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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Utilization Assessment of Target Electrification Vehicles at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Task 3

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, managing and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory, is the lead laboratory for U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Vehicle Testing. Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC contracted with Intertek Testing Services, North America (Intertek) to conduct several U.S. Department of Defense base studies to identify potential U.S. Department of Defense transportation systems that are strong candidates for introduction or expansion of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Task 1 consisted of a survey of the non-tactical fleet of vehicles at MCBCL to begin the review of vehicle mission assignments and types of vehicles in service. Task 2 involved identifying daily operational characteristics of select vehicles and initiating data logging of vehicle movements in order to characterize the vehicle’s mission. Individual observations of these selected vehicles provide the basis for recommendations related to PEV adoption and whether a battery electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (collectively referred to as PEVs) can fulfill the mission requirements and provide observations related to placement of PEV charging infrastructure. This report provides the results of the data analysis and observations related to replacement of current vehicles with PEVs. This fulfills part of the Task 3 requirements. Task 3 also includes an assessment of the charging infrastructure required to support this replacement, which is the subject of a separate report. Intertek acknowledges the support of Idaho National Laboratory, Marine Corps headquarters, and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Fleet management and personnel for participation in this study. Intertek is pleased to provide this report and is encouraged by enthusiasm and support from MCBCL personnel.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Target Improves Efficiency in New Construction

Target Corporation partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to reduce annual energy consumption in new stores by at least 50% versus requirements set by ASHRAE/ANSI/IESNA Standard 90.1-20041 as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program.

eem↗
DOE OSTI2013

Target Pilots Energy Efficiency Measures for Broad Rollout in Existing Stores

Target Corporation partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to retrofit existing buildings to reduce annual energy consumption by at least 30% versus requirements set by ASHRAE/ANSI/IESNA Standard 90.1-20041 as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program.

eem↗
DOE OSTI2020

Slag Management of Carbon Feedstock Used in Gasification FY17 TCF between Eastman Chemical and NETL (Final Report)

NETL, in collaboration with Eastman Chemical Corp (Kingsport, TN), targeted the joint evaluation and refinement of a slag management program developed by NETL (NETL IP, patent applied for) to control gasifier slag properties formed from ash in individual or combinations of different coal-based carbon feedstock materials and specific slag modifiers used in gasification. Slag forms from mineral or organic-metallic impurities in the carbon feedstock that melt at the high temperatures of gasification, coalescing to form a liquid (slag) that must flow from the gasifier. Slag additives, also known as slag modifiers, are often added to the carbon feedstock to modify the ash chemistry and achieve desired slag flow properties at target temperatures used in gasification. If slag does not flow from a gasifier, its buildup within the gasification chamber will cause either gasifier shutdown to physically remove the slag (consuming time and damaging the protective refractory lining), or the gasification temperature must be increased to lower slag viscosity so it can flow from the gasifier, leading to greater refractory wear/corrosion, along with increased fouling and downstream component wear. Because of these issues, gasification is typically targeted at the lowest temperature possible where slag will flow in a controlled manner (a temperature range called T100 for the lowest temperature, with T250 being the highest temperature where the slag has achieved the desired fluidity). That temperature range also needs to yield a desired syngas composition, highlighting the importance of knowing and being able to control carbon feedstock slag viscosity and the temperature of thermal breakdown of the carbon feedstock. Slag viscosity varies with changes in the gasification chamber temperature, oxygen partial pressure, and slag chemistry. The slag model work with Eastman Chemical targeted predicting and controlling molten coal ash slag behavior at specific gasification conditions. The final goal of the refined model was to develop/refine the NETL slag model so a gasifier operator would be able to predict slag behavior prior to purchasing or using a carbon feedstock and control slag properties once a carbon feedstock is being gasified, allowing a gasifier user to determine what mineral additives or blends of different carbon materials would be needed to achieve desired slag properties at targeted gasification conditions. For a given carbon feedstock and desired gasification condition, the actual gasification cost and slag behavior would be able to be predicted using the slag management program in advance of purchasing or using the carbon feedstock – allowing accurate control of slag ash behavior in real time. As part of the TCF project work with Eastman Chemical, the viscosity of several ash compositions of interest to them would be measured and used to populate the slag model, along with a large database of historical slag temperature, chemistry, and viscosity information they possess – information that would in-crease the predictive accuracy of the slag management model with slag ash chemistry of interest to them. As part of the model evaluation and refinement, the predictive model and its database will be installed on computers at Eastman Chemical and used to manage slag properties in a gasifier during real-time operation of their gasifier. In summary, success of the slag management program at Eastman Chemical would support its use by other gasifier operators to manage slag chemistry and properties over other desired gasification temperature ranges, allowing greater process control and efficiency of their carbon feedstock conversion during gasification.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2013

Eastern Frequency Response Study

This study was specifically designed to investigate the frequency response of the Eastern Interconnection that results from large loss-of-generation events of the type targeted by the North American Electric Reliability Corp. Standard BAL-003 Frequency Response and Frequency Bias Setting (NERC 2012a), under possible future system conditions with high levels of wind generation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2015

The Economic Benefits Of Multipurpose Reservoirs In The United States- Federal Hydropower Fleet

The United States is home to over 80,000 dams, of which approximately 3% are equipped with hydroelectric generating capabilities. When a dam serves as a hydropower facility, it provides a variety of energy services that range from clean, reliable power generation to load balancing that supports grid stability. In most cases, the benefits of dams and their associated reservoirs go far beyond supporting the nation s energy demand. As evidenced by the substantial presence of non-powered dams with the ability to store water in large capacities, the primary purpose of a dam may not be hydropower, but rather one of many other purposes. A dam and reservoir may support navigation, recreation, flood control, irrigation, and water supply, with each multipurpose benefit providing significant social and economic impacts on a local, regional, and national level. When hydropower is one of the services provided by a multipurpose reservoir, it is then part of an integrated system of competing uses. Operating rules, management practices, consumer demands, and environmental constraints must all be balanced to meet the multipurpose project s objectives. When federal dams are built, they are authorized by Congress to serve one or more functions. Legislation such as the Water Resources Development Act regulates the operation of the facility in order to coordinate the authorized uses and ensure the dam s intended objectives are being met. While multipurpose reservoirs account for billions of dollars in contributions to National Economic Development (NED) every year, no attempt has been made to evaluate their benefits on a national scale. This study is an on-going work conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in an effort to estimate the economic benefits of multipurpose hydropower reservoirs in the United States. Given the important role that federal hydropower plays in the U.S., the first focus of this research will target the three main federal hydropower owners Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Together these three agencies own and operate 157 powered dams which account for almost half of the total installed hydropower capacity in the U.S. Future work will include engaging publicly-owned utilities and the private sector in order to quantify the benefits of all multipurpose hydropower reservoirs in the U.S.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Plasma Guns for Magnetized Fuel Targets for PJMIF

In plasma jet driven magneto-inertial fusion (PJMIF) an array of discrete supersonic plasma jets is used to form a spherically imploding plasma liner, which then compresses a magnetized plasma target to fusion conditions. With funding from ARPA-E’s ALPHA program and from Strong Atomics LLC, HyperJet Fusion Corp and HyperV Technologies Corp. previously developed the plasma guns required for an experimental demonstration of the plasma liner formation part of the concept. A 36-gun demonstration of an imploding spherical plasma liner is currently underway on the PLX facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This present project addresses the next step required for a complete PJMIF concept, i.e. developing the magnetized plasma target. We proposed to form the target by stagnating a number of magnetized plasma jets in the center of the target chamber. This is accomplished by adding a bias field coil to the plasma liner gun to form a magnetized plasma jet. This experimental development took place at HyperJet in a geometry replicating the bias field environment that will be seen on a PLX port so the results are directly transferrable to the PLX experiment. The objective of this effort was the technical development and characterization of a new magnetized plasma jet using a high-performance, high momentum flux, contoured-gap coaxial plasma gun appropriate for use on the next stage of the PLX experiment. Electromagnetic modeling of the coil indicated the coil was best placed around the aluminum tubes of the gun transmission line, rather than around the chamber port as originally proposed. This maximized field strength in the breech and yielded much better flux linkage between gun electrodes. A 30-turn coil was ultimately implemented, allowing long pulses that could diffuse through the metal walls on the timescale of interest. \machtwo modeling predicted that less capacitance in the main PFN could potentially improve plasma jet velocities due to better matching of the current to the smaller plasma mass and the existing electrode contour designed to suppress blowby. This proved true, as testing showed markedly improved performance when the original 600uF bank was reduced to 400uF. A number of diagnostics were built and/or upgraded in order to characterize the plasma jets, inluding laser interferomtery for density, photodiodes for velocity, Bdot probes for magnetic field measurements, a Triple probe for temperature measurements, and spectroscopy for impurity content. A plasma gun with the 30-turn magnet coil installed, a 70% reduction in gas valve plenum volume, and a 33% reduction in main PFN capacitance produced a dense, high velocity, well magnetized plasma jet. We met or exceeded virtually all of the plasma jet parameter goals. Peak velocity of 135 km/s exceeded the 100 km/s goal by 35%, while the peak density of over 1.0x10 15 cm -3 was 3.3 times the goal of >3.0x10 14 cm -3 . Shot-to-shot repeatability is excellent, with a jitter of less than 300ns observed on the arrival fronts of the photodiode signals from one shot to the next. Average plasma jet lengths of 33cm (at 120km/s) were slightly longer than the 20cm goal, but jets as short as 11.8cm were observed at 135km/s. Mass is much higher than the targeted goal, averaging 106ug per shot compared to 20ug. The magnetic field is still a bit lower than desired, with a maximum to date of ~811G, compared to the goal of 1000G. Average values, though, were typically in the 300-450G range, when measured further downstream after some expected in flight decay. Temperature measurements are still a work in progress. Increasing the B field and completing temperature measurements will be continued on into the ongoing BETHE project.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Targeted Health Assessment for Wastes Contained at the Niagara Falls Storage Site to Guide Planning for Remedial Action Alternatives - 13428

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is evaluating potential remedial alternatives at the 191-acre Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) in Lewiston, New York, under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) brought radioactive wastes to the site during the 1940's and 1950's, and the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) consolidated these wastes into a 10-acre interim waste containment structure (IWCS) in the southwest portion of the site during the 1980's. The USACE is evaluating remedial alternatives for radioactive waste contained within the IWCS at the NFSS under the Feasibility Study phase of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. A preliminary evaluation of the IWCS has been conducted to assess potential airborne releases associated with uncovered wastes, particularly during waste excavation, as well as direct exposures to uncovered wastes. Key technical issues for this assessment include: (1) limitations in waste characterization data; (2) representative receptors and exposure routes; (3) estimates of contaminant emissions at an early stage of the evaluation process; (4) consideration of candidate meteorological data and air dispersion modeling approaches; and (5) estimates of health effects from potential exposures to both radionuclides and chemicals that account for recent updates of exposure and toxicity factors. Results of this preliminary health risk assessment indicate if the wastes were uncovered and someone stayed at the IWCS for a number of days to weeks, substantial doses and serious health effects could be incurred. Current controls prevent such exposures, and the controls that would be applied to protect onsite workers during remedial action at the IWCS would also effectively protect the public nearby. This evaluation provides framing context for the upcoming development and detailed evaluation of remedial alternatives for the IWCS. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

In situ Detection of Plasma Induced Surface Interaction based on Deep Learning based Visual Diagnostics (Technical Report)

It is characteristic for many plasma devices to undergo plasma-material interaction leading to surface erosion. These processes, often not easily detectable, lead to changes in device performance and lifespan. State-of-the-art lifetime tests and wear experiments require over 1000s hours. A self-consistent model for accurately predicting the erosion's effects is not available. In situ detection of these processes is not a trivial task since the surface variations at the early stages have a micron scale. Such limitations not only restrict testing and prediction capabilities but also slow the development of new thrusters and limit mission duration. To address these challenges, an in-situ diagnostic for real-time erosion assessment has been developed, aiming to expedite lifetime testing and broaden experimental campaigns. Several works were dedicated to real-time and in situ monitoring of material erosion during plasma exposure using laser holography, microscopy, and with telemicroscopes. However, the applicability of these approaches is limited due to complexity, cost and less flexibility as they often require placing diagnostic equipment inside the vacuum chamber. In collaboration with Princeton Collaborative Research Facility (PCRF), Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), a new diagnostic approach is developed, where geometry modifications to the ceramic channel walls were introduced that would result in accelerated channel erosion. We employed Long-distance microscope (LDM) imagery, combined with Deep-Learning based Shape from focus or depth from focus (DFF or SFF) approach, that provides an accessible and cost-effective solution. LDM employs focus variation techniques to continuously capture multiple images of the target object at distinct focal planes. DFF, an optical focus variation method, generates a 3D topographical surface depth map from a sequence of variably focused images. Combined with the developed diagnostic, this approach offers a controllable means to study erosion under accelerated conditions. In this work, we develop Neural Network-based DFF algorithm applicable for LDM data to quantitatively evaluate plasma induced surface modification from LDM data. Next, we develop Deep Learning-based super-resolution depth map image reconstruction technique to increase the resolution of depth maps obtained from DFF algorithm to improve the accuracy of erosion measurements. Thirdly, we develop several image processing techniques to remove noise and improve the quality of depth map image. Here we report the results of initial tests for this approach. An experimental setup designed and built in PPPL was employed that consists of a 3-cm gridded ion source that produces a neutralized argon beam with energies up to 600 eV. A hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) ceramic target, designed based on computational predictions, was used. Tests were conducted to reconstruct the complex geometry of the target under the lighting conditions of the operated ion source.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

My Green Car: Painting Motor City Green (Ep. 2) – DOE Lab-Corps Video Series

The Lab’s MyGreenCar team kicks off its customer discovery process in Detroit with a business boot camp designed for scientists developing energy-related technologies. Customer interviews lead to late night discussions and insights on less-than-receptive consumers. Back in Berkeley, the team decides to fine tune targeted customer segments. What makes a new technology compelling enough to transition out of the lab and become a consumer product? That’s the question Berkeley Lab researchers Samveg Saxena, Nihar Shah, and Dana Hansen plus industry mentor Russell Carrington set out to answer for MyGreenCar, an app providing personalized fuel economy or electric vehicle range estimates for consumers researching new cars. DOE’s Lab-Corps program offered the technology team some answers. The EERE-funded program, based on the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps™ model for entrepreneurial training, provides tools and training to move energy-related inventions to the marketplace. During Lab-Corp’s intensive six-week session, technology teams interview 100 customer and value chain members to discover which potential products based on their technologies will have significant market pull. A six video series follows the MyGreenCar team’s Lab-Corps experience, from pre-training preparation with the Lab’s Innovation and Partnerships Office through the ups and downs of the customer discovery process. Will the app make it to the marketplace? You’ll just have to watch.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-E-T-94: An Advanced Rotating Gamma Ray System for Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Purpose: Co-60 beams have unique dosimetric properties that are ideally suited for cranial treatments. Co-60 sources with cone-shaped collimators provide conformal dose distributions allowing for ablative treatments with rapid dose falloff to spare nearby critical structures. This work investigates a novel, image-guided, rotational Gamma ray system that provides both superior dose conformity/gradient and accurate stereotaxy for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Methods: The SupeRay system (Cyber Medical Corp., China) consists of a rotating source chamber containing 30 gamma sources focusing at the isocenter with 4 collimators measuring 3, 4, 8 and 16mm in diameter. A novel switch design enables the 30 Gamma sources to be turned off at any arbitrarily selected 60° interval in order to avoid critical structures. The 3D treatment couch provides automatic treatment positioning between individual shots and the kV imaging system provides orthogonal images with a spatial resolution of 0.24mm to facilitate target localization. Monte Carlo simulations were used to compute dose distributions and compare with measurements and other Gamma ray SRS systems. Results: Monte Carlo results confirmed the SupeRay design parameters including output factors and 3D dose distributions. Its beam penumbra/dose gradient is similar to or slightly better than that of the Elekta Gamma Knife. The penumbra in the (x,y,z) direction was (7.38mm,7.38mm,3.86mm) for the 16mm collimator, (4.83mm,4.83mm,3.12mm) for the 8mm collimator, and (3.03mm,3.03mm,2.38mm) for the 4mm collimator, respectively, on the SupeRay system while it was (9.5mm,10.0mm,2.9mm), (4.3mm,4.3mm,2.9mm) and (3.2mm,3.2mm,1.9mm) for the same collimator sizes, respectively, on the Perfexion system. The kV imaging system together with a non-invasive relocatable frame provides accurate target localization (<0.5mm) for cases requiring multiple treatment fractions. Conclusion: Because of the unique dosimetric properties of Co-60 sources and its accurate stereotaxy/dose delivery, SupeRay is ideally suited for single and multiple-session ablative treatments of cranial lesions. This work was partially supported by Cyber Medical Corp.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

Predictive Engineering Tools for Injection-Molded Long-Carbon-Fiber Thermoplastic Composites - FY 2014 Fourth Quarterly Report

During the last quarter of FY 2014, the following technical progress has been made toward project milestones: 1) Autodesk, Inc. (Autodesk) has implemented a new fiber length distribution (FLD) model based on an unbreakable length assumption with Reduced Order Modeling (ROM) by the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) approach in the mid-plane, dual-domain and 3D solvers. 2) Autodesk improved the ASMI 3D solver for fiber orientation prediction using the anisotropic rotary diffusion (ARD) – reduced strain closure (RSC) model. 3) Autodesk received consultant services from Prof. C.L. Tucker at the University of Illinois on numerical simulation of fiber orientation and fiber length. 4) PlastiComp, Inc. (PlastiComp) suggested to Purdue University a procedure for fiber separation using an inert-gas atmosphere in the burn-off furnace. 5) Purdue University (Purdue) hosted a face-to-face project review meeting at Purdue University on August 6-7, 2014. 6) Purdue conducted fiber orientation measurements for 3 PlastiComp plaques: fast-fill 30wt% LCF/PP edged-gated, slow-fill 50wt% LCF/PP edge-gated, and slow-fill 50wt% LCF/PP center-gated plaques, and delivered the orientation data for these plaques at the selected locations (named A, B, and C) to PNNL. 7) PNNL conducted ASMI mid-plane analyses for the above PlastiComp plaques and compared the predicted fiber orientations with the measured data provided by Purdue at Locations A, B, and C on these plaques. 8) PNNL planned the project review meeting (August 6-7, 2014) with Purdue. 9) PNNL performed ASMI analyses for the Toyota complex parts with and without ribs, having different wall thicknesses, and using the PlastiComp 50wt% LCF/PP, 50wt% LCF/PA66, 30wt% LCF/PP, and 30wt% LCF/PA66 materials to provide guidance for tool design and modifications needed for molding these parts. 10) Magna Exteriors and Interiors Corp. (Magna) molded plaques from the 50% LCF/PP and 50% LCF/PA66 materials received from Plasticomp in order to extract machine purgings (purge materials) from Magna’s 200-Ton Injection Molding machine targeted to mold the complex part. 11) Toyota and Magna discussed with PNNL tool modification for molding the complex part.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Development and Benchmarking of a Hybrid PIC Code For Dense Plasmas and Fast Ignition (Final Report)

Radiation processes play an important role in the study of both fast ignition and other inertial confinement schemes, such as plasma jet driven magneto-inertial fusion, both in their effect on energy balance, and in generating diagnostic signals. In the latter case, warm and hot dense matter may be produced by the convergence of a plasma shell formed by the merging of an assembly of high Mach number plasma jets. This innovative approach has the potential advantage of creating matter of high energy densities in voluminous amount compared with high power lasers or particle beams. An important application of this technology is as a plasma liner for the flux compression of magnetized plasma to create ultra-high magnetic fields and burning plasmas. HyperV Technologies Corp. has been developing plasma jet accelerator technology in both coaxial and linear railgun geometries to produce plasma jets of sufficient mass, density, and velocity to create such imploding plasma liners. An enabling tool for the development of this technology is the ability to model the plasma dynamics, not only in the accelerators themselves, but also in the resulting magnetized target plasma and within the merging/interacting plasma jets during transport to the target. Welch pioneered numerical modeling of such plasmas (including for fast ignition) using the LSP simulation code. Lsp is an electromagnetic, parallelized, plasma simulation code under development since 1995. It has a number of innovative features making it uniquely suitable for modeling high energy density plasmas including a hybrid fluid model for electrons that allows electrons in dense plasmas to be modeled with a kinetic or fluid treatment as appropriate. In addition to in-house use at Voss Scientific, several groups carrying out research in Fast Ignition (LLNL, SNL, UCSD, AWE (UK), and Imperial College (UK)) also use LSP. A collaborative team consisting of HyperV Technologies Corp., Voss Scientific LLC, FAR-TECH, Inc., Prism Computational Sciences, Inc. and Advanced Energy Systems Inc. joined efforts to develop new physics and numerical models for LSP in several key areas to enhance the ability of LSP to model high energy density plasmas (HEDP). This final report details those efforts. Areas addressed in this research effort include: adding radiation transport to LSP, first in 2D and then fully 3D, extending the EMHD model to 3D, implementing more advanced radiation and electrode plasma boundary conditions, and installing more efficient implicit numerical algorithms to speed complex 2-D and 3-D computations. The new capabilities allow modeling of the dominant processes in high energy density plasmas, and further assist the development and optimization of plasma jet accelerators, with particular attention to MHD instabilities and plasma/wall interaction (based on physical models for ion drag friction and ablation/erosion of the electrodes). In the first funding cycle we implemented a solver for the radiation diffusion equation. To solve this equation in 2-D, we used finite-differencing and applied the parallelized sparse-matrix solvers in the PETSc library (Argonne National Laboratory) to the resulting system of equations. A database of the necessary coefficients for materials of interest was assembled using the PROPACEOS and ATBASE codes from Prism. The model was benchmarked against Prism's 1-D radiation hydrodynamics code HELIOS, and against experimental data obtained from HyperV's separately funded plasma jet accelerator development program. Work in the second funding cycle focused on extending the radiation diffusion model to full 3-D, continued development of the EMHD model, optimizing the direct-implicit model to speed up calculations, add in multiply ionized atoms, and improved the way boundary conditions are handled in LSP. These new LSP capabilities were then used, along with analytic calculations and Mach2 runs, to investigate plasma jet merging, plasma detachment and transport, restrike and advanced jet accelerator design. In addition, a strong linkage to diagnostic measurements was made by modeling plasma jet experiments on PLX to support benchmarking of the code. A large number of upgrades and improvements advancing hybrid PIC algorithms were implemented in LSP during the second funding cycle. These include development of fully 3D radiation transport algorithms, new boundary conditions for plasma-electrode interactions, and a charge conserving equation of state that permits multiply ionized high-Z ions. The final funding cycle focused on 1) mitigating the effects of a slow-growing grid instability which is most pronounced in plasma jet frame expansion problems using the two-fluid Eulerian remap algorithm, 2) extension of the Eulerian Smoothing Algorithm to allow EOS/Radiation modeling, 3) simulations of collisionless shocks formed by jet merging, 4) simulations of merging jets using high-Z gases, 5) generation of PROPACEOS EOS/Opacity databases, 6) simulations of plasma jet transport experiments, 7) simulations of plasma jet penetration through transverse magnetic fields, and 8) GPU PIC code development. The tools developed during this project are applicable not only to the study of plasma jets, but also to a wide variety of HEDP plasmas of interest to DOE, including plasmas created in short-pulse laser experiments performed to study fast ignition concepts for inertial confinement fusion.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Predictive Engineering Tools for Injection-Molded Long-Carbon-Fiber Thermoplastic Composites - FY 2015 First Quarterly Report

During the first quarter of FY 2015, the following technical progress has been made toward project milestones: 1) Autodesk delivered a new research version of ASMI to PNNL. This version includes the improved 3D fiber orientation solver, and the reduced order model (ROM) for fiber length distribution using the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) implemented in the mid-plane, dual-domain and 3D solvers. 2) Autodesk coordinated a conference paper with PNNL reporting ASMI mid-plane fiber orientation predictions compared with the measured data for two PlastiComp plaques. This paper was accepted for presentation at the 2015 Society for Plastics Engineers (SPE) ANTEC conference. 3) The University of Illinois (Prof. Tucker) assisted team members from Purdue with fiber orientation measurement techniques, including interpretation of off-axis cross sections. 4) The University of Illinois assisted Autodesk team members with software implementation of the POD approach for fiber length modeling, and with fiber orientation modeling. 5) The University of Illinois co-authored in the SPE ANTEC paper, participated with the team in discussions of plaque data and model results, and participated in the definition of go/no-go experiments and data. 6) Purdue University (Purdue) conducted fiber orientation measurements for 3 PlastiComp plaques: fast-fill 30wt% LCF/PP center-gated, fast-fill 50wt% LCF/PA66 edge-gated and fast-fill 50wt% LCF/PA66 center-gated plaques, and delivered the fiber orientation data for these plaques at the selected locations (named A, B, and C) to PNNL. However, the data for the fast-fill 50wt% LCF/PA66 edge-gated plaque exhibited unusual variations and could not be used for the model validation. Purdue will re-measure fiber orientation for this plaque. 7) Based on discussions with the University of Illinois Purdue explained the ambiguity in the measurements of the fiber orientation components. 8) PNNL discussed with team members to establish a go/no-go decision plan for the project and submitted the established plan to DOE. 9) PNNL performed ASMI mid-plane analyses for the fast-fill center-gated 30wt% LCF/PP and 50wt% LCF/PA66 plaques and compared the predicted fiber orientations with the measured data provided by Purdue at Locations A, B, and C on these plaques. 10) Based on discussions with the University of Illinois and Autodesk, PNNL proposed a procedure to adjust fiber orientation data for Location A of the center-gated plaques so that the data can be expressed and interpreted in the flow/cross-flow direction coordinate system. 11) PNNL tested the new ASMI version received from Autodesk, examined and discussed 3D fiber orientation predictions for PlastiComp plaques. 12) PlastiComp, Inc. (PlastiComp), Toyota Research Institute North America (Toyota) and Magna Exteriors and Interiors Corp. (Magna) participated in discussions with team members on the go/no-go plan and the issues related to fiber length measurements. Toyota continued the discussion with Magna on tool modification for molding the complex part in order to achieve the target fiber length in the part.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-T-529: Dosimetric Investigation of a Rotating Gamma Ray System for ImagedGuided Modulated Arc Radiotherapy

Purpose: Because of their effectiveness and efficiency, rotational arc radiotherapy (MAT) techniques have been developed on both specialty machines such as Tomotherapy and conventional linear accelerators. This work investigates a new rotating Gamma therapy system for image guided MAT and SBRT of intra/extracranial tumors. Methods: The CyberMAT system (Cyber Medical Corp., China) consists of a ring gantry with a gamma source (effective source size 1cm and 1.7cm respectively), a 120-leaf MLC, a kV CBCT and an EPID. The treatment couch provides 6-degrees-of-freedom motion compensation and the kV CBCT system has a spatial resolution of 0.4mm for target localization. The maximum dose rate is >4.0 Gy/min and the maximum field size is 40cm × 40cm. Monte Carlo simulations were used to compute dose distributions and compare with measurements. A retrospective study of 125 previously treated SBRT patients was performed to evaluate the dosimetric characteristics of CyberMAT in comparison with existing VMAT systems. Results: Monte Carlo results confirmed the CyberMAT design parameters including output factors and 3D dose distributions. Its beam penumbra is 5mm to 10mm for field sizes 1cm to 10cm, respectively and its isocenter accuracy is <0.5mm. Compared to the 6 MV photons of Tomotherapy and conventional linacs, Cobalt beams produce lower-energy secondary electrons that exhibit better dose properties in low-density lung tissues. Cobalt beams are ideal for peripheral lung tumors with half-arc arrangements to spare the opposite lung and other critical structures. Superior dose distributions have been obtained for brain, head and neck, breast, spine and lung tumors with half/full arc arrangements. Conclusion: Because of the unique dosimetric properties of Cobalt sources and its accurate stereotaxy/dose delivery CyberMAT is ideally suited for image guided MAT and SBRT. Full-arc arrangements are superior for brain and H&N treatments while half-arc arrangements produce best dose distributions for thoracic tumors.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Watering Down Barriers to Using Hydropower through Fisheries Research

Much of our work on clean energy is targeted at improving performance of hydropower, the largest source of renewable energy in the Pacific Northwest and the nation. PNNL experts in hydropower—from computer scientists to biologists and engineers—are helping to optimize the efficiency and environmental performance of hydroelectric plants. The Columbia River is the nation’s most important hydropower resource, producing 40 percent of the nation’s hydroelectric generation and up to 70 percent of the region’s power. At PNNL, Fisheries Biologist Ken Ham and others are working with stakeholders in the Pacific Northwest, the Army Corps of Engineers and DOE to ensure that this resource continues to provide its many benefits while setting a new standard for environmental sustainability. As aging turbines are replaced in existing hydropower dams, computational modeling and state-of-the-art fisheries research combine to aid the design of a next-generation hydro turbine that meets or exceeds current biological performance standards and produces more power.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

WE-EF-BRA-03: Catheter- Free Ablation with External Photon Radiation: Treatment Planning, Delivery Considerations, and Correlation of Effects with Delivered Dose

Purpose: To plan, target, and calculate delivered dose in atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation with volume-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in an intact porcine model. Methods: Seven pigs underwent AVN irradiation, with prescription doses ranging between 25 and 55Gy in a single fraction. Cardiac CT scans were acquired at expiration. Two physicians contoured AVN targets on 10 phases, providing estimates of target motion and inter-physician variability. Treatment planning was conducted on a static phase-averaged CT. The volume designated to receive prescription dose covered the full extent of AVN cardiac motion, expanded by 4mm for setup uncertainty. Optimization limited doses to risk structures according to single-fraction tumor treatment protocols. Orthogonal kV images were used to align bony anatomy at time of treatment. Localization was further refined with respiratory-gated cone-beam CT, and range of cardiac motion was verified under fluoroscopy. Beam delivery was respiratory-gated for expiration with a mean efficiency of 60%. Deformable registration of the 10 cardiac CT phases was used to calculate actual delivered dose for comparison to electro-anatomical and visually evident lesions. Results: The mean [minimum,maximum] amplitude of AVN cardiac motion was LR 2.9 [1.7,3.9]mm, AP 6.6 [4.4,10.4]mm, and SI 5.6 [2.0,9.9]mm. Incorporating cardiac motion into the dose calculation showed the volume receiving full dose was 40–80% of the volume indicated on the static planning image, although the contoured AVN target received full dose in all animals. Initial results suggest the dimensions of the electro-anatomical lesion are correlated with the 40Gy isodose volume. Conclusion: Image-guidance techniques allow for accurate and precise delivery of VMAT for catheter-free arrhythmia ablation. An arsenal of advanced radiation planning, dose optimization, and image-guided delivery techniques was employed to assess and mitigate effects of cardiac and respiratory motion. Feasibility of delivery to the pulmonary veins and left ventricular myocardium will be investigated in future studies. D. Packer Disclosures: Abiomed, Biosense Webster, Inc., Boston Scientific Corp., CardioFocus, Inc., Johnson and Johnson, Excerpta Medica, Ortho-McNeil-Jannsen, Sanofi Aventis, CardioInsight Technologies, InfoBionic, SIEMENS, Medtronic, Inc., CardioDx, Inc., CardioInsight Technologies, FoxP2 Medica, Mediasphere Medical, Wiley-Blackwell, St. Jude Medical, Endosense, Thermedical, EP Advocate LLC, Hansen Medical, American Heart Association, EpiEP, NIH.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

TU-FG-209-05: Demonstration of the Line Focus Principle Using the Generalized Measured-Relative Object Detectability (GM-ROD) Metric

Purpose: Demonstrate and quantify the augmented resolution due to focalspot size decrease in images acquired on the anode side of the field, for both small and medium (0.3 and 0.6mm) focal-spot sizes using the experimental task-based GM-ROD metric. Theoretical calculations have shown that a medium focal-spot can achieve the resolution of a small focal-spot if acquired with a tilted anode, effectively providing a higher-output small focal-spot. Methods: The MAF-CMOS (micro-angiographic fluoroscopic complementary-metal-oxide semiconductor) detector (75µm pixel pitch) imaged two copper wire segments of different diameter and a pipeline stent at the central axis and on the anode side of the beam, achieved by tilting the x-ray C-arm (Toshiba Infinix) to 6° and realigning the detector with the perpendicular ray to correct for x-ray obliquity. The relative gain in resolution was determined using the GM-ROD metric, which compares images on the basis of the Fourier transform of the image and the measured NNPS. To emphasize the geometric unsharpness, images were acquired at a magnification of two. Results: Images acquired on the anode side were compared to those acquired on the central axis with the same target-area focal-spot to consider the effect of an angled tube, and for all three objects the advantage of the smaller effective focal-spot was clear, showing a maximum improvement of 36% in GM-ROD. The images obtained with the small focal-spot at the central axis were compared to those of the medium focal-spot at the anode side and, for all objects, the relative performance was comparable. Conclusion: For three objects, the GM-ROD demonstrated the advantage of the anode side focal-spot. The comparable performance of the medium focal-spot on the anode side will allow for a high-output small focal-spot; a necessity in endovascular image-guided interventions. Partial support from an NIH grant R01EB002873 and an equipment grant from Toshiba Medical Systems Corp.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗