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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 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Advanced Signal Decomposition Analysis and Anomaly Detection in Photovoltaic Systems

With the rapid expansion of large-scale photovoltaic (PV) plants, it is paramount for solar stakeholders to understand the reliability and efficiency of their plants to inform maintenance decisions, increase production, and understand the design factors that impact performance. Diagnosing underperformance in PV plants is challenging due to the relatively few monitoring points with respect to the large geographic footprint of the plant. This work introduces a cutting-edge method that transforms the analysis and management of key factors influencing PV plant performance, including performance loss rate (PLR), recoverable soiling, and major system changes. Identifying these factors is critical for deriving actionable insights. Leveraging advanced analytical techniques such as wavelet transformation, robust regression, and extreme point analysis, this approach provides a nuanced understanding of these factors. This method has been tested across two synthetic datasets and one real dataset, consistently surpassing existing benchmarks by achieving a lower median mean absolute error and reduced error variability across all comparable components.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Enhanced Component Performance Study: Emergency Diesel Generators 1998–2018

This report presents an enhanced performance evaluation of emergency diesel generators (EDGs) at U.S. commercial nuclear power plants. This report evaluates component performance over time using (1) Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) Consolidated Events Database (ICES) data from 1998 through 2018 and (2) maintenance unavailability (UA) performance data from Mitigating Systems Performance Index (MSPI) Basis Document data from 2002 through 2018. The objective is to show estimates of current failure probabilities and rates related to EDGs, trend these data on an annual basis, determine if the current data are consistent with the probability distributions currently recommended for use in NRC probabilistic risk assessments, show how the reliability data differ for different EDG manufacturers and for EDGs with different ratings; and summarize the subcomponents, causes, detection methods, and recovery associated with each EDG failure mode. Engineering analyses were performed with respect to time period and failure mode without regard to the actual number of EDGs at each plant. The factors analyzed are: sub-component, failure cause, detection method, recovery, manufacturer, and EDG rating. A statistically significant increasing trend was identified in the frequency of FTLR demands for emergency power system (EPS) and high pressure core spray (HPCS) EDGs and a statistically significant decreasing trend was identified in the frequency of run > 1H hours for EPS and HPCS EDGs.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
NASA NTRS1975

Metabolism and heat dissipation during Apollo EVA periods

The extravehicular activity life support equipment, suit temperature control, metabolic rate measurement methods, and energy production are discussed. The Apollo crewmen were able to perform planned extravehicular activities and to extend them to the maximum time allowable without medical problems. The metabolic rates experienced during the lunar surface extravehicular activities were lower than conservative premission estimates. A manually controlled liquid cooling garment was effectively used to minimize fatigue and water loss from sweating during lunar surface extravehicular activities. Gas cooling was adequate during the short zero-g extravehicular activities performed from the command module. The prediction of EVA workloads became more reliable as inflight data was accumulated. The prediction of the average metabolic cost of an EVA was more reliable than the cost of an individual short-term task.

J.M. Waligora↗
NASA NTRS1936

Procedure for Determining Speed and Climbing Performance of Airships

The procedure for obtaining air-speed and rate-of-climb measurements in performance tests of airships is described. Two methods of obtaining speed measurements, one by means of instruments in the airship and the other by flight over a measured ground course, are explained. Instruments, their calibrations, necessary correction factors, observations, and calculations are detailed for each method, and also for the rate-of-climb tests. A method of correction for the effect on density of moist air and a description of other methods of speed course testing are appended.

Thompson, F L↗
DOE OSTI2019

Upscaling of Regional Scale Transport Under Transient Conditions: Evaluation of the Multirate Mass Transfer Model

Abstract Regional scale transport models are needed to support the long‐term evaluation of groundwater quality and to develop management strategies aiming to prevent serious groundwater degradation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the capacity of a previously developed upscaling approach to adequately describe the main solute transport processes, including the capture of late‐time tails under changing boundary conditions. Potential factors that impact the performance of upscaling methods, including temporal variations in mass transfer rates and mass distributions, were investigated. Advective‐dispersive contaminant transport in a 3‐D heterogeneous domain was simulated and used as a reference solution. The equivalent transport under homogeneous flow conditions was then evaluated by applying the multirate mass transfer (MRMT) model. The random walk particle tracking method was used to solve the solute transport for heterogeneous and homogeneous MRMT scenarios under steady state and transient conditions. The results indicate that the MRMT model can capture the tails satisfactorily for plumes transported with ambient steady state flow fields at all studied scales using the same parameters. However, when the boundary conditions change in either local, plume, or regional scale, the mass transfer model calibrated for transport under steady state conditions cannot accurately reproduce the tailings observed for the heterogeneous scenario. The deteriorating impacts of transient boundary conditions on the upscaled model are more significant for regions where the flow fields are dramatically affected, which highlights the poor applicability of the MRMT approach for complex field settings. This finding also has implications for the suitability of other potential upscaling approaches.

Guo, Zhilin↗
DOE OSTI2020

Computational modeling of charge hopping dynamics along a disordered one-dimensional wire with energy gradients in quantum environments

This computational study investigates the effects of energy gradients on charge hopping dynamics along a one-dimensional chain of discrete sites coupled to quantum bath, which is modeled at the level of Pauli master equation (PME). This study also assesses the performance of different approximations for the hopping rates. Three different methods for solving the PME, a fourth order Runge–Kutta method, numerical diagonalization of the rate matrix followed by analytic propagation, and kinetic Monte Carlo simulation method, are tested and confirmed to produce virtually identical values of time dependent mean square displacement, diffusion constant, and mobility. Five different rate expressions, exact numerical evaluation of Fermi’s Golden Rule (FGR) rate, stationary phase interpolation (SPI) approximation, semiclassical approximation, classical Marcus rate, and Miller–Abrahams rate, are tested to help understand the effects of approximations in representing quantum environments in the presence of energy gradients. The results based on direct numerical evaluation of FGR rate exhibit transition from diffusive to non-diffusive behavior with the increase in the gradient and show that the charge transport in the quantum bath is more sensitive to the magnitude of the gradient and the disorder than in the classical bath. Among all the four approximations for the hopping rates, the SPI approximation is confirmed to work best overall. A comparison of two different methods to calculate the mobility identifies drift motion of the population distribution as the major source of non-diffusive behavior and provides more reliable information on the contribution of quantum bath.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

XANES and EXAFS of dilute solutions of transition metals at XFELs

This work has demonstrated that X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), both Mn XANES and EXAFS, of solutions with millimolar concentrations of metal is possible using the femtosecond X-ray pulses from XFELs. Mn XAS data were collected using two different sample delivery methods, a Rayleigh jet and a drop-on-demand setup, with varying concentrations of Mn. Here, a new method for normalization of XAS spectra based on solvent scattering that is compatible with data collection from a highly variable pulsed source is described. The measured XANES and EXAFS spectra of such dilute solution samples are in good agreement with data collected at synchrotron sources using traditional scanning protocols. The procedures described here will enable XFEL-based XAS on dilute biological samples, especially metalloproteins, with low sample consumption. Details of the experimental setup and data analysis methods used in this XANES and EXAFS study are presented. This method will also benefit XAS performed at high-repetition-rate XFELs such as the European XFEL, LCLS-II and LCLS-II-HE.

Chatterjee, Ruchira (ORCID:000000020865061X)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Estimating Sparse Direct Effects in Multivariate Regression With the Spike-and-Slab LASSO

The multivariate regression interpretation of the Gaussian chain graph model simultaneously parametrizes (i) the direct effects of p predictors on q outcomes and (ii) the residual partial covariances between pairs of outcomes. We introduce a new method for fitting sparse versions of these models with spike-and-slab LASSO (SSL) priors. We develop an Expectation Conditional Maximization algorithm to obtain sparse estimates of the p × q matrix of direct effects and the q × q residual precision matrix. Our algorithm iteratively solves a sequence of penalized maximum likelihood problems with self-adaptive penalties that gradually filter out negligible regression coefficients and partial covariances. Because it adaptively penalizes individual model parameters, our method is seen to outperform fixed-penalty competitors on simulated data. We establish the posterior contraction rate for our model, buttressing our method’s excellent empirical performance with strong theoretical guarantees. Using our method, we estimated the direct effects of diet and residence type on the composition of the gut microbiome of elderly adults.

EM algorithm↗
NASA NTRS1991

Digital phase-lock loop

An improved digital phase lock loop incorporates several distinctive features that attain better performance at high loop gain and better phase accuracy. These features include: phase feedback to a number-controlled oscillator in addition to phase rate; analytical tracking of phase (both integer and fractional cycles); an amplitude-insensitive phase extractor; a more accurate method for extracting measured phase; a method for changing loop gain during a track without loss of lock; and a method for avoiding loss of sampled data during computation delay, while maintaining excellent tracking performance. The advantages of using phase and phase-rate feedback are demonstrated by comparing performance with that of rate-only feedback. Extraction of phase by the method of modeling provides accurate phase measurements even when the number-controlled oscillator phase is discontinuously updated.

Thomas, Jr., Jess B.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Comparison of plug flow and multi-node stratified tank modeling approaches regarding computational efficiency and accuracy

Residential water heaters contain water stratified by temperature-driven density differences. This implies that a water tank can reach a state in which the top and bottom sections have different temperatures, unless mixing happens. A high degree of thermal stratification can improve the efficiency of some water heaters, by saving the amount of energy required for the heat-up process. Studies of stratification became popular in the 1970s and it remains an active research topic today. The research has led to the development of different models and techniques to better predict and define a stratified tanks behavior. By comparing these models and techniques used previously to describe thermal stratification, the phenomenon could be better understood, exploited, and used to increase efficiency and thermal energy capacity in modern water tanks. From the existing models, we found the one-dimensional standard plug-flow and a multi node model to be appropriate for analyzing the processes of the heat up and cool-down in a water tank. These two models are based on energy balances. This work involved comparing the accuracy and computational effort needed to implement these models. To assess accuracy, we compared both types of existing models to experimental data (also collected in this work) which included a heat up process using an external heat pump. This external process included a layering process that has an eddy diffusivity at five times the rate of thermal diffusion. For this project, we implemented the models in MATLAB, the multi-paradigm numerical computing environment. We quantified model accuracy using the root mean squared error between modeled data and experimental data for six measured tank temperatures. Comparing the accuracy and the computational time taken to run the simulation provides a method to contrast the performance of each model and a way to rate it. The multi node model was run using from 6 to 96 spatial nodes; the plug flow model was run using 1 to 0.001 º C temperature bin sizes. Additionally, timesteps were varied from 4 to 236 s. The results quantify the tradeoff between accuracy and computational time, providing guidance for simulations to intelligently select the best model type and simulation parameters. This research can be used to validate the pre-existing models and possibly improve the modern water tank.

Bulnes, Fernando Karg↗
DOE OSTI2024

Design and evaluation of alphabetic and numeric input methods for virtual reality

In today’s virtual reality (VR), users have various ways to influence their VR experience, including alphanumeric input. While typing characters and numbers is straightforward on desktop computers, it presents challenges and opportunities in head-mounted display VR due to specific interaction methods and a lack of real-world visual stimuli. Addressing these open questions, our work implements and evaluates ten approaches to alphabetic and numeric inputs in VR. Here, we describe the design motivation behind these input methods and evaluate them in a user study with 40 participants divided into groups for alphabetic and numeric keyboards. This comparison investigates each method’s performance and user interactions. Our findings suggest that different input methods significantly impact words per minute and error rates, and that certain keyboard designs may receive better subjective evaluations despite poorer objective performance.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1984

Maximum Normalized Rate as a Flying Qualities Parameter

Discrete attitude commands have become a standard task for flying qualities evaluation and control system testing. Much pilot opinion data is now available for ground-based and in-flight simulations, but adequate performance measures and prediction methods have not been established. The Step Target Tracking Prediction method, introduced in 1978, correlated time-on-target and rms tracking data with NT-33 in-flight longitudinal simulations, but did not employ parameters easily measured in manned flight and simulation. Recent application of the Step Target Tracking Prediction method to lateral flying qualities analysis has led to a new measure of performance. This quantity, called Maximum Normalized Rate (MNR), reflects the greatest attitude rate a pilot can employ during a discrete maneuver without excessive overshoot and oscillation. MNR correlates NT-33 lateral pilot opinion ratings well, and is easily measured during flight test or simulation. Futhermore, the Step Target MNR method can be used to analyze large amplitude problems concerning rate limiting and nonlinear aerodynamics.

Onstott, E. D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Maximum Normalized Rate as a Flying Qualities Parameter

Discrete attitude commands have become a standard task for flying qualities evaluation and control system testing. Much pilot opinion data is now available for ground-based and in-flight simulations, but adequate performance measures and prediction methods have not been established. The Step Target Tracking Prediction method, introduced in 1978, correlated time-on-target and rms tracking data with NT-33 in-flight longitudinal simulations, but did not employ parameters easily measured in manned flight and simulation. Recent application of the Step Target Tracking Prediction method to lateral flying qualities analysis has led to a new measure of performance. This quantity, called Maximum Normalized Rate (MNR), reflects the greatest attitude rate a pilot can employ during a discrete maneuver without excessive overshoot and oscillation. MNR correlates NT-33 lateral pilot opinion ratings well, and is easily measured during night test or simulation. Furthermore, the Step Target MNR method can be used to analyze large amplitude problems concerning rate limiting and nonlinear aerodynamics.

Onstott, E. D.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The Development of a Handbook for Astrobee F Performance and Stability Analysis

An astrobee F performance and stability analysis is presented, for use by the NASA Sounding Rocket Division. The performance analysis provides information regarding altitude, mach number, dynamic pressure, and velocity as functions of time since launch. It is found that payload weight has the greatest effect on performance, and performance prediction accuracy was calculated to remain within 1%. In addition, to assure sufficient flight stability, a predicted rigid-body static margin of at least 8% of the total vehicle length is required. Finally, fin cant angle predictions are given in order to achieve a 2.5 cycle per second burnout roll rate, based on obtaining 75% of the steady roll rate. It is noted that this method can be used by flight performance engineers to create a similar handbook for any sounding rocket series.

Wolf, R. S.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Kernel reconstruction methods for Doppler broadening — Temperature interpolation by linear combination of reference cross sections at optimally chosen temperatures

This paper establishes a new family of methods to perform temperature interpolation of nuclear interactions cross sections, reaction rates, or cross sections times the energy. One of these quantities at temperature T is approximated as a linear combination of quantities at reference temperatures (T j ). The problem is formalized in a cross section independent fashion by considering the kernels of the different operators that convert cross section related quantities from a temperature T 0 to a higher temperature T — namely the Doppler broadening operation. Doppler broadening interpolation of nuclear cross sections is thus here performed by reconstructing the kernel of the operation at a given temperature T by means of linear combination of kernels at reference temperatures (T j ). The choice of the L 2 metric yields optimal linear interpolation coefficients in the form of the solutions of a linear algebraic system inversion. The optimization of the choice of reference temperatures (T j ) is then undertaken so as to best reconstruct, in the L∞ sense, the kernels over a given temperature range [T min ,T max ]. The performance of these kernel reconstruction methods is then assessed in light of previous temperature interpolation methods by testing them upon isotope 238 U. Temperature-optimized free Doppler kernel reconstruction significantly outperforms all previous interpolation-based methods, achieving 0.1% relative error on temperature interpolation of 238 U total cross section over the temperature range [300 K,3000 K] with only 9 reference temperatures.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Predicting the Microgravity Performance of Terrestrial Portable Fire Extinguishers

Portable fire extinguishers (PFEs) are a key component of spacecraft emergency response systems. The International Space Station uses custom PFEs to meet the unique microgravity and enclosed space requirements of the vehicle. For future crewed missions to Low Earth Orbit and Deep Space destinations, terrestrial commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) PFEs may offer more economical solutions for the destination as well as the visiting vehicle. However, depending on the design of both the spacecraft and the PFE, the reduced gravity environment is likely to impact PFE performance, especially when multiphase microgravity liquid transport processes are present. Additionally, many terrestrial PFEs now use halocarbons as the suppressant. While studies show these are effective in certain terrestrial fires, some data suggest that low concentrations may actually exacerbate a fire, a phenomenon that would prove particularly concerning in spacecraft. To better characterize the potential of employing COTS hardware, two terrestrial PFEs, one charged with HFC-227ea and Nitrogen pressurant and one charged with carbon dioxide, were modeled to predict performance in both 1-g and microgravity environments. Testing was conducted in 1-g to validate the model. Testing was also conducted to evaluate the effect of sub-extinguishment HFC-227ea concentrations on burn rate in controlled samples. Here we provide a detailed description of the model, report the methods and results of PFE testing, discuss the predicted effects of microgravity on PFE performance, and report the results of material burn rates at sub-extinguishment levels of HFC-227ea.

Morgan B Abney↗
NASA NTRS1984

A performability solution method for degradable nonrepairable systems

The present performability model-solving algorithm identifies performance with 'reward', representing the state behavior of a system S by a finite-state stochastic process and determining reward by means of reward rates that are associated with the states of the base model. A general method is obtained for determining the probability distribution function of the performance (reward) variable, and therefore the performability, of the corresponding system. This is done for bounded utilization periods, and the result is an integral expression which is either analytically or numerically solvable.

Furchtgott, D. G.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Characterization of Creep-Fatigue Crack Growth in Alloy 709 and Prediction of Service Lives in Nuclear Reactor Components (Final Report)

This final report summarizes the activities and results that were obtained by the research team working on the project “Characterization of Creep-Fatigue Crack Growth in Alloy 709 and Prediction of Service Lives in Nuclear Reactor Components”, DOE-NEUP Project 15-8623. This project was mainly concerned with the creep-fatigue crack growth characterization of austenitic stainless-steel Fe-20Cr-25Ni (Alloy 709). For this purpose, an array of experimental and computational activities was performed. The main goal of these activities was to describe and predict the crack growth behavior in Alloy 709 under different conditions of applied loading and temperature. Alloy 709 specimens were tested to describe both the uniaxial creep behavior and creep-fatigue crack growth rates at temperatures between 550°C and 700°C. Microstructure and fracture surface analysis was performed using several experimental techniques, and the defining features of crack growth propagation were identified and described. Thermodynamic and diffusion simulations were performed to understand the microstructure evolution of Alloy 709 at elevated temperatures, and to establish an aging schedule relevant for in-service conditions over extended periods. Experimental testing was performed on both as-received and aged Alloy 709 specimens. Two computational methods were developed to predict crack growth rates and remaining lives in specimens loaded under either fatigue of creep-fatigue. The first computational technique was the finite element method, while the second was strip-yield modeling. Both methods relied on the prediction of crack growth rates using the concept of plasticity-induced crack closure. Crack-tip opening loads were computed and used to perform crack growth rate predictions. The computational predictions matched well with the experimental results. The strip-yield model was shown to be an excellent predictive tool not only for crack growth in austenitic SS Alloy 709, but also in 316 SS, martensitic Cr-Mo steels, Ni-based alloys and Al-based alloys. The main conclusion of this study is that Alloy 709 exhibits excellent creep crack growth resistance at temperatures between 550°C and 700°C. In fact, the crack growth resistance of this alloy appears to be higher than that of 316 SS in similar testing conditions. Moreover, when creep loading with hold (dwell) times of 60s or 600s were intercalated every fatigue cycle, the crack growth rates did not change significantly. The conclusion is that the tests performed revealed that the crack growth is insignificant during the creep portion of a loading cycle, as compared with the crack growth during the fatigue portion of the cycle. In general, Alloy 709 shows excellent resistance to creep deformations and creep crack growth up to 700°C.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗