Commercialization of biopulping: an energy-saving and environmentally-friendly technology for the paper industry

Treesearch

Ross Swaney; Masood Akhtar; Eric Horn; Michael Lentz; Carl Houtman; John Klungness

2003-01-01

The biopulping process for treating wood chips prior to mechanical pulping has been scaled up through an extensive development program and has been demonstrated at 50 ton semicommercial scale. Detailed engineering analyses and design studies have been performed for full production-scale mill implementation, and the technology is ready for commercial use. This paper...

A design study for a medium-scale field demonstration of the viscous barrier technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moridis, G.; Yen, P.; Persoff, P.

1996-09-01

This report is the design study for a medium-scale field demonstration of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory`s new subsurface containment technology for waste isolation using a new generation of barrier liquids. The test site is located in central California in a quarry owned by the Los Banos Gravel Company in Los Banos, California, in heterogeneous unsaturated deposits of sand, silt, and -ravel typical of many of the and DOE cleanup sites and particularly analogous to the Hanford site. The coals of the field demonstration are (a) to demonstrate the ability to create a continuous subsurface barrier isolating a medium-scale volume (30more » ft long by 30 ft wide by 20 ft deep, i.e. 1/10th to 1/8th the size of a buried tank at the Hanford Reservation) in the subsurface, and (b) to demonstrate the continuity, performance, and integrity of the barrier.« less

DEMONSTRATION OF AN INTEGRATED, PASSIVE BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT PROCESS FOR AMD

EPA Science Inventory

An innovative, cost-effective, biological treatment process has been designed by MSE Technology Applications, Inc. to treat acid mine drainage (AMD). A pilot-scale demonstration is being conducted under the Mine Waste Technology Program using water flowing from an abandoned mine ...

Composites for Exploration Upper Stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fikes, J. C.; Jackson, J. R.; Richardson, S. W.; Thomas, A. D.; Mann, T. O.; Miller, S. G.

2016-01-01

The Composites for Exploration Upper Stage (CEUS) was a 3-year, level III project within the Technology Demonstration Missions program of the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate. Studies have shown that composites provide important programmatic enhancements, including reduced weight to increase capability and accelerated expansion of exploration and science mission objectives. The CEUS project was focused on technologies that best advanced innovation, infusion, and broad applications for the inclusion of composites on future large human-rated launch vehicles and spacecraft. The benefits included near- and far-term opportunities for infusion (NASA, industry/commercial, Department of Defense), demonstrated critical technologies and technically implementable evolvable innovations, and sustained Agency experience. The initial scope of the project was to advance technologies for large composite structures applicable to the Space Launch System (SLS) Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) by focusing on the affordability and technical performance of the EUS forward and aft skirts. The project was tasked to develop and demonstrate critical composite technologies with a focus on full-scale materials, design, manufacturing, and test using NASA in-house capabilities. This would have demonstrated a major advancement in confidence and matured the large-scale composite technology to a Technology Readiness Level 6. This project would, therefore, have bridged the gap for providing composite application to SLS upgrades, enabling future exploration missions.

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY: REMOVAL AND RECOVERY OF METAL IONS FROM GROUNDWATER

EPA Science Inventory

A series of bench-scale tests and an onsite pilot scale demonstration of Bio-Recovery Systems' AlgaSORB® technology for the removal and recovery of mercury-contaminated groundwaters were conducted under the SITE program. The AlgaSORB® process is based on the natural, very st...

Market assessment of PFBC ash use

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bland, A. E.; Brown, T. H., Western Research Institute

1998-01-01

Pressurized fluidized bed combustion (PFBC) of coal is undergoing demonstration in the United States, as well as throughout the world. American Electric Power`s (AEP`s) bubbling PFBC 70 MWe Tidd demonstration program in Ohio and pilot-scale development at Foster Wheeler Energia Oy 10 MWth circulating PFBC at Karhula, Finland, have demonstrated the advantages of PFBC technology. Further technology development in the US is planned with the deployment of the technology at the MacIntosh Clean Coal project in Lakeland, Florida. Development of uses for solid wastes from PFBC coal-fired power systems is being actively pursued as part of the demonstration of PFBCmore » technologies. Ashes collected from Foster Wheeler Energia Oy pilot circulating PFBC tests in Karhula, Finland, operating on (1) low sulfur subbituminous and (2) high sulfur bituminous coal; and ash from the AEP`s high-sulfur bituminous coal-fired bubbling PFBC in Brilliant, Ohio, were evaluated in laboratory and pilot-scale ash use testing at Western Research Institute (WRI).« less

Small Scale SOFC Demonstration Using Bio-Based and Fossil Fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petrik, Michael; Ruhl, Robert

2012-05-01

Technology Management, Inc. (TMI) of Cleveland, Ohio, has completed the project entitled Small Scale SOFC Demonstration using Bio-based and Fossil Fuels. Under this program, two 1-kW systems were engineered as technology demonstrators of an advanced technology that can operate on either traditional hydrocarbon fuels or renewable biofuels. The systems were demonstrated at Patterson's Fruit Farm of Chesterland, OH and were open to the public during the first quarter of 2012. As a result of the demonstration, TMI received quantitative feedback on operation of the systems as well as qualitative assessments from customers. Based on the test results, TMI believes thatmore » > 30% net electrical efficiency at 1 kW on both traditional and renewable fuels with a reasonable entry price is obtainable. The demonstration and analysis provide the confidence that a 1 kW entry-level system offers a viable value proposition, but additional modifications are warranted to reduce sound and increase reliability before full commercial acceptance.« less

ENTERPRISE SRS: LEVERAGING ONGOING OPERATIONS TO ADVANCE RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murray, A.; Wilmarth, W.; Marra, J.

2013-05-16

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is repurposing its vast array of assets to solve future national issues regarding environmental stewardship, national security, and clean energy. The vehicle for this transformation is Enterprise SRS which presents a new, strategic view of SRS as a united endeavor for “all things nuclear” as opposed to a group of distinct and separate entities with individual missions and organizations. Key among the Enterprise SRS strategic initiatives is the integration of research into facilities in conjunction with ongoing missions to provide researchers from other national laboratories, academic institutions, and commercial entities the opportunity to demonstrate theirmore » technologies in a relevant environment and scale prior to deployment. To manage that integration of research demonstrations into site facilities, The DOE Savannah River Operations Office, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, and the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) have established a center for applied nuclear materials processing and engineering research (hereafter referred to as the Center). The key objective of this initiative is to bridge the gap between promising transformational nuclear materials management advancements and large-scale deployment of the technology by using SRS assets (e.g. facilities, staff, and property) for those critical engineering-scale demonstrations necessary to assure the successful deployment of new technologies. The Center will coordinate the demonstration of R&D technologies and serve as the interface between the engineering-scale demonstration and the R&D programs, essentially providing cradle-to-grave support to the R&D team during the demonstration. While the initial focus of the Center will be on the effective use of SRS assets for these demonstrations, the Center also will work with research teams to identify opportunities to perform R&D demonstrations at other facilities. Unique to this approach is the fact that these SRS assets will continue to accomplish DOE’s critical nuclear material missions (e.g., processing in H-Canyon and plutonium storage in K-Area). These demonstrations can be accomplished in a more cost-effective manner through the use of existing facilities in conjunction with ongoing missions. Essentially, the R&D program would not need to pay the full operational cost of a facility, just the incremental cost of performing the demonstration. Current Center activities have been focused on integrating advanced safeguards monitoring technology demonstrations into the SRS H-Canyon and advanced location technology demonstrations into K-Area Materials Storage. These demonstrations are providing valuable information to researchers and program owners. In addition these demonstrations are providing the Center with an improved protocol for demonstration management that can be exercised across the entire SRS (and to offsite venues) to ensure that future demonstrations are done efficiently and provide an opportunity to use these unique assets for multiple purposes involving national laboratories, academia, and commercial entities. Key among the envisioned future use of SRS assets is the demonstration of new radioactive waste management technologies critical for advancing the mission needs of the DOE-EM program offices in their efforts to cleanup 107 sites across the United States. Of particular interest is the demonstration of separations technologies in H-Canyon. Given the modular design of H-Canyon, those demonstrations would be accomplished using a process frame. The demonstration equipment would be installed on the process frame and that frame would then be positioned into an H-Canyon cell so that the demonstration is performed in a radiological environment involving prototypic nuclear materials.« less

Enterprise SRS: leveraging ongoing operations to advance radioactive waste management technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murray, Alice M.; Wilmarth, William; Marra, John E.

2013-07-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is re-purposing its vast array of assets to solve future national issues regarding environmental stewardship, national security, and clean energy. The vehicle for this transformation is Enterprise SRS which presents a new, strategic view of SRS as a united endeavor for 'all things nuclear' as opposed to a group of distinct and separate entities with individual missions and organizations. Key among the Enterprise SRS strategic initiatives is the integration of research into facilities in conjunction with ongoing missions to provide researchers from other national laboratories, academic institutions, and commercial entities the opportunity to demonstrate theirmore » technologies in a relevant environment and scale prior to deployment. To manage that integration of research demonstrations into site facilities, The DOE Savannah River Operations Office, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, and the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) have established a center for applied nuclear materials processing and engineering research (hereafter referred to as the Center). The key objective of this initiative is to bridge the gap between promising transformational nuclear materials management advancements and large-scale deployment of the technology by using SRS assets (e.g. facilities, staff, and property) for those critical engineering-scale demonstrations necessary to assure the successful deployment of new technologies. The Center will coordinate the demonstration of R and D technologies and serve as the interface between the engineering-scale demonstration and the R and D programs, essentially providing cradle-to-grave support to the R and D team during the demonstration. While the initial focus of the Center will be on the effective use of SRS assets for these demonstrations, the Center also will work with research teams to identify opportunities to perform R and D demonstrations at other facilities. Unique to this approach is the fact that these SRS assets will continue to accomplish DOE's critical nuclear material missions (e.g., processing in H-Canyon and plutonium storage in K-Area). These demonstrations can be accomplished in a more cost-effective manner through the use of existing facilities in conjunction with ongoing missions. Essentially, the R and D program would not need to pay the full operational cost of a facility, just the incremental cost of performing the demonstration. Current Center activities have been focused on integrating advanced safeguards monitoring technology demonstrations into the SRS H-Canyon and advanced location technology demonstrations into K-Area Materials Storage. These demonstrations are providing valuable information to researchers and program owners. In addition these demonstrations are providing the Center with an improved protocol for demonstration management that can be exercised across the entire SRS (and to offsite venues) to ensure that future demonstrations are done efficiently and provide an opportunity to use these unique assets for multiple purposes involving national laboratories, academia, and commercial entities. Key among the envisioned future use of SRS assets is the demonstration of new radioactive waste management technologies critical for advancing the mission needs of the DOE-EM program offices in their efforts to cleanup 107 sites across the United States. Of particular interest is the demonstration of separations technologies in H-Canyon. Given the modular design of H-Canyon, those demonstrations would be accomplished using a process frame. The demonstration equipment would be installed on the process frame and that frame would then be positioned into an H-Canyon cell so that the demonstration is performed in a radiological environment involving prototypic nuclear materials. (authors)« less

High Temperature Electrolysis for Hydrogen Production from Nuclear Energy – TechnologySummary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. E. O'Brien; C. M. Stoots; J. S. Herring

2010-02-01

The Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, has requested that a Hydrogen Technology Down-Selection be performed to identify the hydrogen production technology that has the best potential for timely commercial demonstration and for ultimate deployment with the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). An Independent Review Team has been assembled to execute the down-selection. This report has been prepared to provide the members of the Independent Review Team with detailed background information on the High Temperature Electrolysis (HTE) process, hardware, and state of the art. The Idaho National Laboratory has been serving as the lead lab for HTE research andmore » development under the Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative. The INL HTE program has included small-scale experiments, detailed computational modeling, system modeling, and technology demonstration. Aspects of all of these activities are included in this report. In terms of technology demonstration, the INL successfully completed a 1000-hour test of the HTE Integrated Laboratory Scale (ILS) technology demonstration experiment during the fall of 2008. The HTE ILS achieved a hydrogen production rate in excess of 5.7 Nm3/hr, with a power consumption of 18 kW. This hydrogen production rate is far larger than has been demonstrated by any of the thermochemical or hybrid processes to date.« less

Scale-up and process integration of sugar production by acidolysis of municipal solid waste/corn stover blends in ionic liquids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Chenlin; Liang, Ling; Sun, Ning

The study presents the successful scale-up demonstration of the acid-assisted IL deconstruction on feedstock blends of municipal solid wastes and agricultural residues (corn stover) by 30-fold, relative to the bench scale (6L vs 0.2L), at 10% solid loading. By integrating IL pretreatment and acid hydrolysis with subsequent centrifugation and extraction, the sugar and lignin products can be further recovered efficiently. This scale-up development at Advanced Biofuels/Bioproducts Process Demonstration Unit (ABPDU) will leverage the opportunity and synergistic efforts towards developing a cost-effective IL based deconstruction technology by drastically eliminating enzyme, reducing water usage, and simplifying the downstream sugar/lignin recovery and ILmore » recycling. Results indicate that MSW blends are viable and valuable resource to consider when assessing biomass availability and affordability for lignocellulosic biorefineries. This scale-up evaluation demonstrates that the acid-assisted IL deconstruction technology can be effectively scaled up to larger operations and the current study established the baseline of scaling parameters for this process.« less

Scale-up and process integration of sugar production by acidolysis of municipal solid waste/corn stover blends in ionic liquids

DOE PAGES

Li, Chenlin; Liang, Ling; Sun, Ning; ...

2017-01-05

The study presents the successful scale-up demonstration of the acid-assisted IL deconstruction on feedstock blends of municipal solid wastes and agricultural residues (corn stover) by 30-fold, relative to the bench scale (6L vs 0.2L), at 10% solid loading. By integrating IL pretreatment and acid hydrolysis with subsequent centrifugation and extraction, the sugar and lignin products can be further recovered efficiently. This scale-up development at Advanced Biofuels/Bioproducts Process Demonstration Unit (ABPDU) will leverage the opportunity and synergistic efforts towards developing a cost-effective IL based deconstruction technology by drastically eliminating enzyme, reducing water usage, and simplifying the downstream sugar/lignin recovery and ILmore » recycling. Results indicate that MSW blends are viable and valuable resource to consider when assessing biomass availability and affordability for lignocellulosic biorefineries. This scale-up evaluation demonstrates that the acid-assisted IL deconstruction technology can be effectively scaled up to larger operations and the current study established the baseline of scaling parameters for this process.« less

With a small stabilization parachute trailing behind, the X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator is suspended under a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter during a captive-carry test flight

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-12-08

With a small stabilization parachute trailing behind, the X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator is suspended under a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter during a captive-carry test flight at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The captive carry flights are designed to verify the X-40's navigation and control systems, rigging angles for its sling, and stability and control of the helicopter while carrying the X-40 on a tether. Following a series of captive-carry flights, the X-40 made free flights from a launch altitude of about 15,000 feet above ground, gliding to a fully autonomous landing. The X-40 is an unpowered 82 percent scale version of the X-37, a Boeing-developed spaceplane designed to demonstrate various advanced technologies for development of future lower-cost access to space vehicles.

A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter slowly lowers the X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator to the ground under the watchful eyes of ground crew at the conclusion of a captive-carry test flight

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-12-08

A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter slowly lowers the X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator to the ground under the watchful eyes of ground crew at the conclusion of a captive-carry test flight at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Several captive-carry flights were conducted to check out all operating systems and procedures before the X-40 made its first free flight at Edwards, gliding to a fully-autonomous approach and landing on the Edwards runway. The X-40 is an unpowered 82 percent scale version of the X-37, a Boeing-developed spaceplane designed to demonstrate various advanced technologies for development of future lower-cost access to space vehicles. Flight tests of the X-40 are designed to reduce the risks associated with research flights of the larger, more complex X-37.

CONVERTING CAMPUS WASTE STREAMS INTO LOCALLY USED ENERGY PRODUCTS THROUGH STEAM HYDROGASIFICATION AND METHANE REFORMATION

EPA Science Inventory

We expect to find that the application of our technology can significantly benefit the school, environmentally and economically. Our lab-scale demonstration results would lead to larger demonstration scale investigations and ultimately implementation on campus showcasing the p...

Reconfigurable and responsive droplet-based compound micro-lenses.

PubMed

Nagelberg, Sara; Zarzar, Lauren D; Nicolas, Natalie; Subramanian, Kaushikaram; Kalow, Julia A; Sresht, Vishnu; Blankschtein, Daniel; Barbastathis, George; Kreysing, Moritz; Swager, Timothy M; Kolle, Mathias

2017-03-07

Micro-scale optical components play a crucial role in imaging and display technology, biosensing, beam shaping, optical switching, wavefront-analysis, and device miniaturization. Herein, we demonstrate liquid compound micro-lenses with dynamically tunable focal lengths. We employ bi-phase emulsion droplets fabricated from immiscible hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon liquids to form responsive micro-lenses that can be reconfigured to focus or scatter light, form real or virtual images, and display variable focal lengths. Experimental demonstrations of dynamic refractive control are complemented by theoretical analysis and wave-optical modelling. Additionally, we provide evidence of the micro-lenses' functionality for two potential applications-integral micro-scale imaging devices and light field display technology-thereby demonstrating both the fundamental characteristics and the promising opportunities for fluid-based dynamic refractive micro-scale compound lenses.

Performance Enhancement of a Full-Scale Vertical Tail Model Equipped with Active Flow Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whalen, Edward A.; Lacy, Douglas; Lin, John C.; Andino, Marlyn Y.; Washburn, Anthony E.; Graff, Emilio; Wygnanski, Israel J.

2015-01-01

This paper describes wind tunnel test results from a joint NASA/Boeing research effort to advance active flow control (AFC) technology to enhance aerodynamic efficiency. A full-scale Boeing 757 vertical tail model equipped with sweeping jet actuators was tested at the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel (40x80) at NASA Ames Research Center. The model was tested at a nominal airspeed of 100 knots and across rudder deflections and sideslip angles that covered the vertical tail flight envelope. A successful demonstration of AFC-enhanced vertical tail technology was achieved. A 31- actuator configuration significantly increased side force (by greater than 20%) at a maximum rudder deflection of 30deg. The successful demonstration of this application has cleared the way for a flight demonstration on the Boeing 757 ecoDemonstrator in 2015.

Environmental restoration and waste management: Robotics technology development program: Robotics 5-year program plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This plan covers robotics Research, Development, Demonstration, Testing and Evaluation activities in the Program for the next five years. These activities range from bench-scale R D to full-scale hot demonstrations at DOE sites. This plan outlines applications of existing technology to near-term needs, the development and application of enhanced technology for longer-term needs, and initiation of advanced technology development to meet those needs beyond the five-year plan. The objective of the Robotic Technology Development Program (RTDP) is to develop and apply robotics technologies that will enable Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ER WM) operations at DOE sites to be safer,more » faster and cheaper. Five priority DOE sites were visited in March 1990 to identify needs for robotics technology in ER WM operations. This 5-Year Program Plan for the RTDP detailed annual plans for robotics technology development based on identified needs. In July 1990 a forum was held announcing the robotics program. Over 60 organizations (industrial, university, and federal laboratory) made presentations on their robotics capabilities. To stimulate early interactions with the ER WM activities at DOE sites, as well as with the robotics community, the RTDP sponsored four technology demonstrations related to ER WM needs. These demonstrations integrated commercial technology with robotics technology developed by DOE in support of areas such as nuclear reactor maintenance and the civilian reactor waste program. 2 figs.« less

Enterprise SRS: Leveraging Ongoing Operations To Advance Nuclear Fuel Cycles Research And Development Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murray, Alice M.; Marra, John E.; Wilmarth, William R.

2013-07-03

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is repurposing its vast array of assets to solve future national issues regarding environmental stewardship, national security, and clean energy. The vehicle for this transformation is Enterprise SRS which presents a new, radical view of SRS as a united endeavor for ''all things nuclear'' as opposed to a group of distinct and separate entities with individual missions and organizations. Key among the Enterprise SRS strategic initiatives is the integration of research into facilities in conjunction with on-going missions to provide researchers from other national laboratories, academic institutions, and commercial entities the opportunity to demonstrate theirmore » technologies in a relevant environment and scale prior to deployment. To manage that integration of research demonstrations into site facilities, The Department of Energy, Savannah River Operations Office, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) have established a center for applied nuclear materials processing and engineering research (hereafter referred to as the Center). The key proposition of this initiative is to bridge the gap between promising transformational nuclear fuel cycle processing discoveries and large commercial-scale-technology deployment by leveraging SRS assets as facilities for those critical engineering-scale demonstrations necessary to assure the successful deployment of new technologies. The Center will coordinate the demonstration of R&D technologies and serve as the interface between the engineering-scale demonstration and the R&D programs, essentially providing cradle-to-grave support to the research team during the demonstration. While the initial focus of the Center will be on the effective use of SRS assets for these demonstrations, the Center also will work with research teams to identify opportunities to perform research demonstrations at other facilities. Unique to this approach is the fact that these SRS assets will continue to accomplish DOE's critical nuclear material missions (e.g., processing in H-Canyon and plutonium storage in K-Area). Thus, the demonstration can be accomplished by leveraging the incremental cost of performing demonstrations without needing to cover the full operational cost of the facility. Current Center activities have been focused on integrating advanced safeguards monitoring technologies demonstrations into the SRS H-Canyon and advanced location technologies demonstrations into K-Area Materials Storage. These demonstrations are providing valuable information to researchers and customers as well as providing the Center with an improved protocol for demonstration management that can be exercised across the entire SRS (as well as to offsite venues) so that future demonstrations can be done more efficiently and provide an opportunity to utilize these unique assets for multiple purposes involving national laboratories, academia, and commercial entities. Key among the envisioned future demonstrations is the use of H-Canyon to demonstrate new nuclear materials separations technologies critical for advancing the mission needs DOE-Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) to advance the research for next generation fuel cycle technologies. The concept is to install processing equipment on frames. The frames are then positioned into an H-Canyon cell and testing in a relevant radiological environment involving prototypic radioactive materials can be performed.« less

Criticality of Low-Energy Protons in Single-Event Effects Testing of Highly-Scaled Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellish, Jonathan Allen; Marshall, Paul W.; Rodbell, K. P.; Gordon, M. S.; LaBel, K. A.; Schwank, J. R.; Dodds, N. A.; Castaneda, C. M.; Berg, M. D.; Kim, H. S.;

PILOT-SCALE DEMONSTRATION OF A SLURRY-PHASE BIOLOGICAL REACTOR FOR CREOSOTE-CONTAMINATED SOIL - APPLICATION ANALYSIS REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

In support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program, a pilot-scale demonstration of a slurry-phase bioremediation process was performed May 1991 at the EPA’s Test & Evaluation Facility in Cincinnati, OH. In this...

MTBE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

The NRMRL, in collaboration with the State of California, and Department of Defense research program (ESTCP) is hosting a field-scale evaluation of cleanup technologies at the Department of Defense National Environmental Technology Test Site at Port Hueneme California. EPA has ...

Grid-Scale Energy Storage Demonstration of Ancillary Services Using the UltraBattery Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seasholtz, Jeff

2015-08-20

The collaboration described in this document is being done as part of a cooperative research agreement under the Department of Energy’s Smart Grid Demonstration Program. This document represents the Final Technical Performance Report, from July 2012 through April 2015, for the East Penn Manufacturing Smart Grid Program demonstration project. This Smart Grid Demonstration project demonstrates Distributed Energy Storage for Grid Support, in particular the economic and technical viability of a grid-scale, advanced energy storage system using UltraBattery ® technology for frequency regulation ancillary services and demand management services. This project entailed the construction of a dedicated facility on the Eastmore » Penn campus in Lyon Station, PA that is being used as a working demonstration to provide regulation ancillary services to PJM and demand management services to Metropolitan Edison (Met-Ed).« less

FIELD DEMONSTRATION OF INNOVATIVE LEAK DETECTION/LOCATION TECHNOLOGIES COUPLED WITH WALL-THICKNESS SCREENING FOR WATER MAINS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sponsored a large-scale field demonstration of innovative leak detection/location and condition assessment technologies on a 76-year old, 2,500-ft long, cement-lined, 24-in. cast iron water main in Louisville, KY from July through Septembe...

FIELD DEMONSTRATION OF EMERGING PIPE WALL INTEGRITY ASSESSMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR LARGE CAST IRON WATER MAINS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sponsored a large-scale field demonstration of innovative leak detection/location and condition assessment technologies on a 76-year old, 2,500-ft long, cement-lined, 24-in. cast iron water main in Louisville, KY from July through Septembe...

Field Demonstration of Emerging Pipe Wall Integrity Assessment Technologies for Large Cast Iron Water Mains - Paper

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsored a large-scale field demonstration of innovative leak detection/location and condition assessment technologies on a 76-year old, 2,000-ft long, cement-lined, 24-in. cast-iron water main in Louisville, KY from July through Se...

Costs of Arsenic Removal Technologies for Small Water Systems: U.S. EPA Arsenic Removal Technology Demonstration Program

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the Arsenic Rule Implementation Research Program, between July 2003 and July 2011, the U.S. environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted 50 full-scale demonstration projects on treatment systems removing arsenic from drinking water in 26 states throughout the U.S. ...

Evaluation of Arsenic Removal Technology: Arsenic Demonstration Program

EPA Science Inventory

Specific objectives of this program are to evaluate the reliability of the arsenic technologies of small scale systems; to gauge the simplicity of system operations, maintenance and operator skill; to determine the cost-effectiveness of the treatment technologies; and to characte...

Experimental Demonstration of Technologies for Autonomous On-Orbit Robotic Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LeMaster, Edward A.; Schaechter, David B.; Carrington, Connie K.

2006-01-01

The Modular Reconfigurable High Energy (MRHE) program aimed to develop technologies for the automated assembly and deployment of large-scale space structures and aggregate spacecraft. Part of the project involved creation of a terrestrial robotic testbed for validation and demonstration of these technologies and for the support of future development activities. This testbed was completed in 2005, and was thereafter used to demonstrate automated rendezvous, docking, and self-assembly tasks between a group of three modular robotic spacecraft emulators. This paper discusses the rationale for the MRHE project, describes the testbed capabilities, and presents the MRHE assembly demonstration sequence.

A Multi-scale, Multi-Model, Machine-Learning Solar Forecasting Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamann, Hendrik F.

The goal of the project was the development and demonstration of a significantly improved solar forecasting technology (short: Watt-sun), which leverages new big data processing technologies and machine-learnt blending between different models and forecast systems. The technology aimed demonstrating major advances in accuracy as measured by existing and new metrics which themselves were developed as part of this project. Finally, the team worked with Independent System Operators (ISOs) and utilities to integrate the forecasts into their operations.

Overview and Accomplishments of Advanced Mirror Technology Development Phase 2 (AMTD-2) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Philip

2015-01-01

The Advance Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) project is in Phase 2 of a multiyear effort, initiated in FY12, to mature by at least a half TRL step critical technologies required to enable 4 meter or larger UVOIR space telescope primary mirror assemblies for both general astrophysics and ultra-high contrast observations of exoplanets. AMTD Phase 1 completed all of its goals and accomplished all of its milestones. AMTD Phase 2 started in 2014. Key accomplishments include deriving primary mirror engineering specifications from science requirements; developing integrated modeling tools and using those tools to perform parametric design trades; and demonstrating new mirror technologies via sub-scale fabrication and test. AMTD-1 demonstrated the stacked core technique by making a 43-cm diameter 400 mm thick 'biscuit-cut' of a 4-m class mirror. AMTD-2 is demonstrating lateral scalability of the stacked core method by making a 1.5 meter 1/3rd scale model of a 4-m class mirror.

Large Pilot-Scale Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Capture Project Using Aminosilicone Solvent.Final Scientific/Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hancu, Dan

GE Global Research has developed, over the last 8 years, a platform of cost effective CO2 capture technologies based on a non-aqueous aminosilicone solvent (GAP-1m). As demonstrated in previous funded DOE projects (DE-FE0007502 and DEFE0013755), the GAP-1m solvent has increased CO2 working capacity, lower volatility and corrosivity than the benchmark aqueous amine technology. Performance of the GAP-1m solvent was recently demonstrated in a 0.5 MWe pilot at National Carbon Capture Center, AL with real flue gas for over 500 hours of operation using a Steam Stripper Column (SSC). The pilot-scale PSTU engineering data were used to (i) update the techno-economicmore » analysis, and EH&S assessment, (ii) perform technology gap analysis, and (iii) conduct the solvent manufacturability and scale-up study.« less

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM: PROGRESS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS - FISCAL YEAR 1991

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program was the first major program for demonstrating and evaluating full-scale innovative treatment technologies at hazardous waste sites. Having concluded its fifth year, the SITE program is recognized as a leading advocate ...

Instrumentation Development for Large Scale Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, Gregory T.; Cassell, Alan M.

2011-01-01

Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology is currently being considered for multiple atmospheric entry applications as the limitations of traditional entry vehicles have been reached. The Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE) has successfully demonstrated this technology as a viable candidate with a 3.0 m diameter vehicle sub-orbital flight. To further this technology, large scale HIADs (6.0 8.5 m) must be developed and tested. To characterize the performance of large scale HIAD technology new instrumentation concepts must be developed to accommodate the flexible nature inflatable aeroshell. Many of the concepts that are under consideration for the HIAD FY12 subsonic wind tunnel test series are discussed below.

Enterprise SRS: Leveraging Ongoing Operations to Advance National Programs - 13108

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marra, J.E.; Murray, A.M.; McGuire, P.W.

2013-07-01

The SRS is re-purposing its vast array of assets to solve future national issues regarding environmental stewardship, national security, and clean energy. The vehicle for this transformation is Enterprise SRS which presents a new, strategic view of SRS as a united endeavor for 'all things nuclear' as opposed to a group of distinct and separate entities with individual missions and organizations. Key among the Enterprise SRS strategic initiatives is the integration of research into facilities in conjunction with ongoing missions to provide researchers from other national laboratories, academic institutions, and commercial entities the opportunity to demonstrate their technologies in amore » relevant environment and scale prior to deployment. To manage that integration of research demonstrations into site facilities, The DOE Savannah River Operations Office, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, and the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) have established the Center for Applied Nuclear Materials Processing and Engineering Research (CANMPER). The key objective of this initiative is to bridge the gap between promising transformational nuclear materials management advancements and large-scale deployment of the technology by leveraging SRS assets (e.g. facilities, staff, and property) for those critical engineering-scale demonstrations necessary to assure the successful deployment of new technologies. CANMPER will coordinate the demonstration of R and D technologies and serve as the interface between the engineering-scale demonstration and the R and D programs, essentially providing cradle-to-grave support to the R and D team during the demonstration. While the initial focus of CANMPER will be on the effective use of SRS assets for these demonstrations, CANMPER also will work with research teams to identify opportunities to perform R and D demonstrations at other facilities. Unique to this approach is the fact that these SRS assets will continue to accomplish DOE's critical nuclear material missions (e.g., processing in H-Canyon and plutonium storage in K-Area). The demonstration can be accomplished in a more cost-effective manner through the use of existing facilities in conjunction with ongoing missions. Essentially, the R and D program would not need to pay the full operational cost of a facility, just the incremental cost of performing the demonstration. Current CANMPER activities have been focused on integrating advanced safeguards monitoring technology demonstrations into the SRS H-Canyon and advanced location technology demonstrations into K-Area Materials Storage. These demonstrations are providing valuable information to researchers and program owners. In addition these demonstrations are providing CANMPER with an improved protocol for demonstration management that can be exercised across the entire SRS (and to offsite venues) to ensure that future demonstrations are done efficiently and provide an opportunity to use these unique assets for multiple purposes involving national laboratories, academia, and commercial entities. Key among the envisioned future demonstrations is the use of H-Canyon to demonstrate new nuclear materials separations technologies critical for advancing the mission needs of three major program offices: DOE-EM, DOE-Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), and the NNSA. Given the modular design of H-Canyon, the demonstrations would be accomplished using a process frame. The demonstration equipment would be installed on the process frame and that frame would then be positioned into an H Canyon cell so that the demonstration is performed in a radiological environment involving prototypic nuclear materials. (authors)« less

Fishermen's Energy Atlantic City Wind Farm

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wissemann, Chris

Fishermen's Energy Atlantic City Wind Farm final report under US DOE Advanced Technology Demonstration project documents achievements developing a demonstration scale offshore wind project off the coast of New Jersey.

Scientific and Technological Foundations for Scaling Production of Nanostructured Metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowe, Terry C.; Davis, Casey F.; Rovira, Peter M.; Hayne, Mathew L.; Campbell, Gordon S.; Grzenia, Joel E.; Stock, Paige J.; Meagher, Rilee C.; Rack, Henry J.

2017-05-01

Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) has been explored in a wide range of metals and alloys. However, there are only a few industrial scale implementations of SPD for commercial alloys. To demonstrate and evolve technology for producing ultrafine grain metals by SPD, a Nanostructured Metals Manufacturing Testbed (NMMT) has been established in Golden, Colorado. Machines for research scale and pilot scale Equal Channel Angular Pressing-Conform (ECAP-C) technology have been configured in the NMMT to systematically evaluate and evolve SPD processing and advance the foundational science and technology for manufacturing. We highlight the scientific and technological areas that are critical for scale up of continuous SPD of aluminum, copper, magnesium, titanium, and iron-based alloys. Key areas that we will address in this presentation include the need for comprehensive analysis of starting microstructures, data on operating deformation mechanisms, high pressure thermodynamics and phase transformation kinetics, tribological behaviors, temperature dependence of lubricant properties, adaptation of tolerances and shear intensity to match viscoplastic behaviors, real-time process monitoring, and mechanics of billet/tooling interactions.

Cryogenic Tank Technology Program (CTTP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaughn, T. P.

2001-01-01

The objectives of the Cryogenic Tank Technology Program were to: (1) determine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of near net shape hardware; (2) demonstrate near net shape processes by fabricating large scale-flight quality hardware; and (3) advance state of current weld processing technologies for aluminum lithium alloys.

A Plan for the Development and Demonstration of Optical Communications for Deep Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lesh, J. R.; Deutsch, L. J.; Weber, W. J.

1990-01-01

In this article, an overall plan for the development and demonstration of optical communications for deep-space applications is presented. The current state of the technology for optical communications is presented. Then, the development and demonstration plan is presented in two parts: the overall major systems activities, followed by the generic technology developments that will enable them. The plan covers the path from laboratory subsystems demonstrations out to a full-scale flight experiment system for the proposed Mars Communications Relay Orbiter mission.

High Temperature Electrolysis 4 kW Experiment Design, Operation, and Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J.E. O'Brien; X. Zhang; K. DeWall

2012-09-01

This report provides results of long-term stack testing completed in the new high-temperature steam electrolysis multi-kW test facility recently developed at INL. The report includes detailed descriptions of the piping layout, steam generation and delivery system, test fixture, heat recuperation system, hot zone, instrumentation, and operating conditions. This facility has provided a demonstration of high-temperature steam electrolysis operation at the 4 kW scale with advanced cell and stack technology. This successful large-scale demonstration of high-temperature steam electrolysis will help to advance the technology toward near-term commercialization.

Technology summary of the in situ bioremediation demonstration (methane biostimulation) via horizontal wells at the Savannah River Site Integrated Demonstration Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hazen, T.C.; Looney, B.B.; Fliermans, C.B.

1994-06-01

The US Department of Energy, Office of Technology Development, has been sponsoring full-scale environmental restoration technology demonstrations for the past 4 years. The Savannah River Site Integrated Demonstration focuses on ``Clean-up of Soils ad Groundwater Contaminated with Chlorinated VOCs.`` Several laboratories including our own had demonstrated the ability of methanotrophic bacteria to completely degrade or mineralize chlorinated solvents, and these bacteria were naturally found in soil and aquifer material. Thus the test consisted of injection of methane mixed with air into the contaminated aquifer via a horizontal well and extraction from the vadose zone via a parallel horizontal well.

Field Applications of In Situ Remediation Technologies: Chemical Oxidation

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Describes recent pilot demonstrations and full-scale applications that either treat soil and ground water in place or increase the solubility and mobility of contaminants to improve their removal by other remediation technologies.

Overview of ERA Integrated Technology Demonstration (ITD) 51A Ultra-High Bypass (UHB) Integration for Hybrid Wing Body (HWB)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flamm, Jeffrey D.; James, Kevin D.; Bonet, John T.

2016-01-01

The NASA Environmentally Responsible Aircraft Project (ERA) was a ve year project broken into two phases. In phase II, high N+2 Technical Readiness Level demonstrations were grouped into Integrated Technology Demonstrations (ITD). This paper describes the work done on ITD-51A: the Vehicle Systems Integration, Engine Airframe Integration Demonstration. Refinement of a Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) aircraft from the possible candidates developed in ERA Phase I was continued. Scaled powered, and unpowered wind- tunnel testing, with and without acoustics, in the NASA LARC 14- by 22-foot Subsonic Tunnel, the NASA ARC Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel, and the 40- by 80-foot test section of the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) in conjunction with very closely coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics was used to demonstrate the fuel burn and acoustic milestone targets of the ERA Project.

The Role of Flight Experiments in the Development of Cryogenic Fluid Management Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chato, David J.

2006-01-01

This paper reviews the history of cryogenic fluid management technology development and infusion into both the Saturn and Centaur vehicles. Ground testing and analysis proved inadequate to demonstrate full scale performance. As a consequence flight demonstration with a full scale vehicle was required by both the Saturn and Centaur programs to build confidence that problems were addressed. However; the flight vehicles were highly limited on flight instrumentation and the flight demonstration locked-in the design without challenging the function of design elements. Projects reviewed include: the Aerobee Sounding Rocket Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) tests which served as a valuable stepping stone to flight demonstration and built confidence in the ability to handle hydrogen in low gravity; the Saturn IVB Fluid Management Qualification flight test; the Atlas Centaur demonstration flights to develop two burn capability; and finally the Titan Centaur two post mission flight tests.

Unirradiated testing of the demonstration-scale ceramic waste form at ANL-West

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goff, K.M.; Simpson, M.F.; Bateman, K.J.

1997-12-01

The ceramic waste form is being developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) as part of the demonstration of the electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel for disposal. The alkali, alkaline earth, halide, and rare earth fission products are stabilized in zeolite, which is combined with glass and processed in a hot isostatic press (HIP) to form a ceramic composite. The transuranics, including plutonium, are also stabilized in this high-level waste. Most of the laboratory-scale development work is performed in the Chemical Technology Division of ANL in Illinois. At ANL-West in Idaho, this technology is being demonstrated on an engineering scalemore » before implementation with irradiated materials in a remote environment.« less

CHLORINATED SOLVENT CONTAMINATED SOILS AND GROUNDWATER: FIELD APPLICATION OF THE SOLVENT EXTRACTION RESIDUAL BIOTREATMENT TECHNOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot scale demonstration of the Solvent Extraction Residual Biotreatment (SERB) technology was conducted at the former Sage's Dry Cleaner site in Jacksonville, FL. The SERB technology is a treatment train approach to complete site restoration, which combines an active in situ...

Biological Conversion of Sugars to Hydrocarbons Technology Pathway

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, Ryan; Biddy, Mary J.; Tan, Eric

2013-03-31

In support of the Bioenergy Technologies Office, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are undertaking studies of biomass conversion technologies to identify barriers and target research toward reducing conversion costs. Process designs and preliminary economic estimates for each of these pathway cases were developed using rigorous modeling tools (Aspen Plus and Chemcad). These analyses incorporated the best information available at the time of development, including data from recent pilot and bench-scale demonstrations, collaborative industrial and academic partners, and published literature and patents. This technology pathway case investigates the biological conversion of biomass derivedmore » sugars to hydrocarbon biofuels, utilizing data from recent literature references and information consistent with recent pilot scale demonstrations at NREL. Technical barriers and key research needs have been identified that should be pursued for the pathway to become competitive with petroleum-derived gasoline, diesel and jet range hydrocarbon blendstocks.« less

Superfund Technology Evaluation Report: SITE Program Demonstration Test Shirco Pilot-Scale Infrared Incineration System at the Rose Township Demode Road Superfund Site Volume I

EPA Science Inventory

The Shirco Pilot-Scale Infrared Incineration System was evaluated during a series of seventeen test runs under varied operating conditions at the Demode Road Superfund Site located in Rose Township, Michigan. The tests sought to demonstrate the effectiveness of the unit and the t...

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 United States Department of Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, Mohit; Grape, Ulrik

2014-07-29

The purpose of this project was for Seeo to deliver the first ever large-scale or grid-scale prototype of a new class of advanced lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The technology combines unprecedented energy density, lifetime, safety, and cost. The goal was to demonstrate Seeo’s entirely new class of lithium-based batteries based on Seeo’s proprietary nanostructured polymer electrolyte. This technology can enable the widespread deployment in Smart Grid applications and was demonstrated through the development and testing of a 10 kilowatt-hour (kWh) prototype battery system. This development effort, supported by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) enabled Seeo to pursue and validatemore » the transformational performance advantages of its technology for use in grid-tied energy storage applications. The focus of this project and Seeo’s goal as demonstrated through the efforts made under this project is to address the utility market needs for energy storage systems applications, especially for residential and commercial customers tied to solar photovoltaic installations. In addition to grid energy storage opportunities Seeo’s technology has been tested with automotive drive cycles and is seen as equally applicable for battery packs for electric vehicles. The goals of the project were outlined and achieved through a series of specific tasks, which encompassed materials development, scaling up of cells, demonstrating the performance of the cells, designing, building and demonstrating a pack prototype, and providing an economic and environmental assessment. Nearly all of the tasks were achieved over the duration of the program, with only the full demonstration of the battery system and a complete economic and environmental analysis not able to be fully completed. A timeline over the duration of the program is shown in figure 1.« less

Initial Field Deployment Results of Green PCB Removal from Sediment Systems (GPRSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeVor, Robert William

2014-01-01

The goal of this task order was to complete optimization and development of the Green PCB Remediation from Sediment Systems(GPRSSs) technology, culminating in the production of functioning demonstration test units which would be deployed at a suitable demonstration location. This location would be selected in conjunction with Toxicological & Ecological Associates who have entered into a SAA with NASA to partner with and further develop this technology. The GPRSSs technology was initially developed under ESC Task Order 83 with the purpose of providing a green remediation technology capable of in-situ removal and remediation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from contaminated sediments. The core concept of the technology, a polymeric blanket capable of absorbing PCBs when in contact with contaminated sediments was then transitioned to Task Order 165 where the primary objective was to fully design and optimize a functioning test unit capable of testing the theoretical and laboratory scale concepts in a real world situation. Results from both task orders are included in this report for completeness, although Task Order 165 focused on the blanket design and the small scale field demonstration in which is currently still ongoing in Altavista, VA.

A multiply-add engine with monolithically integrated 3D memristor crossbar/CMOS hybrid circuit.

PubMed

Chakrabarti, B; Lastras-Montaño, M A; Adam, G; Prezioso, M; Hoskins, B; Payvand, M; Madhavan, A; Ghofrani, A; Theogarajan, L; Cheng, K-T; Strukov, D B

2017-02-14

Silicon (Si) based complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has been the driving force of the information-technology revolution. However, scaling of CMOS technology as per Moore's law has reached a serious bottleneck. Among the emerging technologies memristive devices can be promising for both memory as well as computing applications. Hybrid CMOS/memristor circuits with CMOL (CMOS + "Molecular") architecture have been proposed to combine the extremely high density of the memristive devices with the robustness of CMOS technology, leading to terabit-scale memory and extremely efficient computing paradigm. In this work, we demonstrate a hybrid 3D CMOL circuit with 2 layers of memristive crossbars monolithically integrated on a pre-fabricated CMOS substrate. The integrated crossbars can be fully operated through the underlying CMOS circuitry. The memristive devices in both layers exhibit analog switching behavior with controlled tunability and stable multi-level operation. We perform dot-product operations with the 2D and 3D memristive crossbars to demonstrate the applicability of such 3D CMOL hybrid circuits as a multiply-add engine. To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a functional 3D CMOL hybrid circuit.

A multiply-add engine with monolithically integrated 3D memristor crossbar/CMOS hybrid circuit

PubMed Central

Chakrabarti, B.; Lastras-Montaño, M. A.; Adam, G.; Prezioso, M.; Hoskins, B.; Cheng, K.-T.; Strukov, D. B.

2017-01-01

Silicon (Si) based complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has been the driving force of the information-technology revolution. However, scaling of CMOS technology as per Moore’s law has reached a serious bottleneck. Among the emerging technologies memristive devices can be promising for both memory as well as computing applications. Hybrid CMOS/memristor circuits with CMOL (CMOS + “Molecular”) architecture have been proposed to combine the extremely high density of the memristive devices with the robustness of CMOS technology, leading to terabit-scale memory and extremely efficient computing paradigm. In this work, we demonstrate a hybrid 3D CMOL circuit with 2 layers of memristive crossbars monolithically integrated on a pre-fabricated CMOS substrate. The integrated crossbars can be fully operated through the underlying CMOS circuitry. The memristive devices in both layers exhibit analog switching behavior with controlled tunability and stable multi-level operation. We perform dot-product operations with the 2D and 3D memristive crossbars to demonstrate the applicability of such 3D CMOL hybrid circuits as a multiply-add engine. To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a functional 3D CMOL hybrid circuit. PMID:28195239

An Overview of NASA's In-Space Cryogenic Propellant Management Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Stephen; Hastings, Leon; Haynes, Davy (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Future mission planning within NASA continues to include cryogenic propellants for in space transportation, with mission durations ranging from days to years. Between 1995 and the present, NASA has pursued a diversified program of ground-based testing to prepare the various technologies associated with in-space cryogenic fluid management (CFM) for implementation. CFM technology areas being addressed include passive insulation, zero gravity pressure control, zero gravity mass gauging, capillary liquid acquisition devices, and zero boiloff storage. NASA CFM technologies are planned, coordinated, and implemented through the Cryogenic Technology Working Group which is comprised of representatives from the various NASA Centers as well as the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) and, on selected occasions, the Air Force. An overview of the NASA program and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) roles, accomplishments, and near-term activities are presented herein. Basic CFM technology areas being addressed include passive insulation, zero gravity pressure control, zero gravity mass gauging, capillary liquid acquisition devices, and zero boiloff storage. Recent MSFC accomplishments include: the large scale demonstration of a high performance variable density multilayer insulation (MLI) that reduced the boiloff by about half that of standard MLI; utilization of a foam substrate under MLI to eliminate the need for a helium purge bag system; demonstrations of both spray-bar and axial-jet mixer concepts for zero gravity pressure control; and sub-scale testing that verified an optical sensor concept for measuring liquid hydrogen mass in zero gravity. In response to missions requiring cryogenic propellant storage durations on the order of years, a cooperative effort by NASA's Ames Research Center, Glenn Research Center, and MSFC has been implemented to develop and demonstrate zero boiloff concepts for in-space storage of cryogenic propellants. An MSFC contribution to this cooperative effort is a large-scale demonstration of the integrated operation of passive insulation, destratification/pressure control, and cryocooler (commercial unit) subsystems to achieve zero boiloff storage of liquid hydrogen. Testing is expected during the Summer of 2001.

Bioremediation of Pit Lakes - Gilt Edge Mine

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8 Superfund Office and the EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) Mine Waste Technology Program (MWTP) conducted a field-scale treatability study demonstrating an in situ bio/geochemical treatment technology ...

The X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator and its U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter mothership fly over a dry lakebed runway during a captive-carry test flight at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-12-08

The X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator and its U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter mothership fly over a dry lakebed runway during a captive-carry test flight from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The X-40 is attached to a sling which is suspended from the CH-47 by a 110-foot-long cable during the tests, while a small parachute trails behind to provide stability. The captive carry flights are designed to verify the X-40's navigation and control systems, rigging angles for its sling, and stability and control of the helicopter while carrying the X-40 on a tether. Following a series of captive-carry flights, the X-40 made free flights from a launch altitude of about 15,000 feet above ground, gliding to a fully autonomous landing. The X-40 is an unpowered 82 percent scale version of the X-37, a Boeing-developed spaceplane designed to demonstrate various advanced technologies for development of future lower-cost access to space vehicles.

Surface Contamination Monitor and Survey Information Management System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-02-01

Shonka Research Associates, Inc.`s (SRA) Surface Contamination Monitor and Survey Information management System (SCM/SIMS) is designed to perform alpha and beta radiation surveys of floors and surfaces and document the measured data. The SRA-SCM/SIMS technology can be applied to routine operational surveys, characterization surveys, and free release and site closure surveys. Any large nuclear site can make use of this technology. This report describes a demonstration of the SRA-SCM/SIMS technology. This demonstration is part of the chicago Pile-5 (CP-5) Large-Scale Demonstration Project (LSDP) sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science and Technology (ST), Deactivation and Decommissioningmore » Focus Area (DDFA). The objective of the LSDP is to select and demonstrate potentially beneficial technologies at the Argonne National Laboratory-East`s (ANL) CP-5 Research Reactor Facility. The purpose of the LSDP is to demonstrate that by using innovative and improved deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) technologies from various sources, significant benefits can be achieved when compared to baseline D and D technologies.« less

Fabrication of the HIAD Large-Scale Demonstration Assembly and Upcoming Mission Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, G. T.; Johnson, R. K.; Hughes, S. J.; Dinonno, J. M.; Cheatwood, F M.

2017-01-01

Over a decade of work has been conducted in the development of NASAs Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology. This effort has included multiple ground test campaigns and flight tests culminating in the HIAD projects second generation (Gen-2) deployable aeroshell system and associated analytical tools. NASAs HIAD project team has developed, fabricated, and tested inflatable structures (IS) integrated with flexible thermal protection system (F-TPS), ranging in diameters from 3-6m, with cone angles of 60 and 70 deg.In 2015, United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced that they will use a HIAD (10-12m) as part of their Sensible, Modular, Autonomous Return Technology (SMART) for their upcoming Vulcan rocket. ULA expects SMART reusability, coupled with other advancements for Vulcan, will substantially reduce the cost of access to space. The first booster engine recovery via HIAD is scheduled for 2024. To meet this near-term need, as well as future NASA applications, the HIAD team is investigating taking the technology to the 10-15m diameter scale.In the last year, many significant development and fabrication efforts have been accomplished, culminating in the construction of a large-scale inflatable structure demonstration assembly. This assembly incorporated the first three tori for a 12m Mars Human-Scale Pathfinder HIAD conceptual design that was constructed with the current state of the art material set. Numerous design trades and torus fabrication demonstrations preceded this effort. In 2016, three large-scale tori (0.61m cross-section) and six subscale tori (0.25m cross-section) were manufactured to demonstrate fabrication techniques using the newest candidate material sets. These tori were tested to evaluate durability and load capacity. This work led to the selection of the inflatable structures third generation (Gen-3) structural liner. In late 2016, the three tori required for the large-scale demonstration assembly were fabricated, and then integrated in early 2017. The design includes provisions to add the remaining four tori necessary to complete the assembly of the 12m Human-Scale Pathfinder HIAD in the event future project funding becomes available.This presentation will discuss the HIAD large-scale demonstration assembly design and fabrication per-formed in the last year including the precursor tori development and the partial-stack fabrication. Potential near-term and future 10-15m HIAD applications will also be discussed.

Fabrication of the HIAD Large-Scale Demonstration Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, G. T.; Johnson, R. K.; Hughes, S. J.; DiNonno, J. M.; Cheatwood, F. M.

2017-01-01

Over a decade of work has been conducted in the development of NASA's Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology. This effort has included multiple ground test campaigns and flight tests culminating in the HIAD projects second generation (Gen-2) deployable aeroshell system and associated analytical tools. NASAs HIAD project team has developed, fabricated, and tested inflatable structures (IS) integrated with flexible thermal protection system (F-TPS), ranging in diameters from 3-6m, with cone angles of 60 and 70 deg.In 2015, United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced that they will use a HIAD (10-12m) as part of their Sensible, Modular, Autonomous Return Technology (SMART) for their upcoming Vulcan rocket. ULA expects SMART reusability, coupled with other advancements for Vulcan, will substantially reduce the cost of access to space. The first booster engine recovery via HIAD is scheduled for 2024. To meet this near-term need, as well as future NASA applications, the HIAD team is investigating taking the technology to the 10-15m diameter scale. In the last year, many significant development and fabrication efforts have been accomplished, culminating in the construction of a large-scale inflatable structure demonstration assembly. This assembly incorporated the first three tori for a 12m Mars Human-Scale Pathfinder HIAD conceptual design that was constructed with the current state of the art material set. Numerous design trades and torus fabrication demonstrations preceded this effort. In 2016, three large-scale tori (0.61m cross-section) and six subscale tori (0.25m cross-section) were manufactured to demonstrate fabrication techniques using the newest candidate material sets. These tori were tested to evaluate durability and load capacity. This work led to the selection of the inflatable structures third generation (Gen-3) structural liner. In late 2016, the three tori required for the large-scale demonstration assembly were fabricated, and then integrated in early 2017. The design includes provisions to add the remaining four tori necessary to complete the assembly of the 12m Human-Scale Pathfinder HIAD in the event future project funding becomes available.This presentation will discuss the HIAD large-scale demonstration assembly design and fabrication per-formed in the last year including the precursor tori development and the partial-stack fabrication. Potential near-term and future 10-15m HIAD applications will also be discussed.

TECHNOLOGY SELECTION AND SYSTEM DESIGN, U.S. EPA ARSENIC DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM ROUND 1

EPA Science Inventory

Battelle, under a contract with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is conducting full-scale demonstration studies on the removal of arsenic from drinking water supplies at 12 water treatment facilities throughout the United States. These demonstration studi...

JWST Mirror Technology Development Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Philip

2007-01-01

Mirror technology is a critical enabling capability for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). JWST requires a Primary Mirror Segment Assembly (PMSA) that can survive launch, deploy and align itself to form a 25 square meter collecting area 6.5 meter diameter primary mirror with a 131 nm rms wavefront error at temperatures less than 50K and provide stable optical performance. At the inception of JWST in 1996, such a capability did not exist. A highly successful technology development program was initiated including the Sub-scale Beryllium Mirror Demonstrator (SBMD) and Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator (AMSD) projects. These projects along with flight program activities have matured and demonstrated mirror technology for JWST. Directly traceable prototypes or flight hardware has been built, tested and operated in a relevant environment. This paper summarizes that technology development effort.

Output Control Technologies for a Large-scale PV System Considering Impacts on a Power Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwayama, Akira

The mega-solar demonstration project named “Verification of Grid Stabilization with Large-scale PV Power Generation systems” had been completed in March 2011 at Wakkanai, the northernmost city of Japan. The major objectives of this project were to evaluate adverse impacts of large-scale PV power generation systems connected to the power grid and develop output control technologies with integrated battery storage system. This paper describes the outline and results of this project. These results show the effectiveness of battery storage system and also proposed output control methods for a large-scale PV system to ensure stable operation of power grids. NEDO, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization of Japan conducted this project and HEPCO, Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc managed the overall project.

Imaging Exoplanets with the Exo-S Starshade Mission: Key Enabling Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasdin, N. Jeremy; Lisman, Doug; Shaklan, Stuart; Thomson, Mark; Webb, David; Cady, Eric; Exo-S Science; Technology Definition Team, Exoplanet Program Probe Study Design Team

2015-01-01

There is increasing interest in the use of a starshade, a spacecraft employing a large screen flying in formation with a space telescope, for providing the starlight suppression needed to detect and characterize exoplanets. In particular, Exo-S is a NASA study directed at designing a probe-scale exoplanet mission employing a starshade. In this poster we present the enabling technologies needed to make a starshade mission a reality: flight-like petals, a deployable truss to support the petals, optical edges, optical diffraction studies, and formation sensing and control. We show the status of each technology gap and summarize our progress over the past 5 years with plans for the next 3 years in demonstrating feasibility in all these areas. In particular, since no optical end-to-end test is possible, it is necessary to both show that a starshade can be built and deployed to the required accuracy and, via laboratory experiments at smaller scale, that the optical modeling upon which the accuracy requirements are based is validated. We show our progress verifying key enabling technologies, including demonstrating that a starshade petal made from flight-like materials can be manufactured to the needed accuracy and that a central truss with attached petals can be deployed with the needed precision. We also summarize our sub-scale lab experiments that demonstrate we can achieve the contrast predicted by our optical models.

SITE PROGRAM CURRENT AND FUTURE INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR GROUNDWATER TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) conducts research related to the demonstration and evaluation of innovative cleanup technologies. One of the mechanisms for the evaluation of innovative field-scale technologies for hazardous ...

Dual Arm Work Platform teleoperated robotics system. Innovative technology summary report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC) has developed a Large Scale Demonstration Project (LSDP) at the Chicago Pile-5 Research Reactor (CP-5) at Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL). The objective of the LSDP is to demonstrate potentially beneficial Deactivation and Decommissioning (D and D) technologies in comparison with current baseline technologies. The Dual Arm Work Platform (DAWP) demonstration focused on the use of the DAWP to segment and dismantle the CP-5 reactor tank and surrounding bio-shield components (including the graphite block reflector, lead and boral sheeting) and performing some minor tasks best suited for themore » use of teleoperated robotics that were not evaluated in this demonstration. The DAWP system is not a commercially available product at this time. The CP-5 implementation was its first D and D application. The demonstration of the DAWP was to determine the areas on which improvements must be made to make this technology commercially viable. The results of the demonstration are included in this greenbook. It is the intention of the developers to incorporate lessons learned at this demonstration and current technological advancements in robotics into the next generation of the DAWP.« less

Quarter Scale RLV Multi-Lobe LH2 Tank Test Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blum, Celia; Puissegur, Dennis; Tidwell, Zeb; Webber, Carol

1998-01-01

Thirty cryogenic pressure cycles have been completed on the Lockheed Martin Michoud Space Systems quarter scale RLV composite multi-lobe liquid hydrogen propellant tank assembly, completing the initial phases of testing and demonstrating technologies key to the success of large scale composite cryogenic tankage for X33, RLV, and other future launch vehicles.

Technology Development and Demonstration Concepts for the Space Elevator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smitherman, David V., Jr.

2004-01-01

During the 1990s several discoveries and advances in the development of carbon nano-tube (CNT) materials indicated that material strengths many times greater than common high-strength composite materials might be possible. Progress in the development of this material led to renewed interest in the space elevator concept for construction of a tether structure from the surface of the Earth through a geostationary orbit (GEO) and thus creating a new approach to Earth-to-orbit transportation infrastructures. To investigate this possibility the author, in 1999, managed for NASA a space elevator work:hop at the Marshall Space Flight Center to explore the potential feasibility of space elevators in the 21 century, and to identify the critical technologies and demonstration missions needed to make development of space elevators feasible. Since that time, a NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) funded study of the Space Elevator proposed a concept for a simpler first space elevator system using more near-term technologies. This paper will review some of the latest ideas for space elevator development, the critical technologies required, and some of the ideas proposed for demonstrating the feasibility for full-scale development of an Earth to GEO space elevator. Critical technologies include CNT composite materials, wireless power transmission, orbital object avoidance, and large-scale tether deployment and control systems. Numerous paths for technology demonstrations have been proposed utilizing ground experiments, air structures. LEO missions, the space shuttle, the international Space Station, GEO demonstration missions, demonstrations at the lunar L1 or L2 points, and other locations. In conclusion, this paper finds that the most critical technologies for an Earth to GEO space elevator include CNT composite materials development and object avoidance technologies; that lack of successful development of these technologies need not preclude continued development of space elevator systems in general; and that the critical technologies required for the Earth to GEO space elevator are not required for similar systems at the Moon, Mars, Europa, or for orbital tether systems at GEO, Luna, and other locations.

Waste management technology development and demonstration programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1991-01-01

Two thermoplastic processes for improved treatment of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes were developed from bench scale through technology demonstration: polyethylene encapsulation and modified sulfur cement encapsulation. The steps required to bring technologies from the research and development stage through full scale implementation are described. Both systems result in durable waste forms that meet current Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Environmental Protection Agency regulatory criteria and provide significant improvements over conventional solidification systems such as hydraulic cement. For example, the polyethylene process can encapsulate up to 70 wt pct. nitrate salt, compared with a maximum of about 20 wt pct. for the best hydraulic cement formulation. Modified sulfur cement waste forms containing as much as 43 wt pct. incinerator fly ash were formulated, whereas the maximum quantity of this waste in hydraulic cement is 16 wt pct.

H2@Scale Workshop Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pivovar, Bryan

2017-03-31

Final report from the H2@Scale Workshop held November 16-17, 2016, at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory hosted a technology workshop to identify the current barriers and research needs of the H2@Scale concept. H2@Scale is a concept regarding the potential for wide-scale impact of hydrogen produced from diverse domestic resources to enhance U.S. energy security and enable growth of innovative technologies and domestic industries. Feedback received from a diverse set of stakeholders at the workshop will guide the development of an H2@Scale roadmap for research, development, and early stagemore » demonstration activities that can enable hydrogen as an energy carrier at a national scale.« less

Field Applications of In Situ Remediation Technologies: Ground-Water Circulation Wells

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report is one in a series that show recent pilot demonstrations and full-scale applications that treat soil and ground water in situ or increase the solubility and mobility of contaminants to improve their removal by other remediation technologies.

DEMONSTRATION OF WELLMAN-LORD/ALLIED CHEMICAL FGD TECHNOLOGY: DEMONSTRATION TEST SECOND YEAR RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of an evaluation of the performance (over a 2-year period) of a full-scale flue gas desulfurization (FGD) unit to demonstrate the Wellman-Lord/Allied Chemical process. The process is regenerable, employing sodium sulfite wet scrubbing, thermal regeneratio...

Strategic Defense Initiative Demonstration/Validation Program Environmental Assessment. Exoatmospheric Reentry Vehicle Interception System (ERIS),

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-08-01

proceed to Demonstration/Validation for ERIS vould not preclude other technologies, nor vould it mandate the eventual Full-Scale Development or Production ...Full-Scale Development, and Production /Deployment. These four stages are separated by three major decision points (Milestones I, II, and III). Prior...percent facility population increase would require increased power plant gener- ating capacity. One concern is the nitrogen oxide emissions which is

Quantifying beliefs regarding telehealth: Development of the Whole Systems Demonstrator Service User Technology Acceptability Questionnaire.

PubMed

Hirani, Shashivadan P; Rixon, Lorna; Beynon, Michelle; Cartwright, Martin; Cleanthous, Sophie; Selva, Abi; Sanders, Caroline; Newman, Stanton P

2017-05-01

Introduction Telehealth (TH) is a potential solution to the increased incidence of chronic illness in an ageing population. The extent to which older people and users with chronic conditions accept and adhere to using assistive technologies is a potential barrier to mainstreaming the service. This study reports the development and validation of the Whole Systems Demonstrator (WSD) Service User Technology Acceptability Questionnaire (SUTAQ). Methods Questionnaires measuring the acceptability of TH, quality of life, well-being and psychological processes were completed by 478 users of TH. The 22 acceptability items were subject to principal components analysis (PCA) to determine sub-scales. Scale scores, relationships between scales and other patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and group differences on scales were utilised to check the reliability and validity of the measure. Results PCAs of SUTAQ items produced six TH acceptability scales: enhanced care, increased accessibility, privacy and discomfort, care personnel concerns, kit as substitution and satisfaction. Significant correlations within these beliefs and between these scales and additional PROMs were coherent, and the SUTAQ sub-scales were able to predict those more likely to refuse TH. Discussion The SUTAQ is an instrument that can be used to measure user beliefs about the acceptability of TH, and has the ability to discriminate between groups and predict individual differences in beliefs and behaviour. Measuring acceptability beliefs of TH users can provide valuable information to direct and target provision of services to increase uptake and maintain use of TH.

Educational Technology--The White Elephant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molnar, Andrew R.

A ten year experiment in educational technology sponsored under Title VII of the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) demonstrated the feasibility of large-scale educational systems which can extend education to all while permitting the individualization of instruction without significant increase in cost (through television, computer systems,…

APPLICATION, PERFORMANCE, AND COSTS OF BIOTREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR CONTAMINATED SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

A critical review of biological treatment processes for remediation of contaminated soils is presented. The focus of the review is on documented cost and performance of biological treatment technologies demonstrated at full- or
field-scale. Some of the data were generated b...

Advanced gasifier and water gas shift technologies for low cost coal conversion to high hydrogen syngas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kramer, Andrew Kramer

The Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and team members RTI International (RTI), Coanda Research and Development, and Nexant, are developing and maturing a portfolio of technologies to meet the United States Department of Energy (DOE) goals for lowering the cost of producing high hydrogen syngas from coal for use in carbon capture power and coal-to-liquids/chemicals. This project matured an advanced pilot-scale gasifier, with scalable and commercially traceable components, to readiness for use in a first-of-a-kind commercially-relevant demonstration plant on the scale of 500-1,000 tons per day (TPD). This was accomplished through cold flow simulation of the gasifier quench zone transition regionmore » at Coanda and through an extensive hotfire gasifier test program on highly reactive coal and high ash/high ash fusion temperature coals at GTI. RTI matured an advanced water gas shift process and catalyst to readiness for testing at pilot plant scale through catalyst development and testing, and development of a preliminary design basis for a pilot scale reactor demonstrating the catalyst. A techno-economic analysis was performed by Nexant to assess the potential benefits of the gasifier and catalyst technologies in the context of power production and methanol production. This analysis showed an 18%reduction in cost of power and a 19%reduction in cost of methanol relative to DOE reference baseline cases.« less

Engineering Development Program of a Closed Aluminum-Oxygen Semi-cell System for an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle: An Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregg, Dane W.; Hall, Susan E.

1996-01-01

Most emerging unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) missions require significantly longer range and endurance than is achievable with existing battery technology. The Aluminum-Oxygen (Al-O2) semi-cell is a candidate technology capable of providing a significant improvement in endurance compared to the silver-zinc battery technology currently in use in UUVs and compares favorably to other proposed UUV power systems not only in performance, but also in safety and logistics. An Al-O2 semi-cell system is under development, consisting of a cell stack, gas management, oxygen storage, electrolyte management coolant and controller subsystems. It is designed to replace the existing silver-zinc battery and meet existing weight, volume, electrical and thermal requirements, therefore minimizing modification to the UUV. A detailed system design is complete. A component and material endurance test to evaluate compatibility and reliability of various materials and components is complete. Sub=scale (short stack) system testing is complete. A full-scale demonstration unit is now under construction for testing in the second half of 1995. The full scale demonstration test will simulate environmental conditions of the operational system. This paper summarizes the results of the extensive short stack and endurance test programs, describes the plan for full-scale testing, and concludes with a brief discussion of future directions for this technology.

McIntosh Unit 4 PCFB demonstration project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dodd, A.M.; Dryden, R.J.; Morehead, H.T.

1997-12-31

The City of Lakeland, Foster Wheeler Corporation and Westinghouse Electric Corporation have embarked on a utility scale demonstration of Pressurized Circulating Fluidized Bed (PCFB) technology at Lakeland`s McIntosh Power Station in Lakeland, Florida. The US Department of Energy will be providing approximately $195 million of funding for the project through two Cooperative Agreements under the auspices of the Clean Coal Technology Program. The project will involve the commercial demonstration of Foster Wheeler Pyroflow PCFB technology integrated with Westinghouse`s Hot Gas Filter (HGF) and power generation technologies. The total project duration will be approximately eight years and will be structured intomore » three separate phases; two years of design and permitting, followed by an initial period of two years of fabrication and construction and concluding with a four year demonstration (commercial operation) period. It is expected that the project will show that Foster Wheeler`s Pyroflow PCFB technology coupled with Westinghouse`s HGF and power generation technologies represents a cost effective, high efficiency, low emissions means of adding greenfield generation capacity and that this same technology is also well suited for repowering applications.« less

Human Mars EDL Pathfinder Study: Assessment of Technology Development Gaps and Mitigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lillard, Randolph; Olejniczak, Joe; Polsgrove, Tara; Cianciolo, Alice Dwyer; Munk, Michelle; Whetsel, Charles; Drake, Bret

2017-01-01

This paper presents the results of a NASA initiated Agency-wide assessment to better characterize the risks and potential mitigation approaches associated with landing human class Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) systems on Mars. Due to the criticality and long-lead nature of advancing EDL techniques, it is necessary to determine an appropriate strategy to improve the capability to land large payloads. A key focus of this study was to understand the key EDL risks and with a focus on determining what "must" be tested at Mars. This process identified the various risks and potential risk mitigation strategies along with the key near term technology development efforts required and in what environment those technology demonstrations were best suited. The study identified key risks along with advantages to each entry technology. In addition, it was identified that provided the EDL concept of operations (con ops) minimized large scale transition events, there was no technology requirement for a Mars pre-cursor demonstration. Instead, NASA should take a direct path to a human-scale lander.

Jumpstarting commercial-scale CO 2 capture and storage with ethylene production and enhanced oil recovery in the US Gulf

DOE PAGES

Middleton, Richard S.; Levine, Jonathan S.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; ...

2015-04-27

CO 2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has yet to be widely deployed at a commercial scale despite multiple high-profile demonstration projects. We suggest that developing a large-scale, visible, and financially viable CCUS network could potentially overcome many barriers to deployment and jumpstart commercial-scale CCUS. To date, substantial effort has focused on technology development to reduce the costs of CO 2 capture from coal-fired power plants. Here, we propose that near-term investment could focus on implementing CO 2 capture on facilities that produce high-value chemicals/products. These facilities can absorb the expected impact of the marginal increase in the costmore » of production on the price of their product, due to the addition of CO 2 capture, more than coal-fired power plants. A financially viable demonstration of a large-scale CCUS network requires offsetting the costs of CO 2 capture by using the CO 2 as an input to the production of market-viable products. As a result, we demonstrate this alternative development path with the example of an integrated CCUS system where CO 2 is captured from ethylene producers and used for enhanced oil recovery in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.« less

Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) fuel cell technology program, phase 1/1A. [design and fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell was studied for the purpose of improving the characteristics of the technology. Several facets were evaluated, namely: (1) reduced fuel cell costs; (2) reduced fuel cell weight; (3) improved fuel cell efficiency; and (4) increased systems compatibility. Demonstrated advances were incorporated into a full scale hardware design. A single cell unit was fabricated. A substantial degree of success was demonstrated.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Middleton, Richard S.; Levine, Jonathan S.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.

CO 2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has yet to be widely deployed at a commercial scale despite multiple high-profile demonstration projects. We suggest that developing a large-scale, visible, and financially viable CCUS network could potentially overcome many barriers to deployment and jumpstart commercial-scale CCUS. To date, substantial effort has focused on technology development to reduce the costs of CO 2 capture from coal-fired power plants. Here, we propose that near-term investment could focus on implementing CO 2 capture on facilities that produce high-value chemicals/products. These facilities can absorb the expected impact of the marginal increase in the costmore » of production on the price of their product, due to the addition of CO 2 capture, more than coal-fired power plants. A financially viable demonstration of a large-scale CCUS network requires offsetting the costs of CO 2 capture by using the CO 2 as an input to the production of market-viable products. As a result, we demonstrate this alternative development path with the example of an integrated CCUS system where CO 2 is captured from ethylene producers and used for enhanced oil recovery in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.« less

NASA AETC Test Technology Subproject

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, James

2017-01-01

Funds directed to improve measurement capabilities (pressure, force, flow, and temperature), test techniques and processes, and develop technologies critical to meeting NASA research needs and applicable to a multitude of facilities. Primarily works by funding small ($40K - $400K) tasks which result in a demonstration or initial capability of a new technology in an AETC facility.TT research and development tasks are generally TRL 3-6; they should be things which work in small scale or lab environments but need further development for use in production facilities.TT differs from CA in its focus on smaller-scale tasks and on instrumentation. Technologies developed by TT may become CA projects in order be fully realized within a facility.

Critical Low-Noise Technologies Being Developed for Engine Noise Reduction Systems Subproject

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grady, Joseph E.; Civinskas, Kestutis C.

2004-01-01

NASA's previous Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program delivered the initial technologies for meeting a 10-year goal of a 10-dB reduction in total aircraft system noise. Technology Readiness Levels achieved for the engine-noise-reduction technologies ranged from 4 (rig scale) to 6 (engine demonstration). The current Quiet Aircraft Technology (QAT) project is building on those AST accomplishments to achieve the additional noise reduction needed to meet the Aerospace Technology Enterprise's 10-year goal, again validated through a combination of laboratory rig and engine demonstration tests. In order to meet the Aerospace Technology Enterprise goal for future aircraft of a 50- reduction in the perceived noise level, reductions of 4 dB are needed in both fan and jet noise. The primary objectives of the Engine Noise Reduction Systems (ENRS) subproject are, therefore, to develop technologies to reduce both fan and jet noise by 4 dB, to demonstrate these technologies in engine tests, and to develop and experimentally validate Computational Aero Acoustics (CAA) computer codes that will improve our ability to predict engine noise.

Multidimensional quantum entanglement with large-scale integrated optics.

PubMed

Wang, Jianwei; Paesani, Stefano; Ding, Yunhong; Santagati, Raffaele; Skrzypczyk, Paul; Salavrakos, Alexia; Tura, Jordi; Augusiak, Remigiusz; Mančinska, Laura; Bacco, Davide; Bonneau, Damien; Silverstone, Joshua W; Gong, Qihuang; Acín, Antonio; Rottwitt, Karsten; Oxenløwe, Leif K; O'Brien, Jeremy L; Laing, Anthony; Thompson, Mark G

2018-04-20

The ability to control multidimensional quantum systems is central to the development of advanced quantum technologies. We demonstrate a multidimensional integrated quantum photonic platform able to generate, control, and analyze high-dimensional entanglement. A programmable bipartite entangled system is realized with dimensions up to 15 × 15 on a large-scale silicon photonics quantum circuit. The device integrates more than 550 photonic components on a single chip, including 16 identical photon-pair sources. We verify the high precision, generality, and controllability of our multidimensional technology, and further exploit these abilities to demonstrate previously unexplored quantum applications, such as quantum randomness expansion and self-testing on multidimensional states. Our work provides an experimental platform for the development of multidimensional quantum technologies. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

SITE - EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: REMOVAL AND RECOVERY OF METAL IONS FROM GROUNDWATER - APPENDICES

EPA Science Inventory

A series of laboratory tests and an on-site pilot scale demonstration of Bio-Recovery Systems' AlgaSORB technology for the removal and recovery of mercury-contaminated groundwater were conducted under the SITE program. ptimum conditions were determined for mercury binding to Alga...

SITE TECHNOLOGY CAPSULE: IN SITU STEAM ENHANCED RECOVERY PROCESS

EPA Science Inventory

The SERP technology is designed to treat soils contaminated with VOCs and SVOCs in situ. Steam injection and vacuum extraction are used to remove the organic compounds from the soil and concentrate them for disposal or recycling. A full-scale demonstration of SERP was conducted a...

The use of PFBC ashes to ameliorate acid conditions: An equilibrium and greenhouse study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, T.H.; Bland, A.E.

1999-07-01

Pilot-scale development at the Foster Wheeler Energia Oy 10 MW{sub th} circulating PFBC at Karhula, Finland, has demonstrated the advantages of pressurized fluidized bed combustion (PFBC) technology. Commercial scale deployment of the technology at the Lakeland Utilities MacIntosh Unit No. 4 has been proposed. Development of uses for the ashes from PFBC systems is being actively pursued as part of commercial demonstration of PFBC technologies. Western Research Institute (WRI), in conjunction with the US Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC), Foster Wheeler Energy International, Inc., and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), conducted a laboratory scale investigationmore » of the technical feasibility of PFBC ash as an amendment for acidic soils and spoils encountered in agricultural and reclamation applications. Ashes were collected from the Foster Wheeler Energia Oy pilot circulating PFBC tests in Karhula, Finland, operating on (1) low-sulfur subbituminous and (2) high-sulfur bituminous coals. The results of the technical feasibility testing indicated the following: (1) PFBC fly ash (Karhula-low S fly ash) and ag-lime (CaCO{sub 3}) were used as amendments attempting to ameliorate acid spoil conditions. These materials were found to be effective acid mine spoil amendments. (2) The greenhouse study demonstrated that PFBC ash and/or bed ash amended spoils resulted in similar seed germination numbers as compared to the ag-lime amended spoils. (3) The greenhouse study also demonstrated that PFBC fly ash and/or bed ash amended spoils resulted in comparable plant productivity to the ag-lime amended spoils. In fact, all amendments resulted in statistically the same levels of plant production for each plant species.« less

Historical evidence of importance to the industrialization of flat-plate silicon photovoltaic systems. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, J. L.

1978-01-01

An analysis is given of the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project plans for the industrialization of new production technologies expected to be forthcoming as a result of the project's technology development efforts. In particular, LSSA's mandate to insure an annual production capability of 500 MW peak for the photovoltaic supply industry by 1986 is critically examined. The examination focuses on one of the concerns behind this goal -- timely development of industrial capacity to supply anticipated demand. Some of the conclusions include: (1) construction of small-scale pilot plants should be undertaken only for purposes of technology development; (2) large-scale demonstrations should be undertaken only when the technology is well in hand; (3) commercial-scale production should be left to the private sector; (4) the 500-MW annual output goal should be shifted to Program Headquarters.

Engineering development program of a closed aluminum-oxygen semi-cell system for an unmanned underwater vehicle: An update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregg, Dane W.; Hall, Susan E.

1995-04-01

Most emerging unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) missions require significantly longer range and endurance than is achievable with existing battery technology. The Aluminum-Oxygen (Al-O2) semi-cell is a candidate technology capable of providing a significant improvement in endurance compared to the silver-zinc battery technology currently used in UUVs and compares favorably to other proposed UUV power systems not only in performance, but also in safety and logistics. An Al-O2 semi-cell system is under development by Loral Defense Systems-Akron (Loral) for the ARPA/Navy 44 in. diameter UUV test vehicle. The power plant consists of a cell stack, gas management, oxygen storage, electrolyte management, coolant and controller subsystems, designed to replace the existing silver-zinc battery and meet existing weight, volume, electrical and thermal requirements, therefore minimizing modifications to the UUV. A detailed system design is complete. A component and material endurance test to evaluate compatibility and reliability of various material arid components is complete. Sub scale (Short stack) system testing is completed. A full-scale demonstration unit is now under construction in the second half of 1995. The full scale demonstration test will simulate environmental conditions of the operational system. This paper summarizes the results of the extensive short stack and endurance test programs, describes the plan for full-scale testing, and concludes with a brief discussions of future directions for this technology. This program is sponsored by ARPA Maritime Systems Technology Office under NASA contract NAS3-26715.

Advanced Nacelle Acoustic Lining Concepts Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bielak, G.; Gallman, J.; Kunze, R.; Murray, P.; Premo, J.; Kosanchick, M.; Hersh, A.; Celano, J.; Walker, B.; Yu, J.;

Heber Binary Project. Binary Cycle Geothermal Demonstration Power Plant (RP1900-1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacy, R. G.; Nelson, T. T.

1982-12-01

The Heber Binary Project (1) demonstrates the potential of moderate temperature (below 410 F) geothermal energy to produce economic electric power with binary cycle conversion technology; (2) allows the scaling up and evaluation of the performance of binary cycle technology in geothermal service; (3) establishes schedule, cost and equipment performance, reservoir performance, and the environmental acceptability of such plants; and (4) resolves uncertainties associated with the reservoir performance, plant operation, and economics.

A new generation T56 turboprop engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McIntire, W.L.

1984-06-01

The focus of the T56 Series IV turboprop engine development program is to improve power and fuel consumption through incorporation of demonstrated technology improvements while retaining the long term durability and cost effective design of the T56 family. The T56-A-427, the Navy Series IV derivative of the 5000 shp (3728.5 kW) class T56 turboprop engine, resulted from over ten years of technology development via Advanced Turbine Engine Gas Generator (ATEGG), Joint Technology Demonstrator Engine (JTDE), and advanced component programs at Allison Gas Turbine Operations. An example of government and industry cooperation to transfer advanced gas turbine technology is the Airmore » Force Engine Model Derivative Program (EMDP). The initial full-scale demonstration in this program confirmed a 10-1/2% reduction in specific fuel consumption (sfc) and a power growth of 21% in the basic T56 frame. Continued early demonstrations and development by IR and D, Navy funds, and Allison discretionary funds showed a further sfc reduction to 13% and power increase of 28%. The full-scale development program is now underway to provide production engines in late 1986. Engines will be available for the Grumman E-2 and C-2 aircraft, with follow-on adaptions for Lockheed C-130/L100 and P-3 aircraft, and generator sets for DD 963, DDG 993, CG 47 and DDG 51 warships.« less

We Must Take the Next Steps Towards Safe, Routine Space Travel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyles, G. M.

2000-01-01

This paper presents, in viewgraph form, six in a half generations of airplanes in a century. Some of the topics include: 1) Enterprise goals; 2) Generations of Reusable Launch Vehicles; 3) Space Transportation Across NASA; 4) Three Tiered Implementation Approach for Future Space Transportation Technology; 5) Develop a Comprehensive, Agency Level Space Transportation Plan That Will Enable NASA's Strategic Plan; 6) Timeline for Addressing NASA's Needs; 7) Significant 2nd Generation Technology Drivers; 8) Example Large Scale Ground Demonstrations; and 9) Example Pathfinder Demonstrations. The paper also includes various aircraft designs and propulsion system technology.

Low Gravity Issues of Deep Space Refueling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chato, David J.

2005-01-01

This paper discusses the technologies required to develop deep space refueling of cryogenic propellants and low cost flight experiments to develop them. Key technologies include long term storage, pressure control, mass gauging, liquid acquisition, and fluid transfer. Prior flight experiments used to mature technologies are discussed. A plan is presented to systematically study the deep space refueling problem and devise low-cost experiments to further mature technologies and prepare for full scale flight demonstrations.

Technologically Reflective Individuals as Enablers of Social Innovation*

PubMed Central

Rau, Christiane; Gassmann, Oliver; van den Hende, Ellis

2015-01-01

This paper identifies technologically reflective individuals and demonstrates their ability to develop innovations that benefit society. Technological reflectiveness (TR) is the tendency to think about the societal impact of an innovation, and those who display this capability in public are individuals who participate in online idea competitions focused on technical solutions for social problems (such as General Electric's eco‐challenge, the James Dyson Award, and the BOSCH Technology Horizon Award). However, technologically reflective individuals also reflect in private settings (e.g., when reading news updates), thus requiring a scale to identify them. This paper describes the systematic development of an easy‐to‐administer multi‐item scale to measure an individual's level of TR. Applying the TR scale in an empirical study on a health monitoring system confirmed that individuals' degree of TR relates positively to their ability to generate (1) more new product features and uses, (2) features with higher levels of societal impact, and (3) features that are more elaborated. This scale allows firms seeking to implement co‐creation in their new product development (NPD) process and sustainable solutions to identify such individuals. Thus, this paper indicates that companies wishing to introduce new technological products with a positive societal impact may profit from involving technologically reflective individuals in the NPD process. PMID:27134342

Technologically Reflective Individuals as Enablers of Social Innovation.

PubMed

Schweitzer, Fiona; Rau, Christiane; Gassmann, Oliver; van den Hende, Ellis

2015-11-01

This paper identifies technologically reflective individuals and demonstrates their ability to develop innovations that benefit society. Technological reflectiveness (TR) is the tendency to think about the societal impact of an innovation, and those who display this capability in public are individuals who participate in online idea competitions focused on technical solutions for social problems (such as General Electric's eco-challenge, the James Dyson Award, and the BOSCH Technology Horizon Award). However, technologically reflective individuals also reflect in private settings (e.g., when reading news updates), thus requiring a scale to identify them. This paper describes the systematic development of an easy-to-administer multi-item scale to measure an individual's level of TR. Applying the TR scale in an empirical study on a health monitoring system confirmed that individuals' degree of TR relates positively to their ability to generate (1) more new product features and uses, (2) features with higher levels of societal impact, and (3) features that are more elaborated. This scale allows firms seeking to implement co-creation in their new product development (NPD) process and sustainable solutions to identify such individuals. Thus, this paper indicates that companies wishing to introduce new technological products with a positive societal impact may profit from involving technologically reflective individuals in the NPD process.

SITE DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: SOIL RECYCLING TREATMENT TRAIN - THE TORONTO HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS

EPA Science Inventory

The Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC) have developed a soil treatment train designed to treat inorganic and organic contaminants in soils. THC has conducted a large-scale demonstration of these technologies in an attempt to establish that contaminated soils at the Toronto Port...

Supersonic Retropropulsion Technology Development in NASA's Entry, Descent, and Landing Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edquist, Karl T.; Berry, Scott A.; Rhode, Matthew N.; Kelb, Bil; Korzun, Ashley; Dyakonov, Artem A.; Zarchi, Kerry A.; Schauerhamer, Daniel G.; Post, Ethan A.

2012-01-01

NASA's Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) space technology roadmap calls for new technologies to achieve human exploration of Mars in the coming decades [1]. One of those technologies, termed Supersonic Retropropulsion (SRP), involves initiation of propulsive deceleration at supersonic Mach numbers. The potential benefits afforded by SRP to improve payload mass and landing precision make the technology attractive for future EDL missions. NASA's EDL project spent two years advancing the technological maturity of SRP for Mars exploration [2-15]. This paper summarizes the technical accomplishments from the project and highlights challenges and recommendations for future SRP technology development programs. These challenges include: developing sufficiently large SRP engines for use on human-scale entry systems; testing and computationally modelling complex and unsteady SRP fluid dynamics; understanding the effects of SRP on entry vehicle stability and controllability; and demonstrating sub-scale SRP entry systems in Earth's atmosphere.

Evaluation of pilot-scale pulse-corona-induced plasma device to remove NO{sub x} from combustion exhausts from a subscale combustor and from a hush house at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Final report, August 1994--January 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haythornthwaite, S.M.; Durham, M.D.; Anderson, G.L.

1997-05-01

Jet engine test cells (JETCs) are used to test-fire new, installed, and reworked jet engines. Because JETCs have been classified as stationary sources of pollutant emissions, they are subject to possible regulation under Title 1 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) as amended in 1990. In Phase 1 of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, a novel NOx-control approach utilizing pulsed-corona-induced plasma successfully showed 90% removal of NOx in the laboratory. The objective of Phase 2 was to reproduce the laboratory-scale results in a pilot-scale system. The technology was successfully demonstrated at pilot scale in the field, on amore » slipstream of JETC flue gas at Nellis Air Force Base. Based on the field data, cost projections were made for a system to treat the full JETC exhaust. The technology efficiently converted NO into ONO, and a wet scrubber was required to achieve the treatment goal of 50-percent removal and destruction of NOx. The plasma simultaneously removes hydrocarbons from the flue gas stream. This project demonstrated that pulse-corona-induced plasma technology is scalable to practical industrial dimensions.« less

Waste Heat-to-Power Using Scroll Expander for Organic Rankine Bottoming Cycle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dieckmann, John; Smutzer, Chad; Sinha, Jayanti

The objective of this program was to develop a novel, scalable scroll expander for conversion of waste heat to power; this was accomplished and demonstrated in both a bench-scale system as well as a full-scale system. The expander is a key component in Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) waste heat recovery systems which are used to convert medium-grade waste heat to electric power in a wide range of industries. These types of waste heat recovery systems allow for the capture of energy that would otherwise just be exhausted to the atmosphere. A scroll expander has the benefit over other technologies ofmore » having high efficiency over a broad range of operating conditions. The speed range of the TIAX expander (1,200 to 3,600 RPM) enables the shaft power output to directly drive an electric generator and produce 60 Hz electric power without incurring the equipment costs or losses of electronic power conversion. This greatly simplifies integration with the plant electric infrastructure. The TIAX scroll expander will reduce the size, cost, and complexity of a small-scale waste heat recovery system, while increasing the system efficiency compared to the prevailing ORC technologies at similar scale. During this project, TIAX demonstrated the scroll expander in a bench-scale test setup to have isentropic efficiency of 70-75% and operated it successfully for ~200 hours with minimal wear. This same expander was then installed in a complete ORC system driven by a medium grade waste heat source to generate 5-7 kW of electrical power. Due to funding constraints, TIAX was unable to complete this phase of testing, although the initial results were promising and demonstrated the potential of the technology.« less

Demonstration of three gorges archaeological relics based on 3D-visualization technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Wenli

2015-12-01

This paper mainly focuses on the digital demonstration of three gorges archeological relics to exhibit the achievements of the protective measures. A novel and effective method based on 3D-visualization technology, which includes large-scaled landscape reconstruction, virtual studio, and virtual panoramic roaming, etc, is proposed to create a digitized interactive demonstration system. The method contains three stages: pre-processing, 3D modeling and integration. Firstly, abundant archaeological information is classified according to its history and geographical information. Secondly, build up a 3D-model library with the technology of digital images processing and 3D modeling. Thirdly, use virtual reality technology to display the archaeological scenes and cultural relics vividly and realistically. The present work promotes the application of virtual reality to digital projects and enriches the content of digital archaeology.

Long-Term Demonstration of Hydrogen Production from Coal at Elevated Temperatures Year 6 - Activity 1.12 - Development of a National Center for Hydrogen Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stanislowski, Joshua; Tolbert, Scott; Curran, Tyler

2012-04-30

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has continued the work of the National Center for Hydrogen Technology® (NCHT®) Program Year 6 Task 1.12 project to expose hydrogen separation membranes to coal-derived syngas. In this follow-on project, the EERC has exposed two membranes to coal-derived syngas produced in the pilot-scale transport reactor development unit (TRDU). Western Research Institute (WRI), with funding from the State of Wyoming Clean Coal Technology Program and the North Dakota Industrial Commission, contracted with the EERC to conduct testing of WRI’s coal-upgrading/gasification technology for subbituminous and lignite coals in the EERC’s TRDU. This gasifier fires nominallymore » 200–500 lb/hour of fuel and is the pilot-scale version of the full-scale gasifier currently being constructed in Kemper County, Mississippi. A slipstream of the syngas was used to demonstrate warm-gas cleanup and hydrogen separation using membrane technology. Two membranes were exposed to coal-derived syngas, and the impact of coal-derived impurities was evaluated. This report summarizes the performance of WRI’s patent-pending coalupgrading/ gasification technology in the EERC’s TRDU and presents the results of the warm-gas cleanup and hydrogen separation tests. Overall, the WRI coal-upgrading/gasification technology was shown to produce a syngas significantly lower in CO2 content and significantly higher in CO content than syngas produced from the raw fuels. Warm-gas cleanup technologies were shown to be capable of reducing sulfur in the syngas to 1 ppm. Each of the membranes tested was able to produce at least 2 lb/day of hydrogen from coal-derived syngas.« less

Technology demonstration of space intravehicular automation and robotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, A. Terry; Barker, L. Keith

1994-01-01

Automation and robotic technologies are being developed and capabilities demonstrated which would increase the productivity of microgravity science and materials processing in the space station laboratory module, especially when the crew is not present. The Automation Technology Branch at NASA Langley has been working in the area of intravehicular automation and robotics (IVAR) to provide a user-friendly development facility, to determine customer requirements for automated laboratory systems, and to improve the quality and efficiency of commercial production and scientific experimentation in space. This paper will describe the IVAR facility and present the results of a demonstration using a simulated protein crystal growth experiment inside a full-scale mockup of the space station laboratory module using a unique seven-degree-of-freedom robot.

Space Technology 5 Multi-point Observations of Field-aligned Currents: Temporal Variability of Meso-Scale Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Guan; Wang, Yongli; Slavin, James A.; Strangeway, Robert J.

2007-01-01

Space Technology 5 (ST5) is a three micro-satellite constellation deployed into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn-dusk, sun-synchronous polar orbit from March 22 to June 21, 2006, for technology validations. In this paper, we present a study of the temporal variability of field-aligned currents using multi-point magnetic field measurements from ST5. The data demonstrate that meso-scale current structures are commonly embedded within large-scale field-aligned current sheets. The meso-scale current structures are very dynamic with highly variable current density and/or polarity in time scales of - 10 min. They exhibit large temporal variations during both quiet and disturbed times in such time scales. On the other hand, the data also shown that the time scales for the currents to be relatively stable are approx. 1 min for meso-scale currents and approx. 10 min for large scale current sheets. These temporal features are obviously associated with dynamic variations of their particle carriers (mainly electrons) as they respond to the variations of the parallel electric field in auroral acceleration region. The characteristic time scales for the temporal variability of meso-scale field-aligned currents are found to be consistent with those of auroral parallel electric field.

Current Laminar Flow Control Experiments at NASA Dryden

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowers, Al

2010-01-01

An experiment to demonstrate laminar flow over the swept wing of a subsonic transport is being developed. Discrete Roughness Elements are being used to maintain laminar flow over a substantial portion of a wing glove. This passive laminar flow technology has only come to be recognized as a significant player in airliner drag reduction in the last few years. NASA is implementing this experiment and is planning to demonstrate this technology at full-scale Bight cruise conditions of a small-to-medium airliner.

ANCHOR HILL PIT LAKE IN SITU TREATMENT, GILT EDGE MINE SUPERFUND SITE, S. DAKOTA, USA - A RETROSPECTIVE

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Region VII Superfund office and the EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) Mine Waste Technology Program (MWTP)have been conducting a field scale technology demonstration of an in situ treatment of the Anchor Hill Pit Lake at the Gilt Edge Mine Superfund...

Incorporating biopulping technology into wood yard operations

Treesearch

Gary M. Scott; Eric Horn; Masood Akhtar; Ross E. Swaney; Michael J. Lentz; David F. Shipley

1998-01-01

Biopulping is the treatment of wood chips and other lignocellulosic materials with lignin-degrading fungi prior to pulping. Ten years of industry-sponsored research has demonstrated the technical feasibility of the technology for mechanical pulping at a laboratory scale. Two 50-ton outdoor chip pile trials recently conducted at the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products...

Application of Interface Technology in Nonlinear Analysis of a Stitched/RFI Composite Wing Stub Box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, John T.; Ransom, Jonathan B.

1997-01-01

A recently developed interface technology was successfully employed in the geometrically nonlinear analysis of a full-scale stitched/RFI composite wing box loaded in bending. The technology allows mismatched finite element models to be joined in a variationally consistent manner and reduces the modeling complexity by eliminating transition meshing. In the analysis, local finite element models of nonlinearly deformed wide bays of the wing box are refined without the need for transition meshing to the surrounding coarse mesh. The COMET-AR finite element code, which has the interface technology capability, was used to perform the analyses. The COMET-AR analysis is compared to both a NASTRAN analysis and to experimental data. The interface technology solution is shown to be in good agreement with both. The viability of interface technology for coupled global/local analysis of large scale aircraft structures is demonstrated.

Space Technology 5 Multi-Point Observations of Temporal Variability of Field-Aligned Currents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Guan; Wang, Yongli; Slavin, James A.; Strangeway, Robert J.

2008-01-01

Space Technology 5 (ST5) is a three micro-satellite constellation deployed into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn-dusk, sun-synchronous polar orbit from March 22 to June 21, 2006, for technology validations. In this paper, we present a study of the temporal variability of field-aligned currents using multi-point magnetic field measurements from ST5. The data demonstrate that meso-scale current structures are commonly embedded within large-scale field-aligned current sheets. The meso-scale current structures are very dynamic with highly variable current density and/or polarity in time scales of approximately 10 min. They exhibit large temporal variations during both quiet and disturbed times in such time scales. On the other hand, the data also shown that the time scales for the currents to be relatively stable are approximately 1 min for meso-scale currents and approximately 10 min for large scale current sheets. These temporal features are obviously associated with dynamic variations of their particle carriers (mainly electrons) as they respond to the variations of the parallel electric field in auroral acceleration region. The characteristic time scales for the temporal variability of meso-scale field-aligned currents are found to be consistent with those of auroral parallel electric field.

Future Directions for Space Transportation and Propulsion at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sackheim, Robert L.

2005-01-01

Contents include the following: Oxygen Compatible Materials. Manufacturing Technology Demonstrations. Turbopump Inducer Waterflow Test. Turbine Damping "Whirligig" Test. Single Element Preburner and Main Injector Test. 40K Multi-Element Preburner and MI. Full-Scale Battleship Preburner. Prototype Preburner Test Article. Full-Scale Prototype TCA. Turbopump Hot-Fire Test Article. Prototype Engine. Validated Analytical Models.

Experimental performance evaluation of software defined networking (SDN) based data communication networks for large scale flexi-grid optical networks.

PubMed

Zhao, Yongli; He, Ruiying; Chen, Haoran; Zhang, Jie; Ji, Yuefeng; Zheng, Haomian; Lin, Yi; Wang, Xinbo

2014-04-21

Software defined networking (SDN) has become the focus in the current information and communication technology area because of its flexibility and programmability. It has been introduced into various network scenarios, such as datacenter networks, carrier networks, and wireless networks. Optical transport network is also regarded as an important application scenario for SDN, which is adopted as the enabling technology of data communication networks (DCN) instead of general multi-protocol label switching (GMPLS). However, the practical performance of SDN based DCN for large scale optical networks, which is very important for the technology selection in the future optical network deployment, has not been evaluated up to now. In this paper we have built a large scale flexi-grid optical network testbed with 1000 virtual optical transport nodes to evaluate the performance of SDN based DCN, including network scalability, DCN bandwidth limitation, and restoration time. A series of network performance parameters including blocking probability, bandwidth utilization, average lightpath provisioning time, and failure restoration time have been demonstrated under various network environments, such as with different traffic loads and different DCN bandwidths. The demonstration in this work can be taken as a proof for the future network deployment.

Tip-Based Nanofabrication for Scalable Manufacturing

DOE PAGES

Hu, Huan; Kim, Hoe; Somnath, Suhas

2017-03-16

Tip-based nanofabrication (TBN) is a family of emerging nanofabrication techniques that use a nanometer scale tip to fabricate nanostructures. Here in this review, we first introduce the history of the TBN and the technology development. We then briefly review various TBN techniques that use different physical or chemical mechanisms to fabricate features and discuss some of the state-of-the-art techniques. Subsequently, we focus on those TBN methods that have demonstrated potential to scale up the manufacturing throughput. Finally, we discuss several research directions that are essential for making TBN a scalable nano-manufacturing technology.

Tip-Based Nanofabrication for Scalable Manufacturing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Huan; Kim, Hoe; Somnath, Suhas

Tip-based nanofabrication (TBN) is a family of emerging nanofabrication techniques that use a nanometer scale tip to fabricate nanostructures. Here in this review, we first introduce the history of the TBN and the technology development. We then briefly review various TBN techniques that use different physical or chemical mechanisms to fabricate features and discuss some of the state-of-the-art techniques. Subsequently, we focus on those TBN methods that have demonstrated potential to scale up the manufacturing throughput. Finally, we discuss several research directions that are essential for making TBN a scalable nano-manufacturing technology.

Nuclear Systems Kilopower Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palac, Don; Gibson, Marc; Mason, Lee; Houts, Michael; McClure, Patrick; Robinson, Ross

2016-01-01

The Nuclear Systems Kilopower Project was initiated by NASAs Space Technology Mission Directorate Game Changing Development Program in fiscal year 2015 to demonstrate subsystem-level technology readiness of small space fission power in a relevant environment (Technology Readiness Level 5) for space science and human exploration power needs. The Nuclear Systems Kilopower Project consists of two elements. The primary element is the Kilopower Prototype Test, also called the Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology(KRUSTY) Test. This element consists of the development and testing of a fission ground technology demonstrator of a 1 kWe fission power system. A 1 kWe system matches requirements for some robotic precursor exploration systems and future potential deep space science missions, and also allows a nuclear ground technology demonstration in existing nuclear test facilities at low cost. The second element, the Mars Kilopower Scalability Study, consists of the analysis and design of a scaled-up version of the 1 kWe reference concept to 10 kWe for Mars surface power projected requirements, and validation of the applicability of the KRUSTY experiment to key technology challenges for a 10 kWe system. If successful, these two elements will lead to initiation of planning for a technology demonstration of a 10 kWe fission power capability for Mars surface outpost power.

Heliogyro Solar Sail Research at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkie, W. Keats; Warren, Jerry E.; Guerrant, Daniel V.; Lawrence, Dale A.; Gibbs, S. Chad; Dowell, Earl H.; Heaton, Andrew F.; Heaton, Andrew F.; Juang, Jer-Nan; Horta, Lucas G.;

Scaling-up Fermentation of Pichia pastoris to demonstration-scale using new methanol-feeding strategy and increased air pressure instead of pure oxygen supplement

PubMed Central

Liu, Wan-Cang; Gong, Ting; Wang, Qing-Hua; Liang, Xiao; Chen, Jing-Jing; Zhu, Ping

2016-01-01

Scaling-up of high-cell-density fermentation (HCDF) of Pichia pastoris from the lab or pilot scale to the demonstration scale possesses great significance because the latter is the final technological hurdle in the decision to go commercial. However, related investigations have rarely been reported. In this paper, we study the scaling-up processes of a recombinant P. pastoris from the pilot (10 to 100-L) to the demonstration (1,000-L) scales, which can be used to convert 7-β-xylosyl-10-deacetyltaxol into 10-deacetyltaxol by the β-xylosidase for semi-synthesis of Taxol. We demonstrated that a pure oxygen supplement can be omitted from the HCDF if the super atmospheric pressure was increased from 0.05 to 0.10 ± 0.05 MPa, and we developed a new methanol feeding biomass-stat strategy (0.035 mL/g/h) with 1% dissolved oxygen and 100 g/L initial induction biomass (dry cell weight). The scaling-up was reproducible, and the best results were obtained from the 1,000-L scale, featuring a shorter induction time and the highest enzyme activities and productions, respectively. The specific growth and specific production rates were also determined. This study lays a solid foundation for the commercial preparation of 10-deacetyltaxol through the recombinant yeast. It also provides a successful paradigm for scaling-up HCDF of P. pastoris to the demonstration scale. PMID:26790977

Core Design Characteristics of the Fluoride Salt-Cooled High Temperature Demonstration Reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Nicholas R; Qualls, A L; Betzler, Benjamin R

2016-01-01

Fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactors (FHRs) are a promising reactor technology option with significant knowledge gaps to implementation. One potential approach to address those technology gaps is via a small-scale demonstration reactor with the goal of increasing the technology readiness level (TRL) of the overall system for the longer term. The objective of this paper is to outline a notional concept for such a system, and to address how the proposed concept would advance the TRL of FHR concepts. Development of the proposed FHR Demonstration Reactor (DR) will enable commercial FHR deployment through disruptive and rapid technology development and demonstration.more » The FHR DR will close remaining gaps to commercial viability. Lower risk technologies are included in the initial FHR DR design to ensure that the reactor can be built, licensed, and operated within an acceptable budget and schedule. Important capabilities that will be demonstrated by building and operating the FHR DR include core design methodologies; fabrication and operation of high temperature reactors; salt procurement, handling, maintenance, and ultimate disposal; salt chemistry control to maximize vessel life; tritium management; heat exchanger performance; pump performance; and reactivity control. The FHR DR is considered part of a broader set of FHR technology development and demonstration efforts, some of which are already underway. Nonreactor test efforts (e.g., heated salt loops or loops using simulant fluids) can demonstrate many technologies necessary for commercial deployment of FHRs. The FHR DR, however, fulfills a crucial role in FHR technology development by advancing the technical maturity and readiness level of the system as a whole.« less

Integration of SrBi2Ta2O9 thin films for high density ferroelectric random access memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wouters, D. J.; Maes, D.; Goux, L.; Lisoni, J. G.; Paraschiv, V.; Johnson, J. A.; Schwitters, M.; Everaert, J.-L.; Boullart, W.; Schaekers, M.; Willegems, M.; Vander Meeren, H.; Haspeslagh, L.; Artoni, C.; Caputa, C.; Casella, P.; Corallo, G.; Russo, G.; Zambrano, R.; Monchoix, H.; Vecchio, G.; Van Autryve, L.

2006-09-01

Ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) is an attractive candidate technology for embedded nonvolatile memory, especially in applications where low power and high program speed are important. Market introduction of high-density FeRAM is, however, lagging behind standard complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) because of the difficult integration technology. This paper discusses the major integration issues for high-density FeRAM, based on SrBi2Ta2O9 (strontium bismuth tantalate or SBT), in relation to the fabrication of our stacked cell structure. We have worked in the previous years on the development of SBT-FeRAM integration technology, based on a so-called pseudo-three-dimensional (3D) cell, with a capacitor that can be scaled from quasi two-dimensional towards a true three-dimensional capacitor where the sidewalls will importantly contribute to the signal. In the first phase of our integration development, we integrated our FeRAM cell in a 0.35μm CMOS technology. In a second phase, then, possibility of scaling of our cell is demonstrated in 0.18μm technology. The excellent electrical and reliability properties of the small integrated ferroelectric capacitors prove the feasibility of the technology, while the verification of the potential 3D effect confirms the basic scaling potential of our concept beyond that of the single-mask capacitor. The paper outlines the different material and technological challenges, and working solutions are demonstrated. While some issues are specific to our own cell, many are applicable to different stacked FeRAM cell concepts, or will become more general concerns when more developments are moving into 3D structures.

Development of Mission Adaptive Digital Composite Aerostructure Technologies (MADCAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheung, Kenneth; Cellucci, Daniel; Copplestone, Grace; Cramer, Nick; Fusco, Jesse; Jenett, Benjamin; Kim, Joseph; Mazhari, Alex; Trinh, Greenfield; Swei, Sean

2017-01-01

This paper reviews the development of the Mission Adaptive Digital Composite Aerostructures Technologies (MADCAT) v0 demonstrator aircraft, utilizing a novel aerostructure concept that combines advanced composite materials manufacturing and fabrication technologies with a discrete construction approach to achieve high stiffness-to-density ratio ultra-light aerostructures that provide versatility and adaptability. This revolutionary aerostructure concept has the potential to change how future air vehicles are designed, built, and flown, with dramatic reductions in weight and manufacturing complexity the number of types of structural components needed to build air vehicles while enabling new mission objectives. We utilize the innovative digital composite materials and discrete construction technologies to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed aerostructure concept, by building and testing a scaled prototype UAV, MADCAT v0. This paper presents an overview of the design and development of the MADCAT v0 flight demonstrator.

Imaging multi-scale dynamics in vivo with spiral volumetric optoacoustic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deán-Ben, X. Luís.; Fehm, Thomas F.; Ford, Steven J.; Gottschalk, Sven; Razansky, Daniel

2017-03-01

Imaging dynamics in living organisms is essential for the understanding of biological complexity. While multiple imaging modalities are often required to cover both microscopic and macroscopic spatial scales, dynamic phenomena may also extend over different temporal scales, necessitating the use of different imaging technologies based on the trade-off between temporal resolution and effective field of view. Optoacoustic (photoacoustic) imaging has been shown to offer the exclusive capability to link multiple spatial scales ranging from organelles to entire organs of small animals. Yet, efficient visualization of multi-scale dynamics remained difficult with state-of-the-art systems due to inefficient trade-offs between image acquisition and effective field of view. Herein, we introduce a spiral volumetric optoacoustic tomography (SVOT) technique that provides spectrally-enriched high-resolution optical absorption contrast across multiple spatio-temporal scales. We demonstrate that SVOT can be used to monitor various in vivo dynamics, from video-rate volumetric visualization of cardiac-associated motion in whole organs to high-resolution imaging of pharmacokinetics in larger regions. The multi-scale dynamic imaging capability thus emerges as a powerful and unique feature of the optoacoustic technology that adds to the multiple advantages of this technology for structural, functional and molecular imaging.

Multi-scale exploration of the technical, economic, and environmental dimensions of bio-based chemical production.

PubMed

Zhuang, Kai H; Herrgård, Markus J

2015-09-01

In recent years, bio-based chemicals have gained traction as a sustainable alternative to petrochemicals. However, despite rapid advances in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, there remain significant economic and environmental challenges. In order to maximize the impact of research investment in a new bio-based chemical industry, there is a need for assessing the technological, economic, and environmental potentials of combinations of biomass feedstocks, biochemical products, bioprocess technologies, and metabolic engineering approaches in the early phase of development of cell factories. To address this issue, we have developed a comprehensive Multi-scale framework for modeling Sustainable Industrial Chemicals production (MuSIC), which integrates modeling approaches for cellular metabolism, bioreactor design, upstream/downstream processes and economic impact assessment. We demonstrate the use of the MuSIC framework in a case study where two major polymer precursors (1,3-propanediol and 3-hydroxypropionic acid) are produced from two biomass feedstocks (corn-based glucose and soy-based glycerol) through 66 proposed biosynthetic pathways in two host organisms (Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The MuSIC framework allows exploration of tradeoffs and interactions between economy-scale objectives (e.g. profit maximization, emission minimization), constraints (e.g. land-use constraints) and process- and cell-scale technology choices (e.g. strain design or oxygenation conditions). We demonstrate that economy-scale assessment can be used to guide specific strain design decisions in metabolic engineering, and that these design decisions can be affected by non-intuitive dependencies across multiple scales. Copyright © 2015 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Space transportation booster engine thrust chamber technology, large scale injector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, J. A.

1993-01-01

The objective of the Large Scale Injector (LSI) program was to deliver a 21 inch diameter, 600,000 lbf thrust class injector to NASA/MSFC for hot fire testing. The hot fire test program would demonstrate the feasibility and integrity of the full scale injector, including combustion stability, chamber wall compatibility (thermal management), and injector performance. The 21 inch diameter injector was delivered in September of 1991.

In situ steam enhanced recovery process, Hughes Environmental Systems, Inc. innovative technology evaluation report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, K.

1995-01-01

This Innovative Technology Evaluation report summarizes the findings of an evaluation of the in situ Steam Enhanced Recovery Process (SERP) operated by Hughes Environmental Systems, Inc. at the Rainbow Disposal facility in Huntington Beach, California. The technology demonstration was conducted concurrent with a full-scale remedial action using the technology on an underground diesel leak. From this demonstration, it was concluded that the SERP process did not achieve the remedial goals desired at this site and there were significant operational problems. It is believed that these operational problems can be solved and substantially better performance can be attained. The cost ofmore » treatment was quite low, as expected with an in-situ process.« less

U.S. perspective on technology demonstration experiments for adaptive structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aswani, Mohan; Wada, Ben K.; Garba, John A.

1991-01-01

Evaluation of design concepts for adaptive structures is being performed in support of several focused research programs. These include programs such as Precision Segmented Reflector (PSR), Control Structure Interaction (CSI), and the Advanced Space Structures Technology Research Experiment (ASTREX). Although not specifically designed for adaptive structure technology validation, relevant experiments can be performed using the Passive and Active Control of Space Structures (PACOSS) testbed, the Space Integrated Controls Experiment (SPICE), the CSI Evolutionary Model (CEM), and the Dynamic Scale Model Test (DSMT) Hybrid Scale. In addition to the ground test experiments, several space flight experiments have been planned, including a reduced gravity experiment aboard the KC-135 aircraft, shuttle middeck experiments, and the Inexpensive Flight Experiment (INFLEX).

Space Technology 5 (ST-5) Observations of Field-Aligned Currents: Temporal Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Guan

2010-01-01

Space Technology 5 (ST-5) is a three micro-satellite constellation deployed into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn-dusk, sun-synchronous polar orbit from March 22 to June 21, 2006, for technology validations. In this paper, we present a study of the temporal variability of field-aligned currents using multi-point magnetic field measurements from STS. The data demonstrate that masoscale current structures are commonly embedded within large-scale field-aligned current sheets. The meso-scale current structures are very dynamic with highly variable current density and/or polarity in time scales of about 10 min. They exhibit large temporal variations during both quiet and disturbed times in such time scales. On the other hand, the data also shown that the time scales for the currents to be relatively stable are about I min for meso-scale currents and about 10 min for large scale current sheets. These temporal features are obviously associated with dynamic variations of their particle carriers (mainly electrons) as they respond to the variations of the parallel electric field in auroral acceleration region. The characteristic time scales for the temporal variability of meso-scale field-aligned currents are found to be consistent with those of auroral parallel electric field.

Space Technology 5 (ST-5) Multipoint Observations of Temporal and Spatial Variability of Field-Aligned Currents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Guan

2010-01-01

Space Technology 5 (ST-5) is a three micro-satellite constellation deployed into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn-dusk, sun-synchronous polar orbit from March 22 to June 21, 2006, for technology validations. In this paper, we present a study of the temporal variability of field-aligned currents using multi-point magnetic field measurements from ST5. The data demonstrate that mesoscale current structures are commonly embedded within large-scale field-aligned current sheets. The meso-scale current structures are very dynamic with highly variable current density and/or polarity in time scales of about 10 min. They exhibit large temporal variations during both quiet and disturbed times in such time scales. On the other hand, the data also shown that the time scales for the currents to be relatively stable are about 1 min for meso-scale currents and about 10 min for large scale current sheets. These temporal features are obviously associated with dynamic variations of their particle carriers (mainly electrons) as they respond to the variations of the parallel electric field in auroral acceleration region. The characteristic time scales for the temporal variability of meso-scale field-aligned currents are found to be consistent with those of auroral parallel electric field.

FLASH Technology: Full-Scale Hospital Waste Water Treatments Adopted in Aceh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rame; Tridecima, Adeodata; Pranoto, Hadi; Moesliem; Miftahuddin

2018-02-01

A Hospital waste water contains a complex mixture of hazardous chemicals and harmful microbes, which can pose a threat to the environment and public health. Some efforts have been carried out in Nangroe Aceh Darussalam (Aceh), Indonesia with the objective of treating hospital waste water effluents on-site before its discharge. Flash technology uses physical and biological pre-treatment, followed by advanced oxidation process based on catalytic ozonation and followed by GAC and PAC filtration. Flash Full-Scale Hospital waste water Treatments in Aceh from different district have been adopted and investigated. Referring to the removal efficiency of macro-pollutants, the collected data demonstrate good removal efficiency of macro-pollutants using Flash technologies. In general, Flash technologies could be considered a solution to the problem of managing hospital waste water.

Post place and route design-technology co-optimization for scaling at single-digit nodes with constant ground rules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattii, Luca; Milojevic, Dragomir; Debacker, Peter; Berekovic, Mladen; Sherazi, Syed Muhammad Yasser; Chava, Bharani; Bardon, Marie Garcia; Schuddinck, Pieter; Rodopoulos, Dimitrios; Baert, Rogier; Gerousis, Vassilios; Ryckaert, Julien; Raghavan, Praveen

2018-01-01

Standard-cell design, technology choices, and place and route (P&R) efficiency are deeply interrelated in CMOS technology nodes below 10 nm, where lower number of tracks cells and higher pin densities pose increasingly challenging problems to the router in terms of congestion and pin accessibility. To evaluate and downselect the best solutions, a holistic design-technology co-optimization approach leveraging state-of-the-art P&R tools is thus necessary. We adopt such an approach using the imec N7 technology platform, with contacted poly pitch of 42 nm and tightest metal pitch of 32 nm, by comparing post P&R area of an IP block for different standard cell configurations, technology options, and cell height. Keeping the technology node and the set of ground rules unchanged, we demonstrate that a careful combination of these solutions can enable area gains of up to 50%, comparable with the area benefits of migrating to another node. We further demonstrate that these area benefits can be achieved at isoperformance with >20% reduced power. As at the end of the CMOS roadmap, conventional scaling enacted through pitch reduction is made more and more challenging by constraints imposed by lithography limits, material resistivity, manufacturability, and ultimately wafer cost, the approach shown herein offers a valid, attractive, and low-cost alternative.

Bench-Scale Development of a Non-Aqueous Solvent (NAS) CO2 Capture Process for Coal-Fired Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lail, Marty

The project aimed to advance RTI’s non-aqueous amine solvent technology by improving the solvent to reduce volatility, demonstrating long-term continuous operation at lab- (0.5 liters solvent) and bench-scale (~120 liters solvent), showing low reboiler heat duty measured during bench-scale testing, evaluating degradation products, building a rate-based process model, and evaluating the techno-economic performance of the process. The project team (RTI, SINTEF, Linde Engineering) and the technology performed well in each area of advancement. The modifications incorporated throughout the project enabled the attainment of target absorber and regenerator conditions for the process. Reboiler duties below 2,000 kJt/kg CO2 were observed inmore » a bench-scale test unit operated at RTI.« less

CO{sub 2} Reuse in Petrochemical Facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jason Trembly; Brian Turk; Maruthi Pavani

2010-12-31

To address public concerns regarding the consequences of climate change from anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) is actively funding a CO{sub 2} management program to develop technologies capable of mitigating CO{sub 2} emissions from power plant and industrial facilities. Over the past decade, this program has focused on reducing the costs of carbon capture and storage technologies. Recently, DOE/NETL launched an alternative CO{sub 2} mitigation program focused on beneficial CO{sub 2} reuse to support the development of technologies that mitigate emissions by converting CO{sub 2} into valuable chemicals andmore » fuels. RTI, with DOE/NETL support, has been developing an innovative beneficial CO{sub 2} reuse process for converting CO{sub 2} into substitute natural gas (SNG) by using by-product hydrogen (H{sub 2)-containing fuel gas from petrochemical facilities. This process leveraged commercial reactor technology currently used in fluid catalytic crackers in petroleum refining and a novel nickel (Ni)-based catalyst developed by RTI. The goal was to generate an SNG product that meets the pipeline specifications for natural gas, making the SNG product completely compatible with the existing natural gas infrastructure. RTI's technology development efforts focused on demonstrating the technical feasibility of this novel CO{sub 2} reuse process and obtaining the necessary engineering information to design a pilot demonstration unit for converting about 4 tons per day (tons/day) of CO{sub 2} into SNG at a suitable host site. This final report describes the results of the Phase I catalyst and process development efforts. The methanation activity of several commercial fixed-bed catalysts was evaluated under fluidized-bed conditions in a bench-scale reactor to identify catalyst performance targets. RTI developed two fluidizable Ni-based catalyst formulations (Cat-1 and Cat-3) that demonstrated equal or better performance than that of commercial methanation catalysts. The Cat-1 and Cat-3 formulations were successfully scaled up using commercial manufacturing equipment at the Sud-Chemie Inc. pilot-plant facility in Louisville, KY. Pilot transport reactor testing with RTI's Cat-1 formulation at Kellog Brown & Root's Technology Center demonstrated the ability of the process to achieve high single-pass CO{sub 2} conversion. Using information acquired from bench- and pilot-scale testing, a basic engineering design package was prepared for a 4-ton/day CO{sub 2} pilot demonstration unit, including process and instrumentation diagrams, equipment list, control philosophy, and preliminary cost estimate.« less

Demonstration of Plasma Arc Environmental Technology Applications for the Demilitarization of DOD Stockpiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Ed; Zaghloul, Hany; Filius, Krag; Rivers, Tim

2000-01-01

Since 1989 the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (USACERL) have been active participants in the research and development toward establishing Plasma Arc Technology (PAT) as an efficient, economical, and safe hazardous waste immobilization tool. A plasma torch capable of generating high temperatures makes this technology a viable and powerful tool for the thermal destruction of various military industrial waste streams into an innocuous ceramic material no longer requiring hazardous waste landfill (Class 1) disposal. The emerging pl asma environmental thermal treatment process, has been used to safely and efficiently meet the waste disposal needs for various demilitarized components disposal needs, such as: pyrotechnic smoke assemblies, thermal batteries, proximity fuses, cartridge actuated devices (CAD's), and propellant actuated devices (PAD's). MSE Technology Applications, Inc., (MSE) has proposed and fabricated a Mobile Plasma Treatment System to be a technology demonstrator for pilot-scale mobile plasma waste processing. The system is capable of providing small-scale waste remediation services, and conducting waste stream applicability demonstrations. The Mobile Plasma Treatment System's innovative concept provides the flexibility to treat waste streams at numerous sites and sites with only a limited quantity of waste, yet too hazardous to transport to a regional fixed facility. The system was designed to be operated as skid mounted modules; consisting of a furnace module, controls module, offgas module, and ancillary systems module. All system components have been integrated to be operated from a single control station with both semi-continuous feeding and batch slag-pouring capability.

Field Demonstration of Innovative Leak Detection/Location in Conjunction with Pipe Wall Thickness Testing for Water Mains

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsored a large-scale field demonstration of innovative leak detection/location and condition assessment technologies on a 76-year old, 2,000-ft long, cement-lined, 24-in. cast iron water main in Louisville, KY from July through Se...

TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT, SITE PROGRAM DEMONSTRATION TEST: SHIRCO PILOT-SCALE INFRARED INCINERATION SYSTEM ROSE TOWNSHIP DEMODE ROAD SUPERFUND SITE - VOLUME II

EPA Science Inventory

The performance of the Shirco pilot-scale infrared thermal destruction system has been evaluated at the Rose Township, Demode Road Superfund Site and is presented in the report. The waste tested consisted of solvents, organics and heavy metals in an illegal dump site. Volume I gi...

Enhanced Bioreclamation of Jet Fuels: A Full-Scale Test at Eglin AFB, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

accelerated fuel degradation. To the authors’ knowledge , in the United States only one relatively undocumented attempt at nitrate utilization has...site demonstrations. To the authors’ knowledge . only the nitrate demonstrations previously discussed have been attempted to clean tip fuel...authors* knowledge -, enhanced bioreclamation is the only demonstrated technology for in situ treatment of hydrocarbons in deeper groundwaters. 5

Underground Transport Restoration (UTR) Operational Technology Demonstration (OTD)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This full-scale study focused on gathering sampling, decontamination (decon), waste management, and cost analysis information for the remediation of a subway system after contamination with a Bacillus anthracis (Ba) surrogate.

Reconfigurable and responsive droplet-based compound micro-lenses

PubMed Central

Nagelberg, Sara; Zarzar, Lauren D.; Nicolas, Natalie; Subramanian, Kaushikaram; Kalow, Julia A.; Sresht, Vishnu; Blankschtein, Daniel; Barbastathis, George; Kreysing, Moritz; Swager, Timothy M.; Kolle, Mathias

2017-01-01

Micro-scale optical components play a crucial role in imaging and display technology, biosensing, beam shaping, optical switching, wavefront-analysis, and device miniaturization. Herein, we demonstrate liquid compound micro-lenses with dynamically tunable focal lengths. We employ bi-phase emulsion droplets fabricated from immiscible hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon liquids to form responsive micro-lenses that can be reconfigured to focus or scatter light, form real or virtual images, and display variable focal lengths. Experimental demonstrations of dynamic refractive control are complemented by theoretical analysis and wave-optical modelling. Additionally, we provide evidence of the micro-lenses' functionality for two potential applications—integral micro-scale imaging devices and light field display technology—thereby demonstrating both the fundamental characteristics and the promising opportunities for fluid-based dynamic refractive micro-scale compound lenses. PMID:28266505

Design, processing and testing of LSI arrays, hybrid microelectronics task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Himmel, R. P.; Stuhlbarg, S. M.; Ravetti, R. G.; Zulueta, P. J.; Rothrock, C. W.

1979-01-01

Mathematical cost models previously developed for hybrid microelectronic subsystems were refined and expanded. Rework terms related to substrate fabrication, nonrecurring developmental and manufacturing operations, and prototype production are included. Sample computer programs were written to demonstrate hybrid microelectric applications of these cost models. Computer programs were generated to calculate and analyze values for the total microelectronics costs. Large scale integrated (LST) chips utilizing tape chip carrier technology were studied. The feasibility of interconnecting arrays of LSU chips utilizing tape chip carrier and semiautomatic wire bonding technology was demonstrated.

X-33 Injector Ignition Single Cell Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The X-33 injector ignition single cell was tested at the Marshall Space Flight Center test stand 116. The X-33 was a sub-scale technology demonstrator prototype of a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) manufactured and named by Lockheed Martin as the Venture Star. The goal of the program was to demonstrate the technologies needed for a full size, single-stage-to-orbit RLV, thus enabling private industry to build and operate the RLV in the first decade of the 21st century. The X-33 program was cancelled in 2001.

Nano- and micro-scale Bi-substituted iron garnet films for photonics and magneto-optic eddy current defectoscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berzhansky, V. N.; Karavainikov, A. V.; Mikhailova, T. V.; Prokopov, A. R.; Shaposhnikov, A. N.; Shumilov, A. G.; Lugovskoy, N. V.; Semuk, E. Yu.; Kharchenko, M. F.; Lukienko, I. M.; Kharchenko, Yu. M.; Belotelov, V. I.

2017-10-01

Synthesis technology of nano-scale Bi-substituted iron garnets films with high magneto-optic activity for photonics and plasmonics applications were proposed. The micro-scale single-crystal garnet films with different types of magnetic anisotropy as a magneto-optic sensors were synthesized. It was shown that easy-axis anisotropy films demonstrated the best results for visualization of redistribution eddy current magnetic field near defects.

Scalable fabrication of perovskite solar cells

DOE PAGES

Li, Zhen; Klein, Talysa R.; Kim, Dong Hoe; ...

2018-03-27

Perovskite materials use earth-abundant elements, have low formation energies for deposition and are compatible with roll-to-roll and other high-volume manufacturing techniques. These features make perovskite solar cells (PSCs) suitable for terawatt-scale energy production with low production costs and low capital expenditure. Demonstrations of performance comparable to that of other thin-film photovoltaics (PVs) and improvements in laboratory-scale cell stability have recently made scale up of this PV technology an intense area of research focus. Here, we review recent progress and challenges in scaling up PSCs and related efforts to enable the terawatt-scale manufacturing and deployment of this PV technology. We discussmore » common device and module architectures, scalable deposition methods and progress in the scalable deposition of perovskite and charge-transport layers. We also provide an overview of device and module stability, module-level characterization techniques and techno-economic analyses of perovskite PV modules.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Zhen; Klein, Talysa R.; Kim, Dong Hoe

Perovskite materials use earth-abundant elements, have low formation energies for deposition and are compatible with roll-to-roll and other high-volume manufacturing techniques. These features make perovskite solar cells (PSCs) suitable for terawatt-scale energy production with low production costs and low capital expenditure. Demonstrations of performance comparable to that of other thin-film photovoltaics (PVs) and improvements in laboratory-scale cell stability have recently made scale up of this PV technology an intense area of research focus. Here, we review recent progress and challenges in scaling up PSCs and related efforts to enable the terawatt-scale manufacturing and deployment of this PV technology. We discussmore » common device and module architectures, scalable deposition methods and progress in the scalable deposition of perovskite and charge-transport layers. We also provide an overview of device and module stability, module-level characterization techniques and techno-economic analyses of perovskite PV modules.« less

Fuel-Flexible Gasification-Combustion Technology for Production of H2 and Sequestration-Ready CO2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George Rizeq; Janice West; Raul Subia

GE Global Research is developing an innovative energy technology for coal gasification with high efficiency and near-zero pollution. This Unmixed Fuel Processor (UFP) technology simultaneously converts coal, steam and air into three separate streams of hydrogen-rich gas, sequestration-ready CO{sub 2}, and high-temperature, high-pressure vitiated air to produce electricity in gas turbines. This is the draft final report for the first stage of the DOE-funded Vision 21 program. The UFP technology development program encompassed lab-, bench- and pilot-scale studies to demonstrate the UFP concept. Modeling and economic assessments were also key parts of this program. The chemical and mechanical feasibility weremore » established via lab and bench-scale testing, and a pilot plant was designed, constructed and operated, demonstrating the major UFP features. Experimental and preliminary modeling results showed that 80% H{sub 2} purity could be achieved, and that a UFP-based energy plant is projected to meet DOE efficiency targets. Future work will include additional pilot plant testing to optimize performance and reduce environmental, operability and combined cycle integration risks. Results obtained to date have confirmed that this technology has the potential to economically meet future efficiency and environmental performance goals.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Attig, R.C.; Crawford, L.W.; Lynch, T.P.

Proof-of-Concept (POC) scale demonstration of such technology is currently being carried out at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Coal-Fired Flow Facility (CFFF), located at The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) in Tullahoma, Tennessee and at the Component Development and Integration Facility in Butte, Montana. The CFFF is dedicated to the evaluation of downstream (steam cycle) components and technology that may be considered for a full-scale MHD system. The objectives of the CFFF testing include the demonstration of various pollution control devices and techniques at a scale sufficient for future scale-up. The CFFF offers a unique test environment inmore » which emissions control techniques can be developed and evaluated through emissions and environmental monitoring. Results thus far have demonstrated the ability of sulfur oxide (SO{sub x}), nitrogen oxide (NO{sub x}) and particulate emissions well below the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS). Regeneration of the potassium sulfate to produce sulfur-free compounds also has been demonstrated. The experimental program at the CFFF is now aimed at determining the optimum conditions for future commercial scale designs. Because of increased interests in Air Toxics, measurements of nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O), a potential greenhouse gas, priority pollutants (inorganic as well as organics), and chlorine-containing species (Cl{sub 2} and HCl) are also included in our ongoing efforts. Environmental monitoring activities are being pursued to develop an environmental impact assessment data base. These include the use of three ambient air sites to determine the impacts of gaseous and particulate emissions, five lake water sites to determine impacts due to process water discharges and seven sites to collect terrestrial data on possible soil contamination and tree growth. In this paper, we will summarize the status of our ongoing environmental program. 16 refs., 15 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Composite armored vehicle advanced technology demonstator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ostberg, D.T.; Dunfee, R.S.; Thomas, G.E.

1996-12-31

Composite structures are a key technology needed to develop future lightweight combat vehicles that are both deployable and survivable. The Composite Armored Vehicle Advanced Technology Demonstrator Program that started in fiscal year 1994 will continue through 1998 to verily that composite structures are a viable solution for ground combat vehicles. Testing thus far includes material characterization, structural component tests and full scale quarter section tests. Material and manufacturing considerations, tests, results and changes, and the status of the program will be described. The structural component tests have been completed successfully, and quarter section testing is in progress. Upon completion ofmore » the critical design review, the vehicle demonstrator will be Fabricated and undergo government testing.« less

An Overview of Active Flow Control Enhanced Vertical Tail Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, John C.; Andino, Marlyn Y.; Alexander, Michael G.; Whalen, Edward A.; Spoor, Marc A.; Tran, John T.; Wygnanski, Israel J.

2016-01-01

This paper summarizes a joint NASA/Boeing research effort to advance Active Flow Control (AFC) technology to enhance aerodynamic efficiency of a vertical tail. Sweeping jet AFC technology was successfully tested on subscale and full-scale models as well as in flight. The subscale test was performed at Caltech on a 14% scale model. More than 50% side force enhancement was achieved by the sweeping jet actuation when the momentum coefficient was 1.7%. AFC caused significant increases in suction pressure on the actuator side and associated side force enhancement. Subsequently, a full-scale Boeing 757 vertical tail model equipped with sweeping jets was tested at the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center. There, flow separation control optimization was performed at near flight conditions. Greater than 20% increase in side force were achieved for the maximum rudder deflection of 30deg at the key sideslip angles (0deg and -7.5deg) with a 31-actuator AFC configuration. Based on these tests, the momentum coefficient is shown to be a necessary, but not sufficient parameter to use for design and scaling of sweeping jet AFC from subscale tests to full-scale applications. Leveraging the knowledge gained from the wind tunnel tests, the AFC-enhanced vertical tail technology was successfully flown on the Boeing 757 ecoDemonstrator in the spring of 2015.

Biological Conversion of Sugars to Hydrocarbons Technology Pathway

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, R.; Biddy, M.; Tan, E.

2013-03-01

This technology pathway case investigates the biological conversion of biomass-derived sugars to hydrocarbon biofuels, utilizing data from recent literature references and information consistent with recent pilot-scale demonstrations at NREL. Technical barriers and key research needs have been identified that should be pursued for the pathway to become competitive with petroleum-derived gasoline-, diesel-, and jet-range hydrocarbon blendstocks.

Implementation and Performance of GaAs Digital Signal Processing ASICs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitaker, William D.; Buchanan, Jeffrey R.; Burke, Gary R.; Chow, Terrance W.; Graham, J. Scott; Kowalski, James E.; Lam, Barbara; Siavoshi, Fardad; Thompson, Matthew S.; Johnson, Robert A.

1993-01-01

The feasibility of performing high speed digital signal processing in GaAs gate array technology has been demonstrated with the successful implementation of a VLSI communications chip set for NASA's Deep Space Network. This paper describes the techniques developed to solve some of the technology and implementation problems associated with large scale integration of GaAs gate arrays.

Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes as decentralized water treatment technologies to remediate domestic washing machine effluents.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Alexsandro Jhones; Costa, Emily Cintia Tossi de Araújo; da Silva, Djalma Ribeiro; Garcia-Segura, Sergi; Martínez-Huitle, Carlos Alberto

2018-03-01

Water scarcity is one of the major concerns worldwide. In order to secure this appreciated natural resource, management and development of water treatment technologies are mandatory. One feasible alternative is the consideration of water recycling/reuse at the household scale. Here, the treatment of actual washing machine effluent by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes was considered. Electrochemical oxidation and electro-Fenton technologies can be applied as decentralized small-scale water treatment devices. Therefore, efficient decolorization and total organic abatement have been followed. The results demonstrate the promising performance of solar photoelectro-Fenton process, where complete color and organic removal was attained after 240 min of treatment under optimum conditions by applying a current density of 66.6 mA cm -2 . Thus, electrochemical technologies emerge as promising water-sustainable approaches.

Development of the fine-particle agglomerator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, P.; Balasic, P.

1999-07-01

This paper presents the current status of the commercial development of a new technology to more efficiently control fine particulate emissions. The technology is based on an invention by Environmental Elements Corporation (EEC) which utilizes laminar flow to promote contact of fine submicron particles with larger particles to form agglomerates prior to their removal in a conventional particulate control device, such as an ESP. As agglomerates the particles are easily captured in the control device, whereas a substantial amount would pass through if allowed to remain as fine particles. EEC has developed the laminar-flow agglomerator technology through the laboratory proof-of-conceptmore » stage, which was funded by a DOE SBIR grant, to pilot-scale and full-scale demonstrations.« less

Compartmental hollow fiber capillary membrane-based bioreactor technology for in vitro studies on red blood cell lineage direction of hematopoietic stem cells.

PubMed

Housler, Greggory J; Miki, Toshio; Schmelzer, Eva; Pekor, Christopher; Zhang, Xiaokui; Kang, Lin; Voskinarian-Berse, Vanessa; Abbot, Stewart; Zeilinger, Katrin; Gerlach, Jörg C

2012-02-01

Continuous production of red blood cells (RBCs) in an automated closed culture system using hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) progenitor cell populations is of interest for clinical application because of the high demand for blood transfusions. Previously, we introduced a four-compartment bioreactor that consisted of two bundles of hollow fiber microfiltration membranes for transport of culture medium (forming two medium compartments), interwoven with one bundle of hollow fiber membranes for transport of oxygen (O(2)), carbon dioxide (CO(2)), and other gases (forming one gas compartment). Small-scale prototypes were developed of the three-dimensional (3D) perfusion cell culture systems, which enable convection-based mass transfer and integral oxygenation in the cell compartment. CD34(+) HSC were isolated from human cord blood units using a magnetic separation procedure. Cells were inoculated into 2- or 8-mL scaled-down versions of the previously designed 800-mL cell compartment devices and perfused with erythrocyte proliferation and differentiation medium. First, using the small-scale 2-mL analytical scale bioreactor, with an initial seeding density of 800,000 cells/mL, we demonstrated approximately 100-fold cell expansion and differentiation after 7 days of culture. An 8-mL laboratory-scale bioreactor was then used to show pseudocontinuous production by intermediately harvesting cells. Subsequently, we were able to use a model to demonstrate semicontinuous production with up to 14,288-fold expansion using seeding densities of 800,000 cells/mL. The down-scaled culture technology allows for expansion of CD34(+) cells and stimulating these progenitors towards RBC lineage, expressing approximately 40% CD235(+) and enucleation. The 3D perfusion technology provides an innovative tool for studies on RBC production, which is scalable.

Compartmental Hollow Fiber Capillary Membrane–Based Bioreactor Technology for In Vitro Studies on Red Blood Cell Lineage Direction of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Housler, Greggory J.; Miki, Toshio; Schmelzer, Eva; Pekor, Christopher; Zhang, Xiaokui; Kang, Lin; Voskinarian-Berse, Vanessa; Abbot, Stewart; Zeilinger, Katrin

2012-01-01

Continuous production of red blood cells (RBCs) in an automated closed culture system using hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) progenitor cell populations is of interest for clinical application because of the high demand for blood transfusions. Previously, we introduced a four-compartment bioreactor that consisted of two bundles of hollow fiber microfiltration membranes for transport of culture medium (forming two medium compartments), interwoven with one bundle of hollow fiber membranes for transport of oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), and other gases (forming one gas compartment). Small-scale prototypes were developed of the three-dimensional (3D) perfusion cell culture systems, which enable convection-based mass transfer and integral oxygenation in the cell compartment. CD34+ HSC were isolated from human cord blood units using a magnetic separation procedure. Cells were inoculated into 2- or 8-mL scaled-down versions of the previously designed 800-mL cell compartment devices and perfused with erythrocyte proliferation and differentiation medium. First, using the small-scale 2-mL analytical scale bioreactor, with an initial seeding density of 800,000 cells/mL, we demonstrated approximately 100-fold cell expansion and differentiation after 7 days of culture. An 8-mL laboratory-scale bioreactor was then used to show pseudocontinuous production by intermediately harvesting cells. Subsequently, we were able to use a model to demonstrate semicontinuous production with up to 14,288-fold expansion using seeding densities of 800,000 cells/mL. The down-scaled culture technology allows for expansion of CD34+ cells and stimulating these progenitors towards RBC lineage, expressing approximately 40% CD235+ and enucleation. The 3D perfusion technology provides an innovative tool for studies on RBC production, which is scalable. PMID:21933020

Advances in high frequency ultrasound separation of particulates from biomass.

PubMed

Juliano, Pablo; Augustin, Mary Ann; Xu, Xin-Qing; Mawson, Raymond; Knoerzer, Kai

2017-03-01

In recent years the use of high frequency ultrasound standing waves (megasonics) for droplet or cell separation from biomass has emerged beyond the microfluidics scale into the litre to industrial scale applications. The principle for this separation technology relies on the differential positioning of individual droplets or particles across an ultrasonic standing wave field within the reactor and subsequent biomass material predisposition for separation via rapid droplet agglomeration or coalescence into larger entities. Large scale transducers have been characterised with sonochemiluminescence and hydrophones to enable better reactor designs. High frequency enhanced separation technology has been demonstrated at industrial scale for oil recovery in the palm oil industry and at litre scale to assist olive oil, coconut oil and milk fat separation. Other applications include algal cell dewatering and milk fat globule fractionation. Frequency selection depends on the material properties and structure in the biomass mixture. Higher frequencies (1 and 2MHz) have proven preferable for better separation of materials with smaller sized droplets such as milk fat globules. For palm oil and olive oil, separation has been demonstrated within the 400-600kHz region, which has high radical production, without detectable impact on product quality. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of an instrument to measure Faculty's information and communication technology access (FICTA).

PubMed

Soomro, Kamal Ahmed; Kale, Ugur; Curtis, Reagan; Akcaoglu, Mete; Bernstein, Malayna

2018-01-01

The phenomenon of "digital divide" is complex and multidimensional, extending beyond issues of physical access. The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure a range of factors related to digital divide among higher education faculty and to evaluate its reliability and validity. Faculty's Information and Communication Technology Access (FICTA) scale was tested and validated with 322 faculty teaching in public and private sector universities. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation confirmed an 8-factor solution corresponding to various dimensions of ICT access. The 57-item FICTA scale demonstrated good psychometric properties and offers researchers a tool to examine faculty's access to ICT at four levels - motivational, physical, skills, and usage access.

Optical power transfer and communication methods for wireless implantable sensing platforms.

PubMed

Mujeeb-U-Rahman, Muhammad; Adalian, Dvin; Chang, Chieh-Feng; Scherer, Axel

2015-09-01

Ultrasmall scale implants have recently attracted focus as valuable tools for monitoring both acute and chronic diseases. Semiconductor optical technologies are the key to miniaturizing these devices to the long-sought sub-mm scale, which will enable long-term use of these devices for medical applications. This can also enable the use of multiple implantable devices concurrently to form a true body area network of sensors. We demonstrate optical power transfer techniques and methods to effectively harness this power for implantable devices. Furthermore, we also present methods for optical data transfer from such implants. Simultaneous use of these technologies can result in miniaturized sensing platforms that can allow for large-scale use of such systems in real world applications.

Optical power transfer and communication methods for wireless implantable sensing platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mujeeb-U-Rahman, Muhammad; Adalian, Dvin; Chang, Chieh-Feng; Scherer, Axel

2015-09-01

Ultrasmall scale implants have recently attracted focus as valuable tools for monitoring both acute and chronic diseases. Semiconductor optical technologies are the key to miniaturizing these devices to the long-sought sub-mm scale, which will enable long-term use of these devices for medical applications. This can also enable the use of multiple implantable devices concurrently to form a true body area network of sensors. We demonstrate optical power transfer techniques and methods to effectively harness this power for implantable devices. Furthermore, we also present methods for optical data transfer from such implants. Simultaneous use of these technologies can result in miniaturized sensing platforms that can allow for large-scale use of such systems in real world applications.

The Strategic Technologies for Automation and Robotics (STEAR) program: Protection of materials in the space environment subprogram

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, Lorne R.; Francoeur, J.; Aguero, Alina; Wertheimer, Michael R.; Klemberg-Sapieha, J. E.; Martinu, L.; Blezius, J. W.; Oliver, M.; Singh, A.

1995-01-01

Three projects are currently underway for the development of new coatings for the protection of materials in the space environment. These coatings are based on vacuum deposition technologies. The projects will go as far as the proof-of-concept stage when the commercial potential for the technology will be demonstrated on pilot-scale fabrication facilities in 1996. These projects are part of a subprogram to develop supporting technologies for automation and robotics technologies being developed under the Canadian Space Agency's STEAR Program, part of the Canadian Space Station Program.

Ultra-high-Q phononic resonators on-chip at cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharel, Prashanta; Chu, Yiwen; Power, Michael; Renninger, William H.; Schoelkopf, Robert J.; Rakich, Peter T.

2018-06-01

Long-lived, high-frequency phonons are valuable for applications ranging from optomechanics to emerging quantum systems. For scientific as well as technological impact, we seek high-performance oscillators that offer a path toward chip-scale integration. Confocal bulk acoustic wave resonators have demonstrated an immense potential to support long-lived phonon modes in crystalline media at cryogenic temperatures. So far, these devices have been macroscopic with cm-scale dimensions. However, as we push these oscillators to high frequencies, we have an opportunity to radically reduce the footprint as a basis for classical and emerging quantum technologies. In this paper, we present novel design principles and simple microfabrication techniques to create high performance chip-scale confocal bulk acoustic wave resonators in a wide array of crystalline materials. We tailor the acoustic modes of such resonators to efficiently couple to light, permitting us to perform a non-invasive laser-based phonon spectroscopy. Using this technique, we demonstrate an acoustic Q-factor of 2.8 × 107 (6.5 × 106) for chip-scale resonators operating at 12.7 GHz (37.8 GHz) in crystalline z-cut quartz (x-cut silicon) at cryogenic temperatures.

An ultra-compact processor module based on the R3000

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullenhoff, D. J.; Kaschmitter, J. L.; Lyke, J. C.; Forman, G. A.

1992-08-01

Viable high density packaging is of critical importance for future military systems, particularly space borne systems which require minimum weight and size and high mechanical integrity. A leading, emerging technology for high density packaging is multi-chip modules (MCM). During the 1980's, a number of different MCM technologies have emerged. In support of Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) programs, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has developed, utilized, and evaluated several different MCM technologies. Prior LLNL efforts include modules developed in 1986, using hybrid wafer scale packaging, which are still operational in an Air Force satellite mission. More recent efforts have included very high density cache memory modules, developed using laser pantography. As part of the demonstration effort, LLNL and Phillips Laboratory began collaborating in 1990 in the Phase 3 Multi-Chip Module (MCM) technology demonstration project. The goal of this program was to demonstrate the feasibility of General Electric's (GE) High Density Interconnect (HDI) MCM technology. The design chosen for this demonstration was the processor core for a MIPS R3000 based reduced instruction set computer (RISC), which has been described previously. It consists of the R3000 microprocessor, R3010 floating point coprocessor and 128 Kbytes of cache memory.

Advanced Distillation Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maddalena Fanelli; Ravi Arora; Annalee Tonkovich

2010-03-24

The Advanced Distillation project was concluded on December 31, 2009. This U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded project was completed successfully and within budget during a timeline approved by DOE project managers, which included a one year extension to the initial ending date. The subject technology, Microchannel Process Technology (MPT) distillation, was expected to provide both capital and operating cost savings compared to conventional distillation technology. With efforts from Velocys and its project partners, MPT distillation was successfully demonstrated at a laboratory scale and its energy savings potential was calculated. While many objectives established at the beginning of the projectmore » were met, the project was only partially successful. At the conclusion, it appears that MPT distillation is not a good fit for the targeted separation of ethane and ethylene in large-scale ethylene production facilities, as greater advantages were seen for smaller scale distillations. Early in the project, work involved flowsheet analyses to discern the economic viability of ethane-ethylene MPT distillation and develop strategies for maximizing its impact on the economics of the process. This study confirmed that through modification to standard operating processes, MPT can enable net energy savings in excess of 20%. This advantage was used by ABB Lumus to determine the potential impact of MPT distillation on the ethane-ethylene market. The study indicated that a substantial market exists if the energy saving could be realized and if installed capital cost of MPT distillation was on par or less than conventional technology. Unfortunately, it was determined that the large number of MPT distillation units needed to perform ethane-ethylene separation for world-scale ethylene facilities, makes the targeted separation a poor fit for the technology in this application at the current state of manufacturing costs. Over the course of the project, distillation experiments were performed with the targeted mixture, ethane-ethylene, as well as with analogous low relative volatility systems: cyclohexane-hexane and cyclopentane-pentane. Devices and test stands were specifically designed for these efforts. Development progressed from experiments and models considering sections of a full scale device to the design, fabrication, and operation of a single-channel distillation unit with integrated heat transfer. Throughout the project, analytical and numerical models and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were validated with experiments in the process of developing this platform technology. Experimental trials demonstrated steady and controllable distillation for a variety of process conditions. Values of Height-to-an-Equivalent Theoretical Plate (HETP) ranging from less than 0.5 inch to a few inches were experimentally proven, demonstrating a ten-fold performance enhancement relative to conventional distillation. This improvement, while substantial, is not sufficient for MPT distillation to displace very large scale distillation trains. Fortunately, parallel efforts in the area of business development have yielded other applications for MPT distillation, including smaller scale separations that benefit from the flowsheet flexibility offered by the technology. Talks with multiple potential partners are underway. Their outcome will also help determine the path ahead for MPT distillation.« less

Low-cost fabrication technologies for nanostructures: state-of-the-art and potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, A.; Deen, M. J.; Marsal, L. F.

2015-01-01

In the last decade, some low-cost nanofabrication technologies used in several disciplines of nanotechnology have demonstrated promising results in terms of versatility and scalability for producing innovative nanostructures. While conventional nanofabrication technologies such as photolithography are and will be an important part of nanofabrication, some low-cost nanofabrication technologies have demonstrated outstanding capabilities for large-scale production, providing high throughputs with acceptable resolution and broad versatility. Some of these nanotechnological approaches are reviewed in this article, providing information about the fundamentals, limitations and potential future developments towards nanofabrication processes capable of producing a broad range of nanostructures. Furthermore, in many cases, these low-cost nanofabrication approaches can be combined with traditional nanofabrication technologies. This combination is considered a promising way of generating innovative nanostructures suitable for a broad range of applications such as in opto-electronics, nano-electronics, photonics, sensing, biotechnology or medicine.

Aerodynamic Measurement Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burner, Alpheus W.

2002-01-01

Ohio State University developed a new spectrally filtered light-scattering apparatus based on a diode laser injected-locked titanium: sapphire laser and rubidium vapor filter at 780.2 nm. When the device was combined with a stimulated Brillouin scattering phase conjugate mirror, the realizable peak attenuation of elastic scattering interferences exceeded 105. The potential of the system was demonstrated by performing Thomson scattering measurements. Under USAF-NASA funding, West Virginia University developed a Doppler global velocimetry system using inexpensive 8-bit charged coupled device cameras and digitizers and a CW argon ion laser. It has demonstrated a precision of +/- 2.5 m/sec in a swirling jet flow. Low-noise silicon-micromachined microphones developed and incorporated in a novel two-tier, hybrid packaging scheme at the University of Florida used printed circuit board technology to realize a MEMS-based directional acoustic array. The array demonstrated excellent performance relative to conventional sensor technologies and provides scaling technologies that can reduce cost and increase speed and mobility.

Enabling Dedicated, Affordable Space Access Through Aggressive Technology Maturation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jonathan E.; Kibbey, Timothy P.; Cobb, C. Brent; Harris, Lawanna L.

2014-01-01

A launch vehicle at the scale and price point which allows developers to take reasonable risks with high payoff propulsion and avionics hardware solutions does not exist today. Establishing this service provides a ride through the proverbial technology "valley of death" that lies between demonstration in laboratory and flight environments. NASA's NanoLaunch effort will provide the framework to mature both earth-to-orbit and on-orbit propulsion and avionics technologies while also providing affordable, dedicated access to low earth orbit for cubesat class payloads.

X-33

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

Pictured here is an artist's concept of the experimental X-33 in-flight. The X-33 program was designed to pave the way to a full-scale commercially developed, reusable launch vehicle (RLV). The program that will put the U.S. on a path toward safe, affordable, reliable access to space by providing the latest technology was ready for space flight. The X-33 is the flagship technology demonstrator for technologies that will dramatically lower the cost of access to space. The X-33 program was cancelled in 2001.

Solid Polymer Electrolyte (SPE) fuel cell technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The overall objectives of the Phase IV Solid Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Technology Program were to: (1) establish fuel cell life and performance at temperatures, pressures and current densities significantly higher than those previously demonstrated; (2) provide the ground work for a space energy storage system based on the solid polymer electrolyte technology (i.e., regenerative H2/O2 fuel cell); (3) design, fabricate and test evaluate a full-scale single cell unit. During this phase, significant progress was made toward the accomplishment of these objectives.

TREATING CHLORINATED WASTES WITH THE KPEG PROCESS

EPA Science Inventory

The two reports summarized here describe development of the alkali metal (polyethylene gylycolate (APEG) chemical technology to dechlorinate hazardous hydrocarbons in soils and its application at four demonstration sites: field-scale application to contaminated soils on the isla...

Technologies That Enable Accurate and Precise Nano- to Milliliter-Scale Liquid Dispensing of Aqueous Reagents Using Acoustic Droplet Ejection.

PubMed

Sackmann, Eric K; Majlof, Lars; Hahn-Windgassen, Annett; Eaton, Brent; Bandzava, Temo; Daulton, Jay; Vandenbroucke, Arne; Mock, Matthew; Stearns, Richard G; Hinkson, Stephen; Datwani, Sammy S

2016-02-01

Acoustic liquid handling uses high-frequency acoustic signals that are focused on the surface of a fluid to eject droplets with high accuracy and precision for various life science applications. Here we present a multiwell source plate, the Echo Qualified Reservoir (ER), which can acoustically transfer over 2.5 mL of fluid per well in 25-nL increments using an Echo 525 liquid handler. We demonstrate two Labcyte technologies-Dynamic Fluid Analysis (DFA) methods and a high-voltage (HV) grid-that are required to maintain accurate and precise fluid transfers from the ER at this volume scale. DFA methods were employed to dynamically assess the energy requirements of the fluid and adjust the acoustic ejection parameters to maintain a constant velocity droplet. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the HV grid enhances droplet velocity and coalescence at the destination plate. These technologies enabled 5-µL per destination well transfers to a 384-well plate, with accuracy and precision values better than 4%. Last, we used the ER and Echo 525 liquid handler to perform a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay to demonstrate an application that benefits from the flexibility and larger volume capabilities of the ER. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

FULL SCALE TESTING TECHNOLOGY MATURATION OF A THIN FILM EVAPORATOR FOR HIGH-LEVEL LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT AT HANFORD - 12125

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

TEDESCHI AR; CORBETT JE; WILSON RA

2012-01-26

Simulant testing of a full-scale thin-film evaporator system was conducted in 2011 for technology development at the Hanford tank farms. Test results met objectives of water removal rate, effluent quality, and operational evaluation. Dilute tank waste simulant, representing a typical double-shell tank supernatant liquid layer, was concentrated from a 1.1 specific gravity to approximately 1.5 using a 4.6 m{sup 2} (50 ft{sup 2}) heated transfer area Rototherm{reg_sign} evaporator from Artisan Industries. The condensed evaporator vapor stream was collected and sampled validating efficient separation of the water. An overall decontamination factor of 1.2E+06 was achieved demonstrating excellent retention of key radioactivemore » species within the concentrated liquid stream. The evaporator system was supported by a modular steam supply, chiller, and control computer systems which would be typically implemented at the tank farms. Operation of these support systems demonstrated successful integration while identifying areas for efficiency improvement. Overall testing effort increased the maturation of this technology to support final deployment design and continued project implementation.« less

Supersonic Retropropulsion Flight Test Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Post, Ethan A.; Dupzyk, Ian C.; Korzun, Ashley M.; Dyakonov, Artem A.; Tanimoto, Rebekah L.; Edquist, Karl T.

2011-01-01

NASA's Exploration Technology Development and Demonstration Program has proposed plans for a series of three sub-scale flight tests at Earth for supersonic retropropulsion, a candidate decelerator technology for future, high-mass Mars missions. The first flight test in this series is intended to be a proof-of-concept test, demonstrating successful initiation and operation of supersonic retropropulsion at conditions that replicate the relevant physics of the aerodynamic-propulsive interactions expected in flight. Five sub-scale flight test article concepts, each designed for launch on sounding rockets, have been developed in consideration of this proof-of-concept flight test. Commercial, off-the-shelf components are utilized as much as possible in each concept. The design merits of the concepts are compared along with their predicted performance for a baseline trajectory. The results of a packaging study and performance-based trade studies indicate that a sounding rocket is a viable launch platform for this proof-of-concept test of supersonic retropropulsion.

Some aspects of wind tunnel magnetic suspension systems with special application at large physical scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britcher, C. P.

1983-01-01

Wind tunnel magnetic suspension and balance systems (MSBSs) have so far failed to find application at the large physical scales necessary for the majority of aerodynamic testing. Three areas of technology relevant to such application are investigated. Two variants of the Spanwise Magnet roll torque generation scheme are studied. Spanwise Permanent Magnets are shown to be practical and are experimentally demonstrated. Extensive computations of the performance of the Spanwise Iron Magnet scheme indicate powerful capability, limited principally be electromagnet technology. Aerodynamic testing at extreme attitudes is shown to be practical in relatively conventional MSBSs. Preliminary operation of the MSBS over a wide range of angles of attack is demonstrated. The impact of a requirement for highly reliable operation on the overall architecture of Large MSBSs is studied and it is concluded that system cost and complexity need not be seriously increased.

Similarity Rules for Scaling Solar Sail Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Canfield, Stephen L.; Peddieson, John; Garbe, Gregory

2010-01-01

Future science missions will require solar sails on the order of 200 square meters (or larger). However, ground demonstrations and flight demonstrations must be conducted at significantly smaller sizes, due to limitations of ground-based facilities and cost and availability of flight opportunities. For this reason, the ability to understand the process of scalability, as it applies to solar sail system models and test data, is crucial to the advancement of this technology. This paper will approach the problem of scaling in solar sail models by developing a set of scaling laws or similarity criteria that will provide constraints in the sail design process. These scaling laws establish functional relationships between design parameters of a prototype and model sail that are created at different geometric sizes. This work is applied to a specific solar sail configuration and results in three (four) similarity criteria for static (dynamic) sail models. Further, it is demonstrated that even in the context of unique sail material requirements and gravitational load of earth-bound experiments, it is possible to develop appropriate scaled sail experiments. In the longer term, these scaling laws can be used in the design of scaled experimental tests for solar sails and in analyzing the results from such tests.

Phosphorus removal from Everglades agricultural area runoff by submerged aquatic vegetation/limerock treatment technology: an overview of research.

PubMed

Gu, B; DeBusk, T A; Dierberg, F E; Chimney, M J; Pietro, K C; Aziz, T

2001-01-01

The 1994 Everglades Forever Act mandates the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to evaluate a series of advanced treatment technologies to reduce total phosphorus (TP) in Everglades Agricultural Area runoff to a threshold target level. A submerged aquatic vegetation/limerock (SAV/LR) treatment system is one of the technologies selected for evaluation. The research program consists of two phases. Phase I examined the efficiency of SAV/LR treatment system for TP removal at the mesocosm scale. Preliminary results demonstrate that this technology is capable of reducing effluent TP to as low as 10 microg/L under constant flows. The SAV component removes the majority of the influent soluble reactive P, while the limerock component removes a portion of the particulate P. Phase II is a multi-scale project (i.e., microcosms, mesocosms, test cells and full-size wetlands). Experiments and field investigations using various environmental scenarios are designed to (1) identify key P removal processes; (2) provide management and operational criteria for basin-scale implementation; and (3) provide scientific data for a standardized comparison of performance among advanced treatment technologies.

Standardized Sample Preparation Using a Drop-on-Demand Printing Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-07

successful and robust methodology for energetic sample preparation. Keywords: drop-on-demand; inkjet printing; sample preparation OPEN ACCESS...on a similar length scale. Recently, drop-on-demand inkjet printing technology has emerged as an effective approach to produce test materials to...which most of the material is concentrated along the edges, samples prepared using drop-on-demand inkjet technology demonstrate excellent uniform

The Majorana Demonstrator: Progress towards showing the feasibility of a tonne-scale 76Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finnerty, P.; Aguayo, E.; Amman, M.; Avignone, F. T., Iii; Barabash, A. S.; Barton, P. J.; Beene, J. R.; Bertrand, F. E.; Boswell, M.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Collar, J. I.; Combs, D. C.; Cooper, R. J.; Detwiler, J. A.; Doe, P. J.; Efremenko, Yu; Egorov, V.; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, S. R.; Esterline, J.; Fast, J. E.; Fields, N.; Fraenkle, F. M.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Gehman, V. M.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Green, M. P.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Gusey, K.; Hallin, A. L.; Hazama, R.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Horton, M.; Howard, S.; Howe, M. A.; Johnson, R. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Knecht, A.; Kochetov, O.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; LaFerriere, B. D.; Leon, J.; Leviner, L. E.; Loach, J. C.; Luke, P. N.; MacMullin, S.; Marino, M. G.; Martin, R. D.; Merriman, J. H.; Miller, M. L.; Mizouni, L.; Nomachi, M.; Orrell, J. L.; Overman, N. R.; Perumpilly, G.; Phillips, D. G., Ii; Poon, A. W. P.; Radford, D. C.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Ronquest, M. C.; Schubert, A. G.; Shima, T.; Shirchenko, M.; Snavely, K. J.; Steele, D.; Strain, J.; Timkin, V.; Tornow, W.; Varner, R. L.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Yakushev, E.; Yaver, H.; Young, A. R.; Yu, C.-H.; Yumatov, V.; Majorana Collaboration

2014-03-01

The Majorana Demonstrator will search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay (0vββ) of the 76Ge isotope with a mixed array of enriched and natural germanium detectors. The observation of this rare decay would indicate the neutrino is its own anti-particle, demonstrate that lepton number is not conserved, and provide information on the absolute mass-scale of the neutrino. The Demonstrator is being assembled at the 4850 foot level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. The array will be contained in a low-background environment and surrounded by passive and active shielding. The goals for the Demonstrator are: demonstrating a background rate less than 3 t-1 y-1 in the 4 keV region of interest (ROI) surrounding the 2039 keV 76Ge endpoint energy; establishing the technology required to build a tonne-scale germanium based double-beta decay experiment; testing the recent claim of observation of 0vββ [1]; and performing a direct search for light WIMPs (3-10 GeV/c2).

Hybrid 3D-2D printing for bone scaffolds fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seleznev, V. A.; Prinz, V. Ya

2017-02-01

It is a well-known fact that bone scaffold topography on micro- and nanometer scale influences the cellular behavior. Nano-scale surface modification of scaffolds allows the modulation of biological activity for enhanced cell differentiation. To date, there has been only a limited success in printing scaffolds with micro- and nano-scale features exposed on the surface. To improve on the currently available imperfect technologies, in our paper we introduce new hybrid technologies based on a combination of 2D (nano imprint) and 3D printing methods. The first method is based on using light projection 3D printing and simultaneous 2D nanostructuring of each of the layers during the formation of the 3D structure. The second method is based on the sequential integration of preliminarily created 2D nanostructured films into a 3D printed structure. The capabilities of the developed hybrid technologies are demonstrated with the example of forming 3D bone scaffolds. The proposed technologies can be used to fabricate complex 3D micro- and nanostructured products for various fields.

Scaled Composites' Proteus aircraft and an F/A-18 Hornet from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center d

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Scaled Composites' Proteus aircraft and an F/A-18 Hornet from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center during a low-level flyby at Las Cruces Airport in New Mexico. The unique Proteus aircraft served as a test bed for NASA-sponsored flight tests designed to validate collision-avoidance technologies proposed for uninhabited aircraft. The tests, flown over southern New Mexico in March, 2002, used the Proteus as a surrogate uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) while three other aircraft flew toward the Proteus from various angles on simulated collision courses. Radio-based 'detect, see and avoid' equipment on the Proteus successfully detected the other aircraft and relayed that information to a remote pilot on the ground at Las Cruces Airport. The pilot then transmitted commands to the Proteus to maneuver it away from the potential collisions. The flight demonstration, sponsored by NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, New Mexico State University, Scaled Composites, the U.S. Navy and Modern Technology Solutions, Inc., were intended to demonstrate that UAVs can be flown safely and compatibly in the same skies as piloted aircraft.

OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION (OTEC) PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sands, M. D.

1980-01-01

This programmatic environmental analysis is an initial assessment of OTEC technology considering development, demonstration and commercialization; it is concluded that the OTEC development program should continue because the development, demonstration, and commercialization on a single-plant deployment basis should not present significant environmental impacts. However, several areas within the OTEC program require further investigation in order to assess the potential for environmental impacts from OTEC operation, particularly in large-scale deployments and in defining alternatives to closed-cycle biofouling control: (1) Larger-scale deployments of OTEC clusters or parks require further investigations in order to assess optimal platform siting distances necessary to minimize adversemore » environmental impacts. (2) The deployment and operation of the preoperational platform (OTEC-1) and future demonstration platforms must be carefully monitored to refine environmental assessment predictions, and to provide design modifications which may mitigate or reduce environmental impacts for larger-scale operations. These platforms will provide a valuable opportunity to fully evaluate the intake and discharge configurations, biofouling control methods, and both short-term and long-term environmental effects associated with platform operations. (3) Successful development of OTEC technology to use the maximal resource capabilities and to minimize environmental effects will require a concerted environmental management program, encompassing many different disciplines and environmental specialties.« less

An assessment of General Aviation utilization of advanced avionics technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinby, G. F.

1980-01-01

Needs of the general aviation industry for services and facilities which might be supplied by NASA were examined. In the data collection phase, twenty-one individuals from nine manufacturing companies in general aviation were interviewed against a carefully prepared meeting format. General aviation avionics manufacturers were credited with a high degree of technology transfer from the forcing industries such as television, automotive, and computers and a demonstrated ability to apply advanced technology such as large scale integration and microprocessors to avionics functions in an innovative and cost effective manner. The industry's traditional resistance to any unnecessary regimentation or standardization was confirmed. Industry's self sufficiency in applying advanced technology to avionics product development was amply demonstrated. NASA research capability could be supportive in areas of basic mechanics of turbulence in weather and alternative means for its sensing.

Market Assessment of Biomass Gasification and Combustion Technology for Small- and Medium-Scale Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peterson, D.; Haase, S.

2009-07-01

This report provides a market assessment of gasification and direct combustion technologies that use wood and agricultural resources to generate heat, power, or combined heat and power (CHP) for small- to medium-scale applications. It contains a brief overview of wood and agricultural resources in the U.S.; a description and discussion of gasification and combustion conversion technologies that utilize solid biomass to generate heat, power, and CHP; an assessment of the commercial status of gasification and combustion technologies; a summary of gasification and combustion system economics; a discussion of the market potential for small- to medium-scale gasification and combustion systems; andmore » an inventory of direct combustion system suppliers and gasification technology companies. The report indicates that while direct combustion and close-coupled gasification boiler systems used to generate heat, power, or CHP are commercially available from a number of manufacturers, two-stage gasification systems are largely in development, with a number of technologies currently in demonstration. The report also cites the need for a searchable, comprehensive database of operating combustion and gasification systems that generate heat, power, or CHP built in the U.S., as well as a national assessment of the market potential for the systems.« less

Technology for reducing aircraft engine pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rudey, R. A.; Kempke, E. E., Jr.

1975-01-01

Programs have been initiated by NASA to develop and demonstrate advanced technology for reducing aircraft gas turbine and piston engine pollutant emissions. These programs encompass engines currently in use for a wide variety of aircraft from widebody-jets to general aviation. Emission goals for these programs are consistent with the established EPA standards. Full-scale engine demonstrations of the most promising pollutant reduction techniques are planned within the next three years. Preliminary tests of advanced technology gas turbine engine combustors indicate that significant reductions in all major pollutant emissions should be attainable in present generation aircraft engines without adverse effects on fuel consumption. Fundamental-type programs are yielding results which indicate that future generation gas turbine aircraft engines may be able to utilize extremely low pollutant emission combustion systems.

Novel Biocatalytic Platform for Ethanol Production from Lignocellulosic Feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Chyi-Shin; Tachea, Firehiwot; Brown, Sarah

2017-01-23

The goals of the CRADA were achieved by illustrating the scalability of immobilized yeast technology, demonstrating lignocellulosic feedstock consumption by the immobilized cells, and confirming Microvi’s proprietary polymer matrix ethanol toxicity tolerance. We conducted fermentations at 2L and 300L scales. For carbon source, we performed pretreatment and saccharification at 100L scale to produce lignocellulosic sugars with glucose and xylose.

Newly invented biobased materials from low-carbon, diverted waste fibers: research methods, testing, and full-scale application in a case study structure

Treesearch

Julee A Herdt; John Hunt; Kellen Schauermann

2016-01-01

This project demonstrates newly invented, biobased construction materials developed by applying lowcarbon, biomass waste sources through the Authors’ engineered fiber processes and technology. If manufactured and applied large-scale the project inventions can divert large volumes of cellulose waste into high-performance, low embodied energy, environmental construction...

Research and demonstration to improve air quality for the U.S. animal feeding operations in the 21st century - a critical review.

PubMed

Ni, Ji-Qin

2015-05-01

There was an increasing interest in reducing production and emission of air pollutants to improve air quality for animal feeding operations (AFOs) in the U.S. in the 21st century. Research was focused on identification, quantification, characterization, and modeling of air pollutions; effects of emissions; and methodologies and technologies for scientific research and pollution control. Mitigation effects were on pre-excretion, pre-release, pre-emission, and post-emission. More emphasis was given on reducing pollutant emissions than improving indoor air quality. Research and demonstrations were generally continuation and improvement of previous efforts. Most demonstrated technologies were still in a limited scale of application. Future efforts are needed in many fundamental and applied research areas. Advancement in instrumentation, computer technology, and biological sciences and genetic engineering is critical to bring major changes in this area. Development in research and demonstration will depend on the actual political, economic, and environmental situations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning through a portfolio of carbon capture and storage demonstration projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiner, David M.

2016-01-01

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology is considered by many to be an essential route to meet climate mitigation targets in the power and industrial sectors. Deploying CCS technologies globally will first require a portfolio of large-scale demonstration projects. These first projects should assist learning by diversity, learning by replication, de-risking the technologies and developing viable business models. From 2005 to 2009, optimism about the pace of CCS rollout led to mutually independent efforts in the European Union, North America and Australia to assemble portfolios of projects. Since 2009, only a few of these many project proposals remain viable, but the initial rationales for demonstration have not been revisited in the face of changing circumstances. Here I argue that learning is now both more difficult and more important given the slow pace of deployment. Developing a more coordinated global portfolio will facilitate learning across projects and may determine whether CCS ever emerges from the demonstration phase.

The Canadian Space Agency, Space Station, Strategic Technologies for Automation and Robotics Program technology development activity in protection of materials from the low Earth orbit space environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francoeur, J. R.

1992-01-01

The Strategic Technologies in Automation and Robotics (STEAR) program is managing a number of development contracts to improve the protection of spacecraft materials from the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space environment. The project is structured in two phases over a 3 to 4 year period with a budget of 3 to 4 million dollars. Phase 1 is designed to demonstrate the technical feasibility and commercial potential of a coating/substrate system and its associated application process. The objective is to demonstrate a prototype fabrication capability using a full scale component of a commercially viable process for the protection of materials and surface finishes from the LEO space environment, and to demonstrate compliance with a set of performance requirements. Only phase 1 will be discussed in this paper.

Large-Scale Demonstration of Liquid Hydrogen Storage with Zero Boiloff for In-Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hastings, L. J.; Bryant, C. B.; Flachbart, R. H.; Holt, K. A.; Johnson, E.; Hedayat, A.; Hipp, B.; Plachta, D. W.

2010-01-01

Cryocooler and passive insulation technology advances have substantially improved prospects for zero-boiloff cryogenic storage. Therefore, a cooperative effort by NASA s Ames Research Center, Glenn Research Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was implemented to develop zero-boiloff concepts for in-space cryogenic storage. Described herein is one program element - a large-scale, zero-boiloff demonstration using the MSFC multipurpose hydrogen test bed (MHTB). A commercial cryocooler was interfaced with an existing MHTB spray bar mixer and insulation system in a manner that enabled a balance between incoming and extracted thermal energy.

Effects of Deployment Investment on the Growth of the Biofuels Industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vimmerstedt, Laura J.; Bush, Brian W.

2013-12-01

In support of the national goals for biofuel use in the United States, numerous technologies have been developed that convert biomass to biofuels. Some of these biomass to biofuel conversion technology pathways are operating at commercial scales, while others are in earlier stages of development. The advancement of a new pathway toward commercialization involves various types of progress, including yield improvements, process engineering, and financial performance. Actions of private investors and public programs can accelerate the demonstration and deployment of new conversion technology pathways. These investors (both private and public) will pursue a range of pilot, demonstration, and pioneer scalemore » biorefinery investments; the most cost-effective set of investments for advancing the maturity of any given biomass to biofuel conversion technology pathway is unknown. In some cases, whether or not the pathway itself will ultimately be technically and financially successful is also unknown. This report presents results from the Biomass Scenario Model -- a system dynamics model of the biomass to biofuels system -- that estimate effects of investments in biorefineries at different maturity levels and operational scales. The report discusses challenges in estimating effects of such investments and explores the interaction between this deployment investment and a volumetric production incentive. Model results show that investments in demonstration and deployment have a substantial positive effect on the development of the biofuels industry. Results also show that other conditions, such as supportive policies, have major impacts on the effectiveness of such investments.« less

Hanford’s Supplemental Treatment Project: Full-Scale Integrated Testing of In-Container-Vitrification and a 10,000-Liter Dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witwer, Keith S.; Dysland, Eric J.; Garfield, J. S.

2008-02-22

The GeoMelt® In-Container Vitrification™ (ICV™) process was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2004 for further evaluation as the supplemental treatment technology for Hanford’s low-activity waste (LAW). Also referred to as “bulk vitrification,” this process combines glass forming minerals, LAW, and chemical amendments; dries the mixture; and then vitrifies the material in a refractory-lined steel container. AMEC Nuclear Ltd. (AMEC) is adapting its GeoMelt ICV™ technology for this application with technical and analytical support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The DVBS project is funded by the DOE Office of River Protection and administered by CH2M HILLmore » Hanford Group, Inc. The Demonstration Bulk Vitrification Project (DBVS) was initiated to engineer, construct, and operate a full-scale bulk vitrification pilot-plant to treat up to 750,000 liters of LAW from Waste Tank 241-S-109 at the DOE Hanford Site. Since the beginning of the DBVS project in 2004, testing has used laboratory, crucible-scale, and engineering-scale equipment to help establish process limitations of selected glass formulations and identify operational issues. Full-scale testing has provided critical design verification of the ICV™ process before operating the Hanford pilot-plant. In 2007, the project’s fifth full-scale test, called FS-38D, (also known as the Integrated Dryer Melter Test, or IDMT,) was performed. This test had three primary objectives: 1) Demonstrate the simultaneous and integrated operation of the ICV™ melter with a 10,000-liter dryer, 2) Demonstrate the effectiveness of a new feed reformulation and change in process methodology towards reducing the production and migration of molten ionic salts (MIS), and, 3) Demonstrate that an acceptable glass product is produced under these conditions. Testing was performed from August 8 to 17, 2007. Process and analytical results demonstrated that the primary test objectives, along with a dozen supporting objectives, were successfully met. Glass performance exceeded all disposal performance criteria. A previous issue with MIS containment was successfully resolved in FS-38D, and the ICV™ melter was integrated with a full-scale, 10,000-liter dryer. This paper describes the rationale for performing the test, the purpose and outcome of scale-up tests preceding it, and the performance and outcome of FS-38D.« less

Criticality of Low-Energy Protons in Single-Event Effects Testing of Highly-Scaled Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellish, Jonathan A.; Marshall, Paul W.; Rodbell, Kenneth P.; Gordon, Michael S.; LaBel, Kenneth A.; Schwank, James R.; Dodds, Nathaniel A.; Castaneda, Carlos M.; Berg, Melanie D.; Kim, Hak S.;

Augmented Reality 2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmalstieg, Dieter; Langlotz, Tobias; Billinghurst, Mark

Augmented Reality (AR) was first demonstrated in the 1960s, but only recently have technologies emerged that can be used to easily deploy AR applications to many users. Camera-equipped cell phones with significant processing power and graphics abilities provide an inexpensive and versatile platform for AR applications, while the social networking technology of Web 2.0 provides a large-scale infrastructure for collaboratively producing and distributing geo-referenced AR content. This combination of widely used mobile hardware and Web 2.0 software allows the development of a new type of AR platform that can be used on a global scale. In this paper we describe the Augmented Reality 2.0 concept and present existing work on mobile AR and web technologies that could be used to create AR 2.0 applications.

Compact, closed-loop controlled waste incinerator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schadow, K.C.; Seeker, W.R.

1999-07-01

Technologies for solid and liquid waste destruction in compact incinerators are being developed in collaboration between industry, universities, and a Government laboratory. This paper reviews progress on one technology, namely active combustion control to achieve efficient and controlled afterburning of air-starved reaction products. This technology which uses synchronized waste gas injection into acoustically stabilized air vortices was transitioned to a simplified afterburner design and practical operational conditions. The full-scale, simplified afterburner, which achieved CO and NO{sub x} emissions of about 30 ppm with a residence time of less than 50 msec, was integrated with a commercially available marine incinerator tomore » increase throughput and reduce emissions. Closed-loop active control with diode laser sensors and novel control strategies was demonstrated on a sub-scale afterburner.« less

Breath-Figure Self-Assembly, a Versatile Method of Manufacturing Membranes and Porous Structures: Physical, Chemical and Technological Aspects

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The review is devoted to the physical, chemical, and technological aspects of the breath-figure self-assembly process. The main stages of the process and impact of the polymer architecture and physical parameters of breath-figure self-assembly on the eventual pattern are covered. The review is focused on the hierarchy of spatial and temporal scales inherent to breath-figure self-assembly. Multi-scale patterns arising from the process are addressed. The characteristic spatial lateral scales of patterns vary from nanometers to dozens of micrometers. The temporal scale of the process spans from microseconds to seconds. The qualitative analysis performed in the paper demonstrates that the process is mainly governed by interfacial phenomena, whereas the impact of inertia and gravity are negligible. Characterization and applications of polymer films manufactured with breath-figure self-assembly are discussed. PMID:28813026

EVALUATION PLAN FOR TWO LARGE-SCALE LANDFILL BIOREACTOR TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract - Waste Management, Inc., is operating two long-term bioreactor studies at the Outer Loop Landfill in Louisville, KY, including facultative landfill bioreactor and staged aerobic-anaerobic landfill bioreactor demonstrations. A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) was p...

Family impact of assistive technology scale: development of a measurement scale for parents of children with complex communication needs.

PubMed

Delarosa, Elizabeth; Horner, Stephanie; Eisenberg, Casey; Ball, Laura; Renzoni, Anne Marie; Ryan, Stephen E

2012-09-01

Young people use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems to meet their everyday communication needs. However, the successful integration of an AAC system into a child's life requires strong commitment and continuous support from parents and other family members. This article describes the development and evaluation of the Family Impact of Assistive Technology Scale for AAC Systems - a parent-report questionnaire intended to detect the impact of AAC systems on the lives of children with complex communication needs and their families. The study involved 179 parents and clinical experts to test the content and face validities of the questionnaire, demonstrate its internal reliability and stability over time, and estimate its convergent construct validity when compared to a standardized measure of family impact.

Distributed 3D Information Visualization - Towards Integration of the Dynamic 3D Graphics and Web Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vucinic, Dean; Deen, Danny; Oanta, Emil; Batarilo, Zvonimir; Lacor, Chris

This paper focuses on visualization and manipulation of graphical content in distributed network environments. The developed graphical middleware and 3D desktop prototypes were specialized for situational awareness. This research was done in the LArge Scale COllaborative decision support Technology (LASCOT) project, which explored and combined software technologies to support human-centred decision support system for crisis management (earthquake, tsunami, flooding, airplane or oil-tanker incidents, chemical, radio-active or other pollutants spreading, etc.). The performed state-of-the-art review did not identify any publicly available large scale distributed application of this kind. Existing proprietary solutions rely on the conventional technologies and 2D representations. Our challenge was to apply the "latest" available technologies, such Java3D, X3D and SOAP, compatible with average computer graphics hardware. The selected technologies are integrated and we demonstrate: the flow of data, which originates from heterogeneous data sources; interoperability across different operating systems and 3D visual representations to enhance the end-users interactions.

Scaling Analysis Techniques to Establish Experimental Infrastructure for Component, Subsystem, and Integrated System Testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sabharwall, Piyush; O'Brien, James E.; McKellar, Michael G.

2015-03-01

Hybrid energy system research has the potential to expand the application for nuclear reactor technology beyond electricity. The purpose of this research is to reduce both technical and economic risks associated with energy systems of the future. Nuclear hybrid energy systems (NHES) mitigate the variability of renewable energy sources, provide opportunities to produce revenue from different product streams, and avoid capital inefficiencies by matching electrical output to demand by using excess generation capacity for other purposes when it is available. An essential step in the commercialization and deployment of this advanced technology is scaled testing to demonstrate integrated dynamic performancemore » of advanced systems and components when risks cannot be mitigated adequately by analysis or simulation. Further testing in a prototypical environment is needed for validation and higher confidence. This research supports the development of advanced nuclear reactor technology and NHES, and their adaptation to commercial industrial applications that will potentially advance U.S. energy security, economy, and reliability and further reduce carbon emissions. Experimental infrastructure development for testing and feasibility studies of coupled systems can similarly support other projects having similar developmental needs and can generate data required for validation of models in thermal energy storage and transport, energy, and conversion process development. Experiments performed in the Systems Integration Laboratory will acquire performance data, identify scalability issues, and quantify technology gaps and needs for various hybrid or other energy systems. This report discusses detailed scaling (component and integrated system) and heat transfer figures of merit that will establish the experimental infrastructure for component, subsystem, and integrated system testing to advance the technology readiness of components and systems to the level required for commercial application and demonstration under NHES.« less

Deployment Effects of Marin Renewable Energy Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brian Polagye; Mirko Previsic

2010-06-17

Given proper care in siting, design, deployment, operation and maintenance, marine and hydrokinetic technologies could become one of the more environmentally benign sources of electricity generation. In order to accelerate the adoption of these emerging hydrokinetic and marine energy technologies, navigational and environmental concerns must be identified and addressed. All developing hydrokinetic projects involve a wide variety of stakeholders. One of the key issues that site developers face as they engage with this range of stakeholders is that many of the possible conflicts (e.g., shipping and fishing) and environmental issues are not well-understood, due to a lack of technical certainty.more » In September 2008, re vision consulting, LLC was selected by the Department of Energy (DoE) to apply a scenario-based approach to the emerging wave and tidal technology sectors in order to evaluate the impact of these technologies on the marine environment and potentially conflicting uses. The project’s scope of work includes the establishment of baseline scenarios for wave and tidal power conversion at potential future deployment sites. The scenarios will capture variations in technical approaches and deployment scales to properly identify and characterize environmental impacts and navigational effects. The goal of the project is to provide all stakeholders with an improved understanding of the potential effects of these emerging technologies and focus all stakeholders onto the critical issues that need to be addressed. This groundwork will also help in streamlining siting and associated permitting processes, which are considered key hurdles for the industry’s development in the U.S. today. Re vision is coordinating its efforts with two other project teams funded by DoE which are focused on regulatory and navigational issues. The results of this study are structured into three reports: 1. Wave power scenario description 2. Tidal power scenario description 3. Framework for Identifying Key Environmental Concerns This is the second report in the sequence and describes the results of conceptual feasibility studies of tidal power plants deployed in Tacoma Narrows, Washington. The Narrows contain many of the same competing stakeholder interactions identified at other tidal power sites and serves as a representative case study. Tidal power remains at an early stage of development. As such, a wide range of different technologies are being pursued by different manufacturers. In order to properly characterize impacts, it is useful to characterize the range of technologies that could be deployed at the site of interest. An industry survey informs the process of selecting representative tidal power devices. The selection criteria is that such devices are at an advanced stage of development to reduce technical uncertainties and that enough data are available from the manufacturers to inform the conceptual design process of this study. Further, an attempt is made to cover the range of different technologies under development to capture variations in potential environmental effects. A number of other developers are also at an advanced stage of development including Verdant Power, which has demonstrated an array of turbines in the East River of New York, Clean Current, which has demonstrated a device off Race Rocks, BC, and OpenHydro, which has demonstrated a device at the European Marine Energy Test Center and is on the verge of deploying a larger device in the Bay of Fundy. MCT demonstrated their device both at Devon (UK) and Strangford Narrows (Northern Ireland). Furthermore OpenHydro, CleanCurrent, and MCT are the three devices being installed at the Minas Passage (Canada). Environmental effects will largely scale with the size of tidal power development. In many cases, the effects of a single device may not be measurable, while larger scale device arrays may have cumulative impacts that differ significantly from smaller scale deployments. In order to characterize these effects, scenarios are established at three deployment scales which nominally represent (1) a small pilot deployment, (2) an early, small commercial deployment, and (3) a large commercial scale plant. For the three technologies and scales at the selected site, this results in a total of nine deployment scenarios outlined in the report.« less

Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer (CPST) Technology Maturation: Establishing a Foundation for a Technology Demonstration Mission (TDM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doherty, Michael P.; Meyer, Michael L.; Motil, Susan M.; Ginty, Carol A.

2014-01-01

As part of U.S. National Space Policy, NASA is seeking an innovative path for human space exploration, which strengthens the capability to extend human and robotic presence throughout the solar system. NASA is laying the groundwork to enable humans to safely reach multiple potential destinations, including asteroids, Lagrange points, the Moon and Mars. In support of this, NASA is embarking on the Technology Demonstration Mission Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer (TDM CPST) Project to test and validate key cryogenic capabilities and technologies required for future exploration elements, opening up the architecture for large cryogenic propulsion stages (CPS) and propellant depots. The TDM CPST project will provide an on-orbit demonstration of the capability to store, transfer, and measure cryogenic propellants for a duration which is relevant to enable long term human space exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Recognizing that key cryogenic fluid management technologies anticipated for on-orbit (flight) demonstration needed to be matured to a readiness level appropriate for infusion into the design of the flight demonstration, the NASA Headquarters Space Technology Mission Directorate authorized funding for a one-year (FY12) ground based technology maturation program. The strategy, proposed by the CPST Project Manager, focused on maturation through modeling, studies, and ground tests of the storage and fluid transfer Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) technology sub-elements and components that were not already at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5. A technology maturation plan (TMP) was subsequently approved which described: the CFM technologies selected for maturation, the ground testing approach to be used, quantified success criteria of the technologies, hardware and data deliverables, and a deliverable to provide an assessment of the technology readiness after completion of the test, study or modeling activity. This paper will present the testing, studies, and modeling that occurred in FY12 to mature cryogenic fluid management technologies for propellant storage, transfer, and supply, to examine extensibility to full scale, long duration missions, and to develop and validate analytical models. Finally, the paper will briefly describe an upcoming test to demonstrate Liquid Oxygen (LO2) Zero Boil-Off (ZBO).

Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer (CPST) Technology Maturation: Establishing a Foundation for a Technology Demonstration Mission (TDM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doherty, Michael P.; Meyer, Michael L.; Motil, Susan M.; Ginty, Carol A.

2013-01-01

As part of U.S. National Space Policy, NASA is seeking an innovative path for human space exploration, which strengthens the capability to extend human and robotic presence throughout the solar system. NASA is laying the groundwork to enable humans to safely reach multiple potential destinations, including asteroids, Lagrange points, the Moon and Mars. In support of this, NASA is embarking on the Technology Demonstration Mission Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer (TDM CPST) Project to test and validate key cryogenic capabilities and technologies required for future exploration elements, opening up the architecture for large cryogenic propulsion stages (CPS) and propellant depots. The TDM CPST project will provide an on-orbit demonstration of the capability to store, transfer, and measure cryogenic propellants for a duration which is relevant to enable long term human space exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Recognizing that key cryogenic fluid management technologies anticipated for on-orbit (flight) demonstration needed to be matured to a readiness level appropriate for infusion into the design of the flight demonstration, the NASA Headquarters Space Technology Mission Directorate authorized funding for a one-year (FY12) ground based technology maturation program. The strategy, proposed by the CPST Project Manager, focused on maturation through modeling, studies, and ground tests of the storage and fluid transfer Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) technology sub-elements and components that were not already at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5. A technology maturation plan (TMP) was subsequently approved which described: the CFM technologies selected for maturation, the ground testing approach to be used, quantified success criteria of the technologies, hardware and data deliverables, and a deliverable to provide an assessment of the technology readiness after completion of the test, study or modeling activity. This paper will present the testing, studies, and modeling that occurred in FY12 to mature cryogenic fluid management technologies for propellant storage, transfer, and supply, to examine extensibility to full scale, long duration missions, and to develop and validate analytical models. Finally, the paper will briefly describe an upcoming test to demonstrate Liquid Oxygen (LO2) Zero Boil- Off (ZBO).

FUEL-FLEXIBLE GASIFICATION-COMBUSTION TECHNOLOGY FOR PRODUCTION OF H2 AND SEQUESTRATION-READY CO2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George Rizeq; Janice West; Arnaldo Frydman

It is expected that in the 21st century the Nation will continue to rely on fossil fuels for electricity, transportation, and chemicals. It will be necessary to improve both the process efficiency and environmental impact performance of fossil fuel utilization. GE Global Research has developed an innovative fuel-flexible Unmixed Fuel Processor (UFP) technology to produce H{sub 2}, power, and sequestration-ready CO{sub 2} from coal and other solid fuels. The UFP module offers the potential for reduced cost, increased process efficiency relative to conventional gasification and combustion systems, and near-zero pollutant emissions including NO{sub x}. GE Global Research (prime contractor) wasmore » awarded a contract from U.S. DOE NETL to develop the UFP technology. Work on this Phase I program started on October 1, 2000. The project team includes GE Global Research, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C), California Energy Commission (CEC), and T. R. Miles, Technical Consultants, Inc. In the UFP technology, coal and air are simultaneously converted into separate streams of (1) high-purity hydrogen that can be utilized in fuel cells or turbines, (2) sequestration-ready CO{sub 2}, and (3) high temperature/pressure vitiated air to produce electricity in a gas turbine. The process produces near-zero emissions and, based on ASPEN Plus process modeling, has an estimated process efficiency of 6% higher than IGCC with conventional CO{sub 2} separation. The current R&D program will determine the feasibility of the integrated UFP technology through pilot-scale testing, and will investigate operating conditions that maximize separation of CO{sub 2} and pollutants from the vent gas, while simultaneously maximizing coal conversion efficiency and hydrogen production. The program integrates experimental testing, modeling and economic studies to demonstrate the UFP technology. This is the thirteenth quarterly technical progress report for the UFP program, which is supported by U.S. DOE NETL under Contract No. DE-FC26-00FT40974. This report summarizes program accomplishments for the period starting October 1, 2003 and ending December 31, 2003. The report includes an introduction summarizing the UFP technology, main program tasks, and program objectives; it also provides a summary of program activities and accomplishments covering progress in tasks including lab-scale experimental testing, pilot-scale assembly, pilot-scale demonstration and program management and technology transfer.« less

Can solar power deliver?

PubMed

Nelson, Jenny; Emmott, Christopher J M

2013-08-13

Solar power represents a vast resource which could, in principle, meet the world's needs for clean power generation. Recent growth in the use of photovoltaic (PV) technology has demonstrated the potential of solar power to deliver on a large scale. Whilst the dominant PV technology is based on crystalline silicon, a wide variety of alternative PV materials and device concepts have been explored in an attempt to decrease the cost of the photovoltaic electricity. This article explores the potential for such emerging technologies to deliver cost reductions, scalability of manufacture, rapid carbon mitigation and new science in order to accelerate the uptake of solar power technologies.

Imaging spectroscopy links aspen genotype with below-ground processes at landscape scales

PubMed Central

Madritch, Michael D.; Kingdon, Clayton C.; Singh, Aditya; Mock, Karen E.; Lindroth, Richard L.; Townsend, Philip A.

2014-01-01

Fine-scale biodiversity is increasingly recognized as important to ecosystem-level processes. Remote sensing technologies have great potential to estimate both biodiversity and ecosystem function over large spatial scales. Here, we demonstrate the capacity of imaging spectroscopy to discriminate among genotypes of Populus tremuloides (trembling aspen), one of the most genetically diverse and widespread forest species in North America. We combine imaging spectroscopy (AVIRIS) data with genetic, phytochemical, microbial and biogeochemical data to determine how intraspecific plant genetic variation influences below-ground processes at landscape scales. We demonstrate that both canopy chemistry and below-ground processes vary over large spatial scales (continental) according to aspen genotype. Imaging spectrometer data distinguish aspen genotypes through variation in canopy spectral signature. In addition, foliar spectral variation correlates well with variation in canopy chemistry, especially condensed tannins. Variation in aspen canopy chemistry, in turn, is correlated with variation in below-ground processes. Variation in spectra also correlates well with variation in soil traits. These findings indicate that forest tree species can create spatial mosaics of ecosystem functioning across large spatial scales and that these patterns can be quantified via remote sensing techniques. Moreover, they demonstrate the utility of using optical properties as proxies for fine-scale measurements of biodiversity over large spatial scales. PMID:24733949

Alternative High-Performance Motors with Non-Rare Earth Materials, Final Publishable Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galioto, Steven; Johnson, Francis

Electric drive systems, which include electric machines and power electronics, are a key enabling technology for advanced vehicle propulsion systems that reduce the petroleum dependence of the transportation sector. To have significant effect, electric drive technologies must be economical in terms of cost, weight, and size while meeting performance and reliability expectations. The goal of the project is to develop traction motors that reduce or eliminate the use of rare-earth materials and meet the DoE specifications for such a traction motor. This is accomplished by evaluating and developing multiple motor topologies in conjunction with advanced materials. Eight non-permanent magnet motormore » topologies and two reduced or non-rare earth motor topologies are analyzed and compared using a common set of requirements. Five of the motors are built and tested to validate the analysis. This paper provides a detailed quantitative comparison of the different machine topologies that reduce or eliminate rare-earth materials. Conclusions are drawn from the analysis and test data to show the tradeoffs related to selecting each of the motor topologies with the hope of providing practicing engineers and researchers in the field enough guidelines for choosing the “optimum” machine topology that suits their applications and set of performance requirements. Four materials technologies were investigated for their ability to enable a reduced rare earth electric motor. Two of the technologies were soft magnetic materials, one was a non-rare-earth containing permanent magnet technology, and the last was an insulation material. These processing and performance of these materials were first demonstrated in small coupons. The coupon tests justified proceeding to larger scale processing for two of the materials technologies: 1) a dual-phase soft magnetic material for use in rotor laminates and 2) a high temperature insulation material for use as a slot liner in the stator. The dual phase soft magnetic material was produced at a scale sufficient to build and test a sub-scale motor prototype. The high temperature insulation material was first evaluated in a series of “statorettes” before being demonstrated in the stator of one of the full-scale motor prototypes. Testing of the dual phase material revealed issues with process variability in larger production volumes that are being addressed in a subsequent project. The performance of the high-temperature slot liner insulation was demonstrated during the operation of a full-scale prototype. Furthermore, the insulation material was shown to survive aging tests of 2000 hours and 280 °C and 800 hours at 300 °C. This program provides analysis and data to accelerate the introduction of hybrid electric vehicles into the U.S. road vehicle fleet and bring the added benefits of reduced fuel consumption and environmental impacts« less

Solar Trees: First Large-Scale Demonstration of Fully Solution Coated, Semitransparent, Flexible Organic Photovoltaic Modules.

PubMed

Berny, Stephane; Blouin, Nicolas; Distler, Andreas; Egelhaaf, Hans-Joachim; Krompiec, Michal; Lohr, Andreas; Lozman, Owen R; Morse, Graham E; Nanson, Lana; Pron, Agnieszka; Sauermann, Tobias; Seidler, Nico; Tierney, Steve; Tiwana, Priti; Wagner, Michael; Wilson, Henry

2016-05-01

The technology behind a large area array of flexible solar cells with a unique design and semitransparent blue appearance is presented. These modules are implemented in a solar tree installation at the German pavilion in the EXPO2015 in Milan/IT. The modules show power conversion efficiencies of 4.5% and are produced exclusively using standard printing techniques for large-scale production.

A fluidized bed desorption system for recycling mercury from contaminated soil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harriss, C.; Baum, D.L. Jr.; Read, W.L.

1995-12-31

The land disposal restrictions effective for wastes containing mercury have created a need for technologies that can meet the best demonstrated available technologies (BDAT) treatment standards. In the past, technologies for mercury were in short supply. In addition to the already existing short supply, the natural gas industry has begun to remediate the numerous metering sites that have been contaminated with mercury from manometers installed along their pipelines. To meet the need for a mercury technology, Philip Environmental Services Corporation (Philip) evaluated and tested two different technologies capable of recovering mercury from contaminated soil. Philip initially performed some tests usingmore » gravitational methods followed by pilot-scale testing using a fluidized bed desorber. As a result of the testing, Philip constructed a full-scale fluidized bed system which can recover mercury from contaminated soil and debris. The name of Philip`s technology is the Solvating Vapor Pressure Process (SVPP). The main purpose of this paper is to discuss the results of the SVPP pilot testing and describe the process.« less

Selection and Manufacturing of Membrane Materials for Solar Sails

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Robert G.; Seaman, Shane T.; Wilkie, W. Keats; Miyaucchi, Masahiko; Working, Dennis C.

2013-01-01

Commercial metallized polyimide or polyester films and hand-assembly techniques are acceptable for small solar sail technology demonstrations, although scaling this approach to large sail areas is impractical. Opportunities now exist to use new polymeric materials specifically designed for solar sailing applications, and take advantage of integrated sail manufacturing to enable large-scale solar sail construction. This approach has, in part, been demonstrated on the JAXA IKAROS solar sail demonstrator, and NASA Langley Research Center is now developing capabilities to produce ultrathin membranes for solar sails by integrating resin synthesis with film forming and sail manufacturing processes. This paper will discuss the selection and development of polymer material systems for space, and these new processes for producing ultrathin high-performance solar sail membrane films.

Emulsified Zero-Valent Nano-Scale Iron Treatment of Chlorinated Solvent DNAPL Source Areas

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Significant laboratory and field research has demonstrated that zero-valent metals will reductively dehalogenate dissolved chlorinated solvents such as...Eekert, Servé W. M. Kengen, Gosse Schraa, and Alfons J. M. Stams. 1999. Anaerobic Microbial Reductive Dehalogenation of Chlorinated Ethenes...and T. Holdsworth. 2005. Field Demonstration of DNAPL Dehalogenation Using Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron. Environmental Science Technology, vol 39

1366 Project Silicon: Reclaiming US Silicon PV Leadership

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lorenz, Adam

1366 Technologies’ Project Silicon addresses two of the major goals of the DOE’s PV Manufacturing Initiative Part 2 program: 1) How to reclaim a strong silicon PV manufacturing presence and; 2) How to lower the levelized cost of electricity (“LCOE”) for solar to $0.05-$0.07/kWh, enabling wide-scale U.S. market adoption. To achieve these two goals, US companies must commercialize disruptive, high-value technologies that are capable of rapid scaling, defensible from foreign competition, and suited for US manufacturing. These are the aims of 1366 Technologies Direct Wafer ™ process. The research conducted during Project Silicon led to the first industrial scaling ofmore » 1366’s Direct Wafer™ process – an innovative, US-friendly (efficient, low-labor content) manufacturing process that destroys the main cost barrier limiting silicon PV cost-reductions: the 35-year-old grand challenge of making quality wafers (40% of the cost of modules) without the cost and waste of sawing. The SunPath program made it possible for 1366 Technologies to build its demonstration factory, a key and critical step in the Company’s evolution. The demonstration factory allowed 1366 to build every step of the process flow at production size, eliminating potential risk and ensuring the success of the Company’s subsequent scaling for a 1 GW factory to be constructed in Western New York in 2016 and 2017. Moreover, the commercial viability of the Direct Wafer process and its resulting wafers were established as 1366 formed key strategic partnerships, gained entry into the $8B/year multi-Si wafer market, and installed modules featuring Direct Wafer products – the veritable proving grounds for the technology. The program also contributed to the development of three Generation 3 Direct Wafer furnaces. These furnaces are the platform for copying intelligently and preparing our supply chain – large-scale expansion will not require a bigger machine but more machines. SunPath filled the crucial development step between the original research effort in Lexington and the GW factory scheduled to be online before the end of the decade. At the conclusion of the project, it is clear that the Direct Wafer™ technology will have a dramatic impact on the entire silicon photovoltaic supply chain by effectively doubling existing silicon capacity (by reducing silicon usage by 50%) and reducing supply chain capital costs by 35%. The technology, when fully-scaled in the US, will also lead to significant job growth, with the eventual creation of 1,000 jobs in Western New York.« less

Adaptive smart wing design for military aircraft: requirements, concepts, and payoffs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudva, Jayanth N.; Appa, Kari; Van Way, Craig B.; Lockyer, Allen J.

1995-05-01

New developments in smart structures and materials have made it possible to revisit earlier work in adaptive and flexible wing technology, and remove some of the limitations for technology transition to next-generation aircraft. Research performed by Northrop Grumman, under internal funding, has led to a new program sponsored by ARPA to investigate the application of smart structures and materials technologies to twist and adapt and aircraft wing. Conceptual designs are presented based on state-of-the-art materials, including shape memory alloys, piezoelectrics, and fiber optic sensors for incorporation in a proposed smart wing design. Plans are described to demonstrate proof-of-concept on a prototype 1/10 scale -18 model that will be tested in a wind tunnel for final validation. Highlights of the proposed program are summarized with respect to program objectives, requirements, key concept design features, demonstration testing, and smart wing technology payoffs and risks.

JWST Lightweight Mirror TRL-6 Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Philip

2007-01-01

Mirror technology for a Primary Mirror Segment Assembly (PMSA) is a system of components: reflective coating; polished optical surface; mirror substrate; actuators, mechanisms and flexures; and reaction structure. The functional purpose of a PMSA is to survive launch, deploy and align itself to form a 25 square meter collecting area 6.5 meter diameter primary mirror with a 131 nm rms wavefront error at temperatures less than 50K and provide stable optical performance for the anticipated thermal environment. At the inception of JWST in 1996, such a capability was at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3. A highly successful technology development program was initiated including the Sub-scale Beryllium Mirror Demonstrator (SBMD) and Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator (AMSD) projects. These projects along with flight program activities have matured mirror technology for JWST to TRL-6. A directly traceable prototype (and in some cases the flight hardware itself) has been built, tested and operated in a relevant environment.

Feasibility and Testing of Additive Manufactured Components

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dehoff, Ryan R.; Hummelt, Ed; Solovyeva, Lyudmila

2016-09-01

This project focused on demonstrating the ability to fabricate two parts with different geometry: an arc flash interrupter and a hydraulic manifold. Eaton Corporation provided ORNL solid models, information related to tolerances and sensitive parameters of the parts and provided testing and evaluation. ORNL successfully manufactured both components, provided cost models of the manufacturing (materials, labor, time and post processing) and delivered test components for Eaton evaluation. The arc flash suppressor was fabricated using the Renishaw laser powder bed technology in CoCrMo while the manifold was produced from Ti-6Al-4V using the Arcam electron beam melting technology. These manufacturing techniques weremore » selected based on the design and geometrical tolerances required. A full-scale manifold was produced on the Arcam A2 system (nearly 12 inches tall). A portion of the manifold was also produced in the Arcam Q10 system. Although a full scale manifold could not be produced in the system, a full scale manifold is expected to have similar material properties, geometric accuracy, and surface finish as could be fabricated on an Arcam Q20 system that is capable of producing four full scale manifolds in a production environment. In addition to the manifold, mechanical test specimens, geometric tolerance artifacts, and microstructure samples were produced alongside the manifold. The development and demonstration of these two key components helped Eaton understand the impact additive manufacturing can have on many of their existing products. By working within the MDF and leveraging ORNL’s manufacturing and characterization capabilities, the work will ensure the rapid insertion and commercialization of this technology.« less

Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling TechnologY (KRUSTY) Demonstration. CEDT Phase 1 Preliminary Design Documentation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanchez, Rene Gerardo; Hutchinson, Jesson D.; Mcclure, Patrick Ray

2015-08-20

The intent of the integral experiment request IER 299 (called KiloPower by NASA) is to assemble and evaluate the operational performance of a compact reactor configuration that closely resembles the flight unit to be used by NASA to execute a deep space exploration mission. The reactor design will include heat pipes coupled to Stirling engines to demonstrate how one can generate electricity when extracting energy from a “nuclear generated” heat source. This series of experiments is a larger scale follow up to the DUFF series of experiments1,2 that were performed using the Flat-Top assembly.

Jet engine applications for materials with nanometer-scale dimensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, J. W., Jr.

1995-01-01

The performance of advanced military and commercial gas turbine engines is often linked to advances in materials technology. High performance gas turbine engines being developed require major material advances in strength, toughness, reduced density and improved temperature capability. The emerging technology of nanostructured materials has enormous potential for producing materials with significant improvements in these properties. Extraordinary properties demonstrated in the laboratory include material strengths approaching theoretical limit, ceramics that demonstrate ductility and toughness, and materials with ultra-high hardness. Nanostructured materials and coatings have the potential for meeting future gas turbine engine requirements for improved performance, reduced weight and lower fuel consumption.

Jet engine applications for materials with nanometer-scale dimensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, J. W., Jr.

1995-01-01

The performance of advanced military and commercial gas turbine engines is often linked to advances in materials technology. High performance gas turbine engines being developed require major material advances in strength, toughness, reduced density and improved temperature capability. The emerging technology of nanostructured materials has enormous potential for producing materials with significant improvements in these properties. Extraordinary properties demonstrated in the laboratory include material strengths approaching theoretical limit, ceramics that demonstrate ductility and toughness, and material with ultra-high hardness. Nanostructured materials and coatings have the potential for meeting future gas turbine engine requirements for improved performance, reduced weight and lower fuel consumption.

Recent developments in microfluidic large scale integration.

PubMed

Araci, Ismail Emre; Brisk, Philip

2014-02-01

In 2002, Thorsen et al. integrated thousands of micromechanical valves on a single microfluidic chip and demonstrated that the control of the fluidic networks can be simplified through multiplexors [1]. This enabled realization of highly parallel and automated fluidic processes with substantial sample economy advantage. Moreover, the fabrication of these devices by multilayer soft lithography was easy and reliable hence contributed to the power of the technology; microfluidic large scale integration (mLSI). Since then, mLSI has found use in wide variety of applications in biology and chemistry. In the meantime, efforts to improve the technology have been ongoing. These efforts mostly focus on; novel materials, components, micromechanical valve actuation methods, and chip architectures for mLSI. In this review, these technological advances are discussed and, recent examples of the mLSI applications are summarized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation effects in advanced microelectronics technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, A. H.

1998-06-01

The pace of device scaling has increased rapidly in recent years. Experimental CMOS devices have been produced with feature sizes below 0.1 /spl mu/m, demonstrating that devices with feature sizes between 0.1 and 0.25 /spl mu/m will likely be available in mainstream technologies after the year 2000. This paper discusses how the anticipated changes in device dimensions and design are likely to affect their radiation response in space environments. Traditional problems, such as total dose effects, SEU and latchup are discussed, along with new phenomena. The latter include hard errors from heavy ions (microdose and gate-rupture errors), and complex failure modes related to advanced circuit architecture. The main focus of the paper is on commercial devices, which are displacing hardened device technologies in many space applications. However, the impact of device scaling on hardened devices is also discussed.

Background Model for the Majorana Demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuesta, C.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; Avignone, F. T.; Barabash, A. S.; Bertrand, F. E.; Boswell, M.; Brudanin, V.; Busch, M.; Byram, D.; Caldwell, A. S.; Chan, Y.-D.; Christofferson, C. D.; Combs, D. C.; Detwiler, J. A.; Doe, P. J.; Efremenko, Yu.; Egorov, V.; Ejiri, H.; Elliott, S. R.; Fast, J. E.; Finnerty, P.; Fraenkle, F. M.; Galindo-Uribarri, A.; Giovanetti, G. K.; Goett, J.; Green, M. P.; Gruszko, J.; Guiseppe, V. E.; Gusev, K.; Hallin, A. L.; Hazama, R.; Hegai, A.; Henning, R.; Hoppe, E. W.; Howard, S.; Howe, M. A.; Keeter, K. J.; Kidd, M. F.; Kochetov, O.; Konovalov, S. I.; Kouzes, R. T.; LaFerriere, B. D.; Leon, J.; Leviner, L. E.; Loach, J. C.; MacMullin, J.; MacMullin, S.; Martin, R. D.; Meijer, S.; Mertens, S.; Nomachi, M.; Orrell, J. L.; O'Shaughnessy, C.; Overman, N. R.; Phillips, D. G.; Poon, A. W. P.; Pushkin, K.; Radford, D. C.; Rager, J.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Romero-Romero, E.; Ronquest, M. C.; Schubert, A. G.; Shanks, B.; Shima, T.; Shirchenko, M.; Snavely, K. J.; Snyder, N.; Suriano, A. M.; Thompson, J.; Timkin, V.; Tornow, W.; Trimble, J. E.; Varner, R. L.; Vasilyev, S.; Vetter, K.; Vorren, K.; White, B. R.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wiseman, C.; Xu, W.; Yakushev, E.; Young, A. R.; Yu, C.-H.; Yumatov, V.

The Majorana Collaboration is constructing a system containing 40 kg of HPGe detectors to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of a future tonne-scale experiment capable of probing the neutrino mass scale in the inverted-hierarchy region. To realize this, a major goal of the Majorana Demonstrator is to demonstrate a path forward to achieving a background rate at or below 1 cnt/(ROI-t-y) in the 4 keV region of interest around the Q-value at 2039 keV. This goal is pursued through a combination of a significant reduction of radioactive impurities in construction materials with analytical methods for background rejection, for example using powerful pulse shape analysis techniques profiting from the p-type point contact HPGe detectors technology. The effectiveness of these methods is assessed using simulations of the different background components whose purity levels are constrained from radioassay measurements.

DEVELOPMENT OF SRB TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR ACID MINE DRAINAGE

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past decade, significant advances have been made in the development of sulfate- reducing bacteria (SRB) technology to treat acid mine drainage (AMD), Bench-scale testing, field demonstrations, and engineered applications of SRBs for the treatment of AMD will be presented...

DESIGN OF A SURFACTANT REMEDIATION FIELD DEMONSTRATION BASED ON LABORATORY AND MODELINE STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

Surfactant-enhanced subsurface remediation is being evaluated as an innovative technology for expediting ground-water remediation. This paper reports on laboratory and modeling studies conducted in preparation for a pilot-scale field test of surfactant-enhanced subsurface remedia...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

SAMS TL; GUILLOT S

Scoping laboratory scale tests were performed at the Chemical Engineering Department of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and the Hanford 222-S Laboratory, involving double-shell tank (DST) and single-shell tank (SST) Hanford waste simulants. These tests established the viability of the Lithium Hydrotalcite precipitation process as a solution to remove aluminum and recycle sodium hydroxide from the Hanford tank waste, and set the basis of a validation test campaign to demonstrate a Technology Readiness Level of 3.

Light sources for high-volume manufacturing EUV lithography: technology, performance, and power scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fomenkov, Igor; Brandt, David; Ershov, Alex; Schafgans, Alexander; Tao, Yezheng; Vaschenko, Georgiy; Rokitski, Slava; Kats, Michael; Vargas, Michael; Purvis, Michael; Rafac, Rob; La Fontaine, Bruno; De Dea, Silvia; LaForge, Andrew; Stewart, Jayson; Chang, Steven; Graham, Matthew; Riggs, Daniel; Taylor, Ted; Abraham, Mathew; Brown, Daniel

2017-06-01

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is expected to succeed in 193-nm immersion multi-patterning technology for sub-10-nm critical layer patterning. In order to be successful, EUV lithography has to demonstrate that it can satisfy the industry requirements in the following critical areas: power, dose stability, etendue, spectral content, and lifetime. Currently, development of second-generation laser-produced plasma (LPP) light sources for the ASML's NXE:3300B EUV scanner is complete, and first units are installed and operational at chipmaker customers. We describe different aspects and performance characteristics of the sources, dose stability results, power scaling, and availability data for EUV sources and also report new development results.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Programmatic Environmental Analysis--Appendices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Authors, Various

1980-01-01

The programmatic environmental analysis is an initial assessment of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology considering development, demonstration and commercialization. It is concluded that the OTEC development program should continue because the development, demonstration, and commercialization on a single-plant deployment basis should not present significant environmental impacts. However, several areas within the OTEC program require further investigation in order to assess the potential for environmental impacts from OTEC operation, particularly in large-scale deployments and in defining alternatives to closed-cycle biofouling control: (1) Larger-scale deployments of OTEC clusters or parks require further investigations in order to assess optimal platform siting distancesmore » necessary to minimize adverse environmental impacts. (2) The deployment and operation of the preoperational platform (OTEC-1) and future demonstration platforms must be carefully monitored to refine environmental assessment predictions, and to provide design modifications which may mitigate or reduce environmental impacts for larger-scale operations. These platforms will provide a valuable opportunity to fully evaluate the intake and discharge configurations, biofouling control methods, and both short-term and long-term environmental effects associated with platform operations. (3) Successful development of OTEC technology to use the maximal resource capabilities and to minimize environmental effects will require a concerted environmental management program, encompassing many different disciplines and environmental specialties. This volume contains these appendices: Appendix A -- Deployment Scenario; Appendix B -- OTEC Regional Characterization; and Appendix C -- Impact and Related Calculations.« less

Cloud computing and validation of expandable in silico livers.

PubMed

Ropella, Glen E P; Hunt, C Anthony

2010-12-03

In Silico Livers (ISLs) are works in progress. They are used to challenge multilevel, multi-attribute, mechanistic hypotheses about the hepatic disposition of xenobiotics coupled with hepatic responses. To enhance ISL-to-liver mappings, we added discrete time metabolism, biliary elimination, and bolus dosing features to a previously validated ISL and initiated re-validated experiments that required scaling experiments to use more simulated lobules than previously, more than could be achieved using the local cluster technology. Rather than dramatically increasing the size of our local cluster we undertook the re-validation experiments using the Amazon EC2 cloud platform. So doing required demonstrating the efficacy of scaling a simulation to use more cluster nodes and assessing the scientific equivalence of local cluster validation experiments with those executed using the cloud platform. The local cluster technology was duplicated in the Amazon EC2 cloud platform. Synthetic modeling protocols were followed to identify a successful parameterization. Experiment sample sizes (number of simulated lobules) on both platforms were 49, 70, 84, and 152 (cloud only). Experimental indistinguishability was demonstrated for ISL outflow profiles of diltiazem using both platforms for experiments consisting of 84 or more samples. The process was analogous to demonstration of results equivalency from two different wet-labs. The results provide additional evidence that disposition simulations using ISLs can cover the behavior space of liver experiments in distinct experimental contexts (there is in silico-to-wet-lab phenotype similarity). The scientific value of experimenting with multiscale biomedical models has been limited to research groups with access to computer clusters. The availability of cloud technology coupled with the evidence of scientific equivalency has lowered the barrier and will greatly facilitate model sharing as well as provide straightforward tools for scaling simulations to encompass greater detail with no extra investment in hardware.

SMART Rotor Development and Wind-Tunnel Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, Benton H.; Straub, Friedrich; Anand, V. R.; Birchette, Terry

2009-01-01

Boeing and a team from Air Force, NASA, Army, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California at Los Angeles, and University of Maryland have successfully completed a wind-tunnel test of the smart material actuated rotor technology (SMART) rotor in the 40- by 80-foot wind-tunnel of the National Full-Scale Aerodynamic Complex at NASA Ames Research Center, figure 1. The SMART rotor is a full-scale, five-bladed bearingless MD 900 helicopter rotor modified with a piezoelectric-actuated trailing-edge flap on each blade. The development effort included design, fabrication, and component testing of the rotor blades, the trailing-edge flaps, the piezoelectric actuators, the switching power amplifiers, the actuator control system, and the data/power system. Development of the smart rotor culminated in a whirl-tower hover test which demonstrated the functionality, robustness, and required authority of the active flap system. The eleven-week wind tunnel test program evaluated the forward flight characteristics of the active-flap rotor, gathered data to validate state-of-the-art codes for rotor noise analysis, and quantified the effects of open- and closed-loop active-flap control on rotor loads, noise, and performance. The test demonstrated on-blade smart material control of flaps on a full-scale rotor for the first time in a wind tunnel. The effectiveness and the reliability of the flap actuation system were successfully demonstrated in more than 60 hours of wind-tunnel testing. The data acquired and lessons learned will be instrumental in maturing this technology and transitioning it into production. The development effort, test hardware, wind-tunnel test program, and test results will be presented in the full paper.

Hybrid 3D-2D printing of bone scaffolds Hybrid 3D-2D printing methods for bone scaffolds fabrication.

PubMed

Prinz, V Ya; Seleznev, Vladimir

2016-12-13

It is a well-known fact that bone scaffold topography on micro- and nanometer scale influences the cellular behavior. Nano-scale surface modification of scaffolds allows the modulation of biological activity for enhanced cell differentiation. To date, there has been only a limited success in printing scaffolds with micro- and nano-scale features exposed on the surface. To improve on the currently available imperfect technologies, in our paper we introduce new hybrid technologies based on a combination of 2D (nano imprint) and 3D printing methods. The first method is based on using light projection 3D printing and simultaneous 2D nanostructuring of each of the layers during the formation of the 3D structure. The second method is based on the sequential integration of preliminarily created 2D nanostructured films into a 3D printed structure. The capabilities of the developed hybrid technologies are demonstrated with the example of forming 3D bone scaffolds. The proposed technologies can be used to fabricate complex 3D micro- and nanostructured products for various fields. Copyright 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Scale-up and process integration of sugar production by acidolysis of municipal solid waste/corn stover blends in ionic liquids.

PubMed

Li, Chenlin; Liang, Ling; Sun, Ning; Thompson, Vicki S; Xu, Feng; Narani, Akash; He, Qian; Tanjore, Deepti; Pray, Todd R; Simmons, Blake A; Singh, Seema

2017-01-01

Lignocellulosic biorefineries have tonnage and throughput requirements that must be met year round and there is no single feedstock available in any given region that is capable of meeting the price and availability demands of the biorefineries scheduled for deployment. Significant attention has been historically given to agriculturally derived feedstocks; however, a diverse range of wastes, including municipal solid wastes (MSW), also have the potential to serve as feedstocks for the production of advanced biofuels and have not been extensively studied. In addition, ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment with certain ILs is receiving great interest as a potential process that enables fractionation of a wide range of feedstocks. Acid catalysts have been used previously to hydrolyze polysaccharides into fermentable sugars following IL pretreatment, which could potentially provide a means of liberating fermentable sugars from lignocellulose without the use of costly enzymes. However, successful optimization and scale-up of the one-pot acid-assisted IL deconstruction for further commercialization involve challenges such as reactor compatibility, mixing at high solid loading, sugar recovery, and IL recycling, which have not been effectively resolved during the development stages at bench scale. Here, we present the successful scale-up demonstration of the acid-assisted IL deconstruction on feedstock blends of municipal solid wastes and agricultural residues (corn stover) by 30-fold, relative to the bench scale (6 vs 0.2 L), at 10% solid loading. By integrating IL pretreatment and acid hydrolysis with subsequent centrifugation and extraction, the sugar and lignin products can be further recovered efficiently. This scale-up development at Advanced Biofuels/Bioproducts Process Demonstration Unit (ABPDU) will leverage the opportunity and synergistic efforts toward developing a cost-effective IL-based deconstruction technology by drastically eliminating enzyme, reducing water usage, and simplifying the downstream sugar/lignin recovery and IL recycling. Results indicate that MSW blends are viable and valuable resource to consider when assessing biomass availability and affordability for lignocellulosic biorefineries. This scale-up evaluation demonstrates that the acid-assisted IL deconstruction technology can be effectively scaled up to larger operations and the current study established the baseline of scaling parameters for this process.

Overview of NASA Lewis Research Center free-piston Stirling engine technology activities applicable to space power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slaby, Jack G.

1987-01-01

A brief overview is presented of the development and technological activities of the free-piston Stirling engine. The engine started as a small scale fractional horsepower engine which demonstrated basic engine operating principles and the advantages of being hermetically sealed, highly efficient, and simple. It eventually developed into the free piston Stirling engine driven heat pump, and then into the SP-100 Space Reactor Power Program from which came the Space Power Demonstrator Engine (SPDE). The SPDE successfully operated for over 300 hr and delivered 20 kW of PV power to an alternator plunger. The SPDE demonstrated that a dynamic power conversion system can, with proper design, be balanced; and the engine performed well with externally pumped hydrostatic gas bearings.

High Efficiency Low Cost CO2 Compression Using Supersonic Shock Wave Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, J; Aarnio, M; Grosvenor, A

2010-12-31

Development and testing results from a supersonic compressor are presented. The compressor achieved record pressure ratio for a fully-supersonic stage and successfully demonstrated the technology potential. Several tasks were performed in compliance with the DOE award objectives. A high-pressure ratio compressor was retrofitted to improve rotordynamics behavior and successfully tested. An outside review panel confirmed test results and design approach. A computational fluid dynamics code used to analyze the Ramgen supersonic flowpath was extensively and successfully modified to improve use on high-performance computing platforms. A comprehensive R&D implementation plan was developed and used to lay the groundwork for a futuremore » full-scale compressor demonstration. Conceptual design for a CO2 demonstration compressor was developed and reviewed.« less

Low-nitrogen oxides combustion of dried sludge using a pilot-scale cyclone combustor with recirculation.

PubMed

Shim, Sung Hoon; Jeong, Sang Hyun; Lee, Sang-Sup

2015-04-01

Recently, numerical and experimental studies have been conducted to develop a moderate or intense low-oxygen dilution (MILD) combustion technology for solid fuels. The study results demonstrated that intense recirculation inside the furnace by high-momentum air is a key parameter to achieve the MILD combustion of solid fuels. However, the high-velocity air requires a significant amount of electricity consumption. A cyclone-type MILD combustor was therefore designed and constructed in the authors' laboratory to improve the recirculation inside the combustor. The laboratory-scale tests yielded promising results for the MILD combustion of dried sewage sludge. To achieve pilot-scale MILD combustion of dried sludge in this study, the effects of geometric parameters such as the venturi tube configuration, the air injection location, and the air nozzle diameter were investigated. With the optimized geometric and operational conditions, the pilot-scale cyclone combustor demonstrated successful MILD combustion of dried sludge at a rate of 75 kg/hr with an excess air ratio of 1.05. A horizontal cyclone combustor with recirculation demonstrated moderate or intense low-oxygen dilution (MILD) combustion of dried sewage sludge at a rate of 75 kg/hr. Optimizing only geometric and operational conditions of the combustor reduced nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to less than 75 ppm. Because the operating cost of the MILD combustor is much lower than that of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) applied to the conventional combustor, MILD combustion technology with the cyclone type furnace is an eligible option for reducing NOx emissions from the combustion of dried sewage sludge.

Using a million cell simulation of the cerebellum: network scaling and task generality.

PubMed

Li, Wen-Ke; Hausknecht, Matthew J; Stone, Peter; Mauk, Michael D

2013-11-01

Several factors combine to make it feasible to build computer simulations of the cerebellum and to test them in biologically realistic ways. These simulations can be used to help understand the computational contributions of various cerebellar components, including the relevance of the enormous number of neurons in the granule cell layer. In previous work we have used a simulation containing 12000 granule cells to develop new predictions and to account for various aspects of eyelid conditioning, a form of motor learning mediated by the cerebellum. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of scaling up this simulation to over one million granule cells using parallel graphics processing unit (GPU) technology. We observe that this increase in number of granule cells requires only twice the execution time of the smaller simulation on the GPU. We demonstrate that this simulation, like its smaller predecessor, can emulate certain basic features of conditioned eyelid responses, with a slight improvement in performance in one measure. We also use this simulation to examine the generality of the computation properties that we have derived from studying eyelid conditioning. We demonstrate that this scaled up simulation can learn a high level of performance in a classic machine learning task, the cart-pole balancing task. These results suggest that this parallel GPU technology can be used to build very large-scale simulations whose connectivity ratios match those of the real cerebellum and that these simulations can be used guide future studies on cerebellar mediated tasks and on machine learning problems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TORONTO HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS (THC) SOIL RECYCLE TREATMENT TRAIN - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC) have developed a soil treatment train designed to treat inorganic and organic contaminants in soils. THC has conducted a large-scale demonstration of these technologies in an attempt to establish that contaminated soils at the Toronto Port ...

Experimental design, operation, and results of a 4 kW high temperature steam electrolysis experiment

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Xiaoyu; O'Brien, James E.; Tao, Greg; ...

2015-08-06

High temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) is a promising technology for large-scale hydrogen production. However, research on HTSE performance above the kW level is limited. This paper presents the results of 4 kW HTSE long-term test completed in a multi-kW test facility recently developed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The 4 kW HTSE unit included two solid oxide electrolysis stacks operating in parallel, each of which included 40 electrode-supported planar cells. A current density of 0.41 A/cm2 was used for the long-term operation, resulting in a hydrogen production rate about 25 slpm. A demonstration of 920 hours stable operation wasmore » achieved. The paper also includes detailed descriptions of the piping layout, steam generation and delivery system, test fixture, heat recuperation system, hot zone, instrumentation, and operating conditions. As a result, this successful demonstration of multi-kW scale HTSE unit will help to advance the technology toward near-term commercialization.« less

Fiber-Based, Trace-Gas, Laser Transmitter Technology Development for Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephen, Mark; Yu, Anthony; Chen, Jeffrey; Nicholson, Jeffrey; Engin, Doruk; Mathason, Brian; Wu, Stewart; Allan, Graham; Hasselbrack, William; Gonzalez, Brayler;

Fiber-based, trace-gas, laser transmitter technology development for space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephen, Mark; Yu, Anthony; Chen, Jeffrey; Nicholson, Jeffrey; Engin, Doruk; Mathason, Brian; Wu, Stewart; Allan, Graham; Hasselbrack, William; Gonzales, Brayler; Han, Lawrence; Numata, Kenji; Storm, Mark; Abshire, James

2015-09-01

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is working on maturing the technology readiness of a laser transmitter designed for use in atmospheric CO2 remote-sensing. GSFC has been developing an airplane-based CO2 lidar instrument over several years to demonstrate the efficacy of the instrumentation and measurement technique and to link the science models to the instrument performance. The ultimate goal is to make space-based satellite measurements with global coverage. In order to accomplish this, we must demonstrate the technology readiness and performance of the components as well as demonstrate the required power-scaling to make the link with the required signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR). To date, all the instrument components have been shown to have the required performance with the exception of the laser transmitter. In this program we are working on a fiber-based master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) laser transmitter architecture where we will develop a ruggedized package and perform the relevant environmental tests to demonstrate TRL-6. In this paper we will review our transmitter architecture and progress on the performance and packaging of the laser transmitter.

ESTABLISHING SUSTAINABLE US HEV/PHEV MANUFACTURING BASE: STABILIZED LITHIUM METAL POWDER, ENABLING MATERIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY FOR HIGH ENERGY LI-ION BATTERIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yakovleva, Marina

2012-12-31

FMC Lithium Division has successfully completed the project “Establishing Sustainable US PHEV/EV Manufacturing Base: Stabilized Lithium Metal Powder, Enabling Material and Revolutionary Technology for High Energy Li-ion Batteries”. The project included design, acquisition and process development for the production scale units to 1) produce stabilized lithium dispersions in oil medium, 2) to produce dry stabilized lithium metal powders, 3) to evaluate, design and acquire pilot-scale unit for alternative production technology to further decrease the cost, and 4) to demonstrate concepts for integrating SLMP technology into the Li- ion batteries to increase energy density. It is very difficult to satisfy safety,more » cost and performance requirements for the PHEV and EV applications. As the initial step in SLMP Technology introduction, industry can use commercially available LiMn2O4 or LiFePO4, for example, that are the only proven safer and cheaper lithium providing cathodes available on the market. Unfortunately, these cathodes alone are inferior to the energy density of the conventional LiCoO2 cathode and, even when paired with the advanced anode materials, such as silicon composite material, the resulting cell will still not meet the energy density requirements. We have demonstrated, however, if SLMP Technology is used to compensate for the irreversible capacity in the anode, the efficiency of the cathode utilization will be improved and the cost of the cell, based on the materials, will decrease.« less

A Research Framework for Demonstrating Benefits of Advanced Control Room Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Le Blanc, Katya; Boring, Ronald; Joe, Jeffrey

Control Room modernization is an important part of life extension for the existing light water reactor fleet. None of the 99 currently operating commercial nuclear power plants in the U.S. has completed a full-scale control room modernization to date. A full-scale modernization might, for example, entail replacement of all analog panels with digital workstations. Such modernizations have been undertaken successfully in upgrades in Europe and Asia, but the U.S. has yet to undertake a control room upgrade of this magnitude. Instead, nuclear power plant main control rooms for the existing commercial reactor fleet remain significantly analog, with only limited digitalmore » modernizations. Previous research under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program has helped establish a systematic process for control room upgrades that support the transition to a hybrid control. While the guidance developed to date helps streamline the process of modernization and reduce costs and uncertainty associated with introducing digital control technologies into an existing control room, these upgrades do not achieve the full potential of newer technologies that might otherwise enhance plant and operator performance. The aim of the control room benefits research presented here is to identify previously overlooked benefits of modernization, identify candidate technologies that may facilitate such benefits, and demonstrate these technologies through human factors research. This report serves as an outline for planned research on the benefits of greater modernization in the main control rooms of nuclear power plants.« less

The Role of Ceramics in a Resurgent Nuclear Industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marra, J

2006-02-28

With fuel oil and natural gas prices near record highs and worldwide energy demands increasing at an alarming rate, there is growing interest in revitalization of the nuclear power industry within the United States and across the globe. Ceramic materials have long played a very important part in the commercial nuclear industry with applications throughout the entire fuel cycle; from fuel fabrication to waste stabilization. As the international community begins to look at advanced fuel cycles that minimize waste and increase proliferation resistance, ceramic materials will play an even larger role. Many of the advanced reactor concepts being evaluated operatemore » at high-temperature requiring the use of durable, heat-resistant materials. Ceramic fuels are being investigated for a variety of Generation IV reactor concepts. These include the traditional TRISO-coated particles as well as advanced inert-matrix fuels. In order to minimize wastes and legacy materials, ceramic processes are also being applied to fuel reprocessing operations. Ceramic materials continue to provide a vital contribution in ''closing the fuel cycle'' by stabilization of associated low-level and high-level wastes in highly durable grout, ceramics, and glass. In the next five years, programs that are currently in the conceptual phase will begin laboratory- and engineering-scale demonstrations. This will require production-scale demonstrations of several ceramic technologies from fuel form development to advanced stabilization methods. Within the next five to ten years, these demonstrations will move to even larger scales and will also include radioactive demonstrations of these advanced technologies. These radioactive demonstrations are critical to program success and will require advances in ceramic materials associated with nuclear energy applications.« less

Development of molten carbonate fuel cell technology at M-C Power Corporation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dilger, D.

1996-04-01

M-C Power Corporation was founded in 1987 with the mission to further develop and subsequently commercialize molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC). The technology chosen for commercialization was initially developed by the Institute of Gas technology (IGT). At the center of this MCFC technology is the Internally Manifolded Heat EXchange (IMHEX) separator plate design. The IMHEX technology design provides several functions within one component assembly. These functions include integrating the gas manifold structure into the fuel cell stack, separating the fuel gas stream from the oxidant gas stream, providing the required electrical contact between cells to achieve desired power output, andmore » removing excess heat generated in the electrochemical process. Development of this MCFC technology from lab-scale sizes too a commercial area size of 1m{sup 2} has focused our efforts an demonstrating feasibility and evolutionary progress. The development effort will culminate in a proof-of-concept- 250kW power plant demonstration in 1996. The remainder of our commercialization program focuses upon lowering the costs associated with the MCFC power plant system in low production volumes.« less

Intelligent Engine Systems: Acoustics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wojno, John; Martens, Steve; Simpson, Benjamin

2008-01-01

An extensive study of new fan exhaust nozzle technologies was performed. Three new uniform chevron nozzles were designed, based on extensive CFD analysis. Two new azimuthally varying variants were defined. All five were tested, along with two existing nozzles, on a representative model-scale, medium BPR exhaust nozzle. Substantial acoustic benefits were obtained from the uniform chevron nozzle designs, the best benefit being provided by an existing design. However, one of the azimuthally varying nozzle designs exhibited even better performance than any of the uniform chevron nozzles. In addition to the fan chevron nozzles, a new technology was demonstrated, using devices that enhance mixing when applied to an exhaust nozzle. The acoustic benefits from these devices applied to medium BPR nozzles were similar, and in some cases superior to, those obtained from conventional uniform chevron nozzles. However, none of the low noise technologies provided equivalent acoustic benefits on a model-scale high BPR exhaust nozzle, similar to current large commercial applications. New technologies must be identified to improve the acoustics of state-of-the-art high BPR jet engines.

Progress of the Photovoltaic Technology Incubator Project Towards an Enhanced U.S. Manufacturing Base: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ullal, H.; Mitchell, R.; Keyes, B.

In this paper, we report on the major accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator project. The Incubator project facilitates a company's transition from developing a solar cell or PV module prototype to pilot- and large-scale U.S. manufacturing. The project targets small businesses that have demonstrated proof-of-concept devices or processes in the laboratory. Their success supports U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's SunShot Initiative, which seeks to achieve PV technologies that are cost-competitive without subsidies at large scale with fossil-based energy sources by the end of this decade. The Incubatormore » Project has enhanced U.S. PV manufacturing capacity and created more than 1200 clean energy jobs, resulting in an increase in American economic competitiveness. The investment raised to date by these PV Incubator companies as a result of DOE's $ 59 million investment totals nearly $ 1.3 billion.« less

Progress of the PV Technology Incubator Project Towards an Enhanced U.S. Manufacturing Base

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ullal, H.; Mitchell, R.; Keyes, B.

In this paper, we report on the major accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP) Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator project. The Incubator project facilitates a company's transition from developing a solar cell or PV module prototype to pilot- and large-scale U.S. manufacturing. The project targets small businesses that have demonstrated proof-of-concept devices or processes in the laboratory. Their success supports U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu's SunShot Initiative, which seeks to achieve PV technologies that are cost-competitive without subsidies at large scale with fossil-based energy sources by the end of this decade. The Incubatormore » Project has enhanced U.S. PV manufacturing capacity and created more than 1200 clean energy jobs, resulting in an increase in American economic competitiveness. The investment raised to date by these PV Incubator companies as a result of DOE's $ 59 million investment total nearly $ 1.3 billion.« less

Hanford's Supplemental Treatment Project: Full-Scale Integrated Testing of In-Container-Vitrification and a 10,000-Liter Dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witwer, K.S.; Dysland, E.J.; Garfield, J.S.

2008-07-01

The GeoMelt{sup R} In-Container Vitrification{sup TM} (ICV{sup TM}) process was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2004 for further evaluation as the supplemental treatment technology for Hanford's low-activity waste (LAW). Also referred to as 'bulk vitrification', this process combines glass forming minerals, LAW, and chemical amendments; dries the mixture; and then vitrifies the material in a refractory-lined steel container. AMEC Nuclear Ltd. (AMEC) is adapting its GeoMelt ICV{sup TM} technology for this application with technical and analytical support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The DVBS project is funded by the DOE Office of River Protection andmore » administered by CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. The Demonstration Bulk Vitrification Project (DBVS) was initiated to engineer, construct, and operate a full-scale bulk vitrification pilot-plant to treat up to 750,000 liters of LAW from Waste Tank 241-S-109 at the DOE Hanford Site. Since the beginning of the DBVS project in 2004, testing has used laboratory, crucible-scale, and engineering-scale equipment to help establish process limitations of selected glass formulations and identify operational issues. Full-scale testing has provided critical design verification of the ICV{sup TM} process before operating the Hanford pilot-plant. In 2007, the project's fifth full-scale test, called FS-38D, (also known as the Integrated Dryer Melter Test, or IDMT,) was performed. This test had three primary objectives: 1) Demonstrate the simultaneous and integrated operation of the ICV{sup TM} melter with a 10,000- liter dryer, 2) Demonstrate the effectiveness of a new feed reformulation and change in process methodology towards reducing the production and migration of molten ionic salts (MIS), and, 3) Demonstrate that an acceptable glass product is produced under these conditions. Testing was performed from August 8 to 17, 2007. Process and analytical results demonstrated that the primary test objectives, along with a dozen supporting objectives, were successfully met. Glass performance exceeded all disposal performance criteria. A previous issue with MIS containment was successfully resolved in FS-38D, and the ICV{sup TM} melter was integrated with a full-scale, 10,000-liter dryer. This paper describes the rationale for performing the test, the purpose and outcome of scale-up tests preceding it, and the performance and outcome of FS-38D. (authors)« less

Radioactive Demonstrations Of Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) With Hanford Low Activity Wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jantzen, C. M.; Crawford, C. L.; Burket, P. R.

Several supplemental technologies for treating and immobilizing Hanford low activity waste (LAW) are being evaluated. One immobilization technology being considered is Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) which offers a low temperature (700-750?C) continuous method by which wastes high in organics, nitrates, sulfates/sulfides, or other aqueous components may be processed into a crystalline ceramic (mineral) waste form. The granular waste form produced by co-processing the waste with kaolin clay has been shown to be as durable as LAW glass. The FBSR granular product will be monolithed into a final waste form. The granular component is composed of insoluble sodium aluminosilicate (NAS)more » feldspathoid minerals such as sodalite. Production of the FBSR mineral product has been demonstrated both at the industrial, engineering, pilot, and laboratory scales on simulants. Radioactive testing at SRNL commenced in late 2010 to demonstrate the technology on radioactive LAW streams which is the focus of this study.« less

Challenges to Scaling CIGS Photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanbery, B. J.

2011-03-01

The challenges of scaling any photovoltaic technology to terawatts of global capacity are arguably more economic than technological or resource constraints. All commercial thin-film PV technologies are based on direct bandgap semiconductors whose absorption coefficient and bandgap alignment with the solar spectrum enable micron-thick coatings in lieu to hundreds of microns required using indirect-bandgap c-Si. Although thin-film PV reduces semiconductor materials cost, its manufacture is more capital intensive than c-Si production, and proportional to deposition rate. Only when combined with sufficient efficiency and cost of capital does this tradeoff yield lower manufacturing cost. CIGS has the potential to become the first thin film technology to achieve the terawatt benchmark because of its superior conversion efficiency, making it the only commercial thin film technology which demonstrably delivers performance comparable to the dominant incumbent, c-Si. Since module performance leverages total systems cost, this competitive advantage bears directly on CIGS' potential to displace c-Si and attract the requisite capital to finance the tens of gigawatts of annual production capacity needed to manufacture terawatts of PV modules apace with global demand growth.

Numbers, scale and symbols: the public understanding of nanotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batt, Carl A.; Waldron, Anna M.; Broadwater, Natalie

2008-10-01

Nanotechnology will be an increasing part of the everyday lives of most people in the world. There is a general recognition that few people understand the implications of the technology, the technology itself or even the definition of the word. This lack of understanding stems from a lack of knowledge about science in general but more specifically difficulty in grasping the size scale and symbolism of nanotechnology. A potential key to informing the general public is establishing the ability to comprehend the scale of nanotechnology. Transitioning from the macro to the nanoscale seems to require an ability to comprehend scales of one-billion. Scaling is a skill not common in most individuals and tests of their ability to extrapolate size based upon scaling a common object demonstrates that most individuals cannot scale to the extent needed to make the transition to nanoscale. Symbolism is another important vehicle to providing the general public with a basis to understand the concepts of nanotechnology. With increasing age, individuals are able to draw representations of atomic scale objects, but these tend to be iconic and the different representations not easily translated. Ball and stick models are most recognized by the public, which provides an opportunity to present not only useful symbolism but also a reference point for the atomic scale.

Scaling up Dietary Data for Decision-Making in Low-Income Countries: New Technological Frontiers.

PubMed

Bell, Winnie; Colaiezzi, Brooke A; Prata, Cathleen S; Coates, Jennifer C

2017-11-01

Dietary surveys in low-income countries (LICs) are hindered by low investment in the necessary research infrastructure, including a lack of basic technology for data collection, links to food composition information, and data processing. The result has been a dearth of dietary data in many LICs because of the high cost and time burden associated with dietary surveys, which are typically carried out by interviewers using pencil and paper. This study reviewed innovative dietary assessment technologies and gauged their suitability to improve the quality and time required to collect dietary data in LICs. Predefined search terms were used to identify technologies from peer-reviewed and gray literature. A total of 78 technologies were identified and grouped into 6 categories: 1 ) computer- and tablet-based, 2 ) mobile-based, 3 ) camera-enabled, 4 ) scale-based, 5 ) wearable, and 6 ) handheld spectrometers. For each technology, information was extracted on a number of overarching factors, including the primary purpose, mode of administration, and data processing capabilities. Each technology was then assessed against predetermined criteria, including requirements for respondent literacy, battery life, requirements for connectivity, ability to measure macro- and micronutrients, and overall appropriateness for use in LICs. Few technologies reviewed met all the criteria, exhibiting both practical constraints and a lack of demonstrated feasibility for use in LICs, particularly for large-scale, population-based surveys. To increase collection of dietary data in LICs, development of a contextually adaptable, interviewer-administered dietary assessment platform is recommended. Additional investments in the research infrastructure are equally important to ensure time and cost savings for the user.

Scaling up Dietary Data for Decision-Making in Low-Income Countries: New Technological Frontiers

PubMed Central

Bell, Winnie; Colaiezzi, Brooke A; Prata, Cathleen S

2017-01-01

Dietary surveys in low-income countries (LICs) are hindered by low investment in the necessary research infrastructure, including a lack of basic technology for data collection, links to food composition information, and data processing. The result has been a dearth of dietary data in many LICs because of the high cost and time burden associated with dietary surveys, which are typically carried out by interviewers using pencil and paper. This study reviewed innovative dietary assessment technologies and gauged their suitability to improve the quality and time required to collect dietary data in LICs. Predefined search terms were used to identify technologies from peer-reviewed and gray literature. A total of 78 technologies were identified and grouped into 6 categories: 1) computer- and tablet-based, 2) mobile-based, 3) camera-enabled, 4) scale-based, 5) wearable, and 6) handheld spectrometers. For each technology, information was extracted on a number of overarching factors, including the primary purpose, mode of administration, and data processing capabilities. Each technology was then assessed against predetermined criteria, including requirements for respondent literacy, battery life, requirements for connectivity, ability to measure macro- and micronutrients, and overall appropriateness for use in LICs. Few technologies reviewed met all the criteria, exhibiting both practical constraints and a lack of demonstrated feasibility for use in LICs, particularly for large-scale, population-based surveys. To increase collection of dietary data in LICs, development of a contextually adaptable, interviewer-administered dietary assessment platform is recommended. Additional investments in the research infrastructure are equally important to ensure time and cost savings for the user. PMID:29141974

Pilot-scale demonstration of phytofiltration for treatment of arsenic in New Mexico drinking water.

PubMed

Elless, Mark P; Poynton, Charissa Y; Willms, Cari A; Doyle, Mike P; Lopez, Alisa C; Sokkary, Dale A; Ferguson, Bruce W; Blaylock, Michael J

2005-10-01

Arsenic contamination of drinking water poses serious health risks to millions of people worldwide. To reduce such risks, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recently lowered the Maximum Contaminant Level for arsenic in drinking water from 50 to 10 microgL(-1). The majority of water systems requiring compliance are small systems that serve less than 10,000 people. Current technologies used to clean arsenic-contaminated water have significant drawbacks, particularly for small treatment systems. In this pilot-scale demonstration, we investigated the use of arsenic-hyperaccumulating ferns to remove arsenic from drinking water using a continuous flow phytofiltration system. Over the course of a 3-month demonstration period, the system consistently produced water having an arsenic concentration less than the detection limit of 2 microgL(-1), at flow rates as high as 1900 L day(-1) for a total treated water volume of approximately 60,000 L. Our results demonstrate that phytofiltration provides the basis for a solar-powered hydroponic technique to enable small-scale cleanup of arsenic-contaminated drinking water.

Background Model for the Majorana Demonstrator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cuesta, C.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, Estanislao

2015-06-01

The Majorana Collaboration is constructing a prototype system containing 40 kg of HPGe detectors to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of a future tonne-scale experiment to search for neutrinoless double-beta (0v BB) decay in 76Ge. In view of the requirement that the next generation of tonne-scale Ge-based 0vBB-decay experiment be capable of probing the neutrino mass scale in the inverted-hierarchy region, a major goal of theMajorana Demonstrator is to demonstrate a path forward to achieving a background rate at or below 1 cnt/(ROI-t-y) in the 4 keV region of interest around the Q-value at 2039 keV. This goal is pursuedmore » through a combination of a significant reduction of radioactive impurities in construction materials with analytical methods for background rejection, for example using powerful pulse shape analysis techniques profiting from the p-type point contact HPGe detectors technology. The effectiveness of these methods is assessed using Geant4 simulations of the different background components whose purity levels are constrained from radioassay measurements.« less

Background model for the Majorana Demonstrator

DOE PAGES

Cuesta, C.; Abgrall, N.; Aguayo, E.; ...

2015-01-01

The Majorana Collaboration is constructing a system containing 40 kg of HPGe detectors to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of a future tonne-scale experiment capable of probing the neutrino mass scale in the inverted-hierarchy region. To realize this, a major goal of the Majorana Demonstrator is to demonstrate a path forward to achieving a background rate at or below 1 cnt/(ROI-t-y) in the 4 keV region of interest around the Q-value at 2039 keV. This goal is pursued through a combination of a significant reduction of radioactive impurities in construction materials with analytical methods for background rejection, for example usingmore » powerful pulse shape analysis techniques profiting from the p-type point contact HPGe detectors technology. The effectiveness of these methods is assessed using simulations of the different background components whose purity levels are constrained from radioassay measurements.« less

Remediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated sites by DNA diagnosis-based bioslurping technology.

PubMed

Kim, Seungjin; Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa; Kim, Jong-Oh; Chung, Jinwook

2014-11-01

The application of effective remediation technologies can benefit from adequate preliminary testing, such as in lab-scale and Pilot-scale systems. Bioremediation technologies have demonstrated tremendous potential with regards to cost, but they cannot be used for all contaminated sites due to limitations in biological activity. The purpose of this study was to develop a DNA diagnostic method that reduces the time to select contaminated sites that are good candidates for bioremediation. We applied an oligonucleotide microarray method to detect and monitor genes that lead to aliphatic and aromatic degradation. Further, the bioremediation of a contaminated site, selected based on the results of the genetic diagnostic method, was achieved successfully by applying bioslurping in field tests. This gene-based diagnostic technique is a powerful tool to evaluate the potential for bioremediation in petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Applying a framework for assessing the health system challenges to scaling up mHealth in South Africa

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Mobile phone technology has demonstrated the potential to improve health service delivery, but there is little guidance to inform decisions about acquiring and implementing mHealth technology at scale in health systems. Using the case of community-based health services (CBS) in South Africa, we apply a framework to appraise the opportunities and challenges to effective implementation of mHealth at scale in health systems. Methods A qualitative study reviewed the benefits and challenges of mHealth in community-based services in South Africa, through a combination of key informant interviews, site visits to local projects and document reviews. Using a framework adapted from three approaches to reviewing sustainable information and communication technology (ICT), the lessons from local experience and elsewhere formed the basis of a wider consideration of scale up challenges in South Africa. Results Four key system dimensions were identified and assessed: government stewardship and the organisational, technological and financial systems. In South Africa, the opportunities for successful implementation of mHealth include the high prevalence of mobile phones, a supportive policy environment for eHealth, successful use of mHealth for CBS in a number of projects and a well-developed ICT industry. However there are weaknesses in other key health systems areas such as organisational culture and capacity for using health information for management, and the poor availability and use of ICT in primary health care. The technological challenges include the complexity of ensuring interoperability and integration of information systems and securing privacy of information. Finally, there are the challenges of sustainable financing required for large scale use of mobile phone technology in resource limited settings. Conclusion Against a background of a health system with a weak ICT environment and limited implementation capacity, it remains uncertain that the potential benefits of mHealth for CBS would be retained with immediate large-scale implementation. Applying a health systems framework facilitated a systematic appraisal of potential challenges to scaling up mHealth for CBS in South Africa and may be useful for policy and practice decision-making in other low- and middle-income settings. PMID:23126370

Field transportable beta spectrometer. Innovative technology summary report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-12-01

The objective of the Large-Scale Demonstration Project (LSDP) is to select and demonstrate potentially beneficial technologies at the Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL) Chicago Pile-5 Test Reactor (CP-5). The purpose of the LSDP is to demonstrate that by using innovative and improved deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) technologies from various sources, significant benefits can be achieved when compared to baseline D and D technologies. One such capability being addressed by the D and D Focus Area is rapid characterization for facility contaminants. The technology was field demonstrated during the period January 7 through January 9, 1997, and offers several potentialmore » benefits, including faster turn-around time, cost reduction, and reduction in secondary waste. This report describes a PC controlled, field-transportable beta counter-spectrometer which uses solid scintillation coincident counting and low-noise photomultiplier tubes to count element-selective filters and other solid media. The dry scintillation counter used in combination with an element-selective technology eliminates the mess and disposal costs of liquid scintillation cocktails. Software in the instrument provides real-time spectral analysis. The instrument can detect and measure Tc-99, Sr-90, and other beta emitters reaching detection limits in the 20 pCi range (with shielding). Full analysis can be achieved in 30 minutes. The potential advantages of a field-portable beta counter-spectrometer include the savings gained from field generated results. The basis for decision-making is provided with a rapid turnaround analysis in the field. This technology would be competitive with the radiometric analysis done in fixed laboratories and the associated chain of custody operations.« less

Nano-Scale Fabrication Using Optical-Near-Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yatsui, Takashi; Ohtsu, Motoichi

This paper reviews the specific nature of nanophotonics, i.e., a novel optical nano-technology, utilizing dressed photon excited in the nano-material. As examples of nanophotnic fabrication, optical near-field etching and increased spatial homogeneity of contents in compound semiconductors is demonstrated with a self-organized manner.

CORONA DESTRUCTION: AN INNOVATIVE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY FOR VOCS AND AIR TOXICS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper discusses the work and results to date leading to the demonstration of the corona destruction process at pilot scale. The research effort in corona destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air toxics has shown significant promise for providing a valuable co...

VOC REMOVAL FROM WATER AND SURFACTANT SOLUTIONS BY PERVAPORATION: A PILOT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The removal of VOCs from aqueous solutions via pervaporation is an established technology that has been successfully demonstrated at the full scale. The purpose of this research was to measure the effect of DOWFAX 8390 surfactant addition on pervaporation system performance and ...

The Electrochemical Flow Capacitor: Capacitive Energy Storage in Flowable Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennison, Christopher R.

Electrical energy storage (EES) has emerged as a necessary aspect of grid infrastructure to address the increasing problem of grid instability imposed by the large scale implementation of renewable energy sources (such as wind or solar) on the grid. Rapid energy recovery and storage is critically important to enable immediate and continuous utilization of these resources, and provides other benefits to grid operators and consumers as well. In past decades, there has been significant progress in the development of electrochemical EES technologies which has had an immense impact on the consumer and micro-electronics industries. However, these advances primarily address small-scale storage, and are often not practical at the grid-scale. A new energy storage concept called "the electrochemical flow capacitor (EFC)" has been developed at Drexel which has significant potential to be an attractive technology for grid-scale energy storage. This new concept exploits the characteristics of both supercapacitors and flow batteries, potentially enabling fast response rates with high power density, high efficiency, and long cycle lifetime, while decoupling energy storage from power output (i.e., scalable energy storage capacity). The unique aspect of this concept is the use of flowable carbon-electrolyte slurry ("flowable electrode") as the active material for capacitive energy storage. This dissertation work seeks to lay the scientific groundwork necessary to develop this new concept into a practical technology, and to test the overarching hypothesis that energy can be capacitively stored and recovered from a flowable media. In line with these goals, the objectives of this Ph.D. work are to: i) perform an exploratory investigation of the operating principles and demonstrate the technical viability of this new concept and ii) establish a scientific framework to assess the key linkages between slurry composition, flow cell design, operating conditions and system performance. To achieve these goals, a combined experimental and computational approach is undertaken. The technical viability of the technology is demonstrated, and in-depth studies are performed to understand the coupling between flow rate and slurry conductivity, and localized effects arising within the cell. The outlook of EFCs and other flowable electrode technologies is assessed, and opportunities for future work are discussed.

Flexible Ultra Moisture Barrier Film for Thin-Film Photovoltaic Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David M. Dean

2012-10-30

Flexible Thin-film photovoltaic (TFPV) is a low cost alternative to incumbent c-Si PV products as it requires less volume of costly semiconductor materials and it can potentially reduce installation cost. Among the TFPV options, copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) has the highest efficiency and is believed to be one of the most attractive candidates to achieve PV cost reduction. However, CIGS cells are very moisture sensitive and require module water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of less than 1x10-4 gram of water per square meter per day (g-H2O/m2/day). Successful development and commercialization of flexible transparent ultra moisture barrier film is themore » key to enable flexible CIGS TFPV products, and thus enable ultimate PV cost reduction. At DuPont, we have demonstrated at lab scale that we can successfully make polymer-based flexible transparent ultra moisture barrier film by depositing alumina on polymer films using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology. The layer by layer ALD approach results in uniform and amorphous structure which effectively reduces pinhole density of the inorganic coating on the polymer, and thus allow the fabrication of flexible barrier film with WVTR of 10-5 g-H2O/m2/day. Currently ALD is a time-consuming process suitable only for high-value, relatively small substrates. To successfully commercialize the ALD-on-plastic technology for the PV industry, there is the need to scale up this technology and improve throughput. The goal of this contract work was to build a prototype demonstrating that the ALD technology could be scaled-up for commercial use. Unfortunately, the prototype failed to produce an ultra-barrier film by the close of the project.« less

Effects of Deployment Investment on the Growth of the Biofuels Industry. 2016 Update

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vimmerstedt, Laura J.; Warner, Ethan S.; Stright, Dana

This report updates the 2013 report of the same title. Some text originally published in that report is retained and indicated in gray. In support of the national goals for biofuel use in the United States, numerous technologies have been developed that convert biomass to biofuels. Some of these biomass to biofuel conversion technology pathways are operating at commercial scales, while others are in earlier stages of development. The advancement of a new pathway toward commercialization involves various types of progress, including yield improvements, process engineering, and financial performance. Actions of private investors and public programs can accelerate the demonstrationmore » and deployment of new conversion technology pathways. These investors (both private and public) will pursue a range of pilot, demonstration, and pioneer scale biorefinery investments; the most cost-effective set of investments for advancing the maturity of any given biomass to biofuel conversion technology pathway is unknown. In some cases, whether or not the pathway itself will ultimately be technically and financially successful is also unknown. This report presents results from the Biomass Scenario Model--a system dynamics model of the biomass to biofuels system--that estimate effects of investments in biorefineries at different maturity levels and operational scales. The report discusses challenges in estimating effects of such investments and explores the interaction between this deployment investment and a volumetric production incentive. Model results show that investments in demonstration and deployment have a substantial growth impact on the development of the biofuels industry. Results also show that other conditions, such as accompanying incentives, have major impacts on the effectiveness of such investments. Results from the 2013 report are compared to new results. This report does not advocate for or against investments, incentives, or policies, but analyzes simulations of their hypothetical effects.« less

Laser wafering for silicon solar.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedmann, Thomas Aquinas; Sweatt, William C.; Jared, Bradley Howell

2011-03-01

Current technology cuts solar Si wafers by a wire saw process, resulting in 50% 'kerf' loss when machining silicon from a boule or brick into a wafer. We want to develop a kerf-free laser wafering technology that promises to eliminate such wasteful wire saw processes and achieve up to a ten-fold decrease in the g/W{sub p} (grams/peak watt) polysilicon usage from the starting polysilicon material. Compared to today's technology, this will also reduce costs ({approx}20%), embodied energy, and green-house gas GHG emissions ({approx}50%). We will use short pulse laser illumination sharply focused by a solid immersion lens to produce subsurfacemore » damage in silicon such that wafers can be mechanically cleaved from a boule or brick. For this concept to succeed, we will need to develop optics, lasers, cleaving, and high throughput processing technologies capable of producing wafers with thicknesses < 50 {micro}m with high throughput (< 10 sec./wafer). Wafer thickness scaling is the 'Moore's Law' of silicon solar. Our concept will allow solar manufacturers to skip entire generations of scaling and achieve grid parity with commercial electricity rates. Yet, this idea is largely untested and a simple demonstration is needed to provide credibility for a larger scale research and development program. The purpose of this project is to lay the groundwork to demonstrate the feasibility of laser wafering. First, to design and procure on optic train suitable for producing subsurface damage in silicon with the required damage and stress profile to promote lateral cleavage of silicon. Second, to use an existing laser to produce subsurface damage in silicon, and third, to characterize the damage using scanning electron microscopy and confocal Raman spectroscopy mapping.« less

Geothermal projects funded under the NER 300 programme - current state of development and knowledge gained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shortall, Ruth; Uihlein, Andreas

2017-04-01

Introduction The NER 300 programme, managed by the European Commission is one of the largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. NER 300 is so called because it is funded from the sale of 300 million emission allowances from the new entrants' reserve (NER) set up for the third phase of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale with a view to scaling up production of low-carbon technologies in the EU. Consequently, it supports a wide range of CCS and RES technologies (bioenergy, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and smart grids). Funded projects and the role of geothermal projects for the programme In total, about EUR 2.1 billion have been awarded through the programme's 2 calls for proposals (the first awarded in December 2012, the second in July 2014). The programme has awarded around EUR 70 million funding to 3 geothermal projects in Hungary, Croatia and France. The Croatian geothermal project will enter into operation during 2017 the Hungarian in 2018, and the French in 2020. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge sharing requirements are built into the legal basis of the programme as a critical tool to lower risks in bridging the transition to large-scale production of innovative renewable energy and CCS deployment. Projects have to submit annually to the European Commission relevant knowledge gained during that year in the implementation of their project. The relevant knowledge is aggregated and disseminated by the European Commission to industry, research, government, NGO and other interest groups and associations in order to provide a better understanding of the practical challenges that arise in the important step of scaling up technologies and operating them at commercial scale. The knowledge sharing of the NER 300 programme should lead to better planning and faster introduction of low carbon technologies in the future. Content of the presentation The presentation will introduce the geothermal projects that have been awarded funding (see Annex), including their state-of-play. Insights and knowledge gained from the projects that have entered into operation will be shown and discussed. Furthermore, the presentation will provide an overview of the NER 300 programme.

Use of remote sensing technology for inventorying and planning utilization of land resources in South Dakota

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A comprehensive land use planning process model is being developed in Meade County, South Dakota, using remote sensing technology. The proper role of remote sensing in the land use planning process is being determined by interaction of remote sensing specialists with local land use planners. The data that were collected by remote sensing techniques are as follows: (1) level I land use data interpreted at a scale of 1:250,000 from false color enlargement prints of ERTS-1 color composite transparencies; (2) detailed land use data interpreted at a scale of 1:24,000 from enlargement color prints of high altitude RB-57 photography; and (3) general soils map interpreted at a scale of 1:250,000 from false color enlargement prints of ERTS-1 color composite transparencies. In addition to use of imagery as an interpretation aid, the utility of using photographs as base maps was demonstrated.

Electroactive polymers for gaining sea power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherber, Benedikt; Grauer, Matthias; Köllnberger, Andreas

2013-04-01

Target of this article will be the energy harvesting with dielectric elastomers for wave energy conversion. The main goal of this article is to introduce a new developed material profile enabling a specific amount of energy, making the harvesting process competitive against other existing offshore generation technologies. Electroactive polymers offer the chance to start with small wave energy converters to gain experiences and carry out a similar development as wind energy. Meanwhile there is a consortium being formed in Germany to develop such materials and processes for future products in this new business area. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the technological advancements, a scale demonstrator of a wave energy generator will be developed as well.

Update on Risk Reduction Activities for a Liquid Advanced Booster for NASA's Space Launch System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crocker, Andy; Graham, Bart

2016-01-01

Dynetics has designed innovative structure assemblies; manufactured them using Friction Stir Welding (FSW) to leverage NASA investments in tools, facilities, and processes; conducted proof and burst testing, demonstrating viability of design/build processes Dynetics/AR has applied state-of-the-art manufacturing and processing techniques to the heritage F-1, reducing risk for engine development Dynetics/AR has also made progress on technology demonstrations for ORSC cycle engine, which offers affordability and performance for both NASA and other launch vehicles Full-scale integrated oxidizer-rich test article. Testing will evaluate performance and combustion stability characteristics. Contributes to technology maturation for ox-rich staged combustion engines.

Leaky Integrate and Fire Neuron by Charge-Discharge Dynamics in Floating-Body MOSFET.

PubMed

Dutta, Sangya; Kumar, Vinay; Shukla, Aditya; Mohapatra, Nihar R; Ganguly, Udayan

2017-08-15

Neuro-biology inspired Spiking Neural Network (SNN) enables efficient learning and recognition tasks. To achieve a large scale network akin to biology, a power and area efficient electronic neuron is essential. Earlier, we had demonstrated an LIF neuron by a novel 4-terminal impact ionization based n+/p/n+ with an extended gate (gated-INPN) device by physics simulation. Excellent improvement in area and power compared to conventional analog circuit implementations was observed. In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a compact conventional 3-terminal partially depleted (PD) SOI- MOSFET (100 nm gate length) to replace the 4-terminal gated-INPN device. Impact ionization (II) induced floating body effect in SOI-MOSFET is used to capture LIF neuron behavior to demonstrate spiking frequency dependence on input. MHz operation enables attractive hardware acceleration compared to biology. Overall, conventional PD-SOI-CMOS technology enables very-large-scale-integration (VLSI) which is essential for biology scale (~10 11 neuron based) large neural networks.

Air Vehicle Integration and Technology Research (AVIATR). Delivery Order 0003: Condition-Based Maintenance Plus Structural Integrity (CBM+SI) Demonstration

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

K/sigma vs a file Selected design load and material Full scale test results IAT Actual Fracture toughness distribution Selected material...update data from 5.3.4 a vs T file Selected design load and material Full scale test results IAT Actual Max stress Gumbel Dist. (loads exceedance... altitude ; Mach number; control surface positions; selected strain measurements; ground loads; aerodynamic excitations; etc. Data shall also be

Moving Beyond 3D Hetero-Integration and Towards Monolithic Integration of Phase-Change RF Switches with SiGe BiCMOS

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-31

Corporation, Linthicum, Maryland *Corresponding author: Pavel.Borodulin@ngc.com Abstract: A chip -scale, highly-reconfigurable transmitter and...the technology has been used in a chip -scale, reconfigurable receiver demonstration and ongoing efforts to increase the level of performance and...circuit (RF-FPGA). It consists of a heterogeneous assembly of a SiGe BiCMOS chip with multiple 3D-integrated, low-loss, phase-change switch chiplets

AST Composite Wing Program: Executive Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karal, Michael

2001-01-01

The Boeing Company demonstrated the application of stitched/resin infused (S/RFI) composite materials on commercial transport aircraft primary wing structures under the Advanced Subsonic technology (AST) Composite Wing contract. This report describes a weight trade study utilizing a wing torque box design applicable to a 220-passenger commercial aircraft and was used to verify the weight savings a S/RFI structure would offer compared to an identical aluminum wing box design. This trade study was performed in the AST Composite Wing program, and the overall weight savings are reported. Previous program work involved the design of a S/RFI-base-line wing box structural test component and its associated testing hardware. This detail structural design effort which is known as the "semi-span" in this report, was completed under a previous NASA contract. The full-scale wing design was based on a configuration for a MD-90-40X airplane, and the objective of this structural test component was to demonstrate the maturity of the S/RFI technology through the evaluation of a full-scale wing box/fuselage section structural test. However, scope reductions of the AST Composite Wing Program pre-vented the fabrication and evaluation of this wing box structure. Results obtained from the weight trade study, the full-scale test component design effort, fabrication, design development testing, and full-scale testing of the semi-span wing box are reported.

Information technology challenges of biodiversity and ecosystems informatics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schnase, J.L.; Cushing, J.; Frame, M.; Frondorf, A.; Landis, E.; Maier, D.; Silberschatz, A.

2003-01-01

Computer scientists, biologists, and natural resource managers recently met to examine the prospects for advancing computer science and information technology research by focusing on the complex and often-unique challenges found in the biodiversity and ecosystem domain. The workshop and its final report reveal that the biodiversity and ecosystem sciences are fundamentally information sciences and often address problems having distinctive attributes of scale and socio-technical complexity. The paper provides an overview of the emerging field of biodiversity and ecosystem informatics and demonstrates how the demands of biodiversity and ecosystem research can advance our understanding and use of information technologies.

Delphi`s DETOXSM process: Preparing to treat high organic content hazardous and mixed wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robertson, D.T.; Rogers, T.W.; Goldblatt, S.D.

1998-12-31

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Technology Center is sponsoring a full-scale technology demonstration of Delphi Research, Inc.`s patented DETOX{sup SM} catalytic wet chemical oxidation waste treatment process at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina. The process is being developed primarily to treat hazardous and mixed wastes within the DOE complex as an alternative to incineration, but it has significant potential to treat wastes in the commercial sector. The results of the demonstration will be intensively studied and used to validate the technology. A critical objective in preparing for the demonstration was the successful completion ofmore » a programmatic Operational Readiness Review. Readiness Reviews are required by DOE for all new process startups. The Readiness Review provided the vehicle to ensure that Delphi was ready to start up and operate the DETOX{sup SM} process in the safest manner possible by implementing industry accepted management practices for safe operation. This paper provides an overview of the DETOX{sup SM} demonstration at SRS, and describes the crucial areas of the Readiness Review that marked the first steps in Delphi`s transition from a technology developer to an operating waste treatment services provider.« less

Precision machining of advanced materials with waterjets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, H. T.

2017-01-01

Recent advances in abrasive waterjet technology have elevated to the state that it often competes on equal footing with lasers and EDM for precision machining. Under the support of a National Science Foundation SBIR Phase II grant, OMAX has developed and commercialized micro abrasive water technology that is incorporated into a MicroMAX® JetMa- chining® Center. Waterjet technology, combined both abrasive waterjet and micro abrasive waterjet technology, is capable of machining most materials from macro to micro scales for a wide range of part size and thickness. Waterjet technology has technological and manufacturing merits that cannot be matched by most existing tools. As a cold cutting tool that creates no heat-affected zone, for example, waterjet cuts much faster than wire EDM and laser when measures to minimize a heat-affected zone are taken into account. In addition, waterjet is material independent; it cuts materials that cannot be cut or are difficult to cut otherwise. The versatility of waterjet has also demonstrated machining simulated nanomaterials with large gradients of material properties from metal, nonmetal, to anything in between. This paper presents waterjet-machined samples made of a wide range of advanced materials from macro to micro scales.

Pilot-Scale Demonstration of a Novel, Low-Cost Oxygen Supply Process and its Integration with Oxy-Fuel Coal-Fired Boilers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krish Krishnamurthy; Divy Acharya; Frank Fitch

In order to achieve DOE targets for carbon dioxide capture, it is crucial not only to develop process options that will generate and provide oxygen to the power cycle in a cost-effective manner compared to the conventional oxygen supply methods based on cryogenic air separation technology, but also to identify effective integration options for these new technologies into the power cycle with carbon dioxide capture. The Linde/BOC developed Ceramic Autothermal Recovery (CAR) process remains an interesting candidate to address both of these issues by the transfer of oxygen from the air to a recycled CO{sub 2} rich flue-gas stream inmore » a cyclic process utilizing the high temperature sorption properties of perovskites. Good progress was made on this technology in this project, but significant challenges remain to be addressed before CAR oxygen production technology is ready for commercial exploitation. Phase 1 of the project was completed by the end of September 2008. The two-bed 0.7 tons/day O2 CAR process development unit (PDU) was installed adjacent to WRI's pilot scale coal combustion test facility (CTF). Start-up and operating sequences for the PDU were developed and cyclic operation of the CAR process demonstrated. Controlled low concentration methane addition allowed the beds to be heated up to operational temperature (800-900 C) and then held there during cyclic operation of the 2-bed CAR process, in this way overcoming unavoidable heat losses from the beds during steady state operation. The performance of the PDU was optimized as much as possible, but equipment limitations prevented the system from fully achieving its target performance. Design of the flue gas recirculation system to integrate CAR PDU with the CTF and the system was completed and integrated tests successfully performed at the end of the period. A detailed techno-economic analysis was made of the CAR process for supplying the oxygen in oxy-fuel combustion retrofit option using AEP's 450 MW Conesville, Ohio plant and contrasted with the cryogenic air separation option (ASU). Design of a large scale CAR unit was completed to support this techno-economic assessment. Based on the finding that the overall cost potential of the CAR technology compared to cryogenic ASU is nominal at current performance levels and that the risks related to both material and process scale up are still significant, the team recommended not to proceed to Phase 2. CAR process economics continue to look attractive if the original and still 'realistic' target oxygen capacities could be realized in practice. In order to achieve this end, a new fundamental materials development program would be needed. With the effective oxygen capacities of the current CAR materials there is, however, insufficient economic incentive to use this commercially unproven technology in oxy-fuel power plant applications in place of conventional ASUs. In addition, it is now clear that before a larger scale pilot demonstration of the CAR technology is made, a better understanding of the impact of flue-gas impurities on the CAR materials and of thermal transients in the beds is required.« less

3D geometric phase analysis and its application in 3D microscopic morphology measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Ronghua; Shi, Wenxiong; Cao, Quankun; Liu, Zhanwei; Guo, Baoqiao; Xie, Huimin

2018-04-01

Although three-dimensional (3D) morphology measurement has been widely applied on the macro-scale, there is still a lack of 3D measurement technology on the microscopic scale. In this paper, a microscopic 3D measurement technique based on the 3D-geometric phase analysis (GPA) method is proposed. In this method, with machine vision and phase matching, the traditional GPA method is extended to three dimensions. Using this method, 3D deformation measurement on the micro-scale can be realized using a light microscope. Simulation experiments were conducted in this study, and the results demonstrate that the proposed method has a good anti-noise ability. In addition, the 3D morphology of the necking zone in a tensile specimen was measured, and the results demonstrate that this method is feasible.

X-33

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

The wedge-shaped X-33 was a sub-scale technology demonstration prototype of a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). Through demonstration flights and ground research, NASA's X-33 program was to provide the information needed for industry representatives such as Lockheed Martin (builder of the X-33 Venture Star) to decide by the year 2000 whether to proceed with the development of a full-scale, commercial RLV program. This program would dramatically increase reliability and lower the costs of putting a payload into space. This would in turn create new opportunities for space access and significantly improve U.S. economic competitiveness in the worldwide launch marketplace. NASA would be a customer, not the operator in the commercial RLV. The X-33 program was cancelled in 2001.

Improving a Counselor Education Web Site through Usability Testing: The Bibliotherapy Education Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillen, Paula S.; Pehrsson, Dale-Elizabeth

2009-01-01

Technology proficiency expectations have proliferated in counselor education; however, limited information in the counseling literature details how to effectively evaluate or refine online resources from a design/utility standpoint. This description of a small-scale usability study demonstrates a cost-effective strategy for improving counselor…

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY: PILOT-SCALE DEMONSTRATION OF A TWO-STAGE METHANOTROPHIC BIOREACTOR FOR BIODEGRADATION OF TRICHLOROETHENE IN GROUNDWATER

EPA Science Inventory

BioTrol, Inc., developed a two-stage, methanotrophic, bioreactor system for remediation of water contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and other chlorinated, volatile, aliphatic hydrocarbons. The first stage was a suspended-growth culture vessel with a bubbleless methane tran...

Vortex Apparatus and Demonstrations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shakerin, Said

2010-01-01

Vortex flow, from millimeter to kilometer in scale, is important in many scientific and technological areas. Examples are seen in water strider locomotion, from industrial pipe flow (wastewater treatment) to air traffic control (safe distance between aircrafts on a runway ready for takeoff) to atmospheric studies. In this paper, we focus on a…

TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT: BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF WOOD PRESERVING SITE GROUNDWATER BY BIOTROL, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

This report provides the in-depth data analysis from the SITE Program's six-week demonstration of BioTrol's Aqueous Treatment System (BATS) at the MacGillis and Gibbs Company wood treatment facility in New Brighton, Minnesota. he pilot scale (5gpm), fixed-film biological system u...

Thailand national programme of the Earth Resources Technology Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabhasri, S. (Principal Investigator)

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The study on locating hill tribe villages from LANDSAT imagery was successful and exceeded the initial expectations. Results of the study on land use and forest mapping using Skylab data demonstrated the capability and feasibility of large scale mapping with high accuracy.

FIELD EVALUATION OF THE TREATMENT OF DNAPL USING EMULSIFIED ZERO-VALENT IRON (Battelle Conference)

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot scale field demonstration of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPL) treatment using emulsified zero-valent iron (EZVI) was conducted at Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD), Parris Island, SC. The EZVI technology was developed at the University of Central Fl...

FIELD EVALUATION OF THE TREATMENT OF DNAPL USING EMULSIFIED ZERO-VALENT IRON (BATTELLE PRESENTATION)

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot scale field demonstration of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPL) treatment using emulsified zero-valent iron (EZVI) is being conducted at Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD), Parris Island SC. The EZVI technology was developed at the University of Central ...

A CASE STUDY OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY PALOS VERDES LANDFILL GAS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the first-ever-attempt to capture sanitary landfill gases and beneficiate them to natural gas pipeline quality--or very nearly so. For this reason the authors must credit the entrepreneurs for a successful first full-scale demonstration of a technology that ...

Systematic review of torrefied wood economics

Treesearch

Robert I. Radics; Ronalds Gonzalez; Edward M. (Ted) Bilek; Stephen S. Kelley

2017-01-01

This literature review aims to provide a systematic analysis of studies on the financial aspects of producing torrefied biomass and torrefied pellets. There are substantial differences in the specific technologies, operating conditions, scale of the demonstration, and properties of biomass feedstock. There is a lack of reports that consider the entire supply chain,...

A brief survey of Department of Defense Telemedicine.

PubMed

Zimnik, P R

1996-01-01

This paper describes current telemedical projects sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) and provides points of contact for further communication. The scope and scale of these projects demonstrate the DoD commitment to the development and deployment of telemedicine and advanced medical information technologies in health care delivery.

Scale-invariance underlying the logistic equation and its social applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernando, A.; Plastino, A.

2013-01-01

On the basis of dynamical principles we i) advance a derivation of the Logistic Equation (LE), widely employed (among multiple applications) in the simulation of population growth, and ii) demonstrate that scale-invariance and a mean-value constraint are sufficient and necessary conditions for obtaining it. We also generalize the LE to multi-component systems and show that the above dynamical mechanisms underlie a large number of scale-free processes. Examples are presented regarding city-populations, diffusion in complex networks, and popularity of technological products, all of them obeying the multi-component logistic equation in an either stochastic or deterministic way.

Proteus DSA control room in Mojave, CA

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-04-03

Proteus DSA control room in Mojave, CA (L to R) Jean-Pierre Soucy; Amphitech International Software engineer Craig Bomben; NASA Dryden Test Pilot Pete Siebold; (with headset, at computer controls) Scaled Composites pilot Bob Roehm; New Mexico State University (NMSU) UAV Technical Analysis Application Center (TAAC) Chuck Coleman; Scaled Composites Pilot Kari Sortland; NMSU TAAC Russell Wolfe; Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. Scaled Composites' unique tandem-wing Proteus was the testbed for a series of UAV collision-avoidance flight demonstrations. An Amphitech 35GHz radar unit installed below Proteus' nose was the primary sensor for the Detect, See and Avoid tests.

Fabrication of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell MEAs utilizing inkjet print technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Towne, Silas; Viswanathan, Vish; Holbery, James; Rieke, Peter

Utilizing drop-on-demand technology, we have successfully fabricated hydrogen-air polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), demonstrated some of the processing advantages of this technology and have demonstrated that the performance is comparable to conventionally fabricated membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). Commercial desktop inkjet printers were used to deposit the active catalyst electrode layer directly from print cartridges onto Nafion ® polymer membranes in the hydrogen form. The layers were well-adhered and withstood simple tape peel, bending and abrasion tests and did so without any post-deposition hot press step. The elimination of this processing step suggests that inkjet-based fabrication or similar processing technologies may provide a route to less expensive large-scale fabrication of PEMFCs. When tested in our experimental apparatus, open circuit voltages up to 0.87 V and power densities of up to 155 mW cm -2 were obtained with a catalyst loading of 0.20 mg Pt cm -2. A commercially available membrane under identical, albeit not optimized test conditions, showed about 7% greater power density. The objective of this work was to demonstrate some of the processing advantages of drop-on-demand technology for fabrication of MEAs. It remains to be determined if inkjet fabrication offers performance advantages or leads to more efficient utilization of expensive catalyst materials.

X-33 Experimental Aeroheating at Mach 6 Using Phosphor Thermography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horvath, Thomas J.; Berry, Scott A.; Hollis, Brian R.; Liechty, Derek S.; Hamilton, H. Harris, II; Merski, N. Ronald

1999-01-01

The goal of the NASA Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) technology program is to mature and demonstrate essential, cost effective technologies for next generation launch systems. The X-33 flight vehicle presently being developed by Lockheed Martin is an experimental Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) demonstrator that seeks to validate critical technologies and insure applicability to a full scale RLV. As with the design of any hypersonic vehicle, the aeroheating environment is an important issue and one of the key technologies being demonstrated on X-33 is an advanced metallic Thermal Protection System (TPS). As part of the development of this TPS system, the X-33 aeroheating environment is being defined through conceptual analysis, ground based testing, and computational fluid dynamics. This report provides an overview of the hypersonic aeroheating wind tunnel program conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center in support of the ground based testing activities. Global surface heat transfer images, surface streamline patterns, and shock shapes were measured on 0.013 scale (10-in.) ceramic models of the proposed X-33 configuration in Mach 6 air. The test parametrics include angles of attack from -5 to 40 degs, unit Reynolds numbers from 1x106 to 8x106/ft, and body flap deflections of 0, 10, and 20 deg. Experimental and computational results indicate the presence of shock/shock interactions that produced localized heating on the deflected flaps and boundary layer transition on the canted fins. Comparisons of the experimental data to laminar and turbulent predictions were performed. Laminar windward heating data from the wind tunnel was extrapolated to flight surface temperatures and generally compared to within 50 deg F of flight prediction along the centerline. When coupled with the phosphor technique, this rapid extrapolation method would serve as an invaluable TPS design tool.

Research opportunities to advance solar energy utilization.

PubMed

Lewis, Nathan S

2016-01-22

Major developments, as well as remaining challenges and the associated research opportunities, are evaluated for three technologically distinct approaches to solar energy utilization: solar electricity, solar thermal, and solar fuels technologies. Much progress has been made, but research opportunities are still present for all approaches. Both evolutionary and revolutionary technology development, involving foundational research, applied research, learning by doing, demonstration projects, and deployment at scale will be needed to continue this technology-innovation ecosystem. Most of the approaches still offer the potential to provide much higher efficiencies, much lower costs, improved scalability, and new functionality, relative to the embodiments of solar energy-conversion systems that have been developed to date. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaminski, Michael

The Irreversible Wash Aid Additive process has been under development by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne). This process for radioactive cesium mitigation consists of a solution to wash down contaminated structures, roadways, and vehicles and a sequestering agent to bind the radionuclides from the wash water and render them environmentally immobile. The purpose of this process is to restore functionality to basic services and immediately reduce the consequences of a radiologically-contaminated urban environment. Research and development have resulted in a down-selection of technologies for integration and demonstration at the pilot-scale level as part ofmore » the Wide Area Recovery and Resiliency Program (WARRP) under the Department of Homeland Security and the Denver Urban Area Security Initiative. As part of developing the methods for performing a pilot-scale demonstration at the WARRP conference in Denver in 2012, Argonne conducted small-scale field experiments at Separmatic Systems. The main purpose of these experiments was to refine the wash water collection and separations systems and demonstrate key unit operations to help in planning for the large scale demonstration in Denver. Since the purpose of these tests was to demonstrate the operations of the system, we used no radioactive materials. After a brief set of experiments with the LAKOS unit to familiarize ourselves with its operation, two experiments were completed on two separate dates with the Separmatic systems.« less

Development of Supersonic Vehicle for Demonstration of a Precooled Turbojet Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawai, Shujiro; Fujita, Kazuhisa; Kobayashi, Hiroaki; Sakai, Shin'ichiro; Bando, Nobutaka; Kadooka, Shouhei; Tsuboi, Nobuyuki; Miyaji, Koji; Uchiyama, Taku; Hashimoto, Tatsuaki

JAXA is developing Mach 5 hypersonic turbojet engine technology that can be applied in a future hypersonic transport. Now, Jet Engine Technology Research Center of JAXA conducts the experimental study using a 1 / 10 scale-model engine. In parallel to engine development activities, a new supersonic flight-testing vehicle for the hypersonic turbojet engine is under development since 2004. In this paper, the system configuration of the flight-testing vehicle is outlined and development status is reported.

X-33

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

This is an artist's concept of the completely operational International Space Station being approached by an X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). The X-33 program was designed to pave the way to a full-scale, commercially developed RLV as the flagship technology demonstrator for technologies that would lower the cost of access to space. It is unpiloted, taking off vertically like a rocket, reaching an altitude of up to 60 miles and speeds between Mach 13 and 15, and landing horizontally like an airplane. The X-33 program was cancelled in 2001.

Fatigue Test Design: Scenarios for Biaxial Fatigue Testing of a 60-Meter Wind Turbine Blade

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Post, Nathan

Current practice in commercial certification of wind turbine blades is to perform separate flap and lead-lag fatigue tests. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been researching and evaluating biaxial fatigue testing techniques and demonstrating various options, typically on smaller-scale test articles at the National Wind Technology Center. This report evaluates some of these biaxial fatigue options in the context of application to a multimegawatt blade certification test program at the Wind Technology Testing Center in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

Overview of Advanced Turbine Systems Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, H. A.; Bajura, R. A.

The US Department of Energy initiated a program to develop advanced gas turbine systems to serve both central power and industrial power generation markets. The Advanced Turbine Systems (ATS) Program will lead to commercial offerings by the private sector by 2002. ATS will be developed to fire natural gas but will be adaptable to coal and biomass firing. The systems will be: highly efficient (15 percent improvement over today's best systems); environmentally superior (10 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides over today's best systems); and cost competitive (10 percent reduction in cost of electricity). The ATS Program has five elements. Innovative cycle development will lead to the demonstration of systems with advanced gas turbine cycles using current gas turbine technology. High temperature development will lead to the increased firing temperatures needed to achieve ATS Program efficiency goals. Ceramic component development/demonstration will expand the current DOE/CE program to demonstrate industrial-scale turbines with ceramic components. Technology base will support the overall program by conducting research and development (R&D) on generic technology issues. Coal application studies will adapt technology developed in the ATS program to coal-fired systems being developed in other DOE programs.

A review of mineral carbonation technologies to sequester CO2.

PubMed

Sanna, A; Uibu, M; Caramanna, G; Kuusik, R; Maroto-Valer, M M

2014-12-07

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration includes a portfolio of technologies that can potentially sequester billions of tonnes of CO2 per year. Mineral carbonation (MC) is emerging as a potential CCS technology solution to sequester CO2 from smaller/medium emitters, where geological sequestration is not a viable option. In MC processes, CO2 is chemically reacted with calcium- and/or magnesium-containing materials to form stable carbonates. This work investigates the current advancement in the proposed MC technologies and the role they can play in decreasing the overall cost of this CO2 sequestration route. In situ mineral carbonation is a very promising option in terms of resources available and enhanced security, but the technology is still in its infancy and transport and storage costs are still higher than geological storage in sedimentary basins ($17 instead of $8 per tCO2). Ex situ mineral carbonation has been demonstrated on pilot and demonstration scales. However, its application is currently limited by its high costs, which range from $50 to $300 per tCO2 sequestered. Energy use, the reaction rate and material handling are the key factors hindering the success of this technology. The value of the products seems central to render MC economically viable in the same way as conventional CCS seems profitable only when combined with EOR. Large scale projects such as the Skyonic process can help in reducing the knowledge gaps on MC fundamentals and provide accurate costing and data on processes integration and comparison. The literature to date indicates that in the coming decades MC can play an important role in decarbonising the power and industrial sector.

Geo-material surface modification of microchips using layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly for subsurface energy and environmental applications.

PubMed

Zhang, Y Q; Sanati-Nezhad, A; Hejazi, S H

2018-01-16

A key constraint in the application of microfluidic technology to subsurface flow and transport processes is the surface discrepancy between microchips and the actual rocks/soils. This research employs a novel layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technology to produce rock-forming mineral coatings on microchip surfaces. The outcome of the work is a series of 'surface-mimetic micro-reservoirs (SMMR)' that represent multi-scales and multi-types of natural rocks/soils. For demonstration, the clay pores of sandstones and mudrocks are reconstructed by representatively coating montmorillonite and kaolinite in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchips in a wide range of channel sizes (width of 10-250 μm, depth of 40-100 μm) and on glass substrates. The morphological and structural properties of mineral coatings are characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), optical microscope and profilometer. The coating stability is tested by dynamic flooding experiments. The surface wettability is characterized by measuring mineral oil-water contact angles. The results demonstrate the formation of nano- to micro-scale, fully-covered and stable mineral surfaces with varying wetting properties. There is an opportunity to use this work in the development of microfluidic technology-based applications for subsurface energy and environmental research.

Demonstrating Functional Equivalence of Pilot and Production Scale Freeze-Drying of BCG

PubMed Central

ten Have, R.; Reubsaet, K.; van Herpen, P.; Kersten, G.; Amorij, J.-P.

2016-01-01

Process analytical technology (PAT)-tools were used to monitor freeze-drying of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) at pilot and production scale. Among the evaluated PAT-tools, there is the novel use of the vacuum valve open/close frequency for determining the endpoint of primary drying at production scale. The duration of primary drying, the BCG survival rate, and the residual moisture content (RMC) were evaluated using two different freeze-drying protocols and were found to be independent of the freeze-dryer scale evidencing functional equivalence. The absence of an effect of the freeze-dryer scale on the process underlines the feasibility of the pilot scale freeze-dryer for further BCG freeze-drying process optimization which may be carried out using a medium without BCG. PMID:26981867

Demonstrating Functional Equivalence of Pilot and Production Scale Freeze-Drying of BCG.

PubMed

Ten Have, R; Reubsaet, K; van Herpen, P; Kersten, G; Amorij, J-P

2016-01-01

Process analytical technology (PAT)-tools were used to monitor freeze-drying of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) at pilot and production scale. Among the evaluated PAT-tools, there is the novel use of the vacuum valve open/close frequency for determining the endpoint of primary drying at production scale. The duration of primary drying, the BCG survival rate, and the residual moisture content (RMC) were evaluated using two different freeze-drying protocols and were found to be independent of the freeze-dryer scale evidencing functional equivalence. The absence of an effect of the freeze-dryer scale on the process underlines the feasibility of the pilot scale freeze-dryer for further BCG freeze-drying process optimization which may be carried out using a medium without BCG.

Design and Testing of CO 2 Compression Using Supersonic Shock Wave Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koopman, Aaron

This report summarizes work performed by Ramgen and subcontractors in pursuit of the design and construction of a 10 MW supersonic CO2 compressor and supporting facility. The compressor will demonstrate application of Ramgen’s supersonic compression technology at an industrial scale using CO2 in a closed-loop. The report includes details of early feasibility studies, CFD validation and comparison to experimental data, static test experimental results, compressor and facility design and analyses, and development of aerodynamic tools. A summary of Ramgen's ISC Engine program activity is also included. This program will demonstrate the adaptation of Ramgen's supersonic compression and advanced vortex combustionmore » technology to result in a highly efficient and cost effective alternative to traditional gas turbine engines. The build out of a 1.5 MW test facility to support the engine and associated subcomponent test program is summarized.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grigg, Reid; McPherson, Brian; Lee, Rober

The Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP) one of seven regional partnerships sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) carried out five field pilot tests in its Phase II Carbon Sequestration Demonstration effort, to validate the most promising sequestration technologies and infrastructure concepts, including three geologic pilot tests and two terrestrial pilot programs. This field testing demonstrated the efficacy of proposed sequestration technologies to reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions in the region. Risk mitigation, optimization of monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) protocols, and effective outreach and communication were additional critical goals of these field validation tests. Themore » program included geologic pilot tests located in Utah, New Mexico, Texas, and a region-wide terrestrial analysis. Each geologic sequestration test site was intended to include injection of a minimum of ~75,000 tons/year CO{sub 2}, with minimum injection duration of one year. These pilots represent medium- scale validation tests in sinks that host capacity for possible larger-scale sequestration operations in the future. These validation tests also demonstrated a broad variety of carbon sink targets and multiple value-added benefits, including testing of enhanced oil recovery and sequestration, enhanced coalbed methane production and a geologic sequestration test combined with a local terrestrial sequestration pilot. A regional terrestrial sequestration demonstration was also carried out, with a focus on improved terrestrial MVA methods and reporting approaches specific for the Southwest region.« less

NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation Remediation Technology Collaboration Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romeo, James

2013-01-01

NASA is committed to finding solutions to agency cleanup problems that are better, cheaper, and more effective than the status quo. Unfortunately, some potential solutions involve innovative technologies for which NASA remediation managers may not have a high level of understanding or confidence. Since 2004, NASA's Stennis Space Center (SSC) in Mississippi has been pumping groundwater contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and other halogenated volatile organic compounds (HVOC) from their cleanup location designated "Area G" through extraction wells to an aboveground treatment system. Over time, however, the effectiveness of this treatment strategy has diminished and an alternative approach is needed. In 2012, professionals from NASA's Principal Center for Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation (TEERM) introduced SSC managers to an innovative technology for enhancing the performance of SSC's existing pump and treat system. The technology, generally referred to as in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO), involves slowly and continuously injecting a strong but safe chemical oxidant into the groundwater. Treatment is enhanced by a "surfactant-type effect" which causes residual contamination from saturated soil to be released into the dissolved-phase where it can be readily oxidized. Any dissolved-phase contamination that was not oxidized can be collected by the extraction well network and treated aboveground. SSC was not familiar with the technology so to increase their confidence, TEERM identified a contractor who was willing to demonstrate their product and process at a significantly reduced price. An initial, small-scale demonstration of ISCO began at sse in March 2012 and completed in August 2012. This successful demonstration was followed by three larger-scale ISCO demonstrations between August and December 2012. The contractor's innovative Continuous Injection System (CIS) incorporated "green" and sustainable technologies and practices. A slow injection rate was maintained autonomously by the CIS, eliminating the need for multiple mobilizations of personnel and powered equipment. The CIS was calibrated to deliver only as much reagent as the formation would accept without "short circuiting", minimizing material waste. Public utility water pressure was used to mix, dilute, and inject the reagent. NASA personnel were trained to operate and maintain the system and remote monitoring and injection control capabilities were developed, further reducing the need for contractor mobilizations to the site. An integrated solar photovoltaic panel was used to power the control valves and web monitoring telemetry. SSC provided hydrogen peroxide for the process using their existing supplier for the aboveground pump and treat systems. The only consumable required from the contractor was their proprietary activator to catalyze SSC's peroxide.

Cooperative Collision Avoidance Technology Demonstration Data Analysis Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

This report details the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Access 5 Project Office Cooperative Collision Avoidance (CCA) Technology Demonstration for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) conducted from 21 to 28 September 2005. The test platform chosen for the demonstration was the Proteus Optionally Piloted Vehicle operated by Scaled Composites, LLC, flown out of the Mojave Airport, Mojave, CA. A single intruder aircraft, a NASA Gulf stream III, was used during the demonstration to execute a series of near-collision encounter scenarios. Both aircraft were equipped with Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System-II (TCAS-II) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) systems. The objective of this demonstration was to collect flight data to support validation efforts for the Access 5 CCA Work Package Performance Simulation and Systems Integration Laboratory (SIL). Correlation of the flight data with results obtained from the performance simulation serves as the basis for the simulation validation. A similar effort uses the flight data to validate the SIL architecture that contains the same sensor hardware that was used during the flight demonstration.

Fundamental Scaling Laws in Nanophotonics

PubMed Central

Liu, Ke; Sun, Shuai; Majumdar, Arka; Sorger, Volker J.

2016-01-01

The success of information technology has clearly demonstrated that miniaturization often leads to unprecedented performance, and unanticipated applications. This hypothesis of “smaller-is-better” has motivated optical engineers to build various nanophotonic devices, although an understanding leading to fundamental scaling behavior for this new class of devices is missing. Here we analyze scaling laws for optoelectronic devices operating at micro and nanometer length-scale. We show that optoelectronic device performance scales non-monotonically with device length due to the various device tradeoffs, and analyze how both optical and electrical constrains influence device power consumption and operating speed. Specifically, we investigate the direct influence of scaling on the performance of four classes of photonic devices, namely laser sources, electro-optic modulators, photodetectors, and all-optical switches based on three types of optical resonators; microring, Fabry-Perot cavity, and plasmonic metal nanoparticle. Results show that while microrings and Fabry-Perot cavities can outperform plasmonic cavities at larger length-scales, they stop working when the device length drops below 100 nanometers, due to insufficient functionality such as feedback (laser), index-modulation (modulator), absorption (detector) or field density (optical switch). Our results provide a detailed understanding of the limits of nanophotonics, towards establishing an opto-electronics roadmap, akin to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors. PMID:27869159

Fundamental Scaling Laws in Nanophotonics.

PubMed

Liu, Ke; Sun, Shuai; Majumdar, Arka; Sorger, Volker J

2016-11-21

The success of information technology has clearly demonstrated that miniaturization often leads to unprecedented performance, and unanticipated applications. This hypothesis of "smaller-is-better" has motivated optical engineers to build various nanophotonic devices, although an understanding leading to fundamental scaling behavior for this new class of devices is missing. Here we analyze scaling laws for optoelectronic devices operating at micro and nanometer length-scale. We show that optoelectronic device performance scales non-monotonically with device length due to the various device tradeoffs, and analyze how both optical and electrical constrains influence device power consumption and operating speed. Specifically, we investigate the direct influence of scaling on the performance of four classes of photonic devices, namely laser sources, electro-optic modulators, photodetectors, and all-optical switches based on three types of optical resonators; microring, Fabry-Perot cavity, and plasmonic metal nanoparticle. Results show that while microrings and Fabry-Perot cavities can outperform plasmonic cavities at larger length-scales, they stop working when the device length drops below 100 nanometers, due to insufficient functionality such as feedback (laser), index-modulation (modulator), absorption (detector) or field density (optical switch). Our results provide a detailed understanding of the limits of nanophotonics, towards establishing an opto-electronics roadmap, akin to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors.

Fundamental Scaling Laws in Nanophotonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ke; Sun, Shuai; Majumdar, Arka; Sorger, Volker J.

2016-11-01

The success of information technology has clearly demonstrated that miniaturization often leads to unprecedented performance, and unanticipated applications. This hypothesis of “smaller-is-better” has motivated optical engineers to build various nanophotonic devices, although an understanding leading to fundamental scaling behavior for this new class of devices is missing. Here we analyze scaling laws for optoelectronic devices operating at micro and nanometer length-scale. We show that optoelectronic device performance scales non-monotonically with device length due to the various device tradeoffs, and analyze how both optical and electrical constrains influence device power consumption and operating speed. Specifically, we investigate the direct influence of scaling on the performance of four classes of photonic devices, namely laser sources, electro-optic modulators, photodetectors, and all-optical switches based on three types of optical resonators; microring, Fabry-Perot cavity, and plasmonic metal nanoparticle. Results show that while microrings and Fabry-Perot cavities can outperform plasmonic cavities at larger length-scales, they stop working when the device length drops below 100 nanometers, due to insufficient functionality such as feedback (laser), index-modulation (modulator), absorption (detector) or field density (optical switch). Our results provide a detailed understanding of the limits of nanophotonics, towards establishing an opto-electronics roadmap, akin to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors.

Systems Engineering Provides Successful High Temperature Steam Electrolysis Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Charles V. Park; Emmanuel Ohene Opare, Jr.

2011-06-01

This paper describes two Systems Engineering Studies completed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to support development of the High Temperature Stream Electrolysis (HTSE) process. HTSE produces hydrogen from water using nuclear power and was selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) for integration with the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). The first study was a reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) analysis to identify critical areas for technology development based on available information regarding expected component performance. An HTSE process baseline flowsheet at commercial scale was used as a basis. The NGNP project also established a process and capability tomore » perform future RAM analyses. The analysis identified which components had the greatest impact on HTSE process availability and indicated that the HTSE process could achieve over 90% availability. The second study developed a series of life-cycle cost estimates for the various scale-ups required to demonstrate the HTSE process. Both studies were useful in identifying near- and long-term efforts necessary for successful HTSE process deployment. The size of demonstrations to support scale-up was refined, which is essential to estimate near- and long-term cost and schedule. The life-cycle funding profile, with high-level allocations, was identified as the program transitions from experiment scale R&D to engineering scale demonstration.« less

Evaluation of a permeable reactive barrier technology for use at Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DWYER,BRIAN P.

2000-01-01

Three reactive materials were evaluated at laboratory scale to identify the optimum treatment reagent for use in a Permeable Reactive Barrier Treatment System at Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). The contaminants of concern (COCS) are uranium, TCE, PCE, carbon tetrachloride, americium, and vinyl chloride. The three reactive media evaluated included high carbon steel iron filings, an iron-silica alloy in the form of a foam aggregate, and a peculiar humic acid based sorbent (Humasorb from Arctech) mixed with sand. Each material was tested in the laboratory at column scale using simulated site water. All three materials showed promise for themore » 903 Mound Site however, the iron filings were determined to be the least expensive media. In order to validate the laboratory results, the iron filings were further tested at a pilot scale (field columns) using actual site water. Pilot test results were similar to laboratory results; consequently, the iron filings were chosen for the fill-scale demonstration of the reactive barrier technology. Additional design parameters including saturated hydraulic conductivity, treatment residence time, and head loss across the media were also determined and provided to the design team in support of the final design. The final design was completed by the Corps of Engineers in 1997 and the system was constructed in the summer of 1998. The treatment system began fill operation in December, 1998 and despite a few problems has been operational since. Results to date are consistent with the lab and pilot scale findings, i.e., complete removal of the contaminants of concern (COCs) prior to discharge to meet RFETS cleanup requirements. Furthermore, it is fair to say at this point in time that laboratory developed design parameters for the reactive barrier technology are sufficient for fuel scale design; however,the treatment system longevity and the long-term fate of the contaminants are questions that remain unanswered. This project along with others such as the Durango, CO and Monticello, UT reactive barriers will provide the data to determine the long-term effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) for this technology for comparison to the baseline pump and treat.« less

Ultrasonic pilot-scale reactor for enzymatic bleaching of cotton fabrics.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Idalina; Herrero-Yniesta, Victor; Perales Arce, Iratxe; Escrigas Castañeda, Monica; Cavaco-Paulo, Artur; Silva, Carla

2014-07-01

The potential of ultrasound-assisted technology has been demonstrated by several laboratory scale studies. However, their successful industrial scaling-up is still a challenge due to the limited pilot and commercial sonochemical reactors. In this work, a pilot reactor for laccase-hydrogen peroxide cotton bleaching assisted by ultrasound was scaled-up. For this purpose, an existing dyeing machine was transformed and adapted by including piezoelectric ultrasonic devices. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that both low frequency, high power (22 kHz, 2100 W) and high frequency, low power ultrasounds (850 kHz, 400 W) were required to achieve satisfactory results. Standard half (4 g/L H2O2 at 90 °C for 60 min) and optical (8 g/L H2O2 at 103 °C for 40 min) cotton bleaching processes were used as references. Two sequential stages were established for cotton bleaching: (1) laccase pretreatment assisted by high frequency ultrasound (850 kHz, 400 W) and (2) bleaching using high power ultrasound (22 kHz, 2100 W). When compared with conventional methods, combined laccase-hydrogen peroxide cotton bleaching with ultrasound energy improved the whitening effectiveness. Subsequently, less energy (temperature) and chemicals (hydrogen peroxide) were needed for cotton bleaching thus resulting in costs reduction. This technology allowed the combination of enzyme and hydrogen peroxide treatment in a continuous process. The developed pilot-scale reactor offers an enhancement of the cotton bleaching process with lower environmental impact as well as a better performance of further finishing operations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

X-33 Simulation Flown by Steve Ishmael

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Steve Ishmael flies a simulation of the X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. This simulation was used to provide flight trajectory data while flight control laws were being designed and developed, as well as to provide aerodynamic design information to X-33 developer Lockheed Martin. The X-33 program was a government/industry effort to design, build and fly a half-scale prototype that was to have demonstrated in flight the new technologies needed for the proposed Lockheed Martin full-scale VentureStar Reusable Launch Vehicle. The X-33 was a wedged-shaped subscale technology demonstrator prototype of a potential future Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) that Lockheed Martin had dubbed VentureStar. The company had hoped to develop VentureStar early this century. Through demonstration flight and ground research, NASA's X-33 program was to provide the information needed for industry representatives such as Lockheed Martin to decide whether to proceed with the development of a full-scale, commercial RLV program. A full-scale, single-stage-to-orbit RLV was to have dramatically increased reliability and lowered the costs of putting a pound of payload into space, from the current figure of $10,000 to $1,000. Reducing the cost associated with transporting payloads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by using a commercial RLV was to have created new opportunities for space access and significantly improved U.S. economic competitiveness in the world-wide launch marketplace. NASA expected to be a customer, not the operator, of the commercial RLV. The X-33 design was based on a lifting body shape with two revolutionary 'linear aerospike' rocket engines and a rugged metallic thermal protection system. The vehicle also had lightweight components and fuel tanks built to conform to the vehicle's outer shape. Time between X-33 flights was normally to have been seven days, but the program hoped to demonstrate a two-day turnaround between flights during the flight-test phase of the program. The X-33 was to have been an unpiloted vehicle that took off vertically like a rocket and landed horizontally like an airplane. It was to have reached altitudes of up to 50 miles and high hypersonic speeds. The X-33 program was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center and was to have been launched at a special launch site on Edwards Air Force Base. Due to technical problems with the liquid hydrogen tank and the resulting cost increase and time delay, the X-33 program was cancelled in February 2001.

X-33 Simulation Lab and Staff Engineers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

X-33 program engineers at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, monitor a flight simulation of the X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator as a 'flight' unfolds. The simulation provided flight trajectory data while flight control laws were being designed and developed. It also provided information which assisted X-33 developer Lockheed Martin in aerodynamic design of the vehicle. The X-33 program was a government/industry effort to design, build and fly a half-scale prototype that was to demonstrate in flight the new technologies needed for Lockheed Martin's proposed full-scale VentureStar Reusable Launch Vehicle. The X-33 was a wedged-shaped subscale technology demonstrator prototype of a potential future Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) that Lockheed Martin had dubbed VentureStar. The company had hoped to develop VentureStar early this century. Through demonstration flight and ground research, NASA's X-33 program was intended to provide the information needed for industry representatives such as Lockheed Martin to decide whether to proceed with the development of a full-scale, commercial RLV program. A full-scale, single-stage-to-orbit RLV was intended to dramatically increase reliability and lower costs of putting a pound of payload into space, from the current figure of $10,000 to $1,000. Reducing the cost associated with transporting payloads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by using a commercial RLV was to create new opportunities for space access and significantly improve U.S. economic competitiveness in the world-wide launch marketplace. NASA expected to be a customer, not the operator, of the commercial RLV. The X-33 design was based on a lifting body shape with two revolutionary 'linear aerospike' rocket engines and a rugged metallic thermal protection system. The vehicle also had lightweight components and fuel tanks built to conform to the vehicle's outer shape. Time between X-33 flights was normally to have been seven days, but the program hoped to demonstrate a two-day turnaround between flights during the flight-test phase of the program. The X-33 was an unpiloted vehicle that took off vertically like a rocket and landed horizontally like an airplane. It was to reach altitudes of up to 50 miles and high hypersonic speeds. The X-33 program was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center and was to be launched from a special launch site on Edwards Air Force Base. Due to technical problems with the liquid hydrogen fuel tank, and the resulting cost increase and time delay, the X-33 program was cancelled in February 2001.

Control of Thermo-Acoustics Instabilities: The Multi-Scale Extended Kalman Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Dzu K.; DeLaat, John C.; Chang, Clarence T.

2003-01-01

"Multi-Scale Extended Kalman" (MSEK) is a novel model-based control approach recently found to be effective for suppressing combustion instabilities in gas turbines. A control law formulated in this approach for fuel modulation demonstrated steady suppression of a high-frequency combustion instability (less than 500Hz) in a liquid-fuel combustion test rig under engine-realistic conditions. To make-up for severe transport-delays on control effect, the MSEK controller combines a wavelet -like Multi-Scale analysis and an Extended Kalman Observer to predict the thermo-acoustic states of combustion pressure perturbations. The commanded fuel modulation is composed of a damper action based on the predicted states, and a tones suppression action based on the Multi-Scale estimation of thermal excitations and other transient disturbances. The controller performs automatic adjustments of the gain and phase of these actions to minimize the Time-Scale Averaged Variances of the pressures inside the combustion zone and upstream of the injector. The successful demonstration of Active Combustion Control with this MSEK controller completed an important NASA milestone for the current research in advanced combustion technologies.

NASTRAN analysis of the 1/8-scale space shuttle dynamic model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernstein, M.; Mason, P. W.; Zalesak, J.; Gregory, D. J.; Levy, A.

1973-01-01

The space shuttle configuration has more complex structural dynamic characteristics than previous launch vehicles primarily because of the high model density at low frequencies and the high degree of coupling between the lateral and longitudinal motions. An accurate analytical representation of these characteristics is a primary means for treating structural dynamics problems during the design phase of the shuttle program. The 1/8-scale model program was developed to explore the adequacy of available analytical modeling technology and to provide the means for investigating problems which are more readily treated experimentally. The basic objectives of the 1/8-scale model program are: (1) to provide early verification of analytical modeling procedures on a shuttle-like structure, (2) to demonstrate important vehicle dynamic characteristics of a typical shuttle design, (3) to disclose any previously unanticipated structural dynamic characteristics, and (4) to provide for development and demonstration of cost effective prototype testing procedures.

Scalable ion-photon quantum interface based on integrated diffractive mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghadimi, Moji; Blūms, Valdis; Norton, Benjamin G.; Fisher, Paul M.; Connell, Steven C.; Amini, Jason M.; Volin, Curtis; Hayden, Harley; Pai, Chien-Shing; Kielpinski, David; Lobino, Mirko; Streed, Erik W.

2017-12-01

Quantum networking links quantum processors through remote entanglement for distributed quantum information processing and secure long-range communication. Trapped ions are a leading quantum information processing platform, having demonstrated universal small-scale processors and roadmaps for large-scale implementation. Overall rates of ion-photon entanglement generation, essential for remote trapped ion entanglement, are limited by coupling efficiency into single mode fibers and scaling to many ions. Here, we show a microfabricated trap with integrated diffractive mirrors that couples 4.1(6)% of the fluorescence from a 174Yb+ ion into a single mode fiber, nearly triple the demonstrated bulk optics efficiency. The integrated optic collects 5.8(8)% of the π transition fluorescence, images the ion with sub-wavelength resolution, and couples 71(5)% of the collected light into the fiber. Our technology is suitable for entangling multiple ions in parallel and overcomes mode quality limitations of existing integrated optical interconnects.

The Majorana Demonstrator: Progress towards showing the feasibility of a 76Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finnerty, P.; Aguayo, Estanislao; Amman, M.

2014-03-24

The Majorana Demonstrator will search for the neutrinoless double-beta decay (0*) of the 76Ge isotope with a mixed array of enriched and natural germanium detectors. The observation of this rare decay would indicate the neutrino is its own anti-particle, demonstrate that lepton number is not conserved, and provide information on the absolute mass-scale of the neutrino. The Demonstrator is being assembled at the 4850 foot level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. The array will be contained in a lowbackground environment and surrounded by passive and active shielding. The goals for the Demonstrator are: demonstrating amore » background rate less than 3 counts tonne -1 year-1 in the 4 keV region of interest (ROI) surrounding the 2039 keV 76Ge endpoint energy; establishing the technology required to build a tonne-scale germanium based double-beta decay experiment; testing the recent claim of observation of 0; and performing a direct search for lightWIMPs (3-10 GeV/c2).« less

A potential flight evaluation of an upper-surface-blowing/circulation-control-wing concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riddle, Dennis W.; Eppel, Joseph C.

1987-01-01

The technology data base for powered lift aircraft design has advanced over the last 15 years. NASA's Quiet Short Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA) has provided a flight verification of upper surface blowing (USB) technology. The A-6 Circulation Control Wing flight demonstration aricraft has provide data for circulation control wing (CCW) technology. Recent small scale wind tunnel model tests and full scale static flow turning test have shown the potential of combining USB with CCW technology. A flight research program is deemed necessary to fully explore the performance and control aspects of CCW jet substitution for the mechanical USB Coanda flap. The required hardware design would also address questions about the development of flight weight ducts and CCW jets and the engine bleed-air capabilities vs requirements. NASA's QSRA would be an optimum flight research vehicle for modification to the USB/CCW configuration. The existing QSRA data base, the design simplicity of the QSRA wing trailing edge controls, availability of engine bleed-air, and the low risk, low cost potential of the suggested program is discussed.

An Exploration of Desktop Virtual Reality and Visual Processing Skills in a Technical Training Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ausburn, Lynna J.; Ausburn, Floyd B.; Kroutter, Paul

2010-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) technology has demonstrated effectiveness in a variety of technical learning situations, yet little is known about its differential effects on learners with different levels of visual processing skill. This small-scale exploratory study tested VR through quasi-experimental methodology and a theoretical/conceptual framework…

Advanced chip designs and novel cooling techniques for brightness scaling of industrial, high power diode laser bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinemann, S.; McDougall, S. D.; Ryu, G.; Zhao, L.; Liu, X.; Holy, C.; Jiang, C.-L.; Modak, P.; Xiong, Y.; Vethake, T.; Strohmaier, S. G.; Schmidt, B.; Zimer, H.

2018-02-01

The advance of high power semiconductor diode laser technology is driven by the rapidly growing industrial laser market, with such high power solid state laser systems requiring ever more reliable diode sources with higher brightness and efficiency at lower cost. In this paper we report simulation and experimental data demonstrating most recent progress in high brightness semiconductor laser bars for industrial applications. The advancements are in three principle areas: vertical laser chip epitaxy design, lateral laser chip current injection control, and chip cooling technology. With such improvements, we demonstrate disk laser pump laser bars with output power over 250W with 60% efficiency at the operating current. Ion implantation was investigated for improved current confinement. Initial lifetime tests show excellent reliability. For direct diode applications <1 um smile and >96% polarization are additional requirements. Double sided cooling deploying hard solder and optimized laser design enable single emitter performance also for high fill factor bars and allow further power scaling to more than 350W with 65% peak efficiency with less than 8 degrees slow axis divergence and high polarization.

Three-dimensional microarchitected materials and devices using nanoparticle assembly by pointwise spatial printing.

PubMed

Saleh, Mohammad Sadeq; Hu, Chunshan; Panat, Rahul

2017-03-01

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical materials are important to a wide range of emerging technological applications. We report a method to synthesize complex 3D microengineered materials, such as microlattices, with nearly fully dense truss elements with a minimum diameter of approximately 20 μm and having high aspect ratios (up to 20:1) without using any templating or supporting materials. By varying the postprocessing conditions, we have also introduced an additional control over the internal porosity of the truss elements to demonstrate a hierarchical porous structure with an overall void size and feature size control of over five orders of magnitudes in length scale. The method uses direct printing of nanoparticle dispersions using the Aerosol Jet technology in 3D space without templating or supporting materials followed by binder removal and sintering. In addition to 3D microlattices, we have also demonstrated directly printed stretchable interconnects, spirals, and pillars. This assembly method could be implemented by a variety of microdroplet generation methods for fast and large-scale fabrication of the hierarchical materials for applications in tissue engineering, ultralight or multifunctional materials, microfluidics, and micro-optoelectronics.

Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) Technology Development Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Stephen J.; Cheatwood, F. McNeil; Calomino, Anthony M.; Wright, Henry S.

2013-01-01

The successful flight of the Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE)-3 has further demonstrated the potential value of Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology. This technology development effort is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Game Changing Development Program (GCDP). This paper provides an overview of a multi-year HIAD technology development effort, detailing the projects completed to date and the additional testing planned for the future. The effort was divided into three areas: Flexible Systems Development (FSD), Mission Advanced Entry Concepts (AEC), and Flight Validation. FSD consists of a Flexible Thermal Protection Systems (FTPS) element, which is investigating high temperature materials, coatings, and additives for use in the bladder, insulator, and heat shield layers; and an Inflatable Structures (IS) element which includes manufacture and testing (laboratory and wind tunnel) of inflatable structures and their associated structural elements. AEC consists of the Mission Applications element developing concepts (including payload interfaces) for missions at multiple destinations for the purpose of demonstrating the benefits and need for the HIAD technology as well as the Next Generation Subsystems element. Ground test development has been pursued in parallel with the Flight Validation IRVE-3 flight test. A larger scale (6m diameter) HIAD inflatable structure was constructed and aerodynamically tested in the National Full-scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) 40ft by 80ft test section along with a duplicate of the IRVE-3 3m article. Both the 6m and 3m articles were tested with instrumented aerodynamic covers which incorporated an array of pressure taps to capture surface pressure distribution to validate Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model predictions of surface pressure distribution. The 3m article also had a duplicate IRVE-3 Thermal Protection System (TPS) to test in addition to testing with the Aerocover configuration. Both the Aerocovers and the TPS were populated with high contrast targets so that photogrammetric solutions of the loaded surface could be created. These solutions both refined the aerodynamic shape for CFD modeling and provided a deformed shape to validate structural Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models. Extensive aerothermal testing has been performed on the TPS candidates. This testing has been conducted in several facilities across the country. The majority of the testing has been conducted in the Boeing Large Core Arc Tunnel (LCAT). HIAD is continuing to mature testing methodology in this facility and is developing new test sample fixtures and control methodologies to improve understanding and quality of the environments to which the samples are subjected. Additional testing has been and continues to be performed in the NASA LaRC 8ft High Temperature Tunnel, where samples up to 2ft by 2ft are being tested over representative underlying structures incorporating construction features such as sewn seams and through-thickness quilting. With the successful completion to the IRVE-3 flight demonstration, mission planning efforts are ramping up on the development of the HIAD Earth Atmospheric Reenty Test (HEART) which will demonstrate a relevant scale vehicle in relevant environments via a large-scale aeroshell (approximately 8.5m) entering at orbital velocity (approximately 7km/sec) with an entry mass on the order of 4MT. Also, the Build to Print (BTP) hardware built as a risk mitigation for the IRVE-3 project to have a "spare" ready to go in the event of a launch vehicle delivery failure is now available for an additional sub-orbital flight experiment. Mission planning is underway to define a mission that can utilize this existing hardware and help the HIAD project further mature this technology.

Integrating Systems Health Management with Adaptive Controls for a Utility-Scale Wind Turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frost, Susan A.; Goebel, Kai; Trinh, Khanh V.; Balas, Mark J.; Frost, Alan M.

2011-01-01

Increasing turbine up-time and reducing maintenance costs are key technology drivers for wind turbine operators. Components within wind turbines are subject to considerable stresses due to unpredictable environmental conditions resulting from rapidly changing local dynamics. Systems health management has the aim to assess the state-of-health of components within a wind turbine, to estimate remaining life, and to aid in autonomous decision-making to minimize damage. Advanced adaptive controls can provide the mechanism to enable optimized operations that also provide the enabling technology for Systems Health Management goals. The work reported herein explores the integration of condition monitoring of wind turbine blades with contingency management and adaptive controls. Results are demonstrated using a high fidelity simulator of a utility-scale wind turbine.

Financing biotechnology projects: lender due diligence requirements and the role of independent technical consultants.

PubMed

Keller, J B; Plath, P B

1999-01-01

An increasing number of biotechnology projects are being brought to commercialization using conventional structured finance sources, which have traditionally only been available to proven technologies and primary industries. Attracting and securing competitive cost financing from mainstream lenders, however, will require the sponsor of a new technology or process to undergo a greater level of due diligence. The specific areas and intensity of investigation, which are typically required by lenders in order to secure long-term financing for biotechnology-based manufacturing systems, is reviewed. The processes for evaluating the adequacy of prior laboratory testing and pilot plant demonstrations is discussed. Particular emphasis is given to scale-up considerations and the ability of the proposed facility design to accommodate significant modifications, in the event that scale-up problems are encountered.

Validation of a Scalable Solar Sailcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, D. M.

2006-01-01

The NASA In-Space Propulsion (ISP) program sponsored intensive solar sail technology and systems design, development, and hardware demonstration activities over the past 3 years. Efforts to validate a scalable solar sail system by functional demonstration in relevant environments, together with test-analysis correlation activities on a scalable solar sail system have recently been successfully completed. A review of the program, with descriptions of the design, results of testing, and analytical model validations of component and assembly functional, strength, stiffness, shape, and dynamic behavior are discussed. The scaled performance of the validated system is projected to demonstrate the applicability to flight demonstration and important NASA road-map missions.

X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Liftoff

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The wedge-shaped X-33 was a sub-scale technology demonstration prototype of a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). Through demonstration flights and ground research, NASA's X-33 program was to provide the information needed for industry representatives such as Lockheed Martin (builder of the X-33 Venture Star) to decide by the year 2000 whether to proceed with the development of a full-scale, commercial RLV program. This program would dramatically increase reliability and lower the costs of putting a payload into space. This would in turn create new opportunities for space access and significantly improve U.S. economic competitiveness in the worldwide launch marketplace. NASA would be a customer, not the operator in the commercial RLV. The X-33 program was cancelled in 2001.

Fission Surface Power Systems (FSPS) Project Final Report for the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP): Fission Surface Power, Transition Face to Face

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palac, Donald T.

2011-01-01

The Fission Surface Power Systems Project became part of the ETDP on October 1, 2008. Its goal was to demonstrate fission power system technology readiness in an operationally relevant environment, while providing data on fission system characteristics pertinent to the use of a fission power system on planetary surfaces. During fiscal years 08 to 10, the FSPS project activities were dominated by hardware demonstrations of component technologies, to verify their readiness for inclusion in the fission surface power system. These Pathfinders demonstrated multi-kWe Stirling power conversion operating with heat delivered via liquid metal NaK, composite Ti/H2O heat pipe radiator panel operations at 400 K input water temperature, no-moving-part electromagnetic liquid metal pump operation with NaK at flight-like temperatures, and subscale performance of an electric resistance reactor simulator capable of reproducing characteristics of a nuclear reactor for the purpose of system-level testing, and a longer list of component technologies included in the attached report. Based on the successful conclusion of Pathfinder testing, work began in 2010 on design and development of the Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU), a full-scale 1/4 power system-level non-nuclear assembly of a reactor simulator, power conversion, heat rejection, instrumentation and controls, and power management and distribution. The TDU will be developed and fabricated during fiscal years 11 and 12, culminating in initial testing with water cooling replacing the heat rejection system in 2012, and complete testing of the full TDU by the end of 2014. Due to its importance for Mars exploration, potential applicability to missions preceding Mars missions, and readiness for an early system-level demonstration, the Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration program is currently planning to continue the project as the Fission Power Systems project, including emphasis on the TDU completion and testing.

Structures, Material and Processes Technology in the Future Launchers Preparatory Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baiocco, P.; Ramusat, G.; Breteau, J.; Bouilly, Th.; Lavelle, Fl.; Cardone, T.; Fischer, H.; Appel, S.; Block, U.

2014-06-01

In the frame of the technology / demonstration activity for European launchers developments and evolutions, a top-down / bottom-up approach has been employed to identify promising technologies and alternative conception. The top-down approach consists in looking for system-driven design solutions and the bottom-up approach features design solutions leading to substantial advantages for the system. The main investigations have been devoted to structures, material and process technology.Preliminary specifications have been used in order to permit sub-system design with the goal to find the major benefit for the overall launch system. In this respect competitiveness factors have been defined to down- select the technology and the corresponding optimized design. The development cost, non-recurring cost, industrialization and operational aspects have been considered for the identification of the most interesting solutions. The TRL/IRL has been assessed depending on the manufacturing company and a preliminary development plan has been issued for some technology.The reference launch systems for the technology and demonstration programs are mainly Ariane 6 with its evolutions, VEGA C/E and others possible longer term systems. Requirements and reference structures architectures have been considered in order to state requirements for representative subscale or full scale demonstrators. The major sub-systems and structures analyzed are for instance the upper stage structures, the engine thrust frame (ETF), the inter stage structures (ISS), the cryogenic propellant tanks, the feeding lines and their attachments, the pressurization systems, the payload adapters and fairings. A specific analysis has been devoted to the efficiency of production processes associated to technologies and design features.The paper provides an overview of the main results of the technology and demonstration activities with the associated system benefits. The materials used for the main structures are metallic and composite owing to sub-systems or sub-assemblies proposed for the European launch systems in development and their evolutions.

Space Technology 5 Multipoint Observations of Temporal and Spatial Variability of Field-Aligned Currents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, G.; Wang, Y.; Slavin, J. A.; Strangeway, R. L.

2009-01-01

Space Technology 5 (ST5) is a constellation mission consisting of three microsatellites. It provides the first multipoint magnetic field measurements in low Earth orbit, which enables us to separate spatial and temporal variations. In this paper, we present a study of the temporal variability of field-aligned currents using the ST5 data. We examine the field-aligned current observations during and after a geomagnetic storm and compare the magnetic field profiles at the three spacecraft. The multipoint data demonstrate that mesoscale current structures, commonly embedded within large-scale current sheets, are very dynamic with highly variable current density and/or polarity in approx.10 min time scales. On the other hand, the data also show that the time scales for the currents to be relatively stable are approx.1 min for mesoscale currents and approx.10 min for large-scale currents. These temporal features are very likely associated with dynamic variations of their charge carriers (mainly electrons) as they respond to the variations of the parallel electric field in auroral acceleration region. The characteristic time scales for the temporal variability of mesoscale field-aligned currents are found to be consistent with those of auroral parallel electric field.

Preparation, characterization, and scale-up of ketoconazole with enhanced dissolution and bioavailability.

PubMed

Elder, Edmund J; Evans, Jonathan C; Scherzer, Brian D; Hitt, James E; Kupperblatt, Gary B; Saghir, Shakil A; Markham, Dan A

2007-07-01

Many new molecular entities targeted for pharmaceutical applications face serious development challenges because of poor water solubility. Although particle engineering technologies such as controlled precipitation have been shown to enhance aqueous dissolution and bioavailability of poorly water soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients, the data available are the results of laboratory-scale experiments. These technologies must be evaluated at larger scale to ensure that the property enhancement is scalable and that the modified drugs can be processed on conventional equipment. In experiments using ketoconazole as the model drug, the controlled precipitation process was shown to produce kg-scale modified drug powder with enhanced dissolution comparable to that of lab-scale powder. Ketoconazole was demonstrated to be stable throughout the controlled precipitation process, with a residual methanol level below the ICH limit. The modified crystalline powder can be formulated, and then compressed using conventional high-speed tableting equipment, and the resulting tablets showed bioavailability more than double that of commercial tablets. When appropriately protected from moisture, both the modified powder and tablets prepared from the modified powder showed no change in dissolution performance for at least 6 months following storage at accelerated conditions and for at least 18 months following storage at room temperature.

Personalized medicine: from genotypes, molecular phenotypes and the quantified self, towards improved medicine.

PubMed

Dudley, Joel T; Listgarten, Jennifer; Stegle, Oliver; Brenner, Steven E; Parts, Leopold

2015-01-01

Advances in molecular profiling and sensor technologies are expanding the scope of personalized medicine beyond genotypes, providing new opportunities for developing richer and more dynamic multi-scale models of individual health. Recent studies demonstrate the value of scoring high-dimensional microbiome, immune, and metabolic traits from individuals to inform personalized medicine. Efforts to integrate multiple dimensions of clinical and molecular data towards predictive multi-scale models of individual health and wellness are already underway. Improved methods for mining and discovery of clinical phenotypes from electronic medical records and technological developments in wearable sensor technologies present new opportunities for mapping and exploring the critical yet poorly characterized "phenome" and "envirome" dimensions of personalized medicine. There are ambitious new projects underway to collect multi-scale molecular, sensor, clinical, behavioral, and environmental data streams from large population cohorts longitudinally to enable more comprehensive and dynamic models of individual biology and personalized health. Personalized medicine stands to benefit from inclusion of rich new sources and dimensions of data. However, realizing these improvements in care relies upon novel informatics methodologies, tools, and systems to make full use of these data to advance both the science and translational applications of personalized medicine.

Hall Propulsion Technology Development, NASA Glenn Research Center: 50 kW Thruster Technology EXPRESS Ground/Space Correlation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jankovsky, Robert; Elliott, Fred

2000-01-01

It is the goal of this activity to develop 50 kW class Hall thruster technology in support of cost and time critical mission applications such as orbit insertion. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is tasked to develop technologies that enable cost and travel time reduction of interorbital transportation. Therefore, a key challenge is development of moderate specific impulse (2000-3000 s), high thrust-to-power electric propulsion. NASA Glenn Research Center is responsible for development of a Hall propulsion system to meet these needs. First-phase, sub-scale Hall engine development completed. A 10 kW engine designed, fabricated, and tested. Performance demonstrated >2400 s, >500 mN thrust over 1000 hours of operation documented.

Inactivated polio vaccine development for technology transfer using attenuated Sabin poliovirus strains to shift from Salk-IPV to Sabin-IPV.

PubMed

Bakker, Wilfried A M; Thomassen, Yvonne E; van't Oever, Aart G; Westdijk, Janny; van Oijen, Monique G C T; Sundermann, Lars C; van't Veld, Peter; Sleeman, Eelco; van Nimwegen, Fred W; Hamidi, Ahd; Kersten, Gideon F A; van den Heuvel, Nico; Hendriks, Jan T; van der Pol, Leo A

2011-09-22

Industrial-scale inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) production dates back to the 1960s when at the Rijks Instituut voor de Volksgezondheid (RIV) in Bilthoven a process was developed based on micro-carrier technology and primary monkey kidney cells. This technology was freely shared with several pharmaceutical companies and institutes worldwide. In this contribution, the history of one of the first cell-culture based large-scale biological production processes is summarized. Also, recent developments and the anticipated upcoming shift from regular IPV to Sabin-IPV are presented. Responding to a call by the World Health Organization (WHO) for new polio vaccines, the development of Sabin-IPV was continued, after demonstrating proof of principle in the 1990s, at the Netherlands Vaccine Institute (NVI). Development of Sabin-IPV plays an important role in the WHO polio eradication strategy as biocontainment will be critical in the post-OPV cessation period. The use of attenuated Sabin strains instead of wild-type Salk polio strains will provide additional safety during vaccine production. Initially, the Sabin-IPV production process will be based on the scale-down model of the current, and well-established, Salk-IPV process. In parallel to clinical trial material production, process development, optimization and formulation research is being carried out to further optimize the process and reduce cost per dose. Also, results will be shown from large-scale (to prepare for future technology transfer) generation of Master- and Working virus seedlots, and clinical trial material (for phase I studies) production. Finally, the planned technology transfer to vaccine manufacturers in low and middle-income countries is discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cloud computing and validation of expandable in silico livers

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In Silico Livers (ISLs) are works in progress. They are used to challenge multilevel, multi-attribute, mechanistic hypotheses about the hepatic disposition of xenobiotics coupled with hepatic responses. To enhance ISL-to-liver mappings, we added discrete time metabolism, biliary elimination, and bolus dosing features to a previously validated ISL and initiated re-validated experiments that required scaling experiments to use more simulated lobules than previously, more than could be achieved using the local cluster technology. Rather than dramatically increasing the size of our local cluster we undertook the re-validation experiments using the Amazon EC2 cloud platform. So doing required demonstrating the efficacy of scaling a simulation to use more cluster nodes and assessing the scientific equivalence of local cluster validation experiments with those executed using the cloud platform. Results The local cluster technology was duplicated in the Amazon EC2 cloud platform. Synthetic modeling protocols were followed to identify a successful parameterization. Experiment sample sizes (number of simulated lobules) on both platforms were 49, 70, 84, and 152 (cloud only). Experimental indistinguishability was demonstrated for ISL outflow profiles of diltiazem using both platforms for experiments consisting of 84 or more samples. The process was analogous to demonstration of results equivalency from two different wet-labs. Conclusions The results provide additional evidence that disposition simulations using ISLs can cover the behavior space of liver experiments in distinct experimental contexts (there is in silico-to-wet-lab phenotype similarity). The scientific value of experimenting with multiscale biomedical models has been limited to research groups with access to computer clusters. The availability of cloud technology coupled with the evidence of scientific equivalency has lowered the barrier and will greatly facilitate model sharing as well as provide straightforward tools for scaling simulations to encompass greater detail with no extra investment in hardware. PMID:21129207

Determination of pore-scale hydrate phase equilibria in sediments using lab-on-a-chip technology.

PubMed

Almenningen, Stian; Flatlandsmo, Josef; Kovscek, Anthony R; Ersland, Geir; Fernø, Martin A

2017-11-21

We present an experimental protocol for fast determination of hydrate stability in porous media for a range of pressure and temperature (P, T) conditions. Using a lab-on-a-chip approach, we gain direct optical access to dynamic pore-scale hydrate formation and dissociation events to study the hydrate phase equilibria in sediments. Optical pore-scale observations of phase behavior reproduce the theoretical hydrate stability line with methane gas and distilled water, and demonstrate the accuracy of the new method. The procedure is applicable for any kind of hydrate transitions in sediments, and may be used to map gas hydrate stability zones in nature.

Development of a 15 T Nb 3Sn accelerator dipole demonstrator at Fermilab

DOE PAGES

Novitski, I.; Andreev, N.; Barzi, E.; ...

2016-06-01

Here, a 100 TeV scale Hadron Collider (HC) with a nominal operation field of at least 15 T is being considered for the post-LHC era, which requires using the Nb 3Sn technology. Practical demonstration of this field level in an accelerator-quality magnet and substantial reduction of the magnet costs are the key conditions for realization of such a machine. FNAL has started the development of a 15 T Nb 3Sn dipole demonstrator for a 100 TeV scale HC. The magnet design is based on 4-layer shell type coils, graded between the inner and outer layers to maximize the performance andmore » reduce the cost. The experience gained during the Nb 3Sn magnet R&D is applied to different aspects of the magnet design. This paper describes the magnetic and structural designs and parameters of the 15 T Nb 3Sn dipole and the steps towards the demonstration model fabrication.« less

The Heliogyro Reloaded

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkie, William K.; Warren, Jerry E.; Thompson, M. W.; Lisman, P. D.; Walkemeyer, P. E.; Guerrant, D. V.; Lawrence, D. A.

2011-01-01

The heliogyro is a high-performance, spinning solar sail architecture that uses long - order of kilometers - reflective membrane strips to produce thrust from solar radiation pressure. The heliogyro s membrane blades spin about a central hub and are stiffened by centrifugal forces only, making the design exceedingly light weight. Blades are also stowed and deployed from rolls; eliminating deployment and packaging problems associated with handling extremely large, and delicate, membrane sheets used with most traditional square-rigged or spinning disk solar sail designs. The heliogyro solar sail concept was first advanced in the 1960s by MacNeal. A 15 km diameter version was later extensively studied in the 1970s by JPL for an ambitious Comet Halley rendezvous mission, but ultimately not selected due to the need for a risk-reduction flight demonstration. Demonstrating system-level feasibility of a large, spinning heliogyro solar sail on the ground is impossible; however, recent advances in microsatellite bus technologies, coupled with the successful flight demonstration of reflectance control technologies on the JAXA IKAROS solar sail, now make an affordable, small-scale heliogyro technology flight demonstration potentially feasible. In this paper, we will present an overview of the history of the heliogyro solar sail concept, with particular attention paid to the MIT 200-meter-diameter heliogyro study of 1989, followed by a description of our updated, low-cost, heliogyro flight demonstration concept. Our preliminary heliogyro concept (HELIOS) should be capable of demonstrating an order-of-magnitude characteristic acceleration performance improvement over existing solar sail demonstrators (HELIOS target: 0.5 to 1.0 mm/s2 at 1.0 AU); placing the heliogyro technology in the range required to enable a variety of science and human exploration relevant support missions.

Proposal for a novel type of small scale aneutronic fusion reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruenwald, J.

2017-02-01

The aim of this work is to propose a novel scheme for a small scale aneutronic fusion reactor. This new reactor type makes use of the advantages of combining laser driven plasma acceleration and electrostatic confinement fusion. An intense laser beam is used to create a lithium-proton plasma with high density, which is then collimated and focused into the centre of the fusion reaction chamber. The basic concept presented here is based on the 7Li-proton fusion reaction. However, the physical and technological fundamentals may generally as well be applied to 11B-proton fusion. The former fusion reaction path offers higher energy yields while the latter has larger fusion cross sections. Within this paper a technological realisation of such a fusion device, which allows a steady state operation with highly energetic, well collimated ion beam, is presented. It will be demonstrated that the energetic break even can be reached with this device by using a combination of already existing technologies.

Coupled Physical/Chemical and Biofiltration Technologies to Reduce Air Emissions from Forest Products Industries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gary D. McGinnis

2001-12-31

The research is a laboratory and bench-scale investigation of a system to concentrate and destroy volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including hazardous air pollutants, formed from the drying of wood and the manufacture of wood board products (e.g., particle board and oriented strandboard). The approach that was investigated involved concentrating the dilute VOCs (<500 ppmv) with a physical/chemical adsorption unit, followed by the treatment of the concentrated voc stream (2,000 to 2,500 ppmv) with a biofiltration unit. The research program lasted three years, and involved three research organizations. Michigan Technological University was the primary recipient of the financial assistance, the USDAmore » Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) and Mississippi State University (MSU) were subcontractors to MTU. The ultimate objective of this research was to develop a pilot-scale demonstration of the technology with sufficient data to provide for the design of an industrial system. No commercialization activities were included in this project.« less

Rucio, the next-generation Data Management system in ATLAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serfon, C.; Barisits, M.; Beermann, T.; Garonne, V.; Goossens, L.; Lassnig, M.; Nairz, A.; Vigne, R.; ATLAS Collaboration

2016-04-01

Rucio is the next-generation of Distributed Data Management (DDM) system benefiting from recent advances in cloud and ;Big Data; computing to address HEP experiments scaling requirements. Rucio is an evolution of the ATLAS DDM system Don Quixote 2 (DQ2), which has demonstrated very large scale data management capabilities with more than 160 petabytes spread worldwide across 130 sites, and accesses from 1,000 active users. However, DQ2 is reaching its limits in terms of scalability, requiring a large number of support staff to operate and being hard to extend with new technologies. Rucio addresses these issues by relying on new technologies to ensure system scalability, cover new user requirements and employ new automation framework to reduce operational overheads. This paper shows the key concepts of Rucio, details the Rucio design, and the technology it employs, the tests that were conducted to validate it and finally describes the migration steps that were conducted to move from DQ2 to Rucio.

Geothermal projects funded under the NER 300 programme - current state of development and knowledge gained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uihlein, Andreas; Salto Saura, Lourdes; Sigfusson, Bergur; Lichtenvort, Kerstin; Gagliardi, Filippo

2015-04-01

Introduction The NER 300 programme, managed by the European Commission is one of the largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. NER 300 is so called because it is funded from the sale of 300 million emission allowances from the new entrants' reserve (NER) set up for the third phase of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale with a view to scaling up production of low-carbon technologies in the EU. Consequently, it supports a wide range of CCS and RES technologies (bioenergy, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and smart grids). Funded projects and the role of geothermal projects for the programme In total, about EUR 2.1 billion have been awarded to 39 projects through the programme's 2 calls for proposals (the first awarded in December 2012, the second in July 2014). The programme has awarded around 70 mEUR funding to 3 geothermal projects in Hungary, Croatia and France (see Annex). The Hungarian geothermal project awarded funding under the first call will enter into operation at the end of 2015 and the rest are expected to start in 2016 (HR) and in 2018 (FR), respectively. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge sharing requirements are built into the legal basis of the programme as a critical tool to lower risks in bridging the transition to large-scale production of innovative renewable energy and CCS deployment. Projects have to submit annually to the European Commission relevant knowledge gained during that year in the implementation of their project. The relevant knowledge is aggregated and disseminated by the European Commission to industry, research, government, NGO and other interest groups and associations in order to provide a better understanding of the practical challenges that arise in the important step of scaling up technologies and operating them at commercial scale. The knowledge sharing of the NER 300 programme should lead to better planning and faster introduction of low carbon technologies in the future. Content of the presentation The presentation will introduce the geothermal projects that have been awarded funding, including their state-of-play. Insights and knowledge gained from the projects that have entered into operation will be shown and discussed. Furthermore, the presentation will provide an overview of the NER 300 programme.

Solar Electric Propulsion Vehicle Demonstration to Support Future Space Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Bryan K.; Nazario, Margaret L.; Cunningham, Cameron C.

2012-01-01

Human and robotic exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) will require enabling capabilities that are efficient, affordable, and reliable. Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) is highly advantageous because of its favorable in-space mass transfer efficiency compared to traditional chemical propulsion systems. The NASA studies have demonstrated that this advantage becomes highly significant as missions progress beyond Earth orbit. Recent studies of human exploration missions and architectures evaluated the capabilities needed to perform a variety of human exploration missions including missions to Near Earth Objects (NEOs). The studies demonstrated that SEP stages have potential to be the most cost effective solution to perform beyond LEO transfers of high mass cargoes for human missions. Recognizing that these missions require power levels more than 10X greater than current electric propulsion systems, NASA embarked upon a progressive pathway to identify critical technologies needed and a plan for an incremental demonstration mission. The NASA studies identified a 30kW class demonstration mission that can serve as a meaningful demonstration of the technologies, operational challenges, and provide the appropriate scaling and modularity required. This paper describes the planning options for a representative demonstration 30kW class SEP mission.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Impact of Health Information Technology (I-HIT) scale.

PubMed

Dykes, Patricia C; Hurley, Ann; Cashen, Margaret; Bakken, Suzanne; Duffy, Mary E

2007-01-01

The use of health information technology (HIT) for the support of communication processes and data and information access in acute care settings is a relatively new phenomenon. A means of evaluating the impact of HIT in hospital settings is needed. The purpose of this research was to design and psychometrically evaluate the Impact of Health Information Technology scale (I-HIT). I-HIT was designed to measure the perception of nurses regarding the ways in which HIT influences interdisciplinary communication and workflow patterns and nurses' satisfaction with HIT applications and tools. Content for a 43-item tool was derived from the literature, and supported theoretically by the Coiera model and by nurse informaticists. Internal consistency reliability analysis using Cronbach's alpha was conducted on the 43-item scale to initiate the item reduction process. Items with an item total correlation of less than 0.35 were removed, leaving a total of 29 items. Item analysis, exploratory principal component analysis and internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha were used to confirm the 29-item scale. Principal components analysis with Varimax rotation produced a four-factor solution that explained 58.5% of total variance (general advantages, information tools to support information needs, information tools to support communication needs, and workflow implications). Internal consistency of the total scale was 0.95 and ranged from 0.80-0.89 for four subscales. I-HIT demonstrated psychometric adequacy and is recommended to measure the impact of HIT on nursing practice in acute care settings.

Refining a self-assessment of informatics competency scale using Mokken scaling analysis.

PubMed

Yoon, Sunmoo; Shaffer, Jonathan A; Bakken, Suzanne

2015-01-01

Healthcare environments are increasingly implementing health information technology (HIT) and those from various professions must be competent to use HIT in meaningful ways. In addition, HIT has been shown to enable interprofessional approaches to health care. The purpose of this article is to describe the refinement of the Self-Assessment of Nursing Informatics Competencies Scale (SANICS) using analytic techniques based upon item response theory (IRT) and discuss its relevance to interprofessional education and practice. In a sample of 604 nursing students, the 93-item version of SANICS was examined using non-parametric IRT. The iterative modeling procedure included 31 steps comprising: (1) assessing scalability, (2) assessing monotonicity, (3) assessing invariant item ordering, and (4) expert input. SANICS was reduced to an 18-item hierarchical scale with excellent reliability. Fundamental skills for team functioning and shared decision making among team members (e.g. "using monitoring systems appropriately," "describing general systems to support clinical care") had the highest level of difficulty, and "demonstrating basic technology skills" had the lowest difficulty level. Most items reflect informatics competencies relevant to all health professionals. Further, the approaches can be applied to construct a new hierarchical scale or refine an existing scale related to informatics attitudes or competencies for various health professions.

Parallel Index and Query for Large Scale Data Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chou, Jerry; Wu, Kesheng; Ruebel, Oliver

2011-07-18

Modern scientific datasets present numerous data management and analysis challenges. State-of-the-art index and query technologies are critical for facilitating interactive exploration of large datasets, but numerous challenges remain in terms of designing a system for process- ing general scientific datasets. The system needs to be able to run on distributed multi-core platforms, efficiently utilize underlying I/O infrastructure, and scale to massive datasets. We present FastQuery, a novel software framework that address these challenges. FastQuery utilizes a state-of-the-art index and query technology (FastBit) and is designed to process mas- sive datasets on modern supercomputing platforms. We apply FastQuery to processing ofmore » a massive 50TB dataset generated by a large scale accelerator modeling code. We demonstrate the scalability of the tool to 11,520 cores. Motivated by the scientific need to search for inter- esting particles in this dataset, we use our framework to reduce search time from hours to tens of seconds.« less

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Fuel Design and Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickman, Robert; Broadway, Jeramie; Mireles, Omar; Webb, Jon; Qualls, Lou

2012-01-01

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) is a game changing technology for space exploration. Goal of assessing the affordability and viability of an NCPS includes these overall tasks: (1) Pre-conceptual design of the NCPS and architecture integration (2) NCPS Fuel Design and Testing (3) Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) (4) Affordable NCPS Development and Qualification Strategy (5) Second Generation NCPS Concepts. There is a critical need for fuels development. Fuel task objectives are to demonstrate capabilities and critical technologies using full scale element fabrication and testing.

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Fuel Design and Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickman, Robert; Broadway, Jeramie; Mireles, Omar; Webb, Jon; Qualls, Lou

2012-01-01

Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (NCPS) is a game changing technology for space exploration. Goal of assessing the affordability and viability of an NCPS includes thses overall tasks: (1) Pre-conceptual design of the NCPS and architecture integration (2) NCPS Fuel Design and Testing (3) Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) (4) Affordable NCPS Development and Qualification Strategy (5) Second Generation NCPS Concepts. There is a critical need for fuels development. Fuel task objectives are to demonstrate capabilities and critical technologies using full scale element fabrication and testing.

Reusable launch vehicle development research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

NASA has generated a program approach for a SSTO reusable launch vehicle technology (RLV) development which includes a follow-on to the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization's (BMDO) successful DC-X program, the DC-XA (Advanced). Also, a separate sub-scale flight demonstrator, designated the X-33, will be built and flight tested along with numerous ground based technologies programs. For this to be a successful effort, a balance between technical, schedule, and budgetary risks must be attained. The adoption of BMDO's 'fast track' management practices will be a key element in the eventual success of NASA's effort.

Bench-scale demonstration of hot-gas desulfurization technology. Quarterly report, April 1 - June 30, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-12-31

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) is sponsoring research in advanced methods for controlling contaminants in hot coal gasifier gas (coal gas) streams of integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power systems. The programs focus on hot-gas particulate removal and desulfurization technologies that match or nearly match the temperatures and pressures of the gasifier, cleanup system, and power generator. The work seeks to eliminate the need for expensive heat recovery equipment, reduce efficiency losses due to quenching, and minimize wastewater treatment costs. The goal of this project is to continue further development of the zinc titanate desulfurizationmore » and direct sulfur recovery process (DSRP) technologies by (1) scaling up the zinc titanate reactor system; (2) developing an integrated skid-mounted zinc titanate desulfurization-DSRP reactor system; (3) testing the integrated system over an extended period with real coal-as from an operating gasifier to quantify the degradative effect, if any, of the trace contaminants present in cola gas; (4) developing an engineering database suitable for system scaleup; and (5) designing, fabricating and commissioning a larger DSRP reactor system capable of operating on a six-fold greater volume of gas than the DSRP reactor used in the bench-scale field test. The work performed during the April 1 through June 30, 1996 period is described.« less

Extreme Cost Reductions with Multi-Megawatt Centralized Inverter Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwabe, Ulrich; Fishman, Oleg

2015-03-20

The objective of this project was to fully develop, demonstrate, and commercialize a new type of utility scale PV system. Based on patented technology, this includes the development of a truly centralized inverter system with capacities up to 100MW, and a high voltage, distributed harvesting approach. This system promises to greatly impact both the energy yield from large scale PV systems by reducing losses and increasing yield from mismatched arrays, as well as reduce overall system costs through very cost effective conversion and BOS cost reductions enabled by higher voltage operation.

Absolute Distance Measurement with the MSTAR Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lay, Oliver P.; Dubovitsky, Serge; Peters, Robert; Burger, Johan; Ahn, Seh-Won; Steier, William H.; Fetterman, Harrold R.; Chang, Yian

2003-01-01

The MSTAR sensor (Modulation Sideband Technology for Absolute Ranging) is a new system for measuring absolute distance, capable of resolving the integer cycle ambiguity of standard interferometers, and making it possible to measure distance with sub-nanometer accuracy. The sensor uses a single laser in conjunction with fast phase modulators and low frequency detectors. We describe the design of the system - the principle of operation, the metrology source, beamlaunching optics, and signal processing - and show results for target distances up to 1 meter. We then demonstrate how the system can be scaled to kilometer-scale distances.

FY04 NDCEE Annual Technologies Publications

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-14

Crane Division, Indiana Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division (IHDiv), Maryland Navy Ammunition Program Office New Jersey Institute of...full-scale field demonstrations • Coordinated literature reviews, data requests, and telephone interviews with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane ...Armored Recon ABN Assault Vehicle, Bridge Launcher Armored Vehicle, Carrier Ammunition, Crane Shovel 20-ton, Hammer Pile Drivers, and Howitzers. Points of

FY04 NDCEE Annual Technologies Publication

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-14

Crane Division, Indiana Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division (IHDiv), Maryland Navy Ammunition Program Office New Jersey Institute of...full-scale field demonstrations • Coordinated literature reviews, data requests, and telephone interviews with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane ...Armored Recon ABN Assault Vehicle, Bridge Launcher Armored Vehicle, Carrier Ammunition, Crane Shovel 20-ton, Hammer Pile Drivers, and Howitzers. Points of

COST EFFECTIVE VOC EMISSION CONTROL STARTEGIES FOR MILITARY, AEROSPACE,AND INDUSTRIAL PAINT SPRAY BOOTH OPERATIONS: COMBINING IMPROVED VENTILATION SYSTEMS WITH INNOVATIVE, LOW COST EMISSION CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

The paper describes a full-scale demonstration program in which several paint booths were modified for recirculation ventilation; the booth exhaust streams are vented to an innovative volatile organic compound (VOC) emission control system having extremely low operating costs. ...

Laboratory-and mill-scale study of surfactant spray flotation deinking

Treesearch

Greg Delozier; Yulin Zhao; Yulin Deng; David White; Junyong Zhu; Mark Prein

2005-01-01

As the cost of quality waste paper continues to escalate in response to an increased global demand for this finite resource, loss of saleable fiber within flotation rejects becomes both environmentally and economically unacceptable. The ability of surfactant spray technology to reduce fiber loss without detriment to pulp brightness gains has been demonstrated during...

Diving in Head First: Finding the Volume of Norris lake

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Drew W.

2008-01-01

This article allows students to apply their knowledge and experience of area and volume to find the volume of Norris Lake, a large reservoir lake in Tennessee. Students have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in using maps and scales as well as to incorporate the use of technology in developing the solution. This project satisfied the…

Development of a gene synthesis platform for the efficient large scale production of small genes encoding animal toxins.

PubMed

Sequeira, Ana Filipa; Brás, Joana L A; Guerreiro, Catarina I P D; Vincentelli, Renaud; Fontes, Carlos M G A

2016-12-01

Gene synthesis is becoming an important tool in many fields of recombinant DNA technology, including recombinant protein production. De novo gene synthesis is quickly replacing the classical cloning and mutagenesis procedures and allows generating nucleic acids for which no template is available. In addition, when coupled with efficient gene design algorithms that optimize codon usage, it leads to high levels of recombinant protein expression. Here, we describe the development of an optimized gene synthesis platform that was applied to the large scale production of small genes encoding venom peptides. This improved gene synthesis method uses a PCR-based protocol to assemble synthetic DNA from pools of overlapping oligonucleotides and was developed to synthesise multiples genes simultaneously. This technology incorporates an accurate, automated and cost effective ligation independent cloning step to directly integrate the synthetic genes into an effective Escherichia coli expression vector. The robustness of this technology to generate large libraries of dozens to thousands of synthetic nucleic acids was demonstrated through the parallel and simultaneous synthesis of 96 genes encoding animal toxins. An automated platform was developed for the large-scale synthesis of small genes encoding eukaryotic toxins. Large scale recombinant expression of synthetic genes encoding eukaryotic toxins will allow exploring the extraordinary potency and pharmacological diversity of animal venoms, an increasingly valuable but unexplored source of lead molecules for drug discovery.

The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clements, G. R.; Willcoxon, R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

NASA is building the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) to provide a 'national resource' for the research, development, demonstration, testing, and qualification of Spaceport and Range Technologies. The ATDC will be located at Space Launch Complex 20 (SLC-20) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. SLC-20 currently provides a processing and launch capability for small-scale rockets; this capability will be augmented with additional ATDC facilities to provide a comprehensive and integrated in situ environment. Examples of Spaceport Technologies that will be supported by ATDC infrastructure include densified cryogenic systems, intelligent automated umbilicals, integrated vehicle health management systems, next-generation safety systems, and advanced range systems. The ATDC can be thought of as a prototype spaceport where industry, government, and academia, in partnership, can work together to improve safety of future space initiatives. The ATDC is being deployed in five separate phases. Major ATDC facilities will include a Liquid Oxygen Area; a Liquid Hydrogen Area, a Liquid Nitrogen Area, and a multipurpose Launch Mount; 'Iron Rocket' Test Demonstrator; a Processing Facility with a Checkout and Control System; and Future Infrastructure Developments. Initial ATDC development will be completed in 2006.

TASK 2: QUENCH ZONE SIMULATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fusselman, Steve

Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR) has developed an innovative gasifier concept incorporating advanced technologies in ultra-dense phase dry feed system, rapid mix injector, and advanced component cooling to significantly improve gasifier performance, life, and cost compared to commercially available state-of-the-art systems. A key feature of the AR gasifier design is the transition from the gasifier outlet into the quench zone, where the raw syngas is cooled to ~ 400°C by injection and vaporization of atomized water. Earlier pilot plant testing revealed a propensity for the original gasifier outlet design to accumulate slag in the outlet, leading to erratic syngas flow from themore » outlet. Subsequent design modifications successfully resolved this issue in the pilot plant gasifier. In order to gain greater insight into the physical phenomena occurring within this zone, AR developed a cold flow simulation apparatus with Coanda Research & Development with a high degree of similitude to hot fire conditions with the pilot scale gasifier design, and capable of accommodating a scaled-down quench zone for a demonstration-scale gasifier. The objective of this task was to validate similitude of the cold flow simulation model by comparison of pilot-scale outlet design performance, and to assess demonstration scale gasifier design feasibility from testing of a scaled-down outlet design. Test results did exhibit a strong correspondence with the two pilot scale outlet designs, indicating credible similitude for the cold flow simulation device. Testing of the scaled-down outlet revealed important considerations in the design and operation of the demonstration scale gasifier, in particular pertaining to the relative momentum between the downcoming raw syngas and the sprayed quench water and associated impacts on flow patterns within the quench zone. This report describes key findings from the test program, including assessment of pilot plant configuration simulations relative to actual results on the pilot plant gasifier and demonstration plant design recommendations, based on cold flow simulation results.« less

Thermally-Choked Combustor Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knuth, William H.; Gloyer, P.; Goodman, J.; Litchford, R. J.

1993-01-01

A program is underway to demonstrate the practical feasibility of thermally-choked combustor technology with particular emphasis on rocket propulsion applications. Rather than induce subsonic to supersonic flow transition in a geometric throat, the goal is to create a thermal throat by adding combustion heat in a diverging nozzle. Such a device would have certain advantages over conventional flow accelerators assuming that the pressure loss due to heat addition does not severely curtail propulsive efficiency. As an aid to evaluation, a generalized one-dimensional compressible flow analysis tool was constructed. Simplified calculations indicate that the process is fluid dynamically and thermodynamically feasible. Experimental work is also being carried out in an attempt to develop, assuming an array of practical issues are surmountable, a practical bench-scale demonstrator using high flame speed H2/O2 combustibles.

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Anaerobic Dry Digestion Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koker, John; Lizotte, Michael

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Anaerobic Dry Digestion Facility is a demonstration project that supported the first commercial-scale use in the United States of high solids, static pile technology for anaerobic digestion of organic waste to generate biogas for use in generating electricity and heat. The research adds to the understanding of startup, operation and supply chain issues for anaerobic digester technology. Issues and performance were documented for equipment installation and modifications, feedstock availability and quality, weekly loading and unloading of digestion chambers, chemical composition of biogas produced, and energy production. This facility also demonstrated an urban industrial ecology approachmore » to siting such facilities near sewage treatment plants (to capture and use excess biogas generated by the plants) and organic yard waste collection sites (a source of feedstock).« less

Integrated Satellite Control in REIMEI (INDEX) Satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuda, Seisuke; Mizuno, Takahide; Sakai, Shin-Ichiro; Fukushima, Yousuke; Saito, Hirobumi

REIMEI/INDEX (INnovative-technology Demonstration EXperiment) is a 70kg class small satellite which the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Exploration Agency, ISAS/JAXA, has developed for observation of auroral small-scale dynamics as well as demonstration of advanced satellite technologies. An important engineering mission of REIMEI is integrated satellite control using commercial RISC CPUs with a triple voting system in order to ensure fault-tolerance against radiation hazards. Software modules concerning every satellite function, such as attitude control, data handling, and mission applications, work cooperatively so that highly sophisticated satellite control can be performed. In this paper, after a concept of the integrated satellite control is introduced, the Integrated Controller Unit (ICU) is described in detail. Also unique topics in developing the integrated control system are shown.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weigel, Peter O.; Savanier, Marc; DeRose, Christopher T.

Here, we demonstrate a photonic waveguide technology based on a two-material core, in which light is controllably and repeatedly transferred back and forth between sub-micron thickness crystalline layers of Si and LN bonded to one another, where the former is patterned and the latter is not. In this way, the foundry-based wafer-scale fabrication technology for silicon photonics can be leveraged to form lithium-niobate based integrated optical devices. Using two different guided modes and an adiabatic mode transition between them, we demonstrate a set of building blocks such as waveguides, bends, and couplers which can be used to route light underneathmore » an unpatterned slab of LN, as well as outside the LN-bonded region, thus enabling complex and compact lightwave circuits in LN alongside Si photonics with fabrication ease and low cost.« less

Bridging the Gap between the Nanometer-Scale Bottom-Up and Micrometer-Scale Top-Down Approaches for Site-Defined InP/InAs Nanowires.

PubMed

Zhang, Guoqiang; Rainville, Christophe; Salmon, Adrian; Takiguchi, Masato; Tateno, Kouta; Gotoh, Hideki

2015-11-24

This work presents a method that bridges the gap between the nanometer-scale bottom-up and micrometer-scale top-down approaches for site-defined nanostructures, which has long been a significant challenge for applications that require low-cost and high-throughput manufacturing processes. We realized the bridging by controlling the seed indium nanoparticle position through a self-assembly process. Site-defined InP nanowires were then grown from the indium-nanoparticle array in the vapor-liquid-solid mode through a "seed and grow" process. The nanometer-scale indium particles do not always occupy the same locations within the micrometer-scale open window of an InP exposed substrate due to the scale difference. We developed a technique for aligning the nanometer-scale indium particles on the same side of the micrometer-scale window by structuring the surface of a misoriented InP (111)B substrate. Finally, we demonstrated that the developed method can be used to grow a uniform InP/InAs axial-heterostructure nanowire array. The ability to form a heterostructure nanowire array with this method makes it possible to tune the emission wavelength over a wide range by employing the quantum confinement effect and thus expand the application of this technology to optoelectronic devices. Successfully pairing a controllable bottom-up growth technique with a top-down substrate preparation technique greatly improves the potential for the mass-production and widespread adoption of this technology.

Nanoscale superconducting memory based on the kinetic inductance of asymmetric nanowire loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Andrew; Averin, Dmitri V.; Bezryadin, Alexey

2017-06-01

The demand for low-dissipation nanoscale memory devices is as strong as ever. As Moore’s law is staggering, and the demand for a low-power-consuming supercomputer is high, the goal of making information processing circuits out of superconductors is one of the central goals of modern technology and physics. So far, digital superconducting circuits could not demonstrate their immense potential. One important reason for this is that a dense superconducting memory technology is not yet available. Miniaturization of traditional superconducting quantum interference devices is difficult below a few micrometers because their operation relies on the geometric inductance of the superconducting loop. Magnetic memories do allow nanometer-scale miniaturization, but they are not purely superconducting (Baek et al 2014 Nat. Commun. 5 3888). Our approach is to make nanometer scale memory cells based on the kinetic inductance (and not geometric inductance) of superconducting nanowire loops, which have already shown many fascinating properties (Aprili 2006 Nat. Nanotechnol. 1 15; Hopkins et al 2005 Science 308 1762). This allows much smaller devices and naturally eliminates magnetic-field cross-talk. We demonstrate that the vorticity, i.e., the winding number of the order parameter, of a closed superconducting loop can be used for realizing a nanoscale nonvolatile memory device. We demonstrate how to alter the vorticity in a controlled fashion by applying calibrated current pulses. A reliable read-out of the memory is also demonstrated. We present arguments that such memory can be developed to operate without energy dissipation.

Development of ITM Oxygen Technology for Low-cost and Low-emission Gasification and Other Industrial Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fogash, Kevin

2015-12-15

Air Products carried out a scope of work under DOE Award No. DE-FE0012065 “Development of ITM Oxygen Technology for Low-cost and Low-emission Gasification and Other Industrial Applications” with subcontractors Ceramatec, Penn State, and WorleyParsons. The scope of work under this award was aimed at furthering the development of the Ion Transport Membrane (ITM) Oxygen production process toward a demonstration-scale facility known as the Oxygen Development Facility (ODF). Specific activities will help to enable design and construction of the ODF through advancement of a number of challenging technical elements that are required to manage risk in the initial deployment of ITMmore » technology. Major objectives of the work included developing ITM Oxygen ceramic membrane materials with improved performance and reliability, optimizing ceramic module geometry and fabrication methods, testing module performance, trialing the improved fabrication process at commercial scale in the Ceramic Membrane Module Fabrication Facility (CerFab), and advancing engineering development of the ITM oxygen production process, including vessel design and contaminant control measures to prepare for deployment of the ODF. The comprehensive report that follows details the team’s work, which includes several notable accomplishments: 1) compressive creep, a likely limiter of ceramic module lifetime in service, was demonstrated to be retarded by an order of magnitude by changes in material formulation, module joining dimensions, and internal wafer geometry; 2) two promising new materials were shown to be superior to the incumbent ITM material in a key material parameter related to oxygen flux; 3) module degradation mechanisms were identified following operation in large pilot-scale equipment; 4) options for utilizing ITM in a coal-to-liquids (CTL) facility to enable liquids production with carbon capture were identified and studied; and 5) the benefits of potential improvements to the technology were assessed for their cost impact on ITM Oxygen applications to clean power, fuels, and other applications.« less

Development of ITM Oxygen Technology for Low-cost and Low-emission Gasification and Other Industrial Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fogash, Kevin

Air Products carried out a scope of work under DOE Award No. DE-FE0012065 “Development of ITM Oxygen Technology for Low-cost and Low-emission Gasification and Other Industrial Applications” with subcontractors Ceramatec, Penn State, and WorleyParsons. The scope of work under this award was aimed at furthering the development of the Ion Transport Membrane (ITM) Oxygen production process toward a demonstration-scale facility known as the Oxygen Development Facility (ODF). Specific activities will help to enable design and construction of the ODF through advancement of a number of challenging technical elements that are required to manage risk in the initial deployment of ITMmore » technology. Major objectives of the work included developing ITM Oxygen ceramic membrane materials with improved performance and reliability, optimizing ceramic module geometry and fabrication methods, testing module performance, trialing the improved fabrication process at commercial scale in the Ceramic Membrane Module Fabrication Facility (CerFab), and advancing engineering development of the ITM oxygen production process, including vessel design and contaminant control measures to prepare for deployment of the ODF. The comprehensive report that follows details the team’s work, which includes several notable accomplishments: 1) compressive creep, a likely limiter of ceramic module lifetime in service, was demonstrated to be retarded by an order of magnitude by changes in material formulation, module joining dimensions, and internal wafer geometry; 2) two promising new materials were shown to be superior to the incumbent ITM material in a key material parameter related to oxygen flux; 3) module degradation mechanisms were identified following operation in large pilot-scale equipment; 4) options for utilizing ITM in a coal-to-liquids (CTL) facility to enable liquids production with carbon capture were identified and studied; and 5) the benefits of potential improvements to the technology were assessed for their cost impact on ITM Oxygen applications to clean power, fuels, and other applications.« less

Innovative Water Management Technology to Reduce Environmental Impacts of Produced Water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castle, James; Rodgers, John; Alley, Bethany

2013-05-15

Clemson University with Chevron as an industry partner developed and applied treatment technology using constructed wetland systems to decrease targeted constituents in simulated and actual produced waters to achieve reuse criteria and discharge limits. Pilot-scale and demonstration constructed wetland treatment system (CWTS) experiments led to design strategies for treating a variety of constituents of concern (COCs) in produced waters including divalent metals, metalloids, oil and grease, and ammonia. Targeted biogeochemical pathways for treatment of COCs in pilot-scale CWTS experiments included divalent metal sulfide precipitation through dissimilatory sulfate reduction, metal precipitation through oxidation, reduction of selenite to insoluble elemental selenium, aerobicmore » biodegradation of oil, nitrification of ammonia to nitrate, denitrification of nitrate to nitrogen gas, separation of oil using an oilwater separator, and sorption of ammonia to zeolite. Treatment performance results indicated that CWTSs can be designed and built to promote specific environmental and geochemical conditions in order for targeted biogeochemical pathways to operate. The demonstration system successfully achieved consistent removal extents even while inflow concentrations of COCs in the produced water differed by orders of magnitude. Design strategies used in the pilot-scale and demonstration CWTSs to promote specific conditions that can be applied to designing full-scale CWTSs include plant and soil selection, water-depth selection, addition of amendments, and hydraulic retention time (HRT). These strategies allow conditions within a CWTS to be modified to achieve ranges necessary for the preferred biogeochemical treatment pathways. In the case of renovating a produced water containing COCs that require different biogeochemical pathways for treatment, a CWTS can be designed with sequential cells that promote different conditions. For example, the pilot-scale CWTS for post-reverse osmosis produced water was designed to promote oxidizing conditions within the first wetland cell for nitrification of ammonia, and the subsequent three cells were designed to promote reducing conditions for denitrification of nitrate. By incorporating multiple wetland cells in a CWTS, the conditions within each cell can be modified for removal of specific COCs. In addition, a CWTS designed with multiple cells allows for convenient sample collection points so that biogeochemical conditions of individual cells can be monitored and performance evaluated. Removal rate coefficients determined from the pilot-scale CWTS experiments and confirmed by the demonstration system can be used to calculate HRTs required to treat COCs in full-scale CWTSs. The calculated HRTs can then be used to determine the surface area or ?footprint? of a full-size CWTS for a given inflow rate of produced water.« less

Innovative Water Management Technology to Reduce Environment Impacts of Produced Water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castle, James W.; Rodgers, John H.; Alley, Bethany

2013-08-08

Clemson University with Chevron as an industry partner developed and applied treatment technology using constructed wetland systems to decrease targeted constituents in simulated and actual produced waters to achieve reuse criteria and discharge limits. Pilot-scale and demonstration constructed wetland treatment system (CWTS) experiments led to design strategies for treating a variety of constituents of concern (COCs) in produced waters including divalent metals, metalloids, oil and grease, and ammonia. Targeted biogeochemical pathways for treatment of COCs in pilot-scale CWTS experiments included divalent metal sulfide precipitation through dissimilatory sulfate reduction, metal precipitation through oxidation, reduction of selenite to insoluble elemental selenium, aerobicmore » biodegradation of oil, nitrification of ammonia to nitrate, denitrification of nitrate to nitrogen gas, separation of oil using an oilwater separator, and sorption of ammonia to zeolite. Treatment performance results indicated that CWTSs can be designed and built to promote specific environmental and geochemical conditions in order for targeted biogeochemical pathways to operate. The demonstration system successfully achieved consistent removal extents even while inflow concentrations of COCs in the produced water differed by orders of magnitude. Design strategies used in the pilot-scale and demonstration CWTSs to promote specific conditions that can be applied to designing full-scale CWTSs include plant and soil selection, water-depth selection, addition of amendments, and hydraulic retention time (HRT). These strategies allow conditions within a CWTS to be modified to achieve ranges necessary for the preferred biogeochemical treatment pathways. In the case of renovating a produced water containing COCs that require different biogeochemical pathways for treatment, a CWTS can be designed with sequential cells that promote different conditions. For example, the pilot-scale CWTS for post-reverse osmosis produced water was designed to promote oxidizing conditions within the first wetland cell for nitrification of ammonia, and the subsequent three cells were designed to promote reducing conditions for denitrification of nitrate. By incorporating multiple wetland cells in a CWTS, the conditions within each cell can be modified for removal of specific COCs. In addition, a CWTS designed with multiple cells allows for convenient sample collection points so that biogeochemical conditions of individual cells can be monitored and performance evaluated. Removal rate coefficients determined from the pilot-scale CWTS experiments and confirmed by the demonstration system can be used to calculate HRTs required to treat COCs in full-scale CWTSs. The calculated HRTs can then be used to determine the surface area or footprint of a full-size CWTS for a given inflow rate of produced water.« less

Innovative Water Management Technology to Reduce Environment Impacts of Produced Water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castle, James; Rodgers, John; Alley, Bethany

2013-05-15

Clemson University with Chevron as an industry partner developed and applied treatment technology using constructed wetland systems to decrease targeted constituents in simulated and actual produced waters to achieve reuse criteria and discharge limits. Pilot-scale and demonstration constructed wetland treatment system (CWTS) experiments led to design strategies for treating a variety of constituents of concern (COCs) in produced waters including divalent metals, metalloids, oil and grease, and ammonia. Targeted biogeochemical pathways for treatment of COCs in pilot-scale CWTS experiments included divalent metal sulfide precipitation through dissimilatory sulfate reduction, metal precipitation through oxidation, reduction of selenite to insoluble elemental selenium, aerobicmore » biodegradation of oil, nitrification of ammonia to nitrate, denitrification of nitrate to nitrogen gas, separation of oil using an oilwater separator, and sorption of ammonia to zeolite. Treatment performance results indicated that CWTSs can be designed and built to promote specific environmental and geochemical conditions in order for targeted biogeochemical pathways to operate. The demonstration system successfully achieved consistent removal extents even while inflow concentrations of COCs in the produced water differed by orders of magnitude. Design strategies used in the pilot-scale and demonstration CWTSs to promote specific conditions that can be applied to designing full-scale CWTSs include plant and soil selection, water-depth selection, addition of amendments, and hydraulic retention time (HRT). These strategies allow conditions within a CWTS to be modified to achieve ranges necessary for the preferred biogeochemical treatment pathways. In the case of renovating a produced water containing COCs that require different biogeochemical pathways for treatment, a CWTS can be designed with sequential cells that promote different conditions. For example, the pilot-scale CWTS for post-reverse osmosis produced water was designed to promote oxidizing conditions within the first wetland cell for nitrification of ammonia, and the subsequent three cells were designed to promote reducing conditions for denitrification of nitrate. By incorporating multiple wetland cells in a CWTS, the conditions within each cell can be modified for removal of specific COCs. In addition, a CWTS designed with multiple cells allows for convenient sample collection points so that biogeochemical conditions of individual cells can be monitored and performance evaluated. Removal rate coefficients determined from the pilot-scale CWTS experiments and confirmed by the demonstration system can be used to calculate HRTs required to treat COCs in full-scale CWTSs. The calculated HRTs can then be used to determine the surface area or footprint of a full-size CWTS for a given inflow rate of produced water.« less

Nanofluidic interfaces in microfluidic networks

DOE PAGES

Millet, Larry J.; Doktycz, Mitchel John; Retterer, Scott T.

2015-09-24

The integration of nano- and microfluidic technologies enables the construction of tunable interfaces to physical and biological systems across relevant length scales. The ability to perform chemical manipulations of miniscule sample volumes is greatly enhanced through these technologies and extends the ability to manipulate and sample the local fluidic environments at subcellular, cellular and community or tissue scales. Here we describe the development of a flexible surface micromachining process for the creation of nanofluidic channel arrays integrated within SU-8 microfluidic networks. The use of a semi-porous, silicon rich, silicon nitride structural layer allows rapid release of the sacrificial silicon dioxidemore » during the nanochannel fabrication. Nanochannel openings that form the interface to biological samples are customized using focused ion beam milling. The compatibility of these interfaces with on-chip microbial culture is demonstrated.« less

Ultrastable assembly and integration technology for ground- and space-based optical systems.

PubMed

Ressel, Simon; Gohlke, Martin; Rauen, Dominik; Schuldt, Thilo; Kronast, Wolfgang; Mescheder, Ulrich; Johann, Ulrich; Weise, Dennis; Braxmaier, Claus

2010-08-01

Optical metrology systems crucially rely on the dimensional stability of the optical path between their individual optical components. We present in this paper a novel adhesive bonding technology for setup of quasi-monolithic systems and compare selected characteristics to the well-established state-of-the-art technique of hydroxide-catalysis bonding. It is demonstrated that within the measurement resolution of our ultraprecise custom heterodyne interferometer, both techniques achieve an equivalent passive path length and tilt stability for time scales between 0.1 mHz and 1 Hz. Furthermore, the robustness of the adhesive bonds against mechanical and thermal inputs has been tested, making this new bonding technique in particular a potential option for interferometric applications in future space missions. The integration process itself is eased by long time scales for alignment, as well as short curing times.

Flight control systems development of highly maneuverable aircraft technology /HiMAT/ vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, K. L.

1979-01-01

The highly maneuverable aircraft technology (HiMAT) program was conceived to demonstrate advanced technology concepts through scaled-aircraft flight tests using a remotely piloted technique. Closed-loop primary flight control is performed from a ground-based cockpit, utilizing a digital computer and up/down telemetry links. A backup flight control system for emergency operation resides in an onboard computer. The onboard systems are designed to provide fail-operational capabilities and utilize two microcomputers, dual uplink receiver/decoders, and redundant hydraulic actuation and power systems. This paper discusses the design and validation of the primary and backup digital flight control systems as well as the unique pilot and specialized systems interfaces.

A nickel metal hydride battery for electric vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovshinsky, S. R.; Fetcenko, M. A.; Ross, J.

1993-04-01

An efficient battery is the key technological element to the development of practical electric vehicles. The science and technology of a nickel metal hydride battery, which stores hydrogen in the solid hydride phase and has high energy density, high power, long life, tolerance to abuse, a wide range of operating temperature, quick-charge capability, and totally sealed maintenance-free operation, is described. A broad range of multi-element metal hydride materials that use structural and compositional disorder on several scales of length has been engineered for use as the negative electrode in this battery. The battery operates at ambient temperature, is made of nontoxic materials, and is recyclable. Demonstration of the manufacturing technology has been achieved.

Reusable Cryogenic Tank VHM Using Fiber Optic Distributed Sensing Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodan-Sanders, Patricia; Bouvier, Carl

1998-01-01

The reusable oxygen and hydrogen tanks are key systems for both the X-33 (sub-scale, sub-orbital technology demonstrator) and the commercial Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). The backbone of the X-33 Reusable Cryogenic Tank Vehicle Health Management (VHM) system lies in the optical network of distributed strain temperature and hydrogen sensors. This network of fiber sensors will create a global strain and temperature map for monitoring the health of the tank structure, cryogenic insulation, and Thermal Protection System. Lockheed Martin (Sanders and LMMSS) and NASA Langley have developed this sensor technology for the X-33 and have addressed several technical issues such as fiber bonding and laser performance in this harsh environment.

Experiments in engagement: Designing public engagement with science and technology for capacity building.

PubMed

Selin, Cynthia; Rawlings, Kelly Campbell; de Ridder-Vignone, Kathryn; Sadowski, Jathan; Altamirano Allende, Carlo; Gano, Gretchen; Davies, Sarah R; Guston, David H

2017-08-01

Public engagement with science and technology is now widely used in science policy and communication. Touted as a means of enhancing democratic discussion of science and technology, analysis of public engagement with science and technology has shown that it is often weakly tied to scientific governance. In this article, we suggest that the notion of capacity building might be a way of reframing the democratic potential of public engagement with science and technology activities. Drawing on literatures from public policy and administration, we outline how public engagement with science and technology might build citizen capacity, before using the notion of capacity building to develop five principles for the design of public engagement with science and technology. We demonstrate the use of these principles through a discussion of the development and realization of the pilot for a large-scale public engagement with science and technology activity, the Futurescape City Tours, which was carried out in Arizona in 2012.

Lithium Batteries and Supercapacitors Capable of Operating at Low Temperatures for Planetary Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, M. C.; Ratnakumar, B. V.; West, W. C.; Brandon, E. J.

2012-01-01

Demonstrated improved performance with wide operating temperature electrolytes containing ester co - solvents (i.e., methyl propionate and ethyl butyrate) in a number of prototype cells: center dot Successfully scaled up low temperature technology to 12 Ah size prismatic Li - ion cells (Quallion, LCC), and demonstrated good performance down to - 60 o C. center dot Demonstrated wide operating temperature range performance ( - 60 o to +60 o C) in A123 Systems LiFePO 4 - based lithium - ion cells containing methyl butyrate - based low temperature electrolytes. These systems were also demonstrated to have excellent cycle life performance at ambient temperatures, as well as the ability to be cycled up to high temperatures.

Integration of the Electrodynamic Dust Shield on a Lunar Habitat Demonstration Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, C. I.; Immer, C. D.; Ferreira, J.; Hogue, M. D.; Chen, A.; Csonka, M. W.; VanSuetendael, N.; Snyder, S. J.

2010-01-01

NASA is developing a Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) to investigate the feasibility of lunar surface technologies and lunar ground operations. The HDU will define and validate lunar scenario architecture through field analog testing. It will contain a four-port vertical habitat module with docking demonstration capabilities. The Electrodynamic Oust Shield (EDS) is being incorporated into the HDU to demonstrate dust removal from a viewport and from a door prior to docking procedures. In this paper, we will describe our efforts to scale up the EDS to protect a viewport 20 cm in diameter. We will also describe the development of several 20 cm x 25 cm EDS patches to demonstrate dust removal from one of the HDU doors.

Development of Crystallizer for Advanced Aqueous Reprocessing Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tadahiro Washiya; Atsuhiro Shibata; Toshiaki Kikuchi

2006-07-01

Crystallization is one of the remarkable technologies for future fuel reprocessing process that has safety and economical advantages. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) (former Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute), Mitsubishi Material Corporation and Saitama University have been developing the crystallization process. In previous study, we carried out experimental studies with uranium, MOX and spent fuel conditions, and flowsheet analysis was considered. In association with these studies, an innovative continuous crystallizer and its system was developed to ensure high process performance. From the design study, an annular type continuous crystallizer was selected as the most promising design, and performance was confirmedmore » by small-scale test and engineering scale demonstration at uranium crystallization conditions. In this paper, the design study and the demonstration test results are described. (authors)« less

General aviation crash safety program at Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, R. G.

1976-01-01

The purpose of the crash safety program is to support development of the technology to define and demonstrate new structural concepts for improved crash safety and occupant survivability in general aviation aircraft. The program involves three basic areas of research: full-scale crash simulation testing, nonlinear structural analyses necessary to predict failure modes and collapse mechanisms of the vehicle, and evaluation of energy absorption concepts for specific component design. Both analytical and experimental methods are being used to develop expertise in these areas. Analyses include both simplified procedures for estimating energy absorption capabilities and more complex computer programs for analysis of general airframe response. Full-scale tests of typical structures as well as tests on structural components are being used to verify the analyses and to demonstrate improved design concepts.

Advanced Demonstration and Test Reactor Options Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petti, David Andrew; Hill, R.; Gehin, J.

Global efforts to address climate change will require large-scale decarbonization of energy production in the United States and elsewhere. Nuclear power already provides 20% of electricity production in the United States (U.S.) and is increasing in countries undergoing rapid growth around the world. Because reliable, grid-stabilizing, low emission electricity generation, energy security, and energy resource diversity will be increasingly valued, nuclear power’s share of electricity production has a potential to grow. In addition, there are non electricity applications (e.g., process heat, desalination, hydrogen production) that could be better served by advanced nuclear systems. Thus, the timely development, demonstration, and commercializationmore » of advanced nuclear reactors could diversify the nuclear technologies available and offer attractive technology options to expand the impact of nuclear energy for electricity generation and non-electricity missions. The purpose of this planning study is to provide transparent and defensible technology options for a test and/or demonstration reactor(s) to be built to support public policy, innovation and long term commercialization within the context of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) broader commitment to pursuing an “all of the above” clean energy strategy and associated time lines. This planning study includes identification of the key features and timing needed for advanced test or demonstration reactors to support research, development, and technology demonstration leading to the commercialization of power plants built upon these advanced reactor platforms. This planning study is consistent with the Congressional language contained within the fiscal year 2015 appropriation that directed the DOE to conduct a planning study to evaluate “advanced reactor technology options, capabilities, and requirements within the context of national needs and public policy to support innovation in nuclear energy”. Advanced reactors are defined in this study as reactors that use coolants other than water. Advanced reactor technologies have the potential to expand the energy applications, enhance the competitiveness, and improve the sustainability of nuclear energy.« less

Wolfram technologies as an integrated scalable platform for interactive learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaurov, Vitaliy

2012-02-01

We rely on technology profoundly with the prospect of even greater integration in the future. Well known challenges in education are a technology-inadequate curriculum and many software platforms that are difficult to scale or interconnect. We'll review an integrated technology, much of it free, that addresses these issues for individuals and small schools as well as for universities. Topics include: Mathematica, a programming environment that offers a diverse range of functionality; natural language programming for getting started quickly and accessing data from Wolfram|Alpha; quick and easy construction of interactive courseware and scientific applications; partnering with publishers to create interactive e-textbooks; course assistant apps for mobile platforms; the computable document format (CDF); teacher-student and student-student collaboration on interactive projects and web publishing at the Wolfram Demonstrations site.

Scaling considerations for a multi-megawatt class supercritical CO2 brayton cycle and commercialization.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fleming, Darryn D.; Holschuh, Thomas Vernon,; Conboy, Thomas M.

2013-11-01

Small-scale supercritical CO2 demonstration loops are successful at identifying the important technical issues that one must face in order to scale up to larger power levels. The Sandia National Laboratories supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle test loops are identifying technical needs to scale the technology to commercial power levels such as 10 MWe. The small size of the Sandia 1 MWth loop has demonstration of the split flow loop efficiency and effectiveness of the Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHXs) leading to the design of a fully recuperated, split flow, supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle demonstration system. However, there were many problems thatmore » were encountered, such as high rotational speeds in the units. Additionally, the turbomachinery in the test loops need to identify issues concerning the bearings, seals, thermal boundaries, and motor controller problems in order to be proved a reliable power source in the 300 kWe range. Although these issues were anticipated in smaller demonstration units, commercially scaled hardware would eliminate these problems caused by high rotational speeds at small scale. The economic viability and development of the future scalable 10 MWe solely depends on the interest of DOE and private industry. The Intellectual Property collected by Sandia proves that the ~10 MWe supercritical CO2 power conversion loop to be very beneficial when coupled to a 20 MWth heat source (either solar, geothermal, fossil, or nuclear). This paper will identify a commercialization plan, as well as, a roadmap from the simple 1 MWth supercritical CO2 development loop to a power producing 10 MWe supercritical CO2 Brayton loop.« less

A Synergistic Combination of Advanced Separation and Chemical Scale Inhibitor Technologies for Efficient Use of Imparied Water As Cooling Water in Coal-based Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jasbir Gill

2010-08-30

Nalco Company is partnering with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in this project to jointly develop advanced scale control technologies that will provide cost-effective solutions for coal-based power plants to operate recirculating cooling water systems at high cycles using impaired waters. The overall approach is to use combinations of novel membrane separations and scale inhibitor technologies that will work synergistically, with membrane separations reducing the scaling potential of the cooling water and scale inhibitors extending the safe operating range of the cooling water system. The project started on March 31, 2006 and ended in August 30, 2010. The project was amore » multiyear, multi-phase project with laboratory research and development as well as a small pilot-scale field demonstration. In Phase 1 (Technical Targets and Proof of Concept), the objectives were to establish quantitative technical targets and develop calcite and silica scale inhibitor chemistries for high stress conditions. Additional Phase I work included bench-scale testing to determine the feasibility of two membrane separation technologies (electrodialysis ED and electrode-ionization EDI) for scale minimization. In Phase 2 (Technology Development and Integration), the objectives were to develop additional novel scale inhibitor chemistries, develop selected separation processes, and optimize the integration of the technology components at the laboratory scale. Phase 3 (Technology Validation) validated the integrated system's performance with a pilot-scale demonstration. During Phase 1, Initial evaluations of impaired water characteristics focused on produced waters and reclaimed municipal wastewater effluents. Literature and new data were collected and evaluated. Characteristics of produced waters vary significantly from one site to another, whereas reclaimed municipal wastewater effluents have relatively more uniform characteristics. Assessment to date confirmed that calcite and silica/silicate are two common potential cycle-limiting minerals for using impaired waters. For produced waters, barium sulfate and calcium sulfate are two additional potential cycle-limiting minerals. For reclaimed municipal wastewater effluents, calcium phosphate scaling can be an issue, especially in the co-presence of high silica. Computational assessment, using a vast amount of Nalco's field data from coal fired power plants, showed that the limited use and reuse of impaired waters is due to the formation of deposit caused by the presence of iron, high hardness, high silica and high alkalinity in the water. Appropriate and cost-effective inhibitors were identified and developed - LL99B0 for calcite and gypsum inhibition and TX-15060 for silica inhibition. Nalco's existing dispersants HSP-1 and HSP-2 has excellent efficacy for dispersing Fe and Mn. ED and EDI were bench-scale tested by the CRADA partner Argonne National Laboratory for hardness, alkalinity and silica removal from synthetic make-up water and then cycled cooling water. Both systems showed low power consumption and 98-99% salt removal, however, the EDI system required 25-30% less power for silica removal. For Phase 2, the EDI system's performance was optimized and the length of time between clean-in-place (CIP) increased by varying the wafer composition and membrane configuration. The enhanced EDI system could remove 88% of the hardness and 99% of the alkalinity with a processing flux of 19.2 gal/hr/m{sup 2} and a power consumption of 0.54 kWh/100 gal water. Bench tests to screen alternative silica/silicate scale inhibitor chemistries have begun. The silica/silicate control approaches using chemical inhibitors include inhibition of silicic acid polymerization and dispersion of silica/silicate crystals. Tests were conducted with an initial silica concentration of 290-300 mg/L as SiO{sub 2} at pH 7 and room temperature. A proprietary new chemistry was found to be promising, compared with a current commercial product commonly used for silica/silicate control. Additional pilot cooling tower testing confirmed the bench study. We also developed a molecule to inhibit calcium carbonate precipitation and calcium sulfate precipitation at high supersaturations. During Phase 3, a long-term test of the EDI system and scale inhibitors was done at Nalco's cooling tower water testing facility, producing 850 gallons of high purity water (90+% salt removal) at a rate of 220 L/day. The EDI system's performance was stable when the salt concentration in the concentrate compartment (i.e. the EDI waste stream) was controlled and a CIP was done after every 48 hours of operation time. A combination of EDI and scale inhibitors completely eliminated blowdown discharge from the Pilot cooling Tower. The only water-consumption came from evaporation, CIP and EDI concentrate. Silica Inhibitor was evaluated in the field at a western coal fired power plant.« less

Demonstration of EnergyNest thermal energy storage (TES) technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoivik, Nils; Greiner, Christopher; Tirado, Eva Bellido; Barragan, Juan; Bergan, Pâl; Skeie, Geir; Blanco, Pablo; Calvet, Nicolas

2017-06-01

This paper presents the experimental results from the EnergyNest 2 × 500 kWhth thermal energy storage (TES) pilot system installed at Masdar Institute of Science & Technology Solar Platform. Measured data are shown and compared to simulations using a specially developed computer program to verify the stability and performance of the TES. The TES is based on a solid-state concrete storage medium (HEATCRETE®) with integrated steel tube heat exchangers cast into the concrete. The unique concrete recipe used in the TES has been developed in collaboration with Heidelberg Cement; this material has significantly higher thermal conductivity compared to regular concrete implying very effective heat transfer, at the same time being chemically stable up to 450 °C. The demonstrated and measured performance of the TES matches the predictions based on simulations, and proves the operational feasibility of the EnergyNest concrete-based TES. A further case study is analyzed where a large-scale TES system presented in this article is compared to two-tank indirect molten salt technology.

Bench-scale Development of an Advanced Solid Sorbent-based CO 2 Capture Process for Coal-fired Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, Thomas; Kataria, Atish; Soukri, Mustapha

It is increasingly clear that CO 2 capture and sequestration (CCS) must play a critical role in curbing worldwide CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere. Development of these technologies to cost-effectively remove CO 2 from coal-fired power plants is very important to mitigating the impact these power plants have within the world’s power generation portfolio. Currently, conventional CO 2 capture technologies, such as aqueous-monoethanolamine based solvent systems, are prohibitively expensive and if implemented could result in a 75 to 100% increase in the cost of electricity for consumers worldwide. Solid sorbent CO 2 capture processes – such as RTI’s Advancedmore » Solid Sorbent CO 2, Capture Process – are promising alternatives to conventional, liquid solvents. Supported amine sorbents – of the nature RTI has developed – are particularly attractive due to their high CO 2 loadings, low heat capacities, reduced corrosivity/volatility and the potential to reduce the regeneration energy needed to carry out CO 2 capture. Previous work in this area has failed to adequately address various technology challenges such as sorbent stability and regenerability, sorbent scale-up, improved physical strength and attrition-resistance, proper heat management and temperature control, proper solids handling and circulation control, as well as the proper coupling of process engineering advancements that are tailored for a promising sorbent technology. The remaining challenges for these sorbent processes have provided the framework for the project team’s research and development and target for advancing the technology beyond lab- and bench-scale testing. Under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy, and part of NETL’s CO 2 Capture Program, RTI has led an effort to address and mitigate the challenges associated with solid sorbent CO 2 capture. The overall objective of this project was to mitigate the technical and economic risks associated with the scale-up of solid sorbent-based CO 2 capture processes, enabling subsequent larger pilot demonstrations and ultimately commercial deployment. An integrated development approach has been a key focus of this project in which process development, sorbent development, and economic analyses have informed each of the other development processes. Development efforts have focused on improving the performance stability of sorbent candidates, refining process engineering and design, and evaluating the viability of the technology through detailed economic analyses. Sorbent advancements have led to a next generation, commercially-viable CO 2 capture sorbent exhibiting performance stability in various gas environments and a physically strong fluidizable form. The team has reduced sorbent production costs and optimized the production process and scale-up of PEI-impregnated, fluidizable sorbents. Refinement of the process engineering and design, as well as the construction and operation of a bench-scale research unit has demonstrated promising CO 2 capture performance under simulated coal-fired flue gas conditions. Parametric testing has shown how CO 2 capture performance is impacted by changing process variables, such as Adsorber temperature, Regenerator temperature, superficial flue gas velocity, solids circulation rate, CO 2 partial pressure in the Regenerator, and many others. Long-term testing has generated data for the project team to set the process conditions needed to operate a solids-based system for optimal performance, with continuous 90% CO 2 capture, and no operational interruptions. Data collected from all phases of testing has been used to develop a detailed techno-economic assessment of RTI’s technology. These detailed analyses show that RTI’s technology has significant economic advantages over current amine scrubbing and potential to achieve the DOE’s Carbon Capture Program’s goal of >90% CO 2 capture rate at a cost of < $40/T-CO 2 captured by 2025. Through this integrated technology development approach, the project team has advanced RTI’s CO 2 capture technology to TRL-4 (nearly TRL-5, with the missing variable being testing on actual, coal-fired flue gas), according to the DOE/FE definitions for Technology Readiness Levels. At a broader level, this project has advanced the whole of the solid sorbent CO 2 capture field, with advancements in process engineering and design, technical risk mitigation, sorbent scale-up optimization, and an understanding of the commercial viability and applicability of solid sorbent CO 2 capture technologies for the U.S. existing fleet of coal-fired power plants.« less

Demonstration of a Large-Scale Tank Assembly via Circumferential Friction Stir Welds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Clyde S.; Adams, Glynn; Colligan, Kevin

2000-01-01

A collaborative effort between NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center and the Michoud Unit of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company was undertaken to demonstrate assembly of a large-scale aluminum tank using circumferential friction stir welds. The hardware used to complete this demonstration was fabricated as a study of near-net- shape technologies. The tooling used to complete this demonstration was originally designed for assembly of a tank using fusion weld processes. This presentation describes the modifications and additions that were made to the existing fusion welding tools required to accommodate circumferential friction stir welding, as well as the process used to assemble the tank. The tooling modifications include design, fabrication and installation of several components. The most significant components include a friction stir weld unit with adjustable pin length capabilities, a continuous internal anvil for 'open' circumferential welds, a continuous closeout anvil, clamping systems, an external reaction system and the control system required to conduct the friction stir welds and integrate the operation of the tool. The demonstration was intended as a development task. The experience gained during each circumferential weld was applied to improve subsequent welds. Both constant and tapered thickness 14-foot diameter circumferential welds were successfully demonstrated.

Non-exponential resistive switching in Ag2S memristors: a key to nanometer-scale non-volatile memory devices.

PubMed

Gubicza, Agnes; Csontos, Miklós; Halbritter, András; Mihály, György

2015-03-14

The dynamics of resistive switchings in nanometer-scale metallic junctions formed between an inert metallic tip and an Ag film covered by a thin Ag2S layer are investigated. Our thorough experimental analysis and numerical simulations revealed that the resistance change upon a switching bias voltage pulse exhibits a strongly non-exponential behaviour yielding markedly different response times at different bias levels. Our results demonstrate the merits of Ag2S nanojunctions as nanometer-scale non-volatile memory cells with stable switching ratios, high endurance as well as fast response to write/erase, and an outstanding stability against read operations at technologically optimal bias and current levels.

Recovery Act: Oxy-Combustion Techology Development for Industrial-Scale Boiler Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levasseur, Armand

2014-04-30

Alstom Power Inc. (Alstom), under U.S. DOE/NETL Cooperative Agreement No. DE-NT0005290, is conducting a development program to generate detailed technical information needed for application of oxy-combustion technology. The program is designed to provide the necessary information and understanding for the next step of large-scale commercial demonstration of oxy combustion in tangentially fired boilers and to accelerate the commercialization of this technology. The main project objectives include: • Design and develop an innovative oxyfuel system for existing tangentially-fired boiler units that minimizes overall capital investment and operating costs. • Evaluate performance of oxyfuel tangentially fired boiler systems in pilot scale testsmore » at Alstom’s 15 MWth tangentially fired Boiler Simulation Facility (BSF). • Address technical gaps for the design of oxyfuel commercial utility boilers by focused testing and improvement of engineering and simulation tools. • Develop the design, performance and costs for a demonstration scale oxyfuel boiler and auxiliary systems. • Develop the design and costs for both industrial and utility commercial scale reference oxyfuel boilers and auxiliary systems that are optimized for overall plant performance and cost. • Define key design considerations and develop general guidelines for application of results to utility and different industrial applications. The project was initiated in October 2008 and the scope extended in 2010 under an ARRA award. The project completion date was April 30, 2014. Central to the project is 15 MWth testing in the BSF, which provided in-depth understanding of oxy-combustion under boiler conditions, detailed data for improvement of design tools, and key information for application to commercial scale oxy-fired boiler design. Eight comprehensive 15 MWth oxy-fired test campaigns were performed with different coals, providing detailed data on combustion, emissions, and thermal behavior over a matrix of fuels, oxyprocess variables and boiler design parameters. Significant improvement of CFD modeling tools and validation against 15 MWth experimental data has been completed. Oxy-boiler demonstration and large reference designs have been developed, supported with the information and knowledge gained from the 15 MWth testing. The results from the 15 MWth testing in the BSF and complimentary bench-scale testing are addressed in this volume (Volume II) of the final report. The results of the modeling efforts (Volume III) and the oxy boiler design efforts (Volume IV) are reported in separate volumes.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goltz, M.N.; Kawakami, B.T.; McCarty, P.L.

A full-scale study of in-situ bioremediation is being planned for implementation at Edwards Air Force Base. The bioremediation system that is being proposed has been developed over 8 years of research and testing in the laboratory and at a pilot field site located at Moffett Naval Air Station in Mountain View, California. Studies conducted at the Moffett field site have demonstrated that trichloroethylene (TCE), the contaminant found at Edwards, can be effectively biodegraded cometabolically through the introduction into the subsurface of a primary substrate and an oxygen source to support the growth and energy requirements of a native population ofmore » microorganisms. One of the main questions that needs to be answered, prior to full-scale demonstration of this technology on the Edwards TCE plume, is how best to mix a primary substrate, an oxygen source, and TCE, and subsequently get the mixture to the microorganisms. At Moffett Field, mixing of these three components was accomplished above ground, with the mixture then introduced into the subsurface through an injection well. In the full-scale demonstration, the TCE will, of course, already be in the groundwater. A major objective of the demonstration will be to investigate how a primary substrate and an oxygen source can be efficiently mixed and transported to indigenous microorganisms, in order to promote cometabolic degradation of TCE.« less

Enhancing computer self-efficacy and attitudes in multi-ethnic older adults: a randomised controlled study

PubMed Central

Laganà, Luciana; Oliver, Taylor; Ainsworth, Andrew; Edwards, Marc

2014-01-01

Several studies have documented the health-related benefits of older adults' use of computer technology, but before they can be realised, older individuals must be positively inclined and confident in their ability to engage in computer-based environments. To facilitate the assessment of computer technology attitudes, one aim of the longitudinal study reported in this paper was to test and refine a new 22-item measure of computer technology attitudes designed specifically for older adults, as none such were available.1 Another aim was to replicate, on a much larger scale, the successful findings of a preliminary study that tested a computer technology training programme for older adults (Laganà 2008). Ninety-six older men and women, mainly from non-European-American backgrounds, were randomly assigned to the waitlist/control or the experimental group. The same six-week one-on-one training was administered to the control subjects at the completion of their post-test. The revised (17-item) version of the Older Adults' Computer Technology Attitudes Scale (OACTAS) showed strong reliability: the results of a factor analysis were robust, and two analyses of covariance demonstrated that the training programme induced significant changes in attitudes and self-efficacy. Such results encourage the recruitment of older persons into training programmes aimed at increasing computer technology attitudes and self-efficacy. PMID:25512679

Propulsion engineering study for small-scale Mars missions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whitehead, J.

1995-09-12

Rocket propulsion options for small-scale Mars missions are presented and compared, particularly for the terminal landing maneuver and for sample return. Mars landing has a low propulsive {Delta}v requirement on a {approximately}1-minute time scale, but at a high acceleration. High thrust/weight liquid rocket technologies, or advanced pulse-capable solids, developed during the past decade for missile defense, are therefore more appropriate for small Mars landers than are conventional space propulsion technologies. The advanced liquid systems are characterize by compact lightweight thrusters having high chamber pressures and short lifetimes. Blowdown or regulated pressure-fed operation can satisfy the Mars landing requirement, but hardwaremore » mass can be reduced by using pumps. Aggressive terminal landing propulsion designs can enable post-landing hop maneuvers for some surface mobility. The Mars sample return mission requires a small high performance launcher having either solid motors or miniature pump-fed engines. Terminal propulsion for 100 kg Mars landers is within the realm of flight-proven thruster designs, but custom tankage is desirable. Landers on a 10 kg scale also are feasible, using technology that has been demonstrated but not previously flown in space. The number of sources and the selection of components are extremely limited on this smallest scale, so some customized hardware is required. A key characteristic of kilogram-scale propulsion is that gas jets are much lighter than liquid thrusters for reaction control. The mass and volume of tanks for inert gas can be eliminated by systems which generate gas as needed from a liquid or a solid, but these have virtually no space flight history. Mars return propulsion is a major engineering challenge; earth launch is the only previously-solved propulsion problem requiring similar or greater performance.« less

Video-speed electronic paper based on electrowetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes, Robert A.; Feenstra, B. J.

2003-09-01

In recent years, a number of different technologies have been proposed for use in reflective displays. One of the most appealing applications of a reflective display is electronic paper, which combines the desirable viewing characteristics of conventional printed paper with the ability to manipulate the displayed information electronically. Electronic paper based on the electrophoretic motion of particles inside small capsules has been demonstrated and commercialized; but the response speed of such a system is rather slow, limited by the velocity of the particles. Recently, we have demonstrated that electrowetting is an attractive technology for the rapid manipulation of liquids on a micrometre scale. Here we show that electrowetting can also be used to form the basis of a reflective display that is significantly faster than electrophoretic displays, so that video content can be displayed. Our display principle utilizes the voltage-controlled movement of a coloured oil film adjacent to a white substrate. The reflectivity and contrast of our system approach those of paper. In addition, we demonstrate a colour concept, which is intrinsically four times brighter than reflective liquid-crystal displays and twice as bright as other emerging technologies. The principle of microfluidic motion at low voltages is applicable in a wide range of electro-optic devices.

Remote focusing for programmable multi-layer differential multiphoton microscopy

PubMed Central

Hoover, Erich E.; Young, Michael D.; Chandler, Eric V.; Luo, Anding; Field, Jeffrey J.; Sheetz, Kraig E.; Sylvester, Anne W.; Squier, Jeff A.

2010-01-01

We present the application of remote focusing to multiphoton laser scanning microscopy and utilize this technology to demonstrate simultaneous, programmable multi-layer imaging. Remote focusing is used to independently control the axial location of multiple focal planes that can be simultaneously imaged with single element detection. This facilitates volumetric multiphoton imaging in scattering specimens and can be practically scaled to a large number of focal planes. Further, it is demonstrated that the remote focusing control can be synchronized with the lateral scan directions, enabling imaging in orthogonal scan planes. PMID:21326641

The VLSI design of an error-trellis syndrome decoder for certain convolutional codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, I. S.; Jensen, J. M.; Hsu, I.-S.; Truong, T. K.

1986-01-01

A recursive algorithm using the error-trellis decoding technique is developed to decode convolutional codes (CCs). An example, illustrating the very large scale integration (VLSI) architecture of such a decode, is given for a dual-K CC. It is demonstrated that such a decoder can be realized readily on a single chip with metal-nitride-oxide-semiconductor technology.

Advancing Blade Concept (ABC) Technology Demonstrator

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

simulated 40-knot full-scale speed were conducted in Phase 0 on the Princeton dynamic model tract (Reference 7). Forward flight tests to a...laterally and longitudinally but also to control the thrust sharing between the rotors are presented in Figure 28. Phase II Tests : This model test phase...were rigged to the required values. Control system linearity and hysteresis tests were conducted to determine

The VLSI design of error-trellis syndrome decoding for convolutional codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, I. S.; Jensen, J. M.; Truong, T. K.; Hsu, I. S.

1985-01-01

A recursive algorithm using the error-trellis decoding technique is developed to decode convolutional codes (CCs). An example, illustrating the very large scale integration (VLSI) architecture of such a decode, is given for a dual-K CC. It is demonstrated that such a decoder can be realized readily on a single chip with metal-nitride-oxide-semiconductor technology.

Ground Vehicle CFD at TARDEC

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-21

Cooling Sytem: StarCCM+ Blast / Crew Safety: LS- Dyna Fatigue & FEA: Abaqus / NCode Each code run with ~40-80 CPUs on TARDEC HPC Models...suppression, blast solid modeling have particular scaling problems because of the use of Lagrangian particles Example: Dust modeling for engine...for technology demonstrator vehicles UNCLASSIFIED 9 Example CFD Interest Areas • Underbody mine blast • HVAC design / interior cooling

Bioconversion of woody biomass to biofuel and lignin co-product using sulfite pretreatment to overcome the recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL)

Treesearch

Junyong Zhu; Chao Zhang; Roland Gleisner; Carl Houtman; Xuejun Pan

2016-01-01

Sulfite pretreatment to overcome the recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL) promises to provide efficient bioconversion of woody biomass into bioethanol and lignin co-products. Results from several laboratory and pilot-scale studies are presented to demonstrate SPORL performance, with comparisons to competing technologies. Excellent ethanol yields of up to...

Recent advances in large-scale assembly of semiconducting inorganic nanowires and nanofibers for electronics, sensors and photovoltaics.

PubMed

Long, Yun-Ze; Yu, Miao; Sun, Bin; Gu, Chang-Zhi; Fan, Zhiyong

2012-06-21

Semiconducting inorganic nanowires (NWs), nanotubes and nanofibers have been extensively explored in recent years as potential building blocks for nanoscale electronics, optoelectronics, chemical/biological/optical sensing, and energy harvesting, storage and conversion, etc. Besides the top-down approaches such as conventional lithography technologies, nanowires are commonly grown by the bottom-up approaches such as solution growth, template-guided synthesis, and vapor-liquid-solid process at a relatively low cost. Superior performance has been demonstrated using nanowires devices. However, most of the nanowire devices are limited to the demonstration of single devices, an initial step toward nanoelectronic circuits, not adequate for production on a large scale at low cost. Controlled and uniform assembly of nanowires with high scalability is still one of the major bottleneck challenges towards the materials and device integration for electronics. In this review, we aim to present recent progress toward nanowire device assembly technologies, including flow-assisted alignment, Langmuir-Blodgett assembly, bubble-blown technique, electric/magnetic- field-directed assembly, contact/roll printing, planar growth, bridging method, and electrospinning, etc. And their applications in high-performance, flexible electronics, sensors, photovoltaics, bioelectronic interfaces and nano-resonators are also presented.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marker, Terry; Roberts, Michael; Linck, Martin

Cellulosic and woody biomass can be directly converted to hydrocarbon gasoline and diesel blending components through the use of integrated hydropyrolysis plus hydroconversion (IH 2). The IH 2 gasoline and diesel blending components are fully compatible with petroleum based gasoline and diesel, contain less than 1% oxygen and have less than 1 total acid number (TAN). The IH 2 gasoline is high quality and very close to a drop in fuel. The DOE funding enabled rapid development of the IH 2 technology from initial proof-of-principle experiments through continuous testing in a 50 kg/day pilot plant. As part of this project,more » engineering work on IH 2 has also been completed to design a 1 ton/day demonstration unit and a commercial-scale 2000 ton/day IH 2 unit. These studies show when using IH 2 technology, biomass can be converted directly to transportation quality fuel blending components for the same capital cost required for pyrolysis alone, and a fraction of the cost of pyrolysis plus upgrading of pyrolysis oil. Technoeconomic work for IH 2 and lifecycle analysis (LCA) work has also been completed as part of this DOE study and shows IH 2 technology can convert biomass to gasoline and diesel blending components for less than $2.00/gallon with greater than 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. As a result of the work completed in this DOE project, a joint development agreement was reached with CRI Catalyst Company to license the IH 2 technology. Further larger-scale, continuous testing of IH 2 will be required to fully demonstrate the technology, and funding for this is recommended. The IH 2 biomass conversion technology would reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, reduce the price of transportation fuels, and significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is a breakthrough for the widespread conversion of biomass to transportation fuels.« less

Montana Integrated Carbon to Liquids (ICTL) Demonstration Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fiato, Rocco A.; Sharma, Ramesh; Allen, Mark

Integrated carbon-to-liquids technology (ICTL) incorporates three basic processes for the conversion of a wide range of feedstocks to distillate liquid fuels: (1) Direct Microcatalytic Coal Liquefaction (MCL) is coupled with biomass liquefaction via (2) Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation and Isomerization (CHI) of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) or trigylceride fatty acids (TGFA) to produce liquid fuels, with process derived (3) CO 2 Capture and Utilization (CCU) via algae production and use in BioFertilizer for added terrestrial sequestration of CO 2, or as a feedstock for MCL and/or CHI. This novel approach enables synthetic fuels production while simultaneously meeting EISA 2007 Section 526more » targets, minimizing land use and water consumption, and providing cost competitive fuels at current day petroleum prices. ICTL was demonstrated with Montana Crow sub-bituminous coal in MCL pilot scale operations at the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota (EERC), with related pilot scale CHI studies conducted at the University of Pittsburgh Applied Research Center (PARC). Coal-Biomass to Liquid (CBTL) Fuel samples were evaluated at the US Air Force Research Labs (AFRL) in Dayton and greenhouse tests of algae based BioFertilizer conducted at Montana State University (MSU). Econometric modeling studies were also conducted on the use of algae based BioFertilizer in a wheat-camelina crop rotation cycle. We find that the combined operation is not only able to help boost crop yields, but also to provide added crop yields and associated profits from TGFA (from crop production) for use an ICTL plant feedstock. This program demonstrated the overall viability of ICTL in pilot scale operations. Related work on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a Montana project indicated that CCU could be employed very effectively to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the MCL/CHI process. Plans are currently being made to conduct larger-scale process demonstration studies of the CHI process in combination with CCU to generate synthetic jet and diesel fuels from algae and algae fertilized crops. Site assessment and project prefeasibility studies are planned with a major EPC firm to determine the overall viability of ICTL technology commercialization with Crow coal resources in south central Montana.« less

Mountaineer Commercial Scale Carbon Capture and Storage Project Topical Report: Preliminary Public Design Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guy Cerimele

2011-09-30

This Preliminary Public Design Report consolidates for public use nonproprietary design information on the Mountaineer Commercial Scale Carbon Capture & Storage project. The report is based on the preliminary design information developed during the Phase I - Project Definition Phase, spanning the time period of February 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. The report includes descriptions and/or discussions for: (1) DOE's Clean Coal Power Initiative, overall project & Phase I objectives, and the historical evolution of DOE and American Electric Power (AEP) sponsored projects leading to the current project; (2) Alstom's Chilled Ammonia Process (CAP) carbon capture retrofit technology andmore » the carbon storage and monitoring system; (3) AEP's retrofit approach in terms of plant operational and integration philosophy; (4) The process island equipment and balance of plant systems for the CAP technology; (5) The carbon storage system, addressing injection wells, monitoring wells, system monitoring and controls logic philosophy; (6) Overall project estimate that includes the overnight cost estimate, cost escalation for future year expenditures, and major project risks that factored into the development of the risk based contingency; and (7) AEP's decision to suspend further work on the project at the end of Phase I, notwithstanding its assessment that the Alstom CAP technology is ready for commercial demonstration at the intended scale.« less

Assessment of the technology required to develop photovoltaic power system for large scale national energy applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutwack, R.

1974-01-01

A technical assessment of a program to develop photovoltaic power system technology for large-scale national energy applications was made by analyzing and judging the alternative candidate photovoltaic systems and development tasks. A program plan was constructed based on achieving the 10 year objective of a program to establish the practicability of large-scale terrestrial power installations using photovoltaic conversion arrays costing less than $0.50/peak W. Guidelines for the tasks of a 5 year program were derived from a set of 5 year objectives deduced from the 10 year objective. This report indicates the need for an early emphasis on the development of the single-crystal Si photovoltaic system for commercial utilization; a production goal of 5 x 10 to the 8th power peak W/year of $0.50 cells was projected for the year 1985. The developments of other photovoltaic conversion systems were assigned to longer range development roles. The status of the technology developments and the applicability of solar arrays in particular power installations, ranging from houses to central power plants, was scheduled to be verified in a series of demonstration projects. The budget recommended for the first 5 year phase of the program is $268.5M.

Demonstration of Plasma Arc Environmental Technology Applications for the Demilitrization of DOD Stockpiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Ed; Dee, P. E.; Zaghloul, Hany; Filius, Krag; Rivers, Tim

2000-01-01

Since 1989 the US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (USACERL) have been active participants in the research and development towards establishing Plasma Arc Technology (PAT) as an efficient, economical, and safe hazardous waste immobilization tool. A plasma torch capable of generating high temperatures makes this technology a viable and powerful tool for the thermal destruction of various military industrial waste streams into an innocuous ceramic material no longer requiring hazardous waste landfill disposal. The emerging plasma environmental thermal treatment process has been used to safely and efficiently meet the waste disposal needs for various demilitarized components disposal needs, such as: (1) pyrotechnic smoke assemblies, (2) thermal batteries, (3) proximity fuses, (4) cartridge actuated devices (CADs), and (5) propellant actuated devices (PADs). MSE Technology Applications, Inc., (MSE) has proposed and fabricated a Mobile Plasma Treatment System to be a technology demonstrator for pilotscale mobile plasma waste processing. The system is capable of providing small-scale waste remediation services, and conducting waste stream applicability demonstrations. The Mobile Plasma Treatment System's innovative concept provides the flexibility to treat waste streams at numerous sites and sites with only a limited quantity of waste, yet too hazardous to transport to a regional fixed facility. The system was designed to be operated as skid mounted modules; consisting of a furnace module, controls module, offgas module, and ancillary systems module. All system components have been integrated to be operated from a single control station with both semi-continuous feeding and batch slag-pouring capability.

Overview of Photocatalysis, Photocatalytic Surface Materials Studies, and Demonstration of Self-Cleaning Materials for Space and Terrestrial Based Applications at the Infinity Science Center at NASA Stennis Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Underwood, Lauren W.

2012-01-01

Research into photocatalytic technology has been progressing for over three decades in the early 1990s Japanese and European companies initiate research into photocatalytic technology. In the 1996 specific focus on the technology with the first large-scale application: the construction of a church in Rome (Jubilee Church). And in 2000 Europe and Japan research into the benefits of photocatalytic technology. Currently, photocatalytic technology continues to improve, and with time development is becoming more efficient and effective. What is Photocatalysis? Photo: phenomenon induced by the light, having specifically a wavelength around 320-400 nm (artificial or natural sunlight). Catalyst: a material that induces a reaction but is not consumed or transformed by it. The catalyst remains constantly available. In this case, the catalyst is made with nano-particles of titanium oxide (Ti02).

Interleaved arrays antenna technology development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

Phase one and two of a program to further develop and investigate advanced graphite epoxy waveguides, radiators, and components with application to space antennas are discussed. The objective of the two phases were to demonstrate mechanical integrity of a small panel of radiators and parts procured under a previous contract and to develop alternate designs and applications of the technology. Most of the emphasis was on the assembly and test of a 5 x 5 element module. This effort was supported by evaluation of adhesives and waveguide joint configurations. The evaluation and final assembly considered not only mechanical performance but also producibility in large scale.

Study, optimization, and design of a laser heat engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Laser heat engine concepts, proposed for satellite applications, were analyzed to determine which engine concepts best meet the requirements of high efficiency (50 percent or better) continuous operation in space. The best laser heat engine for a near-term experimental demonstration, selected on the basis of high overall operating efficiency, high power-to-weight characteristics, and availability of the required technology, is an Otto/Diesel cycle piston engine using a diamond window to admit CO2 laser radiation. The technology with the greatest promise of scaling to megawatt power levels in the long term is the energy exchanger/gas turbine combination.

Design of the ARES Mars Airplane and Mission Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, Robert D.; Wright, Henry S.; Croom, Mark A.; Levine, Joel S.; Spencer, David A.

2006-01-01

Significant technology advances have enabled planetary aircraft to be considered as viable science platforms. Such systems fill a unique planetary science measurement gap, that of regional-scale, near-surface observation, while providing a fresh perspective for potential discovery. Recent efforts have produced mature mission and flight system concepts, ready for flight project implementation. This paper summarizes the development of a Mars airplane mission architecture that balances science, implementation risk and cost. Airplane mission performance, flight system design and technology maturation are described. The design, analysis and testing completed demonstrates the readiness of this science platform for use in a Mars flight project.

Development of a Thermoacoustic Stirling Engine Technology Demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reissner, Alexander; Gerger, Joachim; Hummel, Stefan; Reißig, Jannis; Pawelke, Roland

2014-08-01

Waste heat is a primary source of energy loss in many aerospace and terrestrial applications. FOTEC, an Austrian Research Company located in Wiener Neustadt, is presently developing a micro power converter, promising high efficiencies even for small- scale applications. The converter is based on an innovative thermoacoustic stirling engine concept without any moving parts. Such a maintenance-free engine system would be particularly suitable for advanced space power systems (radioisotope, waste heat) or even within the scope of terrestrial energy harvesting. This paper will summarizes the status of our ongoing efforts on this micro power converter technology.

Bringing Engineering Research Coupled With Art Into The K-12 Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cola, J.

2016-12-01

The Partnerships for Research, Innovation and Multi-Scale Engineering Program, a Research Experiences for K-12 Teachers at Georgia Institute of Technology demonstrates a successful program that blends the fine arts with engineering research. Teachers selected for the program improve their science and engineering content knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to use STEAM to increase student comprehension and engagement. Participants in the program designed Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM)- based lessons based on faculty engineering research. Examples of some STEAM lessons created will be discussed along with lessons learned.

Performance of an Achromatic Focal Plane Mask for Exoplanet Imaging Coronagraphy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Kevin; Belikov, Ruslan; Pluzhnik, Eugene; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Wilson, Dan

2014-01-01

Coronagraph technology combined with wavefront control is close to achieving the contrast and inner working angle requirements in the lab necessary to observe the faint signal of an Earth-like exoplanet in monochromatic light. An important remaining technological challenge is to achieve high contrast in broadband light. Coronagraph bandwidth is largely limited by chromaticity of the focal plane mask, which is responsible for blocking the stellar PSF. The size of a stellar PSF scales linearly with wavelength; ideally, the size of the focal plane mask would also scale with wavelength. A conventional hard-edge focal plane mask has a fixed size, normally sized for the longest wavelength in the observational band to avoid starlight leakage. The conventional mask is oversized for shorter wavelengths and blocks useful discovery space. Recently we presented a solution to the size chromaticity challenge with a focal plane mask designed to scale its effective size with wavelength. In this paper, we analyze performance of the achromatic size-scaling focal plane mask within a Phase Induced Amplitude Apodization (PIAA) coronagraph. We present results from wavefront control around the achromatic focal plane mask, and demonstrate the size-scaling effect of the mask with wavelength. The edge of the dark zone, and therefore the inner working angle of the coronagraph, scale with wavelength. The achromatic mask enables operation in a wider band of wavelengths compared with a conventional hard-edge occulter.

Demonstration of Technologies for Remote and in Situ Sensing of Atmospheric Methane Abundances - a Controlled Release Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubrey, A. D.; Thorpe, A. K.; Christensen, L. E.; Dinardo, S.; Frankenberg, C.; Rahn, T. A.; Dubey, M.

2013-12-01

It is critical to constrain both natural and anthropogenic sources of methane to better predict the impact on global climate change. Critical technologies for this assessment include those that can detect methane point and concentrated diffuse sources over large spatial scales. Airborne spectrometers can potentially fill this gap for large scale remote sensing of methane while in situ sensors, both ground-based and mounted on aerial platforms, can monitor and quantify at small to medium spatial scales. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and collaborators recently conducted a field test located near Casper, WY, at the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Test Center (RMOTC). These tests were focused on demonstrating the performance of remote and in situ sensors for quantification of point-sourced methane. A series of three controlled release points were setup at RMOTC and over the course of six experiment days, the point source flux rates were varied from 50 LPM to 2400 LPM (liters per minute). During these releases, in situ sensors measured real-time methane concentration from field towers (downwind from the release point) and using a small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) to characterize spatiotemporal variability of the plume structure. Concurrent with these methane point source controlled releases, airborne sensor overflights were conducted using three aircraft. The NASA Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) participated with a payload consisting of a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) and an in situ methane sensor. Two imaging spectrometers provided assessment of optical and thermal infrared detection of methane plumes. The AVIRIS-next generation (AVIRIS-ng) sensor has been demonstrated for detection of atmospheric methane in the short wave infrared region, specifically using the absorption features at ~2.3 μm. Detection of methane in the thermal infrared region was evaluated by flying the Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer (HyTES), retrievals which interrogate spectral features in the 7.5 to 8.5 μm region. Here we discuss preliminary results from the JPL activities during the RMOTC controlled release experiment, including capabilities of airborne sensors for total columnar atmospheric methane detection and comparison to results from ground measurements and dispersion models. Potential application areas for these remote sensing technologies include assessment of anthropogenic and natural methane sources over wide spatial scales that represent significant unconstrained factors to the global methane budget.

Spatial characterization of riparian buffer effects on sediment loads from watershed systems.

PubMed

Momm, Henrique G; Bingner, Ronald L; Yuan, Yongping; Locke, Martin A; Wells, Robert R

2014-09-01

Understanding all watershed systems and their interactions is a complex, but critical, undertaking when developing practices designed to reduce topsoil loss and chemical/nutrient transport from agricultural fields. The presence of riparian buffer vegetation in agricultural landscapes can modify the characteristics of overland flow, promoting sediment deposition and nutrient filtering. Watershed simulation tools, such as the USDA-Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source (AnnAGNPS) pollution model, typically require detailed information for each riparian buffer zone throughout the watershed describing the location, width, vegetation type, topography, and possible presence of concentrated flow paths through the riparian buffer zone. Research was conducted to develop GIS-based technology designed to spatially characterize riparian buffers and to estimate buffer efficiency in reducing sediment loads in a semiautomated fashion at watershed scale. The methodology combines modeling technology at different scales, at individual concentrated flow paths passing through the riparian zone, and at watershed scales. At the concentrated flow path scale, vegetative filter strip models are applied to estimate the sediment-trapping efficiency for each individual flow path, which are aggregated based on the watershed subdivision and used in the determination of the overall impact of the riparian vegetation at the watershed scale. This GIS-based technology is combined with AnnAGNPS to demonstrate the effect of riparian vegetation on sediment loadings from sheet and rill and ephemeral gully sources. The effects of variability in basic input parameters used to characterize riparian buffers, onto generated outputs at field scale (sediment trapping efficiency) and at watershed scale (sediment loadings from different sources) were evaluated and quantified. The AnnAGNPS riparian buffer component represents an important step in understanding and accounting for the effect of riparian vegetation, existing and/or managed, in reducing sediment loads at the watershed scale. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Bringing order to the world of nanowire devices by phase shift lithography.

PubMed

Subannajui, Kittitat; Güder, Firat; Zacharias, Margit

2011-09-14

Semiconductor nanowire devices have several properties which match future requirements of scaling down the size of electronics. In typical microelectronics production, a number of microstructures are aligned precisely on top of each other during the fabrication process. In the case of nanowires, this mandatory condition is still hard to achieve. A technological breakthrough is needed to accurately place nanowires at any specific position and then form devices in mass production. In this article, an upscalable process combining conventional micromachining with phase shift lithography will be demonstrated as a suitable tool for nanowire device technology. Vertical Si and ZnO nanowires are demonstrated on very large (several cm(2)) areas. We demonstrate how the nanowire positions can be controlled, and the resulting nanowires are used for device fabrication. As an example Si/ZnO heterojunction diode arrays are fabricated. The electrical characterization of the produced devices has also been performed to confirm the functionality of the fabricated diodes.

Medical free-electron laser: fact or fiction?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, James P.; Ponikvar, Donald R.

1994-07-01

The free electron laser (FEL) has long been proposed as a flexible tool for a variety of medical applications, and yet the FEL has not seen widespread acceptance in the medical community. The issues have been the laser's size, cost, and complexity. Unfortunately, research on applications of FELs has outpaced the device development efforts. This paper describes the characteristics of the FEL, as they have been demonstrated in the U.S. Army's FEL technology development program, and identifies specific medical applications where demonstrated performance levels would suffice. This includes new photodynamic therapies for cancer and HIV treatment, orthopedic applications, tissue welding applications, and multiwavelength surgical techniques. A new tunable kilowatt class FEL device is described, which utilizes existing hardware from the U.S. Army program. An assessment of the future potential, based on realistic technology scaling is provided.

Lightwave Circuits in Lithium Niobate through Hybrid Waveguides with Silicon Photonics

PubMed Central

Weigel, Peter O.; Savanier, Marc; DeRose, Christopher T.; Pomerene, Andrew T.; Starbuck, Andrew L.; Lentine, Anthony L.; Stenger, Vincent; Mookherjea, Shayan

2016-01-01

We demonstrate a photonic waveguide technology based on a two-material core, in which light is controllably and repeatedly transferred back and forth between sub-micron thickness crystalline layers of Si and LN bonded to one another, where the former is patterned and the latter is not. In this way, the foundry-based wafer-scale fabrication technology for silicon photonics can be leveraged to form lithium-niobate based integrated optical devices. Using two different guided modes and an adiabatic mode transition between them, we demonstrate a set of building blocks such as waveguides, bends, and couplers which can be used to route light underneath an unpatterned slab of LN, as well as outside the LN-bonded region, thus enabling complex and compact lightwave circuits in LN alongside Si photonics with fabrication ease and low cost. PMID:26927022

Lightwave Circuits in Lithium Niobate through Hybrid Waveguides with Silicon Photonics.

PubMed

Weigel, Peter O; Savanier, Marc; DeRose, Christopher T; Pomerene, Andrew T; Starbuck, Andrew L; Lentine, Anthony L; Stenger, Vincent; Mookherjea, Shayan

2016-03-01

We demonstrate a photonic waveguide technology based on a two-material core, in which light is controllably and repeatedly transferred back and forth between sub-micron thickness crystalline layers of Si and LN bonded to one another, where the former is patterned and the latter is not. In this way, the foundry-based wafer-scale fabrication technology for silicon photonics can be leveraged to form lithium-niobate based integrated optical devices. Using two different guided modes and an adiabatic mode transition between them, we demonstrate a set of building blocks such as waveguides, bends, and couplers which can be used to route light underneath an unpatterned slab of LN, as well as outside the LN-bonded region, thus enabling complex and compact lightwave circuits in LN alongside Si photonics with fabrication ease and low cost.

Centimeter-Scale 2D van der Waals Vertical Heterostructures Integrated on Deformable Substrates Enabled by Gold Sacrificial Layer-Assisted Growth.

PubMed

Islam, Md Ashraful; Kim, Jung Han; Schropp, Anthony; Kalita, Hirokjyoti; Choudhary, Nitin; Weitzman, Dylan; Khondaker, Saiful I; Oh, Kyu Hwan; Roy, Tania; Chung, Hee-Suk; Jung, Yeonwoong

2017-10-11

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as molybdenum or tungsten disulfides (MoS 2 or WS 2 ) exhibit extremely large in-plane strain limits and unusual optical/electrical properties, offering unprecedented opportunities for flexible electronics/optoelectronics in new form factors. In order for them to be technologically viable building-blocks for such emerging technologies, it is critically demanded to grow/integrate them onto flexible or arbitrary-shaped substrates on a large wafer-scale compatible with the prevailing microelectronics processes. However, conventional approaches to assemble them on such unconventional substrates via mechanical exfoliations or coevaporation chemical growths have been limited to small-area transfers of 2D TMD layers with uncontrolled spatial homogeneity. Moreover, additional processes involving a prolonged exposure to strong chemical etchants have been required for the separation of as-grown 2D layers, which is detrimental to their material properties. Herein, we report a viable strategy to universally combine the centimeter-scale growth of various 2D TMD layers and their direct assemblies on mechanically deformable substrates. By exploring the water-assisted debonding of gold (Au) interfaced with silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), we demonstrate the direct growth, transfer, and integration of 2D TMD layers and heterostructures such as 2D MoS 2 and 2D MoS 2 /WS 2 vertical stacks on centimeter-scale plastic and metal foil substrates. We identify the dual function of the Au layer as a growth substrate as well as a sacrificial layer which facilitates 2D layer transfer. Furthermore, we demonstrate the versatility of this integration approach by fabricating centimeter-scale 2D MoS 2 /single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) vertical heterojunctions which exhibit current rectification and photoresponse. This study opens a pathway to explore large-scale 2D TMD van der Waals layers as device building blocks for emerging mechanically deformable electronics/optoelectronics.

Toward high-energy-density, high-efficiency, and moderate-temperature chip-scale thermophotovoltaics

PubMed Central

Chan, Walker R.; Bermel, Peter; Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert C. N.; Marton, Christopher H.; Jensen, Klavs F.; Senkevich, Jay J.; Joannopoulos, John D.; Soljačić, Marin; Celanovic, Ivan

2013-01-01

The challenging problem of ultra-high-energy-density, high-efficiency, and small-scale portable power generation is addressed here using a distinctive thermophotovoltaic energy conversion mechanism and chip-based system design, which we name the microthermophotovoltaic (μTPV) generator. The approach is predicted to be capable of up to 32% efficient heat-to-electricity conversion within a millimeter-scale form factor. Although considerable technological barriers need to be overcome to reach full performance, we have performed a robust experimental demonstration that validates the theoretical framework and the key system components. Even with a much-simplified μTPV system design with theoretical efficiency prediction of 2.7%, we experimentally demonstrate 2.5% efficiency. The μTPV experimental system that was built and tested comprises a silicon propane microcombustor, an integrated high-temperature photonic crystal selective thermal emitter, four 0.55-eV GaInAsSb thermophotovoltaic diodes, and an ultra-high-efficiency maximum power-point tracking power electronics converter. The system was demonstrated to operate up to 800 °C (silicon microcombustor temperature) with an input thermal power of 13.7 W, generating 344 mW of electric power over a 1-cm2 area. PMID:23440220

The synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) using continuous flow chemistry

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Summary The implementation of continuous flow processing as a key enabling technology has transformed the way we conduct chemistry and has expanded our synthetic capabilities. As a result many new preparative routes have been designed towards commercially relevant drug compounds achieving more efficient and reproducible manufacture. This review article aims to illustrate the holistic systems approach and diverse applications of flow chemistry to the preparation of pharmaceutically active molecules, demonstrating the value of this strategy towards every aspect ranging from synthesis, in-line analysis and purification to final formulation and tableting. Although this review will primarily concentrate on large scale continuous processing, additional selected syntheses using micro or meso-scaled flow reactors will be exemplified for key transformations and process control. It is hoped that the reader will gain an appreciation of the innovative technology and transformational nature that flow chemistry can leverage to an overall process. PMID:26425178

Quantum interference in heterogeneous superconducting-photonic circuits on a silicon chip.

PubMed

Schuck, C; Guo, X; Fan, L; Ma, X; Poot, M; Tang, H X

2016-01-21

Quantum information processing holds great promise for communicating and computing data efficiently. However, scaling current photonic implementation approaches to larger system size remains an outstanding challenge for realizing disruptive quantum technology. Two main ingredients of quantum information processors are quantum interference and single-photon detectors. Here we develop a hybrid superconducting-photonic circuit system to show how these elements can be combined in a scalable fashion on a silicon chip. We demonstrate the suitability of this approach for integrated quantum optics by interfering and detecting photon pairs directly on the chip with waveguide-coupled single-photon detectors. Using a directional coupler implemented with silicon nitride nanophotonic waveguides, we observe 97% interference visibility when measuring photon statistics with two monolithically integrated superconducting single-photon detectors. The photonic circuit and detector fabrication processes are compatible with standard semiconductor thin-film technology, making it possible to implement more complex and larger scale quantum photonic circuits on silicon chips.

Catalytic Hydrogenation of Bio-Oil for Chemicals and Fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elliott, Douglas C.

2006-02-14

The scope of work includes optimizing processing conditions and demonstrating catalyst lifetime for catalyst formulations that are readily scaleable to commercial operations. We use a bench-scale, continuous-flow, packed-bed, catalytic, tubular reactor, which can be operated in the range of 100-400 mL/hr., from 50-400 C and up to 20MPa (see Figure 1). With this unit we produce upgraded bio-oil from whole bio-oil or useful bio-oil fractions, specifically pyrolytic lignin. The product oils are fractionated, for example by distillation, for recovery of chemical product streams. Other products from our tests have been used in further testing in petroleum refining technology at UOPmore » and fractionation for product recovery in our own lab. Further scale-up of the technology is envisioned and we will carry out or support process design efforts with industrial partners, such as UOP.« less

Control of coherent information via on-chip photonic-phononic emitter-receivers.

PubMed

Shin, Heedeuk; Cox, Jonathan A; Jarecki, Robert; Starbuck, Andrew; Wang, Zheng; Rakich, Peter T

2015-03-05

Rapid progress in integrated photonics has fostered numerous chip-scale sensing, computing and signal processing technologies. However, many crucial filtering and signal delay operations are difficult to perform with all-optical devices. Unlike photons propagating at luminal speeds, GHz-acoustic phonons moving at slower velocities allow information to be stored, filtered and delayed over comparatively smaller length-scales with remarkable fidelity. Hence, controllable and efficient coupling between coherent photons and phonons enables new signal processing technologies that greatly enhance the performance and potential impact of integrated photonics. Here we demonstrate a mechanism for coherent information processing based on travelling-wave photon-phonon transduction, which achieves a phonon emit-and-receive process between distinct nanophotonic waveguides. Using this device, physics--which supports GHz frequencies--we create wavelength-insensitive radiofrequency photonic filters with frequency selectivity, narrow-linewidth and high power-handling in silicon. More generally, this emit-receive concept is the impetus for enabling new signal processing schemes.

Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing of Uropathogenic E. coli by Tracking Submicron Scale Motion of Single Bacterial Cells.

PubMed

Syal, Karan; Shen, Simon; Yang, Yunze; Wang, Shaopeng; Haydel, Shelley E; Tao, Nongjian

2017-08-25

To combat antibiotic resistance, a rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) technology that can identify resistant infections at disease onset is required. Current clinical AST technologies take 1-3 days, which is often too slow for accurate treatment. Here we demonstrate a rapid AST method by tracking sub-μm scale bacterial motion with an optical imaging and tracking technique. We apply the method to clinically relevant bacterial pathogens, Escherichia coli O157: H7 and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) loosely tethered to a glass surface. By analyzing dose-dependent sub-μm motion changes in a population of bacterial cells, we obtain the minimum bactericidal concentration within 2 h using human urine samples spiked with UPEC. We validate the AST method using the standard culture-based AST methods. In addition to population studies, the method allows single cell analysis, which can identify subpopulations of resistance strains within a sample.

Evaluation of a microwave based reactor for the treatment of blackwater sludge

PubMed Central

Mawioo, Peter M.; Rweyemamu, Audax; Garcia, Hector A.; Hooijmans, Christine M.; Brdjanovic, Damir

2016-01-01

A laboratory-scale microwave (MW) unit was applied to treat fresh blackwater sludge that represented fecal sludge (FS) produced at heavily used toilet facilities. The sludge was exposed to MW irradiation at different power levels and for various durations. Variables such as sludge volume and pathogen reduction were observed. The results demonstrated that the MW is a rapid and efficient technology that can reduce the sludge volume by over 70% in these experimental conditions. The concentration of bacterial pathogenic indicator E. coli also decreased to below the analytical detection levels. Furthermore, the results indicated that the MW operational conditions including radiation power and contact time can be varied to achieve the desired sludge volume and pathogen reduction. MW technology can be further explored for the potential scaling-up as an option for rapid treatment of FS from intensively used sanitation facilities such as in emergency situations. PMID:26799809

Scale-up of mild gasification to be a process development unit mildgas 24 ton/day PDU design report. Final report, November 1991--July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

From November 1991 to April 1996, Kerr McGee Coal Corporation (K-M Coal) led a project to develop the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) Mild Gasification (MILDGAS) process for near-term commercialization. The specific objectives of the program were to: design, construct, and operate a 24-tons/day adiabatic process development unit (PDU) to obtain process performance data suitable for further design scale-up; obtain large batches of coal-derived co-products for industrial evaluation; prepare a detailed design of a demonstration unit; and develop technical and economic plans for commercialization of the MILDGAS process. The project team for the PDU development program consisted of: K-M Coal,more » IGT, Bechtel Corporation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), General Motors (GM), Pellet Technology Corporation (PTC), LTV Steel, Armco Steel, Reilly Industries, and Auto Research.« less

The synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) using continuous flow chemistry.

PubMed

Baumann, Marcus; Baxendale, Ian R

2015-01-01

The implementation of continuous flow processing as a key enabling technology has transformed the way we conduct chemistry and has expanded our synthetic capabilities. As a result many new preparative routes have been designed towards commercially relevant drug compounds achieving more efficient and reproducible manufacture. This review article aims to illustrate the holistic systems approach and diverse applications of flow chemistry to the preparation of pharmaceutically active molecules, demonstrating the value of this strategy towards every aspect ranging from synthesis, in-line analysis and purification to final formulation and tableting. Although this review will primarily concentrate on large scale continuous processing, additional selected syntheses using micro or meso-scaled flow reactors will be exemplified for key transformations and process control. It is hoped that the reader will gain an appreciation of the innovative technology and transformational nature that flow chemistry can leverage to an overall process.

Integrated low emissions cleanup system for direct coal-fueled turbines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lippert, T.E.; Newby, R.A.; Alvin, M.A.

1992-01-01

The Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Science Technology Center (W-STC) is developing an Integrated Low Emissions Cleanup (ILEC) concept for high-temperature gas cleaning to meet environmental standards, as well as to economical gas turbine life. The ILEC concept simultaneously controls sulfur, particulate, and alkali contaminants in high-pressure fuel gases or combustion gases at temperatures up to 1850[degrees]F for advanced power generation systems (PFBC, APFBC, IGCC, DCF7). The objective of this program is to demonstrate, at a bench scale, the conceptual, technical feasibility of the REC concept. The ELEC development program has a 3 phase structure: Phase 1 - laboratory-scale testing; phase 2more » - bench-scale equipment; design and fabrication; and phase 3 - bench-scale testing. Phase 1 laboratory testing has been completed. In Phase 1, entrained sulfur and alkali sorbent kinetics were measured and evaluated, and commercial-scale performance was projected. Related cold flow model testing has shown that gas-particle contacting within the ceramic barrier filter vessel will provide a good reactor environment. The Phase 1 test results and the commercial evaluation conducted in the Phase 1 program support the bench-scale facility testing to be performed in Phase 3. Phase 2 is nearing completion with the design and assembly of a modified, bench-scale test facility to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the ILEC features. This feasibility testing will be conducted in Phase 3.« less

Integrated low emissions cleanup system for direct coal-fueled turbines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lippert, T.E.; Newby, R.A.; Alvin, M.A.

1992-12-31

The Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Science & Technology Center (W-STC) is developing an Integrated Low Emissions Cleanup (ILEC) concept for high-temperature gas cleaning to meet environmental standards, as well as to economical gas turbine life. The ILEC concept simultaneously controls sulfur, particulate, and alkali contaminants in high-pressure fuel gases or combustion gases at temperatures up to 1850{degrees}F for advanced power generation systems (PFBC, APFBC, IGCC, DCF7). The objective of this program is to demonstrate, at a bench scale, the conceptual, technical feasibility of the REC concept. The ELEC development program has a 3 phase structure: Phase 1 - laboratory-scale testing; phasemore » 2 - bench-scale equipment; design and fabrication; and phase 3 - bench-scale testing. Phase 1 laboratory testing has been completed. In Phase 1, entrained sulfur and alkali sorbent kinetics were measured and evaluated, and commercial-scale performance was projected. Related cold flow model testing has shown that gas-particle contacting within the ceramic barrier filter vessel will provide a good reactor environment. The Phase 1 test results and the commercial evaluation conducted in the Phase 1 program support the bench-scale facility testing to be performed in Phase 3. Phase 2 is nearing completion with the design and assembly of a modified, bench-scale test facility to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the ILEC features. This feasibility testing will be conducted in Phase 3.« less

The Soldier Fitness Tracker: global delivery of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness.

PubMed

Fravell, Mike; Nasser, Katherine; Cornum, Rhonda

2011-01-01

Carefully implemented technology strategies are vital to the success of large-scale initiatives such as the U.S. Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program. Achieving the U.S. Army's vision for CSF required a robust information technology platform that was scaled to millions of users and that leveraged the Internet to enable global reach. The platform needed to be agile, provide powerful real-time reporting, and have the capacity to quickly transform to meet emerging requirements. Existing organizational applications, such as "Single Sign-On," and authoritative data sources were exploited to the maximum extent possible. Development of the "Soldier Fitness Tracker" is the most recent, and possibly the best, demonstration of the potential benefits possible when existing organizational capabilities are married to new, innovative applications. Combining the capabilities of the extant applications with the newly developed applications expedited development, eliminated redundant data collection, resulted in the exceeding of program objectives, and produced a comfortable experience for the end user, all in less than six months. This is a model for future technology integration. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Advancements Toward Oil-Free Rotorcraft Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Samuel A.; Bruckner, Robert J.; Radil, Kevin C.

2010-01-01

NASA and the Army have been working for over a decade to advance the state-of-the-art (SOA) in Oil-Free Turbomachinery with an eye toward reduced emissions and maintenance, and increased performance and efficiency among other benefits. Oil-Free Turbomachinery is enabled by oil-free gas foil bearing technology and relatively new high-temperature tribological coatings. Rotorcraft propulsion is a likely candidate to apply oil-free bearing technology because the engine size class matches current SOA for foil bearings and because foil bearings offer the opportunity for higher speeds and temperatures and lower weight, all critical issues for rotorcraft engines. This paper describes an effort to demonstrate gas foil journal bearing use in the hot section of a full-scale helicopter engine core. A production engine hot-core location is selected as the candidate foil bearing application. Rotordynamic feasibility, bearing sizing, and load capability are assessed. The results of the program will help guide future analysis and design in this area by documenting the steps required and the process utilized for successful application of oil-free technology to a full-scale engine.

Mariner Venus Mercury 1973 S/X-band experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levy, G. S.

1977-01-01

The S/X-band experiment on the Mariner Venus/Mercury 1973 spacecraft constituted a unique opportunity to demonstrate the capability of an X-band downlink coherent with the normal S-band downlink. This was both a technological and scientific experiment, and the results indicated that it was successful in both cases. Analysis of the tracking data shows that the new S/X data type was capable of reducing the miss distance at the planet Mercury by 80% (post-processed data). The use of S/X electron content was demonstrated by comparison with Faraday rotation data. An X-band turnaround telemetry experiment showed the feasibility of a planetary X-band link. In the science area, the model atmospheric environment of Venus was refined. The ionosphere of the planet was measured to a higher accuracy than before, and the value of the dual-frequency link for measuring the scale size of turbulence was demonstrated. The estimate of the scale size was increased from 100 m to above 5 km.

Carbothermal Production of Magnesium: Csiro's Magsonic™ Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prentice, Leon H.; Nagle, Michael W.; Barton, Timothy R. D.; Tassios, Steven; Kuan, Benny T.; Witt, Peter J.; Constanti-Carey, Keri K.

Carbothermal production has been recognized as conceptually the simplest and cleanest route to magnesium metal, but has suffered from technical challenges of development and scale-up. Work by CSIRO has now successfully demonstrated the technology using supersonic quenching of magnesium vapor (the MagSonic™ Process). Key barriers to process development have been overcome: the experimental program has achieved sustained operation, no nozzle blockage, minimal reversion, and safe handling of pyrophoric powders. The laboratory equipment has been operated at industrially relevant magnesium vapor concentrations (>25% Mg) for multiple runs with no blockage. Novel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the shock quenching and metal vapor condensation has informed nozzle design and is supported by experimental data. Reversion below 10% has been demonstrated, and magnesium successfully purified (>99.9%) from the collected powder. Safe operating procedures have been developed and demonstrated, minimizing the risk of powder explosion. The MagSonic™ Process is now ready to progress to significantly larger scale and continuous operation.

Manufacture of poly(methyl methacrylate) microspheres using membrane emulsification

PubMed Central

Bux, Jaiyana; Manga, Mohamed S.; Hunter, Timothy N.

2016-01-01

Accurate control of particle size at relatively narrow polydispersity remains a key challenge in the production of synthetic polymer particles at scale. A cross-flow membrane emulsification (XME) technique was used here in the preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate) microspheres at a 1–10 l h−1 scale, to demonstrate its application for such a manufacturing challenge. XME technology has previously been shown to provide good control over emulsion droplet sizes with careful choice of the operating conditions. We demonstrate here that, for an appropriate formulation, equivalent control can be gained for a precursor emulsion in a batch suspension polymerization process. We report here the influence of key parameters on the emulsification process; we also demonstrate the close correlation in size between the precursor emulsion and the final polymer particles. Two types of polymer particle were produced in this work: a solid microsphere and an oil-filled matrix microcapsule. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Soft interfacial materials: from fundamentals to formulation’. PMID:27298430

DNA fingerprinting, DNA barcoding, and next generation sequencing technology in plants.

PubMed

Sucher, Nikolaus J; Hennell, James R; Carles, Maria C

2012-01-01

DNA fingerprinting of plants has become an invaluable tool in forensic, scientific, and industrial laboratories all over the world. PCR has become part of virtually every variation of the plethora of approaches used for DNA fingerprinting today. DNA sequencing is increasingly used either in combination with or as a replacement for traditional DNA fingerprinting techniques. A prime example is the use of short, standardized regions of the genome as taxon barcodes for biological identification of plants. Rapid advances in "next generation sequencing" (NGS) technology are driving down the cost of sequencing and bringing large-scale sequencing projects into the reach of individual investigators. We present an overview of recent publications that demonstrate the use of "NGS" technology for DNA fingerprinting and DNA barcoding applications.

TPV power source development for an unmanned undersea vehicle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holmquist, G.A.

The thermophotovoltaic (TPV) generation of electrical power promises efficiencies that are exploitable for military and commercial applications. TPV offers a combination of unique characteristics as a power source for military Unmanned Undersea Vehicles. In civilian applications TPV technology offers the potential for lightweight, rugged, and reliable power systems that can be environmentally benign. These systems can use a variety of fuels and can be scaled up in size. TPV is truly a dual use technology in which the United States appears to have a technical lead. The focus of the current Quantum program is the maturation of the technology andmore » the demonstration of a 10 kilowatt generator. Preliminary results of this project are presented.« less

Building and measuring a high performance network architecture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kramer, William T.C.; Toole, Timothy; Fisher, Chuck

2001-04-20

Once a year, the SC conferences present a unique opportunity to create and build one of the most complex and highest performance networks in the world. At SC2000, large-scale and complex local and wide area networking connections were demonstrated, including large-scale distributed applications running on different architectures. This project was designed to use the unique opportunity presented at SC2000 to create a testbed network environment and then use that network to demonstrate and evaluate high performance computational and communication applications. This testbed was designed to incorporate many interoperable systems and services and was designed for measurement from the very beginning.more » The end results were key insights into how to use novel, high performance networking technologies and to accumulate measurements that will give insights into the networks of the future.« less

Extending the reach of health care for obesity and diabetes using virtual worlds.

PubMed

Morie, Jacquelyn Ford; Chance, Eric

2011-03-01

Today's epidemic of obesity and diabetes poses challenges to health care similar to those facing soldiers who return with postdeployment mental health issues. These include geographic barriers, social stigma, and the need for behavioral change. Researchers at University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies are adapting their extensive experience in technological solutions for training to techniques that can aid veterans in need. These techniques show promise for concerns in the growing crisis of "diabesity." Virtual reality (VR) has already demonstrated itself as an impactful treatment method for several behavioral and mental health domains. Virtual worlds, the successor technology of original VR, inherited many of its predecessor's strengths but also presents the new affordances of accessibility, social connectivity, and avatar usage, which pave the way toward future treatment options on a broader scale. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

Development of test methods for scale model simulation of aerial applications in the NASA Langley Vortex Research Facility. [agricultural aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, F. L., Jr.

1980-01-01

As part of basic research to improve aerial applications technology, methods were developed at the Langley Vortex Research Facility to simulate and measure deposition patterns of aerially-applied sprays and granular materials by means of tests with small-scale models of agricultural aircraft and dynamically-scaled test particles. Interactions between the aircraft wake and the dispersed particles are being studied with the objective of modifying wake characteristics and dispersal techniques to increase swath width, improve deposition pattern uniformity, and minimize drift. The particle scaling analysis, test methods for particle dispersal from the model aircraft, visualization of particle trajectories, and measurement and computer analysis of test deposition patterns are described. An experimental validation of the scaling analysis and test results that indicate improved control of chemical drift by use of winglets are presented to demonstrate test methods.

High Performance, Low Cost Hydrogen Generation from Renewable Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ayers, Katherine; Dalton, Luke; Roemer, Andy

Renewable hydrogen from proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis is gaining strong interest in Europe, especially in Germany where wind penetration is already at critical levels for grid stability. For this application as well as biogas conversion and vehicle fueling, megawatt (MW) scale electrolysis is required. Proton has established a technology roadmap to achieve the necessary cost reductions and manufacturing scale up to maintain U.S. competitiveness in these markets. This project represents a highly successful example of the potential for cost reduction in PEM electrolysis, and provides the initial stack design and manufacturing development for Proton’s MW scale product launch. Themore » majority of the program focused on the bipolar assembly, from electrochemical modeling to subscale stack development through prototyping and manufacturing qualification for a large active area cell platform. Feasibility for an advanced membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with 50% reduction in catalyst loading was also demonstrated. Based on the progress in this program and other parallel efforts, H2A analysis shows the status of PEM electrolysis technology dropping below $3.50/kg production costs, exceeding the 2015 target.« less

Fission Surface Power Technology Development Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palac, Donald T.; Mason, Lee S.; Houts, Michael G.; Harlow, Scott

2011-01-01

Power is a critical consideration in planning exploration of the surfaces of the Moon, Mars, and places beyond. Nuclear power is an important option, especially for locations in the solar system where sunlight is limited or environmental conditions are challenging (e.g., extreme cold, dust storms). NASA and the Department of Energy are maintaining the option for fission surface power for the Moon and Mars by developing and demonstrating technology for a fission surface power system. The Fission Surface Power Systems project has focused on subscale component and subsystem demonstrations to address the feasibility of a low-risk, low-cost approach to space nuclear power for surface missions. Laboratory demonstrations of the liquid metal pump, reactor control drum drive, power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution technologies have validated that the fundamental characteristics and performance of these components and subsystems are consistent with a Fission Surface Power preliminary reference concept. In addition, subscale versions of a non-nuclear reactor simulator, using electric resistance heating in place of the reactor fuel, have been built and operated with liquid metal sodium-potassium and helium/xenon gas heat transfer loops, demonstrating the viability of establishing system-level performance and characteristics of fission surface power technologies without requiring a nuclear reactor. While some component and subsystem testing will continue through 2011 and beyond, the results to date provide sufficient confidence to proceed with system level technology readiness demonstration. To demonstrate the system level readiness of fission surface power in an operationally relevant environment (the primary goal of the Fission Surface Power Systems project), a full scale, 1/4 power Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) is under development. The TDU will consist of a non-nuclear reactor simulator, a sodium-potassium heat transfer loop, a power conversion unit with electrical controls, and a heat rejection system with a multi-panel radiator assembly. Testing is planned at the Glenn Research Center Vacuum Facility 6 starting in 2012, with vacuum and liquid-nitrogen cold walls to provide simulation of operationally relevant environments. A nominal two-year test campaign is planned including a Phase 1 reactor simulator and power conversion test followed by a Phase 2 integrated system test with radiator panel heat rejection. The testing is expected to demonstrate the readiness and availability of fission surface power as a viable power system option for NASA's exploration needs. In addition to surface power, technology development work within this project is also directly applicable to in-space fission power and propulsion systems.

Improving Paper Machine Efficiency/Productivity through On-line Control

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cyrus K Aidun

2007-08-31

This project involves implementing a new technology, microforming, in a headbox to produce an isotropic sheet with significant reductions in the MD/CD stiffness ratio (increasing CD specific STFI) and improved sheet uniformity. Microforming involves generating axial vorticity (i.e., swirl) prior to the converging nozzle of the headbox by retrofitting an existing tube block with swirl generation devices referred to as Vortigen system. The Vortigen system developed in this project is a retrofit technology to a hydraulic headbox tube block. The tubes in the tube block are re-designed to generate axial vorticity (or swirl) in the tubes. This type of flowmore » results in higher intensity small-scale turbulence in the forming jet at the slice. The net effect, as demonstrated in pilot and commercial trials, is improvement in formation and surface smoothness, lower MD/CD tensile ratio, and consequently, higher CD strength properties such as CD STFI, Ring Crush and tensile or breaking length. The objective of this project is to implement microforming by developing the retrofit technology for generation and on-line control of axial vorticity in the tubes to optimize turbulent scale and intensity, and consequently, fiber network structure properties in the sheet. This technology results in significant improvements in the performance and capital effectiveness of the paper machine (PM) for a fraction of the cost to replace a headbox. In this project we have developed and demonstrated the concept of generating axial vorticity to control the fiber orientation in the converging zone of the headbox, and to produce a sheet with isotropic fiber orientation. The technology developed here has been demonstrated in static form on several pilot trials and two series of commercial trials. The economic feasibility of this technology is based primarily on fiber savings in cases where a more isotropic fiber orientation can be used to reduce the basis weight of the product. Even a 5% decrease in basis weight will results in substantial savings covering the cost of a commercial retrofit in 6 months or less in a medium size machine. The project also resulted in significant amount of information on fiber orientation in turbulent flow and in a converging nozzle where the results can be used in other applications, such as formation of composite materials. Several MS and Ph.D. students and postdoctoral associates have been trained as part of this project.« less

An analysis of microsystems development at Sandia National Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera, Gilbert V.; Myers, David R.

2011-06-01

While Sandia initially was motivated to investigate emergent microsystem technology to miniaturize existing macroscale structures, present designs embody innovative approaches that directly exploit the fundamentally different material properties of a new technology at the micro- and nano-scale. Direct, hands-on experience with the emerging technology gave Sandia engineers insights that not only guided the evolution of the technology but also enabled them to address new applications that enlarged the customer base for the new technology. Sandia's early commitment to develop complex microsystems demonstrated the advantages that early adopters gain by developing an extensive design and process tool kit and a shared awareness of multiple approaches to achieve the multiple goals. As with any emergent technology, Sandia's program benefited from interactions with the larger technical community. However, custom development followed a spiral path of direct trial-and-error experience, analysis, quantification of materials properties at the micro- and nano-scale, evolution of design tools and process recipes, and an understanding of reliability factors and failure mechanisms even in extreme environments. The microsystems capability at Sandia relied on three key elements. The first was people: a mix of mechanical and semiconductor engineers, chemists, physical scientists, designers, and numerical analysts. The second was a unique facility that enabled the development of custom technologies without contaminating mainline product deliveries. The third was the arrival of specialized equipment as part of a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) enabled by the National Competitiveness Technology Transfer Act of 1989. Underpinning all these, the program was guided and sustained through the research and development phases by accomplishing intermediate milestones addressing direct mission needs.

Technology demonstration for reusable launchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baiocco, P.; Bonnal, Ch.

2016-03-01

Reusable launchers have been studied under CNES contracts for more than 30 years, with early concepts such as STS-2000 or Oriflamme, more recently with very significant efforts devoted to Liquid Fly Back Boosters as with the Bargouzin project led with Tsniimash, TSTO with the Everest concept studied by Airbus-DS as prime contractor or the RFS Reusable First Stage concept of a large first stage associated to a cryotechnic second stage. These investigations, summarized in the first part of the paper, enabled CNES to identify clearly the technology requirements associated to reusability, as well as cost efficiency through detailed non-recurring costs and mission costs analysis. In parallel, CNES set in place development logic for sub-systems and equipment based on demonstrators, hardware test benches enabling maturation of technologies up to a TRL such that an actual development can be decided with limited risk. This philosophy has been applied so far to a large number of cases, such as TPTech and TPX for Hydrogen turbo pump, GGPX as demonstrator of innovative gas generator, HX demonstrator of modern cryotechnic upper stage with a dozen of different objectives (Thermal Protection, 20K Helium storage, measurements …). This virtuous approach, "learn as you test", is currently applied in the phased approach towards scaled down reusable booster stage, whose possibility to be used as first stage of a microlaunch vehicle is under investigation. The selected technologies allow paving the way towards reusable booster stages for Ariane 6 evolutions or main reusable stage for a further generation of heavy launchers. The paper describes the logic behind this project, together with the demonstration objectives set for the various sub-systems as well as operations.

Environmental restoration and waste management: Robotics technology development program: Robotics 5-year program plan. [Contains glossary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This plan covers robotics Research, Development, Demonstration, Testing, activities in the Program for the next five years. These activities range from bench-scale R D to fullscale hot demonstrations at DOE sites. This plan outlines applications of existing technology to near-term needs, the development and application of enhanced technology for longer-term needs, and an initiation of advanced technology development to meet those needs beyond the five-year plan. The objective of the Robotic Technology Development (RTDP) is to develop and apply robotics technologies that will enable Environmental Restoration and Waste Management operations at DOE sites to be safer, faster and cheaper. Fivemore » priority DOE sites were visited in March 1990 to identify needs for robotics technology in ER WM operations. This 5-Year Program Plan for the RTDP detailed annual plans for robotics technology development based on identified needs. This 5-Year Program Plan discusses the overall approach to be adopted by the RTDP to aggressively develop robotics technology and contains discussions of the Program Management Plan, Site Visit and Needs Summary, Approach to Needs-Directed Technical Development, Application-Specific Technical Development, and Cross-Cutting and Advanced Technology. Integrating application-specific ER WM needs, the current state of robotics technology, and the potential benefits (in terms of faster, safer, and cheaper) of new technology, the Plan develops application-specific road maps for robotics RDDT E for the period FY 1991 through FY 1995. In addition, the Plan identifies areas where longer-term research in robotics will have a high payoff in the 5- to 20-year time frame. 12 figs.« less

High-Lift Engine Aeroacoustics Technology (HEAT) Test Program Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuniga, Fanny A.; Smith, Brian E.

1999-01-01

The NASA High-Speed Research program developed the High-Lift Engine Aeroacoustics Technology (HEAT) program to demonstrate satisfactory interaction between the jet noise suppressor and high-lift system of a High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) configuration at takeoff, climb, approach and landing conditions. One scheme for reducing jet exhaust noise generated by an HSCT is the use of a mixer-ejector system which would entrain large quantities of ambient air into the nozzle exhaust flow through secondary inlets in order to cool and slow the jet exhaust before it exits the nozzle. The effectiveness of such a noise suppression device must be evaluated in the presence of an HSCT wing high-lift system before definitive assessments can be made concerning its acoustic performance. In addition, these noise suppressors must provide the required acoustic attenuation while not degrading the thrust efficiency of the propulsion system or the aerodynamic performance of the high-lift devices on the wing. Therefore, the main objective of the HEAT program is to demonstrate these technologies and understand their interactions on a large-scale HSCT model. The HEAT program is a collaborative effort between NASA-Ames, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, Douglas Aircraft Corp., Lockheed-Georgia, General Electric and NASA - Lewis. The suppressor nozzles used in the tests were Generation 1 2-D mixer-ejector nozzles made by General Electric. The model used was a 13.5%-scale semi-span model of a Boeing Reference H configuration.

AO wavefront sensing detector developments at ESO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downing, Mark; Kolb, Johann; Baade, Dietrich; Iwert, Olaf; Hubin, Norbert; Reyes, Javier; Feautrier, Philippe; Gach, Jean-Luc; Balard, Philippe; Guillaume, Christian; Stadler, Eric; Magnard, Yves

2010-07-01

The detector is a critical component of any Adaptive Optics WaveFront Sensing (AO WFS) system. The required combination of fast frame rate, high quantum efficiency, low noise, large number and size of pixels, and low image lag can often only be met by specialized custom developments. ESO's very active WFS detector development program is described. Key test results are presented for newly developed detectors: a) the e2v L3Vision CCD220 (the fastest/lowest noise AO detector to date) to be deployed soon on 2nd Generation VLT instruments, and b) the MPI-HLL pnCCD with its superb high "red" response. The development of still more advanced laser/natural guide-star WFS detectors is critical for the feasibility of ESO's EELT. The paper outlines: a) the multi-phased development plan that will ensure detectors are available on-time for EELT first-light AO systems, b) results of design studies performed by industry during 2007 including a comparison of the most promising technologies, c) results from CMOS technology demonstrators that were built and tested over the past two years to assess and validate various technologies at the pixel level, their fulfillment of critical requirements (especially read noise and speed), and scalability to full-size. The next step will be towards Scaled-Down Demonstrators (SDD) to retire architecture and process risks. The SDD will be large enough to be used for E-ELT first-light AO WFS systems. For full operability, 30-50 full-scale devices will be needed.

A Mock UF6 Feed and Withdrawal System for Testing Safeguards Monitoring Systems and Strategies Intended for Nuclear Fuel Enrichment and Processing Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krichinsky, Alan M; Bates, Bruce E; Chesser, Joel B

2009-12-01

This report describes an engineering-scale, mock UF6 feed and withdrawal (F&W) system, its operation, and its intended uses. This system has been assembled to provide a test bed for evaluating and demonstrating new methodologies that can be used in remote, unattended, continuous monitoring of nuclear material process operations. These measures are being investigated to provide independent inspectors improved assurance that operations are being conducted within declared parameters, and to increase the overall effectiveness of safeguarding nuclear material. Testing applicable technologies on a mock F&W system, which uses water as a surrogate for UF6, enables thorough and cost-effective investigation of hardware,more » software, and operational strategies before their direct installation in an industrial nuclear material processing environment. Electronic scales used for continuous load-cell monitoring also are described as part of the basic mock F&W system description. Continuous monitoring components on the mock F&W system are linked to a data aggregation computer by a local network, which also is depicted. Data collection and storage systems are described only briefly in this report. The mock UF{sub 6} F&W system is economical to operate. It uses a simple process involving only a surge tank between feed tanks and product and withdrawal (or waste) tanks. The system uses water as the transfer fluid, thereby avoiding the use of hazardous UF{sub 6}. The system is not tethered to an operating industrial process involving nuclear materials, thereby allowing scenarios (e.g., material diversion) that cannot be conducted otherwise. These features facilitate conducting experiments that yield meaningful results with a minimum of expenditure and quick turnaround time. Technologies demonstrated on the engineering-scale system lead to field trials (described briefly in this report) for determining implementation issues and performance of the monitoring technologies under plant operating conditions. The ultimate use of technologies tested on the engineering-scale test bed is to work with safeguards agencies to install them in operating plants (e.g., enrichment and fuel processing plants), thereby promoting new safeguards measures with minimal impact to operating plants. In addition, this system is useful in identifying features for new plants that can be incorporated as part of 'safeguards by design,' in which load cells and other monitoring technologies are specified to provide outputs for automated monitoring and inspector evaluation.« less

Superconductor Digital-RF Receiver Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhanov, Oleg A.; Kirichenko, Dmitri; Vernik, Igor V.; Filippov, Timur V.; Kirichenko, Alexander; Webber, Robert; Dotsenko, Vladimir; Talalaevskii, Andrei; Tang, Jia Cao; Sahu, Anubhav; Shevchenko, Pavel; Miller, Robert; Kaplan, Steven B.; Sarwana, Saad; Gupta, Deepnarayan

Digital superconductor electronics has been experiencing rapid maturation with the emergence of smaller-scale, lower-cost communications applications which became the major technology drivers. These applications are primarily in the area of wireless communications, radar, and surveillance as well as in imaging and sensor systems. In these areas, the fundamental advantages of superconductivity translate into system benefits through novel Digital-RF architectures with direct digitization of wide band, high frequency radio frequency (RF) signals. At the same time the availability of relatively small 4K cryocoolers has lowered the foremost market barrier for cryogenically-cooled digital electronic systems. Recently, we have achieved a major breakthrough in the development, demonstration, and successful delivery of the cryocooled superconductor digital-RF receivers directly digitizing signals in a broad range from kilohertz to gigahertz. These essentially hybrid-technology systems combine a variety of superconductor and semiconductor technologies packaged with two-stage commercial cryocoolers: cryogenic Nb mixed-signal and digital circuits based on Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) technology, room-temperature amplifiers, FPGA processing and control circuitry. The demonstrated cryocooled digital-RF systems are the world's first and fastest directly digitizing receivers operating with live satellite signals in X-band and performing signal acquisition in HF to L-band at ˜30GHz clock frequencies.

High-Performance Multi-Fuel AMTEC Power System

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-12-01

AMTEC technology has demonstrated thermal to electric conversion efficiencies and power densities which make it an attractive option for meso-scaic...power generation. This report details development of an integrated, logistics-fueled, 500 W AMTEC power supply. The development targeted 2O% AMTEC ...cylindrical multi-tube/single cell AMTEC configuration with effective management of alkali metal flow; scaling down and integrating a multi-fuel micro-combustor

Staged Catalytic Partial Oxidation (SCPO) System - The State of Art Integrated Short Contact Time Hydrogen Generator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ke Liu; Jin Ki Hong; Wei Wei

Research and development on hydrogen and syngas production have great potential in addressing the following challenges in energy arena: (1) produce more clean fuels to meet the increasing demands for clean liquid and gaseous fuels for transportation and electricity generation, (2) increase the efficiency of energy utilization for fuels and electricity production, and (3) eliminate the pollutants and decouple the link between energy utilization and greenhouse gas emissions in end-use systems [Song, 2006, Liu, Song & Subramani 2009]. In this project, GE Global Research (GEGR) collaborated with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and the University of Minnesota (UoMn), developed and demonstratedmore » a low cost, compact staged catalytic partial oxidation (SCPO) technology for distributed hydrogen generation. GEGR analyzed different reforming system designs, and developed the SCPO reforming system which is a unique technology staging and integrating 3 different short contact time catalysts in a single, compact reactor: catalytic partial oxidation (CPO), steam methane reforming (SMR) and water-gas shift (WGS). This integration is demonstrated via the fabrication of a prototype scale unit of each key technology. Approaches for key technical challenges of the program includes: · Analyzed different system designs · Designed the SCPO hydrogen production system · Developed highly active and sulfur tolerant CPO catalysts · Designed and built different pilot-scale reactors to demonstrate each key technology · Evaluated different operating conditions · Quantified the efficiency and cost of the system · Developed process design package (PDP) for 1500 kg H2/day distributed H2 production unit. SCPO met the Department of Energy (DOE) and GE’s cost and efficiency targets for distributed hydrogen production.« less

Remote modulation of neural activities via near-infrared triggered release of biomolecules.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Luo, Rongcong; Lin, Xudong; Jadhav, Amol D; Zhang, Zicong; Yan, Li; Chan, Chung-Yuan; Chen, Xianfeng; He, Jufang; Chen, Chia-Hung; Shi, Peng

2015-10-01

The capability to remotely control the release of biomolecules provides an unique opportunity to monitor and regulate neural signaling, which spans extraordinary spatial and temporal scales. While various strategies, including local perfusion, molecular "uncaging", or photosensitive polymeric materials, have been applied to achieve controlled releasing of neuro-active substances, it is still challenging to adopt these technologies in many experimental contexts that require a straightforward but versatile loading-releasing mechanism. Here, we develop a synthetic strategy for remotely controllable releasing of neuro-modulating molecules. This platform is based on microscale composite hydrogels that incorporate polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles as photo-thermal transducers and is triggered by near-infrared-light (NIR) irradiation. Specifically, we first demonstrate the utility of our technology by recapitulating the "turning assay" and "collapse assay", which involve localized treatment of chemotactic factors (e.g. Netrin or Semaphorin 3A) to subcellular neural elements and have been extensively used in studying axonal pathfinding. On a network scale, the photo-sensitive microgels are also validated for light-controlled releasing of neurotransmitters (e.g. glutamate). A single NIR-triggered release is sufficient to change the dynamics of a cultured hippocampal neuron network. Taking the advantage of NIR's capability to penetrate deep into live tissue, this technology is further shown to work similarly well in vivo, which is evidenced by synchronized spiking activity in response to NIR-triggered delivery of glutamate in rat auditory cortex, demonstrating remote control of brain activity without any genetic modifications. Notably, our nano-composite microgels are capable of delivering various molecules, ranging from small chemicals to large proteins, without involving any crosslinking chemistry. Such great versatility and ease-of-use will likely make our optically-controlled delivery technology a general and important tool in cell biology research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy-efficient miniature-scale heat pumping based on shape memory alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ossmer, Hinnerk; Wendler, Frank; Gueltig, Marcel; Lambrecht, Franziska; Miyazaki, Shuichi; Kohl, Manfred

2016-08-01

Cooling and thermal management comprise a major part of global energy consumption. The by far most widespread cooling technology today is vapor compression, reaching rather high efficiencies, but promoting global warming due to the use of environmentally harmful refrigerants. For widespread emerging applications using microelectronics and micro-electro-mechanical systems, thermoelectrics is the most advanced technology, which however hardly reaches coefficients of performance (COP) above 2.0. Here, we introduce a new approach for energy-efficient heat pumping using the elastocaloric effect in shape memory alloys. This development is mainly targeted at applications on miniature scales, while larger scales are envisioned by massive parallelization. Base materials are cold-rolled textured Ti49.1Ni50.5Fe0.4 foils of 30 μm thickness showing an adiabatic temperature change of +20/-16 K upon superelastic loading/unloading. Different demonstrator layouts consisting of mechanically coupled bridge structures with large surface-to-volume ratios are developed allowing for control by a single actuator as well as work recovery. Heat transfer times are in the order of 1 s, being orders of magnitude faster than for bulk geometries. Thus, first demonstrators achieve values of specific heating and cooling power of 4.5 and 2.9 W g-1, respectively. A maximum temperature difference of 9.4 K between heat source and sink is reached within 2 min. Corresponding COP on the device level are 4.9 (heating) and 3.1 (cooling).

Improving soil bacterial taxa–area relationships assessment using DNA meta-barcoding

PubMed Central

Terrat, S; Dequiedt, S; Horrigue, W; Lelievre, M; Cruaud, C; Saby, N P A; Jolivet, C; Arrouays, D; Maron, P-A; Ranjard, L; Chemidlin Prévost-Bouré, N

2015-01-01

The evaluation of the taxa–area relationship (TAR) with molecular fingerprinting data demonstrated the spatial structuration of soil microorganisms and provided insights into the processes shaping their diversity. The increasing use of massive sequencing technologies in biodiversity investigations has now raised the question of the advantages of such technologies over the fingerprinting approach for elucidation of the determinism of soil microbial community assembly in broad-scale biogeographic studies. Our objectives in this study were to compare DNA fingerprinting and meta-barcoding approaches for evaluating soil bacterial TAR and the determinism of soil bacterial community assembly on a broad scale. This comparison was performed on 392 soil samples from four French geographic regions with different levels of environmental heterogeneity. Both molecular approaches demonstrated a TAR with a significant slope but, because of its more sensitive description of soil bacterial community richness, meta-barcoding provided significantly higher and more accurate estimates of turnover rates. Both approaches were useful in evidencing the processes shaping bacterial diversity variations on a broad scale. When different taxonomic resolutions were considered for meta-barcoding data, they significantly influenced the estimation of turnover rates but not the relative importance of each component process. Altogether, DNA meta-barcoding provides a more accurate evaluation of the TAR and may lead to re-examination of the processes shaping soil bacterial community assembly. This should provide new insights into soil microbial ecology in the context of sustainable use of soil resources. PMID:25293875

Energy Efficient Engine acoustic supporting technology report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lavin, S. P.; Ho, P. Y.

1985-01-01

The acoustic development of the Energy Efficient Engine combined testing and analysis using scale model rigs and an integrated Core/Low Spool demonstration engine. The scale model tests show that a cut-on blade/vane ratio fan with a large spacing (S/C = 2.3) is as quiet as a cut-off blade/vane ratio with a tighter spacing (S/C = 1.27). Scale model mixer tests show that separate flow nozzles are the noisiest, conic nozzles the quietest, with forced mixers in between. Based on projections of ICLS data the Energy Efficient Engine (E3) has FAR 36 margins of 3.7 EPNdB at approach, 4.5 EPNdB at full power takeoff, and 7.2 EPNdB at sideline conditions.

NASA Agricultural Aircraft Research Program in the Langley Vortex Research Facility and the Langley Full Scale Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, F. L., Jr.; Mclemore, H. C.; Bragg, M. B.

1978-01-01

The current status of aerial applications technology research at the Langley's Vortex Research Facility and Full-Scale Wind Tunnel is reviewed. Efforts have been directed mainly toward developing and validating the required experimental and theoretical research tools. A capability to simulate aerial dispersal of materials from agricultural airplanes with small-scale airplane models, numerical methods, and dynamically scaled test particles was demonstrated. Tests on wake modification concepts have proved the feasibility of tailoring wake properties aerodynamically to produce favorable changes in deposition and to provide drift control. An aerodynamic evaluation of the Thrush Commander 800 agricultural airplane with various dispersal systems installed is described. A number of modifications intended to provide system improvement to both airplane and dispersal system are examined, and a technique for documenting near-field spray characteristics is evaluated.

Artist concept of X-33 and Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This artist's rendering depicts the NASA/Lockheed Martin X-33 technology demonstrator alongside the Venturestar, a Single-Stage-To-Orbit (SSTO) Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). The X-33, a half-scale prototype for the Venturestar, is scheduled to be flight tested in 1999. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, plays a key role in the development and flight testing of the X-33. The RLV technology program is a cooperative agreement between NASA and industry. The goal of the RLV technology program is to enable signifigant reductions in the cost of access to space, and to promote the creation and delivery of new space services and other activities that will improve U.S. economic competitiveness. NASA Headquarter's Office of Space Access and Technology is overseeing the RLV program, which is being managed by the RLV Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, located in Huntsville, Alabama. The X-33 was a wedged-shaped subscale technology demonstrator prototype of a potential future Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) that Lockheed Martin had dubbed VentureStar. The company had hoped to develop VentureStar early this century. Through demonstration flight and ground research, NASA's X-33 program was to provide the information needed for industry representatives such as Lockheed Martin to decide whether to proceed with the development of a full-scale, commercial RLV program. A full-scale, single-stage-to-orbit RLV was to dramatically increase reliability and lower costs of putting a pound of payload into space, from the current figure of $10,000 to $1,000. Reducing the cost associated with transporting payloads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by using a commercial RLV was to create new opportunities for space access and significantly improve U.S. economic competitiveness in the world-wide launch marketplace. NASA expected to be a customer, not the operator, of the commercial RLV. The X-33 design was based on a lifting body shape with two revolutionary 'linear aerospike' rocket engines and a rugged metallic thermal protection system. The vehicle also had lightweight components and fuel tanks built to conform to the vehicle's outer shape. Time between X-33 flights was normally to have been seven days, but the program had hoped to demonstrate a two-day turnaround between flights during the flight-test phase of the program. The X-33 was to have been an unpiloted vehicle that took off vertically like a rocket and landed horizontally like an airplane. It was to have reached altitudes of up to 50 miles and high hypersonic speeds. The X-33 program was managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center and was to have been launched at a special launch site on Edwards Air Force Base. Due to technical problems with the liquid hydrogen tank, and the resulting cost increase and time delay, the X-33 program was cancelled in February 2001.

Very large scale heterogeneous integration (VLSHI) and wafer-level vacuum packaging for infrared bolometer focal plane arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsberg, Fredrik; Roxhed, Niclas; Fischer, Andreas C.; Samel, Björn; Ericsson, Per; Hoivik, Nils; Lapadatu, Adriana; Bring, Martin; Kittilsland, Gjermund; Stemme, Göran; Niklaus, Frank

2013-09-01

Imaging in the long wavelength infrared (LWIR) range from 8 to 14 μm is an extremely useful tool for non-contact measurement and imaging of temperature in many industrial, automotive and security applications. However, the cost of the infrared (IR) imaging components has to be significantly reduced to make IR imaging a viable technology for many cost-sensitive applications. This paper demonstrates new and improved fabrication and packaging technologies for next-generation IR imaging detectors based on uncooled IR bolometer focal plane arrays. The proposed technologies include very large scale heterogeneous integration for combining high-performance, SiGe quantum-well bolometers with electronic integrated read-out circuits and CMOS compatible wafer-level vacuum packing. The fabrication and characterization of bolometers with a pitch of 25 μm × 25 μm that are arranged on read-out-wafers in arrays with 320 × 240 pixels are presented. The bolometers contain a multi-layer quantum well SiGe thermistor with a temperature coefficient of resistance of -3.0%/K. The proposed CMOS compatible wafer-level vacuum packaging technology uses Cu-Sn solid-liquid interdiffusion (SLID) bonding. The presented technologies are suitable for implementation in cost-efficient fabless business models with the potential to bring about the cost reduction needed to enable low-cost IR imaging products for industrial, security and automotive applications.

JV Task 98 - Controlling Mercury Emissions for Utilities Firing Lignites from North America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steven Benson

2007-06-15

This project compiled and summarized the findings and conclusions of research, development, and demonstration projects on controlling mercury from lignite coals. A significant amount of work has been conducted since 1994 on mercury in lignite, mercury measurement in flue gases, sorbent, sorbent enhancement additives, oxidation agent development, and full-scale demonstration of mercury control technologies. This report is focused on providing the lignite industry with an understanding of mercury issues associated with the combustion of lignite, as well as providing vital information on the methods to control mercury emissions in coal-fired power plants.

Recovery Act. Demonstration of a Pilot Integrated Biorefinery for the Efficient, Direct Conversion of Biomass to Diesel Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schuetzle, Dennis; Tamblyn, Greg; Caldwell, Matt

2015-05-12

The Renewable Energy Institute International, in collaboration with Greyrock Energy and Red Lion Bio-Energy (RLB) has successfully demonstrated operation of a 25 ton per day (tpd) nameplate capacity, pilot, pre-commercial-scale integrated biorefinery (IBR) plant for the direct production of premium, “drop-in”, synthetic fuels from agriculture and forest waste feedstocks using next-generation thermochemical and catalytic conversion technologies. The IBR plant was built and tested at the Energy Center, which is located in the University of Toledo Medical Campus in Toledo, Ohio.

Spin torque switching of 20 nm magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gajek, M.; Nowak, J. J.; Sun, J. Z.; Trouilloud, P. L.; O'Sullivan, E. J.; Abraham, D. W.; Gaidis, M. C.; Hu, G.; Brown, S.; Zhu, Y.; Robertazzi, R. P.; Gallagher, W. J.; Worledge, D. C.

2012-03-01

Spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) is one of the most promising emerging non-volatile memory technologies. MRAM has so far been demonstrated with a unique combination of density, speed, and non-volatility in a single chip, however, without the capability to replace any single mainstream memory. In this paper, we demonstrate the basic physics of spin torque switching in 20 nm diameter magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy materials. This deep scaling capability clearly indicates the STT MRAM device itself may be suitable for integration at much higher densities than previously proven.

Trapping of drops by wetting defects

PubMed Central

't Mannetje, Dieter; Ghosh, Somnath; Lagraauw, Rudy; Otten, Simon; Pit, Arjen; Berendsen, Christian; Zeegers, Jos; van den Ende, Dirk; Mugele, Frieder

2014-01-01

Controlling the motion of drops on solid surfaces is crucial in many natural phenomena and technological processes including the collection and removal of rain drops, cleaning technology and heat exchangers. Topographic and chemical heterogeneities on solid surfaces give rise to pinning forces that can capture and steer drops in desired directions. Here we determine general physical conditions required for capturing sliding drops on an inclined plane that is equipped with electrically tunable wetting defects. By mapping the drop dynamics on the one-dimensional motion of a point mass, we demonstrate that the trapping process is controlled by two dimensionless parameters, the trapping strength measured in units of the driving force and the ratio between a viscous and an inertial time scale. Complementary experiments involving superhydrophobic surfaces with wetting defects demonstrate the general applicability of the concept. Moreover, we show that electrically tunable defects can be used to guide sliding drops along actively switchable tracks—with potential applications in microfluidics. PMID:24721935

Data Retrieved by ARCADE-R2 Experiment On Board the BEXUS-17 Balloon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbetta, M.; Branz, F.; Carron, A.; Olivieri, L.; Prendin, J.; Sansone, F.; Savioli, L.; Spinello, F.; Francesconi, A.

2015-09-01

The Autonomous Rendezvous, Control And Docking Experiment — Reflight 2 (ARCADE-R2) is a technology demonstrator aiming to prove automatic attitude determination and control, rendezvous and docking capabilities for small scale spacecraft and aircraft. The development of such capabilities could be fundamental to create, in the near future, fleets of cooperative, autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles for mapping, surveillance, inspection and remote observation of hazardous environments; small-class satellites could also benefit from the employment of docking systems to extend and reconfigure their mission profiles. ARCADE-R2 is designed to test these technologies on a stratospheric flight on board the BEXUS-17 balloon, allowing to demonstrate them in a harsh environment subjected to gusty winds and high pressure and temperature variations. In this paper, ARCADE-R2 architecture is introduced and the main results obtained from a stratospheric balloon flight are presented.

Lightwave Circuits in Lithium Niobate through Hybrid Waveguides with Silicon Photonics

DOE PAGES

Weigel, Peter O.; Savanier, Marc; DeRose, Christopher T.; ...

2016-03-01

Here, we demonstrate a photonic waveguide technology based on a two-material core, in which light is controllably and repeatedly transferred back and forth between sub-micron thickness crystalline layers of Si and LN bonded to one another, where the former is patterned and the latter is not. In this way, the foundry-based wafer-scale fabrication technology for silicon photonics can be leveraged to form lithium-niobate based integrated optical devices. Using two different guided modes and an adiabatic mode transition between them, we demonstrate a set of building blocks such as waveguides, bends, and couplers which can be used to route light underneathmore » an unpatterned slab of LN, as well as outside the LN-bonded region, thus enabling complex and compact lightwave circuits in LN alongside Si photonics with fabrication ease and low cost.« less

Enabling Genomic-Phenomic Association Discovery without Sacrificing Anonymity

PubMed Central

Heatherly, Raymond D.; Loukides, Grigorios; Denny, Joshua C.; Haines, Jonathan L.; Roden, Dan M.; Malin, Bradley A.

2013-01-01

Health information technologies facilitate the collection of massive quantities of patient-level data. A growing body of research demonstrates that such information can support novel, large-scale biomedical investigations at a fraction of the cost of traditional prospective studies. While healthcare organizations are being encouraged to share these data in a de-identified form, there is hesitation over concerns that it will allow corresponding patients to be re-identified. Currently proposed technologies to anonymize clinical data may make unrealistic assumptions with respect to the capabilities of a recipient to ascertain a patients identity. We show that more pragmatic assumptions enable the design of anonymization algorithms that permit the dissemination of detailed clinical profiles with provable guarantees of protection. We demonstrate this strategy with a dataset of over one million medical records and show that 192 genotype-phenotype associations can be discovered with fidelity equivalent to non-anonymized clinical data. PMID:23405076

Ground Testing of a 10 K Sorption Cryocooler Flight Experiment (BETSCE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bard, S.; Wu, J.; Karlmann, P.; Cowgill, P.; Mirate, C.; Rodriguez, J.

1994-01-01

The Brilliant Eyes Ten-Kelvin Sorption Cryocooler Experiment (BETSCE) is a Space Shuttle side-wall-mounted flight experiment designed to demonstrate 10 K sorption cryocooler technology in a space environment. The BETSCE objectives are to: (1) provide a thorough end-to-end characterization and space performance validation of a complete, multistage, automated, closed-cycle hydride sorption cryocooler in the 10 to 30 K temperature range, (2) acquire the quantitative microgravity database required to provide confident engineering design, scaling, and optimization, (3) advance the enabling technologies and resolve integration issues, and (4) provide hardware qualification and safety verification heritage. BETSCE ground tests were the first-ever demonstration of a complete closed-cycle 10 K sorption cryocooler. Test results exceeded functional requirements. This paper summarizes functional and environmental ground test results, planned characterization tests, important development challenges that were overcome, and valuable lessons-learned.

Overview of innovative remediation of emerging contaminants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, A. A.; Adeleye, A. S.; Huang, Y.; Garner, K.

2015-12-01

The application of nanotechnology in drinking water treatment and pollution cleanup is promising, as demonstrated by a number of field-based (pilot and full scale) and bench scale studies. A number of reviews exist for these nanotechnology-based applications; but to better illustrate its importance and guide its development, a direct comparison between traditional treatment technologies and emerging approaches using nanotechnology is needed. In this review, the performances of traditional technologies and nanotechnology for water treatment and environmental remediation were compared with the goal of providing an up-to-date reference on the state of treatment techniques for researchers, industry, and policy makers. Pollutants were categorized into broad classes, and the most cost-effective techniques (traditional and nanotechnology-based) in each category reported in the literature were compared. Where information was available, cost and environmental implications of both technologies were also compared. Traditional treatment technologies were found to currently offer the most cost-effective choices for removal of several common pollutants from drinking water and polluted sites. Nano-based techniques may however become important in complicated remediation conditions and meeting increasingly stringent water quality standards, especially in removal of emerging pollutants and low levels of contaminants. We also discuss challenges facing environmental application of nanotechnology were also discussed and potential solutions.

High-Power Hall Thruster Technology Evaluated for Primary Propulsion Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manzella, David H.; Jankovsky, Robert S.; Hofer, Richard R.

2003-01-01

High-power electric propulsion systems have been shown to be enabling for a number of NASA concepts, including piloted missions to Mars and Earth-orbiting solar electric power generation for terrestrial use (refs. 1 and 2). These types of missions require moderate transfer times and sizable thrust levels, resulting in an optimized propulsion system with greater specific impulse than conventional chemical systems and greater thrust than ion thruster systems. Hall thruster technology will offer a favorable combination of performance, reliability, and lifetime for such applications if input power can be scaled by more than an order of magnitude from the kilowatt level of the current state-of-the-art systems. As a result, the NASA Glenn Research Center conducted strategic technology research and development into high-power Hall thruster technology. During program year 2002, an in-house fabricated thruster, designated the NASA-457M, was experimentally evaluated at input powers up to 72 kW. These tests demonstrated the efficacy of scaling Hall thrusters to high power suitable for a range of future missions. Thrust up to nearly 3 N was measured. Discharge specific impulses ranged from 1750 to 3250 sec, with discharge efficiencies between 46 and 65 percent. This thruster is the highest power, highest thrust Hall thruster ever tested.

Emerging photovoltaic module technologies at PVUSA: A five-year assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Townsend, Tim

1995-04-01

The Photovoltaics for Utility Scale Applications (PVUSA) project tests two types of photovoltaic systems: new modules fielded as 20-kW emerging module technology (EMT) arrays, and more mature technologies fielded as 20- to 500-kW turnkey utility scale (US) systems. This report summarizes experiences of the PVUSA project in operating the first six 20-kW EMT photovoltaic systems. Five systems are installed at Davis, California, and one at Kihei, Hawaii. Products selected for testing and demonstration were judged to have potential for significant technical advancement or reduction in manufacturing cost. Features leading to selection of each system and findings over the average 5 years of operation are compared in the report. Factory product qualification test experiences along with field acceptance test results are documented. Evaluation includes a broad range of performance parameters, including long-term efficiency, seasonal generation patterns, and maintenance. While some of the arrays have operated as well as any commercial system, others have fared poorly. Throughout the procurement and operation of these precommercial PV modules, PVUSA has provided feedback to vendors, critical for product improvement. The data and evaluations in this report will be of further benefit to manufacturers and provide general comparative information on a variety of technologies to researchers in utilities, government, and industry alike.

Size matters--nanotechnology and therapeutics in rheumatology and immunology.

PubMed

Henderson, Carl S; Madison, Andrew C; Shah, Ankoor

2014-01-01

Nanotechnology, or the use of technology at the submicron scale, and its application to medicine (nanomedicine) draws from many ideas and technological advancements across myriad fields of materials technology and has improved biomedical understanding. Nanotechnology puts current materials science on the same physical scale as classic immune mediating substances, including viruses, moieties found on prokaryotic bacteria, and antigen presenting cells. Functionalized nanoparticles, fullerenes, liposomes, nanogels, and virus-like particles, are several examples of nanotechnology that are currently being applied to the treatment of oncologic and infectious diseases. However, the majority of the current commercial utilization of nanomedicine has been directed towards creating improved vaccines in order to prevent infectious diseases. These processes may have direct applications toward the creation of vaccines used to treat autoimmune disease as well. Current therapeutics utilizing nanotechnology, are gaining traction in treatments for gout and rheumatoid arthritis, and experimental animal models have demonstrated success in using the above technologies to improve the effectiveness and safety of current standard treatment of rheumatologic illnesses. Here we review many of the common forms of nanoparticles used in medical applications as well as where they have found a role in rheumatology. Continued technical feasibility, ongoing safety studies, and lingering questions on cost are all issues that have not yet been resolved in regards to widespread application in rheumatology and immunology.

Advanced Soil Moisture Network Technologies; Developments in Collecting in situ Measurements for Remote Sensing Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moghaddam, M.; Silva, A. R. D.; Akbar, R.; Clewley, D.

2015-12-01

The Soil moisture Sensing Controller And oPtimal Estimator (SoilSCAPE) wireless sensor network has been developed to support Calibration and Validation activities (Cal/Val) for large scale soil moisture remote sensing missions (SMAP and AirMOSS). The technology developed here also readily supports small scale hydrological studies by providing sub-kilometer widespread soil moisture observations. An extensive collection of semi-sparse sensor clusters deployed throughout north-central California and southern Arizona provide near real time soil moisture measurements. Such a wireless network architecture, compared to conventional single points measurement profiles, allows for significant and expanded soil moisture sampling. The work presented here aims at discussing and highlighting novel and new technology developments which increase in situ soil moisture measurements' accuracy, reliability, and robustness with reduced data delivery latency. High efficiency and low maintenance custom hardware have been developed and in-field performance has been demonstrated for a period of three years. The SoilSCAPE technology incorporates (a) intelligent sensing to prevent erroneous measurement reporting, (b) on-board short term memory for data redundancy, (c) adaptive scheduling and sampling capabilities to enhance energy efficiency. A rapid streamlined data delivery architecture openly provides distribution of in situ measurements to SMAP and AirMOSS cal/val activities and other interested parties.

Extremely Scalable Spiking Neuronal Network Simulation Code: From Laptops to Exascale Computers.

PubMed

Jordan, Jakob; Ippen, Tammo; Helias, Moritz; Kitayama, Itaru; Sato, Mitsuhisa; Igarashi, Jun; Diesmann, Markus; Kunkel, Susanne

2018-01-01

State-of-the-art software tools for neuronal network simulations scale to the largest computing systems available today and enable investigations of large-scale networks of up to 10 % of the human cortex at a resolution of individual neurons and synapses. Due to an upper limit on the number of incoming connections of a single neuron, network connectivity becomes extremely sparse at this scale. To manage computational costs, simulation software ultimately targeting the brain scale needs to fully exploit this sparsity. Here we present a two-tier connection infrastructure and a framework for directed communication among compute nodes accounting for the sparsity of brain-scale networks. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach by implementing the technology in the NEST simulation code and we investigate its performance in different scaling scenarios of typical network simulations. Our results show that the new data structures and communication scheme prepare the simulation kernel for post-petascale high-performance computing facilities without sacrificing performance in smaller systems.

Extremely Scalable Spiking Neuronal Network Simulation Code: From Laptops to Exascale Computers

PubMed Central

Jordan, Jakob; Ippen, Tammo; Helias, Moritz; Kitayama, Itaru; Sato, Mitsuhisa; Igarashi, Jun; Diesmann, Markus; Kunkel, Susanne

2018-01-01

State-of-the-art software tools for neuronal network simulations scale to the largest computing systems available today and enable investigations of large-scale networks of up to 10 % of the human cortex at a resolution of individual neurons and synapses. Due to an upper limit on the number of incoming connections of a single neuron, network connectivity becomes extremely sparse at this scale. To manage computational costs, simulation software ultimately targeting the brain scale needs to fully exploit this sparsity. Here we present a two-tier connection infrastructure and a framework for directed communication among compute nodes accounting for the sparsity of brain-scale networks. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach by implementing the technology in the NEST simulation code and we investigate its performance in different scaling scenarios of typical network simulations. Our results show that the new data structures and communication scheme prepare the simulation kernel for post-petascale high-performance computing facilities without sacrificing performance in smaller systems. PMID:29503613

Optimization of a micro-scale, high throughput process development tool and the demonstration of comparable process performance and product quality with biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes.

PubMed

Evans, Steven T; Stewart, Kevin D; Afdahl, Chris; Patel, Rohan; Newell, Kelcy J

2017-07-14

In this paper, we discuss the optimization and implementation of a high throughput process development (HTPD) tool that utilizes commercially available micro-liter sized column technology for the purification of multiple clinically significant monoclonal antibodies. Chromatographic profiles generated using this optimized tool are shown to overlay with comparable profiles from the conventional bench-scale and clinical manufacturing scale. Further, all product quality attributes measured are comparable across scales for the mAb purifications. In addition to supporting chromatography process development efforts (e.g., optimization screening), comparable product quality results at all scales makes this tool is an appropriate scale model to enable purification and product quality comparisons of HTPD bioreactors conditions. The ability to perform up to 8 chromatography purifications in parallel with reduced material requirements per run creates opportunities for gathering more process knowledge in less time. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and Validation of the POSITIVES Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fichten, Catherine S.; Asuncion, Jennison V.; Nguyen, Mai N.; Wolforth, Joan; Budd, Jillian; Barile, Maria; Gaulin, Chris; Martiniello, Natalie; Tibbs, Anthony; Ferraro, Vittoria; Amsel, Rhonda

2009-01-01

Data on how well information and communication technology (ICT) needs of 1354 Canadian college and university students with disabilities are met on and off campus were collected using the newly developed Positives Scale (Postsecondary Information Technology Initiative Scale). The measure contains 26 items which use a 6-point Likert scale (1 =…

The Role of Computer Technology in Teaching Reading and Writing: Preschool Teachers' Beliefs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ihmeideh, Fathi

2010-01-01

This study investigated preschool teachers' beliefs and practices regarding the use of computer technology in teaching reading and writing in Jordan. The researcher developed a questionnaire consisting of two scales--Teachers' Beliefs Scale (TB Scale) and Teachers' Practices Scale (TP Scale)--to examine the role of computer technology in teaching…

Structural Analysis and Testing of the Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindell, Michael C.; Hughes, Stephen J.; Dixon, Megan; Wiley, Cliff E.

2006-01-01

The Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE) is a 3.0 meter, 60 degree half-angle sphere cone, inflatable aeroshell experiment designed to demonstrate various aspects of inflatable technology during Earth re-entry. IRVE will be launched on a Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket from NASA s Wallops Flight Facility in the fall of 2006 to an altitude of approximately 164 kilometers and re-enter the Earth s atmosphere. The experiment will demonstrate exo-atmospheric inflation, inflatable structure leak performance throughout the flight regime, structural integrity under aerodynamic pressure and associated deceleration loads, thermal protection system performance, and aerodynamic stability. Structural integrity and dynamic response of the inflatable will be monitored with photogrammetric measurements of the leeward side of the aeroshell during flight. Aerodynamic stability and drag performance will be verified with on-board inertial measurements and radar tracking from multiple ground radar stations. In addition to demonstrating inflatable technology, IRVE will help validate structural, aerothermal, and trajectory modeling and analysis techniques for the inflatable aeroshell system. This paper discusses the structural analysis and testing of the IRVE inflatable structure. Equations are presented for calculating fabric loads in sphere cone aeroshells, and finite element results are presented which validate the equations. Fabric material properties and testing are discussed along with aeroshell fabrication techniques. Stiffness and dynamics tests conducted on a small-scale development unit and a full-scale prototype unit are presented along with correlated finite element models to predict the in-flight fundamental mod

In situ sediment treatment using activated carbon: a demonstrated sediment cleanup technology.

PubMed

Patmont, Clayton R; Ghosh, Upal; LaRosa, Paul; Menzie, Charles A; Luthy, Richard G; Greenberg, Marc S; Cornelissen, Gerard; Eek, Espen; Collins, John; Hull, John; Hjartland, Tore; Glaza, Edward; Bleiler, John; Quadrini, James

2015-04-01

This paper reviews general approaches for applying activated carbon (AC) amendments as an in situ sediment treatment remedy. In situ sediment treatment involves targeted placement of amendments using installation options that fall into two general approaches: 1) directly applying a thin layer of amendments (which potentially incorporates weighting or binding materials) to surface sediment, with or without initial mixing; and 2) incorporating amendments into a premixed, blended cover material of clean sand or sediment, which is also applied to the sediment surface. Over the past decade, pilot- or full-scale field sediment treatment projects using AC-globally recognized as one of the most effective sorbents for organic contaminants-were completed or were underway at more than 25 field sites in the United States, Norway, and the Netherlands. Collectively, these field projects (along with numerous laboratory experiments) have demonstrated the efficacy of AC for in situ treatment in a range of contaminated sediment conditions. Results from experimental studies and field applications indicate that in situ sequestration and immobilization treatment of hydrophobic organic compounds using either installation approach can reduce porewater concentrations and biouptake significantly, often becoming more effective over time due to progressive mass transfer. Certain conditions, such as use in unstable sediment environments, should be taken into account to maximize AC effectiveness over long time periods. In situ treatment is generally less disruptive and less expensive than traditional sediment cleanup technologies such as dredging or isolation capping. Proper site-specific balancing of the potential benefits, risks, ecological effects, and costs of in situ treatment technologies (in this case, AC) relative to other sediment cleanup technologies is important to successful full-scale field application. Extensive experimental studies and field trials have shown that when applied correctly, in situ treatment via contaminant sequestration and immobilization using a sorbent material such as AC has progressed from an innovative sediment remediation approach to a proven, reliable technology. © 2014 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Power Systems Development Facility Gasification Test Campaing TC18

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Southern Company Services

2005-08-31

In support of technology development to utilize coal for efficient, affordable, and environmentally clean power generation, the Power Systems Development Facility (PSDF) located in Wilsonville, Alabama, routinely demonstrates gasification technologies using various types of coals. The PSDF is an engineering scale demonstration of key features of advanced coal-fired power systems, including a KBR Transport Gasifier, a hot gas particulate control device (PCD), advanced syngas cleanup systems, and high pressure solids handling systems. This report details Test Campaign TC18 of the PSDF gasification process. Test campaign TC18 began on June 23, 2005, and ended on August 22, 2005, with the gasifiermore » train accumulating 1,342 hours of operation using Powder River Basin (PRB) subbituminous coal. Some of the testing conducted included commissioning of a new recycle syngas compressor for gasifier aeration, evaluation of PCD filter elements and failsafes, testing of gas cleanup technologies, and further evaluation of solids handling equipment. At the conclusion of TC18, the PSDF gasification process had been operated for more than 7,750 hours.« less

Verifying occulter deployment tolerances as part of NASA's technology development for exoplanet missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasdin, N. J.; Lisman, D.; Shaklan, S.; Thomson, M.; Webb, D.; Cady, E.; Marks, G. W.; Lo, A.

2013-09-01

An external occulter is a satellite employing a large screen, or starshade, that flies in formation with a spaceborne telescope to provide the starlight suppression needed for detecting and characterizing exoplanets. Among the advantages of using an occulter are the broadband allowed for characterization and the removal of light before entering the observatory, greatly relaxing the requirements on the telescope and instrument. In support of NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program and the Technology Development for Exoplanet Missions (TDEM), we recently completed a 2 year study of the manufacturability and metrology of starshade petals. In this paper we review the results of that successful first TDEM which demonstrated an occulter petal could be built and measured to an accuracy consistent with close to 10-10 contrast. We then present the results of our second TDEM to demonstrate the next critical technology milestone: precision deployment of the central truss and petals to the necessary accuracy. We show the deployment of an existing deployable truss outfitted with four sub-scale petals and a custom designed central hub.

Recent progress on external occulter technology for imaging exosolar planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasdin, N. J.; Vanderbei, R. J.; Sirbu, D.; Samuels, J.; Shaklan, S.; Lisman, D.; Thomson, M.; Cady, E.; Martin, S.

Imaging planets orbiting nearby stars requires a system for suppressing the host starlight by at least ten orders of magnitude. One such approach uses an external occulter, a satellite flying far from the telescope and employing a large screen, or starshade, to suppress the incoming starlight. This trades the added complexity of building the precisely shaped starshade and flying it in formation against simplifications in the telescope since extremely precise wavefront control is no longer necessary. Much progress has been made recently in designing, testing and manufacturing starshade technology. In this paper we describe the design of starshades and report on recent accomplishments in manufacturing and measuring a prototype occulter petal as part of NASA's first Technology Development for Exoplanet Missions (TDEM) program. We demonstrate that the as-built petal is consistent with a full-size occulter achieving better than 10-10 contrast. We also discuss laboratory testing at the Princeton Occulter Testbed. These experiments use sub-scale, long-distance beam propagation to verify the diffraction analysis associated with occulter starlight suppression. We demonstrate roughly 10-10 suppression in the laboratory and discuss the important challenges and limitations.

[Technology Development for X-Ray Reflection for the Constellation-X Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schattenburg, Mark L.

2003-01-01

This Grant covers MIT support for the technology development of x-ray reflection gratings for the Constellation-X Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS). Since the start of the Grant MIT has extended its previously-developed patterning and super-smooth, blazed grating fabrication technology to ten-times smaller grating periods and ten-times larger blaze angles to demonstrate feasibility and performance in the off-plane grating geometry. In the past year we successfully developed several nanoimprint grating replication methods that achieved very high fidelity replication of master silicon gratings. Grating geometry on the nano and macro scales were faithfully replicated, demonstrating the viability of the process for manufacturing the thousands of gratings required for the RGS. We also successfully developed an improved metrology truss for holding test grating substrates during metrology. The flatness goal of grating substrates is under 500 nm. In the past, grating holders would cause non-repeatable distortion of >> 500 nm to the substrates due to friction and gravity sag. The new holder has a repeatability of under 50 nm which is adequate for the proposed RGS grating substrates.

Advanced Turbine Technology Applications Project (ATTAP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Reports technical effort by AlliedSignal Engines in sixth year of DOE/NASA funded project. Topics include: gas turbine engine design modifications of production APU to incorporate ceramic components; fabrication and processing of silicon nitride blades and nozzles; component and engine testing; and refinement and development of critical ceramics technologies, including: hot corrosion testing and environmental life predictive model; advanced NDE methods for internal flaws in ceramic components; and improved carbon pulverization modeling during impact. ATTAP project is oriented toward developing high-risk technology of ceramic structural component design and fabrication to carry forward to commercial production by 'bridging the gap' between structural ceramics in the laboratory and near-term commercial heat engine application. Current ATTAP project goal is to support accelerated commercialization of advanced, high-temperature engines for hybrid vehicles and other applications. Project objectives are to provide essential and substantial early field experience demonstrating ceramic component reliability and durability in modified, available, gas turbine engine applications; and to scale-up and improve manufacturing processes of ceramic turbine engine components and demonstrate application of these processes in the production environment.