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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Limitations of cetane number to predict transient combustion phenomena in high-pressure fuel sprays

Fundamental understanding of in-cylinder processes in diesel engines is important to screen emerging biofuels and advanced combustion modes that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and regulated pollutants including soot. In this study, the role of fuel properties on spray development and combustion is investigated by systematically isolating chemical and thermophysical effects. Three different fuels are considered, two with similar chemical properties and two with similar thermophysical properties with one fuel common to both groups. Experiments are performed in a constant-pressure flow chamber de-signed to provide stable test conditions and facilitate acquisition of at least 150 injections in quick succession for each fuel under reacting conditions at high-pressure, high-temperature ambient conditions using a modified conventional diesel engine injector. Further, high speed optical diagnostics including rainbow schlieren deflectometry, OH* chemiluminescence, and a two-color pyrometry system are employed to simultaneously image the transient spray and reacting jets. Image analysis is performed to determine liquid length, vapor penetration length, timing and location of first stage and main ignition events, lift-off location, total soot mass, and more. Results show that fuels with similar chemical properties or cetane number (CN) exhibit similar delay times for first stage and main ignition events as may be expected, but very different liquid length, first stage and main ignition locations, lift-off length, apparent turbulent flame speed, and soot formation. As such, the ability to characterize candidate biofuels with CN or other parameters derived from simple flame configurations is called into question. In this study, thermo-physical properties controlling the liquid length are identified as the main contributing factor for the observed differences.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Timelike form factor for the anomalous process γ⁎π → ππ

The form factor 𝐹 3𝜋 (𝑠, 𝑡, 𝑢) for the anomalous process 𝛾∗𝜋 → 𝜋𝜋 is calculated in the isospin limit for several values of the light current-quark mass (i.e., the pion mass) using Dyson–Schwinger and Bethe–Salpeter equations. Beyond a quark interaction kernel representing gluon-mediated interactions, leading beyond-rainbow-ladder effects at low energies are incorporated by back-coupling pions as explicit degrees of freedom. Building upon an earlier calculation of the quark-photon vertex that captures the branch cut associated with the two-pion threshold and the ρ-meson resonance, the form factor 𝐹 3𝜋 (𝑠, 𝑡, 𝑢) is determined for timelike Mandelstam s. In particular, predictions are made for the kinematics relevant to the Primakoff reaction studied with COMPASS/AMBER at CERN.

Miramontes, Angel S. [Univ. of Valencia (Spain)] (↗
DOE OSTI2022

Transient mixing behavior of a supercritical fluid injected into supercritical and subcritical environments

Transient, near-field mixing of a supercritical fluid injected into supercritical and subcritical environments is investigated experimentally. Fuel (propane) from a 100 μm diameter Bosch diesel injector is injected into a high-pressure test rig with a steady flow of heated, low-velocity nitrogen to control the ambient pressure and temperature. The fuel supply pressure is approximately 190 bar, allowing short injections lasting 3–4 ms to be performed in quick succession to acquire statistically significant datasets to represent the unsteady fuel–air mixing. Two test cases with the same ambient density and injector inlet pressure and temperature were chosen in an attempt to isolate effects of mixture phase behavior. Microscopic rainbow Schlieren deflectometry (RSD) is used for visualization and quantitative data acquisition. In the case of the supercritical ambient, the injector inlet and exit and ambient conditions are all supercritical. The RSD analysis reveals a mixing process similar to the single phase fluid mixing, though condensation is also observed locally, and can be explained by the adiabatic mixing theory presented in the paper. For the subcritical ambient case, the injector inlet is supercritical, but the injector exit and ambient conditions are both subcritical. The results show a rapid expansion in the near-field promoting mixing between propane and nitrogen. At downstream locations, significant condensation is also observed as predicted by the adiabatic mixing theory. As a result, the supercritical ambient case exhibited longer and narrower jet penetration compared to the subcritical ambient case.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hyperspectral interference tomography of nacre

Significance We invented an optical technique—hyperspectral interference tomography—that rapidly and nondestructively extracts nanoscale structural information across large samples of nacre (mother-of-pearl) and other layered materials by combining multiangle and polarization-resolved hyperspectral imaging with optical-interference modeling. We investigated nacre in mollusk shells from two different species, red abalone and rainbow abalone, and discovered a previously unknown relationship between the age of the mollusk and the thickness of aragonite tablets in nacre. Hyperspectral interference tomography will have applications in climate science, since nacre tablet thickness in fossil shells is a proxy for ancient seawater temperature, and in bioinspired mechanics, because the layered structure of nacre inspires engineered materials with exceptional strength and toughness.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Effects of sampling techniques on short-term survival and genotyping success of salmonid fry

ABSTRACT Objective Genetics tools have become an integral part of managing and understanding fish populations. Generally, a small tissue sample, such as a fin clip, is taken and then genotyped, with little effect on survival of the fish. However, tissue sampling may have a larger effect on juvenile fish survival compared to their adult counterparts. We evaluated survival and genotyping success of various genetic sampling techniques for Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss fry. Methods Three sampling treatments were evaluated including control (anesthetized and handled), fin clipping (partial caudal fin clip), and swabbing (OmniSwab was used to collect external mucus). Survival was monitored for 12 d posttreatment, and genotyping success was evaluated. Results Survival was high in all treatment groups (i.e., 0.93–1.00) but, on average, was lower in the swab treatment group. Genotyping was successful in 100% of the fin clip samples and 11–50% of the swab samples. Conclusions Results of this study suggest that sampling caudal-fin tissue does not negatively affect fry short-term survival and the small tissue samples yield highly successful genotyping results. Swabbing did not produce successful genotyping results, and fish sampled with swabs experienced higher mortality than those that received fin clips. Results indicate that fin clips should be used for collection of genetic samples from fry.

McCarrick, Darcy K.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Brilliant angle-independent structural colours preserved in weevil scales from the Swiss Pleistocene

Extant weevils exhibit a remarkable colour palette that ranges from muted monochromatic tones to rainbow-like iridescence, with the most vibrant colours produced by three-dimensional photonic nanostructures housed within cuticular scales. Although the optical properties of these nanostructures are well understood, their evolutionary history is not fully resolved, in part due to a poor knowledge of their fossil record. Here, we report three-dimensional photonic nanostructures preserved in brightly coloured scales of two weevils, belonging to the genus Phyllobius or Polydrusus , from the Pleistocene (16–10 ka) of Switzerland. The scales display vibrant blue, green and yellow hues that resemble those of extant Phyllobius/Polydrusus . Scanning electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering analyses reveal that the subfossil scales possess a single-diamond photonic crystal nanostructure. In extant Phyllobius/Polydrusus , the near-angle-independent blue and green hues function primarily in crypsis. The preservation of far-field, angle-independent structural colours in the Swiss subfossil weevils and their likely function in substrate matching confirm the importance of investigating fossil and subfossil photonic nanostructures to understand the evolutionary origins and diversification of colours and associated behaviours (e.g. crypsis) in insects.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Distinguishing Quarks and Gluons in Pion and Kaon PDFs

The leading-twist parton distribution functions of the pion and kwon are calculated for the first time using a rainbow-ladder truncation of QCD's Dyson-Schwinger equations (DSEs) that self-consistently sums all planar diagrams. The nonperturbative gluon dressing of the quarks is thereby correctly accounted for, which in practice means solving the inhomogeneous Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) for the quark operator that defines the spin-independent quark distribution functions. An immediate consequence of using this dressed vertex is that gluons carry 35% of the pion's and 30% of the kaon's light-cone momentum, with the remaining momentum carried by the quarks. The scale associated with these DSE results is μ 0 = 0.78 GeV. The gluon effects generated by the inhomogeneous BSE are inherently nonperturbative and cannot be mimicked by the perturbative QCD evolution equations. A key consequence of this gluon dressing is that the valence quarks have reduced support at low-to-intermediate x, where the gluons dominate, and increased support at large x. As a result, our DSE calculation of the pion's valence quark distribution is in excellent agreement with the Conway et al. pion-induced Drell-Yan data, but nevertheless exhibits the q π (x) similar or equal to (1 - x) 2 behavior as x -> 1 predicted by perturbative QCD.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Bi-Level Adaptive Storage Expansion Strategy for Microgrids Using Deep Reinforcement Learning

Battery energy storage (BES) is a versatile resource for the secure and economic operation of microgrids (MGs). Prevailing stochastic optimization-based approaches for BES expansion planning for MGs are computationally complicated. This work proposes a data-driven bi-level multi-period BES expansion planning framework to determine the siting, sizing, and timing of BES installations. The proposed planning framework unifies deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and linear programming, thereby decoupling the determinations for the integer and continuous decision variables in two time scales, respectively. In the upper level, a rainbow DRL agent with quantile regression is trained to provide dynamic planning policies to accommodate stochastic renewable energy resources (RESs), load, and battery price changes efficiently. Further, the lower level computes the optimal operation of MGs with frequency constraints to hedge the islanding contingency. The two levels communicate with one another by exchanging storage configuration and operating expenses in order to accomplish the shared goal of minimizing investment and operation costs. Comparative case studies on an MG are carried out to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed DRL-based solution to the mixed-integer linear programming counterpart on efficiency, scalability, and adaptability.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Particle size influences decay rates of environmental DNA in aquatic systems

Abstract Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is a powerful tool for remote detection of target organisms. However, obtaining quantitative and longitudinal information from eDNA data is challenging, requiring a deep understanding of eDNA ecology. Notably, if the various size components of eDNA decay at different rates, and we can separate them within a sample, their changing proportions could be used to obtain longitudinal dynamics information on targets. To test this possibility, we conducted an aquatic mesocosm experiment in which we separated fish‐derived eDNA components using sequential filtration to evaluate the decay rate and changing proportion of various eDNA particle sizes over time. We then fit four alternative mathematical decay models to the data, building towards a predictive framework to interpret eDNA data from various particle sizes. We found that medium‐sized particles (1–10 μm) decayed more slowly than other size classes (i.e., <1 and > 10 μm), and thus made up an increasing proportion of eDNA particles over time. We also observed distinct eDNA particle size distribution (PSD) between our Common carp and Rainbow trout samples, suggesting that target‐specific assays are required to determine starting eDNA PSDs. Additionally, we found evidence that different sizes of eDNA particles do not decay independently, with particle size conversion replenishing smaller particles over time. Nonetheless, a parsimonious mathematical model where particle sizes decay independently best explained the data. Given these results, we suggest a framework to discern target distance and abundance with eDNA data by applying sequential filtration, which theoretically has both metabarcoding and single‐target applications.

Brandão‐Dias, Pedro F. P.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Efficient species identification for Pacific salmon genetic monitoring programs

Abstract Genetic monitoring of Pacific salmon in the Columbia River basin provides crucial information to fisheries managers that is otherwise challenging to obtain using traditional methods. Monitoring programs such as genetic stock identification (GSI) and parentage‐based tagging (PBT) involve genotyping tens of thousands of individuals annually. Although rare, these large sample collections inevitably include misidentified species, which exhibit low genotyping success on species‐specific Genotyping‐in‐Thousands by sequencing (GT‐seq) panels. For laboratories involved in large‐scale genotyping efforts, diagnosing non‐target species and reassigning them to the appropriate monitoring program can be costly and time‐consuming. To address this problem, we identified 19 primer pairs that exhibit consistent cross‐species amplification among salmonids and contain 51 species informative variants. These genetic markers reliably discriminate among 11 salmonid species and two subspecies of Cutthroat Trout and have been included in species‐specific GT‐seq panels for Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, and Rainbow Trout commonly used for Pacific salmon genetic monitoring. The majority of species‐informative amplicons (16) were newly identified from the four existing GT‐seq panels, thus demonstrating a low‐cost approach to species identification when using targeted sequencing methods. A species‐calling script was developed that is tailored for routine GT‐seq genotyping pipelines and automates the identification of non‐target species. Following extensive testing with empirical and simulated data, we demonstrated that the genetic markers and accompanying script accurately identified species and are robust to missing genotypic data and low‐frequency, shared polymorphisms among species. Finally, we used these tools to identify Coho Salmon incidentally caught in the Columbia River Chinook Salmon sport fishery and used PBT to determine their hatchery of origin. These molecular and computing resources provide a valuable tool for Pacific salmon conservation in the Columbia River basin and demonstrate a cost‐effective approach to species identification for genetic monitoring programs.

Robinson, Zachary L.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Whole genome resequencing reveals genomic regions associated with thermal adaptation in redband trout

Abstract Adaptation to local environments involves evolution of ecologically important traits and underlying physiological processes. Here, we used low coverage whole‐genome resequencing (lcWGR) on individuals to identify genome regions involved in thermal adaptation in wild redband trout Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri , a subspecies of rainbow trout that inhabits ecosystems ranging from cold montane forests to high elevation deserts. This study includes allele frequency‐based analyses for selective sweeps among populations, followed by multiple association tests for specific sets of phenotypes measured under thermal stress (acute and chronic survival/mortality; high or low cardiac performance groups). Depending on the groups in each set of analyses, sequencing reads covered 43%–75% of the genome at ≥15× and each analysis included millions of SNPs across the genome. In tests for selective sweeps among populations, a total of six chromosomal regions were significant. The further association tests for specific phenotypes revealed that the region on chromosome 4 was consistently the most significant and contains the cerk gene (ceramide kinase). This study provides insight into a potential genetic mechanism of local thermal adaptation and suggests c erk may be an important candidate gene. However, further validation of this cerk gene is necessary to determine if the association with cardiac performance results in a functional role to influence thermal performance when exposed to high water temperatures and hypoxic conditions.

Chen, Zhongqi↗
DOE OSTI2020

Fish scale-loss caused by simulated hydraulic shear stress

Riverine fishes found within streams impacted by hydropower also often pass through hydropower turbines during annual downstream migrations. During turbine passage events, fish may experience a suite of stressors including rapid pressure changes, impacts from turbine blades, and exposure to hydraulic shear. Scale-loss is often observed in fish collected below dams and hydraulic shear is the most likely cause of this trauma. While exposure to shear may cause other injuries, scale-loss appears to be the most common non-lethal injury observed to date. We sought to quantify how hydraulic shear may cause scale-loss in rainbow trout, gizzard shad, and hybrid striped bass by precisely controlling the exposure level (velocity) and duration (seconds) of a water jet. We targeted the same area for all three species found between the operculum and dorsal fin on the left, lateral surface. Exposure velocities ranged from 0 (controls) to 11.0 meters/second but fish were only exposed to the water jet for 1.5 seconds. A 0.2 milligram/milliliter solution of fluorescein was used to stain the areas of scale-loss by submerging each fish in this solution for at least 6 minutes. Fluorescein was used because it interacts with epithelial tissue that has been damaged and it fluoresces under ultraviolet lighting. Fish were photographed under short- and longwave ultraviolet lighting in a dark chamber to capture fluorescence. Fish photographs were analyzed using ImageJ and the proportion of descaled area was estimated for each fish within a 35 by 35-millimeter square. In general, these data highlight how exposure to hydraulic shear may lead to significant levels of descaling in riverine fishes.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Whole-Genome Resequencing to Evaluate Life History Variation in Anadromous Migration of Oncorhynchus mykiss

Anadromous fish experience physiological modifications necessary to migrate between vastly different freshwater and marine environments, but some species such as Oncorhynchus mykiss demonstrate variation in life history strategies with some individuals remaining exclusively resident in freshwater, whereas others undergo anadromous migration. Because there is limited understanding of genes involved in this life history variation across populations of this species, we evaluated the genomic difference between known anadromous ( n = 39) and resident ( n = 78) Oncorhynchus mykiss collected from the Klickitat River, WA, USA, with whole-genome resequencing methods. Sequencing of these collections yielded 5.64 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms that were tested for significant differences between resident and anadromous groups along with previously identified candidate gene regions. Although a few regions of the genome were marginally significant, there was one region on chromosome Omy12 that provided the most consistent signal of association with anadromy near two annotated genes in the reference assembly: COP9 signalosome complex subunit 6 (CSN6) and NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain–containing protein 3 (NLRP3). Previously identified candidate genes for anadromy within the inversion region of chromosome Omy05 in coastal steelhead and rainbow trout were not informative for this population as shown in previous studies. Results indicate that the significant region on chromosome Omy12 may represent a minor effect gene for male anadromy and suggests that this life history variation in Oncorhynchus mykiss is more strongly driven by other mechanisms related to environmental rearing such as epigenetic modification, gene expression, and phenotypic plasticity. Further studies into regulatory mechanisms of this trait are needed to understand drivers of anadromy in populations of this protected species.

Collins, Erin E.↗
DOE OSTI2022

An EvoDevo Study of Salmonid Visual Opsin Dynamics and Photopigment Spectral Sensitivity

Salmonids are ideal models as many species follow a distinct developmental program from demersal eggs and a large yolk sac to hatching at an advanced developmental stage. Further, these economically important teleosts inhabit both marine- and freshwaters and experience diverse light environments during their life histories. At a genome level, salmonids have undergone a salmonid-specific fourth whole genome duplication event (Ss4R) compared to other teleosts that are already more genetically diverse compared to many non-teleost vertebrates. Thus, salmonids display phenotypically plastic visual systems that appear to be closely related to their anadromous migration patterns. This is most likely due to a complex interplay between their larger, more gene-rich genomes and broad spectrally enriched habitats; however, the molecular basis and functional consequences for such diversity is not fully understood. This study used advances in genome sequencing to identify the repertoire and genome organization of visual opsin genes (those primarily expressed in retinal photoreceptors) from six different salmonids [Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ), brown trout ( Salmo trutta ), Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytcha ), coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ), rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), and sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka )] compared to the northern pike ( Esox lucius ), a closely related non-salmonid species. Results identified multiple orthologues for all five visual opsin classes, except for presence of a single short-wavelength-sensitive-2 opsin gene. Several visual opsin genes were not retained after the Ss4R duplication event, which is consistent with the concept of salmonid rediploidization. Developmentally, transcriptomic analyzes of Atlantic salmon revealed differential expression within each opsin class, with two of the long-wavelength-sensitive opsins not being expressed before first feeding. Also, early opsin expression in the retina was located centrally, expanding dorsally and ventrally as eye development progressed, with rod opsin being the dominant visual opsin post-hatching. Modeling by spectral tuning analysis and atomistic molecular simulation, predicted the greatest variation in the spectral peak of absorbance to be within the Rh2 class, with a ∼40 nm difference in λ max values between the four medium-wavelength-sensitive photopigments. Overall, it appears that opsin duplication and expression, and their respective spectral tuning profiles, evolved to maximize specialist color vision throughout an anadromous lifecycle, with some visual opsin genes being lost to tailor marine-based vision.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effect of Humidity-Triggered Controlled-Release 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on Postharvest Quality of Papaya Fruit

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a valuable economic crop that is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions but has a short storage and shelf life. Exploring effective strategies to improve the postharvest quality of papaya is important. This study explored the effect of humidity-triggered controlled-release 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) sheets on the postharvest quality of papaya fruit. ‘Rainbow’ papayas underwent cold storage at 10 ± 0.5 °C, RH 85% ± 2% for 14 days, and then were transferred to 20 ± 0.5 °C, RH 85% ± 2% for 10 days to simulate shelf life. The 1-MCP sheets were cut into different sizes and placed in storage containers in advance to create corresponding concentrations at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 ppm. Results showed that 1-MCP treatment inhibited fruit softening, and reduced weight loss and peel color deterioration without causing any physiological disorders. The 1.0–2.0 ppm 1-MCP-treated fruit received the highest score for papaya flavor and sweetness respectively and the lowest score for off-flavor. The humidity-triggered controlled-release 1-MCP sheets are effective and convenient, and they can serve as an important tool for regulating postharvest papaya ripening with economic benefits.

Agriculture↗
DOE OSTI2020

Within and Among Fish Species Differences in Simulated Turbine Blade Strike Mortality: Limits on the Use of Surrogacy for Untested Species

Use of surrogacy remains a useful method for prioritizing research on representatives of at-risk groups of fishes, yet quantifiable evidence in support of its use is generally not available. Blade strike impact represents one of the most traumatic stressors experienced by fish during non-volitional movements through hydropower turbines. Here, we use data generated from laboratory trials on blade strike impact experiments to directly test use of surrogacy for salmonid and clupeid fishes. Results of logistic regression indicated that a -taxonomic (genus) variable was not a significant predictor of mortality among large rainbow trout and brook trout. Similar results were found for young-of-the-year shad species, but genus-level taxonomy was a significant predictor of mortality while species was not. Multivariate analysis of morphometric data showed that shad clustered together based on similarities in fish shape which was also closely associated with genus. Logistic regression including size as a major covariate suggested total fish length was not a significant predictor of mortality, yet dose–response data suggest differential susceptibility to lower strike velocities. We suggest that use of surrogacy among species is justifiable but should be avoided within a species since the effects of size remain unclear.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Examination of an Electrified Bar Rack Fish Guidance Device for Hydropower Turbines

The potential of hydropower turbines to cause injury or mortality to fish is a concern. To reduce this risk, engineers have begun to develop a conically arranged, cantilevered electrified bar rack (Center Sender). This device is proposed to be mounted within the intake of a turbine, guiding downstream-passing fish towards the center of the turbine where blade velocities are lower and blades are thicker, likely reducing the potential for fish to be injured. A simplified version was installed in a flume for testing with Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) while examining several parameters such as electrification, bar spacing, bar angle, and water velocity. The most effective settings were observed to be a water velocity of 1.0 m s -1 with all bars installed at an angle of 40° with electrification on. Other combinations were still effective but had varying results. A minimal proportion (2.3%) of fish passed at lower velocities with bars electrified and mounted at 20°, suggesting that while it functions well as a guidance device in high-velocity conditions, it performs better as a barrier at lower velocities. The study suggests that the Center Sender has promising potential for reducing the harmful effects of hydropower turbines on fish populations by guiding them away from stressors. Further research is needed, but current results encourage its potential use in hydropower operations.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1972

Curve crossing for low energy elastic scattering of He (plus) by Ne

The perturbation seen in the experimental differential elastic scattering cross section for the 40 eV He(+) + Ne system was attributed to a single crossing of two intermolecular potential energy curves. A new theoretical treatment of the curve crossing problem, that of Delos and Thorson, is employed to obtain the crossing probabilities and phases associated with the crossing. These are determined by utilizing ab initio potentials involved in the crossing and are further used in a partial wave calculation of the cross section, which is compared with our experiment. The origin of the oscillatory structure observed in the differential cross section is discussed in semiclassical terms by defining the problem in terms of two pseudo-deflection functions. A rainbow effect is shown to be related to a particular feature (a maximum rather than a minimum) of these deflection functions.

Bobbio, S. M.↗