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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

Mo-100 Disk Structural Integrity Tests I

The NorthStar pressed and sintered 29 mm diameter, 0.5 mm thick Mo-100 disks will be subjected to large temperature gradients when in beam during production. The beam preferentially heats the disk center, while the aggressive cooling by the helium keeps areas outside the beam spot relatively cool. The result is a temperature gradient of up to 900°C over the radial distance of 14.5 mm. To test the disk integrity with this high temperature gradient, a special holder for a single disk was made such that proper cooling can be applied as in the design target and the disk heating can be replicated with induction heating. NorthStar press and sintered disks were used for these tests.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Adrian Portales Coop Internship Report

Using the thesis of W.R. Nolan (cite) as a guide, Cobalt Iron (CoFe) powders were reacted with 0.1 wt.% and 0.2 wt.% phosphoric acid in a 20:1 ratio of acetone to phosphoric acid. The powders were then dried at room temperature. The resulting phosphate coated CoFe was then mixed with 0.75 wt.% of the lubricant N,N' ethylene bis-stearamide (trade name: Acrawax C) and hot pressed to form a consolidated soft magnetic material referred to as CoFeP. With an avenue of synthesis for CoFeP determined, a proper amount of stock was synthesized for continuous “brick” production. While under current optimization, these 1x1 mm magnetic bricks will ultimately be placed and secured along the inside wall of each MK Magnetics transformer core by an appropriate CoFeP dispersed epoxy. As of now each brick has been produced though a pressing and annealing process via square 2x2 cm die. Before a brick is made a pressure calculation is run to ensure the dies maximum operating pressure is not exceeded. Figure 1. ensures the user’s safety by showing that the tons-on-ram required for a 2x2 cm square die to reach 760 MPa is below the point of die failure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Impact Report: Quantum Systems Accelerator

The Quantum Systems Accelerator (QSA) is a U.S. National Quantum Information Science Research Center established in August 2020 and funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. QSA is composed of 15 partner institutions— universities and national laboratories—bringing together pioneers of many of today’s unique quantum information science (QIS) and engineering capabilities. Led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), with Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia Labs) as the lead partner, 250+ QSA researchers are catalyzing U.S. leadership in a fast-growing field that seeks solutions to the Nation’s and the world’s most pressing problems by harnessing the laws of quantum mechanics.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Advanced Mixed-Mode Pixel Array Detector for X-rays Above 20 keV (Final Report)

The objective of the work reported upon was to perform research and development and test advanced prototype imaging x-ray detectors needed to meet pressing scientific research needs at U.S. x-ray synchrotron user facilities. The high x-ray brightness of the Nation’s x-ray synchrotron sources in the DOE National Laboratories holds promise to advance science and technology in a broad range of fundamental and applied disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biomedical areas and engineering. At present, progress in many areas is being limited not by the x-ray source but by the lack of imaging x-ray detectors capable of meeting experimental needs. Specifically, there is pressing need for imaging detectors with high dynamic range, low noise, high frame rates and the ability to capture x-ray images with x-rays of energy > 20 keV. This Final Technical Report summarizes progress made at Cornell University on novel integrating x-ray detectors that address these characteristics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Testing of Helium-Cooled Metal Molybdenum Disk Target

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes LLC is planning to produce an important medical radioisotope, molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), through photonuclear reaction on molybdenum-100 (Mo-100). In this approach, molybdenum metal will be bombarded with a 40-MeV electron beam. Because enriched Mo-100 is expensive, it is desired to use as much beam power as possible to achieve maximum production yield and minimize target mass. This objective leads to very high beam power density (heat deposition in the target), which sets challenging requirements for cooling. Together with scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, a team at Argonne National Laboratory has developed and demonstrated a cooling approach using pressurized helium, which allows for efficient heat removal. One of the main challenges in this approach is the management of the heat load on the target window. The target window separates the high-pressure helium inside the target from the vacuum in the beamline, so it is constantly under stress from differential pressure. Also, the window is cooled only by the helium gas flowing on one side, making the window cooling even more challenging. High heat deposition in the target disks also imposes a strict requirement on performance of the helium cooling system and thickness of the target disks. The target disks are produced from metal powder via a press-and-sinter process. The resulting disks do not possess tensile strength as high as solid molybdenum and might not survive the vibration from the high-velocity helium coolant and high thermal stress from beam heating. An Argonne team of scientists performed a series of tests at Argonne’s Low Energy Accelerator Facility (LEAF) [3-7]. This report describes two series of tests for scale down production target designs that utilize full-scale 29 millimeters diameter, 0.75 mm thick press-and-sintered disks. We performed two thermal tests with different beam parameters and configurations of the disk laminations. We compared the results of the window temperature measurements and cooling system parameters obtained in the experiments with those predicted by analytical calculations and Computation Flow Dynamic (CFD) simulations. Results of the experiments and calculations are presented below.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advanced Fabrication Techniques of Metal Hydrides for Science and Technology Applications (Abbreviated Final Report)

Lithium Hydride (LiH) atomic properties make it an excellent candidate for thermal energy storage, hydrogen storage, and nuclear reactor technology. High Energy Density (HED) experiments on LiH at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) can also provide critical Equation of State (EOS) and Hugoniot data. Density requirements for LiH vary per application and therefore physical and structural requirements for LiH are non-uniform. Historical production of LiH relies on casting processesthat are limited by density and grain-size control, which leads to unfavorable machinable characteristics. LiH manufacturing is further hindered due to its chemical reactivity and propensity to readily react with moisture. This work aimed at exploring advanced fabrication techniques for LiH such as 1) uniaxial powder pressing methods and 2) laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing. Uniaxial powder compaction offers advantageous tailorable mechanical and physical properties via density control, and L-PBF can produce net-shaped complex parts with unique microstructure. Uniaxial pressing proved successful in readily producing LiH with density control.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advanced Fabrication Techniques of Metal Hydrides for Science and Technology Applications (Full Technical Report)

Lithium Hydride (LiH) atomic properties make it an excellent candidate for thermal energy storage, hydrogen storage, and nuclear reactor technology. High Energy Density (HED) experiments on LiH at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) can also provide critical Equation of State (EOS) and Hugoniot data. Density requirements for LiH vary per application and therefore physical and structural requirements for LiH are non-uniform. Historical production of LiH relies on casting processes that are limited by density and grain-size control, which leads to unfavorable machinable characteristics. LiH manufacturing is further hindered due to its chemical reactivity and propensity to readily react with moisture. This work aimed at exploring advanced fabrication techniques for LiH such as 1) uniaxial powder pressing methods and 2) laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing. Uniaxial powder compaction offers advantageous tailorable mechanical and physical properties via density control, and L-PBF can produce net-shaped complex parts with unique microstructure. Uniaxial pressing proved successful in readily producing LiH with density control.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Robust Solar Receivers Using MAX Phase Materials

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy under the Solar Energy Technologies Office Award Number 35928. The objective of the proposed effort was to develop and optimize additive manufacturing technologies for low-cost fabrication of high-temperature receivers using MAX phase-based materials (Ti 3 SiC 2 and Ti 3 AlC 2 ). MAX phase materials are a group of ternary metal carbides and nitrides where M stands for an early transition metal element, A is a group 13–16 element, and X is C and/or N. In Phase 1, the binder jetting additive manufacturing process was used to synthesize and characterize the Ti 3 SiC 2 MAX phase material. The typical process involved first producing a TiC preform using binder jetting followed by infiltration of the preform with silicon melt to form Ti 3 SiC 2 in situ. The reaction-infiltrated samples showed formation of MAX phase in the sample core; however, the surface showed cracking. Various process conditions—cooling rates, hold times, Si proportion, etc.—were varied to minimize the surface cracking. The fabricated MAX phase core was characterized by microstructure analysis and evaluations of mechanical properties such as hardness and thermal shock. In Phase 2, the focus included fabrication of Ti 3 SiC 2 MAX phase materials by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and synthesis of Ti 3 AlC 2 MAX phase materials by the Al melt infiltration process. It is expected that Al infiltration will not cause sample cracking, since Al does not expand during solidification. In addition, other processing approaches were investigated to fabricate the MAX phase materials, such as SPS with a graphite bedding approach for producing short-length Ti 3 AlC 2 MAX phase tubes for demonstration of prototypical Concentrating Solar Power receiver tubes. Fabricated samples underwent thermo-mechanical testing to validate the materials for the solar receiver application at temperatures >1000°C. In Phase 3, the effort focused on the development and optimization of the Ti-Al-C MAX phase composite material using the Al melt infiltration approach. We started with optimization of precursor powders and making preform structures by either pressing them in a die or using the binder jetting additive manufacturing process followed by Al melt infiltration. In addition, we investigated the formation of preform structures by cold isostatic pressing followed by Al melt infiltration for making Ti-Al-C MAX phase composite. Thermo-mechanical characterizations, such as creep, strength, and thermal shock, were conducted to establish the structures’ performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

National Energy Water Treatment & Speciation (NEWTS): A Water & Critical Mineral Database and Dashboard

The scarcity of water resources, the need for beneficial water reuse, and the challenges of wastewater treatment are becoming increasingly pressing in economic, social, and environmental domains. Addressing these concerns requires effective treatment strategies to manage wastewater streams and tackle environmental and economic issues. Furthermore, the recovery of critical minerals from the waste streams associated with energy production holds the promise of offsetting treatment costs and securing local sources of valuable minerals. However, relevant data on these waste streams are dispersed and challenging to locate. The process of ingesting such data into modeling software often involves multiple steps, requiring data restructuring to meet software-input requirements. The non-standardized reporting of water data makes data aggregation and reformatting a time-consuming process. Additionally, essential attributes necessary for modeling water treatment and mineral scale formation are frequently missing. Moreover, data gaps vary depending on the region of interest. Consequently, there is a pressing need for high-quality energy-water composition data that can be easily imported into water chemistry modeling software. To address this need, the National Energy Technology Laboratory has created the National Energy Water Treatment and Speciation (NEWTS) Database and Dashboard—a free online tool catering to community leaders and water researchers. NEWTS facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the composition of energy-related wastewater streams in the United States. The datasets provide detailed concentrations and speciation of major and minor aqueous compounds in energy-related wastewater streams, including power plant leachate, acid mine drainage, brackish water, and oil and gas produced water across the United States. Many of the aqueous species are critical minerals (Li, REEs) in high demand to modernize the world’s energy infrastructure. Many of the datasets also contain volumetric flow-rates needed to model the treatment and reuse scenarios in advanced aqueous chemistry software programs. The NEWTS Database and Dashboard offer public access to hitherto challenging-to-access datasets, presented in a standardized format that is tailored for easy input into aqueous chemistry modeling software. By performing the work needed to transform dispersed, disparate data sources into unified, model-ready datasets, NEWTS serves as an essential resource in advancing water treatment research and sustainable water resource management.

produced water management↗
DOE OSTI2024

UHT-CAMANCHE: Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Additively Manufactured Compact Heat Exchangers

The conceptual basis for this project is the convergence of advanced ultra-high temperature ceramic materials and additive manufacturing technologies to produce compact ceramic heat exchangers with complex internal flow path geometries. Task areas were broadly divided into materials and manufacturing development, heat exchanger design, component testing, and techno-economic analysis. Technical challenges included the design and commissioning of new test facilities, improving feature resolution and deposition rate of ceramic additive manufacturing techniques, establishing process-structure-property relationships in additively manufactured ultra-high temperature ceramics, and assessing high temperature materials compatibility in CO 2 environments. The primary candidate material evaluated in this work is a composite comprising zirconium diboride (ZrB2) with 30 vol. % silicon carbide (SiC) which was selected based on its desirable combination of high temperature mechanical properties, high thermal and electrical conductivities, and oxidation resistance. High solids loaded ZrB2-SiC pastes suitable for extrusion-based additive manufacturing were developed for the first time as part of this work. Materials compatibility studies indicate this material oxidizes in CO 2 to form a protective borosilicate scale which transforms to pure silica above 1000°C. Parts made by additive manufacturing displayed enlarged grain sizes produced by pressureless sintering as compared to hot-press sintering. Increases in microstructural coarseness have outsized effect on oxidation performance up to 1400°C due to incomplete oxidation of coarse large diameter SiC particles resulting in lower amounts of silica that apparently inhibit protective scale formation. Additive manufacturing as a forming technique did not appear to significantly affect thermal conductivity, hardness, or elastic modulus, though flexural strength was reduced by half or more as compared to traditionally hot-pressed materials. This effect was attributed to the presence of strength-limiting flaws (ca. 40 microns in size) originating from extrudate inhomogeneities that could potentially be eliminated with further process improvements. Attempts to attain economies of scale for production of multi-kilowatt scale heat exchangers by ceramic additive manufacturing proved difficult. Lack of automation and a modest extrusion rate while retaining fine feature resolution made the overall process labor intensive and limited experimental throughput. A number of full-scale components were taken through post-process heat treatments including drying, binder burnout, and sintering; however, none survived without significant flaws or cracks. Therefore, no operational data from a newly installed heat exchanger test loop were able to be obtained during the performance period. Continued research and development is recommended to improve economic feasibility of ceramic additive manufacturing by standardizing the use of advanced sensors, artificial intelligence, and automation tools to reduce associated labor costs and accelerate production rates. The materials and manufacturing techniques demonstrated in this work are likely to find applications in defense and energy applications.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2026

Enabling Bipolar Membrane Manufacturing Using Microscopy

Bipolar membranes (BPMs) used for water treatment suffer from interface instabilities, causing premature failure and decreased performance. Recent research has highlighted the impacts of membrane morphology on mechanical behavior and performance. Improved material performance of thin film membranes requires enhanced transport properties coupled with better control of the mechanical characteristics to avoid premature failure of the film. Thus, morphology is a key parameter when developing and evaluating novel membrane materials. Microscopy offers unique advantages for nano-scale characterization of thin film membrane interfaces and morphologies. In this study, the interface junction of BPMs was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). BPMs were fabricated using (1) hot pressing lamination, (2) bench-scale solution casting, and (3) roll-to-roll sequential casting (R2R). Both commercial and in-house fabricated ion exchange membranes were used in the BPMs. The BPMs were comprised of a cation exchange membrane and an anion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer sandwiched in between. Cross sectional SEM and EDX images of the membrane interface junction were compared among the different fabrication techniques and materials. The bench cast catalyst layers were nonuniform compared to the R2R and hot pressed membranes, demonstrating the importance of precise catalyst application conditions. Different thicknesses of the BPMs and individual membrane layers revealed that polymer solution concentration needs to be optimized during manufacturing. This work shows that microscopy can identify key processing parameters that affect BPM interface junction quality at the microscale to enable manufacturing of high performance BPMs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Enabling Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Bipolar Membranes Using Microscopy

Bipolar membranes (BPMs) used for water treatment suffer from interface instabilities, causing premature failure and decreased performance. Recent research has highlighted the impacts of membrane morphology on mechanical behavior and performance. Improved material performance of thin film membranes requires enhanced transport properties coupled with better control of the mechanical characteristics to avoid premature failure of the film. Thus, morphology is a key parameter when developing and evaluating novel membrane materials. Microscopy offers unique advantages for nano-scale characterization of thin film membrane interfaces and morphologies. In this study, the interface junction of BPMs was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). BPMs were fabricated using (1) hot pressing lamination, (2) bench-scale solution casting, and (3) roll-to-roll sequential casting (R2R). Both commercial and in-house fabricated ion exchange membranes were used in the BPMs. The BPMs were comprised of a cation exchange membrane and an anion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer sandwiched in between. Cross sectional SEM and EDX images of the membrane interface junction were compared among the different fabrication techniques and materials. The bench cast catalyst layers were nonuniform compared to the R2R and hot pressed membranes, demonstrating the importance of precise catalyst application conditions. Different thicknesses of the BPMs and individual membrane layers revealed that polymer solution concentration needs to be optimized during manufacturing. This work shows that microscopy can identify key processing parameters that affect BPM interface junction quality at the microscale to enable manufacturing of high performance BPMs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Volatile Fatty Acid Recovery from Arrested Anaerobic Digestion for the Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel: A Review

The process of producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from organic waste involves the use of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as intermediates that are obtained via arrested anaerobic digestion (AAD) and VFA recovery. This recovery process often requires several steps, including dewatering, filtration, extraction, and purification. The recovery of VFAs is crucial for their upgrading and can pose a challenge in the production of SAF from organic waste due to high costs and compatibility issues. This review discusses various dewatering methods, including centrifuges, belt filter presses, and screw presses, and explores conditioning technologies that can improve dewatering performance. It also introduces filtration technologies, with a focus on dynamic filtration, which shows promise in addressing the issue of membrane fouling. Additionally, the review describes extraction technologies such as electrodialysis, adsorption, and liquid–liquid extraction (LLE). By providing insights into these different techniques, the review aims to contribute to the development of an integrated VFA recovery process with low carbon footprint.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cellulose Nanofibrils Dewatered with Poly(Lactic Acid) for Improved Bio-Polymer Nanocomposite Processing

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have theoretically ideal properties for bio-based composite applications; however, the incorporation of these materials into polymers is made challenging by the strong binding of water to CNFs and the irreversible agglomeration of CNFs during drying. Previous methods used “contact dewatering”, wherein the addition of wood flour (WF) to CNFs facilitated the mechanical removal of water from the system via cold pressing, which showed potential in producing dried CNF fibrils attached to wood fibers for biocomposite applications. In this work, the viability of contact dewatering with poly(lactic) acid (PLA) powder for PLA/CNF composites was evaluated. The energy efficiency of dewatering, preservation of nanoscale CNF morphology, and mechanical properties were examined by mixing wet CNFs with pulverized PLA at various loading levels, pressing water out of the system, and compression molding and shear mixing composites for testing. The most impressive results from this dewatering method were the preservation of micron-to-nanoscale fibers with high aspect ratios in PLA-CNF composites; increased strength and modulus of 1.7% and 4.2%, respectively, compared to neat PLA; equivalent or better properties than spray-dried nanocellulose at similar loading levels; and an 11-194x reduction in drying energy compared to spray-drying CNFs.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2024

On the mechanisms of J c increment and degradation in high- J c Ba122 tapes made by different processing methods

We compared the grain and grain boundary (GB) nanostructures in two Ba122 tapes with similarly high J c . The Ag-sheathed tape made by hot pressing has larger, more plate-like grains with better c-axis alignment but has more GBs blocked by FeAs and Ba–O. In contrast, the tape made by cold pressing with an Ag-Sn/stainless steel sheath possesses fewer plate-like grains and weaker grain alignment but has more continuous current paths with clean physically well-connected GBs. Our nanostructural comparison emphasizes the strong need to achieve both good grain alignment and clean GBs for further J c improvement of Ba122 tapes.

Kametani, F.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Design, Manufacture, and Testing of an Open-Source Benchmark Composite Hydrokinetic Turbine Blade: Preprint

In a trend toward clean energy alternatives, recent years have seen great strides in the marine energy space. Consequently, there is a pressing need for the design, development, and validation of novel energy harvesting technologies such as hydrokinetic devices, which capture kinetic energy from waves, tides, and currents. However, these devices span numerous concepts and designs that often lack solid benchmark research that can be freely referenced throughout their development. This work focuses on the design process of an open-source composite hydrokinetic turbine blade for a three-bladed marine turbine rotor assembly with a diameter of 2.5 m. The proposed blade consists of two structural composite skins that are bonded with an adhesive and filled with a foam core. This study also explores and contrasts the efficiency and resolution of low-fidelity rapid design methodologies and comprehensive high-fidelity approaches in the context of blade design, modeling, and analysis efforts, a key objective in this research. Blade hydrodynamic loads were modeled and applied to finite-element blade models to study deformations and potential failure. Ongoing and upcoming efforts will result in blade manufacture and structural testing at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In future work, multiple blades will be deployed at the Living Bridge site at the University of New Hampshire and will be compared to rigid aluminum blades of the same geometry, developed by Sandia National Laboratories. Ultimately, this research will lay foundational groundwork for researchers and manufacturers, establishing a baseline composite blade design that will serve as a benchmark in the development of future hydrokinetic turbine blades.

blade design↗
DOE OSTI2020

Mechanical seal with high pressure high temperature secondary seal

A secondary seal of a mechanical seal comprises an annular sealing gasket and backing plate surrounding a cylindrical sealing surface, all of which can be made of the same metallic material. The gasket is C-shaped in cross section, and is axially pressed during operation into a C-shaped groove formed in the backing plate, the groove being shallower and larger in inner diameter than the gasket, so that the gasket, when pressed into the groove, deforms radially inward and seals against both the backing plate and the sealing surface. The contact area between the gasket and sealing surface increases with pressure. In embodiments, when the pressure is released, the gasket retracts from the sealing surface, allowing easy disassembly and allowing axial movement of the gasket and backing plate. Highly polished surfaces of the gasket and sealing surface can allow axial motion thereof during operation to maintain the seal face gap.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Self-aligning swaging punch and method for swaging

A self-aligning swaging punch is provided for adjoining together a pin and a workpiece having a pinhole. The swaging punch comprises a shaft and a tip having an open-ended cavity. The shaft transfers an axial force from a press or hammer to the tip. The tip transfers the axial force from the shaft to a top surface of the workpiece near the pinhole. The tip may be spherical in shape for evenly deforming the workpiece near the upper edge of the pinhole. The open-ended cavity receives the pin therein and allows the pin to extend at least partially into the open-ended cavity while the tip contacts the workpiece. The open-ended cavity also ensures that the swaging punch is aligned with the pinhole and perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece when the pin is inserted into the pinhole such that the workpiece evenly deforms and presses against the pin.

42 ENGINEERING↗