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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 OSTI2025

The Upgrade of the SNS Extraction Kicker Power Supplies for the Proton Power Upgrade

The Proton Power Upgrade (PPU) project at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) aims to enhance the linear accelerator's power output from 1.4 to 2.8 megawatts. A critical focus lies on upgrading the Extraction Kicker Power Supplies to handle the amplified beam power. The existing capacitor charging power supplies lacked the capability to charge the Blumlein-type Pulse Forming Network (PFN) to the required 40 kV at a repetition rate of 60 Hz. To address this limitation, an initial solution involving the use of a resonant charging circuit was proposed. However, a challenge arose with a self-firing issue in the thyristor switch, which proved unsolvable within the given timeframe. Facing a critical decision point in the project, an alternative approach was explored: integrating a supplementary power supply to enhance the overall power capacity. This solution was tested and ultimately chosen as the path forward. To accommodate the additional power supply, the power distribution system had to undergo upgrades. Throughout this endeavor, a comprehensive examination of the system took place, with meticulous identification of key components. This paper delves into the technical challenges encountered during the process and the corresponding solutions that were implemented.

Tan, Yugang [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000155968252)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Heating system with induction power supply and electromagnetic acoustic transducer with induction power supply

A system for heating a fluid and an electromagnetic acoustic transducer EMAT system is provided. Both systems have a drive circuit. The amount of heat and the amplitude (and acceleration) of the vibrations is respectively controllable by controlling an input to a terminal of a switch. The heating system comprises a porous graphite foam conductor which is exposed to an electromagnetic field generated by an oscillating circuit. When exposed, the foam conductor conducts induced electric current which heats the same and a fluid in contact with the conductor. The EMAT system comprises at least one magnet configured to generate a static magnetic field, an oscillating circuit and a working element. The working element, when exposed to the static magnetic field and the electromagnetic field produced by the oscillating circuit, vibrates against a load. The vibrations dry the load.

Kisner, Roger A.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Multiport Converter based Auxiliary Power Supply for Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Power Train

This paper presents a multiport converter (MPC) based power supply to charge the 12 V and 24 V auxiliary batteries in heavy duty (HD) fuel cell (FC) electric vehicle (EV) power train. Compared to conventional auxiliary power supply architectures, the proposed architecture shares the power electronic components of the main power train yet preserves the isolation and all other desirable features of auxiliary power supplies. The proposed auxiliary power supply architecture reduces the requirements of the devices, gate drivers and thermal requirements thereby having potential benefits towards improving the power density, cost and weight of the overall power train. The topology, design parameters and control methodology are discussed, and results are presented to validate the proposed architecture.

Mukherjee, Subho↗
DOE OSTI2022

Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor Vulnerability Evaluation in DC Power Supplies at the Spallation Neutron Source

The service life of electrolytic capacitors is a concern for long-term reliable operation of power supplies. The Power Conversion Group at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) facility of Oak Ridge National Laboratory is responsible for more than 500 power supplies with over 1000 electrolytic capacitors installed in these power supplies. Most of the electrolytic capacitors have been in operation since 2007 and are either well over or close to the manufacturer provided lifetime. This paper addresses this vulnerability to ensure continued reliable operation of the SNS. The power supply circuit is simulated in a MATLAB/Simulink environment to quantify the capacitor ripple current and operating voltage. Combined with manufacturer data, this information is used to estimate capacitor lifetime. Utilizing the simulation results and lifetime projections of the capacitors, capacitor replacements for the power supplies is prioritized. To assess end-of-life, the ambient temperature and ripple current of the capacitor is used. Based on the manufacturer's data and scientific literature review, capacitor end-of-life is established. The results of the simulations and analysis is presented. Data on the highest priority supplies will also be presented, and statistics on the capacitor performance, reliability and remaining lifetime will be shown.

Harave, Sudarshan↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design of 3He Solenoid Power Supply at BNL

The design of the 3He solenoid power supply at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has been completed and construction is underway. The power supply is an upgrade of the existing Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS) solenoid power supply and thus can be used as an operational spare. It is also capable of driving a solenoid magnet that rotates the 3He spin direction. The design is based on the original EBIS solenoid power supply, incorporating bipolar output and short circuit protection features to address the expanded requirements for spin rotation. The output current is a half sine wave of 13ms duration at the repetition rate of 5Hz, with the amplitude of 1900A. This paper will discuss the design and construction status of the 3He solenoid power supply.

Tan, Yugang↗
DOE OSTI2021

Efficiency, Power Loss, and Power Factor Measurement of Quadrupole Magnet Power Supplies at the Spallation Neutron Source

The linear accelerator (LINAC) quadrupole magnets are powered by 42 silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) based power supplies at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) facility of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These 35V, 525A power supplies are bulky, inefficient and require both air and water cooling. The reliability of the SNS facility is impacted due to water leaks internal to power supplies and current readback issues associated with their unique control system interface, resulting in multiple downtime events. Hence, an alternate solution is necessary for the continued reliable operation of the SNS. To mitigate the above-mentioned problems, this paper proposes the use of off-the-shelf Switch Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) rated for 20V, 500A with serial control interface. These SMPS are air-cooled, more efficient and more compact owing to their switching speeds of approximately 160 kHz. The performance enhancements of the SMPS in comparison with the existing SCR power supply are discussed in detail in this paper. The features of the SMPS, along with experimental results for both power supplies, like efficiency, power losses and stability, are presented. Ongoing work is also discussed.

Harave, Sudarshan↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Low-Profile Gate Power Supply for a SiC Phase Leg with Reduced Isolation Capacitance

Gate driver power supply (GDPS) for SiC devices needs power to 5 W as the switching frequency increases to hundreds of kHz. Resonant converters with planar magnetics demand GDPS with a lower profile. Also, the isolation capacitance (Cp) needs to be minimized for SiC devices with high dv/dt. This paper proposed a planar 5 W*2, 20 V isolated gate power supply for a SiC phase leg in the EV traction inverter. Air-core magnetics with PCB windings are applied for low profile. A single-switch resonant Class-E topology is proposed with zero-voltage switching at 6.78 MHz to minimize the magnetics footprint for a 6 pF Cp. Compared with commercial power supplies with similar power, the proposed power supply reduced the profile and Cp by more than half without sacrificing its efficiency and power density.

Li, Bo↗
DOE OSTI2022

Power supply circuit with multiple stages for converting high voltage to low voltage and power train having the same

A power supply circuit for converting a first voltage to a second voltage where the first voltage is greater than the second voltage, and a power train having the same, are provided. The power supply circuit may have multiple stages and each stage of the power supply circuit may include a first circuit block configured to provide a start-up power to a second circuit block; a second circuit block configured to generate a Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM) signal that controls a pulse duration of a transistor; a third circuit block configured to activate or deactivate the transistor based on the PWM signal; a fourth circuit block configured to reset a magnetic flux in a transformer to a zero state when the transistor is deactivated; and a fifth circuit block configured to maintain an output of a stage below a predetermined value by adjusting a voltage across the transformer.

Singh, Brij N.↗
DOE OSTI2025

A High-Current Pulsed Prototype Power Supply

The Accelerator Controls Operations Research Network (ACORN) project aims to modernize the accelerator control system and replace aging power supplies at Fermilab. As part of this effort, outdated RF ferrite bias power supplies will be redesigned. These power supplies are essential for tuning the resonant frequency of RF cavities by delivering programmable current outputs of up to 2500 A and voltages ranging from −10 V to +35 V. They operate at a repetition rate of 15 Hz in the Booster ring, and 1 Hz at the Main Injector ring. The power supplies utilize a bank of transistors in the linear region, connected in parallel with the load, to actively regulate the output current from a 12-pulse SCR bridge. To support this upgrade, a new bias power supply topology was developed as proof of concept. The design utilizes an IGBT Hbridge operating in Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) mode, controlled by a microcontroller. A prototype, constructed using spare components, successfully delivered an output current of 500 A at a repetition rate of 15 Hz during initial testing. The circuit's bandwidth was measured at 480 Hz, highlighting opportunities for further optimization in the controller design to achieve the target bandwidth of 2 kHz.

Bullman, Austin [ORNL]↗
DOE OSTI2024

Power Supply Options for the Marpi Landfill, Saipan: Addendum to 2023 Feasibility Study

The Marpi Landfill (Marpi or the landfill), located on the northern end of the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is powered by an on-site diesel generator that only operates when the landfill is open and staffed. The CNMI Office of Planning and Development (OPD) aspires to provide the Marpi Landfill with 24-hour power availability despite its remote location and to increase sustainable energy consumption within the CNMI. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) authored a feasibility study in 2023 that explores alternative power supply options for the landfill. This feasibility study (hereafter referred to as Phase I of this study) culminated in a report named “Power Supply Options for the Marpi Landfill, Saipan.” In Phase I, the project team investigated and prioritized seven different power supply scenarios (Table ES-1) for the landfill according to Solid Waste (SW) Taskforce priorities. The project team found that Scenario 4 (100 kW of solar photovoltaic [PV] generation, a 75 kW/300 kWh battery energy storage system [BESS], and 160 kW of diesel generation) ranked highest. Following the Phase I feasibility study, the SW Taskforce secured additional funding for PNNL to assess additional considerations regarding power supply options for Marpi. The purpose of Phase II of this study is to investigate these additional considerations, as compiled in this addendum. Some of the findings compiled here replace findings from the original report. The project team evaluated additional considerations regarding power supply options for the landfill, including modified operations to account for 24/7 power supply, electrified landfill equipment, new and replacement distribution line costs, and the social cost of carbon.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Europe’s energy policy based on large-scale use of renewables most likely will require supplemental power supplies to balance their electrical power systems

Political decisions toward an increased role for renewable energy sources (wind & solar) in Europe will have an impact on the functioning of the electrical power systems that will have to be offset due to the inherent intermittent nature of renewable sources. The offset can be accomplished either through increasing non-renewable energy supply and production from other means, including purchasing Russian piped natural gas and LNG, or decreasing demand by curtailing power consumption. Europe likely will also need increased energy supplies to cover reduced gas production in the North Sea and Netherlands. Also, expected disconnection of Baltic states from the BRELL (Belarus-Russia-EstoniaLatvia-Lithuania) grid will force these countries to acquire electricity from Europe, resulting in increased demands on the European power grid that will require additional capacity to offset.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

10 kV Class 14 MHz Isolated Power Supply

This paper presents a single-switch based isolated power supply, utilizing a PCB based core-less transformer to achieve high inter-winding isolation and low common-mode capacitance. Detailed design procedure, considering the transformer to achieve full range ZVS, minimize voltage stress and minimize RMS currents is presented. The proposed methodology is experimentally validated at 14 MHz, with a load variation of 10:1 in output power and a maximum output power of 4 W. The proposed power supply is useful in applications such as MV gate drives and sensors.

Tessaro Andrade, Elvey [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000225919↗
DOE OSTI2027

Design and Integration of High Precision Superconducting Magnet Power Supply Systems

This paper reviews the design and integration approach being taken to power more than 400 superconducting magnets in Electron Ion Collider (EIC) by power supplies ranging from 20V to 400V and 100A to 18kA. A major challenge is to integrate existing legacy power supplies with new high current systems and maximize performance and reduce costs. Successful implementation requires coordinated integration of power convertors, current regulation, quench protection, energy extraction, machine protection, controls and existing accelerator infrastructure.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Multi-objective Decisions on Integrated Energy Systems Planning and Operation for Industrial Combined Heat and Power Supply

Unlike the power sector—which can transmit electricity over long distances via established grids—the industrial sector poses a unique challenge due to its geographically concentrated large-scale heat processes. Enhancing energy security in such industrial parks provides a dual benefit: reduced exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices and improved economic viability, largely driven by economies of scale in energy supply and distribution. This study presents a comprehensive technoeconomic analysis of a nuclear energy hub, employing a mechanism-focused approach to evaluate uncertainties in operational strategies and capacity optimization. Load profiles from three major energy intesive industries—chemical, refinery, and steelmaking—are examined, each presenting unique challenges and opportunities for nuclear energy integration. We adopt a multi-objective optimization framework, converting multiple objectives into a single objective function through the e-constraint method. The findings highlight clear trade-offs between system conditions and varying levels of energy independence. Overall, this analysis is granular enough to address industry-specific concerns yet sufficiently generalizable to provide actionable insights into the feasibility of nuclear-based clean heat solutions for the industrial sector.

25 - ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Power supply including a nonlinear transmission line that receives a single input pulse and outputs a plurality of pulses

Technologies pertaining to a power supply that includes a nonlinear transmission line are described herein. In an embodiment, a DC power supply comprises a pulsing circuit that receives a DC input and outputs a first plurality of pulses having a first frequency to a nonlinear transmission line. The nonlinear transmission line receives the first plurality of pulses and outputs a second plurality of pulses having a second frequency that is greater than the first frequency. The second plurality of pulses is then received at an amplifier/rectifier circuit that amplifies the second pulses to increase a voltage amplitude of the pulses, and rectifies the pulses to provide a substantially constant DC output.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

A Prototype High-Voltage Pulsed Power Supply for Control of the ITER Shattered Pellet Injection System Flyer Plate Valve

A high-voltage pulsed power supply (HVPPS) has been designed, prototyped, and tested for driving an eddy current actuated propellant valve for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) disruption mitigation system. The high-voltage (HV) dc supply output voltage is software programmable, and the energy storage capacitor bank can be readily reconfigured as 200, 400, 600, and 800 μ F, enabling testing and optimization of both the valve drive and valve systems. Multiple system parameters are monitored before, during, and after each firing of the valve. The system parameters are both displayed and stored for further analysis. Control of the setup, firing sequence, and data collection is automated using a LabVIEW-based control program. The programmability and reconfigurability of this system collectively provide a flexible and robust platform for system refinement and optimization. In this article, a summary of the system will be provided including operational sequences, HV switching and associated triggering methods and circuits, and results measured while firing a solid frozen pellet. Additionally, planned refinement activities toward meeting all requirements for ITER integration will be discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Progress in development of pulsed resonant charging power supply for the Spallation Neutron Source extraction kicker PFN system

A conceptual design of the pulsed resonant charging power supply (RCPS) for the beam extraction system of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was previously reported at the 2019 IEEE Pulsed Power & Plasma Science Conference (PPPS 2019) [1]. Development and testing of the prototype supply continued through the year to finalize the design ahead of the Proton Power Upgrade (PPU). Testing revealed reliability issues with the original resonant charging scheme related to the step-up transformer core. Additional components were incorporated into the system, and some of the original prototype components were replaced to improve performance and reliability of the power supply. This paper describes the changes in the resonant charging scheme, presents the results of testing of the improved prototype at full power level, and shows the final design of the RCPS.

Peplov, Vladimir↗
DOE OSTI2024

Transversely driven coherent beam oscillations and specifications for high-frequency ESR dipole power supply current ripple

We study coherent transverse beam oscillations in the EIC electron storage ring (ESR), to specify the tolerance for high-frequency ripple of the dipole magnet power supplies. To avoid unacceptable proton emittance growth from the oscillating beam-beam kick from the electrons, the amplitude of these oscillations at the proton betatron frequency needs to be limited to about 1e-4 fraction of the beam size at the interaction point. We show that the oscillations potentially caused by the ESR magnet dipole power supply ripple could be substantial, but still tolerable, if we account for the eddy current shielding in the vacuum chamber.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗