Instrumentation Design and Testing Thoughts [Slides]
Slides for a presentation discussing methodologies and instruments used to test radiation in the lunar environment.
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
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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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Preliminary Process and Instrumentation Design of Advanced Reactor Integration with Refineries and Hydrogen Production Facilities
With the ongoing push to decarbonize energy use and especially greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors, there are incentives to investigate how nuclear reactors may be used to generate clean energy and be used in various energy economies beyond just the electrical grid. Two initial integrations, high temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) and oil refineries, are investigated in this first DOE Integrated Energy Systems (IES) program detailed industrial integration design report. Increasingly detailed reports are anticipated both for the industries discussed in this report and for additional industries in the future of the program. This report is a robust starting point showing how integration thermodynamic analysis establishes the requirements on the reactor and methods by which those requirements can be evaluated for specific reactor designs. Two Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program awardees are selected as representative designs for their respective technologies: NuScale for light-water reactors (LWRs) and X-Energy for high temperature gas reactors (HTGRs). Other reactor technologies or specific reactor configurations would require specific analysis similar to what is done in this report, thus this report can be a reference point by which to extend this work to other nuclear plant designs.
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
Instrument design for an inertial confinement fusion ion temperature imager
A mix of contaminant mass is a known, performance-limiting factor for laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF). It has also recently been shown that the contaminant mass is not necessarily in thermal equilibrium with the deuterium–tritium plasma. Contaminant mass temperature is one of the dominant uncertainties in contaminant mass estimates. The MixIT diagnostic is a new and potentially transformative diagnostic, capable of spatially resolving ion temperature. The approach combines principles of neutron time-of-flight and neutron imaging diagnostics. The information from the MixIT diagnostic can be used to optimize ICF target and laser drive designs as well as provide key constraints on ICF radiation-hydrodynamic simulations that are critical to contaminant mass estimates. This work details the design and optimization of the major components of the MixIT diagnostic: the neutron aperture, the neutron detector (scintillator), and the recording system.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
Vector Potential Photoelectron Microscopy Instrument Design
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99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
A Workflow for Combining Multiple MCNP Models and Debugging Geometries using Geomwriter and FLAIR
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Altahhan, Ramzy [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000264158152)↗
Preliminary Process and Instrumentation Design of Advanced Reactor Integration with Refineries and Hydrogen Production Facilities [Slides]
The IES program has identified specific industries that are high priority for characterizing nuclear thermal integration. Foundational reference integration designs are needed both for research reference and communication with industry.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Design and instrumentation for permanent magnet samples exposed to a radiation environment
This work is part of a larger program to study the effects of radiation on permanent magnets in an accelerator environment. In order to be sure that the permanent magnet samples are accurately placed, measured, and catalogued we have developed a system of sample racks, holders and measuring apparatuses. We have combined these holders and measurement racks with electronics to allow a single computer to catalogue the position and intensity of the magnet measurements. We outline the design of the apparatus, the collection software, and the methodology we will use to collect the data.
Accelerator Physics↗
Resolve instrument onboard XRISM: design, integration, and instrument test results
The Resolve instrument onboard the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) consists of an array of 6 × 6 silicon-thermistor microcalorimeters cooled down to 50 mK and a high-throughput X-ray mirror assembly (XMA) with a focal length of 5.6 m. XRISM is a recovery mission of ASTRO-H/Hitomi, and the Resolve instrument is a rebuild of the ASTRO-H Soft X-ray spectrometer (SXS) and the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) that achieved energy resolution of ∼ 5 eV FWHM on orbit, with several important changes based on lessons learned from ASTRO-H. The flight models of the Dewar and the electronics boxes were fabricated, and the instrument test and calibration were conducted in 2021. By tuning the cryocooler frequencies, energy resolution better than 4.9 eV FWHM at 6 keV was demonstrated for all 36 pixels and high-resolution grade events, as well as energy-scale accuracy better than 2 eV up to 30 keV. The immunity of the detectors to microvibration, electrical conduction, and radiation was evaluated. The instrument was delivered to the spacecraft system in April 2022. The XMA was tested and calibrated separately. Its angular resolution is 1.27′, and the effective area of the mirror itself is 570 cm 2 at 1 keV and 424 cm 2 at 6 keV. We report the design and the major changes from the ASTRO-H SXS, the integration, and the results of the instrument test.
X-ray↗
An Instrumented Capsule Design to Measure Thermal Conductivity in Miniature UO2 Specimens
Numerous separate effects irradiations of miniature nuclear fuel specimens have been conducted in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) under the experimental platform designated as MiniFuel. MiniFuel is a static irradiation capability in which microstructural evolution and fuel performance phenomena are observed during postirradiation examination thereby offering a snapshot of the terminal fuel characteristics. This approach inherently requires fielding an irradiation where the experimental conditions are determined using predictive models and the pertinent outcomes are measured at the end of the test. Static irradiations can provide useful insights to the relationships between fuel performance and the pivotal irradiation conditions, namely temperature and burnup, but the ability to monitor fuel performance in situ would further support fuel development and qualification. To this end, an instrumented experiment design is being developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to capture thermal conductivity degradation and fission gas release during HFIR irradiation. These phenomena will be monitored using unique capsule designs that each target a different phenomenon. This paper details the thermal conductivity capsule (TCC) design and its expected performance envelope as determined using computer models. Each TCC will contain a miniature UO2 disc specimen (~0.5 mm thick × 5 mm diameter) sandwiched between metallic slugs with embedded thermocouples. The coupling of in situ temperature measurements, known thermal conductivity of the metallic components, and heat generation rates computed using high-fidelity neutronics models make the thermal conductivity measurement possible. This paper describes the reactor physics and heat transfer models used to predict the capsule’s performance and the methodology for calculating the fuel specimen’s thermal conductivity from the thermocouple measurements.
Gorton, Jacob [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000269806083)↗
Design of Instrumentation for Noble Gas Transport in LSTL Needed for Model Development
Development of molten salt reactors (MSRs) requires consideration of several physical phenomena that are different from the light water reactor (LWR) experience. While small-scale tests have been performed to understand the behavior of molten salts, the scale-up to larger experiments is an important step in the development of MSR designs. These small-scale experiments have given information on the thermodynamic state of the heat transport fluid and its constituents, thermophysical properties, convective flow, and corrosion. As detailed models have been developed, using these models to simulate larger scale experiments must incorporate physics that becomes important during scale-up, temperature inhomogeneities, complex flow behavior, and two-phase flow. The purpose of the work package has been to link experimental and modeling efforts in the support of licensing development to design and evaluate technologies to mitigate radionuclide release from MSRs. There were two main activities in this work package—one investigating fission product transport into the cover gas and the other on fission gas transport in the molten salt.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Evaluation of gamma-ray transmission through rectangular collimator slits for application in nuclear fuel spectrometry
Gamma-ray spectrometry is widely applied in several science fields, and in particular in non-destructive gamma scanning and gamma emission tomography of irradiated nuclear fuel. Usually, a collimator is used in the experimental setup, to selectively interrogate a region of interest in the fuel. For the optimization of instrument design, as well as for planning measurement campaigns, predictive models for the transmitted gamma-ray intensity through the collimator are needed. Commonly, Monte Carlo Radiation Transport tools are used for accurate prediction of gamma-ray transport, however, the long computation time requirements when used in low-efficiency experimental setups present challenges. Here, the full-energy peak intensity transmitted through a rectangular collimator slit was examined. A uniform planar surface source emitting isotropically was considered, and the rate of photons reaching an ideal counter plane on the opposite side of the collimator was evaluated by analytical integration. To find a closed-form primitive function, some idealizations were required, and thereby parametric models were obtained for the optical field of view, dependent on slit dimensions (length, height and width) and source-to-collimator distance. For contributions from outside the optical field of view, where a closed-form expression cannot be found, fast numerical integral methods were instead used. The results were validated using the Monte Carlo code MCNP6 and show an agreement within three percent for the numerical method. For the analytical method, deviations up to tens of percent were obtained, which is deemed to still be sufficient for instrument design and measurement planning, where often the order of magnitude of the count rate is not a priori known. The method is planned for use in iterative optimization routines in the design of Gamma Emission Tomography devices, as well as for the prediction of gamma spectra obtained in the planning of fuel inspections. An application of the proposed method was demonstrated in spectrum prediction for a short cooling-time fuel rod test from the Halden reactor.
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
Overview on Shielding Analyses for the VENUS Instrument at SNS
VENUS, a world‐class versatile neutron imaging instrument, is under construction and is expected to be completed and ready to start commissioning in 2023. The range of cold to epithermal neutrons at SNS will give users of VENUS access to novel imaging methods, as well as to significantly improved existing methods. The instrument is being built on beam line 10 at Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) First Target Station (FTS) facing a decoupled poisoned hydrogen moderator. Instrument design, which includes optics, Front-End components and instrument enclosure components and shape started over 10 years ago and during this time had significant changes. All changes were supported by neutronics analyses to provide adequate shielding for both Front-End and instrument enclosure.Final optics design will provide the field of view (FOV) at the detector position (where the image is formed) to be as high as 0.20 by 0.20 m. Both the beam, which contains a large fraction of high-energy neutrons, and the desire for a large footprint on the detector are challenges for shielding design and budget, because the driving cost for the instrument is the beam line and enclosure shielding. For cost reason VENUS baseline design is optimized with respect to both the instrument cave footprint and its wall thickness, and Front-End shielding is tailored along the beam. Analyses are performed with the Monte Carlo particle transport code MCNPX version 2.7.0 to make choices on materials, thicknesses and configurations of the shielding. Numerous calculations are performed to meet space and coast constrain and to satisfy instrument physics needs and to comply with radiation protection requirements.
Gallmeier, Franz X.↗
The Usage of Observing System Simulation Experiments and Reinforcement Learning to Optimize Experimental Design and Operation
Various organizations regularly conduct field campaigns across the globe designed to probe and improve atmospheric process understanding. However, these campaigns are mostly designed ad-hoc, and rely on anecdotes and knowledge of what was successful in previous campaigns. Such ad-hoc experiment design results in sub-optimal instrument siting and operation strategies. Inadequate targeted data collection of extreme weather is a major limitation to Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division (EESSD)’s goals of data model integration (4.5.3), which limits the knowledge gained through the collected observations, holding back significant advances in predictability. While advances in instrument design are always chipping away at these limitations, we are not optimally utilizing the instrumentation we currently possess.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Novel design for a polarizing DUV spectrometer using a Wollaston prism and its application as a diagnostic for measuring Thomson scattering data in the presence of strong self-emission backgrounds
We present a novel design for an optical spectrometer for use in ultraviolet Thomson scattering measurements of plasma parameters in high energy density (HED) inertial confinement fusion experiments on large-scale high-energy laser facilities. In experiments investigating high-Z plasmas, the fidelity of measurements is commonly limited by signal/background ratios approaching or exceeding unity. An alpha barium borate Wollaston prism can provide both spectral dispersion and polarization channel separation, allowing simultaneous measurement of both the Thomson scattering signal and plasma self-emission along a single line of sight and in a single experiment, which should greatly improve data quality and reduce the opportunity cost of taking high quality measurements. Here, we present a basic discussion of the design and a worked example of an instrument designed to take fourth harmonic electron plasma wave measurements in HED experiments at the OMEGA laser facility.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Calibration and Initial Results of Space Radiation Dosimetry Using the iMESA-R
The integrated Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer-Reflight (iMESA-R) is a space weather instrument designed to measure plasma density, temperature, and spacecraft charging, along with total ionizing dose and dose rate. A constellation consisting of five nearly identical instruments has been designed and developed to act as science payloads hosted on-board Department of Defense satellites operating in low-Earth orbit. To validate the dosimetry component of the iMESA-R, a radiation test study was performed to calibrate the dosimeter and ascertain the attenuation due to the instrument aluminum housing. An 80 curie Cobalt-60 radioisotope source emitting beta, X-ray, and gamma ray radiation decay products was used to calibrate the dosimeter response as a function of distance and instrument shielding. We present results of the calibration study along with initial on-orbit data presented from the first operational iMESA-R hosted on-board Space Test Program Satellite 5 in a polar Earth orbit. The initial on-orbit data demonstrate the ability to map the radiation environment, particularly the South Atlantic Anomaly and the auroral regions using total ionizing dose rate due to electrons of E > 1.5 MeV and protons of E > 25 MeV.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
High Elevation Radiation Array (HERA) detectors for airborne thunderstorm investigations
A high-energy atmospheric physics phenomenon, referred to as a terrestrial gamma ray flash (TGF), is associated with lightning and produces large bursts of energetic photon radiation. TGFs will be investigated using a suite of gamma-ray instruments designed and constructed to fly on ten United States Air Force (USAF) WC-130J Hurricane Hunter aircraft as part of an aircrew ionization study led by the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) and the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM), in cooperation with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (WRS). Each instrument consists of one NaI and one plastic detector, a GPS timing device, and an instrument computer that performs data acquisition. High Elevation Radiation Array (HERA) detectors will be employed to maximize the chances of observing TGFs near their source and to gain a better understanding of their origin, mechanism, ubiquity, and to assess potential hazards posed to military and commercial aircrew and passengers. The HERA program, deployed on 10 separate Air Force aircraft over a multi-year campaign, will result in thousands of observational flight hours and be the largest concerted effort to date to observe TGFs in situ through aircraft observations. In this paper, we give an overview of the scientific goals of this campaign and how the HERA instruments have been designed to meet those goals. Here, we include a detailed description of the HERA instrument, along with mass model and signal processing simulations.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
The effect of magnetic susceptibility and magnetic field strength on porosity estimates determined from low-field nuclear magnetic resonance
The presence of materials with high magnetic susceptibility are known to have an impact on 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements and in laboratory data this often results in poor estimates of porosity from NMR data. To quantify and understand the cause of the poor NMR porosity estimations, in this laboratory study, we examine the effect of magnetic susceptibility, NMR measurement parameters, and NMR instrument design on NMR measurements. Data were collected with two instruments, each with a different Larmor frequency (2 MHz and 485 kHz), on water-saturated unconsolidated sediments with magnetic susceptibility values ranging from 3.6 × 10 -6 to 7020 × 10 -6 SI. The results show that for materials with low magnetic susceptibility (<378 × 10 -6 SI), the gravimetric porosity is accurately predicted from the NMR measurements. For the samples with high magnetic susceptibility (>987 × 10 -6 SI) the gravimetric porosity is poorly predicted from the 2 MHz NMR measurements made at all echo times (from 0.2 to 3.0 ms). In contrast, the gravimetric porosity is more accurately predicted at an echo time of 0.2 ms for measurements made using the 485 kHz instrument, although at larger echo times (>1.0 ms), the porosity estimate becomes poor. The 485 kHz NMR instrument has non-zero internal magnetic field gradients, similar to those found in borehole instruments, in contrast to the 2 MHz NMR instrument, which has a homogeneous applied magnetic field. Finally, we conclude that differences is the magnetic field strength and higher magnetic field inhomogeneities in the 485 kHz NMR instrument contribute to a reduction of the impact of inhomogeneities in the magnetic field caused by materials with high magnetic susceptibility, allowing for improved porosity estimation. These results indicate that NMR measurements collected at short echo times in low, inhomogeneous static fields, e.g., borehole instruments, may provide accurate estimates of porosity in water saturated sediments, even in the presence of magnetic minerals.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
The large scale polarization explorer (LSPE) for CMB measurements: performance forecast
The measurement of the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation is one of the current frontiers in cosmology. In particular, the detection of the divergence-free component of the polarization field, the B-mode component, reveals the presence of gravitational waves in the early Universe. The detection of such component is at the moment the most promising technique to probe the inflationary theory describing the very early evolution of the Universe. The measurement of the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation is one of the current frontiers in cosmology. In particular, the detection of the primordial divergence-free component of the polarization field, the B-mode, could reveal the presence of gravitational waves in the early Universe. The detection of such a component is at the moment the most promising technique to probe the inflationary theory describing the very early evolution of the Universe. We present the updated performance forecast of the Large Scale Polarization Explorer (LSPE), a program dedicated to the measurement of the CMB polarization. LSPE is composed of two instruments: LSPE-Strip, a radiometer-based telescope on the ground in Tenerife-Teide observatory, and LSPE-SWIPE (Short-Wavelength Instrument for the Polarization Explorer) a bolometer-based instrument designed to fly on a winter arctic stratospheric long-duration balloon. The program is among the few dedicated to observation of the Northern Hemisphere, while most of the international effort is focused into ground-based observation in the Southern Hemisphere. Measurements are currently scheduled in Winter 2022/23 for LSPE-SWIPE, with a flight duration up to 15 days, and in Summer 2022 with two years observations for LSPE-Strip. In this work, we describe the main features of the two instruments, identifying the most critical aspects of the design, in terms of impact on the performance forecast. We estimate the expected sensitivity of each instrument and propagate their combined observing power to the sensitivity to cosmological parameters, including the effect of scanning strategy, component separation, residual foregrounds and partial sky coverage. We also set requirements on the control of the most critical systematic effects and describe techniques to mitigate their impact. LSPE will reach a sensitivity in tensor-to-scalar ratio of σr < 0.01, set an upper limit r < 0.015 at 95% confidence level, and improve constraints on other cosmological parameters.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗