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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

A high-efficiency cryogenic neutron spin flipper for IMAGINE-X at the high flux isotope reactor

The Laue neutron macromolecular crystallography beamline, IMAGINE, at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) is undergoing a major upgrade to incorporate the dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) technique. Upon completion, the new IMAGINE-X instrument is expected to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the diffraction data by an order of magnitude. To take full advantage of the benefits of DNP, both a highly polarized neutron beam and a high-efficiency neutron spin flipper are required. We have developed a compact cryogenic spin flipper utilizing the Meissner effect in high-Tc yttrium–barium–copper–oxide superconducting films. The flipper has been successfully tested at two HFIR neutron development beamlines, Larmor and Poplar, with neutron wavelengths of 5.3 and 2.4 Å respectively. At Larmor, a flipping efficiency of 0.995 ± 0.004 was achieved for 5.3 Å neutrons, and at Poplar, efficiency of up to 0.9987 ± 0.0004 was obtained for 2.4 Å neutrons. Both tests demonstrated the flipper’s excellent performance and suitability for integration into IMAGINE-X.

Fu, Sichao [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), ↗
DOE OSTI2024

IMAGINE BioSecurity: Mesocosm-Based Methods to Evaluate Biocontainment Strategies and Impact of Industrial Microbes Upon Native Ecosystems

Project Goals: The Integrative Modeling and Genome-scale Engineering for Biosystems Security (IMAGINE BioSecurity) SFA project seeks to establish an understanding of the behavior of engineered microbes in controlled versus environmental conditions to predictively devise new strategies for responding to biological escape. To this end, the IMAGINE Team has established a plant-soil mesocosm platform to track and quantify the fate of industrial microbes in environmental systems and assess the efficacy of biocontainment constraints upon genetically engineered microbe escape frequency and the impact of industrial microbes upon native ecological microbiomes. Abstract Text: Genetically modified industrial production microbes and their associated bioproducts have emerged as an integral component of a sustainable bioeconomy. However, the rapid development of these innovative technologies raises biosecurity concerns, namely, the risk of environmental escape. Thus, the realization of a bioeconomy hinges not only on the development and deployment of microbial production hosts, but also on the development of secure biosystems and biocontainment designs. Current laboratory-based biocontainment testing systems do not accurately reflect complexities found in natural environments, necessitating an environmentally relevant analysis pipeline that allows for the detection of rare escapees, the effect of associated bio-products, and the impact on native ecologies. To this end, we have developed an approach that utilizes soil mesocosms and integrated systems analyses to evaluate the efficacy of novel biocontainment strategies and to assess the impact of production systems upon terrestrial microbiome dynamics. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by modeling a contamination with industrial microbial chasses versus their biocontained counterparts. Here we demonstrate the broad utility of this system by highlighting findings from both strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are contained with an inducible toxin anti-toxin system, and stains of Escherichia coli that are contained via genomic recoding. The resultant data demonstrate that this system has broad utility across diverse microbial chassis and biocontainment strategies, enables us to track the fate of our contaminating microbe with high sensitivity in the soil, as well as monitor broader impacts of the perturbation on the underlying soil system. The findings presented here support the use of this mesocosm-based approach to assess the environmental impact of industrial microbes and to validate biocontainment strategies.

BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES,INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYS↗
DOE OSTI2020

IMAGINE: The neutron protein crystallography beamline at the high flux isotope reactor

IMAGINE is a high intensity, quasi-Laue neutron crystallography beamline developed at the 85 MW High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This state-of-the-art facility for neutron-diffraction enables neutron protein structures to be determined at or near atomic resolutions from crystals with volumes of < 1 mm 3 and unit cell edges of < 150 Å. The beamline features include elliptical focusing mirrors that deliver neutrons into a 2.0 × 3.2 mm 2 focal spot at the sample position, and variable short and long wavelength cutoff optics that provide automated exchange between multiple wavelength configurations. The beamline is equipped with a single-axis goniometer, neutron-sensitive cylindrical image plate detector and room temperature and cryogenic sample environments. This article describes the beamline components, the diffractometer and the data collection and data analysis protocols that are used, and outlines the protein deuteration, crystallization and conventional crystallography capabilities that are available to users at ORNL's neutron facilities. We also present examples of the scientific questions being addressed at this beamline and highlight important findings in enzyme chemistry that have been made possible by IMAGINE.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Engage the Public in Science and Embrace Future Change with Human-Centric Stories, Art, and Imaginings

Human-centric stories that weave in real scientific data may be able to engage the public in environmental issues that do not yet directly affect them. Science fiction and artistically rendered futuristic scenarios can unleash the imagination and act as a lens to envision technological, social, and cultural aspects of transitioning to clean energy. Cultures with strong oral traditions use stories to record history, develop a shared identity, pass on environmental lessons, and prepare for future change. Through the lenses of our non-physical science disciplines (cultural anthropology and environmental sociology), we discuss challenges to communicating science, the use of narratives to illustrate ecosystem processes, and we report on a collaborative, interdisciplinary workshop and book project that is creating narratives of hope and visions for the future through inspiring art, short stories, and essays. We explore the surprising potential of 'cli-fi,' humor, games, and the research behind emotion and imagination-driven engagement. We describe methods that help people visualize their future well-being and we explore opportunities to spread those methods.

clean energy↗
DOE OSTI2013

IMAGINE: first neutron protein structure and new capabilities for neutron macromolecular crystallography

The first high-resolution neutron protein structure of perdeuterated rubredoxin from Pyrococcus furiosus ( Pf Rd) determined using the new IMAGINE macromolecular neutron crystallography instrument at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is reported. Neutron diffraction data extending to 1.65 Å resolution were collected from a relatively small 0.7 mm 3 Pf Rd crystal using 2.5 d (60 h) of beam time. The refined structure contains 371 out of 391, or 95%, of the D atoms of the protein and 58 solvent molecules. The IMAGINE instrument is designed to provide neutron data at or near atomic resolution (1.5 Å) from crystals with volume <1.0 mm 3 and with unit-cell edges <100 Å. Beamline features include novel elliptical focusing mirrors that deliver neutrons into a 2.0 × 3.2 mm focal spot at the sample position with full-width vertical and horizontal divergences of 0.5 and 0.6°, respectively. Variable short- and long-wavelength cutoff optics provide automated exchange between multiple-wavelength configurations (λ min = 2.0, 2.8, 3.3 Å to λ max = 3.0, 4.0, 4.5, ~20 Å). These optics produce a more than 20-fold increase in the flux density at the sample and should help to enable more routine collection of high-resolution data from submillimetre-cubed crystals. Notably, the crystal used to collect these Pf Rd data was 5–10 times smaller than those previously reported.

Meilleur, Flora↗
DOE OSTI2015

CS651 Computer Systems Security Foundations 3d Imagination Cyber Security Management Plan

3d Imagination is a new company that bases its business on selling and improving 3d open source related hardware. The devices that they sell include 3d imagers, 3d printers, pick and place machines and laser etchers. They have a fast company intranet for ease in sharing, storing and printing large, complex 3d designs. They have an employee set that requires a variety of operating systems including Windows, Mac and a variety of Linux both for running business services as well as design and test machines. There are a wide variety of private networks for testing transfer rates to and from the 3d devices, without interference with other network tra c. They do video conferencing conferencing with customers and other designers. One of their machines is based on the project found at delta.firepick.org(Krassenstein, 2014; Biggs, 2014), which in future, will perform most of those functions. Their devices all include embedded systems, that may have full blown operating systems. Most of their systems are designed to have swappable parts, so when a new technology is born, it can be quickly adopted by people with 3d Imagination hardware. This company is producing a fair number of systems and components, however to get the funding they need to mass produce quality parts, so they are preparing for an IPO to raise the funds they need. They would like to have a cyber-security audit performed so they can give their investors con dence that they are protecting their data, customers information and printers in a proactive manner.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Bayesian inference of nuclear symmetry energy from measured and imagined neutron skin thickness in Sn 116 , 118 , 120 , 122 , 124 , 130 , 132 , Pb 208 , and Ca 48

The neutron skin thickness Δr np in heavy nuclei has been known as one of the most sensitive terrestrial probes of the nuclear symmetry energy E sym (ρ) around $\frac{2}{3}$ of the saturation density ρ 0 of nuclear matter. Existing neutron skin data mostly from hadronic observables suffer from large uncertainties and their extraction from experiments are often strongly model dependent. While waiting eagerly for the promised model-independent and high-precision neutron skin data for 208 Pb and 48 Ca from the parity-violating electron scattering experiments (PREX-II and CREX at JLab as well as MREX at MESA), within the Bayesian statistical framework using the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock model we infer the posterior probability distribution functions (PDFs) of the slope parameter L of the nuclear symmetry energy at ρ 0 from imagined Δr np ( 208 Pb)=0.15, 0.20, and 0.30 fm with a 1σ error bar of 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06 fm, respectively, as well as Δr np ( 48 Ca)=0.12, 0.15, and 0.25 fm, with different 1σ error bar of 0.01 and 0.02 fm, respectively. The results are compared with the PDFs of L inferred using the same approach from the available Δr np data for 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 130, 132 Sn from hadronic probes. They are also compared with results from a recent Bayesian analysis of the radius and tidal deformability data of canonical neutron stars from GW170817 and NICER. The neutron skin data for Sn isotopes gives L = 45.5 $^{+ 26.5}_{-21.6}$ MeV surrounding its mean value or L = 53 . 4 $^{+ 18.6}_{ -29.5}$ MeV surrounding its maximum a posteriori value, respectively, with the latter smaller than but consistent with the L = 66 $^{+ 12}_{-20}$ MeV from the neutron star data within their 68% confidence intervals. We found that Δr np = 0.17 –0.18 fm in 208 Pb with an error bar of about 0.02 fm leads to a PDF of L compatible with that from analyzing the Sn data. To provide additionally useful information on L extracted from the Δr np of Sn isotopes, the experimental error bar of Δr np in 208 Pb should be at least smaller than 0.06 fm aimed by some current experiments. In addition, the Δr np ( 48 Ca) needs to be larger than 0.15 fm but smaller than 0.25 fm to be compatible with the Sn and/or neutron star results. To further improve our current knowledge about L and distinguish its PDFs in the examples considered, even higher precisions leading to significantly less than ±20 MeV error bars for L at 68% confidence level are necessary.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Simulating Buildings While the Design is Still in the Architect's Imagination

Very early in the design process, prior to drawing a single line, architects get information from their client or prospective client trying to understand the nature and requirements of the building that needs to be designed. The design of the building is completely fluid, as the architect considers many options in their imagination. The overall massing of the building, the general shape and form, are being considered during this early step. Even for a simple box-shaped building, the aspect ratio between the east-west and the north-south dimensions of the building can greatly impact energy consumption due to daylighting availability. The prevailing winds and building orientation can impact natural ventilation. The locations of high and low population density spaces can also impact energy use. Deciding the floor area per office workstation or the size of the auditorium will impact energy use. Does making a building two stories instead of one reduce energy impacts by reducing roof area or does the additional volume for stairs and elevators result in more energy use. Since certain types of spaces require more windows for occupants than others, the locations of those spaces will determine how much glazing each building orientation has impacting daylighting as well as heating and cooling energy. The project was an attempted first step toward creating a system tailored toward architects for this very early stage in the design process to help them understand the energy impacts of design options. The approach was not to be based on drawing the building, and instead, the main inputs would have been the size of each type of space in the building. This report describes information gathered during the development that might be of use to others developing similar software as well as some of the software that was developed during the project. Phase II funding to continue this work was not pursued due to intellectual property issues discovered during the development of the commercialization plan.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design and Optimization of the IMAGINE-X Diffractometer at NB1

An upgraded protein crystal diffractometer with Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) is proposed for installation during the next HFIR Beryllium Reflector Replacement. The diffractometer will replace the IMAGINE protein crystal diffraction instrument currently located at CG4D. The simulation design meets the needs as requested in the science requirements document.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2015

“Prophetic vision, vivid imagination”: The 1927 Mississippi River flood

The 1927 flood in the Lower Mississippi River was the most destructive flood in American history, inundating more than 70,000 km 2 of land, resulting in approximately 500 fatalities and leaving more than 700,000 people homeless. Despite the prominence of the 1927 flood, details on the flood, and the storms that produced the flood, are sparse. We examine the hydrometeorology and hydroclimatology of the 1927 flood in the Lower Mississippi River through downscaling simulations of the storms that were responsible for catastrophic flooding and through empirical analyses of rainfall and streamflow records. We use Twentieth Century Reanalysis fields as boundary conditions and initial conditions for downscaling simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. We place the hydrometeorological analyses of the 1927 storms in a hydroclimatological context through analyses of the Twentieth Century Reanalysis fields. Analyses are designed to assess the physical processes that control the upper tail of flooding in the Lower Mississippi River. We compare the 1927 flood in the Lower Mississippi River to floods in 1937 and 2011 that represent the most extreme flooding in the Lower Mississippi River.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Novel portable press for synchrotron time-resolved 3-D micro-imagining under extreme conditions

Here we present the instrumental development to extend the synchrotron X-ray microtomography techniques to in situ studies under static compression (HP) or shear stress or the both conditions at high temperatures (HT). To achieve this, a new rotating tomography Paris-Edinburgh cell (rotoPEc) has been developed. This ultra-compact portable device, easily and successfully adapted to various multi-modal synchrotron experimental set-up at ESRF, SOLEIL and DIAMOND is explained in detail.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Imagine Homes New Construction Occupied Test House

This report summarizes the research findings of a long-term monitoring plan to evaluate the performance of an energy-efficient home constructed in 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. Monitoring of the energy use, energy generation, and temperature conditions for this project occurred between July 2010 and October 2011. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system effectively maintained acceptable temperatures and humidity levels in peak cooling and heating and non-peak operating periods. Discrepancies were found between modeled and actual energy use values, with actual space cooling energy use closest to the corresponding modeled value. Energy consumption predicted for lighting, appliances, and miscellaneous electrical loads was significantly higher than measured amounts, and energy consumption predicted for cooling was significantly lower than measured amounts. A high amount of the 1,600 kWh of PV-generated electricity produced annually was sent to the electric grid every month. The solar thermal DHW system was the main source of hot water for most of the year and performed well; during summer, electrical use by the backup system was rare.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2012

International Microgrid Assessment. Governance, INcentives, and Experience (IMAGINE)

Microgrids can provide an avenue for increasing the amount of distributed generation and delivery of electricity, where control is more dispersed and quality of service is locally tailored to end-use requirements. Much of this functionality is very different from the predominant utility model to date of centralized power production which is then transmitted and distributed across long distances with a uniform quality of service. This different functionality holds much promise for positive change, in terms of increasing reliability, energy efficiency, and renewable energy while decreasing and carbon emissions. All of these functions should provide direct cost savings for customers and utilities as well as positive externalities for society. As we have seen from the international experience, allowing microgrids to function in parallel with the grid requires some changes in electricity governance and incentives to capture cost savings and actively price in positive externalities. If China can manage to implement these governance changes and create those incentive policies, it will go beyond the establishment of a successful microgrid demonstration program and become an international leader in microgrid deployment.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Imagine Homes New Construction Occupied Test House

This report summarizes the research findings of a long-term monitoring plan to evaluate the performance of an energy-efficient home constructed in 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. Monitoring of the energy use, energy generation, and temperature conditions for this project occurred between July 2010 and October 2011. The home achieves a source energy savings of 32% without the installed photovoltaic (PV) system and 44% savings with the PV system contribution relative to the Building America House Simulation Protocols. This report summarizes the research findings related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system performance, estimated and actual energy use of key subsystems, electricity generation by the PV system, and performance of the solar thermal domestic hot water system.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

Initiating a Roadmap for Solar Fuels R&D: Imagining Beyond Thermochemical Cycles

Sandia National Laboratories in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory outline a framework for developing a solar fuels roadmap based on novel concepts for hybridizing gas-splitting thermochemical cycle s with high-temperature electro chemical steps. We call this concept SoHyTEC, a Solar Hybrid Thermochemical-Electrochemical Cycle. The strategy focuses on transforming purely thermochemical cycles that split water (H 2 O) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to produce hydrogen (H 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO) , respectively, the fundamental chemical building blocks for diverse fuels and chemicals , by substituting thermochemical reactions with high-temperature electrochemical steps. By invoking high-temperature electrochemistry, the energy required to complete the gas-splitting cycle is divided into a thermal component (process temperature) and an electrical component (applied voltage). These components, sourced from solar energy, are independently variable knobs to maximize overall process efficiency. Furthermore, a small applied voltage can reduce cycle process temperature by hundreds of degrees , opening the door to cost-effective solar concentrators and practical receiver/reactor de signs. Using the SoHyTEC concept as a backdrop, we outline a framework that advocates developing methods for automating information gathering, critically evaluating thermochemical cycles for adapting into SoHyTEC, establishing requirements based on thermodynamic analysis, and developing a model-based approach to benchmarking a SoHyTEC system against a baseline concentrating solar thermal integrated electrolysis plant. We feel these framework elements are a necessary precursor to creating a robust and adaptive technology development roadmap for producing solar fuels using SoHyTEC. In one example, we introduce high-temperature electrochemistry as a method to manipulate a fully stoichiometric two-step metal oxide cycle that circumvents costly separation processes and ultra-high cycle temperatures. We also identify and group water-splitting chemistries that are conceptually amenable to hybridization.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗