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At least 1,207 records · Page 67

A Green's function method for high charge and energy ion transport

A heavy-ion transport code using Green's function methods is developed. The low-order perturbation terms exhibiting the greatest energy variation are used as dominant energy-dependent terms, and the higher order collision terms are evaluated using nonperturbative methods. The recently revised NUCFRG database is used to evaluate the solution for comparison with experimental data for 625A MeV 20Ne and 517A MeV 40Ar ion beams. Improved agreements with the attenuation characteristics for neon ions are found, and reasonable agreement is obtained for the transport of argon ions in water.

Energy Transfer↗

Space Charge Neutralization of DEMO Relevant Negative Ion Beams at Low Gas Density

The application of neutral beams to future power plant devices (DEMO) is dependent on achieving significantly improved electrical efficiency and the most promising route to achieving this is by implementing a photoneutralizer in place of the traditional gas neutralizer. A corollary of this innovation would be a significant reduction in the background gas density through which the beam is transported between the accelerator and the neutralizer. This background gas is responsible for the space charge neutralization of the beam, enabling distances of several metres to be traversed without significant beam expansion. This work investigates the sensitivity of a D{sup -} beam to reduced levels of space charge compensation for energies from 100 keV to 1.5 MeV, representative of a scaled prototype experiment, commissioning and full energy operation. A beam transport code, following the evolution of the phase space ellipse, is employed to investigate the effect of space charge on the beam optics. This shows that the higher energy beams are insensitive to large degrees of under compensation, unlike the lower energies. The probable degree of compensation at low gas density is then investigated through a simple, two component beam-plasma model that allows the potential to be negative. The degree of under-compensation is dependent on the positive plasma ion energy, one source of which is dissociation of the gas by the beam. The subsequent space charge state of the beam is shown to depend upon the relative times for equilibration of the dissociation energy and ionization by the beam ions.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

RADIATION TRANSFER OF MODELS OF MASSIVE STAR FORMATION. I. DEPENDENCE ON BASIC CORE PROPERTIES

Radiative transfer calculations of massive star formation are presented. These are based on the Turbulent Core Model of McKee and Tan and self-consistently included a hydrostatic core, an inside-out expansion wave, a zone of free-falling rotating collapse, wide-angle dust-free outflow cavities, an active accretion disk, and a massive protostar. For the first time for such models, an optically thick inner gas disk extends inside the dust destruction front. This is important to conserve the accretion energy naturally and for its shielding effect on the outer region of the disk and envelope. The simulation of radiation transfer is performed with the Monte Carlo code of Whitney, yielding spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for the model series, from the simplest spherical model to the fiducial one, with the above components each added step by step. Images are also presented in different wavebands of various telescope cameras, including Spitzer IRAC and MIPS, SOFIA FORCAST, and Herschel PACS and SPIRE. The existence of the optically thick inner disk produces higher optical wavelength fluxes but reduces near- and mid-IR emission. The presence of outflow cavities, the inclination angle to the line of sight, and the thickness of the disk all affect the SEDs and images significantly. For the high-mass surface density cores considered here, the mid-IR emission can be dominated by the outflow cavity walls, as has been suggested by De Buizer. The effect of varying the pressure of the environment bounding the surface of the massive core is also studied. With lower surface pressures, the core is larger, has lower extinction and accretion rates, and the observed mid-IR flux from the disk can then be relatively high even though the accretion luminosity is lower. In this case the silicate absorption feature becomes prominent, in contrast to higher density cores forming under higher pressures.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Energy scaling advantages of resistive memory crossbar based computation and its application to sparse coding

In this study, the exponential increase in data over the last decade presents a significant challenge to analytics efforts that seek to process and interpret such data for various applications. Neural-inspired computing approaches are being developed in order to leverage the computational properties of the analog, low-power data processing observed in biological systems. Analog resistive memory crossbars can perform a parallel read or a vector-matrix multiplication as well as a parallel write or a rank-1 update with high computational efficiency. For an N × N crossbar, these two kernels can be O(N) more energy efficient than a conventional digital memory-based architecture. If the read operation is noise limited, the energy to read a column can be independent of the crossbar size (O(1)). These two kernels form the basis of many neuromorphic algorithms such as image, text, and speech recognition. For instance, these kernels can be applied to a neural sparse coding algorithm to give an O(N) reduction in energy for the entire algorithm when run with finite precision. Sparse coding is a rich problem with a host of applications including computer vision, object tracking, and more generally unsupervised learning.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A Hybrid Domain Overlapping Method for Coupling System Thermal Hydraulics and CFD Codes

A hybrid multiscale coupling methodology based on a domain overlapping approach has been developed for coupling System Thermal Hydraulics (STH) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes. The method has been implemented between the modern STH code SAM and the CFD code NekRS, using the coupling tool Cardinal. The coupling aims to extend the STH code's applicability to scenarios where local momentum and energy transfers are important yet difficult for STH codes to capture, such as three-dimensional mixing. Two coupling strategies are implemented and compared: a hybrid domain overlapping method and the conventional domain decomposition method. Here, the strategies are applied to two closed-loop applications, and the present method shows superior stability behavior when compared to the domain decomposition method. Then, the present coupling method is validated against experimental data from a double T-junction experiment. The present STH/CFD coupling shows improved agreement with experimental data when compared to STH standalone simulations.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Validation of a Hybrid Domain Overlapping Coupling Between SAM and CFD Against the TALL-3D Transients

The System Thermal Hydraulics (STH) code SAM has been coupled to the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code Simcenter STAR-CCM+ utilizing a hybrid domain overlapping method with an explicit coupling in time. The coupling aims to extend the STH code’s applicability to scenarios where local momentum and energy transfers are important yet difficult for STH codes to capture, such as three-dimensional (3D) mixing. The coupling method’s numerical stability was verified in the past against two closed-loop configurations, and it was validated against a double T-junction experiment with 3D scalar mixing. In the present work, the coupling method is validated against the TALL-3D STH/CFD coupling benchmark facility. TALL-3D is a three-legged, liquid-metal facility with a large, pool-type enclosure (test section) that exhibits 3D flow effects to be modeled by a CFD code. The rest of the system exhibits approximately 1D behavior well-predicted by an STH code. First, the present STAR-CCM+ CFD model of the 3D test section is validated against experimental data. Then, the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model is validated against six different TALL-3D steady states, including SAM standalone model results for comparison. Lastly, the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model is validated against two TALL-3D transients, one exhibiting flow reversal in the test section and one exhibiting nonlinear, Limit Cycle Oscillations (LCO). For the first transient, the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model properly predicts an increase in the test section’s inlet temperature during flow reversal, and this is not predicted by the SAM standalone model. Following flow reversal, the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model better-predicts the initial flow recovery and following oscillations as the system approaches a final natural circulation state. For the second transient, no true final steady state is observed due to LCO. Neither the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model nor the SAM standalone model can perfectly capture the experiment’s changing oscillation frequency during the transient. However, the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model does reproduce the oscillatory feedback observed in the system. This is a significant achievement as the SAM-STARCCM+ coupled model only uses an explicit coupling in time, as opposed to a semi-implicit coupling. In comparison, previous STH/CFD coupling efforts of the TALL-3D facility required semi-implicit coupling to obtain similar results.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Characterization and Optimization of the Fitting of Quantum Correlation Functions

This case study presents a characterization and optimization of an application code for extracting parton distribution functions from high energy electron-proton scattering data. Profiling this application code reveals that the phase-space density computation accounts for 93% of the overall execution time for a single iteration on a single core. When executing multiple iterations in parallel on a multicore system, the application spends 78% of its overall execution time idling due to load imbalance. We address these issues by first transforming the application code from Python to C++ and then tackling the application load imbalance via a hybrid scheduling strategy that combines dynamic and static scheduling. These techniques result in a 62% reduction in CPU idle time and a 2.46x speedup in overall execution time per node. In addition, the typically enabled power-management mechanisms in supercomputers (e.g., AMD Turbo Core, Intel Turbo Boost, and RAPL) can significantly impact intra-node scalability when more than 50% of the CPU cores are used. This finding underscores the importance of understanding system interactions with power management, as they can adversely impact application performance, and highlights the necessity of intra-node scaling tests to identify performance degradation that inter-node scaling tests might otherwise overlook.

Chuang, Pi-Yueh [Virginia Tech,Dept. of Computer S↗

MCNP® Code Version 6.3.1 Release Notes

The Monte Carlo N-Particle® (MCNP® ) code is a general-purpose, continuous-energy, generalized-geometry, time-dependent, radiation transport code developed by the MCNP development team. MCNP calculations provide predictive capabilities that can replace expensive or impossible-to-perform experiments. Specific application problems include simulations of experimental diagnostics, intrinsic radiation, radiation detection and measurement, criticality safety, nuclear threat reduction and response, radiation health protection, nuclear weapons effects, and nuclear forensics. This MCNP code, version 6.3.1, follows the MCNP6.3.0 version. Since the release of MCNP6.3.0, a variety of bug fixes and code enhancements have been completed for MCNP6.3.1. A few new features have also been added to this release to support both ongoing research and the release of the latest ENDF/B-VIII.1 nuclear data library. The MCNP code, version 6.3.1, theory and user input information is documented in MCNP® Code Version 6.3.1 Theory & User Manual, the build guidance for various platforms is documented in MCNP® Code Version 6.3.1 Build Guide, and the verification and validation testing for various application benchmark test suites is documented in MCNP® Code Version 6.3.1 Verification & Validation Testing.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Fatigue Life Analysis of Tapered Hybrid Composite Flexbeams

Nonlinear-tapered flexbeam laminates from a full-size composite helicopter rotor hub flexbeam were tested under combined constant axial tension and cyclic bending loads. The two different graphite/glass hybrid configurations tested under cyclic loading failed by delamination in the tapered region. A 2-D finite element model was developed which closely approximated the flexbeam geometry, boundary conditions, and loading. The analysis results from two geometrically nonlinear finite element codes, ANSYS and ABAQUS, are presented and compared. Strain energy release rates (G) obtained from the above codes using the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) at a resin crack location in the flexbeams are presented for both hybrid material types. These results compare well with each other and suggest that the initial delamination growth from the resin crack toward the thick region of the flexbeam is strongly mode II. The peak calculated G values were used with material characterization data to calculate fatigue life curves and compared with test data. A curve relating maximum surface strain to number of loading cycles at delamination onset compared reasonably well with the test results.

Murri, Gretchen B.↗

SU-E-T-237: Monte Carlo Dosimetric Characterization of the Mobetron Mobile Linac

Purpose: The aim of this work is to characterize dosimetrically a clinical intraoperative electron beam accelerator, Mobetron (IntraOp Medical, Inc.) in clinical use in our Hospital. Once this first step is completed our purpose is to evaluate shielding requirements for such a device by preparing adequate phase space files. Methods: It is known that electron beam simulation parameters required for state-of-the-art Monte Carlo codes to obtain a good match with measured data, like the mean energy or the FWHM, may not be code-independent due to the different set of process simulated and formalisms involved. Then, to cross-check our results against any issue in the simulation we have compared experimental data (PDD and profiles for electrons in the range 4 to 12 MeV) with simulations performed independently using both Penelope2011 and Geant4 codes. To do so, the geometry and materials of the head of the accelerator have been fully characterized following information provided by the manufacturer. Results: Both simulations agree with experimental data within experimental uncertainties (±1 mm displacement), although small variations (less than 10%) in the mean energy and FWHM are required to match measured values depending on the code used. Conclusion: Independent Monte Carlo simulations were used to obtain an excellent match to measured electron dose distributions. This opens the road to use such data for evaluating shielding requirements which is the main objective of this project.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Gapped lineon and fracton models on graphs

We introduce a $\mathbb{Z}_N$ stabilizer code that can be defined on any spatial lattice of the form $\Gamma\times C_{L_z}$, where $\Gamma$ is a general graph. We also present the low-energy limit of this stabilizer code as a Euclidean lattice action, which we refer to as the anisotropic $\mathbb{Z}_N$ Laplacian model. It is gapped, robust (i.e., stable under small deformations), and has lineons. Its ground state degeneracy (GSD) is expressed in terms of a "mod $N$-reduction" of the Jacobian group of the graph $\Gamma$. In the special case when space is an $L\times L\times L_z$ cubic lattice, the logarithm of the GSD depends on $L$ in an erratic way and grows no faster than $O(L)$. Furthermore, we also discuss another gapped model, the $\mathbb{Z}_N$ Laplacian model, which can be defined on any graph. It has fractons and a similarly strange GSD.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Energy Saving Analysis Using Energy Intensity Usage and Specific Energy Consumption Methods

This study presents the energy saving analysis reached through employing the energy intensity usage and specific energy consumption method. The energy analyses conducted in this study are used for implementing a new technology. However, they are additionally used to evaluate the latest concepts, techniques, processes, and uses for technologies, which are aimed at improvement of energy savings. This study shows the correlation between energy consumption, potential energy savings, and the impact of the energy assessment in different industrial sectors. The correlation is found by using two indicators: (1) the energy intensity usage (EIU) and (2) the specific energy consumption (SEC). The data analysis in this study considers the assessments for 67 industries from 2015 to 2019 and classifies those assessments using the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code. The results show that energy savings and energy consumption are linearly related. Also, the energy assessment improves energy performance in a more significant way for smaller companies than for larger industries. Furthermore, these results can be extrapolated by identifying the potential benefits of the energy management system (EMS) implementation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Strategies to Save 50% Site Energy in Grocery and General Merchandise Stores

This paper summarizes the methodology and main results of two recently published Technical Support Documents. These reports explore the feasibility of designing general merchandise and grocery stores that use half the energy of a minimally code-compliant building, as measured on a whole-building basis. We used an optimization algorithm to trace out a minimum cost curve and identify designs thatsatisfy the 50% energy savings goal. We started from baseline building energy use and progressed to more energy-efficient designs by sequentially adding energy design measures (EDMs). Certain EDMs figured prominently in reaching the 50% energy savings goal for both building types: (1) reduced lighting power density; (2) optimized area fraction and construction of view glass or skylights, orboth, as part of a daylighting system tuned to 46.5 fc (500 lux); (3) reduced infiltration with a main entrance vestibule or an envelope air barrier, or both; and (4) energy recovery ventilators, especially in humid and cold climates. In grocery stores, the most effective EDM, which was chosen for all climates, was replacing baseline medium-temperature refrigerated cases with high-efficiencymodels that have doors.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Nuclear Energy – Knowledge Base for Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NE-KAMS) Code Verification and Validation Data Standards and Requirements: Fluid Dynamics Version 1.0

V&V and UQ are the primary means to assess the accuracy and reliability of M&S and, hence, to establish confidence in M&S. Though other industries are establishing standards and requirements for the performance of V&V and UQ, at present, the nuclear industry has not established such standards or requirements. However, the nuclear industry is beginning to recognize that such standards are needed and that the resources needed to support V&V and UQ will be very significant. In fact, no single organization has sufficient resources or expertise required to organize, conduct and maintain a comprehensive V&V and UQ program. What is needed is a systematic and standardized approach to establish and provide V&V and UQ resources at a national or even international level, with a consortium of partners from government, academia and industry. Specifically, what is needed is a structured and cost-effective knowledge base that collects, evaluates and stores verification and validation data, and shows how it can be used to perform V&V and UQ, leveraging collaboration and sharing of resources to support existing engineering and licensing procedures as well as science-based V&V and UQ processes. The Nuclear Energy Knowledge base for Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NE-KAMS) is being developed at the Idaho National Laboratory in conjunction with Bettis Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Argonne National Laboratory, Utah State University and others with the objective of establishing a comprehensive and web-accessible knowledge base to provide V&V and UQ resources for M&S for nuclear reactor design, analysis and licensing. The knowledge base will serve as an important resource for technical exchange and collaboration that will enable credible and reliable computational models and simulations for application to nuclear power. NE-KAMS will serve as a valuable resource for the nuclear industry, academia, the national laboratories, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the public and will help ensure the safe, economical and reliable operation of existing and future nuclear reactors.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Dynamic and Responsive Distributed Energy Resource Education Solutions for Building, Fire, and Safety Department Officials (Final Technical Report)

From April 2021 through March 2024, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) led a collaborative project to develop a free online clearinghouse of educational resources about solar photovoltaics (PV), energy storage systems (ESS), electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), and grid-interactive efficient building (GEB) technologies. Two websites—the Clean Energy Clearinghouse and CleanEnergyTraining.org—housed over 70 educational resources. Over the course of the three-year project, 154,272 unique visitors accessed the learning materials. Learner feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Even through the end of the project, there was sustained demand for education and communication. A primary innovation of the project was to drive multiple complementary audiences to the same place. Building owners, designers, installation contractors and developers, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), and fire service personnel all benefit from a shared understanding of clean energy technologies, including safety and code-related requirements. When considering the impact on the target audience, the project team worked with partners and advisors to inform resource creation and delivery in such a way as to address key motivational factors of the target audience and compel each user to seek additional information on the topic and return to the Clean Energy Clearinghouse website as their central location for more information. Resources were intentionally developed to be concise—five to 15 minutes—and accessible, meaning not overly technical. Providing basic information demystified the technologies and invited the professional to explore additional learning opportunities. Awardee and partner collaboration was key to project success. IREC facilitated collaboration among the other Topic 2 awardees, Southface and New Buildings Institute (NBI). The three awardees shared relevant information gained through discovery and validation questionnaires that informed product development and reduced duplication of effort by coordinating the development of complementary, and not competing, educational resources. Inspired by this collaboration, IREC brought on additional partners even in the final year of the project. Five regional energy efficiency organizations were part of the project, which expanded the connection between efficiency and distributed energy resources. We also included resources on the Clearinghouse that were developed through other federally funded projects, such as the Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) program. The website was developed with the learner in mind, and not solely the funding source. Feedback from stakeholders throughout the project, and especially in its final year, indicated the need for continued education and facilitated communication among stakeholders to further the safe and widespread adoption of clean energy.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Solidification and crystallographic texture modeling of laser powder bed fusion Ti-6Al-4V using finite difference-monte carlo method

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing makes near-net-shaped parts with reduced material cost and time, rising as a promising technology to fabricate Ti-6Al-4V, a widely used titanium alloy in aerospace and medical industries. However, LPBF Ti-6Al-4V parts produced with 67° rotation between layers, a scan strategy commonly used to reduce microstructure and property inhomogeneity, have varying grain morphologies and weak crystallographic textures that change depending on processing parameters. Here, this study predicts LPBF Ti-6Al-4V solidification at three energy levels using a finite difference-Monte Carlo method and validates the simulations with large-area electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) scans. The developed model accurately shows that a <001> texture forms at low energy and a <111> texture occurs at higher energies parallel to the build direction but with a lower strength than the textures observed from EBSD. A validated and well-established method of combining spatial correlation and general spherical harmonics representation of texture is developed to calculate a difference score between simulations and experiments. The quantitative comparison enables effective fine-tuning of nucleation density (N 0 ) input, which shows a nonlinear relationship with increasing energy level. Future improvements in texture prediction code and a more comprehensive study of N 0 with different energy levels will further advance the optimization of LPBF Ti-6Al-4V components. These developments contribute a novel understanding of crystallographic texture formation in LPBF Ti-6Al-4V, the development of robust model validation and calibration pipeline methodologies, and provide a platform for mechanical property prediction and process parameter optimization.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

BRYNTRN: A baryon transport model

The development of an interaction data base and a numerical solution to the transport of baryons through an arbitrary shield material based on a straight ahead approximation of the Boltzmann equation are described. The code is most accurate for continuous energy boundary values, but gives reasonable results for discrete spectra at the boundary using even a relatively coarse energy grid (30 points) and large spatial increments (1 cm in H2O). The resulting computer code is self-contained, efficient and ready to use. The code requires only a very small fraction of the computer resources required for Monte Carlo codes.

Wilson, John W.↗

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: HVAC Design Strategy for a Hot-Humid Production Builder, Houston, Texas

Building Science Corporation (BSC) worked directly with the David Weekley Homes - Houston division to develop a cost-effective design for moving the HVAC system into conditioned space. In addition, BSC conducted energy analysis to calculate the most economical strategy for increasing the energy performance of future production houses in preparation for the upcoming code changes in 2015. The following research questions were addressed by this research project: 1. What is the most cost effective, best performing and most easily replicable method of locating ducts inside conditioned space for a hot-humid production home builder that constructs one and two story single family detached residences? 2. What is a cost effective and practical method of achieving 50% source energy savings vs. the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code for a hot-humid production builder? 3. How accurate are the pre-construction whole house cost estimates compared to confirmed post construction actual cost? BSC and the builder developed a duct design strategy that employs a system of dropped ceilings and attic coffers for moving the ductwork from the vented attic to conditioned space. The furnace has been moved to either a mechanical closet in the conditioned living space or a coffered space in the attic.

BSC↗