Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “wall modeling”

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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Machine Learning-Driven Optimization of Building Enclosures for Moisture Durability and Thermal Performance

The design of moisture-durable building enclosures with low embodied carbon often involves an iterative process of selecting the materials for the specific exposure conditions to meet the performance requirements. While hygrothermal simulations are commonly used to evaluate moisture durability, they often require advanced expertise for proper implementation. Machine learning (ML) provides a promising alternative by streamlining the design process and minimizing the reliance on complex simulations. This study presents a machine learning-based approach for predicting moisture durability in residential wall assemblies. The ML model was trained to estimate the mold index and maximum moisture content of various layers under typical exposure conditions. The model achieved a high predictive accuracy, with a coefficient of determination (R²) exceeding 0.90 when compared to traditional hygrothermal simulations on materials that were not part of training the ML model. Building on these results, the ML model was developed into a practical tool for optimizing wall assembly designs. This tool allows users to automatically optimize material selections based on energy, moisture, and carbon performance criteria. By incorporating multi-objective optimization, the tool identifies configurations that minimize embodied carbon while maintaining moisture safety and code-compliant thermal performance. Additionally, it provides insights into how material choices influence assembly durability, energy efficiency, and carbon reduction. The tool will be implemented in the Building Science Advisor (BSA) to enhance its performance and provide more granularity on the results. This research highlights the potential for ML-driven tools to simplify the design of high-performance building enclosures, offering architects and engineers a faster, more efficient way to balance critical performance factors.

Salonvaara, Mikael [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000318991554)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Metabolic patterns in Septoria canker resistant and susceptible Populus trichocarpa genotypes 24 hours post-inoculation

Sphaerulina musiva is an economically and ecologically important fungal pathogen that causes Septoria stem canker and leaf spot disease of Populus species. Here, to bridge the gap between genetic markers and structural barriers previously found to be linked to Septoria (Sphaerulina musiva) canker disease resistance in poplar, we employed hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to identify and quantify metabolites involved with signaling and cell wall re-modelling. Fluctuations in signaling molecules, organic acids, amino acids, sterols, phenolics, and saccharides in resistant and susceptible Populus trichocarpa inoculated with Sphaerulina musiva, were observed. The patterns of 222 metabolites in the resistant host implicates systemic acquired resistance (SAR), cell wall apposition, and lignin deposition as modes of resistance to this hemibiotrophic pathogen. This pattern is consistent with the expected response to the biotrophic phase of S. musiva colonization during the first 24 hours post-inoculation. The fungal pathogen metabolized key regulatory signals of SAR, other phenolics, and precursors of lignin biosynthesis which were depleted in the susceptible host. This is the first study to characterize metabolites associated with the response to initial colonization by S. musiva between resistant and susceptible hosts.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Model Development for the ACME Lab Modular Wall and A-Frame Assemblies

The structural frame used for conducting large structural tests was replaced by the ACME (Applied Combined Mechanical Environments) Lab in Building 860 of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. This new design required simulation and analysis to verify maximum loads and corresponding factors of safety. Two major assemblies which are part of the ACME Lab, the Modular Wall and A-Frame, were designed to operate with a multitude of components in various configurations and with varying loads. Simulations of the Modular Wall and A-Frame structures were performed through explicit analysis to determine safety factors for numerous loading scenarios. The Modular Wall had safety factors of 1.1 for the lateral, diagonal, and gusset loading conditions. The A-Frame had safety factors of 2 for all loading conditions simulated.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

First Wall Design of a Tokamak Pilot Plant Using a Monte Carlo Model for 3-D Heat Flux Deposition

We present a method for calculating the heat fluxes deposited on nonaxisymmetric tokamak first wall components, allowing for a first-of-its-kind model for power handling in the tokamak far scrape-off layer (SOL). The DIV3D Monte Carlo model features strict global power conservation and can calculate the finite cross-field plasma transport into magnetically-shadowed regions, which is significant when dealing with meter-scale shadows introduced by components such as poloidal limiters or antennas. As a case study, we apply the DIV3D model to inform the distribution of first wall poloidal limiters in an ARC-class reactor device. We demonstrate that discrete protection limiters can efficiently reduce peak heat fluxes on recessed breeder wall components in the presence of significant far-SOL plasma fluxes. By varying the toroidal periodicity and radial standoff depth of the limiters, we demonstrate one of the tradeoffs that must be considered in first wall design: more limiters provide greater protection, but at the cost of reduced breeding performance. We also present the impact that radial misalignments between limiters would have on first wall power loading.

Monte Carlo methods↗
DOE OSTI2020

Scaling Deep Energy Retrofits for Residential Walls - Energy, Cost, and Economic Assessment of Five Wall Systems

Providing strong economic and performance value is a primary challenge of convincing homeowners to implement deep energy retrofits to their wall systems. This study combines energy modeling and technoeconomic assessment of six experimental residential retrofit wall systems to typical existing homes in cold climates to evaluate their energy performance and cost effectiveness. Deep energy retrofits can significantly improve the energy performance of a home’s thermal envelope, help manage indoor environmental pollutants, increase homeowner comfort, increase building value, and register significant energy and cost savings in the process. We are evaluating exterior wall retrofit components and construction practices to measure and recommend steps to improve financial performance for manufacturers, installers and consumers. This study leverages a literature review, inputs from an advisory group made up of thermal enclosure experts, and simulations to identify state-of-the-art technologies for energy efficient wall systems that are suitable for cold and very cold climate zones. This paper will present results from energy modeling of six experimental wall systems compared to one baseline, that inform cost and energy performance of the subject wall systems.

Ganguli, Sumitrra↗
DOE OSTI2020

Model Development for Multi-Component Fuel Vaporization and Flash Boiling

The objectives of this project are to improve the multi-component fuel droplet and film vaporization models used in internal combustion engine simulation, and to develop a comprehensive model to predict the characteristics of multi-component flash boiling spray. This work explores two approaches to fuel composition treatment for modeling multi-component fuel vaporization: one based on discretization and surrogates, and the other based on continuous thermodynamic distribution of fuel properties. The experimental data collected for model validation are done under three fuel form factors: droplet, spray, and thin film. The study on sprays also include experimentation under non-flash and flash boiling conditions, a phenomenon that enhances fuel vaporization. The main goals of this work are: Design and develop a multi-component fuel droplet and wall film vaporization model using both discrete and continuous thermodynamics methods. Design and develop an analytical model for multi-component flash boiling. Integrate the multi-component droplet and film model into multi-dimensional engine calculations to predict the fuel vaporization process under engine operation condition. Conduct multi-component droplet and fuel film vaporization experiments in a non-combusting chamber to verify the proposed vaporization models. Characterize flash boiling phenomena of multi-component fuel sprays by optical and laser diagnostic techniques. This report will detail the experimental setup and the numerical basis for developing a model to achieve the main goals listed above. Key features of observed multi-component fuel vaporization will be summarized at the end of each experimental sections, and corresponding model performance evaluation will be presented at the end of each model development section.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Validation of the ERO2.0 code using W7-X and JET experiments and predictions for ITER operation

Abstract The paper provides an overview of recent modelling of global material erosion and deposition in the fusion devices Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X), JET and ITER using the Monte-Carlo code ERO2.0. For validating the modelling tool in a three-dimensional environment, W7-X simulations are performed to describe carbon erosion from the graphite test divertor units, which were equipped in operational phase OP 1.2 and analysed post-mortem. Synthetic spectroscopy of carbon line emission is compared with experimental results from the divertor spectrometer measurement system, showing a good agreement in the e-folding lengths in the radial intensity profiles of carbon. In the case of metallic wall materials, earlier modelling of the Be/W environment in JET and ITER is revisited and extended with an updated set of sputtering and reflection data, as well as including the mixing model for describing the Be/W dynamics in the divertor. Motivated by recent H/D/T isotope experiments in JET, limited and diverted configuration pulses are modelled, showing the expected trend of both Be and W erosion increasing with isotope mass. For the JET diverted configuration pulses, it is shown that Be migrates predominantly to the upper part of the inner divertor where it initially leads to strong W erosion. With longer exposure time, the growth of a Be deposited layer leads to a reduction of W erosion in that region. A similar trend is observed in simulations of the ITER baseline Q = 10 scenario, however with a more symmetric Be migration pattern leading to deposition also on the outer divertor.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

DNS/LES Study of Representative Wall-Bounded Turbulent Flows using SIERRA/Fuego

This report summarizes a series of SIERRA/Fuego validation efforts of turbulent flow models on canonical wall-bounded configurations. In particular, direct numerical simulations (DNS) and large eddy simulations (LES) turbulence models are tested on a periodic channel, a periodic pipe, and an open jet for which results are compared to the velocity profiles obtained theoretically or experimentally. Velocity inlet conditions for channel and pipe flows are developed for application to practical simulations. To show this capability, LES is performed over complex terrain in the form of two natural hills and the results are compared with other flow solvers. The practical purpose of the report is to document the creation of inflow boundary conditions of fully developed turbulent flows for other LES calculations where the role of inflow turbulence is critical.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

A deep learning upscaling framework: Reactive transport and mineral precipitation in fracture-matrix systems

Pore-scale modeling has limited applicability at large scales due to its high computational cost. One common approach to upscale pore-scale models is the use of effective medium theories, which homogenize small-scale features in a porous structure and characterize the medium by macroscale properties (e.g., permeability) and equations (e.g., Darcy’s law). However, there are classes of physical processes for which effective medium approximations may become inaccurate, e.g., mineral precipitation and clogging during reactive transport. We have developed a deep learning upscaling framework, in which pore-scale modeling is directly employed in macroscale systems, without relying on effective medium approximations. The upscaling framework is first developed for general multiscale systems and then applied to modeling reactive transport with mineral precipitation in the altered layer in fracture-matrix structures. Solute transport from the fractures to the matrix is modeled as a wall boundary condition for the fractures, which, in turn, is predicted by recurrent neural networks using the concentration histories at the fracture-matrix boundary. Specifically, we consider a meter-scale fracture network embedded in sandstones, where the smallest feature is at the micron scale. Here the proposed framework allows us to span five orders of magnitude in length scales by capturing mineral precipitation in the altered layer of the rock matrix at the pore scale across the entire meter-scale fracture network.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Wall Upgrades for Deep Energy Savings in Residential Buildings: Interim Results from a Multi-Year Study

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Minnesota are conducting a three-year, multipart study on residential retrofit wall assemblies. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technology Office and will identify, test and verify wall assemblies for hygrothermal performance in retrofit applications. The study includes a comprehensive literature review and expert advisory group, which inform wall selection. Selected wall assemblies are then thermally simulated using EnergyPlus and THERM, and hygrothermally simulated using WUFI, to model both thermal and moisture performance of the wall assembly. Eight wall assemblies are then experimentally tested in an in-situ laboratory environment at the University of Minnesota, with a typical residential wall used as a baseline. The in-situ experiment looks at the physical hygrothermal performance of each assembly. The simulation and experimental results will be combined with an economic analysis to produce a techno-economic study of residential wall systems for deep energy retrofits. This paper presents progress after year one of the study. Wall system modeling and laboratory testing is scheduled to begin in November, 2019. We will discuss the parameters for wall selection and experimental design, which includes approaches to modeling and simulation, along with the physical experiment design. This paper will also outline the parameters for the techno-economic analysis, and criteria used to inform model development.

Antonopoulos, Chrissi A.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Linking thermoset ink rheology to the stability of 3D-printed structures

Thermoset polymer composites show promise for additive manufacturing (AM) applications to address some of the limitations of the more widely used thermoplastic feedstock materials. Thermosets offer attractive mechanical properties while providing excellent interlayer bonding, high thermal and chemical stability, and reduced energy consumption as a result of deposition at room temperature. However, since thermoset resins rely on a crosslinking reaction to solidify, rather than quickly cooling like thermoplastics, viscoelastic properties must be relied upon to maintain deposited shape after deposition until crosslinking can occur. This fact has not impeded development and characterization of new thermoset feedstocks on the small scale, but recent efforts to increase scale of thermoset printing have highlighted issues with structural stability under self-weight. This study addresses issues of self-weight by investigating the mechanisms that cause collapse of tall, thin printed walls. Using nanoclay- and fumed silica-filled epoxy feedstocks, this work compares the collapse height for printed walls to stability models based on yielding and buckling mechanics. Inputs for these models – shear yield stress and storage modulus – were taken directly from parallel plate rheometry measurements. Model predictions were found to be in good agreement with experimental results, where both yielding and buckling behavior were observed, provided the rheological properties after a shear excursion were used as inputs. This work establishes a direct link between basic rheological properties of the feedstock, geometry of the printed object, and achievable height. Overall, the results presented highlight the importance of understanding recovery behavior in thermoset feedstocks and provide valuable guidance on the development of more effective direct-ink writing feedstock materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of the Molten Salt Tritium Transport Experiment Test Section

Tritium, a radionuclide produced through neutron capture by lithium and other elements (beryllium and fluoride) in molten salts, presents unique challenges to radionuclide release. This is true for both fusion energy breeder blankets and molten salt fission reactors. The fundamental understanding of tritium transport is crucial to the safe design and operation of these reactors. The Molten Salt Tritium Transport Experiment (MSTTE), currently under construction at Idaho National Laboratory, aims to investigate tritium transport phenomena using a forced-convection fluoride salt loop. This loop is designed to study various transport mechanisms, such as permeation through metals and gas-liquid interactions, and is intended to support future research on tritium extraction units. A critical aspect of the MSTTE loop design is ensuring a fully developed velocity profile before the fluid reaches the permeation test section where measurements are made. This study employs computational fluid dynamics to model the salt flow behavior within the MSTTE permeation test section. A realizable k-ε turbulent model with enhanced wall treatment is used to simulate the single-phase, vertical upward flow of molten salt FLiNaK under isothermal conditions. The simulation results indicated flow distortion and underdeveloped profiles at all planned flow rates within the test section due to the 85-deg sharp bend. To address this issue, a reduced diameter with a reducer and expander and a flow conditioner are investigated to achieve fully developed flow. The analysis showed that the flow conditioner successfully corrected the flow profile, achieving fully developed behavior at a flow rate of 50 liters per minute (LPM). In conclusion, this research enhances our understanding of flow dynamics in molten salt systems and contributes to optimizing tritium transport control technologies.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Composite-dimensional topological codes with boundaries and defects

We introduce new algorithms and provide example constructions of stabilizer models for the gapped boundaries, domain walls, and 0D defects of Abelian composite-dimensional twisted quantum doubles. Using the physically intuitive concept of condensation, our algorithm explicitly describes how to construct the boundary and domain-wall stabilizers starting from the bulk model. This extends the utility of Pauli stabilizer models in describing nontranslationally invariant topological orders with gapped boundaries. To highlight this utility, we provide a series of examples, including a new family of quantum error-correcting codes where the double of ℤ4 is coupled to instances of the double semion (DS) phase. We discuss the codes' utility in the burgeoning area of quantum error correction with an emphasis on the interplay between deconfined anyons, logical operators, error rates, and decoding. We also augment our construction, built using algorithmic tools to describe the properties of explicit stabilizer layouts at the microscopic lattice level, with dimensional counting arguments and macroscopic-level constructions building on pants decompositions. The latter outlines how such codes' representation and design can be automated. Our results are validated by a series of error-correcting threshold calculations comparing our codes' performance with that of standard surface codes. To do so, we introduce a composite-dimensional belief-propagation decoder with ordered statistics that utilizes combination sweeps. Going beyond our worked-out examples, we expect our explicit step-by-step algorithms to pave the path for higher-dimensional codes to be discovered and implemented in near-future architectures that take advantage of various hardware platforms.

Mousa, Mohamad [Purdue University]↗
DOE OSTI2023

Predicting Building Envelope Construction from In-Situ Thermal Testing

When embarking on a retrofit of a building envelope, it is critical to understand the composition of its assembly. This practice is currently done by destructive and invasive material testing or demolition, which is sometimes not possible when in historic or protected buildings. To address this problem, in-situ thermal testing can be utilized along with machine learning classification algorithms to infer the composition of an assembly. In this paper, a proof-of-concept K-nearest neighbors classification model is developed to classify assembly composition from effective thermal resistance, effective thermal mass, and assembly cladding. This model was trained and tested utilizing a synthetic dataset producing an F1-score of 94.6%. This model was also validated with experimental data from a 100-year old wall assembly, confirming the model’s real-world validity. The paper presents a framework for inferring as-built envelope assemblies, all without having to damage or disturb the building and its occupants.

Pilet, Tyler J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Outflow Boundary Conditions for Turbine-Integrated Rotating Detonation Combustors

This study examines outflow boundary conditions (BCs) in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of a transition duct with and without guide vanes that converts supersonic flow exiting a rotating detonation combustor (RDC) to subsonic flow to drive a turbine. Since the flow exiting the transition duct has swirling shock waves with significant spatial and temporal variations in pressure, temperature, and Mach number, imposing proper BCs poses a challenge. To ensure all swirling shock waves exit the transition duct without creating non-physical reflected waves at its outlet, this study examined three outflow BCs: (1) the average pressure imposed at the duct’s outlet, (2) a nonreflecting BC (NRBC) with a specified average pressure imposed at the duct’s outlet, (3) the average pressure imposed at the outlet of an extension duct made up of a buffer layer and a sponge layer. This study is based on the three-dimensional, unsteady density-weighted-ensemble-averaged continuity, Navier–Stokes, and energy equations for a thermally perfect gas closed by the realizable k–ε model and “enhanced” wall functions. The results obtained show that imposing an average pressure at the transition duct’s outlet produces spurious waves that degrade the physical meaningfulness of the solution. When the NRBC was applied, swirling shock waves exited the duct’s outlet without creating spurious waves. However, its usage requires the gas to be thermally, as well as calorically, perfect, which this study shows could be a concern. By imposing the average pressure at the outlet of an extension duct, the gas does not need to be calorically perfect. The results obtained show the effects of the sponge layer’s length and coarsening ratio on damping nonuniformities in non-physical reflected waves to ensure the flow exiting the transition duct’s outlet can do so as if there are no boundaries present and has the desired average pressure—even though the BC is applied at the extension duct’s outlet.

gas turbines↗