Results for “pilot development” — Page 52

DOE OSTI2016

Heat Transfer Model of a Small-Scale Waste Glass Melter with Cold Cap Layer

At the Hanford site in the state of Washington, more than 56 million gallons of radioactive waste is stored in underground tanks. The cleanup plan for this waste is vitrification at the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP), currently under construction. At the WTP, the waste will be blended with glass-forming materials and heated to 1423K, then poured into stainless steel canisters to cool and solidify. A fundamental understanding of the glass batch melting process is needed to optimize the process to reduce cost and decrease the life cycle of the cleanup effort. The cold cap layer that floats on the surface of the glass melt is the primary reaction zone for the feed-to-glass conversion. The conversion reactions include water release, melting of salts, evolution of batch gases, dissolution of quartz and the formation of molten glass. Obtaining efficient heat transfer to this region is crucial to achieving high rates of glass conversion. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling is being used to understand the heat transfer dynamics of the system and provide insight to optimize the process. A CFD model was developed to simulate the DM1200, a pilot-scale melter that has been extensively tested by the Vitreous State Laboratory (VSL). Electrodes are built into the melter to provide Joule heating to the molten glass. To promote heat transfer from the molten glass into the reactive cold cap layer, bubbling of the molten glass is used to stimulate forced convection within the melt pool. A three-phase volume of fluid approach is utilized to model the system, wherein the molten glass and cold cap regions are modeled as separate liquid phases, and the bubbling gas and plenum regions are modeled as one lumped gas phase. The modeling of the entire system with a volume of fluid model allows for the prescription of physical properties on a per-phase basis. The molten glass phase and the gas phase physical properties are obtained from previous experimental work. Finding representative properties for the cold cap region is more difficult, as this region is not a true liquid, but rather a multilayer region consisting of a porous and a foamy layer. Physical properties affecting heat transfer, namely the thermal conductivity and heat capacity, have been fit to closely match data and observations from laboratory experiments. Data from xray tomography and quenching of laboratory-scale cold caps provide insight into the topology of bubble distribution within the cold cap at various temperatures. Heat transfer within the melter was validated by comparison with VSL data for the pilot-scale melter.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2020

Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Plant Modernization Technical Program Plan for FY 2021

This report presents the Technical Program Plan for FY 2019 for the Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program – Plant Modernization research pathway. A summary of the vision and strategy is provided to explain how this program addresses key issues and barriers for modernizing instrumentation and control technologies and infrastructure in domestic nuclear power plants. The report describes the pilot projects that have been formulated to develop and validate enabling technologies over the next several years that will result in digital alternatives to the legacy analog II&C systems in place today. This will allow much needed modernization of these systems to address reliability and obsolescence problems, as well as serve as a platform for substantial operational improvement. The report further describes key project resources and cooperative relationships, including the Electric Power Research Institute, the Nuclear Energy Institute )NEI), the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), the IFE Halden Reactor Project, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and industry suppliers, that are instrumental to the success of the program. The report also lists the schedule for all program products, including the titles and report numbers for all published reports under this program.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program Plant Modernization Technical Program Plan for FY 2021

This report presents the Technical Program Plan for FY 2019 for the Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program – Plant Modernization research pathway. A summary of the vision and strategy is provided to explain how this program addresses key issues and barriers for modernizing instrumentation and control technologies and infrastructure in domestic nuclear power plants. The report describes the pilot projects that have been formulated to develop and validate enabling technologies over the next several years that will result in digital alternatives to the legacy analog II&C systems in place today. This will allow much needed modernization of these systems to address reliability and obsolescence problems, as well as serve as a platform for substantial operational improvement. The report further describes key project resources and cooperative relationships, including the Electric Power Research Institute, the Nuclear Energy Institute )NEI), the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), the IFE Halden Reactor Project, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and industry suppliers, that are instrumental to the success of the program. The report also lists the schedule for all program products, including the titles and report numbers for all published reports under this program.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Advanced Transmission Technologies –GETs and HPCs Session 3: HPCs and Building Actions Plans to Digital Assurance Risks

The third session of the Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) Technical Assistance for Digital Assurance (TADA) program, held on November 11, 2025, centered on High Performance Conductors (HPCs) and the formulation of action plans to address digital assurance risks associated with Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs). This session convened experts from utilities, vendors, and government agencies to examine the technical, operational, and cybersecurity aspects of HPC deployment. Discussions highlighted the benefits of HPCs, such as their ability to rapidly increase transmission capacity using existing corridors, improve grid resilience, reduce system losses, and align with FERC Orders 2023 and 1920. Participants evaluated supply chain and digital assurance risks, including reliance on imported materials, limited domestic manufacturing capacity, workforce shortages, and traceability issues. The session also emphasized the importance of digital trust, integration-layer cybersecurity, and unified risk frameworks, introducing tools like intrusion detection systems, encryption, zero trust networking, and firmware integrity. Recaps of earlier workshops on Dynamic Line Ratings (DLRs), Advanced Power Flow Control (APFC), and Transmission Topology Optimization (TTO) underscored institutional barriers and integration challenges. Action plans were proposed to mitigate issues such as inconsistent cybersecurity practices, SBOM usage, supply chain visibility, operator trust, and misaligned incentives. Additionally, INL presented its supply chain risk management tools and Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) principles to support secure procurement and system design. The session concluded with a commitment to share key takeaways, incorporate cohort feedback into future policy development, and continue collaborative engagement through upcoming pilot activities. Session 3 of 3.

24 - POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Inventory of Clean Energy Education and Workforce Development Programs in Allegheny County, PA

Building on other analysis work completed through the Communities LEAP pilot, this document is intended to provide an overview of: 1) what clean energy and related education and workforce development (EWD) resources already exist in and around the Hill District, 2) gaps in EWD resources, and 3) opportunities to expand clean energy education, training, and job opportunities for Hill District residents.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS2002

Letting Thoughts Take Wing

Scientists are conducting research into electroencephalograms (EEGs) of brainwave activity, and electromyography (EMG) of muscle activity, in order to develop systems which can control an aircraft with only a pilot's thoughts. This article describes some EEG and EMG signals, and how they might be analyzed and interpreted to operate an aircraft. The development of a system to detect and interpret fine muscle movements is also profiled in the article.

Jorgensen, Chuck↗

NASA NTRS2007

The Naturalistic Flight Deck System: An Integrated System Concept for Improved Single-Pilot Operations

This paper reviews current and emerging operational experiences, technologies, and human-machine interaction theories to develop an integrated flight system concept designed to increase the safety, reliability, and performance of single-pilot operations in an increasingly accommodating but stringent national airspace system. This concept, know as the Naturalistic Flight Deck (NFD), uses a form of human-centered automation known as complementary-automation (or complemation) to structure the relationship between the human operator and the aircraft as independent, collaborative agents having complimentary capabilities. The human provides commonsense knowledge, general intelligence, and creative thinking, while the machine contributes specialized intelligence and control, extreme vigilance, resistance to fatigue, and encyclopedic memory. To support the development of the NFD, an initial Concept of Operations has been created and selected normal and non-normal scenarios are presented in this document.

Schutte, Paul C.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Hazard criteria for wake vortex encounters

A piloted, motion-base simulation was conducted to evaluate the ability of simulators to produce realistic vortex encounters and to develop criteria to define hazardous encounters. Evaluation of the simulation by pilots experienced in vortex encounters confirmed the capability of the simulator to realistically reproduce wake vortex encounters. A boundary for encounter hazard based on subjective pilot opinion was identified in terms of maximum bank angle. For encounter altitudes from 200 to 500 ft (61.0 to 152.4 m), tentative hazard criteria established for visual flight conditions indicated that the acceptable upset magnitude increased nearly linearly with increasing altitude. The data suggest that the allowable upsets under instrument conditions no greater than 50 percent of that allowable under visual conditions.

Sammonds, R. I.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Pilot Unit Testing at NCCC of Sorbent based CO2 Capture

TDA Research, Inc. is developing a new CO2 sorbent (alkalized alumina) technology for post-combustion CO2 capture. In this DOE sponsored project (DE-FE0012870), TDA constructed a pilot-scale skid, which was installed and tested at National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC). It was designed to process coal derived flue gas equivalent to 0.5 MWe of power generation. The pilot test data shows that TDA’s process can achieve 90% capture rate and 95% CO2 purity (the performance target) for both coal and natural gas (NG) flue gases. The techno-economic analysis (TEA) for a 550-MWe supercritical coal fired power plant with CO2 capture shows that the capture cost for TDA’s process is $34.9/tonne CO2 captured, which meets DOE’s goal of $40/tonne and is 17.1% less than the DOE baseline Case 12 (an amine solvent technology).

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assistive Detect and Avoid Technology in Urban Air Mobility Environments

The use of Assistive Detect and Avoid (Assistive DAA or ADAA) technology in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) environments poses potential benefits as well as challenges. Assistive DAA refers to the leveraged use of DAA technology, originally developed to replace see-and-avoid capabilities for remotely piloted aircraft, in onboard-piloted aircraft to augment (rather than replace) pilots’ see-and-avoid abilities and thus enhance the safety and efficiency of visual flight operations. ADAA is anticipated to be especially safety-enhancing in airspace where traffic density is high or traditional air traffic services are limited, such as in future UAM environments. ADAA may also enable higher-tempo UAM operations than with only see-and-avoid capabilities, while still maintaining acceptable levels of safety. UAM concepts under development by the FAA, NASA, and industry focus on operations moving people and cargo in urban and suburban areas using innovative technologies, operations, and aircraft, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center, in collaboration with FAA researchers at the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, NJ, have conducted a series of medium-fidelity, human-in-the-loop research simulations of potential future UAM operations and concepts in both Class C and Class B airspace environments. These simulations have included use of a Langley-developed ADAA research tool called DANTi, which enables configurable ADAA displays to be presented to pilots of simulated eVTOL aircraft participating in higher-density and higher-tempo UAM operations. Experience and observations made during testing of the NASA-developed DANTi ADAA capability in the UAM NFLITE simulation environment will be reported in this paper together with a discussion of airspace integration and regulatory topics.

Detect and Avoid↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assistive Detect and Avoid Technology in Urban Air Mobility Environments

The use of Assistive Detect and Avoid (Assistive DAA or ADAA) technology in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) environments poses potential benefits as well as challenges. Assistive DAA refers to the leveraged use of DAA technology, originally developed to replace see-and-avoid capabilities for remotely piloted aircraft, in onboard-piloted aircraft to augment (rather than replace) pilots’ see-and-avoid abilities and thus enhance the safety and efficiency of visual flight operations. ADAA is anticipated to be especially safety-enhancing in airspace where traffic density is high or traditional air traffic services are limited, such as in future UAM environments. ADAA may also enable higher-tempo UAM operations than with only see-and-avoid capabilities, while still maintaining acceptable levels of safety. UAM concepts under development by the FAA, NASA, and industry focus on operations moving people and cargo in urban and suburban areas using innovative technologies, operations, and aircraft, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center, in collaboration with FAA researchers at the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, NJ, have conducted a series of medium-fidelity, human-in-the-loop research simulations of potential future UAM operations and concepts in both Class C and Class B airspace environments. These simulations have included use of a Langley-developed ADAA research tool called DANTi, which enables configurable ADAA displays to be presented to pilots of simulated eVTOL aircraft participating in higher-density and higher-tempo UAM operations. Experience and observations made during testing of the NASA-developed DANTi ADAA capability in the UAM NFLITE simulation environment will be reported in this paper together with a discussion of airspace integration and regulatory topics.

Detect and Avoid↗

NASA NTRS2002

Piloted Evaluation of a UH-60 Mixer Equivalent Turbulence Simulation Model

A simulation study of a recently developed hover/low speed Mixer Equivalent Turbulence Simulation (METS) model for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was conducted in the NASA Ames Research Center Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS). The experiment was a continuation of previous work to develop a simple, but validated, turbulence model for hovering rotorcraft. To validate the METS model, two experienced test pilots replicated precision hover tasks that had been conducted in an instrumented UH-60 helicopter in turbulence. Objective simulation data were collected for comparison with flight test data, and subjective data were collected that included handling qualities ratings and pilot comments for increasing levels of turbulence. Analyses of the simulation results show good analytic agreement between the METS model and flight test data, with favorable pilot perception of the simulated turbulence. Precision hover tasks were also repeated using the more complex rotating-frame SORBET (Simulation Of Rotor Blade Element Turbulence) model to generate turbulence. Comparisons of the empirically derived METS model with the theoretical SORBET model show good agreement providing validation of the more complex blade element method of simulating turbulence.

Lusardi, Jeff A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A mathematical model of a tilt-wing aircraft for piloted simulation

A mathematical model of a tilt-wing aircraft that was used in a piloted, six-degree-of-freedom flight simulation application is described. Two types of control systems developed for the math model are discussed: a conventional, programmed-flap wing-tilt control system and a geared-flap wing-tilt control system. The primary objective was to develop the capability to study tilt-wing aircraft. Experienced Tilt-wing pilots subjectively evaluated the model using programmed-flap control to assess the quality of the simulation. The math model was then applied to study geared-flap control to investigate the possibility of eliminating the need for auxilary pitch-control devices (such as the horizontal tail rotor or tail jet used in earlier tilt-wing designs). This investigation was performed in the moving-base simulation environment, and the vehicle responses with programmed-flap and geared-flap control were compared. The results of the evaluation of the math model are discussed.

Totah, Joseph J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Description of a tilt wing mathematical model for piloted simulation

A tilt-wing mathematical model that was used in a piloted six-deg-of-freedom flight simulation application is presented. Two types of control systems developed for the model - a conventional programmed-flap wing-tilt control system and a geared-flap wing-tilt control system - are discussed. The objective of this effort was to develop the capability to study tilt-wing aircraft. Experienced tilt-wing pilots subjectively evaluated the model using programmed-flap control to assess the quality of the simulation. The objective was met and the model was then applied to study geared-flap control to investigate the possibility of eliminating the need for auxiliary pitch control devices. This was performed in the moving-base simulation environment, and the vehicle responses with programmed-flap and geared-flap control were compared.

Totah, Joseph J.↗

DOE OSTI2022

Fusion Pilot Plant performance and the role of a Sustained High Power Density tokamak

Recent U.S. fusion development strategy reports all recommend that the U.S. should pursue innovative science and technology to enable construction of a Fusion Pilot Plant (FPP) that produces net electricity from fusion at low capital cost. Compact tokamaks have been proposed as a means of potentially reducing the capital cost of a fusion pilot plant. However, compact steady-state tokamak FPPs face the challenge of integrating a high fraction of self-driven current with high core confinement, plasma pressure, and high divertor parallel heat flux. This integration is sufficiently challenging that a dedicated sustained-high-power-density (SHPD) tokamak facility is proposed by the U.S. community as the optimal way to close this integration gap. Performance projections for the steady-state tokamak FPP regime are presented and a preliminary SHPD device with substantial flexibility in lower aspect ratio (A=2-2.5), shaping, and divertor configuration to narrow gaps to a FPP is described.

core-edge integration↗

NASA NTRS1982

Multilevel semantic analysis and problem-solving in the flight domain

A computer based cockpit system which is capable of assisting the pilot in such important tasks as monitoring, diagnosis, and trend analysis was developed. The system is properly organized and is endowed with a knowledge base so that it enhances the pilot's control over the aircraft while simultaneously reducing his workload.

Chien, R. T.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A simple, analytic 3-dimensional downburst model based on boundary layer stagnation flow

A simple downburst model is developed for use in batch and real-time piloted simulation studies of guidance strategies for terminal area transport aircraft operations in wind shear conditions. The model represents an axisymmetric stagnation point flow, based on velocity profiles from the Terminal Area Simulation System (TASS) model developed by Proctor and satisfies the mass continuity equation in cylindrical coordinates. Altitude dependence, including boundary layer effects near the ground, closely matches real-world measurements, as do the increase, peak, and decay of outflow and downflow with increasing distance from the downburst center. Equations for horizontal and vertical winds were derived, and found to be infinitely differentiable, with no singular points existent in the flow field. In addition, a simple relationship exists among the ratio of maximum horizontal to vertical velocities, the downdraft radius, depth of outflow, and altitude of maximum outflow. In use, a microburst can be modeled by specifying four characteristic parameters, velocity components in the x, y and z directions, and the corresponding nine partial derivatives are obtained easily from the velocity equations.

Oseguera, Rosa M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Extraterrestrial resources: Implications from terrestrial experience

Terrestrial mining experience indicates that the overwhelming criterion of a potentially economic deposit is its recoverable concentration of the desired mineral or element. Recovery can be based on contrast in physical and/or chemical properties, but processes based on physical properties are typically less expensive. As several processes generally are used in sequence, they have a profound effect on extraction costs. These criteria will also apply to extraterrestrial resources. Although the extreme cost of access to space makes even ordinary materials extremely valuable, this inaccessibility also makes capital and maintenance costs extremely high. The following four development stages will apply, especially with the additional unknowns of an extraterrestrial environment: (1) Exploration for the highest grade of the mineral or element desired (because the extraction plant must be simple, cheap, and rugged to minimize capital and maintenance costs, high grade is extremely important); (2) Laboratory testing of various physical and/or chemical separation techniques on the possible ore to determine if the material can indeed be recovered economically; (3) a pilot plant test, in which a large sample is dug from the deposit to determine excavation rates, power requirements, and equipment wear. (This sample is then run through a pilot mill designed on the basis of the laboratory testing. Pilot plant testing must be carried out at increasing scales, but several trials are generally necessary at each scale before the size of operations can be increased. Moreover, pilot testing is necessary for each new mineral deposit); and (4) Last is the full-scale mine and plant start-up. (New problems invariably occur at this point, but they can be kept to a minimum if the pilot plant tests were realistic). If such a development plan is followed rigorously, major cost overruns, with their potentially disastrous effects on resource developments, can be avoided.

Kuck, David L.↗