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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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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

MFVI Energy Efficiency Audit Training Module 2.1: Plug Loads [Slides]

This guide is designed to help trained energy efficiency professionals conduct an energy efficiency audit for commercial and industrial buildings, particularly for micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses in Mexico. This guide is focused on auditing plug load systems. As such, it will assist its user in documenting the plug loads in the space and then identifying the most efficient means of delivering those plug loads.

21CPP↗
DOE OSTI2022

Multi-Segment Decentralized Control Strategies for Renewables-Rich Microgrids in Extreme Conditions

Microgrids provide a promising approach to accommodating various distributed energy resources (DERs), while requiring significant communication infrastructures that may be affected by extreme conditions such as natural disasters and cyber-attacks. In this paper, a fully decentralized control strategy without the need for communication is proposed for islanded microgrids with high renewables penetration. First, special multi-segment power/frequency characteristic curves are designed, so that different DERs can be automatically coordinated in a prioritized manner such as renewables first to maintain power balance while DER frequencies are regulated at their reference values. Second, piecewise linear served load versus frequency models are designed to prioritize loads according to their significance, so that only noncritical loads will be curtailed as needed while critical loads are supplied without any interruptions during power deficiency. The proposed strategy can effectively deal with various normal and extreme system conditions including 100% renewables penetration, loads and renewables variations, power deficiencies requiring load curtailments, disconnection of existing DERs, connection of new DERs as well as network sectionalization and reconfiguration. As a result, the proposed control strategy is validated in the real-time digital simulator (RTDS) model of the IIT Campus Microgrid to demonstrate its effectiveness in enhancing the resiliency of renewables-rich microgrids in extreme conditions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Variational Self-Consistent Theory for Beam-Loaded Cavities

A new variational theory is presented for beam loading in microwave cavities. The beam{field interaction is formulated as a dynamical interaction whose stationarity according to Hamilton’s principle will naturally lead to steady-state solutions that indicate how a cavity’s resonant frequency, Q and optimal coupling coefficient will detune as a result of the beam loading. A driven cavity Lagrangian is derived from first principles, including the effects of cavity wall losses, input power and beam interaction. The general formulation is applied to a typical klystron input cavity to predict the appropriate detuning parameters required to maximize the gain (or modulation depth) in the average Lorentz factor boost, (Δ γ). Numerical examples are presented, showing agreement with the general detuning trends previously observed in the literature. The developed formulation carries several advantages for beam-loaded cavity structures. It provides a self-consistent model for the dynamical (nonlinear) beam{field interaction, a procedure for maximizing gain under beam-loading conditions, and a useful set of parameters to guide cavity-shape optimization during the design of beam-loaded systems. Enhanced clarity of the physical picture underlying the problem seems to be gained using this approach, allowing straightforward inclusion or exclusion of different field configurations in the calculation and expressing the final results in terms of measurable quantities. Two field configurations are discussed for the klystron input cavity, using finite magnetic confinement or no confinement at all. Formulating the problem in a language that is directly accessible to the powerful techniques found in Hamiltonian dynamics and canonical transformations may potentially carry an additional advantage in terms of analytical computational gains, under suitable conditions

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Semi-Annual Report for Horizontal Compact High Temperature Gas Reactor (HC-HTGR) Development during Performance Period April 2023 – September 2023

Horizontal Compact High Temperature Gas Reactor (HC-HTGR) is being designed by a multi-disciplinary team of nuclear, mechanical, and structural engineers under the support of a DOE-NE Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program’s Advanced Reactor Concepts-20 (ARC-20) award. The objective of this ARC-20 project is to deliver a conceptual design for the proposed HC-HTGR in 3 years and support its commercialization as a safe, low-cost HTGR. Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) is responsible for the design and analysis of the reactor cavity cooling system (RCCS) as a safety system for passive decay heat removal of the reactor concept. Additionally, Argonne is providing analysis of the primary coolant system to ensure temperatures within the core remain below safety margins during steady-state and potential accident scenarios. This fourth semi-annual report summarized the progress made at Argonne on the two tasks during the second half of FY23. As a part of the RCCS design task, recent efforts have been made to complete a conceptual design of the RCCS for the HC-HTGR, including the design update of the water panel and system configuration favorable in point of view of fabrication and system operation. Design calculations were conducted under various heat load conditions to validate the system design. Transient simulations using RELAP5-3D were conducted to investigate system dynamics under transients of interest and to evaluate the system performance in the design condition. The results demonstrated the overall system feasibility that the RCCS design maintains structures temperatures lower than maximum allowable temperature with sufficient system inventory without any active heat sink. In the primary system thermal hydraulics task, the preliminary analysis was performed for a long term pressurized conduction cooldown (PCC) transient. This analysis used a combination of a fully resolved and coarse homogenized mesh to predict the temperature distribution for the steady-state initial condition and the PCC transient. The steady-state initial condition was determined using a fully resolved full core model with 3D solid to 1D fluid coupling. The fully resolved mesh was also used to model the first 20 seconds of the PCC. The temperature difference between fuel pins and the graphite matrix becomes minimal and the dominant heat transfer shifts to a larger scale radially towards the RCCS. After 20 seconds, a homogenized coarse mesh is used, greatly reducing the computational costs of the model. These results demonstrate that the core is designed to passively remove enough decay heat in a protected loss of primary coolant flow to prevent an unsafe rise of core temperatures.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Understanding Geometry and Microstructure Interactions In LPBF By Linking Lab Scale Studies To Real Part Case Examples

The mechanical properties derived from simple tensile tests are uniquely important in the design and qualification of load bearing metallic components. The tensile properties in standards for wrought metallic materials are generally accessible for design and simulation engineers, but this is not the case for additively manufactured metals. This work investigates the influence of tensile specimen geometry on the mechanical properties of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V, particularly in relation to properties measured from specimens excised from an exemplar part. A comprehensive analysis was conducted across various specimen geometries, considering factors such as thermal history, cross-sectional area, shape, and surface roughness. Key findings reveal that sample size, particularly cross-sectional area, significantly affects reported tensile properties, with ASTM E8 flat and round specimens exhibiting differences in elastic modulus (13%), yield strength (17%), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) (14%), and elongation to failure (11%). Additionally, surface roughness was found to have a limited impact on ASTM round geometries, but it becomes critical in thin-walled and small high-throughput samples. The ASTM flat samples closely matched the properties of samples excised from the exemplar part, underscoring the necessity of testing witness samples that accurately represent end-use conditions. Furthermore, mechanical properties of samples built within the stitch zone of the exemplar part demonstrated reduced ductility, highlighting the importance of laser alignment and qualification in multi-laser additive manufacturing processes. Overall, this study emphasizes the need for careful consideration of specimen geometry and testing conditions to ensure accurate reporting of mechanical properties in LPBF Ti-6Al-4V.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

HOM DAMPER DESIGN FOR BNL EIC 197MHZ CRAB CAVITY

For the electron Storage Ring (ESR) of Brookhaven Na-tional Lab Electron Ion Collider (BNL EIC), beam loading is a great concern due to the high beam current together with abortion gap, especially for harmonic cavities due to higher operational frequency. There were attempts to use feedback/feedforward control, using multiple cavities with counter-phasing [1]. A straightforward way to lower beam loading effect is to design a cavity with low R/Q. In this paper, we show such a design for the 3rd harmonic cavity for BNL EIC ESR.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

IEA Wind Energy Task 37 - System Engineering - Aerodynamic Optimization Case Study

This paper presents the results from the first IEA Wind Task 37 aerodynamic optimization case study. 8 participants applied their optimization tools to a purely aerodynamic problem and the results were compared. Overall, the different tools produced widely different designs, while there was better agreement in the improvement achieved. This highlights the fact that further investigation is needed to try to understand these differences and develop best practices. There were too many differences between the different analysis and optimization codes to determine the sources of these differences. However, several potential sources of discrepancy were identified for further investigation. One hypothesis is that one potential source of discrepancy is that the design problem itself is relatively flat in design directions of constant loading. This flatness would impact the convergence in the optimization, while at the same time mean that discrepancies in the design itself would be less severe.

49 EE - Wind and Water Power Program - Wind (EE-4W↗
DOE OSTI2021

IEA Wind Energy Task 37 System Engineering Aerodynamic Optimization Case Study: Preprint

This paper presents the results from the first IEA Wind Task 37 aerodynamic optimization case study. Eight participants applied their optimization tools to a purely aerodynamic problem and the results were compared. Overall, the different tools produced widely different designs, while there was better agreement in the improvement achieved. This highlights the fact that further investigation is needed to try to understand these differences and develop best practices. There were too many differences between the different analysis and optimization codes to determine the sources of these differences. However, several potential sources of discrepancy were identified for further investigation. One hypothesis is that one potential source of discrepancy is that the design problem itself is relatively flat in design directions of constant loading. This flatness would impact the convergence in the optimization, and at the same time mean that discrepancies in the design itself would be less severe.

49 EE - Wind and Water Power Program - Wind (EE-4W↗
DOE OSTI2026

FIREFLY: heat load and particle exhaust approximations for rapid evaluation of divertor designs

The divertor in a magnetic confinement fusion reactor is an essential component for power dissipation and particle removal. The FIREFLY package for rapid evaluation of divertor designs is presented as an extension of the FLARE code for field line reconstruction from a flux tube mesh. First, divertor loads are approximated with a simplified heat transport model. Neutralized particles are then sampled from the resulting load distribution, and the EIRENE code is used to track molecules and atoms in a plasma background while accounting for dissociation, charge exchange and ionization. Particles are removed on pumping surfaces in order to estimate the exhaust efficiency for a given divertor geometry. Optimization of the divertor geometry for more efficient particle exhaust is explored by using W7-X as an example, and the sensitivity to model parameters for the plasma background in the proxy calculations is evaluated.

mesh generation, magnetic field lines, scrape-off ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Levelized cost of charging of extreme fast charging with stationary LMO/LTO batteries

Extreme DC fast charging for electric vehicles (EVs) could be competitive with the internal combustion engine refueling experience and enable longer-distance travel, which could help with EV adoption and decarbonization, but these systems have high capital costs and extremely variable high-power demands. Behind-the-meter systems (BTMS) could support extreme-fast-charging (XFC) stations to increase nationwide adoption of EVs. Here, this study examines the optimal break-even levelized cost of charging (LCOC) across 96 BTMS scenarios to enable low-wait XFC stations providing 200 miles of charge in 10 min. This research simulates LCOC via synthetic XFC-capable EV loads, machine-learned battery life models from testing data, and nonlinear optimal controls, co-minimizing complex utility costs and battery replacements. An aggregate optimal BTMS design treating each EV load as equal likely gives an optimal LCOC per utility rate, the average of which is $\$$0.59/kWh. In addition, the sensitivity of optimal and off-optimal design factors, the long-life LMO/LTO chemistry, and optimized controls are analyzed. The battery control model, based on battery stressors to compare chemistries, optimizes LMO/LTO resting state of charge and cycle depth without compromising cost reduction, which enables greater flexibility in operation. The LCOC savings due to replacement reduction are small, up to $\$$0.035/kWh (6%), with an average of $\$$0.02/kWh (3.5%). Compared with gasoline stations, the aggregate XFC station design achieves comparable speed, experience of service, and cost at $\$$3.81/gal gasoline, showing that EVs can replace gasoline vehicles even for longer-distance travel.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

H3 Final Design and Technical Report

The goal of this Project was to develop a standards-compliant, fabrication-ready design of Columbia Power Technologies’ (C·Power) next-generation wave energy converter (WEC), the StingRAY H3p. The H3p is a design iteration of C·Power’s StingRAY WEC and is intended for electrical power generation suitable for micro-grids or remote loads. The H3p was designed for grid-connection and at least two years of continuous testing and operation at the proposed PacWave-South (PWS) test site.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Novel Design of Guiding Stress Wave Propagation

Impact loads can induce a series of undesirable physical phenomena including vibration, acoustical shock, perforation, fracture and fragmentation, etc. The energy associated with the impact loads can lead to severe structure damage and human injuries. A design approach which effectively reduces these negative impacts through shock/stress wave diversion is highly needed. In this paper, a computational model which predicts stress wave propagation by considering different beam geometries and configurations is developed. Additionally, a novel concept of wave guide design which modifies the stress wave propagation path without disturbance is also presented. Furthermore, this design approach is not only useful for material property characterization particularly at intermediate or high strain rates, but also allows stress wave propagation in a desired direction as the shock/impact energy can be redistributed in controllable paths. The numerical results are experimentally verified through a Drop-Hopkinson bar apparatus at Sandia National Laboratories.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Object-Oriented Controllable High-Resolution Residential Energy (OCHRE) (TM) Model

This presentation describes the OCHRE model as part of NREL's Powered By webinar series. OCHRE is a building energy modeling tool designed to model flexible loads in residential buildings. OCHRE includes detailed models and controls for flexible devices including HVAC equipment, water heaters, electric vehicles, solar PV, and batteries. It is designed to run in co-simulation with custom controllers, aggregators, and grid models.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2020

An error-in-constitutive equations strategy for topology optimization for frequency-domain dynamics

This paper presents a topology optimization formulation for frequency-domain dynamics to reduce solution dependence upon initial guess and considered loading conditions. Due to resonance phenomena in undamped steady-state dynamics, objectives measuring dynamic response possess many local minima that may represent poor solutions to a design problem, an issue exacerbated for design with respect to multiple frequencies. In this work, we propose an extension of the modified error-in-constitutive-equations (MECE) method, used previously in material identification inverse problems, as a new approach for frequency-domain dynamics topology optimization to mitigate these issues. The main idea of the proposed framework is to incorporate an additional penalty-like term in the objective function that measures the discrepancy in the constitutive relations between stresses and strains and between inertial forces and displacements. Then, the design problem is cast within a PDE-constrained optimization formulation in which we seek displacements, stresses, inertial forces, and a density-field solution that minimize our new objective subject to conservation of linear momentum plus some additional constraints. We show that this approach yields superior designs to conventional gradient-based optimization approaches that solely use a functional of displacements as the objective, while strictly enforcing the constitutive equations. The MECE strategy integrates into a density-based topology optimization scheme for void–solid or two-phase material structural design. We highlight the merits of our approach in a variety of scenarios for direct frequency response design, considering multiple frequency load cases and structural objectives.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

DESIGN OF A THIRD HARMONIC CAVITY WITH LOW R/Q FOR THE ESR IN BNL EIC

For the electron Storage Ring (ESR) of Brookhaven Na-tional Lab Electron Ion Collider (BNL EIC), beam loading is a great concern due to the high beam current together with abortion gap, especially for harmonic cavities due to higher operational frequency. There were attempts to use feedback/feedforward control, using multiple cavities with counter-phasing [1]. A straightforward way to lower beam loading effect is to design a cavity with low R/Q. In this paper, we show such a design for the 3rd harmonic cavity for BNL EIC ESR.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A MEMS dynamic mechanical analyzer for in situ viscoelastic characterization of 3D printed nanostructures

Cellular metamaterial structures with sub-micron features have shown the ability to become excellent energy absorbing materials for impact mitigation due to the enhanced mechanical properties of materials at the nanoscale. However, in order to optimize the design of these energy absorbing metamaterial structures we need to be able to measure the dynamic properties of the sub-micron features such as storage and loss moduli and the loss factor. Therefore, at scale testing is required to capture the scale, temperature, and strain rate dependent material properties of these nanoscale materials. This study presents the design, fabrication, and calibration of a MEMS-based dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) that can be directly integrated with the two photon lithography (TPL) process commonly used to fabricate metamaterial structures with nanoscale features. The MEMS-based DMA consists of a chevron style thermal actuator used to generate a tensile load on the structure and two differential capacitive sensors on each side of the structure used to measure load and displacement. This design demonstrated 1.5 ± 0.75 nm displacement resolution and 104 ± 52 nN load resolution, respectively. Dynamic mechanical analysis was successfully conducted on a single nanowire feature printed between the load and displacement stages of the MEMS device with testing frequencies ranging between 0.01–10 Hz and testing temperatures ranging between 22 °C–47 °C. These initial tests on an exemplar TPL part demonstrate that the printed nanowire behaves as a viscoelastic material wherein the transition from glassy to viscous behavior has already set in at the room temperature.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design and performance evaluation of a dual-circuit thermal energy storage module for air conditioners

We present experimental results and a validated numerical model of a dual-circuit phase-change thermal energy storage module for air conditioners. The module incorporates a phase-change material encapsulated in compressed expanded natural graphite foam. We used n-tetradecane as the PCM with a transition temperature (~4.5 °C) suitable for air-conditioning applications. Heat exchange to and from the module is accomplished through two fluid loops operating as a heat source and sink embedded inside multiple slabs of the composite material. This dual-circuit design enables easier integration with air-conditioning equipment and provides enhanced flexibility in system operation as compared to the state-of-the-art thermal storage systems. When integrated with an air-conditioner, this design will enable peak-load shaving and enhances operational efficiency. The thermal storage device was designed for a nominal storage capacity of ~ 3.5 kWh. We evaluated the heat transfer and energy storage performance of this device using standalone heat transfer experiments to estimate key thermal resistances and identify design improvements before integration with an air conditioner. The numerical model of the heat exchanger uses a combination of discretized and lumped parameter approaches to maintain a balance between accuracy and computational expense. Our analyses show that the geometric features and integration of fluid tubes are key contributors to the thermal contact resistance between the fluid and the thermal storage material, and consequently, to the overall performance of the thermal storage module. Our standalone experiments also identified important operating scenarios in which this thermal storage module can be used for air-conditioning in buildings.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Design of Phase-Change Thermal Storage Device in a Heat Pump for Building Electric Peak Load Shaving: Preprint

Replacing carbon-intensive fossil fuel heating systems with electric heat pumps powered by renewables is a promising approach to decarbonize the building sector. However, one of the technical barriers of this approach is the large scale of heat demand, which will put excessive stress on the electricity grid. Integrating thermal energy storage (TES) into the heating systems can help alleviate this problem, by shifting thermal load and thus shaving peaks in the building electric load. Therefore, it is critical to understand how to design a thermal storage device in a heat pump for peak load shaving. In this study, we developed a numerical model for a cascaded vapor compression heat pump system integrating a phase change thermal storage device. This novel system can control the net thermal charging and discharging rate of the TES independently from the building's thermal load, which allows for precise control of electric power use. In the current study, we controlled the system to shave building electric peak load during a cold winter morning, and to charge TES during the relatively warm afternoon while still providing space heating. We used the model to evaluate the system performance with and without peak shaving. We also investigated the effect of PCM transition Tt on the peak reduction and electric energy saving potentials. The results show that peak shaving scheme effectively reduces the peak electric power consumption during a predefined discharge time window. When comparing to the no shaving case, for PCM Tt = 10 degrees C, the peak electric load reduction is 23.5%. When comparing to an air-source heat pump with back up electric heater, as Tt increases from 0 to 20 degrees C, the peak reduction increases from 46.1% to 50.9%. Integrating PCM Tt = 10 degrees C with peak shaving leads to the 45.5% of electric energy saving, which is the highest among the three transition temperatures.

electric energy saving↗