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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 1,279 records · Page 71

Layered Coordination Architecture for Resilient Restoration of Power Distribution Systems

The current practices for restoring critical services in the distribution system during a disaster, align with the traditional centralized ideology of distribution systems operations. A central processor evaluates the distribution system after a disruption and attains a restoration plan. However, the centralized operational paradigm is susceptible to single-point failures, requires full situational awareness of the distribution system, and poses scalability challenges for large multifeeder distribution systems. This motivates a distributed decision-making paradigm where multiple agents solve smaller subproblems and jointly coordinate their individual decisions to achieve the global/network-level objective. Toward this goal, we propose a layered architecture for distributed algorithms for resilience and a two-stage distributed algorithm for distribution system restoration. The proposed distributed decision-making framework enables the bottom-up restoration of the distribution system using all available resources, including distributed generation, while only requiring local awareness and limited communications with neighboring connected regions. The proposed framework is robust to single-point failures, enables autonomy using distributed algorithms, and had reduced computational cost compared to centralized optimization solutions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Self-Healing Attack-Resilient PMU Network for Power System Operation

In this paper, we propose a self-healing phasor measurement unit (PMU) network that exploits the features of dynamic and programmable configuration in a software-defined networking infrastructure to achieve resiliency against cyber-attacks. After a cyber-attack, the configuration of network switches is changed to isolate the compromised PMUs/phasor data concentrators to prevent further propagation of the attack; meanwhile, the disconnected yet uncompromised PMUs will be reconnected to the network to "self-heal" and thus restore the observability of the power system. Specifically, we formulate an integer linear programming model to minimize the overhead of the self-healing process (e.g., the recovery latency), while considering the constraints of power system observability, hardware resources, and network topology. We also propose a heuristic algorithm to decrease the computational complexity. Case studies of a PMU network based on the IEEE 30-bus and 118-bus systems are used to validate the effectiveness of the self-healing mechanism.

Cybersecurity↗

Multiperiod Distribution System Restoration With Routing Repair Crews, Mobile Electric Vehicles, and Soft-Open-Point Networked Microgrids

This paper proposes a distribution system restoration model which is in response to multiple outages caused by natural disasters. The proposed restoration model includes the coordination of routing repair crews (RRCs), mobile batterycarried vehicles (MBCVs), and networked microgrids (NMGs) formed by soft open points (SOPs). The travel and repair time constraints are modeled for each RRC; travel path and charging strategy are modeled for each MBCV; and the network reconfiguration is developed considering the optimal operation of SOP-based NMGs. Furthermore, the proposed model is presented as a mixedinteger linear program which is solved by an auxiliary induce function based algorithm to reduce the computational complexity. The modified IEEE 33-bus and 69-bus distribution systems are tested with multiple outages. The presented results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Flame Edge Dynamics and Interaction in a Multi-Nozzle Can Combustor with Fuel Staging

The characterization and mitigation of thermoacoustic combustion instabilities in gas turbine engines is necessary to reduce pollutant emissions, premature wear, and component failure associated with unstable flames. Fuel staging, a technique in which the fuel flow to a multi-nozzle combustor is unevenly distributed between the nozzles, has been shown to mitigate the intensity of self-excited combustion instabilities in multiple nozzle combustors. In our previous work, we hypothesized that staging suppresses instability through a phase-cancellation effect in which the heat release rate from the staged nozzle oscillates out of phase with that of the other nozzles, leading to destructive interference that suppresses the instability. This previous theory, however, was based on chemiluminescence imaging, which is a line-of-sight integrated technique. In this work, we use high-speed laser-induced fluorescence to further investigate instability suppression in two staging configurations: center-nozzle and outer-nozzle staging. An edge-tracking algorithm is used to compute local flame edge displacement as a function of time, allowing instability-driven edge oscillation phase coherence and other instantaneous flame dynamics to be spectrally and spatially resolved. Analysis of flame edge oscillations shows the presence of convecting coherent fluctuations of the flame edge caused by periodic vortex shedding. When the system is unstable, these two flame edges oscillate together as a result of high-intensity longitudinal-mode acoustic oscillations in the combustor that drive periodic vortex shedding at each of the nozzle exits. In the stable cases, however, the phase between the oscillations of the center and outer flame edges is greater than 90 degrees (~114 degrees), suggesting that the phase-cancellation hypothesis may be valid. This analysis allows a better understanding of the instantaneous flame dynamics behind flame edge oscillation phase offset and fuel staging-based instability suppression.

Doleiden, Daniel↗

Factor analysis in automated face detection: gender, occlusion, eyewear, brightness, contrast, and focus measure

Computer-based facial recognition algorithms exploit the unique characteristics of faces in images. However, in non-cooperative situations these unique characteristics are often disturbed. In this study, we examine the effect of six different factors on face detection in an unconstrained imaging environment: image brightness, image contrast, focus measure, eyewear, gender, and occlusion. The aim of this study is twofold: first, to quantify detection rates of conventional Haar cascade algorithms across these six factors; and second, to propose methods for automatically labeling datasets whose size prohibits manual labeling. First, we manually classify a uniquely challenging dataset comprising 9,688 images of passengers in vehicles acquired from a roadside camera system. Next, we quantify how each of the aforementioned factors affect face detection on this dataset. Of the six factors studied, occlusion had the most significant impact, resulting in a 54% decrease in detection rate between unoccluded and severely occluded faces in our unique dataset. Finally, we provide a methodology for data analytics of large datasets where manual labeling of the whole dataset is not possible.

Jafek, Benjamin↗

Explainable Neural Architecture Search (XNAS)

Code for the paper Learning Interpretable Models Through Multi-Objective Neural Architecture Search by Zachariah Carmichael, Tim Moon, and Sam Ade Jacobs. Monumental advances in deep learning have led to unprecedented achievements across a multitude of domains. While the performance of deep neural networks is indubitable, the architectural design and interpretability of such models are nontrivial. Research has been introduced to automate the design of neural network architectures through neural architecture search (NAS). Recent progress has made these methods more pragmatic by exploiting distributed computation and novel optimization algorithms. However, there is little work in optimizing architectures for interpretability. To this end, we propose a multiobjective distributed NAS framework that optimizes for both task performance and introspection. We leverage the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and explainable AI (XAI) techniques to reward architectures that can be better comprehended by humans. The framework is evaluated on several image classification datasets. We demonstrate that jointly optimizing for introspection ability and task error leads to more disentangled architectures that perform within tolerable error.

Carmichael, ZachariahJ↗

Elga v.1

SAND2021-4635 O Elga is a software system that provides distributed and elastic computation for temporal graph algorithms. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Gabert, Kasimir↗

ParaEMT (NLR's (formerly known as NREL's) EMT Simulator: An Open Source, and HPC-Compatible Large-Scale Power System Electro-Magnetic Transient (EMT) Simulator) [SWR-22-16]

This open-source tool aims to provide a powerful and flexible platform for simulating electromagnetic transients (EMT) of large-scale inverter-based resource (IBR)-dominated power systems. The purpose of making it open source is to foster a community of EMT simulation and assist in exploring new EMT algorithms and applying advanced computational techniques to EMT simulation.

Tan, Jin↗

Hpc Natural Language Understanding (nlu) Dataset

This code provides natural language annotation and labels for multiple activities in high performance. The purpose is to enable machine learning for natural language processing algorithms with high performance computing systems.

Biggs, BrandonS↗

EASY-SHIFT v Alpha

The software is a generic, price- and load-responsive control algorithm integrating heat pumps with thermal energy storage. The algorithm leverages simple models of the system and easily accessible data to schedule operation of heat pumps and thermal energy storage in ways that minimize the cost of operating the heating/cooling system. This tool is specifically designed to be easy to interact with, and something that industry partners are able to adopt. There are two current state of the art approaches. Industry tends to develop very simple algorithms, with predetermined schedules that are not capable of changing operation in response to changes in operating environment. For example, a control designed to avoid high-price electricity from 5-8 PM will not be able to adapt if the high-price period changes to 4-9 PM. Academia commonly develops algorithms called Model predictive control (MPC). MPC requires extensive data and highly trained staff to develop a specific type of simulation model of the building, connect the building to optimization algorithms, and leverage powerful computers. Industry, with limited time/finance budgets for any project, is resistant to adopting MPC due to the associated high complexity and cost.

Grant, Peter [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborator↗

Pronghorn

Pronghorn is designed as a multi-dimensional coarse-mesh conjugate heat transfer simulator (tightly coupled fluid and solid phase heat transfer) for nuclear reactor core applications. Pronghorn’s design philosophy of is that: 1. The tool will be agnostic of reactor concept, including VHTRs, SFRs, FHRs, and LWRs. 2. Must be higher fidelity than traditional nuclear systems/safety analysis (0D-1D). 3. Avoid lower-length scale phenomena, such as boundary layer theory, i.e., rely on closure relations. 4. Apply mixture theory (homogenization) wherever possible. 5. Conserve mass and energy (solve all physics on single mesh). 6. Must be easily coupled to both MOOSE-based and external physics applications. 7. Does not require a super computer. Thus, Pronghorn’s algorithmic philosophy is to resolve large scale flow features and model lower-length scale phenomena, such as boundary layers. The coarse mesh approach for lower-length scale modeling is to develop a multi-component multi-phase homogenization of solid and liquid phases into a mixture formulation inside a finite element. For example, a pebble bed core is represented as a two-phase mixture of coolant and fuel pebbles, where the fuel phase is stationary. Thus, the solid phase exerts a drag force on the fluid phase, composed of form and viscous drag, and both phases exchange internal energy through conduction and convective heat transfer. For Pronghorn, the volume fraction of fluid can vary in space, but not in time. Pronghorn has been validated against the VHTR PBMR400 benchmark problems, used for rod ejection simulations have been conducted for thermal-fluids/neutronics for both pebble-bed and prismatic gas-cooled reactors and simple thermal-neutronics coupled LWR benchmark problems. Pronghorn flow models cover a wide range of transient and steady flow conditions, including, porous fluid flow, compressible flow, and nearly incompressible, thermally expansive flow. The physics can be solved in three-dimensional Cartesian coordinates and two-dimensional cylindrical (r-z) coordinates.

Martineau, RichardC.↗

Graph-based machine learning improves just-in-time defect prediction

The increasing complexity of today’s software requires the contribution of thousands of developers. This complex collaboration structure makes developers more likely to introduce defect-prone changes that lead to software faults. Determining when these defect-prone changes are introduced has proven challenging, and using traditional machine learning (ML) methods to make these determinations seems to have reached a plateau. In this work, we build contribution graphs consisting of developers and source files to capture the nuanced complexity of changes required to build software. By leveraging these contribution graphs, our research shows the potential of using graph-based ML to improve Just-In-Time (JIT) defect prediction. We hypothesize that features extracted from the contribution graphs may be better predictors of defect-prone changes than intrinsic features derived from software characteristics. We corroborate our hypothesis using graph-based ML for classifying edges that represent defect-prone changes. This new framing of the JIT defect prediction problem leads to remarkably better results. We test our approach on 14 open-source projects and show that our best model can predict whether or not a code change will lead to a defect with an F1 score as high as 77.55% and a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) as high as 53.16%. This represents a 152% higher F1 score and a 3% higher MCC over the state-of-the-art JIT defect prediction. We describe limitations, open challenges, and how this method can be used for operational JIT defect prediction.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Preventing Run-Time Bugs at Compile-Time Using Advanced C++

When writing software, we develop algorithms that tell the computer what to do at run-time. Our solutions are easier to understand and debug when they are properly modeled using class hierarchies, enumerations, and a well-factored API. Unfortunately, even with these design tools, we end up having to debug our programs at run-time. Worse still, debugging an embedded system changes its dynamics, making it tough to find and fix concurrency issues. This paper describes techniques using C++ to detect run-time bugs *at compile time*. A concurrency library, developed at Fermilab, is used for examples in illustrating these techniques.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Optimizing Mu2e Spill Regulation System Algorithms

A slow extraction system is being developed for the Fermilab’s Delivery Ring to deliver protons to the Mu2e experiment. During the extraction, the beam on target experiences small intensity variations owing to many factors. Various adaptive learning algorithms will be employed for beam regulation to achieve the required spill quality. We discuss here preliminary results of the slow and fast regulation algorithms validation through the computer simulations before their implementation in the FPGA. Particle tracking with sextupole resonance was used to determine the fine shape of the spill profile. Fast semi-analytical simulation schemes and Machine Learning models were used to optimize the fast regulation loop.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Grid-tied Multilevel Inverter with Phase-locked Loop Algorithm

A multilevel inverter is an electronic device capable of changing direct current energy to alternant current energy with a voltage and frequency established by the user. They are ideal for connecting renewable energy sources to the AC grid, energy plants, and smart grids. The voltage must be balanced and synchronized with the electrical network for adequate performance. This paper shows the voltage synchronization between an inverter output voltage and the AC grid using a phase-locked loop based on an adaptive observer. The proposed algorithm can perform under grid uncertainties such as noise and generates a reference signal for the modulation used in the inverter. The algorithm is robust and computationally efficient and can be implemented through basic elements such as operational amplifiers, resistors, and capacitors, reducing its difficulty in executing it in a system.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Final Technical Report: Mathematical Foundations for Uncertainty Quantification in Materials Design

We developed path-wise information theory-based and goal-oriented sensitivity analysis and parameter identification methods for complex high-dimensional dynamics and in particular of non-equilibrium extended molecular systems. The combination of these novel methodologies provided the first methods in the literature which are capable to handle UQ questions for stochastic complex systems with some or all of the following features: (a) multi-scale stochastic models such as (bio)chemical reaction networks, with a very large number of parameters, (b) spatially distributed systems such as Kinetic Monte Carlo or Langevin Dynamics, (c) non-equilibrium processes typically associated with coupled physico-chemical mechanisms, driven boundary conditions, hybrid micro-macro systems, etc. A particular computational challenge arises in simulations of multi-scale reaction networks and molecular systems. Mathematical techniques were applied to in silico prediction of novel materials with emphasis on the effect of microstructure on model uncertainty quantification (UQ). We outline acceleration methods to make calculations of real chemistry feasible followed by two complementary tasks on structure optimization and microstructure-induced UQ.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Economical and Engineering Aspects of Proactive Demand Participation: Centralized versus Bilateral Control Structure

The electric grid of the U.S. is evolving from a system characterized by large and centralized fossil-fueled power plants and passive customers to a network with high penetration of distributed energy resources and proactive customers. This project facilitated the evolution of the U.S. electric power grid by enabling proactive participation of demands in electricity market at the power distribution system level. This project has three major achievements. First, we designed a centralized distribution system operator managed electricity market and developed a three-phase alternating current optimal power flow algorithm to coordinate the operation of large-scale flexible loads and distributed energy resources. Second, we designed a decentralized bilateral coordinate framework for retail electricity market, where each participating customer is capable of making decisions regarding energy production and consumption based on information received from transactive neighbors. Third, the impacts of centralized and decentralized demand-side participation scheme on power system operations were evaluated with both large-scale simulations and hardware-in-the-loop demonstrations. The major activities and specific accomplishments of the technical tasks are summarized in Section II. The detailed design of centralized/hierarchical and decentralized/bilateral retail electricity markets and the comparison between the two markets are described in Section III. The accomplishments and conclusions of the project are presented in Section IV. The major findings of the project falls into three areas, hierarchical distribution system operator managed electricity market, bilateral electricity market and decentralized market coordination, and comparison of centralized and decentralized market coordination mechanisms. In the area of hierarchical distribution system operator managed electricity market design, an integrated wholesale and retail electricity market was shown to be highly effective in extracting the operational flexibility from distributed energy resources to provide services to the wholesale market. A chordal conversion based convex iteration algorithm is not only computationally efficiency but also achieves global optimal solution in coordinating the operations of a large number of heterogeneous distributed energy resources.In the area of decentralized market coordination approach, we showed that bilateral transactions among proactive customers and decentralized transaction clearing mechanism based on simultaneous second-price sealed-bid auction can encourage truthful bidding strategies from the market participations. In addition, the individual customers can rely on a portfolio optimization approach to maximize their returns while minimizing risks. In the area of comparison of centralized and decentralized market coordination mechanisms, we found that the centralized market design results in higher social welfare and lower wholesale market clearing price for electricity. In general, centralized market design favors distributed energy resources and fixed loads. The decentralized market design mostly benefits flexible loads and conventional generators.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗