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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 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Mercury Detection Utilizing an Aquatic Animal as a Remote-Sensing Platform

Mercury species in open water, especially the accumulated methylmercury ion, pose a threat to fish and environment. Therefore, it is important to develop a small sensor package that can be integrated into a biotelemetry sensor carried by an aquatic animal, enhancing the ability to detect mercury contamination in large water areas. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor using metal-organic framework (MOF) as sensing material was developed to detect mercury and methylmercury ions in real time based on acoustic wave perturbation. Thiol groups were introduced into the MOF UiO-66 through the organic linker to prepare the UiO-66-SH which was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy results. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted for the Hg 2+ , CH 3 Hg + , and Ca 2+ ions adsorption in the UiO-66-SH. The adsorption capacities of the mercury ions were more than an order of magnitude higher than those of the competing Ca 2+ ions at the same concentration. The frequency changes of the QCM sensor with the UiO-66-SH sensing film were an order of magnitude higher than those of the controlled baseline QCM sensor without a sensing film. Additionally, the frequency change can be tailored by adjusting the thickness of the MOF film and the adsorption properties of the sensing material. The sensor frequency change correlates well with ion adsorption capacities.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

CFD Simulation of Aerobic Gas Fermentation to Enable Commercial Conversion of CO 2 into Aquaculture and Animal Feed: Cooperative Research and Development (Final Report)

NovoNutrients’ fermentation technology uses energy from hydrogen to transform industrial CO2 emissions into premium animal feed ingredients and other valuable products. A single NovoNutrients’ commercial manufacturing plant will capture and convert over 200,000 tons/yr of CO2 into over 100,000 tons/yr of high-protein feed. Key to the rapid and widespread deployment of the technology is maximization of its productivity and energy efficiency. Robust, physically based computational models of the technology will significantly increase productivity and efficiency, accelerating NovoNutrients’ technology to manufacturing scale. NREL has unique capabilities for creating and running such computational models. NREL's existing aerobic bioreaction computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models will be adapted to NovoNutrients’ gas fermentation (CO2, H2, O2) technology. The multiphysics CFD simulations require thousands of high-performance computing (HPC) node hours to simulate the complex geometries and contents of NovoNutrients’ industrial bioreactors. The experimentally validated CFD models were used to identify optimally efficient and productive bioreactor designs and operating conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

​​Updates to Anaerobic Digestion Pathways for Animal Manure in R&D GREET 2025​

Livestock and poultry manure management in the U.S. is a greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive process, emitting 81.7 MMT CO 2 e in 2022 (1.5% of net U.S. GHG emissions). The primary GHG is methane (CH 4 ), with 2,312 kt released in 2022 (9% of U.S. CH 4 emissions). Manure management methods are commonly categorized by whether they are anaerobic (“wet”) or aerobic (“dry”) techniques. Although dry methods manage the largest share of manure, the majority of GHG emissions are generated during storage of manure in anaerobic conditions – typically in water-filled tanks, pits, or lagoons. There has been a 65% increase in emissions from 1990, primarily due to an increasing cattle population. Also, this rise in population has been coupled with a rise in animal confinement and density, which typically adopt wet manure management methods. Within wet methods, anaerobic bacteria proliferate and decompose volatile solids (VS) within the manure in a process called anaerobic digestion to produce roughly equal mixtures of CH 4 and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). These GHGs are fugitive, in that they are assumed to be released to the atmosphere and contribute to GHGs within U.S. GHG inventories. If the methane is captured and purified (i.e., “upgraded”) this simultaneously mitigates GHGs that would have otherwise been released and produces a valuable energy product known colloquially as Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). Such processes are acknowledged by U.S. policy through programs such as the U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), the federal Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z), and state clean fuel standards (CFS). In the 45Z and CFS schemes, the GHG emissions of the business-as-usual (BAU) manure management system is taken as a baseline, and credits are received based on GHG reductions relative to this baseline. Thus, estimating the GHG emissions of the BAU scenario (also known as the “counterfactual”) is necessary.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Updates to Anaerobic Digestion Pathways for Animal Manure in R&D GREET 2025 Rev.1

Renewable natural gas (RNG) produced from animal manure can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector, but accurate life cycle assessment (LCA) of this fuel depends on precise modeling of emissions from business-as-usual (BAU) manure manage ment. This report documents updates to the Research & Development version of the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies (R&D GREET) model that attempt to improve that precision.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Torque Teno Sus Virus 1: A Potential Surrogate Pathogen to Study Pig-Transmitted Transboundary Animal Diseases

Understanding the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) among wild pigs (Sus scrofa) will aid in preventing the introduction or containment of TADs among wild populations. Given the challenges associated with studying TADs in free-ranging populations, a surrogate pathogen system may predict how pathogens may circulate and be maintained within wild free-ranging swine populations, how they may spill over into domestic populations, and how management actions may impact transmission. We assessed the suitability of Torque teno sus virus 1 (TTSuV1) to serve as a surrogate pathogen for molecular epidemiological studies in wild pigs by investigating the prevalence, persistence, correlation with host health status and genetic variability at two study areas: Archbold’s Buck Island Ranch in Florida and Savannah River Site in South Carolina. We then conducted a molecular epidemiological case study within Archbold’s Buck Island Ranch site to determine how analysis of this pathogen could inform transmission dynamics of a directly transmitted virus. Prevalence was high in both study areas (40%, n = 190), and phylogenetic analyses revealed high levels of genetic variability within and between study areas. Our case study showed that pairwise host relatedness and geographic distance were highly correlated to pairwise viral genetic similarity. Molecular epidemiological analyses revealed a distinct pattern of direct transmission from pig to pig occurring within and between family groups. Our results suggest that TTSuV1 is highly suitable for molecular epidemiological analyses and will be useful for future studies of transmission dynamics in wild free-ranging pigs.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cell-Free Screening, Production and Animal Testing of a STI-Related Chlamydial Major Outer Membrane Protein Supported in Nanolipoproteins

Background: Vaccine development against Chlamydia, a prevalent sexually transmied infection (STI), is imperative due to its global public health impact. However, significant challenges arise in the production of effective subunit vaccines based on recombinant protein antigens, particularly with membrane proteins like the Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP). Methods: Cellfree protein synthesis (CFPS) technology is an aractive approach to address these challenges as a method of high-throughput membrane protein and protein complex production coupled with nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs). NLPs provide a supporting scaffold while allowing easy adjuvant addition during formulation. Over the last decade, we have been working toward the production and characterization of MOMP-NLP complexes for vaccine testing. Results: The work presented here highlights the expression and biophysical analyses, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scaering (DLS), which confirm the formation and functionality of MOMP-NLP complexes for use in animal studies. Moreover, immunization studies in preclinical models compare the past and present protective efficacy of MOMP-NLP formulations, particularly when co-adjuvanted with CpG and FSL1. Conclusion: Ex vivo assessments further highlight the immunomodulatory effects of MOMP-NLP vaccinations, emphasizing their potential to elicitrobust immune responses. However, further research is warranted to optimize vaccine formulations further, validate efficacy against Chlamydia trachomatis, and beer understand the underlying mechanisms of immune response.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1961

Methods for Determining Blood Flow Through Intact Vessels of Experimental Animals Under Conditions of Gravitational Stress and in Extraterrestrial Space Capsules

Work during the initial six months of this program has proceeded along three lines: (1) technical development of blood flowmeter instrumentation: (2) surgical considerations related to special problems of chronic implantation of flowmeter probes: (3) study of the relationship between levels of blood flow and organ activity. Principal engineering effort has been focused on the fundamental phenomena operative in the flowmeter probe and on probe design. Two probes have been constructed and a third is nearing completion. A previously unrecognized source of zero drift has been discovered and corrected. has been designed, assembled, tested and successfully employed in work on the several probes. A significant innovation which has been introduced is the use of a transformer coupled input for suppression of unwanted common mode signals. New low noise transistor amplifiers with characteristics suitable for space vehicle packaging are being developed. Linearity of the present apparatus has been found to extend at least into the near turbulent flow region. Attention has been directed to the two vascular beds of physiologic interest that present particular problems with regard to chronic implantation of flowmeter probes, the myocardium and the liver. Surgical techniques have been perfected that will permit myocardial and liver blood flow measurement. Two groups of animals have successfully undergone surgery and await the implantation of probes. Studies of the relationship between organ blood flow and levels of physiologic activity have been initiated. The first organ system studied was the heart, For the first time autoregulatory mechanisms have been demonstrated within the myocardial vascular bed which rapidly and precisely maintain coronary blood flow at a level i n keeping with the magnitude of cardiac work, Following a summary statement of the status of the program, the work performed is described, A financial review of expenditures incurred and a proposal for future funding are appended,

Shaw, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1964

A technique for making animal restraints

A contoured shell for restraining animals is made by thermoforming plastic over the anesthetized, frozen specimen. It may be vented, or pieces may be cut out to facilitate working in localized areas.

Clarke, A. E., Jr↗
NASA NTRS1963

Animal calorimetry- its future

Animal and human calorimetry, human responses to cold skin and to high cortical temperature, human thermoregulator

CALORIMETRY↗