of the tracker in the general antiparticle spectrometer (GAPS) experiment to search for dark matter. The instrument is designed for the identification of low-energy cosmic anti-nuclei (antiprotons, antideuterons, and antihelium) to be performed during an Antarctic long-duration balloon flight scheduled for late 2025. The GAPS Si(Li) tracker, that is the core of the instrument, is the assembly of 252 modules, each comprised of four Si(Li) detectors and a full custom-integrated circuit designed for detector readout and produced in a commercial 180-nm planar CMOS technology. A general overview of the detector module architecture and its components is provided, together with a description of the test setup and the experimental results obtained from the characterization of the low-noise analog readout channel. In order to verify the effective operation of the entire module, results concerning the detection of X-rays from a 241Am source and cosmic muons are also provided.

Manghisoni, Massimo [Università di Bergamo (Italy)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design of an Out-Of-Pile Experimental Facility to Demonstrate the Feasibility of In Situ Thermal Conductivity Measurements of Nuclear Fuels Under Irradiation

There is substantial merit in quantifying nuclear fuel performance under irradiation. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the MiniFuel irradiation platform has become the primary test vehicle for conducting separate-effects fuel performance irradiation experiments. The MiniFuel experiment is a passively controlled capsule design deployed in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) through which fuel performance data is collected post-irradiation. Separate effects fuels irradiation capabilities are being expanded at ORNL by developing instrumented capsule designs that aim to capture fuel performance phenomena in-situ. One such capsule will specifically target fuel specimen thermal conductivity changes as a function of fuel burnup. Due to the complexity of making this measurement on nuclear fuel in-pile, this paper describes the necessary out-of-pile testing conducted on the thermal conductivity capsule (TCC) design. The measurement is ascertained via a thermopile system with heat transferred unidirectionally through a surrogate fuel specimen sandwiched between two conductive materials. The capsules investigated in this study are representative of the in-pile design, with the primary departure from irradiation conditions being the distribution of heat generation within the capsule. In the out-of-pile experiment, an external heater was used to drive heat through the conductive slug materials and into the specimen. This paper expounds the design of the out-of-pile experimental system and the thermal conductivity measurement technique. Predictive models used to determine the sensitivity of the measurement to variables governing thermal contact conductance between the specimen and slug materials and to predict experimental results are also described. Data from the out-of-pile experiment will be used to validate the readiness of the design for insertion into HFIR for irradiation.

Parker, Trevor [ORNL]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dataset 1: A National and City Dataset on Human Factors in Pooled Rideshare, 2021

Dataset 1: A National and City Dataset on Human Factors in Pooled Rideshare, 2021. Dataset Description: Pooled Rideshare Acceptance Survey - Phase 1 (2021, N = 5,385). This dataset captures responses from a nationally representative sample of 5,385 adults across the United States to understand public acceptance, preferences, and behavioral intentions related to pooled rideshare (PR) services. The primary objective of this research is to provide actionable insights to inform the design, deployment, and policy development of sustainable shared mobility systems. Data was collected via an online survey administered through a national panel provider. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 95 years, and representation from all U.S. regions. The survey instrument was designed to explore numerous dimensions related to PR adoption including demographic traits, current travel habits, rideshare familiarity, trust, safety, environmental attitudes, and user experience preferences. Both rideshare users and non-users were included, offering a diverse range of perspectives. - Phase_1_Final - The dataset includes survey items developed from literature reviews, and prior field studies. Each row represents an individual respondent, and each column corresponds to a variable such as willingness to use pooled rideshare, attitudes toward specific service features, and sociodemographic data. The data is available in both .CSV and .SAV formats. - Phase_1_Final_MapFile - The accompanying data dictionary explains all variable labels, response scales, and codes. An .XLSX format of the full survey instrument is also included to support interpretation and reuse of the dataset.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗