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DOE OSTI2016

New development of laser ion source for highly charged ion beam production at Institute of Modern Physics (invited)

A laser ion source based on Nd:YAG laser has been being studied at the Institute of Modern Physics for the production of high intensity high charge state heavy ion beams in the past ten years, for possible applications both in a future accelerator complex and in heavy ion cancer therapy facilities. Based on the previous results for the production of multiple-charged ions from a wide range of heavy elements with a 3 J/8 ns Nd:YAG laser [Zhao et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85, 02B910 (2014)], higher laser energy and intensity in the focal spot are necessary for the production of highly charged ions from the elements heavier than aluminum. Therefore, the laser ion source was upgraded with a new Nd:YAG laser, the maximum energy of which is 8 J and the pulse duration can be adjusted from 8 to 18 ns. Since then, the charge state distributions of ions from various elements generated by the 8 J Nd:YAG laser were investigated for different experimental conditions, such as laser energy, pulse duration, power density in the focal spot, and incidence angle. It was shown that the incidence angle is one of the most important parameters for the production of highly charged ions. The capability of producing highly charged ions from the elements lighter than silver was demonstrated with the incidence angle of 10° and laser power density of 8 × 10{sup 13} W cm{sup −2} in the focal spot, which makes a laser ion source complementary to the superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source for the future accelerator complex especially in terms of the ion beam production from some refractory elements. Nevertheless, great efforts with regard to the extraction of intense ion beams, modification of the ion beam pulse duration, and reliability of the ion source still need to be made for practical applications.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2018

Anomaly Detection for Power System Generation Control based on Hierarchical DBSCAN

The generation level of a generator in power grid is under control of multiple control loops such as governor action, Automatic Generation Control (AGC), and manual control. These control loops are vulnerable to cyber attacks and could become potential targets for the malicious adversary. In this paper, we investigated the detection of abnormal generation controls induced by cyber attacks. One data-driven anomaly detection methodology is presented based on the behavior conformity of generation units located in the same balancing authority. A semi-supervised clustering algorithm with Hierarchical Density based Spatial Clustering of Application with Noise (HDBSCAN) is proposed for the detection model training. In our previous work, we obtained a synthetic dataset that covers scenarios including normal operation, generation control under ramp attack, switching attack, AGC integrity attacks, etc. and it is used to evaluate the proposed clustering algorithm. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm provides better detection accuracy than K-means clustering and can distinguish not only between normal and abnormal generation controls but also among various anomaly scenarios.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2026

Safe Deep Reinforcement Learning for Active Distribution System Model Predictive Control with EVs and DERs

The temporal and spatial mismatch between PV generation and electric vehicle (EV) charging and discharging may cause voltage violations in active distribution networks. Despite the widespread use of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) in power system optimization and control, it lacks guarantees on constraint satisfaction during both training and deployment. This paper proposes a Lagrangian-based safe DRL approach for model predictive control (MPC) of active distribution systems with large-scale integration of PVs, EVs, and energy storage systems (ESSs). A Transformer-LSTM time-series model is proposed to forecast EV charging demand, which is then formulated as a constraint to ensure charging requirements are met. Using this prediction, a Lagrangian-based safe soft actor-critic (SAC) framework is developed for real-time control in a three-phase unbalanced distribution system, enforcing voltage safety constraints while optimizing the cumulative net reward. By integrating the forecasting model with multi-period constraints, the proposed framework jointly coordinates PV systems, EV charging and discharging, and ESS scheduling within the MPC horizon. Numerical experiments on a modified IEEE 123-bus system with real-world data show that, under a high PV penetration scenario, the proposed method increases the net reward by 30.74% and reduces average voltage violations from 0.0011 p.u. to 0.0002 p.u. compared with standard SAC. Compared with the optimal power flow (OPF) approach, it achieves similar voltage security while yielding lower line losses. It also maintains real-time control capability, reducing operation latency to 53.21 ms per 15-minute control interval. The proposed method remains effective under varying PV/EV penetrations and load conditions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2017

Computing the Feasible Spaces of Optimal Power Flow Problems

The solution to an optimal power flow (OPF) problem provides a minimum cost operating point for an electric power system. The performance of OPF solution techniques strongly depends on the problem’s feasible space. This paper presents an algorithm that is guaranteed to compute the entire feasible spaces of small OPF problems to within a specified discretization tolerance. Specifically, the feasible space is computed by discretizing certain of the OPF problem’s inequality constraints to obtain a set of power flow equations. All solutions to the power flow equations at each discretization point are obtained using the Numerical Polynomial Homotopy Continuation (NPHC) algorithm. To improve computational tractability, “bound tightening” and “grid pruning” algorithms use convex relaxations to preclude consideration of many discretization points that are infeasible for the OPF problem. Here, the proposed algorithm is used to generate the feasible spaces of two small test cases.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2022

Surface Heater Fabrication Using Micro-Lithography for Transpiration Cooling Heat Transfer Coefficient Measurements

Abstract Transpiration cooling is able to provide more uniform coolant coverage than film cooling to effectively protect the component surface from contacting the hot gas. Due to numerous coolant ejection outlets within a small area at the target surface, the experimental thermo-fluid investigation on transpiration cooling becomes a significant challenge. Two classic methods to investigate film cooling, the steady-state foil heater method and the transient thermography technique, fail for transpiration cooling because the foil heater would block numerous coolant outlets, and the semi-infinite solid conduction model no longer holds for porous plates. In this study, a micro-lithography method to fabricate a silver coil pattern on top of the additively manufactured polymer porous media as the surface heater was proposed. The circuit was deliberately designed to cover the solid surface in a combination of series connection, and parallel connection to ensure the power in each unit cell area at the target surface was identical. With uniform heat flux generation, the steady-state tests were conducted to obtain distributions of a pair of parameters, adiabatic cooling effectiveness, and heat transfer coefficient (HTC). The results showed that the adiabatic cooling effectiveness could reach 0.65 with a blowing ratio lower than 0.5. Meanwhile, the heat transfer coefficient ratio (hf/h0) of transpiration cooling was close to 1 with a small blowing ratio at 0.125. A higher HTC ratio was observed for smaller pitch-to-diameter cases due to more turbulence intensity generated at the target surface.

Engineering↗

DOE OSTI2026

AI4MG-networked-microgrid-models

SF-26-123 24-hour scaled power-flow analysis of a modified IEEE 123-bus distribution feeder using OpenDSS. The simulation runs 24 snapshot power-flow cases (one per hour) with independent hourly scaling profiles for base loads, added loads, generators, and battery storage, and writes per-hour CSV/Excel reports plus a 24-panel voltage-profile plot.

Kumar, Kiran [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), A↗

DOE OSTI2020

Adaptive shape control of wavefront-preserving X-ray mirrors with active cooling and heating

This article describes the development and testing of a novel, water cooled, active optic mirror system (called “REAL: Resistive Element Adjustable Length”) that combines cooling with applied auxiliary heating, tailored to the spatial distribution of the thermal load generated by the incident beam. This technique is theoretically capable of sub-nanometer surface figure error control even at high power density. Tests conducted in an optical metrology laboratory and at synchrotron X-ray beamlines showed the ability to maintain the mirror profile to the level needed for the next generation storage rings and FEL mirrors.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2018

Executive Summary: Concentrating Solar Power Impact on Grid Reliability

This study examines the impact of concentrating solar power (CSP) on grid reliability by investigating the dynamic behavior of the Western Interconnection under conditions of high solar and wind generation. Reliability in this case refers to the somewhat narrow context of stability: transient stability and frequency response; and control stability, especially that associated with weak grids. The objectives of this study were to identify renewable energy penetration levels and mixes, severe disturbances, and load conditions where grid performance and reliability could be enhanced with CSP plants. Instantaneous penetrations of wind and solar - both photovoltaics (PV) and CSP - up to approximately 60% were considered. The focus is on situations in the Western Interconnection bulk power system during which variable renewable generation has displaced other (non-CSP) synchronous thermal generation under highly stressed, weak system conditions. Particular attention was given to impacts of frequency-responsive controls and synchronous generation characteristics.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

CRADA Number NFE-24-10110 with Qubit Engineering Inc. (CRADA Final Report)

Over the past year, the Qubit Engineering team has pushed the frontiers of power‑grid optimization, working in close collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Their progress is reflected in three newly submitted conference papers, “Unified Relational GNN Architecture for AC Optimal Power Flow Calculations in Electric Grids,” “Graph‑Based Attention Mechanisms for Solving the AC Optimal Power Flow Problem in Electrical‑Power Networks,” and “Enhanced Power‑Grid Maintenance Planning and Quantum‑Inspired Combinatorial Prospects.” These publications showcase state‑of‑the‑art graph‑neural‑network methods for AC‑OPF and novel quantum‑inspired heuristics for maintenance scheduling. Beyond the academic results, the Qubit team has converted the research into two production‑grade tools built on TVA data: Neuro‑Grid, an AI‑driven power‑flow simulator that provides instant, interactive full‑grid load‑flow visualizations, and Quanta‑Grid, a quantum‑inspired maintenance‑scheduling engine to support logistics optimization for power utilities. Together, these advances demonstrate how Qubit’s partnership with ORNL and TVA is delivering practical, physics‑grounded analytics for next‑generation grid management.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2018

Large-scale Compression Acceleration during Magnetic Reconnection in a Low- β Plasma

In solar flares and other astrophysical systems, a major challenge for solving the particle acceleration problem associated with magnetic reconnection is the enormous scale separation between kinetic scales and the observed reconnection scale. Because of this, it has been difficult to draw any definite conclusions by just using kinetic simulations. A particle acceleration model that solves the energetic particle transport equation can capture the main acceleration physics found in kinetic simulations and thus provide a practical way to make observable predictions and directly compare model results with observations. Here we study compression particle acceleration in magnetic reconnection by solving the Parker (diffusion–advection) transport equation using velocity and magnetic fields from two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations of a low-β high-Lundquist-number reconnection layer. We show that the compressible reconnection layer can give significant particle acceleration, leading to the formation of power-law particle energy distributions. We analyze the acceleration rate and find that the acceleration in the reconnection layer is a mixture of first- and second-order Fermi processes. When including a guide field, we find that the spectrum becomes steeper and both the power-law cutoff energy and maximum particle energy decrease as plasma becomes less compressible. This model produces a 2D particle distribution that one can use to generate a radiation map and directly compare with solar flare observations. This provides a framework to explain particle acceleration at large-scale astrophysical reconnection sites, such as solar flares.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1973

Programmable random interval generator

Random pulse generator can supply constant-amplitude randomly distributed pulses with average rate ranging from a few counts per second to more than one million counts per second. Generator requires no high-voltage power supply or any special thermal cooling apparatus. Device is uniquely versatile and provides wide dynamic range of operation.

Lindsey, R. S., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Steady and unsteady transonic pressure measurements on a clipped delta wing for pitching and control-surface oscillations

Steady and unsteady pressures were measured on a clipped delta wing with a 6-percent circular-arc airfoil section and a leading-edge sweep angle of 50.40 deg. The model was oscillated in pitch and had an oscillating trailing-edge control surface. Measurements were concentrated over a Mach number range from 0.88 to 0.94; less extensive measurements were made at Mach numbers of 0.40, 0.96, and 1.12. The Reynolds number based on mean chord was approximately 10 x 10 to the 6th power. The interaction of wing or control-surface deflection with the formation of shock waves and with a leading-edge vortex generated complex pressure distributions that were sensitive to frequency and to small changes in Mach number at transonic speeds.

Hess, Robert W.↗

DOE OSTI2017

Inverter communications using output signal

Technologies for communicating information from an inverter configured for the conversion of direct current (DC) power generated from an alternative source to alternating current (AC) power are disclosed. The technologies include determining information to be transmitted from the inverter over a power line cable connected to the inverter and controlling the operation of an output converter of the inverter as a function of the information to be transmitted to cause the output converter to generate an output waveform having the information modulated thereon.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2017

Controllable Grid Interface for Testing Ancillary Service Controls and Fault Performance of Utility-Scale Wind Power Generation: Preprint

The rapid expansion of wind power has led many transmission system operators to demand modern wind power plants to comply with strict interconnection requirements. Such requirements involve various aspects of wind power plant operation, including fault ride-through and power quality performance as well as the provision of ancillary services to enhance grid reliability. During recent years, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of the U.S. Department of Energy has developed a new, groundbreaking testing apparatus and methodology to test and demonstrate many existing and future advanced controls for wind generation (and other renewable generation technologies) on the multimegawatt scale and medium-voltage levels. This paper describes the capabilities and control features of NREL's 7-MVA power electronic grid simulator (also called a controllable grid interface, or CGI) that enables testing many active and reactive power control features of modern wind turbine generators -- including inertial response, primary and secondary frequency responses, and voltage regulation -- under a controlled, medium-voltage grid environment. In particular, this paper focuses on the specifics of testing the balanced and unbalanced fault ride-through characteristics of wind turbine generators under simulated strong and weak medium-voltage grid conditions. In addition, this paper provides insights on the power hardware-in-the-loop feature implemented in the CGI to emulate (in real time) the conditions that might exist in various types of electric power systems under normal operations and/or contingency scenarios. Using actual test examples and simulation results, this paper describes the value of CGI as an ultimate modeling validation tool for all types of 'grid-friendly' controls by wind generation.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2019

Inverter communications using output signal

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2018

Sequence Hopping Algorithm For Securing Goose Messages

Embodiments of the present invention include methods and apparatuses for securing data transfer in power-system automation and smart grids. Embodiments of the present invention can be particularly helpful in securing GOOSE messages. A method of securing data transfer according to an embodiment of the present invention can include a message sequence synchronization and monitoring server (MSSMS) providing random seeds to a publisher intelligent electronic device (IED) and a subscriber IED, both having a pseudo random number generators (PRNGs), inputting the random seeds into the PRNG of the publisher IED and generating a publisher sequence hopping number, sending a message to the subscriber IED with the publisher sequence hopping number attached, and determining if the message is valid by comparing the message attached publisher sequence hopping number to a subscriber sequence hopping number generated by the subscriber PRNG.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2016

High order magnetic optics for high dynamic range proton radiography at a kinetic energy of 800 MeV

Flash radiography with 800 MeV kinetic energy protons at Los Alamos National Laboratory is an important experimental tool for investigations of dynamic material behavior driven by high explosives or pulsed power. The extraction of quantitative information about density fields in a dynamic experiment from proton generated images requires a high fidelity model of the proton imaging process. It is shown that accurate calculations of the transmission through the magnetic lens system require terms beyond second order for protons far from the tune energy. The approach used integrates the correlated multiple Coulomb scattering distribution simultaneously over the collimator and the image plane. Comparison with a series of static calibration images demonstrates the model’s accurate reproduction of both the transmission and blur over a wide range of tune energies in an inverse identity lens that consists of four quadrupole electromagnets.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2018

Inversion Reduction Method for Real and Complex Distribution Feeder Models

We report the proliferation of distributed generation on distribution feeders triggers a large number of integration and planning studies. Further, the complexity of distribution feeder models, short simulation time steps, and long simulation horizons rapidly render studies computational burdensome. To mend this issue, we propose a methodology for reducing the number of nodes, loads, generators, line, and transformers of p-phase distribution feeders with unbalanced loads and generation, non-symmetric wire impedance, mutual coupling, shunt capacitance, and changes in voltage and phase. The methodology is derived on a constant power load assumption and employs a Gaussian elimination inversion technique to design the reduced feeder. Compared to previous work by the authors, the inversion reduction takes half the time and voltage errors after reduction are reduced by an order of magnitude. Using a snapshot simulation the reduction is tested on six additional publicly available feeders with a maximum voltage error 0.0075 p.u. regardless of feeder size or complexity, and typical errors on the order of 1 × 10 -4 p.u. Lastly, for a day long quasi-static time series simulation on the UCSD A feeder, errors are shown to increase with changes in loading when a large number of buses removed, but shows less variation for less than 85% of buses removed.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗