The Systems Analysis & Decision Support group (2150) at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) led a study from 2015 to 2017 to investigate the utility of various options to achieve systematic and comprehensive incorporation of the human component of a system throughout the product lifecycle. Although technology readiness levels (TRL) are widely used in the systems engineering process to address technical maturity throughout design and development, a comparable technique to estimate the readiness of a technology for human operator use is lacking at SNL. The present study was designed to investigate the utility of a human readiness levels (HRL) scale to complement the TRL scale for the types of nuclear deterrence work conducted at SNL. The study team conducted 24 interviews with 26 individuals to (1) understand the extent to which current baseline design and development approaches at SNL incorporate the human dimension and (2) estimate the utility of various options to fully incorporate the human element in SNL work. Results confirmed that current processes do not manage the human component of a system systematically or comprehensively across programs. Although multiple options were seen to have some utility to address this shortcoming, an approach combining human readiness assessments within the existing TRL scale was perceived as relatively more useful for SNL. The study team created a proposed path forward to progress from the current ad hoc, reactive approach to a systematic, comprehensive, and rigorous approach characterized by full consideration of the human component of a system within and across programs and throughout the entire product lifecycle.
Watrous, John J.; Seidel, David B.; Luginsland, John W.
Algorithms designed to facilitate calculation of gas-modified System-Generated Electromagnetic Pulse (SGEMP) phenomena have been developed for use in ICEPIC. Improvements and extensions of these and related models are considered for helping them be more widely applicable for SGEMP modeling. Confluent Sciences has developed a Buneman-Villasenor unit test tool for assessing particle merge algorithms and has applied that to several candidate algorithms. Statistical analysis of Maxwellian and near-Maxwellian velocity distribution functions has been used to understand limits and tradeoffs of particle merging. Collisional phenomena and plasma models that relieve the burden of a fully kinetic approach have also been developed and assessed.
The Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) is a unique, one-of-a-kind nuclear reactor facility operated by Sandia National Laboratories for the National Nuclear Security Administration that is considered by many to be a national treasure. There is no other research reactor in the world that has the attributes and capabilities comparable to that of the ACRR. The ACRR was specifically designed to meet the irradiation testing needs of the U.S. nuclear weapons program. The ACRR has four major attributes that make it unique: 1) a large dry central cavity; 2) an epithermal neutron flux; 3) a large pulsing capability; and 4) a fueled-ring external cavity with a larger dry cavity. This report presents the unique capabilities of the ACRR and documents some of the more important metrics associated with its operation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to thank the Annular Core Research Reactor staff and the Radiation Metrology Laboratory staff for their support of this work.
The goal of the DOE OE Energy Storage System Safety Roadmap1 is to foster confidence in the safety and reliability of energy storage systems. There are three interrelated objectives to support the realization of that goal: research, codes and standards (C/S) and communication/coordination. The objective focused on C/S is "To apply research and development to support efforts that refocused on ensuring that codes and standards are available to enable the safe implementation of energy storage systems in a comprehensive, non-discriminatory and science-based manner."
In this paper we describe the performance of two operations, gather and scatter. The operations we describe are simplified versions of those used in the implementation of sparse matrix libraries such as sparse-blas. Similar operations can also be found in benchmarks such as HPCG. Gather and scatter operations are memory load and store operations that are related to other memory operations such as Stream Triad and DAXPY, but have an additional dependence between memory loads that affects performance. We describe how the operations behave on current technology and identify features that enhance their performance. However, our description of hardware is general rather than specific to a single architecture.
The Chemical Waste Landfill (CWL) at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) is a remediated hazardous waste landfill that underwent closure in accordance with Title 20, Chapter 4, Part 1 of the New Mexico Administrative Code (20.4.1.600 NMAC), incorporating Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 265, (40 CFR § 265) Subpart G, and the CWL Final Closure Plan (SNL/NM December 1992 and subsequent revisions). The CWL Post-Closure Care Permit (PCCP) (NMED October 2009), which became effective June 2, 2011 (Kieling June 2011) and as modified, defines all post-closure requirements. This eighth CWL Annual Post-Closure Care Report documents all activities and results as required by the PCCP Attachment 1, Section 1.12.
The US Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy is interested in developing supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power cycles that can achieve higher cycle efficiencies and lower costs than the traditional steam Rankine cycles. For the application of an sCO2 energy conversion system with a Very High Temperature Gas Reactor (VHTGR), turbine inlet temperatures over 850°C may be required. Consequently, it is necessary to demonstrate structural materials, including turbine inlet piping, that can be code certified at operating temperatures up to 900°C at sCO2 pressures up to 42 MPa (6100 psi). There are very few metal alloys that retain their strength at these high temperatures, and that are chemically compatible with sCO2.
Sandia executes its broad national security missions through five major mission portfolios: Advanced Science & Technology, Nuclear Deterrence, Global Security, National Security Programs, and Energy & Homeland Security. The LDRD program is key to developing capabilities to address our national security mission challenges. LDRD Mission Foundations, aligned to the Program Portfolios, conduct applied research in areas directly relevant to current/anticipated missions to develop and demonstrate new capabilities and prototype new solutions.
To address Alarm Station operator performance, Portable Intrusion Detection System team gathered information concerning AS operator data needs when assessing alarms. The purpose was to improve the Portable Intrusion Detection System operator interface to ensure that critical information was quickly presented and easily accessible. To gather the data, the team used a Goal Directed Task Analysis approach. The method of analysis was to prepare a set of interview questions, interview selected AS operator experts, conduct the interviews, create a goal/decision/information hierarchy based on information gathered, and then apply the results to the operator interface. In applying the results, the team had to consider not only the Goal Directed Task Analysis -determined information needs of the Alarm Station operator end-user population, but also account for customer requirements and differences in domain. The constraints in implementing all situation awareness recommendations are summarized and initial potential solutions presented.
The purpose of this special briefing paper is to support the objective by providing information about current and upcoming efforts being conducted by U.S. standards and model code developing organizations, specifically code changes associated with the 2018 Group B International Codes (I-Codes) of the International Code Council (100)2 that are relevant to Energy Storage System Safety (ESS)s .
A major challenge in gallium nitride (GaN) vertical power devices and other large bandgap materials is the high defect density that compromises the performance, reliability, and yield. Defects are typically nucleated at the heterointerface where there are both lattice and thermal mismatches. Here, we report the selective area growth (SAG) of thick GaN on Si and on the newly available Qromis Substrate Technology™ (QST) substrates that lead to a significant reduction of the defect densities to a level that is nearly comparable to that on native substrates by defect annihilation. We performed a parametric study of the electrical properties of the SAG GaN layers by fabricating and characterizing Schottky barrier diodes for SAG GaN layer thicknesses of 5, 10, 15, and 20 μm for GaN-on-Si, GaN-on-QST, and GaN-on-GaN diodes. While thicker layers led to a significant reduction in defect densities and improvement in the diode forward current characteristics, the GaN-on-QST diodes exhibited nearly similar characteristics to the GaN-on-GaN diodes. Further improvement in the device structure and/or SAG growth for GaN-on-Si is needed to achieve a comparable performance as the defect densities in the GaN-on-Si are comparable to that of GaN-on-QST substrates.
This report describes the Shaker Table Test conducted on September 12, 2018, at the Dynamic Certification Laboratories (DCL) in Sparks, Nevada. This report satisfies Milestone M3SF-19SN010202021 Shaker Table Test, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Work Package (Parent WBS # 1.08.01.02.02; Work Package #SF-19SN01020202). The Shaker Table Test is related to the Multi-Modal Transportation Test (MMTT) conducted in 2017. During the MMTT, accelerations and strains were measured on the transportation platform, ENsa UNiversal (ENUN) 32P dual-purpose rail cask, cradle, basket, and three surrogate 17x17 pressurized water reactor (PWR) assemblies (one from SNL, one from Spain and one from Korea).
The hypersonic vehicle (HV) is defined as any vehicle capable of traveling at or above five times the local speed of sound (Mach 5). Development of hypersonic flight has been pursued since the late 1950s, especially for reentry of missile warheads and returning orbiting spacecraft. Although considerable progress has been made since then, air- breathing and gliding hypersonic flight remains in the development and testing phase. Concerns have been raised, however, about continued HV flight tests because of HV's potential military use, which has the potential to encourage hair-trigger tactics that would increase crisis instability. In recent years, non-governmental organizations have called for a ban on HV flight testing for the primary purpose of halting continued development of the HV as a weapon. The emphasis on banning flight tests is due to its vital role in aerospace programs. Without it, significant technical uncertainties remain, creating safety and reliability issues that would discourage commercial development. Although the cost and time involved in flight tests have already spurred the use of other test methods, none can completely reproduce the flight test environment. Flight tests are important for reasons such as generating data unique to flight test environments to use in validating models and verifying ground test data, identifying unanticipated problems, and reducing risk. Commercial HV technology development today depends on advancements in four areas: propulsion; aerodynamics; critical guidance, navigation and control; and thermal management. This report summarizes the ramifications on HV technology development if flight tests were banned.
This report describes application of architecture concepts to the chemical-biological defense space, as requested by the Chemical & Biological Defense (CBD) Program at the Science and Technology Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, for purposes of 1) understanding and characterizing system interdependencies and 2) prioritizing program development and allocation of resources. A series of graphical Operational Views (OVs) are presented, characterizing a notional chem-bio architecture at increasing levels of detail. Development best practices are highlighted, as well as potential analytical applications.
Krishnamoorthy, Siddharth; Martire, Leo; Bowman, Daniel; Komjathy, Attila; Cutts, James A.; Pauken, Michael T.; Garcia, Raphael; Mimoun, David; Lai, Voor H.; Jackson, Jennifer M.