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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 1,747 records · Page 97

IBR-2M Reactor Modeling with MCNP, SERPENT, CUBIT, and GIMP Computer Programs

IBR-2M is a fast research reactor located in Dubna (Russia), which operates in supercritical condition for ~800 μs every 200 ms. Two reflector parts are rotating in opposite directions generating 1.8 GWth peak power when the two parts align with the fuel zone. The reactor core uses plutonium fuel and sodium coolant. The control rods are located in stationary reflector zones. This report describes the computational modeling of the IBR-2M reactor. Two independent computational models were generated using MCNP and SERPENT computer programs. The MCNP model uses combinatorial geometry based on macro bodies, e.g. boxes, cylinders, hexagons, spheres, cones, etc., and surfaces. The SERPENT model is based on the STereo Lithographic (STL) geometry representation that is used by 3D printers. The STL geometry was constructed using the CUBIT computer program. The water cooling system of the stationary and the rotating reflectors has a very complicated geometry, involving serpentines and irregular surfaces profiles. The materials in these areas have been homogenized using the GIMP image editor according to the material distributions obtained from the colors of the design drawings. The MCNP and the SERPENT inputs consist of ~1500 and ~1750 lines, respectively. The calculated effective multiplication factors from these two Monte Carlo computer programs with different models agree within 50 pcm.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Autoignition of CRC diesel surrogates at low temperature combustion conditions: Rapid compression machine experiments and modeling

As federal programs require increasingly stringent engine emissions and fuel economy standards, these ambitions can only be met if next-generation combustion technology is developed focusing on high-efficiency and low-emissions engines. Recent research has indicated the need to operate engines at higher compression ratios and with low temperature combustion (LTC) to achieve the needed gains in engine efficiency and reductions in emissions. Because there is a lack of understanding of the chemistry of diesel fuel components and their mixtures at these LTC conditions, this limits the ability to develop predictive chemical kinetic models that can be used to optimize engine combustion. The current study aims to fill in gaps in fundamental combustion data on surrogate fuel mixtures relevant to diesel fuels. Specifically, four multicomponent diesel surrogates formulated by the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) to emulate an ultra-low-sulfur research-grade #2 certification diesel fuel (CFA), namely V0a (4 components), V0b (5 components), V1 (8 components), and V2 (9 components), have been investigated in a rapid compression machine (RCM) through determination of total and first-stage ignition delay times. Autoignition characteristics of lean to rich fuel/O 2 /N 2 mixtures, for the four CRC surrogates and CFA, have been measured using an RCM at LTC relevant pressures and temperatures, in the ranges of 10–20 bar and 650–1000 K, respectively. The equivalence ratios have been varied by independently changing the oxygen mole fraction and the fuel mole fraction in the test mixtures, thereby illustrating the individual effects of oxygen concentration and fuel loading on diesel autoignition. Autoignition results of these four CRC surrogates are compared among them and with those of CFA. Some degree of agreement in autoignition response between each CRC surrogate and CFA is observed, while discrepancies are also identified and discussed. In addition, a detailed chemical kinetic model for diesel surrogates has been developed and validated against these newly-acquired RCM data. We find that this model shows reasonable agreement with the overall ignition delay time results of the current RCM experiments. Chemical kinetic analyses of the developed model were further conducted to help identify the reactions controlling the autoignition processes and the consumption of fuel components in CRC surrogates.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Multiscale Modeling of Accident Tolerant Fuels under the NEAMS ATF Program

The U.S. Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program has been developing computational analysis tools for nuclear fuel simulation. These codes include BISON and Marmot for investigation of fuel behavior at the continuum and microstructural scales, respectively. In 2014, NEAMS introduced what it calls High Impact Problems (HIPs) into its development plan. These HIPs are intended to make significant advancements in a particular area of nuclear power research in a short period of time (3 years or less). NEAMS has chosen an accident tolerant fuel (ATF) project, which emphasizes utilizing BISON and Marmot to model proposed materials, as its first HIP. Since the events that occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy accelerated research in nuclear fuel concepts with enhanced accident tolerance as part of its Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC). Accident tolerant fuels are expected to perform at least as well as conventional fuel during normal conditions and provide significantly increased response time in the event of an accident. Given the many unknowns associated with proposed ATF concepts, the research and development being undertaken by AFC in this area is a challenge, particularly considering the desire to have a lead test rod or assembly in a commercial plant by 2022. With the AFC as its primary stakeholder, the NEAMS ATF HIP is developing material models (using a multi-scale approach) for multiple candidate materials. Through a variety of analyses employing these models, the ATF HIP is providing insight and support to the AFC as it strives to understand these materials and prioritize further development. Use of computational tools such as BISON and Marmot are a vital component of the AFC's strategy since experimental data will not be available broadly and quickly enough to understand the proposed materials fully by the time the AFC must make further development decisions. This summary reviews the overall approach of the NEAMS ATF HIP. First, we give an overview of the current materials chosen for investigation. We also review the overall multi-scale approach to model development. We briefly review the work underway at multiple national laboratories to develop mechanistic engineering scale models based on lower length scale insight. Note that coordinated work is also underway at multiple universities, but those efforts are not detailed here. The NEAMS ATF HIP is assisting the AFC in assessing two accident tolerant materials, uranium silicide fuel and FeCrAl cladding. A multi-scale material model development approach is being undertaken to formulate the models necessary to investigate the materials over a range of normal and off-normal scenarios. This approach includes molecular dynamics, density functional theory, mesoscale modeling, and engineering scale modeling. Sensitivity studies are underway to understand the most critical scenarios and material model input parameters. The information generated is being given to the AFC for their use in selecting promising ATF concepts. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Generic icing effects on forward flight performance of a model helicopter rotor

An experimental program using a commercially available model helicopter has been conducted in the TAMU 7 ft x 10 ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel to investigate main rotor performance degradation due to generic ice adhesion. Base and iced performance data were gathered as functions of fuselage incidence, blade collective pitch, main rotor rotational velocity, and freestream velocity. The experimental values have shown that, in general, the presence of generic ice introduces decrements in performance caused by leading edge separation regions and increased surface roughness. In addition to the expected changes in aerodynamic forces caused by variations in test Reynolds number, forward flight data seemed to be influenced by changes in freestream and rotational velocity. The dependence of the data upon such velocity variations was apparently enhanced by increases in blade chord.

Tinetti, Ana F.↗

Microstructure Modeling of 3rd Generation Disk Alloys

The objective of this program is to model, validate, and predict the precipitation microstructure evolution, using PrecipiCalc (QuesTek Innovations LLC) software, for 3rd generation Ni-based gas turbine disc superalloys during processing and service, with a set of logical and consistent experiments and characterizations. Furthermore, within this program, the originally research-oriented microstructure simulation tool will be further improved and implemented to be a useful and user-friendly engineering tool. In this report, the key accomplishment achieved during the second year (2008) of the program is summarized. The activities of this year include final selection of multicomponent thermodynamics and mobility databases, precipitate surface energy determination from nucleation experiment, multiscale comparison of predicted versus measured intragrain precipitation microstructure in quench samples showing good agreement, isothermal coarsening experiment and interaction of grain boundary and intergrain precipitates, primary microstructure of subsolvus treatment, and finally the software implementation plan for the third year of the project. In the following year, the calibrated models and simulation tools will be validated against an independently developed experimental data set, with actual disc heat treatment process conditions. Furthermore, software integration and implementation will be developed to provide material engineers valuable information in order to optimize the processing of the 3rd generation gas turbine disc alloys.

Jou, Herng-Jeng↗

Assessing Inverter-Based Resources Modeling Gaps in Commonly Used Short-Circuit Programs

Future bulk power systems are expected to operate with a high penetration of inverter-based resources (IBR). This is anticipated to fundamentally change the system’s short-circuit behaviors and demand a change in existing transmission line protection settings or schemes. Phasor-domain short circuit programs (e.g., ASPEN, CAPE, and CYME) remain the mainstream tools for developing protection settings. However, the system protection community has shared concerns about the accuracy of IBR models in short-circuit programs. This report compares the performance of existing generic IBR models in short-circuit programs with detailed electro-magnetic transient (EMT) models provided by several different IBR manufacturers in PSCAD, to quantify the short-circuit program’s IBR model accuracy, assess their ability to replicate individual IBR controls such as negative sequence current injections, and identify specific gaps in the existing generic phasor-domain IBR models that are currently available.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Planning Amidst Uncertainty: Identifying Core CCS Infrastructure Robust to Storage Uncertainty

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a critical technology for reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions, but its large-scale deployment is complicated by uncertainties in geological storage performance. These uncertainties pose significant financial and operational risks, as underperforming storage sites can lead to costly infrastructure modifications, inefficient pipeline routing, and economic shortfalls. To address this challenge, we propose a novel optimization workflow that is based on mixed-integer linear programming and explicitly integrates probabilistic modeling of storage uncertainty into CCS infrastructure design. This workflow generates multiple infrastructure scenarios by sampling storage capacity distributions, optimally solving each scenario using a mixed-integer linear programming model, and aggregating results into a heatmap to identify core infrastructure components that have a low likelihood of underperforming. A risk index parameter is introduced to balance trade-offs between cost, CO2 processing capacity, and risk of underperformance, allowing stakeholders to quantify and mitigate uncertainty in CCS planning. Applying this workflow to a CCS dataset from the US Department of Energy’s Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership project reveals key insights into infrastructure resilience. Reducing the risk index from 15% to 0% is observed to lead to an 83.7% reduction in CO2 processing capacity and a 77.1% decrease in project profit, quantifying the trade-off between risk tolerance and project performance. Furthermore, our results highlight critical breakpoints, where small adjustments in the risk index produce disproportionate shifts in infrastructure performance, providing actionable guidance for decision-makers. Unlike prior approaches that aimed to cheaply repair underperforming infrastructure, our workflow constructs robust CCS networks from the ground up, ensuring cost-effective infrastructure under storage uncertainty. These findings demonstrate the practical relevance of incorporating uncertainty-aware optimization into CCS planning, equipping decision-makers with a tool to make informed project planning decisions.

Olson, Daniel↗

Parametric Flutter Analysis of the TCA Configuration and Recommendation for FFM Design and Scaling

The current HSR Aeroelasticity plan to design, build, and test a full span, free flying transonic flutter model in the TDT has many technical obstacles that must be overcome for a successful program. One technical obstacle is the determination of a suitable configuration and point in the sky to use in setting the scaling point for the ASE models program. Determining this configuration and point in the sky requires balancing several conflicting requirements, including model buildability, tunnel test safety, and the ability of the model to represent the flutter mechanisms of interest. As will be discussed in detail in subsequent sections, the current TCA design exhibits several flutter mechanisms of interest. It has been decided that the ASE models program will focus on the low frequency symmetric flutter mechanism, and will make no attempt to investigate high frequency flutter mechanisms. There are several reasons for this choice. First, it is believed that the high frequency flutter mechanisms are similar in nature to classical wing bending/torsion flutter, and therefore there is more confidence that this mechanism can be predicted using current techniques. The low frequency mode, on the other hand, is a highly coupled mechanism involving wing, body, tail, and engine motion which may be very difficult to predict. Second, the high frequency flutter modes result in very small weight penalties (several hundred pounds), while suppression of the low frequency mechanism inside the flight envelope causes thousands of pounds to be added to the structure. In order to successfully test the low frequency flutter mode of interest, a suitable starting configuration and point in the sky must be identified. The configuration and point in the sky must result in a wind tunnel model that (1) represents the low-frequency wing/body/engine/empennage flutter mechanisms that are unique to HSCT configurations, (2) flutters at an acceptably low frequency in the tunnel, (3) flutters at an acceptably low dynamic pressure in the tunnel, (4) allows sufficient weight for model buildability without inordinately high cost, and (5) has significant separation between the target flutter mechanism and other, potentially catastrophic, flutter mechanisms.

Baker, Myles↗

Software to model AXAF-I image quality

A modular user-friendly computer program for the modeling of grazing-incidence type x-ray optical systems has been developed. This comprehensive computer software GRAZTRACE covers the manipulation of input data, ray tracing with reflectivity and surface deformation effects, convolution with x-ray source shape, and x-ray scattering. The program also includes the capabilities for image analysis, detector scan modeling, and graphical presentation of the results. A number of utilities have been developed to interface the predicted Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility-Imaging (AXAF-I) mirror structural and thermal distortions with the ray-trace. This software is written in FORTRAN 77 and runs on a SUN/SPARC station. An interactive command mode version and a batch mode version of the software have been developed.

Ahmad, Anees↗

Life prediction and constitutive models for engine hot section anisotropic materials program

This report presents the results of the first year of a program designed to develop life prediction and constitutive models for two coated single crystal alloys used in gas turbine airfoils. The two alloys are PWA 1480 and Alloy 185. The two oxidation resistant coatings are PWA 273, an aluminide coating, and PWA 286, an overlay NiCoCrAlY coating. To obtain constitutive and/or fatigue data, tests were conducted on coated and uncoated PWA 1480 specimens tensilely loaded in the 100 , 110 , 111 , and 123 directions. A literature survey of constitutive models was completed for both single crystal alloys and metallic coating materials; candidate models were selected. One constitutive model under consideration for single crystal alloys applies Walker's micromechanical viscoplastic formulation to all slip systems participating in the single crystal deformation. The constitutive models for the overlay coating correlate the viscoplastic data well. For the aluminide coating, a unique test method is under development. LCF and TMF tests are underway. The two coatings caused a significant drop in fatigue life, and each produced a much different failure mechanism.

Swanson, G. A.↗

Strategic Offering for Wind Power Producers Considering Energy and Flexible Ramping Products

The increasing deployments of renewable generation methods, such as wind, affects the flexibility of electric power system operating due to their inherent variability and uncertainty. To mitigate this, power systems need flexible resources. This paper investigates the potential for wind power to provide flexible ramping products in the real-time market, an additional value stream to the energy it provides. The proposed model for wind power’s strategic offering is formulated as a bi-level optimization problem with wind profit maximization at the upper level and the independent system operator’s economic dispatch—considering both the energy balance and the flexible ramping requirement to counter uncertainty—at the lower level. This bi-level model is converted to a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints (MPEC) by recasting the lower level problem with its Karush–Kuhn–Tucker optimality conditions. Then, through strong duality theory and the big-M method, the MPEC model is converted to a mixed-integer linear programming model. The opportunity cost and the price for wind power-providing ramping products are analyzed. Numerical examples based on a 5-bus network are presented to verify the proposed model and concept.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Yearly report for the period Jan. 2018 – Feb. 2019 IC Project: w17_faultprediction “Critical Stress in Earth”

The consequence of earthquake is usually catastrophic. Currently, we cannot determine when a fault is approaching failure due to either anthropogenic activities or tectonic movement. In an anthropogenically perturbed setting, the rate of physical changes on faults far exceeds most natural processes with currently unpredictable and unmeasurable results. In a tectonic setting we generally do not know where a fault is in the earthquake cycle beyond noting how long has passed since the last rupture, which is itself sometimes unknown. The Laboratory has therefore funded a multi million multi-year LDRD-DR program that comprises experiments, numerical modeling, and machine learning in order to develop and test a highly novel approach to probe the earthquake cycle and in particular, to detect and locate stressed faults that are approaching failure. For this program, modeling of a series of sheared granular layers undergoing stick-slip behavior using the EES-17’s Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method (FDEM) based code HOSS (Hybrid Optimization Software Suite) plays a pivotal role since numerical simulations of granular fault gouge allow for analysis of the mechanical behavior of the system at a level of spatial and temporal resolution not accessible experimentally, and also offer the possibility of identifying the most important parameters governing earthquake dynamics. The simulated data also provide very detailed stress, strain and motion information for machine learning purpose to predict earthquake. The code – HOSS – has been developed in Geophysics Group in LANL during the past ten years and is used to simulate the stick-slip behavior of granular fault gouge. One of the key feature of HOSS is that it is superior to pure finite element method and discrete element method and can provide very detailed evolvement information of granular fault gouge. Additionally, its parallel computing capability makes large scale earthquake gouge simulation possible. Taking these facts into account, and also because few other fully parallel FDEM code exists, this IC project allows LANL to stay at the forefront of earthquake gouge and granular material simulation in the world.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Fault recovery in the reliable multicast protocol

The Reliable Multicast Protocol (RMP) provides a unique, group-based model for distributed programs that need to handle reconfiguration events at the application layer. This model, called membership views, provides an abstraction in which events such as site failures, network partitions, and normal join-leave events are viewed as group reformations. RMP provides access to this model through an application programming interface (API) that notifies an application when a group is reformed as the result of a some event. RMP provides applications with reliable delivery of messages using an underlying IP Multicast (12, 5) media to other group members in a distributed environment even in the case of reformations. A distributed application can use various Quality of Service (QoS) levels provided by RMP to tolerate group reformations. This paper explores the implementation details of the mechanisms in RMP that provide distributed applications with membership view information and fault recovery capabilities.

Callahan, John R.↗

Specification and Design of a Fault Recovery Model for the Reliable Multicast Protocol

The Reliable Multicast Protocol (RMP) provides a unique, group-based model for distributed programs that need to handle reconfiguration events at the application layer. This model, called membership views, provides an abstraction in which events such as site failures, network partitions, and normal join-leave events are viewed as group reformations. RMP provides access to this model through an application programming interface (API) that notifies an application when a group is reformed as the result of a some event. RMP provides applications with reliable delivery of messages using an underlying IP Multicast media to other group members in a distributed environment even in the case of reformations. A distributed application can use various Quality of Service (QoS) levels provided by RMP to tolerate group reformations. This paper explores the implementation details of the mechanisms in RMP that provide distributed applications with membership view information and fault recovery capabilities.

Montgomery, Todd↗

Software Engineering Tools for Scientific Models

Software tools were constructed to address issues the NASA Fortran development community faces, and they were tested on real models currently in use at NASA. These proof-of-concept tools address the High-End Computing Program and the Modeling, Analysis, and Prediction Program. Two examples are the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Model, Version 5 (GEOS-5) atmospheric model in Cell Fortran on the Cell Broadband Engine, and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) coupled atmosphere- ocean model called ModelE, written in fixed format Fortran.

Abrams, Marc↗

Integrated modeling framework (FVCOM-ICM/Toxi) to simulate the fate and transport of polychlorinated biphenyls in urban estuaries–Case study for Puget Sound, WA

Puget Sound is an urban estuary that exhibits persistent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination despite years of remediation efforts. For robust management actions, determining the timing, location, and magnitude of PCB loading sources and transport pathways using field data alone is challenging due to complex water circulation and biogeochemical processes. Here, this study aims to develop an integrated modeling framework that couples complex estuarian circulation with biogeochemical processes and associated interactions with PCB kinetics. The model simulates PCB accumulation in the lower tropic food web, demonstrating PCB intrusion into primary producers and its biomagnification in pelagic consumers. The PCB data from a new field survey was used to calibrate/validate the new PCB modeling framework for Puget Sound. The software program of the modeling framework is available to the user community for the applications of toxic contaminants transport in marine waters.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

SAM Code Development for Source Term Modeling in Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors

The SAM code is under development and supported by DOE-NE’s Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation program as a modern system-level modeling and simulation tool for advanced non-light water reactor safety analyses. These advanced reactor concepts incorporate novel and improved approaches to achieve safety and economic feasibility. Many concepts leverage higher operating temperatures for improved efficiency with a variety of coolants and structural materials to support those needs. Such design choices may also pose unique radiological source term risks. There are continuous efforts to incorporate new physics and phenomena relevant to advanced reactor concepts, including capabilities to enable system-level source term modeling. The Pebble-Bed Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactor (PB-FHR) is a promising candidate among advanced nuclear reactor concepts with its improved passive safety characteristics and high thermal efficiency. In addition to past efforts to support the development and utilization of SAM for PB-FHR safety analysis, the species transport modeling capabilities in SAM have been extended to simulate source term phenomena in concepts like the PB-FHR. The PB-FHR concept utilizes pebble-form TRISO fuel and FLiBe salt coolant to provide robust barriers to the release of almost all fission products and radiological source terms. However, tritium poses a unique radiological risk due to its significant production from neutron interactions with 6 Li and 9 Be in the FLiBe as well as its high mobility at elevated temperatures where it can permeate through structural metals. Secondly, the use of graphite at elevated temperatures poses the risk of oxidation damage to any structural components or fuel pebbles that are exposed to accidental air ingress. This report summarizes progress made in modeling these phenomena in SAM, which leverages the system-level multi-physics thermal hydraulic simulation to support an effective engineering-scale source term modeling capability. A tritium transport model is developed to simulate the various transport pathways in FHR and MSR concepts and is presented through verification and validation examples as well as demonstrations simulating experimental test loops and reference plant FHR models. A graphite oxidation model is also introduced to calculate local oxidation rates and is presented with initial validation results.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗