Development of Sensors and Sensing Technology for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Applications (open access)

Development of Sensors and Sensing Technology for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Applications

One related area of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) development that cannot be overlooked is the anticipated requirement for new sensors for both the monitoring and control of the fuel cell's systems and for those devices that will be required for safety. Present day automobiles have dozens of sensors on-board including those for IC engine management/control, sensors for state-of-health monitoring/control of emissions systems, sensors for control of active safety systems, sensors for triggering passive safety systems, and sensors for more mundane tasks such as fluids level monitoring to name the more obvious. The number of sensors continues to grow every few years as a result of safety mandates but also in response to consumer demands for new conveniences and safety features. Some of these devices (e.g. yaw sensors for dynamic stability control systems or tire presure warning RF-based devices) may be used on fuel cell vehicles without any modification. However the use of hydrogen as a fuel will dictate the development of completely new technologies for such requirements as the detection of hydrogen leaks, sensors and systems to continuously monitor hydrogen fuel purity and protect the fuel cell stack from poisoning, and for the important, yet often taken for granted, …
Date: January 6, 2010
Creator: Brosha, E. L.; Sekhar, P. K.; Mukundan, R.; Williamson, T.; Garzon, F. H.; Woo, L. Y. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Hydrogen and Water: An Engineering, Economic and Environmental Analysis (open access)

Hydrogen and Water: An Engineering, Economic and Environmental Analysis

The multi-year program plan for the Department of Energy's Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technology Program (USDOE, 2007a) calls for the development of system models to determine economic, environmental and cross-cutting impacts of the transition to a hydrogen economy. One component of the hydrogen production and delivery chain is water; water's use and disposal can incur costs and environmental consequences for almost any industrial product. It has become increasingly clear that due to factors such as competing water demands and climate change, the potential for a water-constrained world is real. Thus, any future hydrogen economy will need to be constructed so that any associated water impacts are minimized. This, in turn, requires the analysis and comparison of specific hydrogen production schemes in terms of their water use. Broadly speaking, two types of water are used in hydrogen production: process water and cooling water. In the production plant, process water is used as a direct input for the conversion processes (e.g. steam for Steam Methane Reforming {l_brace}SMR{r_brace}, water for electrolysis). Cooling water, by distinction, is used indirectly to cool related fluids or equipment, and is an important factor in making plant processes efficient and reliable. Hydrogen production further relies on water used …
Date: January 6, 2010
Creator: Simon, A. J.; Daily, W. & White, R. G.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Need for a Strong Science and Technology Program in the Nuclear Weapons Complex for the 21st Century (open access)

The Need for a Strong Science and Technology Program in the Nuclear Weapons Complex for the 21st Century

In this paper I argue for the need for a strong Science and Technology program in the Nuclear Weapons Complex as the basis for maintaining a credible deterrence capability. The current Nuclear Posture Review establishes a New Triad as the basis for the United States deterrence strategy in a changing security environment. A predictive science capability is at the core of a credible National Nuclear Weapons program in the 21st Century. In absence of nuclear testing, the certification of our current Nuclear Weapons relies on predictive simulations and quantification of the associated simulation uncertainties. In addition, a robust nuclear infrastructure needs an active research and development program that considers all the required nuclear scenarios, including new configurations for which there is no nuclear test data. This paper also considers alternative positions to the need for a Science and Technology program in the Nuclear Weapons complex.
Date: January 6, 2010
Creator: Garaizar, X
Object Type: Thesis or Dissertation
System: The UNT Digital Library
TANK 40 FINAL SB5 CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION RESULTS PRIOR TO NP ADDITION (open access)

TANK 40 FINAL SB5 CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION RESULTS PRIOR TO NP ADDITION

A sample of Sludge Batch 5 (SB5) was pulled from Tank 40 in order to obtain radionuclide inventory analyses necessary for compliance with the Waste Acceptance Product Specifications (WAPS). This sample was also analyzed for chemical composition including noble metals. Prior to radionuclide inventory analyses, a final sample of the H-canyon Np stream will be added to bound the Np addition anticipated for Tank 40. These analyses along with the WAPS radionuclide analyses will help define the composition of the sludge in Tank 40 that is currently being fed to DWPF as SB5. At the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) the 3-L Tank 40 SB5 sample was transferred from the shipping container into a 4-L high density polyethylene vessel and solids allowed to settle overnight. Supernate was then siphoned off and circulated through the shipping container to complete the transfer of the sample. Following thorough mixing of the 3-L sample, a 239 g sub-sample was removed. This sub-sample was then utilized for all subsequent analytical samples. Eight separate aliquots of the slurry were digested, four with HNO{sub 3}/HCl (aqua regia) in sealed Teflon{reg_sign} vessels and four in Na{sub 2}O{sub 2} (alkali or peroxide fusion) using Zr crucibles. Due to the …
Date: January 6, 2010
Creator: Bannochie, C. & Click, D.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mesoscale Modeling of LX-17 Under Isentropic Compression (open access)

Mesoscale Modeling of LX-17 Under Isentropic Compression

Mesoscale simulations of LX-17 incorporating different equilibrium mixture models were used to investigate the unreacted equation-of-state (UEOS) of TATB. Candidate TATB UEOS were calculated using the equilibrium mixture models and benchmarked with mesoscale simulations of isentropic compression experiments (ICE). X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) data provided the basis for initializing the simulations with realistic microstructural details. Three equilibrium mixture models were used in this study. The single constituent with conservation equations (SCCE) model was based on a mass-fraction weighted specific volume and the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. The single constituent equation-of-state (SCEOS) model was based on a mass-fraction weighted specific volume and the equation-of-state of the constituents. The kinetic energy averaging (KEA) model was based on a mass-fraction weighted particle velocity mixture rule and the conservation equations. The SCEOS model yielded the stiffest TATB EOS (0.121{micro} + 0.4958{micro}{sup 2} + 2.0473{micro}{sup 3}) and, when incorporated in mesoscale simulations of the ICE, demonstrated the best agreement with VISAR velocity data for both specimen thicknesses. The SCCE model yielded a relatively more compliant EOS (0.1999{micro}-0.6967{micro}{sup 2} + 4.9546{micro}{sup 3}) and the KEA model yielded the most compliant EOS (0.1999{micro}-0.6967{micro}{sup 2}+4.9546{micro}{sup 3}) of all the equilibrium mixture models. Mesoscale simulations with the …
Date: March 6, 2010
Creator: Springer, H K; Willey, T M; Friedman, G; Fried, L E; Vandersall, K S & Baer, M R
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Distinguishing Patterns of Charge Order: Stripes or Checkerboards (open access)

Distinguishing Patterns of Charge Order: Stripes or Checkerboards

In two dimensions, quenched disorder always rounds transitions involving the breaking of spatial symmetries so, in practice, it can often be difficult to infer what form the symmetry breaking would take in the 'ideal,' zero disorder limit. We discuss methods of data analysis which can be useful for making such inferences, and apply them to the problem of determining whether the preferred order in the cuprates is 'stripes' or 'checkerboards.' In many cases we show that the experiments clearly indicate stripe order, while in others (where the observed correlation length is short), the answer is presently uncertain.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Robertson, J.A.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dynamical Layer Decoupling in a Stripe-ordered, High T_c Superconductor (open access)

Dynamical Layer Decoupling in a Stripe-ordered, High T_c Superconductor

In the stripe-ordered state of a strongly-correlated two-dimensional electronic system, under a set of special circumstances, the superconducting condensate, like the magnetic order, can occur at a non-zero wave-vector corresponding to a spatial period double that of the charge order. In this case, the Josephson coupling between near neighbor planes, especially in a crystal with the special structure of La{sub 2-x}Ba{sub x}CuO{sub 4}, vanishes identically. We propose that this is the underlying cause of the dynamical decoupling of the layers recently observed in transport measurements at x = 1/8.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Berg, E.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Experience Report for WOPR (open access)

Experience Report for WOPR

One of the purposes of the SQA effort at LLNL is to attempt to determine the 'goodness' of the research codes used for various scientific applications. Typically these are two and three dimensional multi-physics simulation and modeling codes. These legacy research codes are used for applciations such as atmospheric dispersion modeling and analysis and prediction of the performance of engineered systems. These codes are continually subjected to automated regression test suites consisting of verified and validated expected results. Code is managed in repositories. Experience level of developers is high in the knowledge domain, platforms, and languages used. Code size of the multi-physics code used in this study was 578,242 lines excluding comment and blank lines or 5538.7 function points. Languages were 70% C++, 20% C, and 10% Fortran. The code has 130 users and a development team of 14 and an embedded SQE. The code has achieved 100% prime feature test coverage, 73.6% functional test coverage, and 71.5% statement test coverage. The average cyclomatic complexity of the code was 6.25. The codes have evolved over 10 years. Research codes are challenging because there is a desire to balance agility with discipline as well as compliance with DOE standards. Agility is …
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Pope, G
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
MARS Flight Engineering Status (open access)

MARS Flight Engineering Status

The Multi-sensor Airborne Radiation Survey Flight Engineering project (MARS FE) has designed a high purity germanium (HPGe) crystal array for conducting a wide range of field measurements. In addition to the HPGe detector system, a platform-specific shock and vibration isolation system and environmental housing have been designed to support demonstration activities in a maritime environment on an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV). This report describes the status of the equipment as of the end of FY09.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Fast, James E.; Dorow, Kevin E.; Morris, Scott J.; Thompson, Robert C. & Willett, Jesse A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Myriad phases of the Checkerboard Hubbard Model (open access)

Myriad phases of the Checkerboard Hubbard Model

The zero-temperature phase diagram of the checkerboard Hubbard model is obtained in the solvable limit in which it consists of weakly coupled square plaquettes. As a function of the on-site Coulomb repulsion U and the density of holes per site, x, we demonstrate the existence of at least 16 distinct phases. For instance, at zero doping, the ground state is a novel d-wave Mott insulator (d-Mott), which is not adiabatically continuable to a band insulator; by doping the d-Mott state with holes, depending on the magnitude of U, it gives way to a d-wave superconducting state, a two-flavor spin-1/2 Fermi liquid (FL), or a spin-3/2 FL.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Yao, Hong
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nondestructive depth-resolved spectroscopic investigation of the heavily intermixed In2S3/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interface (open access)

Nondestructive depth-resolved spectroscopic investigation of the heavily intermixed In2S3/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interface

The chemical structure of the interface between a nominal In2S3 buffer and a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) thin-film solar cell absorber was investigated by soft x-ray photoelectron and emission spectroscopy. We find a heavily intermixed, complex interface structure, in which Cu diffuses into (and Na through) the buffer layer, while the CIGSe absorber surface/interface region is partially sulfurized. Based on our spectroscopic analysis, a comprehensive picture of the chemical interface structure is proposed.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Bar, Marcus; Barreau, N.; Couzinie-Devy, F.; Pookpanratana, S.; Klaer, J.; Blum, M. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Self-consistent solution for proximity effect and Josephson current in ballistic graphene SNS Josephson junctions (open access)

Self-consistent solution for proximity effect and Josephson current in ballistic graphene SNS Josephson junctions

We use a tight-binding Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) formalism to self-consistently calculate the proximity effect, Josephson current, and local density of states in ballistic graphene SNS Josephson junctions. Both short and long junctions, with respect to the superconducting coherence length, are considered, as well as different doping levels of the graphene. We show that self-consistency does not notably change the current-phase relationship derived earlier for short junctions using the non-selfconsistent Dirac-BdG formalism but predict a significantly increased critical current with a stronger junction length dependence. In addition, we show that in junctions with no Fermi level mismatch between the N and S regions superconductivity persists even in the longest junctions we can investigate, indicating a diverging Ginzburg-Landau superconducting coherence length in the normal region.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Black-Schaffer, Annica M.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Splitting a C-O bond in dialkylethers with bis(1,2,4-tri-t-butylcyclopentadienyl) cerium-hydride does not occur by a sigma-bond metathesis pathway: a combined experimental and DFT computational study (open access)

Splitting a C-O bond in dialkylethers with bis(1,2,4-tri-t-butylcyclopentadienyl) cerium-hydride does not occur by a sigma-bond metathesis pathway: a combined experimental and DFT computational study

Addition of diethylether to [1,2,4(Me3C)3C5H2]2CeH, abbreviated Cp'2CeH, gives Cp'2CeOEt and ethane. Similarly, di-n-propyl- or di-n-butylether gives Cp'2Ce(O-n-Pr) and propane or Cp'2Ce(O-n-Bu) and butane, respectively. Using Cp'2CeD, the propane and butane contain deuterium predominantly in their methyl groups. Mechanisms, formulated on the basis of DFT computational studies, show that the reactions begin by an alpha or beta-CH activation with comparable activation barriers but only the beta-CH activation intermediate evolves into the alkoxide product and an olefin. The olefin then inserts into the Ce-H bond forming the alkyl derivative, Cp'2CeR, that eliminates alkane. The alpha-CH activation intermediate is in equilibrium with the starting reagents, Cp'2CeH and the ether, which accounts for the deuterium label in the methyl groups of the alkane. The one-step sigma-bond metathesis mechanism has a much higher activation barrier than either of the two-step mechanisms.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Werkema, Evan; Yahia, Ahmed; Maron, Laurent; Eisenstein, Odile & Andersen, Richard
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Structure of Oxide Nanoparticles in Fe-16Cr MA/ODS Ferritic Steel (open access)

Structure of Oxide Nanoparticles in Fe-16Cr MA/ODS Ferritic Steel

Oxide nanoparticles in Fe-16Cr ODS ferritic steel fabricated by mechanical alloying (MA) method have been examined using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques. A partial crystallization of oxide nanoparticles was frequently observed in as-fabricated ODS steel. The crystal structure of crystalline oxide particles is identified to be mainly Y{sub 4}Al{sub 2}O{sub 9} (YAM) with a monoclinic structure. Large nanoparticles with a diameter larger than 20 nm tend to be incoherent and have a nearly spherical shape, whereas small nanoparticles with a diameter smaller than 10 nm tend to be coherent or semi-coherent and have faceted boundaries. The oxide nanoparticles become fully crystallized after prolonged annealing at 900 C. These results lead us to propose a three-stage formation mechanism of oxide nanoparticles in MA/ODS steels.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Hsiung, L; Fluss, M & Kimura, A
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Superconductivity in Inhomogeneous Hubbard Models (open access)

Superconductivity in Inhomogeneous Hubbard Models

None
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Tsai, W-F.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Theory of quantum metal to superconductor transitions in highly conducting systems (open access)

Theory of quantum metal to superconductor transitions in highly conducting systems

We derive the theory of the quantum (zero temperature) superconductor to metal transition in disordered materials when the resistance of the normal metal near criticality is small compared to the quantum of resistivity. This can occur most readily in situations in which 'Anderson's theorem' does not apply. We explicitly study the transition in superconductor-metal composites, in an swave superconducting film in the presence of a magnetic field, and in a low temperature disordered d-wave superconductor. Near the point of the transition, the distribution of the superconducting order parameter is highly inhomogeneous. To describe this situation we employ a procedure which is similar to that introduced by Mott for description of the temperature dependence of the variable range hopping conduction. As the system approaches the point of the transition from the metal to the superconductor, the conductivity of the system diverges, and the Wiedemann-Franz law is violated. In the case of d-wave (or other exotic) superconductors we predict the existence of (at least) two sequential transitions as a function of increasing disorder: a d-wave to s-wave, and then an s-wave to metal transition.
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: Spivak, B.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aircraft Cabin Environmental Quality Sensors (open access)

Aircraft Cabin Environmental Quality Sensors

The Indoor Environment Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) teamed with seven universities to participate in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Center of Excellence (COE) for research on environmental quality in aircraft. This report describes research performed at LBNL on selecting and evaluating sensors for monitoring environmental quality in aircraft cabins, as part of Project 7 of the FAA's COE for Airliner Cabin Environmental Research (ACER)1 effort. This part of Project 7 links to the ozone, pesticide, and incident projects for data collection and monitoring and is a component of a broader research effort on sensors by ACER. Results from UCB and LBNL's concurrent research on ozone (ACER Project 1) are found in Weschler et al., 2007; Bhangar et al. 2008; Coleman et al., 2008 and Strom-Tejsen et al., 2008. LBNL's research on pesticides (ACER Project 2) in airliner cabins is described in Maddalena and McKone (2008). This report focused on the sensors needed for normal contaminants and conditions in aircraft. The results are intended to complement and coordinate with results from other ACER members who concentrated primarily on (a) sensors for chemical and biological pollutants that might be released intentionally in aircraft; (b) integration of sensor systems; and …
Date: May 6, 2010
Creator: Gundel, Lara; Kirchstetter, Thomas; Spears, Michael & Sullivan, Douglas
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Comment on “Precise half-life values for two-neutrino double beta decay” (open access)

Comment on “Precise half-life values for two-neutrino double beta decay”

The results by A.S. Barabash [Phys. Rev. C 81, 035501 (2010)] are shown to be incomplete.
Date: May 6, 2010
Creator: Pritychenko, B.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Comparing GPU Implementations of Bilateral and Anisotropic Diffusion Filters for 3D Biomedical Datasets (open access)

Comparing GPU Implementations of Bilateral and Anisotropic Diffusion Filters for 3D Biomedical Datasets

We compare the performance of hand-tuned CUDA implementations of bilateral and anisotropic diffusion filters for denoising 3D MRI datasets. Our tests sweep comparable parameters for the two filters and measure total runtime, memory bandwidth, computational throughput, and mean squared errors relative to a noiseless reference dataset.
Date: May 6, 2010
Creator: Howison, Mark
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Layed Perovskite PRBA0.5SR0.5CO205 as High Performance Cathode for Solid Oxide Fuels Using Photon Conducting Electrolyte (open access)

Layed Perovskite PRBA0.5SR0.5CO205 as High Performance Cathode for Solid Oxide Fuels Using Photon Conducting Electrolyte

This paper discusses solid oxide fuel cells, proton conductors, layered perovskite and Cathodes.
Date: May 6, 2010
Creator: Brinkman, K.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sources and transport systems for low energy extreme of ion implantation (open access)

Sources and transport systems for low energy extreme of ion implantation

For the past seven years a joint research and development effort focusing on the design of steady state, intense ion sources has been in progress with the ultimate goal being to meet the two, energy extreme range needs of mega-electron-volt and 100's of electron-volt ion implanters. However, since the last Fortier is low energy ion implantation, focus of the endeavor has shifted to low energy ion implantation. For boron cluster source development, we started with molecular ions of decaborane (B{sub 10}H{sub 14}), octadecaborane (B{sub 18}H{sub 22}), and presently our focus is on carborane (C{sub 2}B{sub 10}H{sub 12}) ions developing methods for mitigating graphite deposition. Simultaneously, we are developing a pure boron ion source (without a working gas) that can form the basis for a novel, more efficient, plasma immersion source. Our Calutron-Berna ion source was converted into a universal source capable of switching between generating molecular phosphorous P{sub 4}{sup +}, high charge state ions, as well as other types of ions. Additionally, we have developed transport systems capable of transporting a very large variety of ion species, and simulations of a novel gasless/plasmaless ion beam deceleration method were also performed.
Date: June 6, 2010
Creator: Hershcovitch, A.; Batalin, V. A.; Bugaev, A. S.; Gushenets, V. I.; Alexeyenko, O.; Gurkova, E. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Detection of Hohlraum Target Position for Laser Fusion Experiments (open access)

Detection of Hohlraum Target Position for Laser Fusion Experiments

None
Date: July 6, 2010
Creator: Awwal, A. A.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
The dynamical core, physical parameterizations, and basic simulation characteristics of the atmospheric component of the GFDL global coupled model CM3 (open access)

The dynamical core, physical parameterizations, and basic simulation characteristics of the atmospheric component of the GFDL global coupled model CM3

None
Date: July 6, 2010
Creator: Donner, L. J.; Wyman, B. L.; Hemler, R. S.; Horowitz, L. W.; Ming, Y.; Zhao, M. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fish Tales (open access)

Fish Tales

This talk is about fishing and the friendships that have resulted in its pursuit. It is also about theoretical physics, and the relationship of imagination and fantasy to the establishment of ideas about nature. Fishermen, like theoretical physicists, are well known for their inventive imaginations. Perhaps neither are as clever as sailors, who conceived of the mermaid. If one doubts the power of this fantasy, one should remember the ghosts of the many sailors who drowned pursuing these young nymphs. An extraordinary painting by J. Waterhouse is shown as Fig. 1. The enchantment of a mermaid must reflect an extraordinary excess of imagination on the part of the sailor, perhaps together with an impractical turn of mind. A consummated relationship with a mermaid is after all, by its very nature a fantasy incapable of realization. To a theoretical physicist, she is symbolic of many ideas we develop. There are many truths known to fisherman in which one might also find parallels to the goals of scientists: (1) A fish is the only animal that keeps growing after its death; (2) Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught; (3) ''...of all the liars among mankind, the fisherman is the …
Date: July 6, 2010
Creator: McLerran, L.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library