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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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209 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Electrospinner Upgrades for Nanofiber Production

Electrospinning is an inexpensive and flexible method for producing nanofibers. Nanofibers are highly adaptable with potential applications in accelerator target systems, air and water filtration, and biomedicine. This project aims to upgrade and test an existing roll-to-roll electrospinner that is more economical for industrial nanofiber production. Varying the diameter of nanofiber can change its functional properties. The current unit cannot adjust spinneret-collector separation, which determines nanofiber diameter. The electro-spinneret channel also does not have lateral adjustment capabilities for precise alignment. Lastly, the viscosities of our polymer solutions have not been quantified. Solution injection into the channel is presently inconsistent because of imperfect nozzle sizing, resulting in waste and decreased efficiency. Modeling was done with Siemens NX CAD software, and viscosity was measured using a Brookfield DVE-LV viscometer. A dual scissor lift design for channel displacement, powered by a dual-shaft DC motor coupled to precision lead screws, was approved and construction was started. Preliminary channel modifications also were initiated. Going forward, the scissor lift system will be integrated and evaluated with our electrospinner, along with further channel modifications. Viscosity measurements of polyvinyldimethylformamide (PVDF) were recorded with inconsistent results due to inadequate testing conditions. Future viscosity trials must be completed in accordance with testing requirements. The optimization and commercialization of roll-to-roll electrospinner units can make nanofiber production more feasible for many new industries and consumer products.

Black, Niko↗
DOE OSTI2024

Design and Performance Evaluation of a Resistive Control Using a Hydraulic PTO System for the TALOS Wave Energy Converter

This study is focused on developing a numerical model to evaluate the performance of a hydraulic PTO system for the TALOS Wave Energy Converter. The WEC device is described and the architecture of the hydraulic PTO system is presented with detail. The WEC is modeled using WEC-Sim, and the PTO is modeled using the Simscape Fluids library from Simulink. The hydraulic PTO is based on a constant pressure configuration that is suitable for WEC passive control. The hydraulic system is composed by a set of rectifying valves and two hydraulic accumulators that reduce the stiffness of the system and also serve as energy storage devices. One of the advantages of this hydraulic PTO architecture is the possibility of controlling the electric generator to operate around the optimal efficiency operating point. The main components of the hydraulic PTO are off-the-shelf devices that are commercially available, which will facility a future deployment of the designed system. The design variables used for this study are the accumulator size, the maximum pressure in the accumulators, the hydraulic motor maximum displacement, and the shaft speed in the electric generator. The performance of the system is evaluated individually, using sinusoidal inputs that replicates regular wave conditions. In addition to this, the numerical model of the PTO is coupled to a WEC-Sim simulation of the TALOS Wave Energy Converter with six PTOs to generate a wave-to-wire model. The main objective of this work is to present a comprehensive design methodology that could serve as a guideline for future research efforts focused on implementing control algorithms on multi degree of freedom WECs.

hydraulic systems↗
DOE OSTI2024

Prototyping of a Rotary Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Power at Sea

Increasing at-sea power generation by Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) energy harvesters towards the order of 1-Watt will create significant opportunities to power ocean observation buoys and distributed sensor nodes by extending mission time and increasing sensor payload. Of the many possible configurations of harvesting wave energy with TENGs, we document the rationale for choosing and developing a rotary TENG that operates by the freestanding mode. The rotary TENG prototype consists of two plates, a rotor and a stator, to take advantage of the various mechanisms of converting wave action into rotational motion. We have constructed a testing apparatus that allows us to vary several key parameters of the device: distance between rotor and stator, triboelectric material, rotational speed, number of electrodes and output load impedance. Preliminary results show that when driven at a constant 500 rpm, we can achieve a power density of 0.7 W/m3. A variable speed motor drives the rotor, which can be driven using a velocity profile informed by the equivalent to the output from a wave energy converter (WEC). The optimized rotational TENG can be stacked and driven by a single shaft, increasing the energy density of the device. The output of such a TENG could be used to power devices in the ocean at a low cost and high durability.

electrostatic generator↗
DOE OSTI2024

Modeling and Power-Hardware-in-the-Loop Validation of Synchronous Wind: An Inverterless Grid-Forming Wind Power Plant: Preprint

Grid-forming (GFM) control of Type-3 and Type-4 wind turbine generators has attracted substantial attention in power systems research; however, the limited over-current capability of power electronics converters continues to deteriorate the grid strength of the evolving power systems. Synchronous wind, also known as Type-5 wind turbine generator (WTG), offers a unique GFM solution to address grid integration and grid strength issues by keeping the grid largely synchronous at very high penetration levels of renewable generation. A Type-5 WTG interfaces to the electric grid via a synchronous generator (SG) driven by a variable-speed hydraulic torque converter; hence, the wind rotor operates in variable-speed mode for maximum power generation and the generator shaft remains synchronous to the grid. This paper developed and tested a high-fidelity model of Type-5 WTG under power-hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) testing environment. The PHIL demonstration showed that a Type-5 WTGs inherently behaves as a GFM unit and can obtain similar performance in terms of power responses, wind rotor dynamics, and efficiency compared to Type-3 WTG in high wind conditions. The developed model also provides further insight on how Type-5 WTGs can benefit the smooth transition to power systems with high integration level of inverter-based resources.

grid strength↗
DOE OSTI2024

Methods of separating materials by use of a centrifugal contactor

Centrifugal contactors that can be used for mixing or separating materials are described. The contactors include a sensing system including a communications fiber within the shaft of the contactors and access ports providing access from the communications fiber to the mixing/separating zone of the contactor. The sensing system can be utilized during operation of the contactor and can provide for detailed and accurate on-line characterization of a protocol, as well as process control and system modification as necessary during operation.

Restivo, Michael L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Three-dimensional airgap electric machines employing winding embedded liquid cooling

Various examples are provided related to 3D airgap electric machines and winding embedded liquid cooling. In one example, an electric machine includes a stator assembly with stator windings supported by a stator core and an outer rotor assembly includes a radial plate surrounding the stator assembly and an endplate at a first end of the radial plate adjacent to the first end of the stator core. The stator windings can include a first portion extending along an axial length of the stator core and a second portion at a first end of the stator core that extends radially inward towards a shaft of the electric machine. The radial plate can include magnets distributed about the radial plate. In another example, a stator assembly includes stator windings supported by a stator core with a winding support including cooling channels distributed between the stator windings. The winding support can be nonmagnetic.

Islam, Md Sariful↗
DOE OSTI2025

ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION OF HARD AND SOFT MAGNETIC MATERIALS IN GASEOUS AND SUPERCRITICAL CO2 ENVIRONMENTS

It may be beneficial to use hermetic designs for supercritical CO2 (sCO2) cycles machinery as they would eliminate CO2 leakage through shaft end seals. This would reduce CO2 emissions and operating costs for makeup of lost process fluid. Those designs may replace traditional oil-lubricated bearings with actively controlled magnetic bearings operating at high temperatures in the process fluid environment (to reduce the need for active cooling). This paper investigates the material degradation of various types of magnets in CO2. Included are several permanent and soft magnetic materials (Alnico 9C, Alnico 5-7C, and 18-T550 grade SmCo, and Hiperco 50) with or without coatings (nickel plating or C5 coating). The materials were exposed to: (1) flowing gaseous CO2 at 1,022 °F (550 °C) and atmospheric pressure in a furnace and (2) sCO2 at 842 °F (450 °C) and 1,500 psi (103 bar) in an autoclave. The preliminary mass change measured after total exposures of 1,000 hours and 2,000 hours are included.

supercritical CO2, magnetic material↗
DOE OSTI2026

Novel Air System for 300 kW Heavy Duty Fuel Cell

Hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles for heavy duty trucks is a potential path for reducing heavy duty vehicle emissions in the future. The air handling system delivers the proper amount of air (oxygen) to react with fuel (hydrogen) in the fuel cell to produce power. Air delivery requires significant power and is the largest parasitic loss for a 300 kW fuel cell. Today’s systems use an electric motor to power an air compressor that supplies oxygen to the fuel cell stack. In addition to parasitic power loss, hydrogen fuel cell systems often have reliability issues associated with the air handling system. Reliability is of significant concern for heavy duty applications (especially long-haul applications). This project aims to improve both the electrical power consumption and reliability of hydrogen fuel cell air handling systems to meet the needs of heavy duty on-highway vehicle applications. The air handling is provided by a twin vortices series (TVS) compressor in addition to adding a TVS expander to recover waste heat energy back into the compressor. The final configuration includes a 600 V, 39 kW motor connected with a single shaft to the compressor and expander. This configuration reduced the total electrical power consumption from 48.6 kW to 37 kW at full load, 27 kW to 9 kW at half load and 0.44 kW to 0.22 kW at idle. The response time requirement was to be less than 2 seconds while the final demonstration yielded 0.62 sec. The study includes additional technologies including water dosing into the compressor, a recuperator and elimination of the intercooler.

Reich, Evan [Eaton Corporation, Southfield, MI (Un↗
DOE OSTI2025

2025 Intern Poster - Abbigail Short

The OSCC Coupling Shaft Handling Fixture, known as the "Puppy Dog Tool," was originally designed by hand in 1976. The initial design was difficult to read and replicate, lacking 3D modeling for simulations and testing. To modernize the tool, the original drawings were reviewed and recreated in Autodesk Inventor with increased spacing for clarity. Key improvements included adding a hook, modifying the top plate and main body connection, and introducing a guiding wall for the clamp. These changes enhanced durability and usability, preventing bending and facilitating easier assembly. The updated design preserved the tool's functionality while making it more robust and user-friendly for high-precision operations.

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2026

U.S. Department of Energy Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) 2025 Prototype Manufacture Awardee: XFlow Energy

Vertical-axis wind turbines offer a compelling path to low-cost, reliable distributed energy that can compete with utility prices for businesses, landowners, and municipalities in rural areas. They generate power by using a main rotor shaft perpendicular to the ground to pick up wind from different directions without a yaw mechanism. However, previous commercialization attempts struggled to account for the unsteady aerodynamics of this design, leading to low power production and/or premature structural failure. To address these challenges, Competitiveness Improvement Project recipient XFlow Energy is building on work completed during three previous CIP funding awards to develop a 30-kW vertical-axis wind turbine that achieves both low costs and high energy output.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

UNH TDP - Voltsys Raw Data and Processing Scripts - Fall 2021

This submission contains raw Voltsys rectifier data and processing scripts associated with MHKDR submission 394 (UNH TDP - Concurrent Measurements of Inflow, Power Performance, and Loads for a Grid-Synchronized Vertical Axis Cross-Flow Turbine Operating in a Tidal Estuary, DOI: 10.15473/1973860) from the University of New Hampshire and Atlantic Marine Energy Center (AMEC) turbine deployment platform. The user is directed to the MHKDR submission 394 for relevant context and detail of this deployment; see link below. The 394_READ_ME file here provides the description from that submission for quick reference. The READ_ME file for this specific instrument from the 394 submission is also available here. This submission contains a zipped folder structure containing raw data in its original format and MATLAB (2019a) processing scripts used to process and manipulate the data into its final form. The final data products are submitted in the 394 submission.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗