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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

Final Technical Report

Statement of the problem or situation that is being addressed in your application. The DOE and its national laboratories developed the Home Energy Score™ (HES) to encourage homeowners to improve their energy performance, lower costs and to share energy information through the MLS listing, appraisal, and financing channels. While the HES is an instrumental tool, it is currently underutilized and consists of technical, structural and sector barriers which need to be addressed in order to scale and many energy efficiency contractors are understandably overwhelmed by the added time and effort and lack of incentive to sell and deliver deep retrofit projects while simultaneously meeting the DOE HES program requirements; consequently, contractors may decide to forgo participation. Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Raters have the opportunity to play the critical Assessor role in producing a Home Energy Score (HES); this role has immense potential but currently is unfulfilled. Lastly, while utilities are interested in their customer base achieving greater energy efficiency, especially to help offset growing residential loads in states like California that are accelerating electrification, utilities do not have access to the market actors who are on the front line of influence to homeowners or review and approve their permits: HERS Raters, assessors, contractors and building departments. General statement of how this problem is being addressed: ConSol will integrate the Home Energy Score™ (HES) to its State of California, approved home energy rating services (HERS) platform (CHEERS) to develop a single tool for contractors nationwide to assess, record and install recommended cost, energy, and emissions saving measures to the 140 million single-family homes throughout the U.S. and 14 million homes in California (CHEERS+HES). The CHEERS high fidelity energy code permitting data will be integrated with HES for simple, accurate, easy-to-use home energy estimation and analysis and will directly gain access to the retrofit and renovations markets with the same upgraded platform. This innovative project will assist the utilities in supporting existing homes in their jurisdictions with HES and develop measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. How is this problem being addressed? What is the overall project approach? In effort to expand the Home Energy Score™ (HES) by increasing the use of aggregable home energy asset data, ConSol proposes to integrate the DOE HES via Application Programming Interface (API) to its State of California approved home energy rating services platform (CHEERS). Once the CHEERS platform and HES are integrated (CHEERS+HES), this enhanced platform will be instantly available and actively deployed via Phase 1 pilot to HERS Raters, assessors and contractors in California to market-test the solution, understand the rate of adoption and identify opportunities for improvement prior to scaling nationally. The CHEERS high fidelity energy code permitting data will be integrated with HES for simple, accurate, easy-to-use home energy estimation and analysis and will directly gain access to the retrofit and renovations markets with the same upgraded platform. This innovative project will assist the building industry and homeowners with an easy-to-use assessment if energy and carbon impacts of existing homes, and assist the utilities in supporting existing homes in their jurisdictions with HES to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. What is to be done in Phase I? During Phase I of this proposed project, ConSol will (1) design software architecture that links CHEERS to the Home Energy ScoreTM via API, (2) solicit partnership from one or more California utilities for a regional pilot, (3) test the new software with its HERS Raters and contractor network in the partnership utility jurisdiction, (4) launch a pilot version of the newly developed software with HERS Raters and contractors in the utility territory, and (5) explore California’s GoGreen energy efficiency homeowner lending program in parallel with the pilot. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits. Summarize the future applications or public benefits if the project is carried over into Phase II or Phase III and beyond. The CHEERS+HES commercialized product will be ready for national market scale following a successful Phase 1 performance. The CHEERS+HES adoption is estimated to reach a 5% adoption growth rate versus the 110,000 baseline, starting in Year 1 after Phase I completion, and continuing each year. As a direct benefit to the DOE, CHEERS will set a goal of 100,000 Home Energy Score assessments for existing home alterations within the first 10 years following Phase 1 performance. The technical benefits of this proposed project include the harmonized, automated, and seamless integration of the DOE HES into the widely used and market leading California energy registry, CHEERS. The social benefits include the aggregate energy, cost and GHG savings by allowing the broader public streamlined access to the CHEERS+HES measurement and the energy efficiency recommended measures that may result. Key Words: Home Energy ScoreTM (HES); Application Programming Interface (API); Home Energy Rating Services (HERS); HERS Raters; contractors; assessors; existing homes, energy asset data; cost, energy, and emissions saving measures; energy code (Title 24) compliance; document repository; utilities; pilot; newly developed software; energy efficiency; homeowner. Summary for Members of Congress: The DOE Home Energy Score™ (HES) is a tool to encourage homeowners to improve their energy performance, lower costs and share energy information but is underutilized and consists of barriers which need to be addressed in order to scale. In effort to expand the HES, CHEERS, Inc. will integrate the HES to its State of California, approved home energy rating services (HERS) platform (CHEERS) to develop a single tool for contractors nationwide to assess, record and install recommended cost, energy, and emissions saving measures to the 140 million single-family homes throughout the U.S. and 14 million homes in California.

Application Programming Interface (API)↗

Fast interactive real-time volume rendering of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography: an implementation for low-end computers

Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) is an innovative cardiac imaging modality. However, partly due to lack of user-friendly software, RT3DE has not been widely accepted as a clinical tool. The object of this study was to develop and implement a fast and interactive volume renderer of RT3DE datasets designed for a clinical environment where speed and simplicity are not secondary to accuracy. Thirty-six patients (20 regurgitation, 8 normal, 8 cardiomyopathy) were imaged using RT3DE. Using our newly developed software, all 3D data sets were rendered in real-time throughout the cardiac cycle and assessment of cardiac function and pathology was performed for each case. The real-time interactive volume visualization system is user friendly and instantly provides consistent and reliable 3D images without expensive workstations or dedicated hardware. We believe that this novel tool can be used clinically for dynamic visualization of cardiac anatomy.

NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary↗

Machine learning models for segmentation and classification of cyanobacterial cells

Abstract Timelapse microscopy has recently been employed to study the metabolism and physiology of cyanobacteria at the single-cell level. However, the identification of individual cells in brightfield images remains a significant challenge. Traditional intensity-based segmentation algorithms perform poorly when identifying individual cells in dense colonies due to a lack of contrast between neighboring cells. Here, we describe a newly developed software package called Cypose which uses machine learning (ML) models to solve two specific tasks: segmentation of individual cyanobacterial cells, and classification of cellular phenotypes. The segmentation models are based on the Cellpose framework, while classification is performed using a convolutional neural network named Cyclass. To our knowledge, these are the first developed ML-based models for cyanobacteria segmentation and classification. When compared to other methods, our segmentation models showed improved performance and were able to segment cells with varied morphological phenotypes, as well as differentiate between live and lysed cells. We also found that our models were robust to imaging artifacts, such as dust and cell debris. Additionally, the classification model was able to identify different cellular phenotypes using only images as input. Together, these models improve cell segmentation accuracy and enable high-throughput analysis of dense cyanobacterial colonies and filamentous cyanobacteria.

Huffine, Clair A.↗

Nucleus++ : a new tool bridging AME and NUBASE for advancing nuclear data analysis

The newly developed software, Nucleus++ , is an advanced tool for displaying basic nuclear physics properties from NUBASE and integrating comprehensive mass information for each nuclide from Atomic Mass Evaluation. Additionally, it allows users to compare experimental nuclear masses with predictions from different mass models. Building on the success and learning experiences of its predecessor, Nucleus , this enhanced tool introduces improved functionality and compatibility. With its user-friendly interface, Nucleus++ was designed as a valuable tool for scholars and practitioners in the field of nuclear science. Finally, this article offers an in-depth description of Nucleus++ , highlighting its main features and anticipated impacts on nuclear science research.

AME↗

Developing and Evaluating a Smart Curtailment Strategy Integrated with a Wind Turbine Manufacturer Platform

The Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute lead a team of scientists, wind developers, and turbine manufacturers in a study to develop and test a “smart curtailment” system intended to help reduce bat collisions with wind turbines. The Vestas Bat Protection System (VBPS) is a newly developed software module within the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system of Vestas turbines. The VBPS combines data from commercially available environmental sensors and the turbine’s built-in sensors with the Vestas SCADA system. VBPS is designed to receive environmental data from sensors on the turbine such as temperature, wind speed, wind direction, time of day, and time of year, relays that information to the SCADA system to determine whether to execute turbine curtailments at any given time. The goals of this study were to 1) develop a bat fatality risk model based on bat activity data and environmental data collected in year 1, and to 2) evaluate the VBPS, using the bat fatality risk model to implement curtailment, in comparison to “blanket curtailment” (turbines curtailed when wind speed is below 5.0 meters per second (m/s)) and “control” (normally operating, feathered below 3.0 m/s) turbines in year 2. The field study took place at a wind energy facility in Iowa during the fall bat migration seasons (July – October) in 2021 and 2022. For VBPS to succeed as a viable strategy for the minimization of bat fatalities, it should meet or exceed the performance of blanket curtailment. Specifically, the VBPS should meet the following performance targets to demonstrate whether it an effective, practical risk reduction measure: (1) Turbines operating VBPS should have equal or fewer bat fatalities compared to turbines operating with blanket curtailment, and significantly fewer bat fatalities compared to control turbines; and (2) Turbines operating VBPS should have greater power production compared to turbines operating with blanket curtailment. The study was completed in accordance with the Statement of Project Objectives and within the terms of the Budget Justification. This Final Report describes the progress, challenges, and outcomes of the study.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Application of LANDSAT system for improving methodology for inventory and classification of wetlands

The author has identified the following significant results. A newly developed software system for generating statistics on surface water features was tested using LANDSAT data acquired previous to 1975. This software test provided a satisfactory evaluation of the system and also allowed expansion of data base on prairie water features. The software system recognizes water on the basis of a classification algorithm. This classification is accomplished by level thresholding a single near infrared data channel. After each pixel is classified as water or nonwater, the software system then recognizes ponds or lakes as sets of contiguous pixels or as single isolated pixels in the case of very small ponds. Pixels are considered to be contiguous if they are adjacent between successive scan lines. After delineating each water feature, the software system then assigns the feature a position based upon a geographic grid system and calculates the feature's planimetric area, its perimeter, and a parameter known as the shape factor.

Gilmer, D. S.↗

Computation and visualization of leading edge vortex flows

The modeling of vortical flows is a continuing requirement for the design and analysis of flight vehicles. In this paper, the computation of leading edge vortices is considered. The solution of the laminar, thin-layer Navier-Stokes equations for a transonic delta wing is presented as a representative example. Issues relating to the visualization of the results are discussed, and illustrations using the newly developed software VISUAL3 on a Stardent graphics supercomputer are included.

Murman, E. M.↗

Possibility to sound the atmospheric ozone by a radiosonde equipped with two temperature sensors, sensitive and non-sensitive to the long wave radiation

The sensitiveness of white coated thermistor sensors and non-sensitiveness of the gold coated over white thermistor sensors (which have been manufactured by a vacuum evaporation process) to long wave radiation were ascertained by some simple experiments in-room and also by analyses of some results of experimental soundings. From results of analyses on the temperature discrepancies caused by long wave radiation, the possibility to sound the atmospheric ozone partial pressure by a radiosonde equipped with two kinds of sensors, sensitive and non-sensitive to the long wave radiation was suggested, and the test results of the newly developed software for the deduction of ozone partial pressure in upper layers was also shown. However, it was found that the following is the necessary condition to realize the purpose. The sounding should be made by a radiosonde equipped with three sensors, instead of two, one being non-sensitive to the long wave radiation perfectly, and the other two also non-sensitive partially to the downward one, with two different angles of exposure upward. It is essential for the realization of the purpose to get two different values of temperature discrepancies simultaneously observed by the three sensors mentioned above and to avoid the troublesome effects of the upward long wave radiation.

Kitaoka, T.↗

NEEMO 15: Evaluation of Human Exploration Systems for Near-Earth Asteroids

The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 15 mission was focused on near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) exploration techniques evaluation. It began with a University of Delaware autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) systematically mapping the coral reef for hundreds of meters surrounding the Aquarius habitat. This activity is akin to the type of "far field survey" approach that may be used by a robotic precursor in advance of a human mission to a NEA. Data from the far-field survey were then examined by the NEEMO science team and follow-up exploration traverses were planned, which used Deepworker single-person submersibles. Science traverses at NEEMO 15 were planned according to a prioritized list of scientific objectives developed by the science team based on review and discussion of previous related marine science research including previous marine science saturation missions conducted at the Aquarius habitat. AUV data was used to select several areas of scientific interest. The Deepworker science traverses were then executed at these areas of interest during 4 days of the NEEMO 15 mission and provided higher resolution data such as coral species distribution and mortality. These traverses are analogous to the "near field survey" approach that is expected to be performed by a multi mission space exploration vehicle (MMSEV) during a human mission to a NEA before conducting extravehicular activities (EVA)s. In addition to the science objectives that were pursued, the NEEMO 15 science traverses provided an opportunity to test newly developed software and techniques. Sample collection and instrument deployment on the NEA surface by EVA crew would follow the "near field survey" in a human NEA mission. Sample collection was not necessary for the purposes of the NEEMO science objectives; however, the engineering and operations objectives during NEEMO 15 were to evaluate different combinations of vehicles, crewmembers, tools, and equipment that could be used to perform these tasks on a NEA. Specifically, the productivity and acceptability of simulated NEA exploration activities were systematically quantified and compared when operating with different combinations of crew sizes and exploration systems including MMSEVs, EVA jet packs, and EVA translation devices.

Chappell, Steven P.↗

Polarbrdf: A General Purpose Python Package for Visualization Quantitative Analysis of Multi-Angular Remote Sensing Measurements

The Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) is a fundamental concept for characterizing the reflectance property of a surface, and helps in the analysis of remote sensing data from satellite, airborne and surface platforms. Multi-angular remote sensing measurements are required for the development and evaluation of BRDF models for improved characterization of surface properties. However, multi-angular data and the associated BRDF models are typically multidimensional involving multi-angular and multi-wavelength information. Effective visualization of such complex multidimensional measurements for different wavelength combinations is presently somewhat lacking in the literature, and could serve as a potentially useful research and teaching tool in aiding both interpretation and analysis of BRDF measurements. This article describes a newly developed software package in Python (PolarBRDF) to help visualize and analyze multi-angular data in polar and False Color Composite (FCC) forms. PolarBRDF also includes functionalities for computing important multi-angular reflectance/albedo parameters including spectral albedo, principal plane reflectance and spectral reflectance slope. Application of PolarBRDF is demonstrated using various case studies obtained from airborne multi-angular remote sensing measurements using NASA's Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR). Our visualization program also provides functionalities for untangling complex surface/atmosphere features embedded in pixel-based remote sensing measurements, such as the FCC imagery generation of BRDF measurements of grasslands in the presence of wild fire smoke and clouds. Furthermore, PolarBRDF also provides quantitative information of the angular distribution of scattered surface/atmosphere radiation, in the form of relevant BRDF variables such as sunglint, hotspot and scattering statistics.

CAR↗

Overview of Ablative TPS Modeling at NASA Ames

Over the past decade, NASA has invested in efforts to build predictive thermal protection system (TPS) material models from the micro-scale to the macro-scale. To complement the mission design cycle process and reduce the need for extensive testing, NASA is developing modeling and simulation tools that enable characterizing material properties and response to hot plasma experienced during atmospheric entry. Traditional material response and ablation modeling tools, such as the heritage code FIAT, and its multidimensional siblings, TITAN and 3dFIAT, are being complemented with newly developed software such as Icarus and PATO. Both of these programs are three-dimensional, finite-volume solvers that use unstructured meshes and 21st century programming paradigms to allow for efficient parallel simulations. FIAT and Icarus are also used for TPS sizing purposes. Today, these traditional tools are being supplemented with computational materials models at the atomistic level. The scales of interest range from computational chemistry (Density Functional Theory [DFT]), to atomistic simulations (Molecular Dynamics [MD]), to the microscale with the Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA) software that was recently awarded the 2022 NASA Software of the Year award. Finally, thermo-structural modeling is also of interest to the TPS Materials branch and done using commercial tools such as MSC MARC, MENTAT, NASTRAN and PATRAN. The present talk will also link the use of these computational tools to current NASA missions and projects associated with challenging and complex vehicles entries/reentries.

materials modeling↗

Virtual Exercise Training Software System

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a virtual exercise training software system (VETSS) capable of providing real-time instruction and exercise feedback during exploration missions. A resistive exercise instructional system was developed using a Microsoft Kinect depth-camera device, which provides markerless 3-D whole-body motion capture at a small form factor and minimal setup effort. It was hypothesized that subjects using the newly developed instructional software tool would perform the deadlift exercise with more optimal kinematics and consistent technique than those without the instructional software. Following a comprehensive evaluation in the laboratory, the system was deployed for testing and refinement in the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) analog.

Vu, L.↗

Results of a low power ice protection system test and a new method of imaging data analysis

Tests were conducted on a BF Goodrich De-Icing System's Pneumatic Impulse Ice Protection (PIIP) system in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT). Characterization studies were done on shed ice particle size by changing the input pressure and cycling time of the PIIP de-icer. The shed ice particle size was quantified using a newly developed image software package. The tests were conducted on a 1.83 m (6 ft) span, 0.53 m (221 in) chord NACA 0012 airfoil operated at a 4 degree angle of attack. The IRT test conditions were a -6.7 C (20 F) glaze ice, and a -20 C (-4 F) rime ice. The ice shedding events were recorded with a high speed video system. A detailed description of the image processing package and the results generated from this analytical tool are presented.

Shin, Jaiwon↗

Results of a low power ice protection system test and a new method of imaging data analysis

Tests were conducted on a BF Goodrich De-Icing System's Pneumatic Impulse Ice Protection (PIIP) system in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT). Characterization studies were done on shed ice particle size by changing the input pressure and cycling time of the PIIP de-icer. The shed ice particle size was quantified using a newly developed image software package. The tests were conducted on a 1.83 m (6 ft) span, 0.53 m (221 in) chord NACA 0012 airfoil operated at a 4 degree angle of attack. The IRT test conditions were a -6.7 C (20 F) glaze ice, and a -20 C (-4 F) rime ice. The ice shedding events were recorded with a high speed video system. A detailed description of the image processing package and the results generated from this analytical tool are presented.

Shin, Jaiwon↗

A modernized PDL approach for Ada software development

The desire to integrate newly available, graphically-oriented Computed Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools with existing software design approaches is changing the way Program Design Language (PDL) or Process Description Language is used for large system development. In the approach documented here, Software Engineers use graphics tools to model the problem and to describe high level software design in diagrams. An Ada-based PDL is used to document low level design. Some results are provided along with an analysis for each of three smaller General Electric (GE) Ada development projects that utilized variations on this approach. Finally some considerations are identified for larger scale implementation.

Usavage, Paul, Jr.↗

Apex Study: Compensating Transient Beam Loading in the RHIC 28 MHZ

With the EIC on the way, it is important that developments and strategies are in place to deal with the very high beam currents that the machine will feature. Specifically, the EIC will collide beams of up to 2.5 A, three times the beam current in RHIC. This higher beam current will cause significant voltage transients in the cavity fields which can lead to longitudinal instabilities and beam loss. In anticipation of these negative effects, studies were carried out on the RHIC 28 MHz cavities using newly developed firmware and software to diagnose and combat beam loading. Diagnostic tools such as the bunch-by-bunch (BbyB) ADC firmware and digital network analyzer (DNA) were used to characterize the closed loop system and transient on the cavity voltage magnitude and phase. Then, a one-turn delay feedback (OTFB) and adaptive feed-forward (aFFWD) were used to minimize the transient beam loading. The studies were carried out with beam during 2 accelerator physics experiements (APEXs) using one of the 28 MHz accelerating cavities here at RHIC.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

A Java-Enabled Interactive Graphical Gas Turbine Propulsion System Simulator

This paper describes a gas turbine simulation system which utilizes the newly developed Java language environment software system. The system provides an interactive graphical environment which allows the quick and efficient construction and analysis of arbitrary gas turbine propulsion systems. The simulation system couples a graphical user interface, developed using the Java Abstract Window Toolkit, and a transient, space- averaged, aero-thermodynamic gas turbine analysis method, both entirely coded in the Java language. The combined package provides analytical, graphical and data management tools which allow the user to construct and control engine simulations by manipulating graphical objects on the computer display screen. Distributed simulations, including parallel processing and distributed database access across the Internet and World-Wide Web (WWW), are made possible through services provided by the Java environment.

Reed, John A.↗

Simulation of Rotary-Wing Near-Wake Vortex Structures Using Navier-Stokes CFD Methods

This paper will use high-resolution Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to model the near-wake vortex roll-up behind rotor blades. The locations and strengths of the trailing vortices will be determined from newly-developed visualization and analysis software tools applied to the CFD solutions. Computational results for rotor nearwake vortices will be used to study the near-wake vortex roll up for highly-twisted tiltrotor blades. These rotor blades typically have combinations of positive and negative spanwise loading and complex vortex wake interactions. Results of the computational studies will be compared to vortex-lattice wake models that are frequently used in rotorcraft comprehensive codes. Information from these comparisons will be used to improve the rotor wake models in the Tilt-Rotor Acoustic Code (TRAC) portion of NASA's Short Haul Civil Transport program (SHCT). Accurate modeling of the rotor wake is an important part of this program and crucial to the successful design of future civil tiltrotor aircraft. The rotor wake system plays an important role in blade-vortex interaction noise, a major problem for all rotorcraft including tiltrotors.

Kenwright, David↗