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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 955 records · Page 53
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Development and numerical/experimental characterization of a lab-scale flat flame reactor allowing the analysis of pulverized solid fuel devolatilization and oxidation at high heating rates

This paper deals with the thorough characterization of a new experimental test bench designed to study the devolatilization and oxidation of pulverized fuel particles in a wide range of operating conditions. This lab-scale facility is composed of a fuel feeding system, the functioning of which has been optimized by computational fluid dynamics. It allows delivering a constant and time-independent mass flow rate of fuel particles which are pneumatically transported to the central injector of a hybrid McKenna burner using a carrier gas stream that can be inert or oxidant depending on the targeted application. A premixed propane/air laminar flat flame stabilized on the porous part of the burner is used to generate the hot gases insuring the heating of the central coal/carrier-gas jet with a thermal gradient similar to those found in industrial combustors (>10{sup 5} K/s). In the present work, results issued from numerical simulations performed a priori to characterize the velocity and temperature fields in the reaction chamber have been analyzed and confronted with experimental measurements carried out by coupling particle image velocimetry, thermocouple and two-color pyrometry measurements so as to validate the order of magnitude of the heating rate delivered by such a new test bench. Finally, the main features of the flat flame reactor we developed have been discussed with respect to those of another laboratory-scale system designed to study coal devolatilization at a high heating rate.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-T-519: Is Geometry Based Setup Sufficient for All of the Head and Neck Treatment Cases?: A Feasibility Study Towards the Dose Based Setup

Purpose: This study compares the geometric-based setup (GBS) which is currently used in the clinic to a novel concept of dose-based setup (DBS) of head and neck (H&N) patients using cone beam CT (CBCT) of the day; and evaluates the clinical advantages. Methods: Ten H&N patients who underwent re-simulation and re-plan due to noticeable anatomic changes during the course of the treatments were retrospectively reviewed on dosimetric changes in the assumption of no plan modification was performed. RayStation planning system (RaySearch Laboratories AB, Sweden) was used to match (ROI fusion module) between prescribed isodoseline (IDL) in the CBCT imported along with ROIs from re-planned CT and the IDL of original plan (Dose-based setup: DBS). Then, the CBCT plan based on daily setup using the GBS (previously used for a patient) and the DBS CBCT plan recalculated in RayStation compared against the original CT-sim plan. Results: Most of patients’ tumor coverage and OAR doses got generally worsen when the CBCT plans were compared with original CT-sim plan with GBS. However, when DBS intervened, the OAR dose and tumor coverage was better than the GBS. For example, one of patients’ daily average doses of right parotid and oral cavity increased to 26% and 36%, respectively from the original plan to the GBS planning. However, it only increased by 13% and 24%, respectively with DBS. GTV D95 coverage also decreased by 16% with GBS, but only 2% decreased with DBS. Conclusion: DBS method is superior to GBS to prevent any abrupt dose changes to OARs as well as PTV/CTV or GTV at least for some H&N cases. Since it is not known when the DBS is beneficial to the GBS, a system which enables the on-line DBS may be helpful for better treatment of H&N.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Facility Radionuclide Emission Points and Sampling Systems

Battelle–Pacific Northwest Division operates numerous research and development laboratories in Richland, Washington. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contracts to Battelle include Richland facilities on the DOE Hanford Site and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) – Richland Campus that have the potential for radionuclide air emissions. The PNNL contract also includes DOE operations at the PNNL-Sequim Campus, in Sequim, Washington, where there is also the potential for radionuclide air emissions. This document is a periodic update that describes current PNNL facility emission units and sampling systems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Facility Radionuclide Emission Points and Sampling Systems

Battelle–Pacific Northwest Division operates numerous research and development laboratories in Washington State. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contracts to Battelle at Richland facilities on both the DOE Hanford Site and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)-Richland campus. These facilities have the potential for radionuclide air emissions. The PNNL contract with DOE also includes operations at the PNNL-Sequim campus in Sequim, where there is also the potential for radionuclide air emissions. This document is a periodic update that describes current PNNL facility emission units and sampling systems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Artemis I Flight Instrumentation Data Quality Assessment and Processing

This paper is in support of the SciTech 2024 Space Launch System Aerosciences Special Sessions being organized by Brent Pomeroy and Jeremy Pinier. On November 16th, 2022, NASA launched the inaugural test flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) carrying the Orion capsule into a high orbit far beyond the Moon. The launch vehicle was instrumented with over three thousand flight instrumentation sensors, which monitored aerodynamic, acoustic, structural, and thermal environments. These data are intended to validate experimental and numerical tools used to predict the design environments which the vehicle experiences during launch and ascent. Prior to launch, tests were performed at the SLS Systems Integration Laboratory (SIL) using flight-like avionics and on the integrated flight hardware of Artemis I at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The purpose of these tests was to characterize the data acquisition units (DAUs) used to record and telemeter flight data to ground stations in order to assure that flight test objectives can be achieved and to quantify the expected quality of the flight data. In addition, pre-flight assessment and development of tools and methods used to process and disseminate flight data at the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) were conducted and adjustments made with respect to DAU time-synchronization prior to and after the flight. This paper summarizes these tests and some aspects of the post processing of data are discussed.

Developmental Flight Instrumentation↗
NASA NTRS1990

Systems engineering and integration: Advanced avionics laboratories

In order to develop the new generation of avionics which will be necessary for upcoming programs such as the Lunar/Mars Initiative, Advanced Launch System, and the National Aerospace Plane, new Advanced Avionics Laboratories are required. To minimize costs and maximize benefits, these laboratories should be capable of supporting multiple avionics development efforts at a single location, and should be of a common design to support and encourage data sharing. Recent technological advances provide the capability of letting the designer or analyst perform simulations and testing in an environment similar to his engineering environment and these features should be incorporated into the new laboratories. Existing and emerging hardware and software standards must be incorporated wherever possible to provide additional cost savings and compatibility. Special care must be taken to design the laboratories such that real-time hardware-in-the-loop performance is not sacrificed in the pursuit of these goals. A special program-independent funding source should be identified for the development of Advanced Avionics Laboratories as resources supporting a wide range of upcoming NASA programs.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2008

Ares I and Ares V First Stage - Powering Exploration

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ares Projects Office (APO) is continuing to make progress toward the final design of the first stage propulsion system for the Ares I crew launch vehicle and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. Ares I and Ares V will provide the space launch capabilities needed to fulfill NASA' s exploration strategy of sending human beings to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. As primary propulsion for the Ares launch vehicles, the Space Shuttle-derived Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) is one of the first and most important components to be tested. The first flight of Ares I, called Ares I-X, will occur in April 2009, with booster integration to begin at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) by autumn 2008. The Ares I-X flight will use a combination of flight and simulation hardware to obtain data on controlling the long and narrow crew launch vehicle configuration. The test will use a four-segment RSRM from the Shuttle inventory and a fifth spacer segment to simulate the size and weight of the operational five-segment motor to be used on later flights. The upper stage, Orion crew exploration vehicle, and launch abort system will all be replaced with simulator hardware. Manufacturing work has begun on the spacer segment, as well as the new forward hardware for the booster. Atlas V avionics will be adapted to control Ares I-X' s first stage. That hardware is undergoing hardware-in-the-loop testing in a contractor-provided systems integration laboratory (SIL); a critical design review (CDR) was completed in December 2007. Drogue and main parachute drop tests have also been conducted successfully at Yuma Proving Grounds, allowing the First Stage team to begin fabricating parachutes for Ares I-X. The Ares I-X flight test will be the first flight test for the parachutes. A series of preliminary design technical interchange meetings is being conducted prior to the Ares I-X CDR in January 2007 to ensure readiness for the flight. Much of the First Stage activity in 2007 has focused on a series of preliminary design (PDR) activities associated with each booster subsystem. These events will culminate in a formal preliminary design review in 2008, where subsystems and component specifications will be developed and associated analyses and drawings will be evaluated for technical adequacy. The first stage also has been undergoing a series of trade studies to determine means for upgrading booster performance and reducing operational costs. Performance improvement studies have included changing from polybutadiene acrylonitrile (PBAN) propellant to hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB); replacing aluminum with composite motor casings; and optimizing or upgrading the propellant grain and nozzle structures. Some or all of these changes could result in a block upgrade to the Ares I first stage, after becoming the standard configuration for the Ares V. The cost reduction studies included a change from reusable or recoverable boosters to completely expendable boosters; changing from hydrazine-powered to more environmentally friendly electrohydrostatic actuators (EHAs) on the thrust vector control (TVC) system; and changing the location of the separation plane to reduce the likelihood of recontact upon booster separation. The expendability trade study resulted in a decision to keep the recoverable boosters, as the new hardware costs significantly outweighed the potential operational cost savings due to reduced ground operations. Likewise, due to cost considerations, the team continued using existing hydrazine-powered actuators for the TVC system. The separation plane location for Ares I is still being studied, with results to be announced in 2008. In short, the Ares launch vehicles' first stage is building upon NASA's close familiarity with this Shuttle-derived system, while continuing to seek out improvements for long-term exploration.

Priskos, Alex S.↗
DOE OSTI2014

Market valuation perspectives for photovoltaic systems

Sandia National Laboratories, working with Energy Sense Finance developed the proof-ofconcept PV Valueª tool in 2011 to provide real estate appraisers a tool that can be used to develop the market value and fair market value of a solar photovoltaic system. PV Valueª moved from a proof-of-concept spreadsheet to a commercial web-based tool developed and operated exclusively by Energy Sense Finance in June 2014. This paper presents the results of a survey aimed at different user categories in order to measure how the tool is being used in the marketplace as well as elicit information that can be used to improve the tool s effectiveness.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Evaluations of high-resolution dynamically downscaled ensembles over the contiguous United States

This study uses Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model to evaluate the performance of six dynamical downscaled decadal historical simulations with 12-km resolution for a large domain (7200 x 6180 km) that covers most of North America. The initial and boundary conditions are from three global climate models (GCMs) and one reanalysis data. The GCMs employed in this study are the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Earth System Model with Generalized Ocean Layer Dynamics component, Community Climate System Model, version 4, and the Hadley Centre Global Environment Model, version 2-Earth System. The reanalysis data is from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-US. Department of Energy Reanalysis II. We analyze the effects of bias correcting, the lateral boundary conditions and the effects of spectral nudging. We evaluate the model performance for seven surface variables and four upper atmospheric variables based on their climatology and extremes for seven subregions across the United States. The results indicate that the simulation’s performance depends on both location and the features/variable being tested. We find that the use of bias correction and/or nudging is beneficial in many situations, but employing these when running the RCM is not always an improvement when compared to the reference data. The use of an ensemble mean and median leads to a better performance in measuring the climatology, while it is significantly biased for the extremes, showing much larger differences than individual GCM driven model simulations from the reference data. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of these historical model runs in order to make informed decisions when making future projections.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

The value of concentrating solar power in ancillary services markets

Ancillary services, such as spinning reserves, can provide grid reliability and contribute to profitability of an energy resource. We exercise an existing dispatch optimization model to estimate the profitability of a concentrating solar power plant by incorporating the sale of spinning reserves in the ancillary service market using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's System Advisor Model to simulate operations within a 72-h rolling horizon framework. Assuming a price-taker approach with day-ahead energy and spinning reserve prices from both the California Independent System Operator and the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas, we find that selling spinning reserves in addition to electric energy increases plant profitability by up to 7% with perfect knowledge of day-ahead pricing and solar resource availability. Here, this finding suggests that spinning reserve markets provide significant value streams to concentrating solar power plants that can leverage thermal energy storage to offer reliable production in the short-to-medium term.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Observed Land Surface Influence on Atmospheric Heat and Moisture Profiles During Interstorms

Land-atmospheric (L-A) feedbacks have historically been studied using models whose structure and parameterizations influence outcomes and insights. The representation of L-A feedbacks based on observations alone remains an ongoing challenge for understanding boundary layer development and precipitation. To address this gap, we use ground-based passive remote sensing and in-situ observations to present an analysis of the atmosphere during 103 interstorm soil moisture drydown events spanning nine warm seasons (2016–2024) in the U.S. Southern Great Plains region. By separating events based on local L-A coupling signals and characterizing the profiles of atmospheric heat and moisture to surface energy flux behavior, we investigate the physical mechanisms linking land surface processes to boundary layer development. We find that during interstorm drydowns, the atmospheric column follows a consistent pattern: moisture increases within the boundary layer, peaks near its top, and declines rapidly above, while warming occurs through the depth. Drydowns that shift toward evaporation produce stronger and deeper thermodynamic responses than cases dominated by sensible heating, which are weaker and shallower. Additionally, moisture is accumulated faster within the boundary layer during shorter drydowns, with longer drydowns representing slower, moisture-limited growth. Drydowns with wetter initial soil moisture will sustain stronger moistening within and above the boundary layer, accelerating buoyancy growth and convective potential toward the next storm. These results provide observational evidence linking surface flux evolution to boundary layer thermodynamics and offer a process-level benchmark for evaluating coupled L-A representations in models and demonstrating the influence of soil moisture on short-term weather forecasting skill.

Zhang, M. S. [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (M↗
DOE OSTI2018

Electron magnetic reconnection without ion coupling in Earth’s turbulent magnetosheath

Magnetic reconnection in current sheets is a magnetic-to-particle energy conversion process that is fundamental to many space and laboratory plasma systems. In the standard model of reconnection, this process occurs in a minuscule electron-scale diffusion region. On larger scales, ions couple to the newly reconnected magnetic-field lines and are ejected away from the diffusion region in the form of bi-directional ion jets at the ion Alfvén speed. Much of the energy conversion occurs in spatially extended ion exhausts downstream of the diffusion region. In turbulent plasmas, which contain a large number of small-scale current sheets, reconnection has long been suggested to have a major role in the dissipation of turbulent energy at kinetic scales. However, evidence for reconnection plasma jetting in small-scale turbulent plasmas has so far been lacking. Here we report observations made in Earth’s turbulent magnetosheath region (downstream of the bow shock) of an electron-scale current sheet in which diverging bi-directional super-ion-Alfvénic electron jets, parallel electric fields and enhanced magnetic-to-particle energy conversion were detected. Contrary to the standard model of reconnection, the thin reconnecting current sheet was not embedded in a wider ion-scale current layer and no ion jets were detected. Observations of this and other similar, but unidirectional, electron jet events without signatures of ion reconnection reveal a form of reconnection that can drive turbulent energy transfer and dissipation in electron-scale current sheets without ion coupling.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Metabolomics reveals metabolic changes in male reproductive cells exposed to thirdhand smoke

Thirdhand smoke (THS) is a new term for the toxins in cigarette smoke that linger in the environment long after the cigarettes are extinguished. The effects of THS exposure on male reproduction have not yet been studied. In this study, metabolic changes in male germ cell lines (GC-2 and TM-4) were analyzed after THS treatment for 24 h. THS-loaded chromatography paper samples were generated in a laboratory chamber system and extracted in DMEM. At a paper: DMEM ratio of 50 μg/ml, cell viability in both cell lines was normal, as measured by the MTT assay and markers of cytotoxicity, cell cycle, apoptosis and ROS production were normal as measured by quantitative immunofluorescence. Metabolomic analysis was performed on methanol extracts of GC-2 and TM-4 cells. Furthermore, glutathione metabolism in GC-2 cells, and nucleic acid and ammonia metabolism in TM-4 cells, was changed significantly by THS treatment. RT-PCR analyses of mRNA for enzyme genes Gss and Ggt in GC-2 cells, and TK, SMS and Glna in TM-4 cells reinforced these findings, showing changes in the levels of enzymes involved in the relevant pathways. In conclusion, exposure to THS at very low concentrations caused distinct metabolic changes in two different types of male reproductive cell lines.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

Recent results and challenges in development of metallic Hall sensors for fusion reactors

Reliable and precise diagnostic of local magnetic field is crucial for successful operation of future thermonuclear fusion reactors based on magnetic confinement. Magnetic sensors at these devices will experience an extremely demanding operational environment with large radiation and thermal loads in combination with required long term, reliable, and service-free performance. Neither present day commercial nor laboratory measurement systems comply with these requirements. Metallic Hall sensors based on e.g. copper or bismuth could potentially satisfy these needs. We present the technology for manufacturing of such sensors and some initial results on characterization of their properties.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

The development of in-situ calibration method for divertor IR thermography in ITER

For the development of the calibration method of the emissivity in IR light on the divertor plate in ITER divertor IR thermography system, the laboratory experiments have been performed by using IR instruments. The calibration of the IR camera was performed by the plane black body in the temperature of 100–600 degC. The radiances of the tungsten heated by 280 degC were measured by the IR camera without filter (2.5–5.1 μm) and with filter (2.95 μm, 4.67 μm). The preliminary data of the scattered light of the laser of 3.34 μm that injected into the tungsten were acquired.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

The general dispersion relation of induced streaming instabilities in quantum outflow systems

In this manuscript the dispersion relations of streaming instabilities, by using the unique property (neutralized in charge and current by default) of plasma shells colliding, have been generalized and studied. This interesting property for interpenetrating beams enables one to find the general dispersion relations without any restrictions used in the previous works in this area. In our previous work [H. Mehdian et al., ApJ. 801, 89 (2015)], employing the plasma shell concept and boost frame method, the general dispersion relation for filamentation instability has been derived in the relativistic classical regime. But in this paper, using the above mentioned concepts, the general dispersion relations (for each of streaming instabilities, filamentation, two-stream and multi-stream) in the non-relativistic quantum regime have been derived by employing the quantum fluid equations together with Maxwell equations. The derived dispersion relations enable to describe any arbitrary system of interacting two and three beams, justified neutralization condition, by choosing the inertial reference frame embedded on the one of the beams. Furthermore, by the numerical and analytical study of these dispersion relations, many new features of streaming instabilities (E.g. their cut-off wave numbers and growth rates) in terms of all involved parameters have been illustrated. The obtained results in this paper can be used to describe many astrophysical systems and laboratory astrophysics setting, such as collision of non-parallel plasma shells over a background plasma or the collision of three neutralized plasma slabs, and justifying the many plasma phenomena such as particle accelerations and induced fields.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗