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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

Using Facebook to Recruit Urban Participants for Smartphone-Based Travel Surveys

Social media has become an integral part of everyday life for many individuals, serving as a platform to express opinions, share memories and lifestyles, follow news, and adapt to social trends and norms. The wealth of user information and analytics on these platforms has facilitated the development and sale of tailored products and services, benefiting advertisers and researchers seeking survey participants. Social media advertising has demonstrated its effectiveness in reaching hard-to-reach populations. However, transport researchers have yet to capitalise on this potential fully. This paper presents our experience using social media to recruit participants for two smartphone travel surveys conducted in Australia. We demonstrate that social media recruitment and smartphone-based travel surveys are highly effective, adaptable, and can be rapidly deployed in response to research opportunities, such as during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic when traditional methods may be less suitable. This approach also holds great potential for travel surveys targeting the general population. This paper shares several lessons from this experiment, including our administrative approach and detailed technical instructions to utilise open-source software tools for conducting smartphone travel surveys like ours. This approach significantly reduces study costs compared to most commercial solutions.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Verification and Validation of a Magnetic Plasma Fluid Model Utilizing the MOOSE (Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment) Framework

As the goal of achieving fusion power on the grid comes closer to fruition, fully coupled multiphysics models of fusion devices will be crucial. Currently, there are two main approaches to developing these platforms: (1) loosely coupled, where one couples existing codes and solvers together through input and output parameters and data, and (2) tightly coupled, where one develops the necessary models within a singular, integrated framework. This work focuses on the latter approach for magnetically confined fusion devices by developing a fluid-based plasma-edge model within the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) Framework. This effort is coordinated with other efforts to develop, test, demonstrate, and deploy fusion relevant multiphysics capabilities including electromagnetics, particle-in-cell plasma, tritium transport, and fusion blanket design. This new model is an expansion of the MOOSE-based plasma application, Zapdos, which was originally formulated to model low-temperature, non-magnetized plasma processes. Verification, benchmarking, and validation studies have been conducted. Verification studies involved utilizing the method of manufactured solutions and comparing the convergence slope of a known solution to the theoretical slope. Benchmarking consists of comparisons to existing edge codes, namely BOUT++ and SOLEDGE3X. Validation efforts focused on comparisons against open-source data from the TCV tokamak.

70 - PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Energy-Aware Route Planning with RouteE Compass

This poster introduces RouteE Compass, a new tool that advances sustainable transportation by enabling energy-aware route planning across diverse vehicle types and large-scale road networks. By addressing practical trade-offs between energy consumption, travel time, and economic cost, RouteE Compass fills critical gaps in traditional routing methods, which often lack the flexibility to prioritize energy directly. The tool's scalability and high-performance computing capabilities allow for national-scale analyses, offering actionable insights for fleet operators, transit agencies, and researchers. As an open-source, extensible platform, RouteE Compass empowers ongoing research and innovation in energy-aware routing, supporting the broader goals of reducing emissions and enhancing transportation sustainability.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSI↗
DOE OSTI2024

Probabilistic Resource Adequacy Suite (PRAS)

Powered By PRAS features the Probabilistic Resource Adequacy Suite (PRAS), an open-source, research-oriented collection of tools for analyzing the resource adequacy of bulk power systems. PRAS performs low-fidelity, high-speed simulations of multi-region power system operations, considering hundreds of thousands of years of unplanned resource outages to quantify the risk and potential nature of energy supply shortfalls in probabilistic terms.

demand↗
DOE OSTI2026

Phenomena-based graph representations and applications to chemical process simulation

Rapid and robust simulation of chemical processes is critical to conduct process design, optimization, techno-economic analysis, and sustainability analysis. Yet, efficiently solving simulation models remains a challenge due to the highly coupled and nonlinear nature of the underlying algebraic equations that capture the physical phenomena taking place in the process (e.g., material and energy conservation, phase equilibrium, reactions). In this work, we show that graph-theoretic representations of the physical phenomena within unit operations can help navigate and decompose equations to systematically identify alternative approaches for fast and robust numerical solutions. Specifically, we present a graph-theoretic abstraction that captures the connectivity between the model variables/equations and use this abstraction to group variables/equations into fundamental phenomena. We show that phenomena-based decomposition of the underlying equations can help decouple nonlinearities and enforce material/energy conservation at the process level to accelerate convergence. The proposed decomposition approach differs from the more traditional sequential modular simulation approach, in which equations are grouped and decomposed by unit operations. We implemented the phenomena-based decomposition in BioSTEAM—an open-source process simulation platform in Python—and demonstrated that this approach can converge a variety of separation process models. Compared to sequential modular simulation, the phenomena-based approach can converge idealized systems faster, but it can be slower for (or even fail to converge) highly coupled and nonideal process systems.

Convergence↗
DOE OSTI2024

Subhourly Clipping Correction Model Comparison

This work will compare the Allen method and Walker method of accounting for subhourly inverter clipping power losses in hourly PV performance models. The Allen method uses a matrix lookup based on DNI clearness and clipping potential to assign a clipping correction loss at each simulation timestep. The Walker method models the PV DC power input to the inverter as a distribution over the hourly timestep and uses integration over the timestep to determine the amount of clipping that occurs within the timestep. Both these models have been recently implemented in the System Advisor Model's (SAM) open-source code, and will be applied to hourly SURFRAD datasets to analyze the subhourly clipping loss predicted by each model for different system designs and inverter loading conditions. Both models will be compared to "true" 1-minute SURFRAD data simulations to see their accuracy against more accurate 1-minute clipping correction loss predictions. This model comparisons will be investigated in more detail at the PVSC conference in Seattle, Washington June 2024.

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY,MATHEMATICS A↗
DOE OSTI2024

Laboratory Upgrade Point Absorber (LUPA) CAD Files

The Laboratory Upgrade Point Absorber (LUPA) is an open-source wave energy converter designed and tested by Oregon State University. The computer-aided design (CAD) files are provided here in two forms: the original SOLIDWORKS (2021) model as "LUPA SOLIDWORKS.zip" and as a STEP file "LUPA-A1000.step". The bill of materials is provided as an Excel file with assemblies (LUPA-Axxx), part numbers (LUPA-Axxx-Pyyy), part descriptions, manufacturers, and manufacturer part numbers. This comprehensive CAD model represents LUPA as it was deployed in Fall 2022 testing at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory. The mass properties including mass, center of gravity, and moments of inertia have been overridden for some parts and assemblies to match the physical device properties as determined from experiments. This appears as "overridden by user" when viewing mass properties in SOLIDWORKS. The LUPA-A1000.SLDASM file from the LUPA SOLIDWORKS.zip folder is the topmost assembly, open this file to see the entire model as one assembly. See "PMEC Page", "OpenEI Wiki Page", and the "Signature Project Page" resources below for more information on LUPA.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2026

JUSTIFI: Software for Improving Performance Objectives via Energy Efficiency

With growing energy supply concerns and rising costs, energy efficiency is a critical component of industrial energy resilience and competitiveness by directly reducing energy operating costs. Energy efficiency projects in manufacturing also yield valuable benefits to other key metrics, such as improved quality, reduced maintenance costs, improved safety, decreased pollution, and enhanced productivity. However, it is difficult to receive approval for energy efficiency projects, so implementation rates are low, even when meeting capital project payback period criteria. The inclusion and quantification of non-energy benefits (NEBs) in the decision-making process for energy efficiency projects can improve the overall financial payback period while demonstrating a positive impact on the firm's key performance metrics and business strategy. Despite their significant financial and strategic value, NEBs are rarely factored into decision-making due to lack of tools to effectively identify and quantify them. Therefore, a comprehensive and integrative approach is needed for the rapidly evolving energy landscape. To address these challenges, through funding from U.S. Department of Energy, our new assessment methodology integrates common continuous improvement six sigma concepts, such as the DMAIC process, and a protocol of guiding questions, into energy efficiency assessments to identify NEBs. We have also developed open-source software, JUSTIFI, to guide users through this process, data collection, and quantification. It is designed to be used concurrently with DOE energy system analysis software suite, MEASUR. Our methodology and tools inform energy assessors, firm engineering, decision makers, and workforce seeking to increase energy resilience and to maximize benefits aligned with performance metrics.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Laboratory Upgrade Point Absorber WEC-Sim Model with MoorDyn Moorings

This dataset includes a WEC-Sim and MoorDyn model of the Laboratory Upgrade Point Absorber (LUPA). LUPA is an open-source wave energy converter designed and tested by Oregon State University. The files provided here constitute a stable LUPA configuration with three mooring lines. This model is 1/20 scale, optimized for the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Lab at Oregon State University. This model of LUPA adds MoorDyn functionality for more accurate mooring predictions and uses a more stable, updated version of LUPA's current physical configuration. This model is for WEC-Sim Version 6.0. A recent update of WEC-Sim has changed some functionality of MoorDyn such that this model will not work with WEC-Sim Version 6.1.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2024

Alfalfa Virtual Building Service: Software Engineering Best Practices Applied to Runtime Interaction with Building Energy Models

Buildings are active participants in increasingly complex energy systems. Building Energy Modeling (BEM) has a key role to play in planning and de-risking an equitable energy transition, with BEM-backed "virtual buildings" critical path for diverse applications that include workforce training tools, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) experimentation to study equipment performance under a range of conditions, Control-Hardware-in-the-Loop (CHIL) experimentation to de-risk commercial control implementations at equipment through grid orchestration levels, and integration of dynamic load profiles into grid modeling tools for energy system experimentation at the urban scale. Modeling requirements vary across these applications, but many software engineering tasks do not. The Alfalfa Virtual Building Service (AVBS, see https://github.com/NREL/alfalfa/wiki) is an open-source web service that solves these common tasks robustly in one place, providing a foundational platform for power users to bootstrap their own applications. AVBS abstracts the specifics of runtime interaction with OpenStudio, Modelica, and Spawn of EnergyPlus models behind a unified REST API. Additionally, AVBS provides resources for cloud deployment and scaling to 100s of parallel simulations, a growing library of modular Operational Technology (OT) integrations for emulation of real-world interfaces, and scripts to automate the population of communities of virtual buildings from URBANopt, ResStock and ComStock.

building automation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Numerical Treatment of Shock-induced Nuclear Burning in Double Detonation Type Ia Supernovae

We present a benchmark problem to assess the treatment of shock-induced nuclear burning in the context of double detonation Type Ia supernovae. In a stratified white dwarf model, we implement a shock-detection criterion that suppresses burning in zones characterized by compression and significant pressure gradients, controlled by a tunable parameter, f shock . One-dimensional simulations, using the open-source Castro suite, were conducted across three treatments—burning fully enabled, and burning suppressed with f shock = 2/3 and f shock = 1—across three spatial resolutions (5.0, 2.5, and 0.3125 km). At the finest resolution, the burning-enabled and f shock = 1 models converge, while the f shock = 2/3 front continues to show slight offset behavior. Since most simulations are carried out at much lower resolutions, our tests support the idea that burning in shocks should always be disabled in practice. We also observe that the behavior of lower-resolution simulations remains extremely sensitive to the choice of f shock .

GPU computing↗
DOE OSTI2025

Real Time Phasor Analytics (RTPA) and RTPA-SCR System Strength Online Tool

This presentation showcases the Real-Time Phasor Analytics (RTPA) framework for monitoring inertia and assessing system strength in power grids. RTPA is an open-source tool designed to standardize access to data from Power Management Units (PMUs) and Phasor Data Concentrators (PDCs). It facilitates real-time connectivity to multiple PDCs in accordance with the IEEE C37.118-2 standard and supports asynchronous data stream integration. Additionally, RTPA can simulate a PDC server streaming C37.118-2 data and provides Python bindings for seamless interaction with the framework, eliminating the need for direct Rust programming.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

PV Degradation Modeling: Applying Geospatial Workflows with "PVDeg"

Accurate degradation modeling is essential for predicting photovoltaic (PV) module performance, estimating longevity and informing design decisions. With degradation rates varying significantly by location, geospatial analysis is critical for PV and broader applications, such as agrivoltaics, weathering and environmental data analysis. This work presents PVDeg, an open-source tool designed for geospatial degradation analysis. PVDeg integrates meteorological data from global sources, including the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) and Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS), with degradation models. The toolkit enables users to customize geospatial workflows by integrating weather data, material parameters, and user-defined Python functions. It facilitates accelerated downloads of NSRDB and PVGIS datasets and optimizes geospatial point selection to preserve data density in regions of interest. Additionally, PVDeg provides a local database for storage and spatial queries, supporting large-scale analyses without the need for high-performance computing (HPC) resources. PVDeg provides a foundational workflow that extends its utility beyond PV applications, enabling researchers to analyze geospatial processes across discipline.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

MaterialsMap: A CALPHAD-based tool to design composition pathways through feasibility map for desired dissimilar materials, demonstrated with resistance spot welding joining of Ag-Al-Cu

Assembly of dissimilar metals can be achieved by different methods, for example, casting, welding, and additive manufacturing (AM). However, undesired phases formed in liquid-phase assembling processes due to solute segregation during solidification diminish mechanical and other properties of the processed parts. In the present work, an open-source software named MaterialsMap, has been developed based on the CALculation of Phase Diagrams (CALPHAD) approach. The primary objective of MaterialsMap is to facilitate the design of an optimal composition pathway for assembling dissimilar alloys with liquid-phases based on the formation of desired and undesired phases along the pathway. In MaterialsMap, equilibrium thermodynamic calculations are used to predict equilibrium phases formed at slow cooling rate, while Scheil-Gulliver simulations are employed to predict non-equilibrium phases formed during rapid cooling. Additionally, by combining these two simulations, MaterialsMap offers a thorough guide for understanding phase formation in various manufacturing processes, assisting users in making informed decisions during material selection and production. As a demonstration of this approach, a compositional pathway was designed from pure Al to pure Cu through Ag using MaterialsMap. The design was experimentally verified using resistance spot welding (RSW).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

A High-Performance Discrete-Element Framework for Simulating Flow and Jamming of Moisture Bearing Biomass Feedstocks

We developed and verified a high-performance open-source discrete element method (DEM) solver with simultaneously-supported feedstock-specific interaction models, including bonded-sphere, liquid bridge, cohesion, and non-linear contact models. Our solver uses parallel data structures on hybrid central and graphics processing unit (CPU/GPU) architectures, with favorable strong scaling performance observed for large problem sizes comprised of (100 M particles), and 4X single-node GPU speedup. The particles for corn stover feedstock were conceptualized and calibrated based on experimental measurements and results. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate that the mass flow rate from a wedge hopper is governed primarily by moisture content, friction coefficient, and cohesion energy density. The model is used to reproduce experimentally observed hopper jamming results, highlighting that the experimental no-flow trends can only be achieved by using non-spherical particles, liquid bridge and cohesion models, highlighting the importance of using concurrent feedstock specialized models for the effective representation of biomass material handling problems.

bioenergy↗
DOE OSTI2026

Multibody for Everybody (M4E): A Symbolic Dynamics Modeling Tool with Applications in Simulation, Control, and Optimization

Developing the analytical model of a multibody system is often the initial step in control and optimization. The analytical model (equations of motion) describes a system’s time evolution under specified forcing conditions. Although developing these equations is easy for simple systems, this process becomes more complex for systems composed of multiple bodies. Deriving equations of motion for complex multibody systems requires specialized expertise in multibody dynamics, is time-consuming, and is susceptible to error. To address this issue, this paper presents an open-source, easy-to-use, systematic framework to derive symbolic equations of motion in both Python and MATLAB using the joint coordinate formulation. This formulation results in a set of ordinary differential equations that use the minimum set of coordinates needed to model a system. The symbolic representation provides better insight into the influence of design parameters on system performance, facilitates sensitivity analysis and parameter studies, and supports direct implementation of control and optimization routines. The tool enables numerical simulation for specified parameter sets, is modular for straightforward integration with other tools and libraries, and allows incorporation of hydrodynamics, mooring, and other external forces. The result is a reproducible, extensible pipeline for modeling, simulation, and design of complex multibody systems. The proposed tool is versatile and can be applied to domains such as robotics, control, and design. In addition, we integrated external libraries that provide capabilities for modeling offshore systems such as underwater robots and marine energy converters.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2025

Open data sets for assessing photovoltaic system reliability

Photovoltaic (PV) systems have become a cornerstone of renewable energy strategies, particularly due to the significant reduction in solar power costs over the past decade. However, the long-term reliability of PV installations presents a persistent challenge, requiring the development of advanced monitoring and predictive maintenance strategies. A wide range of data types is used to evaluate the health of PV systems, including environmental conditions, electrical performance, and inspection imagery. These data enable methodologies such as machine learning (ML) models for lifetime prediction and computer vision techniques for defect detection. However, the acquisition of high-quality and comprehensive data is difficult, particularly in terms of long-term consistency and data variety. Publicly available data sets serve as valuable resources for addressing these challenges, but they often suffer from fragmentation and are difficult to access. This paper presents a comprehensive review of existing open-source data sets related to PV degradation, analyzing their features, functionalities, and potential applications. We categorize these data sets based on the specific aspects of PV system information they cover, such as environmental conditions, operational monitoring, image inspection and module materials, and propose relevant tools and ML models for processing them. In addition, we propose practices for future data collection and usage, while also discussing potential directions in data-driven research. Our aim is to enhance data utilization and publication among researchers and industry professionals, promoting a deeper understanding of the role of data in enhancing the performance and durability of PV systems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗