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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Multiphysics Coupling of PROTEUS-NODAL and SAM for Molten Salt Reactor Simulation

The purpose of this report is to document the new features and capabilities that have been implemented in the PROTEUS-NODAL code and the coupling procedure of PROTEUS-NODAL with SAM to analyze MSRs. This report is organized as follows. Section 2 presents the variational nodal P 1 solver for cylindrical geometries and its verification test results. Section 3 discusses the transient analysis capability implemented in the P 1 solvers of PROTEUS-NODAL. The solution methods for the coupled system of TFSP and precursor drift equations, the coarse mesh finite difference (CMFD) acceleration, the kinetics parameter evaluation method, and the thermal feedback are discussed. The verification test results against the SP 3 solutions are also discussed. Section 4 describes the coupling scheme of PROTEUS-NODAL and SAM under the MOOSE framework for MSR applications. The developed MOOSE applications named “TreeFrog” and “TreeKangaroo” are discussed. Verification test results for the coupled system are also discussed by comparing the MSFR steady state solution with that obtained from a manually coupled PROTEUS-NODAL and ANSYS CFX computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations and the MSFR transient analysis results with the open literature solutions and the PROTEUS-NODAL solutions obtained with the standalone thermal-hydraulics solver. Section 5 provides conclusions and future works.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Estimation of High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse Signal Leakage into Power Generation Facilities: Simulations and Measurements

The coupling of early-time high-altitude electromagnetic pulse signals into a power generation facility was investigated. This study encompasses both electromagnetic simulation and on-site experimental efforts that are relevant to shielding effectiveness estimation with a passive technique. As an initial step in understanding the attenuation models involved, simulations were carried out as a function of frequency, building properties, and signal incidence angle. Testing was then performed at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory campus to identify the equipment needed for signal collection and to fine-tune the experimental procedure. Finally, as an application of the models and methods presented, measurements were conducted at a power generation plant to derive the field transfer functions and coupled high-altitude electromagnetic pulse waveforms for various locations within the facility.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

On the Rapid Calculation of Binding Affinities for Antigen and Antibody Design and Affinity Maturation Simulations

The accurate and efficient calculation of protein-protein binding affinities is an essential component in antibody and antigen design and optimization, and in computer modeling of antibody affinity maturation. Such calculations remain challenging despite advances in computer hardware and algorithms, primarily because proteins are flexible molecules, and thus, require explicit or implicit incorporation of multiple conformational states into the computational procedure. The astronomical size of the amino acid sequence space further compounds the challenge by requiring predictions to be computed within a short time so that many sequence variants can be tested. In this study, we compare three classes of methods for antibody/antigen (Ab/Ag) binding affinity calculations: (i) a method that relies on the physical separation of the Ab/Ag complex in equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, (ii) a collection of 18 scoring functions that act on an ensemble of structures created using homology modeling software, and (iii) methods based on the molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) energy decomposition, in which the individual contributions of the energy terms are scaled to optimize agreement with the experiment. When applied to a set of 49 antibody mutations in two Ab/HIV gp120 complexes, all of the methods are found to have modest accuracy, with the highest Pearson correlations reaching about 0.6. In particular, the most computationally intensive method, i.e., MD simulation, did not outperform several scoring functions. The optimized energy decomposition methods provided marginally higher accuracy, but at the expense of requiring experimental data for parametrization. Within each method class, we examined the effect of the number of independent computational replicates, i.e., modeled structures or reinitialized MD simulations, on the prediction accuracy. We suggest using about ten modeled structures for scoring methods, and about five simulation replicates for MD simulations as a rule of thumb for obtaining reasonable convergence. We anticipate that our study will be a useful resource for practitioners working to incorporate binding affinity calculations within their protein design and optimization process.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Fabrication and installation of the Mu2e cryogenic distribution system

The muon-to-electron conversion (Mu2e) experiment at Fermilab will be used to search for the charged lepton flavor-violating conversion of muons to electrons in the field of an atomic nucleus. The Mu2e experiment is currently in the construction stage. The scope of this paper is the cryogenic distribution system and superconducting power leads for four superconducting solenoid magnets: Production Solenoid (PS), an Upstream and Downstream Transport Solenoids (TSu and TSd) and Detector Solenoid (DS). The design of the cryogenic distribution system and the fabrication of several sub-systems was reported previously. This paper reports on additional fabrication and installation progress that has been performed over the past two years. Lessons learned during fabrication and testing of the cryogenic distribution system components are described. In particular, the challenges and solutions implemented for aluminum welding are reported. A description of the process used to qualify the welding procedure and welders for welding the aluminium stabilized NbTi superconducting power leads is provided. Additionally, the progress made with regards to installing the power leads into the cryogenic Feedboxes is covered.

White, Michael J.↗
DOE OSTI2012

An Overview of Public Domain Tools for Measuring the Sustainability of Environmental Remediation - 12060

The application of sustainability principles to the investigation and remediation of contaminated sites is an area of rapid development within the environmental profession, with new business practices, tools, and performance standards for identifying, evaluating, and managing the 'collateral' impacts of cleanup projects to the environment, economy and society coming from many organizations. Guidelines, frameworks, and standards of practice for 'green and sustainable remediation' (GSR) have been released and are under development by the Sustainable Remediation Forum (SURF), the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), the Interstate Technology Roundtable Commission (ITRC) and other organizations in the U.S. and internationally. In response to Executive Orders from the President, Federal government agencies have developed policies, procedures and guidelines for evaluating and reporting the sustainability of their environmental restoration projects. Private sector companies in the petroleum, utility, manufacturing, defense, and other sectors are developing their own corporate GSR programs to improve day-to-day management of contaminated sites and to support external reporting as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. The explosion of mandates, policy, procedures and guidance raises the question of how to determine whether a remediation technology or cleanup approach is green and/or sustainable. The environmental profession has responded to this question by designing, developing and deploying a wide array of tools, calculators, and databases that enable regulatory agencies, site managers and environmental professionals to calculate the collateral impacts of their remediation projects in the environmental, social, and economic domains. Many of these tools are proprietary ones developed by environmental engineering/consulting firms for use in their consulting engagements and/or tailored specifically to meet the needs of their clients. When it comes to the public domain, Federal government agencies are spearheading the development of software tools to measure and report emissions of air pollutants (e.g., carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases, criteria air pollutants); consumption of energy, water and natural resources; accident and safety risks; project costs and other economic metrics. Most of the tools developed for the Government are available to environmental practitioners without charge, so they are growing in usage and popularity. The key features and metrics calculated by the available public-domain tools for measuring the sustainability of environmental remediation projects share some commonalities but there are differences amongst the tools. The SiteWise{sup TM} sustainability tool developed for the Navy and US Army will be compared with the Sustainable Remediation Tool (SRT{sup TM}) developed for the US Air Force (USAF). In addition, the USAF's Clean Solar and Wind Energy in Environmental Programs (CleanSWEEP), a soon-to-be-released tool for evaluating the economic feasibility of utilizing renewal energy for powering remediation systems will be described in the paper. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

Experiments in anodic film effects during electrorefining of scrap U-10Mo fuels in support of modeling efforts

A monolithic uranium molybdenum alloy clad in zirconium has been proposed as a low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel option for research and test reactors, as part of the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors program. Scrap from the fuel's manufacture will contain a significant portion of recoverable LEU. Pyroprocessing has been identified as an option to perform this recovery. A model of a pyroprocessing recovery procedure has been developed to assist in refining the LEU recovery process and designing the facility. Corrosion theory and a two mechanism transport model were implemented on a Mat-Lab platform to perform the modeling. In developing this model, improved anodic behavior prediction became necessary since a dense uranium-rich salt film was observed at the anode surface during electrorefining experiments. Experiments were conducted on uranium metal to determine the film's character and the conditions under which it forms. The electro-refiner salt used in all the experiments was eutectic LiCl/KCl containing UCl{sub 3}. The anodic film material was analyzed with ICP-OES to determine its composition. Both cyclic voltammetry and potentiodynamic scans were conducted at operating temperatures between 475 and 575 C. degrees to interrogate the electrochemical behavior of the uranium. The results show that an anodic film was produced on the uranium electrode. The film initially passivated the surface of the uranium on the working electrode. At high over potentials after a trans-passive region, the current observed was nearly equal to the current observed at the initial active level. Analytical results support the presence of K{sub 2}UCl{sub 6} at the uranium surface, within the error of the analytical method.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Numerical Simulations of the Kolsky Compression Bar Test

The Kolsky compression bar, or split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB), is an ex- perimental apparatus used to obtain the stress-strain response of material specimens at strain rates in the order of 10 2 to 10 4 1/s. Its operation and associated data re- duction are based on principles of one-dimensional wave propagation in rods. Second order effects such as indentation of the bars by the specimen and wave dispersion in the bars, however, can significantly affect aspects of the measured material response. Finite element models of the experimental apparatus were used here to demonstrate these two effects. A procedure proposed by Safa and Gary (2010) to account for bar indentation was also evaluated and shown to improve the estimation of the strain in the bars significantly. The use of pulse shapers was also shown to alleviate the effects of wave dispersion. Combining the two can lead to more reliable results in Kolsky compression bar testing.

Corona, Edmundo↗
DOE OSTI2024

Concrete Thermal Energy Storage Enabling Flexible Operation without Coal Plant Cycling

The work described in this report is responsive to the Office of Fossil Energy program “Energy Storage for Fossil Power Generation.” The pilot plant built as a result of this project demonstrated the feasibility and performance of a concrete thermal energy storage (CTES) system integrated with a supercritical coal power plant. The 10 MWh electrical (>25 MWh thermal) CTES unit, developed by Storworks Power, was designed to enable flexible operation of coal plants without cycling damage. The project's key technical achievements showcase a significant advancement in energy storage technology. A modular CTES system using 42 “Bolderblocs” units was successfully designed and constructed at Alabama Power’s Plant Gaston Unit 5, with each block containing embedded stainless-steel coils in specialized, cost-effective high-temperature concrete. The system interfaced seamlessly with the plant's 3500 psig (241 barg), 1000°F (538°C) supercritical steam, demonstrating operational flexibility. Over 86 full cycles, the CTES exhibited rapid charging and discharging capabilities, effectively mimicking steam turbine feed conditions and handling varying load profiles and storage durations. Performance validation confirmed the system's ability to consistently meet design target steam conditions of 75 bar-a and ~400°C for nominal baseline discharge. The concrete material withstood repeated thermal cycling without degradation, validating earlier lab-scale tests. Integration of balance of plant components, including a condensate management system with storage tank and air-cooled condenser, minimized plant interfaces and water consumption. A robust control scheme ensured safe, automated operation across various scenarios. Key learnings from the project were invaluable: 1. Initial concrete drying and commissioning procedures were refined for future deployments, enhancing efficiency in subsequent installations. 2. System flexibility exceeded expectations, with rapid response to changing conditions. 3. Design improvements were identified including optimized insulation and piping that will enhance overall system efficiency in future deployments 4. Full cycle thermal roundtrip efficiencies exceeded 88%. While the roundtrip electrical efficiency was somewhat limited by known challenges using input steam, such constraints may be mitigated by swapping steam for hot air as thermal input. 5. A summary of key performance parameters for the pilot test and predicted performance of a full scale commercial system with specified improvements determined from the pilot are shown in Section 8. The project faced challenges, including COVID-19 delays and host plant availability constraints. However, these were overcome through adaptive planning and execution. The successful management of these obstacles demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of the project team and the robustness of the CTES technology. This successful pilot demonstrates the potential for CTES to enhance coal plant flexibility, supporting grid stability as renewable penetration increases. The validated design and operational data provide a solid foundation for scaling up to utility-scale implementations, potentially transforming how thermal plants operate in evolving energy landscapes. The system's ability to rapidly respond to changing grid conditions while maintaining high efficiency makes it a promising solution for balancing intermittent renewable energy sources. Furthermore, the project highlighted the potential for even greater efficiencies in future iterations. The use of air as an input medium could potentially eliminate the limitations observed with steam input, opening new possibilities for energy storage applications beyond coal plant integration. In conclusion, this pilot project not only achieved its primary goals but also uncovered additional benefits and potential applications of the CTES technology. It represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges of grid stability and flexibility in an increasingly renewable-driven energy landscape.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2014

Data fusion in neutron and X-ray computed tomography

We present a fusion methodology between neutron and X-ray computed tomography (CT). On the one hand, the inspection by X-ray CT of a wide class of multimaterials in non-destructive testing applications suffers from limited information of object features. On the other hand, neutron imaging can provide complementary data in such a way that the combination of both data sets fully characterizes the object. In this contribution, a novel data fusion procedure, called Fusion Regularized Simultaneous Algebraic Reconstruction Technique, is developed where the X-ray reconstruction is modified to fulfill the available data from the imaging with neutrons. The experiments, which were obtained from an aluminum profile containing a steel screw, and attached carbon fiber plates demonstrate that the image quality in CT can be significantly improved when the proposed fusion method is used.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

High-Temperature Properties and Microstructural Stability of the AISI H13 Hot-Work Tool Steel Processed by Selective Laser Melting

The microstructural stabilities, softening resistance, and high-temperature tensile properties of the H13 hot-work tool steel by selective laser melting (SLM) were systematically studied. A series of tempering procedures were performed on the as-SLMed specimens. Afterwards, the mechanism of softening resistance behavior was discussed based on the XRD, SEM, EBSD observations, hardness measurements, and high-temperature tensile tests. It was found that the as-SLMed H13 consisted of α-iron and γ-iron. The carbide-stabilizing elements aggregated as the cell-like substructures for the rapid solidification of the SLM process. After the softening resistance treatment, the retained austenite transformed to ferrite and carbide mixtures. The cell-like substructures dissolved slowly into the matrix when the temperature was below 550 °C. These factors increased the hardness and retarded the softening of the material. When the temperature was 600 °C, the microstructural constituents transformed to soft ferrite and globular carbides, which lead to a considerable decrease of the hardness. Due to the grain refinement, solid solution strengthening, and residual stress, the as-SLMed H13 exhibited better mechanical properties than that of the wrought counterparts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

A novel algorithm of immersed moving boundary scheme for fluid-particle interactions in DEMLBM

This paper presents an efficient and accurate Immersed Moving Boundary (IMB) algorithm for solving fluid-particle interactions in the framework of the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). Although the IMB scheme has been widely employed in many fluid-particle coupling problems in a wide range of applications, the algorithm of its implementation, especially in identifying both fluid and solid boundary nodes for particles, is seldom reported. Besides, the computational cost of handling fluid-particle coupling is very expensive. To provide a bridge between theory and application and improve the computing efficiency of IMB, a novel boundary tracing procedure and an efficient method for computing the solid nodal ratio using Gaussian quadrature are proposed in this paper. Both accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm are examined by two benchmark tests. It is also found that the IMB scheme are more efficient and stable compared to another widely used the Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) in LBM.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Experimental studies on the effects of sheet resistance and wettability of catalyst layer on electro-catalytic activities for oxygen evolution reaction in proton exchange membrane electrolysis cells

As the most important part of electrochemical reaction in proton exchange membrane electrolysis cells (PEMECs) for water splitting, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) occurs at the anode catalyst layer (CL). The distribution of the OER site is affected by many factors, such as properties of CL, operation parameters, procedures, etc. To study the effects of properties of CLs on the distribution of OER site on the CL, and consequently affect the performance of PEMECs, CLs with different sheet resistances are tested under different operation conditions. Furthermore, the phenomena of OER on CLs are captured by a high-speed and micro-scale visualization system in-situ and analysed coupled with electrochemical results. The results in this work show that both sheet resistance and wettability of CLs have significant impact on the distribution of the OER site, which can help optimize the design of membrane electrode assembly and improve the operating parameters for electrochemical devices.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

Examination of How Well Long-Range-Corrected Density Functionals Satisfy the Ionization Energy Theorem

For this work, we calculated the vertical ionization energies (VIE) of 99 species in two ways to examine the accuracy of several long-range-corrected (LC) hybrid meta functionals in comparison with a gradient approximation (GA), global hybrids, and doubly hybrids. In the category of LC functionals, we examined both those with meta ingredients (i.e., that depend on the kinetic energy density) and those without them. The LC-hybrid meta functionals examined are M11, revM11, M11plus, and ωB97M-V. The reference data used to assess accuracy consist of 95 molecules and 4 atoms in the GW100 set. The two methods studied are the ΔSCF method (involving the difference of neutral and cation self-consistent field (SCF) energies) and the ionization energy theorem (involving the orbital energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital, HOMO). We calculated linear correlation coefficients (r 2 ) and mean absolute deviations (MADs) between each approach and the reference VIE value from the CCSD(T)/def2-TZVPP level of theory. We compared the new LC-hybrid meta calculations to calculations with the 10 functionals in a previous VIE study by Brémond et al. and to the calculations with LC-BLYP (LC-Becke, Lee–Yang–Parr), CAM-B3LYP (Coulomb-attenuating-method Becke-3-parameter Lee–Yang–Parr), LC-ωHPBE, and ωB97X-D. The results show that Minnesota LC-hybrid meta functionals have the smallest mean absolute deviation of ionization energy theorem VIEs with the reference data; the LC-ωHPBE functional also does quite well in this test. This is very encouraging and indicates that LC-hybrid meta functionals would be the best starting points for the tuning strategy that has been shown to be a very good procedure for improving time-dependent density functional calculations, and it also helps explain the good success of LC-hybrid meta functionals for molecular excitation energies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

DONKEY: A Flexible and Accurate Algorithm for Clustering

We propose an accurate clustering algorithm suitable for the varied and multidimensional data sets that correspond to temporal snapshots from on-the-fly nonadiabatic trajectory-based simulations of photoexcited dynamics. The algorithm approximates the underlying probability density function using variable kernel density estimation, with local maxima corresponding to cluster centers. Each data point is then assigned to one of the maxima by employing a maximization procedure. Finally, clusters artificially separated by minor fluctuations in the probability density are merged. The algorithm does not require parameter tuning, which ensures flexibility and reduces the risk of bias. It is tested on several synthetic data sets, where it consistently outperforms conventional clustering algorithms. As a final example, the algorithm is applied to the excited dynamics of the norbornadiene ⇌ quadricyclane (C 7 H 8 ) molecular photoswitch, demonstrating how distinct reaction pathways can be identified.

algorithms↗
DOE OSTI2013

Bulk-solvent and overall scaling revisited: faster calculations, improved results

A fast and robust method for determining the parameters for a flat (mask-based) bulk-solvent model and overall scaling in macromolecular crystallographic structure refinement and other related calculations is described. This method uses analytical expressions for the determination of optimal values for various scale factors. The new approach was tested using nearly all entries in the PDB for which experimental structure factors are available. In general, the resulting R factors are improved compared with previously implemented approaches. In addition, the new procedure is two orders of magnitude faster, which has a significant impact on the overall runtime of refinement and other applications. An alternative function is also proposed for scaling the bulk-solvent model and it is shown that it outperforms the conventional exponential function. Similarly, alternative methods are presented for anisotropic scaling and their performance is analyzed. All methods are implemented in the Computational Crystallography Toolbox (cctbx) and are used in PHENIX programs.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

An Adaptive-Importance-Sampling-Enhanced Bayesian Approach for Topology Estimation in an Unbalanced Power Distribution System

The reliable operation of a power distribution system relies on a good prior knowledge of its topology and its system state. Although crucial, due to the lack of direct monitoring devices on the switch statuses, the topology information is often unavailable or outdated for the distribution system operators for real-time applications. Apart from the limited observability of the power distribution system, other challenges are the nonlinearity of the model, the complicated, unbalanced structure of the distribution system, and the scale of the system. To overcome the above challenges, we, in this paper, propose a Bayesian-inference framework that allows us to simultaneously estimate the topology and the state of a three-phase, unbalanced power distribution system. Specifically, by using the very limited number of measurements available that are associated with the forecast load data, we efficiently recover the full Bayesian posterior distributions of the system topology under both normal and outage operation conditions. This is performed through an adaptive importance sampling procedure that greatly alleviates the computational burden of the traditional Monte-Carlo (MC)-sampling-based approach while maintaining a good estimation accuracy. The simulations conducted on the IEEE 123-bus test system and an unbalanced 1282-bus system reveal the excellent performances of the proposed method.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2015

MO-F-CAMPUS-T-02: Dosimetric Accuracy of the CrystalBallâ„¢: New Reusable Radiochromic Polymer Gel Dosimeter for Patient QA in Proton Therapy

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of monoexponential normalization in a new class of commercial, reusable, human-soft-tissue-equivalent, radiochromic polymer gel dosimeters for patient-specific QA in proton therapy. Methods: Eight formulations of the dosimeter (sealed in glass spheres of 166 mm OD), were exposed to a 150 MeV proton beam (5 cm x 5 cm square field, range 15 cm, modulation10 cm), with max dose ranging from 2.5 Gy to 20 Gy, depending on formulation. Exposed dosimeters were promptly placed in the commercial OCTOPUS™ laser CT scanner which was programmed to scan the central slice every 5 minutes for 20 hours (15 seconds per slice scan). This procedure was repeated several times. Reconstructed data were analyzed using the log-lin scale to determine the time range over which a monoexponential relaxation model could be applied. Next, a simple test plan was devised and delivered to each dosimeter. The OCTOPUS™ was programmed to rescan the central slice at the end of each volume scan, for signal relaxation reference. Monoexponential normalization was applied to sinograms before FBP reconstruction. Dose calibration was based on a volume-lookup table built within the central spherical volume of 12 cm diameter. 3D gamma and sigma passing rates were measured at 3%/3mm criteria down to 50% isodose. Results: Approximately monoexponential signal relaxation time ranges from 25 minutes to 3.5 hours, depending on formulation, followed by a slower-relaxation component. Noise in reconstructed OD/cm images is less than 0.5%. Dose calibration accuracy is better than 99%. Measured proton PDDs demonstrate absence of Bragg-peak quenching. Estimated number of useful cycles is at least 20, with a theoretical limit above 100. 3D gamma and sigma passing rates exceed 95%. Conclusion: Monoexponential normalization was found to yield adequate dosimetric accuracy in the new class of commercial radiochromic polymer gel dosimeters for patient QA in proton therapy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Predictive Engineering Tools for Injection-Molded Long-Carbon-Fiber Thermoplastic Composites - FY 2015 First Quarterly Report

During the first quarter of FY 2015, the following technical progress has been made toward project milestones: 1) Autodesk delivered a new research version of ASMI to PNNL. This version includes the improved 3D fiber orientation solver, and the reduced order model (ROM) for fiber length distribution using the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) implemented in the mid-plane, dual-domain and 3D solvers. 2) Autodesk coordinated a conference paper with PNNL reporting ASMI mid-plane fiber orientation predictions compared with the measured data for two PlastiComp plaques. This paper was accepted for presentation at the 2015 Society for Plastics Engineers (SPE) ANTEC conference. 3) The University of Illinois (Prof. Tucker) assisted team members from Purdue with fiber orientation measurement techniques, including interpretation of off-axis cross sections. 4) The University of Illinois assisted Autodesk team members with software implementation of the POD approach for fiber length modeling, and with fiber orientation modeling. 5) The University of Illinois co-authored in the SPE ANTEC paper, participated with the team in discussions of plaque data and model results, and participated in the definition of go/no-go experiments and data. 6) Purdue University (Purdue) conducted fiber orientation measurements for 3 PlastiComp plaques: fast-fill 30wt% LCF/PP center-gated, fast-fill 50wt% LCF/PA66 edge-gated and fast-fill 50wt% LCF/PA66 center-gated plaques, and delivered the fiber orientation data for these plaques at the selected locations (named A, B, and C) to PNNL. However, the data for the fast-fill 50wt% LCF/PA66 edge-gated plaque exhibited unusual variations and could not be used for the model validation. Purdue will re-measure fiber orientation for this plaque. 7) Based on discussions with the University of Illinois Purdue explained the ambiguity in the measurements of the fiber orientation components. 8) PNNL discussed with team members to establish a go/no-go decision plan for the project and submitted the established plan to DOE. 9) PNNL performed ASMI mid-plane analyses for the fast-fill center-gated 30wt% LCF/PP and 50wt% LCF/PA66 plaques and compared the predicted fiber orientations with the measured data provided by Purdue at Locations A, B, and C on these plaques. 10) Based on discussions with the University of Illinois and Autodesk, PNNL proposed a procedure to adjust fiber orientation data for Location A of the center-gated plaques so that the data can be expressed and interpreted in the flow/cross-flow direction coordinate system. 11) PNNL tested the new ASMI version received from Autodesk, examined and discussed 3D fiber orientation predictions for PlastiComp plaques. 12) PlastiComp, Inc. (PlastiComp), Toyota Research Institute North America (Toyota) and Magna Exteriors and Interiors Corp. (Magna) participated in discussions with team members on the go/no-go plan and the issues related to fiber length measurements. Toyota continued the discussion with Magna on tool modification for molding the complex part in order to achieve the target fiber length in the part.

42 ENGINEERING↗