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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 OSTI2025

H420 Imager Calibration Procedure: Field of View Scan

Gamma-ray imagers with coded apertures have a finite field of view (FOV) within which an image of a source can be generated. A “FOV scan” is a facet of imager calibration procedure that involves collecting specialized data for a range of source locations filling the FOV in order to understand and correct for differences in imager performance. Systematic distortions reveal relative displacements between internal imager components, which can be accounted for in data analysis. The success of this scan requires a stable imager position during the full measurement duration (~hours). This document summarizes the hardware and software tools required to conduct a FOV calibration scan of an H3D H420 Coded Aperture Gamma-Ray Imager.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS2002

Global Positioning System Simulator Field Operational Procedures

Global Positioning System (GPS) simulation is an important activity in the development or qualification of GPS signal receivers for space flight. Because a GPS simulator is a critical resource it is highly desirable to develop a set of field operational procedures to supplement the basic procedures provided by most simulator vendors. Validated field procedures allow better utilization of the GPS simulator in the development of new test scenarios and simulation operations. These procedures expedite simulation scenario development while resulting in scenarios that are more representative of the true design, as well as enabling construction of more complex simulations than previously possible, for example, spacecraft maneuvers. One difficulty in the development of a simulation scenario is specifying various modes of test vehicle motion and associated maneuvers requiring that a user specify some (but not all) of a few closely related simulation parameters. Currently this can only be done by trial and error. A stand-alone procedure that implements the simulator maneuver motion equations and solves for the motion profile transient times, jerk and acceleration would be of considerable value. Another procedure would permit the specification of some configuration parameters that would determine the simulated GPS signal composition. The resulting signal navigation message, for example, would force the receiver under test to use only the intended C-code component of the simulated GPS signal. A representative class of GPS simulation-related field operational procedures is described in this paper. These procedures were developed and used in support of GPS integration and testing for many successful spacecraft missions such as SAC-A, EO-1, AMSAT, VCL, SeaStar, sounding rockets, and by using the industry standard Spirent Global Simulation Systems Incorporated (GSSI) STR series simulators.

Kizhner, Semion↗
DOE OSTI2017

SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY BY DEVELOPING A DESIGN GUIDANCE FOR COMPUTER-BASED PROCEDURES FOR FIELD WORKERS

The paper-based procedures currently used for nearly all activities in the commercial nuclear power industry have a long history of ensuring safe operation of the plants. However, there is potential to greatly increase efficiency and safety by improving how the human interacts with the procedures, which can be achieved through the use of computer-based procedures (CBPs). A CBP system offers a vast variety of improvements, such as context driven job aids, integrated human performance tools and dynamic step presentation. As a step toward the goal of improving procedure use performance, the U.S. Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program researchers, together with the nuclear industry, have been investigating the possibility and feasibility of replacing current paper-based procedures with CBPs. The main purpose of the CBP research conducted at the Idaho National Laboratory was to provide design guidance to the nuclear industry to be used by both utilities and vendors. After studying existing design guidance for CBP systems, the researchers concluded that the majority of the existing guidance is intended for control room CBP systems, and does not necessarily address the challenges of designing CBP systems for instructions carried out in the field. Further, the guidance is often presented on a high level, which leaves the designer to interpret what is meant by the guidance and how to specifically implement it. The authors developed a design guidance to provide guidance specifically tailored to instructions that are carried out in the field based.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2016

Computer Based Procedures for Field Workers - FY16 Research Activities

The Computer-Based Procedure (CBP) research effort is a part of the Light-Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program, which provides the technical foundations for licensing and managing the long-term, safe, and economical operation of current nuclear power plants. One of the primary missions of the LWRS program is to help the U.S. nuclear industry adopt new technologies and engineering solutions that facilitate the continued safe operation of the plants and extension of the current operating licenses. One area that could yield tremendous savings in increased efficiency and safety is in improving procedure use. A CBP provides the opportunity to incorporate context-driven job aids, such as drawings, photos, and just-in-time training. The presentation of information in CBPs can be much more flexible and tailored to the task, actual plant condition, and operation mode. The dynamic presentation of the procedure will guide the user down the path of relevant steps, thus minimizing time spent by the field worker to evaluate plant conditions and decisions related to the applicability of each step. This dynamic presentation of the procedure also minimizes the risk of conducting steps out of order and/or incorrectly assessed applicability of steps. This report provides a summary of the main research activities conducted in the Computer-Based Procedures for Field Workers effort since 2012. The main focus of the report is on the research activities conducted in fiscal year 2016. The activities discussed are the Nuclear Electronic Work Packages – Enterprise Requirements initiative, the development of a design guidance for CBPs (which compiles all insights gained through the years of CBP research), the facilitation of vendor studies at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), a pilot study for how to enhance the plant design modification work process, the collection of feedback from a field evaluation study at Plant Vogtle, and path forward to commercialize INL’s CBP system.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Design Guidance for Computer-Based Procedures for Field Workers

Nearly all activities that involve human interaction with nuclear power plant systems are guided by procedures, instructions, or checklists. Paper-based procedures (PBPs) currently used by most utilities have a demonstrated history of ensuring safety; however, improving procedure use could yield significant savings in increased efficiency, as well as improved safety through human performance gains. The nuclear industry is constantly trying to find ways to decrease human error rates, especially human error rates associated with procedure use. As a step toward the goal of improving field workers’ procedure use and adherence and hence improve human performance and overall system reliability, the U.S. Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program researchers, together with the nuclear industry, have been investigating the possibility and feasibility of replacing current paper-based procedures with computer-based procedures (CBPs). PBPs have ensured safe operation of plants for decades, but limitations in paper-based systems do not allow them to reach the full potential for procedures to prevent human errors. The environment in a nuclear power plant is constantly changing, depending on current plant status and operating mode. PBPs, which are static by nature, are being applied to a constantly changing context. This constraint often results in PBPs that are written in a manner that is intended to cover many potential operating scenarios. Hence, the procedure layout forces the operator to search through a large amount of irrelevant information to locate the pieces of information relevant for the task and situation at hand, which has potential consequences of taking up valuable time when operators must be responding to the situation, and potentially leading operators down an incorrect response path. Other challenges related to use of PBPs are management of multiple procedures, place-keeping, finding the correct procedure for a task, and relying on other sources of additional information to ensure a functional and accurate understanding of the current plant status (Converse, 1995; Fink, Killian, Hanes, and Naser, 2009; Le Blanc, Oxstrand, and Waicosky, 2012). This report provides design guidance to be used when designing the human-system interaction and the design of the graphical user interface for a CBP system. The guidance is based on human factors research related to the design and usability of CBPs conducted by Idaho National Laboratory, 2012 - 2016.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Supporting the industry by developing a design guidance for computer-based procedures for field workers - 274

The paper-based procedures currently used for nearly all activities in the commercial nuclear power industry have a long history of ensuring safe operation of the plants. However, there is potential to greatly increase efficiency and safety by improving how the human interacts with the procedures, which can be achieved through the use of computer-based procedures (CBPs). A CBP system offers a vast variety of improvements, such as context driven job aids, integrated human performance tools and dynamic step presentation. As a step toward the goal of improving procedure use performance, the U.S. Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program researchers, together with the nuclear industry, have been investigating the feasibility of replacing current paper-based procedures with CBPs. The main purpose of the CBP research for nuclear field workers conducted at the Idaho National Laboratory was to provide design guidance to the nuclear industry to be used by both utilities and vendors. After studying existing design guidance for CBP systems, the researchers concluded that the majority of the existing guidance is intended for control room CBP systems, and does not necessarily address the challenges of designing CBP systems for instructions carried out in the field. Further, the guidance is often presented on a high level, which leaves the designer to interpret what is meant by the guidance and how to specifically implement it. The authors developed a design guidance to provide guidance specifically tailored to instructions that are carried out in the field based. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Computer-based procedure for field activities: Results from three evaluations at nuclear power plants

Nearly all activities that involve human interaction with the systems of a nuclear power plant are guided by procedures. The paper-based procedures (PBPs) currently used by industry have a demonstrated history of ensuring safety; however, improving procedure use could yield tremendous savings in increased efficiency and safety. One potential way to improve procedure-based activities is through the use of computer-based procedures (CBPs). Computer-based procedures provide the opportunity to incorporate context driven job aids, such as drawings, photos, just-in-time training, etc into CBP system. One obvious advantage of this capability is reducing the time spent tracking down the applicable documentation. Additionally, human performance tools can be integrated in the CBP system in such way that helps the worker focus on the task rather than the tools. Some tools can be completely incorporated into the CBP system, such as pre-job briefs, placekeeping, correct component verification, and peer checks. Other tools can be partly integrated in a fashion that reduces the time and labor required, such as concurrent and independent verification. Another benefit of CBPs compared to PBPs is dynamic procedure presentation. PBPs are static documents which limits the degree to which the information presented can be tailored to the task and conditions when the procedure is executed. The CBP system could be configured to display only the relevant steps based on operating mode, plant status, and the task at hand. A dynamic presentation of the procedure (also known as context-sensitive procedures) will guide the user down the path of relevant steps based on the current conditions. This feature will reduce the user’s workload and inherently reduce the risk of incorrectly marking a step as not applicable and the risk of incorrectly performing a step that should be marked as not applicable. As part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Light Water Reactors Sustainability Program, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) along with partners from the nuclear industry have been investigating the design requirements for computer-based work instructions (including operations procedures, work orders, maintenance procedures, etc.) to increase efficiency, safety, and cost competitiveness of existing light water reactors.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2015

The Next Step in Deployment of Computer Based Procedures For Field Workers: Insights And Results From Field Evaluations at Nuclear Power Plants

The paper-based procedures currently used for nearly all activities in the commercial nuclear power industry have a long history of ensuring safe operation of the plants. However, there is potential to greatly increase efficiency and safety by improving how the human operator interacts with the procedures. One way to achieve these improvements is through the use of computer-based procedures (CBPs). A CBP system offers a vast variety of improvements, such as context driven job aids, integrated human performance tools (e.g., placekeeping, correct component verification, etc.), and dynamic step presentation. The latter means that the CBP system could only display relevant steps based on operating mode, plant status, and the task at hand. A dynamic presentation of the procedure (also known as context-sensitive procedures) will guide the operator down the path of relevant steps based on the current conditions. This feature will reduce the operator’s workload and inherently reduce the risk of incorrectly marking a step as not applicable and the risk of incorrectly performing a step that should be marked as not applicable. The research team at the Idaho National Laboratory has developed a prototype CBP system for field workers, which has been evaluated from a human factors and usability perspective in four laboratory studies. Based on the results from each study revisions were made to the CBP system. However, a crucial step to get the end users' (e.g., auxiliary operators, maintenance technicians, etc.) acceptance is to put the system in their hands and let them use it as a part of their everyday work activities. In the spring 2014 the first field evaluation of the INL CBP system was conducted at a nuclear power plant. Auxiliary operators conduct a functional test of one out of three backup air compressors each week. During the field evaluation activity, one auxiliary operator conducted the test with the paper-based procedure while a second auxiliary operator followed along with the computer-based procedure. After each conducted functional test the operators were asked a series of questions designed to provide feedback on the feasibility to use a CBP system in the plant and the general user experience of the CBP system. This paper will describe the field evaluation and its results in detail. For example, the result shows that the context driven job aids and the incorporated human performance tools are much liked by the auxiliary operators. The paper will describe and present initial findings from a second field evaluation conducted at second nuclear utility. For this field evaluation a preventive maintenance work order for the HVAC system was used. In addition, there will be a description of the method and objective of two field evaluations planned to be conducted late 2014 or early 2015.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program: Computer-Based Procedures for Field Activities: Results from Three Evaluations at Nuclear Power Plants

The Computer-Based Procedure (CBP) research effort is a part of the Light-Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program, which is a research and development (R&D) program sponsored by Department of Energy (DOE) and performed in close collaboration with industry R&D programs that provides the technical foundations for licensing and managing the long-term, safe, and economical operation of current nuclear power plants. One of the primary missions of the LWRS program is to help the U.S. nuclear industry adopt new technologies and engineering solutions that facilitate the continued safe operation of the plants and extension of the current operating licenses. One area that could yield tremendous savings in increased efficiency and safety is in improving procedure use. Nearly all activities in the nuclear power industry are guided by procedures, which today are printed and executed on paper. This paper-based procedure process has proven to ensure safety; however, there are improvements to be gained. Due to its inherent dynamic nature, a CBP provides the opportunity to incorporate context driven job aids, such as drawings, photos, and just-in-time training. Compared to the static state of paper-based procedures (PBPs), the presentation of information in CBPs can be much more flexible and tailored to the task, actual plant condition, and operation mode. The dynamic presentation of the procedure will guide the user down the path of relevant steps, thus minimizing time spent by the field worker to evaluate plant conditions and decisions related to the applicability of each step. This dynamic presentation of the procedure also minimizes the risk of conducting steps out of order and/or incorrectly assessed applicability of steps.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Computer-Based Procedures for Field Workers - Identified Benefits

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) computer-based procedure (CBP) research team is exploring how best to design a CBP system that will deliver the intended benefits of increased efficiency and improved human performance. It is important to note that no “off-the-shelf” technology exists for the type of CBP system that is investigated and developed by the INL researchers. As more technology is integrated into the procedure process the importance of an appropriate and methodological approach to the design of the procedure system increases. Technological advancements offer great opportunities for efficiency and safety gains, however if the system is not designed correctly there is a large risk of unintentionally introducing new opportunities for human errors. The INL research team is breaking new ground in the area of CBPs with the prototype they have developed. Current electronic procedure systems are most commonly electronic versions of the paper-based procedures with hyperlinks to other procedures, limited user input functionality, and the ability to mark steps completed. These systems do not fully exploit the advantages digital technology. It is a part of the INL researchers’ role to develop and validate new CBP technologies that greatly increase the benefits of a CBP system to the nuclear industry.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1975

Test procedure for Hasselblad field irradiance

The procedure is defined for determining the uniformity of film plane illumination (field irradiance) of the Hasselblad cameras. The data source shall consist of photographs, with X-Y scans being taken for indication only. The accuracy requirement is 2.0%.

George, C.↗
NASA NTRS1975

CARETS: A prototype regional environmental information system. Volume 5: Interpretation, compilation and field verification procedures in the CARETS project

The production of the CARETS map data base involved the development of a series of procedures for interpreting, compiling, and verifying data obtained from remote sensor sources. Level II land use mapping from high-altitude aircraft photography at a scale of 1:100,000 required production of a photomosaic mapping base for each of the 48, 50 x 50 km sheets, and the interpretation and coding of land use polygons on drafting film overlays. CARETS researchers also produced a series of 1970 to 1972 land use change overlays, using the 1970 land use maps and 1972 high-altitude aircraft photography. To enhance the value of the land use sheets, researchers compiled series of overlays showing i cultural features, county boundaries and census tracts, surface geology, and drainage basins. In producing Level I land use maps from Landsat imagery, at a scale I of 1:250,000, interpreters overlaid drafting film directly on Landsat color composite transparencies and interpreted on the film. They found that such interpretation involves pattern and spectral signature recognition. In studies using Landsat imagery, interpreters identified numerous areas of change but also identified extensive areas of "false change," where Landsat spectral signatures but not land use had changed.

Field verification procedures↗
DOE OSTI2019

Module OT PNM Field Demonstration Test Procedure

This document will detail a field demonstration test procedure for the Module OT device developed for the joint NREL-SNL DOE CEDS project titled "Modular Security Apparatus for Managing Distributed Cryptography for Command & Control Messages on Operational Technology (OT) Networks." The aim of this document is to create the testing and evaluation procedure for field demonstration of the device; this includes primarily functional testing and implementation testing at Public Service Company of New Mexico's (PNM's) Prosperity solar site environment. Specifically, the Module OT devices will be integrated into the Prosperity solar site system; traffic will be encrypted between several points of interest at the site (e.g., inverter micrologger and switch). The tests described in this document will be performed to assess the impact and effectiveness of the encryption capabilities provided by the Module OT device.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
NASA NTRS1980

Longitudinal and transverse magnetic field program procedure and detailed specification for Sigma 5

A computer program and procedure for plotting the contour of the data transferred from the Marshall Space Flight Center solar magnetography is presented. The plotted data then can be easily compared with solar data from other sources, such as the Solar Maximum Mission. From the data file for circular polarization the longitudinal program plots the contours for filtered longitudinal plot and intensity plot by choosing the positive and negative contour levels, intensity levels, and also X,Y plotting ranges which need to be used. In a similar manner the transverse program generates the transverse contour plot, azimuth plot, and intensity plot from the linear polarization data files.

Wang, C. K.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Project 57 Air Monitoring Report: January 1 through December 31, 2015

On April 24, 1957, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC, now the Department of Energy [DOE]) conducted the Project 57 safety experiment in western Emigrant Valley north east of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly the Nevada Test Site) on lands withdrawn by the Department of Defense (DOD) for the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The test was undertaken to develop (1) a means of estimating plutonium distribution resulting from a non-nuclear detonation; (2) biomedical evaluation techniques for use in plutonium-laden environments; (3) methods of surface decontamination; and (4) instruments and field procedures for prompt estimation of alpha contamination (Shreve, 1958). Although the test did not result in the fission of nuclear materials, it did disseminate plutonium across the land surface. Following the experiment, the AEC fenced the contaminated area and returned control of the surrounding land to the DOD. Various radiological surveys were performed in the area and in 2007, the DOE expanded the demarked Contamination Area by posting signs 200 to 400 feet (60 to 120 meters) outside of the original fence.

(1)↗
NASA NTRS1981

A comparative study of nonreflecting far-field boundary condition procedures for unsteady transonic flow computation

Various nonreflecting far-field boundary condition procedures are compared by implementing them in the computer code LTRAN2. This code solves the implicit finite-difference representation of the small-disturbance equations for transonic flows about airfoils. The first- and second-approximate nonreflecting conditions, as proposed by Engquist and Majda, are compared with the condition derived from the full-characteristic equation. The far-field boundary conditions and the description of the algorithm for implementing these conditions in LTRAN2 are discussed. Various cases are computed and compared with results from the older, more conventional procedures. One concludes that the full-characteristic equation produces the most effective results, thus allowing the far-field boundary to be located closer to the airfoil; this decreases the computer time required to obtain the solution because fewer mesh points are required.

Kwak, D.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Finite-field Calculations of Molecular Polarizabilities Using Field-Induced Polarization Functions: Second- and Third-order Perturbation Correlation Corrections to the Coupled Hartree-Fock Polarizability of H2O

Ordinary Rayleigh-Schroudinger perturbation theory with Moller-Plesset (RSMP) partitioning is used to calculate second- and third-order correlation corrections to the CHF polarizability and dipole moment of the water molecule by a finite-field procedure. Pade approximants are found to be useful in accelerating the convergence of the property perturbation expansions. Field-induced polarization functions suitable for polarizability calculations are determined. The average polarizability calculated, neglecting vibrational averaging, with Dunning's (9s5p/4s-4s2p/2s) contracted GTO basis set augmented by field-induced lslp2d/lp polarization functions is within 3 per cent of the experimental result. Correlation corrections to the dipole moment and polarizability of the water molecule calculated by the finite-field RSMP and single + double excitation CI(SDCI) methods for the same basis set are found to be in close agreement. The RSMP approach has the advantages of being size-consistent and of being capable of greater efficiency than the SCDI method. Comparative calculations carried out using Epstein-Nesbet partitioning show that through third order RSEN correlation perturbation expansions for the dipole moment and polarizability are less rapidly convergent than RSMP expansions. However, reasonable accord with RSMP results can be achieved by using Pade approximants to accelerate the convergence of RSEN energy perturbation expansions. The convergence of RSMP property correlation expansions based on the zeroth-order uncoupled-Hartree-Fock (UCHF) and coupled-Hartree-Fock (CHF) approximations are compared through third order. Whereas the CHF + RSMP expansions are for practical purposes fully converged, the UCHF + RSMP expansions are not adequately converged.

Langhoff, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Brazil ALDF System Error Analysis

In a cooperative effort among: the Global Hydrology Climate Center (GHCC) of NASA's Marshal Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Atmospheric Electric Group of the Brazilian National Institute of Space Research, the University of San Paulo (USP), and the Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology (INME), a network of four lightning detectors has been established in Brazil's Rhondonian region. This paper surveys the efforts of GHCC researchers to develop algorithms and field procedures which reliable determine lightning strike locations based on site data comprised of the signal time of arrival, and radiated electromagnetic field.

Rompala, John T.↗