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At least 1,747 records · Page 97

Simulation Modeling for Reliable Biomass Supply Chain Design Under Operational Disruptions

Lignocellulosic biomass derived fuels and chemicals are a promising and sustainable supplement for petroleum-based products. Currently, the lignocellulosic biofuel industry relies on a conventional system where feedstock is harvested, baled, stored locally, and then delivered in a low-density format to the biorefinery. However, the conventional supply chain system causes operational disruptions at the biorefinery mainly due to seasonal availability, handling problems, and quality variability in biomass feedstock. Operational disruptions decrease facility uptime, production efficiencies, and increase maintenance costs. For a low-value high-volume product where margins are very tight, system disruptions are especially problematic. In this work we evaluate an advanced system strategy in which a network of biomass processing centers (depots) are utilized for storing and preprocessing biomass into stable, dense, and uniform material to reduce feedstock supply disruptions, and facility downtime in order to boost economic returns to the bioenergy industry. A database centric discrete event supply chain simulation model was developed, and the impact of operational disruptions on supply chain cost, inventory and production levels, farm metrics and facility metrics were evaluated. Three scenarios were evaluated for a 7-year time-period: (1) bale-delivery scenario with biorefinery uptime varying from 20 to 85%; (2) pellet-delivery scenario with depot uptime varying from 20 to 85% and biorefinery uptime at 85%; and (3) pellet-delivery scenario with depot and biorefinery uptime at 85%. In scenarios 1 and 2, tonnage discarded at the field edge could be reduced by increasing uptime at facility, contracting fewer farms at the beginning and subsequently increasing contracts as facility uptime increases, or determining alternative corn stover markets. Harvest cost was the biggest contributor to the average delivered costs and inventory levels were dependent on facility uptimes. We found a cascading effect of failure propagating through the system from depot to biorefinery. Therefore, mitigating risk at a facility level is not enough and conducting a system-level reliability simulation incorporating failure dependencies among subsystems is critical.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Dynamic model-based sensor network design algorithm for system efficiency maximization

Here, a dynamic model-based sensor network design (DMSND) algorithm has been developed for maximizing system efficiency for an estimator-based control system. The algorithm synthesizes the optimal sensor network in the face of disturbances or set point changes. Computational expense of the large-scale combinatorial optimization problem is significantly reduced by parallel computing and by using combination of three novel strategies: multi-rate sampling frequency, model order reduction, and use of an incumbent solution that enables early termination of evaluation of infeasible sensor sets. The developed algorithm is applied to an acid gas removal unit as part of an integrated gasification combined cycle power plant with carbon capture. Even though there are more than thousand process states and more than hundred candidate sensor locations, the optimal sensor network design problem for maximizing process efficiency could be solved within couple of hours for a given budget.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Improving operational flexibility of integrated energy system with uncertain renewable generations considering thermal inertia of buildings

Insufficient flexibility in system operation caused by traditional "heat-set" operating modes of combined heat and power (CHP) units in winter heating periods is a key issue that limits renewable energy consumption. In order to reduce the curtailment of renewable energy resources through improving the operational flexibility, a novel optimal scheduling model based on chance-constrained programming (CCP), aiming at minimizing the lowest generation cost, is proposed for a small-scale integrated energy system (IES) with CHP units, thermal power units, renewable generations and representative auxiliary equipments. In this model, due to the uncertainties of renewable generations including wind turbines and photovoltaic units, the probabilistic spinning reserves are supplied in the form of chance-constrained; from the perspective of user experience, a heating load model is built with consideration of heat comfort and inertia in buildings. To solve the model, a solution approach based on sequence operation theory (SOT) is developed, where the original CCP-based scheduling model is tackled into a solvable mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation by converting a chance constraint into its deterministic equivalence class, and thereby is solved via the CPLEX solver. We report the simulation results on the modified IEEE 30-bus system demonstrate that the presented method manages to improve operational flexibility of the IES with uncertain renewable generations by comprehensively leveraging thermal inertia of buildings and different kinds of auxiliary equipments, which provides a fundamental way for promoting renewable energy consumption.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

Chiral three-nucleon force and continuum for dripline nuclei and beyond

Three-nucleon force and continuum play important roles in reproducing the properties of atomic nuclei around driplines. Therefore it is valuable to build up a theoretical framework where both effects can be taken into account to solve the nuclear Schrödinger equation. To this end, in this letter, we have expressed the chiral three-nucleon force within the continuum Berggren representation, so that bound, resonant and continuum states can be treated on an equal footing in the complex-momentum space. To reduce the model dimension and computational cost, the three-nucleon force is truncated at the normal-ordered two-body level and limited in the sd-shell model space, with the residual three-body term being neglected. We choose neutron-rich oxygen isotopes as the test ground because they have been well studied experimentally, with the neutron dripline determined. The calculations have been carried out within the Gamow shell model. The quality of our results in reproducing the properties of oxygen isotopes around the neutron dripline shows the relevance of the interplay between three-nucleon force and the coupling to continuum states. We also analyze the role played by the chiral three-nucleon force, by dissecting the contributions of the 2π exchange, 1π exchange and contact terms.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Defect-mediated diffusion of implanted Mg in GaN: Suppressing dopant redistribution by sequential thermal and microwave annealing

The diffusion behavior of Mg in Mg/N co-implanted GaN is investigated in response to a set of annealing conditions and methodologies, namely, 1000 °C/30 min thermal anneal, by high-temperature pulsed gyrotron microwave annealing at 1420 or 1500 °C, or by thermal and microwave annealing, sequentially. After 1000 °C annealing, the diffusion of Mg in GaN is found to be negligible, as measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Annealing by gyrotron microwave annealing alone induces the diffusion of Mg at a rate on the order of 10 −12 cm 2 /s. However, the use of a thermal anneal before microwave gyrotron annealing reduces this rate by an order of magnitude to 10 −13 cm 2 /s. We find that a model that considers Mg diffusion from an inhomogeneous medium that contains a defect-rich implanted region near-surface to a relatively pristine region below the implant range better explains the observed diffusion behavior than a conventional model that assumes a homogeneous medium. By analyzing the diffusion behavior using the Boltzmann–Matano method, we present a discussion of reduction in [V Ga ] by thermal annealing at 1000 °C, leading to a suppressed diffusion coefficient during subsequent high-temperature annealing relative to diffusion after 1420/1500 °C annealing alone. This effect holds potential for improvement in the precision of selectively doped regions for future applications based on the (Al)GaN material system. An improved field profile control in real devices can increase the breakdown and current-handling capabilities in power electronic applications.

Meyers, V.↗

Two-dimensional quantum universality in the spin-1/2 triangular-lattice quantum antiferromagnet Na 2 BaCo(PO 4 ) 2

An interplay of geometrical frustration and strong quantum fluctuations in a spin-1/2 triangular-lattice antiferromagnet (TAF) can lead to exotic quantum states. Here, we report the neutron-scattering, magnetization, specific heat, and magnetocaloric studies of the recently discovered spin-1/2 TAF Na 2 BaCo(PO 4 ) 2 , which can be described by a spin-1/2 easy axis XXZ model. The zero-field neutron diffraction experiment reveals an incommensurate antiferromagnetic ground state with a significantly reduced ordered moment of about 0.54(2) μ B /Co. Different magnetic phase diagrams with magnetic fields in the a b plane and along the easy c -axis were extracted based on the magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and elastic neutron-scattering results. In addition, two-dimensional (2D) spin dispersion in the triangular plane was observed in the high-field polarized state, and microscopic exchange parameters of the spin Hamiltonian have been determined through the linear spin wave theory. Consistently, quantum critical behaviors with the universality class of d = 2 and ν z = 1 were established in the vicinity of the saturation field, where a Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) of diluted magnons occurs. The newly discovered quantum criticality and fractional magnetization phase in this ideal spin-1/2 TAF present exciting opportunities for exploring exotic quantum phenomena.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Next-Cycle Optimal Dilute Combustion Control via Online Learning of Cycle-to-Cycle Variability Using Kernel Density Estimators

Dilute combustion using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) presents a cost-effective method for increasing the efficiency of spark-ignition (SI) engines. However, the maximum amount of EGR that can be used at a given condition is limited by a rapid increment of cycle-to-cycle variability (CCV). This study describes a methodology to design a model-based stochastic optimal controller to adjust the cycle-to-cycle fuel injection quantity in order to reduce CCV and further extend the dilute limit. Given the complexity and chaotic nature of combustion events, the controller was enhanced with online learning in order to identify the statistical properties of combustion efficiency, which are needed to generate predictions for next-cycle events. This study showed that a kernel density estimator (KDE) can be used to learn the combustion properties in real time and can be incorporated into the feedback policy in order to calculate the optimal control command. Experimental results suggested that the dilute limit can be extended from 18.5% to 21% EGR fraction at an operating condition relevant for highway cruising. Additionally, the proposed controller can achieve a large CCV reduction with less fuel enrichment compared to previous methods, overall contributing to an increase in 0.2% indicated fuel conversion efficiency.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Steady-State Calibration of a Diesel Engine in CFD Using a GPU-Based Chemistry Solver

The prospect of analysis-driven pre-calibration of a modern diesel engine is extremely valuable in order to significantly reduce hardware investments and accelerate engine designs compliant with stricter EPA fuel economy regulations. Advanced modeling tools, such as CFD, are often used with the goal of streamlining significant portions of the calibration process. The success of the methodology largely relies on the accuracy of analytical predictions, especially engine-out emissions. However, the effectiveness of CFD simulation tools for in-cylinder engine combustion is often compromised by the complexity, accuracy, and computational overhead of detailed chemical kinetics necessary for combustion calculations. The standard approach has been to use skeletal kinetic mechanisms (~50 species) which consume acceptable computational time but with degraded accuracy.In this work, a comprehensive demonstration and validation of the analytical pre-calibration process is presented for a passenger car diesel engine using CFD simulations with CONVERGE™ and a GPU-based chemical kinetics solver (Zero-RK, developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) on high performance computing resources to enable the use of detailed kinetic mechanisms. Diesel engine combustion computations have been conducted over 600 operating points spanning in-vehicle speed-load map, using massively parallel ensemble simulation sets on the Titan supercomputer located at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility. The results with different mesh resolutions have been analyzed to compare differences in combustion and emissions (NO x , Carbon Monoxide CO, Unburned Hydrocarbons UHC, and Smoke) with actual engine measurements. The results show improved agreement in combustion and NO x predictions with a large n-heptane mechanism consisting of 144 species and 900 reactions with refined mesh resolution; however; agreement in CO, UHC and Smoke remain a challenge.

Gao, Jian↗

Multiple Environmental Influences on the Lightning of Cold-Based Continental Convection. Part II: Sensitivity Tests for Its Charge Structure and Land–Ocean Contrast

In Part I, an electrification scheme was described and a simulation of an observed cold-based storm from the U.S. Great Plains was validated with electrical observations. Most charge in the storm was separated by rebounding collisions of secondary ice originating from prior graupel–snow collisions. In this Part II, sensitivity tests are performed with the control simulation (Part I) and influences from environmental factors (aerosols, temperature, moisture, and shear) on lightning are elucidated. Environmental factors [e.g., convective available potential energy (CAPE)] controlling updraft speed are salient. When ascent is reduced by 30% and 70%, flashes become 70% fewer and disappear, respectively; faster ascent promotes positive cloud-to-ground (+CGs) flashes. Since cloud base is too cold (1°C) for coalescence, cloud condensation nucleus aerosol concentrations do not influence the lightning appreciably. The electrical response to varying concentrations of active ice nuclei is limited by most ice particles being secondary and less sensitive—a natural “buffer.” Imposing a maritime sounding suggests that the land–sea contrast in lightning for such storms is due to the vertical structure of environmental temperature and humidity. Weak CAPE, and both entrainment and condensate weight from a low cloud base, suppress ascent and charging. Maritime thermodynamic conditions reduce simulated flash rates by two orders of magnitude. Reducing aerosol loadings from continental to maritime only slightly reinforces this suppression. Last, a conceptual model is provided for how any simulated storm is either normal because graupel/hail is mostly positively charged or else is inverted/anomalous because graupel/hail is mostly negatively charged, with environmental factors controlling the charging. Impacts from microphysical processes, including three processes of secondary ice production, on lightning are analyzed.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Status of knowledge of the extraterrestrial solar 'constant' and spectral distribution

Current knowledge of the total solar flux (the solar constant) and its spectral distribution at the top of the earth's atmosphere is reviewed. The development of pyrheliometers and radiation scales is traced, noting that active cavity pyrheliometers have been developed to reduce measurement uncertainty to within 0.1/%. The weighted mean solar constant from ground-based, aircraft, balloon, spacecraft and sounding rocket observations has been calculated to be 1369 W/sq m. Future observations are planned in order to reduce uncertainty to the 0.1% level required for climatological studies. A comparison of the measurement and models of solar spectral irradiance obtained by Thekaekara (1969, 1974), Arvesen (1969) and Labs and Neckel (1968, 1975) shows that the spectrum of Labs and Neckel is most accurate in the 0.4 to 1.25 micron range, that of Arvesen is best in the 0.3 to 0.4 abd 1.25 to 2.5 micron ranges and the model of Labs and Neckel is best at wavelengths greater than 2.5 microns.

Willson, R. C.↗

Optimal heading change with minimum energy loss for a hypersonic gliding vehicle

A three state model is presented for analyzing the problem of optimal changes in heading with minimum energy loss for a hypersonic gliding vehicle. A further model order reduction to a single state model is examined using singular perturbation theory. The optimal solution for the reduced problem defines an optimal altitude profile dependent on the current energy of the vehicle, and the corresponding optimal lift and bank angle. A separate boundary layer analysis, based on an expansion of the necessary conditions about the reduced solution, is used to account for altitude and flight path angle dynamics and to derive a guidance law in feedback form. The guidance law is evaluated for a hypothetical vehicle.

Calise, Anthony J.↗

Optimal reentry guidance for aeroassisted orbit transfer vehicles

A three-state model is presented for analyzing the problem of optimal changes in heading with minimum energy loss for a hypersonic gliding vehicle. A further model order reduction to a single state model is examined using singular perturbation theory. The optimal solution for the reduced problem defines an optimal altitude profile dependent on the current energy of the vehicle. A separate boundary-layer analysis is used to account for altitude and flight path angle dynamics, and to obtain lift and bank angle control solutions. By considering alternative approximations to solve the boundary-layer problem, three guidance laws are obtained, each having a feedback form. The guidance laws are evaluated for a hypothetical vehicle, and compared to an optimal solution obtained using a multiple shooting algorithm.

Calise, Anthony J.↗

Study of Critical Heat Flux and Two-Phase Pressure Drop Under Reduced Gravity

The design of the two-phase flow systems which are anticipated to be utilized in future spacecraft thermal management systems requires a knowledge of two-phase flow and heat transfer phenomena in reduced gravities. This program was funded by NASA headquarters in response to NRA-91-OSSA-17 and was managed by Lewis Research Center. The main objective of this program was to design and construct a two-phase test loop, and perform a series of normal gravity and aircraft trajectory experiments to study the effect of gravity on the Critical Heat Flux (CHF) and onset of instability. The test loop was packaged on two aircraft racks and was also instrumented to generate data for two-phase pressure drop. The normal gravity tests were performed with vertical up and downflow configurations to bound the effect of gravity on the test parameters. One set of aircraft trajectory tests was performed aboard the NASA DC-9 aircraft. These tests were mainly intended to evaluate the test loop and its operational performance under actual reduced gravity conditions, and to produce preliminary data for the test parameters. The test results were used to demonstrate the applicability of the normal gravity models for prediction of the two-phase friction pressure drop. It was shown that the two-phase friction multipliers for vertical upflow and reduced gravity conditions can be successfully predicted by the appropriate normal gravity models. Limited critical heat flux data showed that the measured CHF under reduced gravities are of the same order of magnitude as the test results with vertical upflow configuration. A simplified correlation was only successful in predicting the measured CHF for low flow rates. Instability tests with vertical upflow showed that flow becomes unstable and critical heat flux occurs at smaller powers when a parallel flow path exists. However, downflow tests and a single reduced gravity instability experiment indicated that the system actually became more stable with a parallel single-phase flow path. Several design modifications have been identified which will improve the system performance for generating reduced gravity data. The modified test loop can provide two-phase flow data for a range of operating conditions and can serve as a test bed for component evaluation.

Abdollahian, Davood↗

Demonstration of Broadband Contrast at 1.2 Lambda/D for the EXCEDE Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization Coronagraph

The proposed coronagraph instrument on the EXCEDE (EXoplanetary Circumstellar Environments and Disk Explorer) mission study uses a Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization (PIAA) coronagraph architecture to enable high-contrast imaging of circumstellar debris disks and giant planets at angular separations as close in as the habitable zone of nearby host stars. We report on the experimental results obtained in the vacuum chamber at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in 10 percent broadband light centered about 650 nanometers, with a median contrast of 1 x 10 (sup -5) between 1.2 and 2.0 lambda /D simultaneously with 3 x 10 (sup -7) contrast between 2 and 11 =D between 2 and 11 lambda/D for a single-sided dark hole using a deformable mirror (DM) upstream of the PIAA coronagraph. The results are stable and repeatable as demonstrated by three measurements runs with DM settings set from scratch and maintained on the best 90 percent out of the 1000 collected frames. We compare the reduced experimental data with simulation results from modeling observed experimental limits; performance is consistent with uncorrected low-order modes not estimated by the Low Order Wavefront Sensor (LOWFS). Modeled sensitivity to bandwidth and residual tip/tilt modes is well-matched to the experiment.

Wavefront control↗

Using the Coronal Evolution to Successfully Forward Model CMEs' In Situ Magnetic Profiles

Predicting the effects of a coronal mass ejection (CME) impact requires knowing if impact will occur, which part of the CME impacts, and its magnetic properties. We explore the relation between CME deflections and rotations, which change the position and orientation of a CME, and the resulting magnetic profiles at 1 AU. For 45 STEREO-era, Earth-impacting CMEs, we determine the solar source of each CME, reconstruct its coronal position and orientation, and perform a ForeCAT (Forecasting a CME's Altered Trajectory) simulation of the coronal deflection and rotation. From the reconstructed and modeled CME deflections and rotations, we determine the solar cycle variation and correlations with CME properties. We assume no evolution between the outer corona and 1 AU and use the ForeCAT results to drive the ForeCAT In situ Data Observer (FIDO) in situ magnetic field model, allowing for comparisons with ACE and Wind observations. We do not attempt to reproduce the arrival time. On average FIDO reproduces the in situ magnetic field for each vector component with an error equivalent to 35 percent of the average total magnetic field strength when the total modeled magnetic field is scaled to match the average observed value. Random walk best fits distinguish between ForeCAT's ability to determine FIDO's input parameters and the limitations of the simple flux rope model. These best fits reduce the average error to 30 percent.The FIDO results are sensitive to changes of order a degree in the CME latitude, longitude, and tilt, suggesting that accurate space weather predictions require accurate measurements of a CME's position and orientation.

Kay, C.↗

Single Degree-of-Freedom Modeling of SLS Liquid Hydrogen Pre-Valve Flow Guide to Enable Rapid Transient Analysis

A unique single degree-of-freedom approximation technique has been developed to enable rapid application of a temporally-defined multi-spectral semi-narrow-band loading for generation of realistic stress/cycle values compared to a resonant analysis. The technique uses the harmonic analysis at resonance of a high-fidelity finite element model to produce a transfer function, which is then used to calibrate the response of the SDOF model. A standard numerical ordinary differential equation solver is then used to obtain the temporal response, and its histogram is used in a fatigue/fracture model. This technique is related to other SDOF methods used widely in industry, such as Miles' Equation and the Shock Response Spectra, but it is unique in that it produces a realistic time history of the response. The most obvious error in the process, which is the effect of closely-spaced modes, was also assessed using the parallel application of several SDOF models, and the error is shown to be small. The application of this unique and tractable reduced-order methodology has enabled the SLS program to avoid substantial cost and schedule penalties if a redesign or change of material were required. It has also enabled quick analysis of a number of other structures undergoing the same or similar excitation fields, and quick assessment when the excitation and structural configuration has been altered due to design changes in the system.

Brown, Andrew M.↗

Parameterization of bulk condensation in numerical cloud models

The accuracy of the moist saturation adjustment scheme has been evaluated using a three-dimensional explicit microphysical cloud model. It was found that the error in saturation adjustment depends strongly on the Cloud Condensation Nucleii (CCN) concentration in the ambient atmosphere. The scheme provides rather accurate results in the case where a sufficiently large number of CCN (on the order of several hundred per cubic centimeter) is available. However, under conditions typical of marine stratocumulus cloud layers with low CCN concentration, the error in the amounts of condensed water vapor and released latent heat may be as large as 40%-50%. A revision of the saturation adjustment scheme is devised that employs the CCN concentration, dynamical supersaturation, and cloud water content as additional variables in the calculation of the condensation rate. The revised condensation model reduced the error in maximum updraft and cloud water content in the climatically significant case of marine stratocumulus cloud layers by an order of magnitude.

Kogan, Yefim L.↗

Progress Toward Affordable High Fidelity Combustion Simulations Using Filtered Density Functions for Hypersonic Flows in Complex Geometries

Significant progress has been made in the development of subgrid scale (SGS) closures based on a filtered density function (FDF) for large eddy simulations (LES) of turbulent reacting flows. The FDF is the counterpart of the probability density function (PDF) method, which has proven effective in Reynolds averaged simulations (RAS). However, while systematic progress is being made advancing the FDF models for relatively simple flows and lab-scale flames, the application of these methods in complex geometries and high speed, wall-bounded flows with shocks remains a challenge. The key difficulties are the significant computational cost associated with solving the FDF transport equation and numerically stiff finite rate chemistry. For LES/FDF methods to make a more significant impact in practical applications a pragmatic approach must be taken that significantly reduces the computational cost while maintaining high modeling fidelity. An example of one such ongoing effort is at the NASA Langley Research Center, where the first generation FDF models, namely the scalar filtered mass density function (SFMDF) are being implemented into VULCAN, a production-quality RAS and LES solver widely used for design of high speed propulsion flowpaths. This effort leverages internal and external collaborations to reduce the overall computational cost of high fidelity simulations in VULCAN by: implementing high order methods that allow reduction in the total number of computational cells without loss in accuracy; implementing first generation of high fidelity scalar PDF/FDF models applicable to high-speed compressible flows; coupling RAS/PDF and LES/FDF into a hybrid framework to efficiently and accurately model the effects of combustion in the vicinity of the walls; developing efficient Lagrangian particle tracking algorithms to support robust solutions of the FDF equations for high speed flows; and utilizing finite rate chemistry parametrization, such as flamelet models, to reduce the number of transported reactive species and remove numerical stiffness. This paper briefly introduces the SFMDF model (highlighting key benefits and challenges), and discusses particle tracking for flows with shocks, the hybrid coupled RAS/PDF and LES/FDF model, flamelet generated manifolds (FGM) model, and the Irregularly Portioned Lagrangian Monte Carlo Finite Difference (IPLMCFD) methodology for scalable simulation of high-speed reacting compressible flows.

Drozda, Tomasz G.↗