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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 1,117 records · Page 62

Response of automated tow placed laminates to stress concentrations

In this study, the response of laminates with stress concentrations is explored. Automated Tow Placed (ATP, also known as Fiber Placement) laminates are compared to conventional tape layup manufacturing. Previous tensile fracture tests on fiber placed laminates show an improvement in tensile fracture of large notches over 20 percent compared to tape layup laminates. A hierarchial modeling scheme is presented. In this scheme, a global model is developed for laminates with notches. A local model is developed to study the influence of inhomogeneities at the notch tip, which are a consequence of the fiber placement manufacturing technique. In addition, a stacked membrane model was developed to study delaminations and splitting on a ply-by-ply basis. The results indicate that some benefit with respect to tensile fracture (up to 11 percent) can be gained from inhomogeneity alone, but that the most improvement may be obtained with splitting and delaminations which are more severe in the case of fiber placement compared to tape layup. Improvements up to 36 percent were found from the model for fiber placed laminates with damage at the notch tip compared to conventional tape layup.

Cairns, Douglas S.↗

Developing a space-filling mixture experiment design when the components are subject to linear and nonlinear constraints

This article presents a case study of developing a space-filling design (SFD) for a constrained mixture experiment when the experimental region is specified by single-component constraints (SCCs), linear multiple-component constraints (LMCCs), and nonlinear multiple-component constraints (NMCCs). Traditional methods and software for designing constrained mixture experiments with SCCs and LMCCs (using either optimal design or SFD approaches) are not directly applicable because of the NMCCs. A SFD algorithm in the JMP software was modified to accommodate the nonlinear MCCs; the modification is described in this article. The case study involves high-level waste (HLW) glass that is subject to the formation of nepheline crystals as the glass cools. This can significantly reduce the durability of HLW glass (which is undesirable). The goal of the study was to develop a SFD for the HLW glass compositional region where nepheline may form, and generate data for modeling nepheline formation as a function of HLW glass composition. The HLW glass composition region was specified in terms of eight components with SCCs, two LMCCs, and two NMCCs. The NMCCs were based on a nonlinear logistic regression model for a binary-response nepheline response that was developed from previous data. This article discusses the HLW glass example, the constraints specifying the experimental composition region, and how an existing algorithm for generating SFDs was modified to accommodate the NMCCs. The methodology discussed in this article can be applied to any example in which the experimental region is specified by one or more nonlinear constraints in addition to linear constraints on mixture components and/or non-mixture variables.

Mixture experiment, space-filling experimental des↗

Studies to design and develop improved remote manipulator systems

Remote manipulator control considered is based on several levels of automatic supervision which derives manipulator commands from an analysis of sensor states and task requirements. Principle sensors are manipulator joint position, tactile, and currents. The tactile sensor states can be displayed visually in perspective or replicated in the operator's control handle of perceived by the automatic supervisor. Studies are reported on control organization, operator performance and system performance measures. Unusual hardware and software details are described.

Hill, J. W.↗

Ocean Observations with EOS/MODIS: Algorithm Development and Post Launch Studies

The following accomplishments were made during the present reporting period: (1) We expanded our new method, for identifying the presence of absorbing aerosols and simultaneously performing atmospheric correction, to the point where it could be added as a subroutine to the MODIS water-leaving radiance algorithm; (2) We successfully acquired micro pulse lidar (MPL) data at sea during a cruise in February; (3) We developed a water-leaving radiance algorithm module for an approximate correction of the MODIS instrument polarization sensitivity; and (4) We participated in one cruise to the Gulf of Maine, a well known region for mesoscale coccolithophore blooms. We measured coccolithophore abundance, production and optical properties.

Gordon, Howard R.↗

Studies on phase formation, microstructure development and elastic properties of reduced NiO-8YSZ anode supported bi-layer half-cell structures of solid oxide fuel cells

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Detailed study on the development of microstructure and phase in NiO-8YSZ anodes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Detailed study on elastic properties at high temperatures in air/reducing atmosphere. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Effects of initial porosity, composition and other issues are evaluated in detail. -- Abstract: Half-cell structures of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with a thin and dense electrolyte layer of 8YSZ supported by a thick and porous NiO-8YSZ anode precursor structure were reduced in a gas mixture of 5% H{sub 2}-95% Ar at 800 Degree-Sign C for selected time periods in order to fabricate cermets with desired microstructure and composition, and to study their effects on the elastic properties at ambient and reactive atmospheres. It appears that 2 h of exposure to the reducing conditions is enough to reduce {approx}80% of NiO with an enhanced porosity value of 35%. The Ni-8YSZ cermet phase formation in the anode was analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) in correlation with its microstructure. The elastic properties were determined after the reduction, at room and elevated temperatures using the impulse excitation technique. At room temperature the decrease in the Young's modulus was about 44% (after 8 h of reduction) and can be attributed mainly to the changes in the microstructure, particularly the increase in porosity from {approx}12% to 37%. Young's moduli of the as-received precursor and reduced anodes were evaluated as a function of temperature in air and reducing atmosphere. The results were explained in correlation to the initial porosity, composition and oxidation of Ni at the elevated temperatures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Initial development of the axisymmetric ejector shear layer

An experimental investigation designed to study the development of shear layers in an axisymmetric single-nozzle ejector has been completed. In this study, combinations of air/air, argon/air and helium/air were used as the supersonic primary and subsonic secondary, respectively. Mixing of the gases occurred in a constant-area tube, where the inlet pressure was maintained at 5 psia. The cases studied resulted in convective Mach numbers between 0.3 and 1.9. The resulting data shows dramatic differences in the shear-layer development for the various combinations of independent variables utilized in the investigation. Further, in the region immediately after the inlet to the mixing tube, the axisymmetric shear layers seem to behave in a manner similar to that of two-dimensional mixing layers. The results have enhanced the ability to analyze and design ejector systems as well as providing a better understanding of the physics.

Dufflocq, M.↗

Analysis of Unit-Level Changes in Operations with Increased SPP Wind from EPRI/LCG Balancing Study

Wind power development in the United States is outpacing previous estimates for many regions, particularly those with good wind resources. The pace of wind power deployment may soon outstrip regional capabilities to provide transmission and integration services to achieve the most economic power system operation. Conversely, regions such as the Southeastern United States do not have good wind resources and will have difficulty meeting proposed federal Renewable Portfolio Standards with local supply. There is a growing need to explore innovative solutions for collaborating between regions to achieve the least cost solution for meeting such a renewable energy mandate. The Department of Energy funded the project 'Integrating Midwest Wind Energy into Southeast Electricity Markets' to be led by EPRI in coordination with the main authorities for the regions: SPP, Entergy, TVA, Southern Company and OPC. EPRI utilized several subcontractors for the project including LCG, the developers of the model UPLAN. The study aims to evaluate the operating cost benefits of coordination of scheduling and balancing for Southwest Power Pool (SPP) wind transfers to Southeastern Electric Reliability Council (SERC) Balancing Authorities (BAs). The primary objective of this project is to analyze the benefits of regional cooperation for integrating mid-western wind energy into southeast electricity markets. Scenarios were defined, modeled and investigated to address production variability and uncertainty and the associated balancing of large quantities of wind power in SPP and delivery to energy markets in the southern regions of the SERC. DOE funded Oak Ridge National Laboratory to provide additional support to the project, including a review of results and any side analysis that may provide additional insight. This report is a unit-by-unit analysis of changes in operations due to the different scenarios used in the overall study. It focuses on the change in capacity factors and the number of start-ups required for each unit since those criteria summarize key aspects of plant operations, how often are they called upon and how much do they operate. The primary analysis of the overall project is based on security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) and economic dispatch (SCED) simulations of the SPP-SERC regions as modeled for the year 2022. The SCUC/SCED models utilized for the project were developed through extensive consultation with the project utility partners, to ensure the various regions and operational practices are represented as best as possible in the model. SPP, Entergy, Oglethorpe Power Company (OPC), Southern Company, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) actively participated in the project providing input data for the models and review of simulation results and conclusions. While other SERC utility systems are modeled, the listed SERC utilities were explicitly included as active participants in the project due to the size of their load and relative proximity to SPP for importing wind energy.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Evaluating the role of re-adsorption of dissolved Hg 2+ during cinnabar dissolution using isotope tracer technique

Cinnabar dissolution is an important factor controlling mercury (Hg) cycling. Recent studies have suggested the co-occurrence of re-adsorption of the released Hg during the course of cinnabar dissolution. However, there is a lack of feasible techniques that can quantitatively assess the amount of Hg re-adsorbed on cinnabar when investigating cinnabar dissolution. In this study, a new method, based on isotope tracing and dilution techniques, was developed to study the role of Hg re-adsorption in cinnabar dissolution. The developed method includes two key components: (1) accurate measurement of both released and spiked Hg in aqueous phase and (2) estimation of re-adsorbed Hg on cinnabar surface via the reduction in spiked 202 Hg 2+ . By adopting the developed method, it was found that the released Hg for trials purged with oxygen could reach several hundred g L –1 , while no significant cinnabar dissolution was detected under anaerobic condition. Cinnabar dissolution rate when considering Hg re-adsorption was approximately 2 times the value calculated solely with the Hg detected in the aqueous phase. Lastly, these results suggest that ignoring the Hg re-adsorption process can significantly underestimate the importance of cinnabar dissolution, highlighting the necessity of applying the developed method in future cinnabar dissolution studies.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Research in Elementary Particle Physics

This report details the accomplishments and research results for the High Energy Physics Group at the University of Texas at Arlington at the Energy and Intensity Frontiers. For the Energy Frontier we have made fundamental contributions in the search for supersymmetric particles, proposed to explain the stabilization of the mass of the Higgs Boson – the agent giving mass to all known particles. We have also made major contributions to the search for additional Higgs Bosons and to the planning for future searches. This work has been carried out in the context of the ATLAS Experiment at CERN (European Nuclear Research Laboratory) and for which we have made major contributions to computing and data distribution and processing, and have worked to calibrate the detector and prepare upgraded electronics for the future. Our other contribution to the Energy Frontier has been to the International Linear Collider (ILC) project, potentially hosted by Japan, and to the Silicon Detector Concept (SiD) in particular. We have lead the development of the SiD Concept and have worked on a new form of precise energy measurement for particles from the high energy collisions of electrons and positrons at the ILC. For the Intensity Frontier, we have worked to develop the concept of Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment(s) (LBNE) at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Our contributions to detector development, neutrino beam studies, particle identification, software development will facilitate future studies of the oscillation of one type of neutrino into other type(s), establish the order of the neutrino masses, and, through an innovative new idea, allow us to create a beam of dark matter particles.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Development of Automated Atom Probe Tomography capability to study the influence of applied voltage and laser power on the final apparent composition of the analyzed specimen

This study presents the development and implementation of an autonomous Bayesian optimization (BO) framework for controlling and optimizing experimental parameters in Atom Probe Tomography (APT). Using commercial silicon needle samples as a benchmark system, we demonstrate that BO can efficiently navigate the complex parameter space of voltage and laser power to achieve target charge state ratios (specifically Si + /(Si + +Si 2+ )) with minimal experimental evaluations. Our implementation integrates Gaussian Process modeling with the CAMECA atom probe control framework, enabling autonomous adjustment of experimental conditions in real-time. Results show that the algorithm successfully converges to target ratios under different scenarios: maintaining a reference ratio, increasing the ratio (favoring Si 1+ ), and decreasing the ratio (favoring Si 2+ ). The system adapts to specimen evolution during analysis, compensating for changes in apex geometry while maintaining optimization targets. This work establishes a proof of concept for AI-driven optimization in APT, addressing the traditional challenges of manual parameter tuning and paving the way for applications to more complex materials where compositional accuracy is critical.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Rate equation model of laser induced bias in uranium isotope ratios measured by resonance ionization mass spectrometry

Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS) has been developed as a method to measure uranium isotope abundances. In this approach, RIMS is used as an element-selective ionization process between uranium atoms and potential isobars without the aid of chemical purification and separation. The use of broad bandwidth lasers with automated feedback control of wavelength was applied to the measurement of the U-235/U-238 ratio to decrease laser-induced isotopic fractionation. In application, isotope standards are used to identify and correct bias in measured isotope ratios, but understanding laser-induced bias from first-principles can improve the precision and accuracy of experimental measurements. A rate equation model for predicting the relative ionization probability has been developed to study the effect of variations in laser parameters on the measured isotope ratio. The model uses atomic data and empirical descriptions of laser performance to estimate the laser-induced bias expected in experimental measurements of the U-235/U-238 ratio. Empirical corrections are also included to account for ionization processes that are difficult to calculate from first principles with the available atomic data. Development of this model has highlighted several important considerations for properly interpreting experimental results.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Contrasting Scale Dependence of Entrainment-Mixing Mechanisms in Stratocumulus Clouds

The apparent turbulent entrainment-mixing mechanism between clouds and surrounding air is scale-dependent; however, such scale dependence has been rarely studied, hindering development of scale-aware entrainment-mixing parameterizations. Here we extend our previous study on cumulus clouds to investigate scale dependence of entrainment-mixing processes in stratocumulus clouds during ACE-ENA and RACORO. In contrast to previous studies, two opposite scale dependencies are found: entrainment-mixing can become more homogeneous or more inhomogeneous with increasing averaging scales, which is quantified by the difference between homogeneous mixing degree at the 100 m and 10 m resolutions. A new heuristic model and two new quantities are introduced. The observations and model show that microphysical properties near and far away from droplet-free air and relative humidity of entrained air determine both the sign and strength of scale dependence, while droplet-free air fraction only affects the strength. The results shed new light on developing scale-aware parameterizations of entrainment-mixing mechanisms.

Gao, Sinan↗

Spacelab user implementation assessment study. Volume 1: Concept development and evaluation

The total matrix of alternate Spacelab processing concepts and the rejection rationale utilized to reduce the matrix of 243 alternates to the final candidate processing concepts are developed. The work breakdown structure used for the systematic estimation and compilation of integration and checkout resources is presented along with descriptors of each element. Program models are provided of the space transportation system, the Spacelab, the orbiter, and the ATL that were used as the basis for the study trades, analyses, and optimizations. Resource requirements for all processing concepts are summarized along with the optimizations of the processing concepts. Concept evaluations including flight-rate sensitivities of the GSE, facilities, Spacelab hardware elements, and personnel are delineated. An analysis is presented of the applicability of the candidate concepts to potential spacelab users. The impact of the use of the western test range as an orbiter/spacelab launch site on the candidate processing concepts is evaluated. An assessment of the geographical co-location of experiment, Spacelab, and orbiter-cargo integration is included. Ownership options of the support module/system igloo are discussed.

Source record↗

The Surface Wave Dynamics Experiment (SWADE)

SWADE was developed to study the dynamics of the wave field development in the open ocean with the following specific objectives: (1) to understand the development of the wave directional spectrum under various conditions; (2) to determine the effect of waves on the air/sea transfers of momentum, heat, and mass; (3) to determine breaking distributions as a function of sea state, wind, and boundary stability; and (4) to provide data and analyses for ERS-1 validation. The experiment is designed for the winter of 1990 to 1991. Four buoys will be deployed for 6 months starting October 1990 and ending March 1991. During that time period, three intensive periods of 2 weeks duration each will be selected for frequent aircraft flights for wave data collection to satisfy scientific studies, as well as ERS-1 validation needs.

Long, S. R.↗

Ocean observations with EOS/MODIS: Algorithm Development and Post Launch Studies

Significant accomplishments made during the present reporting period: (1) We expanded our "spectral-matching" algorithm (SMA), for identifying the presence of absorbing aerosols and simultaneously performing atmospheric correction and derivation of the ocean's bio-optical parameters, to the point where it could be added as a subroutine to the MODIS water-leaving radiance algorithm; (2) A modification to the SMA that does not require detailed aerosol models has been developed. This is important as the requirement for realistic aerosol models has been a weakness of the SMA; and (3) We successfully acquired micro pulse lidar data in a Saharan dust outbreak during ACE-2 in the Canary Islands.

Gordon, Howard R.↗

Biophysical characterization and surface radiation balance

The Kursk 1991 Experiment (KUREX-91) was conducted as one of a suite of international studies to develop capabilities to monitor global change. The studies were designed specifically to understand the earth's land-surface vegetation and atmospheric boundary layer interaction. An intensive field campaign was conducted at a site near Kursk, Russia during the month of July in 1991 by a team of international scientists to aid in the understanding of land-surface-atmosphere interactions in an agricultural/grassland setting. We were one of several teams of scientists participating at KUREX-91 at the Streletskaya Steppe Researve near Kursk, Russia. The main goals of our research were to: (1) characterize biophysical properties of the prairie vegetation; and (2) to characterize radiation regime through measurements and from estimates derived from canopy bidirectional reflectance data. Four objectives were defined to achieve these goals: (1) determine dependence of leaf optical properties on leaf water potential of some dominant species in discrete wavebands in the visible, near-infrared, and mid-infrared (spanning 0.4-2.3 microns range); (2) characterize the effective leaf area index (LAI) and leaf angle distribution of prairie vegetation; (3) characterize the radiation regime of the prairie vegetation through measures of the radiation balance components; and (4) examine, develop, and test methods for estimating albedo, APAR, and LAI from canopy bidirectional reflectance data. Papers which were the result of the research efforts are included.

Walter-Shea, Elizabeth A.↗

Venus Surface Sample Return: A Weighty High-Pressure Challenge

A mission to return a sample to Earth from the surface of Venus faces a multitude of multidisciplinary challenges. In addition to the complications inherent in any sample return mission, Venus presents the additional difficulties of a deep gravity well essentially equivalent to Earth's and a hot-house atmosphere which generates extremes of high temperature, density, and pressure unmatched at any other known surface in the solar system. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology recently conducted a study to develop an architecture for such a mission; a major goal of this study was to identify technology developments which would need to be pursued in order to make such a mission feasible at a cost much less than estimated in previous. The final design of this mission is years away but the study results presented here show our current mission architecture as it applies to a particular mission opportunity, give a summary of the engineering and science trades which were made in the process of developing it, and identify the main technology development efforts needed.

Sweetser, Ted↗