Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “core processes”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,603 records · Page 89

Design, Formalization, and Verification of Decision Making for Intelligent Systems

The development of autonomous systems requires a rigorous process that can guarantee a system’s reliability in critical applications. At its core, an autonomous system bases its behavior on a well-defined decision making system. In this paper, we present a methodological basis for the design, formalization and formal verification of Decision Making systems for autonomous agents. The approach is generally applicable to operational objectives that can be functionally decomposed and subsequently represented as Hierarchical Finite State Machines. As a case study, we present the application of this method to implement a Decision Making model in Simulink. Furthermore, we present how we use NASA’s FRET tool to write requirements in structured natural language and generate formal specifications that can be automatically digested by NASA’s CoCoSim tool. Finally, we present how, by leveraging CoCoSim, we perform formal verification against the Simulink model and present analysis results.

Model-based development↗

In-situ composite formation of damage tolerant coatings utilizing laser

A coating steel component with a pattern of an iron based matrix with crystalline particles metallurgically bound to the surface of a steel substrate for use as disc cutters or other components with one or more abrading surfaces that can experience significant abrasive wear, high point loads, and large shear stresses during use. The coated component contains a pattern of features in the shape of freckles or stripes that are laser formed and fused to the steel substrate. The features can display an inner core that is harder than the steel substrate but generally softer than the matrix surrounding the core, providing toughness and wear resistance to the features. The features result from processing an amorphous alloy where the resulting matrix can be amorphous, partially devitrified or fully devitrified.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

End-System Aware Peak Link Utilization Transport for Big Data Transfer over Dedicated Connections

High-performance networks provisioning 10/40-Gbps dedicated channels have been rapidly developed andincreasingly deployed to support big data transfers on the order of terabytes or petabytes in large-scale network-intensiveapplications. However, end users have not seen corresponding increase in application throughput mainly because traditional end-to-end transport methods are not optimized for such connections. New congestion or flow control mechanisms are desirable to meet the challenges brought to transport protocol design by dedicated connections. The advent and proliferation of multi-core processors make it now possible to improve application throughput by providing multiple processing and network resources to a single data transfer. Based on the existing PLUT method, we proposed a new dynamic buffer management scheme and an automatic parallelism tuning mechanism to achieve the maximal bottleneck rate. The performance superiority of PLUT is justified by the experimental results collected over a local 10Gbps dedicated connection.

Rao, Nageswara↗

Transition of Site Programs and Implementation of Decommissioning Agent Oversight - 18653

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), acting as the Decommissioning Agent (DA), retained its NRC License and contracted a Decommissioning General Contractor (DGC) to manage plant programs and execute the Demolition and Dismantlement (D and D) of the site. To support this effort, over twenty-one programs transitioned to the DGC, including Occupational Health and Safety, Radiation Protection, Maintenance, and Engineering. In addition, SONGS effected a cultural shift from an operating station performing work to one of overseeing it. The framework and road map for this kind of D and D model is new to the industry. This presentation shares the SONGS' experience and lessons learned associated with this transition. SONGS and the DGC entered an Agreement that established the contractual requirements and responsibilities of the parties, the Scope of Work, and the mechanisms to ensure effective transition of DA programs. As a part of defining the Scope of Work, the contract established functional areas and divisions of responsibilities divided into the roles of Governance, Oversight, Support, and Performance (GOSP). SONGS, as the site licensee, retained the Oversight Role, with exception of those areas that, as the licensee, would be considered 'non-transferrable'. Examples of those programs were Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs and the Employee Concerns Program. While the Company retained responsibility for those programs the DGC developed their own 'parallel' programs that the Company provided Oversight for. In 2017, SONGS completed program transition within one-year following the notice-to-proceed. The overall strategy was driven by three high-level principles: - Allow the DGC the most unfettered execution of the Scope of Work with limited interference and maximum self-governance. With the overriding principle that transitioned programs have a direct link to a basis in regulation or law. - Identify safety and compliance risks, and then bridge the transition of programs from the SONGS to the DGC such that identified risks are minimized and/or mitigated. - Allow the SONGS organization to transition from a Performance role to a primarily Oversight role as the DA. Working collaboratively with the DGC, programs were strategically grouped and sequenced for turnover. Central to the success of transition was fostering a collaborative environment with the DGC, facilitating knowledge transfer, applying schedule rigor, and keeping the team horizontally and vertically aligned to management expectations. SONGS achieved this alignment by embedding the formal process with management expectations for review and acceptance of proposed programs. SONGS' transitioned core programs to a general contractor and transition from a 'perform' organization to an 'oversight' organization. Lessons learned from this experience may benefit other nuclear generating station owners currently evaluating options for site D and D. (author)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Overview of PGSFR Project

The long-term plan for advanced SFR development was authorized by Korean Atomic Energy Commission (KAEC) in 2008 and updated in 2011, which will be carried out toward the construction of a SFR prototype plant called PGSFR (Prototype Gen-IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor) by 2028. The primary purpose of PGSFR is to demonstrate the technology reducing radioactive waste of spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power plants (NPP) in Korea. There are 24 NPPs in operation nationwide covering 30% of domestic electricity demand. The spent nuclear fuel is currently stored in the on-site storage pool of NPPs. Then, it has become a critical issue to ensure technical options to handle spent nuclear fuel in the long term basis to secure the sustainable operation of NPPs. PGSFR is a pool type sodium-cooled fast reactor with the power of 150 MWe or 400 MWth. PGSFR uses metallic fuel to make use of inherent safety characteristics of metallic fuel. The spent nuclear fuel will be processed using pyro-process to produce U-TRU-Zr fuel for PGSFR. But the initial core shall be loaded by low enriched U-Zr fuels. PGSFR has two intermediate loops with two intermediate heat exchangers (IHX) for each loop to deliver the generated heat from the core to power conversion system. There a steam generators producing super-heated steam in each loop. There are four decay heat removal circuits; two passive and two active ones. The reactor building is built on a seismic isolation base mat which can significantly mitigate seismic vibration of major components in the reactor building. The reactor building has a containment structure to isolate the reactor building under specific accident conditions and also provide structural integrity at the time of aircraft impact accident. PGSFR project is the national development program of Korea to construct the first SFR in Korea by 2028. The primary goal of PGSFR is the demonstration of reduction of radioactive waste from spent nuclear fuel by incineration in PGSFR. SFRA will flexibly cope with the licensing environment to minimize the uncertainty in licensing and safety concerns. The successful construction of PGSFR will bring Korean nuclear industry a step closer to guarantee the sustainable operation of NPPs nationwide and finally most importantly will solve the spent nuclear fuel issue of Korea. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Sensor Qualification for the Development of Advanced Reactors

A temperature sensor qualification device is undergoing development and testing in order to qualify temperature sensors for advanced reactor metrology applications. This device will provide National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable performance testing of temperature sensors while under the high radiation environments experienced while in-core. This is completed by utilizing retractable sensors which transfer the measurements from ex-core to in-core sensors. A detailed discussion of the uncertainty propagation associated with this comparative process is provided. Experimental testing of the temperature distribution occurring in the device has begun and is reported on. It is pertinent to minimize this temperature distribution to prevent variation in sensor measurements. This variation will be indistinguishable from sensor drift for in-pile applications and would result in unnecessarily conservative uncertainty bounds.

46 - INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AN↗

A numerical simulation of a dry-out process for CO 2 sequestration in heterogeneous deep saline aquifers: Original Research Article: Dry-out problem: Multifactorial numerical simulation

Salt precipitation can be generated near the injection well when dry supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) is injected into deep saline aquifers. Traditional laboratory experiments and numerical simulations focus on the generation of salt precipitation and its impact on core permeability. Current laboratory experimental studies have shown that the heterogeneity of the core and water content on the surface of the particles plays an important role in the formation of salt precipitation. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of brine back-flow, heterogeneity, and low water content on salt precipitation. Numerical simulations were performed using core-scale and site-scale models. Simulation results showed the following: 1. Back-flow plays an important role in the salt accumulation near the well – an homogeneous laboratory experiment used with a small core may not provide a full picture of the back-flow phenomenon. 2. The continuous dry-out process reduces the water content near the injection well to zero. As a result, the full range of saturation flow equations should be used to simulate the dry-out process accurately. 3. The heterogeneity of the matrix not only affects the distribution of salt precipitation but also increases the amount of salt precipitation near the well. Homogeneous simulation underestimates the amount of salt precipitation. 4. The reduction in porosity due to salt precipitation could extend the dry-out process in the low permeability zone, further expanding the salt precipitation area.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Atomic origin of 3 d 9 4 f 1 configuration in La 3+ solids

We have studied the excited electronic structure of LaBr 3 (Ce) scintillator by soft x-ray spectroscopy such as x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES). The La 3d XAS and XES spectra of LaBr 3 (Ce) are compared with those of other La 3+ solids (LaF 3 , La 2 O 3 , and La metal). Furthermore, from this comparison, it turns out that the La 3d XAS and XES spectra from all the La 3+ solids considered here appear at almost the same energy, even though the corresponding binding energies of the 3d core holes determined by XPS (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) are very different. As a result, we argue that the atomic nature of the 3 d 9 4 f 1 configuration created by 3d 10 4f 0 → 3 d 9 4 f 1 x-ray absorption process in La 3+ solids is maintained via the localized 4 f 1 state, which screens the 3d core holes differently from one La 3+ solid to another.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

VERA 3.6 Release

CASL has developed a formalized process to release the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA) to non-CASL users through the Radiation Shielding Information Computational Center (RSICC). This milestone represents a major release of VERA with updates that significantly reduce computational resources required and introduce new capabilities related to fuel performance integration. This release will also be used by CASL Test Stands and training activities. VERA 3.6 represents an incremental release, with improvements to core component capabilities, significant performance improvements, and updated documentation. This release followed a significantly revised release process, with formal documentation, testing, readiness reviews, and release authorization. The major tasks that were completed as part of this milestone were: 1) Revision of the VERA RSICC Release Process and Procedures; 2) Identification of the VERA release components; 3) Creation of a Release Candidate; 4) Independent evaluation of the Release Candidate by the Advanced Modeling Applications (AMA) Focus Area; 5) A Release Candidate Readiness Review; 6) Development and execution of a System Test Plan; 7) Updates of manuals and other required documentation; 8) Export Control reviews; 9) A Release Readiness Review; and 10) Delivery of the release package to RSICC. Synopses of the work done to complete each of these major tasks are summarized in Section 2 below. Supporting details are provided in the PHI Kanban ticket #4424 Support VERA 3.6 Release Activities and its child tickets.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Core-shell structure of porous silicon with nitrogen-doped carbon layer for lithium-ion batteries

Highlights: • The porous silicon is evenly coated with a nitrogen-doped carbon layer. • The introduction of nitrogen increases the conductivity of electrode. • The preparation process is economical and feasible to large-scale production. - Abstract: In this work, we develop a one-step carbonization method for constructing a core-shell structure of porous silicon with nitrogen-doped carbon layer for lithium-ion batteries. As a result, the porous silicon is evenly coated with a layer of nitrogen-doped carbon. Benefit from the internally stable structure of porous silicon and the support of external carbon layer, the whole electrode shows excellent structural stability. Excitingly, nitrogen-doped carbon layer is successfully obtained, and three different carbon-nitrogen species are identified, which significantly increases the electronic conductivity of composite electrode. Most importantly, the as prepared core-shell structure p-Si/NC composites deliver a stable cycling performance with 720 mA h g{sup −1} after 200 cycles at the current density of 200 mA g{sup −1} and a favorable rate capacity of 550 mA h g{sup −1} at the current density of 2 A g{sup −1}. Additionally, the preparation process in this paper is more economical and feasible to achieve large-scale production.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Resonant two-photon photoelectron imaging and adiabatic detachment processes from bound vibrational levels of dipole-bound states

Anions cannot have Rydberg states, but anions with polar neutral cores can support highly diffuse dipole-bound states (DBSs) as a class of interesting electronically excited states below the electron detachment threshold. The binding energies of DBSs are extremely small, ranging from a few to few hundred wavenumbers and generally cannot support bound vibrational levels below the detachment threshold. Thus, vibrational excitations in the DBS are usually above the electron detachment threshold and they have been used to conduct resonant photoelectron spectroscopy, which is dominated by state-specific autodetachment. Here we report an investigation of a cryogenically-cooled complex anion, the enantiopure (R)-(–)-1-(9-anthryl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanolate (R-TFAE–). The neutral R-TFAE radical is relatively complex and highly polar with a non-planar structure (C 1 symmetry). Photodetachment spectroscopy reveals a DBS 209 cm–1 below the detachment threshold of R-TFAE– and seven bound and eight above-threshold vibrational levels of the DBS. Resonant two-photon detachment (R2PD) via the bound vibrational levels of the DBS exhibits strictly adiabatic photodetachment behaviors by the second photon, in which the vibrational energies in the DBS are carried to the neutral final states, because of the parallel potential energy surfaces of the DBS and the corresponding neutral ground electronic state. Relaxation processes from the bound DBS levels to the ground and low-lying electronically excited states of R-TFAE– are also observed in the R2PD photoelectron spectra. Finally, the combination of photodetachment and resonant photoelectron spectroscopy yields frequencies for eight vibrational modes of the R-TFAE radical.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Auger electron angular distributions following excitation or ionization of the I 3d level in methyl iodide

Auger electron spectra following excitation or ionization of the I 3d level in CH 3 I have been recorded with horizontally or vertically plane polarized synchrotron radiation. These spectra have enabled the Auger electron angular distributions, as characterized by the β parameter, to be determined. The I 3d photoionization partial cross section of CH 3 I has been calculated with the continuum multiple scattering approach, and the results show that in the photon energy range over which Auger spectra were measured, the I 3d cross section exhibits an atomic-like behavior and is dominated by transitions into the εf continuum channel. In this limit, the theoretical value of the alignment parameter (A 20 ) characterizing the core ionized state in an atom becomes constant, independent of photon energy. This theoretical value has been used to obtain the Auger electron intrinsic anisotropy parameters (α 2 ) from the β parameters extracted from our normal (non-resonant) molecular Auger spectra. The resulting anisotropy parameters for the M 45 N 45 N 45 transitions in CH 3 I have been compared to those calculated for the corresponding transitions in xenon, and the experimental and theoretical results are in good agreement. Anisotropy parameters have also been measured for the M 45 N 1 N 45 , M 45 N 23 N 45 , and M 45 N 45 O 23 transitions. For the M 45 N 1 N 45 and M 45 N 23 N 45 Auger decays in CH 3 I, the experimentally derived angular distributions do not exhibit the strong dependence on the final ionic state that is predicted for these transitions in xenon. Resonantly excited Auger spectra have been recorded at 620.4 and 632.0 eV, coinciding with the I 3d 5/2 → σ* and 3d 3/2 → σ* transitions, respectively. The resulting Auger electron angular distributions for the M 4 N 45 N 45 and M 5 N 45 N 45 decays were found to exhibit a higher anisotropy than those for the normal process. This is due to the larger photo-induced alignment in the neutral core excited state. For a particular Auger transition, the Auger electron kinetic energy measured in the resonantly excited spectrum is higher than that in the normal spectrum. This shift, due to the screening provided by the electron excited into the σ* orbital, has been rationalized by calculating orbital ionization energies of I 3d excited and I 3d ionized states in CH 3 I.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Implementing Concurrent Non-Event Transitionsin CMS

Available on CMS information serverCMS CR -2018/277The Compact Muon Solenoid ExperimentMailing address: CMS CERN, CH-1211 GENEVA 23, SwitzerlandConference Report15 October 2018 (v2, 21 November 2018)Implementing Concurrent Non-Event Transitionsin CMSChristopher Jones for the CMS CollaborationAbstractSince the beginning of the LHC Run 2 in 2016 the CMS data processing framework, CMSSW, hasbeen running with multiple threads during production of data and simulation via the use of IntelsThread Building Blocks (TBB) library. The TBB library utilizes tasks as concurrent units of work.CMS used these tasks to allow both concurrent processing of events as well as concurrent running ofmodules processing the same event. This design has served CMS well and has allowed jobs to utilizeless memory per core as well as reduce the number of jobs that must be tracked by CMSs worflowmanagement system. As CMS has begun to utilize greater number of threads in a job, the effect ofserialization points in the framework has decreased jobs CPU efficiency. One major serialization pointoccurs when the framework processes a non-Event transition. These transitions occur when a new Runor LuminosityBlock is to be processed. In this talk we will discuss how the different transitions definethe processing model for CMSSW and how we were able to successfully allow concurrent process-ing of those transitions using TBB via task queues. We will also show CPU efficiency comparisonsbetween the same work being done with and without the additional concurrency.

Jones, Christopher↗

Experimental Investigation of Gas Flow and Hydrate Formation Within the Hydrate Stability Zone

Here, we form methane hydrate by injecting methane gas into a brine-saturated, coarse-grained sample under hydrate-stable thermodynamic conditions. Hydrate forms to a saturation of 11%, which is much lower than that predicted assuming three-phase (gas-hydrate-brine) thermodynamic equilibrium (67%). During hydrate formation, there are temporary flow blockages. We interpret that a hydrate skin forms a physical barrier at the gas-brine interface. The skin fails periodically when the pressure differential exceeds the skin strength. Once the skin is present, further hydrate formation is limited by the rate that methane can diffuse through the solid skin. This process produces distinct thermodynamic states on either side of the skin that allows gas to flow through the sample. This study illuminates how gas can be transported through the hydrate stability zone and thus provides a mechanism for the formation of concentrated hydrate deposits in sand reservoirs. It also illustrates that models that assume local equilibrium at the core-scale and larger may not capture the fundamental behaviors of these gas flow and hydrate formation processes.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Software Development to Assist in the Processing and Analysis of Data Obtained Using Fiber Bragg Grating Interrogation Systems

A fiber Bragg grating is a portion of a core of a fiber optic strand that has been treated to affect the way light travels through the strand. Light within a certain narrow range of wavelengths will be reflected along the fiber by the grating, while light outside that range will pass through the grating mostly undisturbed. Since the range of wavelengths that can penetrate the grating depends on the grating itself as well as temperature and mechanical strain, fiber Bragg gratings can be used as temperature and strain sensors. This capability, along with the light-weight nature of the fiber optic strands in which the gratings reside, make fiber optic sensors an ideal candidate for flight testing and monitoring in which temperature and wing strain are factors. The purpose of this project is to research the availability of software capable of processing massive amounts of data in both real-time and post-flight settings, and to produce software segments that can be integrated to assist in the task as well.

Hicks, Rebecca↗

Cryo-EM Visualization of Intermolecular π-Electron Interactions within π-Conjugated Peptidic Supramolecular Polymers

The self-assembly of “π-peptides” – molecules with π-electron cores substituted with two or more oligopeptide chains – brings organic electronic function into biologically relevant nanomaterials. π-Peptides assemble into fibrillar nanomaterials as driven by enthalpic peptide-based hydrogen bonding networks and pi-core-based quadrupolar interactions. A large body of spectroscopic, morphological and computational studies informs on the nature of the self-assembly process and the resulting nanostructures, but detailed structural information has remained elusive. Here, inspired by the recent use of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to provide high-resolution structures for synthetic peptide nanomaterials, we present here the use of cryo-EM to offer ca. 3 Å resolution of π-peptide nanomaterial assemblies, visualizing for the first time the nature of the intermolecular π-core electronic interactions responsible for energy transport through these supramolecular materials.

Group theory↗

NASA's EOSDIS, Trust and Certification

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been in operation since August 1994, managing most of NASA's Earth science data from satellites, airborne sensors, filed campaigns and other activities. Having been designated by the Federal Government as a project responsible for production, archiving and distribution of these data through its Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs), the Earth Science Data and Information System Project (ESDIS) is responsible for EOSDIS, and is legally bound by the Office of Management and Budgets circular A-130, the Federal Records Act. It must follow the regulations of the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) and National Archive and Records Administration (NARA). It must also follow the NASA Procedural Requirement 7120.5 (NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management). All these ensure that the data centers managed by ESDIS are trustworthy from the point of view of efficient and effective operations as well as preservation of valuable data from NASA's missions. Additional factors contributing to this trust are an extensive set of internal and external reviews throughout the history of EOSDIS starting in the early 1990s. Many of these reviews have involved external groups of scientific and technological experts. Also, independent annual surveys of user satisfaction that measure and publish the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), where EOSDIS has scored consistently high marks since 2004, provide an additional measure of trustworthiness. In addition, through an effort initiated in 2012 at the request of NASA HQ, the ESDIS Project and 10 of 12 DAACs have been certified by the International Council for Science (ICSU) World Data System (WDS) and are members of the ICSUWDS. This presentation addresses questions such as pros and cons of the certification process, key outcomes and next steps regarding certification. Recently, the ICSUWDS and Data Seal of Approval (DSA) organizations merged their Core Trustworthy Data Repositories Requirements and require that members be recertified every three years. Given the rigor with which NASA manages the ESDIS Project and the DAACs, the recertification through WDSDSA, while involving some additional work, is a relatively simple process.

Certification↗

Development of TDLAS for Water Vapor Concentration Measurement during VHTR Steam Ingress

Very-high-temperature reactors (VHTR) utilize a graphite-moderated, helium-cooled design that provides higher efficiencies and a low-carbon source of process heat (>700 deg. C) for many industrial applications. Safety concerns have led to extensive accident condition investigations. Steam generator heat-exchanger tube rupture accidents (SGTR) can lead to increased reactor core steam density, which causes neutron slowing-down and chemical corrosion of the graphite fuel elements and structural columns. It is important to be able to computationally model the propagation of steam throughout the lower plenum and nuclear reactor core, but experimental data is needed to validate such models. The primary objective of this project is to instrument a scaled down experiment of a VHTR designed by Ohio State University (OSU), with tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) diagnostics to measure steam concentration changes and map how water vapor propagates through the test facility's lower plenum and core. The basic principle of absorption spectroscopy is based on a molecular species ability to absorb photons of specific energies. A collimated laser beam of known energy is passed through a test section containing a sample gas. When a transition of the absorbing gas species resonates with the laser frequency, a certain amount of energy will be absorbed based on the rovibrational characteristics of the molecule. The intensity of the transmitted laser light can be measured by a detector after exiting the test section. The Beer-Lambert Law of absorbance is used to recover this information relating beam attenuation to the system dimensions, gas composition, pressure, and temperature. The line-strength is a function of temperature alone and relates the fraction of molecules in a given rovibrational state through the partition function. The partition function describes the statistical properties of a system in thermodynamic equilibrium where the states obey a Boltzmann distribution. Thus, the number density of molecules in a particular state can be determined from the total internal partition function at a particular temperature. The lineshape function of a given absorption transition is derived from the physical interaction between the absorbing species and is dependent on temperature and pressure. Random thermal motion of absorbing molecules result in broadening of the linewidth, called Doppler broadening, which follows a Gaussian distribution. Molecular collisions result in broadening and shifting of the linewidth, called pressure broadening, which follows a Lorentzian distribution. The overall lineshape results in a Voigt profile, which is a convolution of the Gaussian and Lorentzian distributions. The Voigt profile does not have a simple analytical form and is most often calculated numerically or approximated by complex functions. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗