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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 OSTI2025

Carbon storage cost modeling for the offshore Gulf of America

At the 2025 Annual University of Houston ROICE Workshop, Dr. Chung Shih delivered an invited talk titled "Carbon Storage Cost Modeling for the Offshore Gulf of America." This presentation highlighted the capabilities of NETL's offshore saline carbon storage cost model (CO2_S_COM_Offshore) in evaluating the economics of both new and reused storage infrastructure. While primarily intended for screening-level analysis, the model comprehensively considers critical components such as onshore facilities, pipelines connecting shore to offshore platforms, main platforms, and satellite platforms. Additionally, its integrated cashflow model encompasses the entire project lifecycle, from initial site screening to post-injection site care, providing users with a thorough understanding of how various operational or financial parameters impact project economics.

cost modeling↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermochemical conversion of waste plastics with coal and biomass to generate value-added products

Co-gasification of waste plastic and waste coal/biomass in steam was investigated to evaluate the effects of operating conditions and low-cost catalyst compositions of coal ash on syngas production and tar mitigation. The results demonstrate the benefits of waste plastic conversion with coal or biomass. A better understanding of these processes will facilitate the development of more accurate kinetic models for industrial-scale chemical recycling.

co-gasification↗
DOE OSTI2025

Detecting rare earth elements via optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) and spin-relaxometry using nitrogen vacancy centers in nanodiamonds

Nanodiamonds embedded with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers are emerging as powerful tools in quantum sensing due to their remarkable sensitivity to local variations in electromagnetic fields, temperature, and pressure. These point defects in the diamond lattice can be probed using optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) and spin relaxometry techniques, allowing for the detection and characterization of magnetic nanoparticles and ions. The sensing mechanism relies on laser-induced excitation of the NV center's non-degenerate triplet ground state, which promotes electrons to an excited state. Subsequent photoluminescence (PL) emission, which is spin-state dependent, is then measured. These spin states are highly responsive to magnetic perturbations in the surrounding environment. By analyzing changes in the ODMR spectra and spin relaxation times, we can effectively monitor how magnetic species influence the NV center's spin dynamics, thus enabling sensitive and selective characterization of nanoscale magnetic materials. These techniques have been applied for the characterization of transition metals and rare earth elements which shows natural ferromagnetic properties.

magnetic nanopartgicles and ions↗
DOE OSTI2025

Upcycling Polyethylene Waste Into Hybrid Graphitic Porous Carbon Materials Used in High-Performance Zinc-Ion Hybrid Capacitors

Polyethylene (PE) waste is a challenge to upcycle into useful materials because this plastic tends to decompose into volatile compounds when heated at relatively low temperatures. In this work, we report a chemical process that addresses this challenge by converting mixtures of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) waste into a hybrid graphitic porous carbon (HGPC) that can be used as a zinc-ion hybrid capacitor cathode. The process uses a low temperature thermal oxidation pre-treatment step, with assistance of an inert solid additive (KCl) to increase the effective surface area of the PE melt, to functionalize, cross-link, and stabilize the PE waste followed by carbonization and catalytic graphitization steps at higher temperatures with a potassium carbonate (K2CO3) catalyst. The PE waste derived HPGC (PW-HPGC) has a hybrid structure composed of graphene-like carbon nanosheets grown on the surface of carbon particles, high porosity with the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area up to 1,763 m2g-1, and good graphitic degree with average Raman I2D/IG ratios of 0.53. When used as a cathode material for zinc-ion hybrid capacitors, this PW-HGPC exhibits an excellent specific capacity up to 126.7 mAhg-1 at high mass loading of 10 mgcm-2. Moreover, PW-HGPC exhibits remarkable cycling stability with capacity retention of >94% after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 2.0 A g-1.

hybrid graphitic porous carbon↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cyber-Physical Reformer Development at NETL

Integrated energy systems are considered one of promising technologies to provide efficient, reliable and resilient power generation. The U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory is building an automated reformer-solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine integrated energy system using a cyber-physical systems (CPS) approach, which exploits the advantage of both numerical model and physical system, as well as gapping the inaccessible technologies. Both the fuel reformer and the fuel cell stack are designed to be CPS components, of which the hardware representations are physically integrated with the gas turbine. A compact design is used with the consideration of future commercialization by placing all components inside of a pressure chamber, which is pressurized by the compressor discharge. (Presented virtually at the MILLENNIUM CLEAN and SUSTAINABLE POWER Workshop 2025)

cyber-physical↗
DOE OSTI2025

System Analysis of an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) - Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Hybrid Cycle

The variability of renewable energy sources poses challenges for reliable grid operation. Conventional thermal power sources, though reliable, often lack operational flexibility. Hybrid energy systems that integrate Solid Oxide Fuel cells (SOFC) with Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) offer a promising solution by achieving relatively higher efficiency and grid-following capability. This study investigates performance of a 100-kW pressurized SOFC-ICE hybrid cycle. In this configuration, unutilized SOFC fuel is used to drive the engine, with a turbocharger providing air supply and an external reformer generating syngas. System components were numerically modeled using MATLAB/SIMULINK for the SOFC and reformer, and EBSILON® for the ICE and balance of plant. Parametric studies varied fuel utilization (70-90%), reformer temperature (600 – 1000K), anode off-gas recirculation (0 – 70%), and current density (0.2 – 0.55 A/cm2). Results show that the SOFC and ICE operate as thermally independent topping and bottoming cycles, achieving peak efficiency of 62% under optimized conditions.

hybrid↗
DOE OSTI2025

Geographically Distributed Co-Simulation for the Interplay of Integrated Energy Systems and Power Grid

The increased penetration of renewable generation induces unbalanced demand-supply on a power grid, while integrated energy systems (IES) can provide high part-load efficiency and high flexibility to support grid resilience. To study the transients and improve dynamic operability, it’s important to investigate the interplay between IES and power grid concurrently using real-time co-simulation approaches. In this presentation, we showed the previous co-simulation test between NETL and INL and discussed how this co-simulation can be beneficial for both IES and power grid research. In addition, we gave an overview about the SuperLab2.0 project, which was a federated national platform to address future power grid challenges. (Virtual presentation to the MILLENNIUM CLEAN and SUSTAINABLE POWER workshop 2025).

Co-simulation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Flexible Nuclear-Based Integrated Energy System

Presentation on a conceptual study of combining a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) with a solid oxide fuel cell, solid oxide electrolysis cell, and a gas turbine as an integrated energy system with high operational flexibility and rapid load following. Virtually presented at the MILLENNIUM CLEAN and SUSTAINABLE POWER workshop 2025, University of Genoa, Italy.

flexibility↗
DOE OSTI2025

Real-Time Simulation of Solid Oxide Electrolyzers (SOEC) for Dynamic Operability Improvement and Cyber-Physical System Development

As more intermittent-renewable generations are being added to the power grid, solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) must enhance their rapid load transition capabilities to load follow and support grid resilience. At NETL, we developed real-time SOEC models to research SOEC transients during load step changes. The gained insights can be useful for dynamic operability improvement. These real-time SOEC models also established the basis for cyber-physical SOEC hybrid energy systems. (Virtual presentation to the 2025 MILLENNIUM CLEAN and SUSTAINABLE POWER workshop, University of Genoa, Italy)

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2026

First-principles Study of the Tritium Species Diffusion Across Ni-Zircaloy-4 Getter Interface

Tritium is a critical fuel component for experimental nuclear fusion reactors (like tokamaks), typically used in combination with deuterium. In tritium-producing burnable absorber rods (TPBARs), due to its high lithium density, LiAlO2 is used in the form of an annular ceramic pellet enriched with the Li_6 isotope located between the Zircaloy-4 liner and nickel-plated Zircaloy-4 tritium getter. Employing DFT, we explored the tritium diffusion across the pellet and getter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Scalable Fabrication of a Fibrous Amine-functionalized Matrix (FAM) Sorbent for Critical Mineral Recovery

We report a novel flat sheet Fibrous Amine-functionalized Matrix (FAM) sorbent platform designed for efficient and selective capture of CM from dilute solutions. The FAM sorbent features crosslinked amine microfilms coated onto/within a glass fiber matrix, providing fast mass transfer and excellent mechanical stability. Systematic batch and flow-through tests with FAM revealed rapid metal uptake kinetics and high capacity for representative species, achieving ~90 mg/g of Gallium, ~100 mg/g of Cobalt, and ~90 mg/g for Neodymium. Moreover, multiple eluents, including mineral acids and complexing agents, enabled highly effective desorption of adsorbed metals, demonstrating the feasibility of regenerating FAM sorbents. Importantly, tests with authentic coal ash leachate demonstrated strong selectivity toward U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-listed CM and rare earth elements over abundant base cations, confirming the robustness of FAM in realistic complex solutions. The flat sheet geometry was amenable to scaling into durable spiral wound modules, highlighting the potential for future regeneration and reuse. This work establishes FAM sorbents as a promising platform for the recovery of CM from wastewaters, advancing both resource sustainability and environmental stewardship.

critical mineral recovery↗
DOE OSTI2026

Hydrogen Detection via a Low-Cost Prototype Fiber-Optic Sensing System

The developed low-cost prototype sensing system successfully detects hydrogen concentrations across a wide range, demonstrating immediate feasibility for commercial deployment. Utilizing fiber-optic technology, the system delivers stable, reproducible performance from parts-per-million levels up to 100% pure H2 environments. Environmental and chemical cross-sensitivity evaluations confirm robust selectivity against methane and temperature changes, establishing its readiness for near-term commercialization.

fiber-optic H2 sensor↗
DOE OSTI2026

Effect of Mo precursors in Microwave-assisted Methane Dehydroaromatization over Mo/HZSM5 catalysts

Natural gas flaring occurs in remote shale regions due to limited pipeline takeaway capacity. The conversion of the associated natural gas into aromatics in modular microwave reactors is a viable alternative to monetize the wasted gas. Microwaves offer rapid, selective heating in compact reactor systems that can enable on-demand chemical production at the well-site. Mo-HZSM-5 catalysts are widely used for aromatic production, but the location and nature of the active sites are still under debate. This study focuses on the use of 6 different Mo precursors to elucidate insights into the Mo properties that are desirable for BTX production. The catalysts were characterized by different methods (XPS, TPR, Raman, etc) to determine differences in Mo catalytic properties that may affect performance and understand these differences through performance testing under microwave at 700C for methane dehydroaromatization. Metal precursors that enable a better distribution of Mo into the pores and over the surface lead to improved benzene yield, whereas those that limited Mo to primarily the surface suffer rapid deactivation and low benzene yields. Additionally, strong Lewis acidity that arises from the sodium containing precursor drastically shifts the product selectivity towards dehydrogenation, which produces more ethylene and carbon. This catalyst had the highest deactivation constant of all catalysts tested.

gas flaring reduction↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Comparative Analysis of Waste-as-a-Feedstock Accounting Methods in Life Cycle Assessments

Global waste generation is a ubiquitous challenge, driving a paradigm shift towards viewing waste as a valuable resource for a circular economy across diverse sectors. While innovative waste-to-resource pathways are crucial, rigorous Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is essential to ensure the pathways are an important part of current practices. However, LCA application to waste valorization varies, leading to incomparable results due to differing methodological choices. This paper examines three key nuances in waste-as-resource LCAs: the zero-burden assumption, the biogenic carbon neutrality assumption, and the benchmark assumption for emissions avoidance. Using a waste gasification to hydrogen case study, we demonstrate how these methodological decisions impact LCA outcomes. Our findings reveal that waste composition significantly influences the results and highlight challenges associated with biogenic carbon accounting under various system boundary assumptions. Emissions avoidance accounting requires multi-functional unit perspectives and robust benchmark selection. This paper clarifies these accounting approaches, empirically illustrates their influence, and discusses broad implications for accurate sustainability assessment, emphasizing the critical role of transparent LCA choices for effective policy and investment in circular economy solutions.

LCA method↗
DOE OSTI2025

Fe Coated Optical Fiber for Distributed Corrosion Monitoring in Soil and Aqueous Environment

Natural gas pipeline corrosion represents a substantial cost and safety concern during normal operations. Effective monitoring of corrosion is important to detect and mitigate pipeline risks before corrosion-related catastrophic events happen. Here, we describe the use of Fe-coated optical fiber sensors (OFS) for distributed corrosion monitoring where Fe acts as a corrosion proxy. By using an optical backscatterring reflectometer (OBR), corrosion was monitored based on the increase in backscattered intensity amplitude of the light being passed as Fe undergoes corrosion. The Fe-coated OFSs were prepared with a film thickness between 25-225 nm by an electroless plating approach and corroded by a CO2-saturated acidic electrolyte. The corrosion rate was approximately 2.5 mm/yr for Fe with a film thickness of 30 nm and increased with film thickness. Backscattering-based corrosion rates were supported by visible light transmission measurements, which have been previously demonstrated. Additionally, a correlation between the intermittent transmission and residual Fe film thickness during corrosion of Fe was established. Corrosion was measurable out to > 100 m which is a significant improvement over our previous work showing corrosion sensing at < 10 m. The corrosion sensor was also tested in soil at >1 ft depth. Fe-coated OFS was loaded into a Draka cable which provides mechanical support during fiber deployment and installation into either acidified soil, top-soil, or sandy soil.

aqueous environment↗