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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 1,297 records · Page 72
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured 316L Stainless Steel Before and After Neutron Irradiation–FY23

This report presents the observed mechanical behavior of the additively manufactured (AM) 316L stainless steel (SS) before and after neutron irradiation. In the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program, a variety of mechanical and physical property data are generated and accumulated to assess the AM austenitic alloy for nuclear reactor applications. The testing and evaluation task in the FY 2023 focused on elucidating the effects of sampling location and build size on the mechanical properties of AM 316L SS (in stress-relieved condition) before and after neutron irradiation. The laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process produced 316L plates of three distinct sizes from which SS-J3 miniature tensile specimens were machined from six different locations. The tensile specimens were irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) normally to 2 and 10 dpa at the target temperatures of 300 °C and 600 °C. Post-irradiation tensile testing was performed at room temperature, 300 °C, and 600 °C. The mechanical properties of AM 316L SS were significantly influenced by the characteristic microstructures of printed materials, which include fine grains and high-density dislocations. Compared with the traditional 316L SS, AM 316L showed higher initial strength and lower ductility. Regardless of sampling location, the AM 316L steel retained relatively high strength and ductility to the highest irradiation dose. A prompt necking at yield (with little uniform ductility) was observed after irradiation at 300 °C but no embrittlement was observed up to 10 dpa. Ductilization by irradiation–the radiation-induced increase of ductility–was observed for the 600 °C irradiation only and it occurred in low dose range only. The neutron irradiation increased the data variation in many tensile property datasets, particularly after 600 °C irradiation, and no clear dependence of tensile properties on build thickness or sampling location was observed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order Nevada National Security Site Use Restriction Management Plan, Revision 2

This Use Restriction Management Plan (URMP) provides the information needed to create, modify, and manage use restrictions (URs) for sites on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), and sites accessed through the NNSS main gate, that were closed using the corrective action alternative (CAA) of closure in place under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO). It addresses URs established under the FFACO for releases related to the development, testing, and production of nuclear weapons that are located on the NNSS and that are accessed through the NNSS main gate. FFACO URs are established at sites where contamination remains at levels exceeding final action levels (FALs) or is forecasted to exceed Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) maximum contaminant levels (CFR, 2025a) over the next 1,000 years following completion of corrective actions. Administrative URs are established at Industrial Sites and Soils sites where contamination remains at levels exceeding industrial action levels as defined in the Soils RBCA document. All URs stipulate restrictions sufficient to ensure the protection of human health, safety, and the environment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ultra-high Bandwidth, Ultra-high Dynamic Range X-Ray Shock Characterization via Photonic Integrated Circuit

Nuclear weapon component assessment tests at the Z Machine rely on accurate X-ray yield measurements for model validation, design and analysis of component survivability, and source optimization. Yield measurement devices currently used do not provide the requisite certainty to enable accurate and efficient data analysis of test results, which leads to an increase in Z-shots required for evaluation, longer device development times, and higher operation costs. Additionally, current X-ray flux detectors lack high temporal resolution at the tails. Similarly, shock measurement techniques used for component assessment often lack the ability to spatially resolve wave behavior thereby limiting the ability to measure shock propagation dynamics needed to design the next generation of ND components. Here we present the development of a photonic micro-calorimeter and shock sensor consisting of meter-long waveguide spirals that are optomechanically coupled to X-ray absorbing layers to characterize yield and shock propagation at nanosecond timescales.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

The propagation of seismic waves, misinformation, and disinformation from the 2024-10-05 M 4.5 Iran earthquake

The 2024-10-05 Iran M 4.5 earthquake took place at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East. We perform a discrimination and moment tensor analysis and identify a shallow-dipping, reverse fault source commensurate with the compressional setting of the Iranian interior. Nonetheless, the event's aftermath saw widespread dissemination of misinformation, and potentially active disinformation, concluding that it was in fact a test of an Iranian nuclear weapon. The 'evidence' for many of these claims was based on inaccurate interpretation of seismic data. In this paper, we analyze how geophysical 'fake news' propagated through social media (mainly Twitter/X) following this event, eventually gaining traction in mainstream, earned media. This event is an illustrative warning of how seismic data can be misinterpreted and/or manipulated in public discourse.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1972

Spectral absorption coefficients of argon and silicon and spectral reflectivity of aluminum

A theoretical investigation was conducted to estimate the spectral properties of argon as a function of pressure, temperature, and wave number. The spectral characteristics of the argon buffer gas exert a strong influence on radiative energy transfer in the in-reactor test configuration of the nuclear light bulb engine. An existing computer program was modified and used to calculate the spectral absorption coefficients of argon at total pressures of 50, 100, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 atm in the temperature interval between 1000 and 30,000 K. At each pressure and temperature, spectral properties were calculated for forty-seven wave numbers in the interval between 1000 and 1,000,000 cm/1. Estimates of the spectral absorption coefficients of silicon were made as part of an evaluation of silicon vapor as a possible buffer-gas seeding agent for the reference nuclear light bulb engine. Existing cross-section data were used to calculate the spectral characteristics of silicon at twenty-four temperatures in the interval between 2000 and 10,000 K.

Krascella, N. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The collective excitation of g-modes in the sun

Oscillations of the solar interior (linear g-modes) may be strongly driven by the collective influence of all the modes upon the nuclear reactions in the core. This heretofore neglected effect could couple the modes, reduce the effective amplitudes near the center, and spatially concentrate most of the oscillation energy into just a portion of the radiative interior. If operating at sufficient strength, this can reverse the conventional conclusion, drawn from single mode calculations, that almost all solar g-modes are damped. Furthermore, it would put the theory into rough harmony with three otherwise troubling observations: (1) the 'low' neutrino flux measured by Davis (1978), (2) the high correspondence found by Wolff (1976) between recurrence periods in solar activity and the rotational beat periods of g-modes, and (3) the fluctuations in the sun's diameter which imply g-mode activity at high angular harmonics (Hill and Caudell 1979). A nonlinear expression is derived for the local rate of work done on an array of oscillation modes by the nuclear reactions. Three additional tests of the model are suggested.

Wolff, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Overview of DOE space nuclear propulsion programs

An overview of Department of Energy space nuclear propulsion programs is presented in outline and graphic form. DOE's role in the development and safety assurance of space nuclear propulsion is addressed. Testing issues and facilities are discussed along with development needs and recent research activities.

Newhouse, Alan R.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Aeronautics and Space Report: Highlights 1968

These highlights include the end of the Surveyor Program, planetary studies, Pioneers, Orbiting Geophysical Observatory, sounding rockets, radio astronomy Explorer, Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, Nimbus, lifting bodies, X-15 Program, XB-70, V/TOL, model research, jet noise reduction, flight safety, nuclear engines, Project Apollo (testing and training), and Apollo 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2018

Nondestructive Testing Research and Capabilities at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a United States Department of Energy (DOE) multipurpose laboratory operated by Battelle Memorial Institute. The laboratory maintains several technical and scientific capabilities to meet the diverse and challenging needs of sponsors. The Applied Physics Group maintains significant capabilities of interest to the nondestructive testing (NDT) community and regularly collaborates with other technical disciplines to form unique teams in response to specific challenges. This article provides a brief overview of the capabilities of the Applied Physics Group and highlights some activities to demonstrate the scope of capabilities that span from applied research aimed at improving existing NDT methods or processes to more fundamental research efforts that are focused on developing tools to facilitate future paradigms of structural condition monitoring and awareness.

Nondestructive Testing, NDE, Nuclear Power, Phased↗
DOE OSTI2020

DOE EM Sponsored Research on Long-Term Dry Storage of Aluminum Clad SNF

This PowerPoint presentation describes and discusses DOE EM and INL lead studies on addressing potential technical issues associated with long-term dry storage of aluminum clad spent nuclear fuel. This same presentation was made to the US Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board in Nov 2019.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗