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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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178 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Bioinspired energy absorbing material designs using additive manufacturing

Nature provides many biological materials and structures with exceptional energy absorption capabilities. Few, relatively simple molecular building blocks (e.g., calcium carbonate), which have unremarkable intrinsic mechanical properties individually, are used to produce biopolymer-bioceramic composites with unique hierarchical architectures, thus producing biomaterial-architectures with extraordinary mechanical properties. Several biomaterials have inspired the design and manufacture of novel material architectures to address various engineering problems requiring high energy absorption capabilities. For example, the microarchitecture of seashell nacre has inspired multi-material 3D printed architectures that outperform the energy absorption capabilities of monolithic materials. Using the hierarchical architectural features of biological materials, iterative design approaches using simulation and experimentation are advancing the field of bioinspired material design. However, bioinspired architectures are still challenging to manufacture because of the size scale and architectural hierarchical complexity. Notwithstanding, additive manufacturing technologies are advancing rapidly, continually providing researchers improved abilities to fabricate sophisticated bioinspired, hierarchical designs using multiple materials. This review describes the use of additive manufacturing for producing innovative synthetic materials specifically for energy absorption applications inspired by nacre, conch shell, shrimp shell, horns, hooves, and beetle wings. Potential applications include athletic prosthetics, protective head gear, and automobile crush zones.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2001

Mapping Rice Production in China with AVHRR Imagery

The study of rice agriculture is necessary for both the importance of rice as a vital food source and because of the fact that cultivating it has an unfortunate byproduct, namely methane gas. As a food source, rice is a staple for a large majority of the world's population, especially in Asia. Because the populations of many Asian nations are increasing at rapid rates, the production of rice will need to similarly increase. In 1989, it was estimated that the demand for rice would increase by 65% by the year 2019. Rice crops are considered to be one of the primary anthropogenic sources of methane gas. A reason for concern is that this gas is a so-called "greenhouse" trace gas and given its increasing levels in the atmosphere, is thought to contribute to the suspected global warming phenomenon. Some estimate that methane may contribute up to 20% to the global warming effect. Trace gas emissions from anthropogenic sources is an issue that generates great worldwide interest because of the fact that mankind is very likely affecting the current and future climate in potentially negative ways. In an effort to better understand these effects, scientists and engineers are conducting research on all of the varied fronts which relate to climate change and biosphere/atmosphere interactions. The study of global warming through increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases is one area which has received much media and scientific attention. Research fueled by debates on this topic is being conducted on numerous, interrelated fronts in an effort to better understand the complex relationship between human activities and the earth's climate. The research ranges from attempting to verify if the observed data even supports the existence of an anthropogenically generated global-warming phenomenon, to identification of sources and sinks of the trace gases, to measuring the source strengths, to studies which focus on modeling the processes which generate the gases, and finally, to trying to project their impact on the global climatic system. Some of the more commonly known sources of greenhouse gases are related to industry and transportation. Carbon dioxide, CO2, from automobile emissions is one such example. Lesser known are sources from natural and cultivated vegetation, such as the methane, CH4, resulting from rice cropping. While the concentration of atmospheric methane is significantly less than that of carbon dioxide, CH4 has been estimated to have up to 32 times the insulating capability of carbon dioxide, making it an important gas to monitor. The remainder of this chapter will provide some additional background information on the effects of atmospheric methane, and the role that rice agriculture plays as a source in the methane budget. This will be followed by a brief description of efforts to model this source of atmospheric methane. Finally, this chapter will end with a statement of the hypotheses of this thesis, at which time a description of the information contained in the rest of this document will be provided.

Paliouras, Eleni J.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Observation and Modeling of Dynamic Fracture Behaviors of Battery Cell Under Impact Loading Using Enhanced Representative Volume Element Concept

The burgeoning electric automobile industry has increased interest in battery safety. Battery cells experience significant mechanical stress during operation, including the impact of accidents and vibrations from driving. The potential for thermal runaway reactions in battery cells raises safety concerns. Although numerous researchers have defined the dynamic behavior of battery cells and proposed numerical models to describe it, few studies have focused on the high-strain rate mechanical impact phase correlated with the onset of fracture. In this study, we describe the dynamic behavior of pouch battery cells and propose a modeling method to study their mechanical failure under impact situations. Impact tests are conducted at various velocities and heights. To overcome numerical issues commonly encountered under rapid deformation scenarios, a new finite element model is developed based on the representative volume element model. The proposed approach efficiently simulates continuous crack propagation and brittleness behavior during impact by permitting the individual behavior of the cell components. Therefore, engineers can reliably design safer electric vehicle battery cells by measuring the properties of the cell components.

ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2016

Development of a Magneto-Resistive Angular Position Sensor for Space Mechanisms

Magnetic microsystems in the form of magneto-resistive (MR) sensors are firmly established in automobiles and industrial applications. They are used to measure travel, angle, electrical current, or magnetic fields. MR technology opens up new sensor possibilities in space applications and can be an enabling technology for optimal performance, high robustness and long lifetime at reasonable costs. In some science missions, the technology is already applied, however, the designs are proprietary and case specific, for instance in case of the angular sensors used for JPL/NASA's Mars rover Curiosity [1]. Since 2013 HTS GmbH and Sensitec GmbH have teamed up to develop and qualify a standardized yet flexible to use MR angular sensor for space mechanisms. Starting with a first assessment study and market survey performed under ESA contract, a very strong industry interest in novel, contactless position measurement means was found. Currently a detailed and comprehensive development program is being performed by HTS and Sensitec. The objective of this program is to advance the sensor design up to Engineering Qualification Model level and to perform qualification testing for a representative space application. The paper briefly reviews the basics of magneto-resistive effects and possible sensor applications and describes the key benefits of MR angular sensors with reference to currently operational industrial and space applications. The key applications and specification are presented and the preliminary baseline mechanical and electrical design will be discussed. An outlook on the upcoming development and test stages as well as the qualification program will be provided.

Hahn, Robert↗
NASA NTRS2001

Hollow Retroreflectors Offer Solid Benefits

A technician who lead a successful team of scientists, engineers, and other technicians in the design, fabrication, and characterization of cryogenic retroreflectors for the NASA Cassini/Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) mission to Saturn, developed a hollow retroreflector technology while working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. With 16 years of NASA experience, the technician teamed up with another NASA colleague and formed PROSystems, Inc., of Sharpsburg, Maryland, to provide the optics community with an alternative source for precision hollow retroreflectors. The company's hollow retroreflectors are front surface glass substrates assembled to provide many advantages over existing hollow retroreflectors and solid glass retroreflectors. Previous to this new technology, some companies chose not to use hollow retroreflectors due to large seam widths and loss of signal. The "tongue and groove" facet design of PROSystems's retroreflector allows for an extremely small seam width of .001 inches. Feedback from users is very positive regarding this characteristic. Most of PROSystems's primary customers mount the hollow retroreflectors in chrome steel balls for laser tracker targets in applications such as automobile manufacturing and spacecraft assembly.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electrical Safety Practices Developed for Automotive Lithium Ion Battery Dismantlement

ORNL is developing electrical safety practices for handling and disassembling automotive lithium ion batteries in a research environment. Online literature searches did not reveal any standard electrical safety practices for disassembling lithium ion battery stacks from automobiles. Until recently, there has been insufficient motivation to recycle or refurbish spent automotive lithium ion batteries due to limited volumes entering the secondary market. However, a growing volume of spent lithium ion batteries are beginning to collect in automobile salvage yards, recycling facilities, landfills, and other places due to a shortage of economically and environmentally viable end-of-life options. ORNL studied automotive battery pack, module, and cell dismantlement to understand the risks, hazards, and controls necessary to perform dismantlement safely and economically. Packs, modules, and cells were manually taken apart, while wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, with insulated hand tools. These dismantlement studies point out the hazards and risks associated with dismantling automotive lithium ion batteries and describe practices for controlling such hazards and risks while demonstrating the controls through a case study of a first-generation Chevrolet Volt battery pack.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Adoption of Plug-in Electric Vehicles: Local Fuel Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions Across the U.S.

The dependence on gasoline-powered light-duty automobiles has made U.S. households vulnerable to the burden of fuel costs. Tailpipe emissions from these vehicles constitute 58% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S., which are damaging to the environment (EPA, 2023). The adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) has been shown to effectively reduce fuel costs and GHG emissions. However, local effects on these benefits are not well understood by American consumers, potentially limiting adoption and therefore the realization of PEV benefits at scale (MacInnis & Krosnick, 2020; EY Americas, 2023). To fill this research gap, this study estimates the fuel cost savings and GHG emission reductions at the state and ZIP code levels by considering local fuel prices, vehicle class preference, average vehicle model year, fuel efficiencies, and driving intensities. The study's findings reveal that the adoption of PEVs can yield substantial benefits in terms of fuel cost savings and GHG emission reductions nationwide. Specifically, driving a battery electric vehicle (BEV) is estimated to result in annual savings of up to $\$2,200$, while driving a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) can lead to savings up to $\$1,500$, when compared to an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) of equivalent size. Moreover, using population-weighted averages by ZIP code, BEVs and PHEVs show the potential to save 400 and 200 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per mile, respectively, compared to a representative ICEV of the same class. The magnitude of fuel cost savings and emissions reduction vary by region due to various factors. Generally, regions with high gasoline prices, low electricity prices, preferences for larger vehicles, and high driving intensities tend to see relatively large fuel savings. The emissions reductions are more pronounced in areas with clean grids where consumer preferences lie with large vehicles. This regional variability underscores the importance of considering local contextual factors when assessing the potential benefits of PEV adoption. In more than 99% of U.S. ZIP codes, PEVs result in overall savings in fuel use (and subsequent costs) and GHG emissions. While not a central focus of this analysis, reductions in GHG tailpipe emissions from PEV adoption would also come with reductions in criteria pollutant emissions, contributing to improved local air quality depending on the PEV penetration, population density, and electricity generation infrastructure in the locality.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Computational Elucidation of Mechanical Degradation in NMC Cathodes: Impact on Cell Performance

Next-generation lithium ion batteries are expected to demonstrate superior energy and power density with longer cycle life for successful electrification of the automobile, aviation, and marine industries. Adoption of lithium metal anodes with solid electrolytes can help to achieve that goal given that the dendrite-related issues are solved eventually. Another possibility is to use Ni-rich high-capacity NMC cathode materials with liquid and/or solid electrolytes, which presently experiences rapid capacity fade while charged to higher voltages. Several mechanical and chemical degradation mechanisms are active within these NMC-based cathode particles. Recent experimental research activities attempted to correlate the mechanical damage with the capacity fade experienced by Ni-rich LiNi x Mn y Co z O 2 (x+y+z = 1) (NMC) cathodes. Here, a computational framework is developed in this study capable of quantifying the evolution of inter primary particle and cathode/electrolyte interfacial fracture experienced by the poly- and single-crystalline NMC cathodes during charge/discharge operation. Influences of mechanical degradation on the overall cell capacity, while operating with liquid and/or solid electrolytes, are successfully characterized. Decreasing the size of the cathode primary particles, or the size of the single-crystalline cathodes, can mitigate the overall mechanical degradation, and subsequent capacity fade, experienced by NMC cathodes. The developed theoretical methodology can help the engineers and scientists to better understand the mechanical degradation mechanism prevalent in Ni-rich NMC cathodes and build superior lithium ion-based energy storage devices for the application in next-generation devices.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Autonomous System Subversion Tactics: Prototypes and Recommended Countermeasures

One of the fielding requirements for Advanced and Small Modular Reactors (AR/SMR) is the ability to support remote and autonomous operations. Autonomous Control Systems (ACS) are found on platforms such as Autonomous Space Vehicles, Cruise Missiles, and advanced driver-assistance systems. Each of these ACS implementations depends upon a set of decision support subsystems responsible for supporting Autonomous Mission Managers (names vary based upon field and author preferences). These Autonomous Mission Managers receive inputs from system sensors (e.g., LIDAR collection from an automobile travelling down a street; transients from a nuclear reactor), and perform a set of classifications (e.g., Red Traffic Light; Small Pedestrian at 10m; Load Rejection; Single Coolant Pump Trip), and then use these classifications in combination with recommendation algorithms to achieve platform goals (e.g., Stop the Vehicle at the Traffic Light, Avoid the Small Pedestrian; Trip the Reactor to prevent a Safety Event). The design, implementation, and fielding of an ACS capability will alter the cyber-attack surface such that existing risk management plans will need to be updated to include how to protect and defend against data-science and decision-support-system attack classes. These attack classes would include protection of the design and training environments where algorithm selection and testing and training data would be obvious attack vectors. These attack classes would also require an informed set of detection and response procedures to identify anomalous behaviors and document best practices for anomaly assessment and vulnerability mitigation and remediation. Last year we published a Cyber Threat Assessment Methodology for Autonomous and Remote Operations for AR/SMRs along with a companion publication on Cyber Attack and Defense Use Cases. The focus of the methodology was on describing and enumerating ACS processes, components, and functions such that security engineers could: evaluate subversion options against the target; identify threat actor attributes and capabilities derived from each subversion option; and identify security controls and response countermeasures. The Use Cases document offered detailed methodology examples including an assessment of a Military Base SMR, an Autonomous System Decision Loop, and implementation of AR/SMR Machine Learning algorithms. Our proposal at the end of last year was to focus on implementation of subversion prototypes related to the last Use Case area: AR/SMR Machine Learning (ML) Algorithms. We included six attack scenarios in our Use Cases paper: a Poisoning Attack against ML functions implemented using an FPGA; a Trojaning Attack against ML classifiers exploiting the excitability of Nuclear Engineers; a Backdooring Attack against ML Training environments to ensure persistence of an attack vector; a False Positive Evasion Attack against multi-factor Access Control Systems using clever inputs; an Inference Attack against ML models by an Insider with access to the Operational environment; and an Adversarial Reprogramming Attack against a Material Access Control Video Surveillance System. At the beginning of this year these six attack scenarios were provided to our research teams at Georgia Tech and Idaho State University and each team successfully implemented a subversion attack against a ML implementation to include transient misclassifications. While this is a notable outcome from this type of research, this paper offers the reader insight into not only how to structure and execute these types of attacks, but into the thought process behind how the researcher investigated the problem space, performed initial algorithm implementation, and the trial-and-error behind arriving at the successful subversion prototypes. We include in this paper a set of associated Scenarios on how these subversion prototypes could be implemented and an initial set of guidance for AR/SMR architects, Nuclear Regulators, and Cyber Defenders to implement awareness and defense capabilities into their current operational portfolios.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Deconstructing laws of accessibility and facility distribution in cities

The era of the automobile has seriously degraded the quality of urban life through costly travel and visible environmental effects. A new urban planning paradigm must be at the heart of our road map for the years to come, the one where, within minutes, inhabitants can access their basic living needs by bike or by foot. In this work, we present novel insights of the interplay between the distributions of facilities and population that maximize accessibility over the existing road networks. Results in six cities reveal that travel costs could be reduced in half through redistributing facilities. In the optimal scenario, the average travel distance can be modeled as a functional form of the number of facilities and the population density. As an application of this finding, it is possible to estimate the number of facilities needed for reaching a desired average travel distance given the population distribution in a city.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Impact Fracture and Fragmentation of Glass via the 3D Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method

A driving technical concern for the automobile industry is their assurance that developed windshield products meet Federal safety standards. Besides conducting innumerable glass breakage experiments, product developers also have the option of utilizing numerical approaches that can provide further insight into glass impact breakage, fracture, and fragmentation. The combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) is one such tool and was used in this study to investigate 3D impact glass fracture processes. To enable this analysis, a generalized traction-separation model, which defines the constitutive relationship between the traction and separation in FDEM cohesive zone models, was introduced. The mechanical responses of a laminated glass and a glass plate under impact were then analyzed. For laminated glass, an impact fracture process was investigated and results were compared against corresponding experiments. Correspondingly, two glass plate impact fracture patterns, i.e., concentric fractures and radial fractures, were simulated. The results show that for both cases, FDEM simulated fracture processes and fracture patterns are in good agreement with the experimental observations. The work demonstrates that FDEM is an effective tool for modeling of fracture and fragmentation in glass.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Recycling of Titanium Scrap by Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE)

Titanium and its alloys are used in the aviation and automobile industries due to their remarkable strength to weight ratio, but, commonly, machining loss is high with ~90 wt.% of the material being converted to scrap. Recycling post-consumer Ti scrap directly into solid bulk products is a potential solution for repurposing valuable material. Further, reducing or even eliminating fresh Ti sponge during recycling might lead to lower energy and greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, a solid-phase process known as friction extrusion was utilized to recycle Ti-6Al-4V machining chips into solid wires which could be used as feedstock in additive manufacturing. The friction consolidation technique was first used to convert chips with varying degrees of oxygen content into solid billets for its use as feedstock material in subsequent friction extrusion. The extrudates were fabricated above the beta transition temperature, which was achieved by selecting rotation rate and feed rate, to process the billets near 1000°C using a tungsten-lanthana extrusion die. This work presents the first occurrence of friction extruded titanium alloy wires. The effect of friction extrusion on microstructural features, tensile properties, and texture are reported. Overall, the friction extrusion method is capable of recycling Ti-6Al-4V scrap directly into extruded wire.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Technoeconomic Analysis of a Microwave-Assisted Novel Process That Converts Polypropylene Plastic Waste to Propylene

Propylene is an important petrochemical that is used in various industries, including the automobile and polymer sectors. Conventionally, propylene has been produced through fluid catalytic cracking, steam cracking, and propane dehydrogenation. In this project, a novel process to produce propylene from polypropylene plastic waste using a microwave reactor is introduced. Propylene production is simulated in Aspen Plus for both the conventional propane dehydrogenation process and the novel design, with heat integration applied to minimize utility demands and the conventional process serving as the base case for comparison. Finally, a tailored technoeconomic analysis is carried out for both simulated cases to estimate important economic indicators. Analysis of the results shows that the novel microwave-assisted process outperforms the conventional route for propylene production, achieving a single-pass conversion of almost 100%, compared with only 33.8% in the conventional plant. The Net Present Value of the novel plant is $\$1720.3$ MM, which is 3.5 times higher than the conventional process, while the Levelized Cost of Propylene is reduced by 40%. Capital and operating expenditure are also improved in the proposed scheme, with reductions of approximately $\$29$ MM and $\$222$ MM/yr, respectively. In addition to cost savings, this novel process also provides a convenient means to recycle waste polypropylene.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Development of a Novel Magnesium Alloy for Thixomolding® of Automotive Components (Final Report)

Magnesium (Mg) alloy die-castings are increasingly used in the automobile industry to achieve cost effective mass reduction, especially in systems where multiple components can be integrated into a single thin wall die-casting. However, there are several component quality restrictions in thin-walled Mg die castings, including variability in dimensional accuracy, part-to-part variation in mechanical properties, and porosity in the final part, which has limited the continued growth of die-cast components in the automobile industry. An alternative to die-casting is the process of thixomolding®. While the die-casting process relies on filling a mold at high speeds with the alloy in the completely molten state, the thixomolding® process fills a mold with a thixotropic alloy in a semi-solid slurry state at a temperature between the liquidus and solidus temperatures. Ideally, the material should be ~30–65% solid rather than being completely liquid at the beginning of the injection process. Advantages of the thixomolding® process include a finer grain structure, lower porosity, improved dimensional accuracy, improved part-to part consistency, improved mechanical properties, particularly ductility in the component, the ability to reduce wall thickness for mass savings, and longer tool life due to lower process temperatures. The objective of this collaborative project between Oak Ridge National Laboratory, FCA US LLC, and Leggera Technologies was to develop one or more novel Mg alloys more suitable for thixomolding® automotive structural components than the current die-casting alloys used for this process. The primary interest was to improve ductility while maintaining tensile and fatigue strengths, as these are properties that are critical for use in body and chassis structural applications. Since good corrosion resistance is also desirable for this application, this property was also considered when evaluating promising alloy compositions. An initial evaluation of existing components thixomolded® using AM60 was performed and microstructure, and tensile properties were evaluated for the baseline alloy. Targets were established for ease of processing (characterized by the melting range defined as the difference between the liquidus and the solidus), strength, and ductility. Computational modeling was used to identify promising alloys and selected alloys were cast in laboratory scale heats. Properties measured from laboratory scale heats were used to down-select two alloys for further evaluation and component fabrication. Two alloys were prepared in industrial scale heats, cut into small pieces (chips), and thixomolding® trials were initiated. Trial components were successfully fabricated using one alloy composition, but it was concluded that further refinement of the thixomolding® process parameters are required to successfully fabricate component using second alloy. Microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated on the material removed from the fabricated component and properties were compared to the baseline alloy. Although mechanical properties of the alloys showed improvement over the baseline alloy, it was determined that modifications to the thixomolding® process would result in better microstructure control with further improvement in properties leading to successful commercialization. A provisional patent application has already been filed on the new alloys developed as part of the project.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Low Cost, High Volume, Carbon Fiber Precursor for Plasma Oxidation

Light weighting with carbon fiber is critical to improving the energy efficiency of wind turbines, airplanes, and automobiles, but the high cost of carbon fiber continues to limit market growth and applications. Half of this cost is in the raw materials. For the carbon fiber market to reach the next level of adoption, the cost of both the raw materials and conversion must be reduced. This project considered the combination of low-cost, textile-grade precursors combined with the increased efficiency of plasma oxidation to greatly reduce the cost of carbon fiber. The primary objective of this project was to make industrial-grade carbon fiber (550 ksi tensile strength, 35 Msi tensile modulus) from textile-grade PAN precursors, something that cannot be achieved with conventional oxidation and to date has not been achieved with any technology. To accomplish this, the project team iteratively optimized the process conditions in the plasma oxidation and carbonization stages to maximize the tensile properties of the resultant carbon fibers. This involved implementing experimental designs for both stages, whereby process conditions (e.g. temperature) were varied and correlated to fiber properties. Samples of oxidized PAN fibers (OPFs) were prepared using a small pilot-scale plasma oxidation oven at 4XTechnologies (4XT). The thermal, chemical, and physical properties of OPF samples were analyzed by the University of Tennessee (UTK) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The OPF samples were then converted to carbon fiber by subsequent low- and high-temperature carbonization using a lab-scale furnace at ORNL. The resultant carbon fibers were tested for tensile strength also at ORNL, and the results were fed back into the experimental design. Of the hundreds of carbon fiber samples produced over the course of the project, the best sample had an average break strength of 479 ksi and modulus of 33 Msi. While the best tensile properties achieved fell short of the final project targets of 550 ksi for break strength and 35 Msi for modulus, the team demonstrated the potential to produce industrial-grade carbon fiber using textile-grade precursors. The best performing fiber samples had tensile properties that are 87% of the goal for tensile strength and 94% of the goal for tensile modulus. With additional optimization work, it is likely that the targets could be achieved, since only a fraction of the process parameter space was explored during this project. 4XT and its affiliate (4M) have already secured funding through private equity, and there is a CRADA (Cooperative Research and Development Agreement) project currently underway with the Carbon Fiber Technology Center (CFTF) at ORNL to continue this research. Additionally, while not an original goal of the project, the carbon fibers for most samples had diameters >8.5μm. This is considerably larger than commercially available carbon fiber products, which can impart unique properties to the composites (e.g. increased compressive strength) and decrease manufacturing costs even further. Moreover, these fibers were oxidized with plasma oxidation using residence times ranging <60mins, which would be considered fast for normal diameter fibers, but it is as much as 5x faster when factoring in the diameter of the fibers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Controlled Pyrolysis: A Robust Scalable Composite Recycling Technology

The reinforced composites industry is facing significant challenges in handling the scrap composite material from automobile manufacturing, the wind turbine industry, and others. The fibers in the material, whether they be carbon, glass, or other materials have commercial value if they can be recovered successfully. Successfully means the fibers are clean with no sizing or other binders and have adequate strength and physical properties that would allow them to be economically reprocessed into valuable product. The composites recycling project was an industry-collaborative effort to develop a composite recycling technology using controlled pyrolysis. Through the recycling of scrap and end-of-life (EOL) cured composite materials, this pilot study was intended to create a business case by realizing a cost-effective means for recycling EOL and production scrap composite materials, ultimately reducing the volume of composite materials destined for landfill. The project was led by the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) a Teijin Group Company, CHZ Technologies, and A. Schulman with support from Owens Corning, John Deere, General Electric (GE), Ashland LLC, and Plastics Europe (CEFIC). The team studied and tested CHZ Technologies’ controlled pyrolysis system, known as the Thermolyzer TM , which operates on a scalable basis to convert organic polymer materials into a clean synthesis gas and char containing the recoverable carbon and glass fiber reinforcement. The recoverable energy contained in the input polymers creates the synthesis gas that can be used to provide heat to the Thermolyzer TM primary reactor in a sustainable manner. That is, once the Thermolyzer TM is started with a small amount of external natural gas, the synthesis gas that is created from the polymers will continue to operate the burners so long as feedstock is supplied. The reinforcing fiber materials remaining in the solid phase char were separated and cleaned for re-use in other polymer systems based on the retained properties of the fibers. The study created reports (attached in the appendix) on the Mass and Energy Balances, syngas analytics, VOC assessment, yield analysis and other analytics necessary for a Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) to quantify the economic impact of the recovery and sustainable re-use of the carbon and glass fibers. The process consisted of 4 steps: Selection of 4 samples of cured composite waste materials from project partners interested in materials recycling and recovering the reinforcing fibers for best case re-use. The materials included glass fiber (GF) polyester/vinyl ester automotive SMC from CSP, GF epoxy balsa/PVC foam wind blades from GE, carbon fiber (CF) epoxy wind blade laminated spar caps from GE, and GF/CF epoxy hybrid assembly from John Deere. Processing the waste composite samples into 1-2” shreds. Packaging the shredded composites into bulk sacks on international shipping pallets for shipment to KUG in Forst (Lausitz), Germany. Pyrolysis of the shredded composites under controlled conditions designed for each polymer system. Collecting samples of the gas and char for analysis. Shipping the char containing the CF/GF back to the US for the next steps of testing the fibers and developing protocols for sustainable re-use of the fibers in composite applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗