Award Data

Liquid-metal coolants are one of the most promising solutions for the challenges of advanced high temperature nuclear reactor systems.They optimize heat transfer, neutronics, safety, and compactness of the reactor systems.Molten lead and lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) are the primary coolant candidates due to their unique thermo-mechanical and neutronics properties.However, they are highly corrosive ...

This Phase II project aims to assemble the key set of sensor modalities that are needed to reliably view the key process anomalies and properties of laser powder bed fusion. The research team will down-select from the Phase I sensors investigated and integrate the sensors into a sensor fusion software package that facilitates data collection and synchronization, and eventually feedback control of ...

Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines (RDRE)are being developed to take advantage of the near instantaneous heat release potential of detonation waves versus conventional deflagration-based chemical reactions in combustion applications. However, the detonation product environment is extreme and current instrumentation to measure wall / surface conditions within the detonation chamber are lacking. The ...

Lithium metal represents the ultimate anode material due to its high energy density (3860 mAh/g), however, dendrite growth during charge has been essentially preventing its wide application in rechargeable batteries. LiBAMA's bi-functional advanced metal anode (AMA) represents the world's first innovation evolved out of numerous failed and on-going efforts with solid electrolytes, lithium protecti ...

The requirements for thermal management on tactical aircraft systems have reached a level at which integrated system design must be considered early in the aircraft design process. An integrated propulsion, power and thermal modeling and simulation design approach is necessary for reduced size, weight and power requirements. At the same time, there is an urgent need for capabilities that enable an ...

Current mission planning systems allow strike planners and operations centers to perform time-sensitive strike planning, execution monitoring, and validate mission effects using XML-based tools that visualize time critical attack plan and track plan status vs. execution. In this proposed STTR Phase I design for the Next Generation Navy Mission Planning (NGNMPS) system, we will identify expanded op ...

The Exascale Computing Project is tasked to develop the next generation of high performance computing systems capable of computing at 50 to 100 times faster than current HPC systems. Computing at this extreme-scale will significantly enhance the value of materials modeling and simulation to basic materials research and engineering In particular, computing at the extreme scale will enable a higher ...

Computer-aided Engineering software that apply the Finite Element Method to perform a multi-physics analysis have received widespread acceptance for traditional macro-scale material systems. Challenges persist in the modeling of complex coupled processes in environmental/thermal barrier coatings (E/TBCs) used to protect substrate material against the corrosive environment in the hot section parts ...

Terrorist use of radioactive nuclear materials via nuclear and/or radiological dispersion devices (dirty bombs) is a serious threat. Therefore, it is crucial to detect proliferation of nuclear material. Critical challenges include: (a) high sensitivity detection of signature emissions from radioactive isotopes, and (b) cost-effectiveness for deployment of sensor networks across large storage facil ...

Environment-security researchers and practitioners must overcome several technical challenges in the course of their efforts. In the absence of an open-community platform, each researcher or institution compiles and curates their own data repositories, analytical tools, and computational environments. This results in significant duplication of effort, limits the replication and validation of resea ...