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This presentation illustrates three problems in the analysis of moving object trajectories and demonstrates solutions using the Tracktable software library.
This project developed and demonstrated Sonic Lift-off, a novel technology that enables the reuse of expensive semiconductor substrates used to manufacture high-efficiency solar cells. By using sound waves to precisely separate thin layers of material, the process significantly reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining the performance of advanced III–V solar cells. These solar cells are among the most efficient in the world and are used in space, aerospace, and emerging terrestrial applications. The results of this work show that substrate reuse can be achieved without degrading device performance, offering a pathway to more affordable, high-performance solar technologies. This advancement supports U.S. clean energy goals by enabling broader deployment of renewable energy systems and strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities in advanced photovoltaics.
This initiative is a multi-faceted project at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) aimed at strengthening its Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Optical Facilities to advance the development of low-cost, high-performance materials for solar and other applications. The project's strategy is built on three pillars: strategic stakeholder engagement, diligent facility maintenance and utilization, and the development of new research capabilities. The overarching goal is to ensure the facilities remain state-of-the-art resources for industry and academia, thereby accelerating the conversion of concentrated sunlight into energy. A key driver of the project is an international Advisory Board, which provides critical guidance on research priorities and industry needs, leading to new collaborations and secured funding. This external engagement, combined with proactive outreach to industry partners, ensures the lab's work remains aligned with real-world challenges, including materials durability and performance certification. Significant efforts in facility maintenance have addressed challenges with aging infrastructure. Notable achievements include the complete refurbishment of the hail-damaged Ultra-Accelerated Weathering System (UAWS) and the successful replacement of a failing 15-year-old Lambda 1050 spectrophotometer with a new-generation model, substantially upgrading material characterization capabilities. These maintenance activities were complemented by achieving a prestigious ISO 9001:2015 certification for the Advanced Optical Materials Labs, formally recognizing the quality and reliability of NLR's measurement capabilities. Despite these successes, challenges remain, including high demand for the High Flux Solar Furnace (HFSF) and intermittent failures of other key instruments. The project has delivered major advancements in research techniques and capabilities. At the Flatirons campus, a new indoor laboratory, was established to house advanced deflectometry and photogrammetry systems for heliostat characterization. For on-sun testing, a novel, actively cooled turning mirror was developed for the HFSF, enabling more realistic testing of particle receivers and components. A collaboration with Virginia Tech successfully demonstrated the high-temperature durability of a new solar absorber coating through extensive cyclic testing. Concurrently, new modeling took place to better predict material degradation on rough, fractal surfaces. In summary, this project has systematically enhanced NLR's CSP Optical Facilities through strategic upgrades, rigorous maintenance, and stakeholder-guided research. By overcoming equipment failures, budgetary constraints, and logistical hurdles, the project has reinforced NLR's role as a central hub for CSP innovation and materials testing. Future work will focus on securing diverse funding, expanding collaborations, and continuing to provide the critical infrastructure needed to accelerate the development and deployment of next-generation technologies.
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Inelastic scattering reactions including (n,2n) are particularly difficult to measure. Hardly any measurements on radioactive nuclei exist. The reason is that traditional methods require the detection of gammas or neutrons in a background of elastically scattered neutrons, which can interact with the detector or other materials. The 73 As(n,2n) and the 73 As(n,2n) reaction cross sections are the only neutron removal cross sections that can be measured with current methods. The corresponding cross sections for the short-lived isotopes 71,72,74 As can only be directly measured in inverse kinematics. Since 75 As is the only stable isotope of this element, the sample production is no problem at all. This report is therefore focused on the sample production for a possible 73 As(n,2n) campaign.
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Abstract not provided.
About 1.9 gigatonnes of steel is produced every year emitting 7% (2.7 gigatonnes) of global CO 2 in the process. More than 50% of the CO 2 emissions come from a single step of steelmaking, known as ironmaking. Hydrogen based direct reduction (HyDR) of iron oxide to iron has emerged as an emissions free ironmaking alternative. However multi-scale phenomena ranging from nanometers to meters inside HyDR reactors exhibit detrimental microstructure evolution which resists gaseous transport of H 2 /H 2 O, slows reaction rates and disrupts continuous reactor operation. To resolve the conundrum between atomic and reactor scales, we devise a percolation-theory model to reconcile nanoscale porosity with macroscopic properties relevant to reactor design models. Using synchrotron nano X-ray computed-tomography, we quantify the evolution of pores in iron oxide pellets, and demonstrate how nano-scale pore networks influence micro and macro-scale flow properties such as permeability, diffusivity and tortuosity. Our new modeling framework bridges the gap between scales and offers the criteria to accelerate HyDR by at least 5x via feedstock-reactor synergies based on percolation.
The inevitable presence of uncertain parameters in critical applications of process optimization can lead to undesirable or infeasible solutions. For this reason, optimization under parametric uncertainty was, and continues to be a core area of research within Process Systems Engineering. Multiparametric programming is a strategy that offers a holistic perspective for the solution of this class of mathematical programming problems. Specifically, multiparametric programming theory enables the derivation of the optimal solution as a function of the uncertain parameters, explicitly revealing the impact of uncertainty in optimal decision-making. By taking advantage of such a relationship, new breakthroughs in the solution of challenging formulations with uncertainty have been created. Apart from that, researchers have utilized multiparametric programming techniques to solve deterministic classes of problems, by treating specific elements of the optimization program as uncertain parameters. In the past years, there has been a significant number of publications in the literature involving multiparametric programming. The present review article covers recent theoretical, algorithmic, and application developments in multiparametric programming. Additionally, several areas for potential contributions in this field are discussed, highlighting the benefits of multiparametric programming in future research efforts.
High-throughput roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is currently limited by thermal processes that take tens of minutes each, translating to impractically long annealing tools at high web speeds. In addition, PSCs are usually made with metal oxide transport layer materials that require high temperatures for thermal annealing. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of PSCs using photonic curing, instead of thermal annealing, to convert NiO x directly from sol-gel precursors for hole transport layers and to crystallize methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3 ) active layers on flexible Willow ® Glass substrates. Photonic curing uses short, intense pulses of light to process materials at a high speed, hence it is compatible with R2R manufacturing. We achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 11.7% in forward-scan and 10.9% in reverse-scan for PSCs made with photonic cured NiO x and MAPbI 3 films. Furthermore, both NiO x and MAPbI 3 films could be processed with a single photonic curing pulse, with a web speed of 5.7 m/min, and still produce PCEs comparable to thermally annealed control samples. Based on the single-pulse photonic curing condition for each film, we project a web speed of 26 m/min, laying a pathway to high-throughput production of perovskite solar modules.
Governments are increasingly turning toward public–private partnerships to bring industry support to improving public assets or services. Here, we describe a unique public–private collaboration where a government entity has developed mechanisms to support public and private sector advancement and commercialization of monitoring technologies for marine renewable energy. These support mechanisms include access to a range of skilled personnel and test facilities that promote rapid innovation, prove reliability, and inspire creativity in technology development as innovations move from concept to practice. The ability to iteratively test hardware and software components, sensors, and systems can accelerate adoption of new methods and instrumentation designs. As a case study, we present the development of passive acoustic monitoring technologies customized for operation in energetic waves and currents. We discuss the value of testing different systems together, under the same conditions, as well as the progression through different test locations. The outcome is multiple, complementary monitoring technologies that are well suited to addressing an area of high environmental uncertainty and reducing barriers to responsible deployment of low-carbon energy conversion systems, creating solutions for the future.
Organizations face rising pressure to take action to reduce their climate-affecting emissions (i.e., decarbonize). While many responses are possible, an essential approach—strategically managing their energy consumption as an essential business practice via an ISO 50001-based energy management system—is not yet widely recognized as a framework for decarbonization. This study analyzes interim survey results from 24 organizations (a 48% response rate) implementing a rigorous energy management system, one deployed by the U.S. Department of Energy as “50001 Ready”, to test whether participating organizations perceive the energy management system under development as an essential aspect of their decarbonization efforts. The results are preliminary in nature, given the ongoing nature of the program and associated data collection; however, they are sufficient to refute our hypothesis that energy management systems are perceived by organizations participating in 50001 Ready cohorts to primarily affect energy performance with little-to-no connection regarding decarbonization efforts. Major findings include that participants’ decarbonization targets and commitments are driven by market imperatives (highlighting the importance of ISO 50001 as a management system tool) and that they see energy efficiency as vital to decarbonizing. We conclude by suggesting future research directions to further establish the premise that energy management systems are an effective, efficient, and long-lasting decarbonization strategy.