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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

The Role of Fuels in Transforming Energy End-Use in Buildings and Industrial Processes

This book examines what role fuels have in the transformation of end-use in buildings and industrial processes. Energy efficient technologies are necessary to lower the carbon footprint for a transition towards clean energy in a sustainable manner. Efficient utilization of primary energy resources including renewables to support the current and future energy needs while targeting grid resiliency, energy and environmental security, at an affordable cost is of significant value. Analysis of configurations consisting of heat pumps, fuel driven thermal providers and power systems is presented. Sensitivity of electrical grid's carbon intensity towards carbon footprint in comparison with fuel driven technologies is necessary to recognize the true value proposition of currently available energy solutions for different end consumers. Similarly, the role of low carbon, zero carbon, and carbon negative fuels such as power to gas, power to liquid, hydrogen, biogas, etc. in conjunction with polygeneration technologies are discussed. Transformation of the primary energy resources from conventional fossil fuels to renewable fuels or electricity will have a significant impact on the overall carbon footprint of various end use sectors, including buildings. Hence, this book also examines two different scenarios focused on sensitivity of the pace of decarbonization of electrical grid and fuel supply on operational energy related carbon emissions.

Cheekatamarla, Praveen↗

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF IMPACT AND ABRASION EROSIONS AT LOW VELOCITIES AND COMPARISON TO CFD SIMULATIONS

Wear and erosion damage of materials due to interaction of the surface with solid particles is a major issue in various industries. This phenomenon is common in mining, and oil and gas production, causing damages worth millions of dollars annually. Erosion is becoming a critical issue in renewable technologies as well such as concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) systems. In some CSP systems, solid particles can be used to absorb solar energy and enhance the heat storage. However, these particles may cause significant amount of wear to system components while falling down the power tower at high temperatures. This damage can be costly, and therefore, investigating solid particle erosion in CSP systems is of utmost importance. In collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, the erosion durability of particle-based Generation 3 (GEN3) CSP system are being investigated both experimentally and numerically. In order to develop models to predict the life time of such systems, erosion under low temperature and low particle impact velocity conditions are investigated. Impact erosion and abrasion erosion experiments are conducted for low velocity and low temperature conditions for various candidate particles and containment materials. The impact erosion testing is conducted for three different containment material including Stainless Steel 316, special refractory material, and Inconel 740H with CARBOBEAD HSP 40/70 ceramic particles and UNIWEST 430 silica quartz erodent particles. All this data will enable us to better model the erosion behavior of these materials and provides a data base to investigate erosion at high temperatures experienced in CSP systems. At low temperatures and low velocities the softer refractory material exhibited greater erosion by an order-of-magnitude when compared to the harder Inconel 740H and Stainless Steel 316 materials. The overall erosion ratio for all the candidate materials was of the order of 10 -7 kg/kg. We also investigated wear in containment materials from sliding of particles over the surfaces at very low angles, also referred to as abrasion. For the velocities expected in a typical 1MW CSP plant, visible surface wear was noted, but the overall mass loss per unit surface area was found to be dependent on the hardness of the containment material tested. In this manuscript, we also present Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and erosion prediction of low velocity impact erosion. These results are compared with the experimental data to evaluate the ability of available erosion models for predicting erosion under these conditions.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Combined Heat and Power Technology Fact Sheet Series: Thermal Energy Storage

This fact sheet provides an overview of thermal energy storage (TES) technologies, which heat or cool a storage medium and, when needed, deliver the stored thermal energy to meet heating or cooling needs. TES systems are used in commercial buildings, industrial processes, and district energy installations to deliver stored thermal energy during peak demand periods, thereby reducing peak energy use. TES systems are often integrated with electric or absorption chillers to reduce peak electricity costs and, in the case of new construction, to reduce capital costs by optimizing chiller size. TES technologies can support sites that have either renewable or fossil power generation, including combined heat and power (CHP) installations. With CHP, TES can help optimize equipment size by reducing the required peak CHP thermal capacity and increasing annual CHP usage. TES can also provide turbine inlet cooling for gas turbines used in CHP applications, which increases power production in hot ambient conditions.

Combined Heat and Power, CHP, Thermal Energy, Tech↗

Novel Modular Residential CCHP for Space Conditioning and Water Heating

This presentation will first describe the design of a novel modular residential cold-climate heat pump for both space conditioning and water heating that can be coupled with thermal energy storage (TES) to maximize system efficiency and load flexibility. Among some of the novel operating modes of the proposed design include: 1) simultaneous outdoor coil defrost while still providing space heating or water heating; 2) simultaneous water heating and space cooling 3) using the TES as the heat source during cold climate operation to improve efficiency and 4) compressorless charging of the TES module during days with high temperature swings between night and day. Then, initial simulation results will be presented describing system performance in key operating modes in climate region 5.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

2020 State of the Science Report, Chapter 7: Changes in Oceanographic Systems Associated with Marine Renewable Energy Devices

Oceanographic processes define the marine environment: the flow of water determines the concentrations of dissolved gases and nutrients, transports sediments, and maintains the habitats and water quality that support marine organisms and healthy ecosystems. Important physical processes in the ocean include, but are not limited to, tidal circulation and basin flushing, wave action, local and basin-scale ocean currents, temperature and salinity gradients, sediment transport forming and shaping coastlines, and the exchange of heat and dissolved gases at the air-water interface. Harnessing energy with marine renewable energy (MRE) devices has the potential to affect these processes in both the nearfield (within a few device lengths) and the farfield (farther from the device, from the scale of multiple devices to the scale of an enclosed basin) by removing energy from the system, changing natural flow patterns around devices, and/or decreasing wave heights. https://tethys.pnnl.gov/publications/state-of-the-science-2020-chapter-7-oceanographic-systems

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Low Carbon Technology Strategies: Midrise Apartment

This document includes steps that building owners and operators can implement to achieve smart, healthy, and low-carbon midrise apartment buildings within their existing building portfolios. Midrise apartments may use packaged rooftop units for heating, cooling, and ventilation or central plant systems for larger buildings.

analytics↗

Autonomous Anomaly Detection for MPC Forecasts of HVAC Systems in Residential Communities

The use of residential heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) to shift peak demand or provide ancillary services is a potential solution in the presence of older grids and distributed renewables. However, to ensure the efficient use of devices, utilities need to accurately forecast the load and adopt error correction schemes when necessary. While significant theoretical research exists in the area of predictive control of HVAC, little experimental evidence exists. The lack of experimental data in turn causes researchers to be unprepared for unsystematic errors which emerge due to the higher complexity of the data generating process. This study offers an anomaly detection methodology that uses unsupervised machine learning algorithms to detect and isolate these errors with different forecast error ranges. The results of anomaly detection procedure can then be used for error correction and would eventually help develop better predictive controllers. The methodology is tested using real world data from a smart neighborhood that currently operates in Atlanta. GA.

Lebakula, Viswadeep↗

Modeling and Experimental Demonstration of Flux Spreading in Light Trapping Planar-Cavity Solar Enclosed Particle Receivers

This study experimentally validates and numerically models the flux-spreading effect in a light-trapping planar-cavity solar receiver) for particle-based concentrating solar power systems. The receiver's shallow cavity with vertical planar walls redistributes concentrated solar flux, reducing peak intensity and achieving uniform heat flux. On-sun tests at National Renewable Energy Laboratory's High-Flux Solar Furnace under flux up to 1500 kW/m2 measured cavity wall temperatures, which were compared with Monte Carlo ray-tracing (SolTrace) and computational numerical simulations. Three angular absorptance models were evaluated: constant absorptance, a Pyromark-based directional model, and a Fresnel-based Cr2O3 model. The Fresnel-derived model showed the best agreement with experiments, achieving high correlation (PC > 0.85), structural similarity (SSIM > 0.98), and signal-to-noise ratios (PSNR > 40 dB), with temperature prediction errors of 1-11%. Results confirm that flux spreading mitigates local overheating and validate the integrated modeling approach, supporting the solar receiver scalability for high-efficiency, high-temperature concentrating solar power applications.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

The Distribution System Operator with Transactive (DSO+T) Study

The Distribution System Operator with Transactive (DSO+T) study investigates the engineering and economic performance of a transactive energy retail market coordinating a high penetration of customer-side flexible energy assets. The study seeks to answer whether such an implementation is cost effective for customers, recovers sufficient revenue for DSOs, and is equally applicable and beneficial to a range of flexible asset types, renewable generation scenarios, and market assumptions. Using a highly interdisciplinary co-simulation and valuation framework, this assessment encompasses the entire electrical delivery system from bulk system generation and transmission, through the distribution system, to the modeling of individual customer buildings and flexible assets (including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning [HVAC] units, water heaters, batteries, and electric vehicles). The study exercises a transactive energy retail market coordination scheme designed to integrate with an existing day-ahead and real-time competitive wholesale electricity market. Software decision-making agents are designed for the retail market operator as well as various price-responsive flexible assets. The engineering and economic performance of the transactive energy scheme is studied for two separate flexible asset deployments: flexible loads (HVAC units and residential water heaters) and behind-the-meter batteries. The results of each transactive case are compared to a business-as-usual case. These cases are subject to two different renewable generation scenarios, a moderate renewable generation scenario, representative of current levels of renewable generation deployment, and a future high renewables scenario, including the increased deployment of rooftop solar photovoltaic and electric vehicles. The transactive coordination scheme is shown to produce effective and stable control and decrease peak loads 9–15%. The resulting annual demand flexibility provides net economic savings of $3.3–5.0B per year for a region the size of Texas. Detailed analysis shows that net benefits were seen for a range of distribution system operator, customer, and flexible asset types. Both participating customer (with transactive flexible assets) and nonparticipating customers (with nonflexible assets) see reductions in annual utility bills and net annual energy expenses in the range of 10–16%.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Distribution System Operator with Transactive (DSO+T) Study: Volume 1 (Main Report)

The Distribution System Operator with Transactive (DSO+T) study investigates the engineering and economic performance of a transactive energy retail market coordinating a high penetration of customer-side flexible energy assets. The study seeks to answer whether such an implementation is cost effective for customers, recovers sufficient revenue for DSOs, and is equally applicable and beneficial to a range of flexible asset types, renewable generation scenarios, and market assumptions. Using a highly interdisciplinary co-simulation and valuation framework, this assessment encompasses the entire electrical delivery system from bulk system generation and transmission, through the distribution system, to the modeling of individual customer buildings and flexible assets (including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning [HVAC] units, water heaters, batteries, and electric vehicles). The study exercises a transactive energy retail market coordination scheme designed to integrate with an existing day-ahead and real-time competitive wholesale electricity market. Software decision-making agents are designed for the retail market operator as well as various price-responsive flexible assets. The engineering and economic performance of the transactive energy scheme is studied for two separate flexible asset deployments: flexible loads (HVAC units and residential water heaters) and behind-the-meter batteries. The results of each transactive case are compared to a business-as-usual case. These cases are subject to two different renewable generation scenarios, a moderate renewable generation scenario, representative of current levels of renewable generation deployment, and a future high renewables scenario, including the increased deployment of rooftop solar photovoltaic and electric vehicles. The transactive coordination scheme is shown to produce effective and stable control and decrease peak loads 9–15%. The resulting annual demand flexibility provides net economic savings of $3.3–5.0B per year for a region the size of Texas. Detailed analysis shows that net benefits were seen for a range of distribution system operator, customer, and flexible asset types. Both participating customer (with transactive flexible assets) and nonparticipating customers (with nonflexible assets) see reductions in annual utility bills and net annual energy expenses in the range of 10–16%.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

On the operational characteristics and economic value of pumped thermal energy storage

Pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) systems use an electrically-driven heat pump to store electricity in the form of thermal energy, and subsequently dispatch the stored thermal energy to generate electricity using a thermodynamic heat engine. Optimal day-ahead operational scheduling and annual value of a PTES system based on Joule-Brayton thermodynamic cycles and two-tank molten salt hot thermal storage is evaluated in this work. Production cost models, which simultaneously optimize commitment and dispatch schedules for an entire set of generators to minimize the cost of satisfying electricity demand, are employed to determine system-optimal operation and day-ahead energy value of the PTES system within each of six hypothetical near-future grid scenarios intended to approximately represent the U.S. Western Interconnection or the Texas Interconnection. Sensitivity to grid scenario (including the contribution of variable renewable energy sources), thermal storage capacity, relative heat pump and heat engine capacities, and startup/shutdown cycling costs are evaluated. PTES energy value and heat engine annual capacity factor increase strongly as the contribution of variable renewable resources increases, heat pump capacity increases relative to heat engine capacity, or PTES cycling costs decrease. Grid scenarios in which the contribution of variable renewable energy is dominated by solar photovoltaics (PV) vs. wind produce inherently different PTES operational patterns. Annual PTES energy value within PV-dominated scenarios increased with storage capacity only up to approximately seven hours of full-load discharge capacity, whereas that within wind-dominated scenarios exhibited a continual increase with storage duration up to at least 16 hours.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Investigation of Solid Particle Reactors for Nonoxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane: Toward Solar Thermal Ethylene Production

Concentrating solar power plants can generate renewable heat at temperatures well above those of most industrial processes. Ceramic particles irradiated with concentrated sunlight can store high-quality sensible heat and transfer this to power generation systems. These concepts and materials hold great potential to also enable thermal processes in the chemical industry, but effective strategies for transferring heat from thermal energy storage media into chemical reactors are still under development. This present work evaluated the thermal and chemical compatibility of various solid particle media (including quartz, bauxite, and alumina particles) integrated directly into tube reactors and the subsequent effects on reactor performance for the nonoxidative dehydrogenation of ethane reaction. Empty tube reactors without loaded particles (representing conventional ethane cracking coils) showed significant heat transfer limitations as the tube diameter was scaled. The incorporation of media into the reactor significantly aided heat transfer to the gaseous ethane reactant and increased its conversion by as much as 10% at similar space velocities. Despite direct contact with hydrocarbon gases, alumina and quartz media showed negligible coke formation. Even during reaction in 100% ethane feed gas at 825 °C, the average selectivity of the coke product was only 0.57% when using the quartz media. These materials further demonstrated excellent thermal stability during subsequent reoxidation in air at 800 °C, which simulated the reheating of particles in a circulating particle solar receiver. Conversely, high rates of coke formation, with a product selectivity of 27.5%, were observed on sintered bauxite particles during the reaction, likely promoted by transition metal constituents. These particles fractured upon reoxidation due to exotherms generated from coke combustion. In conclusion, while the use of cofed steam could mitigate attrition of redox-active particles, the ability of inert metal oxide particles to efficiently transfer heat to concentrated ethane reactant gas while suppressing side reactions or degradation suggests that these media could effectively couple solar thermal plants to reactors for next-generation production of ethylene and other critical chemicals.

Hydrocarbons↗

LIQUID AIR COMBINED CYCLE

Hybrid integration of thermal energy storage with gas turbines can provide compact, cost-effective, long-duration energy storage while reducing the fuel consumption of dispatchable resources needed for the reliability of renewable dominant electric grids. The Liquid Air Combined Cycle™ (LACC) is a hybrid energy storage system using cryogenic liquid air as an energy storage medium and gas turbine exhaust heat to extract stored energy. The storage tank is charged using liquefaction processes employing electric motor-driven compressors to pressurize the air, heat exchangers to reject heat of compression, and expanders to reduce the temperature and liquefy the air. Proven cryogenic refrigeration processes can be selected based on capital cost (per kg/s of liquid air produced), efficiency (kJ per kg of air produced), and operating factors including startup speed and load following capability. This paper presents results of studies undertaken for the U.S. Department of Energy to evaluate cost and performance tradeoffs for charge and discharge cycle components, optimize charge and discharge cycles, and assess the techno-economic potential of LACC technology.

Conlon, William↗

Influence of Diffuse and Ground-Reflected Irradiance on the Spectral Modeling of Solar Reference Cells

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is a key component for solar thermal applications to bridge the gap between the demand for thermal energy and the supply of solar energy, whose availability depends on the time of day and season. Thus, cost-effective packed-bed thermal containers filled with a solid storage medium have been proposed for high-temperature sensible heat storage as materials are abundant and relatively cheap. Thus, it is necessary to investigate their performance and temperature profiles during the charge-discharge cycle. Several models are available for this purpose. Typically, the more detailed a model, the greater the computational effort required to solve it, and hence a time-efficient model is needed to prevent excessively long computation times for long-term analysis. At the more basic level, the common Hughes E-NTU model and the less realistic simplified Infinite-NTU model are very important for their less time and computational effort. In this paper, the appropriateness of employing the Infinite-NTU model was evaluated to investigate the performance of a typical and scalable rock-bed TES as a case study. The results presented provide a methodology to quickly test the validity of the model and predict the temperature profile for the case under study. Accordingly, such simple charge-discharge cycle thermal performance predictions are important to plan, design, and rapidly deploy a reliable and economical solar thermal system for the supply of valuable heat to high-temperature demanding applications of power generation and industrial processes as part of a rapid shift towards non-polluting renewable energy. Keywords: Solar Thermal, TES, Packed-bed, NTU model, Temperature profile

PV modeling↗

2023 JISEA Annual Meeting: JISEA Catalyzer Spotlight - Energy and Atmospheric Systems Catalyzer

The Energy and Atmospheric Systems Catalyzer has been running for 1.5 years, with many successes to report. This presentation reviews the goals and scope of the dual catalyzer themes of climate systems and air quality, summarizes new and ongoing projects, and looks into the future of how catalyzer-enabled capabilities can synergize across NREL and partners. Technical outcomes of catalyzer-supported analysis include (1) quantification of air quality, health, and equity (environmental justice) benefits of H2 substitution for fossil process heat in three industries (steelmaking, petroleum refining, and cement making) and (2) a roadmap for understanding renewable energy feedbacks into climate.

air quality↗

Integrated Renewable Combined Heat and Power for Ethanol

Conference presentation at 48th International Technical Conference on Clean Energy (Clearwater Clean Energy Conference), Clearwater, Florida, June 16–19, 2024. This project evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of small‑scale combined heat and power (CHP) systems using corn stover to support bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) at ethanol facilities. The work includes resource characterization, pilot‑scale gasification and CO 2 capture testing to support techno‑economic analysis, economic evaluation of CHP deployment and potential carbon revenue, and life‑cycle assessment of gasification‑based CHP systems.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

BENEFIT with Northeastern University: HVAC Hardware-in-the-Loop Experimental Testing of a Heat Pump and Air Conditioner

This dataset includes HVAC Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) experimental results for a single stage, SEER 16, HSPF 9.5, 3-ton single-speed air source heat pump with 15 kW of backup auxiliary heating tested in both cooling and heating mode, and a two stage, SEER 21, 2-ton central air conditioner tested in cooling mode for a set of outdoor temperatures and indoor setpoint temperatures. In addition to these tests, experimental tests focused on the operation of auxiliary heating for the heat pump for winter condition were also conducted. The laboratory experiments for transient testing of the heat pump and air conditioner were conducted using the two HIL systems in the Systems Performance Laboratory (SPL) at NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF). Further information on laboratory design and capabilities of the SPL along with the architecture of HVAC HIL system can be found in: Sparn, B. F. 2018. Laboratory Resources and Techniques to Evaluate Smart Home Technology (No. NREL/CP-5500-71696). National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/71696.pdf and the experimental setup and validation of HVAC HIL platform can be found in: Ramaraj, S. and Sparn, B. 2022. Validation of HVAC Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulation for Advanced Control Strategies in Smart Homes (No. NREL/CP-5500-82562). National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/82562.pdf. These experimental results can be used to validate how we currently model the cycling behavior of heat pumps and air conditioners. Additionally, many demand response programs implement heat pump and air conditioner control by changing the thermostat set point – these data may also be used to verify our models for heat pump and air conditioner demand response control are implemented correctly. The Test_Matrix file describes all the indoor and outdoor test conditions for heat pump and air conditioner and the file names of data sets include information about the test conditions. A wide range of outdoor air temperatures were chosen to accommodate summer and winter conditions. In addition to operating the HVAC equipment with different outdoor temperatures, we also operate the system with different indoor temperature set points to represent different grid signals or different operating conditions. For cooling conditions, the baseline set point is 72°F. To represent Load Up signals, the setpoint is changed to 68°F. The Load Shed set point is 76°F. For heating conditions, the baseline set point was assumed to be 68°F. The Load add set point is 72°F and the Load shed set point is 64°F. The starting indoor temperature for cooling conditions was set ~2°F above the indoor setpoint temperature so that the equipment turned on quickly. Similarly, the initial indoor temperature was set ~2°F lower than setpoint for heating mode tests to ensure that heating began quickly. The return air temperature was assumed to be equal to the indoor setpoint temperature in all cases. The experimental data are sampled at 1-second intervals. The data from ecobee thermostat at 5-minute interval are resampled and added to the corresponding file. The content of each data set is as follows: • T_Return (C): Measured return air temperature [C] • T_Return_SP (C): Return air temperature setpoint from E+ model, sent to HIL [C] • T_Supply (C): Measured supply air temperature at evaporator outlet [C] • T_Outdoor (C): Measured outdoor air temperature [C] • T_Outdoor_SP (C): Outdoor air temperature setpoint from weather file, sent to HIL [C] • T_Indoor (C): Measured indoor air temperature [C] • T_Indoor_SP (C): Indoor air temperature setpoint from E+ model, sent to HIL [C] • Outdoor Unit Power (W): Measured power of the outdoor unit [W] • Indoor Unit Power (W): Measured power of the indoor unit [W] • Evaporator Airflow Rate (CFM): Measured evaporator or indoor unit airflow rate sent to E+ model [CFM] • Cooling/Heating Capacity (kW): Calculated cooling/heating capacity sent to E+ model [kW] • T_SP_Thermostat (C): Thermostat cooling/heating setpoint temperature [C] • T_Indoor_Thermostat (C): Thermostat indoor air temperature [C]

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

The reservoir network: A new network topology for district heating and cooling

Thermal district networks are effective solutions to substitute fossil fuels with renewable energy sources for heating and cooling. Moreover, thermal networking of buildings allows energy efficiency to be further increased. The waste heat from cooling can be reused for heating in thermal district systems. Because of bidirectional energy flows between prosumers, thermal networks require new hydraulic concepts. In this work, we present a novel network topology for simultaneous heating and cooling: the reservoir network. The reservoir network is robust in operation due to hydraulic decoupling of transfer stations, integrates heat sources and heat sinks at various temperature levels and is flexible in terms of network expansion. Furthermore, we used Modelica simulations to compare the new single-pipe reservoir network to a basecase double-pipe network, taking yearly demand profiles of different building types for heating and cooling. The electric energy consumed by the heat pumps and circulations pumps differs between the reservoir and base case networks by less than 1%. However, if the reservoir network is operated with constant instead of variable mass flow rate, the total electrical consumption can increase by 48% compared to the base case. As with any other network topology, the design and control of such networks is crucial to achieving energy efficient operation. Investment costs for piping and trenching depend on the district layout and dimensioning of the network. If a ring layout is applied in a district, the reservoir network with its single-pipe configuration is more economical than other topologies. For a linear layout, the piping costs are slightly higher for the reservoir network than for the base case because of larger pipe diameters.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗