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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 OSTI2023

A Hot‐Swappable, Fault‐Tolerant, Modular Power Converter System for Solar Photovoltaic Plants

The performance metrics of the state-of-the-art commercial solar inverters, such as system cost, operation and maintenance (O&M) cost, service life, reliability, maintainability, and power density are much lower than the target metrics needed to achieve SunShot’s 2030 levelized cost of energy (LCOE) goals. To overcome the shortcomings of the existing solar inverters, this project proposed a novel Hot-Swappable, Fault-Tolerant, Modular Power Converter (HSFT-MPC) concept for solar photovoltaic (PV) plants and proved the concept through the design, fabrication, and laboratory test validation of a single-phase HSFT-MPC prototype. The HSFT-MPC has the following distinct advantages over the state-of-the-art: 1) elimination of harmonic/ electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter in the inverter stage due to the novel topology, 2) lower system cost and higher power density due to the modular design, elimination of harmonic/EMI filter, and lower cooling requirement, 3) higher efficiency due to lower switching frequencies, 4) higher reliability and longer (50 years) service life due to simpler cooling and fault tolerance capability, 5) easier installation, lower O&M cost, and improved maintainability due to the modular design and hot-swappable power electronic building blocks (PEBBs), and 6) improved manufacturability due to the modular design. This project developed a single-phase HSFT-MPC prototype with 25kW nominal output power, 2.4kV, 60Hz nominal AC output, lower than 5% AC output voltage total harmonic distortion, over 5 kW/L inverter power density, and 99.4% inverter peak efficiency, being tolerant to failure of single and multiple PEBBs, and capable of hot swapping of the failed PEBB(s). The HSFT-MPC enables uninterruptable operation of the solar PV plant when failure of single or multiple PEBBs or PV modules occurs. Compared with the existing solar inverters in the market, the HSFT-MPC is expected to reduce the inverter failure-caused downtime and energy losses of solar PV plants by more than 60% and 50%, respectively. Project findings have been presented at major conferences in the field and published in peer-reviewed papers, which added new knowledge to the field of power electronics for solar PV systems. A minicourse on Solar PV Systems was developed for outreach activities. The minicourse will help attract young individuals to the renewable energy profession which has a significant talent shortage. The HSFT-MPC is expected to overcome all of the shortcomings of the state-of-the-art solar inverters in terms of cost, efficiency, service life, reliability, maintainability, and manufacturability targets needed to achieve SunShot’s 2030 LCOE goals. Therefore, the proposed HSFT-MPC concept has the great potential to disrupt the current solar inverter market. This project created a pathway towards industry adoption of the HSFT-MPC to help achieve 50-year service life solar PV systems. Since the solar PV plants using the HSFT-MPC will feature with higher reliability, longer service life, and easier maintenance, they are particularly useful for the rural areas with underserved populations that demand reliable and affordable clean electricity. The outcomes of the project have the strong potential to address national needs in the field of renewable energy to reduce CO 2 emissions from the electricity sector, reduce imports of energy from foreign sources, and improve energy security, efficiency, and sustainability. Since electricity is used in almost all of society’s sectors, the outcomes of the project will benefit various sectors of society and economy.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimize the Autonomous Sensor Fish Device for Understanding Interactions of Aquatic Animals with Marine and Hydrokinetic and Hydro Systems (CRADA 476) Final Report

This project at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) enhances our understanding of how aquatic life interacts with marine renewable energy (MRE) and hydropower systems through the development and testing of advanced sensor technology. The Marine Sensor Fish (MSF) and its smaller variants, the Sensor Fish Mini (SF Mini) and Flexible Sensor Fish (FSF), measure critical environmental stressors, such as shear forces, pressure changes, and strike impacts, that are essential for assessing the risks posed by energy devices, including tidal turbines, hydropower installations, and other MRE infrastructure. Rigorous field testing has shown that these tools are effective in capturing detailed data on turbulence, pressure variations, strike impacts, and other stressors near these devices, providing valuable insights into the conditions faced by aquatic species. Economically, these tools offer renewable energy developers a practical solution for streamlining environmental assessments and ensuring regulatory compliance, ultimately reducing costs associated with evaluating and mitigating ecological impacts. This research also benefits the public by promoting the growth of renewable energy sources that protect aquatic ecosystems, advancing both sustainable energy production and environmental stewardship.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Functional Meta-Analysis of the Proteomic Responses of Arabidopsis Seedlings to the Spaceflight Environment Reveals Multi-Dimensional Sources of Variability across Spaceflight Experiments

The human quest for sustainable habitation of extraterrestrial environments necessitates a robust understanding of life’s adaptability to the unique conditions of spaceflight. This study provides a comprehensive proteomic dissection of the Arabidopsis plant’s responses to the spaceflight environment through a meta-analysis of proteomics data from four separate spaceflight experiments conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) in different hardware configurations. Raw proteomics LC/MS spectra were analyzed for differential expression in MaxQuant and Perseus software. The analysis of dissimilarities among the datasets reveals the multidimensional nature of plant proteomic responses to spaceflight, impacted by variables such as spaceflight hardware, seedling age, lighting conditions, and proteomic quantification techniques. By contrasting datasets that varied in light exposure, we elucidated proteins involved in photomorphogenesis and skotomorphogenesis in plant spaceflight responses. Additionally, with data from an onboard 1 g control experiment, we isolated proteins that specifically respond to the microgravity environment and those that respond to other spaceflight conditions. This study identified proteins and associated metabolic pathways that are consistently impacted across the datasets. Notably, these shared proteins were associated with critical metabolic functions, including carbon metabolism, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and amino acid biosynthesis, underscoring their potential significance in Arabidopsis’ spaceflight adaptation mechanisms and informing strategies for successful space farming.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT TO ESTABLISH A ROBUST SECURITY APPROACH TO MOBILE RADIOACTIVE SOURCES

The mobile radiological sources used in the well-logging and radiography industries are of sufficient curie quantities to be categorized as desirable material for malicious actors. Beyond the security risk posed by these sources, there is also an understanding of the potential damage, both reputational and monetary, that a lost source would have on the licensee and the industry overall. Identifying and communicating the risk these sources pose with impacted stakeholders is a critical first step in developing a security approach. Common day-to-day operations within both industries drive the unique security challenge of mobile sources. From storage facilities, transportation vehicles, temporary storage locations, and use in the field, each phase creates challenges regarding source control and accountability. All aspects of the operational use of these sources needs to be fully understood in order to address security equipment enhancements, policies, procedures, and training. This paper will leverage more than ten years of experience that ORS has gained working closely with industry partners and mobile radiological source users across the well-logging and radiography industries. It will identify the risk posed by mobile radiological sources, clearly define the operational phases of each industry, identify security best practices of mobile sources, and discuss what long-term, sustainable security looks like within these industries. In addition, it will explore areas of a robust security approach that are not commonly given priority in these industries, such as alarm adjudication and response.

Office of Radiological Security↗
DOE OSTI2024

Deploying a New AI Software Tool for Rapid Characterization & Quantification of Unconventional Sources of Critical Minerals

Poster for the 2024 NETL Resource Sustainability Meeting. The poster presents a new project award by the Office of Technology Transitions to accelerate application and commercial utilization of an NETL-developed technology to rapidly characterize critical mineral occurrences within secondary and/or unconventional feedstocks, such as coal refuse or waste impoundments.

Creason, Christopher↗
DOE OSTI2023

Sustainable Materials Selection in Manufactured Products: A Framework for Design-Integrated Life Cycle Thinking with Case Studies

Materials selection can provide a major opportunity to improve the environmental performance of manufactured products. Substitution of conventional materials with eco-friendly options can lower a product's environmental impact while still meeting key application requirements. A prerequisite for sustainability-informed decision-making is that relevant data and information are available for all materials being considered. Here we outline examples of the types and sources of data needed; and we explore key considerations for sustainable materials selection through a series of practical, cross-sectoral case studies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Highly Crystalline Graphite Synthesis from Coal with a Sustainable Process

Synthetic graphite is made predominantly from a petroleum-derived needle coke using the Acheson method. This involves heating the needle coke at elevated temperatures of ~ 3000 °C for more than 7 days. High-temperature heating is the most technically challenging, expensive, and energy-intensive aspect of graphite manufacturing. We will present a strategy for synthesizing high-quality graphite powder from coal using a low-temperature catalytic graphitization process. The use of a catalyst drops the processing temperatures to 1500 °C and processing times to a few hours. The graphite produced with this process has been characterized and has been shown to have comparable physical/chemical properties with commercially sourced graphite materials. We will also present a sustainable method to recover and reuse the catalyst and acid used to retrieve the catalyst. This overcomes a long-standing technical hurdle associated with using catalysts for manufacturing graphite.

crystalline graphite powder↗
DOE OSTI2022

Burning plasma achieved in inertial fusion

The achievement of obtaining a burning plasma is a critical step toward self-sustaining fusion energy. A burning plasma is a fusion plasma where the alpha-particles created by the deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion reactions are the primary source of heating in the plasma, which is necessary to sustain and propagate the fusion reaction to enable high energy gain. After decades of fusion research, a burning plasma state has finally been achieved. Herein, we report upon the first burning-plasma experiments; this state was achieved using a strategy to increase the capsule spatial scale via two different implosion concepts, on the US National Ignition Facility. These experiments show energies from self-heating in excess of the mechanical work injected into the implosions satisfying several burning plasma metrics, the last experiment additionally shows that the fusion self-heating is greater than losses from radiation and heat conduction. These experiments triple the fusion yield performance and show significantly higher yield amplification from self-heating than prior results; remaining degradations can be reduced for even higher fusion performance.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Nuclear-Driven Integrated Energy Systems: A State-of-the-Art Review

Because of the growing concerns regarding climate change and energy sustainability, a transition toward a modern energy sector that reduces environmental effects while promoting social and economic growth has gained traction in recent years. Sustainable energy solutions, which include renewable and low-carbon sources such as nuclear energy and natural gas, could minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, enhance air and water quality, and encourage energy independence. Yet, the shift to a sustainable energy industry is fraught with difficulties, including governmental and regulatory obstacles, technological and economic limits, and societal acceptability hurdles. Addressing these issues would necessitate the development of long-term, durable, and cost-effective energy systems containing nuclear energy and associated with the generation of both electricity and other by-products required by industry. Integrated energy systems (IES) are a novel way to maximize the use of various energy resources and technologies in order to deliver dependable, efficient, and sustainable energy services. IES entail the integration of various energy systems, such as electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation, in respect to energy sustainability and a system’s resilience and flexibility. Their development and implementation require the cooperation of several parties, including energy providers and policymakers. This study provides a state-of-the-art literature review of the most creative nuclear-driven hybrid energy system applications and methodologies, from which the research challenges and prospects for effective IES implementation emerge.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hierarchically Structured Catalysts Toward Sustainable Hydrogen Economy: Electro‐ and Thermo‐Chemical Pathways

Abstract Hydrogen, as an important clean energy source, plays a more and more crucial role in decarbonizing the planet and meeting the global climate challenge due to its high energy density and zero‐emission. The demand for sustainable hydrogen is increasing drastically worldwide as driven by the global shift towards low‐carbon energy solutions. Thermochemical catalysis process dominates hydrogen production at scale given its relatively mature technology and commercialization status, as well as the established manufacturing infrastructure. While due to its environmentally friendly nature and growing abundant sources of renewable electricity, the electrochemical path for hydrogen production is rising as a major alternative to the thermochemical means. Nevertheless, hierarchically structured catalysts and devices have gradually taken the center stage toward replacing the traditional counterparts, especially with the rapid advancement of the design and manufacture of such ordered nanostructure assemblies toward high activity, efficient mass transport, and superb stability. In this review, the latest progress of the hierarchically structured catalysts for hydrogen production have been surveyed on electro‐ and thermo‐ chemical pathways comparatively. It covers the structure designs of atomic dispersion, nanoscale surfaces and interfaces for achieving highly active and durable catalysts, components, and devices. Both electrochemical and thermochemical approaches are reviewed in terms of the vast design details, engineered benefits, and understandings of various Pt‐group metal (PGM) and non‐PGM based transition metal catalysts for hydrogen production. As the growing trend, brief discussions are also presented toward the high‐level assembly and manufacture of complexly structured components and devices at scale in the electrochemical and thermochemical energy systems.

Deng, Chenxin↗
DOE OSTI2025

MOOSE-based Tritium Migration Analysis Program, Version 8 (TMAP8) for advanced open-source tritium transport and fuel cycle modeling

Tritium management is critical for the safety, sustainability, and economics of fusion energy systems, and advanced and reliable modeling tools help accelerate the development of tritium technologies. This paper presents the Tritium Migration Analysis Program, Version 8 (TMAP8), an open-source, MOOSE-based application developed to provide state-of-the-art tritium transport and fuel cycle modeling capabilities. TMAP8 aims to expand the capabilities of previous versions (i.e., TMAP4 and TMAP7) by leveraging modern computational techniques, ensuring high software quality assurance standards (key to building trust), and enabling multispecies, multiscale, and multiphysics simulations for integrated tritium transport modeling in complex geometries. This paper outlines TMAP8’s scope and rigorous development practices, emphasizing its transparency, accessibility, modularity, and reliability. We present the current suite of verification and validation cases based on those from TMAP4, demonstrating TMAP8’s accuracy and reliability against analytical solutions and experimental data. Additionally, the paper showcases TMAP8’s integrated fuel cycle modeling capabilities, highlighting its applicability at various scales and levels. The TMAP8 code and documentation are openly available, promoting collaborative development and widespread adoption within the fusion community. Future work will soon expand TMAP8’s verification and validation suite to include those from TMAP7 and other recent experimental studies for validation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Engineered Accumulation of Protocatechuate in Corn Biomass to Enhance Biomanufacturing

The in-planta accumulation of coproducts in crops can enhance the value of lignocellulosic biomass and facilitate a sustainable bioeconomy. Corn stover represents a major renewable source of lignocellulose for the production of advanced biofuels and bioproducts. In this study, we engineered corn with a bacterial gene encoding a dehydroshikimate dehydratase (QsuB) to overproduce protocatechuate (DHBA). Transgenic corn lines accumulate up to 2.9% DHBA on a dry weight basis in leaf and stem biomass. DHBA occurs in the form of glucosides that are extractable from biomass using aqueous methanol as the solvent. The analysis of lignin did not show any evidence for the incorporation of DHBA; however, an increase in the lignin syringyl to guaiacyl ratio and a higher relative abundance of p-coumarate groups compared with total lignin units were observed in QsuB-modified corn. Alkaline hydrolysates prepared from QsuB corn were enriched in DHBA compared to the hydrolysates obtained from wild-type biomass, which contained mostly p-coumarate and ferulate. Using engineered Novosphingobium aromaticivorans as a production host, a 375% improvement in 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate titers was achieved through biological upgrading of alkaline hydrolysates derived from QsuB corn compared to unmodified biomass. Our data demonstrate an engineering strategy to overproduce DHBA in corn that can facilitate sustainable manufacturing of other valuable bioproducts using stover as a feedstock.

2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate↗
DOE OSTI2025

Community engagement in the development of bioenergy projects from cellulosic urban waste feedstock in Hawaii for sustainable aviation fuel

The purpose of the research project was to reveal the perceptions of residents and communities of the City and County of Honolulu concerning bioenergy projects, feedstock, and sustainable aviation fuel. The perception study was conducted via community-scale surveys, interviews, and town meetings to gather feedback on the preliminary design of a proposed bioenergy project, including feedstock choice and the need for sustainable aviation fuel in Hawaii. Residents on the west side of Oahu were targeted due to their proximity to the proposed plant site location. Findings from this study aim to identify resident perceptions, understanding, and desire for bioenergy projects and new infrastructure to, improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of Hawaiian islands. While Hawaii has created policies and mandates to move toward 100% renewable energy sources by 2045, the focus has been predominately on renewable electricity, largely overlooking other sustainable energy options such as sustainable aviation fuel. There is a lack of research on the community engagement and perceptions of Hawaiian residents on bioenergy projects and sustainable aviation fuel, contributing to the low adoption of bioenergy projects on the islands. Insights from this study aim to add literature on the need for community engagement in the design process, the importance of accepting new sustainable infrastructure, and the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Novel Low-Cost Method of Manufacturing Nb3Sn Superconductors with Multiple-Tin-Tube Sources (CRADA FRA-2008-0001 Final Report)

In order to successfully sustain a fusion reaction, peak magnetic fields on the order of 12-13 Tesla will be required. Magnetic fields of this magnitude can only be accomplished by advanced superconductors such as Nb3Sn. However, the economic success of a fusion machine will depend on further improvements in the cost-performance of the Nb3Sn conductor. This project will develop a novel, low-cost, multiple-tin-tube process as a new manufacturing approach for large-scale Nb3Sn-conductor production. The process will be suitable for the efficient production of larger strands (0.83 mm), consistent with ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) specifications. In Phase I, Cu/Nb composites were manufactured and shaped into sub-elements. These sub-elements were tin-coated by electroplating, assembled into a precise-fit restack billet tube, and drawn to 0.83 mm diameter. In Phase II, the process will be scaled-up to full production levels. The improved Nb3Sn conductor should have an immediate benefit for high-field magnet applications. A prototype fusion machine, based on a cost effective Nb3Sn conductor, would have enormous economic and social benefits. In addition, the conductor should be applicable to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which has requirements for use in chemical research, biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer science, petroleum research, agricultural chemistry, and medicine. Leszek Motowidlo, Principal Investigator, will be responsible for the overall coordination of the effort. He and others of SupraMagnetics staff will design and fabricate protoype PIT Nb3Sn conductors for evaluation at Fermilab. Emanuela Barzi will be responsible for the Fermilab subcontract and will coordinate and supervise critical current testing Nb3Sn strands and cable fabrication and evaluation.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Storage-Induced Collapse of Lignin Macromolecular Structure and Its Impacts on the Biorefinery

Lignin plays a vital role in the economics of biorefineries, serving as a source of process energy and a feedstock for sustainable fuels and chemical production. While understanding lignin’s chemical composition is crucial, emerging evidence suggests that a more comprehensive understanding of its macromolecular structure is critical to explaining its complex behavior in the biorefinery. This study investigated the partial collapse of the lignin network in corn stover feedstock after harvest and storage as a result of the microbial digestion of hemicellulose. Fluorescence microscopy was used to detect the collapse of lignin in terms of lignin’s inter-molecular interaction and the re-orientation of lignin’s chromophores, by the changes in lignin’s fluorescence lifetime, anisotropy, and the number of effective emitters. With minimal sample perturbation, our in-situ microscopic results revealed lignin's coil-globule transition phenomena, which was only previously predicted by molecular dynamics modeling extracted lignin in solvent. This collapse of lignin macromolecular structure was confirmed by results from NMR, IR, Raman, and powder X-ray diffraction. We also investigated the impact of this storage-induced collapse on the downstream biorefinery processes. Our study revealed that the two major approaches for lignin valorization in the lignin-first biorefinery model, namely monomer extraction and milled wood lignin extraction, were negatively impacted by the lignin collapse. As changes during storage are a source of feedstock variability, our study highlights the importance of understanding the effect of feedstock handling on biorefinery operations and economics.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Alkaline mineral residues from pulp mills as a sustainable and economical alternative to lime fertilizers

Lime is typically comprised of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) or calcium magnesium carbonate (CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 ) and is needed to maintain a proper pH in agriculture and forestry soils, but it represents a major cost to growers and results in significant greenhouse gas emissions due to the mining, crushing, and transport required. There is a need to identify existing sources of alkaline mineral wastes and assess their potential as sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to lime. Dregs and grits (DGs) are highly alkaline mineral residues from biomass pulp mills that form during the recovery of pulping chemicals and are mostly comprised of CaCO 3 . For the first time, we assess the efficacy of industrially sourced DGs on 22 acidic soils across the Southeastern United States that are currently used in either agriculture or forestry operations. The application of DGs was found on average to result in the same soil pH response as calcite over multiple soil incubations (0 day to 120 days). An analysis of the carbon content of the soils after the incubation revealed that soils incubated with DGs experienced a statistically significant increase in soil carbon relative to control soils and those incubated with CaCO 3 . The generation and application of DGs emits 0.35 tonnes of CO 2 for every tonne of DGs, which compares favorably to the 0.86 tonnes of CO 2 for every tonne of agricultural lime generated and $85 per tonne lime reported in the literature. DGs prove to be a sustainable and economical substitute for agricultural lime in the acidic soils of the Southeastern United States.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Power Quality and Load Capacity Evaluations of an Electric Vehicle for Multi-Robot System Applications

This paper evaluates the capability of a fully electric pickup truck, using the Ford F-150 Lightning as an example, to provide power to the circuit of a multi-robot system. The case study was conducted on a simulated INL Autonomous Pit Exploration System (APES) designed for the inspection of nuclear waste tank pits. Through a series of controlled tests, the vehicle’s power delivery consistency, load-handling capability, and battery performance were assessed under various conditions. First of all, the load test demonstrated that the vehicle provided stable power with low distortion and no unexpected interruptions. Second, during the operational limit test, the 240V system sustained loads up to 7.4 kW before tripping, providing insights into its operational limits. Last but not least, during a simulated full-scale APES operation, the vehicle’s battery depleted by only 6% over an hour, indicating sufficient capacity for extended use while retaining reserve power for transportation needs. This study highlights the potential of electric vehicles as reliable power sources for field operations, contributing to the advancement of sustainable technologies by reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuel generators and promoting the integration of clean energy solutions in remote and challenging environments.

Electric vehicle↗
DOE OSTI2025

IEEE SusTech 2025 Presentation

This paper evaluates the capability of a fully electric pickup truck, using the Ford F-150 Lightning as an example, to provide power to the circuit of a multi-robot system. The case study was conducted on a simulated INL Autonomous Pit Exploration System (APES) designed for the inspection of nuclear waste tank pits. Through a series of controlled tests, the vehicle’s power delivery consistency, load-handling capability, and battery performance were assessed under various conditions. First of all, the load test demonstrated that the vehicle provided stable power with low distortion and no unexpected interruptions. Second, during the operational limit test, the 240V system sustained loads up to 7.4 kW before tripping, providing insights into its operational limits. Last but not least, during a simulated full-scale APES operation, the vehicle’s battery depleted by only 6\% over an hour, indicating sufficient capacity for extended use while retaining reserve power for transportation needs. This study highlights the potential of electric vehicles as reliable power sources for field operations, contributing to the advancement of sustainable technologies by reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuel generators and promoting the integration of clean energy solutions in remote and challenging environments.

42 - ENGINEERING↗