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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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Sand Thermal Energy Storage Pilot Design (Final Report)

This report summarizes work done on developing a 10-MWhe pilot of the sand-based thermal energy storage (SandTES) technology at Alabama Power’s Plant Gaston Unit 5, an operating, supercritical coal power unit. The system will be integrated to the unit, obtaining steam to heat the sand through an air-blown fluidized-bed heat exchanger, then storing the water to be reused during discharging to produce steam that will then be vented. An electrical particle heater will also be included to provide part of the heat to the sand to provide data and learnings for commercial systems that will be fully electrically heated. Hot sand is contained in one bunker, while cold sand is housed in the other bunker, and standard solids handling equipment moves the sand around. This pilot would advance the SandTES technology to Technology Readiness Level 6 and position it for commercial readiness by 2030. This work was done in two phases: Phase I performed a conceptual study that provided Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE) Class 5 costs and estimated performance, and then Phase II, which also involved a design update, performed a more detailed pre-front-end engineering and design study that elicited AACE Class 4 costs. Work was also done to provide estimated costs for commercial applications of the technology, assess its gaps, create its technology maturation and commercialization plans, and finally perform an Environmental Information Volume for the pilot site as a first step in the National Environmental Policy Act process.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Front End Engineering Design Study on Gasification of Coal and Biomass to Generate Carbon- Free Electric Power and Hydrogen

A 2nd Phase Front End Engineering Design study of a gasification plant concept to co-produce electric power and hydrogen with net-negative CO2 emissions is being completed under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) 21st Century Power Plants initiative, whose goal is to advance innovative power plant concepts that are capable of flexible, net-zero carbon emission operations while producing cost-effective hydrogen to support economy-wide decarbonization goals. The proposed standalone plant would be constructed in Nebraska, USA. The specified design feedstock is a hybrid blend of Powder River Basin (PRB) subbituminous coal from Wyoming and local Nebraska biomass (corn stover), 50% each by weight (dry basis). Other potential feedstocks, including woody biomass (eastern red cedar) and waste plastic (auto shredder residue) were evaluated as alternates. The process block comprises a high-pressure, oxygen-blown fluidized bed gasifier coupled with water-gas shift, Selexol process for acid gas (H2S and CO2) removal, and pressure-swing adsorption (PSA) to yield 8,500 kg/h of high-purity hydrogen. Off-gas from the PSA unit is used in a gas turbine combined cycle plant (the power block) to supply 50 MWe net electric power to the grid. Overall thermal efficiency of the plant is 50% (HHV) with net atmospheric CO2 removal at a rate of 32 t/h. Design activities necessary to provide input to the current front-end engineering design (FEED) study, including, site selection, gasifier technology selection, investment case preparation, and the development of the Environmental Information Volume (EIV) for the host site, have been completed. These, as well as the current FEED activities, are described in this presentation.

gasification, biomass, coal, hydrogen, power gener↗
DOE OSTI2024

Methane Pyrolysis for CO2-free H2 and Carbon Nanomaterials - CRADA 576 (Final Report)

In this CRADA project we continued to develop the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) patent-pending Regenerable Catalytic Pyrolysis (ReCaP) process technology for producing CO 2 -free hydrogen (H 2 ) from inexpensive and domestically-abundant natural gas (NG), while simultaneously reducing H 2 ’s net production cost to $\$$1.0/kg through the sale of valuable crystalline solid carbon co-product. Producing clean hydrogen at this price is a DOE Hydrogen Energy Earthshot goal. This effort builds on our prior catalyst and processing advances made thermocatalytic decomposition of methane (TCD). The additional scope performed here accelerated the commercial deployment of TCD for CO 2 -free H 2 and valuable solid carbon nanotubes (CNT) co-product, by i) scaling up the production of CNT co-product using a fluidized bed reactor (25 g catalyst scale versus the 1 g catalyst scale demonstrated prior), ii) producing approximately 1 kg of CNT byproduct, produced via multiple cycles of TCD, carbon-catalyst separation, and catalyst re-synthesis, to enable the production of sufficient quantities of solid carbon so as to explore its market potential, iii) understanding the quality of the co-product CNTs, produced at larger scale, using advanced characterization, and iv) beginning to explore multiple promising high volume carbon product applications (e.g., aluminum and polymer composites, steel additive, and cement reinforcement applications). We are in discussions with Department of Energy and potential commercial partners to continue funding of this effort with the goal to facilitate eventual commercial deployment.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Microwave-Assisted Heating for Gasification

Compared to traditional heating, microwave-assisted heating enhances catalyst activity, selectivity and stability. These features are essential in gasification to improve the process outcome while mitigating the generation undesirable by-products such as char. To study the effect of microwaves on fluidized bed reactors, the electromagnetics module of COMSOL and MFiX are coupled using file input/output wherein external calls are made to COMSOL from MFiX. The particle bed heating rates and temperature distributions are investigateed in the case of a monodisperse bed of magnetite particles subjected to single mode transverse electric and magnetic fields in reacting and non-reacting conditions. The effect of inlet gas velocity on the heating rate of particle is also explored in this work.

Koneru, Rahul Babu↗
DOE OSTI2024

AOI [1] Advanced Manufacturing of Ceramic Anchors with Embedded Sensors for Process and Health Monitoring of Coal Boilers

Researchers at West Virginia University (WVU) developed methods to fabricate and test ceramic anchors with an embedded sensor technology for monitoring the health and processing conditions within pulverized coal (PC) and fluidized-bed combustion (FBC) boiler systems. The technology included the development of advanced manufacturing processes for 2D/3D printing electroceramic (conductive ceramic) sensor designs within the ceramic anchor microstructure during the manufacturing process. This advanced manufacturing process would allow for the precise control of local microstructure and composition in order to engineer layer-by-layer any protective and electrically active materials within the refractory anchor. This 3D printing technology would permit the rapid and controlled design of the refractory microstructure and embedded sensor design throughout the volume of the ceramic anchor. The work also included a method to interconnect the sensors to boiler shell through the anchor clamp, where the sensor signals will be processed by low-power electronics and transmitted wirelessly to a central processing hub. The end-goal of the program was to produce a ceramic anchor sensor system which would be ready for implementation within a coal boiler, and/or other similar refractory liner systems (such as that in the glass and metal manufacturing areas). The project objectives were to: 1) Define the chemical and microstructural stability, in addition to the electrical properties, of oxide and non-oxide ceramic composites to be embedded within the ceramic anchor compositions that may operate up to 1400ºC; 2) Develop and implement the 2D/3D printing technology to pattern and control the microstructure of the ceramic anchor and embedded sensor circuits; 3) Develop an interconnect technology which will permit easy installation of the ceramic anchors and signal collection at the boiler shell; 4) Develop low power analog electronics and wireless communication hardware to efficiently collect the sensor signal at each processing unit and transmit data to a central hub for data analysis; 5) Demonstrate the smart ceramic anchor system for temperature and liner fracture within a high-temperature processing unit, such as a boiler furnace or glass melting furnace floor/wall liner.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Developing Drag Models for Non-Spherical Particles through Machine Learning

The overarching goal of this project is to produce comprehensive experimental and numerical datasets for gas-solid flows in well-controlled settings to understand the aerodynamic drag of non-spherical particles in the dense regime. The datasets and the gained knowledge will be utilized to train deep neural networks in TensorFlow to formulate a general drag model for use directly in NETL MFiX-DEM module in order to help to advance the accuracy and prediction fidelity of the computational tools that will be used in designing and optimizing fluidized beds and chemical looping reactors.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Final Report: Process Intensification of Hydrogen Production through Sorption-Enhanced Gasification of Biomass

The University of Utah, in partnership with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), evaluated Sorption-Enhanced Gasification (SEG) as a transformative pathway for producing hydrogen with the potential for negative CO 2 emissions. SEG integrates gasification, water-gas shift, and in-situ carbon capture within a dual fluidized bed reactor to enable efficient clean hydrogen production. Key challenges related to biomass variability and process complexity were addressed through feedstock engineering, reaction optimization, and process validation. A co-pelletized biomass–limestone feedstock was developed to simplify feeding and introduction of makeup limestone. Kinetic and sorbent studies identified optimal operating conditions and confirmed the suitability of low-cost limestone, while catalysts were developed to reduce tar formation. Reactor modeling and techno-economic analysis indicated that SEG can achieve competitive hydrogen production costs, particularly when combined with carbon incentives, supporting its potential for scale-up and carbon-negative operation.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Preliminary Techno-Economic Assessment of Gas Switching Reforming (GSR) of Natural Gas for Pure Hydrogen Production and Power Generation with Integrated CO2 Capture

The increasing demand for hydrogen and the CO2 intensity of natural gas (NG) reforming motivate the development of low-carbon-emission hydrogen production technologies. Gas Switching Reforming (GSR) is an advanced auto-thermal reforming technology that produces hydrogen or syngas from natural gas. It integrates inherent CO2 capture by utilizing a specialized oxygen carrier in a single fluidized bed reactor, eliminating the need for complex, energy-intensive post-combustion separation. GSR technology builds upon Chemical Looping Reforming (CLR), an experimentally proven technology with strong potential for scaling up. In this study, select oxygen carriers (OC) (NiO/Al2O3, Fe2O3-CeO2/Al2O3, and magnetite) were tested in methane steam reforming in a fixed bed reactor to determine their relative reactivities under relevant conditions for GSR (800 °C, 7 bar total pressure). Process models were then developed to perform techno-economic analysis (TEA) of GSR for hydrogen production (GSR-H₂) and a combined cycle (GSR-CC) in which high-purity H₂ is fired in a gas turbine to produce electricity. Operating at 10 bar and 1100 °C and with the additional recovery steps implemented increased H₂ production by ~30% and improved efficiency relative to prior studies. For GSR-H₂, the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is 1.61–1.64 $/kg-H₂, competitive with a reference SMR case, though operating and maintenance costs are higher due to increased electricity demand. GSR-CC has a significantly higher levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) than its reference NGCC (natural gas combined cycle) plant, suggesting it is less competitive; however, increasing production scale could make it more attractive. Life-cycle results for GSR-H2 indicate NG consumption drives ~75% of total global warming impacts (~2.3 kg CO2 eq/kg H2). An environmental, health, and safety screening suggests iron-based carriers are comparatively safer, whereas NiO may pose greater risks. Overall, GSR-H2 is a scalable, competitive option for hydrogen production using nickel and non-nickel OC.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Co-Firing of Pine Biomass and Waste Coal in 100 and 600 MW Power Plants: A Sustainable Approach to Reduce GHG Emissions

Climate change is a global issue that has gained much attention recently. Co-firing biomass with coal/waste coal reduces the electricity sector’s GHG emissions sustainably. This study uses commercial software to model waste coal and biomass co-firing in 100 MW and 600 MW power plants. The objective is to assess the effects of fluid types (subcritical and supercritical), plant capacities (100 MW and 600 MW), boiler types (pulverized coal and circulating fluidized bed boilers), biomass and waste coal co-firing ratios (0:100, 20:80, 40:60, 60:40, 80:20, and 100:0), and carbon capture and storage efficiencies (0%, 90%, 95%, and 97%) on performance parameters such as net plant efficiency, heat rate, net plant CO2 and SO2, and particulate matter emissions. The feedstocks selected for this investigation include anthracite waste coal and loblolly pine biomass. As the biomass fraction increases from 0% to 100%, co-fired power plants net efficiency increases by 3–8%. Supercritical plants had a 6% higher net plant efficiency than the subcritical plants. The study found that the biomass’s high heating value decreased the fuel flow rate and reduced plant CO2 emissions by 10–16%. With 100% biomass power plant feed and 90% carbon capture and storage efficiency, CO2 emissions drop by 83% and SO2 and PM emissions drop to zero.

Bhoi, Prakashbhai R. (ORCID:0000000333104888)↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Dual-Mode Hybrid System Combining Solar Thermal With Pumped Thermal Energy Storage

A hybrid system that delivers renewable electricity generation and electricity storage capabilities is introduced. This dual-mode hybrid system is based on Pumped Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) which uses a heat pump to convert electricity into thermal energy that is trans-ferred to silica particles which are stored in concrete silos. The stored heat is later converted back to electricity in a heat engine. The heat pump and heat engine use a closed Joule-Brayton cycle and fluidized bed heat exchangers. If the PTES system is co-located with an array of concentrating solar mirrors and a particle receiver, then the silica particles may also be heated up by the concentrating solar power (CSP) system. The PTES heat engine may also be used to convert the stored solar heat into electricity, thereby sharing this system between the PTES and CSP systems and reducing costs. However, this requires careful management of the heat engine off-design parameters. A thermodynamic model is used to evaluate the performance of the dual mode PTES-CSP hybrid system. The model accounts for turbomachinery effi-ciency, and approach temperature and pressure loss in heat exchangers, as well as other sources of inefficiency, such as motor-generator losses, and air fan power. The hybrid system also requires the evaluation of the turbomachinery efficiency and pressure ratio at off-design conditions since the CSP system operates over different temperature ratios than the Carnot Battery. Several design variables and design modifications are investigated, such as pressure ratios and maximum temperatures.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1969

Abrasion and resistant discharge valve developed

Discharge valve capable of withstanding intense radiation and high abrasion was developed for use in a fluidized bed reactor. The valve which employs a replaceable Teflon seal, has only one moving part and is designed for remote assembly and disassembly.

Gottwald, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Isotropic pyrolytic carbons

Depositing carbon on high-temperature substrate that is kept in motion by vibration produces isotropic pyrolytic graphite or carbon without using fluidized beds.

Shimizu, H.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Comparison of experimental and theoretical thermal fatigue lives for five nickel base alloys

The alloys Nimonic 90, IN 100, coated IN 100, B 1900, coated B 1900, MAR M200, and MAR M200DS (directionally solidified) were studied. Maximum temperatures ranged from 770 C to 1120 C (1420 F to 2050 F). Specimen geometries included tapered disks, double-edged wedges, and cambered airfoils. The disks and wedges were heated and cooled in fluidized beds. The airfoil specimens were heated by a Mach 1 natural gas burner and rapid-air-cooled, with and without spanwise loading. Life calculations included two distinct failure modes: conventional low cycle fatigue and cyclic creep. Required material properties were limited to conventional thermal, tensile, and creep rupture data. The complete life calculation system included the calculation of transient temperature distributions, thermal strains, stresses, creep damage, fatigue damage, and cycles to first crack. Calculated lives were within a factor of two for 76 of the 86 data points analyzed. Cyclic creep accounted for 81% of all the calculated damage.

Spera, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Comparison of experimental and theoretical thermal fatigue lives for five nickel-base alloys.

Alloys investigated were Nimonic 90, IN 100, coated IN 100, B 1900, coated B 1900, MAR M200, and MAR M200DS (directionally solidified). Maximum temperatures ranged from 770 to 1120 C. Specimen geometries included tapered disks, double-edged wedges, and cambered airfoils. The disks and wedges were heated and cooled in fluidized beds. The airfoil specimens were heated by a Mach 1 natural gas burner and rapid-air cooled, with and without spanwise loading. Life calculations included two distinct failure modes: conventional low-cycle fatigue and cyclic creep. The complete life calculation system included the calculation of transient temperature distributions, thermal strains, stresses, creep damage, fatigue damage, and finally cycles to first crack. Calculated lives were within a factor of two for 76 of the 86 data points analyzed.

Spera, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Additional thermal fatigue data on nickel- and cobalt-base superalloys, part 1

The fluidized bed technique was used to measure the relative thermal fatigue resistance of twenty-one superalloys. Among the thirty-six variations of composition, solidification method, and surface protection the cycles to cracking differed by two to three orders of magnitude. Some alloys suffered serious weight losses and oxidation. Thermal fatigue data, oxidation, and dimensional changes are reported. The types of superalloys are identified.

Howes, M. A. H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Exploratory study of several advanced nuclear-MHD power plant systems.

In order for efficient multimegawatt closed cycle nuclear-MHD systems to become practical, long-life gas cooled reactors with exit temperatures of about 2500 K or higher must be developed. Four types of nuclear reactors which have the potential of achieving this goal are the NERVA-type solid core reactor, the colloid core (rotating fluidized bed) reactor, the 'light bulb' gas core reactor, and the 'coaxial flow' gas core reactor. Research programs aimed at developing these reactors have progressed rapidly in recent years so that prototype power reactors could be operating by 1980. Three types of power plant systems which use these reactors have been analyzed to determine the operating characteristics, critical parameters and performance of these power plants. Overall thermal efficiencies as high as 80% are projected, using an MHD turbine-compressor cycle with steam bottoming, and slightly lower efficiencies are projected for an MHD motor-compressor cycle.

Williams, J. R.↗