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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 163 records · Page 9

Optimized scalable stack of fluorescent solar concentrator systems with bifacial silicon solar cells

In this paper, we present a concentrator system based on a stack of fluorescent concentrators (FCs) and a bifacial solar cell. Coupling bifacial solar cells to a stack of FCs increases the performance of the system and preserves its efficiency when scaled. We used an approach to optimize a fluorescent solar concentrator system design based on a stack of multiple fluorescent concentrators (FC). Seven individual fluorescent collectors (20 mm×20 mm×2 mm) were realized by in-situ polymerization and optically characterized in regard to their ability to guide light to the edges. Then, an optimization procedure based on the experimental data of the individual FCs was carried out to determine the stack configuration that maximizes the total number of photons leaving edges. Finally, two fluorescent concentrator systems were realized by attaching bifacial silicon solar cells to the optimized FC stacks: a conventional system, where FC were attached to one side of the solar cell as a reference, and the proposed bifacial configuration. It was found that for the same overall FC area, the bifacial configuration increases the short-circuit current by a factor of 2.2, which is also in agreement with theoretical considerations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

A dilute Cu(Ni) alloy for synthesis of large-area Bernal stacked bilayer graphene using atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition

A bilayer graphene film obtained on copper (Cu) foil is known to have a significant fraction of non-Bernal (AB) stacking and on copper/nickel (Cu/Ni) thin films is known to grow over a large-area with AB stacking. In this study, annealed Cu foils for graphene growth were doped with small concentrations of Ni to obtain dilute Cu(Ni) alloys in which the hydrocarbon decomposition rate of Cu will be enhanced by Ni during synthesis of large-area AB-stacked bilayer graphene using atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition. The Ni doped concentration and the Ni homogeneous distribution in Cu foil were confirmed with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and proton-induced X-ray emission. An electron backscatter diffraction map showed that Cu foils have a single (001) surface orientation which leads to a uniform growth rate on Cu surface in early stages of graphene growth and also leads to a uniform Ni surface concentration distribution through segregation kinetics. The increase in Ni surface concentration in foils was investigated with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. The quality of graphene, the number of graphene layers, and the layers stacking order in synthesized bilayer graphene films were confirmed by Raman and electron diffraction measurements. A four point probe station was used to measure the sheet resistance of graphene films. As compared to Cu foil, the prepared dilute Cu(Ni) alloy demonstrated the good capability of growing large-area AB-stacked bilayer graphene film by increasing Ni content in Cu surface layer.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Degree of polarization and source counts of faint radio sources from Stacking Polarized intensity

We present stacking polarized intensity as a means to study the polarization of sources that are too faint to be detected individually in surveys of polarized radio sources. Stacking offers not only high sensitivity to the median signal of a class of radio sources, but also avoids a detection threshold in polarized intensity, and therefore an arbitrary exclusion of sources with a low percentage of polarization. Correction for polarization bias is done through a Monte Carlo analysis and tested on a simulated survey. We show that the nonlinear relation between the real polarized signal and the detected signal requires knowledge of the shape of the distribution of fractional polarization, which we constrain using the ratio of the upper quartile to the lower quartile of the distribution of stacked polarized intensities. Stacking polarized intensity for NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) sources down to the detection limit in Stokes I, we find a gradual increase in median fractional polarization that is consistent with a trend that was noticed before for bright NVSS sources, but is much more gradual than found by previous deep surveys of radio polarization. Consequently, the polarized radio source counts derived from our stacking experiment predict fewer polarized radio sources for future surveys with the Square Kilometre Array and its pathfinders.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Measurement of Transverse Resistance for Stacks of Non-insulated REBCO Tapes

Transverse resistance among adjacent conductors is a key parameter to calculate AC losses in superconducting cables with non-insulated conductors. The transverse pressure insert (TPI) previously developed and used at Fermilab was modified to measure transverse resistance of stacks made of non-insulated REBCO tapes as a function of transverse pressure at liquid nitrogen temperature. Pressure up to 322 MPa was applied with a hydraulic cylinder. A small current up to 10 A was flown in the stack sample through REBCO tape leads spliced above and below the stack. The latter had a bending radius larger than 6 mm to prevent the critical current degradation in REBCO leads. The voltage was measured just outside the compressed area. Stack samples included stacks of bare 4-mm wide REBCO tapes, as well as REBCO tapes alternated with 4-mm wide stainless-steel ribbons of 40 μm and 30 μm of thickness. We herein present the results of these transverse resistance measurements. Results show a stronger dependence on pressure for smaller pressure vs. larger ones. Also, of the two components of contact resistance, i.e. contact and bulk, the latter was negligible.

Tamagnini, E. [Turin Polytechnic]↗

Stacked CMB lensing and ISW signals around superstructures in the DESI Legacy Survey

The imprints of large-scale structures on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) can be studied via the CMB lensing and Integrated Sachs–Wolfe (ISW) signals. In particular, the stacked ISW signal around supervoids has been claimed in several works to be anomalously high. In this study, we find cluster and void superstructures using four tomographic redshift bins with 0 < z < 0.8 from the DESI Legacy Survey and measure the stacked CMB lensing and ISW signals around them. To compare our measurements with ΛCDM model predictions, we construct a mock catalogue with matched galaxy number density and bias and apply the same photo-z uncertainty as the data. The consistency between the mock and the data is verified via the stacked galaxy density profiles around the superstructures and their quantity. The corresponding lensing convergence and ISW maps are then constructed and compared. The stacked lensing signal agrees with data well except at the highest redshift bin in density peaks, where the mock prediction is significantly higher, by approximately a factor of 1.3. The stacked ISW signal is generally consistent with the mock prediction. We do not obtain a significant signal from voids, A ISW = -0.10 ± 0.69, and the signal from clusters, A ISW = 1.52 ± 0.72, is at best weakly detected. However, these results are strongly inconsistent with previous claims of ISW signals at many times the level of the ΛCDM prediction. We discuss the comparison of our results with past work in this area and investigate possible explanations for this discrepancy.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Role of stacking defects on the magnetic behavior of CrCl 3

Here, in the study of van der Waals–layered magnetic materials, the properties of CrCl 3 continue to attract attention. This compound is reported to undergo antiferromagnetic ordering below ~14 K, with a ferromagneticlike region proposed to exist between 14 and 17 K. Ideally, the crystal structure is rhombohedral (R) below ~235 K, separated from a higher-temperature monoclinic (M) phase by a layer-sliding structural phase transition. However, the structural transition is often inhibited even in bulk single crystals, allowing M-type layer stacking, reported to have a 10-fold greater interlayer magnetic coupling than R-type stacking, to be present at low temperature. To clarify the effect of stacking defects on CrCl 3 , we report magnetization measurements on samples of varying crystalline quality. At low applied magnetic field, some crystals predominantly show the T N = 14 K peak, but other crystals show hysteretic behavior and a magnetization enhancement at a slightly higher temperature (14 < T ≲ 17 K.) Samples with anomalous behavior exhibit a transition around ~2 T in isothermal magnetization-field data, evidence that M-type stacking defects are the source of these anomalies. Ground powder samples are especially likely to show strongly anomalous behavior. We suggest that the anomalous behavior arises from few-layer magnetic domains that form just above T N in an environment of mixed interlayer magnetic coupling strength. We argue that the influence of M-type stacking boundaries on sublattice magnetization is already observable in reported neutron scattering data, and may be responsible for an enhancement near 17 K in reported specific heat data.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Tunable and laser-reconfigurable 2D heterocrystals obtained by epitaxial stacking of crystallographically incommensurate Bi 2 Se 3 and MoS 2 atomic layers

Vertical stacking is widely viewed as a promising approach for designing advanced functionalities using two-dimensional (2D) materials. Combining crystallographically commensurate materials in these 2D stacks has been shown to result in rich new electronic structure, magnetotransport, and optical properties. In this context, vertical stacks of crystallographically incommensurate 2D materials with well-defined crystallographic order are a counterintuitive concept and, hence, fundamentally intriguing. We show that crystallographically dissimilar and incommensurate atomically thin MoS 2 and Bi 2 Se 3 layers can form rotationally aligned stacks with long-range crystallographic order. Our first-principles theoretical modeling predicts heterocrystal electronic band structures, which are quite distinct from those of the parent crystals, characterized with an indirect bandgap. Experiments reveal striking optical changes when Bi 2 Se 3 is stacked layer by layer on monolayer MoS 2 , including 100% photoluminescence (PL) suppression, tunable transmittance edge (1.1→0.75 eV), suppressed Raman, and wide-band evolution of spectral transmittance. Disrupting the interface using a focused laser results in a marked the reversal of PL, Raman, and transmittance, demonstrating for the first time that in situ manipulation of interfaces can enable “reconfigurable” 2D materials. We demonstrate submicrometer resolution, “laser-drawing” and “bit-writing,” and novel laser-induced broadband light emission in these heterocrystal sheets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Physical Sciences Laboratory 1 Rooftop Stack Mixing Study

To address concerns about worker exposures on the Physical Science Laboratory (PSL) rooftop, a tracer study was conducted to measure gaseous tracer concentrations downwind of six stacks on the southern half of the PSL building (PSL-1). These concerns were raised, in part, due to the non-standard configuration of the stacks on this building. Five of the six stacks were only about 8 feet tall, with one shorter stack that was essentially level with the roof deck. These stacks were reconfigured in August 2016, and these exhaust points on PSL-1 are now 18 feet tall. This report describes the objectives of the tracer tests performed on PSL-1, provides an overview of how the tests were executed, and presents results of the tests. The tests on the PSL rooftop were a follow-on project from a similar study performed on the LSL-II ventilation exhaust (Flaherty and Antonio, 2016).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Qualification of Mixing Criteria by Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for the 325 Building Stack Revision

Additional ventilation capacity has been designed for the 325 Building filtered exhaust stack system. The four (4) existing main facility exhaust fans are past the end of their useful life. The fans are being replaced to provide additional exhaust capacity for future growth and to provide a more robust system. Stack operations will involve running various fan combinations at any given time. The air monitoring system of the existing stack previously was found to comply with the American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society (ANSI/HPS) N13.1-1999 standard. Full-scale, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling was used to evaluate the modified four-fan system for compliance with the ANSI/HPS N13.1-2021 standard, which essentially is equivalent in mixing requirements to the ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 standard (and ANSI/HPS N13.1-2011). The four mixing criteria evaluated are 1) flow angle, 2) velocity, 3) gas tracer, and 4) particle tracer. In addition to the evaluating the modified four-fan system a temporary single fan stack configuration was also evaluated with CFD modeling. The temporary stack is planned to be used while the four-fan system is being modified. Modeling of the modified four-fan design and temporary ductwork showed that flow angles, velocity uniformity, gas tracer, and particle tracer were acceptable.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A One-Dimensional Stack Model for Redox Flow Battery Analysis and Operation

Current redox flow battery (RFB) stack models are not particularly conducive to accurate yet high-throughput studies of stack operation and design. To facilitate system-level analysis, we have developed a one-dimensional RFB stack model through the combination of a one-dimensional Newman-type cell model and a resistor-network to evaluate contributions from shunt currents within the stack. Inclusion of hydraulic losses and membrane crossover enables constrained optimization of system performance and allows users to make recommendations for operating flow rate, current densities, and cell design given a subset of electrolyte and electrode properties. Over the range of experimental conditions explored, shunt current losses remain small, but mass-transfer losses quickly become prohibitive at high current densities. Attempting to offset mass-transfer losses with high flow rates reduces system efficiency due to the increase in pressure drop through the porous electrode. The development of this stack model application, along with the availability of the source MATLAB code, allows for facile approximation of the upper limits of performance with limited empiricism. This work primarily presents a readily adaptable tool to enable researchers to perform either front-end performance estimates based on fundamental material properties or to benchmark their experimental results.

Barton, John L. (ORCID:0000000225729127)↗

Performance of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Water Electrolysis Systems: Configuration, Stack Materials, Turndown and Efficiency

A cell model is developed and validated to analyze the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) stacks and systems. It is used to characterize the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity on a TiO2-supported IrO2 catalyst and an unsupported IrO2 powder catalyst. Electrochemical, stack, and system thermoneutral potentials are defined and determined for isothermal and non-isothermal stack operation. Conditions are determined under which the system thermoneutral potential or flammability of H2 in the O2 anode stream limits the stack turndown and operating temperature. Performance is analyzed of a complete PEMWE system with an electrolyzer stack containing an IrO2/TiO2 anode catalyst (2 mg/cm2 Ir loading) and N117-like membrane mitigated for H2 crossover, anode balance-of-plant (BOP) components, cathode BOP system with temperature swing adsorption for H2 purification, and electrical BOP system with transformer and rectifier. At the rated power condition, defined as 2 A/cm2 at 1.9 V, 80 °C, and 30 bar H2 pressure, the stack/system efficiency is 65.3%/60.3% at beginning of life (BOL), decreasing to 59.3%/53.9% at end of life (EOL). The peak stack/system efficiency is 76.3%/70.2% at BOL, decreasing to 71.2%/65.6% at EOL. Improvements in catalyst activity and membrane are identified for a 50% increase in current to 3 A/cm2 at 1.8 V.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Confirming the existence of a quiescent galaxy population out to z = 3: A stacking analysis of mid-, far-infrared, and radio data

We performed a comprehensive stacking analysis on ∼14,200 quiescent galaxy (QG) candidates at z = 0–3 across mid-, far-infrared (MIR and FIR), and radio wavelengths. Identified via their rest-frame NUV − r and r − J colors, the QG candidates (M{sub ⋆}=10{sup 9.8--12.2} M{sub ⊙}) have drastically different IR and radio properties depending on their 24 μm emission strength. The fraction of QG candidates with strong 24 μm emission (equivalent to inferred star formation rates SFR{sub 24}⩾100 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}, hereafter “IR-bright”) increases with redshift and peaks at 15%, and their stacked MIPS 24 μm, Herschel (PACS and SPIRE) and VLA emissions are consistent with being star-forming galaxies (SFGs). In contrast, the majority of QG candidates are faint or undetected at 24 μm individually (i.e., SFR{sub 24} < 100 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1}, hereafter “IR-faint”). Their low dust-obscured SFRs derived from Herschel stacking (SFR{sub H} ≲ 3, 15, 50 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1} out to z ∼ 1, 2, 3) are >2.5–12.5× lower than compared to SFGs. This is consistent with the quiescence, as expected from their low unobscured SFRs, as inferred from modeling their ultraviolet-to-NIR photometry. The discrepancy between the L{sub IR} derived from stacking Herschel and 24 μm indicates that IR-faint QGs have dust SEDs that are different from those of SFGs. For the most massive (M{sub ⋆}⩾10{sup 11} M{sub ⊙}) IR-faint QGs at z < 1.5, the stacked 1.4 GHz emission is in excess of that expected from other SFR indicators, suggesting a widespread presence of low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. Our results reaffirm the existence of a significant population of QGs out to z = 3, thus corroborating the need to quench star formation in galaxies at early epochs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Stacked Star Formation Rate Profiles of Bursty Galaxies Exhibit “Coherent” Star Formation

In a recent work based on 3200 stacked Hα maps of galaxies at z∼1, Nelson et al. find evidence for “coherent star formation”: the stacked star formation rate (SFR) profiles of galaxies above (below) the “star formation main sequence” (MS) are above (below) that of galaxies on the MS at all radii. One might interpret this result as inconsistent with highly bursty star formation and evidence that galaxies evolve smoothly along the MS rather than crossing it many times. We analyze six simulated galaxies at z∼1 from the Feedback in Realistic Environments (FIRE) project in a manner analogous to the observations to test whether the above interpretations are correct. The trends in stacked SFR profiles are qualitatively consistent with those observed. However, SFR profiles of individual galaxies are much more complex than the stacked profiles: the former can be flat or even peak at large radii because of the highly clustered nature of star formation in the simulations. Moreover, the SFR profiles of individual galaxies above (below) the MS are not systematically above (below) those of MS galaxies at all radii. We conclude that the time-averaged coherent star formation evident stacks of observed galaxies is consistent with highly bursty, clumpy star formation of individual galaxies and is not evidence that galaxies evolve smoothly along the MS.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The measurement of the stacking fault energy in copper, nickel and copper-nickel alloys

The relationship of hydrogen solubility and the hydrogen embrittlement of high strength, high performance face centered cubic alloys to the stacking fault energy of the alloys was investigated. The stacking fault energy is inversely related to the distance between the two partial dislocations which are formed by the dissociation of a perfect dislocation. The two partial dislocations define a stacking fault in the crystal which offers a region for hydrogen segregation. The distance between the partial dislocations is measured by weak beam, dark field transmission electron microscopy. The stacking fault energy is calculated. Pure copper, pure nickel and copper-nickel single crystals are used to determine the stacking fault energy.

Leighly, H. P., Jr.↗

Investigations of bonded and curved microchannel plate stacks

The technique of fusing, or bonding, individual microchannel plate (MCP) stacks together offers the possibility of improving the uniformity of MCP stack operating characteristics and provides a convenient monolithic format. Here, the effectiveness of bonded MCP stacks and stacks of MCPs with curved surfaces is investigated to determine if MCP requirements for future astrophysical detectors can be achieved. The results show that both configurations give superior MCP performance characteristics. However, some problems remain with regard to the fabrication of bonded MCP stacks resulting in poor flat field characteristics and increased background.

Siegmund, O. H. W.↗

Effects of stacking sequence on impact damage resistance and residual strength for quasi-isotropic laminates

Residual strength of an impacted composite laminate is dependent on details of the damage state. Stacking sequence was varied to judge its effect on damage caused by low-velocity impact. This was done for quasi-isotropic layups of a toughened composite material. Experimental observations on changes in the impact damage state and postimpact compressive performance were presented for seven different laminate stacking sequences. The applicability and limitations of analysis compared to experimental results were also discussed. Postimpact compressive behavior was found to be a strong function of the laminate stacking sequence. This relationship was found to depend on thickness, stacking sequence, size, and location of sublaminates that comprise the impact damage state. The postimpact strength for specimens with a relatively symmetric distribution of damage through the laminate thickness was accurately predicted by models that accounted for sublaminate stability and in-plane stress redistribution. An asymmetric distribution of damage in some laminate stacking sequences tended to alter specimen stability. Geometrically nonlinear finite element analysis was used to predict this behavior.

Dost, Ernest F.↗

Measurement of heat conduction through stacked screens

This paper describes the experimental apparatus for the measurement of heat conduction through stacked screens as well as some experimental results taken with the apparatus. Screens are stacked in a fiberglass-epoxy cylinder, which is 24.4 mm in diameter and 55 mm in length. The cold end of the stacked screens is cooled by a Gifford-McMahon (GM) cryocooler at cryogenic temperature, and the hot end is maintained at room temperature. Heat conduction through the screens is determined from the temperature gradient in a calibrated heat flow sensor mounted between the cold end of the stacked screens and the GM cryocooler. The samples used for these experiments consisted of 400-mesh stainless steel screens, 400-mesh phosphor bronze screens, and two different porosities of 325-mesh stainless steel screens. The wire diameter of the 400-mesh stainless steel and phosphor bronze screens was 25.4 micrometers and the 325-mesh stainless steel screen wire diameters were 22.9 micrometers and 27.9 micrometers. Standard porosity values were used for the experimental data with additional porosity values used on selected experiments. The experimental results showed that the helium gas between each screen enhanced the heat conduction through the stacked screens by several orders of magnitude compared to that in vacuum. The conduction degradation factor is the ratio of actual heat conduction to the heat conduction where the regenerator material is assumed to be a solid rod of the same cross sectional area as the metal fraction of the screen. This factor was about 0.1 for the stainless steel and 0.022 for the phosphor bronze, and almost constant for the temperature range of 40 to 80 K at the cold end.

NASA Discipline Environmental Health↗

Development and Applications of a Stage Stacking Procedure

The preliminary design of multistage axial compressors in gas turbine engines is typically accomplished with mean-line methods. These methods, which rely on empirical correlations, estimate compressor performance well near the design point, but may become less reliable off-design. For land-based applications of gas turbine engines, off-design performance estimates are becoming increasingly important, as turbine plant operators desire peaking or load-following capabilities and hot-day operability. The current work develops a one-dimensional stage stacking procedure, including a newly defined blockage term, which is used to estimate the off-design performance and operability range of a 13-stage axial compressor used in a power generating gas turbine engine. The new blockage term is defined to give mathematical closure on static pressure, and values of blockage are shown to collapse to curves as a function of stage inlet flow coefficient and corrected shaft speed. In addition to these blockage curves, the stage stacking procedure utilizes stage characteristics of ideal work coefficient and adiabatic efficiency. These curves are constructed using flow information extracted from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of groups of stages within the compressor. Performance estimates resulting from the stage stacking procedure are shown to match the results of CFD simulations of the entire compressor to within 1.6% in overall total pressure ratio and within 0.3 points in overall adiabatic efficiency. Utility of the stage stacking procedure is demonstrated by estimation of the minimum corrected speed which allows stable operation of the compressor. Further utility of the stage stacking procedure is demonstrated with a bleed sensitivity study, which estimates a bleed schedule to expand the compressors operating range.

Kulkarni, Sameer↗