192 Search Results

Control applications that facilitate Demand Flexibility (DF) are difficult to deploy at scale in existing buildings. The heterogeneity of systems and non-standard naming conventions for metadata describing data points in building automation systems often lead to ad-hoc and building-specific applications. In recent years, several researchers investigated semantic models to describe the meaning of building data. They suggest that these models can enhance the deployment of building applications, enabling data exchanges among heterogeneous sources and their portability across different buildings. However, the studies in question fail to explore these capabilities in the context of controls. This paper proposes a novel semantics-driven framework for developing and deploying portable DF control applications. The design of the framework leverages an iterative design science research methodology, evolving from evidence gathered through simulation and field demonstrations. The framework aims to decouple control applications from specific buildings and control platforms, enabling these control applications to be configured semi-automatically. This allows application developers and researchers to streamline the onboarding of new applications that could otherwise be time-consuming and resource-intensive. The framework has been validated for its capability to facilitate the deployment of control applications sharing the same codebase across diverse virtual and real buildings. The demonstration successfully tested two controls for load shifting and shedding in four virtual buildings using the Building Optimization Testing Framework (BOPTEST) and in one real building using the control platform VOLTTRON. Insights into the current limitations, benefits, and challenges of generalizable controls and semantic models are derived from the deployment efforts and outcomes to guide future research in this field.

The Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP) has been retrieving, treating, characterizing, and shipping legacy Transuranic (TRU) waste for disposal since 2003 as part of the overall Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) in support of the US Department of Energy. As the ICP has progressed, over 700 containers have been identified that cannot be successfully assayed using the current suite of non-destructive assay (NDA) instruments. To meet this challenge, Fluor Idaho, LLC, and Mirion Technologies (formerly Canberra Industries) have teamed to deploy the In-Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) to supplement the current NDA capabilities. ISOCS has long been used in various radioactive waste management applications, but never has the ISOCS ability to perform intrinsic efficiency modeling of discrete waste containers been employed to characterize and certify TRU waste for disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Since the primary disposal facility for this waste is the WIPP, the characterization processes for determining the quantity of radioactive material entrained in the waste are subject to WIPP Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) quality requirements and associated performance criteria. Until now, the Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) WIPP-certified NDA equipment has utilized pre-defined efficiency calibrations for fixed geometries. However, due to the radioactive material content, activity levels, waste stream matrix, and/or the geometries of various size drums, boxes and other-odd-shaped containers or container integrity issues, it may not be suitable to characterize these containers with any of the existing WIPP-certified NDA equipment located at the AMWTP. Therefore, advanced technologies are needed to complete characterization of these problematic waste containers. The July 5, 2016 release of the WIPP WAC, DOE/WIPP-02-3122, Revision 8.0, Appendix A, 'Radioassay Requirements for Transuranic Waste,' was expanded to include several newer concepts such as American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) approved methods for efficiency-based calibrations and the use of mathematical computer modeling techniques for calibration. This change prompted AMWTP to pursue obtaining WIPP certification authority for expanded ISOCS techniques to deal with the remaining challenging waste containers and the development and implementation of Mirion's Figures of Merit (FOM) evaluations. These vital FOM evaluations enhance the ISOCS's modeling capabilities by optimizing the dynamic efficiency calibration for each object and reducing the assay's Total Measurement Uncertainty (TMU) budget. (authors)

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could - subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein - have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seedparticle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud-albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action.

A new report delivers mini-split heat pump (MSHP) performance data for use in whole-building simulation tools.

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have recently developed two simple in-home efficiency test methods that can be used by technicians, researchers, or interested homeowners to verify the correct operation and energy efficiency of a home's air conditioning equipment. An efficiency validation method for mini-split heat pumps (MSHPs) - highly efficient refrigerant-based air conditioning and heating systems that permit room-by-room conditioning and control - will enable building researchers to easily explore the installed performance of this class of equipment. MSHPs are very popular overseas and are gaining market share in energy efficient home upgrades throughout the United States. Yet, because MSHPs have multiple variable-speed components that work in tandem, their performance is challenging to measure in a real home. NREL researchers developed a field evaluation method including test equipment, methods, and data analysis to determine the installed performance of this equipment in occupied homes. A field test was conducted to validate the method. When testing a home's operation, it is often important to simulate occupancy within an unoccupied home. That way, the researcher will know the actual usage profiles for heat and moisture generation; this removes the uncertainty associated with real occupants. The second test method details a standardized protocol for generating heat and moisture loads, to mimic occupants and their activities by using heaters and humidifiers. Realistic heat and moisture loads can be used to drive air conditioning systems, evaluate air distribution systems, and examine building enclosure technologies. These loads are drawn from the Building America House Simulation Protocols. Proper application of the method will result in better comparison between performance of the test home and its simulated analogue. This method is also validated by field testing. These test methods are now available in two technical reports. The methods can be used widely by the building research community to confirm proper operation of space conditioning equipment in homes, thereby improving thermal comfort, building health, and durability. National objectives for cost-effective energy savings in the residential sector can be met more quickly and with greater consistency.

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have recently developed two simple in-home efficiency test methods that can be used by technicians, researchers, or interested homeowners to verify the correct operation and energy efficiency of a home?s air conditioning equipment.

The Deep Vadose Zone Treatability Test Plan for the Hanford Central Plateau includes testing of the desiccation technology as a potential technology to be used in conjunction with surface infiltration control to limit the flux of technetium and other contaminants in the vadose zone to the groundwater. Laboratory and modeling efforts were conducted to investigate technical uncertainties related to the desiccation process and its impact on contaminant transport. This information is intended to support planning, operation, and interpretation of a field test for desiccation in the Hanford Central Plateau.

The U.S. Department of Energy is implementing corrective actions at facilities where nuclear-related operations were conducted in Nevada. Among the most significant sites being addressed are the locations of underground nuclear tests on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The process for implementing corrective actions for the Underground Test Area (UGTA) locations is defined in Appendix VI of a Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (1996, as amended). In broad terms, Appendix VI describes a Corrective Action Investigation followed by a Corrective Action Decision, and implementation of a Corrective Action Plan prior to closure. The Frenchman Flat Corrective Action Unit (CAU) is farthest along in the UGTA corrective action process. It includes ten underground tests within the Frenchman Flat topographic basin, in the southeastern portion of the NNSS. Data have been collected from drilling exploration, hydrologic testing, and field and laboratory studies. Modeling has been completed at a variety of scales and focusing on a variety of flow and transport aspects ranging from regional boundary conditions to process dynamics within a single nuclear cavity. The culmination of the investigations is a transport model for the Frenchman Flat CAU (Stoller Navarro Joint Venture, 2009) that has undergone rigorous peer review and been accepted by the State of Nevada, setting the stage for the Corrective Action Decision and progression from the investigation phase to the corrective action phase of the project.

I will discuss recent developments in lattice studies of hadrons composed of heavy quarks. I will mostly cover topics which are at a state of direct comparison with experiment, but will also discuss new ideas and promising techniques to aid future studies of lattice heavy quark physics.

The ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is now taking its place among widely applied analytical methods. When coupled with mass spectrometers (MS), IMS becomes a powerful analytical tool for separating complex samples and investigating molecular structure, and improvements of IMS-MS instrumentation, e.g. to IMS resolving power and sensitivity, are highly desirable. Implementation of an ion trap for accumulation and pulsed ion injection to IMS based on the ion funnel has provided considerably increased ion currents, and thus a basis for improved sensitivity and (indirectly) measurement throughput. However, large ion populations may manifest Coulombic effects contributing to the spatial dispersion of ions traveling in the IMS drift tube, and thus affect IMS resolving power. In this study we present an analysis of Coulombic effects on IMS resolution. Basic relationships have been obtained for the spatial evolution of ion packets due to Coulombic repulsion. The theoretical relationships were compared with results of a computer model that simulates IMS operation based on a first principles approach. Initial experimental results reported here are consistent with the computer modeling and these relationships. A noticeable decrease of the IMS resolving power was observed for specific ion populations of >10,000 elementary charges. IMS operation conditions to minimize Coulombic effects, while minimizing sacrifices to performance, are discussed.